In discussing a data import we're working on, the unit "items-per-hour" started creeping into office conversation.

This set us off down the path of talking about non-SI units for things, swimming pools of this, bus-lengths of that.

Then I remembered a similar conversation from a previous workplace where we invented the "iPod Mile" as a measure of storage capacity.

Assuming an iPod with 10GB storage being about 10cm long (this was a while ago), one meter of iPods laid out end-to-end would have 100GB of storage. Given that a mile is about 1600 meters: 1 iPm ~= 160TB

It served little purpose other than for our own amusement, though it did creep in to the occasional spec sheet (you've gotta stay sane somehow).

So, my question to you:

What non-SI units do you find creeping into your day-to-day lives?