

I looked at at crime rates in American cities in 2012. The highest was in Flint, Michigan, which still has a lead pipe problem.
The Romans ate off of lead plates and enjoyed watching gladiators fight, women being raped by animals and other atrocities in the Coliseum. I’ve read dissertations that perpetuated the idea that lead poisoning was a major factor in this cultural phenomenon.
I was born in 1971 and grew up breathing lead fumes in a large city. Yes, I believe leaded gasoline and lead paint have been a serious problem.














I’m old enough to remember when they tried to convert us to metric. I can tell you why.
People tried to force it on us and we don’t need the metric system for daily use. Trying to force people to use it isn’t going to work. Now, personally, I’d prefer if measurements on rulers and in cars were still given in both systems.
Metric advocates tend to be smug and insulting towards anyone not using the metric system. I have seen this myself more than once. Calling a whole nation stupid because they use a different but functional system of measurement is hardly a good strategy for converting them to your system.
I learned the metric system in school. I understand that the metric system is superior in many sciences. I have strong interests in anthropology. And here I am at 55 and I have never, not once, needed to use metric. Bone measurements are often given in metric but it’s not such a big issue that I need to wholly convert to metric.
My question is, what’s the big deal? Is the metric system a religion? I’ve seen evangelical Christians less intent on converting people. Why?