Sophie,

Regarding your question of September 3rd.

"Why is [the card game of] twenty-one called blackjack. And I live in Las Vegas and don't know."

A fluid blackjack contains 21 fluid pottles. Because it is the only measure in the entire volume measure system that contains 21 units, anything that contains 21 of anything is often called a "blackjack".

1 fl. blackjack = 1/24 fl. tun
1 fl. blackjack = 1/12 fl. butt
1 fl. blackjack = 1/8 fl. puncheon
1 fl. blackjack = 1/6 fl.hhd.
1 fl. blackjack = 1/4 fl. tierce
1 fl. blackjack = 1/3 fl.bbl.
1 fl. blackjack = 7/12 fl. runlet
1 fl. blackjack = 1 1/6 fl. firkin
1 fl. blackjack = 2 1/3 fl. pins
1 fl. blackjack = 10 1/2 fl.gal.
1 fl. blackjack = 21 fl.pot.
1 fl. blackjack = 42 fl.qt.
1 fl. blackjack = 84 fl.pt.
1 fl. blackjack = 168 fl. cups
1 fl. blackjack = 336 fl. jills
1 fl. blackjack = 672 fl. jacks
1 fl. blackjack = 1344 fl.oz.
1 fl. blackjack = 2688 fl.tbs.
1 fl. blackjack = 5376 fl.dsp.
1 fl. blackjack = 10,752 fl.dr.
1 fl. blackjack = 16,128 fl.egs.
1 fl. blackjack = 32,256 fl.scr.
1 fl. blackjack = 645,120 fM
1 fl. blackjack = 1/64 dry last
1 fl. blackjack = 1/32 dry chalder
1 fl. blackjack = 9 dry gal.
1 fl. blackjack = 72 dry pt.
1 fl. blackjack = 84 avdp.lb. of wine
1 fl. blackjack = 87 1/2 avdp.lb. distilled water @ max.dens. 39.2 F.
1 fl. blackjack = 700/8 avdp.lb. distilled water @ max.dens. 39.2 F.
1 fl. blackjack = 1.4000000 cu.ft.
1 fl. blackjack = 2419.2000 cu.in.

If you need further help, see site:

http://www.weights-and-measures.com

And topic:

Common Fluid Measure & Common Dry Measure

?????????

I was going to point out the conversion errors here, but decided that these ravings do not deserve a response.

Andrew Usher

I'm not sure how closely you have been monitoring this and the metricsucks board, but we have established well and truly that xcole is a mason and around 180 years old.

Are you sure he's not one of those guys from the Bible who's about 700 years old?

Hasn't he already posted this one before?

I've noticed that he cross-posts all of his responses to presumably every message board he attends, as though these were usenet groups. Truly bizzare.