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Submitted by Brendan Fischer on
This month, a former leader of the Internal Revenue Service filed a complaint that the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has violated the terms of its nonprofit status by operating primarily for the private benefit of its corporate members, based on documents and research from the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), which manages PRWatch, ALECexposed, and SourceWatch. The complaint, which also alleges that ALEC misrepresented itself in tax filings, raises additional allegations beyond those in earlier IRS complaints filed by Common Cause.
"Astounding" Violations of IRS Law
ALEC "elevates commercial gain for a few over the well-being of society's less fortunate" through "an agenda largely crafted by the organization's corporate members," the complaint states (a pdf of the complaint is below). Marcus Owens, the former chief of the Service's nonprofit division, filed the complaint on behalf of Clergy VOICE, a group of Christian ministers in Ohio. "ALEC has deliberately and repeatedly failed to comply with some of the most fundamental federal tax requirements applicable to public charities," the complaint says. Owens is a nationally recognized expert and leader on nonprofit tax law and a member of the noted law firm Caplin & Drysdale.
ALEC is afforded a variety of benefits by virtue of its "charity" status -- not least of which is giving corporations a tax deduction for paying ALEC membership dues -- but in exchange for those benefits, ALEC is supposed to primarily serve public or charitable interests (rather than private interests) and engage in minimal lobbying.
"ALEC is doing an extraordinary amount of lobbying, but reporting to the IRS they are doing NO lobbying," Owens told CMD. "Even when North Dakota forced two of ALEC's attorneys to register as lobbyists, they still reported [on their IRS filings] they did no lobbying. That is astounding."
"I have never seen such a systematic and extensive operation ... to sidestep disclosure and ethics rules in a way that really allows them to have an extraordinary impact," Owens said.
Corporate Control over Model Bills Give Private Benefit
In the complaint, Owens and Clergy VOICE allege that ALEC operates primarily for the benefit of its corporate members by offering "not only unprecedented access to state lawmakers -- the very individuals who introduce and support the state laws that positively impact the corporations' bottom lines -- but also the opportunity to draft those laws." The complaint references "model" bills like the asbestos liability act, which specifically shields ALEC member Crown Holdings from asbestos liability claims, and the Drug Liability Act, which benefits ALEC member pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer or Merck by protecting them from lawsuit when their products injure or kill (as CMD discussed when that model bill was introduced in Wisconsin).
ALEC is structured to give private benefit to its corporate members, the complaint states, with its operating procedures giving ALEC's "corporate donors authority to approve or veto every legislative and policy proposal developed by ALEC's Task Forces," and its bylaws giving "corporate members disproportionate authority to appoint and remove legislators from the Task Forces."
According to the complaint, "[t]his effectively ensures that the only model laws distributed to ALEC's Legislative Members and disseminated nationwide are those that have been co-drafted and subsequently blessed by ALEC's corporate donors."
"Further, the legislative proposals that clear this process appear to be motivated substantially, if not primarily, by the pecuniary interests of ALEC's corporate members."
The complaint also notes that ALEC's legislative board and most legislative members are Republicans -- and that most of ALEC's operations provide a private benefit to the Republican Party.
Scholarships Are "the Definition of a Bribe"
Clergy VOICE also alleges that ALEC operates to benefit its legislative members through the "scholarship program" that allows corporations to pay for the flights, hotel rooms, meals, and entertainment of ALEC politicians. The meetings are "held in luxury hotels, frequently in vacation-worthy destinations like San Diego, New Orleans and Scottsdale," and scholarships fund "perks such as meals, recreational activities, and subsidized childcare for legislators and their families." (CMD has previously described the scholarship scheme here.)
Additionally, "[m]eeting agendas include events like golf tournaments, open bar parties and baseball games -- all subsidized directly or indirectly by ALEC's corporate members," the complaint says.
Despite this, ALEC has told the IRS that it provides no scholarships and funds no travel or entertainment expenses for elected officials.
"They have to hide the fact they are making payments to state legislators," Owens told CMD. If the scheme was made public, "it would taint their efforts at the state level. People would know Exxon Mobil or someone else is funneling money to legislators," he said, as "inducement to act in a certain way."
"That's the definition of a bribe," Owens said.
Using documents made available by CMD and DBA Press' Beau Hodai (who now writes for PRWatch), the complaint examined the ALEC scholarship program in Ohio, where Clergy VOICE is based. It found legislators not only receiving thousands of dollars of payments for their own travel and entertainment, but also for their family. Although some legislators disclosed their personal receipt of "scholarships" on state disclosure forms, none reported the benefits to their families, which may also violate Ohio's ethics laws.
Hodai and CMD have raised concerns with Ohio's legislative ethics commission, but it is filled with ALEC members; Hodai was told they would not act and the only avenue remaining is a criminal referral to a state prosecutor. CMD has also joined with Common Cause in requesting that the Attorney General of Ohio investigate ALEC's undisclosed lobbying in the state.
Like CMD, Complaint Raises Contradictions in ALEC's IRS Filings
CMD also contends that the so-called scholarship program violates Wisconsin ethics and lobbying laws. In March, CMD filed a complaint with Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board (GAB) alleging the "scholarship" program violates Wisconsin laws prohibiting legislators from accepting anything of value from lobbyists (or corporations that employ lobbyists in the state), and from accepting any gifts that could reasonably be expected to influence their votes on legislation.
In response to CMD's complaint, ALEC released a letter showing that it had asked the GAB in 2010 to sanction the corporate-funded gifts. But CMD noticed that ALEC had described its "scholarship" program to the GAB in a manner contradicted by ALEC's own bylaws and its federal tax filings.
ALEC gave Wisconsin's GAB the impression that the "scholarships" are raised and controlled by ALEC itself, telling the board that "fundraising efforts for the scholarship fund are overseen by ALEC staff members with the involvement of its private sector members ... Wisconsin state legislators, however, are not involved in these fundraising efforts" (emphasis in original). ALEC also told the GAB that "[d]ecisions on how scholarships are awarded and in what amounts are made by ALEC staff."
But in its 2010 filing with the IRS, ALEC claimed no control over the scholarships, declaring "the State Chair [a legislator] retains the exclusive right to determine the expenditures" from the scholarship fund, and therefore the scholarship dollars "are not considered revenue and expenses of ALEC" that need to be reported to the IRS.
Owens found similar contradictions. "On the federal level, ALEC calls it corporate money," Owens told CMD, with ALEC reporting to the IRS it provides no scholarships or other payments to elected officials. "On the state level, they call it ALEC money" to evade state ethics and lobbying laws prohibiting legislators from accepting corporate gifts.
The IRS complaint from Owens and Clergy VOICE also discusses how ALEC reports in one part of its IRS filings it does not control the scholarship program, but reports elsewhere in the filings that it "provides assistance to ALEC state chairs in raising scholarship funds [and] tracking the expenditures of these funds." Based on these and other facts, the complaint states, "there is simply no legitimate basis for ALEC's position that the legislative scholarship funds do not belong to the organization."
Owens told CMD that using the word "scholarship" to describe the corporate-funded flights and hotel rooms "is a misnomer. These are really travel and entertainment expenses" for elected officials.
Even under that definition, the Clergy VOICE complaint notes that ALEC claims it has not provided "[p]ayments of travel or entertainment expenses for any federal, state, or local public officials." And despite the "scholarships" also subsidizing the hotel and meal expenses of legislators' spouses and children, presumably including those on ALEC's Board, ALEC told the IRS it funded no "travel for companions" of ALEC's officers.
Clergy Complaint Dismantles ALEC Claims about Lobbying Exceptions
The complaint also states that ALEC inaccurately told the IRS that it did not engage in any lobbying activities in multiple years of IRS filings.
In April, Common Cause filed a "whistleblower" complaint with the IRS also alleging ALEC engages in substantial lobbying, in violation of its non-profit status, through the development, promotion, and dissemination of corporate-sponsored "model" bills.
In response to Common Cause's complaint, ALEC's attorney claimed that those activities meet the IRS lobbying exception for "nonpartisan analysis, study, or research." But Owens and Clergy VOICE found that ALEC's model bills and communications supporting those bills "do not satisfy any of the requirements for the exception from lobbying for nonpartisan analysis, study, or research." The proposals do not meet the exemption's requirement of providing a "sufficiently full and fair exposition" of the underlying policy issues.
Instead, the bills "promote the ideological views and business interests of ALEC's Private Sector Members -- the corporate funders who help draft the model legislation and fund its creation," according to the complaint, which CMD has also noted in numerous reports.
Group Demands Criminal Penalties
The complaint notes that ALEC and those who helped prepare ALEC's inaccurate IRS filings could face civil penalties, fines, and potentially criminal charges.
ALEC could also lose its tax-exempt status.
"There are two specific questions on the IRS Form 990s about lobbying and payments to state officials," Owens said. "ALEC answered they spent zero dollars on lobbying and made no payments to public officials. But they KNEW they lobbied and made payments to state officials."
"It is difficult to believe ALEC did not know what they were doing when they signed their IRS filings under penalty of perjury," Owens said.
The IRS has acknowledged receipt of the complaint but the agency does not release details of its investigations or audits.
Attachment | Size |
98828514-ALEC-IRS-Complaint.pdf | 3.13 MB |


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To build a climate resilient and low-carbon economy, Vietnam needs to invest approximately $368 billion between now and 2040, according to the World Bank's Vietnam Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR). World Bank Group's Vietnam Country Climate and Development Report is the first of a series of climate and development reports, according to Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
World Bank Country Director for Vietnam Carolyn Turk says climate change is increasingly impacting Vietnam's development and now poses critical questions about how to respond. CCDR aims to balance the country's development goals with the increasing climate risks associated with climate change.
Vietnam's coastline includes many major cities and production sites, making it one of the world's most vulnerable countries to sea level rise, extreme weather conditions, and temperature increases. According to initial estimates, climate change cost the country approximately US$10 billion in 2020, or 3.2% of its GDP.
A series of urgent and impactful interventions should be implemented, including a coordinated regional program for the Mekong Delta, a coastal resilience investment program for urban centers and connecting infrastructure, a targeted air pollution reduction program for Hanoi, an accelerated clean energy transition, and a new social contract for vulnerable populations. It will require additional investments of $368 billion cumulatively by 2040 for the country to become climate-resilient and net-zero-emission.

subset: commoncrawl


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Impact sockets from Apex® Fastener Tools, formally Cooper Tools, have hex tolerances that are on average 48% tighter than DIN and 35% tighter than ANSI requirements. Apex® impact sockets provide an exact, sure fit every time. Impact sockets from Apex® Fastener Tools provide the tightest tolerances for straightness and concentricity available.
Thin wall sockets from Apex® Fastener Tools accommodate countersunk or limited clearance nut or bolt locations. Many of these impact sockets have a shouldered body design that can fit in tight quarters.
Impact sockets from Apex® Fastener Tools are designed and manufactured for high impact use. Apex® impact sockets are made from stronger alloy steel than the average impact socket.
Apex Fastener Tools Catalog Page: 44


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30% better knot strength than leading competitor fluorocarbons. A fantastic introduction to Fluorocarbon, Seaguar's Red Label brand is strong yet extremely soft and sensitive. Red Label can be used in both Spinning Reels and Bait Casting Reels and is suitable for both fresh water and salt water. The line offers remarkable impact strength and good abrasion resistance. As with all 100% Fluorocarbon products, Red Label is much less visible underwater than monofilament line and virtually invisible to fish. Red Label is also UV resistant, chemical resistant, non-absorbant, high-density and impervious to cold conditions. Made from 100% Seaguar resins and produced using our proprietary extrusion process. Color: Clear, Yards: 1000, LB Test: 12
- Color: Clear
- Yards: 1000
- LB Test: 12


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Apple's stepped up with Safari 5, Firefox has brought forth a more crash-proof 3.6, and Opera's continuing to push forward in betas. Let's break out the timer and testing software to see how the latest browsers run on real hardware.
These tests are now out of date. As usual, you can see our most recent batch of speed tests at lifehacker.com/browserspeedtests.
We've detailed our browser testing methods on a dedicated page, for those unfamiliar with the semi-standard procedures. Everyone else can skip to the results and pretty primary color graphs.
One important change to the charts this time around: we highlighted the winner, or winners, in green, for an easy visual orientation of whether you're looking at a "less is better" or "more is better" graph. Click any of the images below for a larger, wider view.
Boot-Up and Warm Loading—Winner: Opera 10.6 Beta!
Not a huge surprise, as Opera's 10.5 pre-alpha took the prize for cold start-ups last time. It's probably the most variable of the tests in this series, given the mysteries of hard drives, CPUs, and Windows app management—but Opera consistently starts up the fastest from a dead stop. The "warm" starts, after having run each browser once, are close enough together that Chrome's win there is notable, but not the decider.
Tab Loading—Winner: Internet—Wait, Seriously?—Explorer 8
Yes, I re-ran this test about three times. But, looking back two tests ago, I realize that Internet Explorer 8 was never a slouch in quickly pulling up content, even when hit with nine tabs at once. In this case, it was a home page for each browser tested, plus Google.com, Lifehacker and Gizmodo, and Hulu. Internet Explorer did quite well.
The other surprise that I couldn't shake after multiple tests? Safari 5 on Windows just would not load up all my tabs at once. It would load the top navigation bars from Lifehacker, Gizmodo, and Hulu, then freeze, with spinning dials on each tab for at least a minute. At least one other user saw similar multi-tab problems. It's not as though browser users are regularly loading up nine tabs at once, but it's still odd to see such an error.
JavaScript—Winner: Chrome (Dev Version)!
Last time, Opera jumped way, way out in the lead, but Chrome's development version picks up the top spot in the Dromaeo tests this time. The drop-off of Opera likely says something about the niggling details of JavaScript testing.
DOM/CSS—Winner: Opera 10.6 Beta!
Safari, Chrome, and Opera could be called evenly matched, given the variables of hardware and testing. Still, Opera's recent obsession with speed is starting to show returns.
Memory Use Without Extensions—Winner: Firefox 3.6!
It's a consistent result lately—with nothing installed, and having just been started, Firefox is really frugal with memory.
Memory Use with Extensions—Winner: Firefox 3.6!
Even though Firefox's extensions would seem to be more full-featured and memory-intensive than Chrome's, which seem to run like advanced user scripts, Firefox is better with a few standard extensions on memory than Chrome. Those extensions, by the way, are the same as in our last test: AdBlock Plus, Xmarks, LastPass, CoolIris, and a Gmail checker.
Here's a full comparison chart, showing each browser with and without extensions, with just one home page open and nine tabs loaded:
The Scores
Here's how the browsers fared, in sum total:
Chrome (stable): 22
Chrome (dev): 20
Firefox: 18
Opera: 20
Safari: 14
Internet Explorer: 9
There you go—our latest batch of words and spreadsheet voodoo. We learned that Chrome is still pretty far ahead in JavaScript, but Opera is still a serious contender in overall scripting speed. We also saw that Internet Explorer has its strong points, and that Safari 5 on Windows is ... just as good as Safari on Windows has usually fared. And while Google Chrome's development version is usually the speedy trailblazer, we're wondering if the focus on features lately—syncing, built-in features, and the like—is why the stable branch feels just as fast lately, or if something else is at play deep in the code.
Don't see the truth in our results? Done some testing of your own? We welcome all kinds of debate in the comments.


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This is Easy Steps to Chinese 课本 1 轻松学中文 课本 1
Easy Steps to Chinese adopts a new approach to teaching Chinese as a foreign language. It is designed for both primary and secondary school students who are taking Chinese exams, such as GCSE/IGCSE/AS (U.K.), SAT II/AP (U.S.A.), IB Chinese Language B Standard Level, or for those students who are starting to learn Chinese on their own. Easy Steps to Chinese has three stages: Stage 1 – Books 1 and 2; Stage 2 – Books 3, 4, 5 & 6; and Stage 3 – Books 7 and 8.
After completing this series, the students will acquire a vocabulary of approximately 1,600 Chinese characters, and develop confidence in using Chinese to communicate either orally or in written forms. The series includes: ·Textbook ·Workbook ·Teacher's Book ·Picture flashcards ·Word cards The topics for each stage are: Stage 1: Books 1-2·Numbers·Personal identification·Parts of the body·Colours and clothing·Food and drinks·Daily routines·Schooling·Hobbies·Life at home·Means of transport·Daily articles·Weather Stage 2: Books 3-6·Appearance·People and occupations·School facilities·Weather and holidays·Pets·Personality·School events·Food and sickness·Accidents·Shopping and travelling·Neighbourhood·Festivals and celebrations Stage 3: Books 7-8·Community·Work experience·Environment·Customs and traditions· Technology and communication·Diet and healthy life-style·Special occasions·Leisure and travelling·Education and employment·Law and order·Current issues·World issues
The features of this series: ★task-based learning ★a wide variety of texts ★practical tasks and activities ★up-to-date topics relevant to young people ★carefully pacing for gradual progress ★clearly focused aims ★regular consolidation ★both simplified and traditional script in the vocabulary list ★a fun and effective approach ★attractive page designs
本书为《轻松学中文》(青少版)课本第1册,共5个单元,每个单元3课,分别介绍"拼音、基本笔画、数字、问候、日期、年龄、电话号码、家庭成员、自我介绍、职业、时间、日常起居、交通工具、颜色、穿着、人体部位"等汉语语音、书写基本常识和日常内容。 本册为彩色课本 ,内含精美的彩色插图、实用的对话和简短的文章,使学生能用流利、准确的汉语进行简单交流。
About the Author (s)
Yamin Ma, B.A. in English Language and Literature, and M.A. in Education, is currently a Chinese teacher in Island School, Hong Kong. Ma has gained years of experience in teaching Chinese as a foreign language and she actively keeps up with the trends of AP Chinese Test in U.S. and the IB Chinese Test in Europe. Her research covers English language teaching, Chinese language teaching and educational psychology. She has read and published a number of papers in international conferences.


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Love chicken wraps? Love PB? You'll doubly love this PB chicken wrap sandwich.
Jams, Jellies & Nut Butters
Category Main Page Articles & Reviews
Main Nibbles
Main Page Articles & Reviews of Fine Foods From A to Z
Product Reviews
Main Page
Foods, Beverages, Books, News & More
August 2008
CAPSULE REPORT: This is the second of six award-winning, delicious and nutritious recipes developed by children in Jif's annual "Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich" college scholarship contest. Click on the black links below to see the other recipes. For more peanut butter recipes and product reviews, visit our Gourmet Peanut Butter Section.
Kids love peanut butter, kids love wrap sandwiches. Runner-up Matt Bernards, an 11-year-old from McMinnville, Oregon, created this healthy peanut butter chicken wrap sandwich with PB. It's a quick and easy recipe that's delicious served either hot or cold.
Ingredients Per Sandwich
*Broccoli cole slaw can be found in the bagged salad section of the produce department. Or, you can make it by shredding a medium cabbage, 1 bunch broccoli, 2 carrots, and if desired, a medium red onion for flavor and/or some red cabbage for color. This will make enough for 6 wraps.
Next Recipe: Peanut Butter Butterfly Panwiches
Go To Article Index Above
Recipes © Copyright The J.M. Smucker Company. All other material


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The Value Of A Home Inspection
A home inspection is a comprehensive visual examination of the home's structure and working systems. It should cover the exterior building envelope, all accessible structural components from the foundations to rooftop and includes basic testing of the bathrooms, plumbing, heating, electrical and ventilation systems. A home inspection will reduce the risk of having to deal with unexpected defects in a house. You will gain knowledge and familiarity with the house and determine whether or not it meets your expectations.
A home inspection should cover the following:
- Foundations, crawl space
- Structure
- Garage or Carport
- Exterior walls and windows
- Doors, porches and decks
- Roofing, gutters and skylights
- Chimneys and masonry
- Attic, ventilation and insulation
- Interiors
- Kitchen and bathrooms
- Plumbing and domestic hot water systems
- Heating systems
- Electrical system
- Abondonned fuel oil tanks
You and the seller should be present, at least for part of the home inspection, review any observations, and to answer any resulting questions or concerns.


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Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 (12/24V-30A)
Ultra-fast Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Especially in case of a clouded sky, when light intensity is changing continuously, an ultra-fast MPPT controller will improve energy harvest by up to 30% compared to PWM charge controllers and by up to 10% compared to slower MPPT controllers.
Advanced Maximum Power Point Detection in case of partial shading conditions If partial shading occurs, two or more maximum power points may be present on the power-voltage curve.
Conventional MPPTs tend to lock to a local MPP, which may not be the optimum MPP. The innovative BlueSolar algorithm will always maximize energy harvest by locking to the optimum MPP. Outstanding conversion efficiency No cooling fan. Maximum efficiency exceeds 98%. Full output current up to 40°C (104°F). Flexible charge algorithm Fully programmable charge algorithm (see the software page on our website), and eight preprogrammed algorithms, selectable with a rotary switch (see manual for details).
Extensive electronic protection Over-temperature protection and power derating when temperature is high. PV short circuit and PV reverse polarity protection. PV reverse current protection.
Detailed Product Information


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How the First Data Processing Company Launched an Entire Computing Industry
5 min read
The U.S. Constitution requires that a population count be conducted at the beginning of every decade.
This census has always been charged with political significance, and continues to be. That's clear from the controversies in the run-up to the 2020 census.
But it's less widely known how important the census has been in developing the U.S. computer industry, a story that I tell in my book, "Republic of Numbers: Unexpected Stories of Mathematical Americans through History." That history includes the founding of the first automated data processing company, the Tabulating Machine Company, 125 years ago on December 3, 1896.
Population growth
The only use of the census clearly specified in the Constitution is to allocate seats in the House of Representatives. More populous states get more seats.
A minimalist interpretation of the census mission would require reporting only the overall population of each state. But the census has never confined itself to this.
A complicating factor emerged right at the beginning, with the Constitution's distinction between "free persons" and "three-fifths of all other persons." This was the Founding Fathers' infamous mealy-mouthed compromise between those states with a large number of enslaved persons and those states where relatively few lived.
The first census, in 1790, also made nonconstitutionally mandated distinctions by age and sex. In subsequent decades, many other personal attributes were probed as well: occupational status, marital status, educational status, place of birth and so on.
As the country grew, each census required greater effort than the last, not merely to collect the data but also to compile it into usable form. The processing of the 1880 census was not completed until 1888.
It had become a mind-numbingly boring, error-prone, clerical exercise of a magnitude rarely seen.
Since the population was evidently continuing to grow at a rapid pace, those with sufficient imagination could foresee that processing the 1890 census would be gruesome indeed without some change in procedure.
A new invention
John Shaw Billings, a physician assigned to assist the Census Office with compiling health statistics, had closely observed the immense tabulation efforts required to deal with the raw data of 1880. He expressed his concerns to a young mechanical engineer assisting with the census, Herman Hollerith, a recent graduate of the Columbia School of Mines.
On Sept. 23, 1884, the U.S. Patent Office recorded a submission from the 24-year-old Hollerith, titled "Art of Compiling Statistics."
By progressively improving the ideas of this initial submission, Hollerith would decisively win an 1889 competition to improve the processing of the 1890 census.
The technological solutions devised by Hollerith involved a suite of mechanical and electrical devices. The first crucial innovation was to translate data on handwritten census tally sheets to patterns of holes punched in cards. As Hollerith phrased it, in the 1889 revision of his patent application,
"A hole is thus punched corresponding to person, then a hole according as person is a male or female, another recording whether native or foreign born, another either white or colored, &c."
This process required developing special machinery to ensure that holes could be punched with accuracy and efficiency.
Hollerith then devised a machine to "read" the card, by probing the card with pins, so that only where there was a hole would the pin pass through the card to make an electrical connection, resulting in advance of the appropriate counter.
For example, if a card for a white male farmer passed through the machine, a counter for each of these categories would be increased by one. The card was made sturdy enough to allow passage through the card reading machine multiple times, for counting different categories or checking results.
The count proceeded so rapidly that the state-by-state numbers needed for congressional apportionment were certified before the end of November 1890.
Rise of the punched card
After his census success, Hollerith went into business selling this technology. The company he founded, the Tabulating Machine Company, would, after he retired, become International Business Machines – IBM. IBM led the way in perfecting card technology for recording and tabulating large sets of data for a variety of purposes.
By the 1930s, many businesses were using cards for record-keeping procedures, such as payroll and inventory. Some data-intensive scientists, especially astronomers, were also finding the cards convenient. IBM had by then standardized an 80-column card and had developed keypunch machines that would change little for decades.
Card processing became one leg of the mighty computer industry that blossomed after World War II, and IBM for a time would be the third-largest corporation in the world. Card processing served as a scaffolding for vastly more rapid and space-efficient purely electronic computers that now dominate, with little evidence remaining of the old regime.
Those who have grown up knowing computers only as easily portable devices, to be communicated with by the touch of a finger or even by voice, may be unfamiliar with the room-size computers of the 1950s and '60s, where the primary means of loading data and instructions was by creating a deck of cards at a keypunch machine, and then feeding that deck into a card reader. This persisted as the default procedure for many computers well into the 1980s.
As computer pioneer Grace Murray Hopper recalled about her early career, "Back in those days, everybody was using punched cards, and they thought they'd use punched cards forever."
Hopper had been an important member of the team that created the first commercially viable general-purpose computer, the Universal Automatic Computer, or UNIVAC, one of the card-reading behemoths. Appropriately enough, the first UNIVAC delivered, in 1951, was to the U.S. Census Bureau, still hungry to improve its data processing capabilities.
No, computer users would not use punched cards forever, but they used them through the Apollo Moon-landing program and the height of the Cold War. Hollerith would likely have recognized the direct descendants of his 1890s census machinery almost 100 years later.
This is an updated version of an article originally published on October 15, 2019.
David Lindsay Roberts, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, Prince George's Community College
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


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The Alluring World Of Lehenga Choli Online India
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2 Different locations and over 40 boats to choose from, book yours today
Arrived this morning and to my great surprise, Joel was able to upgrade me to a very comfy pontoon boat. In short, we had a BLAST! Gorgeous day, very nice boat, very easy to drive and handle. The tour that Dave recommended was excellent and we found our way easily using the GPS. Highly recommend this place!
— Dirk R.
Great staff and very helpful. They went above and beyond to help set us up and load. The boat was clean and worked great. Took out a pontoon boat for 4 hours. Great time and will be back!
— Marita W.
We had a top-notch experience renting boats to fish for the weekend in Key Largo! We were also staying in the AirBNB apartment on the property and so appreciated the friendliness and great customer service from all of the staff. I highly recommend renting from SandDollar and know that we'll be back for another great weekend with them!
— Melissa K.
I rented a pontoon from the company. I was quoted a price arriving 30 minutes prior to a group of 10 (3 being kids). The boat was really nice and very comfortable. I never had a problem with the boat. After a full day with the boat, we didn't use enough fuel so they gave a refund of fuel not used. Will be going again for sure.
— Kevin Scott
Love this place. This is my go-to spot for a great time out on the water. 30 minutes from Homestead, reliable boats and great price. We've seen dolphins, manatee, fish and birds. Gilbert's is along the way. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Guaranteed good time. Highly recommend.
— Yamberli C.
Boating with your family is a fun-filled activity. It's a great way to slow down,
View the BEWARE Boat Propellers… A Hidden Danger.
The risk is high and the consequences severe know the dangers and avoid being a victim of BUI.


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President Obama has used his executive power in many ways to expand the role of government. But there's one area that stands out: Obama's frequent and repeated use of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to issue emergency and disaster declarations.
Heritage's Matt Mayer reports that Obama "eviscerated the record books by issuing 243 declarations in 2011," continuing an alarming pattern that begin under President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush. Mayer says FEMA has become a "political pork-barrel spending agency."
The trend is illustrated in this week's chart, which portrays the use of major disaster declarations, emergency declarations, and fire management assistance declarations. The data dates back to the Eisenhower administration in 1953.
Obama is averaging 153 declarations per year. Bush comes in second with an eight-year average of 129.6.
Mayer says it's time to end the federalization of disasters. He wants Congress to clarify which disasters meet federal requirements, reduce the cost-sharing provision for all FEMA declarations, and overhaul existing FEMA processes and procedures.
Did you find this week's chart informative? Share your ideas for next week's chart in the comments below, send us an email at [email protected] or tweet @RobertBluey.
Source material can be found at this site.


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In Which Aviatrix falls so far into her own metaphors so as to no longer have room for the story she was trying to tell.
Sometimes I have discussions with people who don't seem to make sense. A lot of people have such discussions, which I think is why some people think liberals are stupid, some people think conservatives are ignorant, and why religion gets so much flak. It's far easier to assume that the person on the other side of the argument just doesn't get it, than to figure out the misunderstanding. I try to start with the assumption that the person is neither insane nor stupid, and go from there.
I had a months-long on-and-off internet argument with someone once. I thought it was a point of philosophy that I was begging him to compromise on for the sake of a project and he just kept throwing it back in my face, seemingly refusing to even acknowledge that there was a risk. That was finally resolved when we discovered two words crucial to the argument were synonyms to him, but had a vital contrast for me. Being that the argument was in text, his written English was near flawless, and the position he seemed to be taking was not uncommon, it took that long to track down the discrepancy. And this was an easy one, because it didn't really represent a difference in our underlying axioms.
By axioms I mean things that people believe or know in order to know or deduce anything else. Those of you with a mathematics background know that you can't have a system of knowledge without having some arbitrary ground rules first. Our mathematical system is based on axioms like things that are equal to the same thing are equal to one another. I mean duh!
The problem is, people often don't even know they have them. They build what may be a perfectly logical and coherent argument up from a base that the other person isn't standing on. It's like trying to get someone from an island over to your mainland by building a magnificent bridge between the mainland and completely different island. Here is where people start to think one another are insane morons. The islander says he can't drive over what the mainlander knows is an excellent bridge, so the mainlander decides it's all due to religious prejudice and gives up on islanders all together.
The nature of an axiom is that it is something so self-evident that it doesn't even need to be stated. So people assume that everyone accepts that axiom, or even when they know that some don't, they don't see that their logical arguments depend on it.
A common axiom of thought is that the world is God's divine creation and that He is omniscient and omnipotent. People for whom this is axiomatic can't prove it. They feel it, they know it, the enormity of creation demonstrates it. It is true because it is the original Truth. I need a short name for people who hold this to be a self-evident truth, and "creationist" won't do because believing in divine creation doesn't require belief that it happened in six days, six thousand years ago. I'll call them God-ists, because it's short. For the purpose of this discussion it carries no other meaning than "people for whom divine creation is a self-evident axiom," and I've made it up solely to abbreviate the phrase.
God-ists nowadays universally know that not everyone shares that belief, but it doesn't stop them from thinking arguments based on it should sway non-believers.
Don't think I'm being unfair to God-ists here. Their frequent adversaries, those whose axiom is that the universe is a completely logical place, entirely governed by forces that can be understood in a physical sense, often do not realize that that is an unprovable belief, an axiom that all their knowledge rests on. It is every bit as unprovable as the existence of an invisible pink unicorn. But many Sci-ists can't imagine someone being able to get through their daily life without seeing the self-evidence of this truth. They dismiss God-ists as deluded without it.
That's a simplistic presentation with lots of room to argue about. I only intended it as a familiar example. Many God-ists embrace the Sci-ist's axiom as a kind of Second Law of Godotics: "God set up the universe as a logical place, governed by physical forces, except for when He intervenes." That combination seems to be to be the closest fit to what we've observed, except that a Sci-ist states the identical observation as "The universe is a logical place, governed by physical forces, even when something happens that we don't yet know the physical explanation for." Just because once upon a time every sunset and sunrise was understandable only as an act of the gods and now we can understand the workings of cells and atoms doesn't mean that God didn't set it up that way, and just because we are unwinding more and more of the wrappings of our physical world doesn't mean that there isn't still something at the core that is not susceptible to physical laws.
Whew, this got way more theological than I intended. I wonder if that's the feeling of the theoretical physicists who end up writing books or participating in projects like What The Bleep Do We Know? when all they are doing is trying to understand chaos theory and the fundamental nature of energy and matter in a rigid scientific way. I think of science and religion both working on the same immense jigsaw puzzle, with science rigidly sorting out all the edge pieces and carefully fitting pieces one into the other, trying to build up in a consistent manner from the border to the inside, while religion plucks pieces out of the box and tries to fit them together without knowing or caring which way up they go or how they relate to the border. A lot of the tabs are very similar in shape and size, so quite often both parties make errors in fitting pieces together. Each trumpets the other's errors as evidence that the other is all wrong, and even spends some time trying to take apart the other's assembled pieces. The advance of science has now built the puzzle to the point that religion has had to realize that many of their pieces are from a different puzzle altogether, but I suspect we're just reaching the point where some of the pieces that religion has assembled are going to match up with what science has assembled. No one, of course, has access to the picture on the box. It's probably kittens with string.
Whee, that was so much fun I never got to the story. Next time. Oh and Canadians, don't think about it too long: your 2008 taxes have to be filed by midnight tonight.


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Providing targeted assistance – a sustained commitment to youth
Don Bosco Mondo provides targeted support for the projects of the Salesian Family, the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) and the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco (FMA) in Africa, Latin America and Asia. In 2020, Don Bosco Mondo funded 214 projects in 45 countries totalling 14,25 million euros.
Education and vocational training are the main focus of the NPO's work. Through skill training and holistic personality development, marginalised children and adolescents are empowered to become self-confident citizens who know their rights and are able to claim them. Through these efforts, Don Bosco Mondo is strengthening civil society in the project countries. The association promotes capacity development and fosters the creation of sustainable self-help structures as well as a strong financial foundation.
Funding priority is given to the following project areas:
- Vocational training
- Human and children's rights
- Emergency relief
- Street children projects
How is the support provided?
The local Salesian communities are responsible for planning and coordinating the projects. They apply for project-related funding to Don Bosco Mondo via the respective Project Development Office (PDO). It applies for funds from private supporting organisations, foundations, donors or the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In order to receive funding, a project must meet certain formal and content-related requirements, the adherence to which is controlled by the responsible project officer. The project officers also advise on and develop projects together with the communities.
What is funded?
A second chance for young offenders
In the Philippines, young offenders who are sent to prison are denied access to education or professional training, and thus the chance to lead a self-determined life. After their release from prison, they often find themselves in a vicious circle of poverty, crime and lack of perspective. To break this vicious circle and give these young people a second chance, Don Bosco Mondo has funded the equipment and extension of a residential home of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Liloan, Philippines, with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). At Magone Boys Home, up to 40 youth per year receive qualified vocational training courses and counselling from social workers. At the adjacent Don Bosco training centre, the young men undergo a ten-month training course in which they learn the practical and theoretical basics of welding, mechanics or electrics. This ensures that many of the young trainees will later find permanent employment and stand on their own two feet financially. Social workers support their reintegration and provide day-to-day assistance during and after their stay at the facility.
This pilot project was assessed by a team of international and local experts, with the primary aim of gathering experience and taking work forward in this area to create a sustainable solution. Don Bosco Mondo discussed the findings with the local Salesian community. The recommendations are already being implemented: The number of adolescents is reduced to ensure optimum care. Employees are systematically and continuously coached to develop their competencies. Public authorities are more closely involved to secure resources and continuity.
Self-employment: a way out of unemployment
The work of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Manzini, Swaziland focuses on education and youth welfare. Don Bosco Mondo has invested 40,000 euros for modernising and equipping the training centres in Manzini with support from German foundations. One- to two-year technical training programmes are offered in a wide variety of vocational skills including mechanics, electronics, metalwork and plumbing. A specialty in Manzini: The Don Bosco Skills Centre offers workshop space to local entrepreneurs at a minimal rate. In return, they agree to take on up to eight apprentices. Each year, 80 apprentices are given the chance to participate in the YES programme (Youth Entrepreneurship Service). This represents a real opportunity for the trainees: For one year, they receive in-depth business and marketing lessons in addition to their regular training. They also acquire computer skills and commit to a savings plan. The programme provides them with the necessary equipment to become self-employed entrepreneurs and work their way out of unemployment.
Learning from one another - a commitment to quality
For Don Bosco Mondo, lifelong learning means to actively improve the quality of one's own work as well as that of the local project partners. This involves the coordinated use of monitoring and evaluation instruments to follow up on the evolution of projects. The result is a mutual learning effect: Approaches that have proved successful can be intensified, while problems and challenges can be solved and discussed in networks and working groups with other stakeholders. This transparency not only promotes mutual trust, but also increases aid flows from donors who can be assured of the projects' effectiveness.


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The basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain had only one flaw: he couldn't shoot free throws. In 1962, Chamberlain switched to making his foul shots underhanded—and fixed his only weakness.
But then he switched back.
"The Big Man Can't Shoot" is a meditation on the puzzle of why smart people do dumb things—why excellence is such a difficult and elusive goal, even for the best-intentioned.
I'm really addicted to this podcast now.
Good ideas and why they have difficulty spreading. Somewhat related to the ideas in Made to Stick.


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Product Details:
Features: | Durable|Plastic | Size: | 48" L X 3/4" T X 12" W |
Application: | Storage|Pantry Storage | Color: | White|Brown|Grey Or Customized |
Length: | Customized|4ft|8ft | Surface: | Smooth |
Material: | Cellular PVC|Wood Plastic | Product Name: | Garage Wall Panels |
High Light: | wall cladding panels,garage wall paneling |
Decorative PVC Garage Wall Panel and Accessories for DIY Home
Quick Detail:
PVC slatwall
Size: 48" L x 3/4" T x 12" W (The length can be made in customization)
Color: White, Grey, Taupe and Wood grain;
1. Mounts easily to drywall or studs.
2. Durable easy to clean.
3.All the accessories are available.
Tongue and groove, top and bottom for large applications.
Slatwall is the cellular PVC designed to store and organize your garage. Used as a complete wall or
as a complement to your existing garage storage, Slatwall allows a flexible layout that easily adapts
to your storage needs.
Keep the garage clean by hanging everything from power tools to rakes to cabinets on the Slatwall
system. When it gets dirty, spray it down with a hose - Slatwall is impervious to water and the unique
profile prevents water from pooling at the bottom of the slat.
Strong and Durable
Water and moisture resistant, easy to clean
Smooth satin finish gives high-end aesthetic appeal
Somewhat scratch resistant with normal use, surface scratches can be easily repaired and are less noticeable because the material color is throughout product
Available in 8 and 4 foot lengths, custom lengths available
Compatible with standard slatwall accessories
Garage Wall Storage, Garden Tool Storage, Pantry Storage Ideas, Tool Storage Ideas, Craft Room
Organization Ideas, Pet Center storage ideas, Laundry Room Storage Solutions, Sports Equipment
Storage, Tack Storage Organization
Name |
Decorative PVC Garage Wall Panel and Accessories for DIY Home |
Length |
4ft, 8ft |
Color |
White, Grey, Taupe and Wood grain |
Material component |
100% cellular PVC or Wood plastic composite |
Surface |
Smooth |
Certificate |
ISO9001 , CE, SGS, Intertek |
Package |
Carton |
Range of use |
Garage, Storage room, Basement, Laundry |
Competitive Advantage:
We are professional in PVC extrusion products for more than 10 years. With advanced production
lines from Germany and Italy, we have a total annual capacity of over 5 million square meters PVC
wall and ceiling panels, over 6,000MT plastic-wood products, and over 2,000MT other PVC products.
Our company has strong technology capability. We have more than 20 engineers and technicians
who are specializing in developing new products. All kinds of types and design colors we have
developed are leading the fashion in Chinese decoration field. We have more than 140 chain shops
and own several patents in China. Our products sell well in Europe, the Middle East and North America.
Test Reprot:
Test Report No. AJD201206531 Date: NOV.27. 2012
The details of the tested specimen given below have been prepared from information provided by the
sponsor of the test. All values quoted are nominal, unless tolerances are given.
Name |
Color |
Grey |
Density |
5.38kg/m2 |
Exposed face:
The front face
The specimen was self-supporting and was placed directly on the inner ledges of the tunnel.
The specimen consisted of 12 pieces of 310mm wide* 1110mm long x 4.92mm thickness and 2 pieces of 310mm wide x 650mm long x 4.92mm thickness and all sections jointed end-to-end.
20 450 |
The National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code 101. Chapter 10. Section 10.2.3 "Interior
Wall and Ceiling Finish Classification", has a means of classifying materials with respect to Flame
Spread and Smoke Developed when tested in accordance with NFPA 255,ASTM E84, UL 723 "Method
of Test of Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials".
International Building Code, Chapter 8. Interior Finishes, Section 803 "Wall and Ceiling Finishes",
was classified in accordance with ASTM E 84 or UL 723. Such interior finish materials shall be
grouped in the following classes in accordance with their flame spread and smoke-developed indexes.
The classifications are as follows:
Class A Class B Class C |
Flame Spread Index 0-25 26-75 76-200 |
Since the tested sample received a Flame Spread Index 20 and a Smoke Developed 450, it would
meet the requirement of Class A interior Wall & Ceiling Finish Category.
Contact Person: Mr. Eric Zhu
Tel: 86-13665722500
Fax: 86-572-8082567


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Admission & Program FAQs
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is December 1st. If positions are still available, we will consider applicants who apply after this deadline. To find out if any positions are still available, you should contact the professor(s) with whom you want to work.
How to Apply
Applicants will submit an application online through the SLATE system. Begin by visiting graduate admissions and select "Apply." Applicants should select the start term and create an account (if a first-time user) or log in (if returning to continue an application).
- On the application's "Program Information page," select "Social and Behavioral Sciences" from the Academic Area of Interest.
- Under "Academic Program," search for "Behavioral Psychology (PhD)" if applying to the doctoral program or "Applied Behavioral Science (MA)" if applying to the MA program.
Fill out the online application and attach the required documents. Required documents to attach with the online application minimally include the following:
- Personal statement
- Vita
- 3 letters of Recommendation
- GRE (optional, but recommended)
- Copies of official transcripts. Student advising reports or documents titled "unofficial document/transcript" cannot be accepted for admission review. (Official transcripts with degree conferral will need to be obtained if accepted into the program). Note, former/current KU students are not required to provide copies of KU transcripts for application. If a degree was earned outside of KU, a copy of the official transcript must be provided.
- List of faculty members with whom the prospective student is interested in working
Is the GRE required?
- While students are not required to take the GRE, students who have done well on it may be at an advantage compared with others who have not taken the exam
- The Department considers students who may have less than perfect verbal or quantitative scores and they may still be strong candidates for graduate study. The average GRE scores for students in our master's program are 154.8 Verbal and 151.8 Quantitative.
Is there a minimum undergraduate GPA, below which my application will not be considered?
- No, but you must keep in mind that admission to graduate school is a competition.
- The most qualified applicant will be the one accepted. Having said that, we recognize that many students do poorly in their first year or two of undergraduate study.
- We also recognize that students with extensive math and/or physical science coursework on their transcripts may have lower GPA's than more traditionally trained undergraduate psychology majors.
- With respect to your academic record, we tend to look for students who posted a high GPA in their last two years and have taken (and done well in) coursework relevant to behavioral science.
Who reviews my application?
On the departmental application, you will indicate the faculty members with whom you would like to work. These faculty members will conduct the initial review of your application. From there, if a faculty member is interested in your application, he/she must obtain the consent of three other faculty members and the department's director of graduate training before your name can be forwarded to the KU Graduate School with our recommendation to accept.
What happens after I submit my application?
- Shortly after the application deadline, the ABS faculty will review all completed applications. This process may take several weeks to complete as it must be coordinated with the KU Graduate School.
- If one of the professors puts you on their shortlist of candidates, then that professor will contact you.
- The professor will usually invite you to visit KU and discuss how your career goals may be compatible with the activities of that professor. Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit KU if invited to do so.
- The professor with whom you interviewed will notify you of his/her decision in a timely fashion.
- Ultimately, students must be accepted by the professor in the ABS department and the KU Graduate School (a separate entity). Students are not admitted into the program without both acceptances.
When do you typically know if you will be accepted to the program?
- First, applicants should know that each applicant must be accepted by a faculty member of the ABS department and the KU Graduate School (a separate entity). If both of these requirements are met, only then will the student be admitted into the ABS program. For example, it is possible to be accepted by the KU Graduate School and not accepted by a faculty member. In this situation (and similar situations), the student would not be accepted into the ABS program.
- Shortly after the application deadline, the ABS faculty will review all completed applications. This process may take several weeks to complete as it must be coordinated with the KU Graduate School. If one of the faculty members puts you on their shortlist of candidates, then that faculty member will contact you and invite you to an interview. The faculty member will usually invite you to visit KU and discuss how your career goals may be compatible with the activities of that professor. Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit KU if invited to do so. Following the interview, the faculty member will either invite you to join their lab or, most likely, place you on their waiting list. If you are placed on the waiting list, the faculty member will usually contact you with a final decision within a few weeks. The professor with whom you interviewed will notify you of their decision in a timely fashion.
Does the graduate program offer funding and/or tuition waivers or reimbursement?
- Funding for graduate students depends on the faculty advisor and his or her sources of funding (e.g., grants, clinical work, etc.). Currently, the majority of the students in the doctoral program have funding.
- While some faculty can offer graduate teaching or research assistantships, the department does not guarantee funding. Contact the faculty with whom you would like to work to learn more about funding opportunities they may provide for you
How long does it typically take to complete the program?
- M.A. - Generally, students complete all requirements for the MA degree in 2 to 3 years.
- Ph.D. - If a student enters with a master's degree, it is expected that the student will complete the requirements for the Ph.D. degree within four years.
- Both - Students who enter the department with a bachelor's degree are required to complete the requirements for the master's degree before pursuing the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Typically, students will complete the requirements for the master's degree within 3 years and the requirements for the Ph.D. degree within 4 to 7 years.
Does the ABS department offer courses and supervision that fulfill the requirements of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)?
- The ABS Department currently offers a course sequence that fulfills the BACB education requirements. The ABS department does not programmatically offer supervision. However, many faculty will provide the supervision necessary to fulfill the BACB supervision requirements. If you are interested, you should discuss this with faculty with whom you are interested in studying.
- You may visit the BACB website for eligibility and exam information.
Is the ABS program accredited through the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)?
Yes, the master's and doctoral programs are currently accredited by the ABAI through 2025.
Can people work/do research with faculty other than their advisor?
Students are typically admitted to work with one faculty member. In addition, students are often very busy conducting either their own research under supervision of their faculty advisor or conducting research that is part of their advisor's line of research. Further, the faculty member with whom the student wishes to work may not have sufficient time or resources to supervise an additional graduate student. However, there is nothing that prohibits the practice of working/doing research with multiple faculty members. Applicants are encouraged to discuss this with the faculty members with whom they may be interested in working.
Are you expected to stay in Lawrence for the summer?
This depends on the needs and requirements of your faculty supervisor. Some faculty supervise clinical and research programs that are in operation whenever KU is in session and some faculty supervise clinical and research programs that are open year-round. If your faculty supervisor does not work during the summer, it is still expected that you work on projects that contribute to your progress as a student, such as continued exposure to the literature and writing manuscripts.
My question didn't appear in this list.
Contact the department at firstname.lastname@example.com with your question.


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Bosch supports psychological health of its associates
- Central works agreement on supporting psychological health
- Healthcare as an integral part of a flexible working culture
- Chief personnel officer Kübel: "Diagnose and prevent psychological stress"
- Chairman of the combined works council Löckle: "Act before it's too late"
Stuttgart, Germany, July 31, 2015 – Bosch is adding a healthcare element to its flexible working culture. In particular, the supplier of technology and services is pledging to protect and support its associates' mental health. Together with employee representatives, Bosch has drawn up a central works agreement on this issue for its German locations. The agreement is scheduled to take effect on August 1, 2015. It provides for additional preventive, rehabilitation, and reintegration measures to supplement the company health management program. The aim is to identify psychological stress at an early stage, to heighten associates' and supervisors' awareness of this issue, and to provide integrated support programs. The hope is that the agreement will help the issue of mental health to be dealt with more openly. And although psychological stress can be triggered by events both on and off the job, its effects often manifest themselves at the workplace. For this reason, Bosch regards the new regulations as a contribution to better work-life balance.
Supporting health, preventing stress
Commenting on the new central works agreement, Christoph Kübel, the director of industrial relations at Robert Bosch GmbH, says: "Healthy working conditions help people do their job well and also enhance their sense of well-being outside the workplace. That is why we want to prevent psychological stress and deal responsibly with this issue in our interpersonal relationships. Such conditions are part and parcel of modern life , but they are often swept under the carpet." In Kübel's view, it is important to create an atmosphere of understanding at the workplace as well, and be able to talk openly about this issue.
Anyone can be affected: creating understanding and sensitivity
With the new agreement, Bosch is adding to its company health management program, particularly when it comes to preventing mental illness. The new program element makes use of media such as leaflets, events, e-learning courses, and forums on the Bosch intranet. In addition, supervisors will receive a special guide to dealing with psychologically distressed associates. "Everyone deals with stress and pressure differently. It's important for people to know what the sources of stress are, and to work with their supervisor to find a remedy if stress becomes excessive," says Dr. Falko Papenfuss, the chief medical officer at Bosch. It is therefore scheduled to make a training program available for all supervisors by 2016 at the latest. "We hope this measure will make all associates aware of the causes of psychological stress – stress that can have a negative impact and even do permanent harm to health."
Germany-wide network: making it easy to get help
"Nobody is immune to psychological stress, whether the pressure comes from outside or within," says Alfred Löckle, the chairman of the combined works council at Robert Bosch GmbH. "But offers of preventive help have to be accepted by supervisors and associates alike, before it's too late. Hence this agreement. We want to do away with the stigma that attaches to mental illness, and make it easier to address such conditions openly." To facilitate this, Bosch is establishing a comprehensive network of contacts. In addition to direct supervisors, the focus will shift further toward company medical services, in-house social services, and in-house integration teams. The employee representatives are also available as a first point of contact for confidential consultation. At each location, they will receive extra training as in-house contact persons. When it comes to rehabilitation and reintegration into working life, existing programs for assistance and dialogue are being systematically expanded and networked. The aim of these programs is to support associates confronted with extreme stress situations, and to help them become fit for their jobs again.
Protecting anonymity and personal privacy
When designing these preventive and assistance services, special attention was paid to ensuring anonymity, data protection, and personal privacy. Following any initial consultation with associates suffering mental stress, for example, supervisors are obliged to refer them to in-house specialists. At Bosch, therefore, rehabilitation and reintegration measures are accompanied by company medical personnel, who have to maintain doctor-patient confidentiality. In-house social services conduct confidential advisory sessions either directly or together with external specialists. For this purpose, Bosch has a number of cooperation and service agreements in place with inpatient and outpatient facilities and agencies from the public healthcare system. Associates whose health insurance is covered by Bosch BKK receive fast access to consultant neurologists or specialists in psychosomatic conditions.
Mental illness in Germany
Although psychological stress may have its causes at work or outside work, its effects may only become evident at the workplace. In Germany, workers themselves frequently do not recognize psychological stress, and if they do, they will often try to suppress or hide it for fear of jeopardizing their careers. When consulting primary care physicians, patients will generally describe physical symptoms, but rarely touch on psychological symptoms. The result of this reticence is that many workers become seriously ill on the job and miss more days of work than others. According to the 2014 BKK health report, associates with psychological conditions are on sick leave an average of 40 days each year, which is longer than associates with heart and cardiovascular problems, who miss an average of 22 days. The 2012 Stress Report Germany indicates that healthy leadership behavior protects worker health. Of those workers who receive support from their supervisor on a day-to-day basis, only 17 percent complain of health issues. In cases when workers seldom receive assistance or none at all, the number of those who fall ill increases to 38 percent. According to the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the total annual number of working days lost due to mental illness increased from approximately 34 to 60 million days between 2001 and 2012.
About Bosch
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 360,000 associates worldwide (as per April 1, 2015). The company generated sales of 49 billion euros in 2014.* Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including its sales and service partners, Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2014, Bosch applied for some 4,600 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group's strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is "Invented for life."
The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering." The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.
*The sales figure disclosed for 2014 does not include the former joint ventures BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH) and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH), which have since been taken over completely.
SOURCE: Bosch


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In 1935, Erwin Schrödinger, one of the inventors of quantum mechanics, illustrated his discomfort with the theory by pointing out that its extension to the macroscopic world could lead to bizarre situations such as a cat being simultaneously alive and dead, a so-called superposition state. Today, we can create analogous situations on a small scale, such as putting an atom in a "bowl" and placing it on the left and right sides of the bowl simultaneously.
Superpositions can be used as clocks. For example, the wave function that describes the superposition of two different energy levels in an atom oscillates at a frequency given by the energy level difference divided by Planck's constant. The duration required to count a prescribed number of these oscillations can be used to define a unit of time such as the second. Today, atomic clocks run at rates that are uncertain at a level of only 1 part in 1017.
Superpositions might also be useful for computation. For example, two energy levels in an atom, labeled "0" and "1," can be used to store information like the bits in our laptops. However, as in the atom/bowl experiment, we can arrange the quantum bit to be in a superposition, thereby storing both states of the bit simultaneously. This property leads to a memory and processing capacity that increases exponentially with the number of bits. This and a related property called "entanglement" would enable a quantum computer to efficiently solve certain classes of problems that are intractable on conventional computers. So far, scientists have constructed quantum computers composed of only a few bits, but with advances in technology, a useful processor may someday become a reality. A macroscopic quantum processor would realize a close analog to Schrödinger's cat. These topics will be briefly discussed in the context of trapped atomic ions.
Additional reading:
Nielsen, M. A. & Chuang, I. L. Quantum Computation and Quantum Information (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 2000)
"Entangled states of trapped atomic ions," R. Blatt and D. Wineland, Nature 453, 1008-1015 (2008).


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While your team may not have made it to the final game, the Superbowl is the perfect excuse to bring together your family and friends for a day of fun. Whether the 49ers or the Chiefs win, you can throw a party that will be sure to win.
Here are a few tips that will help you throw the best Superbowl party on the block.
Have great snacks
Having the best food is an easy way to guarantee your guests will have a great time. Consider making football-themed snacks or if you want to be a little more festive, try your hand at Latin food (maybe Cubanos!) to celebrate the game taking place in Miami, a place known for their love of Latin food!
Make themed drinks
While beer is definitely known as the drink of football, you can use this opportunity to create a themed beverage based on the team of your choice (or both!) that can be served both with and without alcohol, especially if kids will be around during the party.
Check your channels
Make sure before you begin any planning, you have the channel that will be playing the Superbowl this year!
Make your own games
Guests love to be engaged. Keep them involved by having everyone rate the commercials or take prop bets – like who will be MVP or if the halftime performer will get caught lip-synching!
Have fun!
Especially if you're a fan of a team in the game, keep in mind that it is just a game! Enjoy the company of your loved ones and have fun!!


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Lake Sludge Remover Packs – 384 Packs
Aquascape Lake Sludge Remover Packs eliminate organic sludge or muck from lakes and large ponds, enhancing water clarity and quality while removing odors. The easy-to-use water-soluble packs dose the sludge layer directly and make it easy to spot-treat or treat hard-to-reach areas. This treatment works great on lake bottoms, beach areas, and shorelines. The packs contain all active ingredients with no harmful fillers or binders and an added carbon source aids in proper denitrification. Lake Sludge Remover Packs slowly release oxygen to maximize sludge reduction and include added macrobiotics to effectively reduce sludge between doses. This treatment is for lake and large pond use only and may cause issues in smaller enclosed systems. Safe for fish, plants, and animals when used as directed.
Eliminates sludge or muck to enhance water clarity and quality while removing odors
Water-soluble packs dose sludge directly and make it easy to spot-treat and treat hard-to-reach areas
Contain all active ingredients with no fillers or binders
Slowly releases oxygen to maximize sludge reduction
1 pack treats up to 250 square feet of water


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The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on SB 1070, Arizona's controversial immigration law, on Wednesday. Here are three tidbits to keep in mind:
There are four separate provisions at issue. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals prevented four parts of Arizona's SB 1070 immigration law from taking effect:
- A provision compelling police to question the immigration status of individuals they suspect are undocumented
- A provision allowing police to arrest such individuals without a warrant
- A provision making it a state crime to work without authorization
- A provision making it a state crime for immigrants to walk around without their federal papers (hence why detractors refer to SB 1070 as Arizona's "papers please" law)
"It's conceivable that the court could rule for the federal government on some sections and for Arizona on others," says Omar Jadwat, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's Immigrant Rights Project. "We believe all four sections are unconstitutional."
Only eight justices will be ruling on the case. Justice Elena Kagan has recused herself from the SB 1070 case because she worked on it during her time as solicitor general. That means that if the Democratic appointees vote to strike down the law and manage to peel off one conservative, the high court will be left with a 4-4 tie. If that happens, the lower court ruling will stand, but it will only have "persuasive," rather than "binding" authority over courts in other jurisdictions. Other courts have to consider the lower court's "persuasive authority" ruling but won't have to reach decisions that fit with its conclusion.
In the case of a tie, "the court won't issue an opinion—it'll affirm the provision below, which means all four provisions will continue to be suspended," Jadwat says. "There won't be an opinion like you usually get in a case, because there won't be a majority for any particular view." But if this case ends in a tie, there's no guarantee a sequel will: Kagan probably won't have to recuse herself from future challenges to state laws that have used SB 1070 as a model.
The government's argument has nothing to do with racial profiling. Despite some rhetorical acknowledgements of the law's problematic racial context, the Obama administration declined to include racial profiling in its challenge of the law, relying instead on the argument that Arizona has unconstitutionally usurped the federal government's authority on immigration. (Organizations have filed friend-of-the-court briefs arguing that the law will lead to racial profiling.) Article I of the US Constitution says Congress has the authority to "establish a uniform rule of naturalization." In previous rulings, the court has held that "Congress' power over immigration is plenary, meaning complete, as long as it doesn't violate any other constitutional principles," explains Adam Winkler, a law professor at UCLA. Arizona is arguing that SB 1070 actually complements federal law, rather than interfering with it.
"The federal government's policy on immigration is to focus on serious crimes, in part because of a lack of resources," Winkler says. "Arizona's policy will force the federal government to expend resources enforcing the immigration law in ways the federal government does not wish to do."


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The credits began to roll on "Saturday Night Live," but musical guest Kanye West still had plenty to say.
After performing several songs on the show Saturday, the rapper went on a rant about President Trump as "SNL" went off the air.
West's comments were captured by comedian and former "SNL" cast member Chris Rock, who posted a video on Instagram Stories from his verified account.
"I want to cry right now, black man in America, supposed to keep what you're feeling inside right now," West sang while wearing what appeared to be a "Make America Great Again" hat.
The musical artist has long drawn controversy for his vocal support of President Trump and other, inflammatory comments.
"There's so many times I talk to like a white person about this and they say, 'How could you like Trump? He's racist,'" West said from the stage as other musicians, cast members and guests -- including Saturday's host, Adam Driver -- stood behind him.
"Well, if I was concerned about racism I would've moved out of America a long time ago."
West also said that the country needs to have "a dialogue and not a diatribe." His speech was met with a mix of boos and cheers from the audience.
When contacted by CNN, NBC said it had no comment on West's remarks.
The rant followed a performance earlier in the show that had West, along with Lil Pump and Adele Givens, sing a new song, "I Love It," while dressed as a bottle of sparkling water.
Those on social media found the musical performance worth watching but kind of bizarre.
"I'm watching Kanye on SNL and is it possible I inhaled some LSD," tweeted Sopan Deb, a culture writer for the New York Times.
West alluded to his "SNL" performance Sunday by tweeting an image of his wife, Kim Kardashian West, spraying water from a bottle Photoshopped to look like her husband.
It's a playful reference to a famous 2014 magazine cover in which Kardashian West sprayed Champagne from a bottle into a glass perched on her butt.
See the full rant below.