Hi Stan, When I was working in Frankfurt (2000/1), I noticed many speed restrictions on teh autobahn, particularly where there was a junction between two autobahns.
----- Original Message ----- From: "STANLEY DOORE" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 6:39 AM Subject: Re: [USMA:37389] RE: Metric and math > The autobahn has no speed limits and 75 mph on it is too slow. Occasionally > people do drive 120 mph on it. > Stan Doore > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Martin Vlietstra" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 3:56 PM > Subject: [USMA:37389] RE: Metric and math > > > > It depends on how the movie portrays metric units - what is wrong with the > > dumb blonde with the all-American hero making a comment such as "What 120 > > mph" when the couple are driving up the autobahn, to which our hero > > displays > > his knowledge - "No dear, those are kilometers per hour - we are in > > Germany > > remember!". > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Bernard Rachtmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > > Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 5:59 PM > > Subject: [USMA:37385] RE: Metric and math > > > > > >> Anytime Don. > >> > >> The more recent move of the USMA to write in to movie studios could > >> prove fruitful, as sports are somewhat difficult to influence. The mass > >> media plays a great influence on our society- this is doubly true for > >> youth. Pressuring congressman to go metric is a good start, but maybe > >> not grassroots enough. I'd imagine they receive many letters on policy > >> and agenda and metric makes up a very small portion. There is also some > >> monied interests which may pressure them to drag their heels. > >> Writing into studios and TV producers may be a good card to play. There > >> is no financial incentive for them to avoid metric in their > >> scripts....its not like sponsors will pull out if they hear > >> "kilometers"! Plus, I doubt if they'd receive much in the way of > >> anti-metric sentiments. Most people who write into these shows/movies > >> are fans asking about behind-the-scenes questions, so a pro-metric > >> letter would stand out pretty well. > >> > >> But hey, if we really want to encourage metric to teens all we need to > >> do is convince them their parents don't use metric and its a way to > >> "rebel"!....LOL > >> > >> -best regards > >> > >> On Thu, 19 Oct 2006 11:35:29 -0400, "Don Jordan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> said: > >> > Bernard, this is some good conversation. Thanks for the infomation > >> > don jordan, USC > >> > > >> > Dr. Don M. Jordan > >> > College of Arts & Sciences > >> > Center for Science Education > >> > Director: Center for South Carolina Academy of Science > >> > Director: USC Science & Engineering Fair > >> > Director: Middle / Elementary School Acad of Sci for South Carolina > >> > Sumwalt Room 323 > >> > 1212 Green Street > >> > University of South Carolina > >> > Columbia SC 29208 > >> > Ph: (803) 777-7007 > >> > Fax (803) 7774396 > >> > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > > >> > >>> "Bernard Rachtmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 10/19 1:04 AM >>> > >> > I'm not sure what the best approach is regarding math. I do notice a > >> > strong math-phobia, which is often satirized alongside technical > >> > jargon. > >> > Few students go far in physics or chemistry, so much of the metric > >> > association is with math. This could be tackled by stressing metric > >> > in > >> > other areas as well and maybe (somehow) getting more inroads with > >> > sports > >> > or pop stuff. > >> > > >> > The math phobia goes into USC satire sometimes too... you hear > >> > gripes/jokes about "A train leaves Chicago at 70 miles per hour > >> > another > >> > train heading 50 miles per hour..etc" If metric was part of that > >> > negative umbrella they would likely compound the equation as such. > >> > > >> > In truth some metric understanding is pushed in schools, but its > >> > limited, and, if unused is largely forgotten. Most high schoolers > >> > spend > >> > at least a year doing algebra but how many people on the street could > >> > figure out a graphing equation or even a simple inequality? > >> > I recall one teacher (he taught calculus) explaining to the class and > >> > asking rhetorically why metric never caught on. He then went on to > >> > say > >> > that a kilometer was longer than a mile, when asked about a race. Its > >> > a > >> > simple error, but one that can only occur from lack of usage or > >> > attention. > >> > > >> > I never really learned either measurement system in school. Virtually > >> > all of my understanding came from real-world observations and > >> > experience. In essence...you don't learn it without hands-on > >> > experience. > >> > > >> > On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 16:47:32 -0400, "Brij Bhushan Vij" > >> > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > >> > > Stan, Paul sirs: > >> > > >.....My point is that introducing metric system in math classes is a > >> > > >> > > >mistake. Why? Many people >suffer aversion to math. Americans in > >> > particular > >> > > >treasure math phobia, even pride in it. > >> > > It is unfortunate that US & anti-metric forces consider 'ichhy.....' > >> > in > >> > > using SI-incere efforts that most children want in their school > >> > > curriculur > >> > > to learn & understand the Metric System - the Le Systeme > >> > Internationale > >> > > d'Unites (SI) way. Lableing metric learning wih 'math phobia' only > >> > > enhanves > >> > > the craze to learn it right; and denying the American young their > >> > right > >> > > to > >> > > choose *what best holds in their learning* or its absense thereof. > >> > > Looking forwards & learning Metrics will only add to American > >> > democratic > >> > > way > >> > > of life. > >> > > Brij Bhushan Vij > >> > > (Sunday, Kali 5107-W27-00)/265+D-290 G.(Tuesday, 2006 October > >> > > 17H16:79(decimal) ET > >> > > Aa Nau Bhadra Kritvo Yantu Vishwatah -Rg Veda > >> > > Jan:31; Feb:29; Mar:31; Apr:30; May:31; Jun:30 > >> > > Jul:30; Aug:31; Sep:30; Oct:31; Nov:30; Dec:30 > >> > > (365th day of Year is World Day) > >> > > ******As per Kali V-GRhymeCalendaar***** > >> > > "Koi bhi cheshtha vayarth nahin hoti, purshaarth karne mein hai" > >> > > Contact # 001(201)675-8548 > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > >From: "Stan Jakuba" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> > > >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > > >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> > >> > > >Subject: [USMA:37361] Metric and math > >> > > >Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:50:07 -0400 > >> > > > > >> > > >This is an opinion concerning the emphasis USMA members have been > >> > placing > >> > > >on writing to math teachers & their organizations in the expectation > >> > that > >> > > >it will help metricating the US. > >> > > > > >> > > >I am questioning the effectiveness of that effort. Math teachers > >> > tell me > >> > > >that they do teach metric; it is in the curriculum as any standard > >> > subject. > >> > > >They also support the vision of metric USA. And they cannot teach > >> > metric > >> > > >any more until they are told to do so. That is likely to happen only > >> > when > >> > > >the country starts going metric again. When that push starts they > >> > will do > >> > > >more regardless our prompting; but they cannot initiate the push. > >> > > > > >> > > >Notice that their teaching metric in the past failed in metricating > >> > the US > >> > > >if the metric USA was that goal (I know it was not). I believe that > >> > any > >> > > >extra effort on their part will again be wasted. Worse yet: they are > >> > the > >> > > >wrong group to teach or promote metric. > >> > > > > >> > > >My point is that introducing metric system in math classes is a > >> > mistake. > >> > > >Why? Many people suffer aversion to math. Americans in particular > >> > treasure > >> > > >math phobia, even pride in it. Fear of math is considered a virtue. > >> > The > >> > > >media delight in prizing numerical ineptitude and ridiculing the > >> > opposites > >> > > >as nerds, geeks, etc. Associating metric with math turns many pupils > >> > > >> > > >against metric. And it is the non-math types that will go into the > >> > > >Government policy making. > >> > > > > >> > > >Metric need not be a math subject. If I remember my childhood ed, I > >> > heard > >> > > >of the "metric system" in physics classes, not math. The Czech > >> > lands, being > >> > > >located in the center of Europe, had likely the same ed system as > >> > the > >> > > >continental countries (not England). Metric system and units weren't > >> > taught > >> > > >in math classes because there is no math in metric. Math was devoted > >> > to > >> > > >calculating. Measurements, for which one needs units, was left for > >> > physics. > >> > > >US math teachers "put" math (i.e., conversions) into the subject. > >> > > >Otherwise, what would they do with all those hours allocated? And > >> > they are > >> > > >used to that - conversion calculations are a must in working with > >> > the > >> > > >English system. > >> > > > > >> > > >Relegating teaching of metric units to physics in the US would take > >> > away > >> > > >the stigma of metric = math, and with it the "I am not good at it, > >> > see no > >> > > >use for it, forget it." This (majority) in the US population would > >> > have one > >> > > >less argument against metric. Introducing metric in physics or > >> > similar, > >> > > >non-math classes, on the other hand, cannot but enthuse students for > >> > > >> > > >resorting to the metric system. They see how much simpler solutions > >> > to > >> > > >problems are when using SI. Instead of aversion, they will develop a > >> > love > >> > > >of both metric AND physics. > >> > > > > >> > > >For these reasons, I question the usefulness of "working with" math > >> > > >> > > >teachers and their representatives to involve them in promoting the > >> > metric > >> > > >cause. We should instead address curriculum developers, textbook > >> > publishers > >> > > >(non-math), and other such organizations. > >> > > > > >> > > >I am not against promoting metric among math teachers or any other > >> > group. > >> > > >But recognizing the limits on the time each of us has for the > >> > metrication > >> > > >effort, I am concerned that, with this group, that time is not just > >> > wasted, > >> > > >it is counter-productive. > >> > > > > >> > > >Stan Jakuba > >> > > > >> > -- > >> > Bernard Rachtmann > >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > > >> > -- > >> > http://www.fastmail.fm - The way an email service should be > >> > > >> -- > >> Bernard Rachtmann > >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> > >> -- > >> http://www.fastmail.fm - The professional email service > >> > > > > > >
