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Map of countries officially not using the metric system

Prepare to be amazed:

That’s right, the three countries which are not using the metric system are Liberia, Myanmar and of course...the United States of America.

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by Anonymousreply 221May 16, 2018 4:25 PM

[quote]and of course...the United States of America.

I just bought a two liter bottle of Coke, so shove it up your metric ass.

by Anonymousreply 1November 21, 2015 10:19 PM

Burma doesn't use the metric system either.

by Anonymousreply 2November 21, 2015 10:21 PM

All the right places. Why would WE want to be like THOSE people?

by Anonymousreply 3November 21, 2015 10:21 PM

Using centimetres and metres is more accurate than inches sand feet.

by Anonymousreply 4November 21, 2015 10:22 PM

Penis size does sound more impressive in centimeters.

by Anonymousreply 5November 21, 2015 10:24 PM

[quote]Using centimetres and metres is more accurate than inches sand feet.

When I played beach volley ball we measured our court in sand feet.

by Anonymousreply 6November 21, 2015 10:25 PM

Ugh R5 beat me. I was about to say how I'd love to have a double digit weight and double digit penis size.

by Anonymousreply 7November 21, 2015 10:25 PM

R2:

Myanmar IS Burma. I'm hoping you knew that, and that your post was an attempt at humor, no matter HOW lame?

by Anonymousreply 8November 21, 2015 10:26 PM

Thanks, Obama!

by Anonymousreply 9November 21, 2015 10:28 PM

But the British measure their weight in stone. How would you like to weigh 12 stone? I'd prefer 12 feather.

by Anonymousreply 10November 21, 2015 10:29 PM

Not officially, anymore, R10. I do, though.

& I prefer fahrenheit.

by Anonymousreply 11November 21, 2015 10:33 PM

[quote]Penis size does sound more impressive in centimeters.

I've always thought that the only people that care about this are guys with small dicks.

by Anonymousreply 12November 21, 2015 10:33 PM

[quote]I've always thought that the only people that care about this are guys with small dicks.

Are you kidding? How long have you been gay?

by Anonymousreply 13November 21, 2015 10:35 PM

[quote]Thanks, Obama!

Actually, Thanks Reagan -- Carter put us on the metric system in the late 70s and Reagan took us off it a few years later.

by Anonymousreply 14November 21, 2015 10:38 PM

R2. Republic of the Union of Myanmar and also known as Burma, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia bordered by Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand.

by Anonymousreply 15November 21, 2015 10:39 PM

Thanks Republicans, you backward-looking idiots!

by Anonymousreply 16November 21, 2015 10:39 PM

R9 - Or maybe you should thank the Republican lead Senate and House, that would never allow Obama to bring in the metric system, because, face it, Americans are quite backwards and regressive. They still surgically mutilate their male offspring. . .

by Anonymousreply 17November 21, 2015 10:40 PM

[quote]Actually, Thanks Reagan -- Carter put us on the metric system in the late 70s and Reagan took us off it a few years later.

I was around in those days and that's not what happened. You just made that up.

by Anonymousreply 18November 21, 2015 10:43 PM

What I want to know is, what is [italic]wrong [/italic]with Myanmar?

by Anonymousreply 19November 21, 2015 10:43 PM

Because r18 says so.

by Anonymousreply 20November 21, 2015 10:45 PM

It's wonderful that those who have a desire to use the metric system have such a huge selection of places they can emigrate to. If that's what matters to you.

by Anonymousreply 21November 21, 2015 11:04 PM

I guess you should have supported Lincoln Chafee just a little bit more.

by Anonymousreply 22November 21, 2015 11:08 PM

We launched a spacecraft in the last decade which was rendered immediately useless because somebody mixed English and Metric units. It was a billion dollar project that went kablooey.

by Anonymousreply 23November 21, 2015 11:10 PM

[quote]somebody mixed English and Metric units.

"Somebody" was a group of arch little know it alls who enjoyed getting fired the experienced engineers who failed to show "respect." Since these little brainiacs had newly minted Masters degrees, they were too important to check the numbers.

Thus, "kablooey"

by Anonymousreply 24November 21, 2015 11:16 PM

this should be no news to anyone. do americans really thing other countries use the old english system?

by Anonymousreply 25November 21, 2015 11:23 PM

I am a mathematical retard—excuse me, mathematcal Special Person—yet I can do lots of metric conversions, etc., in my head, because metrics are absurdly EASY. Why Americans insist on clinging to the arcane numbers system we use boggles the mind. It’s like using a wind-up Victrola instead of an MP3 player because that’s always how it’s been done. Stupid Americans!

by Anonymousreply 26November 21, 2015 11:41 PM

Measuring in centimeters is more precise than in inches, but measuring in Celsius is less precise than in Fahrenheit. If America goes metric can we keep Fahrenheit?

by Anonymousreply 27November 21, 2015 11:46 PM

I hate when science shows describe distances in meters. If it's for American broadcast, why use meters? I can't imagine anyone in the US understands what it means that the Great Pyramid is 146 meters square.

by Anonymousreply 28November 21, 2015 11:49 PM

We lost a spacecraft to Mars because of this, you know. Years ago. Some engineer had forgotten to convert metric to English (or the other way around), and the spacecraft cut it's engines off 200 ft too early and the spacecraft crashed.

We never learn.

by Anonymousreply 29November 21, 2015 11:51 PM

R29, see R23.

by Anonymousreply 30November 21, 2015 11:54 PM

When some of you say 'English', do you actually mean 'Imperial'? I was taught that in the olden days of inches and feet and yards and shit, that was called the 'Imperial' system, and that now, all forward thinking country use the metric system.

by Anonymousreply 31November 22, 2015 12:34 AM

" all forward thinking country use the metric system."

Forward thinking like Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia?

I think the U.S. should convert to metric, but you're overstating your case.

by Anonymousreply 32November 22, 2015 12:44 AM

Kilos is better than pounds, too.

by Anonymousreply 33November 22, 2015 12:45 AM

Imperial is a different measure.

by Anonymousreply 34November 22, 2015 12:49 AM

[quote]but measuring in Celsius is less precise than in Fahrenheit. If America goes metric can we keep Fahrenheit?

Celsius can be just as precise if you use decimal points.

by Anonymousreply 35November 22, 2015 1:22 AM

Imperial and English aka British units are essentially the same. If you know the difference between them, you're smart enough to use metric units instead.

by Anonymousreply 36November 22, 2015 1:22 AM

We must follow the bible, people! It's cubics or eternal damnation in the fiery lake of Hell!

by Anonymousreply 37November 22, 2015 1:24 AM

The metrics system is simply just another attack on our precious way of life... just like those bombings at the Mall.

by Anonymousreply 38November 22, 2015 1:25 AM

This thread is just more proof that Americans are fucking idiots.

We should have been on the Metric system for decades now. Thanks to Reagan and idiot conservatives, we're not.

by Anonymousreply 39November 22, 2015 1:35 AM

Yes, but how many countries have adopted the Decabet?

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by Anonymousreply 40November 22, 2015 1:41 AM

We will not budge an inch.

by Anonymousreply 41November 22, 2015 1:44 AM

Americans is anybody born in the American continent. I bet what you meant is US citizen, R39

by Anonymousreply 42November 22, 2015 1:47 AM

R42, You will go to your grave with 350 million Americans laughing at this strange ineffectual fixation of yours.

by Anonymousreply 43November 22, 2015 1:51 AM

America is a vast continent, there are extensively more than 350 million Ameircans living there, R43

by Anonymousreply 44November 22, 2015 1:53 AM

See, just like I wrote!

by Anonymousreply 45November 22, 2015 1:55 AM

A tape measure has inches on one side and centimetres on the other, it's not too difficult to grasp. If the US chooses to retain imperial measurement it's really no big deal but you should know metric too just to make life easier on yourself when travelling.

Where it really does make a difference for me is cooking measurements. When I worked in the UK every recipe gave measurements in both grams and ounces, millilitres and fluid ounces. It is much more accurate than cups, especially for baking where it really does matter. When making a marinara sauce a little over or under is irrelevant, baking is an exact process. Metric baking all the way if you want repeatable results every time.

by Anonymousreply 46November 22, 2015 2:04 AM

The cup measurement has always annoyed me when using an American recipe. I have cups, but will any cup do? They obviouly vary quite a bit in size.

by Anonymousreply 47November 22, 2015 2:26 AM

R47. I think a cup is eight ounces.

I'm American. Math, measurements, converting the imperial system to the metric system is not my thing at all; however, we should have changed to the metric system ages ago. It's just dumb not to do so.

by Anonymousreply 48November 22, 2015 2:31 AM

A cup is both a fluid measurement and a dry measurement, which is confusing as hell (same with ounces). An 8oz cup is a measure of volume, not weight. An 8oz burger is a measure of weight, not volume. Ugh.

Our system is so stupid.

by Anonymousreply 49November 22, 2015 2:37 AM

R48 - Stop converting, just use the metric system. Learn some basics, like 0oC is freezing temp, 20oC is room temperature, 100Co is boiling. A centimetre is the thickness of 10 dimes, so a millimeter is the thickness of 1 dime. And all the measurements are then based on those 10's. Don't think 'a kilometer is .62 of a mile', eliminate what you're comfortable with, and adapt by using the measurement system. You won't learn to speak another language by translating everything into English.

by Anonymousreply 50November 22, 2015 2:41 AM

When the Pope's men invented the Gregorian calander, they removed about ten days from the calendar to set things right. I've heard it said that at the time, there were riots in Paris because the hoi polloi though that he was shortening their lives.

And that is why we haven't adopted metric.

by Anonymousreply 51November 22, 2015 2:42 AM

R50, please don't expect me to be reasonable about this, I'm an American.

by Anonymousreply 52November 22, 2015 2:43 AM

Federal agencies dealing in scientific terms do use metric. For instance, the FCC uses m for antenna height and km for separation between stations.

The country was well into metric conversion when Ronnie Raygun took over. After awhile, you think natively in the 'new' system, rather than making conversions. It was A-OK with me.

by Anonymousreply 53November 22, 2015 2:48 AM

A U.S. fluid cup is 8 U.S. fluid ounces, R47, and our dedicated measuring cups are based off multiples or divisions of that amount. In the U.K., a cup is 8.326742 U.S. fluid ounces. Put another way, one U.S fluid ounce = 0.96 U.K. fluid ounce, and one U.K. fluid ounce = 1.04 U.S. fluid ounces.

Dry measures are more complicated due to the variable compaction of different ingredients (particularly flour), and I find a lot of disagreement online about what precise weight equals one cup. There are many online weights and measures converters available to check out if you want to.

by Anonymousreply 54November 22, 2015 2:48 AM

Actually the metric system was sanctioned for use during Andrew Johnson's presidency in 1866. More than 100 years passed before Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 "to coordinate and plan the increasing use of the metric system in the United States". Voluntary conversion was initiated, and the United States Metric Board (USMB) was established for planning, coordination, and public education. The public education component led to public awareness of the metric system, but the public response included resistance, apathy, and sometimes ridicule.[7] In 1981, the USMB reported to Congress that it lacked the clear Congressional mandate necessary to bring about national conversion. Because of this ineffectiveness and an effort of the Reagan administration — particularly from Lyn Nofziger's efforts[8] as a White House advisor to the Reagan administration, to reduce federal spending — the USMB was disbanded in the autumn of 1982.

by Anonymousreply 55November 22, 2015 2:50 AM

Why is it that illegal drugs are usually sold using metrics? All the druggies with their fried egg brains have no problem whatsoever with that.

by Anonymousreply 56November 22, 2015 2:50 AM

USA! USA! USA! USA!

Everyone knows the Bible says God wants us to use fathoms, furlongs and cubits. And these atheist evolution fascists thinks they know more than the Lord who created feet that JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE a foot long. Or nearly. That's called science. Not this Godless metricalifornian anti-Christian hate speech. Another example of the prejudice and government persecution Christians have suffered ever since that Allah-loving Obama stole the election illegally.

USA!

by Anonymousreply 57November 22, 2015 2:57 AM

Ironically the Unites States was one of the first countries to use a decimal currency, beating Britain by almost 200 years. Russia was the first in 1704.

by Anonymousreply 58November 22, 2015 2:57 AM

I just bought a SET of pyrex measuring cups in English, and I'm NOT going to throw them out!

by Anonymousreply 59November 22, 2015 2:59 AM

I used to not give an inch. Now it's 2.54 centimeters.

by Anonymousreply 60November 22, 2015 3:06 AM

My Pyrex measuring glass also lists metric measure.

by Anonymousreply 61November 22, 2015 3:07 AM

This is one of the most embarrassing things about the United States.

by Anonymousreply 62November 22, 2015 3:12 AM

I LOVE that the U.S. basically gives the rest of the world a big middle finger on the metric issue.....it's emblematic of what will hopefully save us from going down the same road Europe is currently careening out of control on.

by Anonymousreply 63November 22, 2015 3:34 AM

Your expectations are a little high, R63, but aim high, I guess.

by Anonymousreply 64November 22, 2015 3:38 AM

[post redacted because independent.co.uk thinks that links to their ridiculous rag are a bad thing. Somebody might want to tell them how the internet works. Or not. We don't really care. They do suck though. Our advice is that you should not click on the link and whatever you do, don't read their truly terrible articles.]

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by Anonymousreply 65November 22, 2015 3:42 AM

[quote]face it, Americans are quite backwards and regressive. They still surgically mutilate their male offspring. . .

You are quite correct...of course we in Britain and Europe are FAR too culturally evolved and enlightened in our values to EVER condone such hideous,barbaric practices.

by Anonymousreply 66November 22, 2015 3:50 AM

r57 You sound unhinged. Metric isn't more intellectual or arrogant than the imperial system. Metric is already used in the science community. Imperial is just used for everyday use. And I don't understand those accusing Americans of being dumb for not converting fully to metric, when in fact metric is a dumbed down system. It takes more math to convert things in the US measurement system. The US should fully convert to metric for international trade/cohesion, not because metric is better. Metric is better in some areas, but in terms of weather and house construction, it is inferior.

by Anonymousreply 67November 22, 2015 3:50 AM

[quote][R57] You sound unhinged.

R67, I think your sarcasm meter needs to be adjusted.

by Anonymousreply 68November 22, 2015 3:59 AM

I was in Europe about 6 weeks ago, and I enjoyed the metric system. It was fun.

by Anonymousreply 69November 22, 2015 4:01 AM

Please the US is switching to the metric system and most people don't know it. As has already been mention soda is bought in metric units. As is alcohol. Gasoline maybe be sold by the gallon at the pump but we measure and pay for it by the dollar.

Who opposes adopting the metric system had has the muscle and money to back it up - unions. In a lame attempt to protect US markets.

So just like they killed national health care in the 1970s they also worked against adopting the metric system.

by Anonymousreply 70November 22, 2015 4:26 AM

One, rather silly, reason that I'm glad the non-metric system still exists is that it's simply more poetic. "Give a man a centimeter and he'll take a kilometer" doesn't quite work.

by Anonymousreply 71November 22, 2015 7:06 AM

[quote]I was about to say how I'd love to have a double digit weight and double digit penis size.

Since double digit means 10 cm and above, it won't take a lot to get a double digit penis size using the metric system. 10 cm is not exactly a lot, it would probably be rated as a "micro penis". I think the average is somewhere around 15-16 cm.

by Anonymousreply 72November 22, 2015 7:48 AM

I am so glad someone up-thread finally made the point that our measuring system comes from GOD! I would think twice about messing with the supreme being when its something this important.

by Anonymousreply 73November 22, 2015 2:53 PM

R63 = brainwashed conservative moron, apparently. Jesus, the delusion... the un-earned arrogance...

by Anonymousreply 74November 22, 2015 3:03 PM

R72, thanks for man-splaining the joke. Jesus.

by Anonymousreply 75November 22, 2015 3:03 PM

What we really need to adopt is the 24 hour clock so we can start calling it 18:00 and forget this AM/PM nonsense. I've never understood why we don't since it's "military time" and using it would give all the Republicans mild erections when they sound tough using it.

by Anonymousreply 76November 22, 2015 3:04 PM

Fascinating how R70 manages to blame UNIONS for the actions of conservatives and Republicans.

You realize most automobiles are now completely metric underneath, right? The same is true for a lot of manufacturing.

by Anonymousreply 77November 22, 2015 3:06 PM

If you think the nation's TV weathermen are going to walk away from the chance to tell you it'll be 100 today, you're nuts.

by Anonymousreply 78November 22, 2015 3:15 PM

We have this weird practice in the UK where everything is officially metric, but random things are always done in imperial.

Off the top of my head:

Milk and petrol are always priced in litres, but bought in either pints or gallons. Draught beer is also sold and priced in pints, but every other drink is in litres or ml.

Distance is always in miles unless it's less than one mile, in which case it's metres, unless it's really short then it's feet.

Human height is always feet and inches, as are any measurements which pertain to a house. Everything else is metres and centimetres. Cocks are always inches.

All weights are measured in grams and kg, but bought in pounds and ounces, and human weight is always stones.

by Anonymousreply 79November 22, 2015 3:32 PM

[quote]What we really need to adopt is the 24 hour clock so we can start calling it 18:00 and forget this AM/PM nonsense. I've never understood why we don't since it's "military time" and using it would give all the Republicans mild erections when they sound tough using it.

Ooh! You're so BUTCH!

by Anonymousreply 80November 22, 2015 3:32 PM

I've never understood that either. when someone says "four o'clock" it's much clearer to say 16.00 hours, or 4 hours. makes much more sense.

by Anonymousreply 81November 22, 2015 3:39 PM

I remember, in elementary school, having to learn meters, and kilos etc. because the USA was going to switch to a world universal form of measurement. Even local highway signs had both miles and kilometers. I thought that it was long before Reagan or Carter though.

by Anonymousreply 82November 22, 2015 3:44 PM

R82, that was mostly Carter pushing that... but Reagan ended it.

by Anonymousreply 83November 22, 2015 3:46 PM

It's simply not true, look at the article:

[quote]Even 50 years later, many Britons still refuse to move entirely to metric. Distances are still measure in miles, yards and inches, weight in pounds and stones, even pints and gallons are still used.

I was in England and many, if not most were still using miles, yards and inches.

The only thing I've seen "metric" that has been used most everywhere metic is, is celsius. Which isn't as accurate to the whole number as fahrenheit.

by Anonymousreply 84November 22, 2015 3:52 PM

At least the metric is based on 10. So much easier,

And freezing at 0 Celsius makes more sense.

by Anonymousreply 85November 22, 2015 3:55 PM

R54 shows exactly why metric is better. And shows why I avoid using any (untranslated) American recipes simply because of the units and stuff like "sticks" of butter which means you have to end up using a calculator. I can see why, before easily available accurate kitchen scales, baking was done using cups but stuff like "1 cup of onions" just makes me think What the fuck planet is the US on. You are allowed to move into the 20th century...

by Anonymousreply 86November 22, 2015 4:10 PM

R54 here, R86. I'm an American, and when it comes to baking I completely agree. I still mostly measure with cups and spoons using American recipes, but I will only use my scales when following a UK recipe.

by Anonymousreply 87November 22, 2015 5:04 PM

Where in AmerIca are you from because there are 35 countries on that continent. R87

by Anonymousreply 88November 22, 2015 5:09 PM

You're a bore, R88. Obviously R87 is from America.

by Anonymousreply 89November 22, 2015 5:57 PM

[quote]If you think the nation's TV weathermen are going to walk away from the chance to tell you it'll be 100 today, you're nuts.

England went over to centigrade years ago...but they still talk in Fahrenheit when it's a historical number like 100...which actually happened here about ten years ago.

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by Anonymousreply 90November 22, 2015 6:09 PM

Thought you'd like this:-

"Phew! What A Scorcher!"

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by Anonymousreply 91November 22, 2015 6:11 PM

[quote]Where in AmerIca are you from because there are 35 countries on that continent

He's from Venezuela!

by Anonymousreply 92November 22, 2015 6:14 PM

[quote]This is one of the most embarrassing things about the United States.

Some people are so easily embarrassed.

Try not giving a shit like most Americans.

by Anonymousreply 93November 22, 2015 6:16 PM

The problem I have with metric is that I don't have an intuitive feel for how long a click is, or what 100 g sugar looks like, or what 15°C feels like. And I can't discern if that 185 cm 95 kg guy in the ad without a pic is fat or not.

by Anonymousreply 94November 22, 2015 6:17 PM

It all went downhill when they introduced all number telephone numbers.

But the [bold]CLEVER[/bold] Americans, unlike the British, continued to produce 'phones with the alphabet on their dials...and look how useful they became again!

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by Anonymousreply 95November 22, 2015 6:20 PM

I hate when companies spell out their phone number and don't also give the numeric translation. It doesn't make it memorable, just almost indecipherable.

by Anonymousreply 96November 22, 2015 6:26 PM

[quote]The problem I have with metric is that I don't have an intuitive feel for how long a click is, or what 100 g sugar looks like, or what 15°C feels like.

Here's all you need to know about Celsius. Just reverse the numbers:

04 C = 40 F

16 C = 61 F

28 C = 82 F

by Anonymousreply 97November 22, 2015 6:53 PM

The problem with the metric system is that the nomenclature is so fucking hideous and long-winded. Whoever still thinks French is a beautiful language needs to take a look at the wording for the metric system of measurements. They didn't even try when dreaming these up, just like the shitty revolutionary names for months of the year that never caught on.

Instead of inch, pint, pound, yard we now have to use polysyllabic centimetre, litre, kilogramme, metre - all of which sound like medical complaints. At least the Imperial system bore some relation to the human body so that we had a rough idea about the size and weight of things. The metric equivalents are more arbitrary, just so that everything fits into a decimal world.

When I lived in Germany, the Imperial weights hadn't quite disappeared from everyday language. Quite apart from technology where a lot of stuff was still measured in inches (12" vinyl, 3.5" floppy disks, 17" monitors, 32" widescreen TV etc) words like pound were regularly used at market stalls rather than the clumsy half-kilogramme or 500g.

by Anonymousreply 98November 22, 2015 7:12 PM

[quote]I hate when companies spell out their phone number and don't also give the numeric translation. It doesn't make it memorable, just almost indecipherable.

If you're dyslexic maybe.

Of course they're more memorable.

Which do you remember better 1 800 3569377 or 1 800 FLOWERS?

by Anonymousreply 99November 22, 2015 7:19 PM

Congress mandated the voluntary conversion to metric in 1975 (when Gerald Ford was president). It was supposed to be mainly accomplished by 1985. But the board overseeing it was disbanded in 1982 by the Reagan administration when the Democrats still controlled Congress, but a bill to ban metric on highways failed in 1982 and 1983. The federal government has been using metric in all areas except highways and construction since 1992 when George H.W. Bush was president and Democrats still controlled Congress. The Dept of Transportation was planning to convert to metric in 2000 but it was stopped by Congress in 1998 (when Bill Clinton was president but Republicans controlled Congress).

The US sometimes used the metric system before US customary units were standardized in 1832 and US customary units were standardized based on their metric measurements since 1893. The constitution of Utah mandated the metric system in 1895, but this provision was later repealed.

by Anonymousreply 100November 22, 2015 7:20 PM

Britain's mostly metric, but they still use miles.

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by Anonymousreply 101November 22, 2015 7:22 PM

I, for one, refuse to ask for "half a kilo" of flesh.

by Anonymousreply 102November 22, 2015 8:35 PM

Until the metrical system is invented by an American it's not American.

by Anonymousreply 103November 22, 2015 8:41 PM

We could fix that by lying about R103. Nobody would care.

by Anonymousreply 104November 22, 2015 8:49 PM

Gallo Brothers wines suck.

by Anonymousreply 105November 22, 2015 8:54 PM

American living in Luxembourg for three years now.

It really isn't that hard to convert, guys.

This is part of the reason Americans look like stubborn fools to the rest of the world.

by Anonymousreply 106November 22, 2015 8:56 PM

Wow, that's awesome PPSM. Still make your berry cobbler sometimes.

by Anonymousreply 107November 22, 2015 9:02 PM

I thought we are against conversion therapy r106

by Anonymousreply 108November 22, 2015 9:27 PM

Oh god we have metic queens.

by Anonymousreply 109November 22, 2015 9:33 PM

Don't you just love how the metric system is such a pressing problem for OCD queens?

The U.S. uses both (without the government forcing it down anyone's throat) and is managing just fine.

by Anonymousreply 110November 22, 2015 9:38 PM

[quote] "Americans is anybody born in the American continent. I bet what you meant is US citizen, [R39]"

[quote] "America is a vast continent, there are extensively more than 350 million Ameircans living there, [R43]"

What amazes me is that nobody has bothered to correct the idiot at R42 and R44 in his insistence that America is a CONTINENT. Look, dumbass who flunked High School Geography: NORTH AMERICA is the continent on which both the countries of Canada and America may be found. Try a globe.

by Anonymousreply 111November 22, 2015 10:33 PM

How does it work with the metric system and the construction industry? So much of construction is laid out according to 2X4 studs, 4X8 sheets of plywood and drywall, square yards of carpet, cubic yards of concrete and on, and on, and on.

If the USA switched would the standard dimensions change? If so, remodeling your kitchen and trying to make metric cabinets fit would be a real nightmare.

by Anonymousreply 112November 22, 2015 10:37 PM

Americans don't care about that rube, R111, and his obsession with misunderstanding the meaning of America.

by Anonymousreply 113November 22, 2015 10:38 PM

R112 2" = 5.09cm so close enough that 2x4 becomes 5x10. If you're a builder working to tolerances of less than a tenth of a millimetre then you better buy a laser to cut with instead of a saw.

by Anonymousreply 114November 22, 2015 10:44 PM

Who the hell cares what the rest of the world thinks? We use as much of the metric system as we feel comfortable with.

I agree, though, that it makes much more sense to measure baking ingredients by weight than by cups or whatever.

by Anonymousreply 115November 22, 2015 10:48 PM

[quote]Who the hell cares what the rest of the world thinks?

The typical attitude of an insulated, myopic, arrogant right-wing conservative.

You should watch that kind of shit.

That, sir, is the path to the dark side.

by Anonymousreply 116November 22, 2015 10:52 PM

Does it cost US citizens more to buy some imported goods measured in imperial instead of metric? It only just struck me that if the rest of the world is dealing in metric then having to change things for US consumption they won't be doing it for free. Does anyone have any info about this? Are we paying more for things because we won't adapt?

by Anonymousreply 117November 22, 2015 10:56 PM

R111, you can also find Mexico in north America.

by Anonymousreply 118November 22, 2015 10:59 PM

But we don't care about Mexico. We barely care about Canada.

by Anonymousreply 119November 22, 2015 11:07 PM

How is someone to correct something that is historically accurate?

Please, read history from 1507 on so that you can understand that the claim is correct in all senses R111

by Anonymousreply 120November 22, 2015 11:10 PM

I read recently that some denizens of Latin America are accustomed to using the term America to refer to both North and South America, which they consider one continent. The idiot at R120 no doubt grew up with this definition and seems to expect to convert all 350 million Americans who use the term to mean US citizens, to his definition, by being an obsessive, insufferable nag.

by Anonymousreply 121November 22, 2015 11:25 PM

In the international community we use the terms The US or The States. Never America. Its insulting to the rest of the countries located in the Americas.

by Anonymousreply 122November 23, 2015 12:03 AM

[quote]In the international community

In other words 'affected queens like me'.

by Anonymousreply 123November 23, 2015 12:07 AM

Do any countries use the 24-hour clock where 1:00PM is known as 1300 hours?

by Anonymousreply 124November 23, 2015 12:09 AM

France, R124.

by Anonymousreply 125November 23, 2015 12:10 AM

R124, I think Europeans do this, but don't hold me to it.

by Anonymousreply 126November 23, 2015 12:12 AM

[quote]Do any countries use the 24-hour clock where 1:00PM is known as 1300 hours?

Pretty much the whole world except North America, India, the Philippines, Colombia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Australia use the 24 hour system,

by Anonymousreply 127November 23, 2015 12:14 AM

[quote]In the international community we use the terms The US or The States. Never America.

What the fuck's 'the international community'?

Anyway, it's not true. Internationally people say America. ALWAYS.

[quote] Its insulting to the rest of the countries located in the Americas.

I've seen them weeping.

They use their countries' own names. You sound about as international as Jesse fucking James.

by Anonymousreply 128November 23, 2015 12:14 AM

R122, you're commenting for all the other countries in the Americas, now? Ain't you grand!

by Anonymousreply 129November 23, 2015 12:14 AM

Since Mexico is officially the United States of Mexico, US or "The States" is insulting to Mexicans. You're a racist.

by Anonymousreply 130November 23, 2015 12:38 AM

Sorry it's "United Mexican States" but the same issue applies.

by Anonymousreply 131November 23, 2015 12:39 AM

[quote]Where in AmerIca are you from because there are 35 countries on that continent.

When I chose to call myself an American, I knew you'd pop up, you obsessively misguided one. I don't call the U.S "America." I call it the United States for short, or the United States of America. When I refer to myself as an "American," it is a shortened, less cumbersome version of "United States of American."

And your ignorance in claiming that the two continents of North America and South America are really one just continent with 35 countries simply demonstrates that you have no business attempting to school anyone else in anything at any time, dimwit. You've given everyone in all of the countries on both of these continents good reason to laugh at you.

Congratulations!

by Anonymousreply 132November 23, 2015 12:51 AM

There is your problem which stems from your education system.

The truth is that the word America comes from Amerigo Vespucci. In 1507 Martin Waldseemüller named the new world "America" after Amerigo Vespucci. As I said before, that occured in 1507.

So, when people tell you that there is a continent called America it is a historically accurate fact. The problem is that you don't know the history of your own continent and you have been denied a piece of information. But regardless of your edication system not telling you how things really are, it is 2015 and ignoring that piece of history is unconceivable

When people reclaim their Ameircan identity while you try to deny it people are doing the right thing because everybody born in any American country is Ameircan and even more, Poepl in south America have been America for at least 100 years prior to the foundation of the US.

Next time you call someone idiot when giving a information concerning history, please, before saying anything take some time to confirm whethe ror not what is being said is true or not.

I have nothing agaist the US, but please, don't try to force an inaccurate version of history on people who clearly know how things really are.

by Anonymousreply 133November 23, 2015 2:04 AM

unconceivable?

by Anonymousreply 134November 23, 2015 2:14 AM

R133, are you drunk?

by Anonymousreply 135November 23, 2015 2:16 AM

We are well aware of from whom the name "America" derives, r133. The name is applied to TWO continents, North America and South America.

The fact that residents of the United States of America are colloquially referred to as "Americans" should be no skin off your nose, you pretentious, probably European twit, who thinks he knows us better than we know ourselves.

by Anonymousreply 136November 23, 2015 2:23 AM

R127, Quebec pretty much uses a 24 hour clock. It's very French of them, and it annoys the Anglophones.

by Anonymousreply 137November 23, 2015 2:28 AM

R133 is a pedantic ass. I sure hope he's trolling deliberately because if he's really like that, it must be hell to be around him.

by Anonymousreply 138November 23, 2015 2:33 AM

Hi. I'm R133's nurse. Hells, yeah! it's annoying to be around him. And, yes, he's like this ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME. I want to kill him, but my oath to "FIRST, DO NO HARM" prevents me from doing him any permanent damage. Most of the time, I want to hurl myself under a bus because my agency won't re-assign me away from his ignorant, pedantic, 600-pound, unwashed ass. And he smells. Oh, Lord, he smells. He asks why I wear a mask as he is "not ill," and I lie that I have a cold. Always. Part of the odor MUST be because he never changes the sheets in that basement bedroom of his or launders those humongous caftans he lives in. And he eats sardines in bed. Positively reeks. Does anybody know of any poison I can get hold of that doesn't leave a trace? I have limited resources here. Thanks!

by Anonymousreply 139November 23, 2015 3:38 AM

Bravo, R139!

by Anonymousreply 140November 23, 2015 3:43 AM

Spanks, R140.

by Anonymousreply 141November 23, 2015 3:53 AM

First of all, R133, your writing clearly demonstrates some kind of cognizant impairment, possibly drunkenness as somebody else mentioned. Second, it added nothing to my knowledge of the history of how the Americas (that's a plural noun, since you're still sticking with your earlier singular stupidity) got their name. You are still failing at instructing anyone about anything.

Really now, do you actually believe that we grew up without learning about Amerigo Vespucci? REALLY? I'm seriously asking ... do you actually believe something that idiotic?

If you want to be someone who has something to teach other people, start by learning.

by Anonymousreply 142November 23, 2015 5:23 AM

Can someone give me an idea of how much a gram weighs?

by Anonymousreply 143November 23, 2015 5:55 AM

About 150 lbs if she's bare naked!

I love this town and you are beautiful, beautiful people! Try the veal.

by Anonymousreply 144November 23, 2015 5:57 AM

A gram is the same weight as a paper clip or a dollar bill.

by Anonymousreply 145November 23, 2015 6:16 AM

Can someone give me an idea of how much a hen weighs?

by Anonymousreply 146November 23, 2015 8:22 AM

R136 The new world is not two continents; it's ONE. Again you are falling for the arbitrary conception of America that the US tries to spread to support its, again, arbitrary usage of "America". It is exclusively the US that came up with America being two continents. All American countries, except of the US agree that America is one single continent based on history and not on arbitrary conceptions. Continents are defined by certain common cultural and ethnic traits. If you look at the whole continent you can soon evidence that the cultures as well as ethnicities that you will find share a lot of similarities from Chile to Canada.

You see I typed Chile first and then Canada, that is because I want to illustrate that the continent as we know it today with its name began in the southern hemisphere; not the northern hemisphere. That takes away the thnocentric illusion that Ameirca is the US.

You are Ameircans the same way Chileans, Brazilians and Mexicans are Americans.

by Anonymousreply 147November 23, 2015 9:24 AM

There are 7 continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.

by Anonymousreply 148November 23, 2015 9:41 AM

I read somewhere or other that it was debatable that Vespucci was the source of the name. There was a native tribe named Amerrique that could have been the source also John Cabot mapped the coast and marked it America five years before Vespucci set sail. Cabot's ship was owned by a man named John Ameryk.

There's also a question of whether Vespucci's forename was Amerigo. There was no written evidence of that being his name until a few years after his death. There's a story that his name was Alberico and he changed it after the Americas were discovered.

I don't know if any of this is true, just that there is room for debate among historians. As for continents, it depends on whether you're using the five continent model or the seven continent model. Five model lists the whole lot as America, seven model lists it as North America and South America. For me it seems reasonable to list them as separate continents based on them being joined by a very small portion of land and separated by a very big difference in culture.

And metric rules for baking.

by Anonymousreply 149November 23, 2015 12:36 PM

R147, of course the concept of a "continent" is arbitrary. It's not a law of physics or math, it's just an arbitrary construct. It means whatever we agree it means.

You were taught one thing, and people in [italic]America[/italic] were taught another thing. Neither is wrong, per se, as far as their usage of the concept of "continent" is concerned, though you are certainly wrong when "reaching" for some weird historical reason to support your ideas. The plain fact is that you learned a convention that is different than the one that people in [italic]America[/italic] have learned. The history of the New World is immaterial, not that you have it right.

There are about 350 million people in [italic]America[/italic] who use the word to mean the US, and they aren't going to change because you have an obsessive hissy fit, child.

by Anonymousreply 150November 23, 2015 2:25 PM

There is no single global standard for what constitutes a continent. There are models that include from three to seven continents on Earth It is commonly recognized that there are seven, including both North America and South America.

Indeed, if you want to claim that these two continents are really one because they are joined by the Central American isthmus, then you should also consider Europe, Asia, and Africa to also be a single continent since they are also all joined together.

But different regions teach different standards. The seven continent model is taught in parts of Western Europe and most of the English speaking world, but also in China, India and the Philippines.

A six continent model that combines Europe and Asia is used in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Japan. A six Continent model that combines the two Americas is used in France and it's former colonies, Italy Portugal, Spain, Romania, Latin America, Greece, and some other parts of Europe.

Apparently our pedantic One America troll is just using the local standard that he's been taught and insisting that it is the One True standard that should apply globally, and that it is somehow the United States of America's fault that the seven continent model is taught in China.

by Anonymousreply 151November 23, 2015 2:55 PM

Haha, R151, you made me laugh!

by Anonymousreply 152November 23, 2015 3:01 PM

You are incorrectly taught because it is not as the US teaches its children; it is the way Spanish-speaking America teaches, all based on history facts since Ameirca as we know it today began with Spaniards and the Portuguese.

In fact, the first stamp that was printed on a map saying "America" was printed right on what is now Brazil.

by Anonymousreply 153November 23, 2015 3:02 PM

I was actually in grade school when they tried to teach the metric system. We students had no interest and the teachers gave up. They tried everything they could to make it interesting and even threatened that because the rest of the world was using metric, we had to learn it to keep up. It's the equal of learning a new language. Not just words and phrases for thinking. It's not as easy as some would think because it would involve changing culture.

Was it incorrectly taught? Undoubtedly. But in California, it would make more sense to teach Spanish. Or should I say English.

by Anonymousreply 154November 23, 2015 3:08 PM

[quote]You are Ameircans the same way Chileans, Brazilians and Mexicans are Americans.

Chile, Brazil, and Mexico don't include the word "America." Again, since you choose to avoid it the first time, when I call myself an "American," it is simply a shortened version of "United States of American." It is a less awkward simplification. When I use it, I do not suddenly forget that there are other countries on these two continents. Your assumptions are wrong.

by Anonymousreply 155November 23, 2015 3:11 PM

How could you say that when the fact is that America began right there and it was a German cartographer who gave the continent its name R155 The US didn't even exist when America already existed.

The problem is that the US actually doesn't have a name but there were attempts in the past to solve the problem that appropriating the continent's name caused: Usonian, to name one of those proposed names for those born in the US.

by Anonymousreply 156November 23, 2015 3:27 PM

Our measuring system is American Exceptionalism at work.

by Anonymousreply 157November 23, 2015 4:00 PM

How can I say what, pedantic One America troll? That Chile, Brazil, and Mexico don't include the word "America? Because they don't. That my use of "American" is a convenient shorthand for the cumbersome full version? Because it is.

[quote]The problem is that the US actually doesn't have a name ...

[[sigh]] When you say things like this, you lose every last little shred of credibility. And why did you feel the need to inform us that The USA didn't exist when these continents were named? Did you really think you were adding to anyone's knowledge? You weren't

And by the way, from one of your earlier posts:

[quote]Ameirca as we know it today began with Spaniards and the Portuguese.

So what? The Americas as we know them today are different than the America that began with Spaniards and the Portuguese. Just as the conquest of the new world by them displaced the existing native traditions, later conquest by others have (regionally) displaced the traditions of the Spanish and the Portuguese. The fact that the Spaniards and the Portuguese stole land native here before the English (and others) is immaterial.

Now, don't you think you've hijacked this thread about the metric system long enough? If this One America obsession of yours is something you want to continue discussing, start your own thread and stop being so rude to the OP.

by Anonymousreply 158November 23, 2015 4:07 PM

Liberia rocks!

by Anonymousreply 159November 23, 2015 4:43 PM

But, didn't we start using North and South America once the Panama Canal was opened?

by Anonymousreply 160November 23, 2015 5:41 PM

That North and South American are "connected" is an accident of history... a temporary thing. They weren't always connected and in the future won't be. They're moving different ways in different directions. It's kind of ridiculous to claim they're "one continent". IT's far more reasonable to join Europe and Asia and claim there are six. It's more difficult to claim there are fewer than six though.

by Anonymousreply 161November 23, 2015 5:48 PM

[quote]They're moving different ways in different directions.

By how many centimeters per year?

by Anonymousreply 162November 23, 2015 5:56 PM

WEBMASTER! BANISH R162 TO THE METRIC THREAD QUICK AS LIGHTENING!

by Anonymousreply 163November 23, 2015 6:13 PM

R163, did you know that the average duration of a lightning bolt is 0.03 milliseconds?

by Anonymousreply 164November 23, 2015 6:32 PM

[quote] Carter put us on the metric system in the late 70s and Reagan took us off it a few years later.

Um, no. The US was never on the metric system.

by Anonymousreply 165November 23, 2015 6:34 PM

R158 It is a fact that the US isn't even a name and during the history of the US there have been attempts to provide the States with a proper name and demonym for its people.

by Anonymousreply 166November 23, 2015 6:40 PM

[quote]We launched a spacecraft in the last decade which was rendered immediately useless because somebody mixed English and Metric units.

Also that digital camera in The Blair Witch Project.

by Anonymousreply 167November 23, 2015 6:43 PM

The name of the US is Columbia (the federal district is called "Columbia" and the first two generally accepted national anthems were "Hail, Columbia" and "Columbia the Germ of the Ocean") but since some Spanish speaking idiots in South America decided to call their country "Colombia" we decided to swipe the term "America." It's only fair. We had Columbia first.

by Anonymousreply 168November 23, 2015 7:00 PM

[quote]It is a fact that the US isn't even a name and during the history of the US there have been attempts to provide the States with a proper name and demonym for its people.

What does this strange fixation of yours have to do with the metric system, thread hijacker? Start your own thread.

by Anonymousreply 169November 23, 2015 7:01 PM

Obsessed Continent Troll (tm), are you also the IRL? Be honest.

by Anonymousreply 170November 23, 2015 7:03 PM

I mean ILT(tm).

by Anonymousreply 171November 23, 2015 7:04 PM

I started college for engineering in 1974 (in the US). For the first two years all our classes, including four semesters of physics, were in metric. Then we took Thermodynamics in the English system and had to "learn" to work with lbs-force vs. lbs-mass. To quote Mona Lisa Vito: "what a fucking nightmehah".

It seems that as classes became more advanced and closer to professional practice, we had to cast away the elegance of the first two years of school. I wonder if it is still being taught that way today.

by Anonymousreply 172November 23, 2015 7:31 PM

Yes, R172, Engineering is in English. Do you still work in the field in [italic]America? [/italic]

by Anonymousreply 173November 23, 2015 7:35 PM

Sorry, but I grew up on the Imperial system. I'm currently residing in a European country and still refuse to use the metric system.

by Anonymousreply 174November 23, 2015 7:35 PM

I went to college in the 80s and it was ALL Metric. Physics, Chemistry, Engineering... ALL Metric.

It was weird to graduate and come out into a world that was so backwards.

Oh, and R165, don't be a pedantic ass. Carter put us on the road to switching. I remember in Elementary School having to learn the metric system and conversions and such... and road signs all over the country getting dual labeling... and Reagan came in and put a stop to it (and tore the solar panels off the White House roof for good measure). Imagine how much better off we'd be as a country if Reagan had never come in to totally ruin everything.

by Anonymousreply 175November 23, 2015 7:57 PM

[quote] I remember in Elementary School having to learn the metric system and conversions and such

I remember they tried to teach it to us..one year..in 4th grade (pre-Carter) but it was abandoned by the time I was in 5th grade. Sorry, still prefer the Imperial system.

by Anonymousreply 176November 23, 2015 8:00 PM

That's because you're used to it. Don't confuse being "used to" something for that something being preferable.

by Anonymousreply 177November 23, 2015 8:13 PM

[quote]A gram is the same weight as a paper clip or a dollar bill.

Shit, I really am worth my weight in gold.

by Anonymousreply 178November 23, 2015 8:13 PM

R173, my question was more about universities teaching in both units.

I never worked in the field, but what's with the italicized "America" ? Is that because I said I went to college in the "US"? I wanted to make it clear that it wasn't a European or Latin American university where I was being taught in the metric system. Don't know if you're being sarcastic, but ... whatever! (In my best bored, mean-girl voice.)

Regarding the demonym, I am Latin American and where I come from "American" or "americano" is reserved exclusively for people from the US. However, the country is always "the United States" (in either Spanish or English), "the US", or more commonly "the States" (in English) — never America. As a matter of fact, we don't use that term at all, and when referring to the Western Hemisphere we use "las americas" (the plural form).

That said, it seems that some Europeans use the "American" demonym more broadly, or at least used to. I was quite surprised when, in the early 70's, I was referred to as "americano" in Spain simply for being from this side of the pond while knowing full well that I was not from the US.

by Anonymousreply 179November 23, 2015 8:20 PM

R179, I put American in italics because of the discussion up-thread. You have to read it. There's a person who doesn't understand that different people use the same word for different things, as you mentioned.

by Anonymousreply 180November 23, 2015 8:28 PM

[quote] That's because you're used to it. Don't confuse being "used to" something for that something being preferable.

Well, sunshine. It's PREFERABLE to me. And as that's my PREFERENCE, no matter where I live. I'm doing my time in Europe...but the first chance I get..I'll be on a plane back to the US

by Anonymousreply 181November 23, 2015 9:26 PM

Please go, R181.

by Anonymousreply 182November 23, 2015 9:31 PM

Okay, so you're just an idiot. Thanks for confirming that.

by Anonymousreply 183November 23, 2015 9:33 PM

Wanda explains it well ...

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by Anonymousreply 184November 23, 2015 9:38 PM

A funnier cut of the clip, with the beginning...

"And I'm looking at these two dummies.... Fuck your birds..." Hilarious.

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by Anonymousreply 185November 23, 2015 9:41 PM

So riddle me this kids: Sometime in the 90s the soda companies came out with 2-liter bottles of soda, and no one batted an eye with that. So why can't soda cans and all other food items and household goods go metric? If we can do it for one product without any trouble, why can't we do it for all the others? road signs, weather forecasts and building codes may be more difficult, but household items I don't see what the big deal would be.

by Anonymousreply 186November 24, 2015 2:04 AM

Riddler: I think one issue is that nobody can "put the US on metric units". Private businesses are free to go metric or not, however they please.

The US government could decide to change highway signage, but it would be incredibly expensive to do so.

by Anonymousreply 187November 24, 2015 2:14 AM

Baby, those signs wear out and most of them need to be replaced anyway before they start falling off and killing people.

by Anonymousreply 188November 24, 2015 2:24 AM

All containers of soda can be measured in ounces or metric units, whether the label has both numbers or not. It's just a question of the container being sized in whole units of one and a non-whole number of the other. The best solution would be to put the metric equivalent on all packing for the sake of the very anal.

by Anonymousreply 189November 24, 2015 3:33 AM

R189, I just checked about 20 labels in my kitchen and bathroom. As I thought, every single item is already measured in US customary units and metric units. In fact, my Costco maple syrup, admittedly imported from Canada, is listed as being one liter and then as 33.8 fluid ounces.

by Anonymousreply 190November 24, 2015 4:13 AM

[quote]"Columbia the Germ of the Ocean"

Is that as dangerous as Ebola?

by Anonymousreply 191November 24, 2015 7:39 PM

R179 I thought Spanish speakers used "estadounidense" as the demonym for US residents.

by Anonymousreply 192November 24, 2015 7:40 PM

Yeah R179 "Unitedstatesian" literally. By the way, "Unitedstatesian" is also used by some US citizens when addressing the issue.

by Anonymousreply 193November 24, 2015 9:33 PM

[quote] I thought Spanish speakers used "estadounidense" as the demonym for US residents.

R192, R193: Some do; not all. Keep in mind that there are 20 or so countries that speak Spanish in Latin America alone, so some countries might prefer it. It is absolutely correct and definitely more precise, but I usually only hear it in formal, mostly political, speech and writing. Not in everyday conversation.

by Anonymousreply 194November 25, 2015 12:20 PM

So, all the countries in the Western Hemishpere, except America, use metric? How interesting.

by Anonymousreply 195November 25, 2015 2:32 PM

So? How is this really an issue?

Science already has long used the metric system as an international standard. There's no impediment to medical advances caused by converting ounces to grams, or hogsheads to liters. Products traded internationally are more often than not labeled for convenience of cross-measurement system boundaries -- but if they are not, 1-in-5 of the world's population has a smart phone, meaning the answer to these pesky questions of the correlation between hectares and acres and square meters is in their fucking hand; Google will autocomplete the question and spell out the equivalencies with frightening speed.

People travel around the world and use different currencies without doing themselves harm. It's an easy thing. Likewise the more complicated problem of spoken language when moving from one place to another. People get on with problems far more complex than figuring out in a comfortably convenient/familiar unit of measure how much a loaf of bread weighs, or how long the facade of a building is, or how much liquid is in their bottled beverage, or is 13 stone fat in pounds or kilograms. These problems are small and, when they arise, are among the easiest of problems to sort out -- without making a mountain of a molehill in the form of laws and regulation and public education campaigns.

by Anonymousreply 196November 25, 2015 2:41 PM

So the great and powerful Oz has spoken!

by Anonymousreply 197November 25, 2015 2:46 PM

Feet are so inefficent to tell one's height. Meters and centimeters make everything much simpler and accurate.

by Anonymousreply 198November 25, 2015 3:30 PM

But feet are very convienent if your feet are actually a foot long, as are mine. Size 12 (American), coincidentally [italic]or not![/italic]

by Anonymousreply 199November 25, 2015 3:35 PM

R196 isn't very bright. To sell things for export, people in this country would have to make things using metric measurements... and people wonder why our exports are down, and all our manufacturing is done over-seas...

by Anonymousreply 200November 25, 2015 3:36 PM

r196, brilliant! I'm sure that thought has never occurred to American companies selling goods for export.

by Anonymousreply 201November 25, 2015 6:31 PM

If an American company manufactures an item overseas and then also sells is overseas, is it an export (irrespective of the measuring unit)? And if they sell that same product in the US, is it an import?

There has to be an accounting or legal classification for this.

by Anonymousreply 202November 27, 2015 6:09 AM

Im from Guatemala and even tho we use the metric system some things are measured in the imperial system. Food is measured in pounds, ounces, etc (specially meats and grains) . Gasoline is measured and sold by the gallon.

And btw, we here consider that there are two American continents North and South, with Panama in the south. Also, at least in the upper and middle classes there is more in common with the US than with south american countries. We celebrate our own traditions but also some US ones like Thanksgiving, Halloween and even starting like 3 or 4 years ago Black Friday lol

by Anonymousreply 203November 27, 2015 6:49 AM

Burma it's Burma

by Anonymousreply 204April 9, 2017 4:12 PM

Strange that here in England it's all metric - but we still uses miles, for some reason.

Mentally I always convert to fahrenheit - bastard of a word to spell, though.

by Anonymousreply 205April 9, 2017 4:32 PM

** use miles.

by Anonymousreply 206April 9, 2017 4:32 PM

The US hangs on to the imperial system for the same reason that American DLers hang on to justifying circumcision. Stupid? I think so.

by Anonymousreply 207April 9, 2017 4:42 PM

The twelve inches to a foot rule is older than most people think. It is part of the sacred knowledge of the ancients who built the pyramids and other megalithic structures. The metric system robs us of our connection to a past that predates the global cataclysm we know from the myth of Noah's Ark.

Mathematicians are urged to watch this fascinating video series which shows through "geo-mathematics" how advanced ancient civilizations were.

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by Anonymousreply 208April 9, 2017 4:43 PM

I always wondered why Hyacinth would yell at Richard about how fast he was going in MPH.

by Anonymousreply 209April 9, 2017 5:44 PM

I run 5ks. I'm doing my part.

by Anonymousreply 210April 9, 2017 5:46 PM

I prefer square miles and acres to hectares and square kilometers

by Anonymousreply 211April 9, 2017 6:00 PM

I use both but I prefer using inches when measuring dicks

by Anonymousreply 212April 9, 2017 6:06 PM

Who keeps creating these dumb ass threads. Sheesh.

by Anonymousreply 213April 9, 2017 6:10 PM

Myanmar has? had a 45 kyat note (generals and fortune tellers, don't ask).

by Anonymousreply 214April 9, 2017 6:10 PM

A 2x4 is actually not 2" x 4". It's true size is 3.5" x 1.5". Having this lumber sized as a 4x9 (centimeters) wouldn't be difficult. Although as the link indicates, building materials seem to be an exception to the universal metric system of measurement. I know in Canada, the Imperial system is still used for lumber. Probably because of the close association with the USA, and a lot of lumber trading. I've never had to buy lumber in my metric Central 'American' country, so I don't know how they measure it. Most construction is cement block anyway.

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by Anonymousreply 215April 9, 2017 6:16 PM

England still uses miles on its roads

by Anonymousreply 216April 9, 2017 6:17 PM

England changed over but it's not common. In Aussie and NZ they still use "normal" measures a lot.

by Anonymousreply 217May 16, 2018 7:12 AM

[quote]In Aussie and NZ they still use "normal" measures a lot.

Not true!

by Anonymousreply 218May 16, 2018 8:13 AM

Red state people will never allow us to change to metric. Retards

by Anonymousreply 219May 16, 2018 12:22 PM

Death to bump bitches.

by Anonymousreply 220May 16, 2018 12:29 PM

Had no idea until this thread popped up that even cups have their metric and nonmetric versions, and that in their nonmetric form are subdivided into imperial versus American cups (and let’s not get into the Japanese cup). Again, the metric version used in Australia/NZ seems to make more sense.

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by Anonymousreply 221May 16, 2018 4:25 PM
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