Very well reasoned reply Jim. Mike Payne
> On 23 Sep 2019, at 20:03, James R. Frysinger <[email protected]> wrote: > > This is a question that was posted on Quora with my reply below it. I might > have omitted an item or two that would be pertinent to the list but I think I > got my point across. Quora is an online community net that features anecdotes > as well as debates on various issues. The metric system is a commonly seen > topic for debate or (less commonly) for requests on how to use it. > > ============== > > Which is better, freedom units or metric units? Why? > > James Frysinger, Metric Consultant > > I have no idea what “freedom” units are. I am conversant with US Customary > units which we by and large inherited from Great Britain. (I guess our break > away from them was not complete!) But I greatly prefer to use metric units, > which the US helped to develop. So do many Americans and indeed the US is > about 70 % metricated now. > > I like the metric system since there are only 29 unit names and only one set > of scaling prefixes which are decimal. (Scaling is a matter of moving the > decimal point then changing to the appropriate prefix. Forget factors of 2, > 3, 4, 6, 12, 16, etc.) The system is easy to use and easy to relate to. (A > kilogram of water occupies about 1 liter. A meter is “hip high” or about the > height of the usual door knob.) > > Those who wish to shun the metric system’s units should give up things > consumers use to measure them with. > > 1. They should quit taking pharmaceuticals, since all of those are > specified in metric units. Even medical records are transitioning to metric > units now. (Your doctor may speak to you in terms of pounds, but increasingly > the doctor’s computer program will convert those to kilograms.) > 2. They should quit using electrical and electronic appliances and devices > since electrical units have been metric all along. > 3. They should quit using weather reports since the National Weather > Service and NOAA use metric units, though the NWS provides its reports and > forecasts in both metric and US Customary units. (Go to http://www.nws.gov > and you can select the units you prefer. Near the bottom of the page toggle > between “International System of Units” and “English Units”.) > 4. They should not purchase, operate, or ride in any cars since the > automotive industry went metric decades ago. > 5. They should be choosy about which bicycles they purchase since many of > those now are metric. > 6. They should not drink any wines or spirits since the units used for > those have been metric for decades. > 7. They should not watch (or participate in) any track and field events, > swim meets, or Olympics since they are metric. > 8. They should be careful what they purchase in grocery stores since more > and more items are coming out in metric sizes. > 9. They should not use seconds in measuring or specifying times since the > second of time is a metric unit. > > I guess that if you are going to use only “freedom units” (whatever those > are) you’re abide by the list above. What a drab and dingy life that would be! > > How can that be called “freedom” if you have to give up all those things? > > > -- > James R. Frysinger > 632 Stoney Point Mtn Rd > Doyle TN 38559-3030 > > (C) 931.212.0267 > (H) 931.657.3107 > (F) 931.657.3108 > _______________________________________________ > USMA mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.colostate.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/usma _______________________________________________ USMA mailing list [email protected] https://lists.colostate.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/usma
