In respect of Item No 2, emphasize that there is a financial PAYBACK for the
whole country (as well as the individual contributors) in not having to deal
with dual measures (and there are probably some who don't realise that there is
no such thing as USC-only). As the Phelps study showed, there is a huge cost
in teaching dual measures which could be reduced or even eliminated by teaching
metric only.
John F-L
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Williamson
To: U.S. Metric Association
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 12:42 PM
Subject: [USMA:49656] Re: go metric rather than familiar vs foreign
I would say that we should take whatever tack is necessary to get the job
done. If we Americans prefer 'meter' to 'metre' so be it. Let's get the
switch over to metric completed, then the rest will follow.
Here's what I am working on hasten the metric only switch over in the US (
being initiated in conjunction with a campaign to swamp members of congress,
the White House, school boards, teacher organizations, professional
organizations, and businesses with letters and emails about switching to metric
without the use of dual measurement systems in the instruction process):
Metrication in the US - a grassroots effort
A grassroots effort from the ground up may be the best way to get the job
done though. I'm putting a plan together for that now. I'm in the very
formative stages at this point. Any ideas on how to organize and implement such
an endeavor would be greatly appreciated.
The goal of the grassroots drive would be to put metric only measuring
devices, posters, teaching aids, and learning activities in every US classroom
in the K - 12 range as quickly as possible.
Here are some of my initial thoughts on setting up a national grassroots
'ground up' drive for metrication of US classrooms (not in any particular
specific order of importance):
1) identify a list of bulk producers, manufacturers, and suppliers of metric
only with their respective products and pricing (for bulk purchases);
2) identify a list of foundations, businesses, NGO's, government bodies,
individuals, etc., who would be willing to contribute funds and other
resources, or who would be willing to buy bulk quantities of let's say metric
rulers, or posters,or whatever, as long as it was 'metric only', for us to
distribute to the schools in the country;
3) set up a mailing list of every school in the country;
4) set up the organization, its structure, and oversight body;
5) identify what is not available on the market from manufacturers, then
locate who would be willing to make what is needed in those areas;
6) set up a website for the effort
7) whatever else needs to be done to get this effort completed in a specific
period of time.
Anyway, this is still in the early formative stages - in my mind essentially.
What do you think? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such an
effort? How would you do this, and would you be interested in helping? Is
this potentially the better way to get the attention of local, state, and
federal authorities?
Tim Williamson
On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 4:40 AM, Ron Stone <giga...@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Gene, Pat, Jim, and All,
many centuries of language development should not be ignored in the context
of the development of international standards of measurement.
in the global world there are many languages and many more language
varieties.
in the context of SI, there may no longer remain many 'foreign' units of
measurement.
in the global world, who can really say what words or spellings are
familiar or not among a diverse global community?
i say try to focus on values of metrication rather than a mere politicizing
of spelling.
Cheers,
Ron
ps - i would have no problem spelling the SI unit of length (m) as either
meter or metre. i am unconvinced that regional spelling is a crucial
metrication issue.
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 9:34 AM, <mech...@illinois.edu> wrote:
In [USMA:49615], Ron Stone asked "how does spelling relate to
metrication" ?
Answer: *Hostility* to metrication is aroused when familiar words are
spelled in a way that suggests that *foreign* units of measurement are being
imposed on the people of the Unites States of America.
All of us here know that SI prescribes only symbols, not spellings.
However, the false perception of many uninformed members of the public is
that SI is foreign, and that metrication requires difficult *conversion"
calculations.
In reality SI is easy to learn and use. Only the *transition* to SI can
sometimes be a temporary numerical burden.
Gene Mechtly
--
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Ron Stone
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disclaimers or other restrictions may apply to this message.
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Tim Williamson
Alabama, USA
1-205-765-6090
