Congrats to Gator and his Woman...

[SANDRO43]

Furthermore (and I might well be wrong), this word is the English form of libra in Latin, which survives in the Italian and Turkish Lira.

Correct.

The mark, crown, florin and shilling as British coinage historically are all recent European currencies.

Depends on how recent is recent .

The Italian florin was struck from 1252 to 1523 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard. It had 54 grains of gold (3.5g). The "fiorino d'oro" of the Republic of Florence was the first European gold coin struck in sufficient quantities to play a significant commercial role since the seventh century. As many Florentine banks were international supercompanies with branches across Europe, the florin quickly became the dominant trade coin of Western Europe for large scale transactions, replacing silver bars in multiples of the mark (a weight unit equal to eight ounces).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_coin_florin

Maybe our native Seminoles included some Russian renegades from the West.

An old local god/goddess, maybe ? Tinto Brass would be thrilled to hear that .

[55North]

I knew I would draw you out to correct of expand SANDO43. 

[SANDRO43]

I knew I would draw you out to correct of expand SANDO43. 

I'm shattered , I've become predictable .

[Ronnie]

Ahhh, now we know the untold history of money...  Thanks guys..

But nobody has 'splained the origin and use of "stone" for weight.. what is it like, 16 lbs per stone?  I'd be like 12 stones, but what about the fractions of stones?  or does stone have such a plural form?

IMWTK..

PS.. Yes, Sandro, you ARE predictable..in the most delightful way!

[55North]

14lbs = 1 stone.  Phonetically, 14 pounds = etc.  LBS?  It's short for Libras.  A mix of Latin and Anglo-Saxon.  Comprenez?
 
Bloody obvious to me!

Of course, the younger generation not only speak in metric, but actually think in it.  Clever sods.

[Simoni]

We still have not had the long family discussion about responsibility for taking care of the dog.  I conceded under protest to a Great Dane.

Are you sure about this, Gator?  Do you know how BIG a great dane is?

My dog weights 55 pounds, and a friend's Dane dwarfs him!

Good luck  LOL

[SANDRO43]

Of course, the younger generation not only speak in metric, but actually think in it. Clever sods.

About bloody time you eventually did, the only reason you stuck out so long is because you don't like the French, who took great risks to accomplish the monumental task :

Most historians agree that Gabriel Mouton, the vicar of St. Paul's Church in Lyons, France, is the “founding father” of the metric system. He proposed a decimal system of measurement in 1670. Mouton based it on the length of one minute of arc of a great circle of the Earth (now called a nautical mile, 1852 meters). He also proposed the swing-length of a pendulum with a frequency of one beat per second as the unit of length (about 25 cm) ... Over the years, his work was revised, improved, and extended by a number of French scientists. The political sponsor of weights and measures reform in the French Revolutionary National Assembly was the Bishop of Autun, better known as Talleyrand. Under his auspices, the French Academy appointed several committees to carry out the work of developing a usable system of weights and measures for France. One of the committees recommended a decimalized measurement system based upon a length equal to one ten-millionth of the length of a quadrant of the earth's meridian (i.e., one ten-millionth of the distance between the equator and the North Pole). A surveying team under the direction of two men, Pierre-Francois-Andre Mechain and Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Delambre, spent 6 years in measuring the “arc” that the earth made in a line between Dunkirk in France on the English Channel and Barcelona in Spain. The surveyors underwent much harassment and even were jailed, at times, while making their measurements, because some of the citizens and area officials resented their presence and felt they were up to no good.

http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/origin.html
Maybe a certain antipathy towards Napoleone Bonaparte also played a little part .

Interesting to see who the last non-metric diehards are (USA, Yemen, Oman and Birmania) .

[tim 360]

Congratulations Gator!  I'm confident your life will change...for the better.  Your experiences and insights on RWD have always been a very good read and I suspect your future posts will be even more informative.  Although you will be a more busy guy with your new bride here,  Cheers, tim360

[Shadow]

A bit late to see the news, but congratulations Gator & Sabina.
Seems your lazy days are over...

[Catman]

Congrats Gator! If you are stuck for black bread it can be bought in the store here. Maybe I'll mail you some I've been told black bread is great with cabbage soup

[eagle59]

Congradulations Gator! May there be peace, love and harmony in your new family...and from your wife's driving comment, yes we should have metric here...a long time ago...I can only imagine you will have some interesting experiences coming your way...

Tom

[Eduard]

Congrats Gator! Would love to have you and your lady over for dinner soon! We keep trying to get together with Simoni and Marina, maybe one night we can have all of you over. Regretfully having a 2 year old doesn't allow us for going out much, but we would be happy to entertain!
Get back to me on that, and best of luck!

[IAmZon]

Who knows what it is that causes such "stickiness" within RWD!  It is most uncommon ... in the real world, or on the internet.

I would guess it is the hope of reading a thread such as this. A good man who has an honest pursuit realizes his goal - and all the romance and family stuff that goes along with it.  Its a Walt Disney World production!  A very happy ending.

CONGRATULATIONS, Gator. 

I am very happy for you.

[Ronnie]

About bloody time you eventually did, the only reason you stuck out so long is because you don't like the French, who took great risks to accomplish the monumental task :
http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/origin.html
Maybe a certain antipathy towards Napoleone Bonaparte also played a little part .

Interesting to see who the last non-metric diehards are (USA, Yemen, Oman and Birmania) .

Or maybe the French came up with metric because they didn't like the British and knew they wouldn't like the Americans.  Perhaps the French should have seized the opportunity when the Colonies where suing for French assistance...use metric or fight the British without us!  Washington would have responded, "how many meters shall I jump?" 

I'm sure the reason America will be the last to convert is the fact that a normal American golfer's pace is only 0.9144 meters.    Give us a few more generations and everything will be fine! 

As the the Great Dane, I met one yesterday at the park.  Asked the owner his dog's weight.  He said 12 and 5/14 stones.  Lotta pooch.

[Gator]

Busy here, yet some news.  We were married in a small ceremony at our home, attended only by our four children.  15 days from date of arrival - is that a record for the shortest time? 

We are now well into the adjustment period.  I do not know who is facing the largest change:
-   Sabina and the kids in a new country, or
-   Me from having lived alone for 8 years.

Overall, I would say that we are progressing better than expected.  Her attitude is good, she is making friends (RW and AW), and starting to get around on her own (the best money I spent was to add the navigation system option to her new car). 

Any mistake she makes she considers as a learning experience, saying with a smile how the first blini is never made correctly. 

[SANDRO43]

Glad to hear the good news, Phil  .

Any mistake she makes she considers as a learning experience, saying with a smile how the first blini is never made correctly.

Tsk, tsk, perhaps she never saw Peter Pan and heard the song (www.disgalaxy.addr.com/Stories/Peterpan/crocodile.htm) .

[Jet]

We are now well into the adjustment period.  I do not know who is facing the largest change:
-   Sabina and the kids in a new country, or
-   Me from having lived alone for 8 years.
 

Probably you! 

Congratulations on the wedding, we wish you all many years of happiness together 

[Misha]

Congratulations! May you and your wife have a lifetime of joy and happiness!

[vwrw]

Congratulation Gator and Sabina!

I think it maybe two records. One for quickest marriage and one for longest pre-marriage relationship among RWD couples.

 Somewhere behind me, Turbo is adding that before long you will wish that those 8 years had been shorter with the happiness you will have found now.

Once again, congratulations!

Iren & Ray
 

[Lily]

What a great news Gator! 

Hope everything goes smooth in the adjustment period.

Will we see the pictures? 

[Blues Fairy]

Gator, congratulations to you and your lovely new wife!  I'm gonna start clamoring together with Lily: Pic-tures! Pic-tures! Pic-tures! 

[Jumper]

Phil- it's been a long time for me to say this.... lol!

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NUPTUALS! 




I'm very happy for you both and wish you a lifetime together of happiness.

[KenC]

Finally!!!!!!!!

Congrats Phil and Sabina.  May you both have a lifetime of happiness together.

I guess the Vegas idea was nixed by Mrs. Gator?  You know that is how it all starts...........
KenC

[myrddin]

Congratulations Gator!

There may be people who deserve this more than you, but I can't think of any. 

       

[catzenmouse]

"There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends." - Homer

Sabina & Phil,
 May you continue to confound and delight for many, many years to come!

Elena & Ken