I was just wondering one thing, actually two. ( I hope that this is the
proper place to post this subject)

  Why does a lead acid battery discharge and become dead (totally unuseable)
when stored on a concrete floor?  
  I decided to bring the battery in from the lawn mower and the motorcycle
from the unheated garage this year, *to preserve them* and I just
went to use them and noticed that not only do they not work, but 
they act like the two terminals are shorted.  I asked a friend
and he said that you should never do that, 'cause it ruins them,
but he couldn't tell me why.