June 1st, 2011

On this date in 1890, the United States began using mechanical tabulating machines to count census returns. Controversy erupted when it turned out that the tabulating machines had already recorded 2,000 votes for George W. Bush.  

The tabulating machines were invented by, um, the inventor Herman Hollerith. He is famously quoted as saying, “of electrically non-conducting material, and bearing a specific relation to” although he later complained that that quote is taken *completely* out of context.  

In 1911, his firm merged with two other machine companies to form a new mecha-firm. That firm would become IBM, which would eventually (1984) be brought down by a woman in orange shorts, carrying a sledgehammer. Which just goes to prove… something.  

*****  

On this date in 1930, the actor Edward Woodward was born. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him in anything, but I find his name very amusing/difficult to say.