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Skyrocketing health care costs make U.S. employers non-competitive in the global marketplace

2007-07-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

by Mike Adams

Skyrocketing health insurance costs are heavily impacting employers in the United States. Now, for the first time, medical benefits to employees has become the most expensive benefit paid by employers, according to a new report issued by the Employment Policy Foundation. The cost of health care for employers has jumped 12.4% between 2002 and 2003. That's about 5 times higher than inflation, and it is threatening the competitiveness of American corporations and the private sector. The Foundation also reported that employers spent $331 billion last year for health insurance for employees. That's a 50% increase since 1998. This comes out to an average of $3.80 per hour for each worker who participated in health insurance coverage.
If these numbers aren't alarming to you, they should be. In America today, we're seeing a huge number of jobs moving offshore to countries like India, China, Russia and Mexico. Part of the reason there is so much offshoring going on is because U.S. businesses can no longer remain cost-competitive in the global marketplace due to these burdensome health care costs. To a person who lives in the United States, it often seems like the kind of money we pay for health insurance in this country must be similar to what's paid in other countries around the world, but in fact, this is a myth. Other countries around the world pay far less than we pay for health care, and they are able to deliver health care to their citizens even though they are spending only a fraction of what we are spending here in the United States.

Let me put some real figures to this so you can see an example of how it works. In the United States, and individual could easily pay $400-$500 a month for health insurance coverage. Even if they aren't paying it out of their pocket, their employer is picking up the tab and effectively paying that amount for them. If you look at a country like Taiwan, however, which has a national health care system, each individual pays an average of around $20 per month for full health care coverage. That $20 a month includes maternity, dental, vision, and all medical visits. It even helps cover prescription drug costs, which are dramatically lower in Taiwan than they are in the United States. Taiwan citizens receive care that's nearly as good as the care we receive in the United States, and yet they are paying 1/20th of the costs that we are paying here in the United States.

The myth that the United States has the best health care system in the world has long been shattered. We don't have the best health care in the world -- we have the most overpriced health care system in the world. And frankly, it's not even a health care system -- it's a disease care system. But the bigger question in all of this is: how can people in Taiwan receive full health care coverage for $20 a month, while in the United States, we are being charged $500 a month for similar coverage? The answer is rather complex, but here are the primary reasons why:

Number one, in the United States we are paying outrageous costs for prescription drugs due to the monopoly drug market. The pharmaceutical industry and the FDA are both working hard to limit Americans' access to prescription drugs from Canada and other countries that would be available at far lower cost. They want to make sure that Americans buy their prescription drugs from monopoly-controlled sources in the United States, where prices can be hiked up to practically any level in order to enrich the pockets and the profits of pharmaceutical companies. This is one of the biggest cons ever perpetrated on the American people, and it is fully supported by the Bush administration and federal regulators at the FDA. Many drugs are marked up 10,000% or more over the cost of their raw ingredients, and that's why people can buy such drugs at far lower prices by going to Canada or visiting online pharmacies where the very same drugs can be purchased at a fraction of the cost you might be charged at U.S. pharmacies like Walgreens.

The second reason health care costs are so high in the United States is because our system of health care is extremely inefficient. It has multiple levels of bureaucracy. There are mountains of paperwork that must be filled out by doctors in order to get paid for the work they've performed on patients. Likewise, patients have to fill out reams of paperwork to apply for programs like the Medicare discount drug cards or even private health insurance. Employers also have a tremendous burden here: they are filling out an endless stream of paperwork to apply for health insurance for their employees and then to maintain that health insurance each year.

In fact, there are just far too many people involved in the whole system, and most of them are paper pushers. You have entire companies where people sit around filing health insurance claims for doctors' offices and hospitals. That's their job -- to file claims and make sure treatments are categorized with the right classifications so they can get paid. Then you have other departments where armies of people sit around and try to collect money they are owed by insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. At the same time, you have opposing armies at health insurance companies and government offices whose job it is to deny such claims. Their job is to pay out as little as possible, and they do that by creating nightmare paperwork scenarios for those who are filing the claims.

Then you have federal regulators who come in with yet more paperwork demands, and who have the authority to throw doctors in jail if they make a typo on a couple of forms. The result of all of this is that we as a nation are employing literally millions of people in a disease care system that spends far more time pushing paper than actually providing care. And that's why countries like Taiwan can provide similar health care for 1/20th of the cost that it is provided here in the United States.

One more reason worth mentioning in the United States is the financial risk associated with malpractice lawsuits. Many doctors today are paying such outrageous premiums in malpractice insurance that it inevitably hikes up the health care costs for everyone involved. I'm not saying that malpractice lawsuits should be outlawed, because I think it is important that pharmaceutical companies continue to be held legally responsible for the damage caused by their prescription drug side effects, but I am saying that we could benefit from honest reforms, such as loser-pays system that would eliminate frivolous lawsuits.

The bottom line is that if you put all of this together, the United States has the most expensive health care system in the world, and we aren't getting our dollar's worth. We pay 20 times what people in Taiwan pay for health care, and yet we aren't 20 times healthier. In fact, a critical look at the health of the U.S. population reveals the startling fact that we are the most chronically diseased nation in the world. So even though we pay more for health care and more for prescription drugs than any country in the world, we get the least benefit from it. We are the least healthy modern nation in the world. We have more chronic obesity, cancer, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and heart disease than any other country in the world, when you take all of these diseases and look at them on a per capita basis.

If you ask me, one of the reasons we have such high health care costs and such high rates of chronic disease is because our health care system actually causes disease. Our prescription drugs promote chronic disease through toxic side effects. For example, drugs like antidepressants can actually cause mental and behavioral disorders. Other prescription drugs, such as statins, can cause neuromuscular and mental disorders. Time and time again, we see examples where drugs that treat one organ or one biochemical system in the human body actually cause chronic disease in another organ -- typically the liver is diseased when a person takes multiple prescription drugs for an extended period of time, for example. Our health care system is a system that literally promotes chronic disease.

Even though that statement may sound a bit outlandish at first, take a look at the available evidence. If our health care system, which costs 20 times more than the system in Taiwan, actually created health in American citizens, it stands to reason that we would be able to walk outside our homes, observe the public, and see that they were healthy individuals. We should see a trend towards health and disease prevention in this country if our health care system were actually working. Let's face it -- if all of this money was a good investment in health and disease prevention, then we should be seeing some results from it, right? In fact, you sort of have to be insane to look at the U.S. population and declare, "Wow, we have the best health care system in the world, and it's working -- just look at how healthy everybody is!" Because that's not the case at all: we are a nation of high-cost health care, a nation of chronic disease and a nation that is, frankly, getting ripped off by organized medicine.

What we need, of course, is a national health care system, a system that focuses on disease prevention, a system that finally dumps prescription drugs as the number one treatment for everything under the sun, and a system that brings honesty back into medicine rather than focusing on how more profits can be generated for the pharmaceutical industry, surgeons, hospitals, and doctors.

NewsTarget.com printable article

Allergies or a Cold?

2007-07-12T02:42:00.000-07:00

How to Determine if You Have a Cold or Allergies
What are the symptoms of allergies?
Different people have different reactions to allergens. The most common symptoms of seasonal allergies are:

Clear runny nose
Itchy or dry eyes
Sneezing
Headache

Some people may experience more severe allergic reactions which can include hives (red itchy rash) and difficulty breathing.

What causes allergies?
Many factors contribute to allergies. Most allergies are caused by environmental factors such as pollen, dust, mold, pet dander, smoke and pollution. Other people are allergic to foods and medications, which tend to cause more severe reactions than environmental allergens.

Can I develop allergies as an adult?
Yes.

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Even if you have never had allergies, you can develop them as an adult. Many people find that when they move to a new area, they will develop allergies. It's usually related to different pollens in the air in the new area. When your immune system is exposed to an allergen for the first time, you will not have a reaction. After that initial exposure, your body may begin to produce histamines when you encounter the allergen again. These histamines are what cause the symptoms of allergies.

Typically, adults will develop allergies to environmental allergens, but it is much less common to develop allergies to foods or medications in adulthood. This is because most people have had at least two exposures to foods and medications that commonly cause allergic reactions by the time they reach adulthood.

How can I tell if I have seasonal allergies or a cold?
A cold will usually last two weeks or less. Colds can last longer, but usually they will clear up within two weeks. Seasonal allergies last until the pollen or other allergen that you are allergic to is gone or you are no longer exposed to it.

Cold symptoms are also usually slightly different than allergy symptoms. Cold symptoms include:

Runny nose - may be clear, green, yellow or white
Sneezing
Cough
Headache
Congestion

Want to know more about the Common Cold?

What can I do about if I think I have seasonal allergies?
If you think you may have allergies, or aren't sure, you should see your health-care provider. They can determine whether your symptoms are caused by a virus (such as the common cold) or by allergies. They can also recommend medications or give you a prescription if you do have allergies. Some common allergy medications are Benadryl™, Zyrtec™, Allegra™, and Claritin™. Benadryl™ and Claritin™ are both available over the counter and in generic forms. For people with more severe reactions or who do not respond to these medications, a visit to an allergist may be necessary. Allergists will conduct tests to determine the exact causes of the allergies and may prescribe allergy shots to alleviate symptoms.

Exercise for Weight Loss

2007-07-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

In order to loose weight an energy deficit must be met32. Essentially, this means that throughout the day and individual must burn (expend) more calories than they consume (absorb) from food. Many attempt to loose weight by dietary modification alone. This, when done appropriately can garner positive results69. However, many individuals that modify their diet do so inappropriately by either not getting enough calories or choosing diets that lack proper nutrients and balance69. The cliché term, yo-yo dieting, is often used to describe the up-and-down weight fluctuations that can occur with drastic dietary plans. Some studies have implied that weight fluctuations may be more harmful than remaining overweight30.

Diet alone is seldom recommended by health and medicine based professional organizations. One reason for this is that diet without exercise does not improve cardiorespiratory fitness59.

If the goal is to loose weight, the combination of energy intake reductions and energy expenditure increases through structured exercise and other forms of physical activity are recommended as a weight loss intervention 32.

Exercise can be a key component for inducing an energy deficit32. When an individual exercises, they expend more calories then when sedentary. Research has demonstrated that structured exercise interventions alone can produce weight loss as well as changes in body composition62. However, most people do not participate in such structured programs32.

The following link will take you to a summary of The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations for weight loss programs.

Link:

ACSM Recommendations for Weight Loss

Air Quality in Schools

2007-07-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

The federal Healthy Schools Act requires schools to follow new guidelines for "Least-Toxic Integrated Pest Management" (IPM). Improved lung health in children is one key result of the approach.

In San Diego County, these new guidelines are explained through the Lung Association’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program, supported by a grant from the Environmental Protection Administration. The Association can help school administrators to use proactive, low-cost measures to protect the air quality inside school buildings. For more information contact Jan@lungsandiego.org

New resource for better school design: The EPA Indoor Environments Division offers web-based resources to help communities and design professionals integrate good indoor air quality practices into the design, construction, renovation, and operation and maintenance of K-12 school facilities. Visit http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schooldesign/ for more information.

Poor Diet May Affect Teen Asthma

2007-07-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

Asthma and Diet Study Links Poor Eating Habits to Asthma Symptoms in Teens
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDJuly 9, 2007 -- New research on asthma and diet shows that teens with poor diets may be more likely than their peers to have asthma symptoms and worse lung function.

The findings come from a study of some 2,100 teens in 12 U.S. and Canadian communities.

In a nutshell, the teens with less than ideal diets were the most likely to have poorer lung function -- including asthma symptoms -- than their peers.

On the flip side, those eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon and other fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and other foods) tended to have better lung function.

The researchers included Jane Burns, ScD, of the Harvard School of Public Health.

"I wish I could say that an apple a day can keep asthma away, but it's a complex disease with a genetic component," Burns says in a news release.

"However," she says, "it may be that certain foods can lessen or prevent asthma symptoms. The most important thing to remember is that diet can have a significant impact on teens' respiratory health. I would encourage them to make healthy eating a part of their routine, and stress to them that smoking is bad."

The study appears in July's edition of the journal Chest.

Asthma and Diet in Teens
The teens took lung function tests and completed surveys about their eating habits, exercise, smoking, medications, asthma, and other respiratory problems, including chronic bronchitis and wheezing.

Teens with good diets were few and far between. For instance, 86% of the teens admitted not eating at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

Thirty percent of the students were overweight, 9% had asthma, 24% were smokers, and 11% took multivitamins.

Students who skimped on fruits, vitamins C and E, and omega-3 fatty acids were particularly likely to have poorer lung function and asthma symptoms, especially if they were smokers.

The study doesn't show which came first -- poor diets or poor lung function. It also doesn't rule out other influences, such as the teens' social and economic backgrounds, or their eating habits as children.

Check here

How to Lose Weight

2007-07-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

by eHow Health Editor

Introduction
Proper diet and exercise can aid in weight loss, as well as keep you healthy. We know you've heard that before--the challenge is to follow through. Others have lost weight by following these simple guidelines, and so can you.

Instructions
Difficulty: Challenging

Steps
1Step
OneSet small, realistic goals. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try for 5 pounds, relax a bit and then go for 5 more.

2Step
TwoStart a regular exercise program and stick with it. Don't be afraid of those sweat suits and Lycra pants!

3Step
ThreeSneak in extra exercise in addition to your regular program. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk; take the stairs instead of the elevator.

4Step
Four Click to enlargeEat low-fat, high-fiber foods such as salads and vegetable pastas.

5Step
Five Click to enlargeChoose foods that you like. Learn to prepare healthful, low-calorie foods that taste good by checking healthy cook books for new recipes. Eating well doesn't have to mean eating dull.

6Step
SixEat smaller, more frequent meals. This way, your body starts to increase its metabolism so that calories are burned faster. Also, mini-meals can prevent overeating.

7Step
SevenPlan ahead. Keep the fridge stocked with healthful food and you'll be less likely to run out for high-calorie, high-fat junk food.

8Step
Eight Click to enlargeKeep a food diary. This will help you pinpoint where you can improve your diet.

9Step
NineOnce you discover your favorite snack time, be sure to have plenty of healthful options available.

Tips & Warnings
-Lose weight with a friend, or join a support group.
-Avoid those vending machines by carrying around your own healthful foods and leaving pocket change at home.
-Try oatmeal instead of cornflakes for breakfast--eating oatmeal can help reduce cholesterol levels, and its high fiber content will keep you full longer.
-Choose an exercise program that you enjoy, and don't shun the unconventional. For instance, did you know that regular vigorous dancing is exercise too?
-Lose weight gradually--you are more apt to keep it off. A safe amount is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per week.
-Consult a doctor to find an exercise program that is best for you.
-Crash diets can help you lose weight quickly, but most people gain the weight back.
-Some of these diets are also unhealthy and dangerous. If you choose to go with a specific diet plan, choose one that is medically credible.
-If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Food Poisoning Causes

2007-07-06T02:39:00.000-07:00

More than 200 known diseases can be transmitted through food. Those are just the ones we know about. The CDC estimates unknown or undiscovered agents cause 81% of all food–borne illnesses and related hospitalizations. Many cases of food poisoning are not reported because people suffer mild symptoms and recover quickly. Also, doctors do not test for a cause in every suspected case because it does not change the treatment or the outcome.

The known causes of food poisoning can be divided into two categories: infective agents and toxic agents.

Infective agents include viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

Toxic agents include poisonous mushrooms, improperly prepared exotic foods (such as barracuda), or pesticides on fruits and vegetables.

Food usually becomes contaminated from poor sanitation or preparation. Food handlers who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom or have infections themselves often cause contamination. Improperly packaged food stored at the wrong temperature also promotes contamination.

The Facts about Sinusitis

2007-07-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

When someone has sinusitis it means that their sinuses are infected or inflamed, but this gives little indication of the misery and pain this condition can cause. Health care experts usually divide sinusitis cases into three categories:

Acute, which lasts for 3 weeks or less
Chronic, which usually lasts for 3 to 8 weeks but can continue for months or even years
Recurrent, or several acute attacks within a year
Four pairs of sinuses are located within the skull and bones of the head surrounding the nose:

Frontal sinuses over the eyes in the brow area
Maxillary sinuses inside each cheekbone
Ethmoid sinuses just behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes
Sphenoid sinuses behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the eyes

Each sinus has an opening into the nose for the free exchange of air and mucus, and each is joined with the nasal passages by a continuous mucous membrane lining. Anything that causes a swelling in the nose - an infection, an allergic reaction, or an immune reaction - also can affect the sinuses.

Air trapped within a blocked sinus, along with pus or other secretions, may cause pressure on the sinus wall. The result is the sometimes intense pain of a sinus attack. When air is prevented from entering a paranasal sinus by a swollen membrane at the opening, a vacuum can be created that also causes pain.

Symptoms of Sinusitis
The location of your sinus pain depends on which sinus is affected.

Headache when you wake up in the morning is typical of a sinus problem.
Pain when your forehead over the frontal sinuses is touched may indicate that your frontal sinuses are inflamed
Infection in the maxillary sinuses can cause your upper jaw and teeth to ache and your cheeks to become tender to the touch.
Since the ethmoid sinuses are near the tear ducts in the corner of the eyes, inflammation of these cavities often causes swelling of the eyelids and tissues around your eyes, and pain between your eyes. Ethmoid inflammation also can cause tenderness when the sides of your nose are touched, a loss of smell, and a stuffy nose.
Although the sphenoid sinuses are less frequently affected, infection in this area can cause earaches, neck pain, and deep aching at the top of your head.
Most people with sinusitis have pain or tenderness in several locations, and their symptoms usually do not clearly indicate which sinuses are inflamed.

Other symptoms of sinusitis can include fever, weakness, tiredness, a cough that may be more severe at night, and a runny nose or nasal congestion

In addition, the drainage of mucus from the sphenoids or other sinuses down the back of your throat (postnasal drip) can cause you to have a sore throat. Mucus drainage also can irritate the membranes lining your larynx (upper windpipe). Not everyone with these symptoms, however, has sinusitis. On rare occasions, acute sinusitis can result in brain infection and other serious complications.

Causes
Most cases of acute sinusitis start with a common cold, caused by a virus. When air and mucus are trapped behind the narrowed openings of the inflamed sinuses, normal bacteria that may have been living harmlessly in your nose or throat can multiply and invade your sinuses, causing an acute infection.

If you have asthma, an allergic disease, you may have frequent episodes of chronic sinusitis.

If you are allergic to airborne allergens, such as dust, mold, and pollen, which trigger allergic rhinitis, you may develop chronic sinusitis. In addition, people who are allergic to fungi can develop a condition called "allergic fungal sinusitis."

Diagnosis
Because your nose can get stuffy when you have a condition like the common cold, you may confuse simple nasal congestion with sinusitis. A cold, however, usually lasts about 7 to 14 days and disappears without treatment. Acute sinusitis often lasts longer and typically causes more symptoms than just a cold.

Your doctor can diagnose sinusitis by listening to your symptoms, doing a physical examination, and taking X-rays, and if necessary, an MRI or CT scan.

Treatment
After diagnosing sinusitis and identifying a possible cause, a doctor can suggest treatments that will reduce your inflammation and relieve your symptoms.

Acute sinusitis
If you have acute sinusitis, your doctor may recommend

Decongestants to reduce congestion
Antibiotics to control a bacterial infection, if present
Pain relievers to reduce any pain
You should, however, use over-the-counter or prescription decongestant nose drops and sprays for only few days. If you use these medicines for longer periods, they can lead to even more congestion and swelling of your nasal passages.

If bacteria cause your sinusitis, antibiotics used along with a nasal or oral decongestant will usually help. Your doctor can prescribe an antibiotic that fights the type of bacteria most commonly associated with sinusitis.

Many cases of acute sinusitis will end without antibiotics. If you have allergic disease along with infectious sinusitis, however, you may need medicine to relieve your allergy symptoms. If you already have asthma and then get sinusitis, you may experience worsening of your asthma and should be in close touch with your doctor.

In addition, your doctor may prescribe a steroid nasal spray, along with other treatments, to reduce your sinus congestion, swelling, and inflammation.

Chronic sinusitis
Doctors often find it difficult to treat chronic sinusitis successfully, realizing that symptoms persist even after patients take antibiotics for a long period. In general, however, treating chronic sinusitis, such as with antibiotics and decongestants, is similar to treating acute sinusitis.

Doctors commonly prescribe steroid nasal sprays to reduce inflammation in chronic sinusitis. If you have severe chronic sinusitis, your doctor may prescribe oral steroids, such as prednisone. Because oral steroids are powerful medicines and can have significant side effects, you should take them only when other medicines have not worked.

Although home remedies cannot cure sinus infection, they might give you some comfort.

Inhaling steam from a vaporizer or a hot cup of water can soothe inflamed sinus cavities.
Saline nasal spray, which you can buy in a drug store, can give relief.
Gentle heat applied over the inflamed area is comforting.
When medical treatment fails, surgery may be the only alternative for treating chronic sinusitis. Research studies suggest that the vast majority of people who undergo surgery have fewer symptoms and better quality of life.

The most common surgery done today is functional endoscopic sinus surgery, in which the natural openings from the sinuses are enlarged to allow drainage. This type of surgery is less invasive than conventional sinus surgery, and serious complications are rare.

Prevention
Although you cannot prevent all sinus disorders, you can do certain things to reduce the number and severity of the attacks and possibly prevent acute sinusitis from becoming chronic.

You may get some relief from your symptoms with a humidifier, particularly if room air in your home is heated by a dry forced-air system.
Air conditioners help to provide an even temperature.
Electrostatic filters attached to heating and air conditioning equipment are helpful in removing allergens from the air.
If you are prone to getting sinus disorders, especially if you have allergies, you should avoid cigarette smoke and other air pollutants. If your allergies inflame your nasal passages, you are more likely to have a strong reaction to all irritants.

If you suspect that your sinus inflammation may be related to dust, mold, pollen, or food-or any of the hundreds of allergens that can trigger an upper respiratory reaction-you should consult your doctor. Your doctor can use various tests to determine whether you have an allergy.

Drinking alcohol also causes nasal and sinus membranes to swell.

If you are prone to sinusitis, it may be uncomfortable for you to swim in pools treated with chlorine, since it irritates the lining of the nose and sinuses. Divers often get sinus congestion and infection when water is forced into the sinuses from the nasal passages.

You might find that air travel poses a problem if you are suffering from acute or chronic sinusitis. As air pressure in a plane is reduced, pressure can build up in your head, blocking your sinuses or the eustachian tubes in your ears. Therefore, you might feel discomfort in your sinus or middle ear during the plane's ascent or descent. Some doctors recommend using decongestant nose drops or inhalers before a flight to avoid this problem.

Research
Scientific studies have shown a close relationship between having allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and chronic sinusitis. In fact, some studies state that up to 80% of adults with chronic sinusitis also had allergic rhinitis. There is also an association between asthma and sinusitis. Some researchers think that as many as 75% of people with asthma also get sinusitis. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) conducts and supports research on allergic diseases as well as bacteria and fungus that can cause sinusitis. This research is focused on developing better treatments and ways to prevent these diseases.

This information was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Financial Aid for Eye Care

2007-07-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

Many state and national resources regularly provide aid to people with vision problems. The National Eye Institute, which supports eye research, does not help individuals pay for eye care. However, if you are in need of financial aid to assess or treat an eye problem, you might contact one or more of the following programs.

You may also contact a social worker at a local hospital or other community agency. Social workers often are knowledgeable about community resources that can help people facing financial and medical problems.

Eye Exams and Surgery

EyeCare America, a public service foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Provides comprehensive eye exams and care for up to one year, often at no out-of-pocket expense to eligible callers through its seniors and Diabetes EyeCare Programs. Its Glaucoma EyeCare Program provides a glaucoma eye exam. The EyeCare America Children's EyeCare Program educates parents and primary care providers about the importance of early childhood (newborn through 36 months of age) eye care. Telephone: 1-800-222-EYES (3937). Website: http://eyecareamerica.org.
VISION USA, coordinated by the American Optometric Association (AOA), provides free eye care to uninsured, low-income workers and their families. Telephone: 1-800-766-4466. Website: http://www.aoa.org/x5607.xml.
Lions Clubs International provides financial assistance to individuals for eye care through local clubs. A local club can be found by using the "club locator" button found on their website at http://www.LionsClubs.org. If you are unable to find your local Lions club, contact the LCIF Grant Programs Department at (630) 571-5466 x393.
Mission Cataract USA, coordinated by the Volunteer Eye Surgeons' Association, is a program providing free cataract surgery to people of all ages who have no other means to pay. Surgeries are scheduled annually on one day, usually in May. Telephone: 1-800-343-7265. Website: http://www.missioncataractUSA.org.
Knights Templar Eye Foundation provides assistance for eye surgery for people who are unable to pay or receive adequate assistance from current government agencies or similar sources. Mailing address: 1000 East State Parkway, Suite I, Schaumburg, IL 60173. Telephone: (847) 490-3838. Website: http://www.knightstemplar.org/ktef/.
National Keratoconus Assistance Foundation provides financial support to patients who need surgical and optometric treatment for keratoconus and other corneal problems. This organization does not have a phone number available to the public. Website: http://www.nkcaf.org.
InfantSEE® is a public health program designed to ensure early detection of eye conditions in babies. Member optometrists provide a free comprehensive infant eye assessment to children younger than one year. Telephone: 1-888-396-3937. Website: http://www.infantsee.org.
Eyeglasses

Sight for Students, a Vision Service Plan (VSP) program provides eye exams and glasses to children 18 years and younger whose families cannot afford vision care. Telephone: 1-888-290-4964. Website: http://www.sightforstudents.org/.
New Eyes for the Needy provides vouchers for the purchase of new prescription eyeglasses. Mailing address: 549 Millburn Avenue, P.O. Box 332, Short Hills, NJ 07078-0332. Telephone: (973) 376-4903. E-mail: neweyesfortheneedy@verizon.net. Website: http://www.neweyesfortheneedy.org.
Prescription Drugs

The Medicine Program assists people to enroll in one or more of the many patient assistance programs that provide prescription medicine free-of-charge to those in need. Patients must meet the sponsor's criteria. The program is conducted in cooperation with the patient's doctor. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4182, Poplar Bluff, MO 63902-4182. Telephone: 1-866-694-3893. E-mail: help@themedicineprogram.com. Website: http://www.themedicineprogram.com.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance offers a single point of access to more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 150 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. Telephone: 1-888-477-2669. Website: https://www.pparx.org.
Government Programs

Medicare Benefit for Eye Exams
For People with Diabetes -- People with Medicare who have diabetes can get a dilated eye exam to check for diabetic eye disease. Your doctor will decide how often you need this exam.
For People at Risk for Glaucoma -- Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss. People at high risk for glaucoma include those with diabetes or a family history of glaucoma, or African Americans age 50 or older. Medicare will pay for an eye exam to check for glaucoma once every 12 months.
Patients must pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount after the yearly Part B deductible. Telephone: 1-800-633-4227. Website: http://www.medicare.gov.
State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
For little or no cost, this insurance pays for doctor visits, prescription medicines, hospitalizations, and much more for children 18 years and younger. Most states also cover the cost of dental care, eye care, and medical equipment. Telephone: 1-877-543-7669. Insure Kids Now! Website: http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/states.htm.
The National Eye Institute (NEI) conducts and supports research that leads to sight-saving treatments and plays a key role in reducing visual impairment and blindness. The NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Inclusion on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Eye Institute or by the National Institutes of Health.

taken from national eye institude

Glaucoma — "Thief of the Night"

2007-07-02T02:33:00.000-07:00

Glaucoma is the name for a group of diseases that can damage the optic nerve of the eye. Good vision depends on a healthy optic nerve, Dr. Nussenblatt explained. The eye has a mechanism much like a drain system: A clear fluid regularly flows in and out of the anterior chamber of the eye, nourishing nearby tissues, and keeping the pressure in the eye at whatever is normal for each person

However, in an eye affected with the most common form of glaucoma — called open angle glaucoma — the drain is clogged for some unknown reason and the fluid cannot flow out. This build-up of fluid in the anterior chamber causes the pressure to rise and can damage the optic nerve. The pressure must be lowered and controlled — either with eye drops, pills, or surgery — to prevent damage to the optic nerve and preserve vision.

Glaucoma affects at least 2 million adults in the United States and is the leading cause of blindness here. As many as 1 million people here may have glaucoma and do not know they have it. Initially, people with glaucoma may begin to lose their peripheral, or side vision. "That's good in a way because the peripheral vision is what we use least and in the end it's something that potentially could be expendable," said Dr. Nussenblatt. However, that is also bad because the vision loss can progress very rapidly or very slowly without the person realizing it, until central vision has been markedly altered as well, he said. Because of its often "silent" progression, glaucoma is commonly called the "thief in the night."

Your eye care provider can detect the first signs of glaucoma during a comprehensive eye examination, he said. Your pupils must be dilated (usually with a drop or two of medication) so the doctor can look into the back of your eyes.

NEI is supporting many research studies to find better ways to detect, treat and prevent vision loss in people with glaucoma. Studies are also aimed at finding out more about who is likely to get glaucoma, when to treat people with increased pressure in their eyes, and which treatment to use first.

A Living Fossil

2007-06-29T23:29:00.001-07:00

Two travelers set off on a quest to find a living Laotian rock rat. Last year, they took this photo.

Uthai Treesucon and David Redfield /FSU Research in Review Magazine

Imagine going to the museum to see fossils of animals that scientists thought had become extinct millions of years ago. Then, imagine walking outside and seeing one of this family of animals scurrying around in your backyard. That would be a pretty exciting discovery, wouldn't it?
A team of international biologists recently experienced that very feeling when they confirmed that a member of a supposedly long-extinct family of rodentlike animals is actually alive and well.

In 1996, a wildlife-survey team purchased several rodentlike creatures at a food market in Laos, which is a country in Asia. They'd never seen or heard of this particular animal before and decided to call it the Laotian rock rat. Laotian locals, on the other hand, had known about the furry mammal for generations. They call it kha-nyou and enjoy eating it roasted.

The creatures are squirrel-size animals with dark fur, round ears, and puffy tails. True to its name, the rock rat lives in rocky outcroppings.

At first, the scientists were excited because they thought that the animals brought back by the survey team were members of a new, previously unknown family of mammals. If so, it would have been the first new family of mammals to have been discovered in more than 30 years.

But other scientists didn't agree. They observed that the rock rat bore a striking resemblance to fossils of a mammal family group known as the Diatomyidae. That family supposedly became extinct close to 11 million years ago. Could it be that the entire Diatomyidae family wasn't extinct, after all?

To resolve the debate, researchers in five countries performed a detailed analysis of rock rat DNA. All the groups concluded, based on the DNA evidence, that the rock rat is not a member of a new family of mammals after all. It's actually a living representative of the Diatomyidae family—in other words, a living fossil.—J.L. Pegg

Italian Super Cup at Stadio Meazza on 19/08

2007-06-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

MILAN - The 2007 Italian Super Cup between Serie A champions Inter and Tim Cup winners Roma will take place at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan's San Siro district on Sunday 19 August (kick-off time to be announced).

The Nerazzurri will be looking to make it a hat-trick of Super Cup triumphs after their victory over Juventus in Turin two years ago, and last season's dramatic 4-3 comeback win against Roma

From inter.it Bravo Inter

Art and Life Are On: Artella's Waltz of Words and Art

2007-06-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

Artella issue 8, The Dreamworld: Night Sees the Day is an adventure in content, structure, and style. It surpasses everything that I have seen so far in art or literary magazines.

Artella's Editor and Founder Marney Makridakis is, no doubt, a visionary and a passionate person.

This new issue of the magazine has a main subject: THE DREAMWORLD, and it was fueled by "dreams".

Marney tell us in her long story, written in verse, a piece titled: "Rolling Colors: A True Story":
"It's true that synergy is everywhere
god, everyfreakinwhere
so many of my moments
parallel to moments cradled by others…
I wouldn't put it past him
to create art that he saw in one of my dreams……"

The words of Marney are an artistic statement for her magazine. Many aspects of her work come to her as a vision, a coincidence, a message, and she interprets and gives them life.

Well, the result of this community of dreams is Artella.

Each page of the magazine has a wonderful layout presenting the words of many writers and artists (to name a few, we should mention Dan Gremminger, Deb Silva, Zura Ledbetter, and many others). The magazine is an immersion in different worlds of different artists; some are the winners of ARTELLA's Poetry Contests combined with the artwork of known artists.

Artella #8 combines art, music, poetry, "prosems" (prose and poems) collages, paintings and little surprises and pockets neatly put in certain pages. The magazine is like the stages of a butterfly; the reader is the person who will ultimately "make it fly" or transform it into a rich piece of literature. Everybody can read it and get something rich from it. The colors used in the presentation and the artwork are very well chosen. They go with the music, the drawings, the stories, the poems, and the overall intention of the magazine.

If you wish to read poetry, you could go through the poems only. If you want to read them with music, you can add musical compositions to your reading; you can listen to the CD included with the magazine while you read. If you want to inform yourself about your favorite author, you can read the interviews; they are well-educated people with fascinating vocations, virtues, and passions. If you want to play, you can look for hidden clues in the magazine that solve an online Mystery, and you can do artsy things with the curious gifts attached to the pages. Both Writing Workshops and Art Workshops are presented for those who want to get involved in creating things, themselves. It is an adventure, a puzzle, a box of treasures.

I do not know of another magazine like Artella that asks for the participation of the reader. It is an artistic object in your hands to enjoy and to assemble. Artella is a visual, metaphoric, musical, poetic, and psychological experience.

On the second page of the magazine you will find an eclectic group of words that can become a poem, or two poems, or three, depending on how you read it. It is called The Table of Dreams and is composed of an informal collage with words of the poems published in the magazine. From the very beginning, the dreamworld is alive and open to all of us…to enjoy and travel.

Marney, and the entire team at http://www.ArtellaWordsAndArt.com, deserve applause.
By Eugenia Toledo-Keyser

Deep Thoughts on the Grammys

2007-06-29T23:20:00.000-07:00

A recent poll suggests that 80 percent of television viewers will not be tuning in to the 2007 Grammy Awards on Sunday. And this makes us…sad. Love them. Hate them. But you musn’t ignore the Grammys. Sure, the award show proves time and again that it’s out of touch with music on a number of levels (see below). Sure they drag on for hours, leaving you practically catatonic and drooling into your Cheetos during Bob Smith’s twelve-minute acceptance speech for Best Pan Flute Album

Performed by a Left-Handed North-Umbrian award. Yes, the jokes are lame, the applause is forced and everyone in the audience seems to be counting down the minutes before he or she can start getting wasted/smoke a cigarette/gouge his or her eyes out with a fork. But really, this is not a new phenomenon. Have the Grammys ever been fun to watch? Save a few stellar performances in recent years (Prince with Beyonce, the White Stripes), it’s almost always been a race to the finish-line, a means to an end. And that end is the water cooler, around which we rally to praise or disparage the winners and losers, rehash the evening’s poignant or ridiculous moments and, of course, analyze the year’s latest fashion victims. In the age of Tivo, it’s easy to blow the less exciting portions of the show (that’d be about 80 percent of it), but for the full experience, one must soldier through the whole mind-numbing shebang.

A slew of music award shows have grown up and stolen some of the Grammys’ thunder — just as the Golden Globes have become the hip, liquor-soaked answer to the grandiose and rather stuffy Oscars. These newcomers include ceremonies like the AMAs and the MTV Video Music Awards, which thumbed their noses at the old Grammy war horse. This is not to say the Grammys haven’t noticed. Consider the “American Idol”-style contest they sponsored this year, in which people competed for a chance to perform onstage with Justin Timberlake. Like most Johnny-come-lately bids to revamp the old guard, this gesture seemed symbolic at best. Ineffectual? Probably. But sweet. It’s like your Grandpa bragging to you that he likes a song by “that Kenny West fella.” You can’t help but appreciate the effort.

It’s no secret that the Grammys long ago lost their status as arbiters of contemporary music. Even the authority and distinction that once accompanied the “Grammy Award winner” title has begun to lose some of its luster. No one would turn down a chance to win, but winning doesn’t hold the same weight it once did.

Like a lot of pop culture behemoths, the Grammys have become a parody of themselves, and the journey, so to speak, has become much more relevant than the destination. It doesn’t matter who wins or loses. It’s how the game is played.

But we don’t care. We embrace all of this gratuitous, self-important Grammys posturing. We welcome it with open arms. We love to hate it, and hate to love it. When everything else in life is unsure, one thing remains certain: you and everyone you know (yes, even Osama, wherever he is) will be parked in front of the tube this Sunday to witness the Award Show That Would Not Die — bored, rapt, listless, peaceful. Pass the Cheetos.

–

Here, a historical tour of the more egregious Grammy gaffs throughout the years, which will illustrate (as if the point needs illustrating) the truly clueless decision-making at work:

Bobby Russell’s “Little Green Apples,” Song of the Year, 1968 Totally. Loads better than the other nominees in the category that year: Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil,” and the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.”

Starland Vocal Band, Best New Artist, 1976 We give the nominating panel mad props for including the Ramones and the Sex Pistols in this category, but we don’t quite understand the logic on this one. Are they really trying to tell us that the folks who brought us “Afternoon Delight” contributed more significantly to music than two of punk rock’s pioneer groups? Um, ok.

Toto, Toto IV 1982’s Album of the Year, 1982 This beat out Prince’s 1999 and Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” Best Rap Performance, 1988 Definitely a kitschy rap classic, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Eric. B. and Rakim and Public Enemy, which were also nominated for the category that year.

Milli Vanilli, Best New Artist of 1990 Need we say more?

Marc Cohen won Best New Artist in 1992 Say what you want about Boyz to Men, C+C Music Factory, Color Me Badd and Seal, all of whom shared nominations in the category for 1992. But answer us this: Do you know who the fuck Marc Cohen is? Thought so.

Lauryn Hill won Best New Artist in 1999 Never mind that Ms. Hill’s critically acclaimed album came out in 1998. Or for that matter, that at that point she was already a ginormous star, having released the multi-platinum album The Score with her group the Fugees in 1996.

The Best New Artists category has been notoriously misguided throughout Grammy history, and this year’s no exception. The category doesn’t include Gnarls Barkley, arguably the most critically acclaimed new act of the year. But it DOES include, ahem, Imogen Heap, who has not only been releasing albums since 1997, but achieved a mainstream hit with her song “Let Go,” (performed and released with her band Frou Frou) in 2000 and again in 2004 when the song was included on the hugely successful Garden State soundtrack.

Why Play Games When There's Work to Do? Fun, Games and Social Change

2007-06-29T23:14:00.000-07:00

There are at least two kinds of games. One would be called finite, the other infinite. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, and an infinite game is played for the purpose of continuing to play. The rules of a finite game may not change; the rules of an infinite game must... The finite game player aims to win eternal life; the infinite player aims for eternal birth."

- James P. Carse, as quoted by Dale LeFevre*

"We must abandon completely the naive faith that education automatically liberates the mind and serves the cause of human progress; in fact we know it may serve any cause. It may serve tyranny as well as freedom, ignorance as well as enlightenment, falsehood as well as truth. It may lead men and women to think they are free even as it rivets them in chains of bondage... In the course of history, education has served every purpose and doctrine contrived by man; if it is to serve the cause of human freedom, it must be explicitly designed for that purpose."

- George Counts*

There's so much to do! Our communities are falling apart, young people, old people, brown people, black people, poor people, and lots of other people aren't getting the respect or power they deserve. Why play games when there's so much work to do? There's a lot of reasons to look at, but first let's define what we're talking about.

What Are Cooperative Games?

Cooperative games emphasize participation, challenge and fun rather then defeating someone. Cooperative games focus on fun and interaction rather than competition and alienation. Cooperative games are not new. Some of the classic games we participated in as children are classic because of the play emphasis. There may be competition involved, but the outcome of the competition is not sitting out or losing. Instead, it may involve switching teams so that everyone ends up on the winning team.

What Are Initiative Games?

Initiative games are fun, cooperative, challenging games in which the group is confronted with a specific problem to solve. Initiative games can be used for several reasons. The games can be used to demonstrate and teach leadership skills to people, which helps to promote the growth of trust and problem-solving skills in groups. Games demonstrate a process of thinking about experiences that helps people learn and practice responsibility.

Some people avoid calling them "games," choosing "activity," "challenge," or "problem" instead. Whatever a group chooses to call them, these games can boost our efforts to create powerful, lasting community change.

Why Play Games?

When a group of people are preparing to participate in social change, there needs to be some breaking down of inhibitions before they become group participants. "There is no 'I' in T-E-A-M" and all that. Before a group can build effective solutions to the problems facing their communities, they need to trust each other and communicate.

Cooperative games also help set the tone of an action. Social change work is often hard-driven and energy-consuming. Many groups find that cooperative games offer a brisk, friendly way to couple passionate task-oriented goals with driven, group-minded teambuilding. In other words, fun and games help propel social change.

Another purpose of games is to get people to think together, as a team, so that everyone in the group has input and shares ideas. When we have input we have ownership, and when more people have ownership there is more success.

Aren't Games Distracting?

When used right, games can actually accentuate the purpose of your day's work or your group's purpose. Through a technique called "framing," games become relevant and powerful tools to break down barriers, build up focus, and make your group's process more effective and inclusive of all involved.

In all settings games should be used to build a sense of purpose, passion, and opportunity. Without those pieces as goals, games become pacifiers for the grown, as their potential to stave off the appetite of a group that hungers for power is immense. In classrooms where teachers use games as "fillers" the students mope lazily back to their desks, as they know the grueling pain of continuity is about to continue. In classrooms where teachers use the games in context of the lessons, students aim to learn with eagerness and a sense of purpose.

The purpose of the games is often set during the introduction, or framing, of the activity. Participants may be forewarned of the deeper meanings, or the activity may be introduced as a metaphor. Another way to inject purpose into activities is in the reflection or debriefing of the activity. An easy way to see the relevance of reflection is to picture games as a circle: you start with an explanation of the activity, framing its purpose and goals to the group. The activity progresses, with the facilitator taking a more hands-on or less guiding approach as needed. Finally, the group reflection helps participants see how they met the goal, and to envision the broader social change implications. Then the group has come full-circle.

What Games Should We Play?

Games can be chosen to meet almost any purpose. Does your group need to develop its teambuilding skills? Try the Caterpillar (see below). Do you need to work closely and get used to each other's physical space? Try Sardines (below). You've been inside all day, sitting on your butts and thinking, and you just want to play? Check out Blob Tag or Human Scissors-Paper-Rock (below). Your group needs to trust each mentally, emotionally, and physically? Use the Trust Circle (below). Learning, trusting, feeling and thinking together are the goals of these games. Its helpful for every group to remember that.

Many people use games as an introduction or a closing to their activities. However, its a good idea to add them throughout your day, between or as a part of a larger event. Games are a great way to break up the monotony of a long day's learning, or a hard day's work. They are also a great way to keep small children busy, and big children happy. You may want to play a game to reinforce teamwork after a sucky day (because they happen) or play a game to relieve some group stress or build the scenario to work through a problem. Games are actually tools that a skilled facilitator has at their fingertips in a time of need.

Great! How do we get started?

Below is a list of easy-to-use games. They come from a wide collection of games available from the Freechild Project's FireStarter Youth Power Curriculum. Check out this list and go visit FireStarter for more! You can also look up the bibliography listed under the Facilitator's Guide there.

For many more resources on cooperative and initiative games, visit the links on the right, and read some of the great books available (especially those by the greats Karl Rohnke and Dale LeFevre. Play safe, play purposefully, play fun and play hard! And visit http://freechild.org, The Freechild Project's Resources for Social Change By and With Young People, often!

Selected Games

Check out our brand-new guide, So, You Wanna Be A Playa? The Freechild Project Guide to Cooperative Games for Social Change by A. Fletcher with K. Kunst. This insightful new guide will help community workers, teachers, activists, and all kinds of people find fun, engaging, and powerful activities that promote teamwork, communication, and social justice. Click here for a free download>!

About the author

Adam sees himself as an "infinite" player. He has worked as a ropes challenge course instructor and director for several years, in schools, nonprofit organizations, and summer camps across the US. Today he works with schools and nonprofit organizations to provide training to young people, youth workers, educators, community organizers, and AmeriCorps Members in many areas, including communication, teambuilding, and social change. He continuously uses games throughout his work people of all ages. Feel free to email the author at adam [at] freechild.org!

Original citation: Fletcher, A. (2002). Why Play Games When There's Work to Do? Fun, Games and Social Change, Freechild Newsletter 2:7, pp2-3.

How to Take Orders at Craft Shows

2007-06-29T23:12:00.000-07:00

We've discussed how important it is to have stock on hand, and how you want to sell off the table rather than take orders. However, if you are just getting started and your stock is low, there's several ways you can increase the number of orders you take in at an offline show.

1. Display Order Forms
If you have products which must be custom ordered, display those next to your order forms. It's an extra visual for the customer and understanding of how your ordering process works. They also know they can quickly put in their order if the forms are already on the table. Remember your customers don't have a lot of time!

2. Display All Products
While you may not have a large stock, you'll want to put out as many products as possible. Let the customers see and touch all products. Use those products if possible - such as placing food in a dish which holds food. I once saw a Pampered Chef rep use cookie cutters on meat and cheese samples which were placed on a serving dish. They displayed what could be done with the cookie cutters, as well as the use for the dish.

3. Don't Hide Catalogs
Catalogs can be expensive, but don't hide them. If you don't want just anyone walking away with them, place pages in a binder which can be set out on the table. Shoppers at craft shows want to see prices. Don't hide it from them or they may loose interest! You shouldn't be ashamed of your prices if the product is of high quality.

4. Talk to Customers
This is important no matter how your are selling. Get to know your customers and their needs. Don't assume your display will sell your products alone. Even the worst display will sell hundreds of products if the person behind it is talking. With so much to look at, it's easy for your customer to miss an item they may be truly interested in. Also it's possible you don't have a certain item on your table they would like, and they may not take the time to flip through your catalog.

These are the basic ways to make sure you sell the most products if you are taking orders. Mostly it takes a lot of trial and error, so don't give up after only a few shows.

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Anita DeFrank & Kara Kelso, authors of Direct Sales Success, specialize in coaching direct sales representatives to reach their goal of becoming successful in their field. Visit http://www.directsaleshelpers.com for free weekly tips.
Submitted by: Anita DeFrank & Kara Kelso

Footprints Show Children's Progress Learning the Bible

2007-06-29T23:07:00.000-07:00

By Denise Sullivan

As I prepared for my Sunday School class last fall, I was very interested in the Home Zone portion of the denomination's Exploring Faith curriculum, which stressed daily devotions.

I wondered how I could get the children interested in Home Zone. There are about seven third, fourth and fifth graders in my class.

As I put up the Bible Bonanza poster I thought to myself that there would have to be some huge reward for the children when and if we met our goal of 100 Bibles for the quarter. Perhaps I needed to connect it to some sort of reward for the Home Zone portion of the lessons. Simply "keeping score" didn't quite cut it.

Then I got an idea!

I made a banner that said "Following God's Word Every Day" and placed a picture of a lantern next to it. On the left I put "Old Testament" and on the right "New Testament." Each week I have added five books from the Bible to the banner, beginning with Genesis.

At the end of the first class I pointed out the Home Zone to the children and told them that each day when they read their Home Zone, I wanted them to place a checkmark next to the one they did, and that I wanted them to bring their leaflets back to class the following Sunday.

For each day that they did their reading, I would put their name, the book and the verse on a paper footprint. I would place the footprints on the wall — starting at the banner — and we would see how far our Bible journey could take us.

Well, let me tell you, we are doing some traveling with the word of God!

We have traveled from our classroom wall, up to the ceiling, across the ceiling of two other classrooms, out the door and into the narthex of our church!

One night I was on the ladder putting footprints down the narthex wall. Several older ladies who had been in a prayer meeting came over and looked at me standing on that ladder. I was prepared to hear that there shouldn't be adhesive on the walls.

But they said, "Why don't you take this into the church?"

Our pastor has been as excited as the children about this project right from the start and has encouraged me to just go with it. We talked about the path that the footprints might take and came up with the following plan: to circle the narthex, enter the sanctuary through the main doors, go down both sides of the sanctuary, and end up at the altar, at the foot of the cross!

Soon it will be Bible Sunday at our church. All third graders will receive a Bible from the church family. During the children's sermon, I hope our pastor can show the children a footprint, a Bible and a Sunday School lesson and talk about what our class is doing. Maybe they can join us on our journey with the Bible!

Denise Sullivan teaches Sunday school at Old Town United Methodist Church, Old Town, Maine.

04/22/05

Vampire Bats Recognise Their Prey's Breathing

2007-06-28T01:58:00.001-07:00

Science Daily — Vampire bats, the only mammals to feed exclusively on blood, including human blood, recognize their prey by the sound of its breathing. In a study published in the open access journal BMC Biology, vampire bats of the species Desmodus rotondus could recognise recorded human breathing sounds much better than human participants could.

Vampire bats feed on the same prey over several nights and the authors of the study propose that the bats use breathing sounds to identify their prey in the same way as humans use voice to recognise each other.

In a study conducted by Udo Groeger and Lutz Wiegrebe from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet in Munich, Germany, two vampire bats were taught to associate recordings of different humans breathing with different cattle blood dispensers, providing food rewards. They were then played short clips of people breathing and had to associate them with the correct individual by going to the correct dispenser. Four human participants were asked to associate the same short clips with the correct individual.

The vampire bats were able to spontaneously associate the clips with the particular individuals, regardless of whether the individual was recorded breathing at rest or breathing while under physical strain. The human participants were also able to recognise some clips, but they were unable to recognise the clips of breathing recorded under physical strain.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by BioMed Central.

Source: BioMed Central
Date: June 16, 2006

DAVID AND GOLIATH

2007-06-28T01:40:00.000-07:00

Long, long ago there lived in the country of Israel a boy named David.

He was a shepherd boy, and all day long he watched his father's sheep as they ate sweet grass on the hillside.

Although David was only a boy, he was strong and brave.

When he knew he was in the right, he feared nothing.

David's life as a shepherd didn't last long.

There was a great war between the people of Israel and men called the Philistines.

All the strong men in David's town went to join the army of Israel.

David could not go, as he had to tend the sheep, but his three older brothers went to the war.

For a long time David's father heard nothing from his three oldest boys.

At length he called David to him and said, "Take your brothers a bag of this corn and these ten loaves of bread. Find out how your brothers are, and bring word to me."

The next morning David rose very early, and taking the bag of corn and the loaves of bread, he went to the camp where his brothers were.

The camp of Israel was on the side of a high mountain.

Across the valley from this mountain and on the side of another mountain was the camp of the Philistines.

After David had come to the camp and had found his brothers, shouts of anger and fear came from the soldiers.

David looked across the valley to the camp of the Philistines.

There he saw a huge soldier dressed in shining armor.

The giant soldier carried a great spear and shield.

"Who is that man?" asked David.

"Do you not know? That is Goliath," said the soldiers. "Every day he comes out and dares any man on our side to meet him in battle."

"Does no one of our soldiers dare to meet him?" asked David.

"We have no man so strong as he in our whole army," said the soldiers.

The giant from the opposite hillside shouted with a loud voice, and again dared the army of Israel to choose a man to meet him.

David was a brave boy ; he was stirred to anger at the sight of this great giant.

"Is not God on the side of our people?" he asked. "I will fight with this man, for who is he that he should defy the army of the living God?"

The king of Israel heard of these brave words and sent for David to come before him.

When he saw that David was only a boy, he said, "You are not able to go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, while he has fought in many battles."

Then David said to the king, "Once, when I was guarding my father's sheep, I killed a lion and a bear without help from any one but the Lord. He will help me fight this man."

Then the king said, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

The king fitted David with heavy armor and gave to him his own sword, but David said, "I am not used to this heavy armor; it will only hinder me."

So he threw it off.

Then David went to a brook near by and chose five smooth stones.

Armed with these five stones and his sling, he went bravely out to meet the giant.

When the giant saw that David was only a boy, he was angry and cried out:

"Do you dare fight with me? I will kill you, and will give your flesh to the birds and the beasts."

David looked at him without fear and said, "You come against me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord. This day he will give you into my hand. I will kill you and take your head from you, and I will give the bodies of the Philistines to the birds and the beasts."

When they came near to each other, David fitted one of the five stones to his sling.

He whirled the sling swiftly about his head.

The stone flew straight to its mark.

It struck the Philistine full in the forehead.

The huge giant took one step and, with a groan, fell to the earth.

Then David, standing upon the giant, took his sword and cut off the head of his enemy.

When the Philistines saw that their giant was dead, they were filled with fear.

They left their camp and tried to run away, but the army of Israel followed them and won a great victory.

For this brave deed David was made a captain and was held in honor by the king.

Pre-Hippocratic Medicine: The Philosopher-Scientist

2007-06-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

Greek secular, rational medicine, which reached its summit in the time of Hippocrates, was undoubtedly preceded by a long tradition. But we do not know precisely the nature of medicine, or even science, in the centuries between the Homeric period of the ninth or eighth century B.C. and the advent of the philosopher-scientists in the sixth century. Interchanges among Crete, Mycenae, Egypt, and Asia had always contained interlacings of religious and empiric healing methods, so it is likely that this cross-fertilization continued. A few bits of information from Hesiod's Works and Days of the eighth century suggest the prevalence of a kind of folk medicine which combined basic hygienic rules with pragmatic use of foods and plants, but it also included religious and magical associations. Therefore, when one comes upon the sixth century—about which we have direct and indirect information on the philosopher-scientists—one is impressed by what appears to be a sudden new approach: an attempt to give all phenomena natural rather than supernatural explanations.

By the time of Thales (640? -546 B.C.), the first true scientist-philosopher of the Greeks, his birthplace Miletos on the Aegean west coast of Asia Minor had become a great port of trade, with an international population and exceptional thinkers and teachers. It was on the periphery of the Greek world, and in that sense typical of the areas in which the new philosophies seem to have developed: the Aegean islands, the Asiatic coast, and Italy and Sicily, in centers which must have been growing over centuries.

Meanwhile, the practice of medicine was probably carried on by itinerant craftsmen, as in Homer's time. Information was transmitted orally from generation to generation, and by the time of Hippocrates (mid-fifth century B.C.) practitioners were engaged in a variety of methods of differing effectiveness. At the same time, medical teaching groups, or "schools," were developing throughout the Greek world and were heirs of both the empiric tradition and the philosophic inquiries of the philosopher-scientists.

Our information about Thales is based on what others wrote about him and quoted from his teachings. ("What is difficult? To know thyself. What is easy? To advise another.") The man who emerges from these accounts had an extraordinarily wide range of interests and a profound effect on his contemporaries and followers. It is no wonder that he was considered among the seven greatest sages.

Thales believed that the basic element in all animal and plant life was water, from which came earth and air. He made many contributions to mathematics, astronomy, navigation, and geometry, and is said to have developed several of the geometric theorems later used by Euclid. The most significant attribute of his work, for which he has been called the "Father of Science," is that his explanations of phenomena did not fall back on supernatural agency. Although he accepted the idea of a God, he did not use religious means to seek or establish the natural processes of the universe or of humans.

At Miletos, two especially influential thinkers followed Thales: Anaximander (fl. c. 560 B.C.) and Anaximenes (fl. c. 546 B.C.). Anaximander (extending the rational views of Thales) taught that all living creatures had their beginnings in water. Even man originally came from a water organism. Anaximander also espoused the doctrine that the universe was constituted of opposite forces in balance and that it was governed by universal laws. His pupil Anaximenes considered air rather than water the primary element and therefore the essential requirement for life.

Heraclitos (fl. c. 500 B.C.), the outstanding philosopher of Ephesos, to the north of Miletos, considered fire rather than water or air as the principal element, but he underlined Anaximander's concept of opposites by suggesting that tensions between opposing forces were essential to the universe and to life. Change was the only constant.

By the sixth century B.C., four basic elements had become generally accepted as the components of all substances: water, earth, fire, and air, each of which had its corresponding characteristic—wet, dry, hot, cold. This doctrine of the four elements and their qualities (later projected into the four humors) continued to affect medical theory for many centuries, even into recent times.

There were many other leaders of what was referred to as the Ionian school because it sprang from the islands and territories to which the ancient mainland Ionians had migrated. Each inquired rationally into the makeup of humans as well as the cosmic environment.

At the western borders of the Greek world in the sixth century, an Italic "school" of philosophers was centered in Sicily and southern Italy. The most famous group was at Crotona, where Pythagoras came to teach. A center of philosophy may have been there before he arrived, but the influence of Pythagoras and the teachings of his followers were to have a profound effect on medicine.

Pythagoras (fl. c. 530 B.C.) was born on the island of Samos just off the coast of Asia Minor, but he emigrated west to Crotona in southern Italy because of his opposition to the tyrant Polycrates. He and his followers formed not only a school of philosophy but also a religious cult that allied itself with the ancient mystical teachings of Orpheos.

The Pythagoreans in the west focused principally on the soul and the spiritual universe, whereas Thales in the east was concerned with matter. Humans were fallen gods eventually capable of returning to divinity, for although the body decayed the soul was continually reborn—even in animals. All life was therefore sacred, and surgical procedures were forbidden since they might interfere with the soul. Their belief in reincarnation resembles some religious ideas developing in India (where the Buddha also lived in the sixth century B.C.).

The basic principle of the Pythagorean universe was not any of the elemental substances but rather the science of numbers, which determined what happened in living creatures as well as in the cosmos. Each number had a special significance beyond its own function in mathematical process. For instance, I represented God, 2 stood for matter. Therefore 12 was the universe, divisible by 4 three times. The Pythagoreans also established scientific theories of sound and of musical octaves. Furthermore, as proponents of the mythical teachings of Orpheos, they felt that music should play an important role in their discipline.

Balance in all things was the goal of correct behavior. Opposite pairs of substances and qualities achieved the balance; therefore the number 4 was important to health, and the concept of four elements with four qualities received further impetus, particularly when supported by so influential a school.

As a logical concomitant of Pythagorean beliefs, diet was vegetarian and frugal, but there were a few curious prohibitions against some foods, such as beans. The explanation given by Diogenes Laertius (third century A.D.) was that in mythical times the bean had been a symbol of the head and therefore of the mind, which might have made it taboo to this sect. Cabbage, anise, and squill were recommended to maintain health and treat illness, and external applications of plant substances were also permissible, but the chief Pythagorean therapy consisted of diet, exercise, music, and meditation.

Other "schools" of medicine (that is, associations of philosophers, medical teachers, practitioners, and students) had been developing nearby in Sicily, in Cyrene on the African coast, and in Rhodes, Cnidos, and Cos at the eastern periphery of the Greek world. But Crotona was the most famous of philosophic centers according to Herodotos. Democedes, one of the best-known practitioners among the Greeks, was educated at Crotona, and his reputation increased after he went to Aegina and to Athens. He was persuaded to come to Samos by its ruler Polycrates, but when Samos was taken by the Persians Democedes was brought along to the court of Darius. There chance brought him to the attention of the king, whose ankle injury he was able to treat successfully, as well as his daughter's abscessed breast. We do not know his method of treatment, but Egyptian physicians had previously been unsuccessful in relieving the king's difficulties.

A younger member of the Crotona school (possibly of the fifth century B.C.) was Alcmaeon, whose principal focus was on man, not the cosmos. His book Concerning Nature may be the beginning of Greek medical literature, but only a few fragments survive. Works by a number of later writers—especially Aristotle—are the principal sources for what was contained in Alcmaeon's teachings. He held a general philosophic attitude: health is harmony; disease is a disturbance of the harmony. But he also believed that investigation (including dissection), not just philosophy, was needed in order to understand the body. His combination of direct observation and experimental testing stands out as unique in his time.

Although many remarkable facts emerged from his dissections (probably on animals), his most striking contribution was to establish the connection between the sense organs and the brain. Even the optic nerves and their chiasm (crossing) were clearly delineated. Going further he concluded that the brain was the organ of the mind, not only perceiving sensations but also responsible for thought and memory. About a century later, Aristotle, one of the greatest philosopher-scientists in history, disagreed entirely with Alcmaeon, believing instead that the heart was the center of sensation.

Alcmaeon was also a hostage of his age. For instance, he speculated that sleep occurred when the blood vessels in the brain were filled; withdrawal of blood from the brain caused waking. Along with his careful dissections of the eye and demonstrations of the pathways connecting the brain and the eye, he reported that the eye contains both water and fire. However, he condemned the commonly accepted belief of the time that semen originated in the brain. His doctrine of the balancing of opposite qualities and its effect on health were in agreement with Pythagorean teachings. But the breadth of his detailed examinations and rational concepts opened a new view on the acquisition of medical knowledge. He can be called virtually the first medical scientist.

Further south in Sicily another Greek Italic center of medicine flourished. The best-known member of this group was Empedocles (c. 493-c. 433 B.C.). Many fragments of his writings survive, and much other information about him is contained in later commentaries. From these sources historians have obtained a picture of an aristocratic leader of enormous egotism but also of exceptional knowledge and ability. He went about dressed in purple finery and decorated with flowers, boasting in verse of his own godlike nature and power of accomplishment. Yet, he did work prodigious feats for his city and its citizens. During a time when it was as still possible for one person to encompass many fields he seemed to outdistance anyone else in being many-sided. Poet, statesman, priest, philosopher, scientist, physician—he excelled in all.

His treatises were written in verse, a common practice, and he preached the Pythagorean doctrines concerning purity of mind, body, and behavior, as well as the virtues of regulated, temperate diet and exercise. His teaching that gained the widest influence was the concept that all things inanimate and animate were comprised of four basic elements: water, air, fire, and earth. Although this belief was accepted before Empedocles, he is often credited with its origination.

The elements according to Empedocles are joined together during life and separate after death. Substances are formed by attraction and repulsion of the elements in different proportions. He saw that the element air had substance and could exert pressure. The flow of blood through the body was connected in some way with propulsion by air. Respiration occurred not only through the nose and mouth but also through respiratory pores in the skin; after Hippocrates, a system of medicine called Methodist was developed from this idea. Even today some speak of the opening of the pores in hot weather and their closing in the cold.

The theories espoused by the followers of Empedocles led to further elaboration and were a step toward the concept that matter is composed of atoms. For instance, Anaxagoras (c. 500-c. 428 B.C.) held that each element was composed of many small invisible particles or seeds which were released from a food by digestion and then reconstituted into components of the body—such as bone and muscle. However, it was Democritos and Leucippos later in the fifth century B.C. who advanced the fully developed theory that all matter is made up of atoms of different size, weight, shape, and position. All animate and inanimate objects were originally created by the collisions and combinations of atoms. Democritos also dealt with diet, health and illness, and his speculative writings had a great influence on medical as well as scientific thought.

Of the other philosopher-scientist groups flourishing in the sixth and fifth centuries, two of the most important in influence were at Cnidos on the Asia Minor shore, and at Cos on an island off the coast. However, their fame may have come late in the fifth century B.C. because the historian Herodotos, who wrote in the mid-fifth century, spoke of the "schools" at Cyrene in Africa and Crotona in Italy but made no mention of either Cnidos or Cos.

It was on Cos that Hippocrates lived and taught. The writings of the Coan teachers, presumably by Hippocrates or by others of his time, are called the Corpus Hippocraticum and will be considered in a later section.

Neighboring Cnidos on the mainland was the location of a group of teachers and students that was probably as important as Cos and slightly older. The "Cnidian Sentences" was a collection of medical treatises which has not survived and is only known to us by mention in the Corpus Hippocraticum and through later commentators on Hippocrates, especially Galen in the second century A.D. Scholars consider it probable that some writings attributed to Hippocrates actually came from Cnidos.

For a long time historians have assumed that Cos and Cnidos were rival centers, but more recent analysis suggests that the two groups may not have been much different or even competitive. Nevertheless, a summary of the attitudes which scholars heretofore have believed were prevalent at the two locations may help clarify medical principles in the Greek world.

In Cnidos diseases were supposed to have been elaborately categorized according to the organ affected, a system with some resemblance to the practice in the Mesopotamian lands east of Cnidos. Treatments which were linked with and listed with each disease were simple and sparse.

In contrast, the Hippocratists, it was assumed, made virtually no classifications and used empiric rather than theoretical bases for the management of patients. With respect to treatment, however, Hippocratic methods were not much different from the Cnidian.

In addition, according to Galen, the system at Cnidos emphasized elaborate diagnosis based on symptoms, so that virtually every symptom was a disease. For instance, there were seven diseases of the bile, twelve of the bladder, and four types of consumption (which usually meant the spitting of blood). Although descriptions of the patient's history were complete and clear, the accent was on the disease rather than the patient (Hippocratic methods emphasized the patient rather than the disease, with great attention paid to observing and evaluating the physical findings). Wherever these Cnidian characteristics are found in the body of the Hippocratic works, they have been attributed by some scholars to Cnidian origin. Two treatises, On Diet and Acute Diseases and On Diseases, have been particularly singled out as probable contributions from Cnidos.

Some of the outstanding leaders of that school were Euryphon, Ctesias, Chrysippos, Polycrates, Endoxos, and Nichomachos, the father of Aristotle. According to Galen, Euryphon, a great anatomist, was one of the most famous physicians of his time and made many contributions to the "Cnidian Sentences." Ctesias, a younger contemporary of Hippocrates, attained fame as a physician in the Persian court of Artaxerxes Mnemon, and he wrote a commentary on Hippocrates which contained a number of disagreements with the methods and conclusions.

However, the most famous name that has come down to us is Hippocrates of Cos. Whether the teachings with which he has been associated are the work of one man or of many is not known. When the Hippocratic writings were collected in the great library of Alexandria in the fourth century B.C., the works of others were presumably also attributed to Hippocrates. So when we speak of Hippocrates we are probably referring to more than one man. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that he did exist and that he may indeed have been the extraordinary person later generations considered him. In any case, he typifies in his teachings, his life, and his behavior the ideal to which all healers strive and which all patients seek in their doctors.

Before considering the principles and methods of Hippocrates, it is appropriate to describe the common medical practices of his time.

Article Source: Health Guidance
Albert S. Lyons

By Albert S. Lyons | Submitted by public | Medical History | Unrated

Reddy warns against excessive emphasis on core inflation

2007-06-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2007 03:35:43 AM]

MUMBAI: RBI governor YV Reddy has warned against excessive emphasis on core inflation as it could sometimes affect day-to-day policy actions.

Mr Reddy highlighted the recent example of New Zealand Central Bank adopting inflation-targeting as its monetary policy objective. The central bank there had intervened in the currency markets after several years and the system crashed, resulting in a parliamentary inquiry for the central bank’s action. “By focusing too much on core inflation, some countries have missed taking timely actions,” he said. Mr Reddy was speaking at the Indian Banks Association (IBA) annual general meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday.

One often tends to look at oil prices more as a shock or cyclical component of inflation. “But there is a permanent component in oil prices and even food prices that cannot be ignored.” He also called for use of prudential policies for anti-cyclical processes.

To rein in asset prices, macro policies have to be combined with prudential policies. This, he said, was also underscored in the recent meetings at the Bank for International Settlements. The central bank, more than a year ago, had introduced higher risk weights on real estate loans with an aim at reining in home prices.

Speaking earlier, VP Shetty, chairman, IBA, highlighted the various initiatives of the association. Besides its role in financial inclusion initiatives of commercial banks, it is also being actively involved in streamlining the payments and settlements system. It is also looking at a settlement system on the lines of single euro payments area that comes into effect in January 2008.

Awards for Risk & Insurance

2007-06-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

Risk & Insurance earns national "finalist" honors from the American Society of Business Publication Editors.

The work of Roger Crombie earned the national recognition. His "Roger on Risk" column is a reader and editor favorite, and the judges at ASBPE obviously took a liking to Crombie's sometimes esoteric, sometimes acerbic--and always witty--look at the world of insurance. They designated him a finalist in the regularly contributed columns category.

Risk & Insurance also earned regional "finalist" designations in the original research category for a piece by workers' comp consultants Maddy Bowling and David Huth, as well as for our "Point/Counterpoint" columns written by our very own editors.

ASBPE judges also honored another Risk & Insurance frequent contributor, naming author and contributing editor Steve Yahn as a finalist in the regional feature article category for his piece on title insurance from the Dec. 1, 2006, issue-- "Securing the Chain" .

The trade group's annual competition is one of the biggest and most competitive for business and professional magazines. More than 2,600 entries are submitted and judged by other business editors, consultants, scholars and designers.

June 18, 2007
Copyright 2007© LRP Publications

Edward W. Scripps

2007-06-25T01:50:00.000-07:00

Edward W. Scripps built a media empire that includes daily newspapers in 20 markets stretching from Washington to Florida, Scripps Howard News Service, United Media, and the worldwide licensing and syndication home of PEANUTS and DILBERT.

He started the business in 1878, borrowing $10,000 to launch a newspaper in Cleveland called "The Penny Press." It was aimed at an unserved market of urban workers, and quickly became the model for the nation's first mass medium. He found a successful formula, and started to build the first chain of newspapers under common ownership.Today, the E.W. Scripps Company is "a diversified media concern with interests in newspapers, broadcast television stations, cable television networks and other media-related enterprises."

Ethics was important to Scripps, and he strived to keep his money, business, and life in proper perspective. Learn the 23 code of conduct that E.W. Scripps used in both his life and his business in excerpts from his essay "Some Outlandish Rules for Making Money."

1. Never spend as much money as you earn. The smaller your expenditures are in proportion to your earnings the sooner you will become rich.

2. It is more blessed to pay wages than to accept them. At least, it is more profitable.

3. Never do anything yourself that you can get someone else to do for you. The more things that someone else does for you the more time and energy you have to do those things which no one else can do for you.

4. Never do anything today that you can put off till tomorrow. There is always so much to do today that you should not waste your time and energy in doing anything today that can be put off till tomorrow. Most things that you do not have to do today are not worth doing at all.

5. Always buy, never sell. If you've got enough horse sense to become rich you know that it is better to run only one risk than two risks. You also know that just as likely as not the other fellow is smarter than you are and that whether you buy or sell, in each case you run the risk of getting the worst of the bargain. By adopting my rule you will diminish by one-half your chances of loss.

6. Never do anything, if you can help it that someone else is doing. Why compete with one person or many other persons in any occupation or line of business so long as it is possible for you to have a monopoly in some other field?

7. If circumstances compel you to pursue some occupation or to follow some line of business which is being pursued by some other person, then you do your work in some other way than that in which it is done by the other. There is always a good, better and best way. If you take the best way then the other fellow has no chance of competing with you.

8. Whatever you do once, whatever way you undertake to do a thing, don't do the same thing again or don't do the thing in the same way. If you know one way to do a thing you must know there is a better way to do the same thing.

9. If you're succeeding in anything you are doing, don't let anyone else know of your success, because if you do some other person will try to do the same thing and be your competitor.

10. When you become rich, as you will become rich if you follow my advice, don't let anyone know it. General knowledge of your wealth will only attract the tax gatherer, and other hungry people will try to get away from you something they want and some-thing you want to keep.

11. One of the greatest assets any man can secure is a reputation for eccentricity. If you have a reputation of this kind you can do a lot of things. You can even do the things you want to do without attaching to yourself the enmity of others. Many an act which, if performed by an ordinary person, would arouse indignation, animosity and antagonism, can be per-formed by a man with a reputation for eccentricity with no other result than that of exciting mirth and perhaps pity. It is better to have the good will than the bad will, even of a dog.

12. Never hate anybody. Hatred is a useless expenditure of mental and nervous energy. Revenge costs much of energy and gains nothing.

13. When you find many people applauding you for what you do, and a few condemning, you can be certain that you are on the wrong course because you're doing the things that fools approve of. When the crowd ridicules and scorns you, you can at least know one thing that it is at least possible that you are acting wisely. It is one of the instincts of men to covet applause. The wise man regulates his conduct rather by reason than by instinct.

14. It is far more important to learn what not to do than what to do. You can learn this invaluable lesson in two ways, the first of which and most inspired is by your own mistakes. The second is by observing the mistakes of others. Any man that learns all the things that he ought not to do cannot help doing the things he ought to do.

15. Posterity can never do anything for you. Therefore, you should invest nothing in posterity. Of course your heirs will quarrel over your estate, but that will be after you're dead and why should you trouble your mind over things which you will never know anything about?

16. A man can do anything he wants to do in this world, at least if he wants to do it badly enough. Therefore, I say that any of you who want to become rich can become rich if you live long enough.

17. After what I have said it goes without further saying that you should save money. But no man can save himself rich. He can only make himself rich. Savings are capital. It is only by doing things that one learns how to do things. It is only the capitalist who handles capital that learns how to handle capital profitably. The more capital you have the more skillful you become as a capitalist.

18. Fools say that money makes money. I say that money does not make money. It is only men who make money.

19. There are two cardinal sins in the economic world: one is giving something for nothing, and the other is getting something for nothing. And the greater sin of these is getting something for nothing, or trying to do so. I really doubt if anyone ever does get some-thing for nothing. (Don't marry a rich wife. Women are what they are. At best they are hard enough to get along with. They are always trying to make a man do something that he doesn't want to do, and generally succeeding. When a woman is conscious of the fact that she has furnished all or any part of your capital, her influence over you will be so great as to be the worst handicap you can carry.)

20. If you're a prospective heir of your father or some other relative, you should also consider that a handicap. I would advise you to refuse to be an heir.

21. Despise not the day of small things, but rather respect the small things. It is far easier to make a profit on a very small capital invested in any business than it is to make the same proportion of profit off of a large capital. It is true that after you have learned how to make a profit on a business that shows small capital, successively, as your capital grows, you learn how to handle it profitably. Then the time will come when the greater your capital becomes in this way the greater your pro-portion of profits on it should be. And, for an added reason, as your wealth and skill grow rapidly, your so-called necessary expenses grow much more slowly and in time cease to grow at all, so that beyond a certain limit all your income and added income becomes a surplus, constantly to be added to your capital.

22. It is far easier to make money than to spend it. As it becomes more and more difficult to spend money, you will spend less and less of it, and hence there will be more money to accumulate.

23. The hardest labor of all labor performed by man is that of thinking. If you have become rich, train your mind to hard thinking and hold it well in leash so that your thinking will all be with but one object in view, that of accumulating more wealth.

Moving right along: insurance can help smooth the road to disaster recovery

2007-06-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

by JACQUELYN LYNN

When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, many businesses were unable to operate for days or weeks. Many campanies have been aided in their recovery by business interruption insurance.

Business interruption coverage replaces lost business income and pays ongoing expenses if you are unable to operate due to circumstances described in your policy But this isn't a panacea for every possible disaster, says Anita Setnor Byer, president of Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk in Plantation, Florida. For example, your policy may cover business interruption due to fire but not wind damage, or water damage from rain but not from flooding. And it probably doesn't cover losses due to inaccessibility if streets are closed by the authorities in the event of, say, a potential riot or an imminent storm, although if you are unable to operate after the streets reopen, your coverage should kick in. Setnor Byer says basic policies typically stop paying damages at recovery or 30 to 60 days after the property is restored.

While extended coverage is available, the greater your coverage, the higher your premiums. And no business interruption policy will cover a downturn in the economy--even one related to a natural disaster. It's best to make business interruption coverage a component of an overall disaster recovery plan that includes financial reserves.

LookSmart's FindArticles - Moving right along: insurance can help smooth the road to disaster recovery

Entrepreneur, Nov, 2005, by Jacquelyn Lynn

Business Insurance

2007-06-20T21:14:00.001-07:00

Business Insurance - Managing Your RiskBusiness insurance protects you and your business with coverage for claims related to allegations of negligent activities or failure to use reasonable care. As one of America's leading online providers of business insurance for computer consulting and IT services firms, Techinsurance has helped thousands of businesses and individuals get the small business liability insurance they need. When you buy insurance from us, you get exclusive access to the years of experience and expertise we have accumulated in the business insurance industry. You need business insurance specifically designed to address the risks associated with IT services.
General Liability Insurance CoverageTechinsurance works with leading carriers such as Hartford Insurance to provide Commercial General Liability insurance and Workers Compensation insurance for as little as $350 to $500 each per year. Check out our general liability insurance and property package policy that provides small business liability insurance as well as protection for your company's computers and other assets.
Professional Liability InsuranceProfessional Liability insurance provides protection against claims that the policyholder becomes legally obligated to pay as a result of an error or omission in his professional work. Also known as Errors and Omissions insurance, this type of professional liability insurance is critical to your business. E&O insurance responds to claims of professional liability in the delivery of your technical services. Allow us to customize an errors and omissions insurance policy for you that is affordable and effective.

Step by Step Guide: From Choosing Your Car Insurance To Filing Your Claim

2007-06-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

From Bobbie Sage,

Your Guide to Personal Insurance.

Why do you need a five step guide to auto insurance shopping? Because, if you want to get the best coverage for your buck, shopping smart for your car insurance is the way to do it. Also, car insurance is one of the top ways to chisel down your insurance budget if you know how to do it right. Let's start with deciding what car insurance coverage you need:

1. What Kind of Coverage Do You Need?:

Before calling the insurance company and getting your insurance quote, take the time to decide what kind of coverage you need. In every state you have to have at least liability coverage. But, you need to decide if you would like to add these additional car insurance coverages:

Comprehensive Collision
If you choose comprehensive and collision coverages, you will need to decide what deductible amounts you would like.

And, it is important to know what policy limits your state requires so you can decide what policy limits you would like. Other coverages you may also be interested in:

Emergency Roadside Service Gap Insurance

2. Choosing an Insurance Company:

you are ready to select your insurance provider, besides just looking for the best car insurance premium, you will want to take some time to research what insurance company you want to go with by learning about their financial strength. Another important aspect of choosing your insurance provider is knowing if and how they will use your credit score to determine your rate. Take the time to research different companies and then make a list of the providers you are interested in contacting for an insurance quote. Here are some tools to help you research your car insurance company:

Car Insurance Company Report Card Your Credit Score and the Insurance Company

3. Making the Call:

When you have your list of selected car insurance providers you are ready to start calling around to search for the one who can give you the best deal. It is important to have certain paperwork handy, such as your drivers license number. In addition, having a list of discounts you may be entitled to can save you some extra money. Here are some resources to help you when you are ready to make the call:

Car Insurance Savings Checklist Online Car Insurance Company Quote Worksheet

4. Understanding Your Car Insurance Policy:

Now that you have your car insurance policy, do you understand what it means? Did you get what you paid for? It is important to know how your car insurance policy works and how it can work for you. Here is some help in understanding your policy:

Getting What You Paid For eCourse: How to Know if Your Insurance Contract is Legal Car Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

5. Filing a Car Insurance Claim:

Let's hope you never have to file a car insurance claim, but if you do it is important to learn some things before the accident comes. Learning what things you need to do when you have an auto accident can help the claims process go much smoother. Here are some claim filing tools you will want to learn before you file a car insurance claim:

I Had a Car Accident!

5 Steps to Filing Your Car Insurance Claim

Parts and the Insurance Company - Do You Have a Choice?

Promotions and appointments

2007-06-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

The Irvine Company hired Ralph Grippo as managing director of The Resort at Pelican Hill. Richard L. McCathron has been appointed CEO of Superior Access. First American Corporation (NYSE:FAF) announced that Jo Etta Bandy has been appointed senior vice president.Newport Beach-based CORE Realty Holdings, LLC, announced the formation of an editorial board. National Planning Holdings appointed James Livingston as CEO. ADVENTRX named Jack Lief chairman. Nventa appointed Sandford D. Smith to its board of directors.

****Ralph Grippo, formerly a senior executive at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, is joining The Irvine Company as president of the resort division and managing director of The Resort at Pelican Hill, the company announced. Grippo joins The Irvine Company Resort Properties as it prepares to open The Resort at Pelican Hill, a destination overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Southern California. The first component, Pelican Hill Golf Club, will open fall 2007, followed by the bungalow rooms and suites, villas, restaurants, event center and spa, in fall 2008.

****Richard L. McCathron has been appointed CEO of Irvine-based Superior Access. McCathron, formerly with Mercury General Corporation, will be principally chartered with directing the company's initiatives. McCathron's appointment, effective June 11, enables current president and Superior Access Founder Mike Mayo to shift his sights to Swingtide, also a Pequot Ventures company. Mayo will continue serving on the Superior Access board of directors.

****Santa Ana-based First American Corporation (NYSE:FAF) announced that Jo Etta Bandy has been appointed senior vice president, corporate communications. Bandy, who joined The First American Corporation in 1998 as director of communications, was promoted to vice president, corporate communications in November 1999, a position she has held until her current promotion. In 2006, Bandy was appointed chairperson for the First American Homeownership Foundation.

****Newport Beach-based CORE Realty Holdings, LLC, announced the formation of an editorial board to consolidate communications for the company and named vice presidents Laurie Levassar as chairperson and Michelle Moore as chief media contact. Joining Levassar and Moore on the committee are Aaron Cook, executive vice president and national sales manager; Jared Christensen, vice president, sales and marketing; Phillip Vance, marketing manager; and Desiree Berry, director of events.

****Santa Monica-based National Planning Holdings, Inc. announced that James Livingston has been named chief executive officer. Livingston will assume the duties of Shawn Dreffein, who is retiring effective June 14. In addition to his new responsibilities at NPH, Livingston will continue to serve as Executive vice president of operations for JNLD. Prior to joining JNLD in March of 2003, he served as chief financial officer and corporate actuary for Union Central Life Insurance Company.

****San Diego-based ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX:ANX) announced that Jack Lief, president and chief executive officer, and a founder and director of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARNA), was named chairman of ADVENTRX. Lief joined ADVENTRX's board of directors in September 2006.

****San Diego-based Nventa Biopharmaceuticals Corporation (TSX:NVN) announced the appointment of Sandford D. Smith to its board of directors. Smith is currently president of the International Group and executive vice president at Genzyme Corporation. Smith replaces Elizabeth Greetham.

African economy 'to expand 6.2%'

2007-06-13T23:34:00.001-07:00

Africa's continent-wide economy will grow faster this year, but structural changes are still needed if it is to catch up with the rest of the world.
The continent is expected to achieve economic growth of 6.2% in 2007, an expansion on last year's 5.5%, said a report from the World Economic Forum.
Despite this growth, the study said Africa was still being held back by factors such as poor infrastructure.
It added that corruption and poor access to finance were other concerns.
The Africa Competitiveness Report further said that much of the continent's current growth was being fuelled by external factors such as high commodity prices, debt relief and a upbeat international economic environment.
"Truly sustainable growth, however, must be based on solid domestic foundations rather than a cyclical or exogenous circumstances," said the study.
'Moving faster'
The report, which was compiled in association with the World Bank and African Development Bank, was published at the start of this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) for Africa conference in Cape Town.
"The African macro-economic environment is looking better and better," said WEF senior economist Jennifer Blanke.
"While there have been improvements, the problem is that the rest of the world is moving faster."
The United Nations estimates that Africa's economy needs to growth 7% per year in order to halve poverty rates by 2015, one of the key millenium development goals.

How much Life Insurance do I need?

2007-06-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

Life Insurance Policies amounts are different for everyone. There are essentially two factors that come into play when purchasing life insurance. The two factors are how much money would it take for your family to maintain the same standard of living and how much can you afford to pay per month for your premium.

Try our Life Insurance Calculator
How much would it take for my family to maintain the same standard of living?Your Life Insurance Policy should greatly depend on how much money your family will need to maintain the same standard of living. This means that there is a certain monthly or yearly income needed to pay for minor and major expenses such a mortgage, cars and Education. Depending on your situation your life insurance needs will differ. If you have children that are young and have not attended College assume they will need funding. Calculate the approximate costs of College and add this into your overall expenses. In addition to College or Education costs calculate your mortgage and car payments into your expense report. Finally, calculate any additional expenses needed to maintain the same standard of life. Depending on your investment knowledge and death benefit received one can usually shop around and find a financial advisor they are comfortable with. A financial advisor should be able to place your money in the market and receive at least 5% returns per year. More often, returns can total 8%+ depending on investment amount. Approximate your taxes on the returns at 35% and you will have your yearly income. Divide the yearly income by 12 and this is your montly income to pay expenses.

For example, your family has $8,000 in expenses per month. You will need approximately $3,000,000 in coverage. This is likely a conservative amount of life insurance as $3,000,000 earning 5% interest yearly equates to $150,000 in yearly income. With taxes taken out your yearly income would be approximately $97,000 or $8,000 per month.

How much can I afford to spend on Life Insurance?One should only consider an amount of Life Insurance where the yearly premium is easily attainable and not reallocated from another major expense. Be smart when purchasing your life insurance policy. Know your limits, as if you purchase a policy and cancel it due to the fact that you cannot afford the payments then you will receive $0 back from that purchase and you will not receive any for your death benefit.

Find that happy medium where you are comfortable with the cost of the premium and the amount of coverage it provides to sustain the same standard of living for your family.

Please note that this article is informational and not to be considered professional advice.

Child Life Insurance

2007-06-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

The death of a child isn’t something parents want to think about. But life insurance isn’t necessarily all about death. Child life insurance is about the future…and preparation. Taking steps today can help create a better tomorrow. And as parents or grandparents, our chief concern is making the future better for our children.

How Does Child Life Insurance Help a Child
Right now, when a child is young, strong, and healthy, life insurance is obtainable at a minimum cost. But if a child develops a problem like a chronic disease, life insurance can be almost impossible to obtain. So signing up for a low premium term life insurance policy now, with a guaranteed periodic purchase option, will make it possible for them to have life insurance as adults.

Another possibility for them is to purchase a whole life insurance policy, which will last for the rest of their lives. Their age and health status won’t make any difference…nor will it matter if they serve in the military or have dangerous occupation hazards.

Such child life insurance is perfect for planning for the future because of the cash value the plan would accumulate. As an adult, they could borrow against this value…or stop the policy and withdraw the money (to pay for college or any number of things).

Who Can Purchase a Child Life Insurance Policy
Parents, grandparents, and legal guardians can all purchase child life insurance policies. New parents often have heavy financial burdens during the first few years of a child’s life, and buying insurance is difficult. So grandparents (who might be more financially stable) purchase insurance for their grandchildren.

When Does Coverage Start for a Child Life Insurance Policy
When you start a life insurance policy for a child, the coverage begins immediately. There are no necessary medical exams to go through…just a few health related questions on the application is generally enough to get a child qualified.

The rates for child life insurance vary. Whole life rates stay the same. Term life rates depend on the policy, how old the child is, and several other factors. Policy renewal agreements can vary also, so make sure it’s spelled out before signing up for term policies. Some times you can purchase a term policy and then switch it to whole life at the end of the policy’s period.

Child life insurance policies can last as long as you wish to sign for. Again, whole life policies for children don’t ever end, while term policies are defined before you purchase it.

Who Receives the Benefits
In child life insurance policies, the parents or legal guardians are the beneficiaries. But the one who benefits the most is the child. He or she benefits from the security of a life insurance policy that will continue even if he or she is diagnosed with a life threatening disease. Secure your children’s future now with child life insurance. It’s good for them, it’s good for you

Talk to your Insurance Agent to ensure Child Life Insurance is right for you!

5 steps to hitting your direct mail targets

2007-06-13T00:23:00.000-07:00

By Joanna L. Krotz

E-mail and Internet marketing may be attracting buzz, but there are still strong incentives to send printed messages directly to customers whom you select. Direct mail gives you complete control over who sees your marketing, in contrast to advertising in print, online-mail, Web sites, or television.

For small businesses, where sales leads and customer contact information so often fall through the cracks, being able to market pinpointed prospects with postcards, flyers, catalogs, or personalized notes is a terrific opportunity. A well-crafted, road-tested direct mail package represents a cost-effective sales cycle all on its own, including advertising message, presentation, special offer, call to action and, ultimately, deal closer.

If you take the time to do it right, direct marketing can generate gratifying and measurable results.

Oddly enough, it's the latest electronic tools that are driving interest in commercial mail marketing. One consumer's throwaway is another prospect's prize, which puts value in the eye of your prospect. So the key to getting results from direct mail is a precisely targeted mailing list.

You need the right message in front of the right customers at the right time to get the buy-in. Many experts say that 40 percent of direct mail's success will depend on the list.

If you're a realtor, for example, think about a postcard campaign offering your services — and perhaps an invitation to a seminar about retirement communities — to home-owning parents whose youngest has just headed off to college. Or consider the effect of an insurance agency that specializes in business and property policies mailing personalized letters to companies that have just moved into new digs. That's the potential of electronic tools.

Generating Powerful Contact Reports
When hard copy mailing lists are transformed into electronic databases, you can manipulate and mine the list for byte-sized nuggets. Whether it's your own customer list or one you rent from a trade group, a professional organization or a list broker, a database lets you identify customers as broadly or as narrowly as your prospect's profile. You can segment by age or income, by hobby or geography, by education, occupation or gender and by a dizzying array of special qualifiers, like car models or types of professional services or how many movies a consumer sees each month.

For example, preformatted reports are available in the Microsoft Office Small Business Management Edition, using Outlook Business Contact Manager (BCM).

You can also manage fast financial analysis of a customer's profile with Microsoft Small Business Accounting. The customer reports can help you identify targets for a direct mail campaign for prospects culled from your sales leads (called Opportunities in Business Contact Manager) or drawn from existing customers (using Accounts and Contacts in Business Contact Manager).

The Opportunity by Product report in Business Contact Manager lists all sales leads for each of your products or services, along with its revenue forecast. If you need further analysis, you can easily export Business Contact Manager Reports into Microsoft Office Excel or Microsoft Small Business Accounting, which allow you to manipulate and analyze the data in other ways. Database marketing combined with direct mail gives you tangible reach and power, not to mention lower costs.

You can then create a direct mail piece tailored to your specific audience and message. Using Microsoft Office Publisher, a business publishing and marketing materials program included in Microsoft Office Small Business Edition, you can create direct marketing pieces efficiently and economically using templates provided within the product. You can also download direct mail templates from Office Online (See Additional Resources for more details). Or, if you'd prefer, you can work with an outside design agency to create your direct mail piece.

Manage Your Expectations
Precisely targeting consumers who are likely to be interested in your products or services hardly guarantees buyers, of course. Having a well-targeted list increases your odds of success. But parents who receive that realtor's postcard, for instance, might have no desire to move.

Average response rates for direct mail vary considerably, depending on what you're selling, the package's appeal, how distinctive your offer is, and the quality of your mailing list.

Overall, a good return on mass mailings to new prospects runs .1 percent to 5 percent. A 2 to 3 percent response is excellent. Anything near 5 percent is spectacular. When it comes to mailings to loyal customers, however — say, your top 10 percent of big spenders — you should expect returns closer to 30 percent and up. Successful mailings depend on clearly defined targets and goals.

Here are the steps to take that will reel in results.

1. Define Your Objectives
Too many entrepreneurs dive into direct mail without a clear-cut strategy. Before drafting copy or evaluating lists, make sure you understand your goals and know what you want the mailer to achieve.Direct mail can:
•Generate sales.
•Bring in foot traffic.
•Build recognition or brand awareness.
•Acquire new customers or referrals.
•Upgrade customer service.
•Respond to competitors.
•Support other marketing initiatives, such as newspaper or radio ads.
•Build customer loyalty by rewarding top-tier customers.
•Expand your market to a wider audience.
•Test the appeal of new products or services.
•Deliver company news such as upcoming sales or a branch opening.
•Act as a warm-up for later cold calls.
•Stimulate higher purchases from existing customers.

A recent survey completed by the United States Postal Service found that the top three reasons for increased frequency of direct mailers were company growth or expansion, change of strategy, and introduction of a new product. Make sure you're clear about what spells success. Then make sure you don't muddy your chances by setting too many goals at once.

2. Test Your Return on Investment (ROI)
You can't judge a direct mail campaign simply by how many sales you generate. Think about it. Ten purchases from a 1,000-piece mailing may add up to a 1 percent response, but what's your net cost? If you shell out $10,000 for the mailing, then 10 orders cost you $1000 each. Did you turn a profit? If not, time for Plan B. Recalculate your costs and package.

Figure out how much you must earn from a direct mail effort, not the number of sales. Test your assumptions with a smaller mailing to a select group of your overall list (sometimes called a nth mailing, because it goes to every nth fraction on the list). That will give you enough feedback to edit or refine the package and budget before committing.

3. Polish the Offer
When drafting the copy, look, feel and offer for your mail package, consider the 3 S's:
Simplify. Do not use this opportunity to brag about your company or include essays about the firm's history. Inform your customers about the benefits of one item or service. Don't confuse the customer with choices.

Specify. Tell him about the offer upfront (and preferably on the envelope). Then tell him again. Spell out details — clearly.

Showcase. Put yourself in the customer's place. Is this an offer you'd respond to? Make sure it's foolproof. Gift certificates usually work (you can create them in Publisher or download them from Office Online Template Gallery). Or, try free samples, discounts upon walking into the stop or salon or buy-one-get-one-free. For business-to-business marketing, options include offering seminars, white papers, and discounts.

Don't forget your call to action. The more ways you allow a customer to respond, the better your chances of getting a response. That includes fax-back and toll free phones, e-mail, postage-paid cards, credit card payments, long-term payment plans and so on.

4. Reward Response
Whenever a customer responds to a direct mail offer, make sure you fully recognize it. Adding a little extra to, say, a free sample offer will keep your new customer coming back. You might build such bonuses into your campaign budget.

Or, you can reserve some extras for an attractive segment of your market — now easily identified with Outlook's Business Contact Manager program. For instance, if you have key customer or sales lead data filed in another software application, such as ACT! or Microsoft Excel, you can easily import that information into Business Contact Manager to gain a comprehensive, integrated view.

5. One Message Won't Do
Plan your campaign so you reach the same prospects more than once — preferably more than twice. It's more effective to send three mailers to 1,000 prospects than one mailer to 3,000 — though the cost is the same. If your list is honed and qualified, then you'll get better results from frequent mailings. Also consider a timed or sequenced campaign. For instance: Postcard 1 is a teaser. Postcard 2 is a puzzle or half the offer. Postcard 3 delivers the gift. That way, you set up both expectations and recognition.

Finally, perhaps the best part of direct mail is how quickly you discover whether or not it's working. Results are measurable and definite, with information you can act on. You learn exactly what hooks your customer — or doesn't. And direct mail is flexible. You can recalibrate or refine at any time.

And when you do invest in a winner, you can rely on it to keep attracting business — so long as you update that list, of course.

Ten ways to get your finances in shape in 2006

2007-06-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

by Emily Hohler

Every year most of us blow a hole in our finances by spending too much on Christmas presents, eating, partying and new clothes. This year, it is estimated that British adults will spend an average of £800 each. But in the back of our minds, we all know there will be a price to be paid for all this indulgence in the New Year.

It’s not MoneyWeek’s business to help you with the after-effects of overeating and drinking, but we have had a look at the simplest ways to get your finances back in shape in a hurry. So, once the New Year hangover has abated, refer back to these ten ways to make things better in 2006.
1. Sort out your debts. The arrival of this month’s credit card bills is likely to be your first wake-up call. If you can’t afford to pay off your balance, switch – fast – to one of the diminishing 0% deals on the market. Mint is offering 0% on purchases and balance transfers until September 2006 and HSBC is offering the same deal for nine months from the date of issue.

2. Return unwanted Christmas presents. An estimated £1.3bn was spent on unwanted gifts in 2005, and many stores have forgiving returns policies. Most big department stores, including Debenhams and John Lewis, exchange items without a receipt over Christmas, provided they are confident they sold them in the first place. And if the giver encloses a gift receipt, you can get a refund. Failing that, flog them on Ebay.

3. Re-mortgage. Remortgaging is the single most important thing you’re likely to be able to do to save money in 2006. It is, as Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert.com puts it, “the financial equivalent of liposuction”. Cutting just 1% off a £100,000 mortgage will save you around £80 a month. A fee-free broker, such as London & Country (0800-073 1951), will be able to help you find the best mortgage for your needs.

4. Switch energy suppliers. So far, the cold weather warnings for this winter have proved to be well-founded, and since your heating bills are likely to be higher than usual in any case, with gas and electricity hikes across the board, make sure you aren’t paying over the odds. If you’ve never switched providers, the likelihood is that you’re paying 20% more than you have to. Visit a comparison website, such as Energyhelpline.com (0800-279 4546), USwitch.com (0800-093 0607) or SimplySwitch.com (0800-781 1212) to find out how much you could save.

5. Phone and broadband suppliers. The biggest rip-off comes when you call friends and family overseas, so if you make a lot of foreign calls, try Skype’s free software (Skype.com), or check out tariffs offered by firms such as Telestunt, Telesavers or TeleDiscount, which can cost as little as 1p a minute. Most work the same way: you dial a fixed tariff number, which connects you to the provider’s network. To compare savings, see Moneysavingexpert.com/callchecker, or call a provider.

6. Sort out your pension. The newspapers have been full of doom and gloom about pensions, so make sure you’re not relying on the state to provide you with a comfortable old age. The Association of British Insurers has an online pension calculator to work out what sort of pension you can expect to receive for the amount you save (see Pensioncalculator.org.uk). While there is much to be said against pensions (namely that they give the Exchequer, not you, the ultimate say over your money), the generous upfront tax breaks, advent of low-cost online self-invested pension plans (Sipps) and changes to the pension rules on A-Day mean you should think seriously about how much you could benefit.

7. Change bank accounts. Make sure that you are receiving the best rate of interest on any accounts that are in credit, and that you aren’t being charged a fortune on your overdraft. Alliance & Leceister’s Premier Direct account pays 5% AER on balances up to £2,500 and offers a 0% overdraft rate for 12 months. The rate on your savings account should be nudging 5%. ING Direct’s savings account pays 4.75%; Newcastle Building Society’s Net Savings pays 4.9%.
8. Make your budget go further. Making a monthly budget and sticking to it can avoid financial headaches. Moneysavingexpert.com offers a free, downloadable budget planner.

9. Review your insurance policies. Do you really need to spend £20 a year insuring your mobile phone? Much insurance is a complete waste of money, particularly that which takes the form of extended warranties (typically for household appliances). Think hard about what insurance you really can’t do without, such as household, car, pet, life and possibly health, and then make sure you are getting the best deal on each policy.

10. If you’ve got this far and are reaching for the whisky bottle, don’t. If you are cash-rich but time-poor, you can find someone to do the footwork; sign up for a private banking service, or consult a financial planner. If you’re cash-poor and time-poor, you could always write in to the personal finance section of a newspaper in the hope that your finances are sufficiently chaotic to merit a financial workout in the hands of their experts.

How to knock 30% off your car insurance bill

2007-06-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

by Merryn Somerset Webb

I’ve heard endless complaints recently from people shocked who’ve just got their car insurance renewal notices. Last year most of them spent some time on the internet making sure they got the best possible deal.
But now they are finding that the cost of their policy has gone up massively – sometimes by well over 50%. And they’re shocked.
They shouldn’t be. Outraged, yes. But not shocked. No adult who has ever dealt with a financial institution of any kind should ever be remotely surprised to be hit by this kind of thing. It is standard stuff for the industry.
The aim of most banks and insurers is basically this: to lure customers in with great deals and then to exploit their apathy. Take mortgages.
You get a great deal for two years with a discount to the Standard Variable Rate or a low fixed rate. Then when the two years are up you are automatically moved over to start paying your lenders SVR which is usually about 2% above the best deals on the market. The banks’ plan? To hope you don’t notice or that if you do you never get round to doing anything about it.
The same is true of credit cards. When you switch to a new one you get an interest free period for 6 months, maybe even a year. Then when the teaser period is over, wham: you get hit with the usual whopping credit card interest rates. Instead of paying 0% you’re suddenly paying 20%.
Again, the bank has its fingers crossed that rather than bother to do the admin to move again you’ll just pay up and they’ll make good any losses they might have made on you during the interest-only period.
Car insurance is no different. It’s a hugely competitive market and all the providers are desperate to get themselves on to the best buy tables in the newspapers and on the internet. To do this and so as to get new clients in they slash their prices – often down to levels that make them no money at all – for the first year you are with them. Then when renewal time comes around they just hike the price and hope for the best.
If you can’t summon up the energy to change insurers they’ll make a killing on your new premium and recoup the losses they made on you in year one. And if you can, at least they’ll stop losing money on your overly cheap policy.
The solution to this is obvious – eternal vigilance. Never just pay up when you get your renewal notice. Instead, when it arrives or even before (the insurers often send them out quite late in the day in order to give you as little time as possible to respond before the next direct debit goes out) go straight to the price comparison sites on the internet (www.confused.com and www.insuresupermarket.com are good) – or see our car insurance Best Buy table below.

Put in your details and find out what the best deals are. Then go back to your current insurer and ask them to meet it or beat it. If they can’t or won’t, just move providers: doing so will not only give the pleasure of thwarting your current issuer’s plan but should also cut your bill by an average of about 30%.
If even after this you are paying more than you would like for your insurance (and prices have been going up across the board thanks to general inflation and to the rise in uninsured drivers), you need to approach things from a different angle.
For starters, make sure you never agree to pay for your insurance in monthly instalments – this is just asking to be ripped off: on average it costs about 20% more to pay for insurance monthly than it does to pay for it all in one go. Given that most credit cards charge interest rates below 20% this means you’d actually be better off paying for your insurance on your credit card and then paying that off over the year! Who’d have thought there’d be something out there so expensive that it would make a credit card look like value?
The next thing to bear in mind is that insurance is all about risk. The higher risk the industry perceives you as being the higher your premium is going to be. So to cut your costs you need to be seen as low risk.
This means keeping your car off the street, fitting an alarm or an immobilizer, driving carefully (the more speeding tickets you get the more your insurance is going to cost) and picking a car with a reasonably small engine (to your insurer anything sporty just spells danger).
Being a woman or adding a woman to your policy as a named driver also helps. Whatever the male population might like to think the truth is that we have fewer accidents than men and are lower risk for it….

Liability

2007-06-11T22:51:00.001-07:00

Employers Liability
This policy indemnifies the insured against liability at the law to pay compensation and claimant's costs and expenses in respect of the injury for which he is liable and in addition to pay all costs and expenses with the Company's written consent.
Professional Indemnity
This policy protects "professionals" like solicitors, accountants, registered medical practitioners, architects, engineers and others.
Public Liability
This policy indemnifies the insured, up to the Limit of liability, against all sums which the insured may become legally viable to pay in respect of liability from accident caused by or through any negligent act of the insured or any person in the immediate service of the insured.
Workmen Compensation
The Workmen Compensation policy indemnifies any Employer insured in respect of insured employee(s) personal injury/death by accident or disease arising out of and in the course of his/her employment.