Metric system, was Trip Report: Bakersfield to Grover Beach in a Bolt--Mileage Estimates Off

[NoMoPetrol]

Reminds me of when I worked in internationalization standards (for computer software). The running joke was "It's like they have a different word for everything."

Metric - the true international standard (based on physics, and born of a bloody revolution).

What amazes me the most about the stubborn refusal of the USA to adopt the system of weights and measures used by virtually every other country on the face of the earth (and certainly by every other industrialized nation) is that we are holding onto the English system of measurements as though we are still emotionally attached to the country we rebelled against in 1776. And even they (the UK) went metric decades ago.

We can giggle at the definition of a meter, gram or cubic centimeter, but just don't look too closely at how an inch, foot or yard were initially defined. Perhaps we could go full retro and insist at our physical exams that our weight be recorded in stones.

 

[WetEV]

What amazes me the most about the stubborn refusal of the USA to adopt the system of weights and measures used by virtually every other country on the face of the earth (and certainly by every other industrialized nation) is that we are holding onto the English system of measurements as though we are still emotionally attached to the country we rebelled against in 1776. And even they (the UK) went metric decades ago.

The American version of the English system such as the inch and pound(mass) are all defined in metric units. We kind of use the metric system, only with some funny multipliers added to every unit, and some other silliness all of which mostly just makes the math harder. This is why NASA crashed a Mars probe. The English Imperial system is different than the American English system.

Other countries: Belize still uses Fahrenheit. I think Myanmar is still on English(Imperial) gallon, with both some metric (kg) and some local units thrown in such as the "basket" for rice. The government is converting to metric with a goal of completing in 2019. Liberia was a holdout, not clear what current status is. A few local measurements are still in common use elsewhere but are not legally required, such as the "stone" for human weight in England. Some units are still legal requirements such as the pint for "beer" in England, and such.

Canada is more amusing, while mostly metric, there are TWO pints of beer defined by law. The English pint and the French pint. If you are really thirsty, order in French. Order a "pint of beer" and defined by law you should be served "0.568 litres of beer". Order a "pinte de bière" and you should be served "1.136 litres of beer". Most establishments don't bother with the old units, but sell "mugs of beer" or "chope de bière", or similar, which have no legal definitions. Most young Canadians have no clue exactly what a pint is. French or English. Must be some funny American thing.

My doctor keeps my weight in kg, and my height in cm. All electrical units are metric.

The English might switch back to Imperial units as part of Brexit.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/08/31/after-brexit-some-brits-want-to-ditch-the-metric-system-too/

 

[GetOffYourGas]

My doctor keeps my weight in kg

Silly nit about units - kg is not a unit of weight but of mass. Weight is a function of mass and gravity; what really matters is your body mass. The American English unit of mass is a slug (and the metric unit of weight is a Newton).

 

[SeanNelson]

We can giggle at the definition of a meter, gram or cubic centimeter, but just don't look too closely at how an inch, foot or yard were initially defined. Perhaps we could go full retro and insist at our physical exams that our weight be recorded in stones.

Could be worse: The Furlog/Firkin/Fortnight system of measurement

 

[IMAdolt]

Canada is more amusing, while mostly metric, there are TWO pints of beer defined by law. The English pint and the French pint. If you are really thirsty, order in French. Order a "pint of beer" and defined by law you should be served "0.568 litres of beer". Order a "pinte de bière" and you should be served "1.136 litres of beer". Most establishments don't bother with the old units, but sell "mugs of beer" or "chope de bière", or similar, which have no legal definitions. Most young Canadians have no clue exactly what a pint is. French or English. Must be some funny American thing.

no one outside of the deepest parts of Quebec and newfoundland would be talking "French pint" which is absurd and obviously just an imperial quart. But that aside there's still 2 pints .... imperial and US, tall and short, large and small, full and ..... not full, or whatever the hell you're preferred microbrewery feels like calling it.

try going to home depot and finding a metric only tape measure. It's easier math to use metric but honestly imperial isn't that hard either but what really sucks is a blended system, that's not good for anyone.