General > General Technical Chat
why is the US not Metric
SiliconWizard:
--- Quote from: KL27x on November 10, 2019, 03:53:38 am ---I propose a pint should be redefined to the maximum size of an alcoholic beverage that is considered to be consumable before going warm by an average adult who is not a raging alcoholic. Of course this will vary country to country.
In my life in America I have probably used the word "pint," twice, and I have been to plenty of bars. Even in our bars, pints are not that common. When by the bottle, it's 12 oz. In the pintish sized glasses that might or might not be 16oz, we usually order "drafts," in my experience. That's not another nonstandard unit to add to a list. It just indicates the beer is from the tap rather than the bottle.
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Fun. The pint is pretty common in many european countries, with various volumes. For instance, a "pint" (that we call "pinte" in French) is 0.5l in France (it's double the "normal" beer which is typically served as 25cl in bars), and it's still pretty common to ask for a "pinte" in a french bar. Beware, it's not standardized between countries, so a "pint" in other european countries can be other volumes (from 25cl to 1l or so... :-DD ) The "pint" was historically not just a british imperial unit, it has existed in many forms in many countries. The world "pint" comes originally from the old french "pinte" (that we still use these days, but the corresponding volume back then was different.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pint
Altair8800:
I think that the main way for the USofA to go metric now will be from external forces (aka the rest of the world). USA is kind of stuck in a rut, and because of our size or wealth we often say why do we have to change...
I can see other countries saying to Boeing, hey, you want to continue selling aircraft to us, a minimum requirement would be you have to sell aircraft in our measuring system (which is metric). Then and only then would Boeing think about changing to metric. Same goes for other businesses that export to the rest of the world.
:popcorn:
Also, besides beer glasses, milk carton pints are very common in schools lunches in USA and sometimes you see paint sold in pints...
bsfeechannel:
--- Quote from: Altair8800 on November 10, 2019, 09:55:36 pm ---I think that the main way for the USofA to go metric now will be from external forces (aka the rest of the world). USA is kind of stuck in a rut, and because of our size or wealth we often say why do we have to change...
--- End quote ---
I think the US are in need of better metric advocates. Ones that can show them that the benefits of metrication are greater than the costs and risks.
Other than that, the only "external" force that can make them accept full metrication is, I think, if we manage to concoct some kind of theology that proves that God is metric and the devil, imperial.
SiliconWizard:
--- Quote from: bsfeechannel on November 10, 2019, 11:51:09 pm ---Other than that, the only "external" force that can make them accept full metrication is, I think, if we manage to concoct some kind of theology that proves that God is metric and the devil, imperial.
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Ouch. That hurt, but I'll take that as a teasing joke. ;D
bsfeechannel:
--- Quote from: tooki on November 09, 2019, 11:22:24 am ---(One issue I take with Customary critics is that they criticize a system they’ve never really used, so their smugness is based on theories, not practical experience.)
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Does not compute. If I didn't have to use imperial, I wouldn't be criticizing it.
--- Quote ---Well, it is an organically evolved system. But in many cases, those old units made sense in isolation. And regardless, there’s often no advantage to changing, but real costs and risks, so you just don’t until the balance of pros and cons changes.
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We can only regret that a small percentage of the world's population can't see benefits, but only costs and risks.
--- Quote ---Anyhow, make sure you’re not going all rstofer again.
--- End quote ---
Poor rstofer has become the intemperance unit of the imperial system.
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