> As a typical dumb sh1t civilian

Ah, the Victorious Warrior returned from the Field, eager to earn the adulation of his Fellow Citizens.

> Why bother making them out of one of the more expensive (and difficult to plate) metals when you could use something cheaper, much closer in specific gravity and more easily plated, like Lead?

I'll answer this because you've demonstrated an uncommon degree of intelligence for an Oz; but also, predictably, the usual degree of insolence, ignorance and laziness. Herewith the densities in kg/cu m of the three metals in question. I'll assume you have someone available to explain what they mean; even a Singaporean high-school student could have done as much:

Gold       19320
Tungsten   19600
Lead       11340

> Why even plate them, when you could just paint them gold and no one would be the wiser.

If you bought gold from a certified dealer, and you had it assayed, they might do an SG, but they wouldn't drill holes in their customers' gold bars without written permission, which is why it took so long for the fraud to come to light; few could believe the degree of gall and corruption thereby implied.

> It's not as if people are in there every day, lifting the bars and examining them.

You obviously have no experience in financial matters.

> Most foreign gold reserves are held in New York.

In a public locker at Central Station, I suppose.

> Becasue the SG of lead isn't even close to that of gold.

Oh, and thanks, Honky.

A nice summary, Ahovking. I suppose if anything useful is to come of all of this, it's how these matters can be raised and discussed in Federal Parliament without actually stating what's too embarrassing to be spoken aloud. As greggerypeccary wrote with refreshing bluntness:

> we didn't formally declare war on Afghanistan. And yes, it was pretty much just "sucking up to the yanks".

These things cannot be stated openly, but must be silently acknowledged as the basis of subsequent decisions if we're to gain anything from the Afghanistan debacle. And if we don't, it's hi-ho to Africa we go next year, with the inevitable consequences.

If Ozns could take their own defence seriously, we'd be so busy designing and building the necessary equipment that there'd be no unemployment; but so long as the Defence Farce knows that the Yanks will gallop in to save their virginity at the last moment, they'll never find the necessary urgency and incentives.

My guess is that it'll take a major crisis - quite likely a disaster of some sort - to bring about so drastic a change.

And on that note I'll leave it be.

|dev|null wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 3:31pm:



Halliburton were the outright winners.

In second place, I would put the opium trade.

The losers were undoubtedly called 'collateral damage".

Brian Ross wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 9:16pm:



No wonder Obama's listening in to their phone calls.

He wants to know exactly when they'll be popping over to collect their bullion.

I wonder if it's there.