Paul-- By the way, great column in the November-December "Metric Today"
("Why Must We Continue Romancing the Eighth?")! I remember many decades
ago when I was in the (then required) 7th-grade shop course, we spent the
beginning of each class going around the room converting fractions into
screwdriver sizes, which were based in 32nds of an inch. So, for example,
a 3/4-inch screw required a #24 driver. If only millimeters had been
used, we would have have saved five minutes of class time each day! Now,
I doubt that if you asked a 7th-grade student to convert 3/4 of an inch
into 32nds, he would have the slightest idea how to do the conversion!
The PBS program referenced, I now realize, although it mentioned the
United States's decimal money, did not mention that it was just a few
years ago that the stock market gave up the "eights" that you wrote about
and replaced it with decimals. Stock values used to be reported in 32nds
of a dollar! There was absolutely no public outcry that I am aware of.
Everyone wondered why it had taken the stock market so long to go decimal!
You and me, Martin!!!! This tack is our biggest problem.
Unfortunately---or, fortunately, if you see all this as breaking the
silence---the current wave of interest in metric is due to John
Marciano's book, the tone of which pokes fun at U.S. metrication.
Truth is, I have had the book sitting on my shelf and I haven't worked
up the stomach to read it, but I guess I better get to it. --Paul
Trusten
