In response to and in amplification of the clear questions asked by Ezra, the answer regarding both issues is a resounding "yes!" on the USMA's part. The USMA leadership has been in communication with and has worked with people regarding both the FPLA amendment and also bringing all states on board with the UPLR metric-only provision. The USMA newsletter, Metric Today, presents information on these issues periodically. But also much is done by them by way of speaking to industry leaders, NCWM officials, government representatives and employees, et alia on these issues.
Again, not all that is done in these efforts should be immediately broadcast publically and Metric Today is the venue for material that may be announced. This mail list is a forum provided for USMA members to draw upon each other's knowledge and ideas and to coordinate their own efforts in pushing for metrication. So, who among you in this last month has spoken to a school teacher or administrator about teaching with metric units -- as a matter of course, not as a once-a-year topic? Or has written to the customer service representatives of a large company asking for their help in getting the FPLA approved? Or has judged a science fair, volunteering to be a judge for a USMA Metric Award that you have arranged for, as described on the USMA pages? Or has spoken to people in the media about posting weather information in metric units? Has everyone here written to their state and federal legislative representatives about the UPLR and FPLA? There are many fertile fields out there folks; let's get them plowed and the seeds sown and then let's start watering them. It's not fair to throw out challenges without revealing personal actions and inactions, so I'll go first. I have not written to any state or federal representatives for some time now. Nor to any industry representatives. But in this last month I've talked to the lead weathermen at two of our three TV stations, have talked to a middle school science coordinator, and have judged a science fair on behalf of the USMA. And I've spoken to about 100 college students regarding metric units and our society. (I also taught about a fourth of those students what a lumen is and how to calculate the efficiency of light bulbs in providing visible light.) So I've not done all that I could either. But I've done something. Now.... it's your turn "to share", folks, and this is the place to do it. Jim Ezra Steinberg wrote: > > Sure, Don, getting back to metric would be nice. > > So, here goes ... > > Is anybody (including -- and maybe especially -- the USMA leadership) pushing a >legislative agenda to promote metric? It seems that the two agenda items currently in >the forefront are amending the FPLA and getting the non-automatic states to adopt the >latest NPLR. I've seen nothing I can remember giving any concrete information about >either of these. > > Maybe we see this list go adrift into other topics sometimes because we're not >hearing from the official leadership regarding updates and discussion of a focused >agenda and progress and obstacles on the road to meeting that agenda. (I'd love to >get regular updates on this list from *them* on what they're doing, for example.) > > Takes more than moralistic admonitions to fight entropy in my experience ... > > Regards, > Ezra -- 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
