Originally posted by Teallaura
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Should the US Adopt the Metric System?
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Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
"...he [Doherty] is no historian and he is not even conversant with the historical discussions of the very matters he wants to pontificate on."
-Ben Witherington III
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Everyone should use the old base-2 system to make things easier for us computer scientists:
tun = 2 pipes
pipe = 2 hogsheads
hoghshead = 2 barrels
barrel = 2 casks
cask = 2 coombs
coomb = 2 strikes
strike = 2 bushels
bushel = 2 pails
pail = 2 pecks
peck = 2 gallons
gallon = 2 pottles
pottle = 2 quarts
quart = 2 pints
pint = 2 cups
cup = 2 gills
gill = 2 jacks
jack= 2 jiggers
jigger = 2 mouthfuls
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Originally posted by Raphael View PostI might buy that argument if the rest of the world hadn't managed to convert to the metric system with no major hiccups.
And they didn't, actually. France had to abandon metric in currency. There were hiccups - but in a day and age when they were least likely to kill someone and when it really didn't matter if every individual used metric or not - Granny didn't own a measuring cup, recipes rarely used any measures beyond counts, it didn't matter to the horse if the next feed bag was 2 miles or 2 kilometers away, etc..."He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot
"Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman
My Personal Blog
My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)
Quill Sword
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Originally posted by Teallaura View PostAnd they didn't, actually. France had to abandon metric in currency.
(Though it would be bad if it were created/controlled by any government(s). I'd want it to be something decentralized, like gold or bitcoin.)
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I use a measuring tape all day every day at work. One edge has inches, the other is metric. Most things we sell come in a version measured in inches and one in metric. Having both is more confusing than having either one or the other, and when it comes down to it, metric makes more sense and is easier to use.
I say we just switch and get it over with. If someone is stupid enough to think that a sign that says 100kph means they can drive 100mph, then that's just natural selection at work.Curiosity never hurt anyone. It was stupidity that killed the cat.
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Originally posted by Teallaura View PostMost of the rest of the world did so before they had invented cars - or thermostats on ovens.
And they didn't, actually. France had to abandon metric in currency. There were hiccups - but in a day and age when they were least likely to kill someone and when it really didn't matter if every individual used metric or not - Granny didn't own a measuring cup, recipes rarely used any measures beyond counts, it didn't matter to the horse if the next feed bag was 2 miles or 2 kilometers away, etc...
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Originally posted by klaus54 View PostWhat's that mean???
The US actually has a metric currency.
Okay, seriously, many coin values derive from the old practice of subdividing coins themselves. As a result, they are based on 2 or 4 rather than 10. France tried to fix it but had to abandon the effort."He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot
"Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman
My Personal Blog
My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)
Quill Sword
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Nobody knows the real reason why there's the metric system hasn't been adopted yet?"The man from the yacht thought he was the first to find England; I thought I was the first to find Europe. I did try to found a heresy of my own; and when I had put the last touches to it, I discovered that it was orthodoxy."
GK Chesterton; Orthodoxy
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I think the question can be flipped. Why should the U.S. adopt the metric system? We have been using our customary unit for what, 120 years or so? Unless there is a real fault with what we have been using, I don't see a reason to change it."Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." ― C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology (Making of Modern Theology)
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Originally posted by Teallaura View PostMost of the rest of the world did so before they had invented cars - or thermostats on ovens.
New Zealand changed over from the Imperial system in 1969
Australia changed over from the Imperial system in 1970
South Africa changed over from the Imperial system in 1971
No real hiccups happened.
Originally posted by Teallaura View PostAnd they didn't, actually. France had to abandon metric in currency.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_franc
Originally posted by Teallaura View PostThere were hiccups - but in a day and age when they were least likely to kill someone and when it really didn't matter if every individual used metric or not - Granny didn't own a measuring cup, recipes rarely used any measures beyond counts, it didn't matter to the horse if the next feed bag was 2 miles or 2 kilometers away, etc...Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
"...he [Doherty] is no historian and he is not even conversant with the historical discussions of the very matters he wants to pontificate on."
-Ben Witherington III
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Originally posted by Raphael View PostTo pick the three countries I've spent the most time in:
New Zealand changed over from the Imperial system in 1969
Australia changed over from the Imperial system in 1970
South Africa changed over from the Imperial system in 1971
No real hiccups happened.
I can't find any backing for this could you give your source?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_franc
I'm fairly sure you yanks are smart enough to figure out out. so "it's difficult and some people might get confused" is not a good argument against switching to it.
2) Wiki. I am on my phone right now
so I will get the link to you later.
3) We tried once already and it did not go well. More than sufficient to counter the argument that we should merely because others did. Our system works for us. The best argument is that it complicates trade but the calculator in a cell phone can handle the conversation so that seems moot."He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot
"Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman
My Personal Blog
My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)
Quill Sword
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Originally posted by Teallaura View Post1) I did say most. Of those three I don't think any are comparable in population . SA least of all given the problems of Apartheid . Regardless. our experience was different.
And apartheid has no real influence on how the adoption process went.
The biggest hiccup I've ever had was having to have two set of tools for working on cars because my old Mini (Leyland) used imperial sizes and my VW Jetta used metric. It wasn't a major problem.
Originally posted by Teallaura View Post2) Wiki. I am on my phone right now so I will get the link to you later.
Originally posted by Teallaura View Post3) We tried once already and it did not go well. More than sufficient to counter the argument that we should merely because others did. Our system works for us. The best argument is that it complicates trade but the calculator in a cell phone can handle the conversation so that seems moot.Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
"...he [Doherty] is no historian and he is not even conversant with the historical discussions of the very matters he wants to pontificate on."
-Ben Witherington III
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Vegetables actually have benefit. Metric doesn't. We got along just fine without it this long and have no real need of it now."He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot
"Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman
My Personal Blog
My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)
Quill Sword
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Originally posted by Sparko View PostSo how come we don't have a metric time measurement system?"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot
"Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman
My Personal Blog
My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)
Quill Sword
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