Whether you own brand new alloy Dolce wheels or second-hand wheels, maintaining a great finish always requires some tender lovin’ care. After all, you’ve just spent a great deal of money on these luxury items, and they will be exposed to the harshest conditions of the road on a daily basis. The following is a quick guide to the proper care of your alloy wheels to ensure they garner the attention they deserve while out on the streets.

The hard work begins before you even fit your wheels. Start by coating the front, back, and surface of your wheels with high-quality car polish. Do this several times in a row to prevent road debris from sticking to the surface. Once your wheels are fitted, the best way to take care of them is to wash them with mild soapy warm water. “Mild” is the keyword here. At all costs, avoid using abrasive cleansers, electric buffers, wire wool pads, and car wash wheel cleaners. In addition, even your wheels distributor will agree that specialists and wheel cleaners don’t stand a chance against the shine you can get from your own sweat and hard work.

While the Bank of Canada has been optimistic about Canada’s ability to weather the economic storm pummeling the global economy, new data that shows that the 129,000 jobs lost in January and the number of bankruptcies up 50% compared to a year ago have darkened the economic outlook. Canada’s close ties with the U.S., which has been in the grip of recession for more than a year now, have made it susceptible to damage from the economic crisis. Now, analysts are saying that the latest data points to a long road to recovery for Canadians, and unemployment and bankruptcy rates are expected to climb higher as housing rates fall. Currently, the unemployment rate sits at 7.2% but could go as high as 9% before the year is over. Meanwhile, housing starts fell 11% in January for the fifth straight month. Not surprisingly, the Canadian dollar has been feeling the pinch and posting lows against the USD in forex/currency trading. To find out more about currency movements or locate a forex broker, be sure to check out the Forex Yellow Pages directory of companies.

If you’ve just begun your forex training, the curious case of the Japanese yen’s rapid appreciation in recent months even as the country’s recession deepens is a study in the incongruities of currencies. The Bank of Japan’s chief economist has called the economic decline the worst in the past 50 years of the country’s history. For the year starting April 1, 2009, the economy is expected to shrink two percent annually, the biggest drop since 1945. Compounding the bad news is the high unemployment rate. In December 2008, unemployment rose to 4.4% from 3.9% the month before, the steepest increase in 41 years as companies such as Nissan, Panasonic, and Hitachi all announced job cuts. Yet in the last year, the yen’s ascent has been practically unstoppable. The currency has rallied against 177 other currencies and has driven the USD into territory not seen for several years. The yen’s rally has been, at least in part, due to the so-called “flight to quality” effect that happens when uncertainty in the forex market causes investors to seek out less risky assets such as the yen. The question that remains now for investors is, “Will the yen continue to appreciate given Japan’s weak fundamentals?” You can get in on the speculation action by placing trades through forex trading systems such as 24FX.com.

Even if you can’t plan your Sicily vacation so that it coincides with the famous Agrigento almond festival in mid-February, now is still a good time to visit the island. Before Easter, Sicily is at its best, with clear spring light and reasonable temperatures. When the weather’s mild, take in Castello Normanno, built in 1072 by Count Roger I, and bask in the views of Mt. Etna and the coastlines. Or make a trip to the Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) and discover why Agrigento has been called one of the most beautiful cities built by men. Go now, before the big crowds trickle in for the summer. The Sicily Region’s official website (in Italian) is http://www.regione.sicilia.it/.

For many people, purchasing a white board over a blackboard is an obvious choice.  There are quite a few advantages offered by white boards.  However, that doesn’t mean that they are the perfect writing medium for your purposes.  Keep in mind the disadvantages that come with using them so that you won’t be in for any unpleasant surprises.

• White boards generally cost more than blackboards of comparable size.
• Using markers that aren’t designed for white boards can result in difficult to remove or even permanent marks.  Attempting to remove such marks can damage the board itself, although there are some techniques that are commonly used.
• Some people who are visually impaired have difficulty reading writing on dry erase boards.
• If someone writes left-handed, there is often a problem of smearing the writing that is already on the board.  This problem also occurs with chalkboards, however.
• Unlike chalk, it is difficult to tell when a marker is running low.

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