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RE: Bq soon:Why this discussion again ?
Funny enough, each Spring, the same debate hits this list: SI or no SI ?
Since the previous message had a question to Canadians: How the general
population feels about buying their gasoline in liter or their meat by the
kilogram, and how about temperatures? etc..., I will start by answering:
MOST PEOPLE DON'T CARE, some romantics wants to remain in the past, the new
generation learned both or (worst ?) simply works in SI units. It is a bit
cultural I think, as I am writing to you in English but my mother tong is
French. I have no problem understanding your communication as I would not
have any problem in French or Italian.
Bottom line: As professionnals, it is our duty to make sure of the data
presented to us, including the units.We are not doing simple math homework
and focusing on an arithmetic result. Units should ALWAYS accompany a
written communication, even with calculations so you can "cancel out" the
units when you use the proper formula (a good trick to make sure you are
heading the right way !!!).
Units are a language, try to adopt one or two references and stick with them
(37 KBq - 1 uCi for exemple). Yes we can make mistakes but as for the
previous discussions in the past years, we have more important problems then
wondering which set of units is BETTER. Yes a Terabecquerel is a lot of
zeros when converted in Bq and so one nanocurie when converted in Ci... A
year, reported in minutes, is also a big number :-)
Wonders of embrassing the World :-)
Stéphane Jean-François, Eng., CHP,
Spécialiste en radioprotection-Radiation Safety Specialist
Gestion des risques-Risk Management
Merck Frosst Canada et Cie,
514.428.8695
Fax:514.428.8670
stephane_jeanfrancois@merck.com
http://www.merckfrosstlab.ca
-----Original Message-----
From: Perron Harvard C PSNS [mailto:perronh@PSNS.NAVY.MIL]
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 9:47 AM
To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: RE: Bq soon
I know it isn't popular in the science community but why convert to the S.I.
system. We have the classical system that works. We should ask some of the
Canadians how the general population feels about buying their gasoline in
liters or their meat by the kilogram, and how about temperatures?
Conformity for the sake of conformity is a waste, is expensive, and
unnecessary.
H. Perron
Health Physicist
perronh@psns.navy.mil
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