Birthday Wishes - Thoughtful, Humorous, and Fun!

This time, do something truly thoughtful and add personalized birthday wishes and birthday poems to your card or gift. Your friends and family will know that you really spent some time and effort, and they will appreciate how much they were in your thoughts, as you have taken the time to add a personal touch to your birthday offering for them.Send special birthday wishes to the ones nearest and dearest to you. Whether they are close by or you are separated by many miles, you can make their big day extra special with birthday poems and greetings that mean something to them.Imagine how you would feel if, separated from your friends and family on your birthday, you received a card in the mail with thoughtful hand-written birthday wishes that remind you of how much you are loved? The miles between you would not seem so great if you were greeted with warm thoughts and verses on your special day.What about a friend who is down about turning another year older? Make her feel loved and appreciated, and remind her that she is only as old as she feels on the inside with birthday wishes from your heart.The love of your life will be truly touched when you express your feelings with tender birthday wishes for a long and happy life together. Amidst our daily routines, we often neglect to tell those closest to us how grateful we are to have them in our lives. A birthday is the perfect occasion to let them know that we need them and that we are thankful for the joy they bring us.Consider this short, but sweet verse:I wish you everything your dreams create, Your imagination is truly great.What a wonderful way to send a greeting of love and encouragement. And here's a sweet and fun idea: gather a handful of rhyming birthday wishes, and send them as text messages throughout the day. Your friend or loved one will feel like the birthday kid again when the whole day becomes an occasion for celebration.We have hundreds of verses like the one above, whether you want to send romantic or humorous birthday wishes, or something to cheer up a friend who is down. You are welcome to share any of them you like, and if you come up with your own birthday greeting that you would like to pass along, we would love to read it.While you are browsing, check out our collection of birthday poems, quotes, and messages of all types. When you take the time to make a card or gift personal, or find your own unique way to send a birthday message. If you are truly adventurous, why not send your message as a banner on a plane for the world to see? Nothing is as gratifying to a friend or someone dear to you as seeing that you care so much that you want everyone to know.Send birthday wishes and greetings to everyone you know, and your friendships will grow and deepen.

For a few decades, those believing

For a few decades, those believing that the chances for life elsewhere in the Universe are small have made circulate a theory that backs up their claims, known as the anthropic argument. Essentially, it states that the period of time it takes life to evolve is longer than the period in a star's life when it can sustain it on planets around it, and that, therefore, complex life must be very rare. Now, a new study comes to question this established line of reasoning, and proposes that complex life may occur more often and under less conditions than first thought, Space informs.Astrophysicist Brandon Carter was the first to propose the anthropic argument back in 1983, after successfully conducting remarkable work in the field of anthropic principles back in the 1970s. The driving force behind his argument is the assumption that the life cycle of a star is completely independent from the time frame complex life needs to appear and develop. In a new scientific study, astrobiologist Milan M. Cirkovic and colleagues argue that this argument is obsolete, because it has been proven that no body in, for example, the solar system, is completely independent from others. “There are many different ways in which planets in our solar system are not isolated. We must not regard habitable planets as closed boxes. If you abandon that assumption of independence, then you have a whole new background in which you can set up various models of astrobiological development,” explains Cirkovic. He adds that influences that could lead to the emergence of life on a certain celestial body could come from a variety of sources, such as gamma ray bursts, nearby supernovae, and perturbations of comet clouds.“A gamma ray burst won't affect whether life will begin at some particular point in time, but it would affect how quickly life develops or takes hold by causing changes in atmospheric chemistry on the planet. This can be interpreted as resetting astrobiological clocks which tick on each habitable planet in the Milky Way,” the expert adds. It may be, Cirkovic adds, that gamma-rays act like an astrobiological reset button, wiping out early attempts at life, and giving stars and their planets a new chance to sync up and attempt to produce life. “The speed of evolution is very variable. There is no reason to think that life on Earth has only one single origin. It is quite possible that there were several beginnings of life on Earth,” he concludes. The study detailing his idea appears in the June 2009 issue of the journal Astrobiology.

High-Fat Diets Make Us Stupid and Lazy

For many years now, nutritionists and health experts have been repeatedly warning us of the long-term dangers of high-fat diets, but what no one bothered to look at until now were the short-term consequences they entail. As a study performed on rats seems to indicate, these diets have great potential of making humans stupid and lazy, LiveScience informs.A 10-day high-fat diet in rats made them slower, while also leading to short-term memory loss, the study has found. Based on these findings, researchers can conclude that the same might happen to people as well, the only difference being that it would probably take a bit longer for these effects to appear: but they still will. Until further research is carried out to determine the exact degree of stupidity and laziness high-fat diets lead to, researchers warn people stay off them as much as possible. “Western diets are typically high in fat and are associated with long-term complications, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart failure, yet the short-term consequences of such diets have been given relatively little attention. We hope that the findings of our study will help people to think seriously about reducing the fat content of their daily food intake to the immediate benefit of their general health, well-being, and alertness.” Andrew Murray, co-author of the study, says for LiveScience. According to the aforementioned publication, rodents are often used for studies of this type, which means the above warning should not be taken lightly at all, especially since the differences between the effects of one diet and another were striking. Rats were divided into two groups, one was fed a low-fat diet (7.5 percent of calories as fat) and the other a high-fat one (55 percent of calories as fat). After no more than 4 days, the rats in the second group had serious problems moving, since they were “less able to use the oxygen needed to exercise,” LiveScience says, which, in turn, made their hearts work harder and increase in size. “It’s nothing short of a high-fat hangover. A long weekend spent eating hotdogs, French fries, and pizza in Orlando might be a great treat for our taste buds, but they might send our muscles and brains out to lunch.” Dr. Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the FASEB Journal, where the study is published, says. The explanation for that is to be found in the increased levels of the uncoupling protein 3, which, in the study, made the rodents less able to use oxygen for energy.

Exercise Does Not Encourage or Lead to Weight Loss

We’re constantly told that, if we want to lose the extra pounds we’ve been complaining about since forever, we should get a gym subscription and start sweating all the fat off. We’re also told we’re to eat healthier but, whether we know it or not, the two don’t really seem to go hand in hand in real life, as a new Time piece reads, since working out not only does not lead to weight loss, but might actively contribute to weight gain.The idea is that, by working out, we burn calories and, this way, lose weight. However, in order for this to work, we must make sure the number of calories ingested is actually lower than that of calories burned, which is the one aspect we’re always overlooking. Working out also makes us hungrier and that leads to the temptation of eating more or having a high-calorie snack afterwards, the Time piece says, citing recent research. If we also add to the equation the fact that many women feel the need to reward themselves after a hard session at the gym, then we can understand why humanity is now faced with an obesity epidemics, trapped in a situation it apparently can find no way out of. Exercise as the best method to lose weight is purely a myth, reads the Time article, unless it is also accompanied by a very strict diet that monitors calorie intake very closely.“The basic problem is that while it’s true that exercise burns calories and that you must burn calories to lose weight, exercise has another effect: it can stimulate hunger. That causes us to eat more, which in turn can negate the weight-loss benefits we just accrued. Exercise, in other words, isn’t necessarily helping us lose weight. It may even be making it harder.” reads the Time article. Moreover, the compensation effect can kick in right after a workout, which means the calories we’ve just burned are washed away with a muffin – because we “deserve” it. “All this helps explain why our herculean exercise over the past 30 years – all the personal trainers, StairMasters and VersaClimbers; all the Pilates classes and yoga retreats and fat camps – hasn’t made us thinner. After we exercise, we often crave sugary calories like those in muffins or in ‘sports’ drinks like Gatorade. A standard 20-oz. bottle of Gatorade contains 130 calories. If you’re hot and thirsty after a 20-minute run in summer heat, it’s easy to guzzle that bottle in 20 seconds, in which case the caloric expenditure and the caloric intake are probably a wash. From a weight-loss perspective, you would have been better off sitting on the sofa knitting.” Time says

Michael Phelps Involved in 3-Car Accident

Michael Phelps, eight-time gold medalist at the 2008 Olympics, was involved in a car crash in his hometown Baltimore a few hours ago. Details of the pile-up are a bit sketchy at the moment, with several reports saying that either two or three vehicles were involved. As of now, what is certain is that Phelps was not hurt in the crash and that alcohol was not a factor. Police are investigating what might have caused the accident. CNN reports that Phelps was held for questioning and then sent home, although specifics about the interview have not been revealed to the media. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tells CNN that the woman in the vehicle that Phelps crashed into was taken to the hospital for a checkup after complaining of some mild pain. Guglielmi is also at liberty to state that Phelps was not under the influence at the time the crash occurred: a field sobriety test was not necessary because the swimmer did not show any signs of intoxication.While CNN reports that only two cars were involved in the crash, Phelps’ black Cadillac Escalade and the woman’s vehicle, TMZ says there were actually three. According to the paparazzi agency, the Cadillac smashed into the other vehicle, and then both hit another car that was not moving at the time. Admittedly, TMZ says, the cause of the accident might have been someone running a stoplight, presumably Phelps, but that is yet to be determined by the ongoing police investigation.“Phelps reportedly emerged from the wreck unscathed, but a woman in the other car was shaken up and taken to a local hospital. We’re told she complained of ‘head and arm pain.’ The accident occurred around 9pm local time. A police spokesman says the Olympic Gold Medal winner was driving a Cadillac Escalade, which collided with a Honda accord. One of the local papers is reporting that a passenger in Phelps’ car was also injured, but it’s unclear as to the extent of that person’s injuries. We’re told there is already a tow-truck on scene removing Phelps’ ride. We’re told Michael’s car received ‘heavy damage’.” TMZ informs.At the moment, police cannot and will not disclose further details on the case, pending the end of the investigation. Stay tuned here for updates on this one.

Why You Need a Healthy Liver

The human liver does not enjoy the same amount of positive attention as the heart, the brain, or even the backbone. It does not get referenced in poetry very often, or used in metaphors. This poor treatment seems highly unfair when one considers the vital role our largest internal organ plays in our lives. As with so many other things, people do not really appreciate it until it is lost.What Your Liver Does for YouThis highly important gland is located in the upper right (your right) area of your body, beside your stomach and below your chest's diaphragm. Its many functions include:* The breakdown of medicines and toxins so they can be filtered from the bloodstream * Storage of glucose, copper, iron, and certain vitamins in case they are unavailable for a time * The conversion of ammonia into much less toxic urea * The synthesis of amino acids, which are later made into proteins * The production of bile, which helps the small intestine absorb fats * The production of proteins that assist in blood coagulation * The production of a hormone that helps children grow, and helps adults form new tissue * The production of a hormone that aids in maintaining a healthy blood pressureIf you can believe it, this is not even a complete list of things your liver does for you. It is hard to imagine life without this kind of help, although sadly some people have had to face that prospect.Long-Term HarmWhen this important gland is not functioning correctly, people can suffer in many ways. The short-term effects include pain, nausea, abdominal swelling, and light-colored stools. If effective treatment is not administered, very serious health problems can result.Long-term symptoms can include easy bruising, cuts that take a long time to stop bleeding, disorientation, constant itching, type-2 diabetes, and a condition called jaundice that gives the skin or eyes a yellow tint. Over time, the patient may become comatose and could even lose his or her life.While it does have the ability to regenerate to some extent, extensive damage to the liver may not be reversible. Unfortunately doctors do not currently have a way to undo this damage; all they can do is try to prevent it from becoming worse. The most common causes of such damage are malnutrition, the illness hepatitis, and exposure to hepatotoxic substances.Some of these substances are well known and easily identified, such as excessive alcohol. Sadly, some are not so well known, or even widely believed to be safe. Many drugs have been recalled after being linked to lasting harm.

7 Reasons For Drinking Water Regularly

Let's face it, to say that drinking water is essential for life is a great understatement! Since water constitutes 60-70% of our body, surely it must do more than quench our thirst or refresh us after a hot day. There are more important, yet subtle reasons for pouring yourself another glass soon.
Nervous System
The body's nervous system is, in short, a large series of water canals; its efficiency largely depends on how much of and the purity of what goes through it. Synthetic chemicals and other contaminants can literally block and distort nerve signals. Without water, signals are not carried as well to the brain. Doctors are now beginning to theorize that such is a cause for various disorders and diseases, such as ADD, anxiety, depression, and even Alzheimer's disease.
Digestion
To get the full benefit of the nutrients we intake each day we must consume plenty of clean drinking water. In addition to extracting the nutrients from the foods we eat and digesting properly, it reduces the storing of sugar and carbohydrates (thus adding superfluous calories).
Energy
Energy drinks are no substitute for plain water; actually, such caffeinated beverages can further dehydrate you. Many of us lack energy because in reality we are slightly dehydrated. Just a 5% drop in body fluid will cause as much as a 30% loss of energy.
Weight Loss
Drinking water may well be the missing link in our age old effort to losing weight. It is the function of the liver to metabolize fat; if the liver does not get the water it needs, it cannot function efficiently. Dieting alone will not do the job; by cutting back the calories we take in we also lessen the amount of water. These reasons make this precious resource all the more important.
Detoxification
What is probably the most beneficial reason, water flushes out the toxins which cause diseases, as well as other harmful substances we expose ourselves to everyday.
Healing Ability
No manmade medicine in the world can heal as effectively as clean drinking water! Sometimes we get our headaches, back pain, and other soreness simply because our muscles have become as stiff as the Tin Man. Our muscles consist largely of water and as such, we must keep them hydrated. The spinal cord discs also carry water, most of which supports your upper body. In addition, joints must be lubricated. These are just some of the many ailments affected by dehydration.
Body Temperature
The level of water in our body regulates our body temperature. When we perspire we not only sweat but give off heat. Without drinking properly, our body temperature becomes unstable.
The bottom line is, you may not be thirsty sometimes, but your body is always thirsty. The old medical cliché "You need eight cups of water a day" may be annoying, but is absolutely true and sometimes we require much more than that. Make drinking water second nature; after all, in many ways, it is a first and foremost natural thing to do.

The Reasons Why People Are Denied Medical Insurance

Every day hundreds of applicants are denied medical insurance. For years, insured individuals assumed it was a lack of income or the absence of a stable employer that caused many in the United States to not have medical insurance. While expenses and employment do play a role in those who are denied medical insurance there are many other issues that contribute to the problem of why millions of Americans are uninsured. There are several reasons big health insurance carriers deny millions of people and below are a few of them:Medications From the Past - Almost any type of medication that was prescribed by a doctor can result in an individual being denied coverage in the future. Most people assume that medications for conditions that have to do with the major organs such as the heart, brain, or stomach or all reasonable reasons for denial, but even medications for simple ailments raise red flags with insurance companies. A MSN report in 2008 explained how a woman was denied medical insurance for taking a fertility drug to conceive her two sons. A past history of taking medications such as anti-depressants are also a huge reason many people are denied medical insurance.Incurable STDs - Medical insurance company will not insure most individuals who have an STD such as herpes, HPV, or HIV. Although denial claims vary from state to state, in most states an individual with an STD is considered uninsurable.Smoking and Drinking - Individuals who drink socially or smoke are almost instantly denied health insurance due to their increased risk of illness. Most medical insurance companies request that you disclose information about your drinking habits and association with cigarettes. Any association with alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs results in an instant denial of medical insurance.Weight - In most cases a medical insurance company will deny someone coverage because they are overweight. In these cases the medical insurance company will simply state that the individual doesn't meet the height and weight guidelines that are required to be insured. Some medical insurance companies will evaluate the denial if the individual loses the weight. Underweight individuals are also frequently denied health insurance.Family History - People who have family histories of cancer, diabetes, or any disease that is considered genetic have a higher rate of denials than those with a healthy family. In these cases, the individual is not evaluated based on their own health but on how healthy family members are.Pre-existing Conditions - Most insurance companies will deny any applicant that has a pre-existing condition. A pre-existing condition could be something less serious such as allergy problems or something more serious such as diabetes. A pre-existing condition is one of the main reasons that many people are denied medical insurance.An individual who is denied medical insurance has a few options available. One option is to appeal the denial. By appealing the denial, questioning the insurance company, and finding out how coverage could be possible, some people are able to get their denials overturned. Another option is to evaluate other health insurance companies that have guidelines that could possibly allow the person to become covered. A final option is to receive a plan from a high-risk pool. Many states have an option called a high-risk pool that allows individuals who are considered medically uninsurable to obtain coverage despite the risk.

Get Your Ex Girlfriend Back - 5 Easy Tips

If you decide you definitely want to get your ex girlfriend back, it is better to plan what steps you should take, rather than just hoping everything will be ok. Often breakups occur over silly things and neither of you want to stay apart. I have written 5 steps that are ways to let your girlfriend know that you still interested in being together and you want to rebuild your relationship in an honest way.Step 1. To learn how to get your ex girlfriend back, it is important to realize that playing too hard to get is not the way to go. Show interest in her, and look for ways where you can show her you want to be part of her life. Be subtle in your approach and do overwhelm her with communications of any sort.Step 2. Email is a good start to keep in touch. But you need to keep the messages light and friendly. This way she will not feel threatened and will answer you in a friendly manner. If you over do it she will simply back off. Remember light and friendly, do not interrogate her with questions.Step 3. If you want to get your ex girlfriend back, stay away from other girls. Even if she says she is not interested she will be. Once she learns you have been out with other girls (and they always do) she will need a lot more convincing to go out with you again.Step 4. This step is very important, girls like to have their special moments remembered. Dates like birthdays, anniversaries and any other important event to them should be remembered by sending a card and a note, letting them know you have thought of them in a nice way not a threatening manner.Step 5. You can call or text your ex girlfriend, but it must been seen as friendly and that that you care about her as a person. This way she will not have to imagine you out with another girl having fun if you have text her saying most days you have worked late. Make sure of course that what you say is true. If she knows that you still think about her she will relax and start to confide more in you. This will lead to a meeting.As with most things relating to building relationships, getting your ex girlfriend back is not an exact science. However one of the most basic rules is keeping in touch , even on a very irregular basis it is important. Once that thread of contact is gone it is much harder to get it back. Remember it is important not to overdo the contact immediately. It will usually make her feel threatened.These are just a few steps that can be used in the beginning. When my relationship ended and I desperately wanted to get my ex boyfriend back I followed these basic steps and over time we started to communicate and build up our trust.To get your ex girlfriend back take these steps and continue to build up trust. No relationship will last without it.

Protecting Yourself With Life Insurance - Giving You & Your Family Peace of Mind

Most types of insurance are important in today's society and some are more significant to different people. For example, one person may find that pet insurance for their dog is more important than car insurance and vice versa. However when it comes to life insurance, this normally takes top priority over the rest. Not many people like thinking about the possibility of leaving loved ones behind but isn't it better to be safe than sorry? By taking out life insurance you can give yourself and your family piece of mind in the event of something happening to you.The people left behind will have a lot to deal with such as bills, funeral costs and other additional financial issues. They will also have to cope with your loss and may need time off to collect themselves and recuperate; having this type of insurance will cover all of this and give those loved ones aid at such a tough time. Life cover is about thinking of others, and more specifically those that are close to you, so taking out a policy is a wise idea.There are a number of life insurance policies to chose from and it is advisable to research into all of these to make sure you find the one that will best suit your needs, and a lot of life insurance policies start from as little as £5 a month.Life cover isn't all about death; it also helps you if you lose your job and find yourself in a major financial predicament. On many policies you are allowed to use the life insurance money to help you get back on your feet and take control of your life.

Acceptable Credit Scores For an Auto Loan - What's the Minimum Rating to Buy a New Car?

Did you know that just by reviewing your credit information before you shop for a new car you can save $200 or more a month? Your credit score is the most important piece of getting approved for a good loan at an acceptable rate. A better score can not only allow you to get a lower rate, which means lower monthly payments, but it can reduce the amount of down payment funds you need to come up with and allow you to get approved for a bigger loan.That means not only lower monthly payments, but the potential to buy a nicer car. By taking 5 minutes to review your auto loan credit score, you can find out exactly what type of loan you can get approved for, how much it will cost you, and what you need to do in order to improve it.By reviewing this information now, you can make necessary changes before your car lender ever takes a look at it. When you increase your score, the lender will only see what your current rating is.They will not be able to tell that you used some of the incredibly easy strategies to boost your auto loan credit score.For instance, one thing you can do is remove all of the inaccurate information to increase your rating. Three out of four credit reports contain mistakes that don't belong there, and can quickly fix these. There could be accounts in collection that you never opened, credit card accounts marked as late that you closed years ago, and items that are just plain wrong

Get a Car Loan Quote Before You Start Car Shopping - Good Or Bad Credit You Can Still Get a Loan

Many people these days will use the Internet to research the price of a car they are interested in before they start shopping but not as many people take the time to get a car loan quote before they start to shop for the car they want.People realize that almost nobody pays the sticker price for an automobile so they research the cost of the car to the dealership and then they're able to start shopping armed with knowledge and a strong negotiating position. It is a very good idea to do this type of research before you head to the dealership but it's also a good idea to get a car loan quote ahead of time as well so that you know how much you can afford to pay for your new vehicle. You don't want to waste all day searching for a car only to find out that you can't afford to pay for it, or worse, buy the car and find out later you can't afford it and then you're stuck with huge monthly payments that are beyond your budget.If you were to get two or three auto loan quotes before you went to the dealership you would have a good idea of what the current interest rates are, and this research may even reveal an opportunity to save money by getting a lower interest rate. A lower interest rate will have a significant effect on the amount of your monthly payments.First-time buyers with no credit history or people with a poor credit score may be worried that they will not be able to find financing for the vehicle they want, but there are a lot of companies willing to loan money to people with less than perfect credit. By searching online, you have access to lenders nationwide rather than just the lenders that are found in your local area. Searching online is also a huge time saver. By getting quotes on the Internet you save a lot of time that would be spent calling a number of different lenders to try to get a quote and time to track down the phone numbers to call in the first place.People with good credit will certainly pay a lower interest rate than people with poor credit but even those with bad credit can still get loans. The interest rates will affect your monthly payments but there are other factors as well. The amount of money you can pay for a down payment and the term, or length of the loan will also effect your monthly payments. Getting a car loan quote from a couple of different lenders may reveal a chance to find a lower interest rate but may also allow you to find favorable terms that will also give you more affordable monthly payments.Getting quotes on line allows you to quickly seek out the best rate with the most flexible terms and having this information before you start car shopping will help you to know how much you can afford and prevent you from getting in over your head with payments you can't afford.

Finding a Low Rate Auto Loan - Some Things You Should Know to Help You Find That Low Rate

Many people make the mistake of believing that the credit score that they have at the moment is the only thing that will help them get a low rate auto loan. There are a few things you can do to help you get that lower rate auto loan including: improving your credit score, choosing a different car, getting a cosigner, and doing some comparison shopping. After reading this article you will have a better understanding of some positive alternatives you can take in getting a great car loan.The first thing you can do to get a lower rate on your loan, is to improve your credit score. There are some simple things you can do to have a high credit score. The biggest thing you can do is to always pay your creditors on time. That might sound simple, but things do come up and the payments are sometimes late. Call or write to your creditors and ask them if they can give you a break. Let them know that it wasn't on purpose. If you usually pay on time, ask if they could not penalize you this time. If you do have problems paying on time regularly, then see what other plans they have available for people in your situation. Remember to stress to them that you are trying and many companies will be willing to work with you to figure out a solution.The next thing that plays a role in how low your rate will be on the car loan is the car itself. It might seem funny that whether the car is new or used makes a difference, but that is related to the value of the car. Used cars are said to get higher interest rates because the loan is secured against the actual automobile which is generally a lower price on the market. Consequently lenders see those loans as more risky. So it may be in your best interest to choose a car that is new or newer but at a lower price point. It may not be the exact car that you were dreaming about, but you will get a lower percentage rate on your loan, and that will pay off in the long run.Something that most people don't want to consider when getting a loan, is having a cosigner. Who wants to ask mom or dad or someone else to sign "their life away" for Your car? The thing is, as long as you pay your bill on time there's no issue with your cosigner having to pay anything. If there is someone that trusts you enough to let you put their name down as well, then you can seriously lower your rate, but always check how multiple lenders treat that. If one of your goals is to get a low rate auto loan, then you should consider the option of having a cosigner on your loan.There are a number of things you can do to get a lower rate on your auto loan. You can work on your credit score to get that lowered. You can reconsider which kind and how old of a car you want, to get a better rate. You can have a cosigner on your loan to get a low interest rate. One of the fastest and easiest ways to find a low rate auto loan is to shop around. There are a lot of lenders competing for your business and rates vary greatly from one lender to another so make sure to check with more than one company. These simple ideas can pay off in a big way.

Auto Insurance Quotes - Comprehensive Rates

What's a Quote? Is it Necessary? Where Do I Find One?Auto insurance quotes are nothing more than the rate price to be charged of a buyer in owning vehicular insurance. These auto insurance quotes are based on a wide range of factors including coverage and other more obscure anomalies to be explained.An auto insurance quote is very important to consider before purchasing a policy, as it is through these insurance quotes that one may achieve a general concept of price and form a conclusion and decision based on said quote. Fortunately, they are rather easy to obtain, though. Quotes can be acquired from most major insurance agents by filling out a general information form on their respective website.Factors in DepthTwo very vital factors affecting auto insurance quotes and premiums are the coverage plan and the deductibles. The latter, the deductibles, are certain aspects of an auto insurance quotes that are not to be paid by the insurance company in case a file need be claimed. If more deductibles exist, then a buyer's premium is likelier to be lower.Coverage, on the other hand, is the costs that the insurance is willing to pay. They are, however, based on the chosen rate and can be both minimal and extensive. Some forms of coverage include liability for property destruction or physical damage to another motorist or pedestrian. This form exists in case fault is placed on the buyer and not the other party within an accident. Conversely, coverage for the buyer him/herself can include medical coverage, vehicular coverage, rental coverage, and other general services.General FactorsUnfortunately, some factors increasing premiums and one's auto insurance quote may exist that are based off problems or conflicts within the insurance company and not the buyer per se. A higher level of medical expense on a general level, for example, could increase premiums for all clients covered by an insurance company. Expenses within the insurance company itself due to economic reasons can also be detrimental to a buyer's auto insurance quote.Other Lesser Known FactorsMore so, however, personal attributes are often the reasoning behind a higher or lower auto insurance quote. Auto insurance quotes often times are dependent upon some more obscure traits, both within the person and within the vehicle, as well. These include the vehicle type, location, gender, age, record, and other personal characteristics. It is often the case that faster and more expensive cars result in a higher rate. This may be due to repair costs or the recklessness that is often associated with higher-end cars.Some other aforementioned aspects that may increase a buyer's auto insurance quote are the gender and age of the driver. Young males (who are single) tend to be the most likely candidate for a car accident, and so their auto insurance quote tends to be higher than those of female or married clients. Other effects may also include records, such as DUIs, tickets, and previous collisions

Apple Keynote Pinned Down for September 7

Citing “multiple music industry sources,” MediaMemo claims Apple is gearing up for one of its famed keynote events during the week of September 7. The company is also preparing to officially release Snow Leopard, and perhaps a mystery product (tablet), this coming month.“But in true Apple fashion, the company has been noncommittal about the exact date of the event and what it will be showing off,” the MediaMemo report outlines. Therefore, this is pretty much all the big news, and even this isn’t a certainty. Apple usually issues a press release announcing the dates for these events, so we’ll know for sure when the Mac maker updates the press section of its web site.As for the speculation, it’s big, as always. Some say Apple undoubtedly has some music-related surprise for the audience on September 7, a belief fueled by the fact that music industry reps were seemingly the only ones notified of the event. Of course, Apple could have also notified other industry members who may simply have their lips sealed better. If so, we could see the introduction of the much hyped and much rumored iTablet, although many believe it won’t be released until 2010.“...unless Apple unveils its so-called iTablet, a touchscreen device that’s supposed to be a cross between an iPhone and a full-fledged MacBook laptop computer, there are going to be a lot of disappointed Apple acolytes,” the report adds.It should be noted that many strongly believe 2009 is the year Apple will release this mystery tablet, with one industry watcher claiming an actual hands-on with a prototype. Not 100% certain, but certainly 100% intriguing. Hopes are also high for an appearance on behalf of Mr. Steve Jobs, Apple’s iconic CEO who has recently returned from a six-month-long medical leave

overview of high blood pressure in

A growing number of children are suffering from high blood pressure. While most cases of "pediatric hypertension" have traditionally been secondary to other medical conditions, an increasing number of children are being diagnosed with primary, or "essential" hypertension. High blood pressure in children is different than high blood pressure in adults. It follows different diagnosis guidelines, has different treatment options, and different measures of treatment success.1. Is High Blood Pressure Common in Children?High blood pressure is typically a disease associated with age, and has not been common in children without preexisting medical problems. In recent years, the number of children diagnosed with high blood pressure has increased dramatically, and the number of children with high blood pressure continues to rise. This is largely a result of the explosion in childhood obesity, which directly increases the risk of high blood pressure and of other diseases, like diabetes.2. Do Children Have the Same Risk Factors As Adults?The risk factors for high blood pressure are very similar for both adults and children. Obesity, exercise level, genetic traits, and family history all play an important role. The importance of each risk factor, though, is not as well understood in children. In adults, doctors can actually use formulas to figure out a patient’s “total risk” of developing high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease based on risk factors. Even though the actual risk factors are the same in children, they tend to work differently – some are more important, some are less important – and there is no universally accepted way to calculate total risk in children.3. When Should Children Have Their Blood Pressure Checked?Regular blood pressure checks should be done at every doctor visit starting at age 3. Usually, children younger than 3 do not need to have their blood pressure checked on a regular basis. Preexisting medical problems might require regular blood pressure checks regardless of age. Specifically, any problems with the heart, lungs, kidneys, or liver usually require close monitoring and regular blood pressure checks are almost always conducted as a part of the monitoring routine. If you doctor detects any abnormal readings, he may want to start more regular checks to determine if further action is needed.4. How Are Blood Pressure Readings Interpreted?Interpreting blood pressure readings in children is a complicated process. In adults, the measured blood pressure is compared to a set of guidelines that list cutoff values for normal and abnormal blood pressure. These were developed by observing how increasing pressure relates to problems like heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Since children don’t usually suffer any of these things as a result of their high blood pressure, tables like this cannot be developed. Instead, a complex set of mathematical steps are used that relate age, height, and weight to the measured blood pressure.5. How is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed in Children?Diagnosing high blood pressure in children can be difficult. After taking multiple readings, the average blood pressure values are analyzed using different statistical methods and the analyzed readings are compared to charts. The charts used for children do not have firm cutoff values for diagnosis. Instead, they show how the child’s blood pressure compares to statistical averages for lots of other children of similar age, height, and weight. A diagnosis is made by figuring out how much the measured blood pressure differs from these averages.6. What Treatment Options are Available?Many treatment options are available for children with high blood pressure. Still, the treatment process can be complex and the treatment plan often requires frequent updates and changes. Children tend to be more resilient and in better overall health than adults. So in cases where there is no single, clear cause of the high blood pressure, lifestyle changes (diet, weight loss, etc.) are almost always the first treatment choice. Ultimately, drug therapy might be necessary, and smaller doses of adult medicines are usually used. There are no unique medicines that are only used for children, nor are there any medicines that must always be avoided in children.7. Should Teenagers Follow Adult or Child Guidelines?High blood pressure in teenagers is also a unique and sometimes complicated issue. Because they have physical traits of both adults and children, deciding how to evaluate, diagnose, and treat teenagers depends largely on the specific patient. Some teenagers are treated as adults, while others benefit more from pediatric diagnostic and treatment options. In the teenage years, risk factors begin to take on their more familiar adult properties, but careful attention should still be paid to the specific situation of individual patients.

Health Care Reform - Why Will This Work Now?

Until recently, the universal health care pros and cons for the U.S. have been debated but largely nothing much has been done to change the current failing system. Maybe it is because the term "universal health care" seems to still spell "failure" due to the Clinton era of health care reform. But why was that such a failure and why does Obama feel a national health care system will work for the U.S. now?Obama is Ready for Health Care ReformThis is not something President Obama is just looking into. He has a $634 billion proposal and that is just a down payment. He has already shown his commitment to health care reform by giving COBRA recipients subsidies not long after he was in office. And although there has been some expected opposition to his proposals, it looks as though he is not facing a failure as Clinton did.Timing and PresentationAs some of you may want to believe, no, it is not his charismatic way that is going to make health care reform work but instead a mix of ingredients that just may provide a national health care system for America. There are many ingredients that are working in favor for President Obama but the main ones include timing and presentation.Out of Control Health Care Costs Have Changed Some MindsTiming is everything, right? Well, it is working for health care reform too. Although when President Clinton first proposed a universal health care system there was a need for it but not enough people felt we had a failing health care system. And many insurance and medical professionals were worried about their bottom line so were reluctant to jump on board. Now that we have had some time to let's say, digest the thought of a national health care system along with the fact that health care costs are out of control and show no signs of stopping, the professionals that once opposed a national health care system are now ready to see what options are available.Which Boss Would You Want to Work With?Presentation... Obama has it! OK, let's say you are at the office and your boss hands you a proposal on how to get the office organized. He has done all the planning and has laid out what you need to buy and how you need to do it. Now, let's take another approach. Your boss sits down with you and tells you that he would like to see the office work more efficiently and would like to get your ideas on how that should be done. Which boss would you be more likely to work with? You get the picture. Obama has chosen to take the time to work with advisors and get their opinions on how to make health care reform work. President Clinton, although he had good intentions, pretty much handed out his plan on how it was going to work.A Good Medium and Not Rushing ItOf course there are many other factors as to why Obama just may pull this off where others could not. By taking the time to look at all the options, he has also found a good medium where insurance companies will be able to work with the government, and between the two of them be able to offer Americans the best health care choices. It will take a lot of time and work and certainly won't happen quickly, but it is a great task. Many feel like they just can't wait for health care reform, but, I think most of us can agree that this is not something we want rushed, which would give it more of a chance for failure.

Earth's Wobble Responsible for Previous GW Events

New evidence uncovered by experts seems to point out the fact that wobbles in our planet's tilt may have been the triggers behind global warming events that took place in prehistoric times. It has for a long time been known that Earth's tilt in regard to the Sun is not stable, and that our planet wobbles as it revolves around the star. This is the first time evidence of this wobble motion influencing global warming and the planet's climate is discovered, ABC News informs.According to a new study, published in the August 14th issue of the respected journal Science, the penultimate ice age did not end when most geologists think it did. Newly uncovered evidence places its end at around 141,000 years ago, which is several thousands of years earlier than first thought. In charge of the research were scientists from the University of Newcastle, in the United Kingdom, led by expert Dr Russell Drysdale.This assumption deserves thorough looking-into, other experts say, because it challenges established knowledge that it was the intensity of summer seasons in the Northern Hemisphere that triggered or stopped ice ages. If it turns out to be true, the conclusions of the new study will be the first to show that it was in fact Earth's orientation towards the Sun that triggered all of this. The information the UK team published was collected from three Italian stalagmites, which have been almost perfectly preserved.Drysdale and his colleagues say that the level of obliquity – the tilt of the planet towards the Sun – has the interesting effect of dictating the total amount of sunlight that each of the Earth's two hemispheres receives during the summer. Obliquity however was found not to affect the peak intensity of the solar radiation during the northern summer to a large degree. “Any improvement we can have in understanding how the earth's orbital parameters affect our coming in and out of ice ages can certainly affect the models used now too,” explains University of Melbourne expert Dr John Hellstrom.The new study also set the researchers on a new avenue for research. They are currently investigating the interesting hypothesis that states glacial melting periods actually began in the Southern Hemisphere, and not in the northern one. Still, at this point, this is all speculation, and more studies are required before this can be established.

How the Brain Changes When Eyes Open

The human brain is responsible for analyzing, or integrating, all of the five established senses that each of us has. When each of these senses is activated, changes were previously proven to occur in the cortex, which modifies itself so as to ensure that we perceive events on the outside as accurately as possible. Recently, scientists at the Technical University Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science, and the Institute of Neuroscience, have published a new study, which concentrates on the functional changes in the visual cortex after the eyes are opened.“Eye-opening represents a turning point in the function of the visual cortex. Before eye-opening, the visual cortex is largely devoid of sensory inputs and neuronal activities are generated intrinsically. After eye-opening, the cortex starts to integrate visual information,” the authors write in a new paper accompanying the investigation, published in the August 14th online issue of the respected journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).By using a viewing technique known as two-photon calcium imaging on live mice, the researchers got a thorough insight into how developmental changes in the rodents' cortices appeared, by analyzing the spontaneous activity that appeared as soon as the animals opened their eyes. The reason why the study was conducted on mice is because they only open their eyes a few weeks after birth. In the experiments, one group of rodents was reared normally, while another was reared in the dark. The German team says that this helped them understand whether intrinsic or external factors were influencing the activity in the animals' neural cortices.Emphasis was placed on layer 2/3 neurons, which had their traits analyzed since the first week of birth until several weeks after the mice opened their eyes. The researchers learned that more than 75 percent of nerve cells in this brain layer were active immediately before eye-opening, but that their proportion decreased considerably one day afterwards, to about 36 percent. Additionally, over the following days, the amount of active nerve cells decreased further, until it reached a steady 12 percent.“These results reveal a modulatory contribution of visual experience during the first days after eye-opening, but an overall dominating role of intrinsic factors. We propose that the transformation in network activity from dense to sparse is a prerequisite for the changed cortical function at eye-opening,” the researchers conclude. The team now plans to conduct similar investigations on humans, to determine whether the same patterns of visual processing area activity are maintained in us as well.

Kate Moss’ Plan to Knock 10 Years Off Her Face

With her perfect bone structure and a waif-like body that literally set a new standard for the modeling industry, Kate Moss is often hailed as the most successful supermodel in the world, even at 35, which, as we know, occasionally equals “old” in model years. However, recent pictures snapped while she was on vacation in St. Tropez, showing the extent of the damage done to her skin by her unhealthy lifestyle, have prompted Moss to opt for a radical change, the Daily Mail informs.Kate Moss is a heavy smoker and drinker – as a matter fact, the media knows that there are few things she likes in life more than partying. Understandably, the many sleepless nights, the nicotine addiction and the amounts of alcohol ingested on a regular basis have eventually taken a toll on Moss’ complexion, as the pictures taken earlier this month have revealed. After seeing them in the media and on the Internet, the model has decided to change her habits and knock as much as ten years off her face.“Kate didn’t like seeing pictures of the state of her skin while she was on holiday. She knows it’s down to her lifestyle, so she is deciding to try a particular health plan to help regain a fresh look.” an unnamed source tells the Mail. In cutting down on her smoking and her drinking, as well as by beginning to eat healthy again and drink more water, Moss hopes to rid herself of the wrinkles, blemishes and the spotty skin the strong holiday sun made so painfully obvious in the aforementioned pictures, the source says.With the help of her current boyfriend, Jamie Hince, Moss has already taken the first steps in the right direction, by promising him she would smoke less and limit her drinking only to going out. She is also drinking more water to hydrate her skin and paying more attention to what she eats, because she knows that too is ruining her complexion, the same insider reveals. By overhauling her lifestyle, Moss is convinced she will look ten years younger in just a short time – granted she manages to stick to the changes she makes and doesn’t lose focus on her goal.“She is now eating three regular healthy meals a day. For breakfast she will have a poached egg on a slice of wholemeal toast, grilled chicken with vegetables and a salad for lunch and wholemeal pasta with fish for dinner. She is also drinking two liters of water a day. Her alcohol consumption is being limited to only when she goes out and has made a pact with Jamie that she will try not to drink during the week. She is also trying to cut down on the amount of cigarettes she smokes.” the same source explains.

Use eBay to Decorate on a Dime

Did you catch the "Do Anything Cheaper" story in your July issue of Glamour? If not, flip back to it -- it's a must-read. In it, we promised to help you decorate your crib on the cheap, so I chatted up Shawn Henderson, eBay's design director (and an all-around super-nice guy), to get the inside scoop.Here are his strategies for saving -- and getting the sweetest finds.
By Kim Fusaro
Know exactly what you want. Do not -- I repeat -- do not do a one-word search on eBay unless you want arthritis in your clicking finger. Here's why: I typed "sofa" into the search bar and got 12,041 results. No one I know has the time (or mental capacity) to click through 61 pages of sofas. Instead, when you're ready to redecorate, pick up a design mag, and read the captions closely. When you see something you like, note the color, material and style. I searched for "brown leather Chesterfield sofa" and got a much more manageable 12 results.If you find design magazines intimidating, flip through the catalogs (or click through the Web sites) of your favorite stores. I found this cute little two-seater on the Ikea [http://www.ikea.com/] site for $499. I typed its name ("Klippan") into eBay, where a used one is selling for $100 -- sadly, unless you live within an hour or two of Camarillo, California (which I don't), this probably isn't a good buy. (The sofa's pickup only.)Which brings me to my next tip: Keep an eye on shipping charges and whether items are listed as "Pickup Only." Cuz it would suck to have the winning bid on something you had to fly to Utah to for. An easy way to avoid location heartbreak -- especially when shopping for oversize goods, like furniture -- is to narrow your search from the start. Type your Zip code into the "Distance" thingy under "Refine Search" (see below), and you can focus on goods that are close by.Something else to know before you start shopping: How big your space is. Sometimes you can't get a feel for how big (or small) something actually is based on the pictures alone. So measure how much room you have and make sure whatever you're checking out will fit before you bid.You also need to know how much you want to spend beforehand. It's easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of a last-minute auction and start adding a few (or a few hundred) extra dollars onto your initial bid. (Trust me. I've been sucked into that frenzy.)Speaking of bidding, Shawn recommends signing in (or registering, for first-timers) the second you go to eBay's home page. If you jump in and search and later want to bid on an auction that closes in minutes (or less!) you'll lose valuable seconds on the sign in page.Once you've found what you're looking for, check out the stats on the person selling it. It's best to buy from a seller whose feedback score is around 98 to 100 percent. Read feedback from other buyers to see how the smoothly the seller's recent transactions have gone. If you'd like more info (including pictures or measurements), the seller should get back to you quickly with adequate answers.

Ten sneaky bank fees that sting unsuspecting consumers

consumers need to keep their guard up as financial institutions increasingly impose new fees and charges to balance their books in the wake of the continued economic downturn.Banks and card companies have gone on the offensive in advance of proposed new consumer financial-products protections that the Obama administration is asking Congress to enact. For many consumers, that could mean an unexpected sting on monthly bills.
"The fee income is becoming increasingly more important as interest income is falling as a percent of total revenues," says Bob Hammer, CEO of R.K. Hammer, a bank-card advisory firm.Late fees, loan origination, over-the-limit and overdraft charges, for example, helped generate a hefty 53% of banking industry income in 2008, according to the Hammer firm. That's up from 35% of income in 1995.At $19 billion, credit-card penalty fees alone are nearly 80% more than what they were in 2003.Overdraft charges are becoming increasingly more lucrative too. The average bounced check fee is $28.95, a rate that rises every year, according to Greg McBride, senior analyst at Bankrate.com. That's for the first one. Most banks have a tiered structure in which the fees for subsequent overdrafts rise to $33 or $35 if you overdraw two, three or four times."The best defense to that is what kind of habits can consumers change so that they're not hostage to those fees," Mr. McBride says.Banks see plenty of room to grow revenue from those fees and the pressure is on for them to do so."If there's a way to create and use a fee, it will happen," said Adam Levine, chairman of Credit.com. "These guys have never met a fee they didn't like."
The fees aren't necessarily bad, consumer advocates say, as long as they are reasonable: There's a whole lot more involved in a loan origination, for example, than there is using an ATM. But Mr. Levine says that banks are drawing wide margins around what's considered "reasonable.""Bigger banks tend to be more fee-centric than small banks do," Mr. Levine says. "Big banks will tell you how friendly they are, but small banks tend to be more consumer friendly."Remember this: It's always worth the time to pick up the phone and ask for a pass on the fees. No bank is going to advertise that it waives fees on a regular basis, but many of them do when asked --nicely, of course.Here are 10 fees you especially need to keep a close eye on:1. Overdraft. Should you unknowingly bounce a check, you could be charged a multitude of times before finding out and balancing the account. Many consumers argue that banks should deny them cash at the ATM if it's going to overdraw the account.2. Deposit returned. If a check deposited in your account bounces, you're charged a fee. Word to the wise: accept checks only from trusted sources.3. Checking. This is the privilege-of-using-your-own-money charge that many banks did away with years ago. But charges are starting to creep back into the system, experts warn. Consumers should not assume their checking accounts are fee-free -- or if they are, that they will continue to be infinitum. "The type of checking account to now look for is one that does not have a monthly service charge, minimum balance requirement or limit on the number of transactions you can make," says Bankrate's Mr. McBride.4. Teller. Banks drew fire from consumers in the 1990s when they tried charging a fee if human interaction occurred when depositing or withdrawing money. There are scattered reports of these fees popping up, mostly now in the form of "excessive" use of tellers. Some banks, for example, will give you two free teller visits a month, but charge you for extras.5. Inquiries. This is the phone version of teller fees. Make a call about your account, a question about a charge or to order a new book of checks and you could get hit with this service fee. "These are the routine fees that month after month can really have a significant impact on your bottom line," Mr. McBride says.6. Closing accounts. Consider this a punitive fee. Many banks will charge you a fee if you close an account within 90 days -- and sometimes within six months -- of opening it.7. Credit cards. Late fees and over-limit charges are already steep but could go higher. The new legislation will put caps on some of those fees and on how they're charged against old and new balances. But until then, expect to see them grow. Grace periods also are expected to end or be severely restricted.8. Annual. In the early days of credit cards, issuers charged consumers a yearly fee for the right to charge. Competition drove most away, but it looks like they may make a comeback. "Read your mail," Mr. Hammer says. "If you get something from the bank, it's usually because they're making a change. Find out what it is."9. Currency conversions. Got extra euros from a recent trip that you want converted to dollars? It will cost you. These are fees that are on an upswing too.10. ATMs. If you use an ATM that doesn't belong to your bank or has an agreement with your bank you could get whacked twice, once by your bank and again by the ATM's owner. And the bite is getting bigger.Copyrighted, MarketWatch. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of MarketWatch content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of MarketWatch. MarketWatch shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.