ast week thirty-six tortoises were released into desert near Las Vegas. The endangered desert tortoises were outfitted with small radio transmitters and GPS tracking devices attached to their green and brown shells.
All of the tortoises are being tracked with a VHF radio transmitter roughly the size of a $3 stack of quarters, and 24 of them are also sporting GPS tracking units double the height of a deck of cards but not as wide or long. The portable technology carried by the tortoises will make it easier for the zoo’s workers to learn about the creatures’ movement patterns and habitat conditions.
The San Diego Zoo placed the tortoises in the wild after they were nurtured at the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, a partnership between the zoo and federal and state agencies. This is the first time a high-tech GPS tracking device has been affixed to the exoskeletal creatures to monitor their movements. In 2009, the San Diego Zoo began partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversaw the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center. Last year, the center released 100 tortoises into the desert.
as prices have been rising and there seems to be no end in sight. For many cities across America, current prices are record high for this time of year. Gas prices are over $4 a gallon in 12 states plus the District of Columbia. Most analysts predict $4 will become the norm nationwide by the end of this week.
Gas prices have been on a steady incline since the beginning of February. 2011. With oil prices at their highest levels since 2008, gas prices are expected to continue climbing higher this summer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Association.
The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the US has increased for 35 days straight. Gas prices have increased over 32 cents per gallon since March 22, 2011. The current average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline is $3.86, according to AAA. This is up over 3 cents from a week ago, 29 cents from30 days ago and $1.01 from one year ago.
Drivers in most states will likely continue to see gas prices continue to increase over the next few months for several reasons.
Oil is holding its high price at over $112 a barrel. Yesterday three Texas oil refineries lost power, which will drive prices even higher. Oil analyst Tom Kloza says the shutdowns may have cut off 300,000 barrels of daily production.
Gas companies are currently in the process of changing from winter-blend to summer-blend gasoline, which is more expensive.
Gas prices are having a huge impact on families and businesses. Thousands of drivers will be hitting the road this weekend for Spring Break and Easter festivities. Many drivers will be carpooling, and some drivers are deciding to skip any long distance road trips altogether.
The national average on Friday April 22, 2011, for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is nearly $3.84 a gallon — up 99 cents from exactly a year ago, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. One year ago gas prices were averaging $2.85. That’s a 35% increase in the past 12 months. There are six states and 27 major US cities where gas has already topped $4 a gallon.
Gas prices have been soaring and there is no end in sight. Last night I took this photo when I went to fill up my tank in downtown San Diego. I paid almost $4.50 per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. It cost over $60 to fill up my gas tank.
Most analysts and experts predict that 2011 prices will break the gas price records set in July of 2008. The US average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gas is $3.84, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. Gas prices have increased 30 cents in the last 30 days. One month ago, gas was averaging $3.54 per gallon.
Gas prices are averaging over $4 per gallon in several cities across the US. According to GasBuddy.com, gas price averages have topped $4 per gallon of regular gas in 27 cities.
This week Garmin launched an all-new touchscreen navigation GPS watch and heart rate monitor, the Forerunner 610. This GPS navigation device is the first of its kind. Designed mainly for runners, the Garmin Forerunner 610 will bring GPS to the masses in a way like never before.
The Garmin navigation device uses GPS and an integrated heartbeat monitor to record every aspect of your run, including pace, distance, heart rate and calories burned. Once your workout is finished, the device can upload your info to Garmin’s Connect website for further analysis and training program optimization.
Often times, it’s Murphy’s Law, that when you really need your GPS navigation, you realize you left it at home or your cel phone GPS tracking system isn’t getting reception. But with the Garmin Forerunner 610, since it is a watch, it will be with you all the time. It has a rechargeable battery that will last up to eight hours in training mode.
GPS systems are very reliable, but they are vulnerable to jamming. North Korea was recently busted taking advantage of this fact. According to several news outlets and the top US military commander in Korea, Walter Sharp, North Korea has been jamming global-positioning-satellite (GPS system) signals used in South Korea for military and commercial purposes. Sneaky! Sharp was the first U.S. official to publicly confirm allegations of jamming made by South Koreans.
The GPS system jamming signals are interfering with both military and civilian GPS system signals. North Korea has been trying to jam mobile phones in the Seoul area, as well as GPS tracking devices used by South Korean military forces. Because of the jamming, some mobile phones both used by civilians and soldiers have not been working properly. Additionally, certain military equipment has been affected and has not been working properly, such as distance measurement devices used by artillery units.
he national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.79, up about 33% from $2.86 last year, according to the EIA. Don’t expect any relief soon, as more price increases are on the horizon as we head into the peak summer driving season. The EIA has predicted gas prices will continue increasing throughout the year and will top $5 a gallon in a few US states such as California.
Yesterday average gas prices across the US ranged from:
* Boston $3.490
* Chicago $3.756
* Cleveland $ 3.552
* Denver $ 3.393
* Houston $ 3.467
* Los Angeles $ 4.060
* Miami $ 3.701
* NYC $ 3.605
* San Francisco $ 4.044
* Seattle $ 3.775
The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gas in the US on April 8, 2011 is $3.73, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. Gas prices have risen 12 cents in the past week. One week ago the average gas price was $3.61. Gas prices have risen 21 cents in the past month. One month ago gas prices were at $3.52.
Typically Hawaii and Alaska have the highest gas prices in the US, but today California gas prices are higher than in Alaska. In California, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $4.12, the highest price in the continental US. Only Hawaii has higher prices at $4.38 a gallon. In Alaska, gas is averaging $4.11.
FieldLogix today announced the launch of a new version of its GPS fleet management system called FieldLogix Lite, an entry-level, real-time GPS vehicle tracking system. You can track one vehicle or manage your entire fleet with FieldLogix Lite at a lower monthly cost than the standard plan.
FieldLogix Lite is an entry-level GPS fleet tracking system that offers a perfect set of features for those who just want basic GPS tracking information at a lower cost. FieldLogix Lite has a basic set of GPS fleet tracking features for companies that want to experience FieldLogix, but are not ready to commit to the full-featured offering. Best of all, FieldLogix Lite users can upgrade the more advanced versions of FieldLogix without having to replace the GPS vehicle tracking devices.
The Lite plan includes:
- Google maps with real-time traffic and satellite views
- A closest vehicle to address search tool for improved dispatching
- Breadcrumb history report
- Stop details report
- Start-end report
- Mileage report
- Idling report
- Restricted zone (geo-fence) alerts
- Device tampering alerts
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