I myself prefer the imperial system, but I've wondered, how come America hasn't switched to the metric system, or at least have it as a choice? Or is it one of those things where people will scream "I'M BEING FORCED TO BUY 532 GRAMS OF BANANAS!! I WANT A POUND OF BANANAS!!" at the top of their lungs just to raise a stink and claim that it's socialism because it's done in Russia?
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 5:50pm
How come America doesn't use the metric system?
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 7:02pm
#1
Re: How come America doesn't use the metric system?
Why would wwe want to go through the cost of changing a known good working system?
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Wed, 09/02/2009 - 7:13pm
#2
Re: How come America doesn't use the metric system?
Converting to the metric system is another one of Carter's failures. I really do wish he would have been successful with switching over to the Metric system, but then it was Carter trying to make it happen. 
Sat, 09/05/2009 - 11:29am
#3
Re: How come America doesn't use the metric system?
Why screw with a system that seems to be working so well! Just because it makes it easier to calculate isn't a good enough reason.
Actually I think it was because of the fact that everything industrial would have to be re-tooled and of course it makes more sense to keep the rest of the world guessing what we were up to in the U.S.
I learned both systems in grade school and how to convert one to the other etc. We have always used the metric system in medicine here though. That I think was to keep the population from realizing how bad they were being screwed by the system too! 
Sat, 09/05/2009 - 11:33am
#4
Re: How come America doesn't use the metric system?
AstuteObserver wrote:
Why screw with a system that seems to be working so well! Just because it makes it easier to calculate isn't a good enough reason.
Actually I think it was because of the fact that everything industrial would have to be re-tooled and of course it makes more sense to keep the rest of the world guessing what we were up to in the U.S.
I learned both systems in grade school and how to convert one to the other etc. We have always used the metric system in medicine here though. That I think was to keep the population from realizing how bad they were being screwed by the system too!
Metric is a much better system (not to mention 95% of the world is on it), what you're saying is like saying why buy a car when a horse and buggy work.
Sat, 09/05/2009 - 11:40am
#5
Re: How come America doesn't use the metric system?
Pagan wrote:
Metric is a much better system (not to mention 95% of the world is on it), what you're saying is like saying why buy a car when a horse and buggy work.
No not at all - I actually like the metric system and recognize it as being much easier to work with. Shit we have to convert from dry measurements to liquids etc. making it all far more confusing for most people. But then again think of all the people who learned to count on their fingers and toes - all based on units of ten! Poor bastards would have to actually do some real math to get it right. I wondered how people born without a full compliment of fingers and toes ever fucking managed!
RE: Horse and buggy - in this world of political correctness the horse and buggy is far more acceptable as they have a smaller carbon footprint. I have been looking for a carbon footprint in the woods this summer - I sure would love to bag one of those animals and mount it on my wall!
