[USMA:36434] Re: April 1

[Phil Chernack]

I disagree.  I think it all comes down to marketing and sales.  Metrication has to be marketed correctly.  Through education and thorough explanation of the need to metricate and making sure the message is indeed received by the masses, we could shorten the time from 20 or 50 years to 5 to 10.  What sounds better: the Metric Conversion act or the Keep America Competitive act?  People have to be convinced metrication is fairly painless and that their world won’t change drastically.  We’ve stated it before here, people don’t fear metric, they fear change.  It’s not the conversion per se, but the cost, both financially and mentally people fear.  With the proper sales and marketing, people need to be convinced that metrication necessary for us to retain and grow our edge in a global marketplace, not only in terms of economy, but also in terms of education.  We all know the benefits, we just now have to get the right cheerleaders (salespeople) on board.  Some politicians and businesspeople can sell ice cubes to Eskimos; they should be able to sell metrication to Americans.   Phil   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Millet Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2006 5:54 PM To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:36431] Re: April 1   Judging from the angry volume of responses they got I don't think any state would dare EVER switch anything :). They'd have the mob going for their blood. It makes me wonder if the only way we'll go fully metric is if we continue the gradual transition over the next 20 years or so. Phase it in rather than announcing it and pushing for a quick transition as we should have done. Mike -- "The boy is dangerous, they all sense it why can't you?"