this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2024
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Showerthoughts
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Obligatory Fuck Reagan for killing our conversion to metric. We were well on our way in the late 70's. We hadn't dropped Imperial but most things were dual labelled: Speed limit and distance signs, weather stats like temp and precipitation. A few gas stations were charging by the liter but that was more to mask the true cost during OPEC embargo. The only thing that stuck was 2 liter bottles of pop and drug dealers knowing the metric system. And having to by 2 sets of wrenches and sockets.
Ukraine elects a TV personality ... they get Zelensky.
We do it and get Regan and Trump ... what the heck man.
From what I've heard he wasn't such a great peacetime president either.
True, but in the same situation, Trump and Reagan would have surrendered even before the invasion.
I can't think of anything good Reagan did, but he was not in bed with Russia. His "border wall" was space lasers.
From what I have heard Zelensky wasn't too bad especially compared to the previous presidents.
And liquor! Comes in ml!
Well good news; the metric system is thriving in inner city schools
JFC, walk through ANY grocery store in the US today and pick up an item and look at the label - it's dual labeled. Look at your speedometer in your vehicle, push a button and get metric. Very few people need to own both SAE and Metric tools anymore. I own 2 JD tractors and a JD skidsteer, a JD Gator ute and 2 Chrysler vehicles, all metric. The ONLY time I reach for the SAE set anymore is when I need to work on my 1941 "H" Farmall tractor or some other farm implement that was built before 2015.
And with all the digital displays on everything today, the metric system is a mere button push away. Push the damn button if you want metric OR US Customary - I do and then get the units I want for the task at hand. Ain't no one going to care about it. G20/G21, the machines don't care anymore, why should you.
The dual speed limit signs were a bad idea - they were confusing and hard to read. It was a bad design that caused issues for drivers. But, while it could be done a lot easier today, no one really cares about the miles vs kilometers. All anyone really cares about is "how long will it take to get there".
The metrication of the US is here and has been for a good while. It's become common enough you don't notice it anymore.