More often is better, but I said every other month so that we would get too discouraged from irate store clerks.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jason Darfus" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, 28 February, 2005 22:24 Subject: [USMA:32315] Re: Civil action (was: New metric legislation introduced) > Every other month? I do those things every time. Well, except for the > one about auto fuel. The truth is I even offered to buy a new hanging > scale with a dual kg / lb dial for a local coffee house if they'd also > price their beans per kilogram and 100 grams. It would have cost me a > couple hundred dollars, I'm sure. No take. > > But yea, I agree that we have to keep pressing until sellers realize > there are folks out there who use those "foreign" units. > > ----- > Jason D. Darfus > Columbus.OH.US > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > > On Feb 28, 2005, at 15:46, Gavin Young - Renewable Electricity > Solutions wrote: > > > The USMA works hard to attract the attention of US metric lovers, but > > I have > > an idea of how they can do more. It needs to develope an action plan > > to get > > all US metric lovers to take action with their consumer power. If > > action > > plans are posted on the USMA website, more US metric lovers will get > > excited > > about getting involved with USMA. For example here are some ideas: > > > > Encourage metric lovers in the USA to do the following two months from > > now, > > and every two months thereafter: > > > > 1) When going to a grocery store or deli to buy food by the "weight" > > from a > > store clerk that will "weigh" the food for you, buy the food by > > kilogram > > instead of the pound. If they say their scale can not display in kg, > > then > > make them calculate the conversion to lbs. The idea is to get them > > tired of > > making the calculations, so that they get a dual scale and begin > > weighing by > > the kg when requested. > > > > 2) When buying automotive fuel (gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, ethonal, > > etc.) > > at fuel stations ask for the amount in liters. If they say their pumps > > can > > not display in L, then make them calculate the conversion to L. The > > idea is > > to get them tired of making the calculations, so that they get a dual > > pump > > and begin dispensing fuel by the L when requested. > > > > 3) When buying produce that you weigh yourself, speak to the store > > manager > > and ask that they provide at least one scale which "weighs" in kg and > > that > > their produce price signs include the price in $/kg. > > > > 4) When ordering shipping boxes for your business specify the size you > > want > > in mm or cm, and if they say all of their boxes are in inches only, > > then > > make them calculate the conversion to mm or cm. The idea is to get them > > tired of making the calculations, so that they start stamping their > > boxes > > with dual units and start printing their catalogs and price lists in > > dual > > units. > > > > 5) Do the same for other categories. > > > > As the months go buy, more and more people should be joining our > > coordinated > > efforts and the businesses will begin to take notice. The idea is for > > us to > > use some of the tactics of the environmental groups, but not their > > civil > > disobedience actions. We can also encourage each member to hand out > > metric > > flyers in their community on a given day of each month and tell them > > how > > they can get involved in the action plans. What do you think? > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Bob Price" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > > Sent: Saturday, 26 February, 2005 12:59 > > Subject: [USMA:32289] Re: New metric legislation introduced > > > > > >> The legislation is a step in the right direction. It would more > >> clearly > >> define responsiblity for avoiding confusion over units. However, I > >> would like the legislation to go a step farther. There needs to be an > >> intention of phasing out old inch/gallon/pound units. The language is > >> not strong enough in this respect. An agency needs to be set up that > >> would coordinate all government agencies(state and local included) to > >> a > >> transition to the metric system. The metric board of the late 70s > >> failed because Jimmy Carter appointed people who were not metric > >> friendly. The board need to understand the issues and have a vision > >> of > >> an all-metric America. > >> I was wondering if there is a lobbying group out there that will do > >> what > >> the USMA cannot do - lobby congress for stronger metric conversion > >> legislation. That would be a group I would be willing to support > >> financially. If only the USMA were more active in lobbying Congress, > >> but from what I understand, they cannot lobby. I have written letters > >> to senators and congressmen, and while their responses were positive, > >> Congress is still not taking a leading role in metric conversion. > >> Unless they take such a role I don't see much more change for the > >> better. We will continue with more of the same, where we celebrate > >> when > >> we find a new product in metric units. Where road construction goes > >> metric only to switch back again. > >> > >> Jason Darfus wrote: > >> > >>> Rep. Ehlers of Michigan got the 109th Congress off to a nice start > >>> with > > H.R. 33 : > >>> > >>> ********* > >>> SUMMARY AS OF: > >>> 1/4/2005--Introduced. > >>> > >>> Amends the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 to require guidelines on > > government use of the metric system of measurement to require any > > Federal > > agency transaction providing for a person to perform scientific or > > engineering research with Federal funding to include provisions: (1) > > clearly > > identifying the extent to which such system or other systems of > > measurement > > will be used under the transaction and requiring such use; and (2) > > assigning > > such person the financial responsibility for failure to follow such > > requirements. > >>> ********* > >>> > >>> As it related to federal funding, does anyone have any thoughts on > >>> the > > possibility of USMA receiving grants (either of U.S. or other national > > origin) to further promote SI to the American public? I would think > > Europe, > > Canada, Japan, Australia, or China might see some economic benefit to > > this. > >>> Just to brainstorm a little : I'm thinking billboards, TV > >>> commercials and > > the like - along the lines of promoting national pride, scientific and > > economic competitiveness, international unity. Be Modern, Go Metric. > > Be > > progressive, not regressive -- Go Metric. > >>> > >>> As for FPLA, I did not find anything related to this. Any news on > > anticipated date of introduction to Congress? > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.1 - Release Date: 2005-02-27 > > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.7 - Release Date: 2005-03-01
