Never said that I did.... but I to had think harder to figure out the start/stop times - and I don't use the 24hr clock... I'm a 12hr clock user from way back.
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Why does the USA not use the 24 hour clock?
- Thread starter Happybunny
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Never said that I did.... but I to had think harder to figure out the start/stop times - and I don't use the 24hr clock... I'm a 12hr clock user from way back.
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You're missing the point. It is simple for us to understand because we know it already but that doesn't mean it's easier. It's easier to learn metric than imperial, if we was to change over everything would change with it. So yes it would be simple to buy gas in liters because that's how it would be sold, our cars would have litter gas tanks and not gallons.
It would be smarter to use metric like the rest of the world, we already have to teach kids both systems in school so why not cut out the one no one uses. The 24 hour clock is simple to use as well it's not to hard to understand its just that no one wants to, after 12 just subtract the number by 12 to get the time so 15-12= 3 which is obviously pm. Switching to a 24 hour clock doesn't really gain anything though like switching metric would.
The only reason why we haven't went to metric is because everything will change road signs, directions, cars, the things we buy, how **** gets built, how food is prepared and much more. The only way would be to cut out everything and go straight to metric but then that leaves everyone that doesn't understand it out in the cold.
There are some professions that require the use of the 24 hour clock. Military, police, medical, and some other jobs that work on 24 hour shifts.
And holy thread resurrection!
And holy thread resurrection!
FWIW, I was taught in school that "a pint's a pound"(at least for US pints, not British pints) so a gallon of some sort of water-based liquid is around 8lbs.
I'm a chemist both by training and profession. I can fluently "speak" the metric system in the lab, but having grown up with imperial measures I am comfortable with them everywhere else.
Also, I notice a lot of "high and mighty" talk about science using the metric system. The truth(and something that I try to drill into my students when I teach) is that truthfully the units don't matter as long as you're consistent in them. Often, that will also be a matter of choosing the correct constants. One of my favorite general chemistry ones is the gas constant, R, which is usually stated as .08314 atm*L/mol*K for the ideal gas law. In truth, you can just as easily do the same thing in imperial units provided that you use the proper gas constant-.1892 psi•gal/mol•ºR.
Since-as a policy-I provide conversion factors on exams(actually a course policy for the department) I have been known to come up with problems using units that are obscure(to Americans) like fathoms and stones. I bought some fuel line hose the other day and asked for "two fathoms" just for the heck of it(I really wanted about 10 feet but figured a little extra wouldn't hurt) and was impressed when the clerk didn't bat an eye and just cut of 12 feet. Imperial units are now all precisely defined in terms of metric units(which, with the exception of the kilogram, are defined by fundamental constants of nature) so there is no loss in precision in switching between the two systems.
One other thing-other fields have their own somewhat proprietary measures. If you handle precious metals at all, you'd be well advised to learn the troy system since it's a universal language among folks who deal in them. One troy ounce is ~31g vs. ~28g for an avoirdupois ounce(the "common" imperial ounce). This is abbreviated toz, while a common sub-unit is the pennyweight(dwt) that is 1/20 toz. One dwt~1.5g.
Ammunition commonly uses grains(gr) for both powder charges and bullet weights. Grains are actually equal across the apocathery system, avoirdupois system, and troy system. A grain is about 65mg, and is 1/7000 of an avoirdupois pound. Shotgun shell loads are still quoted in equivalents to drams(dr) of black powder. A dram is 60 grains .
I love metrology(the science of measures) so get excited about these weird sort of things. I think sometimes my students get bored when I get misty eyed talking about the International Prototype Kilogram
I'm a chemist both by training and profession. I can fluently "speak" the metric system in the lab, but having grown up with imperial measures I am comfortable with them everywhere else.
Also, I notice a lot of "high and mighty" talk about science using the metric system. The truth(and something that I try to drill into my students when I teach) is that truthfully the units don't matter as long as you're consistent in them. Often, that will also be a matter of choosing the correct constants. One of my favorite general chemistry ones is the gas constant, R, which is usually stated as .08314 atm*L/mol*K for the ideal gas law. In truth, you can just as easily do the same thing in imperial units provided that you use the proper gas constant-.1892 psi•gal/mol•ºR.
Since-as a policy-I provide conversion factors on exams(actually a course policy for the department) I have been known to come up with problems using units that are obscure(to Americans) like fathoms and stones. I bought some fuel line hose the other day and asked for "two fathoms" just for the heck of it(I really wanted about 10 feet but figured a little extra wouldn't hurt) and was impressed when the clerk didn't bat an eye and just cut of 12 feet. Imperial units are now all precisely defined in terms of metric units(which, with the exception of the kilogram, are defined by fundamental constants of nature) so there is no loss in precision in switching between the two systems.
One other thing-other fields have their own somewhat proprietary measures. If you handle precious metals at all, you'd be well advised to learn the troy system since it's a universal language among folks who deal in them. One troy ounce is ~31g vs. ~28g for an avoirdupois ounce(the "common" imperial ounce). This is abbreviated toz, while a common sub-unit is the pennyweight(dwt) that is 1/20 toz. One dwt~1.5g.
Ammunition commonly uses grains(gr) for both powder charges and bullet weights. Grains are actually equal across the apocathery system, avoirdupois system, and troy system. A grain is about 65mg, and is 1/7000 of an avoirdupois pound. Shotgun shell loads are still quoted in equivalents to drams(dr) of black powder. A dram is 60 grains
. I love metrology(the science of measures) so get excited about these weird sort of things. I think sometimes my students get bored when I get misty eyed talking about the International Prototype Kilogram
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Nice that you can predict the future.
The 24 hour system has no place in everyday life. It's very silly. 12-hour is much easier.
Quite a bit of the world's population has been living with the "silly" 24 hour time system for a long time doing just fine.
You can also apply the "silly" and "much easier" part to hearing "call me at eight tomorrow" and knowing immediately and for certain just from that if the reference is to morning of evening.
Only the military uses 24 hour If we all started talking that way, we'd all be committed for psychiatric evaluation.
Ammunition commonly uses grains(gr) for both powder charges and bullet weights. Grains are actually equal across the apocathery system, avoirdupois system, and troy system. A grain is about 65mg, and is 1/7000 of an avoirdupois ounce. Shotgun shell loads are still quoted in equivalents to drams(dr) of black powder. A dram is 60 grains
I'm a mechanical engineer and we often measure humidity ratio (which is not the same as relative humidity) in grains H2O/lb of dry air, and in this case a grain is 1/7000 of a pound.
Oops, I made a big mistake in that. A grain is indeed 1/7000 of an avoirdupois pound(avoirdupois pounds are what your bathroom scale reads).
Sorry about that!
But, in any case, when reloading it makes things easy. Powders(both smokeless and black) are typically sold by the avoirdupois pound or multiples of it(4 and 8lbs usually), although there are some "fluffy" powders that are sold in a standard-size 1lb can but actually contain less than 1lb of powder. All that aside, though, if I have a load that calls for 2.7gr of Bullseye powder, it's easy to calculate how many rounds that 1lb can will theoretically supply. Admittedly, in that case, "a whole lot" is a good enough answer
. I bought the last 8lb keg of Bullseye I saw(since it was unavailable for a while) and figure that will last me quite a long time. In addition, I buy bulk "scrap" lead(usually wheel weights from a local tire shop) to cast into bullets. I usually cast in two stages, with the first being "processing" the lead-i.e. melting it, fluxing to get rid of the lead oxides, and skimming all the crap off the top(steel weight clips, dirt, brake dust, etc) and then pouring those up into 1lb ingots that stack nicely and are ready to go when I want to cast bullets. If I'm casting-for example-158gr bullets-it's easy to calculate how many I get from 1lb of lead.
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In America, children roam the streets with firearms. You folks want to debate time and measurement systems???
On the other hand, I taught Elementary school in the 1970s and metrics had a descent start. It would have been transitioned successfully except for the election of Ronald Reagan (IMO).
Dale
On the other hand, I taught Elementary school in the 1970s and metrics had a descent start. It would have been transitioned successfully except for the election of Ronald Reagan (IMO).
Dale
I don't think this is nearly as common a thing as you're making it out to be.
Well on the bright side, all these kids with guns are probably drug dealers who use the metric system so....
Thread Revival as of Post No. 152 by the newbie.
I use the 24 hour clock everywhere I can technically apply it. It's not that hard to learn.
I use the 24 hour clock everywhere I can technically apply it. It's not that hard to learn.
I don't think people should complain about this until everyone who uses the metric system or uses the 24 hour clock drives on the right side of the road
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I have one of these, and am quite happy with it because I only want to see 24 hour time. No need to subtract 12, or do any sort of conversion once you're used to it.
I have the "Purist" version though, which means there are only 3 hands: hours, minute, seconds. The hour hand is only used to read in 24-hour time.
The photo below has 4 hands, one of which is used to measure hours on a 12-Hour watch, while the other is used for 24 hour time (although it's not aligned like that below). I don't understand why you'd want 4 hands on such a watch, but it's surprisingly popular.
No need to subtract 12, or do any sort of conversion once you're used to it.
I have the "Purist" version though, which means there are only 3 hands: hours, minute, seconds. The hour hand is only used to read in 24-hour time.
The photo below has 4 hands, one of which is used to measure hours on a 12-Hour watch, while the other is used for 24 hour time (although it's not aligned like that below). I don't understand why you'd want 4 hands on such a watch, but it's surprisingly popular.
I have one of these, and am quite happy with it because I only want to see 24 hour time.
I have the "Purist" version though, which means there are only 3 hands: hours, minute, seconds. The hour hand is only used to read in 24-hour time.
The photo below has 4 hands, one of which is used to measure hours on a 12-Hour watch, while the other is used for 24 hour time (although it's not aligned like that below). I don't understand why you'd want 4 hands on such a watch, but it's surprisingly popular.
Interesting! The 24hr display easier to find on a digital display.
Yep. It's also amazing how many adults don't understand that Midnight is 12 AM and Noon is 12 PM.
Interesting! The 24hr display easier to find on a digital display.
All my computers and digital watches were like that. Just not any analogue watches, whether they're automatic mechanical watches, or quartz-based ones.
I almost bought a Raketa because they're cheap-ish, 24 hours, and the coolest thing to come out of Russia since Ivan Drago and borscht.
As a non-American, I use the 12-hour system in informal situations as I know the other person will figure out AM or PM, and out of laziness since it's shorter to say three-four-five than fifteen-sixteen-seventeen
But I still have a hard time buying vegetables by volume (US-pint) instead of weight. There's no consistency as larger vegetables are usually sold by the pound.
And I don't know what volume is a flooded ounce, and have a hard time figuring out how large is a "cup". To me, a cup is a container used to drink tea, coffee, hot chocolate. And my actual cups are not 248ml, but rather 375 ml, and the next container approaching this value is a glass of 220ml…
I don't know either if a 4lbs + 8 oz baby is underweight or normal weight. Even if it's been more than 30 years since we went metric, I suspect doctors still use US-made instruments.
But I still have a hard time buying vegetables by volume (US-pint) instead of weight. There's no consistency as larger vegetables are usually sold by the pound.
And I don't know what volume is a flooded ounce, and have a hard time figuring out how large is a "cup". To me, a cup is a container used to drink tea, coffee, hot chocolate. And my actual cups are not 248ml, but rather 375 ml, and the next container approaching this value is a glass of 220ml…
I don't know either if a 4lbs + 8 oz baby is underweight or normal weight. Even if it's been more than 30 years since we went metric, I suspect doctors still use US-made instruments.
Good point, however, technically that is incorrect, there is no 12 AM or 12 PM, there is only 12 Noon and 12 Midnight, at 12:01 you go back to Ante (before) Meridian (Noon) or Post (after) Meridian (Noon).
11:59 AM -> 12 Noon -> 12:01 PM
11:59 PM -> 12 Midnight -> 12:01 AM