Re: [conculture] CHAT: con-this'n'that

[Padraic Brown <pbrown@polaris.umuc.edu>]

From: Padraic Brown <pbrown@polaris.umuc.edu>

On Sat, 15 May 1999, John Cowan wrote:

> From: John Cowan <cowan@locke.ccil.org>
> 
> Lars Henrik Mathiesen scripsit:
> 
> > > The inch-pound measurement system and the pounds/shillings/pence currency
> > > have remained standard throughout Europe, though hopefully at least the
> > > former has been the subject of international standardization.
> > 
> > "Remained?" When did you say the timelines split in continental
> > Europe?
> 
> About 1550.  What I meant was that neither money nor measurement became
> decimalized, except (briefly) in France.  The meter went the way of the
> Republican calendar.
> 
> I don't know whether it was the Troy or the avoirdupois pound that
> took over: all I'm fairly sure of is that there is a single
> international non-decimal measurement standard, perhaps complete
> with an international standard platinum-iridium livre in Paris.
> Money probably remains chaotic.

Not so chaotic as all that, at least in the West.  Historically, Britain,
France (plus their colonies), Italy and parts of Switzerland used LSD for
the money.  Any economic union will only have to deal with the chaos of
the Germanic systems and the eccentricity of the Spanish system.

If Germany could go decimal in 1871 *here* they can certainly go LSD in
the 1990s *there*.  Same goes for Sunny Spain and any other country that
gets in.

I like the starndard livre idea.  Of course, all the participating
countries will have to order a copy.  Same goes for the foot bar.

Padraic.

> 
> [many fascinating details snipped]
> 
> -- 
> John Cowan					cowan@ccil.org
> 		e'osai ko sarji la lojban.
> 
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