Graham Daniel wrote:

> Jim, why be stuck on thousands?

> you can equally well apply the same logic using millions as your base
> unit instead of thousands, your text: "first order of thousand *above*
> thousand," sems a little contrived in comparison.

  Contrived in a way that only a politician or a salesman could, or
would.  And are not both true American artforms?
(Rmemeber: "I never had an improper relationship with Miss Lewinski")

  I have *never* been able to see the "bi" in 10^9 at all!  But then, if
anything, I'm more mathematician than salesman, to my wife's eternal
regret.
--
  Cheers,
        Paul B.