While this post is off-topic in the strict sense of the word, I think it will give the non-US list members a clearer view of the mindset that we are up against in trying to metricate the US.
I must second what John (kilopascal) said. I would even go so far as to say that the United States is a photographic negative of the Soviet Union, in that we have taken capitalism to the same absurd lengths to which the Soviets took socialism. Increasingly, money is all that matters here. People are considered cheap, interchangeable, and ultimately expendable. To give a personal example (which unfortunately is not atypical of American businesses), the managers where I work (at the airport parking system) are paid bonuses based upon how little they spend rather than how much money the franchise takes in. As a result, we frequently run out of office supplies and the equipment receives no routine maintenance. When photocopiers, printers, and gate mechanisms fail catastrophically much sooner due to the neglect, they have to be replaced at greater expense (penny wise, pound foolish). The gate equipment and cash registers have dangerous ungrounded and exposed bare wiring that constitutes a shock and fire hazard, but the management ignores these dangers and our weak Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) office won't do anything about it either. Our company offers no payroll deduction-funded health insurance for employees (although managers get it). I'd happily quit and look elsewhere for a better job, but my arthritic back and hip limit my options. No state or federal medical coverage is available, either, unless you have literally nothing. While I could go to the emergency room of any hospital and be treated (by law they cannot turn anyone away), the subsequent bill for a serious illness or injury would probably put me in debt for the rest of my life. I can't afford the regular medical checkups (I have *never* had one) that can detect potentially serious problems early, while they're easier and less expensive to treat. Forget about union protection. Alaska is a "Right-To-Work" state. The managers have gradually added more and more tasks to our work requirements (including physically taxing manual snow removal, which they purposely neglect to mention to new hires), yet we have never received even the smallest pay raise. They know they can get away with it because the government workplace regulations are enforced weakly or not at all. Most businesses in this country do not look at the long term. They are only concerned with the next quarter. That is why metrication is so slow here--businesses see it as an unnecessary expense with no short-term payoff rather than as a long-term benefit. Having read about the horrors of communism and having personal experience living in a nearly-pure capitalist state, I would be happy to live in an "in between" social democracy such as an EU member state. How can I emigrate? :-) -- Jason ----- Original Message ----- From: kilopascal <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 4:10 PM Subject: [USMA:24431] RE: the U.S., etc. > 2003-01-10 > > The US tax on gasoline is so low, that most DOT's operate in the red. In > fact, in Ohio there have been a number of needed road projects postponed > indefinitely due to lack of funds. If the DOT needs money, they have to > borrow it. That means future earned revenue now must be used to pay back > interest on past debts and can't be used for needed road projects. > > In most cases, if not all, road work that is done, is done so cheaply that > by the following spring the road looks (and feels) as bad as it did before > work was done. But, do we do the sensible thing and raise the gas tax to > pay for road work? No! We expect the state to wave a magic wand and have > it appear. > > I hope Carl never has a catastrophic medical need or is unemployed for > longer than 6 months. Without that welfare state it won't be long before > Carl is sleeping under a bridge in a card-board box and either eating from > garbage cans or from the local salvation army kitchen. In the US, there is > no mercy for those who run out of money. > > Four times this past year my medical benefits were downgraded. The > insurance plan covers less and less of the cost and the monthly deductions > have increased. If Carl is working for a company that pays good benefits, > he is one of the lucky few. I hope Carl isn't living in one of the states > where the doctors are leaving in droves, due to exorbitant operating costs. > What will people do if they need a doctor and there isn't one to be found? > I guess they'll be told that they are still better off then the welfare > state. Because everyone knows, that in the welfare state you have to wait > 100 years just to get an appointment. One may pay more taxes in the welfare > state, but the welfare state gives one peace of mind should an unforeseen > catastrophe happen. If the welfare state is so bad, people living there > would have rebelled against it decades ago. Must be something to it if > people are fighting to keep it. > > It is really an eye opener when you walk into a store and standing out in > front of the door is some one begging for money for some family, whose child > needs an operation the family can't afford. Or for treatments for cancer. > Does this happen in the welfare state? > > Americans are like sheep. Easily lead to the slaughter. They are taught to > believe they are the greatest, they invented everything, their ways are the > best and envy of the world and the world is jealous of their greatness. > Whenever someone speaks ill of the USA, they are just jealous. Once > brainwashed with this type of thinking, it is very hard to change undo it. > > Rome had its glory, then fell. The US will do the same. > > John > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Stephen Davis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, 2003-01-10 15:19 > Subject: [USMA:24422] RE: the U.S., etc. > > > > Carl Sorenson wrote: > > > > >>We are the ones who invented airplanes, TV's......<< > > > > Whooaahh!!! Just a cotton', pickin' minute there, Carl!! > > > > YOU are the ones who invented TV's????? > > > > I think a certain Scottish gentlemen, were he alive today, might have > something to say about that, namely, one John Logie Baird!! > > > > And, as you are clearly taking exception to Mike Joy's tone about the US, > what about your comments about the US having lower taxes than the welfare > states of Europe?? > > > > Though this is undoubtedly true, couldn't critics point to the record > deficits the US economy is experiencing at the moment?? Something you > conveniently forgot to mention?? > > > > The USA is a great country, but I do wish a certain number of its > residents could learn to take criticism without immediately going on the > defensive, especially as some seem only too willing to dish it out to > others!! > > > > Regards, > > > > Steve. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Carl Sorenson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 7:06 PM > > Subject: [USMA:24420] RE: the U.S., etc. > > > > > > > Mike Joy said: > > > I suppose I've been guilty of writing some apparently anti-US statements > in > > > some of my letters to papers and postings here, but they are only > designed > > > to try and jerk free this crazy John Wayne mentality that is hurting the > US > > > so much. > > > > > > Yes, I think I understand. I haven't had too much of a problem with > what > > > you have written. However, I'm not sure that "outsiders" are likely to > be > > > swayed by some of your comments. For example, in your letter to the > Wausau > > > Daily Herald you said: > > > "You're supposed to be the 'greatest' nation on Earth aren't you, so > where's > > > the proof? " > > > > > > To most people, who don't see metrication as their all-consuming life > > > ambition, this statement wouldn't make a whole lot of sense. They would > > > say, "Well, we are the sole surviving superpower. Immigrants are > breaking > > > down the doors to get in. We are the ones who invented airplanes, TV's, > > > microwaves, transistors, integrated circuits, PC's, and nuclear bombs > and > > > reactors. We have little corruption, an open press, and a healthy, > modern > > > economy with honest financial markets, a stable currency, low > unemployment > > > and inflation, and lower taxes than the welfare states of Europe. I'd > say > > > we're doing pretty darn well." > > > > > > In other words, using metrication as a measure of a country's > 'greatness' is > > > leaving out a lot of other things, most of which have a lot more to do > with > > > a people's quality of life. Now, I'm sure you already understand all > this, > > > but if you make statements like the one above, people will call you on > it. > > > Even your statement, which isn't very offensive, will make people try to > > > defend their country rather than think about your position. They won't > be > > > convinced, and persuasion is the whole point of writing these letters, I > > > think. > > > > > > It looks to me like the basic reasoning in your statement is "America > > > doesn't use metric so they aren't as good as they think they are." I > think > > > my style of reasoning would be more along the lines of "I have an idea > for a > > > way to make America better. I think it will work, too. Let's see how > we > > > can get this to happen." Do you see the difference? > > > > > > If your goal is to make Americans be more humble and less snooty, that > is > > > certainly worthwhile, but I'm not sure that your sentence is worded in a > way > > > that would accomplish that. "Where's the proof?" is almost a personal > > > challenge, like "I dare you to prove that your country is so great." > They > > > will take you up on that challenge, at least mentally. To get a person > to > > > think like you do, you want show that you are on the same side or use > humor > > > or something. For example, even something like, "Get with the program!" > is > > > basically saying, "Hey, Americans, we have a consensus here. Come join > our > > > club." In my mind, it is inclusive, not confrontational. > > > > > > Well, those are my thoughts. I wouldn't say that the things you have > > > written are offensive (not like some people's comments), but they aren't > the > > > way I would say things. > > > > > > Carl > > > > > > > > > > > >
