RE: [bolger] Re: pennyweights (OT)
The transition to metric takes a long time, more if you don't want to spend
money on new charts. My dad has given me his old charts, many of which show
soundings in fathoms, while all the new ones are metric. Significant
difference if you are on a deep keeled yacht looking for space in crowded
anchorages -- another good reason to build a Chebacco, with draft of only 1
foot (0.3 metres!)
Jamie Orr
-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Bales [mailto:fbales@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2000 9:17 AM
To:bolger@egroups.com
Subject: RE: [bolger] Re: pennyweights (OT)
I know this has nothing to do with Bolger boats/designs, but I just have to
add my $.02 worth. I have worked in three companies supporting the auto
industry in the past 10 years. Virtually all prints are now metric, but
virtually no plant I've been associated with (even the ones I haven't worked
at) use Metric; they still convert to English. My personal opinion is if
the English system was good enough to put men on the moon . . . oh well,
that is rather dogmatic, isn't it. I don't think Metric is better than our
English system, but the rest of the world is using Metric, and so should we.
I am comfortable with either system, but prefer English after a lifetime of
using it. The only way it will ever be used in the USA is if they follow
Canada's lead and start teaching only Metric to their children in schools.
My Canadian wife's 20-year-old daughter is thoroughly confused by the
English system and is always asking for us to convert miles to km's, F to C,
etc.
Frank Bales
Staunton, VA
Bolger rules!!!
- no cursing
- stay on topic
- use punctuation
- add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts
- add some content: send "thanks!" and "ditto!" posts off-list.
money on new charts. My dad has given me his old charts, many of which show
soundings in fathoms, while all the new ones are metric. Significant
difference if you are on a deep keeled yacht looking for space in crowded
anchorages -- another good reason to build a Chebacco, with draft of only 1
foot (0.3 metres!)
Jamie Orr
-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Bales [mailto:fbales@...]
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2000 9:17 AM
To:bolger@egroups.com
Subject: RE: [bolger] Re: pennyweights (OT)
I know this has nothing to do with Bolger boats/designs, but I just have to
add my $.02 worth. I have worked in three companies supporting the auto
industry in the past 10 years. Virtually all prints are now metric, but
virtually no plant I've been associated with (even the ones I haven't worked
at) use Metric; they still convert to English. My personal opinion is if
the English system was good enough to put men on the moon . . . oh well,
that is rather dogmatic, isn't it. I don't think Metric is better than our
English system, but the rest of the world is using Metric, and so should we.
I am comfortable with either system, but prefer English after a lifetime of
using it. The only way it will ever be used in the USA is if they follow
Canada's lead and start teaching only Metric to their children in schools.
My Canadian wife's 20-year-old daughter is thoroughly confused by the
English system and is always asking for us to convert miles to km's, F to C,
etc.
Frank Bales
Staunton, VA
Bolger rules!!!
- no cursing
- stay on topic
- use punctuation
- add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts
- add some content: send "thanks!" and "ditto!" posts off-list.
I know this has nothing to do with Bolger boats/designs, but I just have to
add my $.02 worth. I have worked in three companies supporting the auto
industry in the past 10 years. Virtually all prints are now metric, but
virtually no plant I've been associated with (even the ones I haven't worked
at) use Metric; they still convert to English. My personal opinion is if
the English system was good enough to put men on the moon . . . oh well,
that is rather dogmatic, isn't it. I don't think Metric is better than our
English system, but the rest of the world is using Metric, and so should we.
I am comfortable with either system, but prefer English after a lifetime of
using it. The only way it will ever be used in the USA is if they follow
Canada's lead and start teaching only Metric to their children in schools.
My Canadian wife's 20-year-old daughter is thoroughly confused by the
English system and is always asking for us to convert miles to km's, F to C,
etc.
Frank Bales
Staunton, VA
add my $.02 worth. I have worked in three companies supporting the auto
industry in the past 10 years. Virtually all prints are now metric, but
virtually no plant I've been associated with (even the ones I haven't worked
at) use Metric; they still convert to English. My personal opinion is if
the English system was good enough to put men on the moon . . . oh well,
that is rather dogmatic, isn't it. I don't think Metric is better than our
English system, but the rest of the world is using Metric, and so should we.
I am comfortable with either system, but prefer English after a lifetime of
using it. The only way it will ever be used in the USA is if they follow
Canada's lead and start teaching only Metric to their children in schools.
My Canadian wife's 20-year-old daughter is thoroughly confused by the
English system and is always asking for us to convert miles to km's, F to C,
etc.
Frank Bales
Staunton, VA
In a message dated 10/09/2000 1:<BR13:<BR22 PM
Eastern Daylight ,pvanderw@...writes:
industry and government in the US around 1972-78. Manufacturers would love to
change. It would reduce their costs, make export simpler, and give them
another opportunity to rip off the customer by raising prices while reducing
product size (c.f. liquor, e.g :-)
The US is the single most important (cultural) buying block in the world and
it was then. The manufacturers tried it and mostly we wouldn't have it,
except in places where it really didn't affect us emotionally. We do buy
spirits and medicines in cc; autos have metric fasteners. Largely the people
want their inches, ounces, pounds, etc.
Usually someone will throw out by way of explanation the old saw about our
"just being unfamiliar with it" (SI) but that is a feckless argument. Most
of the people I know are comfortable enough with either system. I think this
applies to anyone who left high school after 1960. The old dimensions are
natural, "wholistic" if you will. They have very deep relations to measures
of body parts, houses and ships, lengths of journeys, etc.
And then there is the factor of curmudgeonry :-)
Cheers/Step
Eastern Daylight ,pvanderw@...writes:
> I think that sheer market power has a lot to do with it. US companiesI think that may be backwards...this push toward metrification was made, by
> don't see that they have to make the change in order to have access
> to enough customers.
industry and government in the US around 1972-78. Manufacturers would love to
change. It would reduce their costs, make export simpler, and give them
another opportunity to rip off the customer by raising prices while reducing
product size (c.f. liquor, e.g :-)
The US is the single most important (cultural) buying block in the world and
it was then. The manufacturers tried it and mostly we wouldn't have it,
except in places where it really didn't affect us emotionally. We do buy
spirits and medicines in cc; autos have metric fasteners. Largely the people
want their inches, ounces, pounds, etc.
Usually someone will throw out by way of explanation the old saw about our
"just being unfamiliar with it" (SI) but that is a feckless argument. Most
of the people I know are comfortable enough with either system. I think this
applies to anyone who left high school after 1960. The old dimensions are
natural, "wholistic" if you will. They have very deep relations to measures
of body parts, houses and ships, lengths of journeys, etc.
And then there is the factor of curmudgeonry :-)
Cheers/Step