A peeve but an important one - 20m is NOT 60ft!

[Walter]

Are we talking linear measurements or depth?

Depth is measured by pressure. That pressure is usually measured in fsw (feet of sea water) or msw (meters of sea water). There is an increase of 1 atm pressure when depth is increased by 33 fsw (or 10 msw) by definition. Therefore 20 msw exactly equals 66 fsw. Since 33 fsw does not exactly equal 33 linear feet from the surface (nor does 10 msw exactly equal 10 linear meters from the surface), the same cannot be said for linear measurement.

 

[Blackwood]

Great formula! Let me give it a try...

So if the water in Bonaire is 28°C in the summer, that's like 82°F. But in the winter the water cools a bit, down to like 23°C, which would be "roughly" 32°F, right?

Hmmm? I think a random number generator would be as useful a conversion tool.

When it his 11° you're screwed.

I prefer to use this conversion factor: -40°F = -40°c

 

[Hoomi]

Well, we have far too many High School graduates that can't even manage to count back change if their cash register at Burger Sling doesn't tell them the right amount. It would seem, then, anyone capable of utilizing even a simple conversion factor is ahead of the curve in this country.

True story. Years ago, we went through a fast-food drive-thru for a couple of sodas. I gave the gal working the window a five dollar bill to pay, and she gave me back more than five dollars in change. I said, "This isn't correct," so she tried to give me MORE change. I handed back what she'd given me, and said, "My total was $3.58. I gave you $5.00. My change should be $1.42."

I kid you not. She got this astonished look on her face and said, "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"

I was sure glad I wasn't responsible for balancing her till at the end of each shift.

 

[Monkey_Gland]

The original poster is correct in one sense. An extra three inches would make all the difference.

Also, I for one would rather have a scale created from arcane data points like the temperature of a rats spleen in ice water and the depth that a nightingale sings twelve bar blues that anything based on so called "science".

 

[EGad]

Are we talking linear measurements or depth?

Depth is measured by pressure. That pressure is usually measured in fsw (feet of sea water) or msw (meters of sea water). There is an increase of 1 atm pressure when depth is increased by 33 fsw (or 10 msw) by definition. Therefore 20 msw exactly equals 66 fsw. Since 33 fsw does not exactly equal 33 linear feet from the surface (nor does 10 msw exactly equal 10 linear meters from the surface), the same cannot be said for linear measurement.

Ooh, now someone do the rant about 20,000 leagues under the sea. It would more accurately be approximately 3038 fathoms under the sea as league is a measure of distance and fathom of depth.

And let's not get started on rods, chains, and links. Man I hated learning that stuff. Fortunately I didn't use it often and forgot it quick enough and kept a quick reference handy.

Now, where's my depth gauge that reads in angstroms?

 

[redacted]

Who cares about the metric system? Anyone of importance uses Imperial units anyway.

Give the metric system an inch and it will take a mile. I wouldn't even let it get a foot in the door. No one talks metric in my yard.

We may not be metric yet, but we are inching our way towards it.

I have a metric computer I use around the imperial dive police, and an imperial computer I use around the metric dive police. It is usually pretty easy to confuse the imperial dive police.

 

[Blackwood]

Also, I for one would rather have a scale created from arcane data points like the temperature of a rats spleen in ice water and the depth that a nightingale sings twelve bar blues that anything based on so called "science".

What unit systems (aside maybe from those including things like planck length and absolute temperature) are based on science rather than arbitrary quantities?

Seems to me that 'one ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator to the North Pole along the Paris Meridian' is pretty arcane (and the curent meter is also arbitrary).

 

[Monkey_Gland]

What unit systems (aside maybe from those including things like planck length and absolute temperature) are based on science rather than arbitrary quantities?

Seems to me that 'one ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator to the North Pole along the Paris Meridian' is pretty arcane (and the curent meter is also arbitrary).

Yeah, probably.

I was only posting for the dick joke really....

 

[Hoomi]

Ooh, now someone do the rant about 20,000 leagues under the sea. It would more accurately be approximately 3038 fathoms under the sea as league is a measure of distance and fathom of depth.

If I recall correctly, though, the title does not refer to how deep the Nautilus went in the story, but rather how far they traveled in the submersible vehicle.

Since a fathom is app. 6 feet, Vernes' story would have been even more incredible if he'd purported the Nautilus as having a safe working depth of over 18,000 feet. (The modern Seawolf class of attack subs are estimated to have a collapse depth of 2400 feet)

Me, I just can't fathom going that deep.

 

[Blackwood]

Yeah, probably.

I was only posting for the dick joke really....

Which was pretty funny, I'll give you that.