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Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
By:Ian Johnson
Date: 2/4/2011, 12:48 am
In Response To: Off Topic: Goin' Metric (John Caldeira)

: Historically, I am an American. The ol' USA is one of the 3
: countries in the world that has not officially adopted the
: metric system of measurement for weights, volumes and distances.
: The other two countries? Not the best of company: Burma and
: Liberia.

: I've become acquanted with the metric system during my inernational
: travels over the years, but it was not until I moved to Fiji a
: few years ago that I really 'went metric'. Allow me to tell you
: the result.

: It's GREAT. When measuring with a measuring tape, there's none of
: the 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 nonesense that becomes a mathematical
: nightmare when adding or subtracting numbers. Everything metric
: is base 10 math. :-). A liter of water weighs one kilogram.
: Water boils at 100 and freezes at zero.

: I'll admit to still doing some mental conversions on miles to
: kilometers (0.62 miles is one km), and temperatures are the
: hardest.

: I have no idea how much the U.S. resistance to the global
: measurement system has hurt U.S. exports (who want's thread
: counts or weights in U.S. measurements?), but I sense that
: business in converting even if the U.S. government can't get off
: the fence on this.

: I recommend that folks lean towards metric to make their measurin
: easier.

: John

I live in New Zealand, where we have been metric for a long time. I'm 35, so brought up with both systems but err towards metric. I like being conversant in both systems.

I think imperial is great for approximate measurements. It has units that are easier to conceptualise than their metric equivalents. Visualising, for example, 8' is a lot easier than 2.4m (for me anyway!). But for accuracy and especially communicating values, nothing beats metric.

One way that imperial walks all over metric is the ease with which you can create fractions. 12 inches can be divided up into 1/12, 1/6, 1/4, 1/3 and 1/2. Whereas 10 cm can only be divided conveniently into 1/10, 1/5 and 1/2. The ability to express 1/3 and related measurements in whole units is especially useful. I imagine that this is the reason we have 12" = 1', 360deg in a circle, 60min in an hour, etc.

Although I have never understood why a stone is 14lb. Now that's just weird. 16oz = 1lb isn't a lot better.

Cheers, Ian

Messages In This Thread

Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/2/2011, 12:19 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
JohnK -- 2/2/2011, 4:38 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Doug S -- 2/2/2011, 8:26 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Damian wentzel -- 2/2/2011, 9:19 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 1:51 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Richard Hayes -- 2/2/2011, 10:05 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Al Edie -- 2/2/2011, 11:49 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Mike Savage -- 2/2/2011, 1:03 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/2/2011, 4:34 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/2/2011, 9:10 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Niven Paine -- 2/3/2011, 2:07 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 2:16 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Niven Paine -- 2/3/2011, 4:29 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 8:46 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/3/2011, 2:21 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Chris Richer -- 2/3/2011, 9:29 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/3/2011, 9:54 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 2:09 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/3/2011, 2:26 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Robert N Pruden -- 2/7/2011, 12:44 pm
Off Topic: Goin' with Yost measurements
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/3/2011, 3:25 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' with Yost measurements
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 8:48 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' with Yost measurements *PIC*
Tom Yost -- 2/3/2011, 9:21 am
R/C pushrod
Doug S -- 2/3/2011, 1:29 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 3:29 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Doug S -- 2/3/2011, 3:44 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Les Cheeseman -- 2/3/2011, 3:47 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Doug S -- 2/3/2011, 4:29 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 5:43 pm
Re: R/C pushrod *PIC*
Tom Yost -- 2/3/2011, 6:06 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Clayton Plunkett -- 2/3/2011, 6:12 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 7:00 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 7:03 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Clayton Plunkett -- 2/3/2011, 7:23 pm
Re: R/C pushrod *PIC*
Tom Yost -- 2/3/2011, 7:35 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Randy Echtinaw -- 2/3/2011, 7:45 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 7:48 pm
Re: R/C pushrod
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 7:50 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' with Yost measurements
Robert N Pruden -- 2/7/2011, 12:34 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' with Yost measurements
Bill Hamm -- 2/8/2011, 12:39 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 2:04 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/3/2011, 3:18 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 1:53 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Richard Hayes -- 2/3/2011, 7:30 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 8:51 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Richard Hayes -- 2/3/2011, 1:33 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 3:32 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Robert N Pruden -- 2/7/2011, 12:39 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/8/2011, 12:39 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
dave -- 2/2/2011, 12:46 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Paul G. Jacobson -- 2/2/2011, 4:37 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
ancient kayaker -- 2/3/2011, 12:04 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 2:23 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Phil Nelson -- 2/3/2011, 2:34 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 8:54 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Phil Nelson -- 2/3/2011, 8:39 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/4/2011, 6:59 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Phil Nelson -- 2/4/2011, 7:17 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/4/2011, 7:23 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/4/2011, 7:31 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bushwacker -- 2/4/2011, 10:48 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Todd O -- 2/4/2011, 11:29 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/4/2011, 12:28 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/4/2011, 7:17 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Phil Nelson -- 2/4/2011, 6:54 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/3/2011, 3:13 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Alex Ferguson -- 2/3/2011, 4:31 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 8:56 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/3/2011, 10:05 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
dhwdaniels -- 2/3/2011, 5:37 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
dhwdaniels -- 2/3/2011, 5:29 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Mike Savage -- 2/3/2011, 6:28 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Les Cheeseman -- 2/3/2011, 8:48 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/3/2011, 9:00 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Les Cheeseman -- 2/3/2011, 9:06 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
ancient kayaker -- 2/3/2011, 11:28 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Mike Savage -- 2/3/2011, 1:28 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
ancient kayaker -- 2/3/2011, 3:07 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
John Caldeira -- 2/3/2011, 5:56 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Ian Johnson -- 2/4/2011, 12:48 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/4/2011, 7:12 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Mike Savage -- 2/4/2011, 1:15 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/4/2011, 1:38 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
ancient kayaker -- 2/4/2011, 11:51 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/5/2011, 5:35 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
ancient kayaker -- 2/5/2011, 12:58 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Charles Leach -- 2/5/2011, 1:53 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Les Cheeseman -- 2/4/2011, 11:07 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Roy Martin (fadedred) -- 2/4/2011, 6:56 pm
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Will Clarke -- 2/5/2011, 12:07 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Roy Martin (fadedred) -- 2/5/2011, 9:25 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Bill Hamm -- 2/5/2011, 10:32 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Roy Martin (fadedred) -- 2/5/2011, 11:59 am
Re: Off Topic: Goin' Metric
Robert N Pruden -- 2/7/2011, 12:30 pm
I can't read any more metric conv. posts...
Robert N Pruden -- 2/7/2011, 12:50 pm
Re: I can't read any more metric conv. posts...
Kirk Fredericks - Farback Carpentry and Automation -- 2/7/2011, 1:25 pm
Re: I can't read any more metric conv. posts...
Bill Hamm -- 2/7/2011, 2:07 pm
Just one more
Ian Johnson -- 2/8/2011, 4:34 am
Re: I can't read any more metric conv. posts...
Palle Dam -- 2/8/2011, 5:28 pm
Re: I can't read any more metric conv. posts...
Bill Hamm -- 2/9/2011, 12:43 am
Re: I can't read any more metric conv. posts... *PIC*
Tom Yost -- 2/14/2011, 12:39 pm