"“Rare earth” is a misleading term that is sort of an inside joke among organic chemistry aficionados. It refers to a group of elements on the periodic table. “Noble gases” is another term that has little meaning except to organic chemists. "

Funny he said it was an inside joke. I studied inorganic chemistry in grad school, and the organic chemists had no use for the rare earths or noble gases. C, N, O, S, occasionally a halogen, and Mg for catalysis. That's about it.

And what the hell is an "organic chemistry aficionados"? People who stand around at dinner parties with a wine spritzer saying "Oh dear, have seen the dreadful state of the Claisen condensation these days? Makes me yearn for the days when a good Diels–Alder reaction was enough to satisfy the mind."