I'm an expertI spent four years of my life acquiring a PhD. This makes me an expert in the use of transparency in computer interfaces. It's not a hugely useful or interesting expertise, but it's all mine. I'm pretty hot at sitting on the sofa, too.
What are you lot experts in?
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chthonic, Thu 23 Jun 2005, 14:43)
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Aluminium or Aluminum ???Well folks i'll tell you, seeing as i'm an expert and all...
Aluminium with its 13 protons it the most recently discovered metal in common use. It was discovered in early 1800's by Sir Humphrey Davy (yes that guy who invented the mining lamp). He wanted to call it Alumium but for some reason it became Aluminum.... Yay i can here the Americans shouting!... well not quite. Aluminium was then chosen by International Chemist societies as it followed suit with other elements which ended in 'ium'. Caesium, Potassium, Gadolinium, etc. 50 years after its discovery both names were in regular use. The patent for the company that started producing Aluminium for commercial use was taken out with the name Aluminium. Their company then changed name to something else (without aluminium in the title) and for some reason the name Aluminum was used more and more in the states... In the 1920's the American Chemisty Society starting using Aluminum in all its publications, whilst the rest of the world generally use the extra I (Aluminium). Both names are therefore correct. So next time you hear an American say "Aluminum" remember its not there fault there just stupid :)
feel free to explain this to people at parties.. they'll love to sit and listen about shiny metals all day.
My joy is in spreading my expertise or have i just told you all a load of b*ll*cks ?!?!?! Mowahaahaa haa hhaaaa haaa etc.
(, Wed 29 Jun 2005, 13:30, Reply)
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