I've long wondered how it is the US developed the current set of weights
and measures and what the basis was for a "new Nation", formed in the late
1700s, to have subscribe to a set of measurements that no other Nation,
industrial or otherwise, follows?  (Well, okay, according to the CIA
Factbook, Liberia and Burma also use it... but Burma isn't even Burma
anymore)

I get the whole "there were 8 different sets of measurement that existed in
the Colonies" based on where the various people who settled here came from,
and the need to standardize on SOMETHING... but how did we get so far
'afoot' from everyone else in the World ?

And this isn't just in measuring lengths and distances, but in area, volume
(both liquid and solid), temperature, and mass.  It's odd to note in
defining a yard, it says: "Since July 1, 1959, these have been defined on
the basis of 1 yard = 0.9144 meters" ... so even in THIS instance, the
comparison goes back to metric measure.

Like others, I recall the attempt to push the metric system on us in
1975... many jokingly said the reason THAT failed is it was proposed under
Ford. =)  How many of you remember THIS attempt to educate kids??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUXutV6Vk6k

Even where metric is recognized, it's referred to as the "International
System of Units" (SI).  http://www.braeunig.us/space/units.htm

I don't expect to see it change in my lifetime, and I'm obviously
accustomed to it.... I just think it must be part of what sets us aside
from everyone else in the World.



-- 
Larry
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*----Lawrence J. MedinaDanville, CARIM Professional since 1972*

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