def shift_this(number, high_first=True):
    """Utility method: extracts MSB and LSB from number.

    Args:
    number - number to shift
    high_first - MSB or LSB first (true / false)

    Returns:
    (high, low) - tuple with shifted values

    """

    low = (number & 0xFF)
    high = ((number >> 8) & 0xFF)
    if (high_first):
        return((high, low))
    else:
        return((low, high))