[net-gold] UNITED STATES: GOVERNMENT : GOVERNMENT: PUBLICATIONS : GOVERNMENT: DOCUMENTS : GOVERNMENT: BUDGETS AND BUDGETING : INFORMATION ACCESS : STATISTICS: RESOURCES : CENSORSHIP: Dont Kill Americas Databook
- From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Net-Gold -- Educator Gold <Educator-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Educator Gold <Educator-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, Net-Gold <Net-Gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, NetGold <netgold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Net-Gold <net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, K-12ADMINLIFE <K12ADMIN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, K12AdminLIFE <K12AdminLIFE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, MediaMentor <mediamentor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Digital Divide Diversity MLS <mls-digitaldivide@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, NetGold <netgold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Net-Platinum <net-platinum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Sean Grigsby <myarchives1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Net-Gold <NetGold_general@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Temple Gold Discussion Group <TEMPLE-GOLD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Temple University Net-Gold Archive <net-gold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Health Lists -- Health Diet Fitness Recreation Sports Tourism <healthrecsport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Health Diet Fitness Recreation Sports <healthrecsport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, HEALTH-RECREATION-SPORTS-TOURISM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Sport-Med <SPORT-MED@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, sport-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, sports-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, sport-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:30:43 -0400 (EDT)
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UNITED STATES: GOVERNMENT :
GOVERNMENT: PUBLICATIONS :
GOVERNMENT: DOCUMENTS :
GOVERNMENT: BUDGETS AND BUDGETING :
INFORMATION ACCESS :
STATISTICS: RESOURCES :
CENSORSHIP:
Dont Kill Americas Databook
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Dont Kill Americas Databook
Robert J. Samuelson
Opinion Writer
Washington Post
Post Opinions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dont-kill-americas-databook/
2011/08/21/gIQAGJwBVJ_story.html?hpid=z5
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A shorter URL for the above link:
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http://tinyurl.com/3esslzd
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If you want to know something about America, there are few better places
to start than the Statistical Abstract of the United States. Published
annually by the Census Bureau, the Stat Abstract assembles about 1,400
tables describing our national condition. What share of children are
immunized against measles, mumps and rubella? Answer: 92 percent. What
state has the highest disposable per capita income? Answer: Connecticut,
33 percent above the national average. How big is the nations network of
oil pipelines? Answer: 147,000 miles, about triple the length of the
Interstate Highway System (46,751 miles).
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I am a devoted fan of the Stat Abstract. In four decades of reporting, I
have grabbed it thousands of times to find a fact, tutor myself or answer
a pressing question. Its figures are usually the start of a story, not the
end. They suggest paths of inquiry, including the meaning and reliability
of the statistics themselves (otherwise, they can mislead or tell false
tales). The Stat Abstract has been a stalwart journalistic ally. With some
interruptions, the government has published it since 1878.
No more. The Stat Abstract is headed for the chopping block. The 2012
edition, scheduled for publication later this year, will be the last,
unless someone saves it.
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In the next months and years, we will stumble across countless examples of
good government coming to grief. Budget pressures will force cutbacks and
cancellations. Many will be desirable and overdue: programs that dont
work, have outlived their usefulness or favor the undeserving. But some
will represent valuable activities that were reluctantly or foolishly
eliminated to meet budget targets. The Stat Abstracts fate belongs in this
category.
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The Census Bureau argues that it is condemned to painful triage. It has to
choose between its basic job of devising surveys and collecting statistics
about economic, social and governmental conditions and the less-important
task of publicizing the results. Aside from conducting the population
census every decade, the Census Bureau performs the surveys that among
other things provide numbers on employment, voting, business, health
insurance coverage and economic output.
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snip
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Not surprisingly, librarians are howling about the Stat Abstracts
prospective demise. When she learned that the Stat Abstract was
threatened, Alesia McManus, library director at Howard Community College
in Columbia, started a Facebook page and launched a petition dedicated to
reversing the decision. If the library were on fire, this would be the
reference book I would try and save first, said one response. The
Statistical Abstract has for years been one of the top five reference
books used by students and faculty at South Dakota State University, said
another.
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The American Library Association representing about 16,700 public
libraries and more than 100,000 academic and school libraries has thrown
all its weight behind keeping the Stat Abstract. Unfortunately, thats not
much.
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Without the Stat Abstract, statistics will become more hidden, and our
collective knowledge will suffer. Must this be? If Census doesnt rescind
its misguided death sentence, the agency could contract with some wealthy
private foundation to support the abstract. With a little imagination not
the governments strong point sales of the Stat Abstract might even turn a
profit. MacArthur Foundation, Gates Foundation: Are you listening?
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The complete article may be read at the URL above.
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Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@xxxxxxxxxx
http://daviddillard.businesscard2.com
Net-Gold
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General Internet & Print Resources
http://guides.temple.edu/general-internet
COUNTRIES
http://guides.temple.edu/general-country-info
EMPLOYMENT
http://guides.temple.edu/EMPLOYMENT
TOURISM
http://guides.temple.edu/tourism
DISABILITIES
http://guides.temple.edu/DISABILITIES
INDOOR GARDENING
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/IndoorGardeningUrban/
Educator-Gold
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Educator-Gold/
K12ADMINLIFE
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K12AdminLIFE/
The Russell Conwell Learning Center Research Guide:
THE COLLEGE LEARNING CENTER
http://tinyurl.com/yae7w79
Nina Dillard's Photographs on Net-Gold
http://tinyurl.com/36qd2o
and also http://gallery.me.com/neemers1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neemers/
Twitter: davidpdillard
Bushell, R. & Sheldon, P. (eds),
Wellness and Tourism: Mind, Body, Spirit,
Place, New York: Cognizant Communication Books.
Wellness Tourism: Bibliographic and Webliographic Essay
David P. Dillard
http://tinyurl.com/p63whl
http://tinyurl.com/ou53aw
INDOOR GARDENING
Improve Your Chances for Indoor Gardening Success
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http://groups.google.com/group/indoor-gardening-and-urban-gardening
SPORT-MED
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/sport-med.html
http://groups.google.com/group/sport-med
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sports-med/
http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/sport-med.html
HEALTH DIET FITNESS RECREATION SPORTS TOURISM
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/healthrecsport/
http://groups.google.com/group/healthrecsport
http://healthrecsport.jiglu.com/
http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/health-recreation-sports-tourism.html
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