Re: (ET) Mother Earth News

[Allan <allanhv worldnet att net>]

An "honest mistake" is still a mistake.  People who don't know what they 
are
talking about should keep quiet.

I agree that someone (but not me!) should write them a letter correcting 
the
misinformation.

Allan


Tim Chapin wrote:

> I don't read Mother Earth News but I am guessing it is an honest 
> mistake.  I
> would guess Mother Earth News is a good publication that messed up.  
> Instead
> of bashing them in this news group, I would suggest someone draft a
> letter,(I can't even communicate using spoken words let alone type up
> something--maybe Dennis's letter), pass it thru the news group to get all
> the correct information (including the electra ox out of Can.).  Then 
> send
> it to Mother Earth News editor from the news group.  Invite who ever is
> interested in elec trak types of mowers to join.  It will get more
> information out about elec traks and who knows we might find more out 
> there
> to salvage.  Maybe even more parts suppliers.
>
> >Return-Path: <owner-elec-trak cosmos5 phy tufts edu>
> >X-Authentication-Warning: cosmos5.phy.tufts.edu: majordom set sender to
> owner-elec-trak cosmos5 phy tufts edu using -f
> >From: "Hazen, Dwight L" <hazen indiana edu>
> >To: "'Pestka, Dennis J'" <Dennis Pestka mkg com>,
> >        Elec-Trak Email Discussion List <elec-trak cosmos5 phy tufts 
> > edu>
> >Cc: "Stigall, John D." <stigall indiana edu>
> >Subject: RE: (ET) Mother Earth News
> >Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 09:15:03 -0500
> >Sender: owner-elec-trak cosmos5 phy tufts edu
> >
> >
> > With thinking like that from Mother Earth we would still be driving 
> > gas hog
> >cars from the 60'es. So when did big oil take over Mother earth?
> >
> >   Dwight
> >
> >
> >
> >Dwight L. Hazen, Indiana University, UITS
> >Bloomington, In. 47408-7378 Phone 812-855-5367 hazen indiana edu
> >http://php.ucs.indiana.edu/~hazen/ Ham Radio wb9tlh arrl net
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From:        Pestka, Dennis J [SMTP:Dennis Pestka mkg com]
> >> Sent:        Monday, September 18, 2000 6:50 AM
> >> To:  Elec-Trak Email Discussion List
> >> Subject:     (ET) Mother Earth News
> >>
> >> After subscribing to the Mother Earth News for over 20 years, I was 
> >> really
> >> disappointed with the response to a question from one of the readers.
> >> There are so many inaccuracies in this that I don't know where to 
> >> begin.
> >> I am writing my response to this and I would encourage everyone else 
> >> to do
> >> the same.
> >> www.motherearthnews.com
> >>
> >> Dennis
> >>
> >>
> >> Dear Mother,
> >> Do you know of any company making electric garden tractors.
> >>
> >> Will
> >> Coarsegold, CA
> >>
> >> We don't know of a commercially viable electric tractor being made by 
> >> an
> >> established firm today. The cost of high-capacity motors and 
> >> batteries is
> >> just too high to compete with gas engine-powered models. The obvious
> >> environmental advantages alone won't convince enough buyers to pay ten
> >> times
> >> what a zippy little John Deere lawn or garden tractor costs.
> >>   General Electric made the Elec-Trac lawn-tractor/riding mower in the
> >> 1970's but lost their shirts on every sale and discounted the line 
> >> years
> >> ago. You can find used Elec-Tracs for sale at well under $1000. They 
> >> were
> >> robustly made, and parts are still available. But they were slow and
> >> heavy,
> >> underpowered for attachments, too low slung to use in the garden row, 
> >> and
> >> lack the run time to mow a big lawn on a single charge.
> >