Delhi Planet Weekends – When God Came Online

September 30, 2007 by krisdhingra  
Filed under Specials

What would you do, if on one fine day, when you were in the middle of online conversation with your best friend, some stranger pings you. While you would normally ignore such pings you seem to be unsure of what you should do with this one, because this person isn’t like any other normal stranger.

This time you were interrupted by someone who no one on this planet has ever seen or met, but he/she still commands great respect and billions of people across the globe worship him/her. You’ve probably guessed it by now, the stranger who comes online is none other than God himself. His conversation with you starts off in such a manner that you have no choice but continue the chat and soon enough the chat window between you and him is all that you can see. What exactly would be the content of such a chat, let’s find out :

God : Hello. you called me

I, Me, Myself(IMM) : Called you ? No, who is this ?

God: This is God. I heard your prayers . So i thought i’ll chat with you.

IMM: sure, I pray. Just makes me feel good. Actually, am busy now. In the midst of something.

God: What are you busy with ? Ants are busy, too.

IMM: Don’t know. but I can’t find free time. Life has become hectic. It’s rush hour all the time.

God: Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity frees it.

IMM: Anyways, I still don’t get it, wasn’t expecting you to buzz me on instant messaging chat.

God: Well, what can I say. I’m more modern than you think I am. Now, do you have any questions to ask.

IMM: Yes, Please tell me why has life become so complicated ?

God: Stop Analyzing life. Just live it. Analysis is what makes it complicated.

IMM: Why are we then constantly unhappy ?

God: Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. You are worrying because the act of worrying has become a habit. That’s why you are not happy.

IMM: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainity ?

God: Uncertainity is inevitable , but worrying is optional.

IMM: But then , there is so much pain due to uncertainity.

God: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

IMM: If suffering is optional , why do good people always suffer ?

God: Diamonds cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials. with that experience their life becomes better, not bitter.

IMM: You mean to say such experience is useful ?

God: Yes. Experience is a hard teacher . She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.

IMM: But still, why should we go through such tests ? why can’t we be free from problems

God: Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons to Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance , not when you are free from problems.

IMM: Frankly, in the midst of so many problems , we don’t know where we are heading.

God: If you look outside you will not know where are you are heading. Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight. heart provides insight.

IMM: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right direction.

God: Success is relative, quantified by others. Satisfaction is absolute, quantified by you.Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead

IMM: Sometimes I ask , who am I , why am I here ? I don’t know the answers.

God: Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be . Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery but a process of creation.

IMM: How can I get the best out of life ?

God: Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

IMM: Sometimes my prayers are not answered.

God: There are no unanswered prayers . At times the answer is NO

IMM: Thank you for ths wonderful chat. I’ll try to be less fearful.

God: Keep the faith and drop the fear. Life is a mystrey to solve, not a problem to resolve. Life is wonderful if you know how to live.

As it turns out this is one chat transcript that you would always keep with yourself and surely it makes for a great read, especially on a weekend. So take care, have fun and have a great weekend.

Tags: god, weekends, chat, faith, fear, life, prayer, purpose

Stay At Home And Create New Life

September 28, 2007 by krisdhingra  
Filed under News

Imagine a city, where the government would encourage you to take a holiday on every wednesday, so that you can stay at home and cosy up to your wife or girlfriend. What’s more, not only would you get paid to do so, but you could also win several prizes. Hmm, wishful thinking you might say. Well unlike the axe island of women advertisement(check here) which has very little chance of becoming a reality, the thought above has actually been implemented in the russian city of Ulyanovsk. The only catch here is that you have to try to create a new life if you take wednesday off.

The governor of a central Russian province urged couples to skip work on Wednesday and make love instead to help boost Russia’s low birth-rate. And if a woman gives birth in exactly nine months time — on Russia’s national day on June 12 — she will qualify for a prize, perhaps even winning a new home. “It’s normally something for the home — a fridge or a television set” Yelena Yakovleva at the Ulyanovsk regional administration press office, said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a girl or a boy” (Source).

Well, the russian governor who actually wants to reverse a trend in which the population is shrinking by about 700,000 people a year ( as births fail to outpace a high death rate boosted by AIDS, alcoholism and suicide), should probably think of making a trip to India which is bursting at the seams with people. It might even be a good idea to ask the indians if they would like to come to Ulyanovsk. That would not only solve the problem of the declining birth rate but it would also save the city lots of money, cause frankly the indians don’t need those incentives to create new life.

Tags: population, india, russia, sex, holiday, work, prizes, people

DP Money Watch – See Your Investments Take A Quantum Leap With Indian Toners and Developers

September 26, 2007 by Ashok  
Filed under Financial Markets

Indian Toners and Developers Limited (ITDL), is an ISO 9001:2000 certified 17 year young company. ITDL is a leading manufacturer of compatible black toners for Photocopiers, Laser Printers, Digital Machines and Multi Function Printers. ITDL is an enterpernuerial venture founded by technocrats having an highly automated Swiss/German plant with a capacity of 1200 tonnes per year

ITDL has recently formed a subsidiary by the name of ITDL Imagetec Limited which will have a production capacity of 1200 metric tonnes(mt) for the manufacturing of Toners. The new manufacturing unit is located at Sitarganj in the state of Uttrakhand and will be operational from the first Quarter of 2008, thus enhancing the total capacity of ITDL to 2400 mt.

Research and Development has been the cornerstone of ITDL’s success. Backed by a pilot plant and know-how assistance from Japan, ITDL is well equipped to develop a wide range of toner products to meet the emerging needs of the market. Raw materials are sourced from world-renowned manufacturers in Japan, Germany and The United States of America.

Being the First Company of its kind, ITDL came onto the Indian business scenario as a pioneer in this highly technical field and since then has established itself firmly as the leader in the domestic market with the single largest market share. ITDL has the most widespread network of dealers numbering 500, which is constantly growing. With its Head Office based in New Delhi, ITDL has 13 C&F Agents catering to the needs of various States in the country.

Having established itself as a pioneer in the domestic market, ITDL exports Toners and Developers of best quality standards for use in various international brands and models of Photocopiers, Laser Printers and Digital Machines to more than 32 countries in the world. The Government of India has awarded ITDL for its “Excellence in Export Performance” for 3 consecutive years after which it again received the same award in 2006. ITDL has also opened its representative office in Zhuhai, China. ITDL USA was incorporated in the year 2004 as a wholly owned subsidiary of ITDL India. The company also has a representative office in Singapore as well as sole distributorship in U.A.E and Singapore.

The Company’s Financial performance has been improving over the years: (Check Below)

Scrip Code : 523586 Company Name : Indian Toners & Developers Ltd

Type Audited Audited Audited Audited
Date Begin 01 Apr 06 01 Apr 05 01 Apr 04 01 Apr 03
Date End 31 Mar 07 31 Mar 06 31 Mar 05 31 Mar 04
Description Value(Rs. million)
Gross Sales 471 408.04 338.61 339.23
Excise Duty -44.53 -43.35 -34.52 -37.12
Net Sales 426.47 364.7 304.09 302.11
Other Income 3 3.53 13.89 27.35
Total Income 429.46 368.23 317.98 329.47
Expenditure -336.73 -286.33 -253.93 -243.7
Operating Profit 92.73 81.9 64.04 85.76
Interest -5.06 -4.38 -5.54 -7.5
Gross Profit 87.67 77.52 58.51 78.26
Depreciation -17.6 -16.86 -15.79 -13.3
Profit before Tax 70.08 60.66 42.71 64.96
Tax -26.14 -21.48 -13.77 -14.62
Profit after Tax 43.94 39.18 28.94 50.33
Net Profit 43.94 39.18 28.94 50.33
Equity Capital 80.59 80.59 80.59 80.58
Reserves 211.62 167.68 128.5 99.56
EPS 5.45 4.86 3.59 6.25
Nos. of Shares – Non Promoters 4084846 4434290 4445120 4445120
Percent of Shares – Non Promoters 50.68 55.02 55.15 55.15
Result Type A A A A

Financials reproduced from BseIndia

With a market capitalization of just Rs. 20 crores at a CMP of Rs. 24, the scrip appears highly underpriced, especially when one considers the highly technical nature of its operations, highest quality of its products and the leader status in the domestic market.

With capacity getting doubled from next year, EPS will take a quantum jump to Rs. 10+ and the share price should touch the Rs. 75 level in an year’s time

Buy is recommended with atleast one year HOLD to see a price of Rs. 75

This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision.

Tags: long term, stocks, equity, buy, plant, toners, ITDL, research

We Are The Champions Of The World

September 25, 2007 by krisdhingra  
Filed under Cricket


We are the champions – my friends
And we’ll keep on fighting – till the end –
We are the champions –
We are the champions
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions – of the world

Those were the lyrics of the all-time classic song We Are The Champions, a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. It is one of their most famous and popular songs, and has since become an anthem for sporting victories.

On September 24th, 2007 India achieved a sporting victory that crowned it as the World Champion of Twenty20 Cricket. “We are the Champions” was the word on everyone’s lips and given the impact that cricket has in a country like India it is surely going to lead to a great sense of pride and happiness among it’s millions of citizens. The victory came after a nail biting, nerve wrecking match against Pakistan in a tournamant that has redefned “excitement“. All of India’s matches were truly amazing and kept the viewer hooked from start to end.

Finally it was the brillant performance and team work of a young new Indian team under a new captain that made this win possible. Well, probably they did have a little bit of luck on their side too(India won the world cup after a gap of 24 years, playing on the 24thday and the whole date 24-09-2007 also adds up to 6. Numerologically 3 repititions of any number can prove to be lucky), but that still doesn’t deny their hard work and team spirit that rallied them through several tough situations.

DelhiPlanet congratulates the Indian Cricket Team on their fabulous performance and let’s hope that we can continue to do well. By the way, if you happened to miss the action of a game that changed history then watch it below.

Tags: cricket, twenty20, world cup, dhoni, india, yuvraj, champions

Delhi Planet Weekends – 5 Places Where The Party Never Stops

September 23, 2007 by krisdhingra  
Filed under Specials

Q. All the terms below can be associated with a common event, that happens to be a very frequently used word of the English Language. What is this word ? The terms are “birthday, entering a new house, passing an examination, getting a better job, getting a promotion, getting married, new year’s eve”.

Hmm, are you stretching your grey cells to find the answer to the above question. Hopefully not, cause the answer is quite simple “PARTY”. A party is essentially a celebration and an event that you can enjoy with your friends, family, like minded people and in some cases complete strangers. While some people need a good reason to throw a party, other’s just do it cause they have nothing better to do (hugh hefner, paris hilton are a few names that come to mind ).

Just like any other mass human activity, a party too needs to be held at the right place and needs to have the right atmosphere. DelhiPlanet takes a look at 5 such events which attract people from all over the world, cause they give you an environment where everyone has just one thing on their mind, “to have fun“.

New Year’s Eve, Times Square, New York

The inaugral bash of this event was held in 1904, to commemorate the official opening of the new headquarters of The New York Times. Today, more than a 100 years later, it still happens to be the one place the whole world wants to see on the night of December 31st, better known as New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve at the symbolic center of New York City has become more than just a celebration – it’s a global tradition. The world holds its breath…and cheers as the clocks strike twelve. As the famous New Year’s Eve Ball descends from the flagpole atop One Times Square, an estimated one million people in Times Square, millions nationwide and over a billion watching throughout the world are united in bidding a collective farewell to the departing year, and expressing their joy and hope for the year ahead. The noise and sound of collective mass happiness that one can feel when the sparkling Waterford crystal starts coming down, with millions counting down 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, Happy New Year is something you would not experience at too many places.

Checkout the Times Square Alliance for more information on this amazing celebration.

Full Moon Party, Koh Phangan, Thailand

Once upon a time, around the year 1987 a group of tourists while lazing around on a beach in Koh-Phangan discussed an idea. They were all looking up at the stars and the beautiful moon-lit sky. The Moon at this place was one of the most amazing sights they had ever seen, never before had they seen a moon so beautiful. “Why not have a party here, so that many more people can enjoy this sight and celebrate the beauty of god’s creation“, said one of them. Sure let’s organize a Full Moon Party, said the others in unison.

From that day onwards full-moon nights have never been the same for this island in thailand. Every full-moon night the crescent shaped beach of Haad Rin on this island turns into an all-night beach party where 1000′s of people from across the world gather together and enjoy the splendid beauty of the night. One can enjoy various types of alcohol, cocktails and local delicacies apart from extravagant displays of fireworks, fire-eaters, jugglers and much more.

The full moon party at Koh-Phangan is one of the best parties in the world , and it’s much better than any of the jazzy clubs you’ve ever been too, cause you don’t need to pay a dime to enjoy this party.

Club La Vela, Panama City, Florida

Club La Vela is a nightclub located in the resort community of Panama City Beach, Florida. It is billed as the largest nightclub in the United States. While open throughout most of the year, the club has gained most of its fame — or infamy, in the eyes of critics — during the weeks of spring break, when thousands of college students converge on the club for parties, drinking, and more.

The club is one of the trendiest and most respected nightclubs in the world and has numerous lounges and discos that play various forms of music. Thunderdome, Club La Vela’s largest multi-story theme room features a sound system you can feel in your chest, and a lightshow like no other in North America!. If you’re into techno-music, the Underground, Nightgallery, & Galaxy Room are for you as thousands of people dance to the unifying beats, Live Music fans feast their appetite for some incredible live Rock in the Rock Arena where the country’s hottest touring bands tear up the stage 7 nights a week.

So if you don’t like open crowds and wanna do your own thing at slightly upscale place, then La Vela is the place for you.

Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Louisiana

And the numero uno on our list is the New Orleans, Mardi Gras which is one of the most famous Carnival celebrations in the world. Each year; the Mardi Gras (or Carnival) season starts on January 6, also known as “Twelfth Night.” The Twelfth Night Revelers, hold a masked ball each year to mark the occasion.

Mardi Gras is one of the oldest carnivals in the world, and is more than 3 centuries old. It is still celebrated in a very vibrant and festive manner each year. The festival today however has 2 different kinds of public images. Most of the world thinks of it as an adult carnival where young woman bare their breasts in exchange for beads and trinkets, it however is a very traditional and cultural event and for most local residents it is a time of family traditions. There are numerous parades that are held and are a great source of enjoyment for children .

So if you ever thought that the world was boring, then all you need to do is take a look around. There are plenty of things to celebrate in this world and sometimes just watching other people have a good time is quite fulfilling.

Tags: party, birthday, mardi gras, panama, full moon, ibiza, new york, new year, times square

The fifth place on our list happens to be the wild island of Ibiza, Spain. There’s lots of stuff we’d like to tell you about Ibiza so stay tuned. DP Travel would soon bring to you a wild,sexy and vibrant description of Ibiza, the Party Capital of the World.

Yuvraj Creates The Golden Dozen

September 20, 2007 by krisdhingra  
Filed under Cricket

Google defines a dozen as twelve: denoting a quantity consisting of 12 items or units . Wikipedia defines the Baker’s Dozen as A baker’s dozen, also known as a long dozen, is 13, one more than a proper dozen. The expression found its genesis in 13th-century England.

The term baker’s dozen came into existence in the 13th century during the reign of Henry III (r. 1216-1272). Bakers who were found to have shortchanged customers could be liable to severe punishment. To guard against the punishment of losing a hand to an axe, a baker would give 13 for the price of 12, to be certain of not being known as a cheat. Specifically, the practice of baking 13 items for an intended dozen was to prevent “short measure”, on the basis that one of the 13 could be lost, eaten, burnt or ruined in some way, which would still leave the buyer with a dozen.

Well cut to the 21st Century, 19th September, 2007 to be more precise. Yet another king coins the term “Golden Dozen“. It’s a term that arises from the feat achieved by Yuvraj Singh(Yuvraj means prince in Hindi ) in a Twenty20 Cricket Match between India and England. In this match yuvraj scored 50 runs(a golden jubilee or anniversary is synonymous with 50 ), in a dozen balls. So a golden dozen would be defined as “achieving something in super quick time in a highly entertaining and aggressive fashion”.

Well that’s just one of the many definitions that this term can take(do let us know what you think). The amazing thing about this knock, apart from the fact that it took only 12 balls(which happens to be only 3 more than the minimum number of balls required to score a fifty ) is that it involved hitting 6 sixes in one over(watch the video below), which is no mean feat in cricket.

Well, this record is surely going to be really tough to beat for a long time to come. Great going Yuvraj.

DP Money Watch – SAAG RR, Constructing Your Fortune

September 18, 2007 by Ashok  
Filed under Financial Markets

SAAG RR Infra Limited, a subsidiary of SAAG Consolidated (M) BHD, Malaysia, brings together the extensive knowledge, wide-ranging experience and cutting-edge technology of two spearheads in the construction industry. The coming together of these two formidable forces helps SAAG RR provide customized solutions for large-scale infrastructure projects. It also has tie-ups with the following companies:

  • SAAG Embah : Embah specializes in engineering procurement,construction,commissioning and maintenance of oil and gas pipelines and process piping work. It also has expertise in Horizontal directional drilling HDD machines and GRR mapping facilities.
  • SAAG Drilling and Well Services Sdn. Bhd: SAAG Drilling has an expertise to provide offshore full workover and oil well services. Its expertise spreads to geological surveys,drilling consultants and reservoir engineers. It provides SAAG RR the expertise to bid for jobs from clients like ONGC, Reliance, Cairn etc in India.
  • FOCUS Oil and Gas Netherlands : FOCUS specializes in project consultancy, project management, front end engineering design and new technology. SAAG RR is the exclusive representative of FOCUS Oil in India .
  • PLYNOSTAV Czech Republic: This company is a pioneer in cross country oil and gas pipelines projects. The Company helps SAAG RR bid for cross country pipeline projects.
  • PROTEUS Australia: PROTEUS has an expertise in oil and gas projects onshore and offshore and aids SAAG RR in complete project management
  • MICOPERI Italy : Is one of the largest offshore construction companies and helps SAAG RR in revamping and reconstruction projects.

The projects handled by SAAG RR cover the following sectors:-

  1. Transportation – Roads and Railways
  2. Environment – Sewage, Effluence and Water Treatment
  3. Pipelines – Water and Sewer
  4. Structure – Industrial and Commercial
  5. Housing – Institutional, commercial and Private

(See here for details on the completed projects.)

The Company’s financial’s(Check below) are also showing improvements and its only a matter of time before the company lands up with big projects from the oil majors like ONGC, Reliance, Cairn etc.

Scrip Code : 531374 Company Name : SAAG RR Infra Ltd

Type UnAudited UnAudited UnAudited
Date Begin 01 Apr 07 01 Oct 06 01 Apr 06
Date End 30 Jun 07 31 Dec 06 30 Jun 06
Description Value(Rs. million)
Net Sales 115.19 114.65 91.14
Other Income 0.5 0.39 0.49
Total Income 115.68 115.04 91.63
Expenditure -96.09 -99.6 -74.94
Operating Profit 19.6 15.44 16.69
Interest -9.57 -4.75 -2.8
Gross Profit 10.03 10.69 13.89
Depreciation -0.74 -0.51 -0.44
Profit before Tax 9.29 10.17 13.46
Tax -1.17 -3.37 -4.09
Profit after Tax 8.12 6.8 9.37
Net Profit 8.12 6.8 9.37
Equity Capital 105 105 105
Reserves - - 65.32
EPS 0.77 0.65 0.89
Nos. of Shares – Non Promoters 5311989 5436989 5317089
Percent of Shares – Non Promoters 50.59 51.78 50.64
Result Type Q Q Q

Financials reproduced from BseIndia

The Company’s market capitalization is just about Rs. 42 crores at CMP of Rs. 42. Looking at the company’s excellent tie-ups and parentage, the share appears to be highly undervalued when compared to its peer like ABAN OFFSHORE, that commands a P/E of 125 vs. only 12 for SAAG RR

Buy is recommended at CMP with 2 years HOLD to see a price of RS. 200 +

This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision.

Tags: SAAG, construction, italy, australia, ongc, cairn, long term, stocks, equity, buy

Delhi Planet Weekends – Vincent Van Gogh, The Absinthe Artist

September 16, 2007 by krisdhingra  
Filed under Specials

When Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) decided to become an artist, no one, not even he, suspected that he had extraordinary gifts. Today however, he is recognised as one of the greatest artists of all time. His paintings and drawings include some of the world’s best known, most popular and most expensive pieces. During his life however he received very little recognition for his work and was never financially well – off, something which later led to his poor medical condition and subsequent suicide.

In 1880 Vincent van Gogh decided to become an artist. He was 27 years old at the time and had already been employed in a variety of professions, as a lay preacher, a schoolmaster and an art dealer, none of which had proved a great success. When he was starting out as an artist he practiced by drawing landscapes, townscapes and, above all, drawing after a live model. He later went on to draw some of his great works such as the The Potato Eaters, Sunflowers, The Starry Night and the much acclaimed Potrait of Dr.Gatchet (depicting the doctor who treated vincent during the last stages of his life, the painting was bought for US$ 82.5 million by Japanese businessman Ryoei Saito at an auction in Christie’s New York). At age 39, in the year 1890 Van Gogh shot himself in the chest and two days later died from his wounds, with his brother ( Theo Van Gogh, who was his pillar of support throughout all his trying times) beside him at his deathbed. Theo died six months later. Both the brothers are buried side by side in the graveyard of Auvers-sur-Oise.

One of the best places in the world to view the works of this great artist and get an insight into his life is the Van Gogh Museum at Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Van Gogh Museum

The museum has the largest collection of works by Vincent Van Gogh, with more than 200 paintings, including many famous masterpieces. The museum also shows an extensive collection of works of art by other 19th century painters and sculptors. The permanent collection is on view in the main building. The exhibition wing backing on to Museumplein(Museum Square) accommodates a wide range of temporary shows of 19th century art. The museum also has a store, a restaurant and a library. Visitors are not alllowed to touch the works of art, take photographs, make films or any audio or video recordings. The entry ticket is not too expensive at 10 euros per adult(catch the pictures below). The museum is not like any other normal place. Every Friday night, lounge chairs, video projections, DJs and a bar transform the museum’s central hall into a relaxed place to meet. The museum can also host birthday parties for children which are more like fun filled workshops.

Front Side of the Entry Ticket Van Gogh Ticket back

Amsterdam is also home to another famous museum The Rijks Museum, which features a magnificent selection of Dutch paintings from the Golden Age. So if you love modern art and the great artists of our times and happen to be close to the netherlands then do visit these 2 places, you’ll certainly learn a lot.

Tags: van gogh, art, absinthe, potrait, ticket, museum, amsterdam, rijks

Let’s See If You Can Define The Units

September 14, 2007 by krisdhingra  
Filed under Facts

They are terms that we use extensively in everyday life and yet, if someone were to ask us their globally accepted formal definition, our only response would be a shrug of the shoulders followed by “i don’t know“. Well, we definetly know about these terms cause we’ve surely read about them during our school days. What we are talking about here are the Seven Basic SI Units, and in particular the three most commonly used units namely, metre(m), kilogram(kg) and second(s).

So while these definitions are common knowledge amongst school going kids, they are pieces of trivia for adults cause very few of them would remember these definitions. Let’s see how you really define a metre, a kilogram and a second(with some help from our Source).

metre [m]
The metre is the basic unit of length. It is the distance light travels, in a vacuum, in 1/299792458th of a second.

kilogram [kg]
The kilogram is the basic unit of mass. It is the mass of an international prototype in the form of a platinum-iridium cylinder kept at Sevres in France. It is now the only basic unit still defined in terms of a material object, and also the only one with a prefix[kilo] already in place.

second [s]
The second is the basic unit of time. It is the length of time taken for 9192631770 periods of vibration of the caesium-133 atom to occur.

Now, hat’s off to you if you knew these exact definitions, and welcome to the club if you didn’t. Speaking of the kilogram, the cylinder in question is more than 118 years old and is kept tightly under lock and key outside Paris. An interesting phenomenon that has been recently noticed is that this cylinder is mysteriously losing weight — if ever so slightly. Physicist Richard Davis of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sevres, southwest of Paris, says the reference kilo appears to have lost 50 micrograms compared with the average of dozens of copies. “The mystery is that they were all made of the same material, and many were made at the same time and kept under the same conditions, and yet the masses among them are slowly drifting apart,” he said. “We don’t really have a good hypothesis for it” (Source: CNN ).

Scientists from around the world have been debating as to whether it’s time that this definition of the kilogram be overhauled with a more accurate and hi-tech one. One of the leading alternatives for a 21st-century kilogram is a sphere made out of a Silicon-28 isotope crystal, which would involve a single type of atom and have a fixed mass.

Well whatever be the definition it doesn’t make the task of losing kgs any easier (although the cylinder does give some hope). So carry on excercising cause losing weight ain’t gonna get easy anytime soon ;) .

Tags: kilogram, metre, second, france, definitions, kids, adults, trivia, SI, units

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