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  #31  
Old 09-11-2007, 05:54 PM
gusmahler gusmahler is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

National Metric week starts October 10th! Mark it on your calendars.

http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/metric-week.html

(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrica..._United_States for a serious article on the state of the Metric system in the US.)
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  #32  
Old 09-11-2007, 05:59 PM
gusmahler gusmahler is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

[ QUOTE ]
If the U-S ever goes with the metric system (and as a Canadian, I say "please do"), don't go overboard like some Europeans.

When I talk about heights or weights, I never think in metric terms. I'm not 1.86 metres, nor do I weigh 100 kg. I can't picture someone who's 2.13 metres tall. But I know what a 7-footer looks like.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not going "overboard." To a European who has been metric his entire life, he can't possibly imagine what 6'2" is. Or if 40 degrees is hot or cold. As Canadians get taught Metric from birth, I would guess that future generations never learn imperial system (IOW, your grandkids will have no idea what a mile is.)

I suppose it is possible for the US to gradually become metrified. We're already used to 2 liter bottles of soda and 750 ml bottles of alcohol. Our track and field events are measured in metric. (Even outside the Olympics, people run "5 Ks and 10 Ks" every weekend.)
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  #33  
Old 09-11-2007, 06:03 PM
 is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

[ QUOTE ]
Somebody in Europe says you guys in the US are going to ditch the pounds & ounces, pints and quarts, feet and inches in favo(u)r of metric?

any truth in said rumo(u)r?

[/ QUOTE ]

Rumor is NASA began experimenting with this change several years ago...
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  #34  
Old 09-11-2007, 06:07 PM
DonkeyKongSr DonkeyKongSr is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

[ QUOTE ]
National Metric week starts October 10th! Mark it on your calendars.

http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/metric-week.html

(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrica..._United_States for a serious article on the state of the Metric system in the US.)

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't own a metric calendar.
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  #35  
Old 09-11-2007, 06:08 PM
Quercus Quercus is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

We'll start right after the UK finishes.
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  #36  
Old 09-11-2007, 06:12 PM
Blarg Blarg is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

We are going to try a metric alphabet first, and see if that works.
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  #37  
Old 09-11-2007, 06:47 PM
kevin017 kevin017 is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

this is decades or more away from happening. I can convert from metric to imperial, but if you give me a value in kilograms or kilometers, it is meaningless to me until i convert it to pounds and miles.
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  #38  
Old 09-11-2007, 07:01 PM
Jay Riall Jay Riall is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

As a European I use both quite frequently for different things and theres not problem really converting.

Farenheit is retarded though.
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  #39  
Old 09-11-2007, 07:15 PM
ChuckyB ChuckyB is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If the U-S ever goes with the metric system (and as a Canadian, I say "please do"), don't go overboard like some Europeans.

When I talk about heights or weights, I never think in metric terms. I'm not 1.86 metres, nor do I weigh 100 kg. I can't picture someone who's 2.13 metres tall. But I know what a 7-footer looks like.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not going "overboard." To a European who has been metric his entire life, he can't possibly imagine what 6'2" is. Or if 40 degrees is hot or cold. As Canadians get taught Metric from birth, I would guess that future generations never learn imperial system (IOW, your grandkids will have no idea what a mile is.)


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know about that last part. I grew up with the metric system and have been in the media in Canada for years. And with heights and weights, it's all feet and pounds. I've never met anyone who describes their proportions in metric.

"Overboard" and "European" are probably the wrong words. I've mostly noticed it with Olympics and international volleyball/basketball events.
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  #40  
Old 09-11-2007, 07:26 PM
Blarg Blarg is offline
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Default Re: Any Plans to abolish the US Imperial system in favour of metric?

It's hard to think of some things being lost to understanding. Like, it was a huge deal when they finally broke the four minute mile. Other expressions will probably stick, too, like "talking a mile a minute."
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