2002-07-21 The most important things to convert first, are weather reporting, gasoline pumps and weighing machines in the grocery stores. Each of these can be done almost over night and with virtually no cost. These also have the effect of exposing the general population to weather terms in SI, such as degrees Celsius (temperature) , hecto/kilopascals (air pressure), millimetres/centimetres (rain/snow depth); metres (water levels); kilometres per hour/metres per second (air speed), etc. The conversion of gas pumps will expose the public to the litre in a form other than a trade name in soda pop sizing. The conversion of scales will expose the public to the use of the gram and kilogram.
Weather Reporting: Since the info is already available from the sources in SI, and converted somewhere down the line, all that need be done is the converting to FFU stopped. This should be a cost savings as there must be a cost to convert to FFU, so not doing it is a cost savings. Gasoline pumps & grocery scales: Most of these are digital by now and all capable of being converted. No need to buy new equipment. These devices can be switched over simply by either a hardware switch internal to the device or a software code. There is no economical reason these can not be changed in a short time with minimal expense. There may also be other areas where change can be made quickly and with little or no expense and has the effect of exposure to the new units. If we can get these simple areas to change first, it may be easier to do the more costly ones shortly thereafter. Any comments? John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carl Sorenson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, 2002-07-22 23:21 Subject: [USMA:21348] Metrication activities > Carleton wrote about metric time and calendar: > With all respect, this is something to think about LONG after we have > overcome the REAL hurdle, that is, getting the USA into the metric camp once > and for all, and finishing the job in the baby-halfway-born countries like > Canada. Tinker with time at the same time you overhaul the measurement > system and the yelling will be heard on Mars. > > Amen to this! I will be one of the ones yelling, because new calendar > proposals and clocks would distract from the important job of metricating > the U.S. I do *not* support suggestions to change the second or the meter, > both of which have been suggested in this mailing list (unless I read > something wrong). >
