Most likely you’re off work today, last night you might’ve celebrated the 8th night of Hanukkah or a family Christmas Eve tradition. We attended a party in the Shaw neighborhood.
Today we’re staying home, my husband’s family is coming from Springfield IL for a late lunch. Well, I’ve gotta get back in the kitchen.
Peace…
— Steve Patterson
The ham we’re serving my husband’s family tomorrow weighs just over 4 kilograms (4,0279kg), or 8.88 lbs in US/Imperial measurements. The instructions say to reheat it at 162.78ºC (325ºF). If we offered soda to drink we’d probably buy it in a 0.52834 gallon bottle (2 liters). They’re driving 155.62Km (96.7 miles) from Springfield IL, the speed limit on I-55 is 112.65kph (70mph), though his uncle will likely won’t exceed 90kph.
Of the above metric units you all likely can relate to a 2 liter bottle of soda, you know how much that is. Why? We’re used to it. Your prescriptions are in milligrams.
So why should America change?
The United States is the last remaining industrialized nation with no formal commitment to going metric. America’s position is causing unnecessary isolation. It’s an impediment to trade and puts the United States at a disadvantage.
Not being metric-fluent can hamper collaboration and communication across borders. And it’s not just annoying, but can add real costs. For example, many US manufacturers need to make two kinds of products for every item — one for here and one for there. Foreign manufacturers also have to modify products just for the US market (or decide that maybe it’s not worth the bother). (Vox)
Below are the results from the Sunday Poll:
Q: Should the U.S. switch to the metric system?
Even though converting will be a costly endeavor, I think it’s in our best long-term interests to do so. Money spent building military equipment the Pentagon doesn’t want can be used to create to new highway signs. Of course that means every highway in America, except Arizona’s I-19, will get all new exit numbers. Had president Reagan not disbanded the Metric Board in 1982 we might be fully metric by now.
— Steve Patterson
The St. Louis Central Library has the best “tree” on display right now.
Beautiful, plus no watering necessary or pine needles to clean up!
— Steve Patterson
Old buildings require renovation/restoration to extend their useful life. Usually downtown buildings getting a complete makeover date from the 19th or early 20th century but for the last six months one built in 1967 has been closed during the restoration process.
The owners of this business expected to only be closed for a month, but it has been nearly six months now. The Papa John’s at Tucker is no longer listed on papajohns.com website, the nearest location is now listed at 3822 Laclede. After this long I decided it was time to start asking questions about the project. On December 17th I emailed the media contact for the general contractor, Tarlton:
Laura,
I’ve been watching the project at the parking garage on the SE corner of Tucker & Locust for months.I have some questions:
1) what’s the scope of the project?
2) is it taking longer than originally expected? I ask because they Chinese restaurant only expected to be closed for a month or two.
3) when do you anticipate being finished?
4) cost of the project?Thanks,
Steve
The next day I received the following response:
Hi Steve.
My apologies for the delay in getting back to you — I was traveling.
These are questions for the property owner.
Thanks, LauraLAURA LUSSON, Communications Manager, Tarlton Corporation
Ah yes, the owner. That would be Tucker Parking Equities LLC & Tucker Parking Holdings LLC located at 24 Church St in Montclair NJ, both were formed in Delaware in 2007. Getting nowhere with the contractor, I emailed building commissioner Frank Oswald asking what he could tell me about permit #516639, applied for on September 8th, I quickly heard back saying he wasn’t familiar, he copied a district supervisor but I’ve not heard from him. Also Friday morning I emailed Central Parking to ask when the garage would reopen, I’ve not heard back from them.
I’d hoped to have something more ‘concrete’ to report.
— Steve Patterson
| TUCKER PARKING EQUITIES LLC | FL0811142 | Limited Liability Company (Foreign) | Active | 4/19/2007 | Saur Esq., Stephanie |
| Tucker Parking Holdings LLC | LC0811141 | Limited Liability Company (Domestic) | Active | 4/19/2007 | CSC-LAWYERS INCORPORATING SERVICE COMPANY |
Some of you are too young to remember our brief flirtation with the metric system, 1975-1982:
The Metric Conversion Act is an Act of Congress that U.S. President Gerald Ford signed into law on December 23, 1975. It declared the Metric system “the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce”, but permitted the use of United States customary units in non-business activities. The Act also established the United States Metric Board with representatives from scientific, technical, and educational institutions, as well as state and local governments to plan, coordinate, and educate the American people for the Metrication of the United States.
Executive Order 12770, which cites the Metric Conversion Act of 1975, directed departments and agencies within the executive branch of the United States Government to “take all appropriate measures within their authority” to use the metric system “as the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce.” (Wikipedia)
In 1982 President Reagan disbanded the 17-member Metric Board (source). I’ve driven in Canada, where the metric system is used. US highways aren’t in metric — except I-19 in Arizona:
The roughly 60-mile stretch (or about 100 kilometers) is the only continuous highway in the U.S. with metric signs, and it’s the subject of a long-simmering spat over whether they should be changed back to the standard system. (Arizona highway signs in metric units may change)
There were, and are, valid arguments for keeping measurement system as is, and for changing to match 3/4 of the world. Which brings me to the poll question for today: Should the U.S. switch to the metric system?
The poll is open for 12 hours, 8am-8pm central. Results will be posted Wednesday.
— Steve Patterson