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Driving tip will save you HUNDREDS on fuel & it’s totally free – here’s how
DRIVING experts have shared their top tip to save you HUNDREDS on fuel – and it won’t cost a penny.
Through improving fuel efficiency, you can stretch out your household budget, pros at Quotezone.co.uk found.
Reducing your vehicle’s weight is a free and effective way to preserve fuel mileage[/caption]
Advice on cutting costs includes checking online for the cheaper local petrol stations and including them as part of an upcoming journey.
But the main contributor to fuel consumption – aside from distance travelled – is speed.
Faster driving use fuel inefficiently, with the optimal fuel-efficient speed for most cars standing at just 45 to 50 mph.
But the best free way to save you breaking the bank on fuel is to be mindful of your motor’s weight.
When your vehicle is carrying extra weight, the engine will require more fuel to travel at the same speed as a lighter vehicle.
With that in mind, it’s worthwhile taking out the more cumbersome equipment when you hit the road.
Taking the golf clubs out of the boot and not filling the tank to the brim are two sure-fire ways to cut some excess weight.
Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone, said: “Frugal drivers can get the maximum mileage from the fuel tank by incorporating money-saving driving techniques into their everyday journeys.
“Eco-driving can have a huge impact on how much money you spend at the petrol pump.
“Besides choosing the cheapest petrol station and the right speed, there are a number of other simple tricks that can help you make fuel go further, including decluttering the boot and checking tyre pressure.”
Eight ways you can save fuel
- Remove excess weight
The heavier the car, the harder the engine has to work, resulting in higher fuel consumption. Make sure to declutter your car and clear out the boot to reduce some weight.
- Regular maintenance
Keeping the car in good condition ensures that the vehicle runs efficiently which also helps fuel economy. It may be a bit costly to service the car, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run.
- Drive smoothly
Sudden braking and speeding up burns more fuel and that’s why it’s important to gauge the flow of traffic. Gentle acceleration and steady speed ensure the most economical use of fuel.
- Change gears as early as possible
Switching into the highest possible gear keeps the revs low which saves petrol. For example, at a 40 mph speed the car will consume 25 per cent more fuel in third gear compared to fifth. Under normal conditions the gears should be changed when the revs are between 1,500-2,000 rpm.
- Check tyre pressure
It’s important to make sure that the tyres are inflated to the right pressure, because underinflated tyres create more rolling resistance which means that the engine has to work harder. The car can consume 5% more fuel for every 0.5 bar drop in pressure.
- Avoid idling
Drivers shouldn’t leave the engine running while they’ve stopped because it’s bad for the environment and wastes fuel. It’s worth switching off the engine when the car is stationary for even a few minutes.
- Turn off additional functions
The vehicle’s add-on functions, like air conditioning and seat heaters, should only be used, when necessary, as they drain the car’s battery as well as the petrol tank.
- Don’t fill the tank to the brim
Fuel is heavy, so if the tank is filled to the top, then there is more unnecessary weight that the car has to carry.
YouTube Music’s redesigned radio experience allows you to create totally custom stations
Almost every music streaming service on the market offers a radio feature, allowing you to create an automatically generated playlist around a song or artist you love. For the most part, however, those features don’t offer a lot of flexibility. You pick a single song or artist and the platform does the rest – as is the case with Spotify and Apple Music.
Google has begun rolling out a redesigned radio feature on YouTube Music the company claims provides users with a lot more control over their listening experience. Among the new features the refreshed experience includes is the ability to pick up to 30 artists when creating your own radio station. You can also decide how frequently those artists repeat and apply filters that change the mood of the resulting playlist. For instance, a few of the selections include “chill,” “downbeat” and “pump-up.”
It’s also possible to adjust the parameters you set after creating a station by tapping the “Tune” option that appears at the bottom of the interface once you’re listening to your new playlist. Naturally, you can save the station to revisit it later. Once the new experience is available on your device, you will see a prompt in the main interface that says “Create a radio.” As with many of Google’s rollouts, it may take some time before you see the feature on your client.
On its own, it’s fair to say the feature won’t be enough to convince some to ditch Spotify and Apple Music for YouTube Music, but if you’re among the 50 million subscribers Google says has access to the service, it may prompt you to use it more frequently or convert the free trial you got with your phone into a paid subscription.
I bought ‘£2k’ purebred sausage dog – I was baffled when it grew up to be something totally different
A DOG lover who bought a “£2,000” purebred sausage dog was left baffled after realising she was scammed in the sale.
TikToker @healinghoundz documented the dog growing up, which turned out to be something totally different to what she paid for.
While the self-proclaimed “crazy dog lady” did not disclose how much the dog cost, purebred dachshunds can fetch prices of more than £2,000.
Also, a purebred dachshund’s coat traditionally is full bodied and can be shades of red, black or chocolate.
In the video, the woman is seen posing with the newly born pup.
The clip then followed a set of pictures in chronological order of the dog growing up.
Surprisingly, the dog’s shape started to differ from that of a sausage dog.
It also had a mixed coat and eventually developed a head akin to a Jack Russell Terrier or could even pass as an Australian Kelpie.
She said: “When you pay for a pure breed miniature sausage dog with papers.
“And you end up with this.
“We got scammed.
“But we love him even more.”
The social media video has more than 2200 views.
Since 2020, pet scams have risen more than 400 per cent as crooks target those desperate for a companion.
A reported 1,428 victims lost £614,226 to fraudsters during three months in 2020.
Another woman was also left stunned when she realised her purebred £1.7k goldendoodle puppy was not what its papers claimed it was.
The woman said she still loved the dog no matter its appearance[/caption]
Marie Kondo exiting her Marie Kondo phase is totally OK
‘My home is messy, but the way I am spending my time is the right way for me’
Thief developer Randy Smith says “immersion is totally incompatible with ego”
Some developers spend their careers inching towards their dream job, leapfrogging between roles in a grand strategy game of their own making. Others, like Randy Smith, simply show up on their first day and find they’re exactly where they’re meant to be.
“The approach that Looking Glass had to creating games was pretty unique,” he says now. “Even to this day, there are few studios who have that same ideology and mindfulness in how videogames are made.”
Thief: The Dark Project had a great director, in the form of Greg LePiccolo, who later became a pioneer in the world of music games with Guitar Hero and Rock Band. And before him, Ken Levine had laid down the cobbles of Thief’s setting, defining its noir-ish tone before heading off to work on System Shock 2. Yet Looking Glass games weren’t driven by a singular 90s auteur. In fact, the very absence of ego in the studio’s culture meant its many “bright stars” were happy to adhere to a shared vision.
Kourtney Kardashian goes totally naked in the bath in sexy new ad for husband Travis Barker’s wellness brand
KOURTNEY Kardashian has gone fully nude in a sexy new ad posted by her husband, Travis Barker.
Travis’s, 47, newest ad posted to Instagram featured his wife Kourtney, 43, sitting totally nude inside of a bathtub.
Kourtney Kardashian posed nude for Travis Barker’s Barker Wellness promo[/caption]
Products around the tub were from Kourtney and Travis’s collab line[/caption]
In the promotional snap, the 43-year-old had her wet hair slicked back and arms crossing her body, covering her chest.
The Poosh founder had on natural makeup and wore a silver chain necklace along her unclothed clavicle.
Surrounding the bathtub, which was filled with bubbles, were various products from the Blink-182 drummer’s brand Barker Wellness.
Specifically, Kourtney X Barker Wellness, which is his and the mom-of-three’s collaborative line for his company.
The rock star’s promotional social media post was captioned: “Organic Jojoba Seed Oil + Organic Sweet Almond Oil + Babassu Seed Oil + Kakui Seed Oil + Lavender Oil + Vitamin E = The perfect post bath combination to rejuvenate your skin.”
‘SO GOOD’
Fans that had tried some of the products that were being advertised in the photo commended the brand for being “so good.”
One fan expressed: “I have to say I bought this and I love it. Will be ordering again.”
Another shared: “[I use] the body butter before bed every night.”
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Other fans just commented heart and heart-eye emojis under the Barker Wellness post.
BARKER WELLNESS’S BEGINNING
The 47-year-old launched his wellness company back in 2021.
His brand provides products that are cannabinoid-infused, THC-free, all-natural, vegan, and cruelty-free.
Every item under Barker Wellness has been designed carefully and has been used daily by Travis and his family according to their needs.
“I started trying lots of different CBD products in my own daily routine and saw their benefits firsthand,” the Barker Wellness founder said in a press release.
He continued: “So I decided to create my own ideal formulas and share them with anyone looking to improve their general health.
“While a lot of the traditional cannabinoid companies primarily use CBD, it was important that our formulas incorporated some of the lesser-known but highly powerful cannabinoids like CBG, CBN, and CBC.”
“The full combination of these cannabinoids, herbs, and natural ingredients, makes these highly effective for targeting different needs.”
Shortly after he began his company Travis teamed up with his other half to expand his product line.
In 2022, Barker Wellness grew to include a skincare line that was created in tandem with the Hulu personality.
Kourtney’s Barker Wellness skincare products are all-natural, cruelty-free, and of course, vegan.
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum explained in a press release that her “obsession with taking baths…” led her to the “collaboration.”
“I could not be happier with how the products turned out. I hope you love this line as much as we do, and that they become a part of your daily routine like they are ours,” she continued.
Travis elaborated in the release: “Kourtney and I live and love health and wellness.”
“Creating products we love and need to help with recovery and wellness is fun to share with the world.”
Kourtney and Travis wedded in May of 2022 and share no kids together yet, however, they have multiple kids respectively.
The reality star has three children with her ex-boyfriend Scott Disick, 39, and the wellness advocate has two children with his ex-wife Shanna Moakler, 47.
Travis launched his wellness brand in 2021[/caption]
In 2022 Kourtney expanded Barker Wellness with her co-created skincare line[/caption]
Products from Barker Wellness are used by Travis and his family[/caption]
The hell of making Avatar 2 totally paid off
Call James Cameron a madman, but also call him a visionary
Razer’s New Webcam Is Totally Overkill, but We Love It
Along with its impressive beamforming speaker, Razer debuted a new 4K webcam at CES 2023. And man, this thing is total overkill—the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra shoots uncompressed 4K 24FPS video, it has the largest sensor of any webcam, and it uses AI to achieve several image-enhancing effects.
Read This Article on Review Geek ›
The ChatGPT chatbot from OpenAI is amazing, creative, and totally wrong
ChatGPT, a newly released application from OpenAI, is giving users amazing answers to questions, and many of them are amazingly wrong.
Open AI hasn’t released a full new model since GPT-3 came out in June of 2020, and that model was only released in full to the public about a year ago. The company is expected to release its next model, GPT-4, later this year or early next year. But as a sort of surprise, OpenAI somewhat quietly released a user-friendly and astonishingly lucid GPT-3-based chatbot called ChatGPT earlier this week.
ChatGPT answers prompts in a human-adjacent, straightforward way. Looking for a cutesy conversation where the computer pretends to have feelings? Look elsewhere. You’re talking to a robot, it seems to say, so ask me something a freakin’ robot would know. And on these terms, ChatGPT delivers:
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
It can also provide useful common sense when a question doesn’t have an objectively correct answer. For instance, here’s how it answered my question, “If you ask a person ‘Where are you from?’ should they answer with their birthplace, even if it isn’t where they grew up?”
(Note: ChatGPT’s answers in this article are all first attempts, and chat threads were all fresh during these attempts. Some prompts contain typos)
Credit: Open AI via screengrab
What makes ChatGPT stand out from the pack is its gratifying ability to handle feedback about its answers, and revise them on the fly. It really is like a conversation with a robot. To see what I mean, watch how it deals reasonably well with a hostile response to some medical advice.
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
Still, is ChatGPT a good source of information about the world? Absolutely not. The prompt page even warns users that ChatGPT, “may occasionally generate incorrect information,” and, “may occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased content.”
Heed this warning.
Incorrect and potentially harmful information takes many forms, most of which are still benign in the grand scheme of things. For example, if you ask it how to greet Larry David, it passes the most basic test by not suggesting that you touch him, but it also suggests a rather sinister-sounding greeting: “Good to see you, Larry. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” That’s what Larry’s assassin would say. Don’t say that.
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
But when given a challenging fact-based prompt, that’s when it gets astonishingly, Earth-shatteringly wrong. For instance, the following question about the color of the Royal Marines’ uniforms during the Napoleonic Wars is asked in a way that isn’t completely straightforward, but it’s still not a trick question. If you took history classes in the US, you’ll probably guess that the answer is red, and you’ll be right. The bot really has to go out of its way to confidently and wrongly say “dark blue”:
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
If you ask point blank for a country’s capital or the elevation of a mountain, it will reliably produce a correct answer culled not from a live scan of Wikipedia, but from the internally-stored data that makes up its language model. That’s amazing. But add any complexity at all to a question about geography, and ChatGPT gets shaky on its facts very quickly. For instance, the easy-to-find answer here is Honduras, but for no obvious reason, I can discern, ChatGPT said Guatemala.
Credit: OpenAI / Screenshot
And the wrongness isn’t always so subtle. All trivia buffs know “Gorilla gorilla” and “Boa constrictor” are both common names and taxonomic names. But prompted to regurgitate this piece of trivia, ChatGPT gives an answer whose wrongness is so self-evident, it’s spelled out right there in the answer.
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
And its answer to the famous crossing-a-river-in-a-rowboat riddle is a grisly disaster that evolves into scene from Twin Peaks.
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
Much has already been made of ChatGPT’s effective sensitivity safeguards. It can’t, for instance, be baited into praising Hitler, even if you try pretty hard. Some have kicked the tires pretty aggressively on this feature, and discovered that you can get ChatGPT to assume the role of a good person roleplaying as a bad person, and in those limited contexts it will still say rotten things. ChatGPT seems to sense when something bigoted might be coming out of it despite all efforts to the contrary, and it will usually turn the text red, and flag it with a warning.
In my own tests, its taboo avoidance system is pretty comprehensive, even when you know some of the workarounds. It’s tough to get it to produce anything even close to a cannibalistic recipe, for instance, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. With enough hard work, I coaxed a dialogue about eating placenta out of ChatGPT, but not a very shocking one:
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
Similarly, ChatGPT will not give you driving directions when prompted — not even simple ones between two landmarks in a major city. But with enough effort, you can get ChatGPT to create a fictional world where someone casually instructs another person to drive a car right through North Korea — which is not feasible or possible without sparking an international incident.
Credit: OpenAI / Screengrab
The instructions can’t be followed, but they more or less correspond to what usable instructions would look like. So it’s obvious that despite its reluctance to use it, ChatGPT’s model has a whole lot of data rattling around inside it with the potential to steer users toward danger, in addition to the gaps in its knowledge that it will steer users toward, well, wrongness. According to one Twitter user, it has an IQ of 83.
Regardless of how much stock you put in IQ as a test of human intelligence, that’s a telling result: Humanity has created a machine that can blurt out basic common sense, but when asked to be logical or factual, it’s on the low side of average.
OpenAI says ChatGPT was released in order to “get users’ feedback and learn about its strengths and weaknesses.” That’s worth keeping in mind because it’s a little like that relative at Thanksgiving who’s watched enough Grey’s Anatomy to sound confident with their medical advice: ChatGPT knows just enough to be dangerous.