Metrication matters
Dear all, July 16, 2012 marks the first anniversary of Pat’s death.
I was dismayed to discover recently, quite by accident, that Pat’s last three newsletters, 98, 99 and 100, had not, as I had assumed, been posted on the web. Pat had worked desperately to reach 100, and they were completed two weeks before he died, but events overtook us.
Gihan Perera, http://gihanperera.com/ has freely given his time so that Pat's work remains on the web, and he has enabled these last newsletters to be posted.
I am deeply indebted to Gihan, and I thank him most sincerely.
Wendy Pomroy
Welcome to the Metrication matters home page. My name is Pat Naughtin and, firstly, let me say that this web site is based on these beliefs:
- The metric system is profoundly and fundamentally more honest than any previous measuring method.
- The metric system, because of its profound honesty promotes better communication between all of the people in the world.
- The adoption of the metric system by all people everywhere in the world is inevitable and therefore unstoppable.
pro-honesty — pro-metric
Quick answers to common questions
- Find out who invented the metric system
- Learn more about metric conversion
- Find out more about the inventor of the metric system – John Wilkins
- How did Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington influence the development of the metric system in the USA
- Find the answer to the question: What is metrication?
- Learn the history of the metric system at Metrication timeline.
- Become a change manager with these Change Manager Resources
- If your question was not here, please post your question at My urgent question
And just for fun ...
- If you truly believe that the metric system is wrong, you might like to consider not using the metric system at all. This article Don't use metric will help get you started.
Why Metrication matters
I will now explain why I maintain the Metrication matters web site and why I produce the monthly Metrication matters newsletter.
I firmly believe that the world will be a better, safer, and far more honest place when we are all using the same metric system as everybody else. Simply put, I truly believe that Metrication matters. I also believe that the resources you will find here will help you make your inevitable metrication upgrade smooth, rapid, economical and, above all, fast.
To me, honesty is the key benefit of the metric system. The honesty and simplicity of the metric system have proved to make its success inevitable for all the people of the world. Many previous measuring methods were profoundly dishonest and many of these are still in use.
I intend that the resources you will find here will help you develop greater honesty in all of your measurements from measuring inside atoms, to setting out your pages to save trees, to remodelling your kitchen or bathroom, to measure climate changes, or to measuring the size of the whole Universe.
Now to be be serious
Fast track your upgrade to the metric system
What follows assumes that you are a metrication leader or that you intend to be a future metrication leader:
- Be a metrication leader in your community by knowing why we need metrication.
Support for your metrication process
- Find out how others have always been successful with their metrication upgrades, by reading a complete history of the metric system – this is a long document – go to Metrication timeline.
- Subscribe to the Metrication matters newsletter to learn how other people are managing their metrication upgrade using metrication success stories from all around the world.
- Find where you can get more support for your metrication program, check out these metrication links
- Learn the tips and techniques that will help you with your metrication upgrade, go to Metrication articles
- Find out how to put a metrication program into practice with the Metrication Leaders Guide. Here is a recommendation for this e-book.
Pat, I read the entire guide including most of the clickable links. I could not think of a thing for you to add. You have covered the waterfront. Your guide will provide an outstanding publication for those involved in teaching the metric system.
Lorelle Young
President, U.S. Metric Association
If you want to find support for your metrication upgrade:
- Find a metrication keynote speaker, go to our Speaking page
- Find out more about the Metrication matters writing and editing services, go to Writing/Editing page.
What is metrication — and why does it matter?
Metrication is the process of upgrading to the metric system. Metrication describes any smooth, fast, and economical upgrade to the metric system. Metrication is the direct transition process that helps you to quickly, efficiently, easily, and relatively cheaply upgrade from any of the various old pre-metric measuring methods to the modern metric system.
Put simply
Metrication is the process of changing from all of the old many millions of words previously linked with measurements to the simplicity of the modern metric system. See /docs/SIMetricUnitsVsUSAMeasures.pdf
Metrication matters is recognised worldwide as a leading provider of simple and practical metric system resources and services. At 'Metrication matters' we understand the metric system and the metrication process and we can show you how you, and your organisation, can upgrade fully to the metric system quickly, cheaply, and easily.
Well planned and well conducted metrication can be typically completed within a year. Learning and familiarisation with the metric system – if well planned and conducted – can be completed in a single day.
After your metrication upgrade you can expect decreased costs and increased profits.
Contact
Pat Naughtin
Choose your best metrication pathway from these choices.
Metrication matters for individuals and students
Metrication matters for metrication leaders
Metrication matters for metrication managers
Metrication matters for your industry and government metrication leaders
For more general information, or
Metrication matters for individuals and students
How do I find out about my current knowledge, skills, and attitudes?
Take the metrication test from the: Metrication Quiz
You can go to Articles to find the Metrication quiz to assess your current progress whenever you feel you are ready. Do this regularly to check your progress.
How do I learn the basics of the modern metric system
Sign up for the free 10 week e-course, Metrication Basics
When you sign up for this Metrication matters e-course, you will also receive your free copy of the quick guide '10 ways to promote metrication'
Other steps you can take
- Sign up for the the 'Metrication matters' newsletter newsletter to provide you with information, ideas, and inspiration to help you upgrade to the metric system.
- Go to the articles page here Articles and choose the best articles to suit your metrication plans.
- Find out everything you can about the metric system and especially find out what works in a metrication program and what doesn't.
- Avoid using old pre-metric measures whenever you can. Whenever you have a choice simply use the metric units and avoid the old pre-metric measures altogether — avoid conversions wherever you can — just find out the best metric unit and use it immediately.
- Help others with their metrication process — become a metrication leader.
At Metrication matters we believe the best way to upgrade to the metric system is by the quick and direct metrication process. Metrication is not the same as metric conversion.
You can develop your confidence to do this by finding out why you should use the metric system here [/why_metrication.html Why metrication? and use some of these discussion points when you are talking to others to support the metric system.
One of the most remarkable things about the metric system is that it is so successful. Pat Naughtin has observed that:
No individual, no group, no company, no industry, and no nation,
after using the metric system for some time,
has ever gone back to using old pre-metric measures.And Pat is not alone in thinking like this. More than 100 years ago, in 1906, Alexander Graham Bell, made this statement to the Congress of the USA,
- It is safe to say that after the metric system has been adopted by the U.S. and our people have become accustomed to its use we would no more dream of going back to the present system of weights and measures than we would think of carrying on the processes of arithmetic through the medium of the old Roman letters in place of the Arabic numerals we now employ.
From these observations it is easy to conclude that the success of the metric system is inevitable.
How do I keep up to date with the modern metric system
Subscribe to the free monthly newsletter 'Metrication matters newsletter'
by filling in this form:
When you subscribe you will also receive a free copy of the Special Report Metrication is SUCCESSFUL to help you begin your metrication program at your work, your college, your school, or at your home.
How do I learn even more about Metrication matters?
Go to the 'Articles' page of this web site and download any of the .pdf articles you like. Do your metrication activities produce fast, smooth, and economical upgrades to the metric system? Attention metrication leaders:
If not, they should! Thanks to everyone who bought, and is using, the e-book 'Metrication Leaders Guide' that you will find here: Metrication Leaders guide I have been very pleased by the feedback about the positive and rapid metrication results achieved by our readers. Here is an example from St. Lucia in the Caribean:
Dear Pat First let me congratulate you on the wonderful wealth of information in “Metrication Leaders Guide”. I have been able to find valuable information on metrication in it. My country SAINT LUCIA in the West Indies, is going metric and I am the Coordinator of the St. Lucia Metrication Secretariat. ...
Thank you for sharing that wealth of information that you gathered over your years of experience dealing with metrication. Your book is invaluable!
Regards
Judy ReneLearn how you can boost the effectiveness of your metrication efforts. Learn how to get more of your target audience involved in your metrication program with the e-book'Metrication is SUCCESSFUL' and the 'Metrication matters' newsletter.
Use the form below to sign up for the free monthly newsletter, 'Metrication matters' and to claim your free copy of, 'Metrication is SUCCESSFUL', a 47 page guide to help you accelerate your metrication program at work, at college, at school, or at home beginning right now! (Value $44).
To make sure that you make an immediate beginning on your metrication program we will send you a free gift just for subscribing to the 'Metrication matters' newsletter. As a thank-you, we will send you a free copy of our Special Report: 'Metrication is SUCCESSFUL', a 37 page guide to help you begin your metrication program at work, at college, at school, or at home. This book is designed to help you discuss – even argue – about the positive benefits of the metric system. This gift will be sent to you as an e-book. Even on a typical dial-up Internet connection, it takes less than four minutes to receive! And, of course, there are no shipping or postage charges!
Your 'Metrication matters' newsletter will be sent to you as an email on the 10th day of each month and your copy of 'Metrication is SUCCESSFUL' will be sent to you as an e-book. Even on a dial-up Internet connection, the e-book takes less than four minutes to receive! And there are no shipping or postage charges!
In the 'Metrication matters' newsletter you will regularly receive strategies, ideas, and know-how to grow and develop your activities as a metrication leader. And it's free?
You will receive many interesting and unique metrication ideas and 'how to' articles about metrication from all around the world. In many of the articles I give you specific step-by-step instructions on how to implement innovative, low-cost metrication activities that have been proved to work by many others in many places.
My friends and clients often comment on what great metrication resources I provide and how useful the resources are that I recommend to them. Check out the latest 'Metrication matters' newsletter page at: /newsletter.html for testemonials and then scroll to the bottom of the page to see all the back issues of the 'Metrication matters' newsletter.
Here's to your success in leading your metrication upgrade to the metric system that is fast, smooth, and economical!
Cheers, Pat Naughtin Geelong, Australia
Metrication matters for your work group
Metrication matters for your company
Pat Naughtin, our principle speaker says, 'I ask people "Why metrication matters to you?" whenever I give keynote speeches or run training seminars'.
These comments are from feedback sheets written by people in companies that have had successful metrication transitions. Participants completed the line:
'After successful metrication there is ... '
- Better morale
- Greater accuracy
- Greater customer happiness
- Less customer unhappiness
- Less cheating
- Less mistakes
- Less repeating things
- Less staying back to fix things not done right first time around
- Management sleeping better at night
- More getting it right first time
- More happiness
- More harmony
- More honesty
- More pleasant working atmosphere
- More togetherness because we all feel better valued
- People feeling valued because of less niggling over errors
- Shorter meetings
Clearly, metrication matters to many people and for many reasons.
One of the most remarkable things about the metric system is that it is so successful.
Knowing that no individual, no group, no company, no industry, and no nation, after using the metric system for some time, has ever gone back to using old pre-metric measures means that we can confidently predict the future of the metric system.
Whenever you are considering the future of the metric system,
anywhere in the world and in any industry,
don't ever doubt that metrication matters,
and that upgrading to the metric system is inevitable.At metricationmatters.org we believe that metrication matters in all aspects of your life from moments after your birth, when you are first measured, to just after your death, when you are measured for your final funeral ritual. We also know that metrication matters in every aspect of your life from the time you rise in the morning to when you go to bed at night; in all activities all through your life — metrication matters.
If you require more help we provide a telephone consulting service and a person-to-person consultation service. We charge for these services. The basis of our work with individuals is to provide written resources and guided checklists so that you can make your own progress at your own rate at little cost.
As we tailor all presentations to suit individual clients and their current needs, we visit your premises to consult with your staff before we undertake presentations. We charge for these services and for travel and accommodation. Generally, we like to have a half-day orientation of your work sites so we can specifically address your current measurement issues.
Metrication matters because:
- metrication makes your businesses more profitable,
- metrication makes your calculations simpler,
- metrication makes your cooking easier and more reliable,
- metrication makes your costs less,
- metrication makes your dealings with others more open and honest,
- metrication makes your export income greater,
- metrication makes your imported goods cheaper,
- metrication makes your international dealings friendlier,
- metrication makes your learning easier,
- metrication makes your lives safer and more secure,
- metrication makes your schools and colleges more effective, and
- metrication makes your work more efficient.
Remember that metrication is not the same as metric conversion. Metric conversion is another way that might eventually lead you to using the metric system. However:
- metric conversion is much more difficult than direct metrication,
- metric conversion is much slower than direct metrication, and
- metric conversion is more costly than direct metrication.
You can find more details on metric conversion at:
You have probably arrived at this web page because you are have discovered the ease of using the metric system and you want to help others to form the same belief and to act on it. At Metrication matters we may be able to help you.
The purpose of the Metrication matters web site is to influence your decision about when and how quickly you will upgrade to the metric system.
We say when because we have no doubt that you will make your own metrication upgrade — that's inevitable — all you have to decide is when, and how quickly you will do it.
A secondary purpose of this web site is to encourage you to develop as a metrication leader so that other people can learn more about the metric system from you.
At metricationmatters.org we are extremely interested in the question:
What makes your metrication upgrade smooth, simple, and above all fast?
At Metrication matters we have spent many years studying how individuals, groups, companies, industries, and even whole nations approach metrication.
We have studied many smooth, simple, and rapid metric transitions and, sadly, we have also seen some that are badly planned, badly co-ordinated, and — till now — unsuccessful attempts at metric conversion.
Based on our experience, we are able to help you with:
We help individuals, groups, companies, and industries make a smooth and rapid metric transition.
Dear Pat, Thank you for your participation in the workshop, 'Australian Medical Sheepskins - New Performance Standards and Products'. Thanks for all your help in setting up this event, and please accept our special thanks for being able to chair the whole event at such short notice.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Gordon
Officer-in-Charge
CSIRO Leather Research CentreCheck our 'Speaking' page.
We can also support your training team by supporting them as they prepare your training materials. We can write, edit, or publish any metrication materials you need for your training programs.
Check our 'Writing' page.
Dear Pat, Here is the promo we will use to promote you as one of the 'Keynote Speakers' for the 'National Science Briefings' at Parliament House in Canberra. As you know these briefings are only advertised and are only available to federal parliamentarians and their staff. Your introduction will read:
'Mr Pat Naughtin, will speak on International units of measurement.
'Pat Naughtin is a writer, editor and publisher of books, manuals and encyclopaedias.
'Pat has considerable expertise on the international units of measurement and the ways these are helping improve Australia's international trading relations. He is able to speak with authority on the successes - and failures - of international units in Australia.
'Pat is persuasive speaker; his presentations are entertaining and humorous'.By the way, thanks for your help in putting this program together.
Best wishes,
W Parsons
Parliament House CanberraFor more details of Pat Naughtin's speeches and his availiability, please contact
For your in-house training and motivational needs, we have developed topics that we know are highly successful with a wide range of audiences. Go to our 'Speaking' page for further details of these programs.
For speaking services, check our 'Speaking' page.
For writing editing and publishing services, check our 'Writing' page.
For more details of Pat Naughtin's speeches and his availiability, please contact
Metrication matters for industry and government
On a general theme of metrication, we provide keynote addresses, motivational presentations, educational programs, and training courses that are specifically designed to suit your personnel in industry and government.
Underlying all of our work at Metrication matters is the philosophy that the metric system can simplify most aspects of your work and your life, and the lives of your children and grandchildren.
For speaking services, check our 'Speaking' page. For details of our principal speaker, writer and editor go to Pat Naughtin, LDA, TTTC, ASM, LCAMS.
For writing editing and publishing services, check our 'Writing' page.
For more details of Pat Naughtin's speeches and his availiability, please contact directly
We work with:
- all industries, because the metric system is universal and can be successfully applied to all trades, crafts, professions, companies, industries, and nations.
- at all levels, because measurement and metrication affect every part of every process in your business – and your life.
Metrication matters achieves its goals through:
- presentations for management to help form measurement and metrication policy.
- keynote presentations that present the metric system in a humorous yet serious way, to help overcome cultural resistance to your metrication program.
- presentations for middle management to help implement your company's metrication policy.
- presentations for training your staff to improve their competence and confidence with the metric system.
- radio and TV interviews and talks.
- presentations for staff who are complaining about having to use the metric system.
- provision of useful and practical information both 'for free' and 'for payment'.
- presentations for members of the public who have an interest in the metric system.
- direct and interactive consulting for those who have to develop metric system and metrication policies.
- the provision of information and support for education and training professionals.
We believe that the (gloriously named) French philosopher, Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas de Caritat, Le Marquis de Condorcet (1743/1794) described the metric system brilliantly when he said that it was:
Our mission at Metrication matters is to help you adopt the metric system as our only system of measurement, and to help you to to do this smoothly rapidly and economocally. ‘For all people, for all time’
Our principal speaker, writer and editor is:
Pat Naughtin, LDA, TTTC, ASM, LCAMS.
Pat is fully qualified and accredited in all aspects of the metric system. He is also highly experienced with the implementation of -- smooth, rapid, and economical -- metrication transitions that can be readily adapted for you, your business, and your work team.
For speaking services, check our 'Speaking' page, and for writing editing and publishing services, check our 'Writing' page.
More information about Metrication matters
For more details of Pat Naughtin's speeches and his availiability, please contact with your contact details (First Name, Last name, email address, and contact phone number, together with some information about the project you have in mind. Please include any questions or information that you think might be helpful to Pat Naughtin as he tailors his speaking programs for you and your organisation.
More information about the process of change
As models for the change processes involved in any metrication upgrade, we highly recommend references by John P. Kotter. You can purchase these from Amazon.com by clicking on this link:
'Understanding the process of change'
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