The only reason metric was adopted in Europe was so everyone could count on their fingers and toes.

To the actual topic, what's the difference with how computers are in almost every aspect of life. Calculations done by hand are a thing of the past. The only thing people are interested in is the answer. If a scientist is working in his lab and something comes out in feet and inches, he uses that. If its in meters, he uses that. You think he cares what his measurements units are? No. He cares about the results. Saying miscalculations are more prevalent in computers using non-metric systems would be as dumb as this argument.

If computers didn't run our lives metric would make sense. I'm an engineer, base 10 systems exist everywhere around us and I use it everyday. Why did feet and inches survive? Computers. If I have something measured in inches, I put the inches into the computer and change the units. Does it make it harder for me to hit enter to get my answer? Not at all.

If armageddon comes and sends us back to the stone age maybe metric will be used everywhere. It's not about stubbornness. It's about a lack of caring. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Since everyone in the US mainly uses it, they won't change it. If they did change it, aside from making new tape measures and thermometers, it wouldn't make a difference. Life would go on. You think people are going to buy new tape measures and thermometers just because some frog says so? Think again.

From another applied standpoint, buildings, roads and almost all construction is based off the Imperial system. Sheetrock is 4 feet, studs in a wall are made to fit this. Ceiling, 2x4s and roof supports are all made based on this system. That's another change of an entire industry of materials.

Practical application does not outweigh financial investment. At least not in today's world.

This is very common. During construction it's common practice to make a big X out of tape on glass doors because someone won't just walk into it, they'll stick a 2x4 through it.

My cousin knocked herself unconscious as a kid by sprinting full speed into what she thought was the open side of a sliding glass door at a hotel. Luckily she was ok, aside from a bruise, once she came to.

>> ^Sagemind:
First of all, those weren't "railroad ties" - 2x4's maybe...
Yes, he has a right to be upset over that video clip.
Though his "blame" is VERY misplaced!
That's like saying, "I'm mad because MSWindows keeps crashing and it's because not enough people read books!" The two are just simply unrelated!



Yes, Beck could not even get the simple weapon right! This commentary was a total waste of time as it was factually incorrect.

First of all, those weren't "railroad ties" - 2x4's maybe...

Yes, he has a right to be upset over that video clip.
Though his "blame" is VERY misplaced!

That's like saying, "I'm mad because MSWindows keeps crashing and it's because not enough people read books!" The two are just simply unrelated!

I need to make a suggestion. Can we add a *virtualpunch command in which dag flies or drives over to blankfist's house and hits in in the face with a 2x4??? Yes the command will only be good against blankfist.

Let's make babies blankfist.

This stupid bitch needs a surgical 2x4 across the face.

The British would've fixed things right up with some 2x4s.

I remember when I was that age that age pretty much EVERYTHING was some form of gun anyway. A staple gun, a stick, a 2X4, etc. Not that I wouldn't have loved having this stuff as well.

I've seen a kid that wasn't allowed war toys, and wasn't allowed to watch TV, bite a potato chip into the shape of a gun and run around shooting people with it. HA! His mom was mortified! As if you could ever stop this kind of behavior.

Why the fuck are they chanting U-S-A? What is he Hacksaw Jim Duggan? Where is his 2x4? HOOOOOOOOOOO!

Yup. Everyone's out to make a buck. Good on you for fixing it yourself.

The same situation happened to me:

The company that's shipping my stuff when I make my move wanted $70 to crate up my HDTV. Not bad,I thought. "What kind of crate will you put it in?" I ask.

"Oh, the guys will get some really heavy duty cardboard and make sure it's all secure."

Yeah, no thanks. A trip to Home Depot, a sheet of plywood, two 2x4s, a table saw and a hour or so later I had myself a wooden trunk for my tv. Not only do I trust it a lot more than cardboard, but I don't have to just throw it away when I get there. It'll go in the closet and hold blankets or something.

More like 'weak 2x4s don't make good ramps'.

I think that would've worked if the board didn't collapse before the front wheel hit the 'people'.

you sound human in the post below. i wish you had a video of that cat doing its thing in the hall

In reply to this comment by choggie:
My only ever partment kitty, was raised for real-world action. Stolen form the pound in Oakland (went to pay for an adoption, they were closed, drizzling weather, kitty heard me and meowed till I saw her, over a small fence and free, wandering on the doggy side..),I took her to San Fran, and made a kitty pole for her outta old jeans and 2x4's.....she had that down quick, and we started training with playing cards. Thumping cards to make them spin and sail, she soon was able to catch them in varying ways, pinned to the wall in the hallway, etc.
The hallway was the best spot, she had the 3 feet covered like a football goal.....I lined the hallway with burlap, from floor to ceiling, and soon kitty would fly up the walls, to catch cards in mid air, or at the ceiling sometimes.....

Long story short, had to give kitty a new home, and at granny's farm in Bellingham WA, kitty went from sq.ft, to 50 acres....she showed her appreciation, with birds and meeces at the back door.

Yer kitty is handsome, and lovin' life!

My only ever partment kitty, was raised for real-world action. Stolen form the pound in Oakland (went to pay for an adoption, they were closed, drizzling weather, kitty heard me and meowed till I saw her, over a small fence and free, wandering on the doggy side..),I took her to San Fran, and made a kitty pole for her outta old jeans and 2x4's.....she had that down quick, and we started training with playing cards. Thumping cards to make them spin and sail, she soon was able to catch them in varying ways, pinned to the wall in the hallway, etc.
The hallway was the best spot, she had the 3 feet covered like a football goal.....I lined the hallway with burlap, from floor to ceiling, and soon kitty would fly up the walls, to catch cards in mid air, or at the ceiling sometimes.....

Long story short, had to give kitty a new home, and at granny's farm in Bellingham WA, kitty went from sq.ft, to 50 acres....she showed her appreciation, with birds and meeces at the back door.

Yer kitty is handsome, and lovin' life!

I wanted to thank you for posting your comment about the loudness wars. It cut through the crap and made a lot of sense. I was upset when I first saw the vid, as I didn't know such remastering was done. I do see how some rock albums, like greenday, wouldn't suffer much from having a brickwall of sound.

One thing, though: given a more ideal audio listening situation (a decent home theater system or monitors, instead of a portable CD player or walkman radio), wouldn't the song always be better off with less normalization and processing? In terms of releasing a song to consumer CD's, is normalization and all that really just meant to compensate for poor sound systems, and improve SNR?

Thank you!
-Ryan

In reply to your comment:
“To Add my .02 worth:

I'm a professional Mastering Engineer, this is the most asked question I get these days from people who notice such things. They usually ask how I stand on the idea of all this, and I usually say that it has its place. The last Green Day Album would be a perfect example of an album that having a "brickwall" or "2x4" waveform is fine, but put that same kind compression on re-mastered CSN or Grateful Dead and we have a problem.

I was saying just today at lunch when this question was raised that it's a shame that more of today's young engineers haven't had to deal with analogue tape. Tape was on it's way out as I got my start in the biz, but at my first job the fellas there MADE me work in analogue to get used to the care that it takes when it comes to levels and compression. Much like learning to draft, you have to learn with paper and pencil first to get a "feel" for it.

Great vid! Thanks for sifting it.”

To Add my .02 worth:

I'm a professional Mastering Engineer, this is the most asked question I get these days from people who notice such things. They usually ask how I stand on the idea of all this, and I usually say that it has its place. The last Green Day Album would be a perfect example of an album that having a "brickwall" or "2x4" waveform is fine, but put that same kind compression on re-mastered CSN or Grateful Dead and we have a problem.

I was saying just today at lunch when this question was raised that it's a shame that more of today's young engineers haven't had to deal with analogue tape. Tape was on it's way out as I got my start in the biz, but at my first job the fellas there MADE me work in analogue to get used to the care that it takes when it comes to levels and compression. Much like learning to draft, you have to learn with paper and pencil first to get a "feel" for it.

Great vid! Thanks for sifting it.