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Gen Y Tech Savvy, But Not Interested in a Career
jcatcw writes "Young people aren't choosing computer science majors because they take technology for granted — it's something to use not something to make a career. "By and large, this generation is very fluent with technology and with a networked world," according to James Ware, executive producer at The Work Design Collaborative LLC, a Berkeley, Calif., consortium exploring workplace values and the future of the workforce. That future may be in managing technology, which requires skills today's college students don't have: writing, critical thinking, hard work and just plain showing up. One of their primary concerns is a flexible schedule and healthy work/life balance."
Get off my Second Life lawn!
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
1) Change the Oil
Get under the car, find the oil drain plug. (Make sure it's not the transmission drain plug) Your manual can help here if it was written well. Find a ratchet and match the right sized socket. Place an Oil Drain Catch under the drain plug. Loosen the drain plug. If the catch is designed right you can take the plug all the way out and let it drop and it will catch it. Let the oil drain out. Note that even when the oil stops draining up to 20% of the old oil may still be in the engiine but that is fine. Find the drain plug and if it had a washer find that too. Place both back in the plug hole and tighten it down. Don't tighten it so much that next time you can't get it off. Next Look for your Oil Filter. I buy K&N filters with a nut on them so I don't need a special wrench. You might be able to use your hand but watch out for the hot engine parts around the filter. Remove the filter and drain it. Take some of the oil from the old one to lube the seal on the new filter. Place the new filter on and tighten it down. Hand tighten it and then give it at least another quarter turn with a wrench. Lastly, find the amount of Oil that your car take and open the oil cap on the top of the engine. Also check the weight reccomended. Most new cars use 5W30. I like to use synthetic as it lasts longer and is not much more expensive. Pour the oil in. You can use a funnel if that helps. Grab the dip stick and wipe it off. Then place it back in and pull it out to check the oil level. It will be higher then it actually is so if it's on the high side that is fine. If it's low put more oil in. Make sure not to put in too much oil as that can cause problems as well. Most dipsticks have an acceptable range. Next place the cap back on the engine. Close the hood and drive your car around the block. Check the oil level again when you get back and look for any leaks. If they oil level is good and no leaks then you did a good job
2)Change or Clean the Air Filter
This one is easy. Your air filter is located usually in a box but sometimes in a round housing sitting on top of the engine. With the engine off, open the housing, take out the old filter. Place in a new filter and close the housing making sure to close it correctly. If you have a reusable filter like a K&N then follow the instructions on the cleaning kit.
3)Change the Spark Plugs
For this you need to visit your Auto Supply store and ask for the correct spark plugs for your car in the correct quantity. Almost all engines have one per cylinder with the obvious exception being rotary engines that have two or even three per whatever. Haha, I don't know much about Rotary engines. Anyways, you also need to pick up a spark plug socket and one or two extensions for your ratchet to reach the spark plugs. Now lift the hood on your car and look for an area with either rubber plugs or just a solid plastic cover. If you have the plastic cover then remove it. Now look for the place where the spark plug wires go into the engine. Now, change the spark plugs one at a time. This helps you to not mix up the order of the spark plug wires which is a big NO-NO. Remove the plug over the spark plug. Loosen and remove the spark plug. This is an art sometimes as it's pretty deep in there and your hands can't help you grab it. Now look at the spark plug and wonder how your car even worked before. Next put the new spark plug in. A trick I use not to cross thread it is to detatch the extension from the ratchet and hand start it. Then tighten it down with the ratchet. Place the wire plug back on and move on to the next one. After 4 or 6 or 8 or even 16 of these depending on the engine you are done. Now close the hood and start the car. If it starts then good job. Enjoy the improved gas mileage.
4)Put on a spare Tire
Find your jack. Place is under your car near the tire to be replaced along the metal ridge running front to back on your car. Jack up the car but make sure you are not on a slope and the handbrake is pulled. Loosen the Lug Nuts. You might h