How often do you really need to change motor oil?

By Brandy Schaffels, Senior Editor | TrueCar –

(Photo: Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr)

Do you change your oil every 3,000 miles? The majority of drivers on the road have been bombarded by advertising that recommends changing their car's oil every 3,000 miles, but the truth is that interval is no longer really necessary. Yes, engine oil does get dirty, and when that happens, it can clog engine parts, but if you’re driving a car that’s less than five years old, you’re probably wasting money — and oil — if you change it as frequently as that. Yes, knowing when to change oil is not as simple as some ad campaigns would have you believe.Changing the oil in your car every 3,000 miles was necessary in the 1970s, when most cars used 10W-40 oil, which tended to wear out within about 3,000 miles. Thanks to improvements in high-quality lubricants and tighter tolerances in the assembly of automotive engines, the 3,000-mile baseline simply does not apply to many cars on the road today; in fact, automakers now recommend you change oil at 5,000, 7,000, 10,000 or even as high as 15,000 miles for newer models under ideal driving conditions. For example, Toyota recommends you change oil at 5,000 miles for a 2005 Tacoma pickup, Honda recommends 7,500 miles for its 2002Odyssey, General Motors suggests 7,500 miles for its 2007 Chevrolet Malibu,and Ford recommends 10,000 miles for its 2011 Fiesta. A 2008 Porsche Boxstercan go 12,000 miles between changes, and a 2010 BMW 3 Seriescan go up to 15,000 miles before you change oil under ideal conditions; with this kind of complexity, it’s easy for consumers to be confused.
Almost 15 million Californians change their motor oil every 3,000 miles or more often, using more than 150 million gallons of motor oil each year – enough oil to fill 255 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to a recent study by CalRecycle. CalRecycle spokesperson Jeff Danzinger says their studies indicate the state could reduce total motor oil consumption by as much as 10 million gallons per year if motorists were to change oil according to manufacturer recommendations. "If you're changing your oil too soon, you're needlessly creating waste oil and putting a strain on the system and supply," Danzinger explains.

(Photo: JASON ANFINSEN/Flickr)

And that’s just California — wonder how much oil is being wasted across the entire United States by people who have fallen victim to advertising and don’t follow the intervals recommended in their owner’s manual? Across the country, reprocessors treat about 1.1 billion gallons of used oil yearly according to the American Petroleum Institute (API).
Unless you’re driving a car that's more than ten years old, or under super extreme conditions, there’s really no reason to change your oil at 3000 miles anymore. Let’s put that amount into dollars: Changing motor oil according to manufacturer specifications would reduce motor oil demand in California by approximately 10 million gallons per year, and could halve the amount of money those drivers spend on oil changes, which average about $25 at quick-change facilities and can cost significantly more if your vehicle uses long-life synthetic oil. Under normal driving conditions, following the automaker’s recommended intervals will not affect your car’s engine, its performance, or your warranty.
What Is Considered Severe Use?
Severe use involves extensive idling or driving frequently in stop-and-go traffic; operating in cold temperatures below 10 degrees or extreme temperatures above 90 degrees; extreme humidity; repeated short-distance trips of less than five miles; towing a trailer or hauling heavy materials; or using E85 fuel more than 50 percent of the time. If you do drive in any one of these conditions in a typical week, you are driving in severe conditions, and may need to change oil more often.
What Happens if you Don't Change Oil in Your Car?
As Alina Tugend of the New York Times says, "It just gets dirtier and dirtier. It’s like mopping the floor with a bucket of water and detergent. The water starts out clean, but the more you use it, the filthier it gets. Eventually, you’re making the floor dirtier if you don’t change the water." Dirty oil no longer lubricates properly, increasing friction, operating temperature, and causing the engine to wear faster.
Do You Know When to Change Oil?
Your vehicle’s owners manual will tell you how often you need to change your oil. If you drive a newer model, the car may just tell you when you need to change your oil. Since 2003, General Motors has equipped nearly its entire North American lineup with the GM Oil Life System; in fact, since the 2010 model year, nearly half of American carmakers now offer Oil Life Monitoring Systems to tell drivers when their car actually needs its oil changed, including Acura, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Mini. These Oil Life Monitoring systems automatically monitor engine characteristics, driving habits, cold starts, short-distance trips, and the climate in which the vehicle is operated, and then notify the driver when it is time to get an engine oil change with an signal on the dash indicating it's time for service.
If you are an extremely low-mileage driver you should change oil at least once a year. Otherwise, if your vehicle is equipped with an oil life monitoring system, you can trust the info/alert in your dashboard to tell you more accurately when you need a change. Don’t have an Oil Life Monitoring System? Consult your owner’s manual, your auto manufacturer’s official website, or authorized dealer for more information. Curious about your car right now but don’t have an owner’s manual handy? You can find suggested oil change intervals for many makes and models all the way back to the 2000 model year on the nifty widget at www.checkyournumber.org.
Tired Of Changing Your Oil Every 3,000 Miles?
Then trade in that beat-up 1970's jalopy for something newer! Consider these new models that boast 10,000 to 15,000 oil change intervals:

All 2012 Audi models suggest you change oil at 10,000 miles
All 2012 BMW models suggest you change oil at 15,000 miles
2012 Ford Fiesta, Flex, Focus, and Mustang models suggest you change oil at 10,000 miles
All 2012 Jaguar models suggest you change oil at 10,000 miles
2012 Lincoln MKT and MKX models suggest you change oil at 10,000 miles
All 2012 Mercedes-Benz models suggest you change oil at 12,000 miles
All 2012 Mini Cooper models suggest you change oil at 12,000 miles
All 2012 Porsche models suggest you change oil at 10,000 miles, though some can go as far as 12,000 miles between oil changes
Nearly all 2012 Toyota models go 10,000 miles between oil changes
All Volkswagen models can go 10,000 miles between oil changes

Find and buy your next new car through the Yahoo! Autos car buying center,where you can see what other people paid for a new car by make, model and options in the last 30 days, and learn the fair market price for any particular new car. Use certified dealers for a fast and hassle-free car buying experience.

James Cameron returns from historic submarine dive to Mariana Trench

Director James Cameron returned safely to the surface on Monday after entering the history books as the first solo diver to reach the depths of the Mariana Trench. The filmmaker, whose 1997 blockbuster "Titanic" won 11 Oscars, has now embarked on 72 underwater journeys.
"I felt like I, in the space of one day, had gone to another planet and come back," Cameron said in a statement.
The nearly seven-mile voyage through near freezing temperatures, to what Cameron described as a "completely featureless, alien world" similar to that of the moon's surface, was captured on 3-D video and is expected to be aired on the National Geographic Channel.
National Geographic said Cameron's trip in the submarine named the Deepsea Challenger took him 35,756 feet (10,898 meters) beneath the ocean's surface, traveling through miles of complete darkness.
"Falling through darkness—that's something that a robot can't describe," Cameron said. "Most importantly, though, is the significance of pushing the boundaries of where humans can go, what they can see and how they can interpret it."
In the weeks leading up to the Mariana Trench dive, Cameron took part in a series of test dives, during which he set the world record for the deepest solo submarine run.
Cameron's descent to the Challenger Deep valley of the Mariana Trench took two hours and 36 minutes. He had originally planned to spend about six hours at the bottom, collection soil samples and even wildlife that would be brought back to the surface for further study. However, problems with the submarine's hydraulic systems cut the exploration time down to just over two and a half hours.
It was the first journey to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 50 years. Back in 1960, two explorers made the first-ever trip aboard U.S. Navy submersible Trieste but were unable to record visible images because of silt stirred up by their contact with the ocean floor.
After a 70-minute return trip to the surface, Cameron's "vertical torpedo" sub was spotted by helicopter and was lifted from the Pacific by a research ship's crane.
Expedition physician Joe MacInnis called Cameron's journey "the ultimate test of a man and his machine." The water pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench is eight tons per square inch, or about the 1,000 times the pressure at sea level.
Cameron's dive was closely watched by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who was in attendance at the ocean's surface to watch Cameron's historic dive. Allen has been an avid supported of space exploration and owns the world's largest yacht, which comes equipped with its very own submarine.

By Eric Pfeiffer

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/james-cameron-returns-historic-submarine-dive-mariana-trench-173809737.html

How To Get Lucky At Work

You looking for a lucky break? You aren't alone.

Some 84% of 7,000 professionals surveyed by LinkedIn say they believe that luck plays a part in a booming career.
Lucky breaks seem random. It's a tip on a new job; a chance meeting with a prospect that leads to a big sale; overhearing details of a business deal while at the coffee shop.
But oddly enough, the survey discovered that luck is less random than it seems. It's almost like a job skill.
Five factors were named by a significant number of poll takers as contributions to luck, with women and men both saying the single most important factor to luck is hard work.
Top 5 factors that contribute to career luck according to U.S. men:

• Having a strong work ethic: named by 71%
• Having strong communication skills: 55%
• Being flexible: 44%
• Acting on opportunities: 41%
• Striving to be the best at what you do: 39%

Top 5 factors that contribute to career luck according to U.S. women:

• Having a strong work ethic: 68%
• Having strong communication skills: 65%
• Acting on opportunities: 54%
• Striving to be the best at what you do: 47%
• Being flexible: 44%

The survey also discovered that Japan is the luckiest country, meaning people from Japan rated themselves luckier compared to those from other countries. The U.S. ranked seventh luckiest. But hey, seven is a lucky number.

 

By: Julie Bort

 

Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder in Action

 

8 Qualities of Remarkable Employees



A few hit the next level. Some employees are remarkable, possessing qualities that may not appear on performance appraisals but nonetheless make a major impact on performance.

Here are eight qualities of remarkable employees:

1. They ignore job descriptions. The smaller the company, the more important it is that employees can think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done.

When a key customer's project is in jeopardy, remarkable employees know without being told there's a problem and jump in without being asked—even if it's not their job.

2. They’re eccentric... The best employees are often a little different: quirky, sometimes irreverent, even delighted to be unusual. They seem slightly odd, but in a really good way. Unusual personalities shake things up, make work more fun, and transform a plain-vanilla group into a team with flair and flavor.

People who aren't afraid to be different naturally stretch boundaries and challenge the status quo, and they often come up with the best ideas.

3. But they know when to dial it back. An unusual personality is a lot of fun... until it isn't. When a major challenge pops up or a situation gets stressful, the best employees stop expressing their individuality and fit seamlessly into the team.

Remarkable employees know when to play and when to be serious; when to be irreverent and when to conform; and when to challenge and when to back off. It’s a tough balance to strike, but a rare few can walk that fine line with ease.

4. They publicly praise... Praise from a boss feels good. Praise from a peer feels awesome, especially when you look up to that person.

Remarkable employees recognize the contributions of others, especially in group settings where the impact of their words is even greater.

5. And they privately complain. We all want employees to bring issues forward, but some problems are better handled in private. Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group setting because their performance allows greater freedom.

Remarkable employees come to you before or after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue, knowing that bringing it up in a group setting could set off a firestorm.

6. They speak when others won’t. Some employees are hesitant to speak up in meetings. Some are even hesitant to speak up privately.

An employee once asked me a question about potential layoffs. After the meeting I said to him, “Why did you ask about that? You already know what's going on.” He said, “I do, but a lot of other people don't, and they're afraid to ask. I thought it would help if they heard the answer from you.”

Remarkable employees have an innate feel for the issues and concerns of those around them, and step up to ask questions or raise important issues when others hesitate.

7. They like to prove others wrong. Self-motivation often springs from a desire to show that doubters are wrong. The kid without a college degree or the woman who was told she didn't have leadership potential often possess a burning desire to prove other people wrong.

Education, intelligence, talent, and skill are important, but drive is critical. Remarkable employees are driven by something deeper and more personal than just the desire to do a good job.

8. They’re always fiddling. Some people are rarely satisfied (I mean that in a good way) and are constantly tinkering with something: Reworking a timeline, adjusting a process, tweaking a workflow.

Great employees follow processes. Remarkable employees find ways to make those processes even better, not only because they are expected to… but because they just can't help it.

Jeff Haden learned much of what he knows about business and technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry. Everything else he picks up from ghostwriting books for some of the smartest leaders he knows in business.

Hackers had 'full functional control' of Nasa computers

 

Hackers gained "full functional control" of key Nasa computers in 2011, the agency's inspector general has told US lawmakers.

Paul K Martin said hackers took over Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) computers and "compromised the accounts of the most privileged JPL users".

He said the attack, involving Chinese IP addresses, was under investigation.

In a statement, Nasa said it had "made significant progress to protect the agency's IT systems".

Mr Martin's testimony on Nasa's cybersecurity was submitted to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight.

State of security

In the document, he outlined how investigators believed the attack had involved "Chinese-based internet protocol [IP] addresses".

He said that the attackers had "full system access" and would have been able to "modify, copy, or delete sensitive files" or "upload hacking tools to steal user credentials and compromise other Nasa systems".

Mr Martin outlined how the agency suffered "5,408 computer security incidents" between 2010 and 2011.

He also noted that "between April 2009 and April 2011, Nasa reported the loss or theft of 48 Agency mobile computing devices".

In one incident an unencrypted notebook computer was lost containing details of the algorithms - the mathematical models - used to control the International Space Station.

Nasa told the BBC that "at no point in time have operations of the International Space Station been in jeopardy due to a data breach".

Mixed motives

Mr Martin said Nasa was a "target-rich environment for cyber attacks".

He said that the motivation of the hackers ranged from "individuals testing their skill to break into Nasa systems, to well-organized criminal enterprises hacking for profit, to intrusions that may have been sponsored by foreign intelligence services".

But while Mr Martin criticised aspects of Nasa's cybersecurity he noted investigations had resulted in "arrests and convictions of foreign nationals in China, Great Britain, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Turkey, and Estonia".

Nasa said it was working to implement the security improvements Mr Martin suggested in his testimony.

However the chairman of the congressional subcommittee, Rep Paul Broun, quoted in an online report of proceedings, said: "Despite this progress, the threat to Nasa's information security is persistent, and ever changing. Unless Nasa is able to constantly adapt - their data, systems, and operations will continue to be endangered."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17231695