Question:

I’m wondering if that means they want a broader "bracket" (expand the 27% range to include lower incomes) or if it means raising the rates.  Does 27% become 36%?

Based on our experience with "Read my lips" George the 41st, my guess would be lowering the rates at the top and extending the top rates much deeper. The effect would be a flatter tax – George & Dick pay less – you and I pay more. I also think that would be a political disaster.  There are a lot more people making $60,000 per year than $600,000.   Jim

Response:

New Tax Plan May Bring Shift In Burden Poor Could Pay A Bigger Share By Jonathan Weisman Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, December 16, 2002; Page A03 As the Bush administration draws up plans to simplify the tax system, it is also refining arguments for why it may be necessary to shift more of the tax load onto lower-income workers.

=== The Washington Post is putting the Democrats’ spin on the story.  Everyone except the freeloaders will probably benefit.  The Liberals don’t like to see any reduction whatsoever for high-income taxpayers, but want to give Earned Income Credits to freeloaders. If either party really wanted to simplify taxes they should [1] Start with gross, total income.  [2] Allow deduction for any expense whatsoever incurred in order to enable the person to earn that income (with a standard maximum allowance for commuting and  a mileage allowance for business car expense).  [3] Allow Medical expenses in full. [4] Allow a standard deduction for food, clothing, shelter.  [5] Allow nothing for Real Estate Mortgage interest or Taxes on homes (why subsidize someone who chooses to buy a million dollar house?) The tax return could be reduced to a post card size, even with a progressive tax rate–the complicated part of taxes is not the mathematics of calculating it once you arrive at taxable income.

Response:

, my guess would be lowering the rates at the top and extending the top rates much deeper. The effect would be a flatter tax – George & Dick pay less – you and I pay more. I also think that would be a political disaster.  There are a lot more people making $60,000 per year than $600,000.

George and Dick are well aware that it would be a political disaster.  Even if they tried something that stupid, the congressmen and senators want to be re-elected time and again and would never vote for it.   The fat cats may get a bigger cut, but they won’t offset it by increasing taxes on lower incomes. One method they may revive is  "bracket creep" which is the slickest way to raise taxes through use of the printing press and inflating incomes and cost of living so that you pay a higher percent. $6000 a year used to be a good salary.  Now $60,000 is only a moderate income. A buck private in the Army used to get $21 per month.  In WW II, they raised it to $75 a month. At that time, $21 a month was better than the breadline.

Response:

George and Dick are well aware that it would be a political disaster. Even if they tried something that stupid, the congressmen and senators want to be re-elected time and again and would never vote for it.  

We will all be on the edge of our seats watching this one. The fat cats may get a bigger cut, but they won’t offset it by increasing taxes on lower incomes.

Someone has to get an increase – unless overall spending is reduced – which is highly unlikely if we go to war with Iraq. One method they may revive is  "bracket creep" which is the slickest way to raise taxes through use of the printing press and inflating incomes and cost of living so that you pay a higher percent. $6000 a year used to be a good salary.  Now $60,000 is only a moderate income. A buck private in the Army used to get $21 per month.  In WW II, they raised it to $75 a month. At that time, $21 a month was better than the breadline.

The above only works during inflationary periods.  Presently we are flirting with deflation. Jim

Response:

[3] Allow Medical expenses in full.

I can’t see any rhyme or reason to your prescriptions. The medical establishment should not be favored by tax subsidies. It should be taxed just as heavily as every other sector of the economy, until there is both, universal health care and removal of structural barriers that are blocking the supply of doctors and nurses. [5] Allow nothing for Real Estate Mortgage interest or Taxes on homes (why subsidize someone who chooses to buy a million dollar house?)

THAT is something long overdue!   But what difference if we agree on this or that? What are your *principles*? Todd

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m wondering if that means they want a broader "bracket" (expand the 27% range to include lower incomes) or if it means raising the rates.  Does 27% become 36%? Based on our experience with "Read my lips" George the 41st, my guess would be lowering the rates at the top and extending the top rates much deeper. The effect would be a flatter tax – George & Dick pay less – you and I pay more. I also think that would be a political disaster.  There are a lot more people making $60,000 per year than $600,000. Jim

As I see it, you can pay directly or you can pay indirectly, but you will pay. The only solution is to shrink government, e.g., get rid of Medicare, etc…   Not going to happen.  It is also impossible to control as "needs" are unlimited and will expand to consume any identifiable resource. The thing is like a baloon, it will expand until it bursts. — *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *   Students, when someone tells you of your great future as  * *       an accountant, ask him to show you the job.           *

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – George and Dick are well aware that it would be a political disaster. Even if they tried something that stupid, the congressmen and senators want to be re-elected time and again and would never vote for it. We will all be on the edge of our seats watching this one. The fat cats may get a bigger cut, but they won’t offset it by increasing taxes on lower incomes. Someone has to get an increase – unless overall spending is reduced – which is highly unlikely if we go to war with Iraq.

Let you in on a little secret.  War has nothing to do with it.  You know who used Viet Nam as an excuse to blow domestic spending out of all known proportion.  Slimeball O’Neil & cohorts pulled the same stunt when Reagan was trying to build up the defenses.  You want a $1 for defense, you have to sign these $4 worth of pork to keep us in office. When you have time, get the budget, its on the net, and compare the Defense Budget to HHS, HUD & Do.Ed. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – One method they may revive is  "bracket creep" which is the slickest way to raise taxes through use of the printing press and inflating incomes and cost of living so that you pay a higher percent. $6000 a year used to be a good salary.  Now $60,000 is only a moderate income. A buck private in the Army used to get $21 per month.  In WW II, they raised it to $75 a month. At that time, $21 a month was better than the breadline. The above only works during inflationary periods.  Presently we are flirting with deflation. Jim

– *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *   Students, when someone tells you of your great future as  * *       an accountant, ask him to show you the job.           *

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [3] Allow Medical expenses in full. I can’t see any rhyme or reason to your prescriptions. The medical establishment should not be favored by tax subsidies. It should be taxed just as heavily as every other sector of the economy, until there is both, universal health care and removal of structural barriers that are blocking the supply of doctors and nurses. [5] Allow nothing for Real Estate Mortgage interest or Taxes on homes (why subsidize someone who chooses to buy a million dollar house?) THAT is something long overdue! But what difference if we agree on this or that? What are your *principles*? Todd

I would go with the one fixed percentage against all income earned by labor. I would also close down HHS, HUD, Do.Ed., and a big chunk of Ag., and Interior. — *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *   Students, when someone tells you of your great future as  * *       an accountant, ask him to show you the job.           *

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [3] Allow Medical expenses in full. I can’t see any rhyme or reason to your prescriptions. The medical establishment should not be favored by tax subsidies. It should be taxed just as heavily as every other sector of the economy, until there is both, universal health care and removal of structural barriers that are blocking the supply of doctors and nurses. [5] Allow nothing for Real Estate Mortgage interest or Taxes on homes (why subsidize someone who chooses to buy a million dollar house?) THAT is something long overdue! But what difference if we agree on this or that? What are your *principles*? Todd I would go with the one fixed percentage against all income earned by labor. So unearned income wouldn’t be taxed at all???

Correct.  I want the maximum amount of National capital formation possible and I want it to follow the "invisible hand." It would lower the cost of money and spur investment, building the Nation’s wealth. I would also close down HHS, HUD, Do.Ed., and a big chunk of Ag., and Interior. HHS and Ed. are semi-pointelss, but HUD helps a lot with the poor, it just needs a beauracratic overhaul.

HUD is one of those really bad ideas that even the english permanent civil service wouldn’t be able to get to work. It can’t be fixed and no one has ever been able to even get it veer into a reasonably useful direction.  It is and always will be a massive failure. -=john=-

– *             Ronald Lee Todd M.B.A., C.P.A.                  * *  Unemployed for six years, mistake of being an accountant.  * *   Students, when someone tells you of your great future as  * *       an accountant, ask him to show you the job.           *

Response:

[5] Allow nothing for Real Estate Mortgage interest or Taxes on homes (why subsidize someone who chooses to buy a million dollar house?)

Well, I don’t have a million dollar house and I find the mortgage interest deduction to be quite nice.  I would say that this deduction isn’t going to put much of a dent in the tax burden of someone that can afford a million dollar house to begin with. — Todd Stephens

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [3] Allow Medical expenses in full. I can’t see any rhyme or reason to your prescriptions. The medical establishment should not be favored by tax subsidies. It should be taxed just as heavily as every other sector of the economy, until there is both, universal health care and removal of structural barriers that are blocking the supply of doctors and nurses. [5] Allow nothing for Real Estate Mortgage interest or Taxes on homes (why subsidize someone who chooses to buy a million dollar house?) THAT is something long overdue! But what difference if we agree on this or that? What are your *principles*? Todd I would go with the one fixed percentage against all income earned by labor.

So unearned income wouldn’t be taxed at all??? I would also close down HHS, HUD, Do.Ed., and a big chunk of Ag., and Interior.

HHS and Ed. are semi-pointelss, but HUD helps a lot with the poor, it just needs a beauracratic overhaul. -=john=-

Response:

I read somewhere else recently that the administration was planning to squeeze a substantial sum out of Medicare.  I don’t know how they plan to provide drug benefits to seniors, which they also claim to be working on, while cutting funding.

I’m wondering if that means they want a broader "bracket" (expand the 27% range to include lower incomes) or if it means raising the rates.  Does 27% become 36%? — Todd Stephens

Response:

"The president is making the case that people who earn between $50 [thousand] and $75,000 a year should be paying a third more taxes," Matsui said. "I’d love to debate him on that."

Well, my household falls in that category.  I didn’t realize I was working poor though. (Actually, I do work, and I feel poor most of the time so maybe that counts.)  Paying 1/3 more taxes?  I’d love to debate GWB on that one as well. — Todd Stephens

Response:

New Tax Plan May Bring Shift In Burden Poor Could Pay A Bigger Share By Jonathan Weisman Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, December 16, 2002; Page A03 <snip "The president is making the case that people who earn between $50 [thousand] and $75,000 a year should be paying a third more taxes," Matsui said. "I’d love to debate him on that."

"A third more" than what?  That’s as empty as "half off", "the more you shop, the more you save", and "Hi, I’m from the government, and I’m here to help". — Paul A. Thomas, CPA Athens,  Georgia

Response:

"A third more" than what?  That’s as empty as "half off", "the more you shop, the more you save", and "Hi, I’m from the government, and I’m here to help".

I think the implication was that their tax burden is only 2/3 of what some believe it should be. — Todd Stephens

Response:

"A third more" than what?  That’s as empty as "half off", "the more you shop, the more you save", and "Hi, I’m from the government, and I’m here to help". I think the implication was that their tax burden is only 2/3 of what some believe it should be.

That was what I got out of it. I’ve been expecting this – or something similiar.   It is real easy for the new guy to talk about tax cuts, but doing it is another matter.   I read somewhere else recently that the administration was planning to squeeze a substantial sum out of Medicare.  I don’t know how they plan to provide drug benefits to seniors, which they also claim to be working on, while cutting funding. I still think of "Read my lips" George the 41st every time I do a schedule A.   Jim

Response:

New Tax Plan May Bring Shift In Burden Poor Could Pay A Bigger Share By Jonathan Weisman Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, December 16, 2002; Page A03 As the Bush administration draws up plans to simplify the tax system, it is also refining arguments for why it may be necessary to shift more of the tax load onto lower-income workers. <snip The Council of Economic Advisers’ "Economic Report to the President," scheduled for release late next month or in early February, is to include a section arguing for new methods to calculate the distribution of tax burdens on various income groups. The Treasury Department is working up more sophisticated distribution tables that are expected to make the poor appear to be paying less in taxes and the rich to be paying more. <snip The tenor of the administration’s policy discussions marks a dramatic shift from early in 2001, when Bush sold his 10-year, $1.35 trillion tax cut as a tool to "take down the tollgate on the road to the middle class," emphasizing its beneficial impact on workers "on the outskirts of poverty." At that time, the administration fretted over the tax burden on the working poor, which the White House calculated to include federal income taxes, state taxes and the Social Security tax. <snip But advocates of this new line can expect a furious backlash. Liberal commentators have already reduced the argument to an appeal to tax the poor, and even conservatives worry that the label will stick. "It’s hard to conclude it’s anything else," said the Heritage Foundation’s Beach. Michael J. Graetz, a Yale University law professor and tax reform expert, said he could not figure out where the administration’s arguments are supposed to lead. "I would be very surprised if the agenda is to put more people on the tax rolls," he said. "That doesn’t seem like a good political agenda." But Democrats say that is exactly where the administration is heading. Matsui (Rep. Robert T. Matsui – D-Calif) said he sees the seeds of a disastrous Republican overreach. "The president is making the case that people who earn between $50 [thousand] and $75,000 a year should be paying a third more taxes," Matsui said. "I’d love to debate him on that." <snip http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59577-2002Dec15.html The Democrats may be finding their issue. Jim Hudspeth

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Question:

If you are one, can you post a message about yourself?  What kind of tools (language, editor, database, etc) do you use most often for your ork?  –and please explain the reason for your preference and tell us the types of problems you solve.  No need to go into much detail, as it would go over my head. –Peng

Response:

If you are one, can you post a message about yourself?  What kind of tools (language, editor, database, etc) do you use most often for your ork?  –and please explain the reason for your preference and tell us the types of problems you solve.  No need to go into much detail, as it would go over my head. –Peng

I try never to ork – that’s why I have cow-orkers:) Now, for a serious answer. The tools that I use depend upon what I am trying to produce and what I have available. I write software for businesses which find off-the-shelf packages lacking. There are more of these than you might think, and even more who struggle along, trying to make generic Quickbooks or Peachtree fit their business model. Since the available tools as well as needs and expectations change fairly rapidly in the computer world, the most useful skill you can have is to be a fast learner. I can name half a dozen languages, database systems, and platforms with which I have produced one or more useful software products. Most of these tools are now outdated and would be a poor choice for my next project. Anyway, questions like "what language did you use?" never come up if your software produces the results required in a reasonable amount of time. If you’re looking for a general trend, perhaps to guide your studies, I believe the greatest need in the near future will be in the area of data security. Businesses are not going to give up the conveniences of the internet, but spammers, virus writers, and crackers are making the net less useful and more dangerous every day. Regards, Irv

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I’m a foxpro programmer.  The other tool that I like to use is ACCPAC source.   If you are interested in the field you want to find an accounting package like ACCPAC learn it and how to modify it.  UA Corporate is an Access based competitor. Bill Couture

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Question:

i need to learn the basics of excel. i was not taught that in my accounting school. does anyone know of a web site that sells a low cost edition of excel?tia guy from long island

Response:

Being in or near a highly populated place like new york should make it easier.   1. Find your local usenet group for FOR SALE, check it out and post a WTB there (wanted to buy) 2. Try ebay — do a search.  Many times there are folks selling older versions 3. Be willing to get an older version (but not older than 97).  A used older version should be very significantly cheaper –i need to learn the basics of excel. i was not taught that in my –accounting school. does anyone know of a web site that sells a low –cost edition of excel?tia guy from long island

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Question:

 For better or for worse, I kept the sunfire.  I had no choice.  GMAC has ruined my credit rating with several of their accounting mistakes.  GMAC doesn’t care about this either and has done nothing to correct the problem.  My salesman said he has seen this before and had a +30 on his credit rating too that they refused to fix. After spending thousands of dollars on a GTP lease, GMAC originally refused my sunfire lease.  The only reason I got the lease was that the dealership stood up for me as a valued good customer. — Rob …going my way?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Did ya look at the Monte Carlo? From your complaints, You might like the Monte… Grand Prix GTP (GPT?) two door has more HP and cost more greenbacks but is comparable in inside room, etc. Good luck with your choice. Meat The sunroof reduces this even more Well, it is a smaller car, right?  You moved from a larger car to a smaller one, and made the change immediately.  So you see an "exaggerated" comparison psychological effect. The brake pedal is incredibly sensetive and has little travel I wish more cars were like that.  I like to rest my foot on the heel and just rock the toes forward to slow down. That is more easeful than having a less sensitive brake where I have to stomp forward with the whole leg in order to get braking action. The lumbar adjustment is really awkward From driving the Infiniti Q30, I have to agree.  I had driven recently to Canada and back, and there was a small but significant difference in comfort between the Infiniti and the Cavalier (essentially the same as your Sunfire).  But I use the Cav mostly for commuting or errands, so its purposes are different. If I were to use the Cav as a an SUV for the soccer team, well, I’d be unhappy with some aspects. The power window buttons are in a bad location, I wish they were on the door I like how the window buttons are designed in a "his/her" style in the center console area.  Both the driver and passenger have access to the main set of window buttons and the rear-seat "kid safety" lockout button. Also, at night, the doors remain dark because there is no illuminated window button there.  The illuminated window buttons in the center keep the illumination out of your field of vision, but remain easy to find without having to take your eyes off the road. I find it more convenient to have the buttons there and so does my passenger. The cup holders are in a bad spot. So far forward and blocks the climate controls. A tall water bottle does reach high enough to block the temperature range adjustment, but the fan speed and other adjustments aren’t blocked. The air vents are ultra cheap.  They do not block airflow well when closed! Neither does the Infiniti Q30.  I can still hear air swishing through the closed shutters in the Infiniti. Tomorrow, I may take it back.  The dealer isn’t going to like this at all I know, since they ordered aftermarket rims to put on next week.   Let the shit hit the fan!     Rob

Response:

Did ya look at the Monte Carlo? From your complaints, You might like the Monte… Grand Prix GTP (GPT?) two door has more HP and cost more greenbacks but is comparable in inside room, etc. Good luck with your choice. Meat

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The sunroof reduces this even more Well, it is a smaller car, right?  You moved from a larger car to a smaller one, and made the change immediately.  So you see an "exaggerated" comparison psychological effect. The brake pedal is incredibly sensetive and has little travel I wish more cars were like that.  I like to rest my foot on the heel and just rock the toes forward to slow down. That is more easeful than having a less sensitive brake where I have to stomp forward with the whole leg in order to get braking action. The lumbar adjustment is really awkward From driving the Infiniti Q30, I have to agree.  I had driven recently to Canada and back, and there was a small but significant difference in comfort between the Infiniti and the Cavalier (essentially the same as your Sunfire).  But I use the Cav mostly for commuting or errands, so its purposes are different. If I were to use the Cav as a an SUV for the soccer team, well, I’d be unhappy with some aspects. The power window buttons are in a bad location, I wish they were on the door I like how the window buttons are designed in a "his/her" style in the center console area.  Both the driver and passenger have access to the main set of window buttons and the rear-seat "kid safety" lockout button. Also, at night, the doors remain dark because there is no illuminated window button there.  The illuminated window buttons in the center keep the illumination out of your field of vision, but remain easy to find without having to take your eyes off the road. I find it more convenient to have the buttons there and so does my passenger. The cup holders are in a bad spot. So far forward and blocks the climate controls. A tall water bottle does reach high enough to block the temperature range adjustment, but the fan speed and other adjustments aren’t blocked. The air vents are ultra cheap.  They do not block airflow well when closed! Neither does the Infiniti Q30.  I can still hear air swishing through the closed shutters in the Infiniti. Tomorrow, I may take it back.  The dealer isn’t going to like this at all I know, since they ordered aftermarket rims to put on next week.   Let the shit hit the fan!     Rob

Response:

The sunroof reduces this even more

Well, it is a smaller car, right?  You moved from a larger car to a smaller one, and made the change immediately.  So you see an "exaggerated" comparison psychological effect. The brake pedal is incredibly sensetive and has little travel

I wish more cars were like that.  I like to rest my foot on the heel and just rock the toes forward to slow down. That is more easeful than having a less sensitive brake where I have to stomp forward with the whole leg in order to get braking action. The lumbar adjustment is really awkward

From driving the Infiniti Q30, I have to agree.  I had driven recently to Canada and back, and there was a small but significant difference in comfort between the Infiniti and the Cavalier (essentially the same as your Sunfire).  But I use the Cav mostly for commuting or errands, so its purposes are different. If I were to use the Cav as a an SUV for the soccer team, well, I’d be unhappy with some aspects. The power window buttons are in a bad location, I wish they were on the door

I like how the window buttons are designed in a "his/her" style in the center console area.  Both the driver and passenger have access to the main set of window buttons and the rear-seat "kid safety" lockout button.   Also, at night, the doors remain dark because there is no illuminated window button there.  The illuminated window buttons in the center keep the illumination out of your field of vision, but remain easy to find without having to take your eyes off the road. I find it more convenient to have the buttons there and so does my passenger. The cup holders are in a bad spot. So far forward and blocks the climate controls.

A tall water bottle does reach high enough to block the temperature range adjustment, but the fan speed and other adjustments aren’t blocked. The air vents are ultra cheap.  They do not block airflow well when closed!

Neither does the Infiniti Q30.  I can still hear air swishing through the closed shutters in the Infiniti. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Tomorrow, I may take it back.  The dealer isn’t going to like this at all I know, since they ordered aftermarket rims to put on next week.   Let the shit hit the fan!     Rob

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Rob, Just a couple of words, that.. perhaps others are thinking. If you put it into perspective this way, you’ll understand. You moved from a BMW to a VW Rabbit. Plain and simple..   The GTP is a higher-end GM Vehicle, and you’ve moved to GM’s budjet pocket-rocket. I’m sorry you feel this way. I own a 98 cavalier Z24, first car ever that I’ve bought (brand new too when I got it) and all I can say is it’s the last GM car I’ll ever own. From sales to support, GM doesn’t cut it for me. I’m in canada too.. if you feel like chatting, email me — Thanks man Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just traded away my 1999 Grand Prix GTP with 26,000kms.  Although I liked the car alot, I was almost near the end of the lease and am tired of the high payments.  I have a brand new sunfire gt in the driveway with less than 100km on it.  I want to like this car, I really do, but several things bother me. Headroom is bad, especially in the back seating area.  The sunroof reduces this even more The brake pedal is incredibly sensetive and has little travel The lumbar adjustment is really awkward Shifting in low gears is difficult The power window buttons are in a bad location, I wish they were on the door The cup holders are in a bad spot. So far forward and blocks the climate controls. The air vents are ultra cheap.  They do not block airflow well when closed! No seat height adjustment, see lack of headroom concern. The seats… They just are not comfortable I keep getting nasty static shocks from the door when I exit the car. Plates are $250/year more than my GTP!!  CRAZY! Why did I lease the car?  0.9% financing for 4 years and a payment that is over $250/month cheaper than my GTP.  The better mileage and ability to use regular grade gas now are plusses as well.  Of course I know this car is half the car my GTP was, but it should still maintain a certain level of quality. That aside, everyone and their dog has a Cavalier/Sunfire.  Resale and trade in value will probably be terrible I imagine. Is this all worth it, to save a few bucks?  I really don’t know. Unfortunately GM needs a car like the Protoge5, which I think they will have in 2003 with their "Vibe". Tonight I am really feeling like I made a mistake getting this vehicle.  The bad part is that I almost had to take it because someone else was about to buy it (not a sales ploy, really true). There are only a few 2001 models left and only those have the 0.9% rate. The 2002 are about 5.9% I think.  That would translate into an extra $100/month almost. Tomorrow, I may take it back.  The dealer isn’t going to like this at all I know, since they ordered aftermarket rims to put on next week.   Let the shit hit the fan! I’m in Canada btw, so it’s considerably more expensive than US pricing.

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Yes, the headroom is not great in the back on the Sunfires. Fortunately I don’t have to sit in the back in mine, being over 6 feet tall For the comfort up front, though, I find it pretty good. You’ll probably get used to the brake pedal. You think that’s sensitive, you should see the 95 Grand Am my parents have, after driving my Sunfire for a while, when I’ve driven that car I’ve been lurching to a stop until I readjust. Could be it’s a bit different on the newer Sunfires, though. Mine’s an automatic, it doesn’t have the lumbar adjustment or power windows, and I don’t try to close off the vents, so I can’t comment on any of those. Looks like you’re in Saskatchewan, right? I don’t think SGI takes differences in injury claims rates into account for the insurance rates, so it’d have to be either frequency of claims or repair costs. Probably the former, lots of teenagers driving them and crashing them a lot.. — Robert Hancock      Saskatoon, SK, Canada Home Page: http://www.roberthancock.com/

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just traded away my 1999 Grand Prix GTP with 26,000kms.  Although I liked the car alot, I was almost near the end of the lease and am tired of the high payments.  I have a brand new sunfire gt in the driveway with less than 100km on it.  I want to like this car, I really do, but several things bother me. Headroom is bad, especially in the back seating area.  The sunroof reduces this even more The brake pedal is incredibly sensetive and has little travel The lumbar adjustment is really awkward Shifting in low gears is difficult The power window buttons are in a bad location, I wish they were on the door The cup holders are in a bad spot. So far forward and blocks the climate controls. The air vents are ultra cheap.  They do not block airflow well when closed! No seat height adjustment, see lack of headroom concern. The seats… They just are not comfortable I keep getting nasty static shocks from the door when I exit the car. Plates are $250/year more than my GTP!!  CRAZY! Why did I lease the car?  0.9% financing for 4 years and a payment that is over $250/month cheaper than my GTP.  The better mileage and ability to use regular grade gas now are plusses as well.  Of course I know this car is half the car my GTP was, but it should still maintain a certain level of quality.  That aside, everyone and their dog has a Cavalier/Sunfire.  Resale and trade in value will probably be terrible I imagine. Is this all worth it, to save a few bucks?  I really don’t know. Unfortunately GM needs a car like the Protoge5, which I think they will have in 2003 with their "Vibe". Tonight I am really feeling like I made a mistake getting this vehicle. The bad part is that I almost had to take it because someone else was about to buy it (not a sales ploy, really true). There are only a few 2001 models left and only those have the 0.9% rate. The 2002 are about 5.9% I think.  That would translate into an extra $100/month almost. Tomorrow, I may take it back.  The dealer isn’t going to like this at all I know, since they ordered aftermarket rims to put on next week.   Let the shit hit the fan! I’m in Canada btw, so it’s considerably more expensive than US pricing. — Rob …going my way?

Response:

 I just traded away my 1999 Grand Prix GTP with 26,000kms.  Although I liked the car alot, I was almost near the end of the lease and am tired of the high payments.  I have a brand new sunfire gt in the driveway with less than 100km on it.  I want to like this car, I really do, but several things bother me. Headroom is bad, especially in the back seating area.  The sunroof reduces this even more The brake pedal is incredibly sensetive and has little travel The lumbar adjustment is really awkward Shifting in low gears is difficult The power window buttons are in a bad location, I wish they were on the door The cup holders are in a bad spot. So far forward and blocks the climate controls. The air vents are ultra cheap.  They do not block airflow well when closed! No seat height adjustment, see lack of headroom concern. The seats… They just are not comfortable I keep getting nasty static shocks from the door when I exit the car. Plates are $250/year more than my GTP!!  CRAZY! Why did I lease the car?  0.9% financing for 4 years and a payment that is over $250/month cheaper than my GTP.  The better mileage and ability to use regular grade gas now are plusses as well.  Of course I know this car is half the car my GTP was, but it should still maintain a certain level of quality.  That aside, everyone and their dog has a Cavalier/Sunfire.  Resale and trade in value will probably be terrible I imagine. Is this all worth it, to save a few bucks?  I really don’t know. Unfortunately GM needs a car like the Protoge5, which I think they will have in 2003 with their "Vibe". Tonight I am really feeling like I made a mistake getting this vehicle.  The bad part is that I almost had to take it because someone else was about to buy it (not a sales ploy, really true). There are only a few 2001 models left and only those have the 0.9% rate. The 2002 are about 5.9% I think.  That would translate into an extra $100/month almost. Tomorrow, I may take it back.  The dealer isn’t going to like this at all I know, since they ordered aftermarket rims to put on next week.   Let the shit hit the fan! I’m in Canada btw, so it’s considerably more expensive than US pricing. — Rob …going my way?

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Question:

># Not going to sleep too soon after a meal. ># No coffee at night. ># No beer at night. ># Using some drugs which speed up the emptying of the stomach contents. ># Eat less and more often (difficult if working). ># Avoid some sexual positions to

Another good tip is to sleep with head raised about 30 degrees. I find if I sleep flat I wake up at night with it. I now use two good pillows and don’t wake up in the middle of the night. I should also add that this started with me only recently with a stomach virus and then progressed to sinusitis and the reflux worsened from the antibiotics. I’m hoping when I’m off them it will go away. Nadine

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indiana…@aol.com (Indiana108) writes: >I heard a discussion of acid reflux on the Dr. Ronald Hoffman health talk show. > According to the discussion acid reflux is more likely a byproduct of >insufficient hydrochloric acid rather than excess HCl.  It was recommended that >before taking something that curtailed acid production that the HCl levels of >the stomach should be determined.  Insuficcient HCl can result in a condition >of malnutrition.  According to the discussion it is only very rarely that >stomach acid is too high. >The guest on the show wrote a book dealing with the subject.  The name of the >book is "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You"  by Johnathon Wright MD.

It is my understanding that gastric reflux is caused by an incompetent oesophegeal sphincter valve. Normally this operates one way, food into the stomach. If something goes wrong, stomach contents (partially digested food sometimes, as well as acid) enter the oesophageous and cause heartburn or an acidic taste in the mouth or even some food in the back of the throat. Lowering stomach acid will not stop the reflux, only ameliorate its effects via less acid in the oesophageous. What will possibly limit reflux are strategies like # Not going to sleep too soon after a meal. # No coffee at night. # No beer at night. # Using some drugs which speed up the emptying of the stomach contents. # Eat less and more often (difficult if working). # Avoid some sexual positions too soon after eating (not joking!). I have it – it causes problems with my vocal chords, According to Tichenor, there is an epidemiological correlation between reflux and sinusitis. I also have had chronic sinusitis, which is now under control with irrigation. For which I thank the discovery of this Newsgroup, from where I learnt of irrigation. There are surgical procedures for the problem, but it would have to be very debilitating before I would consider that option. Last I heard, they were only 70% successful and sometimes worsened the problem. Cordially,  Phil — ########################################################################### #### Dr Phil Diamond p…@maths.uq.edu.au Department of Mathematics, University of Queensland, Brisbane,AUSTRALIA 4072. Tel +61 7 3365 3253 Fax +61 7 3365 1477

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On 21 Oct 2001 01:24:49 GMT, indiana…@aol.com (Indiana108) wrote: >I heard a discussion of acid reflux on the Dr. Ronald Hoffman health talk show. > According to the discussion acid reflux is more likely a byproduct of >insufficient hydrochloric acid rather than excess HCl.  It was recommended that >before taking something that curtailed acid production that the HCl levels of >the stomach should be determined.  Insuficcient HCl can result in a condition >of malnutrition.  According to the discussion it is only very rarely that >stomach acid is too high.

I can believe that.    Stomach acid tends to decline with age and eventually you have poor absorption, particularly of the B vitamins.  In turn, this can lead to anemia.    Low white blood cell counts are going to impair your immune response and could lead to low grade infections, and perhaps sinusitis!  This is mainly going to be in people who have digestive problems or are past middle age.

Response:

I heard a discussion of acid reflux on the Dr. Ronald Hoffman health talk show.  According to the discussion acid reflux is more likely a byproduct of insufficient hydrochloric acid rather than excess HCl.  It was recommended that before taking something that curtailed acid production that the HCl levels of the stomach should be determined.  Insuficcient HCl can result in a condition of malnutrition.  According to the discussion it is only very rarely that stomach acid is too high. The guest on the show wrote a book dealing with the subject.  The name of the book is "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You"  by Johnathon Wright MD.

Response:

"jman" <j…@jman.com> wrote in message

news:290920011711363406%jman@jman.com… > I also have reflux and chronic sinusitis. I take Axid for the reflux > and it seems to work 90% of the time – I double the dose when required. > I have never found my sinusitis worse when my reflux was , but who > knows. > My questions – Are there any studies linking the two?? > Jeff Wasserman

There certainly have been suspicions of a causal relationship. Look at the article I posted. Do you find the reflux medicine helps the sinusitis at all? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> In article <20010928030030.15604.00002…@mb-mv.aol.com>, ENTconsult > <entcons…@aol.com> wrote: > > There are conditions where the cilia aren’t functioning. You may want to ask > > your doctor to measure your cilia function. If the cilia are too slow, > > correcting this with pulsatile irrigation is indicated. > > Murray Grossan, M.D. > > http://www.ent-consult.com > > http://www.TinnitusRelief.net

Response:

I also have reflux and chronic sinusitis. I take Axid for the reflux and it seems to work 90% of the time – I double the dose when required. I have never found my sinusitis worse when my reflux was , but who knows. My questions – Are there any studies linking the two?? Jeff Wasserman In article <20010928030030.15604.00002…@mb-mv.aol.com>, ENTconsult – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<entcons…@aol.com> wrote: > There are conditions where the cilia aren’t functioning. You may want to ask > your doctor to measure your cilia function. If the cilia are too slow, > correcting this with pulsatile irrigation is indicated. > Murray Grossan, M.D. > http://www.ent-consult.com > http://www.TinnitusRelief.net

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There are conditions where the cilia aren’t functioning. You may want to ask your doctor to measure your cilia function. If the cilia are too slow, correcting this with pulsatile irrigation is indicated. Murray Grossan, M.D. http://www.ent-consult.com http://www.TinnitusRelief.net

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<rbak…@home.com> wrote in message

news:oMts7.24244$kf1.8830214@news1.rdc1.ne.home.com… > Yeah I’m taking Nexium now, but I can’t tell if it’s working yet.  I had > septoplasty too lately and still am recovering.

How long have you been taking it? No improvement yet? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> http://www.photographsofnature.com > " MS" <m…@nospam.com> wrote in message > news:tqpk12dlpns2e9@corp.supernews.com… > > <rbak…@home.com> wrote in message > > news:nAOq7.11587$kf1.6059313@news1.rdc1.ne.home.com… > > > Yes it can.  Gastric acid changes the PH of the nose.  A few months ago > I > > > saw an ENT after getting a lot of sinus infections and he diagnosed me > > with > > > acid reflux and said it was contributing to my sinus problems. > > And? Are you now taking anti-reflux medication (proton pump inhibitor?), > and > > has that helped with your sinus problems? > > > http://www.photographsofnature.com > > > "Ultraamazon777" <ultraamazon…@aol.com> wrote in message > > > news:20010920234516.18794.00001069@mb-dd.aol.com… > > > >           I was wondering if acid reflux can trigger a sinus > infection? > > > >                                                  Thanks

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Since no doctor can figure out why my sinus tissues are always looking bothered, one allergist guessed that acid reflux can make its way up to your adenoids and pool there while you’re sleeping.  He thought maybe that was the source of my problems.  Put my on prilosec.  And now I’m on Aciphex – both do help with heartburn, but I can’t say that my sinus / allergy problem is any better. I’ve been seeing the head of the allergy and immunology clinic here at KU Medical Center in KC – even these guys can’t figure out what it is that irritates my sinuses. Nobody seems to be able to agree on whether the infection is causing the swelling (my cat scans show a cloudy area in my frontal sinuses over the past couple of years) or the swellling promotes the infection.   Finishing a 3rd week of Augmentin 500 bid after a 1 week run with vibramycin.  Now starting on ceftin bid also for a week.  Still not well – this sucks!  I don’t go for more than 1 month feeling good before I seem to come down with a sinus infection.  Surely there’s something out there that can kill all the funk in your head.  I’m about to the point of having my ENT cut open my eyebrow and try to get a swab out of my frontal sinus that always looks cloudy and see if it’s really an infected area, or just some benign substance that clouds my cat scans. -Toby On Mon, 24 Sep 2001 12:20:53 -0500, "Dreamspinner3" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<dreamspinn…@yahoo.com> wrote: >I wish I could I could get that in writing from my doctor for my employer. >I suffer from both chronic sinus problems & acid reflux disease.  Both flare >up quite often to the point that I miss work.  I have tried to explain to my >supervisor & the company nurse there is a link between the two illnesses but >I don’t think they believe me.  Nor do either of them understand just how >serious both conditions can be, together or separately. ><rbak…@home.com> wrote in message >news:nAOq7.11587$kf1.6059313@news1.rdc1.ne.home.com… >> Yes it can.  Gastric acid changes the PH of the nose.  A few months ago I >> saw an ENT after getting a lot of sinus infections and he diagnosed me >with >> acid reflux and said it was contributing to my sinus problems. >> http://www.photographsofnature.com

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i have acid reflux too, part of it is the drugs we take low the partial pressures that control the sphincter. I am also overweight and that also causes part of the problem. hope this helps. Vicki mailto:v…@prodigy.net "Ultraamazon777" <ultraamazon…@aol.com> wrote in message

news:20010920234516.18794.00001069@mb-dd.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->           I was wondering if acid reflux can trigger a sinus infection? >                                                  Thanks

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I wish I could I could get that in writing from my doctor for my employer. I suffer from both chronic sinus problems & acid reflux disease.  Both flare up quite often to the point that I miss work.  I have tried to explain to my supervisor & the company nurse there is a link between the two illnesses but I don’t think they believe me.  Nor do either of them understand just how serious both conditions can be, together or separately. <rbak…@home.com> wrote in message

news:nAOq7.11587$kf1.6059313@news1.rdc1.ne.home.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Yes it can.  Gastric acid changes the PH of the nose.  A few months ago I > saw an ENT after getting a lot of sinus infections and he diagnosed me with > acid reflux and said it was contributing to my sinus problems. > http://www.photographsofnature.com

Response:

Yeah I’m taking Nexium now, but I can’t tell if it’s working yet.  I had septoplasty too lately and still am recovering. http://www.photographsofnature.com " MS" <m…@nospam.com> wrote in message

news:tqpk12dlpns2e9@corp.supernews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> <rbak…@home.com> wrote in message > news:nAOq7.11587$kf1.6059313@news1.rdc1.ne.home.com… > > Yes it can.  Gastric acid changes the PH of the nose.  A few months ago I > > saw an ENT after getting a lot of sinus infections and he diagnosed me > with > > acid reflux and said it was contributing to my sinus problems. > And? Are you now taking anti-reflux medication (proton pump inhibitor?), and > has that helped with your sinus problems? > > http://www.photographsofnature.com > > "Ultraamazon777" <ultraamazon…@aol.com> wrote in message > > news:20010920234516.18794.00001069@mb-dd.aol.com… > > >           I was wondering if acid reflux can trigger a sinus infection? > > >                                                  Thanks

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          I was wondering if acid reflux can trigger a sinus infection?                                                  Thanks

Response:

RE/ >  I was wondering if acid reflux can trigger a sinus infection?

My ENT guy credits acid reflux with cansing my recurrant bronchitis. ———————– Pete Cresswell

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Interesting Article about this: http://www.medscape.com/ASHP/AJHP/2001/v58.n17/ajhp5817.02.ofma/ajhp5…. ofma-01.html Digestive Disease Week 2001 Day 3 – May 22, 2001 Beyond the Esophagus – the Evolving Management of Extraesophageal Presentations of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Kenneth R. McQuaid, MD Introduction Approximately 20% of adults have frequent "classic" symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (GER): heartburn or regurgitation. However, GER has also been associated with many extraesophageal disorders, including pulmonary diseases (asthma, chronic cough, recurrent bronchitis, sleep apnea, and pulmonary fibrosis), laryngeal diseases (laryngitis, subglottic stenosis, and laryngeal cancer), and other ENT (ear, nose, throat) disorders (sinusitis, pharyngitis, and dental erosion). It is hypothesized that GER may actually cause these disorders, either by direct mucosal injury and/or by triggering vagally mediated mechanisms (increased airway secretions, bronchospasm). Since the advent of powerful treatment for GER with proton-pump inhibitors or surgical fundoplication, there has been growing evidence — largely uncontrolled — that treatment leads to improvement or resolution of symptoms in a subset of patients with these disorders. Therefore, physicians increasingly consider GER in the differential diagnosis of patients with these diseases.[1] For clinicians, establishing a definite cause-and-effect relationship between GER and these extraesophageal disorders is extremely difficult. The majority of patients with extraesophageal manifestations of GER do not have the classic symptoms of heartburn or regurgitation, and less than 30% have endoscopic evidence of reflux esophagitis. Twenty-four-hour pH monitoring has been commonly used to look for evidence of acid reflux into the lower esophagus, upper esophagus, and pharynx. However, this test is not comfortable for most patients. Moreover, controversies exist regarding the optimal site of probe placement (ie, pharyngeal vs upper esophageal) and the determination of what is a normal vs abnormal amount of acid reflux. In general, normal pH testing in the upper and lower esophagus is strong evidence against acid-related symptoms, but because of the difficulties associated with pH testing, false-negatives may occur. Conversely, a positive test merely confirms the presence of acidic reflux, but does not prove a causative relationship to the symptoms. Finally, pH testing only detects acidic refluxate; and it is conceivable that nonacidic reflux may also play a pathophysiologic role in the symptoms of some patients (which may only resolve with fundoplication).[2,3] Given the limitations of pH testing, many authorities favor an initial empirical trial of high-dose therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor. Symptoms that do not improve after aggressive acid reduction therapy are unlikely to be caused by acid-related GER.[3-5] Patients with persistent symptoms should undergo pH testing to confirm adequate acid suppression. There is continued controversy regarding the dose and duration of proton-pump inhibitor therapy required for an adequate trial. Moreover, frequent temporal fluctuations in symptoms (especially asthma) mean that improvement on proton-pump inhibitors cannot be viewed as definitive proof that GER is the causative factor. At Digestive Disease Week 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia, May 20-23, several posters and oral sessions were presented that addressed some of these ongoing controversies as they relate to the management of extraesophageal manifestations of GER. This report discusses these presentations and places them within practical clinical context. Esophageal pH Testing — Can’t We Come Up With Something Better? Any clinician who performs esophageal pH testing is aware that the majority of patients are dissatisfied with this study. After the initial discomfort of the nasoesophageal probe placement, patients may report nasal irritation, sore throat, a foreign-body sensation in the throat, personal embarrassment, difficulty sleeping with the apparatus, and restriction of activities. Surprisingly, there has been little formal study of patient acceptance of this technique. Patient Acceptability Kammer and colleagues[6] from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, conducted a short questionnaire in 153 consecutive patients undergoing pH testing. Initial placement was successful in 150 of 153 patients. Nasal and throat discomfort was reported in over 90% of these patients, 60% of patients restricted their activities, and 55% reduced their oral intake. Over 40% of individuals reported that they would only undergo the test again if their physician insisted, and 5 patients stated that they would refuse repeat testing under any circumstances. The study authors concluded that a "tubeless" methodology for esophageal pH testing is needed. Catheter-Free pH-Monitoring System Stepping in to "fill" this void (ie, the missing methodology), investigators from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, presented a small study involving a catheter-free ambulatory esophageal pH-monitoring system (Bravo; Endonetics; San Diego, California).[7] This procedure involves passing a miniature pH probe (size of a gel cap) orally or nasally by catheter into the esophagus, attached via suction and a small pin to the mucosa; the catheter is removed, leaving the pH probe to transmit pH data via radio signals to a small pager-sized receiver worn by the patient. The small probe transmits data for an average of almost 48 hours before detaching. In a controlled study of only 7 asymptomatic subjects, 3 underwent pH monitoring with the micro-probe alone, and 4 with both the micro-probe as well as a conventional catheter-based pH-monitoring system performed concurrently. Median signal transduction was accomplished for 88% of the recording period — and the small amounts of measured acid reflux appeared comparable to that obtained with the conventional pH probe. All probes detached by day 10. Although this new technology (which was already being marketed during this meeting) is promising, additional head-to-head trials of the micro-probe and conventional catheter systems are needed in symptomatic patients to determine the accuracy, reliability, and patient acceptance of this technique. Nonacid Gastroesophageal Reflux Reflux of gastric contents (eg, food) into the esophagus may cause minor reductions in esophageal pH that reach pH 4.0 — the conventional "threshold" for a defined acid reflux event. Also, during proton-pump inhibitor therapy, there may be continued gastroesophageal reflux of nonacidic material. It is speculated that nonacidic reflux may also play a pathogenetic role in the symptoms of some extraesophageal disorders.[3] Symptoms that fail to respond to aggressive therapy with proton-pump inhibitors may still improve after antireflux surgery, possibly due to control of nonacidic reflux. Traditional pH testing (which detects reductions in intraesophageal pH from a baseline of pH 6-7) cannot detect nonacidic reflux. A technique that measures multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) monitoring has recently been used to measure esophageal reflux and bolus transport.[8,9] In this system, gastroesophageal reflux of liquid causes a reduction in impedance (electrical resistance) between channels; swallowing or reflux of air leads to measured increases in impedance. Using combined esophageal MII and pH monitoring, reflux events measured by MII that are not associated with a reduction in esophageal pH are presumed to be nonacidic material. Sifrim and associates[10] from the University of Leuven, Belgium, conducted a study involving 30 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and 28 normal subjects who underwent simultaneous monitoring for esophageal pH, impedance, and bilirubin (Bilitec probe). Nonacidic reflux was seen in both normal (healthy controls) subjects and GERD patients, accounting for one third of all reflux events. Nonacidic reflux occurred more commonly after meals and in recumbency. Only 4% of nonacidic reflux events were due to bile reflux. Three fourths of bile reflux episodes occurred in conjunction with acid reflux. Compared with acid reflux events, nonacidic reflux typically did not extend as far proximally and was cleared more quickly from the esophagus. Importance of Change in pH in Perception of Symptoms Associated With Nonacid Reflux It has been proposed that "nonacidic" reflux may cause symptoms because of the minor drops of 1-2 pH units that do not reach pH 4.0, the conventional pH level at which an acid reflux event is defined. To examine this hypothesis, Vela and colleagues[11] presented the results of a study that expanded upon work discussed during Digestive Disease Week 2000 in San Diego, California.[9,11] Male patients with GER (N = 35) underwent a 4-hour study after eating a refluxogenic meal with esophageal pH and MII testing. Patients were asked to report all symptoms of heartburn, regurgitation, acid taste, and chest pain. A total of 67 nonacid reflux events were detected, of which only 38% (26 of 67) had an accompanying 1-2 pH unit decrease. Of the 67 events, symptoms occurred during 39 (58%), but there was no difference between events with or without an accompanying drop in esophageal pH. The true importance of nonacidic reflux in the pathogenesis of both esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms remains to be established. Clearly, acid reflux is the most important cause of symptoms, both esophageal and extraesophageal. Still, it is conceivable that nonacidic reflux may be a factor in some patients with functional heartburn (ie, heartburn with normal esophageal pH measurements), nonerosive reflux disorders, and extraesophageal disorders, whose symptoms persist despite aggressive proton-pump inhibitor therapy. In the future, MII may be used to test for nonacidic reflux in patients with symptoms refractory to … read more »

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<rbak…@home.com> wrote in message

news:nAOq7.11587$kf1.6059313@news1.rdc1.ne.home.com… > Yes it can.  Gastric acid changes the PH of the nose.  A few months ago I > saw an ENT after getting a lot of sinus infections and he diagnosed me with > acid reflux and said it was contributing to my sinus problems.

And? Are you now taking anti-reflux medication (proton pump inhibitor?), and has that helped with your sinus problems? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> http://www.photographsofnature.com > "Ultraamazon777" <ultraamazon…@aol.com> wrote in message > news:20010920234516.18794.00001069@mb-dd.aol.com… > >           I was wondering if acid reflux can trigger a sinus infection? > >                                                  Thanks

Response:

Yes it can.  Gastric acid changes the PH of the nose.  A few months ago I saw an ENT after getting a lot of sinus infections and he diagnosed me with acid reflux and said it was contributing to my sinus problems. http://www.photographsofnature.com "Ultraamazon777" <ultraamazon…@aol.com> wrote in message

news:20010920234516.18794.00001069@mb-dd.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->           I was wondering if acid reflux can trigger a sinus infection? >                                                  Thanks

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Question:

So where did this 1.019 gravity number come from? What happened to 1.010 and what data supports the 1.019 number? Burp, -Dan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Mike, here’s how I do it. First, prepare your recipe by using either Ken’s Schwartz’s spreadsheet at: http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html or mine at: http://www.bayareamashers.org/Batch%20Sparge.xls One concept to remember is that you get the best extraction if you split the sparge into two equal portions. So you first mash at your desired thickness and then add enough water to bring the volume up to 1/2 of desired total runoff (accounting for water absorbed by grain). The first runoff will obviously be of higher gravity then the second. The goal is to set it up so that the second runoff is no less than 1.019 which is easy to achieve even with low gravity beers. So another benefit of batch sparging is that you don’t have to constantly monitor the runoff gravity; it’s already known from the calculations and doesn’t change throughout the runoff because you’re not diluting continously. To recap the process: 1)Mash as usual 2)Add enough hot water to bring the volume to 1/2 total runoff volume. 3)Stir and recycle till clear 4)Runoff first volume 5) Add second volume of hot water 6) Stir and recycle till clear 7) Runoff second volume Hope this is clear. In article <Pine.A41.4.10.10010041027370.86340- I was told, run the mash normally, and then get your runnings clear. Once you have the grain bed the way you want/need it to run clear fill up the vessal with the water you will need to boil and simply let er rip.  He also said you may need to stir up the grain bed once too. I think I will try it, but it definitely doesn’t sound mainstream (not that I really care, opinions are nice though). Mike Hmm. I can’t see where batch sparging would be any different that on the "fly" (continuous) sparging. Anytime you add extra grain, you’re going to get richer beer if you shut down the sparging sooner.  But I haven’t heard of batch sparging using less water. He may have been talking about no-sparge where you increase the grain bill, mash, add a bit extra water after the mash and then drain. No sparging at all. Burp, -Dan I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike — Please excuse my grammer. English IS my first language; I’m just not very good at it. Before you buy.

Response:

Good question Dan, I don’t know. I believe there was some discussion on HBD, but the archive server is down now so I can’t check. The only refernce I know of is in Ken’s paper. Frankly I’ve never worried about my gravity while sparging, but I know many people are concerned. I used to be more concerned with pH although I don’t even check that anymore. BTW, is there any data that supports 1.010 as a magic number? Oh and one more benefit to batch sparging is that I no longer need a hot liquor tank or an added tier for it since I simply dump sparge water into the mash tun and do not have to let it trickle. You still of course need some vessel to heat the sparge water in. If you use your brew kettle to heat your sparge water you will need a vessel to store it in while the first runnings flow into the kettle. I’m an ex-RIMS brewer that now feels that simpler is better and batch- sparging is definitely simpler for me. It’s certainly a good option for new brewers just getting into all-grain because it is simpler and there are lower equipment costs. I still haven’t convinced anyone in my homebrew club to try it, but I haven’t given up trying yet So where did this 1.019 gravity number come from? What happened to 1.010 and what data supports the 1.019 number? Burp, -Dan

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Mike, here’s how I do it. First, prepare your recipe by using either Ken’s Schwartz’s spreadsheet at: http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html or mine at: http://www.bayareamashers.org/Batch%20Sparge.xls One concept to remember is that you get the best extraction if you split the sparge into two equal portions. So you first mash at your desired thickness and then add enough water to bring the volume up to 1/2 of desired total runoff (accounting for water absorbed by grain). The first runoff will obviously be of higher gravity then the second. The goal is to set it up so that the second runoff is no less than 1.019 which is easy to achieve even with low gravity beers. So another benefit of batch sparging is that you don’t have to constantly monitor the runoff gravity; it’s already known from the calculations and doesn’t change throughout the runoff because you’re not diluting continously. To recap the process: 1)Mash as usual 2)Add enough hot water to bring the volume to 1/2 total runoff volume. 3)Stir and recycle till clear 4)Runoff first volume 5) Add second volume of hot water 6) Stir and recycle till clear 7) Runoff second volume Hope this is clear. In article <Pine.A41.4.10.10010041027370.86340- I was told, run the mash normally, and then get your runnings clear. Once you have the grain bed the way you want/need it to run clear fill up the vessal with the water you will need to boil and simply let er rip.  He also said you may need to stir up the grain bed once too. I think I will try it, but it definitely doesn’t sound mainstream (not that I really care, opinions are nice though). Mike Hmm. I can’t see where batch sparging would be any different that on the "fly" (continuous) sparging. Anytime you add extra grain, you’re going to get richer beer if you shut down the sparging sooner.  But I haven’t heard of batch sparging using less water. He may have been talking about no-sparge where you increase the grain bill, mash, add a bit extra water after the mash and then drain. No sparging at all. Burp, -Dan I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike — Please excuse my grammer. English IS my first language; I’m just not very good at it. Before you buy.

Before you buy.

Response:

Mike, here’s how I do it. First, prepare your recipe by using either Ken’s Schwartz’s spreadsheet at: http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html or mine at: http://www.bayareamashers.org/Batch%20Sparge.xls One concept to remember is that you get the best extraction if you split the sparge into two equal portions. So you first mash at your desired thickness and then add enough water to bring the volume up to 1/2 of desired total runoff (accounting for water absorbed by grain). The first runoff will obviously be of higher gravity then the second. The goal is to set it up so that the second runoff is no less than 1.019 which is easy to achieve even with low gravity beers. So another benefit of batch sparging is that you don’t have to constantly monitor the runoff gravity; it’s already known from the calculations and doesn’t change throughout the runoff because you’re not diluting continously. To recap the process: 1)Mash as usual 2)Add enough hot water to bring the volume to 1/2 total runoff volume. 3)Stir and recycle till clear 4)Runoff first volume 5) Add second volume of hot water 6) Stir and recycle till clear 7) Runoff second volume Hope this is clear. In article <Pine.A41.4.10.10010041027370.86340- – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was told, run the mash normally, and then get your runnings clear. Once you have the grain bed the way you want/need it to run clear fill up the vessal with the water you will need to boil and simply let er rip.  He also said you may need to stir up the grain bed once too. I think I will try it, but it definitely doesn’t sound mainstream (not that I really care, opinions are nice though). Mike Hmm. I can’t see where batch sparging would be any different that on the "fly" (continuous) sparging. Anytime you add extra grain, you’re going to get richer beer if you shut down the sparging sooner.  But I haven’t heard of batch sparging using less water. He may have been talking about no-sparge where you increase the grain bill, mash, add a bit extra water after the mash and then drain. No sparging at all. Burp, -Dan I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike

– Please excuse my grammer. English IS my first language; I’m just not very good at it. Before you buy.

Response:

Hmm. I can’t see where batch sparging would be any different that on the "fly" (continuous) sparging. Anytime you add extra grain, you’re going to get richer beer if you shut down the sparging sooner.  But I haven’t heard of batch sparging using less water. He may have been talking about no-sparge where you increase the grain bill, mash, add a bit extra water after the mash and then drain. No sparging at all. Burp, -Dan

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike

Response:

I was told, run the mash normally, and then get your runnings clear.  Once you have the grain bed the way you want/need it to run clear fill up the vessal with the water you will need to boil and simply let er rip.  He also said you may need to stir up the grain bed once too. I think I will try it, but it definitely doesn’t sound mainstream (not that I really care, opinions are nice though). Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hmm. I can’t see where batch sparging would be any different that on the "fly" (continuous) sparging. Anytime you add extra grain, you’re going to get richer beer if you shut down the sparging sooner.  But I haven’t heard of batch sparging using less water. He may have been talking about no-sparge where you increase the grain bill, mash, add a bit extra water after the mash and then drain. No sparging at all. Burp, -Dan I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I’ve been brewing all grain for about 12 years and I just started batch sparging for my last 3 batches. I estimate it costs me about 5-10% in yield. Malt profiles appear to be better but I couldn’t say for sure after only 3 batches. Biggest benefit is worry free sparging and less time. It takes only 15 minutes to runoff about 12 gallons. At this time I see no reason to ever go back to continuous sparging. If you haven’t already read Ken Schwartz’s treatise on the subject I recommend it: http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike — Please excuse my grammer. English IS my first language; I’m just not very good at it. Before you buy.

Yah, but by the time you go through all Ken’s calculations, you can conduct a traditional sparge . Bill

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I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike

Response:

I’ve been brewing all grain for about 12 years and I just started batch sparging for my last 3 batches. I estimate it costs me about 5-10% in yield. Malt profiles appear to be better but I couldn’t say for sure after only 3 batches. Biggest benefit is worry free sparging and less time. It takes only 15 minutes to runoff about 12 gallons. At this time I see no reason to ever go back to continuous sparging. If you haven’t already read Ken Schwartz’s treatise on the subject I recommend it: http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html I just spoke with a guy today who told me about batch sparging.  He said that for the cost of an extra pound or so of grains it will be less worry, richer beer.  How do you folks feel about batch sparging? Mike

– Please excuse my grammer. English IS my first language; I’m just not very good at it. Before you buy.

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Question:

As any engineer knows, it’s management that makes the dumb engineering decisions. "Hey, that’s really a great design, but it costs too much." So, you are forced to make some cheap sht even though you know how to do it right.

LOL! As every Machinist knows it’s the engineer that makes bad design decisions. 8^) DAVe

Response:

As any engineer knows, it’s management that makes the dumb engineering decisions. "Hey, that’s really a great design, but it costs too much." So, you are forced to make some cheap sht even though you know how to do it right.

We all know that managers are half-wits, but this is a cop-out.  It’s the engineers’ job to come up with a design that solves the problem AND can be manufactured and implemented cost effectively.  If you come up with a solution that solves the problem, but would cost much more than the current (cheap) method, then you haven’t solved the problem yet. (OK – the usual disclaimers – there is always exceptions to the rule.) K. Wasson

Response:

what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? Oh, Boy…This one’s gonna be FUN! ‘97 Sea Ray – Sea Rayder F16XR2 Larry, I’m confused by your post.  I’ve seen you post several times about this boat, sighting things you love about it…sport jet, self bailing cockpit, fuel economy.  Reading this list makes the boat sound like a true disaster. So, thumbs up or thumbs down? Rich Stern

Oh, it’s thumbs up for me.  This poster wanted to know about the stupid engineering on the boat.  So, as a public service, I posted it. Americans don’t HAVE to build any product the way we choose to. Stupid decisions in engineering, sometimes forced to do so in the name of the almighty PROFIT by some bean counter and shoddy workmanship from poorly trained or poorly motivated clods on the production line floor all shows up in ALL makes and models of boats.  It’s not Sea Ray or Bayliner, it’s our national give-a-$hit attitude.  Nobody really cares about quality, pride of workmanship or, it seems, repeat business.  It’s why I drive old Mercedes cars instead of a new Chevy or Ford or Cadillac.  It’s why my brand-new ‘80 Pontiac diesel fell apart before the clock had 30K on it.  It’s why I had to pay Zbart to seal up the INSIDE where GM decided I wouldn’t look and left bare, rusting metal inside every nook and cranny.  It’s why the cheap, aluminum diesel pump ground itself to death in 22,000 miles just before the cheap, plastic sealed transmission ground up its clutch plates.  We don’t have to live this way.  My old ‘86 Nissan Stanza vanwagon has 330,000 miles on it.  I drive it 8 hours every day fixing church organs.  It’s overloaded by 180% with my business.  The Japanese took great pride in building me an engine that STILL doesn’t use a drop of oil between it’s 18,000 mile oil changes…or whenever I remember to take the time to change it.  The car was assembled in TN by Americans.  It shows.  Every door gasket, window frame gasket came apart because the jerk that glued them on didn’t care how he assembled his part.  You can go through the car and see what the Japanese built and what the Americans slapped together.  Luckily, the part that makes it go was all assembled before the slipshod TN workers put their mitts on it.  The starter, for instance, lasted about 290,000 miles.  It was made in Japan.  The engine mounts, on the other hand, fell off because someone didn’t tighten them properly.  That was done in TN.  I’ve learned to accept it.   Nissan makes a great car.  I don’t have to tell you that the fine engineers and lifetime assembly plant technicians at Mercedes did it ALL right.  One of mine is still running fine, even though it is 26 years old!  We don’t have to live like this, so the TV commercial says.  I don’t think we do, either. Larry

Response:

Don’t feel bad.  My Mercury has a Morse one-lever controller.  Since the day I got it it feels as if there is metal grinding against metal whenever you move it.  It’s a cheap piece of crap, also. I forgot, in my original post, to mention that Mercury doesn’t know how to make a shift cable bellows for $20 that lasts when exposed to air and seawater over a year and a half.  Both of them disintegrated on the Sport Jet pump.  The bellows are too small for the distance they have to travel, stretching them pretty good when you shift into reverse on one of them and turn hard to starboard on the steering one. They need to be made larger by about 20% so they will expand further without stressing the cheap rubber they are made of.  I’m for dumping the whole rubber idea and going for a bellows made of some NASA-designed exotic plastic that will withstand the Venusian atmosphere.  Charge me $10 extra for each (OEM price).  Then I won’t have to change them for the life of the boat.  Duhhhh….. Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -The first day out with my boat and the Quicksilver remote controller would not allow me to shift into gear.  After engaging the "throttle only" button to start the engine, the controller would not move forward or backward.  I sat there like a putz for about 20 minutes trying get it to engage, but not pushing too hard for fear of breaking the cheap plastic piece of crap.  So finally through frustration, I wrenched it with all my might and it broke free.  It was still sticking after that, but at least it was working. It seemed to stick only after I engaged the "throttle only" button to start the boat and then tried to shift into gear.  There must be some kind of plastic button that slides back and forth in there and engages throttle only or the throttle and shifter. (And yes, I am pulling up on the release when I try to shift foward or backward into gear.  :-) I called my dealer that evening and he said that he had just talked to someone else with a new boat that had the same problem.  He said that I should squirt some WD-40 into the controller through the hole underneath the mount.  They do that on all new boats, and perhaps they overlooked it on mine.  I did the WD-40 squirt and that seemed to help a little, but it was still sticking a bit. The dealer insisted on replacing the controller, even though I finally had broken it in and it seemed to be working, although it was still sticking a little.  I was out yesterday with the new contoller, and sure enough, it was sticking.  Now I’ll have to break this one in. So my question is, does anyone else have this problem with the Quicksilver single-lever controller?  How the heck can you rely on this cheap plastic piece of crap with an obvious design flaw to control your boat?  Are there any controllers made by other manufacturers, with more competent design engineers, that I can purchase and install on my boat? OK, I’m through venting…. It was otherwise a GREAT day of boating.  :-) K. Wasson

Response:

There is a button under the handle that must be squeezed while shifting out of neutral. It’s sort of a safety lock so you don’t bump the control into gear accidentally.

I know that, as I said in the post.  Sorry, the post got sort of long-winded and confusing… K. Wasson

Response:

Dumbest thing I’ve spotted on my boat so far is the placement of the trim tab pump and reservoir behind the starboard engine starting battery.  It is impossible to check the fluid level or fill it without removing the battery and the battery box.  Really annoying since the rest of the engine space is very well laid out.         Art

Response:

Any engineer will design a solution that works for $1.00 that any half wit off the street can do for $2.50. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As any engineer knows, it’s management that makes the dumb engineering decisions. "Hey, that’s really a great design, but it costs too much." So, you are forced to make some cheap sht even though you know how to do it right. We all know that managers are half-wits, but this is a cop-out.  It’s the engineers’ job to come up with a design that solves the problem AND can be manufactured and implemented cost effectively.  If you come up with a solution that solves the problem, but would cost much more than the current (cheap) method, then you haven’t solved the problem yet. (OK – the usual disclaimers – there is always exceptions to the rule.) K. Wasson

– To reply, remove "spammenot" from the address above

Response:

One of the dumbest ideas I have seen in a boat is on some I/O’s you have to remove the engine to change the starter motor…. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? here is the top of the list for my 1989 monterey 19ft . 1. 2in screws sticking up through the bottom of the pedistal seat cushons. 2. builtin ice chests that drain onto the floor. 3. rear sun deck that is tilted toward the stern(you nearly roll off the back any time you lay down).

Response:

As any engineer knows, it’s management that makes the dumb engineering decisions.

Hey… I’m an engineer and a manager.  Whom can I blame? Rick Marinelli ‘99 Cobalt 226

Response:

Hey… I’m an engineer and a manager.  Whom can I blame? <<

Start with PWCs, sailboaters, or the NRA.

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We don’t have to live like this, so the TV commercial says.  I don’t think we do, either. Larry

I agree, we don’t.  The Honda and Mitsubishi autos I’ve owned are much better built than the Dodge I currently own. On the other hand, my Carver was well designed and beautifully built in Wisconsin, with a ton of American components, and delivery-assembled with great care in Georgia. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Rich Stern

Response:

what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? here is the top of the list for

Here’s a few things on mine: The nav station/chart table is in the corridor that leads to the aft stateroom and there’s no seat so you can sit down while plotting a course.  Solution: if I need to sit, I’ll use the table in the saloon. The boarding ladder doesn’t go down far enough.  The first rung barely breakes the surface.  It’s fine for dingy boarding but not good for getting back on board from a swim.  Solution: I have to get a better ladder. The saloon floor is one HUGE piece.  Makes it hard to remove and stow for checkout and maintenance.  Solution: I may end up cutting it in half perpendicular to the floorboards. One side of the anchor roller seems to pop out pretty easily.  The strips that hold the roller down are too narrow.  Solution:  I’ve got to install a wider piece of metal to hold it in. The seatbacks in the cockpit are a bit low for good support and the seatbacks in the saloon are a bit too upright.  Solution: deck chairs. No good way to rig an emergency tiller up to the cockpit or even above deck.  The person handling the emergency tiller has to be in the aft stateroom, which makes it impossible to singlehand if you loose steering.  Solution: uh, don’t have a good one.  Hopefully I can quickly fix whatever may happen to break. Now, an engineering question:  (I’ve seen this on many boats, including mine)  Why do cockpit drains exit the boat below the waterline?  I like to close all below the waterline thru valves when I leave the boat but I have to leave those open or else I’ll probably come back to a cockpit full of water.  And if it rains enough, the water can rise the few inches necessary to get into the cabin. That’s about all the problems I can think of for now.  All in all, I’m really happy with my boat. Steve — / / / / / /

Response:

As any engineer knows, it’s management that makes the dumb engineering decisions. Hey… I’m an engineer and a manager.  Whom can I blame?

The left side of your brain can blame the right side and vice versa! 8^) DAVe

Response:

Ya…blame the sailboaters…they are evil…. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey… I’m an engineer and a manager.  Whom can I blame? << Start with PWCs, sailboaters, or the NRA.

Response:

Ya…blame the sailboaters…they are evil….<<

I was KIDDING!

Response:

The first day out with my boat and the Quicksilver remote controller would not allow me to shift into gear.  After engaging the "throttle only" button to start the engine, the controller would not move forward or backward.  I sat there like a putz for about 20 minutes trying get it to engage, but not pushing too hard for fear of breaking the cheap plastic piece of crap.  So finally through frustration, I wrenched it with all my might and it broke free.  It was still sticking after that, but at least it was working. It seemed to stick only after I engaged the "throttle only" button to start the boat and then tried to shift into gear.  There must be some kind of plastic button that slides back and forth in there and engages throttle only or the throttle and shifter. (And yes, I am pulling up on the release when I try to shift foward or backward into gear.  :-) I called my dealer that evening and he said that he had just talked to someone else with a new boat that had the same problem.  He said that I should squirt some WD-40 into the controller through the hole underneath the mount.  They do that on all new boats, and perhaps they overlooked it on mine.  I did the WD-40 squirt and that seemed to help a little, but it was still sticking a bit. The dealer insisted on replacing the controller, even though I finally had broken it in and it seemed to be working, although it was still sticking a little.  I was out yesterday with the new contoller, and sure enough, it was sticking.  Now I’ll have to break this one in. So my question is, does anyone else have this problem with the Quicksilver single-lever controller?  How the heck can you rely on this cheap plastic piece of crap with an obvious design flaw to control your boat?  Are there any controllers made by other manufacturers, with more competent design engineers, that I can purchase and install on my boat? OK, I’m through venting…. It was otherwise a GREAT day of boating.  :-) K. Wasson

Response:

As any engineer knows, it’s management that makes the dumb engineering decisions. "Hey, that’s really a great design, but it costs too much." So, you are forced to make some cheap sht even though you know how to do it right. -Jeff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? here is the top of the list for my 1989 monterey 19ft . 1. 2in screws sticking up through the bottom of the pedistal seat cushons. 2. builtin ice chests that drain onto the floor. 3. rear sun deck that is tilted toward the stern(you nearly roll off the back any time you lay down).

Response:

1999 Bayliner 2855 – everything seems OK so far except that the door to the compartment where the toilet paper hangs is a little hard to open when you’re sitting down. The helm seat was so far forward you couldn’t drive standing up, so I had them move it back 11".  No problem, lots of support to through-bolt it.  I don’t care about the smooth circle in the middle of the non-skid where the helm seat used to be. The mechanics say the engine compartment is easy to work in – I guess that’s more important.

Tell us about the stringers and how they are attached to the hull. Are they straight or do they curve inward? — Harry Krause – - – - – - – - – - – - Don’t blame me!  I voted for Bush!

Response:

1999 Bayliner 2855 – everything seems OK so far except that the door to the compartment where the toilet paper hangs is a little hard to open when you’re sitting down. The helm seat was so far forward you couldn’t drive standing up, so I had them move it back 11".  No problem, lots of support to through-bolt it.  I don’t care about the smooth circle in the middle of the non-skid where the helm seat used to be. The mechanics say the engine compartment is easy to work in – I guess that’s more important.

Response:

1989 Regal –  Ha ha – Oh Boy!  Oh, never mind.  Everyone knows about that one.  Engineering so dumb the boat just cracked in half practically on its own. Now, my current 1994 Carver Mariner 330.  I really do love this boat … but … they clearly built the boat around its mechanical components, making service a bit inconvenient.  Two examples of many …   Air-conditioning is built under and into the galley – nearly impossible to remove, almost nearly impossible to service. The engine oil dipsticks are about three inches forward of the engine hatches.  You have to bend the dipsticks to get them out.  getting them back in is a challenge. Like I said, though.  I do love this boat.  It is operating flawlessly, its extremely comfortable (floating condo) and handles great.  I’d get another one in a snap. Larry Weiss "…Ever After!" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? here is the top of the list for my 1989 monterey 19ft . 1. 2in screws sticking up through the bottom of the pedistal seat cushons. 2. builtin ice chests that drain onto the floor. 3. rear sun deck that is tilted toward the stern(you nearly roll off the back any time you lay down).

Response:

Only one dumbness on mine, which is way below the average of other boats I’ve owned.  With twin inboards, there’s plenty of space between, and there’s actually a stout plywood plate over the stringers so that you can stand on something reasonable while working on the engines.  There is, of course, a settee in the deckhouse on the starboard side, which places it just above the engine; it’s removable in case of need for major repair.  The dumbness:  The oil filter is on the OUTBOARD side of that engine.  Solution, obviously, is a remote filter kit; what’s surprising is that as well as everything else is thought out on that boat, it wasn’t set up that way in the first place.  (The port one, BTW, is right in the middle of the work area amidships; you can kneel and reach it just below waist level!) One that I encountered on a boat that wasn’t my own:  A mid-70’s Hatteras 43. Gorgeous boat, central air/heat, twin diesels with genny, etc etc etc; but don’t run the fresh water tank dry.  The pump is a centrifugal piece, high-quality all right but not self-priming; the drill is to remove the dinette table, which weighs a few tons, pull the seat off either the fore or aft bench (I can’t remember which), and take off the inlet hose to the pump to re-prime it, while standing on your head to get to the sucker.  Our own boat at the time, which cost less than a fifth of this one, had a different routine:  Fill tank, turn on self-priming pump, run water at will. What I learned:  A quarter-million can still buy idiocy, just as well as 50K does. Craig

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what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? Oh, Boy…This one’s gonna be FUN! ‘97 Sea Ray – Sea Rayder F16XR2

Larry, I’m confused by your post.  I’ve seen you post several times about this boat, sighting things you love about it…sport jet, self bailing cockpit, fuel economy.  Reading this list makes the boat sound like a true disaster. So, thumbs up or thumbs down? Rich Stern

Response:

what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? here is the top of the list for my 1989 monterey 19ft . 1. 2in screws sticking up through the bottom of the pedistal seat             cushons. 2. builtin ice chests that drain onto the floor. 3. rear sun deck that is tilted toward the stern(you nearly roll off the back any time you lay down).

Response:

what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? here is the top of the list for my 1989 monterey 19ft .

Oh, Boy…This one’s gonna be FUN! ‘97 Sea Ray – Sea Rayder F16XR2 3/8" gas hose on 5/16" engine was the worst.  Came off flooding bilge. I’m lucky to be here….Duhhhhh……           Cheap seats – Made by little furniture company in TN.  Sponge foam soaks up lots of water, keeps it wet, vinyl backed by cheap cotton, MILDEW CITY!  Seats screwed down HARD to gelcoat buckets with 1/4" hole drilled in back to drain water all over your stuff in storage trunk…No way for water to dry out…looks awful, even on 2nd set. Cheap plastic cabinet latch mounted with 2 sheet metal screws and spaced off seat bottom by little, unpainted wood block to hold front seats (bounces worst in waves) down.  Screws screwed into milk bottle plastic the seat base is made from.  Screws loose, of course.  Latch useless.  Seats bounce open on every wave…..Duhhhh……. Sea Ray had trouble with people leaving ‘96/’97 twin manual twist latches open on huge engine compartment lid behind seats.  Lid lifts from Bournoulli Principle (aircraft wing shape) on trailer down Interstate.  Tears off twin gas shocks, rips hinge out of transom, rips transom out of boat (no support because no outboard).  ’98 cure was a disaster.  Single pinlatch in middle of huge lid extended 1/8" into hole drilled in fiberglass.  Handle for lid now located below steering console 4 ft from lid making opening engine compartment a 2-man job.  No problem, lid flew open on lots ‘98/99 models blowing off transom.  Urgent "voluntary update" (Sea Ray doesn’t like the word RECALL) sent to all owners ‘97/98/99 to take to dealer for new latches.  Dealer says they don’t exist, so I told him I already got mine direct from Sea Ray.  Sent latches back to Sea Ray with thanks and $3 cash to cover shipping to me.  Latches they wanted me to put on my beautiful Rayder were those ugly, black, unpainted rubber hold downs they use on a Mack Truck to keep the engine compartment closed. TOTALLY UGLY! …..Duhhhhh……  (I solved problem with 2 safety straps made from old winch strap material.  One in each corner of front of suicide cover.  Straps will pick up boat so very strong. Now, when cover opens, straps are tight just as cover is full open. Don’t show at all when cover closed….NOT UGLY…..Duhhh….. "Marine" AM-FM Radios all are DUMB ENGINEERED.  Changing bezel to white plastic does NOT keep water out of huge holes in radio cabinet and salt water off circuit boards….Duhhhh….Radio mounted inside lift door on top of console in Sea Rayder.  Whole bottom of console open underneath…no cover….When boat gets swamped in waves, as fast jetboats are liable to do, water RUSHES up UNDER fully open dashboard swamping EVERYTHING…(cheap radio, guages, unprotected wiring, cheap Teleflex steering (pot metal or aluminum??), etc.  Unprotected rear of all switches, plugs, light sockets, lugs, screws all doused directly with seawater.)  Radio didn’t survive…It’s really a CAR RADIO, you know….Duhhhhhh….. Side trim panel on port side has base made of cheap plywood, probably from old shipping box.  Unpainted, untreated, just UN.  Wood rotted when rainwater seeped behind unsealed trim panel.  Results was brown good of decomposing box plywood running down port sidewall of cockpit onto deck (carpet if I had ever put it in, which I wouldn’t).  When SR shipped me SECOND cheap side trim panel made exactly the same way, I carefully sealed plywood in epoxy (3 coats) then used RTV marine sealer around top and sides by drawing bead before I tightened panel down so water can’t get BACK THERE!….Duhhhh….. Brunswick forgot to put ANY cleats on the boat for YEARS so you could actually TIE IT TO A DOCK!….Duhhh….  In response to my enquiry about mounting some cleats on boat, SR screws two ugly, cheap, grey plastic cleats to the STERN BEHIND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OVER THE JETPUMP INTAKE…on each side of the boarding handle….Duhhhh….No way to get TO it to tie a rope on them except to lay on your belly on top of the trunk…or….dive off and come up on them from the stern…(while docking??)….Duhhhh…..  If you left a rope attached to these cleats directly OVER the jet pump’s intake it MUST go overboard and get sucked up and wind itself around the prop shaft INSIDE the pump….Duhhh…..  My solution was to mount 4 nice Perko chrome cleats, 2 on each gunwale.  One on either side of the engine cover for stern lines….One on either side in the plane of the steering wheel for midships lines.  I only use the midships lines that store, connected to the cleats INSIDE the cockpit.  The starboard cleat and its line allows me to dock the boat WITHOUT GETTING OUT OF No fuel filter/water separator….added….also used to change hose sizes. Fuse for radio memory conveniently located just to port of the engine inside the engine’s box.  Why??  Duhhh….. ABSOLUTELY no way to inspect INLET FUEL LINE or FUEL TANK VENT ATTACHMENT to the poly fuel tank UNDER the deck of the cockpit.  To even LOOK at this fitting, one must remove the power plant, the ski rack, the storage compartment decking, the large engine compartment cover….then unfasten the entire fuel tank from the boat and slide the tank out of the boat where the engine used to sit!  The filler neck and vent neck are on the FORWARD END of the tank.  You can only see the outlet on the STERN END of the tank when it’s in place.  This is NOT to ABYC standards as advertised.  Deck needs access hatch to get to these VITAL fittings…..Duhhhh….. Shouldn’t cost over $3000 to replace the fuel filler line or vent hose…eh?….Duhhh….. Mercury elected to mount the 6 ignition coils on metal mounting brackets so you CAN’T put a spark plug wrench on the 6 plugs WITHOUT using a 10mm wrench to remove the ignition coils and their mounting bracket FIRST.  Duhhhh…..  Sport Jet engines are INSIDE a confined engine room.  You can’t stand BEHIND the motor like you can on an outboard and you can’t get BEHIND this engine in the boat…even on the trailer….Duhhhh…. Sea Ray didn’t think having a float switch (what $5 at OEM pricing?) on the bilge pump….a cheap Atwood 450gph, the smallest you can buy I think.  If your boat floods at the dock while you sleep, tough $hit. You have to turn the bilge pump on MANUALLY at the dash….with the boat flooded with water and the battery submerged??  Maybe we’re supposed to trailer it while we eat lunch on the dock….Duhhhh….Replaced with 1000 GPH Rule and proper Rule float switch wired by a 2nd path to owner installed fuse panel.  No fuse or breaker panel on THIS inboard boat.  Isn’t that in ABYC standards, also??  Fuses hidden all over boat on oddest places in inline holders like cheap stereos. Galvanized Shoreland trailer came with PAINTED wheels…..Duhhhhh… I won’t go into the problems keeping LIGHTS lit for minor details like BRAKES and TURN SIGNALS….you all have the same problems. Spring holding straps made of cheap strapping steel that rotted off dispite constant flushing in 8 months.  Hello??  Shorelander?? I love the boat.  It’s the accounting department decisions and stupid engineering I’m not real happy with.  Doesn’t make any difference, they’re ALL made just like mine no matter whos name is on them….CHEAP! Larry…..

Response:

1987 Wellcraft Port engine control will not pass steering wheel in reverse.  You can put the engine in reverse, but you can not go past idle.  Easy fix, smaller steering wheel. — http://home.adelphia.net~richard1572index.htm – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – what is the dumbest engineeering of your boat? here is the top of the list for my 1989 monterey 19ft . Oh, Boy…This one’s gonna be FUN! ‘97 Sea Ray – Sea Rayder F16XR2 3/8" gas hose on 5/16" engine was the worst.  Came off flooding bilge. I’m lucky to be here….Duhhhhh…… Cheap seats – Made by little furniture company in TN.  Sponge foam soaks up lots of water, keeps it wet, vinyl backed by cheap cotton, MILDEW CITY!  Seats screwed down HARD to gelcoat buckets with 1/4" hole drilled in back to drain water all over your stuff in storage trunk…No way for water to dry out…looks awful, even on 2nd set. Cheap plastic cabinet latch mounted with 2 sheet metal screws and spaced off seat bottom by little, unpainted wood block to hold front seats (bounces worst in waves) down.  Screws screwed into milk bottle plastic the seat base is made from.  Screws loose, of course.  Latch useless.  Seats bounce open on every wave…..Duhhhh……. Sea Ray had trouble with people leaving ‘96/’97 twin manual twist latches open on huge engine compartment lid behind seats.  Lid lifts from Bournoulli Principle (aircraft wing shape) on trailer down Interstate.  Tears off twin gas shocks, rips hinge out of transom, rips transom out of boat (no support because no outboard).  ’98 cure was a disaster.  Single pinlatch in middle of huge lid extended 1/8" into hole drilled in fiberglass.  Handle for lid now located below steering console 4 ft from lid making opening engine compartment a 2-man job.  No problem, lid flew open on lots ‘98/99 models blowing off transom.  Urgent "voluntary update" (Sea Ray doesn’t like the word RECALL) sent to all owners ‘97/98/99 to take to dealer for new latches.  Dealer says they don’t exist, so I told him I already got mine direct from Sea Ray.  Sent latches back to Sea Ray with thanks and $3 cash to cover shipping to me.  Latches they wanted me to put on my beautiful Rayder were those ugly, black, unpainted rubber hold downs they use on a Mack Truck to keep the engine compartment closed. TOTALLY UGLY! …..Duhhhhh……  (I solved problem with 2 safety straps made from old winch strap material.  One in each corner of front of suicide cover.  Straps will pick up boat so very strong. Now, when cover opens, straps are tight just as cover is full open. Don’t show at all when cover closed….NOT UGLY…..Duhhh….. "Marine" AM-FM Radios all are DUMB ENGINEERED.  Changing bezel to white plastic does NOT keep water out of huge holes in radio cabinet and salt water off circuit boards….Duhhhh….Radio mounted inside lift door on top of console in Sea Rayder.  Whole bottom of console open underneath…no cover….When boat gets swamped in waves, as fast jetboats are liable to do, water RUSHES up UNDER fully open dashboard swamping EVERYTHING…(cheap radio, guages, unprotected wiring, cheap Teleflex steering (pot metal or aluminum??), etc.  Unprotected rear of all switches, plugs, light sockets, lugs, screws all doused directly with seawater.)  Radio didn’t survive…It’s really a CAR RADIO, you know….Duhhhhhh….. Side trim panel on port side has base made of cheap plywood, probably from old shipping box.  Unpainted, untreated, just UN.  Wood rotted when rainwater seeped behind unsealed trim panel.  Results was brown good of decomposing box plywood running down port sidewall of cockpit onto deck (carpet if I had ever put it in, which I wouldn’t).  When SR shipped me SECOND cheap side trim panel made exactly the same way, I carefully sealed plywood in epoxy (3 coats) then used RTV marine sealer around top and sides by drawing bead before I tightened panel down so water can’t get BACK THERE!….Duhhhh….. Brunswick forgot to put ANY cleats on the boat for YEARS so you could actually TIE IT TO A DOCK!….Duhhh….  In response to my enquiry about mounting some cleats on boat, SR screws two ugly, cheap, grey plastic cleats to the STERN BEHIND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OVER THE JETPUMP INTAKE…on each side of the boarding handle….Duhhhh….No way to get TO it to tie a rope on them except to lay on your belly on top of the trunk…or….dive off and come up on them from the stern…(while docking??)….Duhhhh…..  If you left a rope attached to these cleats directly OVER the jet pump’s intake it MUST go overboard and get sucked up and wind itself around the prop shaft INSIDE the pump….Duhhh…..  My solution was to mount 4 nice Perko chrome cleats, 2 on each gunwale.  One on either side of the engine cover for stern lines….One on either side in the plane of the steering wheel for midships lines.  I only use the midships lines that store, connected to the cleats INSIDE the cockpit.  The starboard cleat and its line allows me to dock the boat WITHOUT GETTING OUT OF No fuel filter/water separator….added….also used to change hose sizes. Fuse for radio memory conveniently located just to port of the engine inside the engine’s box.  Why??  Duhhh….. ABSOLUTELY no way to inspect INLET FUEL LINE or FUEL TANK VENT ATTACHMENT to the poly fuel tank UNDER the deck of the cockpit.  To even LOOK at this fitting, one must remove the power plant, the ski rack, the storage compartment decking, the large engine compartment cover….then unfasten the entire fuel tank from the boat and slide the tank out of the boat where the engine used to sit!  The filler neck and vent neck are on the FORWARD END of the tank.  You can only see the outlet on the STERN END of the tank when it’s in place.  This is NOT to ABYC standards as advertised.  Deck needs access hatch to get to these VITAL fittings…..Duhhhh….. Shouldn’t cost over $3000 to replace the fuel filler line or vent hose…eh?….Duhhh….. Mercury elected to mount the 6 ignition coils on metal mounting brackets so you CAN’T put a spark plug wrench on the 6 plugs WITHOUT using a 10mm wrench to remove the ignition coils and their mounting bracket FIRST.  Duhhhh…..  Sport Jet engines are INSIDE a confined engine room.  You can’t stand BEHIND the motor like you can on an outboard and you can’t get BEHIND this engine in the boat…even on the trailer….Duhhhh…. Sea Ray didn’t think having a float switch (what $5 at OEM pricing?) on the bilge pump….a cheap Atwood 450gph, the smallest you can buy I think.  If your boat floods at the dock while you sleep, tough $hit. You have to turn the bilge pump on MANUALLY at the dash….with the boat flooded with water and the battery submerged??  Maybe we’re supposed to trailer it while we eat lunch on the dock….Duhhhh….Replaced with 1000 GPH Rule and proper Rule float switch wired by a 2nd path to owner installed fuse panel.  No fuse or breaker panel on THIS inboard boat.  Isn’t that in ABYC standards, also??  Fuses hidden all over boat on oddest places in inline holders like cheap stereos. Galvanized Shoreland trailer came with PAINTED wheels…..Duhhhhh… I won’t go into the problems keeping LIGHTS lit for minor details like BRAKES and TURN SIGNALS….you all have the same problems. Spring holding straps made of cheap strapping steel that rotted off dispite constant flushing in 8 months.  Hello??  Shorelander?? I love the boat.  It’s the accounting department decisions and stupid engineering I’m not real happy with.  Doesn’t make any difference, they’re ALL made just like mine no matter whos name is on them….CHEAP! Larry…..

Response:

Question:

I’m a college student who is majoring in accounting, and I am looking for some type of involvement in a club or organization that would help me with my future.  I thought about joining a club at school or a local chapter for accountants, but not realy sure on where to go.  Does anyone have any advice that would help me to get involved in the accounting community?

Response:

Does your school have an accounting club or a chapter of Beta Alpha Psi? Several state CPA societies allow student members. I also belong to the American Woman’s Society of CPA’s. They also allow student members. Another organization is the American Society of Women Accountants. Speaking as the scholarship chair for the American Woman’s Society of CPA’s of Minnesota, I can say that involvement in organizations is an important part of our selection criteria. What we look for is involvement in any organization, not only accounting groups. One of our winners last year coached a girls basketball team. One of the finalists this year volunteered for a local charity. Find something that catched your interest and get involved. Also, when you join a group, be an active participant. Don’t just pay your dues, serve on a committee or help on a special project. You learn more and you get to know people better by working with them. Wendy Klager

Response:

The AICPA has a student membership for $35 per year.  They offer some great deals for sudents on Code books and the like. Also if your college does not have an Accounting Club maybe you could look into starting one.  I helped organize one at my college last year. Leon Paddock

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a college student who is majoring in accounting, and I am looking for some type of involvement in a club or organization that would help me with my future.  I thought about joining a club at school or a local chapter for accountants, but not realy sure on where to go.  Does anyone have any advice that would help me to get involved in the accounting community?

Response:

Question:

M.Y.O.B. would handle this just fine.  This seems like an operation that might take advantage of a network and M.Y.O.B. does this too. I am looking for PC-based accounting software for a small start-up company that will be assembling a few versions of a small electronic device.  Parts will be ordered, shipped to an assembly house for "stuffing" and soldering, and forwarded to the start-up for testing, inspection, final assembly, final testing, and packaing and shipping.  The budget it tight but the need for proper controls and accounting is paramount.  A total of 5 employees will be involved with a daily output of about 5,000 – 6,000 devices a day. Any suggestions? Michael Loftus

David M. Bialick, CPA Disclaimer: This is not professional advice unless you’ve signed my engagement letter. Tax & Accounting, MYOB Accounting Pages at: http://www.dmbcpa.com

Response:

I think Quick Books Pro 99 would be an excellent choice. If you would like a free copy of the program with 25 free uses, various samples and how you can reach a Professional Advisor in your area, just let me know. Thanks, Steve — Bookkeeping 2000 Quick Books Professional Advisor Computer Consultant – Tax Preparer – Educator/Trainer – Accountant(Not CPA) – Bookkeeping http://pages.prodigy.net/bookkeeping 1200 East Huntington Drive – Suite 101 – Duarte, CA 91010 (626) 935-3375

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I am looking for PC-based accounting software for a small start-up company that will be assembling a few versions of a small electronic device.  Parts will be ordered, shipped to an assembly house for "stuffing" and soldering, and forwarded to the start-up for testing, inspection, final assembly, final testing, and packaing and shipping.  The budget it tight but the need for proper controls and accounting is paramount.  A total of 5 employees will be involved with a daily output of about 5,000 – 6,000 devices a day. Any suggestions? Michael Loftus

Response:

Michael,         Since I resell it, Red Wing will accomplish your goal handling BOM, multiple locations, and light assembly. It’s possible that P-tree or QB might also and be cheaper as a Red Wing can run around 3-4k. You can download a 30 day trial version at the web site.         http://www.redwingsoftware.com But be patient, it takes a while. Luck,         Dana http://www.tailored-computing.com

Response:

Question:

   Guess what Bolivia, Poland, and Russia have in common?    Economic chaos and Dr. Jeffrey Sachs (not necessarily in that order).    Just goes to prove that economic theories are just that. And economists have    no idea of reality in Minsk, Kiev or Detroit!  Roll the dice…..

  "If you laid all the economists in the world end to end, they’ld STILL point in different directions!"                         Harry S Truman <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< |  email me for GIFS of the Altgens photo of the JFK assasination.       | <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Response:

   I donot hold any personal grudge against economists, but the arrogance of some    of these people as they mould policy and use humans as mere pawns seems to me    a bit too hard to take.

        Let’s not leap out the window with the problems that modern economics hass caused……. It is true that many economic theories have been dynamite on paper and disastrous in practice (Lenin & Stalinist Marxism, for example)           But to make a statement like this seems to be a bit much. I think you are trying to blame very complex econimic/social/political problems upon an overgeneralized group of people.  The actual causes of The former eastern Bloc’s economic woes are not all the fault of the High-Flying Economists.         I would agree that there are many flaws with accounting practices and traditional macroeconmics (you know, the closed-loop system), but those trends are changing    N. Venkateswaran

-Brian Miami U.

Response:

        Guess what Bolivia, Poland, and Russia have in common?         Economic chaos and Dr. Jeffrey Sachs (not necessarily in that order).         Just goes to prove that economic theories are just that. And economists have         no idea of reality in Minsk, Kiev or Detroit!  Roll the dice…..         One wonders what Yeltsin was thinking, when he decided to go in for the         Sachs’s plan. Hadn’t he heard from Bolivia and/or Poland? Or did he actually         believe in the idea that prosperity was round the corner and that prices just         had to be allowed to float up!         Epilogue:                 GM has laid off 70,000 (?) workers. As I said before, Astrologers (IMO) can do a         much better job of predicting the future than the economists. Merlin! Where are         you?         I donot hold any personal grudge against economists, but the arrogance of some         of these people as they mould policy and use humans as mere pawns seems to me         a bit too hard to take.         N. Venkateswaran

Response: