> On 2011/05/29, at 17:50 , Martin Vlietstra wrote: > >> Some state legislatures are incredibly stupid β probably Indiana takes the >> prize though β in 1897 the Indiana General Assembly passed a bill that >> redefined pi. Fortunately a professor of maths intervened, and the Indiana >> senate is still sitting on the matter. (see >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Pi_Bill).
Dear Martin, Sometimes it's a slow week in politics; see http://www.newstimeafrica.com/archives/15938 for my nomination for stupidity among politicians. The headline reads: Public farting to be banned in Malawi And one paragraph includes: The old law states: βAny person who voluntarily vitiates the atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the neighbourhood or passing along a public way, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour.β On a more serious note, I was brought up in my early education to believe that pi was equal to 22/7 and that all circles had a radius that was a multiple or sub-multiple of 7. These days, if I want a quick value for a circular area I use diameter squared multiplied by 0.8, where 0.8 is an approximation of pi/4 (pi/4 = 0.7854). As an example, my garden rainwater tank is 3 metres in diameter and it is 2 metres up to the overflow pipe. My estimate of its volume, done in my head, goes something like this: 3 metres squared = 9 square metres. 9 square metres times 0.8 = 7.2 square metres = area of the base of the tank (say) 7 square metres. 7 square metres times 2 = 14 cubic metres or 14 000 litres. When I bought this tank it was specified to hold 13 500 litres so it looks like I got a good deal. Cheers, Pat Naughtin Geelong Australia > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > John M. Steele > Sent: 28 May 2011 14:03 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:50522] Re: Las Vagas misinformation > > > > I actually agree with getting rid of the stupid commission that hasn't even > met for over 25 years. It obviously didn't help anyone metricate. Any funds > spent were 100% waste. > > > > But there is some astounding ignorance in the comments. "Is a fifth still a > fifth?" No, for over thirty years it has been 750 mL instead. Obviously, > this individual has gone out of his way to avoid noticing. > > > > From: Pat Naughtin <[email protected]> > To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> > Sent: Sat, May 28, 2011 8:08:53 AM > Subject: [USMA:50520] Re: Las Vagas misinformation > >> Respond to what? Did you intend to provide a link and forgot? >> >> >> > Sorry, try > http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/a-matter-of-metrics-122574084.html?ref=084 > > > [USMA:50517] Las Vagas misinformation > > Pat Naughtin > Fri, 27 May 2011 20:55:53 -0700 > > Dear All, > > You might like to respond to this. I won't. but if I did I might refer them > to > the article, Don't use metric' at > http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/DontUseMetric.pdf > > > Pat Naughtin LCAMS > > Author of the ebook, Metrication Leaders Guide, see > http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html > > Hear Pat speak at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lshRAPvPZY > > 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/ to subscribe. > > > Pat Naughtin LCAMS Author of the ebook, Metrication Leaders Guide, see http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html Hear Pat speak at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lshRAPvPZY 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.
