Fri Jul 19, 2019, 04:58 PM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

When we take over all three branches can we please go metric?

I mean, really.

Vacationed in Canada this past month and there are SO many things they laugh at us about.

94 replies, 2509 views

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94 replies	Author	Time	Post
When we take over all three branches can we please go metric? (Original post)	Goodheart	Jul 2019	OP
Everywhere except sports...	Wounded Bear	Jul 2019	#1
Nine meters and a cloud of dust!	madinmaryland	Jul 2019	#41
Lol	tymorial	Jul 2019	#79
I did (as has any other medically-trained person) decades ago... I hate the "mixed" system...	hlthe2b	Jul 2019	#2
SOCIALIST!!!! (Just kidding)	Siwsan	Jul 2019	#3
Fahrenheit is a far better scale - it's calibrated to the human	Blues Heron	Jul 2019	#4
"I see", said the blind man to the deaf one.	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#5
Yeah!!! wait...what???	ret5hd	Jul 2019	#15
Yes, that's one I definately agree with (and one I continue to argue with metric advocates over).	PoliticAverse	Jul 2019	#26
Then we should convert to the Kelvin scale	Poiuyt	Jul 2019	#47
What's "human" about 0 degrees Fahrenheit?	muriel_volestrangler	Jul 2019	#69
0 is about the about the coldest weather that we generally experience	Blues Heron	Jul 2019	#74
That depends on where you live	muriel_volestrangler	Jul 2019	#80
It's a way of dividing up likely weather into 100 degrees	Blues Heron	Jul 2019	#81
Lol. You find one degree Fahrenheit is too small, so you divide it up into tens of them instead	muriel_volestrangler	Jul 2019	#85
But the COSTS!!! of converting machines, etc...	tenderfoot	Jul 2019	#6
Agreed! Gimme Sympathy!	Dennis Donovan	Jul 2019	#7
I blame the attempt at 'teaching' the metric system	Cirque du So-What	Jul 2019	#8
I think that's a good point.	Captain Stern	Jul 2019	#72
I think we should. It would give the Trumpers something else to do besides hatting others.	icymist	Jul 2019	#9
Here's the deal, though.... within a short time we can forget the conversions.	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#10
Yep	gratuitous	Jul 2019	#13
I wish.	Snackshack	Jul 2019	#11
Yuck, no!!!!!!!!	TruckFump	Jul 2019	#12
This message was self-deleted by its author	Akacia	Jul 2019	#20
um....believe it or not, old dogs CAN learn new tricks	Skittles	Jul 2019	#29
really is not that important to me one way or the other but...	Akacia	Jul 2019	#32
it IS important	Skittles	Jul 2019	#35
Well it does seem to be important to you.	Akacia	Jul 2019	#43
I graduated HS in 66, we were talking about	doc03	Jul 2019	#14
The conversions are unnecessary.	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#16
When you are taught gallons, pounds	doc03	Jul 2019	#18
That need to think in gallons obviously disappeared pretty quickly for Canadians.	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#21
They didn't always use the metric system?	doc03	Jul 2019	#22
Used the same system as ours until the early 70's.	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#23
I guess we is dum. nt	doc03	Jul 2019	#38
Air Canada Flight 143 shows it wasn't always smooth. Nt	NutmegYankee	Jul 2019	#46
Not going to happen anytime soon. Sorry.	Tommy_Carcetti	Jul 2019	#17
How is that more challenging than figuring out the difference between 59 and 68 Fahrenheit?	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#19
Fahrenheit is a much more human scale with wider variables	Tommy_Carcetti	Jul 2019	#30
That's purely what you personally are used to	muriel_volestrangler	Jul 2019	#70
The internet will do that for you. Easy conversion.	cwydro	Jul 2019	#25
LOL	Skittles	Jul 2019	#36
Nothing against a gradual transition but we'll have enough on our plate...	brush	Jul 2019	#24
sure would simplify things	gopiscrap	Jul 2019	#27
America tried (back in 1975, I think I still have pamphlets somewhere)...	PoliticAverse	Jul 2019	#28
Screw that. Go back to Roman Numerals.	TheCowsCameHome	Jul 2019	#31
This is where we Baby Boomers messed up	FakeNoose	Jul 2019	#33
we can't possilby change?	Skittles	Jul 2019	#37
lighten up! nt	USALiberal	Jul 2019	#40
sorry, it drives me nuts	Skittles	Jul 2019	#44
Probably none posting on this place today will see the Metric system become our standard	AncientGeezer	Jul 2019	#34
Yes we do use metric measurements sometimes	FakeNoose	Jul 2019	#48
I'll be honest...I don't care if we go metric or not.	elocs	Jul 2019	#39
it makes us look idiotic	Skittles	Jul 2019	#45
Why....conversions are easy.	AncientGeezer	Jul 2019	#64
conversions are easy	Skittles	Jul 2019	#65
Ain't happening....but I did find out I weigh 12 stone	AncientGeezer	Jul 2019	#67
I was a teenager when the money changed in England	Skittles	Jul 2019	#71
So I'm going to have to convert hands to cubits, cubits to yards, and now yards to	ProudLib72	Jul 2019	#42
Gov't wanted to go metric back in the 60s.	keithbvadu2	Jul 2019	#49
What is a mile? There are different types of miles.	keithbvadu2	Jul 2019	#50
Trump wouldn't be able to wrap his head around	Ilsa	Jul 2019	#51
I am in canada and i still know height and distance in feet, inches and	applegrove	Jul 2019	#52
I have trolled a few Deplorables in my day	TheRealNorth	Jul 2019	#53
World map of Fahrenheit vs. Celsius	Tanuki	Jul 2019	#54
I grew up in Canada and the US	stevil	Jul 2019	#55
This little ditty helped me out...	mitch96	Jul 2019	#87
I get Boeing prints all the time in metric.	House of Roberts	Jul 2019	#56
Whenever I see someone's height in centimeters and weight in kilograms...	LAS14	Jul 2019	#57
I'm not entirely convinced that it's a left-right issue	Polybius	Jul 2019	#58
Tell Republicans it will make their dicks 2.54x longer	jberryhill	Jul 2019	#59
I remember the liquor industry converted to metric	lordsummerisle	Jul 2019	#60
Get insecure trump to buy into metric system by using terms like 6 centimeters.	Hoyt	Jul 2019	#61
Let's join the world.	saidsimplesimon	Jul 2019	#62
But that Celsius thermometer is a bunch of godless bullshit...	Blue_Tires	Jul 2019	#63
I'm 500 kilometers away from home	tirebiter	Jul 2019	#66
LOL	Blues Heron	Jul 2019	#77
Much of the land in the US settled after the days of the 13 colonies is surveyed in mile grids.	royable	Jul 2019	#68
OK	Mc Mike	Jul 2019	#73
Yes. There should be 100 minutes to the hour, 1000 days in a year.	JustABozoOnThisBus	Jul 2019	#75
Sometimes measuring by fractions makes more sense than decimals	Blues Heron	Jul 2019	#76
?????? Sorry, that makes no sense.	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#78
some things are better as fractions rather than decimals	Blues Heron	Jul 2019	#88
Sure... when you want to slice a piece of pie...	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#90
lets do the fractions in decimal	Blues Heron	Jul 2019	#91
In terms of priorities, I would put this as close to the bottom as I could.	onenote	Jul 2019	#82
A slap in the face? Overly dramatic, are we?	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#83
Overly dramatic? Not at all.	onenote	Jul 2019	#84
Who said it would be "a priority"?	Goodheart	Jul 2019	#86
No.	MicaelS	Jul 2019	#89
Doubt it would have much luck just trying to push it through as law	Sapient Donkey	Jul 2019	#92
Ummm nah	JCMach1	Jul 2019	#93
This message was self-deleted by its author	geralmar	Jul 2019	#94

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 04:59 PM

Wounded Bear (43,243 posts)

1. Everywhere except sports...

Reply to this post

Response to Wounded Bear (Reply #1)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:23 PM

madinmaryland (63,103 posts)

41. Nine meters and a cloud of dust!

Short of a first down by three millimeters!

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Response to madinmaryland (Reply #41)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:16 AM

tymorial (3,326 posts)

79. Lol

Does sound ridiculous

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:03 PM

hlthe2b (84,222 posts)

2. I did (as has any other medically-trained person) decades ago... I hate the "mixed" system...

but, I must say with cellphone conversion apps, it isn't really a problem much anymore.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:04 PM

Siwsan (18,007 posts)

3. SOCIALIST!!!! (Just kidding)

I completely agree.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:04 PM

Blues Heron (2,888 posts)

4. Fahrenheit is a far better scale - it's calibrated to the human

not the arbitrary physical properties of water. That's just random.

Reply to this post

Response to Blues Heron (Reply #4)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:05 PM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

5. "I see", said the blind man to the deaf one.

Reply to this post

Response to Blues Heron (Reply #4)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:32 PM

ret5hd (15,978 posts)

15. Yeah!!! wait...what???

Reply to this post

Response to Blues Heron (Reply #4)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:28 PM

PoliticAverse (22,626 posts)

26. Yes, that's one I definately agree with (and one I continue to argue with metric advocates over).

Reply to this post

Response to Blues Heron (Reply #4)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:43 PM

Poiuyt (15,588 posts)

47. Then we should convert to the Kelvin scale

It's based on absolute zero. Nothing arbitrary there!

I used to work as a chemist and had no trouble using Celsius.

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Response to Blues Heron (Reply #4)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 03:36 AM

muriel_volestrangler (95,373 posts)

69. What's "human" about 0 degrees Fahrenheit?

Why is water 'arbitrary' or 'random'? As precipitation in the environment, its freezing point is very important.

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Response to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #69)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 06:25 AM

Blues Heron (2,888 posts)

74. 0 is about the about the coldest weather that we generally experience

likewise 100 represents about the hottest weather we will generally experience.

It's a scale that represents the extremes we are likely to experience with regard to weather. So if it's below zero - that really is insanely cold, likewise over 100 is insanely hot. I should have said it's a weather or climate based scale.

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Response to Blues Heron (Reply #74)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:21 AM

muriel_volestrangler (95,373 posts)

80. That depends on where you live

Many places expect temperatures over 100 F every year, but never get down to 0. Some will get down to around 0 often, but never reach 100. But water freezes at 0 Celsius everywhere.

I am surprised by the number in this thread who think Celsius is "wrong" somehow, even while saying they're OK with other metric measurements. It really isn't hard to say "twenty" instead of "seventy". Very few people actually look at a physical thermometer these days; we just have a machine or a person tell us a number, and then we compare that to past numbers we've heard to think about how hot that is.

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Response to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #80)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:38 AM

Blues Heron (2,888 posts)

81. It's a way of dividing up likely weather into 100 degrees

Gives a nice level of precision, with convenient decadal comfort zones - when you hear "and temps in the seventies" you just smile. And then of course "triple digits -aaaaaghh!!" Celsius divides likely weather into far fewer degrees, so it's just plain less precise.

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Response to Blues Heron (Reply #81)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:53 AM

muriel_volestrangler (95,373 posts)

85. Lol. You find one degree Fahrenheit is too small, so you divide it up into tens of them instead

and then say how much you like counting in tens.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:07 PM

tenderfoot (5,477 posts)

6. But the COSTS!!! of converting machines, etc...

It's always the COSTS!!!! How are we going to fund it? Who's going to pay for it?

America should start referring to itself as AmeriCAN'T.

Can't afford universal health care

Can't afford free university

Can't afford a national rail system

Can't afford to keep up the infrastructure

And for such a wealthy country with all those BILLIONAIRES

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:11 PM

Dennis Donovan (18,687 posts)

7. Agreed! Gimme Sympathy!

...after all of this is gone:

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:11 PM

Cirque du So-What (17,729 posts)

8. I blame the attempt at 'teaching' the metric system

which usually amounts to little more than conversion back and forth. The best way is to actually use the metric system, as done in the scientific world.

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Response to Cirque du So-What (Reply #8)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 05:06 AM

Captain Stern (1,783 posts)

72. I think that's a good point.

I also think that if we are ever going to be serious about switching over, we need to start teaching kids the metric system first. Not teach them the English system, and then how to convert to metric.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:12 PM

icymist (14,756 posts)

9. I think we should. It would give the Trumpers something else to do besides hatting others.

Just imagine the fun they could have trying to figure out conversions with temperature, gasoline efficiency, and, most of all, the length of a football field or NASCAR track!

Reply to this post

Response to icymist (Reply #9)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:14 PM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

10. Here's the deal, though.... within a short time we can forget the conversions.

I buy a liter of Coke. I don't really care how many quarts that converts to.

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #10)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:27 PM

gratuitous (73,092 posts)

13. Yep

I drive to the state capital, it's 50 miles more or less, which is 80 kilometers, more or less. I don't have any real concept of what 50 miles is, nor, I suspect, do most people. Within six months, I'd have made the mental conversion to 80 kilometers and forget about 50 miles altogether.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:18 PM

Snackshack (1,330 posts)

11. I wish.

It would be nice if we did. Addition/ Division/ Subtraction/ Multiplication by 10’s is soooo much easier/quicker. We could have gone with that system originally but that would have been too Englishy... 🙂

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:20 PM

TruckFump (3,950 posts)

12. Yuck, no!!!!!!!!

This is the DU member formerly known as TruckFump.

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Response to TruckFump (Reply #12)

Akacia This message was self-deleted by its author.

Response to Akacia (Reply #20)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:31 PM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

29. um....believe it or not, old dogs CAN learn new tricks

it's not just about what YOU like, this is something America should have done a long time ago

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Response to Skittles (Reply #29)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 07:08 PM

Akacia (458 posts)

32. really is not that important to me one way or the other but...

like I stated there seem to be more important things to worry about than that. Also a little taken aback by the way YOU decided to respond .

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Response to Akacia (Reply #32)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:08 PM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

35. it IS important

sorry, I find it ridiculous for people to be saying IT'S JUST TOO HARD...there's ALWAYS "other things" going on

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Response to Skittles (Reply #35)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:32 PM

Akacia (458 posts)

43. Well it does seem to be important to you.

No skin off my back either way have a good day.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:30 PM

doc03 (27,164 posts)

14. I graduated HS in 66, we were talking about

converting to metric even before that. It just don't catch on after all these years I have to convert a cm to inches, a liter to a quart and kg to pounds in my head to understand.

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Response to doc03 (Reply #14)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:35 PM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

16. The conversions are unnecessary.

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #16)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:44 PM

doc03 (27,164 posts)

18. When you are taught gallons, pounds

and miles. If someone says something holds 20 liters I automatically think how many gallons is that.

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Response to doc03 (Reply #18)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:52 PM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

21. That need to think in gallons obviously disappeared pretty quickly for Canadians.

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #21)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:04 PM

doc03 (27,164 posts)

22. They didn't always use the metric system?

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Response to doc03 (Reply #22)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:10 PM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

23. Used the same system as ours until the early 70's.

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #23)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:10 PM

doc03 (27,164 posts)

38. I guess we is dum. nt

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Reply #23)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:37 PM

NutmegYankee (14,728 posts)

46. Air Canada Flight 143 shows it wasn't always smooth. Nt

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:40 PM

Tommy_Carcetti (39,638 posts)

17. Not going to happen anytime soon. Sorry.

To much inertia and logistics involved. We are pretty much set in our ways and we aren’t going to be changing for anyone.

Besides, while certain parts of the metric system make a lot of sense, other parts don’t.

For example, temperature. I was in Europe recently and trying to figure the difference between 15 and 20 degrees was surprisingly challenging.

This is the DU member formerly known as Tommy_Carcetti.

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Response to Tommy_Carcetti (Reply #17)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 05:49 PM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

19. How is that more challenging than figuring out the difference between 59 and 68 Fahrenheit?

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #19)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:33 PM

Tommy_Carcetti (39,638 posts)

30. Fahrenheit is a much more human scale with wider variables

I’m fine on changing on metric distance but Celsius temperature just sucks. Sorry.

This is the DU member formerly known as Tommy_Carcetti.

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Response to Tommy_Carcetti (Reply #30)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 04:10 AM

muriel_volestrangler (95,373 posts)

70. That's purely what you personally are used to

There's nothing "human" about a degree Fahrenheit. You can't measure it as a difference with your body. 0 degrees Fahrenheit is not a meaningful temperature (most humans won't encounter it in nature in their entire lives, just in a freezer).

Reply to this post

Response to Tommy_Carcetti (Reply #17)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:14 PM

cwydro (42,194 posts)

25. The internet will do that for you. Easy conversion.

I was in Europe in the spring, and I really didn’t find temperature to be that challenging at all.

After a week, I found myself knowing what 10, 11, or whatever was.

That being said, I see no reason for the US to have to change. We tried that years ago - it didn’t take.

This is the DU member formerly known as cwydro.

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Response to Tommy_Carcetti (Reply #17)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:09 PM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

36. LOL

I remember hearing that same shit in England in the 70's when they converted their money from base 12

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:13 PM

brush (34,062 posts)

24. Nothing against a gradual transition but we'll have enough on our plate...

to fix without adding that immediate complication.

There has to be public education (1 quart = .946 liter) in all the media and schools. Conversion was tried in the 70s but there was so much resistance it was abandoned.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:28 PM

gopiscrap (21,525 posts)

27. sure would simplify things

when I first came to the US I had to re learn all measurements

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:30 PM

PoliticAverse (22,626 posts)

28. America tried (back in 1975, I think I still have pamphlets somewhere)...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_Conversion_Act

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 06:48 PM

TheCowsCameHome (39,947 posts)

31. Screw that. Go back to Roman Numerals.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 07:44 PM

FakeNoose (17,302 posts)

33. This is where we Baby Boomers messed up

When we were young we should have screamed for the metric system. Instead we've fought it our entire lives and now we're in our 60's and 70's - we can't possibly change. It's the young ones, probably our grandchildren, who have to make the change. No group of 20-year-olds will ever have the perspective to understand this.

We get it, but it's too late for us.

Reply to this post

Response to FakeNoose (Reply #33)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:09 PM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

37. we can't possilby change?

PLEASE SPEAK FOR YOURSELF

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Response to Skittles (Reply #37)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:13 PM

USALiberal (7,265 posts)

40. lighten up! nt

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Response to USALiberal (Reply #40)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:35 PM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

44. sorry, it drives me nuts

makes America look like a bunch of nitwits, making decisions based on how old folk will adapt - it's ridiculous

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 07:46 PM

AncientGeezer (2,146 posts)

34. Probably none posting on this place today will see the Metric system become our standard

Old guys like me...a running gag is...we can have 300,000 sockets and the 1 that ALWAYS gets lost....10mm and everything is 10mm

Reply to this post

Response to AncientGeezer (Reply #34)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:07 PM

FakeNoose (17,302 posts)

48. Yes we do use metric measurements sometimes

...but it's not the system we grew up with, so most of us aren't comfortable with it.

In the kitchen I can usually guess-timate 8 ounces of water, but I could never guess 250 ml of water. Turns out, they're almost the same.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:10 PM

elocs (21,628 posts)

39. I'll be honest...I don't care if we go metric or not.

Being laughed at because we don't use the metric system ranks pretty low on things to be concerned about.

Reply to this post

Response to elocs (Reply #39)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:35 PM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

45. it makes us look idiotic

sorry, it does

Reply to this post

Response to Skittles (Reply #45)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 10:57 PM

AncientGeezer (2,146 posts)

64. Why....conversions are easy.

Do you call Brits idiotic for saying someone weighs 14 stone instead of 200lbs or 90+kg?

Reply to this post

Response to AncientGeezer (Reply #64)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 11:29 PM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

65. conversions are easy

so let's convert to Metric

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Response to Skittles (Reply #65)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 02:02 AM

AncientGeezer (2,146 posts)

67. Ain't happening....but I did find out I weigh 12 stone

Reply to this post

Response to AncientGeezer (Reply #67)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 04:32 AM

Skittles (133,786 posts)

71. I was a teenager when the money changed in England

I remember my grandma and her friends, wailing about how hard it would be, how they didn't understand, wouldn't be able to adapt - even then I knew it was utter nonsense.....they did fine.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 08:30 PM

ProudLib72 (17,984 posts)

42. So I'm going to have to convert hands to cubits, cubits to yards, and now yards to

meters?!

Crap, I just found this converter: Convert Hands to Meters http://www.kylesconverter.com/length/hands-to-meters

I don't have any excuses now.

On a more serious note, whose brilliant idea was it to come up with how we measure car tires? Tread width in millimeters, sidewall height as a fraction of tread width, and wheel diameter always in inches. I mean seriously, who the fuck came up with that idea? (Note: this is why I have stuck with 33 X 12.50 X 15 for so long.)

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:07 PM

keithbvadu2 (19,778 posts)

49. Gov't wanted to go metric back in the 60s.

Gov't wanted to go metric back in the 60s.

Great resistance.

Socialist, communist, satanic and lots of fear.... It's 'new'.

Too bad. Metric is easier and more logical.

The Army has no problem with metric.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-far-is-a-klick-in-the-military-3357005

Reply to this post

Response to keithbvadu2 (Reply #49)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:11 PM

keithbvadu2 (19,778 posts)

50. What is a mile? There are different types of miles.

Learn About Nautical Miles vs. Statute Miles

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/nautical-miles-vs-statute-miles-282937

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:13 PM

Ilsa (57,584 posts)

51. Trump wouldn't be able to wrap his head around

his girlfriends' figures of 100-65-90.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:14 PM

applegrove (99,021 posts)

52. I am in canada and i still know height and distance in feet, inches and

miles. I don't know it in metric.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:17 PM

TheRealNorth (2,980 posts)

53. I have trolled a few Deplorables in my day

When I have suggested we should adopt Arabic numerals.

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:19 PM

Tanuki (12,453 posts)

54. World map of Fahrenheit vs. Celsius

Link to tweet

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:23 PM

stevil (1,358 posts)

55. I grew up in Canada and the US

I'm bimeasurement. New word. Can't get the hang or Celcius though.

Reply to this post

Response to stevil (Reply #55)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 08:00 AM

mitch96 (7,559 posts)

87. This little ditty helped me out...

0 is freezing, 10 is not... 20 is comfortable and 30 is hot!!
Quick and dirty... 10c=50f, 22c=72f. I stink at math well and that 5/9th stuff drives me nuts
I take the c and double it, subtract the first digit and add 32.. If I need more than just an estimations

22C x2=44. 4-44=40 40+32= 72F

M

Reply to this post

Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:24 PM

House of Roberts (3,386 posts)

56. I get Boeing prints all the time in metric.

The programming for the CNC Mills is done in inch, the machines run them in inch, we have to use inch measuring tools, as we convert metric to inch to check the parts, but the quality people have to use inch measuring tools, then write the quality reports in metric to match the prints.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:24 PM

LAS14 (11,480 posts)

57. Whenever I see someone's height in centimeters and weight in kilograms...

... I am glad we didn't go metric.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:29 PM

Polybius (6,062 posts)

58. I'm not entirely convinced that it's a left-right issue

Also, some parts of Canada still don't use it.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:31 PM

jberryhill (62,444 posts)

59. Tell Republicans it will make their dicks 2.54x longer

And we’ll have metric tomorrow.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:32 PM

lordsummerisle (4,301 posts)

60. I remember the liquor industry converted to metric

practically overnight back in the '70s. Anyone remember when you could buy a fifth? Strangely enough though 1 alcoholic drink is still 1.5 ounces...

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 09:42 PM

Hoyt (47,880 posts)

61. Get insecure trump to buy into metric system by using terms like 6 centimeters.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 10:33 PM

saidsimplesimon (7,688 posts)

62. Let's join the world.

This is the DU member formerly known as saidsimplesimon.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 10:38 PM

Blue_Tires (55,416 posts)

63. But that Celsius thermometer is a bunch of godless bullshit...

The rest I guess I can sort of get used to... Although renaming everything (Indianapolis 500, anyone?) is going to be a monumental pain in the ass..

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 01:06 AM

tirebiter (1,553 posts)

66. I'm 500 kilometers away from home

Just sucks as a folksong

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Response to tirebiter (Reply #66)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 06:41 AM

Blues Heron (2,888 posts)

77. LOL

totally agree. "Gonna give you every 2.4 centimeters of mah love" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue either

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 03:19 AM

royable (652 posts)

68. Much of the land in the US settled after the days of the 13 colonies is surveyed in mile grids.

The plains are mostly surveyed in square mile grids--you can see it easily as you fly over. Many cities in the West have major streets along the boundaries of the square mile grids. Northern New England is all in square mile grids. Town and townships and counties in many places are all integer numbers of miles on a side. Western public and state-owned lands have their boundaries follow these grids, in some places creating a checkerboard of land ownership. In short, much of the country's road system, land ownership, civic and municipal boundaries, are structured on the mile. The mile may be supplanted by the kilometer but it's not going away entirely any time soon.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 05:50 AM

Mc Mike (8,965 posts)

73. OK

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 06:26 AM

JustABozoOnThisBus (20,753 posts)

75. Yes. There should be 100 minutes to the hour, 1000 days in a year.

A week should be 10 days long.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And kilometers to go before I sleep,
And kilometers to go before I sleep.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 06:36 AM

Blues Heron (2,888 posts)

76. Sometimes measuring by fractions makes more sense than decimals

You keep splitting the difference until you get the necessary precision. Decimals can be less helpful.

I think the metric system suffers from a cutesy attempt to tie everything together around water and base 10

A cubic liter of water is 1000 grams, and is 10 centimeters on a side. Wow that's really impressive.

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Response to Blues Heron (Reply #76)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:13 AM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

78. ?????? Sorry, that makes no sense.

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #78)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 08:01 AM

Blues Heron (2,888 posts)

88. some things are better as fractions rather than decimals

ie 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/16 1/32 etc can be more useful than ".064823"

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Response to Blues Heron (Reply #88)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 08:06 AM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

90. Sure... when you want to slice a piece of pie...

But certainly not on engineering or construction projects.

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #90)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 08:12 AM

Blues Heron (2,888 posts)

91. lets do the fractions in decimal

1/2 = .5 ok cool thats not too bad 5 is half of ten
1/3 = .33333333333333333333333333333 ok that's a little weird
1/4 = .25 ok cool i can handle that
1/5 = .2 right
1/6 = fuck no idea
1/7 no clue
1/8 .125 not bad
1/9 .111111111 ?? is that right?
1/10 = .1 there it is - awesome system!

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:41 AM

onenote (35,672 posts)

82. In terms of priorities, I would put this as close to the bottom as I could.

There is no public demand for it. Making it a priority would be a slap in the face of the voters.

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Response to onenote (Reply #82)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:47 AM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

83. A slap in the face? Overly dramatic, are we?

Remember when just a few years ago the stock market switched TO THE METRIC SYSTEM from a system of fourths and eighths and sixteenths?

Was that a slap in the face to investors?

Our money is already on the metric system. Length and volume measurements would be similarly easy FOR EVERYBODY and FOR ALL TIME.

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Response to Goodheart (Reply #83)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:52 AM

onenote (35,672 posts)

84. Overly dramatic? Not at all.

Trying to go metric was a bust with the public when it was tried before. There is no demand for it. And if we get control of the government we'll have a long list of very important things to do that have public support. Making a priority of something that doesn't have support would be an extraordinary stupid idea. Fortunately, the folks that will have control over the agenda know that so this is a silly discussion of something that isn't going to happen.

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Response to onenote (Reply #84)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 07:58 AM

Goodheart (3,288 posts)

86. Who said it would be "a priority"?

And it wouldn't entail that much legislation nor much social upheaval in the first place.

For example, with any new infrastructure bill clauses such as "speed limit signs on Federal highways must display speeds in both mph and kmph" could be included.

How is that difficult? Would you be slapped in the face?

Furthermore, according to your thinking we should be saddled with an inefficient system of weights and measurements for all time because you want to avoid drama.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 08:06 AM

MicaelS (8,577 posts)

89. No.

We have a lot of issues that are much more important than this. We should not waste political capital on this issue.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 09:03 AM

Sapient Donkey (1,052 posts)

92. Doubt it would have much luck just trying to push it through as law

Didn't attempts fails during the 70's? I think it would require a gradual shift in which there is a concerted to slowly implement metric into everyday life until the general public is able to use both systems second nature. At that point it would probably be much easier, but I don't think there is much of an interest for that to happen.

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

Sat Jul 20, 2019, 09:15 AM

JCMach1 (25,952 posts)

93. Ummm nah

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Response to Goodheart (Original post)

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