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Posts 243 - 254 of 2,133
Posts 243 - 254 of 2,133
Its called imperial measurement (because it comes from the Brits I believe, which given that America changed just about everything else about them even vaguely British it kinda surprises me that they kept it).
Australians, surprisingly, know the words to their national anthem quite well because it's sung at lotsa sporting events. Although I reckon at least three quarters of the population either don't know there is a second verse, or would just substitute the words "More beer, more beer, more beer, more beer" until the chorus.
Australians, surprisingly, know the words to their national anthem quite well because it's sung at lotsa sporting events. Although I reckon at least three quarters of the population either don't know there is a second verse, or would just substitute the words "More beer, more beer, more beer, more beer" until the chorus.
In the mid-seventies Ford or maybe Carter decreed that North America would go metric by 19--. Mexico was already there, I believe. Canada dutifully followed along and actually began changing. We put up kilometre posts and changed the gas pumps to litres. Since American and Canadian gallons were different to begin with there was no extra confusion.
Then, those guardians of American democracy, the teamsters, said they weren't gonna change. That was that. Canada was halfway into the metric system and stayed there. There are possibly some advantages: division by 10, for example. But there is no possibility of working out gas mileage because we can no longer buy a gallon of gas nor drive a mile.
Thanks Jer, or was it Jimmy?
Then, those guardians of American democracy, the teamsters, said they weren't gonna change. That was that. Canada was halfway into the metric system and stayed there. There are possibly some advantages: division by 10, for example. But there is no possibility of working out gas mileage because we can no longer buy a gallon of gas nor drive a mile.
Thanks Jer, or was it Jimmy?
I don't care how irrational refusing to measure by metric is, there's just something uninspired about metric (not to mention the fact I'd hafta relearn everything I know). It's kinda cute confusing foreigners though...when it's winter and it's like 25 degrees outside and they wonder why I think it's cold, until they realize I'm not going by Celsius. 
It was Jimmy. I remember now. They tried to change us over in the US too, but too many people used their firearms to shoot down the km/hr signs.
Fahrenheit is a better measure of temperature for the purpose of the human body. Celsius's increments are too large.
Anyone know how the length of a meter, volume of a litre, and weight of a gram were chosen?
Fahrenheit is a better measure of temperature for the purpose of the human body. Celsius's increments are too large.
Anyone know how the length of a meter, volume of a litre, and weight of a gram were chosen?
Not sure exactly how they decided what the deal was, but one thing I do know is that they're all linked by one thing. Water. One cubic centimetre of water= 1 gram. A litre of water is therefore equal to one kilogram. A cubic metre is equal to one metric ton.
I remember having to study the origin of the metric system somewhere in my high school maths classes. I think it was a french instigated thing, they worked out the metre and the rest kind of flowed from there. I could of course be way off base with that.
I remember having to study the origin of the metric system somewhere in my high school maths classes. I think it was a french instigated thing, they worked out the metre and the rest kind of flowed from there. I could of course be way off base with that.
Okay, it bothered me enough that I went and looked it up. Turns out I was about right. The following is quoted from
http://www.essex1.com/people/speer/metric.html
'the Metric System was devised by French scientists in the late 18th century to replace the chaotic collection of units then in
use. The goal of this effort was to produce a system that did not rely on a miscellany of separate standards, and to use the decimal system rather than fractions.
To obtain a standard of length a quadrant of the earth (one-fourth of a circumference) was surveyed from Dunkirk to Barcelona along the meridian that passes through Paris. The distance from the pole to the equator was divided into ten million parts to constitute the meter (spelled metre in some countries). The definition of the meter has become more and more precise through the years since. Currently the meter is the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299 792 458 second.'
Apparently the original standard of measure was imprecise so it went through lots of changes, using things like wavelengths of various types of radiation and laser.
As far as I can tell I was right about the volume and mass measurements being worked out using the metre and water as a base.
http://www.essex1.com/people/speer/metric.html
'the Metric System was devised by French scientists in the late 18th century to replace the chaotic collection of units then in
use. The goal of this effort was to produce a system that did not rely on a miscellany of separate standards, and to use the decimal system rather than fractions.
To obtain a standard of length a quadrant of the earth (one-fourth of a circumference) was surveyed from Dunkirk to Barcelona along the meridian that passes through Paris. The distance from the pole to the equator was divided into ten million parts to constitute the meter (spelled metre in some countries). The definition of the meter has become more and more precise through the years since. Currently the meter is the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299 792 458 second.'
Apparently the original standard of measure was imprecise so it went through lots of changes, using things like wavelengths of various types of radiation and laser.
As far as I can tell I was right about the volume and mass measurements being worked out using the metre and water as a base.
If your first language is English, it seems like a waste of everyone's time to get you to learn a second language. Same with the "imperial" system, I guess. No matter how much simpler and logical the new system is, it ain't gonna take root in the English brain.
Finally saw Harry Potter...the video...loved it. I'mnot gonna compare it to the book 'cep to say they got the 3 main kids absoltely right.
Most people don't know the American national anthem has more than one verse. I only know the first and the last. If more people knew about the last verse, the Supreme Court would probably declare it unconstitutional.
I always get the damn patriotic songs messed up. Sure, I can(but don't) sing along with the song they happen to be playing, but I never can remember which one is our anthem. Pathetic, really. If I were President, I'd change it monthly just to mix things up. 
"My fellow americans: Today is a great day for democracy. Why, you ask? For we are changing our national anthem from YMCA to The Safety Dance! Woo-hoo, you go Colin Powell! Break it down!"
"My fellow americans: Today is a great day for democracy. Why, you ask? For we are changing our national anthem from YMCA to The Safety Dance! Woo-hoo, you go Colin Powell! Break it down!"
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