Friday, November 23, 2012

Things to Look Out for in Your Landlord Insurance

When you let out something as expensive as a property, you need to make sure you are fully insured for any eventuality. Problems with houses, and likewise with tenants can work out very costly, so when you are shopping around for your landlord insurance don't scrimp or cut corners. Of course find a good deal, there are plenty out there to be found, but do ensure that you are fully covered.

Firstly make sure your level of cover is sufficient. You need to work out the rebuild value of your home for the buildings part of your insurance product, that is to say, the cost to entirely rebuild your home, materials and labour, if it should be totally destroyed, in a house fire perhaps, and need to be rebuilt. If you let you home furnished then you will also need to assess the value of the contents. Again you'll need to be insured for the entire value of everything in the property as in some circumstances everything could be lost at once.

If you are not letting your home furnished, you will probably find that your buildings insurance will cover fixtures and fittings such as the bathroom suite and a fitted kitchen. You should also be aware that you cannot claim for any possessions belonging to your tenant on your landlords insurance policy. Your tenant must take out their own home insurance policy if they want their belongings to be insured. It's a good idea to let them know this when they move in to save any confusion in the future.

You should check if the policy covers malicious or accidental damage. Damage done to the property on purpose or by accident can work out very costly. As a landlord it's wise to have this cover as the bills to put right the damage done by someone with their heart set on destroying a property can be huge.

You may also want to choose a policy that includes legal cover. This would include public liability insurance, for example if there was some faulty wiring in your property and your tenant was electrocuted and sued you for negligence to the property, you would be covered for the legal expenses involved. You might well also want to be covered for legal costs if your tenant leaves owing money, or refuses to pay. Many policies will cover you for costs involved in attempting to reclaim the money owed and also may cover you for missed payments, which could be invaluable if you rely on the rent to pay the mortgage on the property.

Find out how much you could save on your landlords insurance, click here.

How to Avoid Spam Emails After Registering on Different Websites

Today spam emails are one of the biggest problem of world, in fact according to various researches 12.4 billion spam emails are sent every day. Due to continuous receiving of spam a common man consider 40% mails as spam. Every person receives 2200 spam mails annually on an average. The worst fact is that 16% people around the globe are forced to change their email address and about 60% time get wasted in checking or deleting these mails while checking your inbox. Here is a simple way to be safe from spam mails that burden your mind with tons of mails.

The spam emails are generally followed after registration on different website, which ask for your email for verification purpose which results in spam emails. However, now a days there is a good way to avoid these spam mails even after registration as well as confirmation. The best one is temporary disposable email services.

what is disposable email address?

There are various services on the net which you can use but sometime they itself results in spam. However there are other services available on the net but the fact is which one to choose because they could result in spam itself. Disposable email address is one of a kind of fake email address that can be used in place of your real email id on many suspicious websites which require you to give your email address for confirmation, these may be file sharing sites, gaming, etc. Once you have given the disposable (temporary) email address, they keeps checking for new mails and display them as soon as they arrive and expires after a certain given time.

How to use them?

You can use temporary email in a very simple steps. suppose you are at the site from which you are downloading a file which requires your email id for one time confirmation, so now you can choose a disposable email site of your choice and open it in a new tab or window. From there you will get a new random disposable email id or you can use a custom email address, copy it and paste on the site which is asking for your email id. Now it will send you an email containing confirmation link to start downloading of your file. The disposable email site will keep checking for new email and will display it as soon as it arrives. Now you can click on the confirmation link and confirm your email then start the downloading. Now close the window and forget everything and the fear of getting unnecessary emails.

Whats the catch?

Keep your self tension free and saves a lot of time while checking email on the net by using these kinds of temporary email addresses instead of giving your real email ids.

Buyer Beware: Insurance Salvage Flood Vehicles

With the recent hurricanes in the southern United States the number of flood vehicles entering the market has skyrocketed. Many of these vehicles have been declared as salvage by insurance companies who have paid off the original owner of the car under a claim. There are steps you can take to protect yourself from buying these salvaged vehicles that have extensive water damage.

Many people may not realize they have bought a flooded car until they take it to get insured. They then find out that their agent can't even issue them an insurance rate quote because of the salvage title on the vehicle. Since used cars are usually sold "as is" there is very little recourse the buyer has at this point other than to try and get the vehicle road-worthy and go through a length inspection process with the state motor vehicle bureau that is required for a vehicle with a salvaged title.

So how can you protect yourself from buying such a car? One of the easiest ways is to obtain a vehicle history report from a firm like CARFAX which tracks flooded vehicles and other types of damage. You can also do some detective work yourself on the vehicle if you have doubts. Look inside the engine compartment and see if there are any tell-tale water mark signs that might indicate high water levels. Next, check under carpeting to see if there is mold or any presence of water staining. Finally, inspect the electrical system thoroughly. This is where most water problems show up first as electricity and water are not exactly the best of friends.

You can protect yourself from purchasing a flooded vehicle by being a diligent consumer. If you suspect a car or truck has been water damaged just walk away from the deal.

Google AdWords to Boost Your Search Engine Optimization

One of the most important uses of AdWords is for researching keywords. However, smart you may be, it is difficult to read the mind of your users. Many times they use the most unexpected of keywords and phrases leaving you in a stance. When SEO is all a game of finding the right keywords and using them appropriately, it becomes all the more necessary to find the right ones. AdWords let you find exactly the right keywords which your audience searches for. 'Google AdWords Keyword Tool' helps you precisely in that. You just need to enter your site URL and this tool automatically gives you the relevant keywords in its results page.

It is better to focus on a few selected keywords rather than all of them. The next step involves finding keywords easy to optimize with a decent search volume. This is done by opening Google.com and placing these keywords one by one to study the results. After collecting the web results, it is divided by global search volume to find the ones that can be easily optimized. Now it is time to start your SEO campaign.

You also need to verify whether these keywords work for you or not. Sometimes the most precise of them don't work in practice, so you have to test them. You will never know their feasibility without testing them.

AdWords also get you better rankings in Click Through Rate (CTR). If your CTR is low, you will not be able to monetize your traffic even when you get it. The reason for that is inapt title and description. AdWords will get you an even better CTR in your existing rankings because when you are satisfied with your performance, you keep making changes in your title and description until you reach the maximal CTR for your keywords. Eventually, you will end up getting the right combination. Now you need to copy this as your title and description of your page in order to get the most out of your organic search CTR. The mantra is that you should not give up easily on your quest to find that right combination.

AdWords also help in geo-targeting. Google Analytics is used to compare the convertibility of many geographical locations. Quite expectedly, there are many discrepancies in the conversions of different countries for the same set of keywords. One keyword which works for one country might not work for another. Therefore, Google Analytics will tell you more about the countries converting more to help you make a decision of investing more of your time on them. Use of geographically apt key words or even creating local pages for these locations gets you good conversion rates.

Hence, the utility of AdWords is proved not only for advertisers, but also for SEO experts. In fact, it is the most valuable tool in the hands of SEO experts saving their time and money as well. Furthermore, it gives them the insight to optimize the words which do not work.

Umbrella Insurance - Go for It

Umbrella or excess liability insurance is a cover that protects your assets and any future income beyond a standard cover limit. If you have substantial assets and have a higher income, this is a cover that you should consider purchasing. You can get sued any time for third party damages, for example if someone slipped on the floor of your business or fell down the stair case of your house, they could sue you to pay for the medical bills incurred or if you caused damage to a luxury vehicle and have only a standard insurance cover, you would have to pay the difference out of your pocket, which can be very expensive. The wealthier you are the higher the probability that you will be targeted for third party lawsuits.

Professionals and business people working with the public often buy multiple insurance covers, including umbrella insurance cover. Companies do not offer the same rates for all umbrella insurance covers, however there are a few things to consider when purchasing one. Get referrals from friends and relatives, they will be more honest in giving you the best information on the cover they have bought and their claim experience. Ask about the cost and the probability of any hidden fees, this is not uncommon for some companies. Get a list and value of your assets as this will be used to quote. Request for quotations from several companies and do a comparative study. Get a clear understanding of the policy, you can involve a lawyer to clarify to you about any ambiguous clauses.

When you meet with the sales agent, you should expect many questions regarding your finances and claim experience too, if there is any. Similarly you should also ask questions regarding the company. Get to know the company age and history; a very young company may not be in a position to settle complex liabilities; however do not discard new companies totally, just look for stability. If the company has a wide client base in umbrella insurance, that's a healthy sign of good performance and credibility. Find out if they buy any form of re-insurance, these acts as a cushion in the event of expensive claims, or in case of a natural disaster, that might result in mass claims. It is also important to find out, if the claim settlement is done in full, or for any reason they hold back any of the funds. After all, you want peace in your moment of need.

God and the U.S. Marines

What does God have to do with the U.S. Marines? Well, they share a common trait, although, that trait is one that lives within God with far more largess than any human being could possibly possess.

The Marines identify with the motto Semper Fi, which is a shortened version of the Latin term, Semper Fidelis, which means 'always faithful.' And there is no doubt that the U.S. Marines have been faithfully devoted to the welfare of this country and its inhabitants, for many decades. We should always be thankful for their presence.

However, the greatest example of faithfulness is found in God - whose faithfulness and love never fails a single soul that has ever lived, who did their best to have a relationship with Him. Indeed, you hold the key as to whether to not you will receive His faithfulness.

You must demonstrate your faithfulness to Him first...

So, what does God want you to be faithful in? Thankfully, He tells us Himself in His word (the Bible). Above all else, God wants you to be faithful in your obedience to His word - His plan for your life:

"... what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command today for your good?" Deut. 10:12, 13. NKJV

So God's laws are for your good! They are not painful constraints to keep you away from having fun. (Ps. 19:7, 8 & 11.)

That's how you look when you practice Semper Fi. That's how you connect to the love of God by offering your love first. Jesus told us that the only way that we show our love for Him and for our Heavenly Father, was to obey them:

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." John 14:21 NKJV

God is always faithful. He always loves you. But, He cannot connect His love to you unless you let Him. You can either walk in the word of God and be showered with His love, or, you can walk contrary to His word by walking in the ways of the world, and cut off His love connection.

When you are faithful, to the best of your ability, in your obedience to God's instructions for your highest and best life, you are guaranteed a righteous mantle (right-standing before God) provided by His Son. And, that 'righteousness' brings with it an eternal life of heavenly love.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6:23 ESV

When you are faithful, i.e. when you are walking on your God path, He gives you a personal guarantee, (which He cannot violate), that He will remain by your side in order to help you remain there. Thus, you are guaranteed as well, of all of the good (and that would be of the entire universe) that God can bring to bear on your behalf. (Deut. 4:30, 31.)

God does not disappoint. (Deut. 11:13 - 15.) And as if that wasn't enough, when you are faithful, your loving God taps into your faithfulness, and pays your love forward, with His love:

Observe and obey these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God. Deut. 12:28 NKJV

God's word has but one purpose - to keep you connected with Him. Your faithfulness initiates and cements that connection - a connection that brings you everlasting joy, wisdom, peace, understanding, and a place in eternity. And ultimately, as with all things God, it's all about the love:

... whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. 1 John 2:5 NKJV

Semper Fi.

(Supporting scripture: Rom. 6:16 - 18; John 8:51)

Guide to Obtain the Right Used Lawn Mowers

Mowing your lawn is probably going to be your big project every week of the summer. When you notice your grass starts to get long, then this is the time to mow. Unfortunately, your lawn mower may be too old to help you do a good job. All you need is a lawn mower with a good engine and blade. Buying a new one is the ideal solution but if you can't afford it because of the tough times, consider buying a used lawn mower. Just like when you buy a second hand car or motorcycle, you need to do a research first to obtain the right product. This is important since a used lawn mower shouldn't end up needing costly repairs. Below are some steps to help you obtain the right used lawn mower:

1. In this case, shopping online is probably not a good idea. When you buy second hand product, you need to know precisely its condition. It is important for you to check the item personally closely so that you can see the details. The online stores may give you descriptions about a product but they can't describe it as accurately as a direct visual inspection.

2. Determine the type of lawn mower you want to buy; whether it is electric, riding, push or gas. You can ask the seller first about the models that they offer. You need to obtain information on the age of the item and why the owner wants to sell it. Try to ask if the seller has paperwork on the product such as instructions or guarantees, even if expired. To anticipate any breakdown that may occur in a week or two, create a guarantee agreement with the seller. This is important especially if the item costs a lot.

3. Test the machine first. By buying a product in person, you will have the opportunity to test-drive the machine. Pay attention to how it runs and its performance in cutting grass. If it runs well, then you need to check if it the blades can cut the lawn well. The blades should be sharp so that it can cut the grass properly.

4. The next thing to do is check the parts. Make sure that you know the condition of the engine, blade and body. Try to notice if the engine looks worn or in a good condition. Possible oil leaks and condition of the spark plug also need to be checked.

5. If you don't know much about lawn mowers, take someone with you who knows something about them. He can help you check the engine and give his opinion if you should buy the item or not.

6. To obtain the best price, you can do some online research to find out for how much used lawn mowers usually sell. This research will help you get the best deal on the item that you are going to buy.

Book Summary: EVEolution

For any business to survive today, it needs to understand how to market to women. The fact is women make 80% of all purchasing decisions. Women are brand loyalists. Your product or service must address their complex, multiple lives as home managers, home-workers, entrepreneurs, caretakers of elderly parents, and professionals. Build a lasting, meaningful relationship with your female customer. EVEolutionize your business before it's too late!

Understand the eight truths about marketing to women:

1. Connecting your female consumers to each other connects them to your brand. Women need a "backyard fence" to talk to each other. If your brand is marketed in such a way that it connects women to each other as a community, a group, sisters, mothers and daughters and friends, they will embrace your brand into their everyday lives.

The web communities such as iVillage, women.com, and oxygen.com are just a few of the examples of women being linked together. Through EVEolution, and with the help of Faith Popcorn's consultancy firm, BrainReserve, Snackwell's launched a program of Mother-Daughter workshops across the US. It bonded mothers and daughters, reinforced the idea of eating healthy, while nurturing a positive self-image and attitude about food to pre-teen girls.

2. If you're marketing to one of her lives, you're missing all the others. From home office services, to cameras keeping an eye on her kids at daycare, if your brand markets to her merged professional and personal lives, then you will win her heart. Women need assistance in running all the facets of their lives. Appeal to her need for convenience. Give her a solution for her perennial problem of what to fix for dinner tonight. Supply her with support for dog-walking, childcare, telecommuting. Deliver her dry cleaning, diapers, and pizza, run her errands, so she can find more time to just relax at home with her kids. Acknowledge that she thinks about her family while she is at work, and provide her with a service that gives her peace of mind.

3. If she has to ask, it's too late. Anticipate her needs. Women are the same whether it's personal or work. If her husband doesn't anticipate what she needs, she may be disappointed in him. If an employer doesn't anticipate she needs a nursery near the office, and fairer compensation, she may consider another EVEolutionized company that offers more mother-friendly perks.

How to become more Anticipatory than merely Reactive: Women must be in on the planning every step of the way. Talk to consumers in ways that inspire innovative thinking.

4. Market to her peripheral vision and she will see you in a whole new light. Women are attentive to the small details men miss. They will go out and shop for that suit they saw on Diane Sawyer last night while watching the news. Starbucks is one company that is EVEolved all around. The female customer can enjoy her coffee in a bright, clean place with a well-stocked restroom (a must if you want to attract women) and she can purchase the in-house music on CD or a cookie for her toddler in tow. Work on the subtle details surrounding your brand, the store music, the way your menu is designed, the uniforms of your waitresses or sales representatives. She will more likely notice these things than if you assault her with aggressive advertising or bothersome phone calls. .

5. Walk, run, go to her, secure her loyalty forever. The Avon lady was just the first step. She was born in an age when women stayed at home because they were mainly housewives. Today, women don't want to make that extra trip to the grocery or salon because they are simply exhausted. If you can provide her quality service at home, at the times when she is at home, your brand will be indispensable. Why not supply her groceries on a monthly basis? Go to her, because frankly, she doesn't have the time to go looking for you.

6. This generation of women consumers will lead you to the next. Practice the brand-me-down approach. The detergent a woman uses is most likely the brand her mother always used. Household names are what they are because women run the household. In Asian markets where family ties are strong, the brand-me-down approach will definitely sell. Attaching a brand to the name Mother will have a strong identification with quality and trust. Hold mother's day events or family day events and strengthen your commitment to her.

7. Co-parenting is the best way to raise a brand. Ask her how she feels, what colors she prefers, how does she think she can be served best? When was the last time you asked her for feedback and actually responded by redesigning your product?

8. Everything matters - you can't hide behind your logo. Women look for integrity in a brand. From the way you treat your employees, your CEO's personal life, to issues like animal testing, environmentally sound practices, and raw materials sourcing. You need to walk your talk and back up your claim. Women don't simply look for value in a brand. They look for Values.

By: Regine P. Azurin and Yvette Pantilla http://www.bizsum.com "A Lot Of Great Books....Too Little Time To Read" Free Book Summaries Of Latest Bestsellers and More!

mailto:freenewsletter@bizsum.com BusinessSummaries is a BusinessSummaries.com service.

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Email Marketing - The Effective and Affordable Online Advertising Solution

To be successful, every business needs promotion. The promotion should be in the right direction and the message should reach the potential clients that might be interested in the business. We spend a lot of money on marketing and advertising but still fail to get the expected returns and this happens because our messages do not reach the targeted market properly. To make sure this message reaches the right people, a marketing and advertising trend that has been catching up these days is email marketing. This method of marketing has been gaining momentum as it successfully reaches the potential customers and also helps in promoting brand loyalty among them. If you are new to the online advertising and marketing arena, here is some information that will definitely help you out with Email marketing.

When you open your mailbox, you see the number of mails sent to you by companies you showed interest in at a point or subscribed to them. These mails are the best examples of this form of marketing. When a company or an online business firm sends electronic mails to its potential clients providing them with new offers, sale schemes, vouchers or just some interesting information about the brand, all of it comes under the banner of marketing through Emails. This form of marketing is a very cost-effective method and can reach thousands of people in no time at all. Now you must be wondering how this form of marketing is done.

To start with this form of marketing, you need to first understand the complete marketing-through-emails system. When you know how things work, you need to start consolidating names and building a list of Email addresses on which your company emails will be sent. After the consolidation is done, you need to plan out a proper email mix campaign and craft the mails that will be sent. At this point it has to be made sure that the message that is being put in the mail contains enough information to keep the client interested but should not be more than what a person can take. Also the mails should be targeted correctly so that they reach the desired audience. The next step is choosing the recipients and then sending the email blast. There is various software that allows more than 50,000 mails to be sent. Once these steps are done, the person has to follow-up with clients.

You must be wondering as to why Email marketing is popular despite those irritating spam mails and cons. You must understand that though emails can be misused, they are providing the business players with an option of advertising, which is very fast and does not require a lot of spending either. It also helps the business to contribute to the environment by not wasting paper. Also, through emails the word spreads faster as the person can just forward it, sometimes doing wonders to the business. Emails also provide an option to the customer to contact the service provider. This is one of the most important benefits of email marketing and is known as options.

Medicare Supplemental Plans - Some Reasons Why You Need It

Most seniors that are just becoming recipients of Original Medicare do not realize the importance of supplemental Medicare plans for 2012. Even for those in perfect health, you never know the need for extensive surgery, or the need for a visit to the emergency room plus some lab work might leave you in tons of debt. As can be predicted, for those with an exiting medical problem like arthritis, cancer, diabetes, or high blood levels, not having a medicare supplement plan will end up costing your way more then any premium that you would have paid.

Medigap Insurance and Your Health Risks

Irrespective of how you choose to perceive things, a long life will cost your body. This consists of developing a much higher risk of tumors, cancer, stroke, and a ton of other major medical problems. Medicare only handles about 80 percent of a seniors total health care bill and for some even more, covering those costs can be impossible if one doesn't have the ideal amount of supplemental coverage. In fact, for those seniors that are already suffering from a pre-existing condition, or have some sort of medical problem that runs in the family, getting a Medicare plan is the right choice if if you may not need it right away as it will give you financial security.

Protecting Your Financial Assets with a Medicare Supplement Plan

Most senior citizens know the benefits that come along with becoming a recipient of Original Medicare, but so many just do not bother with shopping for medicare supplemental plans. For a minute think about a scenario in which you have just retired, and have now got Medicare opposed to the insurance coverage that was provided by your employer. You must remember a time having surgery and only having to pay off your yearly deductible. However, with just Medicare insurance, you will have to shell out much more. For just a couple of x-rays and some minor surgery after a fall, you can end up paying over $3,000 for the entire bill.

Should you have not satisfied your annual Part B deductible, you will have to pay about $907.00 for a visit to the hospital. As you can imagine, for those who get diagnosed with a major medical problem like cancer or diabetes, chances are that you are going to accumulate thousands of dollars in medicals bills over a couple of weeks. Your life savings can disappear over night if you don't have much in savings, you can purchase medicare supplemental insurance to avoid such catastrophes.

Nowadays, seniors still look forward to getting Original Medicare as it is still an okay safety net for those rough times. Although it does cover the health care needs for many seniors, that 20 percent which the recipient is expected to cover does add up fast and can get real hard to cover. If those deductibles and co-pays worry you, then you you have an obligation to yourself to get a Medigap insurance plan in order to preserve your finances and future along with being able to choose which doctors you want to see and having control of the quality of your coverage.

How To Find The Membership Site That Best Fits Your Interests

One of the easiest ways to find a membership site that's going to work for you, that's going to give you what you're looking for is to go to good ole trusty Google.

Enter into the Google search tool, the name of the topic that you're looking for. It can be anything that interests you; maybe social media, or perhaps trout fishing, maybe you're sewing your own jacket, anything along those lines. Any topic you want to learn, then you're going to put the plus sign and the word membership. Hit that enter key and see what comes up.

The most popular will be located, of course, at the top of the Google search, and you're going to want to go in and take a look at those. Whether or not they're going to suit your interest only you can decide. You're going to go in and see what they have to offer for free that you can go in there and feel your way around and decide whether or not that is the membership site that you want.

As you continue through your search, and you want to research at least the first and second page that are appropriate for your niche, but then you also want to check related topics. That may be where you're going to find what you're looking for from a slightly different perspective. Using keywords that may be just a little different can be very enlightening. I personally have found the keywords that I'm using are not exactly what is the most popular in my niche. As a result I am not going to find the most helpful information. So, I use the Google keyword tool, that way I can find other keywords that are similar to what I am looking for. It may be that I don't necessarily want trout fishing, but I'm going to find the best thing in river fishing or in lake fishing. You'll know when you find it!

Another great way to find membership sites that are going to answer your need is to ask your friends and associates using social media. You can post a question on your Facebook page, in your Twitter account, or LinkedIn account, You're going to get responses perhaps from your friends, but depending on how you have your settings in all those different platforms, you may get some great suggestions from friends of friends, and we all know that social media is a great way to find out what other people really like.

Propane Safety In Thunderstorms: Keeping Your Family Safe

What do you do if you smell gas inside or outside of you home?

No flames or sparks Leave the area immediately Shut off the gas Report the leak Do not return to the building or area Get your system checked

Before:

Be ready for thunderstorms is the first step to keeping your family safe. Also you need to know how and where to shut off the outdoor propane supply and indoor propane appliances. If you need more information on this please contact your propane retailer.

Do you and your family know what propane smells like; it has a strong, unpleasant smell like rotten eggs, a skunk's spray, or a dead animal.

Install a carbon monoxide detector for every level of your home. Follow the manufacture's instructions on the installation, area to place and maintenance. A Propane Gas detector provides an extra measure of security.

Have a list of instructions on how to turn off water, propane and electricity. Create and emergency preparedness plan and review it regularly with your family to keep them safe during the potential disaster.

During:

Thunderstorms are a common occurrence, so prepare and recognize their potential danger. Your local television and radio stations will give instructions on the appropriate course of action to take. When the storm approaches, take the following steps:

When outside if you hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning. Immediately go to a safe shelter. Do not go near metal objects such as equipment, tractors, propane tanks or telephone lines with can conduct electricity. If caught outside go to place away from metal objects, trees and poles, find a low-lying place. But make sure the place will not flood.

After:

Use caution in the area surrounding your home or farm after a thunderstorm. Leave the area immediately if you have any doubts about you or your families' safety and have your property inspected by a qualified building inspector or structural engineer before re-entering

Review the area carefully for downed power lines they are a major safety hazards. High winds, hail can move, shift or damage gas lines and tanks. If any of these hazards exist call your local utility company or propane retailer.

Keeping you and you family safe in a thunderstorm is of the highest priority. And having the correct insurance to cover the damage it can caused, is the next highest priority. So be safe and confident when that thunderstorm approaches.

Teenage Home Schooling

The idea of homeschooling through high school can be scary for many parents and usually it is through feelings of inadequacy where the parents do not feel fully qualified for the job!

This happens when the parent does not have many qualifications themselves so ask themselves the questions of how could they be qualified to do that job.

It is a fact of homeschooling that many homeschooled teens can actually complete four years of traditional high-school studies in 24 months or less.

Really?

Well if you sat down and thought about it then it does seem possible when there are no distractions and the teenager is able to focus on the task at hand.

Now I am a teacher/lecturer myself and I can tell you that with over 40 years being in this profession I have witnessed major changes in the administrative workload that goes with the job. The amount of time that is spent on taking registers, collecting paperwork, preparing for activities and especially science classes, the time to tidy up and then the time spent on disciplining is all time that is eating into the actual teaching and learning times.

In fact to be honest I often ask myself the question.

"Did I train to be a teacher or an administrative manager"

Of course in the days when I completed my teacher training in the 70's it was all about developing your techniques as an educator in the classroom and all of us were assessed on our ability to relate to the students to pass on our subject knowledge in an effective and stimulating manner. In other words we were encouraged to become teachers that would inspire students to learn and develop. So be it... today we fill out forms and tick boxes.

Anyway I am getting carried away with the realities of being a teacher today but it absolutely true that the large part of a school day would be taken up in mindless administrative tasks that are totally eliminated with a teenager that is being schooled at home.

This could be one reason a family make the decision to home school their teenagers,others could be the travelling time to get to school, bullying issues, peer pressure issues or teenagers that have special needs that are not accommodated by the schools within travelling distance.

All of these factors can result in teenage stress which in turn affects learning and attainment levels.

If a family decides to homeschool their teenager then good planning and record keeping will be essential.

Of course most importantly your teenager must be up for the idea as well. You can plan your home school program with your teenager's strengths and weaknesses in mind. Also important is their learning style, are they a kinesthetic learner, a visual learner, an auditory learner or a combination of a few styles. Go for a program that will enable your teenager to pursue their interests and also cover the basics that they will need to progress further into adult education.

Remember that there is no course that suits all teenagers so make sure you do adequate research before you put your plan into action and good Luck!

Benefit of Pilates

One of the main benefits of Pilates is it refreshes your physical and mental well-being. Pilates is a series of controlled movements that unite the body and mind and creates a direct connection to the muscles.

The benefit of Pilates is it helps condition your body without punishing it. It is designed to stretch and strengthen muscle without adding bulk.

The Pilates abdominal exercises require mental concentration along with coordinated breathing beginning in the body's core (abdomen, back and buttocks) to build a balanced strength and agility in your body.

Joseph Pilates, a legendary physical trainer, developed this exercise system in the 1920's. Pilates routines can benefit men and women of any age no matter what physical condition you are in.

It was designed for people who recognize the importance of providing a firm support system for the spine. Pilates movement places its focus on the body's core. It works the deep muscles in the body creating a strong center.

Pilates is more precise movements rather than a lot of repetitions of an exercise. It adds heightened body awareness and control because the mind engages the body during movement. Controlled breathing accompanies that movement.

One of the exciting aspects of Pilates is that almost anyone can do it. There is no bouncing, jarring or stress to your body and it can be done almost anywhere at anytime.

Some of the Pilate routines take less than 10 minutes and are ideal for people who say they don't have enough time to exercise. Who can't squeeze in 10 minutes out of your day to improve your health and well being?

Some of the basic principles of the Pilates philosophy include concentration and control. The emphasis is on the quality of the movement and not the number of repetitions.

Pilates movement also includes centering and breathing which focuses attention to the body's core and breathing properly to oxygenate the entire body and cleanse it of impurities.

Pilates teaches balance and control of the body and mind, strengthens bone density while improving muscle strength, flexibility and posture. With Pilates you can even train the mind to relax and control stress.

You create the ability to maintain proper posture, increase joint range of motion, acquire a flat lean stomach, improve circulation, have more stamina and better coordination.

The Pilate movements start, stay and end in the core. The benefit of Pilates are both emotional and physical. Pilate routines help you achieve inner awareness and calm along with a sense of mastering the mind and body.

Copyright © 2005 Treadmill Info.com All Rights Reserved.

The Great Tower at Kura [short story] and An Old, Old Man [A Poem]

Part one of two Parts

The Great Tower at Kura

The Great Tower at Kura

[4th Millennium BC]

At the start of the 4th-millennium BC (350-years before the Great Flood took place, which ended all civilizations on the face of the earth) gave rise to Slaug (a region of land, territory), an empire within civilization (a city-state of sorts); --of which, the human race was subject to an international court, that incorporated a triangle of cultures, empires, societies, and nations across all the connecting continents of the world, of which all were connected at this particular time together. They--meaning all lands on earth--was the composition, one opus for the entire globe, sustained from one region in the Atlantic, wherein, the strait nearby, which lead into the Mediterranean, would be know as the Pillars of Hercules; yet at that time there was no connecting of the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea above land.

There were no external moral laws either, against any behavior during this era of civilizations around the globe. Yes, people were different, and humility was not a virtue; the laws within the heart that told one it was wrong, were dead, like bones left to dry in a corpse. What might be considered unmoral actions, were all relative.

Economies were often--which was the norm--based on slavery for its labor and other desirable services. There was no discrimination, all were equal in the minds of the slave owners, masters--bitter-sweet you might say--slaves being: brown, white, black, yellow, red skin, the world over, and the government favored no one, and savagely dealt with each and everyone the same, as if to say, human life was a commodity at best; to the earths total, and complete sum, all combined civilizations were part of the circle.

As one was reared to think back in these days: death was simply a recycling of that commodity to be found in most every corner of the world; consequently, free labor in a city-state was a right, which it was given by the great democracy that had its world command center in the Atlantic, by a mysterious nation, a powerful and ingenious people, a subgroup from a higher order that no one dared to defy; democracy bent on, and within the world that did not subject the Atlantic Power Region [APR], to it. The Slaug's had more slaves possibly than any other civilization on earth at this time; that is, this time I am writing about, the time when this story really did take place, according to my dream-vision. Who am I [if you are asking], I'm the dream, my name is Shark, and I have left these hidden secrets within a mound on an island for another time, for people to find and explore my writings, if you have found these writings, and this story, than you have searched or someone has what is called 'Sacred Geometry,' and so be it; for I have searched high and low in all the lands of the world to bring alive mysteries that have been hidden, and this is one.

--Religious dissenters [nonconformist] were killed, butchered alive in front of citizens; I did say democracy was in this land--did I not--but open was its boarders to debauchery and the Nation of the Atlantic held the secrets of the necromantic-culture, and that is what the people wanted; buried alive in front of whoever wished to watch, and be it a testament to those who wished to defy the democracy--of which inhuman crudity of the era was, or better put, seemed to be, in human crudity, being normal; it is really only this day and age that man has stepped forward to wave the flag of moral rights and responsibilities, yet hidden beyond all the dictators of the world of today, is exactly what was back in those far off days, evil-hidden--black enchantment--this was the rule, the norm.

Again I must say, and one should remember, it was the model, natural for people to act this way, or was it? Hundreds were put into huge burials [dugout-graves] holes in the ground: perhaps four-hundred could be thrown or tossed, cast in like diseased cattle into these grave pits (I have seen this with my own eyes in my vision). The liar was crucified upside down, he was considered a man with his insides out, and had no skeleton, thus, he was de-boned like a fish soon after, and left to rot outside the cities with the hyenas.

When sentiment: attitude, or opinions crept out, and were witnessed as to anything against the laws and ideals of the Atlantic-Governing Region, it was put out by the abolitionist, then and only then. This was the group that bore the Eagle Wings (yes this group was the Hidden Red Guards, the SS Nazis of our day; the CIA, or FBI, or KGB of the day); the Abolitionist of Kura, that worked for the Atlanta Group, were all of these subgroups and more. The emblem that went above their chest, or copper armbands, or brass ring, was the same emblem many other nations in future time would acquired. For example, the wings would go onto the Egyptian culture as well as the Persians to follower and the Roman's would adopt the eagle wings; and yet far off in the future, the Nazi's. And in the longer version of humanity yet to be born, the eagle wings would be adapted by North America to follow, the United States, for some odd reason this emblem would never rest for 10,000-years; never relax, never to find a inactive place for very long, remaining open to the conquers of the world, or so it seemed; yes, this was also used by this powerful nation to clench world power, this Atlanta Group--saying their government was for the people by the people--hence, democracy was born, but not signifying exactly what people wanted per se (for they were in a way brain washed), and even though it was not considered as great of an achievement as in today's standards, it was significant nonetheless; and so it was.

The Abolitionist of Kura (within the city's governing element), who were the enforcers, would chase down the traders--traders that were considered against the people of course, --the people of the Atlantic Group, so they'd say; the only favoritism was to their own kind was The Atlantic Group--which ruled the world bi-proxy, and at bay. In this city, the city really named Kura, but yet was known as, "The City of the Great Tower," which was on the edge of the Black Sea, during its existence there was no Black Sea per se--at this time, it would come after the Great Flood--yes I repeat, it did not exit yet, it rather was created, created after the great upheaval of the earth. It was a desert now, a plateau kingdom that rested on the deserts edge, indented with terrain that would someday make a great sea; that said, after the continents would be split in-two (un-connecting the land masses) the crust of the earth would twist with birth pains, turning everything upside down during this Great Flood to be, of this era yet to come. But I'm ahead of my dream----Kura, as was this powerful and mighty economic city-state called, gained the name of: "The Great City Tower," is where I wish to remain.

As I was about to say, in the middle of the city of Kura, in its very center, its nerve center, otherwise known as its 'navel,' stood a two-thousand foot tower, two-thousand feet high into the dusty-blue ink like atmosphere. Its circumference huge also was deep rooted, that is to say, planted, and pushed deep into the crust of the earth to secure it for five-thousand years. It was a marvel of might to an on looking world by its visitors and tourist; but the might came from the Atlantic again, like most things of extraordinary feats, for they did the planting, and I shall get to that momentarily.

Like a peg, a fence peg, it was as it was: unfathomable, much entrenched was this mighty tower, this landmark of all landmarks into layers and layers of earth; taller than the pyramids of Egypt, stronger than the stonewalls of Troy, and more durable than Stonehenge; and older than the Sphinx. Who could boast a mightier beacon such as this [?] Not even Gilgamish and his mighty Uruk. Yet this symbol was not of hope or for one to look forward to, on behalf of mankind, rather the opposite, it was an encouragement to be subdued by the Atlantic group.

Within this city-fortress that spread out like the sun's beams from the implanted tower, where 230,000-city inhabitants lived, of which 25,000 were-slaves who lived and ate and gossiped and tolerated the rules from the heap that ruled from the Atlantic region, that is, employed slaves with no wages other than time to spend until they earned their freedom, as a result, joining the democracy, the democracy that said they had to be in a slave-status, in all respects, this made the city's populace somewhere around or close to: 255,000 at this point and time. All the people, as if it was a draft, knew they had to serve two years in slavery upon their sixteenth-birthday. And if not, how could an economy grow prosperous--it was beyond their comprehension, it was an unanswerable question, and pleasing to the Atlantic Group to leave it that way, wherein they had installed this reasoning for many years. It was something never brought up, after its implantation into civilization. The only way to get out of it was to buy your way out before you got in. And should you commit any infractions during your servitude, your time could be extended. The government could use your time and services, or you could be auctioned off by the government to the populist for commodities needed (Note: it is not much different in many ways as being a slave to credit cards of the 21st century I do believe; and trying to pay for credit given in advance, thus one sells his body and soul).

In essence, you did as you were told under this democratic-bondage: for the people by the people, so it was said, but what was meant was free labor for economic purposes, instead of an army that would spoil and use up all ones resources by free labor again to the government, therefore it was in a way, better for the populace, and for the commanding army of some two thousand miles away. In addition, there was open, or free sex if the master so desired it from his or her slave, be it with man or woman, or both?

Look for 'Part Two,' and now here is the poem:

An Old, Old Man

[Dedicated to Papa Augusto]

His words are in shackles,

His eyes are dim,

Not a word, says he--

But they snap at him...

The ultimate love:

Is his children and hope

He kneels now and prays

And bows to his God!

Exposed to the demons

That circles the air

He sits and he thinks:

"How much can I bear?"

He's an old, old man

--his days are but few

He sits and he thinks:

"How much time can I stew?"

#608 [3/31/05]


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