PROBLEMS WITH THE METRIC SYSTEM….Megan complains today about the rigidity of TSA regulations for carrying small bottles of liquid onto airplanes. That’s nothing. A reader who works as a TSA screener emailed me a couple of weeks ago to say that he has had “easily dozens of run-ins with passengers (and other screeners)” about whether it’s legal to carry on a 100 gram bottle. You see, 100 grams is 3.52 ounces by weight (just over the limit!). But, by volume, 100 grams of water = 100 milliliters, and 100 ml is 3.38 fluid ounces (just under the limit!). So that 100 gram bottle probably contains 3.38 fluid ounces of stuff, but 3.52 avoirdupois ounces. What to do?
Just thought you’d all like to know.
