To the Editor:
Since Congress declared in 1988 that the metric system is America's
preferred system of measurement for commerce (amendment to the Metric
Conversion Act of 1975), there should be no need for you to convert metric
measurements to non-metric for U.S. readers. For example, your Tuesday
article on "green" vehicles should have read, "800 km with backup gasoline
engine", "range of 100 km." The original, metric measurements are sensible
round numbers, while their exact non-metric equivalents are unrealistic.
Also, please give your readers credit for understanding the metric system
when it is used exclusively, especially those readers who have emigrated to
the U.S. from other countries and to whom the metric system is the only
measurement system. In fact, to most of the world, the metric system IS the
only measurement system.
A metric editorial style would be consistent with Dow Jones' stated mission
(http://www.dj.com/) to be "the world's best provider of business content
and information services across all consumer and enterprise media channels."
Sincerely,
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
Public Relations Director
U.S. Metric Association, Inc.
www.metric.org
3609 Caldera Blvd. Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
+1(432)528-7724
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
