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You can keep it, along with nationalized health care.
lol, okay... Are you getting me confused with the pro-metric crowd?
Europe is probably different because most of their nations probably have been using metric for 100 plus years. I think it was invented in France in the late 19th century.
Canada only switched to it in the mid 1970's. Before that mostly scientists and doctors used metric.
Here is what we're accustomed to seeing in metric; food and drink quantities (bought in a store, not restaurant), posted speed limits, distances and most weather forecasts. (some have a combination Celcius and Fahrenheit)
In Canadian restaurants, steaks and mixed alcoholic beverages are still sold by the ounce.
If I was asked how many grams or kilograms of steak I'd want I'd have to pull out my scientific calculator.
I can only think of automobile engines in metric terms (i.e. 2.4L, 3.5L, 4.6L engines). I was born after the US moved to metrics in this.
For scientific/educational purposes, I have used metrics. If you ask me my height or weight, don't expect a metric measurement though.
Still: it's much more satisfying to drive a MILE or drink a QUART.
Surprise, surprise, I feel about the same way and I'm not American.
My dad taught me how to measure most things with the old system when by the time I was 5, and I started learning metric when I was in 2nd Grade, about 2-3 years later.
I think the Julian calendar is superior and the Lsd. system is a better system to count money. We lost 11 days of life switching calendars. I don't feel good using a papist calendar. I always ask if its an Old Style (O.S.) date.
Lsd. is simple. See it is very easy: 1 pound = 20 shillings; 1 shilling = 12 pense so that 1 pound = 240 pense. Its far superior to dollars and cents. Decimalized currency is too hard to use and too impractical.
But as a Holubian, we use the Julian Calendar, Lsd., and the metric (S.I.) system. Metric is far superior than English (U.S)/Imperial (Canada and the commonwealth) and much easier. I don't want to deal with every single country's or region's measurement system if there was no metric. Its hard to convert from the Texas inch to the Illinois inch. BTW how many Illinois miles is in a Texas mile?
Teaching both systems is a start, but our education system already behind the the rest of the world, particularly in math and science. Why continue to waste time teaching two systems, when we could teach just one simple system? In the metric system, water boils at 100 degrees Celsius, freezes at 0 degrees. Everything is in base ten, which simplifies measurements and allows you to do more in your head. The English Unit system is very confusing. Water boils at 212 degrees, there are 5280 feet in a mile, two barrels in a hogs head... it's ridiculous.
But why not just teach one system, S.I.? Forget the U.S. system. In fact liquids measured in ounces are listed as U.S. fluid ounces so as not to confuse the British with their Imperial ounce. Did you know that the law defines the U.S. system by S.I. units? Legally 1 mile is 1.6 km. And in a 1959 treaty, the inch was standardized into 2.54 cm.
DYK there were originally 5000 feet (or 7.57 furlongs) in a mile until Queen Elizabeth I changed it to 5280 feet so it will be exactly 8 furlongs. That could be one of the stupidest decisions in history. BTW do even know what a furlong is or even use it? A furlong is meausre of distance 40 rods (220 yd or 660 ft) long. A rod is 5 1/2 yd or 16 1/2 ft long.
Last edited by KerrTown; 04-29-2007 at 12:59 PM..
Reason: rod
Surprise, surprise, I feel about the same way and I'm not American.
My dad taught me how to measure most things with the old system when by the time I was 5, and I started learning metric when I was in 2nd Grade, about 2-3 years later.
I thought the Canadians had been using metrics since forever!
Way back in kindergarten some 30+ years ago they were saying we were al gonna go metric. Metric was the wave of the future! It never happened. I just think if it aint broke, why fix it?
Way back in kindergarten some 30+ years ago they were saying we were al gonna go metric. Metric was the wave of the future!
It never happened. I just think if it aint broke, why fix it?
Wave of the future? lol... I don't think it has improved our quality of life in Canada.
Exactly. Canada currently being metric doesn't bother me, as I learned how to convert in both systems. But switching systems is too expensive and a waste of money. Plus it's annoying to fix something that works.
I wouldn't want Canada to switch back because of the costs too.
I thought the Canadians had been using metrics since forever!
Canadian cars weren't made with metric speedos until the late 1970's.
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