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5 Telltale Signs Your Car Battery is Draining

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The origins of the first battery are shrouded in mystery and myths to this day; some say the first battery was invented 2000 years ago by placing an iron rod in the middle of copper cylinder inside a clay mold, some say it was invented in 1799 by an Italian scientist by stacking zinc, silver, and cloth. The rapid evolution of batteries started with Volta’s battery, with it being the first battery that could generate a constant flow of electricity. Batteries then continued being developed and around 1920 the first car battery which used electric starters to function has been invented. The typical modern car battery used nowadays is a 12V sealed battery that starts with electric starters and gets fed mechanical energy by an alternator which then it transforms it back to electrical energy.

Batteries are essential for the smooth operation of your car; if a battery dies out for any reason, you won’t be able to get the car running until the battery starts. An aging car battery or a random loose cable can cause a lot of electrical trouble which in turn causes a myriad of issues with the operation of your car. It may sometimes stump even the most experienced and professional mechanics to actually identify that a little battery misbehavior is the root of the mechanical issue at hand. Since without the battery your car would be useless, we’ll be demonstrating the most telltale signs that can help you identify, that your battery is starting to die on you.

1. Engine Not Starting

One of the most common battery problems that are usually triggered by saying “Can this day get any worse?”. When you turn the key and your engine cranks, yet still doesn’t start, this is a sign that there is something wrong with a battery, it could be caused by other mechanical failures but most of the time the battery turns out to be the culprit. Sometimes your ammeter may indicate that the battery is in good standing but that still doesn’t mean that your battery is putting out the right voltage. The good ol’ fashioned way to fix this is by using jumper cables with another running car battery to get it starting and then letting the alternator charge it up for about half an hour. But if you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with no available help on the horizon, there is another way to recharge your battery, a portable car battery or a jump starter will act as a power bank and charge your battery so you could at least temporarily drive to your destination or to the nearest mechanic.

2. No Sign of Life, Chief

If your car isn’t cranking, starting, and all the lights are off, then you should start pointing your finger, insulting the car battery, and kicking the car. That isn’t really a solution, but it may help you cool off depending on your situation. If the accessories in your car are all not working, then it’s the battery that is at fault 100%. If the battery is unable to crank the engine or turn on a headlight then you can start shifting some blame on the alternator as well. Headlights on but you still can’t crank the engine? Chances are that there is a mechanical issue at work here.

3. Intermittent Starting

When you find yourself hosting gambling events with bookies taking bets on whether your car is going to start today or not, then your battery could be facing a few issues; could be an issue with the cable terminals, broken or misplace; parasitic draw, where your battery is simply being drained for no apparent reason, a cable could be touching something that is draining it infinitely until it complete dead. You may need to do some manual work and roll your sleeves up and check the cables since most likely cables are the prime suspects, plus it is easy to check them yourself, confirm that all the cables are fitting with no wiggle room and that the terminals aren’t burnt out. If the terminals are at wrong here, do not hesitate to replace them as soon as possible. Parasitic draw is usually the culprit if it fails to start after it’s left idle for a day or two. If a cable check doesn’t resolve the situation then you may need to take it to a professional.

4. Time to Put It Down

The life expectancy of car batteries is from 4 to 6 years, once your battery hits the 3-year mark it is time to keep a close eye on your battery by having it professionally checked every 6 to 12 months to make sure it doesn’t betray you when you’re least expecting it to. The environment that the battery is in also is an important factor when judging the life expectancy; extreme heats can cause the battery fluids to evaporate, causing the internal structure to be put under constant stress that may shorten its lifespan drastically; cold weather makes the batteries’ job harder since the engine takes more energy to crank, while the battery is handicapped due to the cold weather it produces less energy as well. Constantly check for signs of weather damage to know the state of your battery at any given time.

5. Trying Too Hard

You may simply be a forgetful person, leaving headlights or internal lights on for a few hours, a bad alternator or a starter, there is no shame in jump starting your battery a couple of times, but if you find yourself constantly jump starting it, it could indicate that it is time to put it down and get a new one, even new batteries can fail if you jump start a few times in less than a week. Jump starting causes a toll on your batteries that you should avoid except for dire situations.

A Failing Battery Can Cause Mayhem | Some drivers can be fooled that just because the battery is new it won’t cause problems, over-jumping the battery can cause problems in alternators or starters. Keeping a portable battery charger is a very sound idea. Emergencies arise at random and having a backup plan can save you from a lot of hassle. Make a routine out of checking the battery every day or two so you don’t wind up jump starting it every couple of days. Take good care of your battery and your battery shall take good care of you.

Surrey604 is an online magazine and media outlet based in Surrey, BC. Through writing, video, photography, and social media, we secure an intimate reach to the public. We promote local events and causes.

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Job Searching While Unemployed: How to Get Hired Faster

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Are you looking for work? You’re not alone!

Don’t fret if you’re a part of this staggering statistic. All you may need to find your next gig is tips on how to do job hunting efficiently. Keep reading to find four tips to make job searching an easier task.

1. Fine Tune Your Resume

Your resume creates the first impression any employer will have of you. If you put yours together in haste or haven’t updated it in years, you’re doing yourself a great disservice.

Use a professional font that’s clear and easy to read. Choose a font size between 10 and 12 points. Take a look at resume examples from your industry. See what other people are putting on their resume to gather inspiration for yours.

Fine-tune your resume for each job you’re applying to. Include all your achievements that are relevant to the job opening. You want the recruiter to know within seconds of looking at your resume that you’re worthy of a callback.

If you’re still struggling, click here to see if using a professional resume writer will help.

2. Network

Networking is key to securing jobs in today’s tech-centric world. As the adage goes, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” Around 70% of job listings aren’t published, so if you’re only looking for jobs online, you’re missing out.

Social media is a great tool for networking. Use LinkedIn to find key contacts that can prove to be indispensable in your job hunt. Start a conversation with them and provide value in return.

3. Use Your Talents

It might be difficult to peg down a full-time job in the current economy. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look for work to fill the gap, however. If you have talents or expertise to provide employers, show them what you can do.

Apply for part-time or temporary jobs. Not only will they help pay the bills, but they’ll provide more job experience for your resume.

Consider freelance work. There are thousands of freelance jobs you can do from the comfort of your home if you have experience or talent. Become a copy editor, branding consultant, or social media manager to help you make ends meet.

Volunteering is another way to put yourself out there. While it won’t pay the bills, it can get you out of the house and help you build your network.

4. Don’t Rely on the Internet

As you already know, many job postings don’t get posted online before they’re filled. Other times jobs may already be in the final interview stage by the time you submit your application.

If you hope to secure a position with a specific company, reach out to them directly. Doing so may put you in touch with the hiring manager.

Applying to jobs online is so easy that many people apply to handfuls a day and never get a callback. Many job seekers applicants don’t take time to reach out to the company or their hiring manager since they feel applying online is enough. Don’t be like the other applicants; put yourself out there!

Job Searching Doesn’t Have to Be Hard

Job searching will be easier with our tips at your disposal. Remember to have patience, and don’t be afraid to reach out to potential employers.

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Ask a Local Licensed Insolvency Trustee About Debt Help

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Mounting debt can be a cause for stress and sleepless nights. Credit card debts, high-interest loans, and lines of credit build up over time, and if you over-rely on loans to get by, you can wind up in deep trouble. Just as it takes time to get into debt, it takes time to get out. But at a certain point, it can feel like an impossible task.

If you’re unable to increase your income or cut expenses or can’t make more than minimum payments, it’s time to find another solution. The good news is that even if you feel like the situation is hopeless, there’s always a way to find debt help. It’s time to talk to a licensed insolvency trustee.

Who Are Licensed Insolvency Trustees?

Licensed insolvency trustees are independent professionals. Although they’re regulated closely by the government, they do not work for the government or for credit companies. While they do evaluate your finances and help you by explaining your options, they don’t really work for you either, the way a lawyer might.

They’re tasked with finding a fair solution that will get you out of debt and allow your creditors to recover something. Licensed insolvency trustees most often work for a firm, such as Debt Help BC, a company that provides debt help on Vancouver Island including bankruptcy and consumer proposals.

Bankruptcy vs Consumer Proposals

Licensed insolvency trustees in BC are the only professionals who can help you file for bankruptcy or get a consumer proposal. These are two debt help solutions that can reduce your total debt, stop interest from growing, stop collection calls and actions, and put a fixed timeline on settling your debts.

The two tools accomplish the same result differently. In a bankruptcy, your debt is settled once:

  • Non-exempt assets have been sold and the proceeds disbursed to your creditors (such assets include vacation properties, second vehicles, home equity beyond a certain limit, etc.);
  • A portion of any surplus income over a government-mandated amount earned until your bankruptcy is discharged and disbursed to creditors.

A consumer proposal differs in several ways:

  • You make fixed monthly payments for up to five years without interest;
  • None of your assets are required to settle your debts.
Should You Pay Debt with Savings?

The answer depends on your personal finances. To a certain extent, if you can spare some savings to pay off high-interest credit card loans, that will be more affordable. The interest rates mean the earlier you can pay off the loan the more you save.

However, you could hurt your financial future if you drain your RRSP or liquidate assets to pay off unsecured debts. Debt help can settle your debts without draining your hard-earned savings. In a consumer proposal, your assets are unaffected, while even in a bankruptcy, RRSP contributions made more than 12 months before you filed are likewise protected.

There are also tax implications to withdrawing RRSP funds too early, and it’s inadvisable to touch them. Debt help is an effective and smart way to get out of insurmountable debt. Talk to a licensed insolvency trustee in BC about your finances today.

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My Top 15 Post-Corona Wishes

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1. A guaranteed universal income for “all” people living in Canada set at a living wage.

2. New incentives for employees to work from home whenever possible, and the option for employees to work flexible and reduced hours to improve quality of life and provide more time for leisure and recreation.

3. For home delivery of groceries, medicines, and other basic necessities to be a standard business practice.

4. For essential workers including grocery store clerks and cleaning staff to receive a decent honorable salary for working the front line.

5. For all levels of government in Canada to come together to put strict environmental protections and regulations in place.

6. For the countries of the world to do everything possible to end animal cruelty.

7. For educated, competent, and intelligent women like Dr. Theresa Tam and Dr. Bonnie Henry to be promoted to senior leadership roles in the private, public, and non-profit sector, including recruiting women everywhere to run for elected office at all levels of government including international organizations.

8. For governments to invest heavily in the prevention, treatment, and distribution of public health “critical and essential” goods and services so that we are prepared for the next outbreak.

9. For seniors residential care facilities to have an immediate “contingency” plan in the event of another virus outbreak.

10. For self-testing kits to be made available for everyone that provide immediate results.

11. For doctors with credentials from foreign countries with comparable education to Canadian medical schools to be allowed to practice medicine in Canada.

12. For Canadian federalism to continue to function as well as it has during the Corona virus outbreak in terms of political and non-partisan cooperation and elected officials looking out for the greater good.

13. For a special federal department be set up to respond to the immediate needs of at-risk marginalized populations during a crisis such as Indigenous communities, LGBTQ people, homeless people, and persons with disabilities, etc.

14. For the medical services plan to cover mental health counselling via phone and video sessions from social workers, counsellors, and psychologists.

15. For the people of the world to see each other as one humanity, where we all need to work together to solve global problems.

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Staying at Home: Mental Health Tips

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COVID-19 has dominated global headlines for the past few days, with the virus having an unprecedented effect on countries around the world. Citizens in many counties now have to stay at home to minimise the spread. With so much of the world experiencing anxiety and no idea as to how long this situation will last for, it is never been so important to prioritise our mental health.

Preparation

For those already on lockdown, this tip may have come a little too late, but if you can prepare, begin with a list. It is about being sensible and making sure you have everything you require including some distractions. Whether it is a new book, game or anything else, keeping your mind busy can help. Also, try to prepare yourself mentally and think about the challenges that you may come across during isolation.

Have Fun

Make time to have fun! If you are with your family, play games, do crafts and reconnect with each other. If you are alone, play games on your console with friends, on your mobile online. Whether it is adult online gaming at Mr Green casino, Scrabble or digging out the old Gameboys for some classic Pokémon fun!

Limiting News

At times like this, it is completely natural to want to access the news constantly but checking the live stream and keeping up with every update may not be the healthiest option. Furthermore, the information on social media is not always correct and it seems counter-intuitive to worry over things that may not be true.

Maintain a Schedule

One of the biggest challenges in staying at home is trying maintaining a schedule, but this can have a significant effect on our mental health. Maintaining your routine will help you to keep ion track, which is especially important if you will be working from home.

Get Creative

Write poetry, paint pictures or make music! Keeping a written journal can be a great way of verbalising your emotions or maybe you could start that novel you have been thinking about. If you are more artistic than lyrical, express your creativity and make art or paint a picture.

Social Contact

By this point, we are all aware of the importance of social distancing, but maintaining social interaction is still essential. Keep up with your loved ones and call them for a chat to catch up. For those who live alone, keeping up social interaction is likely to be more difficult. Luckily, we live in a time where virtual technology has made this possible. However, we also need to consider our social responsibility for others, especially our loved ones who are high risk and potentially completely isolated. Try setting them up with virtual technology such as Skype and ensure they know how to use it.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Take time to breathe and live in the moment. Practising mindfulness can have a significantly positive effect on our mental health and wellbeing by helping to reduce feelings of anxiety. Check out guided meditations on YouTube or download an app like Kalm or Headspace. You could also have a look at grounding techniques. For example, take a moment to take in your surroundings and find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

Remember, this will pass. In the meantime, wash your hands, practice self-care, and stay safe.

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Surrey should expect folks from large cities visiting quite soon

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Covid-19 has a sweeping effect on the world. It has had a devastating effect on economies around the world and also led to canceling and postponement of many prominent events. Euro 2020, a quadrennial event that gathers a lot of football fans around the world has been postponed until 2021. Tennis tournaments – halted till June, Bitcoin price – fallen. This is only a partial list of problems that coronavirus brought to the countries.

A lot of countries declared a state of emergency to contain the spread of the virus. If we compare big countries to each other, Canada has been less affected by the virus. There have been 1470 infected so far. It is no surprise that Canada might see an inflow of folks from various countries. Surrey, in particular, should expect a lot of people from large cities and this article will examine the outcome of it.

What has been the situation in Surrey?

Even though Canada is relatively safe right now, the situation in Surrey has been tense so far. Residents have complained that fellow citizens do not follow the rules of social distancing – a lot of people are walking around the street, feeling they are immune to the virus. Of course, this has sparked discontent among residents who want to protect themselves from the virus as much as possible.

The gambling industry has been particularly affected by the virus. Several casinos in Canada as well as in the rest of the world were closed due to Covid-19. The main reason for this has been the limitation of public gathering places. You know that casinos are always crowded and there are a lot of people constantly playing various games. Going to ‘real’ casinos has been halted temporarily and that is why citizens have turned to switch to brand new Canadian online casinos 2020 while they are in quarantine. Not only it concerns Surrey’s citizens, but foreigners from large cities who will visit the place very soon will certainly try online casino games because there is simply nothing else to do. It is also important to point out that Canada is famous in the world for the gambling industry and online casinos are slowly gaining football in the country.

What will the massive arrival of people change in Surrey?

Actually, a lot of people means that the virus will spread faster. Covid-19 is a type of infection that has been unknown to the doctors throughout the whole time. It is contagious and spreads quickly, so Surrey will become more impacted by a coronavirus. What people can do is to keep themselves away from public gathering places as much as possible and temporarily postpone any activities there were planning to do in the recent period.

Not only it concerns the local inhabitants, but tourists should also be aware of that situation. And if the situation gets out of control, Canada will suffer from the consequences and it should take an example from its European counterparts.

How long will the situation last in Canada?

It would be careless to predict precisely how long the virus will roam around the world and Canada. As Donald Trump declared, it is still a long way to overcome the illness and worse waits ahead. Canada has currently 20 deaths and over 1,000 infected. That is a very high number. Keep in mind that one of the prestigious leagues in Canada has been postponed over the fears of the virus. It has also declared that the country will not send its athletes to Tokyo 2020. More likely, the situation will be active for three months at a minimum.

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