{ Shakes Head Face Palm ] I....people.....just....sigh

a reply to: ketsuko

Perhaps that is a good argument for the US to adopt the metric system?
You really are considered as Luddites regarding measurement by the rest of the scientific world, I'm sure your husband would agree.

a reply to: DAVID64

34 Degrees C with the windchill factored in is actually 97 grams. Or Kilo seconds/mile.

a reply to: beezzer

Beezzer I generally love your posts, but on a serious note, I think the US needs to move on so your youth do not have to learn two completely differing measurement systems.
I studied chemistry at uni and a professor actually took the piss out of the only major nation in the world which forces its kids to learn two systems.
He also took the piss about the aluminium/aluminum thing as well, but that is an aside.

Metric is king over any other, the cubic metre of water example I provided earlier covers weight, volume, and temperature at sea level.
I genuinely think if you folk adopted the same measurement standards as the rest of the world then you could maybe see improvements in your academic results. Why force kids to learn a system that pretty much nobody outside of the US uses?

a reply to: grainofsand

I agree that it needs to be taught, but I disagree that one system should be used over the other.

The UK drives on the left side of the road, not many other nations do. But I don't see a call for that.

I play around just because so many are ignorant of the metric system. Even the medical system in the US uses metric.

I'd say just give it time. Things will change eventually.

originally posted by: grainofsand
a reply to: ketsuko

Perhaps that is a good argument for the US to adopt the metric system?
You really are considered as Luddites regarding measurement by the rest of the scientific world, I'm sure your husband would agree.

As a fellow Brit and seemingly fan of the metric system can I ask how tall you are and what do you weigh?

In metric and no googling conversions?

How many kilometres to the litre does your car get?

How about that litre of beer you bought in the pub the other day?

originally posted by: nonspecific
As a fellow Brit and seemingly fan of the metric system can I ask how tall you are and what do you weigh?

185cm and 84kg, that comes out completely naturally if I'm ever asked.
Kmh/L no idea, I just buy fuel as I need it.
Pints at the pub same, I buy depending on the money in my pocket, but I order it in pints as that is how it is still sold, one of the only remaining products still sold in Imperial measurements.
I would have no problem ordering 568 millilitres of Thatchers Gold though.

a reply to: grainofsand

Impressive, most people I know have no idea of there height in Cm

How many times to you need to order 1220x2240mm plasterboard sheets and is that what you ask for then?

a reply to: nonspecific

I just buy X many sheets/boards same as everyone else, it is how we have evolved.
1200mm sheets are standard these days if one is not a dinosaur.

a reply to: grainofsand

Do you not still call them 8 by 4's though?

You are a very modern man by all accounts.

If we leave the EU we may have to revert back to imperial but thats a different thread.

a reply to: nonspecific

Ok, you've got me, I do actually still 'call' them 8' by 4' but I almost gag at the Imperial reference.

a reply to: grainofsand

Imperial works ok as a rough guide Ie. that's got to be about 30 foot away.

Anyone asks me to cut something 2 feet six and 5 8th's by 5 foot 2 and 11 16ths and I'll tell them to shut up and give it me in mm.

a reply to: nonspecific

Haha, fair one, and I'll admit if the Imperial measurement is closer to the the metric on my tape then I'll use Imperial.
I cut some timber at 93 and a half inches today. It was bang on.

...I long for the day when our tape measures are metric only though.