An Acre of Pints

Sean-tomhas na hÉireann — Old Irish measures

Peter — Sat, 16 Mar 2019 21:24:49 +0000

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.

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Jamaicans “Sticking With Pounds and Gallons”

Peter — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 13:08:26 +0000

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?

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The Etymology of the Months (in English, Irish, Scot’s Gaelic, Manx and Welsh)

Peter — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 05:56:46 +0000

This post describes the origins of the names of the months in the English, Irish, Scot's Gaelic, Manx and Welsh languages.

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“Give ’em an inch” episode on BBC’s Word of Mouth

Peter — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 18:52:37 +0000

A discussion on customary measures was aired on BBC Radio 4 recently with maths writer Rob Eastway.

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Traditional Measures in East Asia

Peter — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 22:24:48 +0000

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.

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Barrels of Firkin Hogsheads!

Peter — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 10:55:28 +0000

This post details the history & origins of traditional units of volume used by beer & ale breweries, such as the firkin, kilderkin, barrel & hogshead.

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Fahrenheit vs Celsius

Peter — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 14:41:17 +0000

What are the pros and cons of Fahrenheit and Celsius? Which scale is better? Should the USA switch to Celsius?

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The Nationality of Pints & Pounds

Peter — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 19:48:20 +0000

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?

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The Deci-mary system

Peter — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 22:48:38 +0000

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.

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“Imperial Road” by Ross Grainger

Peter — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 08:46:17 +0000

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

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The stone weight

Peter — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 14:00:18 +0000

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.

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Are pints, miles & pounds still relevant in Ireland today?

Peter — Fri, 19 May 2017 20:00:42 +0000

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.

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All the Time in the World

Peter — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 08:49:20 +0000

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.

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Kitchens, pints & pounds

Peter — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 19:41:52 +0000

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!

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Cups & Spoons

Peter — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 22:19:57 +0000

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.

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Miles better

Peter — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 15:49:08 +0000

In this post I look at the humble mile, making the case for keeping it, and explore ways we can modernise it.

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How to Hang on to your Stones!

Peter — Sun, 10 Jul 2016 09:39:32 +0000

In this post, I look at redefining traditional units like pints, stones and pounds, to help make it easier to hang onto them!

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Interview on Radio Kerry

Peter — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 11:25:55 +0000

I was recently on Radio Kerry to discuss our use of tradional/imperial units. You can listen to the interview here.

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The naggin

Peter — Tue, 31 May 2016 15:18:38 +0000

This post looks at the uniquely Irish 'naggin', which is a term for a small hip flask sized bottle of spirits

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The pros and cons of the metric system

Peter — Wed, 18 May 2016 22:55:44 +0000

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.

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