Pentru o portie zdravana de adrenalina…

Primul hotel construit intr-un elicopter este pe cat de incredibil, pe atat de real. Mai mult, hotelicopterul va efectua zborul de inaugurare in vara acestui an. Prin urmare, consumatorii impatimiti de adrenalina vor avea, in curand, ocazia de a incerca si aceasta grozavie. Pot alege una dintre cele 18 cabine luxoase dotate cu pat confortabil, mini bar, televizor si, bineinteles, dus. Buna dispozitie si relaxarea nu sunt ignorate nici ele, hotelicopterul fiind dotat cu sala de fitnes, sauna, galerie de arta sau gradina japoneza [?]. Curiosii pot admira inedita inventie in pozele publicate pe site-ul oficial de prezentare.

Asteptam cu nerabdare si primul hotel construit intr-un subsol de bloc de la periferia Bucurestiului. Tot pentru cei care cauta o portie zdravana de adrenalina…

How Do You Treat Beggars Begging For Alms In The Street?

How do you treat beggars begging for alms in the street? Do you give alms to beggars? Please explain your answer.


Tags: Beggars, Alms, Underprivileged, Grinding Poverty, Poor, Hunger, Deprivation, Neglect, Apathy, Poorest of The Poor, Third World Country

Posted by: Me Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Viewpoint/Opinion

Trasul in teapa pe vremea lui Vlad Tepes

Trasul in teapa nu reprezenta altceva decat o metoda de tortura si executie, in acelasi timp. Pe vremea lui Vlad Tepes, starea de teama creata de utilizarea pe scara larga a acestui obicei, a avut ca principal rezultat diminuarea atacurilor turcesti, precum si a talhariilor.

Trebuie subliniat ca aceasta metoda de tortura nu este, in nici un caz, inventata de catre Vlad Tepes. Astfel, exista marturii conform carora, Stefan cel Mare ar fi folosit trasul in teapa inaintea lui Vlad. De asemenea, chiar si Regele Frantei, Ludovic al XI-lea, folosea adesea inedita pedeaspa [inainte de 1483 cand, de altfel, a incetat sa mai fie rege]. Contrar parerii destul de raspandite ca acest supliciu ar fi de origine turceasca sau asiatica, trasul in teapa se pare ca a fost un obicei germanic.

Dar sa detaliem putin metoda in sine: initial se pregatea un tarus, mai lung decat statura victimei, cu varful ascutit ca un cui si uns cu seu [ca sa alunece, nu?]. Apoi, condamnatul era culcat la pamant, cu bratele legate la spate, pentru a i se infige respectiva teapa , unde altundeva decat in… fund. Celalalt capat al tepei era batut cu un ciocan de lemn, dar cu bagare de seama pentru a nu strapunge organele care puteau provoca moartea imediata: ficatul si inima. Victima rastignita in chinuri cumplite murea, astfel, incet. De suferinta, de sete, de foame sau de atacul corbilor atrasi de miros.

N-am scris acest articol ca sa ma intreb la final cum ar fi sa-l inlocuiesc in titlu pe Tepes cu Basescu. Din contra: l-am scris doar pentru a ne aminti cum au reusit inaintasii nostri sa restaureze ordinea intr-o tara, adesea, atat de dezordonata…

10 ways to lower your auto-insurance

Post by Mei Ling Lin

In the tough economy, people want to save money in any way that they can. One of expensive expense in the life, is the insurance include the life insurance, health insurance, home insurance and auto insurance. In those insurances, the home and auto-insurance is one that people need to pay all of the fees by themselves, unlike the life or health insurance that employers may help to pay part of the fees. Here have ten ways to help you to lower your auto-insurance.
1. Raise your deductibles, the more deductibles you have, the less premiums you going to pay. However, when you raise the deductible, then you need to be driver safer.
2. Compare quotes from different insurers, because each insurance company may have different rate of the auto-insurance customers.
3. Drive fewer miles, the less you drive, then less risk of collision and the less you file vehicle insurance claim.
4. Maintain good credit, if your credit score is lower, then you may view as the high-risk customers and need to pay the high-rate insurance
5. Stay a safe driver, mean to lower the risks of collision, then you need to avoid lane hogging, be aware of the conditions, don’t tailgate, prepare you journey, and stay clam.
6. Keep a clean driving record
7. Combine your auto and home insurance, you may get more discount on your rate if you use the same insurance company to insure your home and car.
8. Pick the right coverages, the more coverage you pick, the more premiums that you going to pay, but if you get the less coverage, and then you are taking the risk to pay more money out of your package if you have a claim or at-fault in a collision.
9. Choose your car carefully, because the model of car that you drive would affect you premiums
10. Take advantage of discounts, because discount can help you to lower your premiums

source #1 #2 #3

Bear market ups need for life insurance

copy and post by Mei Ling Lin

With the unprecedented generational bear market that has wreaked havoc on investors' portfolios, now is a good time to review your life insurance and determine if you have enough coverage.
Remember that you depend on the combination of your investment assets plus your life insurance to make sure your dependents are financially secure should you die prematurely.
How much life insurance do you need? Ask 10 professionals and you'll likely get 10 different answers. If you have people who are dependent on your income for their support, use the following three-step process as a "quick check" of your life insurance needs:

Step 1: If you are the sole income provider, multiply your annual income by 0.80. This results in reducing your income by 20 percent. The reason you do this is because there is one less spender in the household (you!). Note that if both you and your spouse work combine both incomes and multiply by 0.80.
Step 2: Divide your answer in Step 1 by the rate of return you would reasonably expect to earn on the life insurance proceeds once they are invested. Your answer here indicates how much money you will need in order to continue the necessary income stream to your surviving family.

Step 3: Subtract any savings or investments you already have from your answer in Step 2. This is the `ballpark' amount of life insurance you should own. Let's look at an example. Edward and Jean Anderson have two children. Edward earns $100,000 a year and Jean stays home to raise the children. The parents assume that they could earn 6 percent on investments; they have $45,000 in personal investments and $75,000 in their retirement plans.
First, multiply Edward's income times the "one less spender factor" to calculate the adjusted income need ($100,000 x 0.08 = $80,000).
Second, now divide the adjusted income need by your expected rate of return on investments ($80,000 x 0.6 = $1,333,333). This amount of money invested at 6 percent will provide the needed $80,000 per year for Jean and the children.

Finally, subtract the total of all current investments from the total capital needed ($1,333,333 - $120,000 = $1,213,333). If Jean was employed and planned to continue working after Edward's death, you would also subtract her income from your answer in step one.
You would also need to repeat this exercise for Jean to determine how much life insurance is needed on her life. For a non-working spouse, estimate the costs to replace that spouse's services such as nanny and housekeeper and multiply those costs times the number of years the services will be needed.

The answer you get by using this three-step process should only be used as a rule of thumb. Once you have the number, you should personalize the solution to your particular situation.
For example, you may want to increase the amount of insurance to help cover the costs of funding college expenses for your children. If your goal is to provide a lifetime income for your dependents, additional insurance will be needed to offset the ravages of inflation.

click to read

Douz „Poarta Desertului”

Micul oras tunisian este locul unde Sahara dezvaluie calatorului caldura sa coplesitoare si intinderile nesfarsite de nisip care sunt strabatute, in principal, doar de caravane. Daca esti turist, trebuie sa inchiriezi [pentru aproximativ 10 euro] o camila si costumatia adecvata de beduin pentru a porni intr-o scurta plimbare prin desert. Tunisienii vad in pustiul Saharei o frumusete de neegalat, cu care Alah le-a binecuvantat tara. Sahara [denumirea in araba a desertului] este termen de comparatie pentru frumusetea feminina si, poate ca tocmai de aceea, a fost transformat de atatea ori in nume propriu.

Do You Believe In Magic?

Do you believe in magic? Do you think they are real or just sleight of the hand or mass hallucinations? Please explain your answer.

Tags: Magic, Sleight of The Hand, Mass Hallucinations, Supernatural, Arcane Knowledge, Lost Art, School of Magic, Fakirs, ESP, Telekinesis, Occult, Clairvoyance

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Viewpoint/Opinion

House passes property insurance bill

Posted by YiLin Zhu
From The Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida House has passed a bill that would increase insurance rates for more than 1 million property insurance policyholders.

The bill (HB 1495) limits the annual rate increases to an average of 10 percent for customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

The measure passed Friday on a 75-33 vote.

Without the legislation, Citizens' policyholders could see premiums increase more than 40 percent on Jan. 1. Instead, they'll pay the increase in smaller increments.

The Senate started debate on its version Friday, but didn't vote.

The goal of both bills is to reduce state's $20 billion exposure on the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund while shoring up Citizens with actuarially sound policies.

Click here to read more

Litera mea preferata este „C”

Ca-n reclama... doar ca eu beau cola, mananc si cascaval, citesc doar carti relevante si sunt intr-o continua cautare de chilipiruri. Iubesc calatoriile, petrecerile inundate de coniac, chivas sau corona si, desi nu socializez cu fete educate pe centura, lucrez la bulversarea clasicilor sedusi de traditie, nu de oportunitati.
Folosesc creme de zahar ars pe post de desert si ciorbe de burta ca simplu etalon al motivatiei de a trage linie si a obtine ceva in plus.

Cred, creez, citez destul de rar, constat, complic lucrurile simple, camuflez asteptarile celorlalti in jocuri de cuvinte, cant, caut, sunt curios. Compar de dragul identificarii diferentelor, curtez sa-mi dovedesc ca inca le am, conduc, corup, chem doar sa-mi aud vocea cand strig, cuceresc, clipesc, imi place sa conving...

Care ziceai ca-i litera ta preferata?

Things Your Homeowners Policy Doesn't Cover

copy and post by Mei Ling Lin

Although the homeowners policy is considered an all-risk policy and will cover you for most losses you incur, there are some exclusions or causes that it won’t cover.

Property Exclusions
Coverage A and B

Collapse – The collapse of your house is excluded unless the cause of loss is listed in the additional coverages section of your policy.

Freezing – Freezing of plumbing, heating, or air conditioning systems is excluded if the heat has not been maintained while the building is vacant, unoccupied, or under construction.

Flood – The most important thing to know is that your policy does NOT cover flood. You must purchase a separate policy to cover damage from a flood. Flood has been an excluded peril since 1968 when the government started the National Flood Insurance Program. Even if you don’t live in a designated flood zone, it is important to have flood insurance in the event of hurricanes or heavy rains. Also, premiums for flood insurance can be inexpensive depending upon your flood risk. You can purchase a flood policy through your homeowners insurer or find an agent through the flood program. Visit http://www.floodsmart.gov/ to learn how the National Flood Insurance Program defines a flood and learn how much your annual flood insurance premium can cost.

Foundations, Retaining Walls, and Nonbuilding Structures – Loss to these items (including fences, swimming pools, and docks) by freezing, thawing, pressure or weight of water or ice is not covered.

Dwelling under Construction – Theft from a dwelling under construction is excluded. Theft of material is also excluded until the dwelling is finished.

Vandalism and Malicious Mischief – This exclusion only applies if the building has been vacant for more than 30 consecutive days before the loss. (Vacant being empty and unfurnished and unoccupied being a furnished home where the residents are on vacation.)

Mold, Fungus or Wet Rot - Loss caused by Mold, Fungus or Wet Rot is not covered if caused by a sump, sump pump or related equipment or a roof drain, gutter, downspout or similar fixture or equipment. Please review your individual policy carefully in order to comprehend exactly what is covered.

Risks of Direct Physical Loss Exclusion –The homeowners form insures your property against any loss as long as it isn’t excluded. This section lists some of the other specific causes that aren’t covered. Examples are: wear and tear, smog, birds, rodents, animals owned or kept by an insured, and settling.

Concurrent Causation Exclusions – This section deals with more than one event causing a loss. The policy details how losses are handled when one cause is covered and another isn’t.

click to read more

Parfumul care-ti imbraca trupul in piele

Ieri dimineata, alergam pe drumuri pustii cu muzica scurgandu-se duios din difuzoare… doar eu, ea si o decapotabila. Refrenul piesei se repeta obsesiv, iar noi il fredonam fara oprire:

Hai sa fugim acum…
Sa inchiriem o camera la motelul de peste drum,
Hai sa ne iubim…
In parcarea de peste drum si apoi sa fugim.

Trupurile ne vibrau de libertate. Dincolo de oase, carne, piele, par si unghii, eram parfum. Parfum fin de amiaza care-ti inunda simturile si nu te lasa sa uiti cat de frumos poate fi acest chin. In urma: doar praf. In fata: doar oportunitati.
Ea, cu parul despletit, si-a smuls singura hainele cu o pofta barbara de a se scalda in acest parfum, cu tragica inocenta. Eu, probabil abatut, franez brusc la culoarea rosie a semaforului realizand c-am fost furat, pentru o clipa, de un panou publicitar ce strajuia scuarul din intersectie. Cu un slogan usor picant: parfumul care-ti imbraca trupul in piele!

Si ma mai intrebam care e cauza numarului prea mare de accidente pe carosabilul bucurestean [nu toate provocate de subsemnatul]. Sa fie oare de vina imaginatia care, avand frau liber, a inceput sa zburde haotic?

As vrea…

As vrea sa sting focul ce arde-n orice suflet,
Apoi sa pasesc pe lanturi de sentimente,
Sa vad ca totul capata un sens:
Cand flori, pasari si cuvinte isi pierd din inteles.
Eu, insa, iubesc visul frumos
Si cred ca, undeva, zace iubirea nedescoperita,
Nu explorez ci doar astept, sa vad cand va fi gasita;
As vrea sa pun gratii la intrarea in orice suflet,
Dar de ce?
Sa-ncerce soarele sa intre...
El poate, dar nu vrea. Sunt prea multe cuvinte
Si prea putine flori,
Prea putina frumusete ce te retine cand vrei sa mori.

Life Insurance and Beneficiaries

Posted by: Dan Hughes

Life insurance policies are very difficult things to choose to get. For many people, life insurance policies are useless and are not necessary to have. However, if you are a person that does, in fact, need to write up a life insurance policy, there are several things that they need to consider, such as what type of policy. Should you get term or permanent? If you need permanent, then you need to consider among whole, universal, current assumption whole, and variable life insurance. Another thing, which is as important, if not more, to decide is who your beneficiary will be.

The beneficiary of a life insurance policy is the person who receives the payment of the amount of insurance after the death of the insured. It’s often easy to pick the “natural choice” as your beneficiary or beneficiaries, which includes your spouse or your children. However, these may not always be the best options. As with your spouse, there is a possibility of divorce, and, if you do not update your policy, then she and possibly a new spouse will reap the benefits. Similarly, with children, depending on the wording, it may be accidentally including or excluding certain people. Probably the safest choice for your beneficiary is your lawyer, if you have one, and draw up a list of how you want the money to be distributed. The lawyer will make sure that your money is handled the way you intended.

It’s always important to remember that the wording is the most important part in the policy. If it is not specific, then, as mentioned before, people may be included or excluded from the policy. By just stating children as beneficiaries, you may be leaving our grandchildren when you intended for them to get some money.

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

Affordable Health Insurance for Young Adults

Posted by: Dan Hughes
Article by: Megan Johnson

Health insurance, if you're young, cash strapped, and healthy, may seem expensive and pointless. It's not. An ankle-twisting fall on a hiking trail, a broken arm in a friendly soccer game, bronchitis that turns into pneumonia—you're potentially talking thousands of dollars in medical expenses. See which of the following eight categories describes you, and check out the experts' recommendations. Our health insurance glossary will help with unfamiliar terms.

You're moving from high school into the workforce.

If your parents are covered through an employer, try to stay on their plan, says Kathleen Stoll, director of health policy at Families USA, a healthcare consumer advocacy group. It'll cost less than getting individual health insurance on your own because most employers pay a large part of the premium of a group plan. More than half the states require insurers to extend parental coverage to adult children below a certain age, typically 25 but as high as 30 in New Jersey. Your state insurance department or the National Conference of State Legislatures can fill you in.

Click here to read more.

Health Insurance in Economy Crisis

post by Mei Ling Lin

In the economic recession, people may lose some things, such as their jobs, income, or health insurance. McKinley Health Center doctors said that, the amount of students without health insurance is increasing. The reasons why increase in students without health insurance are students want to reduce the expense and choose to option out of University’s student insurance plan, or student who were covered by their parent’s plan, but their parents’ job situation changed and lost the coverage. What can we do if we lose the health insurance in a short-term?

First, you can be proactive to minimize the effects of the economic crisis. Second, short-term health insurance is available in most states to span from 1 to 36 months, and its cost is about half of the amount of longer term policies. Third, you should develop a realistic budget, because the cost of health insurance is increase faster than your income. Fourth, you should consider the worst case, even you don’t like to think or never think it would happen, it is smart to consider the effects of the worst case in your health care planning. If you need to cut your health insurance costs, think about use shorter duration policy, increase out-of-pocket costs, or reduce maximum benefits.

source #1 #2 #3

Do You Believe In Aliens From Another Part Of The Universe?

Do you believe that there are aliens living in another part of the universe? Do you believe in the existence of UFOs? Please explain your answer.

Tags: UFO, Extraterrestrials, Aliens, Universe, Chariots of The Gods, Galaxies

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Viewpoint/Opinion

Bazilica Sacre Coeur din Paris

Raman in spiritul Sarbatorilor Pascale si va prezint o bazilica romana-catolica construita pe colina Montmartre din Paris, care este si cel mai inalt punct natural al orasului. Constructia, finalizata in 1914, este dedicata inimii sacre a lui Isus Hristos si se mandreste cu unul dintre cele mai mari mozaicuri din lume [care il infatiseaza pe Isus pe cruce]. Detestata in trecut de catre parizieni [datorita raporturilor agitate dintre cartierul Montmartre si restul Parisului], astazi a devenit una dintre cele mai apreciate zone turistice.

Hristos a inviat! In orice sms, oricat de ridicol sau nu ar fi

Ridicolul comunicarii? Sa trimiti la toata lista de contacte din agenda telefonului deja traditionalul [?] scurt mesaj scris, doar pentru ca asa se obisnuieste. Transformata parca intr-o competitie [de genul: tu cate ai primit?], exista mai nou un moment, in orice zi de sarbatoare, in care tot omul conformat la tendinta butoneaza de zor telefonul mobil pentru a trimite, pregatit sa si receptioneze, cat mai multe sms-uri. Si daca reusesti sa provoci, astfel, o bucurie, nu pare sa fie nici o problema. Dar daca esti bombardat cu zeci de mesaje din partea unor oameni pe care abia ii cunosti, sau daca mai detii eventual si doua sau trei telefoane mobile, nu pare sa fie tocmai in regula. Nu-i asa?

Insa in siuatia in care ne mai si indepartam putin de la semnificatia Sfintelor Sarbatori Pascale, atunci chiar nu face sens. Spre exemplu, vom lua urmatorul mesaj pe care l-am primit nu mai demult decat ieri: Ce face un cal intr-un lan de canabis? Paste fericit! Amuzant ce-i drept, dar parca nu este ce trebuie...

Oricum, eu va doresc ca lumina si caldura Pastelui sa va incalzeasca sufletele si sa va lumineze mintile. Hristos a inviat!

Do You Believe in Bigfoot of North America?

Do you believe in Bigfoot or Sasquatch of North America? Please explain your answer.

Tags: Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Mystery, Lost Species, Legend, Sightings, Hoax, Doctored Photography, Real Sighting, Everglades, Forrest

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Do I need to pay tax for my life insurance?

by YiLin Zhu on April. 17 2009

Whether life insurance is taxable are many people’s concerns. The basic answer for this question is “NO”, the government cannot tax life insurance. However, it is possible that you will get your insurance states that the policy could lead into a taxable event. So the possibility of paying for life insurance policy is a question that could conceivably be answered in a number of ways.

When funds are received at the end result as originally intended by the policy, when the owner is deceased - the beneficiary will receive the full value of the policy completely duty free. When funds are obtained in the fashion it is not deemed as profiting by the government and therefore the sum, no matter how large or small in not chargeable.

As long as your policy is kept 'live' and active, the cash growth of the procedure is not taxable either. Not all life insurance policies experience enough cash growth beyond the original purchased value for this to be too much of a concern, but for those that do - any growth in cash value experienced over the life of the policy is safe from assessment as long as the procedure remains in good standing.

Source #1; Source #2; Source #3.

New Report Details How to Create a Public Health Insurance Option as Part of Nation''s Health Reforms

Posted by YiLin Zhu

From NewsRx.com

With Congress preparing a sweeping overhaul to the nation's health care system, Jacob Hacker was the first today to outline details on how the nation can structure and implement a public health insurance option as part of the overall reforms (see also Medicare and Medicaid).

Hacker, who is the co-director of the U.C. Berkeley Center on Health, Economic and Family Security, joined Institute for America's Future co-director Roger Hickey at a news conference today to release a new report called "Healthy Competition." The report, co-sponsored by the Institute and Berkeley CHEFS, provides a comprehensive roadmap to create a public health insurance plan within the nation's health care system.

The plan gives people without workplace coverage access to an "exchange" with private and public plan options. The public plan mirrors Medicare's administrative infrastructure, but would be run separately from Medicare. The plan has its own risk pool and offers the same benefits and coverage terms nationwide.

At today's news conference, Hacker said offering a public health care plan option is the only feasible way to design a sustainable health care system and ensure everyone has access to the care they need. "

Without public plan choice, private health insurers will still be able to game the system to maximize their profits while failing to provide health security over the long run," said Hacker. "Providing a public health insurance option that competes fairly with private plans is critical to ensuring access, controlling costs and improving the quality of care for all Americans."Hickey said the new report details how a public insurance plan would work, who is eligible, and how it would function alongside Medicare and private plans.

"Many studies have shown that a well-structured public insurance option will save the nation trillions of dollars over a decade," said Hickey. "This report kicks off the debate about how a well-structured public insurance plan would work.

"Hacker's report argues for a public health insurance plan with price-setting authority. It lays out safeguards to ensure its bargaining power is used correctly. These include an efficiency-based payment system (an improved version of Medicare's), an expanded Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, a stakeholder advisory group that includes providers and automatic triggers for case reviews.

Click here to read more

Bloody Mary… sau cum a devenit Maria, cea Sangeroasa

Vodca, suc de rosii, suc de lamaie, sare, piper si doua picaturi de sos Worcester… asa a devenit Maria cea Sangeroasa un cocktail care este foarte bun atat ca aperitiv, cat si ca revigorant in dimineata de dupa un chef prelungit. Dar sa vedem de unde ii vine si numele…

Mary, a fost singurul copil al regelui Henry al VIII-lea si al Ecaterinei de Aragon. Dupa moartea lui Edward al VI-lea si indepartarea de pe tron a reginei Jane Grey [ramasa in istorie sub denumirea de „regina de noua zile”], Mary a fost incoronata, la randul ei, regina. Recunoscuta pentru campania violenta pe care a dus-o in vederea reintoarcerii Angliei la catolicism [multe figuri proeminente protestante fiind executate pentru convingerile lor religioase], regina a fost numita Bloody Mary.

In ceea ce priveste cocktailul, acesta nu a fost inventat, totusi, de catre regina. Ideea a fost a unui barman originar din Paris care lucra, la acea vreme, intr-un bar din Venetia [pe la 1920 venindu-i aceasta stralucita idee sa amestece vodca cu sucul de rosii fara sa stie, probabil, ca rezultatul va avea un succes de talie mondiala].

De ce ar trebui incurajat consumul de produse romanesti?

Am citit o chestie foarte interesanta pe site-ul produsin.ro [relansat de curand] conform careia, intr-o tara cu o populatie de aproximativ 21 milioane de oameni [ne referim la Romania, bineinteles], daca fiecare ar cheltui lunar 90 de lei pentru produse romanesti [in loc sa-i arunce pe cele produse in tari precum Italia sau Franta, ale caror firme au inregistrat vanzari record la noi in ultimii ani dar care inca nu au invatat sa faca diferenta intre romani onesti si tigani infractori] s-ar crea 680.000 de noi locuri de munca. Sa reflectam la acest aspect…

Si o prima sugestie [venita tot din partea site-ului mentionat ceva mai sus] ar fi Branza de Nasal maturata in grota naturala de la Taga, judetul Cluj, produs ce poate fi achizitionat din marea majoritate a supermarketurilor. Articolul intreg poate fi citit aici.

Dupa blocurile gri, facem si agricultura…

Fara intentia de a ajusta in vre-un fel refrenul hit-ului de acum ceva vreme semnat de baietii de la BUG Mafia, mi-a atras atentia un articol care relata povestea unor familii dintr-un cartier sarac din Hunedoara care se intretin din agricultura de dupa blocuri. Si mi-am amintit ca, astfel de gradini de legume si zarzavaturi, improvizate in inima orasului, existau pana nu demult si-n Bucuresti. Acum nu mai sunt, ca a trecut primaria cu buldozerele peste ele si a plantat in urma parcuri. De fapt, mai degraba, banci si alei ca spatiile verzi nu si-au facut simtita prezenta, inca.

Astfel, pana acum avem Hunedoara si Bucuresti [mai exact cartierele Micro 7 din Hunedoara si, respectiv, Drumul Taberei din Bucuresti]. Mai adauga cineva si alt cartier / oras pe lista?

GB RELOADED: o comedie inspirata din tragicul cotidian

Fortat de imprejurari sa raspund celor trei intrebari „de ce?” care ne-au asaltat cu agresivitate existenta tihinita, ma vad nevoit sa mai dedic cativa bytes din vastul spatiu virtual acestui subiect. Dar, pentru inceput, sa rememoram intrebarile in cauza: De ce GB? De ce comedie? De ce tragic cotidian?

De ce GB? Pentru simplul fapt ca personajul principal al acestui film este George Becali [cunoscut si ca Gigi Becali sau ca inculpatul GB].

De ce comedie? Datorita faptului ca victimele [si aici rog a se intelege prin victime grupul de presupusi raufacatori despre care se tot spune ca ar fi furat automobilul de lux al afaceristului GB] au primit deja celebra bancnota de 50 lei [cinci sute de mii dintr-aceia vechi, ii stiti] pentru a li se asigura deplasarea catre casa caci automobilul de lux amintit anterior tocmai fusese recuperat si, prin urmare, nu mai putea fi folosit pe post de mijloc de transport in comun. Dar asta numai dupa ce au jurat solemn ca nu vor mai fura, invocand diverse nenorociri care s-ar putea abate asupra unor rude foarte apropiate si dragi lor in cazul in care nu-si vor respecta promisiunea. Si-au mai primit si o sticla de whiskey. Pentru ca?

De ce tragic cotidian? Deoarece intersectia strazilor Dr. Felix si Nicolae Titulescu, locul de unde ar fi inceput desfasurarea justitiei private condusa chiar de intreprinzatorul GB, face parte din viata oricarui bucurestean sau chiar cetatean al acestei tari aflat in tranzit prin capitala in noaptea dintre 26 si 27 ianuarie.

Filmul trebuie urmarit in continuare cu sufletul la gura caci, din pacate, inca nu s-a sfarsit. Asteptam cu nerabdare genericul…

AIG Nearing a Deal to Sell Car-Insurance Unit to Zurich

Copy and post by Mei Ling Lin

American International Group Inc. is negotiating to sell a car-insurance unit to a major rival, Zurich Financial Services AG, and a deal could be announced as soon as Thursday.
The price tag for 21st Century Insurance could fall within the $1.5 billion to $2 billion range, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal has been discussed for some time, and the talks between the two firms were reported in February.
If the sale were completed at that price, it would be the biggest that AIG has been able to complete since announcing plans to sell off assets to help pay back the government, which bailed out the ailing insurer last year. As of April 8, AIG owed taxpayers $45 billion, part of an aid package of up to $173.3 billion.
AIG is also trying to sell off other units, including International Lease Finance Corp., its aircraft leasing business, for which a second round of bids are due late this month, according to a person familiar with the matter. But the strategy of selling off assets has been hurt by the difficult economic conditions, which has winnowed the pool of potential buyers for some of AIG's most prized assets.
A deal could also strengthen Zurich's hand in the U.S. car-insurance business. Zurich owns Farmers Group Inc., which manages the Farmers network of insurance exchanges. The exchanges serve more than 10 million households, making it one of the largest car- and home-insurance networks in the country.

click to read more

 Poveste de amor

Seara ma plimb pe strazi inguste si-mi tin respiratia pana ma sufoc. Apoi iau cateva guri pline de aer, dar ma satur instantaneu. Nu rezist decat 30 de secunde in acest peisaj stramt, caci zidurile blocurilor care strajuiesc aleea se imbratiseaza de dragul ieftinului amor.
Ma asez pe banca retrasa din dreptul stalpului infipt fix pe marginea parcului; parc desenat de pictorul acestui univers la comanda unui gand pervers care a inchiriat o luna intreaga mintea mea proaspat diagnosticata cu... ce?
Sorb linistit primul fum, arunc pachetulde Viceroy langa cosul de gunoi plin la refuz si apoi mestec povestea de dragoste a doi tineri care impart o banca vecina.
El o iubeste pe ea. Ea il iubeste pe el. El, insa, o iubeste mai mult: ii iubeste nasucul ei micut, gurita ei draguta, ochisorii ei migdalati, obrajorii ei cafenii, manutele ei fine... (ce de diminutive siropoase); dupa un sfert de ceas cu cuc, il iubeste si ea. Dar mai mult...
Imi umplu memoria si asa ticsita de idei, ganduri si palavre, cu aceasta poveste inutila de amor. Apoi o scuip repede pe o bucata de hartie si sper ca, poate, cineva va manifesta, chipurile, un strop de interes pentru a o citi. In linii generale.
Atat!

Umbrella Insurance

By: Dan Hughes

When people become adults and have to start taking responsibility for their own lives, much has to be taken into account. One of the hardest parts to be able to plan for, however, is the possibility of unexpected expenses. It’s not only a good idea to have cash or another form of liquid asset in order to cover for this, but it’s a great idea to have insurance, as well. And, one of the best and easiest ways to cover all your bases is having umbrella insurance.

Umbrella insurance refers to an insurance policy that protects the assets and future income of the policyholder above and beyond standard limits set on their primary policies. It provides coverage beyond the typical auto or home insurance and can include coverage for claims such as false arrest, libel, slander, and invasion of privacy.

With so many lawsuits being filed today, purchasing umbrella insurance is almost a must. According to Bobbie Sage of About.com, with an umbrella policy, one can add an additional 1-5 million in liability protection. The umbrella kicks in when the amount that the other policies cover has been depleted. Some might think that with this extra policy that adds so much more liability protection that it would cost an arm and a leg. However, for the protection that one receives, the additional cost is fairly inexpensive.

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

The End of Private Health Insurance

Posted By: Dan Hughes

Article By: (Unknown)

Above every other health-care goal, Democrats this year want to institute a "public option" -- an insurance program financed by taxpayers, managed by government and open to everyone, much like Medicare. This new middle-class entitlement is the most important debate in Congress this year, because it really is the last stand for anything resembling private health insurance.

This public option will supposedly "compete" with private alternatives. As President Obama likes to put it, those who are happy with the insurance they have now can keep it -- and if they happen to prefer the government offering, well, gee whiz, that's the free market at work. The reality is far different. Not only will the new program become the default coverage for the uninsured, but Democrats intend to game the system to precipitate -- or if need be, coerce -- an exodus to government from private insurance. Soon enough, that will be the only "option" left.

Click here to read more.

 Vanzatorii de cenusa (I)

Dimineata, oamenii isi duc chipurile la serviciu. Cu metroul. Unii au servieta, altii au punga sau chiar rucsac. Iar altii merg cu tramvaiul. Toti insa, cara un borcan plin cu praf de sentimente. Praf cenusiu.
Copii au uitat sa zambeasca. Adultii n-au stiut niciodata. Acoperiti de griji, cu trupurile invelite in piele de lemn, oamenii deschid ochii doar cand traverseaza.
Toti poarta ceas, pe mana stanga. Femeile se deosebesc de barbati. Copii se deosebesc de adulti. In rest, oamenii sunt la fel: pompieri, ceasornicari, macelari, profesori, politisti, brutari, soferi, pescari, bancheri, tamplari, frizeri, preoti sau chelneri… toti sunt vanzatori de cenusa.
Hoinarii, visatorii, trecatorii, exploratorii increzatori si chiar speculatorii, au invatat sa transforme acest praf neinsemnat intr-un straniu elixir afrodiziac cu care-si hranesc simturile in fiecare dimineata.
Dimineata, oamenii isi duc chipurile la serviciu. Cu metroul.

Sfarsitul primei parti. Cea de-a doua este la dospit. Am framantat la ea de zor, pana de curand. Daca, in mod tot straniu, simti inspiratia cum iti inunda tastatura sau daca te afli, absolut intamplator, in toiul unei furtuni de idei, nu ezita sa propui o continuare, caci intentionez cel putin vreo patru. Direct pe site, lasand un comentariu. De dragul jocurilor de cuvinte care fac, deseori, micile scriituri atat de delicioase…

 Cat nefast exista in oficializarea unei relatii dintre doua persoane de acelasi sex?

Biserica versus drepturi civile? Sau traditie versus acceptarea relatiilor homosexuale?

Am citit de curand despre proiectul de lege al statului californian, prin care se interzice casatoria intre persoane de acelasi sex. Si asta dupa ce, acum ceva vreme, in acelasi stat, erau permise astfel de manifestari [ma refer, bineinteles, la legalizarea relatiilor]. Se pare ca, pana la urma, aproximativ 52%, parca, s-au manifestat impotriva casatoriilor amintite anterior, fapt ce a condus la ample manifestari ale cetatenilor americani neatrasi de persoane de sex opus, precum si la reactii masive din partea persoanelor publice [atat pro, cat si contra].

In ceea ce ma priveste, nu ma pot declara nici impotriva exprimarii libere [fie ea si sexuala], dar nici pentru sustinerea feluritelor orientari, cat de ciudate, argumentate doar de dorinta de a nu ingradi. Caci, cine stie? In lipsa acuta de afectiune, Domnul G. [evit sa folosesc un nume, cat de ipotetic ar fi, pentru a nu risca sa fiu acuzat de vre-un soi de discriminare si amendat de nu-stiu-ce organizatie non-guvernamentala si non-profit, pe deasupra] se poate gandi sa-si ia vreo caprita din ograda drept soata. Si nu mai putem comenta ca, de, daca suntem impotriva, avem orizonturi inguste…

Oricum, imi ramane doar sa militez pentru educatie sanatoasa primita de copii intr-un camin absolut normal si pentru conservarea adevaratelor valori. De orice fel. Este, pur si simplu, o parere personala!

Do You Believe in The Abominable Snowman?

Do you believe in the Abominable Snowman or Yeti of the Himalayas? In your mind, what kind of creature is it? Please explain your answer.

Tags: Abominable Snowman, Yeti, Himalayas, Tibet, Nepal, Mount Everest, Legend, Frozen Wasteland, Unknown, Mystery, India, Snow

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Viewpoint/Opinion

 Amfiteatrul roman din El Djem

Fiind al treilea amfiteatru ca marime din intreg Imperiul Roman, dupa cel de la Roma si cel de la Capua, acest Colosseum a fost construit in nordul Africii, pe teritoriul Tunisiei de astazi. Langa o mica localitate denumita El Djem, ruinele acestui maiestuos amfiteatru dezvaluie turistilor o adevarata bijuterie arhitectonica. Si, daca dupa ce il vizitezi ti se pare firesc sa te intrebi de ce tocmai aici a fost construit acest superb monument, atunci trebuie sa stii ca datorita ambitiei romanilor de a realiza in acest loc una din cele mai mari plantatii de maslini din imperiu.

 Zarzavat punct ro

Ies grabit pe usa fara sa stiu incotro ma-ndrept. Privesc mirat lista pe care scumpa mea mi-a indesat-o in buzunar la plecare. Cobor linistit cele 134 trapte pana in fata blocului si caut prin ceata deasa, statia de tramvai. Taxez biletul albastru exact cand doi controlori imi intind cu sictir tot doua, legitimatii, dar sifonate.
- FBI? ii intreb pierdut si imediat le zambesc vadit satisfacut de gluma inspirata. Compara nedumeriti biletele si se indrapta spre urmatoarea victima.

Cobor exact in momentul in care tramvaiul opreste in statie. Este un obicei mai vechi... In fata mi se infatiseaza piata: mai zgomotoasa, mai aglomerata decat de obicei. Imi amintesc de lista si o caut frenetic prin buzunare. O gasesc intr-un tarziu, pun la punct un plan si pornesc la atac.
- Cu cat dai legatura, mamaie? Intreb o babuta care vindea pe trotuarul din fata pietei marar si leustean.
- Dar cam cat ai vrea sa dai pe ea, tinere? imi intoarse dansa intrebarea pe un ton usor desprins din capitolul de marketing.
O privesc mirat pret de cateva secunde si dau sa intru in piata. In urma mea, aceeasi voce rasuna:
- Fa-mi o oferta, ce naiba!
- ...

Ma intorc uimit nestiind daca intrebarea imi este adresata. Cand insa remarc ca da, adaug:
- Parca n-as da mai mult de doi lei pe una.
Realmente jignita, baba incruntata tuna cu o voce de fier:
- Doi lei? Tinere asta nu e verdeata de doi lei! Face cel putin cinci euro legatura... hai ca ma enervasi! N-o vrei gratis?
- Gratis parca suna si mai bine. Pe care s-o iau?
- Ete i-auzi la mucosul asta: „pe care s-o iau”. Hai valea ca nu-ti dau nimic. Pleaca din fata pravaliei ca alungi clientii...
- Mamaie nu plec pana nu imi vinzi o legatura de patrunjel d-asta! m-am incapatanat eu.
- Uite ia-o p-asta. Face doo sute.
- ???
- Nu mai casca ochii asa la mine! Cumperi sau nu? N-am toata ziua la dispozitie. Tre’ sa ajung si la banca sa platesc rata la Logan. Hai ia doo la banii astia si zi bogda’proste! adauga ea cu tupeu.
- Doua sute? Rata la Logan? Mamaie, coboara bre cu picioarele pe pamant...
- Na ca m-ai enervat cumplit. Da ce te miri asa ca prostu? Uite ce e: pacat de tine ca esti chiar simpatic si nu pareai prost deloc. Se vede ca n-ai alea scoli. N-o sa-mi pierd eu acu’ timpul sa-ti explic tie cum amortizez investitia-n Logan, cat revine pe legatura si in cati ani da cu profit. E treaba aia cu proiectia fluxurilor de numerar. Da ce sa stii tu! Uite: ia cartea mea de vizita si legatura asta de marar din partea fermei. Daca nu sunt aici, ma gasesti in piata la Obor. Tot in fata, pe trotuar. Daca nu-s nici acolo, intra pe net: zarzavat punct ro. Acum valea, ca taim iz mani!

Something needs to know about Life Insurance

By YiLin Zhu on April-10 2009

It is never too early to start seeking for a good life insurance for yourself, because having a good life insurance will protect your future and life. And the following are some things that you may want to know about life insurance.

1. Keep your health in good shape: In life insurance, the better your health condition is, the cheaper rate you can get. So stay healthy not only good for yourself, but also good for your wallet.

2. Do more research before sign the contract: One of the greatest things about insurance is there are so many insurance companies out there and competing with each other. This gives consumers more option to select. Take your time to look over the premiums that each insurance company willing to offer you, and choose the best one for your condition.

3. Always read your coverage carefully: It is important to learn your insurance coverage carefully. Typically, you should review your insurance coverage at every beginning of the year or every end of the year. By doing so, you can always match your most latest update information with your insurance coverage to see whether the conditions still work best for you. For instance, if you get married or had a baby, or retired, you may want to switch to other insurance if the current one won’t work out as well as before.

Source #1; Source #2; Source #3

China Pacific Insurance 2008 Net Profit Slumps 81%

Posted by YiLin Zhu

From The Wall Street Journal

SHANGHAI (Dow Jones)--China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co. (601601.SH) said Friday its 2008 net profit tumbled 81% because of the slump in the domestic stock market and increased insurance payouts to cover natural disasters in China last year.

The company joins its local peers that have reported substantial declines in earnings after being hit hard in the past year by volatile capital markets and increased claims.

China Life Insurance Co., China's largest life insurer, last month reported a 45% drop in 2008 net profit, while Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China Ltd. Wednesday posted a 99% plunge in 2008 earnings, mainly due to an impairment charge of $3.3 billion on its stake in Fortis NV.
China Pacific Insurance, which is 17.3%-owned by private-equity firm Carlyle Group LP, said its net profit for the 12 months ended Dec. 31 dropped to CNY1.34 billion ($196 million) from CNY6.89 billion a year earlier.

The sharp downturn of China's stock market caused the insurer to record a fair value loss of CNY742 million for its traded financial assets last year. The company posted a fair value gain of CNY235 million in 2007.

Total investment income dropped 70% to CNY8.41 billion from CNY27.66 billion a year earlier.
The poor investment performance was partly offset by a 29% increase in premium income to CNY84.14 billion from CNY65.39 billion in the previous year.
Despite the dismal 2008 results, analysts said they believe that the worst time for China's insurers is over, thanks to a stabilizing stock market and China's CNY4 trillion economic boost plan.

"Though the global economic downturn has been exerting negative impact on China's economy, the country's insurance industry still has huge potential to grow," said China Pacific in its annual report. "China's economic stimulus package will boost fixed-assets investment across the country, which will generate enormous demand for insurance products and provide us with a broad arena to grow business," the insurer added.

Shares of China Pacific Insurance have jumped 16% in the past two weeks, outshining a 3% gain in the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index, on hopes that Shanghai will offer tax breaks to encourage people to buy pension products. China Pacific Insurance is the second-largest shareholder of Changjiang Pension Insurance Co., which was set up by the Shanghai Municipal Government in 2007 to manage the city's CNY15 billion pension fund.

"The Shanghai government is studying the (tax break) plan," said an official at the government-run pension fund.

"But the program is less likely to be launched this year because it involves different government bodies and it's difficult for all the parties to reach consensus on the matter in the short term," the person said, who declined to be named.

Shanghai-based Pacific Insurance is China's third-largest insurer by market share after China Life and Ping An. It ranks second in the country's property insurance industry by market share, after PICC Property & Casualty Co.

Click here to read more

 Ia vezi sub capac! Sau da macar un sms…

Un bun amic, participant profesionist la tot felul de tombole si concursuri cu premii, obisnuia sa spuna parafrazand nu-stiu-ce mare om: „Nu participi, nu castigi! Sau ce, te-astepti sa te imbogatesti muncind?”. In consecinta, de cand se stie scotoceste frenetic in pungile cu alune si cartofi prajiti dupa bancnote, razuieste lozuri, trimite sms-uri si incercuieste cu sfintenie saptamana de saptamana cele 6 numere norocoase din 49 posibile. Secretul sau: n-a incetat niciodata sa spere. Felicitari!

Un alt caz de conjugare a verbului a spera incepand cu eu sper si terminand cu si ei spera de asemenea, este cel al unui adolescent trecut usor de cea de-a saptezeci si opta primavara [iernile fiind mult prea geroase pentru a le mai tine socoteala], care a sperat toata viata ca la 75 de ani se va casatori cu o prospatura de 25 care sa-i aline zilele si careia sa-i ramana toata averea sa. A sperat, de asemenea, ani la rand sa devina bogat caci sarac fusese de mic. Bulanu’ la loto l-a ocolit, la bingo n-a stiut cum se joaca iar la vrei sa fii miliardar a fost respins pe motiv ca n-ar fi stiut cu cine a avut Izabela o relatie in casa Big Brother [pe vremuri]. Prin urmare: 78 de ani fara avere si nevasta de 25. La naiba!

Un bun prieten al amicului meu [cel de la inceputul articolului, bineinteles] si-a incercat norocul in pasi de dans dorindu-si doar sa-si impresioneze vecina de deasupra [caci locuieste la bloc] si s-o aduca dedesubt. Din pacate, a fost eliminat la duel publicul votand in favoarea celuilalt cuplu care lupta pentru visul lui Costel care, la randul sau, isi dorea ca, macar o data in viata, sa primeasca spaga. Cu toate acestea, nu a incetat sa lupte si intr-un final si-a vazut visul implinit: a reusit s-o aduca dedesubt pe vecina de deasupra facand schimb de apartament cu vecinul de deasupra ei. Un adevarat invingator!

Intr-adevar, cu totii speram ceva. Si-am invatat s-o facem atat de bine, incat un studiu [nu foarte recent] al unui institut [dintr-acela specializat in studii] ne diferentiaza fata de ceilalti europeni, catalogandu-ne drept un popor cu multe sperante si putine realizari. Asa o fi? Si daca este asa, o fi bine?

Acestea sunt cele doua intrebari pentru concurs. Castigatorii vor fi anuntati la radio si vor primi ultima editie a ghidului practic de participare la tombole, concursuri si loterii intitulat Cauta sub capac.

 Piata Sfatului din Brasov

Fiind punctul central de plecare spre cele mai multe obiective turistice din Brasov, Piata Sfatului este cel mai cunoscut si, probabil, cel mai vizitat loc din oras. Frecventata deopotriva de turisti si localnici, piata nu reprezinta doar un loc de relaxare strajuit de cladiri de o frumusete naucitoare, ci si un loc de intalnire intre prieteni.

Top 10 Car Insurance Savings Tips

copy and post by Mei Ling Lin

1. Make sure all your cars are on the same policy
Most insurance companies offer a “multi-vehicle discount” for customers who insure more than one car on the same policy.
2. Insure both your car and home with the same company
Again, this may qualify you for a discount called the “multi-line discount.” Most companies offer this savings as an incentive to get your home insurance business too.
3. Have an anti-theft device installed in your car
If you take measures to ensure your car is less likely to be stolen, then some insurance companies will offer an “anti-theft discount” if certain anti-theft devices are installed.
4. Ask about other discounts you might be able to get
Additional common discounts include the age, low mileage, occupational and auto club discounts, all of which could save you money if you qualify.
5. Increase your deductibles
The higher your deductibles, the lower your insurance premium — so raise them as much as you can. Keep it affordable though, because this is how much you’ll have to cover if you need to submit a claim.

click to read more

 Dar voi? Cat de colorati sunteti?

Mi-a atras atentia deunazi, pe un post tv specializat in difuzarea de videoclipuri muzicale [n-am sa-i dau numele pentru a nu se interpreta], o tanara cu tunsoare haioasa si breton vopsit in verde care, printre cateva bipuri menite sa cenzureze vocabularul pe alocuri explicit, si-a descris metaforic personalitatea in culori: fascinata parca de niste ciorapi cu oite, de o bluza de trening neagra purtata cu mandrie, de iarba, de copaci, de… o intrebare sublima adresata la final pe un ton strengaresc: voi cat de colorati sunteti?

Si-am sa incerc si eu un raspuns firav: pasionat de imblanzirea pixului, gratare in aer liber si scurt metraje necenzurate, m-am nascut trist fiind eliberat la data nasterii cu permis de conducere a unei cirezi intregi de ganduri murdare. In rest, beau vin, ca orice om normal, doar ca sa-mi pierd orientarea si apoi creez pe coli albe, de hartie, o lume oribila care sa m-ajute sa vad frumusetea zilelor prea incarcate de urat.

Dar voi? Cat de colorati sunteti? Sau, poate, cat de gri?

 Incarcerarea lui Gigi vs Revolta moldovenilor

Cu riscul de a ma alinia posturilor tv, ziarelor, posturilor radio sau celorlalte site-uri si blog-uri care tuna zilele acestea doar despre arestarea miliardarului mioritic si, mai nou, despre asa zisa revolta a moldovenilor [de peste Prut, bineinteles] satui de asuprirea comunismului [parca acum vreo 20 de ani am experimentat si noi inlaturarea unui dictator prin uciderea lui cu sange cam rece, ce-i drept], initiez o scurta reluare a celor mai mediatizate evenimente. Fara relatarea faptelor ce au stat la baza si nici a noutatilor de ultima ora, caci le stim cu totii.

Oricum, fara intentia de a analiza modul in care a fost aplicata justitia de catre procurorii ce tocmai i-au prelungit omului de afaceri vacanta neprogramata, si tot fara intentia de a instiga la nesupunerea sub un regim cu clare intentii de a ingradi drepturile fratilor moldoveni [cei de peste Prut, bineinteles], ma intreb si eu: oare care dintre cele doua subiecte aduc mai mult trafic pe site-uri si/sau maresc audienta emisiunilor de analiza a evenimentelor deja cotidiene?

 Cand incepem sa simtim c-am devenit batrani?

Ma chinuie aceasta intrebare de o vreme. Cateodata in confortul propriului camin sau in fata monitorului, la birou, iar alteori pe aleile unui parc bucurestean prea zgomotos. Si cum in urma unei astfel de reprize de chin au rezultat de fiecare data cateva versuri al caror principal punct comun il reprezinta rima incrucisata [stiti: atunci cand primul vers rimeaza cu al treilea si al doilea cu al patrulea], ma si grabesc sa scriu cateva. Scurse din condei spre sfarsitul lunii ianuarie a anului in curs:

Picioarele m-au purtat adesea
Pe carari pustii ce m-au ademenit
Si ca o gazda buna viata tesea,
Panza in care prizonier am devenit.

Lacom de glorie am alergat
Dupa primejdii si un alt decor,
Ale pamantului zari le-am cutreierat
Privind neputincios scurgerea anilor.
[…]

Insa ceea ce a readus in actualitate intrebarea care credeam, cel putin pentru moment, ca-mi ofera un ragaz a fost un articol peste care am trecut rapid cu privirea navigand de dimineata pe internet. Pe scurt: intr-un catun din nordul judetului Buzau, media de varsta este trecuta de 70 de ani. Cu alte cuvinte, catunul respectiv trage sa moara. Cum s-a ajuns aici? Nu datorita poluarii, caci n-ar avea cum. Poate datorita migratiei masive a fortei de munca in strainatate? Nu pare sa fie cazul acestui satuc format din putin peste 60 de case. Sau poate, pur si simplu, se datoreaza excesului de lipsa?

Do You Believe in The Loch Ness Monster?

Do you believe in the Loch Ness monster? What is your idea of the Loch Ness monster? What kind of creature is she? Please explain your answer.

Tags: Loch Ness, Monster, Scotland, Legend, Hoax, Prehistoric Monster, Water Borne Dinosaur, Mystery, Creature

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Viewpoint/Opinion

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Steps To Choose A Right Auto Insurance Company

Post by Mei Ling Lin

You may know the steps or ways that can assist you to buy an automobile in a good price. Right now, you need to learn how to select a right insurance company to purchase your auto insurance. Because many insurance companies, which may promote well but have the worst services that you don’t know about. There have some steps that can help you to find a good insurer or agent.

1.Visit state’s department of insurance web site, because the State department of insurance would have name list of all insurance companies and their sell policies in the state.
2.Find out which insurers body shops recommend, because they know which company can provide the best service with low cost.
3.Check the J.D. Power Ratings
4.Consider insurers’ financial strength ratings
5.If you still confused, then consider working with an agent
6.Visit local agents’ offices, ask for a rate quote and gauge responses
7.Ask about “claims-free” discounts for time a policy is in force without a chargeable claim
8.Ask about a “multiline” discount if you buy more than one line of insurance
9.Ask about office hours and after-hours assistance
10.As k for company rating and financial information
11.Determine if the company has agents and claims offices in other states if you travel extensively
12.Ask friends and acquaintances about the company

source #1 #2 #3

Term Life Insurance

Posted By Ken Smith

Purchasing Health Insurance

By: Dan Hughes

For most people today, researching and buying health insurance is a very difficult and head spitting problem. It’s easy for the people who don’t need to go out searching for their own health insurance because their companies offer them coverage. However, especially in today’s economy, people have to go out looking for their own health insurance, and they have to do it without any help. For the most part, many people don’t really know what to look for and don’t know what questions to ask when they finally see somebody. According to some experts, there are five crucial questions that one should ask when purchasing health insurance.

1. How much are my premiums and will they change?

It is important to get the price of the premiums in writing and to find out how long you will be charged this particular rate. These quoted rates sometimes don’t last that long.

2. What are my deductibles and co-pays?

Always know what you’re paying for. Even if you meet your deductible, you most likely will still be responsible for a co-pay whenever you see the doctor.

3. Is the insurance company licensed in my state?

4. Am I buying a short-term or a long-term plan?

Be wary of short-term plans. When you go to reapply after a short-term policy, some companies will treat you as a brand new customer. This could be a problem for people who have conditions that overlap different policies.

5. Should I consider going with COBRA?

COBRA is a program that allows you to keep your employer’s insurance if you happen to be laid off or are working much less hours. However, you have to pay the whole premium, which may deter some people.

Always remember, though - if a policy sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

Investing in Life Insurance

By: Dan Hughes

 Am ales sa-mi placa Romania

Am ales sa-mi placa Romania! Nu pentru varietatea si bogatia atractiilor turistice, naturale, culturale sau istorice, nici pentru localizarea Romaniei la intretaierea mai multor drumuri europene unde, de-a lungul vremurilor, s-au intalnit vaste civilizatii… ci pentru simplul fapt ca este tara mea. Cu rate de inflatie si somaj ridicate, cu moneda nationala puternic devalorizata, cu o legislatie cazuta pe alocuri in ridicol, cu pusti care au schimbat drastic scara de valori, cu toate… cu bune si cu rele!

Insurance Aid for the Newly Unemployed

copy and post by Mei Ling Lin

Individuals who lost their jobs in the last several months may be eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance coverage at greatly reduced rates.
The federal government will pay 65% of Cobra continuation coverage premiums as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was signed into law on Feb. 17. The coverage will apply to individuals who lost or lose their jobs between Sept. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009 and are eligible for continuing coverage under Cobra, a federal law called the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.
The new subsidy "makes Cobra much more affordable for a lot of people," says Scott Keyes, a senior health-care consultant at Watson Wyatt, a consulting firm. He expects participation could double or triple.
The new subsidy would last up to nine months for individuals who are not eligible for other insurance such as Medicare or a spouse's plan. It applies to employees, their spouses and any children who lost health coverage because of an involuntary termination.
Participants also can't earn more than $125,000 in the year they receive the subsidy if they are single or more than $250,000 for couples who file jointly.
Laid-off workers already can extend their job-related health coverage for up to 18 months under Cobra. The law applies to companies with 20 or more workers, which continue to offer a group health plan.
"I think this is aimed at helping people stay insured," says Amy Bergner, a principal at Mercer, a consulting firm in Washington.
She says employees who didn't elect Cobra coverage initially now have a second chance to sign up.
Individuals who lost their jobs before the law was signed on Feb. 17 should be notified by their former employer by April 18 that they are eligible for this benefit, even if they initially did not sign up for Cobra.
Until now, only a small percentage of individuals extended their insurance coverage through Cobra because of the high cost. Employers are allowed to charge former workers up to 102% of the cost of premiums. Individuals paid on average about $370 a month and families $1,000.
The subsidized coverage would lower premiums to about $130 a month for single coverage and $350 a month for a family, based on 2008 data from a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust.

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Some Big mistakes of Buying Term Life Insurance

By YiLin Zhu on Apr. 4 2009

Focus only on cost is the biggest mistake that most of people make when they buying their term life insurance. Of course, cost is an important factor to consider when we buy insurance. But a lot of people bought the term life insurance they really want, but also the ones they won’t afford to purchase. This may not be the right option.

Secondly, didn’t choose a right settlement options is also a big mistake you might make. There are many options to the term life insurance buyer regarding how the beneficiary will receive the policy proceeds. The most popular one is the lump sum payment, even though in many situations, this may not be the most appropriate solution. But keep in mind, you should always carefully review these settlement options with your agent.

Another big problem is not choosing the right agent. It is very important to choose a licensed agent that understands life insurance contracts and all of the options available within the contracts.

In addition, lack of conversion options also can be a big problem for the insurance buyers. An important option to have in your term life policy is the right to convert to a permanent life policy with the same company without submitting any additional evidence of insurability. This is important because need and wants change. The flexibility should be there to handle these changes.

Source #1; Source #2; Source #3;

Florida legislative measures would allow insurance rates to rise

Posted by YiLin Zhu
Written by Beatrice E. Garcia

Lawmakers have begun work on two major property insurance bills that aim to fix current problems in Florida's insurance market. One certain result: higher rates for homeowners, especially those covered by Citizens Property Insurance, the state-run insurer.

A bill in the state House of Representatives would allow rates to rise no more than an average 20 percent a year. A similar bill in the Senate, where debate will continue Monday, allows for increases of no more than 10 percent a year for any homeowner.

Gov. Charlie Crist, who championed insurance rate declines in the past two years, has acknowledged that rates need to rise. Some lawmakers are grudgingly moving in that direction as well. After two hours of discussion on more than a dozen changes and revisions, the House bill moved forward Friday with approval from the Insurance, Business and Financial Affairs committee. Among the amendments shot down quickly was one from Rep. Richard Steinberg, D-Miami Beach, which would have Citizens freeze rates for one more year. Citizens' rates have been frozen since the start of 2007.

Outside of South Florida, where Citizens has about half of its 1,066,304 policies, there is little sympathy for the insurer's policyholders. David Daniel, director of government relations for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, in urging the committee to pass the insurance bill, reminded the House committee that Citizens does not cover the majority of Florida homeowners.

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 Trei poeti clujeni citesc versuri intr-o librarie din Timisoara

Cand? In week-end. Mai exact, cand? Maine incepand cu ora 18:00. Unde? In Timisoara. Mai exact, unde? La libraria Carturesti-Mercy. Cine? Rares Moldovan, Andrei Dobos si Mihai Mateiu…

Si, pana in momentul cand lectura publica se va impleti cu firescul cotidian prin librarii, cafenele sau cluburi, sa scriem versuri controversate pentru consumatori fideli de amnezii. Incep eu:

Ucid ganduri senine pe cale sa apuna
La poalele vietilor din greu escaladate,
Deasupra crestelor patate de luna,
Din care au ramas triste fantani secate.

Data viitoare ne vedem in Bucuresti, in Piata Revolutiei, unde vom scuipa poemele compuse in ore tarzii de insomnii. Nu de dragul trotuarului uscat, ci de dragul flegmelor semantice. Ramane doar sa agream ora...

 Portul din Chania

Aflat la imbinarea muntelui cu marea, orasul Chania este unul dintre cele mai frumoase orase din insula Creta. Stradutele sale pitoresti, care iti ofera o placere nebuna cand te plimbi printre casutele vechi cu balcoane de lemn [vechi si el de sute de ani], mi-au cucerit inima in vara lui 2006. Pasind prin locuri batute altadata de romani, venetieni, genovezi, turci si egipteni deopotriva, ajungi apoi in minunatul port venetian. Si-ti vine atat de greu sa te desparti de el...