Scott,
Your answer really didn't answer the question.
If I'm not mistaken, the set-up of the nutritional label is covered under a
different law. The FPLA amendment would only affect contents declarations.
All it would do would allow a producer to freely drop the English units of the
content
Jerry, I'll clarify. The rounded size makes more sense, but it is only a
suggestion. No one wants to force rounded sizes, but I am hopeful that the free
market, when contemplating metric units and making its own marketing decisions,
will advance to them gradually, at their own pace, during the
Paul,
I figured this is what you are after. But that is not what amending the FPLA
means. All it means is labeling only in metric but that does not mean the
metric will be in rounded numbers. A product that is presently labeled as 1
pint 473 mL, should the amendment pass, would allow that pr
On Saturday 21 February 2009 08:36:31 Jeremiah MacGregor wrote:
> θ In addition to unit pricing, a metric-only option will also impact UPC
> codes and price advertising as well as nutrition information and recipe
> programs.
> How? The product UPC code shouldn't change and nutrition is already g
This question goes out mainly to our very own Paul Trusten, but anyone can
join in. I'm at the stage of my medical education where we've been taught
to write prescriptions, and I see that dosages are typically metric, with an
occasional teaspoon thrown in by one of the old-school doctors. However
Have we tried spreading the word via the Facebook group? I'm sure there are
plenty of NY residents there, college age, who would participate. I get the
feeling, that the guy in charge in NYS is just some bureaucrat with a
lifetime job who's sitting on his hands because he can. He may also be
act
But it does seem like you're getting more compared to 1/2 gallon. How many
quarts in a gallon? Two? Four? No wait, wasn't that pints? And that's
the beauty of the imperial system--it's confusing and therefore it's easily
used to deceive the consumer. Why should the US Dairy Association, or
wh
Many companies are now putting fluid ounces, and skipping quarts altogether,
so liters are the only reasonable way to compare. However, I'm confident
that rather than trying metric, the US consumers are choosing to simply
remain confused by the situation.
On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 11:48 AM, Carleto
You are getting mixed up by using two decimal places and not using round number
quantities, and consumers can't handle that.
The United States is 13th out of 15 OCED (developed) countries in pre-college
education.
Stan Doore
- Original Message -
From: Jeremiah MacGregor
To: U
Consumers want to know value and that can't be done by looking at packages
since manufacturers use deceptive packaging to disguise small quantities in
large packages.
Unit pricing in metric units only is the only way to protect consumers. This
absolutely necessary.
Metric only packaging will
This is from a box of cereal: "21 OZ (1 LB 5 OZ)-595 g"
Is this declaration simple? No! Is this declaration clear? No! Which number
tells the consumer the amount of cereal inside the box? That determination is
ambiguous!
Of course, the bag inside the box was only partly full, and the bag itse
On 2009/02/22, at 4:12 AM,
wrote:
Rejection of exports from the US in a global trade war could make
Congress more interested in metrication, to more completely promote
global measurement standards (i.e. SI).
This, of course, does concern the wealth of corporations and nations
(money a
On 2009/02/22, at 2:09 AM, Jeremiah MacGregor wrote:
It appears to me that the conversion to metric in South Africa and
Australia was successful because there was also a change in the
product sizes to rounded metric. …
This is not generally true for Australia. Some industries took
advanta
Dear All,
This news release from the FMI http://www.fmi.org/news_releases/index.cfm?fuseaction=mediatext&id=452
shows how they use metric measures for international trade.
Obviously, health data for this film would have been acquired from the
medical researchers and medical practitioners in
Actually, the serving size is (usually) specified in both Customary and metric
(the exception being when the Customary is a count, ie 1 cookie).
Further, the form is largely constrained by the government ; the manufacturer
can at best choose from a very few options.
--- On Sat, 2/21/09, Scott
Well, for starters, the nutritional information panel is in metric
only, the serving size information is in imperial, and energy content
is labeled in calories (when the value shown is actually kCal).
So if you are trying to keep your fat intake to <10% of your diet ...
you need to bring a
Not quite right Paul - our pint is 568 ml. Our fl oz is small than yours,
but our pint is larger, but what a good reason for everybody to adopt the
same standard!
BTW, the English ton is 2240 lbs, the American is 2000 lbs, the English
hundredweight is 112 lbs, the American one is 100 lbs - an ev
Jerry,
You obviously misread my article. The South African 2 lb tin of jam became
a 907 g tin of jam, and so on. South African labels never showed 2 lbs/907
g.
Likewise car speedometers never had dual scales, though the Arabs and
Israelis did manage to unwittingly help metrication on So
The question you start with here would be better asked if it were
directed to Ken Butcher. Why ask us? Why not ask him directly?
My main comment was in response to the corpus of your postings. They
struck me as being rather naive about politics, hence my recommendation
that you learn more ab
How do two dimensions on labels make a product avoid simplicity, clarity and
increase deception to consumers? Show me an example so I will understand.
Jerry
From: "mech...@illinois.edu"
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 12:30:2
Jerry, I'll cut to my own chase: I'd prefer 500 mL instead of a pint, and leave
it at that.
Part of this idea is that 500 mL is larger than the U.S. pint of 473 mL (not so
in the UK, where, I believe, it is a 20 fluid ounce pint of 591 mL)
I'd like to see U.S. bottlers label their products in th
OK... but to some degree isn't that already happening? Why hasn't it made
Congress treat it as a real emergency issue?
I think in truth if Congress ever felt the world was rejecting US products
simply because they were not metric, they would shut the borders to the import
of products from ot
What do you think would have to happen to the country for your congressman and
every other congressman to sponsor a change? What prompted other countries to
change and would what worked elsewhere work here?
Jerry
From: "mech...@illinois.edu"
To: U.S. Metric
Food Marketeers, like Wall Street Brokers, can maximize their profits when they
are free of regulation and can do as they please.
Dual labels (metric *and* non-metric) enable packagers to avoid simplicity,
clarity, and less deception of consumers.
Original message
>Date: Fri, 20 Feb
What is the metric size they are required to list as well? Is it 1.42 L. I
wonder how the change affects the colloquial expression of picking up a half
gallon of ice cream. Somehow calling it 1.75 quarts or 1.5 quarts just doesn't
have the same ring.
Jerry
___
How? Can you show me an example? How is a package that states 1 pint 473 mL
more deceptive then one showing 473 mL only? How is 473 mL any more simple,
clear and less deceptive then having the word 1 pint included on the label?
Jerry
From: "mech...@illinoi
Rejection of exports from the US in a global trade war could make Congress more
interested in metrication, to more completely promote global measurement
standards (i.e. SI).
This, of course, does concern the wealth of corporations and nations (money as
you put it).
Original message
I sat down face to face with my Congressman. The best he was willing to do was
to say "Please keep me informed."
If substantial momentum for more public metrication develops, I believe he will
support it, but not necessarily sponsor it.
Original message
>Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:16
I have no problem with someone claiming a hardship if they are forced to
convert to metric. I just feel that there should be a provision that requires
them to prove such a claim and to have the claim reviewed. If it becomes too
much bother for a claim to be reviewed, then I would say there sho
Many of them are now 1.5 quarts. Same price, of course.
Carleton
From: owner-u...@colostate.edu [mailto:owner-u...@colostate.edu] On Behalf
Of John Woelflein
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 16:57
To: U.S. Metric Association
Cc: U.S. Metric Association
Subject: [USMA:43093] Re: consumer e
Respect rather than contempt for the EU Metric Directive (80-181) would be
gained. Presently the FPLA requires duality while, if enforced, the EU
Directive requires metric-only labeling after 2010 Jan 1. Simplicity, clarity,
and less deceptive marketing would be gained by metric-only labeling
My goodness, all I asked was simply whether he accepted their claims or not..
A simple yes he did or no he didn't would have sufficed. How would me taking a
political science class or reading some reports answer the simple question? To
answer the question I posed doesn't have any bearing on h
The Executive Order of 1991 delegated authority to evade metrication to Heads
of Federal Departments and Agencies (and Administrations as in the case of EIA)
without reversal by presidential authority.
Hopefully, the next Executive Order directing metrication of elements of the
Executive Branc
I agree with you. What harm is there in including metric units to the existing
English units? This way those who prefer metric units could view them and
ignore the English units. But possibly this is exactly what they don't want.
They want everyone to be on the same page and use English unit
Why on Earth would Ken Butcher accept FMI's points as gospel, Jerry?
I would like to point out that our governmental situation is a bit
complex -- perhaps more than you realize. Most of what is done on the
floor of the House and Senate is for show. The bulk of the work gets
done "in the back
By the time the government will get around to changing road signs the
technology will be there to make them obsolete. In fact it is already here, it
just needs to be in everyone's hands.
Jerry
From: STANLEY DOORE
To: jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com; U.S. M
It appears to me that the conversion to metric in South Africa and Australia
was successful because there was also a change in the product sizes to rounded
metric. All a change in the FPLA would do would be to allow the dropping of
English units. There is no requirement to do what the others h
How many states actually went metric? If they reverted back easily, then
obviously the conversion may have been only partial to begin with and English
units were still used even if in secret.
Jerry
From: Victor Jockin
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Satu
I know of one other poster who also claims to be neutral and one who stated
his opposition to metric conversion. Have you also asked them to leave too?
If so, why have I not seen your request?
Jerry
From: Victor Jockin
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent:
I will. But my point is that if there isn't a provision for proving difficulty
then the claim of difficulty should be denied.
Jerry
From: James Frysinger
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 12:45:37 AM
Subject: [USMA:43123] Re: E
Is it obvious to everyone or just a few? Even if everyone has a right to have
the glass topped up, how many really do? Maybe you would, but you can not
speak for everyone. I believe most would just accept what they get and not
make an issue. Making an issue may seem pedantic.
Jerry
___
Whether it is legal or not is beside the point. If that is the way pubs fill
the glasses and the majority of people accept it then what they get is 500 mL
of beer and 68 mL of foam. Maybe you are lucky that you don't see it, but
others may not be.
Jerry
How do you think it is simple to compare 1/2 gallon with 1.75 quart and 3
pint? At least in metric you can easily know that 1.65 liters is smaller then
1.89 liters and 1.42 liters is smaller then both. The recognition is
instantaneous with metric, with English units you have to think on it fo
It also marks it as 1.65 liters. So if you prefer metric you can know how many
liters are in the package.
Jerry
From: John Woelflein
To: U.S. Metric Association
Cc: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:57:02 PM
Subject: [USMA:43093
I have noticed that in the list of companies belonging to the FMI some are
foreign. I doubt they agree with the FMI stand. I also wonder how many
members do agree with the points John J. Motley III wrote in his letter to Ken
Butcher or were these just John personal opinions speaking on behalf
You may not have trouble shooting them down, but this is a situation where
logic and reason don't matter. You're up against people outwardly hostile
to metric, and they've got a lot of power. This probably requires a
different approach rather than just debunking their straw-dummy arguments
amongs
Since the FMI wrote their letter to Ken Butcher, what has Ken done to refute
their claims or did Ken just accept them as gospel?
Jerry
From: Phil Chernack
To: U.S. Metric Association
Cc: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 1:17:00 PM
The FMI's excuses are so lame it really shouldn't take a big effort to shoot
them down. The USMA and NIST could easily counter their arguments. So why
aren't they?
Jerry
From: Pierre Abbat
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 11
The FMI is trying to force the point that voluntary means mandatory. Simply
dropping English units on a label will mean that the product size will switch
from a rounded English size to a rounded metric size. I wonder how the FMI
claim is viewed by them with the multitude of rounded metric prod
I reposted the list of reasons below. My comments are listed under each of the
points in RED color.
θ
consumers are not demanding that their food products be packaged and labeled
using the metric system.
In my opinion a voluntary option to metric only labeling would not conflict
with this
You are dreaming!
It takes time an money to provide technology as you describe for everyone.
Stan Doore
- Original Message -
From: Jeremiah MacGregor
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 10:00 PM
Subject: [USMA:43109] Re: More companies primed to
The most important in consumer product labeling is to have unit pricing in
metric units only.
That's how people can compare value.
Stan Doore
- Original Message -
From: Martin Vlietstra
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 3:07 AM
Subject: [USM
Jerry,
May I refer you to the following articles:
http://www.metric.org.uk/Whatis/Australia.aspx
http://www.metric.org.uk/Whatis/southafrica.aspx
Both give the same message removal of Imperial (English) units is an
essential part of the metrication process. (BTW, I must declare an inte
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