Mar 9, 2024

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Updated 09/23
  
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About These Blogs

“Perspective gives us the ability to accurately contrast the large with the small, and the important with the less important. Without it, we are lost in a world where all ideas, news, and information look the same. We cannot differentiate, we cannot prioritize, and we cannot make good choices. “ -John Sununu 

Today there are so many talking heads who bombard the airwaves, magazines, and periodicals with their version of events and issues that affect our lives and the world. And with so many jIBBER-Jabbers reporting at home and abroad, often it becomes difficult to distinguish what’s accurate and what’s not. I’m sure you’ve heard the term: “Fake News”? Therefore, it’s up to each of us to go behind the headlines to distinguish the difference between facts and fiction to make a conscious decision as to what the truth might be.

These Blogs are filled with articles and opinions that are not necessarily headlines or openly discussed. It's also filled with an accumulation of insightful information for a bit more clarity on the issues, including pictures and videos for your entertainment.

I hope these blogs will be an open window to a better understanding of the world around us, and through this understanding try and make life better for all. There is no one perfect way, but hopefully, with eyes open wide, we can rise above the hype and find mutual awareness that hopefully will resolve our differences. It’s also a place where readers, like you, can contribute to the conversation.

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JERSEY SHORE is strictly about opinions and information seldom included in headline news. It attempts to point beyond the headlines to allow you the reader to understand what the issues might truly be, ugly or otherwise.

FAITH is spiritual without “religion”. It’s not about converting, but solely to enlighten, as well as challenge our faith. Since faith is a personal journey it’s important to be knowledgeable of the facts to avoid being manipulated by a religious system that is pretty much void of truth.

ODEUM is all about videos, entertainment news, reviews, and more.

JOURNAL is about my journey in life.

GALLERY is a display of my photography, arts, and crafts.

- Posting Schedule -

Posting - Every Two Weeks
(Not Written In Stone)
Vacation - June to September

Always remember, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. The more you search to understand, life can be a journey filled with enlightened confidence and positive choices.

Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy your visit.

Nearly A Third Of Gen Zers Identify As LGBTQ

Democratic poised to have significant influence in elections

By Amber Laenen

New data from the Public Religion Research Institute shows 28 percent of Generation Z adults who are between 18-25 identify as LGBTQ.

This significant increase in self-identification among Gen Z highlights a positive shift in the societal acceptance of LGBTQ individuals, setting the stage for a more inclusive and diverse future.

The findings, based on PRRI polling and focus groups conducted between August and September, not only sheds light on the evolving landscape of sexual orientation identification, but also suggests that younger generations are increasingly comfortable and empowered to openly embrace their sexuality and gender identity.

The study reveals that 16 percent of millennials, 7 percent of Generation X, 4 percent of baby boomers and 4 percent of the Silent Generation identify as LGBTQ. This stark generational difference underscores the ongoing positive transformation in societal attitudes toward the LGBTQ community. 

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson emphasized the significance of LGBTQ visibility and Gen Z’s role in fostering change.

“Whether at the polls, in marches and rallies, or online, LGBTQ+ visibility matters and Gen Z is a force for change,” she said.

Robinson further highlighted the political consequences of anti-LGBTQ attacks, noting LGBTQ youth who are turning 18 will influence elections.

With nearly 30 percent of Gen Z adults identifying as LGBTQ, the LGBTQ community is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing voting blocs in the country. This demographic shift is poised to reshape the American electoral landscape, with projections indicating that the LGBTQ voting bloc could constitute nearly a fifth of all voters by 2040. This voting bloc is expected to wield substantial influence, permanently transforming and reshaping the political landscape in the United States. -Washington Blade 


Thoughts



 

Bisexuality, Risk-Taking, And Fatherhood

However, the findings are proving rather controversial.

By Trudy Ring

Genetic factors related to male bisexuality often mean more risk-taking and fathering more children, according to a new study out of the University of Michigan.

For the study, published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, the university’s researchers looked at information from 450,000 people, all of European ancestry, in the United Kingdom’s Biobank database of genetic and health information. The information included responses to a questionnaire, on which one of the questions was “Would you describe yourself as someone who takes risks?”

The research team “concluded that the genes underlying bisexual behavior are distinct from those driving exclusive same-sex behavior, and may be intertwined with a propensity for taking risks,” says an article in Science, a related journal.

“This connection to risk-taking, the authors suggest, may also explain why men with a history of bisexual behavior still have a reasonably high number of offspring, albeit fewer than heterosexual men, possibly explaining why the genes driving such sexual behavior have persisted,” the article continues.

The findings have been somewhat controversial, the article notes. There are fears that linking risk-taking to bisexuality may perpetuate false and harmful stereotypes about bi people and lead to discrimination.

But U of M biologist Jianzhi Zhang, lead author of the study, told Science that he and coauthor Siliang Song, a graduate student, “hold no moral judgment on risk-taking and believe [it] has pros and cons (depending on the situation), as almost any trait.”

In the study itself, the authors wrote, “The topic explored in this study intersects with sexuality and identity and potentially bears civil and political ramifications for sexual minority groups. We want to make it clear that our results predominantly contribute to the diversity, richness, and better understanding of human sexuality. They are not, in any way, intended to suggest or endorse discrimination on the basis of sexual behavior.”

They limited their research to people of European ancestry, they wrote, “to avoid spurious results caused by population stratification.” They added that because of this limit, “our results may or may not represent a general pattern across populations with diverse cultural, social, economic, and/or political environments.”

Some scientists, however, said the data may not be representative in a variety of other ways. “It is a study of sexual history, rather than sexual identity, and is not fully capturing the experiences of people who identify as bisexual,” Catherine Saunders, a University of Cambridge researcher who studies health in the LGBTQ+ community, told Science.

Also, most of the people whose data is in the U.K. Biobank are over 50 and therefore grew up in a time when homosexuality and bisexuality carried greater stigma, which may have affected how they answered questions, Yale School of Medicine geneticist Steven Reilly and others told the publication.

Zhang acknowledged that some of the data could be unreliable, but he said the subject is still worth studying. “Because that’s a controversy — is sexuality discrete or continuous? Do [homosexuality and bisexuality] have [a] different genetic basis or do they have the same genetic basis?” he told The Hill. -Advocate 


The Brutal Truth About Being Gay In Prisons




Avocado Ranch Pork Chops and Rice

It only takes 5 minutes to prep this recipe for Avocado Ranch Pork Chops and Rice, which makes it perfect for a busy weeknight.  We show you how to cook the rice and the pork chops at the same time, so that you can have a home-cooked dinner on the table in 30 minutes!  Two pantry favorites, condensed cream soup and ranch dressing mix, blend with chili powder and Southwest seasoned vegetables for a Tex-Mex spin on the usual pork chops and rice.  Serve with fresh avocado and cilantro on top to make it look as good as it tastes!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups frozen seasoned Southwest vegetable blend (corn, peppers, onions)
  • 1 envelope (1 ounce) ranch dressing mix (amount divided in recipe steps below)
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
  • 6 boneless pork chop, 3/4-inch thick (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

Instructions:

Tips

You can substitute 1 cup whole kernel corn (drained canned or thawed frozen) and 1 cup drained canned black beans for the Southwest vegetable blend, if you like.

Step 1

Heat the water, frozen vegetables and 1/2 package dressing mix in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. 

Step 2

While the rice is cooking, season the pork with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chili powder.  Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook for 6 minutes (make sure the skillet and oil are hot before adding the pork to prevent sticking) or until browned on both sides.  Stir in the soup, milk and remaining 1/2 package dressing mix iand heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the pork is done.

Step 3

Stir the cilantro into the hot cooked rice.  Top the pork with the avocado and additional chopped cilantro, if desired.  Serve the pork and sauce with the rice. -Campbells


Mar 1, 2024

Apologies

Over the past two weeks, We've experienced computer issues. Apparently, a virus infected our computers thus we were unable to do any work or updates to these blogs. Thankfully, the virus was eradicated and our systems are updated and now running smoothly. We apologize for this inconvenience and as soon as possible we will begin posting again. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

PS

Jan 27, 2024

UK Govt Considers Havoc Of Porn Epidemic On Society

The Government has launched an investigation into pornography’s devastating impact on society as part of a review of current regulation following the passing of the Online Safety Act.

The Call for Evidence, which is part of the Independent Pornography Review, will collect views on “the impact of pornographic content on relationships, sexual behaviours, mental health and people’s views of women and girls”.

It is set to address the separate regimes covering online and offline pornographic material to ensure restrictions are consistently applied.

‘Abhorrent’

Baroness Bertin, who is leading the review, said there is a “whole tonne” of “completely abhorrent” online pornography, which the British Board of Film Classification would prohibit from sale on DVD or video.

She called for the loopholes to be shut, so content involving child-like actors or those purporting to be family members would no longer be available either online or offline.

The Peer stated: “The damaging impact that extreme pornography is having on society cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.”

Violence

National Police Lead for Child Protection Ian Critchley welcomed the review as he warned teenagers and under-tens have increased access to “violent pornography and indecent images of children”.

He said it would “provide a greater evidence base allowing us to better understand the impact violent pornography is having on the behaviour of young people and adults who continue to pose the greatest risk of harm to children”.

Baroness Bertin is expected to publish her findings later this year.

Child abuse

Earlier this month, it was revealed that more than half of child abuse cases in England and Wales are now committed by other children.

The National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation Report found that 52 per cent of 106,984 offences recorded by 42 police forces in 2022 were committed by ten to 17-year-olds, at an average age of 14.

The report called it a “growing and concerning trend (previously thought to be a third) involving a wide range of offending” from sharing indecent images to rape.

Americans On The Edge Of Politics

Untethered from partisan politics and uninterested in keeping up with political news, here is how some Americans view the current state of U.S. politics.

In a fractious political environment often dominated by the loudest voices on the left and right, some people are saying: Count us out.

Last year, we talked to a group of people who, while they may vote, are not strongly attached to either political party. They don’t closely follow news about politics or government, though some feel guilty when they don’t. By and large, they look at the nation’s politics as a topic better avoided than embraced.

With the first votes of the 2024 election about to be cast, these are people whose voices are largely overlooked. Last May, we conducted six focus groups of adults who have soured on politics and political news. Here’s what they told us.

They have a sense that politics is everywhere – and often in a bad way. They find themselves overwhelmed by how much information they confront in their day-to-day life.

Many – but not all – of these people vote. While they acknowledge they could be more engaged with following politics, many say they have no desire to, or say it’s important to avoid the topic to protect their mental health.

Most are frustrated with the two parties. They often don’t feel represented by either party or feel that the parties are too extreme. And while some would prefer for there to be no parties at all, others wish there were more than two.

Many of the participants pointed to the vitriol and negativity in politics today, noting that there is too much fighting and not enough progress being made on issues that are important to everyday people.

How would these people change politics? Their ideas run the gamut: While some discussed changes to the Electoral College, term limits or reducing the role of money in politics, others said they simply would like more choices, less negativity and more progress on important issues.

Note: This essay is designed to be a snapshot of how some Americans who are not particularly engaged with politics feel about the system. These focus group participants do not necessarily represent the broader population of all less engaged Americans.

This publication is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Carroll Doherty, Jocelyn Kiley, Hannah Hartig, Gabe Borelli, Rebecca Leppert, David Kent, Andrea Caumont, Claire Dannenbaum, Andy Cerda, Shanay Gracia and Katy Lin (former intern).

Illustrations by Christian Northeast. Design, production and web development by Alissa Scheller, Reem Nadeem and Chris Baronavski. -Pew Research

School Board Pulls Dictionaries

School district officials say that the dictionary contains terms, references, and description of “sexual conduct.” 

By Evy Kwong

A school district in Florida has pulled 1,600 books including dictionaries and encyclopedias from their shelves after school board members said the books violated a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in the GOP’s ongoing war on education.

Escambia County School District officials say that the dictionary, along with books like The Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley’s Believe it or Not, contain terms, references, and description of “sexual conduct.” 

The law, HB 1069, which went into effect on July 1, 2023, aims to limit sexual education by banning topics like sexual health, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Because of this, the school district said they decided to remove the dictionary from school libraries over the summer break, as they contain terms that fall under those banned topics.

In May 2023, PEN America, an organization fighting for freedom of speech and access to literature, along with publisher Penguin Random House and several authors, filed a federal lawsuit against the school board for impeding free speech. This week, a judge ruled that the suit could move forward.

“Ensuring that students have access to books on a wide range of topics and that express a diversity of viewpoints is a core function of public education—preparing students to be thoughtful and engaged citizens,” PEN America wrote. It added that the removal of the books violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution “because the books being singled out for possible removal are disproportionately books by non-white and/or LGBTQ authors.”

In a statement, Escambia County School District said that the books weren’t actually banned from schools, but just pulled for “further review” to determine whether they violate DeSantis’s legislation.

According to a 2022 poll by the American Library Association, the vast majority of parents in America are against Republican-led efforts to ban books in schools. “Three quarters of parents of public school children (74%) express a high degree of confidence in school librarians to make good decisions about which books to make available to children,” the ALA wrote in its findings. Florida schools have the highest percentage of book removals and restrictions in the country, according to PEN America. -Vice 

GIF



 

The Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

magine you’re driving a car, and a police officer spots you and pulls you over for speeding. He orders you out of the car. Maybe he wants to place you under arrest. Or maybe he wants to search your car for evidence of a crime. Can the officer do that? 

The Fourth Amendment is the part of the Constitution that gives the answer. According to the Fourth Amendment, the people have a right “to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” This right limits the power of the police to seize and search people, their property, and their homes. 

The Fourth Amendment has been debated frequently during the last several years, as police and intelligence agencies in the United States have engaged in a number of controversial activities. The federal government has conducted bulk collection of Americans’ telephone and Internet connections as part of the War on Terror. Many municipal police forces have engaged in aggressive use of “stop and frisk.” There have been a number of highly-publicized police-citizen encounters in which the police ended up shooting a civilian. There is also concern about the use of aerial surveillance, whether by piloted aircraft or drones.

The application of the Fourth Amendment to all these activities would have surprised those who drafted it, and not only because they could not imagine the modern technologies like the Internet and drones. They also were not familiar with organized police forces like we have today. Policing in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was a responsibility of the citizenry, which participated in “night watches.” Other than that, there was only a loose collection of sheriffs and constables, who lacked the tools to maintain order as the police do today. 

The primary concerns of the generation that ratified the Fourth Amendment were “general warrants” and “writs of assistance.” Famous incidents on both sides of the Atlantic gave rise to placing the Fourth Amendment in the Constitution. In Britain, the Crown employed “general warrants” to go after political enemies, leading to the famous decisions in Wilkes v. Wood (1763) and Entick v. Carrington (1765). General warrants allowed the Crown’s messengers to search without any cause to believe someone had committed an offense. In those cases the judges decided that such warrants violated English common law. In the colonies the Crown used the writs of assistance—like general warrants, but often unbounded by time restraints—to search for goods on which taxes had not been paid. James Otis challenged the writs in a Boston court; though he lost, some such as John Adams attribute this legal battle as the spark that led to the Revolution. Both controversies led to the famous notion that a person’s home is their castle, not easily invaded by the government.

Today the Fourth Amendment is understood as placing restraints on the government any time it detains (seizes) or searches a person or property. The Fourth Amendment also provides that “no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.” The idea is that to avoid the evils of general warrants, each search or seizure should be cleared in advance by a judge, and that to get a warrant the government must show “probable cause”—a certain level of suspicion of criminal activity—to justify the search or seizure. 

To the extent that a warrant is required in theory before police can search, there are so many exceptions that in practice warrants rarely are obtained. Police can search automobiles without warrants, they can detain people on the street without them, and they can always search or seize in an emergency without going to a judge.

The way that the Fourth Amendment most commonly is put into practice is in criminal proceedings. The Supreme Court decided in the mid-twentieth century that if the police seize evidence as part of an illegal search, the evidence cannot be admitted into court. This is called the “exclusionary rule.” It is controversial because in most cases evidence is being tossed out even though it shows the person is guilty and, as a result of the police conduct, they might avoid conviction. “The criminal is to go free because the constable has blundered,” declared Benjamin Cardozo (a famous judge and ultimately Supreme Court justice). But, responded another Supreme Court justice, Louis Brandeis, “If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for the law.”

One of the difficult questions today is what constitutes a “search”? If the police standing in Times Square in New York watched a person planting a bomb in plain daylight, we would not think they needed a warrant or any cause. But what about installing closed circuit TV cameras on poles, or flying drones over backyards, or gathering evidence that you have given to a third party such as an Internet provider or a banker?

Another hard question is when a search is acceptable when the government has no suspicion that a person has done something wrong. Lest the answer seem to be “never,” think of airport security. Surely it is okay for the government to screen people getting on airplanes, yet the idea is as much to deter people from bringing weapons as it is to catch them—there is no “cause,” probable or otherwise, to think anyone has done anything wrong. This is the same sort of issue with bulk data collection, and possibly with gathering biometric information.

What should be clear by now is that advancing technology and the many threats that face society add up to a brew in which the Fourth Amendment will continue to play a central role. -Constitution Center

Thoughts



 

Three Steps To A Purposeful Year

Before you set goals and resolutions, take some time to reflect on what makes you unique and what kind of life you aspire to.

By Christine Carter

“This year, I want to do something more meaningful. I don’t love my job or where I live, so I’m going to make some changes.”

As a coach, I’m happy when my people are ready for change. But the best first move usually isn’t an outer change to our circumstances—to a new job or city, for example. Pursuing achievements that improve our social status and bring us wealth or fame can be tempting—but people who prioritize those things tend to have lower well-being.

Instead, the best first move is almost always inner work. It’s identifying a vision for the coming year that animates our best selves. When we align our aspirations with our intrinsic interests and values, we tend to increase our well-being and the odds of achieving our goals.

But that task can feel daunting! Here’s how to get started.

Begin from your strengths rather than your weaknesses

Start by identifying some of your unique attributes: those things that make you you. As a coach, I’m most interested in the person you are without the normal social influences of the people around you. This is your intrinsic self, and it can be a compass for you in uncertain times.

Don’t worry if you’ve lost touch with your intrinsic self. We’re surrounded by external influences that shape us from the moment we’re born. Over time, it can be challenging to determine whether our goals and ambitions come from the hopes and expectations of our family, our culture, the media, our social circle—or our deepest sense of self and our truest values.

When we aren’t in touch with our intrinsic selves, our aspirations and goals are often based on external things like our jobs or roles, our appearance, and status-oriented stuff like houses and cars. These things are by nature all fleeting and fragile.

The good news is that your intrinsic self is always within you. It’s your center. You are like the block of marble that Michelangelo carved “The David” statue into. David was always in there, but the marble needed to be chipped away. I believe that, like “The David,” you are already “in there.”

Sometimes that idea—that you are already, always enough—can be tough to swallow. You are probably more in touch with the areas you want to strengthen and grow than the ones where you already feel good enough. But it can be more illuminating to see who you are than it is to lament who you aren’t.

For example, it’s easy for me to look back on the past year and wish I would have done more of some healthy thing, like meditation or yoga. When I focus on my deficiencies (I hardly meditated at all last year! I paid for a membership to a yoga website I barely used!), I feel inadequate and pessimistic about my ability to change. But when I consider my top strengths—zest and gratitude—I can see how my gratitude practices and love of outdoor exercise were enough. And, also, that I can grow these existing strengths. When I begin there, with my strengths, I feel optimistic about the year to come.


It’s counterintuitive, but, in my experience, people don’t tend to grow or accomplish the goals they set for themselves from a place of deficiency or fear that they aren’t good enough. Something liberating happens when we are no longer on the hunt for things to criticize about ourselves.

So allow yourself a moment to set aside the things you’d like to change about yourself and focus on the unique gifts you bring to the world.

Think about what makes you feel alive or at peace

If none of your unique attributes are obvious to you, reflect on times you’ve felt passion in your life, or when you’ve felt a peaceful sense of contentment. Maybe it’s something common, like a passion for helping others, or maybe it is quirky, like having a passion for Star Wars or an ability to identify owl calls. It might not seem all that “important,” but it’s something that energizes you. It doesn’t need to be interesting to anyone other than you. The things my adult children make fun of me for—like my tendency to cite research I’m excited about before I give them unsolicited advice—usually point to what makes me me.

If your passions aren’t obvious, consider what you loved as a child. What did you do before you worried about being judged or good enough—before the world started telling you what you should or shouldn’t like? When did you feel a sense of mystery, adventure, or magic? When did you feel a spark? Similarly, when have you felt fully at peace?

Set an aspiration for how you’d like to live

Can you think of a story or memory about yourself that illustrates some of the passions or unique attributes you’ve identified? What aspects of that story capture something unique about you? You might use one of those stories, or a combination of them, to name something you aspire to. No one else will need to understand it, but it should be meaningful to you.

For example, one of my clients, whom I’ll call Mike, set this aspiration: “I aspire to channel Brother James to inspire others to do hard things.” In our work together, Mike told me about a special relationship with a teacher who’d truly seen his potential and encouraged him to be his best self. In his work now, he feels most energized and motivated when he interacts with his colleagues in the way that Brother James interacted with him. Mike set an aspiration that tapped into the emotional feeling that being with Brother James gave him, one that animated and inspired him to do his best work in the world—and that, in turn, helps him inspire the people he manages at work.

Research by BetterUp, the coaching organization where I’m a leader, found that doing the above aspiration-setting exercise with a coach increased people’s well-being, authenticity, meaning, self-certainty, and life satisfaction. The effect was surprisingly large. (So large that the psychologists Em Reit and Rainy Gu conducting the study reanalyzed the data multiple times to ensure that what they were seeing was correct.)

So this year, before you reach for a familiar resolution or try to make a big change to your circumstances, take a step back and consider what you aspire to. How can you live your life in a way that reflects what makes you unique? From there, you are more likely to set goals and resolutions that help you do your best work and live your best life. -Greater Good 

Avocado Ranch Pork Chops and Rice

It only takes 5 minutes to prep this recipe for Avocado Ranch Pork Chops and Rice, which makes it perfect for a busy weeknight.  We show you how to cook the rice and the pork chops at the same time, so that you can have a home-cooked dinner on the table in 30 minutes!  Two pantry favorites, condensed cream soup and ranch dressing mix, blend with chili powder and Southwest seasoned vegetables for a Tex-Mex spin on the usual pork chops and rice.  Serve with fresh avocado and cilantro on top to make it look as good as it tastes!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups frozen seasoned Southwest vegetable blend (corn, peppers, onions)
  • 1 envelope (1 ounce) ranch dressing mix (amount divided in recipe steps below)
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
  • 6 boneless pork chop, 3/4-inch thick (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

Instructions

You can substitute 1 cup whole kernel corn (drained canned or thawed frozen) and 1 cup drained canned black beans for the Southwest vegetable blend, if you like.

Step 1

Heat the water, frozen vegetables and 1/2 package dressing mix in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. 

Step 2

While the rice is cooking, season the pork with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chili powder.  Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and cook for 6 minutes (make sure the skillet and oil are hot before adding the pork to prevent sticking) or until browned on both sides.  Stir in the soup, milk and remaining 1/2 package dressing mix iand heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the pork is done.

Step 3

Stir the cilantro into the hot cooked rice.  Top the pork with the avocado and additional chopped cilantro, if desired.  Serve the pork and sauce with the rice. -Cambell’s

Oct 28, 2023

The Data Says About Gun Deaths

 By John Gramlich

More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record, according to the latest available statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That included record numbers of both gun murders and gun suicides. Despite the increase in such fatalities, the rate of gun deaths – a statistic that accounts for the nation’s growing population – remained below the levels of earlier decades.

Here’s a closer look at gun deaths in the United States, based on a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the CDC, the FBI and other sources. You can also read key public opinion findings about U.S. gun violence and gun policy.

How we did this

How many people die from gun-related injuries in the U.S. each year?

In 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. That figure includes gun murders and gun suicides, along with three less common types of gun-related deaths tracked by the CDC: those that were accidental, those that involved law enforcement and those whose circumstances could not be determined. The total excludes deaths in which gunshot injuries played a contributing, but not principal, role. (CDC fatality statistics are based on information contained in official death certificates, which identify a single cause of death.)

What share of U.S. gun deaths are murders and what share are suicides?

Though they tend to get less public attention than gun-related murders, suicides have long accounted for the majority of U.S. gun deaths. In 2021, 54% of all gun-related deaths in the U.S. were suicides (26,328), while 43% were murders (20,958), according to the CDC. The remaining gun deaths that year were accidental (549), involved law enforcement (537) or had undetermined circumstances (458).

What share of all murders and suicides in the U.S. involve a gun?

About eight-in-ten U.S. murders in 2021 – 20,958 out of 26,031, or 81% – involved a firearm. That marked the highest percentage since at least 1968, the earliest year for which the CDC has online records. More than half of all suicides in 2021 – 26,328 out of 48,183, or 55% – also involved a gun, the highest percentage since 2001.

How has the number of U.S. gun deaths changed over time?

The record 48,830 total gun deaths in 2021 reflect a 23% increase since 2019, before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Gun murders, in particular, have climbed sharply during the pandemic, increasing 45% between 2019 and 2021, while the number of gun suicides rose 10% during that span.

The overall increase in U.S. gun deaths since the beginning of the pandemic includes an especially stark rise in such fatalities among children and teens under the age of 18. Gun deaths among children and teens rose 50% in just two years, from 1,732 in 2019 to 2,590 in 2021.

How has the rate of U.S. gun deaths changed over time?

While 2021 saw the highest total number of gun deaths in the U.S., this statistic does not take into account the nation’s growing population. On a per capita basis, there were 14.6 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2021 – the highest rate since the early 1990s, but still well below the peak of 16.3 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 1974.

The gun murder rate in the U.S. remains below its peak level despite rising sharply during the pandemic. There were 6.7 gun murders per 100,000 people in 2021, below the 7.2 recorded in 1974.

The gun suicide rate, on the other hand, is now on par with its historical peak. There were 7.5 gun suicides per 100,000 people in 2021, statistically similar to the 7.7 measured in 1977. (One caveat when considering the 1970s figures: In the CDC’s database, gun murders and gun suicides between 1968 and 1978 are classified as those caused by firearms and explosives. In subsequent years, they are classified as deaths involving firearms only.)

Which states have the highest and lowest gun death rates in the U.S.?

The rate of gun fatalities varies widely from state to state. In 2021, the states with the highest total rates of gun-related deaths – counting murders, suicides and all other categories tracked by the CDC – included Mississippi (33.9 per 100,000 people), Louisiana (29.1), New Mexico (27.8), Alabama (26.4) and Wyoming (26.1). The states with the lowest total rates included Massachusetts (3.4), Hawaii (4.8), New Jersey (5.2), New York (5.4) and Rhode Island (5.6).

The results are somewhat different when looking at gun murder and gun suicide rates separately. The places with the highest gun murder rates in 2021 included the District of Columbia (22.3 per 100,000 people), Mississippi (21.2), Louisiana (18.4), Alabama (13.9) and New Mexico (11.7). Those with the lowest gun murder rates included Massachusetts (1.5), Idaho (1.5), Hawaii (1.6), Utah (2.1) and Iowa (2.2). Rate estimates are not available for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont or Wyoming.

The states with the highest gun suicide rates in 2021 included Wyoming (22.8 per 100,000 people), Montana (21.1), Alaska (19.9), New Mexico (13.9) and Oklahoma (13.7). The states with the lowest gun suicide rates were Massachusetts (1.7), New Jersey (1.9), New York (2.0), Hawaii (2.8) and Connecticut (2.9). Rate estimates are not available for the District of Columbia.

How does the gun death rate in the U.S. compare with other countries?

The gun death rate in the U.S. is much higher than in most other nations, particularly developed nations. But it is still far below the rates in several Latin American countries, according to a 2018 study of 195 countries and territories by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

The U.S. gun death rate was 10.6 per 100,000 people in 2016, the most recent year in the study, which used a somewhat different methodology from the CDC. That was far higher than in countries such as Canada (2.1 per 100,000) and Australia (1.0), as well as European nations such as France (2.7), Germany (0.9) and Spain (0.6). But the rate in the U.S. was much lower than in El Salvador (39.2 per 100,000 people), Venezuela (38.7), Guatemala (32.3), Colombia (25.9) and Honduras (22.5), the study found. Overall, the U.S. ranked 20th in its gun fatality rate that year.

How many people are killed in mass shootings in the U.S. every year?

This is a difficult question to answer because there is no single, agreed-upon definition of the term “mass shooting.” Definitions can vary depending on factors including the number of victims and the circumstances of the shooting.

The FBI collects data on “active shooter incidents,” which it defines as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Using the FBI’s definition, 103 people – excluding the shooters – died in such incidents in 2021.

The Gun Violence Archive, an online database of gun violence incidents in the U.S., defines mass shootings as incidents in which four or more people are shot, even if no one was killed (again excluding the shooters). Using this definition, 706 people died in these incidents in 2021.

Regardless of the definition being used, fatalities in mass shooting incidents in the U.S. account for a small fraction of all gun murders that occur nationwide each year.

How has the number of mass shootings in the U.S. changed over time?

The same definitional issue that makes it challenging to calculate mass shooting fatalities comes into play when trying to determine the frequency of U.S. mass shootings over time. The unpredictability of these incidents also complicates matters: As Rand Corp. noted in a research brief, “Chance variability in the annual number of mass shooting incidents makes it challenging to discern a clear trend, and trend estimates will be sensitive to outliers and to the time frame chosen for analysis.”

The FBI found an increase in active shooter incidents between 2000 and 2021. There were three such incidents in 2000. By 2021, that figure had increased to 61.

Which types of firearms are most commonly used in gun murders in the U.S.?

In 2020, the most recent year for which the FBI has published data, handguns were involved in 59% of the 13,620 U.S. gun murders and non-negligent manslaughters for which data is available. Rifles – the category that includes guns sometimes referred to as “assault weapons” – were involved in 3% of firearm murders. Shotguns were involved in 1%. The remainder of gun homicides and non-negligent manslaughters (36%) involved other kinds of firearms or those classified as “type not stated.”

It’s important to note that the FBI’s statistics do not capture the details on all gun murders in the U.S. each year. The FBI’s data is based on information voluntarily submitted by police departments around the country, and not all agencies participate or provide complete information each year. -Pew Research Center

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