Chafee: Time for the US to complete its transition to the metric system

[nickqt]

Long overdue.

 

[Darwin333]

kilo: The kilogram (abbreviation, kg) is the Standard International (SI) System of Units unit of mass. It is defined as the mass of a particular international prototype made of platinum-iridium and kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

meter: The basic unit of length in the metric system; it was originally planned so that the circumference of the Earth would be measured at about forty million meters. A meter is 39.37 inches. Today, the meter is defined to be the distance light travels in 1 / 299,792,458 seconds.

litre: A metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of water under standard conditions, now equal to 1,000 cubic centimetres (about 1.75 pints): [ as modifier ] : a litre bottle of wine. In an irrigated area, a litre of milk takes at least 500 litres of water to produce.

Whatever we do, lets not have another http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider incident over it.

This one was way worse imho: http://edition.cnn.com/TECH/space/9909/30/mars.metric.02/

Neither events would have happened if we wouldn't continue holding on to an inferior system like a dog with his chew toy for the sole reason of "just because".

No one is talking about an instant change, just a gradual one. Eventually everything will be in meters but in the meantime my workers can continue using inches. Just imagine only having to own one set of wrenches. How much easier adding measurements up using pure decimals instead of 1/64, 1/32/, 1/16, 1/8, 1/5, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, etc.... Fuck you if you need to add even more accurate imperial measurements than that without a calculator, better bust out a pad and pen and do some relatively complex math instead of very simple addition.

Personally I think 20% of the population would be overjoyed, 60% won't really give a fuck either way and 20% are just to dumb to get "those new maths". We need to stop coddling the 20% (like Texashiker) that are dumbasses and tell them to catch up or get left behind. I could understand if it was more complicated but it's vastly easier and pretty much universally used by people doing any sort of intelligent or detailed work.

 

[Brainonska511]

 

[Subyman]

I voted no because this is America

 

[michal1980]

No, because why?

Those that need metric can use it, for Day to Day life, what's the difference?

IMHO America has problems far greater then how we define a distance, a temp, or a can of soda.

 

[davmat787]

Our current system is too ingrained in daily life to force some official switchover to metric. Let it happen organically and as needed.

This candidate needed to make the news somehow and this is how he did it. A ploy to get some attention and media time as he announced candidacy in an overcrowded field.

It's not like something measured in imperial can't be measured metrically.

 

[Meghan54]

As a retired toolmaker who now works as a machinist, I'd very much appreciate moving over to metric, as more than half the jobs that come in the shop are metric oriented as are the blueprints that get handed out as shop projects. In my trade, metric measuring carries a finer resolution than inch and that helps a lot when machining close tolerance parts.

And most auto mechanics I know already have complete metric and SAE tool sets. In fact, just having to do my own tune ups, maintenance and mechanical repairs on the family cars requires me to have complete sets of metric and SAE tools in my tool chest at home.

So as far as I'm concerned, I'm already there.

If your shop couldn't measure in standard measure in as fine a resolution as metric, your shop didn't invest in the tools to measure that fine, not that you can't.

I worked for the Timken Co. as a tool and die maker for a couple of years. Our measurements were done on tools that had a resolution of 0.0001". I've got a fairly low res. dial caliper in my shed that measures to 0.01" So, very fine resolution in measuring standard, or inch, measurements do exist and are used in industry.

And I don't know how old all those cars are that you maintain, but I haven't had to use a standard, or SAE, wrench on a vehicle made in the last 20-30 years that I remember. About the only SAE wrench I've used with any regularity on a vehicle has been for the nut on my hitch balls. Otherwise, darned near every nut and bolt on the vehicles I've worked on have all been metric and have been that way for a few decades. The rest of my SAE wrenches sit, rarely used on a peg wall, and I never take them to junk yards when I go part picking because they're unnecessary.

Whole industries have converted to metric since the 1970's, when the metric move began. Medicine measurements use metric, mostly---I am surprised the apothecary system hasn't died completely in medicine, with its drams and minims.

Granted, we probably should have been metric 50 years ago, but we never fully converted. So, we're about where we'll remain, probably forever. But that doesn't make it bad, just different. We'll probably always measure speed in mph, always buy gallons of gas, measure air pressure as psi. Why? Cultural inertia that spans generation upon generation.

 

[Harabec]

But yeah, I get it:

Haha :thumbsup:

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Due to my job I've been using the metric system for years so whenever the change would take place I'm ready to go. It will take some time for industrial equipment to move over to metric as the bolting is quite expensive due to the material composition and the fact this bolting doesn't wear out.

 

[boomerang]

In my trade, metric measuring carries a finer resolution than inch and that helps a lot when machining close tolerance parts.

I was a Die Maker for thirty years during which time we transitioned from English measurement to Metric. I don't know what you actually do for a living but your statement is either based in fantasy or the result of something you're smoking.

 

[Jaepheth]

The day the US completes its move to the metric system will also be the day first contact introduces the galactic measures system to the Earth.


Jokes aside; I will vote for the candidate that promises to push the issue. The sooner we get it done the better.

 

[FerrelGeek]

Um, try the late 60s / early 70s, kid.

I remember when they started talking about that back in the 80's while I was in grade school. It lasted two years or so and then like a child bored with a toy they said fuck that commie metric system shit.

The metric system makes way more sense and is vastly superior to our retarded ass imperial system but we like being unique. Ok, the unique part is me being an optimist so I'm willing to concede that the masses are just to friggen dumb.

 

[boomerang]

Jokes aside; I will vote for the candidate that promises to push the issue. The sooner we get it done the better.

Yes, it's clearly one of the most pressing issues of our times.

 

[Art&Science]

Is the government going to pay for new tooling, instrumentation, and related equipment for companies that mainly use the imperial system? Ehhhhh. . .

The United States uses the "United States customary units" for measurement. The imperial system while similar, is different.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_customary_units

 

[PricklyPete]

Wouldn't vote for someone solely for this reason, but damn would it be nice for this to happen. So much wasted productivity in businesses because of the two standards.

 

[PokerGuy]

The metric system is clearly superior. The difficulty is in convincing the masses to learn something new. That's not really going to happen, so you have to start teaching the metric systems in school as early as possible, and eventually the metric system will be common.

 

[hal2kilo]

If street dealers are using it, why can't american industry.

 

[Texashiker]

Damn right! Everyone should conform to our shittier system because we aren't smart enough to figure out the far superior and easier to use system. Murica bitches!!

The United States is a world leader, not a follower.

By GOD almighty we do not have to conform to what the world expects.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Rest of the world needs to piss off and get over its metric system.

MURRICAH! FUCK YEA!!!
what a baffoon.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

The United States is a world leader, not a follower.

By GOD almighty we do not have to conform to what the world expects.

Well, except when you sell equipment to a foreign buyer and they specify that the equipment will use metric bolting, sensing/control devices, and electric motors/components designed to run on 50 cycle power.

 

[crashtech]

The United States is a world leader, not a follower.

By GOD almighty we do not have to conform to what the world expects.

Nice shtick, and likely conforming very well to what the world expects (ignorance and arrogance).

 

[Tsavo]

Huh? It's not like we are going to throw away our tools, just simplifying everything moving forward. Lots of stuff is metric. I have metric tape measures and use millimeters often for certain things, the arithmetic is a lot easier and there is less chance of error.

I like to say patently absurd things and see who buys it.

 

[Smoblikat]

I grew up using the imperial standard, but logically metric is a better choice. Personally I dont care either way, im fine using imperial, but it really does make more sense to use metric.

 

[bigi]

I am listening to D.I.S.C.O.

 

[Blackjack200]

If the metric system is superior because it uses base 10, why don't we divide our years and days into units of 10? Why not 10 months in a year, 36 or 37 days in a month, 10 hours in a day, 10 minutes in an hour, 10 seconds in a minute?

What no one here is considering is that while the imperial system is never as elegant as a base 10 system like metric, it is oftentimes far more practical.

WRT to time, the obvious answer is that is makes a ton of sense to divide your day into 720 (or 1440) units, because you can evenly divide those numbers by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 10, 12, 24, 36, 48. What can you evenly divide 100 by? 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, and 25? Oh, that's handy!

It's the same with length and volume measurements. 12 inches in a foot makes it easy to divide a foot into two (six inches), three (four inches), four (three inches) or six (two inches). Two cups is a pint, two pints is a quart, four quarts is a gallon. Very easy to double or halve volumes.

Note: That's not aways useful. For example, I think for bolt sizing, metric, or any base 10 system, makes a lot more sense. Because you want nice even steps up in size.