Q: On February 26, 1868, Alfred Ely Beach and a team of workers sworn to secrecy began constructing something in lower Manhattan, working only at night. It took two years and $350 thousand of Beach's own money. What were they doing?
A: Digging a tunnel and building a railroad car for the world's first subway station. Beach had proposed a subway for New York City 21 years earlier, but everybody laughed. When he unveiled his "secret" subway in 1870, everyone realized it was a great idea -- everyone except Boss Tweed, who controlled New York and the public's money. Son Fred operated Beach's mini-subway as a 25-cent tourist attraction, but it took politicians 34 years to plan build a real subway. The New York subway opened in 1904, eight years after it's inventor died. Moral: Most good ideas never get past the first politician.
Q: On February 26, 1951, the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. What did it ratify?
A: Limiting a president to two terms of office.
Q; What purpose is served by the clapstick snapped shut in front of the camera at the start of every film scene?
A: The clapstick lets editors synchronize the sound with the action.
Q: A co-worker says he just blew his buffer. What happened?
A: He lost his train of thought.
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