Yes we do need more of this kind of articles, but I did not like the last
paragraph, unless I did not understand its full meaning:

"Is global uniformity a good thing? Not when it comes to cultural issues,
and customary measures are certainly a part of our national culture. But to
have brains trained in the thirds, quarters, sixths, eighths, and twelfths
of our inches and ounces, as well as the relentless decimals of the metric
system can only be beneficial, in the same way that learning a second
language is better than knowing only one. That ours is a dual-measurement
country is part of our great diversity."

John Altounji
One size does not fit all.
Social promotion ruined Education.
http://johnaltounji.weebly.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of [email protected]
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2014 12:41 PM
To: U.S. Metric Association
Cc: USMA Column -- Don Hillger; Gary Brown; Lorelle Young; Valerie Antoine
Subject: [USMA:54503] Time Magazine Article in Favor of Metric

http://time.com/3633514/why-wont-america-go-metric/

This is the kind of article that we need more of.  The author wrote a book
on the history of the metric system.  What we in the USMA need to imitate
more is the statement:

"The United States is metric, or at least more metric than most of us
realize."

This is the point.  We should stop wringing our hands that the U.S. is not
metric, "one of three countries in the world that are not metricated," as
the newspapers always get wrong.  No, the U.S. is on a path of conversion
that is about 50 per cent completed.  There are many other countries on this
same path, like Canada and Great Britain, but for some strange reason these
countries are never termed "non-metric" as the U.S. always is.  No, we're
not.

The USMA needs to carry the positive message that the U.S. is metric -- by
law and by convention, at least half way, if not yet completely so.  No one
advocates a return to grains and ounces of alcohol.  Once a conversion is
made for a particularly commodity, no one wants to go back.

Martin Morrison
USMA Columnist

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