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You know what the world has figured out? The metric system. It’s time the US got on board.
Scientific American ^ | 08/22/2013 | David Wogan

Posted on 08/22/2013 6:49:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

I’ve met a lot of people and learned a lot while traveling Europe the past several weeks. Of all the things I have had to explain to fellow travels as not only an American – but a Texan – by far the most frustrating thing is our stubborn refusal to embrace the metric system. I can confidently argue the finer points of how the use of y’all and the plural form all y’all are descriptive and have a place in the American lexicon. I take pleasure in explaining the intricacies of chicken fried foods.

But the metric system is another matter. “I don’t understand why y’all don’t use the metric system” is something I’ve heard too often. I don’t argue with them because there is no technical argument for why we haven’t adopted the Système Internationale – our refusal is based on emotion and familiarity.

Our choice of unit system is perhaps more important now than in recent years. Science is conducted using the language of SI units. If we want to have a scientifically literate populace, we should make sure that scientists and non-scientists speak the same language. In terms of national competitiveness, Americans are competing on a global market of information now more than ever. We are at a disadvantage by not speaking the international language of science at a time when we are struggling with truly global issues like climate change and resource depletion.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, the government arm that sets standards and measurements to support American competitiveness, concludes that “the current effort toward national metrification is based on the conclusion that industrial and commercial productivity, mathematics and science education, and the competitiveness of American products and services in world markets, will be enhanced by completing the change to the metric system of units. Failure to complete the change will increasingly handicap the Nation’s industry and economy.”

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: metricsystem; usa
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To: Fiji Hill

OMB the ignorance is just overwhelming.


81 posted on 08/22/2013 7:33:37 AM PDT by DManA
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To: SeekAndFind

If the metric system takes hold in this country, football will be called 30.5 centimeter ball.


82 posted on 08/22/2013 7:34:24 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: Da Coyote
Good grief, if one cannot do a quick metal change from one to the other, use a calculator.

Are you an alchemist?

83 posted on 08/22/2013 7:34:26 AM PDT by TheMightyQuinn
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To: DManA

Oh...so you ‘get’ it...I see. Try going back and changing a couple hundred years of titles, patents, legal descriptions, force all manufacturers to retool their plants, measurement systems, change the entire construction industry, the building industry for product sales.

No, my FRiend, you don’t get ‘it’.


84 posted on 08/22/2013 7:34:49 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: SeekAndFind
Countries that DO NOT use the metric system


85 posted on 08/22/2013 7:35:01 AM PDT by csmusaret (Will remove Obama-Biden bumperstickers for $10)
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To: BitWielder1

My Dutch friend has lived in the US for over 30 years and she has never gotten comfortable with the American system.


86 posted on 08/22/2013 7:36:19 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: SeekAndFind

Maybe to be consistent we should abandon our current currency denominations, which are basically metric, and go back to this set of denominations:

2 farthings = one half penny
2 half pennies = one penny
12 pennies = one shilling
5 shillings = one crown
4 crowns = one pound
21 shillings = one guinea

Much better than pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and on up which are only based on the numbers 1, 5, and 10.


87 posted on 08/22/2013 7:36:26 AM PDT by fruser1
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To: SeekAndFind

“The Imperial System is human-based. The Metric System is mathematics-based.

The Imperial System works like the human mind works, dividing things into halves, quarters, eighths, etc. This is the natural way for humans to do things. This makes things good for the carpenter but bad for the accountant.

The Metric System works like a computer works, with decimal fractions, breaking things up into tenths. Actually, not even computers work this way, but they have a front-end built on to work in decimal units rather than binary. This makes things good for the accountant but bad for the carpenter.”


88 posted on 08/22/2013 7:36:26 AM PDT by SunTzuWu
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To: Gaffer

The whole subject is moot anyway. With one mouse click you can convert every measurement to any system.

You want to live in the 16th century, be my guest. Again thanks to nerds. You’re welcome.


89 posted on 08/22/2013 7:36:51 AM PDT by DManA
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To: PreciousLiberty

If you read through the comments, the vehemence in which FReepers have responded to the very idea,you’ll understand why I say, it’s never gonna happen. Other than your own isolated enthusiasm for the Metric System, I haven’t found anyone that shares the same sentiment as you.


90 posted on 08/22/2013 7:37:11 AM PDT by lbryce (The 22nd Amendment Lives:1148 Days Until America's Greatest Nemesis Gets the Heave "Ho")
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To: MamaTexan

“Socialists! Give ‘em an inch...... and they’ll take a mile.”

No, it’s “Give ‘em a centimeter... and they’ll take a kilometer”. See how much better that sounds? /s


91 posted on 08/22/2013 7:37:14 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: SeekAndFind

The French metric system is for people who still do arithmetic on their fingers.


92 posted on 08/22/2013 7:37:17 AM PDT by Standing Wolf (No tyrant should ever be allowed to die of natural causes.)
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To: SeekAndFind
I've asked Canadians, Brits, Aussies and Continental Europeans what's the difference between a decameter and a deciliter. One in ten will get it right AFTER a long pause. The difference between milliliter and liter is to great to be useful (no commonly agreed "cup" equivalent). The difference between gram and kilogram is also too great (NO one use centigrams). The difference between centimeter and meter is too great. In Canada and England, feet, fahrenheit (on stoves), stones and pounds are used, except in governement offices. If you go to the Edmonton Mall, the clearance in the parking lot is in FEET, because they want to keep their overhangs intact.

The U.S. system (a variant from the English system) is organic, based on how people live.

The metric system is great for scientific measurement and international conversion. It is not for the elites to tell people what they ought to want for day to day things like measuring. Orwell warned about this in 1984. (bar scene)
93 posted on 08/22/2013 7:38:09 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There's no salvation in politics.)
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To: SeekAndFind
...there is no technical argument for why we haven’t adopted the Système Internationale...

There is equally no technical argument for adopting the metric system. Both systems are arbitrary. Both are a matter of preference.

Maybe we should call our system of weights & measures "The Organic System". It could be readily justified. And it would drive liberals to a new metric level of crazy!

94 posted on 08/22/2013 7:38:38 AM PDT by DakotaGator (Weep for the lost Republic! And keep your powder dry!!)
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To: fruser1

Thank you Mr. Franklin and Mr Jefferson. Would that we’d listened to their council on all our metrics.


95 posted on 08/22/2013 7:38:53 AM PDT by DManA
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To: SeekAndFind
In my work (field biology), I'm forced to use metric on my handheld GPS unit. I've come to appreciate it. There is a consistency to the system.

However, I've programmed my GPS to "feet" when it comes to elevation. For the life of me, a hill that reads "2200" meters means nothing to me. But when I see a topo line that reads "7000" feet, I understand that immediately.

96 posted on 08/22/2013 7:39:14 AM PDT by Flycatcher (God speaks to us, through the supernal lightness of birds, in a special type of poetry.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Math is hard.


97 posted on 08/22/2013 7:39:28 AM PDT by Artie (We are surrounded by MORONS)
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To: SeekAndFind

“Of all the things I have had to explain to fellow travels as not only an American – but a Texan...”

to fellow travels? What the heck is that? I had to re-read the sentence several times. I never heard a Texan utter a phrase like that.


98 posted on 08/22/2013 7:39:34 AM PDT by TexasRepublic (Socialism is the gospel of envy and the religion of thieves)
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To: DManA
I'd have said the same to you re: conversion.

But your asinine implication of my living in the 16th century is as absurd as your trying to foist a system we don't need on us just because you think it makes sense. And you can keep your fake pleasantries to yourself.

99 posted on 08/22/2013 7:40:42 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: onedoug
Familiar with both systems.

As am I, and I'll keep using mils and millimeters, kilograms and pounds, etc.

But I'm confused why this is a big deal to the average Joe. I guess using the imperial system has become a symbol of American defiance against the rest of the world.

100 posted on 08/22/2013 7:40:57 AM PDT by TheMightyQuinn
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