Continuing with our series on myths, misinformation and fallacies, we look at the claim occasionally made by defenders of imperial units that they are British and that they should continue in use for this reason.
Category: Consumer affairs
An old habit dies hard
One of our regular contributors, John Frewen-Lord, observes that the beauty and value of the built-in simplicity and coherence of the metric system is not being learned by the UK population despite forty years of teaching.
All too often, mystified when we measure
John Frewen-Lord recalls several recent examples of difficulties with measurement and asks if common measuring devices actually inhibit using the metric system.
Imperial left-overs in Australia
Although Australia is predominantly metric, there are still some pockets of imperial usage. Ronnie C recently visited that country and has written this account of what he found.
Survey exposes the failure of measurement policy in the UK
The UK Metric Association has issued the following press release:
Continue reading “Survey exposes the failure of measurement policy in the UK”
The pint problem: A new way forward
The obligatory use of pints and prescribed fractions thereof for draught beer and cider alongside the absence of restrictions when sold in cans and bottles creates anomalies and confusion. What can be done to remove these anomalies without creating new ones?
Launch of the decimal euro
Fifteen years ago, on 1 January 1999, the euro was introduced as an accounting currency. Notes and coins were introduced three years later. Whilst there are arguments for and against the euro, and UKMA takes no position on this issue, no one challenged at the time that the single currency would be decimal.
Which? and Government claim credit for UKMA campaign
Both the Consumers’ Association (aka Which?) and the Government’s Business Department have claimed the credit for the success of their campaign to persuade supermarkets to price goods transparently. But who actually started the campaign? and is it enough?
Continue reading “Which? and Government claim credit for UKMA campaign”
The reports of the death of the micron are greatly exaggerated
After a two month break, Metric Views returns with an article by UKMA’s new Chairman, John Frewen-Lord, about an aspect current metric usage. (With apologies to Mark Twain for the headline). Continue reading “The reports of the death of the micron are greatly exaggerated”
Possible redefinition of the second
A few days ago, a news story appeared about the possible redefinition of the second. The BBC reported that scientists have invented a clock that loses just one second in 300 million years.
Metric Views 