> ATTACHMENT part 2.7 message/rfc822
> Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 16:01:20 -0600 (CST)
> From: Gene Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: [USMA:11663] The World Factbook (fwd)
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 15:59:43 -0600 (CST)
> From: Gene Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: Eugene A. Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: The World Factbook
>
> FAX: 1 703 482 1739
> Office of Public Affairs
> Central Intelligence Agency
> Washington, DC 20505
>
>
> Dear Editors:
>
> While browsing The World Factbook, I note that almost all data
> are given in metric units of measurement, including data for the United
> States. That is real progress!
>
> However, the symbols used are not consistent with those
> recommended by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology
> in the Federal Register Notice of 1998 (July 28), pp. 40333-40340;
> "Metric System of Measurement: Interpretation of the International System
> of Units for the United States; Notice."
>
> For example, the prefix symbol "n" and unit symbol "m" form
> the symbol "nm" for "nanometer" a *submultiple* of the meter, as in the
> currently developing field of nanotechnology for medical devices.
>
> For Maritime Claims, a more appropriate *multiple* would be
> kilometer (km) rather than the *submultiple* nanometer (nm).
>
> Even small boats now use GPS for navigation at sea with primary
> data given in meters (or km). If "nautical miles" must be retained for
> some dubious historical, traditional, or perceived reason of convenience,
> why not use N.Mi. to avoid confusion with nm?
>
> Another example, energy data in the Factbook are expressed as
> "million kWh", or "billion kWh", or "trillion kWh" which have different
> values in different languages. In contrast, the one, and only one, unit
> of energy in SI is the joule (J), in all languages. Numerical values are
> scaled by application of SI prefixes. e.g. kJ, MJ, GJ, TJ, etc. which are
> standard in all languages.
>
> Please give serious consideration to adoption of SI, as documented
> in the Federal Register, for the next edition of The World Factbook.
>
> I am sending this recommendation by FAX because I can not find
> your e-mail address in your Web pages.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Eugene A. Mechtly, College of Engineering
> University of Illinois at Urabana-Champaign
>
As I read E-Conflict World Encyclopedia at http://www.emulateme.com/ , nearly
everything is
copied from the CIA World Factbook. I found E-Conflict before CIA Factbook and I am
always
satisfactory on metric usage. However, airport runway lengths are of odd ranges of 914
m, 1524 m,
2438 m, and 3047 m in italic (should be in Roman type). They appear to be 3000 ft,
5000 ft, 8000
ft, and 10000 ft. Use of "sq km" for square kilometers looks odd as well.
Also, use of commas (.) to separate groups of 3 digits is not international. So
these commas
should be replaced by thin spaces, though periods (.) for decimal points may stay as
it is
recognized by the ISO.
=====
Justin JIH http://www.geocities.com/jusjih/
Owner of World-Wide Anti-Conscription Unity in Yahoo! Groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anti-conscription
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
