The concluding article of this series looks at the ignominious end of the UK’s attempt, began fifty years ago, to make the transition to a single, simple and universal measurement system.
Category: Views from abroad
Celsiheit is back – but help is at hand
Just when we thought we had seen the last of Fahrenheit temperatures, a tabloid headline warns us against complacency and reminds us of those awkward conversions. Awkward no more, we are pleased to say, as Metric Views has learnt of a simple formula.
A skirmish across the Pond
Readers may be interested in a recent exchange of views between Clay Rogers, a journalist with a newspaper in Iowa, and Paul Trusten, Vice President of UKMA’s sister organisation in the USA.
Vietnam and Cambodia – metric measures taken for granted
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”
Hong Kong – Imperial no more
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.
Hacking IKEA
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.
Metrication of the rail network
Last October Network Rail announced that they will be phasing out miles, chains and yards on the British Rail network in favour of metric units. This has already been done on most, if not all Britain’s metro and tram systems while the dimensions of railway vehicles have been measured in metric units since the 1970s. Why this change of heart?
(Article contributed by Martin Vlietstra)
As others see us
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.
US package labelling may be catching up
– but don’t hold your breath. One of our regular readers in the USA reports on the latest moves to permit metric-only labelling of packaging.
The 49th Parallel – still a line in the shifting sands?
John Frewen-Lord, one of our regular contributors, has recently visited Canada and has sent Metric Views his observations on the current state of the metric changeover there. Comments on this article from readers who know Canada are particularly welcome.
Continue reading “The 49th Parallel – still a line in the shifting sands?”
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