What I am simply thinking of is that, once the USA converts, there is little chance that Imperial will survive in the UK (other than in various expressions and certain colloquial usage, such as "stones", perhaps).
With the enormous economic and cultural influence (cinema and television programs, music, etc.) that emanates from America, it seems inevitable that nearly all vestiges of Imperial will disappear in fairly short order if everything coming from the USA is in metric. Ezra -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Stephen Humphreys <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > "As I said, at this rate only a conversion by the USA will force the UK's > hand." > > > Please remember that our liquid measures are different. > > We also use the 'stone' *despite* the fact that the USA does not. > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [email protected] > Subject: [USMA:41864] Re: Fair and honest measures > Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:51:08 +0000 > > > Very well put, Pat. Thanks for pointing out this nonsense article. > > I suspect the Brown government, basking in its resurgence because of the > economic crisis, wants to preserve its gains and not create a "ruckus" (as we > like to say) with this metric "nonsense" (in their view). > > So, while the rules still stay on the books, the word comes down to local > councils to back off and return to casting a blind eye to the use of > Imperial-only scales and pricing. > > As I said, at this rate only a conversion by the USA will force the UK's hand. > > Ezra > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: Pat Naughtin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Dear Editor, > > > Your reference: > http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3223945/The-final-victory-is-not-yet-won. > html > > > I was amused by Christopher Booker's article, 'The final victory is not yet > won' > (2008-10-18). He seems to be fighting, once again, for a return to the > diversity > of randomly generated weights and measures that were available before the > signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, where it was written: > > > There shall be one measure throughout our whole realm. > > Presumably, when the Magna Carta was written it was assumed that someone > would > enforce the law by checking illegal scales, measuring illegal containers, and > prosecuting those who used them. The Magna Carta writers' idea for a fair and > honest system of measures was probably the same that inspired Bishop John > Wilkins to propose the initial idea for a universal measure to the Royal > Society > of London in 1668 that led to the development of the metric system in France > some 120 years later. > > I don't suppose that when Janet Devers decided to use illegal scales and a > bowl > for selling fruit and vegetables at her market stall she had any idea that > she > could be leading the way so far back to the past for all UK weights and > measures. > > > Now, if it is true that the government is proposing to lend her support, I am > sure that other traders will soon decide on using illegal scales and bowls > for > their trading perhaps they might extend it to two bowls a big one for > buying > and a small one for selling will probably look about right to many traders > (as > it did to many traders 800 years ago before Magna Carta). > > > Perhaps the new (pre Magna Carta) British measuring regime could be called, > 'Devers' weights and Devers' measures'. > > > However, I predict a backlash. To paraphrase a very old quotation: > > Thou shalt not have in thy bag Devers' weights, a great and a small. Thou > shalt > not have in thine house Devers' measures, a great and a small. Devers' > weights > and Devers' measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. > (From > Deuteronomy 25:13-14) > > Cheers, > Pat Naughtin > P.S. These references might be useful for you to check the facts expressed in > this email: > http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/CommentaryOnWilkinsOfMeasure.pdf and > http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/MetricationTimeline.pdf > P.P.S. Copies of John Wilkins work can be found at the British Library and at > the Royal Society in London. > PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, > Geelong, Australia > > > > > > Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 > > Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped > thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric > system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands > each > year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides > services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for > commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, > and > in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, > NIST, > and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See > http://www.metricationmatters.com for more metrication information, contact > Pat > at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or to get the free 'Metrication matters' > newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter to subscribe. > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Catch up on all the latest celebrity gossip > http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/115454061/direct/01/
--- Begin Message ---
"As I said, at this rate only a conversion by the USA will force the UK's hand."
Please remember that our liquid measures are different.
We also use the 'stone' *despite* the fact that the USA does not.
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [USMA:41864] Re: Fair and honest measures
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:51:08 +0000
Very well put, Pat. Thanks for pointing out this nonsense article.I suspect the Brown government, basking in its resurgence because of the economic crisis, wants to preserve its gains and not create a "ruckus" (as we like to say) with this metric "nonsense" (in their view).So, while the rules still stay on the books, the word comes down to local councils to back off and return to casting a blind eye to the use of Imperial-only scales and pricing.As I said, at this rate only a conversion by the USA will force the UK's hand.Ezra-------------- Original message --------------
From: Pat Naughtin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Dear Editor,Your reference: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3223945/The-final-victory-is-not-yet-won.htmlI was amused by Christopher Booker's article, 'The final victory is not yet won' (2008-10-18). He seems to be fighting, once again, for a return to the diversity of randomly generated weights and measures that were available before the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, where it was written:There shall be one measure … throughout our whole realm.Presumably, when the Magna Carta was written it was assumed that someone would enforce the law by checking illegal scales, measuring illegal containers, and prosecuting those who used them. The Magna Carta writers' idea for a fair and honest system of measures was probably the same that inspired Bishop John Wilkins to propose the initial idea for a universal measure to the Royal Society of London in 1668 that led to the development of the metric system in France some 120 years later.
I don't suppose that when Janet Devers decided to use illegal scales and a bowl for selling fruit and vegetables at her market stall she had any idea that she could be leading the way so far back to the past for all UK weights and measures.
Now, if it is true that the government is proposing to lend her support, I am sure that other traders will soon decide on using illegal scales and bowls for their trading — perhaps they might extend it to two bowls — a big one for buying and a small one for selling will probably look about right to many traders (as it did to many traders 800 years ago before Magna Carta).Perhaps the new (pre Magna Carta) British measuring regime could be called, 'Devers' weights and Devers' measures'.However, I predict a backlash. To paraphrase a very old quotation:Thou shalt not have in thy bag Devers' weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house Devers' measures, a great and a small. Devers' weights and Devers' measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. (From Deuteronomy 25:13-14)
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin
P.S. These references might be useful for you to check the facts expressed in this email: http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/CommentaryOnWilkinsOfMeasure.pdf and http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/MetricationTimeline.pdf
P.P.S. Copies of John Wilkins work can be found at the British Library and at the Royal Society in London.
PO Box 305 Belmont 3216,
Geelong, Australia
Phone: 61 3 5241 2008Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com for more metrication information, contact Pat at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter to subscribe.
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