I use metric for design and imperial to build with.




[edit on 11-11-2009 by PaulKCA]

[edit on 11-11-2009 by PaulKCA]

Coming from the UK, I can honestly say that we are just confused!!

We measure a person's weight in Stones and Lbs, but we weigh food in kilos and then ask for a pound of potatoes.

We measure liquids in litres, but purchase a pint of milk or beer.

Petrol (Gas) is sold by the litre, but speed and distance is measured in miles and petrol consumption in miles per gallon... I don't even know WTF a gallon is!!!

At school I was taught there were 12 inches in a foot and 100 cm in a meter, but how many feet in a meter??? (I now know it's just over 3).

I'll measure a sheet of paper in cm, but a room in feet and inches.

Of course the advantages to this are that I can operate equally as confused both in Europe and America!!

Many of us work with both systems.

No big deal for the most part, although I note that the metric micrometers go mostly un-used in my small home machine shop....

Originally posted by Uniceft17

As far as i'm concerned Americans like the system we already have in place, and you're from Europe so I don't really see how you can say this is what we have all been waiting for, do you have a source to back that up?

I say leave the current system in place, we couldn't even afford to replace all the road signs in this country at this point in time anyways.

Well, I'm an American and I believe the current system (imperial, i believe) is beyond stupid. If you have taken any upper level math or physics classes you know that the metric system is used because IT MAKES SENSE!

It wouldn't even be hard to do the conversion. In stead of tearing down the existing signs and replacing them, just require that all new signage include the metric equivelant. Eventually, you can begin to weed out the imperial units and American units can be out of the stone age!

Great Idea for Prez BO
S&F

-E-

...just because the "standard" system doesn't make sense to you - doesn't mean it doesn't make sense to those of us who grew up with it.

We have our way - you have yours.

We drink coffee - you drink tea.

We say apartment, you say flat.


We're different. Get over it?

Isn't it obvious the metric system was created by the white man to keep the black man down? What would make you think Obama would support that?

And reposting all our mph signs and mile marker signs to kilometer? Changing gallons of gas to liters? The cost would be exponential! We probably have a billion road signs that would need changed. Why bother? What would we gain?

Originally posted by nik1halo
Of course the advantages to this are that I can operate equally as confused both in Europe and America!!

What?

Are you phasing out Imperial or is this they way it is supposed to stay?

Sounds really weird to me.

Haa, I always loved the "stone"! Sounds like something invented in time before time.
1 stone = 6.350293 kilograms

Crazy.

Metric vs imperial both work!

[edit on 11-11-2009 by PaulKCA]

Originally posted by Snarf
But the manner in which you approach this argument suggests that you believe the metric system to be superior.

Well, I do suggest just that!

Originally posted by PaulKCA
Not to sound stupid here although I obviously am, isn't the topic of discussion about what our president could do, rather than a debate or discussion of measurement systems.

Ssshhh!!!

Originally posted by Raud

Originally posted by nik1halo
Of course the advantages to this are that I can operate equally as confused both in Europe and America!!

What?

Are you phasing out Imperial or is this they way it is supposed to stay?

Sounds really weird to me.

Haa, I always loved the "stone"! Sounds like something invented in time before time.
1 stone = 6.350293 kilograms

Crazy.

Weeellll, officially the UK is metric, but we have used imperial for so long that it's just stuck around.

In general, I suppose it depends on your age, although there are still some imperial measurements that are still used. My generation (I'm 27) have grown up with both.

A person's weight - The medics will use metric, but the general population use imperial. I know I'm about 12 stone, but I wouldn't have a clue what I am in kg. Oh yeah, the gen pop also measure a person's height in feet, but medics in meters.

Beer is sold in pubs by the pint, but in cans in 500ml (although people complained so certain companies brought out pint cans too ). Whiskey is sold by the litre in pubs and in bottles

We measure distance and speed in miles and the street signs are in miles too.

As I said, it's all very confusing, but it works. I don't think the UK will ever go completely metric, or at least not for a few generations yet.

Originally posted by PaulKCA
Not to sound stupid here although I obviously am, isn't the topic of discussion about what our president could do, rather than a debate or discussion of measurement systems.

The title is "what obama could truely do"

and the answer was : convert America to the metric system.

So naturally - the discussion is about THE METRIC SYSTEM.

Why?

Because in order to discuss rather or not it'd be a good thing for Obama to do (and memorable) you have to discuss the pro's and con's of conversion.

The only off-topic posts in this entire thread are yours, and this one.

The argument of the rest of the world using it is answered simple enough. Americans do not need to go to system based on simple math. Our math skills are poor enough as it is and anything to reduce additional thought would just make things worse.

Beside we use the oddball measurements less than you guys us the decimeter.

I can think of a few things Zero could do to become a "TRULY HISTORIC" president, however NONE of them have anything to do with the metric system.

At the top of my list are impeachment, trial for treason, tar and feathers......

AND this is not an "OFF TOPIC" post if you read the title of the thread.

Has no one thought that the metric system COULD be a slippery slope:

1. Metric system.

2. Change the calendar: no more AD & BC

3. Change the days of the week.

4. Months of the year.

5. maybe the whole language!!!