You go to the store and find your favorite soda is now in a 2-liter bottle. Your car's speedometer now displays kilometers, and your big outdoor thermometer has Celsius numbers. Our world is getting smaller. Just knowing standard American measurements isn't good enough anymore. Indeed, meters, liters and Celsius are here to stay. Like it or not, we'll see more every day. So, here are a few conversion rules of thumb. These are "about" rules for the most common ones. A liter is about one quart (about 10 percent less actually), a meter is about 3 feet (or a yard) and a kilometer is about two-thirds of a mile. Celsius temperatures are easy too. Just take the regular Fahrenheit temperature, subtract 30 and divide by 2. If its 70°F, subtract 30, which leaves 40, and divide by 2, which gives you 20 degrees Celsius. With a little practice you too can read metrics and Euro temps like an international jet-set bon-vivant. And that's the On The House tip for today.