Of course, speed in SI is in units of m/s or in its multiples by SI prefixes,
e.g. km/s of a spacecraft. "km/h" is not coherent SI, and "kph" is *certainly
not acceptable* in any version of units. Who has the clout to correct the AP?
---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:28:54 -0400
>From: "Carleton MacDonald" <[email protected]>
>Subject: [USMA:46997] FW: Special Employee Advisory: Message from Joe Boardman
>
>To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
>
> Arrrgh. The Associated Press Stylebook strikes
> again ...
>
>
>
> Carleton
>
>
>
> From: MacDonald, Carleton
> Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 12:59
> To: Employee Communications
> Subject: RE: Special Employee Advisory: Message from
> Joe Boardman
>
>
>
> The Associated Press Stylebook is rather clueless -
> in fact, flat-out wrong - on a number of issues
> regarding metric measure, and this is one of the
> more egregious ones.
>
>
>
> For one thing, there is no unit of distance called a
> "k". Capitalized, "K" is the SI (International
> System of Units = the metric system) symbol for
> "Kelvin", the base unit of thermodynamic
> temperature. This is of course not what is meant
> here. The unit of length being used here is the
> kilometer, and its symbol - its only symbol - is
> "km", and the way to show distance over time is
> "km/h". "kph" in SI is meaningless, but no doubt
> they're deriving it from "mph", under the wrong
> assumption that as the "m" stands for "mile", the
> "k" stands for "kilometer".
>
>
>
> The fact that AP and many other users have no idea
> how to properly express metric units has other
> examples too, such as "5K" road races (a 5-kelvin
> race?).
>
>
>
> All of this of course stems from the fact that the
> USA stubbornly resists joining the rest of the world
> in measuring intelligently.
>
>
>
> That said: at least we mentioned the speed in SI as
> well as in old units, and that is good.
>
>
>
> Carleton MacDonald
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> From: Employee Communications
> Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 10:41
> To: MacDonald, Carleton
> Subject: RE: Special Employee Advisory: Message from
> Joe Boardman
>
>
>
> Thanks for the input. But, according the Associated
> Press Stylebook, kph is acceptable in all
> references.
>
>
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> From: MacDonald, Carleton
> Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 3:38 PM
> To: Employee Communications
> Subject: RE: Special Employee Advisory: Message from
> Joe Boardman
>
>
>
> One tiny minor thing: kilometers per hour is
> expressed "km/h".
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> From: Employee Communications
> Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 15:32
> Subject: Special Employee Advisory: Message from Joe
> B.
>
>
>
> Attached is a Special Employee Advisory from
> President and CEO Joe B.. Please post on all
> bulletin boards.
>
>
>
> special employee advisory
>
> March 19, 2010
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear Co-workers,
>
>
>
> <snip>
>
>
>
> Specifically, this department will work on the
> planning and development activities that will allow
> us to significantly increase operating speeds above
> 150 mph (240 kph) on the Northeast Corridor. It will
> also pursue partnerships with states and others in
> the passenger rail industry to develop
> federally-designated high-speed rail corridors such
> as the new projects moving forward in California and
> Florida.
>
>
