History of the word ZIP code? what it stand for?

(Something interesting to read...)

ZIP codes in the United States entered use on July 1, 1963.

"ZIP" stands for "Zoning Improvement Code". It refers to the fact that ZIP codes were an expansion on a system of postal zones that were used in larger cities starting in 1943.

.

Decoding a zip code: The first digit designates a broad geographical area of the United States, ranging from zero for the Northeast to nine for the far West. The next two digits specify population concentrations within those areas. The last two digits designate small post offices or postal zones in larger zoned cities.

.

ZIP+4 was introduced in 1983. The extra four digits further specify the location. According to the US Postal Service "The sixth and seventh numbers denote a delivery sector, which may be several blocks, a group of streets, a group of post office boxes, several office buildings, a single high-rise office building, a large apartment building, or a small geographic area. The last two numbers denote a delivery segment, which might be one floor of an office building, one side of a street between intersecting streets, specific departments in a firm, or a group of post office boxes."

.

Some interesting zip codes: 22222 is Arlington, Virginia; 44444 is Newton Falls, OH; 55555 is Young America, MN and 12345 is Schenectady, New York.

HOW DOES THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM WORKS - THE NEXT PHASE AFTER THE SUPER TUESDAY'S VOTE

How Does the Electoral College Work?



Now that the American People voted, this is the next phase on the American Election System - through their votes the American People elected the“electors” who will cast their votes for the most important post in the world!!!



Also, please read the previous posting about the Guide to the American Government and How the American Election System Works those postings will give you a better understanding on the whole system.

A Guide to America's Electoral System

As most Americans learned in school and re-learned during the election, Americans do not directly elect their presidents and vice presidents. They actually elect "electors," who make up the Electoral College and cast the critical electoral votes for the nation's top two jobs.
The following is an Electoral College FAQ, courtesy of the Federal Elections Commission.

How are electors chosen?

The political parties (or independent candidates) in each state submit to the state's chief election official a list of individuals pledged to their candidate for president and equal in number to the state's electoral vote. Usually, the major political parties select these individuals either in their state party conventions or through appointment by their state party leaders, while third parties and independent candidates merely designate theirs.

Who cannot serve as an elector?

Members of Congress and employees of the federal government are prohibited from serving as electors in order to maintain the balance between the legislative and executive branches of the federal government.

How many electors does each state get?

Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S. senators plus the number of its U.S. representatives.

How does a presidential ticket win electoral votes?

Whichever party slate wins the most popular votes in the state become that state's electors -- so that, in effect, whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes in a state wins all the electors of that state. (The two exceptions to this are Maine and Nebraska, where two electors are chosen by statewide popular vote and the remainder by the popular vote within each congressional district.) Colorado may change its system of allocation with Amendment 36 on the state's ballot.

When are electoral votes cast?

On the Monday following the second Wednesday of December, each state's electors meet in their respective state capitals and cast their electoral votes -- one for president and one for vice president. In order to prevent electors from voting only for "favorite sons" of their home state, at least one of their votes must be for a person from outside their state, though this is seldom a problem since the parties have consistently nominated presidential and vice presidential candidates from different states.

When are the electoral votes announced?

The electoral votes are then sealed and transmitted from each state to the president of the Senate who, on Jan. 6, opens and reads them before both houses of the Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives).

How are a president and vice president chosen?

The candidate for president with the most electoral votes, provided that it is an absolute majority (one vote over half of the total), is declared president. Similarly, the vice presidential candidate with the absolute majority of electoral votes is declared vice president.

What if no presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral votes?

In the event that no one obtains an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the U.S. House of Representatives selects the president from among the top three contenders, with each state casting only one vote and an absolute majority of the states being required to elect. This has happened twice in American history. If it were to happen this cycle, President Bush would likely win re-election; a majority of the 50 congressional delegations are dominated by Republicans. Similarly, if no one obtains an absolute majority for vice president, then the U.S. Senate makes the selection from among the top two contenders for that office.

When are the new president and vice president sworn in?

At noon on Jan. 20, the duly elected president and vice president are sworn into office.

What are the arguments in favor of the Electoral College?

A common argument in favor of the Electoral College is that it forces the candidates to pay more attention to less-populated states that they would otherwise ignore. Those who are proponents of the two-party system claim the winner-takes-all result of the Electoral College helps avoid political instability and deadlock that would arise should the system be broken. Some argue the Electoral College system gives power to minority groups by allowing a relatively small number of voters in each state to make a difference in determining which candidate gets that state's electoral votes. Others argue the Electoral College maintains the federal system of government, which was designed to reserve such important political powers to the states as making a choice for the presidency and vice presidency.

What are the arguments against the Electoral College?

Some argue against the (mostly) winner-takes-all system allows for a candidate who loses the popular vote (as happened in 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000) to win the presidency. Opponents claim it discourages voter turnout by making people feel their vote does not make a difference in noncompetitive states. Some say it violates the "one-person, one-vote" ideal since each state has a minimum of three electors, regardless of its population. This gives residents of the smallest states, which based on their population might otherwise be entitled to just one or two electors, more influence than residents of larger states. The current system does not require electors to vote the way they are pledged. This is an argument of lesser consequence, as the situation rarely happens, but there is, in fact, nothing preventing electors from voting for whom they choose.

VOCABULARY:

Actually: truly, in fact, as a matter of fact
make up: constitute, compose, comprise
cast: select
pledged: (past of pledge) a serious or formal promise
appointment: an appointing or being appointed; specif., a naming or selecting for an office, position, etc.
party leaders: líderes do partido (easier to explain in Portuguese)
third parties: outros partidos (easier to explain in Portuguese)
merely: being nothing more than
branches: divisions
Whichever: no matter which
Slate: a list of candidates proposed for nomination or election
Statewide: extending throughout a state
Remainder: those remaining
Ballot: a ticket, paper, etc., by which a vote is registered
Seldom: not often; rarely; infrequently
Sealed: selado (easier to explain in Portuguese)
Contenders: competitors
sworn into: (past of swear into) to induct into office by administration of an oath (É quando no ato da posse o Presidente faz o juramento de posse do Cargo)
duly: properly, in a due manner or time
otherwise: something or anything else : something to the contrary (equivalente a “caso contrário”)
proponents: advocates, who argue in favor of something
claim: require, to ask for especially as a right
winner-takes-all: expressão: o ganhador leva tudo - (easier to explain in Portuguese)
deadlock: a tie score, a situation in which agreement in an argument cannot be reached because neither side will change its demands or accept any of the demands of the other side
argue: to speak angrily to someone, telling them that you disagree with them
turnout: the number of people who are present at an event, especially the number who go to vote at an election
regardless: despite; not being affected by something
be entitled: to have the right to do or have something

GUIDE TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

I know...some readers might send me an e-mail saying that this has nothing to do with the purpose of this blog which is to post hints about the English Language. But I think that it will be a learning experience to understand how the U.S. Government works...

INTRODUCTION

The US is a federal republic of 50 states. The framers of the Constitution, drafted in 1787, wanted to block any individual or group from gaining too much control, so they established a government of separate institutions that share powers. Authority is divided into three tiers of national, state and local government, with the American people electing officials to serve in each tier. At the national level the government is split into three autonomous branches - legislative, executive and judicial. Each has its own distinct responsibilities, but they can also partially limit the authority of the others through a complex system of checks and balances.

LEGISLATIVE

The legislative branch of government, established in Article I of the Constitution, makes new national laws and modifies existing ones. Under the Constitution this duty is carried out by the Congress, a bicameral body divided into the Senate and House of Representatives. Members of both chambers are directly elected by the people of the state they represent. The House of Representatives has 435 members, with the number representing each state decided according to population size, elected every two years. The Senate is based on equal representation, with each state supplying two of the 100 members, and each has a six-year term.
The founding fathers wanted to check the power of the majority by giving smaller states extra representation, and gave Senators a longer term in office so that they would be less subject to popular pressures.

CONGRESS

Congress has wide-ranging powers including control over federal taxing and spending and the right to coin money or declare war on other countries. Its primary duty is to write, debate and pass bills before they are sent to the president. Money bills can only originate in the House, but both houses need to approve a bill before it can be passed.
Another key task is overseeing the executive branch of government. Congressional committees are tasked with ensuring the government is being run competently and without corruption. To assist in this they can summon senior officials for questioning and demand audits of executive agencies. Congress can also hold hearings on matters of general public concern.

How the president can check the legislature:

- Can veto a bill Congress has passed
- Can call special sessions and force an adjournment when both Houses cannot agree on adjournment
- Can temporarily appoint senior officials without Senate approval when it is in recess
- Congress cannot reduce the president's salary while he or she is in office.

How the judiciary can check the legislature:

- Congress cannot reduce a judge's salary while he or she is in office
- Chief justice presides over impeachment trials.
- A joint session of the US Congress

CONGRESSIONAL AGENCIES

As congressional work has grown and become more complex, Congress has come to rely on the advice and assistance of a large number of auxiliary agencies and a large congressional staff. One of the most important agencies is the Congressional Budget Office, a group of experts in economics and statistics, who aid legislators by providing independent, impartial advice on the president's budget proposals. Another is the Library of Congress, which serves Congress as a research facility, and is also the US national library and home to some of its most precious texts, including copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.


EXECUTIVE

The executive branch of government is responsible for enforcing the laws of the land. It is made up of the president, the vice-president, the Cabinet and a number of what are known as independent agencies. At the head of the executive branch is the US president, who must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed" and "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution. In order to carry out this duty, he or she presides over a vast organization of federal departments and agencies, which has grown over the course of history and now employs about four million people.

PRESIDENT

In addition to leading the executive branch, the president is the head of state and commander in chief of the military. The president's duties include negotiating international treaties, signing or vetoing bills, appointing members of the Cabinet, judiciary and ambassadors and issuing pardons for federal offences. Thanks to its superpower status the US president is often cited as the most powerful person on Earth. But while the office does have significant authority it is limited by the checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution. However the power of the press and the importance of foreign policy has enormously boosted the authority of the president in recent times.

How the legislature can check the president:

- Can refuse to pass a bill the president wants or to approve presidential appointments
must approve budget, declarations of war and treaties
- Can override presidential vetoes and use impeachment powers to remove the president from office
- Chooses the winner of a presidential or vice-presidential election when no candidate has a majority of electoral college votes
- President must periodically report to Congress by delivering a State of the Union address

How the judiciary can check the president:

- Can declare executive orders unconstitutional
- Chief justice sits as president of the Senate during presidential impeachment trials

CABINET

The Cabinet is traditionally made up of the vice-president and the heads of the 15 executive departments - agriculture, commerce, defense, education, energy, health and human services, homeland security, housing and urban development, interior, labor, state, transportation, treasury, veterans' affairs, and the attorney general. These department heads are appointed by the president, and must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate. Other officials or agencies can be given Cabinet rank if the president chooses.
Cabinet members must work closely with the congressional committees who control their budgets and write the laws they have to implement. While some cabinet members are key advisors to the president, others may essentially serve in a more administrative capacity.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

The staff of the executive office serves the president directly and when he or she is replaced the office may be completely reorganized. The bodies which make up the executive office advise the president and carry out the detailed work of implementing presidential policies and programmes. Playing leading roles in the executive office are the National Security Council (NSC) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The NSC advises and assists the president on national security and foreign policy matters. It is chaired by the president and includes the vice-president, national security adviser and secretaries of state, defense and the treasury. The OMB assists the president in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and formulating the president's spending plans.

VICE-PRESIDENT

The vice-president is the second-highest executive officer and assumes the top role if the president cannot continue in office. He or she serves as president of the Senate, overseeing procedural matters, and has the ability to cast a deciding vote in the event of a tie. The vice-president also presides over a joint session of Congress when it formally counts electoral votes for presidential elections. The role grew in strength in the 20th Century when it became customary to invite vice-presidents to Cabinet meetings and when, in 1949, Congress made the vice-president one of four statutory members of the National Security Council.

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

There are several administrative divisions of the executive branch whose roles have been separated from formal control of the president and are considered independent extensions of the government. These agencies and commissions are established by Congress to help execute policy or provide special services. They are diverse in make-up and responsibilities and include the Central Intelligence Agency, the Post Office, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The role of the CIA is not outlined by the Constitution

JUDICIAL

It is the job of the judicial branch of the government to interpret the laws passed by Congress. It consists of the Supreme Court and the lower federal courts. In interpreting the law the courts may find that a law - including those passed by individual states - violates the Constitution. By declaring a law unconstitutional the courts play an important role in determining the law of the land.
The US Supreme Court heads the judicial branch

SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the US. Its decisions cannot be appealed and can only be changed by another Supreme Court decision or a constitutional amendment. The number of justices serving on the court is determined by Congress rather than the Constitution, but since 1869 it has always consisted of one chief justice and eight associate justices. They are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate, and have their jobs for life, unless they resign, retire, or are removed from office. The key responsibilities of the Supreme Court is to examine laws and government actions to ensure they do not violate the principles laid down in the Constitution. This practice, known as judicial review, allows the court to strike down laws that do not conform to the Constitution.

How the president can check the judiciary:

- Appoints judges
- Has power to pardon convicted criminals

How the legislature can check the judiciary:

- Approves federal judges
- Has power to impeach and remove judges
- Can initiate constitutional amendments and can alter the size and structure of courts
- Sets court budgets

LOWER COURTS

Along with the establishment of a supreme court, Article III of the US Constitution calls for Congress to create any other federal courts necessary to interpret and apply the federal laws of the land. In response Congress has created a number of district courts, appeal courts and several specialised courts such as the Tax Court, which hears cases regarding federal taxes. There are 94 district courts spread throughout the US and its overseas territories. They are the trial courts of the federal judicial system and have jurisdiction in federal criminal cases and civil cases. There are 13 courts of appeals - one for each of the 11 geographical regions, called circuits, one for the District of Columbia, and one hearing cases from specialised lower courts. These 13 courts hear cases on appeal from the federal district courts and other lower courts.
However, most legal cases in the US - including nearly all criminal cases - are tried by state courts, using state laws, which can vary greatly between states (for example, in the use of the death penalty).
The federal courts deal with crimes against federal

HOW THE AMERICAN ELECTION SYSTEM WORKS

Introduction

American politicians say the way they elect their president is one of the most open and democratic processes in the world. But to outsiders it can also be one of the most baffling.
The election race in some countries takes just a few weeks, but US presidential candidates undergo a political marathon, negotiating primaries, party conventions and an Electoral College system along the way.

1. The primaries
The primary is the first step in choosing a party's candidate. In most countries, the party picks the candidate. But in the US, voters who declare support for one party or another get to choose from a list.
US presidential elections are always held in November. State primaries begin the preceding January, with candidates campaigning against other members of the same party for the nomination.
Delegates at the party's national convention in the summer make the final selection. In the primaries, voters select these delegates, who in most cases have pledged to support a particular candidate. Candidates need a majority of delegates at the convention to win.
Some states, such as Iowa, use a Caucus System rather than primaries to choose their delegates. Whereas in primaries people simply indicate at the ballot box which delegates they support, caucuses are more complex and work by selecting delegates through a number of stages.

2. The convention
The party conventions are one of the great set pieces of American politics. Each state arrives at the hall with its own delegates and banners declaring which presidential candidate it supports.
By this stage, the party normally knows who has won. The delegates from each state formally choose their champion to go forward as presidential candidate.
The candidate with the most delegates wins - and normally secures the support of party rivals. The winning candidate also names a vice-presidential running mate.

3. The campaign
The rival candidates square up for the presidential campaign proper.
Policies are refined, often to take into account the supporters of the candidates who have been eliminated. This stage of the campaign is shorter than the slog through the state primaries. There is heavy spending on nationwide television publicity, and there are usually televised debates between the candidates.
In the final weeks, the contenders typically concentrate their attention on big so-called "swing states" as they battle it out for the critical Electoral College votes.

Vocabulary

baffling : confusing, puzzling
undergo: go through, endure, submit
pledged: a binding promise or agreement
ballot boxes: a box for receiving ballots (urna de votação)
banners: a piece of cloth attached by one edge to a staff and used by a leader as his standard (faixa)
square up: to regulate or adjust by or to some standard , to settle a bill or debt
policies: a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions
refined: precise to a fine degree, free from coarseness or vulgarity; polite (no context do artigo esta mais para: as políticas prometidas no inicio da campanha são então peneiradas e ajustadas
o que pode significar uma inclusão de uma promessa de um ex-candidato, ou a retirada de
algo que percebesse que não esta de comum agrado dos eleitores, etc...)
take into account: To take into consideration; allow for
slog: To walk or progress with a slow heavy pace; plod
contenders: the candidates
swing states: states where they support for a final candidate was not defined yet.
battle it out: to fight (figuratively)
Caucus: Caucus, a general term for a policymaking meeting of members of a political party. The term has various shades of meaning, depending on the nature of the business transacted at such a meeting. Undertones of disrepute are associated with the word because of the early American practice of holding clandestine caucuses to select candidates and determine issues without public discussion.
The congressional caucus for nominating U.S. presidential candidates in the first quarter of the 19th century was later discredited and gave way to national party conventions. Nominating caucuses in state legislatures gave way to conventions and later to direct primary elections. Legislative caucuses on the national and state levels in the United States remain useful tools for determining party strategy, but their decisions are not necessarily binding on legislators. In Britain the term "caucus" usually refers to a system of party organization.