What units do you choose when you are writing travel books and other popular non-fiction for English speakers, wherever they might be found? (Article written by a reader of Bill Bryson’s books) Continue reading “Spare a thought for any would-be Brysons out there”
Category: General
Will the new Parliament be more pro-metric?
Although it is widely assumed that the next Parliament (to be elected no later than June 2010) will contain more Conservative and fewer Labour MPs, is it possible that they may be more sympathetic to completing the metric changeover? (Article based on a draft by Martin Vlietstra.)
Continue reading “Will the new Parliament be more pro-metric?”
Will the European Commission challenge US labelling rules?
A recent posting by NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology) has prompted this question: Are American labelling requirements now illegal under WTO rules?
Continue reading “Will the European Commission challenge US labelling rules?”
Tory spokesman supports centilitres of alcohol
In a commendable outbreak of common sense, Conservative health spokesman, Andrew Lansley, has proposed that, in order to clarify the amount of alcohol being consumed, bottles and cans should be labelled with the quantity of pure alcohol in centilitres rather than in so called “units”. But will this lead to a wider realisation that draught beer should also be measured in litres?
Continue reading “Tory spokesman supports centilitres of alcohol”
Why do nautical miles linger on?
I recently had an exchange of correspondence with an acquaintance (a former RAF pilot) who tried to explain to me why most of the world of aviation still uses nautical miles and knots rather than kilometres and km/h. The explanation went like this.
NHS risking patients’ lives with imperial scales
Six months after an official report warned of systemic negligence in medical weighing practice within the NHS, the Department of Health has failed to issue the necessary safety alert to hospital trusts to ensure that the report’s recommendations are implemented.
Continue reading “NHS risking patients’ lives with imperial scales”
Big Bang vs “voluntary gradualism”
A correspondent asks whether countries that carried out their metrication programme quickly fared better or worse than countries that have tried to do the job gradually and voluntarily.
BIS sticks with pints of beer (but only on draught)
As expected the Business Department has refused to permit sales of draught beer and cider in convenient metric measures – but its reasoning is bizarre.
Continue reading “BIS sticks with pints of beer (but only on draught)”
An anniversary overlooked
This year marks 125 years since the United Kingdom signed the Metre Convention. Continue reading “An anniversary overlooked”
Loony Measurement System
A member of the UK Metric Association has given us permission to reproduce an amusing article from his personal blog. Acknowledgements and thanks to David Brown.
Metric Views 