[meteorite-list] Ad - Please Ignore!!!! Way off topic!!!! Stating the OBVIOUS!??

From: Jerry A. Wallace <jwal2000_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Feb 18 16:12:50 2005
Message-ID: <421659D0.1080604_at_swbell.net>

Hi Adam,

The problem here lies not with you but with the average American who
is almost totally ignorant when it comes to the 'mysteries' of the metric
system.

The average (older) American doesn't know a centimeter from a centipede
or a millimeter from a millipede. They can't tell you which has more
volume:
a quart or a liter (except for a few dedicated drinkers who figured it
out at
the liquor store years ago when the distillers went through the conversion
process to metrics.)

There was a once a highly promoted national program that was meant to
educate Americans about the use of the metric system and then gradually
convert the country over to its use. If memory serves, it seems like
that was
during the Kennedy administration. It was a rational and noble effort that
died on the vine because it brought the populace of our fair country
together
like few things before or since. I well remember all the kickin', screamin',
shoutin', and hollerin' that the proposal caused. "Yessiree and by
dang," they
shouted in unison, "the old methods of using inches, feet, yards,
fractions,
quarts, gallons and the like were good enough for our forefathers, so by
jingo,
they're good enough for us."

Well, the government cratered to popular will, therefore we're still
building
and measuring things with a system of measurements that was created by
establishing the distance between the tip of the King's nose to the tip
of the
King's thumb with his arm outstretched as being one yard (whatever that
was).

The metric system is actually based on scientific reasoning and is
incredibly
easier to use. It actually makes sense. I don't know what is being taught or
used in schools now, but I can only hope that the metric system is the
preferred system. If it is, then it's one of the few things that the
feds had any
input on that was truly useful and right. But then that's a different
can of
worms.

So, my recommendation to you is "stick with using the centimeter cubes as
scale comparisons in your photos, and thereby force the boneheads to go
out and buy a metric ruler." It'll be good for the economy and may give
the knuckleheads a clue the next time they meet a centimeter or millimeter.

Just some thoughts from the west Texas wilderness,

Jerry


Adam Hupe wrote:

>Dear List,
>
>I must be missing something here. Using a 1 cm cube to give a perspective
>buyer some scale is considered by some a corruption of use? It tells a lot
>about this public forum when something as innocent as a scale provided in an
>image so that a perspective buyer can make an informed decision about the
>size of the object is somehow considered a scam. It makes the avocation so
>much more enjoyable. Just, what is proper scale etiquette?
>
>Kind Regards,
>
>Adam
>
>
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Received on Fri 18 Feb 2005 04:10:40 PM PST