Interestingly enough, I was sitting here reading the boards, when i popped an Altoid into my mouth. Altoids, as you UK natives are probably aware of, are made in Great Britain, in fact, it says so on the box. If you read the little fact sheet, they were introduced "during the reign of" America's favorite British king, "George III." What's interesting is, that right under the "Made in Great Britain," the weight is listed as follows "NET WT 1.76 OZ (50g)." Obviously it was measured in metric and packaged in Imperial, but the point is, even Altoids know American's don't go for Metric. There aren't 2 things in my house that are metric only, and there are at least 13 things that I've counted that are Imperial only. The point I'm trying to make is this: American's resisted, and pro-metric forces are in full retreat all over the country. If you continue your fight, the same metric forces you fight in Great Britain will also break. It reminds me of a speech by Winston Churchill, in which he stood up and said "Never give up!" about 8 times and then sat down. Those are words to live by.


Bill Roland

One of the factors we face in Britain that is different to the USA is that power is very centralised around Parliament. In the recent House of Commons vote, for instance, the government, which has a large majority, voted through regulations that prohibit non-metric information after 2009. This affects the whole country. It is not like the USA where states retain autonomy and can fend off bureaucratic interference from the centre.

The other factor is the European Commission which has acquired a number of powers previously held by Parliament. Most of the metric conversion in Britain is in response to EC directives. The current "pound of bananas" court case in Sunderland concerns the relationship of power between Britain and Europe. Essentially, the metric laws are transposed from Europe into British law via a 1972 British Act of Parliament. However, a subsequent British Act in 1985 says traders can use lb/oz and ft/in. The question is: whose law is supreme?

The verdict is due on April 9th. This is likely to be appealed by the losing party. You can rest assured that BWMA will never stop fighting to resist compulsory metric conversion. Metric will disappear before BWMA.

You British need to fight European absorption. I know you are, and I hope your next election displays the will of the people by voting in the Conservatives (Tories I believe you call them).

Throw the bums out... that's what I say!! But it may be too late... Ever since Maggie left where have we been... I told her one time she was in Dallas, Texas that she was doing a good job... but so did Winston and look what happened after the War.

So what's the solution? Quit the EU thing like the Danes.

henryW
whw//

I think one day the Brits will take their paddles and move the island over the ocean to attach it to Maine, US...

Damn straight, Ralf!

also.. "Build it and they will come"
I have seen this quoted in so many places, tey even the people who say it seem not to know wwhere it is from. Could someone please tell me, as this has tortured me for literally a year or more.... :'(

"""Obviously it was measured in metric and packaged in Imperial, but the point is, even Altoids know American's don't go for Metric."""


Wrong! It was measured in metric aND packaged in metric. The use of ounces satisfies an existing US law requiring dual labelling. The ounces are an afterthought.

The American people don't care. They don't even look at the contents declaration on packages. When the FPLA is amended and metric only starts to appear on packages, one will see that no one but the imperialists will notice.

<<also.. "Build it and they will come">>

I think the expression predates the movie, but the movie "Field of Dreams" made it famous.

"the weight is listed as follows "NET WT 1.76 OZ (50g)." Obviously it was measured in metric and packaged in Imperial, but the point is, even Altoids know American's don't go for Metric."

The dual labelling is required by FPLA, but either unit may be first, and either unit may be the "round" one, actually, neither HAS to be round, but one usually is. Had Altoids chosen to label it "NET WT 50 g (1.76 OZ), would it have been metric to you?

So far, Americans have demonstrated much less concern than Brits over this. I would argue that if metric is round, metric is primary, but others might argue which is first is primary. With dual labelling, NO ONE CARES. The test will be permissive metric only, although I am willing to bet it will be no big deal.