Sirs:
>I think if we want the general populace to embrace metric, we have to accept
>such 'vernacular' in its use....
.
If United States 'intend' to be the leading nation for whole-hog adoption of Le
Systeme Internationale d'Unites (SI), the only way is to CONSIDER: what steps
are being taken to ensure inter-merger between "Length unit - metre; Time unit,
second or metric/decimal second(sd) and/or Arc-angle - radian". This has/had
been the cause for utter failure, as I see, for fuller 'consideration/adoption'
of SI Metric Units, as they relate to the length unit - METRE.
In this connection, I recall my published contributions:
1. The Metric Second; Indian Standards Institution Bulletin, New Delhi; V 25
N 4; 1973 April; pp152-7;
2. Metric Calendar Suggested (PTI News): The Times of India, New Delhi;
1974 January 2;
3. How Far Do We Metricate (Editorial); Standards Engineering (USA); 1973
October; pp 10-11;
4. Socio-Scientific and Politico-Economic Revelation of Metric Time Reform:
ABSTRACTS: International Symposium on Time & Frequency (1981
February 12);
National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi
5. Decimalisation of Time/Calendar: Indian Journal of History of Science; V
29 N3; pp.491 – 494; (1994) Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi
6. Shelving Nautical Mile in Favour of Nautical Kilometre; Proceedings of 3rd
International Conference on Current Trends in Metrology in NEW MILLENIUM and
Global Trade (MMGT - 2001); Document # 27; pp.164-169; National Physical
Laboratory, New Delhi; 2001 February 8-10
This is NOT 'April Fool' - although it is April 01. 2010 today!
Regards,
Brij Bhushan Vij
(MJD 55287)/1726+D-102W14-04 (G. Thursday, 2010 April 01H18:39 (decimal) EST
Aa Nau Bhadra Kritvo Yantu Vishwatah -Rg Veda
Jan:31; Feb:29; Mar:31; Apr:30; May:31; Jun:30
Jul:30; Aug:31; Sep:30; Oct:31; Nov:30; Dec:30
(365th day of Year is World Day)
******As per Kali V-GRhymeCalendaar*****
"Koi bhi cheshtha vayarth nahin hoti, purshaarth karne mein hai"
Author had NO interaction with The World Calendar Association
except via Media & Organisations to who I contributed for A
Possible World Calendar, since 1971.
My Profile:http://www.brijvij.com/bbv_2col-vipBrief.pdf
HOME PAGE: http://www.brijvij.com/
Contact # 001 (201) 675-8548
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [USMA:47014] Re: FW: Special Employee Advisory: Message from Joe
Boardman
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 14:59:51 -0500
CC: [email protected]
Paul Trusten
On Apr 1, 2010, at 14:52, "John Frewen-Lord" <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear all:
It's not often I agree with Stephen Humphreys, but on this occasion I think
he's right. I once wrote an article for the UKMA Newsletter, suggesting that
we might need to make more use of what I call the 'vernacular' in our use of SI
for the everyday person. That using metric must become as natural as it seems
for people brought up on imperial/USC to continue using those units. Hence I
suggested that we could describe our height as 'one-seventy-eight' (1.78 m or
178 cm - your choice), our weight as 75 kaygees (I really hate kaygees, but
recognise that it makes using metric less intimidating or clinical), our speed
as 130 'kays' (or klicks') and so on.
When it comes to km/h, that is what the entire world uses for measuring speed,
rightly or wrongly. Maybe it is 'wrong', but are you going to change the
entire world in this regard? As the US hardly uses metric in the everyday
sense (agreed that there is a lot of hidden metric), then there is little
chance the rest of the world is going to take much notice if the US starts
pontificating that we should be using m/s rather than km/h, and even less
chance that the rest of the world is going to actually change.
Regardless of what measuring units we use, most of us relate to them in a
comparative or relative sense only, not in absolute terms. We know that we
take a size 8 shoe, or that we (at least the ladies do!) fit into a size 14
dress, and so on, without ever knowing exactly what those numbers mean. And we
currently measure speed on that basis. We know (at least those of us living in
those countries which measure our speed in km/h, which is virtually the entire
world USA and UK excepted) that 50 km/h is a typical urban speed, that 80-100
km/h is a typical two lane highway speed and that 100-130 km/h is a typical
freeway/motorway speed. We don't need to actually visualise how many metres
per second that represents, and even if we did, we probably wouldn't be able to
make practical use of it. On the other hand, when planning journeys, a typical
suburban/rural average speed is say 60 km/h, which is 1 km per minute. So a 20
km journey will take 20 minutes. On longer journeys, where we might measure
our time in hours, we might be able to average 100 km/h, so a 400 km journey
will take 4 hours. Km/h allows these calculations to be made; m/s doesn't.
I think if we want the general populace to embrace metric, we have to accept
such 'vernacular' in its use. The clinically correct stuff we can reserve for
professional usage. Oh, and as a surveyor working in the UK, I can assure
everyone that I was indeed 'clinically correct' in my usage of SI in my
professional work. For everyday usage, I find I am quite happy to 'lighten up'
and use the 'vernacular'.
John F-L
----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen Humphreys
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 8:13 PM
Subject: [USMA:47012] Re: FW: Special Employee Advisory: Message from Joe
Boardman
I fully understand where you are coming from but even in 'fully' metric
countries km/h is used. I cannot see that changing but furthermore I would not
recommend pushing clinical use of si on non metric people. Remember that in
effect you have to 'sell' this change so being critical about specifics should
really be low on your priorities. Of course this just my opinion
> From: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [USMA:47008] Re: FW: Special Employee Advisory: Message from Joe
> Boardman
> To: [email protected]; [email protected]
> Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:04:08 -0500
>
> Stephen,
>
> The point you always seem to miss is that the question is not the traditional
> units habitually used since the 18 century or earlier, but the best units
> from SI for use in the future.
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:07:22 +0000
> >From: Stephen Humphreys <[email protected]>
> >Subject: [USMA:47008] Re: FW: Special Employee Advisory: Message from Joe
> >Boardman
> >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
> >
> > I admire your scientific brain Martin ;-) but I'll
> > bet you a large sum of money that most (British)
> > people would quickly understand 95 mph and have a
> > 'feel' for what that looks like over "50 m/s based
> > upon some maths" even though what you say
> > technically makes a lot of sence.
> >
> > Of course, 'practice' often proves things and if you
> > ever hear one of the bowlers/batters for the England
> > and Wales side talking about fast-bowlers and
> > spin-bowlers then you note they will always use
> > mph. In fact my quote below about Flintoff came
> > from an Aussie cricketer(!). Note sure whether the
> > aussie chap in question used mph because they knew
> > it was SkySports interviewing them or not, however
> > whenever I have heard a feed from Australian criket
> > games I have often heard both mph and km/h
> > (admittedly more km/h from Australian broadcasts
> > than mph). Incidentally they refer to km/h as
> > 'kays' - eg "He bowled that one at 130 kays".
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------
> >
> > From: [email protected]
> > To: [email protected]
> > Subject: [USMA:47007] Re: FW: Special Employee
> > Advisory: Message from Joe Boardman
> > Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:36:44 +0100
> >
> > On the other hand being told that the ball is coming
> > at you at 50 m/s and knowing that the pitch is just
> > 20 m long tells you that you have 0.4 s to work out
> > what to do with the ball. (A little less because you
> > are in front of the wickets)
> >..
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