The international kilogram conundrum[Weights have mysteriously fluctuated]

LA Times ^ | 17 Apr 2008 | Jia-Rui Chong

[BGHater]

In the more than a century since 'perfect' platinum-iridium cylinders were first used as the world's kilogram standards, their weights have mysteriously fluctuated. Scientists are rethinking what the measure means.

GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- Forty feet underground, secured in a temperature- and humidity-controlled vault here, lies Kilogram No. 20.

[editor-surveyor]

I repeat, you’re an idiot.

You don’t even understand what the issue is.

[bezelbub]

I repeat, you’re an idiot.
You don’t even understand what the issue is.

I asked at #175: So, is the U.S. Survey Foot somewhere physically (abstractly or concretely) standardized without referring to the SI meter? Where?

and you answered in #176:

Yes, at the NIST. It’s a platinum-iridium bar, and has been directly refered to in several court decisions.

So, I took a look into this and found that the only platinum-iridium bar at the NIST is a meter bar, which was used to define the yard since the Mendenhall order and later became obsolete.

Until now, I couldn't find any court decisions which refer to it.

So, for me one of the issues is that you didn't come up with the court decisions you claim to exist, and that your claim that there is a SI meter independent definition of the yard is just wishful thinking of your side.

[editor-surveyor]

I can’t help it if you’re an idiot. You probably have difficulty finding your shoe laces.

Take your leftie-globalist agenda elsewhere.

[bezelbub]

*LOL* You make unsubstantiated claims (i.e., there is a yard/foot platinum-iridium bar at the NIST which court decisions refer to) - I refute them with material from the NIST (Mendenhall Order, Meter Prototype No. 27) - and now I'm "an idiot" with a "leftie-globalist agenda"? I commend you for keeping your version of reality 100% fact free!

[editor-surveyor]

You refuted nothing; reality is irrefutable.

Take your leftist ideas and stupid pagan French semi-measuring system to hell with you, and enjoy the trip.

The real world uses the foot, and will continue to do so for the forseeable future.

[bezelbub]

You refuted nothing; reality is irrefutable.

I got the impression that your fantasies are irrefutable.

Take your leftist ideas and stupid pagan French semi-measuring system to hell with you, and enjoy the trip.

And I thought you'd prefer the intelligently designed metric system over the Imperial one...

The real world uses the foot, and will continue to do so for the forseeable future.

And the real world - i.e., at least the U.S., Myanmar and Liberia - may go on to use the Imperial system. Doesn't change the fact that the definition of the foot/yard is based on the meter ever since the Mendenhall order. Live with it - which means for you: ignore it....