[Facts] Re: chad- and I don't mean the country in Africa or the boy's name
by Daividh (guest)
12/2/2000, 4:40 PM
Janet,
Hope you're sleeping better by now. Anyway, there's no consensus on the origin of this term:
1) It may derive from "chat" -- small white pieces of rock resulting from lead mining. Seems like a stretch tho.
2) It may derive from the name of the "Chadless" paper punch (named after its inventor, a Mr Chadless), which was designed to keep the little paper punches off the floor.
3) Maybe we should call a "pregnant chad" a "Dershowish", because Mr Gore's most prominent attorney Mr Dershowitz WISHES it were a legal vote...
4) Idle thought: if the hanging paper left from an incomplete punch is a "chad", is the hole left by a complete punch a "jeremy"? Sorry, showing my age.