Stepping aside from the main topic, I am reminded of a story of an Irishman who applied for a job. The boss decided to administer a brief test of ability and asked the chap to illustrate the number 9 without actually using any numbers or words. The Irishman drew 3 trees and explained,
"Well, dat's tree and tree and another tree and dat makes noine!"
"OK" said the boss, "can you do the same for 99?"
The Irishman thought for a moment and added a smudge on each tree trunk.
"How is that 99?", asked the boss.
"Well, a deer has gone by and rubbed itself on each tree and left a patch of mud," said Paddy, "so dat's a durty tree and a durty tree and another durty tree and that makes nointy noine!"
"Right, do it for a hundred!", said the boss.
Paddy thought for a moment again then added a little blob beside each tree. The boss looked blank.
"Now a little doggie has gone by and taken a crap beside each tree", said Paddy in response to the bosses confusion, "so dat's a durty tree and a turd, durty tree and a turd and another durty tree and a turd and dat makes a hundred!"