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Grex > Agora47 > #173: Why can't America do the "10" commandments? (not what you think) | |
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albaugh
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Why can't America do the "10" commandments? (not what you think)
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Nov 14 18:10 UTC 2003 |
http://www.snoopy.com/comics/peanuts/archive/peanuts-20031114.html
That 30-year-old cartoon makes me want to ask why has the USA *still*
not converted to using the metric system of measurements? The cartoon
correctly reflects that we were all taught that "the metric system is
coming, so you must learn how to measure in it". It just makes so much
sense. Yes, I know there would be a "terrible" learning curve for old
fogies, but the British were able survive when they converted to a
metric system of money. Are Yankees that much more weak minded?
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| 93 responses total. |
tod
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response 1 of 93:
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Nov 14 18:16 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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gelinas
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response 2 of 93:
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Nov 14 18:29 UTC 2003 |
If we converted, could we drop the speed limit on the Interstates to 100 kph?
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albaugh
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response 3 of 93:
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Nov 14 18:36 UTC 2003 |
Nope, still 115-120 kph.
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tod
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response 4 of 93:
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Nov 14 18:48 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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mynxcat
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response 5 of 93:
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Nov 14 18:56 UTC 2003 |
"Yes, I know there would be a "terrible" learning curve for old
fogies, but the British were able survive when they converted to a
metric system of money."
The US already has a metric system of money.
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jp2
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response 6 of 93:
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Nov 14 19:05 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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mynxcat
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response 7 of 93:
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Nov 14 19:19 UTC 2003 |
Well, it's as metric as it will get like most of the rest of the world
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gull
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response 8 of 93:
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Nov 14 20:56 UTC 2003 |
I've heard that in England miles are still routinely used for distances
and speeds. Is this true?
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mcnally
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response 9 of 93:
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Nov 14 21:02 UTC 2003 |
re #5: I think you mean "decimal" rather than "metric".
I suppose our monetary system is "metric" in that we can
use it to measure things, but it's not "metric" in a
"metric system" sense.. Of course that's just my 20 m$.
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mynxcat
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response 10 of 93:
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Nov 14 21:28 UTC 2003 |
What's the difference between the British metric system of money and the US
system of money. Unless you can't say the British system is metric either.
I would think that both are based on a Base 10 system, and you're right, that
does not mean metric.
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md
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response 11 of 93:
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Nov 14 22:09 UTC 2003 |
I'm in favor of making the system of weights and measures even more
complicated. Base everything on its own standard, make each standard
different from all the others. I'd even extend it to sub-second
measurements of time. Everythng would be 67ths or 81sts or something.
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rcurl
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response 12 of 93:
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Nov 14 22:20 UTC 2003 |
"Metric" is the code word for a system of meters, kilograms and seconds.
It can be used in base 2 (binary) if you wish (or any other base). If
used in base ten, it is decimal metric.
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aruba
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response 13 of 93:
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Nov 14 23:02 UTC 2003 |
I think the reason the US hasn't switched isn't because we're weak-minded,
it's because we don't really care about getting along with everyone else.
At least, we don't care enough to make the effort to change.
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gelinas
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response 14 of 93:
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Nov 15 01:32 UTC 2003 |
How does switching to m/k/s help with "getting along with everyone else"?
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aruba
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response 15 of 93:
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Nov 15 05:29 UTC 2003 |
Well, for instance, we wouldn't have lost one of our Mars probes if everyone
was peaking the same units.
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aruba
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response 16 of 93:
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Nov 15 05:29 UTC 2003 |
Er, speaking.
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rcurl
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response 17 of 93:
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Nov 15 06:31 UTC 2003 |
Adopting one metrical system helps us get along with everyone else by
creating uniformity and hence greater international availability and
interchangeability in manufactured parts, in conformability of maps
for different regions, in public understanding of geography and
hence of geopolitical issues, and in international cooperation in
science. Fortunately, science is mostly "metric", although scientific
instrumentation is not always (with some major errors occurring because
of this).
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twenex
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response 18 of 93:
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Nov 15 11:38 UTC 2003 |
re: #0, #5: Actually, old farts and the anti-European lobby (not to mention
other Twits) STILL moan about the fact that (a) we changed the money to be
based on a decimal system (b) we are gradually converting to metric). I
believe "the last step", at least legislatively, will be to change our road
signs to show km instead of miles, which afaik is supposed to happen in either
2006 or 2010.
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keesan
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response 19 of 93:
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Nov 15 11:45 UTC 2003 |
It is a lot easier to calculate distances in metric units than in inches,
feet, miles, etc. Or weights and volumes in ounces and pounds or ounces and
cups and pints and bushels. Jim ends up labelling our house plans in just
inches (237" inches rather than inches and feet) to make calculations simpler.
Unfortunately lumber comes in inches (1 and 5/8" = nominal 2" or maybe they
are down to 1.5" now) and if we converted it would require stocking both
metric and nonmetric sizes of a lot of things so people could do repairs.
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md
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response 20 of 93:
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Nov 15 13:19 UTC 2003 |
Surely the "last step" would be to convert the inane system of time
measurements to a metric basis. We have decades, centuries and
millenia, which is nice and metric. But then we have 12 months per
year, anywhere from 28 to 31 days per month, incommensurate numbers of
weeks per year and per most months, 7 days per week, 24 hours per day,
60 minutes per hour and 60 seconds per minute, and we measure partial
minutes and hours by halves and quarters! Subsecond units go back to
metric again. So, at the largest and smallest ends of the scale we use
metric time measurements, but for everything in between -- which
includes practically all everyday "human" time measurements -- we're
completely demented.
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gelinas
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response 21 of 93:
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Nov 15 13:36 UTC 2003 |
(Decimal, not metric. There is a difference.)
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md
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response 22 of 93:
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Nov 15 14:08 UTC 2003 |
(That's no fun.)
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scott
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response 23 of 93:
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Nov 15 14:13 UTC 2003 |
Metric has been sneaking up on the US, mostly in food packaging (I'm old
enough to remember when 16oz bottles of Coke became half-liter bottles).
Still, getting people to replace their measuring cups, tape measures, rulers,
etc. is going to be tough.
And there are some areas where it's going to be really hard. Woodworking,
for instance. You can easily do divisions by 2, 3, and 4 if you're working
in English, but in metric dividing by 3 gets you into a lot of messy decimal
points. I've heard that English woodworkers still used the feet/inch system
too.
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sno
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response 24 of 93:
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Nov 15 14:51 UTC 2003 |
There is a lot of expensive measuring equipment that may not convert and
thus must be replaced. Also, nearly every road sign in the US would have
to be modified or replaced. I think making a list of all the things
needed to be changed would be a constructive exercise.
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