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[Bill Jones <billj AT harborside.com>]

EarthNSky wrote:

> Bill Jones wrote:
>
>  
>
>
> I assume you are asking me..
> Your description of ions in water is not exactly accurate.
> I suggest you study the nature of ionic bonds vs. the nature of polar
> bonds.
>  
I realize.  It's oversimplified.  But what I'm really asking is whether 
there's a danger of chlorine gas being produced at the anode (positive 
pole) when electrolyzing brine.

>  
>
> > Well, now look beyond
> > uranium to the first three man-made elements.  They can also have a
> > charge of +6.
> >
> >    
>
> Interesting, but to me, it's just that...
> Numbers are fascinating...I suppose you are going to see the movie, "23"
> or whatever it's called?
>  
I don't do fiction.  Hopefully my 777 comment indicated that I don't 
take it that seriously, that the only 3 elements in sequence capable of 
having a +6 charge are precisely those produced in nuclear reactors.

>  
>
> > Not all science was revealed publicly in journals in ancient times, 
> > necessarily.  In most cultures it was connected with magic and the 
> > occult arts.
> >    
>
> Magic...Magi...Persian (Orient) priestly men of learning...those with
> "secret" or occult (hidden or obscure) knowledge..science...
> Yup..
And now we seem to have come full circle, and it's hidden again, from 
those who give up on accessing it.  What would the average person need 
that for?

Anyway, here are a few more questions.  We grow a fascinating plant 
called yacon, from the Andes.  There it's used to make a sweet syrup.  
It contains a starch called inulin that breaks down into fructose when 
slowly cooked.  There are other similar plants.  For instance, the agave 
is made into tequila by a process similar to malting.  I've tried lots 
of things with yacon, and it behaves erratically.  It's at its sweetest 
when the storage tubers, which don't have any sprouts on them to consume 
energy, are at the end of their storage life in late winter.  It 
sweetens noticeably when lemon juice is added, and I managed to make 
some fairly sweet cookies and cakes using only yacon and fruit, since 
baking soda mellows the flavor.  But it still seems that we're not 
really getting the full breakdown of inulin into fructose.  I sure don't 
want to add hydrochloric acid to food!  There are countless 
possibilities.  I read in a journal that in jerusalem artichoke, which 
is very similar, the inulase enzyme that breaks down inulin increases 
greatly in harvested leaves left in a dark, humid place.  Anyway, I'd 
appreciate any suggestions for wholesome ways to facilitate hydrolysis.

We're planning to build a vapor engine some day.  It's going to made by 
someone who's all thumbs, so anyone can do it.  The plan is to supply 
low-pressure compressed air by displacing it from a chamber where a 
bladder fills with heated propellant, warmed by a solar collector.  
Obviously water cannot be the propellant, since its boiling point is too 
high, and I refuse to use anything flammable.  That leaves very few 
lo-tech options.  I've acquired some fantastically expensive 
fluorocarbon propellant, but the need may arise someday to switch to 
carbon tetrachloride, which can be made from vinegar, ash, and salt.  
Environmental issues don't bother me, since I have zero tolerance for 
spills of items not easily acquired, and once the unit is filled the 
propellant should never break down or require replacing.  Anyway, in the 
final step hydrochloric acid has to purified out.  If carbon 
tetrachloride doesn't mix with water, then it's easy to do just by 
washing it.  If not, then not.  How can I find out what compounds are 
water-miscible?

Thanks in advance,
Bill