My reply was as follows: Dear Ms. Hahnefeld,
Thank you for highlighting the metric system of measurement in this article. In 1988, the U.S. declared the metric system to be its preferred system of measurement for trade and commerce. Since 1994, consumer products must be labeled in both metric and customary measurement units. Some products are sold in rounded, or "hard," metric sizes, and the size you mentioned, 500 mL or 0.5 L, has been a popular size of beverage in America for many years, so familiar in fact that it is posted on some stores' electronic marquees when there are sale prices for the half-liter. When all is said, France will have given the U.S. two great gifts: the Statue of Liberty and the simple, decimal metric system, which, as Mr. Naughtin noted, is used by the vast majority of countries. The three countries (the U.S., Myanmar, and Liberia) that have not yet converted to it would be wise to do so with all practical speed. Paul Trusten, R.Ph. Public Relations Director U.S. Metric Association [email protected] www.metric.org ----- Original Message ----- From: Pat Naughtin To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: 29 January, 2010 23:14 Subject: [USMA:46526] Anti-metric cooking Dear All, Laura Hahnefeld has made an attempt at anti-metric humour in her column at http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/2010/01/foodlab_2010_the_kit_of_chemic.php I replied: Dear Laura Hahnefeld, Almost all – 95 % – of the world's citizens plan, prepare, cook, eat, and enjoy their foods and drinks using the simply designed and easy-to-use metric system. They do this every day for breakfast, for lunch, and for dinner. Only the citizens of the USA – 5 % – have chose to have many different methods for planning and cooking their meals. This problem is endemic to the USA but it does not occur anywhere else. You might like to read Metric Cooking with Confidence that you can download from http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/MetricCookingWithConfidence.pdf or look around second-hand book stores for Lorelle Young's and Carole Bielefeld's book, 'Hometrics' (1977). Cheers, Pat Naughtin Geelong, Australia Cheers, Pat Naughtin Author of the ebook, Metrication Leaders Guide, that you can obtain from http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html 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.
