*The United States leads the world’s list of “advanced economies” when it comes to the percentage of people who think major reforms are needed in politics (85%) and healthcare (76%). (Pew)

*People are afraid to speak their minds; over 80% regard this as either a “serious” or “very serious” issue. Compared with ten years ago, white people feel less free (38%) to talk about race relations, whereas black people (42%) feel more free. (NYT)

*Only 36% of white adults feel a “strong connection to their roots,” compared with 61% for African Americans and 71% for Hispanics. Some 38% of adults ages 25-54 are neither married nor living with a partner, up from 29% in 1990.  (Pew)

*If funding is available, the telephone number 988 (analogous to 911 or 211) will become a hotline for people needing help, particularly those with suicidal ideation. (NYT)

*There is a connection between having a sense of purpose (often reflected in volunteering) with better health, reduced likelihood of contracting Alzheimer’s, and greater longevity. (The Book of Joy)

*Some 40% of white adults age 25 or older have a Bachelor’s degree, compared with 19% for Latinos. With Democratic Party policies increasingly skewed to the interests of the former demographic, Latinos are less inclined to be automatic Democratic votes. In 2012, President Obama received 71% of the Latino vote; this dropped to 59% for President Biden. (NYT)

*Pedestrian deaths in New Jersey were the highest in more than 30 years (NYT).  Factors include bigger cars on average than in years past; distracted drivers and walkers alike (cell phones); an aging population; increased road rage; and more of a tendency to view Stop signs as suggestions or decorations, not actual legal requirements.

*The maternal mortality rate in 2020 rose 18% to 23.8 per 100,000 live births, continuing a pre-pandemic trend. The rate in Norway is less than two; France and Canada are less than nine. The death rate for over 40 year-old women is nearly eight times that of under 25. The African-American maternal mortality rate is almost triple that of white and Hispanic women.  (WSJ and NYT)

*Customs and Border Protection “apprehended or turned back” over 1.9 million people in 2021, the most in twenty years. Within categories of immigration motivation, Mexico is #1 when it comes to work (33%); India is #1 when it is family (22%), and China is #1 when it is education (20%).  (USA Facts)

*In 2021, there was a slight decline, to 30%, of high school seniors who had used marijuana in the past year. Meanwhile, covert consumption of cannabis edibles is replacing vaping with many teenagers bent on getting high. Note: there is a linkage between excessive marijuana consumption and depression/suicidal thoughts. (WSJ)

*In 2010, high income homeowners held 28% of housing wealth; by 2020, this had risen to 43%. Middle income housing wealth declined to 37% from 44% and low income’s share of housing wealth dropped sharply, to 20% from 28%. The rich get richer—often not because of income per se, but rather appreciation of owned assets, net of debt. Reparation proposals must be focused on wealth to put a dent in financial inequality, which is one reason why the former are so hard to construct. (WSJ)

*In 2021, the United States government had revenue of $4.1 trillion (about 17% of GDP, typical for the last four decades) and spent $6.8 trillion, which meant a deficit of $2.7 trillion. Since 1980, there has been only one year when there was a slight surplus. (USAFacts)

*The Four Immeasurables of Buddhism: loving-kindness, compassion, equanimity, and mudita — sympathetic joy, the antidote to envy. (The Book of Joy)

*Be careful, users of Course Hero (a platform for students and professors to share documents); a business law professor is suing a bunch of collegians for copyright infringement. (NYT)

*Assistance for young people, especially those who are first generation earners of diplomas and typically lack network advantages, is available from sites like Braven, Handshake, and COOP Careers. (WSJ)