Re: measuring systems (was: Selenites)

Carlos Thompson wrote:
> _barril_ used when given
> oil production (I supossed there is a counterpart in English).
"Barrel".  I don't remember what its equal to, tho.

> After
> those measures was not 100% standard, they where standardized into the
> metric system.  When a housewife whent to the market and ask after 1 pound
> of beef, would then get a little more than she expected, would have also pay
> a little more, but there was inflation and especulation...
> But then it was the traditional system the one who adapted to the metric
> when the metric begun to be used and tought.
>
> If such a measure (using metric system) is finnaly taken in the US, as
> offitialy is, the traditional measures will be adapted by people, the
> industry standard will still be used and there would be no big trauma.
You're contradicting yourself.  The reason that there was no problem in
Colombia is, as you yourself stated, the units WERE NOT STANDARDIZED!
Ours are.  We know exactly how long 1 inch is.  It's the same everywhere
in the country.  Here, the traditional units would not be adapted until
the metric system is firmly in place, and those archaic measurements are
no longer in common use.  Then, people would think of a pound as "about
half a kilo".  I wonder if we might even abandon the traditional
measurements, except for a few phrases like "give them an inch, and
they'll take a mile" (maybe the terms would be re-interpreted as just
meaning "a little" and "a lot"?)

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