Posts Tagged ‘environmental’

Millennium Prophesies

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

A lot of people predicted that the start of the new Millennium, the year 2000 would be the date of the apocalypse. However, fortunately, they were very wide of the mark.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Minor Holidays And Occasions In America

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flag Day - (June 14): was first celebrated in 1877, which was the centenary of the adoption of the modern design. Truman passed the Flag Day Bill in 1949.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fly Fishing Calendar

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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

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

In some locations, like California, the fishing is pretty good all the year round. While in other locations, like Washington, you will have to avoid the water in the winter as the cold temperatures will stress the fish and they will not be as plenteous.

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

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

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

The fly fishing calendar employed most often by experienced anglers has been compiled over a lengthy period of time. They expend a considerable amount of effort to estimate where and when the best fishing will occur. Then they share it with others. That is one of the best things about fly fishing - the camaraderie and the sharing that can come about because of a mutual affection for the sport of fly fishing.

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

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

Calendars - Why They Can Be A Bit Out

Monday, January 4th, 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Celebrities That Have Driven Hybrid Cars

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

No, it is certainly not true that you could rise to fame and fortune if you go and buy a hybrid car. But a hybrid car is not only a vehicle for the rich and famous. However it might be a good idea for you. Many famous people are driving hybrid cars nowadays including some of the most famous people in the world like your favourite film stars. But the big question is, should you be driving a hybrid car at all?

Are you driving anything like a hybrid car? Well, if you are not, you won’t become pally with some of these hybrid car-drivers. These people were early drivers of hybrids cars. You may not see them in a hybrid vehicle when they pull up next to you on Rodeo Drive, but believe me, they’ve owned a hybrid car before. Well, trust me or not they have been reported as driving hybrid cars in the past.

Alicia Silverstone This star definitely thinks about the environment. She knows that owning a hybrid car has many benefits for the environment. And if the general public doesn’t have the understanding that she has, then that’s just too bad. Alicia knows that hybrid cars are better for the environment and therefore for everyone. So Alicia Silverstone got herself a hybrid car. So she has helped promote this new technology as far as this article goes, which has to be a good thing.

Ellen DeGeneres Now then, this amusing lady not only has a great haircut, but she was driving a great hybrid car long before you probably even knew about hybrid cars and she was probably smiling at you and your heavy duty user last time she shot past you.

Robin Williams Funny and sweet, Robin knew when he played the role of Mrs. Doubtfire that he should probably start thinking more like the sensible driver that you would allow to take your kids to and from school, so Robin got himself a hybrid car, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Ted Danson Cheers! Ted knows a great car when he sees one. He was certainly sober the morning when he decided to go check out the new cars on the lot. He got up and bought a car that made a whole lot of sense. He was making good sense when he chose a hybrid car.

Brad Pitt What’s up? Certainly, not Brad’s petrol bills ‘cos he’s got a hybrid engine! He’s had a hybrid car, so he knows his car isn’t using too much petrol.

Prince Charles Why, surely, if it’s good enough for royalty, then it’s good enough for the rest of us? That’s how you should think when you own a hybrid car. You should feel royal, adorned, and admired because believe it or not, that’s exactly what you are when you choose to drive a hybrid car. So make the most of it.

So, how do you feel? Like a million bucks? Well, you should if you are thinking of buying a hybrid car and don’t worry, you won’t get your 15 minutes of fame, but you will be making a very bold statement that people will understand and many people will applaud what you are doing and that will go on for years and years because hybrid cars last for decade or more.

If you want to know more about the technology of New Hybrid Vehicles, you should visit our website where there is loads of offormation on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

How Hybrid Cars can Reduce the Energy Crisis

Monday, September 14th, 2009

It is said that not enough people are doing enough to fight against the energy crisis. Hybrid cars can help, but probably not enough people are driving them. Here are a few issues related to the energy crisis and how hybrid cars can help.

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

Hybrid cars make it so that we might not have to use other sources of energy to keep the economy afloat. Hybrid cars don’t cause Americans to use more fossil fuel. Rather, hybrid cars make Americans use less fossil fuel.

Gas consumers just accept increasing fuel prices. People used to care that petrol prices are much higher today than they were a few years ago. Now, however, people just accept the higher prices. Furthermore, in the meantime, cars are being made bigger and bigger. Car manufacturers are making trucks and SUV’s, which consume more fuel at the higher prices.

These vehicles use more fuel, but you wouldn’t believe how many people just won’t give up their fuel-guzzling SUV. Hybrid cars do end up costing people less to own than conventional cars do. So there’s no need to worry about just settling for being swindled by the oil economy.

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

Therefore, everyone could have some problems, and countries may have to compete for who gets oil and who does not. The peak petrol crisis can be staved off, if more people just drove hybrid vehicles. Hybrid cars ensure that people are not always having to be searching for gas. Furthermore, there are advances being made to hybrid technology all the time.

The plug-in hybrid vehicles, for example, might not even need oil whatsoever one day. So, just in case we do have an energy crisis, Americans ought really to be spending the time to finding a solution to the coming oil crisis in America. Hybrid cars are the method to beat the energy crisis, and if countries still want to fight each other over fuel, at least America will know they tried to stop the impending crisis by buying hybrid vehicles.

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

If you are interested in the pros and cons of New Hybrid Vehicles, just visit our website at http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

Hybrid Honda Cars

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Most of us have heard of the different Honda cars on the market today. You can add to this range of cars the Honda hybrid cars. These hybrid cars include the Honda Accord Hybrid, the Honda Civic hybrid 4 door car and Honda Insight, which is a two seater. These are not the only hybrid cars in Honda’s stable, there are others but these are the more popular models.

You will find that Honda hybrid cars come in different versions of their popular Honda cars. The Honda Civic hybrid is one such hybrid car that is very popular. This four door compact car is one that you can choose either as a first generation or a second generation car.

The hybrid Honda Civic has a 5 speed manual transmission drive. This particular Honda hybrid car is known as an assist hybrid car. The Honda Civic hybrid is the only hybrid car to have won an award for the best international engine.

While you can get information about various models of Honda hybrid cars from the Honda dealers’ websites on the Internet, you might want to visit the showrooms in person. This will provide you with a better understanding of whether a hybrid car will fit in with your current lifestyle. Having looked into these details you can then decide which Honda hybrid type is right for you.

Thus, you can ensure that you are getting a good deal And, speaking of money, you may want to check out the cost of other cars that catch your eye in the hybrid Honda car line. For those who like the appearance of the hybrid car from Honda, you have a choice of previous year’s models or the new batch of Honda hybrid cars. Since there are lots of details you need to scrutinize, when it comes to purchasing vehicles, it is probably best if you have the questions you need answered dealt with by a qualified Honda dealer.

In this way, you can be assured that you have chosen a Honda hybrid which is not only affordable but is also capable of meeting your requirements. The hybrid cars that you are able to buy will provide you with lots of benefits both in the long term and the short term in keeping the costs of fuel down.

Since there are many different vehicles on the market, you can always be assured that you will find one that you like. The trusted Honda hybrid is the absolute choice for the discerning hybrid car owner.

If you need to know more about the technology of New Hybrid Vehicles, you should visit our website where there is tons of offormation on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

Conventional Cars vs Hybrid Cars

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Today, the question on everybody’s lips is, what is the difference between a hybrid car and a conventional vehicle? There must be some good reason why people are debating whether hybrid cars are worth the money and checking their wallets and savings account to see if they can afford to buy a hybrid car.

There has to be a decent reason why some people wouldn’t dream of spending their hard-earned money on a hybrid car because they feel their conventional car takes them wherever they need to go just fine. Here are some of the reasons why a person might choose a conventional car over a hybrid car.

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

In fact, they are so inefficient, in comparison with new models, that some people even give their old cars away. However, since most of the general populace has never owned a hybrid, there aren’t many people selling used hybrid cars yet. Therefore, a person looking to obtain a hybrid would probably have to buy a new one from a car showroom.

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

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

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

Furthermore, a conventional car provides security as well. With a conventional car, a person can be assured that they will always be able go to a junkyard, when they need to and find old parts for their car. On the other hand, those with a hybrid car might have to pay some pretty pricey repair receipts if something goes wrong.

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

If you are interested in the insides of New Hybrid Vehicles, just visit our website on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

The Hybrid Car and Gas Prices

Monday, August 31st, 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you would like to know more about the technology in New Hybrid Vehicles, you should go along to our website where there is tons of information on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

Hybrid Cars vs. Plug-in Hybrid Cars

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

Hybrid cars are on everyone’s lips these days. $20, $30, $40 or even $50 for a tank of fuel? Who really wants to pay that sort of money? But, frustrated, the fuel consumer sighs, but pays up. However, hybrid vehicles are being richly applauded for the small amount of gas they need to operate, and they are being driven off the forecourts of car dealerships each and everyday in ever increasing numbers.

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

Plug-in hybrids are able to run solely on batteries, but they use fuel also. These sorts of hybrid cars have some of the characteristics of hybrid vehicles. They are also are very similar to electric vehicles.

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

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

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

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

Plug-in hybrids actually do cut total greenhouse gas emissions and plug-in hybrids use practically no oil at all, imported or not. Studies have revealed that electric hybrids emit at least 67% less greenhouse gases than gasoline cars. Since the electric used to power plug-in hybrids is completely renewable, the difference in greenhouse gas emissions may be even greater than the study determined.

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

And it’s going to be a spectacular debut too, since people already like the current hybrid car models, but they haven’t seen anything yet until they see the new plug-in hybrid cars. However, for now, maybe we should just be satisfied with what we already have, because who knows? Before plug-in hybrid cars are brought out onto the forecourts, something even better might be introduced onto the market.

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