Crop-Fed Cars Hit The Highways

A popular new fuel, E85, could help put the brakes on America's foreign-oil dependency. The Department of Energy provides these answers to some frequently asked questions about the fuel:

Q: What is E85 and what are its benefits?

A: E85 is a fuel that is 85 percent ethanol (distilled from American corn, as well as nongrain crops) and only 15 percent gasoline. It is high octane and has a higher performance level than some gasolines-it can boost some vehicle's horsepower by up to 5 percent-and it's also domestically produced and clean burning. In fact, government tests show vehicles running on E85 reduce harmful emissions when compared with gasoline.

Q: Why use ethanol?

A: Ethanol provides plenty of horsepower with relatively little pollution. Because it is typically produced from corn and other grain products and other nongrain materials, the fuel is biodegradable and does not contaminate water. Also, because it is produced domestically, ethanol use increases the value of feed grains grown by U.S. farmers.

Q: How much does E85 cost?

A: Typically, E85 is priced to be competitive with 87-octane gasoline. President Bush has launched an initiative to make much more ethanol from many other sources too, like trees and prairie grasses. As this research continues and these newer ethanol plants are built, ethanol looks to be an affordable, sustainable way to cut reliance on imported fuels.

Q: Can my car run on E85?

A: Not every car can use E85. You must have what's called a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV). An FFV is a vehicle designed to run on regular unleaded gasoline or any ethanol fuel blend up to 85 percent. Visit www.e85fuel.com/e85101/flexfuel vehicles.php for a complete list of FFVs and to see if your car is flexfuel ready. To date, there are about six million FFVs on the road, including models from Ford, GM and Chrysler.

Q: What's the difference between an FFV and a gasoline-only vehicle?

A: FFVs have just one major part that differs from gasoline-only cars: the fuel sensor that detects the ethanol/gasoline ratio. Also, an FFV's fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel injectors, computer system, anti-siphon device and dashboard gauges are all modified slightly compared to gasoline-only vehicles. FFVs are generally available at little or no additional cost compared to gasoline-only models-and they carry the same warranties.

Q: Where can I get E85?

A: Visit www.e85fuel.com/data base/search.php for a complete list of E85 sites. More stations are being added each week.

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Dealership Scams Out There

Are you thinking of buying a car but hesitant to approach your local car dealer because you are not sure about the processes of buying a car as well as wary of possible dealership scams? Do you feel that your knowledge about cars and getting great deals is not good enough and you want to learn more about this matter? Then reading these tips will enhance your understanding about dealership scams.

The car dealer and his trade

To have a proper understanding of car dealership scams, you must first have an idea of the car dealers themselves and how they go about their trade selling cars. First of all, the car dealer will not give you a price quotation as much as he possibly can. This is because the tendency of the buyer would be to go to another dealer and the other one will probably offer a lower price thus, the first dealer loses the buyer to the second dealer. To increase their chances of getting you to buy their car, they will try to make you commit to them before they give you the final selling price. On your part, you can do two things: maneuver the dealer into telling you the price quotation or negotiate the terms of the deal with them. If you decided to negotiate with the dealer then be always on the lookout for the following tricks:

Low balling

This is one of the tricks most commonly done by dealers. They will try to convince the buyer that they can provide the lowest possible price for the car thereby prompting the buyer to start negotiations with the dealer. The salesman will probably tell you that you can get the car that you want for a lesser amount but when you are about to enter negotiations, it turns out that you were not promised a lower price after all. It is just an empty promise.

Best price matching

When you tell the dealer that you will try to look around and check other car dealerships, the salesman will ask you to comeback when you get the best possible price and he will offer to match it. By this time, you will probably be too tired and sick of looking around. Chances are that you will take their offer.

Trade in scam

When you have already bought the car, the salesman will try to contact you before your new car is delivered and tell you that the initial pricing of the car was $500 lower and would like to collect the balance from you. If you fall for this, he will get an extra $500 at your expense.

Spraying

What the dealer will do is to pursue you relentlessly until you give up and buy the car. On the other hand, if you decided to buy from another dealer, he will call you and tell you that he could have given you a lower price thus making you upset. To avoid this, you should not hand out your contact number. Some even give wrong contact numbers just to evade very irritating car dealers.

Puppy dog trick

The dealer will allow you to take the car for an overnight or for a whole day, his aim is for you to fall for the car and buy it.

Immediate sale

The dealer will give you a very attractive price but he will also make you believe that this deal can only be made until the end of the day. This will cause you to think too much and in the end, make the mistake of buying the car without checking what other car dealers have to offer.

Extra accessories

The dealer will offer to give you extras like: car mats, window tinting, and other accessories. This aims to stop you from asking for a lower price because of the perceived "extras" that you will be receiving from the dealer. It will slow down the price negotiations and divert your attention away from the price.

All of us want the best deal available and we abhor the notion that someone will take advantage of us through modis operandi like car dealership scams. So before going to the local car dealer, you better have a good idea of what he will be talking about. As they say, only a fool will go to battle unprepared and with no weapons. Your weapon will be knowledge, always remember that.

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Croisière Pour Lune de Miel

Les bateaux de croisière sont de plus en plus spacieux, afin de vous offrir le meilleur en matière de détente et relaxation et vous proposent de découvrir de plus en plus de destinations de rêves, de l'Alaska aux Caraïbes en passant par l'Europe.

Les croisières vous offrent un confort digne d'un cinq étoiles, son lot d'aventures, ainsi que l'opportunité de connaître de nouvelles personnes et de vous faire de nouveaux amis.

Mais pour la réussite de votre lune de miel, la croisière doit comprendre à son bord:
1) Du Champagne et des fraises dès votre montée à bord
2) Des canapés et autres attentions dans votre cabine un soir de votre choix
3) Une soirée "Lune de Miel" spécialement destinée à votre attention
4) Mettre à votre disposition des photographes

Pour cela, choisissez bien votre bateau. Celui-ci doit vous offrir les salles et le confort minimal suivant:

1) Des Restaurants devant vous fournir des repas de haute qualité,

2) Des Pubs, vous proposant les meilleures bières irlandaises ainsi que du champagne, doivent être disponible aux quatre coins du bateau et près des salles de SPA et solarium,

3) Au minimum un Centre de conférence,

4) Des activités sportives comme un Centre de Fitness, parours de golf, terrains de basket ball et volley ball, mur d'escalade, piste de jogging, patinoire, jeu de palets et bien d'autres encore;

5) Des activités sportives et éducatives pour les enfants telles le Club enfants pour les enfants de 3 à 17 ans comprenant une discothèque, des jeux vidéo et même un espace où leur est servi un repas;

6) Des Salons de beauté, un Complexe thermal complet incluant Sauna, Spa et Solarium;

7) Pour vos loisirs: Piscines, Jacuzzis, Casino pour pouvoir vous divertir dans une ambiance Las Vegas à l'aide de ses machines à sous, Discothèque, Salle de spectacles, Salle de cartes, Café internet, un théâtre.

8) Mais aussi des services du quotidiens tels: Galerie Marchande (avec bijouterie, magasin de souvenirs, de photos), Bibliothèque, Centre médical, Blanchisserie, et enfin une Chapelle nuptiale.

Les bateaux recommandés pour ce genre de séjour dépendent énormément de vos goûts et du choix de votre destination, à savoir si vous rechercher une évasion romantique au travers des forets tropicales et des plages ensoleillées ou culturelle pour visiter des monuments historiques et découvrir des mentalités étrangères. Pour cela, les listes ne seraient être complètes.

Les deux bateaux de croisières les plus connus sont les suivants:
1) Jewel of the Seas:
Mis en service en mai 2004, le Jewel of the Seas est caractérisés par l'allure innovante des super-yachts. Il possède un design avancé avec ses grandes surfaces vitrées dans les espaces publics et des ascenseurs de verre donnant sur l'océan.

2) Explorer of the Seas:
En route vers les Antilles. Ce paquebot est le plus grand au monde. Vous y trouverez plus d'activités et d'expériences que vous ne pouvez imaginer. Découvrez des aspects novateurs tels que le mur d'escalade vous permettant de vous élever au dessus de l'océan, la patinoire où vous pourrez déguster un chocolat chaud. Le soir, les boutiques, les cafés et autres animations du Royal Promenade s'ouvrent à vous. Cette esplanade, où il fait bon se promener, s'étale sur une longueur équivalente à deux terrains de football et fait 4 ponts de hauteur.

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Craps Tournaments: Winning Tips and Guidance

Craps tournaments popularity is increasing lately. If you are a novice craps player who is still intimidated by the great selection of bets or you find the fuss around the craps tables too loud, you might not be able to enjoy playing craps tournaments. If you are an enthusiastic craps shooter, taking part in a craps tournament is a great way to enjoy a more intensive craps playing experience, meet other craps fans and, of course, a chance to win bigger cash prizes as well as the desired title.

Many casinos hold different types of craps tournaments to suit the different levels of skills and budgets of the players. Here you can find tips on the different types of casino craps tournaments including tips on how to choose the most suitable and enjoyable craps tournament as possible. In addition, you can find here tips on how to win in craps tournament.


Choosing a Craps Tournament

Cost: The cost of playing in a craps tournament can range from a free entry and a low buy in to an expensive entry fee with a high buy in. The prizes, needless to say, are corresponding; the higher the entry fee the larger the grand prize. The free tournaments are usually held on a weekly basis for promotional purposes while the high stack tourneys are pre scheduled, last for more than one day and their expensive entry fees include a cocktail party, free accommodation and other freebies.

Competition: Evaluating the level of the competition you are going to face in advance can be tough. However, the number of entrants allowed to take part in the tournament can give you a basic indication on the level of the competition.

Rules: Casinos often set different rules in craps tournaments. For example, some casinos require players to place a pass or dont pass bet each play on top of any other bets or limit the proposition bet to 25 dollars.

Winning a Craps Tournament

The main difference between playing a traditional craps game and a craps tournament is that with the latter you suddenly find yourself surrounded by competitors. While in a regular craps game you are used to compete against the house, in a craps tournament you are playing against the other entrants and especially against those who have managed to accumulate the biggest amount of chips. Therefore, playing craps tournaments requires amending of you strategy. Primarily, you can no longer ignore your opponents; you must keep an eye on their moves!


Tips

Always pay attention to your opponent’s chips; bear in mind that they might have been hiding chips to confuse the other players.
Pay attention especially to your closest opponents; watch their moves and conclude your future bets so you will stay far behind.
Start by playing conservatively; place small bets on pass and come bets.
When an opportunity comes up, for example after making two consecutive points change your pattern and make dont pass bet.
If during the final rolls you are still not leading, it is time to play aggressively; place large even bet your entire bankroll on one number and then hope for the best.

Have fun.

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Craps: Books for Beginners and Advanced Players

Although craps is not a very complicated game, many people find themselves confused by its strange terminology and large numbers of betting options. This article focuses on the most recommended craps books available in the market including beginners books, strategy books for the advanced player and books that introduce the concept of dice control.

1) Craps for the Clueless: A Beginners Guide to Playing and Winning by John Patrick
As its name indicates, it provides basic information on playing craps. The book is written in simple language that makes the terminology easy to understand even if you have never seen a craps table before. In addition to the object of the game, Craps for the Clueless, reveals the winning secrets of professional gamblers.

John Patrick is a professional gambler, an author of many gaming guidebooks and the former host of the TV show "So You Wanna be a Gambler", which was aired on national cable network for over a decade. According to Patrick, a successful gambling is a result of four essentials, he calls "The Big Four", which are a proper use of the bankroll, knowledge of the game, money management and discipline.

2) Beat the Craps Out of the Casinos: How to Play Craps and Win by Frank Scoblete
This book supplies useful information for the newbie as well as for the experienced player. The book explains how the game can be beaten including explanations on which bets can lower the house edge and which bets should by avoided by the smart player.

Frank Scoblete is one of the top selling gambling authors in the US and the director of Golden Touch, which offers seminars on craps and blackjack. Other recommended books by Scoblete are "The Captains Craps Revolution", "Forever Craps" and "Get the Edge at Craps".

3) Craps: Take the Money and Run by Henry J. Tamburin
Take the Money and Run focuses on how to make fast profits from playing at casinos. In addition to introduction on the mechanics of the game and recommendations on best bets, the book offers the Increased Odds craps betting system and the Take the Money and Run discipline, which both promise to maximize the profits. The book also provides a special chapter on using the pass line bet for maximizing your profits. Take the Money and Run has special chapters on tournaments and new variations.

Dr. Henry J. Tamburin has been playing for over 25 years, and his betting system and discipline are based on his winning experiences.

4) Dice Control for Casino Craps by Yuri Kononenko.
This guide book offers an easy to understand introduction to the concept of dice control from the mathematical and mechanical points of view.

Other recommended books that teach how to gain advantage over the house by using dice control are Frank Scoblete's "Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution" and "Craps Underground: The Inside Story of How Dice Controllers are Winning Millions from the Casinos", which offers a fascinating inside look on the game system.

Conclusion:
Unlike poker or blackjack, this game is not very popular, but in that lies the biggest opportunity. The casinos focus on getting a profit from the popular games. Take advantage of this, and make your profit at this game instead.

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Counting Cards: How to Escape Detection

It is not a secret for anyone that casinos do not like blackjack counters and frequently ask them to leave or to play another game. Here, we will describe how casino management detects counters and how to act when caught. We also describe the countermeasures that casinos use against skilled players but most of all we show you how to count cards while not getting caught.

Do Casinos Object?
Most casinos have strict policies that ban any player from counting cards when playing blackjack, but some like those in New Jersey do not pay any attention to such players.

How Do You Know Whether A Casino Minds?
You do not. But you had better act as if they all do and thus save yourself the embarressment of being shoved out if they do mind and if they catch you red-handed.

How to Count Without Getting Detected?
Always keep in mind that since card counting is something that one does silently, the only method to detect it is through observing you and the manner you play. Thus, look out for the following:
1) Do not stare at the cards of other players. Glance once, count, and then move on.
2) Do not stare at the cards that have been discarded. Look quickly and then slowly move away by shifting your gaze nonchalantly from player to player.
3) Change your pattern of betting occassionaly.
4) Change the amount of betting money each round.
5) Even though you know it, loose a round or two. Do not bet big on those rounds. But likewise do not bet too small too. If the casino notices that you are always winning big and losing small, they might get suspicious.
6) Buy chips of different colours and then mix them around while playing to confuse the dealer.
7) Talk to the other players while playing, but this is especially difficult so practice this at home before trying it at a casino.
8) Pick your seat carefully: either the first chair or the third one so that you won't have to twist your head around as the cards are dealt.
9) Dress casually because smart and elegant clothes cause the dealers to think you are intelligent and they might watch you more closely.
10) Order an alcoholic drink and pretend to sip it because they are looking for those non-drinkers who are staying sober to count the cards.

The common denominator of all these is that you must never forget that the casino si watching you and how you play. Act accordingly!

Supposing that the Casino Catches On, What Should you Do?
Stay calm if the casino catches you counting cards and abide by their wishes quietely. Do not make a fuss. If they ask you to leave, do so. The faster you leave, the easier it will be for you to return later. Remember that if you make a fuss, they will all remember you, so desist from any unfriendly behaviour. Note that after shifts change, the new personnel won't know you so all you have to do is wait for that and then you can start playing again. You could also just enter the next casino and start earning money there instead of risking casino personnel from recognizing you.

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Cordless Radar Detectors

The demand for convenience has lead to an impressive market of cordless radar detectors. A cordless unit does not have to mean a less impressive gadget, as manufacturers continue to develop new technology that rids drivers of the hassle of cords while still giving them superb radar detection.

One of the most popular cordless radar detectors under $200 is the BEL Express Model 946. A clip-on, 90-degree deflector and earphone come standard on this model, which can deflect both incoming radar and laser beams. Further, the Express has proved exceptional in many tests; it is often the only detector tested that can reliably detect Ka band radar. It is equally proficient in detecting lasers. A drawback to this unit is its audio quality, which is less distinct than many might prefer.

For anyone interested in paying more than $200 on a cordless radar detector, the Escort Solo S2 is a good option. It has a low-profile compact case and features all but one of its controls on the front. As for radar detection, this style detects X, K, Ka, and laser bands, and announces their strength via a highly perceptible audio alert and flashing bar graph.

More and more companies are adding cordless models to their radar detector line-up. As this feature increases in popularity, the increase in models should create a competitive market, resulting in higher-quality cordless devices that continue to offer excellent radar and laser detection.

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