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Neil deGrasse Tyson's Watch

  1. Modest_Proposal Trying too hard to be one of the cool kids Feb 1, 2018

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    I'm a fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson. He's an enthusiastic educator. And witty and warm.

    And I just noticed something on his wrist and had to investigate... I saw the twisted lugs and knew!
    .
     
    27073388_10156080678441613_7629662053990378433_n (1).jpg Neil-DeGrasse-Tyson-3.jpg 1starmus_winners-watch_3.jpg 1starmus_winners-watch_4.jpg
    adam78, TNTwatch, Caliber561 and 8 others like this.
  2. wristpirate Feb 1, 2018

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    I assume I need to contribute to the field of science to get one of these?
     
  3. Canuck Feb 1, 2018

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    CdnWatchDoc, flw, sdre and 3 others like this.
  4. Jwit Not a doctor, but plays one on ΩF Feb 1, 2018

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    Damn you guys are fast. I was just about to post this:D
     
    Baz9614 likes this.
  5. ac106 Feb 1, 2018

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    Better than being a dumbass
     
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  6. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Feb 1, 2018

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    That’s not being a smart ass. That’s correcting some one misstating something to achieve a desired effect. One conjures a brick with intent to sell the other a small amount for personal use. Americans have no clue about weight measurements in metric.

    I wonder what you would think of how I’ve gotten out of jury duty. It involved chiropractors...
     
  7. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Feb 1, 2018

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    Anyone who goes to an American grocery store today needs to understand the metric system. Milk and water is sold by the gallon, but soft drinks are sold either by the fluid ounce or liter, depending on the size of the bottle.or can.

    Beer is generally sold by the fluid ounce, as many local jurisdictions have taxes on beer based on that measurement. Wine is almost exclusively metric, even if made here.

    It's all quite stupid.
    gatorcpa
     
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  8. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Feb 1, 2018

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    Liquid we have an idea mostly due to 2 liter bottles... dry weight though is another issue.
     
  9. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Feb 1, 2018

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    Since when??? A kilogram is about 2.2 pounds (assuming typical gravity force on Earth).

    Heck, some of us even know the difference between weight and mass.
     
  10. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Feb 1, 2018

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    You are not most. ;)
     
    BrianMcKay likes this.
  11. Canuck Feb 1, 2018

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    In Canada, metric measure was a disaster in the construction industry. Converting to metrics didn’t last long. A 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of plywood is stil 4’ by 8’. Likewise pretty much everything else involved in construction. We’ve used metrics for over 40 years, but I still convert from metric out of habit. My 40 year old hobby car is a mixture of metric and SAE bolts and such.
     
    mydeafcat likes this.
  12. micampe Feb 1, 2018

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    My comment was not about him dodging jury duty, I don’t like his “I’m too smart for you” attitude.

    You don’t even have to assume anything, since the pound is defined in term of kilograms. ;)
     
  13. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Feb 1, 2018

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    My Saabs always had computers to convert everything from imperial to metric measurements.

    You could get gas mileage in miles per gallon, km per imperial gallon (for the Canadians in the audience), miles per liter (for the U.K.) or km per liter.

    You could also chose to have the warnings in any one of 7 languages. You can guess which ones they were.

    We really aren't as dumb as people from other countries like to think we are. We do like being different just for the sake of being different.
    gatorcpa
     
    UncleBuck likes this.
  14. Taddyangle Convicted Invicta Wearer Feb 1, 2018

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    So true. And if not for watches I'd have no clue about millimeters. 42mm is my sweet spot.
     
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  15. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Feb 1, 2018

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    it is a simplification to think a country can easily change measurement systems. For instance, the construction products industry here is not tooled for modular metric. So bricks, blocks, rebar, etc. cannot be made to match dimensions that are normal in countries using Si units without the manufacturers having to essentially pay out of their pockets for the retooling.

    When I first started working there was a push by government agencies to design in metric. It did not work well when addressing an existing buildings, but had some promise for new/ ground-up construction. But sourcing materials in modular SI units proved to be difficult. For existing buildings forget it, as you had to match the Imperial sizes.

    We would have to convert everything from Imperial to Metric for the drawings/ specs, and then the contractors would come back with everything in Imperial units anyway. So the design team was essentially the only part of the process actually using metric. After a little while many agencies started to allow dual-units to be provided on drawings/ specs, but then most dropped the SI requirement by the early '00s. Some agencies still require in their contracts that metric be used, but will grant waivers on individual task orders/ projects (which pretty much happens on 100% of them).
     
  16. Kmart Feb 1, 2018

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    The only metric measurement I care about is 750ml. :cool:

    :D
     
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  17. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Feb 1, 2018

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    I actually got a 1L Auchentoshen the other day. I thought US laws prevented a 1L only allowed 500/750/1.5.
     
  18. Kmart Feb 1, 2018

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    I remember reading something to that effect as well but I don't think it's the case as I've seen plenty of 1L bottles about. Plantation in particular sells a lot of their rum in 1L bottles (I have a few on my shelf right now).
     
  19. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Feb 1, 2018

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    They are limited sizes legal in the US. I’ve got some “oddball” Euro sizes bottles.
     
  20. Modest_Proposal Trying too hard to be one of the cool kids Feb 1, 2018

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    It's funny that you say that. I get the opposite effect.

    He impresses me as somebody who believes every person is more curious than they realize. And through his observations tries to remind people that the skeptical and scientific mindset should not be reserved to the laboratory.

    If his court stories are true - they remind us how phrasing can impact human judgement. And gives a bit of black comedy about the motivations of some lawyers. It's not him just being an ass. It's social commentary + a call for skepticism and clear thinking.
     
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