Re: Metric Time (was Re: Why not 13 months? (Was La Systeme Metrique))

Bob Casanova (cas@ops1.bwi.wec.com)
Tue, 10 Oct 1995 16:18:50 GMT

In article <45cbup$kg8@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com> lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell) writes:
>From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
>Subject: Re: Metric Time (was Re: Why not 13 months? (Was La Systeme Metrique))
>Date: 9 Oct 1995 16:41:13 -0700

>In article <4578mk$6jd@sol.sun.csd.unb.ca> t08o@europa.sun.csd.unb.ca (Keith Morrison) writes:
>>Quick, without using a calculator, tell me how many feet are in
>>53.872134 miles.
>>Oh yeah, the foot is *so* much better...

> Quick. You are 6 foot 1 inch tall. You have been strapped
> to a pole mounted on a railroad car. The railroad car is
> of the exact height that your feet are now exactly 1 foot
> above the tracks.

> You are approaching a tunnel at roughly 60 MPH. This is enough
> to cause a severe Excedrin headache if you guess wrong as to
> how much clearance you have.

> Would you rather see a sign that gives the clearance in Meters
> or Feet?

> "Warning. 7 foot 2 inch Clearance!!"

> "Warning 2.158 Meter Clearance".

> Bye-Bye, metric wienie.

Congratulations! You have just proved that it's easier to solve problems
*within* a system than to convert *between* systems! (Er, did anyone say it
wasn't?)

Bob C.

* Good, fast, cheap! (Pick 2) *