only in America - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2012, 09:04:32 pm
content: the US government has been forced to deny the existence of mermaids after a TV program was aired (echos of war of the worlds) and people kept phoning the National oceanic service to check, must be something in the water.

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2012, 10:43:11 pm
content: Tomorrow on the Alex Jones Show: How the reptilian guv'ment killed all the mermaids and covered up the traces.

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 12:07:51 am
content: G7PSK, you should really give the Americans a break. They are STILL trying to get there heads around Metric after all.Regards

author: MikeK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 12:39:51 am
content: And give us a break...We have The South!

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 12:42:43 am
content: Quote from: MikeK on July 04, 2012, 12:39:51 amYeah that is true.......sorry MikeKRegards

author: elliott
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 12:48:35 am
content: Quote from: MikeK on July 04, 2012, 12:39:51 amThe South does not take responsibility for Florida, we're not sure what happened there.

author: shadowless
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 12:59:13 am
content: Yeah wonder who created imperial system.BTW the reptilian stuff is widely talk about by the David Icke, that's where Alex Jones get his ideas from. And guess where is David Icke from.

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 01:37:07 am
content: The British created the Imperial system. However it really amuses me how on one hand America claims to be a superpower, yet they cant implement the metric system that was adopted by most countries over 30 years ago.I'm not putting down Americans. I just dont understand why America as a nation is so slow to catch up with the rest of the world.I would love to know why this has happened.Regards

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 01:49:23 am
content: I rather like the Imperial system. It is practical and convenient, and I have absolutely no idea what is wrong with weighing sugar or potatoes in pounds, milk in pints or deli items in ounces. Not to mention measuring cloth in feet or yards. It was just one more case where the (British) government imposed unnecessary costs on consumers and retailers with a glibness borne out of spending other people's money.And to tell the truth, Britain has not gone metric even now. Distances are still in miles. Clothing sizes are still measured in inches. A "two by four" is still a "two by four". The government is still stupid (but yeah, you knew that already).

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:56:14 am
content: learn history and u'll know why imperial or metric. we are biproduct of both. when we "build building" we use imperial. when we measure smaller things we use metric. as for mermaids, probably unicorns extinct long time ago killed for their "phylosopher's" thorn during the age of the dragons.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:00:18 am
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 01:49:23 amIt is not so practical and convenient when you realise none of these units have any consistent, logical relation to each other, and that working in fractions and thousandths is pointlessly complex.QuoteYou're right on miles and clothes. You're wrong on timber. Yes, people still ask for 'a two by four', but that's not what they get. In fact, it never was except with rough sawn.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:31:59 am
content: Quote from: Monkeh on July 04, 2012, 03:00:18 amI think you are missing something here. Even with the metric system you work in fractions and thousandths.If you buy things by weight they tend to come in units of 250 g (¼ kg), or 500 g (½ kg). Liquid comes in sizes like 250 ml (¼ litre), 500 ml (½ litre) or 750 ml (¾ litre). And in case it isn't obvious, 1 g is 1/1000th of 1 kg, and 1 mm is 1/1000th of one metre. There are your thousandths right there.How can it be pointlessly complex when it is both inevitable and to the point? The metric system changes nothing except the words we use for our measures.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:03:46 am
content: Quote from: PeterG on July 04, 2012, 01:37:07 amI've seen arguments on identity and heritage, but I think the primary cause was governmental failure in it's implementation (voluntary plan for most industries rather than a mandatory implementation on a schedule).

author: Obi_Kwiet
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:26:10 am
content: Quote from: PeterG on July 04, 2012, 01:37:07 amIt's very simple. After World War II, everyone else had to retool their industry anyway, so they went metric. We had a huge intact industry that was transforming us into the dominant world power. It's not that we don't want to be on metric, it's that it would cost trillions to just throw away existing infrastructure to do so.

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:52:11 am
content: The metric system comes into its own when it comes to relating volume and dimension. Basically, Metric is based on water.1L of water weighs 1Kg and Measures 10cm x 10cm x 10cm.This makes things simpler in a lot of ways compared to the old imperial system.The same can be done using imperial but it is not as straight forward.I think sooner or later imperial will become the standard for all countries.Dam typo- should be 'I think sooner or later Metric will become the standard for all countries.'Regards

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 05:44:11 am
content: Quote from: PeterG on July 04, 2012, 04:52:11 amIf only!

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 05:48:18 am
content: Quotenot so if i'm going to be a prime minister. i'll choose metric over imperial. 3 1/8 inches is what in feet? divide by 12? and 1Kpounds is what? 1000 pounds? no? 1024 pounds? i think i'll prefer learning multiplication in binaries or even octets!and i believe all references (SI) are in metric. no?another bashing on metric vs imperial! just like MAC or PC

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 05:54:42 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on July 04, 2012, 05:48:18 amYou don't need to know. You simply measure 3 1/8 inches on your ruler and you are done.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 05:58:56 am
content: for all the america bashers : suck on this (electronics related)- where on every corner of the street there is a surplus store loaded with cheap electronics, parts , equipment- where you can have cheap shipping from mayor distributors like digikey and mouser and can have parts in 2 days.- where VAT ( tax ) is only 8% worst case, and zero if you buy out-of state- where you can get anything online , at the cheapest rice, with free 2 day shipping ( amazon prime account )- where you have streaming services like netflix , hulu and vuvu for 8$ a month, as many shows and movies as you want- where you have in many cases 90 days to return something if you don't like it- where gas for the car is cheap- where on ebay you can get any kind of test instrument way cheaper than in europe or elsewhere- where there are no download limits ( belgium : max 10 Gb / month or you pay extra )- where you have electronics stores like Fry's and Best-Buy- where the 'government supported stealing ( taxes out of your paycheck) is low ... which leaves you more 'hobby money'- where ( at least where i live ) the sun always shines ( we have like 20 days of rain a year )you can keep the rest of the world... i'm not interested anymore. adapting to miles and gallons is easy. it when they start with pints and quarts and 4/40 screw it gets a bit murky .. but i'm willing to live with that.yeah yeah , surely there's people that are going to whine about paying insurance and health services.. this is an electronics forum. i'm talking about how much easier it is for that.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 06:00:04 am
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 05:54:42 amwell i need to know, i need to buy a 3 1/8 inches wire priced at $1/footyou may argue... well, $100/foot.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 06:08:16 am
content: Quotechina china china! another 3X!Quotehere!Quotenot here!Quotezimbabwe.

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 06:14:39 am
content: 3rd world weight & measurement systemNot here

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 06:18:11 am
content: Quote"not" offensive at all!

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 10:33:29 am
content: I find it hilarious that computer part vendors in the states are starting to display the specs of hot-to-touch parts such as graphics processors in Celsius. The reason? Because the actual temperature is a lower number when given in metric and this and this alone is marketing driven. Otherwise, it would all be Fahrenheit.

author: Tepe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 10:59:58 am
content: Quote from: Obi_Kwiet on July 04, 2012, 04:26:10 amThe Netherlands: 1820Belgium: 1820Luxemburg: 1820Switzerland: 1835Italy: 1861Germany: 1872Austria: 1876Norway: 1882Sweden: 1889Finland: 1886Denmark: 1907When was that World War II

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 11:25:25 am
content: I think sooner or later imperial will become the standard for all countries.should readI think sooner or later Metric will become the standard for all countries.Regards

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 11:34:23 am
content: Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on July 04, 2012, 10:33:29 amI could also be due to international clients demanding Metric units. And also i sign of change starting for America........maybe there is hope.....Regards

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 11:43:37 am
content: I remember driving around USA app 12 yrs ago, going through some of the southern states where they had started tointroduce Speed signs in KM .. every single one of them was peppered with bullet holes !! Always wondered what mayhave happened to the guys installing them .. as they suddenly stopped appearing !!! GOOD LUCK Metric :-)

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 12:25:13 pm
content: when you deal with endless S.I. units you really come to resent imperial units, air has an average density of 100KPa, water has a density of 1 tonne / m^3,also gravity (9.81) rounds nicely to 10, while in imperial it comes to 32f/s which is harder to calculate in your head, atleast from a metric mindset,

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 12:44:07 pm
content: When it comes to metric I am all for it it makes things so much simpler all you have to do is move the .

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:07:53 pm
content: Quote from: digsys on July 04, 2012, 11:43:37 amBack in the day,all kinds of signs in Outback Oz were peppered with bullet holes!On that basis,I think that the sign shootings in the USA were not due to any dislike of metric signs--more a liking for nice new signs as targets!It's one form of idiocy that seems to have died out in this country.Maybe because less "townies" have 0.22 rifles,or the like,& people can't go on random "roo-shooting" trips when they are "shhlightly intoxshhicated" any more!It used to make farmers a bit upset when these morons fired their rifles across their land,not knowing or caring if any sheep,or the farmer & his family were in the line of fire.

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:21:07 pm
content: Imperial is great for greengrocers, but terrible for engineers and scientists.Also lol in general @ America's weirdness and thinking it's the dominant world power

author: Fallingwater
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:24:26 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 01:49:23 amHere you go.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:38:25 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 03:31:59 amBut I don't go around looking for a 7/64" drill bit. I can't even tell you off the top of my head what that is in any useful unit.I can, however, easily go looking for a 3.3mm drill bit, and I know precisely, and instantly, what that is.QuoteThe metric system changes a lot more than words. It makes thingslogical. As per the image above, 12 inches to a foot, three feet to a yard, 1760 yards to a mile? How does that make ANY sense?

author: jahonen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:58:24 pm
content: For funny drill sizes (have a headache pill around as a precaution first), try finding imperial sized drills for making threads for screwsI think electronics industry is going to metric gradually. Practically all new IC packages are defined in metric dimensions, like BGAs (SO is not new, but 70's).I gasped a while ago when I got a PCB stackup suggestion back from a PCB manufacturer and for some bizarre reason, they did convert all measures to thous with 3 or 4 decimals in them, of course then I had to convert them back to mm/µm to actually use thoseFunny thing was that the final thickness was stated in mm after all. And the laminate datasheet I got from them, used µm's. So I wonder why they bothered with thous.Regards,Janne

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:59:22 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on July 04, 2012, 02:07:53 pmActually, in this instance, nope. The locals were all too PROUD to tell me that they "ran the dern metric boys outta town" .. There was NO WAY theywere having that metric sh*t :-) As for ALL the other bullet holes, unlike OZ, gun laws have gone the other way.

author: ErikTheNorwegian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 02:59:47 pm
content: The metric system is very handy, 10 fingers on two hands make it easy to understand..

author: ErikTheNorwegian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:06:16 pm
content: The US tried unsuccessfully to combine the two systems. The result was outta this world..Mars Climate Orbiter is infamous for Lockheed Martin engineers mixing up the usage of English units with metric units, causing the orbiter to burn up while entering Mars' atmosphere.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter

author: shane_95
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:07:24 pm
content: what i don't like is Fahrenheit.how is 32 Fahrenheit (i think) freezing point it makes no sense at all, what makes sense it, that 0 Celsius is freezing. is the same for the boiling temperature of water is 100 deg Celsius and 212 deg Fahrenheit?to me that does not make sense

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:15:28 pm
content: The people who put the imperial system together did the best they could with the technology of the day, its just that by todays standards ,it makes no sense compared to metric.Regards

author: kaptain_zero
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:25:01 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on July 04, 2012, 05:48:18 am3 1/8" in feet is 0' 3 1/8".0' 3 1/8" divided by 12= 17/64" or 6.746875mm if you prefer. :-)The cost of your 3 1/8" piece of wire is $2.213542 using $100/footRegardsKaptain "Imperial or Metric... it's all just numbers to me" Zero

author: AntiProtonBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:47:03 pm
content: The only industry where imperial units belong is the pornographic industry. Other than that, it should be made completely redundant.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 03:57:44 pm
content: Quote from: ErikTheNorwegian on July 04, 2012, 02:59:47 pmmust be the "naturally selected"Quote from: PeterG on July 04, 2012, 03:15:28 pmand is the "old religion". they wont admit and deny any "new religion" try to come in.anyway ancient people must be giantic, since my feet measure less than a feet. and i believe i'm the first builder (not so good) in town and home improvement who measure woods in metric. show it to oldtimer builders? jaw dropped. so i got no choice than approximating to imperial when conversing with them. already got the calculator inside my head... 1 inch ~= 2.5cm, 1m ~= 3'@kaptain, thank 4 number crunching, but i think you got it backward, 3 something " is about 1 4th of a ', so the cost is around $25 (100/4), $26.05 to be exact, rounded to 2 decimal places@proton: you need to be a 25 cm'er to be in the industry

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:08:26 pm
content: I lived in a town with a guaranteed 365 days of sunshine a year. 20 years of no rain, and the farmers were starting to say if it did not rain in 5 years they might think that there was a drought and do some planning for it. Then it rained solid for 2 weeks, and all was all right again. When I flew in on the dakota I asked the pilot if he was sure as to his position, as I had never seen green there before.Apparently the local wildlife were frightened for days, as they had never seen rain. It was strange to see water in the stream, normally you had to dig down a metre to get some.Careful with the Zimbabwe quip, there are a lot of ex Whenwe's in the UK, and they might take umbrage. Zim used to be known as the breadbasket of Africa, now it is known as the basket case.

author: kaptain_zero
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:16:17 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on July 04, 2012, 03:57:44 pmI stand corrected. It is $26.04167RegardsKaptain "Note to self: Clear &^$%# calculator memory BEFORE making a new calculation" Zero

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:24:35 pm
content: Faranheit is based on 100 deg. being human blood heat but that is wrong as it is 98.4. The US imperial system is wrong too they have 16 oz's to the pint the good old British pint is 20 oz's their gallon is 6 pints and ours 8 pint's , so when trading international it all gets confusing which is where a standard Metric comes in useful.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:33:58 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on July 04, 2012, 02:38:25 pmWell suppose you want to divide something into thirds or sixths? With a length of 2 m, say, dividing doesn't work out evenly and you get 666.67 mm. But with a length of 6 ft 6 in, you immediately know a third of that is 2 ft 2 in. OK, that was an easy one, but what about 7 ft? You barely have to think to know that a third of that is 28 in (and you will find 28 in on your ruler, you don't have to convert it to feet).To use the metric system you are going to need a calculator. The advantage of the old systems of units is they made it much easier to reckon things out in your head, or at least on the back of an envelope. Calculators didn't exist back then.Now don't think I dislike metric units. I'm an engineer, and I do all my calculations in SI units whenever possible. Doing engineering calculations in pounds, feet, Btu, hp, gallons and the like is horrible. But I'm not doing engineering calculations when I buy food or cook a meal. Metric units have no particular advantage for everyday weights and measures when buying and selling things or measuring things out.

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:36:17 pm
content: Quote from: MikeK on July 04, 2012, 12:39:51 amHahahaQuote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 04:33:58 pmVery true. When you are doing any sort of science, SI does make things easier, but for everyday stuff, it doesn't make a different. For example, if a cookbook said to bake a cake at 375*F, having that converted to Celsius (190*C), wouldn't make a difference on how well the cake comes out.But

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 04:57:19 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 04:33:58 pmI generally don't.QuoteI get on just fine without one.QuoteThey have nodisadvantageeither. Having multiple systems is just silly.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 05:26:35 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on July 04, 2012, 03:57:44 pmNo you don't, you need to be able to perform with 5 guys watching you with bored looks on their faces, a director shoving cameras and hot lights in places that normally never get light, a makup artist who does not even look at your face and a co star who is forever applying makeup and lipstick whenever the camera is not on her face. Plus you need to have no problems and no issues about certain bodily functions, as well as being able to act on command. Pretty much like any model shoot, just less interesting, as you have a hard time removing blemishes in post.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 06:18:04 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 04:33:58 pmWell suppose you want to divide something into fifth or tenth?It is left as an excercise to the reader to update your examples to dividing some imperial unit by ten, and demonstrating that doing the same with a metric unit is much simpler and you end up with just looking at a metric ruler no calculator needed.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 06:32:03 pm
content: Quote from: AntiProtonBoy on July 04, 2012, 03:47:03 pmThanks.Got a good laugh out of that one.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 07:04:20 pm
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on July 04, 2012, 06:18:04 pmBut I never want to divide something by ten. Ten is a very useless number in the real world. Small fractions like one half, one third and and one quarter are of far more practical use. That's why there are 60 minutes to an hour and 12 inches to a foot.

author: Tepe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 07:18:13 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 07:04:20 pmMaybe because your system of measurement has conditioned you not toQuoteAnd then you continue to divide those inches in eighth. Weird.Back when people used our local equivalent of inches, they at least were consistent enough to divide them into twelfth, and each of these into twelfth: 1 fod = 12 tommer = 144 linjer = 1728 skrupler. Each unit conveniently marked with small roman numerals as superscripts: I, II, III, IV. (The rest of the system is basically as insane as the Imperial one)

author: _Sin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 08:35:12 pm
content: Pretty trivial to divide a metric quantity into whatever portions you like, as it's a single number. Unlike imperial with its mixtures of different units at different scales (feet/inches, etc). If you can divide an imperial measure by 3, you can divide a metric one.However I do think it's sweet that the US still clings to some part of imperial rule

author: elliott
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 09:26:53 pm
content: Quote from: shane_95 on July 04, 2012, 03:07:24 pmI think the 0 mark of Fahrenheit comes from putting salt into ice water, the coldest thing they could easily replicate at the time.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 09:49:37 pm
content: Quote from: elliott on July 04, 2012, 09:26:53 pmIt wasn't ordinary salt but ammonium chloride. Apparently way back then someone or other had an aversion to negative temperatures, so they tried to devise the coldest temperature anyone could make and call that zero. Apparently they hadn't experienced the weather in Siberia at the time...

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 09:56:38 pm
content: Quote from: digsys on July 04, 2012, 02:59:22 pmGun laws were always pretty tough in West Oz.I think in this State, it's more that the public mindset has changed,as well as much tougher drink driving enforcement which has prevented intoxicated people from doing really silly things while armed on bush trips.Even drunks have enough brains not to shoot at signs in the city!As we're not allowed to shoot 'roos anymore,there is no excuse for taking a gun on a road trip,either.Duck shooters never seemed to do this sort of stuff.This is a weird digression in a discussion about metric/imperial measures!

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 10:13:56 pm
content: To bring it back on track, we might note that the 7.62 mm of the standard round is exactly 0.300 inches

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 10:22:35 pm
content: Quote from: G7PSK on July 04, 2012, 04:24:35 pmThe Yanks were trying to rationalise (or rationalize) the system,as 1lb for 1pt,makes a lot more sense than the old"A pint of clear water weighs a pound & a quarter",we were taught at school!Actually,the relationship isn't quite 6 (UK) pints to the (US) gallon,its more like "6 & a bit",so that UK & Oz 44 gallon drums are 55 gallon drums in the USA.Many Australians were pleasantly surprised by the fuel consumption of cars sourced from the USA,after reading road tests from that country.Americans probably wondered why they couldn't get the mpg figures that British made cars apparently achieved in their home country, for the same reason.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 10:29:56 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 10:13:56 pmWhich raises the question:-where did the idea of 0.303",0.22",& 0.44" come from?None of them make any sense in metric or Imperial!

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2012, 10:36:33 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on July 04, 2012, 10:29:56 pmMaybe it was protectionism? Each manufacturer trying to make sure their armament would only work with their own ammunition?

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2012, 02:29:28 am
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 10:13:56 pmActually, there is no such measurement on a '7.62mm' or '.300' round. They are .308. A .303 British is actually .312, and a .303 Savage is .308. A .44 Magnum is actually .429. .222 Remington, .223 Remington, and 5.56x45mm are all .224. All of these rounds were developed under the imperial system, so I'm not sure what your point is.

author: W4GNS
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 05, 2012, 03:50:15 am
content: Quote from: elliott on July 04, 2012, 12:48:35 amYankees happened...........................

author: Tepe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2012, 06:33:28 am
content: Quote from: IanB on July 04, 2012, 09:49:37 pmFahrenheit got the idea from Ole Rømer who probably hadn't experienced the weather in Siberia ;-)

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 03:47:13 pm
content: Quote from: PeterG on July 04, 2012, 01:37:07 amThey have to be different, it's a complex they have. Their shoe sizes are exactly the same as the British ones but everything is called one size bigger, and they still print "conversion tables". but just to make sure we all know it's their system really they altered some of the imperial stuff so now we are all lost.

author: bullet308
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 06:20:40 pm
content: There really is no uniform way of defining cartridges. You can measure from the top of the lands in the barrel or from the bottom of the grooves, or you can measure bullet diameter, and then you can fudge the numbers for whatever marketing purpose you might have. Even the standard metric convention of bore diameter x cartridge case length has problems (I can assure you that 7.5x55mm French and 7.5x55mm Swiss are NOT interchangeable). The only thing that makes any sort of definitive sense is to look at the SAMMI or CIP drawings for a given cartridge, and even then there are different cambering dimensions to go with each cartridge (different 7.62 NATO chamber drawings for use in rifles or machine guns, the small but sometimes very significant differences between .308 Winchester and 7.62 NATO chamber and cartridge drawings to the point where tolerance stacking can occasionally blow a rifle up) that sort of thing.I know a lot more about working on guns than electronics at this point. :-)

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 06:26:24 pm
content: Quote from: bullet308 on August 30, 2012, 06:20:40 pmYea sorta sounds that way

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 06:32:04 pm
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on August 30, 2012, 03:01:05 pmTrolololol... Are they for serious or just trolling?Alexander.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 06:36:08 pm
content: you could find people that dumb in england too actually

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 06:57:26 pm
content: Dave meet your UK match

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 07:09:13 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on August 30, 2012, 06:57:26 pmWhats wrong with her?FYI I was referring to the reporter trolling. If he asked 100 persons and kept the ones in the video it's trolling.Alexander.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 07:12:06 pm
content: Quote from: firewalker on August 30, 2012, 07:09:13 pmyea see your point,She's funny, I don't think most people her age are that clever

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 08:46:41 pm
content: Every time I hear a British person speak it just sounds like Mrs Slocombe asking if anyone's seen her pussy...

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 09:10:14 pm
content: She's not English. She's an Essex girl.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 09:11:18 pm
content: Quote from: G7PSK on August 30, 2012, 09:10:14 pmAnd is your new avatar to comemorate the essex ex-spurts who recently had the police hunting a phanton lion

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 09:28:24 pm
content: Isn't Essex in England?

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 09:48:43 pm
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on August 30, 2012, 03:01:05 pmAbsolutely bull. I hate shit like that. Obviously every country does this but the people featured probably make up 10% of the people they actually asked. Do you seriously think all Americans think a triangle has 4 sides...come on now.This is why everyone hates America and this is why we hate you.

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 09:56:56 pm
content: Though this is funny:http://dailycurrant.com/2012/08/30/bill-nye-blasts-todd-akin-challenges-debate/

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2012, 11:02:03 pm
content: yes, slashdotted servers are always funny.

author: timcki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 04:12:28 am
content: Quote from: PeterG on July 04, 2012, 12:07:51 amso lemme see, U.S 16ths other backwards countries of the world tenths...so divide 16 by 10 =1.6 so all those funny looking rulers have marks at 1.6 sixteenths of an inch right???

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 06:00:53 am
content: Quote from: poptones on August 30, 2012, 09:28:24 pmBritish joke, not sure what's behind it though, I'm still in cultural shock.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 06:06:54 am
content: Quote from: poptones on August 30, 2012, 09:28:24 pmI'd figured it was some kind of deformity.

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 07:07:21 am
content: It appears dailycurrant is still slashdotted, although I was able to pull just the html of the linked page. Not sure whether or not to believe it; I've googled bill nye several times this evening and I find no mention of this profane outburst anywhere else. You'd think Bill Nye the guy who makes science accessible to kids having a profanity filled outburst would garner more press than a single source.Whether or not the story is accurate, it is still true in spirit. The US is generally considered the most powerful nation in the world (although China may have something to say about that in the future) and the fact that 80 odd percent of us still believe in talking snakes and at least half that lot seem to believe in a 6000 year old earth is pretty damn troubling. We talk about the danger of giving a nation like Iran, that's governed by religious law, the power of the atom when, at the same time, we seem to be the largest fundamentalist nation on earth. Pretty damn scary.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 07:31:04 am
content: Continuing on the Topic theme check this teapot. Apparently beards are compulsory to be a dangerous nutjob fanatic. just claim your twist on a religion of choice demands it.A US Army psychiatrist charged in a deadly shooting rampage has told a judge he grew a beard because his Muslim faith requires it, not as a show of disrespect.http://www.smh.com.au/world/us-army-shooting-suspect-fights-for-beard-20120831-254fg.html

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 08:05:56 am
content: the existence of a muslim "faith" in a westernized country is a mark of disrespect in itself. in the UK we are just taking the piss out of ourselves

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 08:20:43 am
content: Well, I don't like demonizing Muslim faith because it tends to add force to those other fundies in this country who I believe are equally dangerous. There's a nearly even chance we're about to elect a new leader for this country who actually claims to believe in a religion that was - literally - pulled out of a hat 180 years ago. I have no desire to live in a world where a nuclear superpower is in the hands of a religious nutjob.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 08:45:10 am
content: Religion is a dangerous thing ans is the excuse for much violence and wars the same as money is the driving force and often both are combined in the real motive and the political front for a war (crusades in mind). Religion has no place in any government.In this country we need to ditch political correctness ans this thing that we must not criticize anyone, if a religion wants to wipe me and my way of life out it can just go fuck off !

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 01:01:39 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on August 31, 2012, 08:45:10 amCareful, Simon - we mustn't let this topic get sidetracked into another religious debate.It's so much more fun taking the piss out of Americans' attachment to almost-Imperial units.I was particularly interested to note that the USA has two slightly different feet, one for use by ordinary people and one for surveyors. And both of them are defined as fractions of a meter.Not unreasonable, I suppose, since most of us have two slightly different feet...

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 04:08:18 pm
content: Now Dave has some serious competition, she's doing reviews

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 04:47:31 pm
content: Don't turn it on, break it apart!

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 05:12:37 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on August 31, 2012, 04:47:31 pmthe lady like to break it, the man like to tear it, right!

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 05:17:23 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 31, 2012, 05:12:37 pmdon't you start

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 05:36:55 pm
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on August 31, 2012, 07:31:04 ameither the guy dont understand islam, or the story has been twisted down the line.Quote from: Simon on August 31, 2012, 08:05:56 ameither the practitioners dont understand islam, or you and your friends dont, or blinded by other political forces, or your country doesnt allow free religion choice.Quote from: Simon on August 31, 2012, 08:45:10 amsad! my advice is dont watch tv or "biased internet" too much. use up all your brain cells and muscle power (self study) instead of "faith" in those. or maybe your "way of life" is "way off" from what most religious teaching? and again the "real" religious teaching, not what people told you what religious teaching is.Quote from: rolycat on August 31, 2012, 01:01:39 pmhe's free to express his political correctness here because dave "dont like rules" and he can criticize about anyone (i believe with lack of understanding) here and say "we must not criticize anyone"what a life!ps: i should'nt have browsed to previous page to see whats going on in this "only america" thread.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 05:40:16 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on August 31, 2012, 05:17:23 pmi'm provoking double blind statement. now you got my idea from the one side, congratulation!either you've been brainwashed/hypnotized (by me?) or we dont have much difference at all!

author: mukymuk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 05:43:39 pm
content: QuoteHell yeah! Suck it, rest of the world!Did I fulfill the stereotype well enough?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 05:45:31 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on August 31, 2012, 05:40:16 pmThe problem is you don't have enough understanding an culture outside of your country to pull it off. Yes i understand with my vivid imagination and experience of you but most of the time your "humor" either falls flat and makes no sense or gets a bit out of hand even for this place

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 05:45:59 pm
content: Quote from: mukymuk on August 31, 2012, 05:43:39 pmPerfectly

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 06:49:32 pm
content: Quote from: mukymuk on August 31, 2012, 05:43:39 pmNo, you forgot to threaten us with your shotgun or the US Marines. You forgot to mention God's own Country. And you didn't tell us we will all burn in hell. Not the least you didn't ask what someting "costs in real money". You didn't show up here in shorts, demanding special service, when climbing out of your truck (complete with gun rack), with a Bud in your hand.I say 4/10. Want to try again?

author: nadona
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 07:24:50 pm
content: What is 4/10? Just curious.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 07:32:54 pm
content: Quote from: nadona on August 31, 2012, 07:24:50 pm0.4.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 08:30:39 pm
content: Quote from: nadona on August 31, 2012, 07:24:50 pm.410 inch shotgun the only shot gun not measured in the number of lead balls required to break your toes when dropped from one meter.

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2012, 10:06:08 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on August 31, 2012, 07:32:54 pmHaha good answer.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2012, 01:17:44 am
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on August 31, 2012, 06:49:32 pmwhat if its true we will? because no one can prove or disprove this statement?

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 01, 2012, 01:46:23 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on September 01, 2012, 01:17:44 amAgain you misunderstand! In using the term "We", B@W was merely referring to the English!

author: SgtRock
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 07, 2012, 01:32:42 pm
content: Greetings EEVBees:--In 1944 there were around a quarter million American Airmen stationed in and around London. The Brits said that the Yanks were"Oversexed, Overpaid, and Over Here", to which the Yanks responded that the Brits were "Undersexed, Underpaid and Under Eisenhower".--Poptones is worried that America is about to elect a man who belongs to a religion that was pulled out of a hat 180 years ago. Pops assertion appears to be correct for this and all religions, if you leave out the time factor, I will grant him that much. But the man Mr. Romney is running against, sat, for twenty years, in the church of the man, who was his "spiritual mentor", performed his marriage, and baptized his children, a man who has said:September 2001: “The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color. The government lied.”--And, below a quoting the Reverend from "Dreams From My Father""It's this world, where cruise ships throw away more food in a day than most residents of Port-Au-Prince see in a year, where White folks' greed runs a world in need."--So lets just say that selecting one of the two candidates based on religion alone is a toss up and select based on what one thinks their policies will be, no?"I could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled."P. G. Wodehouse 1881 1975Best RegardsClear Ether

author: mtkaalund
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2012, 06:03:33 pm
content: http://youtu.be/T9WMSxV6lMsSorry

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2012, 06:54:57 pm
content: Rick Mercer's "Talking to Americans!" [Full Version]Not sorry.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 07, 2012, 07:42:08 pm
content: Quote from: mtkaalund on September 07, 2012, 06:03:33 pmOh that is hilarious. not wanting to be funny but if you consider the amount of soldiers from each nation around the world and the amount of cases of "friendly fire" from each nation I'd almost be willing to bet american friendly fire cases pro capita of soliders is the highest of all.