#cheapest petrol in world

[koskimakiforsberg]

Its wednesday night, july, the heatwaves been and gone, its back to gray skies and humid rain, the heat may return in late august or it may be another year till we see the sun again. For two unbearable weeks, the city comes to a standstill, heat so wet you can taste it in the air, the mix of water particles in the air, sweat and grease creates a foul smelling cocktail, dressed with petrol fumes and the everpresent stench of piss and rubbish that seems unbudgeable even in the coldest months. Heat here is unbearable, the sun is hardly present for it hidden under a duvet of industrial clouds, the buildings retain the heat, cooking us alive within their thick stone, lobsters being boiled in their own shells, only redder. I remember a train ride, wall to wall bodies, sticky, blotchy, the colour of curdled milk, perhaps it was the dense soggy heat bubble on the carriage or the pure exhaustion of having finished one job only to be venturing to another, but on that midsummer day, i passed out on public transport in the midday sun.

Its been 24hrs since I was last at work. I'm twitchy, uncomfortable, and can't seem to sit still. Days off are easy, see your friends, read a book, smoke…a lot. It's the nights. When you train your body to withstand a certain level of labour, you become accustomed to a push of adrenaline at the same time most people begin to wind down. I can't sleep like I used to, I pass out, its the only way i know, by either physical or mental exhaustion. Once upon a time, i worked 52 hours a week, twelve hours a shift, night shift. Now i cant seem to handle three days on without having some obtuse side affect to my sleep. When i worked night shift at the warehouse, it was easy, ewe were a team, pushing and building boxes, shovelling shit into containers, wrapping and lifting, moving shit around, then before you know it, its 9am and you’re headed to the bus stop. Now, its just me. Theres no team, theres no boxes, no shit shovelling, just me and toad dressed up a prince aka my glass cleaner with dishwasher soap pumped into it. I work around 14 hours a day, the skin tends to peel off my fingers when the days are too humid, which is often, my back has an untieable knot, my hands crack when i move them and my feet could be mistaken for a man twice my age’s. I used to handle two jobs i can barely function doing the three shifts i do know, ive been sapped of stamina, of care and of any semblance of work ethic, i cut, i mice, i peel, i scrub, i rinse and i go home. The walk to the bus stop, fifteen minutes away feels as if my ankles are seconds away from rolling away down the hill, leaving me with stubs to collapse and bleed into the gravel pavement in front of the hordes and crowds rushing to find the cheapest drink, the quickest high, and the loudest music. Sometimes i can only dream of being swallowed up, consumed by the people passing by, to be taken away to wherever their waves take me, i unfortunately, will always end up at my bus stop waiting for a service that may or may not turn up. The use of personal pronouns make it sound as if this my story, but the experiences i speak of are shared amongst all my peers, coworkers, old friends, neighbours.

My mother talks of her generation migrating to London, the only place with jobs, a flood of glaswegians, headed toward one of the biggest cities in the world to find any semblance of a job, now my generation could only dream of that choice, we can barely afford to live in our own city, nevermind a place like that, we’re goldfish stuck, turning in the same cramped bowl, forced to swallow the same shit day in and day out. Minimum wage joy suckers are our only option, no matter the talent or prowess, the ability or the drive, we all end up bending over backwards serving, cooking or cleaning for the general public.

I dont believe in playing the victim, self pity was booted out of my repertoire pretty soon after my first shift scrubbing dishes for 16 hours, but i do believe in the truth. Thats what this is, the truth. A frank telling of the exploitative, mind numbing, capitalist hellscape of modern hospitality. What may have been an industry driven by love and passion for eating and drinking is now a mainstay of our patriarchal late stage capitalist orwellian nightmare world.

[whickerfurniture]

In an ideal world I’d love to set them all 20-30 years ago so I didn’t have to think about this ever again but I’m so fucking reliant on tech now that I had to think about their tech habits. Also no one asked for this information.

Ruby is a rich bitch. She always has the latest iPhone the day it comes out, and she has the screen replaced at least once a month from shattering it. Is on first name basis with the local Genius Bar. Her entire life is on there, and if anything happened to it she’d be entirely lost, but that doesn’t stop her from relying solely on the cloud. She pays the monthly subscription for extra iCloud storage and is entirely reliant on it. She also has an iPad which gathers dust in a drawer, because phones these days are huge, and she basically can’t tell the difference. Uses the same password for everything. Has every subscription service, and hardly uses them. Got a subscription to a horror streaming service because she thought she’d be able to watch and learn about inside jokes that people were making. Turns out shes more effected by horror than she knew because she started having really bad nightmares, so now she’s scared to watch them alone. Surprisingly is staunchly against Apple Watches though, because she thinks they’re ugly. That’s it. That’s the whole reason. Has refused to take photos with people just because they were wearing an Apple Watch or had a tan line from it.

Connie only upgraded to a touch screen phone two years ago. She used to have an old Nokia brick, but the battery died and she couldn’t find someone to replace it, so she bought the cheapest phone she could find at a petrol station near her apartment. It has no case because she couldn’t find anywhere that sold them, but is in surprisingly good shape, considering. She almost exclusively uses it for phone calls, and Spotify so she can play music she likes at work. In her hometown the only people who had computers at home were rich, so any time she went online was at the public library or school and is pretty tech illiterate. Technically has an instagram because her roommate made her download it so they could send her memes She opens the app approximately once a fortnight. Has considered upgrading to a nicer phone, but can’t justify spending all that money.

Serena is a tech girlie through and through. Took extracurriculars in coding during high school, and joined an IT club in college. Built her own PC from scratch. Her dad tried to convince her to go into the tech industry instead of journalism, because the money would be so much better, but she refused. Spends ridiculous amounts of time on social media, like her screen time statistics are atrocious. Also spends a lot of time on Reddit. Thinks having things backed up on one cloud and two hard disks is mandatory. Uses different passwords for every website. Acts as tech support for her friends, but when she tries to teach them to be self sufficient, doesn’t realise she’s assume base level knowledge that’s actually above what most people understand so she gets really frustrated when people can’t follow along. Would be horrified by all my others characters tech habits.

Catherine has an entire apple ecosystem. It started because her school insisted on them all having MacBooks purchased through the school, then she got an iPhone for Christmas, and now every piece of tech she owns is apple, because she’s too stubborn-slash-scared to learn a new operating system. Has an iPad that she’s almost unhealthily attached to, to the point it’s named. (Rose, by the way, because it’s rose gold. I never said she was imaginative with the names) Uses an Apple Pencil because she thinks it makes her look smarter when she’s taking notes about things. Has cases and screen protectors on everything, and has never so much as scratched her phone. Has some minimal knowledge on basic repairs, like if it gets dropped in water or overheats, but doesn’t really need anything further because she generally takes really good care of her stuff. Does back things up onto a hard drive every other month because she doesn’t entirely trust the cloud, but does keep most of her things there between backups.

Everything Andrea owns is second hand, and she’s learned though YouTube videos how to replace and repair them. She’ll never rely on another phone repair shop again. As a side gig does repair other peoples phones for extra cash. Is paranoid about her data being hacked, as if she’d ever be a target, so has firewalls on firewalls on protection on protection. Doesn’t take her phone when she’s out hiking because she’s scared about being tracked. She’s not so deep into conspiracy theories that she thinks the government has chipped people in vaccines, but does believe the government is tracking phones. Or, if it’s not the government, it’s corporations, which in her mind is even worse. AI makes her wake up in a cold sweat and the fact that phones listen to you when you talk makes her break out in hives. Definitely locks her phone in a box when she’s not using it. Her blog posts are incredibly vague about her life/information/whereabouts. Uses bitcoin,cryptocurrencies as often as she can to avoid paper trails, and in person deals exclusively in cash.

BONUS:

Kit is obsessive about having a paper trail for everything. Uses a credit or debit card for every transaction he can, keeps all his receipts and scans them onto a USB, uses an email account as a journal of everything he does every day so it’s dated, times, and has an IP address attached. Does believe the government is watching him and thinks if he keeps his every movement monitored, they won’t be suspicious about him ever again. Keeps up to date with news stories about things like facial recognition because he believes if he knows everything, he can always make the right moves and will never be at the wrong place/wrong time again.

[thetobaccomarketaustralia]

Cigarette Prices in Australia | thetobaccomarketaustralia.com

Cigarette prices in Australia are among the highest in the world. This is because of high taxes. Taxes cover costs of production, advertising and distribution.

A survey of regular smokers asked them to nominate the price point at which they would consider seriously trying to quit smoking. Most respondents did not respond or stated that they would continue to smoke regardless of price increases.

Cheapest Cigarettes

As in other countries, the level and type of tobacco duties, fees and taxes have been the main determinant of retail prices of cigarettes over time. This has been due to the fact that these charges are passed on in varying amounts to tobacco growers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers.

In 2023, the Australian government announced a dramatic increase in tobacco excise rates. The price of a standard pack of cigarettes will rise from $35 to $50 in three years. This is a huge increase for smokers and could prompt them to consider switching to a healthier alternative such as vaping.

This is driving the demand for cheapest cigarettes in Australia. Many people are buying cigarettes illegally from China, where factories are producing millions of packs each year to meet the demand for low-cost tobacco in developed countries like Australia. This is a lucrative industry for organized crime groups and terrorist organizations. It is estimated that up to a fifth of Australian smokers are purchasing their cigarettes from the black market.

Cheapest Brands

A'super-value' market segment has emerged in the factory-made cigarette sector, offering prices substantially lower than recommended retail price (RRP) and even less than supermarket discounting. In addition, the availability of cigarettes in large single packs provided a range of pricing configurations that offered cheaper per stick prices than those of smaller packs.

Neighborhood variations in cigarette prices may reflect local tobacco industry responses to price increases or demand-driven trends. Further investigation is needed to understand the role of neighborhood characteristics in determining these patterns.

In the past, increasing cigarette taxes has helped reduce smoking rates in Australia and other countries. However, the high price of Australian cigarettes remains unaffordable for many regular smokers. This is driving a surge in demand for imported cheap cigarettes. Some smokers are using the internet to order cigarettes from overseas, and are gift wrapping them to circumvent customs inspections. Others are turning to vaping, which can be just as effective as a conventional cigarette but is much more affordable.

Cheapest Places to Buy

Cigarette prices in Australia are among the highest in the world. A pack a day smoker will spend over $900 per month or $10,000 a year – ouch!

National survey data show that rising tobacco taxes are the main motivation for many Australians trying to cut down or quit. Research from the University of Queensland has shown that the price of cigarettes has overtaken health concerns as the number one motivator.

Petrol station stores tended to sell factory-made (FM) cigarettes at slightly higher prices than recommended retail price (RRP). In contrast, supermarkets and tobacconists sold FM cigarettes at much lower prices – with consistent discounting. Per stick sale prices were also significantly cheaper in supermarkets than in petrol stations and tobacconists. A clear gradient of per stick price was observed across the market segments – from super-value to mainstream and premium brands. In addition, a gap between the cheapest FM and cheapest RYO 0.7 gram-cigarettes progressively widened over time.

Cheapest Online

The prices smokers report paying for tobacco store online products have been tracked in some studies. This approach can provide important insights into price as experienced by consumers. It can also help to examine the relative affordability of cigarettes compared to other goods and services, and smokers’ income-earning capacity.

Reported prices for FM cigarettes tended to be lower than the recommended retail prices published by trade associations. This gap was more pronounced for cheap cigarettes online in Australia, and the degree of difference grew over time.

In-shop studies conducted in major cities have shown that supermarkets tended to offer the lowest per-stick prices for cigarettes sold in cartons. These prices were substantially lower than those available in petrol stations and independent retailers.

In addition, lighter cigarettes tended to be more affordable than heavier ones, due to the combination of an excise tax based on weight with ad valorem fees based on wholesale value. These factors have driven the introduction of large pack sizes in Australia, unlike most other countries that rely solely on excise taxes.

[usedcarmania]

Kia Sportage Reviewed By Experts

It’s easy to get lost in the crowded world of family SUVs but the Kia Sportage for sale looks equipped to stand out at the front of the pack.

The Sportage has dramatic styling in line with the firm’s flagship electric car – the What Car? Award-winning Kia EV6 – and there's plenty of substance behind those boomerang-shaped headlights.

Let's start with the engines. They're all petrols, and some come with hybrid assistance to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. The entry-level choice is available with a manual or automatic gearbox, and if you go for the auto, you get mild-hybrid (MHEV) technology.

If you're looking to maximise traction, you can opt for four-wheel drive on top-spec models. There are plenty of trim levels to choose from, with even the entry-level version (called the Sportage 2) coming with all the essential kit you’d need.

 Kia has also given the Sportage a competitive starting price. The cheapest model undercuts the Tucson as well as the Honda ZR-V, the Mazda CX-5, the Peugeot 3008 and the Renault Austral putting it in close competition with the Nissan Qashqai, the Seat Ateca and the Skoda Karoq – all of which are seriously compelling family SUVs.

In this review, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to help you decide whether the Kia Sportage deserves a place on your shortlist. We'll rate it for performance and handling, practicality, running costs and more.

Performance & drive

What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is

Engine, 0-60mph and gearbox

Our favourite engine for the Kia Sportage is the entry-level one, the 148bhp 1.6-litre T-GDi. You can have a six-speed manual gearbox, but if you want MHEV technology, you need to opt for the seven-speed automatic gearbox, which is slightly hesitant but introduces the option of four-wheel drive (AWD). With the manual gearbox, we managed a 0-60mph time of 8.5 seconds, comfortably beating the 9.9sec official figure.

Further up the range is the HEV, with the 1.6-litre petrol engine tied to an electric motor for a combined 226bhp to the front wheels (four-wheel drive is available if you opt for top-spec GT-Line S). Aside from the hesitant auto gearbox, performance is pleasingly punchy – at our private test track, we recorded a 0-60mph time of just 7.2 seconds, which is quicker than the Ford Kuga hybrid and the Honda ZR-V. 

The PHEV offers even more power – 261bhp – but its pace isn't that different to the HEV's in everyday driving. You’ll keep up with town and city traffic at an adequate rate in full electric mode, and even when you switch to Hybrid mode, the petrol motor only kicks in at the very last second if you pin the accelerator pedal to the floor. For maximum performance, you’ll need to twist the drive mode dial out of Eco and into Sport to combine the petrol engine and electric motor’s output. The PHEV has AWD as standard.

Suspension and ride comfort

The Sportage does a better job of rounding off potholes and ridges than the closely related Hyundai Tucson and exhibits fractionally better body control than the Skoda Karoq.

It's not quite as comfy as the Volvo XC40 though, and that's most noticeable on GT-Line models, which have big 19-inch alloy wheels fitted, and the heavier PHEV. The best-riding version is the cheapest model: entry-level 2 trim comes with smaller 17-inch wheels and big balloon-like tyres.

The Sportage is a great motorway companion, riding over undulations very well and feeling settled at speed, as is the well-controlled Honda ZR-V. 

Handling

The Sportage has never been a contender for the best-driving family SUV but the current model’s cornering abilities are more than good enough. There's quite a bit of lean in the corners, but the grip is plentiful and the precise steering helps you place the car exactly where you want it.

We reckon the Sportage’s balance of composure and comfort will be a well-judged compromise for most. If you want something a little more rewarding to drive, we’d recommend taking a look at the Kuga or the Seat Ateca.

Depending on which spec you go for, the Sportage has up to four driving settings: Eco, Normal, Sport and Terrain. Eco is the most relaxed choice for everyday driving, with the lightest steering weight and a softer accelerator response to maximise fuel economy. The heavier steering weight in Sport mode helps you place the Sportage more accurately on the road.

Noise and vibration

The quietest Sportage in the line-up is the PHEV. Its ability to run on electricity alone makes it hushed on shorter commutes. The HEV isn’t as impressive, but can still whisper along over short distances in town and in stop-start traffic. The MHEV isn't as capable because it can’t run on electricity alone, but its stop-start system is smooth and it can cut its engine when you’re coasting. The manual gearbox has a bit of a notchy shift action, but the throw is light and accurate.

In the PHEV, while Sport mode combines the petrol engine and electric motor’s output for maximum performance, it wouldn’t be our default option for every journey because the sudden power delivery can be a little too blunt.

There’s a fraction more wind noise on a motorway than you get in the Tucson and XC40, but it’s still relatively hushed and there’s a lot less road noise than you get in the ZR-V. You’re not punished with a harsh-sounding engine note when you’re pressing on, either. The brakes on hybrid Sportages can be a little grabby due to the regenerative braking system, which feeds energy back to the battery as you slow down but makes the brake pedal slightly less progressive. That said, we’ve driven hybrids with more abrupt brakes.

Driving overview

Good ride comfort; composed handling; pretty hushed, even at speed

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

Driving position and dashboard

The Kia Sportage's interior looks smart and uncluttered, with controls that are grouped together and easy to find. You don't get full digital dials on entry-level 2 or GT-Line models, but the 4.2-inch cluster is perfectly adequate, clearly displaying info such as range, economy and driving assistance features.

Models in mid-spec 3 trim and above come with a larger 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a variety of layouts to choose from. The animated graphics are smooth and clear with a high level of contrast. The screen itself sits in line with the central infotainment display, resulting in a long, curved housing that stretches halfway across the dashboard.

It’s very easy to find a comfortable driving position in the Sportage, and there's enough adjustment to cater for most people. There’s also plenty of steering-wheel adjustment, and lumbar support for the driver is offered on all but the entry-level model, with electric adjustment as standard on 3 models and above. The firm bolstering is supportive for longer journeys, and GT-Line models have suede that helps grip you in place when cornering.

Visibility, parking sensors and cameras

You get decent levels of forward visibility from the Sportage driving seat. The large side mirrors help with rear vision, but the slightly narrow rear screen with thick rear pillars can make it harder to judge the car's rear corners in a tight spot.

Thankfully, all versions come with a rear-view camera plus front and rear parking sensors as standard. Top-spec GT-Line S models add a 360-degree camera, while hybrids also include a self-parking system. All models get automatic LED headlamps and auto wipers to help improve visibility in poor conditions.

Sat nav and infotainment

The entry-level 2 model Sportage has an 8.0-inch touchscreen with DAB radio, Android Auto, Apple Carplay and Bluetooth. All other trims get a larger, 12.3-inch screen with built-in sat-nav.

The graphics on the entry-level unit could be sharper but it's perfectly adequate, while the 12.3-inch screen is richer and responds to prods more snappily. That said, some of the text and icons are still on the small side, making them a little tricky to read at a glance or aim for when you're driving. The systems in the BMW X1 and the Mazda CX-5 have rotary dial controllers, which make them less distracting to use.

The entry-level Sportage has buttons below the infotainment screen, allowing you to easily change the stereo and climate settings. All other trims get a touch-sensitive panel with shortcuts for commonly used functions. It looks slick but the base car's buttons are easier to use. Higher-spec models have a wireless phone charging tray ahead of the gear selector, an upgraded Harman Kardon stereo and ambient lighting. There are two types of USB ports up front, and each front seat has a USB-C port for rear passengers to use.

Quality

The Sportage interior feels solidly put together, with nicely damped switches, a good range of materials used, plenty of squishy plastics and metallic-effect finishes at eye level.

Some of the plastics lower down are less pleasing, but they’re generally out of sight and have a higher chance of being scuffed anyway. It's a step above the equivalent Tucson but doesn't quite reach the premium heights of the X1 and the XC40. All models feature a leather-trimmed steering wheel, with a flat-bottomed one on sportier GT-Line versions.

Interior Overview

Well-laid-out controls; good driving position; parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard.

Graphics on the infotainment screen could be sharper; some prestige-badge rivals feel classier.

Passenger & boot space

The Kia Sportage feels quite airy for front-seat occupants, with a wide interior providing plenty of elbow room. Leg and headroom are impressive too, and while the panoramic sunroof that comes as standard on GT-Line S trim lowers the ceiling height a little, there's still enough clearance for anyone over 6ft tall.

Storage is generous, with door pockets that are large enough to take a bottle of water, a decent lidded centre cubby box, plus trays for a phone and keys, and two cupholders behind the gear lever. There's a good-sized glovebox.

The Sportage has a generous amount of space in the back compared with most family SUV rivals, with enough leg, head and elbow room to make two tall adults comfortable. There’s also plenty of space to tuck your feet under the front seats, and the outer rear seats are heated on 3 and GT-Line S models.

The panoramic roof, if fitted, compromises headroom in the back, and anyone taller than 6ft will brush their head against the roof lining unless they lean towards the centre. Thankfully, it doesn’t come as standard on our preferred 3 trim.

All models get pockets on the backs of the front seats, as well as two coat hooks and a fold-down centre rear armrest that houses two cupholders. The rear doors can hold a drinks bottle, but they open wide enough to create a large, almost square access area that is useful for loading children into their child seats.

Seat folding and flexibility

The rear seats in the Sportage are split in a 40/20/40 arrangement (rather than the usual 60/40 arrangement) for added flexibility. All models have handy levers in the wall of the boot that you pull to make the seat backs dropdown.

The rear seats can recline to allow passengers to lean back, but you can't slide them back and forth, as you can in the Audi Q3, the Ford Kuga and the Renault Austral, or remove them, like in the Skoda Karoq with the VarioFlex option.

Boot space

Entry-level 1.6-litre petrol models with two-wheel drive and a manual gearbox get a headline boot space figure of 591 litres, which is more space than in the ZR-V, the Qashqai, the Austral and the Karoq, and just fractionally behind the equivalent Hyundai Tucson. With an automatic gearbox and MHEV tech fitted, that drops to 562 litres.

The HEV has 587 litres and the PHEV has 540. Those are still big numbers by class standards, and we managed to fit eight carry-on suitcases beneath the parcel shelf of a front-wheel-drive Sportage HEV, putting it well ahead of the ZR-V and Austral that could only swallow six bags and on a par with the Tucson. 

All that means the Sportage should have no trouble handling your family's holiday luggage. The HEV’s flat floor lies flush with the boot opening, so it's easy to slide bulkier items in and out without a load lip to contend with. If you need to access the shallow storage area underneath, the floor can be flipped up and latched on to the base of the parcel shelf to keep it in place.

Practicality overview

Loads of passenger space; most versions have a big boot; rear seats split and fold flat in a versatile 40/20/40 arrangement.

Buying & owning

The starting price for the Kia Sportage undercuts the Honda ZR-V, the Hyundai Tucson, the Mazda CX-5, the Peugeot 3008 and the Renault Austral, but the Nissan Qashqai, the Seat Ateca and the Skoda Karoq have more affordable entry-level models. The MHEV and HEV versions cost more but remain competitive, priced just above the Tucson, but below an equivalent 3008. Better still, the Sportage is predicted to have stronger residuals than the Tucson. The PHEV places itself between the slightly cheaper Ford Kuga PHEV and the Tucson PHEV.

If you're looking for the lowest possible company car tax rate, the PHEV version will be the best. With its CO2 output of 25g/km and 43-mile electric-only range, it sits in the 8% benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax band, lower than the 12% rating of the Kuga and Tucson PHEVs. Even when driven in hybrid mode, you can expect to see around 50mpg (if you keep the battery charged).

The 1.6 T-GDi 230 HEV is pretty frugal, clocking up 48.7mpg in official testing, and 43.8mpg in our real-world test. That’s not as good as some diesels in the family SUV category but compares well with a lot of the petrols. The MHEV is a bit thirstier, but mid to high thirties MPG is easily achievable if the trip computer is to be believed.

Equipment, options and extras

The Sportage is not the cheapest family SUV of its size, but at least all models are well equipped, with the entry-level 2 model coming with 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, climate control and an electronic parking brake.

From there, the range moves up to the sportier GT-Line before working up to 3 and GT-Line S. Our favourite 3 trim is tempting because of its twin digital screens as well as heated front and rear seats (they’re electrically adjustable up front, too), keyless ignition and if you have the automatic gearbox, adaptive cruise control.

The GT-Line S combines sporty looks with all the kit but pushes the price up to the point where it’s far too high to recommend. What’s more, because it comes with a panoramic roof, it’s worth sitting in one just to check rear headroom is adequate before you buy.

Reliability

Kia as a brand came an impressive seventh out of 30 manufacturers in our 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey. That’s above Seat and Volvo but below Hyundai, which took fifth place. 

The Sportage itself also performed well when compared to its family SUV rivals, sitting well within the top third of the league table and drawing with the Karoq and XC40. The Tucson Hybrid came top of the table. 

Combined, those details mean that you shouldn’t have any worries throughout your ownership, but added peace of mind comes from Kia’s seven-year warranty. You won’t get that with the rivals – the closest is Hyundai’s five-year warranty.

Safety and security

When it was tested for safety by Euro NCAP, the Sportage was awarded the full five stars and scored well in all areas. The Tucson scored near identical scores in all safety categories but it’s hard to directly compare the two car’s scores because they were tested in different years and the tests become progressively more stringent.

Every Sportage comes with lots of safety equipment, including six airbags, automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and trailer stability assist. 

If that’s not enough, going for top-spec GT-Line S trim adds blind-spot monitoring, which displays a live feed from cameras mounted on the door mirrors as you indicate, and parking collision avoidance to the standard equipment list.

Costs overview

Competitively priced; holds its value well; market-leading seven-year warranty

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Review compiled by https://www.whatcar.com/

[kiunlo]

people are like "omg fuck cars look at what the car industry has down to our roads and neighbourhoods! something must be done!" and then GASP when they learn that not only do i not know how to drive, but i am in fact so extremely poor that even buying the shittiest cheapest car in the world is too expensive for me and would make me BROKE, and that's not taking into consideration the costs for the upkeep of said car, basic car insurance which is required for a car that's gonna be on the road here in australia, and also the money for petrol. like i do no think you realise just how severely fucking poor i am. i am rationing my own fucking food and you want me to learn how to drive? how about get some better fucking public transportation that doesn't suck fat cocks perhaps?

[hardynwa]

Subsidy removal: Expert warns as Nigerians convert power generators from petrol to gas

Nigerians have become more innovative following the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu on May 29. Tinubu’s sudden decision to stop the oil subsidy regime brought about a sharp rise in the price of petrol. From an average of N200, petrol now sells at a price above N600 per little. The hike in fuel price has affected the cost of transportation, as well as both tangible and intangible goods. While the government is looking for ways to reduce the cost of transportation through the conversion of petrol buses to ones that could use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), the authorities pay no attention to electricity power generators. Nigeria, as a nation, is still suffering from power problems. The nation has the lowest access to electricity globally, with about 92 million persons out of the country’s 200 million population lacking access to power, according to the Energy Progress Report 2022, released by Tracking SDG 7. The report, produced in conjunction with the International Energy Agency, International Renewable Energy Agency, United Nations Statistics Division, the World Bank and the World Health Organisation, indicated that Nigeria was followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 72 million, Ethiopia’s 56 million and Pakistan’s 54 million access deficits. DAILY POST reports that the nation’s power grid has continued to collapse at regular intervals, leaving the few powered communities in darkness for many days. To enjoy electricity in their homes, Nigerians resort to alternative power sources, the cheapest of which is the use of power generators of different sizes. The people run these generators with premium motor spirit, which has now become absolutely unaffordable for the poor masses. In an attempt to beat the amount of money spent on petrol, Nigerians have taken their destiny in their hands by converting their gasoline generators to gas. The first step in doing this is to change the petrol carburetor, a device for supplying a spark-ignition engine with a mixture of fuel and air. This will be replaced with a carburetor that uses gas. After this, there is the need for a gas cylinder and a long hose. The carburetor will be connected to the cylinder with the hose, from where it gets its new fuel. This means the tank of the generator has been rendered useless, but some said the carburetor could be used interchangeably for either gas or petrol. While the government recommends CNG for converted vehicles, people use Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the same gas they use in cooking, for these power generators. Findings by our correspondent confirmed that the use of gas for generators started as far back as 2014, but with a very insignificant number of people who accepted the innovation. Today, the high cost of petrol is forcing many into adopting the initiative. Apart from saving money, it has been said that the use of gas in powering generators reduces the emission of carbon monoxide and makes the engine last longer. It saves the environment and minimises the risk in inhaling fumes. However, members of the public are still very sceptical about the safety of running their generators with gas. Many are scared that there could be explosions and have decided not to convert their gasoline generators. The silence of the government on the new development is not helping people in making informed decisions. Also, experts are not contributing to the discussion as the conversion is left in the hands of technicians and mechanics, who may not understand the pros and cons of the new idea. Speaking with DAILY POST, Barr. Kehinde Bamiwola said he had converted his generator from petrol to gas over a month ago. According to him, he now saves half of what he usually spent on petrol daily for his 6KVa generator. Bamiwola said he understands the concern for safety, noting, however, that the same gas used for cooking with flames in the kitchen could not become more dangerous when being used with generators outdoors. Sulaimon Babatunde, a resident of Abeokuta, described it as safe and economical when he said: “It’s very safe and affordable, that’s what I have been using since five days ago and my 12kg gas has never finished.” So far, the testimonies of those who are using LNG for their power generators have shown that they have been able to reduce what they usually spent in fueling their power generators, but the questions about safety remain unanswered by those who should know. Expert speaks A Mechanical Engineer in Ogun, Kolawole Ogunwemimo, said the use of gas for power generators is cheap, but it calls for caution. Ogunwemimo stated that: “Leakages in Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, are not easily noticed and are prone to explosion if not well handled and maintained.” He explained that, “A converted petrol engine to LPG will have less efficiency because it was not originally designed for such fuel compared to an engine that is designed for such, though it might be more cost-effective than PMS. “We must emphasise that they are prone to explosion if not well maintained and monitored. This is where the government should come in and enlighten the masses.” Amid this discussion, some have suggested that Nigerians should embrace solar as their alternative source of energy, while they also call on the government to overhaul the power sector and save Nigerians from the hazards in seeking alternative power supply. Read the full article

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on http://yaroreviews.info/2023/05/supermarkets-investigated-over-food-and-fuel-prices

Supermarkets investigated over food and fuel prices

Getty Images

By Michael Race

Business reporter, BBC News

Supermarkets are being investigated by the competition watchdog over high food and fuel prices.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it would look at whether a “failure in competition” meant customers were overpaying.

Supermarkets said they were working to keep food prices “as low as possible”.

But an investigation into the fuel market, which has already started, has found some supermarkets have increased margins on petrol and diesel.

The CMA said evidence suggested at least one supermarket had set a higher target for its margin on fuel prices in 2022, which could have led to rivals following suit and raising prices too.

The BBC has contacted supermarkets individually for comment.

Asda said it would work “in full-cooperation” with the CMA and added it was “focussed on providing our customers with the best value at the pumps”.

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the BRC, said supermarkets were “confident” that they were “doing all they can to keep food prices as low as possible”.

“The UK has one of the most competitive markets for food in the world, and as global prices begin to fall we are confident that the competitive nature of the industry will help food inflation fall as a result,” he said.

Higher food prices have been hitting households hard in recent months, and some have questioned why a drop in the cost of wholesale food globally has not led to falls in the prices charged by UK supermarkets.

Supermarkets have said there is typically a three to nine-month lag to see price falls reflected in the shops.

But the war in Ukraine has driven up food prices around the world, and the UK has faced other problems on top of this – from Brexit red tape to labour shortages.

Sainsbury’s and Unilever deny prices are too high

Why are prices rising so much?

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell, said the watchdog recognised that “global factors” were behind many grocery price increases and said it had seen “no evidence at this stage of specific competition problems”.

She added due to concerns about high prices, the CMA was “stepping up our work in the grocery sector to help ensure competition is working well and people can exercise choice with confidence”.

Ms Cardell said the watchdog was “concerned about the sustained higher margins on diesel compared to petrol we have seen this year”.

She said her team was not satisfied that all the supermarkets had been “sufficiently forthcoming with the evidence” on fuel pricing, and said bosses would be called in for formal interviews to “get to the bottom of what is going on”.

The CMA said although supermarkets still tend to be the cheapest retail suppliers of petrol and diesel, evidence indicated “at least one supermarket” had significantly increased its margin targets last year.

“Other supermarkets have recognised this change in approach and may have adjusted their pricing behaviour accordingly,” the watchdog added.

The CMA noted while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had caused prices to rise, higher pump costs could not be “attributed solely to factors outside the control of the retailers”.

It said the higher prices at the pumps appeared to be in part due to “some weakening of competition” in the UK fuel retail market.

A review of the fuel market has been ongoing for several months, over initial concerns that retailers and forecourts were failing to pass on a 5p fuel duty cut to motorists.

Petrol prices dropping too slowly, says watchdog

Petrol pricing is cause for concern, warns watchdog

Motoring groups claimed the findings from the CMA confirmed what they had been campaigning on for some time – that drivers were not getting a fair deal.

In December, the CMA said it found evidence that so-called “rocket and feather” fuel pricing happened in 2022, when fuel prices rise as wholesale costs rise, but then fall more slowly than costs come down.

“If ever a business sector needed a major shake-up, it’s the fuel trade – critical to the cost of living, family finances, transport costs and inflation,” said Edmund King, president of the AA.

Simon Williams, fuel spokesman for the RAC, added: “Something badly needs to change to give drivers who depend on their vehicles every day a fair deal at the pumps. We hope even better news will be forthcoming later this summer.”

Related Topics

Competition and Markets Authority

Supermarkets

Food

Fuel

More on this story

Petrol pricing is cause for concern, warns watchdog

8 July 2022

Petrol prices dropping too slowly, says watchdog

6 December 2022

[regard-luxury]

Koenigsegg Gemera The Four-seat Family Hypercar

Its sunray dial features an icy blue end and is detailed with applique index and Super-LumiNova coating stuffed in the markers and arms. A giant date window is positioned at three o'clock, while a circle‑shaped energy indicator rests at 9 o'clock. Inside, the mannequin presents a manufactured BR CAL 323 movement with a 70-hour reserve, with its personalized weight and rim-inspired design showcased via the transparent case again.

For a photoshoot, Koenigsegg has rolled its latest hypercars, the Gemera and Jesko Absolut, onto its take a look at observe to permit its fans have a glimpse of the 2 astonishing machines. The Gemera has iconic Koenigsegg dihedral synchrohelix actuation doorways which have been extended to create extremely large doors. The Gemera and DaVinci characteristic one massive door on all sides, giant sufficient for both the primary koenigsegg gemera and second-row seating to get in and out of the automobile with none awkward shuffling or pointless squeezing. As a self-proclaimed Koenigsegg fanatic, I was overwhelmed by the reveal of the Gemera, that is, till the doors opened. Would still be as expensive as any Koenigsegg usually is while the small production run would imply that it would finally be a billionaire play thing.

Gemera production shall be limited to 300 units at an unspecified price. That's unique even in comparison with many different hypercars, but will still make the Gemera the most koenigsegg gemera prolific Koenigsegg thus far. There's a self-leveling graphics screen in the middle, and haptic touchscreen buttons too.

Before these second-generation renewable gasoline sources are more accessible, the Gemera can also be driven on E85 and of course, with standard petrol. The TFG is complemented by three electrical motors, and the mixed powertrain provides a total output of 1,700bhp, with an immense 3,500Nm of torque. It drives by way of a patented single-gear Koenigsegg Direct Drive transmission, which additionally houses a light-weight 800V battery that enables the Gemera to run purely on electrical energy for up to 50km. Sweden's Koenigsegg continues to push the efficiency envelop like no different.

The Koenigsegg Gemera maintains recognizable Koenigsegg traits like its wrap-around jet fighter inspired windshield, the hidden A-pillars, the easy shapes, the brief overhangs and the massive side air intakes. Worlds largest curated database of the speeds of every thing. From top tier athletes to speed koenigsegg gemera that nature transfer all the best way to synthetic machines. The model is sweet however so many problem with this mod, measurement incorrect, suspension's conduct all inverted and too wooble, lastly it crashed the sport after a couple of minutes of driving.

Like other Koenigseggs, the Gemera's interior is crafted from some very expensive supplies, and the instance automotive reveals the seats and headliner completed with brilliant yellow suede. All 4 seats look ready to battle the g-forces the automotive will inevitably create, and there are eight different cup holders scattered around, half of that are heated and half of which are cooled. There's a big ol' infotainment display screen floating lifeless heart in front of the dashboard, whereas the squarish steering wheel rests in entrance of a smaller gauge display screen.

The latest supercar information, rumors, critiques and extra delivered to you each week. Well, you may must pay a starting MSRP of $1.7 million, which technically makes this the cheapest Koenigsegg money should buy. Just 300 Gemeras might be produced, though, which also makes it one of the extensively available vehicles from the Swedish automaker. How do you evaluate a automotive just like the Gemera to anything else in existence? A Bugatti Chiron might need the efficiency and luxury, nevertheless it lacks the four-seater capability of the Gemera, and a Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid would possibly offer seating for four, but it's nowhere close to as powerful.

Being the primary all-wheel-drive model, the Gemera has all-wheel steering and torque vectoring. In line with other Koenigsegg fashions, the chassis has a carbon fibre monocoque with aluminium sub-structures. The automobile features electronically adjustable ride top and a titanium exhaust system manufactured by Akrapovič. In addition to being Koenigsegg's first four-seater, the Gemera is also the manufacturer's first all-wheel-drive mannequin, complete with all-wheel steering and torque vectoring.

[truststandard]

Price of oil market watch

#Price of oil market watch how to#

Go easy on the accelerator until then, Mzansi! Petrol pump. The final overall price decrease (hopefully) will be confirmed later this month with the new price coming into effect at midnight on Tuesday, 6 September. The report provides a detailed analysis of key developments impacting oil market trends in world oil demand, supply as well as the oil market balance. wet look pant, snowman stocking holders, standing workout, selling feet. The OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) covers major issues affecting the world oil market and provides an outlook for crude oil market developments for the coming year. oil prices end at lowest since January natural-gas futures rally to a 14-year high MarketWatch. Shop the cheapest selection of oil price marketwatch, 52 Discount Last 4 Days. shale oil producers are in line to suffer more than 10 billion in derivative hedging losses this year if oil prices remain around 100 per barrel, Rystad Aramco Stands Ready To Boost Oil. crude supplies drop by more than 7 million barrels MarketWatch. READ | ‘Ketchup, toothpaste’: EIGHT petrol-saving hacks to be wary of Oil prices post first gain in 4 sessions as weekly U.S. The rand remains at the mercy of the broader global environment and any shift in sentiment could see the currency tumble. Oil prices hit a high of $117 per barrel in June, but dropped to an average of around $105 per barrel in July.įor months the rand has been working against local fuel prices, with its weaker position in the market undercutting the benefits from lower global oil prices.Īt the time of publishing the rand/dollar exchange rate is R17.02/$1. Futures Overview Brent Crude Oil Continuous Contract, 95.09, -1.63 Natural Gas Continuous Contract, 9.441, 0.105 RBOB Gasoline Continuous Contract, 2.9605. However, that price has subsequently risen to $96.09 and if that trend continues, it could yet mean the petrol price decrease won’t be anywhere near as much as initially predicted. Those are the international price of petroleum products, driven mainly by oil prices, and the rand/dollar exchange rate used in purchases of these products.īrent crude was trading around $93.71 a barrel on Thursday last week. Local petrol price fluctuations are impacted by TWO main factors Since, commodities are frequently used as input in the production of goods or services, uncertainty and volatility in commodity prices and raw materials.

#Price of oil market watch how to#

ALSO READ | Petrol price savings: How to find cheaper fuel in your area Two factors impact petrol price change

[mobogiant]

Vietnamese Report - Gasoline is Reduced by More Than 800 VND

Vietnamese Report – Gasoline is Reduced by More Than 800 VND

Petrol and diesel prices were adjusted down on April 12, which will bring the price of fuel down by around 2,500 VND per litre. The retail price of RON95 bio-fuel, a biofuel that is produced by using a process similar to that of petroleum, fell by more than 800 VND to 27317 VND a litre. Diesel costs 24,380 VND a litre. Low fuel prices have raised concerns about rising inflationDespite recent…

[mapsontheweb]

Average Petrol Prices across Europe, the USA, and Canada.

by u/LjSpike

I saw this map posted by /u/maps_us_eu, and credit to them it does succeed at a lot of things many maps fail at, but given it's such a comparably simple piece of data to represent, and the fact that this was being heralded in a few comments as an example of a perfect map, I thought I'd quickly smash one together.

It was made using www.mapchart.net with a little labelling in Paint.NET all manually in just an hour.

SOURCES:

For the USA prices, I used this source (https://www.gasbuddy.com/usa) instead, as it let me see all states in a table.

For Canada, I used this source (https://www.caa.ca/gas-prices/) in combination with this source (https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Canada/gasoline_prices/) to make sense of why caa.ca's figures were so high (I assume Canada multiply their figures by 100, for whatever reason).

For Europe I also used cargopedia (https://www.cargopedia.net/europe-fuel-prices) and supplemented it with data for Monaco (https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Monaco/gasoline_prices/), Liechtenstein (https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Liechtenstein/gasoline_prices/), and Montenegro (https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/Montenegro/gasoline_prices/) and used a news report to estimate for Kosovo (https://euronews.al/en/kosovo/2022/06/13/price-of-fuels-in-kosovo-reaches-e1-90-euros/).

EXPLANATION OF DECISIONS IN MAKING THIS MAP:

Firstly, the colour scheme is colourblind friendly to all three most common forms of colourblindness (Protanope, Deuteranope, and Tritanope), although tritanope viewers sadly don't get a rather intuitive colour for the scale. It also applies a dark/light/dark scheme (avoiding white) for the colours so as to help improve the ability to distinguish colours and spot extremes easier.

Secondly, I have included all of Europe, because including just the EU is peculiar frankly, and granted /u/maps_us_eu did include data for non-EU countries, but in such a way myself and several others did not even notice them at first, as they're just randomly placed in a little cluster of boxes. Usually you would do that for microstates such as Monaco who would be too small to see, or countries such as Iceland which may be far off the map, but neither of those apply for the UK, Norway, or Switzerland, and Hawaii and Alaska got to be represented with full size and shape of their states (albeit shifted of course in position).

Thirdly, I decided screw it, the US data is going to be inevitably boring without a very granular scale, so I would include in Canada too, because CAN/USA is probably a more relevant comparison than USA/EUR (or USA/EU), this way we've got all three major regions of the "Western World".

The Vatican City (and I guess technically a couple of North African countries) are the only states on the map without data, so the Vatican isn't shown and only a trace outline of North Africa is present.

For other small regions, such as D.C., Monaco, Andorra, etc., a small circle with the appropriate colour is shown at their location.

A different set of thresholds for the key is used, with 6 as opposed to 5 colours, this is to provide a better distinction of what is going on in Europe. If I were to spend more time on this, I'd actually see if I can remain colourblind friendly while adding a seventh category marking "less than EUR 0.9/L", it would better distinguish the US states and show Missouri, Florida, Wisconsin, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas as the cheapest states for fuel. That's a clear oversight on my part.

I intentionally have chosen not to include the exact values, as I suspect slight errors due to currency could've been introduced, and the days for the data in different nations/regions differs a little, plus they are national/state averages anyway, so I think omission of putting on the figures is appropriate and helps make the map less busy.

I didn't include the miscellaneous data of population, landmass area, or a scale bar, this is superfluous to what is being shown.

As for showing the key in $/Gal or CAN/L, then I'd also have to justify why it's not got data in every non-euro country currency, and I'm also being a little lazy, this really is just to showcase a few bits about mapmaking so that hopefully we can all improve our maps a little bit.

ERROR:

I did not notice when making, but caa.ca didn't list data for the three northern territories, and as I did the prices in descending order and many US states were in the lowest bracket, I'd assumed the three Canadian territories were in there too (did not realise until this morning that Canada has territories and provinces), and so I coloured them as the lowest price bracket.

The three northern territories instead have no data, this is entirely my fault and I apologise.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro fumes at UK petrol prices during visit for Queen's funeral

Jair Bolsonaro recorded a video at a central London petrol station as he tries to score points with voters ahead of Brazil's election next month.

Brazil's president used his trip to the UK for the Queen's funeral to stop at a petrol station and post a video about the cost of fuel.

Jair Bolsonaro stood on a Shell forecourt on London's Bayswater Road and pointed at the price of unleaded on the electronic sign.

He said the 161.9p per litre cost was "practically double the average of many Brazilian states" and claimed fuel in his country was among the cheapest in the world.

The video was posted the night before the Queen's funeral and was criticised by some on social media, who said it wasn't a fair comparison as Brazil's minimum wage is many times lower than the UK's.

Continue reading.

[majimemegoro]

For the occasion of Majima’s birthday, I present for your reading pleasure, the opening sequence of my 80k+, nearly-complete magnum opus: Livin in the Future

One morning Majima wakes up and before he even opens his eye, something is different. The taste of the air? The heat? The window is open - which is strange, because he had the air conditioning on last night - and the sounds of the street drift in much too clearly for a penthouse apartment. The early morning smog carries the strong flavour of petrol, making him wrinkle his nose against the way it grates on the slight pressure of a hangover headache. It’s an extra-pungent smell he isn’t used to; more like a clunky old car in the country than most of the sleek vehicles in Kamurocho. And, again, not something he should be smelling in this sort of ritzy apartment. He hopes it isn’t some kind of chemical leak. He’d hate to have to beat in the kneecaps of the utilities guys. He opens his eyes - his eyes - and the world around him is yellow: cracked ceiling, tiny apartment cast in sunlight coming through the ugly, fluttering curtain, beat-up transistor radio, empty bottles on the counter - and he recognizes the morning, like he recognizes the distinctive feeling of a punch to the gut from Saejima: intimately. It’s the morning of April 21st. Nineteen eighty-five. So Majima has had strange mornings before, but never like this. He slaps himself in the face really hard. And if the vividness of the smells and sights and his clarity of mind weren’t enough to prove that this isn’t some phantasm, some especially realistic dream or nightmare or trip or hallucination, the sting of the slap is. Enough to prove it. He jumps up from the section of the floor that is his bed, and adjusting to losing his depth perception was hard, but apparently adjusting to getting it back is going to be harder, because he misjudges something and winds up throwing himself across the room into the counter, knocking some shit off it with a resounding crash that sets drunken swearing coming up from the apartment below. “Shut the fuck up!” he shouts back on instinct, stomping on the floor. A muffled series of bangs comes in response before the downstairs neighbour concludes the ritual by going back to sleep. ‘Grumble-san,’ Saejima used to call him. They never bothered learning his real name. They did a lot of shit wrong, Majima realizes. A lot of things that he would change if he could. It’s the morning of April 21st, 1985, and Majima has two eyes and Saejima isn’t in jail yet. Just like that, suddenly Majima is shaking. There is so little time to fix things. A few hours. His breath stops, while his heart flutters like a trapped butterfly. The feeling is something between frenzied hope and outright panic. He’s not used to getting second chances. He wants to stagger upright and sprint to Saejima’s house in his underwear and shake him like a puppy and spit at him and bite him until he understands, until he agrees to just fucking run away from all this and go be hermits in the woods or something, anything, because they can avoid all the heartache, all the torture and years of suffering and loneliness, mend the void between them before it ever existed, they can make things right- Except Saejima would never do that. He’s so young and fiery and stubborn, he’s just a kid with so much growing up to do. He would rather die than run away. And things haven’t been great between them lately anyway (1985 lately, same as in the present), and Majima has been more unstable than usual so Saejima will just think he’s had another break with reality like the night with the kitchen knife, and Saejima will just stick him somewhere he can’t hurt himself (with Shimano? No, Sasai?) and do the fucking job alone. And they’ll be back where they started. He needs to be smart. Majima sits down hard on the ground before his legs can collapse under him, bracing his hands against the grimy linoleum. His stomach grumbles and he looks down and - was he really ever this skinny before the hole? But he had so few scars? You fucking baby, he wants to say to his past self, you’re so lucky and so cocky and so naïve. But then - not as lucky as he had remembered. He crawls to the tiny beer fridge and opens it to reveal - beer. How revolutionary. A few sad-looking, dirt cheap cans of the stuff sit on the moldy shelf. He can remember the flavour like it was yesterday. (It was yesterday, for his tongue. The strongest, cheapest beer available, and watermelon.) No food anywhere in the apartment, if he recalls correctly, so he cracks open a can and takes a gulp, almost spluttering at the taste. Get a grip, old man, he thinks. You’re that used to the ritzy shit that you can’t handle a little convenience store drain water? It’s disgusting, but it’s the best thing he’s tasted in years. Because there across from him, hanging like a spectre from the curtain rod, is the black suit, carefully cleaned and pressed and set out for the day’s events. Majima crawls over to the radio and turns it on with a spurt of static, and he has a plan.

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

BYD Dolphin models revealed + more details about the world's cheapest EV

The Electric Viking

BYD Dolphin models revealed + more details about the world's cheapest EV.

P.S.  For comparison, Honda Jazz Hybrid: (Comfort e-CVT;  engine- 1498 cm3/80 kW / 109HP, petrol- 4,5 litres/100km; base model price - 21 200 €;  top spec Crosstar Plus trim -  26 850  €) Source official Honda dealership’s home page as published on July 23, 2021: hondawess.lv

It seems that the price parity between electric cars and internal combustion engine cars is much closer than oil lobbyists and legacy automakers believe. How do legacy car makers plan to compete with new electric car manufacturers and their battery technologies? Well, EU and USA legacy automakers are protected  in their domestic markets by trade barriers, political complications, and the distance to China! But, inside China’s automotive market and within other car markets in countries outside EU or USA...??? At such sticker prices,   BYD Dolphin has a good chance of disrupting not only the sales of electric cars of traditional car manufacturers, but also seriously compete with their internal combustion engine car models outside China...

[bmwiid]

So I’m failing at life in the worst way right now and everything hurts, nothing is good, everything seems to be not working as indetended including my body, my mothers body, my meal prep... nothing.

I came home from work and made a pasta bakes becuase they are the CHEAPEST thing in the world and although I didn’t have enough for a whole one type of pasta I mixed two? Fine. Possible. Probably even cool. Then I put the food in the oven and get doing some chores for the 45 mins it takes to make a pasta bake. 

Then I open the oven door and the stench. The stink. The ‘what the fuck died in here, quick count all the cats!!!” moment. (all currently looking at me like a hot mess, but okay. 

Turns out that I missread the instructions and was too hot with not enough water for the two pastas (some soak up more water?) so my pasta is like a brick. that reeks like I set it on fire with a fuckin blow torch.

HOWEVER, its my birthday this week and I got a scratchcard in my card from work (it’s like a little personal but not too personal thing they do) and I’d won £2!!!

SO I feel like the best because I got bread that goes off today but will last ok if I freeze it for 30p, 5 raspberry donuts for 40p also off today but they won’t last long enough to freeze, some cream AND a readymeal of mac and cheese for £2.40!!!! 

I went in with £2.50 and come out with change, mutherfuckers!!! 

for those that donated to my Kofi, I want to take a moment to just thank you all because I wouldn’t have even managed to get petrol in my car this week without your help. I feel so humble.

I just don’t understand how I can be actually okay with money (I don’t by clothes, I don’t drink or smoke or go out EVER) I pay my bills on time most months (this one doesn’t count) and STILL every single month I’m looking at my account in tears. I have everything down to the bare minimum with the exception of my phone plan because I need unlimited call and texts and internet for to keep in touch with mum.