80 mpg diesel Smart Car/environmentalist Sam Neuwirth

[Safety Guy]

Bobstadt wrote:

"There is a fantastic book written by someone who became chairman of the board of General Electric; who'd grown up Jewish in I think Holland yet often a familiar of Nazi officers; having to do with his father being a mechanic dealing with taxis. The Nazis had somehow with concern for the youth hustled him out of Europe who ended up with General Chenault as a mechanic for his fighter planes in China I think were P-38s; the one's with the shark's grin painted below their motors, behind the propellers in the very nose of the airplanes."

Bob, Chennault's American Volunteer Group flew P-40 Warhawks:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk

From wiki above:

"The Flying Tigers, known officially as the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG), were a unit of the Chinese Air Force, recruited from U.S. aviators. From late 1941, the P-40B was used by the Flying Tigers. They were divided into three pursuit squadrons, the "Adam & Eves", the "Panda Bears" and the "Hell's Angels".[47]

Compared to opposing Japanese fighters, the P-40B's strengths were that it was sturdy, well armed, faster in a dive and possessed an excellent rate of roll. While the P-40s could not match the maneuverability of the Japanese Army air arm's Nakajima Ki-27s and Ki-43s, nor the much more famous Zero naval fighter in a slow speed turning dogfight, at higher speeds the P-40s were more than a match. AVG leader Claire Chennault trained his pilots to use the P-40's particular performance advantages.[47] The P-40 had a higher dive speed than any Japanese fighter aircraft of the early war years, for example, and could be used to exploit so-called "boom-and-zoom" tactics. The AVG was highly successful, and its feats were widely published, to boost sagging public morale at home, by an active cadre of international journalists. According to their official records, in just 6 1/2 months, the Flying Tigers destroyed 297 enemy aircraft for the loss of just four of their own in air-to-air combat."

One of my favorite planes, and the story of the Flying Tigers another favorite from WWII.

Karl

[bobstad]

One of my favorite planes, and the story of the Flying Tigers another favorite from WWII.Karl

That's odd, in writing I had known I'd not meant the P-38; those twin fuselage fighters with two engines and the cockpit suspended in a pod between the two fuselages in the center of the wing. I must've gotten lazy and spaced out a little, forgetting to research what I'd been writing; perhaps influenced by one of my most favorite military items, the nearly ubiquitous P-38 can-openers?

The more I think now, the more I feel that the Jewish youth hustled to China by the Nazi officers friends of his father; had perhaps been in Germany rather than in Holland? I've lately gotten hold of nearly a dozen books by Jewish historian Howard M. Sachar a Berkeley friend introduced me to several years ago with Sachar's book Diaspora-about Judaism after the second world war, in other than the United States or Canada.

Judaism seems to have the unlucky fate of providing the human infrastructure often, whereby emerging nations create themselves as functional entities; until the general status of the peoples other than Jews involved, draws them to want to occupy the more middle class roles which the Jewish population has established in supporting a national emergence.

Thus, Judaism seems to often temper the conservative strains of nationalism with a more enlightened perspective; though ultimately often suffering when conservatism goes further to the right, becoming reactionary: As the stringency of national roles where nations compete against each other; makes all their peoples subordinate, to less than humanist considerations.

How many times I wonder, do rational people simply ignore until too late; their own better judgement: While attempting to create for themselves and those closest to them, an ordered and decent personal realm? I'm always moved thinking of that book I read, by the image of several Nazi leather greatcoats on the coat rack of the humble home of a Jewish mechanic for a fleet of taxi cabs; and the disdain which must've been felt in spite of such roles, for the order they were to serve so horrifically otherwise.

Now, a person also has to wonder; what sort of an influence the Jewish chairman of the board of General Electric may've had in world affairs? Too easy is imagining Palestinians who've not fared well, by that sort of an influence...?

Anyway, two books read in my early adulthood; so I hope I've given here accurate enough details?

Howard M. Sachar though obviously an advocate of Judaism, seems an excellent author and historian; while I'd suggest as far his opinions concerning Communism, other sources could reveal alternative interpretations, even though he does give reasonably-considering his own well documented points of view. His books used via Amazon are excellent bargains, in my experience.

[bobstad]

Moot point. If I am unable to 'jumpstart' a supposedly manual tranny then it becomes just another automatic as far as I'm concerned. Many of us become manual tranny fans by virtue of having been stuck somewhere with dead batteries, failed starters or solenoids, on auto trannys. Manuals provide some options to get you home; push, tow or park on a hill. I hate being left outright helpless.

This is one of my biggest complaints of the Festiva;which thanks to the electronic ignition, won't push start easily when cold. Thus defeating one of the great assets of a light in weight, manual transmission car; or indeed any vehicle with a manual transmission, and an adequate grade of only a few feet...or something powerful enough to push with, which needn't be much at all-if a vehicle with a dead or insufficient battery and/or a lousy starter, is otherwise in reasonable condition.

I've driven any number of cars with dead batteries/bad starters through seasons of use, only able to start those cars by a push start or as became the obvious habit, coasting them from an advantageous parking spot. I'm easily tempted to think that manufacturers must give the nod to the plutocracy by building ever more complex vehicles, increasingly difficult to keep functional merely with will, intelligence and some work; rather than adequate munificence, always trumping every other consideration.

The realm of computers I think mirrors the tendency in an accelerated form; with the public being encouraged to accept obsolescence in favor of advancing technology, even more easily than the same types of trends are given to apply to motor vehicles. How many people are asking themselves; how that relates to having to pay for drinking water, or maybe someday soon the air a person breathes?

A few years ago I had an upstairs neighbor I got along fairly well with; telling me war is a reasonable entropy for the technological advances that brings, while for me this seems to make chattel of nearly everyone.

I think I'd much sooner make friends with a horse than a dog, if given the choice; out of my finding vegetarianism is more generally healthy for me than becoming too heavily a carnivore-not to mention the relative functions of the two animals, and the responsibility of keeping either fed.

Probably getting along with both breeds is the wisest; while remembering that in fact people were actually "gatherer/hunter" far more than "hunter/gather" except in the most extreme cold environments: Something the design of our bodies bears out, if also our adaptability. Maybe entirely foregoing the use of chattel, is ultimately the wisest...?

In Tibetan Buddhism, is said "the only thing which moves by wheels is conflict" while in this forum similarly if not exactly the same; "tits or wheels, with either eventually comes trouble."

[bobstad]

Howard M. Sachar though obviously an advocate of Judaism, seems an excellent author and historian; while I'd suggest as far his opinions concerning Communism, other sources could reveal alternative interpretations, even though he does give reasonably-considering his own well documented points of view. His books used via Amazon are excellent bargains, in my experience.

A few years ago, talking with my friend who interested me in Sachar's book Diaspora; I felt proud he recognized, as practically identical to my notion of "co-existent mutually exclusive truths" that this mirrors one of the fundamental principles, whereby Socialism and Communism are understood; the principal of "dialectical materialism" which I'd come to think were indeed closely enough related, that they did indeed refer to the same thing.

My friend born in 1942, now retired from a job with the state of California; has both bachelors and masters degrees in economics.

"Dialectical materialism" still seems difficult for me to wrap my thoughts around; though the one goes a long ways to help explain the other.

One of the things I found in reading of Howard M. Sachar; is how important the state of Israel is to Judaism. Thus, one's imagination is challenged to imagine the standing order of nations in any way long surviving; as currently portrayed.

Probably amongst the worst sticks in the mud are the big three of monotheism; not least, for their strong support of patriarchy and the paternalistic aspects of that. Though of course patriarchy and paternalism exist elsewhere too, in other major world spiritual orders.

While I think that for many of us, survival in modern society and culture; often demands some sort of a capitulation to spirituality, based upon one of the three dominant monotheistic religions. I feel thrown to the dogs otherwise; while also unable to accept monotheism too gracefully, to say the least.

[Bert]

This is one of my biggest complaints of the Festiva;which thanks to the electronic ignition, won't push start easily when cold. Thus defeating one of the great assets of a light in weight, manual transmission car; or indeed any vehicle with a manual transmission, and an adequate grade of only a few feet...or something powerful enough to push with, which needn't be much at all-if a vehicle with a dead or insufficient battery and/or a lousy starter, is otherwise in reasonable condition."

I'm not a young man and I'll tell you that I too was very suspicious of electronic ignition (what; no more points or condenser to fiddle with?) first time around but that was already 35 years ago and on a rusty Pinto. It does work and is reliable and does produce a stronger and more consistent spark than anything you'd ever get out of the old ways of doing things. Do not ever blame poor jump starts on electronic ignition. Both battery and alternator have to be dead in order for e-ignition not to function and under the same circumstances the old set up wouldn't have done squat either. Also consider the electronic ignition module (formerly known as the coil). Coils were known to get lazy and drop their voltages over time whereas the modern high voltage delivery systems are strictly a "yes" or "no" proposition.

[bobstad]

Barely bearable often enough to be a habit at that...

I'm not a young man and I'll tell you that I too was very suspicious of electronic ignition (what; no more points or condenser to fiddle with?) first time around but that was already 35 years ago and on a rusty Pinto. It does work and is reliable and does produce a stronger and more consistent spark than anything you'd ever get out of the old ways of doing things. Do not ever blame poor jump starts on electronic ignition. Both battery and alternator have to be dead in order for e-ignition not to function and under the same circumstances the old set up wouldn't have done squat either. Also consider the electronic ignition module (formerly known as the coil). Coils were known to get lazy and drop their voltages over time whereas the modern high voltage delivery systems are strictly a "yes" or "no" proposition.

Hmmm...?

This seems not only contrary to my experiences; but, I've been told by others that the electronic ignition in the Festiva won't start the car from a cold start under about 40 mph...which has proven definitely true for me.

I've never owned any other car so equipped with electronic ignition, so have no other points of reference in this; though plenty of times I've found, as stated, the same identical results. I have experienced the faulty coil on occasion too, so eventually I'll get around to making sure that's not the difficulty.

One thing which has proven true; is when the car is warm and the engine dies, usually due to the idle being suddenly slow-though as supposed to be adjusted, say upon leaving a freeway or in some other way after traveling at speed then with the clutch disengaged and no gas pedal pressure when the idle system normally takes over-which is a problem others here at these forums suggest is from the car getting older: By quickly letting the clutch out, the motor starts again...just as one would expect, with all the other stick shift vehicles I've ever driven.

The Festiva's motor has always run well, starting easily, with the spark plugs consistently a light tan color from the usual modest accumulation of deposits expected between changes or cleaning; so this would make me expect the car to start using the clutch, were there not some sort of a variable built into the system-which by design defeats this?

I guess I should experiment to make sure I know what I'm talking about, though I do keep the car parked most of the time these days, due to an oil leak as well as for greater economy by riding my old ten-speed: Since with this, as stated apparent inability using the clutch to start the car at slower speeds I've always accepted as natural with the sort of an ignition the car came with; I've not bothered in years, trying to use the clutch for slow, cold starts-since finding long ago I had no luck that way, which soon was explained to me as being what is expected in a Festiva so equipped with electronic ignition, fuel injection, etcetera.

The difference has certainly been strident enough in the past though, compared to other cars with a stick and the more conventional ignitions when those were nearly universal; where often cars without any or very negligible battery-which could make a little difference depending upon whether with no charge or just enough to make the spark, would start from stone cold eagerly, within only a slight revolution of the motor at a very slow speed, or if no battery at all, a little more rolling speed.

Few of the cars involved have been behemoths, in fact most were 1600cc or less weighing on the shy side of a ton by far, when without any load; so that hand pushing them to start them on level pavement, was often not only feasible but, nearly continually employed for weeks, if not months many times. Though this was usually accomplishable even with the few V-8s or six cylinder rigs as well; no doubt since gaining momentum also contributed adequate torque, to create considerable motive forces despite the motors' turning speed being relatively slow.*

All of course, depended upon the state of tune the engines were kept at; which could depend simply upon a little creative work with a pen knife or whatever, and decent sensitivity to the timing, points adjustments and such: Hardly rocket science though too, easy to imagine when disregarded, capable of making a disappointing effort from negligence...there needs to be an update, on the old saw about having enough rope to hang oneself; to cover a machine's devious enough alerts, to a person's tendency to want to ignore the things whenever there's a chance of doing so.


*I remember once mushrooming near Sylvanite, MT during the early '90s stupidly out alone after returning to where I'd worked with friends a few weeks earlier, when the starter decided to fail with about a twenty-five mile walk back to civilization; I had to start a '66 VW "square-back" sedan in reverse, while failing to notice in time a stump I had to watch bend back the driver's side door to the front headlight, rather than slow my course to avoid that...in interest of getting the car started, rather than hoofing myself through grizzly bear forest; at the end of the day no less.

What a thrill to've survived that adventure, and instead get mistaken for a Cambodian and murdered; in what then were severe enough tensions about whom should be making their livings, at what sorts of employment. A situation where the crops were being augmented by fires set intentionally, to cause more mushrooms to grow than would occur in what are the natural growing conditions-since silver fir normally only sustain the valuable edible mushrooms of that, and many other northwest regions-while after a fire edible mushrooms grow abundantly in any type of woods. Often the only source of cash employment for many residents; particularly when economic conditions aren't too good.

[Tommychu]

My first winter with the Festiva would prove otherwise. I was running a 9 year old battery, flaky alternator, ignition module that was on its way out (eventually failed that April) and highly questionable plugs and wires. We saw temps down to -30c and without fail it started with no hesitation every day. I left my lights on twice that winter and both times I was able to do a bobsled start on my own on level ground. I'm a pretty strong guy but I'm thinking I didn't get anywhere near 40MPH. You know, laws of physics and all that.
Any problem you have in bumpstarting is specific to your car, not electronic ignitions and certainly not inherent to Mazda's interpretation of that style of system.

[bobstad]

Get up with what?

My first winter with the Festiva would prove otherwise. I was running a 9 year old battery, flaky alternator, ignition module that was on its way out (eventually failed that April) and highly questionable plugs and wires. We saw temps down to -30c and without fail it started with no hesitation every day. I left my lights on twice that winter and both times I was able to do a bobsled start on my own on level ground. I'm a pretty strong guy but I'm thinking I didn't get anywhere near 40MPH. You know, laws of physics and all that.
Any problem you have in bumpstarting is specific to your car, not electronic ignitions and certainly not inherent to Mazda's interpretation of that style of system.

Well, a couple solid enough opinions contrary to my own, which seems worth at least verification of; since no one has any theories as to why my experiences are so different?

With the as still relatively new battery, also a recent alternator too; this car should jump to life on the least of provocations, is a certainty: Which is the way the car does start now, using the starter normally.

Though probably I'll give the night a break, and do my designs when the sun is next up; or something along such lines? I'm not necessarily lazy; though do imagine having a scene compatible to my feasible degrees of consternation, in whatever directions...