Shortline Bus Posted March 27, 2011 Share #1 Posted March 27, 2011 I thought I bring up this topic since at times it can be an intresting and debatable idea. Should the United States join in almost the rest of the world and go to a Metric system for all measurements including distance i.e meters and temps i.e celicus? There has been attempts in Congress over last 30-40 years to change it but it has been turned down. For anyone who has travelered outside of the US, we are the last major nation not to have the metric system. I offer my takes later but wanted to hear what you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted March 27, 2011 Share #2 Posted March 27, 2011 No. It would be a pain in the ass for people to learn the system. Keep it as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRG Posted March 27, 2011 Share #3 Posted March 27, 2011 No the current system is fine as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted March 27, 2011 Share #4 Posted March 27, 2011 I thought I bring up this topic since at times it can be an intresting and debatable idea. Should the United States join in almost the rest of the world and go to a Metric system for all measurements including distance i.e meters and temps i.e celicus?There has been attempts in Congress over last 30-40 years to change it but it has been turned down. For anyone who has travelered outside of the US, we are the last major nation not to have the metric system. I offer my takes later but wanted to hear what you guys think? My views are not like the average American since I've traveled extensively and lived in Europe and also have traveled a little bit in Canada. As far as I'm concerned we're doing ourselves a disservice in not having both. My view is more of that of a European. I see the U.S. as rather arrogant by holding on to this ridiculous non-metric system. As you've pointed out just about every other nation that I know of uses meters, celsius, etc. except for us and most of the TV programming that I watch shows (Spanish, Italian & French) both Farenheit & Celsius respectively. This arrogance of trying to prove how we're "#1" and how everyone must follow our way is why we're falling behind other nations in terms of mathematics, science, and so forth and education in general. I'm sure most of my friends would agree, but most of them are not Americans, but foreign born from Western Europe and Latin America and they have no problem for the most part using both systems. Having had some of my college done here in the States and the rest in Europe, I also notice that the whole way in which one is educated is completely different. In Italy and in Europe in general, the professors don't take attendance. They expect you to be mature and already have an interest in the class and to inquire and direct the course of the class with your questions and such. That is certainly not the case so much here in the States. This is why I find these notions of "rewarding" children to go to school ridiculous. Perhaps we have lost the value of what education means here in that we are suddenly trying to put a price tag on it when there shouldn't be one. I also agree with Obama that we need to encourage Americans to learn foreign languages. The fact that I speak 3 languages fluently and have knowledge of two others means that I earn more than the average monolingual professional. I have also found that speaking several languages has helped to improve my English as well and my grammar skills in general. One of my Spanish professors here in the States had a sign on his door which was within the language department which said that the "Monolingual speakers are falling behind" and that couldn't be anymore further from the truth. In college I would tutor folks in Spanish & Italian and those who were studying to become teachers would lament to me about why they had to learn f*cking Spanish and people (Americans in particular) would always look at me like I had 4 heads when I mentioned how many languages I speak. Meanwhile me speaking almost 5 languages is the norm in Europe and no one would even blink twice about it because it is encouraged at an early age to learn foreign languages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenEleven Posted March 27, 2011 Share #5 Posted March 27, 2011 Didn't we try to adopt the Metric system and we failed horribly. As much as I would love for one standard to exist across the world, it's going to take an incredibly long time to adjust as I feel that you would have to grow into using the system for the things not given to you. (mph-kph conversion on speedos, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted March 27, 2011 I actually may sound stupid but I agree with both Garbaldi point and also LRG/553 point. It should be done gradually and that signs such as those on Interstates/Freeways should be in both i.e 62.5 mph=100 km. When Canada decided to join in the metric system i believe in the late 1970's, many of their citizens was ticked off without a gradual switch. They changed the highway signs to the metric system right after the Paraliment up there passed a that law which was a huge mistake. Now 30 years later almost all of the highways signs in Canada and weather use metric measurement 85 degrees =30 degrees celcuis. Also all of the border towns from that crosses from Maine-Washington State have both metric and non-metric signs and measurements. So my take is that we in the US should have signs in both. Thus advoid and not do the 'rush job' and dramtic swtich to the metric that was done in Canada 30 years ago and the UK about 15 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted March 27, 2011 Share #7 Posted March 27, 2011 Yes, this is something that would have to be done gradually and also culturally would have to be embraced here, which I don't see happening. I work with a lot of marketing material that is done here in the States and is translated into French Canadian for the Canadian market and they are extremely anal about the measurements being exact up in Canada so what the translators that I work with will do is put both measurements to ensure that there is no confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7LineFan Posted March 27, 2011 Share #8 Posted March 27, 2011 When Canada decided to join in the metric system i believe in the late 1970's, many of their citizens was ticked off without a gradual switch. They changed the highway signs to the metric system right after the Paraliment up there passed a that law which was a huge mistake. The Gimli Glider incident was partly a result of this switch. Imagine if the plane had crashed instead of landing on the abandoned airfield. Personally I see nothing wrong with using both measurements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted March 27, 2011 Share #9 Posted March 27, 2011 Metric system is so much easier to manipulate; imperial system makes little logical sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted March 27, 2011 Share #10 Posted March 27, 2011 Metric system is so much easier to manipulate; imperial system makes little logical sense. Yeah, I also find using the 24 hour system far easier than the whole AM PM crap. Like right now, it's the 14th hour the day, hence 14:07. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted March 27, 2011 Share #11 Posted March 27, 2011 Yeah, I also find using the 24 hour system far easier than the whole AM PM crap. Like right now, it's the 14th hour the day, hence 14:07. I agree with that! I use the 24hr format! That whole AM/PM is just bs. I've been using the 24hr format ever since I started my 1st job, because they would post the schedules in that format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted March 27, 2011 Share #12 Posted March 27, 2011 I agree with that! I use the 24hr format! That whole AM/PM is just bs. I've been using the 24hr format ever since I started my 1st job, because they would post the schedules in that format. I work w/folks all over the place in different countries and time zones and they all know the 24hr format and in some cases I have no choice but to use it so I will just use the 24hr format and put the AM/PM where necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santa Fe via Willow Posted March 27, 2011 Share #13 Posted March 27, 2011 Yes, this is something that would have to be done gradually and also culturally would have to be embraced here, which I don't see happening. I work with a lot of marketing material that is done here in the States and is translated into French Canadian for the Canadian market and they are extremely anal about the measurements being exact up in Canada so what the translators that I work with will do is put both measurements to ensure that there is no confusion. Bingo:tup: Bumb rushing the Metric System down American's throats would be the wrong way to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted March 27, 2011 Share #14 Posted March 27, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SpeedLimit-CoralRidge-MiKm-May1992_cropped.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Metric_Interstate_19_cropped.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted March 27, 2011 Share #15 Posted March 27, 2011 we already have some adoption of the metric system, when you buy soda its measured in liters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted March 27, 2011 Share #16 Posted March 27, 2011 The International System of Units..... I simply refuse to say to people... meaning, with actual words coming out of my mouth.... that I weigh 1.91 metres & 96 kilos.... it's sad enough I still remember the conversion rate since JHS.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted March 27, 2011 Share #17 Posted March 27, 2011 96 kilos.... How about 15 stone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted March 27, 2011 Share #18 Posted March 27, 2011 How about 15 stone? I wouldn't mind throwing 15 stones at anyone who agrees we should adopt the metric system.... America's getting un-american enough as it is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted March 27, 2011 Share #19 Posted March 27, 2011 I wouldn't mind throwing 15 stones at anyone who agrees we should adopt the metric system.... America's getting un-american enough as it is.... And some guy from work want to fight me because I told him how un-American America is. :tdown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share #20 Posted March 28, 2011 And some guy from work want to fight me because I told him how un-American America is. :tdown: Since we live in a global world now, I think signs especially in border states i.e NY, Texas, Calif. etc on interstates/freeways should be in both. I know when I travel to Canada, the highways up there are in both metric and non-metric(US system). Garbaldi makes a good point in that our US schools should teaching our kids both systems of measurement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted March 28, 2011 Share #21 Posted March 28, 2011 Garbaldi makes a good point in that our US schools should teaching our kids both systems of measurement. I agree, however, these kids now a days will not be willing to learn it. Im sorry but the kids now are just dumb. With all the cell phones, facebook, twitter, and the internet talk, they will wont have a clue. And then the teachers are getting younger and dumber, and these young teachers dont know there ass from there behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share #22 Posted March 28, 2011 I agree, however, these kids now a days will not be willing to learn it. Im sorry but the kids now are just dumb. With all the cell phones, facebook, twitter, and the internet talk, they will wont have a clue. And then the teachers are getting younger and dumber, and these young teachers dont know there ass from there behind. As a Substitute Teacher/Teaching Asst. when i was teaching a middle school science class dealing w/ the metric system earlier this school year, most of the kids were lost learning about it. I had to tell them 'babystep' the basic steps of it. For example I explained them that 30 degrees© was 'very hot' similar to about 85-90 degrees . Or when we drive 100 KM equals about 62 MPH. The Kids really need to have at least a basic form of it which sadly many of them don't. It a basic science/math form leading to more complex subjects from DNA to Calcus. I am "NO GENUIS" in Math/Science but at least I have some basic knowledge including the basic aspects of the metric system.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B35 via Church Posted March 28, 2011 Share #23 Posted March 28, 2011 As a Substitute Teacher/Teaching Asst. when i was teaching a middle school science class dealing w/ the metric systemearlier this school year, most of the kids were lost learning about it. I had to tell them 'babystep' the basic steps of it. For example I explained them that 30 degrees© was 'very hot' similar to about 85-90 degrees . Or when we drive 100 KM equals about 62 MPH. The Kids really need to have at least a basic form of it which sadly many of them don't. It a basic science/math form leading to more complex subjects from DNA to Calcus. I am "NO GENUIS" in Math/Science but at least I have some basic knowledge including the basic aspects of the metric system.:eek: if you're gonna capitalize/emphasize a statement, gotta make sure you spell it right, fam... especially the word genius ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EE Broadway Local Posted March 28, 2011 Share #24 Posted March 28, 2011 But in some ways we have. When was the last time you saw something other than a one, two or three liter bottle of soda? And Mechanical Pencils are 0.5, 0.7 or 0.9mm. I purchased a package of pretzel rods and the bag is labled 10oz. - 284g. No. It would be a pain in the ass for people to learn the system. Keep it as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share #25 Posted March 28, 2011 if you're gonna capitalize/emphasize a statement, gotta make sure you spell it right, fam... especially the word genius ! OK my bad bro. I am still one of the world's typist and speller.:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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