Justin Dodge
T. Manley
ELA 12
5-8-2014
The Metric Conversion
Over 96% of the world uses the Metric system. The United States, on the other hand, decides to be isolated from the rest of the world and uses the standard U.S. customary system. Why does the U.S. chose to do this? There are so many benefits from using the metric system. Although the U.S. customary system is the backbone of American measurements and keeps the country from spending more money up front, it is damaging the United States in many ways. The metric system is a better alternative because it is, for one, a more simple system to understand, it is used in the majority of the world, and it will also help us to connect with the world and save money. Therefore the national switch to the metric system would be the best decision the country could make to help the students, the finances, and future.
Perhaps the most vital reason that the U.S. should modify to the metric system is because it would be the single most beneficial conversion to the health and prosperity of the economy. According to the Nation Institute of Standards and Technology, “ Since trade and communication with other nations is critical to the health of the economy, adopting the measurement system used by 95 percent of the world’s population is not a matter of choice, but a matter of necessity for the United States”(“Toward a Metric America.”). The interpretation to this quote is that in being the only “industrialized” country left in the world that has not yet converted to the metric system, the U.S. is falling behind majorly from an economic standpoint. Many countries find it difficult to trade with the United States because of the difference in measurement languages. In addition to that, the count...
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...claim it as their official system of measurements, still use it in their lives. Therefore, switching the United States from the standard customary system to the metric system would benefit the country in more ways than one. The students will be less stressed out and not forced to learn so much. The teachers will no longer be forced to teach two different systems of measurements and expect young children to comprehend it. Not to mention it will allow associating with the rest of the world through measurement tables a lot easier. Although switching from the standard system will cost the country a fair amount of money, overtime it will save the U.S. billions a year. Overall the metric system has proven to be more than worthy enough for the United States to convert it’s official system of measurement too. So why does the United States confine itself from the benefits?
In first place, having an official language has always been a huge concern to Americans, because it is ...
I think that it would be beneficial for United States to switch to IFRS, but I think that SEC should not vote to switching to IFRS after companies spend millions of dollars on converting from GAAP (Maryland).
The article written by Michael Thomsen addresses the issue: should we as a society continue using a standardized grading system. Thomsen includes many reasons supporting his ultimate conclusion that we should not continue with any system of standardized grades. However, the reasons he uses to support his conclusion are affected by significant ambiguity which weakens the overall argument.
million to $82 million. In this paper I will discuss the United States' use of
Trade is essential to overcome the dollar gap that prevented foreign marketing of United States goods (Melanson and Mayers, 159). There are many economic issues which face the nation at this time. A recovery from World War II and the Korean War, a recession, a change in the political party of the president, and several other issues. Thus, this must be a time of strong economic leadership. The policies made and legislature passed must steer the United States through this apparent storm and give the nation a chance to rest from the hecticness of the first half of the century.
When we look at just a few of the specifics of our trade with the U.S., we find that:
The United States has for over two centuries been involved in the growing world economy. While the U.S. post revolutionary war sought to protect itself from outside influences has since the great depression and world war two looked to break trade restrictions. The United States role in the global economy has grown throughout the 20th century and as a result of several historical events has adopted positions of both benefactor and dependent. The United States trade policy has over time shifted from isolationist protectionism to a commitment to establishing world-wide free trade. Free trade enterprise has developed and grown through organizations such as the WTO and NAFTA. The U.S. in order to obtain its free trade desires has implemented a number of policies that can be examined for both their benefits and flaws. Several trade policies exist as options to the United States, among these fair trade and free trade policies dominate the world economic market. In order to achieve economic growth the United States has a duty to maintain a global trade policy that benefits both domestic workers and industry. While free trade gives opportunities to large industries and wealthy corporate investors the American worker suffers job instability and lower wages. However fair trade policies that protect America’s workers do not help foster wide economic growth. The United States must then engage in economic trade policies that both protect the United States founding principles and secure for tomorrow greater economic stability.
English as the official language of the United States could benefit the U.S. Government and America as a whole. America has long since been a multicultural nation and has been an English speaking nation since it was founded. The constitutional and federal documents are all in English, which furthers the American people, believing English should be our official language. The majority of states already have English as their official language, for English has always provided a much needed cohesion to our diverse citizens since it was founded.
The Industrial Revolution was a time of great inventiveness and insight that would change the world, forever. Machines were being developed that did not require manpower or horsepower, and did work at a far greater output than its human counterparts could ever hope to match. Likewise, thanks to the invention of mass transit, resources, products, and people were being transported across the country in greater numbers, at far greater rates. Of course, this in turn had great impact, not only on the American’s whose world was built through these new machines and factories, forged in the Industrial Revolution, and who, themselves, came to enjoy the products of such inventions; It also had tremendous effect on how American society came to view progress, and success, and its own standing in the world, in material/economic terms.
It seems that this topic has been a heated debate for the past couple of decades, which has caused some division over the issue. I learned that there are a variety of pros and cons that you can argue about this issue. I chose to be a part of the pro English side for three reasons: I believe that making English our official language (1) would allow the education system to focus on English as the primary language, (2) it would unite our country in regards to racial discrimination, and (3) our government and business operations would be a little more streamlined.
dominant language in the US has been a symbolic and practical means of showing who is in
It's just outright disrespectful to growing minorities to make English an official language and could harm the economy. In order to increase the equality and progress the nation, it more fitting to make the United States have no official language and not discriminate or deter from completing their dreams in America. As times change and minorities grow and majorities decrease, the
...ve significant trading agreements that the United States desperately depends on. Collier completely underestimates the United States with this belief that this country depends on the flourishing of the bottom billion countries.
English becoming the official Language of the United States is not just a controversial topic, it is necessary to keep America alive. American history and tradition is falling, and the ground on which she was founded is slowly fading. Americans must wake up to the importance of preserving the history of their culture. America is considered to be the greatest country in the world by even some who are not Americans. The “American Dream” is something people fantasize over all around the world. In order to keep the desire to be American, one must truly understand what it takes to be American. English is essential in living the American life. English should be the official language of the United States to give the people what they want, to recognize the historic role, and to limit controversy.
Despite these advantages, the United States should stick to the fiat monetary system because the gold standard has two major flaws. First, in order to function properly, countries have to follow rules to avoid deflation or inflation. However, if a country wanted to, they could easily deflate or inflate their economy by breaking the rules. The second major flaw of the gold standard is that there is not enough gold in the world to serve as money anymore because there is too much money in circulation. The process of mining gold is dangerous, expensive and difficult as it is hard to find.