The metric thread

[corco]

We're not French.

I just assume wait for some American scientist to develop a system of measurement better than the metric system, then we can adopt that. In the meantime, I'll be sticking to Imperial Units until the day I die

[agentsteel53]

look how truly *FAST* some states hopped to it to their change speed limit signs when the NMSL repeal took effect back on 1995-12-08.  They had overlay stickers all lined up and distributed and the crews ready to go within minutes of the zero time.

that's because the states welcomed the repeal of that dang NMSL.  Everyone knew the highways were designed for 70-80mph, people were going 70-80mph, and to set a speed limit that was not in line with that (the 85% rule) was viewed as unnecessary federal meddling.  Civil wars were started for less!

[agentsteel53]

We're not French.

I just assume wait for some American scientist to develop a system of measurement better than the metric system, then we can adopt that. In the meantime, I'll be sticking to Imperial Units until the day I die

in what possible way can a system of measurements be better than metric?  Maybe less dorky-sounding names, and a mass reference that is less small?  But the idea of base 10 calculating, consistent prefixes, etc, are generally the end of the line as far as this idea goes.  It's like asking to invent a better wheel.  

(converting humanity over to base 12 to facilitate dividing by 3 and 4 is an entirely different topic!)

[corco]

I suppose I might be down with it if we simply used Imperial names with the SI units- so an SI kilometer would henceforth be known as a mile, a meter as a yard, a kilogram as a pound, a centimeter as an inch, etc. Units with no logical counterpart could continue to be known by their SI names.

That might just confuse everyone, though.

Or yeah, just better sounding names, preferably after former presidents. I propose:

1 km becomes 1 Washington
1 m becomes 1 Jefferson
1 kg becomes 1 Reagan
1 cm becomes 1 Adams
1 mm becomes 1 Lincoln
 
and so on and so forth.

If you structured it more carefully, you could help kids learn Presidential history while teaching them measurements! That's how we get ahead, folks

[agentsteel53]

no no no, dead politicans already have enough named after them!  Maybe scientists, but the SI system already includes them: Curie, Ampere, Tesla, etc.

[agentsteel53]

besides, if you're going to include Reagan, you'd have to include Kennedy ... and one, if not both, of those will make most people shudder!

[corco]

The intent would be to include all presidents arranged in such a way that it would help small children memorize the presidents in order (so, not the way I started to do it above)

[agentsteel53]

memorize the presidents in order

that does not sound like a very useful undertaking.  children would remember the presidents more naturally if their accomplishments were mentioned, and not just their names.  Washington deserves to be remembered not just because he's the guy on the dollar bill, but because of what he achieved, which can be learned about as part of the curriculum.  Harding deserves to remembered for ... well, lemme get back to you on this one.

I remember being forced to memorize the state capitals - once I was done being tested, I promptly forgot.  To this day I remember Philadelphia being the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed, Ben Franklin's home city, etc etc... I really have to struggle to remember what the capital of Pennsylvania actually is, and frankly not very many people outside the state really have an overwhelming need to know. 

and if they do, there's always google.  We mercifully no longer live in an age of memorization.

[corco]

In that case I am in favor of renaming SI units for counties in Texas. It would appease the rednecks.

Also, memorization is still very, very important. I'm convinced America is becoming stupider because we have access to an internet. It's good for our brains to be forced to remember stuff.

[agentsteel53]

Also, memorization is still very, very important. I'm convinced America is becoming stupider because we have access to an internet. It's good for our brains to be forced to remember stuff.

not memorization of trivial historical details, like names and dates and whatnot.  History is not to be regurgitated, it is to be analyzed using entirely different parts of the brain.  Columbus would be just as important if he did his thing in 1491 or 1493.

if we're going to remember stuff, let's remember useful stuff, like how to make fire out of commonly found items in the forest.

[agentsteel53]

appease the rednecks.

haven't we done enough of that as a country? 

[agentsteel53]

America is becoming stupider because we have access to an internet.

well, no one ever said 4chan was the intellectual capital of cyberspace ...

[Scott5114]

In that case I am in favor of renaming SI units for counties in Texas. It would appease the rednecks.

haven't we done enough of that as a country? 

Oh, come on, Jake. You know you'd love it if distance signage was posted in glasscocks.

[agentsteel53]

Oh, come on, Jake. You know you'd love it if distance signage was posted in glasscocks.

a glasscock is definitely a unit of volume.

[WISFreeways]

SERIOUSLY: We're getting off topic.

Anyways, Subway has the five dollar footlong, not the five dollar .3048-meterlong ( )

[algorerhythms]

SERIOUSLY: We're getting off topic.

Anyways, Subway has the five dollar footlong, not the five dollar .3048-meterlong ( )

Yes, but for $16.40 you can have the meter-long!

[WISFreeways]

 

[Tom]

I prefer that the U.S. stay on the English System.  However, I don't mind showing some things in both English + Metric measurements, such as speedometers, speed limit and mileage signs, and temperatures, wind speeds, snowfall, and barometer readings.  BTW, when I visit Canada, the barometer readings are given in kilopascals.  I would think since the U.S. gives them in inches, you'd think the metric unit to be used would be in centimeters.  Would any Canadians here be kind enough to explain why this is?  Thank you.  

[Edited to expand arcane abbreviations. -S.]

[vdeane]

The Pascal is actually a unit of pressure.  The inch is not.  This wouldn't be the only example of when Imperial and metric units aren't actually equivalent but are used as such; the pound is a unit of weight, not mass (the Imperial equivalent of the kg is actually the slug).

[algorerhythms]

The Pascal is actually a unit of pressure.  The inch is not.  This wouldn't be the only example of when Imperial and metric units aren't actually equivalent but are used as such; the pound is a unit of weight, not mass (the Imperial equivalent of the kg is actually the slug).

Eh, you're sort of nitpicking there. By your definition, the torr isn't a unit of pressure, either, since it's defined as the pressure change that causes a column of mercury to raise by one millimeter, similar to the definition of the inch of mercury.

[Alps]

I prefer that the U.S. stay on the English System.  However, I don't mind showing some things in both English + Metric measurements, such as speedometers, speed limit + mileage signs, and temperatures, wind speeds, snowfall, + barometer readings.  BTW, when I visit Canada, the barometer readings are given in kilopascals.  I would think since the U.S. gives them in inches, you'd think the metric unit to be used would be in centimeters.  Would any Canadians here be kind enough to explain why this is?  Thank you.  

First of all, "to" and "be" are really no harder to type than "2" and "b".  Second of all, it's because we measure in inches of mercury, which is a measurement in a thermometer.  Those inches are indirectly measuring pressure, which is in units of psi (pounds per square inch) or atmospheres (1 atm is the pressure at sea level, or 760 mm Hg - I don't know what that is in inches of Hg but it's something like 30.)

[vdeane]

Technically everything except length, mass, and time are derived units.  My point was probably better served with the kg/slug example.

[agentsteel53]

Technically everything except length, mass, and time are derived units.  My point was probably better served with the kg/slug example.

isn't charge also fundamental?  Or can that be derived from the other three using some obscure quantum physics?

[vdeane]

Oh yeah.  Sorry, was only thinking of newtonian mechanics there!

[agentsteel53]

if they build the freeway link between the gravitational and electroweak forces like they've been planning to for the last N years, won't that make mass and charge interchangeable too?

dang NIMBYs preventing particle physics from moving forward!