MarginOfError Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/09/19/pirates-yes-pirates-may-be-why-the-u-s-doesnt-use-the-metric-system/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.08746e965514 I'm usually a fan of pirates, but this story has completely changed my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 (edited) On 10/14/2018 at 7:28 PM, MarginOfError said: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/09/19/pirates-yes-pirates-may-be-why-the-u-s-doesnt-use-the-metric-system/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.08746e965514 I'm usually a fan of pirates, but this story has completely changed my opinion Interesting story. My professor of Dynamics (laws of motion) said that women were to blame for non-metric units and calling our weight instead of mass. A rather slender woman of 125 lbs would have to say they weigh 556 newtons. No woman wants to call that out. And we call out force rather than mass because no woman wants to tell people that she just gave birth to a quarter of a slug. Edited October 16, 2018 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_A_Guy Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 hour ago, MarginOfError said: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/09/19/pirates-yes-pirates-may-be-why-the-u-s-doesnt-use-the-metric-system/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.08746e965514 I'm usually a fan of pirates, but this story has completely changed my opinion I’m out of free articles for the month. Is there a Cliffs Notes version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MormonGator Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 minute ago, Just_A_Guy said: I’m out of free articles for the month. Kavanaugh killed you huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 3 minutes ago, Just_A_Guy said: I’m out of free articles for the month. Is there a Cliffs Notes version? Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson was expecting ting a shipment of metric standards that he may have used to persuade Congress to adopt SI measurements. The ship was captured by pirates, so the standards never arrived. By the time a new set of standards arrived, Jefferson was no longer Sec. Of State. The new Secretary outright rejected SI units, doom ingredients he USA to the devil's system of measurement Just_A_Guy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_A_Guy Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 19 minutes ago, MormonGator said: Kavanaugh killed you huh? Democracy dies in darkness, so I’m told . . . mirkwood 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MormonGator Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 minute ago, Just_A_Guy said: Democracy dies in darkness, so I’m told . . . Such a drama queen. (just playing JAG) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzie Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 (edited) You are such a NERD @MarginOfError. Seriously. Edited October 15, 2018 by Suzie MarginOfError 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 Thank goodness for pirates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerome1232 Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 5 hours ago, pam said: Thank goodness for pirates. When I'm measuring small things I dive straight for the metric side of the ruler. Fractions of an inch can die in a firey hell for all I care. Who knows how many feet are in a mile without looking it up? That's right, no one does. Because it's a stupid odd number. unixknight 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 31 minutes ago, jerome1232 said: When I'm measuring small things I dive straight for the metric side of the ruler. Fractions of an inch can die in a firey hell for all I care. Who knows how many feet are in a mile without looking it up? That's right, no one does. Because it's a stupid odd number. Technically it's a stupid even number.... and don't get me started on metric miles and other such nonsense. jerome1232 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunkyTown Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 52 minutes ago, MarginOfError said: Technically it's a stupid even number.... and don't get me started on metric miles and other such nonsense. But the Metric system is so hard! Everything is based on 10s. 1000 grams in a kilogram.. 1000 meters in a kilometer, and so on. The Imperial system just makes more sense, what with their being 16 ounces to a pound, 5280 feet in a mile. It just makes sense! Maureen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
askandanswer Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 I suggest that we all take a measured tone in our comments on this topic. SilentOne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnsonJones Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 They are both measurement systems created by men. The worst part about metric is that gas companies then try to sell gas to you by the liter, and if you think gas is expensive in price per gallon, you haven't seen how much it can be jacked up when they charge you by the liter. It could be that it is the US automobile industry (which sells a LOT of trucks, which use a LOT more gasoline/mile than smaller vehicles) is one of the reasons that we do not switch over to metric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightSG Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 There are two kinds of nations; those on the metric system and those that have put men on the moon. mordorbund, Just_A_Guy, unixknight and 1 other 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday21 Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 10 minutes ago, NightSG said: There are two kinds of nations; those on the metric system and those that have put men on the moon. I am willing to bet that NASA uses metric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday21 Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 hour ago, FunkyTown said: But the Metric system is so hard! Everything is based on 10s. 1000 grams in a kilogram.. 1000 meters in a kilometer, and so on. The Imperial system just makes more sense, what with their being 16 ounces to a pound, 5280 feet in a mile. It just makes sense! Sounds like Harry Potter currency. https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Muggles'_Guide_to_Harry_Potter/Magic/Money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday21 Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 33 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said: They are both measurement systems created by men. The worst part about metric is that gas companies then try to sell gas to you by the liter, and if you think gas is expensive in price per gallon, you haven't seen how much it can be jacked up when they charge you by the liter. It could be that it is the US automobile industry (which sells a LOT of trucks, which use a LOT more gasoline/mile than smaller vehicles) is one of the reasons that we do not switch over to metric. Please tell me that you are joking. 😐 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 hour ago, NightSG said: There are two kinds of nations; those on the metric system and those that have put men on the moon. "Although data was stored internally in metric units, they were displayed as United States customary units." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer) strictly speaking, it was done in metric, with the computers doing the work to convert it to the stupid units for operator convenience. Simply put, if God had intended for man to use the metric system, He would have given man ten fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 I think we should use base 60 - we've embraced Babylon in every other sense, why not this one? mordorbund 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 1 minute ago, zil said: I think we should use base 60 - we've embraced Babylon in every other sense, why not this one? Oh geez... do NOT get me started on time. or date/time. or... okay...one rant. Dates should be written in YYYY-MM-DD format. End of story. Also, temperature should be measured in Kelvin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 (edited) 19 minutes ago, MarginOfError said: Dates should be written in YYYY-MM-DD format. Actually, they should be YYYYMMDD - use leading zeros and those hyphens are a waste of space. Of course, given that the world declines to cooperate, the proper format to avoid all possibility of confusion (which is why it's used in genealogy) is Tuesday, 01 January 2019. And as long as we're at it, a day has 24 hours, not 12, but there is no such thing as 24:00 - like all lists, the hour list starts at 00. Therefore, the day ends at 23:59:59.999 (to infinity, if you wish). 19 minutes ago, MarginOfError said: Also, temperature should be measured in Kelvin. I couldn't agree more: PS: Daylight Shifty Time is demonic. PPS: Tomoe River paper (cream) in a Hippo Noto notebook, Robert Oster Aussie Brown in Visconti Homo Sapiens, EF; Graf von Faber-Castell Olive Green in Sailor Pro Gear Slim, F. Edited October 15, 2018 by zil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarginOfError Posted October 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 4 minutes ago, zil said: Actually, they should be YYYYMMDD - use leading zeros and those hyphens are a waste of space. Of course, given that the world declines to cooperate, the proper format to avoid all possibility of confusion (which is why it's used in genealogy) is Tuesday, 01 January 2019. And as long as we're at it, a day has 24 hours I disagree. A day has 86,400 seconds..except for when it has 86,401 seconds, which is never predictable and always scheduled after the fact. Futhermore, a year never has 365 days. In fact, the length of a year is variable and inconsistent, and the concept of a year should be abandoned, as it is a terrible measure of time. zil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 2 minutes ago, MarginOfError said: I disagree. A day has 86,400 seconds..except for when it has 86,401 seconds, which is never predictable and always scheduled after the fact. Futhermore, a year never has 365 days. In fact, the length of a year is variable and inconsistent, and the concept of a year should be abandoned, as it is a terrible measure of time. Right! I say we stop telling time altogether! Then no one can complain when I go home early. askandanswer and SilentOne 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anatess2 Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 You guys are funny. I have a stable job because of this measurement diversity. So, I'm happy that the moon-people don't adopt metric. Now, the Philippines, of course, is the only country that uses both metric and demonic standards. For example, when you go to the doctor, they measure your weight in kilograms and your height in feet and your temperature in Celsius and print it on Legal-sized paper. zil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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