The article contains many falsehoods and many half-truths presented in a misleading way.
"Britain finally did it-after 800 years. Some did it reluctantly, wanting to stay with the old weights and measurement system, but after threats that retailers could face fines up to $8,000 and possible imprisonment if they refused to adopt the new system, Britons are obeying." False. You can use the old system if you want. "The January 1 rule states that selling most packaged or loose products in imperial measures is now a criminal offense." False. You can sell these in imperial measures. "One pound of butter now weighs 0.45 kilograms," False. Butter is now sold in 250 g and 500 g packs. "a 2 x 4 plank of wood is now a 5.08 x 10.16 centimeter plank, False. The so-called 2 x4 piece of wood was not 2 inches by 4 inches to start with, and it is certainly not 5.08 x 10.16 cm. "More than 60,000 retailers were ordered to convert 200,000 scales, at a cost the government estimated at $54 million." This has been lifted from anti-metric web sites. The source appears to be from a bizarre prediction in: www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1994/Uksi_19942866_en_3.htm However, the costs that were actually incurred have not been estimated. "The Brussels-based European Commission has allowed British retailers" False. British retailers are subject to UK law. "to print imperial measures alongside metric ones until 2009-but shopkeepers are forbidden to say the words "pound" or "foot" during any sale." False. You can say 'pound', 'foot', or anything else because there are no controls on speech. "A group of French scientists came together in the late 18th century to create the metric system, reflecting disgust with the British nomenclature." False. The French did not care about the British units because they did not use them. The French created the metric system because existing French measures were in a mess. -- Terry Simpson Human Factors Consultant [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.connected-systems.com Phone: +44 7850 511794
