Remember that Obama went to elementary school in Indonesia until he was 10. I'm sure metric is the first measurement system he learned.
From: Martin Vlietstra Sent: 01/25/2009 8:20 AM To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:42504] Re: President Obama at George Mason University According to Obama's biography (at least what I have read of it), any trips to Kenya were of short in duration. During that period he might well have seen metric units in on road signs, but probably no more than the average young American who spends a summer in Europe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jeremiah MacGregor Sent: 24 January 2009 18:10 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:42450] Re: President Obama at George Mason University Stan, Has Obama ever been to Kenya? If not, then what experience would he have with metrics there? Even if the weather service service works in metrics internally what would stop them and others from converting when reporting to the public? Jerry -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: STANLEY DOORE <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 3:55:40 PM Subject: [USMA:42407] Re: President Obama at George Mason University Paul et al, Obama has the opportunity with his background and experience with Kenya and other nations to change to the SI now. It would fit with his program of change, and it would be meaningful. During the 1970s, the NOAA National Weather Service planned to make conversion to the SI and to begin purchasing observation sensors and readouts in metric. So the NWS is ready to convert to metric in the public arena when The Congress and the President desire. Weather forecasts have been computed in metric since the late 1950s so changes in output need to be made for presentation to the public. Aviation uses metric in international aviation now. Going metric in weather, including satellite images, would simplify and streamline the whole operation. The weather information system is ready to go metric. Stan Doore ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Trusten To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 10:49 AM Subject: [USMA:42404] Re: President Obama at George Mason University Stan, I disagree. Yes, for several years now, we at USMA and others on this list have indeed supported the FPLA metric-only labeling option, seeing it as an important spark to educate the U.S. public in the terrible vacuum of silence on metrication. But, what is really needed is general assent to a clear, coordinated national plan to change over to metric. Picture President Obama sharing a podium with leaders of U.S.industries, academia, the media, and the entertainment world, in a joint announcement to fulfill the recommendations of the 1971 Commerce Department report on metric, with a plan to change the Nation predominantly to metric, sector by sector, in 10 years. Until such a plan is formulated, our country will not change over to metric effectively. Considering our new president's currently huge popularity, he sure could make a difference. But, I'm not at all sure that he would move on metric this year, or even next year. We do know that metric is fourth on that obamacto..org list; this could help. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: STANLEY DOORE To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: 22 January, 2009 08:08 Subject: [USMA:42402] Re: President Obama at George Mason University Pat et al: Changing laws in the US to allow metric only labeling and requiring the Federal Government to buy metric products and to make conversion to the SI mandatory, such as weather reporting and road signs, needs to be the first step. Until this is done, it won't happen. Stan Doore ----- Original Message ----- From: Pat Naughtin To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 12:39 AM Subject: [USMA:42401] President Obama at George Mason University Dear All, I have just been reading the text of the speech that President Barack Obama presented at George Mason University on January 8. His forward thinking plans particularly struck me as plans that would all benefit enormously from being conducted using metric system measurements. Here is part of the text of President Obama's speech: That work begins with this plan - a plan I am confident will save or create at least three million jobs over the next few years. It is not just another public works program. It's a plan that recognizes both the paradox and the promise of this moment - the fact that there are millions of Americans trying to find work, even as, all around the country, there is so much work to be done. That's why we'll invest in priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century. That's why the overwhelming majority of the jobs created will be in the private sector, while our plan will save the public sector jobs of teachers, cops, fire fighters and others who provide vital services. To finally spark the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years. We will modernize more than 75% of federal buildings and improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes, saving consumers and taxpayers billions on our energy bills. In the process, we will put Americans to work in new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced - jobs building solar panels and wind turbines; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies that will lead to even more jobs, more savings, and a cleaner, safer planet in the bargain. To improve the quality of our health care while lowering its cost, we will make the immediate investments necessary to ensure that within five years, all of America's medical records are computerized. This will cut waste, eliminate red tape, and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests.. But it just won't save billions of dollars and thousands of jobs - it will save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our health care system. To give our children the chance to live out their dreams in a world that's never been more competitive, we will equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries. We'll provide new computers, new technology, and new training for teachers so that students in Chicago and Boston can compete with kids in Beijing for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future. I couldn't help thinking that the metrication elephant had got into the room again without anyone noticing. See http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/AMetricationElephant.pdf to see how metrication in the USA would help to implement President Obama's plans. Cheers, Pat Naughtin PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, Geelong, Australia Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com for more metrication information, contact Pat at [email protected] or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter to subscribe.
