Bill W

@Myr the science wizard.

The name derives from the Latin magnes for "magnet" since pyrolusite (MnO2) has magnetic properties. It was discovered by the Swedish pharmacist and chemist Carl-Wilhelm Scheele in 1774. In the same year, the Swedish chemist Johan Gottlieb Gahn first isolated the metal. Properties Manganese is a hard, brittle, silvery-gray metal that's difficult to melt but easily oxidized. It's reactive when pure, and as a powder it will burn in oxygen. Abundance Manganese is the fifth most abundant metal in the Earth's crust, second only to iron among transition elements. Uses Manganese is used in many alloys, including steel, glass, and aluminum. It's also used in dry cell batteries and as a black-brown pigment in paint. Biological role Manganese is an essential trace element for living creatures, including humans. The human body contains about twelve grams of manganese, mostly found in bones. Manganese is a cofactor for several enzymes involved in bone formation. Other facts Manganese tarnishes slowly in air and oxidizes ("rusts") like iron in water containing dissolved oxygen. Melting point Manganese's melting point is 1246°C.

An interesting look int o your mind/life. It took me a while, but I did figure out that you were describing books, possibly because that was one of my escapes, especially when I was younger. The mention of your phone and laptop wasn't expected, but was a nice touch.

An interesting take on what started the Boston Massacre. I found the story compelling and appreciate your skill in writing it.

I've finished my entry - a short 498 words.

I know. When my children and I told about what it was like when I was growing up, the asked if I knew Fred Flintstone. I wasn't sure if they were kidding or not.

Thank you for the positive feedback.

I'm glad that you feel I presented both sides fairly. Teens often suffer from a lot of angst and who knows what little things might set them off, so sometimes they react in ways that might seem illogical or they're overreacting to a situation. We'll have to give them time to see if they can work things out, since they've been friends since they were very little, but sometimes friendships can end as quickly as they began. I know people who haven't spoken to a former good friend in years, and I'm not even sure if they still remember what caused them to stop speaking. We can only hope that there's an intervention or something happens to make them forget the reason for the rift or cause them to realize the disagreement wasn't as bad as it first appeared.

Unfortunately, in most of our lives a little rain must fall, but as you noted, Tony stepped up big time. Jordan, Justin, and Dad K had all withdrawn into their shells from the devastating sense of loss and grief, so they were lucky Tony was there and kept a clear head so the situation didn't become even worse. It will probably take all of them some time to come to grips with their losing Mom K, so hopefully Tony will do yeoman's duty to continue to support his second family.

The name derives from the Greek chroma for "colour", from the many coloured compounds of chromium. It was discovered in 1797 by the French chemist and pharmacist Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin, who also isolated chromium in 1798. Chemical forms Chromium can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas, and in several chemical forms, including chromium(0), chromium(III), and chromium(VI). Uses Chromium is used in many industries, including steelmaking, metal plating, leather tanning, paints, dyes, and wood preservatives. Chromium(0) is used to make steel stainless, and is also used to coat other metals to make them resistant to rust. Biological role Chromium is an essential trace element for humans, helping the body metabolize glucose. However, too much chromium can be poisonous. Food sources Chromium is found in many foods, including vegetables, meats, fruits, grains, yeast, mushrooms, prunes, asparagus, nuts, and whole grains. Color Chromium gives rubies their red color, and glass treated with chromium has an emerald green color. Environmental presence Chromium is found in soils, plants, rocks, water, and animals. It is also discharged by industrial facilities such as coal-burning power plants. Toxicity Chromium(VI), also known as hexavalent chromium, is a toxic compound that can cause cancer.

I'm glad you're enjoying it and that it also brings back some memories for you as well. I know what you had to deal with, because I grew up in the boonies on a far, and we had an antenna that extended a good four feet above the roof on our two story farmhouse so it could get a signal despite the hills that surround us. However, we didn't have to go outside to adjust it, since my uncle had help to install a rotor that would turn the antenna accordingly. We just had to turn the dial to the spot for that particular station to watch it, but no all of the channels came in well. Some were all snowy and difficult to enjoy, but we put up with it just the same, especially when a sporting event was being broadcast.

But they are known to travel when they go on vacation, and although I didn't list it, hurricane might still be possible. I listed tsunami, but it would take one hell of a tsunami to reach Colorado, so that might be something they would encounter on vacation as well.

Do you really expect me to tell you if this is the calm before the storm? And besides, when you say storm do you mean 1) a light shower, 2) a cloudburst, 3) a thunderstorm, 4) a tornado, 5) a blizzard, or 6) a tsunami??? 😵 And I didn't even list all of the possibilities, so there may be various storms on the horizon, but when, I'm not saying.

It's possible that Devin needs more time to recuperate in order to drive farther, or it might be that Mac is being over protective and interpreting this to suit what he believes. We'll find out for certain in due time.

Family ties and family bonds are very important, and if the examples set are positive, they can be very formative as well. Those times are often long remembered and cherished for years to come.

Yes, although it was a surprise that Mac was able to convince his parents to spend their vacation at the cabin.

As I stated in my return comment to you in chapter 1, my early stories contained a lot of sex because I was posting on Nifty at the time and it seemed to be expected by the readers.

Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.

I'll warn you that my earlier stories included a great deal of sex, since I was posting on Nifty at the time and it was expected by the readers. I hope that doesn't turn you off.

Then in 1830, Nils Gabriel Sefström generated chlorides of vanadium, thus proving there was a new element, and named it "vanadium" after the Scandinavian goddess of beauty and fertility, Vanadís (Freyja). The name was based on the wide range of colors found in vanadium compounds. Vanadium was actually discovered twice. The first time was in 1801 when Andrés Manuel del Río, a Spanish mineralogist, discovered vanadium in Mexico and named it erythronium. However, he later believed it was impure chromium. Vanadium has many uses, including: Steel: About 80% of the vanadium produced is used as a steel additive. Vanadium-steel alloys are used for armor plate, axles, tools, piston rods, and crankshafts. Nuclear reactors: Vanadium alloys are used in nuclear reactors because they absorb few neutrons. Ceramics: Vanadium can be used as a pigment in ceramics. Dyes and printing fabrics: Vanadium pentoxide can be used as a catalyst in the manufacture of dyes and printing fabrics.

Her behavior may disgust you, but it doesn't mean that there aren't mothers out there that are just like her. However, I'm glad you still enjoyed the story.

Thank you, Danilo. I'm glad you not only enjoyed the chapter, but you got a kick out of the little humor I threw in as well. Of course you wouldn't take a hike like that, because you don't have the same knowledge about how to deal with certain situations and you also don't have ability that Devin and Mac have. That is just as good, or even better, than having someone experienced go with you.

Yes, sometimes it's easy to tell the different generations by what they talk about or what they understand. That's why Gramps and Pops are so unique, because they can adjust by pretending not to know something that would obviously be before their time or change their patterns of speech to eliminate certain phrases or words from their vocabulary. And unless you were Italian or a chianti drinker that you would be familiar with that definition of fiasco. I only discovered it during my research.

Chapter 45 – Spring Break After Devin and I returned from the dog park, we spent the rest of the day studying. I was hitting the books pretty hard, because I’d fallen behind while I was taking care of Devin, although I wouldn’t admit it to him. At the same time, Devin was re-watching the videos of the classes he’d missed and reviewing the notes he’d taken so he could make a list of the questions he wanted to ask the various professors. He was eager to finally be able to ask them in perso

Titanium is a transition metal that was discovered in 1791 by William Gregor. The name “titanium” originates from Greek Mythology, named after the sons of the Earth Goddess, known as the 'Titans', but on the pattern of uranium. The refining process is about 10,000 times less efficient than making iron, which explains why titanium is costly. Titanium never occurs alone in nature, and it is a highly reactive metal. Known as a “transition metal,” it can form bonds using electrons from more than one of its shells or energy levels. Titanium is used in surgery because it possesses a unique ability to bind with bone and living tissue, making it an ideal material for orthopedic implants such as knee and hip replacements. Because of its strength and increased resistance to corrosion, it is well-suited to many other medical instruments, as well. Naturally resistant to corrosion and regular wear and tear, titanium can last 20 years or longer inside the human body. The generator and battery of the pacemaker, which consist the active components of the device, are encapsulated in a hermetically sealed titanium can, which is resistant to corrosion. Leads carry pulses for both sensing and pacing function between the generator and the heart.