Thanks for digging up this information, it is a relief to hear that my wife’s health is not in danger. Unfortunately, this means I have to go under the hood when the car breaks down.

The Smart Key system sounds like something that will be commonplace in most cars in the near future, so it’s probably not an issue limited to the hybrid.

“This is written by an engineer at one of the CI manufacturers. Sounds like they only cause an interference that can be heard by the CI user. The only problem with the magnet is if you are under the hood. There are no warnings for roller coasters. They always recommend taking off the processor. The internal device is not at risk. Hope this helps ease your mind!

“I got some numbers and more information from a technical rep in Toyota. I got passed around but I did manage to get someone who had some useful information. This rep said that Toyota has been getting more calls about pacemakers lately because of the warning but she is not aware of any issues yet. According to her, it had more to do with their new RFID technology (Smart Key System) they are offering in their recent cars; she didn’t think it was causing problem to the pacemaker battery. She gave me some technical specifications about their smart key system. According to her, the smart key system can be deactivated quite easily if necessary.

I had a long discussion with our RF engineer and we don’t expect the system to cause damage to our implant or drain our battery. However the frequency of the car’s smart key transmitter, when ‘smart key system is activated, is not too far from the audio frequency (134 KHz). There is a small risk of this signal being picked up by T-Coil, T-Mic, and other Mics. This signal could potentially be mapped to the CI user’s electric dynamic range and perceived as noise. In other words, the CI user could potentially get interference when near or inside the ‘Smart Key System’ activated car. We cannot rule this risk out until we test this smart key system and other RFID based systems in-house. If it is an infrequent use, I think the CI user may be ok riding in the car. If interference is encountered, the user can take off the processor and HP. If the CI user is planning to use the car often, it would probably be better to deactivate the smart key system until we understand the risks more clearly (Deactivation procedure is supposedly straightforward and mentioned in the user manual of Prius). Also, I would advise the CI user from being too close to the AC electric motor under the hood. This is mainly to keep our implant or the HP away from the permanent magnet in the AC motor. “

You did not give such an accurate picture of what is really going on with the sleath tax break for SUV and Hummer owners. Why the Bush II adminstration extend the existing law and make more easier for people to get the tax breaks for buying SUVs and Hummers?????

The original intention of the 103rd Congress to give the tax breaks to farmers and timber industries for purschasing the light-duty trucks and vans, not SUVs and Hummers.

The tax accountants urged their well-off clients to exploit the existing loopholes with the Envirnomental Incentives laws.

Driving the SUV or Hummer is not really necessary for professions like doctors, lawyers and other unrelated lifting professions.

Many housewifes, working people and other individuals ought to ask themselves about the Almighty God giving all of us, humans the stewardship of Mother Earth before driving the gas guzzlers, ex. SUV or Hummer. (I am an atheist myself deeply care about our real fragile planet- Earth).

Many women drive the SUV to make themselves feel real safe. The SUV vehicle is not 100 percent safe anyway.

I will keep giving the middle finger to the SUV and Hummer drivers regardless of their income, racial/ ethnicity classification and disability. Their SUV and Hummer drivings really f**** our only habitable planet in the entire universe.

I have to look up the Congressional Records for the original insert of the legislation passage for tax incentives for the light-duty trucks and vans this weekend.

People have to take a stand from time to time than being part of the “herd” mentality.

RLM

On the contrary, when it comes to deaf babies or children, it’s the parents who make a risky decision on behalf of their child when being deaf is not a matter of life and death. Deaf children lives like Katie’s ended for parents’ own decision.

While I do not see the need for CI for myself, if my future deaf child is older enough to make the decision to get CI, I would support his/her decision although there’s risks. I just can’t make this decision for my baby and live with the guilt if anything was to happen adversely.

froyer74: How’s atlanta
wordofhand: Ur an andriod
froyer74: Yup
froyer74: Cyborg
froyer74: So are pacemaker people
froyer74: Nobody gives them sh*t tho
wordofhand: So are u already using the metal thing attached to ur head?
wordofhand: Yes
froyer74: The BTE? That comes next month
wordofhand: Well that’s not a culutral thing
wordofhand: So u hear nada in one ear now?
froyer74: Well I’m not deaf cultural

I’m not proclaiming this to be true for every single person in the Deaf community, but my general experience, especially with the grassroots, is that in the Deaf community it’s either/or. You’re not allowed to just *be*. Why is that? A question that should be attempted to be answered but not by me, because nature is calling right now.

It’s here to stay, and personally, I would like to see doctors, audiologists and educators be more honest about what and who is appropriate for CIs.