Good message, Paul. Of course, I would have said "hodge podge," rather than "omnium gatherum." That one might be lost on her.
Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Behalf Of Paul Trusten, R.Ph. >Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 07:59 >To: U.S. Metric Association >Cc: USMA Listserver >Subject: [USMA:30950] Nanny State article > > >Dear Ms. Fabrizio, > >I enjoyed reading your article, "How Did We Survive Without The Nanny >State?" (at http://www.americandaily.com/article/3258). However, I wish to >suggest that the United States is long overdue in changing over to the >metric system of measurement, and completion this change would be a step >forward for our country. > >The metric system is a simple, decimal measurement system which Thomas >Jefferson supported in principle in the 1790s, although it was not >perfected >until the 19th century. Short of that, the U.S. did become the >world's first >nation to adopt decimal currency, and the whole world has copied us in that >regard. Since 1988, the metric system has been the "preferred system of >measurement for trade and commerce" in the United States, and if you like >orange juice, you will notice that the juice industry seems to be about to >join the soft drink industry in adopting round metric sizes of their >products. In 2009, the European Union will no longer allow the importation >of anything but metrically labeled products into its member countries, >raising the stakes that our country would remain outside of what is now a >wholly metric world. > >Far from our being "foisted" with something "dreary", our country has the >opportunity to complete the process it started unilaterally in 1975: to >establish a true standard of measurement for itself, and one that is a lot >easier to use (please see >http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/usmetric/metric-allyouneed.htm) >than our current, so-called "standard" omnium-gatherum of units. In my >view, such a move on the part of our government would be highly patriotic. > > >Sincerely, > >Paul Trusten, R.Ph. >3609 Caldera Boulevard Apartment 122 >Midland TX 79707-2872 USA >home 432-694-6208 >work 432-685-1549 >cell 432-349-4688 >fax 501-665-5366 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >"There are two cardinal sins, from which >all the others spring: impatience and laziness." > > ---Franz Kafka >
