[ RadSafe ] SI Purists

[Bjorn Cedervall]

> Although I was originally trained in curies, rads and rems, I have for many years automatically thought in becquerels, grays and sieverts.
>
The same here. I converted around 1980 - it was a matter of a few weeks. The only drawback when we get millibecquerel as we have seen in our media recently (the anti people favor microsievert as the dose unit...).
 
As I went to high school in Michigan I was confronted with Fahrenheit and got the eqn. for conversion of course but also developed the shortcut: -40 C = - 40 F, 0 C = 32 F, 5 C = 45 F, 10 C = 50 F, 15 C = 59 F, 20 C = 68 F, 25 C = 77 F, 30 C = 86 F, 37 C = 98 F, 100 C = 212 F. It doesn't take long to get these by heart and then you can quickly interpolate for most daily needs. One of my class mates (in Michigan) said directly when we entered centrigrades in chemistry: "I won't need this - I just wont go into science").
 
Gallons (OK there are different ones) - just think that 1 liter is approx. 1/4 gallon. COuldn't that be a first step?
 
Pounds/ounces: I must admit that I still can't do it (or I am too lazy to even try) when it comes to buying ground meat etc in US food stores. Instead of thinking "750 grams" - I just look at it and say to myself: "that looks about right".
 
Someone taught me BTW that the cubic inch vs. cc can be simplified - just don't do the conversion and leave "cc" for Canadian Club.
 
I apologize for some side tracks but it is my Friday afternoon.
 
Bjorn Cedervall