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Posts 246 - 257 of 2,133
Posts 246 - 257 of 2,133
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!"
The Safety Dance would be a good national anthem.
I don't think the reasoning used in terms of the Pledge of Allegience would translate for the National Anthem. The National Anthem is only a song, whereas the Pledge is a Pledge of Allegience. Though, not knowing how any verse other than the first of the Star Spangled Banner goes, I have no idea how offensive it is or not.
Did you know the Star Spangled Banner was written using the tune of a drinking song? Now you know why it's so hard to sing. It's supposed to be that way. Picture men in a pub straining to hit the high notes while they try to stay upright, and they beers sloshing about.
I don't think the reasoning used in terms of the Pledge of Allegience would translate for the National Anthem. The National Anthem is only a song, whereas the Pledge is a Pledge of Allegience. Though, not knowing how any verse other than the first of the Star Spangled Banner goes, I have no idea how offensive it is or not.
Did you know the Star Spangled Banner was written using the tune of a drinking song? Now you know why it's so hard to sing. It's supposed to be that way. Picture men in a pub straining to hit the high notes while they try to stay upright, and they beers sloshing about.
I've never been particularly patriotic, so I barely even remember the pledge of allegiance. In fact, I firmly believe this country sucks. It's just a little less sucky than a lot of other places I could be living. Actually, I don't think the country sucks all that much. It's just 99.99999999999% of the people living in it.
The Star Spangled Banner does sound pretty drunk and would probably sound better if sung by more drunks.
As for the Pledge: keep in mind that kids are often pressured to say this thing which is actually a promise. It's generally not even presented as optional. It's just something you do, like coming to school. Hardly anybody questions it, and those who do are pressured to conform.
Where I live, Billy Graham gets the front page every time he blows his nose, and there is actually a movement to make the Pledge of Allegiance mandatory in the county schools. What kind of vow is THAT?
As for the Pledge: keep in mind that kids are often pressured to say this thing which is actually a promise. It's generally not even presented as optional. It's just something you do, like coming to school. Hardly anybody questions it, and those who do are pressured to conform.
Where I live, Billy Graham gets the front page every time he blows his nose, and there is actually a movement to make the Pledge of Allegiance mandatory in the county schools. What kind of vow is THAT?
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