Who are these people?

[MikeL]

I guess Ghostboy is going to ignore the rest of us.  If you get the correct answer, you must supply the next challenge.

 

OK.  Who are these people?

 

Edited March 13, 2013 by MikeL

[C J]

Sorry, I get pretty busy, and I can't seem to get a pic to go on this forum, so don't be mad at me. 

[Zombie]

Your pic doesn't display Mike

[MikeL]

Your pic doesn't display Mike

 

I'm looking at it.  Anyone else have a problem?

[TalonRider]

After about 10 seconds of the transparent screen with the busy wheel, nothing happens.

[MikeL]

After about 10 seconds of the transparent screen with the busy wheel, nothing happens.

 

I have no idea what the problem may be.  I can see the picture I posted...the 5th entry above...with no problem.  Have requested technical assistance.

Edited March 13, 2013 by MikeL

[MikeL]

Here is the same photo from a different source.  Can you see it now?

 

If yes, who are these people?

 

Edited March 13, 2013 by MikeL

[MikeL]

Sorry, I get pretty busy, and I can't seem to get a pic to go on this forum, so don't be mad at me. 

 

Not mad at you, Ghostboy.  Sorry you are having trouble posting pictures.  Appears I may be having a problem too. 

[Ieshwar]

For what it's worth, I can see both image. 

[MikeL]

For what it's worth, I can see both image. 

 

Yay, Ieshwar!  Thanks for some good news.  I haven't had a response to my tech support request, but I'm hoping it's something simple that a member can do to reveal the picture...something like a setting on the member's computer or clearing cache, etc.

 

Aren't computers great?  

[C J]

Yay, Ieshwar!  Thanks for some good news.  I haven't had a response to my tech support request, but I'm hoping it's something simple that a member can do to reveal the picture...something like a setting on the member's computer or clearing cache, etc.

 

Aren't computers great?  

 

 

I can see the pic too, and it just looks like...nope, can't say, I need to be able to post a pic first so.....

[Finn]

Photobucket!! I love photobucket! It gives me a window to peer into the soul of the moral using it!

 

'Nyway, I can see it too. It looks like a pack of those "woe-men" creatures, hard at work filing and creating, with an Afro-Amerikan man supervising.

 

'Side fro' thyat, I do believe I be lost, yo.

 

 

No racism intended. Please, shoot me if I come across as racist.

[Ieshwar]

A hint, MikeL?

[podga]

Those look like key-punch cards, which were fed into computers in the olden days. So I'm going to guess either IBM or Univac workers, or maybe workers belonging to the US government, like the Census Bureau or something. Judging from the clothes and hairdos, probably mid-1930s?

[MikeL]

Very good, Podga!  I think that is as close as anyone could get and the "mid-1930s" was dead on.

 

Here's the scoop:

 

The picture was taken in June 1937 in the offices of the Social Security Administration in Baltimore, Maryland.  "For every Social Security account number issued an 'employee master card' is made in the Social Security board records office. Testifying data, given on the application blank form SS-5, is transferred to this master card in the form of upended quadrangular holes, punched by key punch machines, which have a keyboard like a typewriter. Each key struck by an operator causes a hole to be punched in the card. The position of a hole determines the letter or number other machines will reproduce from the master card. From this master card is made an actuarial card, to be used later for statistical purposes. The master card also is used in other machines which sort them numerically, according to account numbers, alphabetically according to the name code, translate the holes into numbers and letters, and print the data on individual ledger sheets, indexes, registry of accounts and other uses. The photograph shows records office workers punching master cards on key punch machines."

 

Keypunched cards were used beginning early in the 19th century to program looms.  Hollerith cards and IBM cards first appeared in the late 19th century.  The "80 column cards" were still widely used in the banking industry in the 1970s.  I remember programmers punching their own cards because they didn't trust the professional keypunch machine operators.  I never heard the operators complain.  For more on the history of keypunch cards and a lot of old photos, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keypunch.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Your turn to challenge us, Podga.

Edited March 16, 2013 by MikeL

[Celethiel]

I personally like Finn's response...

White women slavin to the black overseer (that's what it sounded like) it's amusing as hell...

 

ok who is this?

 

Edited March 16, 2013 by Celethiel

[Finn]

I personally like Finn's response...

White women slavin to the black overseer (that's what it sounded like) it's amusing as hell...

 

ok who is this?

 

 

Oh, that is hilarious. It wasn't even on purpose. Guess I'm just that hilarious.

 

I do believe that is a boy... A boy who would become a Man.

 

Edit: I am an absolute cheater. I'm just here to crack jokes on things.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Finn

[WhitePhoenix]

Beau Brummel?

[Celethiel]

nope to pheonix, it is a boy who would become a man, a very special man to history, Finn btw I like your name... and your avi

[Finn]

Is why I capitalized it. Anything less would be an insult to his, er... Manliness. (Massive hint, kids; and no, these sexual innunedos are not on purpose.)

 

Thanks; I shamefully borrowed both of those things, aha. The avi is just awesome, though--mucho kudos to the artist, whose name hovers over my shoulder.

[C J]

Hmmm, well I'm not going to tell since it would be cheating, so all I can say is he's kind of cute, or was any way, and they wore some pretty weird clothes then.  I'm guessing they didn't have lots of designers around.  I suppose it was what they liked, but it looks uncomfortable to me.  OK, I'm done messing around here, time to go mess around somewhere else....

[Slytherin]

Poweful man ?? A clue please  

[Celethiel]

he beat an old world power around with a stick?

[MikeL]

he beat an old world power around with a stick?

 

Yeah, he got kind of rough with them.

[Zombie]

nope to pheonix, it is a boy who would become a man, a very special man to history, Finn btw I like your name... and your avi

 

Not that Americans are inward looking or anything about "history" *bad zombie - SMACK! * but would I be right guessing this is American history? This is an early photo from the quality - looks like c 1850 ish - which would put this guy at his prime around the beginning of the 20th century?