--- Jim Elwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > (2) Was in CostCo the other day, and noticed a bathroom scale with a glass > platform. LARGE sign > reads: Fully 10 mm Thick Platform! No colloquial units anywhere. I remain > convinced that the USA > is slowly undergoing a "stealth" metrication. Slow but sure.
I completely agree, but this is not necessarily a good thing (the stealth, I mean). I'm afraid there's going to be a big backlash once these changes become really visible across a large number of products. As some have pointed out, the UK anti-metric people seem to have been able to use the fact that metrication there began quietly as an arguing point in their favor. They can make it sound like it's all the work of some sneaky metric conspiracy to overturn the will of the majority. I think what we need most in this area is leadership. If the president of the USA just said something as simple as "OK, we're going metric," I would feel a lot more optimistic about the battle ahead. Just having someone important and in the public eye announce that it's official (not a secret or subterfuge) would really ease the way, I bet. The fact that the US legally prefers metric units is just not common knowledge today. One way or another, it's going to happen. Unfortunately, the way things are going, I fear it's going to be a long, drawn-out fight to the death. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
