Gold is known as a noble metal in that it will never rust, and is not affected by most acids and chemicals. It can however be dissolved by a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acid known as aqua regia(Latin royal water), or by sodium cyanide, or by acetic acid mixed with certain oxidants.
From time immemorial gold has been the desire of those aspiring to riches, or to make sacred or venerable objects. Examples are the Israelites in the Bible worshipping a golden calf when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, and Jason and his Argonauts searching for the Golden Fleece.
Read more: The Golden Days of My Youth
A friend of mine went horseback riding today. Up a beach on a sunny Queensland day. She trotted, galloped and felt the wind in her hair as she and her friends celebrated a birthday of a man now in his 76th year. '
It must have been glorious. A group of friends celebrating the joy of life on an open beach in the sunshine and leaving the cares of the world behind.
And it took me back to a day, about 50 years ago, when Redhead rode a horse and her bra strap broke.
Read more: A Story of Big Bright Bouncing Beautiful Boobs and a Broken Bra
Quilpie Shire Council first introduced its Home Owner Grant two years ago and offered a $12,500 grant for people who buy land and build in the region the same land size as Tasmania.
It now hopes increasing the scheme to $20,000 will boost the town's population by 20 per cent to 1000. 'Our new $20,000 grant will cover most of the price of their land if they build and live on it.' said council chief executive Justin Hancock.
I read a disturbing story of a young girl in Australia who was befriended by a group of girls and savagely beaten at a " sleep over. "
It horrified me that, not only did they seduce this poor girl with a promise of friendship, but, when they beat her, they videoed the attack and posted it online.
As adults, we often forget that desperate need to " belong. " What we must never forget is that when we choose our friends and our " club " we must choose wisely.
Read more: Being a Member of a Club is important. We just have to choose the right clubs.
America as the “shining city on a hill” is gone. It has been replaced by a country with a weaponized criminal justice system, a radicalized educational system, and a news media that is a mouthpiece for a tyrannical government.
It is difficult to be hopeful about America after twenty-six disastrous months of the Biden administration. All the progress of the previous administration has been reversed. Our country is no longer economically robust, energy independent or secure at our borders.
When good women get involved with good men, all manner of amazing things can happen. In a partnership of equals, the possibility of one plus one equalling three or even four is not only possible, but it is also extremely likely. While standing alone, one person can only ever achieve the potential output of one. But, when coupled with someone of equal potential, the numbers can change dramatically.
It is time to gather our resources and focus on the job at hand: to get back to OUR world where we worked together in unity and harnessed our strengths and pulled together as a team.
It should never be forgotten that one man brought water to the West Australian arid Goldfields and ships into Fremantle Harbour. One man ensured that the railways could unite a vast country like Australia.
That man was not only a remarkable human being and a pioneer, but also a truly outstanding Civil Engineer. He is a true Australian hero.
Read more: A Remarkable Man - an Engineer who oversaw some Nation Building
Authorities in Australia are informing the 25 million people of the nation that they are “eligible” for a 5th COVID shot, as a “booster,” if they have not been jabbed in the past 6 months, except for if they’ve already had the Fauci-funded infection (the best protection there is, by the way).
They are also “recommending” the deadly jab if you’re over the age of 65 or already suffering deadly yet preventable diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer (severe medical conditions that put them at “risk” of Wuhan coronavirus COVID-19).
It is a long lamented sadness that we are now governed by people who care not for us or our Nations, but for themselves. It does not matter what nation you call home, the problem is still the same: our so called leaders are merely opportunists who are more focused on opinion polls and less focused on doing what is right for their country.
Therein lies the entire problem. Focus groups, social media " persuaders " and self interested career politicians care more about their fat pay cheques than they do about building a Nation and building a future for which we can all be proud.
Read more: Nation Builders are needed - they dare to think big and think of the future
Remember the mega-hit book The Bonfire of the Vanities? While a work of fiction, the book shone a harsh light on the all-too-real world of lies, corruption, and hypocrisy in high places. In one of my favorite scenes, the power-couple protagonists attend a party at the home of the aptly named Bavardage family, where all the guests blab at each other with deep-fake enthusiasm, making sure to display their “boiling teeth” at all times.
Like the high society portrayed in the book, the Covid regime was replete with rot, from taped-up basketball nets and masked toddlers to vaccine passports and… slogans. Some of the slogans were carefully crafted by governments, while others sprang from the weeds of social media.
Try herding cats sometime. You’ll crouch, whistle, wave treats, and for one delusional moment, think…
111 hits
From Network to today, the prophecy is clear: truth has been turned into a commodity,…
236 hits
I am personally horrified by what has happened since October 2023. This wasn’t just a…
275 hits
Much of Australia’s early slang comes from the convict culture of the late 18th and…
326 hits
In 1925, a small courtroom in Dayton, Tennessee, became the stage for a battle over…
292 hits
Ratty News Exclusive By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Special Correspondent (aisle seat, back row) Reporting from…
315 hits
Back in 2002, an anonymous person sent an email from a disposable email address to…
252 hits
“We are perishing for want of wonder, not for want of wonders.” G. K. Chesterton Leonard…
299 hits
Albert Facey’s A Fortunate Life is more than a memoir. It is the voice of…
671 hits
A Journey Through Time: From the Suez Canal to the Speculative Ben Gurion Canal Let’s…
382 hits
I recently watched the film " Captain Philips " on Netflix. I had resisted for…
356 hits
By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Special Correspondent (aisle seat, back row) The Prime Minister has officially…
335 hits
Those who are not familiar with this title may be excused for thinking that it…
362 hits
It was back in the early 80's that Redhead and her late husband bought their…
361 hits
During the early years of World War II, the British Army faced many obstacles. Chief…
405 hits
When people think of World War II, they often picture D-Day, the Blitz, or the…
411 hits
I asked the question " What makes good government? " on a forum I belong…
443 hits
Imagine the joy of discussing life's great mysteries or the simple art of cooking a…
418 hits
Dusty Gulch Dispatch: Whiskers Remembered – A Follicle-Fueled Fightback Against Feather-Brained Folly By Roderick (Whiskers)…
411 hits
Between the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, more than a hundred thousand British children were…
447 hits
The Battle of Britain ended on 15th September, 1940 but the Blitz continued long after that. Following…
473 hits
In an age of glowing screens and fleeting texts, something precious has quietly slipped away:…
481 hits
As young folk, didn't some of us feel like rebels without a cause? I am…
517 hits
As our countries are collapsing under the weight of wokeism, social and communist ideology, who…
573 hits
Crack Up or Crack Apart When the world gets grim, you’ve only got two choices:…
592 hits
Dusty Gulch Dispatch: The Croc Cavalry & the Great Duckening By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Special…
673 hits
The Warning of Gareth Jones: Who Owns Our Land, Our Water, Our Future? When we…
580 hits
"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice,…
574 hits
As a teacher seasoned by years of studying history and upholding the integrity of language,…
704 hits
“The stupidity of democracy. It will always remain as one of democracy’s best jokes that…
668 hits