Conservatives set to ban metric system

[oldjones]

FYI re: how long it'll take to get from Ushant to Scilly.

League (?), n. [Cf. OE. legue, lieue, a measure of length, F. lieue, Pr. lega, legua, It. & LL. lega, Sp. legua, Pg. legoa, legua; all fr. LL.
1. A measure of length or distance, varying in different countries from about 2.4 to 4.6 English statute miles of 5280 feet each, and used (as a land measure) chiefly on the continent of Europe, and in the Spanish parts of America. The marine league of England and the United States is equal to three marine, or geographical, miles of 6080 feet each.

⇒ The English land league is equal to three English statute miles. The Spanish and French leagues vary in each country according to usage and the kind of measurement to which they are applied. The Dutch and German leagues contain about four geographical miles, or about 4.6 English statute miles.

But since we are talking sailing distances one must multiply 35x6080x3÷5280, to get the sort of miles diehard Imperialists are used to. Good thing the kms stuck.

 

[CapitalGuy]

Anyone from their early 40's and younger knows only (mostly) the metric system. I have a vague understanding of pounds and inches, but everything else is metric. Everything else. And oh yeah, I am 180cm tall.

 

[oldjones]

Why aren't you young sprogs in construction digging in your heels and demanding we finish the conversion we started? I cannot be worse to have a whole buncha balding old carpenters inaccurately measuring in a metric system they don't understand than trying to figure out the consequences of a 1/16" error in however many 8 foot pieces it'll take to fence a 110 yard field.

And have you ever considered the opportunities to be cheated and bamboozled when you're buying product measured in units you only vaguely understand?

Time we got on with it.

 

[red]

Because they retained the original gallon (codified in the Reign of Queen Ann although much older), rather than increasing it in 1824 in an attempt at semi-decimalization.

semi-decimalization? thats gotta hurt

 

[WoodPeckr]

Two sets of tools is no problem!
The problem is our conservative friends are utterly befuddled by the metric system. They think metric is a commie plot!...