dimensions in Potterverse

[davewitley]

Phil wrote:

> So is the British measurements in feet or metres?

To add to the comments already made, one can come across hands, 
fathoms, chains, furlongs, nautical miles, astronomical units, light-
years, and parsecs in various contexts.  Not to mention that supreme 
invention of the underwater acoustics community, the kiloyard.  And 
that's just for length.

In my experience, Americans are not much better, since they manage 
to use a competing metric system, based on the centimeter and gram, 
as opposed to the SI, which is based on the metre and the kilogram.  
Seems straightforward enough, until you want to know how many ergs 
there are in a joule.  All this alongside the imperial system (foot-
pounds, anyone?), as well as 'semi-metric' units such as the calorie.

The difference between the British and American gallons is often 
overlooked by people when comparing petrol (gasoline) prices, with 
the result that an admittedly already large disparity is exaggerated.

David