26 Jun
2007
26 Jun
'07
2:55 p.m.
On 26/06/07, Patrick Finnegan <pat at computer-refuge.org> wrote:
I probably have tens of thousands of pounds of
machines too... I'd
think it'd take a lot of "home" computers to reach that much weight.
Pounds as weight? Is this some strange Colonial variant on kilogrammes
and tonnes? ;?)
No, seriously, I remember pounds and ounces from my early childhood,
35-odd years ago, and still tend to think of body weight in Imperial.
It's illegal to sell goods in Imperial units only now, though, so they
are in fast decline, and good riddance to a bizarre and difficult
system. I much prefer SI metric; it's much easier. All 10s and 100s
and 1000s, no room for confusion - like the street grid of NYC.
What I never understood is why the USA didn't use the larger units
rather than dealing in hundreds and thousands of pounds. I don't think
of myself as being 225lb, I'm 16 and a quarter stone. (And badly need
to lose some of it; I'm 6'2" but I'm happier and healthier around 15st
or lighter.) For larger objects, hundredweight [oh gods, I've just
realised I weigh 2cwt! 8?( ] or tons. 112lb = 1cwt. 20cwt = 1 ton
(=2240lb).
--
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