2002-11-15 Yes, but NASA is not a business that depends on Joe Sixpack's opinion. NASA would still get their funding whether Joe Sizpack likes it or not.
John ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Wentworth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, 2002-11-15 01:51 Subject: [USMA:23375] Re: Astronomical distance measures > I'm afraid the ghost of Sea Biscuit will win the Kentucky Derby before JPL > uses those larger SI prefixes in press releases intended for the general > public. Intellectuals may read them, but millions of "Joe Sixpacks" pay for > them, and JPL (and NASA in general) are loathe to lose their audience.' -- > Jason > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Mike Joy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 6:22 PM > Subject: [USMA:23374] Astronomical distance measures > > > > Hi all, > > > > With references from time to time regarding NASA and JPL press releases > > starting to use SI units, they prompted me to send off this letter today > to > > JPL:- > > > > > > The Secretary > > Media Relations Office > > JPL > > Pasadena > > CA 91109 > > USA > > > > Dear Sir, > > > > Re: Better use of measurements in your media releases > > > > First, congratulations on your use of SI (metric) measurements in your > > media releases. This now brings a sense of reality to your releases > > removing the "Star Trek" image of so many decades past. > > > > However, your use of "billions" should be relegated to the old customary > > units, as the term "a billion miles" means absolutely nothing to anyone > > other than "a long, long way". > > > > Today in the 21st century we are all familiar with metric prefixes as we > > use them every day, e.g. kilo for "a thousand" (kilogram), milli for "a > > thousandth" (millimeter), Mega for "a million" (MegaHertz), cent for > > "hundredth" (cent coin), Giga for "a thousand million" (Gigabyte) and so > > on. > > > > May I persuade you to consider using suitable prefixes for very large > > distances in order to make them more meaningful? Your statement "1.6 > > billion km" would be better stated as 1.6Tm (to use the correct > > terminology, i.e. Terameters), or at least you could use "xxx times the > > distance from the Earth to the Sun", or other suitable astronomical > > measuring terminology. > > > > This would make your releases much more interesting and believable, > instead > > of the science fiction type of statement that you use now. While you have > > to cater for the average American, you also have to cater for the > > intellectuals of the world and THEY are the ones who are going to be more > > interested in your releases than the average man on the street. He doesn't > > say he's "going to walk 1.6 million inches to the store". > > > > Don't forget, if you put your releases on a website, then everyone in the > > world can read them, not just Mr. Average American. > > > > Yours very sincerely, > > > > > > Michael R. Joy > > (address) > > 15 November 2002 > > > > >
