Metrication

[1995hoo]

As I have told you before, people who think Monday should be the first day of the week will never overcome the extremely strong religious objections to that concept that would be raised in the United States. Sunday as the first day of the week has biblical origins. The Jewish Sabbath falls on Saturday based on the book of Genesis, which says that on the seventh day, God rested. The Crucifixion occurred on a Friday because the Gospels tell us that the following day was the Sabbath. The Gospels then tell us, in turn, that the women went to the tomb early in the morning on "the first day of the week"—the day after the Sabbath. That means Sunday.

Some Europeans don't understand just how strong the religious lobby is in the United States, and I suppose I understand why they might not be aware of that fact, but it's an extremely significant matter.

[jlam]

With all that said, this thread has wildly diverged from fictional highways and has turned into random bullshit receptacle thread.

...this thread has never been in Fictional Highways

[kphoger]

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That's annoying

Monday is better because it is the first day of working week.

Sunday is better because it is the first day of religious week.

US's metrication would unite the world.

US's metrication would not unite the world.

It's very very very very disgusting that US does not use metric, at least very much.

It's not disgusting at all that US does not use metric, at least not much.

Most languages use DMY when spoken.

We speak English here, for the most part.  And we especially did English here when that convention was adopted.  We don't really care how people say it in Finnish, because we don't speak Finnish.

Tomorrow's date will spell my favorite 132

Nobody the fuck cares.

[Max Rockatansky]

With all that said, this thread has wildly diverged from fictional highways and has turned into random bullshit receptacle thread.

...this thread has never been in Fictional Highways

Renewed calls to merge this "Poiponen13 in one thread" however do appear to be appropriate.

[hotdogPi]

I would rather create an injunction prohibiting Poiponen13 from posting in this thread while keeping this thread open and separate. This thread does have some legitimate posts.

I don't feel like the topic of metrication has gone to DST-style bicker yet.

[1995hoo]

With all that said, this thread has wildly diverged from fictional highways and has turned into random bullshit receptacle thread.

...this thread has never been in Fictional Highways

Yeah, as you may have noticed, I edited my post. I got mixed up as to the thread in which I was posting.

[Rothman]

Wait, why are we changing the days of the week?

[Brandon]

The UK should first adopted metric system when it had just been invented in France, namely in early 19th century.

Why would they use the measurement system of their then-current enemy?

The US was allied with France during that time, though. We could easily have switched.

We had a chance but for the loss of the ship ferrying the metric measures here from France.

[Brandon]

ARGUMENTS

Monday is better because it is the first day of working week. US's metrication would unite the world. It's very very very very disgusting that US does not use metric, at least very much.

Why should we give two shits if it disgusts someone else?  I wouldn't give a crap if Finland used Finnish measures based off cubits, buckets, and whatever temperature scale they chose.  It's not my concern, and making all units of measure the same won't unite anyone.  There have been plenty of wars between countries that both use SI.

Sunday works just fine as the beginning of the week.  Honestly, the first day of the week is fairly arbitrary and shouldn't be a bother to anyone, one way or another.  For shits and giggles, let's make Thursday the first day of the week to demonstrate how arbitrary it is.

Most languages use DMY when spoken. In Finnish, it's "kahdestoista helmikuuta", 12.2., 12 February. Tomorrow's date will spell my favorite 132, and 13/2 is possible only in DMY because there cannot be month 13.

But we speak English, not Finnish.  We say "February 12" or "February 12th" in North America.

But I would like to use a duodecimal numeral system. Mayde someday extra fingers and toes are common.

But you have 4 fingers and 1 thumb on each hand.  Use your 4 fingers.

[Big John]

Wait, why are we changing the days of the week?

French Republican calendar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Republican_calendar

[Max Rockatansky]

I would rather create an injunction prohibiting Poiponen13 from posting in this thread while keeping this thread open and separate. This thread does have some legitimate posts.

I don't feel like the topic of metrication has gone to DST-style bicker yet.

At this point I'd say it is time to put this freak sardine salad of a thread out of it's misery.

[kkt]

I have almost never seen fractions used with metric units. Which is the reason for that?

You're the one demanding the US adopt metric units, so why don't you tell us what the reason is?

Reason for US's total metrication:


The US is a superpower country that does not use metric units, at least very much. The US is the world's largest economy, but still uses units like mile, foot, ounce, pound, gallon and Fahrenheit. Why this superpower cannot use metric? Other countries use metric, at least nearly all of them. For example, Australia used to be like US, but it completely metricated in the 1970s. Can US do it too? The US should use the system that everyone else uses, and is more logical than imperial / US customary system. The US should also switch to DMY date format and Monday as the first day of week in calendars because most other countries uses them.

You continue to confuse Imperial with the U.S. customary system.  They are not the same, the difference in volume especially is significant.

[kphoger]

Wait, why are we changing the days of the week?

Because he thinks this is needed.  Nuff said, apparently.

[SectorZ]

What day the week starts on a calendar is completely irrelevant to the operation of society, especially when employers pick 3 different ranges for a week (Walmart, at least when I was there, went Saturday to Friday).

[kphoger]

What day the week starts on a calendar is completely irrelevant to the operation of society, especially when employers pick 3 different ranges for a week (Walmart, at least when I was there, went Saturday to Friday).

The company I work for has a pay-week of Friday–Thursday, but office staff works Monday–Friday.  In certain business aspects, Cox Communications, for whom we do our bread-and-butter contract work, also uses a Friday–Thursday week.

And yet—somehow!—I still manage to make deadlines that I pencil in on a Sunday–Saturday desk calendar, I still manage to calculate my hours on a Sunday–Saturday workforce management program, et cetera.

[mgk920]

I have almost never seen fractions used with metric units. Which is the reason for that?

You're the one demanding the US adopt metric units, so why don't you tell us what the reason is?

non-response deleted

No, what I meant is, you're the one telling us the US should adopt metric, so you tell us why metric doesn't use fractions. As the proponent of the system, the burden falls on you to explain such things.

For one thing, in the places where metric is the rule, you don't have to torture grade schoolkids with having to learn how to work with fractions.  We eliminated one reason for that when the stock markets were converted to even dollars and cents in share pricing a couple of decades ago.  that alone cuts about 1.5 years off of having to teach them math.  in such places, 'fractions' are generally not encountered until second term algebra.

Mike

[kkt]

Wow.  We got fractions starting with 4th grade.  And they're not just for measurements or money.

[Rothman]

I have almost never seen fractions used with metric units. Which is the reason for that?

You're the one demanding the US adopt metric units, so why don't you tell us what the reason is?

non-response deleted

No, what I meant is, you're the one telling us the US should adopt metric, so you tell us why metric doesn't use fractions. As the proponent of the system, the burden falls on you to explain such things.

For one thing, in the places where metric is the rule, you don't have to torture grade schoolkids with having to learn how to work with fractions.  We eliminated one reason for that when the stock markets were converted to even dollars and cents in share pricing a couple of decades ago.  that alone cuts about 1.5 years off of having to teach them math.  in such places, 'fractions' are generally not encountered until second term algebra.

Mike

This is tortured logic, given the infinite uses for fractions out there.

[kphoger]

For one thing, in the places where metric is the rule ... 'fractions' are generally not encountered until second term algebra.

Good God, I'm glad our education system isn't as terrible as that!  Those poor students!

... or is there a difference between fractions and 'fractions' . . . ?

[kkt]

Some units geeks might enjoy this XKCD cartoon:

[Scott5114]

Are fractions usually used in metric units? And are there any formal plans to metricate US's road signs entirely?

Interstate 19 is fully metric. None of the others are.

The 2003 MUTCD had a metric version, but as far as I know nobody ever seriously used it, and the 2009 and 11e MUTCDs don't have any metricated signage.

[Brandon]

Are fractions usually used in metric units? And are there any formal plans to metricate US's road signs entirely?

Interstate 19 is fully metric. None of the others are.

Distances, yes.  Speed limits, no.  I-19 uses US customary speed limits.

[Poiponen13]

Are fractions usually used in metric units? And are there any formal plans to metricate US's road signs entirely?

Interstate 19 is fully metric. None of the others are.

Distances, yes.  Speed limits, no.  I-19 uses US customary speed limits.

I think 100% of US roads should have metric distances and speed limits. I hope that this is true in 2044.

[GaryV]

Are fractions usually used in metric units? And are there any formal plans to metricate US's road signs entirely?

Interstate 19 is fully metric. None of the others are.

Distances, yes.  Speed limits, no.  I-19 uses US customary speed limits.

I think 100% of US roads should have metric distances and speed limits. I hope that this is true in 2044.

Post #42345 in this thread: "Nope, still not metric."

[Poiponen13]

Are fractions usually used in metric units? And are there any formal plans to metricate US's road signs entirely?

Interstate 19 is fully metric. None of the others are.

Distances, yes.  Speed limits, no.  I-19 uses US customary speed limits.

I think 100% of US roads should have metric distances and speed limits. I hope that this is true in 2044.

Post #42345 in this thread: "Nope, still not metric."

When will they be fully metric?