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Archive for August, 2009

Should I Buy An Auto Club Membership?

Auto clubs like AAA have been around for many years almost since the invention of the automobile itself. They offer their members things like roadside assistance travel discounts and free maps. They do come at a cost however and many motorists wonder whether or not they should spend the money on an auto club membership. Before you sign up for an auto club make sure you weigh the pros and cons and determine if it is a good option for you.

The Main Con Cost

The main disadvantage of an auto club membership is the cost of enrollment. This can vary quite a bit from place to place. A typical AAA membership can cost between 60 and 100 depending on what benefits are purchased and how many people are on the plan. This is not a lot of money but it is an amount that must be considered when deciding whether or not a membership is worth the cost.

Roadside Assistance Benefit

The main benefit of an auto club membership is roadside assistance. Most of these programs offer you a free or discounted towing service if you should be stranded at some point with a nonworking vehicle. Having your vehicle towed costs a minimum of 75 in most places so just using the tow benefit one time could pay for the cost of the membership itself.

Of course most people do not need to have their vehicles towed on a regular basis. Newer vehicles are not prone to mechanical problems which means that this benefit may never be used. Those who travel short distances also have less of a chance of being in a situation where they need a costly tow. On the other hand those who travel long distances on a regular basis may find this benefit provides them with the peace of mind they need to feel comfortable on the road.

Some insurance plans offer free or discounted towing services. If you are considering purchasing an automotive club membership for the purpose of having this roadside assistance make sure that you are not covered twice. While there are other benefits of auto club memberships you may not need the roadside assistance program.

Travel Discount Benefit

Another perk to owning a major auto club membership such as AAA is the fact that you will be able to save money when you travel. You can book cruises tours and vacation packages through the auto club at deep discounts. Of course the Internet sometimes makes it possible for you to get similar discounts other places but this is a benefit that you would need to consider if you love to travel frequently.

Even if you are not someone who likes to take cruises you can still save money with an auto club membership on your travel. Many programs have discounts available at hotels and amusement parks. Saving 10 to 15 percent on your hotel stay can really add up! Similar discounts are available on airfare train tickets and car rentals.

Other Discounts Are Available

Besides travel discounts and roadside assistance programs other discounts are available to auto club members. Some stores and restaurants offer a percentage off program to auto club members. You can also purchase insurance through the club at a discounted rate. Repairs on your vehicle can be discounted through your membership if you use a participating mechanic.

The best way to determine if you could benefit from an auto club membership is to weigh these benefits against the cost of membership. If you feel that you would take advantage of these benefits on a regular basis then the cost is worth it for you. If you would only use the benefits from time to time you would probably end up paying more for the membership than it is really worth. Do your homework learn the benefits of the club you are considering and weigh them against the cost to decide if you should buy a membership or not.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Auto club offering emergency road services covering the areas of North and East Ontario. Become a member and get peace of mind when you are on the road.

Novell Aids Xen Virtualization At Bmw Group

Novell a leader in the infrastructure software for the Open Enterprise earlier announced that the BMW Group is using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server from Novell with integrated Xen* virtualization software to implement virtualized workloads in its data center thus reducing hardware costs and simplifying deployment.

After extensive testing by BMW IT Research Center staff in North America and Germany the automaker is now ready to deploy virtualized data center solutions using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server SLED 10 and Xen hypervisor on Intel x86 dualcore servers with Intel Virtualization Technology. BMW joins a number of automakers like Audi which is also running Novell’s SUSE Linux operating system. With the technology around it wont be hard for the automaker to track the developments of BMW muffler and other auto parts as well as the updates in the daytoday business.

According to BMW Xen virtualization technology built into SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 will allow the company to increase flexibility in managing server life cycles. BMW will also gain operational and cost advantages in other areas in addition to having a flatter support structure through the integrated operating system and virtualization layer. Hardware resources can be more efficiently used through server consolidation and BMW is able to cluster virtual servers and migrate them live from one physical server to another as needed. The company is also currently evaluating Novell ZENworks Orchestrator as a way to manage the resulting virtual data center systems.

The BMW Group is taking advantage of what the market is just discovering that Xen open source virtualization software fully integrated in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is a viable alternative to proprietary virtualization solutions providing high performance at a lower cost said Roger Levy vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions for Novell. Integration ensures all pieces of the solution work well together and as is the case with open source software it eliminates vendor lockin and enhances customer choice. The automaker added the Xen virtualization technology will allow the company to increase flexibility in managing server life cycles.

According to consumers SUSE Linux Enterprise the nextgeneration platform for the open enterprise is the bestengineered lowestcost and most interoperable platform for enterprise computing from the desktop to the data center. As a fact more and more businesses are using the technology to increase leverage. Capgemini for one has also entered into a partnership with Novell. The latter will deliver new solutions to enterprise customers using a combination of open source and proprietary software.

Under terms of the agreement Capgemini will improve its open source consulting practice with Novell capabilities specifically centered on the deployment of IT solutions using SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell along with mixedsource applications and management tools. Whats more customers can deploy a Linux platform across their entire desktoptodata center infrastructures with extra confidence that only a global consulting leader could offer.

“We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Novell” said Paul Hermelin Capgemini CEO. “Every day we hear from more customers that open source is becoming a critical part of their IT strategy as they seek choice and value. Capgemini prides itself on its ability to help customers identify and deploy missioncritical technologies that will help them improve their IT infrastructure effectiveness and this partnership with Novell is critical to fulfilling these needs. Novell through its SUSE Linux Enterprise platform and ZENworks management suite is a key vendor offering a complete solution.”

About the writer:  Anthony Fontanelle is a 35yearold automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

Ten Ideas For Recycling Or Reusing Old Car Tyres At Home

Last year an EU Landfill Directive banned the disposal of almost all tyres in landfill sites. So what can you do with old car tyres?

Car Tyre specialists like Merityre pay over a 1 to ensure every used tyre is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. And when they have over 200000 to get rid off each year the money really starts to add up.

Nationally tyre retailers garages and vehicle dismantlers collect over 40 million tyres a year. 12 of these are reused after having a new tread applied. More innovative uses include creating flood defences. Others are recycled and used for products such as carpet underlay or road surfaces. An emerging market is energy recovery. It is hoped that tyres could partly replace coal as fuel source for many industries.

There are ways we can reuse car tyres at home rather than sending them to specialist disposal companies. Here are 10 great ideas:

1. Raised Beds
Car tyres are ideal for creating a raised bed for planting flowers herbs or vegetables. A single tyre works well for lettuce and herbs. Use two or three tyres to grow potatoes.

Paint the car tyre bright colours to create a wonderful display when planting flowers.

2. Resoling Shoes
Use the rubber from the car tyre to resole shoes. It is very hard wearing.

Alternatively add a piece of leather and create a pair of sandals or flip flops.

3. Car Tyre Swing
Most people have memories of playing on a tyre swing when they were young.

Just use some strong rope and securely attach the car tyre to a sturdy tree branch for hours of fun.

4. Boat Bumper
Boat owners can attach the car tyres to the boat’s sides to act as protective bumpers. Very useful when docking a boat.

5. Children’s Playground
Rather than spending a fortune on equipment from a garden centre use a little imagination some old wooden planks and a few car tyres to create a great adventure playground for the children.

6. Forcing Rhubarb
Forcing Rhubarb growing rhubarb in dark conditions has been practised since the early 19th century. It produces vibrant pink rhubarb that is far more delicate in flavour than the usual variety.

Place two or three car tyres around the plant just before it starts emerging from the ground. Cover the tyres with a piece of wood to create a warm dark environment. From December to the end of March you will be enjoying succulent and sweet early rhubarb.

7. Sand Pits
Large tractor tyres are perfect for making a sandpit for the children. Just buy the special sand from a garden centre and fill the tyre.

8. Mini Greenhouse
Cover the car tyre with a piece of clear polythene to create a mini greenhouse or propagator. The thick rubber wall of the tyre is excellent insulation for creating a warm environment to germinate seeds.

9. Table
Place a flat piece of wood on top of two or three tyres for an easy to assemble table suitable for the indoors or outside. Paint the tyres for a better effect.

10. Composter or Wormery
Three or four tyres stacked together create a simple composter. The warm environment created by the car tyres will make short work of composting kitchen waste and grass clipping. Access the compost by removing one tyre at a time from the top.

Ask your local garage for old car tyres. Not only will you be helping them with disposal you will reuse a non biodegradable product in an environmentally friendly fashion.

Car tyres maybe essential when driving a vehicle but they are also extremely useful around the home and garden.

About the writer:  Merityre.co.uk are a leading UK independent supplier of car tyres. Visit their website for free vouchers including 10 off your next MOT free wheel alignment check and free locking wheel nuts.