Dear All,
As you know conversations about the metric system often degrade into a
discussion where:
* the proponents of the metric system are trying to promote simple,
honest, open, and worldwide standards for measuring of all things in
the Universe, and
* the proponents of all of the old measuring methods that have ever
existed anywhere, and at any time, are arguing for the continued
preservation of all of the old words used for all of the old measuring
words. These folk often promote words with multiple values –
international and statute feet come to mind.
As an example from the 1970s, pro-metric builders in Australia were
successful in reducing almost all lengths on a building site to
millimetres only while anti-metric people were insisting that keeping
chains, rods, poles, perches, yards, feet, inches, and all of the
possibilities of applying fractions (common, vulgar, binary, decimal,
etc. to each of these) were more in keeping with traditional values.
In the radio interview at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxirJUVAEfg&feature=digest
Robin Paice, Chair of the UK Metric Association argues for accurate
measurements while the interviewer keeps move the discussion on to the
politics of the 40 year old metric transition in the UK or onto the
meaning of the basic words involved; when he asks questions such as,
'What is metric?'
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.
