Discussion:
milliHelen - definition
(too old to reply)
occam
2018-09-03 17:53:57 UTC
Permalink
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.

The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.

(Well, it made me smile)
Harrison Hill
2018-09-03 18:00:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
(Well, it made me smile)
Me too. Hopefully the "topless towers" escaped with a scalding, and
Paris with an EU telling-off
Peter T. Daniels
2018-09-03 18:49:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
(Well, it made me smile)
goes back to at least 1958

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_(unit)
Arindam Banerjee
2018-09-10 14:07:45 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
(Well, it made me smile)
goes back to at least 1958
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_(unit)
It goes back to the time when Winston Churchill first saw his future wife.
Richard Yates
2018-09-03 18:49:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
(Well, it made me smile)
It is by no means original to Workaholics, though, with examples found
at least 45 years ago.
Mark Brader
2018-09-03 19:30:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by Richard Yates
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
It is by no means original to Workaholics, though, with examples found
at least 45 years ago.
And, of course, spelled "millihelen". That's what you get for learning
words from the radio.
--
Mark Brader "I think [they] wanted ... us ... to try [them] out
Toronto and then tell the world how good they are, and
***@vex.net it's tempting to do just that." -- Steve Summit
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-09-03 20:13:44 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Richard Yates
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
It is by no means original to Workaholics, though, with examples found
at least 45 years ago.
And, of course, spelled "millihelen".
Of course, but I didn't want seem too pedantic by pointing that out.
Its unit can have H, however. Maybe mHl?
Post by Mark Brader
That's what you get for learning
words from the radio.
--
athel
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-04 07:39:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Richard Yates
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
It is by no means original to Workaholics, though, with examples found
at least 45 years ago.
And, of course, spelled "millihelen".
Of course, but I didn't want seem too pedantic by pointing that out.
Its unit can have H, however. Maybe mHl?
Sure, since the mH has already been taken by Henry,

Jan
Peter Moylan
2018-09-04 10:01:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Richard Yates
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
It is by no means original to Workaholics, though, with examples found
at least 45 years ago.
And, of course, spelled "millihelen".
Of course, but I didn't want seem too pedantic by pointing that out.
Its unit can have H, however. Maybe mHl?
Sure, since the mH has already been taken by Henry,
To mean 0.006 wives.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2018-09-03 23:12:56 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Richard Yates
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
It is by no means original to Workaholics, though, with examples found
at least 45 years ago.
And, of course, spelled "millihelen". That's what you get for learning
words from the radio.
"milliHelen" in a letter in the January 1959 issue of New Scientist.
http://tinyurl.com/yamho9fa
for
https://books.google.ie/books?id=92k0o9xk-RcC&lpg=PA93&dq=New%20Scientist%201959%20Unit%20of%20Ugliness&pg=PA93#v=onepage&q=New%20Scientist%201959%20Unit%20of%20Ugliness&f=false

Unit of ugliness

Sir, - In the correspondence on "The
mathematics of beauty," I was interested
in the concept of the milliHelen, defined
as the amount of beauty required to
launch one ship. It may be of interest
to record that this idea was conceived
independently by an ex-colleague, Edgar
J. Westbury. He and I worked this out
some six months or so ago, extending
the dimension into the opposite realm.
We devised the "negative milliHelen,"
or to bring it into line with current
thought on anti-matter, the "milli-
antiHelen." This is the unit of female
ugliness, and is the amount required to
sink one battleship.
P. Lockwood.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
occam
2018-09-04 06:52:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Richard Yates
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
It is by no means original to Workaholics, though, with examples found
at least 45 years ago.
And, of course, spelled "millihelen". That's what you get for learning
words from the radio.
"milliHelen" in a letter in the January 1959 issue of New Scientist.
http://tinyurl.com/yamho9fa
for
https://books.google.ie/books?id=92k0o9xk-RcC&lpg=PA93&dq=New%20Scientist%201959%20Unit%20of%20Ugliness&pg=PA93#v=onepage&q=New%20Scientist%201959%20Unit%20of%20Ugliness&f=false
Unit of ugliness
Sir, - In the correspondence on "The
mathematics of beauty," I was interested
in the concept of the milliHelen, defined
as the amount of beauty required to
launch one ship. It may be of interest
to record that this idea was conceived
independently by an ex-colleague, Edgar
J. Westbury. He and I worked this out
some six months or so ago, extending
the dimension into the opposite realm.
We devised the "negative milliHelen,"
or to bring it into line with current
thought on anti-matter, the "milli-
antiHelen." This is the unit of female
ugliness, and is the amount required to
sink one battleship.
P. Lockwood.
I'm with Messrs Lockwood and Westbury when it comes to the
capitalisation of milliHelen. As for sinking a battleship, we need to
forget the milli and focus on more realistic multiples.
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-09-03 20:10:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
Post by occam
(Well, it made me smile)
--
athel
RHDraney
2018-09-03 21:38:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
Peter Young
2018-09-04 06:07:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?

Peter.
--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist) (AUE Au)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
occam
2018-09-04 06:48:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-09-04 06:57:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
--
athel
phil
2018-09-04 08:37:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
 And what is a "micro-fortnight"  Is that the time a holiday feels like,
 before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-04 09:40:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by phil
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
Picobarns are more commonly used these days,

Jan
Peter Moylan
2018-09-04 10:03:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by phil
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
So can you hit the side of a barn?
Post by J. J. Lodder
Picobarns are more commonly used these days,
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Peter Young
2018-09-04 16:27:53 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by phil
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
So can you hit the side of a barn?
The last words of an American civil war general were said to be "They
can't hit a barn door at this dist....".

Peter.
--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist) (AUE Au)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
Jerry Friedman
2018-09-04 17:54:12 UTC
Permalink
...
Post by Peter Young
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by phil
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
So can you hit the side of a barn?
Exactly.
Post by Peter Young
The last words of an American civil war general were said to be "They
can't hit a barn door at this dist....".
"Elephant". Unfortunately, the truncation of the last word seems to be
an improvement on what happened.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sedgwick#Death
--
Jerry Friedman
Peter Young
2018-09-04 21:21:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jerry Friedman
...
Post by Peter Young
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by phil
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
So can you hit the side of a barn?
Exactly.
Post by Peter Young
The last words of an American civil war general were said to be "They
can't hit a barn door at this dist....".
"Elephant". Unfortunately, the truncation of the last word seems to be
an improvement on what happened.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sedgwick#Death
Thanks for the correction. I shall have to stop quoting what I mis-quoted.

Peter.
--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist) (AUE Au)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-07 07:31:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by phil
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you
'parselee' (Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary
to launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones
in a megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
So can you hit the side of a barn?
Not even while standing inside it,

Jan
Richard Yates
2018-09-04 11:39:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by phil
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
Picobarns are more commonly used these days,
Wiki also lists the yoctobarn (yb) 10^-52 square meters and the
outhouse (µb) or 10^-34 square meters

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_(unit)
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-04 13:14:03 UTC
Permalink
[snip]
Post by Richard Yates
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by phil
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
And it is HUGE.
Picobarns are more commonly used these days,
Wiki also lists the yoctobarn (yb) 10^-52 square meters and the
outhouse (µb) or 10^-34 square meters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_(unit)
The table header in that Wikipedia entry,
'Commonly used prefixed versions" [of the barn]
is just plain wrong,

Jan
Richard Tobin
2018-09-04 11:28:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by phil
I always liked the unit of cross-sectional area used in
neutron-scattering experiments (and more generally since). The barn is
equal to 10^-28 square metres.
With the result that the barn yard atmosphere is a unit of energy.

A mole of barn yard atmospheres is about 5 Joules.

-- Richard
Jerry Friedman
2018-09-04 16:30:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
With an appropriate license fee.

My estimates of when I'd be done with my dissertation were not unlike
that. A friend in grad school used the phrase "a rolling six months".
--
Jerry Friedman
Anders D. Nygaard
2018-09-06 19:34:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
 And what is a "micro-fortnight"  Is that the time a holiday feels like,
 before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.

It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.

/Anders, Denmark.
Madrigal Gurneyhalt
2018-09-06 21:33:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
 And what is a "micro-fortnight"  Is that the time a holiday feels like,
 before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
How dull. Surely degree of similarity should be measured in Olsens?
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-09-07 06:16:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
 And what is a "micro-fortnight"  Is that the time a holiday feels like,
 before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.

(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
--
athel
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-07 06:54:41 UTC
Permalink
[snip]
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.
(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
Just a German sense of humour, I guess,
and engineers too,

Jan
Peter Young
2018-09-07 07:35:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
[snip]
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.
(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
Just a German sense of humour, I guess,
and engineers too,
"A German joke is no laughing matter".

Peter.
--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist) (AUE Au)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
Kerr-Mudd,John
2018-09-12 15:55:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Young
Post by J. J. Lodder
[snip]
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.
(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
Just a German sense of humour, I guess,
and engineers too,
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
Peter.
MP ref:



What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug.
Mack A. Damia
2018-09-12 16:49:20 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "Kerr-Mudd,John"
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
Post by J. J. Lodder
[snip]
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.
(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
Just a German sense of humour, I guess,
and engineers too,
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
Peter.
http://youtu.be/q9XJeL2MNpw
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Penicillin?
Paul Wolff
2018-09-12 19:19:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "Kerr-Mudd,John"
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Penicillin?
Rather, a word I learnt as "finef", approximately, up in the Hunsruck
(no room for umlauts hier).
--
Paul
Mack A. Damia
2018-09-12 20:01:49 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 20:19:22 +0100, Paul Wolff
Post by Paul Wolff
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "Kerr-Mudd,John"
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Penicillin?
Rather, a word I learnt as "finef", approximately, up in the Hunsruck
(no room for umlauts hier).
Do you mean "Fünf" as in the German word for "five"?

Eins
Zwei
Drei
Vier (pronounced “fear”)
Fünf
Sechs (pronounced “sex” or “zex”)
Sieben
Acht
Neun
Zehn

Jack Train created Funf as the German spy during WW2, re: "It's That
Man Again".

He would come on and say, "This is Funf speaking".

Mark 1:28



This become a catchphrase for people answering the telephone all over
the UK.
Kerr-Mudd,John
2018-09-12 20:43:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 20:19:22 +0100, Paul Wolff
Post by Paul Wolff
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "Kerr-Mudd,John"
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Penicillin?
Rather, a word I learnt as "finef", approximately, up in the Hunsruck
(no room for umlauts hier).
Do you mean "Fünf" as in the German word for "five"?
Eins
Zwei
Drei
Vier (pronounced “fear”)
Fünf
Sechs (pronounced “sex” or “zex”)
Sieben
Acht
Neun
Zehn
Well jokesplained.
Post by Mack A. Damia
Jack Train created Funf as the German spy during WW2, re: "It's That
Man Again".
He would come on and say, "This is Funf speaking".
Mark 1:28
http://youtu.be/2j0iztvm3qE
This become a catchphrase for people answering the telephone all over
the UK.
--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug.
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-09-13 10:10:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 20:19:22 +0100, Paul Wolff
Post by Paul Wolff
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "Kerr-Mudd,John"
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Penicillin?
Rather, a word I learnt as "finef", approximately, up in the Hunsruck
(no room for umlauts hier).
Do you mean "Fünf" as in the German word for "five"?
Eins
Zwei
Drei
Vier (pronounced “fear”)
Fünf
Sechs (pronounced “sex” or “zex”)
Sieben
Acht
Neun
Zehn
Well jokesplained.
I'm grateful: I didn't get until then.
--
athel
Paul Wolff
2018-09-12 23:39:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 20:19:22 +0100, Paul Wolff
Post by Paul Wolff
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "Kerr-Mudd,John"
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Penicillin?
Rather, a word I learnt as "finef", approximately, up in the Hunsruck
(no room for umlauts hier).
Do you mean "Fünf" as in the German word for "five"?
I meant the local dialect "5", which I can't spell in dialect-ASCII.
--
Paul
Mack A. Damia
2018-09-13 00:15:43 UTC
Permalink
On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 00:39:29 +0100, Paul Wolff
Post by Paul Wolff
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 20:19:22 +0100, Paul Wolff
Post by Paul Wolff
Post by Mack A. Damia
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "Kerr-Mudd,John"
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Penicillin?
Rather, a word I learnt as "finef", approximately, up in the Hunsruck
(no room for umlauts hier).
Do you mean "Fünf" as in the German word for "five"?
I meant the local dialect "5", which I can't spell in dialect-ASCII.
I don't think I ever heard the joke before, and I had to Google the
original question to understand it.
Peter Young
2018-09-12 21:31:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by Kerr-Mudd,John
Post by Peter Young
Post by J. J. Lodder
[snip]
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.
(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
Just a German sense of humour, I guess,
and engineers too,
"A German joke is no laughing matter".
Peter.
http://youtu.be/q9XJeL2MNpw
What did Freud say came between fear and sex?
Funf.

Peter.
--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist) (AUE Au)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
Anders D. Nygaard
2018-09-09 15:42:53 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
[...]
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
I get somewhat less than 10^51 liter, which at 6×10^23 nucleons/ccm
is still rather less than the 10^79 nucleons generally believed
to be contained in the visible universe.
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Oh yes. That is sort of the joke, you know.
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.
(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
/Anders, Denmark.
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-09-09 17:27:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
[...]
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
That would weigh something of the order of the mass of the Universe,
I get somewhat less than 10^51 liter, which at 6×10^23 nucleons/ccm
is still rather less than the 10^79 nucleons generally believed
to be contained in the visible universe.
Your probably right: I just did a rough estimate in my head, not even
on the back of an envelope. However, 6 × 10^74 is not so much less than
10^79 that one can't call it "of the order of mass". In any case it's
more than that because the 10^79 relates to hydrogen atoms, and a water
molecule (or a beer molecule, if you like) is 18 times as heavy as a
hydrogen atom. I don't feel I got it so badly wrong. A trivial
discrepancy if Hoyle and Wickramasinghe were allowed to treat a factor
of 10^507 (256!) as trivial when they estimated the probability that
life could have started on earth.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
and would certainly undergo gravitational collapse.
Oh yes. That is sort of the joke, you know.
Yes, I figured that.
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I guess they don't teach critical thinking at the Danish Technical University.
(Being overly literal minded here, I know.)
/Anders, Denmark.
--
athel
Tak To
2018-09-11 22:03:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
 And what is a "micro-fortnight"  Is that the time a holiday feels like,
 before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
--
Tak
----------------------------------------------------------------+-----
Tak To ***@alum.mit.eduxx
--------------------------------------------------------------------^^
[taode takto ~{LU5B~}] NB: trim the xx to get my real email addr
Peter Moylan
2018-09-11 22:45:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
For me, the Billy is a volume measurement for tea.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
musika
2018-09-11 22:57:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day.  Any prediction on what kind it would be?  Width?
Height? Volume?
For me, the Billy is a volume measurement for tea.
"Do you want to come to a tea party with no billies?"
"No can do."
--
Ray
UK
Peter T. Daniels
2018-09-12 02:39:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
They discontinued the 28" and sell only the 36".
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-12 09:54:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
They discontinued the 28" and sell only the 36".
Strange inches you have.
IKEA sells the Billy in 40 cm and 80 cm,
so that will be 15 3/4" and 31 1/2" to you.
They discontinued the 60 cm, 23 5/8" to you.

BTW, why has no American so far sued IKEA
for delivering a Billy that is slightly smaller
than the promised 31 1/2"?

Jan
Madrigal Gurneyhalt
2018-09-12 10:36:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
They discontinued the 28" and sell only the 36".
Strange inches you have.
IKEA sells the Billy in 40 cm and 80 cm,
so that will be 15 3/4" and 31 1/2" to you.
They discontinued the 60 cm, 23 5/8" to you.
BTW, why has no American so far sued IKEA
for delivering a Billy that is slightly smaller
than the promised 31 1/2"?
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-12 13:00:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
They discontinued the 28" and sell only the 36".
Strange inches you have.
IKEA sells the Billy in 40 cm and 80 cm,
so that will be 15 3/4" and 31 1/2" to you.
They discontinued the 60 cm, 23 5/8" to you.
BTW, why has no American so far sued IKEA
for delivering a Billy that is slightly smaller
than the promised 31 1/2"?
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
American-proof? You must be joking,

Jan
Peter T. Daniels
2018-09-12 13:39:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).

https://usefulcharts.com/

Oddly, in googling to find the website, I came across this:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/usefulcharts/writing-systems-of-the-world-poster
Madrigal Gurneyhalt
2018-09-12 15:37:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).
https://usefulcharts.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/usefulcharts/writing-systems-of-the-world-poster
The Virserum comes in 61 x 91 cm which is 24"x 36" all but 3/16" of
length. I can't imagine that you really need it any more exact than that.
Peter T. Daniels
2018-09-12 15:41:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).
https://usefulcharts.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/usefulcharts/writing-systems-of-the-world-poster
The Virserum comes in 61 x 91 cm which is 24"x 36" all but 3/16" of
length. I can't imagine that you really need it any more exact than that.
Sure, if I don't mind crimping or somehow trimming the edges.
Tony Cooper
2018-09-12 16:49:02 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 08:37:34 -0700 (PDT), Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).
https://usefulcharts.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/usefulcharts/writing-systems-of-the-world-poster
The Virserum comes in 61 x 91 cm which is 24"x 36" all but 3/16" of
length. I can't imagine that you really need it any more exact than that.
Perhaps slicing off 3/16" of an inch is not acceptable to PTD, but
poster frames in the 24" x 36" size are available in his area.

Hobby Lobby (ptui!) and Michael's (craft store) both carry them.
Michael's regularly offers (online) coupons for 40% off the shelf
price if the item is not already on special. Frames often are.

This does not deny that IKEA didn't have the exact size available, and
that may have resulted in a wasted trip to the store, but it does
offer alternatives.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Peter T. Daniels
2018-09-12 17:11:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 08:37:34 -0700 (PDT), Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).
https://usefulcharts.com/
Did you go there and see all the offerings that appeal to Anglomaniacs?
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by Peter T. Daniels
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/usefulcharts/writing-systems-of-the-world-poster
The Virserum comes in 61 x 91 cm which is 24"x 36" all but 3/16" of
length. I can't imagine that you really need it any more exact than that.
Perhaps slicing off 3/16" of an inch is not acceptable to PTD, but
poster frames in the 24" x 36" size are available in his area.
How dumb can you be? The topic is not: Are standard-size poster frames
available? The topic is: IKEA loses much of the US poster frame market
because they do not accommodate the most, or one of the most, popular
sizes of posters in the US.

In fact Walmart has several poster frames of the proper size.
Post by Tony Cooper
Hobby Lobby (ptui!) and Michael's (craft store) both carry them.
Michael's regularly offers (online) coupons for 40% off the shelf
price if the item is not already on special. Frames often are.
This does not deny that IKEA didn't have the exact size available, and
that may have resulted in a wasted trip to the store, but it does
offer alternatives.
The reason for going to IKEA is lunch. If things happen to be shopped for
while one is there, so much the better.
Tony Cooper
2018-09-12 21:09:31 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 10:11:06 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
<***@verizon.net> wrote:

TC wrote: Perhaps slicing off 3/16" of an inch is not acceptable to
PTD, but poster frames in the 24" x 36" size are available in his
area.
PTD flamed back aggressively: "How dumb can you be?"

He is easily incensed, but - evidently not so incensed as to add ALL
CAPS.

PTD sputtered on: "The topic is not: Are standard-size poster frames
available? The topic is: IKEA loses much of the US poster frame market
because they do not accommodate the most, or one of the most, popular
sizes of posters in the US."

I *am* dumb! I failed to notice that the topic is "Where are poster
frames available where the seeker can also have lunch?

PTD burbled: "The reason for going to IKEA is lunch. If things happen
to be shopped for while one is there, so much the better."

Well, then, maybe the topic was "Where can I go for lunch that is a
place that sells the size of poster frame that I need?" I feel like
such a meatball for not thinking of this.

I have given this serious thought, though, and tried to research the
situation. I can't find any indication that IKEA's bottom line is
greatly affected by the loss of revenue from failure to be able to
provide housing for a 24" x 36" poster without the onerous task of
trimming a poster of 3/16th of an inch.

In fact, I can't find reliable indication that the "US poster frame
market" is significantly large enough to precipitate a crisis in
IKEA's product line-up choices. Granted, movie posters (which are
very popular) are that 24" x 36" size, but they are usually trainable
by 3/16" of an inch with a razor knife.

We have to make choices in life. One choice is to buy the frame where
lunch is available (or eat lunch where frames are available) and then
endure the snipping chore, or have lunch and then go to a store where
US poster-sized frames are available and get a Chinese-made instead of
Swedish-made poster.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Tony Cooper
2018-09-12 21:12:35 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 17:09:31 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
Granted, movie posters (which are
very popular) are that 24" x 36" size, but they are usually trainable
by 3/16" of an inch with a razor knife.
"Trimmable", of course, not "trainable". Requiring training with a
razor knife for being oversize by 3/16" of an inch seems a bit harsh.
Even in a metaphorical <crime> <punishment> situation.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
bill van
2018-09-13 03:20:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 17:09:31 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
Granted, movie posters (which are
very popular) are that 24" x 36" size, but they are usually trainable
by 3/16" of an inch with a razor knife.
"Trimmable", of course, not "trainable". Requiring training with a
razor knife for being oversize by 3/16" of an inch seems a bit harsh.
Even in a metaphorical <crime> <punishment> situation.
If you do trim your posters, you'll regret it when, down the road,
you take them to the Antiques Road Show and it turns out
the trimming made them worthless.

bill
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-13 08:33:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by bill van
Post by Tony Cooper
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 17:09:31 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
Granted, movie posters (which are
very popular) are that 24" x 36" size, but they are usually trainable
by 3/16" of an inch with a razor knife.
"Trimmable", of course, not "trainable". Requiring training with a
razor knife for being oversize by 3/16" of an inch seems a bit harsh.
Even in a metaphorical <crime> <punishment> situation.
If you do trim your posters, you'll regret it when, down the road,
you take them to the Antiques Road Show and it turns out
the trimming made them worthless.
Your grandchildren will have thrown them away
before even thinking of roadshows.
The really valuable stuff,
like colour prints cut from 18th century books
are still worth money, even when cut out.

Complete uncut books are of course very expensive,

Jan
Peter T. Daniels
2018-09-13 01:15:05 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 10:11:06 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
TC wrote: Perhaps slicing off 3/16" of an inch is not acceptable to
PTD, but poster frames in the 24" x 36" size are available in his
area.
PTD flamed back aggressively: "How dumb can you be?"
He is easily incensed, but - evidently not so incensed as to add ALL
CAPS.
PTD sputtered on: "The topic is not: Are standard-size poster frames
available? The topic is: IKEA loses much of the US poster frame market
because they do not accommodate the most, or one of the most, popular
sizes of posters in the US."
I *am* dumb! I failed to notice that the topic is "Where are poster
frames available where the seeker can also have lunch?
You sure are. It isn't.
Post by Tony Cooper
PTD burbled: "The reason for going to IKEA is lunch. If things happen
to be shopped for while one is there, so much the better."
Well, then, maybe the topic was "Where can I go for lunch that is a
place that sells the size of poster frame that I need?" I feel like
such a meatball for not thinking of this.
It isn't.

And the term is "meathead."
Post by Tony Cooper
I have given this serious thought, though, and tried to research the
situation. I can't find any indication that IKEA's bottom line is
greatly affected by the loss of revenue from failure to be able to
provide housing for a 24" x 36" poster without the onerous task of
trimming a poster of 3/16th of an inch.
In fact, I can't find reliable indication that the "US poster frame
market" is significantly large enough to precipitate a crisis in
IKEA's product line-up choices. Granted, movie posters (which are
very popular) are that 24" x 36" size, but they are usually trainable
by 3/16" of an inch with a razor knife.
So you still haven't gone to see what I was talking about.

Furthermore, some people don't have access to a 36" paper-cutter or other
device with which 3/16" "of an inch" can be successfully trimmed. (When's
the last time you trimmed a rectangle 3/16" x 36" from a sheet of paper?)
Post by Tony Cooper
We have to make choices in life. One choice is to buy the frame where
lunch is available (or eat lunch where frames are available) and then
endure the snipping chore, or have lunch and then go to a store where
US poster-sized frames are available and get a Chinese-made instead of
Swedish-made poster.
The only lunch available at (the nearest) Walmart is McDonalds.

The poster is Canada-made. Can't you read _anything_?

Meanwhile, thanks a whole lot for sending me to one of the lousiest web
sites I've ever seen -- Michaels. It refuses to reveal the price of the
particular size of frame in any of the styles it claims to have it in --
it just shows the range of prices for all the different sizes.

And, too pile insult on insult, what did I find in my spam folder this
evening but an email from Michaels asking me to buy more poster frames.
At no point did I tell it my name or email or address (there doesn't even
seem to be a Locations page where a ZIP code could be entered), yet I will
now doubtless be bombarded with ads from them forever.
RHDraney
2018-09-13 02:55:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
PTD burbled: "The reason for going to IKEA is lunch. If things happen
to be shopped for while one is there, so much the better."
Well, then, maybe the topic was "Where can I go for lunch that is a
place that sells the size of poster frame that I need?" I feel like
such a meatball for not thinking of this.
It isn't.
And the term is "meathead."
Actually, it's "KÖTTBULLAR" (all-caps compulsory)....r
Tony Cooper
2018-09-13 04:44:47 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 18:15:05 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 10:11:06 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
TC wrote: Perhaps slicing off 3/16" of an inch is not acceptable to
PTD, but poster frames in the 24" x 36" size are available in his
area.
PTD flamed back aggressively: "How dumb can you be?"
He is easily incensed, but - evidently not so incensed as to add ALL
CAPS.
PTD sputtered on: "The topic is not: Are standard-size poster frames
available? The topic is: IKEA loses much of the US poster frame market
because they do not accommodate the most, or one of the most, popular
sizes of posters in the US."
I *am* dumb! I failed to notice that the topic is "Where are poster
frames available where the seeker can also have lunch?
You sure are. It isn't.
Post by Tony Cooper
PTD burbled: "The reason for going to IKEA is lunch. If things happen
to be shopped for while one is there, so much the better."
Well, then, maybe the topic was "Where can I go for lunch that is a
place that sells the size of poster frame that I need?" I feel like
such a meatball for not thinking of this.
It isn't.
And the term is "meathead."
Not at IKEA. It's "meatball".
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
I have given this serious thought, though, and tried to research the
situation. I can't find any indication that IKEA's bottom line is
greatly affected by the loss of revenue from failure to be able to
provide housing for a 24" x 36" poster without the onerous task of
trimming a poster of 3/16th of an inch.
In fact, I can't find reliable indication that the "US poster frame
market" is significantly large enough to precipitate a crisis in
IKEA's product line-up choices. Granted, movie posters (which are
very popular) are that 24" x 36" size, but they are usually trainable
by 3/16" of an inch with a razor knife.
So you still haven't gone to see what I was talking about.
Furthermore, some people don't have access to a 36" paper-cutter or other
device with which 3/16" "of an inch" can be successfully trimmed.
Uhh...a yardstick and a razor knife? Mark the distance at several
points, hold the yardstick down between the marked points, and pull
the razor knife along it. Or use a ruler and mark points, draw a
line, use scissors. Chew along the line if you don't know how to use
scissors.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
We have to make choices in life. One choice is to buy the frame where
lunch is available (or eat lunch where frames are available) and then
endure the snipping chore, or have lunch and then go to a store where
US poster-sized frames are available and get a Chinese-made instead of
Swedish-made poster.
The only lunch available at (the nearest) Walmart is McDonalds.
The poster is Canada-made. Can't you read _anything_?
What? You said the poster is the standard American size of 24" x 36".
Are Canadian inches different from US inches?
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Meanwhile, thanks a whole lot for sending me to one of the lousiest web
sites I've ever seen -- Michaels. It refuses to reveal the price of the
particular size of frame in any of the styles it claims to have it in --
it just shows the range of prices for all the different sizes.
Nonsense. I checked one frame with several prices and clicked that
bock. The Trendsetter in 24" x 36" is $29.99. Use a coupon and it's
$17.99 plus tax. To double-check, I went to the Styleline (multiple
prices) box and it's $19.99 before coupon for 24" x 36". Just click
the box to see the prices by size.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
And, too pile insult on insult, what did I find in my spam folder this
evening but an email from Michaels asking me to buy more poster frames.
At no point did I tell it my name or email or address (there doesn't even
seem to be a Locations page where a ZIP code could be entered), yet I will
now doubtless be bombarded with ads from them forever.
So, clear your "Cookies" and you won't be bombarded.*

Actually, I could tell you how to search and not get cookies, but you
are so fucking obnoxious when anyone offers a helpful suggestion that
I'm not going to.

And, there is a store locator click that finds by ZIP code. I don't
know your ZIP code, but IKEA's in Elizabeth in is 07201 and that's 5.2
miles from the Bayonne Michael's. If you can't find the locator link
on the page, that's down to your ineptitude.

Or, get some 9 year-old to show you how to work a computer on the
internet. You really are helpless.

*I would tell you that you can find out how to delete cookies by
Googling "delete cookies", but that means I would have to tell you to
Google Google to find out how to use Google.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
LFS
2018-09-13 11:03:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Meanwhile, thanks a whole lot for sending me to one of the lousiest web
sites I've ever seen -- Michaels. It refuses to reveal the price of the
particular size of frame in any of the styles it claims to have it in --
it just shows the range of prices for all the different sizes.
And, too pile insult on insult, what did I find in my spam folder this
evening but an email from Michaels asking me to buy more poster frames.
At no point did I tell it my name or email or address (there doesn't even
seem to be a Locations page where a ZIP code could be entered), yet I will
now doubtless be bombarded with ads from them forever.
I can't be the only one here who is chuckling happily.
--
Laura (emulate St George for email)
Kerr-Mudd,John
2018-09-13 09:28:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 10:11:06 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
TC wrote: Perhaps slicing off 3/16" of an inch is not acceptable to
PTD, but poster frames in the 24" x 36" size are available in his
area.
PTD flamed back aggressively: "How dumb can you be?"
He is easily incensed, but - evidently not so incensed as to add ALL
CAPS.
PTD sputtered on: "The topic is not: Are standard-size poster frames
available? The topic is: IKEA loses much of the US poster frame market
because they do not accommodate the most, or one of the most, popular
sizes of posters in the US."
I *am* dumb! I failed to notice that the topic is "Where are poster
frames available where the seeker can also have lunch?
PTD burbled: "The reason for going to IKEA is lunch. If things happen
to be shopped for while one is there, so much the better."
Well, then, maybe the topic was "Where can I go for lunch that is a
place that sells the size of poster frame that I need?" I feel like
such a meatball for not thinking of this.
I have given this serious thought, though, and tried to research the
situation. I can't find any indication that IKEA's bottom line is
greatly affected by the loss of revenue from failure to be able to
provide housing for a 24" x 36" poster without the onerous task of
trimming a poster of 3/16th of an inch.
In fact, I can't find reliable indication that the "US poster frame
market" is significantly large enough to precipitate a crisis in
IKEA's product line-up choices. Granted, movie posters (which are
very popular) are that 24" x 36" size, but they are usually trainable
by 3/16" of an inch with a razor knife.
We have to make choices in life. One choice is to buy the frame where
lunch is available (or eat lunch where frames are available) and then
endure the snipping chore, or have lunch and then go to a store where
US poster-sized frames are available and get a Chinese-made instead of
Swedish-made poster.
The issue is that, sadly, the world just doesn't come up to PTD's
expectations. But he's working on it.
--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug.
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-12 17:29:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).
Not standard at all, only used in the US of A.

Worldwide standard sizes are 24x36 cm and 60x90 cm,

Jan
Peter T. Daniels
2018-09-12 17:44:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).
Not standard at all, only used in the US of A.
Worldwide standard sizes are 24x36 cm and 60x90 cm,
I guess you need small posters because your countries are so small.

As I said, these particular posters are Canadian.
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-13 08:33:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Probably because IKEA markets its products in metric
measurements with Imperial only as a secondary guide.
You really think that IKEA's lawyers wouldn't have taken
the requisite steps to bypass any potential problem?
They lost a customer because the biggest poster frame they sell can't
accommodate a 24" x 36" poster (an extremely standard size -- and the
one in question is from Canada, a "scripts of the world" poster that
I consulted on and was "paid" with four copies of).
Not standard at all, only used in the US of A.
Worldwide standard sizes are 24x36 cm and 60x90 cm,
I guess you need small posters because your countries are so small.
Clueless as usual.
The 24x36cm is part of the age-old photography formats,
such as 6x9 cm, 9x12cm, 18x24cm and so on,
in alternating 2:3 and 3:4 formats.

Jan
Quinn C
2018-09-12 17:46:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
They discontinued the 28" and sell only the 36".
Strange inches you have.
IKEA sells the Billy in 40 cm and 80 cm,
When I bought mine, in the 1980s, they were 60 cm and 90 cm, which
should work out to 24" and 36". That was the original Billy, therefore
the proper basis for a unit.
--
Ice hockey is a form of disorderly conduct
in which the score is kept.
-- Doug Larson
RHDraney
2018-09-12 05:19:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
Number of individual parts?...r
Paul Wolff
2018-09-12 12:28:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by RHDraney
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
Number of individual parts?...r
A Billy is a bookcase, right? And what do books come in? Volumes.
--
Paul
Jerry Friedman
2018-09-12 21:19:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tak To
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
 And what is a "micro-fortnight"  Is that the time a holiday feels like,
 before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
...

If it's a bookcase, as stated elsewhere in the thread,
inverse length seems like a possibility. A 20-billy book
would be one you could fit 20 of in one shelf.
--
Jerry Friedman
Madhu
2018-09-13 02:08:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jerry Friedman
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure some day.
Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width? Height? Volume?
If it's a bookcase, as stated elsewhere in the thread,
inverse length seems like a possibility. A 20-billy book
would be one you could fit 20 of in one shelf.
With due deference to the vatican the standard billy ought to be defined
in terms of 53 linear miles.

billys? billies?
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-13 08:33:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Madhu
Post by Jerry Friedman
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure some day.
Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width? Height? Volume?
If it's a bookcase, as stated elsewhere in the thread,
inverse length seems like a possibility. A 20-billy book
would be one you could fit 20 of in one shelf.
With due deference to the vatican the standard billy ought to be defined
in terms of 53 linear miles.
billys? billies?
That's the kiloBilly,

Jan
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-13 08:33:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jerry Friedman
Post by Tak To
Post by Anders D. Nygaard
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you
'parselee' (Japanese for spinster), we now have the
'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty
necessary to launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones
in a megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
While checking out other jocular units I discovered that a friedman is
six months. Maybe that's one we can use here.
I've always been partial to the unit "an Olsen", which is defined
as a cubic light year of beer.
It is most commonly used by students in the Danish Technical University.
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
...
If it's a bookcase, as stated elsewhere in the thread,
inverse length seems like a possibility. A 20-billy book
would be one you could fit 20 of in one shelf.
Those vendors of equal coloured leather bound books
could sell them by the Billy,

Jan
Richard Tobin
2018-09-13 09:29:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jerry Friedman
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
If it's a bookcase, as stated elsewhere in the thread,
inverse length seems like a possibility. A 20-billy book
would be one you could fit 20 of in one shelf.
You can fit about 80 paperbacks in a 3-shelf billy. 40,000 books were
said to have been destryoed in the burning of the Library of
Alexandria, so a billy is about 2 milli-Alexandrias.

-- Richard
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-09-13 10:16:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Richard Tobin
Post by Jerry Friedman
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
If it's a bookcase, as stated elsewhere in the thread,
inverse length seems like a possibility. A 20-billy book
would be one you could fit 20 of in one shelf.
You can fit about 80 paperbacks in a 3-shelf billy. 40,000 books were
said to have been destryoed in the burning of the Library of
Alexandria,
Remind me: was it an accident, or was it deliberately started by the
Christian fundies of the time (the same ones who murdered Hypatia by
scraping her skin off with oyster shells)?
Post by Richard Tobin
so a billy is about 2 milli-Alexandrias.
-- Richard
--
athel
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2018-09-13 11:04:37 UTC
Permalink
On Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:16:38 +0200, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Richard Tobin
Post by Jerry Friedman
Post by Tak To
I expect the Billy (as in IKEA) to be a unit of measure
some day. Any prediction on what kind it would be? Width?
Height? Volume?
If it's a bookcase, as stated elsewhere in the thread,
inverse length seems like a possibility. A 20-billy book
would be one you could fit 20 of in one shelf.
You can fit about 80 paperbacks in a 3-shelf billy. 40,000 books were
said to have been destryoed in the burning of the Library of
Alexandria,
Remind me: was it an accident, or was it deliberately started by the
Christian fundies of the time (the same ones who murdered Hypatia by
scraping her skin off with oyster shells)?
It's not known what caused the destruction of the Library of Alexandria,
or when.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria

Sources differ on who was responsible for its destruction and when
it occurred. The library may in truth have suffered several fires
over many years. In addition to fires, at least one earthquake
damaged the city and the library during this time. Possible
occasions for the partial or complete destruction of the Library of
Alexandria include a fire set by the army of Julius Caesar in 48 BC
and an attack by Aurelian in the 270s AD.
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Richard Tobin
so a billy is about 2 milli-Alexandrias.
-- Richard
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Peter Young
2018-09-04 16:25:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
Not quite. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFF_system

Peter.
--
Peter Young, (BrE, RP), Consultant Anaesthetist, 1975-2004.
(US equivalent: Certified Anesthesiologist) (AUE Au)
Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK. Now happily retired.
http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
occam
2018-09-04 17:14:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Young
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
Not quite. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFF_system
That is firkin hilarious!
Jerry Friedman
2018-09-04 17:57:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
Post by Peter Young
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
And what about how long ago 1958 was in micro-fortnights?
And what is a "micro-fortnight" Is that the time a holiday feels like,
before you are back at work?
Physicists have used "microcentury" for 50 minutes, a standard lecture
time in American colleges, though most of my physics classes given and
received have been 1.5 microcenturies.
--
Jerry Friedman
charles
2018-09-04 08:01:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
mega is 10^6
--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle
Peter Moylan
2018-09-04 10:04:07 UTC
Permalink
Post by charles
Post by RHDraney
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
How far back goes the observation that there are 10^12 microphones in a
megaphone?...r
mega is 10^6
Yes, but there are already 10^6 microphones in a phone.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-04 07:39:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
Really oldsville, that one. Already well known when I were a lad.
Wikipedia dates it at 1958, which seems about right.
Asimov claims to have coined the term in the 40s,
while a grad student, but he hs no documentary proof of it.

Quite possible I think. This kind of student humour
may circulate a long time before someone finally publishes it,

Jan
Joseph C. Fineman
2018-09-03 21:09:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty.
Specifically, facial beauty.
Post by occam
It is the beauty necessary to launch a single ship.
And the microhelen is the amount necessary to arouse a single sailor.
--
--- Joe Fineman ***@verizon.net

||: Applause makes a good time to fart. :||
Madrigal Gurneyhalt
2018-09-03 21:29:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics',
Busy as Gyles Brandreth always is the show is called
Wordaholics!
occam
2018-09-04 16:04:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics',
Busy as Gyles Brandreth always is the show is called
Wordaholics!
So it is! "Word" not "work". Interesting how many new '-holic' words
there are now than in days gone. 'Chocoholic', 'shopaholic' and
'gameaholic' are three modern ones I've heard bandied around.
Quinn C
2018-09-04 17:11:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics',
Busy as Gyles Brandreth always is the show is called
Wordaholics!
So it is! "Word" not "work". Interesting how many new '-holic' words
there are now than in days gone. 'Chocoholic', 'shopaholic' and
'gameaholic' are three modern ones I've heard bandied around.
Catholics are a misunderstood group.
--
Perhaps it might be well, while the subject is under discussion,
to attempt the creation of an entirely new gender, for the purpose
of facilitating reference to the growing caste of manly women and
womanly men. -- Baltimore Sun (1910)
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2018-09-04 17:33:15 UTC
Permalink
On Tue, 4 Sep 2018 13:11:03 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Post by occam
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics',
Busy as Gyles Brandreth always is the show is called
Wordaholics!
So it is! "Word" not "work". Interesting how many new '-holic' words
there are now than in days gone. 'Chocoholic', 'shopaholic' and
'gameaholic' are three modern ones I've heard bandied around.
Catholics are a misunderstood group.
Miaow! Miaow! Miaow! Miaow! Miaow! Miaow!
and an ever-increasing number of Miaow!s.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
RHDraney
2018-09-04 18:26:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by Quinn C
Post by occam
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics',
Busy as Gyles Brandreth always is the show is called
Wordaholics!
So it is! "Word" not "work". Interesting how many new '-holic' words
there are now than in days gone. 'Chocoholic', 'shopaholic' and
'gameaholic' are three modern ones I've heard bandied around.
Catholics are a misunderstood group.
Yesh:


Loading Image...

....r
RHDraney
2018-09-04 17:16:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics',
Busy as Gyles Brandreth always is the show is called
Wordaholics!
So it is! "Word" not "work". Interesting how many new '-holic' words
there are now than in days gone. 'Chocoholic', 'shopaholic' and
'gameaholic' are three modern ones I've heard bandied around.
I'm sure I wasn't the first to come up with the term, but about fifteen
years ago I started calling the guy in the next cubicle over a
"technoholic"....r
Sam Plusnet
2018-09-04 19:11:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
Post by Madrigal Gurneyhalt
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics',
Busy as Gyles Brandreth always is the show is called
Wordaholics!
So it is! "Word" not "work". Interesting how many new '-holic' words
there are now than in days gone. 'Chocoholic', 'shopaholic' and
'gameaholic' are three modern ones I've heard bandied around.
I look forward to reading about 'holic-gate'.
--
Sam Plusnet
Peter Percival
2018-09-09 18:20:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
That is sooooooooo old!
Post by occam
(Well, it made me smile)
Richard Yates
2018-09-09 21:15:42 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 9 Sep 2018 19:20:13 +0100, Peter Percival
Post by Peter Percival
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
That is sooooooooo old!
That reply is, too.
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-10 08:58:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by Richard Yates
On Sun, 9 Sep 2018 19:20:13 +0100, Peter Percival
Post by Peter Percival
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
That is sooooooooo old!
That reply is, too.
Asimov died 25 years ago, as did 'The Amazing Grace',
one of the very few women to have a warship launched in her name.
The ship was ordered the year she died, she never saw it afloat,

Jan
Madrigal Gurneyhalt
2018-09-10 11:12:49 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Richard Yates
On Sun, 9 Sep 2018 19:20:13 +0100, Peter Percival
Post by Peter Percival
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
That is sooooooooo old!
That reply is, too.
Asimov died 25 years ago, as did 'The Amazing Grace',
Who?
RHDraney
2018-09-10 12:36:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Asimov died 25 years ago, as did 'The Amazing Grace',
Who?
I think he means Admiral Hopper, the bugslayer....r
J. J. Lodder
2018-09-10 13:33:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by RHDraney
Post by J. J. Lodder
Asimov died 25 years ago, as did 'The Amazing Grace',
Who?
I think he means Admiral Hopper, the bugslayer....r
She is Amazing Grace, her ship is USS Hopper,

Jan
Peter Moylan
2018-09-10 16:40:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. J. Lodder
Post by Richard Yates
On Sun, 9 Sep 2018 19:20:13 +0100, Peter Percival
Post by Peter Percival
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
That is sooooooooo old!
That reply is, too.
Asimov died 25 years ago, as did 'The Amazing Grace',
Who?
I remember Amazing Grace. She could suck a golf ball through a garden hose.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Mack A. Damia
2018-09-10 15:17:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
(Well, it made me smile)
Or as we used to sing in the 1970s to Bread's song:

"If a face could launch a thousand ships,
Then why can't I launch you?"
Kerr-Mudd,John
2018-09-12 15:43:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by occam
From 'Workaholics', the BBC radio program that brought you 'parselee'
(Japanese for spinster), we now have the 'milliHelen'.
The milliHelen is a measure of beauty. It is the beauty necessary to
launch a single ship.
(Well, it made me smile)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_(unit)

so it's been around far longer than when I first heard it.
--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug.
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