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How I edited my summer vacation

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 05 Juli 2014 | 12.33

Summer vacation means lots of photos and videos waiting to be edited and preserved, and Animoto for iPad has arrived just in time to make the process easier than ever.

Animoto started out as a Web-based videomaker, added a smartphone app and recently an app for iPad, joining a number of self-serve video apps that are increasingly letting amateur videographers do the work of pros.

This sleekly designed app lets you pick up to 12 videos and photos from your camera roll to use in your film. Then you choose a visual theme and a soundtrack, and Animoto turns your selections into a short movie. The finished product can be stored in the cloud or shared on social networks.

After getting back from a week on the Cape with my family a few days ago, I used Animoto to produce a minute-long video of our vacation. The entire process — from clip selection to watching my finished film — took no more than two minutes.

The free version of Animoto is good for short flicks, but there are limitations: individual clips can't be longer than five seconds, and the entire video is limited to 30 seconds in length. So I took the plunge with Animoto Plus, a $29.99, one-year subscription that works with clips that are up to 30 seconds long, and includes an expanded library of templates and royalty-free music. It also lets users download finished video projects to a computer or DVD.

There are additional subscription plans for personal and business use that allow much longer and more sophisticated-looking videos. Animoto's website blog boasts that a growing number of educators, businesses and photographers are using the service to produce pro-quality videos on the fly.

Animoto isn't the only video template app worth looking at. There's also Magisto, available for Android and iOS, which was just updated yesterday to include improvements that add to its gorgeous look and feel. It's equally easy to use — with themes and soundtracks to choose from that rival Animoto. In some cases, Magisto's finished product looked more professional and heavily edited, but videos took longer to process.

There's also Videoshop, which costs $1.99 in the Apple app store and is worth a try because it has a ton of filters and themes, along with the ability to add any music, voiceovers or text easily from a mobile device. It lacks those fun and artistic templates that are the hallmark of Animoto and Magisto, but it does boast some advantages in the number of manual controls.

So download one of these apps, and impress your friends and family with your newfound video editing "skills."


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Fiesta’s a fuel-sipper with power

Finding a sedan that has both fuel economy and power is a pet project of mine, because my commute includes a 200-mile round trip along the Mass Pike several days a week, plus additional miles in and around Boston.

The 2014 Ford Fiesta is appealing as it pushes the balance between fuel economy and power with a three-cylinder, 123-horsepower gasoline engine. While not the smallest engine and not the only inline-three (I-3) on the market, the Fiesta's I-3 EcoBoost is still an engineering marvel. The turbocharged, 1-liter engine ran smooth on the highway and hustled the five-passenger sedan around town. The fuel-sipping subcompact sedan yielded 32/45/37 miles per gallon city/highway/combined fuel economy.

The downside to the Fiesta's three-banger is it's only available with a manual transmission. And since the engine choice is part of an EcoBoost efficiency package, it costs an additional $995. The $15,580 base model Fiesta SE comes with a 1.6-liter, inline-four cylinder engine that actually produces slightly less horsepower and fuel economy. Our tester with the efficiency package also had a $290 Comfort package that included automatic climate control, heated side mirrors and front seat-
warmers. The total MSRP for our tester was $17,335, which included a $395 ruby red paint job.

I actually enjoyed the 
Fiesta's five-speed manual. It took a day or two to get used to the clutch, but by the end of the week I was downshifting as I entered corners, using the lower gears to slow down while maintaining engine speed for acceleration as it exited the turns. The sedan's 
diminutive engine size was apparent on highway inclines as I had to grab a lower gear to pass slower-moving trucks. I also had to downshift on residential hills with a carload of kids and the air conditioning cranking.

I was able to fit three children across the backseat, two with boosters, the one in the middle without. However, three adults would be a little tight in the back.

Overall, the Fiesta's interior was well built and comfortable. An elbow rest on the door and an arm rest atop a center storage compartment were well positioned, better than many high-end luxury cars. Controls on the center console were within easy reach. The Fiesta's trunk space was outstanding for a subcompact sedan — it swallowed up several beach chairs, kid's bags, coolers, toys and was still hungry for more on a day trip to the beach. Squeezing the sedan into tight city parking spots was a breeze, although a rear-view camera would have been helpful.

Overall, I was pleased with the Fiesta's fuel economy and adequate power. The manual transmission and I-3 engine combination provided just enough power for highway and around-town driving. I'm sure I could get away with the clutch and stick if I was only commuting on the highway, but stop-and-go city driving makes it a tough choice. The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage is also worth a look as it has an inline-three and is available with an automatic transmission.


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Orchestrate a move to Fiedler home

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 04 Juli 2014 | 12.33

If you're conducting a search for a spacious family home, you might want to take a look at late Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler's former Palladian-style manor in Brookline.

Much of this 10,000-plus-square-foot pedimented brick mansion on toney Fisher Hill looks the same as when the famed conductor lived here with his family between 1942 and his death in 1979. Built in 1928-29 for the Chase family, who were in the brass foundry business, the home has had only three owners. The current owner, who has been in the home since 1980, is ready to pass the baton.

The Gatsby-like manor is a mix of formal indoor and outdoor spaces, ideal for entertaining, as well as informal areas with its warren of upstairs rooms children will love.

The first floor has a reception area with an elegant staircase, grand living and dining rooms and a butler's pantry, all with oak floors, mahogany woodwork and walls lined with paneled picture molding. Many of the rooms have wood-burning fireplaces. The living room spills out into an 800-plus-square-foot partially covered rear terrace that overlooks a backyard with an in-ground pool.

"It was a wonderful house to grow up in," said Peter Fiedler, Arthur's son, who is vice president for administrative services at Boston University. "It has a lot of character and I especially have fond memories of holidays there. We all loved the terrace, where my dad would sit out shirtless, studying his scores, and where I'd sneak out to during storms. And my mother would tend to her flowers in the adjoining sunroom."

In one of the few major changes made by the current owner, the home's kitchen was remodeled and an adjacent informal family room was added in 2002. The kitchen has cherrywood cabinets, dark granite counters, a wood island and high-end stainless-steel appliances, including a La Cornue stove. Off the kitchen is a screened-in porch with a built-in rotisserie grill. There's a custom wooden spiral staircase up a half flight from the kitchen to a "study" wing with a warren of office-sized rooms ideal for a home business or just homework.

"I would imagine that the buyer will want to preserve the home's charms while customizing it to their liking," said listing agent Jeannemarie Conley of Otis & Ahearn, who recently dropped the price from $4.5 million to just less than $4 million.

Conley acknowledges that certain areas of the house need upgrading, such as the bathrooms and the home's one-zone heating system. The mansion does not have central air conditioning.

The mansion's six bedrooms on the second and third floors have restored wood floors and lots of closet space. There's a wall of closets outside the master bedroom, which has an en-suite bathroom.

Arthur Fielder's second-floor study, where he kept his piano and often met with musicians, was recently transformed into an air-conditioned home gym complete with a sauna. In the basement is a custom-built 10,000-bottle wine cellar.

Underneath the terrace is an attached garage that will hold up to six vehicles.

Whether a new owner will opt for a buff and shine or a major renovation, Conley feels sure about one thing.

"I have the feeling that whoever buys this property will also remain here for a long time."


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Solid US job gains pointing to a stronger recovery

WASHINGTON — The 5-year-old U.S. recovery is gaining momentum from a surprisingly robust job market and moving the economy closer to full health.

Employers added 288,000 jobs in June and helped cut the unemployment rate from 6.3 percent to 6.1 percent, the lowest since 2008. It was the fifth straight monthly gain above 200,000 — the best such stretch since the late 1990s tech boom.

The stock market signaled its approval. The Dow Jones industrial average surged 92 points to top 17,000 for the first time.

The breadth and consistency of the job growth are striking in part because of how poorly the year began. The economy shrank at a steep 2.9 percent annual rate in the January-March quarter as a harsh winter contributed to the sharpest contraction since the depths of the recession.

Yet employers have shrugged off that setback. They've kept hiring.

The unemployment rate dipped from 6.3 percent in May to its lowest level since the financial crisis struck with full force in the fall of 2008, when the Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers went bankrupt.

"This has now become a textbook jobs expansion," said Patrick O'Keefe, director of economic research at the consultancy CohnReznick. "It is both broad and accelerating."

At least one nagging doubt is dampening the enthusiasm: Can the stepped-up hiring lead to higher incomes? Wages have yet to outpace inflation for most workers. Eventually, analysts say, the falling unemployment rate should cause pay to rise more sharply. But no one knows precisely when.

The jobs report did make clear that, five years after the recession officially ended, the U.S. economy is showing more vitality even as major economies in Europe and Asia continue to struggle.

Last month's solid hiring followed gains of 217,000 jobs in May and 304,000 in April, figures that were revised upward by a combined 29,000.

Over the past 12 months, the economy has added nearly 2.5 million jobs — an average of 208,000 a month, the fastest year-over-year pace since 2006.

Economists say the steady U.S. hiring should fuel more purchases of goods from Asia and Europe and strengthen those economies at least slightly. Much of Europe is suffering from high unemployment. And China is trying to moderate its economy's growth without slowing it too much.

"If we have some momentum going into the second half of the year, it helps the world economy because we're big consumers," said Stuart Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Services.

The U.S. job gains in June were widespread. Factories added 16,000 workers, retailers 40,200. Financial and insurance firms increased their payrolls by 17,000. Restaurants and bars employed 32,800 more people. Only construction, which gained a mere 6,000, reflected the slow recovery of previous years.

Local governments added 18,000 education workers. But that might have been a quirk: Many schools that had been closed for snow days stayed open longer than usual in June, said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial in Chicago.

Over the past three months, job growth has averaged a healthy 272,000. And in May, the economy surpassed the jobs total from December 2007, when the Great Recession officially began.

Researchers at the liberal Economic Policy Institute estimate that 6.7 million more jobs would have been needed to keep up with U.S. population growth.

One key challenge is whether the job gains will pull more Americans back into the workforce. Many people who lost jobs during the recession and were never rehired have stopped looking for work. Just 62.8 percent of American adults are working or are looking for a job, compared with 66 percent before the downturn.

The number of long-term unemployed has dropped 1.2 million over the past year to just under 3.1 million. But the government data suggests that numerous people without jobs have given up their searches — a trend that could drag on future U.S. growth.

And average pay has grown just 2 percent a year during the recovery, roughly in line with inflation and below the long-run average annual growth of about 3.5 percent.

The lack of strong wage growth means the Federal Reserve may not feel pressure to start raising short-term interest rates soon as a way of controlling inflation.

"We are still not seeing any significant pickup in wage growth," Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a research note. "We suspect that Fed officials will continue to cling to the view that there is still plenty of slack in the labor market."

However, the steady hiring means businesses are increasingly competing to find workers.

"It's becoming more difficult to find the candidates that we're looking for," said Brandon Calvo, chief operating officer at Cosentino North America, a Houston-based firm that sells materials for kitchen counters and bathrooms.

The job gains have intensified despite the slump that kicked off 2014.

The economy's contraction in the first three months of this year was the sharpest since the recession. Ferocious winter storms caused factories to close and prevented consumers from visiting shopping malls and auto dealers.

Still, the frigid weather failed to freeze hiring. Job gains ramped up with the warmth of spring and summer.

"We've seen hiring growth out of the winter because it was stagnant," said Richard Bitner, vice president of marketing for Visiting Angels, a home health care services firm headquartered in Havertown, Pennsylvania.

Most economists say annualized economic growth likely reached a solid 3 percent to 3.5 percent in the April-June quarter. Growth over the entire year should be about 2 percent, they say, similar to last year's 1.9 percent expansion.

Several other signs point to the economy's brightening health.

Auto sales rose at the fastest pace in eight years in June. Factory orders picked up last month. And home sales strengthened this spring after having sputtered in the middle of last year when higher mortgage rates and rising prices hurt affordability.

___

AP Economics Writer Paul Wiseman contributed to this report.


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Bay State domestic workers get ‘bill of rights’

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 03 Juli 2014 | 12.33

Massachusetts is now the fourth state in the nation to pass a law extending basic labor standards and worker protections to nannies, caregivers and other domestic workers.

The law lays out a "bill of rights," setting rules for meal breaks and termination notices, for example, and makes it clear the estimated 67,000 such workers in the state are eligible for unemployment insurance, workers compensation and minimum wage protections.

"Domestic workers represent an important segment of our workforce and are important to the Massachusetts economy," said Gov. Deval Patrick, who signed the bill into law yesterday. "This bill ensures they have the same basic workplace rights that we guarantee other workers in Massachusetts."

Donna Levin, co-founder and vice president of operations for Care.com, an online matchmaking service for domestic workers, said the law is a big step forward.

"It's fantastic for the caregivers," Levin said. "The same benefits you would expect from your employer, families now provide for domestic workers in their home."

Levin said many families do not consider nannies employees, and pay them under the table and don't offer benefits like maternity leave.

"It's really working to professionalize the industry," Levin said.

Attorney General Martha Coakley and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination will enforce the new law, which goes into effect April 1, 2015.

"Domestic workers are often alone, isolated and powerless," Coakley said. "This law will make sure domestic workers can do their jobs with dignity."


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Marty Walsh mulls his next hand

A frustrated Mayor Martin J. Walsh yesterday didn't rule out suing the Massachusetts Gaming Commission after it denied his request to delay awarding the coveted Greater Boston casino license until after a November vote on a possible repeal of the gaming law, and he said the city's total casino-related expenses could run into the "millions."

"Our attorneys are looking at what the next step will be," Walsh told the Herald. Asked whether that step could include suing the commission, the mayor said, "Potentially."

"I think the Gaming Commission is very shortsighted here," he said.

"This was an opportunity for us to save the taxpayers a lot of money here and allow us the opportunity to have a real discussion around what the voters of Massachusetts want. But again, pretty much not to my surprise, they took the action they took today."

Walsh said the city already has spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars" and when asked if he expected the tab to rise to millions he replied, "Absolutely."

The mayor would not say whether he is less inclined now to go to arbitration with Wynn Resorts, which wants to build a casino in Everett, or Mohegan Sun, which wants to build in Revere, over how much money Boston is entitled to as a surrounding community.

Eugene O'Flaherty, the city's corporation counsel, argued that if the commission did not postpone awarding a casino license until after voters go to the polls Nov. 4, Boston would "suffer irreparable harm" in terms of time and money spent.

"The public interest is served by people having their say," O'Flaherty added.

Thomas Frongillo, another attorney for the city, told the commission Wynn, Mohegan Sun and their host communities "want you to issue a license to influence the November vote."

But representatives from both companies and both communities disagreed. And so did the commission.

"How does more information do irreparable harm (to voters)?" Commissioner Enrique Zuniga asked O'Flaherty.

"It's putting the cart before the horse," O'Flaherty answered.

But Commissioner James McHugh argued that if a license is designated in September, as planned, "it may energize voters. I don't see how it skews them. ... I think everyone would benefit from knowing what the end game is."


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Give compliments at workplace, but watch your words

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 01 Juli 2014 | 12.32

We all appreciate a compliment, but ironically, we don't practice giving them enough at work. Are we getting too caught up in political correctness and forgetting that acknowledging others is basic to who we are. Saying "thank you" and showing appreciation to someone who helps make our job easier or our work more interesting or enjoyable is an opportunity to make others feel special and advance relationships. Thanking another for help with a project, supporting you or believing in you is important. Extending a sincere compliment is almost universally appreciated and reflects positively on you.

Compliments regarding a co-worker's appearance or clothing, however, can be tricky, as sexual innuendo and sexual harassment issues are real. What may be intended as harmless may be misinterpreted.

President Obama introduced California Attorney General Kamala Harris at a Democratic fundraiser as "by far, the best-looking attorney general in the country.'' The remark raised a few eyebrows.

Was this a sexist remark? Was the superior/subordinate card in play? Are cross-gender compliments to be reconsidered at work? Are compliments on looks or other personal effects including attire ever acceptable at the office?

Despite having extended similar compliments to those of the same gender without incident, Obama called Harris to apologize for the remark, which I believe is ridiculous as there was clearly no sexual innuendo here.

Should we feel free to extend a compliment on attire/accessories or notice a new hair style? "I like your tie!" — said with a lilted voice and raised eyebrows — is not the same as looking pointedly at the tie and saying to the person, "That's a good-looking tie!"

Remember, it's how we say it. Tone, context and patterns of extending compliments are everything when it comes to unwanted remarks.

Also, the nature of the relationship should be considered. If a close friend at work is extending the compliment, this is different. We form close bonds with the people we work with and appreciate their candor.

Extending insincere compliments to make the other person feel better or because you know they like the tie is gracious and thoughtful. Any time we go out of our way to make another feel good about themselves is a positive thing.

Not extending compliments at work for fear of sexual innuendo or offending would be a great loss.

The bottom line is, no offense will ever come from saying, "You look fabulous!"

Judith Bowman is president of her own consulting company.


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Road block for mayor’s plan to extend bar hours

Mayor Martin J. Walsh's plans to boost the Hub's nightlife with extended hours were scuttled on Beacon Hill this week, but other options to extend alcohol sales by bars and restaurants — including filing a bill in January — will be explored.

Legislators approved a $36.5 billion state budget yesterday for the new fiscal year that failed to include a Walsh-supported amendment allowing communities serviced by the MBTA's late-night routes to sell alcohol after 2 a.m.

"Certainly, I would have loved to have seen it," Walsh said. "But … we'll move on."

That kills Walsh's plan for a pilot late-night program that was targeted to begin in August in certain areas of the city.

"The Late Night Task Force is focused on a number of initiatives relative to making Boston a vibrant, cosmopolitan city," Walsh spokeswoman Kate Norton said. "Extending hours for liquor licenses was one piece of the puzzle, (which) we intend to revisit as there are a number of ways the city can get closer to that goal, including filing legislation in January."

The proposed budget amendment, initially approved by the Senate, was a fast-tracked end-run around the typical legislative process so the late-night pilot program could coincide with the MBTA's test of late-night service. The MBTA pilot program runs through next March and so far has garnered a favorable response, MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said, with total subway ridership of more than 300,000 on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. in the first three months.

Richard Weir contributed to this report.


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Asian stock markets inch higher

Written By Unknown on Senin, 30 Juni 2014 | 12.33

SEOUL, South Korea — Asian stock markets inched higher Monday as investors prepared for a busy week of economic news that will give new clues about the strength of the global recovery.

Investor sentiment was dented last week by weak data from China and the U.S., the world's two biggest economies.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.1 percent to 15,112.53, reversing morning losses. Japan's economy ministry said the country's industrial output recovered slightly in May from a fall in the previous month.

South Korea's Kospi was up 0.3 percent to 1,995.25 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.2 percent to 23,276.46. China's Shanghai Composite Index advanced 0.7 percent to 2,050.07.

Stocks in Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia also rose. But Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.4 percent to 5,422.60, one day ahead of the central bank's rate-setting meeting.

Trading this week is likely to turn on data from China and the U.S. and a European Central Bank meeting. Last week, Asian stock markets were buffeted by weak U.S. consumer spending and sluggish growth in Chinese industrial profits.

A preliminary reading of China's manufacturing for June, due Tuesday, will be scrutinized for evidence the slowdown in the world's No. 2 economy has stabilized.

Monthly U.S. employment figures are due Thursday. On the same day, the European Central Bank holds its monthly rate-setting meeting, where it is widely expected to stick with its easing stance.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude for August delivery was down 29 cents to $105.46 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 10 cents on Friday.

In currencies, the dollar slipped to 101.32 yen from 101.41 yen late Friday. The euro dropped to $1.3645 from $1.3648.


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Philips to separate its LED parts arm

AMSTERDAM — Royal Philips NV says it will separate its LED lighting components unit into a stand-alone company within Philips by 2015, preparing it for a potential spin off or sale. The subsidiary had sales of 1.4 billion euros ($1.91 billion) in 2013.

Philips, which is the world's largest maker of lights, said in a statement Monday the new unit will include its profitable automotive lighting unit, which is a major supplier to carmakers around the globe.

Philips says it will explore "strategic options" to raise capital for the business, including from outside investors.

Philips said it will remain a customer and shareholder of the new company.


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Aereo fades to black ... for now

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 29 Juni 2014 | 12.32

Internet TV streaming service Aereo temporarily shut down its service yesterday, three days after a devastating U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

The company, which is headquartered in New York but has 80 of its roughly 115 employees in Boston, will "pause our operations temporarily as we consult with the court and map out our next steps," Aereo CEO Chet Kanojia said in a letter to customers. Around 11:40 yesterday morning, the service stopped working. Kanojia said customers will be refunded for the last month.

"Aereo could see the writing on the wall," said Rutgers University law professor Michael Carrier.

The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Aereo violated copyright law by rebroadcasting over-the-air channels to its subscribers without paying retransmission fees to broadcasters as cable companies do.

The Supreme Court could not order Aereo to shut down, instead leaving it up to a lower court to issue a preliminary injunction, as requested by broadcasters.

Instead, Aereo decided to stop operations for now, but insists the company is not shutting down.

"The spectrum that the broadcasters use to transmit over-the-air programming belongs to the American public and we believe you should have the right to access that live programming whether your antenna sits on the roof of your home, on top of your television or in the cloud," Kanojia wrote in the letter.

Aereo could end up licensing its technology, or could be acquired by a company looking to expand its cloud options, said David Shlansky, an intellectual property lawyer.

"They can probably salvage something pretty valuable," he said.


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Cause of RAV4’s whining noise baffles 3 mechanics

I hope you can help us find out what is causing a loud whining on our 2013 Toyota RAV4. It started a month ago at 9,500 miles and is getting louder. The noise starts at about 55 mph and winds down when we slow down. Three Toyota mechanics drove it and none know what it is.

A quick Internet search turned up a number of posts dealing with a whining noise from newer RAV4s. Many point to a transmission issue, others to a problem with the rear differential. Many express difficulty in having the noise confirmed by the dealer and repaired. My Alldata automotive database pulled up service bulletins covering 2006-2012 RAV4s dealing with a whining noise corrected by replacing the engine insulators/mounts. I also found a bulletin suggesting a "growl" sound caused by contamination of the front bearing in the rear differential coupler.

You might be able to help the dealership pinpoint the origins of the whine with a few simple tests. While the whine is occurring at 55-plus mph, release the throttle so the car begins to slow. As the whine starts to "wind down," shift the transmission into neutral. Does uncoupling the driveline from the wheels change the noise? If so, it's a driveline whine — engine, transmission or differentials.

If not, re-engage the transmission into "D," accelerate back up to road speed where you are hearing the whine, then safely change lanes and back, turning to the left and right. Does turning in either direction change the noise? If so, wheel bearing/hub assemblies are suspect.

If neither of these tests helps, rotate the tires/wheels front to back and retest. If there's a change in noise, it's likely an issue with the tires.

And finally, maintain contact with the dealer asking him and Toyota to continue to investigate this issue.

I have a 2003 Buick that I have to have jump started regularly. I have installed a new battery every year but it does not hold its charge. I've been told to start the car every three to four days but even this doesn't seem to help. What can I do to keep the battery charged?

You've installed 10 new batteries in this car? If so, that's a record! Basically you have three choices: Disconnect the battery while the vehicle is parked, connect a trickle charger or battery maintainer while the vehicle is parked, or find the cause of the battery drain that is discharging the battery. The first two options aren't particularly satisfactory or convenient although they will prevent a dead battery.

I'd suggest having a shop perform a parasitic drain test. Connecting an ammeter or test light between the battery cable and battery with the ignition off will monitor the flow of electricity and identify any excess current flow. Normal would be less than 150 milliamps, which is 1.5 tenths of an ampere. Then, with the meter still connected, remove each fuse and relay one at a time to find the circuit with the excess current draw.

A typical cause for discharging a battery to where the vehicle won't start in roughly three days is a stuck relay or perhaps a small light bulb such as a trunk or glove box light.

How mechanically safe is it to drive using cruise control at 25-35 mph? A friend uses cruise control on streets so she doesn't speed. Does this hurt the car?

I don't think so. Most cruise systems are designed to not engage below a certain speed, typically the 25-30 mph range. But if the system will engage, it won't cause any damage to the vehicle. Personally, I'd be more concerned that with one less thing to monitor and maintain, there would be more opportunity for distraction while driving.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paulbrand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number. Because of the volume of mail, we cannot provide personal replies.


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