Why do all the rare earths have to be so freaking rare? This is getting kind of ridiculous. At least the demand for Scandium isn't too high, unlike some others I could name. 

It can turn *leather* into a high explosive. 

My most salient thallium-related memory is someone (I can't remember whether it was my immature middle school friends, or someone writing a book) making jokes about "Thallic symbols" similar to the atomic symbols of Dalton or the old alchemical symbols. 

Somehow it seems like one of the components of NaOH and other caustic or salty or whatever aqueous things should be... more aqueous or salty or caustic in its pure form, and not a freaking butter-soft flammable metal.