Just WHAT THE HECK is CHAD ???
Is it a fish? A country? A man's name?
Read on for the answer . .
.
Once upon a time, almost predating history, there were
giant room-filling mainframe computers. Instructions were created for these
beasts by punching a precise pattern of small rectangular holes into a cardboard
punched card with a keypunch machine.
The keypunch droppings, small confetti-like bits of
cardboard punched out of the cards, were referred to as chad. So were the
small bits of paper punched out of the perforated edge strips on paper for
sprocket feed printers.
Why "chad" ???
It is thought that the term chad might have
originated from the Chadless keypunch, a keypunch machine named after its
inventor. This particular machine cut a "U" shape into the punched
cards that made a hole when folded back. If the Chadless keypunch didn't
make them, then the stuff the other keypunch machines made had to be chad.
Many ballots used throughout the country are
pre-perforated punched cards. In some cases the chad does not separate from the
card, but hangs there by a corner or two. Probably when the voter changes his or
her mind and retracts the punching stylus to make another choice. A
hanging chad for Gore probably indicates the voter opted to vote for another
candidate.
Even more disturbing is the significance
Democrats are attempting to assign to the
pregnant chad, a chad that is still completely attached to the
ballot on all four sides and corners, but bulges slightly in the middle. The
Democrat controlled Canvassing Boards use "Ouigi board technology" to
determine the intent of the voter, which in virtually every case seems to
yield a vote for Algore.
So there you have it, the story behind the hanging
chad and the pregnant chad,
the stuff that changed the course of American Electoral History !!!
(and now you'll know the answer when you see it on, Jeopardy,
Survivor II or Who Wants To Be A Millionaire) (and maybe
these Websites will sell for a million bucks someday on eBay !!!)
gw@thehangingchad.com
portions excerpted from:
http://www.instantweb.com/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?query=chad
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TheHangingChad.com
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Akron, OH 44334-0126
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