I had trouble completing an entry via your "Your Suggestions Count!" so, I'll try again.
I have just received an INTRAV travel brochure entitled "Ancient Treasures of China and the Yangtze River" (via the University of Alberta). I was astonished to note that numerical information was given in old-fashioned feet, acres, miles etc. This despite the fact that 95% of the world's population uses SI measures. Just to give a 'flavor' of the contrasts in the two ways of 'doing numbers', please see a comparison of "700-acre" [Pg. 2] and 285-hectare. Sq.ft. Acres Sq.mi. m^2 hm^2 (ha) km^2 30,492,000 700 1.09 2,850,000 285 2.85 It can be seen that the customary way involves a mismatched mixture of units. The SI way has an obvious harmony inherent in it. In China, they do it the SI way. Why not emphasize the lure of far away places by using their measurements rather than pretending that 'everyone' uses feet, acres, miles etc.? Duncan DT Bath, 861 Kensington Dr., Peterborough ON K9J 6J8 (705)743-4297
