Weights and Measures

If reading on a smartphone, hold sideways and read in landscape mode

The New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures represents one of New Jersey's oldest efforts at consumer protection. Created in 1911, by then Governor Woodrow Wilson, the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures is responsible for ensuring that all commercial and law enforcement weighing and measuring devices are tested and inspected for accuracy, and meet Federal guidelines for specifications and tolerances. 

They test and inspect all commercially used devices from prescription pharmacy balances to large capacity truck scales. They test and inspect fuel meters, airplane fuel trucks, laser guns and radar tuning forks used for speed enforcement. 

The office of Weights and Measures core mission is to protect consumers from unscrupulous business practices and maintain equity in the marketplace. Consumers can rest assured that when they are selling gold, buying groceries or fuel, or making any transaction involving a weighing or measuring device, the consumers are protected from fraud. 

1911, wow. It was not until 1925 that half the homes in the U.S. had electric power. 

Early on, it was evident that without "true measurements" there can be no progress. If you cannot trust the weight, if you cannot trust the size, if you cannot trust the volume or trust the quality or trust the integrity or trust the speed or the...(whatever) you cannot build anything. You cannot operate in business, or in society if you cannot have faith in the "Weights and Measures" of the thing you are buying, selling, shipping or consuming. Trust and confidence is the key - the foundation to everything we do.

Where are you going with this, Tom?

Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and techniques of psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. The field is primarily concerned with the study of differences between individuals. 

Types of Tests Designed in Psychometrics 

Aptitude and Ability Tests: These tests may assess the following skills/abilities: verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning, numeric reasoning, mechanical reasoning, data checking, and work sampling.

Personality Tests: These tests are usually based on research by psychologists such as Carl Jung or Isabel Briggs Myers. These tests can be used to determine basic characteristics of an individual, assess their ability to fit in to a specific work environment or with specific personality types.

I'm getting ready to leave your blog, Tom.....

OK, OK. Here is my point. We care deeply that a gallon of gas is indeed a true gallon when we buy it. We care deeply that the weight of the truck is true and accurate, when it crosses the bridge just ahead of us. We care deeply that the MPG and emissions that we advertise is true and accurate - just ask Volkswagen. 

We care deeply that the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through the wires in our homes is indeed as promised, otherwise our appliances might not work. And we care that the speed of the Internet (broadband) that we are using to connect to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube is what we were promised. Google: Truth in Advertising. 

BUT: we do not seem to care that the MEDIA that we consume, the content that we download, the lessons that we learn are indeed truthful and accurate and verified. We care about the SPEED of our Internet, but we do not care about the truth, or accuracy, or the honesty of what flows to our eyes and ears VIA the Internet. That's just nuts. 

We now spend more time online than on the roads. We spend more of our lives connected to the Internet, than riding in a car. And many times more than flying. I say it is time for the Office of Weights and Measures to start focusing on what really matters to society. It's 2020, not 1911. We care about the safety of the skies, but not the safety of the Internet. We use the Internet every day - when was the last time you flew in a commercial airliner? 

Remember, one more time: Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and techniques of psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. The field is primarily concerned with the study of differences between individuals. 

Psychometrics is how Mark Zuckerberg made all of his money. Same for Google and Amazon and Twitter and Apple. And Psychometrics is how and why the integrity of our nation's elections is (once again) under attack. 

The Office of Weights and Measures needs to get "the thumb off the scale" in those areas of our society that matter the most. We took Volkswagen to the woodshed for lying to us - for violating our trust. 

THE INTERNET is: the car we are all driving, the food we are all eating, the MEDIA we are all consuming - it's needs consumer protection. 

Not everyone is going to fly commercially this year, or drive a car this week. But (all) consumers are consuming - the INTERNET. Every. Single. Day. 

We need to trust the media we consume, the same way we trust the food we consume. We need an Office of Weights and Measures for the new online world we live in - AND WE NEED IT NOW. 

We all know that the Dept. of Homeland Security was born as a result of the attacks on 9/11, right? I think we are due for something new and current and relevant to protect ALL OF US. Our personal digital security - the quality and integrity of the media we are consuming needs protecting. 

At a minimum, make 'em stop the lying. That might be a good start. 

Hey, you did it for Volkswagen, right?