They say that it is evil, an indiscriminate destroyer of all in its path. They say that its proper abode is the pit. They say that he who would be its master must, little by little, inevitably become its slave. They say that to consort with it is to risk the utter annihilation of the whole world. And yet, from a timid brute, it has crowned the master of all Nature. In a wasteland of its own making did I find it starving and gasping. The destroyer of worlds reduced to a silent gray infant. With my own breath did I restore its complexion until the murky dusk gave way to the gentle dawn. With my own heart did I incubate and nurture it until the savage winter gave way to an early spring. With my own hand did I feed it until at last its forked tongue licked at my fingers and, for the first time in my life, I was not afraid. My child, can ye feel the warmth of its gentle touch? Beware its teeth, lest it bite thee. Old and tired am I now and can care for the infant no longer. Who will feed it when I am gone? Who will guide it with wisdom? Who will protect it from its enemies? Who will tame its terrible wrath? My child, have ye the will to bring the light into the world? Cherish these tools for the day that ye find need of them.



Caveman Chemistry (http://cavemanchemistry.com/cavebook/)

It's -20* F. here tonight. I'm making a big pot of ham, pasta and bean soup on a natural gas flame. I'm checking the furnace occasionaly (I'm the boiler operator in the building I live in) and planning a campaigne of mixing when I go back into the pyro shop (after it warms up a bit!)

Fire is our friend... Except when it isn't. (Oh, did I mention haveing a couple of beers?)

I was particularly intruigued with the distillation apparatus that you recommended on another thread (from the caveman chemistry site.) In a pinch, it should work well. You guys should go there and check it out.