Date sent: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 12:55:18 -0500
From: David Massey <105671.471@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: English Vs. Metric
To: Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
Copies to: Sumner Weisman <sweisman@gis.net>, Triumphs
<triumphs@autox.team.net>
Send reply to: David Massey <105671.471@compuserve.com>
Message text written by Joe Curry
>Not to extend this "beaten to death" thread, but I am curious how many
of the USA listers live close to an interstate Highway that is
calibrated in Kilometers? Lets see how much progress has been made
toward conversion to the metric system.
Regards,
Joe Curry
<
On the Interstate, not 2 miles from my office, there is a sign that says:
Columbia
120 Miles
190 KM
Dave
Hi everybody,
I read this threat with great interest and I'm flabbergasted by the
reactions of some listers. You Americans are spoiled rotten and
believe me the metric system will make life even more easy.Of
course at a certain age it is sometimes hard to adapt yourself to a
a new system, but ask your kids they know how it works.
If you have travelled in Europe you have reasons to bother, in my
daily life when I travel for more than 25 miles I need :
- 3 different currencies: Dutch Guilders, German Dmark,Belgian
Franc.
- 3 different languages: Dutch,French,German
at work in an ATC centre on the job it's English, during the breaks
we speak all kind of languages as we work with about 21 different
nationalities. To make live easy we also work with a different time,
we use GMT now called UTC, and of course all goes in Feet, Knots
and NM ( Nautical Miles) bless God no Inches.
Our cars 2 1/2 British ( 2 TRs in Inches, a Land Rover half inch
half metric) and 2 French cars all metric makes me need mixed
tools.
For my house in France all bills have to be paid in FF (French
Francs) and of course going to U.K. means driving on the left side
and spending in GBP. Now very soon all will be converted in Euros.
You see why make life easy when it can be made difficult.
Jean R
PS: my mother language is Luxemburgish ??? what's that
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