I noticed a couple of uses of metric at Walmart that were worth noting:
1) Life jackets.
Though none of the labelling was done by Walmart all the printing on the life jackets
gave chest sizes in inches, centimetres; this order and no brackets. As well certain
brands also included a "minimum flotation" value quoted in 'N', 'pounds-force'; this
order and no brackets
I have to admit that at first I didn't know what "61 N" was refering to, at first
thinking that this might be some regulatory rating number. It was unforatuante that I
had to see "pounds-force" to realize that the number was quoted in newtons. I so
rarely see newtons and I have come to expect any of the confusing collection of wombat
units that I didn't expect to see a rational metric unit of measure.
Fortunately I understand this newton value relative to my own weight far more than
"pounds-force".
In both cases, chest size and flotation, the rational numbers were wombat and the
metric were merely converted, however it was nice to see them there none the less.
2) Store signage.
There was an large back yard tent/gazebo that caught my wife's eye. The Walmart tag
listed the dimesions as "3 M X 110 IN". I said outloud "three metres by one-hundred
and ten inches.... whatever one-hundred and ten inches means!" A sales person (about
45 years old) was nearby and he told me that he didn't know were they came up with
these measurements and he just tells people that its "ten by ten". He didn't provide
me with units. At this point he continued on his way. I can only assume he measured
the gazebo by placing one foot in front of another. Hoping he'd hear me I said, "Oh, I
guess it's about three metres tall then."
I would have caught up and pressed the issue with the sale's person but at the time I
was holding an 85 cm softball bat and I thought I looked a bit too agressive. >;)
greg
Saskatoon SK Canada
