Fer Jaysus’ Sake

30 January 2006


Is milk really an iconic product? Is a “pint of milk” what represents Britain these days?

I mean, just when you think the whole world gone mad watching a whale is bad along comes a story about how we measure liquids. And how people will get all confused, and end up buying too much milk, drink it and die as there bodies simply can’t take those extra few milimeters. Or perhaps they’ll buy too much, and then have it in the fridge for longer, and it’ll sour and they’ll still drink it and die of milk-poisoning?

Or even worse, they won’t buy enough, and will die of milk deficiency.

It could happen, right?

If the legislation goes ahead, this will cause confusion amongst consumers, because as long as milk is sold in millilitres or litres, there will be no specific measurements required by law

So, people of Britain, aren’t you glad that your retailers think you lot are as bright as a shite?


Fiction Challenge: Find a piece of artwork you like, a painting or sculpture, something visual. Link to an image and write a story inspired by it. 500 words or less. Write it in one go, no going back and revising.

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13 Responses

  1. anne says:

    It's really complicated to deal with 1 litre or 500 mil, to be sure. Look at what it's done to us…

  2. NineMoons says:

    Bright as a shite! Fantastic!
    I'm under the impression that we sell it here in two litres (2000ml) litres (1000 ml) and a "pint" (500ml). Using "pint" not so much as a measure meaning the equivalent of 454ml, but a shorthand phrase meaning a half-litre.

    Speaking of, I learned cooking from my mother (a product of the 1940's) and thus bake mainly in pounds and ounces. But half my recipes are in grams, so I end up using both. And sometimes American cups. It's not fun.

  3. weenie says:

    I don't think it's really about milk. It's about beer surely? Get rid of the pint of milk, next they'll be getting rid of pints in pubs and how will the lager louts know how much they've drunk without measuring in pints?? Instead of a great night out after 10 pints, it'll be errr 5 litres or something – maybe that doesn't quite have the same ring to it!

  4. Alan says:

    I hadn't even realised it was still sold in pints here. Everything else is in litres except beer, and that's only in the pubs. This is just more "little englander" bull, nobody else could really give a flying crap. We buy it by the "carton" or "bottle" and when it runs out, we buy more. What's the problem.

  5. Fence says:

    Anne, yes. Incredibly complicated, just like using pounds and pennies instead of pounds, shillings and pence :)

    NM, yup, thats how we buy it.

    Weenie, we've had litres here for ages, and we still get pints in pubs.

    Alan, you still get milk in bottles! I remember bottles of milk, but don't think anywhere here still uses them, do they? It is all cartons these days.

  6. banzai cat says:

    Meh. I'm a coffee person myself.

    As for the fiction challenge, that looks cool. Didn't we use to do this before with FM? :-)

  7. Fence says:

    No milk in your coffee Banzai?
    Fiction challenges in general, yup. But he hasn't linked to any in ages so I figured I'd give us a push :)

  8. Well, challenge answered. And thanks.

  9. banzai cat says:

    Cats use cream! :)

    As for fiction challenge… hmmm, what picture should I use? Er… help?

  10. Fence says:

    Cream. but of course. How silly of me :) As for a pic, *shrug* an interesting one

  11. NineMoons says:

    So Banzai, what method of measuring liquid do you use to measure the cream? Pints? Litres? You're still part of the debate!

  12. banzai cat says:

    Hehe sorry, we use number of licks. ;)