On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 22:00:20 -0600, Ed Stevens
wrote:

On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 19:06:38 -0600, Mark Lloyd
wrote:

On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 22:25:35 GMT, "Rick Brandt"
wrote:

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
gy.com...

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
Americans could easily get used to the Metric System if they learned it from
the word go.

No need. Just start using it and in day you know exactly what the measurments
are. Very simple really.

Like many Americans, years ago I though going metric was silly but now that I
have to use it at times, I wish we'd make the change and be done with it. All
of out machines at work are metric and it is as normal as can be in use and no
29/32 to worry about.

The mistake this country made when they first tried to "go metric" was trying to
teach everyone the conversion formulas. You don't need to know how many metric
whatsits go into an imperial doo-dad (the rest of the world doesn't know this
either). All you need to know is that a metric whatits is "about this
big/much/far".


Once, I heard a story about what it would be like to use metric for
everything. Something like drinking 5961 milliliters of milk and
eating 2492 milligrams of egg. Then watching a football game where a
player is on the 93.674 meter line.

Well, in cooking, most measurments and portions would be adjusted
slightly to the nearest round metric number. Thus, the 'standard'
drinking glass would probably grow slightly to become the 'standard 25
ml. glass'.

The unit of measure for eggs would probably remain what it is under
the current system: the egg, 1 each.


Probably. There used to be a lot of that 'conversion' nonsense, and it
could explain why some people don't like metric.

Sports fields could be adjusted (making a football field 100 meters)
but would require two sets of record books. I believe track and field
has pretty much already made this adjustment, with most tracks being
built to 400 meteres instead of 400 yards, but it is much more an
international sport than American football. Probably better to leave
football and baseballs fields alone, with the use of yards, feet, and
inches being considered a 'quaint' historic relic. How far is it
from pitchers mound to home plate in thoroughly metric Japan?

Most people could only give a very crude guess on how much a gallon, pint, or
pound was if they had to measure out that much sand or water on their own. If
they can get about that good at guessing a kilo or litre, then they're good to
go.

BTW, the "calories" in food are actually Calories (kilocalories, also
called large calories).
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what
to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb
contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin