So... sometimes oxidation is what protects it from corrosion, sometimes oxidation is the corrosion? I'm a little confused.

Well, with aluminum and stainless steel, the thin oxidized layer blocks any further oxidization. But with, say, iron or non-stainless steel, more oxidization can always occur under the outside layer of oxidized metal.

Looks like it was cheaper to make. Also, steel is better than bronze, but it was hard to produce. Some people seem to think maybe the tin trade got more difficult? Interesting -- looks like copper and tin rarely occur near each other, so you'd have to trade with somebody before you could make bronze!

Heh. Cool.

Well, with aluminum and stainless steel, the thin oxidized layer blocks any further oxidization.

And, apparently, with bronze as well!

God, could we be any metallier?

Tin is hard to come by. If you're cut off from your source of tin to make bronze, you're screwed. Iron, on the other hand, is easy to find. While it's not as good as bronze, it is often good enough.

I love Gossip Girl too, Sophia, but I have to avoid the talk about it places that aren't my friends list.

Jesus God, I know I am not the most articulate person, but reading a couple of board I felt like I was reading lolcat!

We should start talking about here! I think smonster and a few others watch it too.

That would be great, although now I can't think of anything to say. I am just in love with the costumes and the colors and beautiful, broken people.

An FYI for fans of Keith Olbermann's special comments--he's doing one tonight on Hillary, and it's not expected to be pretty. He spent some time on last night's show on all the Ferraro comments, and he was obviously pissed off about it.

The sword Susan posted is gorgeous. Must have now.

Also, my wireless is very slow. Slow, as in, spent the last meeting kind of talking with vague gestures because none of us could actually get anything to load. Came back to the office, and when I went to put in a ticket, there was a status report on the IT groups website saying: ISSUE: Reports that wireless may be slow.

Umm, thanks.

God, could we be any metallier?

I. Am. IRON MAN.

So interesting! I hope your students appreciate getting to learn this stuff, Emily.

Damascus steel: [link]

It's made by folding and forging and folding and forging twhttp://www.powning.com/jake/commish/progress1.shtmlo different types of steel. It can be made into elaborate patterns [link] [link]

Why did we bother having an Iron Age, then?

They used up all the easily mined tin and copper, and iron was cheaper. Wrought iron is more brittle than bronze and neither keeps an edge particularly well. Then steel was developed, which was much better than both them.

I. Am. IRON MAN.

Watch out for Bronze Man. I hear he could totally take you.