‘Area 1520′ – not about aliens or UFOs

Posted on 2014-04-11 by derekp

With Easter approaching, thoughts turn to the holiday. One of our frequent contributors, John Frewen-Lord, has written an article about travel, or rather about a means of travel, which may help to get us in the mood, and which, moreover, deals with a topic not previously visited by Metric Views.

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Posted in General, History, Technical, Transport, Views from abroad, World Records | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Whither the National Curriculum?

Posted on 2014-04-04 by derekp

We take a look at some recent information about the National Curriculum as it relates to measures and measurement.

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Posted in Education | Tagged | 15 Comments

Are imperial units ‘British’?

Posted on 2014-03-29 by ronniec

Continuing with our series on myths, misinformation and fallacies, we look at the claim occasionally made by defenders of imperial units that they are British and that they should continue in use for this reason.

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Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, History, Myths | Tagged , , , , | 32 Comments

An old habit dies hard

Posted on 2014-03-16 by derekp

One of our regular contributors, John Frewen-Lord, observes that the beauty and value of the built-in simplicity and coherence of the metric system is not being learned by the UK population despite forty years of teaching.

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Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, Science, Technical | Tagged , , , | 40 Comments

Metrication in Myanmar

Posted on 2014-03-04 by derekp

We are pleased to draw our readers’ attention to a recent article on conversion plans in Myanmar.

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Posted in General, History, Views from abroad | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

All too often, mystified when we measure

Posted on 2014-02-21 by derekp

John Frewen-Lord recalls several recent examples of difficulties with measurement and asks if common measuring devices actually inhibit using the metric system.

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Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, Science, Technical | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Government decision contradicts road safety initiatives

Posted on 2014-02-14 by Isaac

The Government has been accused of failing to implement the strategies necessary to achieve goals agreed as part of two major international road safety initiatives. Furthermore, its decision on width and height restriction sign regulations, made shortly after taking office in 2010, directly contradicts one of the aims stated by the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.

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Posted in Law, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Should we forget fractions and only use decimal?

Posted on 2014-02-09 by philh

I am motivated to write this article because, in the past, I have come across supporters of metrication, some of whom with teaching experience, who say that only decimals should be taught rather than both fractions and decimals in elementary mathematics in school.

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Posted in Education, General | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Imperial left-overs in Australia

Posted on 2014-01-31 by ronniec

Although Australia is predominantly metric, there are still some pockets of imperial usage.  Ronnie C recently visited that country and has written this account of what he found.

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Posted in Consumer affairs, General, Views from abroad | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Survey exposes the failure of measurement policy in the UK

Posted on 2014-01-24 by Erithacus

The UK Metric Association has issued the following press release:

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Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, Health, Media | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments