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Category Archives: Myths
Continued use of medieval units damages UK’s image abroad
Following the Brexit vote, leading ministers have used a number of buzzwords and phrases to try to promote the UK in a positive light as they talk about new trade deals, free trade, investment, lower taxes and lighter regulation. Can … Continue reading
Posted in General, Myths, Road signs, Views from abroad
Tagged alien, backward, business-friendly, dynamic, global, image, investment, liberal, medieval, ministers, modern, odd, old-fashioned, open, open for business, outward-looking, past, regulation, Regulations, signs, tax, taxes, trade, visitors
36 Comments
Measurement units and the European Economic Community
In the third of our series of articles we look at EU involvement in the UK’s prolonged metric conversion. Likes(5)Dislikes(0)
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History, Law, Myths
Tagged EEC, EU, imperial measures, metric, muddle, Road signs, weights and measures
1 Comment
EU in or out: metric either way
In February, the Prime Minister confirmed the date of the referendum which will decide whether the United Kingdom remains in or leaves the European Union (EU). The referendum will take place on 23 June 2016. In this article, Ronnie Cohen … Continue reading
Posted in General, History, Law, Myths, Views from abroad
Tagged 1972 White Paper on metrication, EU, imperial, metric, metrication, weights and measures
24 Comments
The 1972 White Paper Revisited
This week, Ronnie Cohen takes a look at the long-forgotten 1972 White Paper on Metrication. Likes(0)Dislikes(0)
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History, Myths
Tagged 1972, common market, EU, industry, metrication, myth, trade, White Paper
14 Comments
The flip side of SI
Charlie P, a regular if occasionally critical contributor to MV, promised he would on his return from holiday give his thoughts on “the flip side of the SI as far as the average man in the street is concerned”. These … Continue reading
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, History, Myths, Science, Technical
Tagged metric, metric system, SI
27 Comments
Novel signs around the UK
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 authorised, confusion, conversion, errors, muddle, non-authorised, non-standard, official, restriction, sign, signage, signs, TSRGD, unauthorised, unofficial
32 Comments
Waterloo 1815 – what if?
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 measurement units, mesures-usuelles, metric, Napoleon, The Low Countries, Waterloo, weights and measures
38 Comments
Dying embers and a few flying sparks
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 DfT, EU, imperial measures, metric, metric road signs, Road signs
13 Comments
Are imperial units ‘British’?
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(1)Dislikes(2)
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, History, Myths
Tagged imperial measures, measurement units, metric, SI, USC
33 Comments
Santa’s weighty problem
“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)