Chad (according to wikipedia) refers to paper fragments created when holes are made in a paper, card or similar synthetic materials, typically computer punched tape or punch cards. Sometimes chad has been used as a mass noun or as a countable noun, and the plural is commonly either "chad" (as in "a pile of chad") or "chads" (as in "the multiple hanging chads").
Chad were made infamous in the highly contentious 2000 United States presidential election where many of Florida votes used Votomatic punch card ballots. Incompletely-punched holes resulted in partially-punched chad, where one or more corners were still attached, a hanging chad, dimpled chad or pregnant chad - where all corners were still attached, but an indentation appears to have been made. These votes were not counted by the tabulating machines. When a chad is not fully detached from the ballot it is described byvarious terms corresponding to the level of indentation. The following terms generally apply when describing a four-cornered chad:
- Hanging chad are attached to the ballot at only one corner.
- Swinging chad are attached to the ballot at two corners.
- Tri-chad are attached to the ballot at three corners.
- Pregnant or dimpled chad are attached to the ballot at all four corners, but bear an indentation indicating the voter may have intended to mark the ballot. (Sometimes pregnant is used to indicate a greater mark than dimpled.)
Chadd refers to a formally un-employed neophyte cacher who in a few short months managed to place over 349 caches and find over 1100, truly a testament to his determination and of a rotten economy.
James Addison Baker, III (born April 28, 1930) is an American attorney, politician, political administrator, and political advisor.
He served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagan's first administration and in the final year of the administration of President George H. W. Bush. Baker also served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1985-1988 in the second Reagan administration, and Secretary of State in the George H. W. Bush administration. He is also the namesake of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
Baker served as chief legal adviser for George W. Bush during the 2000 election campaign and oversaw the Florida recount. A 2008 film Recount was made about the days following the election. During the making ofthe film Baker was interviewed. Baker was portrayed in the film by
British actor Tom Wilkinson. State of Denial, a book by investigative reporter Bob Woodward, says that White House Chief of Staff, Andrew Card, urged President Bush to replace Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld with Baker following the 2004 election. However, another G. H. W. Bush Administration veteran, Robert Gates, was appointed instead, and only after the 2006 elections.