Motorola Releases Touchscreen Linux Smartphone (InformationWeek)

The problem with the internets is that it is too difficult to tell when someone is being
serious or not.  I will assume you ARE being serious though, because that maximizes the funny
(or "humourous" in imperial units).

I see you are a guest.  Does your disregard for aliens and elites take in the foreign import
of Linux and the coterie of snobs that support such endeavors?  If so, you must be a spy.  In
other times I would say "off with his head (or her, as the case might be)".  However, the
excesses of the Napoleonic era, when the French failed to enlighten the benighted Egyptians
made that gambit stale.  Even the most unenlightened now use it past all positive meaning.

So I might pose a query I got when trying to help a very confused individual.  "What are you
doing here?", when I explained I was not a regular member.  Lies, dissembled responses and
distractions expected ...

I wonder, where this US citizen wants to send his government. From the website of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology:

...
Congress, recognizing the necessity of the United States' conformance with international
standards for trade, included new encouragement for U.S. industrial metrication in the Omnibus
Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988. This legislation amended the Metric Conversion Act of
1975 and designates the metric system as the Preferred system of weights and measures for
United States trade and commerce." The legislation states that the Federal Government has a
responsibility to assist industry, especially small business, as it voluntarily converts to
the metric system of measurement.

Federal agencies were required by this legislation, with certain exceptions, to use the metric
system in their procurement, grants and other business-related activities by the end of 1992.
While not mandating metric use in the private sector, the Federal Government has sought to
serve as a catalyst in the metric conversion of the country's trade, industry, and commerce.

The current effort toward national metrication is based on the conclusion that industrial and
commercial productivity, mathematics and science education, and the competitiveness of
American products and services in world markets, will be enhanced by completing the change to
the metric system of units. Failure to complete the change will increasingly handicap the
Nation's industry and economy.

http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/Metric/lc1136a.cfm

That was a joke, right?

Or do you like trivia like 16, 12, 5280, 3, 1760, etc?

Actually, I think the US should go *really* way back to pounds, shillings and pence.  None of
this whipper-snapper decimal nonsense.

Meh.  I'm off to have 1/68th of a firkin of beer.  (Oh, and that's a US firkin.  I'm not
thirsty enough for 1/68th of a British firkin.)

Hmmm ;-^

It really is surprising to see just how backward the Imperial English, er, US system really
is,
even for a Canadian... Canada ostensibly changed to metric before I was in Primary School.

Now, from Japan, it's startling just how many things Imperial units manage to mess up even in 
Canada in retrospect.  Just a short list...

Paper.  Standard international paper sizes, best thing since sliced bread.
PCB level component dimensions.  Inch based grids and mil ... Phooey!
Wood sizes.  What's a 2x4?  Really.  'Cause it sure isn't 2 inch by 4.

I guess it's hard to describe, but it really is noticeable, on a day to day basis.  Things fit
together,
everything works with everything else.  There are a few holdouts here too though, in the areas
you might expect.  Size of space in real estate is measured in Tsubo.  But it's easy deal
with,
1 Tsubo = 2 tatami mats, so you can convert easily ;-)

Actually it's "global-centric snobbery" - the US is virtually the only holdout against the
metric system.