XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: peter@tsto.co.uk   
      
   On 11/01/2026 22:20, Scott Dorsey wrote:   
   > In article <10k0qgo$3r1s$1@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36     
   wrote:   
   >> I have never run across "tons" when talking about cooling. I don't think   
   >> it is common. I have seen BTUs, CFM at xxx degrees, etc.   
   >   
   > It's pretty common for any industrial AC stuff.  Americans also use   
   > "BTU" when we mean "BTU/hr" which is almost as bad as the whole   
   > "calories meaning kcal" mess.   
      
   Heh. Got my UK gas bill yesterday, it includes:   
      
   734.9 kWh - 23.5 gas units at 38.9 calorific value   
      
   In my case (it varies) a "gas unit" is 100 cubic feet (which isn't   
   stated on the bill); the calorific value is given in MJ/m^3 (which isn't   
   stated on the bill); plus there is a "correction factor" of about 1.02   
   (which isn't even mentioned, never mind the exact value used being given   
   on the bill).   
      
   Still, they used to use therms. And maybe ergs, gallons and foot-pounds.   
   Or Batmans (a real unit, though now obsolete, and unrelated to Mr Wayne).   
      
   Aargh, I just found out they still use therms sometimes.   
      
   dunks head in bucket   
      
      
      
   Kiloseconds, anyone? 16 min 40 seconds.   
   Megasecond? 11 days 13 hours, 46 minutes and 40 seconds.   
   Gigasecond? about 31.7 years (about 'cos leap years etc)   
      
   millisecond - too fast for you or me, a young fit cat takes about 20   
   milliseconds to react   
   microseconds - timing accuracy of detonations in an atomic bomb   
   nanoseconds - light travels about a foot (see Grace Hopper)   
      
      
      
      
   Peter Fairbrother   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)