In the comprehensive spending review (CSR) there was much talk of making changes to underpin a competitive economy, to put public services on a sustainable footing, fit for a modern age, and to prioritise those areas of public spending which are most likely to support economic growth. But there was no mention of eliminating an unnecessary overhead, which the UK’s struggling economy shares with that of the USA, namely the cost of maintaining two measurement systems side by side for the indefinite future. Continue reading “An opportunity for savings overlooked in the comprehensive spending review”
Category: Views from abroad
10-10-10. A reason for celebration
For many in Britain, the metric system and decimal measures are the same. Sunday’s once-in-a-century date provides an opportunity to consider the link between the two.
URS buys Scott Wilson. So what?
The UK’s twelfth largest consultancy by turnover, Scott Wilson, has been bought by the US design firm URS for £218 million. URS is second in the ‘Engineering News Record’ list of top 500 design firms. Metric Views speculates that Scott Wilson’s metric know-how is crucial for URS in this acquisition.
Measuring, trading and manufacturing
Two questions from a reader have prompted thoughts about the impact on UK trade of the continued use of pound/inch units in the US, and about the future prospects for manufacturing industry. Continue reading “Measuring, trading and manufacturing”
Linked by a common system of measures
There is a widely held view in the UK that we share our measurement system with the USA. True – but not in the way many believe. Continue reading “Linked by a common system of measures”
How big is that oil spill?
A reader of Metric Views points out that confusion on the reporting of this disaster is not limited to the UK.
An improvement in the weather
A recent exchange of e-mails between Ezra, a reader of MetricViews in the USA, and Tony, in the UK, suggests that recent years have seen changes for the better in weather reporting in the both the UK and Canada. Do other readers of MetricViews share Tony’s viewpoint? Continue reading “An improvement in the weather”
Muddle in Myanmar too?
One of our readers in the US, Ezra Steinberg, provides this comment on the situation in Myanmar. Continue reading “Muddle in Myanmar too?”
Metrication progress in Malaysia
Metric use in Malaysia in 2010 may give a foretaste of the situation in the UK in 2020 …or 2030 …or 2040. Our correspondent reports on a recent visit.
The English language – not to be taken for granted
Martin Vlietstra suggests a possible threat to our prosperity resulting from our resistance to change.
Continue reading “The English language – not to be taken for granted”
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