[SunRescue] stuff

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Thursday, April 5, 2001 at 11:33:36 (+0100), David Cantrell wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: [SunRescue] stuff
>
> I was always taught in metric, but I still use Imperial measurements for
> just about everything in everyday life.

I was taught first in Imperial units, then in Metric.  I really like
Metric, but only in the lab.  I grew up on a farm and let me tell you
there's just no way possible that you could ever move to using Metric in
some parts of farm life in Western Canada.

For example all of Western Canada was not only surveyed in miles and
acres, but it's layed out that way too, right down to the quarter
section (1/4 sq mile).  Sure you can re-measure the existing plots of
land and roads and such in Metric, but you'll never make sense of
anything related to them again if you do.  Talk about stupid non-round
numbers to memorize -- every single number to do with the land would be
stupid!

Here in Canada where we're officially Metric there are zillions of
examples of measurements in day-to-day life which are still expressed in
Imperial units and which will probably be until the end of time.  For
example even if you're buying a brand new house in a new development in
an area that caters to the youngest of yuppies you'll still be buying a
40 foot, or 52 foot, or if you're rich a 60 foot lot; and the size of
your house will be expressed in square feet, and the lumber it was built
from will have been cut and sold to the same Imperial measurement
specifications it was always cut with.

The most stupid Government of Ontario (I think it was PC at the time)
decided to try to go to using metric paper sizes a bunch of years ago
(not long after Canada became officially Metric).  The scrapped all of
their photo copiers, all of their printing equipment, hole punches, all
of the shelves of binders and policy manuals, etc., etc., etc. and
bought all brand new Metric stuff (much imported at great expense from
Europe).  Eventually though they realised that here in North America you
just can't buy as much A4 paper as a large government needs, and none of
the other related supplies and tools, are cost effective in Metric
sizes.  So now they've slowly switched back to using Letter and Legal
paper and three hole punches and such.

Mind you it has done some good for the numerical skills of the average
person.  If you buy a pound of coffee in the store the clerk will
probably have a new fangled digital scale and will weigh out 454 grams.
The price on the board is in pounds, but just like the flashing VCR
clock nobody can figure out how to change the units display on the scale.

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

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