Nanotech and Synbio: Americans Don't Know What's Coming

A groundbreaking poll finds that almost half of U.S. adults have heard nothing about nanotechnology, and nearly nine in 10 Americans say they have heard just a little or nothing at all about the emerging field of synthetic biology, according to a new report released by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) and Peter D. Hart Research. Both technologies involve manipulating matter at an incredibly small scale to achieve something new.

This new insight into limited public awareness of emerging technologies comes as a major leadership change is about to take hold in the nation's capital. Public policy experts are concerned, regardless of party, that the federal government is behind the curve in engaging citizens on the potential benefits and risks posed by technologies that could have a significant impact on society, according to PEN, an initiative of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Nanotechnology is the ability to measure, see, manipulate and manufacture things at the atomic scale. In 2007, the global market for goods incorporating nanotechnology totaled $147 billion. Lux Research projects that figure will grow to $3.1 trillion by 2015.

Synthetic biology is the use of advanced science and engineering to make or re-design living organisms, such as bacteria, so that they can carry out specific functions. Synthetic biology involves making new genetic code, also known as DNA, that does not already exist in nature.

"Early in the administration of the next president, scientists are expected to take the next major step toward the creation of synthetic forms of life. Yet the results from the first U.S. telephone poll about synthetic biology show that most adults have heard just a little or nothing at all about it," says PEN Director David Rejeski. The poll findings are contained in a report published today, The American Public's Awareness Of And Perceptions About Potential Risks and Benefits of Nanotechnology & Synthetic Biology.

Synthetic biology is the use of advanced science and engineering to construct or re-design living organisms -- like bacteria -- so that they can carry out specific functions. This emerging technology is likely to develop rapidly in the coming years, much as nanotechnology did in the last decade. In the near future the first synthetic biology "blockbuster" drug is anticipated to hit the market -- an affordable treatment for the 500 million people in the world suffering from malaria, according to the PEN.

The poll, which was conducted by the same firm that produces the well-known NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls, found that about two-thirds of adults say they have heard nothing at all about synthetic biology, and only 2 percent say they have heard "a lot" about the new technology. Even with this very low level of awareness, a solid two-thirds of adults are
willing to express an initial opinion on the potential benefits versus risks tradeoff of synthetic biology.

This survey was informed by two focus groups conducted in August in suburban Baltimore. This is the first time -- to the pollsters' knowledge -- that synthetic biology has been the subject of a representative national telephone survey.

At the same time, the poll found that about half of adults say they have heard nothing at all about nanotechnology. About 50 percent of adults are too unsure about nanotechnology to make an initial judgment on the possible tradeoffs between benefits and risks. Of those people who are
willing to make an initial judgment, they think benefits will outweigh risks by a three to one margin when compared to those who believe risks will outweigh benefits. The plurality of respondents, however, believes that risks and benefits will be about equal. A major industry forecasting firm determined that last year nanotech goods in the global marketplace
totaled $147 billion.

According to the poll, the level of U.S. public awareness about nanotechnology has not changed measurably since 2004 when Hart Research conducted the first poll on the topic on behalf of the PEN.

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Craft Beer, Signature Cocktails and Organic Wine Top List of Restaurant Beverage Trends

New National Restaurant Association research shows that alcohol is among the hottest culinary trends in restaurants. A survey of more than 1,000 professional chefs -- American Culinary Federation members -- ranks craft beer, energy drink cocktails, martinis, mojitos, artisan liquors, organic wine and specialty beer in the top 20 trends. In addition to cocktails and bar drinks, alcohol is also used as an ingredient in cooking and as part of meals and menus through food-alcohol pairings.

"While wine, beer and spirits have always been part of the culinary arts and restaurant menus, specialty alcohol is increasingly popular right now," says Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the association. "As American diners are growing increasingly sophisticated, adult beverages can be an important part of both recipes and meals. Alcohol tasting menus, or flights, are served by more restaurants, and pairing beer and wine with complementary flavors on your plate can very much enhance the dining experience. Our new International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event next spring will highlight all of these trends and allow restaurateurs to explore new ways to please their guests' palates in both dining rooms and bar areas."

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Nearly Half of Americans Won't Flee Without Fido

Flood waters may be approaching. Wild fires could be closing in. Yet 47 percent of Americans surveyed would refuse rescue assistance if it meant leaving without their family pet.

The statistic is perhaps the most eye-opening finding in a new study from the American Humane Association that sought to gauge the strength of the human-animal bond and public attitudes toward the rescue of animals during times of crisis.

The study also found that nearly three out of four people surveyed (72 percent) agree that there should be formal evacuation plans for pets. Not surprisingly, the support for formal disaster plans for pets and companion animals was strongest in the South (74 percent) and West (76 percent), areas most closely associated with hurricanes and wildfires.

"After Hurricane Katrina, American Humane and other groups rescued nearly 10,000 animals," says Marie Belew Wheatley, president and CEO of American Humane. "We have been first-hand witnesses to the power of the animal-human bond since our founding in 1877, but there's nothing more powerful than seeing a man or woman refuse rescue efforts because there is
not a rescue lined up for their family pet. This survey brings to light that rescue coordinators need to have plans in place for animal rescue. If they don't, more people could be left in harm's way."

The study surveyed 1,000 adults to gauge their attitudes and level of preparedness surrounding disasters. Areas of research included determining the public interest in formal evacuation plans for pets, policy surrounding ownership of pets that become lost in a disaster, and the steps people have taken to prepare their pet for a disaster.

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Poll: N.J. Prefers Gay Marriage

As New Jersey marks the six-month anniversary of the civil unions law this Sunday, a new statewide Zogby Poll shows majorities of voters favoring changing the law to full marriage equality for same-sex couples. The poll of 803 New Jersey voters was taken from August 8 through 10, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent. Though Garden State Equality commissioned the poll, Zogby collected the data independently.

As of today, 1,514 couples have gotten civil-unioned in New Jersey. Garden State Equality alone has heard from 242 civil-unioned couples reporting that their employers are not recognizing their civil unions. The poll asked:

"If public officials in New Jersey come to the conclusion that civil unions for gay couples have not worked to provide equality under the law, and that the way to fix the law is to give gay couples the same right to marry as heterosexual couples, would you be fine with that or would you be upset by that?" 63% responded "fine with that," while only 31% responded "upset by that."

The poll also provides key political information to legislators for when they consider changing civil unions to marriage equality. The poll asked:

"Which of the following do you think is most likely to happen to legislators if they were to allow gay couples to marry? Those legislators would not be reelected, or nothing because people care about other issues more." 72% said nothing would happen to legislators, while only 21% said legislators would not be reelected.

In response to the question, "Regardless of where you stand on the issue of allowing gay couples to marry, do you agree or disagree that gay couples will be allowed to get married in New Jersey in a couple of years anyway?", 61% agreed, while only 29% disagreed.

The poll also asked the baseline question testing support for marriage equality versus civil unions in two different ways. When voters were asked: "New Jersey allows gay couples to enter into civil unions but not marry. Do you agree or disagree that New Jersey should give gay couples the same freedom to marry as heterosexual couples?" Some 48% supported marriage equality, while 45% opposed it.

But when voters were asked: "Which of the following comes closest to your own point of view: (A) If gay couples want to marry, let them. It will ensure equality and will not affect marriages of heterosexual couples anyway. (B) Allow gay couples to enter into civil unions, but not marriage. Allowing gay couples to marry will hurt the institution of marriage. (C) Do not allow gay couples to marry or enter into civil unions," 48% of voters supported marriage equality, 30% supported civil unions but no more, and 20% supported neither marriage nor civil unions for same-sex couples.

The difference between the two questions may have been the concept of marriage for gay couples hurting the institution of marriage, the primary argument of marriage-equality opponents that New Jersey voters clearly reject.

"Regardless of whether any public official supports marriage equality or wants to maintain the state's failed civil unions law," says Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, "no official in New Jersey can credibly say that marriage for gay couples is a divisive issue in the state. Even voters who oppose marriage equality are ready to accept an upgrade of the state's civil unions law to real marriage equality."

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Survey of Hurricane Preparedness Finds One-Third On High Risk Coast Will Refuse Evacuation

According to a new survey of people in high-risk hurricane areas conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security, one-third (31%) of residents say if government officials said they had to evacuate due to a major hurricane this season, they would not leave. This is an increase from 2006 when 23% said they would not evacuate.

The survey was conducted in eight states—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas—and only included residents of counties within 20 miles of the coast. The poll included a special sample of the New Orleans metropolitan area.

The top reasons people give for not evacuating involve issues of safety and security. Three-quarters (75%) say their home is well-built and they would be safe there. Over half (56%) feel that roads would be too crowded, and slightly more than one in three (36%) feels that evacuating would be dangerous. One-third (33%) worry that their possessions would be stolen or damaged while one in four (27%) say they would not evacuate because they do not want to leave their pets.

“Public officials need to be concerned that the further we get from the severe hurricanes of 2005, the less willing people are to evacuate,” says Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health. “Officials need to remind people that many homes are vulnerable to major storms. They also need to ensure safe evacuation routes are available and the public is aware of them.”

These findings are based on interviews conducted June 18 - July 10, with 5,046 adults in high hurricane risk counties in eight states.

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World Thinks China Will Catch Up With the US -- and That's Okay

Majorities around the world believe that China will catch up with the United States economically. It's a prospect that leaves most of those polled -- even Americans --
unperturbed.

In no country do most people think that this would be mostly negative, finds a multinational poll by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and WorldPublicOpinion.org. Majorities in every country polled believe this would be either equally positive and negative or mostly positive.

"What is particularly striking is that despite the tectonic significance of China catching up with the US, overall the world public's response is low key -- almost philosophical," says Steven Kull, editor of WorldPublicOpinion.org.

This sanguine reaction is not because China is widely trusted to act responsibly in the world. World publics do not trust China any more than they trust the United States and distinctly less than they trust Japan.

Among the 15 countries asked about China's future economic prospects in 13 the most common answer is that China will eventually catch up with the United States. This includes 60 percent of Americans and strong majorities in Peru (76%), Israel (75%), France (69%), Iran (64%), and Russia (62%).

Across all countries polled, on average 55 percent had this belief.

The Chinese themselves are somewhat skeptical about their country's economic potential. Only 50 percent of Chinese respondents say China's economy will match the US economy.

Asked how they would feel if China were to catch up with the United States, publics show little concern. In no country does even a plurality say that this would be mostly negative.

The highest level of concern is in the United States, where one in three is worried. But a majority of Americans (54%) say instead that China's economic rise would be "neither positive nor negative" while another one in ten (9%) say it would be mostly positive.

In just one country does a majority say that China catching up would be mostly positive -- Iran (60%).

The world's seemingly sanguine view of China's possible economic ascendance does not mean most publics think they can trust Chinese leaders.

Ten out of 15 publics polled say they do not trust China "to act responsibly in the world.


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Online Tax Filing Up, Internet Security Fears are Down

More consumers are filing their taxes online, and fewer are concerned about Internet security, The Conference Board and TNS report.

This year, 39 percent of consumers intend to file their 2006 federal taxes online, up from 28 percent just three years ago. Online tax filing is a growing trend. Close to two-thirds of consumers report having filed online for three or more consecutive years, of which nearly half have been filing online for more than five years.

"Speed, convenience and choice are compelling an increasing number ofconsumers to toss their pencils and papers and file their federal taxes electronically," says Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center. "Whether using professional tax services or do-it-yourself software, electronic filing continues to grow year after year. And, by far, direct deposit is the preferred refund method. This year's ability to split refunds among up to three accounts is yet another choice that should broaden the appeal of electronic filing."

The Consumer Internet Barometer - produced by The Conference Board, the global business research and membership organization, and TNS, a global market insight and information group - surveys 10,000 households across thecountry and tracks who's doing what on the Internet.

Among consumers intending to file their federal taxes online, nearly 40 percent intend to use a professional tax service, with women more likely than men to seek assistance. Do-it-yourself tax software is more popular among male filers than female filers. The number of online filers using IRSe-file has declined since 2004, as the pool of eligible filers has likely shrunk due to increased complexity in returns and as more alternatives become available. Slightly more women than men (20 percent versus 19 percent) will use IRS E-file.

Consumers are less concerned about security when filing taxes online. Today only 43 percent of Internet users are "extremely" concerned aboutfiling taxes online, down from 52 percent in 2004.

Last year, more than 70 percent of online tax filers chose to receive their refund by direct deposit while 18 percent requested a check. The ease and convenience of direct deposit clearly makes it the preferred choice of online tax filers.

Among those who do not file online, the leading reason cited is that the consumer does not do his/her own taxes (34 percent). Coming in second (23 percent) are concerns about personal information on the Internet.

The Consumer Internet Barometer is based on a quarterly survey of10,000 households. A unique sample is surveyed each quarter. Return ratesaverage 70 percent, which ensures highly representative data. Data is weighted as well to reflect the latest U.S. household demographic information. The latest survey was conducted during the first quarter of2007.

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Nanotech Could Become Polarizing Like Nuclear Power

Nanotechnology, the science of assembling materials and machines at the atomic scale at a size less than the width of a human hair, may seem very futuristic and exciting. But if not managed properly, it could scare and stir up emotions like nuclear power or global warming, according to a professor at Yale Law School.

"The U.S. public'sperception of nanotechnology is up for grabs. It could divide along the lines of nuclear power, global warming and other contentious environmental issues absent a major public education and engagement effort by industry, government, civic groups and scientists. People who know little or nothing about 'nanotechnology' instantly react in an emotionally charged way to theconcept, and their opinions divide along cultural lines as they learn more about it," says Dan Kahan.

From drugs and medicine to improved technology on the battlefield, nano-engineering has the potential to dramatically improve life -- but only if people aren't scared off first. And nanotechnology is already on its way.

Nanotechnology is the ability to measure, see, manipulate and manufacture things usually between 1 and 100 nanometers. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter; a human hair is roughly 100,000 nanometers wide. Morethan $30 billion in products incorporating nanotechnology were sold globally in 2005. By 2014, Lux Research estimates this figure will grow to$2.6 trillion.

Kahan's conclusions are based on the findings of a new web-based public opinion survey of U.S. public perceptions of nanotechnology.

"Essentially, when asked what they think about this new technology, Americans go with their gut instinct -- which usually reflects their views toward other issues like climate change and nuclear power. When they learn more, they tend to adopt a stance about nanotechnology that fits their political and cultural predispositions," says Kahan, one of the principal investigators in the study.

"Nothing in our findings suggests that public polarization over nanotechnology is inevitable," says Don Braman, a professor at The George Washington University. "Our results indicate that another outcome ispossible but unlikely unless government, business, and educators take amore proactive approach to nanotechnology public engagement and communication."

The results from this study of 1,800 persons who were recruited to participate in an online survey experiment were released by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

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Study Finds Much Support In Canada For Including People With Intellectual Disabilities In Workplace

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) should be included in the workplace, and supported in their efforts to get there, say a majority of respondents in a Queen’s University poll on public attitudes toward employing people with ID.

Sixty-five per cent of respondents say that workers with ID should work alongside workers without ID, while 71 per cent note that a lack of appropriate training programs is likely preventing those with ID from obtaining employment, the university says.

The study will appear in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation on the eve of the signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability, March 30.

“The findings from our poll are very positive in terms of the willingness of the public to see people with ID working,” says Rosemary Lysaght (Rehabilitation Therapy). “They indicate that people understand the right of people with ID to contribute and derive the same benefits from work that other people get. In fact many people with ID already perform significant amounts of volunteer work for their communities. We know from interviews we have conducted as part of another study with paid and unpaid works with ID that many would prefer to be paid.”

Lysaght conducted the research along with study lead Philip Burge (Psychiatry) and co-investigator Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz (Psychiatry/Community Health and Epidemiology). They are all members of the South Eastern Ontario Community-University Research Alliance in Intellectual Disabilities (CURA), which funded the research through a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada grant.

Entitled Public Views on Employment of People With Intellectual Disabilities, the paper notes that this is the first time a sizable sample has been surveyed on the issue of inclusive employment in Canada.

“We now know that public attitudes are not a barrier to keeping workers with ID out of the workplace. Another study we are conducting shows that, in our region, the majority of workers with ID who do find work hold service-oriented jobs and are regularly in contact with the public. Our poll also told us that people sense that the supports and services to get people with ID into meaningful work are not adequate,” says Lysaght.

The 680 poll respondents were asked their views on the best type of employment for most adults with ID, the impact of ID workers on their co-workers without ID, and the barriers to workplace inclusion faced by workers with ID.

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Will More than 20 Million Americans Leave the United States?

New Global Initiatives Inc. has released an overview of its two-year study of American emigration to other nations. Six surveys totaling more than 100,000 adult Americans were completed from June of 2005 through December of 2006. Respondents were first asked, "Are you planning to relocate to another nation for more than two years for reasons other than the requirements of the military, the government or your job?"

Results indicate that more than 3 million Americans have already madethe decision to move, another 3 million say they are seriously considering it and are likely to move, while another 14 million say they are considering it and may move to another nation. In addition, more than 6 million Americans say they are seriously considering the purchase of avacation home or other property outside the US.

This is the first study of its kind ever undertaken, New Global says.

As Bob Adams, New Global's CEO puts it, "The numbers were far higher than we expected. Theyare clear evidence that migration is not a one-way street from poorer nations to the US. The global migration picture is far more complex than that."

The report discusses some of the demographic characteristics of American migrants, where they're interested in relocating, and their reasons for moving to another nation. "For some people, this is going to b ea controversial report," says Adams, "in terms of what people want to leave behind and what they expect to find."

One surprising result is that the group most interested in relocation outside the US is the 25-34 age group and by a substantial margin in comparison to other age groups.

"Traditionally, this age group has been thought to be the least likely to move outside the US. They were expected to be focused on marriage, family, and career at that age, thus most likely to settle down and stay put, but they are proving to be the most willing to pack their bags and leave the country. There is more than one surprise instore for the reader," notes Adams.

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Majority In Poll Say Bloggers Important To Journalism

A majority of Americans (55%) in an online survey say bloggers are important to the future of American journalism and 74% say citizen journalism will play a vital role, according to a new poll.

Most respondents (53%) also say the rise of free Internet-based media pose the greatest opportunity to the future of professional journalism and three in four (76%) say the Internet has had a positive impact on the overall quality of journalism.

The results are based on a recent We Media -- Zogby Interactive poll.

The We Media survey results were released by iFOCOS and pollster John Zogby as part of an iFOCOS conference on media innovation hosted by theSchool of Communication at the University of Miami, with major support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

In the national survey of adults, 72% say they were dissatisfied with the quality of American journalism today. A majority of conference-goers who were polled on the subject agreed -- 55% say they were dissatisfied,and 61% say they believed traditional journalism is out of touch with what Americans want from their news.

Nearly nine out of 10 media insiders (86%) say they believe bloggers will play an important part in journalism's future.

"We are now seeing mainstream acceptance of what we call the Power of Us -- the value, credibility, and vital expression of citizen and collaborative media," says Dale Peskin, a managing director of iFOCOS, the organization that conducts the annual We Media conference. "We've arrivedat a tipping point. A new definition of democratic media is emerging in our society."

Peskin says that, until recently, many traditional news enterpriseshave been skeptical about We Media. "They were either fearful or dismissive of our 2003 research forecasting and documenting the change in the media ecosystem," he says. "Now the Zogby poll provides additional evidence that 'We Media' is an essential component -- perhaps the essential component --for the agenda for news and information into the future."

"The research documents the widespread recognition that control and influence on how we know what we know is shifting to a vastly moredistributed network of empowered individuals and organizations," says Andrew Nachison, co- founder of iFOCOS. "This obviously will have a big impact on how media organizations evolve and conduct business, but it's really about how we all discover, create, share and apply information, and that's important to all industries, to entrepreneurs, to non-profits, to governments, to individuals and to society as a whole. We are all part of the ecosystem."

The Zogby Interactive survey of 5,384 adults nationwide was conducted Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, and carries a margin of error of +/- 1.4 percentage points. The Zogby Interactive survey of 77 members of the media who attended the Miami conference carries a margin of error of +/- 11.4 percentage points. While periodic audits show the results from Zogbytelephone and Internet surveys closely track each other, a companion telephone survey of this topic was not conducted.

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Newsweek Poll: Bush Standing Hits All-Time Low

U.S. approval for President Bush has hit a record low level despite pitching policies in his recent televised State of the Union address, according to a new Newsweek poll.

President Bush's job approval rating hit an all-time low in theNewsweek Poll at 30 percent. Sixty-one percent of all those polled says they are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time; just 30 percent are satisfied.

Sixty-seven percent of those polled believe Bush's decisions about policy in Iraq and other major areas are influenced more by his personal beliefs regardless of the facts, while just 22 percent say his decisions are influenced more by the facts. And 71 percent say Bush will not have enough support over the next two years to make a difference in getting things done in Washington; just 21 percent say he will. The public is split on whether or not Congress is likely (42%) or not likely (48%) to give serious consideration to the proposals Bush made in the State of the Union address about energy, health and other domestic policy.

Fifty-three percent of all those polled say they think history will see Bush as a below average president; 30 percent say average and 14 percent say above average. And 58 percent of all those polled say at this point in time, they personally wish that Bush's presidency was over; 37 percent do not feel that way.

In deciding whether to vote Democratic or Republican in the 2008 presidential election, among registered voters, 31 percent say their view of Bush will be very important; 17 percent say it will be somewhat important and 15 percent say not too important.


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Instant Panel Rates Bush's Speech

When surveyed immediately after Tuesday night's State of the Union address, 82% of those who watched the speech approved of President Bush's proposals, but 68% say they
doubt the President will be able to accomplish all of his goals; both percentages are on a par with results from the same survey last year.

These are among the findings of a CBS News/Knowledge Networks poll based on a scientific sample of television viewers of the event. CBS News has featured the survey results -- which were obtained using Knowledge Networks' KnowledgePanel --in its Web coverage of President Bush's address.

The scientific poll uniquely supports an analysis of the impact of President Bush's address on the opinions of viewers, who indicated that:

-- 59% believe that President Bush and the Democratic Congress will not be able to work together on a bipartisan agenda
-- 16% say President Bush's Iraq strategy is "very likely" to be effective, while 42% say it is "somewhat likely to succeed"
-- 67% feel President Bush will make the right decisions about energy conservation, and 56% are in agreement with his handling of immigration

Perceptions of Republicans and Democrats were quite different on many key points; while 52% of Republicans said President Bush would be able to achieve all of the goals in his speech, just 17% of Democrats concurred.

Similarly, 30% of Republicans said Bush's Iraq strategy was "very likely to succeed," compared to just 6% of Democrats. Further, Democrats and independents were less likely than Republicans to think that President Bush will make the right decisions about U.S. energy conservation and consumption; proportions were 50% (Democrats), 63% (independents), and 88% (Republicans).

To obtain a valid assessment of reactions to the address, a random sample of the nationwide online research panel, KnowledgePanel, was asked in the few days before the speech about their intentions to view and their opinions on national policy. Those intending to view the President's
speech were invited to provide their opinions immediately after the address, with survey results delivered to CBS News in less than 15 minutes.


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Poll: Bush Continues To Face Steep Public Disapproval on Iraq

Less than two weeks after President Bush unveiled his plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, a 68-percent majority of Americans strongly (45 percent) or moderately (23 percent) oppose Bush's "surge" strategy, according to the January 17-18 Newsweek Poll.

Fourteen percent moderately favor the plan and only 12 percent strongly favor it. Half (50 percent) of those polled advocate a reduction of troop levels in Iraq, versus 23 percent who want to increase the number of U.S. troops and 18 percent who want to keep troop levels the same.

Generally, only 24 percent of Americans approve of how Bush is handling the war-an all-time low in the Newsweek Poll; 70 percent disapprove. And two-thirds (67 percent) say they think the United States is losing ground in its efforts to provide security and democracy in Iraq; only 24 percent say the U.S. is making progress.

President Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in 2003 because he said Iraq was developing nuclear weapons. No weapons of mass destruction were found. More than 3,000 American troops have died in Iraq. Tens of thousands more have been wounded in Iraq and 34,000 Iraqis have lost their lives in Iraq.

Iraq has been plunged into increasing violence since the invasion ousted Iraq strongman Saddam Hussein. Saddam has since been hanged.

President Bush wants to add more than 20,000 U.S. troops to Iraq; Democrats who now control Congress are resisting that so-called surge strategy. President Bush does not want to withdraw forces from Iraq.

Taking a closer look at Americans' thoughts on the situation in Iraq, a majority now say they are not too confident (29 percent) or not at all confident (36 percent) that the Iraqi government will be able to control the violence and provide security to its citizens if U.S. troops are withdrawn. Twenty-two percent say they are somewhat confident and 5 percent say they are very confident, the poll shows. When it comes to U.S. political leadership, 55 percent of those polled say they have more faith in the Democratic congressional leaders to make decisions regarding Iraq policy, versus 32 percent who trust Bush to make better decisions. When asked whether Congress should try to block the additional funding Bush would need for additional troops, poll respondents were split evenly: 46 percent say lawmakers should, 46 percent say they should not.

Americans differ on what might result from increasing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, the poll shows. Sixty-seven percent say it is very or somewhat likely that it will lead to increased U.S. casualties without helping achieve our goals there; 62 percent say it is very or somewhat likely that it will make the Iraqis more dependent on U.S. military protection and only delay the time when they are ready to take responsibility for their own security; 33 percent say it is somewhat or very likely that it will give the Sunnis, Shias and Kurds time to settle their differences; and 42 percent say it is somewhat or very likely that it will help reduce violence in Baghdad. The poll shows Americans are also split on the United States' priorities in Iraq. Forty-six percent favor withdrawing troops as soon as possible to minimize the number of American casualties while 45 percent say we should maintain troop levels for at least another year or two to give Iraqis more time to settle their differences and reach a political settlement.


Bush Job Approval Low


President Bush's job approval rating remains at its all-time low in the Newsweek Poll: 31 percent. Sixty-two percent of those polled disapprove of how he is handling his job as president. Only 30 percent say they are satisfied with how things are going in the United States; 62 percent are dissatisfied. On the subject of Bush's leadership, 57 percent say he does not possess strong leadership qualities, 41 percent say he does. This represents a near reversal from Newsweek's September 29-30, 2005 Poll, in which 50 percent of those polled said he had strong leadership qualities while 47 percent said he did not.

In another turnaround from the September 29-30, 2005 poll, 54 percent of respondents in the latest poll say they do not think Bush is honest and ethical, versus 41 percent who say he is. Inthe earlier poll, 50 percent found him to be honest and ethical, while 45 percent did not. Only 35 percent of respondents in the most recent poll feel Bush cares about "people like them," versus 60 percent who do not.

For this Newsweek Poll, Princeton Survey Research Associates International interviewed 1,003 adults aged 18 and older on January 17-18, 2007. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.


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U.S Embraces Clean Energy, But Beware Ethanol

Americans and their political leaders are increasingly embracing clean, renewable energy. But a foremost expert on energy and technology is warning against relying on ethanol as a solution.





Only one in fourAmerican voters today believe the United States is doing enough to promote and utilize alternative or "green" technologies and renewable energy sources to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign energy sources, according to a new poll by Zogby International and TechNet's Green Tech Task Force.





TechNet is a bipartisan political network of high tech CEOs promotes the growth of the innovation economy.





The Zogby/TechNet nationwide poll of 1,043 Americans found that 77% ofU.S. voters believe that our nation must do more to promote green technologies like renewable energy sources.



Wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, hydrogen and alternative fuels are all cleaner energy sources.



"The magnitude of global energy and environmental challenges demandsthat we act now to implement a sound energy strategy based on U.S. innovation," says John Doerr, TechNet founder and partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a leading technology venture capitral firm. "TechNet is committed to working with the president and Congress to reshape our energy future."

Renewable energy has been an area of research in the United States for decades, and maintains a dedicated lab at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado.

Leaders in both parties of U.S. government are also increasingly turning to support clean energy as an alternative to U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Burning fossil fuels is also thought to be a major contributor to the carbon emissions blamed for global climate change.

Democrats who now control the the U.S. House of Representatives have passed a bill that would cut subsidies for oil production and impose a "conservation fee" on oil and gas taken from deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Funds collected would be steered toward renewable, clean energy sources. President Bush is also said ready in his upcoming State of the Union address to further complain of the U.S. dependence on oil and embrace renewable clean energy.

The Danger of Ethanol






However, ethanol will not be an attractive clean- or renewable-energy solution, says veteran Washington correspondent and energy and technology expert Llewellyn King.



Produced from vegetable matter high in sugar or starch and fermented and distilled to produce fuel, the United States already is producing 5 billion gallons of ethanol a year, King notes in his recent syndicated column. For more than 30 years, King published such publications as The Energy Daily and New Technology Week, and observed keenly developments in ethanol and other clean energies. Full disclosure: I used to work for Llewellyn King as editor of New Technology Week.



King, who remains host of the national public affairs TV show "White House Chronicle," says "President Bush is so taken with ethanol that he wants to expand production to 60 billion gallons a year by 2030."



The growing interest in ethanol is affecting the price of corn, driving up the price of meat, King says.



"Last year, there was a shortage of grain for livestock, and beef prices rocketed. Other dislocations are likely when corn becomes the must-grow cash crop," he writes.



Like others, King believes the United States must wean itself from oil and embrace new technologies -- but not ethanol. He suggests hybrid and all-electric vehicles as a better alternative.



"Not only is there something repugnant about using food for gasoline, but in all probability, it will cause damage to the whole agricultural cycle and to the agricultural economy," King writes. "This way lies madness. And it is shameful that so many environmental organizations, led by the Natural Resources Defense Council, have embraced ethanol—which may save no energy whatsoever."








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Online Crowd Prefers Obama Over Hillary

U.S. Sen Barack Obama (D-Ill.) -- not Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton -- is the top choice for president in 2008, according to an online poll in which nearly 200,000 AOL users responded.

In the U.S. Senate for just two years, Obama is weighing a White House run and will announce by Feb. 10. Former first lady Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is also reportedly close to starting her bid for the presidency. Clinton in 2006 was re-elected to a second term as senator from New York.

But Obama, son of an American and a Kenyan, is the top choice in the unscientific AOL poll. Obama seems to offer an inspirational, less-partisan alternative. Obama was the star televised speaker at the 2004 Democratic convention.

Answering the question, "Who would do better in a race for the Democratic nomination?" 58% favored Barack Obama compared to 42% for Clinton. Some 199,523 AOL users responded to the question.

On "Who would do better against a GOP nominee?" Barack Obama came out on top with 61% of 198,064 who replied to that question compared to Hillary Clinton with 39%.

In perhaps the strongest measure of Obama's sudden candidacy, asked "Would you like to see Clinton run?" 57% of the 195,736 respondents said "No." Forty-three percent said, "Yes."

By contrast, 61% of 196,202 respondents want Barack Obama to run compared to 39%
who don't.

AOL cautions its poll results are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those users who chose to participate.

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Poll: Americans Struggle With HIV/AIDS Issues

Almost two-fifths of Americans have difficulty sympathizing with HIV/AIDS victims, according toa study commissioned and released by Compassion International.

Thirty-nine percent of the people polled agreed strongly or somewhat with the statement: "You have more sympathy for people who have cancer than you do for people who have HIV or AIDS because you feel most of those with HIV/AIDS got the disease as a result of their decisions or lifestyles."

Roughly one out of seven Americans (15 percent) said they donated in 2005 to an organization specifically to address the HIV/AIDS crisis. But the survey, conducted in advance of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, also found that only 8 percent of Americans have a compassionate attitude toward HIV/AIDS victims and have donated to the cause.

This type of conflicting behavior and attitudes was a common theme inthe study. More than half of Americans -- 52 percent -- are unengaged with the HIV/AIDS crisis. They expressed conflicting, neutral or undecided views and behaviors related to addressing the issue. In fact, half of those who donated money to HIV/AIDS causes in the last year either admit they struggle to be sympathetic toward the victims of HIV/AIDS or they doubt that individuals can make a major difference addressing the disease.

On the other hand, roughly twice as many respondents said they would rather address HIV/AIDS than global warming (52 to 28 percent).

"Awareness is not enough. Education is not enough. Nutrition is not enough. Government subsidized anti-retroviral drug 'access' is not enough," says Dr. Scott Todd, director of Compassion's AIDS initiative. "It takes all that and more ... counseling, home visits, facilitating transport,payment for clinical services, lab tests and medicines including anti-retroviral drugs. It takes people filled with compassion, whose faithand hope comes from a deeper spring than the world has ever known. The truth is -- we can make a difference."

Compassion International, a Christian ministry to poor children indeveloping countries, commissioned the study as part of its annual PovertyPoll. The Poverty Poll is commissioned in the OmniPoll, a series oftracking studies conducted every year by The Barna Group.

United Nations figures indicate that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981. Of the people today who have HIV, which causes AIDS, two-thirds live in sub-Saharan Africa.That's 24.5 million people, according to 2005 statistics.

More than 12 million African children have lost one or both parents toAIDS, and nine out of 10 children infected with HIV, roughly two million, live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Compassion's AIDS Initiative provides prevention, treatment and rehabilitative care for Compassion-sponsored African children and their families who are infected with the virus. Over 100,000 children and theirfamilies or caregivers have been tested for HIV/AIDS as part of Compassion's program in Africa.

One of the key features of the program isanti-retroviral therapy -- treating HIV with drugs that are difficult to obtain in the developing world. The Barna Group, a premier Christian polling organization, conducted 1,004 telephone interviews of adults 18 and older in the continental UnitedStates in October for the poll.

"We see a full range of perspectives when it comes to HIV/AIDS -- fromthose who feel it is not a serious or meaningful issue to those who arehighly engaged in helping to address the problem," says David Kinnaman, Barna's vice president. "But most Americans are currently in no-man's land,feeling that the problem is significant enough to warrant attention, but not necessarily their attention. They are unwilling to -- or uncertain how to -- leverage their time and energy to deal with the disease and its outcomes."

The survey explored people's willingness to support HIV/AIDS incontrast with other significant charitable causes and issues - such asgiving people access to clean water, treating cancer, fighting poverty anddealing with global warming. The research shows that Americans clearly rank access to clean water above the idea of addressing HIV/AIDS (66 to 13 percent). Respondents also said that HIV/AIDS is less important than dealing with cancer (47 to 19 percent) or addressing poverty (47 to 22 percent).

The research explored the areas in which Americans believe they caninfluence the world. Four areas were assessed: domestic poverty, terrorism,the international HIV/AIDS epidemic and international poverty. In theseareas, the poll discovered that the perspectives of born-again Christianswere statistically identical to those of other Americans.

Most Americans agreed they could have a major impact on only one of the four areas -- poverty in the United States. Overall, 64 percent of adults said they believe that individuals in this country can have a "major"influence on this.

About half of Americans believed they can influence the war on terror(48 percent). One-third believed individuals can effectively address theHIV/AIDS crisis affecting other countries (37 percent), but only one-quarter (28 percent) were convinced a major impact could be made on international poverty.



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