Population Potpourri

The May 1, 2008 edition of the U.S. Census Bureau News reveals that the U.S. Hispanic population of 45 million is now the largest minority group nationwide comprising 15 percent of the total population. Next are Black Americans (40.7 million), Asian Americans (15.2 million), American Indians and Alaska Natives (4.5 million), and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders (1 million). The total number of White Americans is 199.1 million.

States with the largest number of older Americans include Florida, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania while Alaska, Utah, and Georgia have the fewest. States with the largest number of preschoolers include Utah, Texas, and Idaho while Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire have the fewest. The white population is older than the population as a whole. About 25 percent of the total population is under 18, while only 21 percent of whites are younger than 18.

Hospital Rating Service

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has created Hospital Compare to provide feedback from patients about the quality of adult health care received at participating hospitals for a specified range of conditions or procedures. The site is especially useful to Medicare patients who are able to look up specific participating hospitals and find out how many Medicare patients were treated there for certain conditions as well as the amount Medicare paid the hospitals for those procedures. It is possible to search for a hospital in a specific area or across the nation as well as for those that treat certain conditions such as heart attacks or diabetes, or perform certain procedures such as angioplasty, heart bypass, back and neck operations, and hysterectomies.

North Deer Island Sanctuary

The 144-acre North Deer Island is one of few remaining natural islands in Galveston Bay and an excellent location for bird watching. Several species of endangered birds (such as Roseate Spoonbills) use the island as breeding and nesting grounds. Recently, a major North Deer Island restoration and conservation project was completed.

In Janurary 2006, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) received a grant of over $1.2 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore wildlife habitats on the island and prevent erosion. Many organizations partnered with TPWD to provide further financial backing, including the part owners of the island, the Houston and Texas branches of the Audubon Society.

For more information about North Deer Island, including information about tours, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

Reconstruction Progress in Iraq

The latest (April 30, 2008) State Inspector General For Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) ) quarterly report is now available. The report details how the $46 billion for relief and reconstruction allocated to Iraq since April 2003 has been spent. It also provides information about "the top five projects in each construction sector, the top contractors by income, an overview of reconstruction management, and SIGIR's new audits and inspections." One bit of good news is that Iraq's revenue income should be around $70 billion for 2008 which is twice the expected amount.

Celebrate Earth Day

From NASA Visible Earth (http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/)

On Earth Day 2008, Tuesday, April 22, people around the world are celebrating events promoting environmental friendliness. The following sites provide ideas about how to commemorate the day and take part in saving the environment:

• Earth Day 2008 Events Worldwide (earthdaynetwork) -- Campaigns, education, and outreach.
  
  
• EnviroLink Network. -- Comprehensive list of world-wide Earth Day events "regardless of size, geographic location or organizational affiliation."
  
  
• Sun-Earth Day: 2008 -- NASA.gov list of world-wide celebrations for the IHY (International Heliophysical Year) concentrating on this year's theme of space weather around the world.
  
  
• Celebrate Earth Day -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency site with podcasts, environmental tips, and ideas to use at home, in the community, at school, at work, and while shopping.

Infant Abuse in the U.S.

In its MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) newsletter of April 4, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a shocking report about abuse of infants in the United States in federal fiscal year 2006 (Oct. 2005 - Sept. 2006). Data collected by the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) for infants who were reported to the Child Protective Services (CPS) system indicated the greatest risk for maltreatment by parents or caregivers occurs during the first week of life followed by the first month. A total of 91,278 infants under age one (23.2 per 1,000 population) and 29,881 (32.7%) age one week or less experienced nonfatal maltreatment. When sorted by race, 43.6% victims were white, 25.2% were black or African American, 19.3% were Hispanic, 1.3% were American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.6% were Asian, 3.1% had multiple race/ethnicity, and 6.9% were of unknown race/ethnicity. More infants were mistreated because of neglect (68.5%) than of physical abuse (13.2%). Medical personnel were the top reporters of abuse (60.8%) followed by law enforcement personnel (21.4%), social services personnel (15.1%), parents/other relatives (8.8%), and friends/neighbors (3.2%).

In addition to the report, the CDC has released a transcript of a web cast about this story that gives further information about the statistics, the problem, and possible solutions.

Congress in the Classroom

If you are a middle school or high school social studies teacher, this is an exciting year to apply to attend the Dirksen Congressional Center's Congress in the Classroom education program at the Hotel Pere Marquette in Peoria, Illinois, Monday, July 21 - Thursday, July 24. April 15 is the deadline to apply (online application) for the program which features sessions focusing on recent research about both congressional and presidential elections and ways to teach students about Congress and elections. Those selected for the program will receive three nights lodging, workshop materials, local transportation, and all but three meals, but must pay a non-refundable $135 registration fee and transportation costs to and from the event.

A small sampling of the proposed sessions include the following:

• Where We Stand in the Presidential Race and What to Look For
  Tim Teehan, National Sales Director, Campaigns and Elections.
  
• "I’m No Lady, I’m a Member of Congress": Women in Congress, 1917-2006
  Kathleen Johnson, Historical Publications Specialist, Office of History and Preservation, House of Representatives
  
• Teaching with Primary Sources
  Cindy Rich, Project Director, Teaching with Primary Sources, Eastern Illinois University.
  
• Predicting the Outcome of the Presidential Election
  Frank H. Mackaman, The Dirksen Congressional Center

See the Dirksen Center Web site for a complete listing and further information.