Today’s Zogby blog post comes courtesy of Cheryl Korn, a Writer/Analyst with Zogby International, and an avid hockey fan since she was old enough to follow and understand the game. Thanks Cheryl!

Patrick Kane, a forward with the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), made history by scoring the first NHL goal in Finland. This is most likely a moment Kane will carry with him for the rest of his life. But what will he remember about pleading guilty to a noncriminal charge of disorderly conduct after being accused of assaulting a cab driver over a fare dispute this past summer?

Kane could have faced up to 15 days in jail and a $250 fine, but the judge in Kane’s case issued him a conditional discharge. This meant he would avoid facing jail time as long as he does not run into problems with the law for a year. Kane was also ordered to make a statement of apology to the cab driver.

Luckily for Kane, everything seems to be neatly swept under the rug. The NHL has not chosen to punish him for his actions off the ice this past summer. However, how well does this lack of punishment sit with hockey fans and the general public?

According to a recent Zogby Interactive survey, 65% of adults nationwide agree that regardless of Kane’s guilty plea, he should face some sort of disciplinary action from the NHL. Respondents age 65 and older (70%) and parents of children under the age of 17 (69%) are among the most likely to agree. Eighteen percent of those surveyed do not agree and believe Kane should not face any disciplinary action from the NHL.

Electronic Arts Sports’ (EA Sports) NHL 10 was released on September 15. This release featured Kane’s image, and the software company has not said anything about replacing Kane’s image on the cover because of the off-ice incident this past summer. Clearly, this lack of action does not sit well with some. Our survey shows that 42% believe EA Sports should change the cover of the game and remove Kane’s image. Respondents ages 50-64 (48%) and 65 and older (47%) and parents of children under the age of 17 (44%) are among the most likely to agree that the cover should be changed. Three in ten (31%) do not agree that Kane’s image should be removed, with First Globals™ (18-29 year olds) (44%) among the most likely to say that Kane’s image should remain on the cover.

What is your opinion about this? How does this situation compare to the incident a few years ago where former Vancouver Canuck Todd Bertuzzi issued former Colorado Av Steve Moore a check into the boards? The play would end Moore’s hockey playing career. As you may recall, the referee during the game did not call a penalty as the check was deemed legal. However, Bertuzzi was later suspended by the NHL due to the severity of Moore’s injuries. Clearly, Kane could have seriously injured the cab driver during the incident, so why is the NHL continuing to look the other way? Did the NHL “miss the call” by not issuing Kane a suspension or some type of disciplinary action for his conduct off the ice this past summer?

ZogbyFeaturedContributor culture, lifestyles crime, entertainment, first globals, history, international, lifestyle, sports, summer, war, zogby

President Barack Obama has rebounded from a dismal summer, and he and his party are poised to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill, something that has not been done since Lyndon Johnson’s Medicare legislation more than 40 years ago.

Our latest Zogby Interactive poll measuring Obama’s job approval among likely voters has him back over 50% for the first time since the spring. He has won back some Independents, and now 47% give Obama their approval. Obama’s level of support among the party base of liberals, the 18- to 29-year-old “First Globals” and all African-Americans suffered in August when they felt he was not taking charge of health care reform. But now, most all of them are back on board.

Read all of John Zogby’s column at Forbes.com, where he writes about the political dangers of healthcare reform for both parties.

Paul John Zogby, health, politics first globals, health, John Zogby, Obama, summer, zogby

A majority of likely voters again approve of President Barack Obama’s job performance. A Zogby Interactive poll conducted from Sept. 25-28 found 52% of likely voters approving, 47% disapproving and 1% undecided. That marks the first time since spring that Obama’s job approval has broken the 50% mark.

Why do you believe Obama’s performance has regained the support of voters who became disenchanted with him over the summer? Is it because he has become more involved in the healthcare debate; or do people perceive the economy may be improving? Could it also be that the attacks on him and his policies at Congressional townhall meetings may have backfired?

Paul politics economy, health, Obama, summer, zogby

We are thrilled to welcome Maya Frost as a guest blogger on The Way We’ll Be. Maya is an internationally recognized expert on nontraditional and innovative paths through higher education. Maya is the author of The New Global Student, a primer for students and parents interested in global and unorthodox higher education while avoiding the anxiety and expense of traditional college. You can read more about Maya at her website and blog. Thanks Maya!

This has been a tipping-point summer for higher education. Shrinking endowments and slashes in state funding have crippled universities of all sizes and descriptions, resulting in unprecedented cuts in administration, programs and services.  Meanwhile, family resources have been decimated by job losses, reduced housing values, and an inability to get credit.

Middle-class families are asking hard questions about the value of a name-brand university degree and rejecting the option of taking on a great deal of debt to pay for one.  As a result, community college enrollment has surged across the United States, and many students are now planning to earn their degree at a state school instead of a private university.

Accepting students with the means to pay full room, board and tuition is a time-honored approach to filling the coffers at private universities, and in the current economic climate, the admissions gap is likely to widen at elite colleges. Administrators have reinvigorated their efforts to attract those who are not making their enrollment decisions based on financial aid.  A higher percentage of students from wealthier families will earn their diplomas at top schools alongside the lucky few who are offered full scholarships based on need (and the colleges’ quest for more diversity). Meanwhile, the middle-class kids will walk en masse at graduation ceremonies at not-terribly-impressive-but-reasonably-good universities across the country.

Savvy employers understand this shift.  They have their own economic challenges and need to find employees who are truly valuable rather than simply impressive.  Business leaders and non-profit directors are becoming less impressed by an Ivy League diploma or a straight-after-graduation master’s degree.  Instead, they are looking for real competence, relevant experience and honest enthusiasm in young people who know how to get things done with limited resources.

Prestige is losing its power. We’re entering an era with a renewed emphasis on the value of practical skills, a can-do attitude, and no excuses.  Leaders will look for those who have had nothing handed to them and will handpick employees—and future leaders—who know how to scramble.

I’m betting on those who are hungry—for learning, for experiences, and for personal development and success.  The scramblers have been responsible for the success of our nation throughout history, and their counterparts in India, China and elsewhere are driving the explosion in innovation and collaboration abroad.  Those who have had no choice but to use their creativity and talent rather than their connections or family funds to get ahead will be perfectly positioned to seize the most thrilling and fulfilling opportunities in the 21^st-century global economy.

Watch the scramblers—and see where they lead us.

ZogbyFeaturedContributor Uncategorized economy, education, future, history, international, summer

We are thrilled to welcome Maya Frost as a guest blogger on The Way We’ll Be. Maya is an internationally recognized expert on nontraditional and innovative paths through higher education. Maya is the author of The New Global Student, a primer for students and parents interested in global and unorthodox higher education while avoiding the anxiety and expense of traditional college. You can read more about Maya at her website and blog. Thanks Maya!

In his book, The Way We’ll Be, John Zogby describes the current generation of twenty-somethings (and a bit younger) as those who are more likely than any other age group to know someone who lives abroad, to consider going abroad, and to have knowledge of and interest in other parts of the world. He describes these young people as our First Global Citizens.

In my book, The New Global Student, I describe the young people who are broadening their perspective by actually spending meaningful and substantial periods of time abroad. These “New Globals” are a subset of the First Global Citizens in that they are the travelers who are sharing their experiences and first-hand knowledge with those who are seeking information about the world beyond our nation’s borders.

What distinguishes these young travelers from their backpacking-through-Europe-in-the-seventies parents is that are using the internet to design their individual dreams. And while their peers may be signing up for group tours, “submarine” programs (immersed in a bubble along with other Americans abroad) or expensive university study abroad options, the New Globals are choosing to:
1) create the terms of their stay (destination, cost, length of time, activities, type of housing, etc.)
2) connect directly with locals who can help them learn more about the people and places that intrigue them
3) collaborate with others to share ideas about ventures that allow them to spend more time in their chosen destination in ways that support and encourage the community.

In general, the New Globals are following three bold rules when it comes to traveling: go solo, go long, and go deep. This isn’t the Cancun-for-spring-break crowd or the shopping-and-cappuccino-in-Rome-with-my-girlfriends crowd—it’s the hey-I’m-thinking-of-heading-to-Bogotá-next solo traveler who speaks Spanish (thanks to, say, a few months as a journalism intern in Argentina after a summer volunteering in Guatemala), has an abiding interest in Latin American culture and has friends (new and old) waiting for him when he arrives. New Globals are more likely to pick off-the-beaten-path places that require less money but a greater sense of adventure. They use Facebook and CouchSurfing to meet others and find endless opportunities for work and cultural engagement wherever they go.

While the First Global Citizens will be making a tremendous impact on our culture in the next few years, keep your eye on the ones they’re watching: the New Globals. Their stories will inspire others to stretch their wings and discover more about the world and their possibilities for making it a better place.

ZogbyFeaturedContributor Uncategorized culture, education, international, internet, John Zogby, shopping, summer, The Way We'll Be, travel, volunteering, work, zogby

When presented with two statements about the function of the United Nations, “the United Nations has been reduced in its influence and is less relevant today in global matters,” and “the United Nations is needed now more than ever to represent a global perspective on issues that arise,” First Globals™ are the most likely of any generation to agree with the second statement and the least likely of any generation to agree with the first statement. Among First Globals, 57% agree that “the United Nations is needed now more than ever,” compared to 33% of the other generations. But only  34% of First Globals agree that the “United Nations has been reduced in influence and is less relevant,” compared to about 55% of the other generations. This question was asked on an interactive survey last Summer.

Do you think as First Globals grow older and move into the workforce (including the government), their belief that the UN is needed will remain? Do you think we will see the United Nations play a more active role in managing global conflicts and dealing with global issues in the future? Do you agree with the First Globals and others who say that the United Nations is needed now more than ever?

Katy Uncategorized first globals, future, Generations, global issues, international, summer, work

We are pleased to have Michael Wales, a Zogby intern, as our guest blogger today. Michael is a graduate student in the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, specializing in public policy. He hopes to use his experience at Zogby in a future career in policy analysis.

In my eight weeks as a Zogby International intern this summer, I have spent a considerable amount of time going through data tables and looking for patterns or noteworthy trends, with a special focus on differences between age groups.  My research has led me to this conclusion: young people are more politically liberal than older people.  It’s shocking, I know – at least to someone who slept through every election cycle and Political Science 101.  What is shocking is that the trend is not a straight line, with voters becoming more conservative every year.  In a health care survey conducted this summer with the University of Texas, those ages 18-29 (the First Global Generation) were the most liberal, with nearly half being registered Democrats and more placing themselves left of center than right of center.  The next oldest age cohort, 30-49 year olds, were the most conservative, with a majority of respondents claiming to be right of center.  The table below illustrates these findings.

Note: I collapsed “progressive” and “liberal” into one category, “left of center,” and “conservative,” “very conservative” and “libertarian” into “right of center” for simplicity’s sake.

Why are the two younger generations the most dissimilar and why are First Globals more like the 50-somethings of the Woodstock Generation than the 30-somethings of the Nike Generation?  Perhaps it is because First Globals are largely the offspring of Woodstockers.  The baby boomers passed their flower power message on to their children, who have grown up to be, well, hippies.  The Nikes, on the other hand, were predominantly raised by members of the Private Generation.  When given the choice between fellow Nike Barack Obama and septuagenarian John McCain, Nikes were 11 percent more likely than First Globals to pick Dear Old Dad over Big Brother.

It may not be groundbreaking news that parents pass their values on to their children.  More of interest than the similarities between Woodstockers and First Globals is the stark contrast between First Globals and Nikes.  First Globals share more common life experiences with Nikes than any other group, and yet they are most different politically.  Woodstockers raised kids who are effectively embracing everything they were taught – not what you would expect from a generation partly defined by protest.

Katy Uncategorized first globals, future, Generations, health, international, Obama, summer, zogby

We recently included several winning Top Question Tuesday survey questions on a recent interactive survey. Stay tuned to the blog as we’ll be reporting the results of these questions here over the next several weeks!

We asked you how high you thought the price of gas would rise this summer – lower than $2.50, $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, higher than $3.50 or not sure. Overall, 6% of you think gas prices will be lower than $2.50, while 20% said $2.50, 42% said $3.00, 16% said $3.50, 11% said higher than $3.50, and 5% of you were not sure.

Those of you who were more likely to expect higher prices include those between 18 and 29 (34% believed gas prices would rise to $3.50 or higher), progressives (31% expected 3.50 or higher), those at the ends of our income scale – 32% who make less than $25,000/year and 31% who make over 250,000/year believed gas would rise to $3.50 or higher, and those living in the Western US (42% expected $3.50 or higher).

How do you fit in with your peers on the Zogby panel?  How high do you believe the price of gas in your area will rise this summer?

Katy Uncategorized summer, Top Question Tuesday, zogby

In honor of Independence Day, here’s a smattering of some recent survey findings relating to patriotism and America’s proper role in the world. Enjoy the fireworks!

Last summer, we surveyed Americans interactively on their feelings towards the USA. One question we asked had to do with unconditional support for their country. When asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement “I support my country, right or wrong”, respondents were nearly split evenly between those that agreed (46%) and those who disagreed (45%). However, different age groups diverged in their answers, with young people between 18 and 29 the most likely to disagree at 54% and those over 65 the least likely to disagree at 33%.

Another question on that same survey examined people’s feelings about America’s proper role in the world. When asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement “The US has a moral obligation to intervene militarily in foreign countries to protect basic human rights”, 38% of our sample agreed while 41% disagreed and 21% were not sure. Again, a pattern emerged when looking at different age groups, with those between 18 and 29 the most likely to agree at 50% and those over 65 the least likely to agree at 29%.

How do your opinions about supporting your country and America’s role in the world compare to those who took our survey?

Katy culture, ideology, politics politics, summer, war, work

We were a little late posting this on Tuesday, so welcome to the very special Wednesday edition of Top Question Tuesday. Just in time for Memorial Day, last week’s winning question asked about how high  you expect the price of gas to rise this Summer. We’ll put that question on an upcoming interactive survey and blog about the results soon.

This week’s user-submitted survey questions are below. The questions are shortened to save space on our blog post, but these are the basic ideas. Take a look though and then vote for which question you’d most like to see on the next Zogby Interactive survey. As a reminder, if you’d like to submit a question to be considered for a Zogby survey, use the “contact us” box on the right of the page. And if you’d like to join Zogby’s interactive panel to answer questions similar to these, click here.

1. Do you plan to donate your organs after your death?

2. Would you be more likely, less likely, or equally likely to own and use credit cards if you were required to pay an annual fee for their use?

3. Over your lifetime, do you  believe your political ideology has become more liberal, has become more conservative, or has not changed?

 Loading ...

Katy Uncategorized death, ideology, summer, Top Question Tuesday, zogby