2002-02-09

It must depend on who produces them and who narrates them.  If more and more
is done by non-Americans, and/or if the information is obtained from local
sources in SI only it may appear that way in the program.  I have noticed on
some documentaries seen on TV, that if the speaker is British, almost all of
the time, the units in use are SI.  Despite the ramblings of the British
Warts and Measles Association, British scientists and other upscale people
do use SI freely when speaking on TV.

I remember a few years ago, when Matt Lauer from the Today show was
interviewing a British Engineer working on stabilising the Tower of Pisa.
Matt asked him how many feet something had to be realigned (I don't remember
the exact question or exactly what he was asking about).  The Engineer
paused a second and answered Matt in metres.  Matt being the professional
reporter he is, did not even wince.  But, I would think that by specifically
asking for an answer in feet was a hint to speak to the American people in
FFU.  Those in the media that are FFU-ists want to promote the notion that
everyone in the world really uses FFU and metric is a plot by governments to
control their slaves.  Only in the true land of the free has the government
failed to force the people to use metric against their will.

john





----- Original Message -----
From: "Han Maenen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, 2002-02-09 01:23
Subject: [USMA:18074] NG in Europe


> Michael Payne in USMA 18047 is right: the English language edition sold in
> Europe is ifp with the odd metric measurement. It is in fact the American
> edition. The national
> editions in other languages than English are metric only. Even the maps
are
> carefully translated and metricated. Lately more NG television programs I
> see
> are metric.
>
> Han
>
>
>

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