Measuring Temperature

The USA is one of the few remaining countries to use feet, yards, and miles instead of centimeters, meters and kilometers; pounds instead of kilograms; and the Fahrenheit scale instead of Centigrade to measure temperature.

Napoleon created the metric system to impose logic on an otherwise illogical Imperial [British] system of weights and measures. It is curious that Theodore Roosevelt, when he decided to rationalize American spelling (theater rather than theatre, honor rather than honour etc.), did not force through a rationalization of our system of weights and measures.

For those of you who are vacationing outside of the USA, and are tired of the calculation required to see the temperature in familiar units (F = 32 + C x 9/5), here are some simple rules of thumb:

• at 10C, take off your coat because it is 50F
• at 20C, take off your jacket because it is 68F
• at 30C, take off your shirt because it is 86F
• at 40C, make sure you are in a swimming pool - or an air conditioned building - because it is 104F

Happy vacation!