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UK - EU Relents on Pounds, Pints and Miles

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UK - EU Relents on Pounds, Pints and Miles

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Old Dec 18th, 2008 | 09:33 AM
  #21  
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Among other misdeeds of France when it invented the metric system, it even tried (briefly) to impose 'metric' time. The day was changed from 24 hours to 10 hours, each lasting 100 minutes composed of 100 seconds. But for this to work, the length of the second had to be changed. This totally freaked people out and it had to be abandoned, but it was a damned good idea. Too bad there was no way to make the year last 100 or 1000 days!
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Old Dec 18th, 2008 | 09:42 AM
  #22  
 
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That sounds like something the Indiana legislature would undertake. They once passed a law decreeing that the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter was defined as exactly 3.2. The transcendental decimal of π bothered them.

http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/crd/Loc...na_pi_bill.htm
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Old Dec 18th, 2008 | 09:57 AM
  #23  
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Pounds, stones

inches, feet, yards, miles

imperial pints, etc.

And Brits are so shocked when the rest of the world considers then so QUAINT
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Old Dec 18th, 2008 | 10:12 AM
  #24  
ira
 
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If the metric system is so good, how come 1 litre doesn't weigh exactly 1 kg at standard Temp and Press?.

Thanks Robe. I meant 35 cl.
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Old Dec 18th, 2008 | 01:51 PM
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It's Standard Temperature and Pressure's fault!
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Old Dec 18th, 2008 | 09:26 PM
  #26  
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Global warming.
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Old Dec 19th, 2008 | 02:26 AM
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> how come 1 litre doesn't weigh exactly 1 kg at standard Temp and Press?.

Who says it doesn´t? You just have to choose the right substance with the right density...
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