In issue 33, Mad published a partial table of the " Potrzebie System of Weights and Measures" developed by 19-year-old Donald E. Liquid volume is measured in gloops, and temperature in degrees Q (57 °Q is said to be the freezing point of water). Defined as the distance the king's favorite pet can run in one hour (spoofing a popular legend about the history of the foot), the length of the bloit varies dramatically, but the one canonical conversion to real-world units puts it at approximately two-thirds of a mile (1 km). In the Zork series of games, the Great Underground Empire has its own system of measurements, the most frequently referenced of which is the bloit. The speed of light may be expressed as being roughly 1.8 terafurlongs per fortnight (or megafurlongs per microfortnight). Besides having the meaning of "any obscure unit", furlongs per fortnight have also served frequently in the classroom as an example on how to reduce a unit's fraction. One furlong per fortnight is very nearly 1 centimetre per minute (to within 1 part in 400). In contrast, the furlong/ firkin/ fortnight system of units of measurement draws attention by being extremely old fashioned and off-beat at the same time. Most countries use the International System of Units ( SI).
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