>Here is the article some have requested: >http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-08-14-1a-cover_x.htm > >John
How ironic that Bush, who probably doesn't care for the metric system, may actually do it a big favor. The anti-American sentiment could help kill an effort to further postpone the Europeans' 2010 deadline for importing metric only. (By the way, I just read today that American tourism in Europe is way down--I bet there is a correlation.) I had an idea for amending the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act that might be more politically safe. The government could make a new rule that metric-only labeling will be allowed for certain types of products if two or three producers request it. For example, suppose that whoever makes Scope decides that there is no point in listing fluid ounces if the bottles are 1 L. If several companies request the exemption, then mouthwash no longer requires dual labeling. If *U.S. companies* are requesting the changes, how many politicians would be against it? After a few years, so many products would be labeled in metric only that the dual labeling would seem unnecessary, at least for volume measures. Comments? Is there much dual labeling in Australia? England? Carl
