Ask A Foreigner

VEGANGELICA · 05-19-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger

Why do Americans seem to think Brits use the metric system?

I've come across this about 4 times in the past couple of weeks.

I always thought Brits used the metric system, too, not just officially but all the time. One reason is that I hear about "how bad U.S. students are at math and science" compared to, well, almost everyone, and so I assume Europeans are wiser than we are about science issues and shed the old English units long ago.

I wish everyone used the metric system! It is so logical and easy to remember. Also, the U.S. customary system (that we use) differs from the Imperial system (that you use in shops, you say) and creates a horrid mess. Look:

Quote:

The Imperial system uses a stone of 14 lb., a long hundredweight of 112 lb. and a long ton of 2240 lb. The stone is not used in the U.S. and the hundredweights and tons are short being 100 lb. and 2000 lb. respectively.

Where these systems most notably differ is in their units of volume. A U.S. fluid ounce (fl. oz.) c. 29.6 millilitres (ml) is slightly larger than the Imperial fluid ounce (28.4 ml). However, as there are 16 U.S. fl. oz. to a U.S. pint and 20 Imperial fl. oz. per Imperial pint, these Imperial pint is about 20% larger. The same is true of quarts, gallons, etc. Six U.S. gallons are a little less than five Imperial gallons.
Systems of measurement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See? A mess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by right-track

Two cows in a field. One cow says to the other; "Does this mad cow disease worry you?
The second cow replies; "I couldn't give a fuck...I'm a Parrot!"

Ha ha! That's quite a good joke, right-track. I'll remember that one.

crash_override · 05-19-2010, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayleigh.

I'd never heard of him, but I laughed, whats for "unreal"?

I mean is he for real Scottish, and do people from there think he's good? Was he big over there first? Or is he just another fake their trying to push on us like Larry The Cable Guy?

Astronomer · 05-20-2010, 12:31 AM

Metric system ftw. It makes teaching maths so much easier.

Guybrush · 05-20-2010, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crash_override

Some one from Scotland, is this guy for real?

Real or not, I thought his breakfast stuff was funny

FETCHER. · 05-20-2010, 07:36 AM

He is legitimately scottish, but his accent is much different to mines as I suspect he's from somewhere quite far from me, so he sounds strange haha. The breakfast part is so true, I laughed most way through his stuff, but I've never heard anything from him before

Zaqarbal · 05-20-2010, 11:34 AM

The Simpsons, great as always:

Sacrebleu!

~~Sansa Stark~~ · 05-20-2010, 11:39 AM

Canadians-

I know your milk comes in bags and such, but does soymilk as well? what about almond milk?

NumberNineDream · 05-20-2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paloma

Canadians-

I know your milk comes in bags and such, but does soymilk as well? what about almond milk?

That is one detail I forgot... They've got the greatest milk in the universe. When I got to Canada, I cease drinking water, and get hooked on the milk.

Burning Down · 05-20-2010, 02:36 PM

I'm allergic to milk but it's good to know we apparently have the greatest milk in the universe. WOO-HOO!

Anyways, regular milk comes in bags. Each bag is a litre and you buy them in packs of three. Basically, you pick up a huge bag with three 1-litre bags in it. Then you plop a bag into a milk container or pour it into a jug and voila. Regular milk also comes in cartons if you only need to buy a certain amount. Cream only comes in cartons, and chocolate milk usually only comes in cartons but sometimes you can get it in the bags.

Soy, rice, almond, etc milks are sold only in cartons here. I buy either rice or soy milk for my cereal and stuff. I don't normally drink it.

FETCHER. · 05-20-2010, 02:43 PM

Milk is in bags? How strange. I suppose this is to do with packaging and 99% less of it?

05-20-2010, 12:31 AM	#293 (permalink)
Astronomer we are stardust Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,894	Metric system ftw. It makes teaching maths so much easier. __________________

05-20-2010, 11:34 AM	#296 (permalink)
Zaqarbal Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Spain Posts: 824	The Simpsons, great as always: Sacrebleu! __________________ "Lullabies for adults / crossed by the years / carry the flower of disappointment / tattooed in their gloomy melodies."

05-20-2010, 11:39 AM	#297 (permalink)
~~Sansa Stark~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Eyrie, Vale of Arryn, Westeros Posts: 3,234	Canadians- I know your milk comes in bags and such, but does soymilk as well? what about almond milk?

05-20-2010, 02:36 PM	#299 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	I'm allergic to milk but it's good to know we apparently have the greatest milk in the universe. WOO-HOO! Anyways, regular milk comes in bags. Each bag is a litre and you buy them in packs of three. Basically, you pick up a huge bag with three 1-litre bags in it. Then you plop a bag into a milk container or pour it into a jug and voila. Regular milk also comes in cartons if you only need to buy a certain amount. Cream only comes in cartons, and chocolate milk usually only comes in cartons but sometimes you can get it in the bags. Soy, rice, almond, etc milks are sold only in cartons here. I buy either rice or soy milk for my cereal and stuff. I don't normally drink it.