Sorry, I didn't think about the wine and spirits. Yet even though they come in
metric sizes I have never heard an average Joe refer to them by their metric
size. It wouldn't surprise me if the vast majority of Americans who consume
alcohol are totally unaware that the sizes are metric. The standard 750 mL
bottle is always referred to as a fifth. So as far as the consumer is
concerned, the metric is hidden. Has anyone ever heard or seen the metric size
used by someone they encountered?
As far as consumables are concerned I believe I am correct when I say that even
though there is metric on the packaging, it is usually in the 2-nd position and
oblivious to the consumer. It would be an interesting test to go into a super
market and conduct a survey of different shoppers. Hand them a package of any
dual marked product and ask them to read the contents stated on the label.
Chances are very high that they will read off only the English measures and
ignore the metric as if it was not there. Even with the long existence of the
2 liter soda bottle it is highly likely the average consumer has no idea that
the liter is a unit of volume and in their mind it is a description of the
bottle shape.
The use of metric units by the federal government does not affect consumers.
Most people are unaware that the government operates in metric and might even
consider it un-patriotic if they found it to be true.
A Pilot's job is not consumer related. But consumers do fly in the planes
and never on a domestic flight have I ever heard the use of metric units by the
flight crew when addressing the passengers. I have on an occasion heard the
pilot stutter when giving temperatures figuring that he was quickly trying to
convert the metric to English. I don't think anyone else figured that out.
When the government adopts metric it is with the belief that the general public
is not ever to know.
Even with the American automobile industry fully metric, how many Americans do
you think actually know this and accept this?
Jerry
________________________________
From: John M. Steele <jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>;
jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com
Sent: Friday, March 6, 2009 10:15:56 PM
Subject: Re: [USMA:43389] RE: Mistaken blather from a correspondent on another
list
Well,
*The government forces the wine and spirit industries to use metric sized
bottles
*The government forces all foods and "consumables" to be dual labelled in
Customary and metric
*The government supposedly procures its supplies in metric and requires
construction of Federal buildings to be metric (I believe there are significant
loopholes that somewhat dilute this.)
*The government forces the airlines to accept a mixed mess of units in the
aviation weather product known as METAR. The temperature and dewpoint are
degrees C, but everything else is Customary.
On the other hand, they don't do much to finish the job, or ensure children get
an adequate metric education, and other government agencies (EIA) refuse to
supply information (energy usage) in metric units to industries that have
already voluntarily converted (automotive)..
--- On Fri, 3/6/09, Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail..com>
wrote:
> From: Jeremiah MacGregor <jeremiahmacgre...@rocketmail.com>
> Subject: [USMA:43389] RE: Mistaken blather from a correspondent on another
> list
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>
> Date: Friday, March 6, 2009, 9:03 PM
> But so far the government hasn't really become involved
> to a point that affects consumers. Whatever metric we
> encounter comes from the free choice of people. For
> example, did the government force any industry to go
> metric? Yet, there are those who have freely chosen to do
> so.
