>>I see the world as "all-metric" someday, but maybe we shouldn't force it too fast, I guess I would say.
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>It's enforced too slow... you know, after four years here, I've just today found how are the map ratios expressed (at least at middle school level). Instead of simple 1:1000 or 1:1000000 or something like that, it's 1mi:1in... I mean, which other system of measurement requires names of units in a ratio where both units are of the same kind?

Here in the US, where metric was unheard of outside of the science community until recently, we can't do it fast or there will be an anti-metric revolution :-)

OTOH, the only way to get people to use metric is to enforce it. So what to do? Well, you need parallel, dual measurements for a period so people can adjust - which we are now doing on package-labeling etc., and liquids are often only-metric in measures already. So progress is occurring...

Some of it is the cost-problem, too. For example, we have 47 gazillion signs, maps, etc, all in miles, which is expensive to alter, especially in hard econimic times here. That will be a real challenge, physically and economically, never mind what people think about metric. But we'll get there someday.

>>The one real problem metric has is Time. Yes, there are ways to measure time in metrical units, but not so easy to do - and we already have so many various calendar systems around the globe...
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>For starters, my dream is that America would once confess that day has 24 hours, and stop that ridiculous AM and PM - where the "AM" doesn't mean "before the noon" (nor does "PM" mean "after). When is 12:30 AM? Twelve hours and thirty minutes before the noon (ante meridiem)? Nope, it's actually 0:30. And 12:45PM is not 12.75 hours after the noon (post meridiem), it's 0.75 after it.

Well, there's been a large help from eBay, which uses 24 hour time system, so all users must get accustomed to it. Millions of eBay users in US/Canada and other parts of world, so that helps promote the 24-hour clock. Also the military uses it. Maybe we'll get there eventually. But again, you encounter cost-of-change problems, even if everyone likes the idea. Long-term, though, I think it will happen eventually, like the metric system usage.

But first, we should get rid of the idiotic Daylight Savings Time changes twice a year, leave it on all year, off all year, or split the difference at the half-hour in-between (my favorite idea). That's my first priority anyway, and would be a less-costly change to make...it would save lives, too, according to statistical data on traffic fatalities.

Okay, now I'm gonna take some hits for this heretical idea, so my rant off too :-)