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sumandashellboy's Homepage http://search.zorpia.com/sumandashellboy Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:05 EDT Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:05 EDT Zorpia.com Remember your Grandparents? http://search.zorpia.com/sumandashellboy/journal/1814759 The first national survey led by <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a>, in collaboration with the Institute of Education, London, about the relationships that adolescents have with their grandparents shows that grandparents who are involved in the upbringing of their grandchildren can contribute to a childâ€™s well-being. The research surveyed questionnaires from 1,596 children, aged between 11-16 from across England and Wales, and researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 40 children from a range of backgrounds. Another key finding of the research was that almost a third of maternal grandmothers provided regular care-taking for their grandchildren, with 40% providing occasional help with childcare. The survey reveals that grandparents often have more time than working parents to support young people in activities and are well placed to talk to their grandchildren about any problems the young people may be experiencing. They were also found to be involved in helping to solve the young peopleâ€™s problems, as well as talking with them about plans for their future. <a href="http://theultimaterenaissance.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/remember-your-grandparents/"><img src="http://www.play-girlz.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/gamer-grandparents.jpg" /></a> Principal investigator Professor <a href="http://www.spsw.ox.ac.uk/fileadmin/static/Parenting/Buchanan.htm">Ann Buchanan</a>, Director of the Centre for Research into Parenting and Children in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at Oxford University, will launch the research findings at the annual meeting of the <a href="http://www.grandparents-association.org.uk/">Grandparentsâ€™ Association</a> in London on June 4. Professor Buchanan says: â€˜We were surprised by the huge amount of informal caring that the grandparents were doing and how in some cases they were filling the parenting gap for hard working parents. Most adolescents really welcomed this relationship. What was especially interesting was the links we found between â€˜involved grandparentsâ€™ and adolescent well-being. <img width="199" height="173" src="http://ccrs.hcd.uiuc.edu/images/parents_grandparent.gif" /> Closeness was not enough: only grandparents who got stuck in and did things with their grandchildren had this positive impact on their grandchildren.â€™ It was found that close relationships between grandparents and grandchildren buffered the effects of adverse life events, such as <a href="http://www.dfes.gov.uk/childrensneeds/docs/ParentalSeparation.pdf">parental separation</a>, because it calmed the children down. <img width="250" height="394" src="http://media.canada.com/reuters/test_reutersushealthonlinereport_iptc/2007-07-23t222118z_01_nootr_rtridsp_2_health-healthcare-elderly-dc.jpg" /> This suggests future investigations should pay more attention to the role of grandparents in developing resilience in young people. A range of factors predicted the involvement of the grandparents in the upbringing of their grandchildren including: living in a less deprived area, frequent contact, and the good health of the grandparent. <img width="600" height="399" src="http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2063215/grandparents-main_Full.jpg" /> The young people surveyed did not view physical proximity as being necessarily important as they used modern technology to communicate. They said they felt grandparents became closer when they undertook some traditional parenting tasks. This study also shows that at times of family breakdown and separation, many grandparents played an important role in bringing stability to their grandchildren. Grandparents were also found to be important in times of family adversity and appeared to help the whole family buffer the difficulties.  The researchers conclude that given the grandparentsâ€™ role is almost invisible in <a href="http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/research/nordic/ukpolicy.pdf">family policy</a> in the UK, the government needs to rethink the policy implications of this largely positive role and provide more support for the important intergenerational relationships. Source: Survey Reports from The Oxford University Romance & Relationships http://search.zorpia.com/sumandashellboy/journal/1814759 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:19 EDT Tesla Roadster : The first Electric Sports Car http://search.zorpia.com/sumandashellboy/journal/1804037 Itâ€™s safe to say Jeremy Snyder gets a charge out of the two-seat Tesla Roadster whenever he pulls one off the lot, and not because itâ€™s equipped with an all-electric engine. As he pulled one of the sleek new automobiles down a side street Thursday and put the pedal to the metal, its lithium-ion battery-powered engine didnâ€™t give off sparks. <img class="aligncenter" height="450" src="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/i/slides/2006/tesla/tesla_stock.jpg" width="600" /> It just emitted a powerful hum, like a much quieter version of a jet taking off. â€œAccelerate pretty good?â€ asked Snyder, head of client services for <a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/">Tesla</a>, who knew the answer. â€œI call it a turbine sound,â€ he said of the sound. â€œBecause itâ€™s an electric motor, itâ€™s got 100 percent torque all the time. So it just pulls you like when youâ€™re taking off in an airplane.â€ After several years of development, the <a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/design/%E2%80%8Bgallery-body.php">Roadster</a> â€” with sleek lines like a Ferrari or Porsche and a sticker price of $109,000 â€” moves from the drawing boards to the market next week when Teslaâ€™s first store opens. Itâ€™s near the University of California, Los Angeles, in the cityâ€™s tiny Westwood neighborhood, where Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Hollywood practically intersect. â€œBecause itâ€™s Hollywood and glamorous, this is the flagship store,â€ Snyder said. <img class="aligncenter" height="600" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/TeslaRoadster-interior.jpg/800px-TeslaRoadster-interior.jpg" width="800" /> The next store is to open in a couple months near Teslaâ€™s headquarters in the Silicon Valley city of San Carlos, where the car was developed with venture capital of more than $40 million from such investors as Google Inc. founders <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Page">Larry Page</a> and Sergey Brin. <img class="aligncenter" height="300" src="http://www.fastcursor.com/vehicles/images/tesla-roadster-pic-2.jpg" width="400" /> Although a fully loaded model can set a buyer back as much as $124,000, thatâ€™s still cheap compared with a high-end Ferrari. And its 6,831-cell lithium-ion battery pack gives off no emissions. The car goes from 0 to 60 mph in just under four seconds and tops out at 125 mph. It goes 225 miles on one charge and can be fully recharged in 3Â½ hours, which Tesla officials say should allow most people to drive it to work and back and recharge it at night like a cell phone. <img height="330" src="http://reviews.cnet.com/i/ss/tesla/Tesla_roadster1_440.jpg" width="440" /> Driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco, however, would require stopping in, say, Fresno and plugging its adapter cord into a motel room wall socket. Some critics have expressed concerns about the durability and safety of the lithium-ion battery, which weighs about 1,000 pounds, more than a third of the entire weight of the 2,700-pound Roadster, whose body is made up of carbon fiber materials. Tesla officials respond that the car has passed all required safety tests. They say the battery should last for about 100,000 miles of driving. The company, formed in 2003, is named for inventor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla">Nikola Tesla</a>, a pioneer in the field of electricity. The people buying its cars so far, said national sales manager Doreen Allen, are celebrities, early adopters, wealthy people and environmentalists. Tesla officials say Gov. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Schwarzenegger">Arnold Schwarzenegger</a>, actors George Clooney and Kelsey Grammer and musicians William and Flea have ordered Roadsters. It will be a while before anyone can walk in and drive a Tesla home off a lot, however. â€œDelivery is running about 15 months,â€ Allen said, adding that the company was surprised by the demand. Tesla began taking orders last year for the 600 Roadsters it planned to produce in 2008 and had sold all of them by October, Allen said. The first ones beTesgan rolling off the production line six weeks ago, and Allen said all of the 2008 models should be delivered to their owners by March. <img height="300" src="http://nudo.nu/wp-content/tesla_roadster.jpg" width="535" /> The first ones should begin going out the door this month. Meanwhile, orders are being taken for <a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/display_data/teslaroadster_specsheet.pdf">2009 models</a>, with plans calling for production of about 1,500 cars. Eventually Tesla also plans to produce cheaper family vehicles. <img class="aligncenter" height="200" src="http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/editorial_images/non_imported/tesla_roadster_front.jpg" width="300" /> â€œThereâ€™s a model in the works right now, a five-passenger sedan that will be styled comparable to the roadster but a lot roomier to accommodate families, and that is slated for 2010,â€ Snyder said. <img height="293" src="http://techepics.com/files/tesla_7777.jpg" width="390" />   Specifications: <table style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Style </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 2-Seater, Open Top, Rear Drive roadster </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Drivetrain </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> Electric Motor with 2-speed </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187">   </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> Electrically-actuated-manual-shift transmission with integral differential </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Motor </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 3-phase, 4-pole electric motor, 248 hp peak (185 kW), redline 13000 rpm, regenerative â€œEngine Brakingâ€ </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Chassis </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> Bonded extruded aluminum with 4-wheel wishbone suspension </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Brakes </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Acceleration </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 0-60 in 3.9 seconds </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Top Speed </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 125 mph </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Range </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 220 miles (Based on EPA combined city/highway cycle) </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Battery Life </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 100,000 miles </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Energy Storage System </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> Custom microprocessor-controlled Li-ion battery pack </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 1.95in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="187"> Full Charge </td> <td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5.4pt; PADDING-LEFT: 5.4pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0pt; WIDTH: 4.2in; PADDING-TOP: 0pt" width="403"> 3.5 hours (approx.) </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>   For more in Automobiles, visit: <a href="http://theultimaterenaissance.wordpress.com/category/automobiles/">The Ultimate Renaissance</a> Hobbies & Interests http://search.zorpia.com/sumandashellboy/journal/1804037 Thu, 15 May 2008 16:16 EDT