For over a century, the introduction of metric measures in the UK was linked to that of decimal currency. But then, while we were saying farewell to £sd, the situation changed. We follow the story and draw an unsurprising conclusion.
Continue reading “Decimal currency, metric measures and the vanished link”
The fuss about measurement units at the start of this century has overshadowed progress thirty years earlier in education, science and engineering. We look at the benefits that were predicted at the start of the transition to SI and ask if they have been delivered.
We take a look at a uniquely British problem faced by our media and in particular the BBC, namely which system of measurement units to use.
Continue reading “Measurement units – a daily dilemma for the media”
John Frewen-Lord follows his article reflecting on his visit to Hong-Kong with another about two of the countries that once formed French Indo-China.
Continue reading “Vietnam and Cambodia – metric measures taken for granted”
Metric Views will be celebrating several anniversaries in 2015. In this, our first post of the New Year, we provide some pointers.
Followers of Metric Views may have noticed that one of our regular contributors, John Frewen-Lord, has just returned from a visit to the far east. In this post, he passes on some observations relating one of the countries he visited.
In contrast to his last article, John Frewen-Lord takes a look this week at some of the activities of seven famous people who later had SI units of measurement named after them.
On Newsnight on BBC2 last Monday, David Cameron, replying to questions on his personal views, said he preferred ancient to modern measurements. One of our regular contributors, John Frewen-Lord, speculates where such nostalgia might lead.
It is said that people either love IKEA or hate it. Even those who fall into the latter group may find a recently published article amusing.
A recent survey carried out by IPSOS Mori on behalf of the British Council may go some way to explain the UK’s failure to complete the metric changeover.
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