A few days ago, weather forecasters were warning the public about a period of freezing weather and snow. Major British commercial broadcasters’ websites have expressed the levels of snowfall exclusively in centimetres. There has been no use of inches for snowfall in their online weather reports.
Continue reading “Major commercial broadcasters use cm only for snowfall”Category: Media
Imperial return is part of Brexit symbolism
The return of imperial units is part of a wider range of symbolic changes that are coming as a result of Brexit.
Continue reading “Imperial return is part of Brexit symbolism”Queen’s Jubilee celebrations to include return of imperial units?
Over the weekend, various news items announced (again) that it was the Government’s intention for us to return to the use of imperial units.
Continue reading “Queen’s Jubilee celebrations to include return of imperial units?”
Does the UK’s mixed use of metric and imperial give us a unique ‘superpower’?
When arguing against the completion of metrication, opponents sometimes claim that the UK’s current muddled use of metric units for some things, and imperial for others, gives us an advantage that should be envied when it comes to measurement, in that it somehow makes us ‘bilingual’ in both systems.
Continue reading “Does the UK’s mixed use of metric and imperial give us a unique ‘superpower’?”
Official BBC Measurement Policy
As we become used to metric measures for social distancing, Ronnie Cohen, one our frequent contributors, looks at the measurement policy of our national broadcaster. Apparently, it is the over 50’s who are responsible for the muddle.
Continue reading “Official BBC Measurement Policy”M-days in Australia
UKMA has recently acquired two pamphlets from the 1970s Australian metric conversion programme. One about the switchover to metric units for weather reports, and one about the switchover for motoring.
300 million gallons and other dam(n) measurement units
In 2019, readers could be forgiven for having no idea what 300 million gallons of water looks like.
In a recent BBC news article about the Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire, it was reported that, following storm damage, the dam was in danger of collapse with the potential of releasing 300 million gallons of water onto the nearby town of Whaley Bridge.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-49189955
In 2019, readers could be forgiven for having no idea what 300 million gallons of water looks like.
Continue reading “300 million gallons and other dam(n) measurement units”
Is perfect the enemy of good?
Recent experience in France and Greece and a comment last week by Charlie P on this site has prompted us to ask if it would be better if supporters of metric measures were less pedantic.
Metric Views 