Now I feel old- because I can remember when soda was in fact sold in 64 ounce bottles (which looked like the smaller sized soda bottles of the time , not jugs*) and people did buy them. It was also sold in 32 oz bottles rather than the current 1L. I believe the switch happened at a time when there was a lot of talk about the US switching to metric, but I’m not certain.
*Thisshow a 64 oz coke- the smaller bottles also had the foam labels.
ETA: With regard to how logical and cohesive the metric system seems within itself, of course I find the metric system more straightforward and intuitive than avoirdupois/Imperial.
The stone is a unit virtually unknown in the US.
Good old Fahrenheit wanted a scale anyone could reproduce in a simple home scientist lab as found around 1600.
0F is the coldest you can get by mixing salt and ice to get water; so obviously there was not a lot of use for a scale to go below that, and the 0 was easy to reproduce. Similarly, the joke goes he used 100 for body temperature but had a bit of a fever after playing with all that ice, salt, and cold water.
If I have to calculate heat rates in anything other than mmbtus/MWhr, I’m pretty much screwed. And moving away from mmbtu/ton for coal? I’m just not having it.
Youngish Canadian here, but I’ve visited the states a number of times and I understand Fahrenheit well enough.
Call it bias, but I personally prefer Celsius. When you’re outside, there’s sunlight, shade, wind, clouds, humidity. The actual feel of the outdoors is probably much closer to a range or an estimate than any exact number, so if you want to say that Fahrenheit is better for weather, the preciseness in my opinion is rather irrelevant. When you get indoors, it’s a much more controlled environment. As previously mentioned, the 5:9 ratio for F:C means that using simple half units of C gives you the same precision that F would supply, and as also previously mentioned, the imperial system is quite familiar with fractions. Objectively there probably isn’t much of an argument day-to-day to switching to C (not one against it either imo). C is easier to convert to Kelvin for scientific measurements and it would at least be more useful when communicating with other countries, but on it’s own in the united states, I don’t think C is any better or worse than F.
If we’re talking about other measurements though, I think it would be a lot better. I’ve seen velocity recorded in miles per hour, pressure in pounds per square inch, force in pounds, distance done in inches or miles or feet, height measured in feet and inches (ie 5’11").
As far as that goes, it’s a mess. Say one person records pressure in tons per square yard and another person in pounds per square inch. The conversion between them is x 81/125. If a similar problem occurred in the metric system with one person recording in pascals (N/m^2) and the other person in N/cm^2, the conversion from N/cm^2 to pascals would be to multipl by 10000.
I nearly forgot about cinder blocks. I watch Holmes on Homes and he kept giving these weird ratings for cinder blocks. WTH is wrong with this guy?
then I remembered he’s in Canada. PSI isn’t good enough. They got to use metric even for that.
cinder blocks come in a couple different strengths. 1900 psi is a common one. Concrete is mixed based on the psi needed for an application. Foundation walls for a house require a high psi. Sidewalks can use a lower psi mix.
I really don’t see the point of going metric for a rating like this. It just adds confusion and can even be dangerous. Imagine a house foundation poured with concrete mixed for a sidewalk.
Hence why we should avoid the confusion by using metric for it, instead of introducing confusion by using antiquated American units.
Since they don’t use pounds and they don’t use inches, you’ve got to admit that *not *using PSI *does *make a certain amount of sense now doesn’t it?
I like numbers and comparisons, so this American likes to constantly try to flip back and forth between the two systems, just as a game - even as aggravating and irritating as it can be sometimes. Overall, the metric system makes more sense. Even though I grew up on the English system (thanks a lot ENGLAND), it is still uncomfortable to me of how “uneven” it is.
Of course, on the other side, it’s also weird when I walk a mile - which is not that far - and I calculate that I just moved 1.6 kilometers - one thousand and six hundred meters - and then stretch my arms out about as far as a meter as a comparison. What’s so special about a 3 mile run, except that it’s 5 kilometers?
Also, it breaks my brain every time when I realize that there are 2.5 centimeters in an inch, but a meter is longer than a yard. And then, how absolutely tiny a millimeter is. I sometimes watch a football (American) game and wonder how much longer the field would be if it was 100 meters instead of 100 yards.
Thankfully, at least quarts match up somewhat pleasantly with liters. As liquid goes, I think that’s a reasonable amount of measure multiplier for almost any situation.
Well, the field would be 110 yards (101 meters) and you’d only have 3 downs.
Maybe I’m a little odd. But where I live, if the daily max is anywhere between 17C and 30C I’ll keep the windows open to air the house - I don’t have aircon.
Right now it’s 27C inside and 28C outside and 40% humidity and I’m not even breaking the tiniest sweat - though I do have a fan on.
I guess if you have high humidity you’ll feel the higher temperatures more.
Use 'em all the time: US rulers typically have both measures. Don’t know how tall I am in cm though.
Temperature is a bit of a sticking point, as are speed limits.
MfM’s guide to Fahrenheit
30s: Cold but bearable. Definitely winter jacket.
40s: You need a jacket, but nice for a winter day! I’d have a winter jacket, but others may not.
50s: Need a spring/fall jacket
65-72: Room temperature
80s: Summer
90s: Hot summer
100s: OMG this Death Valley (or Phoenix)
20s: Getting cold.
10s, etc. Holy crap.
-30: I’ve never experienced this.
-20: I haven’t experienced this either (well maybe a couple of times), though Chicago residents probably have. “Chill factors” of -20 F are pretty routine though.
It occurs to me that these temperatures are tied to the area where I grew up. Anyway, what’s the analogue for centigrade?
< -10C Seriously to dangerously cold. By this point you may want to wear a scarf round your mouth or even balaclava.
-10C Very cold. Point at which you need to cover your ears.
0C Need winter clothes but will feel OK as long as there’s no wind or rain.
10C Need a spring / autumn jacket
20C room temperature. + nice day outside if no significant wind or rain. Prob don’t need jacket.
30C Very hot day. Beach clothes.
40C or higher. Serious to dangerously hot. Can’t stay outside for long, whatever you’re wearing.
psst, you guys, that was a joke
I’m not sure if that was a joke or a mistake. I suspect joke.
Being from the “dual standard” generation, I don’t have much of a problem understanding that, in Celsius,
0 = freezing
5 = woolly, scarf, hat and gloves
10 = the scarf, hat and gloves may get to be a bit of a nuisance
15 = you might not need a jacket
20 = short sleeves might be a good idea
25 = summer is definitely here
30 = lie in the shade and forget the world
The same length as it is now, plus one end zone.
Dividing in half works just as fine with centimeters: half a centimeter, 1/4 cm, 1/8 cm. Whether or not you convert that into 5 , 2.5 , or 1.25 mm is up to you and the purpose.
In Scotland and Newcastle they have a different take on it:
0 = Mild, need a shirt and, possibly, underwear if it’s windy
5 = As above but minus the undies
10 = No need for a shirt.
20 = Phew! It’s awfy hot. Put some more tins in the fridge.
25 = Shorts and a string vest, but staying on the couch.
30 = Standing naked in front of the fridge.
