If only he had not used that inflammatory subtitle about the 'hidden error'. It has attracted the anti metric guys like wasps and hornets which are attracted by sweet stuff. And claiming that the meter is an error for all peoples and for all times does not help either, it only suits our friends from F2M and the BWMA.
Han ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Elwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, 2002-12-10 15:42 Subject: Re: [USMA:23879] Re: Measure of all things > I think you'll enjoy it. It is not a political or advocacy book, it is a > history book. Read it with that in mind and you will find it interesting > and informative. > > Jim > > > At 12/10/2002, 07:44 AM, you wrote: > >I am going to order it. But all comments I have read about the book were > >anti-metric. That comment on CNN last week angered me. > >The committee that was set up in 1790 to set up a new system of units > >thought about using base 12, but decided against it. > > > >Han > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Jim Elwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Monday, 2002-12-09 21:23 > >Subject: [USMA:23862] Measure of all things > > > > > > > Just finished Ken Alder's book, The Measure of All Things. A very > >interesting and informative read, certainly *not* anti-metric in any way. > > Learned a bit more French from from it, too. > > > > One issue got me thinking: some professions wanted a measurement standard > >based on 12, so that things could be easily divided into halves, quarters, > >thirds, etc. > > > > > > Just imagine: if humans were born with six fingers on each hand (perhaps > >two opposable thumbs), or 12 fingers total, then: > > > > > > * "decimal" would mean base-12 > > > * it would be trivial to convert between common fractions and decimal > >numbers (e.g., 1/3 = 0.4) > > > * this would make the issue of fractions in commerce vs. decimals in > >science largely moot > > > * our clocks would be almost identical to current clocks (based on 24). > > > * there could still be 360 degrees in a circle, and it would seem like a > >nice, round number > > > * etc. > > > > > > Perhaps with modern genetic engineering we can create 12-fingered humans, > >redefine the entire SI system on base-12, and be happy with our clocks and > >degrees. > > > > Jim Elwell > > > > > P.S. don't take this seriously -- this is just a bit of daydreaming > >
