Price of a stamp

[Harry]

In case you missed it the price of a U.S. stamp goes up to 42 cents starting Monday. Other rates change as well.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080510/ap_ ... stal_rates

[augusta]

Thanks for the reminder, Harry! And for the link, which explained postal rates well. I had not really heard an explanation for the Forever Stamp before. So you pay the current stamp rate when you buy new ones. Got it.

I think John Morse would have loved your post!





Please give to the Edwin Porter Grave Marker fund.

[DJ]

I picked up some one-cent stamps this past week-- Tiffany lamp, looks mighty pretty on an envelope. Also, some nice, 42-cent portrait stamps of journalists. Have I gone crazy, or do the keyboards no longer have the "cent" sign?
Learned to type on my Mother's super-sturdy Remington, which most definitely did have that key-- that thing was (is) so heavy, you'd break your toe if you dropped it. Manual, of course.
Reminds me of that seriously deranged scene in "Autumn Leaves," wherein Cliff Robertson hurls the typewriter at Joan Crawford.

[Kat]

I just dropped Len Rebello's book on my big toe last week and had to ice it (my toe) and I almost called him to tell him about it! I limped for a whole day!

[Harry]

DJ, I thought it was at one time myself. It's not now, drat! However you can still enter it by using the "alt" key and the numeric pad numbers on the right side of the keyboard. Do not use the numbers on the top of the keyboard.

For instance to make the cent sign hold the alt key down and type the 4 digit number for the symbol. Release the alt key and voila!

¢ = 0162

Some other common codes are:

€ = 0128 (Euro)

£ = 0163 (British Pound)

© = 0169 (Copyright)

± = 0177 (Plus or minus)

You will find a table of the more common codes at this site. It was slow loading it for me but maybe they were busy.

http://tinyurl.com/6ql5b3

There is a free mini-program (the one I use) which you can download and install at:

http://bluefive.pair.com/asciivalues.htm

[william]

Thanks, Harry - very handy!

Now when I email my English counterpart, I can speak thair language:

("I say old top, was that four pounds six, or six pounds four for that book?")

See all the time I can save!

Seriously, my hands become so cramped I appreciate any shortcut that will make my sessions at the keyboard less painful. All tips gratefully received.

[Harry]

Yes, Bill, they are useful little short cuts.

Another one is the degree sign 0178. Comes in handy when discussing the temperature on the morning of August 4, 1892.

Microsoft has a page of keyboard shortcuts which can cut down on using the mouse. For instance hitting the F5 key on the top is the same as the reload the page or refresh the page button.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449

[DJ]

Harry, many thanks for the codes!!!
Just another step on my neverending journey toward becoming computer literate!!!
I must say, I prefer the modern keyboards and all the word-processing options-- my Mother had to have carpel-tunnel surgery on both hands, and I point the finger of blame at that Remington.

[twinsrwe]

Thanks for the reminder, Harry!!! With the price of postage raised to 42¢, I think more and more people are going to be paying their bills on-line and sending letters via e-mail. 42¢ to send a letter via snail-mail is a lot!!!

I also want to thank you for the handy tips and the links you provided!!! As you can see, I had to try the ¢ code - very cool.

[twinsrwe]

... I think John Morse would have loved your post!

How much did it cost to mail a letter in 1892? I think John Morse would have fainted dead away if he had to pay 42¢ to mail a letter!!!

[Harry]

How much did it cost to mail a letter in 1892? I think John Morse would have fainted dead away if he had to pay 42¢ to mail a letter!!!

It cost all of 2¢. That's pretty much in line with inflation. Using the inflation calculator 2¢ in 1892 would be worth about 46¢ today.

This is from Harrington & Doherty's Witness statements, p9:

"There was no noise until about 6.20 A. M. About 6.30 A. M. Mr. John Morse came to the side door, said “good morning”, and spoke about the weather. At 8.30 he came out, and going over to S. H. Miller’s, he called Bridget, who stayed there that night. He then went to the P. O., stopped about a minute, went out and crossed to Geo. E. Howe’s where he purchased a two cent stamp. He then returned to the P. O. and at 8.32 A.M. dropped a letter addressed to Wm. A. Davis So. Dartmouth. It bore the words “In haste”.

Amazing. He buys a stamp across the street from the P.O. Go figure.

I wonder what he said to Bridget.

[twinsrwe]

Thanks, Harry. I knew I had read about John Morse going to the post office, but failed to remember that the cost of his stamp was documented in Harrington & Doherty's Witness statements. I had also forgotten about The Inflation Calculator link you provided us with - guess it just it's my day for putting on my thinking cap. Jeez.

Morse going across the street to buy a stamp is really quite in character for him, since none of his actions at the time of the murders make much sense.

I also wonder what he siad to Bridget.

[Harry]

About the only reason I could think of why he didn't buy the stamp at the P.O. was that they weren't open for business yet. But that was shot down when I checked the City Directory. The P.O. was open from 7am to 8pm. It was even open for an hour on Sunday, 8am to 9am.

I searched for a George E. Howe in the 1892 City Directory. No entry for him. However I did find a George E. Hoar & Son paint store at 45 Bedford St. very near the P.O. The P.O. was on Bedford between 2nd and 3rd Streets. So even if he went there it still doesn't explain why he didn't get the stamp at the P.O.

I need a rest from this case.