$pattern = '[aeiou]';
  ( $s1, $s2, $s3, $s4 ) = qw( name nerd noodle froodle );

  printf "was:  '%s'\n", join("'   '",$s1,$s2,$s3,$s4);
  foreach my $item ($s1,$s2,$s3,$s4,) {
    $item =~ s/$pattern/ /g;
  }
  printf "now:  '%s'\n", join("'   '",$s1,$s2,$s3,$s4);

  ( $s1, $s2, $s3, $s4 ) = qw( name nerd noodle froodle );
  @a = ( $s1, $s2, $s3, $s4 );

  print "\n";
  printf "was:  '%s'\n", join("'   '",$s1,$s2,$s3,$s4);
  printf "was:  '%s'\n", join("'   '",@a);
  foreach my $item (@a) {
    $item =~ s/$pattern/ /g;
  }
  printf "now:  '%s'\n", join("'   '",$s1,$s2,$s3,$s4);
  printf "now:  '%s'\n", join("'   '",@a);