Imperial or Metric

That doesn't surprise me at all, mamie, and it's nice to hear it . I think it's quite sweet that people take time to adjust to new things.

And my youngest daughter needs to know what an inch is just so she can understand funny old fogeys like me (it's called history), not to mention her American cousins.

It is really interesting granjura that it has taken us so long to adapt. Even though these things were not learned individually until we were maybe 7 or 8.
There are not too many problems with this long transition - it must be confusing for little ins trying to learn metric though. we would do our grandchildren a favour if we made the leap. When you think of all the hard things they have to get their head round. Telling the time for instance. My GD is 7 and verbally very bright, great reader etc but in maths she is currently at expected level and it reminds me how tricky it is to understand.
Standardising helps adults I think in situations where they are trying to be a bit scientific e.g. reading food labels for nutritional content.
absent - yes of course - the US have their own variants on the theme of imperial which as the name implies was the british standard.
Bernard Shaw used to campaign for spelling to be rationalised in order to make it easier for children to learn to read and write. Pity he did not succeed so we think?

I don't think it is taking us any longer to adapt than any other nation. Most just started earlier and so have finished the transition stage. Some nations (like Switzerland perhaps) are more, shall we say, 'open' to new rules because being obedient to rules is more a part of their culture — or so we are led to believe. I expect that makes a difference too.

Where it matters, e.g. in science, we have adapted, with no problems. Where we are still hanging on to old things out of nostalgia (or cussedness; who cares?!) it doesn't matter — obviously! or we wouldn't do it!

The human brain is quite large and can cope with oddities.

Bags - you've been led to believe, lol. The idea of Swiss people blindly following rules does not apply to Romandie or Ticino (French and Italian parts of Switzerland), thank goodness.

Just hearsay then jura.

I adjusted to metric just as I adjusted to the new money. Growing old is about keeping up with the world and its advances whether we like it or not.
That the population cannot change over 10 or 20 years to another system is another case of dumming down. The country should expect it, do it and then all would have learned it.
Next they will be saying to whoever of the younger generation who is prepared to listen, 'In my day..........'

What? I'm saying that already....

Yup, me too.
I think that is a bit harsh Charlotta. I like Facebook (used appropriately) and Twitter, but I don't expect everyone of my generation to feel the same.

We can embrace what we choose, and don't have to keep up with everything. I love Twitter and Facebook, my new iPad and iPhone, and all because they enhance communication, I can chat casually with people when I want, and I get to see photos of my grandchildren and the rest of my family within minutes of them being taken and uploaded.. Some new things don't enhance my life, so I don't go to as much trouble to learn them. Some old-fashioned gadgets and ways of looking at life are preferable for me, and I have the best of both worlds most of the time.

I live a relatively low-tech life except for kitchen and communication gadgets.

I now wish I had listened more when my grandparents and great-aunts used to talk about 'in my day.' I would find what they had to say fascinating now.

While we are busily throwing out the old bathwater, we are not dumbing down if we prefer to rescue a few babies out of it.

when - I think you live a high-tech life. . What could be higher tech than iPad and iPhones, instant photo transfer, instant communication, digital cameras. It is incredible how high-tech 'ordinary' life is these days......

For instance........I've just been going through some old photos (pre-digital) to find some pics. of my son during his dreadlock phase (request from best man).
They will be scanned, uploaded, tweeked and cropped appropriately, emailed to other son, who will add his lot, then sent off - all in an evening. Amazing!

Butty you would laugh if you saw me with my high-tech gadgets - I can't work them or only use bits of them - everything I acquire seems to have much more potential than I can get out of them. The high-techness in the kitchen is just my lovely cooker, mixer, blender, but an old-fashioned farmhouse kitchen where the famil can congregate and do things together. The iPad and Iphone were bought with daughters' encouragement - 'go on, mum, you'll soon learn how to use them and we can Skype each other!' Ha!!

I would love to be able to scan, crop and tweek - might need tuition, though

I think metrication not a baby, but a horse, long bolted. Our generation can either sulk, and possibly confuse our grandchildren, or keep up. When shops have been selling things in grams for decades, for instance, what is the point in yearning for ounces?
Technology is a choice up to a point - but some things are now difficult to accomplish if you do not at least embrace the internet - as we all do on this forum!
Well done butternut

I'm not yearning for ounces, personally - I'm quite happy with things the way they are. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Think of all the reams of paperwork and legislation which would have to be changed if we went fully metric! I think the powers-that-be have far greater problems to deal with at the moment than this hoary old issue.

Same here, nag. Using my grandmother's imperial weights for my grandmother's recipes does not mean I'm yearning for ounces. It means I'm adaptable and can use those as well as my metric weights — on the same balance scales too. How versatile is that ?

Changes do not have to be abrupt to be effective. The imperial system does not apply in science or technology because those need universal units in today's world. Domestic matters can use any units they like without it mattering one jot.

Currently in Thailand the year is 2555. It's also 2012. Everyone copes.

Exactly Bags. I love all my old kitchenalia that has been in the family for many years, and old fashioned scales are easy to use. I noticed on a cookery programme that Tamasin Day-Lew did, she was using the most ancient worn out scales and pans in a tiny old kitchen, yet she turns out the most exquisite food.

Apparently somewhere in australia there is a town that has a time zone down the middle... That must keep them on their toes - the time is different according to which part of town you are in!

Bags I have old fashioned scales with 2 sets of weights, Imperial and Metric. And a mixture of cookery books in both, including 2 of those Be-Ro baking books, 1 Imperial, 1 Metric. As said, keeps ze little grey cell going.

Just though I'd lob this in...........then there are the American 'cups' measurements . Frankly, I sort of make a mush of all three when doing a recipe which isn't particularly precise.

French receipts still give the total in Francs, as well as Euros. If I'm feeling a bit tired, and read it incorrectly, it can give me a bit of a jolt!

Back in the 1950s I was taught both imperial and metric units at school and have moved in and out of both as life required. I still cook in imperial units but convert metric recipes into imperial as I go.

That's interesting, Butter, that they still quote francs as well as euros....

In my career (pharmacy) had to cope with imperial and metric -no problem.
Metric is much easier when it comes to multiplying or dividing.
In my kitchen I have old-fashioned brass scales with imperial weights but have recently bought an electronic scale-so much quicker and easier which can switch between metric/imperial.

Just come across an old conical glass medicine measure in kitchen cupboard marked in fluid drachms and fluid ounces!!.
Tucked in my favourite cookbook are 3 printed cards (issued by Metrication board in the 70s)showing all the metric comparisons -Weight/length/volume.
and temp. F/C comparisons .So I'm ready for anything !!

It amused me that the BBC said the Torch was travelling 8,000 miles with people running about 300m each!!

I can't think in kms, metres or cms (I know a metre is roughly about 39 inches). But I still think in feet and inches when it comes to people's heights (and notice the press do the same)

I can work in kilos and grams and litres and millilitres because of recipe books. But don't ask ask me what I weight in kilos - my weight is in stones and pounds (and again the press seem to use stones and pounds when writing about people dieting!).

Temperatures - well I can, again, work in either imperial or metric, but I do find I convert weather temperatures into imperial (double the metric number and add 30 - a very accurate conversion). If it's a case of "Phew what a scorcher! It's xxxx degrees" It would prefer it to be 82F rather than 26C. Feels hotter!

So as someone said - it's a mish mash!!

Butternut Not only are there American cup measurements, there are Australian ones as well. A US cup = 8 fl oz; 1 Australian cup = 11/4 American cups. 1 tablespoon = 15 ml in the UK, US and New Zealand, but 1 Australian tablespoon = 20 ml. Writing cookbooks for an international market is a minefield.