Vikings backfield a concern for Bears defense
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2013
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WEB SURFING DETRACTING FROM OTHER ACTIVITIES, STUDY FINDS
‘CROWDOUT’ EFFECT
Ali Frantti
Uncertainty on pensions a challenge for schools Possible shifting of costs a factor in negotiations By JIM DALLKE jdallke@shawmedia.com
Illustration by R. Scott Helmchen – shelmchen@shawmedia.com
How does online time affect offline life? By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com The increasing time people spend checking Facebook statuses, crafting tweets and watching those ever-popular cat videos on YouTube is subtly taking away time spent on sleeping, working and leisure activities, according to a national study. A researcher from the Technology Policy Institute earlier this fall measured the Internet’s crowdout effect – the time not spent on offline activities to make more time for leisurely web activities. The study found that for every minute people spend on “online leisure time,” they spend less time on other offline activities. The trend is likely to increase in
“It’s a new reality. The question becomes whether we can use the Internet as a productive tool or is it eating more and more of our time?” Jack Brzezinski Computer and digital media instructor at McHenry County College the future, as more electronic devices and mobile applications multiply at a quicker pace, said Jack Brzezinski, a computer and digital media instructor at McHenry County College. “It’s a new reality,” said Brzezinski,
who has researched how humans interact with computers. “The question becomes whether we can use the Internet as a productive tool or is it eating more and more of our time?” In his study, researcher Scott Wallsten of the Technology Policy Institute found that on average, each minute spent on online leisure time represents 0.29 fewer minutes on all types of leisure activities. That means for every 10 minutes people spend online for fun, they spend 2.9 fewer minutes on other types of leisure; they also spend 2.7 fewer minutes working, 1.2 fewer minutes sleeping, and 36 fewer seconds on educational activities.
See LIVING ONLINE, page A10
Voice your opinion – How much time do you spend online each day? Vote online at NWHerald.com
Some McHenry County school districts have been waiting on the answer to an important question while negotiating teacher contracts: Will pension reform shift the burden of paying teacher pensions onto local districts? Lawmakers got that answer Friday, as a cost shift was not included in the summary of the pension legislation, which was obtained by the Northwest Herald on Friday afternoon. A cost shift is something House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has long wanted. And even as a pension deal was reached this week, details of the plan were kept quiet, leaving school boards flying blind during the negotiation process. “I haven’t seen the details of the proposals,” said Ted Wagner, School District 155 Board President. “All I’ve seen is what’s in the newspapers. It’s left a lot of questions out there as to the ramifications to the school districts.” District 155 teachers have already authorized a strike and could potentially walk out if progress isn’t made during the next negotiating session in December. Wagner said there are several uncertainties aside from the pension deal that have made negotiating teacher
See PENSIONS, page A10
Ted Wagner, School District 155 Board president n Wagner on the new proposals: “I haven’t seen the details of the proposals. All I’ve seen is what’s in the newspapers. It’s left a lot of questions out there as to the ramifications to the school districts.” n Wagner on potential strike by District 155 teachers: “As a board of education, we are willing to negotiate any time. We still feel confident we can come to terms. We look forward to getting this settled and getting it done.”
Studies show Americans less likely to trust By CONNIE CASS The Associated Press
AP photo
The cash box at Dennis and Darlene Hess’s farm stand on Nov. 4 in Litiz, Pa.
LOCALLY SPEAKING
WASHINGTON – You can take our word for it. Americans don’t trust each other anymore. We’re not talking about the loss of faith in big institutions such as the government, the church or Wall Street, which fluctuates with events. For four decades, a gut-level ingre-
dient of democracy – trust in the other fellow – has been quietly draining away. These days, only one-third of Americans say most people can be trusted. Half felt that way in 1972, when the General Social Survey first asked the question. Forty years later, a record high of nearly two-thirds say “you can’t be too careful” in dealing with people.
Lathan Goumas – lgoumas@shawmedia.com
HIGH
LOW
40 31 Complete forecast on A12
See TRUST, page A10
HISTORICAL ITEMS TO GO ON DISPLAY
WOODSTOCK: Cary-Grove rallies to beat Woodstock on final day of Thanksgiving tournament. Sports, C1 Vol. 28, Issue 335
Where to find it Business D1-6 Classified F1-6 Local&Region B1-8
Does it matter that Americans are suspicious of one another? Yes, say worried political and social scientists. What’s known as “social trust” brings good things. A society where it’s easier to compromise or make a deal. Where people are willing to work with those who are different from them for the
CARY Items that belonged to descendants of William Cary will be on display Dec. 6 and 7 at the Cary Park District Community Center. William Cary was the first settler of the town, which was ultimately incorporated in 1893 and named after him. The village was incorporated as Cary Station when it was the end of the train line. For more, see page B1.
Cary-Grove’s Nick Franz
An AP-GfK poll conducted last month found that Americans are suspicious of each other in everyday encounters. Less than one-third expressed a lot of trust in clerks who swipe their credit cards, drivers on the road, or people they meet when traveling. “I’m leery of everybody,” said Bart Murawski, 27, of Albany, N.Y. “Caution is always a factor.”
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