MikeL

Yeah, he got kind of rough with them.

Didn't realize you were Irish, Benji.

Today is December 107, 2012. Saint Patrick's Day!

Not particularly funny, but very entertaining... Extreme Sports http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=A6XUVjK9W4o

Needmore, TX/USA

Nothing, Arizona

Rough and Ready, CA/USA

Enigma, Georgia/USA

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.

It is a long chapter and I think everyone will appreciate how well written it is...lots of action. Set aside a little extra time when you start reading; it will be time well spent.

Hooker, Oklahoma, USA

At a high school in Minnesota , a group of male students played a prank. They let three goats loose inside the school. Before turning them loose, they painted numbers on the sides of the goats: 1, 2 and 4. School Administrators spent most of the day looking for No. 3.

Dildo, Newfoundland, Canada

Robbers Roost, AZ/USA

Wetwang, UK

Thanks, Andy, for a very good explanation. There's another way to view the rule about selecting the article based on the consonant vs. vowel sound of the noun following the article. Each article/noun combination needs a single consonant sound to separate the two words. The spoken "a animal" doesn't sound right. Using "an" supplies the vowel sound where the noun "animal" is missing it at the beginning of the word. Conversely, "an bear" would be an awkward imposition of an unneeded consonant. A hearing of the words is most important. I agree with you on "a historic" being correct. The "h" is a consonant with a softer sound than most consonants, but a consonant none the less.

Here's another Intercourse, Dave: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elmo, UT/USA

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?

Sexi, Peru

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

Here is the same photo from a different source. Can you see it now? If yes, who are these people?

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.