Old guy Old Rabbit---both Happy.

[hagar]

SAGA : Nickel-Steel (NiFE) have a low output voltage 1.2 Volt and a very straight discharge to a point where it goes straight down. All rechargeable cells are very wasteful of power like we use say 100 amp/hours of charge , how much do we get back ? I used to know EXACTLY but that was in the distant past say about 60 amp/hours..

Our designed battery will have a Titanium case and long life separators. , Expensive EH ? Yes . but service life will be more than a hundred years. SO ? cost per year will be competitive.. They are the most robust of all batteries. Boil ,Freeze , overcharge , charge in reverse , leave uncharged for 10 years ? no problemo.

hagar.

PS : is blue Dog not in Michigan ? lets ask him about conditions in that State "my favorite Mostate" the old NiFe had a steel case with heavy coat of Nickel.

[BlueDog]

Hi Hagar, Always nice to hear you think so highly of Michigan. Yes, I'm still here. Managed to dodge the bullet during the past three lay-offs where I work so I'm pretty grateful I haven't had to join the unemployed in my state. Current unemployment rate is 14.3%, improved now from 14.5%. Michigan economy is heavily tied to manufacturing. Our Governor has worked hard to bring replacement jobs to Michigan. It seems that electric cars are the preferred technology to come; not so much diesel. It was announced last week that the Korean battery-maker LG Chem Ltd. will build a new 650,000 sf factory in Holland, MI. It will be highly automated and will employee 400 workers. These batteries are to be made for the new GM Volt electric car, along with a host of other applications. GM and Ford tell of developing many models of hybrid cars that are combustion engine/electric power. So mayber some of these will be diesel/electric. I read that the battery technology is planned to be lithium-ion. I'm pretty dumb about batteries. I have two in my Jetta during the winter months. Take care Hagar!

[hagar]

SAGA : BlueDog and ALL. 14.5 without jobs (official number ?) the real number is greater.

I grew up in a system where 2.5 percent was a major disaster and things were done.

Michigan is a very wealthy state Per capita in come (1997) about $ 26000. out of work less than 5 %. The pool of skilled well educated workers ? impressive. I have studied Michigan in details for many years.


Up here we got a saying "Do not annoy a Wolverine" IMHO good idea. You got every thing use it , do something.

I think Unions are a necessary evil.----no Unions ? intolerable.

hagar.

[hagar]

SAGA : 77 years of hard living lots of TEARS lots of LAUGHTER. my hope is that each and every one of you will have a good life or , had a good life. . Remember "Do not squander time , that is what life is made of" (Gone with the wind) .

Why is hagar getting so SO sentimental ? my medical (cancer) prognosis is not good. St.Peter is getting pushy..

Today Sun Mar 21 I shall be tuned to CNN all day . My dear Amerikan friends you need that Bill passed. , read my lips.

I'v seen many different systems BUT the worst ever (1953 to 2010) is the Amerikan system. Look at cokes little Lady in pink will you be part of denying her good medical attention for LIFE ? Yes I hagar will gladly pay double the Tax I pay now , if it is used for the medical system.

Is a finely "TUNED" VW diesel part of a personal economical recovery ? it was for hagar. 64 MPG US..

My lifeboats was the "Rabbit's" I have five. . present QUEEN ? "The ugly Duckling". she is a dreem to drive.

Handling ,shifting and starting ? I'm in love.


Yaeh yeah Lenora is more exciting a different kind of LOVE. EH ? .

hagar.

[82vdub]

I certainly wish you well hagar. I too will be wating to see what happens with this health care bill. Among many, it's my belief that adding taxes to a faltering economy will give us a double dip recession, maybe even worse. You can't keep adding expenses to people's lives and businesses when they are struggling to make ends meet now. Doing so will only damage any rebound in the economy that has happened (I don't believe much rebound has happened, just a slowing down of the job losses etc). This health care bill seems to be nothing more than an overextended reach into every person's lives. Nowhere in US history has any person been required to purchase something (in this case health insurance) or pay IRS penalties just from being a US citizen. There is hell to pay come November if this passes. over 60% of polled people don't want this, but they are getting it rammed down their throats and being told to swallow. I'm not buying.

[vwtyp133]

hagar, although we’ve never really met, I’ve come to look forward to your continuing ‘saga’ of your insights into diesels and other subjects here at this forum. Thank you for that, and for your embracing a wider “worldâ€

[tripseven]

My dear Amerikan friends you need that Bill passed. , read my lips.

Ya, like I need another hole in the head or my wallet for that matter.
The bill that needs to pass is the one the American people want and the majority dont want this thoughtless bill to pass. Pure, utter waste of time and money.
In fact, Obama's Presidency has been a pure, utter waste of time and money. Nobel Peace Prize for what...being a man of color that did absolutely nothing to deserve it thru his big whoppin one year in office? A complete smack in the face to those that DID deserve it!
Sure Obama's "for the people"...thats why Wall Street is the only sector of America that has made a "recovery."
I hope my fellow Americans have braced for round two even though we havent yet recovered from round one.

[82vdub]

I have stated before (probably on this very post) that I'm not against reform. True reform will only come when the purchaser of the product is the one actually paying for the product. But, to turn care over from an insurance company to a psuedo-insurance-government-payer system, puts yet another wall between the medical provider and the benefiter. Nobody today can really say how much your annual physical costs someone (insurance companies). All they know is how much it costs to walk out the door with that service or the bottle of pills they need. True reform will come only with the person paying the bill ultimately being responsible for forking over the money for it.

Health insurance is certainly a huge cost to any company that provides it, but last I looked, this is still America and companies can choose to provide this benefit to their employees or not. Each and every decision has pro's and con's to it, so it's clearly not an easy choice to make - especially when you're faced with the fact that your good employees will likely leave and go work for someone else that does provide insurance. I'm not for or against what companies do as it's their decision on what they chose to do for their employees. Some provide health fitness rooms while others don't. Clearly, it costs money to do this, but why is this not manditory that every company does provide this? I'm just saying that it's their choice to make.

The current legislation (that has yet to be voted on) does nothing to contain actual costs. If it's true intent is to rein in Medicare costs, then why does it require everyone that's not on Medicare to be forced to join a Medicare-like program? Plus, there's the "Doc fix" legislation that will be voted on if the health care bill passes that restores some of the cost reductions in the health care bill. It's just a scam. Fix the problem, don't bandaid a solution!

Only in government can it claim that at the stroke of a pen with new legislation that they will save money. Clearly, history (especially the last 40-50 years) has proven otherwise - irregardless of party affiliation. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, and the like will break this country with the shear amount of money that's promised to be paid. Want an eye opener? Click here:http://www.usdebtclock.org/

In this country, it seems that we have socialism for the poor (welfare, etc), socialism for the extreme wealthy (bank bailouts, etc) and capitolism for the middle class. The middle class gets stuck paying for everyone else.

[hagar]

SAGA : I hagar is pleased that so many of you took time to express
yourself , I am not DOGMATIC this side or that side is all right

IMHO all DIY types are by nature "Right Wing" Please be honest.
I can take it . After two "Officer schools" ? this is small
change.

SO ? say it right out You will be recognized. on equal terms.
We all like VW Diesels so Medicare is a side issue.. I am embracing
you all regardless. .Read my lips if you wind up with cancer you will
have a different outlook..if your system tells you that you are not
covered..
I do not understand why "O Bama" did not turn down the Nobel (IMHO he
should have)
Above was written before I read those magnificent entries by vwtyp133 and 82vdub . I have a very soft spot for anybody or anything "AMERIKAN" read my lips..

My hope is that All Amerikan's will become more accepting of the needs of others.. To get away from the Me ME ME attitude. This "FORUM" is a shining example of "SHARING" let it spread. EH?.

hagar.

[rabbit_man]

This whole health care nonsense is about money and control, we pay, get poorer and somebody is gonna pocket a lot of it AND, control even more of our daily lives.

America "is" a free country, if this kinda thing keeps getting pushed though it won't be for long.

Also if obama is so concerned about peoples health then why is he so in favor of killing little baby's????? And if you get old and "useless" they can simply "assist" you in dying.......whether you want to yet or not.

[vanbcguy]

Wow... Gimme a break. You guys need to take a long hard look at the rest of the world and realize what you DON'T have. Oh, poor us up here in Canada, we can walk in to any hospital we feel like and get taken care of, regardless of where we work or if we even have a job.

Poor us, we can have children without a waiting period or worrying about ending up with a $20k bill... Oh, gee, I have some long term disease and I don't have to worry about loosing my house, poor me...

Land of the free? Don't think so...

[Op-Ivy]

There are a lot of misconceptions and I don't even know the whole deal. But overall I know I have never had to pay for a doctor or hospital visit. That's just dandy to me!

[FineFrank]

Land of the free? Don't think so...

How's that gun ownership thing working out for y'all?

YOU may not think it's the land of the free, but most of US do. YMMV.

I'll pay my own way, thank you; it's preferable to having the gov't in my business.

Wait 'till November.

[82vdub]

Oh, poor us up here in Canada, we can walk in to any hospital we feel like and get taken care of, regardless of where we work or if we even have a job.

Gee, if we walk into an emergency room here we'll get treated too. I believe it's US law that people must be treated in an emergency room. Sounds the same to me.

There are a lot of misconceptions and I don't even know the whole deal. But overall I know I have never had to pay for a doctor or hospital visit. That's just dandy to me!

And there lies part of the problem. You don't think you've ever paid for any health care, when the truth is that you do pay for it, just not directly. You have health care rationing to keep costs down. If the US free market system (if you can really say that it is) is so terrible, why did your Canadian Provincial Premier Danny Williams come to Florida in February to have, and pay for, some heart surgery? Danny Williams said: "This was my heart, my choice and my health. I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics.â€

[hagar]

SAGA : well spoken , "Jezebel" and Op-Ivy thanks a lot.. Being a DIY type can be dangerous SO ? good Medicare is important.. 0830 this morning the doctor wants to see me . Am I worried about the cost ? not at all , further I am booked for a Cat-Scan (on the Island) I get fully paid for transportation. Not bad EH ? My wonderful caregiver Lenora Sattmann is paid for as well.

About that "BILL" yes I would like to read before voting. Our Kanadian nice system is fairly new compared to Eropa .The Germans led the way.. (Kajser time) we have to thank a really persuasive speaker named Tommy Douglas..He was a Religious type I was here when that Law was past..Yes I agree with compulsory insurance for all vehicles using public roads. and Medical coverage..Remember Military service is still compulsory in Amerika and Kanada at the discretion of the commander in chief..

Yes the Kanadian system is very efficient by using "Assembly Line" medicine. .Per dollar we get a lot of service.

I keep hearing amerikans stating that they can not afford That bill ,then they say Amerika is the richest Nationin the world ?

hagar.