Today’s announcement by the European Commission that it is to propose that “supplementary indications” (such as lbs and oz) should be allowed indefinitely does NOT mean that traders can go back to weighing and pricing in imperial measures – so says the UK Metric Association (UKMA). [Press release issued on 11 September.]
Why are photo paper sizes imperial?
A correspondent recently complained that a university quoted photographic paper sizes to him in imperial units. This reminded me of an unpleasant discovery I made some years ago. Continue reading “Why are photo paper sizes imperial?”
Canada shows how it can be done.
John Frewen-Lord has passed on a link which illustrates the UK’s increasing isolation from other Commonwealth countries in the matter of measurement. And if Toronto, facing New York State across Lake Ontario, can nevertheless escape US influence, then why can’t we?
Pounds and ounces baffle top students
In last night’s “University Challenge” (BBC2) between St Cross College, Oxford and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, the following question came up …
“Imperial measures. How many ounces in two and a half pounds?”
Symbols understood by everyone, everywhere (unlike abbreviations)
Do British road signs have symbols on them or abbreviations? (Martin Vlietstra asks a rhetorical question).
Continue reading “Symbols understood by everyone, everywhere (unlike abbreviations)”
Tesco – trying hard but must try harder
On Saturday 21 July 2007, I visited a Tesco store in the West Midlands. On many of the fruit and vegetable displays there were signs showing the inkorrect symbol ‘Kg’. (Article contributed by Philip Bladon, author of ‘A Dictionary of International Units’)
Know your speeds – the voice of experience
When one day the British roads are converted to metric units, drivers will need to get used to distances that are measured in kilometres and speeds that are measured in kilometres per hour (article contributed by Martin Vlietstra). Continue reading “Know your speeds – the voice of experience”
Metric and Wilkins compared – not quite deja vu
A feature of the metric system, which distinguishes it from customary systems, is the use prefixes for decimal multiples and submultiples as well as the use of symbols for units. These were not part of Wilkins’ proposals of 1668. Roddy Urquhart compares these with the modern metric system (SI).
Continue reading “Metric and Wilkins compared – not quite deja vu”
BBC1 Six o’clock News launches a “stunner”
New research suggests that the principles of the metric system may have been outlined originally in England. The BBC launched this discovery on an unsuspecting British public during the Six o’clock News on 13 July. Here is the transcript of the broadcast (obtained by Robin Paice). Continue reading “BBC1 Six o’clock News launches a “stunner””
Is the metric system really a British idea?
The recent discovery that the principles of the metric system were proposed in England over a century before they were adopted in France seems to deserve comment on Metric Views. Continue reading “Is the metric system really a British idea?”
Metric Views 