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    """
    function to convert dates into date objects

    """
    from datetime import datetime
    import re

    def canonize_date(slashdate):
        """convert date strings from 3/1/2009 to 2009-03-01"""
        dateString = re.compile(r'(\d{1,2})/(\d{1,2})/(\d{4})') # match 3/1/2009
        dash = '-'
        parts = dateString.search(slashdate).groups()
        composed = parts[-1] + dash + parts[-3] + dash + parts[-2]
        return composed

    def make_date(entry):
        """
        Convert string in form 2011-10-25 to a date object
        """
        return datetime.date(datetime.strptime(entry, "%Y-%m-%d"))