Category Archives: Myths

Novel signs around the UK

Posted on 2015-07-17 by ronniec

Following on from our article last week about those curious signs in Southend, Ronnie Cohen, one of our regular readers, now reports on a few others that have attracted his attention. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in General, Myths, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Waterloo 1815 – what if?

Posted on 2015-06-18 by Ramsden

We speculate on the consequences if there had been a different outcome at the Battle of Waterloo. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History, Myths, Views from abroad | Tagged , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Dying embers and a few flying sparks

Posted on 2015-06-07 by Ramsden

The concluding article of this series looks at the ignominious end of the UK’s attempt, began fifty years ago, to make the transition to a single, simple and universal measurement system. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History, Law, Myths, Road signs, Views from abroad | Tagged , , , , , | 13 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. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, History, Myths | Tagged , , , , | 33 Comments

Santa’s weighty problem

Posted on 2013-12-21 by admin

“Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Mrs Claus, as midnight approached on Christmas Eve. “I swear you put on more weight each year! You do give those reindeer a really hard time, you know.” Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in Health, Myths | Tagged | 3 Comments

Salisbury points to a solution (and to a problem)

Posted on 2013-12-04 by Ramsden

Metric Views’ attention has been drawn to a Victorian piece of legislation under which signs may be authorised. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in General, Law, Myths, Road signs | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Was the metre invented by the Ancient Egyptians 4500 years ago?

Posted on 2013-06-07 by admin

One of our readers, John Frewen-Lord, speculates that the metre may be the modern version of a measure that was familiar to the Pharaohs. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in Education, General, History, Myths, Science | Tagged , , | 27 Comments

Imperial units and decimals. Not a winning combination.

Posted on 2013-05-28 by ronniec

The signing of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 by 17 nations, including Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, the Ottoman Empire, Russia and the USA, sounded the death knell of the imperial measurement system. In this article, Ronnie Cohen looks at … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, History, Myths, Technical | 6 Comments

DfT guilty of making unfounded claims

Posted on 2013-05-17 by ronniec

Yesterday, the National Audit Office (NAO) criticised the UK Department for Transport (DfT) for its unfounded claims about the benefits of the proposed high speed rail project HS2. In this article, Ronnie Cohen identifies another unfounded claim by the DfT … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Myths, Road signs, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A statement from UKIP

Posted on 2013-05-06 by ronniec

UKIP’s recent electoral successes have resulted, quite rightly, in increased scrutiny of its policies. Here, we take a look at a recent statement by the Party’s Trade spokesman on the subject of measurement units. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History, Myths | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments