2002-02-16 If I were to guess, I'd say there are 3 types of people living in Ireland when it comes to their views on metric/Europe: Those who want to be strongly connected with Britain and its traditions are anti-metric/anti-Europe, those who want to break free completely are pro-metric/pro-Europe and everyone else is somewhere in-between.
The Irish Anti-Metric League is in the first group and the author of the piece below is in the second and members of the Properties Supplement are somewhere in the middle. Note the use of Gaelic at the end. This person is definitely anti-British. Thus anything the British oppose, such as metric and the Euro, he supports. These Irish support the EU because they feel the EU can protect them from the British. Ireland can never be truly free. They are either linked to Britain or to Europe. And if you are anti-British, then Europe it is! BTW, 10.7 sq yards is equal to 9 m^2 and 7 ft - 2 in is about 2.2 m. The 9 m^2 area can easily be divided into a room 3 m x 3 m. John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Han Maenen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, 2002-02-16 03:59 Subject: [USMA:18221] Letter in to-day's Irish Times > The Irish Anti-Metric League won't asppreciate this letter in to-day's Irish > Times. The writer criticizes the conversion of metric regulations to PMU and > asks why the Property Supplement of that paper does not accept metric, while > it readily accepted the euro. > > Han > > GOODBYE TO THE GARRET > > Sir, - An item in the Around the Block column of your Property Supplement > (February 7th) bids "Goodbye to the garret, adieu to the attic". I do not > understand why the writer feels sad "that the Parisian garret, where > countless writers shivered while they wrote, has become an endangered > space". Surely this should be welcomed. > > Your columnist explains that according to the new regulations, the attic > spaces cannot be rented out to impoverished artists, or to anyone else for > that matter. Minimum standards have been laid down for property intended for > the rental market. > > The writer states that "rooms must be 10.7 square yards and 7ft 2ins high", > although I am sure that in the regulations measurements are given in metric > units. Why has the Property Supplement been so reluctant to adopt the metric > system? This contrasts with the rapid adoption of the euro. > > Your columnist concluded his report by quoting France's Secretary of State > for Housing, Marie-Noelle Lienenam. > > "There will be regular tests on rented housing the same way that any old car > has to pass its MoT." It is more likely that she referred to the CTA > (Control Technique d'Automobile). > > There is no need to say goodbye to the car or the garret if they comply with > the regulations which are in the public interest. - Yours, etc., > > AODHAG�N BRIOSC�, > > P�irc Gleann Mheara, > > Cnoc Liamhna, > > Baile �tha Cliath 16. > > >
