It's time to clarify units of measurement

[old man emu]

Four decades and four years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new measurement system, conceived in Lyons, and dedicated to the proposition that all measurements are can be expresses in Base 10.

 

The time has come to finally put aside the uncertain definitions of volumes, lengths and times based on uncoordinated reference standards. From these early years of the 21st Century, while keeping the quaint names our glorious language provides, we must express these definition in terms of a standard defined in terms of invariant constants of nature:

 

1. Metre - the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299792458 second.

 

2. Kilogram - the mass of 1 dm^3 of water under atmospheric pressure and at the temperature of its maximum density, which is approximately 4 °C

 

There has been some work carried out to accurately define the volumes in metric term of some terms such as:

 

Tad = 1/4 teaspoon = 1.25ml

 

Dash = 1/8 teaspoon = 0.625ml

 

Pinch = 1/16 teaspoon = 0.3125ml

 

Smidgen* = 1/32 teaspoon = 0.15625ml

 

Drop = 1/64 teaspoon = 0.078125ml

 

However there is work to be done in defining the metric equivalents of these measurement terms:

 

1. A poofteenth

 

2. A bee's dick

 

3. A hair

 

4. A gnat's nut

 

5. A coat of varnish.

 

Please help us to identify, name and quantify the ancient names for daily measurements so that they can be metricated for future generations.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Thanks for raising an issue close to my heart, OME. No doubt because of the global marketing muscle of our recalcitrant cousins in the USA, Australia is sliding back into bad habits: lots of products are now sold with imperial measurements, which once attracted heavy fines. Why is the law no longer enforced?

 

Recent attempts to standardise exact metric measures have complicated what was once a very simple system.

 

For anyone still confused, I believe the whole system was originally based on the metre, which was defined as one ten millionth of the distance, along a meridian that passed thru France, from the North Pole to the equator.

 

Thus, the earth is about 40,000km in circumference.

 

A cubic metre of water is one tonne.

 

A cube of water one tenth of metre across is a litre and weighs one kilogram.

 

A cubic centimetre of water weighs one gram, and heating it thru one degree Celsius requires one calorie of energy.

 

The whole system was simple, uncomplicated, interrelated and based on commonplace things. It was quickly adopted across the world. Even the US Congress voted to metricate in the 1880s, but the changeover proceeded at a glacial pace until Pres. Reagan declared metric measurements "UN-American" and stopped the process.

 

 

[facthunter]

And that sort of thing is why America is falling behind. Just about all of the rest of the world is metric and that's a system based on logic the power of 10 and is simpler... Being susceptible to BS might be American too. Thinking they have the best of everything and are an example for the world to emulate is gone forever by what has happened in the last 50 years . Do as we do is not about being best. Its enforced by their military at the end of the day. and they have even gone into print about that to justify spending more on armaments than anyone else by a very large margin.. Not that nice.

 

 

[spacesailor]

IN OPPOSITION.

 

I defy any Man, woman or child,

 

if put on an island without any "modern" measuring equipment to Reinvent that same Concocted system the French made us use today.

 

Even the French refused to use metric time when it was shown to them.

 

The French word for measure is "METER"

 

spacesailor

 

 

[spacesailor]

Again to standardise,

 

All schools should teach one & only One language !.

 

Esperanto, I don't know if I spelt it right as I never learnt it either, never had a choice of using esperato as an alternative to the Main two that being pushed to this day.

 

Even as I write this in English, the newspaper is saying Spanish is the predominate language taught outside schools.

 

When are we going to change to right hand drive, like Europe.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[old man emu]

Well, on a desert island you could always rely on your foot, your cubit (the forearm length from the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the elbow), your arm's length, your hand.

 

 

[spacesailor]

YES

 

Bach to the imperial units,

 

Hands for horses,

 

spacesailor

 

 

[facthunter]

LEFT hand drive, you drive on the right side of the road. That's the Europe standard and most of the world. No one will ever go back to the "IMPERIAL" units. They grew from traders weights and sizes long gone to antiquity. British pipe thread is 19 tpi on one size. Almost an impossible number to index. why wouldn't you have used 20 tpi.? like one of the specified "cycle" threads for both the USA and Angleterre.. Nev

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

IN OPPOSITION.I defy any Man, woman or child,

 

if put on an island without any "modern" measuring equipment to Reinvent that same Concocted system the French made us use today.

 

Even the French refused to use metric time when it was shown to them.

 

The French word for measure is "METER"

 

spacesailor

Metric time might have been a step too far Spacey, but I fail to understand your opposition to this simple, easily understood system. The French did not make us use it; nations all over the world adopted it because it is mobs better, simpler and more efficient than the convoluted, complicated and nonsensical traditional measures it replaced.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Again to standardise,All schools should teach one & only One language !.

 

Esperanto, I don't know if I spelt it right as I never learnt it either, never had a choice of using esperato as an alternative to the Main two that being pushed to this day.

 

Even as I write this in English, the newspaper is saying Spanish is the predominate language taught outside schools.

 

When are we going to change to right hand drive, like Europe.

 

spacesailor

I learned a bit of Esperanto, but it didn't take off as a global language.

 

We are lucky that Japan drives on the left like us; we'll always be able to import good RHD cars, even if most of the world is the opposite.

 

We have a disturbing number of head-on collisions involving foreign drivers on Oz, often when they re-enter the highway on the wrong side after a fuel stop. I remember when Sweden changed over to driving on the right. It might save a few crashes if Britain follows.

 

 

[facthunter]

We COULD all go to the left hand drive, and standardize.. After all the Captain (PIC,) sits in the left hand seat and you get paid more to sit there , so it's obviously better.. The instructor sits in the other seat to show bravery and character. The co pilot sits there because he has to. and it's the only one left. that you don't have to pay for. Nev.

 

 

[spacesailor]

It WAS the French. That brought in riding on the right-hand side after big disputes with England

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Bring back the Zac, the Dinar, the Florin and the Quid. Which reminds me...

 

A forger wanted to make Florins because they we’re the biggest coin, but too complicated, so he settled for the shilling. Made a batch and took them to outback NSW where the dumb b....s wouldn’t know better. As he paid for his beer the publican asked where he was from, he replied Sydney. The public said “its a long, long way to pass a dinar!”

 

 

[spacesailor]

Don.t forget the little "mite". Half a farthing.

 

Wern.t the three main currency foreign in origin.

 

spacesailer

 

 

[old man emu]

Farthing, ha'penny, penny, tuppence, tray, zac, deaner, two bob, crown (1937 & 1938 only)

 

Ten bob note (also Half a quid, Half a Fiddly)

 

Quid Note (also Fiddly)

 

Fiver (also Spin)

 

Tenner (also Brick)

 

Given the Basic Wage in 1965 was 15 pounds 8 shillings, it is highly unlikely that the working man, then creator of slanguage, would have handled notes greater than 10 pounds.

 

All high denomination banknotes were recalled after the Second World War. This was gazetted in May 1945 as a national Security Regulation and it stated that after August 31 1945 denominations of £20 and above would cease to be legal tender. While this regulation never became law it had the effect of uncovering nearly £5,700,000 in hoarded currency. At the end of 1945 the following notes remained un-presented :

 

• £20 - 506
   
  
• £50 - 2,830
   
  
• £100 - 2,146
   
  
• £1,000 - 317
   
  

 

How many of these old high value notes are lurking in unknown hiding spots is anyone;s guess, but wouldn't you love to come across a 1000 pound note? At auction on 2nd June, 2011 a 10 pound note – graded EF – which realised a price of $267,950.

 

 

Notice that the note is a promissory note. The Treasurer promises to pay in gold coin, but it seems that there was no Australian gold coin.

 

 

[coljones]

Four decades and four years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new measurement system, conceived in Lyons, and dedicated to the proposition that all measurements are can be expresses in Base 10.

The time has come to finally put aside the uncertain definitions of volumes, lengths and times based on uncoordinated reference standards. From these early years of the 21st Century, while keeping the quaint names our glorious language provides, we must express these definition in terms of a standard defined in terms of invariant constants of nature:

 

1. Metre - the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299792458 second.

 

2. Kilogram - the mass of 1 dm^3 of water under atmospheric pressure and at the temperature of its maximum density, which is approximately 4 °C

 

There has been some work carried out to accurately define the volumes in metric term of some terms such as:

 

Tad = 1/4 teaspoon = 1.25ml

 

Dash = 1/8 teaspoon = 0.625ml

 

Pinch = 1/16 teaspoon = 0.3125ml

 

Smidgen* = 1/32 teaspoon = 0.15625ml

 

Drop = 1/64 teaspoon = 0.078125ml

 

However there is work to be done in defining the metric equivalents of these measurement terms:

 

1. A poofteenth

 

2. A bee's dick

 

3. A hair

 

4. A gnat's nut

 

5. A coat of varnish.

 

Please help us to identify, name and quantify the ancient names for daily measurements so that they can be metricated for future generations.

Ahhh! Fooey!!! Base 10 was invented by those who could only count by fingers not by brains. Base12 and base20 are much more flexible. Have you ever tried to separate 10 into piles of 3, 4 or 6?

 

https://io9.gizmodo.com/5977095/why-we-should-switch-to-a-base-12-counting-system?IR=T

 

 

[spacesailor]

I.ve never been able to workout .

 

2.4.6.8. In metric.s. but computers use it all time.

 

8.16.32.64 128.256.

 

Both for memor6 and HD.s

 

IE one/thirtysecond is decimalised to ???.

 

spacesailer

 

 

[spacesailor]

A new to me counting on finger's.

 

Four finger's with three segments equals twelve.

 

I didn't learn that at my school.

 

You use the thumb to count the segments.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Yenn]

Base 8 would be better than base 10. You don't have the half of 5, being 2.5 etc.

 

For your information, a poofteenth is half of stuff all.

 

 

[facthunter]

Geez ,10 you just move the decimal place. What's easier than that? Nev

 

 

[spacesailor]

But

 

Even ln the metric system there's 12 yes

 

Twelve units. Six below and six above the base unit.

 

Yes I know Australia dosn.t use them

 

Just makes us out to be dumb.

 

spacesailer

 

 

[coljones]

Geez ,10 you just move the decimal place. What's easier than that? Nev

Base 8 or 12, you just move the "decimal" point. In addition 12 can be divided by 2, 3, 4 or 6. Duodecimal - the English knew a thing or two about numbers.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Counting a shopping list of 56 items is not moving the decimal point. Before metres

 

I had no problems counting in £.s.d

 

But now have to use a calculator for my

 

$ c shopping list.

 

spacesailer

 

 

[facthunter]

Adding up is adding up whatever you use but surely you don't think it's easier in Pounds shillings and pence ? You're younger than me. Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

Spacesailor may be younger, but I think he is saying that he is getting older.

 

I can remember multiplying and adding pounds, shillings and pence and it was never easy

 

When we went metric in 1966 I was doing the pays for the job I ran and got a load of info about how to handle workers queries when they got their first pay. Funny thing was I got no queries at all. It was so easy at the change over and way simpler for the paymaster.