ballpoint

The City of New York Department of Sanitation formal uniform. This guy must have really seen some sh*t to earn those medals!

The hose is still leaking. Any suggestions?

The earth didn't change. People did. Aluminium has always been by far the most abundant metal in the earth's crust, making up about 8% of it, but is never found naturally in pure elemental form. The vast majority of it is tied up in aluminium silicates. Therefore, until a relatively efficient way of extracting it from these compounds was developed, pure Al metal was indeed very rare - it was only confirmed as an element in 1808, and the first solid bar created in 1855, but now, due to its large number of uses, it's one of the most abundant metals we have.

It's really only since the early 20th century that platinum was valued higher due to its rarity, but, perversely, the relative abundance of gold vs platinum was what made gold the historically accepted currency - it was far more practical to mint gold coins than platinum ones. Gold has retained that status, and continues to be seen as a safe haven in times of uncertainty, which we are definitely in today with BRICS wanting to establish a commodities backed (predominantly gold) reserve currency, and the US at the point where annual interest owed on debt is equal to military spending. Something is going to give, and gold is seen as the place to be when it happens. Central banks certainly see it that way, and their buying is in part what is fuelling the rise in price: Central Banks | World Gold Council The historical comparison of gold vs platinum also tells the story. For the 19th, and much of the first half of the 20th, centuries, when the British controlled the world reserve currency, gold was artificially pegged in order to prevent volatility. (While platinum was virtually valueless during the 19th). It then found its own level during and after WW2, as Britain lost hegemony. It achieved parity with platinum during WW2, and again during the inflationary period of the 1970s. The 2008 GFC saw the beginning of its rise above platinum, and the uncertainty caused by Covid sealed its higher position. With the Ukraine war, the now accepted use of gold as a petrocurrency, and continuing US financial uncertainty, it is expected by many to keep rising. On the other hand, platinum, having no such financial safe haven value, continues to be priced according to its demand for jewellery, electronics, and other minor uses. Platinum Price vs Gold Price Ratio | 125 Year Chart (sdbullion.com)

Gold's value is due to it being an internationally recognised and accepted intangible store of wealth, rather than its practical use. Past Month: Past Year: Buy Gold & Silver Bullion Bars & Coins (bullionstar.com)

Chinese takeaway: 14 quid. Petrol to pick it up: 2 quid. Getting home and finding that they've forgotten one of your containers; riceless.

I went to the barbers and asked to have my hair cut like Tom Cruise. So he put a big cushion on the chair.

I've just started work as a human chess piece. The money's good, I'm on knights this week.

I took my clarinet back to the music shop, "I don't know what it is, " I said, "I can only seem to be able to play one tune on it, Perfect Day, nothing else seems right or in tune. " "Let's have a look, " said the assistant as he dismantled my clarinet, "ha, there's the problem, looks like it was fitted with a Lou Reed. "

As usual, requirements vary with office. In Buriram I just hand my passport to the front desk and get called over by an officer to pick it up with the new 90 day paper stapled in the back within a minute or two. No documents or questions asked. The office is on my way back home from town, usually I'm the only one in there in the afternoon, and I've gotten to know the officers through multiple visits (though some may see this as a negative in the more unfriendly offices, I see it as a positive. I usually have a laugh and a chat about rugby with one in particular, who was very helpful when I had an issue with the Revenue Department. I wonder if he would have been if he only saw me once a year?)

It's aimed at the beggars who normally sit on it.

(Other messages removed for brevity). "You point your finger at me one more time and the only uncertainty you'll have is whether it'll be a window or a plane crash".

This kid gets it...