Simon BrunningJan 26
Mark Holtom (aka Kingbeard)
Americans will do anything to avoid using the metric system
Jan 23 at 10:43amWeb
Show threadPeter HenryJan 23

@MarkHoltom It's the Emperor Penguins that refuse to upgrade - they are a yard tall and 22 (a chain) were laid down by explorers for the standard length of a cricket pitch.

Little Penguins are fine with metric

Show threadArcane RoopsJan 23
@thanetric @MarkHoltom I learn something new every day. In UK (and others?) you sometimes see railway bridges that quote distance in chains. 80 chains to a mile, from memory.
Show threadColm Ó DonnchadhaJan 23
@arcaneoverflow @thanetric @MarkHoltom
A cricket pitch is a chain long
Show threadArcane RoopsJan 23
@ColmDonoghue @thanetric @MarkHoltom I know, but I was surprised to learn it from other comments in this thread.
Show threadColm Ó DonnchadhaJan 23
@arcaneoverflow @thanetric @MarkHoltom
I was surprised to see there's 10 chains in a furlong, it's a suspiciously decimal-like english measurement
Show threadGalbinus CaeliJan 23
@ColmDonoghue @arcaneoverflow @thanetric @MarkHoltom Measurement and counting systems tend to start decimal or divisible(base 12). Then get weird later.
Show threadPeter LudemannJan 23
@GalbinusCaeli @ColmDonoghue @arcaneoverflow @thanetric @MarkHoltom And an acre is 1 chain by 10 chains.
Show threadPaul WagenseilJan 23
@PeterLudemann @GalbinusCaeli @ColmDonoghue @arcaneoverflow @thanetric @MarkHoltom This ... explains a lot. "40 acres and a mule," for one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_(unit)
Chain (unit) - Wikipedia

Show threadArcane RoopsJan 23
@wagenseil @PeterLudemann @GalbinusCaeli @ColmDonoghue @thanetric @MarkHoltom Don't get me started on the furlong-firkin-fortnight system of units, or why my toy OS measures time in microfortnights :-)
Show threadPeter HenryJan 23
@GalbinusCaeli @ColmDonoghue @arcaneoverflow @MarkHoltom It's a pity that octal didn't catch on - still very handy for sharing and sums but would map very easily to the binary computer world
Show threadWilliam B PeckhamJan 23
@thanetric @GalbinusCaeli @ColmDonoghue @arcaneoverflow @MarkHoltom I prefer hexadecimal, but even my co-workers think I'm weird.
Show threadRealGene ☣️Jan 24
@thanetric @GalbinusCaeli @ColmDonoghue @arcaneoverflow @MarkHoltom
DEC understood that octal was clearly superior.
Show threadGalbinus CaeliJan 24
@RealGene @thanetric @ColmDonoghue @arcaneoverflow @MarkHoltom Octal only divides by twos and fours. Base 12 divides by twos, threes, fours, and sixes. (Base 10 only divides by twos and fives.)
Show threadArcane RoopsJan 24
@RealGene @thanetric @GalbinusCaeli @ColmDonoghue @MarkHoltom I've always been fond of base six, which Jan Misali calls "seximal" in his "Every base is base 10".
Show threaddrobwilJan 24
@arcaneoverflow @thanetric @MarkHoltom
Surveyor's measuring chain. Rolls up for easy transport, precise, works well over uneven ground. Still the measuring instrument of choice for railways, I believe.
Show threadPeter HenryJan 24
@MarkHoltom The NASA AI attempt to use penguins as a comparative measure that has a wide international meaning is an interesting cute trend. With luck, when Skynet becomes sentient it will be so busy telling "Dad" jokes that it won't have time to build the Terminators
Show threadStephanie LamyJan 23
@MarkHoltom tbf : the penguin system seems awesome.
Show threadFranck MéeJan 23
@MarkHoltom Actually, this is using the metric system, just without acknowledging the fact.
Not using the metric system would be "22 meters wide, same as 30 magellanic penguins". 😉
Show threadDam H.Jan 23
@MarkHoltom actually it's Israelian dairy https://www.jpost.com/science/article-729035
2 asteroids the size of 22 penguins to pass Earth this weekend - NASA | The Jerusalem Post

Both asteroids 2023 AT and 2023 AE1 are as much as 22 meters wide, meaning 22 emperor penguins. They won't hit us though – penguins are more likely to.

The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com
Show threadSimon ZerafaJan 23

@MarkHoltom

Strangely, Penguins are the only animal that actually grow to exact metric heights 🙂🤷‍♂️

So given that inches are also defined as their metric measures then metric is unavoidable 😉

Show threadRoadskater, Ph.D.Jan 23

@MarkHoltom Typical Jerusalem Post headline.

https://britastro.org/forums/topic/use-of-non-technical-units-in-astronomy

Use of Non-Technical Units in astronomy – British Astronomical Association

Show threadbenJan 23
@MarkHoltom I’d love to give them the benefit of the doubt but an emperor penguin doesn’t seem like the sort of thing of which the average American (or European, to be fair) would have an intuitive understanding of the size.
Show threadBunNICKula🇨🇦Jan 23

@benjamineskola

It's the Emperor bit that attracts them.

@MarkHoltom

Show threadAtomic OrbitalsJan 23
@intothewestaway @benjamineskola @MarkHoltom Coppertone Caligula wants to be emperor of the penguins next. Expect annexation of Antarctica. (I doubt if he knows there are any in the Galapagos islands.)
Show threadCrystal_Fish_CavesJan 23

@geoglyphentropy

"Coppertone Caligula" has just replaced "Temu Oompa Lumpa" Congrats 🎉

Show threadMaier AmsdenJan 23
@benjamineskola @MarkHoltom If it was for Americans, they'd measure them in AR-15s.
Show threadDan Neuman 🇨🇦Jan 23
@MaierAmsden @Crystal_Fish_Caves @benjamineskola @MarkHoltom Did you know that an AR-15 is exactly 1 metre long?
Show threadPhilJan 23
@MarkHoltom Also, the wording got me wondering whether emperor penguins can get a metre wide.
Show threadRichard GriffithsJan 23
@MarkHoltom So that's approximately 2.3 London buses, nearly 11 Richard Osman's, or 3.6 Giraffe's (thanks to the Register)
Show threadMitch RoseJan 23

@MarkHoltom

22 penguins _is_ a metric
no, really

Show threadquello che perde i pezziJan 23
@MarkHoltom
penguins approx are 3 to 5 bananas tall, before someone asks.
you're welcome.
Show threadCrystal_Fish_CavesJan 23
@lowlevel @MarkHoltom are those Wild bananas or Domesticated?
Show threadoarndJan 23
@MarkHoltom 😂😂😂😂
Show threadBean 🇺🇸🇻🇪Jan 23

@MarkHoltom

What do you mean? African or European penguins?

Show threadIván Sánchez OrtegaJan 23
@TechBean @MarkHoltom
Show threadAaronJan 23
@TechBean @MarkHoltom There has to be a Linux joke somewhere in here
Show threadThird spruce tree on the leftJan 23

@hosford42 @TechBean @MarkHoltom

Yeah but African penguins are non-migratory.

Show threadCrystal_Fish_CavesJan 23
@hosford42
How many Kernals in a Torvald?
Show threadD. G. MarshallJan 23

@TechBean @MarkHoltom

They could grip the asteroid by the husk.

Show threadAndyJan 23
@MarkHoltom I was just about to rant about it's unclear which kind of penguin they mean, but then I read emperor penguin🐧 in the subtitle. That's about two an a halve metric tons of gaga comparison.
Show threadRue MohrJan 23
@MarkHoltom Imperial /32ths of an inch wrenches are just to deal with metic hardware.
Show threadcaitpJan 23
@MarkHoltom penguins are a meter wide? for real? is this like the Danny Devito penguin or the actual bird
Show threadLa mère tumeJan 23
@MarkHoltom It's "emperor" penguins, they managed to turn meters into an imperial units
Show threadcaneToad Jan 23

@MarkHoltom In the end, this post qualifies to get me a ration of decent rum - Cheers, and All Hail the Emperor Penguins!

You're doin great, pals!

Show threadRejinJan 23
@MarkHoltom No one can compete with San Miguel Sheriff in this arena.
Show threadPasswordsarehard4Jan 23
@rejinl @MarkHoltom that one literally did make me laugh out loud. I’m saving this.
Show threadRejinJan 23
@passwordsarehard4 @MarkHoltom It's a classic!
Show threadRachel RawlingsJan 23

@MarkHoltom Please just say meters, because I would not pick an emperor as my default penguin (chinstrap, or Tux).

Signed,

An American who doesn't get to the zoo often.

Show threadThe Sleight Doctor 🃏🍉Jan 23

@MarkHoltom What species of penguin? Because there are literally small penguins and emperor penguins.

Also is that 22 penguins per asteroid, making 44 penguins in total, or is each asteroid the size of 11 penguins?

Wars have been caused by less ambiguity than this!

Show threadDan RileyJan 23
@MarkHoltom but, but, but…what does “size of” mean? Is penguin exclusively a measure of linear distance, or isn’t it also a measure of area, volume, and mass? And is there a unified system where the penguin is also a unit of time?
Show threadBogDrakonovJan 23
@MarkHoltom at this point it has to be just to fuck with the rest of the world.
Show threadWesDymJan 23

@MarkHoltom The average American has no idea how big any penguin is. They only live in zoos here, and most of us haven't seen them up close. This is such a weird analogy.

Just say metres, and let people figure it out. And if they can't, oh well.

Show threadMr. Lance E Sloan (IRL) 👤Jan 23

@MarkHoltom
Them: What is your height?
Me: About 1.9 penguins.

#metricSystem

Show threadDJ Sexy FreshJan 23
@MarkHoltom
Show threadMaier AmsdenJan 23
@djsf @MarkHoltom 😆
Show threadCloudmom ColetteJan 23
@MarkHoltom or measurements at all, really
Show threadBunNICKula🇨🇦Jan 23

@MarkHoltom

Missed the opportunity to say they will fly by.

Show threadAngus McIntyreJan 23
@MarkHoltom Brb, just scripting a new kaiju movie about 2 penguins the size of 22 asteroids.
Show threadNixieJan 23
@MarkHoltom HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Show threadVeronica OlsenJan 23
@MarkHoltom Ah, yes, the common backyard emperor penguin. Everyone knows what size they are!