Another irritant for me with English.....

[Sunburnt Indian]

Canceled and cancelled are correct spellings. Canceled is more common in the US, cancelled more popular in the UK. I prefer one correct spelling.

I prefer measuring temperture like the rest of the world. Water freezes at 0 and boils at 100. I'm thrilled Congress was first to peg the US dollar at 100 cents and 1000 mills. I'd be in big trouble if 12 cents equaled a dime and 24 pennies equaled a quarter. I like life simple.

Was it 2000 when US stocks began trading metric? US stock markets were based on the Spanish dollar. I bought some AT&T stocks for 25 5/8. After the changeover I bought XM radio stck for $6.644.

 

[aix_xpert]

Although 12.5 cents equals a bit, and 2 bits equals a quarter. Its not fully "square". As for other measures, temp is fine with me either way. I've lived overseas enough to know that 40 is hot. But I'm sorry, I don't care if its illogical, but I refuse to trade miles for klicks. My mom lives south of Tuscon in Arizona just off I-17, and on that stretch of interstate, the signage is in KMs rather than miles, and it pisses me off every time I see it.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Although 12.5 cents equals a bit, and 2 bits equals a quarter. Its not fully "square". As for other measures, temp is fine with me either way. I've lived overseas enough to know that 40 is hot. But I'm sorry, I don't care if its illogical, but I refuse to trade miles for klicks. My mom lives south of Tuscon in Arizona just off I-17, and on that stretch of interstate, the signage is in KMs rather than miles, and it pisses me off every time I see it.

I-17 is the only US highway signed metric. In 1995 I watched km signs go up in Alabama state wide. Kentucky was scheduled #2. By executive order, Slick Willie said we can't afford the signs changeover. Gov. Fob James had state wide 'Bama km signs dug up. We remain one of 3 countries in the stone age.

In 1959 the mile got shorter so we would match up with Canada and 4 other countries. The inch was set at precisely 2.54 cm. For a long time now Canada and the 4 countries have no interest the length of a mile. Their highways are km.

All metrc units are small cap except L.

The first metric sign I ever saw in the US was on the bridge over the lake by Las Vegas. Truck Lane 500 METERS.

As a "professional tourist" for 12 years, sign placement really caught my attention. SMITH EXIT 1 MILE sign would wear out and be replaced by SMITH EXIT 1 1/4 MILE. 1 1/4 MILE is 2 km. SMITH EXIT 1/2 MILE would be replaced by SMITH EXIT 1/3 MILE. 1/3 MILE is 500 METERS.

Distace to signs popped up everywhere. Cheyenne 62, Little Rock 62, Fort Smith 62, Indianapolis, 62, San Antonio 62, Cincinnatti 62, Seattle 62, Omaha 62. 62 miles is 100 km.

I've seen no signs whatsoever of any noticeable sign placement in the Nations. Last summer I drove I-35 the entire length across the Nations. The Nations does have the new super modern I-35 signs posted every half mile. No signs I saw of burying all power lines over Nations Interstate highways.

 

[LAY THE WOODY]

God bless Texas. And our wheelchair bound governor and all his henchmen.

 

[fairdinkem]

Canceled and cancelled are correct spellings. Canceled is more common in the US, cancelled more popular in the UK. I prefer one correct spelling.

I prefer measuring temperture like the rest of the world. Water freezes at 0 and boils at 100. I'm thrilled Congress was first to peg the US dollar at 100 cents and 1000 mills. I'd be in big trouble if 12 cents equaled a dime and 24 pennies equaled a quarter. I like life simple.

Was it 2000 when US stocks began trading metric? US stock markets were based on the Spanish dollar. I bought some AT&T stocks for 25 5/8. After the changeover I bought XM radio stck for $6.644.

There are only 3-countries in the world left on our "English" system. We initially agreed and then crawfished the world about going metric in the '80's. I love English unless I am solving thermodynamic equations or chemistry problems.

 

[iasooner24]

It annoys me that some of the interstate highways here have distance signs every tenth of a mile instead of just a mile post. So for 100 miles we now need 1000 signs (x2 for both directions) ? 😡

 

[DCandtheUTBand]

Speed limits in Canada are slow even thought they sound fast. 88 kph is 55mph. I did a lot of driving like I was Back in Jimmy Carters America. Fire up the song "I cant drive 55." Drudgery. Maine however saw some speeds of 75 mph. I liked it. I never saw a cop on that stretch and was thankful not to breakdown or worrying about a ticket while doing 85.

Converting gas prices is a nightmare 4 L ~ 1 gal. So multiply by 4 since they basically sell it by the "quart" (.06 off thanks to the French shortchanging the English measurements to be different. meter is .08 off the yard) and the take the price in cents ( because they sell it by the cents) and divide by 100 and then multiply by ~.7 The average exchange rate while I was there last. Doing it in my head on the fly gave me a headache after a while. Cell phones have a calculator but that's cheating! Sometimes when you are tired you just have to cheat.

Heck they couldn't even get the grams to pounds right. A kilogram is not quite half a pound.

Adoption might have been easier if the French had just made a few thing exact and interchangeable. i.e. 4L = 1 gal, 100 yards = 100m and 2kg = 1lb. Math made easy unless you are French and have to go your own way.

Centimeters and inches would still be weird (2.78 vs 2.54) as well as temps.

A mile by the way is a base 10 measurement as mile is from the roman mille which is 1000 paces. A pace is ~ 5 feet so the roman mile was ~ 5000 feet.

 

[DCandtheUTBand]

Canceled and cancelled are correct spellings. Canceled is more common in the US, cancelled more popular in the UK. I prefer one correct spelling.

I prefer measuring temperture like the rest of the world. Water freezes at 0 and boils at 100. I'm thrilled Congress was first to peg the US dollar at 100 cents and 1000 mills. I'd be in big trouble if 12 cents equaled a dime and 24 pennies equaled a quarter. I like life simple.

Was it 2000 when US stocks began trading metric? US stock markets were based on the Spanish dollar. I bought some AT&T stocks for 25 5/8. After the changeover I bought XM radio stck for $6.644.

Colour and Theatre! But the ones I hate are mum, and me for my, which sounds ignorant and whilst instead of while which sounds pretentious.

 

[fairdinkem]

Colour and Theatre! But the ones I hate are mum, and me for my, which sounds ignorant and whilst instead of while which sounds pretentious.

Don't forget what missile sounds like on the opposing Atlantic shores. First heard the limey slang watching Sean Connery at the movies.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

There are only 3-countries in the world left on our "English" system. We initially agreed and then crawfished the world about going metric in the '80's. I love English unless I am solving thermodynamic equations or chemistry problems.

I moved to Germany at age 11. I spent 15 minutes learning the metric system of measure. I've spent a lifetime learning the numerically dysfunctional and idiotic imperial system. I'm one of a handful of people in the world who knows the imperial system. I can ask questions about the imperial system no one here can answer. Anyone here care to test me? The imperial system takes a lifetime of learning and memorizing.

It was 2023 when Congress mandated the use of the international foot in all US constrution. No to anymore use of the US foot in US construction. The internatioal foot has the inch set at precisely 2.54 cm. Who knew? I did. Most of the world doesn't give a mouse's hiney about the US or the international foot.

Japan has a keen interest in the foot when playing American baseball.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

Colour and Theatre! But the ones I hate are mum, and me for my, which sounds ignorant and whilst instead of while which sounds pretentious.

A German word I thought I could never forget how to pronounce. Visit. Besuch. I would think of the army weapon bazooka. I had to ask my daughter-in-law who is fluent in German. Sagen Sie visit auf Deutch. She replied, "Besuch." I can't believe I forgot the pernunciation but I did. The one German word I thought I would never forget how to pronounce. I forget English and Spanish words all the time.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

There are only 3-countries in the world left on our "English" system. We initially agreed and then crawfished the world about going metric in the '80's. I love English unless I am solving thermodynamic equations or chemistry problems.

US gov is metric only. When NASA made their annousement, 13 space agencies cheered. I didn't know there were 13 space agencies. NASA made their announcement after bouncing a lander off was it Mars. Boeing was using imperial measure. Someone blew a calculation.

I'm retired now. My company was heavy into export. I came into some contact with the US school lunch program. When this program changed to metrc I had to attend US gov videos introducing the new measuring methods. Talk about BORING.