In science and engineering publications, I call the WOMBAT units ³obsolete,² ³old-fashioned,² ³old,² or ³disfavored.² The words ³U.S.² and ³customary² are misleading and do the public a disservice by giving positive associations to bad habits. For the same reasons, I would never call them ³traditional² or a ³system.²
From: Paul Trusten <trus...@grandecom.net> Reply-To: <trus...@grandecom.net> Date: Sun, 4 Jul 2010 22:52:19 -0500 To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu> Subject: [USMA:48045] Re: KG3U units IMHO, John, I have decided to call them nothing more than traditional measurement units. The U.S. has already declared officially its preference for metric (Metric Conversion Act of 1975 as amended 1988), and had already defined legally these traditional units in metric terms (Mendelhall Order, 1893). No nation need claim the old units as their own. Personally, I have stopped using the expression "U.S. customary units." Paul > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: John M. Steele <mailto:jmsteele9...@sbcglobal.net> > > To: U.S. Metric Association <mailto:usma@colostate.edu> > > Sent: 04 July, 2010 10:11 > > Subject: [USMA:48034] KG3U units > > > > > In honor of Independence Day, I think the "battle" of what to call US > traditional units (Customary, WOMBAT, etc) should be decided in favor of King > George III Units (KG3U). I don't wish to stir up any anti-British feelings > here, but lets face it, WE didn't like King George. > > > > It is historically accurate as the US "locked in" various units that pre-date > the improvements of the Imperial system in 1824. The definitions of the > Queen Anne or wine gallon and Winchester or corn bushel were apparently > redefined in 1707 by an Act of Parliament, and used at the time of the > Revolution. > > (The cubic measures, 231 in³ and 2150.42 in³ were previously cylindrical > measure, diameter and height; rounding produced small value changes). > > > > Our metric idiots frequently cry out "We don't need no foreign rulers." KG3U > is a good reminder that we measure using the foreign ruler of the very > foreign ruler we overthrew in 1776. So, if we really don't need foreign > rulers, KG3U represents EXACTLY what we don't need. Complete the Revolution, > throw out KG3U! > > > > The obvious alternative to King George III Units is the modern International > System of Units (SI). Yes, the early metric system was developed by the > French and others (remember, they were our allies in the Revolutionary War). > However, development of the SI is overseen by democratic processes among > those nations (including the US) who signed the Treaty of the Meter (either > 1875, the initial treat as we did, or at some later day). As it is created > democratically, not imposed by a King, and we like democracy, we should like > and fully adopt the SI. Throw out the foreign ruler, throw out KG3U.
