I just happened on this news item regarding Pt/Pd (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080706/ap_on_re_us/converter_thefts).

Reminds me of another I just read yesterday on peak metal (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060123122555.htm).

John "Alpha Flying Monkey" Moore

The peak metal article is interesting. This assumes we won't replace copper wire with fiber optics, metal coins with cash cards, photographic materials with ... Oh, crap!

We've been living a false abundance for years. Basic stuff is going to become more expensive, harder to find. A global economy translates to a more equitable distribution of resources in the long run. That means we'll need to learn to be a lot more frugal. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Peter Gomena

Yow - my wedding ring is platinum; I hadn't realised the cost of platinum has risen by nearly 5 times since I got married...

More practically, it hadn't even occurred to me that it might be a good idea to keep it clear of the chemistry when doing Pt/Pd printing!