A few months before the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, only 9% of Pakistanis said that suicide attacks and other forms of violence against civilians are often or sometimes justified, a sharp decline from the 41% who expressed this view in 2004.

About 8-in-10 Republicans now say they are “pretty well satisfied” with the way things are going for them financially. By comparison, only 54% of both independents and Democrats subscribe to that view, the largest partisan gap in 20 years of Pew values surveys.

People who attend religious services weekly or more are happier (43% very happy) than those who attend monthly or less (31%); or seldom or never (26%).

A 45%-plurality of Americans say they don’t really care how they are greeted when they enter stores or businesses; 42% prefer a “Merry Christmas” greeting.