The Nissan LEAF: An Electric Car for the Family

With the stories of oil companies discouraging the development of electric cars, many people wonder if there will ever be an electric car that is exclusively designed for families. After a long wait, the chance for car users to own an electric family car has finally arrived. This new car is different from the Toyota Prius hybrid car that was introduced some time ago; it is a car that is fully powered by electricity.

The Nissan LEAF, an acronym for “Leading, Environmentally-Friendly, Affordable, Family”, was released in the US market in December, 2010 and the UK market in February, 2011. It is a 100% family electric car with zero emissions. This 5-door car has an attractive appearance, and it can reach a top speed of 90 mph.

It is capable of traveling approximately 100 miles before it has to be plugged in for recharging. It comes with features such as alloy wheels, Nissan Navigation System, Bluetooth hands-free system, iPod-compatible audio system, and bottle-holders. Similar to other green cars that are available in the market, the Nissan LEAF comes with a high price tag. It costs about $25,000 in the US, but it qualifies for certain tax credits. Considering the rising cost of gas, it can be a good investment in the long run.

The Nissan LEAF was sold out six months before it was launched. Buyers were required to register online and put down a refundable $99 registration fee to gain the rights to buy the car. Nissan offered the car at a lower price in the US to attract more buyers, and it seems that the incentive has worked. In the UK, the Nissan LEAF is selling for about 30,000 pounds, but buyers can get a 5,000-pound incentive from the government. Since it only costs about two pounds to charge up the car, users can expect to save more than 1,000 pounds on fuel if they drive about 8,000 miles a year.

One of the things that deter people from buying electric cars is the difficulty of finding a place to charge the cars in public. Most electric cars can be charged through any standard electric point at home. The problem arises when car users go on long trips away from home. There are electric car charging points in public places, but they are not widely available. More and more charging posts are being set up these days, and they should be more commonplace in the near future.It takes about eight hours to fully charge a Nissan LEAF with a standard 220/240V electrical supply. This means that it is impossible for users to travel far in a single day.

Recently, the Nissan LEAF was reviewed by a popular TV show called Top Gear. The Top Gear reviewing team drove the car to the seaside, and found that it has a good feel and features. However, they had trouble finding a place to recharge the car. Nissan announced that it will be installing “quick charge points” in all its dealerships in the next few years to enable LEAF owners to charge up their cars in just 30 minutes.

However, one thing that LEAF owners should know is that quick charging can cause the battery to deteriorate at a faster rate, and possibly destroy it in just three years. If the car is charged the normal, slower way, the battery can last about 10 years, and the cost of a new battery is 7,000 pounds.

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Can Science Fiction Motivate Us to Save the Environment?

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How To Save Your Fruit Tree Blossoms From A Spring Freeze

In most parts of the country it's still dead of Winter. However, in a few spots like here in the Desert Southwest, the warming weather starts to play tricks on Spring budding trees and plants. They think it's time to wake up when it's really not quite safe to.

In my own garden, I have an old Peach Tree that produces the most wonderful almost softball size peaches. And up until a few years ago, I rarely got the opportunity to see one make it past the blossom stage.

As sure as the first warm days would wake the old tree up in a display of absolute pink, so surely would a Springtime freeze bring it to an end.

But then one day a few Springs back..... I had a great idea.

It was a little overdue but still quite fortunate that I picked those first warm Spring days to take down and put up the Christmas lights. Because as I held those lights in my hands and looked over at that beautiful pink tree just coming into its glory, a light bulb turned on in my head.

Hmmm....., are you thinking what I’m thinking? I'm sure you are and it does work.

From then on I've been able to get the majority of my blossoms to the point of battling birds and June bugs. However, battling the birds and June bugs will be another article altogether.

While I am more comfortable to grow more fruit trees now, I find that this method still works well for me because I do only have a few trees. I'm not sure how practical, cost effective, or easy it would be to string Christmas lights through more than a few trees.

If you do ever use this method, use the old fashioned base type bulbs and not the little twinkling lights. They put off more heat. Also, if you live in an area where the climate is harsher than here in the desert, it may be helpful to place a sheet of plastic or tarp over the trees in addition to the lights.

While there are other ways of protecting your trees and plants from a freeze, I just thought I would share this with you.

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Ten Principles Of Good Food Storage For Safe Food Hygiene

Good management of food storage areas is of paramount importance for the prevention of food contamination. Here is a rundown of my ten principles of correct food storage.

Wash out and defrost your fridge at least three times a week. Clean up spillages immediately.

Keep all cupboards, pantries and larders spotlessly clean.

Check regularly for signs of mice, rats, cats, birds, cockroaches, ants and such pests. Deal with them promptly. In professional kitchens, shelving should never be against the wall. Leave a space of thirty centimeters so that you can easily see trails of mice or rats.

Do not keep highly perishable foodstuffs in the larder, put them in the fridge. E.G. Eggs, milk, cheese, meats. Store prepared food separate from uncooked food.

Keep all cleaning chemicals and equipment out of food storage spaces. Put them in a special cupboard under lock and key.

Food storage spaces should be designed to stand against interior walls only. This will serve to ensure that these places will always be cool and dry.

Do not run water or drainage pipes through places where food or food utensils are stored. Keep your stores dry.

Be sure to rotate your supplies thoroughly. Remember this saying; "last in, last out".

Keep animal feed separate from human food!

Keep vegetables and eggs in a separate storage area but failing that keep all root vegitables at the very bottom of the fridge in suitable closed containers. (special storage solutions can be found on the market that allow the vegetables to breath).

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Environment Advertisement - Save Trees, Save Earth

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Height Safety How to Develop a Rescue Plan

Working at height - How to Develop a Rescue Plan

Rescue plans don't have to be complex.

Employers should implement a rescue plan that includes procedures for:

· Preventing prolonged suspension


· Performing rescue and treatment as quickly as possible


· Identifying orthostatic intolerance signs and symptoms

Management's reasonability for safety needs to give careful consideration to the methodology of rescuing a fallen operative. Such considerations might include:

Dialing 999 - Often we think of the word 'rescue' as calling 999, but calling the local fire brigade does not constitute an effective rescue plan. Response times can be too slow, and not all fire brigades have the capability to rescue from height.

Crane Man Basket - This option has severe limitations, the main one being time. Target time from 'Man Down' to being recovered needs to be no more than five minutes. Other restrictions and shortcomings that make this a less than ideal solution are: (a) the crane is out of action for some reason, e.g. it may be 'winded-off'; (b) the driver may be away from the crane (c) rescue by crane is limited to building façades and often is not able to provide access and rescue internal to the structure; (d) the crane man basket may be in the wrong location.

MEWPs - This option for rescue can have its limitations such as available access and height restriction as the casualty may be at a height greater than the reach of the MEWP.

Rope Access Rescue - Rope rescue requires a technical competency which demands a high level of training and re-training to acquire and retain this skill set. Given the limited time to complete a rescue, trained rope rescue personnel would need to be on stand-by and within close proximity to any incident. Donning the necessary kit to carry out a rope rescue can also be time consuming given that every minute the casualty is hanging is critical. Perhaps the greatest restriction is that it is a skill to which only a few would, or could, be trained.

Third Party Rescue Systems - There are a number of considerations to take into account when considering third part rescue systems. In every consideration TIME is the critical factor. The speed with which the system can be deployed and the rescue carried out is vitally important, as is the SIMPLICITY and EASE of use so that a typical operative can deploy and carry out a rescue after being trained.

Remember: whichever methodology you choose, the target time should be to rescue the casualty in under ten minutes.

Planning for Fall Protection must include Rescue

Having a rescue plan is just as important as having a fall protection plan. No site should have one without the other. Just putting together a fall protection program without rescue is only doing half the job.


The onus is on the employer to ensure that the suspended operative is rescued quickly. That means ensuring that for anyone who works at height, there's a rescue plan. Fall protection must include an emergency rescue plan.

How will you rescue an operative who has fallen and is suspended in a fall-arrest system? Answering some basic questions can help in developing a rescue plan.

Developing a Rescue Plan

Rescue plan requires answers to the following questions

If an operative's fall is arrested can they be rescued in under five minutes?

How will you know that someone has fallen?

· Will someone see it happen?


· Co-workers


· Other trades


· Plant personnel


· Members of the public

What communication systems will be used between the suspended operative and the rescue team?

· How will the operative call for help?


· Voice


· Whistle


· Mobile Phone

Who will the Co-worker call?

· Nearest co-workers


· Supervisor


· Site Management


· 999 Fire /ambulance where available

Is information available? Who and how will it be communicated?

· Emergency phone numbers


· Site address


· Directions and access for ambulance/fire vehicle or other emergency services


· Which floor/how high up


· Operative's condition after fall

How will the safety of the rescuers be assured, as well as that of the suspended operative?

· Are operatives trained and competent in the use of rescue equipment?


· Is there sufficient number of trained personnel onsite?


· Are rescue-training records kept up-to-date including any re-assessments?


· Is the rescue equipment selected appropriate for the nature of the work?


· What obstructions are in the way reaching the suspended operative?


· Have assessments been made of anchor points?


· Has consideration been given to the method of attaching to the casualty?

How will rescue workers get to the casualty?

· Rescue Ladder System


· Rescue Haul System


· Keys to building and roof


· Elevator


· Pull casualty in through window or balcony


· Pull casualty up to floor/slab/roof


· Climb/abseil down the building/structure


· Aerial equipment from ground


· Suspended access equipment


· Crane Man Basket

How will rescue be assured within five minutes of the occurrence of a fall to minimize the risk of further injury or death due to suspension trauma? And, what rescue equipment is needed?

· Rescue Ladder


· Rescue Haul System


· Toxic shock strap


· Suspended access equipment


· Ropes


· Aerial ladder truck


· MEWPS or scissor lift


· Climbing/rope rescue equipment


· Crane Man Basket


· First aid kit


· Stretcher available should casualty be seriously injured

What if the operative is injured?

· Can the casualty still be rescued within five minutes?


· Is there a qualified first-aider who understands suspension trauma and knows how to treat it?


· Who and how will the emergency services and hospital be alerted?

How will the public be protected?

· Assign someone to direct traffic


· Set up barriers

How will the accident scene be protected?

· Prevent further injury or damage


· Set up barriers


· Preserve wreckage


· Aid investigation later

Are there other considerations?

· Working alone


· Language barrier


· Unusual features of building/structure


· Wind


· Other hazards


· No emergency services nearby


· Distance from rescue teams

WARNING! An operative who has suffered a fall and is suspended in his harness is a true medical emergency. Just because they are hanging in a harness doesn't mean you have all day to perform the rescue. Rescue has to be planned, practiced and performed quickly and effectively or the victim may very well die before the rescue finally occurs.

"If you're not going to give your employees the skills to perform rescue, then you might as well not even put them in the harness at all."

Practice can save lives

Perhaps just as important as having a rescue plan in place is practicing the plan before a real-life fall occurs.

Author: Drew Beardmore


Leading Edge Safety height safety training courses and equipment are specifically designed for anyone whose job requires them to work at height and involves using the necessary safety equipment required to do this.





For more information visit www.leadingedgesafety.co.uk

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Root causes of discrimination

Discrimination is defined as showing differences in preference to or not in favor of people, classes or groups, or on the basis of one’s ethnicity, religion or race. It is the treatment of a particular person based on bias, instead of on their personal merits. Discrimination involves excluding, proscribing, rejecting or prohibiting an individual from a group from getting access to particular opportunities or options offered and available to others. The term "discrimination" developed as a result of its usage during the American Civil War as a phrase pertaining to hatred of individuals established exclusively on their African American ethnicity. The term is shortly thereafer widened to encompass belonging to a specific, perceived unworthy group or set of people.





Discrimination has played a dishonorable role in the extended record of human civilization. Successful groups throughout history have carried out forms of discrimination in one way or another and to varying degrees. It should also be known that ruling communities as a trend have a larger predisposition to discriminate against other people. The level of advancement and the breadth and complexity of larger communities enabled them to create ways of socializing in a manner adequate to sustain their own social order. However, even with such great achievements, populations often remained insular surrounded by their particular culture and had limited contact with other populations. One group of people might look at theirs with self-importance and look at another as "lesser" or not possessing notable worthy achievements. And thus gives rise the tendency to discriminate against societies who are foreign. For instance, the nation of spain discriminated against people of Jewish faith, and the United States also discriminated against its African-American and local Native American Indian populations. Discrimination in the workplace has also been rampant in the past.





There are no obvious established hypotheses of the original source of discrimination. There may possibly be many likely explanations, however, generally scholars go along with the idea that discrimination is not a common individual feeling; nobody is born with it. There exists data indicating that the feeling is brought about by social structure and learned behavior. Just to illustrate, if discrimination was a born trait of humans, then marrying outside of one's group and integration among differing groups would not be possible. Observation also demonstrates that little kids don't exhibit prejudice or discrimination. Though there isn't general understanding as to the trigger of discrimination and prejudice, there is concurrence that together they consitute a behavior resulting from observation. The formation of a kid's beliefs all begins with the teachers, family, parents and early social friends. Sports organizations and the press further contribute to discriminatory attitudes which can later give it social authority. Therefore when people speak of eliminating hatred, people must bear in mind that prejudice is learned and accordingly needs to be untaught. The best plan is to make certain that the spirit of justice and righteousness are omnipresent through teaching and legislation.





Luckily, the current human race on the whole is at the present less tolerant of discrimination than it once was. For the most part countries presently have enacted legislation prohibiting discrimination in various forms, if not altogether, in many parts of culture. Discrimination in the office in the U.S. is illegal according to legislation. The value of individual liberties, educated immigration procedures and directives for quota hiring are part of the basis of legal approaches to decrease the impact of prejudice and discrimination. Yet, the final place the world must locate a way to end discrimination lies in the private arena, and eventually in each human person.

Child Safety

When protecting your family, the safety of your children is likely your number one concern. Child safety is important at all times, inside or outside the house. Here are a few ways to maintain child safety in your life.

Child Safety Tip #1: Arm Against Strangers

You can’t be with your children all the time. If your children are old enough to play in the yard alone, or ride bikes around the neighborhood, you must protect them from dangerous strangers. When it comes to child safety, protecting your child from people who mean to do them harm is parents’ number one concern. Pepper sprays can effectively disarm a criminal and give your child time to run and scream for help.

Child Safety Tip #2: Arm Against Animals

Strangers aren’t the only ones who can do harm to your child. A loose dog or angry raccoon is an equal danger in many neighborhoods. Protect your kids by arming them with animal repellant when they leave the yard to play. Give them canine repellant and even bear repellent if you live in bear country.

Child Safety Tip #3: Make Some Noise

Many children are snatched right from their front yards. Sometimes screaming isn’t enough. Personal safety alarms will draw attention to your child’s situation immediately. If a stranger approaches and tries to attack your child, the child can set off their personal safety alarm, which will emit a high pitched siren to call for help. Often, the criminal will run away.

Child Safety Tip #4: Keep Them Safe From Fires

In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm’s shrill tone is often enough to rouse sleeping adults and alert them to the danger, allowing them time to escape. However, studies have shown that young children may actually sleep through such alarms. Doctors have found that children respond best to the sound of their parents’ voices. Hence the invention of the vocal smoke alarm. It allows you to record your own instructions that will play in the event of a fire: “Maddie, wake up. It’s Mommy. There’s a fire. Get out of the house like we practiced.” Make sure your child knows what actions to take in the event of a fire, like feeling doors for heat and crawling below the smoke. Have a designated meeting place for all family members to gather once they escape, so you can do a quick headcount and ensure everyone is out.

Child Safety Tip # 5: Watch Them When You Aren’t Around

It’s hard to leave your children alone with a nanny or babysitter. Are you sure you can trust them? Would the children tell you if something was wrong? Get peace of mind from a hidden camera that can monitor your children for you, either while you are away or even just in another room. Whether you have a spy camera in every room or just one, the technology is an excellent addition to your child safety security system. If you have suspicions that something is happening in your home without your knowledge, a spy camera can be your eyes for you when you are not around.

But aside from using high-tech child safety devices, increase your children’s personal security by teaching them how to protect themselves.

• Never get into a stranger’s car.
• Don’t even talk to strangers.
• If someone makes you uncomfortable, go tell a trusted adult or just shout “No! Help!” as loud as you can and try to run away.
• Stop, drop, and roll.
• Dial 911 in an emergency.

All these basic rules will help protect your children. Technology can boost child safety, but common sense is also a must.