Klarinet Archive - Posting 000212.txt from 1997/06

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: shave and a haircut - 6 bits
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 04:04:56 -0400

Yes, but a bit also corresponded to 1 Spanish or (old) Mexican real - one
eighth of the old Mexican silver dollar, or, I suppose, the Maria Theresa
thaler.
Roger SHilcock as bad numismatist

On Sun, 15 Jun 1997, Edwin V. Lacy wrote:

> Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 22:43:10 -0500 (CDT)
> From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.us
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Re: shave and a haircut - 6 bits
>
> 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
>
>