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6 ways you're wasting gas

It's not easy to break bad driving habits, but if you don't, the money you lose on gas could wind up breaking your bank.

Here are six ways drivers typically waste gas every on every trip:

1. Racing away from green lights

When the light turns green, you don't have to take off as quickly as possible. That pedal under your right foot is called the "gas pedal" for a good reason. The more you press down on it, the more gas you're pumping into the engine.

2. Racing up to red lights

When you're driving down the street, and you see a light red light or stop sign up ahead, you should lay off the gas sooner rather than later.

3. Confusing the highway with a speedway

Even if it doesn't involve hard acceleration, speeding wastes gas. The faster you go, the more air your vehicle has to push out of the way. It's like moving your hand through water. The faster you try to move your hand, the harder the water pushes back.

4. Bumper-buzzing

Tailgating wastes gas. Every time the driver ahead taps his brakes, you have to slow down even more than he did. (That's because you can't react immediately so you have to slow even more because you're slowing down later.) Then you accelerate again to get back up to speed and resume your bumper-buzzing routine.

5. Driving standing still

You've probably heard that it takes more gas to restart a car than to let it run. Maybe that used to be true, but it isn't anymore. With modern fuel-injection engines, it takes very little extra gas to restart a car once it's warmed up.

Idling, meanwhile, burns about a half-mile worth of gas every minute, according to the US California Energy Commission. That's why hybrid cars shut down their gasoline engines whenever they stop, even for a moment.

Bonus tip: Don't idle your engine to let it warm up before driving. It does your engine no good and it wastes gas. Instead, start driving right away, but drive gently until the engine is warm.

6. Short hops

For really short trips, take advantage of the opportunity to get some exercise. Try walking to the store instead of driving. You can save gas and burn a few calories instead.

MIXFM GUEST: Marie Digby

The singer of American-Japanese descent dropped by the MIX fm studio to chill out with two of her biggest fans - Sham and Roshan!



Oil climbs above $US127 on Goldman report
Crude oil rose above $US127 a barrel for the first time, leading commodities higher, after Goldman Sachs raised its forecast and on speculation Chinese diesel purchases will strain supplies.

Goldman boosted its price estimate for the second half of this year to $US141 a barrel, from $US107, citing supply constraints. China may increase fuel imports to generate power after the most powerful earthquake in 58 years killed more than 22,000 and damaged hydroelectric plants. Oil and commodities, including gold and platinum, also advanced on the falling dollar.

''We can blame Goldman again,'' said Nauman Barakat, senior vice president of global energy futures at Macquarie Futures USA in New York. ''In March 2005 they predicted that prices would rise dramatically, and they did. Prices jumped to the $US125 level after another Goldman report less than two weeks ago. At this point nobody wants to bet against Goldman.''

Crude oil for June delivery rose $US2.17, or 1.7%, to settle at $US126.29 a barrel at 2.50pm on the New York Mercantile Exchange, a record close. Futures touched $US127.82 today, the highest since trading began in 1983. Prices are up 0.3% for the week and have more than doubled in the past year.

Prices fell from the day's high after Saudi Arabia's oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, said his country will increase crude oil production by 300,000 barrels a day to 9.45 million barrels a day next month in response to customer requests. President George W. Bush met in Riyadh today with al-Naimi and King Abdullah.

Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter and the most influential member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The dollar fell against the euro amid speculation the US economy will remain weaker than in the 15 nations using the euro. The dollar decreased 0.9% to $US1.5583 per euro at 3.17pm in New York, from $US1.5448 yesterday.

The falling dollar and higher world demand for raw materials led to records for gold, corn, soybeans and rice this year. The UBS Bloomberg Constant Maturity Commodity Index, which tracks 26 raw materials, rose 1.1% to 1560.52 today. The index is up 38% from a year ago.

''Even if there is a slowdown in growth, demand for oil will continue to grow while supply is stagnating,'' Total chief executive Christophe de Margerie said at the company's annual meeting in Paris today. ''High costs of energy are due only in small part to speculation and are largely based on fundamentals.''

West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark oil grade traded in New York, will rise to $US135.30 in the third quarter and $US145.60 in the fourth quarter, Goldman said. Prices will increase further in 2009, averaging $US148 a barrel, according to the report written by analysts including Peter Oppenheimer and Jeffrey Currie.

Goldman analyst Arjun N. Murti wrote in a report on May 6 that ''the possibility of $US150-$US200 per barrel seems increasingly likely over the next six-24 months.'' Murti first wrote of a ''super spike'' in March 2005, predicting crude may trade between $US50 and $US105 a barrel through 2009.

''The Goldman report gives fund managers an excuse to push prices higher,'' said Michael Fitzpatrick, vice president for energy risk management at MF Global in New York.

Hedge-fund managers and other large speculators increased their net-long positions in New York crude-oil futures in the week ended May 13, according to Commodity Futures Trading Commission data released after floor trading ended today. Longs have outnumbered shorts since February 2007. Long positions are bets that prices will rise and shorts are bets they will fall.

Brent crude oil for July settlement rose $US2.36, or 1.9%, to $US124.99 a barrel on London's ICE Futures Europe exchange, a record close. The contract touched an all-time high of $US126.34 today.

PetroChina International, the trading unit of PetroChina Co., the country's biggest oil producer, has already purchased 2.9 million barrels of diesel for June. That's in addition to the 1.45 million barrels that China International United Petroleum & Chemicals bought for the month.

''People are really focused on China right now,'' said Christopher Edmonds, the managing principal of FIG Partners Energy Research & Capital Group in Atlanta. ''When a market moves on such minute data points, it is usually near some sort of inflection point. I think once we move from the June to July contact and we get evidence of weak Memorial Day demand, the market will become more rational.''
Expert: Women don't work enough

The pay equity gap between men and women in Australia will not close until women are prepared to work longer hours, an academic says. Hence, I believe the scenario same goes to Asia. As many Asian are still family orientated.

 

"All high achievers in all walks of life ... put in long hours into their activity," Professor Wooden said.

 

"It's (the pay equity gap) got a lot to do with the fact that women are not prepared to work longer hours."

 

"The only way we can achieve this is if we have lots of role reversals, lots of men behaving like women and lots of women behaving like men."

 

Prof Wooden said even if workplaces were family friendly, "many women would not pursue long-hour jobs".

 

On average, for every dollar earned by a full-time male employee a female will earn 85 cents.

 

Workaround: "The only way we can achieve this is if we have lots of role reversals, lots of men behaving like women and lots of women behaving like men."

 

"I don't think women in Australia want that, I don't think that women anywhere in the world want that."

 

For women, what you need to do is really to accept the challenge, step up, actively manage and step forward. Or else we will stop mentioning equal rights.

National Builder Group ; No Care No Value No Professionalism

Is a SHAME for National Builder Group whenever I listen to the radio ads at MIX1011 that they mentioning "National Builder Group, More Homes, More Value, More Care".

 

I requested for withdrawal on the proposed home building with National Builder Group and request for refund of deposit. Their sales representative started to be rudely corresponded and not helpful at all. I request to them to itemise the expenses to be deducted from my deposit, but they are not willing to.

 

I am seriously glad that I did not sign up with them or else it will be a project trap working with them. Perhaps a havoc experience?

 

Anyway, I will not spend too much time on this. But I just hope they will improve their service level in near future. Be a true professional sales person, this is not the way. Be gentlemen and professional at all time. May be he did not go to school? Never mind... let him be. just return my balance.

 

*******************************

 

Some part of the e-mail correspondence.

 

*******************************

 

Hi Edvin,

 

We are unable to direct deposit into your bank account. We also won’t provide you a break down of costs. There is a set amount refunded & that’s what you will get. As the deposit amount has changed from $500 to $1000, I’m not even sure what the correct amount is myself. I do know with a $1,000 deposit you only get back $150. I’ll speak to head office & get back to you.

 

We will not be direct deposit into a foreign bank account, so stop asking.

 

Regards Tony Camera

National Builders Group

0449 257 245

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Edvin Teo [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Tuesday, 6 May 2008 9:16 PM

To: Tony

Subject: Re: RE:

 

Hi Tony,

 

It will be good if your side be able to list down the break down on the deposit LESS the expenses. For the balance, please deposit the money into my bank account.

 

Since i am not in Australia personally, i need the favour from you on that. Is that possible?

 

With Regards,

Edvin