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"Shovel ready" jobs.Would a billion new highway signs really substantially improve infrastructure?
"Shovel ready" jobs.Would a billion new highway signs really substantially improve infrastructure?
I learned metric in the 70s, when the initiative to change was on, and before it flopped.
I'm good with meters, kilometers, liters, all that stuff.... found it very handy in doing scientific calculations too.
The one I STILL have trouble with is Celsius vs Fahrenheit.... I can't seem to stop thinking in Fahrenheit and struggle convert C to F in my head.
YES , no doubt thousands are obsolete, in design and condition ..Would a billion new highway signs really substantially improve infrastructure?
YES , no doubt thousands are obsolete, in design and condition ..
Other more mature, more advanced nations have done this .. and more !
Had we more liberal leadership centuries ago, this conversion (and others) would have been so much easier ..
The one I STILL have trouble with is Celsius vs Fahrenheit.... I can't seem to stop thinking in Fahrenheit and struggle convert C to F in my head.
Most people have plenty of time to look up the necessary conversions. It really isn't that hard to do. And if they don't have the "skills", "ability" to actually perform those conversions, then they have seriously bigger issues than whatever is requiring those conversions to begin with.
What about those who don't give 2 craps that Europe uses it, but rather wish our children learned about units that have fundamental definitions based on real scientific properties.
However, in order to be fully functional in a measurement system its best to have the ability to think in that system without having to go through a conversion process. The same is true of learning a new language. I know intuitively 75 degrees and breezy is a nice day weather wise. 24 degrees Celsius means nothing to me without looking it up.
In all objectivity, metric makes way more sense as a measurement system. Celsius, the units temperature is measured is indexed to the temperature at which water freezes and boils; zero is ice and 100 is boiling water. Meters are indexed to the distance between the north or South Pole and the equator. There are probably very logical benchmarks on volume and weight too but I haven't looked.
I say we use both concurrently for the benefit of international commerce if nothing else.
Tell us about these "fundamental definitions based on real scientific properties." The only one I know about is a pint weighing roughly a pound.
We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives - we measure temperature in Farenheit, distances in feet.yards and miles, and have a ridiculous volume and weight measurement system of cups, ounces, quarts, gallons, etc.
Its an antiquated system that costs the US milions each year by having to convert, tool things in english units (5/8 in wrenches?) etc. Our kids need to learn both systems, and tend to learn neither well.
Why is there no active movement in the US to upgrade our systems?
Why dont we just bite the bullet and change already?
Nice article that may jump start the popular cry: Why Americans still use Fahrenheit long after everyone else switched to Celsius - Vox
However, in order to be fully functional in a measurement system its best to have the ability to think in that system without having to go through a conversion process. The same is true of learning a new language. I know intuitively 75 degrees and breezy is a nice day weather wise. 24 degrees Celsius means nothing to me without looking it up.
In all objectivity, metric makes way more sense as a measurement system. Celsius, the units temperature is measured is indexed to the temperature at which water freezes and boils; zero is ice and 100 is boiling water. Meters are indexed to the distance between the north or South Pole and the equator. There are probably very logical benchmarks on volume and weight too but I haven't looked.
I say we use both concurrently for the benefit of international commerce if nothing else.
Well, 1ml of water weighs 1gram. It also measures 1cc.
How much does a liter of milk weigh? ~1 kg. How about a half gallon? Don't know...get a scale!
You can do a lot with that- volume, weight and area are all proportional and easily multipled and divided.
I say we use both concurrently for the benefit of international commerce if nothing else.
1/2 gallon of water is about 4.25 lbs (I know this because 1 gallon of water is about 8.5 lbs, milk is likely to be around the same).
Yes we do. We just also use Imperial units.We are basically the last country to not use the metric system in our day to day lives -
We currently do for stuff that is international. I semi routinely run freight to Canada. With the US originating load going to a Canadian consignee or shipper, we get two documents, one bill of lading which the weight of the cargo is denoted in pounds, and the commercial invoice for the foreign consignee in which the freight is denoted in kilograms.
I understand what you're talking about being able to use both system seamlessly, but for how infrequently I use metrics that is pointless. In Canada when I pull into a waystation their way stations measure weight in kilograms, but if I scale a load at a truck stop scale in the United States, certified weight is in pounds and not kilograms, so I have to do a conversion to make sure I'm within the weight boundaries.
hmmph, the haulers I use to go into Canada tell me they can get scaled in pounds in Canada, but they usually have to ask.
you can also get scaled in Kilograms in the US... but its the same way, ya gotta ask.
as a side note, if you're legal in the US, you're legal in Canada... but the inverse doesn't apply...Canada allows for heavier loads ( sometimes much much heavier.. I think their max is about 140k compared to our max of 80k without permits)
damn Canadians ..they oughta stop being lazy and adopt the US imperial system :lol:Yes except for one thing, Canada has different bridge laws in the United States. I am very limited as to where I can set the trailer tandems to shift weight. There are limited circumstances where you can make a load US legal but Canada illegal and vice versa. I did one run where I had to shift the trailer axles all the way forward to scale the load legal in the United States, then right before I got to the border shift the axles back and then the load was US illegal but Canada legal. That type of stuff you have to be really careful with.
I wasn't aware I could ask for kilogram Weighs on a cat scale, but Canadian weigh stations wait only in kilograms, as do many shipper scales, which necessitates doing metric to pound conversions if you pick up a Canadian originating load bound for the United States
Yeah. Easy conversions.
What about 18.5 ounces? Quick!
What for? You act like there is going to be some life or death situation to convert. Honestly, that is an irrational argument for the vast majority of the time. The only time it may come to life or death would be in medicine, and that is already in mL.
I'm a pharmacist. It's often life and death situations.
And sometimes it's ml, sometimes it's tsp, sometimes it's tbsp.
That causes overdoses and underdoses. I would guess it does it every single day in kids.
Then someone is being irresponsible, either the pharmacist or the doctor or the parent with looking into the actual dosages and making sure the person has the right measuring spoon/injector. I always made sure to check and go off of what the dosage said. Plus, I've never gotten children's medicine measuring instruments that didn't have both metric and standard on them.
It's just confusion among parents, mostly.
But it happens a lot. And it's just another very clear reason why changing makes sense, despite your repeated claims that its 'no problem'.
Would be a great way to improve domestic infrastructure and manufacturing.