Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Surveys in several communities have found that the people who believe their local government does a good job sharing information are more likely than others to feel satisfied with civic life.
47% of Americans use their cellphones and tablet computers to get local news and information. Among all cellphone and tablet owners, 42% get local weather updates and 37% get material about restaurants or other local businesses on their mobile devices.
Domestic and foreign conflicts—from Madison to Tripoli—generated plenty of attention in social media last week, with users opining and relaying breaking news. On YouTube, scenes of Mideast unrest once again made the roster of most popular videos.
Continued fighting in Libya and the union faceoff in Wisconsin fueled the No. 1 and No. 2 stories overall last week. But the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on Friday March 11 quickly overwhelmed every other story—including a controversial hearing on Islamic terrorism.