>Daniel >All change comes by force, either by edict or by removal of the old ways.
That not true. But in any case, I warn people not to reinforce stereotype: *Metric units can only exist by compulsion *Non-metric units are chosen by free will Imperial units are not chosen by free will. Many government regulations mandate and encourage non-metric units. For example, the FPLA, building regulations, reporting rules. The immense power of the government over citizens and businesses ensures that free will cannot be fully exercised. There is more freedom about units of measure in a Moroccan market than there is in a US store. I am always surprised about how often people use the word 'freedom' in abstract form when the reality is much different. For example people frequently repeat the falsehood: *We have freedom of speech It is surprising how common that false belief is. There is merely limited protection to certain kinds of speech. Even without coercion, the government influences the decisions of citizens and businesses because it is the largest customer in the country. It has a budget measured in trillions. The decisions of a few key individuals can spend the money of many taxpayers on large corporations. Even the rules governing how the government behaves are unlike those in a free society. They are influenced by lobbying, mostly from large corporations. Government (i.e. taxpayer) decisions and money influence the market in very visible secondary ways. For example, many by private citizens buy hummers because they are a vehicle of government choice. If the government had made a different choice, many of the private citizens would spend their money with a different manufacturer. One of the less well known features of metrication is the ability of the government to metricate itself fairly silently without radical methods. The US army has metricated itself without a fuss or a suggestion that they are supporting communist measurement units. For many years, new British laws and regulations have been written using metric units. It has not been a matter of increase or decrease in 'freedom'. The amount of freedom has remained static and they have exchanged one mandatory measure (6 inches) for another (150 mm). So each plumber, carpenter, architect, bricklayer etc has encountered metric units in this way over time. I am sure you can all think of more examples of how this works. Please do not fall into the trap of accepting the "non-metric units are chosen by free will" stereotype. None of us live in a free society. Next time somebody uses the word 'freedom', think about whether they are just repeating a popular mantra that keeps them satisfied with their chains. In respect of units of measurement, we can aspire to increase freedom and to modify the form of compulsion. Reducing compulsory non-metric units can be a part of that. >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf >Of Daniel >Sent: 11 September 2005 20:15 >To: U.S. Metric Association >Subject: [USMA:34419] RE: test message > >Since your messages are posting now, just resend all the messages that >failed to post. > >Dan > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Terry Simpson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> >Sent: Sunday, 2005-09-11 14:41 >Subject: [USMA:34418] RE: test message > > >>>Of Terry Simpson >>>Two messages have not appeared. This is a third. >> >>Hmm. I can see this third message yet I cannot see the messages that I >>posted at: >>Sep 10 12:02 and Sep 11 12:03 >> >>Nor can I see those two messages in the archive. Does anybody know what >>could have happened?
