As a reminder, these are the three countries who don’t use the incredibly sensible metric system: Liberia, Myanmar and of course, the United States of America. U-S-A! U-S-A! Hell, we should all form some sort of alliance! Non US-people, feel free to tell us why we’re dumb for not using the metric system. [Wikimedia via ZME Science]
Adrian Mace
Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 10:05 PMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu_illAgCPg
thats why :)
Michael Glass
Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 10:24 PMThe “only three countries are not metric” is a canard that came to us care of the CIA. One of the three countries, Liberia, is clearly switching to the metric system. The evidence is laid out clearly in the Wikipedia article on Liberia:
“Liberia is currently transitioning to the metric system.
“In 1921, one authority stated, “The metric system is seldom found in Liberia,”[37] and according to the CIA Handbook, Liberia primarily uses a non-metric system of units.[38] However, in 2008, the African Development Bank stated that Liberia used the metric system.[39] Cities of the World in 2008 stated that Monrovia, the capital, used the metric system.[40] and a 2008 report from the University of Tennessee stated that the changeover from English to Metric measures was confusing to coffee and cocoa farmers, that the weighing machines were owned by the buyers and there was no system of weights and measures certification.[41]
“The 2008 Liberian census used square miles to express population densities[33] but the County Development Agendas of that year were inconsistent, some giving measurements in metric units and some giving them in the older units.[42] The 2009 Annual report of the Ministry of Mines, Lands and Energy used kilometres for road distances but acres for land areas.[43]
In 2010, Government press releases used kilometers for road distances[44][45][46][47][48] though one report gave the length of a bridge in feet [49] while another press release gave one road distance in kilometers and another two in miles.[50] In the measurement of land areas, one Government press release used acres[51] while announcements from the Ministry of Agriculture have used hectares. [52] [53]
“Government use of the metric system has continued in 2011. [54] In the private sector, the “Daily Observer gives weather temperature forecasts in degrees Celsius. [55]”
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberia#Weights_and_measures
Molokov
Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 10:30 PMThe UK still uses miles for distance on their signposts & MPH in their cars… They might use metric in other areas, but they’re still imperial as well – it’s quite ingrained.
glanger
Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 11:06 PMamerican are too arrogant..they think they are super power for everything…but that’s all going to change…soon
matt
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 12:13 AMI think the bigger question here is… why don’t Liberia and Myanmar use metric? of course the US (who’s civic progress is measured in geological time… only slightly faster than ours…) is a lost cause.
“what? teh gheys are ppl now!?”
Charles
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 8:08 AMDon’t worry, the US is dumb for lots more reasons than this. :)
Awnshegh
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 8:41 AMAmerica can’t change to metric. It would mean NFL players would have to run too far.
olearymo
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 9:46 AMaaahhahahaha
YOU WIN!
hilarious
Owen
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 9:46 AMThis is why:
http://i.imgur.com/EyxEo.jpg
Nodeity
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 10:02 AMSweeeet,… :]
Dan Palin
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 10:58 AMExcellent
Nodeity
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 10:05 AMHmmm,.. Ten fingers…. Metric is divided by ten, seems the logical thing to me..
Carl Manson
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 11:00 AMEither way they will still choose to spell metre wrong.
glennc
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 12:00 PMidiotic fractions, that is why. metric is just plain easier and more accurate.
USA has this thing called a dumb american, which takes up about 80% of their population so they need to cater for the majority, and the majority hates change
Sam Cook
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 8:33 PM@Awnshegh – Best comment in the article.
I still find myself referring to a lot of distance measurements in inches and feet. Both of which are more suitable for estimating a length. Additionally, “inches” is much easier than “centimetres” for a lazy person like me.
FiftyOne
Monday, March 28, 2011 at 9:44 PMIm from Australia, but a yank put it to me best
“if the world was meant to be metric, Pi would be 10″
BCK
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 7:43 PMWhat about the UK?
I distinctively remember seeing road signs in miles?
Jean
Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 5:15 PMAfter spending some time in the USA one would soon find metric is also used in a lot of different areas. I think of course they should use metric all the way but thats for the government to make the call.
Surprised though at so many anti-american comments on here. I am from France but live in America and the people are not as ignorant as people make them out to be. I guess everyone was to busy waving their flag to consider making appropriate comments
Rick
Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 7:18 AMThe USA would have to re-evaluate our porn stars if we went metric. Ron Jeremy would have to be re-certified as 25.4cm