Measurements

Katie Lee was pleased to see my interest in the subject but a little wary.

I had encountered Katie on a tour of the National Measurement Institute’s laboratories in Sydney in my new role as a Parliamentary Secretary.

Not many people are aware of the fact that we have Dr Who style Time Lords in Parliament

Keen to see Australia’s original kilogram, the most its keeper, Katie, would allow was to lead me to a window where I could see a safe in the next room.

Protectively she placed herself in front of the door to that room with all the devotion of a member of President Obama’s security detail.

“It shouldn’t be disturbed”, Katie explained.

Australia’s kilogram is a precise copy of the original kilogram in Paris which defines mass in this world. And as it turns out, over the decades, the original kilogram has been putting on weight.

No one is exactly sure why but the phenomenon is a cause of great concern.

Latest 2 of 2 comments

View all comments
 
  • stephen says:

    02:20pm | 09/07/09

    ... Yes, I remember Charles Dickens going on about…‘the Minister for Weights and Measures…’. “Peter Garrett.. what’s going on with that Rock ?” Read more »

  • iansand says:

    02:18pm | 09/07/09

    Yep.  I’m convinced.  “Fact finding” by Parliamentarians is a WOFTAM. Read more »

 

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Anthony Sharwood

How much fun is it retweeting people who can't spell?

Anthony Sharwood

In other Olympian news, Steph rice is advertising Sunrice Chinese style Mongolian chicken. Think about that for a tick

Anthony Sharwood

Oops, just trying to say thanks all four your follows and Hackett yarn feedback, especially the dude who called me an opinionated dipshit

David Penberthy

@GreenJ lady boy.

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

Is there a nicotine patch strong enough for this?

Is there a nicotine patch strong enough for this?

Ok. I am not a leading expert in world’s best practice on prisoner rehabilitation — my experience…

A great win by Webber, but it sure as hell wasn’t sport

A great win by Webber, but it sure as hell wasn’t sport

This morning I joined millions of other Australians in accelerating, braking, swearing and spilling coffee…

Fighting Assad one strongly worded statement at a time

Fighting Assad one strongly worded statement at a time

This weekend’s massacre in Houla, Syria, is one of those stories that invites but doesn’t…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

Michael S says:

"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]

From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone

Change Up! says:

I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]

Gentle jabs to the ribs

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more

243 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter