Here is the text of full text of my email to the local TV stations which got a favorable response to ncluding some metric in the weather reports. I'm curious myself what it ws I said that got such an easy favorable response. (It sure wasn't my brevity, was it?) >> Tim, >> >> How about an occasional reference to weather data in metric? >> >> There are many people who would benefit from such references: foreign >> visitors to our area, students who study metric in school, those of us >> Americans who are familiar with metric (and prefer it because it is >> simpler), your viewers (including military) who travel to other countries >> and must be a little familiar with metric in order to cope it while >> traveling, business people who do business overseas, etc. >> >> I don't know how much metric could be put into your reports or which way it >> would be presented but it surely couldn't be too difficult to do SOME of it >> in at least SOME of your reports. Here would be my suggestion for starters: >> >> State today's high and low temperatures in BOTH degrees Fahrenheit and >> degrees Celsius (or state the old Fahrenheit temperature verbally but have >> both Fahrenheit and Celsius shown in your graphic); do the same with the >> next-day forecast and for any references to the days record high or low. >> >> This could be done in your forcasts for ALL the news reports or in JUST ONE >> news period per day. (If done in only one, please make it the one that the >> kids would be most likely to watch.) >> >> Rgards, >> Bill Hooper >> Fernandina Beach >> >> PS >> I would be curious to know what form you receive your weather information >> fom the weather bureau. It is my understanding that they obtain and record >> their data in metric and translate it into non-metric terms for the news >> media. It should be possible, then, to get the data in metric form directly >> from the weather bureau. If not, a simple conversion chart can be obtained >> (I'll make you one, if need be) to find the metric equivalents of the >> non-metric values. I would be delighted to help with this if you would be >> willing to do some reporting in metric. >>
