[USMA:32699] Re: UK Public Servant

[Phil Chernack]

That’s all fine and dandy.� I would love to think exclusively in metric but the reality is that the immediate world around me does not.� When I go to the store I could order 125 or 200 grams of roast beef or cheese but the deli person will look at me like I have three heads.� Therefore, my mouth may say “a quarter pound” but my brain is thinking “125 grams”.� In actuality it means I get around the amount I ask for as they never measure exact.� As long as I can see what is on the scale and agree to it, it’s good.� If it was up to me, pricing would be in $/100 grams which would give me prices closer to what I order.� Until that happens, I am stuck with the above.   As for kilometers, show me one road in the US (outside of I-19 in AZ) where I can think that way practically.� Exits are signed 1, � or � mile before.� Therefore I think 1.5 (1.6) km, 800 or 400 m.   Phil   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill Hooper Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 8:31 PM To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:32697] Re: UK Public Servant   On 2005 Apr 13 , at 5:55 PM, Phil Chernack wrote: Unless I need precision, I think of an inch as 25 mm,   I try not to think of an inch. I try to start with the information in metric (especially when I need precision). (I think of) a foot as 30 cm, I think of 30 cm as 30 cm (I) translate a yard to a meter We all know yards and metres are nearly the same so I just use metres. and (I) think of a mile as 1600 m.  I don't think of a mile. I think of a kilometre, and know that it is 1000 m. For weight, � lb is 125 g, � lb is 250 g, etc. Don't use pounds and you won't need these long lists of approximations. Start with kilograms or grams and don't be concerned with what fraction of a pound it is. 350 grams is 350 grams (which is 0.3 kilograms). Who needs to know if that is closer to a half pound or to three quarters of a pound?   Volume, a cup is 240 to 250 ml A cup is 250 mL. (period) ... and a pint becomes 500 ml (or � liter in colloquial terms). A pint remains a pint. (It does not "become" anything else.) And I continue NOT to use pints. I use litres, and "half litre" is a nice metric amount (equivalent to 500 mL) and it's universal, not "colloquial". YES, I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE, that there are times when conversions need to be made. They should be done by specialists or experts in the field. Such experts already know how to make the appropriate conversion, approximate or to any desired precision. Once the conversion has been made, there is no longer any reason for the non-expert to have to be concerned with what the value would be in Olde English units. Forget that 25 mm is about an inch long and call it 25 mm (or 2.5 cm). Regards, Bill Hooper Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA ======================== SIMPLIFICATION begins with SI ========================