I see the decimal point in yours, I had wondered if the larger space between 
the digits implied a decimal point I could not see.

Mike
On 22/03/2012, at 10:36 , John M. Steele wrote:

> Bad photo.  This Brazilian source states 2,157 kg (using a comma as decimal 
> marker) and has a better photograph clearly showing the decimal point, 2157.4 
> g.
> http://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2012/03/nigeriana-e-presa-em-aeroporto-com-180-capsulas-de-heroina-no-estomago.html
>  
> Although I read Brazilian Portuguese, the story is basically the same and, in 
> fact, is attributed to AP, there is no need to Babelfish it.  As a side note, 
> US Customs tends to use grams for drugs othe than marijuana, and pounds or 
> ounces for marijuana (not sure why)
> To be 21 574 g, each of 180 capsules would have been nearly 120 g, which I 
> doubt could be swallowed.
>  
> Of course, if you want measurements right, you should ignore AP and look for 
> photographic evidence, or an AFP or Reuters story.  AP will usually mangle 
> any metric or convert to Customary and hide the real data.  In this case, I'm 
> pretty comfortable with the clearer photograph.
> 
> --- On Thu, 3/22/12, Michael Payne <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> From: Michael Payne <[email protected]>
> Subject: [USMA:51550] Conversion error
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
> Date: Thursday, March 22, 2012, 10:06 AM
> 
> http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/21/2706274/customs-nigerian-woman-swallowed.html
> 
> Shows a scale used by US Customs at Dulles airport, reads in grams only, 
> shows over 21 kg (so easy to see and read in SI), yet the story says 5 lbs, 
> seems nearer to 50 lbs, but the stuff on the scale does not look like 21 kg 
> worth of drugs. It does not look like there is a decimal point in there?
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> Mike Payne
> 

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