I became a journalist in 1960.
   Back then, a key element in our craft was to provide our readers with the meaning behind an event.
   For example, it wasn’t enough for a responsible newspaper to report what happened.
   But rather, it also sought to inform its readers of the impact of the event on their daily lives.
   All this has changed.
   Today, like television, most newspapers are content to inform their readers of the important events of the day.  But not the meaning, or impact of “the news” on the lives of their readers.
   All of which has resulted in the “dumbing down of journalism.”
   Why this dark paradigm shift?
   The simple answer: Intelligent journalism costs more because it requires more time and talent. Which is flies in the face of today’s profit-addicted corporate newspapers like the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and the Miami Herald.
   However...
   During my three decades as a newspaperman, I also noticed a decline in the degree of intellectual curiosity among each new crop of journalism school graduates – with an increasing number of them content to “write it because They said it.”
   Bottom line.
   American Democracy continues its downward march into an abyss of ignorance and apathy.
   But still….
   For old time’s sake, I offer a remarkable assemblage of data that would – back in the day – have generated a powerful series of what-it-means journalism.
   But that was then and this is now. JKdeG

                        2000              2005              2010              %
FLORIDA
Population     15,982,378      17,918,227      18,801,310      17.6%
Pregnancies    292,593           318,732           294,856           0.8%   
Births              204,030           226,219           214,948           5.4%   
% pregnancies 69.8%              71%                 72.9%
Abortions       88,563             92,513             79,908             (9.8%)
% pregnancies 30.2%              29.0%              27.1%
BROWARD
Population     1,623,018        1,740,987        1,748,066        7.7%
Pregnancies    35,279             37,750             35,347             0%
Births              22,089             23,127             23,161             4.9%
% pregnancies 62.6%              61.3%              65.5%
Abortions       13,190             14,623             12,186             (7.6%)
% pregnancies 37.4%              38.7%              34.5%
MIAMI DADE
Population     2,253,362        2,422,075        2,496,434        10.8%
Pregnancies    55,461             55,304             47,196             (14.9%)
Births              32,300             32,365             28,669             (11.2%)
% pregnancies 57.4%              58.9%              60.7%
Abortions       23,061             22,939             18,527             (19.7%)
% pregnancies 42.6%              41.5%              39.3%
PALM BEACH
Population     1,131,184        1,265,900        1,320,134        16.7%
Pregnancies    19,588             20,494             22,949             17.2%
Births              13,321             15,160             16,304             22.4%
% pregnancies 68.0%              74.0%              71.1%
Abortions       6,268               5,334               6,645               6.0%
% pregnancies 32.0%              26.0%              28.9%

SOURCES: Florida Department of Health
                   Agency for Health Care Administration