I suspect someone has tongue firmly planted in cheek! Duncan -----Original Message----- From: kilopascal <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: March 22, 2001 18:06 Subject: [USMA:11766] Fw: Joan Pontius [Yahoo! Clubs: Metric America] >----- Original Message ----- >From: "han_maenen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Thursday, 2001-03-22 07:38 >Subject: Re: Joan Pontius [Yahoo! Clubs: Metric America] > > >> This is the crazy system Joan Pontius (a woman) proposes: >> >> GIVE ME A HAND! >> >> How I'd like to see our measurement system standardized >> >> History has gone on long enough with these inefficient numbering systems >and measuring systems. The sooner we change, the sooner the hassle of >dealing with these confusing systems will be over. We'll all know the weight >of the water in our hot tubs, and we can move on to discuss other pressing >topics. >> >> Now I know you're all going to groan, but what we need is to re-introduce >the measure called *the hand*. Granted, the hand is now 4 inches or >something, but my sources say that the hand used to be 3 inches. I believe, >be it by evolution or design, that the hand is meant to be the fundamental >measure of the English system, >> which is in base 12. >> >> >> 3 inches divided by 12 gives a quarter inch, which explains this mark on >our rulers. >> >> 3 inches times 12 gives a yard. >> >> I'm sure 12 yards x 12 is some standard measure. If it isn't, we can make >it one. >> >> 12 yards x 12 x 12 gives 1728 yards, or 5184 feet, which will be a mile, >and the old mile of 5280 feet gets tossed. >> >> 3 inches cubed is a pint, and the current pint (3.06 inches cubed) gets >tossed. >> >> The weight of a pint of water is a pound. >> >> 4 hands are in a foot, and this cubed is a bushel. >> >> 12 hands is a yard, and the weight of a cubic yard of water is a ton. The >current ton (38 cubic inches of water) gets tossed. >> >> Horsepower- the power needed to lift one ton, three inches(one hand)in one >second. >> >> Watt- the power needed to lift one bushel of water three inches in one >second. >> >> Now I was tempted to say that we could start out by merely standardizing >the english system as outlined above, and that MAYBE this could be something >we could accomplish in our lifetime. >> >> But, upon further reflection, I think it's important if we're going to >finally perfect our measuring system, that it be easily written. Therefore, >I say we take the plunge, and introduce 2 new numerals so we can write 10 >and 11 using one digit. If we switch over to base 12, then a foot will not >be 12 inches, but written as 10 inches. >> >> A mile will then be written as 1000 yards, or 10000 hands. And humanity >will be better for it. >> >> **They're coming to take me away, haha haha!** >> To the loony bin, that is, the closed section, in the same part where >Hannibal Lector is held! >> >> Han >> >> --------------------------------------------- >> DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE BY EMAIL! >> --------------------------------------------- >> You have chosen to receive messages from "Metric America" by email. >> >> Reply to this message: >> >http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/metricamerica/bbsfrp?action=r&tid=metricameric a >&sid=12177109&mid=1015 >> >> Unsubscribe from the Club mailing list: >> http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/metricamerica/config/change_mb_list >> >> Return to "Metric America": >> http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/metricamerica >> ---------------------------------------------- >> >> Not a member? Remove yourself from this list: >> >http://edit.clubs.yahoo.com/config/unsubscribe_mb_list?.userID=millitesla&;. g >roupID=metricamerica&.groupType=&.code=kqkKEmys7C >> >
