Although in the UK we're at least served draught measures of beer, cider etc in pint glasses (as opposed to highly fractional amounts). So, for example, if customers were served beer with a colossal head (say, 500 ml + head) then that particular pub would definitely lose customers via a similar backlash to the beer company mentioned in Australia below. And that's before the 'authorities' catch them out at short serving.
I guess this sort of thing goes on in any aspect of measuring - even 'time'. Recently I was charged 22.5 hours labour for work on my mini. This particular area is the hardest to complain about - ie I can't go to the counter and point at the 'labour' and claim that it's less than 22.5 hours - infact there's very little I can do to claim that less than 22.5 hours was spent as it's not tangible enough. Lesson learned on that one - get a cost up front (and not even an estimate). Having said that - I'm trusting and believe that most are not out to get a subtle extra out of everyone, although the sceptic in me always keeps me in check (apart from in my example above!) From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:44789] Downsizing Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:38:10 +1000 Dear All, The bad folk who use downsizing to cheat their customers often have a delightful time as they point out that the process of upgrading to the metric system is an opportunity for such cheats. The truth is, however, that these cheats (and their anti-honesty supporters) don't really mind about honest measuring methods. They will cheat at a time of measurement stability using such things as pints, pounds, inches, and ounces; they will cheat at a time of transition from old pre-metric measures to metric units; and they will continue to cheat once as the upgrade to the metric system nears completion. The purpose of this email is to give you an example of the third of these. It is from the Melbourne newspaper, The Age, from about a week ago (2009-04-15). Here is the reference: http://www.theage.com.au/news/home/business/money/planning/that-shrinking-feeling/2009/04/13/1239474815481.html One of the examples given here is: Two months ago, brewery firm Foster's backtracked after attempting to charge the same price for less beer in a new, specially shaped bottle. Sales of the lager, Cascade, dropped by 33 per cent after a backlash from customers and online campaigns on social networking sites such as Facebook. But this article does not refer to the fact that brewers have been routinely using false measurements to cheat customers for hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of years. However, in the old pre-metric days cheating was less transparent. It is easy to see that 333 mL of beer is less than 375 mL of the same beer — and by how much — hence the backlash reported above. (It is not so easy to see the amount that the beer has been downsized when it goes from 13 3/16 Fl. Oz. to 11 5/8 Fl. Oz. in the UK or from 12 11/16 Fl. Oz. to 11 1/4 Fl. Oz. in the USA). One of the reasons that Bishop John Wilkins invented the universal measure that became the metric system was to provide honest measures for all people and to thwart the ever present cheats. See http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/CommentaryOnWilkinsOfMeasure.pdf Cheers, Pat Naughtin PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, Geelong, Australia Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com for more metrication information, contact Pat at [email protected] or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters.com/newsletter to subscribe. _________________________________________________________________ Beyond Hotmail — see what else you can do with Windows Live. http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665375/direct/01/
