Tiny Homes, Lasting Trend or Passing Fad?
If you watch American movies or television shows, you might think most Americans live in what are often referred to as McMansions, a term for large suburban homes that are often similar looking. For a long time, bigger was indeed better. A big house was a symbol of success. However, there has been another trend […]
America’s Labor Day Bells Will Honor Rosie the Riveter
As Americans mark Labor Day on Sept. 4, one group hopes to shed light on women, commonly referred to as Rosie the Riveter, who worked manual labor jobs to support the troops during World War II. To honor the millions of riveters, most of whom are in their 80s, Thanks! Plain & Simple, Inc. (Thanks!), […]
Where Does Hurricane Harvey Stand Among Bad Storms?
Hurricane Harvey continues to pound East Texas, and while the damage appears to be widespread, there have been surprisingly few deaths so far. The death toll stands at five now and is likely to climb as authorities are able to access all areas once the storm passes. Harvey may turn out to be one of […]
Once Banned, Lotteries are Big Money for States
The Powerball jackpot is up to $700 million, the second highest it has ever been, and late Wednesday millions of Americans will be tuning in to the televised drawing to see if they have the lucky numbers. But legalized lotteries are a relatively new phenomenon in the United States. Early colonists operated lotteries, and Roger […]
Survey: Most Americans View Openness to Foreigners as ‘Essential’
Immigration is an important topic in the United States, with a new poll showing that most Americans are open to foreigners. “The belief that openness to people from around the world is essential is widely shared across most demographic groups,” the Pew Research Center said in an online post. “However, Democrats and younger people are […]
What take-out food reveals about US history
From fast-food restaurants to pizza delivery, the history of take-out food can tell us plenty about American history because what we eat and how we eat it, often reflects the changes taking place in society at any particular time. “You can learn a lot from food,” says Emelyn Rude, a food historian and author of Tastes […]
Trump Says American Dream Is Dead, Is He Right?
Donald Trump has famously declared that the American Dream is dead, but the majority of middle class Americans seem to disagree with the Republican presidential frontrunner. Sixty-three percent of people surveyed earlier this year believe they are living the American Dream. That finding suggests American optimism hasn’t been a casualty of the recession, despite a report that […]
Why US Isn’t Losing As Many Jobs to China
Sending American jobs overseas is a hot topic this presidential election year, with Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton promising to get tough on companies that offshore U.S. jobs and Republican lead candidate Donald Trump vowing to boycott Oreos after the cookie’s manufacturer moved some of its production to Mexico. The truth is, however, for the second […]
America’s Fastest-Shrinking Cities Have This in Common
America’s population is growing, no more so than in the big metropolitan regions, which added 2.5 million people in 2015 alone, according to the US Census Bureau. Some cities are shrinking at a fast rate, however, with more residents moving away than are arriving. Most of these affected areas have low incomes, high crime, and […]
Are Kids Really to Blame for Women Earning Less?
A woman who works full-time earns almost $11,000 less each year than her male counterparts, a difference that adds up to nearly a half-million dollars over the course of a career, and nowhere is the gender gap more apparent than in rural areas of the United States, according to a Congressional report released this month. […]