After devastating crash nearly ended career, Taylor Phinney to resume cycling at Tour of Utah
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Friday, July 31, 2015
Phinney to make comeback to cycling at Tour of Utah
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14 Illinois Prisons Reaching 80 to 96% of Their Total Capacity
There are more than 47,000 inmates under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Corrections as of May 2015, the lowest the state's prison population has been in five years, says the IDOC's quarterly report.
While the number of people incarcerated in Illinois prisons is slightly lower, overcrowding remains a major problem considering the state's correctional system was designed for an inmate capacity of 32,000.
The operational capacity at all but two of the state's 25 correctional centers exceeds 90 percent, meaning they've nearly reached the maximum number of inmates a facility can hold.
When you look at these prisons' design capacity--the number of inmates a facility initially was designed to hold--every correctional center in Illinois is operating above capacity. Some prisons hold double the number of inmates intended in their original designs.
Statewide, the average operational capacity of the 25 correctional centers is 94 percent and 149 percent for design capacity.
The chart below shows both the operational and design capacities of 14 correctional systems in Illinois. Click on the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to switch between current operational and design capacities.
Check out Reboot Illinois to see which correctional facilities in the state are up to 98 percent and 99 percent full.
Sign up for our daily email to stay up to date with Illinois politics.
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While the number of people incarcerated in Illinois prisons is slightly lower, overcrowding remains a major problem considering the state's correctional system was designed for an inmate capacity of 32,000.
The operational capacity at all but two of the state's 25 correctional centers exceeds 90 percent, meaning they've nearly reached the maximum number of inmates a facility can hold.
When you look at these prisons' design capacity--the number of inmates a facility initially was designed to hold--every correctional center in Illinois is operating above capacity. Some prisons hold double the number of inmates intended in their original designs.
Statewide, the average operational capacity of the 25 correctional centers is 94 percent and 149 percent for design capacity.
The chart below shows both the operational and design capacities of 14 correctional systems in Illinois. Click on the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to switch between current operational and design capacities.
Check out Reboot Illinois to see which correctional facilities in the state are up to 98 percent and 99 percent full.
Sign up for our daily email to stay up to date with Illinois politics.
NEXT ARTICLE: Top 25 most dangerous cities in Illinois
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Locally grown food could be good for Illinois' economy
Editor's Note: The landscape in rural Illinois is changing rapidly as family farms give way to industrial agricultural production. This change is having a profound impact on the economic and social life of Illinois' rural communities. Less well known, but just as significant, this landscape change is also adversely affecting both Illinois' economy and food sources. This Policy Profile from the Northern Illinois University Center from Governmental Studies explores these changes and offers suggestions which can help correct some of the resulting problems.
Check out the rest of the report from the Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies at Reboot Illinois.
Business in other industries in Illinois is taking a hit, too, some say. The closing of a Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Ill. could be part of a larger trend in declining Illinois manufacturing as a whole, says Scott Reeder of the Illinois News Network. He says the closing is "just the latest example of manufacturing jobs disappearing from a state that was once a manufacturing powerhouse." To see what other factories have close in Illinois, check out Reeder's list of companies at Reboot Illinois.
NEXT ARTICLE: Best of the best: The top 10 hospitals in Illinois
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While Illinois has some of the richest soil in the world, the state's farms now produce only four percent of the food consumed in the state. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has estimated that the state has the ability to produce 85 percent of the food its residents and visitors consume. Where is the disconnect?
One answer is that economic considerations have rendered the family farm, once the backbone of Illinois' agricultural economy, obsolete. To make matters even worse, the federal government's agricultural subsidies, originally intended to protect and maintain family farms, now serve as an added incentive to large, agribusiness enterprises--industrial farming--to expand their operations and drive family farms out of existence.
What happened to Illinois' family farms?
Illinois' flat topography encourages farmers to increase profitability by planting a single crop--most commonly corn or soybeans--across vast acreage. This is best accomplished by acquiring huge tracts of land; investing in large, expensive mechanized equipment; and planting a single crop in a field stretching across many dozens of acres. It enables a farmer to plant corn and soybeans in uniform rows; apply huge volumes of chemical fertilizers and pest controls; and expand the use of potentially harmful chemicals to increase agricultural yields in the short term. But such techniques also discourage farm operations from producing food for human consumption.
These techniques require a huge, up-front investment of capital, but they also produce huge yields, enabling the investors to sell the crops with lower profit margins. Access to such capital for investment poses relatively few problems for agri-business enterprises, but it is beyond the means of all but the most successful family farmers.
The traditional family farm, in short, can no longer compete economically with today's agri-business enterprises.
Check out the rest of the report from the Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies at Reboot Illinois.
Business in other industries in Illinois is taking a hit, too, some say. The closing of a Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Ill. could be part of a larger trend in declining Illinois manufacturing as a whole, says Scott Reeder of the Illinois News Network. He says the closing is "just the latest example of manufacturing jobs disappearing from a state that was once a manufacturing powerhouse." To see what other factories have close in Illinois, check out Reeder's list of companies at Reboot Illinois.
NEXT ARTICLE: Best of the best: The top 10 hospitals in Illinois
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Cheapest Lake Escapes in the U.S.
By Ciara Collins for the CheapTickets Blog
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Just north of the Illinois/Wisconsin border, this laid-back watering hole has become quite the Midwest getaway for slowed-down weekends of lakeside moseying through shops and finding a good patio at sunset to lazily sip on a beer. Personal boat rentals can cost you a few mackerels, so get your float on with a boat tour via the Lake Geneva Cruise Line. Whatever you're into--they've got a specialty boat tour for it: ice cream social, champagne brunch, jazz dinner. Step back on land (and back in time) at the Baker House, an 1885 mansion turned hotel, bar, and restaurant great for sipping a cocktail while overlooking the lake.
Lake Clark, Alaska
Beat the summer heat with a cool Alaskan breeze and hangout session with Mother Nature. At Lake Clark you'll find yourself exploring miles of untainted land and get up close with its local fauna. Silver Salmon Creek, Chinitna Bay, or Crescent Lake are the most popular areas to spot a brown bear from a distance. If befriending a bear isn't quite your thing, find some inspiration at late, great nature enthusiast Dick Proenneke's handcrafted cabin. Proenneke built his cabin by hand and lived independently with nature for roughly thirty years making him an Alaskan icon. At night, keep the serenity alive and find yourself sipping on a cold brew under the stars.
Lake Placid, New York
If you haven't started to relax from just the name alone then that is reason enough to head here. Lake Placid literally becomes more placid in the summer months so grab the whole family for some "gentle" whitewater rafting (ahem, oxymoron much?) or step up the adventure with a rigorous hike up the tallest mountain in New York: Mount Marcy. If you are thinking about a winter trip, don't miss the opportunity to experience the snowcapped great outdoors with man's best friend as your guide; take a dog sled ride with Thunder Mountain Dog Sled Tours or Mike Arnold Dog Sled Rides. Still not convinced? The Breakfast Club, a crowd pleaser restaurant located on Main Street, offers breakfast all day long. Think about all of the bloodies! Sold? Thought so.
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
The only thing better than free stuff is free stuff on vacation. Lake of the Ozarks offers a ton of free attractions--it's the adventure vacation that just keeps on giving. At Ha Ha Tonka State Park you'll find your gaze stuck on the remains of an early 1900s castle; the product of a wealthy businessman's crumbled dreams. At the Camden County Museum you can grab a quick history lesson at what fittingly was a former school building. And at the Ozark Distillery you'll find yourself with a free tour and tasting of spirits such as vanilla bean moonshine, vodka, and whiskey. Cheers to freebies.
Crater Lake, Oregon
Forget "there's no place like home," and remember that Crater Lake is "like no place else on earth." Embark on a magical journey with the Wizard Island Tour, where you will set off by boat into one of the deepest lakes in the world and find yourself exploring the mysterious volcanic crater that lives in the lake. If you aren't feeling adventurous, you can ditch the hike and take in the beauty of Wizard Island from afar on the Standard Lake Cruise. After working up an appetite all day, head to Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room, known for its locally grown ingredients, to indulge in elk chops, bison meatloaf, or a rack of lamb.
Lake Havasu, Arizona
You don't need to hop over the pond to experience London. Instead you can jump in a lake. In 1968 the founder of Lake Havasu purchased the old London Bridge, moved it to Arizona, and the rest is well, history. Take a 90-minute walking tour of the bridge or grab your boat and drop your anchor right below. History lovers aside, Lake Havasu is also the place for those who are looking to party in paradise, minus the whole cost of paradise. Think brews, boats, bros, and babes on a budget. Forget water sports and hikes, this is the ultimate in finding your tan, your fun, and your friends all day (and night) long.
Lake Caddo, Texas and Louisiana
At Caddo Lake you'll find yourself amongst the alligators, swampy waters, endangered species, and Bigfoot. Wait, what? Yep, rumors swirl about Bigfoot leaving its footprint in the wetland and after researching reports of an "ape-like" figure you'll soon want to join in on the hunt. If finding a mysterious creature isn't your thing you can take an educational outing at the park headquarters. Here you can learn about Lake Caddo, the Great Depression, and prohibition (you'll be thankful it came to an end if you do spot Bigfoot). And if the idea of Bigfoot traipsing the land around you is truly terrifying you can always head to the water and hop on a boat tour with Caddo Lake Steamboat Company. Bigfoot can't swim, right?
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Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Just north of the Illinois/Wisconsin border, this laid-back watering hole has become quite the Midwest getaway for slowed-down weekends of lakeside moseying through shops and finding a good patio at sunset to lazily sip on a beer. Personal boat rentals can cost you a few mackerels, so get your float on with a boat tour via the Lake Geneva Cruise Line. Whatever you're into--they've got a specialty boat tour for it: ice cream social, champagne brunch, jazz dinner. Step back on land (and back in time) at the Baker House, an 1885 mansion turned hotel, bar, and restaurant great for sipping a cocktail while overlooking the lake.
Click here to find the cheapest Lake Geneva hotel
Lake Tahoe South, California or Nevada
Ski town in the winter; lake town in the summer. As far as "lake-cations" go, Lake Tahoe has made a name for itself as a "play hard, then play harder" destination. Daytime means plunging into crystal clear waters with your closest kayaking friends or finding yourself in a hot air balloon peacefully floating in a crystal clear sky. Once you've worked up an appetite, head to the highly praised Base Camp Pizza Co. for a powerful pie (tease your taste buds with flavors like "Thai Curry Chicken" and "Pear & Gorgonzola") and live music that will get you ready for an even livelier night ahead. There's no time to relax because once you've eaten your weight in pizza it's time to chug a cold one at local watering hole, Macduffs, bring your best poker face to Harrah's casino, or dance the night away at Peek Nightclub. The best part? Wake up and do it all over again.
Click here to find the cheapest Lake Tahoe South hotel
Lake Clark, Alaska
Beat the summer heat with a cool Alaskan breeze and hangout session with Mother Nature. At Lake Clark you'll find yourself exploring miles of untainted land and get up close with its local fauna. Silver Salmon Creek, Chinitna Bay, or Crescent Lake are the most popular areas to spot a brown bear from a distance. If befriending a bear isn't quite your thing, find some inspiration at late, great nature enthusiast Dick Proenneke's handcrafted cabin. Proenneke built his cabin by hand and lived independently with nature for roughly thirty years making him an Alaskan icon. At night, keep the serenity alive and find yourself sipping on a cold brew under the stars.
Click here to find the cheapest Alaska hotel
Lake Placid, New York
If you haven't started to relax from just the name alone then that is reason enough to head here. Lake Placid literally becomes more placid in the summer months so grab the whole family for some "gentle" whitewater rafting (ahem, oxymoron much?) or step up the adventure with a rigorous hike up the tallest mountain in New York: Mount Marcy. If you are thinking about a winter trip, don't miss the opportunity to experience the snowcapped great outdoors with man's best friend as your guide; take a dog sled ride with Thunder Mountain Dog Sled Tours or Mike Arnold Dog Sled Rides. Still not convinced? The Breakfast Club, a crowd pleaser restaurant located on Main Street, offers breakfast all day long. Think about all of the bloodies! Sold? Thought so.
Click here to find the cheapest Lake Placid hotel
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
The only thing better than free stuff is free stuff on vacation. Lake of the Ozarks offers a ton of free attractions--it's the adventure vacation that just keeps on giving. At Ha Ha Tonka State Park you'll find your gaze stuck on the remains of an early 1900s castle; the product of a wealthy businessman's crumbled dreams. At the Camden County Museum you can grab a quick history lesson at what fittingly was a former school building. And at the Ozark Distillery you'll find yourself with a free tour and tasting of spirits such as vanilla bean moonshine, vodka, and whiskey. Cheers to freebies.
Click here to find the cheapest Osage Beach hotel
Crater Lake, Oregon
Forget "there's no place like home," and remember that Crater Lake is "like no place else on earth." Embark on a magical journey with the Wizard Island Tour, where you will set off by boat into one of the deepest lakes in the world and find yourself exploring the mysterious volcanic crater that lives in the lake. If you aren't feeling adventurous, you can ditch the hike and take in the beauty of Wizard Island from afar on the Standard Lake Cruise. After working up an appetite all day, head to Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room, known for its locally grown ingredients, to indulge in elk chops, bison meatloaf, or a rack of lamb.
Click here to find the cheapest Oregon hotel
Lake Havasu, Arizona
You don't need to hop over the pond to experience London. Instead you can jump in a lake. In 1968 the founder of Lake Havasu purchased the old London Bridge, moved it to Arizona, and the rest is well, history. Take a 90-minute walking tour of the bridge or grab your boat and drop your anchor right below. History lovers aside, Lake Havasu is also the place for those who are looking to party in paradise, minus the whole cost of paradise. Think brews, boats, bros, and babes on a budget. Forget water sports and hikes, this is the ultimate in finding your tan, your fun, and your friends all day (and night) long.
Click here to find the cheapest Lake Havasu hotel
Lake Caddo, Texas and Louisiana
At Caddo Lake you'll find yourself amongst the alligators, swampy waters, endangered species, and Bigfoot. Wait, what? Yep, rumors swirl about Bigfoot leaving its footprint in the wetland and after researching reports of an "ape-like" figure you'll soon want to join in on the hunt. If finding a mysterious creature isn't your thing you can take an educational outing at the park headquarters. Here you can learn about Lake Caddo, the Great Depression, and prohibition (you'll be thankful it came to an end if you do spot Bigfoot). And if the idea of Bigfoot traipsing the land around you is truly terrifying you can always head to the water and hop on a boat tour with Caddo Lake Steamboat Company. Bigfoot can't swim, right?
Click here to find the cheapest Texas hotel
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Pit Bull Puppy Is Just A Poop Away From The Rest Of His Beautiful Life
Jean Keating has one quite personal hope for her foster dog Colt: that the pit bull pup will poop.
"New opportunities and adventures will be open to Colt if he can poop like every other puppy," Keating says.
Colt's funky bowels have been the focus of Keating's attention for quite some time now.
This past April, when he arrived at her Ohio home, Colt was a tiny dog with a big problem.
Seven weeks old, and just 2.68 pounds, the wee pit bull had been spotted for sale online, by a volunteer with Keating's rescue group, the Lucas County Pit Crew.
It was clear from his photos that the puppy was very sick.
Colt had some sort of infection in the beginning, possibly from a botched surgery to fix what is now assumed to have been an anal prolapse (that means some of his rectal tissue was poking out of his behind).
The vet wasn't sure he'd make it, given how sick he was. Keating had already fallen in love with Colt, and decided to take him home. If necessary, she'd give him hospice care.
But within about a week Colt was eating up a storm and putting on some weight. His friendly, clown-like personality was shining through and he was making fast friends with Keating's other dogs -- but he still wasn't excreting in the usual way.
"He drips," says Keating -- which gets all over, and, more seriously, represents what could be a profoundly disabling condition.
It was determined that Colt now had a "rectal stricture" -- a band of scar tissue that narrowed his anal opening -- making it hard to get everything out and causing him a lot of pain.
"He was uncomfortable and was having some serious complications from getting so backed up," says Jim Whitehead, a veterinarian with Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners, who oversaw Colt's case.
If Colt wasn't treated, he could become completely constipated, and stop eating or drinking. Whitehead says he would then die, or have to be euthanized.
Colt's first surgery (with another vet) didn't take. In May and then again in June, Whitehead used an inflated balloon to stretch out the scar tissue nonsurgically.
That, too, didn't work as well as Keating and the doctors had hoped. At least not at first.
"Colt continued to sort of drip and not really poop," Keating says.
Keating was scheduled to go to a conference in mid-July. Her "heart was heavy," she says, knowing that Colt's quality of life could become poor, and she might have a very difficult decision to make, when she returned.
But the day before she left, something wonderful happened.
"I looked down, and there was real poop. It was formed and semi-solid," Keating says. "I burst into tears."
But Colt went back to his old, constipated ways. And so late this week, Keating brought him back to Blue Pearl for another operation, to widen the little guy's rectum.
She is feeling cautiously optimistic about the results.
"It's his best shot at having a wonderful life," she explains.
Colt is still in the hospital, as of Friday. Whitehead says the procedure went well. Colt's active and eating, and has even pooped a little. But not quite enough for him to come home yet.
Keating, of course, is eager to get her now-12-pound foster puppy home.
"I love him to the moon and back," she says. "With all the poop I clean up on a daily basis, it's a little crazy that I am so excited for more poop."
Yes, Keating's short term goal is for Colt to produce a series of solid, respectable BMs.
Longer-term, her ambitions are a little further off the ground: once he's well enough, for this trooper of a pittie to be adopted by people who will love him for "the incredible little puppy that he is."
"All he wants is to share his zest of life," says Keating. "And that is perfect, because his forever family will appreciate that sometimes love is messy."
Keep tabs on Colt's progress on the Lucas County Pit Crew Facebook page.
And get in touch at arin.greenwood@huffingtonpost.com if you have an animal story to share!
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Thursday, July 30, 2015
Elite cycling spotlight finally shines on North America
Tour of Utah kicks off unprecedented run of elite cycling races capped by world championships
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The Top Ten Cities for Creatives
A thriving creative class is a key feature of nearly every successful modern city. A vibrant culture is not only valuable in its own right, it also often serves to attract and inspire talented workers in non-creative fields, creating a rising tide that benefits the entire city. However, that very same rising tide often lifts housing costs and other living expenses, which consequently puts a strain on the budgets of those creative workers.
Find out now: How much house can I afford?
Indeed, the financial realities of creative fields such as dance, photography and music often mean that creatives cannot afford to live in many of the places where they have historically had the most success and influence. Cities like New York and Los Angeles have, simply put, become too expensive for many working artists.
So which cities present the best opportunities for today's creative workers? To answer that question, SmartAsset compared the cost of living in major U.S. cities to the concentration of creative workers in those cities. We considered 28 different professions in our analysis, including jobs like graphic designer, choreographer and photographer. (See the full list of jobs we included and read more about our methodology below.)
Avoid the coasts. Zero West Coast cities and just one East Coast city ranked in the top 10 in SmartAsset's analysis. Durham, North Carolina was the only coastal city to score well for both affordability and culture.
Are the new creative capitals in the South and Midwest? Nine of the top 10 cities for creatives in SmartAsset's study are located in one of these two regions. If housing prices and the cost of living in cities like San Francisco and New York continues to climb, more and more creatives may head for the heartland.
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
The birthplace of jazz, New Orleans has long been considered one of the country's best cities for musicians seeking inspiration and an audience. While it remains one of the world's top music cities, it has emerged as a great place for all kinds of creatives. Indeed, going by total employment, the single largest creative profession in New Orleans is acting. There are 1,900 full time actors or actresses in New Orleans, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2. Salt Lake City, Utah
The only western city to crack the top 10, Salt Lake City scored well for both its low cost of living and the high number of professionals in creative fields in the area. The Salt Lake City metro area has the 11th highest concentration of creative professionals of any U.S. metro (there are over 400), with 109 creatives for every 10,000 workers.
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These jobs are supported by a strong arts scene, with a premier art museum in the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, a world-class ballet company in Ballet West and numerous annual music and art festivals like the Living Traditions Festival and the Utah Arts Festival. Salt Lake City is also one of the screening locations for films participating in the Sundance film festival, widely considered to be one of the best independent film festivals in the world.
3. Kalamazoo, Michigan
In many cities, creatives have to take on a second job or a "day job" in order to pay the bills, focusing on their art (or music or writing or photography) in the off-hours. In Kalamazoo, such a trade-off may not be necessary. The city's cost of living is 15% lower than the national average and half the cost of living in New York and Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, the city still has a rich creative culture. With two local institutions of higher education (Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College), as well as the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, creatives in the area likely have no trouble finding support and inspiration in the local community.
4. Austin, Texas
Austin is not only the political capital of Texas and a booming tech scene, it is also the Lone Star State's creative capital. Indeed, the city's official slogan is "Live Music Capital of the World." ("Keep Austin Weird" is the unofficial slogan.) While Austin does indeed have some of the world's best live music venues and performers, the city's creative culture goes much further than that.
Along with the inimitable street art and two world-famous music and film festivals, Austin also has one of the country's best independent book stores (Book People) and one of the world's premier literary and cultural archives (the Harry Ransom Center has 1 million rare books, including a Gutenberg Bible).
5. Nashville, Tennessee
While outsiders often associate Nashville with country music, the city's cultural life goes far beyond twang and honky-tonk. The Nashville Opera, the Nashville Symphony and the Nashville Ballet are a few of the city's leading cultural institutions. A number of local colleges and universities, including Vanderbilt and Tennessee State, also provide support for the arts. Combine that with a cost of living that is 8.8% below the national average and Nashville presents a great setting for creatives.
6. Columbus, Ohio
Historically, universities have been the primary incubators of the arts, providing stable teaching jobs to artists in a variety of fields who can perfect their craft and pass on their knowledge to their students. In addition to Ohio State, the Columbus area is home to more than a dozen colleges and universities, including the Columbus College of Art and Design. The city also has eight museums, including the expanding Columbus Museum of Art (a new wing is set to open this fall).
7. Omaha, Nebraska
Many who work in creative fields struggle to make ends meet. Those who work full-time as an artist, musician or writer may not have sufficient income to cover rent and other basic expenses. In Omaha, where median rent for a one bedroom home is just $686 per month (according to rentjungle.com), artists will likely face less financial stress. On top of that, local organizations like the Omaha Creative Institute offer resources to help creatives build their careers so they can stop worrying about their income and focus on their trade.
8. Des Moines, Iowa
The cost of living in Des Moines is 6.9% lower than the national average and more than 20% lower than the cost of living in Chicago. At the same time, Des Moines ranks 34th in the U.S. out of more than 400 metro areas for its concentration of creative professionals. There are about 80 people working in creative fields in Des Moines for every 10,000 workers in the wider economy.
9. Durham, North Carolina
The Durham Performing Arts Center opened in 2008 and is among the largest such centers in the U.S. It hosts hundreds of events and performances every year, including the American Dance Festival, one of the premier dance festivals in the world. Durham is also home to a music scene that boasts a number of independent record labels, including Merge Records, and has produced multiple national acts over the past decade.
10. Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City has emerged in recent years as a creative hub to rival those in the northeast and on the West Coast. The city's Crossroads Art District has gained national recognition for both its growth and the quality of its offerings. Crossroads alone has more than 70 art galleries, to go along with larger institutions like the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
To find the best cities for creatives, SmartAsset gathered data on 176 of the largest cities in the country. We considered two factors in our analysis: the cost of living and the concentration of people working in a creative field.
In total, we included 28 different occupations in this calculation, as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: Art Directors; Craft Artists; Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators; Multimedia Artists and Animators; Artists and Related Workers, All Other; Commercial and Industrial Designers; Floral Designers; Graphic Designers; Interior Designers; Set and Exhibit Designers; Designers, All Other; Actors; Producers and Directors; Choreographers; Music Directors and Composers; Musicians and Singers; Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other; Editors; Writers and Authors; Sound Engineering Technicians; Photographers; Film and Video Editors; Dancers; Fashion Designers; Reporters and Correspondents; Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary; Curators; Architects.
For each city in our study, we calculated an affordability score and a creative culture score between 0 and 100. The lower the cost of living, the higher the score. (Any city with a cost of living that is 85% of the national average or lower scored a perfect 100 for affordability and any city with a cost of living at least 115% of the national average scored a zero.) Similarly, the greater the number of creative workers, the higher the creative culture score. (Any city with a concentration of at least 125 creative workers per 10,000 scored a 100 for that factor, while any city with 10 or fewer creatives per 10,000 scored a zero.)
Lastly, we averaged these scores and indexed the results to 100: the city with the highest average scored an overall 100, while the city with the lowest average scored a zero.
Cost of living data used in our study comes from the Council for Community and Economic Research. Jobs data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Questions about our study? Contact us at blog@smartasset.com.
Photo credit: ©http://ift.tt/1DTjc4j ©iStock.com/Sean Pavone
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Find out now: How much house can I afford?
Indeed, the financial realities of creative fields such as dance, photography and music often mean that creatives cannot afford to live in many of the places where they have historically had the most success and influence. Cities like New York and Los Angeles have, simply put, become too expensive for many working artists.
So which cities present the best opportunities for today's creative workers? To answer that question, SmartAsset compared the cost of living in major U.S. cities to the concentration of creative workers in those cities. We considered 28 different professions in our analysis, including jobs like graphic designer, choreographer and photographer. (See the full list of jobs we included and read more about our methodology below.)
Key Findings
Avoid the coasts. Zero West Coast cities and just one East Coast city ranked in the top 10 in SmartAsset's analysis. Durham, North Carolina was the only coastal city to score well for both affordability and culture.
Are the new creative capitals in the South and Midwest? Nine of the top 10 cities for creatives in SmartAsset's study are located in one of these two regions. If housing prices and the cost of living in cities like San Francisco and New York continues to climb, more and more creatives may head for the heartland.
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
The birthplace of jazz, New Orleans has long been considered one of the country's best cities for musicians seeking inspiration and an audience. While it remains one of the world's top music cities, it has emerged as a great place for all kinds of creatives. Indeed, going by total employment, the single largest creative profession in New Orleans is acting. There are 1,900 full time actors or actresses in New Orleans, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2. Salt Lake City, Utah
The only western city to crack the top 10, Salt Lake City scored well for both its low cost of living and the high number of professionals in creative fields in the area. The Salt Lake City metro area has the 11th highest concentration of creative professionals of any U.S. metro (there are over 400), with 109 creatives for every 10,000 workers.
Try SmartAsset's free mortgage calculator.
These jobs are supported by a strong arts scene, with a premier art museum in the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, a world-class ballet company in Ballet West and numerous annual music and art festivals like the Living Traditions Festival and the Utah Arts Festival. Salt Lake City is also one of the screening locations for films participating in the Sundance film festival, widely considered to be one of the best independent film festivals in the world.
3. Kalamazoo, Michigan
In many cities, creatives have to take on a second job or a "day job" in order to pay the bills, focusing on their art (or music or writing or photography) in the off-hours. In Kalamazoo, such a trade-off may not be necessary. The city's cost of living is 15% lower than the national average and half the cost of living in New York and Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, the city still has a rich creative culture. With two local institutions of higher education (Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College), as well as the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, creatives in the area likely have no trouble finding support and inspiration in the local community.
4. Austin, Texas
Austin is not only the political capital of Texas and a booming tech scene, it is also the Lone Star State's creative capital. Indeed, the city's official slogan is "Live Music Capital of the World." ("Keep Austin Weird" is the unofficial slogan.) While Austin does indeed have some of the world's best live music venues and performers, the city's creative culture goes much further than that.
Along with the inimitable street art and two world-famous music and film festivals, Austin also has one of the country's best independent book stores (Book People) and one of the world's premier literary and cultural archives (the Harry Ransom Center has 1 million rare books, including a Gutenberg Bible).
5. Nashville, Tennessee
While outsiders often associate Nashville with country music, the city's cultural life goes far beyond twang and honky-tonk. The Nashville Opera, the Nashville Symphony and the Nashville Ballet are a few of the city's leading cultural institutions. A number of local colleges and universities, including Vanderbilt and Tennessee State, also provide support for the arts. Combine that with a cost of living that is 8.8% below the national average and Nashville presents a great setting for creatives.
6. Columbus, Ohio
Historically, universities have been the primary incubators of the arts, providing stable teaching jobs to artists in a variety of fields who can perfect their craft and pass on their knowledge to their students. In addition to Ohio State, the Columbus area is home to more than a dozen colleges and universities, including the Columbus College of Art and Design. The city also has eight museums, including the expanding Columbus Museum of Art (a new wing is set to open this fall).
7. Omaha, Nebraska
Many who work in creative fields struggle to make ends meet. Those who work full-time as an artist, musician or writer may not have sufficient income to cover rent and other basic expenses. In Omaha, where median rent for a one bedroom home is just $686 per month (according to rentjungle.com), artists will likely face less financial stress. On top of that, local organizations like the Omaha Creative Institute offer resources to help creatives build their careers so they can stop worrying about their income and focus on their trade.
8. Des Moines, Iowa
The cost of living in Des Moines is 6.9% lower than the national average and more than 20% lower than the cost of living in Chicago. At the same time, Des Moines ranks 34th in the U.S. out of more than 400 metro areas for its concentration of creative professionals. There are about 80 people working in creative fields in Des Moines for every 10,000 workers in the wider economy.
9. Durham, North Carolina
The Durham Performing Arts Center opened in 2008 and is among the largest such centers in the U.S. It hosts hundreds of events and performances every year, including the American Dance Festival, one of the premier dance festivals in the world. Durham is also home to a music scene that boasts a number of independent record labels, including Merge Records, and has produced multiple national acts over the past decade.
10. Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City has emerged in recent years as a creative hub to rival those in the northeast and on the West Coast. The city's Crossroads Art District has gained national recognition for both its growth and the quality of its offerings. Crossroads alone has more than 70 art galleries, to go along with larger institutions like the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
Data and Methodology
To find the best cities for creatives, SmartAsset gathered data on 176 of the largest cities in the country. We considered two factors in our analysis: the cost of living and the concentration of people working in a creative field.
In total, we included 28 different occupations in this calculation, as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: Art Directors; Craft Artists; Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators; Multimedia Artists and Animators; Artists and Related Workers, All Other; Commercial and Industrial Designers; Floral Designers; Graphic Designers; Interior Designers; Set and Exhibit Designers; Designers, All Other; Actors; Producers and Directors; Choreographers; Music Directors and Composers; Musicians and Singers; Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other; Editors; Writers and Authors; Sound Engineering Technicians; Photographers; Film and Video Editors; Dancers; Fashion Designers; Reporters and Correspondents; Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary; Curators; Architects.
For each city in our study, we calculated an affordability score and a creative culture score between 0 and 100. The lower the cost of living, the higher the score. (Any city with a cost of living that is 85% of the national average or lower scored a perfect 100 for affordability and any city with a cost of living at least 115% of the national average scored a zero.) Similarly, the greater the number of creative workers, the higher the creative culture score. (Any city with a concentration of at least 125 creative workers per 10,000 scored a 100 for that factor, while any city with 10 or fewer creatives per 10,000 scored a zero.)
Lastly, we averaged these scores and indexed the results to 100: the city with the highest average scored an overall 100, while the city with the lowest average scored a zero.
Cost of living data used in our study comes from the Council for Community and Economic Research. Jobs data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Questions about our study? Contact us at blog@smartasset.com.
Photo credit: ©http://ift.tt/1DTjc4j ©iStock.com/Sean Pavone
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Reparations for the 99%
Seven years after the housing crisis, which led to the financial crisis, which led to the recession, it may be time to review what happened to the people, the government, and the financial industry (banks, mortgage lenders, and investment firms).
I have found that three questions are most useful in trying to understand major events like the financial crisis. Who pays? Who benefits? And, is it fair? Using these questions on the 2008 crisis, it becomes obvious that the 99% has been short-changed.
The People and Government Paid:
Lost interest income:
It has been estimated that between August 2007 and September 2013, holders of savings accounts lost nearly $1.2 trillion in interest income due to the Federal Reserve's policy of near-zero interest rates. (1)
Lost wage income:
In 2013, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated an increase in unemployment from 5% in 2008, to a peak of about 10% in 2010, declining to about 8% in 2012. (2) The average increase in unemployment due to the crisis was about 3% per year over the five years measured.
Total nonfarm employment in January 2008 was about 138 million. (3) The 3% increase in unemployment amounts to an extra 4 million people unemployed each year during the recession. Taking a conservative estimate of average wages during this period of $25,000, this amounts to about $100 billion/year in lost wages, or about $500 billion between 2008 and 2012.
For comparison, a 2009 independent estimate by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (4) projected lost wages over the same period at over $1 trillion. So, it is safe to say that the crisis cost workers between $1/2 and 1 trillion in lost income from 2008-2012.
Lost home equity:
The same 2013 GAO report (5) also noted that "...households collectively lost about $9.1 trillion (in constant 2011 dollars) in national home equity between 2005 and 2011, in part because of the decline in home prices." While home values have substantially recovered by now, the losses spanned nearly a decade, affecting family wealth across the country. Many homes remain "under water," worth less than their mortgages.
Direct foreclosure losses:
"Too big to fail," did not apply to homeowners. Both Clinton and Obama called for a one year moratorium on foreclosures during the election campaign. After the election, silence in the White House. Silence in Congress. No moratorium on foreclosures. No significant helping hand for homeowners.
Estimates of the number of homes foreclosed range from 5-15 million, since 2008. It is difficult to find reports on how much individual homeowners lost in the crisis. Losses include their equity in a home, plus mortgage and legal fees. If I assume 10 million foreclosures, and that the average loss per home was around $20,000 (a very conservative estimate), then over $200 billion was lost nation-wide. Other estimates range up to $1 trillion, but sources for these are few, and hard to locate and evaluate.
The Financial Industry Received a Bailout:
The total net U.S. bailout outlays were $3.3 trillion, plus a total of $16.9 trillion in guarantees.
Details of the Net Bailout Outlays: (6)
The infamous Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) spent nearly $900 billion in bailouts of the "too big to fail." Even though it eventually recovered about $700 billion, the public perception remains that this program saved the financial industry, while giving nothing to the people who suffered from the crisis.
The Treasury spent about $500 billion, most of it in purchases of industry financial instruments.
The Federal Reserve spent a net of about $2.6 trillion, again most of it in purchases of financial instruments.
The Treasury guaranteed about $4 trillion, most of it to back money market mutual funds.
The Federal Reserve guaranteed about $2 trillion, most of it for commercial instruments.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation guaranteed about 2.5 trillion, in temporary liquidity guarantees.
Other government programs guaranteed about $7.6 trillion, most of it for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank.
This bears repeating: the total net U.S. government bailout outlays were $3.3 trillion, plus a total of $16.9 trillion in guarantees. These funds bailed out and backed the banks, mortgage lenders and investment firms which marketed and profited from the shaky securities which created the housing crisis.
So, we know who benefitted during the crisis: the financial industry. "Too big to fail," cost us a great deal. A simple question: does the world really need Goldman Sachs? Instead, why not a little capitalist "creative destruction," with new companies replacing the failed financial industry?
The government's policy of individual accountability vs corporate impunity just might explain the fury of Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party, as well as many millions of people around the country.
Summary:
Let's summarize the core of this history in the following table of direct costs:
THE DIRECT COSTS OF THE 2008 HOUSING/FINANCIAL CRISIS
The people........................... Lost at least $ 1.9 trillion
The government.................... Paid at least $ 3.3 trillion
The financial industry.......... Received at least $ 3.3 trillion
The third question, "Is this fair?"
The obvious answer is "NO!" But now we have to ask another question: what can be done to rebalance the costs and benefits among the key parties?
The financial industry should pay back at least some of the huge costs it imposed on the country. It is time for reparations. As a starting point for the discussion, here is a modest proposal: retrieve $4 trillion from the financial industry, returning $2 trillion to the people and $2 trillion to the government.
I would structure this payback as a 40 year loan, amortized as a 4% mortgage repayment. On this basis, the annual repayment to the treasury would be about $200 billion. The industry would have to figure out how to generate this payback, but a surcharge on financial transactions would be an easy starting point.
The government can handle collecting $2 trillion in reparations over 40 years, but what would work for the people? I would have the Treasury just write the checks, and use the industry repayments to recover the money. Payments to the people would be made within the next year.
About $1 trillion would go to those who suffered foreclosures since 2007, at least partly restoring their lost equity. The second $1 trillion would go as checks to nearly every adult in the country, an average of about $5,000 per person.
A Presidential Commission could work out the details, in a short time. One guideline: protect small and medium banks and mortgage companies from large assessments. Another guideline: use the industry's records to determine the foreclosure reparations, with little individual paperwork. A third guideline: tilt the individual checks toward those who lost jobs in the recession. A fourth guideline: no reparations for those making over $250,000/year.
The financial industry has to be held accountable for the impact of the crisis. Reparations for the 99% could go a long way toward restoring a sense of fairness to the people. Why not get going? Now.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Mario Belotti (Professor) and Maria Farley (Research Assistant), University of Santa Clara, http://ift.tt/1ORaB8y
(2) GAO, "Financial Crisis Losses and Potential Impacts of the Dodd-Frank Act, Page 18, Figure 3 http://ift.tt/1IusQQb
(3) Bureau of Labor Statistics data
(4) Center for Economic and Policy Research, http://ift.tt/1ORazxp
(5) GAO, http://ift.tt/1IusQQb, Page 21
(6) Christopher Chantrill, http://ift.tt/1IusOYz
from Chicago - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1ORbEp5
via IFTTT
I have found that three questions are most useful in trying to understand major events like the financial crisis. Who pays? Who benefits? And, is it fair? Using these questions on the 2008 crisis, it becomes obvious that the 99% has been short-changed.
The People and Government Paid:
Lost interest income:
It has been estimated that between August 2007 and September 2013, holders of savings accounts lost nearly $1.2 trillion in interest income due to the Federal Reserve's policy of near-zero interest rates. (1)
Lost wage income:
In 2013, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated an increase in unemployment from 5% in 2008, to a peak of about 10% in 2010, declining to about 8% in 2012. (2) The average increase in unemployment due to the crisis was about 3% per year over the five years measured.
Total nonfarm employment in January 2008 was about 138 million. (3) The 3% increase in unemployment amounts to an extra 4 million people unemployed each year during the recession. Taking a conservative estimate of average wages during this period of $25,000, this amounts to about $100 billion/year in lost wages, or about $500 billion between 2008 and 2012.
For comparison, a 2009 independent estimate by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (4) projected lost wages over the same period at over $1 trillion. So, it is safe to say that the crisis cost workers between $1/2 and 1 trillion in lost income from 2008-2012.
Lost home equity:
The same 2013 GAO report (5) also noted that "...households collectively lost about $9.1 trillion (in constant 2011 dollars) in national home equity between 2005 and 2011, in part because of the decline in home prices." While home values have substantially recovered by now, the losses spanned nearly a decade, affecting family wealth across the country. Many homes remain "under water," worth less than their mortgages.
Direct foreclosure losses:
"Too big to fail," did not apply to homeowners. Both Clinton and Obama called for a one year moratorium on foreclosures during the election campaign. After the election, silence in the White House. Silence in Congress. No moratorium on foreclosures. No significant helping hand for homeowners.
Estimates of the number of homes foreclosed range from 5-15 million, since 2008. It is difficult to find reports on how much individual homeowners lost in the crisis. Losses include their equity in a home, plus mortgage and legal fees. If I assume 10 million foreclosures, and that the average loss per home was around $20,000 (a very conservative estimate), then over $200 billion was lost nation-wide. Other estimates range up to $1 trillion, but sources for these are few, and hard to locate and evaluate.
The Financial Industry Received a Bailout:
The total net U.S. bailout outlays were $3.3 trillion, plus a total of $16.9 trillion in guarantees.
Details of the Net Bailout Outlays: (6)
The infamous Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) spent nearly $900 billion in bailouts of the "too big to fail." Even though it eventually recovered about $700 billion, the public perception remains that this program saved the financial industry, while giving nothing to the people who suffered from the crisis.
The Treasury spent about $500 billion, most of it in purchases of industry financial instruments.
The Federal Reserve spent a net of about $2.6 trillion, again most of it in purchases of financial instruments.
The Treasury guaranteed about $4 trillion, most of it to back money market mutual funds.
The Federal Reserve guaranteed about $2 trillion, most of it for commercial instruments.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation guaranteed about 2.5 trillion, in temporary liquidity guarantees.
Other government programs guaranteed about $7.6 trillion, most of it for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank.
This bears repeating: the total net U.S. government bailout outlays were $3.3 trillion, plus a total of $16.9 trillion in guarantees. These funds bailed out and backed the banks, mortgage lenders and investment firms which marketed and profited from the shaky securities which created the housing crisis.
So, we know who benefitted during the crisis: the financial industry. "Too big to fail," cost us a great deal. A simple question: does the world really need Goldman Sachs? Instead, why not a little capitalist "creative destruction," with new companies replacing the failed financial industry?
The government's policy of individual accountability vs corporate impunity just might explain the fury of Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party, as well as many millions of people around the country.
Summary:
Let's summarize the core of this history in the following table of direct costs:
THE DIRECT COSTS OF THE 2008 HOUSING/FINANCIAL CRISIS
The people........................... Lost at least $ 1.9 trillion
The government.................... Paid at least $ 3.3 trillion
The financial industry.......... Received at least $ 3.3 trillion
The third question, "Is this fair?"
The obvious answer is "NO!" But now we have to ask another question: what can be done to rebalance the costs and benefits among the key parties?
The financial industry should pay back at least some of the huge costs it imposed on the country. It is time for reparations. As a starting point for the discussion, here is a modest proposal: retrieve $4 trillion from the financial industry, returning $2 trillion to the people and $2 trillion to the government.
I would structure this payback as a 40 year loan, amortized as a 4% mortgage repayment. On this basis, the annual repayment to the treasury would be about $200 billion. The industry would have to figure out how to generate this payback, but a surcharge on financial transactions would be an easy starting point.
The government can handle collecting $2 trillion in reparations over 40 years, but what would work for the people? I would have the Treasury just write the checks, and use the industry repayments to recover the money. Payments to the people would be made within the next year.
About $1 trillion would go to those who suffered foreclosures since 2007, at least partly restoring their lost equity. The second $1 trillion would go as checks to nearly every adult in the country, an average of about $5,000 per person.
A Presidential Commission could work out the details, in a short time. One guideline: protect small and medium banks and mortgage companies from large assessments. Another guideline: use the industry's records to determine the foreclosure reparations, with little individual paperwork. A third guideline: tilt the individual checks toward those who lost jobs in the recession. A fourth guideline: no reparations for those making over $250,000/year.
The financial industry has to be held accountable for the impact of the crisis. Reparations for the 99% could go a long way toward restoring a sense of fairness to the people. Why not get going? Now.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Mario Belotti (Professor) and Maria Farley (Research Assistant), University of Santa Clara, http://ift.tt/1ORaB8y
(2) GAO, "Financial Crisis Losses and Potential Impacts of the Dodd-Frank Act, Page 18, Figure 3 http://ift.tt/1IusQQb
(3) Bureau of Labor Statistics data
(4) Center for Economic and Policy Research, http://ift.tt/1ORazxp
(5) GAO, http://ift.tt/1IusQQb, Page 21
(6) Christopher Chantrill, http://ift.tt/1IusOYz
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
from Chicago - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1ORbEp5
via IFTTT
The ADA at 25: A Commitment to Our Neighbors
In 1990, when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, I had not yet made my decision to begin ROTC and a career of military service. I had no idea that I would join the Army, become a Blackhawk helicopter pilot and serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. I certainly had no idea that eight months into my deployment a rocket-propelled grenade would tear through the Blackhawk helicopter I was flying, rip off one leg, crush the other and tear my right arm apart. The power of the ADA is that it ended up changing my life long before I ever imagined it would.
The ADA is the living testament to our Nation's commitment that we will always stand up for our neighbors' right to live fulfilling lives. It recognizes the fundamental reality that every American is merely one medical diagnosis or one accident away from a serious disability that forever alters his or her life. The ADA is essential in helping me overcome the obstacles I face as a Wounded Warrior and empowers me to assist other Veterans. It allows me to be physically active, have my pilot's license and serve in Congress. Simply put, the ADA enables me and millions of other Americans to move forward with our lives.
The ADA allows persons with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the world around them. Sidewalks and streets are now accessible because of curb cuts. Football stadiums and movie theaters now have accessible seating. Restrooms and elevators are now useable by people who depend on wheelchairs and walkers. Our courthouses and our government buildings now have ramps so that everyone can enter them to do business.
Our interaction with technology changed as well. Telephones are more accessible because we have video relays that allow those who are deaf to communicate with others. Television and movies are captioned. Our computers have touch screens so that those who have difficulty typing can use a pointer or other devices.
The ADA truly changed the world for all Americans.
As we celebrate the ADA's 25th Anniversary, our country should also use this milestone to renew its commitment to fully achieving the four main goals written into this landmark law: equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency.
We must never be satisfied with a status quo where only a third of working-age people with disabilities participate in the workforce, despite the fact that 80 percent want to work. During the great recession of the late 2000s, people with disabilities lost their jobs at a rate 10 times greater than that of people without disabilities and they have not yet returned to the employment level they had in 2008. This is not only a tragedy for those who can't find work, but also for employers. Persons with disabilities represent a tremendous talent pool in this country. These hard-working employees are tremendously loyal to employers who give them a fair chance, boasting a retention rate far higher than the overall workforce.
Equally troublesome is the rate of poverty among people with disabilities. Over 26 percent of the disabled population lives below the poverty line.
Without good jobs at fair wages in inclusive settings, economic self-sufficiency will not be achievable. Without reliable transportation or accessible housing, full participation will be unattainable. Without sound education at all levels, equal opportunity to compete for a job will not be a reality.
Our world changed for the better because of the ADA. As we look to the next 25 years of its implementation, it is time to take the next step and ensure that all Americans with disabilities have access to good jobs, accessible housing and reliable transportation.
The time has come for Congress to take action to fulfill the community living promise within the ADA. In the coming months, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen the ADA. We all want the 56 million Americans with disabilities to be fully integrated into our communities and be equal participants in the American Dream.
from Chicago - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1h8eivr
via IFTTT
The ADA is the living testament to our Nation's commitment that we will always stand up for our neighbors' right to live fulfilling lives. It recognizes the fundamental reality that every American is merely one medical diagnosis or one accident away from a serious disability that forever alters his or her life. The ADA is essential in helping me overcome the obstacles I face as a Wounded Warrior and empowers me to assist other Veterans. It allows me to be physically active, have my pilot's license and serve in Congress. Simply put, the ADA enables me and millions of other Americans to move forward with our lives.
The ADA allows persons with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the world around them. Sidewalks and streets are now accessible because of curb cuts. Football stadiums and movie theaters now have accessible seating. Restrooms and elevators are now useable by people who depend on wheelchairs and walkers. Our courthouses and our government buildings now have ramps so that everyone can enter them to do business.
Our interaction with technology changed as well. Telephones are more accessible because we have video relays that allow those who are deaf to communicate with others. Television and movies are captioned. Our computers have touch screens so that those who have difficulty typing can use a pointer or other devices.
The ADA truly changed the world for all Americans.
As we celebrate the ADA's 25th Anniversary, our country should also use this milestone to renew its commitment to fully achieving the four main goals written into this landmark law: equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency.
We must never be satisfied with a status quo where only a third of working-age people with disabilities participate in the workforce, despite the fact that 80 percent want to work. During the great recession of the late 2000s, people with disabilities lost their jobs at a rate 10 times greater than that of people without disabilities and they have not yet returned to the employment level they had in 2008. This is not only a tragedy for those who can't find work, but also for employers. Persons with disabilities represent a tremendous talent pool in this country. These hard-working employees are tremendously loyal to employers who give them a fair chance, boasting a retention rate far higher than the overall workforce.
Equally troublesome is the rate of poverty among people with disabilities. Over 26 percent of the disabled population lives below the poverty line.
Without good jobs at fair wages in inclusive settings, economic self-sufficiency will not be achievable. Without reliable transportation or accessible housing, full participation will be unattainable. Without sound education at all levels, equal opportunity to compete for a job will not be a reality.
Our world changed for the better because of the ADA. As we look to the next 25 years of its implementation, it is time to take the next step and ensure that all Americans with disabilities have access to good jobs, accessible housing and reliable transportation.
The time has come for Congress to take action to fulfill the community living promise within the ADA. In the coming months, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen the ADA. We all want the 56 million Americans with disabilities to be fully integrated into our communities and be equal participants in the American Dream.
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
from Chicago - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1h8eivr
via IFTTT
10 Illinois Counties With the Fewest Rapes Per Capita
(Editor's note: This article is the latest installment of our occasional series on criminal activity in Illinois. You can find previous articles here and here.)
The term "sexual assault" can cover a multitude of sex-related crimes. For this reason, its use in crime statistical applications can sometimes be ineffective. In many cases, the term is too broad.
Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation break down sex crimes that might commonly be referred to as "sexual assault" between forcible rape and aggravated assault/battery. The U.S. Department of Justice defines sexual assault as "any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient," which includes forcible rape.
The only type of sexual assault that is reported by such crime statistics specifically is forcible rape. The FBI changed the definition of forcible rape in 2011 to include rape of men, not just women, and to include instances of statutory rape, says ABC News.
In Illinois in 2013, there were 3,878 incidents of forcible rape reported to the police in Illinois, according to the Illinois State police. (There could be more incidents that were not reported.) That's down about 10 percent from the year before, when there were 4,330 reported cases. According to FBI Uniform Crime Reports, there were 79,770 rapes reported to the police in the U.S. in 2013. Counts for both Illinois and the U.S. as a whole were significantly down from 1998, when the U.S. saw 93,144 rapes reported and Illinois saw 6,156, according to Illinois State Police and FBI crime reports.
In 2013, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault served 18,048 survivors of sexual assault in Illinois. In 2014, that number dropped to 17,351. Not everyone in Illinois who experience sexual assault in those years sought help from the coalition or from any other organization and the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that only 38 percent of rapes and sexual assaults are reported to police. The data below is taken from the Illinois State Police reports.
10. Macoupin County--1.07
Total rapes reported: 5
Population: 46,880
9. Cumberland County--0.91
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 10,939
8. Ogle County--0.76
Total reported rapes: 4
Population: 52,835
7. Washington County--0.69
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 14,448
6. Carroll County--0.67
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 14,910
5. Effingham County--0.58
Total reported rapes: 2
Population: 34,307
4. Edgar County--0.56
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 17,960
3. Douglas County--0.50
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 19,887
2. Jo Daviess County--0.45
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 22,407
1. Williamson County--0.30
Total reported rapes: 2
Population: 66,924
To see the top 10 Illinois counties with the most reported rapes, which includes McDonough County and Jefferson County, check out Reboot Illinois.
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The term "sexual assault" can cover a multitude of sex-related crimes. For this reason, its use in crime statistical applications can sometimes be ineffective. In many cases, the term is too broad.
Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation break down sex crimes that might commonly be referred to as "sexual assault" between forcible rape and aggravated assault/battery. The U.S. Department of Justice defines sexual assault as "any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient," which includes forcible rape.
The only type of sexual assault that is reported by such crime statistics specifically is forcible rape. The FBI changed the definition of forcible rape in 2011 to include rape of men, not just women, and to include instances of statutory rape, says ABC News.
In Illinois in 2013, there were 3,878 incidents of forcible rape reported to the police in Illinois, according to the Illinois State police. (There could be more incidents that were not reported.) That's down about 10 percent from the year before, when there were 4,330 reported cases. According to FBI Uniform Crime Reports, there were 79,770 rapes reported to the police in the U.S. in 2013. Counts for both Illinois and the U.S. as a whole were significantly down from 1998, when the U.S. saw 93,144 rapes reported and Illinois saw 6,156, according to Illinois State Police and FBI crime reports.
In 2013, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault served 18,048 survivors of sexual assault in Illinois. In 2014, that number dropped to 17,351. Not everyone in Illinois who experience sexual assault in those years sought help from the coalition or from any other organization and the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that only 38 percent of rapes and sexual assaults are reported to police. The data below is taken from the Illinois State Police reports.
Illinois counties with the fewest rapes per capita:
10. Macoupin County--1.07
Total rapes reported: 5
Population: 46,880
9. Cumberland County--0.91
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 10,939
8. Ogle County--0.76
Total reported rapes: 4
Population: 52,835
7. Washington County--0.69
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 14,448
6. Carroll County--0.67
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 14,910
5. Effingham County--0.58
Total reported rapes: 2
Population: 34,307
4. Edgar County--0.56
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 17,960
3. Douglas County--0.50
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 19,887
2. Jo Daviess County--0.45
Total reported rapes: 1
Population: 22,407
1. Williamson County--0.30
Total reported rapes: 2
Population: 66,924
To see the top 10 Illinois counties with the most reported rapes, which includes McDonough County and Jefferson County, check out Reboot Illinois.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Rauner's business reform plan could face first test with plant closing
No sooner had the closing of the Normal Mitsubishi plant been announced last week than critics of Illinois' business climate pounced on the news.
The plant, which opened in 1988 and employs 1,200 workers, will close in November as Mitsubishi Motors consolidates its manufacturing operations in Asia, the company announced July 24.
The Mitsubishi plant was the lone American factory of a Japanese automaker with a workforce represented by the United Auto Workers. As such, it made a fat target for those who have long complained of Illinois' union-friendly labor laws, high workers' compensation insurance costs and comparatively strict regulatory climate.
"The fact of the matter is that manufacturers in Illinois cannot remain competitive given the state's absurd regulatory and business climate," wrote Michael Lucci, director of jobs and growth at the libertarian Illinois Policy Institute.
There's no denying that Illinois' manufacturing economy has crumbled in recent years. But using the Mitsubishi closing as an example of the state's poor manufacturing climate is inaccurate and, more importantly, misses what it truly represents. The Mitsubishi plant failed because Mitsubishi for years was failing in the American car market. Nothing in the Illinois labor or business statutes could have helped a company that had lost market share as Mitsubishi had.
It's what happens after the plant closes in November that will provide the real test for Illinois and its business climate for manufacturing.
Check out how that test might turn out for Illinois' business climate at Reboot Illinois.
Regardless of how that test turns out, one Illinoisan, former Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan, says the state should take a breath and turn away from focusing on Illinois' woes about the budget and its other problems and make a plan for getting to work and getting the state back on track. Check out the seven-point plan outlined by Houlihan at Reboot Illinois.
NEXT ARTICLE: Best of the best: The top 10 hospitals in Illinois
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The plant, which opened in 1988 and employs 1,200 workers, will close in November as Mitsubishi Motors consolidates its manufacturing operations in Asia, the company announced July 24.
The Mitsubishi plant was the lone American factory of a Japanese automaker with a workforce represented by the United Auto Workers. As such, it made a fat target for those who have long complained of Illinois' union-friendly labor laws, high workers' compensation insurance costs and comparatively strict regulatory climate.
"The fact of the matter is that manufacturers in Illinois cannot remain competitive given the state's absurd regulatory and business climate," wrote Michael Lucci, director of jobs and growth at the libertarian Illinois Policy Institute.
There's no denying that Illinois' manufacturing economy has crumbled in recent years. But using the Mitsubishi closing as an example of the state's poor manufacturing climate is inaccurate and, more importantly, misses what it truly represents. The Mitsubishi plant failed because Mitsubishi for years was failing in the American car market. Nothing in the Illinois labor or business statutes could have helped a company that had lost market share as Mitsubishi had.
It's what happens after the plant closes in November that will provide the real test for Illinois and its business climate for manufacturing.
Check out how that test might turn out for Illinois' business climate at Reboot Illinois.
Regardless of how that test turns out, one Illinoisan, former Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan, says the state should take a breath and turn away from focusing on Illinois' woes about the budget and its other problems and make a plan for getting to work and getting the state back on track. Check out the seven-point plan outlined by Houlihan at Reboot Illinois.
NEXT ARTICLE: Best of the best: The top 10 hospitals in Illinois
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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Every U.S. Governor From Most Liberal to Most Conservative
In the 2014 mid-term elections, the GOP solidified its control of both the House and the Senate. Republicans also dominated when it came to electing governors. There are currently 31 Republican governors and only 18 Democratic ones; Alaska is the only state with an Independent governor.
Using data from OnTheIssues, InsideGov broke down the political ideology of every governor. OnTheIssues analyzes public statements, press releases, campaign platforms and voting records to score each governor's view on important issues. We then converted these scores to a single scale from -10 (most liberal) to +10 (most conservative).
Overall, the Southern states have the most conservative governors, with an average ideology score of 3.5. The Midwest is a close second, scoring 3.4 on average.
Conversely, the Eastern region has the most liberal governors, with an average score of -0.9. The Western states are fairly mixed and have an average score of 0.9.
In some cases, a governor's ideology does not reflect the overall political leaning of the state. Maryland, for example, is one of the most Democratic states in the country, but has a Republican governor.
Scroll through the graphic below to see a breakdown of each governor's political ideology score. You can also filter for region or by party.
With an ideology score of -5.0, Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf is currently the most liberal governor. On the other end of the spectrum is Butch Otter of Idaho, with an ideology score of 7.0. Democratic governors Steve Bullock (MT) and Earl Tomblin (WV) are outliers for their party, with overall conservative scores.
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Using data from OnTheIssues, InsideGov broke down the political ideology of every governor. OnTheIssues analyzes public statements, press releases, campaign platforms and voting records to score each governor's view on important issues. We then converted these scores to a single scale from -10 (most liberal) to +10 (most conservative).
Overall, the Southern states have the most conservative governors, with an average ideology score of 3.5. The Midwest is a close second, scoring 3.4 on average.
Conversely, the Eastern region has the most liberal governors, with an average score of -0.9. The Western states are fairly mixed and have an average score of 0.9.
In some cases, a governor's ideology does not reflect the overall political leaning of the state. Maryland, for example, is one of the most Democratic states in the country, but has a Republican governor.
Scroll through the graphic below to see a breakdown of each governor's political ideology score. You can also filter for region or by party.
With an ideology score of -5.0, Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf is currently the most liberal governor. On the other end of the spectrum is Butch Otter of Idaho, with an ideology score of 7.0. Democratic governors Steve Bullock (MT) and Earl Tomblin (WV) are outliers for their party, with overall conservative scores.
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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Sponsor leaves African cycling team despite impressive Tour
Sponsor ends agreement despite African cycling team's impressive Tour de France debut
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