1 mile=1.6km=5280ft
1 inch=2.54cm
1 foot=30cm = 12 in
1 cup= 240mL = 8 fl. oz
And so on.
So I got used to seeing the metric definition first. As a result, I can tell you how many feet are in a mile but I have to think a little harder than instantly being able to rattle off 1.6km. Same thing with cooking, in order to cook I need to stop and convert all those teaspoons and cups and such to metric before I can visualize them. I've found it's very handy in our kitchen to have a set of scientific glass beakers in 100mL, 250mL, and 500mL sizes. I didn't really get into measuring liquids and such much before chemistry so my first real experiences were in the chemistry books where it said to mix 100mL of this with 100mL of that and watch it explode :).
Mike
On 5/10/06, Phil Chernack <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I bet if you asked how many feet are in a mile, most would respond 5280. It
tends to be a trivia question. At least it is in the US. Most people here
know about 100 yards as it is the length of a (American) football field.
Most do not know how many yards are in a mile.
Phil
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf
> Of Stephen Davis
> Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 1:49 PM
> To: U.S. Metric Association
> Cc: USMA
> Subject: [USMA:36738] RE: Jade: I didn't know how long a mile was!
>
> Well....my question was (apart from your wife, apparently) was how many
> British people actually know how long a mile is in yards?
>
> The answer is not that many. Before I took any interest,12 inches in a
> foot and 3 feet in a yard was about the limit on my knowledge in imperial
> measurement.
>
> I'd never heard of poles, perches and rods along with countless other
> people in Britain.
>
> Rather ironic given the efforts in some quarters to keep hold of imperial
> measurements at any cost yet hardly anyone in this country knows much
> about imperial measurements apart from the simplest ones.
>
> If you ask most people: "How many yards in a mile?" how many would
> automatically say "1760 yards?"
>
> Less than 40%, I'd say.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stephen Humphreys" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected] >
> Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 9:15 AM
> Subject: [USMA:36736] RE: Jade: I didn't know how long a mile was!
>
>
> > My wife is a marathon runner and as a matter of course she, along with
> > others in the marathon training community knows how long a mile is. The
> > "pacing" technique leading up to a marathon means you need to know. She
> is
> > currently pacing the 10 mile stage. (She also has totally no interest in
> the
> > "measurements" debate, by the way).
> > I'm not a marathon runner but I, along with countless others, would be
> able
> > to answer a question like "How far do you travel to work each day?" in
> miles
> > with some degree of accuracy.
> > Similarly those familiar with kilometres would be able to answer the
> same
> > question.
> > Neither would be able to answer with scientific accuracy, obviously.
> > Incidentally - you may be aware of the yearly national charity event
> called
> > "run a mile" which is coming up soon. Somehow I doubt people will be
> > saying, "Heck, how can we do that? I don't know what a mile is"
> >
> > Apart from "genius extraordinaire" Jade Goody.
> >
> >
> > >From: "Stephen Davis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
> > >Reply-To: "Stephen Davis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
> > >CC: "USMA" <[email protected]>
> > >Subject: Re: [USMA:36733] RE: I didn't know how long a mile was!
> > >Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 19:49:54 +0100
> > >
> > >How many Brits (never mind Jade Goody) knows how long a mile is?
> > >
> > >In paces or yards?
> > >
> > >Regards,
> > >
> > >Steve.
> > >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Stephen Humphreys" < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
> > >Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 10:03 AM
> > >Subject: [USMA:36733] RE: I didn't know how long a mile was!
> > >
> > >
> > > > It would be unfair to put Jade Goody across as a good argument for
> > >anything
> > > > without explaining a little bit about the young "lady" to those who
> will
> > >not
> > > > know her as (unfortunately) well as a Brit.
> > > >
> > > > It's summed up in wikipedia:
> > > >
> > > > "Goody's fame may be also due in part due to various quotes
> portraying
> > >her
> > > > as being extremely uneducated and ignorant, and a symbol of British
> chav
> > > > culture. She is considered a representative for the perceived
> attitudes
> > >of
> > > > the British public towards deliberate apathy, trivia, and dumbing
> down."
> > > >
> > > > If you asked her what a centimetre was should probably scream and
> say
> > >"take
> > > > it away, get rid of it, I hate creepy crawlies"
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >From: "Stephen Davis" < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > > >Reply-To: "Stephen Davis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > > >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
> > > > >Subject: [USMA:36732] I didn't know how long a mile was!
> > > > >Date: Mon, 8 May 2006 17:24:48 +0100
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > 04 May 2006
> > > > > Goody confused about marathon length
> > > > > Former 'Big Brother' star Jade Goody has admitted that she only
> > >agreed
> > > > >to run the London Marathon for charity because she didn't know how
> long
> > >a
> > > > >mile was.
> > > > >
> > > > > Goody collapsed after running 21 miles of the 26-mile race and
> was
> > > > >treated for exhaustion afterwards.
> > > > >
> > > > > Speaking on television show 'This Morning', she said: "I don't
> > >really
> > > > >understand miles. I didn't actually know how far it was going to
> be."
> > > > >
> > > > > "I'll be honest, I didn't take it seriously which is really bad
> of
> > >me
> > > > >because there's people out there who actually want to do the
> marathon,"
> > >she
> > > > >said.
> > > > >
> > > > > "I didn't realise how much commitment the marathon was. I had
> four
> > > > >training sessions, that's all I did. At most I could run half an
> hour
> > >on a
> > > > >treadmill," Goody said.
> > > > >
> > > > > "I was expecting to do five miles, not even more than that, so I
> > >think I
> > > > >did extremely well to get to 21 miles."
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > RELATED STORIES
> > > > > Goody collapses during London Marathon, 24 April 2006
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > 03/05/2006 - 19:14:36
> > > > >
> > > > > Jade Goody has admitted she agreed to run the London
> Marathon
> > > > >because she didn't know how long a mile was.
> > > > >
> > > > > The dippy Big Brother winner collapsed 21 miles into the
> > >26-mile
> > > > >race and had to be treated for exhaustion by paramedics.
> > > > >
> > > > > She told ITV1's This Morning: "I don't really understand
> > >miles. I
> > > > >didn't actually know how far it was going to be."
> > > > >
> > > > > Before the race she had just four training sessions - and
> ate
> > >a
> > > > >diet of curry and Chinese takeaways.
> > > > >
> > > > > "I'll be honest, I didn't take it seriously which is
> really
> > >bad of
> > > > >me because there's people out there who actually want to do the
> > >marathon,"
> > > > >said Jade, 25.
> > > > >
> > > > > "I didn't realise how much commitment the marathon was. I
> had
> > >four
> > > > >training sessions, that's all I did. At most I could run half an
> hour
> > >on a
> > > > >treadmill.
> > > > >
> > > > > "I was expecting to do five miles, not even more than
> that, so
> > >I
> > > > >think I did extremely well to get to 21 miles."
> > > > >
> > > > ><< JadeBigBroPA.jpg >>
> > > >
> >
--
"The boy is dangerous, they all sense it why can't you?"
