acmobilku

Car Repair Loan - Car Damages Rectified Without Depleting Savings

2009-03-30T00:03:00.000-07:00

Have a car, but can’t drive it to work? Do not have a nest egg? Take a car repair loan. Bring a dead automobile back to life.

Insurance Backed Car Repair Loans

Car repair loans can be used to fund not only expensive vehicle repairs and pay for insurance deductibles too. Deductible is to be paid by the owner before the car insurance company pays for repairs. People might need a car repair loan to cover the deductible if they do not have enough money saved to pay for it. Such higher car loan rates can be opted for cosmetic repairs also.

Customized Borrowing

Since there are many programs for car repair loans, one should choose the right one to meet specific needs. Borrowers need to be aware of their credit ratings and whether they qualify for prime rate or will have to pay sub-prime rates.

The loan will be for $2000, which should be repaid within 12 to 24 months or earlier to avoid accumulated interest. Initially reserve fund should be used to pay for repairs, then to make up the balance, a car loan should be preferred.

Where And When To Avail A Repair Loan?

Cars are expensive to buy, expensive to operate, and expensive to fix so you sometimes need a car repair loan. Even for AC repair also a car repair loan is the best solution. Incase of accidents, if insurance policies are also insufficient car repair loans are helpful to a great extent.

Certain companies offer overnight loans on application. First time customers are given their first car repair loan at no added service free.

Credit And Car Loan

Higher credit scores lead to low interest rates. Even if your credit history is bad and only a higher interest rate is available, after improving credit history, refinanced car loan rate will have a lower interest rate.

About the Author:

A car repair loan are to recover the vehicle and to make it functional but not for the cosmetic repairs. Only if the deductible cannot be afforded for the person, higher car loan rates can be availed. The program will help the borrower find a coverable low interest car loan if credit history is good. Refinance car loan rate after improving your credit score with timely repayments.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/car-repair-loan-car-damages-rectified-without-depleting-savings-300007.html

Author: Apurva Shree

Rc Gas Cars

2009-03-30T00:02:00.000-07:00

Gas powered RC cars are among the most powerful, exciting and quickest of all the radio controlled cars. Gas RC cars are intended to run on gas that is referred to as “nitro” or “glow fuel”, and these nitro RC cars bring a degree of style and operation that the bulk of gas RC cars and trucks cannot "hold a candle to."

It is essential to shop carefully for gas RC cars as there are two different types of gas powered RC cars - kits and RTR or "ready to run". Purchasing RTR gas rc cars will most likely allow the RC car or truck to be taken out of the box and on the track in no time. Loads of gas powered RC car enthusiasts get pleasure from building their own car providing a great sense of accomplishment. It may be a beneficial plan to acquire some skill and experience by using RTR gas RC cars first, then after gathering a basic knowledge of the different components of gas rc cars, build a gas rc cars kit.

As with any style of gas RC cars, the engine is an essential element in determining the speed and performance of the vehicle. There are a variety of gas engines offered for gas powered RC cars, but most of the time they will come loaded with whats called “glow engines”. The glow engine is essentially a two cycle internal combustion engine able to offer the control and speed that makes the difference in winning or losing in the world of RC car racing.

The kind of fuel put in the your gas powered RC cars is a fundamental component in the performance of the vehicle. It is imperative to use only the fuel recommended by the gas RC car maker. The manufacturer's individually designed fuel mixtures are engineered for providing the power and speed necessary and at the same time shielding critical engine workings from breakdown.

Another essential element of the gas powered rc cars is the radio as rc cars use the identical two channel radio system used by all RC cars. If purchasing a RTR or "ready to run" kit, the radio should be included but buying a "build it yourself" kit the radio usually is needed to be supplied seperately. Whichever approach you choose keeping extra batteries and an AC charger on hand is essential. Additional battery packs charged and ready will enable the runinng of the gas RC cars for longer periods of time for uninterrupted fun.

Used Car Vs. New Car

2009-03-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Buying anything for the initial time without really knowing the value of it might cause you to pay excess than the actual price. The same goes when buying a first car. It is secondary whether you by a new car or a used car both carry some conditions that a car buyer need to understand such as his/her needs, preference, whim and budget. Just check out the basic factors before you jump on to market for locating your new or used car.

The price

People those on low budget might go for used car, which is a good option. Though there are some new cars, which are available for about ten thousand dollar, but then such car would carry none of these – AC, stereo etc. At times such cars come only with two doors or also one of the power windows will be broken. In contrast, the accessibility of three or four-year old used cars added with more than just-boned features of a essential used car – like a stereo, air conditioning, airbags – offers the used car buyer an amazing deal. But yet, the pricey new and fresh cars are expensive because of the rationalized safety traits they has: de-powered airbags along with "stylish" front and side defense airbags. A new vehicle further has capricious features like: brew holders, which keep your drinks cool or hot. The choice is your – buy it according to your priorities and buying power.

Guarantee

Any fresh car will usually have warranty of about three to ten years maximum. Companies like Hyundai offers ten years of warranty for their new cars. DaimlerChrysler provides a seven year of warranty for their special vehicles such as Chrysler, Dodge and other Jeep models. Some entitled latest-model used cars or used truck could also complete their actual warranty and can now in addition be exceeded if they are secluded by the vehicle certification plan. If not, used car owners can now reimburse a few hundred to be clever to expand their service guarantee or contract.

Mileage

Newly-purchased used cars come with mileage by now spent. New car essentially do not require any kind guard for the first thousands of miles, in case if they do, car manufacturers take up the oil change and their beef up in addition to other basic safeguarding services.

Used car buyers frequently have to satisfy themselves with warts and all vehicles whose color might not be really ideal shade of red, green or yellow. Buyers of new cars though, have the chance of a different range of colors or car features, which used cars, may not have. Car dealers regularly accommodate to the tastes and desire of a car buyer and generally would even please a customer by specifically-ordering a vehicle. Happy Buying!

About the Author:

Jhon justin is a Expert author for Montclair used car and Fontana used trucks. He has written many articles like Needles used cars. For more information visit our site http://www.randbautocenter.com.

Contact him at randbautocenterarticle@gmail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/trucks-articles/used-car-vs-new-car-433363.html

Author: Sarah Johns

Dtm Touring Car Industry Information

2009-03-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

The stock A4 is a good-looking car – the new one even more so. It does the job it’s designed for, and stylishly too. The shortened front body overhang makes it look purposeful, while the longer bonnet and wheelbase lend the impression of being a large saloon. With a Cd value of 0.27, it’s aerodynamically efficient too, and can easily take a volume of 480 liters of luggage to boot. The new A4 is offered in India with a choice of two engines, 3.2FSI petrol and a 2.0TDi diesel. Both engines are direct-injection types.

Depending on engine spec, you can choose from a range of 16, 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels. Optional xenon plus headlights make for improved visibility at night. The Audi A4 DTM on the other hand is a very different beast all together. If the standard car can be termed a cat, the DTM version would probably be a saber-toothed tiger, and that’s why it’s so menacingly successful on the track. It’s about performance, power and handling. It’s the fourth-generation Audi A4 DTM, and is known as the “R14” internally at Audi Sport. The DTM version is built around a steel DTM Touring Car space frame made of aerospace industry grade steel, with the driver’s safety cell being made out of very strong carbon fiber composite, as used in F1. As accidents tend to happen at a much higher speed on the racetrack, for the driver’s safety, the front and rear crash structures are also made of the same material. It’s 4800 mm long, 1850mm wide and 1200mm short. The standard A4 is, in comparison, 4586mm long, 1772mm wide and 1427mm tall.
The engine of the DTM A4 is not available in the road car that you drive in India – it’s a normally aspirated (no turbo or supercharging) 4000cc V8 engine with a 90deg angle between the cylinder banks. It breathes through four valves per cylinder, and despite the mandatory intake air restrictors, still develops approximately 460bhp of power and over 370 lb/ft of torque. It’s a rear-wheel-drive car and power to the rear wheels is transmitted via a 3-plate carbon-fiber clutch and a sequential 6-speed sport gearbox. To keep the power delivery honest, the A4 DTM has an adjustable limited-slip plate differential and constant velocity sliding type tripod universal joint shafts.
Aerodynamics plays a huge part in car racing and it’s also the case in DTM. As in F1, when a part falls off (and parts can fall off in DTM as the cars go body-to-body into a corner trying to muscle each other off) the car’s performance is compromised. But like an iceberg, there is more aerodynamic trickery under the car than can be seen – along the underbody of the car, air passages, slots and steps abound so that air pressure under the car can be harnessed to make the A4 DTM stick to the road like a leach clings to skin. The cockpit of a DTM car is very different too. While the standard car’s cockpit is given to creature comforts, a DTM driver’s cockpit, or workplace if you like, is a stark contrast due to its multitude of gear shift lights, rev counter, indication of engaged gear, lap timer, speedometer, etc. Switches, buttons, digital displays, as well as traditional levers and pedals characterize an A4 DTM cockpit. Did I mention the buttons?
You have buttons for the radio (for pit to car communication, not AIR FM Rainbow) and for activating the speed limiter in the pit lane. More buttons for selecting headlight high beam and activating the drinks supply. The left paddle behind the steering wheel actuates brake valves for the parking brake. The right hand side paddle actuates brake caliper cooling! The sequential gearbox is actually manually operated. There is no AC, so adjustable inlets for fresh air into the cockpit have been provided for the driver. Then there are even more buttons, for adjusting brake balance, the display brightness, and, handy after a crash, the fire extinguisher. You have the main electric switch, with ignition and starter buttons on the right and a hazard warning light system for when the car stalls on the grid.
Once the buttons have been memorized, there is the rest of the A4 DTM. It has a servo-assisted rack and pinion steering, front and rear independent double-wishbone suspension, a pushrod system with spring/damper units, adjustable gas pressurized dampers and a hydraulic dual-circuit brake system that actuates light alloy brake calipers on ventilated carbon brake discs at both front and rear. The driver can adjust the brake balance to his or her liking. The A4 DTM runs on Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres, 265/660 R18s mounted on 10x18inch aluminum forged rims at the front, and 280/660 R18s mounted on 11x18in rims at the rear. With the driver included, the total weight of the car is 1,050kgs.
Obviously, such a purpose-built racer will never see Indian roads, except perhaps during a blue moon. The whole exercise is a demonstration of Audi being ‘Vorsprung durch Technique’ or ‘ahead thanks to the use of technology,’ which describes Audi’s effort in DTM perfectly – they’re leading the series.

About the Author:

Priya Singh wrote this article on behalf of Pre">http://www.autox.in/sitemapautox.html”">Pre Owned Cars. For more information on car Certified">http://www.autox.in/links.html">Certified Cars car market tips for visiting car magazine you can visit at autox.in

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/dtm-touring-car-industry-information-507203.html

Author: Priya Singh

Student Car Insurance: Indispensable for the Safety

2009-03-29T23:58:00.000-07:00

Life of students is always considered as full with adventures. They want to drive their cars as fast as they can. Sometimes they even do not care for any mishaps that can happen due to their passion of driving fast. Hence student car insurance is the basic need of all students.

Student Car Insurance has been designed keeping in mind the requirements and affordability of students. Therefore student car insurance provides them the coverage which is essential for them. Student car insurance provides both the comprehensive coverage and third party coverage. Students generally in the fun of driving fast harm not only themselves but they also might harm to others.

Comprehensive coverage includes everything that could go wrong with your car. Comprehensive Coverage given in student car insurance provides that if your AC broke, it could cover repairs for your AC, and if your car got stolen it will provide cover for that also. Comprehensive coverage also provides for medical expenses in case your car met with any accident. Hence comprehensive coverage is the must requirement for all students driver. Third party cover provided by student car insurance provide for any damage done by you to any other’s vehicle. It will cover whole expenses of damage to third party due to your fault.

Generally the cost of Student Car Insurance is high due to risk associated with it. But you can lower down your expenses by taking some precautions. You can lower your cost of car insurance as a student by driving as secure as you can. Good driving record will help you in getting student car insurance at lower rate. You can also pay higher deductibles at the time of taking the policy of student car insurance, it will reduce the premium to be paid by you. Thus your cost on your policy of student car insurance will be lower down.

Now in the market there are number of companies which are offering student car insurance. But before opting for any policy of student car insurance given by any insurance company it is essential if you go through various quotes provided by different insurance companies. If you start doing it manually by asking from insurance companies about their quotes of student car insurance then it will involve a lot of wastage of time. Along with wastage of time it will also lead to hassles and exertions in searching the right policy of student car insurance. So instead of searching manually it is thousands time better if you do your search of required quote of student car insurance through internet. Now almost all insurance put their information on their websites. On internet you will get innumerable quotes of student car insurance which will also help you in selecting the appropriate policy of student car insurance

About the Author:

Henry Bell is an author who can certainly identify the kind of insurance that you will need. He is proficient in the insurance world. Insuranceb.co.uk endeavors to find the best possible deals for its customers. To find student car insurance, car insurance, travel insurance, home insurance, van insurance, motorcycle insurance, holiday insurance visit http://www.insuranceb.co.uk/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/loans-articles/student-car-insurance-indispensable-for-the-safety-156977.html

Author: Henry Bell

About Audi TT Tuning

2009-03-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

Like its predecessor, Audi TT is one of the most attractive cars in the coupe segment on the market. This model got in the hands of the German tuner MTM. MTM have their quarters at Wettstetten. They upgraded and improved both the exterior and the stuff under the hood.

In the heart of the new TT there is a 2 liters TFSI able to generate not less than 200 HP. MTM wasn't pleased with this and offers the MTM-TT. The MTM-TT generated 245 HP and a 355 Nm torque. There are many other options available for the Audi TT tuning. A 250 HP engine with 363 Nm, a 270 HP with 275 Nm and an impressive 390 HP at 295 Nm are just a few of the available options.

It's a great choice to go with the Audi TT tuning. You will go along with a great experience gathered over time, especially with the TT BimotoR. This is powered by two 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engines. The turbo-charger recently peaked at 385km/h. This is a fabulous speed for a TT. A new proof that Audii TT tuning is incredible.

The engine needs to work nicely under the hood. For this, the MTM installed a 70 mm pipe system on the 2.0 TFSI. The pipe system is unique and original. It surely helps the over all functioning of the Audi TT. You may choose to combine the pipe system with a muffler and a 4 x 89mm pipe system. Also you may choose a silencer, which goes along with a 2 x 89mm pipe system.

The sport rims can't be missing. MTM offers the BimotoR rims. Their format is 8.5 x 19 inches. There are two color options. One is the metallic gray. The other option is the titanium. Also MTM plans to launch an aerodynamic kit as soon as possible.

It's clear that Audi TT tuning is cheap and really cool.

Sturat enjoys writing on topics like Audi TT Tuning and Audi a3 Tuning

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sturat_Mitchel

By Sturat Mitchel

How to Install Or Repair Alloy Wheels Or Rims

2009-03-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

So you have chosen to go with alloy wheels. They do look great, do they not? And wait until you drive on them. You will soon have an internal compilation of great cornering moments on your mind's DVD player, to run back over again and again at a time of your choosing. But unless they are installed correctly, they will be less than useful, so you will need to make sure things are done to a T. If you want it done perfectly, then take your car to a mechanic and bring a book with you. They will take an hour or so and you will drive away in a car that feels like it is being carried along on angel wings.

If, however, you want to save the money that will cost you - and it is not cheap, you can install alloy wheels yourself. Maybe you have better things to do with your time, but your wallet will look a whole lot better with the bills filling it out, and as long as you do things properly the car is going to end up looking pretty good too. It does not even need to take very long, as you are not replacing the whole wheel, just the trim. The key is in the preparation. If you spend a few extra minutes preparing, you will avoid a few extra hours swearing. It makes sense in the end.

As far as preparation goes, it starts with actually buying the trims and tires. If you buy four that all look the same you will save some time on the installation side of things. It will not look quite as good though, depending on the way your car is set up, and this is why many people go for directional or asymmetric tires. Assuming that you have done this, you will need to take care that things are set up right before you start. Lay each tire next to the wheel that it is going onto beforehand, so when it comes to putting the whole caboodle onto the body of the vehicle you do not find yourself wondering what goes where.

Sometimes people just replace the back tires. You may already have alloys on the four wheels, so if you are going to replace a pair of tires it should be the back ones. The reason for this is that the control of the vehicle on wet roads depends more on the back end than the front. If the back tires you have at the moment are better than the ones on the front, rotate them. Send the back tires to the front; put the new ones on the back. This will give the entire car more of a controlled feel.

One other thing - if you are going to replace only the tires, it is recommended that you do not do it yourself. Unless you are a qualified specialist - in which case why are you reading this? - fitting tyres, yourself without the attached wheel trim can be dangerous in the short and long term.

Have a fun and safe time on the road, and visit us to find the best deal on the insurance coverage you need. Get money-saving tips, affordable auto insurance quotes and helpful information about insuring your vehicle from Auto Insurance Rates Direct today

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Levi_Quinn

By Levi Quinn

How to Check the Spark Plugs in Your Car

2009-03-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

For the non-expert, spark plugs are among those car parts that they know are important. They may not know exactly why, but they are sure that without a working set of sparks, the car will not go. Other than that, they will be as unsure of what these mythic items do as they are of much else pertaining to cars - that is to say, very unsure indeed. Well, the spark plugs - faithful to their name - help with the ignition of the car and without them, the car would not start. And even if they are only slightly faulty, they will affect how the car starts, potentially in a very big way.

Badly fitted, or badly firing spark plugs will have the effect of making your car start fitfully, run poorly and will also see it give terrible fuel efficiency. If none of this bothers you much, then you do not need spark plugs. You also do not need a car, and a bicycle would be a better mode of transport for you.

To check your spark plugs, you will need to go under the hood. Depending on the kind of engine you have, the spark plugs will be lined up along the side of it. In a normal four-cylinder engine, there will be four spark plugs lined up along one side of it. These will fit into the cylinder heads on the engine. Have you ever heard the phrase "firing on all four cylinders"? Well, this is what they are talking about. The gasoline, compressed within the cylinders, is ignited by the spark from the spark plug. Hence the "ignition" part too. See how important all of this is?

To correctly check the spark plugs you will need to remove them. This should be done one at a time - otherwise the process may become confusing and if done incorrectly, spark plug gapping can make for a disastrous scenario. You are looking for debris, or any signs that the plug is poorly operational. All debris should be wiped away, as its presence in such an important part of the cars performance will make for poor starting and even worse driving. The plug itself should be removed using a socket and ratchet set, turning in a counter-clockwise direction. A ratchet set with flexible heads would be best if your spark plugs are deep-set, as these can be hard to reach but without removing them the sparks cannot be checked.

Looking at the spark plug, you will be able to tell that it is correctly operational by its appearance. It needs to be lightly covered with a greyish-brown deposit. If this deposit is heavy, if the plug is black, or the plug looks damaged in any non-superficial capacity, then it needs to be replaced. Replacing spark plugs is best left to a mechanic with some experience, because the damage done by incorrectly fitting them can be irrevocable.

Don't pay more than you have to for auto insurance! Discover the fast and free way to shop for the best quotes on auto insurance from respected insurance companies. Save money with the automotive coverage you need at a good price, all from the comfort of your own home or office

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Levi_Quinn

By Levi Quinn

Emergency Care Kits

2009-03-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

When you cut your finger on a bit of glass, or you have a bit of a headache, you know where to go. To the first aid box, which is filled with wonderful pieces of kit that can have us feeling just right again as quickly as you can say "boo-boo"? For your car, though, you can have a first aid kit that allows it to deal with the minor knocks and nasties that befall a vehicle every once in a while. If your car has the same recurring problem which is either beyond the ken of your mechanic, or too minor to bother spending money getting it fixed, then there is every reason that you should have a few items that make such problems easy to deal with.

For one thing, your car like your home should have a first aid box. If you are constantly on long drives with the occasional passenger, it is worth having medication - including travel sickness meds if you are travelling with someone prone to that particular curse, or if you are not sure. It really, really beats having to pull over regularly to allow them to get sick, trust me. It affects more grown-ups than you would think, but most kids get motion sickness at some level when they are younger. All other kinds of medication that you can think of should be provided too, because you never know when you might need them. Although if any cause drowsiness, then it is perhaps wise to refrain from taking them until there is somewhere you can stop. Whatever the case, it should be a bespoke travel first aid kit that allows you to deal with realistic ailments.

The first aid for your car should be similarly realistic. Things like snow tires, (or for the sake of portability, snow chains), various fluids and smaller moving parts are all things that can come into the equation when you are travelling over long distances. Just to have them in your boot right now means that when you come to need them some way down the line you are not inwardly cursing yourself for forgetting to include them.

Then there are the other things that do not constitute human or car first aid as such, but can come in extremely useful, especially if your journey is struck by misfortune. In case of an accident far away from anywhere, aside from bandages, what might you need? Water, for washing cuts? Check. Blankets? Check. Food? Check. On a long journey, if things do not go as you had wished, you may find yourself stranded a long way from anywhere. So water is an essential for survival as well as for emergency usage. You may need to sleep in the car, so blankets and a pillow will be useful too. And excessively filling food would be an idea too - for minimum storage but maximum nourishment.

Anything else? Well, there are as many things as you can think of. The best thing to do is sit down and think of what YOU would need if you had to live in a car for a prolonged period. Reality-check your list - you may really like to have a fishing rod with you, but if it is going to take up space that could be better used, it would be best to leave it behind. And when you have written the list, follow it to the letter. You do not want to find yourself stranded one day, thinking "If I had actually followed that list, I would not be about to be eaten by this wolf".

Find the best deal on the auto insurance coverage you need. Visit us today for money-saving tips and receive discount auto insurance quotes for young drivers from respected insurance companies

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Levi_Quinn

By Levi Quinn

Checking the Brake Fluid in Your Car

2009-03-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

Knowing that your brakes are going to work whenever you depress the pedal is simply one of those non-negotiable features of driving that we more or less take for granted in this day and age. It is a comforting thought to know that if a cow steps in front of your car, you can come to a stop without significant damage to vehicle or ruminant. That is just one of the little truths you will find in life. But to suddenly have doubts over the effectiveness of your brakes is just horrible. Where can you go if you cannot slow down at shortish notice? This is why it is essential that you make sure your brake fluid is topped up before you drive anywhere. Fortunately it takes almost no time at all, but this does not mean you can just leave it undone.

To check the brake fluid in your car, you first need to find the brake master cylinder. This will be under the hood, on the driver side of the car. Think in a straight line from your brake pedal, and that should be where it crops up. It will be a small metal box-shape, with a rubber cap on top of it and small metal tubes leading from it. If you are still not sure, you have found the master cylinder, check your manual or read what is on top of the rubber cap. Usually it will have instructions on what brake fluid to use, so if you find something with this advice on it you will know you have found the right component.

For older cars you will then need to lift off the rubber cap and check inside. There is a fill line around the inside of the cylinder, and if the fluid is short of this line then it needs topping up. On newer cars, often the cylinder will be transparent with the fill line around the outside. Fill the cylinder to above this line whenever it falls beneath it, to ensure that you never have brake failure due to lack of brake fluid. Of course, you should follow that advice that was last mentioned on the top of the rubber cap, too. It will need to be the right kind of brake fluid, after all.

If the cylinder is completely empty you will need to go and visit your mechanic. This will be because the brakes need to be bled, thus not leaving a big air bubble in the middle of your brake lines where it could cause an accident. The importance of having working brakes cannot be lost on any driver.

If you have successfully topped up the brake fluid in your car, your next step needs to be a thorough washing of the hands. The stuff is extremely toxic, so do not go making yourself a sandwich to celebrate your usefulness until you have got every trace of it off your hands. It would be ironic if you were to end up in hospital because you HAD topped up your brake fluid.

Enjoy your car and find the best deal on the insurance coverage you need. Visit us for money-saving tips, no-obligation auto insurance comparisons and advice for finding affordable insurance rates at Auto Insurance Rates Direct

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Levi_Quinn

By Levi Quinn

Affordable Car Spoilers

2009-03-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

When a person decides to buy a car spoiler, his attention is naturally on the "affordable car spoilers" section in the dealer catalog. The above phrase generally refers to the best spoilers offered at very reasonable prices. A car spoiler is an accessory that can definitely give a facelift to a dull-looking car. It also improves the car's performance and sometimes stimulates its resale value.

Affordable car spoilers can be purchased from second-hand car parts suppliers, who have gained much popularity in recent times. The replacement auto parts industry has flourished owing to the growing demands of auto users. This is a boon to the average person who can save 60-80% by choosing auto parts from affordable car parts suppliers.

There are many ways to find quality, affordable spoilers for any model car. One option is to look for the used ones, which come at highly discounted prices. Most dealer inventories include a section of used car spoilers. The thing to remember is that it might be rather difficult to find an aftermarket spoiler that exactly matches a factory product.

There are discount online sellers, who provide all kinds of car accessories, including car spoilers. You have only to locate the best discount car accessory Web sites and look for the type of spoiler you want. Points to consider while choosing online merchants are that they should be a recognized name in the industry, stock quality parts, offer toll free phone support, and their shipping and handling fees should be clearly stated.

Spoilers provides detailed information on Car Spoilers, Car Spoilers, Muscle Car Spoilers, Affordable Car Spoilers and more. Spoilers is affiliated with Chrome Rims

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson

By Peter Emerson

Basic Auto Liability Insurance Policies

2009-03-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

Basic auto liability insurance policies are low-cost auto insurance policies with a minimum number of benefits. It is a contract between an insured person and the insurance company, in which the insured person pays a premium and the company, in turn, provides financial support within the limits of the policy.

Basic auto liability insurance policies consist of two types of benefits or coverage. They are coverage for bodily injury and property damage. Bodily injury liability provides protection from various claims and court cases that are filed against insured persons, in case the insured person is the cause of injury or death of another person. This type of coverage pays costs for the affected person or his relatives for the pain, suffering, and other hardships, and also for economic damages. This coverage is optional, as it can be selected if a person needs it.

In property damage liability, insured persons are protected from claims and court cases for the damage of property of another person as a result of accident. Property generally refers to the vehicle of another person. However, damage to lamp posts, fences, telephone poles, and buildings is also considered in property liability.

Basic auto liability insurance policies are affordable and simple. Once a policy is selected, a "Limitation on Lawsuit" option is obtained along with the policies. There are certain limitations on the lawsuit option. Legal action can be taken only if death occurs or the person is seriously injured with any one of the conditions such as displaced fracture, dismemberment, major disfigurement or scarring, loss of fetus, and also for other permanent injuries in which body parts cannot function normally.

Basic auto liability policies are risky and provide very less or sometimes even no protection for bodily injury. Two-wheel motorized vehicles and commercial autos are commonly insured using these basic auto liability insurance policies.

Auto Insurance Companies provides detailed information on Auto Insurance Companies, Types of Auto Insurance Companies, Top Auto Insurance Companies, Auto Insurance Company Ratings and more. Auto Insurance Companies is affiliated with Car Insurance Policies

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson

By Peter Emerson

Auto Insurance Company Policies

2009-03-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Auto insurance company policies are legal agreements between a company and its insured persons. In these agreements, the insured pays a particular amount as premium, and the company provides economic support to the person within the limits of the policy. It is mandatory in most of the states that a person operating a vehicle on the roads hold a policy of this kind.

Auto insurance company policies are more expensive than other kinds of insurance because it has a savings plan combined with auto insurance company coverage. You have to pay a very high rate of premium at the beginning to get a policy. But after that, the premium stays constant throughout the life of the policy. There are other scenarios when the premium is paid for a certain number of years until the policy is paid up. The savings portion or cash surrender value included in auto insurance company policies is considered a major advantage. This savings portion has a low return rate and is made available for retirement planning, in most companies.

Auto insurance company policies consist of mainly six types of coverage or benefits, including bodily injury, property damage liability, medical payments coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, comprehensive coverage, and collision coverage. Liability, in which the insured person is protected from claims and other court suits in case of accidents, is an integral part of an auto insurance company policy. Comprehensive coverage pays if damage occurs due to fire, falling of other heavy objects on vehicles, and other natural calamities. The coverage can be purchased as group or individual.

One of the most commonly sold auto insurance company policy is PAP (Personal Automobile Policy), which offers coverage for liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, medical payments, and physical damage protection. Auto insurance company policies, in general provide, protection from almost any kind of physical loss.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson

By Peter Emerson

Employment at Auto Insurance Companies

2009-03-23T21:29:00.000-07:00

Licensing is a major requirement for employment at auto insurance companies. Some companies provide employment for those who have a current applicable license, and others assist you in getting the proper license before providing employment. As licensing requirements differ for various departments within the same company, it is necessary to verify these requirements.

Employment at auto insurance companies is controlled by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, from where these companies are issued licenses. Based on the type of insurance selected, job seekers can inquire about vacant positions by visiting the recruiting departments of auto insurance companies. If there are no openings available, you can ask whether your resume can be submitted for future openings. Another option for employment is to contact recruiting agencies in insurance companies, through which one can apply for different positions in multiple companies simultaneously. The third option is to search web resources for insurance-related jobs.

The workers in auto insurance companies are benefited by competitive salaries, bonus programs, and comprehensive packages. Salary is paid on a monthly basis. A wide range of benefits?including medical, dental, life insurance and pension plans, prescription drug coverage, flexible spending accounts, and a stock purchase plan?are available for employees. Some companies even assist their employees in taking different industrial courses. Some companies have employee assistance and charitable gift matching programs.

As auto insurance companies constitute a growing industrial sector, these companies provide a wide range of employment opportunities for beginners as well as experienced persons. People are employed as managers, representatives, specialists, programmers, accountants, and supervisors in these companies. Most of the persons are employed in claims departments as adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators. In addition, sales agent jobs are always competitive in these companies.

As part of employment, some companies prepare their employees to handle frauds; others impart training to find weaknesses in various insurance cases so as to minimize financial liabilities in companies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson

By Peter Emerson

The Benefits of Auto Insurance

2009-03-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

An auto insurance policy is an agreement between individuals and the insurer for automobiles. The insured person pays a certain premium as insurance and the insurance company, in turn, promises to support financial losses involving vehicles as long as the policy lasts. Auto insurance is compulsory in most states, and the insurance has different types of benefits or coverage.

Some of the components of auto insurance are bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, comprehensive coverage, and collision coverage. A typical policy features the aforementioned six benefits. Bodily injury liability covers legal costs and personal injury claims filed against you if someone is killed or injured in your automobile and you are found to be at fault. Property damage liability deals with legal costs and other damage claims, in case there is damage to another person's property by means of your vehicle.

Medical payments coverage assists in paying medical expenses, even if the insured person is injured in somebody else's vehicle. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage protects against expenses incurred as a result of an accident that is caused by another individual who is either uninsured or who has inadequate insurance coverage. In comprehensive coverage, insurance is for vehicles that are damaged because of theft or natural calamities. Here, the insurance amount is paid for repair or replacement of vehicles. Collision coverage is mainly for vehicles in which damage occurred due to collision with other vehicles, objects, or even persons.

Auto insurance policies allow premium discounts for theft devices or for owning more than one policy with the same insurer. An added advantage is the provision for extending coverage to others driving your car with your permission.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson

By Peter Emerson

Create Computer Games - Get Started on Creating Your Own Virtual Worlds

2009-03-22T18:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve always loved video games, ever since I first played them on a friend’s computer in the afternoon after elementary school. There’s something almost magical about the fact that we can move images around and interact with virtual worlds, a living fantasy presented for us to interact with however we please. I’ve also always wanted to make games myself but, until recently, didn’t have the technical knowledge to do so. Now, I’m a second year software engineering student, so if I weren’t able to code a game without too many dramas there’d be something drastically wrong. But what about the common person: the person for whom the term ‘memory leak’ conjures up images of their grandfather, ‘pipeline’ is where the water flows, and ‘blitting’ is unheard of? Well, everyone can get in on the game creation process, and you don’t even need to learn ‘real’ programming to do so.

So where do games start? With an idea. Games, like all fiction, require an idea to be successful. Sure, in the same way you can just sit down and write a story without foresight, you can jump on in and slap a game together. However, unless you get ridiculously lucky, the best works are usually the ones that have been well thought out beforehand.

There are two methods of planning a project. You can start from a known technological standpoint and build your project on top of that or you can just go for the design, add as many features and ideas as you like, and then remove the ones that you can’t use when you’ve decided on the technology you’re going to implement the game with. In general, the second type is probably the best one to go with when designing games. When you’re first starting out however, the first option will save you many headaches.

So, for a first game you’re going to want a pretty simple idea. Don’t get me wrong, crazy-go-nuts game ideas are fantastic, and there should be more of them out there, but you’re not going to be able to create a real world simulator with fifty billion virtual people all interacting real time with your actions having a butterfly effect on the future of the virtual universe when it’s just your first game. Really. Many people try it; none that I know of have succeeded. Imitation is the best way to start out. Simple games such as ‘Space Invaders’, ‘Tetris’, ‘Pacman’ or even ‘Pong’ are great places to start. All are largely simple to create but have some inherent challenges. ‘Pacman’ for example, requires path finding for the ghosts. I recommend that you start even simpler than that for your very first attempt. ‘Space Invaders’ is a nice point to jump in. You can make a simple, complete game without much effort and it’s almost infinitely extensible.

If you’re stuck for an idea, pick a genre that you enjoy. Do you love adventure games such as ‘Monkey Island’, ‘Grim Fandango’, ‘Space Quest’, ‘King’s Quest’ etc.? Design one of those. Are you into fighting games like ‘Street Fighter’, ‘Tekken’, ‘Soul Calibur’, ‘Mortal Kombat’ and so on? Come up with an idea for that. Do you like first person shooters such as ‘Quake’, ‘Half Life’ or ‘Doom’? I don’t recommend it as a first project, but you can always give it a go. Feel free to be as generic as you like, this is a learning experience after all.

Now that you have your idea it’s time to flesh it out. Don’t worry about the technology or the fact that you may not know how to actually implement a game just yet, just grab yourself some paper and a pencil and go crazy with ideas. Describe the main characters, game play, goals, interactions, story, and key mappings, anything you can think of. Make sure you have enough detail so that someone can read through the notes and play through the game in their head with relative accuracy. Changing game design during the coding process is almost always a bad idea. Once it’s set, it should remain set until the tweaking phase (I’ll go into this more later) or you’re likely to enter ‘development hell’, where the project goes on and on; more and more work is done with less and less outcome.

At the end of this period of your game creation, you should have the following:

- A written outline of the game’s characters and possibly a sketch or two (be they space ships, yellow circles, cars or the prince of the dark kingdom of Falgour, you need to know who or what the player will be and who they will compete against)

- A written outline of the story (if there is one, this isn’t too vital for ‘Space Invaders’ or ‘Tetris’, but for ‘Uber Quest: An Adventure of Awesomeness’ it’s a really good idea)

- A description of game play, written or storyboarded. Storyboards are visual representations of ideas. Draw your characters in actions, with arrows showing the flow of action and short written descriptions detailing the events occurring in your image (because some of us aren’t fantastic artists and our images can be a little… open to interpretation…)

Now that you have a fleshed out idea, it’s time to work out how this will all get put together. If you’ve gotten to this point and are worried that you’re going to have to spend years learning complex programming languages in order to implement your idea, fear not! Others have already done the hard yards for you. There are many RAD (Rapid Application Development) Tools available for game creation, a number of which are available for free online. Some of them still require you to learn a ‘scripting language’ (a simplified programming language made for a specific task) but in general this isn’t too complicated or involved. I’ve compiled a brief list of some of these I have found at the end of the article. The free ones are listed first, organized by game genre.

Well, that should be enough to get you started in the creation of your game. The most important thing to remember once you’ve gotten this far is that you need to complete your game. Many people start a project and then lose interest and it fails, or they keep moving on to one new project after another without finishing anything. Start small, build a working (if simple) game that is, above all else, complete. When you get to this stage you will always have a huge number of things that you wish to change, fix etc. but you’ll get a great feeling from knowing that it is, in its way, finished.

From this point, you can start the tweaking phase. Play your game a few times and ask others to do the same. Take note of what isn’t fun or could be better and change things here. At this stage, it is more important than ever to keep backups of previous versions so that if a change doesn’t work you can go back and try something different without losing any of your work. It is at this point that you can add all new features, improve graphics and sounds, whatever you please, safe in the knowledge that you’re working on a solid foundation.

When you’re happy with your game, why not share it with the world? There are many cheap or free places out there for you to host your files on and then you can jump on link lists and forums and let everyone know about your creation. Well, I hope that this has been a helpful introduction into the art of creating games. It’s a great deal of fun, and can open whole new avenues of creative expression for you to explore. Jump in and have fun!

Links:

General Game Creation:
(Tools that allow easy creation of many different game types)
Game Maker: http://www.gamemaker.nl
MegaZeux: http://megazeux.sourceforge.net/

Adventure Games:
(Games such as Monkey Island, King’s Quest, Space Quest etc.)
Adventure Game Studio: http://www.bigbluecup.com
AGAST: http://www.allitis.com/agast/
3D Adventure Studio: http://3das.noeska.com/
ADRIFT (for text adventures): http://www.adrift.org.uk/

Role Playing Games (RPGs):
(Games such as Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Diablo)
OHRPG: http://www.hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce/
RPG Toolit: http://www.toolkitzone.com/

Fighting Games:
(Games such as Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Soul Calibur etc.)
KOF91: http://sourceforge.net/projects/kof91/
MUGEN (unfortunately the site is largely in French): http://www.streetmugen.com/mugen-us.html

Side-Scrolling Games:
(Games such as the 2D Mario Games, Sonic the Hedgehog, Double Dragon etc.)
The Scrolling Game Development Kit: http://gamedev.sourceforge.net/

There are many others available as well. One particularly useful site for finding game creation tools is: http://www.ambrosine.com/resource.html

Also of note, although not freeware, are the excellent game creation tools available by Clickteam at: http://www.clickteam.com/English/
Klik and Play and The Games Factory in particular are the programs to have a look at and download the free demos of.

If you really want to do things right and program the game yourself, there are some excellent programming resources available at the following locations:

Java Game Programming:
http://fivedots.coe.psu.ac.th/~ad/jg/
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1262.asp
http://javaboutique.internet.com/tutorials/Java_Game_Programming/

Visual Basic Game Programming:
http://markbutler.8m.com/vb-tutorial.htm

C++ Game Programming:
http://www3.telus.net/alexander_russell/course_dx/introduction_dx.htm
http://www.rit.edu/~jpw9607/tutorial.htm

General Information:
http://www.gamedev.net/
http://www.gamasutra.com/

Daniel Punch M6.Net http://www.m6.net Daniel Punch is a university student learning how to make a living through having fun

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Punch

By Daniel Punch

Concerts - Beatles At Shea Stadium

2009-03-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

In this article we're going to review one of the most famous concerts in rock and roll history, The Beatles performance at Shea Stadium.

The Beatles are arguably the most famous band in rock and roll history. They certainly were the start of the British revolution that spawned many bands with that Brit sound, but none of them sounded quite like the Fab Four.

The Beatles first concert at Shea Stadium in New York set records for the time. The attendance was 55,600 people and the money made was over 57,000 pounds. Not too bad for August 15, 1965. The noise factor at the stadium that day was so loud that John Lennon said it was "louder than God." Lennon had a habit of comparing the Beatles to the almighty, which ultimately got him and the group into a lot of trouble in their early days.

Most people know about the concert date and what was played there, but what few people know is what happened to the Beatles on the way to Shea Stadium. While it was nothing traumatic, it is important to note that in spite of their enormous popularity, they were in total awe of what they were walking into.

On the drive to the stadium, George Harrison was totally in awe of the amount of traffic headed that way. The freeway was a total disaster area. Cars were hardly moving and for a while it looked like the Beatles themselves would be late for their own concert had it not been for the helicopter that took them from Wall Street to the stadium. The view from up above was as if people were trying to escape some sort of national disaster.

They wouldn't allow the Beatles to land in the stadium so they had to land on top of the roof at the World's Fair. From there, it was one hundred yards to the stadium in a Wells Fargo armored truck. Talk about security. On the drive in the truck, which had no windows, to the stadium, insane kids were banging on the outside of the truck and rocking it back and forth. At one point George thought the truck was going to be turned over and they were all going to be torn to pieces. All of this in spite of weeks drawing up plans for how they would get the group to the stadium.

Ironically, the concert, compared to modern times, was very low budget. The amps were Vox Ac-30s. The group was offered to have anything they wanted made for them, but they turned down all offers. They wanted to play with the equipment that they had always used. Consequently, the sound quality was not great. But the experience was one that will probably never be felt by anyone ever again.

For those interested in the music, the highlights of the concert were "A Hard Day's Night”, "Help”, "I'm Down”, "Can't Buy Me Love”, "Ticket To Ride”, "I Feel Fine”, and "Twist And Shout".

-------------------------------------------------------
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Concerts
-------------------------------------------------------

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

By Michael Russell

Soccer Gear and Equipment - Basics Required to Play

2009-03-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

One of the things that make soccer such a wonderful sport for the average sports fan is the fact that you don't need any fancy or expensive equipment to play. That may be one of the main reasons why soccer is the world's most popular sport to date. It' fun, it's easy and it's cheap! Whether you are 8, 18 or 80, you can enjoy a game of backyard soccer with only:

Ball – this can be a standard soccer ball, or another type of kicking ball.

Open space to play – no matter where you live: the desert; the jungle or somewhere in between, soccer can be played as long as its fairly open (this helps to avoid broken windows from straying balls).

A few friends – even though you can always kick the ball around yourself, soccer is more fun to play with a group of 2-20.

Lots of energy – soccer is a fast-paced game of perpetual movement, so make sure you have plenty of energy and are ready for some exercise before you head out to play.

Even though there is very little in the way of equipment you need to play soccer, there are a few items that some players find helpful if you can afford it, especially when playing on a more formal team.

Soccer Ball.

While soccer has been played in some parts of the world with a variety of kick balls, tin cans, or basically any item that can be "kicked around," most players prefer a regulation soccer ball to make play easier and safer.

Cleats.

Cleats (spiked shoes), can be one of the most important pieces of equipment for team soccer players since they help the players stay balanced no matter what the ground surface (sand, dirt, grass or even mud). When buying soccer cleats, make sure they fit correctly – snug, but not tight, and choose the style that best suite the weather conditions and physical terrain in which you'll be playing.

Shin Guards.

Although not required equipment, especially for informal neighborhood play, shin guards are a great way to protect player's legs from injury. Attack players usually prefer lightweight shin guards that offer more mobility, while defensive players prefer a tougher more durable style.

Goal Keepers Gloves.

Many goalkeepers prefer to wear a specialized playing glove to get a better grip on the ball as well as save fingers, joints and the palms of the hands from harm.

Goalposts.

Unless you're playing an official league game, ad-hoc goalposts can be anything: trees, cars, playground equipment, even people!

Uniform.

Although soccer can be played in any comfortable clothing, most players prefer to play in shorts (usually knee-length); a cotton jersey and thick high socks (usually to the knee) to help protect the calves and legs from injury.

As you can see, even players who purchase a full uniform and the standard soccer equipment can do so for a minimal investment compared to most other sports. But don't let an inability to buy long socks, cleats or a colored jersey stop you from enjoying this wonderful sport. There are players everywhere who play only a ball and their friends every day all over the world! That's what makes soccer so great.

Sick and Tired of Not Profiting From Your Websites? Start Your Own Adsense Templates Network TODAY with eWebCreator.com. Get Our FREE Website Secrets e-Course Here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Hick

By Matt Hick

Niagara Falls

2009-03-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

Niagara Falls is a group of large waterfalls that are located in the Niagara river on the eastern coast of the United States and Canada. They are located on the border between the two countries, and are composed of three waterfalls. These three waterfalls are the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Horseshoe Falls. While these waterfalls are not very high, they are quite wide. Over 5 million cubic feet of water will fall down in a single minute. It is one of the most popular waterfalls in the world, and is the most powerful in the North American continent.

Niagara Falls is a well known site that is a popular tourist attraction. In addition to this, Niagara Falls is known for the hydroelectric power it provides, and the spot was chosen as potential source of power by Nikola Tesla, the famous inventor. A memorial has also been built for him at the site. The three waterfalls are shared by three cities, and these are Niagara Falls, Ontario, and the dual cities of Niagara Falls, New York. It is believed that Niagara Falls formed during a period that is called the Wisconsin glaciation, a period that ended over 9,000 years ago. The Wisconsin glaciation was a large glacier that connected the area with Canada.

The glacier would have moved through the area, crushing surfaces in order to form lakes or rivers. Niagara Falls has a height of about 170 feet, though the American Falls is only about 70 feet. The Canadian Falls are much larger, and have a height of about 2,600 feet. During the best seasons, the amount of water flow will be well over 200,000 cubic feet per second. The word "Niagara" was taken from the Iroquois language, and it can be translated into "strait." The Ongiara were the natives in the area, and were known for settling disputes among the various tribes in the region. Niagara Falls has been visited by a number of historical figures, and one of them was Jerome Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Niagara Falls became a popular tourist attraction during the 19th century. Because people need to cross over the falls, the Niagara suspension bridge was built. The steel bridge that was originally constructed in 1886 is still used for railroad cars today. Another bridge that was built during this time that is still being used today is the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge. While Niagara Falls is beautiful to look at, it is also an important source of energy. Efforts to tap into the energy of Niagara has existed since the 18th century. It was Daniel Joncairs who first built a canal near the falls to power his sawmill.

Despite, it was Nikola Tesla who worked extensively to tap into the power of the waterfalls. His three phase system for AC current made it possible to transfer electricity from the waterfalls to distant locations. With financial assistance from the Morgan and Vanderbilt family, it was possible to create underground turbines that could generate hundreds of thousands of horsepower. In addition to this, a number of Canadian companies begin harnessing the power of the falls as well.

Michael Colucci is a writer for Niagara Falls which is part of the Knowledge Search network

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Colucci

By Michael Colucci

Choosing the Right Laptop

2009-03-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

With the Christmas season fast approaching, it's time to start researching your big ticket item purchases. The savvy buyer can save big bucks if you do your homework. Laptops remain one of the top Christmas gift requests. The price of laptops in recent years has come down considerably, but you will want to make sure you are buying a laptop that fits the need of the user.

Before going online to purchase a laptop, I find it helpful to make a short list of what the actual needs are. Price is always at the top of most people's lists, but there are other factors that are just as important. I have created a short list of questions to consider:

Keys to choosing the right laptop

Who is the laptop user? When choosing a laptop, it is important to understand who will be using it..,high school student, college student, working professional, etc.
Where will the laptop be used? For heavy mobile users such as college students and working professionals, size, weight and battery life are very important. So when pouring over the reviews and spec charts, keep those factors in mind. The average high school student uses a laptop from room to room in their house, and have ample access to AC power most of the time. So for these users, the factors listed above may not be as critical.
How will the laptop be used? The more mobile the user, the more durability plays a role. Heavy users spend a great deal of time start and shutting down their laptops every day. On average, the heavy user will open and shut their laptops 5 times a day. Although that may not seem like a lot of wear and tear, there is also the issue of general handling. Heavy users will be going from location to location, in and out of cars, buses, plane, on a constant basis. This increases the likelihood of damage to the laptop, via dropping, bumping and banging, coffee spills on the keyboard, etc....which leads me to service contracts.
Should I buy a service contract for my laptop? In one word, YES. When you think about carrying around a fragile piece of electronics costing $1000 or more, the price of a typical service contract is a bargain. The price for service contracts on a laptop is generally in the $200 dollar range. You should never even think about buying a laptop without one. The top manufacturers have outstanding service agreements. I have 3 Dell laptops, and have needed service for 2 times. In each case, a technician was on-site within 24 hours, corrected the issue, at no cost. Every service plan differs, so be sure you read the coverage offered with the same scrutiny you give the laptop components.
How much should I expect to pay for a laptop? It used to be hard to find a quality laptop under $1000; however, this is no longer true. There are several companies offering what I consider as quality products, starting around $500. The options or upgrades you select have a large impact in what you can expect to pay. Having a list of what you want in a laptop, such as memory, speed, hard drive size, burners, etc..will help speed up the process when you go shopping. Although online laptop manufacturers allow a great deal of customization, my experience has been to first look at the pre-bundled or specials they offer. You can save plenty of money with these laptops because they can build them ahead of time. These specials will also come with additional upgrades at lower costs. So plan ahead, but be open to see a value when it is available.
What Laptop Brand Should I Select? Great strides have been made in the laptop industry, however, there are still the good, not-so good, and greats of the world. Personal experience has always been the main reason I have stuck with Dell. Great value and service, no complaints. Before recently purchasing my new desktop computer, I really thought I would go with Apple. Apple is at the forefront of design, style, and innovation. But when the rubber met the road, I decided that Dell has never let me down and choose another Dell. You will always read reviews, pro and con, about any product...with the exception of Apple. The Apple owners of the world are a united front. They love Apple...period....and I am ok with that. If you have no past experience computers, ask a trusted friend, people in the office, etc. Computer advice is cheap and in great supply. For online reviews and test results, my laptop reviews always start with PCWorld

Technical writer for Lilsurfergirl.com - Tech Reviews From a Different Perspective

Article written by LSG at Lilsurfergirl.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Huey

By Rick Huey

Cheapest Portable MP3 Player - Review This Before You Buy!

2009-03-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

The cheapest portable mp3 player is definitely obtainable for all. Today, it isn't surprising to find out that most of us are thinking about our budget when it comes to electronics. There are so many choices of good quality portable MP3 players that can be found at much cheaper than retail costs.

With an MP3 player, a consumer can create personalized music lists and carry thousands of their favorite songs wherever they go. Some people use the term iPod when referring to an MP3 player. But an iPod is Apple's version and isn't the cheapest MP3 player on the market. But with newer models coming out all the time, it is possible to find a used iPod at a discount.

An MP3 player is no more than a data-storage device with an embedded software application that allows users to transfer MP3 files to the player.

The MP3 player, in some cases, weighs less than one ounce. Portability is a large factor in the popularity of the MP3, considering the ease of transportation in comparison to a CD player. In addition, some devices provide additional technology, like video and photo viewing, alarm and calendar functions, and even cell phone and Internet service.

MP3 players come in as much variety as ice cream flavors. How you plan on using your player should help you figure out which of those bells and whistles you want and how much you can afford. The cheapest portable MP3 player can be yours but remember to consider which extras you can live without.

All portable MP3 players are battery operated. Most have a lithium battery that is rechargeable and can last between 10-28 hours. A lot of players come with AC adapters to be plugged into a home outlet and some have DC for cars.

Types of basic models of MP3 players include:

The flash memory is the smallest and lightest MP3 player. This would store fewer songs than a hard drive but is very portable. Due to the fact that it has no moving parts, it's ideal to use while exercising. Some have up to 8 GB which allows up to 2,000 songs.

The hard drive and mini hard drive MP3 players are usually larger than flash memory models. They do have more storage if memory is a concern.

For those looking for a player that can contain their entire music collection (up to 20,000 songs), photographs, data, and video and allow podcast recording, the hard drive is best. (The Apple iPod has models with 80GB).

You can find the cheapest portable MP3 players at deep discounts through auction sites such as eBay and by comparison shopping at one of the online pricing sites.

You can find the cheapest portable mp3 player in today's market. Get our listing of the cheapest portable mp3 players by clicking that first link today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roberta_Claus

By Roberta Claus

Secret Marketing Plan

2009-03-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked me what was the secret to our market domination? Hello, my name is Lance Winslow and I am the founder of The Car Wash Guys. Before now I have not disclosed my secrets of grass roots market; a strategic plan we used city after city to market our franchised outlets in 23 states. I named the plan Bonzai and Blitz Marketing. Yes, Bonzai is spelled incorrectly. Bonsai is the correct spelling for the plant and to this day I do not know the actual spelling for the Japanese Battle Call, but I do know how to say it and what it means to our team. I have never been a champion speller and I liked the pizzazz in the Bonzai spelling with the “Z” much better. Below is a strategic outline we used in setting up our target markets and then grid’ing the area out and then attacking that market to win customers to what we believe is the best service in the world.

I would advise anyone who is serious about winning market share and dominating their market area to review this outline. First; print out this article and modify the outline to fit your business, our business is a mobile car wash and different than yours. Then once you have the outline most resembling your exact business model then put a paragraph or two to each item. Calculate how you will achieve each of the lettered and numbered items, quickly and efficiently as you position your team to win. Then take this a rough draft of your new grass roots marketing plan. Next; type it up double spaced and tightening it up then put it in a safe where no one can find it. War planners throughout history and political planners do this to win. If you really want to win in your business whether you are in small business or run a multi-state operations with hundreds of outlets you will still need to get down and dirty and take the fight to the enemy with a team worthy of strength of character and resolve.

BONZAI AND BLITZ MARKETING

I. PRE-SCOUT INFORMATION GATHERING

A. Computer Data And Mapping

1. ESRI (Geographic Information System)

a. ARC/INFO And PC ARC/INFO

b. ARC DATA

c. ARC VIEW

d. ARC CAD

e. ARC CITY

f. ARC USA

g. Business Map

2. Mapping Programs

a. Delorma (Phone Search USA)

b. Rand McNally

c. AAA Street Finder

d. Select-A-Map

B. Business Lists (PRO CD And Power Finder)

1. Industries

a. Aircraft

b. Trucking

c. Bus

d. Railroad

e. Corporate

f. Governments

g. Automotive

h. Construction

2. Programs Used (CD ROMs)

a. Select-A-Phone

b. 16 Million Business Listings

c. Phone Disk Business

d. Power Finder

e. Yellow Page Listings (CD ROM)

C. Fax Listings

1. Trading

2. Buying

3. Programs

a. Fax Book

b. PRO CD FAX

D. E-Mail Addresses

1. E-Mail Yellow Pages

2. E-Mail Search By City

E. Data Information Services Which Support Windows 95 & NT

1. Maps Etc., Inc.

2. Blackburn Services Company

3. Data Map, Inc.

4. ETAK Map, Inc.

5. National Research Bureau

F. Data Information Downloading

1. City Home Pages On The Internet

2. Chamber Of Commerce

a. Home Page

b. BBS Bulletin Board

3. Thompson Site Selection Research, Inc.

4. Urban Decision Systems

5. Equifax National Decision Systems

G. Data Information Services Which Support ESRI-GIS

1. Wessex Inc.

2. ETAK Map, Inc.

3. Business Location Research

4. Information Research, Inc. (Infoscan)

5. Maps Etc., Inc.

6. SMI-Auto Facts

H. Feasibility Studies

1. Blackburn Business Services

2. SMI-Auto Facts

3. SMI-Afflence/Net Worth

4. Claritas “Clout”

5. Market Statistics, Inc.

I. Data Charting

1. Census Data (Tiger Files)

2. Census Tracts

3. Zip Plus Four Coding Areas

4. Traffic Studies

5. DMV Reports/Demographics

II. DRIVE THROUGH CITY, THREE TO FOUR HOURS

III. PRE-SCOUT PROSPECTIVE FRANCHISEE MEETING

IV. BONZAI MARKETING

A. Send Scout

1. Survey Area

a. Identify Retail Centers

aa. Travel Agencies

ab. Hair Salons

ac. Small Retail Shops

ad. Insurance Offices
b.

Office Complexes

aa. Multi-Tenant Buildings

ab. Single Company Stand Alones

c. Industrial Areas

aa. Manufacturing

ab. Small Truck Fleets

ac. Distribution Companies

ad. Railroad Tracks

ae. Warehouses

af. Material Yards

d. Chamber Of Commerce Visit

aa. Directory

ab. Community Lists (Rotary, Kiwanis, Elk, Lions, etc.)

ac. Board Members, Directors, etc.

ad. Maps (10)

ae. Offer Assistance

e. Airport?

f. Military Base?

g. Large Government Buildings

2. Visit City Hall

a. Planning Dept.

b. Business License Dept.

c. Administration Dept.

aa. Gather Demographic Information

ab. City Resources

ac. City Clerk About Politics Of Town

d. Purchasing Dept.

aa. Who Cleans Graffiti

ab. How They Wash Vehicles

ac. Sidewalk Cleaning

3. Large Companies/Government Agencies With Fleets

a. Trash Company

b. Federal Express Office

c. U.S.P.S.

d. U.P.S. Terminal

e. Cement trucks

f. Train Depot

g. Trucking Companies

h. Highway Patrol Office

i. Railway Depot

j. Cal Trans

k. Utility Companies

l. Bus Company Terminal

m. Park Districts

n. Cab Companies

o. Rent-A-Car Companies

p. Police Dept.

4. Locate A Domino's Pizza Store

5. Locate Kinko's Copy Center

6. Possible Co-Op Advertisers

a. Tanning Salons

b. Karate Studios

c. Health Clubs

d. Dinner Restaurants

e. Printing Shops

7. Find Cheapest Hotel Room

8. Get An Industry Guide For Area

9. Phone Book (Acquire)

10. Categorize Residential Areas

a. Apartment Complexes

b. Condos

c. Single Family Complexes

d. Gated Communities

e. Upper Middle Class Areas

11. Nearest College Or University

a. Labor Pool

b. Future Franchisees

c. Flyer Distributors

B. Scout Compiles Information

1. Make Story Board With Map Of Area

a. Outline Commercial And Residential Areas

b. Define Target Areas/Hot Spots

c. Label Highest Profit Areas To Be Hit

2. Make Data Base Of:

a. VIP's, Mayor, Chamber Members, Directors, Community Members, Club Presidents, etc.

b. All Businesses, Industry Guide, Yellow Pages, etc.

c. Chamber Businesses

d. Potential Accounts: Trucking Companies, Government, Rent-A-Car

e. Fax Data Base Shell

3. Data Labor Pool Base

C. Associates Arrive With New Franchisee

V. BLITZ TIME

A. Round Up Resources

1. Students (4) Walk Business Districts

a. Gather Business Cards With Fax Numbers

b. (4) Car Wash Truck Wash In #1 Highest Profit Area

c. Team Meeting

2. Second Day - Acceleration

a. Students Hit Coffee And Donut Shops

b. Moms Dropping Kids At School At 8am

c. Office Complexes, More Fax Numbers

d. Four Major Restaurants For Business Lunches

e. Lance Goes On A Mission

aa. City Business License

ab. Meeting With Chamber Of Commerce

* BBS Board System

* Crime Watch

* Fax Data Base

* Join Chamber

* Grand Opening Data

* Car Wash Coupons

* Volunteer

ac. Phone Calls

* President Of All Clubs

* Politicians

* Competitors

* Tentative Sales Calls To Government Agencies

ad. Board Of Realtors

* Coupons

* Join - Add On Computer

3. Day Three - Saga Continues

a. Students Hit Phone Booths

b. Bulletin Boards

c. Realty Offices (Boxes)

d. Grocery Stores

e. Restaurants

f. Park And Rides

4. Day Four - Big Parade

a. Students In Cars With Signs

b. Cash Wash Trucks

c. Driving Through Shopping Centers

d. Driving Through Business Complexes

e. Driving Through Colleges

f. Grocery Stores Everybody

g. Students Leave 6pm

5. Fax List Complete

6. Lance And Franchisee Sit Down And Bid Fleet Accounts By Fax And By Mail

7. Day Five - Start Corporate Employee Program

Expert and Franchisee

8. Lance And Computer Person Set Up System

9. Media Blitz - Corporate Washing, Fundraisers, Follow-Up Press Releases

10. Inserts In Newspaper. - We're Done

B. Throw A Party

C. Scout Any Competitors And Route Days

(Make Data Base Of This)

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

By Lance Winslow

The Top 10 Practical Tips For Saving Gas

2009-03-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

1. Do not leave your engine idling for more than 30 seconds. If it must idle longer than that, turn your car off. unnecessary idling wastes countless millions of gallons of fuel each day. Don't worry, your starter and battery system can handle the increased activity.

2. Keep your tires inflated. You encounter less rolling resistance with higher tire pressure. In turn, your mileage will improve. As a rule of thumb, you want to be a little over the pressure recommended by the manufacturer.

3. Reduce your car's weight. Take a look in your trunk, back seat, under your seats, and remove any items that you don't need in your car. The more weight, the more energy required to make your car move. The more energy required to make your car move, the more gas you will use. Just about everything can be removed, just remember to keep your jack and spare tire! If your backseat is never moved, take it out!

4. Drive as little as possible on a cold engine. Cold engines do not run efficiently. Preheat your engine before taking short trips. Don't spread your errands throughout the day, combine as many trips into one as possible. This will ensure that your engine is running at a higher temperature for longer.

5. When stopped at lights or in heavy traffic, turn off your air conditioning. Open windows when you are moving will produce drag that will offset the saving you think you will get from turning your AC off all the time.

6. A real time fuel consumption meter should be installed so that you can see which activities while driving are causing the largest amounts of fuel consumption. This will allow you to make the necessary adjustments to save more fuel.

7. Keep the exterior of your car clean and waxed. One of the top drags on your fuel economy is drag! Drag is simply friction with air. A clean and waxed vehicle will reduce aerodynamic drag, and in turn will reward you with improved gas mileage. Remove luggage racks, bike racks, ski racks, any rack you have on the roof. Keep your moon roof closed. Think smooth ...

8. Every 10,000 miles you need to change your air filter, or switch to a reusable air filter. Your vehicle needs to be able to take in air with no restrictions.

9. Keep your gas tank at half-full. Try not to exceed this amount. Fuel is added weight, and by keeping less gas in the tank you will reduce the weight of your car. Play it smart, make sure you have enough at all times.

10. Cruise control will save you gas. Use it as much as possible. Cruise control has the ability to maintain constant speed, more so than you or I.

Did you know that you can easily convert your car to run on water and increase your fuel economy by up to 70%? We've tested many of the leading conversion guides and have found the top 3. Read our Water Hybrid Conversion Guide Reviews

Not only will you save money by spending less on gas, you will be helping the environment by converting to a water hybrid now

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Henderson

By Gary Henderson

Build Your Own Electric Car

2009-03-18T19:22:00.001-07:00

Learning how to build your own electric car is not really that difficult of a project. We did our own conversion of a 1995 Toyota Corolla in about 2 weeks at a cost of only a few hundred dollars. How did we do it? It really turned into a family project after it began, here's how you can do it too.

What will you need to get started?

· Detailed plans on how to build your own electric car
· You can use any vehicle- gas, diesel
· A garage, shop or barn is nice, but not necessary
· Simple tools every home workshop has- wrenches, drills etc.

First off you will need a large DC motor (9 inches or larger) and a source of batteries. Note that AC motors can be used as well but they are a bit more expensive so we went with DC. They are easier to install too.

You can, of course buy all these parts brand new but this is the heaviest cost of the whole project so we suggest using the sources of free DC motors and free industrial batteries listed in the plans. They're not hard to find either and since a DC motor will run for probably longer than you will own your car, using salvaged motors makes sense.

Your car will rust out from under you before the motor gives up. We wanted to keep the costs down and figured this was a great way to do it. After obtaining your DC motor and batteries you have to remove your gas engine from your car. Rent a hoist or find a friendly mechanic to lift it out for your. A few bolts and it's free.

Leave the clutch and flywheel assembly and detach the rest. That will leave you room for batteries and DC motor mounting. It is imperative that you only use a standard transmission vehicle for your conversion as automatic transmissions simply won't work.

Don't worry, you won't even have to shift gears in traffic once the conversion is done. It will drive just like an automatic transmission, which is nice. Put it in gear and go. When you stop the engine simply stops too. It doesn't keep idling, requiring clutching like a gas engine. The accelerating ability takes some getting used to as there won't be a vehicle in town that will take you off the line at stop lights. This is no slow golf cart you will be building here.

Learning how to build your own electric car is a lot of fun too. Putting together the controller and motor assembly is not that difficult either. Your new Electric car will be able to go 50 mph and travel up to 200 miles on a single charge too. Pretty amazing.

Did you know that gas prices are expected to reach $7 per gallon next year?

Isn't it time you got started on this project.

Build Your Own Electric Car is the best place to start on your own electric car conversion and learn all there is to know about how to build your own electric car.

Our family began living off the grid in 2001 and we have never looked back. Learning how to build your own electric car will definitely help you save money and the environment too

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Les_J_Oke

By Les J Oke

An Internet Strategy For Dealerships That Clicks

2009-03-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

I attended an Internet tradeshow for dealerships a few months ago. In one of the sessions, the speaker was discussing effective ways to migrate your offline processes, replicating how you do business offline to your online presence. I tend to disagree with that approach when considering how you are spending your marketing dollars online. There's a fundamental difference when comparing offline and online consumer behavior. An online consumer is usually an INFORMED consumer. The vast amount of information on the Internet, coupled with the search engines' ability to organize that information changes just about every consumer buying decision and buying process.

Think about it. The patient/doctor relationship has changed. When someone is diagnosed today with a chronic or serious disease, one of their first stops is at a search engine to search for information on the disease and better understand their condition. The doctor/patient relationship today is much more collaborative than dictatorial. Do you remember the role a travel agent used to play in the selling of airline tickets? How many travel agents still sell tickets primarily from a brick and mortar location today? For that matter, how many travel agents still exist today? In the world of the automotive industry and the Internet, when looking at how a product moves from manufacturer (GM, Ford, Toyota) to distributor (local dealership) to end-user (consumer), the distributor (dealership) is the most disrupted and threatened by powerful online search tools. Manufacturers will continue to produce cars and people will continue to buy them. How and from whom is up for grabs in the coming years.

What it means to be an automobile dealership may change in the next 5 to 10 years. Certainly dealership Internet sales will become more and more important as dealerships work to stay relevant in the future. You already hear about car manufacturers consolidating their dealership network. Consumers can bypass dealerships and effectively negotiate their own deal through a few clicks of their mouse as individuals buying from other individuals is easier than ever before. More and more car buyers are comfortable with buying a car on eBay from another location and having it shipped to them. The consumer in 2008 would prefer to buy a car differently from how most are being sold today. The popularity of online vehicle listings demonstrates increasing consumer confidence on the Internet. As indicated above, the best word to describe the new car buyer today is INFORMED. Before they step foot on your lot, they have done initial research about the car, and perhaps your dealership.

They come armed with an understanding of what you paid for the car, what their trade-in is worth, and the service history of the model they are considering. They've looked at Consumer Reports, researched at kbb.com and edmunds.com, and will probably purchase a Carfax report prior to closing a deal. Dealerships have done a pretty good job in the last several years of putting information about their vehicles on their dealer website and at various online vehicle listing sites. And there's plenty more they could be doing to separate their dealership from their local competition. I describe two ways to differentiate the car buyer's experience and increase the profile of your dealership and your inventory. The first strategy is to enhance the visibility of your vehicle listings. Enhancing the visibility of the dealership online is a second strategy, often ignored at many dealerships.

Enhancing the visibility of your online vehicle listing

Give them the information they seek before making a buying decision. Inform them. Get them to trust you. Make your listings stand out compared to your competition. Let's take a look at each one of these ideas separately. When considering the online listing of your inventory, it is important to remember that your customers like online vehicle listings that are visually appealing and give them lots of information about the vehicle. Some effective ways to enhance your vehicle listings include:

1. Pictures, pictures, pictures - that showcase exterior, interior, and special accessories. High quality pictures of car inventory can attract a consumer's attention and showcase an individual vehicle. You can also include "canned images" in your picture directory that give prospects information about your dealership, such as awards, and local notoriety.

2. A detailed description of the car, listing those things that differentiate the car first. In general, most people today expect AC, power steering, power windows and locks. What is it about your particular vehicle that is unique, or interesting, or can differentiate it from other vehicles?
3. Vehicle Videos - Showcase the vehicle with a video that provides details that cannot be captured with pictures. Again, you are increasing the user's comfort level with the vehicle. Most online vehicle listing sites accept video descriptions of the vehicle.

4. Text Descriptions on the Vehicle Photos - Some dealers help their vehicle pictures come to life by using text annotation tools in Paint or Photoshop. This capability has been automated for the automotive industry by at least one software provider in the market.

5. Graphical Vehicle Report - A visual illustration of the car with capability to document details about the exterior, interior and mechanical condition of the car. Convenient point and click reporting simplifies the complete online listing and provides comprehensive vehicle condition report to prospective buyers.

6. Guarantees - Give the online buyer confidence in the vehicle and trust with you. Do you certify your pre-owned vehicles or offer other warranties from your dealership, or offer car history reports from CARFAX?

Enhancing the visibility of your dealership online

The second strategy, enhancing the visibility of your dealership, is many times an overlooked opportunity to enhance your online presence. Your success increases dramatically when you have a website that is compelling, strategically structured, and designed to be another sales channel for your dealership.

Innovative dealers are finding their dealer website to be the MOST IMPORTANT sales channel for their dealership. Beyond a compelling website, maintaining high visibility and ranking on the major search engines can absolutely redefine the overall success of your Internet presence. When your customers use a search tool, they are in the mode that they WANT to see what you are offering and what you have to say. You want to improve your visibility on google and yahoo, and ensure that people find you before they find your competition. Strong visibility can translate to getting on the first page of a Google search and can be very effective in helping car shoppers find your website online. As Internet sales for dealerships become increasingly important, maximizing the local visibility of your dealership will matter more and more.

And the rest is up to you! Good selling!

Donna Kopotic is the Marketing Director for AutoXloo. Donna brings over 15 years of Internet and software marketing experience to the automotive industry. AutoXloo offers inventory management software for dealerships designed to make your life easier, save you time and generate leads for your dealership. Learn more today at http://www.autoxloo.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Kopotic

By Donna Kopotic

Natural Health - Cleaning For the Cleaning Lady

2009-03-17T19:36:00.001-07:00

Do you ever find yourself cleaning for the cleaning lady?

I do it all the time. And I remember teasing my mother for cleaning before Isabella, her lady, would come, and now I'm doing the same thing! I always thought Mom did it as an image thing - so that she didn't appear to be so messy.

I do it mostly for organizational reasons. I want to make sure my things are in their proper place so that they're not just put into piles for me to go through later - doubling the amount of work I must do. But I do clean as I organize to save my lady some steps herself. To some that may seem ridiculous.

What's really ridiculous though is cleaning right after the cleaning lady has been there. The reason I end up doing this is because maybe I haven't taken the time to explain the non-toxic products that I want her to use. In my experience most professional services use petrochemical based products that are toxic. I'm extremely sensitive to most of these products, and have a difficult time if they are used in my household.

Here are some ways to clear your environment after petrochemical based household products have been used:

--Open the window and doors (tough if the weather is cold)

--Run ceiling fans

--Diffuse therapeutic essential oils - they naturally destroy petrochemicals (try putting a drop of lemon oil on a Styrofoam cup to see how this works)

--Put a drop of therapeutic essential oil on your kitchen counter and bathroom sink area and wipe (orange or pine are good to use)

--Sprinkle a few drops of therapeutic essential oil in your bathtub and run the shower for a few minutes

If you do take the time to educate your cleaners on the use of non-toxic ways to clean your household, here are some suggestions to give them:

--To clean mirrors and windows:: mix 1/4 c. white vinegar with 2c. water and 1/2 tsp liquid soap - use in spray bottle

--If you want a natural abrasive for cleaning tubs, showers, and sinks: use Borax and mix with dishwashing soap - add a few drops of lemon or pine essential oil

--Use Thieves Household Cleaner by Young Living Essential Oils. Thieves Cleaner is a proprietary suspension of safe surfactants (wetting agents) and Thieves essential oil blend. Theives Household Cleaner is highly concentrated - here are the ratios to mix with water for these jobs:

--Light Degreasing 60:1
--Medium Degreasing 30:1
--Heavy Degreasing 15:1
--Floors 100:1
--Walls 30:1
--Upholstery, Fabrics, Carpet Spotting 40:1
--Carpet 100:1
--Glass 320:1
--Pots and Pans 100:1
--Hand Cleaner 1:1

In our homes we have a choice who to bring in and which products they use. Finding and educating a service about using natural cleaners may be tough but worth it. We don't have a choice as to who cleans our rooms nor which products are used when we stay in a hotel.
Here are some tips on how to minimize exposure to toxic cleaners in your hotel rooms:

--Don't let the maid clean your room every day - just get your towels replaced and trash emptied, and make your own bed

--Place a hand towel sprinkled with your favorite therapeutic essential oils in the vents of the heat/ac system and turn on the fan

--Run a steam shower and dowse a few drops of lavender into the water streams

Visit http://www.HomeSpaLady.com for simple tips on natural health and beauty that you can do at home. Subscribe to Home Spa Lady's free "Tips of the Week" newsletter delivered to you each and every Wednesday in your e-mailbox. Visit Home Spa Lady's blog to read tips right now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marilee_Tolen

By Marilee Tolen

With Any Luck the Recession Will Destroy Homes with "Integrity" and Cars with "Road Manners"

2009-03-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

In tough times all economic sectors survive in one form or another, but at least some of the insider jargon, self-important obfuscation, and outright bull vanishes from advertising, and with it, mercifully, some of its slingers.

But we aren't in a downturn quite yet, judging from the amount of stupidity and silliness that are still very much present in today's real estate and automobile marketing.

For instance, I was leafing through the local paper and scanning the listings of homes for sale through a very large and vastly experienced firm.

One home is super-plain, really no more than a painted box, and an ugly one at that, but here is how it is characterized in the ad:

"4br, 3bs home w/integrity & flawless design style."

What on this good earth is a home with INTEGRITY?

Let's consult the Merrium-Webster Dictionary, shall we? The synonym M-W provides for integrity is "honesty."

Can there be such a thing as a house that LIES?

In a world of adjectives, nouns, and adverbs, why would one choose to characterize a house with the term, integrity?

But let's continue. The listing agent boasts about the abode's "flawless design style." It has no style, so how can a non-style even be critiqued?

Nothing may be wrong with it, technically, but nothing is there to commend it, either.

A Realtor could genuinely say, for instance, a Spanish-Mediterranean home is a great example of its type, with inlaid tiles, a fountain in the front courtyard, and beautiful balconies overlooking a lavish vista of fruit trees and foliage.

That's a florid, but accurate and somewhat appealing description.

But we don't have to resort to PERSONIFYING the house, imbuing it with human qualities, such as integrity, sincerity, loyalty, and so on.

In fairness, Realtors aren't the exclusive purveyors of this pulp.

Car manufacturers that brag about the ROAD MANNERS of their vehicles are equally pretentious and silly.

When was the last time your vehicle actually decided, all by itself, to yield the right of way, permitting another car to cut into traffic or to proceed first at a 4-way stop? Does your car display KINDNESS, which is one of the synonyms M-W offers for "manners?"

The late Theodore Levitt of Harvard said a certain amount of "fluff" is necessary to sell anything.

Thankfully, hard times thin this stuff substantially, so instead of being knee-deep in it, our shoes are the only things sullied, along with our sensibilities.

Contact us, if you're looking for a top speaker or great seminar in Negotiation, Customer Service, Sales or Telemarketing.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a top trainer, conference and convention speaker, and sales, customer service, and negotiation consultant. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is also the best-selling author of 12 books, more than 1,000 articles and several popular audio and video programs. His seminars are sponsored internationally and he is a faculty member at more than 40 universities, including UC Berkeley and UCLA. Gary's sales, management and consulting experience is combined with impressive academic credentials: A Ph.D. from USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola Law School, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies

His web site is: http://www.customersatisfaction.com and he can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com His blogs include: YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS! and ALWAYS COLD CALL! at: http://www.alwayscoldcall.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Gary_S._Goodman

By Dr. Gary S. Goodman

Top 10 Best Metal And Hard Rock CDs From The 80's

2009-03-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

It was the best of times... it was the worst of times... of course we're talking about 80's music. Nothing beats the heavy metal, hard rock, and hair bands of the 80's. Here's our list of the top 10 best metal / hard rock CDs from that decade (of course, most of these were first purchased on vinyl):

10. Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry: Twisted Sister introduced a whole new generation to anthem rock. Their videos had us cracking up and their music got the adrenaline pumping. Sure they looked pretty freaky in their drag-like outfits and makeup, but they knew how to write songs that kicked ass. We're Not Gonna Take It and I Wanna Rock had parents everywhere shaking in their boots. Burn in Hell was even featured in Pee Wee's Big Adventure in a memorable scene. They even got us going with the power ballad The Price.

9. Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged In: Poison?!? What the hell are they doing on this list? I don't know about you, but my friends and I had the greatest parties and this CD was always playing. They were a total party band, which was captured on this release. Songs like I Want Action, Talk Dirty to Me and Look What the Cat Dragged In were perfect for drinking and picking up girls. They still go on tour and bring a couple of the 80's metal acts with them. The shows are always fun although I could do without C.C. Deville's guitar solos. When you wear a ton of makeup and frizz up your hair, you're not going to be taken seriously as a guitar player.

8. Virgin Steele - Noble Savage: Dave Defeiss has such a distinct voice that you either think it's really cool or it's really annoying. This release has a lot of catchy songs and even makes keyboards sound good. Songs like We Are the Night, I'm on Fire, and Noble Savage still hold up today. The band is still around although I wouldn't recommend any of the new stuff that came out after Marriage of Heaven and Hell.

7. AC/DC - Back in Black: The songs on this release have been so overplayed that I'm almost reluctant to put this on the list. But it is one of the greatest hard rock CDs of all time. Angus Young has more energy than a 5 year old on a sugar high. His guitar playing incorporated a nice touch of blues during the solos while his brother held down the tight rhythm. Brian Johnson always sounded like his vocal chords were shredded, which really worked on songs like Hells Bells, Shoot to Thrill, Back in Black, and Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution. Of course, we can't forget about You Shook Me All Night Long. All classics.

6. Teeze - S/T: What? You never heard of this band? They released one of the best independent albums, then signed with a major label, changed their name to Roughhouse and released one of the crappiest CDs. If you go to www.roughhouse-teeze.com/, you can pick up the self-titled CD that's listed here. You won't go wrong with songs like Party Hardy, Midnight Madness, When the Moon Is Full, and Going Away.

5. Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast: "I am not a number... I am a free man!" The band still sounds awesome and they still put on great live shows. And they still play three songs from this release - Number of the Beast (with the classic Vincent Price intro), Run to the Hills, and Hallowed Be Thy Name. Bruce Dickinson took over the vocals for Paul Di'anno and took this band to the next level. He provided a melodic voice that matched the distinctive guitar and bass sounds.

4. Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil: I already had worn through my copy of Too Fast for Love when Shout at the Devil was released. When I saw the video for Looks that Kill, I was blown away. This looked like a bunch of the biggest bad asses at the time. They became bigger than life with their stories of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, and this CD captured it all perfectly. After Vince got out of jail from the car accident that killed Razzle, they just didn't have the same sound any more. They released some catchy songs but I don't think they ever released another CD where all the tracks were memorable.

3. Metallica - Ride the Lightning: Metallica knew how to write kick ass songs in the 80's. They followed up Kill 'Em All with Ride the Lightning, taking their sound to the next level. Their song writing got better and the production really helped capture their crunching guitars and Hetfield's powerful voice. These were serious head banging songs - Fight Fire with Fire, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Trapped Under Ice, and Creeping Death still hold up today. I could do without The Call of Ktulu but that's only a minor complaint. If you ever want to get the adrenaline going, put this CD on and put the stereo to 11.

2. T.T. Quick - Metal of Honor: Not only are all the songs memorable on this release, but the production is amazing. With songs like Metal of Honor, Child of Sin, and Come Beat the Band, this band had so much potential. The release just wasn't promoted properly and the band never really hit it big like they should have. They've released a couple CDs since then and play live shows every once in a while.

1. Guns and Roses - Appetite for Destruction: Let me start off by saying that I can't even listen to this CD anymore. It's been so overplayed on the radio and MTV (when MTV used to play music). But when this came out, I couldn't get enough of it. The big discussion was whether Axl's voice sounded better on a song like It's So Easy and Mr. Brownstone or Welcome to the Jungle and Nightrain. Didn't matter though because every song was amazing. And it took about a year for this CD to become huge so we were able to see the band play at a 1000 seat venue. They put on a great live show and even went on on time. Too bad they just couldn't get along off the stage.

Honorable Mentions:

W.A.S.P. - S/T

TKO - I Wanna Fight

Killer Dwarfs - Big Deal

Tesla - Mechanical Resonance

Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Marching Out

Craig A. Neal runs the web site http://www.metalfromthe80s.com which is dedicated to the best hard rock, heavy metal, and hair bands of the 80s

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_A_Neal

By Craig A Neal

Hornby Railways Through the Ages

2009-03-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

Hornby Railways' roots date back to 1901, when Frank Hornby, a clerk from Liverpool, invented and patented his Meccano line of construction toys. He had previously created model toys for his sons using sheet metal, and came to the realisation that regular perforations in structural pieces could be used to join them together with nuts and bolts and also to journal shafts and axles. By 1908, Meccano Ltd was formed, and by 1920, trading under the name Hornby Railways, the company produced the first Hornby train sets.

Initially, the Liverpool-produced trains were clockwork powered and sized at a 1:48 scale, or 0 gauge, named so because it was at the time thought impossible to make train models any smaller. Electric trains were introduced shortly thereafter, but were comparatively unsuccessful due in part to their design, and were discontinued. In 1925, a more successful electric train set was introduced, operating on high voltage (220-240V) AC power, but due to safety concerns this was changed to 4V, then 6V, and finally a reliable 20V system in the early 1930s.

Production also began in France, where a local range of outline trains were developed, but in other markets, British-produced trains became successful exports, with large numbers of trains sold in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Scandinavia. These Hornby locomotives were often painted in the local liveries, but still had a distinctly British look to them.

Hornby's attempt to enter the American market was less successful. Setting up a factory in New Jersey in 1927, Hornby found its trains were undercut on price by local established competitors, and despite the American-made trains being colourful and attractive, they were not quite sophisticated enough to aim at the high-end market. The Wall Street crash of 1929 didn't help matters, and by 1930, Hornby had all but disappeared from the US market.

In 1938, Hornby introduced a range of 00 gauge (1:76 scale) trains, named Hornby Dublo, which were very successful. These locomotives were die-cast, with wagons and carriages mainly made of tinplate. The range set 12 V DC adaptors and the 00 gauge as the de facto standard for model trains in the UK, but production halted during World War II.

After the war, Hornby initially thrived, but met with difficulty by the late 1950s. The company was slow to recognise the threat posed by rival manufacturers, in particular Triang-Rovex and to realise the potential of plastic. The company released a two-rail track and moulded plastic rolling rock in 1959, but the system was too complicated to use compared to its rivals, and it kept on producing 0 gauge model trains, which were by now considered old hat.

Hornby then went through changes in corporate ownership. In 1964, it was bought by rival Tri-Ang Railways' parent company and merged into Tri-Ang Hornby, which discontinued Hornby designs for the less costly Tri-Ang's and sold off the Hornby Dublo tooling to G&R Wrenn. Tri-Ang Hornby was then sold on to Dunbee-Combex-Marx, becoming Hornby Railways in 1972, increasing detail on the product line to compete with newer companies like Airfix.

In the late 1970s, Hornby introduced the Zero 1 control system. Though an important milestone, it was not successful for several reasons - the controller units and modules required for the trains were expensive, the system didn't run smoothly, and once Hornby trains were equipped with Zero 1 modules they could not run on conventional systems.

By 1980 the market was extremely tough and while its parent company folded, Hornby Hobbies was formed after a management buyout, going public in 1986. In the 1990s Hornby moved its production to the Guangdong province in China, cutting costs and improving quality in response to an increasingly competitive market place.

Hornby has in recent years bought several of its competitors, including Corgi Classics, Rivarossi, Arnold, Lima, Airfix and Humbrol paints, with its main competition coming from Bachman and Dapol. It is generally accepted amongst modellers that Hornby train sets are better quality and more detailed than Bachmann models, which is somewhat ironic as it was the competition of Bachmann and others that lead to Hornby's production move to China.

Hornby currently produce a large range of highly detailed steam and diesel model trains, including digital and steam powered trains, called the Hornby Live Steam range, as well as ranges of resin and track accessories, named Skaledale and Lyddle End, for the 00 gauge and N gauge (1:148 scale) ranges of trains, respectively.

In addition to these, licensed products, such as the Hornby Thomas the Tank Engine and Hogwarts Express lines have been particularly profitable for the company and firmly cementing Hornby's place as the UK's leading brand of model trains.

Paul Jones is an avid model enthusiast and has been involved with model assembly, design and painting for over 20 years

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_J_Jones

By Paul J Jones

Where To Search For Meanings Of Names

2009-03-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

Behind every name is an interesting meaning and origin. If you study a bit names and their meaning and the people with those same names, you are likely find patterns and consistencies between the names and the personalities.

It may be a far-reaching effort, some say, to attach such importance to the meaning of names. But we spend many a pregnant, anticipatory hour poring over name books, lists, and websites devoted to finding the perfect moniker for our precious-thing-to-be.

That's the first name, of course. Given names, more tethered to named one's genealogy or limited to the parents' last names, leave little room for creativity, needing little generating besides whether or not to take the father's last name, the step father's last name, the mother's maiden given name, or both parents' names in a hybrid combo.

But for those that already exist - if, say, you want to know the meaning of your own name - there are only a couple of contingencies to keep in mind when it comes to proper (or common, for that matter) nouns. The meaning of names is rooted in a sensory description or descriptiveness and in that which is being referred to, that which is being named. For example, think about when your kid got that new kitty or puppy. He/she either considered appearance, and used a descriptive word as the pet's new handle (Fluffy, Buffy, Snowball, Spot), or took into account the way the new creature behaved, subscribing a personality trait name (Dum-dum, Sparky, Skip).

Then again, there are the likeness names, wherein the cat is now called Panther; and there are the homage names, such as Elvis or Sting; and there are the high-pressured, you-must-name him after so-and-so names, so the parakeet gets stuck with Polly and the lizard is named after uncle Lou. (I once had an ex whose new girlfriend named their newly acquired pit bull after me. At first I seethed at the insult, but realized she must be that intimidated by the memories of me still floating in their home and, besides, she would have to be reminded of the great one every damned time she called that dog to dinner.)

So much for the rationale of naming. It's pretty clear that naming and names are important in all cultures (one of the few enduring universals we can boast of sharing with the world). On to the actual names and their meanings: a number of devoted scholars and others have researched and developed databases for us to find what we are looking for - be it a new name for the soon to be born (if he/she isn't getting saddled with a family member's already used Ethyl or Fred) or the etymology (history and definition) of an already existing title.

Here are a few of the top sites, those that students, parents, and the curious swear by:

Behindthename.com covers etymology of first names of numerous ethnic origins.

While Behind the Names does, too, nameseekers.co.uk has a hearty database for last names in their Surname Meanings section.

And mysteries-megasite.com has quite a lengthy links page with many links to many names and their meaning - in case you are looking for a more obscure definition.

There are, of course, engaging, interesting, or just fun sites on names attached to entities other than people. For example, chemist Paul May set up a page for students to read about Molecules with Silly Names, found at http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/sillymolecules/sillymols.htm. (Alexa) And there are real human names that you may or may not want to investigate, at places like Ubersite.com, featuring a list of "Funny Names" such as Polly Waddle, Misty Raney, and Duck Yoo.

Joshua Poyoh provides independent opinions on motherhood and babies at http://www.motherbabytips.com/ More information on Baby Names And Meanings

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joshua_Poyoh

By Joshua Poyoh

What is a Curio & Relics License? - Help Applying

2009-03-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

A C & R license, (abbreviation for Curio & Relics) is for the collector of firearms with historical value. An example is one from World War I or World War II period, or firearms which were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, and firearms which are certified by a museum, because they are of interest for an exhibit. Another words they have historical value. B.A.T.F. has a web page that lists all of the eligible firearms. A C&R license is a federal firearms license that is a lot like a gun dealers license with out regulated business aspects. This license is only for personal collection of historical firearms, not for you to conduct a firearms business.

How Can You Apply For Your C&R License.

This is a very good question. The best place to get information on all federal firearms license is from people that are a FFL license holder. A group of FFL holders have got together and put together a kit with all the information that you will need. These kits are up to date with newest laws and regulations concerning licensing. They have the website and forums devoted to supporting their product. They have step by step instructions to complete the application. After purchasing one of the kits, the most useful service of theirs is their contact and support. This one on one support can help move the process along much faster, and they are updated for the 2009 laws and regulations.

However as long as you equip your self with the right tools and information this can be a little easier to obtain then you thought. So,I do recommend you get one of these kits if your about to apply for your FFL.

I recommend you get one of these FFL kits if your about to apply for your FFL

http://newgundealers.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Zook

By Richard Zook

High Quality A/C System Parts: Keeping Your Toyota Cool and Comfy

2009-03-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

Cars are undoubtedly one of our daily necessities. We use them not only for our everyday transportation but as well as in hauling loads, carrying cargoes and many others. Through the years, they have been greatly improved, Including Toyota cars. Not only in terms of performance, safety and style but as well as in terms of comfort features, just to catch up with our growing demands. Power operated auto parts became commonplace. Almost everything functions with just a push on a button.

Today, almost all cars come with an air conditioning system that keeps the driver and the passenger cabin comfortable even during the hottest days of the year. The introduction of the air conditioning and heat system was indeed a milestone in the auto industry. It afforded users the same comfort levels they enjoy at home or even at the office.

At the heart of this system is the Toyota AC Condenser. This part is the one in charge of dissipating heat absorbed from the car's interior. It works on the same principle as the Toyota Radiator, which on the other hand cools the engine. Usually, the air flowing through the a/c condenser is supplemented by the Toyota Condenser Fan, Other vehicles, especially the rear wheel drives take advantage of the air drawn by the engine's cooling fan.

A faulty A/C system means great discomfort on your part so if your Toyota A/C system isn't functioning due to damaged auto parts, make sure you replace the defective part or parts immediately to avoid inconveniences. Especially when you are using your car on long drives, replacing it is necessary. A long drive can be very tiring and annoying; but with an efficient A/C system you are sure to arrive at your destination more comfortably.

Of course, you can't control the weather, the heavy traffic and all other factors that affect your comfortable ride but you can do something on your car to make it more conducive for any driving situation. Replacing your faulty A/C system parts with high quality replacement Toyota parts is a way to make your ride enjoyable.

For your A/C condenser needs, you can go to Toyota Parts Online. This auto parts store offers a wide variety of Toyota parts, including Toyota Headlights and Toyota Wheels. Purchasing new and high quality auto parts for your Toyota car can be more advantageous than buying Toyota Parts Used. Old and used parts are usually harder and more expensive to maintain and thus, they can drain your pockets in the long run.

Toyota Parts Online is a top Toyota Parts Discount dealer that caters to almost all your Toyota auto parts needs. Like Toyota Parts Used, parts available in this store are priced to fit your tight budget; however, when it comes to quality and performance, they are comparable to OEM parts.

Great Toyota Parts Discount deals are offered on old and new Toyota models like ,Toyota 4Runner Parts, Toyota Highlander Parts,Toyota Land Cruiser Parts, Toyota Corolla parts, Toyota Corona parts and a whole lot more. Visit the site and start looking now for the parts that you need.

Mark Clarkson is a 35 year old marketing consultant for a leading auto parts store. This native of Denver is also an offroad enthusiast.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Clarkson

By Mark Clarkson

Boat Lift Motors

2009-03-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

Technical support and efficiency are important when purchasing a boatlift, but the most crucial part of a boatlift is the motor. Rather than manually spinning the wheel of a boatlift in order to get the boat on and off the water, a motor makes the job easy on you, and they are not hard to operate. Boatlift motors play a crucial role in saving effort for when you are actually in the water enjoying the boat itself. It is very important to have a good boatlift motor.

Most of the boatlift manufacturers are top providers of quality boatlift motors. Electricity is one of the prime requirements for using motors to enhance one’s job of launching a boat. All one has to do is flip a lever, throw a switch, and let the rechargeable power of the boat's battery or AC power from the shore raise your boat into its storage position. AC or DC, the units are both compact, easily assembled and can be disengaged for manual operation of the lift wheel. Why would you want to disengage and do it yourself? Why, in case of a long-standing power outage, of course.

Boatlift motors are readily available and replaceable for all kinds of pontoon, hydraulic and floating boat lifts. Most of the motors on the market are reasonably priced and fit almost all boatlifts made. They are simple to operate with low maintenance, and they have simple installation procedures. Most motors available on the market give a one-year warranty, but your boatlift should probably last many more years than that.

Boat Lifts provides detailed information on boat lifts, used boat lifts, floating boat lifts, boat lift motors and more. Boat Lifts is affiliated with Boat Docks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Bellamy

By Max Bellamy

Auto Cabin Air Filter - Does Your Car Have One?

2009-03-15T18:49:00.000-07:00

Did you know that some autos have a cabin air filter, an "air purifier" built into the air conditioning (AC) system?

Aftermarket industry surveys have shown that a majority of vehicle owners are unaware of this feature and whether their car or truck has a cabin air filter.

These filters have been added to vehicles in the last 20 years without much publicity. Placed on European autos in the mid 1980's, cabin air filters began to appear on US cars and trucks around 1995. Now the cabin air filter is common on American and Asian automobiles.

Cabin filters do not have standardized sizing, specifications, technology, or materials. There isn't even standard terminology.

Lots of cars are running with dirty, clogged cabin filters. Air conditioning and heating performance will be degraded and inside air quality will suffer if the filter is not serviced. When there is no pre-filter screen, leaves, twigs, and dirt will clog the filter media. Road grime will turn a white filter ugly black in about 12,000 miles.

Where is my Cabin Air Filter?

If you drive a 2000 or newer car, it probably has a filter.

Replacement is sometimes covered in the owner's manual. However, many manuals are cryptic at best, herding consumers to high priced dealer service departments.

Dealer service desk personnel should be able to advise you as to whether your car has a cabin air filter.

They may charge from $50 to $130 to replace it. But even if these prices seem acceptable to you, please read on. Not all replacement filters purify car cabin air equally well.

There is no list of car models with or without interior air filtration available. Worse yet, a given car model may have the option installed or not, depending on where it was sold or built, which drive train is installed, and other factors.

Filter manufacturer websites will have listings of replacements by make, model, and year. If you don't find your car listed after surfing a couple of these, you probable don't have a cabin filter.

Cabin air filters are often found behind an access panel in the AC duct housing, under the hood or inside the cab. It will often be on the passenger side.

Inside the cab, the filter cartridge may be accessed through or beneath the glove box. Under the hood, check the firewall near the AC plenum box for fasteners which may hold the cabin air filter housing. Many filters are located under the cowl.

The cowl is outside metal trim with vent louvers and windshield wipers sticking through it, below the windshield. Some cabin air filter installations require removal of part or all of the cowl. A common sign is an asymmetrical 2 piece cowl, with a shorter section on the passenger side.

Two types of cabin air filtration media are sold in the aftermarket: single and multiple stage filters. A single stage particulate filter, maybe just paper, is common in original equipment installations.

Single Stage Filters

These one stage filters trap larger airborne dust, the largest soot, and big allergens like pollen.

Premium cabin air filters typically use an electrostatically charged fiber mat to retain airborne particles. While far better than plain paper, these are not HEPA air filters. What particle size do they let through?

Evaluation of car cabin filters begins around the 10 micron size, with particle filtration efficiency falling rapidly in particle sizes smaller than 3 microns. Few sellers list particle efficiency and those that do may say: "The Cabin Air Filter can capture airborne particles that are larger than 3 microns."

Quality products capture particles as small as one micron, but at lower efficiencies, like 30%. Even the best cannot remove dangerous sub-micron particles.

Many standard one stage filter media are limp, without stiff edges to secure the filter firmly in the duct or plenum chamber. This allows dirty air to bypass.

Bypassing is often intentionally engineered to protect downstream AC components from overload.

Multiple Stage Filters

A multi-layer car air filter, typically using some activated carbon, reduces toxic gases and odors. Builders claim tests have shown carbon monoxide levels are reduced with the multi-stage filter models, but I think this is due to restricted intake rather than the actual removal of carbon monoxide.

Multiple stages on quality filters can have progressive size layers like prefilters in room air purifiers. The carbon layer comes last. More stages are definitely better. Best models have strong framing and sealed edges.

A top quality 5 stage charcoal filter may cost $20 to $35, about double the original equipment replacement. This is a very small price for healthier air in the cabin.

Replacement Filter Rip-Offs

Driving conditions will determine the service life of a cabin air filter. Urban pollution and/or rural dust call for frequent changes.

Filter replacement is called for when reduced airflow lowers air conditioner, defroster, and heater throughput, but filters should be exchanged long before this is noticed. Odors from the AC ducts may be a signal. Owners' manuals usually recommend replacement around 15,000 miles.

Can I Do It Myself?

Do-it-yourselfers and shade tree mechanics will have no problem with 99% of cabin air filter installations. A few may require removal of the passenger side wiper assembly.

Installing a cabin filter can be a 20 second job anyone can do, like opening and closing a kitchen drawer. But some can require 30 minutes of a mechanic's time.

While quick-lube operators were slow to catch on, industry journals now report that cabin air filters are their highest margin upsale service. It's a new slant on the old service station low oil scam.

Workers are trained to spot the vehicle models with the easiest to change cabin air filter media. They offer an inferior new filter only to drivers of those car models. The cost is less than dealer service departments, but is excessive for the easy job performed.

It is important to get the correct filter for the application. Slick operators will sometimes substitute incorrectly fitting, cheap, air filter media.

If you are not mechanically inclined, I recommend insisting on premium multi-stage filter media and observing the process to learn how much time it actually takes.

I recommend frequent exchange of original equipment cabin air filters, using 5 stage premium quality aftermarket products.

Whether your car has original equipment cabin air filtration or not, please consider an aftermarket car air purifier.

Click for the web's best Air Purifier Reviews. The Author, Ed Sherbenou, is an experienced air purifier user, with 40 years of direct experience due to chemical sensitivity and severe allergies. He writes indoor air quality articles, posts blogs, and maintains a leading air purification website:

http://www.air-purifier-power.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ed_Sherbenou

By Ed Sherbenou

100 Mpg? Hypermilers Average 100 Mpg on a Tank of Gas

2009-03-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Does a 100 mpg sound good to you? How about a mere 50 or 60 mpg? Huh, that's nothing. These ratings may sound far fetched but they are actual mileage rates recorded on average days by not so average drivers. These drivers are called Hypermilers. What is a hypermiler, you ask? Well, a hypermiler is someone that is part of a loose-knit legion of commuters who've made racking up seemingly unattainable mpg an art. And for most of them, they have turned this art into somewhat of a sport along the way. It's become a friendly competition between friends, or hypermilers. Most hypermilers can easily average over 100 mpg out of their ordinary sub-compact cars. Most prefer the Honda Insight as their car of choice but have made many great accomplishments with other sub-compact models and some have even achieved 35-40 mpg out of gas guzzling SUVs.

So how is 100 mpg possible? How do they do it? Well, hypermilers practice some very unorthodox techniques such as coasting for city blocks with the car's engine turned off, driving way below the freeway's posted speed limit, overinflating tire pressure to near dangerous levels and carefully feathering the gas pedal to avoid burning excess fuel.

Automakers are sitting up and taking notice to the hypermilers driving oddities, next year Honda will install an instrument in a new hybrid that will roll out next year that cues drivers for gas saving actions, such as when to ease off the accelerator to save gas.

Some techniques can be dangerous if caution is not taken. By turning the engine off to coast, you may lose braking power and by drafting to close tractor and trailers can cause an unsafe situation. Just by slowing down to 45-55 mph can save you about 16 mpg on a sub compact vehicle. Other techniques involved coasting to stops and timing stop lights so that you hit all green lights and reducing or eliminating the need to stop at all.

There are websites that will provide you with detailed instructions for obtaining better gas mileage but for now, here is a list of things to implement on your quest for the elusive 100 mpg average:

Easy Starts - sudden take off suck precious fuel. Gently accelerating is best
Coast to Stops - manual transmissions are best for this
Pump up Tires - overinflating tires reduce rolling resistance but can be dangerous
Drive the Speed Limit or less - reducing you speed can save considerable fuel
Drive Off Center Lanes - lessen resistance by driving out of worn tracks in the pavement
Time Stop Lights - Pace driving to hit green lights
Hang Back From Cars Ahead - more space gives you more room to work speed changes.
Combine Errands - Cars burn more gas when warming up, park so you never have to back out of a space.
Don't Use Air Conditioning - Engines work harder if they run the AC. Don't roll the windows down either, that increases drag and reduces fuel economy.
Drafting Trucks - Following closely can cut wind resistance and increase fuel mileage but can be dangerous.

Hypermilers use many of these tactics to try to get extra fuel mileage. Some of these techniques are more practical than others and some are safer than others. If you decide to implement any of these techniques be aware that some techniques may be somewhat unsafe and you should implement them with caution. Always be safe no matter what.

Free-gascards.com is a site that offers free gas cards to anyone over 18. The site provides the latest information on high gas prices. Learn more about how easy it is for you to increase your gas mileage by visiting us at http://www.free-gascards.com While you're there get a Free $500 Gas card and sign up for our $1500 gas card giveaway. It's Free, you have nothing to lose!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dale_Martin

By Dale Martin

Improve My Gas Mileage and Improving Fuel Mileage

2009-03-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

People have tried many fuel additives and aftermarket gadgets to unlock some kind of hidden performance inside the vehicle. The hot button now is improving gas mileage in our cars which are draining our pockets at the pump.

The hot summer months prompt us to use our air conditioner; however the compressor is tied in with the engine and requires fuel to run the AC. Opening the windows can also harm fuel economy, so here is the rule. If traveling under 40 MPH, opening the windows improves gas mileage, however above 40 MPH, the AC will improve fuel economy versus opening the windows at highway speeds.

Driving smarter and being a much more fuel savvy consumer is probably the best means to improving gas mileage. If running errands in town, driving to a central location and walking or biking the rest of the way will improve gas mileage because the stop and go type of driving while searching for a parking place is when the engine is the most inefficient. By avoiding this type of situation will undoubtedly improve the gas mileage of any car.

A higher octane fuel will not improve the gas mileage of your car and will actually harm the components and cause carbon buildup if the octane is too high or too low. A higher octane rating simply means the fuel will burn slower, not cleaner or hotter or anything of that nature. A car designed for regular octane will run the best on regular octane gasoline. It may be hard to fathom, but the auto manufacturers are not trying to screw the customer by recommending octane ratings for the car.

Drivers can improve their gas mileage by mixing gasoline octane at the pump. Many cars are designed for 87 octane, while some pumps only offer 85 and 89 octane. 85 octane is too low and 89 is not necessarily too high, but it costs more. Mixing the gasoline will lower the fuel cost and improve the fuel economy to the optimum amount with the correct mixture of fuel.

People have too much junk in their cars. The amount of weight from the various articles left in a car and forgotten about will put a strain on the engine of the car and decrease the gas mileage. Imagine carrying an extra 100 pounds every day. This will use more fuel and harm the fuel mileage. Keeping the car clean and devoid of extraneous junk improves the fuel mileage of the car by putting less strain on the engine.

Planning trips by using Internet maps or a GPS system is a great way to improve fuel economy while saving time on the commute. The less time the car is running, the less fuel it is using, but the driving conditions the car is under will also affect the fuel mileage. By cruising more, the gas mileage will improve. This means planning trips and routes around traffic patterns and road usage to maximize cruising time. If engaging on a long road trip, find where gas stations are along the route or through a small detour. The less time that is spent finding a gas station or sitting in traffic, the higher the improvement in fuel economy.

Read More about Improve My Gas Mileage and How to Improve Save Gas,Please Visit How to Save Gas Website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenney_Pan

By Jenney Pan

How to Build Your Own Electric Car and Save Money on Gas

2009-03-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

When I heard about one of my friends plans to build his own electric car, I thought it was mad. Surely you would need a fully kitted out auto shop and years of experience to do that? Well I was wrong, it seems that anyone can convert their car to electric thanks to a handy guide that I have discovered. I had never thought about converting a car to run on electricity, but it seems that not only is it quite starightforward, but there are also hjuge savings to be made on fule costs. I was intrigued enough to buy the guide and get to work. Now, both my wife and I drive electric cars all thanks to that step-by-step guide.

I am really excited about our electric vehicles, and so are a lot of our neighbours They see the money I am saving on gas - and boy do I ever let them know - and the fact that my car just purrs past them up the street making no noise and not giving off any fumes. Some of my neighbors are in the process of converting their vehicle to run on electricity as I write this.

How Do I Get Started?

Well, first you need a good space to work, a garage or driveway will be just fine

This is very important - get a good guide.

A set of basic tools that you probably already own in any case; Drill, Wrench, Screwdriver, that sort of stuff

A willing helper - its not a lightweight job

And of course, a car to convert.

Some cars, like small compacts , are better suited than others, but most cars, and i have even seen trucks converted using these methods, can be converted.

After you've selected the car to convert your major purchase will be an AC or DC Motor. If you want a charge of 100-200 miles, which lasts me around a weeks commuting, you will need to approximately 20 batteries. Worry not though, for the guide shows you how to get lots of batteries for free!

Lastly, relax, each time you do a conversion, it will get easier. The first time I did one, it took me about 3 days, but now I can do one in under a day. And if I can do it, believe me, anyone can. Heck, I might even open a local shop in town to do these conversions for people!

Since Gas Prices are on a steady rise, Don't you think it is time to do something? This Website will teach you how to save money, the environment, and you will learn all there is to know about how to make your own electric car.

Imagine having to never spend another dime on gasoline again. You can convert a car to electric this weekend.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Simpson

By Dave Simpson

Intellectual Property and Its Pervasiveness in Industry Trade and Commerce

2009-03-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

Intellectual Property And Its Pervasiveness In Industry Trade And Commerce.

What Is Intellectual Propoerty:-

Property which comes from the Human Brain and for which Government gives protection is called Intellectual Property Right(IPR). Trademark.Patent,copyright,geographical location are few examples of Intellectual Property(IP). Intellectual property has gained in prominence in many fields of business in recent times. Today, it is a major asset for many of the world's most powerful companies. The intellectual property of a company is its legally protectable and exploitable invisible assets .It is a sub-set of assets known as "intangibles". The term "intellectual property (IP)" refers to property in a legal sense. It is something which can be owned and dealt with. The legal rights that give rise to intellectual property are usually referred to as "intellectual property rights (lPRs)". There are several types of IPRs that qualify as intellectual property. The most widely known lP category is patents. Other categories include copyrights, trade marks, design rights, trade secrets and plant breeders' rights. In the emerging knowledge economy, lP has become a critical success factor for most high- It is an Intangible Asset.But the future benefits to be derived is uncertain. Hence valuation cannot be made correctly.

It has no objectivity or supporting documents unlike our accounting system which is based on objectivity.

HISTORICAL BACKDROP LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF (Intellectual Property Rights)IPRs:-

For most of the 19th century, the USA provided no copyright protection for foreign

authors; the argument was that it needed the freedom to copy in order to educate the new nation. Similarly, parts of Europe built their industries by copying the inventions of

others. The same model was followed later by Japan and even later, after the second world war, by both South Korea and Taiwan.

Today, however, developing countries do not have the luxury to take their time over lntellectual Property Rights (IPR). As a part of the trade deal hammered out nine years ago, countries joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO) also signed up to TRIPS (trade-related aspects of IPR), which include patents, copyright, trade marks, trade secrets, geographical indicators and such other items. The poor-er countries of the world were given until 2006 to comply in full with the requirements of this treaty.

Contrary to popular perception, TRIPS does not create a universal patent system..

Rather, it lays down the ground rules describing the protection that a country's legal system must provide, Much of the recent debate over the impact of IPR on the poor has

centred on the issues of access to expensive medicines, In April 2001, South Africa won a victory against major drug companies fighting patent reform there, allowing access to cheaper versions of patented rnedicines for AIDS, Encouraged, the developing countries issued a declaration at the WTO meeting at Doha in November 2001 asserting the primacy of public health over IPR. They also resolved that the least-developed countries should bo given at least until 2016 to introduce patent protection for pharmaceuticals.

Tricky Proposition:-

For the last one year, the (World Trade Organisation)WTO council responsible for TRIPS was involved with a tricky proposition : 'compulsory licensing"- the manufacture and marketing of a patented drug without the patent-holders consent, This provision has been available since the formation of the WTO and Brazil has already used the threat of "compulsory licensing" to ring substantial price discounts out of major patent-holding drug companies. This has boon permitted under contain conditions, including national emergencies and can be used by countries such as Brazil or India, which have domestic drug industries to copy the medicines. The problem comes with countries that have no drug makers, They can import generic copies from the likes of India. But, can they do so after 2005, when these copying exporting countries are supposed to have fallen in with the TRIPS line? The big patent-holding drug firms in rich countries have worried that Indian and other companies might abuse the deal to flood their markets To arrive at a compromise, the TRIPS council of the WTO Issued a declaration just before the Cancun ministerial started in September 2003,saying that countries could override patents only "in good faith, to

protect public health', Special measures are also stipulated, such as different shapes, color and packaging, to prevent these generic drugs from getting into rich countries' markets.

Not such a Big Deal:-

"Compulsory Licensing" involves poor countries like Kenya, Uganda or South Africa- unable to copy patented medicines to fight scourges like Aids-importing cheaper copies from India. The concerned governments will have to sure public d to people who need such medicines and thus money needed for Imports. Therefore the afflicted countries will have to depend on rich country donors to find tho money. Alternatively, they can approach world bodies which are again funded by rich countries, As such, even though the margin (difference in prices between patented drugs end Indian copies) can be fairly high, these are not really "lucrative" markets. There are also at the vexed questions of red tape and government inefficiency.

Look at Ourselves:-

In India, to stop and reduce the spread of Tuberculosis there is already in place a framework for Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS), overseen by several world bodies and our government. The growing number of tuberculosis cases, combined with HI V/Aids, places an immense burden on tuberculosis control activities, The Indian pharmaceutical industry does not look at the prospect ("No sale of over-the-counter prescribed medicines") - with relish. Perhaps, there is a lesson in this : not a moral lesson (involving right or wrong) but an ethical one (involving fairness or unfairness). There is a limit on profits for drugs fighting public scourges, particularly in poorer countries. Perhaps, there is no scope for "sadistine" pleasure in others' misfortunes.

Medicines for rich (and poorer countries too:-

Diseases afflict people in rich countries also. There are two separate kinds of enormous opportunities here.

First: For the research-oriented Indian pharmaceutical companies like Ranbaxy, Dr. Reddy's and many others inventions (and delivery) of new drugs are no longer a possibility but a reality, They will be interested In protecting their IPR through suitable patents.

Second: A large number of drugs are going off-patent in the US market very soon, In other words generic versions of these drug can be made by anybody, legally-If they are able to do so. And the Indian pharmaceutical companies - several of them are able to do ao in the most cost-competitive way. During the first six months of the calendar year, thirty four Indian companies made fifty eight filings (called Drug Master Files-DMF's) more than the combined total of the next five countries. (Itally 21, China 10, Israel 9, Hungary 9 and Spain 5). Outside the US, India h thu highest number of FDA approved manufacturing plants. In fact, the number of such facilites is almost equal to that of approved plants in the US.

Beware Bulk Generic drugs

Manufacture of bulk generic drugs is, however, not a bed of roses. Indian firms producing Penicillin are mortally afraid about imports of the same from China (which is much cheaper) and want protection through tariff barriors raised by the Indian government This will not be possible under the WTO rogime for any length of time.

Constitutional And Legal Aspects Relating To IPR On Trade And Services:-

Intellectual property rights fall under item 49 of list I Union list of Seventh Schedule to the constitution. The item reads patents, inventions and designs, copyright, trademarks and merchandises marks. Patent is hence a union subject. Protection of patent right was first introduced in 18th century. The Patents Act, 1911, introduced formal protection of patents rights. In Biswanath Prasad Vs Hindustan Metal Industries [ 1982 CS 144 (1979)] the Supreme Court observed, "the object of Patent law is to encourage scientific research, new technology and Industrial progress. Grant of exclusive right to own, use or sell the method or product patented for a limited period stimulates new inventions of commercial utility. The price of the grant of monopoly is the disclosure of the invention at the patents office which after expiry of the fixed period of monopoly passes into public domain".

World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), one of the 16 specialised agencies of

(United Nations Organisation)UNO, wan established in 1970, WIPO with headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland, became en agency of UNO in December 1974, and It administers 23 InternatIonal trea ties dealing with intellectual property protection.

International patenting relationships are based on Paris Convention 1883 for protection of intellectual property. Paris convention is a multilateral treaty covering Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCI) administered by WIPO. PCI provides for the following:-

a) Filing a single application in one language and International Search which gives a report on previously published application;

b) Centralized publication and option for international preliminary examination.

c) Seeks protection in a specific country.

Two important amendments of the Indian Patents Act 1970, viz., the patents (Amend- ment) Act, 1999 and the patents (amendment) Act 2002, made recently seemed to be of utmost attempts to adjust Patent Law with the international standards laid down by the TRIPS Agreement as part of Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiation. The whole history of Indian patent law was a history of adjustment with the west allowing them to exercise the Industrial and Import monopolies. Since the Paris Convention, 1883 the West in order to protect Industrial property and to promote expansion of trade monopoly adopted several policies; and one of such policies related to intangibles including patent rights, Because, they visualised that the East and other parts of the World would no longer be effective in operation imperialism. Intellectual property (IP) was considered as a splendid technique to be used for this, laid the initial foundation of successful unification between the patents rIghts and the corporate monopoly, and that ultimately led for form (General Agreement On Traiffs And Trade)GATT in themId Indian Patent law was nothing but the culmination, of joint effort exorcised by the GAIT end MNCS.

Valuation Of Intellectual Property:-

It is highly difficult to value it since it is highly uncertain to calculate the expected flow of future benefits we are going to derive from it.

This paper is about valuing IP assets; it is about how these assets should be valued in the context of external financial reporting. The generation of useful estimates of lP value is also of crucial importance in the context of internal reporting. But internal reporting requires valuation parameters or indicators that are different from those used for the purpose of external reporting. Internal reporting is outside the purview of this paper.

Asset Valuation Practices

Asset valuation first of all requires asset recognition. Assets are recognized in the accounts when they meet the definition and recognition tests. There are two principal approaches to valuing assets in accounting: input approach and output approach. Under input approach, the value of an asset is determined based on the cost inputs that have gone, or ought to have gone, into its making. The output approach, on other hand, seeks to determine the value of an asset according to what can be recovered from it either from its outright sate or from its continued use in business operations. Although both approaches are currently in use, the input approach takes the first place of interest. Under the existing GAAP, historical cost is the primary basis of valuation for most assets. In recent years there has been a tendency for the accounting standard setters to prescribe current value measurement in some areas, but historical cost-driven valuation is still the predominant valuation basis in accounting. Asset valuation in accounting is guided by two principal considerations,relevance and reliability. The values assigned to the assets reported on the balance sheet should be relevant as well as reliable. If there is a conflict between relevance and reliability, the latter wins over the former. Since historical cost- based values are derived from past transaction costs, they easily pass the reliability test. Historical values are adjusted downwards when there is evidence of impairment of value. But upward adjustments generally are not permitted. However, in some jurisdictions, upward revaluation is permitted when certain specified conditions are met.Most common example is the valuation of "Land & Building".

Why IP Assets Need a Different Valuation Approach ?

Accounting Standard 26 And International Accounting Standard(IAS) 38,contains valuation of Intellectual Property.

The transaction-cost based approach is inconsistent with the role of IP assets. Acquired IP assets may be valued based on transaction costs, but valuing internally developed IP assets according to past transaction costs is not a feasible proposition. In most cases the transactions that give rise to an lP asset cannot be objectively identified. For example, patents developed over a long period have no identifiable costs. Even if the costs of developing an IP asset are identified, those costs may not bear any relationship to the asset's actual value. This is an important reason why most internally developed lP assets are not reported on the balance sheet. Accounting standard setters are grappling with the issue, but the mismatch between accounting principles and the appropriate valuation of IP and similar assets continues to exist. They are yet to develop an acceptable basis for solving the problem of trade-off between relevance and reliability.

lP assets are different in many significant respects from the traditional assets. Many of IP assets are contexts specific. In most cases, the real value of an lP asset depends to a great extent upon the ability of the company owning the asset to utilize it efficiently and effectively. The value in most cases also depends upon the ability of the company to exclude others from using the asset. Because of this, it becomes. often difficult to determine reliable ways of assigning values to IP assets. Considerable research in recent years has gone into solving the problems of valuation of lP and other intangible assets and, consequent upon which, some valuation models have been developed (e.g., Intangible Assets Monitor of Sveiby, the Skandia Model and the Balanced Scorecard of Kaplan and Norton). But none has gained common acceptance.

Alternative Valuation Approaches:-

There are a number of tested ways of valuing IP. While choosing a valuation method a company should first of all determine how the asset being valued will create value for it. An asset may create value for its owner by generating additional revenues, by saving costs or by giving competitive advantage. It is the way an asset creates value for the owner which should determine which valuation approach is to be adopted. An overview of possible valuation approaches is provided below.

(1) Discounted Cash Flow(DCF) Approach:-

The DCF approach is considered as an ideal approach for valuation of assets. At the most fundamental level, the value of an asset is determined by three factors; how much it is expected to generate in cash flows; the timings of generation of those cash flows; and the degree of uncertainty associated with the cash flows. The DCF approach takes into consideration all these factors. Under this approach, the value of an asset is the discounted present value of its estimated future cash flows. To apply this valuation approach it is necessary to examine the conditions under which the lP asset will be used and to develop an agreed basis for projecting future earnings and expenditures attached to the asset. The projected amounts are then discounted by applying an appropriate discount factor. The success of this approach depends on the accuracy with which the future cash flow projections are made.

(2) Excess Operating Profits Approach:-

The excess operating profits approach determines the value of an IPR asset by capitalizing the excess profits the business expects to generate with the help of the asset. There are several ways in which the excess profits may be calculated. One possible way of computation of such profits is to make estimates of profits the business would earn without the asset.,i.e. to say the profit the firm would earn in the normal course of business had the IPR being not inducted into the business.

(3)Replacement Cost Approach:-

This approach seeks to value an IP asset by quantifying the amount of money that would be required to replace the asset or creating an equivalent asset. The replacement cost approach is based on the assumption that there is some relationship between cost and value.

(4)Market-Based Approach:-

The market-based approach values IP assets by looking to the prices of comparable assets which have been traded between knowledgeable parties at arm's length in an active market. If it is possible to identify transactions that are exactly comparable, the approach will work satisfactorily well. But in most cases the search for a comparable transaction proves to be a futile exercise.

(5)Cost/Royalty Savings Approach:-

The cost savings method values savings that the enterprise expects to make as a result of owning the IP asset. If the enterprise owning the asset is in a position to calculate the costs it has saved as a result of introducing the new asset, it can easily arrive at a basis for assigning an appropriate value to the asset. Under the royalty savings approach, the enterprise is to develop estimates as to the amounts of royalties it would have to pay if it were to license an asset to generate the return it is earning on the existing asset.

(6)Twenty-five Percent Approach:-

The "twenty-five percent" technique is used in many cases to value patents and technology. The technique is based on rules of thumb. Under this technique, the value of an lP asset is computed as being equal to twenty-five percent of the gross profit earned on products that use the services of the asset. The validity of the technique is difficult to prove.

(7)Options-Based Approach:-

The options-based approach requires the use of the concept of options in assigning value to IP assets. Options-based approach is currently used in valuing financial derivatives. But the options-based valuation model can easily be extended to other categories of assets. The owner of an intellectual property has a variety of choices as to how he will use the asset. Option pricing models attempt to estimate the economic values for each of these possible choices.

The choice of valuation methods should not be arbitrary. It should be determined by the company characteristics and by the way in which the company delivers its products and services. If the value attributed to lP assets cannot be incorporated into the balance sheet for technical reasons, the information may be provided on a supplementary basis. But this should be done in a systematic and consistent way.

Assigning a value on lP assets is a challenging job. It is a challenging job especially when the exercise needs to be done in the context of preparation and presentation of external financial statements. But the accounting profession should be prepared to ac cept the challenge. It should promote measures for revamping the existing accounting system. The existing financial reporting gap caused by the failure of the accounting

system to acknowledge important assets needs to be shortened. Effort should be made to see to it that financial statements provide an accurate portrait of corporate resources.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Most countries aim at encouraging innovations by framing laws to regulate the copying of Ideas, inventions, literary and other creative expressions, unique names, busir. modo Industria proco symbols, computer program codes, etc. Four separ and dlstinct types of intangible property, viz., patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets are together referred to as intellectual property (IP), IP Is therefore any product of human Intellect that is unique and un-apparent having some market value. IP has many of the characteristics possessed by real and personal property. However, the most significant difference between IP and other forms of property is that IP is Intangible and therefore It cannot be defined or identified by physical parameters. It has to be expressed in some characteristic manner in order to be protected.

Since PP Is an asset, It can be bought, sold, licensed, exchanged, or gifted away like any other type of property, Again, the owner/creator of an lP has the right to prevent the unauthorized use or sale of such property, All the four types of PP are protected by national governments by conferring rights to IP Intellectual property rights (IPRs) have been defined as 'rights given to people over the croations of their minds' (WTO) website TRIPS material). Since IPRs are protected by national governments, the scope of protection and the requirements for obtaining protection will vary from one country to another.

In the developed world there exIsts a powerful lobby of those who believe that all IPAs are good for business, benefit the public at large and act as catalysts for soclo-economic end technoloqical progress. In the developing world, there exists a strong view that lPRs are likely to cripple the point of national Industry and technology, harm the people and benefit only the developed world. The process of implementing the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) has not resulted in reducing the gap between these two sides. In fact, It has helped to strengthen the opposing arguments in existence. Those who are in favour of more IPRa and the creation of a level playing f/old consider TRIPS as a useful tool with which to achieve their objectives. But those who view IPRa as damagIng for developing countries believe that the economic playing field which was already uneven before has become much more unequal with the introduction of TRIPS.

The developed world has accepted and adjusted to lPRs since long. Though some times the disadvantages of IPR8 are more than their advantages, most of the countries

in the developed world are economically strong enough and have well-developed legal mechanisms to take care of the problems Involved. Again, those countries have adequate national wealth and infrastructure to capitalise on the opportunities available when advantages of IPRS are more than their disadvantages. But, in all probability, this is not true In the case of developing countries.

The issue is how national IPRs can be designed with a view to benefitting the developing countries to the maximum extent. Rigorous standards relating to IP so tar as the developing countries are concerned should not be insisted upon before an objective assessment is made of the Impact of such standards on development. Developing countries may find lPRs useful only when they are accommodated to suit local conditions and the International institutions and all the countries, both developed and developing, need to consider that.

The advocates of IPRs, particularly those in business and government in the developed countries, are of the view that IPRs help to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the developing countries in the same way as in the developed countries, However, people from different social quarters in the developing countries have rightly pointed out the fallacy & this argument. They have categorically stated that IPRs can help to generate invention In all the developing countries because the requisite human and technological capability may, in all probability, not always be present. Contrary to the assertion of the proponents, lPRs have lead to increase in the costs of essential medicines and agricultural Inputs, and have made life difficult for the poor people, including farmers, in the developing countries.

The scope, extent, and role of IPR protection have expanded at a very fast rate over the last two decades or more. lPRs have been created to cover many new technologies, viz., information technology and biotechnology and a large number of patents have been taken particularly with respect to genetic materials. Minimum standards for IP protection have been made global as a result of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on TRIPS. Extensive discussions are also going on in the World Intellectual Property Qrganisation (WIPO) in order to harmonise the patent system still further, This apart, bilateral or regional trade and investment agreements between the developed and developing countries in most cases cover mutual commitments to implement IP regimes surpassing the minimum standards set by TRIPS. This means that the developing countries are under continuous pressure to increase the levels of IP protection in their own countries at par with the standards set in the developed countries.

Even in developed world, apprehensions are there regarding the functioning of IPR

systems. In recent times, application for patents has increased manifold and it is being perceived that many patents of poor quality and/or having too wide scope are being issued. There is also the possibility that many companies may have to spend considerable amount of time and money in order to determine how or whether to carry on research without the infringement of others' patent rights, or allowing others to infringement upon their own patent rights The benefits arising out of such expenditure of time and money need to be weighed against the huge costs involved in patent litigation and efforts should be made to reduce such non-productive/less-productive expenditure.

These apprehensions about u impact of IP are equally true for the developing world. Moreover, the developing countries should be cautious about the direct impact that the IP systems In developed countries may have on them, e.g. the developing countries may not be gettIng the benefits of research work (on some Important matters seriously affecting them) that are being carried out in the developed world. Again, the developing countries are being largely deprived of their legitimate share of benefits arising from commercialisation of their knowledge/resources if these are patented in the developed countries.

An important point to consider is whether the rules relating to IP protection and institutions entrusted with their implementation which have evolved so far in the developed countries can at all be useful for the developing countries In the process of their socio-economic development and particularly in their efforts towards poverty alleviation.

In some social quarters there Is a strong belief that IP protection of some kind is also useful for the developing countries as it may motivate them to make inventions and develop new technologies that will ultimately be beneficial in their soclo-economic envi rons. But that will result in high costs for the consumers and other users of such protected technologies. It therefore becomes necessary to consider whether the benefits outweigh the costs. This, in turn, will depend on the nature of application of IPRa and the socio-economic conditions in vogue in the country where they are being applied. There fore, IP protection standards, benefiting developed countries, may be disastrous for developing countries since the latter have to satisfy even their basic needs largely by drawing upon the knowledge developed in other countries, particularly the developed ones.

The situation in the developing countries is quite different. While it Is true that most of the developing countries are not technologically very advanced, they do possess very rich knowledge developed over the centuries and valuable resources of varied types ; can benefit not only their own countries but the world at large, The fundamental question that arises is whether the IP systems so far generated in the developed world can help to protect such knowledge and vast resources and guarantee justice to their owners.

From the point of view of the government, conferring of the IP right is a matter of public policy and hence the IP policy should be so designed that the benefit to society (in terms of improvement in basic facilities and infrastructure and technological innovation) must out-weigh the cost to the society (in terms of the high cost to be paid by the consumers and the cost of administering the system). But the point is that the IP right Itself being a private one, the financial benefits and costs fall on different social groups.

An IP right may be viewed as a means for enabling countries to facilitate the enjoyment of basic socio rights. IPRs should never be allowed to dominate over the fundamental human rights. In fact, IPRs (e.g., patents and copyrights), granted by governments, are short-term in nature but the basic human rights are inherent to the human being. Unfortunately, today in most cases, lPRs are treated as economic and commercial rights held by the corporations rather than individual inventors. The granting of such

rights and their application in their developing countries will, in all probability, benefit the holders of the lPRs at the expense of the basic human rights of the poor people of the

developing countries who will be largely be deprived of even the basic necessities of life due to the high costs involved.

The problem is that, the interests of the owners/creators of IPs continue to dominate

the formulation of lPR policies, and those of the ultimate consumers are pushed to the hedge. The developing countries operate from a weaker position while negotiating with the developed countries in matters relating to lPRs, Thus, policy makers should seriously examine the possible effects of implementation of the IPRs on the ultimate consumers before going for further extension of IPRs instead of simply taking care of the interests of the owners/creators of lPRs,

The crux of the whole thing is that the commercial interests of the developed world often come in conflict with the developmental needs of the developing countries. What is important is that too high IPR standards should not be indiscriminately imposed on the developing countries and relevant technologies should be made available to them at competitive prices. The developing countries also need to strongly put up their causes in different world forum and countries like India and China are expected to play a leading role in this respect.

References:-(1)Adapted From Website Of Policy Statement Of Embassy Of India.

(2)Referential Notes Of Dr.UttamKr.Dutta,Reader , Department Of Commerce,University Of Burdwan,Golapbagh,Burdwan:713104.

(3)Journal On Intellectual Property ,published from Burdwan University,Page no.23-26,Pages.50-56.

(4)Abstract From Sujit Sikdar And Pranjit Kumar Nath,prof. and Lecturer respectively,of the Department Of Commerce,Gauhati University.

Author: Mr. Avik Ranjan Roy
SLET Qualified, (Persuing M.PHIL)
UNIVERSITY OF BURDWAN
Address:-Aparajita Apartment
(opp. Laxmi Oil Mill)
Flat No. 6(3rd Floor)
63A/1, Basudevpur Road, Post Office:Sarsuna, Area:Behala.Kol:61.
Tel No. (033)-24065139, Mobile/Cell Number:-9903294709/9836285322.
Guiding Prof:Dr.UttamKr.Dutta, Prof. Of Commerce, University Of Burdwan, Golapbagh, Burdwan:713104, West Bengal.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Avik_Ranjan_Roy

By Avik Ranjan Roy

Electronic Components

2009-03-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Electronic components form parts of electronic circuitry, and are used or manufactured in the field of electronics, which is the study of electrical devices used for controlling electrically charged particles or the flow of electrons to execute any electrical operation. Some of the most common electronic components are as follows:

Resistor: A resistor resists electric current, and the resistance is measured in ohms. Colors on the body of the resistor are a code for the value. Different colors represent the numbers from 0 to 9. In a variable resistor, resistance can be varied by moving a knob or slider. A variable resistor is used to control volume in many devices.

Capacitor: This is measured in farads. A capacitor is used for storing electrical charges that can be released upon demand. Capacitors can be of different types – electrolyte and ceramic disc are two of them.

Diode: A semiconductor device, diodes allow current to flow in one direction only.

Small, cheap and lasting, light emitting diodes (LEDs) are special diodes that give out light and allow current to flow in one direction.

NPN bipolar transistor: Used for current control, they can amplify currents with a small amount of heat dissipation and very little spatial waste.

PNP bipolar transistor: Its functions are the same as NPN, but construction is slightly

different.

Crystal: When a voltage is applied, crystals can accurately vibrate a specific frequency.

Integrated circuit: Having circuits etched into it, an integrated circuit is a semiconductor wafer that can hold capacitors, resistors, transistors, etc. in a large quantity. By allowing the chips to have millions of transistors, integrated circuits are capable of saving space.

Triac: A dual silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), triac is used to control alternating current (AC). Mostly used in dimmers and touch lamps, it controls the amount of electricity reaching an appliance.

Tapped secondary transformer: Used for transforming voltages, a plug-in transformer, the wall type, changes 120 volts AC into about 12 volts DC for small appliance needs. In a tapped secondary transformer, the secondary winding of the transformer is connected to a wire so that it can be used for multiple voltages, or more current.

Speaker: A speaker converts electrical energy into sound energy.

Electronic Components provides detailed information on Electronic Components, Surplus Electronic Components, Electronic Component Distributors, Electronic Component Suppliers and more. Electronic Components is affiliated with Electronic Data Discovery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole

By Alison Cole

HCL Laptops - Smart Laptop Solutions Are Easy To Achieve!

2009-03-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

A laptop offers a higher degree of portability, flexibility, features and more value than a traditional computer. The modern day laptops are space conscious and can be easily accommodate in the room corner or office desk. The laptop users can easily achieve world class solutions with perfect ease and complete perfection, even while on the move. A usual laptop weighs approximately 1-8 Kilograms and can be easily taken to any place without the fear of loss of data and damage. It can be used to create, share and organize files, applications, programs, spreadsheets and presentations just like a computing device.

The present day cheap laptops usually operate on a single main battery or on an external AC/DC adapter. The miniaturized components of a laptop facilitate its portable usage and help to reduce the electricity consumption burden. The laptop users can access menus and applications by using a touch pad or pointing stick. Some of these latest and cheap laptops offer highly advanced features such as network adapter, internal modem, Wi-Fi and USB support, to name a few.

Now that some valuable information is attained, let us now proceed to some of the highly renowned names in the world of laptops. HCL and Sony are two of the biggest names in the laptop markets giving enough competition to each other. If you are looking for a high quality laptop to meet your growing needs then the HCL Laptops MiLeap series is a wonderful option for you. The MiLeap series of HCL includes HCL MiLeap S, HCL MiLeap V, HCL MiLeap X and HCL MiLeap Y. These power-packed and cheap laptops from HCL never fail to meet your expectations and will leave no stone unturned to keep the users satisfied.

You should not purchase a laptop in hurry; make sure that you search the traditional as well as online markets before arriving on a purchasing decision. This will help you to get a good deal while looking at the cheap laptops.

The author is a specialist in retail writing. Her writing skills reflect the outcome of years of exposure to the retail industry. Working with retail giants as a consultant has enriched her knowledge base and her passion for writing got fire. She can be read regularly on RetailsDirect.com For details please visit: Cheap Digital Camera

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raisa_Raima

By Raisa Raima

Hudson Florida Real Estate - Affordable Waterfront Property

2009-03-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Hudson, Florida bills itself as the place where ‘the nature coast meets the sun coast’, and it’s a fitting description. Located at the very northern tip of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, you can head north from Hudson into Florida’s Nature Coast and follow the many hiking trails along the shore and inland, or head south through the Sun Coast cities of Port Richey, Tarpon Springs and Palm Harbor. Or – you can stay right in Hudson and enjoy the best of everything that Florida’s Gulf Coast has to offer. And when we say everything, we mean everything.

Named one of the Top 3 areas for vacation homes by the Wall Street Journal, Hudson has a split personality – a three way split. The unincorporated city has three separate and very distinct areas. To the west of US 19 along the coast, you’ll find one of the most delightful old coastal towns ever created. In the 1950s, a group of businessmen decided to increase the property value of their town with a unique idea – waterfront property for everyone. Thus began a system of canals dredged inland from the Gulf Coast. The old coastal neighborhood features homes built on the canal and the belief that every man should be able to park his car in the driveway, walk through the house and out the back door to his boat. Today, the original homes built on the canals, many of them single and doublewide mobiles, rub shoulders with brand new homes built on stilts with luxury amenities.

East of US 19 are the beautiful homes and subdivisions of a comfortable, prosperous suburban town. This central area of Hudson features spacious homes, curving streets and cul de sacs, and manicured greens and golf clubs. With names like Beacon Woods, Brentwood Estates and Fairway Oaks, the carefully planned neighborhoods are a haven away from the bustle of the big city, where families and retirees can enjoy a life of leisure in the sun.

To the east and north of the subdivisions you’ll find the old southern neighborhood, which still bears all the hallmarks of rural living. Sparsely populated, development has yet to reach this area of Hudson, but you’ll find farms, ranches and wild wetlands far from the beaten path here.

So what does it cost to live in one of the top three locales for a vacation home in the country (top ten in the world)? It’s amazingly affordable, with some older single family homes still selling for under $100,000. The average home selling price is inching up, with luxury homes in the more desirable subdivisions averaging about $350,000. If you’re intrigued by the idea of living on your own dock with a canal in your backyard, Hudson is definitely worth a look.

Bob Lipply is a top Real Estate Broker Associate in the Tampa Bay Real Estate area. He and his team have been helping families relocate to Florida and on the selling end get top dollar for their homes with great success. Lipply Real Estate also specializes in Hudson FL Real Estate visit his website where you can search the MLS for up to date available homes for sale.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Lipply

By Robert Lipply

AlarmForce, Brinks And ADT Comparison

2009-03-10T02:14:00.000-07:00

One Man's Opinion on the Best Way to Protect Your Home

I normally do not take the time to right about important events in my history until recently. The last year of my life has been plagued with bad luck. From terminal sickness to job loss and robbery to accidental injury. It's OK I am not looking for a shoulder to cry on, that's life! But I did want to share my life events here as it may help my fellow man in a similar situation.

Here's my true story

1) I lost my job a few months ago in a corporate merger.

2) My wife was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder and undergoing experimental therapy.

3) I had a car accident last month and wrote off my Mercedes

Time For a Vacation

We (my wife and I) decided it was time for a vacation. We live in Atlanta, GA and decided to do some wonderful traveling. We arrived back from a wonderful 2 week holiday only to find out our home was broken into and recklessly vandalized. Broken glass, beer bottles, carpet and upholstery destroyed, it was a mess! My wife was taking medication for pain and it all of her medication was gone.

The authorities were called and investigated the break in looking for point of entry. It was learned that our control panel in our home security system was easy disabled through the control pad. The investigators showed us the problem with our current home security system. After the insurance company was finished, the damage was assessed at $75,000... a total act of vandalism.

I decided to make it a priority mission to seek out the best security system I could find for our home. I will not mention the name of the home alarm we were using but I will tell you about the security systems we looked at while choosing a new alarm system for our home. Some of the home security systems we originally looked at included:

AlarmForce.com- Live 2-Way Wireless Voice Alarm Installation
ADT® Monitored Home Security System
Brink's Home Security- Brink's Home Alarm Monitoring

We also reviewed Voxcom, CPI and Ackerman. AlarmForce ADT and Brinks were the three main ones we narrowed it down to. Keeping in mind we were not looking for the cheapest "do-it-yourself" home security but the best home safety security available. Here is a comparison of the 3 at the time of my research.

Two-Way Voice Communication

AlarmForce- Yes

ADT- Yes With Voice Connect System

Brinks- No

Wireless Door/Window Contacts

AlarmForce- 1*

ADT- 2

Brinks- 2

Interior Siren

AlarmForce- 1

ADT- 1

Brinks- 1

Wireless Motion Detector

AlarmForce- 1

ADT- 1

Brinks- 1

Keypad

AlarmForce- 1

ADT- 1

Brinks- 1

Extra Door/Window Contact

AlarmForce- $69.00

ADT- $52.00

Brinks- $75.00

Contract Length

AlarmForce- 36 months

ADT- 36 months

Brinks- 36 months

Installation Fee

AlarmForce- $0

ADT- $399.00

Brinks- $199

Lifetime Equipment Warranty

AlarmForce- Included

ADT- Included

Brinks- $5

Monitoring Cost per Month

AlarmForce- $25.00

ADT- $33.99

Brinks- $29.99

Two-Way Voice Cost Per Month

AlarmForce- Included

ADT- $5.00

Brinks- No Two-Way Voice

Total Cost for 36 Months

AlarmForce- $900.00

ADT- $1838.64

Brinks- $1458.64

The way I see it is if you are going to invest in an alarm system for your home that will truly give you a feeling of safety homeowners need to know the facts. That's the reason I did this research and composed this article. There are bad home alarms (that shall remain nameless) and there are good ones.

At the end of the day, choosing the right home alarm system was difficult because they each had their own unique characteristics. The security system we decided to go with was AlarmForce because it was a 2 way live voice home security system. They also had a chart on their website that allowed us to compare home security alarm systems against others found here http://www.alarmforce.com/competitiveedge_new.php#comp1. After checking the ADT site http://www.adt.com/ we could not find any means of comparison.

If you're considering getting a wireless home security system for your home or small business, it will definitely help you to explore all avenues before deciding on which alarm is best for your safety. Check with your home security alarm system supply store for more details. Don't be afraid to ask your neighbors and friends if they have experience and opinions that may help you make the right choice.

A monitored home security system is a home safety precaution that thousands of people are exploring for every day, so there's no need to be secretive or embarrassed about it. If you suspect that your family should have the added feeling of a secure home, be sure to find out what security system is best for you. Hopefully some of the research above helps you make the best choice for your family.

Live long and Be safe,

John

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Johnston

By John Johnston

Lower Interst Rates Will Not Solve The Housing Debacle

2009-03-10T02:12:00.000-07:00

The bear trap has sprung.

John Q. Homeowner seemed unaware that his foot was in the bear trap and that he willingly put it there. Lured on by promises of 1% financing and no money down millions of folks who lusted after owning their own home signed papers without a thought to the future.

Real estate agents and mortgage brokers enhanced their dreams by allowing hundreds of thousands of buyers to falsify mortgage applications. The fireman, policeman, school teacher or any category you might wish to name were fudging their gross pay. All parties to the transaction knew it.

The lure of no or little down payment and a mini-monthly payment (for a while) was too great. The fine print has suddenly jumped into bold and payment amounts will double and triple. That $400/month payment has jumped to $1,200 and the home buyer knows he can’t make it.

What to do?

The bank or mortgage company does not want the house. Sometimes they will accept a lower payment, but many will not. The mortgage maker has stockholders and they want to see a return on their investment. Too bad for the home owner. He is evicted under a foreclosure.

Will lowering of interest rates by the Federal Reserve solve this problem?

No.

Why?

The banking system funded by Wall Street which allowed the low, low down payments and looked the other way on “truth in lending” for applications are now the very ones who insist that all applications be verified. No more hanky panky.

That 1% mortgage may be refinanced at 5, 6, 7% or more, but the owner must now tell the truth. When he tells the truth he will not be able to qualify for a new mortgage so…….foreclosure. Lowering interest rates will not solve anything because there are not enough people who can qualify under the truthful rules.

Joe Sixpack who makes $50,000/year will not qualify for that 3 bedroom, 2 car garage brick house when refinancing is required.

Currently there are more than 2 million vacant homes in the US not counting condos. Because of the millions of mortgages due to be refinanced this year that number could easily double or triple. The reason is more than 20% of all mortgages made during the past 2 years were sub prime and to date 12% are in the foreclosure process.

The Fed will continue to print money out of thin air, but the banks under the tighter regulations will refuse to lend. This credit contraction which will ultimately cause a severe setback in the stock market. When the dominos begin to fall it could easily be a comparison to the decline of 2000. That took 3 years to bottom. There is no way to know how long this might last.

We have not seen the worst of this scenario. Lower interest rates are not the solution.

Al Thomas' best selling book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter and receive his market letter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com/ add discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know. Copyright 2007 All rights reserved

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_Thomas

By Al Thomas

Natural Health - Cleaning For the Cleaning Lady

2009-03-10T02:11:00.000-07:00