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From: jcjeff@ihlpg.UUCP (jeffreys)
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: Re: Manhole covers (interview question)
Message-ID: <293@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25-Mar-85 13:29:32 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.293
Posted: Mon Mar 25 13:29:32 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Mar-85 04:49:03 EST
References: <462@nbs-amrf.UUCP> <1282@amdahl.UUCP> <564@ahutb.UUCP> <783@erix.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 24

> In article <564@ahutb.UUCP> leeper@ahutb.UUCP (m.r.leeper) writes:
> >Curves of constant breadth came up during WWII.  The British were
> >trying to mill hulls of submarines to have perfectly circular
> >cross-sections.  
> 
> The British 50 pence coin is also a (seven sided) shape which has a constant
> diameter. I believe that the idea was to make it usable in coin operated 
> machines. Funny to think that research into submarines should influence the 
> coinage.
> 
> BTW, shouldn't we change the sexist term manholes. Wouldn't personholes
> be better?

Dont forget our twenty pence piece either, that also has seven sides :-)
-- 
          [ You called all the way from America - Joan Armatrading ]          
 [ You're never alone with a rubber duck - Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy ]
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||      From the keys of Richard Jeffreys ( British Citizen Overseas )      ||
||              employed by North American Philips Corporation              ||
||              @ AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, Illinois              ||
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||  General disclaimer about anything and everything that I may have typed  ||
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