2001 June 27
Don Moser, Editor
Smithsonian Magazine
Suite 7100
750 9th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20560-0951
Dear Editor Moser;
Thank you for having Ms.Henry answer my letter to you
about metric units in Smithsonian Magazine.
She says of American readers “Since they understand
customary measures, that’s what we use.” By “customary
measures” she likely means inch-pound units. Smithsonian
needs to face up to the fact that metric units are indeed
customary in the US.
Your readers do NOT well understand inch-pound units.
Perhaps you think readers of a “popular general interest
magazine” know how many feet there are in a mile, how
big an acre is, which is more energy - a BTU or a calorie.
Almost all of your readers do not know these things.
On the other hand, most of your readers can tell you
how many metres are in a kilometre as well as tell you
many other features of metric measures.
Wake up. You do not as you say “communicate with our
readers” if you talk inch-pound units. You are a party
to keeping the US the “dumbest” country in the world.
Put metric in Smithsonian Magazine.
Still hoping for better from you,
Sincerely,
Robert H. Bushnell
