It saves more than just daylight

Remember the good old days during 1973 when gasoline became scarce and prices jumped 40 percent due to the Arab Oil Embargo?

Average gasoline prices in May 1973 were 38.5 cents per gallon - and jumped to 55.1 cents in June 1974. Today the average price is $2.14 a gallon.

Congress put most of the nation on extended Daylight Saving Time for two years in hopes of saving additional energy. This experiment worked, but Congress did not continue the experiment in 1975 because of opposition -- mostly from the farming states.

Daylight Saving Time saves energy
Daylight Saving Time was changed slightly in 1986 when President Reagan signed Public Law 99-359. It changed Daylight Saving Time from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in April. No change was made to the ending date of the last Sunday in October.

Adding the entire month of April is estimated to save nationwide about 300,000 barrels of oil each year. Each barrel of oil produces 19.4 gallons of gasoline - roughly 12.5 million dollars worth at today's pump prices.

And you thought it was just to save another hour of daylight...

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China Update
A monthly look at news from China
Click the title to read the story

Putting a lid on rampant manhole theft
Approximately 240,000 manhole and street- drain covers were stolen in Beijing in 2004

Rice a building block in China
Rice fills the bowls on many Chinese tables -- and also the cracks in its ancient buildings, and maybe even the Great Wall,

Chinese line up for space tours
China put its first man in space in 2003, but one of the next may be paying for the privilege since a U.S. firm began commercial space flight services in the China market in partnership with a Hong Kong firm.

The difference between grease & oil
by Mike Mortensen - Director of Engineering RBI-USA

Grease and oil are both common lubricants used in bearings. The main difference between grease and oil is that grease consists of an oil and a thickener. The thickener acts like a sponge that retains the oil. Grease can also contain various additives such as rust inhibitors, EP (extreme pressure) additives, oxidation preventatives, etc. Typically greases will have a semi-solid to solid consistency. This consistency allows grease to stay in place longer than oil. For many applications, the ability to stay in place and slowly release oil gives grease an advantage over oil alone.

Have a question or topic you would like to see covered? Click here to let Mike know!

Final Word (on the Final Four)

The first NCAA Championship Basketball Tournament was played in 1939 and was won by the University of Oregon Ducks. Back then, only eight teams were part of the tournament. The tournament expanded to include 64 teams in 1985.

Tournament Highs and Lows

• The most points scored by one team is 149, scored by Loyola Marymount against Michigan during the second round of the 1990 tournament.
• The fewest points scored by one team is 20, scored by North Carolina in their 26-20 loss against Pittsburgh in 1941.

Tournament Stars

• Shaquille O'Neal - set an NCAA record by blocking 11 shots in one game for LSU in 1989.
• Carmelo Anthony - became just the third freshman to be named the Outstanding Player of NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament, after leading the Syracuse Orangemen to an 81-78 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks in 2003.
• Austin Carr - scored a record 61 points for Notre Dame in the first round of the 1970 NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Most Successful Final Four Teams

• The UCLA Bruins have won more NCAA Division 1 Championships than any other team. The Bruins have won the NCAA tournament 11 times, including seven straight titles from 1967 to 1973.
• The North Carolina Tar Heels have made it to the Final Four more times than any other team. The Tar Heels have made the Final Four 15 times and have won the title three times.

We Get It Done.

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