If you go to the UK, you’ll see signs when there are road works and there is a reduced lane width, this is given a 6 ft 6 inches or 9ft 9 inches. Very few Britons that I’ve talked to recognize that this is really 2 meter and 3 meter lane widths. I’ve no problem if they give the real dimension of 2 meters social distancing with and accurate conversion, but include the original unit. If the article came from the US then I don’t expect any metric unit, despite the fact many in the US use metric units. Giving only 6 feet gives the impression that New Zealand also has 6 foot social distancing. Only by going over there will someone realize the newspapers were not giving the true story. aka Fake News in the real sense.
Mike Payne > On 11 May 2020, at 16:30, Al Lawrence <[email protected]> wrote: > > Excellent point, Howard. > > This illustrates a big problem (and one of my pet peeves) with metric > supporters, or for that matter supporters of almost every other issue. Once > a supporter of ANY issue starts getting extreme, even slightly, or starts > exaggerating, they lose any hope of convincing whoever they are talking to. > Use of the words fake news or censorship will immediately alienate anyone > working for a newspaper. Trying to promote use of SI by the use of obscure > Welsh units will immediately turn off anyone not already in total agreement, > even when done tongue in cheek. This is a universal truth. Trumpers and > anti-Trumpers will never agree or talk civilly because each side quickly > resorts to exaggeration and rhetoric, immediately ending any hope of any > useful conversation. Many metric proponents are frequently guilty of this, > most of us do it occasionally, and it is always counterproductive. > > The original letter was well-written and made some very excellent points, but > words like censorship and fake new would have immediately turned any person > at the Washington Post off and they probably never even finished that letter, > not reading the last paragraph where the most important points are made. > With a few minor changes, it is possible the letter would have been read and > considered. > > I wrote to the Washington Post around the 7th April 2020 regarding your > changing the social distancing from 2 metres to 6 feet in an article on New > Zealand. Now I see you've changed the article Over 1,000 queue for food in > Geneva by changing 1 kilometer to more than half a mile in the original > Reuters article. > https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fnation%2F2020%2F05%2F09%2Fcoronavirus-update-us%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cusma%40lists.colostate.edu%7C535e94bd3f1b4bfffa0408d7f5e877e8%7Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%7C0%7C0%7C637248251105584428&sdata=e1cueDdKAY%2FFtxxPsMlYudMQ9USSXrrWpf0zNz8FXSc%3D&reserved=0 > > <https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprotect2.fireeye.com%2Fv1%2Furl%3Fk%3D48fa3547-14dc011c-48f8cc72-000babd905ee-25d3c10eb139bc00%26q%3D1%26e%3D291a08ac-b3e2-4eae-b277-1eee03b28662%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fnam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%252F%253Furl%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.washingtonpost.com%25252Fnation%25252F2020%25252F05%25252F09%25252Fcoronavirus-update-us%25252F%2526data%253D02%25257C01%25257Cusma%252540lists.colostate.edu%25257C6995fe9120004c5d5e1908d7f4a9ee88%25257Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%25257C0%25257C0%25257C637246882999186399%2526sdata%253DzfCLqUG7zo8fgQrNcErRR38U1hyTAKLF5El231sYWNQ%25253D%2526reserved%253D0&data=02%7C01%7Cusma%40lists.colostate.edu%7C535e94bd3f1b4bfffa0408d7f5e877e8%7Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%7C0%7C0%7C637248251105584428&sdata=9%2Fwy%2FoOtUAOTLkc7Xk5NhS0Bv1nv%2BurZOgxtb4uvnmw%3D&reserved=0> > I subscribe to the Washington Post, I understand the United States does not > use metric units in everyday life, but I am disappointed with your changing > stories from elsewhere to match your Style Guide, which may not accurately > reflect today's society. > I know Hospitals in the United States use kilograms and Celsius for all > patients. All Pilots and Air Traffic controllers in the United States use > Celsius only for temperature at every airport in the United States. Every > mechanic who works on a car or airplane uses millimeters because that's what > size all the bolts and clearances are. I could go on, many many people in the > United States understand and use the metric system every day, except the > Washington Post ! > I believe in supporting good journalism, but I'm disappointed that you > continue to "dumb down" your stories to American readers. > I've cancelling my subscription which renews the 25 May. > > > > Al Lawrence > > > > > From: USMA <[email protected]> on behalf of Ressel, Howard R > (DOT) <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, May 11, 2020 6:15 AM > To: Michael Payne <[email protected]>; USMA List Server > <[email protected]> > Subject: [USMA 1376] Re: Sent this morning to the Washington Post > > While I respect your concerns and your decision to end your subscription, I > feel you were a bit harsh calling this censorship and fake news. You might > not agree wit their policy to convert SI (metric) dimensions in non-us > written articles to US customary units but their editors, however miss > guided, must feel that the American public will not tolerate or understand > articles that include metric units. Fortunately there are many news outlets > who do. The joke is on them as they lost you as a reader as opposed to > losing a reader because the used meters instead of feet. However they did > not censor anything, the information is there and it is the same no matter > what units it was provided in. By calling this censorship and fake news I > believe the readers of your letter will not take you seriously. A well > written letter explain how keeping the original units included by the author > will not hurt their readership nor cause subscribers to unsubscribe and how > perhaps it would benefit their readers would have been more successful in > getting your point across. > > Howard > > From: USMA <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Michael Payne > Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2020 2:18 AM > To: USMA List Server <[email protected]> > Subject: [USMA 1361] Sent this morning to the Washington Post > > ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. Do not open attachments > or click on links from unknown senders or unexpected emails. > Hello, > > I wrote to the Washington Post around the 7th April 2020 regarding your > changing the social distancing from 2 metres to 6 feet in an article on New > Zealand (This now becomes Fake News). Now I see you've censored the article > Over 1,000 queue for food in Geneva by changing 1 kilometer to more than half > a mile in the original Reuters > article.https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fnation%2F2020%2F05%2F09%2Fcoronavirus-update-us%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cusma%40lists.colostate.edu%7C535e94bd3f1b4bfffa0408d7f5e877e8%7Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%7C0%7C0%7C637248251105584428&sdata=e1cueDdKAY%2FFtxxPsMlYudMQ9USSXrrWpf0zNz8FXSc%3D&reserved=0 > > <https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprotect2.fireeye.com%2Fv1%2Furl%3Fk%3D48fa3547-14dc011c-48f8cc72-000babd905ee-25d3c10eb139bc00%26q%3D1%26e%3D291a08ac-b3e2-4eae-b277-1eee03b28662%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fnam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%252F%253Furl%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.washingtonpost.com%25252Fnation%25252F2020%25252F05%25252F09%25252Fcoronavirus-update-us%25252F%2526data%253D02%25257C01%25257Cusma%252540lists.colostate.edu%25257C6995fe9120004c5d5e1908d7f4a9ee88%25257Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%25257C0%25257C0%25257C637246882999186399%2526sdata%253DzfCLqUG7zo8fgQrNcErRR38U1hyTAKLF5El231sYWNQ%25253D%2526reserved%253D0&data=02%7C01%7Cusma%40lists.colostate.edu%7C535e94bd3f1b4bfffa0408d7f5e877e8%7Cafb58802ff7a4bb1ab21367ff2ecfc8b%7C0%7C0%7C637248251105584428&sdata=9%2Fwy%2FoOtUAOTLkc7Xk5NhS0Bv1nv%2BurZOgxtb4uvnmw%3D&reserved=0> > I subscribe to the Washington Post, I understand the United States does not > use metric units in everyday life, but I refuse to condone your censoring > stories from elsewhere to match your Style Guide, which is obviously out of > date. > I know Hospitals in the United States use kilograms and Celsius for all > patients. All Pilots and Air Traffic controllers in the United States use > Celsius only for temperature at every airport in the United States. Every > mechanic who works on a car or airplane uses millimeters because that's what > size all the bolts and clearances are. I could go on, many many people in the > United States understand and use the metric system every day, except the > Washington Post ! > I believe in supporting good journalism, but I'm not going to put up with > your censoring articles to omit the units I prefer. > I've cancelling my subscription which renews the 25 May.
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