OK. cm might be better in this case.
Stan D
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Potts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 1:47 PM
Subject: [USMA:40778] Re: BMI, Metric at Costco
I didn't say that I thought millimeters would be better for screen size.
What I did say, regarding millimeters, was that I endorse their use in
situations in which measurement is an essential part of the job. That was
the gist of my parenthetical remarks.
Jim got it right, though. He and I agree on the use of centimeters for our
height and for screen sizes, where the value in centimeters is almost
always
rounded to the nearest integer. If I used 1070 mm, instead of 107 cm, I'd
be
implying precision, while being technically accurate. If I used 1067 mm,
I'd
be technically accurate, but using unnecessary precision.
By the way, I'm 183 cm and 86 kg, giving me a BMI of 26 (rounded to the
nearest integer). However, if I'm feeling boastful, I cite the more
precise
(though no more accurate) value of 25.7.
Bill
________________________________
Bill Potts
Roseville, CA
http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
Of STANLEY DOORE
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 06:54
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:40776] Re: BMI, Metric at Costco
Agreed that mm for screen size would be better. I wish they would go
to
metric. Seeing screens and metric sizes next to each other in stores
would
be a great learning tool.
I saw a screen size in Costco of 40" and thought it was a nice round
number for the meter. cm is too cumbersome whereas mm avoid conversion
and
adds only one digit whereas cm requires a decimal point for refinement.
Stan Doore
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Potts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 4:29 PM
Subject: [USMA:40775] Re: BMI, Metric at Costco
Where screen size is specified in metric (i.e., in most of the world),
it's
always in centimeters.
If asked, I give the size of my Dell HDTV as 107 cm.
Notwithstanding what Pat Naughtin says about standardizing on millimeters
(something I heartily endorse for situations where people must actually
design stuff or measure and work with materials), I think specifying
screen
diagonals in meters is somewhat ponderous and that specifying them in
millimeters feeds the objections of those who believe that the use of SI
units imposes an unnecessary degree of precision. They're wrong, as we
know,
but we still have to contend with that.
Bill
________________________________
Bill Potts
Roseville, CA
http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf
Of STANLEY DOORE
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 02:18
To: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:40774] Re: BMI, Metric at Costco
Another good way to promote metric is to specify new TV screens in
metric.
For example, a 40-inch TV screen equals one metre. Isn't this stealth
metric?
Stan Doore
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ziser, Jesse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 3:41 PM
Subject: [USMA:40772] Re: BMI, Metric at Costco
--- Jim Elwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
The question is whether companies with employees and leadership not
particularly
friendly toward metric will change without putting up a fight. That's
the area where I think leadership at the government level could smooth
things over.
We generally agree, but the nature of the government "leadership" has a
big effect: if it is
mandates, there will be a lot of resistance. However, as I've said many
times in the past on
this forum, if the US Federal Government is the single largest
purchaser
of goods and services
in the country, and if it simply said "we buy metric," it would have a
huge positive effect on
metrication, without passing laws on private institutions.
I wasn't advocating legally forcing anyone to use metric (though that's
an
interesting subject for
debate). I was suggesting that a presidential administration should use
its voice to tell people
that metric is coming and they better be prepared for it. The
presidency
could be used as the
proverbial "bully pulpit" to help persuade people that these changes are
here to stay, and not
something that will go away eventually. That was what I meant by
"leadership".
Needless to say, I strongly agree that the US government should buy
metric. As to legislatively
forcing people to use metric, I don't think I have an opinion right now
whether that would have a
more positive or negative effect.
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