[Split] American Workers and the Worth of their Salt

Addendum:

If 'accuracy' is of (major) concern to you then I would suggest switching to metric measurement. Millimeters will provide (considerably) more 'accurate' measurements than working in sixteenths of an inch!

No joiner/plumber/builder/architect (worth their salt) still uses imperial measure these days. ?
 
The Highlander said:
No joiner/plumber/builder/architect (worth their salt) still uses imperial measure these days. ?
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No, you don't know about the abilities of those American workers, or workers from
other countries who do not use the metric system, and as they relate to measuring
in those units. You are just making unfounded presumptions. It is best for you to
not make editorials where you have no backing.
 
lookagain said:
No, you don't know about the abilities of those American workers, or workers from
other countries (What "other countries", apart from Japan?) who do not use the metric system, and as they relate to measuring
in those units. You are just making unfounded presumptions. It is best for you to
not make editorials where you have no backing.
Click to expand...
Oh, you're American are you?
So sorry, I wasn't including laggards.

Why Doesn’t the U.S. Use the Metric System?

The United States Constitution states, in Section 8 of Article I, that Congress shall have the power to “fix the standard of weights and measures.” Deciding on a system to regulate how the U.S. measured objects, compared lengths, and weight itself was, without, a doubt a high priority for the founding members of the country. When they began to vet potential systems around the year 1790, the newly developed, French metric system made its way to the attention of Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Though it was so close at hand, Jefferson, and even France until much later, decided to pass, and the U.S. adopted the British Imperial System of measurement (the one still used in the country today). Since then, the U.S. has had many opportunities to change to the metric system, the one that is used by a majority of the world and that is lauded as much more logical and simple. So why hasn’t it changed?

The biggest reasons the U.S. hasn’t adopted the metric system are simply time and money. When the Industrial Revolution began in the country, expensive manufacturing plants became a main source of American jobs and consumer products. Because the Imperial System (IS) of measurements was in place at this time, the machinery used in these factories was developed to size in IS units; all of the workers were trained to deal with IS units; and many products were made to feature IS units. Whenever the discussion of switching unit systems arose in Congress, the passage of a bill favouring the metric system was thwarted by big businesses and American citizens who didn’t want to go through the time-consuming and expensive hassle of changing the country’s entire infrastructure. Many also believed that the United States should keep its particular system, setting it apart from other countries and symbolizing its status as a leader rather than a follower. (Ha, ha!)

In modern times, most have accepted a joint unit system—teaching children in school both the traditionally used IS system and the metric system that most of the rest of the world uses. This is why U.S. measuring sticks, or rulers, often contain both inches and centimetres. Unfortunately for metrics fans, widespread acceptance of joint use also means that there likely will be no official phasing out of the IS system anytime soon.
(excerpted from the Encyclopedia Britannica)

Of all (US) industries, construction has adopted metric units the least. Dimensional lumber comes in standard nominal inch cross-section sizes and lengths are given in feet. Although model building codes—such as the International Building Code—provide information in both customary and metric units, locally developed building code amendments and zoning codes often provide customary units exclusively. Because of Canada's proximity to the U.S., issues of common units still arise.
(ex WikipediA)

I guess you just can’t teach an old dog new tricks. ?

Edit: None of the tracts above are my "editorials" nor was my post about using metric measurement "editorial" either; just good, common sense! ?
 
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The Highlander said:
Oh, you're American are you?
So sorry, I wasn't including laggards.

. . .

I guess you just can’t teach an old dog new tricks. ?

Edit: None of the tracts above are my "editorials" nor was my post about using metric measurement "editorial" either; just good, common sense! ?
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The above post was reported, as Highlander continues to be uncivil. Here he name-calls me and all Americans. A laggard is "a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others." He does not personally know me, or American workers in general, of whom he disparages. He had an unprovoked mean-spirited comment about a post I recently started in a different
thread of a separate subforum. He is being argumentative, defiant, picking fights, and attacking members who are not of a similar to his own. I am requesting a temporary ban on him as a possibility.
 
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lookagain said:
The above post was reported, as Highlander continues to be uncivil. Here he name-calls me and all Americans. A laggard is "a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others." He does not personally know me, or American workers in general, of whom he disparages. He had an unprovoked mean-spirited comment about a post I recently started in a different
thread of a separate subforum. He is being argumentative, defiant, picking fights, and attacking members who are not of a similar to his own. I am requesting a temporary ban on him as a possibility.
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Who am I "defying"???   You?
And what makes you think I'm a "him"?
 
If you really want to thicken your skin regarding being American, post with Canadians, I tell ya hwhat.

But, I have wished most of my life that we would adopt SI units. But we haven't and life marches on.
 
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