California, West show surge in interracial marriages, study finds – Los Angeles Times

In California, which ranked sixth in the listing behind several of its Western neighbors, more than 23% of recent marriages were across such lines.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/16/local/la-me-interracial-marriage-20120216

Incarceration in the United States – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In total, 7,225,800 adults were under correctional supervision (probation, parole, jail, or prison) in 2009 – about 3.1% of adults in the U.S. resident population.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States

General government expenditure statistics – Statistics Explained

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/General_government_expenditure_statistics

US government spending as percent of GDP – Charts Tables History

http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_20th_century_chart.html

Monthly Statistical Snapshot, January 2013 Social Security

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/

Trends in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Disability Programs – Program Cost and Size

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/chartbooks/disability_trends/sect01.html

75 Economic Numbers From 2012 That Are Almost Too Crazy To Believe | Zero Hedge

Fri, 12/21/2012 – 19:43 | Link to Comment Lednbrass
Lednbrass’s picture

Want to see some really depressing numbers? Make a list of GDP for every year for the last 30 years, subtract government deficit spending then adjust for inflation. The resulting picture is pure ugly, our real economy has been contracting for a very long time.  I only went back to 1980 but I suspect it can be traced for at least a decade before that.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-12-21/75-economic-numbers-2012-are-almost-too-crazy-believe

California Defies Lower-Tax Texas in Creating More Jobs – Bloomberg

the world’s ninth-biggest economy, has the highest statewide sales tax in the U.S., at 7.25 percent. That would rise to 7.5 percent if voters approve a November ballot initiative. The income tax rate for those making $1 million or more a year, now 10.3 percent, would rise to 13.3 percent, the most of any state.

Income Tax

Texas, the 13th largest economy if it were a country, has no income tax. Most state revenue comes from a 6.25 percent sales levy.

via California Defies Lower-Tax Texas in Creating More Jobs – Bloomberg.

UC picks Richmond for Lawrence Berkeley lab campus – SFGate

The lab’s new campus will bring in more than 800 jobs, attract spin-off enterprises and generate millions of dollars in tax revenue that could transform the city of 100,000 residents.

via UC picks Richmond for Lawrence Berkeley lab campus – SFGate.

UC selects Richmond site for Berkeley lab’s second campus | abc7news.com

University officials say construction of the second campus will take about four years, and that they hope to move researchers into the new site by mid-2016.

via UC selects Richmond site for Berkeley lab's second campus | abc7news.com.

Richmond, CA – Official Website – LBNL Second Campus at RFS

Notice of Preparation

The Notice of Preparation (NOP) was issued today for the Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) and Phase 1 development at the Richmond Bay Campus Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A 30-day comment period for scoping will end on February 4. View the NOP and other environmental documents. 

via Richmond, CA – Official Website – LBNL Second Campus at RFS.

UC Berkeley Selects SKS Investments as Richmond Field Station Developer in Competition for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Proposed Second Campus Project | Business Wire

The entire Richmond community is showing support for LBNL with its “Richmond On the Rise” campaign. There is widespread backing in the city for this second campus across a spectrum of the community, from labor to local businesses and global companies like Chevron. Richmond’s Pacific East Mall is one such supporter with an “I [heart] LBNL” on its marquee.

via UC Berkeley Selects SKS Investments as Richmond Field Station Developer in Competition for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Proposed Second Campus Project | Business Wire.

OECD iLibrary: Statistics / Country statistical profiles: Key tables from OECD / Country statistical profile: United States 2010

Education
	Tertiary attainment in population aged 25-64	%	..	..	..	..	..	..	40.3	..
	Tertiary entry rates in peer age groups	%	42.3	63.5	62.8	63.3	63.8	64.1	64.6	..
	Tertiary graduation rates in population at graduation age	%	32.7	32.4	31.9	33.2	34.2	35.5	36.5	..

via OECD iLibrary: Statistics / Country statistical profiles: Key tables from OECD / Country statistical profile: United States 2010.

OECD iLibrary: Statistics / Country statistical profiles: Key tables from OECD / Country statistical profile: Finland 2010

Education

 

Education
	Tertiary attainment in population aged 25-64	%	..	..	..	..	..	..	36.4	..
	Tertiary entry rates in peer age groups	%	72.0	71.4	73.2	73.4	73.2	76.3	71.2	..
	Tertiary graduation rates in population at graduation age	%	45.5	48.7	47.7	47.3	48.1	47.5	48.5	..

 

via OECD iLibrary: Statistics / Country statistical profiles: Key tables from OECD / Country statistical profile: Finland 2010.

Country statistical profiles: Key tables from OECD – OECD iLibrary

Country statistical profiles: Key tables from OECD

DOI :10.1787/20752288

The key tables by country statistical profiles include a wide range of indicators on economy, education, energy, environment, foreign aid, health, information and communication, labour, migration, R&D, trade and society. Historical data refer to the latest eight time periods.

via Country statistical profiles: Key tables from OECD – OECD iLibrary.

OECD’s annual Education at a Glance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• In the proportion of populations earning bachelor’s degrees 

or their equivalent, the United States ranked #1 among 30 

OECD countries in every age group except 25–34, where 

we ranked #2

 

http://www.ecs.org/html/offsite.asp?document=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eihep%2Eorg%2Fassets%2Ffiles%2Fpublications%2Fs-z%2F%28Report%29_The_Spaces_Between_Numbers-Getting_International_Data_on_Higher_Education_Straight%2Epdf

 

ECS Education Policy Issue Site: International Comparisons

Spaces Between Numbers: Getting International Data on Higher Education Straight – This research report reveals that U.S. graduation rates remain comparable to those of other developed countries despite news stories about our nation losing its global competitiveness because of slipping college graduation rates. The difference: The United States measures its attainment rates by “institution” while other developed nations measure their graduation rates by “system.” (Clifford Adelman, Institute for Higher Education Policy, November 2009)…

via ECS Education Policy Issue Site: International Comparisons.

the OECD average of 31%

 

At the tertiary level, the United States continues to produce a high proportion of highly

qualified people, but other countries are catching up.

 In the United States some 39% of the adult population aged 25-to-64 years are qualified

to the tertiary level, well above the OECD average of 31%. These attainment rates have

been historically very high but now other countries are matching and exceeding this

attainment level (Table A1.3a, p.39).

 Changes over time in the attainment rates of a country can be approximated by

comparing the attainment rates for older and younger age groups. With 36% of 55-to-64

year-olds in 2003 having completed a tertiary qualification, the United States had the

highest tertiary education attainment in the period 35 to 45 years ago, just ahead of

Canada with 35%. No other country was above 27%. The United States’rate of 39% for

25-to-34 year olds reveals only a small synthetic growth over the intervening 30 years

during which Canada (53%), Japan (52%), Korea (49%) have all grown well clear while

Sweden (42%), Belgium (41%) and Ireland (40%) now also surpass the tertiary

attainment level of the United States. In rank, the United States has slipped from 1

st

to

equal 7

th

of OECD countries (Table A1.3a, p.39

United States in 2004
was slightly below the OECD average and well below the highest rates of over 45%
reported by Australia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, New Zealand and Norway (Table
A3.1, p.58)

Some53% oftoday’syoungpeopleinOECDcountrieswillenterauniversitylevelor
equivalent (Tertiary-type A) programme during their lifetime. These entry rates are 70%
or more in Australia, Finland, Iceland, Poland and Sweden and as high as 89% in New
Zealand.(Table C2.2, p.277)

The United States remains by far the most popular destination for international students
with 22% of foreign students worldwide enrolled in the country. It is twice as popular as
the United Kingdom (11% of foreign students), the next most popular destination and
higher still than the next most popular destinations Germany (10%), France (9%),
Australia (6%) and Canada (5%) (Chart C3.2, p.288 and Web-based Table C3.8). This is
largely a function of the size of the tertiary system: The percentage of international
students in total tertiary enrolment is only 3.4% in the United States, compared with an
OECD average of 6.5% and 16.6% in Australia, 13.4% in the United Kingdom, 12.7% in
Switzerland and 11.3% in Austria (Table C3.1, p.303)

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/51/20/37392850.pdf

 

‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com

The report also notes that the GDP per capita in Shanghai is well below the OECD average — highlighting another finding of the study: Low national income does not necessarily signify poor educational performance. South Korea, another top performer, also has a GDP below the OECD average.

via ‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com.

‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com

The United States spends more per student, on average, than other countries. In the 2009 PISA study, only Luxembourg spent more per student. The report notes that countries like Estonia and Poland perform at about the same level as the United States, while spending less than half the amount per student.

via ‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com.

‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com

The top performers in reading were South Korea, Finland, Hong Kong and Shanghai in China, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Australia.

via ‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com.

‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com

Between 1995 and 2008, for example, the United States slipped from ranking second in college graduation rates to 13th, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Paris-based organization that develops and administers the PISA exam. Of 34 OECD countries, only 8 have a lower high school graduation rate.

via ‘Wake-up call’: U.S. students trail global leaders – US news – Life – msnbc.com.

PolitiFact | Laura Tyson correct that U.S. lags in college graduation rates but overstates severity of high school dropout numbers

We noticed that while the college graduation rate for the U.S. and a number of other OECD countries rose by a few percentage points from 2000 to 2007, several countries posted increases of 10 to 15 percentage points, and Iceland nearly doubled its rate from 33 percent to 63 percent.

via PolitiFact | Laura Tyson correct that U.S. lags in college graduation rates but overstates severity of high school dropout numbers.

The Final Word is Always Finland

75% of Finnish workers are unionized.

via The Final Word is Always Finland.

Why does finland have 50% 4 years college graduation rate, USA only have 27%? – Yahoo! Answers

Why does finland have 50% 4 years college graduation rate, USA only have 27%?

via Why does finland have 50% 4 years college graduation rate, USA only have 27%? – Yahoo! Answers.

Postsecondary Education rate

39 percent of the adult population in the United States has attained a postsecondary degree — well above the OECD average of

31 percent (OECD, 2006)

http://www.all4ed.org/files/Facts_For_Education_Adv_Jan2009.pdf

 

 

Education in Finland – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The selection process is fully transparent, merit-based and objective; there are no application essays, no human factor in selection, no underrepresented minority support, and no weight on extracurricular activities. Moreover, the entrance examinations are rarely long lists of multiple-answer questions, but smaller amount of longer and more complicated questions that are supposed to test more than memorization and quick mechanical problem solving. Therefore, the selection process is much different than for example in the US or India.

via Education in Finland – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Solutions for Our Future

Income Inequality in the US Exceeded Other Industrial Countries.

via Solutions for Our Future.

PolitiFact | Laura Tyson correct that U.S. lags in college graduation rates but overstates severity of high school dropout numbers

On college graduation rates, we found a table that compared 22 countries in 2007 on what proportion of the population has graduated from college by the typical college graduation age in that country. On that list, the U.S. does indeed rank 14th, with 36.5 percent having a college degree. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Sweden and the United Kingdom all ranked higher than the U.S., while Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Switzerland all ranked lower.

via PolitiFact | Laura Tyson correct that U.S. lags in college graduation rates but overstates severity of high school dropout numbers.

The More College Graduates the Better? | The Freeman | Ideas On Liberty

Canada has 53 percent, the U.S. only 39 percent

via The More College Graduates the Better? | The Freeman | Ideas On Liberty.