Questions you thought were too stupid to ask

[Tyler]

I'll start:

Why do you folks on the other side of the pond use 'stone' to describe a measure of 14 lbs?
is it really easier to say something weighed 70 stone instead of 980lbs?

[falkbeer]

I'll start:

Why do you folks on the other side of the pond use 'stone' to describe a measure of 14 lbs?
is it really easier to say something weighed 70 stone instead of 980lbs?

I suggest switching to the metric system all together!
The SI-system is superior in every aspect, and is used in most countries and in science.

[Anstapa]

This morning. Three of us librarians are sitting at the adult reference desk, it is 9:15 AM (we open at nine), this dude comes up and aks if the library is open....Yes it is we answered (we kind of look a round at each other...roll our eyes) ...unitl five this afternoon. Him "What time do you close?" Five! So the library is open all day today?" YES!

Anstapa

[Innocent Bystander]

I'll start:

Why do you folks on the other side of the pond use 'stone' to describe a measure of 14 lbs?
is it really easier to say something weighed 70 stone instead of 980lbs?

Of course it is!

And if something is three feet long I don't say it's 36 inches (unless I'm taking personal measurements).

It's a lot easier to say someone is ten stone than say they are 140 pounds. It's very much easier to say someone is twelve stone than say they're one hundred AND sixty eight pounds.

And my Mother used to send me down the road to get half a stone of potatoes. Much easier than saying seven pounds.

Next you'll be telling us it's "more sensible" to write the date with the month first, then the day of the month and then the year. Get a grip!

[Tyler]

I'll start:

Why do you folks on the other side of the pond use 'stone' to describe a measure of 14 lbs?
is it really easier to say something weighed 70 stone instead of 980lbs?

I suggest switching to the metric system all together!
The SI-system is superior in every aspect, and is used in most countries and in science.

Y'know, I learned and used the metric system while l lived in Canada, and never really gave it up except for those neccesary things that are still standard in the us (mph, etc). Whenever i construct anything out of wood, i always measure in metric units. It just comes easier.

edited to fix sumfink....

[Denny]

it's good to be easy, innit!

[emmline]

I'll start:

Why do you folks on the other side of the pond use 'stone' to describe a measure of 14 lbs?
is it really easier to say something weighed 70 stone instead of 980lbs?

It's a lot easier to say someone is ten stone than say they are 140 pounds. It's very much easier to say someone is twelve stone than say they're one hundred AND sixty eight pounds.

Right. Perfectly understandable. It is only NOT easier for us yanks who don't really have a feel for what a stone is.

[Tyler]

it's good to be easy, innit!

Hell yeah! An I'm cheap too; just buy a few beers an' I'm all set!!

[rorybbellows]

Who was the first president of America?

RORY

[Jack]

I'll start:

Why do you folks on the other side of the pond use 'stone' to describe a measure of 14 lbs?
is it really easier to say something weighed 70 stone instead of 980lbs?

I suggest switching to the metric system all together!
The SI-system is superior in every aspect, and is used in most countries and in science.

But the United States' system is used by the most socio-economically powerful country the world has ever seen, so that's why it's still in use despite the metric system being more efficient and used over a wider geographical area. In exporting American culture, this one aspect is just a tiny bit that, for whatever reason(s), seems not to have taken hold (Myanmar and Liberia apparently don't use the metric system, either, for what it's worth).

My question:

[Denny]

[Innocent Bystander]

My question:

Eh?

Speak up!

Ah, wait! "The really stupid question is the one that didn't get asked."

[s1m0n]

Whenever i construct anything out of wood, i always measure in metric units.

That's interesting. I'm a native born canadian, the generation that started getting preperatory metric indictrination starting in about grade three prior to the switchover. And whenever *I* construct something out of wood or paper, I use inches.

I can eyeball six & a half inches, or 7/8ths of an inch in a way that I never could in metric.

Weather temperatures is even more mixed up: I understand celsuis for winter temps ("three degrees below zero" tells you info that "27 degrees F" doesn't), but summer temps and inviting household and pool temperatures are all fahrenheit.

[jlunt]

I suggest switching to the metric system all together!
The SI-system is superior in every aspect, and is used in most countries and in science.

Of course, the U.S. also chose VHS over Beta. So we don't always make the smart choice.

[MTGuru]

Who was the first president of America?

http://www.marshallhall.org/hanson.html