To the new comer, use this information as a foundation for your ongoing jewelry education.The Facts About Platinum JewelryPlatinum is a precious metal that costs more than gold. It usually is mixed with other similar metals, known as the platinum group metals: iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium and osmium.Different markings are used on platinum jewelry as compared with gold jewelry, based on the amount of pure platinum in the piece. The quality markings for platinum are based on parts per thousand. For example, the marking 900 Platinum means that 900 out of 1000 are pure platinum, or in other words, the item is 90% platinum and 10% other metals. The abbreviations for platinum - Plat.

or Pt. - also can be used in marking jewelry. Items that contain at least 950 parts per thousand pure platinum can be marked simply platinum. Items that have at least 850 parts per thousand pure platinum can be marked with the amount of pure platinum and the word platinum or an abbreviation (for example, 950 platinum, 900 Plat. or 850 Pt.).

Jewelry that contains less than 850 parts per thousand pure platinum, but has a total of 950 parts per thousand of platinum group metals (of which at least 500 parts is pure platinum), may be marked with both the amount of pure platinum and the amount of the other platinum group metals in the piece. For example, the marking 600 Plat. 350 Irid. means that the item has 600 parts per thousand (60%0 platinum, and 350 parts per thousand (35%) iridium, totaling 950 parts per thousand of platinum group metals, and 50 parts per thousand (5%) other metals..

I would like to make a couple of points, particularly as these subjects and fuel economy meet at the nexus of choice.

For years, I have watched drivers drive far in excess of the posted speeds or rational speeds for the conditions in which they found themselves. I have witnessed several situations in which the driver created or arrived at a dangerous situation as a result of this need for speed and I have had several opportunities to view the sad results of these choices. Many of these individuals will eventually either grow up or remove themselves from the gene pool. In the meantime, they will continue to drive in this manner, and many will drive this way into old age. I remember one long traffic jam in Utah that resulted from a driver's attempt to find out what his new Porsche "could do".

In the words of another truck driver on the scene, "It could kill him. That's what it could do."

However, let's just talk about speed from the viewpoint of fuel economy. I regularly see interviews with "the consumer" on TV. Often these people are bemoaning the money they have to spend on fuel. Daily, these people, or those just like them, blow down the road at high rates of speed when driving a few miles more slowly could result in appreciable real money savings, especially at today's fuel prices.

Many of these cars are hardly fuel efficient in the first place, and, when operating at such high speeds become super-gas-guzzlers! Many of these people also rush up to stop signs and stop lights, maintaining their speed or accelerating until the last minute before treading heavily on the brake. They seem to give no thought to the fact that accelerating to a place where you are going to have to stop is equivalent to throwing money out the window, not to mention simply wasting fuel and causing the next expensive brake job to arrive more quickly. For many, the simple act of looking at what is happening ahead of them and removing their foot from the accelerator before arriving at a point where they HAVE TO STOP could result in savings in fuel and money.

There are many fuel efficient cars available, including a wide and growing range of hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius I recently bought. But, there are a great many people who insist on purchasing gas-guzzling SUV's or so-called luxury vehicles, even when they are not needed! I recently took a trip in my very comfortable Prius and averaged approximately 56 miles per gallon. Interestingly enough, on the second day of my trip, I was passed by another Prius going about 70 miles per hour.

The owner had possibly bought a hybrid vehicle in hopes of saving money by improved fuel economy, but apparently chose not to change his or her driving habits (they went by too fast for me to see if it was a man or a woman driver) to get the maximum possible fuel economy.

I am sure that many SUV owners, as well as the rest of the public, wish they could save even a few cents on fuel. Properly inflated tires can help do this as can properly maintained cars in general. Every day, I see several cars with obvious low tires, and believe I can accurately assume that many drivers do not perform regular maintenance checks on their vehicles nor do they have regular oil changes done.

In an article I wrote about a year ago, I mentioned how a service station owner had pointed out to me years ago that his number of towing calls, tire sales, and vehicle repairs had increased since the advent of self-service gas stations and convenience stores. Relatively few people then, and probably not so many today, performed the regular maintenance chores necessary for optimum vehicle life and efficiency, as well as fuel economy.

These are just a few choices each of us has almost every day. Each is an opportunity to save money, lower personal expenses, and help, at least in some small way, to extend the dwindling resources available to all of us.

Accepting the responsibility to make these decisions and act on them as a mature and responsible individual is a way to reduce out-of-pocket fuel costs, as well as the depletion of a diminishing supply of petroleum for fuel and lubrication of our beloved vehicles.

Other choices we might make could include the use of synthetic lubricants, alternative fuels such as ethanol, particularly E85, or biodiesel.

Rather than simply demanding that the government should "do something", we should tell them what to do! We can demand that they choose to help expand the development of renewable energy technology, synthetic petroleum substitutes, and alternative fuels while ending the appearance of collusion between government and oil interests.

Our choices, and those of business and government, will determine the future conditions of life on this planet, as well as the current condition of our personal finances.
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The next scene shows the subwoofer pounding in their living room as they jump up and down and dance ? in their new house. The ad displays their new slogan, "The New Jetta ? It's all grown up ? Sort of."This fictional portrayal would most likely play out in real life with young people continuing to harass the downstairs neighbor with a noisy subwoofer, or more likely, they would install it in their new Jetta and disturb thousands of people wherever they happen to drive. Volkswagen isn't alone in their unconscionable advertising schemes. Manufacturers of 'Boom Car' audio equipment like Sony, Pioneer, Pyle and countless others use slogans like "Shake the living, Wake the dead" and "Disturb, Defy, Disrupt and Ignite" to pander their wares to those who have no consideration for the rights of others. Ford now offers a 'Shaker 1000 Audio System' 1,000 watt subwoofer in the new Mustang.

In addition to squealing tires and loud after-market mufflers people all across America will have the opportunity hear loud nerve-shattering music ? whether they want to or not.Saturn's new commercial shows a young father who talks about "cruising with his boys" with the stereo thumping with two young boys in the back seat.People in communities all over the U.S. and other countries are sick of hearing thumping bass in their homes at all hours. In cities and towns across America, angry citizens are passing stronger noise ordinances to combat this sort of obnoxious behavior. Laws regarding loud mufflers have been on the books for years but, enforcement is either weak on non-existent. In London, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) released a four part program about the ever-increasing noise problem on our planet called 'The Noisy Ape'.

The first 26 minute segment discusses the epidemic of boom cars and loud mufflers in Richmond Virginia. In another segment, Arline Bronzaft Ph.D. discusses her groundbreaking study on the effect of noise on students in classrooms. Noise pollution is a serious problem and many anti-noise groups have formed on the Internet in response. Noise pollution is ruining the quality of life for millions of people and it's time for our government legislators and law enforcement to take these issues seriously.

Companies that make and install noisy vehicle equipment should be held accountable for their conduct just like the tobacco industry. Second hand noise is just as serious as second hand smoke. Noise is nerve shattering to adults and frightening to little children.More information can be found at these sites:www.NoBoomers.comwww.NoiseOFF.comwww.lowertheboom.orgwww.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/129_noisy_apewww.csmonitor.com/2005/0210/p01s01-ussc.html.

In the event of an accident, ambulance services are provided if the vehicle covered by the extended auto insurance is involved in the accident. So buying an extended auto warranty gives one the peace of mind of knowing that if there are any repairable malfunctions to the car, it can be taken to the repair shop of one's choice and the cost of the claim will be covered by the extended auto warranty company. There are even some companies that provide a free rental car in the event that the car needs to go to the repair shop.

When buying an extended auto warranty, make it a point to negotiate on its price with the car dealer. This is because car dealers make a great profit with extended warranties, sometimes as much as the profit they make on a car. So don't pay more than two-thirds of the car dealer's asking price.

It is not necessary to buy the extended warranty immediately after buying a car, as you have twelve months' time to buy a warranty. The extended warranty can be bought not only from the car dealer, but also from a credit union or auto insurance dealer.

However, before buying, make it a point to shop around for the best price and coverage you can get. Make sure that on buying the extended auto warranty, you don't end up buying a double warranty, which is coverage for items covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Make sure that the extended auto warranty that you buy from the dealer is the car manufacturer's warranty.

Remember that the warranty begins on the day the warranty was purchased and not on the date the car is purchased..

Borders can also be placed at the top of a wall, the bottom, or in dead center for variating effects and design influences.Stencils allow you to create friezes as well. This is done simply by starting with a strong contrasting color at the top, and carried downward through gradually fading tints until they are lost in the general color of the wall There once was a pink and silver room belonging to a young girl, where the salmon-pink walls were deepened in color at the top into almost a tint of vermilion which had in it a trace of green. It was, in fact, an addition of spring green dropped into the vermilion and carelessly stirred, so that it should be mixed but not incorporated. Over this shaded and mixed color for the space of three feet was stencilled a fountain-like pattern in cream-white, the arches of the pattern rilled in with almost a lace-work of design. The whole upper part had an effect like carved alabaster and was indescribably light and graceful.This is an example of very delicate and truly artistic treatment of stencil-work, and one can easily see how it can be used either in simple or elaborate fashion with great effect.Irregularly placed floating forms of Persian or Arabic design are often admirably stencilled in color upon a painted wall; but in this case the colors should be varied and not too strong.

A group of forms floating away from a window-frame or cornice can be done in two shades of the wall color, one of which is positively darker and one lighter than the ground. If to these two shades some delicately contrasting color is occasionally added the effect is not only pleasing, but belongs to a thoroughly good style.One seldom tires of a good stencilled wall; probably because it is intrinsic, and not applied in the sense of paper or textiles. It carries an air of permanency which discourages change or experiment, but it may take a bit of practice to do well..

Often, employers know the total cost of co-pays and premiums but not the amount actually spent on health care, which could potentially be quite a bit less than is spent on pre-paying for health care through insurance companies. At the same time, doctors and providers are being paid the same for their services today as they were five years ago, even though health insurance premiums escalated over 70 percent during this same period of time. "The vast majority of medical payments that are processed by insurance companies are less than $100.00, costs for which insurance was not originally meant to cover," said Howard Danzig, the St. Louis-based cost management expert who founded ECCHIC. "Auto insurance doesn't cover the cost of replacing tires or batteries and homeowners' insurance doesn't cover the cost of fixing a faulty furnace, yet the reason medical insurance has become so cost prohibitive is because it is used for affordable, predictable expenses that should be paid directly to healthcare providers."ECCHIC is advocating a program that is based on cost efficiency and evaluation of actual claims costs.

By helping employers contain costs and only pay for the health care that is provided to employees, ECCHIC has substantially stabilized costs for participating employers, including a number of hospitals, school districts and private companies. Several ECCHIC employers have experienced unchanged budget and cost contribution levels for benefits for three or more years in a row with no decrease in benefits. Further, after detailed cost analysis, all participating employer groups are spending less than they would have using their old methods of shopping around for the lowest rates and adjusting benefit packages for employees.ECCHIC emphasizes that employer groups must access medical services at a non-inflationary discounted rate thus reducing the cost of benefits by approximately 30%. The group also educates employees on how to purchase major medical insurance efficiently to meet need and risk.Those interested in attending the ECCHIC seminar should register by calling 800-280-0010.Media contact: Jill BronaughTalonPR, Inc.785-224-1851e-mail protected from spam bots.

At the gas pump don't use premium fuel unless you have too. When you are pumping your gas don't top it off, gas can be wasted in fumes and by dripping outside your tank.The heavier your car, the more gas it takes to pull it. Remove heavy loads from your trunk and car as soon as they are no longer needed. Pulling a trailer can increase your gas load significantly.If you drive at the speed limit you will use less gas. Stop and go traffic and heavy brake action takes more gas, so limit the brake action, look for roads with less stop and go traffic.

Use your cruise control when you are on the highway. Brake gently when possible, and try to avoid fast starts. Keep up with your local traffic report online or on your local news, to avoid heavy traffic.It takes more gas to warm up a cold car than a warm car. Try to make all of your trips together. On days that you have a high volume of errands to run, map out your route so you can travel in one direction, so you dont have to back track using gas unnecessarily.A well-maintained car runs efficiently and saves gas.

Your tires should be properly inflated and rotated on a regular basis. Your car should have regularly scheduled tune-ups. Monitor your fuel levels and change air and fuel filter as needed. If you hear unusual noises, see black smoke, or the car seems out of balance, have these areas checked out immediately by a qualified auto mechanic.If your destiny is close enough to walk to, do so. Don't drive to the library around the corner from your home, the grocery store two blocks away for one gallon of milk, or the dry cleaners four blocks away.

All of these places are easily accessible by car and the exercise doesn't hurt either.Saving money on gas will also help the environment.Lois Center-Shabazz is the author of the 3-time award-winning book, "Lets Get Financial Savvy!" ISBN #0971979502, and the editor of the critically acclaimed personal finance website, www.msfinancialsavvy.com.About CenNet Systems:CenNet Systems publishes Websites and books about personal finance..

Use only clean-burning gasoline that not only accelerates your car's performance, but also helps clean out engine deposits and is safe to the environment.

Maintain your tires. Make it a habit to check your tires' air pressure at least once a month. Proper tire inflation not only prevents flats, but also saves you fuel and keeps your car and engine stable. Don't wait for your tires to get all worn out before you replace them.

Experts recommend that you switch tires every two to three years, depending in your usage.

Clean your air filters. Filters act to inhibit harmful particles (such as dirt and dust) from entering the engine. If you neglect cleaning your filters, bad air may pass through and cause expensive, even irreversible, damages.

Change your wiper blades regularly.

Remember that wiper blades perform the very important function of keeping debris out of your view, and they are especially helpful when you're driving in low light or bad weather conditions. Don't wait for your wiper blades to leave streaks or make noise before replacing them because by then, it may already be too late. Bad wipers can scratch your windshield and leave unsightly and annoying marks. If you can, try to change your wipers as the seasons change..

True to its name, the local quarries provided some of the highest quality stone for monuments in Washington.Pavement rapidly disappeared as I headed up the steep, one-lane road from Marble. I passed the U.S. Forest Service road sign that advised "4WD Only Beyond This Point" and my pulse quickened. I took the right fork and jounced slowly over twin ruts, the former road to an actual ghost town located some miles from Marble. As I rounded a bend blasted through granite, just wide enough to accommodate a horse-drawn wagon, I braked suddenly and gasped.

The road in front dropped off into a steep pile of rubble that clung to the side of a mountain, high above the roaring Crystal River. Even the twin ruts degenerated into a jagged surface of jumbled boulders and cobbles. At the base of the steep bank of talus, off the road, a dented, burned-out Chevy pickup rested in the weeds, a derelict from a previous adventure in decades gone by. I shifted into 4-Low and dropped the automatic transmission into "1", such a low gear that even at engine idle the Ramcharger jerked forward and crawled to the tune of rhythmically whining gears. Two feet from the edge of the road's drop-off, and mindful of the Chevy's fate, I began the bouncing, swaying descent.

Momentarily, the speedometer needle rose slightly from where it bottomed out at 5 mph, and it gently tapped the brakes. Too fast, perhaps 3 mph was more suitable. I crept down the ancient road, imagining how teamsters had once negotiated wagons over this treacherous track.At last I reached the bottom, where the road was pot-holed and covered with dirt, presumably settled-out flood sediment from the roaring Crystal River, whose whitecaps danced at a level only slightly lower than the road. After some time, I ascended a rise and came opposite a weather-beaten, yet picturesque mill perched high upon a jutting promontory of granite above the river. Giant wooden beams, shed from the structure after a punishing winter, whirled in the vortex at the base of the millrace, smashed to splinters as the thundering current relentlessly pounded them into the unyielding granite.

Beyond, the town of Crystal crouched alongside the road. Through town, the road had completely degenerated into a rutted, rocky, jouncing misery even at 5 mph. Rugged log cabin-type structures lined the street, constructed of rough-hewn square timbers notched together, boarded up and nailed shut. Aha, but I saw that this wasn't strictly a ghost town! The last house on the edge of town had a somewhat cared-for appearance, with a circa 1974 Ford pickup parked in front that prominently displayed a bumper sticker that advised "51% Nice Guy, 49% SOB. Don't Push It." No problem there, I'm just passing through.As I continued out of town, the lush, green valley of Lead King Basin was sprawled out before me.

I had broken out of the woods along the river bottom, and thick green grass sprinkled with yellow, blue, and white flowers swayed in the mountain breezes. All around, majestic, snow-capped granite peaks rose toward the sky, and the steep, jagged cliffs of the distinctively colored Maroon Sandstone jutted into the air. This is the same rock formation made famous in Colorado postcards of the Maroon Bells. I climbed the narrow jeep trail, carefully driving over a series of berms that, from the look of the surrounding prospect pits, had been piled up by a bulldozer to keep out the casual gawkers when prospecting had been more lucrative. I took a sharp left, and had to gun the engine to climb the steep, one-lane trail that ended at the boundary of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.

What a gorgeous sight, as the classic U-shaped glacial valley spread out before me. The daily afternoon rainshower had begun, and so I elected to remain in the shelter of the Ramcharger's backseat for the night. The giant windows afforded a spectacular view of the surroundings, and I gasped in awe as lightning bolts crackled from the snow-capped, granite peaks across the valley at my very eye level.The rain gradually diminished and ceased by mid-morning, and it was time to continue on my way. I rolled out of my parking spot, back onto the shallow, twin ruts that would lead me the short way back to the main jeep road. Suddenly, apprehension gripped me as I noted that the ruts, so easily climbed the night before, had a pronounced tilt from my present approach.

I had been proceeding at a relatively sedate 15 mph, but apprehension turned to panic as I felt the Ramcharger begin to slide sideways as gravity tied to pull it down the deceptively shallow, but increasingly steep slope into a shallow gully. For a split second I considered making a controlled, soft landing, but quickly realized that by the time I slid to the bottom of the shallow gully, the truck would be on its side with no hope of recovery. As an automatic reaction to avoid danger, I stepped on the brake and was horrified to feel the truck speed up as the tires broke loose on the wet grass and greasy mud. I could hear the slithering slap of wet, leafy fronds on the tires and felt my momentum increase, bearing me toward the declivity, as I screamed Oh, Dammit NO! Counter to panicked intuition, I clutched the ball of the transfer case lever and pulled it back sharply from 2-High into 4-High as I goosed the accelerator. Trying to slow down had nearly been disastrous, and my heart was pounding as I desperately hoped that the engaged front wheels would pull me back up onto the treacherous, deceitful twin-rutted path.

By now leaning crazily, the spinning front tires found purchase and arrested my lateral slide into the gully, as the Ramcharger regained the shallow, muddy ruts with a final fishtail. As I began to relax, I realized that within five seconds I would have a more serious problem. I had regained enough momentum to climb back onto the gently tilted trail, but as I crested a slight rise, I stared straight down, past the adjoining main jeep trail and out into space past the edge of the cliff. While congratulating myself on avoiding one disaster, I was now rapidly speeding toward another, since I now had enough momentum to careen down the hill, shoot across the jeep trail, and fly off the cliff. Recalling my Wisconsin winter-driving experience, I shifted the automatic transmission into neutral to disengage drive to the wheels and began gently tapping the brake pedal at a furious rate.

As the cliff edge loomed, I felt the truck slow and knew I had regained control. I crept down the steepest part of the rutted trail onto the main jeep road at the dizzying speed of about six inches per second. My heart was pounding, and my entire body was so tensed that I could barely command my leg to press the brake pedal, or my arm to shift into Park. I idled on the jeep road, as the adrenaline spasms rippled through my body and I tried to catch my breath. When I finally regained control of myself, I crawled along the greasy, shale-slicked road in 4-Low, and considered myself lucky to be leaving Lead King Basin..

No exceptions. Think of your engine as the heart of your car and motor oil as the lifeblood of the engine. One can't function without the other, so stay on top of your oil-change schedule.Rule #2 -- Find a good mechanic. If you don't do your own maintenance, find a shop staffed by ASE-certified mechanics (that's the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence). A good mechanic will listen to your questions and explain procedures clearly.Rule #3 -- Have your tire pressure checked at least once a month.

It's the best way to prevent unexpected flats. A service station attendant can quickly and easily perform the check. Also make sure to rotate your tires and check their alignment as part of a regular tune-up (or with every other oil change).Rule #4 -- Pay attention to warning signs. Of course, not every little thump or ping you hear spells disaster. Cars, like people, have their peculiarities, and you are sure to quickly learn what is normal for yours.

With a high-mileage vehicle, however, it's best to check out any symptom --- be it a sound, smell or feeling -- that seems the slightest bit abnormal. Remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.Rule #5 -- Pay attention to outward signs. If your car is leaking fluids, it can mean serious trouble. Keep an eye on the conditions of your driveway or regular parking space for stains or spots that can warn you of possible leaks. Castrol's GTX High Mileage Formulation motor oil contains special conditioners that help protect and maintain seals, thereby helping to reduce leakage -- a common problem in older, higher-mileage engines.

Rule #6 -- Schedule regular tune-ups. Even if your high-mileage car seems fine, that's no guarantee it is. Use tune-ups to ensure your car's major components are running smoothly and that they stay that way. Your oil should be changed, tires checked and rotated if necessary, belts checked and replaced, brake lines inspected, spark plugs and air filter checked and replaced, and fuel injector checked. A good way to top off a tune-up is an overall analysis of your car's engine, and undercar, safety and computer systems.Rule #7 -- Prepare your car for the seasons.

If you live in a sunny climate all year round, you can skip this step. For the rest of us, visit the "Ask the Expert" feature at www.castrolusa.com for a checklist of seasonal maintenance practices for your high-mileage vehicle. Preparing your high-mileage car to defend against the elements will lessen its chances of needing repairs and save you money in the long run. Rule #8 -- Check your fluids regularly. It's dangerous for your high-mileage car to get dehydrated, so be sure to keep an eye on its vital fluids.

Simply lift the hood and perform a quick visual check. Use the dipstick to check the oil level; a quick glance at the coolant reservoir will let you know if you need more cooling fluid. Rule #9 -- Store it properly. Storing your vehicle in a dry, temperate location when it is not in use will prevent disastrous wear and tear on both its interior and exterior. Garage your car whenever possible to protect its looks.Rule #10 -- Stay on top of safety features.

Nothing is more important than your car's ability to protect both you and your passengers. Air bags, antilock breaks and any other additional safety features that you may have added to your car should be carefully checked on a regular basis (when your car has a tune-up) to ensure that in the event of an accident, they will perform their vital, lifesaving functions. For more high-mileage vehicle maintenance tips, visit www.castrolusa.com..