Author
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Topic: Countries who have NOT adopted the Metric System
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quelar
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2739
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posted 18 July 2007 11:14 AM
This is old, probably not 'news' but really helps to illustrate what we're dealing with when it comes to our neighbours. ETA : Sorry if there's scroll for anyone, who knows how to resize the pic? [ 18 July 2007: Message edited by: quelar ]
From: In Dig Nation | Registered: Jun 2002
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Tommy_Paine
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 214
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posted 18 July 2007 12:08 PM
The metric system is easier. I dispute Canada being a member of the metric system nations. In fact, Canada may be the most backward of all nations, being that when I go to the supermarket or anywhere else, I see things measured in both systems. I can by meat by the lb. or the kilo. Nice way to make price comparisson more difficult. And the mathematical convenience of the metric system in Canada is often not what it could be because quantities are as often as not in odd mumbers. Case in point, I just went into the pantry and a bottle of Sunflower oil said it contained 946ml. Like another 54 ml would have killed them to round it to a litre. Sure, I know that math isn't that hard. But are you likely to do that on every item you buy at the grocery store? When I was young, they brought in the metric system and everyone touted it as the greatest thing since sliced bread. We'd be the last generation to have to learn to add, subtract multiply and divide fractions, etc. Teachers boasted that they could save hours and hours of instruction time by moving to the metric system.
My daughter's boyfriend just completed his high school exam for math, a subject that gave him the most trouble. And you know what he had most difficulty with? Addition, subtraction, and multiplying and dividing fractions. What a country.
From: The Alley, Behind Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: Apr 2001
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Moshe Feinstein
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 14325
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posted 18 July 2007 12:25 PM
quote: Originally posted by Tommy_Paine: when I go to the supermarket or anywhere else, I see things measured in both systems.
Not on the highway signs. or in car showrooms. or at the CN Tower. or the gas station. or weather reports. or the Winter Olympics. or canned food/beverages About the only place in Canada where measurements are in BIG IMPERIAL is fresh produce (and little itty bitty Metric numbers underneath), and McDonald's (with the Quarter Pounder, except in France where it's the Mac Royale cause they don't know what the fuck a quarter pound is - Pulp Fiction). ETA - waist sizes for pants are still Imperial [ 18 July 2007: Message edited by: Moshe Feinstein ]
From: Manitoba | Registered: Jul 2007
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arborman
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4372
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posted 18 July 2007 12:46 PM
Height and weight are usually in pounds - I don't know how many centimetres tall I am, and I find it a bit wierd to say I weight 110 Kilos.I got to live right on the fault line between two measurement systems when I worked as a third-party observer on a factory ship that was buying nets full of fish from Canadian fishers. The Poles wanted all measurements in kilos, the fishers in pounds or tonnes. I used geometry to estimate weight in kilos, converted to tonnes (lbs), and then was roundly condemned by both sides for being hideously biased. The Poles 'Ten thousand Kilos!?? Cholera!! (Polish for $*#&%*@! Canadian stooge!" The Canucks "22,205 pounds?!! Are they feeding you too much vodka? **$%(#*@)#@&!!!" What a treat it was. But there were excellent sunsets, and the pay was good. Not so the food.
From: I'm a solipsist - isn't everyone? | Registered: Aug 2003
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Dead_Letter
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12708
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posted 18 July 2007 12:47 PM
quote: Originally posted by Michelle: Is there an actual problem with the system, other than that it is not the norm?[ 18 July 2007: Message edited by: Michelle ]
That IS the problem with the system, Michelle. But it's more a problem for Americans. From what I understand, their insistence on using the Imperial system troubles many of their exports, making them uncompetitive compared with products that actually DO work under metric.
From: Vancouver | Registered: Jun 2006
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Adam T
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4631
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posted 18 July 2007 09:55 PM
U.S scientists use the metric systemBut, U.S engineers don't. Apparently this was the problem that caused one of those billion dollar Mars space probes to disappear. At least that's the excuse they gave us when they knew damn well that the Martians had shot it down.
From: Richmond B.C | Registered: Nov 2003
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Jingles
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3322
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posted 19 July 2007 04:08 PM
The fact that Americans refuse to join the world is such an obvious indicator of their isolation than anything else. They stick with their archaic, stupid system precisely because the rest of the world rejected it. Their Amerosupremecy cannot allow them to change. To change to the metric system would mean the terrorists won. Since America is the greatest country on the face of the earth, it stands to reason that their system of weights and measures is likewise the greatest. Therefore, it is incumbent on the rest of the world to change to their system. I have, however, thought of a way to convert Americans to the metric system painlessly and, more importantly, easy for their, ahem, diminished capacity to understand: I propose to teach them the "football field". Since their inferior football field is 100 yards long, their ability to understand base 10 calculations is already well developed. For example, instead of saying "It's ten kilometers to the gas station", say "It's one hundred football fields to the gas station". They can also use this measurement for temperature. Instead of "water boils at 100 degrees celsius", say "water boils at touchdown". Badda boom, badda bing, Americans are using metric (although they don't even realize it).
From: At the Delta of the Alpha and the Omega | Registered: Nov 2002
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TemporalHominid
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6535
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posted 19 July 2007 07:32 PM
quote: Originally posted by Jingles: To change to the metric system would mean the terrorists won. .
I think that is a great punchline.oh, you were serious ... This idea the US has rejected metric is largely a myth. Actually, in some disciplines, the metric system has been used in the United States since the early 1800s. Anglophones who study French and Spanish immersion in the US, also study metric. A lot of Hispanic people are like Canucks in that they can interchange between Imperial and metric when doing business etc. The U.S. military uses metric measurements extensively to ensure interoperability with allied forces. I really liked the Original Star Trek. Roddenberry was ahead of his time using metric on a National TV show in some episodes, then exclusively in Next Gen.
In a Futurama episode, a lunar farmer informs Fry, of the temperature drop during a lunar night: quote: Farmer: "Drops down to minus 173." Fry: "Fahrenheit or Celsius?" Farmer: "First one, then the other."
Futurama, the Series has Landed[ 19 July 2007: Message edited by: TemporalHominid ]
From: Under a bridge, in Foot Muck | Registered: Jul 2004
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TemporalHominid
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6535
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posted 19 July 2007 07:39 PM
quote: Originally posted by munroe: she was accused of participating in a communist plot (probably a muslim plot these days)!
I wonder
What are the Reds and the Muslims growing in these plots these days? Also, I wonder, is it still subsistence farming? Are communists resistant to growing crops in straight rows in their plots because the lines resemble the stripes of the American flag and the stripes on Jesus' back when he was whipped? [ 19 July 2007: Message edited by: TemporalHominid ]
From: Under a bridge, in Foot Muck | Registered: Jul 2004
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West Coast Greeny
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6874
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posted 19 July 2007 08:24 PM
quote: Originally posted by Jingles: The fact that Americans refuse to join the world is such an obvious indicator of their isolation than anything else. They stick with their archaic, stupid system precisely because the rest of the world rejected it. Their Amerosupremecy cannot allow them to change. To change to the metric system would mean the terrorists won. Since America is the greatest country on the face of the earth, it stands to reason that their system of weights and measures is likewise the greatest. Therefore, it is incumbent on the rest of the world to change to their system. I have, however, thought of a way to convert Americans to the metric system painlessly and, more importantly, easy for their, ahem, diminished capacity to understand: I propose to teach them the "football field". Since their inferior football field is 100 yards long, their ability to understand base 10 calculations is already well developed. For example, instead of saying "It's ten kilometers to the gas station", say "It's one hundred football fields to the gas station". They can also use this measurement for temperature. Instead of "water boils at 100 degrees celsius", say "water boils at touchdown". Badda boom, badda bing, Americans are using metric (although they don't even realize it).
10 yards in a first down, 10 first downs in a touchdown. It could work, although we would have to get them to shorten thier football fields (or is it lengthen) a smidgen. Nobody will notice. It could work, so long as the CFL doesn't make another foray into the United States. Like matter meeting antimatter, both will be obliterated.
From: Ewe of eh. | Registered: Sep 2004
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West Coast Greeny
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6874
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posted 19 July 2007 08:28 PM
quote: Originally posted by scooter: The United Kingdom should be coloured red.
Oh, lord. I think they were worse at one point. Forget the fact they invented alot of the damned system, they tried using other whacky units too. Fathoms? Stones and Pounds? Shillings? Pences and the other Pounds? Even the US didn't screw around with their currency like that. Thank god for the French for straightening them out.
[ 19 July 2007: Message edited by: West Coast Greeny ]
From: Ewe of eh. | Registered: Sep 2004
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