2000-12-31
In responses seen in discussion groups, such as deja, it isn't enough that
they can still use imperial, even though the measuring devices now show
metric. Whenever it is pointed out to these people that they can still ask
for imperial sizes, the response is never "I know", or "Yes, that is true",
but a constant repetition of the rhetoric below. It bothers them that when
they continue to ask for imperial, either they or the clerk must make a
conversion to metric in order for the machine to do its job. And, I think
there is a sub-conscious fear of being labelled out-dated, or an old fart,
and being laughed at.
What it boils down to is they don't like asking for a quarter pound of
something and seeing the scale display grams. Whether the quarter pound
converts to a rational number or not is not a problem. They know very well
that they can ask for a rounded amount in grams if they want too. I'm sure
they have seen the labels show a range of grams every time they ask. Ask
for a quarter pound and get anywhere from maybe 110 g to 115 g. They even
know that when they asked for a quarter pound previous, they never got
exactly a quarter pound.
The claim that metric advocates don't give them the same freedom to use
imperial as they claim they give us is rubbish. The very fact that they
resist converting their devices is proof of that. It can not be both ways,
it is either all metric or all imperial. Previous to metrication, they
would never have advocated giving metric advocates a free choice. They
would never have accepted scales that can switch between systems based on
the customers choice, or showing unit prices in both sets of units. This is
only an issue now, because the ball isn't in their court. Their "give us
equal time" cry is a realisation that imperial is dying out and some last
ditch attempt to resurrect it.
These fringe supporters of imperial will be a pain in the arse a long time
after the rest of the population has adjusted and no longer gives a hoot.
John
Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrt�mlich glaubt
frei zu sein.
There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they
re free!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, 2000-12-31 10:23
Subject: [USMA:10122] UK: (fwd) Compulsory Metrication
> Someone has responded to my Times letter, copying it to me:
>
> >Metric measurement has been legal in this country for over a century.
Many
> >of us, the overwhelming majority in fact, do not wish to avail ourselves
of
> >its supposed advantages but prefer to muddle along with the inefficient
> >imperial system. We have no objection to the supporters of the metric
> >system happily using the system of their choice. Long may they continue
to
> >do so. Unfortunately the supporters of the metric system do not exhibit
> >similar tolerance. We must all, whether we wish to or not, be compelled
to
> >adopt metric because it is good for us. It is unnecessary, I hope, to
point
> >out how many tyrannies have followed exactly that line of reasoning and
what
> >the results have been,
>
> --
> Metrication information: http://www.metric.org.uk/
> UK legislation, EC Directives, Trading Standards links and more
> Pro-metric mailing list now available.
>
>
