Pat Naughtin often uses the term "dumbing down" to describe the prevention of
SI from reaching the mainstream of U.S. society. A good example was the
reporting of this week's heat burst in my home town of Midland, Texas. Over and
over again, the wind speed during the phenomenon was reported as " up to 62
miles per hour" (I'm about to challenge the local NWS on this). But, I see
"dumbing down" as rampant in the U.S., not only in terms of our favorite issue
of metrication, but also in all kinds of public discourse. The total
disinterest, and maybe inability, of the presidential candidates in
participating in the Pennsylvania ScienceDebate2008 is an example. But the
general level of subject matter in the current presidential campaign---all
posturing and few facts (a friend of mine once said, wisely, "It's all
sex!")---suggests that we are not holding an election campaign based upon
Aristotle and his Peripatetics, but instead, fun and games. I'm reminded of a
line in All The King's Men (1949 version), where the advisor tells the
candidate, "Make them laugh, make them cry, but don't try to improve their
minds."
However, this should not stop us at USMA, or at this listserver, from
continuing our relentless efforts to educate!! As Lorelle Young's poster says,
"Never, never, NEVER give up!" We must smarten up, not dumb down, the U.S.
public.
On another post, I am sharing the link to ScienceDebate 2008 which offers the
public an opportunity to question the candidates on science issues. We must
press on with knowledge, and do what we have always done best, which is to shed
light amidst all the darkness.
Paul T.
----- Original Message -----
From: STANLEY DOORE
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: 20 June, 2008 02:02
Subject: [USMA:41182] SI - Metric Opportunity Being Missed
The opportunity to educate and use the International System of Units (SI)
is being missed by the media, the public and the US education system.
A cubic metre or a kilolitre (kL or 1000 L which is a little more than a
cubic yard) weighs a metric ton or 2200 pounds. A litre (L) of water
purchased in grocery stores weighs one kilogram (kg) or 2.2 pounds. Add to
this metres per second (m/s) for flow would help people to understand what it
takes to control water being experienced in floods in the US Midwest. It would
be a great practical learning experience. The same knowledge of the SI would
apply on a smaller scale to rainwater runoff at home.
This would be a great learning experience to educate the public on the
control and force of flowing water and attempts to stop breaches and to control
brooks and rivers People understand the effects of flowing water, its forces
and the damage that can be done; however, do they understand why?
Knowing some basic facts about the SI and how to use it can help people
of all ages to appreciate the environment in which they live.
Stan Doore
