Robert Mashburn & Letters to the Editor Editor, Sports Section Atlanta Journal-Constitution Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Mashburn: & Reader's Opinions: I would like to thank you for the special four-page section regarding the Olympic coverage, pages E9-E12 in Thursday's newspaper. Everything regarding the Olympics is measured by the International System of Units (SI) commonly called the metric system. Even when one buys skis, their measurements are in meters, centimeters, and millimeters. Thus we are amazed to see any reference to feet or inches in Olympic reporting in any context! We are insulted when we see the metric measure relegated to secondary position! Please observe the sixth column of page E12 in Thursday's Olympic sports section under the sub-heading 'Ski Jumping'. Everyone understands that Simon Ammann was competing in the 120 meter event, so it is wonderful for him to have jumped 133 meters. Why would you permit this measure of 133 meters to receive secondary position in the report? It is not even necessary to report the conversion to 436 feet, but to report the 436 feet as primary with 133 meters in parentheses is an insult to our intelligence. Please stop changing meters to feet in your reporting. It is not needed. Every American ought to know that an old-fashioned yard is a little shorter than a meter. In fact the legal definition of a yard is 0.9144 meter. We suspect that anyone who fails to understand that a foot, legally defined as 0.3048 meter, is a third of a yard must not have been paying attention in school. I should tell you that I am not a youngster, but will celebrate my 66th birthday this coming Sunday. When Congress pushed the American metric ball rolling in 1975, I made certain that I dusted off my metric learning from the 1940's and 1950's and have been ready for the full change ever since. Sincerely, Norman Werling 1240 Hunters Drive Stone Mountain, Ga 30083 404-292-9328
