Paul and all, Hey that rhymed!
Although my wife has urged that we give away our set of World Book Encyclopedias, I have resisted. Even with the internet, I still refer to them. I quote from our 1972 World Book, Volume 13, pages 594-595: "The Coinage Act of 1792 established the first national mint and set up the first system of money in the U.S. Congress established the American dollar as the basic unit of this system. The American Dollar had about the same value as the Spanish dollar. The new money system included both gold and silver coins. Congress chose the decimal system to count money units because it was easy to use (see Decimal Number System). Along with their new money, Americans continued to use many foreign coins. A law passed in 1793 made these coinds a legal part of the U.S. coinage system. Under the law, the value of a foreign coin depended on the amount of gold or silver in it. In 1857, Congress passed a law removing foreign coins from circulation." Norm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Trusten" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2003 11:35 Subject: Re: [USMA:25975] Re: Fw: International System of Units (SI), themetric system > From what I understand, the US was the first nation to > adopt decimal currency, but I haven't researched > the question specifically. > > > > From: "Norman & Nancy Werling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: 2003/06/08 Sun AM 12:03:30 EDT > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: [USMA:25975] Re: Fw: International System of Units (SI), themetric system > > > > Pat, > > > > I really am not certain who may have used decimal money first but certainly, > > it was not the British! <g> > > > > Norm > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Pat Naughtin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "Norman Werling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 21:24 > > Subject: Re: [USMA:25959] Fw: International System of Units (SI), themetric > > system > > > > > > > Dear Norman, > > > > > > You refer to the adoption, by the USA, of decimal currency (in 1793 I > > > think). Do you know if the USA was the first nation in the world to adopt > > > decimal currency, or was there any other nation who had done so earlier? > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > > Pat Naughtin LCAMS > > > Geelong, Australia > > > > > > on 2003/06/07 23.55, Norman & Nancy Werling at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > wrote: > > > > > > > Good morning all, > > > > > > > > I had just finished sending an email to my Democratic Senator Zell > > Miller > > > > through his web site just before continuing a search in which I finally > > found > > > > the following link which gives valid email addresses for presumably all > > United > > > > States Senators: > > > > http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm > > > > > > > > Miller seems to vote with Republicans more often than not but is not > > seeking > > > > reelection in November 2004. For that matter, at the risk of becoming a > > > > single issue voter, I may be inclined to support any party, even that of > > > > Dubya, that can demonstrate foresight by pressing SI into use in the > > United > > > > States. > > > > > > > > Anyway I just sent the following email to my Republican Senator Saxby > > > > Chambliss who began a 6-year term in 2003. I am pleased to report that > > the > > > > email did not bounce back so I feel these addresses are valid for use. > > I > > > > wonder if Chambliss will reply, which Congress members normally do by > > letter > > > > through U.S. Mail. > > > > > > > > I suppose some of you will think I was too pushy or incendiary but here > > it is > > > > for your information. > > > > > > > > Norm > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: Norman & Nancy Werling <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 17:35 > > > > Subject: International System of Units (SI), the metric system > > > > > > > > Dear Senator Chambliss, > > > > > > > > I feel very strongly that the United States is foolishly avoiding the > > > > inevitable use of SI and I would like very much to send you information > > on > > > > this matter. > > > > > > > > Do you realize the SI is much used behind the scenes in the U.S. but > > that its > > > > use is hidden from the public by the government, industry, and the > > media? > > > > > > > > Our neighbors to the north, Canada, believed us in 1975 when we said we > > were > > > > changing to SI but we double-crossed them. Thus we have single handedly > > > > stalled their progress with harmonizing with the rest of the world. > > > > > > > > Even the United Kingdom, at last, is diligently abandoning the measures > > upon > > > > which are based so-called "U.S. Customary" and is moving its people > > into > > > > daily use of SI. > > > > > > > > The planet has learned English more to satisfy Americans than the > > British. > > > > The least we can do is to adopt the much easier and simpler decimal > > based SI. > > > > As far as I can see, only laziness, stubbornness, or dare we say, > > perhaps > > > > arrogance is holding Americans back from joining the countries of all > > the > > > > other continents of the world in using SI. > > > > > > > > May I correspond with you and send you information on the subject on the > > > > International System of Units (SI), the metric system? We are staring > > at > > > > another deadline for our trading with the growing European Union which > > > > requires the use of SI by 2009. Japan, China, Australia and everyone > > else > > > > wait impatiently and negotiate continually for us to join the world in > > using > > > > SI. > > > > > > > > Congress must take the lead according to The Constitution, Article I, > > Section > > > > 8, Paragraph 5 which reads "To coin Money, regulate the value thereof, > > and of > > > > foreign coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures". Thank > > goodness > > > > the early Congresses adopted our decimal money. Now it is time for > > Congress > > > > to adopt the decimal measures of the International System of Units (SI), > > the > > > > metric system. > > > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > > > Norman V. Werling > > > > 1240 Hunters Drive > > > > Stone Mountain, GA 30083-2545 > > > > 404-292-9328 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Paul Trusten, R.Ph. > 3609 Caldera Blvd, Apt. 122 > Midland TX 79707-2872 USA > 432-694-6208 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. > > ---Franz Kafka > >
