OK, nit time. On 04/26/2011 06:29 PM, Jed Rothwell wrote: > > You can compare a flow calorimeter to a balance weight scale. Such > scales have been in use since ancient times. They have utterly > transparent operation. No expert can fool one. No expert could have > fooled one used in Edo Japan in the marketplace, or in ancient Egypt.
Certainly they could. A balance is only as good as the weights you use with it. Using false weights was, in fact, pretty common, IIRC. At some point you want to be sure that the weights used have been marked with the seal of the government inspector, who has confirmed their weight; otherwise you'll be paying for a kilo of flour but only getting two pounds, despite the "transparent" operation of the scale. Of course depending on "certified" weights only works if the government is honest and the clerk hasn't grossly violated the law by drilling out the weights after the inspector's mark was put on them; to get around that you really need to bring your own weights -- but then the clerk could claim your weights were false, and were too heavy, and at that point things could get ugly...
