@forest

  Yes you can.  In  a generator the stator is wound with wire inserted into slots in the laminated steel and the magnets or electro magnetis swung around past the copper in the slots.  There is a magnetic circuit and the slot between the rotor and the stator represents a resistance to the magnetic circuit.  The air gap is minimized to increase the efficiency of the alternator generator or motor.  The biggest inefficiencies of an electric motor or generator is the magnetic circuit that is not parallel to the armature slots.  All the current through this part of the winding is waisted.  I have seen the end laminations of a stator overheated to the point that they warp and comprimise the insulation system.  The problem could be mitigated by  filling the slots with just a single conductor and creating the rotating magnetic field by phase pulsing different sections of the stator.  The stator could be manufactured at a fraction of what it costs.  The winding being the most expensive thing to produce as well as being the most inefficient part of the motor.  The impedance a fraction of what is now used because of the arcahic distribution of low frequency ac.  We would be far better off to have high voltage dc scourced to the pole out front.  There a converter inputs highfrequency low voltage to the end user.  The only benefit ac had to offer at the time were installation costs being far less than maintianing a motor generator set to step down the voltage to safe levels to enter dwellings.  In order to eliviate the capitol outlay of installaing and maintaining motor generator converters at each service drop they would run a seperate wire to each service drop from centralized mg sets.  Westinghouse and Tesla develop the ac transformer which allows for far less capitol investment easier to insulate but totally less efficient than dc distribution.  This bull shit about having to move electrons all the way through the wire and back to the plant is just left over bullshit from the warring corporations trying to rest control of power generation.  Fuckem both we got energy right close to home.  Least till it gets down to o degrees Kelvin.

Thanks for the link to the video GB. That was great.

That old man's real world wisdom sure puts the scholars and engineers to shame.  What a great story!

#2 is easy, if you know how.

It can also be done without any pulleys or chains, if you know how.  Ed said he used weights and leverage, then that is what he used and I have no reason to think otherwise.

If I said a person can move and erect 20,000 lbs without any pulleys, chains, cranes, or heavy machinery......would you say I was crazy?  More than likely, because you don't know how.  What about moving a Barn?  There really is nothing remarkable about this, once you know how.

Man moves massive blocks in his backyard using simple contraptions, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCvx5gSnfW4

GB