Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

[bobh]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

A chin is 22 yds, the length of a cricket pitch stumps to stumps, and is 1/10 of a furlong (Horse racing).

A fathom is 6 ft (I think)

Only for Bruce Forsythe.

[xsnaggle]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

We have used both systems side by side for ages anyway.
A lot of construction is done in imperial like a standard stair riser is 10 inches, and a load in metric. We order concrete in Cubic metres and skips by yardage. Timber has already been mentioned.
Land generally in acres, racing in furlongs Fuel we buy in litres and measure consumption by miles ger gallon. Try converting that in your head.
Ships used to be measured by long or short tons, not sure what it is now (when constructing I mean)
In markets everything is usually marked in both weights.

The reason that the old system used 12 pennies to a shilling was because a person can count to 12 on the fingers of 1 hand so people who couldn't read or write could still count and understand what they were getting. By extension a Gross is 12 x 12 which is countable on the fingers of 2 hands, when someone reached that quantity they had to stop because they couldn't count any more, i.e. they grossed out.
Oil is still traded worldwide by the barrel, a barrel measure being 36 gallons. A gallon of water weights 10 pounds which is why a pint is 20 ounces.
Champagne is sold by the bottle, and all sizes up which were originally imperial measurements. Beer is casked/barreled in firkins barrels, hog heads, tuns. When I lived in Berlin in the 80s you could by fresh meat in a butchers by the pound.
Nothing about any of this confuses the average person, it just is what it is and people understand what they're getting without consciously thinking about it.

I'm sure there are lots of other example which I can't think of because they come so naturally (I just thought of one, trouser and suit measurements, shoe sizes ladies dresses etc)

[Des Parrot]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

We have used both systems side by side for ages anyway.
A lot of construction is done in imperial like a standard stair riser is 10 inches, and a load in metric. We order concrete in Cubic metres and skips by yardage. Timber has already been mentioned.
Land generally in acres, racing in furlongs Fuel we buy in litres and measure consumption by miles ger gallon. Try converting that in your head.
Ships used to be measured by long or short tons, not sure what it is now (when constructing I mean)
In markets everything is usually marked in both weights.

The reason that the old system used 12 pennies to a shilling was because a person can count to 12 on the fingers of 1 hand so people who couldn't read or write could still count and understand what they were getting. By extension a Gross is 12 x 12 which is countable on the fingers of 2 hands, when someone reached that quantity they had to stop because they couldn't count any more, i.e. they grossed out.
Oil is still traded worldwide by the barrel, a barrel measure being 36 gallons. A gallon of water weights 10 pounds which is why a pint is 20 ounces.
Champagne is sold by the bottle, and all sizes up which were originally imperial measurements. Beer is casked/barreled in firkins barrels, hog heads, tuns. When I lived in Berlin in the 80s you could by fresh meat in a butchers by the pound.
Nothing about any of this confuses the average person, it just is what it is and people understand what they're getting without consciously thinking about it.

I'm sure there are lots of other example which I can't think of because they come so naturally (I just thought of one, trouser and suit measurements, shoe sizes ladies dresses etc)

Tidy reply. You forgot burgers are quarter pounders

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

No wonder boris is prime minister. You lot are deluded
With whats going on in the world you are arguing about weights and measures

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

Not sure if anyone has posted this?[ATTACH=CONFIG]4928[/ATTACH]

and this
Countries_driving_on_the_left_or_right.svg.jpg

right versus left driving

[Lither_1927]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

No wonder boris is prime minister. You lot are deluded
With whats going on in the world you are arguing about weights and measures

It's bigger than weights and measures. Haven't you been reading? It's about moving on from betamax and protecting our imperial laden grand kids from petty theives abroad. 😆

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

It's bigger than weights and measures. Haven't you been reading? It's about moving on from betamax and protecting our imperial laden grand kids from petty theives abroad. ��

ahhh... the colonists greatest fear

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

Oh...and the next person that wants to have a go! You want to live in yards and feet and shillings but 90% (guess) can't even speak welsh, me included and why ? Didn't need it. just like you don't need the old imperial system today.. good night

[Lither_1927]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

Oh...and the next person that wants to have a go! You want to live in yards and feet and shillings but 90% (guess) can't even speak welsh, me included and why ? Didn't need it. just like you don't need the old imperial system today.. good night

We don't need Welsh but it enriches our culture if we have it.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

The reason that the old system used 12 pennies to a shilling was because a person can count to 12 on the fingers of 1 hand

Maybe in Swansea....

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

How much is a finger of fudge?

Two and six for you, old fruit.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

I didn't dispute that, is it because they're "shit" though? Or is it that society has been conditioned to ditch tradition and community in favour of atomisation and "consuming" the next superficial novelty act. In my view Traditional choirs aren't "shit" niether in sound or what they represent in terms of community. What's sold as "Progress" isn't necessarily good or beneficial for humanity. I think the West has been in decline for decades, despite progressing from the betamax. People are suffering record levels of mental illness, suicide increasing rapidly with white male suicide increasing fastest.

I think you're reading too much into this. Things in society evolve naturally. Things lose their place in the natural canon for many reasons and get replaced. We can either moan and whinge about natural change or we accept it. No-one is really forcing this change on people.

[xsnaggle]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

Maybe in Swansea....

I was expecting an answer like that but not from you. People in Swansea could probably count to 15 on one hand and 225 on two.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

I was expecting an answer like that but not from you. People in Swansea could probably count to 15 on one hand and 225 on two.

Normal people - 12 on one hand. Swansea people - 15 on one hand.

Trying to work out a formula here.....

[xsnaggle]

Re: Imperial measures making a comeback - for or against?

Normal people - 12 on one hand. Swansea people - 15 on one hand.

Trying to work out a formula here.....

Look at your palm, bend your fingers slightly and count 3 on each finger using your thumb. When you do that you get to 12. Count one similar space on your other had then count to 12 on the first hand again. And so on until you reach 12 x 12. Grossed out.
Easy once you know how, counting on your fingers! So when someone says he could count something on the fingers of one hand he doesn't necessarily mean 5. (Or 6 in a jack's case. )