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Old 09-11-2014, 05:39   #31
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

having preferences is fine, to a point. and moving that point right or left to divide or multiply by ten is easier with metric.

And who really cares how much volume the beer stein or rhum glass holds? You will still always reach for 'the big one'.
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Old 09-11-2014, 05:43   #32
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

Quote:
Originally Posted by valhalla360 View Post
- Meter = 1/10,000,000th of the distance from the equator to the pole
No, the meter is 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of the orange-red emission line in the electromagnetic spectrum of the krypton-86 atom in a vacuum.
Before that it was the length of a bar kept somewhere in Paris.
Before that they indeed took 1/10000000 of the distance from the equator to the pole, because that ended up a good size, about the length of a pace...
Incidentally the nautical mile is defined in a similar way, as the length of one arc minute measured on the equator. This gives all kinds of advantages when doing astronomical navigation. For the same reason surveyors in metric countries will measure angles in "gon", of which 400 go in a circle...
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Old 09-11-2014, 05:48   #33
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

Some interesting conversions:
1 million microphones = 1 megaphone
1 million bicycles = 2 megacycles
2000 mockingbirds = 2 kilomockingbirds
10 cards = 1 decacards (or is it 52 cards = 1 deck-a-cards?)
1/2 lavatory = 1 demijohn
1 millionth of a fish = 1 microfiche
453.6 graham crackers = 1 pound cake
10 rations = 1 decoration
10 millipedes = 1 centipede
3-1/3 tridents = 1 decadent
10 monologs = 5 dialogues
2 monograms = 1 diagram
8 nickles = 2 paradigms
2 wharves = 1 paradox
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Old 09-11-2014, 05:49   #34
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

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Originally Posted by Delancey View Post
Might think the diameter of the solid fuel rocket boosters of the space shuttle would be an arbitrary dimension best suited for launching into space. But no, they are really sized to fit through rail road tunnels between Utah where there were made and Florida where the space shuttle was launched.

The rail road tunnels in the US were of coarse based on the dimensions of the first railways which were developed in England. These first railways were of coarse built by the carriage makers whose craft lent itself well to this new mode of transport.

The carriage makers of course had been sizing their carriages to work on the roads that existed in England prior to the railways. The dimension for the ruts in the roads from which the carriage makers built the new railways was of coarse based on the carriages the Romans had used when the roads were first made.

So basically a key design constraint for the space shuttle was the wheel width of a Roman cart.
Nice story. But factually wrong. The railway track gauge has nothing to do with the romans, but everything with Stephenson starting with a nice round number...
And the loading gauge is another different matter. That is a lot larger then the one used in the UK... (In the US everything is larger after all...)
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Old 09-11-2014, 05:53   #35
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

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Originally Posted by Cheechako View Post
My only problem with the metric system is it needs something between a meter and a Cm.
But we do have something between m and cm : dm. The decimeter. Not used a lot as most people do fine with just m and cm, or m and mm.

Quote:
well then wouldnt it make sense to only build things in exact multiples of ten?
Interestingly eggs do come in boxes of 10 here...
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Old 09-11-2014, 06:01   #36
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

Quote:
Originally Posted by K_V_B View Post
. (In the US everything is larger after all...)
Ah, I think you might be getting confused between the USA and Texas. They are two completely different places.
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Old 09-11-2014, 06:15   #37
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
Some interesting conversions:
1 million microphones = 1 megaphone
1 million bicycles = 2 megacycles
2000 mockingbirds = 2 kilomockingbirds
10 cards = 1 decacards (or is it 52 cards = 1 deck-a-cards?)
1/2 lavatory = 1 demijohn
1 millionth of a fish = 1 microfiche
453.6 graham crackers = 1 pound cake
10 rations = 1 decoration
10 millipedes = 1 centipede
3-1/3 tridents = 1 decadent
10 monologs = 5 dialogues
2 monograms = 1 diagram
8 nickles = 2 paradigms
2 wharves = 1 paradox
Exfcellent Gord!

At some point I did the mental math of the use converting to the metric system in terms of road signage.

There are about 4 million miles of roads in the US. England OTOH has about 250,000 miles.

Not a small undertaking to convert.
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Old 09-11-2014, 06:28   #38
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
Americans claim to use the Imperial Measurement System, rather than the Metric one.
Yeah right, they all know what 9mm is though.
Well, actually I don't. I'm not a gun guy and am about the only one in Montana!

I was talking to my hunting guide friend about bullet size a while back. I had the millimeters figured out but never thought about the caliber size. I asked him if it was based on something and he said it was totally random measurement. It took me less than a minute to find out it was based on 100ths of an inch thanks to Mr. Google. So here we have a hunting guide that has probably shot 10s of thousands of bullets that has no clue what a bullet size comes from. Think about that!
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Old 09-11-2014, 06:29   #39
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

And let's not forget the metric unit every sailor should know - the millihelen.
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Old 09-11-2014, 06:31   #40
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

Quote:
Originally Posted by Canibul View Post
Ah, I think you might be getting confused between the USA and Texas. They are two completely different places.
Well, I just came back from a conference and one could spot the Americans hectometers away.
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Old 09-11-2014, 06:55   #41
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

yeah, they're the ones with pockets sewn onto the chests of their shirts, and they are the only one who say "Hi".

But don't confuse those with Texans. Or kid yourselves that we can't spot an European in about ten seconds.
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Old 09-11-2014, 07:17   #42
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

Quote:
Originally Posted by Enrique100 View Post
My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and that's the way I likes it!!!
AWESOME!

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
Americans claim to use the Imperial Measurement System, rather than the Metric one.
Yeah right, they all know what 9mm is though.
Love it Gordo!

Quote:
Originally Posted by transmitterdan View Post
I would prefer my polar tables to compute furlongs per fortnight. Who only sails for one hour at a time anyway?
Right???

Quote:
Originally Posted by K_V_B View Post
No, the meter is 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of the orange-red emission line in the electromagnetic spectrum of the krypton-86 atom in a vacuum.
Before that it was the length of a bar kept somewhere in Paris.
Before that they indeed took 1/10000000 of the distance from the equator to the pole, because that ended up a good size, about the length of a pace...
Incidentally the nautical mile is defined in a similar way, as the length of one arc minute measured on the equator. This gives all kinds of advantages when doing astronomical navigation. For the same reason surveyors in metric countries will measure angles in "gon", of which 400 go in a circle...
Whew... thanks... Somebody had to straighten out the massive error...

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
Some interesting conversions:
1 million microphones = 1 megaphone
1 million bicycles = 2 megacycles
2000 mockingbirds = 2 kilomockingbirds
10 cards = 1 decacards (or is it 52 cards = 1 deck-a-cards?)
1/2 lavatory = 1 demijohn
1 millionth of a fish = 1 microfiche
453.6 graham crackers = 1 pound cake
10 rations = 1 decoration
10 millipedes = 1 centipede
3-1/3 tridents = 1 decadent
10 monologs = 5 dialogues
2 monograms = 1 diagram
8 nickles = 2 paradigms
2 wharves = 1 paradox
YOUR BEST YET GORDO!!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Canibul View Post
Ah, I think you might be getting confused between the USA and Texas. They are two completely different places.
+1!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Canibul View Post
yeah, they're the ones with pockets sewn onto the chests of their shirts, and they are the only one who say "Hi".

But don't confuse those with Texans. Or kid yourselves that we can't spot an European in about ten seconds.
And that's one of the tougher ones.... Less for the typical haircut, dress, sandals, etc... Avg... 3 seconds???
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Old 09-11-2014, 07:23   #43
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

I like the metric system especially in attitudes.........
Like with shoes you get a better fit or closer to what you need in an attitude..
The local store on the corner , (7-11 in the US) sells attitudes, but they only come in full sizes , so when buying one, its either to Damn tight or it to Friggin Big..
And even thou they carry metric size attitudes, you never want to buy one from a second hand store , as its probably because the origional owner either broke it or it didnt fit proper..
And last, dont go to Wal-mart, or K-Mart, to buy your attitudes, even thou they carry a large asortment at discount prices, you NEVER know who had it on befor you..
And thats why I like the metric system............................................ ............
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Old 09-11-2014, 07:24   #44
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

What I know so do the whole world (even US) use 10 as the base in mathematic, so I don’t think its possible to change. 16 would have been much better.

If I read that a boat have a weight of 7000 lb, I think it’s the half in kilo or 3500 kg. That way I get a hum of the weight that’s near enough.
They have a 35 lb anchor. The half is 17.5 but if I want it more exact I subtract 10% or 1.75 and get 17.5 – 1.75 and that’s around 16 kilo.
The boat has 80 gallons of water. I take the double 160 and then the double agene 320 liter. (I know it’s wrong, but I think it should be spelled that way).

I notice that it’s not only me that don’t know how many yards there is on one mile.

Some imperial headed person, can you calculate the efficiency of the windlass? I believe it’s quite complicated even if it’s only to multiply the force with the speed, but what unit do you get?
Motor power 0.9 hp.
Working load 250 lb.
Chain speed 65 ft/min.
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Old 09-11-2014, 07:56   #45
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Re: Convenience of the metric system

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Ah, I think you might be getting confused between the USA and Texas. They are two completely different places.
Texas...phfft.

Compared to Alberta,they have smaller ranches, less cattle, less oil, and our women are much prettier.
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