The Off Topic Topic

[jimmy olsen]

Missed this one somehow! 

[garbon]

No gramme shit, darling.

Hence the parentheses, bitch.

kilo(gramme)

But we also use gram.

[MadImmortalMan]

But we also use gram.

We use the whole metric system, but let's not spoil their fun. 

[Duque de Bragança]

But we also use gram.

We use the whole metric system, but let's not spoil their fun. 

The whole metric system? 
Even the Brits are better at it.

[MadImmortalMan]

But we also use gram.

We use the whole metric system, but let's not spoil their fun. 

The whole metric system? 
Even the Brits are better at it.

"The preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce."

We may not be "good at it", whatever that means. But we do use it. 

[Josephus]

I love these French predreds.  So steampunk.

Honest question, though:  is it really steampunk when discussing period-specific technology? 

It's kind of like watching Casablanca for the first time, and complaining about all the movie cliches, right?

There were ships of shapes and sizes
Scattered out along the bay
And I thought I heard her calling
As the steamer pulled away

The Invaders must have seen them
As across the coast they filed
Standing firm between them
There lay Thunder Child

Moving swiftly through the waters
Cannons blazing as she came
Brought a mighty metal War-Lord
Crashing down in sheets of flame

Sensing victory was nearing
Thinking fortune must have smiled
People started cheering
'Come on Thunder Child'
'Come on Thunder Child'

JOURNALIST: The Martians released their Black Smoke, but the ship sped on, cutting
down one of the tripod figures. Instantly, the others raised their Heat Rays and melted
the Thunder Child's valiant heart.

PEOPLE: Lashing ropes and smashing timbers
Flashing Heat Rays pierced the deck
Dashing hopes for our deliverance
As we watched the sinking wreck

With the smoke of battle clearing
Over graves in waves defiled
Slowly disappearing
Farewell Thunder Child!
Slowly disappearing
Farewell Thunder Child!
Farewell Thunder Child!
Farewell Thunder Child!

JOURNALIST: When the smoke cleared, the little steamer had reached the
misty horizon, and Carrie was safe. But the Thunder Child had vanished forever,
taking with her man's last hope of victory. The leaden sky was lit by green flashes,
cylinder following cylinder, and no one and nothing was left now to fight them.

The Earth belonged to the Martians.

Havent heard this in ages. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb4BWSUV8mM

[celedhring]

Me neither. I was obsessed with this album when the videogame came out in the 90s 

[Duque de Bragança]

But we also use gram.

We use the whole metric system, but let's not spoil their fun. 

The whole metric system? 
Even the Brits are better at it.

"The preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce."

We may not be "good at it", whatever that means. But we do use it. 

From your link

but permitted the use of United States customary units in non-business activities.

I am sure you understood very well what I meant.

[garbon]

But we also use gram.

We use the whole metric system, but let's not spoil their fun. 

The whole metric system? 
Even the Brits are better at it.

"The preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce."

We may not be "good at it", whatever that means. But we do use it. 

From your link

but permitted the use of United States customary units in non-business activities.

I am sure you understood very well what I meant.

Euros always wanting to force people to do things. #freebritain #metricmartyrs

[Josquius]

Well that's lovely.
My hot water didn't come out this morning.  Nothing from the taps.  Eventually a cough and a splutter and some delicious brown gunk.
This being switzerland I just know it's going to be at least a week before they fix it.
Just look at the solidarity I'm feeling for my American brothers.

[MadImmortalMan]

I am sure you understood very well what I meant.

We're supposed to have metric brownshirts roaming the streets beating up people who order a pint? 

[Duque de Bragança]

I am sure you understood very well what I meant.

We're supposed to have metric brownshirts roaming the streets beating up people who order a pint? 

Not really, but at least have the nerds avoid losing a probe over metric and imperial confusions. 

NASA lost a $125 million Mars orbiter because one engineering team used metric units while another used English units for a key spacecraft operation, according to a review

[Liep]

Well that's lovely.
My hot water didn't come out this morning.  Nothing from the taps.  Eventually a cough and a splutter and some delicious brown gunk.
This being switzerland I just know it's going to be at least a week before they fix it.
Just look at the solidarity I'm feeling for my American brothers.

Move to the German part I hear that functions perfectly.

[Capetan Mihali]

See, millimeter is probably the only metric measurement most Americans understand. Well, 9 millimeter at least.

And kilo(gramme) in the illegal drug distribution business too.

Grams and ounces in a confusing jumble at the retail level, pounds and kilograms at the wholesale. 

There are actually some separate measurement conventions in the American drug world; IIRC, an ounce of (tar) heroin is declared to consist of 25 grams (vs the actual 28.3).  For marijuana, cocaine, and meth, an eighth of an ounce ("eight ball") is usually treated as the roughly accurate 3.5 grams.  But for some reason with (tar) heroin, an "eighth" of an ounce is just 3 grams even (and a "quarter" ounce is 6, and so on, until you reach the 24-25 gram "ounce").  I suppose the physical need aspect of heroin compared with the others discourages any quibbling. 

Interestingly, the NYC-based (powder) heroin trade eschews weight entirely and operates exclusively on the basis of bags (which may contain 35-100mg of product): 10 bags (12-14 in Philly) = a bundle; 5 bundles = a brick; 10 bundles = a sleeve.  In Chicago, 10 bags ("blows") is called a jab.  However, the Boston-centered trade does use weight measurements: 5 grams = a finger; 10 grams = a stick.



EDIT:  While the Baltimore trade, to the best of my knowledge, is divided between "scramble" (using a special cut featuring quinine, ostensibly for a better rush; Chicago heroin is famously cut with Dormin aka Benadryl, for a better nod) sold in caps akin to the bag system, and "raw" (cut less, and with the more familiar/inert B-vitamin powder and manita [milk sugar] used in NYC/Philly) which is sold by weight.

[Admiral Yi]

I've always wondered what an eight ball is and how it got its name.  Thanks Mihalia.