Good letter, Norm.
Bill Potts, CMS
Roseville, CA
http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
> Behalf Of Norman Werling
> Sent: May 28, 2001 20:40
> To: U.S. Metric Association
> Cc: US Metric Assn.
> Subject: [USMA:13088] "Metric doesn't compute in the lives of most
> Americans" by Kerry Dougherty, May 5
>
>
> To the editors of the Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA):
>
> Some Americans joke derisively about the measurement system used by 96% of
> the world's population.
>
> I will resist commenting on the ludicrous comments about a
> "quarter pounder"
> and a "Royale avec frommage".
>
> The International System of Units (SI), also called the metric system, is
> used in everyday living by that "foreign" 96% of the world. They seem to
> find the decimal system quite simple to use. Many problems
> Americans suffer
> with math would disappear were we to stop our use of fraction-based
> measures.
>
> Thank goodness that our Congress adopted decimal money in the
> 18th century.
> Too bad they didn't follow President Washington's advice and go with the
> then new "metric system of measures" Americans would find it
> equally simple
> to use on a daily basis if they would just stop stubbornly resisting!
>
> I blame adult Americans for not allowing Ms. Dougherty's son the daily use
> of kilometers for distances. Then he would not mistake
> centimeters ( which
> he would use to measure his height) with kilometers.
>
> The rest of the world accepts much of "the American way", but SI
> deserves to
> be accepted by Americans. We increase our costs of exports to
> that 96% of
> the world as we must package goods for them in SI while insisting upon
> packaging goods for our home consumption with antiquated measures.
>
> For your consideration,
>
> Norman V. Werling
> 1240 Hunters Drive
> Stone Mountain, GA 30083-2545
> 404-292-9328
>
> P.S. I am retired so the above is my home phone, but please leave
> a message
> and I will return it ASAP. Yes, not_all_older Americans resist the
> International System of Units.
>
