Volvo Tests a Flywheel Kinetic Energy Recovery System

I can see why Volvo does not refer to their experimental Flywheel KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) by the acronym FKERS (although it would make for hilarious interviews). But, all giggling aside, we've been hearing a lot of KERS laTely. Ferrari has one in the LaFerrari. Porsche is putting one in their 918. Same with the Audi e-tron R18 Quattro. Hell, even Formula 1 cars use them. You can not turn a corner without bumping into some carmaker working on a car with a Kinetic Energy Recovery System.

So, what makes Volvo's Flywheel KERS so special? To begin with, Volvo has been playing around with flywheel propulsion since the 1980s when they tested it in a Volvo 260. However, due to limitations in materials, the whole system, while interesting, was not really viable. The large steel flywheels from the 80s were too heavy and had limited rotational capacity.

Not so today. Thanks to carbon fiber, the Volvo system's flywheel weighs a scant six kilos, has a diameter of 20 centimeters and spins in a vacuum to decrease losses of kinetic energy due to friction. Here's how the new system works:

During the retardation, the braking energy causes the flywheel to spin at up to 60,000 revs per minute. via a specially designed transmission. The combustion engine that drives the front wheels is switched off as soon as breaking begins. it reaches cruising speed. "

By harnessing the kinetic energy of the flywheel, Volvo claims a KERS-equipped car will achieve 25 percent better fuel economy. To test the whole shebang, Volvo bolted a KERS to an S60 test car. The S60 has a turbo four-cylinder internal combustion engine powering the front wheel and the KERS, which adds an additional 80 horse, powering the rear. With this setup, the S60 will jaunt from 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds. A similar Volvo S60 powered by a traditional 3.0 liter T6 6-cylinder turbo engine put to the ground via all-wheel-drive take 6.6 seconds 0-62. The KERS is faster and gets 25 percent better fuel efficiency. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Like most hybrids, the greatest gains in fuel economy will come in urban areas and in periods of heavy braking and frequent stop / starts. Volvo estimates in ideal condition a KERS-equipped car could drive without using the internal combustion engine about 50 percent of the time when driving according to the New European Driving Cycle .

Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems have already made it onto the roads in the form of the Ferrari LaFerrari. But, if you're like me, a supercar that costs over $ 1 million is slightly out of reach. Perhaps in the near future, a similar but more affordable system will sit comfortably in your driveway.

My Ex Boyfriend's Friend Contacted Me! What This Really Means

Since the break up you've been wishing and hiring that you've got a sign from the universe suggesting that your ex boyfriend wants you back, right? It's understandable. You still love him and you feel that the break up was a mistake. Unfortunately, your ex feels to have moved on without much thought about what you'd like. But now you've heard from his friend. It can not just be an innocent gesture, could it? The friend must have been sent to check on you by your ex. At least that's what your broken heart is trying to tell you. Sadly, I'm here to tell you something very different. The fact that a friend of your ex has made contact means very little in the big picture. In fact, do not be surprised to learn that your ex had absolutely nothing to do with it.

When a break up occurs it affects everyone in the emotional vicinity. Not only are you and your boyfriend both forced to deal with the emotions that accompanies the end of a relationship but your friends and family members have to learn how to handle it as well. When someone we care for goes through a break up we not only have to watch them in pain but we have to face the reality that their partner will no longer be a regular part of our lives. That may be what is happening with your ex boyfriend's friend. He or she has finally come to the realization that you're no longer part of the inner circle and they miss you. The fact that they are reaching out to you may very well be their way of forging a new friendship that does not include your ex.

Another reason a friend of an ex often pops up unexpectedly is they're looking to recoup something that belonged to the ex. In other words, your ex boyfriend may have sent his friend on a mission to recover something of his that you have possession of. You can typically weed out this motivation pretty quickly if the friend jumps from asking how you are to inquiring about how they can get back the item in question for your ex. Be mindful not to be offended by this. If the roles were reversed and your ex had something meaningful that belonged to you, you may ask someone to seek that out as well. It's important not to take any of your frustrations over the break up out on the friend who may be nothing more than an innocent bystander who is trying to help someone they care for.

Obviously, if you're counting on a renewed relationship with your ex at some point, you're hoping that the reason their friend contacted you was to do some covert, undercover work to see where you're at emotionally and if you've got started dating again. Do not make the mistake of jumping to the conclusion that this is what they're doing if they ask if you have a new guy in your life. Again, this can be normal human curiosity. You're much better off tempering what you share with the friend for now until you have a clear sense of what they really want from you.

If you do determine that they're fishing for information on behalf of your ex boyfriend, be careful with how much you share. If your ex went to the trouble of sending someone to gather information for him, he's very interested in getting back together with you. Make him squirm a bit by keeping your emotions close and sharing only small parts of what's going on. That way the friend will report back to your ex that he or she is not really sure what you're up to and that curiosity will definitely spur on your boyfriend's interest.

I want to stress how important it is to take a step back emotionally from all of this before you put too much emotional energy into the idea of ​​getting back with your ex. When we want something we sometimes see things that are not really there. Be honest with yourself about why your ex boyfriend's friend has come into your life. Take some time to discover their motivations and if they truly just want to be your friend, with no hidden agenda, consider embracing that. We can never have too many friends and you never know if this new friendship may help ease the pain of the break up so you can finally move forward with your life a happier, more emotionally balanced woman.

Finance Shopping for Used Cars

When shopping for a pre-owned vehicle, you expect to see a lower sticker price that will save you some cash. While it's possible to save money going this route, most used car buyers still need to consider financing. Shop around for your loan to make sure the terms are advantageous for you.

Shop Lenders

You have several different lender options when you want to finance a pre-owned vehicle. You can deal directly with a dealership or you can hammer out a loan with a credit union or traditional bank. A loan from a dealership may seem tempting because it's so simple to orchestrate, but it's likely that you will pay for this convenience with higher interest rates. A bank or a credit union will probably offer you more attractive rates and terms than a dealership. One option is to negotiate your best deal with a bank or credit union and then take these terms to a dealership to see if the dealer will match them.

Shop Loans Quickly

As you navigate the loan shopping process, do not take your time. Optimally, you should complete this process within only one to two weeks. The reason for the fast-paced shopping is because every time you apply for financing, your credit score receives a small hit. These soft hits are nominal and they do not stay on your credit report for long, but they can have an impact. The impact could be higher depending on the number of inquiries that hit your report. Keeping the time period relatively short will lessen the total effect on your credit score.

Check Current Rates

Interest rates will have a significant effect on the overall feasibility of used cars financing. Lenders set interest rates according to borrowers' credit scores, so the better your score, the better your interest rate should be. Your score is determined by your payment history, your current debt load, and the time period of your total credit history.

Loan Term

The term of a loan has a big impact on the total price paid for used cars. A loan over a longer period of time will require the borrower to pay more in interest over the term of the financing. If you have the choice between a shorter and a longer term, you will probably notice that the longer term has lower monthly payments. While this can be tempting for your month-to-month budgeting, remember that you will be paying more overall for this longer period. Shortening the financing period will result in higher monthly payments, but you'll pay less in interest to the lender.

Check Lenders

Before making a final decision, do your homework to check into the reputation of a company. Both the federal and state governments regulate lenders to ensure that they adhere to laws and regulations. Call your attorney general's office to inquire about a specific company. The Better Business Bureau also has information about businesses that will enable you to know whether the company is reputable.

Shopping for financing can be as challenging as shopping for used cars, but the time is well spent to ensure that you get a fair deal.

Warning - Be Weary of Fake Internship Or Job Ads Online

It's tough to find jobs these days, but the internet has given job seekers an easy way to sort through job listings easily, even without spending a cent. However, once you take advantage of hunting jobs online, it can expose you to hundreds of job scams. Whether you're looking for a full-time job or internships, scams can be a very frustrating thing to deal with.

The people behind these online job scams are bad people; they will not care if you have been unemployed for years, how badly you need a job or how much money you'll be losing. The bad news is con artists evolve and create new scams every day. The good news is you can avoid being ripped off by learning how these unscrupulous people take advantage of job seekers, recognizing red flags while sorting through job ads and practicing safety during your job hunt.

Types of Online Job Scams

Job scams are not a new problem. A scammer works by obtaining his victim's confidence to make the job seeker an accomplice to money laundering without their knowledge or extract personal information such of the victim, such as full name, Social Security Number, financial details (bank account, credit card or PayPal information ), birth date, driver's license or other personal data.

Online job scams come in various forms, but the most popular ones include resume blasting, bogus job offers and cash handling scams.

o Resume blasting - With this kind of job scam, fake employment agencies offer employment guarantees within a fixed time period for a fee. What the victim (job hunter) does not know is that the agency is distributing his / her resume to thousands of employers, websites and other sources (in a process called resume blasting) in hopes of having companies send correspondence, which the fraudsters would use to scam new victims. Although such agencies provide a money-back guarantee as a way to bait victims, only few people ever receive refunds.

o Bogus jobs / internships - This is the most obvious and most popular type of job scam. With this kind of scam, fraudsters pretend to hire recruitment agents and advertise jobs with real companies or job boards, usually offering lucrative salies. Once these so-called employment agencies conduct a bogus telephone interview, they're pretending that the job is their parents and instruct victims to send money for their travel costs or work visa to an agent, who just happens to work on the scammer's behalf.

This scam has different variations, but they always involve sending money to agents or providing bank account / credit card details. Some fraudsters use personal information and sold to third parties for a fee or even used for identity theft. Be careful of bogus jobs because these fraudsters spend money to list fake jobs on legitimate employment sites or even host their own job board website to lure victims.

o Cash-handling / money laundering - With this kind of scam, fraudsters seek employees to handle their money laundering scheme without the victim's knowledge. Job seekers often answer to work-at-home job listings (usually as a collection agent or customer representative) set up by the fraudsters. Once hired, the victims are sent fraudulent negotiable that are to be distributed to various parties, assuring victims that they get to keep part of the money. Typically, victims do not know they have become part of a money laundering scheme, until they are caught by police.

Red Flags of Job Scams

Although there are often thousands of job scams online, you can learn how to avoid these scams completely by spotting certain red flags.

o Personal information requirements - Steer clear from any job listing that requests for your personal bank account, credit card numbers, PayPal account or Social Security Number. Some fraudsters even request you to scan an ID to "verify identity."
o Fishy Payment Methods - If you have not met an employer personally, but he / she advocates of having funds or paychecks direct-deposited, this could be a way to get a hold of your bank account information.
o Job Guarantees - Do not believe it if a company says you're guaranteed a job, especially if they are asking for an upfront fee. Nobody can guarantee that someone else is going to give you a job.
o Money laundering - If the job requires you to forward, transfer or "wire" money to another person, employer or "customer" and assures that you'll keep a portion of the money as payment, your job is a part of a money laundry scheme.
o Unprofessional job listings - Watch out for strange sentences with a lot of exclamation points, misspellings and grammatical mistakes in the job ad. Some scammers can sometimes become confused and post a job with a title that does not match the description.
o Employer Contact Details - Job ads that fail to list specific job locations, company location, or phone numbers, can be a good indicator of scams. You should also take note of the employer's contact e-mail address; scammers often use e-mails that are not primary domains. Watch out for contact e-mails using yahoo, hotmail or other free e-mail accounts, which can be easily replaced. Employers that do not provide contact details have a lack of interest in actually meeting you in person.
o Employer Response to Inquiry - If the ad sees legit, the red flags do not stop there. Once you've expressed interest through e-mail and they respond, look out for the name of a person / company that does not exist or a generic auto-response to all your emails. Also be careful of responses with a link that ask you to sign-up for various websites.

Monster.com lists descriptive words in job postings that are tip-offs to fraud. The list includes "wiring funds," "money transfers," "package-forwarding," "PayPal," and "eBay." Terms like "Foreign Agent Agreement" and "No Experience Necessary" are also used often by scammers.

Of course, if a job offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Guarantees of high income in one week or other exaggerated promises of high pay can be tempting, but they're usually a marketing scheme to lure victims. To be sure, a quick Google search of the company name, job ad title or other details can save you a lot of time and frustrations in determining if a job is a scam or not. If you can not find information about a company online, please talk to your career counselor before going for an interview.

No Job is More Important than Your Safety

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. Unfortunately, job seekers are often victimized by identity theft through job scams. Here are some ways to keep your identity protected:

1) File resumes online wisely - We encourage you to file resumes online, but it's not necessary to put your actual address on these resumes. In addition, do not include your Social Security number, driver's license information, bank account / credit card information, phone number, date of birth or passwords. Be aware that an email address is sufficient when sending resumes and employers will understand. When posting your resume online, read the website's privacy policy to see how your information will be used. Most legitimate companies have an application form, which is private for your actual address.
2) Practice prudent posting - Aside from resume banks, it is important to keep your personal information private. Online social networking sites enable individuals around the world to chat, share photos, recruit employees, date, post resumes, auction property and more. Because the internet makes it possible for all information about you linked with one another in a simple online search, anyone can gather these personal data and use it against you. If you would not tell it to a stranger on the street, do not put it online for the world to see.
3) Phishing e-mails - When you inquire for a job and the employee sends a response with a link to a third-party website, which often lands on a spoof Web site, asking you to provide personal / account information or download malicious software . Be very careful on what you click next because phishing emails are used to fraudulently obtain personal identification and account information.
4) Never send money - If a company is asking money to fill out an application, do not pay up unless you know the company to be reputable.
5) Analyze "work at home" jobs carefully - Although there are legitimate jobs online, most of these work-at-home opportunities sound fishy. Always check for the red flags when dealing with virtual jobs. If it smells fishy or spammy, such as someone offering you a job without a background check, face-to-face interview or verification of your references, then it probably is. All these axioms hold true when it comes to your safety.

Most importantly, check with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbbonline.com) to make sure the company is in good standing. If you follow these expert tips, it can greatly reduce your potential risk of being victimized by online job scams.

Our search techniques will reveal a lot of opportunities for internship seekers, but not all of these will be legitimate. Please be careful and remember that no internship or job is more important than your safety.

Car Maintenance Packages

Be it a single car or a fleet, to ensure that the full potential of the vehicle is used, proper maintenance is necessary. This includes routine monthly checks, followed by specific tests at periodic intervals and quick diagnosis of any problems that the car may face. While individual repairs are an option, it is better to opt for an suite package as they are more economic and cover a wider range of maintenance arenas. Typically, car maintenance or servicing include replacement of oils in the engine, primarily coolant and the like, followed by the Ministry of Transport's (MOT) test for car safety and engine test under stress. In addition, regular upkeep enterprises wheel alignment for optimum handling and mileage and replenishment of air conditioner gas. Interior servicing is also an integral part as comfort of the passenger is the most important aspect of any car.

When you buy a new car, it is bound to run smoothly for a while. The first time it is served, if you do not have a package deal, there is a chance that you will be slapped with a huge bill. It is possible that this will be repeated. Maintenance packages help economize by spreading the cost over a year, and the average plan that includes all the important areas of servicing will cost an average of £ 60 / month, a small price to pay for saving a lot in the future. In addition, with a package, you will not have to bear the burden of picking up and dropping off the car in every dealership by yourself. This is even more useful if you are managing a fleet! Imagine overseeing the maintenance of several hundred cars! With periodic maintenance, there is no chance of having huge bills at one go. Instead, the cost is even balanced over over a large period of time. Moreover, with serving at proper intervals, the car performances better and has fewer emissions, thereby reducing the environmental impact too.

The basic coverage of a maintenance plan is the recommended maintenance by the manufacturer and this is taken care of according to the prescribed schedule. This usually includes checking the essentials like air and fuel filters and the electrical fitting and replacing them if necessary. In addition, brake linings, pads and disks are also checked. Moreover, cam belt is replaced in accordance with manufacturer schedule. However, normal wear and tear is taken care of. It is evident if the damage is due to irresponsible driving and this is not taken care of. Wheel alignment and tire replacement is handled too. In case of tires, setting is done according to the specific manufacturer.

Cars, as old as 1 year are taken into servicing and the contract is valid for three years. There is a stipulation that the vehicle needs to run a minimum of 20,000 miles every year. Other plans for higher mileage are also available and the pricing is done accordingly. There are comprehensive pricing plans for fleets at a stretch depending on the composition of the fleet. Typically, fleets consisting of the same car are charged much less. Another factor that effects the price of the servicing is the manufacturer. Cars which spare parts are easily available are charged much less than those need parts made by a specific manufacturer or the car manufacturer itself. In some cases, manufacturers do not accept spare parts made by other companies.

Overall, it is a great idea to have a maintenance package that takes care of every aspect of car maintenance. Not only does this reduce the trouble on your part, it is much more economic and statistics have shown that cars benefit in the long run too.

Making Money in World of Warcraft - It's Possible to Earn 427 Gold Per Hour

If you're a regular player of World of Warcraft then you would most likely understand that owning adequate gold makes the game a whole lot more fun to play. The fact is that many players lack the right skills to earn huge amounts of gold and inevitably are missing out on a great deal of rare items.

Making Money in World of Warcraft is really so simple you just have to know the correct strategies and apply them accurately and you could quickly become mega rich. I have been a World of Warcraft player since it came out (back in 2004) and using these methods I have steadily earned quite a large fortune.

You're probably wondering "what if this guide is not right for me?". Well there's no need to worry because this guide is designed for both horde and alliance, level 1-80 and newbie to expert. You no longer have to wear average green gear and ride non-epic mounts, you would be able to purchase full sets of epic armor and weapons and your very own epic flying mount.

All this extra gold will not just benefit you, but it also lets you to enchant and repair your items whenever you feel like it. Nothings stopping you from becoming the richest player on your realm using these tested strategies of learning up to 427 gold (or more) an hour! Please do not consider buying gold from and online seller with your own money, it is against Blizzard's rules and you can get permanently banned. Its also majorly overpriced and it is not a dependable source of legitimate gold.

4 Things to Look for in a Gift Delivery Service for the Philippines

Sending gifts to the Philippines is one of the ways Filipinos abroad can show their family and friends in the Philippines that they think of them. Shopping online to send gifts to the Philippines has become an ever more popular option as e-commerce has matured in the last few years, and with the increasing numbers of Filipinos living abroad. At the end of 2010, there were over 11 million Filipinos living outside of the Philippines. Apart from the age-old tradition of shipping boxes packed with stuff by air and sea, the internet has created a faster, friendlier way to send those gifts. This article will look at how you shop online to order gifts for delivery to the Philippines. It will also include a few possible choices for gift ideas.

For ease and convenience, you may begin with a search engine such as Google and enter key words that are meaningful for you. For example, you may enter the word "pasalubong," which is the Tagalog word for gift. You may also enter other terms such as " gifts to the Philippines ," or some variation thereof.

The search will then bring up a list of websites that are offering the service that you would like to use. Be cautious when choosing a company. Some companies are brand new, while others have been around for years. You want to choose a company of quality, one that is trustworthy and has some connection to the suppliers in the Philippines that you would like to use.

In the Philippines, there are approximately a dozen companies offering an online gift delivery service. Many are located in the Manila area, and cater to Metro Manila only. Some companies sell only flowers, while others offer only computers and laptops. There are a few, however, that are located in North America, function like department stores and have everything from party packages, cakes, flowers and electronics for sale. They also may delivery to more remote locations in the Philippines, like Bicol Region, Baguio, and Cebu. Consider also where you are located. For example, if you are in the US or Canada, or sometimes Hong Kong or Japan, it would be wise to look for a company that has a representative in your area. Customer service is then held accountable, instead of a thousand miles away in a different time zone.

4 things to look for when choosing a website

Here are a few indications that you are selecting a good gift delivery service:

1. They have an up to date and user friendly website. Online shopping websites that look dated may not be doing very well, which would make you wonder if your gift would end up being delivered. Choose one that is professionally designed and is easy on the eyes. Also, having the choice of paying by credit card and / or PayPal is a good sign, since you want a company that has been verified as trustworthy.

2. The website has established relationships with Filipino suppliers . When you're buying a cake, I'm assuming you want a product that your family will appreciate, with a brand name like Red Ribbon. Or should you want to get a gift card so that your recipient can go shopping in a respected mall, it would be good to know that the gift delivery website you choose has a relationship with SM shopping malls and department stores.

3. They have a wide selection of products available . A company that offers flowers, cakes, gift cards, electronics, computers, appliances, etc. makes it very convenient to shop with since you can keep coming back for different items on different gift giving holidays. A one stop shop is preferred than having to search repeatedly for different companies offering only one or two products.

4. They've been reviewed on social networks and forums . This is a good sign that the company holds themselves accountable and seeks to provide great customer service. Do they have a Twitter or a Facebook site? What are the opinions of the service from others? These are good questions to ask before you decide to order with an online gift delivery service.

After you've had a chance to review the key categories, if the service you're considering has passed at least 4 out of 5, then you're probably working with a reputable company.

Written by Sheryl Balilla co-founder of Pasalubong.ca, a worldwide service for Filipinos overseas.