---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 15:59:43 -0600 (CST)
From: Gene Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Eugene A. Mechtly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: The World Factbook
FAX: 1 703 482 1739
Office of Public Affairs
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
Dear Editors:
While browsing The World Factbook, I note that almost all data
are given in metric units of measurement, including data for the United
States. That is real progress!
However, the symbols used are not consistent with those
recommended by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology
in the Federal Register Notice of 1998 (July 28), pp. 40333-40340;
"Metric System of Measurement: Interpretation of the International System
of Units for the United States; Notice."
For example, the prefix symbol "n" and unit symbol "m" form
the symbol "nm" for "nanometer" a *submultiple* of the meter, as in the
currently developing field of nanotechnology for medical devices.
For Maritime Claims, a more appropriate *multiple* would be
kilometer (km) rather than the *submultiple* nanometer (nm).
Even small boats now use GPS for navigation at sea with primary
data given in meters (or km). If "nautical miles" must be retained for
some dubious historical, traditional, or perceived reason of convenience,
why not use N.Mi. to avoid confusion with nm?
Another example, energy data in the Factbook are expressed as
"million kWh", or "billion kWh", or "trillion kWh" which have different
values in different languages. In contrast, the one, and only one, unit
of energy in SI is the joule (J), in all languages. Numerical values are
scaled by application of SI prefixes. e.g. kJ, MJ, GJ, TJ, etc. which are
standard in all languages.
Please give serious consideration to adoption of SI, as documented
in the Federal Register, for the next edition of The World Factbook.
I am sending this recommendation by FAX because I can not find
your e-mail address in your Web pages.
Sincerely,
Eugene A. Mechtly, College of Engineering
University of Illinois at Urabana-Champaign
