2001-05-30 I've been thinking lately about what would be the most appropriate e-mail or letter to write to a journalist or whoever who writes anti-metric articles. The first thought is to just let it go. They're just upset because metric continues to make inroads and they can't seem to stop it. But, there is still a part of me that wants to rub salt into the wounds. Here is something I thought of today: Dear Sir/Madam, If you don't like the metric system, then do yourself a favour and don't use it. Avoid any product or service where it is used. For example, here are some suggestions: 1.) Do not purchase, rent or ride in an automobile. All cars, including American models are designed and manufactured metric. That includes the use of metric sized steel, plastics and fasteners. Whenever you buy or rent a car, you are in essence supporting metric industries. 2.) Do not use any electricity. Electricity is measured in metric units. Volts, ohms, watts, joules, amperes, farads, henrys, etc. are all SI metric units. Some electricity is produced by nuclear plants. Nuclear energy is also measured in metric units. 3.) Avoid using mouthwashes, toothpaste, hair care products, skin care products, etc. They now all come in metric size containers. Toothpaste is shown in ounces and grams, but the containers are actually rational metric sizes, the most common being 100 mL and 150 mL. This is called hidden metric. That means hard metric products relabelled in non-metric to give the illusion it is non-metric. When you use these products, you are supporting the metric system. 4.) Stay away from soda pop, bottled water, wines and hard liquor. Again, these are commonly packaged in metric sizes. 5.) Do not use cameras or video equipment. These again are metric products. 6.) If you are ill, stay away from doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and any type of medicines, vitamins and other supplements . These are all metric. Medications are dosed in grams per kilogram of body mass. When there is risk to your life, metric is there to support it. 7.) Avoid using computers. Modern PC's are metric. The so-called 3.5 inch floppy is hidden metric. According to standard ISO/IEC 9529-1, the floppies actual dimensions are 94 mm x 90 mm x 3.3 mm (D x W x H). The media is 86 mm in diameter and the mass is 24 g. None of these dimensions equals 3.5 inches. Monitors are made to metric specs, even if they have an inch name. And the dot pitch is always given in millimetres. The speed is in megahertz (MHz) and memory is in megabytes and gigabytes. The fasteners and other parts of your computer, all the way down to the substrate to make the chips is metric. All hidden of course. And there is more!! 40 % of American industry is metric. They have to be to survive in a metric world. The US also imports more goods and services than it exports. That means billions of dollars of metric products are flooding into this country. Each day more and more. You wouldn't be complaining about it if you didn't see the onward march of the metre in your increasingly shrinking English world. Do you really think you will make a difference by complaining? Not really, especially when people like me work in industries that are metric and we use our economic might to support financially products and services that are metric and help drive up the costs of those that are not. You can only complain with words, we make a difference economically where it is most effective. We will win, it is just a matter of time. Best Regards, X. Y. Z. Some of you might like to refine this or add something I missed. We can tune it up to make it a nice form letter to be sent out to all those who oppose. Any comments? 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 are free! Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
