Connecticut Educator Hooked on Metrics

AP - Science ^ | May 13, 11:45 PM ET | SHELLEY K. WONG

[P-40]

Actually I am quite surprised the US hasn't converted to metric yet but I guess we are a stubborn lot.

Drug dealers work with metric units from what I have heard. The 9mm handgun is supposed to be popular with them also. :)

[Junior]

he also has a heart of gold and will go the extra mile to help a friend and do the right thing.

I think you mean "the extra 1.6 kilometers..."

[Junior]

His choice of centimeters doesn't seem to be in line with current usage.

???

[SuperSonic]

Man, you give this guy an inch and he makes 2.54 centimeters out of it.

[Minnesoootan]

About the only thing I have been sure of for a long time is the ton. 2000lbs

yah,unless yer dealin in long tons....;-)

[wideawake]

Funniest post this week.

[American Quilter]

And thus despite our having inherited them from the Brits, I think our measures make for a charming piece of American exceptionalism.

Me too. My preference for the standard system is purely emotional. I enjoy knowing that 3 tsp = 1 TBSP, and that 4 TBSP = 1/4 cup. And what about imprecise measurements like a pinch, a dollop, and (my mother's best friend's favorite) a glug?

I'm sure the metric system is useful for some things, but it's just too dry and sterile for me.

[mysterio]

We're strictly metric here at work in the biotech field.

Have to say, though, I have a real attachment to the messy standard measures of pounds, miles, gallons and such.

[1Old Pro]

If they only taught metric in school and changed everything else immediately, we would all be comfortable with it inside a year.

If we only taught and spoke English we'd all be comfortable with in inside a year.

It really is unproductive to teach two types of measurements, two languages, etc.

[FreePaul]

Some years ago I had a lot of fun with a group of Europeans who were giving me a bad time about when we would convert. I told them that we were waiting on them to decide which metric system to use. They got into a big argument among themselves with the Dutch and Germans re-fighting WWII and the others taking sides. I didn't have to defend our system any more that night.

[American Quilter]

That's 0.6 decamembers.

LOL!

[redgolum]

Another reason to not like the 9mm!

In all seriousness, in engineering school we all had to use the metric system, and then convert back to English units.

In my various jobs, I have had to use them interchangeably.

[ahayes]

International System is my choice.

[jjjf]

say it is a system of 10's is deceptive. The gravitational constant is 9.8m/sec2. you will still have numbers like 35.4 X 729. The Europeans use a 32mm cabinet system? The list goes on. Beside it was created by the french

[Junior]

It really is unproductive to teach two types of measurements, two languages, etc.

I'll have to disagree with you there. The standard system is basically a hodge-podge of different systems. It has its charms, but it can be rather confusing.

[JimFreedom]

AMEN to that! I know I am HOT when its 95 degrees out, 22C means nothing to my body!

[Jack Black]

Nautical Miles are much better for navigation than meters. Base 10 is good, but no one is suggesting base 10 time units. (100 seconds to minute, 100 minutes to hour, 10 hours to day).

Because the earth is round 360 turns out to be a magic number

[redgolum]

As an old friend loves to say.

"Remember, the Communists used metric!"

[FreePaul]

I believe that the MKS system is more commonly used than the CGS system now.