Gold

 by: Nia Amira Najwa binti Azmi

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from Latin: aurum) and atomic number 79, making it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. In a pure form, it is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements and is solid under standard conditions. Gold often occurs in free elemental (native) form, as nuggets or grains, in rocks, in veins, and in alluvial deposits. It occurs in a solid solution series with the native element silver (as electrum), naturally alloyed with other metals like copper and palladium and also as mineral inclusions such as within pyrite. Less commonly, it occurs in minerals as gold compounds, often with tellurium (gold tellurides).

Gold is resistant to most acids, though it does dissolve in aqua regia (a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid), which forms a soluble tetrachloroaurate anion. Gold is insoluble in nitric acid, which dissolves silver and base metals, a property that has long been used to refine gold and to confirm the presence of gold in metallic substances, giving rise to the term acid test. Gold also dissolves in alkaline solutions of cyanide, which are used in mining and electroplating. Gold dissolves in mercury, forming amalgam alloys, and as the gold acts simply as a solute this is not a chemical reaction.

A relatively rare element, gold is a precious metal that has been used for coinage, jewelry, and other arts throughout recorded history. In the past, a gold standard was often implemented as a monetary policy, but gold coins ceased to be minted as a circulating currency in the 1930s, and the world gold standard was abandoned for a fiat currency system after 1971.

A total of 197,576 tonnes of gold exists above ground, as of 2019. This is equal to a cube with each side measuring roughly 21.7 meters (71 ft). The world consumption of new gold produced is about 50% in jewelry, 40% in investments, and 10% in industry.[9] Gold's high malleability, ductility, resistance to corrosion and most other chemical reactions, and conductivity of electricity have led to its continued use in corrosion resistant electrical connectors in all types of computerized devices (its chief industrial use). Gold is also used in infrared shielding, colored-glass production, gold leafing, and tooth restoration. Certain gold salts are still used as anti-inflammatories in medicine. As of 2017, the world's largest gold producer by far was China with 440 tonnes per year.

Read More

These In-Demand Digital Skills Are Exactly What M’sian & ASEAN Employers Are Looking For

By : Husna Hysham 

As we have spent more than a year shifting between various states of the MCO, most of us have not stepped into the office for a long while. There may even be new colleagues who have never been to the office and you have no idea what they look like!

From June 2020 to April 2021, MDEC reported that there was a 300% increase in digital job vacancies on five different platforms.

These job listings don’t only come from the IT companies but also from companies dealing with marketing, cosmetics, music and tobacco. Other than that, MDEC has also identified that there are more than 240,000 of these digital talents that are spread out in Selangor, KL, Johor, Penang and Melaka. The most popular job posts for these digital talents are executives, specialists, digital marketing managers, data scientists, software engineers, head of digital divisions and YouTubers.

Data from LTI also showed that since a year ago, there has been an increase of 20 to 30% of freelancers/ YouTubers.

As the job market is ever-competitive and rapidly changing, we must continue to equip ourselves with skills to make sure that we’re a step ahead.

Read More

Learn This Simple Recipe and You'll Never Make a Bad Salad Again

 by: Hanis Sophia 

Making a salad isn't all that tough. If we told you differently, we'd be lying. (Although we can't help but mention some of the embarrassing ways it may go wrong—worth it's a refresher every now and again.)
But just because it's simple doesn't mean you're doing it well.We don't just want you to create a good salad; we want you to produce the finest freaking salad of your life every time. That's why we devised this foolproof method for creating the ideal salad. Learn the fundamentals and you'll be able to riff indefinitely.


Here's what every salad should have: 

Greens/Raw/Grilled/Roasted/Pickled Vegetables


[Vinaigrette/Creamy] Dressing

[Seeds/Nuts/Croutons/Granola] Crunchies

Protein Optional [Meat/Cheese/More Cheese]

Extras (optional) [Herbs/Fruit/Grains/Etc.]

=Salads! 

Choose at least one, if not all of the following:


Greens: Most people think of raw greens when they hear the word "salad," and for good reason: most greens are best eaten fresh.Choose soft lettuce leaves and greens, such as spinach, Bibb, or Little Gem, for more delicate salads; spicy or bitter greens, such as arugula, dandelion greens, or chicory, for bossy vinaigrettes; or strong greens, such as tarragon, for robust vinaigrettes. 

Raw: Lettuce and greens aren't the only vegetables that may be eaten raw.
To make fibrous vegetables more appealing, use a vegetable peeler (looking at you, asparagus).
Chop crunchy veggies, such as kohlrabi, into bite-size pieces and toss them in.
For commonly prepared vegetables, such as beets and squash, slice or grate them extremely thinly to make them simpler to digest. 

Grilled veggies, such as alliums, squash, eggplant, and others, provide smokiness and, depending on how aggressive you go, a beautiful char. If you can imagine anything, you can grill it (yes, even greens)—so, as long as your Weber is ready, put those veggies on the grill. 

Roasted: If you can grill it, you can roast it, as the adage goes. At the very least, it's become a catchphrase. Reduce the amount of oil used so that your veggies aren't weighed down by fat.

Pickled veggies give a foul, fermented touch to the dish and significantly increase the taste. Combine them with fresh veggies or greens for a one-two punch; they're too strong to make a complete salad. 

 

The Garnish

Your salad is nothing more than a forlorn bowl of veggies without a dressing.

Select one

A typical vinaigrette is created using fat and acid; usually, olive oil and either vinegar or lemon juice.
These days, though, you can be creative with your vinaigrettes. Feel free to experiment with other vinegars and citrus juices, as well as heated bacon fat (which will solidify at room temperature). 

Thick and Creamy: Hearty salads with bold flavours can hold their own against creamy, rich dressings like ranch or buttermilk. Not sure what dressing to use on your salad? This guide explains everything in detail. 

Thick and Creamy: Hearty salads with bold flavours can hold their own against creamy, rich dressings like ranch or buttermilk.Not sure what dressing to use on your salad? This guide explains everything in detail. 

Crunchies are a type of snack. Having something to truly sink your teeth into enhances the flavour of any salad.

Choose at least one, if not all of the following:

Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds (use sparingly; too many can taste fishy), sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds are some of our favourites. 

Toasted nuts: To bring out their taste, toast them first, then slice them for easy nibbles.
 

Croutons: We like handmade croutons. Use whatever old loaf of bread you have on hand. Alternatively, pita bread! 

We always keep a batch of savoury granola on hand. It's flavorful thanks to the cayenne pepper and fennel. 

Optional Items  

You might easily end there. But why not turn it into a meal?

Select as many as you like. 

Fresh herbs: Toss in a large handful of tender and soft herbs such as mint, parsley, cilantro, and basil.
These work best with mild vinaigrettes rather than heavy dressings. 

Think beyond the berry when it comes to fruit. Why not, if it's ripe and ready? Choose fruits that match the rest of your components in flavour. Avocado, indeed, counts. Dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, or dehydrated apple, is also delicious. 

 Protein: Cold leftover roasted chicken, hot and crispy ground lamb, poached eggs, pretty much any cheese you can think of... a little protein goes a long way when it comes to filling out a salad. But let the veggies be the spotlight; an ax-handle steak has a time and a place, and it's not on your greens. 

Grains and Carbohydrates: The simplest method to bulk out a salad is to add a little amount of cooked grains, such as quinoa, bulgur, couscous, barley, farro, wheat berries...you get the idea. Be aware that the grains will absorb more dressing than the vegetables, so adjust appropriately.

Read More

5 Things Only Malaysians Who Watch Football Are Crazy Enough To Do

 Written by Nanthini Suresh

We’ve all heard of how hyper dedicated fans of anything popular can be. But none of them are as hardcore as football fans, especially Malaysians, who throughout the history of the sport have done some crazy things all for the sake of supporting their favourite teams and enjoying the sport with like-minded people.

If you don’t believe us, let’s look at some of the (pre-MCO) things Malaysians were willing to do for the sport they love:

1. They’re willing to sit through horrendous traffic to catch a match at their favourite mamak

If you live in areas like Bangsar or Sunway, we’re pretty sure you’ve come across heavy traffic on nights where there’s a big football match happening. There’s not much you can do but sit in the jam until you pass it, unless you’re also on the way to a popular makan spot to watch the match too.

2. They arrive a few hours before the match to ‘chup’ a good table

Malaysian football fans are an extremely patient bunch who will show up at a mamak or any other venue that broadcasts live football matches to book a good table with a good view. If you were ever looking for a late-night mamak snack during football season, we suggest you just tapau your food and eat at home.

3. They can stay up super late and still go to work the next day or take MC

In fact, some of them don’t even sleep. The ones who cannot be bothered to go to work the next day will just apply for medical leave or emergency leave on the eve of a big football match. Speaking from experience, ahem.

It’s a good thing UEFA EURO 2020 is happening during FMCO! We can sneak in some short naps while we work from home after catching a late-night game. 😛

4. They can debate better than a professional debate team

God forbid if you ever disagree with a kiasu Malaysian football fan’s opinion on the game, or their favourite team. Even if you have some knowledge of football and you’re looking to argue with a hardcore fan, you’ll most likely be on the losing side because they will spew out all the facts, statistics and even history of the game just to prove you wrong. Just don’t argue with them.

5. Switching their phones off during a match so no one can kacau them

It can get quite annoying when your friend, boss calls or girlfriend you during a big football match. It especially doesn’t help when your boss calls you after working hours during MCO just because he knows you have your work laptop with you. Well, to remedy that, some Malaysians resort to switching off their mobile phones during a match so that no one can disturb them! NO. ONE.

For Malaysian, Football Matches are celebration. Many are waiting for the moment to MCO ends and get back to Mamak restaurant to watch the games.

Read More

Easy Fix Resolves the Recent Android Auto Music Listening Problems

 

By: Megat Harris Iskandar

“Same issue here. When listening to the Spotify app directly, I can use the steering wheel/radio controls to skip or pause a song. However, when listening to Spotify through Android Auto, the steering wheel buttons do not respond. I am able to skip/pause using the phone screen,” someone says in a post on Google’s forums.

The issue was first reported in December, though it’s still not clear if Android Auto is the one to blame or the culprit is a recent Spotify update for Android devices.

In the meantime, the good news is users can fix the whole thing themselves, and it all comes down to a simple downgrade of the app. In other words, you need to remove the latest version of Spotify and go back to an earlier release, as the issue appears to impact only the most recent update of the music service.

One user explains on Google’s forums that the latest version known to work correctly on Android Auto, and therefore allowing music playback controls via the steering wheel buttons, is 8.5.85.0, which was shipped in mid-November, so what you need to do is uninstall the current build, head over to this page to get the old version APK, and then manually install Spotify on your device.

Needless to say, you also need to block app updates from the Google Play Store to make sure Spotify doesn’t get updated to the latest version.

Neither Spotify nor Google acknowledged the problems so far, so you’d better not hold your breath for an official fix.

Read More