Donnette

Dreams make life come through.
I have a dream said Martin Luther King.
What do we dream about these days?
Is it about a new house? What size should it be?
Could it be more money?

There are so many dreams we have to share.
It starts with a thought. Then we create dreams of the thoughts. We will attach feelings to it. The more we dream the more we attract it in our heads. Finally we make it real.
A thought, a dream and then it materialize it.
Sound so easy.
Focus on the feelings. The more feelings we attach to it the more we want it.

It does not have to be a material thing.
We have wishes like peace on earth, no poverty.
Richness to the people. Maybe no more illness.
I have a dream.
What do you dream of? What did your parents dream of?
Are there the same dreams?

What if we did not have any dreams?
Can we function without them?
I do not think so.
I love to dream. Lots of them. Day and night times.
Remember in school. We looked out the window when a subject was too boring.
Then the dream sat in..
In my school we had dream stealers.
They were even in my family and in the surroundings off friends. Amazing they seems to be everywhere.

Who helps them to achieve what they want?
Maybe, a scary thought they do not want anything else in life?
It could be something in it.
I know for me that the dreams keep my mind going.
Especially during the night times.
Wow, are they crazy then. Wild stuff.
It is like I have several lives going on at the same time.
Maybe thats true

Well its getting late here in Sweden.
Ill better go to bed.
See you in my dreams folks, see you around.
Have fun and sleep well.

MarieLouise is working as a personal trainer and a life coach. She is also very skilled as a networker with several years experience from different MLM companies.
http://marielouisefalk.blogspot.com

For decades, educators in general, and those with specific training in music in particular, have been touting the values of the experience. As research continues on the intrinsic value of having students exposed to formal music education, more and more people are understanding how the functioning of the human brain is enhanced by training in music.

In cities throughout Texas, including the larger cities of Dallas, Houston and Austin, music educators, supported by the Texas Music Educators Association, have been touting the value of making music an integral part of a well-rounded educational experience.

But in times of budgetary pressures, is the case for music education -- all too often seen as an easy way to cut costs -- one that stands up to the scrutiny? Music educators may argue that exposing young student minds to the unique disciplines required of music may be almost as important as having health insurance -- the real benefits come when you need it most.

One of the most basic questions concerning music education in Texas may be does it help produce a better citizen? A number of statistics would suggest the answer is a decided yes.

A report by the Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse showed that secondary students who participated in band or orchestra had the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances, including alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs. That alone, with the obvious connection to health insurance issues, might be enough to convince doubters. But even those students who dont make music a part of their career appear to benefit from integrating the subject into their education.

In The Paradox of the Silicon Savior, author Grant Venerable points to an interesting fact: the very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians.

Students in Dallas, Houston and Austin, and throughout Texas, are also more likely to do better in school when they embrace a curriculum that includes music, as suggested by an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data on more than 25,000 secondary school students. The study, reported by the College Entrance Examination Board in 2001, indicated that students with coursework/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Specifically, students with backgrounds in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math portion of the SAT; students with backgrounds in music appreciation did even better: 63 points higher on the verbal and 44 points higher on the math, compared to students with no arts participation.

Those intending a future career in health should take note: a study by physician and biologist Lewis Thomas, The Case for Music in the Schools (Phi Delta Kappan, February 1994), discovered 66% of music majors who applied to medical school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group.

While there is evidence that smart students taking music excel, some studies suggest music education can also play a role in actually developing intelligence in Texas students as well as those elsewhere. Consider research by Dr. Timo Krings, who performed a study of pianists and non-musicians of the same age and sex. In the research, reported in Neuroscience Letters, no. 3 (2000), study participants were required to perform complex sequences of finger movements. A brain scan used to detect activity levels of brain cells demonstrated that the brain cells of musicians were more efficient at making skilled movements, an indication that musical training can enhance brain function.

The benefits of music education in developing intelligence appear to come early. In the Kindergarten classes of the school district of Kettle Moraine, Wis., children given music instruction scored 48% higher on spatial-temporal skill tests than those who did not receive music training.

How about success in life? And perhaps even more importantly, does music make us healthier? Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, the world-renowned heart surgeon connected with the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, is one who believes in the value of music education. Studying music encourages self-discipline and diligence, traits that carry over into intellectual pursuits and that lead to effective study and work habits, said Dr. DeBakey. An association of music and math has, in fact, long been noted. Creating and performing music promotes self-expression and provides self-gratification while giving pleasure to others. In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients. For all these reasons, it deserves strong support in our educational system, along with the other arts, the sciences, and athletics.

Finally, Dr. Frederick Tims, a leading music educator, as reported in AMC Music News (June 1999), says those who embrace music are healthier as they age. There were significant decreases in anxiety, depression and loneliness following keyboard lessons, Dr. Tims said. These are factors that are critical in coping with stress, stimulating the immune system, and in improved health. Increasingly, society is seeing the intrinsic benefits that those on the front lines of music education have already seen.

Researchers are now discovering how the mind responds to something as simple yet powerful as music, an indication that the future, from a health and wellness perspective, is a bright one. How you treat your mind and body when youre young will certainly affect your health when you get older. Eventually, it will also affect your wallet as well. If you're a young individual who likes to maintain a healthy condition, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive and highly affordable individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for you. For more information, visit us at our website, precedent.com. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans and an unparalleled real-time application and acceptance experience.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com

Parents are often worried when the young drivers in their home get their drivers license and drive off for the first time on their own. Even if the child is an excellent driver, there is still some apprehension about them getting into a car accident. This is one of the main reasons that affordable auto insurance for teenagers is so important.

Although most teenagers just want their own car this isnt always the best approach in terms of auto insurance. When a young driver is the primary or only driver of a car, the insurance rates are going to be high regardless of the year, make or model of the auto. A much better approach is for the parents to just add their child onto the policy they already have. Although this can be viewed as risky, since the rates will rise if the child doesnt drive safely, its really the best approach to enjoying the best price.

Parents are always after their teenagers to study and now theres a car related reward for good grades. Many auto insurance companies recognize the importance of a solid education and for this reason they offer a percent discount for young drivers who maintain good grades. A great way for a parent to utilize this particular discount is by setting a rule that unless the child keeps the grades at the level that allows for the reduced insurance rate, the young driver wont be driving.

If the child does happen to get into a small collision, it may be prudent for the parents to handle the matter outside the scope of an insurance claim. Obviously this would only be relevant if the damage wasnt major. It can be worthwhile to pay a claim from your own pocket rather than having it affect the young drivers insurance rates.

Recommended sites for low rate insurance

Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for Young Drivers
Instant Car Insurance for Young Drivers

For one reason or another some people like to run their SMTP service on a port other than the standard TCP port 25. Whether it's to bypass their ISP's firewall, provide a second instance of SMTP, or maybe just to be different.

This article will show you a simple way to do this on a Linux server running the Plesk control panel.

In '/etc/xinetd.d/' there is a file called smtp_psa, you will need to copy this file to another filename (in this example I'll use smtp2_psa).

In this new file, you will want to change the line:
'service smtp' to 'service smtp2'

Once this is complete, you will need to modify your /etc/services file, and add the smtp2 service: Simply copy/paste the existing smtp line and change the name and port (we'll use port 26 in this example).

smtp2 26/tcp mail smtp2 26/udp mail

Check to make sure the new port is now listening # netstat -plunt |grep :26

That should return something similar to

tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:26 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 2345/xinetd

# telnet 123.123.123.123 26

(be sure to replace 123.123.123.123 with your server's real IP address) If it's successful it should return something similar to

Trying 123.123.123.123... Connected to hostname.domain (123.123.123.123). Escape character is '^]'. 220 hostname.domain.tld ESMTP

Travis is a freelance server administrator and computer consultant at Serverjuice
For more howtos and guides visit Howto Monster

You will also need to modify the port in your mail client to use the new SMTP port.

I dont know about you, but Ive always been interested in my past. My way past, that is. That past that was even before I was born. Well, of course Im talking about my ancestors. Those very people who had a part in making me who I am today.

It used to be the search for my heritage took me to the library where I had to spend countless hours combing through books seeking information about my ancestors. But, today, there are so many more resources available for genealogy research. Lets take a look at three such resources you should consider, both high tech and low tech.

The Internet

The internet has certainly simplified genealogy research. You no longer have to take a trek to the library and sit next to someone with strong perfume or cologne to find information about your ancestors.

What kind of information can you find on the internet?

Surname Search
Birth Records
Death Records
Marriage Records
Census Records
Cemetery Records
Military Records

While searching on the internet you have the choice of using a paid service, or numerous free services, many specific to states or counties. For example, if youre interest in Birth, Death and Marriage records for ancestors from West Virginia, you can go to http://www.wvculture.org/vrr and do a free search of their records. Many other states, counties and historical societies have similar websites.

Another way to utilize the internet is to visit genealogy communities or forums. Perhaps someone else is researching the same people, or knows someone who is. One such site is http://www.geocities.com/ohgenealogy/Index.html, where people have links to their personal genealogy pages, as well as a link to a genealogy forum. This site deals with ancestors from Ohio, but you can find similar pages for other states and countries by doing a basic internet search.

DNA Testing

Want to go even more high tech? Many people have turned to DNA tests to determine where their ancestors are from. A simple swab of the inside of ones cheek (yep, just like they do on CSI) can yield DNA which will be compared with others DNA. Two types of DNA testing are Y chromosome testing (Y-DNA) and mitochondrial DNA testing. The Y DNA tests look at paternal lineage while the mitochondrial DNA looks at maternal lineage.

Such tests can be used to determine such things as: which present-day African country you share your ancestry; which European maternal clan you share ancestry; percentage of Native American ancestry.

Oral History

From the extreme high tech to the extreme low tech. While its true some stories get distorted over many tellings, you still should talk to as many relatives as possible to get clues to your genealogy. Oral histories can give you information that no DNA test or records search will offer.

Oral histories, along with giving you information to then research through the internet, can also give you the family color. Oral histories make your heritage come alive and become more colorful. Maybe you have a horse thief in your familys past. Now, nobody would want a car thief in their family now. But a horse thief in your family past who lived before the Civil War? Well, thats just interesting.

Remember to organize all your information so that someday you can pass it down to future generations as well. You might want to purchase some genealogy software which can help organize and publish your information.

Remember, your past is a part of who you are today. Of course, your future is up to you.

Shari Hearn is creator of DNA Paternity Tests where you can learn about cheap DNA testing.

The Good Faith Estimate (GFE) is a very important tool when you are getting a mortgage.

The GFE comes after your loan officer took an application (1003) and found you a mortgage program for your needs.

Always take the time to read everything on your GFE. Some lines are very important and if you are not sure, ask questions.

At the top of your GFE, make sure your subject property address is right, your name, the term of the loan (is it 15 years (180 months) or 30 years (3660 months))and the base amount.

There are many lines on the GFE and they are all numbered. Let's talk about a few of them:

801: Loan origination fee: This is the fee a direct lender may charge you to do the loan. It is not discount points to get a better rate; it is out of the pocket expense from you to pay the lender and / or the loan officer. Make sure it is clear how much they charge you depending on your credit score (FICO score). Better credit score = less origination points.

802: Loan discount fee: This is the line where you pay points to get a better rate. I just want to remind you to calculate if it is better for you to do it or not. I wrote an article called: "Should I buy discount points on my next refinance?" That article is available on this site. Don't get mixed up with origination fee or broker fee. Brokers are always using the phrase "Discount Points to lower your rate" while in fact those fees are at line 808 of the GFE.

803: Appraisal fee. Is it paid outside closing by you? Then you will see a P and the price will not be on the line. It's paid by the lender then make sure you are not paying it!

810: Processing Fee: This is what the broker or lender will charge you to process the mortgage. DO you have to pay it? Good question! You have to look into all the fees you pay and see where you can negotiate a little bit. If you pay 2 points or more (OUCH!) you shouldn't pay any processing fee or go get another lender! Let your loan officer know that!

You will have to pay for title insurance (every time you refinance), courier, closing fee from the closing agent, recording fee... These are third party fees when you work with a broker. If you work with your bank, you will probably not see those fees or less of those.

901: Make sure the prepaid interest is right with the exact number of days.

1001 and 1004: If you escrow, then make sure the number of months are right.

Triple check the Transaction Summary: Principal and Interest paid every month, taxes and insurance and at the bottom the Total Closing costs. Are they right? Are they what you were told?

By the way, it is normal if they are not exactly what you were told. They will change once the lender put the right amount in there. Just follow up on your GFE. Don't forget, it is a GOOD FAITH Estimate! Good Faith!

Enjoy!

You can read more about Mortgages and tricks they don't want you to know at:
http://simpleopportunities.blogspot.com

It is time you bought a new car. What should you do with the old one; should you try to sell it? You may be in for some hassle if and when you decide to do that. If you cant trade in your car to put towards the new car, what should you do? You can give charity car donation to help an organization that truly needs it.

When you want to sell a used car, you have to pay for an ad in some sort of publication in order to advertise it. When you give to charity car donation, you simply pick up the phone and call the charity of your choice and they will come right to your door to pick up charity car donation.

Many people do not realize that charity car donation is an option they have when they want to get rid of an old car. You will be able to use your donation as a tax write off as long as you get a receipt confirming you have indeed given to charity car donation. There are many organizations that will be happy to take your car off of your hands.

When you give charity car donation, it will give you a good feeling about giving to others who are in need. Many charities will fix the car and give it to a person or family that has no way to get to work school or run errands. Sometimes charity car donation will fix the car and sell it themselves and use the money to put towards the needs of the people they are serving.

Charity car donation can be researched on the internet. You can find many charitable organizations in your immediate area that will be glad to take your old, used car off of your hands absolutely free. All you need to provide is the title for charity car donation and the organization picking up the car will do the rest. You can take pride in knowing that it was more important for you to help others than to make a profit on your old car.

For more information about Charity Car Donation, feel free to visit us at: http://www.car-donation-land.info/Charity-Car-Donation.html

No-one likes cold calling. Indeed, quite a few sales commentators believe that cold calling should never happen. I subscribe to the theory that once your business is established, if your marketing plan is well coordinated and consistent, then indeed you shouldnt have to rely on cold calling.

However, there are some circumstances where cold calling can yield be beneficial if its handled correctly. The trick is to maximise your chances by warming-up your prospective clients before you even touch the telephone.

Telephone Last. At the very least send your prospective clients something in the mail a letter or postcard would be most likely, but it could be a thank-you card or an article you have written. This would ideally be something personalised Dear Stan rather than Dear Business Owner.

The purpose of this mail-out is to differentiate you from a telemarketer, break the ice with the client and, possibly, give them a chance to prepare for your call.

Be Memorable. You are not trying to sell your firm in this mail-out. You are just breaking the ice with the client. You will reference the mail-out when you call so you dont want it going straight in the bin. Keep your mail-out brief, personal and memorable. Branding, colours and layout can certainly help.

However, the best two tactics are (a) a brief, handwritten personal message (or at the very least a personal signature) and (b) a fact that leaves the prospective client wondering more about your services. Think performance statistics, awards, volumes of sales, number of clients, topical items in the news. Something that makes the client think that they might just be missing out on something...

Be Valuable. You will have a significantly better hit-rate if you offer the client something of value.

Remember value means getting something for less than its worth. You arent offering value if you are just selling a service and charging a fair price. That isnt value its just a fair price.

Everyone likes a bargain or, even better, something free. So in your initial mail-out offer your client something extra BEFORE you even start your sales process. This doesnt have to cost you a fortune and ideally it should be something that links back to your business. Maybe its free access to research, maybe its a free copy of a presentation, maybe its a free invite to a seminar, maybe its a free copy of an article of relevance to their industry.

You reap what you sow. Most prospective clients will highly value anything you give them for free. Those that dont well, you dont want them as clients anyway. Remember, brochures and advertisements are not value they are advertising. You have to give the client something they can utilise themselves.

Be Specific. In your mail-out, dont say I will call you in the next week.

Instead, say I will call you at 10:00 am, Monday 21st July. If this time is not suitable, please contact me on 555-1234 to reschedule. Again, this makes you sound less like an anonymous telemarketer and creates an impression that your time is also valuable.

Then call at that time. If the client is not there, leave a message stating you will re-call them at another specific time and date. If you are still not getting through on that second call, only then would you leave a message saying that you will call back in the next week.

I would then send a second mail-out to the client, noting that you have not had luck contact them, and including a second piece of value another article, a copy of an interview, a presentation. Then, after you know they will have received that second mail-out, call a third time.

If you still arent getting a response, it might be time to move on for a while. But dont write them off entirely. Give them a few months, then start the process again with another value mail-out. This process isnt costing you much and no-one said this would be easy persistence pays off.

Be Topical. If you can, time your mail-out carefully.

Think about the time of year for your prospective client December is generally bad for everyone, June can be bad for accountants, January can be bad for executives, school holidays can be bad for families. Pick your moment, prepare your materials and book time in your schedule well in advance.

As the time gets closer, do a last minute search of topical items or news events in your prospective clients industry and latch onto that in your mail-out. Even if the link is tenuous, remember that all you want to do is get your client remembering your mail out, your company and have the ice slightly broken when you call.

Conclusion. No-one enjoys cold calling and, hopefully, once you are established, your marketing plans will not require its use. But, with a little extra effort you can defrost your cold prospects and enjoy a much warmer reception.

David King is Managing Director of Vue Consulting, the most innovative sales training and marketing consultancy in Australia. Visit his website http://www.vueconsulting.com.au for more resources or to see how sales training shouldn't rely on a sales program to be successful.

A Brief Overview

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that attacks the linings of the lungs and the intestinal tract, and also the sac covering the heart. It is also called epithelial mesothelioma, as it affects the membrane in the pleura, the pericardium and the peritoneum. It is not lung-cancer per se. The mesothelioma-lung cancer confusion has been there earlier. Mesothelioma is merely a form of cancer that affects the lining covering the lungs. It comes in three forms:

Pleural mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma

Causes of Mesothelioma

The primary cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. This can be direct exposure at the work place, or secondary exposure (when the victim is exposed to asbestos through coming in contact with someone who has already been exposed to asbestos). Despite all the pain and the loss that the workers faced, there was some hope in the form of legal recourse. Workers started suing the plants they worked in, and soon the legal battle against mesothelioma reached epic proportions. Even today, there are around 3,000 cases of mesothelioma being diagnosed in the United States every year. While the treatment is painful and not always successful, these mesothelioma victims at least have the hope of monetary compensation to help them fight mesothelioma.

The first manifestations of mesothelioma were seen as early as the 1950s and the 1960s. At that time, the workers in plants and other work areas that used asbestos in some form or the other were unaware of the lethal side of asbestos. The management at these work areas docks, industrial plants, equipment manufacturers, and many more, the list is endless soon came to know of the adverse effects of asbestos. However, for some reason they kept quiet about it. Their focus was on reduced costs and profits, it seems, and they remained mum about the harmful effects that asbestos could have on their workers. Asbestos, after all, had huge advantages over other material, which was why it was used so much irrespective of the genre of industry. This over the years proved to be a very, very costly error on their part.

Mesothelioma Litigation Did it Help?

The implications of asbestos use are staggering, primarily because of the range of products it is used in. From office buildings to toasters to car brakes to shipyards, asbestos was used almost across the breadth of the industrial sector. A publication in 1935 by the American Journal of Cancer - Pulmonary Asbestosis: Carcinoma of the Lung in Asbesto-Silicosis first raised the suspicions of people from the research and medical fields of the connection between the presence of asbestos and the unusually high death rates and lung-related diseases in the industrial sector. This connection was confirmed in 1955, and soon the continued use of asbestos despite knowing about its deadlier side became a legal nightmare for the industrial sector. Mesothelioma litigation in the United States has enabled mesothelioma victims win hundreds of thousands of dollars in lawsuits from their callous employers. It has been one of the successes in the battle against mesothelioma indirectly, and against the irresponsible attitudes of the management of workplaes that used asbestos, directly.

The Legal Aspect of Mesothelioma

Over the years, the legal benefits that mesothelioma victims have received have been enormous. The symptoms of mesothelioma manifest much after the initial inhalation of the asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma treatment is also painful and expensive. The compensations awarded to them have helped them at least cover their medical expenses. Nowadays there are mesothelioma law firms law firms that specialize in mesothelioma. They have trained mesothelioma lawyers and mesothelioma attorneys. These lawyers specialize in mesothelioma compensation cases.

It can happen that a victim may shy away from legal recourse because they fel that they do not have adequate financial support to pay the lawyer. However, this is a scenario they need not worry about. All they have to do is contact a mesothelioma support group, or a mesothelioma help group. These are present all over the United States. The patient can also go online and put a search for mesothelioma legal assistance cells by typing mesothelioma and then typing the name of the state or area they are from in the search field of the search engine they are using. This is not a fixed rule they can type it in any order. For example mesothelioma California, mesothelioma Texas, mesothelioma lawyer texas, New York mesothelioma, California mesothelioma lawyer, etc.

How are Mesothelioma Lawyers so Successful?

One of the basic things in awarding compensation is for the judge or the jury to decide whether the harm done was intentional, or whether it was the result of a choice the victim made, in simple terms. In many cases, the circumstance of a victim is a result of a choice he or she made. For example, in a smoking-related cancer case, the choice to smoke was made by the victim. However, in the case of mesothelioma, the situation is different. The circumstance of mesothelioma in the victim could have been averted if only his employers had been more careful, had made him aware about the risks the job entailed, and then let him choose, besides providing him whatever protection required to prevent him from being exposed to asbestos. This is one area that mesothelioma lawyers and mesothelioma attorneys have been able to successfully work on.

After the initial slew of mesothelioma cases and lawsuits, now laws are firmly in place to safeguard the health interests of the worker. Besides, in the event of someone actually suffering from mesothelioma, there are some guidelines towards seeking legal redress for them as well. Mesothelioma law is strict and helps provide fair verdicts in mesothelioma-related compensation cases.

Guidelines for Mesothelioma Victims Seeking Legal Action

The primary rule of thumb while filing a mesothelioma lawsuit is that it has to be filed immediately on diagnosis of the disease. In fact, in many of the states across the United States, mesothelioma laws stipulating the timeframe within which a lawsuit can be filed are in place. On diagnosis, you can contact a mesothelioma lawyer through your local mesothelioma activists or mesothelioma group for more mesothelioma information relating to lawsuits. The work of a mesothelioma lawyer or mesothelioma attorney is not limited to just fighting your case. A mesothelioma attorney usually has an extensive network of contacts other victims, mesothelioma case histories, good treatment facilities, nature of treatment options available, in fact, for most mesothelioma-related information. His specialization is a distinct advantage over a lawyer who doesnt have too much of an idea about mesothelioma.

The government is also taking steps to ensure that workers are safe from exposure to asbestos. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has passed laws and regulations stipulating safety measures and also has set in motion plans to ban and phase out the use of asbestos as much as possible. You can find more information about this at the EPA website www.epa.gov.

You can also browse the Internet for mesothelioma-related information, mesothelioma pictures, more information on asbestos, etc.

Resources
www.mesothelioma.org
www.mesolink.org
www.asbestosnews.com

The writer does freelance writing work. Primary areas are keyword-rich articles (especially in healthcare, insurance, credit), creative writing, blogposts, etc.

For more information please visit: http://www.projectrade.com

Want to know the quickest and easiest way to get competitive quotes on home insurance? Here's how ...

Competitive Quotes on Home Insurance

It doesn't matter what you're buying, the only way to get the cheapest price is to comparison shop. This is especially true of home insurance where premiums for the same exact policy can vary as much as $1,000 from one insurance company to the next.

In order to get competitive quotes on home insurance you can spend hours on the phone talking with local agents, spend hours online getting quotes from individual insurance companies, or spend a few minutes at an insurance comparison website and get up to five home insurance quotes.

The advantages of using an insurance comparison website are:

* You only need to fill out one simple form to get your quotes.

* Top insurance companies compete for your business.

* You get quotes from A-rated companies.

* The better comparison sites offer Articles with money-saving tips.

* The best insurance comparison sites offer an online chat feature so you can get answers to your questions from an insurance expert. (See link below.)

Insurance Company Ratings

In addition to getting a good rate on your home insurance, you also want to choose a company with a good rating. Here are three websites that rate insurance companies:

1. Your state's department of insurance website has a wealth of information on insurance companies. Most state's websites even list claims that have been filed against companies by consumers so you can check to see if the company you choose has an excessive amount of complaints.

2. J.D. Power & Associate's website (jdpower.com) features insurance company ratings drawn from customer's experiences with companies. Ratings range from "Among the best" to "The rest." I recommend choosing companies with an "About average" rating or better.

3. A.M. Best's website (ambest.com) provides insurance companies financial ratings so you can find out if a company is solvent and can pay insurance claims.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/homeowners-insurance.html or click on the following link to get competitive quotes on home insurance from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section.

The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written a number of articles on how to get competitive quotes on home insurance.

Have you considered that the special events in your life recently may warrant a top-up of your life cover? Probably not. You've likely been too busy moving house, planning a wedding or changing nappies - in other words, getting on with life. Understandably, increasing your life insurance cover may not have been at the top of your list of things to do.

Its worth a look at your policy to see if it allows you to top up your cover following special events, without the need for additional medical information. If youre not insured, its a good idea to look for a product which includes this feature.

As a general rule, you can increase your cover by up to 50% - without the need to provide further information for special events such as:

Having or adopting a baby
Getting married or divorced
Taking out a new home loan
Increasing an existing mortgage
Becoming responsible for the full-time care of a close relative.

There will, naturally, be an increase in your premiums for improved levels of cover, and you may need to provide evidence of the special events like those mentioned above.

There may also be limitations, such as the time periods in which you can major an increase to your cover (typically one event every year) or the amount you can increase your cover by (generally up to 50% of the original sun). An age restriction may also apply.

Talk to us for more information and advice on hassle-free top-ups.

www.ezylife.co.nz

Your trademark is the most important asset your business will ever own. A good trademark will distinguish you from the competition and help you stand out in a crowd. A poor trademark will entangle you in legal disputes and blunt your marketing efforts. Selecting a good trademark is as simple as following these guidelines.

First of all, avoid Trademarks that cannot be Registered. There is no point investing in a trademark that you cant register. Registering the mark protects it from competitors, ensures your ownership rights in the mark and makes it easier to enforce your rights against copy cats. As you will read below, certain types of words are inherently poor choices as trademarks because they cannot be registered.

Avoid Purely Descriptive Words. Words which describe the nature or quality of the goods or services sold with the mark are not permitted to be registered. Hence, the mark Cold Beer for use with malt beverages cannot be registered because it describes the actual product being sold. If registered, it would prevent anyone from using the terms Cold and Beer to describe a malt beverage.

Avoid Surnames. Surnames cannot be registered as trademarks. Hence the mark Wilson Power Boats is a poor choice for a trademark because the word Wilson is a surname (and the rest of the mark is descriptive).

Avoid Confusing Trademarks. A trademark which is confusingly similar to a registered trademark cannot be registered. Hence, the mark Sun-Screen cannot be registered if the trademark Sun Screen has already been registered for a similar type of product. A search of the US Trademarks Database and/or the Canadian Trademarks Database is a good idea.

Avoid Generic Words in a Trademark. The goal is to select a trademark which is as unique and distinctive as possible; therefore, avoid generic words. Examples of generic words include green, superior, American, Canadian, deluxe, gold, economy, premium and a plethora of others. If you incorporate generic words into your trademark, then you blend into the crowd, not stand out in front of it. Geographic words fall into this category.

Avoid TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) and Numbers. IBM, CNN and ATT are distinctive trademarks because their respective owners invested tens of millions of dollars into making the marks famous. Even a poor trademark can be made famous if you through enough money at it. But acronyms are intrinsically difficult to remember, while words, especially colorful words, are easily remembered. Hence ELS System Solutions is not as memorable as Volcanic Silicon. Likewise, avoid using numbers in a trademark as they tend to be less memorable. Furthermore, there are a limited number of unused acronyms available, so there is an excellent chance that your TLA will be confused with another.

Do use invented words. Invented words are words which do not exist in any language, apart from your trademark. Examples include SPANDEX, EXXON, KODAK, VIAGRA, and several other famous trademarks. Invented words are a good choice because they tend to be quite distinctive. You can create an invented word by simply combining parts of other words. For example, MICROSOFT is a combination of Micro computer and software.

Try animal or plant names. Animal and plant names tend to be quite memorable and, if used correctly, can convey a good image while still being distinctive. APPLE COMPUTERS, TIGER DIRECT, and Ford MUSTANG, are good examples.

Finally, make sure that the first word in your trademark is as distinctive as possible. It is often necessary to add descriptive words to the trademark in order to convey what is being sold or marketed in association with the mark. If generic words must be included, then it is vital that the first word of the mark be as distinctive as possible.

Elias Borges is a patent and trademark lawyer and a registered patent and trademark agent with the law firm of Borges & Rolle LLP in Toronto, Canada. http://www.borgesrolle.com/