Library News for Political Science

New e-Journal: Gallup Brain

We have access to the Gallup Brain.  The direct URL is:

http://institution.gallup.com/

For the proxy server: 

http://libproxy.wustl.edu/login?url=http://institution.gallup.com/

First Data from 2007 Economic Census Released Today

This morning at 9:00 the Census Bureau released the first data from the Economic Census of 2007. At 9:00 they also held a conference call for State Data Centers and the media, which I participated in.

 

1. The Conference Call

* 2007 Economic Census data will be released only via American Fact Finder, not the 2007 Economic Census homepage (which you should use only for learning more about the Economic Census); the Economic Census had a Census form return rate of 88%, which is a better rate of return than for the 2000 Census of Population and Housing (67%)

* the 2007 Economic Census includes over 1,000 new Census-Designated Places (unincorporated places) for populations of 5,000+

* the coverage of "fringe benefits" is greatly enlarged in the 2007 Economic Census over the 2002 Economic Census; we'll have fringe benefit data for the wholesale, retail, and service sectors; the amount and kind of data for franchises will also be greatly enlarged

* Manufacturing had the largest employment decline from 2002 to 2007 among the 18 industry sectors; it lost 1.3 million jobs during that time

* Healthcare had the largest increase in revenues: 42%, with a 7% increase in employment; Healthcare was the top gainer in U.S. employment in 2007, with 16.9 million jobs (#2 industry sector after Healthcare was Retail Trade with 15.6 million jobs); within Healthcare, Ambulatory Healthcare was the largest industry subsector

* there were 1.1 million retail stores in 2007, with the largest subsector  being clothing stores

* there were 4,400 fewer gas stations than in 2002

* the Construction sector increased 46% from 2002 to 2007

* those participating in the conference call asked if the data showed this fact:  the growth in manufacturing has been accompanied by a loss of jobs in manufacturing, so does this mean that productivity has increased in manufacturing primarily due to the increased use of technology in manufacturing processes? Census officials couldn't answer this question.

 

2. The Data Release

 

Here is the press release; it fills out the information given to us during the Conference Call http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/economic_census/013419.html

 

Note the links to "Advance Summary Statistics for the U.S.: 2007" - this is 2007 data only; and "Advance Comparative Statistics for the U.S.: 

2007" - this is data that compares 2002 and 2007 data

 

Facts from the press release:

* the U.S. economy from 2002 to 2007 is ranked #1 wholesale trade, #2 manufacturing, and #3 retail trade

* industry subsectors that had significant decreases from 2002 to 2007: 

Apparel, plastics and rubber products, and computers and electronic products

* industry subsectors that had significant increases from 2002 to 2007: 

Food, petroleum, and chemicals

* Healthcare's increase from 2002 to 2007 was over 12%

 

 

 

Steve Beleu, Regional Depository Librarian/Director, Oklahoma State Data

Center Coordinating Agency

Oklahoma Department of Libraries

The St. Louis Fed now provides an API for FRED and ALFRED

The FRED API is a web service that allows developers to write programs and build applications that retrieve economic data from the FRED and ALFRED websites.  Requests can be customized according to data source, release, category, series, and other preferences.

 

For more information, see:

http://api.stlouisfed.org/docs/fred

 

From our programmer:

"The FRED API accommodates any programming language that can parse XML and communicate with our servers using HTTP.  The FRED API is based on the REST web service architecture.  REST leverages familiar web technologies.

Like a website, the FRED API uses HTTP to receive requests and send responses.  Also like a website, the FRED API uses URLs to specify requests.  This web service differs from a normal website by sending XML instead of HTML.  HTML is a visual medium that's not always strictly formatted and flexible enough for arbitrary data structures.  XML allows custom tags and relationships among tags."

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: CONGRESS IN THE CLASSROOM 2009

* Deadline: April 15, 2009 *

 

Congress in the Classroom is a national, award-winning education program now in its 17th year. Developed and sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information on teaching about Congress.

 

We designed Congress in the Classroom for high school or middle school teachers who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political science, or social studies. Forty teachers will be selected in 2009 to take part in the program. All online applications must be received by no later than April 15, 2009. We will notify individuals of our decisions by April 30, 2009.

 

Although the workshop will feature a variety of sessions, the 2009 program will focus on two themes:  (1) developments in the 111th Congress, and (2) new resources for teaching about Congress. The workshop consists of two types of sessions: those that focus on recent research and scholarship about Congress (and don't always have an immediate application in the classroom) and those geared to specific ways to teach students about the federal legislature.

 

Throughout the program, you will work with subject matter experts as well as colleagues from across the nation. This combination of firsthand knowledge and peer-to-peer interaction will give you new ideas, materials, and a professionally enriching experience.

 

"Until now so much of what I did in my class on Congress was straight theory-this is what the Constitution says," noted one of our teachers. "Now I can use these activities and illustrations to help get my students involved in the class and at the very least their community but hopefully in the federal government. This workshop has given me a way to help them see how relevant my class is and what they can do to help make changes in society."

 

The 2009 workshop will be held Monday, July 27 - Thursday, July 30, at Embassy Suites, East Peoria, Illinois.

 

The program is certified by the Illinois State Board of Education for up to 22 Continuing Education Units. The program also is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies.

 

Participants are responsible for (1) a non-refundable $155 registration fee (required to confirm acceptance after notice of selection) and (2) transportation to and from Peoria, Illinois. Many school districts will pay all or a portion of these costs.

 

The Center pays for three nights lodging at the headquarters hotel (providing a single room for each participant), workshop materials, local transportation, all but three meals, and presenter honoraria and expenses. The Center spends between $30,000 and $35,000 to host the program each year.

 

What follows are the sessions planned for the 2009 edition of Congress in the Classroom®. Please re-visit the site for changes as the program develops.

 

* The View from Capitol Hill

Aaron Schock, freshman member of the House of Representatives from Illinois's 18th congressional district INVITED

 

 

* Congressional Insight

A team-oriented, highly interactive simulation of a Congress member's first term CONFIRMED

 

 

* The Ten Most Important Things to Know About the U.S. House of Representatives Raymond Smock, Director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies, Shepherd University and former Historian of the House CONFIRMED

 

 

* The Ten Most Important Things to Know About the U.S. Senate Betty K. Koed, Assistant Historian, U.S. Senate Historical Office CONFIRMED

 

 

* How We Developed the Art and History Sections of the New Capitol Visitor Center Maria Marable-Bunch and Carol Beebe, Public Programs Division, Capitol Visitor Center CONFIRMED

 

 

* Resources for Teachers from the House of Representatives Kathleen Johnson, Historical Publications Specialist, Office of History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives CONFIRMED

 

 

* Teaching with Primary Sources:  The Library of Congress's Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program Cindy Rich, Project Director, Teaching with Primary Sources, Eastern Illinois University CONFIRMED

 

 

* What Do Our Students See When They Look at Congress?

Jeffrey Bernstein, Department of Political Science, Eastern Michigan University CONFIRMED

 

 

* The Congressional Glossary Project

Michael Kirby, FedNet CONFIRMED

 

 

* Evaluating the New President:  What Factors Account for Success in the Oval Office?

Frank H. Mackaman, The Dirksen Congressional Center CONFIRMED

 

 

* How to Get Your Point Across to Congress Members Stephanie Vance, Advocacy Associates, Washington, DC CONFIRMED

 

 

* The Influence of the Internet on Political Information and Engagement Julie Barko Germany, Director, Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet, The George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management CONFIRMED

 

 

* Setting Up a Congressional Office

Congressional Management Foundation INVITED

 

Take a look at The Dirksen Center Web site - http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm -- to see what participants say about the program.

 

* Registration *

 

If you are interested in registering for the Congress in the Classroom® 2009 workshop, you can complete an online registration form found at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/programs_CiCapplication.htm.

 

 

Cindy Koeppel

ckoeppel@dirksencenter.org

 

The Dirksen Congressional Center

2815 Broadway

Pekin, IL 61554

http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

 

------------------------------

How to go to Law School without Really Going to Law School

From the Legal Pad blog, classes to take at St. Louis University for $25.00.

http://mobar.typepad.com/legalpad/2009/03/how-to-go-to-law-school-without-really-going-to-law-school.html