Klarinet Archive - Posting 000207.txt from 1997/06

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: shave and a haircut - 6 bits
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 23:56:38 -0400

On Sun, 15 Jun 1997, S. E. TALBOT wrote:

> ya know inflation can be a nasty thing. Last shave and a haircut I got
> was $14.......how many bits is that......how much is a bit. Sorry, for
> the un clarinet related topic.

A "bit" is one-eighth of a dollar, or $.125 (twelve and one-half cents).
In 18th century America, it was considered acceptable to actually cut a
dollar or other coin into parts if a smaller amount was needed. So, if
someone owed another person fifty cents and had only a dollar available,
they could cut it in half. The dollar coin could be divided and
sub-divided in up to 8 parts. You could look it up in your Funk and
Wagnall's! ;-)

Oops, got to make this clarinet-related. When I started on the clarinet,
I could buy a clarinet reed for 2 bits!

Ed Lacy
el2@-----.edu