The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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From bags of kibble in the grocery store to modern home sizes, things are getting smaller—and evidently, Americans are starting to look for furry friends that match. Small breeds like terriers and toys have largely dethroned the retrievers that once dominated the most popular breed rankings. This is a continuation of a trend that began in 2022 when the Labrador retriever lost its 31-year-long streak as #1 to the French bulldog, according to the American Kennel Club. This shift may be p...
The "most unusual job market in modern American history." The "Great American Labor Shortage." That's how news reports were describing the massive disruption to the job market delivered by the COVID-19 pandemic by the latter half of 2021, when almost half of American companies were reporting a worker shortage. Since then, the job market has shifted back toward something more akin to what the U.S. was used to before the pandemic arrived. But some industries and parts of the country are still...
In July, global temperatures continued to climb to their highest levels on record, marking 14 consecutive months of record-high temperatures, according to a National Centers for Environmental Information report. As temperatures climb, so do concerns over the effect of these hot weather days on learning. "Kids are coming to school and not even having their basic needs of comfort met; and if they don't have their needs met, they can't progress and learn and do all of those things we want them to...
The United States is facing a caregiving crisis. As America's population ages and adults are staying active for longer, many are choosing to live in assisted-living facilities. Assisted-living facilities offer 24-hour care but are less hands-on than nursing homes. They can offer the best of both worlds for a generation that values independence. Still, low staffing levels are causing facilities to raise prices and, in some cases, close their doors entirely, exacerbating an already severe care gap...
It takes a lot of money to win elections. The 2022 election cycle was the priciest nonpresidential election cycle in history, with spending reaching nearly $9 billion, according to an OpenSecrets analysis. Effective outreach and messaging requires ads, stickers, campaign staff, pens, and more—even for last-minute high-profile switch-ups such as the one the United States is currently facing. With Biden's decision to step aside, Kamala Harris' campaign has received record-breaking c...
Equity in American healthcare is a work in progress. There are still some areas where it's much easier and more convenient to access medical professionals and pharmacies. Improved access to care typically leads to better health outcomes, as well as an increased likelihood of people actually receiving preventative care and screenings. Which states are falling short when it comes to accessible healthcare? Hers looked at four data sets to rank all 50 states from worst to best. - Shortage of...
America is experiencing a mental health crisis, and mental health struggles amongst the nation's youth are intensifying. Student mental health is in a precarious place, with children and teens exposed to more information, more social contact, and more discord than ever before. The student mental health crisis is pervasive. The good news is that Americans are more aware of the importance of mental health now more than ever. Age-old taboos are finally lifting. Even the federal government is...
Between new stadiums, ownership changes, and player salaries, the economics of football are changing from the top down. For fans, this means increased costs to both see NFL games in person and watch their favorite NFL teams on TV. To see exactly how prices have risen for NFL fans, the FinanceBuzz team compared the average costs of attending an NFL game in person, including tickets, beer, hot dogs, and parking, for every NFL team over the past decade. This helped determine which NFL teams' fans...
Angela Girol has been teaching fourth grade in Pittsburgh for over two decades. Over the years she's noticed a change at her school: It's getting hotter. Some days temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit in her classroom which, like many on the East Coast, isn't air-conditioned. When it's hot, she said, kids don't eat, or drink enough water. "They end up in the nurse's office because they're dizzy, they have a headache, their stomach hurts — all because of heat and dehydration," she said. To c...
The explosive growth in America's senior population reflects increased longevity and health. Driven by baby boomers who began hitting senior status in 2011, Census Bureau data showed the 65 and over demographic grew by nearly 40% from 2010 to 2020. That's compared to an overall population growth of just 7.4%, the most growth seniors have seen in a century. If the trend continues, Americans aged 65 and over will comprise 22% of the population by 2040. The average life expectancy for a 65-year-old...
For athletes and sports fans alike, the Olympic Games are the pinnacle of sporting events. Every four years, more than 10,000 athletes from nearly every country come together for the Summer Olympics and compete in dozens of sports. With over 3 billion people watching, it's arguably the most popular sporting event in the world, showcasing sports and countries both large and small on the global stage. Every Olympics has great competitions, but upsets are the most memorable. Underdogs take the...
The American population is aging—and much-needed mental health care providers are in short supply. Earlier this year, the federal government rolled out new rules to help older Americans access more services and give health care professionals the flexibility to help those in their community with the greatest needs. But better health care access only works if the people poised to benefit understand the new rules. It's not unusual for Medicare patients to need to advocate for themselves in h...
The first full school year since OpenAI launched ChatGPT on Nov. 20, 2022 has come to a close. Since then, educators' attitudes toward artificial intelligence have changed. For example, New York City Public Schools was the first district to ban ChatGPT in January 2023, only to lift the ban later that year in May. In fact, 70% of educators in New York report that AI has actually increased their passion in teaching. It's not just New York, though. Data shows that, across the country, educators'...
The Fourth of July can be a miserable day for dogs. The fireworks make scaredy-cats out of many canines. That's because dogs, like humans, are hardwired to be afraid of sudden, loud noises. It is what keeps them safe. Some dogs, though, take that fear to the extreme with panting, howling, pacing, whining, hiding, trembling and even self-injury or escape. And, unlike humans, they don't know that the fanfare on the Fourth is not a threat. Dogs hear the fireworks and process it as if their world...
Which cities are best for grilling a steak outside this summer? With summer here and National Grilling Month around the corner, Lawn Love ranked 2024's Best Cities for Grilling Meat. We compared nearly 470 of the biggest U.S. cities based on 4 meaty categories. We looked at local interest in grilling, access to butcheries and home improvement chains, and the average cost of meat in the area. We also considered ideal weather conditions for cooking outdoors, among 17 total metrics. Fire up the...
When Cortni Borgerson thinks about the trillion or so periodical cicadas emerging from underground, she sees more than clumsily flying insects flitting from tree to tree in search of a mate. She sees lunch. Some may find that idea revolting, a belief often, if unknowingly, steeped in colonialism and the notion that eating insects is "uncivilized." But Borgerson, an anthropologist at Montclair State University, is among those eager to change that perception. She's a big fan of dining on bugs of...
The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey. Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV shows are casting roles near you. Backstage compiled a l...
The average cost for a gallon of gasoline has hardly budged in the past week as an increasing domestic supply and less demand from drivers are keeping prices tame. Prices at the pump are just a few cents below where they sat this same time last year in the midst of the Fourth of July holiday week. Analysts are watching the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hezbollah, backed by major oil producer and Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries member Iran, as it could grow...
Layoffs are down from a year ago, but job cuts across major U.S. employers and rising unemployment across nearly half of states are leaving Americans anxious and uncertain. Layoffs among major employers, including Google and Tesla, have driven the narrative. May layoffs were up 7% from the previous month and 8% from 2023. That represents about 123,000 more layoffs nationwide in May 2024 compared to the same time last year. Notably, 2023 saw a major spike in job losses, with about 2 million more...
Recurring: The 50 places where homes are selling the fastest The pace at which homes sell in the U.S. tends to ebb and flow over the calendar year, with homes selling fastest in the summer and slowest in the winter. But high home prices and mortgage interest rates are keeping many potential buyers on the sidelines. The median number of days a home spent on the market in May was 32, the same as the year before. When homes sell faster, it can be a sign that any given market is less...
Which U.S. states have the highest and lowest cost of raising a child? When it comes to two working parents raising one child, the median annual cost across all states is $22,850 – but the range of costs from state to state can vary and even be much higher. In fact, it costs twice as much in some states as compared with others. With this in mind, SmartAsset set out to find where it's most and least expensive for working parents to raise a child, ranking states by additional annual costs for t...
Free school breakfasts, in one form or another, have been a mainstay of American education for nearly a century. Increasingly, schools and state administrations are developing new ways to meet the needs of children who suffer from food insecurity across the United States. The longstanding national School Breakfast Program is a federally funded program that operates in public and nonprofit private schools, and its impact goes far beyond the cafeteria. In 2022, around 2.2 billion breakfasts were...
Marijuana use is at an all-time high—Here's how it affects mental health Marijuana use is at an all-time high in the United States. In the past decade alone, Americans' reported marijuana smoking has more than doubled, increasing from 7% to 13% from 2013 to 2023, according to a national poll from Gallup. And, a separate study found that half of adults (50%) now say they have tried marijuana at some point in their lives. The reported increase in marijuana use, known formally as cannabis, p...
For centuries, sports have impacted the lives and cultures of people worldwide. From the first Olympic games in Greece as far back as the 700s B.C. to the formation of the National Association of Base Ball Players—the first professional sports league in America—in the 1800s, the love for sports has always been apparent. What makes sports so popular? Why do so many people gather around a big screen or spend hundreds of dollars on tickets to appear in person at an event? While there doesn't see...
Despite 13% of the American population living with a disability, stigma and discrimination persist. With 44 million Americans living with some form of disability, it is more critical than ever to understand their needs. To give Americans a better idea of accommodations needed in their communities, accessiBe charted disability statistics in Alabama using Census Bureau data. This state-level story is part of a broader national analysis. Shares of state populations with certain disabilities are...
