Stephen Humphreys
Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:55:55 -0800
A couple of things are worth responding to. 1) You'll have to ask Mr Steele whether he was being anti-imperial or pro-metric.2) Weights and measures at work - I am currently involved with a big security cleared project which involves many (legal) instances of weights and measures most of which is based upon choice (we even have a conversion lookup table). I'm sorry but I cannot discuss the details of the contract due to the unfortunate existence of a couple of weirdos who like to track me. I will mention more in private correspondence but not publicly. Finally - if you check - I followed up John (Steele's) I-19 post with a shared positive opinion - with a congrats. All this anti- stuff would carry weight (insert pun) if I disliked members of this forum and they disliked me. I do not - and I have even met up with USMA list forum members in 'real life' for a friendly chat over a 'pint' (sorry!). Yes there are people who dislike people (and even send poisonous emails) because of a measurement system but to be honest they're 'off the scale' and have far deeper issues than even simply going up to things and measuring them! :-) From: stevo.da...@btinternet.com To: usma@colostate.edu Subject: [USMA:46869] RE: Replacement of metric signs on I-19 (Arizona) deferred Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 20:52:10 +0000
"
"Stephen, you don't have to be 'anti' the opposite to what you are 'pro-'
to, if that makes sense.
In fact that position (IMHO) is more honourable, realistic and mature.
And it makes the argument less personal - again all IMHO."
I'm just confused by your bizarre notion that JM Steel was wrong to
appear anti-imperial because he would prefer that these metric signs to be
kept...and it looks like they may be (hooray!!). He is a
metric advocate. He is a member of a metric discussion board. Why
should he be worried about appearing anti-imperial when it is the main
function of the discussion board is to promote metric? People on here are
not exactly going to talk about imperial in glowing terms, are they?
"I have my preferences but I'm definitely not anti-metric. I find it
difficult to envisage being against how something is measured.
In fact I think we are in an enviable position of being able to choose from
two well known systems in the UK (yes - I know that's going to invoke the
'mess'
thing!)."
Yes...it does invoke the "mess" thing, because that's what our system is
in...certainly in regard to weights & measures because of previous
governments lacking a backbone and failing to introduce a coherent system
of metric measurement across the board. By the way, in regards to
weights & measures in business, there is NO choice. All are
bound by W&M legislation, whether the system is metric OR imperial.
"In fact I think we are in an enviable position of being able to choose
from two well known systems in the UK"
I don't...I find it a complete pain, actually. It is, of course, a
free country (allegedly) and people are free to use what weights &
measures they like but, as I said earlier, businesses and local authorities
can't....they are bound by legislation, making your notion of choice a
misnomer.
"Obviously if I am denied the choice then I must use whatever someone else
has has decided is 'best for me'. That's a position that - in the main - I
wholly dislike."
OK....don't pay your taxes; don't wear a seat belt in your car; openly
smoke in a pub; park on double yellow lines! My point is, there is a
welter of legislation that denies us supposed "free choice". Weights &
measures legislation is there to prevent the traders "free choice" of ripping
me
off blind!
"So I guess I am pro-imperial, pro-choice and pro-metric
in that order of personal importance."
Well, we largely do not have
any choice in what currency we spend in the UK, but I doubt it bothers
anybody. If the UK government stuck to its guns and introduced metrication
across the board, NO exceptions, in a years time, I'd think you'd be hard
pressed to find anyone who actually gives a damn. Most of this "patriotic"
wish to keep hold of our "historic" weights & measures is largely bunkum,
quite frankly. How many people are aware of rods, chains and
pecks? How many know how many yards in a mile or even ounces in a
pound? Not that many!
Choice in things that actually matter, Steve. I hardly think feet
& inches or pounds & ounces matter all that much.
----- Original Message -----
From:
Stephen
Humphreys
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 11:49
PM
Subject: [USMA:46856] RE: Replacement of
metric signs on I-19 (Arizona) deferred
Stephen, you don't have to be 'anti' the opposite to what you
are 'pro-' to, if that makes sense.
In fact that position (IMHO) is more honourable, realistic and mature.
And it makes the argument less personal - again all IMHO.
I have my preferences but I'm definitely not anti-metric. I find it
difficult to envisage being against how something is measured.
In fact I think we are in an enviable position of being able to choose
from two well known systems in the UK (yes - I know that's going to invoke
the
'mess' thing!).
I choose imperial or metric depending on the job or situation in
question. I would never use fractions of inches (perhaps except half)
and instead use whole millimetres which to me is preferable. That
particular choice is pro-metric. It's not anti-Imperial, I simply think
there's a better way in that instance.
Obviously if I am denied the choice then I must use whatever someone else
has has decided is 'best for me'. That's a position that - in the main -
I wholly dislike.
The obvious reply by yourself, Stephen, is something like 'come off it -
you're anti-metric' or something similar to that. Of course you're free
to have your opinion but it's an odd position to take to claim you would know
my opinion despite what I truthfully say. I hope you don't do this
though.
So I guess I am pro-imperial, pro-choice and pro-metric in that order of
personal importance.
From: stevo.da...@btinternet.com
To: usma@colostate.edu
Subject:
[USMA:46841] RE: Replacement of metric signs on I-19 (Arizona)
deferred
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 15:57:32 +0000
"As a footnote - I always think you should concentrate
on trade reasons for going metric.
With roadsigns and the like it looks more 'anti-imperial' than
'pro-metric' and many people will just see it as some people's personal beef
being played out at a national level - if that makes any sense. Sort of
"I hate those mile signs - make them say all 'k' & 'm' on them" versus
"we've lost an order because the customer required metric - make them show
metric". That sort of thing."
But its entirely OK to be 'anti-metric'? Also, isn't being
'anti-imperial' to a large extent the main purpose of this discussion board,
ie, to promote the usage of metric instead?
----- Original Message -----
From:
Stephen
Humphreys
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 7:09
PM
Subject: [USMA:46827] RE: Replacement
of metric signs on I-19 (Arizona) deferred
As a footnote - I always think you should concentrate on
trade reasons for going metric.
With roadsigns and the like it looks more 'anti-imperial' than
'pro-metric' and many people will just see it as some people's personal
beef
being played out at a national level - if that makes any sense. Sort
of "I hate those mile signs - make them say all 'k' & 'm' on them"
versus "we've lost an order because the customer required metric - make
them
show metric". That sort of thing.
However I will always say that you can usually tell how metric a
country is by what's on their road/public signs (ie it's part of the
language)
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 04:19:44 -0800
From:
jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net
Subject: [USMA:46824] RE: Replacement of
metric signs on I-19 (Arizona) deferred
To: usma@colostate.edu
Gridlock works!
I am happy, but I also realize it is insignificant in the bigger
picture. Even having or not having metric signage defined in the MUTCD
is insignificant in the absence of a time-bounded plan to actually GO
metric. Congress destroyed the plan and legislated against any new
plan circa 1995, with regards to roads.
From: Stephen Humphreys
<barkatf...@hotmail.com>
To: U.S. Metric Association
<usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Thu, March 4, 2010 6:23:40
AM
Subject: [USMA:46823]
RE: Replacement of metric signs on I-19 (Arizona) deferred
I suspect you're quite happy about that - I would have
thought ;-)
Despite my normal position regarding this
subject I actually feel happy for you on this
occassion! Congrats!
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 16:20:05 -0800
From:
jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net
Subject: [USMA:46815] Replacement of metric
signs on I-19 (Arizona) deferred
To: usma@colostate.edu
Due to the lack of a plan, there is no plan. Since they couldn't
decide exactly how to do it, they are not going to do it at all.
Metric sign replacement on I-19 has been indefinitiely postponed, and
the funds
committed to another project.
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/local/article_d7dec8f6-26f5-11df-b567-001cc4c03286.html
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