I guess we can agree to disagree on the validity of implicit multiplication. My larger point though is if we as an "advanced society" cannot agree on what this

I guess we can agree to disagree on the validity of implicit multiplication. My larger point though is if we as an "advanced society" cannot agree on what this very basic notation means then how many times have we implemented something wrong. Check the link above for images of two Cassio calculators producing different answers for a dead simple grade 5 math problem. Just to also be clear, are you saying that E = MC^2 is actually E = (M x C)^2 since implied multiplication suggests that: MC === (M x C) rather than MC === M x C and by your argument above, if you thought otherwise you would simply rearrange the formula to be: E = C^2 x M