By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Heres what Americans fear most in 2017 (Hint: its not clowns)
97c918eb9cc6e2575639e908c64ab3a9e9733880294f6d422605e565c35a112a
The Chapman University Survey of American Fears Wave 4 reviewed what Americans fear most. A majority of Americans are spooked by the government. - photo by Herb Scribner
A majority of Americans are spooked by the government.

The annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears reviewed what Americans fear most in 2017, and leading the way with 74 percent was the corruption of government officials.

American health care/Trumpcare finished second on the list (55 percent), while pollution of oceans and lakes (53 percent) finished third, pollution of drinking water was fourth (50 percent) and not having enough money finished fifth (also 50 percent).

Other top fears included: high medical bills; a potential third World War; global warming and climate change; North Korea using nuclear weapons; and air pollution.

The survey sampled 1,207 adults from across the United States about 80 different fears, including crime, the government, the environment, personal anxieties and many others. The rankings were based on the percentage of adults who voted items as their top fear.

What is, perhaps, most striking about American fear in 2017 is that environmental fears, including water pollution and drinking water quality, figure more prominently than ever before, according to Chapman University's press release on the survey. Environmental issues never cracked the top ten fears in our previous surveys.

Researcher Edward Day said the study also found that fear is on the rise.

This year we saw some big changes. Fear has really gone up, Day said. Prior to this year, there was only one item where the majority of Americans said they were afraid or very afraid, and this year there were five.

The 2017 list varies from the same research in 2016. Though the top fear (corrupt government) was the same, terrorist attack was No. 2 with 41 percent of the vote.

Not having enough money was third (39.9 percent) and overall "terrorism" finished fourth (38.5 percent).

Day added that people arent as afraid of crime-related events as much as in the past, either.

Now, people fear corruption of the government and the White House, CBS reported.

Our previous lists had more to do with disasters and crime, and that naturally lent itself to the type of messaging (about crime) were doing, researcher Christopher Bader said, according to Smithsonian magazine. The list this year is fundamentally different in the sense that its showing a great fear of some of the things happening in this presidency.

Bader said the survey showed one positive change for culture, though.

Clowns and zombies are both down, he said.

But, he added, "the survey was done before (the movie) 'It' was released.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters
How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
ce406c66b9871a104ac24256a687e4821d75680dcfc89d9e5398939543f7f88f
A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
Latest Obituaries