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August 12, 2010

Hybrid Electric Engines.

Have you ever asked yourself about hybrid cars? They certainly look stylish and modern, but what is it about them that makes them so unusual and so special? After all, most cars look the same these days, do they not? They are all designed by computer to be aerodynamic and aerodynamic is aerodynamic, so they all end up looking indistinguishable to anyone who is not an aficionado.

Well, the fact is that the distinction between a hybrid car and a normal car lies under the bonnet. There are various types of hybrid vehicles as well, but the most common kind has a hybrid electric engine. Therefore, you could say that what makes hybrid cars special from most other, ordinary cars is their engine.

Or engines really, because hybrid electric cars essentially have two engines. One, the internal combustion engine, runs on petrol, LPG or diesel and the other, the electric motor, runs off electricity stored in an array of heavy-duty batteries. On the other hand, ordinary cars only have an internal combustion engine. It is a good idea to examine these two types of engine separately.

First of all the electric motor. Electrical energy is generated by several components on the car and stored in a large bank or array of powerful batteries. The electricity is created by the turning of the internal combustion engine, just as with a standard car, when it is in use, but also by the wheels or / and the car’s braking system. Different models have different methods of generating this electricity, but they are all very hi-tech and very efficient.

When the car’s internal computers determine that the car no longer needs the strength of the internal combustion engine, it will turn it off and switch to the electric motor instead. The conditions where this might occur are, for example, when you are driving slowly in inner-city traffic, when you are cruising at moderate speed on a flat road or when you are going down hill. This saves a considerable amount of fuel, which is clearly a great saving to you.

However, there are occasions when you have to have more power than the batteries can supply you, for example, when accelerating hard, when overtaking or when climbing a hill. At times such as these, the electric motor will shut down and the combustion engine will take over and start supplying power to the accelerator and electricity to the batteries. When the requirement for extra power has ceased, the batteries will take over again.

These choices are all taken by the hybrid electric vehicle’s (HEV’s) on board computer system and you will not notice much other that a rush of power or a quietening of the propulsion system. This works very well in most cases, but some drivers of HEV’s would like to have a manual override for abnormal circumstances, such as an undulating landscape.

All in all, cars with hybrid electric engines work very well at reducing fuel bills but they are still too dear to be much more than a gimmicky toy and a salve to the conscience for the well-to-do.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with hybrid electric engines. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at New Hybrid Vehicles.

July 19, 2010

Calendars – Why They Can Be A Bit Out

Thousands of years ago, ancient Greek astronomers calculated that the track of the Earth’s axis is constantly, even if in a very slow way, shifting in a uniform pattern. The change is very similar to the manner a spinning top slowly leans one way and then another as it slows down. It is a wobble that occurs as its axis changes direction.

This peculiar movement of the planet is due to a couple of factors, the most important of which is something called ‘precession’. Precession stems from the fact that the Earth is not a flawless sphere. It is in fact about twenty-seven miles longer about the Equator that it is around the Poles. The Earth then is oblate, or fat around the middle like middle-aged spread, but it is due to the rotation not to its age.

If you picture the Earth with its Poles off centre. Then rotate that image and you will find that any point, except the very centre of the axis, will travel in a circle. But very, very gradually. So slowly that it takes 26,000 years to go full circle and get back to where it started from.

This point then, any point you choose, is very gradually shifting its location in relation to the stars because the axis is gyrating too. The result of this is that, what we call the North Star (formally known as Polaris, which is in fact one degree off true North) will not be over our North Pole one day. In fact, by about 15,000 AD, Vega will be almost above the North Pole, although it will be about four degrees off true North. But even this will not endure, and by 28,000 AD, Polaris will be back above where it is nowadays.

One of the effects of the precession is that seasons change. They modify the dates that they take place, so that Summer could come earlier or later. The amazing thing about our calendar is that it is corrected for that (with the leap year). If it were not, the vernal or Spring equinox would move over 13,000 years from March 21st to September 21st., which is the date of the autumnal equinox, precisely half a year later.

It is for this reason that the precession of the Earth is generally referred to as the “Precession of the Equinoxes”. Although the precession of the equinoxes is very slow, it can be readily observed. The correct year of 325.25 days is the length of time from one vernal equinox to the next vernal equinox, however, it takes 20 minutes and 24 seconds longer for the Sun to appear in precisely the same place with relation to the stars behind it over the same period. This is why accurate star maps have to be stamped with the exact time and date to which they refer.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching Franklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

June 13, 2010

Hybrid Cars And The Energy Crisis

It has been said that not enough people are doing all they can do to struggle against the energy crisis. Hybrid cars can help, but probably not enough people are driving them. Here are a few problems related to the energy crisis and how hybrid cars can help.

The U.S. isn’t doing enough really. The USA consumes more fossil fuels than any other country in the world. However, most people believe that all of our energy problems can be solved if we would only investigate further into the oil deposits in Alaska or if we exploited the recent oil discovery in the Gulf of Mexico more.

Hybrid cars can have the result of us not having to consume other sources of energy to maintain economic growth. Hybrid cars won’t cause Americans to use an excessive amount of fossil fuel. Instead, hybrid cars make Americans use less fossil fuel.

Energy consumers just accept increasing fuel prices. People used to be concerned that petrol prices are much higher now than they were years ago. Now, however, people just accept the higher prices. In the meantime, cars are getting bigger and bigger. Car manufacturers are making trucks and SUV’s, which consume more fuel at the higher prices.

These vehicles use more petrol, but you wouldn’t believe just how many people will not give up their petrol-guzzling SUV. Hybrid vehicles do eventually cost their owners less to own than conventional vehicles do. So there is no need to worry about settling for being over-charged by the oil economy.

Soon there could be an end to the “cheap oil period”. Soon, we could all be in too deep, because not only will we have an fossil fuel crisis, but a peak oil crisis as well. During the peak oil crisis, there will be petrol shortages and natural gas shortages too. The major countries will need to compete against one another for whatever fuel is left.

So everyone may have some problems, and countries may battle over who gets oil and who does not. The peak fuel crisis can be put off, if more people just purchased hybrid vehicles. Hybrid cars make it so that people do not always have to be looking for oil. And there are advances being made in hybrid vehicles everyday.

The plug-in hybrid vehicles, for instance, might not even need oil at all one day. So, just in case we do have an energy crisis, Americans ought really to be using the time to finding a solution to the impending oil crisis in America. Hybrid vehicles are the way to beat the energy crisis, and if countries still want to fight each other over gas, at least America will know they attempted to slow the impending crisis by investing in hybrid cars.

So, that’s it. The United States’ mass use of hybrid vehicles would make it so that Americans use less petrol. But Americans also still have yet to gain from the large amount of money being made from hybrid cars. The majority of popular hybrid cars come from Japan. So Americans ought to bring that money back into the country as well as do something about the current energy crisis.

If you are interested in the cutting-edge technology of New Hybrid Vehicles, please visit our website on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

April 26, 2010

Faux Surface Finishes – Residential Design with Textured Color

Textured paint and also imitation wall coatings have grown to be so much more common recently than at almost every other time in modern record. reason behind this…is simply because a great number of home improvement retailers are providing instructional classes for individuals who are prepared to pay the cost of the specialty paint.

surface finishes may very well be utilized to produce the optical illusion of everything from plaster or large rock to leather and a number of amazing materials in between. Specialized paint contractors are most effective at utilizing these approaches, and it is essential to be absolutely consistent as the paint is applied all-around a place in your home. However, in the event that the home owner is actually inclined to master the suitable skills, this can easily get carried out as a result of the actual owner doing the task. Actually natural stone can be copied utilizing the right painting approaches.

Some committed homeowners choose to take on this type of painting in every room in the house. Although it may well seem to be a good idea in principle there are some drawbacks to using this method as well.

Faux coatings are dependent on taste, plus some house designs go better with more of it incorporated throughout the house.

Some houses are simply intended to be embellished with a faux finish from one end of the house to the other. No matter what you do to home like this, it will look great.

Some homes just don’t go very well with faux finishes. It is just the way they’re laid out, the accessories, and the feel of the home in general. It is often the best idea to consult with a home interior decorator when making decisions on faux finishes. You don’t want to be asking, “Why did I do that faux for?” (tongue twister).

Just step back and take a look at your home. It will tell you exactly what you need to do if you open your mind up to these types of creative elements. It is essential to think in terms of blending in addition to contrast when considering how it all fits together into the artistic scheme of your ideas when undertaking interior decoration making use of faux finishes.

There are a lot of resources on the internet about how to achieve different styles of faux paint finishes in your home. Just take the time to learn on a smaller area first that is not too visible. To be sure that it is done right, however, it is best to get a professional painter who’s trained to do this type of work.

Read more at Birmingham Painting Service and Birmingham painting services

April 25, 2010

Millennium Predictions

A lot of people predicted that the start of the new Millennium, the year 2000 would be the date of the end of the world. However, as it worked out, they were very wide of the mark.

What is it that makes people to attempt to predict disasters? Is it because they are attempting to warn people or because they wish to scare people? Frighten people, I think and thereby gain advantage over the naive.

These apocalyptic prophesies go back thousands of years and even appear in the Bible. Their only raison d’etre is to terrify people and so gain money, power and influence over them.

Even the millennium bug turned out not to be a problem with computers working perfectly well after midnight in spite of claims by ‘computer experts’ that there would be a worldwide crash of astounding significance. The computer industry made a fortune out of frightening businesses and individuals with their lies. That was the scam of the Nineties to end all swindles!

So why all the publicity? Was it just the dawn of a new millennium, which caused so many to make predictions on this date rather than stick to their normal common sense? Yes, I think. People saw the opportunity of a lifetime to rip others off and they jumped at it.

Needless to say there were hundreds of prophesies made ranging from the arrival of aliens and the Second Coming of Christ to airplane crashes. None of which came true. Here are a few of those less than accurate predictions:

May 5th was the day upon which all the planets lined up. The prediction was that the gravitational force of all these heavenly bodies in alignment would bring about massive earthquakes, huge tides and volcanic eruptions.

A lot of people also predicted that the shifting of the poles would take place during 2000 and that this would cause catastrophic events such as high tides, widespread electrical failure and computer failures, which would mean economic disaster for the larger countries and insurance firms.

I do not know what you think, but perhaps instead of worrying about the demise of the world (most doom-mongers have decided on the year 2012 for the destruction of the world) we should work together to make the best of the time we have left on this planet, as well as ensuring that we pass the planet on to the next generation in the same condition as we received it.

If we behave in this way, we may hold off the day of reckoning for a long while yet. We are far more likely to undergo apocalypse through nuclear war, global warming and events which are avoidable and within our control, than cosmic events which we have little control over such as asteroids or the Sun’s developing into a red dwarf and eventually exploding.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with custom wall calendars If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

April 16, 2010

Developing A Promotional Strategy

Even if you were to invent something earth-shattering, you would not earn any money out of it if you left the invention on your desk. The only way you can turn a profit from it is by selling it and in order to accomplish this, you have to inform people that it exists, that it is for sale and where they may get it from. In other words, you have to advertise it.

The US Patents Office has issued thousands patents for items that never made it and many of those did not make it, not because they were not good ideas, but because their inventors did not know what to do with them. A business is more or less the same as a new invention. It has to be marketed, unless it is situated in the middle of the only street in town.

Having already launched the business, it is to be hoped that, you have already worked out your target market and evaluated the need for your goods or services. Now you have to convert those potential customers into contented customers and this is where your promotional strategy comes in.

A promotional strategy is nothing more than a for reaching your intended market, which is of course the people most likely to require your services or products. At its simplest, your promotional strategy might consist of just hanging a sign over your door and relying on word of mouth from satisfied customers to circulate, so doing your advertising for you.

In some cases, this is indeed all the advertising a business needs, but the cases are not that common really. It works, if you are operating in a very small town or if your product or service is unique or very specialized or if you enjoy a long-standing good reputation. However, normally, customers require more facts to go on before they will be attracted to your business.

Therefore, the objective of your promotional strategy should be to get in touch with the greatest quantity of potential customers by the most economical use of your means, which may include money, personnel and facilities. This means that you have to divine the channels of communication most used by your potential customers and try to reach them through those. This is usually constrained by a budget.

Advertising involves the purchasing of time or space in the media you have chosen in order to market your business to your intended market. You then have to decide which form of advertising you are going to use: institutional or product advertising. Institutional advertising markets the firm’s name as in: ‘Larry’s Boot Shop – The Best In Town’, whereas product advertising is more specific and might read: ‘Nike Walking Boots – 30% off at Larry’s. Offer Finishes Soon!’

Both forms of advertising can be successful and lend themselves better to some media than to others. Institutional advertising is better carried out on shop signs, sign-written vans or windows or promotional calendars, that is, static, long-term, business name advertising and product advertising is better done by newspaper, magazine, radio and TV, where one-off special offers can be promoted.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with promotional wall calendars. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

March 6, 2010

Hybrid Cars vs. Conventional Cars

Today, the question on everybody’s mind is, what is the real difference between a hybrid car and a conventional vehicle? They suppose that there has to be some good reason why people are wondering whether hybrid cars are worth the money and checking their wallets and savings accounts to see if they can afford to buy a hybrid car.

There must be some reason why other people wouldn’t consider shelling out the money for a hybrid car because they feel their conventional car gets them to where they need to go well enough. Here are some of the reasons why a person might choose a conventional car over a hybrid car and vice versa.

Hybrid cars are much more expensive than conventional cars: because hybrid cars have a complex internal design, they do still have a fairly hefty price on them, although, conventional cars, which have become more efficient as the years have gone on, are quite affordable these days. Many people are selling their older conventional cars in favour of newer, more efficient versions.

They are so inefficient in fact, that some people even give their old cars away. However, since a large percentage of the general population has never owned a hybrid, there aren’t many people selling used hybrid cars yet. Therefore, the average person looking to buy a hybrid would probably have to purchase a new one from a car dealer.

Both a hybrid car and a conventional car use similar types of batteries: a hybrid car and a conventional car both use lead acid batteries that hold enough energy to power a small electric motor. These batteries are what you call “gear reduced”. That means that they can turn over this motor at approximately 300 rpms. Torque is generated to turn over the engine and the entire process is what starts the main engine.

But even though a hybrid car uses a lead-acid battery, its battery that works to drive the car’s electric engine is constructed differently. This kind of battery is known as a deep cycle battery and it can be compared to the batteries that are used to power golf carts.

That’s the main difference between a hybrid car and a conventional car. One person might choose a hybrid car because it makes them feel more secure. For instance, if a person buys a hybrid car, they can feel secure that their car will be less likely to run out of gas. Another person might not choose a conventional car because the cost of fuel doesn’t really bother them that much.

However, a conventional car provides security as well, although of a different type. With a conventional car, an owner can be sure that they can always go to a junkyard, when they need to replace old parts on their car. On the other hand, those with a hybrid car will probably have to face some pretty pricey repair receipts if something goes wrong.

However, the final decision is up to you. There are risks involved with both types of cars. But those who like to try out new things might just consider splurging out on a hybrid car.

If you are interested in the working parts of New Hybrid Vehicles, just visit our website at http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

March 4, 2010

Holy Days In Christianity

Christmas – is the celebration of Jesus’ birthday. Although the precise date of his birth is unknown, December 25th was probably selected because it coincided with a pagan mid-winter festival. The ‘Twelve Days Of Christmas” mark the days between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6th), which was the day of the wise men’s visit.

Easter – is the most important day in the Christian calendar, because it celebrates Christ’s Resurrection, which gave / gives Christians the hope of salvation and eternal life. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal (Spring) equinox, which is on 21st March.

Shrove Tuesday – (Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday) was originally a day of penance, but is now marked by merrymaking. It is the day before the commencement of Lent.

Ash Wednesday – is derived from the marking of a cross on the forehead of believers with the ashes from the burnt palms used on Palm Sunday.

Lent – 40 days of penance and fasting

Palm Sunday – the Sunday before Easter, celebrates the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, where palms were strewn on the road before him.

Maundy (Holy) Thursday – the day of the Last supper.

Good Friday – is the day of Christ’s crucifixion.

Holy Saturday – is the day before the Resurrection.

The Annunciation – March 25th is celebrated by Catholics as the day that Archangel Gabriel told Mary about her imminent pregnancy.

Trinity Sunday – is celebrated by some denominations in honour of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. It was declared part of the holy calendar in 1334 by Pope John XII.

Corpus Christi – Catholics remembers the presence of the body of Christ on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

All Saints Day – this mainly Catholic celebration is on November 1 and honours all Christian saints.

Advent – a religious season that begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30 and lasts until Christmas Day. It celebrates the birth of Jesus and anticipates his Second Coming. It was once a period of fasting, but now no longer.

Holy Days Of Obligation – are feast days in the Catholic calendar marked by attendance at mass and the avoidance of unnecessary work. There are six in the USA: Solemnity of Mary – January 1: Christ’s circumcision, ie his first shedding of blood Ascension – 40 days after Easter Assumption – August 15: Mary is accepted into Heaven All Saints’ Day – November 1 Mary’s Immaculate Conception – December 8 Christmas Day – December 25.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Franklin Covey planner refillss If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

February 1, 2010

Fly Fishing Calendar

Are you asking yourself what the best times to try to plan a fly fishing trip are? Well, when we talk about a fly fishing calendar, we are not quite referring to a printed calendar that you can hang on your wall. We are talking about targeting and specifying the right times to fish and the right places at which to fish.

The main thing you have to think about when you are considering drawing up a fly fishing calendar is: when will the water be at the optimum temperature? That is, the temperature that is best for catching fish. The right time to go fishing will depend on the region that you are looking at for your fly fishing trip.

In some places, such as California, the fishing is very good all the year round. While in other locations, such as Washington, you will need to avoid the water in the winter as the freezing temperatures will stress the fish and they will not be as plenteous.

Generally speaking, the fly fishing calendar shows that the best fly fishing is in the spring and summer periods. Early autumn will also find some places showing good fishing as well. Almanacs can be helpful to guide you towards the best fishing times and places as can continuously updating Internet web sites that are run by keen local fishermen.

Many places will give weekly, and sometimes even daily fishing intelligence on their websites. They can tell you where the fish are biting and where the best locations in the river are to cast your line. They generally keep these areas of their web sites updated pretty regularly. So you can get quality reports just by looking at what other anglers have to say about their fishing experiences.

Usually, fish like warmer water, although, there are other species like salmon and steelhead that flourish in colder water. However, in general, warm water will attract more fish. Nonetheless, if the water is too warm, the fish will be lethargic and will navigate to locations where the water is cooler.

The fly fishing calendar used most often by experienced fishermen has been compiled over a long period of time. They expend a considerable quantity of effort to estimate where and when the best fishing will take place. Then they share it with others. That is one of the best things about fly fishing – the camaraderie and the sharing that can come about because of a mutual affection for the sport of fly fishing.

You can create your own fly fishing calendar with a little time and effort. Just do your homework and keep plenty of notes. When you see a trend, you will know that it is time to go fishing! Then you should be certain to help your fellow anglers by passing on the information via a local club or the Internet, if you are proficient at it, because others will be trying to work out what you already know. You know that most fly fishermen would do the same for you, do you not?

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching Franklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

categories: calendars,time,astronomy,science,education,organising,environmental,recreation,hobbies,time,solar system,outdoors,other,uncategorized

January 30, 2010

US Minor Holidays And Occasions

Hereunder is a directory of minor holidays and occasions in the United States. Some of them are virtually unknown, and others are quite obscure.

April Fools’ Day – (April 1): the day for practical jokes (only before noon in the UK). Its origins are obscure, but it bears a similarity to an ancient Roman festival for the goddess of nature.

Arbor Day – (last Friday in April): devoted to trees and their conservation. It is held on December 22 everywhere else in the world.

Armed Forces Day – (third Sunday in May): a day to honour the US armed forces.

Citizenship Day – (September 17): replaced Constitution Day in 1952 by presidential proclamation.

Daylight-Saving Time: was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784, but became the Uniform Time Act in 1966. It is not observed in Hawaii, the Eastern Time Zone of Indiana, most of Arizona (except on the Navajo Reservation), American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

Election Day – (Tuesday after the first Monday in November): presidential elections are held in years divisible by four and elections for all members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate in years evenly divisible by two.

Fathers’ Day – (third Sunday in June): was first observed in West Virginia in 1908, but this uniquely American holiday was not made official until 1972.

Flag Day – (June 14): was first observed in 1877, which was the centenary of the adoption of the modern design. Truman approved the Flag Day Bill in 1949.

Groundhog Day – (February 2): on this day the groundhog looks out of his burrow. If he sees his own shadow there will be six weeks of Winter to come, otherwise Spring is just around the corner.

Halloween – (October 31): All Hallow’s Eve is the day before the feast of All Saints. It started as a pagan custom honouring the dead and a celebration of Autumn. ‘Trick or Treat’ is purely American with no historical foundation.

Kwanzaa – is a secular observance by African-Americans to commemorate their African heritage. It begins on Dec.26th when a candle in a candelabrum is lit every day for seven days. It was first practiced by Maulana Karenga in 1966.

Mothers’ Day – (second Sunday in May): was conceived by Anne M. Jarvis of Philadelphia as a way for children to pay homage to their mothers. It received presidential proclamation in 1914.

National Maritime Day – (May 22): was proclaimed in 1935 to memorialize the SS Savannah’s first successful transatlantic crossing by a steamship in 1819. It is also a day of remembrance of merchant mariners who died in defense of their country.

National Teachers’ Day – (Tuesday of the first full week in May): is when pupils are supposed to honour the teaching profession.

St. Patrick’s Day – (March 17): has been borrowed from Ireland where it is their national saint’s day.

St. Valentine’s Day – (February 14): was originally to honour two saints martyred by Emperor Claudius (214 – 270), but has been devoted to lovers since the Middle Ages.

Susan B. Anthony Day – (February 15): Anthony (1820 – 1906) worked for women’s rights and suffrage.

United Nations’ Day – (October 24): commemorates the endorsement of the UN Charter in 1945 by the then five permanent members of the Security Council.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching Franklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

January 27, 2010

Calendar – Which Calendar?

In the West, we tend to think that there is only one calendar, but there are dozens of them around the world. And what is more, there were probably hundreds of them before. All defunct now either because ours is more precise or because theirs did not fit in with our business way of life.

But that does not mean to say that people do not still use those old-fashioned, redundant calendars. Oh, no! Governments have given up their old, traditional national calendars, but in general, country folk still use to them, even if they can no longer get hold of a printed version. I cannot go into all the calendars here, but I will mention five or six of them.

Lunar Calendar – There is some evidence that early man used chips on bone to track or denote the movement of time 25,000 years ago, probably measured by the Moon’s phases. A calendar can be created based on the lunar cycles; it produces a year of twelve months (the word ‘month’ is from the word ‘moon’), but only 354 days, that is, eleven short of the time it takes the Earth to revolve around the Sun. The Chinese still use a variety of the lunar calendar but they resolve this issue by adding extra moths every now and then to bring ‘time’ back into alignment with the Sun.

Solar Calendar – The ancient Egyptians were the first people to make use of a Solar Calendar, although it could justifiably be called a cosmological calendar. The new year began for them when Sirius, the Dog Star, the brightest star in the night sky, rose in the same place as the Sun. This usually coincided with the flooding of the Nile. This calendar was of 365 days; twelve months of thirty days and five festive days. Therefore, it was only one quarter of a day off the true year. However, that meant that slowly but surely, the new year did not concur with the flood. Scientists have worked out that this calendar was taken up in either 4241 BC or 2773 BC.

Julian Calendar – In 46 BC , Julius Caesar realized that various provinces of the empire were using different calendars, so he instructed the dating system to be unified. Sosigenes came up with a calendar of 365 days with an extra day every four years. Therefore, in 46 BC, the longest year on record, Caesar added days to the year to bring it back into alignment with the seasons. 46 BC was 445 days long! The vastness of the Roman Empire ensured that this calendar was the defacto calendar of the Western world.

Julian Day Count – In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII instituted a new calendar, but the year after that Joseph Justus Scaliger developed a system of counting days, not years. It starts with 1 on January 1st 4713 BC. On this date the Julian and the lunar calendars and the Roman tax dating system all coincided; something that will next happen in 3267. January 1st 2001 was Julian day 2,451,913

Gregorian Calendar – from at least 730 AD, it was noticed that the year from vernal equinox to vernal equinox was short of the 365.25 days in a year. This had the consequence that the date of Easter was moving back. So he dropped 10 days from 1582 by jumping from October 4th to October 15th and proclaiming that century years would only be leap years if they were divisible by 400. Consequently, 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was. This is the calendar we still use today.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with researching Franklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

categories: calendars,time,astronomy,science,education,organising,environmental,recreation,hobbies,time,solar system,outdoors,other,uncategorized

January 21, 2010

Plug-in Hybrid Cars vs Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars are on everyone’s lips. Twenty, forty, or fifty dollars for a full tank of fuel? Who in their right mind wants to pay that sort of money? However, frustrated, the gas consumer sighs, but pays up. However, hybrid vehicles are applauded for the small amount of gas they need to operate, and they are flying off the lots of car dealerships each and everyday in increasing numbers.

However, what about a plug-in hybrid? Most drivers have heard that these cars are fantastic as well. Then, someone might be asking him or herself, what exactly a plug-in hybrid is? How they work, and what the difference between a plug-in hybrid and a regular hybrid is?

Plug-in hybrids are capable of running just on batteries, but they can run on petrol also. These sorts of hybrid cars share some of the features of hybrid vehicles. They are also very similar to all-electric vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid cars must be charged externally by plugging them into an electrical power source. The combustion engine of plug-in hybrid vehicles is used only as a back up. These cars can run only on batteries if desired, but it is expected that these kinds of hybrid cars are recharged every day.

Hybrid cars travel just as many miles as a conventional car. Designed to go the extra mile where gas-mileage is concerned, hybrids can be driven on the highway, in cities, or wherever else a person needs to go.

On the other hand, plug-in hybrids are designed to handle commuter-type distances, meaning between twenty and sixty miles between destinations. This way, the plug-in hybrid does not have to use its back up combustion engine, but plug-in hybrids can go further using gas too.

Hybrids help to minimize pollution, but they still pollute the air. Compared with plug-in hybrids, hybrid cars still have a long way to go where pollution is concerned. Since plug-in hybrid cars can run solely on their battery power, they don’t have to emit waste gases. That means that plug-in hybrids don’t need to pollute the air.

Plug-in hybrids actually do combat greenhouse gas emissions and plug-in hybrids use virtually no oil, imported or not. Studies have shown that electric hybrids emit at least 67% less greenhouse gases compared with petrol cars. Since the electric used to power plug-in hybrids is completely renewable, the difference in greenhouse gas emissions may be even greater than the study determined.

And so there you have it. Those are the main differences between plug-in hybrids and regular hybrid cars. It makes a big difference, but you would be surprised how little that matters at the current moment. And that’s only because plug-in hybrids are not being marketed to consumers at this present time. But this article should get you excited about the wonderful plug-in hybrid car, coming soon to a forecourt near you.

And it’s going to be a great debut too. People already really like regular hybrid cars, but they haven’t seen anything until they see the new plug-in hybrid cars. However, for now, maybe they should just be satisfied with what they have, because who knows? Before plug-in hybrid cars come out, something even better might be introduced onto the market.

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January 17, 2010

Gifts – 5 Top Tips

It is a global custom to give gifts for such occasions as birthdays and wedding days, but after that is where the countries start to differ. Britons and people tracing their history back there give gifts on Christmas Day as well.

However, many other Europeans give gifts at Christmas on Saint Nicholas’ Day or December 6th. Non-Christian countries normally give gifts at New Year.

Whatever you do in your country, giving a gift requires thought. The shops are frequently full of junk at these gift-giving times of the year, but there is also a lot of excellent stuff about, at a price. The alternatives are twofold on the whole.

You can either make something which will be one of a kind, I imagine that this includes personalizing a shop-bought gift or you can think outside of the box, which many people find quite difficult. Personally, I find it hard, but it does get easier the more often you try it and the better you know the person you are going to give the gift to.

Here then are a few ideas which you may decide to take on board ‘as is’, or they may motivate you on to better ideas. As I write, Christmas is coming up and then it is Saint Valentine’s day before you know it. We certainly get plenty of opportunity to practice buying gifts in the West!

A Plot Of Your Own: I come from Wales in the UK (is there any other?) and up the way from me a local strip of green-belt land was in trouble. Experts said that it ought to be planted with trees, but the authorities did not have the money, so they advertised six feet square plots of land for sale with a sapling of your choice on it.

You also got a title deed, directions and a photo. Furthermore, the tree would be taken care of for five years until it was established. I know that this is not the only place that did this and it was probably not the first either, but it makes a good gift for a teenager who is thinking about what he or she can do to help the environment.

The Key To Success: some children and their parents will be grateful for this one. Search the second-hand shops for an older or even an unusual money box. Fill the money box up to a certain level with various coins that bring that level up to the value that you want to give, but leave plenty of room for the child to put money in too. Who do you give the key to? That depends on how well you know the child.

Starting A Collection: this is a brave, but good one. If you know the child well or are prepared to take on a commitment (such as a godparent should), you could select a set of collectables, like plates, glasses or coins and buy two or three pieces to start the collection off. You can add to it every year. Others will be thankful to you too because they will jump on the band wagon.

In The Bag: if your friend is an invalid or just is temporarily in hospital, it is beneficial to give a wicker basket or a nice bag full of handy items. Select the items to suit your friend, but everyone might like a writing pad, a pen, a comb or brush, wet wipes or tissues, a small book of verse, a miniature radio with ear plugs, a mirror, straws, a bottle opener, only you know, but you get the idea, I’m sure.

Stamp It: you can buy a large packet of literally thousands of foreign stamps for very little. Buy a stamp album and hinges and you could start a lifelong obsession. It also gives you gift ideas for years to come too.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching Fanklin planner pages. If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars

categories: calendars,time,astronomy,science,education,organising,environmental,recreation,hobbies,time,solar system,outdoors,other,uncategorized

December 22, 2009

The Hybrid Car and Fuel Prices

The appeal and popularity of the hybrid car have grown exponentially, especially with the rising concerns about high petrol prices as well as worsening air pollution. Here are some useful bits of information that could help you learn more about hybrid cars and how they may help you save money on fuel and be somewhat shielded from rising fuel.

A hybrid car is the type of car, or any other vehicle, that makes use of at least two different fuel sources to make it run. Both fuel sources are used together sometimes to help propel the vehicle more efficiently. There are several different combinations of hybrid car possible, but the most common hybrid car so far is the gas-electric hybrid.

The gas-electric hybrid car, also called the hybrid electric vehicle or HEV, uses of a gasoline internal combustion engine or ICE and a quite separate electric motor to power it. While the ICE makes uses gas to make it run, an electric battery is used to store the electrical energy that powers the hybrid car’s electric motor.

The HEV usually has a gas engine that is smaller in size and weight than the conventional one used in standard petrol powered cars. Use of more advanced technology makes this possible and allows the HEV to have better running efficiency as well as substantially reduced polluting emissions.

Apart from the petrol engine, the hybrid electric car also has a special electric motor built in that not only provides additional power to the car but also acts as a generator when not being used. The electric motor can act as a generator, in situations where it is not being used to drive the hybrid car, to help charge the battery for additional efficiency.

In a common HEV set up, the car uses its electric motor when being driven at very low speeds, say, in traffic jams. The gasoline engine acts as a secondary power source when the HEV needs much more power, such as when climbing a hill. The petrol engine also compensates the electric motor with power whenever the car calls for it in order to go faster such as when overtaking. The gas and the electric motor can also work together at certain instances if necessary.

Because the hybrid electric car makes use of both an electric motor as well as a gas motor, a substantial improvement in car mileage is achieved. A hybrid electric vehicle or HEV can run longer distances using the same amount of fuel compared to a conventional petrol powered car.

Whenever the electric motor is being used, gas consumption is reduced. This results in less petrol being used when running the same distance as a traditional gas powered vehicle. And because the hybrid electric car has a smaller gas engine, the hybrid car also runs more efficiently because of less engine weight compared to a conventional car’s engine.

The working components of the hybrid car engine are also smaller and so require less energy to move. The resulting efficiency makes the hybrid electric car quite a great option for people worried about higher gas prices. Using a hybrid car can help drivers save a substantial amount of gas when traveling. Not only that, using the hybrid car can also help in reducing polluting emissions by using less petrol while travelling.

If you would like to know more about the technology in New Hybrid Vehicles, you should visit our web resource where there is loads of information on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

November 20, 2009

Facts about Hybrid Car Battery Packs

Those considering purchasing a hybrid car may be more than a little worried about what is under the hood. Hybrid cars have partially battery-powered engines. Since a battery powered motors is not something that typically comes to mind when you think about what is driving a car, it’s a good idea to get some sort of an understanding of hybrid car battery packs. You will find a few salient details about them underneath.

Hybrid car battery packs do not need to be replaced like flashlight batteries do. They are made to last over the lifetime of the car, and so, a hybrid car’s warranty covers the battery pack for a time period that lasts between eight and ten years. In terms of mileage, a hybrid car battery pack is designed to last between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, and the odds are that it will probably last even longer than that.

The toxicity of hybrid car battery packs is a concern, but not a major concern, since hybrid car batteries use NiMH batteries, not the rechargeable nickel cadmium ones. Nickel cadmium batteries can be detrimental to the environment if not disposed of correctly, but the NiMH batteries that are used in hybrid car battery packs are fully recyclable.

Hybrid car battery packs consist of hundreds and hundreds of cells. Several hundred cells means that hybrid cars have a complex battery structure underneath their hoods, and, it is true, complexity usually means expensive, but with the generous warranty hybrid car manufacturers are giving on their vehicles, there is not much risk of additional massive expense from the battery pack involved in buying a hybrid car.

The number of hybrid car battery pack failures reported has been really very low. When I say low, I mean negligible. If failure does happen, it is usually before the hybrid car even leaves the salesman’s garage. Toyota has even declared that some of its original Prius hybrid models have battery packs that have gone over 300,000 miles.

The cost of replacing hybrid car battery packs isn’t really even an issue It isn’t an issue because the hybrid car battery packs are built to last. The Department of Energy looked into hybrid cars, but stopped its test when the capacity was “just like new” after 160,000 miles. So very few people really seem to know for sure what it costs to replace hybrid car battery packs.

Hybrid car battery packs are evolving quickly. If we look further into the future, we can see the next generation of hybrid car batteries is in development. The goal is, of course, to discover a technology that gives lots of power, lasts for the hybrid car’s lifetime, and costs less to make than it does now.

If your hybrid car battery pack does develop a problem, there is an easy solution. Toyota has put out some advice on what to do, should your hybrid battery pack be depleted after the guarantee has ended. Their advice is to have the battery reconditioned. This solution works well because if something does go wrong, the problem usually lies with only one of the 28 modules that make up the battery.

So, if you simply replace the problematic module with one that matches the chemistry of the other 27 modules, your hybrid car’s battery should be back in good shape. You can find a match by getting a battery pack from another car that has a similar mileage and age.

If you are interested in the insides of New Hybrid Vehicles, please visit our website at http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

categories: hybrid vehicles,automobiles,trucks,SUV,environmental,technology,hi-tech,oil,fashion,science,innovation,leasing,outdoors,other

November 11, 2009

Should I Buy A Hybrid Car To Save On Gas?

As you drive up to the fuel station pump and fuel your car up with $10-$40 worth of gas, you may find yourself heaving a long drawn out sigh. How on Earth did fuel become so expensive? Should you consider one of those new hybrid cars you saw on the news? Everyone’s talking about hybrid cars anyway. Hybrid cars and other types of cars may seem to be a good idea, but before you go out and do something rash, maybe you should ask yourself a few basic questions about how you can start to save on gas.

Nowadays, there are so many options out there including everything from staying home to purchasing a hybrid car, but you have to find out what is right for you personally and you can best do that by asking yourself the following questions.

Should you just drive less?

Of course, you could spend the rest of your life at home watching movies, but how would you eat then? I know what you’re thinking you will walk more and get more exercise. That may be true, but what happens when you get bored with walking and riding your bike? How are you going to be able to get to the gym? And, have you forgotten about work? You know you love listening to your books on tape while you sit in traffic at the end of the workday. Should you drive less? Probably not then. But what should you do? Well, have you ever considered buying a hybrid vehicle?

Should I buy a car that gets more miles for less gas?

Yes, you could do this, but what about when the vehicle starts to depreciate and it’s not as fuel-efficient as you thought it would be? And subconsciously, because you know you have a car that gets more mileage out of fuel, you are going to start traveling more miles than you traveled before.

Should I get up earlier each morning to look for the cheapest gas prices in the area?

Come on, who has the time to do all that? If you really think about it, you would probably spend your time better finding the right answer to the real question. Do you really want to spend extra time looking for a cheap petrol station? What would your boss think if you arrive late for work and tell him you were trying to save money on fuel? And anyway, how long do you honestly think you’ll keep doing that?

Should I find a way to run my car on batteries?

Let’s see, you certainly don’t want to have to charge your car’s batteries every day before going to work because that might make you late too. However, with a hybrid car, you wouldn’t have to worry about that. So, the next question should be obvious.

Should I purchase a hybrid car?

Perhaps you should. It’s possible that buying a hybrid car would be a sensible way to avoid higher fuel prices. Would your car depreciate as soon as you drive it off the forecourt? A hybrid won’t do that so quickly as it brings the buyer in more and more money as they save on petrol. A hybrid car really might be a good solution here. However, it’s still a good idea to conduct further research on a hybrid car.

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categories: hybrid vehicles,automobiles,trucks,SUV,environmental,technology,hi-tech,oil,fashion,science,innovation,leasing,outdoors,other

October 21, 2009

The History Of The Hybrid Car

Just where did a hybrid car get it’s start? Well, read on to find out. Hybrid cars are very popular for today’s car buyers, and there are many reasons why. But before you even think about choosing a hybrid car to buy, you might want to know a little bit about the history of the hybrid car first.

It is surprising, but hybrid vehicles were around even before gas-powered cars. In or about the year 1665, a Jesuit priest by the name of Ferdinand Verbeist started making plans for a new type of vehicle. That vehicle or cart would be very simple, nothing complex. Dead simple was all he was interested in.

So Ferdinand designed a car that would have four wheels and would run only on steam. It took about fifteen years of work for Ferdinand to go through with his plan. He laboured to perfect his dream car. But no one knows if he ever finished because there is no evidence that his concept ever came into existence.

Then in 1769, a man by the name of Nicholas Cugnot designed and developed a carriage that was powered by steam. This carriage really did work and it went at six miles per hour. This project was all well and good, but it was difficult to get the amount of steam needed to allow the car to go any significant distance.

A break through in hybrid car development finally came when Robert Anderson developed an electric powered car in 1839. It was the first among its kind. The car was built in Scotland.

This model electric car was a highly applauded innovation of its time. However, the only problem was that it was very difficult to recharge the car’s battery. Some pioneers did come after Anderson, but they had the same problem of getting the battery recharged easily.

Then there was another outstanding break-through, in the year 1898, Porsche brought out an electric and fuel combo combustion engine that was the first of its type. The car was named the Lohner Electric Chaise and it could go for up to 40 miles using only its batteries.

Within a short space of time, pioneers combined both gas and a battery powered engines to become what would turn into today’s hybrid vehicle. In 1999, Honda made a leap into the US market. It came out with the Honda Insight, which was a lightweight two-door hybrid vehicle. Since then, hybrid cars have been evolving and improving into what we see on the market these days. Hybrid cars are no longer just for the techies who think it’s nice to combine battery and liquid fuel to get them where they need to go. Hybrid cars began life simple, and they still are quite simple today.

These days hybrid vehicles are becoming more and more popular as people understand them better. In the 21st century, hybrids saw a boom in sales when the Toyota Prius came out on the market. It was the first hybrid with four doors that was marketed for America.

Then, Ford’s Escape hybrid became the very first SUV hybrid ever made. So there, you have it, the history of the hybrid vehicle, today’s modern car.

If you are interested in the working parts of New Hybrid Vehicles, please visit our website on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.

October 8, 2009

Can a Hybrid Save You Money?

The price of petrol continues to rise even now, but that does not mean that you have to be left broke. You don’t have to let the unstable economy control your life! Take whatever measures you have to, to change the circumstances you are in: there are all kinds of options open to you.

For example, did you know that a hybrid car can help you gain more control of the money in your pocket? Well, it can. Hybrid cars are becoming more and more popular as the cost of fuel goes up, and the cost of hybrid cars is going down.

Gas prices go up and petrol prices go down and the cycle just seems to repeat itself without giving us any respite. However, if you really take the time to think about it, that is not the case. It is all about how you think about the situation that counts. So don’t worry, be glad, and pay attention to the TV ads about hybrid cars.

A hybrid car really will help you fight back against sky-high petrol prices. If you purchase a hybrid vehicle after having had a conventional car, you will immediately notice that you have rather more money in your wallet with the hybrid car.

Nobody likes to waste their money. I know that I don’t, but that is exactly what you are doing if you stay with a conventional vehicle. Hybrid cars and trucks save you up to 50% on your fuel bills and that very soon exceeds the premium that hybrids vehicles demand. Over the life of your hybrid vehicle, which is over ten years, you will definitely make money on your environmentally-friendly purchase.

But work it out for yourself! Try this: write down the cost each time you visit the gas station. What does the cost of a full tank of fuel tell you about your car? Whatever it is telling you, a hybrid vehicle won’t be telling you the same as a conventional car does. And that is for sure.

So, get your money to talk to you in the manner you would prefer: instead of having it tell you all the time that your money is flowing out of your pocket, have it tell you, that some of it is going to stay in your pocket, so get a hybrid car.

Who slogged for those forty hours? You did. So make sure you have something to show for it for a change. A hybrid car is a really nice car to have and it will be of real help to your bank balance.

It is a car that is not cheap to buy, but it will pay for itself over its lifetime and over that lifetime you will have done a lot of good for the environment and people will have admired you from afar, even if they don’t actually come up to you and express their feelings personally.

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October 7, 2009

Will a Hybrid Save You Money?

The cost of fuel continues to rise even now, but that does not mean that you have to be left broke. You don’t have to let the unstable economy run your life! Take whatever measures you have to, to change the circumstances you are in: there are all kinds of options open to you.

For example, did you know that a hybrid car can help you gain more control of the money in your wallet? Well, it can. Hybrid cars are becoming more and more popular as the cost of fuel goes up, and the cost of hybrid cars is going down.

Gas prices go up and petrol prices go down and the cycle just seems to go on and on without giving us any relief. However, if you really take the time to think about it, that is not the case. It is all about how you think about the situation that matters. So don’t worry, be happy, and pay attention to the television commercials about hybrid cars.

A hybrid car really will help you fight back against sky-high fuel prices. If you bought a hybrid vehicle after having had a conventional car, you will immediately see that you have rather more money in your wallet with the hybrid car.

Nobody likes wasting their money. I know that I don’t, but that is exactly what you are doing if you stick with a conventional car. Hybrid cars and trucks save you up to 50% on your gas/diesel bills and that very soon exceeds the premium that hybrids cars cost. Over the life of your hybrid vehicle, which is more ten years, you will definitely make money on your environmentally-friendly purchase.

But work it out for yourself! Try this: write down the cost each time you visit the petrol station. What does the cost of a full tank of fuel tell you about your car? Whatever it is telling you, a hybrid car won’t be telling you the same as a conventional car does. And that is for sure.

So, get your money to speak to you the way you would like it to: instead of having it say to you all the time that your money is flowing out of your pocket, have it tell you, that some of it’s remaining in your pocket, so get a hybrid car.

Who worked for those forty hours? You did. So make sure you have something to show for it for a change. A hybrid car is a super car to have and it will be of real help to your bank account.

It is a means of transport that is certainly not cheap to buy, but be reassured that it will pay for itself over its lifetime and over that lifetime you will have done a lot of good for the environment or at least a lot less harm) and people will have admired you and your car from afar, even if they don’t actually come up to you and express their feelings personally.

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