text:
This section comments on most of the topics in the principles and practices; the comments are offered to explain, illustrate, or further define the statement of principle in Part I.
A federal statistical agency is a unit of the federal government whose principal function is the compilation and analysis of data and the dissemination of information for statistical purposes.
A statistical agency may be labeled a bureau, center, division, or office or similar title, so long as it is recognized as a distinct entity. Statistical agencies have been established for several reasons: (1) to develop new information for an area of public concern (e.g., the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Center for Health Statistics); (2) to conduct large statistical collection and dissemination operations specified by law (e.g., the U.S. Census Bureau); (3) to compile and analyze statistics from sets of administrative records for policy purposes and public use (e.g., the Statistics of Income Division in the Internal Revenue Service); and (4) to develop broad and consistent estimates from a variety of statistical and administrative sources in accordance with a prespecified conceptual framework (e.g., the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the U.S. Department of Commerce). Once established, many statistical agencies engage in all of these functions to varying degrees.
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Part II: Commentary
This section comments on most of the topics in the principles and
practices; the comments are offered to explain, illustrate, or further define
the statement of principle in Part I.
A federal statistical agency is a unit of the federal government
whose principal function is the compilation and analysis of data
and the dissemination of information for statistical purposes.
A statistical agency may be labeled a bureau, center, division, or office or
similar title, so long as it is recognized as a distinct entity. Statistical agencies
have been established for several reasons: (1) to develop new information for
an area of public concern (e.g., the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National
Center for Health Statistics); (2) to conduct large statistical collection and
dissemination operations specified by law (e.g., the U.S. Census Bureau);
(3) to compile and analyze statistics from sets of administrative records for
policy purposes and public use (e.g., the Statistics of Income Division in
the Internal Revenue Service); and (4) to develop broad and consistent es-
timates from a variety of statistical and administrative sources in accordance
with a prespecified conceptual framework (e.g., the Bureau of Economic
Analysis in the U.S. Department of Commerce). Once established, many
statistical agencies engage in all of these functions to varying degrees.
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PART ii: COMMENTARy
This definition of a federal statistical agency does not include many
statistical activities of the federal government because they are not per-
formed by distinct units, or because they do not result in the dissemination
of statistics to others—for example, statistics compiled by the U.S. Postal
Service to set rates or by the U.S. Department of Defense to test weapons
(see National Research Council, 1998b, 2002b, 2003b, 2006d, on statistics
and testing for defense acquisition). Nor does it include agencies whose
primary functions are the conduct or support of problem-oriented research,
although their research may be based on information gathered by statistical
means, and they may also sponsor important surveys, as do, for example,
the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, and other agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Finally, this definition of a statistical agency does not usually include
agencies whose primary function is policy analysis and planning (e.g., the
Office of Tax Analysis in the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Office of
the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services). Such agencies may collect and analyze
statistical information, and statistical agencies, in turn, may perform some
policy-related analysis (e.g., produce reports on trends in after-tax income
or child care arrangements of families). However, to maintain credibility as
an objective source of accurate, useful information, statistical agencies must
be separate from units that are involved in developing policy and assessing
policy alternatives.
The work of federal statistical agencies is coordinated through the In-
teragency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP), created by the U.S. Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) in the 1980s and authorized in statute
in the 1995 reauthorization of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The ICSP
is chaired by OMB and currently includes representation from a total of
fourteen agencies and units, which are housed in nine cabinet departments
and three independent agencies (see Appendix A):
• Bureau of Economic Analysis (Commerce Department)
• Bureau of Justice Statistics (Justice Department)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (Labor Department)
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics (Transportation Department)
• Census Bureau (Commerce Department)
• Economic Research Service (Agriculture Department)
• Energy Information Administration (Energy Department)
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
• National Agricultural Statistics Service (Agriculture Department)
• National Center for Education Statistics (Education Department)
• National Center for Health Statistics (Health and Human Services
• Office of Environmental Information (Environmental Protection
• Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics (Social Security
• Science Resources Statistics Division (National Science
• Statistics of Income Division (Treasury Department)
Throughout the federal government, OMB recognizes more than 80
units and agencies that are not statistical agencies but that have annual
budgets of $500,000 or more for statistical activities (U.S. Office of Man-
agement and Budget, 2008c:Table 1). The principles for federal statistical
agencies presented here should apply to other federal agencies that carry
out statistical activities, and they may find many of the detailed practices
pertinent as well. Similarly, the principles and practices may be relevant to
statistical units in state and local government agencies, and international
audiences may also find them useful.
One of the most important reasons for establishing a statistical agency
is to provide information that will allow for an informed citizenry. A democ-
racy depends on an informed electorate. A citizen has a right to information
that comes from a trustworthy, credible source and is relevant, accurate, and
timely. Timely information of high quality is also critical to policy analysts
and decision makers in both the public and private sectors. (For more infor-
mation on the purposes of official statistics, see the Fundamental Principles
of Official Statistics of the United Nations Statistical Commission in Ap-
pendix C; see also U.N. Economic Commission for Europe, 2003; U.N.
Statistical Commission, 2003.) Federal statistical agencies serve the key
functions of providing a broad array of information to the public and policy
makers and of ensuring the necessary quality and credibility of the data.
Commercial, nonprofit, and academic organizations in the private sec-
tor also provide useful statistical information, including data they collect
themselves and data they acquire from government agencies and other data
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PART ii: COMMENTARy
collectors to which they add value. However, because the benefits of statisti-
cal information are shared widely throughout society and because it is often
difficult to collect payments for these benefits, private markets are not likely
to provide all of the data that are needed for public and private decision
making or to make data as widely available as needed for important public
purposes. Government statistical agencies are established to ensure that a
broad range of information is publicly available. (See National Research
Council, 1999b and 2005b, for a discussion of the governmental role in
providing public goods, or near public goods, such as research and data.)
The United States government collected and published statistics long
before any distinct federal statistical agency was formed (see Duncan and
Shelton, 1978; Norwood, 1995). The U.S. Constitution mandated the
conduct of a decennial census of population beginning in 1790, and the
census enumeration was originally conducted by U.S. marshals as one of
their many duties. Legislation providing for the compilation of statistics on
agriculture, education, and income was enacted by Congress in the 1860s.
The Bureau of Labor (forerunner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics) was
established by law in 1884 as a separate agency with a general mandate to
respond to widespread public demand for information on the conditions
of industrial workers. The Census Bureau was established as a permanent
agency in 1902 to conduct the decennial census and related statistical
Many federal statistical agencies that can trace their roots back to the
19th or early 20th century, such as the National Center for Education Sta-
tistics and the National Center for Health Statistics, were organized in their
current form following World War II. Several relatively new agencies have
since been established, including the Energy Information Administration,
the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
In every case, the agency itself, in consultation with users of its information,
has major responsibility for determining its specific statistical programs and
for setting priorities. Initially, many of these agencies also had responsibili-
ties for certain policy analysis functions for their department heads. More
recently, policy analysis has generally been located in separate units that are
not themselves considered to be statistical agencies, a separation that helps
establish and maintain the credibility of statistical agencies as providers of
data and analyses that are not designed for particular policy alternatives.
A statistical agency has at least two roles: (1) provider of the statistical
information and analysis needed to inform policy making and program
assessment by its own department, and (2) source of national statistics for
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
the public in its area of concern. It is sometimes difficult to keep these two
roles distinct on policy-relevant statistics. An effective statistical agency,
nevertheless, will frequently play a creative, not just reactive, role in the
development of data needed for policy analysis. Sometimes federal statistical
agencies play additional roles, such as monitor and consultant on statisti-
cal matters to other units within the same department (see, e.g., National
Research Council, 1985a) and collector of data on a reimbursable basis for
other agencies.
There is no set rule or guideline for when it is appropriate to establish
a separate federal statistical agency, carry on statistical activities within the
operating units of departments and independent agencies, or contract for
statistical services from existing federal statistical agencies or other organi-
zations. Establishment of a federal statistical agency should be considered
when one or more of the following conditions prevail:1
• There is a need for information on an ongoing basis beyond the ca-
pacity of existing operating units, possibly involving other departments and
agencies. Such needs may require coordinating data from various sources,
initiating new data collection programs to fill gaps, or developing regularly
updated time series of estimates.
• There is a need, as a matter of credibility, to ensure that major data
series are independent of policy makers' control.
• There is a need to establish the functional separation of data on
individuals and organizations that are collected for statistical purposes from
data on individuals and organizations that may be used for administrative,
regulatory, or law enforcement uses. Such separation, recommended by
the Privacy Protection Study Commission (1977), bolsters a culture and
practice of respect for privacy and protection of confidentiality. Functional
separation is easier to maintain when the data to be used for statistical
purposes are compiled and controlled by a unit that is separate from operat-
ing units or department-wide data centers. The Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA) extended legal
confidentiality protection to statistical data collections that may be carried
1The National Research Council (2001b:Ch. 6) cited a number of these reasons in
recommending to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that it establish or
identify a statistical unit to be assigned responsibility and authority for carrying out statistical
functions and data collection for social welfare programs and the populations they serve; see
also National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (2004).
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PART ii: COMMENTARy
out by any federal agency, whether a statistical agency or other type of
agency (see Appendix B). Nonetheless, functional separation of statistical
data from other kinds of data is important because it makes promises of
confidentiality protection more credible.2
• There is a need to emphasize the principles and practices of an ef-
fective statistical agency, for example, professional practice, openness about
the data provided, and wide dissemination of data.
• There is a need to encourage research and development of a broad
range of statistics in a particular area of public interest or of government
activity or responsibility.
• There is a need to consolidate compilation, analysis, and dissemina-
tion of statistics in one unit to encourage high-quality performance, elimi-
nate duplication, and streamline operations.
Principle 1: A federal statistical agency must be in a position to
provide objective information that is relevant to issues of public
A statistical agency supplies information not only for the use of man-
agers and policy makers in the executive branch and for legislative design-
ers and overseers in Congress, but also for all those who require objective
statistical information on public issues, whether the information is needed
for purposes of production, trade, consumption, or participation in civic
affairs. Just as a free enterprise economic system depends on the availability
of economic information to all participants, a democratic political system
depends on—and has a fundamental duty to provide—wide access to in-
formation on education, health, transportation, the economy, the environ-
ment, criminal justice, and other social concerns.
Federal statistical agencies are responsible for providing statistics on
conditions in a variety of areas. The resulting information is used both
inside and outside the government not only to delineate problems and
sometimes to suggest courses of action, but also to evaluate the results of
2Under the guidance issued for CIPSEA (see Appendix B), OMB in 2007 recognized
two new statistical units: the Office of Applied Studies within the Substance Abuse and Men-
tal Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
and the Microeconomic Surveys Section of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
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0 PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
government activity or lack of activity. The statistics provide much of the
basis on which the government itself is judged. This role places a heavy re-
sponsibility on federal statistical agencies for impartiality and objectivity.
In order to provide information that is relevant to public issues, sta-
tistical agencies need to reach out to users of the data. Federal statistical
agencies usually are in touch with the primary users in their own depart-
ments. Considerable energy and initiative are required to open avenues of
communication more broadly to other current and potential users, includ-
ing analysts and policy makers in other federal departments, state and local
government agencies, academic researchers, private-sector organizations,
organized constituent groups, the media, and Congress. Advisory com-
mittees are recommended as a means to obtain the views of users, as well
as people with relevant technical expertise (see, e.g., National Research
Council, 1993a). Many agencies obtain advice from committees that are
chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act—examples include
the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics for the National Agricul-
tural Statistics Service, the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National
Center for Health Statistics, and the Census Advisory Committee of Profes-
sional Associations for the Census Bureau. The Federal Economic Statistics
Advisory Committee (FESAC), chartered in November 1999, provides
substantive and technical advice to three agencies—the Bureau of Economic
Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Census Bureau—thereby
providing an important cross-cutting perspective on major economic sta-
tistics programs (see http://www.bls.gov/bls/fesac.htm [December 2008]).
Some agencies obtain advice from committees and working groups that are
organized by an independent association, such as the American Statistical
Association's Committee on Energy Statistics for the Energy Information
One frequently recommended method for alerting statistical agencies
to emerging statistical information needs is for the agency's own staff to en-
gage in analysis of its data (Martin, 1981; Norwood, 1995; Triplett, 1991).
For example, relevant analysis may use the agency's data to examine cor-
relates of key social or economic phenomena or to study the statistical error
properties of the data. Such in-house analysis can lead to improvements in
the quality of the statistics, to identification of new needs, to a reordering of
priorities, and to closer cooperation and mutual understanding with policy
analysis units. In its work for a policy analysis unit, a statistical agency de-
scribes conditions and possibly measures progress toward some previously
identified goal, but it refrains from making policy recommendations. The
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PART ii: COMMENTARy
distinction between statistical analysis and policy analysis is not always clear,
and a statistical agency will need to consider carefully the extent of policy-
related activities that are appropriate for it to undertake.
Principle 2: A federal statistical agency must have credibility with
those who use its data and information.
Users of a statistical agency's data must be able to trust that the data
were collected and analyzed in an objective, impartial manner and that they
are as accurate and timely as the agency can make them. An agency should
make every effort to provide accurate and credible statistics that will permit
policy debates to be concerned about policy, not about the credibility of
the data. Credibility is enhanced when an agency fully informs users of
the strengths and weaknesses of the data, makes data available widely, and
consults with users about priorities for data collection and analysis. When
it does so, an agency is perceived to be working in the national interest, not
the interest of a particular administration (Ryten, 1990).
Principle 3: A federal statistical agency must have the trust of those
whose information it obtains.
The statistics programs of the federal government rely in large part
on information supplied by individuals and by organizations outside the
federal government, such as state and local governments, businesses, and
other organizations. Some of this information is required by law or regula-
tion (such as employers' wage reports), some of it is related to administra-
tion of government programs (such as information provided by benefit
recipients), but much of it is obtained through the voluntary cooperation
of respondents in statistical surveys. Even when response is mandatory,
the cooperation of respondents reduces costs and likely promotes accuracy
(see National Research Council, 1995b, 2004e). Important elements in
encouraging such cooperation are that respondents believe that the data
requested are important and legitimate for the government to collect, that
they are being collected in an impartial, competent manner, and that the
confidentiality of their responses will be protected.
In brief, trust in a statistical agency must be maintained, and the agency
must not be perceived as being swayed by political considerations. Respon-
dent trust also depends on providing respondents with realistic promises
of confidentiality that the agency can reasonably expect to honor and then
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
scrupulously honoring those promises. Finally, respondent trust depends
on adopting practices that respect personal privacy, such as taking steps to
minimize the intrusiveness of questions and the time and effort required to
participate in a survey.
Principle 4: A federal statistical agency must have a strong position
of independence within the government.
A statistical agency must be able to provide credible information that
may be used to evaluate the program and policies of its own department
or the government as a whole. More broadly, a statistical agency must be a
trustworthy source of objective, accurate information for decision makers,
analysts, and others inside and outside the government who want to use
statistics to understand present conditions, draw comparisons with the past,
and help guide plans for the future.3 For these purposes, a strong position
of independence for a statistical agency is essential.
Statistical agency independence must be exercised in a broad frame-
work. Legislative authority usually gives ultimate responsibility to the sec-
retary of the department rather than the statistical agency head. In addition,
an agency is subject to the normal budgetary processes and to various coor-
dinating and review functions of OMB, as well as the legislative mandates,
oversight, and informal guidance of Congress.
Within this broad framework, a statistical agency must work to main-
tain its credibility as an impartial purveyor of information. In the long run,
the effectiveness of an agency depends on its maintaining a reputation for
impartiality; thus, an agency must be continually alert to possible infringe-
ments on its credibility and be prepared to argue strenuously against such
An agency head's independence can be strengthened by being ap-
pointed for a fixed term by the President, with approval by the Senate, as is
the case with the heads of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National
Center for Education Statistics. For a fixed term, it is desirable that it not
coincide with the presidential term so that professional considerations are
more likely to be paramount in the appointment process. In contrast, the
heads of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Census Bureau, and the Energy
Information Administration are presidential appointees, but their terms
3See the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics of the United Nations Statistical
Commission in Appendix C.
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PART ii: COMMENTARy
are not fixed and usually end with a change of administration. In some
instances, heads of statistical agencies are career senior executives.
It is also desirable that a statistical agency head have direct access to
the secretary of the department or the head of the independent agency in
which the statistical agency is located. Such access allows the head to inform
new secretaries about the appropriate role of a statistical agency and present
the case for new statistical initiatives to the secretary directly. Among the
agency heads with presidential appointments, such direct access currently
is provided by legislation only for the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the
Energy Information Administration.
It is desirable for a statistical agency to have its own funding appropria-
tion from Congress and not be dependent on allocations from the budget of
its parent department or agency, which may be subject to reallocation.
These organizational aspects—appointment of the agency head by the
President with approval by the Senate for a fixed term not coincident with
that of the administration, direct access to the secretary of the agency's
department, and separate budgetary authority—are neither necessary nor
sufficient for a strong position of independence for a statistical agency, but
they facilitate such independence. In contrast, some agencies are under
several layers of supervision within their departments (see Appendix A).
Other characteristics related to independence are that a statistical
agency has the following:
• Authority for professional decisions over the scope, content, and
frequency of data compiled, analyzed, or published within the framework
set by its authorizing legislation. Most statistical agencies have such broad
authority, limited by budgetary constraints, departmental requirements,
OMB review, and congressional mandates.
• Authority for selection and promotion of professional, technical,
and operational staff.
• Recognition by policy officials outside the statistical agency of its
authority to release statistical information, including accompanying press
releases and documentation, without prior clearance.
• Authority to control information technology systems for data pro-
cessing and analysis in order to securely maintain the integrity and confi-
dentiality of data and reliably support timely and accurate production of
key statistics.
• Authority for the statistical agency head and qualified staff to speak
about the agency's statistics before Congress, with congressional staff, and
before public bodies.
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
• Adherence to fixed schedules in public release of important statisti-
cal indicators to prevent even the appearance of manipulation of release
dates for political purposes.
• Maintenance of a clear distinction between statistical information
and policy interpretations of such information by the president, the secre-
tary of the department, or others in the executive branch.
• Dissemination policies that foster regular, frequent release of major
findings from an agency's statistical programs to the public via the media,
the Internet, and other means.
Control over personnel actions, especially the selection and appoint-
ment of qualified professional staff, including senior executive career staff,
is an important aspect of independence. Agency staff reporting directly to
the agency head should have formal education and deep experience in the
substantive, methodological, operational, or management issues facing the
agency as appropriate for their positions. In addition, professional qualifica-
tions are of the utmost importance for statistical agency heads, whether the
profession is that of statistician or the subject-matter field of the statistical
agency (National Research Council, 1997b). Relevant professional associa-
tions can be a source of valuable input on suitable candidates.
The authority to ensure that information technology systems fulfill
the specialized needs of the statistical agency is another important aspect of
independence. A statistical agency must be able to vouch for the integrity,
confidentiality, and impartiality of the information collected and main-
tained under its authority so that it retains the trust of its data providers and
data users. Such trust is fostered when a statistical agency has control over
its information technology resources, and there is no opportunity or percep-
tion that policy, program, or regulatory agencies could gain access to records
of individual respondents. A statistical agency also needs control over its
information technology resources to support timely and accurate release of
official statistics, which are often produced under stringent deadlines.
Authority to decide the scope and specific content of the data collected
or compiled and to make decisions about technical aspects of data collec-
tion programs is yet another important element of independence, although
such authority can never be without limits. Congress frequently specifies
particular data that it wishes to be collected (e.g., data on job openings and
labor turnover by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, data on family farms by
the Economic Research Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service)
and, in the case of the decennial census, requires an opportunity to review
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
As with descriptive analyses provided by the agency, substantive
analyses should be designed to be relevant to policy by addressing topics
of public interest and concern. However, such analyses should not include
positions on policy options or be designed to reflect any particular policy
agenda. These issues are discussed in Martin (1981), Norwood (1975), and
Triplett (1991).
Research on Methodology and Operations
For statistical agencies to be innovative in methods for data collection,
analysis, and dissemination, research on methodology and operational pro-
cedures must be ongoing. Methodological research may be directed toward
improving survey design, measuring error and, when possible, reducing it
from such sources as nonresponse and reporting errors, reducing the time
and effort asked of respondents, evaluating the best mix of interview modes
(e.g., mail, telephone, personal interview) to cope with increasing nonre-
sponse rates due to such phenomena as cell-phone-only households, devel-
oping new and improved summary measures and estimation techniques,
and developing innovative statistical methods for confidentiality protection.
Research on operational procedures may be directed toward facilitating data
collection in the field, improving the efficiency and reproducibility of data
capture and processing, and enhancing the usability of Internet-based data
dissemination systems.
Much of current practice in statistical agencies was developed through
research they conducted or obtained from other agencies. Federal statistical
agencies, frequently in partnership with academic researchers, pioneered
the applications of statistical probability sampling, the national economic
accounts, input-output models, and other analytic methods. The U.S.
Census Bureau pioneered the use of computers for processing the census,
and research on data collection, processing, and dissemination operations
continues to lead to creative uses of automated procedures and equipment
in these areas. Several federal statistical agencies sponsor research using
academic principles of cognitive psychology to improve the design of ques-
tionnaires, the clarity of data presentation, and the ease of use of electronic
data collection and dissemination tools such as the Internet. The history of
the statistical agencies has shown repeatedly that methodological and opera-
tions research can lead to large productivity gains in statistical activities at
relatively low cost.
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PART ii: COMMENTARy
An effective statistical agency actively partners with the academic com-
munity for methodological research. It also seeks out academic and industry
expertise for improving data collection, processing, and dissemination
operations. For example, a statistical agency can learn techniques and best
practices for improving software development processes from computer
scientists (see National Research Council, 2003e, 2004d).
Research on Policy Uses
Much more needs to be known about how statistics are actually used
in the policy-making process, both inside and outside the government. Re-
search about how the information produced by a statistical agency is used
in practice should contribute to future improvements in design, concepts,
and format of data products. For example, public-use files of statistical
microdata were developed in response to the growing analytic needs of
government and academic researchers.
Gaining an understanding of the variety of uses and users of an
agency's data is only a first step. More in-depth research on the policy uses
of an agency's information might, for example, explore the use of data in
microsimulation or other economic models, or go further to examine how
the information from such models and other sources is used in decision
making (see National Research Council, 1991a, 1991b, 1997a, 2000b,
2001b, 2003a).
Practice 9: Professional Advancement of Staff
An effective federal statistical agency has personnel policies that encour-
age the development and retention of a strong professional staff who are
committed to the highest standards of quality work. There are several key
elements of such a policy:
• The required levels of technical and professional qualifications for
positions in the agency are identified, and the agency adheres to these re-
quirements in recruitment and professional development of staff. Position
requirements take account of the different kinds of technical and other
skills, such as supervisory skills, that are necessary for an agency to have a
full range of qualified staff, including not only statisticians, but also experts
in relevant subject-matter areas, data collection, processing, and dissemina-
tion processes, and management of complex, technical operations.
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
• Continuing technical education and training, appropriate to the
needs of their positions, is provided to staff through in-house training pro-
grams and opportunities for external education and training.
• Position responsibilities are structured to ensure that staff have the
opportunity to participate, in ways appropriate to their experience and ex-
pertise, in research and development activities to improve data quality and
cost-effectiveness of agency operations.
• Professional activities, such as publishing in refereed journals and
presentations at conferences, are encouraged and recognized, including
presentations of technical work in progress with appropriate disclaimers.
Participation in relevant statistical and other scientific associations is en-
couraged to promote interactions with researchers and methodologists in
other organizations. Such participation is also a mechanism for openness
about the data provided.
• Interaction with other professionals is increased through technical
advisory committees, supervision of contract research and research consul-
tants, fellowship programs of visiting researchers, exchange of staff with
relevant statistical, policy, or research organizations, and opportunities for
new assignments within the agency.
• Accomplishment is rewarded by appropriate recognition and by af-
fording opportunity for further professional development. The prestige and
credibility of a statistical agency is enhanced by the professional visibility of
its staff, which may include establishing high-level nonmanagement posi-
tions for highly qualified technical experts.
An effective statistical agency considers carefully the costs and
benefits—monetary and nonmonetary—of using contractor organiza-
tions, not only for data collection as most agencies do, but also to supple-
ment in-house staff in other areas.8 Outsourcing can have benefits, such
as: providing experts in areas in which the agency is unlikely to be able to
attract highly qualified in-house staff (e.g., some information technology
functions), enabling an agency to handle an increase in its workload that is
expected to be temporary or that requires specialized skills, and allowing an
agency to learn from best industry practices. However, outsourcing can also
have costs, including that agency staff become primarily contract managers
8Only the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau maintain their own inter-
viewing staff.
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PART ii: COMMENTARy
and less qualified as technical experts and leaders in their fields. An effec-
tive statistical agency maintains and develops a sufficiently large number
of in-house staff, including mathematical statisticians, who are qualified
to analyze the agency's data and to plan, design, carry out, and evaluate its
core operations so that the agency maintains the integrity of its data and its
credibility in planning and fulfilling its mission. Statistical agencies should
also maintain and develop staff with the expertise necessary for effective
management of contractor resources.
An effective statistical agency has policies and practices to instill the
highest possible commitment to professional ethics among its staff, as well
as procedures for monitoring contractor compliance with ethical standards.
When an agency comes under pressure to act against its principles—for
example, if it is asked to disclose confidential information for an enforce-
ment purpose or to support an inaccurate interpretation of its data—it
must be able to rely on its staff to resist such actions as contrary to the
ethical principles of their profession. An effective agency refers its staff to
such statements of professional practice as the guidelines published by the
American Statistical Association (1999) and the International Statistical
Institute (1985), as well as to the agency's own statements about protec-
tion of confidentiality, respect for privacy, standards for data quality, and
similar matters. It endeavors in other ways to ensure that its staff are fully
cognizant of the ethics that must guide their actions in order for the agency
to maintain its credibility as a source of objective, reliable information for
use by all.
Practice 10: A Strong Internal and External Evaluation Program
Statistical agencies that fully follow such practices as continual develop-
ment of more useful data, openness about sources and limitations of the
data provided, wide dissemination of data, commitment to quality and pro-
fessional standards of practice, and an active research program will likely be
in a good position to make continuous assessments of and improvements in
the relevance and quality of their data collection systems. Yet even the best
functioning agencies will benefit from an explicit program of internal and
independent external evaluations, which frequently offer fresh perspectives.
Such evaluations need to address not only specific agency programs, but also
the agency's portfolio of programs considered as a whole.
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
Ealuating Quality
Evaluation of data quality for a continuing survey or other kind of data
collection program begins with regular monitoring of quality indicators. For
surveys, such monitoring includes unit and item response rates, population
coverage rates, and information on sampling error, such as coefficients of
variation. (The American Community Survey provides these indicators on
its web page, http://www.census.gov/acs/www/ [December 2008].) In ad-
dition, in-depth assessment of quality on a wide range of dimensions—in-
cluding sampling and nonsampling errors across time and among popula-
tion groups and geographic areas—needs to be undertaken on a periodic
basis (National Research Council, 2007b).
Research on methods to improve data quality may cover such areas as
alternative methods for imputing values for missing data and alternative
question designs, using cognitive methods, to reduce respondent reporting
errors. Methods for such research may include the use of "methods panels"
(small samples of respondents with whom experiments are conducted by
using alternative procedures and questionnaires), matching with adminis-
trative records, simulations of sensitivity to alternative procedures, and the
like. The goal of the research is the development of feasible, cost-effective
improved procedures for implementation.
In ongoing programs for which it is disruptive to implement improve-
ments on a continuing basis, a common practice is to undertake major re-
search and development activities at intervals of, say, 5 or 10 years or longer.
Agencies should ensure, however, that the intervals between major research
and development activities do not become so long that data collection pro-
grams deteriorate in quality, relevance, and efficiency over time.
Regular, well-designed program evaluations, with adequate budget sup-
port, are key to ensuring that data collection programs do not deteriorate.
Having a set schedule for research and development efforts will enable data
collection managers to ensure that the quality and usefulness of their data
are maintained and help prevent the locking into place of increasingly less
optimal procedures over time.
Ealuating Releance
In addition to quality, it is important to assess the relevance of an
agency's data collection programs. The question in this instance is whether
the agency is "doing the right thing" in contrast to whether the agency is
OCR for page 14
PART ii: COMMENTARy
"doing things right." Relevance should be assessed not only for particu-
lar programs or closely related sets of programs, but also for an agency's
complete portfolio to assist it in making the best choices among program
priorities given the available resources.
Keeping in close touch with stakeholders and important user
constituencies—through such means as regular meetings, workshops, con-
ferences, and other activities—is important to ensuring relevance. Customer
surveys can be helpful on some aspects of relevance, although they typically
provide only gross indicators of customer satisfaction, usually with regard to
timeliness and ease of use of data products. As discussed in the next section,
including other federal statistical colleagues, both as users and as collabora-
tors, in this communication can also be valuable.
Statistical agencies commonly find that it is difficult to discontinue
or scale back a particular data series, even when it has largely outlived its
usefulness relative to other series, because of objections by users who have
become accustomed to it. In the face of limited resources, however, discon-
tinuing a series is preferable to across-the-board cuts in all programs that
reduce the accuracy and usefulness of the more relevant and less relevant
data series alike. Regular internal and external reviews can help an agency
not only reassess its priorities, but also develop the justification and support
for changes to its portfolio.
Types of Reiews
Regular program reviews should include a mixture of internal and ex-
ternal evaluation. Agency staff should set goals and timetables for internal
evaluations, which should involve staff who do not regularly work on the
program under review. Independent external evaluations should also be
conducted on a regular basis, the frequency of which should depend on
the importance of the data and on how quickly changes in such factors as
respondent behavior and data collection technology may adversely affect a
program. In a world in which people and organizations appear increasingly
less willing to respond to surveys, it becomes urgent to continually monitor
response and have more frequent evaluations than in a more stable environ-
ment. In addition to program evaluations, agencies should seek outside re-
views to examine priorities and quality practices across the entire agency.
External reviews can take many forms. They may include recommen-
dations from advisory committees that meet at regular intervals (typically
every 6 months). However, advisory committees should never be the sole
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0 PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
source of outside review because the members of such committees rarely
have the opportunity to become deeply familiar with agency programs.
Administrations often develop evaluation mechanisms (see Appendix B)
that may be helpful to an agency. External reviews can also take the form
of a "visiting committee" using the National Science Foundation model or
academic models (see, e.g., http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/activities/cov/covs.
jsp [December 2008]); or a special committee established by a relevant pro-
fessional association (see, e.g., American Statistical Association, 1984); or
a study by a panel of experts (see, e.g., National Research Council, 1985a,
1985b, 1986, 1993a, 1997b, 2000b, 2000c, 2003c, 2004c, 2004d, 2008c,
Practice 11: Coordination and Cooperation with
Other Statistical Agencies
The U.S. federal statistical system consists of many agencies in different
departments, each with its own mission. Nonetheless, statistical agencies do
not and should not conduct their activities in isolation. An effective statisti-
cal agency actively explores ways to work with other agencies to meet current
information needs, for example, by seeking ways to integrate the designs
of existing data systems to provide new or more useful data than a single
system can provide. An effective agency is also alert for occasions when it
can provide technical assistance to other agencies—including not only other
statistical agencies, but also program agencies in its department—as well as
occasions when it can receive such assistance in turn. Efforts to standard-
ize concepts and definitions, such as those for industries, occupations, and
race and ethnicity, further contribute to effective coordination of statistical
agency endeavors, as does the development of broad macro models, such
as the system of national accounts (see, e.g., National Research Council,
2004a, 2004b; also see Appendix B). Initiatives for sharing data among sta-
tistical agencies (including individual data and address lists when permitted
by law and when sharing does not violate confidentiality promises) can be
helpful for such purposes as achieving greater efficiency in drawing samples,
evaluating completeness of population coverage, and reducing duplication
among statistical programs, as well as reducing respondent burden.
The responsibility for coordinating statistical work in the federal gov-
ernment is specifically assigned to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs (OIRA) in OMB by the Paperwork Reduction Act (previously, by
the Federal Reports Act and the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act—
OCR for page 14
PART ii: COMMENTARy
see Appendix B). The Statistical and Science Policy Office in OIRA, often
working with the assistance of interagency committees, reviews concepts
of interest to more than one agency; issues standard classification systems
(of industries, metropolitan areas, etc.) and oversees their periodic revision;
consults with other parts of OMB on statistical budgets; and, by reviewing
statistical information collections as well as the statistical programs of the
government as a whole, identifies gaps in statistical data, programs that
may be duplicative, and areas in which interagency cooperation might lead
to greater efficiency and added utility of data. The Statistical and Science
Policy Office also is responsible for coordinating U.S. participation in in-
ternational statistical activities.9
The Statistical and Science Policy Office encourages the use of admin-
istrative data for statistical purposes, when feasible, and works to establish
common goals and norms on major statistical issues, such as confidential-
ity. It sponsors and heads the interagency Federal Committee on Statistical
Methodology (FCSM), which issues guidelines and recommendations on
statistical issues common to a number of agencies (see Federal Committee
on Statistical Methodology, 1978a-2005; for the papers from the FCSM
2007 research conference, see http://www.fcsm.gov/events/papers2007
[December 2008]). It encourages the Committee on National Statistics at
the National Academies to serve as an independent adviser and reviewer
of federal statistical activities. The 1995 reauthorization of the Paperwork
Reduction Act created a statutory basis for the Interagency Council on
Statistical Policy (ICSP), formalizing an arrangement whereby statistical
agency heads participated with OMB in activities to coordinate federal
statistical programs (see Appendixes A and B).
There are many forms of interagency cooperation and coordination.
Some efforts are multilateral, some bilateral. Many result from common
interests in specific subject areas, such as economic statistics, statistics on
people with disabilities, or statistics on children or the elderly. U.S. Office
of Management and Budget (2008c:Ch. 3) describes several interagency
collaborative efforts, such as joint support for research that fosters new
and innovative approaches to surveys, expansion and improvement of the
coverage and features of FedStats, which provides access to statistics from
9The Statistical and Science Policy Office was renamed from the Statistical Policy Office
to reflect added responsibilities with respect to the 2001 Information Quality Act standards
and guidelines, OMB's guidance on peer review planning and implementation, and evalua-
tions of science underlying proposed regulatory actions.
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PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
more than 100 government agencies at http://www.fedstats.gov [December
2008], and implementation of comparable measures of disability on major
household surveys.
A common type of bilateral arrangement is the agreement of a program
agency to provide administrative data to a statistical agency to be used as
a sampling frame, a source of classification information, or a summary
compilation to check (and possibly revise) preliminary sample results. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics, for example, benchmarks its monthly establish-
ment employment reports to data supplied by state employment security
agencies. Such practices improve statistical estimates, reduce costs, and
eliminate duplicate requests for information from the same respondents.
In other cases, federal statistical agencies engage in cooperative data collec-
tion with state counterparts to let one collection system satisfy the needs
of both. A number of such joint systems have been developed, notably by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Agricultural Statistics Service,
the National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Center for
Health Statistics.
Another example of a joint arrangement is the case in which one statisti-
cal agency contracts with another to conduct a survey, compile special tabula-
tions, or develop models. Such arrangements make use of the special skills of
the supplying agency and facilitate use of common concepts and methods.
The Census Bureau conducts many surveys for other agencies, both the
National Center for Health Statistics and the National Agricultural Statistics
Service receive funding from other agencies in their departments to support
their survey work, and the Division of Science Resources Statistics receives
funding from agencies in other departments to support several of its surveys
(see U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 2008c:Table 2).
The major federal statistics agencies are also concerned with interna-
tional comparability of statistics. Under the leadership of OMB's Statisti-
cal and Science Policy Office, they contribute to the deliberations of the
United Nations Statistical Commission, the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development, and other international organizations,
participate in the development of international standard classifications
and systems, and support educational activities that promote improved
statistics in developing countries. Statistical agencies also learn from and
contribute to the work of established statistical agencies in other countries
in such areas as survey methodology, record linkage, confidentiality protec-
tion techniques, and data quality standards. Several statistical agencies run
educational programs for government statisticians in developing countries.
OCR for page 14
PART ii: COMMENTARy
Some statistical agencies have long-term cooperative relationships with
international groups, for example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics with
the International Labor Organization, the National Agricultural Statistics
Service with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the National Center
for Education Statistics with the International Indicators of Education
Systems project of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and De-
velopment, and the National Center for Health Statistics with the World
Health Organization.
To be of most value, the efforts of statistical agencies to cooperate as
partners with one another should involve the full range of their activities,
including definitions, concepts, measurement methods, analytical tools,
dissemination modes, and disclosure limitation techniques. Such efforts
should also extend to policies and professional practices, so that agencies can
respond effectively and with a coordinated voice to such government-wide
initiatives as data quality guidelines, privacy impact assessments, perfor-
mance rating criteria, institutional review board requirements, and others.
Finally, coordination efforts should encompass the development of
data, especially for emerging policy issues (National Research Council,
1999a). In some cases, it may be not only more efficient, but also productive
of needed new data for agencies to fully integrate the designs of existing data
systems, such as when one survey provides the sampling frame for a related
survey. In other instances, cooperative efforts may identify ways for agencies
to improve their individual data systems so that they are more useful for a
wide range of purposes.
Two of the more effective continuing cooperative efforts in this regard
have been the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics and
the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. The former
was established in the mid-1980s by the National Institute on Aging, in
cooperation with the National Center for Health Statistics and the Census
Bureau. The forum's goals include coordinating the development and use of
statistical data bases among federal agencies, identifying information gaps
and data inconsistencies, and encouraging cross-national research and data
collection for the aging population. The forum was reorganized in 1998 to
include six new member agencies and has grown over the years to include
15 agencies. The forum develops a periodic indicators chart book, which
was first published in 2000 and was most recently issued in 2008 (Federal
Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2008).
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics was
formalized in a 1994 executive order to foster coordination and collabora-
OCR for page 14
PRiNCiPLES AND PRACTiCES FOR A FEDERAL STATiSTiCAL AGENCy
tion in the collection and reporting of federal data on children and families.
Its membership currently includes 22 statistical and program agencies. The
forum's reports (e.g., Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Sta-
tistics, 2007, 2008) describe the condition of America's children, including
changing population and family characteristics, the environment in which
children are living, and indicators of well-being in the areas of economic
security, health, behavior, social environment, and education.
No single agency, whether a statistical or program agency, could have
produced the forum reports alone. Working together in this way, federal sta-
tistical agencies contribute to presenting data in a form that is more relevant
to policy concerns and to a stronger statistical system overall.


text:
Golden Oldies of Golf in the PiedmontA number of proudly mature courses in the "Home of American Golf" and around the state's Piedmont region regularly attract admirers.Read more »
Romantic Escapes in North CarolinaFrom the misty mountains to the storied Outer Banks, North Carolina is perfectly designed for spending quality time with the one you love.Read more »
Fearrington VillageImagine the elegance of an English country village nestled against a backdrop of fields and foothills. Welcome to Fearrington Village. Read more »
Hiking the PiedmontExplore natural wonders and Tar Heel history by hiking these Piedmont trails, just steps away from big-city living.Read more »
Weddings in Central North CarolinaRomantic and elegant choices abound for your perfect wedding day in the central part of the state, from botanical gardens to wineries.Read more »
North Carolina's Dream 18 Golf Courses for WomenWomen will find our courses welcoming and friendly, with many going to great lengths to create playing conditions both suitable and challenging.Read more »
Adventure at North Carolina State ParksWith 32 state parks and recreation areas to visit, you're never far from stargazing, fishing, camping, horseback riding and rock climbing.Read more »
Animal Safari AdventuresEager to explore the wild side of North Carolina? Point your GPS toward aquariums, zoos, national wildlife refuges, a tiger rescue and more.Read more »
Play Golf in the Heart of North CarolinaIn the Piedmont, you can play one afternoon among the pines of the Sandhills and the next morning walk a fairway framed by towering hardwoods.Read more »
Beer at the BallparkFrom Asheville to Zebulon, Minor League Baseball fans can enjoy a warm breeze, the crack of a bat, and dozens of our finest craft beers.Read more »
10 Places to Explore African-American HistoryWhether during Black History Month or another time of year, plan a visit to one of these sites that reflect African-American heritage.Read more »
Gardens in Central North CarolinaIn the low, rolling central plain, visit churches, colleges, historic sites and gardens lush with blooms, flowering shrubs, herbs and trees.Read more »
Outdoor DramasMany of these summertime shows reflect our rich heritage, but you'll also find performances of some of Shakespeare's favorite plays.Read more »
12 Luxury Hotels and Spas StatewideNorth Carolina has a wide range of world-class hotels and spas offering a variety of soothing settings, treatments and value-packed packages.Read more »
Hidden Golf Gems in the PiedmontFor the adventuresome golfer seeking something special, central North Carolina contains more than a few hidden gems.Read more »
Perfect Picnic SpotsThis is one of the easiest and prettiest places to pack a picnic basket, with each region offering a variety of landscapes for any appetite.Read more »
Movie and TV Filming LocationsEven if you haven't been here, chances are you've seen Wilmington, Charlotte, Lake Lure and more of our destinations on the big screen. Read more »
Dream 18: Top-Rated Golf Courses You Can PlayThe North Carolina Golf Panel annually ranks the state's top courses to help guide your choices when you come here to test your skills.Read more »
Eno River State Park, an Urban Wonderland OasisThis spot offers hiking trails, fishing, canoeing and kayaking when conditions are right, and even backwoods camping near the Research Triangle.Read more »
Stay on a Farm in North CarolinaWhether you're looking to stay in the mountains, on the coast or somewhere in between, here you'll find working farms eager to welcome you.Read more »
Explore Civil War Battlefields in Kinston and GoldsboroVisit the two bloodiest Civil War battlefields in North Carolina and learn why the region around Kinston and Goldsboro was prized by both sides.Get planning »
A Tasty Craft Brew Tour, North Carolina StylePlan a brewery vacation with this three-day tasting tour of local breweries and craft beer spots in Asheville, Charlotte and the Triangle.Get planning »
A Romantic Weekend in the TriangleWhether it's a hotel that caters to couples, romantic meals or a soothing spa, it's easy to get away in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham.Get planning »
Muscadine Heritage Wine TrailEach of the wineries on this trail near Raleigh is family-owned and -operated and dripping with rich history dating back to the mid-1700s.Get planning »
Trace the Civil War's End in Salisbury, Old Salem and DurhamExperience the emotions that memorials, emancipation and surrenders brought to Salisbury, Old Salem and Durham at the Civil War's end.Get planning »
Haw River Wine TrailThis trail features four artisan wineries that make for a leisurely drive along the scenic Haw River between the Triad and the Triangle.Get planning »
Military History in Eastern North CarolinaFrom an early declaration of independence to modern-day Special Forces, North Carolina is overflowing with history near Interstates 95 and 40.Get planning »
Film Sites from Bull Durham to the Blue Ridge ParkwaySee some of our great film sites and performing arts venues while enjoying the history of their picturesque settings in this five-day itinerary.Get planning »
Southern Culinary SamplerTaste your way through the Triangle at local markets, award-winning restaurants, barbecue joints and down-home dining spots.Get planning »
Local Food and Music Weekend in the TriangleMake a weekend of great music at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, local food at Raleigh City Farm and plow-to-pint beer at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham.Get planning »
African-American Heritage JourneyThis five-day trip will immerse you in highlights of the great contributions African-Americans have made to local history and culture.Get planning »
North Carolina – Deeper JourneyFrom above the clouds to below the surface, take a journey through the many layers of North Carolina beauty.
North Carolina Museum of ArtThis award-winning museum is home to a world-class collection including 30 Rodin sculptures, a center for special exhibitions and a 164-acre Museum Park.
The Piedmont of North CarolinaIn the central part of North Carolina, commonly known as the Piedmont, beauty follows a different set of rules.
12 Days of Christmas at The Carolina InnThis historic Chapel Hill hotel hosts an entire month of holiday events ranging from crafting to brunch with Santa to afternoon tea.
Chatham County Line's "Living in Raleigh Now"Take a tour of Raleigh in this music video inspired by the home of the International Bluegrass Music Association's World of Bluegrass Festival.
North Carolina PiedmontIn the center of the state, you'll find award-winning spas and dining, a range of sports and cultural attractions, theme parks, historic sites and outdoor fun.
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Art & OrchidsBelmont January 17 - March 17 The fantasy drawings of W. Gary Smith and the world's most compelling flower, the orchid, come together this winter at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in an exclusive exhibition.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Outdoor Greatroom Company Deck Rail Shelf Grill Accessory - Black Model:GS-RM
Outdoor Greatroom Company Deck Rail Shelf Grill Accessory
Sleek, stylish and extremely functional, the Outdoor Greatroom Company Deck Rail Shelf Grill Accessory (GS-RM) offers versatility to those who love spending time outdoors. This shelf can be easily attached to railing in order to support your portable grill. This makes it perfect for those who lack adequate outdoor space for a grill cart or island.
The grill shelf offers versatility as it can also be used as a serving shelf, depending on your needs. It features a space saving design which allows you to fold it when not in use. The adjustable clamps make it easy to fix the shelf on different sized railings.
The shelf can be used for supporting a grill or also as a serving shelfSpace saving design:
It includes a space saving design that allows it to be folded when not in useAdjustable clamps:
The unit comes with adjustable clamps that make it easy to fit onto all sized railings


text:
New Living Translation (NLT) | New International Version (NIV) |
1 The altar for burning animal sacrifices also was constructed of acacia wood. It was 7 1/2 feet square at the top and 4 1/2 feet high. | 1 They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. |
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. (New Living Translation - The Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


text:
View Image
Great for removing the hair from your Nads™
Great for removing the hair from your Nads™
hair removal cream with a funny name. nads
Nads hair removal
Also from the Czech Republic, she grew up in the city of Dvur Kralove nad L...
they actually got GoNads
Picture of a guys nads that is swollen!
Pronounced like "Martha nad the...Oh, who cares!
I would feel a little uncomfortable knowing my nads are sitting on a tank o...
If you can guess what this photo is, please leave it on the comments sectio...
Hungry ?


text:
Each morning when we open our bay windows a few of these gross bugs scurry out from under the bottom end. We're worried they might be burrowed somewhere in the woodwork. Any ideas what these are?
On a side note I also saw a small black widow-like spider while taking these pictures but wasn't able to capture it on my camera. |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 18, 12 at 15:44
earwig .... they eat decaying material.. in the garden ... and no.. its a old wives tale.. that they crawl in your ears.. and eat your brain ... ken |
- Posted by abishagenaden none (My Page) on Wed, Apr 18, 12 at 15:58
Thanks Ken! Just speed-read up on earwigs and while it looks like they aren't a big threat to us (humans), they are probably the cause of the hole we've been finding in our flowers and their leaves in the flower bed right outside out bay window. Looks like we'll have to get some boric acid powder or maybe an organic spray to deal with them somewhat. Any other thoughts/advice on these approaches would be appreciated. |
- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 18, 12 at 17:14
i dont buy the earwigs attacking green foliage .. but others do ... you ought to go out at night.. as late as possible.. with a flashlight.. and find out what is on your plants ... you have ID'd this bug.. but you have not necessarily ID'd what is eating the plants ... though boric acid might work on these.. if it is slugs.. you will waste the cure ... i dont understand your need to kill every little thing you find ... but i am willing to ID what i can for you ... i used to be like you .. and 10 years ago.. i left my toxic dump.. and moved.. and since kids rolled along.. i quit almost all bug killing.. and frankly.. the net effect of the lack of effort is zero ... no body would know the difference ... you really dont need to be this proactive.. when push come to shove ... there are very few actual bug plagues.. that require warfare .. i mean think about it.. you are willing to throw acid around the lot .. for a few holes on a plant ... ken |
Whatever you do, don't use boric acid in the garden. It's toxic to plants (and the soil). By all means, use it around your windows and doors. Do you have dry rot in the wood work? |
- Posted by abishagenaden none (My Page) on Thu, Apr 19, 12 at 5:04
We went out there tonight and saw a ton of slugs/snails. Actually, we've always had a bunch of them, and noticed they love to crawl up our bay window for whatever reason. I'm not interested in bug warfare for the sake of killing them, but if they damage our flowers/plants which we are paying good money to grow/maintain, or perhaps infesting/damaging our house's woodwork, then obviously there's a conflict of interest there. |
- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Thu, Apr 19, 12 at 11:16
Earwigs and slugs require moist conditions. If you can address that, the bugs would not find the area as attractive and probably leave or just die. Do you notice moisture around the window when you see them in the morning? Earwigs are nocturnal and look for a cool, moist place to spend the daylight hours, but you probably already read that... Some caulk or paint or weatherstripping might complete the fix, but without being there or at least a pic from the outside, that's hard to say. A tiny hole or crack is all it takes for lots of different creepy-crawlies to get in, like the crack between the jamb and the screen, but the conditions have to be right for them to want to hang around. Can't tell from the pics what the window is made of and don't mean to insinuate in any way that your home is in disrepair but if any moisture is getting to the wood, critters like this will show up. I would check stuff like that first, trying to alter the environment so it is less appealing. |
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text:
Accessories Needed
Replacement & Optional Parts
Regularly Purchased Together
Browse Great Planes
Manufacturer's Product Web Page
For Sport airplanes up to 4lbs (1815g) and 3D airplanes up to 2.5lbs (1135g) Designed for explosive acceleration and maximum torque Lightened aluminum can houses high torque rare earth Neodymium magnets Double shielded bearings Virtually maintenance-free; no commutators or brushes to wear out
Great Planes ElectriFly RimFire .15 35-36-1200 Brushless Outrunner Electric Motor with prop adapter (GPMQ4903), motor mount and 3.5mm connectors
REQUIRES SS-45 ElectriFly Brushless Speed Control (GPMM1840) Propeller: 10 x 7 - 11 x 7
Can Diameter: 1.38" (35mm) Can Length: 1.42" (36mm) Shaft Diameter: .16" (4mm) Shaft Length: .65" (16.5mm) RPM/V (kV Rating): 1200 Weight: 3.6oz (102g) Input Voltage: 11.1-14.8V (3-4S LiPo) Max. Constant Current: 45A Max. Surge Current: 55A Burst Watts: 650 No Load Current: 1.8A
The three-number designation refers to Motor Diameter, Motor Length and kV Rating.
jxs 4/20/06 ir/jxs


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Cousinpalooza at Pikes Peak! by Cousinpalooza - over 1 year ago
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Grandpa Climbs for Everett by Julie - over 1 year ago
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Just a HANDFUL of us! :) by #TNS Team No Sleep - Empower Network - over 1 year ago
"This photo represents only a handful of my team (#TNS Team No Sleep), as there are more than 500 of us! Shot was taken on Saturday, July 20, 2013 at the Bellco Theatre located inside of the Colora..." view full details
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Campin' like bosses by J.Li - over 1 year ago
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Gill Family RV Vacation by Nikki Gill - over 1 year ago
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On Monday July 22nd, nine DREAMers, six of whom had been previously deported or had been forced to leave the United States, presented themselves at the Nogales [AZ] port of entry demanding to re-enter the United States on humanitarian parole. Three of the participants had returned to Mexico just a week prior as an act of solidarity with the 1.7 million people deported by the Obama administration.
Nine DREAMers Detained in Eloy, Arizona |
By: Marybeth Onyeukwu Saturday August 3, 2013 1:10 pm |
Union Voter Registration, Deferred Action Response Possible Boosts for Democrats |
By: David Dayen Friday October 5, 2012 6:00 am |
Unions have changed their strategy from a television-based model to more of an organizing model. They put a lot of money into elements like canvassing and membership in their Working America grassroots organization. That may have paid off, with the announcement of 450,000 new registered union household voters.
Romney: I Won't Cancel Deferred Action Status for DREAM-Eligible Immigrants |
By: David Dayen Tuesday October 2, 2012 9:45 am |
In a move that could increase participation in the Obama Administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Mitt Romney said in an interview with the Denver Post that he would not deport those young immigrants approved for the program.
So Far, Obama Administration's Deferred Action Program Approves Just 29 Applicants |
By: David Dayen Friday September 28, 2012 5:36 pm |
The Obama Administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has been operative since August 15. The conflicting but mostly positive reports show tens of thousands of applicants for the two-year reprieve for undocumented immigrants who meet the requirements of having come to this country as children, and completed some level of college or served in the military.
However, only 29 applicants have actually received the two-year deferred action status so far.
Federal Court Blocks Some of Alabama Immigration Law, but "Papers Please" Here to Stay (For Now) |
By: David Dayen Tuesday August 21, 2012 8:45 am |
Federal courts have consistently trimmed back attempts by states to write their own immigration laws. The Supreme Court overturned much of the Arizona immigration law in June, and federal judges have done the same to parts of laws in several Southern states. We saw another example of this yeterday, when the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the state of Alabama and its draconian immigration law. However, the precedent set by the Supreme Court on Arizona did hold, and the "papers please" parts of immigration laws in Alabama and Georgia were upheld for the time being.
DREAM-Eligible Youth Line Up by the Thousands to Apply for Deferred Action Status |
By: David Dayen Thursday August 16, 2012 7:50 am |
It's only the first day, and we'll have to wait for the numbers over a longer time horizon; but if these lines and these stories are any indication, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program inaugurated yesterday was a wild success.
Deferred Action Program for DREAM-Eligible Immigrants Begins Today |
By: David Dayen Wednesday August 15, 2012 7:00 am |
Young immigrants brought to America as children can apply for deferred action status starting today. If they qualify for the program, they can obtain a two-year work permit, which would make them ineligible for deportation. This will not put these immigrants on a path to citizenship, but it will give them temporary relief so they can live their lives out of the shadows.
1.76 Million DREAM-Eligible Immigrants Potentially Eligible for Deferred Action Status |
By: David Dayen Thursday August 9, 2012 7:00 pm |
A new study from the Migration Policy Institute suggests that 1.76 million unauthorized immigrants could be eligible for deferred action status, under the Obama Administration's new policy, which kicks off August 15. The DREAM-eligible immigrants who can be helped by this policy are those who were brought to America before the age of 16, have resided in the US for the past five years, have no criminal record (defined as a felony, "significant misdemeanor," or three or more smaller misdemeanors), and are either currently in school, have graduated high school, or participated in the armed forces.
More on the $465 Fee for DREAM-Eligible Deferred Action Applications |
By: David Dayen Tuesday August 7, 2012 11:00 am |
The application for DREAM-eligible immigrants for deferred action status, enabling them to avoid deportation and stay in the United States with a work permit for two years, will cost $465. I wondered why this signature program announced by the President would end up being so costly, and if it would damage the potential effectiveness of the program. So I asked the office of Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) about it. The agency's reason: without the fees, there's no funding to pay for this.
Romney Outlines Immigration Plan |
By: David Dayen Thursday June 21, 2012 11:30 am |
Mitt Romney just addressed the National Association of Latino Elected Officials in Orlando, and in tandem with the speech, his campaign released what they're calling a "strategy for bipartisan immigration reform." The campaign sought to erase lingering doubts about his response to the Obama Administration's deferred action order for DREAM-eligible undocumented immigrants. And I'm not sure they've done that.


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Retirement in 1998 marked a major turning point for Mark Reader, a political science professor at Arizona State University. It ended long days at the office and in the classroom, and he no longer had to prepare instructional materials.
Although Reader spent a lot of his spare time with his wife, Frances, caring for their ailing diabetic son, he knew he needed to do something more to fill the void.
"What was hard was to find something to do in retirement," said Reader, 72. "I shopped around for a little while. I thought maybe I'd be a sculptor, but I couldn't do three-dimensional stuff."
Many retirees discover that concluding their career means they must find a new focus, or they will feel disconnected, perhaps even longing to return to their old jobs.
ASU is taking a step toward helping its academic retirees stay active while allowing them to broaden their knowledge in areas outside their specialties. It is opening an Emeritus College this month.
Professors who participate are asked to contribute $30 to the ASU Foundation. They can then teach some courses pro bono, or even take courses offered exclusively to them, such as creative writing. A few may opt to conduct some paid research, but none will be obligated to work full time.
Elizabeth Redmon, executive director of the Association of Retired Organizations in Higher Education, said such colleges exist that both serve and are served by retirees.
Most academics successfully adapt to retirement. But, getting involved in any new activity — on or away from campus — helps ease the transition, said Lorraine Dorfman, who explored the issue of how professors cope with retirement in her book, "The Sun Still Shone."
Dorfman, a University of Iowa social work professor, said she believes academics are a unique bunch because many devote decades to their institutions. They feel an intimate connection with their campus community, and identify closely with their work. So when retirement dawns, some feel adrift.
Afterward, "most of them don't have any formal connection anymore with the institution," Dorfman said.
Dorfman believes they must find a healthy balance that allows them to grow personally while making a useful contribution to the university.
"Nobody wants a hangeron" who can't let go of their old routine, she said.
Richard Jacob, an ASU physics professor who retired in 2001, is dean of ASU's new Emeritus College. His inspiration was an article about Emory University's emeritus programs. ASU administrators were enthusiastic and put Jacob on a task force to study how to design such a college. The administration approved the plan last year, agreeing to provide a small budget: Less than $10,000.
Jacob said retired professors participating in the college can be as busy as they want to be.
"They can go out and play golf if they want, but still get the job done," he said.
More than 150 ASU emeriti are members of the emeritus college. Jacob expects the number to increase to 200 or more by fall.
"Not many people walk out of their office door here on campus and never look back," said Jacob, who plans to teach a senior honors course on Albert Einstein's legacy this fall.
Reader found a new forte in his retirement: Watercolor painting.
He's been taking classes and cultivating his talent the last six years. Reader and John Aguilar, a retired ASU anthropology professor, will display some of their paintings at the college's opening on Friday.


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The wage adjustments per school year include a one percent increase in the current school year, a 2.5 percent increase in the 2014-2015 school year, and a three percent increase in the 2015-2016 school year. If all district unions settle for the same wage increases, the district would spend an additional $260,000 the first year, $1.1 million the second year, and $2.86 million the third year. Along with the wage increases, an additional step for the most senior education assistants would include a 45 cent per hour increase in lieu of $500 in longevity pay. Previously, the district offered a 55 cent per hour pay step. Additionally, the district included a credential wage increase of an additional 40 cents per hour for educational assistants who earn the paraprofessional credential from the Minnesota Board of Teaching.
The original negotiation proposal from the EAU asked for a salary increase of 2.75 percent in the first year and a 3.5 percent increase in both the second and third years. The districts counteroffer to that original proposal was a one percent increase in salaries for the 2013-2014 school year, followed by a two percent increase in the 2014-2015 school year and a three percent increase in the 2015-2016 school year, which included an additional 55 cent per hour pay step for educational assistants with the most seniority. The EAU then proposed a counteroffer to the district with a salary increase of two percent in the 2013-2014 school year, an increase of three percent in the 2014-2015 school year, and a three percent increase in the 2015-2016 school year, before agreeing to this most recent proposal set forth by the WAPS district.
I am excited, Pat Blaisdell, WAPS human resources director, said as she shook hands with Jeff Hyma, of the state teachers union Education Minnesota, who assisted in the EAU negotiation.
So am I, Hyma reiterated.
The meeting on Tuesday was the districts second counteroffer to the EAU, and some of the terms agreed to upon by both parties included:
- Three paid personal days per year.
- Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year emergency closings, educational assistants will work an additional two extra days, which will be counted as emergency make-up hours for the first 13 emergency closing hours of the year. After the 13 hours, educational assistants may use sick leave to receive pay for a day in which schools were closed for an emergency.
- Union representatives will be credited with two non-cumulative leave days without the loss of pay. The days can either be used in full or as half days.
Educational assistants extend invitation to the board
After the handshakes and pleasantries, Jan Holtet and her fellow educational assistants urged the two board members present at the negotiations meeting, Steve Schild and Jay Kohner, to follow them around for a day.
I would like to extend an invitation to the School Board to follow us around for a day or a day and a half, Holtet proposed. You will have a whole different perspective [on what we do]. A history teacher is a history teacher, its pretty cut and dry, but for us...
Holtet and her colleagues suggested that Schild and Kohner present the idea to the rest of the board, adding that an educational assistants role was more complex than what board members might think.
The contract proposal will be presented at the next WAPS Board meeting on Thursday, February 6. If the board signs off on the proposal, the contract will be ratified the following Tuesday, February 10.
The district's largest union representing teachers has formally met once with the negotiation committee.


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2 large red bell peppers, roasted and peeled
2 teaspoons fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Puree the peppers, dill, parsley and capers in a processor or blender. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Whip until combined. Taste for seasoning. Let stand until needed, about 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (can use up to 1 teaspoon if desired)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 pound cooked crab meat, flaked (I use back fin)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs, more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional fresh breadcrumbs or, preferably, panko crumbs for dredging
Butter and oil for frying
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce with Capers and Dill (optional)


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I don't remember planting this, so I don't know if it's a weed or not. It has come back in a nice tidy globe for the last several years, showing no signs of spreading, and I'd really like to know what it is. It is in almost total shade and blooms almost all summer in loamyish soil with very little water. If I can ID it, I may want more! :) |
Follow-Up Postings:
I can't see enough in your pic to figure out what it is, Kat! It could conceivably be one of the short Campanulas, but I can't see the flowers clearly enough, and the leaves in the pic are definitely not Campanula leaves, so are those the same leaves on the plant that's blooming, or is that a separate plant that's growing into the blooming one? The leaves look very much like a Geranium, but those are definitely not Geranium flowers! Is that pic posted from Picasa WebAlbums? Assuming it is, next time you post a pic check "hide album link" rather than "image only (no link)." That way I/we can click on the pic to pull it up in WebAlbums, and then we can click on the magnifier to get a BIG version of it. Not sure that would help in this case, but that can be very helpful sometimes! (Doing that will still not allow people access to the full album, just the one picture you link!) Hope you and Picasa are getting along well together, |
- Posted by katgardener 5b (My Page) on Tue, Jun 3, 14 at 13:08
Hi Skybird! Things are going better with Picasa. I got a book from the library called "Picasa for Seniors," but have been too busy planting to start looking at it. I may talk to you some more directly about Picasa... The other leaves you see in the picture are winecups. (Callihroe involucrata). They do wonderfully in my yard. :) The two of them have grown together. The photo is one I just took with my iiPhone. Hopefully you can see the leaves better, but it's still not really detailed enough. I'll have to figure out how to get my pics from my phone to Picasa, then post them that way. This is just nice and quick because I can take the pic, come back to my deck and wait for it to upload to my photo stream, then post it. :) it's so great just to be out here! |
Looks like a Veronica. Can't recall the specific name. Hope this helps. Suzanne |
- Posted by ckfirestar 4 (My Page) on Fri, Jun 13, 14 at 1:47
It looks like clustered bellflower mixed with some hardy geranium. |
I just pulled one of the ones in the OP picture out of my driveway. It has the same very sharply indented leaves and flower. I sure didn't plant it, and I don't have any logical explanation on how it got there unless its like all the other things sprouting in my driveway, like the tumble weeds, cheat grass, bind weed and …. I should get the hoe out. |
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Amanda Basile of Milwaukee's Northwest side dressed as the Milwaukee Journal Green Sheet for Halloween. She made the costume with her mother Penny Chapman by dying a sheet green and fastening green sheet articles to it. She also wears a Green Sheet cap.
Image ID: 82154
Creation Date: 1987-10-31
Creator Name: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
City: Milwaukee
County: Milwaukee
State: Wisconsin
Collection Name: Classified File
Genre: Photograph
Original Format Type: photographic print, b&w
Original Format Number: CF 3396
Original Dimensions: 5 x 9.75 inches
The photograph was published in the "Green Sheet" on Nov. 7, 1987.
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This item is no longer available. A member of our sales team can assist you with locating a suitable replacement. Please call 866.344.3875 for assistance.
Chandelier Oval 6Lt
2 question(s) from the community have been answered.
Q | How long is the stem? Is the measuremnt for the stem included in the height already? Also how do adjust the height since it is on a astem nd not a chain? Thanks! |
The Kichler Lighting Sherbrooke 6 Light Chandelier in Olde Bronze 42675OZ comes with (2) 6" stems and (2) 12" stems with a body height of 25.25" and an overall height including all of the supplied stems of 63.25". The fixture must be hung with (1) 6" stem, giving it a minimum height of 33.25". |
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