[USMA:9352] RE: The 2001 Almanac for Farmers and City Folk, pp.115-116
I plan to keep my copy of the almanac. The only reason I bought it was that I saw the metric article while browsing. However, I shall indeed write the publisher to tell him/her/it that this was both my first, and last, purchase of their product, and why this is so, perhaps appealing to some economic fears that will redirect his patriotism (EU exclusion of nonmetric units; the cost of keeping two inventories,et al.) "James J. Wentworth" wrote: Here! Here! I second that idea. Publishers of almanac-type books try to be as non-controversial as possible so as not to alienate potential buyers. If the publisher learns that that stupid article upset a customer so much that he returned the book and then wrote them pledging to never buy one again, they WILL take notice. Every company and organization assumes that one letter (especially a postal letter on paper) represents some large number of people who feel the same way but didn't write in. Jason - Original Message - From: kilopascal [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, November 24, 2000 4:30 PM Subject: [USMA:9343] RE: The 2001 Almanac for Farmers and City Folk, pp.115-116 2000-11-24 Paul, I strongly suggest you return that book for a refund. Maybe the book has some worthwhile features, but returning the book would be your form of protest against the publishers including such articles in the future. Also, I would write to the publishers and tell them of your dissatisfaction with such narrow-mindedness and you will never purchase nor recommend for purchase any publication that held such arrogant views. John -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Paul Trusten Sent: Friday, 2000-11-24 12:40 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:9326] The 2001 Almanac for Farmers and City Folk, pp.115-116 Hi, fellows of SI! Thought I'd follow the latest news for a while, so I've resubscribed. But, I also resubscribed to bring the following to your attention. I knew about something called the Old Farmer's Almanac all my life, but yesterday I discovered a similar publication called The Almanac for Farmers and City Folk, published in Las Vegas, NV (wonder what green they grow there besides money). I'm trying to work my OCR software so I can post the entire article in question, but in the meantime, if you can, please find a copy (I got mine at Walgreens, so it may not be hard to find) and look at pages 115-116 in the 2001 edition of this almanac, an articled entitled "Are We Going Metric?", by Michael Sinclair. This concepts in this article seem to me to represent the worst kind of prejudicial thinking relative to metrication in the USA. The author raises objections to the metric system that go to the heart of American jingoism on this issue. It seems to suggest, primarily, that Americans should not do any thinking when it comes to measurement. In particular, it makes a shallow swipe at NASA: So let the shuttle astronauts measure outer space in their sissy metric units, just as the French weigh their frog legs; give us that good, old-fashioned, organic ounce any day. In fact, maybe we should start a crusade to get the rest of the world to change back to our standard measures and thereby save them from their metric impoverishment. Okay,okay, just a thought. I've heard WOMBAT called many things, but this is the first time I've seen it called "organic". In any case, those of you who read the whole article will find your blood temperature rising to 100. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9370] Americans' famiiliarity with WOMBAT
I am in the process of refuting the Almanac article point by point. One of the statements made therein was: "Maybe NASA aiming someone towards Mars, or the Ford Motor Company designing do-dads for its cars, may find the metric system useful for all the dividing they are doing, but most of us just don't do a lot of division of distances and measures. And even when we do, we're quite smart enough to fiture out that there are 16 ounces in a pound, thank you--just ask any American 10-year-old." The part about few of us dividing things is easy (I don't know what this fellow does for work, but I have always had to use our existing measurement system to divide things---well, MEASURE, darn it! It's called measurement) . But, haven't we discussed here on this list that Americans have an abysmal knowledge of WOMBAT and that perhaps the average American 10-yo does NOT know how many ounces there are in a pound? Would one of you (or, even MORE than one of you) please send me a citation on the lack of US WOMBAT familiarity? -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9392] Wanna go back to shillings and pence?
I could sympathize a tiny bit with Mr. May's perceptions ("convenience",
nationalism, etc.), but when he got to the point of using WOMBAT idiom
with metric conversions (the 568 ml thing, similar to "give him 2.54 cm
and he'll take 1.6 km"), then I'd prefer to walk away. Such a style of
criticism of falls on deaf and impatient ears.
Mr. May, wherever you are in the UK: what we are trying to do is
MEASURE, not ROMANTICIZE. I understand your concern with the loss of
days of yore, but, speaking for myself, I can't run after the ice cream
man's bell any more (would look fine for an 8-year-old, but pretty funny
for a 48-year-old, to do it). The duodecimal units of measurement were
for a former time, while the International System of Units is for our
time, for the age of the internet, of space travel, and of a scientific
culture. Still, halves and quarters will not be prohibited by SI, so
please feel free to step up to the bar and order a half litre of your
favorite brew.
I don't believe that a national identity can be threatened in any way by
the adoption of a global system of measurement. Metres and grams will
not dim the colors of either the Union Jack or Old Glory, will not
diminish the grandeur Trafalgar Square or Times Square, and will not
alter our legacies to the world except, perhaps, to better them, by
showing that we want to enable our citizens to share in the benefits of
a simple standard of measurement.
What I would cherish from Mr. May is his answer to this question: do you
want to change your decimal Pound Sterling back to the
pounds/shillings/pence system?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I thought I'd forward a message I've just received. Your comments are
welcome!
As a 19 year old student, I am baffled by the ridiculous way in which the country is
being forced into metrication. Why are we changing when it is quite obvious that the
vast majority of people in this country (72%) are opposed to it.
Why is there such an urge to 'come into line' with other countries, when to many
people
our national identity is defined by our difference to others. When will it stop?
People
who 'have made several complaints to my local TSD about store signs displaying milk
prices...in pints', will be in the front line once again when it comes to forcing
the
British public to drive on the wrong side of the road. Why should we change. In an
extreme
view, why can't other countries change to our system. It is about time that Britain
was
left to make some of its own decisions. If a referendum were held, then the public
would
not choose any of the changes that you have proposed in your pages.
You say 96% of the world's population already use the metric system? Really? Surely
America
and Britain make up over 4% of the world's population, and both use Inches, Pounds
etc.
One of the members of my family is a midwife, and finds herself forced by
legislation to tell
the mothers their baby's weight in metric, invariably meeting with a request for lb
and oz.
Imperial numeracy is more convenient, when using inches etc. 12 can be divided into
by 1,2,3,4 6,
whereas 10 has a meagre 1,2 and 5.
You say that it is ridiculous that we use miles, when we buy petrol in litres, but
you appear
not to have considered changing the volume rather than the road system. The
government pushes
the public into these situations by changing one thing, and then attempting to
justify other
changes in relation to that first one. Rather Domino-esque.
I am not trying to advocate the abolition of Metrication for business purposes. I
think that
the public should be able to make a decision without being pressured into changing.
Also, from a student's point of view, how are we supposed to order beer in your
future. 'Can I
have a 568ml glass of your finest brew please Landlord' A pint is the perfect size.
Not too much,
and not too small.
Yours Perplexedly,
Tim May
--
Chris KEENAN
UK Metrication Association: http://www.metric.org.uk
Pro-metric mailing list now available.
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the
finding of a modified barium swallow."
--Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist
"Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9459] Re: SC Driver's License
I wish I could have been a fly on a palmetto leaf when you said that,
Jim!
Would have been interesting to see, after their double-take, their
response to the following: "Well, The 1988 amendment to the Metric
Conversion Act of 1975 states that the metric system is the preferred
system of measurement for trade in the United States. I just assumed it
was also true for law enforcement as well."
I don't have a chance to try that until 2007---Texas driver's licenses
are valid for SEVEN YEARS!
("My federal legislature is the Congress of the United States, and the
Congress says..." Nyuk,nyuk, nyuk.")
"James R. Frysinger" wrote:
I recently renewed my SC Driver's License. When asked for my height I
replied, "One point eight three meters". Do you all recall the E.F.
Hutton ads? The place became immediately silent, the clerk stopped
chewing her gum, stared at me, and dropped her jaw so far that the gum
almost fell out. We ascertained that she needed that in feet and she
obviously couldn't convert, so I told her I was 6 ft tall, which she
recorded. When asked about my weight, I said, "I suppose you want that
in pounds?" She agreed, with a look on her face that indicated she
didn't want to ask what the alternative was.
Since a driver's license is essential for me, I had to provide that data
in feet in pounds. Alas!
Jim
--
Metric Methods(SM) "Don't be late to metricate!"
James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/
10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the
finding of a modified barium swallow."
--Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist
"Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9468] Re: «Papiers d'identité»
I started keeping a U.S. passport in 1971. Only the 1971 passport lists my height, in WOMBAT. Passports issued in 1977, 1982, 1986, and 1995 (my current one) list no height. Really, you would have thought that, even in 1971, the U.S. government would at least have shown diplomatic deference to SI by showing the height in WOMBAT and in m or cm; but the passport didn't even read in more than one language then.The 1977 passport was my first to read in English and French. My Texas driver's license states my height as 5-08. "Joseph B. Reid" wrote: Norman Werling wrote in USMA 9432: I am not attempting to begin again the thread about whether to say height in meters or centimeters except to make the following comment. In my workbook on the subject shown, the «passeport» passport shows the «taille» height handwritten as «1 m 85». I cannot be certain if there is truly spacing before and after the m because it is handwritten. I guess one would say it out loud as «un mètre quatre-vingt-cinq» one meter eighty five. Don't worry about the spaces; the correct SI form is 1.45 m. My Ontario driving licence gives my height simply as "160". Canadian passports do not state height. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9489] Re: Australia not fully converted yet
I'm not sure what an international unit is vis a vis SI, but it is not backward. It is a correct expression of a concentration, sayeth this apothecary. "Carter, Baron" wrote: Australia not fully converted yet. Its Quarantine and Inspection Service still quotes vaccination doses in IU/ml http://www.aqis.gov.au/docs/anpolicy/dogcatapplication.pdf http://www.aqis.gov.au/docs/anpolicy/dogcatapplication.pdf Name: Boomerang.gif Boomerang.gifType: GIF Image (image/gif) Encoding: base64 -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9511] metric system--a line in the snow
To the educators of Saskatchewan, I recently read of plans for Saskatchewan to restore the teaching of the use of measurement units other than SI (modernized metric system) units. I am not Canadian, but I am a North American, and one who wishes to express his opposition to such a proposal. The International System of Units is the measurement system of the world. We in North America, especially the people of my country, the United States, have long delayed our full use of this global measurement language due to what I perceive to be a combination of xenophobia, sloth, parsimony, and ignorance. These old defects in our national characters must now be corrected. I applaud Canada's official adoption of SI, and hope very much that "The True North, Strong and Free" will be a good example for the United States to follow when it begins its inevitable conversion to metric in the next decade. But this progress will be harmed if the proposed backsliding in your province is allowed. We North Americans have to take our metre stick and draw a line in the snow against the return of the arachaic and anti-economic measurement units of our past, and I hope that Saskatchewan educators will not fail to support the exclusive use of SI as we enter the new century. Sincerely, -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9563] RE: Figures of speech remain
Far into my childhood, my parents reminded me to "pull the chain" in the toilet. We had an ordinary flush tank at ground level, not up near the ceiling with a chain hanging down as was before my time. So, The Man of LaMancha will continue to sing "..still strove, with his last ounce of courage, to reach the unreachable star". "Ounce" could one day mean "a small portion", without meaning a measurement. We kind of did this with the word "decimate", which literally means to reduce to one-tenth of the original quantity, but is first taken to mean some great reduction is quantity, as in a decimation of troop strength in wartime. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9567] inspiration is still the first ingredient for US metrication!
I am sad to report that the Forms Committee at my hospital did not endorse SI. Yes, it fixed the dual checkbox confusion on the initial patient assessment form by removing one of the units. Now, the nurses will be recording the patient's weight only in pounds. Having a form in kilograms and centimeters only, would be impractical.We do not have a patient population interested in the metric system, period, and having a form labeled in one unit only will eliminate interest in SI for now (it remains the job of nurses and pharmacists to convert pounds to kilograms). But, interest would be key to get people to know their masses and heights in SI; without interest,i.e., inspiration, no learning will take place. Education, the second step in my metrication tetrad, will be easy with the young, as has already been demonstrated by young Canadians contributing to this listserv. But your average adult citizen raised in WOMBAT America will not care until circumstances make it worth his or her while. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] "No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the finding of a modified barium swallow." --Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist "Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
[USMA:9840] reply from Saskatchewan Ed.Minister
I received a snail mail reply today from the Saskatchewan Education Minister, who was responding to my remarks to him that old units should not be taught beside SI. Here is his response: December 12, 2000 Mr. Paul Trusten Apartment 122 3609 Caldera Boulevard MIDLAND TX 79707-2872 USA Dear Mr. Trusten, Thank you for your recent letter concerning the current debate about use of the Imperial measurement system. The Saskatchewan curriculum has employed metric measurement for many years and continues to be fully metric at this time. We understand, however, that Imperial measurement is still used in certain occupations. The curriculum related to specific occupations will teach the Imperial system in order to prepare interested students for jobs when they finish school in those industries that use Imperial measurement. For example, the Practical an Applied Arts, Construction and Carpenty Curriculum deals with measurement in inches and feet, as much of that industry still uses those units. Imperial measure appears in other places in the Core Curriculum when appropriate. I am confident that the curriculum will change as people of the "metric generation" convert the construction, agriculture, and other industries to metric. If you are interested, you can access the Saskatchewan curriculum on the World Wide Web at http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca. Thank you for taking the time to share your views with me. Sincerely yours, Jim Melenchuk -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:10110] US metrication will be a last-ditch measure
One of the comments made on our mailing list rang particularly true with
me: that US adoption of the metric system will not occur, save as a
last-ditch action to improve our economic competitiveness in case of
economic emergency. As long as we can afford the luxury of being the
world's metrological sore thumb, we shall continue with the "system"
that we have.
As concerned citizens with a scientific bend, I fear that, for these
many years on the internet, we have been doing the Springsteen thing:
dancing in the dark. Our periodic inventories of new pro-metric products
such as the Listerine line are but wishful thinking, especially when we
see US healthcare professionals unable to stick to SI when it really
matters, i.e., for doing healthcare things like dosing medication, or
highway engineers trying to work through a patchwork system of metric
and non-metric states of the Union once the Congress decided to abdicate
its Constitutional responsibility (via TEA-21) to "fix the standard of
weights and measures", and the beverage industry, which makes hard
conversions on some products (one, two liter and three liter bottles)
but adheres to old standards (355 ml cans) on others. Myself, I don't
think any nation can get away with a "preferred" system of measurement
for trade. It has to be the legal standard. Heck, there has to BE a
standard!!
I guess I'll say all this again, now that I don't have to dodge any
e-mail bullets since I will read the results only in digest form: I
believe that true US metrication will take 50 years to complete from
start to finish; to re-engineer the measurement practices of the most
technologically complex nation on earth has got to take half a century.
Maybe South Africa or Australia can do it in a few years, but they
didn't have 50 state governments and 280 million citizens.
US metrication will be a four-part event. It will require:
1.INSPIRATION Maybe that inspiration will be a recession or a
depression, but the American people have to understand the problems we
will have as an island in a metric sea of nations, and will, at last,
see the benefits of using a system of measurement which is decimal and
which is a true standard.
2. EDUCATION Once inspired, we will be willing and able to teach our
children SI as our standard of measurement. As our Canadian friends
know, once a person has studied SI and been intellectually "raised" with
it from an early age, she/he knows no other system, and old WOMBAT will
more quickly rot on the vine.
3. RATIONAL APPLICATION We ought to give it 50 years before we find it
as the final standard of mind and heart. We have so many things built to
non-SI specifications that it will take this long to sow the seeds and
reap the standard. Also, in a free society, we ought not force it where
it just may not be needed, i.e., leave football fans alone and let them
have their 0.9144 m unit. The Charge Of The Light Brigade will always be
announced as "...half a league onward". Let none of those atrocious
metric jokes ("give him a centimeter, he'll take a kilometer) come to
pass.
4. NATIONAL APPLICATION Application as national as the US dollar. The
Congress has power to fix the standard of measurement for the States
United. We need to put in place an effective version of what we have
had on paper since 1975---a strong US Metric Board, consisting of
representatives of all walks of American life (public members, private
enterprise, academia), to coordinate the establishment of a measurement
standard. Such a board would gather the facts for implementing SI, and
hash out, on a multidisciplinary conference table, the significance of
those facts (such as the implications for construction, for
manufacturing, for fasteners, for retail sales). Then, the board would
make recommendations to the Congress on how to fix the standard.
I feel as if I am writing a message in a bottle, so I'll stop here, and
see whether or not it surfaces anywhere.
Happy new century, and happy new millennium, to my fellow SI supporters!
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:10296] leading decimal
I can state from experience that a leading decimal point can be harmful of even fatal in healthcare. But, there is a general decimal illiteracy in US society, one that affects doctors and nurses. In fact, as I mentioned on this list in the recent past, a co-worker of mine, in pharmacy, could not easily convert grams to milligrams and vice versa. The decimal illiteracy usually shows up in the dosing of levothyroxine, a thyroid hormone supplement, which is often ordered in both milligram and microgram doses. Often, the dose 0.025 mg gets mis-transcribed as 0.25 mg, or the drug is ordered as 250 milligrams instead of 250 micrograms. Despite being the innovators in decimalizing currency, we Americans have a clear lack of facility in thinking decimally. But, I think I was lucky in attending the Boston Public Schools when I did (1956-64). We received an extensive arithmetical education, both in decimal numeration and in the use of expressed fractions (i.e., the WOMBAT system of numeration). I don't know if schools are as tough today as they were then, but my elementary-school contemporaries were made to run the mathematical gauntlet of the times. Another poor prescription writing practice is the use of a trailing zero when it is not a significant digit. If the decimal point is not clearly legible, and there is a ten-fold strength of the drug available, 2.0 mg can become 20 mg. There is NO reason to write "2.0 mg"!!! "2 mg" is all that is required. A few (VERY few) prescribers write ALL of their prescriptions in grams, i.e., if there is a 1 mg dose, the order is written as 0|001, and 25 mcg is written as 0|000|025. This would be a good safeguard if everybody did it as a standard notation, but few do it, and it probably raises more questions than it answers when it appears. The best solution to this communication problem is mathematical facility in using decimals and in using SI, so the writer writes either 0.025 mg OR 25 mcg (sorry, I don't have a "mu" handy) and the reader can understand either notation. I must also confess that use of the SI "mu" prefix for "micro" can cause confusion in medication orders, since a careless writer will make the "mu" look like "m", so we have to read between the lines and/or call the prescriber to verify (time for electronic order entry in all medication orders!). -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:10306] Re: leading decimal
Sounds simple enough, but it's not in the cards. We do take a calculations quiz as part of our initial licensure exam, but there are no mandatory continuing education requirements for an annual or even period repeat of a pharmaceutical calculations exam. Some states require pharmacists to take a continuing education program in pharmacy law as part of their annual continuing education requirements for relicensure, but I have never seen a mandate for a closed-book periodic re-examination of calculations skills. What had happened in the instance that I once mentioned here was that the technician was mixing a chemotherapy product, which is done so carefully that even a different unit of measurement causes a tiny bit of confusion. She wanted to see 600 mg, not 0.6 g, on the label, and I had labeled it just the way the doctor ordered it: 0.6 g. We customarily label the product with the same name and the same units ordered by the physician. I was a bit surprised that she could not accept 0.6 g as a unit to work with. kilopascal wrote: 2001-01-06 Maybe the only way to solve this problem is to revoke the licenses of pharmacists or pharmacy techs that do not show a working knowledge in SI. Those who are in training must show both written and oral knowledge of the workings of SI in order to get a license and those already licensed must be tested yearly to show they can function in proper units, symbols and inter-conversions. Those that can't are OUT! This lack of knowledge may be a source of pride to those opposed to metric, but it is a danger to those who could die from the wrong dosage. Why doesn't anyone see the seriousness of this? Why isn't someone at the top seeing a crisis situation here? It seems we as a nation are priding ourselves in our freedom to be stupid, and we get angry when someone tries to educate us and make us smarter. And to think if medicines were in the old system, the situation would be worse. Maybe there isn't enough lawsuits to force the issue. Glckliches Neues Jahr! Happy New Year! John Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtmlich glaubt frei zu sein. There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they are free! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Paul Trusten Sent: Saturday, 2001-01-06 15:22 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:10296] leading decimal I can state from experience that a leading decimal point can be harmful of even fatal in healthcare. But, there is a general decimal illiteracy in US society, one that affects doctors and nurses. In fact, as I mentioned on this list in the recent past, a co-worker of mine, in pharmacy, could not easily convert grams to milligrams and vice versa. The decimal illiteracy usually shows up in the dosing of levothyroxine, a thyroid hormone supplement, which is often ordered in both milligram and microgram doses. Often, the dose 0.025 mg gets mis-transcribed as 0.25 mg, or the drug is ordered as 250 milligrams instead of 250 micrograms. Despite being the innovators in decimalizing currency, we Americans have a clear lack of facility in thinking decimally. But, I think I was lucky in attending the Boston Public Schools when I did (1956-64). We received an extensive arithmetical education, both in decimal numeration and in the use of expressed fractions (i.e., the WOMBAT system of numeration). I don't know if schools are as tough today as they were then, but my elementary-school contemporaries were made to run the mathematical gauntlet of the times. Another poor prescription writing practice is the use of a trailing zero when it is not a significant digit. If the decimal point is not clearly legible, and there is a ten-fold strength of the drug available, 2.0 mg can become 20 mg. There is NO reason to write "2.0 mg"!!! "2 mg" is all that is required. A few (VERY few) prescribers write ALL of their prescriptions in grams, i.e., if there is a 1 mg dose, the order is written as 0|001, and 25 mcg is written as 0|000|025. This would be a good safeguard if everybody did it as a standard notation, but few do it, and it probably raises more questions than it answers when it appears. The best solution to this communication problem is mathematical facility in using decimals and in using SI, so the writer writes either 0.025 mg OR 25 mcg (sorry, I don't have a "mu" handy) and the reader can understand either notation. I must also confess that use of the SI "mu" prefix for "micro" can cause confusion in medication orders, since a careless writer will make the "mu" look like "m", so we have to read between the lines and/or call the prescriber to verify (time for electronic order entry in all medication ord
[USMA:10403] Re: leading decimal
I must emphasize that the technician knew what 600 mg and 0.6 g meant. The problem lies in the mental facility needed to mentally switch between the two just as in dollars and cents. Expressing 600 mg as 0.6 g caused her to panic. In the USA, SI is a "second measurement system" in the same sense that English is a second language to many Hispanophones. Had all of us grown up in the USA by being taught about the bouncing decimal point in measurement, this would not pose a problem, because SI would be our native system. Even with the certification now required in the State of Texas for being a pharmacy technician, SI does not become the tech's first measurement system. I think I mentioned on this list before about my encounter with a decimal point at a young age. It was in the Boston Public Library, where fines for a lost library card were listed as follows: adult $.25 child $0.25 I could make out the child's fine, but why, I asked, is the adult fine so many times more---25 dollars, it looked like? Don't know why they couldn't say that 25 cents was everybody's fine, but this particular list baffled me for a couple of years, until one day, better enlightened by decimal placeholders, I understood $.25 to be simply a poorly written expression for 25 cents. Pat Naughtin wrote: Dear Paul, John and All, I think John is being a little harsh in condemning the pharmacists in these transactions - the medical staff (health professionals) also play a major role here. Naturally I can't speak for the USA, but my experience here is that doctors and nurses are almost universally ignorant of SI in Australia. The battle through their numerical days with a mishmash of units from old imperial sources muddled together with cgs, mksA, and other specialist medical units of their own devising. Leave the pharmacists alone John, they are probably the best of a bad lot. But having said that I am reminded of an old Bushies' (Australian rural) line: 'Just because it's the best, doesn't mean it's any good!' Cheers, Pat Naughtin CAMS Geelong, Australia on 07.01.2001 11.22, Paul Trusten at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sounds simple enough, but it's not in the cards. We do take a calculations quiz as part of our initial licensure exam, but there are no mandatory continuing education requirements for an annual or even period repeat of a pharmaceutical calculations exam. Some states require pharmacists to take a continuing education program in pharmacy law as part of their annual continuing education requirements for relicensure, but I have never seen a mandate for a closed-book periodic re-examination of calculations skills. What had happened in the instance that I once mentioned here was that the technician was mixing a chemotherapy product, which is done so carefully that even a different unit of measurement causes a tiny bit of confusion. She wanted to see 600 mg, not 0.6 g, on the label, and I had labeled it just the way the doctor ordered it: 0.6 g. We customarily label the product with the same name and the same units ordered by the physician. I was a bit surprised that she could not accept 0.6 g as a unit to work with. kilopascal wrote: 2001-01-06 Maybe the only way to solve this problem is to revoke the licenses of pharmacists or pharmacy techs that do not show a working knowledge in SI. Those who are in training must show both written and oral knowledge of the workings of SI in order to get a license and those already licensed must be tested yearly to show they can function in proper units, symbols and inter-conversions. Those that can't are OUT! This lack of knowledge may be a source of pride to those opposed to metric, but it is a danger to those who could die from the wrong dosage. Why doesn't anyone see the seriousness of this? Why isn't someone at the top seeing a crisis situation here? It seems we as a nation are priding ourselves in our freedom to be stupid, and we get angry when someone tries to educate us and make us smarter. And to think if medicines were in the old system, the situation would be worse. Maybe there isn't enough lawsuits to force the issue. Glckliches Neues Jahr! Happy New Year! John Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtmlich glaubt frei zu sein. There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they are free! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Paul Trusten Sent: Saturday, 2001-01-06 15:22 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:10296] leading decimal I can state from experience that a leading decimal point can be harmful of even fatal in healthcare. But, there is a general decimal illiteracy in US society, one that affects doctors and nurses. In fact, as I mentioned on this list in
[USMA:10422] medicine is not an exact science (was leading decimal)
In terms of doses, the vast majority of solid dosage forms and liquid concentrations deal with quantities of less than one gram, so the dose is most often expressed in milligrams. However, marketing plays a strong role in determining prescribing habits, i.e., drugs such as Glucophage (metformin) are expressed by the manufacturer in milligrams at all times, and the product is available in a 1000 mg strength (i.e., the manufacturer labels the product as 1000 mg tablets, not 1 g tablets). I am sad to report, however, that even pharmaceuticals can be labeled by manufacturers using the incorrect "Gm.". On the bright side, I do see many PRESCRIBERS using the correct "g" for gram in their own handwriting. All of this inconsistent thinking does demonstrate, to me anyway, the lack of at least a mental standard of measurement, and it is my hope that the metric education that is to come (or even that which has already started) will orient all US citizens to a true standard in measurement. When patients sign consent forms for medical procedures in the USA, one clause on the document states that "medicine is not an exact science". We Americans have the measurement "system" to prove that, too!!! Perhaps, by 2100, both medicine and metrology will receive the title of exact science in the USA, as metrication and the human genome project proceed to fruition. Pat Naughtin wrote: Dear Paul and All, This note is additional to my previous message. on 07.01.2001 07.21, Paul Trusten at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: snip A few (VERY few) prescribers write ALL of their prescriptions in grams, i.e., if there is a 1 mg dose, the order is written as 0|001, and 25 mcg is written as 0|000|025. This would be a good safeguard if everybody did it as a standard notation, but few do it, and it probably raises more questions than it answers when it appears. Another approach would be to encourage the use of a practice where you are restricted to the numbers between 1 and 1000 inclusive. If you go outside this range you will be required to change your prefix. Examples: Write 234 mg and not 0.234 g Write 1.234 g and not 1234 mg Using this convention a leading zero would not be required so that problem disappears. Cheers, Pat Naughtin CAMS Geelong, Australia -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:10554] SI is non-political
I suppose that this interjection of mine is an article of faith to the listserv faithful, and an article of detestation to the various jingoes out there, but I'll say it anyway: the International System of Units should be non-political, non-partisan, and non-theological. Some notions, such as the Arabic system of numerals, have enveloped the world. It should be so with SI. I am sure that the US will have its Steven Thoburns just like it has that fellow in New Hampshire who makes news every year because he refuses to turn his clocks ahead to daylight savings time. The "superiority" argument for WOMBAT has got to break down when we suggest that the US return to the old currency system of pounds, shillings, and pence, which I'm sure most Americans would reject. I suppose that it comes down to the familiar vs. the unfamiliar. As far as WOMBAT being of divine origin is concerned, it can be argued that the decimal base for SI is also divinely inspired---by humans having been ordained with ten as the total number of fingers on their hands. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:10907] time to mark the Harvard Bridge in SI!!!
To the MIT community, In 1968, I first learned of the 1958 MIT legend, when the Harvard Bridge was marked off in smoots, one smoot being approximately 67 cm (the length of one 1962 MIT alumnus named Oliver R. Smoot). In light of the fact that the International System of Units is now the "preferred system of measurement for trade in the United States (1988 Amendments to the Metric Conversion Act of 1975), wouldn't it now be appropriate to mark the bridge in metres as well? The span is approximately 620 m. Thanks, -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11163] postscriptum on post
I meant to say "which we often call", not "which we often call as". -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11162] My post to www.ukmetrication.co.uk guestbook
Metric Mickey, Congratulations on your pro-metric UK website. In this era, which we often call as the post-industrial age, an age of science, I find it baffling that your country retards, and my country resists, total adoption of the International System of Units as its measurement standard. I suspect that this may not be a purely scientific age after all, when people think that the customary "systems" of the UK and the US are "convenient". I often challenge my fellow countrymen to revive the pre-1971 British system of currency if they are so fond of such divisions, and they can't answer that with any degree of consistency. As you may know, the US lost a very costly spacecraft due to a duality of measurement units. As a pharmacist, I fear that there is much more at stake, with the possibility of people losing their lives because of a mix-up in pounds and kilograms, or (on a syringe scale) minims and millilitres. As with traffic lights, people must die before officialdom implements the controls. We shall have to wait and see. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11361] twips
Visual Basic, I learned, does not use SI units of length. It uses a twip, which is one twentieth of one point. There being 72 points to an inch, a twip is 1/20 of 1/72 of 25.4 mm, or 17.64 um. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11432] Steven Thoburn vs. the 21st century
Why wasn't the UK conversion to decimal currency in 1971 also considered a European invasion of the British Isles? I say to my disgruntled fellows in the Mother Country, bring back pounds, shillings, and pence if you insist upon preserving the pint and the pound! Please be consistent! To hear these jingoistic arguments over metrology continuing into the new century makes me all the angrier. For myself, I don't want to make change in 12s and 20s, nor do I want to compound prescriptions in scruples, drams, and apothecary ounces (and, in fact, I've never done so in practice), nor do I want to see minim scales on syringes or patients being weighed in dual units. The signature line for me on this issue remains that, now, at the opening of the twenty-first century of our Common Era, following one hundred years of unbridled cultivation of science and technology, we, the children of that technology, must adopt a global standard of measurement, and the need for such a global standard transcends politics. Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11529] pressure on NASA to go all SI
The message title "NASA SI pressure" sounded wonderful, as if there was pressure being applied to NASA to use SI only! But, alas, it was only a missive involving the use of SI units OF pressure at NASA. Darn. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11530] Re: USMA digest 482
ric Association" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001 6:00 PM Subject: [USMA:11526] Re: NPT vs. PG On Wed, 7 Mar 2001 15:28:33 -0500 , Adrian Jadic [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This refers to electrical pipe and not industrial plumbing pipe. I beleive it is a lot easier to change the standard for electrical installations, as these ones are usually either installed new or just removed and never have to be partially replaced because they leak. The electrical industry is already dominated by IEC standards as they have proven to be superior to the NEMA ones. They must be moving "to the next level" by upgrading the standard. Plumbing is different though. Maintenance work would become a nightmare of adaptors etc. As much as I would like to see a replacement I doubt there would be one. The only way, would be to invent a totally new plumbing system with different sizes and/or attachments which is superior to the existing one. If the UK can convert to a metric pipe system, I don't see why other countries (including European) should have so much difficulty. -- Chris KEENAN UK Metrication Association: http://www.metric.org.uk/ UK Correspondent, US Metric Association -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11636] the Celsius-less nurse
I'm afraid that there are many healthcare professionals who are ignorant of the Celsius temperature scale. If you should happen across a pharmacist who is ignorant of it, that would be a tragedy. Recently, I was instrumental in getting a form changed at my hospital so that it no longer requests the patient weight in pounds OR kilograms. Sadly, I could only get it changed to pounds, but at least that may prevent someone from entering a lb. figure when kg were meant, or vice versa. It is possible for someone to weigh over 100 kg, so, let us say, the number 128 could mean either a trim person (lb.) or a very obese person (kg). If someone writes 128 kg but means pounds, the dose of a drug could be calculated which is far in excess of the correct dose for that patient. Funny thing is, even with the "kg" box gone, nurses will still go ahead and write the kg weight in, giving the proper units (kg). IMHO, It is a cavalier attitude about measurement systems that could be dangerous. I maintain that the adoption of SI in the United States, even on a small scale (healthcare), requires, first of all, inspiration. It has to be a matter of motivation, and it has to be across all sectors of a group or an organization. If we can instill fear everywhere, such as the fear we generated over Y2K, we should be able to instill knowledge (of SI) as well. We can't have just a few people in one enterprise devoted to the use of one standard of measurement when too many others just do not care. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:11799] the deadly teaspoonful??
YOU READ IT HERE FIRST!!! Print this out and save it for when a relevant story breaks in the press. The most unjustly tolerated "unit" of measurement in this or any other century is the teaspoonful in United States healthcare. Why this "unit" of measurement continues to be coveted by physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners is simply this: it is used out of habit, and no one has yet died of this WOMBAT mal-metrology and had the story covered in the media. If a mishap occurs, and is publicized, I cannot see how the teaspoonful would survive. There is no standard teaspoon, but there is a kind of standard teaspoonful. As a pharmacy student, I was taught to translate the teaspoonful as 5 ml . However, a strict historical look at the teaspoonful suggests that it could also be one fluid dram, which is about 3.7 ml . In any case, the vast majority of oral solutions manufactured for human pharmacologic use have a stated concentration of grams (or milligrams) PER FIVE MILLILITERS of product. So, my hope is that we Americans, who have embraced tamper-resistant packaging, baby car seats, Lo-Jack, The Club, latex condoms, and "close cover before striking", will one day adopt the convention of using a standard medicine cup for taking medicine, that standard cup will be graduated only in milliliters, and that the milliliter will be the only unit of dosage volume to be used with oral-solution and oral-suspension medications. And while we're at it, we MUST get the minim scale off of syringes. If anyone out there uses a syringe to draw up a volume of fluid in minims, please let me know, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] I've never, ever, ever heard it done. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:12005] But, I ain't givin' up!
Despite my own tough stand on the realistic chances for QUICK US metrication, I have no intention of abandoning this cause, nor do I expect to join the "why do we need metric" crowd of ostriches. In fact, as I said in my previous comments, it makes no sense for the people with much of the money in the US not to consider major investing in US metrication. I just don't understand why these very smart people want to continue to carry two sets of inventories, one for the US consumption and the other for the rest of the world. I'm sure there is a reason they can give to justify it, but I don't bottle milk or make fasteners for a living, so I don't know the answer. Once again, it is the INSPIRATION or lack thereof, towards US metrication, which is the rate-limiting step in this issue. I, for one, intend to keep on fighting for metric, and damn the WOMBAT torpedoes! So, I'm a realist, but I continue to be a zealot for SI. I'm going the extra kilometer. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:12006] we can start with the law---fighting words
It is the policy of the United States government that SI is the "preferred system of measurement" for trade in the United States. Those are fighting words. Whenever you offer cm and kg instead of ft. and lb., and you get a negative response, quote federal law! The party HAS to listen. That is one thing that all of us can do. The actions of one of us might just result in a systemic change that ends up snowballing into official US adoption of SI. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:12010] support US dairy industry conversion to metric
To representatives of the US dairy industry: Thank you for providing your e-mail address at www.dairy.com, which I find to be an excellent web site. As you know, the Congress in 1988 declared the International System of Units (the modernized metric system) to be the preferred system of measurement for trade in the United States. Parts of the US beverage industry have long since responded to the metric call by marketing many of its products, both nonalcoholic as well as alcoholic, in metric sizes. Why hasn't the trend to metric "got milk?"? I am writing, as a consumer of US dairy products, a US citizen, and as a member of the US Metric Association, to support the US dairy industry's joining their nondairy counterparts in sizing their products in metric measurement units. Since the liter especially has been a recognizable unit of beverage measure to the American public for 25 years, a move by the dairy industry towards metric would be an acceptable change for consumers. It would also speed the day in which the US adopts the SI system and will be able to deal in the global economy unencumbered by its current "system" of measurement, which, as far at the rest of the world is concerned, is an orphan system. Please consider converting your liquid products to 250 mL, 500 mL, 1 liter, 2 liter, and 4-liter sizes. I drink a lot of milk myself, and would certainly rather buy it by the 4-liter, instead of the 3.785 liter, bottle! Thanks very much for your kind assistance. Sincerely, -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:12178] message in a bottle, to US leadership, on the metric system
t we ought to sell American gasoline and beverages by the liter, fabric by the meter, solid goods by the kilogram, and measure our long distances by the kilometer. It is now the 21st century, The world is waiting on us, and it is time to free our hands from our hearts. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED] DELENDA EST CARTHAGO!
[USMA:14101] back again
Just thought I'd drop in to see what condition my condition was in (now THERE's my age for you! That song was a big hit for about 76 hours in 1966 or so). OK, I'm about to hear about SI in the trenches. I'll sit back and lurk awhile. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14126] Re: Euro logistics
Same on my PC. James R. Frysinger wrote: Unfortunately, Louis, the euro symbol did not display properly in either Netscape nor in Kmail on my linux system. I see your message was sent in ISO 8859-1 but both programs show me a strange symbol (circle with four radiating lines at 045, 135, 225, and 315 degrees). The message source says that the character that was sent was =A4. I notice that $ is a shift-4 on my US keyboard and wonder if that's what A4 indicates? Jim On Friday 29 June 2001 1707, Louis JOURDAN wrote: At 16:09 -0400 01/06/29, Nat Hager III wrote: Interesting article on the logistics of Euro-conversion, from next week's Business Week International. Makes US metric conversion look like a walk in the park. Yeah... At least Euro-conversion is thoroughly prepared, whilst the US metric conversion... Seriously, don't give too much credit to this article. Euro is already a reality for many people, and conversion will go smoothly. If some journalists want to make it a nightmare, that is their problem. Interesting : do you know how I get the euro symbol ¤ with my new MacOS (9.1) ? by typing option-$. In other words the euro is just an alternative to the dollar ? Louis -- James R. Frysinger University/College of Charleston 10 Captiva Row Dept. of Physics and Astronomy Charleston, SC 2940766 George Street 843.225.0805Charleston, SC 29424 http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cert. Adv. Metrication Specialist 843.953.7644 -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14152] Re: 227 kg of cheese...you guys AREN'T going to believe this...
This is a pretty cheesy story, Brian. I guess they're not such gourmets, who I would think would be fluent in metric. What would happen if you demanded the rest of the product? The other 276.723 kg they said they were providing? Good thing it wasn't Limburger! I wonder how many people who are NOT interested in metrication, but are alert to the error, will contact them. Brian J White wrote: So Im in the local Safeway in Kirkland, WA...when I'm hunting for some sliced cheese for some burgers. I go to the deli area where all the gourmet stuff is. I look down at my intended purchase, which was a pack of Colby Jack, when something strange slaps me in the face as I do a quick glance of the package. NET WT. 8 oz. (227kg) I do a double take for a second thinking...what the hell is that? I looked at their other types of cheese and about half of the brand, Great Lakes Cheese Co, had 227kg listed on their 8 oz. packages of cheese. Think I'm crazy? Here's a pic. http://www.bjwhite.net/227kg_of_cheese.jpg If you want to write the company, there is an address at the bottom. Strange. Brian -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14153] Great Lakes Cheese e-mail!!!
You can e-mail Great Lakes Cheese Company at [EMAIL PROTECTED] . -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14170] Re: WOMBAT is alive and well in Canada
So, I suppose I must re-name my acronym the Way Of Measuring Badly in the AMERICAS Today. Bill Potts wrote: If you want to feel depressed, take a look at some of the links in http://www.firstcorp.ca/business/. All the ones I looked at give the dimensions in FFU. One of the main culprits, of course, is Brian Mulroney, Canada's former Progressive Conservative (the ultimate oxymoron) Prime Minister. He (along with his reactionary government) was the one who rolled back the regulations. Although subsequent elections left Mulroney's party in disarray, the Liberals don't seem to have the moxie to put things right. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14205] I couldn't be bothered
When I last asked my father about his feelings towards the US changing over to the metric system, his answer boiled down to four words which, I believe, are shared by the working world in all areas of the world recovering from non-SI usage: I couldn't be bothered. What I think I am seeing is this notion coming to life in stories I read here on the USMA listerv, ranging from an overhead clearance sign ignorantly posted in feet in a metric country such as Canada, to a British man, Mr. Thoburn who is fast becoming a martyr for daring to not be bothered. Then, we got the two hundred twenty seven kilogram package of cheese here in the US (Not even a shopping cart big enought to carry one of them buggers to the checkout)! Yes, I think my Dad is right. They couldn't be bothered. Those of us on this listserv see a standard of measurement as something that is enacted by law and regulation. But the people who measure things, design signage, and write packaging, see their standard of measurement as whatever is familiar to them, not by law and regulation, but by education and experience. This is why I must insist that national inspiration be the first step in the changeover to SI in the United States. We need to make our people care. By a blast of inspiration, we must first move them to change their knowledge and experience before the next step, formal education, begins. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14259] Re: I couldn't be bothered
Thanks, Joe. Australia had a brilliant inspirational campaign in its metrication program---postage stamps that illustrated metric paradigms (1 g is the weight of a paper clip, etc.). Joseph B. Reid wrote: Paul Trusten in USMA 14205 wrote: When I last asked my father about his feelings towards the US changing over to the metric system, his answer boiled down to four words which, I believe, are shared by the working world in all areas of the world recovering from non-SI usage: I couldn't be bothered. Yes, I think my Dad is right. They couldn't be bothered. Those of us on this listserv see a standard of measurement as something that is enacted by law and regulation. But the people who measure things, design signage, and write packaging, see their standard of measurement as whatever is familiar to them, not by law and regulation, but by education and experience. This is why I must insist that national inspiration be the first step in the changeover to SI in the United States. We need to make our people care. By a blast of inspiration, we must first move them to change their knowledge and experience before the next step, formal education, begins. Australian experience bears out Paul's thoughts. The Metric Conversioin Board's report of May 1979 said: The Board considered it axiomatic that, in the main, the familiarization wih and learning the elemnets of the metric system would be achieved by exposure to an increasingly metric environment: that is, learning by *experience*. This was judged better than endeavouring to teach the public by means of an educational campaign. In areas such as industry where a knowledge of specific metric units was required, the necessary information was provided largely by in-house courses, but this was not as significant an aspect of the implementation of programs as learning by exposure. With that in view, the Board gave priority to: (i) Education. (ii)Technical standards... (iii) Legislation . (iv)Activities which would have broad public impact, without ... ... introducing an element of disadvantage, to provide early... exposure of the public to the metric system, e.g. horse racing, sporting events and reporting of temperatures and rainfall. Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West TorontoM5P 1C8 Tel. 416 486-6071 -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14260] Re: Trouble with metric legislation
Stephen, You could say that metric legislation in the US is, by definition, suffering, just by the fact that it is US legislation. The greatest nonstop argument of my lifetime is when and how my country is finally going to fix SI as its standard of weights and measures. It is the greatest perpetual paradox I can come up with---a nation that worships science, but stalwartly refuses to measure everyday things scientifically. Stay tuned for more knock-down drag-outs! Stephen Davis wrote: Hi, all. I am from Sunderland, England, and I wondered if America is experiencing similar resistance to metrication as we are. As you know, Sunderland was involved in the recent Metric Martyr's debacle as right-wing groups resisted the changeover to metric measures for loose goods for fruit and veg. The country is expecting a full changeover to metrication in this area by 2009. I just submit this query to the mailing list to see if metrication legislation over there is suffering along similar lines. Regards, Steve. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14261] Re: Imperial Knowledge.
Stephen, On this side of the pond, we have a late night TV host named Jay Leno, who specializes in taking the intellectual temperature of the nation by asking the man on the street questions such as the ones you have proposed below. I would guess that a sizable number of Americans cannot answer with the correct number of avoirdupois ounces to the pound. Stephen Davis wrote: America seems to be one of the last bastions of the imperial system, yet I would ask this. How many Americans actually know how many ounces there are in a pound, or how many pints there are in each gallon? The imperial system is deemed so good by it's supporters, yet I understand the US gallon is different to the British gallon, so it's not a very reliable measurement, is it? Regards, Steve. [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14517] my heads up for their heads up
The 2001 July issue of a publication known as Hospital Pharmacist Report featured the following: HEADS UP! Editor's Note: Heads Up! provides information to help health-system pharmacists prevent or avoid med errors. If you have a Heads Up! you would like to share, send it to Hospital Pharmacist Report, 5 Paragon Drive, Montvale NJ 07645.E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: (201)722-2490. How many milliliters are in three-quarters of a teaspoonful of a liquid medication (the package included a 5-ml oral syringe)? A simple calculation, right? Well, not always. According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, an experienced pharmacy technician recently used a calculator and was surprised by an answer of 4 ml. She showed a pharmacist, who repeated the calculation and came up with the same answer. The pharmacist told the technician to use 4 ml as the dose. When the technician looked at the calibrated oral syringe, she insisted it should be 3.75 ml. A second pharmacist used the same calculator and realized that the decimal places had been set at 0 and that the calculator was rounding the answer. This decimal point error, according to ISMP, may have caused a serious error if the medication hasd required a more complex calculation or if an infant's medication had a narrow therapeutic index. Well, I never use a calculator with rounding capabilities anyway, but the technician is indeed correct---the volume should be 3.75 ml. Still, that ain't the point!!!The following was my substitute heads up for the problem at hand, submitted to the e-mail address above: Rather than legitimize the colloquy between pharmacist and technician over whether or not three quarters of a teaspoonful is 3.75 ml or 4 ml, I wish to move that teaspoonsful and any other non-metric units of measurement be stricken from US healthcare as soon as is practical. Both healthcare professionals and patients should be using milliliters only in ordering and measuring liquid doses. The United States is now the only remaining country not to have adopted the International System of Units as its standard of measurement. But this does not mean that healthcare, almost wholly metric now, can afford to permit the continued use of an archaic measurement system for the measuring of patient doses at the very hour that medication errors are under national scrutiny. In the example in your July issue, it is not the calculator that is the problem. It is the use of teaspoonful measurement that is the problem! The example is especially laughable because the drug product included a metric syringe. Hence there is absolutely no excuse for the use of non-metric units in this prescription. Prescribers can at least order the dose in milligrams, and we pharmacists can do the rest! As it is now our legal duty to do so, let us counsel the patient on the use of the syringe. Sincerely, Paul Trusten,R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd Apt 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 home 915-694-6208 work 915-685-1549
[USMA:14532] Re: rail gauges
of different gauges in the early days. No railroad wanted to change them, because it would blow their monopoly in the little short-haul area that was covered by each early railroad. So when a train came to the end of the line, which couldn't connect with the next one, all the stuff would have to be unloaded and carted to the next train. This added another layer of interest groups against gauge standardization-carters, laborers and local politicians who wanted to keep the work for the local boys at each railhead. The Northern railroads were being consolidated by early captains of industry by the time the Civil War came around, so Northern roads pretty much had adopted a common gauge. The Southern states weren't so far along and were still piddling around with the local, short-haul, different gauge, lack-o-system system. This made things tough on a poor state at war, as locomotives and cars couldn't be used all over even if they had standardized the gauge (Longstreet's men had to de-train several times in their rail trip to beef up the troops at Chickamaga.). But in the end it was Abraham Lincoln who made the decision that the gauge of both the actors in the transcontinental railroad project (launched during the War) would be the same: 4 feet, 8.5 inches-though he probably didn't think in terms of horses' rumps...and because the Union won the War, the standard gauge was extended to Southern railways which all had to be rebuilt and mostly with Northern capital. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14538] Re: rail gauges
Or, maybe HAW as in HEE HAW? But, that's just a plain ass. kilopascal wrote: 2001-07-21 HAU = Horse's Ass Units (aka Equine Anal Units) Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.. etc. Extremely humourous. I LOVE IT. It is even better than my name, the FFU. Is that pronounced like 'how? John Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtümlich glaubt frei zu sein. There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they are free! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) - Original Message - From: Paul Trusten [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, 2001-07-21 23:28 Subject: [USMA:14532] Re: rail gauges WOMBAT = Way Of Measuring Badly in America Today FFU = Fred Flintstone Units and now, fresh from the USMA listerv, kilopascal wrote: 2001-07-21 This is one of the propaganda stories circulated by the BWMA. In fact it is almost word for word identical, except for the horse's ass part. And even if the 4 ft 8.5 in may seem non-sensical to modern users of FFU, the metric equivalent, being 1430 or 1435 mm (depending on your local standard), is quite normal. Also, I think someone pointed out that the 4 ft 8.5 in used in modern FFU, was actually an even 5 ft to the Romans. At the time of the introduction of the metric system in France in the 1790's, it was estimated that there were over 5000 variations on the foot alone still in use in Europe. It is awful arrogant of Americans and deceitful of the BWMA and others to propagate the lie that there has always been 1 standard foot since the beginning, and that the present hodge-podge of units used in the US has been in use continuously for millennia with out change. Not only can't people work efficiently with FFU, they don't even know its history. John Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtümlich glaubt frei zu sein. There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they are free! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) - Original Message - From: Barbara and/or Bill Hooper [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, 2001-07-21 15:42 Subject: [USMA:14523] rail gauges Following are two interesting related messages that got forwarded to me by my engineer son-in-law. I thought they were interesting enough to pass on. Regards, Bill Hooper = #1 From: Ray Smith Subject: Good engineering stands the test of time The U.S. standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That is an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and the U.S. railroads were built by English expatriates. Why did the English build them that way? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used. Why did they use that gauge? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing. So why did the wagons have that particular odd spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that was the spacing of the wheel ruts. So who built those old rutted roads? The first long distance roads in Europe (and England) were built by Imperial Rome for their legions. The roads have been used ever since. And the ruts in the roads? The ruts in the roads, which everyone had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels, were first formed by Roman war chariots. Since the chariots were made for (or by) Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. The U.S. standard railroad gauge of 4 feet-8.5 inches derives from the original specification for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Specifications and bureaucracies live forever. So the next time you are handed a specification and wonder what horse's ass came up with it, you may be exactly right, because the Imperial Roman war chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the back end of two war horses. Thus we have the answer to the original question. Now for the twist to the story. When we see a space shuttle sitting on it's launching pad, there are two booster rockets attached to the side of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRB's. The SRB's are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah. The engineers
[USMA:14543] Re: So very funny...and metric too.
Could this be the origin of the aphorism about elephants never forgetting? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I heard that the physiological mating period for male elephants goes by the name must, which sounds compelling in itself. Time to write that first inspirational metric ballad. Let's call it You're three tonnes of love; pack your trunk and let's do the jungle thing! Sex sells, so perhaps we can make SI into something so erotic that no American can ignore it. But, along those lines, we ought to use humans instead of elephants.Pardon my political incorrectness, but who should be SI's first pin-up girl? kilopascal wrote: 2001-07-22 Claim: A village in India learned the hard way not to interfere with the course of pachyderm True Love. Status: True. Origins: The following tale found its way into quite a few newspapers in early 1994: An Indian man was trampled to death trying to break up a love affair between a tame elephant and her wild 3,600 kilogram suitor from the jungles of south Bihar. The irresistible force of love between elephants is something the villagers of Gumla, in northern India, wish they had avoided. It is rare for wild elephants to develop crushes on domesticated pachyderms. But when a bull elephant happened to spy an attractive she-elephant named Madhubala, it was, well, love at first sight. Even though Madhubala was chained to a tree, the bull elephant refused to leave her. At first the villagers tried to lure away the heavyweight stranger with a banana bribe. It was not food the elephant had on his mind. Angry and scared, villagers and police began tossing firecrackers and flaming sticks at the wild male. As the furious elephant charged back to the jungle, he crushed a forest ranger, killing him. The bull elephant's retreat was only tactical. The lovesick male sneaked back later that night and freed Madhubala by smashing her chains. The two lovers eloped. Madhubala's keeper, Mahedi Hussain, tracked her down in the jungle after a week and brought her back to the village. The she-elephant, alas, remained lovelorn. She even turned up her trunk at a bunch of bananas, her favorite food. Finally, her plaintive trumpet calls were answered. The avenging lover swept down on the village last Friday like an army tank, flattening huts and scattering people into the forest. As the United News of India reported: The elephant ''returned to Gumla in a rage, demolishing walls and anything that stood between him and Madhubala. The act, many said, would have done credit to any film hero who had been denied his love.'' With Madhubala loose again, the reunited elephant pair slipped off into the dense trees. This time, the elephant-keeper is in no hurry to bring her -- and her trouble-making boyfriend -- back again. Barbara Madhubala is now living out her elephantasy Mikkelson Last updated: 30 July 1999 John Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtümlich glaubt frei zu sein. There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they are free! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14548] poetry of WOMBAT measurement (was SUV item)
Jim, There may be journalistic reasons for Mr. O'Dell to use WOMBAT in his article if he is writing for an American audience, an audience which may not yet be ENTERTAINED by metric units. Here, the author appeals to emotion, not reason. I don't expect Mr. O'Dell to educate his readers in this context, nor do I think, as much as we would like them to be, that these readers want to be educated. The United States has no SI measurement standard, much less an SI measurement folklore. Americans are still beckoned by Horse's Ass Units. They may make an attempt to refer to the metric engine size in the article, but storage space here is presented to amuse rather than to inform. James R. Frysinger wrote: Posted a few minutes ago Original Message Subject: Big SUV; tiny cargo space Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 14:27:47 -0400 From: James R. Frysinger [EMAIL PROTECTED] Organization: Metric Methods To: . Letter Editor, L.A. Times copies to John O'Dell and the editor of the Charleston Post and Courier Dear Sir: In today's Charleston Post and Courier, an article by John O'Dell of the Los Angelos Times is printed, regarding the new Chevrolet Tahoe. It is also available online at http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/highway1/la-56934jul11.story Then online version provides more information than is printed in our local paper, but unfortunately it too is lacking in some respects. Mr. O'Dell writes about the Tahoe's 5.3 L engine (and a smaller 4.8 L engine that is available) but then gives the engine's power in horsepower (but not kilowatts), torque in foot-pounds (but not newton meters), and towing capacity in pounds (but not in in kilograms). He also provides some dimensions in inches and feet. (Do cars have feet?) The Society of Automotive Engineers includes the metric quantities in their articles, so that information is available to Mr. O'Dell. The strange part of the article is where he states, It will haul people in serious comfort, carry a peck of parcels, and tow a ton (or four) with ease. Gee, in an SUV, I would expect the glove box to hold a peck (8 dry quarts or 8.8 L). What a tiny cargo space the Tahoe must have! Ain't it a shame that Americans have such a deep understanding of their units that they hate to give them up for SI? Come on, Mr. O'Dell. Join the automotive world and get metricated. There is absolutely no reason in the world why your article (at least the online version) couldn't include metric quantities. James R. Frysinger also at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj -- Metric Methods(SM) Don't be late to metricate! James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/ 10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789 -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14558] US metrication part I--inspiration
Indeed, a wise old man, who knew that inspiration was the first step in the process. Joe, did he start using Miss Metric when she was born? That is an ingenious stroke, because it focuses the public on a cause, i.e., the young woman's progress in life. Or, did Miss Metric New Zealand arrive in the public eye when she was already centerfold-worthy? Did it have something to do with the measurements 91-58-91? Now, that's a lot more interesting than the width of a fingernail. Joseph B. Reid wrote: The wise old man who ran New Zealand's metrication program found a girl who was born at the start of the New Zealand metrication program. He named her Miss Metric and published in the press periodic reports with photographs of her progress. Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West TorontoM5P 1C8 Tel. 416 486-6071 -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14559] Re: poetry of WOMBAT measurement (was SUV item)
Yes, but do you consider that a fixation of a standard of measurement for the United States? BTW, I thought that was in 1875, just after the US signed the Treaty Of the Metre. Joseph B. Reid wrote: Paul Trusten wrote in USMA 14548: The United States has no SI measurement standard, much less an SI measurement folklore. The US received a prototype meter and a prototype kilogram in 1895, if I remember correctly. The inch/pound units are legaly defined in terms of those prototypes. Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West TorontoM5P 1C8 Tel. 416 486-6071 -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14560] the WOMBAT Congressional resolution of 1836
OK,OK,OK I suppose I am subjectively unwilling to admit that my Congress ever passed a fixation of the standard of weights and measures as is their right in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, but after reading Jim Frysinger's excellent Metric Background web page, which I strongly recommend, http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj/background.htm I do see that the Congress did fix something into place. Pasting in from Jim's page, the discussion reads as follows: 1836 Congress directed that standards be distributed to the states. Apparently pleased that somebody was taking concrete action, Congress passed a resolution on 1836 June 14 directing that standards for weights and measures be distributed to the states, thus unifying the units in use within the country. This report did not specify whether those should be metric standards or standards of the yard, pound, gallon, and bushel-however the latter were the ones distributed by the Treasury. Thus they became the de facto units of commonly used measures and rapid adoption by the states in their laws and regulations made them effectively the de jure standards. Two years later Congress directed that the Treasury Department distribute balances to the states to use with those standards. I suppose we could call this the WOMBAT resolution, or, maybe even the Whatever resolution. It's time that the Congress fixed what it fixed! -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14561] a liter of gasoline
Jim Frysinger noted on his metric background page, ...Thus they became the de facto units of commonly used measures and rapid adoption by the states in their laws and regulations made them effectively the de jure standards When the US Metric Board voted in 1979 to support the change of gasoline pumps from gallons to liters to accommodate the pumps (most of them at the time) that could not read a price of more than 99.9 cents per unit volume, I thought we could do the above de facto to de jure thing all over again I knew that state bureaus of weights and measures were involved here, since I would always end up staring at the state seal on the pump as I stood pumping at self-serve stations. So, I thought, if the US standard of measurement was initially fixed passively through the state bureaus beginning in 1836, then the metric system would be fixed as the US standard in like manner in 1979. Moreover, the placement of the liter in such a visible position in the national public eye (posted prices, word of mouth), along with the liter-ization of soft drinks which began at that time, would provide the essential spark of national inspiration, and the rest of SI would be easier to enact. But, of course, nothing changed, except the US Metric Board itself, the operation of which was suspended by the Reagan Administration in the early 1980s. Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14635] fighting for the Sacagawea US dollar coin
I feel that discussing the failure of the Sacagawea dollar coin on this listserv is relevant to our cause, since it represents the unwillingness of Americans to enact an important change, especially if that change that will run counter to their conventional ignorance. Has anybody on this list, in the US, and not in a Wal-Mart or an IHOP (they are, or were, running promotions on this),received one or more Sacagawea dollar coins in change? Since the coin was launched in January of 2000, I have never received this coin in change or from an individual. Believing that the people have been ripped off by expenditure of tax dollars to develop and launch the coin, immediately followed the total failure of this coin to circulate, I wrote to the US Treasury Inspector General's office asking them if they think there is some kind of loss or inequity at the US Mint. They did write back to say that this question is Mint business and forwarded my letter to the Mint (yeah, what the heck good is an Inspector General? He's supposed to INSPECT!). That was in February. On Saturday, not having yet heard squat, or even diddly-squat, I wrote four letters: one snail-mail certified letter, return receipt requested, to Jay Johnson, Director of the Mint, with a copy of my note from the Treasury IG; one letter to my US Representative, Larry Combest, and one letter each to Senator Gramm and Senator Hutchison. I'll share the results, if any, with the list. In the US, The International System of Units is like the Sacagawea dollar coin in the sense that it is the preferred system of measurement for trade and commerce in our country (I would think that this new coin should be the preferred form of a $1 cash transaction since the coin is durable and convenient), an established medium of trade on which we can not yet capitalize due to the tendency of many of the American people to view some changes as foreign even when they are quite domestic. For those reading this list from outside the United States, please go to http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/golden_dollar_coin/index.cfm?action=golden_dollar_specs to view this magnificent coin. The portrait is that of a Shoshone Indian woman named Sacagawea, who served as a Shoshone translator for the US Army explorers Meriweather Lewis and William Clark in their 1803-1806 fact-finding expedition of the territory west of the established states. Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14664] Re: Denver Post
to a dude named Gerardus Mercator who invented a decent map for navigating oceans in the mid-latitudes. His projection was part of the massive 16th century revolution in cartography, which erupted as knowledge of the Western Hemisphere reached the emerging scientific caste in Europe and forever changed how humans envision their world. Trouble was, people misused Mercator's map to form government policy, too. And since Mercator's projection showed Europe disproportionately large and minimized Africa and other southern locales, it skewed the world view widely held by generations of politicians and school kids. It was a classic case of misunderstanding the product of technology - for maps are as much about politics as geography. Today, satellites and computers are fomenting another mapmaking revolution, the likes of which civilization hasn't seen since Mercator's era. Maps are, in a sense, the very foundation upon which our society has been built and continues to evolve. But like politics, sometimes technology embraces silly notions. And the 20-meter interval is a classic case of a technocrat's convenience overriding the needs of the on-the-ground user. Penelope Purdy ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) is a member of The Denver Post editorial board. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14723] Re: ruler for school
Back in the Fred Flintstone era (that is, when us Baby Boomers were discovering Fred and Co.), we had dual-scaled rulers, too, but nobody bothered to explain that other scale which had MM marked beside it. It was like a dirty secret. Wish they were asking for their students to get 30 cm rulers! Stephen C. Gallagher wrote: My nephew, age 7, will be starting 2nd grade in the suburbs of Chicago. On his list of necessary school supplies was the following item: 12 inch ruler (Ruler MUST also have metric markings.) Looks like they're trying to introduce it early. Stephen Gallagher -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14724] will be unsubscribing
I am about to unsubscribe for the duration of my vacation, as I may not be at a computer much. Be back on 2001 August 9. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14899] Re: metric in The Netherlands
This must mean that US metric education will send everyone to grammer school
(GRIN).
kilopascal wrote:
006c01c1240c$78d1afe0$[EMAIL PROTECTED]">
2001-08-13It could go both ways. The quarter-pound is the mass of the meat un-cooked.After cooking, the mass is reduced. So, the hundred grammer is closer tobeing true to what you actually get.John- Original Message -From: "Barbara and/or Bill Hooper" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: "U.S. Metric Association" [EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Sunday, 2001-08-12 23:13Subject: [USMA:14890] Re: metric in The Netherlands
Han wrote:
pricing in 'pounds' of 500 g and 'ounces' of 100 g is illegal (in TheNetherlands) but tolerated,
That would be strange, indeed. An ounce is not approximately 100 g at all.
A
quarter pound (4 ounces) is approximately 100 g. The McDonalds hamburgerchain advertizes "the quarter pounder", a hamburger sandwich with a
quarter
pound of meat. I have suggested that it could be called "the hundredgrammer".Regards,Bill HooperKeep It Simple!Make It Metric!
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
(915)-694-6208
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14905] metric booze
I know that this subject was once talked to death on this listserv, but US metric liquor sizes leapt out at me from a liquor store window sign last week. A sale item was quoted per 750 ml bottle, no WOMBAT stated. Gee, those distillers have gotten into the spirit of the thing! Of course, the 750 ml thing is the son of the fifth, which was, technically, 757 ml, precisely one-fifth of a US gallon (3785 ml). Maybe metrication will succeed if the nation is thoroughly lit while it is going on BIG GRIN. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14933] Re: metric booze
ME,NH, VT: state stores
MA, CT, RI: private stores
Nat Hager III wrote:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]">
That is a difference John. In PA both wine and liquor is sold in statestores, and not even beer is sold in grocery stores. (real pain when youwant to have friends over Sunday night, and can't buy a bottle of wine).But MD has private wine and liquor stores, and I can't honestly rememberseeing FFU there. Seems to me though, the Ohio model is prevalentthroughout New England, and I'll be getting there soon so I'll check it out.As for demanding they show where FFU appears - no, I don't. I prefer themore subtle approach of playing dumb, and getting the jab in in more deviousmanner. Keeps 'em guessing better! gNat
Nat and Others,In Ohio, only "hard" liquor is sold in "state stores". That is stores runby the government of Ohio. I don't buy hard liquor, so I don't frequentthose stores. They may in fact price as you say. However, Wine and beercan and are sold in grocery and convenient stores, etc. It isthese storesthat advertise in FFU. I hope this is clear now!BTW, the next time they call the containers by pint andhalf-gallon, demandthat they show where on the container those words appear. It would beinteresting to see what their response would be.John- Original Message -From: "Nat Hager III" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: "U.S. Metric Association" [EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Wednesday, 2001-08-15 23:03Subject: [
USMA:14916] Re: metric booze
John,In all honesty I never see that, here in Southeast PA, MD, DE, NY state.All PA Liquor store labels are in proper metric sizes, including shelflabels and hand written island displays, and pretty much the
same for the
large window signs in MD and DE. The price per unit volume may still be
in
floozies, but I never pay attention to that.Now once in a while a clerk will refer to a half-pint or a
half-gallon, to
which I look confused and say "what-ever". gNat
2001-08-14The stores I go to always convert and display the metric fills in
ounces,
such as 25.4 fl oz and 50.7 fl oz. The person doing the adsseems to thingthe public will relate more to these numbers than 750 mL or 1.5 L.Nobody I've ever spoken to knows the metric sizes of any of thewine/liquorbottles despite 22 years of metric sizing. I still hear fifths,half-gallons (for 1.5 L and 1.75 L) and gallons (for 3 to 5 L).If I informthem they are metric and have been so for 22 years, the responseis usually:"what-ever!!!" or something else that is cynical in nature.The metrication of the alcohol industry has done nothing to
further the
cause.John- Original Message -From: "Paul Trusten" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: "U.S. Metric Association" [EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Tuesday, 2001-08-14 00:22Subject: [USMA:14905] metric booze
I know that this subject was once talked to death on this
listserv,
but US metric liquor sizes leapt out at me from a liquor
store window
sign last week. A sale item was quoted per 750 ml bottle, no WOMBATstated. Gee, those distillers have gotten into the spirit of the
thing!
Of course, the 750 ml thing is the son of the fifth, which was,technically, 757 ml, precisely one-fifth of a US gallon (3785 ml).Maybe metrication will succeed if the nation is thoroughly lit while
it
is going on BIG GRIN.--Paul Trusten, R.Ph
[USMA:14957] Re: ENGLAND
It is interesting that there are different perceptions of measurement and currency. If I am caught trying to use unlawful US currency (counterfeit, let's say), I get the attention of the Secret Service PDQ. But, when the day comes that the US rejects all but the International System of Units as its standard of weights and measures, will an American Thoburn come along who tries to persist in using pounds at his butcher shop? and, if so, will it be perceived as unpopularly as counterfeiting the currency, or will a tide of sentimental popular support flow in? Perhaps it will not. All Americans know no other US currency but the US dollar, but Future Shock may goad the people to come to the aid of the Steven Thoburn of the United States---unless of course, they will have been otherwise pre-inspired to appreciate the virtues of the metric system. Just my two centidollars. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Re: England Steve Thoburn was convicted of weighing a pound of bananas on 2001-04-09, and lodged his appeal the next day. His appeal is due to be heard on 2001-11-19 and is scheduled to last five days. Two other tradesmen, John Dove (a fishmonger) and Julian Harman (a fruitseller) were before the courts on 2001-06-13. I understand that both were also convicted (and presumably appealing their convictions). Interestingly enough, 33% of people have voted in favour of the kilogram on Thoburn's own website (http://www.metricmartyrs.com). 3% it seems don't care what system is used for weighing their bananas. Regards, Victor FitzPatrick == -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:14959] whoops
I meant, in the below, Will a tide of sentimental popular support flow in? Perhaps it WILL. Paul Trusten wrote: It is interesting that there are different perceptions of measurement and currency. If I am caught trying to use unlawful US currency (counterfeit, let's say), I get the attention of the Secret Service PDQ. But, when the day comes that the US rejects all but the International System of Units as its standard of weights and measures, will an American Thoburn come along who tries to persist in using pounds at his butcher shop? and, if so, will it be perceived as unpopularly as counterfeiting the currency, or will a tide of sentimental popular support flow in? Perhaps it will not. All Americans know no other US currency but the US dollar, but Future Shock may goad the people to come to the aid of the Steven Thoburn of the United States---unless of course, they will have been otherwise pre-inspired to appreciate the virtues of the metric system. Just my two centidollars. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Re: England Steve Thoburn was convicted of weighing a pound of bananas on 2001-04-09, and lodged his appeal the next day. His appeal is due to be heard on 2001-11-19 and is scheduled to last five days. Two other tradesmen, John Dove (a fishmonger) and Julian Harman (a fruitseller) were before the courts on 2001-06-13. I understand that both were also convicted (and presumably appealing their convictions). Interestingly enough, 33% of people have voted in favour of the kilogram on Thoburn's own website (http://www.metricmartyrs.com). 3% it seems don't care what system is used for weighing their bananas. Regards, Victor FitzPatrick == -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:17874] Re: metric in Texas
Hi, John, I'm resubscribed now, probably in honor of the Patriots (can't look!!), the other lost cause. Just came back to see how SI was doing, and, now being a Texan, I found my attention caught by your letter. You make an excellent point. We can be flooded by metric products, and our countrymen ignore the metric for the sake of the WOMBAT.. In the IV room in my pharmacy, we have a refrigerator that has an LCD-readout thermometer that reads out in degrees Celsius only. However, a chart used to monitor the temperature range is in Fahrenheit only. Someone taped a brief conversion table to the refrigerator door, allowing one to read the temperature in C but convert it to F to do the monitoring!!! I'm considering making a new monitoring chart, this one Celsius-based, so the technicians can monitor the Celsius temperature alone. I'll let the group know how this goes over. Concerning the prevalence of SI in Texas, I'll keep my eyes open. Thanks for the post. kilopascal wrote: 004901c1ac01$97d44420$[EMAIL PROTECTED]"> 2002-02-01 I have been to Texas twice since the middle of January and was mildly surprised to find the companies thatI visited had a stock of standard metric fasteners in their stock room. Most of it is needed for the machines they use, as most are imported and are 100 % metric, except for the gages, which are dual. However, the machines that are computer controlled are set to operate in inches. Even the raw materials, such as steel plate that was seen in the warehouse had dimensions marked only in millimetres. And the millimetres were rational. Every-so oftenI did see where some local inspector had marked the steel in FFU unites (inches) with a marker. The original metric dimensions were stencilled on the plates. The odd thing is, the use of metric is driven by the large amount of imported metric machines and raw materials. Yet, the average worker in these plants is basically oblivious to this and is able to ignore the metric around him and view all of this through FFU glasses. An 8000 x 3000 x 11 mm steel plate is viewed as a 26 x 10 feet, 7/16 inches thick. In one case where I did point to the metric markings on the plate to the guy I was with, he just made a noise and started to walk away. Apparently he didn't like the idea that the plate had no inch markings on it for 'mericans. Unless something is done, this country will increasingly purchase and use metric products, but the metric aspects of the products will be ignored by the masses, and these products will be thought of in FFU. How many people, after 23 years of being metric know that wine and liquor come in metric containers? I'll bet very few. Most ignore the metric and refer to the sizes by their old FFU names, even if the FFU names are no longer true. John -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:17881] Re: Olympic Web Sites
Just perused these sites, and I cannot find one e-mail address to the sports announcers. If someone can locate an address or addresses, please post to the group. Thanks! Gene Mechtly wrote: My local newspaper has published addresses of the following Web Sites for information on the 2002 Winter Olympics: www.saltlake2002.com (the official site) www.nbcolympics.com(NBC news and features) www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/Olympics/2002(Sports Illustrated CNN) www.sportsline.com/u/olympics/2002 (CBS reporting) www.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/index (ESPN reporting) www.sltrib.com (Salt Lake Tribune) www.wintersports2002.com (Desert News and KSL TV-radio) Let's find the names and e-mail addresses of sports commentators at each of these sites, and persuade them to use *SI Only* (or at least SI First)! Gene. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:17894] the coming SI healthcare incident
kilopascal wrote: Sometimes I will rub salt into the wound by inferring that those who claim to know FFU really don't and only parrot the unit names. A classic WOMBAT instance of this is the teaspoonful or the tablespoonful.. God knows what the parents of America use to measure their children's liquid medication in response to directions of giving one teaspoonful or one tablespoonful! It could be a souvenir coffee spoon from Texas, or it could be a soup ladle. Healthcare is now in the spotlight for accuracy, and medication errors are the hottest topic in healthcare these past few years, but no one in officialdom has yet dealt with the elimination of non-metric units in healthcare. I suppose this is so because, in terms of publicity, there hasn't been a healthcare equivalent of the Mars Orbiter disaster. I have never asked the question of an individual, but if you were drill someone on how much a teaspoonful contains, the subject with realize that (s)he has never thought of such a measurement in exact terms, and without a basic understanding of SI, would not be able to point to mL . This may not be critical when measuring an oral suspension of amoxicillin, but it would be critical in measuring a liquid such as digoxin oral solution for a pediatric cardiac problem. True, that product comes with its own calibrated dropper (actually calibrated in milligrams), but some pharmacy somewhere will err and dispense it without the dropper and an eighth of a teaspoonful instruction, which is very unlikely, but not impossible. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:17899] Re: the coming SI healthcare incident
If someone uses a teaspoon or tablespoon andoverdoses, then the pharmacist is responsible for the error. That would be an historic legal case, John, as to who is at fault in such an incident, and I'm sure the plaintiff would sue both the pharmacist and the doctor. The persistence of WOMBAT units in healthcare is pure habit, and, who knows? A landmark legal case (and, I'm sorry to say, it would take such a case to enact change) would change the prescribing and dispensing habits in the US, and thus change all those label directions to SI. A pharmacist should resist the temptation to use "teaspoons" and"tablespoons" to describe dosages and strictly use millilitres. You're quite correct. Part of that resistance would mean to use 5 mL as the volume, but to get into the hands of the caregiver a utensil to measure that 5 mL is a practice that has not yet become common, much less universal. Some pharmacy chains began to give out free medication spoons (those tubes which are calibrated in both millilitres and WOMBAT volume), but I don't know if they still do (I don't hunt in that jungle anymore GRIN). And as long as the public doesn't seemto mind the loss of a loved one, or paying more out of their pockets formedical care the situation will never change. Of course, if it happens, then we mourn. But we don't "mourn ahead of time". There always seems to be a US limit for the amount of preparedness we seek. We usually don't juxtapose measurement and tragedy, as was the case with that NASA spacecraft. So, it may take a high-profile legal case, like the one you suggested above. kilopascal wrote: 007001c1acdd$64f963a0$[EMAIL PROTECTED]"> 2002-02-03Paul,Last Tuesday, our parent company's insurance Manager came to visit us and todiscuss changes to our insurance policy. The letter sent out ahead of timelisted a variety of reasons why our insurance costs have increased 60 % overthe past year and why all our co-payments and deductibles must increase,while our coverage must decrease.I couldn't help think after reading your posting how much of those increasesare caused by paying off lawsuits brought on by wrongful deaths or injurypertaining to mis-applied drug dosages. It seems the government will donothing to intervene and demand consistency in measurements and standardsbecause of the perceived idea that it will be interfering in the industriesright to manage their own business. And as long as the public doesn't seemto mind the loss of a loved one, or paying more out of their pockets formedical care the situation will nev er change. Or is it the lawyers who makemillions on such cases telling the government not to change anything?A pharmacist should resist the temptation to use "teaspoons" and"tablespoons" to describe dosages and strictly use millilitres. Even if thepublic claims not to know it. If someone uses a teaspoon or tablespoon andoverdoses, then the pharmacist is responsible for the error. If thepharmacist gives the patient a dosage and even a cheap calibrated containerto administer that dose, and the patient chooses to use something else, thenthey are responsible.I'm tired of paying more for health care and getting less. And fearful thatsomeday I might go to a hospital for care or be given a prescription for adrug that is wrong and end up permanently injured or dead. I don't want itto be me. But, I'm just one person fighting a nation of luddites.Where do we go from here?John- Original Me ssage -From: "Paul Trusten" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: "U.S. Metric Association" [EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Sunday, 2002-02-03 12:32Subject: [USMA:17894] the coming SI healthcare incident kilopascal wrote: Sometimes I will rub salt into the wound by inferring that those who claim to know FFU really don't and only parrot the unit names. A classic WOMBAT instance of this is the teaspoonful or the tablespoonful.. God knows what the parents of America use to measure their children'sliquid medication in response to directions of giving "one teaspoonful"or "one tablespoonful"! It could be a souvenir coffee spoon from Texas,or it could be a soup ladle. Healthcare is now in the spotlight foraccuracy, and medication errors are the hottest topic in healthcarethese past few years, but no one in officialdom has yet dealt with theelimination of non-metric units in healthcare. I suppose this is sobecause, in terms of publicity, there hasn't been a healthcareequivalent of the Mars Orbiter disaster.I have never asked the question of an individual,
[USMA:21414] Pat Naughtin's Metric Today article a seminal event
It's good to be back. Last week, I received the latest issue of Metric Today, and I must urge US metrication advocates everywhere to read Pat Naughtin's discussion in that issue. Nothing that I have read since I took up this issue in 1974 comes as close to a societal guide for US metrication as these remarks do. Any future US Metric Board member should take his article, frame it in their offices, and consult it daily. Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[USMA:21424] got metric milk?
I get out my car here in Texas, walk towards the grocery store window, and beam with satisfaction at those wondeful posters screaming the special price of ONE LITER of soda or water (no WOMBAT conversion in those sales posters). How thoroughly the American public has embraced that unit, which came up and offered it a hug more than 25 years ago! The words ONE LITER are shown in the largest fonts the container bears--the WOMBAT units are the fine print. The soda industry has gone on to offer 3-liter containers. So, why can't we have metric milk? Why no 3-liter jug of moo juice? Anybody seen any SI skim in America? Don't the dairy barons want to seel 215 mL of additional product per container? A couple of years ago, someone on this list said (s)he had seen a 3-liter milk jug for sale, and I've been lookng, but no joy yet. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. ---Franz Kafka
[USMA:21425] Hold your fire---here's my correction
OK, before you flame, I meant 215 mL more if they were going to upgrade the gallon to four liters. I went back and changed the whole thing to 3 liters without thinkng. Paul Trusten wrote: I get out my car here in Texas, walk towards the grocery store window, and beam with satisfaction at those wondeful posters screaming the special price of ONE LITER of soda or water (no WOMBAT conversion in those sales posters). How thoroughly the American public has embraced that unit, which came up and offered it a hug more than 25 years ago! The words ONE LITER are shown in the largest fonts the container bears--the WOMBAT units are the fine print. The soda industry has gone on to offer 3-liter containers. So, why can't we have metric milk? Why no 3-liter jug of moo juice? Anybody seen any SI skim in America? Don't the dairy barons want to seel 215 mL of additional product per container? A couple of years ago, someone on this list said (s)he had seen a 3-liter milk jug for sale, and I've been lookng, but no joy yet. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. ---Franz Kafka
[USMA:21427] Re: got metric milk?
Sure, Mike. Back in September 1997, someone on this list sought an appropriate name for the things we Americans use as a system of measurement (most of us who favor US adoption, including myself, of SI don't think we have a system of measurement at all, just an collection of whimsically established units that fell into general use centuries ago and have never been revoked) In response to this request, my mind began to turn, and I called it the Way Of Measuring Badly in America Today. Lo and behold, this acronym came out as the same name as a small mammal, W.O.M.B.A.T.. For a few years, the acronym caught on as a synonym for what some call the US Customary System of measurment (feet, miles pounds), but perhaps it has fallen into disuse. Mike Joy wrote: Can you tell me what ' Wombat' is please? Mike Joy Perth Australia - Original Message - From: Paul Trusten [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2002 7:22 AM Subject: [USMA:21424] got metric milk? | | I get out my car here in Texas, walk towards the grocery store window, | and beam with satisfaction at those wondeful posters screaming the | special price of ONE LITER of soda or water (no WOMBAT conversion in | those sales posters). How thoroughly the American public has embraced | that unit, which came up and offered it a hug more than 25 years ago! | The words ONE LITER are shown in the largest fonts the container | bears--the WOMBAT units are the fine print. The soda industry has gone | on to offer 3-liter containers. | | So, why can't we have metric milk? Why no 3-liter jug of moo juice? | Anybody seen any SI skim in America? Don't the dairy barons want to seel | 215 mL of additional product per container? | | A couple of years ago, someone on this list said (s)he had seen a | 3-liter milk jug for sale, and I've been lookng, but no joy yet. | | | | -- | Paul Trusten, R.Ph. | 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 | Midland TX 79707-2872 USA | [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | There are two cardinal sins, | from which all the others spring: | impatience and laziness. | | ---Franz Kafka | | -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. ---Franz Kafka
[USMA:21437] SI and nationalism--what ist he cost to US companies?
Mike Joy wrote: Another reason for the UK's difficulties is the proximity to continental Europe. For centuries there has been animosity between England and its neighbours across the Channel, and having a French measuring system shoved down their throats This is reality, but it is an unfortunate one. My country acts this way, too. At every opportunity, I seek depoliticization of SI, and would consider it to be, for America, another important gift from France, the first great one being the Statue of Liberty. I strongly oppose the use of chauvinism and petty prejudice against what is, in the end, a long-overdue improvement in metrology for the United States. I fear that we Americans often see SI on an even more sinister scale than the British might---as some kind of threat to national sovereignty---when we ought to deem it to be an easier system to use and a powerful tool to strengthen US global competitiveness. Really, now---how much more profitable would US manufacturers doing business overseas be if they were able to make their products using SI only? Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. ---Franz Kafka
[USMA:25948] RE: [USMA:25939] Quotations, proverbs, sayings, and clichés
Point well taken! File this under rational part of US metrication. From: Gillmann, Ralph [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/06/05 Thu PM 03:22:28 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:25946] RE: [USMA:25939] Quotations, proverbs, sayings, and clichés I think it's best not to update old sayings and quotations. There is really no need to and people are sensitive about it. For example in the USA, we don't use score to mean 20 anymore but we wouldn't dream of changing Abraham Lincoln's Four score and seven. We don't literally have milestones anymore but that doesn't prevent the figurative sense. New expressions reflecting SI will naturally arise when SI is in common use. I'd like to see a list of such expressions (translated into English) from SI countries. Ralph Gillmann -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 9:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:25939] Quotations, proverbs, sayings, and clichés Dear Joe, on 2003/06/02 10.49, Joseph B. Reid at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In your posting, you quoted Paul Trusten (from USMA 25892) as saying: Invariably, discussions of metrication in the US deteriorate into the old jokes of metricating popular sayings as well as the standard of measurement (I hold my nose as I repeat one of them: Give him 2.54 cm and he'll take 1.608 m). Some time ago, I wrote a piece on this topic for the 'Australian Style', an editorial newsletter. The version I include here is updated from the original. Cheers, Pat Naughtin LCAMS Geelong, Australia Imperial clichés Nothing dates your speaker, your author or you as editor more than references to feet, inches, or miles. When the Prime Minister or the Leader of the Opposition suggests that an economic target was 'missed by a mile'. it has a similar effect to the sight of old cars in a movie. You might assume that the rest of the content is also completely out-of-date. Australia adopted the International System of Units (SI) as its preferred (and legal) measuring method by passing The Weights and Measures Act 1960, and it formally 'went metric' from 1970. In short Australia went metric thirty years ago. To put this into a personal perspective I ask, 'Where were you in 1970?'. As an editor, if you allow 'I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole' to go unchallenged, you are providing readers with evidence that your speaker's or writer's mindset is firmly embedded in the 1970s at best. Recently, after giving a speech on the metric system in Australia, the subject of old sayings was raised. I suggested that there were probably hundreds of them, that they had proved to be quite persistent, but I felt that they would die out eventually or that they would be replaced by new metric sayings. Subsequently, I consulted numerous references and searched the Internet for quotations, proverbs, sayings, and clichés. I was surprised that I could only find a small number that refer to measurement; there are probably less than twenty in common Australian use. I suspect the ones that remain have some poetic quality, such as rhyme, rhythm, or alliteration, or a strong visual image that contributes to their currency. Eventually I divided my small collection into groups and added my own (somewhat facetious and highly personal) thoughts on changing them to SI. Quotations A pound of flesh ... (Shakespeare) There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile ... (Nursery Rhyme) The lessons of Three Mile Island ... (Newspaper) A bushel and a peck ... (Song) It would be an extremely brave (or very foolish) person who would Bowdlerise Shakespeare to read 'A kilogram of flesh' or to rewrite the popular song as 'I love you a millilitre and a cubic metre'. Sayings and proverbs Give them an inch and they'll take an ell (yard, mile, etc.). Give them a gram and they'll take a tonne. Give them a millimetre and they'll take a kilometre. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. I wouldn't touch it with a five metre pole. (Coincidentally five metres is very close to the length of the old English measuring pole.) Alice felt ten feet tall. Alice felt three metres tall. Six foot under. Two metres down. Within an inch (or two) of death (the finish, the goal etc.). Missed death by millimetres. The knife wound in her chest went close to her heart, but missed by millimetres. The return to the bowler's end missed by millimetres. Paint an inch thick. The paint looked as though it was put on ten (or 50, or 167) millimetres thick. A miss is as good as a mile. A millimetre miss is a kilometre miss. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A gram of prevention is worth a tonne of cure. Clichés He won't budge an inch. He won't move a millimetre. Go the extra mile. Go an extra metre. Go the extra kilometre. Missed by miles. Missed
[USMA:25875] Re: EU and 2009
I don't think we will be able to postpone it any longer, given the trade treaties in existence now, plus the increasing number of nations in the EU. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/05/28 Wed PM 02:23:22 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:25874] Re: EU and 2009 So as not to take up the list's time, where can I read about the latest on the EU and its commitment to require SI only on imports by '09? Unfortunately, nowhere. No action, neither at the Commission nor the European Parliament: the matter is not on the agenda. Admittedly, they see more important matters to deal with currently in the domain of US/Europe relationship... I guess what we're all afraid of is that US industry will cry and say that they need more time, and the EU says OK. Come back in 2019 and we'll talk about it then. Stephen 1 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
[USMA:25927] Re: Whining, was Re: Re: Systems of Units
Right on, John! From: John Woelflein [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/06/04 Wed PM 02:34:48 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:25926] Whining, was Re: Re: Systems of Units Maybe we should begin whining to Congress about the lack of metrication progress on our highways, weather reports, etc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: We got to talking about how things work, and I brought up metrication. He said that the US Congress was set up in a way to make it DIFFICULT to get anything done. The various rules, procedures, etc. make it hard to do anything that has any kind of controversy attached to it -- whether this is something good to do or not -- and he agreed with me that Congress does in fact listen to the whiners, and considers their opinions representative, and not to those who silently agree with something (people are much more likely to complain and disagree than to take the effort to write and say that they DO agree). John - Do you Yahoo!? Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM). 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 Maybe we should begin whining to Congress about the lack of metrication progress on our highways, weather reports, etc.[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: We got to talking about how things work, and I brought up metrication. He said that the US Congress was set up in a way to make it DIFFICULT to get anything done. The various rules, procedures, etc. make it hard to do anything that has any kind of controversy attached to it -- whether this is something good to do or not -- and he agreed with me that Congress does in fact listen to the whiners, and considers their opinions representative, and not to those who silently agree with something (people are much more likely to complain and disagree than to take the effort to write and say that they DO agree).John Do you Yahoo!? Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM).
[USMA:25928] yes, it's a quote, but...
Yes, he was talking metric, but the source may be a problem here in the US: #8220;We will never be ready to lay down arms until the liberation of the last centimeter of the land of Palestine,#8221; senior Hamas official Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi told Reuters, Americans have also been listening to the President talk of litres of Anthrax. Pity that SI comes up for discussion this way. 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
[USMA:25987] RE: my German friend never heard of SI
My online M-W dictionary backs you up, Bill.
From: Bill Potts [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: 2003/06/07 Sat PM 09:37:28 EDT
To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [USMA:25973] RE: my German friend never heard of SI
Re: [USMA:25962] RE: my German friend never heard of SYou've lost me there,
Joe. Whether the initials are in the right order or not makes no difference
to fact that they are initials. With SI, they are in fact in the right order
(Système Internationale).
I have several dictionaries. Acronym is in all of them. NATO and OTAN, as
pronounceable contrived words, are both, by definition, acronyms. The Oxford
American Dictionary uses NATO as its example. Webster's uses the
no-longer-current WAC (Women's Army Corps).
The concise definition of acronym is a word formed from the initial letters
of the words of a compound term.
Do you, Joe, pronounce SI as sigh or as ess eye?
Bill Potts, CMS
Roseville, CA
http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf
Of Joseph B. Reid
Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 17:34
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:25970] RE: my German friend never heard of SI
Bill Potts wrote in USMA 25962:
Unless you're pronouncing it as a word (sigh), it's not an acronym.
It's simply initials.
(NATO and UNESCO are acronyms.)
[I hope I'm not being picky, but misuse of the word acronym is one of my
pet peeves.]
I can't find acronym in my dictionaries. However SI is the same in all
languages, whereas NATO is OTAN in French. Further, SI is not simply
initial letters in English where it stands for The Interrnational System of
Units. If SI were simply initials it would have to be IS in English.
--
Joseph B. Reid
17 Glebe Road West
Toronto M5P 1C8Telephone 416-486-6071
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
Title: Re: [USMA:25962] RE: my German friend never heard of S
You've lost me there,
Joe. Whether the initials are in the right order or not makes no difference to
fact that they are initials. With SI, they are in fact in the right order
(Système Internationale).
I have several
dictionaries. Acronym is in all of them. NATO and OTAN, as pronounceable
contrived words, are both, by definition, acronyms. The Oxford American
Dictionary uses NATO as its example. Webster'suses the no-longer-current
WAC (Women's Army Corps).
The concise definition
of acronym is "a word formed from the initial letters of the words of a compound
term."
Do you,
Joe,pronounce SI as "sigh" or as "ess eye?"
Bill Potts, CMSRoseville,
CAhttp://metric1.org [SI
Navigator]
-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Joseph B.
ReidSent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 17:34To: U.S. Metric
AssociationSubject: [USMA:25970] RE: my German friend never heard
of SI
Bill Potts wrote in USMA 25962:
Unless you're
pronouncing it as a word ("sigh"), it's not an acronym. It's simply
initials.
(NATO and UNESCO are
acronyms.)
[I hope I'm not being
picky, but misuse of the word acronym is one of my pet
peeves.]
I can't find "acronym" in my dictionaries. However "SI" is the same in
all languages, whereas NATO is OTAN in French. Further, "SI" is not
simply initial letters in English where it stands for "The Interrnational
System of Units". If SI were simply initials it would have to be IS in
English.
--
Joseph B. Reid17 Glebe Road WestToronto M5P
1C8
Telephone
416-486-6071
[USMA:26027] Re: British money diehards
I don't know if this qualifies, but yardstick is often used as a term meaning a basis of judgement, or, Heaven help us, a standard. Here's Merriam-Webster: Main Entry: yard·stick Pronunciation: 'yärd-stik Function: noun Date: 1816 1 a : a graduated measuring stick three feet (0.9144 meter) long b : a standard basis of calculation 2 : a standard for making a critical judgment : CRITERION synonym see STANDARD Is metre stick used in a similar way in the various lands beyond the shores of Wombatland? From: Pat Naughtin [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/06/12 Thu AM 03:24:05 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26023] Re: British money diehards on 2003-06-11 23.01, Paul Trusten, R.Ph. at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Paul and All, snip But, will the American people fathom it? Whoops, there goes the WOMBAT left in my soul: How many other unit names have become separate words in their own right? Here are three examples: 1 To inch forward. 2 To estimate the grammage of the paper. [This refers to an estimate of the grams per square metre (g/m2) often incorrectly referred to as gsm] 3 To know the calorific value. As you can see, from these three examples, ifp, SI, and cgs unit names can all be modified and converted into non-specific and ill-defined words. Cheers, Pat Naughtin Geelong Australia Pat Naughtin is the editor of the online newsletter, 'Metrication matters'. You can subscribe to 'Metrication matters' by sending an email containing the word subscribe to [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
[USMA:26051] my bad formatting
Sorry for this. I shall be more careful with my message formatting. 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
[USMA:26052] Re: WV vending company
Glad you brought up the subject, Nat. Here is a product which I think that NOBODY purchases by exact size. If it looks big enough,they'll drink it, and I'm the same way. Metric has been so successful already in the soft drink industry and has become a standard size among the larger sizes, and it must be that the smaller sizes lack metric standards only because they often have to go into vending machines, which may not be equipped to handle those particular sizes. But, with metric-only packaging allowed some day, those 355 ml cans will become---well, 355 ml cans, period. From: Nat Hager III [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/06/13 Fri AM 11:15:54 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26050] WV vending company Interesting link to a vending machine company in West Virginia, including a link the new 450 ml Minute Maid fruit drink I'm drinking... http://www.royalvendors.com/html/pvsTOC.html We ARE making slow progress. Nat 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
[USMA:26107] Re: Joke about Irish metric speed limts
I think June 16, 2004, the 100th anniversary of the fictional occurrence of James Joyce's Ulysses, would be a marvelous day to mix it up in Ireland with km/h. Wonder what Poldy Bloom would say to that one?! From: Norman Nancy Werling [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/06/15 Sun PM 08:03:58 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26106] Re: Joke about Irish metric speed limts It is June 16 and I am wondering if Ireland has begun its advertising campaign for km/h. Norm - Original Message - From: Tom Wade VMS Systems [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 12:07 Subject: [USMA:25697] Re: Joke about Irish metric speed limts What a real great french akkkenteu ;) Almost as authentic as the Irish accent implied by the guard ! Seriously though, at least this deadline is registering on the public's radar. The Dept of Transport says that it intends doing the changeover of speed signs in Summer 2004. Of course, it has stated its intentions of doing this on at least 3 failed deadlines, but the Summer 2004 time frame has appeared in a couple of newspapers, which will make another missed deadline more visible. The ridicule of the published article was more aimed at the contradictory signs that metric per se. The person I spoke to in the Dept of Transport said there would be a public announcement at the end of May 2003, with an advertizing campaign to follow. I will be abroad at that time, but if there is an announcement in the Irish Times, I'm sure Han will relay it to the list. On the car instrumentation side, I have not been able to ascertain what the deadline for metric dash equipment is. There are no car assembly plants in this country, and currently most new cars are imported from factories in the UK, as they make right hand drives. Unfortunately, they also make them with imperial guages. Hopefully, the Dept of Transport will force them to make the change soon. --- Tom Wade | EMail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EuroKom | X400: g=tom;s=wade;o=eurokom;p=eurokom; Unit A2 |a=eirmail400;c=ie Nutgrove Office Park | Tel: +353 (1) 296-9696 Rathfarnham | Fax: +353 (1) 296-9697 Dublin 14| Disclaimer: This is not a disclaimer Ireland | Tip: Friends don't let friends do Unix ! 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
[USMA:26121] Re: more metric products
I do hope that, in the United States, metric is not going to the dogs. goofy grin From: Hillger, Don [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/06/17 Tue PM 12:08:33 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26118] more metric products New animal foods in metric sizes: My wife just bought some Pedigree/Waltham Jumbone snacks for the neighbor's dog, and I see they came in a 200 g package (2 bones at 100 g each). The other product I notice recently was fish food pellets a friend was feeding his koi. It was a mostly Japanese-labeled product, in a 500 g package. Interesting how it seems OK to package more and more pet products in metric, but human foods less so! Don 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
[USMA:26201] Re: Metric Speed Limit Posting
Perhaps this is for international, i.e., non-WOMBAT visitors. On some southern Maine Turnpike exit signs, the word sortie is added for the benefit of numerous Quebec visitors, and a few other signs in that area are in French as well as English. From: Howard Ressel [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/06/30 Mon AM 11:00:07 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26199] Metric Speed Limit Posting I was in Houston this weekend and noticed that they list a metric equivalent speed limit on most of the on airport speed limit signs. It was a small supplementary panel soft converted, ie. Speed Limit 30 MPH (48 km/h). Howard Ressel Project Design Engineer, Region 4 (585) 272-3372 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
[USMA:26214] Pilgrimage to USMA HQ
During the week of August 23-29, I shall be visiting southern California, ostensibly to visit the USMA Headquarters on Aug. 25 26 (they know I'm coming), but with some side trips grin to Disneyland and Hollywood, where I've never been. If any of you folks live or are visiting that area then, I hope we will have the chance to meet. 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
[USMA:26224] Re: Kraft plans to cut snack sizes
To digress for one moment--what is becoming of America that we not only do not take responsibility for our own health, but actually want to legally blame our poor health on others? Gag me with a spoon and jump start my heart! This is from someone who just lost 20 kg without suing it off. End digression, back to metric...a gram of prevention is worth a kilogram of cure. From: Chris KEENAN [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/02 Wed PM 03:20:14 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26222] Kraft plans to cut snack sizes http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3036924.stm No doubt the BWMA will be on the lookout in the USA for downsizing? I'm sure list members will report back ;-) -- Chris KEENAN UK Metric Association www.metric.org.uk 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
[USMA:26236] Re: Kraft plans to cut snack sizes
Perhaps one day the paint industries of the respective countries will agree on a four-liter can of paint? From: Joseph B. Reid [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/03 Thu PM 03:07:49 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26235] Re: Kraft plans to cut snack sizes Jim Elwell wrote im USMA 26230: For those who want rational package sizes, I suggest you have a long ways to go to demonstrate any net benefit to them. Jim Elwell, CAMS I agree with Jim. In Canada our *Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act* requires a metric statement of quantity, but not a *rational* size. Paint used to be sold in 4.55 L (1 imperial gallon) cans. Now paint cans have shrunk to 3.79 L (1 American gallon), but this enables Canadian paint to be sold in the USA by a mere change of label. I am not aware of there having been any protest about the change since paint is not a size-dependent product. -- Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West Toronto M5P 1C8 Telephone 416-486-6071 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
[USMA:26238] (truly) cover the earth with metric
That would be great, I would think. But, is Sherwin Williams truly eager to live up to their motto, and cover the earth? If they do, then they would want to retool to make one size can of paint in that size range--5 liters--for US domestic consumption as well as for export. But, what about those US agitator machines which blend paint? Are they adjustable enough to accommodate a 5-liter can instead of a 3.8-liter can? These are the issues which will have to be tackled by a future US Metric Conversion Administration. From: Michael-O [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/03 Thu PM 07:03:44 EDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [USMA:26236] Re: Kraft plans to cut snack sizes Paul Trusten wrote: Perhaps one day the paint industries of the respective countries will agree on a four-liter can of paint? Don't, introduce 5 L, like the whole world does! From: Joseph B. Reid [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/03 Thu PM 03:07:49 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26235] Re: Kraft plans to cut snack sizes Jim Elwell wrote im USMA 26230: For those who want rational package sizes, I suggest you have a long ways to go to demonstrate any net benefit to them. Jim Elwell, CAMS I agree with Jim. In Canada our *Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act* requires a metric statement of quantity, but not a *rational* size. Paint used to be sold in 4.55 L (1 imperial gallon) cans. Now paint cans have shrunk to 3.79 L (1 American gallon), but this enables Canadian paint to be sold in the USA by a mere change of label. I am not aware of there having been any protest about the change since paint is not a size-dependent product. -- Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West Toronto M5P 1C8 Telephone 416-486-6071 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 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
[USMA:26252] Re: Fw: my comments to BWMA
I wouldn't be bothered by your language, Michael, if it were made in private. But, this is not the way we are going to enlighten people. We need to apply Aesop's story of the wind competing with the sun on a bet as to whether one or the other could get a man to take off his cloak. The wind, which wanted to remove a man's cloak by blowing it off, blew and blew. Thus chilled, the man held onto it ever tighter. The sun then decided to shine more brightly. Warmed, the man cheerfully removed his cloak. We must follow suit in our efforts to bring metric to the United States, by employing the light of warmth and knowledge, rather than the cudgel of anger. This is, IMHO, the most urgent task before us, that of inspiration. From: Michael-O [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/04 Fri PM 03:12:28 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26251] Fw: my comments to BWMA if someone feels bothered with my language, sorry but I had to write that email. The propaganda made on their site are just like the nazi one against jews. check their reply BWMA wrote: Michael, Thank you for your email. We wish you well. John, BWMA - Original Message - From: Michael-O [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, July 04, 2003 1:32 AM Subject: my comments Hi, I'd like to enlighten you. you are the biggest and most ignorant fuckers europe has ever seen. metric is 10^10 times better and will ever be better than inch fuck and pound shit! 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
[USMA:26277] the blinds of habit
Pat Naughtin asks why the United States is the last nation to admit the extent to which it uses the metric system. The answer to that question is that our prevailing units of measurement are an old habit from which we've never been weaned. However, habits can be broken, and I was reminded of the breakability of this habit this morning when I had a bottle of Minute Maid Apple Juice, which was supplied in the odd-sized container of 450 ml. This size seems to be a reduction from the prevailing 591 ml size. Why not 500 ml? With the opportunity to drop the WOMBAT labeling, metric volumes will arrive in America on little cat feet, just like the liter did in 1974, when 7-Up just started making liters, and the industry followed suit. 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
[USMA:26280] Re: FPLA amendment progress?
I second the question, which dovetails nicely with my blinds of habit post. What's the latest on this crucial issue for US metrication? From: John Woelflein [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/10 Thu AM 11:44:40 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26278] FPLA amendment progress? Is there anyone on the list who has heard any news about the proposed FPLA amendment that would permit metric-only on consumer products' labels? Thanks. John - Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! 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 Is there anyone on the list who has heard any news about the proposed FPLA amendment that would permit metric-only on consumer products' labels? Thanks.John Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
[USMA:26296] RE: 9 mm eyebrow hair
Thanks. No, I don't. From: Bill Potts [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/11 Fri PM 01:23:14 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26295] RE: 9 mm eyebrow hair I hope you don't make the same error when dispensing. Your subject line says 9 mm, instead of 9 cm. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Paul Trusten Sent: Friday, July 11, 2003 10:01 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:26294] 9 mm eyebrow hair Unabashedly metric story on msnbc.com: July 3 - 10, 2003 Browbeater Sardar Pishora Singh displays his 9-centimeter eyebrow hair to the media in Amritsar, India, on July 3. Singh, who has been growing his eyebrow hair for eight years, plans to apply to Guinness World Records to be acknowledged as having the longest eyebrow hair in the world. 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
[USMA:26317] Re: Systems of units, optimism vs. pessimism
Concerning the circle, why not use the radian? Isn't the radian one of the SI base units? (If not, I'm sure I'll stand corrected). From: Michael-O [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/13 Sun PM 12:50:31 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26316] Re: Systems of units, optimism vs. pessimism above that completely abolish the 360° circle with its min and s subdivision, replace with 400 100 100 The nautical mile would be *DEAD* - km rulez! 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
[USMA:26321] Re: (no subject)
No, Michael didn't suggest that. I did. Don't want him to take the fall, now grin. Joe, thanks for the insight. From: Joseph B. Reid [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/13 Sun PM 03:51:36 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26319] (no subject) Michael O Ossipov asked in USMA 26317:. Concerning the circle, why not use the radian? Isn't the radian one of the SI base units? (If not, I'm sure I'll stand corrected). The right angle, i.e. 90°, would become 1.570 796 327...rad. Try selling that to machinists. They also prefer to split the right angle into 30° and 60° rather than 33.333 333 ... grad and 66.666 666... grad. Hence the degree of angle is recognized as accepted for use with the International System, but ISO 31 recomends that the degree be subdivided decimally rather than using the minute and second. The grad or gon of 100 gon to the right angle is not recognized by the CGPM, although it is used by some Europeqan surveyors. -- Joseph B. Reid 17 Glebe Road West Toronto M5P 1C8 Telephone 416-486-6071 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
[USMA:26326] Re: metric news group
I was in favor of this at one time, but I think the downside is that a newsgroup can be invaded and conquered by trolls (off-topic pains in the posterior), as it often is with the sci.med.pharmacy newsgroup. Unless the newsgroup is moderated, there's little recourse for shaking the trolls. Yes, I can post to usenet, but I kinda like the relative security of our mailing list. What do others think? From: Terry Simpson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/13 Sun PM 05:39:33 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26324] metric news group I would like to find out how many people are capable of *posting* to usenet so that we can vote on set up a metric system newsgroup. Many people here support the idea but failed to vote and we were defeated by a narrow margin. 1. If you can post, send me a very short email message saying something like: 'Yes, I can post to usenet' (in the subject and body of the message). 2. If you cannot post, or do not know what I am talking about, please be kind enough to take some time and effort to try to find out. There may be some people in your workplace who can help, or failing that, internet cafes can usually tell you how to do it. We hope to coordinate a test posting soon. -- Terry Simpson Human Factors Consultant [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.connected-systems.com Phone: +44 7850 511794 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
[USMA:26328] RE: metric news group
No, of course not. I mean I prefer the list, but would not scrap it. I'd be delighted to see a successful metric newsgroup. There are newsgroups on issues much less important than ours, and we deserve a place on usenet! From: Terry Simpson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/13 Sun PM 07:48:23 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26327] RE: metric news group Paul Trusten wrote: Yes, I can post to usenet, but I kinda like the relative security of our mailing list. Yes, I also like the mailing list too. I was not proposing that we shut it. 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
[USMA:26426] Re: Has benzine ever sold by liters in TX?
The time must have been on or before 1973, and the unit the gallon. From: Michael-O [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/19 Sat PM 03:34:11 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26425] Has benzine ever sold by liters in TX? Hi, just seen a movie on TV, guess 15 years old. They drove to a gas station where prices showed 33,9 Cent and 31,9 Cent. I guess it is price by liter, isn't it? bye 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
[USMA:26455] Re: A trip to the vet: a study in WOMBAT nihilism
As I gassed up my car last night, I thought: if WOMBAT is supposed to be so great, why are the gallons divided decimally? Why doesn't the pump read out in gallons, quarts, pints, fluid ounces, and minims? From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/28 Mon PM 09:09:34 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26449] A trip to the vet: a study in WOMBAT nihilism Tonight we took our 16 month old cat, Tiger, to the vet for her yearly shots. Aside from the fact that she nearly took the doctor out in the process of getting them (this cat does NOT like going to the vet), I noted with dismay how she was weighed. The scale is electronic, reads in decimal, and has a switch that changes between lb and kg. Despite the fact that medicines are dosed by kg, the vet's office always weighs in pounds for the benefit of the unwashed. I asked to have her weight in kg first. 4.16. Then the girl moved the switch to lb. 9.04. Nine pounds, four ounces, she said. $%^%$%^%#@@*!?#**$ I asked the vet about it. Oh, that's nine pounds, four ounces, he said. Wonder what he does when the weight shows 9.27 lb. Nine pounds, 27 ounces? I doubt it. The Dumbing Down of America proceeds apace. They don't even know the system they claim is familiar to them. Maybe we need a scale that weighs in vulgar fractions, like the old stock market figures. Carleton MacDonald A HREF=www.buzzflash.comwww.buzzflash.com/A 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 Tonight we took our 16 month old cat, Tiger, to the vet for her yearly shots. Aside from the fact that she nearly took the doctor out in the process of getting them (this cat does NOT like going to the vet), I noted with dismay how she was weighed. The scale is electronic, reads in decimal, and has a switch that changes between lb and kg. Despite the fact that medicines are dosed by kg, the vet's office always weighs in pounds for the benefit of the unwashed. I asked to have her weight in kg first. 4.16. Then the girl moved the switch to lb. 9.04. "Nine pounds, four ounces," she said. $%^%$%^%#@@*!?#**$ I asked the vet about it. "Oh, that's nine pounds, four ounces," he said. Wonder what he does when the weight shows 9.27 lb. "Nine pounds, 27 ounces?" I doubt it. The Dumbing Down of America proceeds apace. They don't even know the system they claim is familiar to them. Maybe we need a scale that weighs in vulgar fractions, like the old stock market figures. Carleton MacDonald www.buzzflash.com
[USMA:26461] Re: Fuel in the US was Re: Re: A trip to the vet: a study in WOMBAT nihilism
Psychology. Pricing at the smaller amount per unit looks good to the consumer. From: Brian White [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/29 Tue PM 12:16:42 EDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Fuel in the US was Re: [USMA:26455] Re: A trip to the vet: a study in WOMBAT nihilism Speaking of that...does anyone know what the whole 9/10ths thing is about with fuel prices in the US? -- Original Message --- From: Paul Trusten [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 12:07:33 -0400 Subject: [USMA:26455] Re: A trip to the vet: a study in WOMBAT nihilism As I gassed up my car last night, I thought: if WOMBAT is supposed to be so great, why are the gallons divided decimally? Why doesn't the pump read out in gallons, quarts, pints, fluid ounces, and minims? From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/07/28 Mon PM 09:09:34 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26449] A trip to the vet: a study in WOMBAT nihilism Tonight we took our 16 month old cat, Tiger, to the vet for her yearly shots. Aside from the fact that she nearly took the doctor out in the process of getting them (this cat does NOT like going to the vet), I noted with dismay how she was weighed. The scale is electronic, reads in decimal, and has a switch that changes between lb and kg. Despite the fact that medicines are dosed by kg, the vet's office always weighs in pounds for the benefit of the unwashed. I asked to have her weight in kg first. 4.16. Then the girl moved the switch to lb. 9.04. Nine pounds, four ounces, she said. $%^%$%^%#@@*!?#**$ I asked the vet about it. Oh, that's nine pounds, four ounces, he said. Wonder what he does when the weight shows 9.27 lb. Nine pounds, 27 ounces? I doubt it. The Dumbing Down of America proceeds apace. They don't even know the system they claim is familiar to them. Maybe we need a scale that weighs in vulgar fractions, like the old stock market figures. Carleton MacDonald A HREF=www.buzzflash.comwww.buzzflash.com/A 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 --- End of Original Message --- 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
[USMA:26483] Re: Foxtrot comic
It's approaching 40 degrees here in West Texas! I've experienced +40 (West Texas) and -40 (Northern Maine). From: Han Maenen [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/08/04 Mon PM 01:38:49 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26480] Re: Foxtrot comic Very funny! Even more so as Europe is exploding with heat at present. Temperatures in many parts are well over 30 degrees. Southern Germany is approaching the 40 degree mark. In France and Spain 40 degrees and over. 40 degrees brrr!! The Netherlands is now just below 30 degrees, but a warm front (a front from hell) will come in from the southeast tonight and tomorrow the Netherlands will go into the thirties as well. Han - Original Message - From: David Shatto [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, 2003-08-04 18:04 Subject: [USMA:26478] Foxtrot comic If you haven't seen yesterday's Foxtrot comic, you should! http://www.ucomics.com/foxtrot/2003/08/03/ David Shatto Los Angeles 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
[USMA:26493] slide rules
When I took high school chemistry in 1967-68, I was encouraged to use a slide rule for calculations. Not many students got the hang of it, which hang was not much more than facility in placing the decimal point. I was soon zinging through calculation problems while others were scribbling and erasing. Funny, but in the 1966 scifi film Fantastic Voyage, supposedly set in a future time, one of the military is seen making a calculation on a slide rule---the dream weavers of the time were unable to predict the changes in number crunching power which would take place in only a few years. 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
[USMA:26553] RE: Watley Archives Metric System Increased Food Portions.htm
Then, should I say WHEW?? From: Nat Hager III [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2003/08/11 Mon AM 05:33:52 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:26550] RE: Watley Archives Metric System Increased Food Portions.htm Sure. I liked the following, from their You are here link: Nat The Watley Review is dedicated to the production of articles completely without journalistic merit or factual basis, as this would entail leaving our chairs or actually working. Names, places and events are generally fictitious, except for public figures about which we may have heard something down at the pub. All contents are intended as parody and should be construed as such. We have no agenda other than the depletion of http://www.watleyreview.com/2003/EditorsDesk.html Uncle Zeke's whaling trust fund and the dutiful appreciation of smooth, smooth liquor. The Review is updated every Tuesday, when the hangovers wear off. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill Potts Sent: Monday, 11 August 2003 5:19 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:26549] RE: Watley Archives Metric System Increased Food Portions.htm That's probably because it's satire (but then, you were implying that -- I hope). If you go to their home page (at http://www.watleyreview.com/ http://www.watleyreview.com/), you'll see that their motto is Journalism, Schmournalism. 'Nuff said. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org/ http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Nat Hager III Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 01:57 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:26548] Watley Archives Metric System Increased Food Portions.htm This is really off-the-wall Nat Title: Message Sure. I liked the following, from their "You are here" link: Nat The Watley Review is dedicated to the production of articles completely without journalistic merit or factual basis, as this would entail leaving our chairs or actually working. Names, places and events are generally fictitious, except for public figures about which we may have heard something down at the pub. All contents are intended as parody and should be construed as such. We have no agenda other than the depletion of Uncle Zeke's whaling trust fund and the dutiful appreciation of smooth, smooth liquor. The Review is updated every Tuesday, when the hangovers wear off. -Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill PottsSent: Monday, 11 August 2003 5:19To: U.S. Metric AssociationSubject: [USMA:26549] RE: Watley Archives Metric System Increased Food Portions.htm That's probably because it's satire (but then, you were implying that -- I hope). If you go to their home page (at http://www.watleyreview.com/), you'll see that their motto is "Journalism, Schmournalism." 'Nuff said. Bill Potts, CMSRoseville, CAhttp://metric1.org [SI Navigator] -Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Nat Hager IIISent: Monday, August 11, 2003 01:57To: U.S. Metric AssociationSubject: [USMA:26548] Watley Archives Metric System Increased Food Portions.htm This is really off-the-wall Nat
[USMA:26577] using metric in a land that does not compute
A few days ago, I bought a food scale so I can more closely monitor the size of my meals to maintain my 70 kg (grin) of mass. It has a WOMBAT/metric switch on it, and from the start, I decided to use only grams in weighing my food. It is a pleasure to weigh in grams on a regular basis; there are no distractions of fractions of an ounce, and I utilize the metric information on the Nutrition Facts label panel to follow the nutrient content. Also, my produce guide reveals something interesting: US serving sizes are often quoted in units of produce, e.g., 1 medium red delicious apple, while the Canadian data are quoted in grams of that particular produce, e.g., 56 grams of red delicious apple. Shock and awe---metric provides accuracy. It seems that we Americans don't compute. We tend towards the innumerate.
[USMA:28821] regarding Joe Reid
I, too, never met Joe, but have certainly enjoyed his superb contribution to this list over the years, and he and I certainly must have swapped more than a few e-mails over that time. He certainly was an important figure in North American metrication. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apartment 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. ---Franz Kafka
[USMA:29711] Re: Fwd: interesting question
No metric in Texas to speak of? Metric Today, the newsletter of the U.S. Metric Association, is now edited in Midland, Texas!! grin From: John Nichols [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2004/05/09 Sun PM 04:36:16 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:29709] Fwd: interesting question Dear All: Well I have had a 34 year old Australian women staying for a week in Texas. There is no metric in Texas that one can speak of, although it is taught in the schools a lot. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apartment 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. ---Franz Kafka
[USMA:29670] Re: Metric discussion regarding railroads - long but perhaps interesting
Actually, Chimp, I regard his words with great respect, for he is the quintessential anti-metric in the United States. That paragraph he wrote represents the very psychology we shall face when U.S. metrication again receives national media publicity. Thank you for posting that quote. From: MightyChimp [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 2004/05/03 Mon PM 05:58:36 EDT To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [USMA:29667] Re: Metric discussion regarding railroads - long but perhaps interesting Speaking of the old fogey factor of a previous post, this guy wins first prize. Euric If you want to play with meter and liter's go to Canada or almost anywhere else but this not anywhere else this is here and I don't care what the world does, I don't care how many people think our system is archaic, old fashion, out of touch with the world (similar to a reporter using chugging to describe an Amtrak train) etc, the fact remains that it is our system and it hasn't been changed (not without trying, but still not changed). 4 feet 8 1/2 inches is still the gauge not some other mucky muck number I'm 63, and while you can teach old dogs new tricks, many times old dogs don't want to learn new tricks when it is not necessary. And at this point in time and space it is not necessary. Marty -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apartment 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] There are two cardinal sins, from which all the others spring: impatience and laziness. ---Franz Kafka Speaking of the "old fogey" factor of a previous post, this guy wins first prize. Euric If you want to play with meter and liter's go to Canada or almostanywhere else but this not anywhere else this is here and I don't carewhat the world does, I don't care how many people think our system isarchaic, old fashion, out of touch with the world (similar to a reporterusing "chugging" to describe an Amtrak train) etc, the fact remains thatit is our system and it hasn't been changed (not without trying, butstill not changed).4 feet 8 1/2 inches is still the gauge not some other mucky muck numberI'm 63, and while you can teach old dogs new tricks, many times old dogsdon't want to learn new tricks when it is not necessary. And at thispoint in time and space it is not necessary.Marty
[USMA:30008] Re: Decimal proto-SI road signs seen
Since 0.6 mile is about 1 kilometer, and 1.2 miles about 2 kilometers, could these signs actually be soft conversions from metric to U.S., somehow for the benefit of visiting Canadians? For people thinking metric, why didn't the signs just read 1 km and 2 km? Strange. - Original Message - From: James Wentworth [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: U.S. Metric Association [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2004 2:54 PM Subject: [USMA:30006] Decimal proto-SI road signs seen Hello All, Last week I drove from Fairbanks, Alaska down to Palmer (about 60 km north of Anchorage) for several equine experiential learning (EEL) sessions. Along the highway and in the various communities, I noticed a large number of road signs that gave distances to locations in decimal miles, which is unusual in the US. Interestingly, they did not give the units (miles, of course) that one almost always sees on other road distance signs which use fractional miles (Example: Exit 1/2 Mile). These signs read like: Campground 1.2 and Post Office 0.6. If US motorists can comfortably use decimal road distance signs, then kilometer road distance signs using the same format will also be readily understandable to them. -- Jason
[USMA:30009] the metric system and jokes
IMHO, a huge ongoing PR problem with metric in the United States and also in metricating countries is its being the butt of jokes, usually having to do with conversion between systems, and not usually involving the use of the metric system alone. Here's a current classic from Australia: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/30/1085855438557.html I'd love to hear some discussion about this. I think this is a very important metric issue! Thanks. -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
