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AFL: The abbreviation for the American Federation of Labor, which started as a collection of craft unions in 1886, this is now one half of the umbrella organization for labor unions in the United States (the AFL part of AFL-CIO). As a collection of craft unions, the AFL primarily represented skilled workers in particular occupations. However, it also contained unions representing unskilled industrial workers, which led to a rift among AFL members in 1938 and spawned the formation of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). This rift was closed in 1955, when both joined together to form the AFL-CIO, which is the primary advocate for workers and labor unions in the United States.
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                           EMPIRICAL: Based on or relating to the collection or analysis of real world data. The term empirical is commonly used as a modifier to provide contrast with theoretical. Whereas theoretical refers to abstract representations, empirical indicates actual real world observations. Empirical observation is critical to the scientific method. Once a hypothesis is implied by a theory, empirical observation is key to the verification process. Does a hypothesis stand up to the scrutiny of empirical verification? Does it explain real world phenomena?For example, Professor Grumpinkston might hypothesize that lower interest rates will entice consumers to purchase new cars and boost sales in the automobile industry. Being an experienced economist, the professor can easily come up with a very convincing story that explains why this will happen. Lower interest rates make it easier and less expensive to get loans. Most cars are paid for through loans. Consumers borrow to buy cars. Car sales rise. Makes sense, does it not? It must be true, right? This, however, is merely theoretical speculation at this point. It is only a hypothesis until evaluated against empirical data. The empirical alternative is to collect interest rate and automobile sales data for the past several decades, and then apply standard statistical analysis. If the professor does this right, he should be able to generate empirical evidence indicating whether or not a relation actually exists between interest rates and automobile sales. This is no longer theoretical speculation. It is empirical observation. He has the numbers. He can see with his own pair of nearsighted eyes that lower interest rates are accompanied by greater auto sales, or not. He can pass this information along to others who can then confirm the results with their own nearsighted eyes.
Recommended Citation:EMPIRICAL, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2018. [Accessed: June 18, 2018].
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Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time lost in your local discount super center hoping to buy either a pair of handcrafted oven mitts or a coffee table shaped like the state of Florida. Be on the lookout for attractive cable television service repair people.
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The portrait on the quarter is a more accurate likeness of George Washington than that on the dollar bill.
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"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. " -- E. M. Forster, writer
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ALAC
Latin American Free Trade Area
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