I would also add that we as individuals can make our views known to our lawmakers at the state and federal levels.
Oh, and support the USMA in its various activities both in time and money if possible. For our British friends, support the UKMA. Phil > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of Hillger, Don > Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 3:03 PM > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:34330] Re: Nibbled to Death by Ducks > > I think two of the most basic ways to promote metric are: > > 1) Work to make sure our schools teach metric to youngsters so that they > can gain an appreciation for the simplicity of the metric system and the > fact that the U.S. virtually stands alone in non-metric usage. In > addition, teachers need to know how to teach metric, without just > teaching conversion factors, making metric seem like it consists of odd > numbers, not a base-10 and coherent system. So, if you have kids in > school, at any level, ask them or better yet, their teachers what they > are doing to prepare for the future. If you don't have kids, you can > still contact your schools to promote metric. You might even volunteer > to give a presentation on metric to a school or at a local library for > an evening program. Or set up a metric display at the library or in the > city/county building where you live. USMA has a very active Central > Area director who has attended more meetings/conferences to promote > metric than anybody else I know, each time working with attendees so > that they see that metric has not been forgotten and that the metric > transition is taking place. > > 2) Work with your co-workers, or in your field, to promote metric. We > can be more effective when we know what we are taking about. Even > though my field is mostly metric (meteorology), the public interface is > still non-metric. I not only promote correct metric usage, but am a > convincing force to other meteorologists to not be so apathetic about > the issue. Granted, we have a long way to go to get the public to > accept metric, but that's at least an area where I can have an impact. > I often contact other Webmasters with science-related Websites to fix > poor or lack of metric use, in hopes that metric will at least be > available on sites that have learning/teaching potential. I also review > and edit manuscripts for publication, and one of the best things is that > I can help fix incorrect metric use and promote further metric use in > the published literature. I also judge posters at Science Fair-like > events and can promote metric that way. I don't currently judge Science > Fairs, but I'd suggest that others on this list try that, or things like > that to work with the willing. Let's forget the stubborn and unwilling > segment of society and see if we can leave them in the dust. > > Don > USMA Webmaster > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf > > Of Jim Elwell > > Sent: Wednesday, 2005 September 07 13:23 > > To: U.S. Metric Association > > Subject: [USMA:34327] Re: Nibbled to Death by Ducks > > > > At 7 09 05, 10:42 AM, Phil Chernack wrote: > > >You see now, you are all doing it again. Here I go on to say that we > are > > >getting bogged down by silly details and now my thread has become > bogged > > >down by a discussion on the pint. Let it go, folks. I am more > > interested > > >on what big things we can all do to promote metric and make it, as > > Congress > > >has stated, "the preferred system of measurement in the United > States." > > > > I totally agree with you here. Can you make a suggestion as to what > > "big things" we could work on that at least a majority of members of > > this list would agree on? > > > > I ask this seriously. Although personally I believe change comes from > > lots of little things, I am open to ideas on something big we could > do. > > > > Jim > > > > > > Jim Elwell, CAMS > > Electrical Engineer > > Industrial manufacturing manager > > Salt Lake City, Utah, USA > > www.qsicorp.com
