TresSugar

Do Tell: How Old Do You Feel?

TresSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:30:00 -0700

What's an easy way to feel younger? Grow older! A new survey from Pew Research Center asked people of different ages how old they felt. The results showed that as people get older, the gap between real age and perceived age grows.

Half of the people surveyed who were 50 or over said they felt at least 10 years younger than their chronological age. Among those 65-74, a third said they felt 10 to 19 years younger and one in six said they felt at least 20 years younger! Compare that to the 18- to 29-year-olds surveyed - 75 percent of the younger group said they either felt their age or older.

I can verify these results against my own experience: I asked my 89-year-old grandfather how old he felt in his mind, and he said 65! I'm curious, how old do you feel?

Are You Satisfied? The World's Most Optimistic Countries

LibertySugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Satisfied with the direction your country is headed? The Chinese sure are. The rising nation tops the list of optimistic countries with a glass much more full than those of trailing countries. Eighty-six percent of the Chinese are content with China's direction, compared to 61 percent in second place Australia, according to the Pew Research Center. Eighty-two percent of the Chinese are also happy with their economy.

Economic growth and national excitement surrounding the Beijing Olympics seems to be boosting China's civic mood - in 2002, only 48 percent of the Chinese responded positively. But the people still have their concerns, most notably, worries about inflation, rising prices, and environmental degradation burden the Chinese.

To see how other countries compare to China, and who makes the list of the top-10 most optimistic countries read more.

Who is happy with the direction their country is headed?

China - 86 percent content
Australia - 61 percent content
Russia - 54 percent content
Spain - 50 percent content
Jordan - 49 percent content
Poland - 42 percent content
India - 41 percent content
Egypt - 40 percent content
South Africa - 36 percent content
Germany - 34 percent content

And some other favorites:

France - 29 percent content
United States - 23 percent content
Lebanon - 6 percent content

With China and Russia on top and the US and France decidedly not - do any of the placements surprise you?

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America's Top 10 Most Popular Cities!

CitizenSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:30:33 -0800

Each year the Pew Research Center looks into social and demographic trends. The survey investigates whether Americans like cities more than suburbs (the young do), whether they are satisfied with where they live (80 percent are), and how often they move (37 percent have lived in the same place their whole lives). It also breaks down preferences by political party, age, and gender. But my favorite part of the survey is the overall ranking of American cities. Find out which metropolises win the national popularity contest! And here's a hint - heavyweights like New York and Los Angeles don't make the cut!
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New Poll: Global Warming at Bottom of American's To-Do List

LibertySugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:30:57 -0800

In a new Pew Research Center survey the economy ranks as American's number-one priority while addressing global warming makes the bottom of the list. Protecting the environment also took a big hit, as 56 percent said it was a top priority last year, compared to 41 percent this year.

In general, Americans want President Obama to fix problems inside US borders instead of focusing on foreign policy. A year ago, 56 percent said Bush should focus on domestic policy, while 31 percent said foreign policy was more important. Today, 71 percent think domestic policy is most important, compared to 11 percent who favor foreign policy.

While worrying about the environment, or other big-picture problems, can seem like a luxury when we're facing a pressing crisis, hopefully leaders will keep an eye on the long-term consequences of all policies. Do you think Americans have their priorities straight?

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Should Houses of Worship Keep Out of Political Matters?

LibertySugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:00:38 -0700

Americans have reconsidered their faith in the mixing religion and politics. A majority of Americans now say churches and other houses of worship should keep out of politics and not express their views on day-to-day social and political matters. Fifty-two percent of those surveyed by Pew Research Center said that Churches should butt out, the highest level since the poll began in 1996.

The shift is most apparent among conservatives. In 2004, 30 percent of conservatives said that churches should stay away from politics, compared to 50 percent today. And among white evangelicals, 36 percent want religious groups to stay out of politics, up from 16 percent in 2004.

Considering both candidates sat down to chat with Reverend Warren during last weekend's forum at the Saddleback Church, I would guess that Barack Obama and John McCain do not oppose religious groups getting involved in politics. What about you: should churches keep quiet about politics?

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