Peanuts by Charles Schulz for October 13, 2021

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Franklin…

In the 70s they tried to teach us conversion tables and I got nowhere with the metric system. Then 1979 I moved to Europe and it was easy: A kilo of potatoes is about so many. A liter of milk holds about 4 glasses. Where I live, 25 degrees Celcius is pleasant, 45 is common hot summer weather that goes on for weeks. All I had to do was put the English system behind me and pay attention to the realities being measured.

About this time, 1974/75, I recall getting taught the metric system in 4th and 5th grade here in Florida and others my age said they were also taught it at about the same time in other parts of the country. However, I think that this metric initiative fizzled out by the end of the ’70s.

Franklin is often listed amongst the major Peanuts characters, but I’ve never really considered him a character. For one thing, he appears much too infrequently and is never a part of any significant story arcs (beyond the one where he visits Charlie Brown’s neighbourhood). Secondly, he’s even more bland than Shermy is.

The problem with the metric system is that it depends on the imperial system. If you don’t believe me, try to buy a metric ratchet. They are all imperial. You have to use an imperial ratchet on your metric sockets! I think that is the primary reason that it never caught on in the US. A lot of shade tree mechanics.

And still, you barbarians continue to use that illogical imperial system…

Yep, I remember. Around 1974, the US was going to convert to Metric. Used to be “Think Metric” buttons, bumper stickers, shirts. By sometime between 1980 and 1990, the switch was supposed to be complete. But, instead of thinking metric, it was all those damned conversion formulas. “If you live 24.4 miles away, how many kilometers away do you live?” Instead of just getting a general idea, they insisted it to be exact. You had to know how much was 44 milliliters, down to the last atom. I think that helped kill it

Considering that the metric system was a bust here in America, it’s just as well that she didn’t listen.

American cars have a mix of metric and imperial fasteners. I think the biggest impact the metric system had in the U.S. was that it caused everyone who owned a set of wrenches or sockets to go out and buy a second set of the same tools in metric. I can still remember when my Dad finally broke down and purchased a metric socket set.

The extra time will be devoted to teaching Critical Race Theory

Metric system – HA!

I don’t speak Canadian.

This strip was first published almost half a century ago. Why has the Metric system not been adopted yet?

Ah, yes – the big push in the ’70s to change the U.S. to the Metric System. All that effort, and all that money spent and what did we get out of it? The two-liter bottle of soda, and the second set of numbers on the speedometer of your car (in case you decide to drive into Canada some time).

The funny thing is, the Metric System really is easy to learn and understand. If you can count to ten, you’re halfway home.

Franklin Armstrong is the only character with any real common sense.

Reagan was responsible for stopping the switch to metric. And it cost the economy money such as needing metric and SAE tools.

Wish we had switched over back in the day.

Sheldon Cooper : Ah. Blame President James “Jimmy” Carter. He started America on a path to the metric system but then just gave up. He wonders why he was a one-term president.

“HA!” Unfortunately, this sounds like too many political debates these days.

I remember when we were in grade school and they were going to teach us the metric system and convert and everything would be metric and…and…and…decades later we buy soda by the litre.

Franklin: There are some interjections that indicate laughter. Patty: Ha! Franklin: That’s one of them. For once, you’ve been helpful.

How many shillings in a pound?

“The metric system is the tool of the devil!” I think Grandpa Simpson said that.

Actually, Franklin isn’t ‘explaining’ anything…he’s just reading verbatim.

SI is easy, conversion is a pain: Solution – just use SI, DON’T convert.

I use both systems interchangeably, but I draw the line at converting temperature into Kelvins

Besides being just plain stupid, Patty has ADHD and is dyslexic.

I can remember the 1970s and all the talk about switching over to the metric system. Nothing ever came of it, and the whole thing eventually fizzled out.

The metric system is so simple, with everything based upon units of ten. And the entire world uses it, with the exception of three countries: Liberia, Myanmar and the United States.

I think arrogance had a lot to do with it. There’s this patronizing notion in the U.S. that the “American way” is the only correct way to do things.

Metric weight is in grams. Metric liquid is in liters. Metric distance is n meters. How can you metric time?Kilo is one thousand and milli is one-thousandth. Centi is one-hundredth. Never have much use for deci which is one-tenth, or hecto which is one hundred, or deca which is ten.

Why the metric system never caught on here.

Think about this; If we had moved to the metric system when it was first proposed, anyone under the age of 50 would have never used anything but the metric system.

HA!

The time saved was used to indoctrinate kids into the Marxist propaganda.