Jerra

Hence the need for a universal worldwide (well world wide apart from what I have heard described as a couple of banana republics and the USA) agreed system.

My point exactly. There needs to be one system. The government started to think metrication was a good thing over a century ago and finally went metric in the 70s, some people still refuse to accept the government's decision. Where would society be if everybody argued their idea was what should be used.

Then you end up with the basterdised situation we have now. Follow your idea to its logical conclusion and fred sells 2.5 inch widgets and Harry sell 65 mm. It wouldn't work. Couple that with why when the rest of the world two minor countries and the USA use a metric system. I have come across people who have no concept of metric sizes. To the extent I know farmers who ring their supplier and ask for a 40 gallon drum of XYZ. I once asked a supplier what they did "Oh we just send him a 200L drum and he is happy". On a national scale this can't be good for the country not to mention forcing the supplier to break the law (as I understand it you must be supplied with exactly what you order).

I have never said we should measure in SI units I would leave that to engineers and such. The French and the Swiss both asked for the height in cm so they seem to be pragmatic about it. No reason as far as I can see why the populous shouldn't be pragmatic and those who need to use SI use SI. Incidentally Non-preferred to me doesn't say you shouldn't use it particularly in everyday life not where preferred units are necessary. Surely there way children are weighed and measured should be the way they will be expected to think, talk, and measure while being educated. I would suggest more than half the problem is that parents want to measure children their way rather than the way the poor kid is going to have to learn to use for passing exams etc. Why confuse them with both systems?

When several decades younger I used to take school parties shiing. All knew their height in cm because the ski fitters needed to know their height to supply suitable skis. The ski fitters being continental needed the height in cm. So I suspect anybody who has hired sis abroad probably knows their height in cm. I certainly do - 173 now I was 2 cm taller but as you age you shrink. LOL a case of fat fingers followed by not proofreading.

Of course he didn't mention millipedes or centipedes they are members of the diplopoda and chilopoda respectably. Also knowing their Granddad was likely to give them silly answers if the used the measurements the rest of the world use the probably knew to have it in feet and inches. However it is because of dinosaurs like you that we have such a mongrel system when 50 years of modern metrication ought to have obkiterated the outdated. I suppose dinosaurs fighting a desperate rear guard action are bound to slow things up.