Americans lose confidence college is worth it, skilled trades on the rise
As more Americans lose confidence that a college degree is actually worth it, a new study points to some potentially good news for the post-secondary schools. The number of high school graduates who chose to enroll in college held steady from 2022 to 2023, and both years were a big improvement over enrollment numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Still, four years after the pandemic began, there are 900,000 fewer undergraduate students enrolling in college. College costs continue to rise and not wanting to accrue student loan debt has many high schoolers looking at other plans for after they graduate.
A separate recent study found nearly half (49%) of high schoolers believe a high school diploma, trade program, two-year degree or other type of enrichment program is the highest level of education needed for their anticipated career path. And even those planning on going to college believe on-the-job training and experience is more beneficial than getting a higher education degree, with 56% of them saying so.
A third study found a majority of those with student loan debt said their degree wasn’t worth it. While more than half (53%) said knowing they’d have to take on debt has stopped them from pursuing more education.
The Department of Labor says in the decade from 2012 to 2121, the number of registered apprentices jumped 64%. Just between 2022 and 2023 enrollment in vocational programs spiked 16%.
The Department of Education also found those who go to trade schools are more likely to find a job after going to school than those who take the traditional college route and are more likely to actually work in their field of study.
It’s also worth noting more and more Americans think two-year post-secondary schools are a better bang for your buck. In a recent Gallup survey, more than half (55%) said a degree from a two-year school is worth it while 18% believed the same thing about four-year colleges.
Sleeping in on weekends could improve your heart health
Does snoozing a little later on the weekend actually help you catch up on sleep you missed earlier in the week? That has been a highly debated question for decades, but now a new study shows that trying to catch up on sleep could help you live longer.
Throughout busy weeks many people accrue what is known as “sleep debt.” That is the difference between how much sleep you need and how much you actually get. New research shows those who try to eliminate some sleep debt on weekends by getting up later are 19% less likely to develop heart disease.
Several previous studies have shown that not getting enough sleep in general can be bad for your health in a number of ways. However, not much research has been done about the effect of getting extra sleep on weekends. Researchers looked at nearly 91,000 people to find a link between catching up on sleep and heart health, specifically.
They found about one in five people were considered sleep deprived. That means they get less than the recommended seven hours per night. Those who got the most extra sleep on weekends were less likely to develop heart disease, according to the findings.
Researchers said the data does not necessarily mean the extra sleep is what is making people healthier. They also say sleeping later on weekends cannot undo the effects of a large buildup of sleep debt throughout the week.
An unrelated Gallup poll recently found less than half of American adults say they get as much sleep as they need.
Cigarette smoking at historic lows — but still more popular than vaping
Smoking has seen a huge drop in the past few decades, now registering in at an 80-year low. Numbers back in 1944 said that 41% of American adults smoked. Decades later, that number has fallen to just 11%.
Regardless of the steep drop, more adults still smoke traditional cigarettes as compared to vaping and e-cigs. A Gallup poll released Tuesday, Aug. 13, said that some adults have turned away from cigarettes for these electronic variants but only 7% of adults use them.
According to Gallup, young adults have driven that decline, and only 6% of adults under 30 report smoking today. It’s a dramatic drop from 2003, where numbers were at 35%.
The numbers may agree that the amount of smokers is dropping, but different age groups are more likely to smoke or vape. Young adults are now more likely to vape, with 18% of them using e-cigarettes compared to just 1% of those aged 65 and older.
Vaping is the most popular choice for the younger generation, but cigarettes are still more popular overall. Most people see vaping as the safer option, according to the poll. In fact, 79% of Americans think cigarettes are “very harmful,” while only 57% say the same about e-cigarettes.
Experts warn that vaping is not risk-free, and it has its own dangers, especially among young people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s become a huge concern. Concerns were heightened last year after the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey recorded 10% of high schoolers vaping in 2023.
Traditional cigarettes have been linked to all kinds of health problems, including cancer. E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, and there’s also aerosol in vapes that have cancer-causing chemicals. Whether it’s smoking or vaping, Barrye Price, CEO of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions said neither option is “safe.”
More younger adults avoiding alcohol for health reasons
Americans seem to be changing their tune when it comes to alcohol. A new Gallup poll shows more and more people are starting to think alcohol just downright unhealthy – even in moderation – especially those who are considered part of Gen Z.
The newly released poll shows almost half of Americans (45%) say having one or two alcoholic drinks a day is bad for a person’s health. That’s the highest percentage yet recorded by the survey, which has been conducted 10 times since 2001.
It also found adults 35 and younger – which are mostly Gen Zers – are the group most likely to say drinking is bad for health. The numbers show 65% expressing that opinion, compared with 37% of adults ages 35 to 54 and 39% of adults 55 and older.
Only 8% of adults reported they thought moderate drinking had a positive effect on health, which is an all-time low.
A different Gallup poll published on Aug. 22, 2023, found 62% of adults under 35 said they drink alcohol. Last year’s numbers are down 10 points from 20 years ago. However, older adults seem to be filling in that gap — with the share of adults 55 and older saying they drink up 10 points.
Experts say the bottom line appears to be when it comes to alcohol, drinking less means more for your health.
This all comes as the U.S. is potentially poised to declare alcohol unsafe. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are set to be updated next year. For the first time ever, the U.S. could reduce the amount of alcohol it considers safe or even follow the World Health Organization’s guidance that no alcohol is safe.
Loneliness epidemic hitting workplaces across the US
Americans are lonely, so much so that the surgeon general has declared loneliness an epidemic. A new study by research firm BSG, TheLi.st and Berlin Cameron showed that 86% of white collar workers between the ages of 18 and 34 said they’ve felt lonely or isolated as a result of their job role, and 76% of those 35 and older said they felt that way.
People considered white collar are workers in office settings, like clerical, administrative, managerial and executive roles, and tend to earn an annual salary. For comparison, blue-collar workers often have to do manual labor and get paid by the hour or by job.
While the rise in remote and hybrid work models can play a role in loneliness, experts said the trend of white-collar workers feeling lonelier has more to do with technology and lack of proper support from their employer. In fact, the study found 65% of white-collar workers believe their employers have a responsibility to address loneliness in the workplace.
The report shows lonely staffers are four times more likely to be dissatisfied with their current careers and three times more likely to feel they cannot be their authentic selves at work. Employees struggling with loneliness are also only half as likely to feel positive about their career prospects compared to workers who say they do not feel lonely.
That study also found younger people reported feeling loneliness more, with 22% of those under the age of 54 saying they experience loneliness daily, compared to 19% of those over 35.
It’s worse for women
Women are even more impacted when it comes to feeling isolated and lonely at work, and studies show that only gets worse as they work their way up.
A similar study conducted by the same researchers in 2023 found 53% of women in the workplace experienced loneliness because of their job. Nearly 60% of those surveyed said their feelings of loneliness and isolation only got worse as their careers progressed.
Additionally, more than half the women climbing the corporate ladder said they declined a job or promotion or even quit because of the negative impact on their personal life. The study found senior-level men are significantly more likely than senior-level women to say their loneliness or isolation decreased the further they have gone in their careers.
How employers can help
Americans spend up to one-third of their week at work, so researchers said it is not surprising their jobs impact their feelings of connection.
The researchers who put the study together say there are ways to employers can help combat loneliness in the workplace, including giving employees more opportunities to interact in person, being transparent, training managers to lead with empathy and respect and creating a collaborative and supportive culture.
President Biden to hold press conference as George Clooney, Sen. Welch call for a change
President Joe Biden is set to hold a press conference as George Clooney joins the calls for him to step aside. And the NBA scores big with its latest TV rights deal. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Biden to hold press conference as Clooney, Welch call for a change
President Joe Biden will hold his first solo press conference of the year Thursday, July 11. It’s also the first since his rocky performance in the June 27 presidential debate, as calls for him to step aside as the Democratic nominee continue to grow.
On Wednesday, July 10, it was Hollywood actor and longtime Democratic donor George Clooney calling for Biden to withdraw from the race. This happened just weeks after Clooney hosted a fundraiser for Biden’s campaign that brought in more than $30 million.
In an op-ed piece for The New York Times, Clooney wrote that the Biden he saw at the fundraiser was not the Biden of 2010 or 2020, saying, “He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”
“As Democrats, we collectively hold our breath or turn down the volume whenever we see the president, whom we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question,” Clooney wrote. “Is it fair to point these things out? It has to be. This is about age. Nothing more. But also, nothing that can be reversed. We are not going to win in November with this president.”
Clooney joined a chorus of Democrats who have recently spoken up for Biden to drop out, including nine House members. And on Wednesday, Peter Welch of Vermont became the first Democratic senator to join the call.
Welch wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post that Biden should step down for “the good of the country.”
“We need him to put us first, as he has done before. I urge him to do it now,” Welch said.
On Thursday afternoon, Democratic senators will meet with senior advisers from the Biden campaign as they look to express their concerns following the debate. Then the president’s press conference — dubbed by Bloomberg News and cited by the White House as a “big boy press conference” — will take place at 5:30 p.m. ET as the three-day NATO summit winds down in Washington.
NATO calls China “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war in Ukraine
In recent months, the U.S. and European leaders have accused China of bolstering Russia’s defense sector with supplies critical to rebuilding the Russian military. Beijing has denied the accusations.
“China provides dual use equipment, microelectronics, a lot of other tools which are enabling Russia to build the missiles, to build the bombs, to build the aircrafts, to build the weapons they’re using to attack Ukraine,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday, July 11, the second day of the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. “And the fact that this is now clearly stated, agreed by all NATO allies, is an important message to China. And then, of course, we also then state that it cannot continue like this.”
The NATO nations also affirmed the importance of their Indo-Pacific partners, which are not members of the alliance, with leaders from Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia joining the summit.
NATO and the Indo-Pacific partners said they plan to launch four joint projects including supporting Ukraine, bolstering cooperation on cyber defense, countering disinformation and working on artificial intelligence.
China is accusing NATO of overreaching and inciting confrontation in the Indo-Pacific region.
U.S. to resume shipping 500-pound bombs to Israel
The United States is resuming shipping 500-pound bombs to Israel after pausing the shipment of nearly 2,000 of them in mid-May. However, U.S. officials said they’ll continue to hold back on a delivery of much larger 2,000-pound bombs over concerns they could be used in densely populated areas of Gaza.
The U.S. is specifically concerned the large bombs would be used in Israel’s ground invasion of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge since the war with Hamas began.
U.S. officials said the smaller 500-pound bombs had been put together in a shipment with the larger bombs, which is why they were delayed. They have since been separated and can now be sent to Israel.
AOC files impeachment articles against Supreme Court justices Thomas, Alito
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has introduced articles of impeachment against conservative Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. Ocasio-Cortez is accusing them of what she calls “unchecked corruption” for refusing to recuse themselves from certain cases, like the recent decision to grant former President Donald Trump immunity and improperly failing to disclose gifts from wealthy donors.
However, it’s unlikely the justices will be impeached. A majority vote of 218 is required for the House to adopt the articles. Currently in the House, Republicans hold 219 seats and Democrats hold 213.
Reports: NBA finalizes 11-year $76B deal with NBC, Amazon, Disney
TNT Sports, which has been airing the NBA since the 1980s, will have a five-day window to match one of the deals once the league shares the finished contracts.
The agreement, which breaks NBA records for length and value, would take effect for the 2025-2026 season.
‘Inside Out 2’ becomes Pixar’s highest-grossing movie of all time
There’s a whole lot of joy over at Pixar studios; its latest movie has made box office history. “Inside Out 2” is officially Pixar’s highest-grossing movie of all time.
So far, the film about a teenager’s emotions has earned $1.25 billion worldwide, passing “Incredibles 2,” which made $1.24 billion in its run. “Inside Out 2” now ranks as the fourth-highest grossing animated movie of all time.
The top spot currently belongs to Disney’s 2019 film “Frozen 2” which grossed $1.45 billion globally during its release.
Only about 1/3 of Americans think college is worth it
More Americans are losing confidence that a college degree is actually worth it. A new Gallup poll shows only about a third of Americans say they have a “great deal” or “a lot” of confidence in higher education, down significantly over the past decade.
In 2015, 57% had a lot of confidence in higher education.
The amount of people who have little or no confidence in the U.S. college system is on the rise as another third of people said they feel that way. Only 10% had little or no confidence in 2015.
According to the recent Gallup survey, lower levels of confidence in higher education stem primarily from concerns in three areas: too much focus on political agendas, failing to teach relevant skills and being too expensive.
However, a separate Gallup poll found confidence in two-year schools is going up. About half of respondents (48%) said they had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in community colleges compared to four-year colleges and universities.
The differences were also dramatic. For instance, 58% of Americans have high confidence two-year schools provide an affordable education, while only 11% agree with that about four-year schools. And more than half (55%) say a degree from a two-year college is worth it, compared to only 18% who feel that way about four-year universities.
The waning view of whether college is worth the time and money is consistent across all demographics, including gender, age and political affiliation.
Nearly two-thirds of middle class say they are struggling financially: Poll
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the economy is one of top issues for American voters. According to a recent poll from the National True Cost of Living Coalition, middle-class citizens report to not be doing well and they don’t expect that to change for the remainder of their lives.
According to the poll, middle class includes people making $60,000 for a family of four — 200% of the federal income poverty level. About two-thirds of middle-class Americans said they are facing “economic hardship.”
However, even for high-income Americans — people making over $150,000 for a family of four — a quarter of those polled said they also worry about paying their bills.
Overall, regardless of income level, 60% of respondents said they are financially struggling. That number coincides with the 62% of Americans saying inflation is a big problem, according to a recent Pew Research poll.
The poll from National True Cost of Living Coalition gathered more data about Americans’ financial and economic state.
40% of respondents live paycheck to paycheck.
46% do not have $500 in their bank accounts.
42% of those who want child care are stressed about affording it, with 56% unable to afford what they want.
A recent Gallup poll showed that 46% of Americans view the economy as “poor.” In a recent Harris poll, about 56% of respondents believed the country is in a recession.
However, some economic reports show positive growth in the U.S. economy. The economy and Americans’ contrasting feelings towards it are also captured when comparing campaign ads from President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
“Over 12 million jobs have been created,” one campaign ad supporting Biden said. “And Joe Biden’s building an economy that leaves no city and no American behind.”
“Not one thing is cheaper under crooked Joe,” an ad from Trump declared. “Food, gasoline, cars, trucks, rent. They’re all through the roof.”
How well the economy is doing is often a numbers game. Depending on how someone interprets the data, people can reach different conclusions and have contrasting perceptions of the economy.
41% of Americans believe the US will see a second civil war in next 5 years: Poll
A new Rasmussen Reports poll asked Americans if they believe there is a chance the U.S. sees a second civil war. A large percentage of Americans said they believe that it is not only possible but imminent.
Of registered voters polled, 41% said they believed it’s likely America will see another civil war within the next five years. On the other hand, 49% do not believe a civil war will happen within the next five years and 10% were not sure.
Of those who believe a civil war is likely, 37% said a civil war is most likely to happen if Biden is reelected. Meanwhile, 25% believe it’s more likely if Trump gets a second term.
The poll was conducted just as the “Civil War” movie hit theaters, sparking a lot of buzz over what a domestic war would look like more than 150 years since the first one.
While ideological rifts have long characterized American politics, recent years have witnessed a deepening partisan divide.
In 2003, a Gallup poll revealed stark differences between Republicans and Democrats on issues such as gun control, with 41% of Republicans favoring less stringent laws compared to 70% of Democrats. Fast forward to 2023, and these positions have become even more polarized, with only 31% of Republicans opposing stricter gun regulations while 84% of Democrats support them.
Today, nearly 60% of Democrats believe abortion should be legal under any circumstance compared to 12% of Republicans. 20 years ago, that partisan split was far less apart. Additionally, more Democrats than Republicans believed the federal government had too much power 20 years ago. Now, that hasn’t only switched, but 73% of Republicans believe the government is too big compared to 31% of Democrats.
A country with largely two political ideologies has a lot less middle ground to stand on today compared to 2003 or 2013, according to the Gallup data. The deepening divide in ideology could explain why 41% of Americans believe a civil war really could happen within just a few short years.
Video of fraternity brothers guarding US flag highlights campus political divide
A viral video on social media shows the moment a group of fraternity brothers prevented protesters from removing an American flag and replacing it with a Palestinian flag on University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s campus. This moment has garnered a lot of outside attention. Conservatives are calling the young men “heroes” for holding the flag up to prevent it from hitting the ground.
These protests have become a flashpoint for political ideology. While young people tend to lean more liberal, there’s a widening gap in how men and women perceive political issues.
According to a Gallup poll, 40% of women 18-29 years old say they’re liberal while 21% are conservative. For men, 25% consider themselves liberal in this age bracket. Of the respondents, 29% of men say they’re conservative and 44% are moderate.
The college-age demographic as a whole is often seen as a given for Democrats. In 2020, Biden won 60% of the youth vote. However, the conflict in the Middle East could be hurting Biden’s chances with young people.
A new CNN poll shows Biden is 11 percentage points behind Trump among voters 18-34 years old. Approximately 81% of voters in this age group disapprove of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, a sentiment that is currently playing out on college campuses.