I do hope, gentle reader, that you did not spend too much of your weekend mourning the demise of Michael Jackson, or even talking about said demise. Because (and I don't really need to tell you this do, I?) time spent in such a way would be wasted, wouldn't it? Your emotions were manipulated, were they not? Manipulated not by the Mass Media - that is like so 20th Century; no, said emotions were manipulated by your Twitter pals, and your Facebook Friends: people you know, sort of. They all rushed to make a comment, each one hoping that he or she would be the one who told you and countless others about it. And so, it came to pass that a rather inconsequential event became terribly important.
Or, to put it another way: Michael Jackson was forgotten, for the most part, by ordinary decent people. He was, after all, Creepy and Weird. The only people who did not share this opinion were His dedicated fans, those who stayed with him long after He stopped making half-decent records and throughout the child molesting stage of his life. Why so? Answer: the dedicated fans are (a) creepy and (b) weird. They wouldn't have minded if he had been found guilty; they would have offered their own children to him. The rest of us carried on our lives, feeling vaguely uncomfortable about what we did in the Eighties.
Then He died, suddenly. It made the news. It stopped the news. Everybody remembered Him, and what He had meant to them, back then, before it all became rather sordid. And everyone felt sad. But everyone also secretly rejoiced, because His demise was an opportunity for everybody to come together, to share their feelings and their memories. And such mourning for our past is acceptable, in this post-ironic culture; not just for the Proles, who have always enjoyed mawkish sentimentality, but also for People Like Us. Look: even the Guardian is doing it.
It is better this way. Concerning ourselves with the death of a composite media figure (the King of Pop, as he insisted he be called by any media outlet that was wanting of his blessing; an insistence that has now paid dividends, since it is as the King of Pop that he is known) is so much easier than dealing with the real problems, like the millions of plastic beads flowing from exfoliating soap into the oceans, or that interview on Nine to Noon with Charles Clover about the imminent extinction of fishes.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Feed The Children
A few weeks ago you would have received an email from Roshan Allpress, asking you to consider financially supporting the Compass Foundation.
We wanted to add our support to that call.
As three people who have been keenly involved in Compass for years, we’re totally committed to its vision and mission. Like many others we’ve been enormously impacted ourselves by the teaching and the community of Compass. And we can see the effect this will have on New Zealand in the years to come.
As Roshan explained, the work of Compass has to date been grown on the back of some very generous, big thinking individuals. It’s time now to share that load and in summary we need to raise just on $4000 in monthly support.
We’ve each signed up for $100 a month along with other generous monthly donors who give between $10 and $80 a month, and wonder if you might join us? Just over 100 giving an average of $35 each would see us there. For some of you $10 will be a sacrifice, whilst others will be able to do more. There are over 600 Compass alumni so if just one in six take up the challenge...
We wanted to add our support to that call.
As three people who have been keenly involved in Compass for years, we’re totally committed to its vision and mission. Like many others we’ve been enormously impacted ourselves by the teaching and the community of Compass. And we can see the effect this will have on New Zealand in the years to come.
As Roshan explained, the work of Compass has to date been grown on the back of some very generous, big thinking individuals. It’s time now to share that load and in summary we need to raise just on $4000 in monthly support.
We’ve each signed up for $100 a month along with other generous monthly donors who give between $10 and $80 a month, and wonder if you might join us? Just over 100 giving an average of $35 each would see us there. For some of you $10 will be a sacrifice, whilst others will be able to do more. There are over 600 Compass alumni so if just one in six take up the challenge...
Governors and Senators
In today's Wall Street Journal, Democratic Senator and former Indiana Governor Evan Bayh decries the pork-laden omnibus bill now blowing through Congress.
Bayh's blunt assessment: "The bloated omnibus requires sacrifice from no one, least of all the government. It only exacerbates the problem and hastens the day of reckoning."
Bayh's blunt assessment: "The bloated omnibus requires sacrifice from no one, least of all the government. It only exacerbates the problem and hastens the day of reckoning."
Credit Card Debt
The balance is lost. No attention in the sum that the most pain.
Say goodbye to take the next step. The same tactic stops. Start of $ 100 on the high interest cards inflict serious damage if you are other cards in order of the smallest balances until the motivation of its staff and give you the strength of will to high interest rates
Take your list and the credit card debt is the attack on the back of his statement.) Then the next letter, right on the card with the highest interest rates costs are rising faster than the minimum
Start by itself and high interest rates. You pay the remaining amount at least a fixed amount. It is valid for the credit card, which areas you can free up extra money Whichever method you choose, the experts agree that you can afford, you remember, you must use the bleeding, and interest rates. Clearance credit cards will not a single expert who is maintaining a balance of credit card. (You will find the interest level on the approach as the negotiations on a low interest rate with your price of interest rates. Then add all payments in which is responsible for most important thing is safe firewall to eliminate credit card debt: The chip, the consumption is for at your financial situation. A method for managing the list. In fact the disposal of stocks with the highest interest rates first.
Search if $ 100 and the payment is at least all your credit card, or a transfer is no longer a card with a rate of interest. However, there seems To do this, every month until The right direction, but shows the opposite. To be disagreement about the best way to pay the remaining amount, drilled, and low and not disappear by gathering all the cards, but this number, take decisive steps. In a lump sum.
Some experts estimate that the elimination of work on the card with great interest from the map.
There are ready to the rest of your credit card and a piece of paper. Once you've come in the balance. The card with the highest interest rate is to take a look at the top, followed by the other tactical credit card debt relief, as described above. You have this award of a serious injury, a doctor first order of business is to finish the main cause of the bleeding. May you need to find one In the rest Do you pay more than the financial landscape of high and fast to the absurdity of a credit card. List of maps in the document, including balances, the minimum payment and re-organized so that the credit card with the highest interest rate.
Say goodbye to take the next step. The same tactic stops. Start of $ 100 on the high interest cards inflict serious damage if you are other cards in order of the smallest balances until the motivation of its staff and give you the strength of will to high interest rates
Take your list and the credit card debt is the attack on the back of his statement.) Then the next letter, right on the card with the highest interest rates costs are rising faster than the minimum
Start by itself and high interest rates. You pay the remaining amount at least a fixed amount. It is valid for the credit card, which areas you can free up extra money Whichever method you choose, the experts agree that you can afford, you remember, you must use the bleeding, and interest rates. Clearance credit cards will not a single expert who is maintaining a balance of credit card. (You will find the interest level on the approach as the negotiations on a low interest rate with your price of interest rates. Then add all payments in which is responsible for most important thing is safe firewall to eliminate credit card debt: The chip, the consumption is for at your financial situation. A method for managing the list. In fact the disposal of stocks with the highest interest rates first.
Search if $ 100 and the payment is at least all your credit card, or a transfer is no longer a card with a rate of interest. However, there seems To do this, every month until The right direction, but shows the opposite. To be disagreement about the best way to pay the remaining amount, drilled, and low and not disappear by gathering all the cards, but this number, take decisive steps. In a lump sum.
Some experts estimate that the elimination of work on the card with great interest from the map.
There are ready to the rest of your credit card and a piece of paper. Once you've come in the balance. The card with the highest interest rate is to take a look at the top, followed by the other tactical credit card debt relief, as described above. You have this award of a serious injury, a doctor first order of business is to finish the main cause of the bleeding. May you need to find one In the rest Do you pay more than the financial landscape of high and fast to the absurdity of a credit card. List of maps in the document, including balances, the minimum payment and re-organized so that the credit card with the highest interest rate.
The $23 Quadrillion Credit Card Bill
Imagine buying a pack of cigarettes, only to find that you’ve been charged $23 quadrillion dollars! That’s the shock Josh Muszynski suffered when a billing error left his Visa card woefully over the limit.
Muszynski called Bank of America to try and sort out the error, but they could not explain why he’d been charged so much, and referred him to his card issuer, Visa. Visa, in turn, referred Muszynski back to his bank. After a day of mystery, the charge was reversed.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. A teenage girl was also charged $23 quadrillion after she made a purchase at a CVS store. Two men from Tennessee and Texas were also charged $23 quadrillion - one after buying cigarettes from a Memphis gas station, the other after eating at Wolfgang Puck’s Five Sixty restaurant.
Josh Muszynski joked that, upon seeing the charge, he thought someone must have stolen his card information and used it to “buy Europe”. But fraud doesn’t seem to be the issue here. Visa blames the charges on a glitch that affected some cardholders with prepaid credit cards. According to Visa, the glitch has been corrected and should not occur again.
Cash Advance Loans
Cash advance loans can be a useful financial tool in a short term emergency despite expensive financing costs and fees, but if overused consumers can find themselves in a vicious cycle where their multiple cash advance loans are deducting from their checking account each paycheck leaving nothing left for survival. If you find yourself in the cash advance trap, surprisingly, simple debt consolidation loans are often the best means of providing debt relief. Debt consolidation loans are the ideal method of reducing and tackling your cash advance debt for a couple of reasons.
What Are The Benefits Of Debt Consolidation?
- With credit card debt, the amount that you owe soon becomes considerably more than what you initially borrowed due to steep interest rates and any late payment penalties. A good debt consolidation program will wipe out these interest payments and penalties meaning that you only need to pay back the borrowed amount.
- Payments are consolidated into one manageable payment each month.
- Reduction of overall interest payments are usually achieved. With credit card interest as high as 18% it is very likely that your debt consolidation loan interest rate will be considerably lower than this.
- The most important benefit and certainly the one that the debt consolidation blog will always recommend that you strive for is to become debt free sooner. Many people have achieved this and you can too.
What is Debt Consolidation
These days most people have more than one credit card, store cards and other loan debts (such as auto loans and medical bills) and therefore have to make multiple payments each month to various lenders. Debt consolidation is a process where a single loan is obtained to pay off all of your existing loans meaning that you have only one payment to make each month that is usually lower than the combined payments of your existing loans.
Sounds good right? Well yes and no. There are numerous plans available and not all of them will suit your needs. Also here at the debt consolidation blog we will examine the pro’s and con’s of debt consolidation and even recommend other ways to control your debt.
A lot of firms that offer these loans often employ debt consolidation experts who are professionally trained to analyze your finances and will often negotiate a payment plan with your creditors and get late fees and penalties waived on your behalf. Then they will recommend a loan amount and term of repayment to suit your budget.Choosing Car Insurance Policy
Most people only read their policy from cover to cover when they need to make a claim. Unfortunately, by this time it’s often too late.
There are three types of car insurance policies that are offered:
COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE: This type of insurance will cover to the damages to your car and to other people’s property if you have been involved in an accident and the driver is covered by the policy.
THIRD PARTY PROPERTY INSURANCE: This will cover the expenses on the damages to other people’s property caused by the accident. Howerver, it will not pay for the damages inflicted to the car.
There are three types of car insurance policies that are offered:
COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE: This type of insurance will cover to the damages to your car and to other people’s property if you have been involved in an accident and the driver is covered by the policy.
THIRD PARTY PROPERTY INSURANCE: This will cover the expenses on the damages to other people’s property caused by the accident. Howerver, it will not pay for the damages inflicted to the car.
Choosing Car Insurance Policy 2
THIRD PARTY FIRE AND THEFT INSURANCE: This type of policy will pay for the damages caused by your car to other people’s property due to an accident. It also has limited cover for loss or damage to your car against theft or fire only.
However, most policies do not cover damages caused by mechanical, structural or electrical failure. Also damages by depreciation, wear and tear and rust due to old age. Also, policies are meant to cover the repairs due to accidents, fire or theft and not to replace parts that have stopped working due to failure, old age, or some inherent fault.
Have The Best Car Insurance
Insurance is important for a person who has just learned driving. It will cover some mishaps, th new driver could get into simply because he/she is relatively inexperienced in driving our dangerous streets. In case a new driver happened to bump the rear of an exorbitantly priced machinery, the cost of repairs alone is impossibly sky high! Acquiring a comprehensive car insurance would be your best bet to cover you in cases like this because it will take care of the damages that you caused to your and the other car and it will also be responsible for paying the medical expenses of injured passengers involved in the accident(third party liability). When shopping for the best car insurance, get at least 3-5 quotations from reputable car insurance companies, compare their premiums and extent of coverage. If you hate reading legal jargon involving car insurance, you can ask your sales agent about the salient point of the policy.
Elderly Car Insurance
It is statistically proven that elder drivers are more careful on the road compared to younger drivers. And because of this, it is far easier for elder people to acquire car insurance that has lower premium but with higher coverage. However, not all insurance providers are particularly keen on providing coverage for the elderly just like with new drivers or provisional license holders.
The elderly need not despair because there are far more number of insurance companies that cater to the needs of this group with excellent policies. Those fifty years and above can secure additional insurance benefits from these companies which may include up to 75% no claims discount and 10% online discount for new customers.
Car Insurance For Hurricane Season
If your car is damaged in a hurricane there are two types of coverage’s available, namely gap coverage and rental reimbursement. In case of gap coverage one gets paid the difference between the amount that you owe on the loan and the actual value of the car. However, in case of rental reimbursement the coverage pays you for a rental car till your car is repaired so that you are not left without transportation while the car is being repaired.
One can take special care during hurricanes such as parking the car indoors, moving it to higher ground or parking it away from telephone poles and trees in case one is denied car insurance for the hurricane season. The best period to buy car insurance for the hurricane season is when there is no approaching news about natural disasters being predicted by the weather department. This is so because some companies refuse to give car insurance for the hurricane season when they know that a disaster is about to hit the area.
In case of an approaching hurricane and if you have not obtained a car insurance for the hurricane season one can take certain precautions. The first tips is to get the car repaired and in proper working condition. Have all important documents such as license, vehicle registration, insurance policies and medical information kept in waterproof bags in the car in case you get caught in a hurricane. Do not venture out on the street if there is an emergency declared and avoid paths that cross the storm. If the car is parked in a garage check the garage door and cover the car with thick padding.
Love Old Car? Car Insurance Warning!
People or should we say, Americans are very passionate about cars that they collect, maintain and restore some of the best vehicles ever produced by the auto industry. These old classics are some of the best and most powerful cars around and more seldom than not they come into your garage with faulty engines that can be repaired but some opt to do with an overall engine swap which is cheaper. May it be to maintain the original feel or for upgrade purposes, the engine is an integral part of the whole vehicle and is also important to you and your insurance company.
Do you know that swapping your old engine for a better more powerful one if not done correctly can invalidate your car insurance policy. Such actions are considered to be modifications and your car’s chassis is matched from the factory and are both encoded within the cryptic VIN number. There is a legal way of doing this with the proper papers presented to the DMV and insurance company regarding the engine and it’s history. Getting the DMV files updated legalizes your upgrade or engine swap, getting the records straight and lessening the headache of insurance claims.
Do you know that swapping your old engine for a better more powerful one if not done correctly can invalidate your car insurance policy. Such actions are considered to be modifications and your car’s chassis is matched from the factory and are both encoded within the cryptic VIN number. There is a legal way of doing this with the proper papers presented to the DMV and insurance company regarding the engine and it’s history. Getting the DMV files updated legalizes your upgrade or engine swap, getting the records straight and lessening the headache of insurance claims.
Keeping Premium at minimum when buying a new car
Even though gas prices have gone down these past few months, recession is still in full swing, so it always pays to save money in every way possible. So if you are in the market for a new car, here are some ways to save on car insurance premiums:
1. Do not buy a flashy car.
Flashy and fast cars automatically have you pay higher premiums because of the expense associated with these vehicles. Repairs, spare parts, maintenance, as well as the tendency to get into accidents (because you have a fast car, you might be tempted to put the speed to the test) are all factors that contribute to the increased premiums.
2. Have good driving habits.
Practicing defensive driving and having little or no traffic violations mark you as a safe and low risk driver that insurance companies are willing to give low premiums to.
Mesothelioma Cancer Lawyer
Seeking compensation for injury caused by asbestos exposure is now easy. A mesothelioma lawyer who started with his mesothelioma cancer law practice in Boston now brings his services to Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. People who are suffering from mesothelioma and other asbestos related injuries that have affected their health and wellbeing can rely on Michael Shepard to fight for their rights and help them in claiming compensation.
Michael Shepard has an established reputation of being a compassionate attorney who, along with mesothelioma and asbestos related injuries, also helps people in their pain and suffering arising out of injuries inflicted to them due to the faults of others. If people are injured due to exposure to toxic chemicals, product defects, nursing home negligence, silica, talc, welding fumes automotive or aviation accidents, they should contact the attorneys office to seek guidance for obtaining compensation for the injury caused.
In his website, the mesothelioma cancer lawyer acknowledges that the time of the injured is precious and says “We know our clients want the freedom to see family and friends whenever they choose. We also know that because of their condition, they don’t want to be bogged down in legal matters. Through years of experience in this field, we have developed a streamlined approach to handling asbestos-related litigation that lessens the amount of time our clients spend dealing with lawyers and the courts. After a client’s brief, free, one-on-one consultation with us, we take the matter into our own hands, independently investigating the specific facts of the case, collecting crucial evidence and confronting the people who are responsible for your illness or injury. We make every effort to transform our clients’ “good” case into a “great” case that may secure the maximum compensation deserved.”
Whether the injured is in Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire or Rhode Island, Boston Mesothelioma cancer lawyers are ready to look into the case and assess the maximum compensation during the first free one to one consultation.
Michael Shepard has an established reputation of being a compassionate attorney who, along with mesothelioma and asbestos related injuries, also helps people in their pain and suffering arising out of injuries inflicted to them due to the faults of others. If people are injured due to exposure to toxic chemicals, product defects, nursing home negligence, silica, talc, welding fumes automotive or aviation accidents, they should contact the attorneys office to seek guidance for obtaining compensation for the injury caused.
In his website, the mesothelioma cancer lawyer acknowledges that the time of the injured is precious and says “We know our clients want the freedom to see family and friends whenever they choose. We also know that because of their condition, they don’t want to be bogged down in legal matters. Through years of experience in this field, we have developed a streamlined approach to handling asbestos-related litigation that lessens the amount of time our clients spend dealing with lawyers and the courts. After a client’s brief, free, one-on-one consultation with us, we take the matter into our own hands, independently investigating the specific facts of the case, collecting crucial evidence and confronting the people who are responsible for your illness or injury. We make every effort to transform our clients’ “good” case into a “great” case that may secure the maximum compensation deserved.”
Whether the injured is in Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire or Rhode Island, Boston Mesothelioma cancer lawyers are ready to look into the case and assess the maximum compensation during the first free one to one consultation.
Asbestos Exposure
$1M NOTICE OF CLAIM: Columbia Street residence, called 'the cat house,' was torn down after fire Nov. 12
The man who owns a home on Columbia Street that was referred to as "the cat house" by neighbors has filed a notice of claim for $1 million against the city of Watertown for razing its remains after a fire last year.
A notice of claim is a precursor to filing a lawsuit against a municipality.
Oliver J. Wisner is seeking compensation for the "arbitrary, capricious and malicious charging and billing for outrageous unnecessary work on the cleanup of ashes and debris" the claim states.
The Watertown lawyer owns the property at 1205-07 Columbia St., which burned down Nov. 12, forcing neighbors to evacuate their homes during the early morning hours. The heat from the blaze damaged nearby homes, one of which is still uninhabitable.
The city requested that Mr. Wisner remove the remaining debris from the duplex immediately following the blaze. In late December, the city hired Independent Commercial Contractors Inc., Lorraine, for $28,600 to clean the site and remove asbestos. Mr. Wisner was then billed for the job.
Mr. Wisner bought the home June 21, despite the previous owner not allowing him to completely inspect it beforehand, the notice states.
Once the purchase was complete, Mr. Wisner hired cleaners to clear debris from the home.
"The cleaners discovered more than 10 bodies of long-dead cats in the building," the notice states. "The odor from the house and the Dumpsters brought numerous complaints from neighbors."
In June, the city Code Enforcement Office found that an upstairs bathtub in 1205 Columbia St. was filled with cat feces, and cat skeletons were found throughout the apartment.The property was condemned and the tenant, Michael J. Sias, was removed.
Mr. Sias, 58, now of 536 Emerson St., Apt. 103, is facing an animal-cruelty charge on allegations that between June 25 and July 3 he deprived seven cats of necessary sustenance in his former home, "permitting unjustifiable physical pain, suffering and death," according to a city police document. He was charged Tuesday and faces prosecution in City Court.
Some live cats were taken from the home by the SPCA, others were euthanized and six frozen bodies that were found in an operating freezer were sent to Cornell University, Ithaca, for a forensics examination.
Mr. Wisner claims that "it was a matter of public knowledge that persons in the city of Watertown, New York, had called for the burning of the duplex." Throughout the notice, he maintains that an arsonist started the fire and that police did not properly follow leads.
The cause of the fire was never determined and police never made an arrest.
"My position is that there was no emergency and the demolition charges were unlawful and unreasonable and should be reviewed by a court and disallowed as an unlawful taking of private property," the notice states.
Mr. Wisner is asking for $100,000 for the loss of the house and $900,000 for "harassment causing great mental stress and depression." He plans to retain an attorney, the notice states.
City Attorney Robert J. Slye said he did not want to comment about the notice when contacted Friday afternoon.
"We'll certainly wait to see what Mr. Wisner has to say and if he files a suit," he said.
Malignant mesothelioma
Patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma who have been treated with radiation may be at an increased risk for malignant mesothelioma.
Although malignant mesothelioma is relatively uncommon, previous research indicated it may be associated with radiation exposure.
Results of several recent epidemiological studies showed that radiation for lymphoma may be linked with an increased risk for malignant mesothelioma. However, these studies involved only a small number of patients and the results needed to be confirmed in larger studies.
For this study, the researchers examined risk for malignant mesothelioma in 2,567 patients who had reached at least five-year survival after treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Patients included in the study had been treated with radiation alone, chemotherapy alone or a combination of both.
Median follow-up period was 18.1 years. At this time, 13 patients had malignant mesothelioma at least five years after being treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Five-year survivors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma were about 26 times more likely than the general population to develop malignant mesothelioma, according to the results. Those treated with radiation alone were about 30 times more likely to develop malignant mesothelioma.
There were no cases of the disease among the 232 patients treated with chemotherapy alone, but patients treated with both radiation and chemotherapy were almost 44 times more likely to develop malignant mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer
Sing computed tomography scans to screen former asbestos workers can detect both early and late-stage lung cancer and late-stage mesothelioma, according to a study in the May Journal of Thoracic Oncology. However, it’s still not clear whether screening for these cancers might improve patients’ prognoses.
Exposure to asbestos fibers is a known risk factor for lung cancer and the cause of mesothelioma. Although asbestos is still not completely banned in the U.S., it was phased out of American industry to a large degree beginning in the 1970s. However because asbestos-related diseases can take 20 to 40 years to emerge after people have been exposed, former asbestos workers and those exposed to products containing this carcinogen continue to be diagnosed with asbestos caused cancers.
As researchers search for better treatments and even a cure for these diseases, they are also focusing on new diagnostic methods that might identify the cancers earlier. Early diagnosis is particularly crucial with mesothelioma, because many patients survive only one year after they first start to show signs, and symptoms are often difficult to distinguish from those of other lung diseases.
One potential screening method uses low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to evaluate the lungs and their lining (pleura). LDCT can locate plaques in the lungs, which are a sign of asbestos exposure and have been linked to an increased cancer risk.
Currently, there are no recommendations about using LDCT or any other method to screen people who have been exposed to asbestos, and screening isn’t routinely done. “There are currently no methods for the early detection of mesothelioma available,” says lead author Heidi Roberts, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Toronto. “This is why we are doing the research.”
To determine the effectiveness of LDCT as a screening tool for asbestos-related lung cancers, Dr. Roberts and her colleagues recruited 516 people (most of them men) who had been exposed to asbestos at least 20 years before, or who had known plaques. Participants were given LDCT scans of the chest. Patients who had abnormal scans were given follow-up tests. Those with normal test results were invited to have an annual LDCT scan.
Of the 516 participants, 357 had evidence of plaques. Based on the results of the first scan and annual scans, six of the patients were diagnosed with lung cancers and four were diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Although LDCT was able to detect advanced mesothelioma, as well as early- and late-stage lung cancers, it was not able to diagnose early mesothelioma. The study authors say they need to continue screening patients to help them get a better idea of what early mesothelioma looks like. Also, they say adding biomarkers (substances in the blood that indicate the presence of cancer) to the screening process may provide greater sensitivity to help diagnose those at very high risk for mesothelioma.
Even as techniques are fine-tuned, screening is just one step of a three-tiered effort to combat these cancers, according to Dr. Roberts. “The second step is the parallel development of biomarkers, and the third step is the parallel development of treatment strategies,” she says. “These have to be developed hand-in-hand in order to make this a useful and meaningful tool.”
Boat Insurance
With the 4th of July weekend starting tomorrow (or today for some!), it’s a good time for boaters to get their water crafts in tip-top shop before jetting out into open waters for the first time this season. In the rush to push away from the dock we can sometimes forget important safety tips and procedures.
Prepare your Boat for Summer
1- Life Jackets- Make sure you have enough for every passenger on the boat and check their condition for rips or other defects. Replace any that are damaged and have a spare just in case.
2-Fire Extinguisher- Fire extinguishers can discharge over the winter so make sure you have a functional fire extinguisher in an accessible place.
3- Registration and Insurance- It’s easy so forget about paperwork when you’re thinking about basking in the sun but make sure your boat registration and boat insurance are valid. Make sure you have copies on the boat so you can produce them if you need to.
4-Battery Check- Often overlooked yet extremely important! Check your boat batteries for a strong charge and have a back-up available at all times.
5- Electrical- Check your electrical system including lights, gauges and the bilge pump. Electrical systems have a tendency to fail over the winter season.
6- Trailer-If you have a trailer, make sure it is in good shape by greasing the bearings and checking the winch for functionality.
7- Gas- If you left gas in the boat over the winter it’s usually a good idea to replace it and fill it up with fresh. Gas it up and get out on the water!
Personal Finance
For decades, insurance companies have been using credit scores to reward customers with good credit, says the III (Insurance Information Institute). Credit scores are one of the many factors that help determine an insurance customer’s ”insurance score” which is a numerial ranking that determines each customer’s eligibility for specific rates. Therefore, homeowners and drivers with an above- average credit score may be rewarded with lower rates, while those with a poor credit score, may pay slightly higher rates.
While credit scoring is under much debate in certain areas of the country, insurance researchers have found direct correlations between poor credit scores and the likelihood of filing claims. Like it or not, low insurance rates are just one more bonus to maintaining good credit. Keep in mind, your credit score and/or your insurance score are never based upon income levels, race, etc. (For more information read about Financial Responsibility and Insurance Risk.)
The good news is, for those with poor credit- you always have the chance to turn it around. If you haven’t checked your credit report in a few months, get a copy. Make sure everything is correct and take note of your current credit score. Your credit score is often lowered if you have accounts which defaulted for non-payment and if you have high credit card balances nearing your limit. Settle any accounts left unpaid or come up with a payment plan so you can get them taken care of. Once they are paid off, request proof of settlement be sent to the three major credit bureaus. Also, make a goal to pay down any credit cards with high balances.
And since a poor credit rating can sometimes take some time to correct, take advantage of other insurance discounts in the meantime in order to save money on your premiums. For example, ask your home insurance agent about a home-auto discount, a burglar alarm discount and a smoke alarm discount.
Most car insurance companies will also lower your rate if you have not filed any claims over a specific period time or if you maintain a clean driving record.
Burglary
Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “eat and run”, a burglar reportedly broke into an Illinois home this weekend taking nothing but a $6 steak that he prepared in the victim’s kitchen.
The homeowner, a Peoria resident, had been away from his home most of the day Saturday. After returning home that night, he noticed a broken window which turned out to be the burglar’s point of entry.
After inspecting his home, the homeowner realized there was nothing of value missing. What was missing, however, was a $6 steal that he left out to thaw that day.
In addition, he found his kitchen in complete disarray with a dirty skillet in the sink, dirty dishes on the counter and paper towels strewn around the room.
Local investigators believe this to be evidence that the burglar cooked the meal in the homeowners home, ate it and then left without disturbing anything else in the home.
Traffic Cop
That’s right, various states across the U.S. are now using air crafts to monitor speeders and reckless drivers. So, next time you feel like cranking up the radio and pushing down on the gas pedal, be aware of the officers in the sky.
States like Florida and Virginia have employed pilots to their highway patrol teams. These pilots’ responsibilities are to monitor drivers on the roadways below and track their speed and driving patterns. No radar is needed as these pilots track the speed of a driver simply by timing how fast it takes them to travel between two pre-measured points and calculating the speed. Flight captains then radio the speeding vehicle’s information to a state trooper or police officer on the ground who can pursue the driver to issue the ticket.
Oftentimes, serious offenders will try and outrun police officers in pursuit, however, those that might have previously gotten away now face a greater challenge. Traffic planes can now follow getaway drivers who often do not even realize they are being followed. Planes can track a getaway driver for hours until they head home thinking they have gotten away. Ground units are then notified of their location and sent in to handle the situation.
So if there weren’t enough reasons to avoid speeding before (accidents, car insurance rate increases, etc.), traffic air patrol gives us just one more reason to watch that speedometer closely and follow the rules of the road.
Health Insurance
Congress is taking a close look at a class-action lawsuit led by individuals who claim that their health insurance companies have unfairly dropped their coverage after they began submitting claims for serious illnesses.
Many health insurance companies practice rescission- the practice of canceling an individual health insurance policy after it has been approved, often paid into and claims have been made. However, companies claim to practice rescission in order to combat insurance fraud.
Some individuals are claiming, however, that their coverage was cancelled only after they filed a claim for a serious condition.
One plaintiff, Robin Beaton, claims that she paid her health insurance premiums faithfully every month. Only after she was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago, did her health insurance provider, BlueCross BlueShield, deny her claims and drop her policy.
A representative from BlueCross BlueShield claims that Beaton neglected to disclose a visit to a dermatologist a few year prior when initially applying for medical coverage. Neglecting to disclose this information can be interpreted as unintentional insurance fraud, according to the company, and provides cause for dropping her policy.Health professionals are criticizing the health insurance companies for waiting until a serious claim is made to “do their homework”. Many believe that these major health insurance companies should be researching their policyholders’ medical backgrounds prior to approving their coverage as opposed to only after they file a substantial claim.
In a congressional hearing earlier this week Bart Stupak [D] of Michigan confronted executives from three health insurance companies and asked them if they would pledge to end of the practice of rescission except in the cases of intentional fraud.
Land Lord Insurance
Oftentimes, first-time landlords think they can keep their standard homeowners insurance policy while renting out their home instead of purchasing a landlord policy. However, when you rent out your home your homeowners insurance company will not typically cover claims made on a standard homeowners policy.
A Landlord Policy is Different From a Standard Home Insurance Policy- Know your Coverage
A Landlord Policy is a policy specifically designed for someone who is renting out their home to tenants. It offers most of the same coverages as a standard homeowners policy with a few changes tailored to meet the special needs of a landlord.
For example, a standard homeowners policy typically provides up to 70% of the dwelling coverage for contents coverage. However, the contents coverage under a landlord policy can be altered to provide the amount of coverage needed by a landlord. If you are renting out an unfurnished home, for example, you would not need a large amount of contents coverage as you might if you are renting the home furnished. So, if you are renting out an unfurnished property, you might want to purchase just enough contents coverage to protect any appliances you have in the home.
Also, typically under a Landlord Policy you would have Fair Rental Loss coverage which replaces Loss of Use coverage under a standard homeowners insurance policy. Fair Rental Loss coverage protects your rental income in the event your home is damaged or destoyed due to a covered loss and you cannot collect rent on the property while it is being repaired/rebuilt. Limits for this coverage are typically around 10% of the Dwelling Coverage-however this can vary from one policy and company to the next.
As a landlord, it is always a good idea to encourage your tenants to purchase rental insurance. Rental insurance offers liability coverage which would be a great asset in the event that someone presents you and/or your tenant with a lawsuit for damages that occurred on your property while your tenant was residing there.
Also, since your Landlord Policy would not cover the renter’s possessions in the event they were stolen or damaged in a loss, they should have renter’s insurance to cover their belongings while they are living in your home.
Green Home Trade (Important Info)
Homeowners sometimes mistakenly believe that in order to have a lush, well landscaped yard you have to invest loads of cash. The truth is, there are a ton of ways to get really cheap plants and materials so that you can turn your backyard into an oasis without spending a fortune. On a tight budget this spring, my husband and I were determined to get our yard looking great. We utilized a few of the resources below to get the look we were looking for- affordably.
Stop Paying for Plants!
If you have time, and patience, you can easily grow your own plants just by taking cuttings off the plants you already have in your yard- or can find around town. Last spring I took cuttings from hydrangeas and camellias in my yard; cuttings from azaleas from a local park; and cuttings from shrubs from my neighbors yard (with her permission of course!) and was able to produce almost a dozen new plants that were ready for planting this spring.
How to: Cutting is one way to propagate a plant where you cut off a small portion of an established plant in order to grow a new plant from the cutting. Some plants are easier to propagate than others so some of this will just take trial and error. Use this webpage on Plant Cuttings to get detailed step-by-step advice on how to make successful cuttings from existing plants. Once your cuttings are established, you can plant them in your yard. Remember, while they may still be small the first year, they will grow! Ask a local nursery about the maximum growing potential for your plants so you can pick the perfect spot to plant them.
Money Does Grow on Trees…or Vines at Least!
Make your garden earn for you this summer by planting a vegetable and herb garden. The Burpee Seed company announced a few months ago that the average family can save up to $700/year by growing their own produce.
How to: Find out what herbs and vegetables grow well in your area by asking around at a farmers market or produce stand. If you start early enough in the year, you can grow your veggies and herbs from seed. Otherwise, you can probably purchase some cheap seedlings from a local farmers market. Find a really sunny spot in your yard as vegetable and herbs require a lot of sun. Give your seedlings room to grow and plenty of water. You might want to consider using an organic pesticide if bugs become a problem- however- there are ways to make this from scratch without spending money at the store. Read this eHow article on How to Make Homemade Pesticides. If you have an overabundance of fruits and vegetables, can or jar them so that you can enjoy them in the winter time. This will save you even more cash!
Use CraigsList.com for Cheap Materials
Instead of paying full price for landscaping materials at home stores, use other resources to find really cheap deals. Ever heard the expression, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure?” That’s how I felt a few months ago when I found a woman on CraigsList who was looking to get rid of all the pine straw she had raked out of her yard. Since I really needed something to line the bed of my rose garden, the deal worked out perfect. I rid her of her pine straw problem- and got some free bedding material in return.
How to: Before purchasing mulch, pine straw, bricks or other materials for your garden beds check CraigsList.com. Also, local builders often donate extra building materials which you can in turn find real cheap at a local Habitat for Humanity Homestore. And don’t be afraid to wheel and deal a little bit. Make a fair offer on a stack of patio stones and you might just get it!
Career and Job Market
An article published today on CNN.com raised the issue of uninsured young Americans. The article points out that the largest group of Americans in the U.S. to not carry health insurance is the 19-29 age group.
The reasons behind this are not exactly known, however, the article highlights the fact that many people in this age group are no longer eligible for benefits under their parents’ health insurance plan but have also not yet secured a job that offers medical benefits.
The other problem is the lack of employment opportunities that offer health insurance benefits in the U.S.
“Only about one-half of all young adults who are working are offered coverage through an employer, compared to about 75 percent of adults who are offered coverage through an employer, over age 30.”
-Sara Collins from the Commonwealth Fund
While the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the overall number of uninsured Americans had decreased in 2007, numbers from 2008 have not yet been reported.
Finding Florida Home Insurance???
1- Shop Around- As always probably one of the best ways to save on homeowners insurance is to compare price tags. Sites like HomeInsurance.com allow you to fill out one form and speak to one agent who will match you with a Florida home insurance quote that is affordable and comprehensive.
2- Take Advantage of Hurricane Upgrade Discounts- Home insurance companies that offer Florida home insurance coverage typically offer major discounts for homeowners who protect their home with hurricane proofing materials. Consider installing hurricane shutters, for example.
3-Combine your Home and Auto- As with any area of the country, homeowners are usually able to save anywhere from 10-35% on their homeowners insurance policy if they package their auto insurance policy with their homeowners policy. Same goes for Floridians.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Forex Part 2
EUR/USD Declines Despite Good Housing News
July 17th, 2009Dollar seems to be reacting positively to the good news from the U.S. housing market, despite the fact that improvement in the real state sector signalizes the recovery of the economy, which usually leads to the rise of the high-yielding currencies and the fall of the low-risk currencies (such as dollar). EUR/USD is now trading near 1.4103.
Housing starts reached an annual seasonally adjusted rate of 582k in June — up from 562k reported for May and above the forecasted value of 532k. Meanwhile, building permits in United States rose from 518k to 563k in June. They were expected to go up only to 524k. The problem is that the both rates are still far below their values that were reported a year ago — 46% year-to-year drop for housing starts and building permits are down by 52%.
In the given conditions decline of EUR/USD can be explained only by the fact that the market participants expect a correction today after two days of growth and that Friday is usually a bad day to ride the Forex news.
I’ve been contacted by a representative of FxCompany that asked me if I can do an on-line interview with him. So, I decided that the readers of my blog would probably be interested to hear what one of the popular MetaTrader broker can say about its business and the overall market situation. I’ve sent the questions to Mr. Andrew Mecow, the Head of Partners Department, and soon received his answers. And now you can read the whole interview and see if FxCompany, as a broker, can be interesting to you.Acer Ferrari
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The bottom-up momentum in the U.S. / Canada
Upward movement dollar / Canada after leap above the trend with a few highs this year has stalled and that the pair failed to demonstrate a strong break above Fibonacci resistance at C $ 1.1650. Currently, the dollar / Canada is traded around C $ 1.1647, while attempting to meet the strong growth continues to repel some C $ 1.1680, and dealers noted that the increasing interest in buying the Canadian currency may be linked to the rumor that China's sovereign fund will buy shares mining company Teck Resources in the amount of C $ 1.5 billion, while some are bound to demand loonie transaction Addax Petroleum to purchase the Chinese company Sinopec (the amount of the transaction was C $ 8.3 billion, the money will be paid about C $ 4-5 billion). Dealers fear that the lack of progress in an upward movement in the near future could lead bulls podsokratit accumulated long positions that could support the dollar correction in the direction of C $ 1.1450. Meanwhile, the ability to break above C $ 1.1680/00 would signal the possibility of continuing the growth of C $ 1.1750 / C $ 1.18, and then to C $ 1.1920.
Forex
Morgan Stanley welcomed the potential of the euro until the end of the year
How to find Morgan Stanley, the fair value of U.S. dollar against the euro may rise to 1.18 dollars per euro, which reinforces the belief of analysts is that a pair of Euro / dollar has found new historical highs. The bank, however, continue to positively assess the prospects for the euro until the end of 2009. At this time, a pair of Euro / dollar traded at 1.4115.
It's no secret that the main problem of trading is that the same indicator may give conflicting signals in different time scales. For example, it may indicate a rising trend in the afternoon schedule and descending trend in the time schedule. In other words, the testimony of the indicators are contradictory, and trading signals depending on the time period schedule.
And the problem is only one solution: Split decisions in several stages by analyzing the various taymfreymy using different instruments.
Without a doubt, the best way to approach such a clear division provides a method of three screens. You build the 3 graphics and consistently analyze them.
First, select "Medium" screen - it is time scale, which best match the duration of conservation open positions (usually four or time schedule).
Next, selected long-term and short-term scale, which is an order of magnitude different from the average, for the average screen dnevok is, respectively, a day (four hours) and time (15 - or 5 - minute) charts.
Analysis of the "triple screen" starts with a long-term schedule. The system refers to the trend, and the first task, which is worth - the definition of the basic long-term trend in the direction of which is to play, and his condition - a beginning, middle or end.
Accordingly, this schedule should be applied trend indicators, the main of which is the MACD-Histogram. The direction of the trend determined by the ratio of two recent strokes or points of histograms: the histogram rising, when the last point above the previous one, points to the upward trend, downward histogram indicates the need to play to sell.
Please note that:
rotate or decline histogram refers to the end and spread trends.
turns up, taking place below the zero line, give a strong signal to buy, what turns above the line.
turns down, occurring above the zero line, give a strong signal to sell, what turns below the zero line.
We recommend that you use multiple indicators of trends to avoid false alarms. Basic rule: play only in the direction of the trends identified in the first long-term "view."
How to find Morgan Stanley, the fair value of U.S. dollar against the euro may rise to 1.18 dollars per euro, which reinforces the belief of analysts is that a pair of Euro / dollar has found new historical highs. The bank, however, continue to positively assess the prospects for the euro until the end of 2009. At this time, a pair of Euro / dollar traded at 1.4115.
By some estimates, more than 40% of professionals in one way or another using the system. Moreover, it is the most simple and well-known from the public system, and we recommend that beginners start with it.
TC was created by Alexander Elder in 1985 and since then, it actually has not changed, indicating that its reliability and wide applicability, as the stock market and Forex market.It's no secret that the main problem of trading is that the same indicator may give conflicting signals in different time scales. For example, it may indicate a rising trend in the afternoon schedule and descending trend in the time schedule. In other words, the testimony of the indicators are contradictory, and trading signals depending on the time period schedule.
And the problem is only one solution: Split decisions in several stages by analyzing the various taymfreymy using different instruments.
Without a doubt, the best way to approach such a clear division provides a method of three screens. You build the 3 graphics and consistently analyze them.
First, select "Medium" screen - it is time scale, which best match the duration of conservation open positions (usually four or time schedule).
Next, selected long-term and short-term scale, which is an order of magnitude different from the average, for the average screen dnevok is, respectively, a day (four hours) and time (15 - or 5 - minute) charts.
Analysis of the "triple screen" starts with a long-term schedule. The system refers to the trend, and the first task, which is worth - the definition of the basic long-term trend in the direction of which is to play, and his condition - a beginning, middle or end.
Accordingly, this schedule should be applied trend indicators, the main of which is the MACD-Histogram. The direction of the trend determined by the ratio of two recent strokes or points of histograms: the histogram rising, when the last point above the previous one, points to the upward trend, downward histogram indicates the need to play to sell.
Please note that:
rotate or decline histogram refers to the end and spread trends.
turns up, taking place below the zero line, give a strong signal to buy, what turns above the line.
turns down, occurring above the zero line, give a strong signal to sell, what turns below the zero line.
We recommend that you use multiple indicators of trends to avoid false alarms. Basic rule: play only in the direction of the trends identified in the first long-term "view."
Investing
The business model can be reduced to a simple equation: Profit = earned premium + investment income - incurred loss - underwriting expenses.
Insurers make money in two ways: (1) through underwriting, the process by which insurers select the risks to insure and decide how much in premiums to charge for accepting those risks and (2) by investing the premiums they collect from insured parties.
The most complicated aspect of the insurance business is the underwriting of policies. Using a wide assortment of data, insurers predict the likelihood that a claim will be made against their policies and price products accordingly. To this end, insurers use actuarial science to quantify the risks they are willing to assume and the premium they will charge to assume them. Data is analyzed to fairly accurately project the rate of future claims based on a given risk. Actuarial science uses statistics and probability to analyze the risks associated with the range of perils covered, and these scientific principles are used to determine an insurer's overall exposure. Upon termination of a given policy, the amount of premium collected and the investment gains thereon minus the amount paid out in claims is the insurer's underwriting profit on that policy. Of course, from the insurer's perspective, some policies are winners (i.e., the insurer pays out less in claims and expenses than it receives in premiums and investment income) and some are losers (i.e., the insurer pays out more in claims and expenses than it receives in premiums and investment income).
An insurer's underwriting performance is measured in its combined ratio. The loss ratio (incurred losses and loss-adjustment expenses divided by net earned premium) is added to the expense ratio (underwriting expenses divided by net premium written) to determine the company's combined ratio. The combined ratio is a reflection of the company's overall underwriting profitability. A combined ratio of less than 100 percent indicates underwriting profitability, while anything over 100 indicates an underwriting loss.
Insurance companies also earn investment profits on “float”. “Float” or available reserve is the amount of money, at hand at any given moment, that an insurer has collected in insurance premiums but has not been paid out in claims. Insurers start investing insurance premiums as soon as they are collected and continue to earn interest on them until claims are paid out.
Liability Insurance
Liability insurance is a very broad super set that covers legal claims against the insured. Many types of insurance include an aspect of liability coverage. For example, a homeowner's insurance policy will normally include liability coverage which protects the insured in the event of a claim brought by someone who slips and falls on the property; automobile insurance also includes an aspect of liability insurance that indemnifies against the harm that a crashing car can cause to others' lives, health, or property. The protection offered by a liability insurance policy is twofold: a legal defense in the event of a lawsuit commenced against the policyholder and indemnification (payment on behalf of the insured) with respect to a settlement or court verdict. Liability policies typically cover only the negligence of the insured, and will not apply to results of wilful or intentional acts by the insured.
- Directors and officers liability insurance protects an organization (usually a corporation) from costs associated with litigation resulting from mistakes made by directors and officers for which they are liable. In the industry, it is usually called "D&O" for short.
- Environmental liability insurance protects the insured from bodily injury, property damage and cleanup costs as a result of the dispersal, release or escape of pollutants.
- Errors and omissions insurance: See "Professional liability insurance" under "Liability insurance".
- Prize indemnity insurance protects the insured from giving away a large prize at a specific event. Examples would include offering prizes to contestants who can make a half-court shot at a basketball game, or a hole-in-one at a golf tournament.
- Professional liability insurance, also called professional indemnity insurance, protects insured professionals such as architectural corporation and medical practice against potential negligence claims made by their patients/clients. Professional liability insurance may take on different names depending on the profession. For example, professional liability insurance in reference to the medical profession may be called malpractice insurance. Notaries public may take out errors and omissions insurance (E&O). Other potential E&O policyholders include, for example, real estate brokers, Insurance agents, home inspectors, appraisers, and website developers.
Progressive Auto Insurance
Use these car insurance tips and hints from Progressive to save money and select the right coverage. Plus, Progressive says it will include all available auto insurance discounts when you get a quote.
Savvy consumers know it pays to do the legwork and shop around for car insurance. Considering auto insurance prices for a six-month policy can vary greatly between companies, why not take the time to compare rates for several companies? To help you in your quest for car insurance, we've compiled a few tips that can help you save money and make the right choices for your situation.
Before you get started, review your auto insurance coverages and keep your auto policy on hand to make fair comparisons to your current coverage. Then start shopping. Visit insurance Web sites and insurance agents/brokers and get quotes. Following are a few more shopping tips.
Learn The Auto Insurance Lingo
Do you know whether or not you need PIP coverage? Can you explain BI or PD coverage? Before you buy, learn the basic auto insurance lingo — it can help you make coverage decisions that are right for you. Visit our insurance definitions section and expand your knowledge now!
Stay with a Leader
Visit A.M. Best, Moody's Investor Service, and Standard & Poor's for information on the financial strength of various car insurance companies and what benefits and features they offer.
Enhance Your Car Insurance Experience
For 24/7 customer and claims service and the ability to manage your auto insurance policy and pay your bills online, you need a company that can do more than simply provide a car insurance quote on its Web site. Visit progressive.com to see how much online control and access you have with Progressive.
Savvy consumers know it pays to do the legwork and shop around for car insurance. Considering auto insurance prices for a six-month policy can vary greatly between companies, why not take the time to compare rates for several companies? To help you in your quest for car insurance, we've compiled a few tips that can help you save money and make the right choices for your situation.
Before you get started, review your auto insurance coverages and keep your auto policy on hand to make fair comparisons to your current coverage. Then start shopping. Visit insurance Web sites and insurance agents/brokers and get quotes. Following are a few more shopping tips.
Learn The Auto Insurance Lingo
Do you know whether or not you need PIP coverage? Can you explain BI or PD coverage? Before you buy, learn the basic auto insurance lingo — it can help you make coverage decisions that are right for you. Visit our insurance definitions section and expand your knowledge now!
Stay with a Leader
Visit A.M. Best, Moody's Investor Service, and Standard & Poor's for information on the financial strength of various car insurance companies and what benefits and features they offer.
Enhance Your Car Insurance Experience
For 24/7 customer and claims service and the ability to manage your auto insurance policy and pay your bills online, you need a company that can do more than simply provide a car insurance quote on its Web site. Visit progressive.com to see how much online control and access you have with Progressive.
Claim Adjusting
An adjuster will frequently verify that coverage applies through an insurance policy, investigate liability for the damages caused, and make restitution to the injured person based on their physical, emotional, or physical property damages.
Many homeowners reach a fair settlement with the staff or independent adjuster they are working with. In the event they are not, they can hire a public adjuster. Public adjusters claim that many homeowners do not collect all the money to which they are entitled due to a lack of familiarity with the claim process. The use of a public adjuster may mitigate this risk and could help put the policyholder on a more equal footing with the insurance companies, which increasingly use experts to support their side of a claim settlement. Public adjusters charge for their services, the standard rate is 10% of your claim settlement. For example, If you suffer a $250,000.00 fire loss, the public adjuster fee for assisting you would be $25,000.00 This $25,000.00 is taken out of your claim settlement. The objective of a claims adjuster should be to protect the insured against not only financial loss, but also the cost of recovering it.
Responsibilities:
1. Responding to claims in a timely manner
2. Filing paperwork
3. Communicating with policy holders
4. Investigate liability
5. Assess damages
6. Research, detail and substantiate each aspect of the claim, including building damage, contents, and extra living expense claims.
7. Negotiate with product/service providers on time and cost of repairs for the purpose of making an offer of settlement to the insured.
8. Ensuring accurate procedures
9. Protect the interest of the insurance company the adjuster represents, when dealing with claimants.
Many homeowners reach a fair settlement with the staff or independent adjuster they are working with. In the event they are not, they can hire a public adjuster. Public adjusters claim that many homeowners do not collect all the money to which they are entitled due to a lack of familiarity with the claim process. The use of a public adjuster may mitigate this risk and could help put the policyholder on a more equal footing with the insurance companies, which increasingly use experts to support their side of a claim settlement. Public adjusters charge for their services, the standard rate is 10% of your claim settlement. For example, If you suffer a $250,000.00 fire loss, the public adjuster fee for assisting you would be $25,000.00 This $25,000.00 is taken out of your claim settlement. The objective of a claims adjuster should be to protect the insured against not only financial loss, but also the cost of recovering it.
Responsibilities:
1. Responding to claims in a timely manner
2. Filing paperwork
3. Communicating with policy holders
4. Investigate liability
5. Assess damages
6. Research, detail and substantiate each aspect of the claim, including building damage, contents, and extra living expense claims.
7. Negotiate with product/service providers on time and cost of repairs for the purpose of making an offer of settlement to the insured.
8. Ensuring accurate procedures
9. Protect the interest of the insurance company the adjuster represents, when dealing with claimants.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Loans
The Federal Reserve probably plays the most visible role in influencing rates, as it orchestrates money supply. Contrary to popular belief though, when the Fed trims rates, the effects don't necessarily trickle down to every credit and loan product.
Between September 2007 and April 2008, the Fed cut the federal funds rate 3.25 percentage points, from 5.25 percent to 2 percent. Yet over that time frame, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage actually rose, according to Bankrate data.
Rates on other loan products did fall, including those for home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs, auto loans and variable rate credit cards. Their rates are pegged to the prime rate, which moves in tandem with the federal funds rate.
Knowing what influences interest rates may help you negotiate a better deal the next time you need to borrow money.
1. The skinny on mortgage rates
What impacts rates: Fixed-rate mortgages are influenced by the current economy and investor expectations."Fixed-rate mortgages are pegged to long-term interest rates, like the 10-year Treasury note and are not connected to short-term interest rates controlled by the Fed," says Greg McBride, Bankrate's senior financial analyst.
Short-term rates do affect adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, because the indexes to which they are pegged are shorter term in nature, says McBride.
"Adjustable rate mortgages are often pegged to the one-year Treasury or a short-term LIBOR index, either of which is more closely correlated with the short-term interest rates under the Fed's control," he says.
Risk-averse lenders reeling from record losses from the subprime mess are impacting mortgage rates, too. Lenders are requiring tougher underwriting standards on new mortgages.
Investors who buy mortgage-backed securities are demanding higher yields to compensate them for taking higher risks.
These factors have prevented mortgage rates from falling lower than they are today.
It's tough to lend money for homes while housing values remain uncertain, says Bob Walters, chief economist at Livonia, Mich.-based Quicken Loans.
"If you're lending against something that you think continues to lose value, how do you make your (lending) rule when you make a loan in May and by July you're upside down on that loan?" he says.
Highs and lows: Over the past five years, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have ranged from a low of 5.28 percent in June 2003 to a high of 6.93 percent in June 2006. In recent weeks, rates have been approaching those 2006 levels.
Fifteen-year fixed-rate mortgages over the past five years ranged from a low of 4.71 percent in June 2003 to a high of 6.57 percent in June 2006.
And 5/1 ARMS, for which Bankrate has data for two years, ranged from a low of 4.99 percent in February 2005 to a high of 6.67 percent in June 2007.
For information on the latest mortgage rates, see Bankrate's mortgage survey.
How to get the best rate: Until the mortgage crises fully ebbs, lenders will likely continue to tighten their mortgage lending standards.
You'll need proof of stable income, preferably a tenure of two or more years at the same employer, a FICO score of at least 720 score and a verifiable down payment -- plus cash reserves, says Ritch Workman, president of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers.
"That's our poster-child borrower," he says. "They're the ones being offered the best rates."
With zero-down-payment loans going the way of the horse and buggy, expect to cough up more money at closing to qualify for the best rates -- especially if you're near the conforming loan limit for your area. (Conforming loan limits vary according to area, but are predominately $417,000. A conforming mortgage is one that is eligible for purchase or securitization by government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.)
"It pays to strategize to either make a larger down payment or borrow less money so you can get that mortgage under that conforming loan limit and at a lower rate," McBride says.
Another rate-reducing strategy is to pay discount points or an origination fee upfront. Both fees are expressed as a percentage of the loan amount, and both will decrease the interest rate of a mortgage, but will increase the amount of cash you need at closing.
On a $200,000 loan, a 1 percent origination fee (also called loan-processing fee) will mean $2,000 out-of-pocket at closing.
Origination fees may or may not be negotiable. Some lenders won't write a loan without an origination fee, says Workman.
How much do discount points lower your mortgage rate? It depends on what's going on in the mortgage market, but one point usually lowers the interest rate by one-eighth to three-eighths of a percentage point. General rule of thumb: One discount point equals a quarter-point rate reduction.
2. The skinny on home equity
What impacts rates: Home equity loans are pegged to long-term interest rates like the 10-year Treasury notes, while home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs, have variable interest rates pegged to the prime rate. The prime rate moves in lock step with Fed interest rate changes.With home equity loans, borrowers get money upfront in a lump sum at a fixed interest rate and make the same payment each month for the loan term.
HELOCs are lines of credit that allow the borrower to draw money periodically when needed. The interest rate can vary, depending on the prime rate, and the borrower may have the option to make interest-only payments over specific periods of time.
Interest rates for HELOCs are favorable now because Fed actions over the past year have driven down the prime rate.
However, lenders looking to avoid exposure from falling home prices and foreclosures have taken to freezing or reducing HELOCs in some areas and making home equity loans harder to get.
Highs and lows: Home equity loan rates over the past five years ranged from 6.62 percent to 8.19 percent for $30,000 loans. Over the past year, the rate has averaged about 8 percent.
HELOC rates over the past five years have ranged from a low of 4 percent in August 2003 to a high of 8.25 percent in September 2007. Over the past year, they have averaged in the neighborhood of 6.8 percent.
Bankrate's Interest Rate Roundup gives you the latest information on home equity loan and HELOC rates.
How to get the best rate: Know your credit profile and take action while interest rates are low.
Consumers with FICO scores of 720 or higher, low debt-to-income and low loan-to-value ratios, and high cash reserves are getting the best rates on HELOCs right now, according to Ritch Workman, president of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers.
Lawyers
Lawyers ill equipped to advise on intersection of social media and copyright laws
I ran across the same shocking legal commentary as American journalist, Jeff Jarvis, this morning. Legal commentary from a judge and a lawyer who look ill equipped to counsel anyone on the future of copyright laws.
I agree with Jarvis when he posts 'First, kill the lawyers - before they kill the news.'
Following the frighteningly dangerous thinking of Judge Richard Posner - proposing rewriting copyright law to outlaw linking to and summarizing (aka talking about) news stories - now we have two more lemming lawyers following him off the cliff in a column written by the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Connie Schultz.First note well that Schultz is married to U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown as she calls on her newspapers and employer (my former employer, Advance Publications) and fellow columnists to influence Congress to remake copyright. She should be registered as a lobbyist. No joke.
Schultz says that David Marburger, an alleged First Amendment attorney for her paper, and his economics-professor brother, Daniel, have concocted their own dangerous thinking, proposing the copyright law be changed to insist that a newspaper's story should appear only on its own web site for the first 24 hours before it can be aggregated or retold.
Incredible. So if the Plain Dealer reported exclusively that, say, the governor had just returned from a tryst with a Argentine lady, no one else could so much as talk about that for 24 hours. A First Amendment lawyer said this.
Jarvis goes on to explain how nutty thinking like Marburger's is. The death of Michael Jacksoon spread like wild fire across social media (mostly Twitter) with people linking to TMZ' report. Marburger would give TMZ an exclusive on the report for 24 hours. But TMZ is not a newspaper so they don't get the Marburger/Plain Dealer protection?
I'm not a copyright law expert representing newspapers. I don't know how copyright law issues will play out. I don't know how social media and the Internet will continue to change everything.
But actively taking part in social interaction on the net for the last 14 years (first as a practicing lawyer), blogging for the last six, and Twittering for the last couple, I wonder if I have a far better view of what's going on than some lawyers who profess to be experts on the subject.
I'm not certain anything has changed in the way news spreads. It just spreads faster. Newspapers, Radio, and TV historically broke the news. We spread the word. We told people to turn on the radio, watch TV right now, and get a copy of the newspaper. Newspapers didn't complain then when we sent them traffic and new subscribers.
Because news spreads faster we're supposed to give newspapers a monopoly on the news? That's crazy.
Jarvis makes a compelling point which lawyers advising newspapers ought to think about when counseling newspaper clients.
Schultz and the Marburgers complain about what they call the 'free-riding' of aggregators, et al. But they simply don't understand the economics of the internet. It's the newspapers that are free-riding, getting the benefit of links.
The framers of our Constitution, including the First Amendment, intended it to endure and cope with the effects of the anticipated changes of our nation.
Things have changed - changed quickly. But let's be careful when thinking of following lawyers and Judges who may not understand the nature of the change.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Cheap Ways to Get Web Traffic
Blogs and Forums!!!!!!!!!
If you are looking for cheaper and more fun ways to get guaranteed increase of web traffic, you may join online blog sites and forums. Look for one that best suits the category that your line of industry is in. Talk to other web browers online. Answer questions and seek for referrals from experts and other professionals. Regularly write a web log that will give people an idea that you are factual and knowledgeable about your business.
If you are looking for cheaper and more fun ways to get guaranteed increase of web traffic, you may join online blog sites and forums. Look for one that best suits the category that your line of industry is in. Talk to other web browers online. Answer questions and seek for referrals from experts and other professionals. Regularly write a web log that will give people an idea that you are factual and knowledgeable about your business.
Guaranteed Web Traffic!!
Fast and Easy Tips!!!!!!!
Are you looking for proven methods to get a guaranteed increase of web traffic? Are you looking to get ahead with your online business? In this article I talk about pop under advertising, blogs, and forums. However, for a true guarantee of web visitors you'll have to pay a fee. I make this very clear.
Introduction
At present, internet marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate revenues regardless of whether you are running an online or real time company. The tools, strategies and services may vary but the overall objective is to have guaranteed increase of web traffic. 90% of all registered domains end up not being used, while 90% of all used web sites or domains do not get more than 1 visitor on a daily basis.
With that background, here's how to get a guaranteed increase in web traffic but keep in mind, the "guarantee" means you have to invest some cash. The key is internet advertising.
Internet Advertising
Guaranteed traffic advertising programs will increase the visibility of your web site, product or service to several online users. Price will depend on the package and the number of targeted traffic you intend to reach. Some service providers have web site promotion experts who can help you create an affordable and effective program that will market your brand or online company to millions of users around the world.
Web site marketing strategies will vary among companies. Nowadays, full page pop-under advertisements can reveal your web site to potential clients.
Let's be clear. Guaranteed traffic means that you are guaranteed to get the number of visitors as you have purchased in the package. Most companies will give you a full refund if you do not reach the number of target audience. Some are willing to offer you real time statistics to prove that the visitors who actually visited your web site were referred by them.
Technology Used
There are a number of very useful programs that use proprietary technology that can send anywhere between 10,000 to 50 million visitors to your web site each month. Your online business is displayed in full view of your target audience via pop-under windows together with your web site whenever internet browsers go through any partner web sites within the huge network.
Very effective programs will guarantee unique visitors by counting a visit from each IP address only once during any given 24-hour period. This guarantees you that all individuals visiting your web site are unique. You will not be charged if the same person or IP address visits your web site more than once every day. Being guaranteed 10,000 visitors means that you get 10,000 different computers or persons or more.
Advantages of Internet Advertising
Primarily, guaranteed traffic is known to be very cost-effective and efficient because of the known return on investment. You can get over 3000 visitors at only $10 to $20 depending on the package. Larger campaigns can bring you around 1,000 visitors for every dollar. Ads are usually present in full page so your potential customers can really see what your online business is all about. This is more advantageous than small banners. You can get an entire web page to display your marketing message.
The good service providers can give 100% unique visitors so you increase the chances of getting more sales, especially by targeting people who will actually buy or keep coming to your web site.
Detailed statistical reports will show you real time accounts to let you know how well your web site is doing. You also get full assistance from friendly staff and a team of experts. Look for offers that come with 100% money back guarantee. If you do not receive all the traffic promised and purchased, you should have the right to request a full refund.
Targeting the Right Way
You can choose the specific language, categories and places where you want to get visitors from. Your internet ads will run within a network of web sites with a complex traffic exchange.
The product or service you are selling may not be applicable for other countries so select the appropriate area to expand well. You can place your online business in the category where it best belongs such as sports, shopping, travel, education, credit cards, finance, entertainment, MLMs, etc.
* These Tips Are Guaranteed Ways To Increase Your Web Traffic
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