When is a Stone not a Stone, and Why?

[Steve]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff" <geoffbannister123 at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn@> wrote:
> 
> > ... someone from the UK, or possibly the EU, ...
> >
> > Why do you still use an antiquated measurement of weight as
> > obscure and useless as STONES? (14 pounds, 6.4kg)
> 
> > ...
> 
> > Just curious, slightly frustrated, but mostly curious.
> 
> Geoff:
> Yes, we do have bathroom scales which read in stones and I 
> don't recall seeing one over here which reads in pounds. ...
> 
> BTW, verbally you usually give your weight with stone as a 
> singular - i.e. I am 9 stone exactly - a bit of a lightweight.
> :-)
>

Steve responds:

9 Stone, so you are 126 pounds. Boy, you are a light weight ;) .

Given that you bathroom scales actually do read out in Stone, that explains a lot.

This started with a young Irish video blogger, who was rambling on about assorted things, among them why girls like this body type or that body type, then on the course of the rant, he gave his weight in Stones, then hesitated as he tried to work it out in pounds or Kilograms. Eventually he gave up and moved on with his rant.

If found this stunningly confusing. How could he know is weight in Stone, but not kilograms. I assumed he would have to weigh himself on a kilogram/pound scale and convert it to Stone.

But if most scales for personal use actually read out in Stones, that is more understandable. 

Still, I find it baffling that this continues to hold. I think it was outlawed in 1984 for commercial use, so you can no longer buy a 'stone' of oranges or apples. At least, not officially. 

And given the near complete conversion to metric, though I know there are some cultural hold outs, I would assume 'Stone' would fall by the wayside. 

I also know that the use of "Stone" extends beyond the UK. I was in Germany a few years ago, and picked up a magazine. By chance it had some personal adds in back, and I noticed many people gave their weight in 'Stone'. Though it took me a while to figure that out. 

Given that "stone" is an Imperial measurement, I find it odd that other countries use it.

Is this just random cross cultural contamination, or are there more commercial more official reasons for the use in other countries.

I suspected, it might be hold over from athletic competition. 

One odd fact, just by coincidence, it turns out that a gallon of dry sand weighs 14 pounds. So, quite ironically, a gallon of sand is a 'stone'. 

Again, just curious.

Steve/bboyminn