GammaGlobulin

So then, this (bacteria, parasites, molds, yeasts) is why I suggested ozonation after filtration. Also, ozonation avoids the pH issue. I once thought of buying such a system for home use, but I have moved locations too often in recent years. Concerning the pee problem in America, I doubt that Americans were drinking pee before 1990, which is the date I left the US, never to return. My main concern, as I stated from the outset, is the mineral deposits that turn everything white in the bathrooms, and that degrade the plumbing fixtures, and that cause the performance of kitchen appliances such as tea kettles to deteriorate over time. (How to remove these deposits, and how to avoid them with a resin filter, maybe.) (By the way, concerning the ingestion of pee from water supplies around the world, I do not have a Topic to post about this, but please wait for my future Post about pee as it relates to chicken egg consumption.) Concerning calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, and calcium sulfate, and any link to cancer, or any other health issues, I do know of any. About chlorine and cancer potential links, I also do not know. The Japanese, as I recall, at least in past years, did heavy chlorination of their city water supply. More hazardous for Americans has been Ag discharge into the water supply, meaning E.coli from Ag businesses. Here again, ozonation might be the best solution. Re water testing: It would be nice to see free and reliable water testing services on offer. Or, probably better, very low cost testing services which are not tied to the gov. I am certain that there are VERY FEW households that would not like to see reliable testing of their water, at point of use, performed periodically at low cost. (I want to know the pH of my water, concentration of calcium/magnesium ions, E.coli concentration, maybe pesticide and chemical contamination testing, whatever.) The bottled water delivered here is cheap. Glacier service is good. I have never tested any bottled water.

OK. I got your meaning on the second reading. I mistakenly thought you were referring to the use of vinegar, and not the use of lime, by water treatment plants. In the case of well water, the hard water problem exists even without the help of the water authorities. And, obviously, chlorine is not added. Bottled water in 20-liter jugs might be the best option. However, bottled water originates from the water treatment plant. So, back to boiling, maybe. Or, ozonation plus filtering. I am not sure what the supplier Glacier does with the bottled water. However, I do not notice much mineralization in the water kettle. I would not be surprised if they do filtering and ozonation, although I never took the trouble to ask.

Thank you. Finally, I meet someone here who actually knows what he's talking about. I am not sure what concentration of acetic acid might be optimal to circulate in a closed loop for flushing a hot water heater for shower. For that matter, who knows the optimal concentration for wiping off mineral deposits on shower and bathroom tiles, anyway. When I was fourteen I knew how to make nitroglycerine, and had the chemicals to make gun-cotton, too. But when you get older, like over 15, making nitroglycerine on a beach in LI no longer seems so interesting...All that wasted knowledge. That was probably the most dangerous stunt I ever attempted in my long life. I shudder even to think about it now. You could say that it gives me the vapors just contemplating the potential repercussions. Which reminds me that we should all be mindful when working with cleaning products, maybe also things like Drano, which can produce harmful vapors when inadvertently mixed with other cleaning products. I guess you know what you get with bleach plus vinegar...chlorine gas. Bleach plus cleaning ammonia.... phosgene gas (WW1 Mustard Gas). People should know this basic chemistry before their weekly or annual housecleaning day arrives.

You are absolutely correct about the sheath. However, I do believe that the blade actually does have a locking function. Aesthetics is always very important to me in whatever I buy. And, this is why I am attracted to this knife, in particular. I believe that the knife is assembled in China, with imported components. Apparently, there are quite a few who do use it as an EDC. I like the looks of it (much).

I kinda doubt that Makro has industrial strength vinegar. Acetic acid in much higher concentrations is nothing for the average housewife to play around with, maybe. You gotta dilute it to taste, after all. "In contact with the skin or eyes, acetic acid solutions of 80% or more can be corrosive, causing severe burns of any exposed tissue. Long-term exposure to the vapors of this substance causes chronic bronchitis and other respiratory effects, erosion of tooth enamel, and cracking and darkening of the exposed skin." (cdc.gov, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0002-rev.pdf) See attached PDF... Still, acetic acid is nothing compared to playing around with fuming Nitric Acid. I once had a gallon jug of Fuming Nitic acid, and a gallon jug of Fuming Sulfuric acid stored in brown glass bottles in my dorm room while at boarding school, at age 14. I purchased both at Fischer Scientific, fischersci.com. I forget what I was going to do with it. I think I might have been planning to make NitroGlycerin, as I recall, or maybe just gun-cotton. No, I am sure it was Nitroglycerin that was on my mind. I thought that I could make it on one of the deserted beaches on Long Island, NY. Strangely enough, during those days, decades ago, it was normal for boys to experiment with things, and I was not given any disciplinary action. I think I bought the sulfuric acid for the gun-cotton, for later use. Still, I doubt that Makro sells concentrated acetic acid, just as it definitely does not carry Fuming Sulfuric or Fuming Nitric acid. pH value for fuming nitric acid is less than 1 pH value for fuming sulfuric acid is less than 1 Storage in a boarding school dormitory, and in glass bottles with hard tile floors is HIGHLY ill-advised. Other than Makro, I hope somebody knows where to get 45% acetic acid in gallon jugs (plastic this time). ACETIC ACID FROM CDC.pdf

One could even go so far as to say that the Traffic Jams on Everest are an abomination to this sacred mountain. IMHO, only. Viewing spectacles such captured in these images can most definitely tempt one towards entertaining misanthropic leanings. c2877708-7d3c-11e9-8126-9d0e63452fe9_image_hires_174238.avif

I knew you would approve of my sentiments concerning further climbing of Everest. So then, it turns out that we, once again, see eye to eye.

Well, although you only quoted the first sentence of my comment, I believe that if you pay closer attention to the tenor of my comment as a whole, you will know my thoughts about climbing Everest. So, to clarify... a. Stepping on the bodies of those who have climbed Everest and died as a result is no skin off my nose. Those bodies would not have been there if the users of those bodies had been more thoughtful before making the ascent. They must have known that they would be stepped on, or stepped over, if they petered out along the way. b. I have read a lot of accounts of climbing Everest, K2, and other high peaks, and I find the psychology of it fascinating. For example, what must it have been like to call your wife, back home in the USA, while dying on Everest above the death zone during a gale? It must have been quite a conversation. c. I do not like the fact that there are now traffic jams on Everest, just as you are about to go up the Hillary Step, caused by idiots who rely on Sherpas to carry them up; I mean the non-climbers who have no business being there in the first place, mucking up the climb for the very few who do deserve to be there. d. As a first step in the right direction, I would like to see a COMPLETE BAN on all oxygen tanks above base camp. Without oxygen, only the strong and talented climbers would attempt the ascent. e. Sherpas should be banned from stringing up ropes and ladders, especially the ladder at Hillary Step should be removed. If you want to summit, then do it like a man, not a mouse. f. The rope which is strung up to the ladder needs to be removed, and the anchors should be removed. g. All the climbing aids to assist weak climbers of Everest must be removed. Otherwise, it cheapens the accomplishment of Norgay and Hillary!!! Just because one has money, one should not be allowed to buy their way to the summit. Do it alone or with a friend. And do it without oxygen. It's time we separated the men from the little boys.

Thanks, Man! I know you know your stuff being a chemist. But, I also have a question about "hard water" deposits and water softeners. I was told that the filters on offer here use a resin-type or a activated-charcoal type. If true, which might be more effective? Also, it is my understanding that the water being piped in is ground water/well water. So then, being just outside of CM proper, what does that do to your equation, ie, what am I dealing with, and will vinegar be a possible solution... Re: drinking water for my own consumption ... I buy from the company Glacier. So far, no runs. Also, as you say, hard water can contain calcium sulphate, and I have not had the water here analyzed. My conclusion was that I could just buy a gallon and try it. If it easily removes the white mineral deposits all over the shower area, then that might be all I need to know. Just as importantly, I think I would do well to flush the hot water heaters with something to clear out deposits that might exist in the piping of the heater. I figured that vinegar is cheaper than buying some other chemical solution, if it works. I do not see how the use of acetic acid to clean shower and bathroom surfaces might affect the pH of the water coming out of the pipes, however. And therefore, the chlorine concentration of tap water would not change due to use of vinegar. So...Thanks for the informed reply. But, I will mention that one time, while eating Chinese dumplings at a small restaurant on Green Island off the coast of Taiwan, I asked for vinegar to mix with soy sauce and ginger, for dipping. They told me "no vinegar". I explained to them that I ALWAYS have dumplings dipped in vinegar, or I can't eat them. These Chinese are smart. And, they seemed to have gone out and found some industrial grade vinegar and brought it back in a small bowl. So I added the vinegar to the soy sauce and ginger in my dipping saucer and tasted my first dipped dumpling... WOW, MAN! That was really HOT burned my tongue. Still, it was good, but a little bit of that industrial vinegar with your meal goes a long way. Acetic acid comes in all concentrations. I would advise sticking to the vinegar available at the supermarket for all your culinary purposes. (What's the concentration of supermarket vinegar? IDK..but maybe 5 to 10 percent.) Stay away from the 45% acetic acid for dipping your dumplings, by all means. Tks again!

10 years in Chiang Mai, so far. So far, so good. I enjoy all seasons, including the Smoking Season...(I run two air purifiers and two ACs 365 days per year, 24 hours per day. I have sealed all windows, too.) I am NOT bothered by the smoke outside, and have even come to enjoy it, in fact. (This is NOT a joke, by the way. For me, during the Smoking Season, it sort of reminds me of being "Snowed In" when I was a youth living in NE USA. I enjoyed that experience of having one meter of snow, new fallen, and being safe inside my home, and snug. I get the same basic experience, except for a solid 4 months, here in Chiang Mai. So, yes, I do enjoy the Smoking Season for this reason. And, I keep a big supply of 3M N98 masks/with vent, for when I want to go exercising in the smoky mountains. I enjoy this, too! And, this also is NOT a facetious remark.) I intend to stay in CM for another 10 years, that is, if I do not move to Chiang Rai, which I think is doubtful. I have great internet at extremely low cost. I have finally found a house with zero roosters. The roads outside my house are quiet, and almost completely deserted after 12:00AM to 5:30AM. This is the first place I have found where I can sleep without noise. The only problem, these days, at least for me, is the noise of overhead aircraft. This is not likely to go away, anytime soon, unless they decide to move the airport. However, it IS possible to do some soundproofing which actually CAN significantly reduce noise due to aircraft inside the home. And, you can download a helpful paper published, as I recall, by the airport authorities in London. The reason I will NOT move unless something unforeseen occurs is that I do not want to risk moving to a neighborhood which turns out to be noisy. That would spell disaster for me. I hate driving. So, I have a steady driver, and she is one of the kindest souls I have ever met in my life. She's a farm girl with a big heart, and intelligent as heck, with a great sense of humor. I have thought long and hard about this topic during the past three years on lockdown. There is no place that could top Chiang Mai, for me, given my interests and needs. I have a super good dentist. I like the hospital here, too. They gave me rabies shots with a smile last time I was bitten by a rat at one of the food stalls opposite the back gate of the universities, at about 1:00 AM. I feel blessed to be living in Chiang Mai. I love the culture here, the Lana culture I mean especially. I like the fact that people in my community smile at me. I once lived on shore front property in Naples, FL, and also on the East Coast of Taiwan. I have had enough of the sea and the salt air destroying my computer equipment, which gets costly after a while. The beaches around the world are too crowded, at any rate for my taste. I will live in CM as long as I can. I figure, God Willing, I got another 10 years left in me. Or, if I can live to be as old as my fellow-alumnus, Chomsky, is now, then I still gotta long row to hoe ahead of me. And, CM still sounds good for a 94-yo. It's not as if I don't know what it's like to live in CM for a significant part of my life, either. 10 years is NOT "short-time". I am happy to be here. And, I am happy to know you, too. NOTE: Learn to read Thai script....My best advice to you who intend to follow in my footsteps. CHOK-DI!!!

If you want QUALITY, which was mentioned several times already, then I would go with this: You can order here in Asia, probably with speedy delivery, too. Such a beauty, and I would not consider ANYTHING else, in fact...

OK, no problem: "After years of decline, norovirus outbreaks surge on cruise ships. Transmission often occurs in crowded environments where tiny particles can float through the air, and Schaffner says cruises can create the perfect environment for norovirus outbreaks. A large group living and eating in proximity, he said, can serve as a breeding ground for the disease." (CNN Health, https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/11/health/norovirus-outbreaks-cruise-ships-wellness/index.html) "Norovirus, sometimes referred to as the winter vomiting disease, is the most common cause of gastroenteritis.[1][6] Infection is characterized by non-bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.[2][3] Fever or headaches may also occur." (Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus) Due to risk of transmission of various contagious illnesses, I would think twice about spending THREE YEARS aboard a ship with thousands of people coming and going from many parts of the world. I am not a germaphobe, but I don't get much pleasure from being "laid up" in bed.

Just one word, People: NOROVIRUSES

Great service. Thank you for your help, three times in the past. Hope you are doing well.

I highly recommend using: https://chiangmairemovals.com/ I have used them on three occasions in the past, since 2015. The owner is a super-nice guy from the UK (who also enjoys distance hiking in the UK, when he returns to England during the Hot Season), and I recall his name is John. Really nice person. And, he is careful and reliable. I think that he even offers storage services, both short term and long term storage. Next time I move... I will definitely use this service, once more.

Vinegar is often suggested for household cleaning purposes. Also, vinegar is said to be a very effective agent for descaling of hot water heaters, and maybe even tea kettles, as well. Many areas outside of Chiang Mai are well known for tap water having high concentrations of Calcium Carbonate and maybe Magnesium Carbonate which leaves a white residue in bathrooms, kitchens, etc. I have seen it recommended that Vinegar is effective for cleaning and descaling deposits caused by "Hard Water". However, I have not seen this type of vinegar sold in stores, and in large enough packaging. Here is an image of 45% vinegar sold in a Walmart store online, and I think the price is about USD20.00, which actually seems quite overpriced to me. I would imagine that the price of a similar Thai-manufactured product would be cheaper, if one could find a good source. I would like to buy a gallon, and test it to see if it is, indeed, effective. But where to buy? And, is it effective at cleaning calcium deposits, and maybe mold in the shower, as well? Tks.

Sorry, but from my experience, and according to Wikipedia, "Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts") are chewed together with slaked lime and BETEL LEAVES". So, are these betel leaves a different variety than the betel leaves that everybody first thinks about when mentioning the betel leaf? I think not, but still not sure.

Typical betel nut beauties in Taiwan sell mostly to truckers. I have tried betel nut a few times. Tastes sort of like...Swiss Chocolate, only more refined. My Taiwan friends love to see a farang chewing on betel nut. Hardcore betel nut eaters don't even bother spitting out the juice. Very JUICY, for sure, these betel nut girls. I hope you will recall Bloody Mary. As I recall, Bloody Mary first appeared in James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Tales of the South Pacific (written 1944–1946, published 1947). She loved betel nuts. All betel nuts she sold cost Fo Dolla'.

I think it's fine for people to climb this highest of peaks. However, all climbers should be fitted with LARGE fanny packs, or to use the British word...BUMBAGs, so that each and every time they evacuate their bowels on said sacred mountain, ... they can add the waste extruded from their bums...to their BUMBAGS, and then bring it on home, following their ascent. Or, they could hire BUMBAG coolies to carry their loads. Either way, this would make for a much more hygienic climb. Otherwise, some year in the far distant future, Mt. Everest will be nothing more than a brown pile of coprolites.

As everybody here knows, it is not physically possible for a whale to swallow a human. If you are a literalist, Biblically speaking, and you believe that a whale swallowed Jonah, then what was the maximum height and girth of Jonah? Jonah would have to have been the size of a small squid, and no larger. Sometimes, when reading my Bible each and every morning, I become upset by the pervasive hyperbole sprinkled throughout the text.

I like your thinking.

Great Work! When can we expect the torrent link to your MEGA BOOK TORENT file?

Thank you for this link. I had not seen this link before. I will save it in Google Keep.

Yes. Internet Archive has a TON of titles. The problem that I have found is that, at least for me, even if I have registered an account with Internet Archive, I am unable to download the book that I have found. From my experience, they require that I "borrow" the book, and then read the book on the site's "viewer". What fun is that? They give you "One Hour" to read what you can, and then they time you to the second. Also, the viewer, and the quality of the image, stinks. I will never again try to read a book on Internet Archive. Internet Archive has been useful in the past for finding some out of print films that you cannot find on torrent sites, however. (I may be mistaken. But this was my experience using the site two or three times.)

For science journal articles, and the like, which are often inaccessible unless one has university affiliation, then it is always possible to use the SCI-HUB site. SCI-HUB seems to almost never fail, no matter the article you wish to download and read.