re: pints of beer and honesty regarding non-metric measures: you'd be surprised how many people don't even know about that view let alone share it. Persuading people to move to metric *must* become more difficult if you tell those same people they're being dishonest.I use both imperial and metric. I prefer imperial in many things but on those particular things I am not being dishonest. Because I am not a dishonest person.
From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:47472] Opponents of metrication change Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 15:04:09 +1000 Dear All, The history of the metric system is the history of seeking honesty in all measurement. This is true from the earliest hieroglyphs about Thoth in the pyramids, through the first books of the Bible, to the current activities of the CGPM through the BIPM. Opponents of honesty seek to maintain old pre-metric measures that have proven to be useful to dishonest people, for example pints of beer in the UK, barrels of oil internationally, and hiding the reality of metric inches, metric feet, etc. One of the leading proponents in the world on the topic of how organisations change is Professor John Kotter from Harvard. Here is a 4 1/2 minute statement of what he has to say about opponents to the metrication cause. http://www.kotterinternational.com/Default.aspx?showvideo=true&ID=126 His message is clear, 'Mr NoNo is a no-no!' Cheers, Pat Naughtin On 2010/06/02, at 13:44 , Kilopascal wrote: Paul, Can you provide by example where offering the opposition a say on any matter has actually helped in promoting that particular matter? Didn't metrication fail in the '70s~80s because the US Metric Board was required to include persons opposed to metrication? You don't promote metrication by giving those who oppose your ideals a voice. If you do, then you guarantee your ideal will NEVER bear fruit. As for the statement below where ....The Listserver is meant to promote communication between USMA members and others interested in metrication, I would take it to mean something quite different. Persons opposed to metrication are not interested in metrication. The whole concept of the existence of the USMA is to PROMOTE metrication. If you allow those who oppose metrication to be apart of your group (even under the false belief that they will change their beliefs) your are assuring its failure. I believe the words of Jesus in Matthew 12:30 apply to this situation: "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. Think of how these words apply to the issue at hand. If the people whom you allow to be apart of your group do not back you 100 % then your goals will fail. Case and point; the fate of the US Metric Board. In order for the Listserver to be successful and meet its goal, it must only contain members who support metrication, otherwise metrication will continue to fail and people like your self will see your frustrations increase. Discussions and debates should be tailored to finding ways to formulate a workable plan that can be presented to the government in the name of the USMA. I've have yet to see anything even close to this happening. By allowing those with opposing viewpoints, you have caused the potential supporters of metrication to scatter, not gather. The result is a failure of the nation to metricate. Metrication needs strong leadership and that only comes from surrounding yourself with true and loyal supporters. If you really want to see metrication happen in the US you will do what it takes to assure the USMA is a group of supporters. Otherwise you might as well give up and concede defeat. Opposing viewpoints may be an excellent source of lively discussion, but it is a terrible source for promoting metrication. The opposition is using you to divide your efforts and conquer you. It is up to you as an officer in the USMA to determine if that is in the USMA's best interests. Truthfully, I doubt you will do what is right and continue along the wrong path. So, don't be surprised when your frustration with going nowhere increases. Actually, I think it is somewhat exciting to watch the metric world progress at America's expense. Maybe helping keep the metric system out of the US isn't such a bad thing, if it gives other the power to move ahead. Ametrica [USMA:47463] Purpose of USMA Listserver (was Re: Re: Bespoke tailoring)Paul Trusten Mon, 31 May 2010 21:56:03 -0700 Ametrica, The description of the USMA Listserver is stated on our Web site at www.metric.org/listserver.htm , in part, as follows: The Listserver is meant to promote communication between USMA members and others interested in metrication. The subscribers alone determine the volume and content of messages. I would interpret this to mean that, since metrication is a measurement issue, any discussion of related measurement issues is welcome. While the majority of subscribers to our Listserver support U.S. metrication, opposing viewpoints are always welcome. Indeed, opposing viewpoints are excellent sources of lively discussion of the issue. Paul Trusten, R.Ph. Public Relations Director U.S. Metric Association, Inc. [email protected] www.metric.org www.twitter.com/usmetric +1(432)528-7724 ----- Original Message ----- From: Ametrica To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; Sent: 31 May, 2010 11:21 Subject: [USMA:47454] Re: Bespoke tailoring What better way can you think of to damage metrication by using a pro-metric forum to utter non-metric terms? Why is this permitted? [USMA:47454] Re: Bespoke tailoring Stephen Humphreys Sun, 30 May 2010 14:37:03 -0700 Interestingly enough for distances we would not say '200' for yards and '10' for miles but we do 'go unitless' on speed - eg 'We topped 140' - with the colloquialism extending to 100mph being called a 'ton' (do km countries refer to a ton like that?). However most of our (long) distance signs are unitless. BTW - with 'step down' measures (like 11 stone 11 as used below) time uses the same model - ie 'it took 4 minutes 20' From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:47453] Re: Bespoke tailoring Date: Sun, 30 May 2010 19:47:27 +0100 Pat NaughtinAuthor of the ebook, Metrication Leaders Guide, that you can obtain from http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html PO Box 305 Belmont 3216,Geelong, AustraliaPhone: 61 3 5241 2008Metric 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. _________________________________________________________________ http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/197222280/direct/01/ Do you have a story that started on Hotmail? Tell us now
