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View Poll Results: Do you think that the USA will ever convert to the metric system?
Yes, by next couple of years 6 10.53%
Yes, but after 10 or more years 6 10.53%
Nah, we always stay with imperial system 31 54.39%
Nah not 100% metric, but including both units on everything 14 24.56%
Voters: 57. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 10-29-2008, 03:18 PM
 
11,289 posts, read 26,057,256 times
Reputation: 11353

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Banx View Post
IMO farenheit temperature is wayyy better than celsius. Celsius is too broad when covering temperatures, where as with the farenhait system, you can pinpoint the exact type of temperature you can expect to feel outside. Think about it, Celsius in all four seasons will only cover a spectrum of maybe 0-28 degrees, where as farenheit would cover 0-100, much better and more exact IMO.

Hmm, actually what we think of as 0 degrees to 100 degrees F would be between -18 and 38 degrees.

I'm sure people will say "well it's easier to remember 0 and 100 for those extreme temps than -18 and 38". Well yeah, except our 0 and 100 are fairly arbitrary numbers when you think about it. What's so special about 0 degrees compared to how -10 or 10 degrees feels. Or 2 degrees or 58 or 17 or -4. It's just a reference point.

I think one of the main "points" that people recognize is when the temp falls below freezing. Freezing rain, snow, regular rain, ice, plants die. It's a point that has more meaning than say 42 degrees F, or 8 degrees C, or 26 degrees F.

In that sense, I think Celcius makes much more sense. The freezing point is 0. Can't be any easier than that. Farenheit has the magical and all powerfull number of.........32

Using metrics they measured everything out, found valid reference points (freezing and boiling), and then labeled everything else with those as the key numbers - since they're the key temperatures.

Using Farenheit, they drew out the measurements and labels, then actually applied them to what they were measuring. Hence we have freezing and boiling that fell on the random numbers of 32 and 212.

A mile is 5,280 feet, a foot is 12 inches, a cup is 8 ounces, a pound is 16 ounces....it's all numbers we're forced to memorize because they have no other meaning. To outsiders I can see why this would seem very bizarre instead of just setting up a standard system you can figure out in minutes as opposed to dozens of random numbers you make 8-10 year olds memorize so they know what's going on as adults.

 
Old 10-29-2008, 04:09 PM
 
Location: Surprise, AZ
8,521 posts, read 10,036,129 times
Reputation: 7856
In Tucson, I-19 (from Tucson to Mexico) still uses the metric system for signs, distance (signed distances are given in meters and kilometers). The signs were put there back in the 70's as part of a pilot program to turn the Interstate system to the metric system (or the metric system push), which never occured.

Supposedly, all of the signs will be converted back as each one needs to be replaced (this had been planned following the recent I-19 reconstruction project that has already been completed).





http://www.interstate-guide.com/images001/i-019_nt_04.jpg (broken link)

Replacements:

http://www.interstate-guide.com/images001/i-019_nt_03.jpg (broken link)

http://www.interstate-guide.com/images001/i-019_nt_02.jpg (broken link)



 
Old 10-29-2008, 04:14 PM
 
Location: still in exile......
29,890 posts, read 9,924,138 times
Reputation: 5904
Welcome back Mattias/NorthNJ......or whateva the hell you want to be called
 
Old 10-29-2008, 04:17 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
132 posts, read 595,220 times
Reputation: 138
UNBELIEVABLE, still the only one still Schlepping along with the midevil system.
Shame on U.S!!!
 
Old 10-29-2008, 04:42 PM
 
668 posts, read 2,349,379 times
Reputation: 235
well for whatever it's worth, I like it, it makes the US more unique, I like that for some reason, don't know why.... if anything though, just use both i guess.

I don't see why there's so much pressure to have the US adapt to the way other people do things, it's our own country, were accustomed to our own way of doing things, and they've been working so far so why not just keep that way?
 
Old 10-29-2008, 04:57 PM
Status: "Here comes allergy season " (set 7 days ago)
 
Location: Planet Earth
8,771 posts, read 10,172,799 times
Reputation: 6779
Quote:
Originally Posted by Banx View Post
well for whatever it's worth, I like it, it makes the US more unique, I like that for some reason, don't know why.... if anything though, just use both i guess.

I don't see why there's so much pressure to have the US adapt to the way other people do things, it's our own country, were accustomed to our own way of doing things, and they've been working so far so why not just keep that way?
absoulutely!! Since our system works for most of us, why bother fixing it?
 
Old 10-29-2008, 05:19 PM
 
Location: Hagerstown MD
225 posts, read 1,072,372 times
Reputation: 189
Personally I think we should change over to the metric system. By doing that will not take away our "individualism", we have plenty of other things that makes America very unique. But we are a world power and in many aspects we have International dealings whether it be through simple travelers to government to foreign policies to science and business. If we were some isolated "in the boondocks" country then there would be no real reason for change but we aren't.

Our medical and science fields already use the metric system. It seems strange to have part of us using it and the other parts not. And all it would be is a matter of adjustment: eventually we will know that a cold day is whatever in Celcius, a certain distance is in km, a certain weight is in grams, and so on. Just as one poster pointed out we grew up knowing that this is that temperature, this speed is how ever many mph, this distance is this long, and so on.

Now imagine if you travel to some other nation, if you are already familiar with the metric measurements then there is no need to try to figure out the conversion. You would know how the weather is temperature wise, what that certain amount of distance km really means, if that package of however many gm is worth the price. Sure many don't travel outside the USA but many do or have dealings with other people out of this country who do use the metric system. Switching over just makes things easier but in no way does it take away from us being Americans or a unique country. This is one change that doesn't hurt us in any way. And for any who say changing over is cost prohibitive, well think of all the other useless or crazy things our government has spent money on. How about trillions of dollars for this current war? I am not posting this to be bashed or name-called or for insults, just expressing my views on it. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal to be getting all upset over and in many ways this one thing does seem to make sense.
 
Old 10-29-2008, 05:33 PM
 
Location: North Jersey, NJ
142 posts, read 210,682 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wandering_Spirit View Post
Personally I think we should change over to the metric system. By doing that will not take away our "individualism", we have plenty of other things that makes America very unique. But we are a world power and in many aspects we have International dealings whether it be through simple travelers to government to foreign policies to science and business. If we were some isolated "in the boondocks" country then there would be no real reason for change but we aren't.

Our medical and science fields already use the metric system. It seems strange to have part of us using it and the other parts not. And all it would be is a matter of adjustment: eventually we will know that a cold day is whatever in Celcius, a certain distance is in km, a certain weight is in grams, and so on. Just as one poster pointed out we grew up knowing that this is that temperature, this speed is how ever many mph, this distance is this long, and so on.

Now imagine if you travel to some other nation, if you are already familiar with the metric measurements then there is no need to try to figure out the conversion. You would know how the weather is temperature wise, what that certain amount of distance km really means, if that package of however many gm is worth the price. Sure many don't travel outside the USA but many do or have dealings with other people out of this country who do use the metric system. Switching over just makes things easier but in no way does it take away from us being Americans or a unique country. This is one change that doesn't hurt us in any way. And for any who say changing over is cost prohibitive, well think of all the other useless or crazy things our government has spent money on. How about trillions of dollars for this current war? I am not posting this to be bashed or name-called or for insults, just expressing my views on it. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal to be getting all upset over and in many ways this one thing does seem to make sense.

Very very very good post!
 
Old 10-29-2008, 05:35 PM
 
Location: North Jersey, NJ
142 posts, read 210,682 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canes2006Champs View Post
absoulutely!! Since our system works for most of us, why bother fixing it?
Because 99% of the world use metric system, while 1% use imperial/US system whatever cr*p it is called. Our medical and scientist use metric system too.
 
Old 10-29-2008, 05:36 PM
 
Location: North Jersey, NJ
142 posts, read 210,682 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZLiam View Post
In Tucson, I-19 (from Tucson to Mexico) still uses the metric system for signs, distance (signed distances are given in meters and kilometers). The signs were put there back in the 70's as part of a pilot program to turn the Interstate system to the metric system (or the metric system push), which never occured.

Supposedly, all of the signs will be converted back as each one needs to be replaced (this had been planned following the recent I-19 reconstruction project that has already been completed).







Replacements:







I wish we metric signs in the whole U.S. country
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