With St Patrick’s day almost upon us, I thought it would be the perfect time to take a look at the traditional Gaelic units of measure that were once commonly used in Ireland.
Read moreSean-tomhas na hÉireann — Old Irish measures
Jamaicans “Sticking With Pounds and Gallons”
The Gleaner reports that “most Jamaicans continue to think and operate in pounds and gallons”. Is it necessary for this to change? Is fully switching to metric really the right thing?
Read moreThe Etymology of the Months (in English, Irish, Scot’s Gaelic, Manx and Welsh)
This post describes the origins of the names of the months in the English, Irish, Scot’s Gaelic, Manx and Welsh languages.
Read more“Give ’em an inch” episode on BBC’s Word of Mouth
A discussion on customary measures was aired on BBC Radio 4 recently with maths writer Rob Eastway.
Read moreTraditional Measures in East Asia
In this post, I will look at some examples of traditional units that are still in use today across eastern parts of Asia, such as China, Korea, Japan and Myanmar.
Read moreBarrels of Firkin Hogsheads!
This post details the history & origins of traditional units of volume used by beer & ale breweries, such as the firkin, kilderkin, barrel & hogshead.
Read moreFahrenheit vs Celsius
What are the pros and cons of Fahrenheit and Celsius? Which scale is better? Should the USA switch to Celsius?
Read moreThe Nationality of Pints & Pounds
Imperial or “English” units are deeply rooted in British history and culture. With that being said, can these units also be just as much Irish, American or Canadian, given the long history of using them?
Read moreThe Deci-mary system
Are decimals better than fractions or the other way around? This post takes a look a what a decimlised version of customary units would look like.
Read more“Imperial Road” by Ross Grainger
I am a measured half breed of imperial And metric, from a childhood in Teesside, A fat and greasy adolescence Stateside, And going on a decade camped in Brussels
Read moreThe stone weight
We use it to weigh ourselves, we used to use it for trade and the Americans took a pass on it. This is the story of the stone, where it comes from and the history behind it.
Read moreAre pints, miles & pounds still relevant in Ireland today?
Do pints, miles & pounds still have a place in Ireland today? This post looks at where will still use them & if we should keep them.
Read moreAll the Time in the World
Ever look at a digital clock that says “21:00” and convert it in your head to “9 o’clock”? This post looks at the pros & cons of 12 & 24 hour time.
Read moreKitchens, pints & pounds
This post looks at the use of traditional units in recipes, the pros and cons of using them and the use of cup measures. Includes comments from experts in the area!
Read moreCups & Spoons
This post looks at cup and spoon measures, if we should use them, and if so, where it can be beneficial to use them, like in recipes and food portions.
Read moreMiles better
In this post I look at the humble mile, making the case for keeping it, and explore ways we can modernise it.
Read moreHow to Hang on to your Stones!
In this post, I look at redefining traditional units like pints, stones and pounds, to help make it easier to hang onto them!
Read moreInterview on Radio Kerry
I was recently on Radio Kerry to discuss our use of tradional/imperial units. You can listen to the interview here.
Read moreThe naggin
This post looks at the uniquely Irish ‘naggin’, which is a term for a small hip flask sized bottle of spirits
Read moreThe pros and cons of the metric system
This post looks at the pros and cons of the metric system. While it does have its obvious benefits, it also has its downsides; all of which is discussed here.
Read moreAn Imperial system refresher course — Yay!
Most people today did not learn imperial units in school. So with that in mind, it’s time for a lesson on the most common units used in the imperial system. I will go through the history of these units and some of the other units in a future post, but for now I’m keeping it simple! So sit up straight, take out that chewing gum, and pay attention!
Read moreHang on to your Stones!
In this post, I’ll make the case for keeping traditional units. Not for everything, but for everyday uses such as in the greengrocer, the butcher, the pub, on the road and so on.
Read moreFancy a Pint?
In this post, I’ll be looking at our current relationship with traditional units, and where you might find them currently being used.
Read moreIntroduction
On a recent trip to the US I noticed that I quite liked using miles while driving and started to ponder our use of imperial units and our conversion to metric. This is my origin story!
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