Metrication and three legged donkeys (was: Re: POA book differences)

[arrowsmithbt]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "corinthum" <kkearney at s...> wrote:
> Eloise wrote:
> 
> > I have to say that metrication is not something I'm wild about. 
> Yes, it makes calculations easier, but especially in length, it just 
> doesn't *mean* anything, whereas imperial measures are things 
> you can relate to. 
> It's much  easier to visualise five feet than a metre and a half.
> And of course it's more than twice as easy to lose a pound than it 
> is to lose a kilo. Though thinking about it, it's also easier to gain a 
> pound than a kilo. Hmm. ;-)
> >
> 
> Hey, I'd be happy with either system, as long as I could work with 
> just one (well, I'd prefer metric, but I'd settle for imperial).  But 
> working for the Navy, I get the people who seem to realize the 
> practicality of the metric sytem but are stuck with manuals, 
> regulations, descriptions, etc. in the imperial system.  The result 
> is I'm stuck using bizarre units like kiloyards (which, in case you 
> were wondering, is about .56 miles or .9 kilometers).  And, of 
> course, most of the equipment on ships is in terms of nautical miles, 
> just to make things more fun.
> 
> -Corinth

Well, it is possible to have fun inventing your own systems.
Something outrageously sexist from about 30 years ago - a quiet
afternoon in the lab, bored males, so we  put in a few hours
working on the 'Helen Index' of female beauty.

Can't remember all of it but:

1 Helen, equivalent to a 1000 ships
1 milli-Helen, equivalent to 1 ship -  a battleship
1 micro-Helen, reminiscent of an inflatable dingy
1 femto-Helen, reminds me of a rubber duck

It went the other way, too, through mega-Helen, giga-Helen up to
1 tera-Helen, equivalent to a Treasure Fleet (no confirmed sightings)

Wish I could remember the rest, then I could transpose it to Imperial.
Hmm. What's 2.54 dingies? Or if I multiply by 0.001296 I get it in
Scruples -  something I've never had before.

Kneasy