Free Republic

BOISE, Idaho — The state has applied for millions of dollars in federal funding to establish a health insurance exchange, but any plans to spend the money will still need approval from the Republican-dominated Idaho Legislature and could face an uphill battle in 2012. Idaho House Republicans' disdain of the health care overhaul passed by Congress doomed a previous effort to set aside federal money to help Idaho set up a statewide exchange. Lawmakers voted 50-15 in March to kill an appropriations bill that included the $2.5 million in federal cash.

According to reports in Japan's Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Ebara Corp will begin to sell mass produced Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) systems from Spring 2003. Using Nexa fuel cell stacks made by Ballard Power Systems, the units will be assembled in Ebara's Fujisawa Works. The size of the fuel cell is 73cm width, 76cm high, 36cm deep, and weighs 64kg. The system is fully portable and generates 900W electrical output. Ebara expects that it will initially appeal to companies requiring back up power sources, including railway companies and electric power companies, and aims to sell a few hundred units...