Billings Books

A very good book that covers most of the power converter architectures. An excellent addition to your personal library.

The book is so clearly written you can open it practically anywhere and read just the items of interest.

Concepts are supported by properly simplified schematics.

All the math needed for your own designs is shown and explained, but in such a way, that if you do not need the math right now, you can skip it.

Half the reason I bought this book was to learn to build switching power supplies, the other half was to learn analog design in general. The book is excellent for both purposes.

I recently graduated from Virginia Tech (undergrad), and I had only two classes that focused on power supply design/analysis. As an extension to what I learned in those classes (basics about buck/boost/flyback design and fabrication), this book is fantastic.

The book assumes you have a basic knowledge of EE principles, but nearly everything is explained in great detail. Topologies are examined one by one, and the author includes ALL of the derivations that lead to his design equations, which leaves very little room for misunderstanding. Each section contains pros/cons to using that particular topology, how to remedy common problems, and even talks a little about component selection (although since this book is years old, there are probably better components out there).

I haven't spent much time looking at the magnetics design section; however, it seems as though it would be useful. The chapter on loop compensation is excellent as well, offering a complete refresher of control theory and the design/analysis/use of Type 2 and 3 controllers. As I said before, the author assumes you're starting with very minimal knowledge of power supplies, so every equation and assumption is clearly justified in writing.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this text to anyone who is interested in power supply design or has to gain a quick understanding of something in the workplace since it not only includes the "quick and easy" design equations but also how to get there if you really care to know.

If you're an avid electronics enthusiast, you've more than likely had to build some power supplies. The days of building simple linear supplies are over. If you need various voltages that are carefully controlled and/or just want to build efficient supplies, you need to build a switchmode power supply. This handbook will take you through the major topologies, explaining them all in detail, along with the necessary math to choose the proper components, and the theory of how it's done - and how to choose the proper topology in the first place. The book is well-written and stuffed full of very useful information. Power Factor Correction is also covered, with examples, chips, and theory to build PFC circuits, along with transformer design and theory as well. This book is a great book to buy with "Switchmode Power Supply Handbook", by Keith Billings. Keith's book presents additional information and transformer design mock-ups, along with additional ways to calculate and pick components. Used together, you have the information you need to build a working switching supply with a minimum of hassle. Of course, this assumes that you're already famaliar with electronics and magnetism, and have a good working knowledge of algebra and basic trig. These books are not meant for beginners by any means. I am one happy customer to have found such a good reference for an art that seems to only be known by a few anymore, and other reference materials do not even begin to go into the depth that this book does.
The only shortcoming is that Pulse Width Modulation power supply chips are not covered much, but this book cannot be expected to keep up with the latest PWM chips used in switchmode supplies. This problem is easily resolved by going to National Semiconductor's website and getting current datasheets on PWM chips for standalone, voltage-controlled or current-mode designs, of which they have many. Motorola also has reference materials available on PWM offerings that they carry.

Although a good primer on the basic switching topologies, with an excellent chapter on inductor and transformer design, I couldn't help but feel that this book is more than a little outdated (which it is, at nine years old). There was no mention of synchronous or polyphase switchers, inductorless converters, charge pumps, high-frequency designs...and the section on MOSFETs left out what I feel was a great deal of information about paralleling and load sharing. Many of Linear Technology's app notes go above and beyond the material presented in this book...and they're free.

This engaging book fills the void that other Civil War histories leave, and that is an understanding of the everyday experiences of the foot soldier. "Hardtack and Coffee or the Unwritten Story of Army Life" by John D. Billings is an exhaustive and fascinating look back at the flesh, bones, and blood of those lines and arrows on the maps of Civil War battle strategies.

The book is filled with anecdotes, observations, and songs arising from the era. (I very much appreciated the introduction which details the election of 1860 and started the whole terrible tragedy that ensued over the next half decade.) The generous amount of illustration truly helps evoke the period. "Hardtack and Coffee" is a perfect companion to Bell Irvin Wiley's "Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union" and "The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy". And it is a perfect part of anyone's Civil War/American History library.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of THE FIVE POINTS

I am a Civil War reenactor, and this book has been an excellent source of ideas for first person scenarios and ideas for living history. It is an insightful, unique record of the soldier's life for living historians or students of history. I would highly recommend this engaging book.

This is the best book on the life of the Civil War soldier. The other reviews attest to this, so here is something different.
Charles W. Reed, the illustrator, was ALSO a Civil War veteran.
He served in the Ninth Massachusetts Battery and won the Medal of Honor at Gettysburg for saving his commanding officer, Captain
John Bigelow, who had been seriously wounded in the fight at the
Trostle Farm on 2 July 1863.
My favorite chapter was the one on the army mule.
Buy, read & enjoy this book!

Hardtack and Coffee provides an excellent picture of Army life in the mid-nineteenth century. The sketches illustrate the text superbly. This is a useful handbook for students and teachers as well as an intriguing introduction to the Civil War.

I'm one of those men with the "Civil War Itch" who can't get enough reading, can't get enough time on the battlefields. This book is hands-down one of my favorites in my extensive collection, re-read several times and dog-eared. It's something I always put in my bag for air-travel reading, because you can pick it up and put it down when you need to...the author and the illustrator both were participants in the Conflict, so you know it's accurate. The content is educational but not stuffy, since it was written to explain to soldiers' families what exactly Union Army life was like...and the humor still carries through to this day. After you've read the historical studies or walked a battlefield, THIS is the book you want to read to put yourself in the shoes of the everyday soldier--and it's easy to do with the author's skills. For me, the best chuckles are the chapters "Jonahs and Beats", and "The Army Mule". A must-read for those wanting more than just a general's biography or an order of battle.

The profitable Physical Therapy and rehabilitation practice requires sharp focus and excellent administrative skills in addition to assurance of best practices. Payers underpay Physical Therapy and rehabilitation offices more often than any other specialty. An average PT claim earns $55, which has dropped 17% over the past five years. Payers also audit Physical Therapy and rehabilitation offices more often than any other specialty because of inconsistent medical documentation and frequent problems with billing compliance. Instead of treating patients, practice owners spend excessive and wasted time fighting payers and payers' systems.

"Practicing Profitability" teaches how to implement scalable billing processes using modern Internet technology to match the power, efficiency, and scale of payers' systems. The examples in this book have a background in chiropractic office management and are directly applicable, equally relevant and extremely important in the advancement of Physical Therapy and rehabilitation billing practices.

Regardless if you are just starting your Physical Therapy practice or if you are a veteran rehab office owner, "Practicing Profitability" offers a wealth of knowledge in a tightly organized and easily digestible way. It is the best modern profitability resource for the owner of a Physical Therapy practice.

Gerilyn M. Gault, Physical Therapist
Co-Owner G&E Therapies
Rehabilitation Company, NY

A comprehensive analysis of the losing battle physicians find themselves in with unpaid and underpaid claims due to the insurance companies' powerful computers and software. Insurers will pick out small inconsistencies and reject claims, delaying for weeks or months the payment the physician has earned. The approach outlined in this easy to read book explains how the doctor can level the playing field by equipping his or her practice with equally powerful software to match the insurers'. Dr. Lirov, a renowned computer expert, outlines the various strategies of his system to overcome the payers' continuous attempts to underpay or delay payment to the practitioner. Using such a system makes sure that claims are 'clean' even before they are submitted. Moreover, it does not allow the insurer much time to delay thereby shortening the time for accounts receivable. This results in enhanced profitability for the practice, hence the name of the book, "Practicing Profitability." It should be required reading for anyone in private practice.

The physical therapist has a strong background and foundation of clinical orthopedics, physics, biomechanics, anatomy, neurophysiology, physiology, medical diagnostics for physical therapists, histology, and all other related subjects. That's the knowledge we acquire when preparing for our profession.

But no physical therapy or rehab education program prepares us for the harsh realities of daily struggle with insurance companies to get paid in full and on time. A recent physical therapy program graduate lacks basic knowledge about payer-provider adversity, HIPAA compliance, audit mechanics, SOAP note management, reporting tools, billing profitability metrics, and outsourcing opportunities. And no program teaches us how to use modern computer technology and Internet to accumulate and leverage our collective health care and practice management knowledge.

This concise, highly informative, and expertly written book addresses a major educational gap. Practicing Profitability is a must read for every owner of a rehab or physical therapy practice.

Yaffa Liebermann, PT, GCS, CEO
Prime Rehabilitation Services, Inc.

Health care spending continues to rise at the fastest rate in our history. On one hand, the insurance companies, bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies, as well as lawyers, have increased their profits in step with the rising costs of health care. On the other hand, the medical and chiropractic office owners - the actual health care providers - have not only failed to keep up with raising costs but have lost a significant part of their income.

How such a paradoxical situation is possible without a deliberate strategy against health care providers?

The best part of Lirov's book, for me, was understanding this paradox and becoming more conscious of how insurance companies manage to systematically reduce my income to improve their shareholders value. Lirov's book spells out the reasons for and the symptoms of the payer-provider adversity. The book outlines both the strategy and the tactics the insurance companies use to underpay or worse, take back the money already paid to the providers. This is not a theoretical work trying to lay out a strategy of underpayment. This is a road map for any insurance company interested in a simple and pragmatic system to increase its share value.

Next, Lirov's book outlines an Internet-based strategy for providers interested in leveling the playing field with the insurance companies. This is a toolkit, designed to give the reader a selection of tools for specific circumstances. The underlying theory is that multiple small practices can use the Internet to combine their insurance claim volumes to "transform the many into the mighty" and use Metcalf's law to guide them during such a transformation. Lirov's book tells you how to create a shared and continuously improving billing knowledge base and an integrated system for both front office and an outsourced, or even off-shored, billing service.

In spite of the title that mentions chiropractic, most of the information in this book is directly applicable to any health care provider running a private practice and dependent on insurance payments. The book is filled with valuable advice and simple examples about using modern technology to increase provider's revenue. The introduction of the billing network effect concept is simple and convincing. The audit part could use more examples but the parts on metrics and on outsourcing are both practical and easy to follow.

Overall, this outstanding book provokes thinking about best practices, scalability, and professional management of the physician's office. It should be required reading for practitioners at any level of business experience.

The average practice submits half of its codes wrong. A poorly designed billing process fails to spot a line-item underpayment. Denial followup is frustrating and expensive. Taking advantage of practice management incompetence, the payers leave the clinic owner with disappointing revenue flow.

Lirov's Practicing Profitability teaches how to design industrial-grade claim processing systems and how to use Internet technology to manage them. This book maintains a bird's eye view of the entire practice revenue cycle, starting with patient appointment scheduling, pre-authorization, patient encounter note creation, charge generation, claim scrubbing, claim submission to payer, and followup, which in turn includes denial or underpayment identification, payment reconciliation, and appeal management. It also includes separate chapters on outsourcing, reporting, compliance and audit.

Written by an expert in billing and technology, Practicing Profitability is a major milestone in the evolution of medical billing from individualistic art towards disciplined and systematic process.

Michael McCormick, Paid Claims, LLC
Do you want Paid Claims?

This is the best book available on making diversity work!

Dr. Michael Beitler
Author of "Strategic Organizational Change"

Each chapter begins with a question: "What is diversity in the workplace?", "How do I begin to improve my understanding of people different from me?", "In today's environment of political correctness, it's too difficult to know what to do. Isn't it easier just to treat everybody the same?" After every heartened answer, she ends the chapter with practical tips.

I recommend this to everyone migrating or moving into North America.

I just read The Diversity Advantage. It was packed full of great ideas and easy to read. In a short time I gained useful knowledge and ideas for diversity training activities.

A short and concise guide to learning about the diversity that makes the United States the richest country in the world in more ways than monetarily. The excercises help to learn about diversity. Enjoyed the chance to read it.

This book represents a conversational approach to sharing critical information. Common sense steps to digging into our head regarding the value of tolerance and inclusiveness. I had the feeling of "being there" in a true teaching session. The analogy of The Wizard of OZ was delightful. The exercises are thought out and well organized. Thank you for providing steps on "how to make a difference"!

This is an outstanding thriller about a young, out-of-work executive who loses his wife to cancer. He goes to Oregon to live and work with his inlaws, only to find out that a serial killer has victimized the town for 18 years. In this complex and weirdly scary story, our hero must uncover the killer in order to clear himself of a recent murder. This is a great story, full of texture and local color

After promising his late wife's charge not to involve their two children with her pernicious family in Oregon, irrevocable events herd Peter Cochran and his family in New York right smack into the web of his in-law's aesthetically deceptive lair! One would yell, phone, or E-mail "DON'T GO!", but contemplating intervention only affirms Andrew Billings literary excellence!

I liked this one a lot. The hero must not only find a serial killer, but also keep the parents of his dead wife from wooing his two kids away from him. The scary thing is that something like this could really happen

This is a excellent psychothriller. When Pete Cochran decides to move his family to the small mining town of Buckthorn,Oregon. Cochran will soon regret it. The town has been terrorized for almost two decades by a sadistic serial killer who has been targeting the young men in town.This novel has great plot twists,terror, and a truly chilling surprise ending.If you like psychological thrillers with some nasty twists, violent shocking conclusion you will enjoy this shocker.

Tainted Blood has all the elements of a first-rate thiller and then some. When Pete Cochran's wife dies, he and his two children move to Buckthorn, Oregon to live with his in-laws. Something his wife made him promise not to do. What Pete does not know is that for the past eighteen years, Buckthorn has been troubled by the brutal slaying of young men. With his over zealous in-laws, a nephew who is diagnosed as the "stuff made of monsters," and a lover that looks remarkably like his wife, Pete has to leave town before becoming the killer's next victim. Tainted Blood is one heart pounding, in-your-face of a thriller. Just when you think you've figured out what happens next, the unexpected happens.

I thought that this book was very interesting. I never knew the special kinship that twins have and this book brought it all to light. I now look at twins differently, also it gave me a new awareness of siblings and sibling rivalry. I really did enjoy this book, I had not read anything by Kendra Norman-Bellamy or Maxine Billings previously but now I am looking for some more of their works to read and enjoy. I was already familiar with Linda Hudson-Smith and she held true to her style of writing. Congratulations to all three authors for a work well done.

Kendra has done it again! I am consistently amazed at how "complete" Kendra's stories are; reaching so far beyond the surface every single time. I love her stories and the way that she ministers through them. Kendra has a way of telling you a good story and in the midst of it, she gives you something solid to walk away with. It is clear that this talented author is also a talented minister - because that what her stories do, minister to you! Wow what an awesome gift.

The stories in this novel were very emotional and inspirational! Great read for all!

My book club members are big fans of Kendra Norman Bellamy so we took a cue from "Three Fifty-Seven A.M." and determined that any book that she was a part of, whether she was the sole writer or not, would be worth the read. We were not disappointed with "Thicker Than Water." Perhaps we are bias, but all of our favorite story in the anthology was "A Gracious Thanksgiving," which was the story that Kendra wrote. But each of us enjoyed all of the stories represented in this book. There are few bonds that are stronger than that of siblings and when they are twins, that just makes it more secure. These three stories deal in the lives of twins who are facing issues that can make or break them for life. All of the stories offered a different message and that was what made this book so thoroughly entertaining. We highly recommend it.

Sheila Givens
Two Tons O'Fun Book Club
"Big Girls Just Do It Better"

Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Tsunamis. The tragic events of September 11, 2001. These are all disasters, natural and man-made, that have devastated our country, our nation, our families, and our lives the past few years. It's at times like these that the importance of family becomes even more profound.

In the newly released anthology THICKER THAN WATER, authors Kendra Norman-Bellamy, Maxine Billings and Linda Hudson Smith introduce us to three sets of twins who are facing some personal trials that could affect the rest of their lives. Even though their issues aren't of the magnitude of the disasters mentioned above, their issues force them to confront past demons and put them to rest, which in turn make them realize the importance of forgiveness and the importance of family.

I really enjoyed this anthology. Each story was heartfelt and dealt with issues that were real, and ones that we may have personally faced at one time or another, or know someone who has. If you're looking for a heartwarming read this holiday season, be sure and pick up a copy of THICKER THAN WATER. I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

Reviewed by Renee Williams
TRR Guest Reviewer

I'm a massage therapist and used part of this book to study for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB). This book is really helpful for showing you how to take a client history. This book is needed because it shows you the legalities and proper way to run a massage business. Documenation protects you in cases of audits and also is a source for assessing the client's progress and contraindications. I also studied the following for the National Certification Exam:
The Ultimate Study Guide for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Key Review Questions and Answers (Volume 1), (Volume 2), and (Volume 3)
(Author: Patrick Leonardi)
The last 3 books helped me to prepare for the type of questions encountered on the national certification examination. I highly recommend all 4 books. I passed the first time with the help of these books

Very thoroughly explains why to document manual therapies, professionalism, and how to document effectively. Diana Thompson has lots of experience and know-how to share!

Her first edition of "Hands Heal" was a collection of forms used for charting massage therapy sessions. When I saw the new book on the shelf being three times as thick as the first I thought "Oh my what more can be done with charting!" I now understand her obsession with charting. It is not just charting your sessions, but learning to communicate what you do, so the medical community and the public will begin to understand massage therapy as a healing modality. Communication starts with the therapeutic relationship with the client. Healing begins when the client becomes involved in the process. Then you can pass the information along to all parties involved - the lawyers, the doctors, whoever. If you document every treatment, you will be able to find out what is working and what is not with each individual. Documentation can assist you in builing your practice and support the massage profession as a whole. I particularly liked the section on ethics as she supports the idea of peer groups, mentoring and supervision as a means of development for the practitioner. I believe the future of the profession lies in those areas.
If you are a massage therapist in any state, this will guide you to a successful practice whether you are involved in billing insurance companies or not.

I've watched this book evolve over a number of versions. Each one gets better and better. Yes, at times Dianna Thompson appears obsessive but on the other hand, that's what makes it great. Recently I was asked to write a detailed case summary that will be used as evidence in a lawsuit for a client I saw over a year ago. My SOAP notes are what saved the day for me. Thanks Diana. This book is essential for anyone working in a therapeutic environment.

The Hill is a true story of two men whose fates were laid out to be very different, and how their paths crossed during a confusing and brutal time in their village.

As history and war stories go, this is an easy to read, simply told, very personal story that highlights the World War II experiences of these men in a way that puts you there. Getting to know each of the characters and their own personal travails makes the ensuing violence and cruelty more shocking.

This book, written in plain language that could have been lifted from the pages of a news magazine, is powerful simply because of its simplicity. Taking turns showing perspectives of various characters with very different lives, gives the story its strength.

The two main characters were in very different stations in life, and because of the mandate to kill all Jews, one lives and one dies. The older family man who is the highly educated, compassionate doctor of the town, is also a Jew. The town lets him live even as they follow Nazi orders to eliminate Jews all the way down to the last Jewish family, that of the doctor. But by the end of the story, the majority rules, and the last "Yid" must go.

The story opens from the eyes of a child who had heard and seen how the war affected his town, from the disappointment of the wealthy whose lives have been disrupted to the horrific stories of the ghosts of the Jews recently murdered in the woods. It is apparent that the lives and psyches of every character is changed.

This book is translated from the original Lithuanian version, and clearly has been done so as simply and plainly as possible. In that, lies its ability to offer something profound about the human condition for all.

Antanas Jonynas's "The Hill" may be a quick read and few in pages, but it is far from insignificant. This account, which describes true events, follows shepherd boy Joe Martinkus as he experiences life on a farm after the German takeover of Lithuania. After a serious accident, he is aided by the only Jewish male still alive in town, Dr. Schmidt. The story shifts from Joe's perspective to describe Dr. Schmidt's psychological state leading up to his inevitable end at the hands of his own neighbors.

Jonynas draws the reader into the story through vivid description, creating multidimensional, intriguing characters and images of rural simplicity. Many characters enter this 92-page story, but after initial introductions, it is not difficult for the reader to remember each character. Especially notable is mysterious and strong farmhand Alex Girnius, who responds to Joe Martinkus's accident with surprising expediency and leadership.

"The Hill" tells a unique and atypical story of World War II, the sort of anecdote that could be passed over in history in favor of gruesome descriptions of concentration camps and Nazi cruelty. The story is not without its share of cruelty, but it is described in a realistic and frank way, not meant to purposely shock or manipulate the reader. Emotion and messages are not lost in translation in this book; a reader might even assume that the story was written in English originally.

The story also distinguishes itself by focusing on a little-mentioned country, Lithuania. The preface brings the country's suffering during the war to light: "94 percent of the Lithuanian Jews (222,000 individuals) were murdered, the highest percentage for any Nazi-occupied country in Europe."

This seemingly simple but multifaceted work is all the more remarkable when the reader remembers that this is a true story. Through realistic storytelling, the reader is left with a compelling, moving, and affecting account of this horrendous period in history.

I found this short book difficult to put down. What appears to be a simple story about two people during the German occupation of Lithuania, reveals itself to be a complex statement about courage and bravery in the face of adversity. These themes are elegantly presented in a style that is accessible to both young and mature readers.

The story begins with little Joe Martinkus, a young shepherd, whose interest in the surrounding war is only observational. Dr. Schmidt enters the story midway, but has a tremendous impact on Martinkus. When Joe seriously injures himself, he requires immediate medical attention, and the only doctor available to him is Dr. Schmidt. Two other characters, Nakutis and Meldutis, are also interested in Dr. Schmidt. They believe that their problems will be solved when the Jews are removed from their village once and for all. Dr. Schmidt, a Jew and the only doctor in the small town, is the last remaining target in their community, and they are determined to end their troubles.

It can often be difficult to translate a story from one language to another without losing the emotions that made the original story so compelling. This story has been translated from its original language forty years after the original publication, but it is still just as effective today as it was at the time of publication. The story itself is both stirring and disturbing, and the themes explored in the novel are universal to the human condition.

This story is not a typical war story. Unlike other books in the genre, it is not graphically violent. There are no flashy battles or rallying troops. Instead, the actions are more subtle, which renders them more effective. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in historical fiction and true stories about everyday heroes.

Now at long last, "The Hill" is available in English and Jonynas' story is just as shocking now as it was when it was first published. The translation is smooth and the story runs just as fluently as the original Lithuanian version. Lirov perfectly captures the tone and style of Jonynas' book and words it in a way that is easy for English speaking readers to relate to. Because of Lirov's fantastic translation, readers can be sure that they are getting the story as it was meant to be told.

"The Hill" is a true story that takes place during World War II at a time when the Holocaust was at its worst. All of the Jewish citizens in the town have been killed except for Dr. Schmidt and his family. Though nobody is happy about having a Jewish physician, they realize that they have to let him live because the town and adjacent villages cannot survive without a doctor.

This becomes especially apparent when young Joe is fatally injured from an explosion. Even though he is in dire need of medical help, there is still some controversy as to whether or not it would be permissible for a Jewish man to treat him. As Jonynas eloquently explains, "The new rules were strict and made no sense. You could not sell medications to a Jew, and you could not treat a Jew, but you could probably call a Jewish doctor for help." Under that line of thinking, Dr. Schmidt is called and he manages to save Joe's life. Unfortunately, Dr. Schmidt will not find a savior of his own. Shortly after he saves Joe, Dr. Schmidt and his entire family are killed by the Lithuanian residents and his neighbors - all because of their Jewish heritage.

While the story of Joe and Dr. Schmidt is not completely unheard of due to the violence of that era, the way that this story came about is extremely unique. Unlike most Holocaust survivor stories, this one is not told by Jews because there were none left to tell the tale. The bulk of this story is told by Lithuanian Joe. For the events that Joe was not privy to, Jonynas had to locate other participants and witnesses to put the whole story together. His literary talent jumps off the pages while you read his portrayal of how the doctor felt when all of his friends and relatives were murdered before his eyes.

Though this book focuses on an extremely violent event and era, it is written in a manner that will make it as addictive for children as it is for adults. Consider this book as a history lesson that every person should learn no matter what their age. Whether you are 10 or 100, you will still be able to appreciate this story and the devastating time that it represents.

I have read a lot of books that chronicle events of the Holocaust and I can honestly say that this is one of the best books on the subject. Between Jonynas' enthralling storytelling, Lirov's perfect translation, and the heartbreaking story itself, "The Hill" is a phenomenal book. If you are interested in historical fiction, world history, the Holocaust, or the human condition in general, I strongly recommend that you read this book. I promise you won't be sorry.

Hydrogen Homestead was a project developed in 1975 in Provo, Utah demonstrating a complete hydrogen energy system. Photovoltaic solar cells produced electricity that could be stored in batteries. The electricity from the solar cells powered electrodes that electrolyze water into Oxygen and Hydrogen. The Hydrogen was stored in a metal hydride of Iron-Titanium and Manganese (55% Ti, 44%Fe, 5% Mn), whose weight top out at 3950 lbs and the vessel store 68 pounds of hydrogen. The hydrogen powered fuel cells and was used directly to produce heat for cooking, warming, and cooling. Additionally, the hydrogen powered a lawnmower and a car. The elecrolyzer unit was based on SPE technology.

Hydrogen contains 1/3 the energy per unit of natural gas. Hydrogen has a low viscosity because of its small molecular size and for this reason it flows 3 times as fast through its orifice. In a hydrogen burner there is no carbon. The problem with hydrogen is that it burns to fast, forming nitric oxide concentrations. The solution is simple. At high temperatures, stainless steel mesh is an excellent catalyst for hydrogen combustion because it inhibits the mixing of hydrogen and air creating a high concentration of hydrogen around the burner. The result is nitric oxiding formation is eliminated.

The hydrogen internal combustion engine can provide equivalent power to a gas internal combustion engine with a few modifications. Without modification, an hydrogen burning ICE results in a 25 to 30% loss in power. The air intake in a hydrogen cylinder is 1/4 less volume than a gas based air volume. In a gas engine, the cylinder will occuppy 990 ml of air and 10 ml of gas, whereas, a hydrogen cylinder will have 750 ml of air and 250 ml of hydrogen. Power drops because there is not as much oxygen to react with the fuel. So, increasing power means getting a full charge of air into the cylinder through a technique known as Direct Cylinder injection (DCI). DCI fills the chamber with 1000 ml of air and then injects hydrogen under pressure into the cylinder. A computer control system monitors events and electronically causes actuators that regulate the flow of hydrogen into the cylinder. Dr Ridges discover a method using a solenoid which open and closed a valve, inhibiting and allowing the flow of hydrogen. Cutting power to the solenid opened the valve and power transmitted to the solenid closed the valve. DCI technology seems to have solved the power problem and computer technology seems capable of managing the ignition system.

Hydrid technology is stable. Dr. Billing points out that hydride storage systems are heavy. However, ECD has solved the problem of weight using Nanotechnology Carbon Wound Fiber tanks produced by a third party. The tanks are light weight and capable of maintaining pressures of 5000 psi. The next problem is refueling time. The current refueling time benchmark is eight minutes, five minutes is desired. However, if hydrogen slurry becomes a standard refuel times should be equivalent to gas refueling times. The final barrier to use hydrogen will be reducing the cost of hydrogen production and introduction of the new car technology into the mainstream market place.

A fuel cell is a device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water while efficiently producing electrical power. More importantly, the higher efficiency of the fuel cell lowers the cost per mile of hydrogen to one-third the cost of fuel for an internal combustion engine. In a fuel cell hydrogen enters the anode as 2H and 2e; the hydrogen dissociates in the presence of the cathylst forming hydrogen protons and electrons; the hydrogen ions move across the membrane to the cathode and the electrons travel by electrical cable through the external load (electrical motor) to the cathode where they join with oxygen to become water. The hydrogen fuel cell car is competitive with the gas burning car. No new infrastructure is need to get started. Hydrogen fuel cell cars could be recharged overnight by the existing electric grid.

"This book is very inspiring! Written by a man ahead of his time who converted the first car to hydrogen in the 60's!.

He tells about his experience converting several vehicles and even an entire homestead to hydrogen.

It is filled with practical technical information from over twenty-five years of hydrogen research. It covers automotive conversions, hydrogen gas appliances, metal hydride storage, electrolysis, hydrogen fuel cells, and more.

Absolutely a must read for anyone interested in hydrogen as a fuel.

Dr. Billings is right on -- the future is as he sees it -- long live Dr. Billings, and his underground refugee colony.

Understanding atmospheric Hydrogen allows one to see the vision of the future -- free, and perpetual energy. Even if it means living underground as gnomes.

I found the book to be enlightening and ahead of its time -- look at the publication date, and think how right the Almighty Dr. is proving to be . .

This book was given to me by a friend. We have both lost our health & jobs that we loved that were located in different mold infested buildings. We have both gone through the nightmare of finding the right doctors to diagnosis us & get the proper treatments to kill off the toxins inside us. When I started reading this book, I had a hard time putting it down. I would suggest this book to any one who thinks they or someone they care about may have been exposed to mold in their home or work place. Since my life has been turned upside down from this exposure & illness, I have been starved for answers & information. I knew I was not crazy-I knew something was terribly wrong with me & I knew it was from the historical building I leased for 3 years to run my retail business out of. This book is a God-send. I related to so much of what was being said. It has given me hope & understanding. I am going to buy another book to pass on to my primary doctor - she suggested I was suffering from menopause! I am only sorry there are still so many uneducated doctors & government officials who are in a position to help, that are choosing to look the other way. It is very sad that ignorance & greed get in the way of the truth. I applaud the Billings for following through on their quest for helping other people by witting this book.

Mold: The War Within
In reading this book that Lee Ann and Kurt Billings have written, as a mold victim it has given me added strength, along with knowing that people like this care about helping all mold victim's not only through their personal experience, but taking the time to do research, talk with experts, and other mold victim's by sharing the truth's of how devastating the health effects that toxic molds do inflict on people. This is a confirmation, to all from the experts: Mold Can Make You Very Ill. I have been a mold victim for 18 months now, it is a slow death in my opinion, because I am living the nightmare because I have no way out of my toxic mold environment. I have the medical proof of my toxic mold illnesses along with the professional reports of the testing in my apartment that confirm the toxic molds. I highly suggest that not only mold victim's need to read this book, but also medical experts that are not privy to the proof that the experts in this book have and is documented, along with all those non-believers: Purchase this Book. You would not want your child, your mother, your father, any other relative, friend, co-worker, etc to ever experience what us mold victim's are going through with these proven illnesses. I breath with a respirator mask, oxygen, and take many medications because of toxic molds. I never had a breathing problem in my life and would give anything if toxic molds have not taken away my life like they have done. I can't even let my little grand-children, my sons, my family in my apartment. I can't go to family functions, out to dinner, share holidays, and just putting it simple, Toxic Molds kill every aspect of your life. These people are helping people like me and thousands of others across the states, the experts in the book are helping to save some lives here. I don't want to die, do you. I am too young. This book has given me hope, provided me additional experts proof (along with my own physician's), that could save my life.
Darlene from Worcester, Massachusetts

The Billings have done an excellent job of publishing a much-needed "handbook" for the layperson with regards to being exposed to biotoxic molds and other contaminates.
I give a lot of credit to this family for the quick response in addressing health issues that plague most people exposed to mycotoxins for any length of time. A large portion of the population cannot afford or even find the correct environmental physicians to help understand our health conditions relating to mycotoxin exposure.
This book gives hope and sheds light that we are not crazy. We don't need psychiatric drugs. Our bodies are sick, and we know it!
Katrina is bringing a whole new face to biotoxic exposure.
The two weeks exposure shows just how toxic these molds are- and how quickly our physical health can deteriorate.
It is a miracle that these special people pulled together this publication that so many people who need, good, solid, basic, reliable information, AND from the right sources, now have it available to them! And at such a reasonable cost. (I hate to mention what my mold-toxin education and recovery has escalated to!)
I know the book is creditable because I have had a personal working relationship with many of the doctors that contributed to this book. They are all outstanding, in their perspective fields, with years of experience and knowledge of mold toxins.
These doctors have been relaying the same health ramifications to patients for years, only- the public consciousness has not responded to the potential detrimental implications- mainly by the lack of government agencies and our own family physicians lack of knowledge; which is acknowledged in this book.
Can this situation happen you- Definitely!
Is there a way out- Definitely!
But we have to take responsibility for our recovery- it's not just handed to any of us.
There are incredibly powerful passages in the book- such as: Would we go sightsee at a known toxic Anthrax location?
Would we allow our children to go play at Chernobyl? Hello?
There are many items about Katrina that are very quietly addressed for the whole health of this nation. Not just victims of the hurricane.
The Billing's have passed along a gift to Mold Victims- globally. They have been brave enough to voice on the subject of the epidemic that surrounds all of us.
The book is reader-friendly, packed with information, but I will add that this one book only the tip of the iceburg- there is much more that needs to be made available for the public.
As to the Billings recovery protocol- they are on the right path- and there is more than one road to recovery.