Re: 2.54 cM to the Inch

["bob" <bob.adsett@lineone.net>]

 Roger Key wrote

> Of a side interest I like having my tape marked off in inches and
> centimetres it allows me to measure that I need to cut a panel of wood 1
> foot 6 and 3/8 by 47 cM.
>
Ah and I thought that I was the only one who had this dis-functional brain,
how about starting a new society?
>
> By the way to all of you in the US.  The unit of measure is the Metre not
> Meter and there are 20 fluid oz in a pint not 16!

Careful Roger --- you'll be getting into American Gallons next. :0)

Personally I prefer the old English Imperial measurement system -- there is
something quite comforting about using Rods, Perch, Poles, Chains, Furlongs,
Hogsheads, Kilderkins, Gills, Pecks, Stones, Hands and Bushels. (if you
believe that you will believe anything!)
But I must confess that as a lover of the amber liquid (just like a certain
Mr Clauson) the measures of capacity are undoubtedly the best.

Personally my favourite unit of capacity is the Firkin - to the uninitiated
this is the old English measure of excess by a multiple of two.
The much loved and cherished Firkin is still retained by many English
workmen especially in the UK construction industry. Even today when walking
past a metric building site those with astute hearing  will still hear the
words shouted across the site "That's too Firkin heavy" or " No, no that too
Firkin long" :-)

Such valued phrases in the language will no doubt be lost as we are slowly
absorbed ever closer into the European Union and the faceless mire of the
Metric system. Decigram, Myriagram and hectolitre just don't cut it for me.

Bring back the Groat!

bob
-----------

Bob Adsett
Bingley, Yorkshire, UK

Tel.   +44 (0) 1274 77 95 02
Mobile +44 (0) 7980 85 22 34
e-Mail bob.adsett@lineone.net
---
The great tragedy of science ­ the slaying of an original, beautiful
hypothesis by an ugly fact.