Jim, There may be journalistic reasons for Mr. O'Dell to use WOMBAT in his article if he is writing for an American audience, an audience which may not yet be ENTERTAINED by metric units. Here, the author appeals to emotion, not reason. I don't expect Mr. O'Dell to educate his readers in this context, nor do I think, as much as we would like them to be, that these readers want to be educated. The United States has no SI measurement standard, much less an SI measurement folklore. Americans are still beckoned by Horse's Ass Units. They may make an attempt to refer to the metric engine size in the article, but storage space here is presented to amuse rather than to inform. "James R. Frysinger" wrote: > > Posted a few minutes ago.... > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Big SUV; tiny cargo space > Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 14:27:47 -0400 > From: "James R. Frysinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Organization: Metric Methods > To: ..... > > Letter Editor, L.A. Times > copies to John O'Dell and the editor of the Charleston Post and Courier > > Dear Sir: > > In today's Charleston Post and Courier, an article by John O'Dell of the > Los Angelos Times is printed, regarding the new Chevrolet Tahoe. It is > also available online at > http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/highway1/la-000056934jul11.story > Then online version provides more information than is printed in our > local paper, but unfortunately it too is lacking in some respects. > > Mr. O'Dell writes about the Tahoe's 5.3 L engine (and a smaller 4.8 L > engine that is available) but then gives the engine's power in > horsepower (but not kilowatts), torque in foot-pounds (but not newton > meters), and towing capacity in pounds (but not in in kilograms). He > also provides some dimensions in inches and feet. (Do cars have feet?) > The Society of Automotive Engineers includes the metric quantities in > their articles, so that information is available to Mr. O'Dell. > > The strange part of the article is where he states, "It will haul people > in serious comfort, carry a peck of parcels, and tow a ton (or four) > with ease." Gee, in an SUV, I would expect the glove box to hold a peck > (8 dry quarts or 8.8 L). What a tiny cargo space the Tahoe must have! > > Ain't it a shame that Americans have such a deep understanding of their > units that they hate to give them up for SI? Come on, Mr. O'Dell. Join > the automotive world and get metricated. There is absolutely no reason > in the world why your article (at least the online version) couldn't > include metric quantities. > > James R. Frysinger > also at: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj > > -- > Metric Methods(SM) "Don't be late to metricate!" > James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/ > 10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789 -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA (915)-694-6208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
