English UNIT

Thanks!

If you really cared to know you could try to find out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_(mass)

reminds me of an interesting story, my College Metallurgy professor said.

I didn't verify it, but it sounded good, so there is a possibility it's just a story.

Back in the days of the gold rush in the United States, The miners would come to town and pay for items in gold dust, usually a pinch. At the taverns, the owners would hire bartenders of bigger statue especially their fingers, so their pinch of gold dust is bigger.

I just did a quick search but found no evidence of this though. Not that there would be.

http://www.malakoff.com/goldcountry/shawsfla.htm

An interesting tale is told of a bartender at one of the numerous saloons in Shaws Flat who came up with an ingenious method of supplementing his salary. The price of a drink was generally a pinch of gold dust-with the barkeep doing the pinching from the miner's poke

Interesting story...

Thanks, and interesting tale it is.

^{After 30+ years I was just happy finally able to use something I learned in college.}

He probably lost more gold than he recovered, but for some nice rubber overboots, he could have had it all!

I had also heard of gold dust falling through the cracks in floor boards onto tarps below the bar. Can't reference it, I think it was heard on a TV program about the Barbary Coast in SF.

"I had also heard of gold dust falling through the cracks in floor boards onto tarps below the bar."

They made a movie about it Starring Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood.

"Paint your Wagon" I think?

The history of weights and measures in the United States is pretty easy to understand. Back in the 1700's the British knew that the Colonies would break off and form their own country soon. So, in an effort to "get even" for something that has not occurred yet the British authorities got together, got very drunk and dreamed up the most stupid ways of doing weights and measures.

For length they gave us inches, based upon the King's thumb. They gave us feet, based upon the King's foot. They also gave us miles. I had to do some research on this once. I think I found 3 or 4 "official" definitions of a statute mile and at least 2 different definitions of a nautical mile. With conversion factors of 5280 or other fractional values they knew we would be kept busy with simple tasks.

They kept in their back pocket the meter. It doesn't matter if you are an atomic physicist, a car driver or an astronomer you will just shift the position of the decimal point on the meter.

For liquid measure they gave us tea spoons, table spoons, pints, quarts, gallons, barrels and probably several more. They are all related by ... actually I was never able to learn all that. Some are 2X, some are 4X, some are something else. I think the pint was based upon the King's beer mug. I don't know how the tea spoon and table spoon relate to the King's body and I suspect I am happier not knowing.

In their back pocket was the liter. If you want other units you just shift the decimal point. And, the liter relates back to the meter in a very straightforward manner.

Weights... pounds, tons, weight ounces (more than one), fluid ounces, troy ounces, stones, etc.

In their back pocket was the gram. All they have to do is shift the decimal point.

So, in response to "Why is this so hard and confusing?" the answer is pretty simple. The ancestors of Del the Cat had a very sick sense of humor and infected humanity with this horrible system of weights and measures before they released the metric system for the selfish benefit of their own people.

"British authorities got together, got very drunk and dreamed up the most stupid ways of doing..... "

Sounds like how our founding fathers decided to created a more perfect government....

dismal seems to be pretty universal

comes down to a matter of degree

I Wish, it actually went down hill

LOL!!

Stones, that is a unit of weight (mass) that I could never understand. It is a unit that never migrated to America from England. Probably because when the English settled in New England they found so many stones here that they could not agree on which stone to use.

Are there any unit equivalents? How many stones are there in a boulder, or how many pebbles in a stone?

Perhaps one of our British members could enlighten me

A stone is equal to 1/2 a quarter or 1/8 hundredweigh. A hundredweight is 1/20 ton & is equivalent to a quintal or a zentner A ton can be divided into 4 quarters, 8 stone or 16 cloves. Simples.

Thanks. That explanation makes it as clear as day... in London

You made my day.. HA HA HA.. just love good BS.

My German grandmother used the "Stone" when referring to people´s weight. As far as I remember: one Stone = 8 Kg.

Yes R&ddoc#55.

Re my earlier post #25. We (my wife and I) have to weigh ourselves in stones and pounds. Weighing ourselves in kg tells us our weight, but not how 'heavy' we are - if you follow the logic.

If we used your 8 kg to a stone, then we would be a lot lighter - which would please my wife very much.

A kg is 2.2 lbs. A stone is 14 lbs. And A cwt is 8 stones or 112 lbs, and 20 cwt is a ton or 2240 lbs. In between the are 'quarters' (of a cwt).

A tonne is a 1000 kg, and you will see a tonne is 1000 x 2.2 lbs, which is 2,200 lbs - which is why it is sometimes called a short ton.

Holy cow! That means my German grandmother was wrong????

How come a slug is 32 lb.

You've got me guessing on that one! Please explain for me the uneducated one, thanks!

Or do you have cabbages that weight a Hundredweight?

Or is it something to do with Pig Iron or similar?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slug_%28mass%29

"A tonne is a 1000 kg"

Shouldn't 1000 kilograms be a megagram? 1000 x 10⁶ = 1 x 10⁹

Why would we have this wonderful and logical set of prefixes if we aren't going to use them consistently? Why go back to using an Imperial unit to mean a different value?

Calling a megagram a tonne just adds to the confusion, we have English Tonnes, American Tons, and now Metric Tons, none of which agree with the other two.

You forgot to mention "long and Short" tons if memory serves me correctly!

See here:-

Long & Short Tons

You see, there are just too many variants already, we have literally Tons of Tonnes to keep track of.

LOL!!

Well played!!

Thank you, I guess I'm more steak than bread roll today.

I thought I was coming across as half-baked, when I'm actually in rare form.

OMG

And new qwerty-board-models are being entrenched as we speak, with everyone standing(for it) around and watching. Is all hope lost ?

Don't forget the peck and the bushell.

For liquid, there's the pint, quart, gallon, jeroboam and magnum for starters.

You forgot firkins

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

My generation still talks in feet and inches, and pounds shillings pence. We live in a metric world now, but we have to convert metric back to imperial to get a 'feel' for the value.

The Imperial system has it's merits otherwise the USA would have gone metric by now.

"The Imperial system has it's merits otherwise the USA would have gone metric by now."

You forget, the USA made a single half-hearted attempt to introduce the Metric system, then said, "Screw it, everyone else should just use SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers, often misinterpreded as Standard American Equivalent) measures."

The US has also going 'quietly' metric, the inch, for example, has been redefined as 25.40000 milimeters, for everything except Surveying. (Considering the vast sistances used in Surveying, and the legal weight of surveyor maps, shortening the inch by even a thousandth would cause havok with land ownership issues all across the country).

You could measure acceleration in 'furlongs per square fortnight', if you want. It doesn't really matter as long as all parties are using the same, defined, measure. That way, spaceships don't miss Mars.

"That way, spaceships don't miss Mars."

Or turn a planned orbit into an impromptu impact test.

Hi Kulas, You will see the Pound Currency is a fancy type of "L" Like this "£." You are right the sign for weight is LBS. Though we generally now use Metric now. Please check out this page. It is very easy to read and nice and short. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_(currency) Take care bb

As a follow on from your weblink, I like this for the detail about the oldest currency in the world today...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_sterling

Its so nice of you babybear, hugs and cuddles cutie ;) thanks.

Furthermore, abbreviations of units are NOT pluralized. No "kgs", "lbs", etc.

ealvbies?? Seriously? Where precisely did you come up with that? Elf bees. Never heard of them.

Several abbreviations for "pound" or "pounds":

lbs.

Lbs.

lb.

Lb.

#

Also one hundred pounds is called a hundred weight, and is abbreviated cwt. It has been used in association with the beef cattle production industry (otherwise known as ranching). Not sure this is even in use at the present time.

100 lbs = 1 cwt in America, otherwise known as a short hundredweight. In the UK, 1 hundredweight = 112 lbs (8 stone) & is known as a long hundredweight.

LOL thanks for clearing out. This is like back in the days when old pops was still around, in the barn as 5 year older, he asked me to get the chisel in the tool room. On the half way trip, i turned around and asked him " what is it again Dad?- Hammer right?" He smiled and said " Oh boy, no son chisel"- i was careful that last time to remember what he said. But I still turn around on the next half way trip and said " Dad! chisel right?".--- I was not dumb that time, just pondering alot on every little thing that came across.

1 cwt = 112lb.

Here's a true story of prospecting the cracks on a particular street in NYC.

It's a shame Lou Reed is gone. I'd bet there's an illuminating ( in the truest sense of art ) song in there somewhere.

English units are not confusing if you were brought up with the English system of measurements. Metric units may be easy for some, but I have no problem with either system.

I agree - actually I lived through the metrification of Canada - I still think in inches and pounds, and round conversions such as 25mm is approx 1 inch (ie in my head mult x4). 100km/hr x.6 = 60mph. Miles per Gallon means more to me than L/100km. My son is totally metric - looks confused when I give Imperial units.

I had the same experience with Canadian metrification ( at least we got that right ), but you really have no problem with having to go by way of first base every time that you want to get between home plate and the pitcher's mound ?

There might be reasons for opposing transparency but I can't think of any good ones. ( flummoxing enemies ? pretty weak )

We've ended up with a strange mixture in the UK. Officially we have been metricated & things have to be sold in metric units. If I buy milk from the supermarket it comes in multiples of 568ml (1 pint), if I order aluminium angle at work it might be 51x38x3.2 (2x1 1/2x1/8") & all of our speed limits are in mph.

you might as well use mph if you insist on driving on the wrong side of the road

If I remember correctly, wasn't it a rule of Rome that made the whole Roman Empire drive on the left?

A safety edict to save the ears and eyes of the populace as they walked along roads....(It puts the usual whip arm, the right one, in the middle of the road!)

Plus a right handed swordsman can draw his weapon easily when on the LH side....

Japan drives on the left due to this last point, even today!!! In total, well over 30% of the world's population are still on the left!!

The USA was simply unknown until many years later.

The European countries that stayed on the left were NOT conquered by Napoleon.

Though some countries had changed to the right even before Napoleon anyway..........

This website is well written and has many very interesting "snippets" about BOTH sides of the road!!

driving-on-the-left

I knew that many cars sold in Austria before Hitler invaded had the driver on the right, but I did not know that half the country drove on the left and half on the right!!! WOW!!

Have fun reading it!!

OK, so it's not so poke-funable as it seems.

At least the rationale for sticking with it isn't trivial.

Its a sadly very misunderstood rationale LH driving.....but there are 56 countries that have it still (from memory!).

My dog is a German breed, born in German, has spent only a few weeks in the UK in her entire life, but persists in walking on the left!

That is on forest roads with no traffic, with traffic she is on the lead in my hand or to my bike, on the RH side near to the sidewalk with traffic!!!

It appears to be born in her!!

My dogs when on leash always travel on the opposite side from which I hold the lease, and they so seldom get out on the street this way, I sense their eagerness to smell and experience everything in the wider world, so I usually put forth a string of level 4 profanity, and all the neighbors stop watching me.

So it turns out that the right side is the wrong side.

Alright. I guess I've got no arguments left.

On the canals in the UK we keep right when passing. No problem, you soon get used to it, and then it becomes habit.

Except after a cruise, when back on the roads, it's a habit you need to shake off pretty quick.

Two Germans talking about holidays, one says to the other that he ought to try the UK, its a real fun place.

The others say in a loud voice, NO THANK YOU!! They drive on the left hand side of the road.

Whats the problem with that says the first one, after a few miles its second nature.

NO ITS NOT shouts the second German, I tried it out near Berlin, it damn near got me KILLED!!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(I don't know if there is a name in English for people driving the wrong way on a Freeway/Motorway/Autobahn, In Germany we call them "Geisterfahrer" or "Ghost driver"!, so I will use that till someone corrects me!)

A Guy, really hungover, is on his way to work in the car.

His wife, hearing on the traffic broadcast that there is a "Ghost Driver" on his usual route to work.

Knowing he is hung over and his reactions are a bit shot, she rings him on his mobile and warns him that there is a single Ghost driver on that road.

He replies "ONE OF THEM? THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THEM!!!"

LOL

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Every few months somebody around these parts uses an exit ramp for an entrance ramp,with predictable results. I actually did it once in my younger years. The experience scared the crap out of me and I made a lifelong vow to be real careful about getting high behind the wheel.

Around here we call such drivers "f**king idiots"

Yes indeed! Very often, much worse than that!

the song: Ghost Riders in the Sky by Johnny Cash now comes to mind. I remember the red lamps on the radio towers near town at night as the eyes of the devil's herd.

To the gents driving the wrong way: "Son, you better change your ways, or with the devil you will ride, chasing the devil's herd, across the endless sky. Yippy kai yo, Yippy kai yay, Ghost Riders in the Sky."

Are you a ghost rider buddy?

Now one never really knows, does one? I put up my wife's sign for the front porch fence yesterday: "No soliciting ever...for any reason!

Unless (1) My house is on fire, (2) You were invited, or (3) You are making a delivery of something we ordered, do not ring the door bell, or knock to enter here.

Pretty serious sign. I may not light up on fire when I climb on my excercise bicycle, with chains dragging behind me, but I do make a serious sound with my shotgun when I rack in a shell.

Good one...you vould also do it through a microphone and amp. Let them think this is M#$@@!F*****R HQ.

At least all my neighbors already know whose HQ it is!! I am also considering installing a flag pole, but still debating internally about what colors to run up, and which ones to strike. I saw where some Texans near Bryan, Texas had recently set up a phoney Texas National Government, and actually issued currency, and wrote a new constitution, and also subpeonaed a local judge to appear in their court (reasons unbeknownst).

They were raided by the local law enforcement (police) two different county sheriff departments, the Texas Department of Public Safety, The FBI, and the Texas Rangers all showed up and cuffed everyone for a misdemeanor (apparently) of filing false governement papers, usurping authority, etc. I think it was the etc. that got them in trouble. We just can't have any etc. in Texas.

I will probably still fly the Stars and Stripes, The Texas flag, and then maybe either "Don't Tread on Me", or "Come and Take It", or "MOLON LABE", or the French flag, or the National flag of Israel, depending on my mood that day, or what ridiculous act of terrorism has made the news that day, to show my solidarity with the victims, and to spread my disdain for those who have no respect of life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. You never really miss those things living in the U.S., unless you go to a foreign country, become a prisoner of war, or go to jail for something here in the States. Generally, then one finds out just how valuable freedom is, and that keeping our country free is worth more than all the gold, silver, and platinum in the world!

I sadly saw in youtube, you cant just hang even your nations flag at home, somebody might get offended. Is true right now?

At my age, I really do not care who gets offended. If they don't like what is on my property, let them try and come take it.

Not trying to be too picky, but are you sure it was Johnny Cash ? You're probably thinking of "Ring of Fire", another tune with a diabolical flavour.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A shell racking can be a lovely sound. An improvement over rock salt would be minimally invasive RFID pellets.

And the Brits claim the Germans have no sense of humor.

Just because it seems that all the Brits understand is 'wordplay,' which requires a sloppy, imprecise language like English. A Real joke does not depend on the audience mishearing or misunderstanding a word. A real joke will work in ANY language.

Here's another example of a REAL joke:

A Mechanical Engineer, an Electrical Engineer and a Chemical Engineer were sitting around discussing what sort of Engineer God is, using the human body as the standard reference.

"God is obviously a Mechanical Engineer," says the Mechanical Engineer, "Just look at all the joints and levers."

"But what about the miles of wiring in the nervous system, God is clearly an Electrical Engineer," replied the Electrical Engineer.

"God is a Civil Engineer," says the Chemical Engineer.

...

... ...

... ... .......

After an uncomfortable pause, the Mechanical Engineer says, "So how is God like a Chemical- Wait, did you say Civil?"

"Who else would run a toxic waste pipe through the middle of a recreational area."

(When I'm telling that joke 'live,' I always wait until the first audience member starts to react to the pause, then cut off their reaction with the rest of the joke as a one-two punch. I normally get two waves of laughs from that, an immediate, polite laugh from the audience recognizing the patter of a punch-line, then a second, ragged, more embarrassed wave of laughter as the joke sinks in. I've also noticed that anyone who is intellectually mature enough to understand the joke is generally emotionally mature enough to be told jokes like this. The kids who are too young for this kind of joke won't understand it, and without the understanding, they won't be 'corrupted' by it.)

And in closing, "What's the difference between a joke and a rhetorical question?"

Dunno. What ?

What's the difference in a duck?

Gut colonization by microbes is delayed in C-sectioned babies, which may explain in part why these infants have a harder time fighting off infections. Immediately after birth, the establishment of gut bacteria can affect the development of the immune system. A baby's gut microbiota can also affect its disposition in the first weeks and months of life. Dutch researchers recently published a study in the journal Pediatrics showing that infants with colic have more bacteria that are known to produce gas, whereas anti-inflammatory bacteria that live in the vaginal canal are more common in colic-free infants.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2013/06/02/babies-born-by-cesarean-section-may-not-gain-benefits-of-vaginal-microbiome.html

brgds

Snel

And in closing, "What's the difference between a joke and a rhetorical question?"

Answer:

....what's.....

For those brought up in China, Cantonese is quite easy to learn!

The abbreviations 'lbs' stands for libras the Roman unit of weight adopted in England following the Roman occupation. libra = pound

A friend of mine told me long ago that he once bought logs for his fireplace in Canada, which were sold by a weird unit I have forgotten the name of. When my friend asked the guy who sold him the wood how he could know if he was getting what he paid for (length of the logs was not in dispute, just the diameter) he was told that once piled up, the hole between logs had to be large enough for a mouse to pass trough.... but not a rabbit. I don´t know if the salesman was pulling my friends leg (he believed in this explanation :-) or if it was a simplistic way of calculation. Any clues?

Metrics never caught on in the United States, unless you were a dope dealer.

We calculated the speed of light in English units. Guess what the answer was.

Probably somewhere near the speed of light would be my guess, around 186,000 miles/second.

1.8 trillion furlongs per fortnight. We ran it several times over the years to be sure we were correct. And it came out exact.

You see, those early Anglo-Saxons knew what they were doing when they defined these units.

In the 1970s they put up a sign that said, Spokane: 16 Kilometers. Now it says, Spokane: 10 Miles.

We went on a bicycle tour in Canada. Everything was metric, Kilometers or Klicks.

A tour group came down from Canada and invited me to drive their sag wagon. The speedometer went up to 200.

An MCH and an ICH are still equal.