document_title: Arati Saha

question_text: who was the first indian to cross english channel

text: Arati Saha

text: Early life[edit]

text: Arati came from a middle class Bengali Hindu family. She was born the second of three children and the first of two daughters to Panchugopal Saha in 1940 in Kolkata. Her father was an ordinary employee in the armed forces.[2] At the age of two and half, she lost her mother. Her elder brother and younger sister Bharati was raised at the maternal uncle's house, while she was raised by her grandmother in North Kolkata.

text: When she reached the age of four, she would accompany her uncle to the Champatala Ghat for bath where she learned to swim. Noticing his daughter's interest in swimming, Panchugopal Saha admitted his daughter to the Hatkhola Swimming Club. In 1946, at the age of five, she won the gold in 110 yards freestyle at the Shailendra Memorial Swimming Competition. It was the beginning of her swimming career.

text: Career[edit]

text: State, national and Olympics[edit]

text: Between 1946 and 1956, Arati participated in several swimming competitions. Between 1945 and 1951 she won 22 state-level competitions in West Bengal.[2] Her main events were 100 metres freestyle, 100 metres breast stroke and 200 metres breast stroke.[2] She came second only to Dolly Nazir of Bombay.[2]

text: In 1948, she participated in the national championship held at Mumbai. She won silver in 100 metres freestyle and 200 metres breast stroke and won bronze in 200 metres freestyle. She made an all-India record in 1949. At the 1951 West Bengal state meet, she clocked 1 minute 37.6 seconds in 100 metres breast stroke and broke Dolly Nazir's all-India record.[2] At the same meet, she set new state-level record in 100 metres freestyle, 200 metres freestyle and 100 metres back stroke.[2]

text: She represented India at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics along with compatriot Dolly Nazir.[3] She was one of the four women participants and the youngest member of the Indian contingent. At the Olympics, she took part in 200 metres breast stroke event. At the heats she clocked 3 minutes 40.8 seconds. After returning from the Olympics, she lost in 100 metres freestyle to her sister Bharati Saha. After the loss, she concentrated only on breast stroke.

text: Crossing the English Channel[edit]

text: She used to take part in long distance swimming competition in the Ganges. Arati got the first inspiration to cross the English Channel from Brojen Das. At the 1958 Butlin International Cross Channel Swimming Race, Brojen Das became the first among the men and earned the distinction of being the first person from the Indian subcontinent to cross the English Channel. Greta Andersen, a Danish-born female swimmer from United States clocked 11 hours and 1 minute and stood first among both men and women. This inspired the female swimmers all over the world. Arati sent a congratulatory message to Brojen Das on his victory. He replied back stating that she too shall be able to achieve it. He proposed the name of Arati to the organizers of the Butlin International Cross Channel Swimming Race for the next year's event.

text: At the inspiration of Brojen Das, Arati began to seriously think about participating in the event. Mihir Sen welcomed her decision and encouraged her. Dr. Arun Gupta, the assistant executive secretary of Hatkhola Swimming Club took the major initiative in organising Arati's participation at the event. He organised exhibits of Arati's swimming prowess as a part of fund raising programs. Apart from him, Jamininath Das, Gour Mukherjee and Parimal Saha too provided their help in organising Arati's trip. However, in spite of sincere efforts of her sympathizers, funds raised still fell short of the target. At this point eminent social work Sambhunath Mukherjee and Ajay Ghoshal took up the matter with Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the Chief Minister of West Bengal. He arranged an amount of ₹ 11,000. Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, too showed keen interest in Arati's endeavour.

text: While the logistics of her trip was being arranged, Arati began her training. A major component of her preparation was swimming for long hours. On 13 April 1959, Arati swam continuously for eight hours at the pond in Deshbandhu Park, in the presence of renowned swimmers and thousands of supporters. Later she swam continuously for 16 hours. She sprinted the last 70 metres and showed almost no signs of fatigue. On 24 July 1959, she left for England along with her manager Dr. Arun Gupta. After basic practice, she started her final practice at the English Channel from 13 August. During this time, she was mentored by Dr. Bimal Chandra, who was also participating at the 1959 Butlin International Cross Channel Swimming Race. He had arrived in England from another swimming competition in Naples in Italy.

text: A total of 58 participants including 5 women from 23 countries took part in the competition. The race was scheduled on 27 August 1959 at 1 am local time from Cape Gris Nez, France to Sandgate, England. However, the pilot boat of Arati Saha did not arrive in time. She had to start late by 40 minutes and lost the favourable condition. By 11 am, she had swum more than 40 miles and came within 5 miles of the England coast. At that point she faced a strong current from the opposite direction. As a result, by 4 pm, she could only swim about two more miles. While she was still determined to carry on, she had to quit under pressure from her pilot.

text: In spite of the failure, Arati was determined not to give up. She prepared herself for a second attempt. Her manager Dr. Arun Gupta's illness made her situation difficult, but she carried on with her practice. On 29 September 1959, she made her second attempt. Starting from Cape Gris Nez, France, she swam for 16 hours and 20 minutes, batting tough waves and covered 42 miles to reach Sandgate, England. On reaching the coast of England, she hoisted the Indian flag. Vijaylakshmi Pandit was the first to congratulate her. Jawahar Lal Nehru and many eminent people personally congratulated her. On 30 September, the All India Radio announced the achievement of Arati Saha.

text: Later life[edit]

text: Arati had completed her Intermediate from City College. In 1959, under the supervision of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, she got married to her manager Dr. Arun Gupta. First they had a court marriage and later a social marriage. Her in law's house was in Tarak Chatterjee Lane, very near to her grandmother's house. After marriage she had a daughter named Archana. She was employed in Bengal Nagpur Railway. On 4 August 1994, she got admitted to a private nursing home in Kolkata with jaundice and encephalitis. After battling for 19 days, she died on 23 August 1994.

text: Recognition[edit]

text: She was awarded Padma Shri in 1960. In 1999, the Department of Posts celebrated her conquest by bringing out a postage stamp of ₹ 3 denomination. In 1996, a bust of Arati Saha was erected near her residence.[4] The 100-metre long lane in front the bust was renamed after her.[4]


document_title: Westmoreland Parish

question_text: what is the name of the plain in westmoreland

root

text: Westmoreland Parish

text: Brief history[edit]

text: The earliest inhabitants of Westmoreland were the Arawak and Ciboney Indians.[3] The Ciboney were first to arrive from the coast of South America around 500 BC.[4] Known as "cave dwellers," they lived along the cliffs of Negril. The labyrinth of caves and passageways beneath what is now the Xtabi Hotel in Negril are one of the first known settlements of Ciboney Indians in Jamaica.

tag: p

text: Christopher Columbus stopped at what became Westmoreland on his second voyage when he landed in Jamaica. One of the first Spanish settlements was also built at present-day Bluefields in this parish.

text: The English took over the island from Spanish rule in 1665. Colonists named the parish Westmoreland in 1703, as it was the most westerly point of the island. In 1730, Savanna-la-Mar, a coastal port, was designated to replace Banbury as the capital of the parish. A fort was built in the 1700s to defend the port against pirates. Today it is one of the historic sites of the parish.

text: The name Westmoreland appears to stem from Dr John Drummond (1744-1804) who had several plantations on the island (foremost being the Drummond Estate) plus vast lands at Savanna-la-Mar which had been owned by his parents. He was surgeon to the Westmoreland Regiment of Foot from 1784. This British Regiment were officially on the island from 1802 to 1813[5] but the name appears to pre-date this as John Drummond refers to his "Westmoreland estate" in his will of 1793.[6]

text: In 1938, riots at the Frome sugar estate, changed the course of Jamaica's history. In the wake of these riots, the legislature passed universal adult suffrage in 1944, as well as a new constitution, which was approved by the Crown. This put Jamaica on the road to self government and eventually independence. The two national heroes, Sir Alexander Bustamante and Norman Washington Manley, emerged as political leaders during this time.

text: Geography[edit]

text: Westmoreland has an area of 807 square kilometres (312 sq mi), making it Jamaica's eighth largest parish. Westmoreland's population of 144,817 is made up of a large percentage of ethnic East Indians, descendants of Indentured laborers who came to Jamaica from India to work after Britain abolished slavery in 1833 and the demand for labor remained high. Many intermarried with people of African descent, and the multi-racial descendants are known locally as "half indian."

text: There are over 40 square kilometres (10,000 acres) of morass land, the largest part of which is called the Great Morass. This contains plant and animal material collected over centuries. The morass can be mined as peat, an excellent source of energy. The marsh serves as a natural and unique sanctuary for a wide variety of Jamaican wildlife and birds. The remaining area consists of several hills of moderate elevation, and alluvial plains along the coast.

text: Numerous rivers run through the parish. The Cabaritta River, which is 39.7 km long, drains the George's Plain and can accommodate ships weighing up to eight tons. Other rivers include the Negril, New Savanna, Morgan's, Gut, Smithfield, Bowens, Bluefields, Robins, Roaring, Great and Dean.

text: The westernmost tip of the island, Negril Point, is the site of the Negril Lighthouse.

text: Commerce[edit]

text: As a result of the fertile plains, the parish thrives on agriculture, mainly sugarcane, which offers direct employment. Other agricultural products include bananas, coffee, ginger, cocoa, pimento, honey, rice, and breadfruit. Pastoralism is also practised; the rearing of cattle, horses, and mules, as well as fishing —there are 19 fishing beaches with over 90 boats engaged in the industry. Manufacturing is the third largest sector. Manufactured items include food and drink, tobacco, animal feeds, textile and textile products.

text: Negril is one of the main tourist destinations in Jamaica. Since the 1950s tourism has been the single fastest growing sector. The major hotels are Couples Swept Away (the northern half of which is technically in Hanover),[7] Poinciana Beach Resort and Negril Beach Club.[8] There are another 200+ resorts and 200+ bars and restaurants.

text:
Seaford Town
Bridgewater
Negril
Petersfield
Roaring River Park
Savanna-la-Mar
Mayfield Falls

tag: ul


document_title: Weighted Airman Promotion System

question_text: how many promotion points is a bronze star worth air force

text: Weighted Airman Promotion System

text: Online score calculator[edit]

text: The WAPS Promotion Score Calculator is used by enlisted airmen to estimate the minimum test score for promotion to the next enlisted rank. Users enter the promotion year, enlisted grade, their "Total Active Federal Military Service Date", date of their last promotion, EPRs, military decorations, and an estimate of the "Air Force Promotion Cutoff Score" in the Web page's form. The calculator displays the estimated score if the airman is eligible for promotion during the promotion cycle.

text: Number of promotions[edit]

text: Each year, The Air Force determines the number of promotions needed to fulfill mission requirements and manning goals as set forth by law and regulation. The Air Force then divides these slots by percentages across its various Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs), with a few career fields receiving a few extra slots. The result is a system in which each candidate for promotion only competes against those in the same Air Force Specialty (AFS). The numbers of promotion slots are not disclosed until after testing.

text: Points[edit]

text: Eligible candidates receive points based on a number of criteria, including awards and decorations, Enlisted Performance Report (EPR) points, Promotion Fitness Examination (PFE) points, and Specialty Knowledge Test (SKT) points. Fractions of points are awarded for certain categories, resulting in scores that are not whole numbers. Candidates with the highest numbers of points, up to the promotion allowance in each career field, are promoted.

text: The score of the last person promoted is known as the cutoff. The cutoff can gauge how narrowly a given candidate missed a promotion. The cutoff score varies because of variations in both the number of promotion slots and the number of points earned by the top candidates.

text: Awards and decorations[edit]

text: For awards and decorations, a maximum of 25 points is allowed. Point values follow order of precedence.

text:
1 pt – Achievement Medal (all versions)
3 pts – Commendation Medal (all versions)
3 pts – Aerial Achievement Medal
3 pts – Air Medal
5 pts – Meritorious Service Medal
5 pts – Defense Meritorious Service Medal
5 pts – Purple Heart
5 pts – Bronze Star
5 pts – Airman's Medal
7 pts – Distinguished Flying Cross
7 pts – Defense Superior Service Medal
7 pts – Legion of Merit
9 pts – Silver Star
9 pts – Distinguished Service Medal
9 pts – Defense Distinguished Service Medal
11 pts – Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, or Distinguished Service Cross
15 pts – Medal of Honor (Note: Promotion to next highest grade usually will occur the first day of the month following awarding of MOH)

text: Enlisted Performance Reports[edit]

text: The maximum allowance for Enlisted Performance Reports (EPRs) is 250 points. Take all EPRs from the last 3 years, not to exceed 10 EPRs. Multiply each EPR rating (1 through 5) by the time weighted factor:

text:
50 for the most recent report
30 for the next most recent
20 for the next

text: and so on, with each weighted factor decreasing by five points for each report, down to a last one of 5 (if there are 10 EPRs). Take the final product from each report and multiply each by 27. Add all of those products together.

text: Separately add up the sum of the time weighted factors. Divide the sum products of the reports by the sum of the time weighted factors. This final number is the number of points awarded for EPRs.

text: Promotion Fitness Examination (PFE)[edit]

text: The Promotion Fitness Examination is a test of material taken from the Professional Development Guide.[1] It covers a wide range of US Air Force knowledge, including history, organization, regulations, practices, traditions, and customs. The number of PFE points awarded is equal to the number of correct responses out of the 100 items on the exam.

text: Specialty knowledge test (SKT)[edit]

text: The Specialty Knowledge Test is a multiple choice test consisting of 100 questions. Test material is taken from the Career Development Course (CDCs) and applicable Air Force instructions and manuals for each AFSC, as the SKT is specific to a candidate's AFSC. The number of points earned on the SKT is the number of points awarded toward promotion.

text: Some members do not take the SKT. A common reason for this is that a candidate is performing a special duty and does not have CDCs. In other cases, candidates are in the process of retraining and have not completed the CDCs for the new role. Other candidates may not have access to their CDCs for one reason or another. When a candidate does not take the SKT, the PFE score counts again in place of the SKT. This is termed either "PFE only" or "SKT exempt".

text: Taking the tests is known as "WAPS testing" or "promotion testing".

text: Line numbers[edit]

text: When promotions have been determined, a list is drawn up and each person is assigned a promotion sequence number, commonly known as a line number. The line number dictates the order in which candidates will be promoted, as if all of the promotees were waiting in a line. Line numbers are issued according to time in current grade, not by promotion scores, as is frequently perceived. Line numbers are assigned across the entire Air Force rather than by AFSC. Promotions begin in September and continue each month (on the first of the month) for 12 months for SSgts. TSgt and MSgt promotions start in August.

text: Criticisms[edit]

text: The promotion system has come under heavy criticism from all ranks in the Air Force. The primary complaint is that the EPR system has become "inflated,"[2] with most average and above average individuals (including the stellar performers) receiving scores of five. Academic testing thus becomes a major deciding factor, which may not be a true indication of readiness for leadership and responsibility.[3]


document_title: Flag of Jamaica

question_text: what does the color in the jamaican flag stand for

text: Flag of Jamaica

text: Design and symbolism[edit]

text: The present design emerged from those sent in by the public in a national competition. It was originally designed with horizontal stripes, but this was considered too similar to the flag of Tanganyika (as it was in 1962, only the yellow stripes are thinner), and so the saltire was substituted.

text: An earlier interpretation of the colors was, "hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shineth" as stated in the government Ministry Paper 28 - National Flag dated May 22nd 1962. Gold recalls the shining sun, black reflects hardships, and green represents the land. It was changed in 1996 to black representing the strength and creativity of the people which has allowed them to overcome the odds, yellow for the wealth of the country and the golden sunshine, and green for the lush vegetation of the island. The change was made on the recommendation of The Committee to Examine National Symbols and National Observances appointed by the then Prime Minister the Hon P. J. Patterson and chaired by the Hon. Prof. Milton "Rex" Nettleford. The flag is blazoned: Per saltire vert and sable, a saltire Or.

text: Etiquette[edit]

text: Standard etiquette applies in Jamaica to use of the national flag, primarily ensuring it is always the primary flag flown and is in good condition. The National Flag Code (a set of rules that owners of a flag should follow) was instituted by the government.

text: Jamaica's state ensign is a Blue Ensign with the Jamaican national flag in the canton; it is normally only used by the Jamaican Government. Jamaica's naval ensign is a White Ensign with a Saint George's Cross and the Jamaican national flag in the canton, although due to the island's lack of a navy, it is normally only used by the Jamaican Coast Guard. It mimics the naval ensigns of other Commonwealth countries such as Bahamas, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.

text: Historical flags[edit]

text:
1875–1906

 1906–1957

 1957–1962

 1962


document_title: Quantum of Solace (soundtrack)

question_text: who did the song for quantum of solace

question_tokens: who did the song for quantum of solace

text: Quantum of Solace (soundtrack)

text: Development[edit]

text: David Arnold, who composed the scores for the previous four Bond films, said that Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster likes to work very closely with his composers and that, in comparison to the accelerated schedule he was tied to on Casino Royale, the intention was to spend a long time scoring the film to "really work it out". He also said he would be "taking a different approach" with the score.[1] Arnold composed the music based on impressions from reading the script, and Forster edited those into the film.[2]

text: Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse recorded a demo track for the film,[3] but Ronson explained that she was "not ready to record any music" at that time.[4] It was announced Jack White of The White Stripes and Alicia Keys would collaborate on "Another Way to Die", which is the first duet in Bond music history, on 29 July 2008.[5][6] They had wanted to work together for two years beforehand.[7] The song was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee; White played the drums while Keys performed on the piano.[8] The Memphis Horns also contributed to the track.[7] White's favourite Bond theme is John Barry's instrumental piece for On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and he watched various opening credit sequences from the series for inspiration while mixing the track.[8]

text: The soundtrack was released by J Records, Keys' record label, though Keys appears on only one track. The track listing follows the order of the music's use within the film, with the exception of the title song being moved to the end of the album (in the film, it appears immediately after track 1). It is presented in the full-length single-release version, rather than the shorter mix heard over the film's opening titles. One notable omission is the fully orchestrated James Bond Theme, which features, as it did in Casino Royale, only at the film's conclusion, but this time over the traditional gunbarrel walk-on-and-shoot as well as the start of the end titles. Another omission is Four Tet's instrumental closing theme that follows it, playing over the remainder of the credits and entitled Crawl, End Crawl within them. This track was later made available on iTunes. Other tracks listed are heard in the film (but not on the album) during scenes such as Dominic Greene's charity fundraising party Jaime Cuadra - Cholo Soy, Jaime Cuadra - Regresa, Jaime Cuadra - El Provinciano; and Puccini's opera Tosca forms the backdrop to a key sequence. Vesper's Theme from Arnold's Casino Royale soundtrack reappears at key moments in the film; it may be heard on the album in tracks 12, 15, 18 and 23.

text: Track listing[edit]

text: All music composed by David Arnold unless stated otherwise.

text:
No.
Title
Length

1.
"Time to Get Out" (Contains the James Bond Theme, originally composed for the Dr. No soundtrack)
3:28

2.
"The Palio"
4:59

3.
"Inside Man" (Contains the James Bond Theme, originally composed for the Dr. No soundtrack)
0:38

4.
"Bond in Haiti" (Contains the James Bond Theme, originally composed for the Dr. No soundtrack)
0:35

5.
"Somebody Wants to Kill You"
2:17

6.
"Greene & Camille"
2:13

7.
"Pursuit at Port au Prince" (Contains the James Bond Theme, originally composed for the Dr. No soundtrack)
5:58

8.
"No Interest in Dominic Greene"
2:44

9.
"Night at the Opera"
3:02

10.
"Restrict Bond's Movements"
1:31

11.
"Talamone"
0:35

12.
"What's Keeping You Awake"
1:41

13.
"Bolivian Taxi Ride"
0:49

14.
"Field Trip" (Contains the James Bond Theme, originally composed for the Dr. No soundtrack)
0:41

15.
"Forgive Yourself"
2:26

16.
"DC3"
1:15

17.
"Target Terminated"
3:54

18.
"Camille's Story"
3:59

19.
"Oil Fields" (Contains the James Bond Theme, originally composed for the Dr. No soundtrack)
2:29

20.
"Have You Ever Killed Someone?"
1:33

21.
"Perla de las Dunas"
8:08

22.
"The Dead Don't Care About Vengeance"
1:14

23.
"I Never Left" (Contains the James Bond Theme, originally composed for the Dr. No soundtrack)
0:40

24.
"Another Way to Die" (Performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys)
4:24

tag: table


document_title: Grounded for Life

question_text: who played the nun on grounded for life

question_tokens: who played the nun on grounded for life

text: Grounded for Life

text: Premise[edit]

text: The show, set in an Irish neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, is about the comedic interplay of the Irish Catholic Finnerty family. One of the central aspects of the show is that Sean and Claudia Finnerty had their first child and got married when they were only 18 years old. Thus, although their eldest is a teenage daughter, the parents are themselves relatively young and not finished with their "wild" years. (In an episode where Sean goes to fetch Lily from the police station and is mistaken for her drug dealer, his father quips, "That's what happens when you're 18 and don't know what a rubber is!") The show features an unusual style of storytelling, often starting with a scene at the end of the story or sometimes in the middle and filling in the gaps with flashbacks. Its main concepts are an Irish/Italian Catholic family with one daughter and two sons, surviving endless catastrophes, utilizing flashbacks to further explain each current situation.

text: The opening sequence is set to a guitar theme, performed by the band Ween, that also serves as the music between scenes. The first sequence, used for the first 11 episodes of Season 1, showed the family playing basketball. From the twelfth episode ("Jimmy Was Kung-Fu Fighting") onwards, it showed a mix of scenes from Season 1. The sequence was updated each year to include scenes from the current season. The opening sequence was later truncated, as cast names were shown after the sequence, over the episode itself.

text: Music is important in the production of the series, as musical cues introduce and conclude flashbacks. Episodes are also named after songs or are a play on song names or lyrics. Each episode has slightly different music in the opening sequence, differing at the end of the sequence.

text: Two episodes from Season 3, "Oh, What a Knight" and "Part-Time Lover", did not air on primetime, but can be seen in syndication on ABC Family.

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main cast[edit]

text: Donal Logue and Megyn Price portrayed Sean and Claudia Finnerty, a Staten Island couple who were married and expecting by age 18. Sean was an electrician in the underground of the New York subway, but he later became the owner of a bar with his brother Eddie. Claudia worked as a hostess in a Soho restaurant, and later, when her daughter Lily decided that college wasn't for her, Claudia realized the importance of education and looked into college options for herself, regretting that she couldn't have gone right away after high school.

text: By their early 30s, Sean and Claudia had three children (later four). Lily (Lynsey Bartilson) is a selfish, spoiled brat who seeks male attention, often turning to dorky next-door neighbor, Brad O'Keefe, whom she later dates. She also dated the drummer of Sean and Eddie's band, Dean Peramotti; they went steady until she cheated on him with Brad. Lily is ragingly jealous of her mother, Claudia, fearing that Claudia is "hotter" than she, as she still attracts the attention of teenage boys—especially Brad. Lily has been drunk on several occasions, including a college party at which she bumped into Claudia and they arranged to keep it from Sean. Lily blames all her problems on her parents, mostly on the grounds that they had her so young. Lily was shocked to discover she was born before her parents were married, but later realized she was proof of their love.

text: Jimmy (Griffin Frazen), the second Finnerty child and first son, is the family black sheep. His choices are not always accepted by his parents, like the time he decided to become a vegetarian. Jimmy is smart and wants to do well at school, but his parents sometimes—accidentally—seem to hold him back. Once at a street fair, Sean and Claudia went to a Ramones concert, and Jimmy was late with his science project, causing him to be suspended. The following day he went missing, and was later discovered to have sneaked back into school. Jimmy has been bullied at school; once he fought back and was accused of being the bully. He was also bullied by a girl, although it turned out that she actually liked him.

text: Henry (Jake Burbage) the Finnertys' younger son, is the family optimist. A little wild, sometimes annoying, and unfortunately gullible, he is kindhearted and gentle. Jake Burbage left the show at the end of season four (in the summer of 2004) to move back east which is why he was never seen in season five although he was mentioned.

text: Gracie, the youngest Finnerty, was born in the last episode. Claudia discovered she was pregnant at the start of season five, and in the season finale—at Lily's graduation—she went into labor and delivered Gracie at the hospital. Originally they were going to call her Rose, but when too many people mistakenly thought the name was a reference to Titanic, they decide to rename her Gracie. Walt and his fiancée then say they will name their child Rose.

text: Eddie (Kevin Corrigan) is Sean's younger brother, a conniving, womanizing weirdo who can never give a straight answer to any question. Claudia and Eddie often had their differences throughout the series run. The worst thing he ever did was film a porn film in the Finnerty house; for this Claudia and Sean put him out.

text: Walt (Richard Riehle) (recurring: seasons 3–5) is Sean and Eddie's strict father. He often berates Sean and Claudia for being too soft on their kids. Sean and Eddie had a frightening upbringing, as Walt often scared them by telling them that their sins would send them to hell or by giving them booklets that explained what effect sins would have on them. Widower Walt has had little luck with women: he once had a woman whom Sean and Eddie didn't like; Lily and Brad set him up on a date with a woman, or whom they thought was a woman; another handcuffed him in the bar and robbed it.

text: Brad O'Keefe (Bret Harrison) (recurring: seasons 1–2) is the Finnertys' geeky next-door neighbor. He had an on-off relationship with Lily. She cheated on her boyfriend Dean with Brad, and they once broke up when they realized they cheated on each other during a summer of being apart. They eventually got back together. In one episode, Brad was upset when his parents split up, so the Finnertys decided to celebrate his birthday at their house. Unfortunately, during the party he discovered that his mother had a fling with Eddie. In the end, his parents reconciled.

text:
Actor
Character
Episode count
Season

1
2
3
4
5

Donal Logue
Sean Finnerty
91
Main

Megyn Price
Claudia Finnerty
91
Main

Kevin Corrigan
Edwin "Eddie" Finnerty
91
Main

Lynsey Bartilson
Lily Finnerty
91
Main

Griffin Frazen
Jimmy Finnerty
91
Main

Jake Burbage
Henry Finnerty
78
Main

Richard Riehle
Walt Finnerty
45
Main
Recurring

Bret Harrison
Brad O'Keefe
65
Recurring
Main

text: Recurring cast[edit]

text: Sister Helen (Miriam Flynn) is the nun and principal at Lily, Jimmy, and Henry's school. She frequently tries to tell Sean and Claudia how to raise their kids, whom she is always berating at school (Lily's skirts are too short, Jimmy's hair is too long, etc.). Sean once caused her to use the F-word.

text: Dean Peramotti (Mike Vogel) was the drummer of Sean and Eddie's band. He and Lily dated until she cheated on him with Brad.

text: Dan O'Keefe (Floyd Van Buskirk in Season One, Gregory Jbara in all later appearances) is Brad's father. Sean and Dan never got along and were constantly fighting. He was busted for having an affair when Sean challenged him to a tennis match, then noticed that all the weekend "tennis lessons" Dan had were useless. His wife Connie discovered this, and they broke up, Connie then had a brief fling with Eddie, but they soon got back together.

text: Finnerty Household[edit]

text: The household that makes for the main location for the series features interesting background items that allude to the interests of the family. Throughout the series, there is a picture of Lou Thesz hanging in the living room and a real-life picture of a young Lynsey Bartilson, who plays Lily in the series. The living room also features a framed and hung vintage baseball bat, a broken guitar (used by Sean in his younger days) and a couple of crosses, representing the Catholic faith of the family.

text: The refrigerator in the kitchen is always changing, but prominently features fruit magnets and a sticker bearing the logo of video game developer, Rockstar Games. Jimmy's room changes many times throughout the series (especially after the departure of the Henry character from the show), but at least one piece of WWE merchandise can be spotted in any given scene in the location, most notable the pillow bearing the WWE logo (however, in the last few episodes of season five, the pillow is turned over, hiding the logo). Jimmy's room also features a vintage Indianapolis Speedway poster (dated May 30, 1914), a dartboard, a small basketball hoop and at times featured a "Shonen Jump" poster and posters of bands such as Less Than Jake and Green Day.

text: Lily's room has a computer, a snowboarding poster, and a scrapbook poster, in addition to other, nondescript items that change throughout the series. In early episodes, she has several posters featuring Justin Timberlake and/or 'N Sync.

text: Episodes[edit]

text: Ninety-one complete episodes were produced and aired between 2000 and 2005. However, not all episodes were broadcast in the exact order they were produced. The first season originally produced 22 episodes, five of which, prior to the season finale were held back by Fox and were included as part of the second season. 17 episodes were produced for season two, with the addition of the five season one episodes, making it a 22-episode season. Many problems occurred during the production of season three. 19 episodes had been produced for season three, and with Fox cancelling the series later being picked up by The WB, only 11 episodes aired through the two networks, 12 & 13 never aired, and episodes 14 through 19, were included as part of season four. The fourth season originally produced 22 episodes, with the new addition of six from season three, making it the longest season with 28 episodes. Season five produced 13 episodes and was the only season to have all its episodes intact.

text: Nielsen Ratings[edit]

text:
Season
Ep #
Time Slot
First Airdate
Last Airdate
Rank
Viewership
Network

Season 1
15
Wednesday 8:30
January 10, 2001
May 23, 2001
#87
8.9
Fox

Season 2
22
Wednesday 8:30
September 26, 2001
May 8, 2002
#96
7.2
Fox

Season 3
13
Friday 9:30
September 17, 2002
May 9, 2003
#95
8.10
Fox/WB

Season 4
28
Friday 9:00
September 5, 2003
May 7, 2004
#187
2.79
WB

Season 5
13
Friday 8:30
September 17, 2004
January 28, 2005
#145
2.7
WB

text: British remake[edit]

text: In 2011, the show was remade by the BBC as In with the Flynns. Six episodes were produced for its first season, using stories and scenes from the American series. Another six episodes were made for a second season, this time using original stories.

text: Syndication[edit]

text: United States[edit]

text: The series aired in syndication on ABC Family on an intermittent basis since 2005,[1] having gone through several time slot changes during its run on the network. When first aired on ABC Family, the tag scenes were cut out; but when ABC Family re-acquired Grounded for Life, newer prints with the tag scenes are now shown.

text: On November 16, 2009, MTV began to air the show at random during the week[2] Unlike ABC Family's airings, these airings are the same episodes and are aired more frequently.

text: In February 2015, all five seasons of the show were added to Netflix for instant play. They are presented in HD for the first time, as they were only shown in standard definition in their network and cable runs.

text: LAFF started airing reruns of the show in May 2016.

text: On August 3, 2017, Amazon added all five seasons in HD through its Prime video service through a distribution deal with FilmRise.

text: International[edit]

text:
Country
Channel(s)
Notes

 Australia
Seven Network, Fox8, The Comedy Channel
Currently airing on The Comedy Channel.

 Belgium
Plug TV
In French; currently airing

 Belgium
2BE
In English with Dutch subtitles; currently airing

 Bulgaria
BTV Comedy (the former GTV)
Currently airing

 Finland
TV Viisi
Goes by the name Perhe Paketissa, meaning "Family in a Package"; currently airing in English, with Finnish subtitles

 France
France 2, France 4
Goes by the name " Parents à tout prix "

 Germany
Comedy Central
Goes by the name Keine Gnade für Dad, meaning "No Mercy for Dad"

 Hungary
HBO Comedy
Currently airing. Goes by the name Sorscsapás család, meaning "Setback Family"

  Switzerland
4uTV
Goes by the name Keine Gnade für Dad, meaning "No Mercy for Dad"

 India
STAR World

 Ireland
RTÉ Two
Aired up until the show's cancellation in 2005

 Israel
HOT3
Goes by the name ככה זה בחיים (Kacha Ze BaChayim), meaning "That's How Life Works"

 Macedonia
Nasa TV
Goes by the name Доживотно казн

 Norway
TV Norge
Goes by the name Familietrøbbel, meaning "Family Trouble"

 Netherlands
Comedy Central(Extra)
Currently airing

 Slovenia
HBO Comedy, POP TV
Goes by the name "Sami doma"

 Romania
HBO Comedy
Currently airing;goes by the name "Consemnati pe viata"

 Serbia
HBO Comedy
Currently airing

 Montenegro
HBO Comedy
Currently airing

 Sweden
TV3
TV4 Komedi
Currently airing

 Turkey
ComedyMax
Currently airing

 United Kingdom
Trouble
ITV1
Trouble closed 1 April 2009; no longer broadcasts on ITV1

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text: Grounded for Life has been nominated for a number of Young Artist Awards for best TV comedy choice, best family TV comedy series, best performance by a guest star in a TV comedy series and best supporting actor in a comedy or drama series,[3] it has also won a Young Artist Award for supporting young actor in a TV comedy series. It has also been nominated for an Artios Award,[4] Teen Choice Award,[5] GLAAD Media Award and an Emmy Award.

text:
Year
Result
Award
Category

2001
Nominated
Artios
Best Casting For TV, Comedy Pilot - Meg Liberman, Camille H. Patton

2001
Nominated
Teen Choice Award
TV - Choice Comedy

2001
Nominated
Emmy
Outstanding Choreography - Kenny Ortega for episode: "Mrs. Finnerty, You Have a Lovely Daughter"

2002
Won
Young Artist Award
Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series - Supporting Young Actor - Griffin Frazen

2002
Nominated
Young Artist Award
Best Family TV Comedy Series

2002
Nominated
Young Artist Award
Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series - Guest Starring Young Actor - Eddie Carr

2002
Nominated
Young Artist Award
Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series - Guest Starring Young Actor - Kevin G. Schmidt

2003
Nominated
GLAAD Media Award
Outstanding Individual Episode (In a Series Without a Regular Gay Character) for episode: "Relax!"

2004
Nominated
Young Artist Award
Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Supporting Young Actor - Griffin Frazen

text: DVD releases[edit]

text: Grounded for Life was initially released on VHS in North America. In early 2006, Anchor Bay Entertainment began making the series available on DVD, with all five season being released by late 2007. The first season included all 20 episodes that were originally produced for that season (five of these episodes, prior to the season finale were included as part of season two in the television airings). However, since the opening titles are different in seasons one and two, these five episodes included, still carry the season two opening titles. The season two set, therefore contains 17 episodes. Season three contains 13 episodes, two of which did not originally air on television. All 28 episodes that aired as part of season four, remain intact for the season four set and the same for the 13-episode season five set. The first four seasons were released in box set format, with two smaller-than-standard size DVD cases with a slipcover for each of the four sets. This however changed for the season five release when it was made available in a standard DVD case and no slipcover. Anchor Bay never released a complete series set. Each of these releases are now out of print.

text: Distribution company Mill Creek Entertainment acquired the rights to series and commenced releasing in 2011. Season one and two were released individually and together in a set. Each containing the 15 episodes that aired on television as part of season one and the 22 episodes that aired as part of season two, as opposed to the Anchor Bay release of the first and second seasons. Mill Creek have not given individual releases to seasons three, four and five at present. However, a complete series has been made available in a 13-disc set.

text: In the United Kingdom, distribution company Brightspark Productions released the first season in 2007.

text: In Australia, the series was made available via Visual Entertainment Group between 2010 and 2011. Seasons one, four and five were released individually, whereas seasons two and three were released together in one set.

text: The Sunfilm Entertainment company began releasing the series in Germany under the title "Keine Gnade für Dad". All five seasons were released between late 2012 and early 2013.

text:
Season 1

Set details
Special features

20 episodes (Anchor Bay release only)
15 episodes
4-disc set (Anchor Bay release only)
3-disc set (UK)
2-disc set (Mill Creek re-release, Germany & Australia)
1.33:1 aspect ratio
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Rating:

North America - TV-PG (Mill Creek rating)
United Kingdom -  12
Germany - FSK-6
Australia -  PG

Note: Seasons 1 & 2 were also released together by Mill Creek Entertainment on September 18, 2012.

Meet the Finnertys - Interview with Donal Logue
Claudia: Not the Sitcom Mom - Interview with Megyn Price
Life with Lily - Interview with Lynsey Bartilson
Interview with creators Mike Schiff and Bill Martin
Bloopers
Audio commentaries with cast and crew
Season One highlights

Release dates

North America
United Kingdom
Germany
Australia

February 7, 2006
re-release September 13, 2011
March 5, 2007
November 8, 2012
June 7, 2010

text:
Season 2

Set details
Special features

17 episodes (Anchor Bay release only)
22 episodes
3-disc set
4-disc set (Australia - Seasons 2 & 3 combined)
1.33:1 aspect ratio
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Rating:

North America - TV-PG (Mill Creek rating)
Germany - FSK-6
Australia -  PG

Note: Seasons 1 & 2 were also released together by Mill Creek Entertainment on September 18, 2012.

Bloopers
From Ashes to Ashton - An interview with Ashton Kutcher
Kevin Corrigan - He Ain't Eddie, He's My Brother - A brand new interview with Kevin Corrigan
Season Two highlights
Sibling Revelry - Interviews with Jake Burbage "Henry" and Griffin Frazen "Jimmy"

Release dates

North America
United Kingdom
Germany
Australia

May 16, 2006
re-release September 13, 2012
TBA
December 6, 2012
August 28, 2012
(with Season 3)

text:
Season 3

Set details
Special features

13 episodes
2-disc set
4-disc set (Australia - Seasons 2 & 3 combined)
1.33:1 aspect ratio
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Rating:

Germany - FSK-6
Australia -  PG

2-never-before-aired episodes: "Oh, What a Knight" and "Part Time Lover"
Audio commentary with cast and crew

Release dates

North America
United Kingdom
Germany
Australia

August 8, 2006
TBA
January 13, 2013
August 28, 2010
(with Season 2)

text:
Season 4

Set details
Special features

28 episodes
4-disc set
1.33:1 aspect ratio
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Rating:

Germany - FSK-6
Australia -  PG

Brand-new audio commentaries
Letter from the creators

Release dates

North America
United Kingdom
Germany
Australia

November 7, 2006
TBA
February 7, 2013
May 9, 2011

text:
Season 5

Set details
Special features

13 episodes
4-disc set (Anchor Bay release only)
3-disc set (Germany)
2-disc set (Australia)
1.33:1 aspect ratio
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Rating:

Germany - FSK-6
Australia -  PG

Letter from the creators

Release dates

North America
United Kingdom
Germany
Australia

September 25, 2007
TBA
March 7, 2013
May 9, 2011

text:
The Complete Series

Set details
Special features

91 episodes
13-disc set
1.33:1 aspect ratio
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Rating:

North America - TV-PG

Note: "The Complete Series" with released by Mill Creek Entertainment.

See Seasons 1-5 individually

Release dates

North America
United Kingdom
Germany
Australia

September 4, 2012
TBA
TBA
TBA


document_title: Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa

question_text: pamantasan ng lungsod ng muntinlupa requirements for transferee

text: Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa

text: History[edit]

text: On May 29, 1991, the Municipal Council of Muntinlupa passed Resolution No. 91-191 and Resolution No. 91-192 officially creating a government-run college, which gave rise to the Muntinlupa Polytechnic College (MPC). Housed in the Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, Muntinlupa, the college started with 309 students.

text: With the increase in the number of enrollees, MPC moved to another temporary location on the second floor of the Contessa Building in Poblacion, where all offices and classrooms were air-conditioned. At this time MPC established linkages with the Commission on Higher Education for the development of quality education.

text: In March 1998, MPC realized its dream of moving from the compact Contessa Building to its own permanent two-storey building, which was erected at the Muntinlupa National High School Compound in the NBP Reservation Area.

text: In 2002, the construction of the Academic Building was completed with the third and fourth floors that house the library, auditorium and additional classrooms. A year later, by virtue of City Ordinance No. 03-089, MPC became a university and acquired its present name.

text: Admission requirements[edit]

text: For high school graduates[edit]

text:
Form 138 (fourth year high school card) or Form 137
Certificate of good moral character from principal/guidance counselor
Two identical 2x2 pictures
Photocopy of birth certificate
PEPT (if any)
Personal interview
Entrance examination

text: For transferees[edit]

text:
Official transcript of records from the school last attended
Certificate of good moral character from dean/guidance Office
Two identical 2x2 pictures
Personal interview
Entrance examination

text: Special programs[edit]

text:
Official Transcript of Record (OTR)
Good moral character from dean/guidance counselor
Two identical 2x2 pictures
Personal interview

text: All married applicants should submit a photocopy of their marriage certificate.

text: Curricular offerings[edit]

text: The university offers courses such as Bachelor of Education in Elementary and Secondary Educations, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Criminology, and Commerce, Marketing and Management courses, Associate in Computer Technology, Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts majors in Psychology, Political Science, Mass Communication and Certificate of Teaching Proficiency for non-education graduates who wants to pursue a teaching profession and a Certificate of Teaching in Early Childhood Education.[1]

text: Graduate school offers MBA, MaEd and Master in Criminology It also maintains a Center for Research and Extension Services and serves as a review center for teachers and criminology board exams.


document_title: Uzzah

question_text: who died when they touched the ark of the covenant

text: Uzzah

text: According to the Tanakh, Uzzah or Uzza, meaning strength, was an Israelite whose death is associated with touching the Ark of the Covenant.

text: Uzzah was the son of Abinadab, in whose house the men of Kirjath-jearim placed the Ark when it was brought back from the land of the Philistines.[1] With his brother Ahio, he drove the cart on which the ark was placed when David sought to bring it up to Jerusalem. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah steadied the ark with his hand, in direct violation of the divine law,[2] and he was immediately killed for his error. David, displeased because the Lord had killed Uzzah,[3] called the place where this occurred Perez-uzzah, which means "to burst out against Uzzah".[4] David was afraid to bring the ark any further, and placed it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite[5] for three months. The Lord then blessed Obed-edom and David went and brought up the ark of God into the city of David.[3]

text: Other[edit]

text: Uzzah, son of Shimei, a Merarite.[6]

text: Notes[edit]

text:
Jump up ^ 1 Samuel 7:1
Jump up ^ Numbers 4:15
^ Jump up to: a b "www.Bibler.org - Dictionary - Uzzah". 2012-06-06.
Jump up ^ 2 Samuel 6:8 and 1 Chronicles 13:11, wording used by the New Living Translation
Jump up ^ 2 Samuel 6:2-11; 1 Chronicles 13:6-13
Jump up ^ "1 Chronicles 6:29". 2012-06-06.

tag: ol


document_title: Elections in the United States

question_text: when do we vote in the united states for federal elections

text: Elections in the United States

text: Voting[edit]

text: The most common method used in U.S. elections is the first-past-the-post system, where the highest polling candidate wins the election. Some may use a two-round system, where if no candidate receives a required number of votes then there is a runoff between the two candidates with the most votes.[citation needed]

text: Since 2002, several cities have adopted instant-runoff voting in their elections. Voters rank the candidates in order of preference rather than voting for a single candidate. If a candidate secures more than half of votes cast, that candidate wins. Otherwise, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Ballots assigned to the eliminated candidate are recounted and assigned to those of the remaining candidates who rank next in order of preference on each ballot. This process continues until one candidate wins by obtaining more than half the votes.[citation needed]

text: Eligibility[edit]

text: The eligibility of an individual for voting is set out in the constitution and also regulated at state level. The constitution states that suffrage cannot be denied on grounds of race or color, sex, or age for citizens eighteen years or older. Beyond these basic qualifications, it is the responsibility of state legislatures to regulate voter eligibility. Some states ban convicted criminals, especially felons, from voting for a fixed period of time or indefinitely.[3] The number of American adults who are currently or permanently ineligible to vote due to felony convictions is estimated to be 5.3 million.[4] Some states also have legacy constitutional statements barring legally declared incompetent from voting; such references are generally considered obsolete and are being considered for review or removal where they appear.[5]

text: Voter registration[edit]

text: While the federal government has jurisdiction over federal elections, most election laws are decided at the state level. All U.S. states except North Dakota require that citizens who wish to vote be registered. Traditionally, voters had to register at state offices to vote, but in the mid-1990s efforts were made by the federal government to make registering easier, in an attempt to increase turnout. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (the "Motor Voter" law) required state governments that receive certain types of federal funding to make the voter registration process easier by providing uniform registration services through drivers' license registration centers, disability centers, schools, libraries, and mail-in registration. Other states allow citizens same-day registration on Election Day.

text: In many states, citizens registering to vote may declare an affiliation with a political party.[6] This declaration of affiliation does not cost money, and does not make the citizen a dues-paying member of a party. A party cannot prevent a voter from declaring his or her affiliation with them, but it can refuse requests for full membership. In some states, only voters affiliated with a party may vote in that party's primary elections (see below). Declaring a party affiliation is never required. Some states, including Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, practice non-partisan registration.[7]

text: Absentee voting[edit]

text: Voters unable or unwilling to vote at polling stations on Election Day can vote via absentee ballots. Absentee ballots are most commonly sent and received via the United States Postal Service. Despite their name, absentee ballots are often requested and submitted in person. About half of all states and U.S. territories allow "no excuse absentee," where no reason is required to request an absentee ballot. Others require a valid reason, such as infirmity or travel, be given before a voter can participate using an absentee ballot. Some states, including California,[8] and Washington[9][10] allow citizens to apply for permanent absentee voter status, which will automatically receive an absentee ballot for each election. Typically a voter must request an absentee ballot before the election occurs.

text: A significant source of absentee ballots is the population of Americans living outside the United States. In 1986 Congress enacted the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). UOCAVA requires that the states and territories allow members of the United States Uniformed Services and merchant marine, their family members, and United States citizens residing outside the United States to register and vote absentee in elections for Federal offices. Though many states had pre-existing statutes in place UOCAVA made it mandatory and nationally uniform. "Generally, all U.S. citizens 19 years or older who are or will be residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for Federal office. In addition, all members of the Uniformed Services, their family members and members of the Merchant Marine and their family members, who are U.S. citizens, may vote absentee in Federal, state and local elections."[11] Absentee ballots from these voters can often be transmitted private delivery services, fax, or email.[12]

text: Mail ballots[edit]

text: Mail ballots are similar in many respects to an absentee ballot. However they are used for Mailing Precincts where on Election Day no polling place is opened for a specific precinct.[13] In Oregon, Washington, and Colorado, all ballots are delivered through the mail.

text: Early voting[edit]

text: Early voting is a formal process where voters can cast their ballots prior to the official Election Day. Early voting in person is allowed in 33 states and in Washington, D.C., with no excuse required.[14]

text: Voting equipment[edit]

text: Voters casting their ballots in polling places record their votes most commonly with optical scan voting machines or DRE voting machines. Voting machine selection is typically done through a state's local election jurisdiction including counties, cities, and townships. Many of these local jurisdictions have changed their voting equipment since 2000 due to the passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which allocated funds for the replacement of lever machine and punch card voting equipment.

text: Since the 1980s many jurisdictions and voting locations have given out "I Voted" stickers to people casting ballots. In the state of Illinois it's a state law to have stickers available to voters after they have cast their ballots. State and local governments pay $30 million per year for the stickers that cost about one cent each.[15]

text: Levels of election[edit]

text: Federal elections[edit]

text: The United States has a presidential system of government, which means that the executive and legislature are elected separately. Article One of the United States Constitution requires that any election for the U.S. President must occur on a single day throughout the country; elections for Congressional offices, however, can be held at different times. Congressional and presidential elections take place simultaneously every four years, and the intervening Congressional elections, which take place every two years, are called Midterm elections.

text: The constitution states that members of the United States House of Representatives must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and be a (legal) inhabitant of the state they represent. Senators must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and be a (legal) inhabitant of the state they represent. The President must be at least 35 years old, a natural born citizen of the United States and a resident in the United States for at least fourteen years. It is the responsibility of state legislatures to regulate the qualifications for a candidate appearing on a ballot paper, although in order to get onto the ballot, a candidate must often collect a legally defined number of signatures.

text: Presidential elections[edit]

text: The President and the Vice President are elected together in a Presidential election.[16] It is an indirect election, with the winner being determined by votes cast by electors of the Electoral College. In modern times, voters in each state select a slate of electors from a list of several slates designated by different parties or candidates, and the electors typically promise in advance to vote for the candidates of their party (whose names of the presidential candidates usually appear on the ballot rather than those of the individual electors). The winner of the election is the candidate with at least 270 Electoral College votes. It is possible for a candidate to win the electoral vote, and lose the (nationwide) popular vote (receive fewer votes nationwide than the second ranked candidate). Prior to ratification of the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution (1804), the runner-up in a Presidential election[17] became the Vice President.

text: Electoral College votes are cast by individual states by a group of electors; each elector casts one electoral college vote. Until the Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution of 1961 the District of Columbia citizens did not have representation and/or electors in the electoral college. In modern times, with electors usually committed to vote for a party candidate in advance, electors that vote against the popular vote in their state are called faithless electors, and occurrences are rare. State law regulates how states cast their electoral college votes. In all states except Maine and Nebraska, the candidate that wins the most votes in the state receives all its electoral college votes (a "winner takes all" system). From 1969 in Maine, and from 1991 in Nebraska, two electoral votes are awarded based on the winner of the statewide election, and the rest (two in Maine, three in Nebraska) go to the highest vote-winner in each of the state's congressional districts.

text:
[show]

v
t
e

United States presidential elections

Elections by year

1788–89
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020

Elections by state

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington, D.C.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Primaries and caucuses

Iowa caucuses
New Hampshire primary
South Carolina primary
Super Tuesday

Nominating conventions

Brokered convention
Convention bounce
Superdelegate

Electoral College
and Popular vote

Results

Summary
Elections in which the winner lost the popular vote
Electoral College margins
Electoral College results by state
Electoral vote changes between elections
Electoral vote recipients
Popular vote margins

Contingent election
Faithless elector
Unpledged elector
Voter turnout

Related topics

Campaign slogans
Historical election polling
Election Day
Major party tickets
Major party losers
Presidential debates
October surprise
Red states and blue states
Swing state
Election recount

House elections
Senate elections
Gubernatorial elections

text: Congressional elections[edit]

text: Congress has two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

text: Senate elections[edit]

text: The Senate has 100 members, elected for a six-year term in dual-seat constituencies (2 from each state), with one-third being renewed every two years. The group of the Senate seats that is up for election during a given year is known as a "class"; the three classes are staggered so that only one of the three groups is renewed every two years. Until the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1913, States chose how to elect Senators, and they were often elected by state legislatures, not the electorate of states.

text:
[show]

v
t
e

United States Senate elections

Multiple-date elections

1788/89
1790/91
1792/93
1794/95
1796/97
1798/99
1800/01
1802/03
1804/05
1806/07
1808/09
1810/11
1812/13
1814/15
1816/17
1818/19
1820/21
1822/23
1824/25
1826/27
1828/29
1830/31
1832/33
1834/35
1836/37
1838/39
1840/41
1842/43
1844/45
1846/47
1848/49
1850/51
1852/53
1854/55
1856/57
1858/59
1860/61
1862/63
1864/65
1866/67
1868/69
1870/71
1872/73
1874/75
1876/77
1878/79
1880/81
1882/83
1884/85
1886/87
1888/89
1890/91
1892/93
1894/95
1896/97
1898/99
1900/01
1902/03
1904/05
1906/07
1908/09
1910/11
1912/13

Single-date elections

1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022

Special elections
Election disputes
Results by state
List of elections in the United States
House elections
Presidential elections
Gubernatorial elections

text: House of Representatives elections[edit]

text: The House of Representatives has 435 members, elected for a two-year term in single-seat constituencies. House of Representatives elections are held every two years on the first Tuesday after November 1 in even years. Special House elections can occur between if a member dies or resigns during a term. House elections are first-past-the-post elections that elect a Representative from each of 435 House districts which cover the United States. The non-voting delegates of Washington, D.C. and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands are also elected.

text: House elections occur every two years, correlated with presidential elections or halfway through a President's term. The House delegate of Puerto Rico, officially known as the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, is elected to a four-year term, coinciding with those of the President.

text: As the redistricting commissions of states are often partisan, districts are often drawn which benefit incumbents. An increasing trend has been for incumbents to have an overwhelming advantage in House elections, and since the 1994 election, an unusually low number of seats has changed hands in each election.[citation needed] Due to gerrymandering, fewer than 10% of all House seats are contested in each election cycle. Over 90% of House members are reelected every two years, due to lack of electoral competition. Gerrymandering of the House, combined with the divisions inherent in the design of the Senate and of the Electoral College, result in a discrepancy between the percentage of popular support for various political parties and the actual level of the parties' representation.

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United States House of Representatives elections

Years

1788/89
1790
1792
1794
1796
1798
1800
1802
1804
1806
1808
1810
1812
1814
1816
1818
1820
1822
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1828
1830
1832
1834
1836
1838
1840
1842
1844
1846
1848
1850
1852
1854
1856
1858/59
1860
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870/71
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
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1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
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1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018

Special

1801
1917
1973
1989
1991
2001
110th Congress
111th Congress
All

Senate elections
Presidential elections
Gubernatorial elections

text: State elections[edit]

text: State law and state constitutions, controlled by state legislatures regulate elections at state level and local level. Various officials at state level are elected. Since the separation of powers applies to states as well as the federal government, state legislatures and the executive (the governor) are elected separately. Governors and lieutenant governor are elected in all states, in some states on a joint ticket and in some states separately, some separately in different electoral cycles. The governors of the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands are also elected. In some states, executive positions such as Attorney General and Secretary of State are also elected offices. All members of state legislatures and territorial jurisdiction legislatures are elected. In some states, members of the state supreme court and other members of the state judiciary are elected. Proposals to amend the state constitution are also placed on the ballot in some states.

text: As a matter of convenience and cost saving, elections for many of these state and local offices are held at the same time as either the federal presidential or midterm elections. There are a handful of states, however, that instead hold their elections during odd-numbered "off years."

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United States gubernatorial elections

List of current Governors

1913
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
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House elections
Senate elections
Presidential elections

text: Local elections[edit]

text: At the local level, county and city government positions are usually filled by election, especially within the legislative branch. The extent to which offices in the executive or judicial branches are elected vary from county-to-county or city-to-city. Some examples of local elected positions include sheriffs at the county level and mayors and school board members at the city level. Like state elections, an election for a specific local office may be held at the same time as either the presidential, midterm, or off-year elections.

text: Comparison of recent and upcoming election years[edit]

text:
Basic rotation of U.S. general elections (fixed-terms only[1])

Year
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020

Type
Presidential
Off-yeara
Midterm
Off-yearb
Presidential

President
Yes
No
Yes

Senate
Class III (34 seats)
No
Class I (33 seats)
No
Class II (33 seats)

House
All 435 seats[2]
No
All 435 seats[3]
No
All 435 seats[2]

Gubernatorial
11 states, 2 territories
AS, DE, IN, MO, MT, NH, NC, ND, PR, UT, VT, WA, WV
2 states
NJ, VA
36 states, 3 territories[4]
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, GU, HI, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MP, MD, MA, MI, MN, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VI, VT, WI, WY
3 states
KY, LA, MS
11 states, 2 territories
AS, DE, IN, MO, MT, NH, NC, ND, PR, UT, VT, WA, WV

Other state and local offices
Varies

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text: Features of the election system[edit]

text: Party systems[edit]

text: Americans vote for a specific candidate instead of directly selecting a particular political party. The United States Constitution has never formally addressed the issue of political parties. The Founding Fathers such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison did not support domestic political factions at the time the Constitution was written.[18] In addition, the first President of the United States, George Washington, was not a member of any political party at the time of his election or throughout his tenure as president. Furthermore, he hoped that political parties would not be formed, fearing conflict and stagnation. Nevertheless, the beginnings of the American two-party system emerged from his immediate circle of advisers, with Hamilton and Madison ending up being the core leaders in this emerging party system.

text: Thus, it is up to the candidate to decide under what party he/she should run, registers to run, pays the fees, etc. In the primary elections, the party organization stays neutral until one candidate has been elected. The platform of the party is written by the winning candidate (in presidential elections; in other elections no platform is involved). Each candidate has his or her own campaign, fund raising organization, etc. The primary elections in the main parties are organized by the states, who also register the party affiliation of the voters (this also makes it easier to gerrymander the congressional districts). The party is thus little more than a campaign organization for the main elections.

text: However, elections in the United States often do become de facto national races between the political parties. In what is known as "presidential coattails", candidates in presidential elections usually bring out supporters who then vote for his or her party's candidates for other offices, usually resulting in the presidential winner's party gaining seats in Congress. On the other hand, midterm elections are sometimes regarded as a referendum on the sitting president's and/or incumbent party's performance.[19][20] There is a historical pattern that the incumbent president's party loses seats in midterm elections. This may be because the President's popularity has slipped since election, or because the President's popularity encouraged supporters to come out to vote for him or her in the presidential election, but these supporters are less likely to vote when the President is not up for election.

text: Ballot access[edit]

text: Ballot access refers to the laws which regulate under what conditions access is granted for a candidate or political party to appear on voters' ballots. Each State has its own ballot access laws to determine who may appear on ballots and who may not. According to Article I, Section 4, of the United States Constitution, the authority to regulate the time, place, and manner of federal elections is up to each State, unless Congress legislates otherwise. Depending on the office and the state, it may be possible for a voter to cast a write-in vote for a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot, but it is extremely rare for such a candidate to win office.

text: Campaign finance[edit]

text: The funding of electoral campaigns has always been a controversial issue in American politics. Infringement of free speech (First Amendment) is an argument against restrictions on campaign contributions, while allegations of corruption arising from unlimited contributions and the need for political equality are arguments for the other side.[21] Private funds are a major source of finance, from individuals and organizations. The first attempt to regulate campaign finance by legislation was in 1867, but major legislation, with the intention to widely enforce, on campaign finance was not introduced until the 1970s.

text: Money contributed to campaigns can be classified into "hard money" and "soft money". Hard money is money contributed directly to a campaign, by an individual or organization. Soft money is money from an individual or organization not contributed to a campaign, but spent in candidate specific advertising or other efforts that benefits that candidate by groups supporting the candidate, but legally not coordinated by the official campaign.

text: The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 required candidates to disclose sources of campaign contributions and campaign expenditure. It was amended in 1974 to legally limit campaign contributions. It banned direct contributing to campaigns by corporations and trade unions and limited individual donations to $1,000 per campaign. It introduced public funding for Presidential primaries and elections. The Act also placed limits of $5,000 per campaign on PACs (political action committees). The limits on individual contributions and prohibition of direct corporate or labor union campaigns led to a huge increase in the number of PACs. Today many labor unions and corporations have their own PACs, and over 4,000 in total exist. The 1974 amendment also specified a Federal Election Commission, created in 1975 to administer and enforce campaign finance law. Various other provisions were also included, such as a ban on contributions or expenditures by foreign nationals (incorporated from the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) (1966)).

text: The case of Buckley v. Valeo (1976) challenged the Act. Most provisions were upheld, but the court found that the mandatory spending limit imposed was unconstitutional, as was the limit placed on campaign spending from the candidate's personal fortune and the provision that limited independent expenditures by individuals and organizations supporting but not officially linked to a campaign. The effect of the first decision was to allow candidates such as Ross Perot and Steve Forbes to spend enormous amounts of their own money in their own campaigns. The effect of the second decision was to allow the culture of "soft money" to develop.

text: A 1979 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act allowed political parties to spend without limit on get-out-the-vote and voter registration activities conducted primarily for a presidential candidate. Later, they were permitted by FECA to use "soft money", unregulated, unlimited contributions to fund this effort. Increasingly, the money began to be spent on issue advertising, candidate specific advertising that was being funded mostly by soft money.

text: The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 banned local and national parties from spending "soft money" and banned national party committees from accepting or spending soft money. It increased the limit of contributions by individuals from $1,000 to $2,000. It banned corporations or labor unions from funding issue advertising directly, and banned the use of corporate or labor money for advertisements that mention a federal candidate within 60 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary. The constitutionality of the bill was challenged and in December 2003, the Supreme Court upheld most provisions of the legislation. (See McConnell v. FEC.)

text: A large number of "527 groups" were active for the first time in the 2004 election. These groups receive donations from individuals and groups and then spend the money on issue advocacy, such as the anti-Kerry ads by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. This is a new form of soft money, and not surprisingly it is controversial. Many 527 groups have close links with the Democratic or Republican parties, even though legally they cannot coordinate their activities with them. John McCain, one of the senators behind the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, and President Bush have both declared a desire to ban 527s.

text: Changing campaign finance laws is a highly controversial issue. Some reformers wish to see laws changed in order to improve electoral competition and political equality. Opponents wish to see the system stay as it is, whereas other reformers wish even fewer restrictions on the freedom to spend and contribute money. The Supreme Court has made it increasingly difficult for those who wish to regulate election financing, but options like partial public funding of campaigns are still possible and offer the potential to address reformers' concerns with minimal restrictions on the freedom to contribute.[22]

text: Primaries and caucuses[edit]

text: In partisan elections, candidates are chosen by primary elections (abbreviated to "primaries") and caucuses in the states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

text: A primary election is an election in which registered voters in a jurisdiction (nominating primary) select a political party's candidate for a later election. There are various types of primary: either the whole electorate is eligible, and voters choose one party's primary at the polling booth (an open primary); or only independent voters can choose a party's primary at the polling booth (a semi-closed primary); or only registered members of the party are allowed to vote (closed primary). The blanket primary, when voters could vote for all parties' primaries on the same ballot was struck down by the United States Supreme Court as violating the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of assembly in the case California Democratic Party v. Jones. Primaries are also used to select candidates at the state level, for example in gubernatorial elections.

text: Caucuses also nominate candidates by election, but they are very different from primaries. Caucuses are meetings that occur at precincts and involve discussion of each party's platform and issues such as voter turnout in addition to voting. Eleven states: Iowa, New Mexico, North Dakota, Maine, Nevada, Hawaii, Minnesota, Kansas, Alaska, Wyoming, Colorado and the District of Columbia use caucuses, for one or more political parties.

text: The primary and caucus season in Presidential elections lasts from the Iowa caucus in January to the last primaries in June. Front-loading - when larger numbers of contests take place in the opening weeks of the season—can have an effect on the nomination process, potentially reducing the number of realistic candidates, as fund-raisers and donors quickly abandon those they see as untenable. However, it is not the case that the successful candidate is always the candidate that does the best in the early primaries. There is also a period dubbed the "invisible primary" that takes place before the primary season, when candidates attempt to solicit media coverage and funding well before the real primary season begins.

text: A state's presidential primary election or caucus usually is an indirect election: instead of voters directly selecting a particular person running for President, it determines how many delegates each party's national political convention will receive from their respective state. These delegates then in turn select their party's presidential nominee. Held in the summer, a political convention's purpose is also to adopt a statement of the party's principles and goals known as the platform and adopt the rules for the party's activities.

text: The day on which primaries are held for congressional seats, and state and local offices may also vary between states. The only federally mandated day for elections is Election Day for the general elections of the President and Congress; all other elections are at the discretion of the individual state and local governments.

text: Election information on the web[edit]

text: In most states of the U.S., the chief election officer is the Secretary of state. In some states, local officials like a county Registrar of Voters or Supervisor of Elections manages the conduct of elections under the supervision of (or in coordination with) the chief election officer of the state. Many of these state and county offices have web sites that provide information to help voters obtain information on their polling places for each election, the various districts to which they belong (e.g., house and senate districts in the state and federal legislature, school boards, water districts, municipalities, etc.), as well as dates of elections and deadlines to file to run or register to vote. Some allow voters to download a sample ballot in advance of the election.

text: Beyond this, various media outlets provide information they think will interest their audience.

text: More systematic coverage is provided by web sites devoted specifically to collecting election information and making it available to the public. Two of the better known such sites are Ballotpedia and Vote Smart. These are run by non-profit, non-partisan organizations. They have paid staffs and are much more tightly controlled than Wikipedia.

text: USElections.com[23] tries to provide similar information but relies on volunteers in a way that is more like Wikipedia than Ballotpedia and Vote Smart.

text: The website 270towin provides actual electoral college maps (both current and historic) but also the ability to use an interactive 3d map in order to make election predictions. Ongoing election news is reported as well as data on Senate and House races.[24]

text: The Center for Responsive Politics (opensecrets.org) and the National Institute on Money in State Politics (followthemoney.org) also provide useful election information focusing especially on campaign finance.

text: Hurdles[edit]

text: In 2014 scientists from Princeton University did a study on the influence of the "elite", and their derived power from special interest lobbying, versus the "ordinary" US citizen within the US political system. They found that the US was looking more like an oligarchy than a real representative democracy; thus eroding a government of the people, by the people, for the people as stated by Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address. In fact, the study found that average citizens had an almost nonexistent influence on public policies and that the ordinary citizen had little or no independent influence on policy at all.[25]

text: There were many US presidential elections in which foreign countries manipulate the voters.[26] Electoral College is criticised for being un-democratic (it can choose candidate who did not win the popular vote) and for focusing campaigns only on swing states.[27]