Honda Civic EX vs Honda Civic Hybrid Fuel Mileage

Honda Civic EX vs Honda Civic Hybrid Fuel Mileage Here at Hybrid Cars and Alt Fuels, we field a lot of questions about hybrids, and probably the most common of all is simply, Are they really worth it? Do hybrids really get that much better fuel mileage than regular carsand is it enough to justify their price premium? Well, we always do a number crunch as part of our hybrid reviews, but weve never actually done a real side-by-side comparison, instead relying on EPA mileage estimates of the non-hybrid versus our observed hybrid model fuel mileage to draw conclusions. This works pretty well, but the more I (Scott) thought about it, the more I wanted to do a little street test of my own to see whats what in the real world. So, I needed a car that is offered in both conventional and hybrid drivetrains, and I needed to put them both through the same types of driving conditionsand carefully track all datato get as close as possible to an apples-to-apples comparison. This testorama would give me a good solid no arguments here body of data to unequivocally say X car in hybrid dress performed this way against X car with a regular engine. Having recently completed a test drive of the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid (in which I did extensive fuel mileage tracking), I decided that this car and its popular and efficient (and comparably equipped) brother, the Honda Civic EX, would be my guinea pigs. Honda agreed and sent over a beautiful Alabaster Silver 2008 Civic EX sedan, and I commenced to drive. I was pretty confident that Id be able to handily beat the EPA estimates in the EX by simply employing some of my favorite Thrifty-Drive techniquesthe same I used when test driving the Civic Hybrid. Ive been steadily honing these skills over the years and its gotten to the point that I can best the EPAs numbers by 15 percent or more for any given vehicle. I just slow down and drive gently, which ironically enough, gets me there in just about the same amount of time as aggressive yellow-light-running driving does, but at a much better bang-for-the-buck-for-the-minute rate. The Drivetrains Honda Civic EX: My tester EX came outfitted with the standard 140 hp 1.8-liter iVTEC 4-cylinder engine and optional 5-speed automatic transmission. Its a nice package with plenty of power and great fuel economy numbers, thanks to Hondas thrifty variable valve timing scheme. The EPA gives the EX 25/36/29 city/highway/combined ratings. Honda Civic Hybrid: The hybrid version gets its very own purpose-built drivetrain package consisting of a 110 hp 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine and electric motor combination that transfers power to the wheels through a CVT transmission. EPA ratings for this package come in at 40/45/42 city/highway/combined. For more info on how this unique drivetrain works, see our 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid test drive and review. The Tests Because of the nature of pure city driving, with its short distances between numerous starts and stops, its difficult to employ Thrifty-Drive techniques and improve on EPA ratings. For this reason, I limited my mileage compares to all-highway and then combined (an assortment of roadways and traffic conditions) situations, and I further divided them by eco-styles and normal styles. I suppose at this point, its important to define what I call normal driving. In short, its aggressive behavior that I observe during my daily travels out on the roads with thousands of other motorists: jack rabbit starts ... not slowing (or worse, accelerating) on highway exit ramps ... speeding to stop signs (and then jamming-on the brakes at the last moment) ... and of course, my favorite shake-my-head-maneuver, constantly jockeying and darting to get ahead of the next guy. The Four Tests and Results All mileage numbers are expressed in miles per gallon: Normal combined jaunts driving like normal motorists described above. EX32.2, Hybrid41.5 Normal highway long freeway runs using no cruise and changing lanes frequently to keep pace with the fastest traffic (usually between 75 and 80 mph). EX36.6, Hybrid49.1 Eco combined everyday trips using the eco-techniques described in Scotts Thrifty-Drive. EX37.4, Hybrid48.7 Eco highway long highway jaunts with cruise set at a steady 61 mph. EX42.3, Hybrid54.7 Interpreting the Results These test results leave little doubt that the Honda Civic (hybrid or no) gets excellent fuel economy. Even when driven hard, I still was able to pretty much beat EPA ratings across-the-board. My experience has usually been that the more fuel-efficient a vehicle is, the less adversely its fuel economy is affected by aggressive driving habits. Conversely, economy cars respond better to eco-driving techniques than their large, less efficient counterparts. While both cars responded well to eco-driving, the EX did a little better in the combined mileage tests, whereas the hybrid aced the highway improvements. What gives here? It seems to me that the engine-only EX is more readily influenced by easy driving/light throttle techniques in combined roadway conditions where the engine could/would be more taxed during frequent acceleration. On the highway, a steady throttle can only do so much. On the other hand, on combined roadways in the hybrid, the electric motor mitigates some of the drivers influence for easing load on the engine (the hybrid system does it automatically). But on the open highway, the combination of the engines cylinder deactivation and steady electric motor assist allows the engine to work with minimal fuel use. So, Is the Hybrid Civic Really Worth It? In most cases, I think so, and under the right conditions, absolutely. Just look at the fuel mileage numbers. The hybrid bested the EX in every category, some by a larger percentage than others. Depending on the types of driving conditions/styles the Civic Hybrid owner would most regularly encounter, pay back time will likely fall within a four to six and a half year period of ownership. (Based upon $3055 hybrid price premium, $525 hybrid tax credit *ends 12/08*, 15,000 miles/year travel and gasoline $3.95/gallon).

A promise made to you will not necessarily be enforceable

A promise made to you will not necessarily be enforceable Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work produced by our Law Essay Writing Service . You can view samples of our professional work here . A promise made to you will not necessarily be enforceable Consideration means that a promise made to you will not necessarily be enforceable in the courts unless you can establish that you have  given something  for it. Suppose I promise to deliver a ton of gravel to you next week – you get your shovel and barrow ready, and I don’t turn up. I probably would not be liable to you in damages, because you haven’t given anything in return, and merely getting your barrow ready would not be sufficient reliance to make it enforceable. However, if at the time of making the arrangement, you said that you would pay me $10 per ton for the gravel that would be sufficient consideration.  A promise to pay  is sufficient to count as  giving something, even though the promise is not to be put into effect for some time yet.’’ What is Constitute Consideration? Consideration is one of the three essential elements of a valid contract. A promise is made withou t consideration; it does not constitute a valid contract and cannot be enforced in law. Only the contract that has valuable consideration is a valid contract. In a common promise unconfirmed by consideration is not a binding contract. A promise is give without consideration but is intended by the parties to affect an existing contract between them which has been acted upon by one party, and then such promise may be used as a defence by the party to enforce the existing contract. Valuable consideration has been defined as some right, interest, profit or benefit accuring to one party, or some forbearance, detriment, loss or responsibility given, suffered or undertaken by the other at his request. Consideration may be executed or executor, but it may not be past, it need not be adequate, but it must be of some value; and it must move from the promise. In the case of Thomas v Thomas (1842) 114 ER 330, QB, the court held that even though the payment of  £1 a year towards the ground-ven t was a very small sum, it was a valuable consideration and enough to complete the contract. Consideration must be clearly associated with the promise, and past consideration is generally unacceptable. In the case of Re McArdle (1951) 1 All ER 905, CA, the occupants of a house carried out various repairs and improvement, and after the work was complete the beneficial owners of the house promise to pay for this work. They did not pay and the occupants sued. The court of an application held that the consideration for the promise was past and there was no contract. In another way, the occupants failed in the suit because the beneficial owners of the house made the promise after the work was complete. In another case Lampleigh v Braithwait (1615) 80 ER 255, Common Bench said that D asked P to get him a royal pardom. P successful in obtaining to pay him  £100. The majority of breach held that where D makes a request that P does his same service is performed, D promises to pay for it th e promise and the request go together and there is a binding contract. However, the performance of an existing duty cannot constitute consideration. In the case of Collins v Godefroy (1831) 109 ER 1040, KB, D’s subpoena P as a spectator. In court and promise to pay him some fee for his time. D did not pay, in the court held that since the subpoena compulsory a legal duty on P to appear at court, this cannot constitute consideration.

The Death Penalty in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Death Penalty in the United States - Essay Example One of the main arguments for the death penalty is that it deters crime. The death penalty is a harsh punishment as it condemns one to die hence a rational human being would rather avoid committing such an offense for fear of death. It instills fear in potential criminals, therefore, making them avoid the crime and a result, murder rate declines. A research carried out by the University of Colorado on the relationship between executions, pardons, and homicides in 2003 revealed that for each additional execution deterred five murders while each commutation reduced deterrence and produced five additional murders. This shows that punishment by the death penalty is more effective in deterring crime. However, opponents would argue that death penalty has no effect on crime since those regions which have long abolished death penalty such as the south have lower crime rates than those currently using it. Assuming they are right, this justifies death penalty as a deterrence for crime as it me ans those areas have high rates of crime hence death penalty is needed. Moreover, the variations may be caused by other factors such as educational level and economic prosperity of such regions which has a direct relation to the crime rate. For example, according to Banner, people of the south originated from violence prone areas and wealth was unevenly distributed hence at the initial stages they were using the death penalty to deter all sorts of crime. Another argument in support of crime deterrence is that death penalty incapacitates offenders. ... This shows that punishment by death penalty is more efficient in deterring crime. However, opponents would argue that death penalty has no effect on crime since those regions which have long abolished death penalty such as the south have lower crime rates than those currently using it. Assuming they are right, this justifies death penalty as a deterrence for crime as it means those areas have high rates of crime hence death penalty is needed. Moreover, the variations may be caused by other factors such as educational level and economic prosperity of such regions which has direct relation to crime rate. For example, according to Banner (6), people of the south originated from violence prone areas and wealth was unevenly distributed hence at the initial stages they were using death penalty to deter all sorts of crime. Another argument in support of crime deterrence is that death penalty incapacitates offenders. The death of a first-degree murderer means fewer crimes will be committed a s the individual is not able to commit the crime again. Cassell (183) noted that a murderer who had been convicted and given a death sentence but escaped when the state abolished death penalty committed more of such crimes thereafter such as rape and murder. If he had been hanged, those crimes against innocent citizens would have been avoided. However, opponents advocate for life imprisonment without parole to enable the offender to get rehabilitated and change hence reduce crime (Guernsey, 2010). Walker (10) argues that contrary to popular belief, death penalty is justified in the sense that according to public opinion, many citizens of US even in states where death penalty was abolished are in favour of it as a punishment

The luggage holder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The luggage holder - Essay Example Very little energy is used by the luggage holder and its applications. In addition, the luggage holder is manually operated, so it does not use any energy other than human effort. Since it requires human effort to operate, this makes it very sustainable and energy-friendly in the long-term. It is also renewable, efficient and non-polluting because it is natural energy. The only resulting impact identified so far is possible fatigue as a result of long periods of operation, which is also very negligible. Finally, all materials are as inherently safe and benign as possible. The luggage holder does not have any energy inputs or outputs though. When it comes to human capital, concept development, product design, assembly, and marketing are the labor-intensive stages of product development that require a lot of human capital. Creativity, innovation, knowledge, habits, skill, cognitive abilities, and social and personality attributes, are the human capital elements that will be in high demand in the design and development of the luggage holder. In regards to financial capital (monetary instruments), a lot of financial resources are required to fund the activities involved in the human capital aspect. When it comes to manufactured or real capital (made by people and their tools), there are steel works, plastic processors, manufacturing space (to support industrial production), assembly tools and machines, and other related forms of infrastructure will be required. The luggage holder does not require any natural capital (the Earths resources and bio-capacity). Very little natural capital is required to develop and sell this product. The materials required are obtained from very little natural resources, and do not interfere with the earth’s bio-capacity in any way. The product development cost is quite high, exact costs are not yet clear as per now. The product development

Terrorism and Personal Identity :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Terrorism and Personal Identity      Ã‚  Ã‚   Consider the personal comment of an ethnically foreign US citizen after September 11, 2001:    I became a United States citizen four years ago because of my long love affair with New York....I am a Bangladeshi woman and my last name is Rahman, a Muslim name...Before last week, I had thought of myself as a lawyer, a feminist, a wife, a sister, a friend, a woman on the street. Now I begin to see myself as a brown woman who bears a vague resemblance to the images of terrorists we see on television....As I become identified as someone outside the New York community, I feel myself losing the power to define myself... --Anika Rahman 1    In this poignant statement by a U.S citizen, ethnically Bangladeshi with Muslim linkage, the complex web of issues involved in immigrant identity is dramatically clear. Embedded in this statement are many of the issues that those of us concerned with categories of identification generally, and ethnic identification in particular, grapple with. Identification is typically a complex rather than simple construction, involving multiple aspects of oneself that may overlap or compete. Identification is a dynamic process, in which the meaning, the function, and even the basic labels can change from one point in time to another. Further, and most relevant now, identification is a socially constructed process in which the context and views of others have a significant role, shaping options and consequences for individual experience.    The events of September 11 have without question altered the context of identification for thousands of U.S. citizens and for those immigrants, legal and illegal, whose citizenship is still in flux. The current estimate of first generation Arab-American immigrants in the U.S. is 2,315,392. Current estimates of the number of Muslims in the U.S. are far less certain, varying from 2 to 6 million. (It should be noted that Arab-Americans and Muslims are far from overlapping sets. Many Arab-Americans are Christian; Muslims in turn come from a variety of ethnic groups in the U.S., including African American, Latino, and, as the highly-publicized case of John Walker Lindh illustrates, from Euro American backgrounds as well.)    Attitudes toward immigrants of any stripe have varied in the U. S. over the years. Prior to the restrictive immigration legislation of 1924, for example, opponents of immigration became increasingly strident, and the idealistic image of the "melting pot" offered by playwright Israel Zangwill in 1908 was challenged on both economic and racial grounds.

Freud, Adler and Jung: Founders of Psychoanalytic Research Essay

Introduction: There are three well-known influential thinkers who are considered to be pioneers in the field of psychology. It could be argued that without †¦. , the emergence of psychology as we know it might not have ever happened, at least in its present form. Freud is considered by his modern-day counterparts to be the founding father of analytic psychology, as he is the first to have come up with an albeit rudimentary, but nevertheless valuable model of the human psyche. Prior to his groundbreaking work, the nature of human consciousness was largely debated and theorized by medical doctors and theologians. Then there is Adler, (who was the first to have suggested the societal impact on emotions and thought processes and vice-versa, arguing that consciousness and culture have what could be termed as a symbiotic relationship. He emphasized, too, the importance of self-esteem and was the first to say that without a healthy self-esteem, an individual would develop an inferiority/superiority complex which would in turn affect many aspects of life. Last but not least, Carl Jung, who was a respected colleague of Freud in his earlier years, focused on the spiritual aspects of consciousness and saw the value it played on thoughts and emotions. We will explore in this paper the commonalities between these founding fathers of psychology as well as their differences, and explore the strengths in their theories as well as the weaknesses. By understanding the founders of this very subjective field of scientific thought, we can gain a better picture of how psychology has evolved over the years and apply it to our own research and studies. Sigmund Freud:  According to Freudian theory, the consciousness is composed of three opposing forces: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id (Freud used the German term Das es) which consists of our instinct-driven behavior. Governed by what he termed the â€Å"Pleasure Principle†, It is largely pleasure-seeking: when we are hungry, we seek to obtain relief from these feelings by eating. Because the id is a self-gratifying drive, it can, according to Freud, cause problems if left unchecked, since the person would have absolutely no self-control and wouldn’t be able to exercise the self-discipline necessary to function in society. In accordance with what Freud calls â€Å"The Reality Principle†, The ego (das ich) copes with the limitations of reality by putting into place coping mechanisms when one’s basest needs cannot be fulfilled. For instance, it is the ego which represses the needs of the id by waking up early for work when the id tells us to sleep in late. The Superego (uber ich) tries to rule over the ego and id with moral principles which are both conscious and unconscious. It can be described as one’s religious convictions and moral principles. The Superego can override the ego and id when something must be done â€Å"for the greater good†, i. . for moral reasons. Another Fundamental element of Freudian theory is his stages of psychosexual development, which categorizes each stage as follows: The oral stage where a child seeks comfort from suckling, the anal stage where the child is toilet-trained, the phallic stage where a child’s awareness of a penis (or lack thereof) plays a crucial role in early development, the latent period, and finally the genital stage. In each of these stages (aside from the latent stage where it is believed no crucial psychosexual development takes place) if there is a disturbance in normal development, a â€Å"fixation† can occur. For instance, if a child is weaned from breastfeeding too early, he or she can have an â€Å"oral fixation† which would manifest itself as nail-biting or smoking later in life. Last but not least, Freud was the first to propose that when we face situations we cannot emotionally handle, we have certain defense mechanisms such as repression, suppression, denial, displacement, sublimation, intellectualization, and rationalization, regression, and reaction formation. These mechanisms can be considered normal, especially during grieving periods. Much later, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross made shock and denial one of the first stages of the grieving process, and it has been well-documented that denial can be very common if not normal as long as it doesn’t become permanent. Defense mechanisms can become very unhealthy if they don’t eventually give way to directly coping with the emotions which are being denied or repressed. These defense mechanisms, in their most extreme forms can be very difficult to understand for those who haven’t shared the same experience. For example, it is very possible for a woman to be so deep in denial of a pregnancy that she will continue to menstruate up until the time of delivery. She could also attribute the normal symptoms of pregnancy with other possible explanations, i. e. morning sickness being stomach flu and the baby’s kicks being gas. A typical example of displacement can be seen with people who abuse animals or children. If a person feels they cannot express anger or aggression to a parent or significant other for fear of repercussions, they will channel the anger and direct it to the family pet or their child, who cannot fight back. Regression can be another common defense mechanism, and it usually happens when an individual is overwhelmed with anxiety and feels they cannot directly face the source of their emotions. A very common scenario is for an adult to remain in bed all day and sleep to avoid painful feelings shortly after a loved-one dies. Another example is when a child is afraid to attend school because of a bully, and becomes extremely clingy with the parent when he or she was very independent prior to the problem. Carl Jung  Jung and Freud became friends in 1906, after Freud had read some of Jung’s writings and invited him for a meeting in Zurich. Their first conversation was said to have lasted for 13 hours, with the two men exchanging ideas and elaborating on their theories. Freud saw Jung as somewhat of a protege, referring to Jung as his â€Å"crown prince and successor†. Their correspondence and friendship lasted six years, but Jung eventually expressed dissent with Freud over the role the unconscious mind played in human behavior. While Freud saw the unconscious as somewhat of a repository of repressed memories which could be manifested unbeknownst to the conscious mind, Jung believed that the ability to tap into the unconscious mind was possible and could contribute to emotional well-being. And while he agreed that it was important to understand past trauma and its influence on present behavior, he also believed that the future didn’t necessarily need to be determined by such things. The role spirituality played in his psychoanalytic theories also made him a pioneer in his own rite, though it was never something he and Freud could agree upon. Alfred Adler Alfred Adler was also a contemporary of Dr. Freud and even joined his analytic society in 1902. By 1911 however, he too expressed dissent with many of Freud’s opinions and left to form his own society, the ‘Society for Free Psychoanalytic Research’. It can be reiterated that while he agreed with Freud that psycho-social development could be affected by influential factors beginning early in life, he came up with theories of his own which contrasted with those of his colleague. For instance, he believed that a child feels inherently weak around his or her elders, and strives to become superior to them throughout the course of early life. This term, known as â€Å"striving for superiority†, states that if the need for personal accomplishment and success is not met, an inferiority complex can develop, causing many other problems later on. He also proposed the theory that birth order plays a crucial role in emotional development. For example, he stated that an oldest child has it the worst, as he or she starts off having both parents’ unlimited attention and time. Later on after other siblings are born, an oldest child isn’t given the same amount of attention and is left to wonder why. Childhood neglect and abuse also have a profound impact on psychosocial development according to Adler, and numerous case studies continue to arise which prove his theory to be valid even today. Conclusion While many of the theories of Freud, Adler and Jung have been either dispelled or refined by case studies and discoveries in the field of neuroscientific research, there is no doubt they were pioneers in the field of psychology. Freud’s concepts of defense mechanisms have withstood the test of time even though his theories of psychosexual development have been outmoded, and Jungian psychoanalysis is still relevant today. Adler’s views on self-esteem and childhood development have been verified by clinical research, even if some of the finer points of his research had been discarded. While there is continued debate and new findings which will always create dissent and result in new discoveries related to psychology, it is certain that the work of these three early founders will remain significant for decades to come.

Essay on Perceptions in Matthew Arnolds Dover Beach

Perceptions in Matthew Arnolds Dover Beach Matthew Arnold’s â€Å"Dover beach† describe the way in which perceptions are mislead society. The use of metaphors, symbolisms, allusiveness, technical quantities, and imagery assist the speaker’s thought regards between what is seen and what is real. Dover beach was written during Victorian era. Which brought civilization based on industry, value and money. This is the time which people start questioning the existence of God. The speaker observed the plight of Victorian era. And he sought an answer to the problems which he and world faced with. Arnold express the dejection of lost civilization, anticipate its future, and try to acquire its solution The speaker begins straightway with†¦show more content†¦The appearance of Dover Beach at this time is only of what the human senses can envision. The speakers looks beneath the surface of Dover Beach and unveils the true nature of the sea. When Arnold stops to really listen to the sea, â€Å"he only hears the sea’s melancholy, long, withdrawing roar.† (9). Arnold justifies the theory that things are not always what they appear to be. The world only ‘seems’ to be beautiful, but is ‘really’ a place of conflict, chaos and dangerous misunderstandings. Imagery is the strongest supporter of the theme. A description of the sea in its states of calmness and roughness are depicted. Sight and sound help intensify other images. The poems’ strongest feelings are usually expressed by their imagery, though rhythm is also used to convey meaning. Arnold uses the first stanza of the poem to create visual, auditory, and olfactory images that will allow the reader to picture the sea of which the speaker is viewing. Through the use of several poetic Figures of speech, sounds, and irony of words are also used. Line one; â€Å"The Sea is calm tonight†(1) has a gentle rhythm that can be compared to the â€Å"ebb and flow† (17) of the sea. With this description one can imagine a beautiful beach with water lapping upon the shore. The second line also gives the image of a calm sea. In the opening stanzas words such as â€Å"gleams†(4) and â€Å"glimmering†(5) are used, giving a sense of light. In contrast the end ing stanzas use words such asShow MoreRelatedDover Bitch vs. Dover Beach1763 Words   |  8 Pagesargued about. Everyone seems to have a different perception on what love truly is. These perceptions help categorize what type of person you are when it comes towards love. This can range from being a hopeless romantic to a person who doesn’t even believe that love exists. A perfect example of how the views of love can be drastically different can be illustrated by these two poems; â€Å"Dover Beach† and â€Å"Dover Bitch†. â€Å"Dover Beach†, was written by Matthew Arnold in the 19th century. The love Arnold speaksRead MoreDover Beach Theme Imagery and Sound1431 Words   |  6 PagesIn Dover Beach, Matthew Arnold creates a monologue that shows how perceptions can be misleading. The theme of illusion versus reality in Dover Beach reflects the speakers awareness of the incompatibility between what is perceived and what truly is real. Arnold conveys the theme of Dover Beach through three essential developments. First, he uses visual imagery. Second, he uses sound (aural) imagery. Third, he uses rhythm and metric. These mechanics alone do not explain why illusion and realityRead More Comparing Dover Beach and Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essays1556 Words   |  7 Pages A Comparison of the Victorian and Modernist Perceptions as Exemplified by Dover Beach and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock    Matthew Arnold and T.S. Eliot, in their respective poems, share a sense of alienation, not only from other people but from nature and God as well. Arnold is writing in an age when the place of man in the universe is coming into question, for the first time since the advent of Christianity. He can no longer take the same solace in nature and the love of God that his