You have never seen American Football?
Metric 4 US!!
- Thread starter Slaughter
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ParadigmShifter
Random Nonsense Generator
We are very glad of the gulf stream warming up our water here. It is very rare to get -17C temperatures. I was surpried when I was at Chicago airport and the temperature was -9C or something. Very unusual for Britain.
nonconformist
Miserable
That's true
But what I like in Celsius is that it's related to water - and thus the whole metric system is related to water in a way: one cubic decimeter of water weights one kilogramme, and water freezes at 0, boils at 100...
Bah, calcius is a swindle!
Kelvin's where it's at!
Wolfe Tone
Which Way Did He Go?
Bah! People should use Kelvin for temperature.
Kennigit
proud 2 boxer
Of course we need the Imperial? (haven't heard it refferred to it as that) How else can we know how much 1 man and a mule can plow in a day of work without using the acre!
Brrrr. Feel's like -1 Kelvin in here.
Brrrr. Feel's like -1 Kelvin in here.
We should keep Imperial for football (ie American football, you whiney gits) (otherwise the old records will be meaningless), and maybe for temperature and for people's weight and height (smaller units are easier to visualize, in my opinion.) Then we should switch the rest.
Actually, it is my understanding that officially the US uses the metric system, but that no one uses it.
Actually, it is my understanding that officially the US uses the metric system, but that no one uses it.
Leonel
Breakfast Connoisseur
Not to mention to stow away the arrogant attitude.
After reading through this thread, I feel so awful when I was fanatical about the metric system and was a jerk to people based on something as trivial as different measurement systems. I mean I still think the metric system is a great idea but I won't insinuate that those that don't use it as the worst stereotype of an uneducated person like I'm a pompous aristocrat.
History_Buff
Deity
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2001
- Messages
- 6,529
See, now you need to bone up on your Kelvin
As for Temperatures, when people ask what that is in Imperial, I just give them Rankine. Much funnier.I live in Canada, and doing Survey work, I'm forced to see both on a regular basis. The first thing you do when you see an Imperial unit? Convert it. Metric is just much nicer guys. Teach it to your kids. They'll thank you when they're old enough to understand
Or you could just convert them?
Urederra
Mostly harmless
actually, some american hospitals are changing to metric, just because it is much easier to calculate drug dosage when you are using metrics, so to avoid deadly mistakes.
mangxema
I
I believe there is a state in the SW that has interstate speed limit signs in km/hr.
Luckily for your country, your scientists are using the metric system
Not all the time... We basically have to learn to use both. Which, I must say, is absolutely terrible. Granted, I'm more engineering than pure science, so maybe I'm not the best judge, but I know pressure is usually measured in inHg in meteorology.
Actually, it's worse than that... (1 pint)(2 cups/pint)(8 oz./cup) = 16 oz.
ParadigmShifter
Random Nonsense Generator
Most of the time changing to metric just means you get to charge more for the same amount though. A pound of sugar? Nah, just have 2 kilos for the same price.
Masquerouge
Deity
I don't understand that "smaller unit" thing... like I'm 6'5 in the Imperial system, which is 195 cm, and my weight is 95 kg... thus the metric system has "smaller" units than the imperial one?
Well maybe not height, but weight, or temperature.
ParadigmShifter
Random Nonsense Generator
I think it might be us that has 20fl oz pints then. Either way, you americans are getting short changed for your pints. I thought a cup size was something else entirely. At least you don't get charged nearly a quid (=$2) for a litre of petrol though.
Masquerouge
Deity
Mmh. You realize this conversation is a perfect argument against the imperial system, right?
"so, a pint is how many ounces already?"
"Depends... a US pint or a UK pint?"
"well it's obvious, 1 pint is 2 cups, and of course 2 cups are thus 8 ounces."
"Wait we're talking about bras now?"
ParadigmShifter
Random Nonsense Generator
Well of course but I have a pint glass that I know the size of and a half litre glass is too small for a beer.
And 8oz is too small for a cup if we are talking about bras
And 8oz is too small for a cup if we are talking about bras
I thought the laws in the UK now mean that things much be sold in metric weights/etc?
The main thing that's unlikely to change is road signs, probably due to the cost, but also the risk of accidents I imagine (for speed limits).
They could rename it the Freedom sytem?
(Edit - beaten to it!)
mangxema
I
At least the number increases. I'm quite sure engines will never be rated in kW because it's only slightly less than a horsepower. So at a casual glance, it looks like you're getting a wimpy engine.
Technically, the US doesn't use the Imperial system. We have our own system that has a lot of the same names, except with slightly different values. But point taken. It works just fine in everyday life though.
ParadigmShifter
Random Nonsense Generator
No, just last month it was scrapped
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6637587.stm
Edit: or rather, it will not be illegal to display imperial equivalents alongside the mandatory metric ones.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6637587.stm
Edit: or rather, it will not be illegal to display imperial equivalents alongside the mandatory metric ones.
Ah - it's still the law that metric must be displayed, however currently they can also display imperial, and the plan was to ban display of imperial.
(Personally I'm in favour of metric, but I don't see the problem if people want to put other units in addition.)
