---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2001 12:08:57 -0500 (CDT)
From: Gene Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Bill Potts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: SI in BMI
On Sat, 7 Apr 2001, Bill Potts wrote:
> ...
> I'm not going to fault them for using "weight," when they are at least
> avoiding the temptation to convert to ifp. One step at a time.
> ...
Bill,
Members of the literate public have no problems understanding
the widely accepted terms "bone mass" and "muscle mass" and have no
problems with the terms "body mass" or "total body mass" either.
As you might guess, I favor teaching SI correctly the first time.
Teaching SI novices in classrooms or by example (e.g. CNN) that SI is one
thing, and later (when the learners are older or smarter) that SI is really
another contradictory thing requires unlearning of bad habits and leaves
the learner with a sense of having been deceived by the first instructor.
Teachers (journalists and news media included) should present SI
correctly the first time. Correct SI in private conversations is a goal
of much less importance, or perhaps even total unimportance at this time.
Gene.
