When I was in grad school, the physics shop machinist told me: "I hate metric, too much math." This was a person who could do most arithmetic in his head, and r

When I was in grad school, the physics shop machinist told me: "I hate metric, too much math." This was a person who could do most arithmetic in his head, and remembered all of the numbered dimensions such as UNC and UNF screw threads. There were no calculators in the machine shop -- no need for them. I remember metric from elementary school as well. English units were taught by: "Here's a ruler, go measure some things." Metric was taught as a bunch of conversions. The powers of ten were supposed to make it easy: "Metric is easy, it's just math." Well, most people are repulsed by math. My Canadian friend told me that he learned metric in school by: "Here's a ruler, go measure some things." Today, most of US life is English, and most of industry is metric. A normal household doesn't need English wrenches, but does need metric allen wrenches if they've got bicycles.