(Photo: richardmasoner/Flickr/CC BY-SA)

Besides being stuck, there are other dangers associated with heavy traffic. There are many poisons that are omitted in the air, like pollution caused by diesel. Many people die each year due to air contamination alone. Much of this is from motorized vehicles. Carbon dioxide is one of the main causes of death, as well as a damaging factor to our environment – vegetation, marine life and general atmosphere.

The increase in traffic

The increase in traffic plays a huge role in roadway accidents that claim lives. One of the main causes is road rage. The reasons for this common occurrence are congestive traffic and aggressive attitudes of people. The increase of traffic congestion also comes with financial costs. Gas is wasted because of long delays. Aside from road accidents and pollution, it affects business opportunities and operations and can sometimes leave a hard-working individual in need of an instant payday loan.

How to prepare for traffic delays

There are things you can do to better prepare for traffic delays. By leaving for work a little earlier each day, you can sometimes beat the early traffic rush. You can also take later or earlier lunch breaks before the regular rush hours or pack a lunch to avoid traffic altogether. If you do find yourself stuck in traffic, it would be a good idea to have things on hand to help you relax and remain positive. You can find things that make you happy or you could take advantage of the time to mull over important decisions that you need to make.

Be realistic when in traffic congestion

We also have to remember that traffic congestion is something we all have to learn to deal with and accept. If at all possible, try to leave before traffic jams. Maybe you can find another route that is not as congested. Remember to be realistic and realize that it is impossible to remove this issue completely out of your routine, but it is possible to make it a more pleasant experience by being prepared. Accidents could still happen, and if you need repairs done right away, you can apply for a cash advance or installment loan quickly and easily.

The Google background image is no longer a friendly doodle, but a full-page image. Is this permanent? Image from Flickr.

Update: The Google background image default has been returned to the classic white background. You can still set a background image if you would like.

Last week, Google announced that it was adding the ability for users to add a background image to their search page. This morning, the Google background image appears to have gone compulsory. This move has left many users asking how to remove the Google background. The answer, however, is not as simple as many think it should be. There are alternatives that still allow you to use Google without the background image, though.

Google background image – The company line

In the Official Google Blog: The art of a homepage post this morning, the Google background image was officially announced. The company claims that the Google background image will not slow down search or the loading of the website. The Google background image is also customizable – any user with a Google account can set the Google background image to any picture they would like. The image runs on a Javascript module, which shouldn’t slow down most browsers – but it could slow down some. No word on if this Google background image is going to be a permanent change on the website, or a one-day thing to highlight the new feature.

How to remove Google background image

Not all users are happy about this change, and how to remove the Google background image is the biggest question of the day on the Google forums. The Google instructions on this matter are, unfortunately, unclear. Google claims that the “remove background image” link in the bottom left hand corner will return things to normal. However, this “remove Google background image” option does not appear unless you first have a Google account, and second set a custom Google background image. Otherwise, the link in the bottom left-hand corner will say “change background image.” If you do have an account and have a custom Google background image set, then the “remove background image” link will return the background to the default Google background image. In other words, there is no way to completely remove the Google background image – at least for today.

Work around the Google background image

So the Google background image cannot be completely removed. Google users, however, have come up with several workarounds to remove the Google background image. If you have a Google account, you can customize the background to white. This isn’t perfect, but it does get rid of the image. There are also two alternate Google homepages you can use that do not have the Google background image: http://www.google.com/firefox and the Google SSL Beta search page. Either way, the majority of Google searches occur each day not from the Google homepage, but from toolbars and built-in search on other websites – a huge amount of traffic which helps contribute to the $484 stock price. The real question is, though, will the company remove the Google background image after a day? Or will the dedicated programmers that get a day off to design the Google Doodle every once in a while have to go back to work? Or will they just have a larger canvas?