Obscure Engineering Conversion Factors

[Herk7769]

1. Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter = Eskimo Pi


2. 2000 pounds of Chinese Soup = Won ton


3. 1 millionth of a mouthwash = 1 microscope


4. Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement = 1 bananosecond


5. Weight an evangelist carries with God = 1 billigram


6. Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour = Knotfurlong


7. 365.25 days of drinking low-calorie beer = 1 Lite year


8. 16.5 feet in the Twilight Zone = 1 Rod Serling


9. Half a large intestine = 1 semicolon


10. 1,000,000 aches = 1 megahurtz


11. Basic unit of laryngitis = 1 hoarsepower


12. Shortest distance between two jokes = a straight line


13. 2000 mockingbirds = two kilomockingbirds


14. 1 kilogram of falling figs = 1 Fig Newton


15. 1000 ccs of wet socks = 1 literhosen


16. 8 nickels = 2 paradigms

[Forbes]

only you would find these..hope you and Laura are doing well, talk soon.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Forbes

only you would find these..hope you and Laura are doing well, talk soon.

Doing well! Had a blast at NASA; thanks so much.

[B47]

Originally Posted by herk7769

1. Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter = Eskimo Pi


2. 2000 pounds of Chinese Soup = Won ton


3. 1 millionth of a mouthwash = 1 microscope


4. Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement = 1 bananosecond


5. Weight an evangelist carries with God = 1 billigram


6. Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour = Knotfurlong


7. 365.25 days of drinking low-calorie beer = 1 Lite year


8. 16.5 feet in the Twilight Zone = 1 Rod Serling


9. Half a large intestine = 1 semicolon


10. 1,000,000 aches = 1 megahurtz


11. Basic unit of laryngitis = 1 hoarsepower


12. Shortest distance between two jokes = a straight line


13. 2000 mockingbirds = two kilomockingbirds


14. 1 kilogram of falling figs = 1 Fig Newton


15. 1000 ccs of wet socks = 1 literhosen


16. 8 nickels = 2 paradigms

Very good and funny. I think next time we order Chinese at Hong Kong Express, I'll ask for 2,000 pounds of their soup or Won ton

[awwall]

Good ones, Herk...

[F and E Damp]

Except that, to a Brit, Won Ton is 2240 pounds!

16 ounces in a pound, 14 pounds in a stone, two stones in a quarter (28 pounds), four quarters in a hundred weight (112 pounds) and 20 hundred weights in a ton.

Back in the early 1960's (I think), the UK Vickers Aircraft Company were bidding their Vanguard airplane against Lockheed's Electra for an Eastrern Airlines order. Both companies quoted their cargo capacity in tons and Vickers lost because they'd used 2240 pounds/ton and Lockheed had used 2000 pounds/ton. On such small details, major issues hinge!

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by F and E Damp

On such small details, major issues hinge!

Boy Howdy....

CNN - NASA's metric confusion caused Mars orbiter loss - September 30, 1999

[B47]

Originally Posted by F and E Damp

Except that, to a Brit, Won Ton is 2240 pounds!

16 ounces in a pound, 14 pounds in a stone, two stones in a quarter (28 pounds), four quarters in a hundred weight (112 pounds) and 20 hundred weights in a ton.

Back in the early 1960's (I think), the UK Vickers Aircraft Company were bidding their Vanguard airplane against Lockheed's Electra for an Eastrern Airlines order. Both companies quoted their cargo capacity in tons and Vickers lost because they'd used 2240 pounds/ton and Lockheed had used 2000 pounds/ton. On such small details, major issues hinge!

I may wrong or thinking of something else, but in school we were taught about "short ton" and a "long ton" as being different weights.

Is this the same or am I thinking of something else?

[prairiecamper]

Originally Posted by B47

I may wrong or thinking of something else, but in school we were taught about "short ton" and a "long ton" as being different weights.

Is this the same or am I thinking of something else?

I believe it is the same!

[prairiecamper]

How about the Gimli glider? A Boeing 767 Ottawa to Edmonton flight runs out of fuel approx half way due to metric / english units of measure.

Gimli Glider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[B47]

Originally Posted by prairiecamper

How about the Gimli glider? A Boeing 767 Ottawa to Edmonton flight runs out of fuel approx half way due to metric / english units of measure.

Gimli Glider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yep I remember that one - landed on an abandoned race strip if I remember correctly.

[Arefbee]

Originally Posted by prairiecamper

How about the Gimli glider? A Boeing 767 Ottawa to Edmonton flight runs out of fuel approx half way due to metric / english units of measure.

Gimli Glider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Funny, I thought of that incident immediately too. Never heard it refered to with a specific name before.
That landing is the most impressive "success from the the jaws of disaster" scenario I have ever been aware of.

[prairiecamper]

Originally Posted by B47

Yep I remember that one - landed on an abandoned race strip if I remember correctly.

Actually an de-commissioned military airfield and 1 runway used as a dragstrip!
Now used as an industrial park among other things.

[GlacierGus]

Very much enjoyed the article about the Gimli Glider! Herk's jokes were pretty good also.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by GlacierGus

Very much enjoyed the article about the Gimli Glider! Herk's jokes were pretty good also.

Thanks, I have to read one and laugh two days in a row to post it.

I figured if it was a "Funny twice" it is worth sending out.

"Funny Once" jokes get put in the trash can. I wish more folks would do that.