Beldames’ Saloon

People buy health insurance for different reasons. The following are ten of these reasons. Please look them over and consider which reasons apply to you and which do not. This will help you to evaluate what type of health insurance will best meet your personal needs.

(1) Health insurance can protect you from the risk of uncertain bills for health care.

(2) Without health insurance, you may not be able to afford expensive services.

(3) Health insurance can pay for services that you use often.

(4) Health insurance can help you to get better quality care as a member of a coordinated health plan than you would get on your own.

(5) With health insurance, you do not have to worry about the cost of care when you are sick.

(6) The additional money provided by affordable health insurance when you are sick may be more valuable to you than money when you are well.

(7) If you have more dependents than most people, then you may get more out of a family policy for health insurance.

(8) If you or your dependents have more health care needs than most people and you only pay an average premium, then you get more from health insurance than most people.

(9) You do not pay income tax on health insurance benefits so it is more valuable per dollar than the same amount in taxable pay.

(10) Health insurance companies generally pay lower prices to doctors and hospitals than you would pay on your own.

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Life insurance, in fact all insurance, is based on the idea of sharing the possibility of some adverse/negative occurrence. A large group of individuals, each year, pay their small part of the total of the insurance claims so that when they die, their spouses and children (called beneficiaries) can get a large amount in relation to what they paid into their policy.

The life insurance companies are cautious and rightly so for the good of all policyholders and try not to insure (or they charge higher rates for) people who statistically, because of past medical history or riskier life style, may die ahead of time. If the insurance companies accepted these individuals who are at “higher risk” at low rates, then this could, at some point, increase the premium rates for next group of people who are in good health. The reason for this is that if claims (money paid out) exceeded money received in premiums, the life insurance company could be paying out more than they collect.

Too little money received while paying more in insurance claims could hurt the insurance company and it might even go out of business and not be there to assist the beneficiaries of the people who have life insurance with them. The life insurance company has to be sensible and far-sighted resulting in a strong financial position to serve all the policyowners.

Underwriting: By testing and studying the histories of the people who apply for insurance, the cost to the insurance consumer are kept down. This procedure of reviewing what rate is charged to an individual is called underwriting.

Underwriting life insurance is not a precise science: Each life insurance company looks at circumstances in a somewhat different way. That’s where an experienced and knowledgeable advocate for your insurance comes into play - a high-quality agent - an agent that has worked with the different life insurance companies and can direct the insurance policy to the company that fits each person’s circumstances and history - and has the best rate. That’s where a company like http://www.lifeinsure.com comes in.

What are the underwriting concerns of the life insurance companies? ?They are looking at the kind of health concerns that one’s doctor is looking for: Cigarette smoking, cholesterol above normal limits, the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, one’s weight and any medical history or dangerous recreational sport that could decrease a person’s life span.

Synopsis of how life insurance prices are calculated: One’s age Health history Gender; A female is charged less for life insurance than a male of the same age based on the fact that females live longer. The medical history of one’s parents, brothers and sisters Lifestyle: Do you drive race cars? Do you go to hot spots in the world? Do mountain climbing? Parachute jump?

What steps does the insurance company use to place you in a rating category? ?An extensive questionnaire is completed, sometimes by the agent for smaller amounts of insurance but usually by a medical examiner. When a physical exam is required, the insurance company pays for it along with blood and urine testing and sometimes an EKG. You give your ok to let the company access your medical records. Based on the test results and your history, the company gives you a rating class. These rating classes are called, for example; “super preferred” - the lowest in cost - and then preferred, regular or standard. Each of these groups has a different cost for your age and gender. Even if you have had some medical concerns in your history, you can often still get insurance but with an extra rate. The terminology for this extra rate is called a “rated” policy.

What if you have had an imperfect medical history? ?Again, the right person representing your interests is important. There are agents that know more than others. Even with experience, it’s also important to have access to many insurance companies. A good online insurance site has access to numerous companies.

When you get a medical exam for insurance, what is done??The exam is done at your home or office. A physician, paramed or a nurse goes through a questionnaire on your history. A urine sample is taken along with a blood sample. For larger amounts, more extensive tests including an EKG or X-ray, might be done. The samples are tested for nicotine, certain medications and for illegal drugs.

How do you lower the cost of your life insurance??First, shop well. Get quotes from numerous companies. You can go to a quoting engine, such as http://www.lifeinsure.com and get anonymous and instant life insurance quotes online.

What are some things you can if you have a medical history and want to see what life insurance would cost? ?Be complete and truthful to the insurance agent about your history when you talk with the representative. As experienced professionals, we are aware of which insurance companies have lower insurance rates for different conditions. Often, we can find a company that looks at a situation vastly different than others to your advantage.

If I get charged extra for my life insurance because of health problems or if quit smoking cigarettes can I lower my life insurance cost later? ?In years to come, if your health improves (or if you are a smoker and quit for a few years), we can contact the insurance company on your behalf and ask the life insurance company will lower your rates. It can’t hurt your existing policy to do this since the policy you have can’t be changed once you have it but you could lower your costs.

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The main reason for visiting the remote and seldom traveled to town of Kigoma in West Tanzania - is to visit the legendary Gombe Stream National Park. This primate sanctuary was made famous by Jane van Lawick Goodall in her African classic, “In The Shadow Of Man.” This is a laidback and fairly attractive little town, located at the foot of a hill and characterized by grove after grove of mango trees. It is perhaps best known as one of the major ferry ports on Lake Tanganyika.

It was to Kigoma that the legendary steamer, the MV Liemba, was brought by rail by the Germans during World War I, assembled there, and used as a military expedition ship against the British forces in what is today Zambia. It still does the twice weekly lake run, leaving Kigoma on Wednesdays and Sundays, war and weather permitting. A lake steamer trip is one of the ultimate African experiences for intrepid travelers.

To get to this remote region of Tanzania is easy if you have a budget to fly. However, many people do not want to lay out so much of their budget on the flights to get to Kigoma. If your budget is tight and you are open to some adventure then travel by train. This particular service is notoriously unreliable. So, be patient, enjoy the adventure and be prepared to be late by up to 48 hours. When we talk late with this service we are talking days rather than hours.

If your time is flexible and you are prepared to rough it then give this a try. Otherwise steer clear and fly - which is the recommended way to get to Kigoma.

Dar Es Salaam the train departs [knowing these can change at any time] 17h00 and arrives in Kigoma [hopefully] 36 hours latter. Prices and timetables will vary - prices are payable in local currency so check prices before you start your journey for the Tanzania Railway Web Site http://www.trctz.com/tariffa.htm

Customer Information Center
Tanzania Railways Corporation
P.O Box 468
Dar es Salaam
Tel/Fax 255-22-2117833
Email:ccm_cserv@trctz.com

The site http://www.tanzania-info.co.uk has useful information and links for the above article and http://www.betheladventure.co.uk has many timetables and prices for travel in Tanzania. Use responsible tourism to make a difference.

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Well, here we go again. Every year during springtime we sneak a peek at our calendars and dread the rapidly approaching summer. Summer in central and southern Arizona is unlike summer anywhere else. I’m actually starting to get hot just thinking about it. There are all sorts of experts with sage advice on how to successfully survive summer when midday temperatures approach several hundred degrees. I’m not one of these experts, but I do have a few “cool” ideas I’d like to share with you.

First thing to do is stop using the Fahrenheit temperature scale. It is just too depressing for me. I prefer the Celsius scale because it sounds much cooler. For example, what sounds better to you 115 degrees or 46 degrees? I’ll take the 46 every day!

Another one of my keep cool techniques is to leave town. You will have to travel at least 60 miles north of Phoenix to get any relief at all. I recommend traveling 600 miles north. This would place you roughly at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. If you cannot leave town, find a picture of Jackson Hole and look at it until you figure out how to get there.

Thirdly, I would suggest that anytime you hear someone say, “it sure is hot out today but thank God it’s a dry heat” take their hand and place it on your sweaty neck and ask them “does it really feel dry to you?” You might not feel much cooler if you do this, but eventually we can stop people from saying “but it’s a dry heat.” And that would be “Way Cool!”

On a more serious note, there are several things you can do to keep cool. No real secrets here, you’ve heard it all before. Drink more water than you think you need and drink it before you need it. Wear long sleeves, a hat, sun block and lip balm. Limit your time in the direct sunlight. Grab an ice cream cone. Hike, bird watch, swim, fish, walk or ride your bike at sunrise or sunset instead of during the hottest parts of the day. This is all common sense, isn’t it?

The summer heat should not keep you from enjoying your outdoor life. But be smart about it and take care of yourself and your companions. Summertime offers many great outdoor adventures and you will notice that our parks and trails are not as crowded when it’s hot out. Now that’s the cool part. Get Outdoors!

Chuck Fitzgerald, The Outdoor Guy, has written a beginner’s guide to bird watching call “Learning to Bird.” Visit http://www.birdwatchingebook.com to see just how easy and how much fun Bird Watching really is. Chuck is the owner of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online store helping you to have fun in the great outdoors. To get maximum enjoyment out of your outdoor life, visit http://www.BackCountryToys.com where you’ll find great gear and the Tips & Tales e-newsletter, “FreshAir.” (800) 316-9055.

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La Valle a Polvereto is a large stone farmhouse built in the 1700s which was lovingly and painstakingly renovated in 2004 using only original materials and with the architectural features being kept intact.

The farmhouse is situated on top of a hill in an outstandingly beautiful position, just a short distance from the ancient Via Francigena and inside the Chianti Fiorentino and Chianti Classico, where life goes on in perfect harmony with nature, art, culture and tradition.

The apartments are furnished exclusively with period furniture. All the apartments feature a fireplace and independent heating, satellite television, dishwasher, oven, independent entrance and private outside area with garden furniture.

All bedrooms have their own bathroom with shower. The atmosphere is welcoming and marked by warmth and good taste. The farmhouse is surrounded by 28 hectares of parkland featuring a scenic swimming pool (7mx14m), barbecue, car park and belvedere.

Mountain bikes and a laundry complete with all necessary equipment (washing and drying areas, steam irons, etc) are available for use by all guests.
You can also request to have breakfast (with home-made jams and products) in the farmhouse.
Thanks to a special arrangement, guests at La valle a Polvereto can eat at discounted prices at a new typical restaurant in the farm.
La valle a Polvereto offer you the opportunity for your wedding cerimony and Blessing in the garden,for un maximun of 50 people .
Is possible you stay in 24 people in the farm other guests nearby the farm in another accommodation at 300 metres.

Amenities
La Valle a Polvereto offers you the opportunity to experience an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the heart of Tuscany surrounded by the lush greenery of the Florence and Siena.

The farmhouse is situated 380 metres above sea level and dominates the nearby hills that slope down towards the lowlands. From this position you can enjoy a truly breathtaking view of the surrounding nature, from castle and Pieve. The charm of one of the most picturesque panoramas in Tuscany goes hand in hand with a mild and pleasant climate, favoured by the farmhouse’s sheltered position and the hundred year old oaks and evergreens that grow all around it. The park includes an olive grove, orchard, rose garden, natural terraces edged with aromatic shrubs and wide flower borders.The scenic swimming pool is bordered by a large lawn and is elegantly equipped with gazebo, sun beds and deck chairs and a shower built into the garden.

La valle a Polvereto, the park and its panorama form an ideal and exclusive place to take a break in the paradisiacal Tuscan hills in the province of Florence and Siena.

Other than La Valle a Polvereto, you can browse our offers for other in Montespertoli, pls visit our catalogue of hotels in Montespertoli, from cheap to luxury, togheter with Tours in Italy

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Malibu isn’t just a beach; it’s practically a whole coastline. Stretching for roughly 27 miles, Malibu comprises about a dozen beaches from Decker Rd. (Hwy. 23) in the west, to Topanga Canyon Blvd. in the east. At this part of the California coast, the beaches face mostly rather than west, except for Westward Beach near Pt. Dume.

The Malibu beaches lie along the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, which are so often subjected to the vicious circle of fires, floods and mudslides. The Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, is squeezed between the beach and the cliffs much of the way. The ocean side is lined with highway hugging houses of the mostly rich and/or famous.

The beaches themselves range from wide and sandy to so narrow that the waterline comes up directly under someone’s deck. Rocky coves and tide pools are also plentiful.

Malibu itself does not have a cohesive downtown section. Restaurants are spread out, as are a few shopping centers sprinkled with chain stores mixed with specialty shops. Residential sections vary from small, crowded beachfront houses to mountaintop mansions.

GETTING TO MALIBU BEACH CALIFORNIA

You can take the I-10 west through Santa Monica, then veer north onto PCH (Hwy 1) as it hits the coast. Keep driving, and you’ll soon be in Malibu.

Alternatively, from Highway 101 in the San Fernando Valley, you can take a 15-20 minute winding drive through the Santa Monica Mountains along Topanga Canyon Blvd., Malibu Canyon Rd. (Los Virgenes exit), Kanan Dume Rd., or Decker Road. All of these drop down into some part of the Malibu coast, with Malibu Canyon Road taking you the closest to the pier, lagoon, Surfrider Beach and shopping areas.

THE MALIBU BEACHES

Starting at the Ventura County line and heading east towards Santa Monica, there’s Leo Carrillo State Beach, which has camping, tide pools, trails and interesting rock formations. Then comes Nicholas Canyon County Beach, where you park on the bluff and hike down to surf or dive.

The next three beaches are scenic coves with more unusual rock formations. El Pescador State Beach at the end of Decker Rd. has a narrow sandy beach and picnic tables on the bluff above. La Piedra State Beach is similar, only further east.

El Matador State Beach is larger, with a larger pay parking lot and a trail and stairway down to the beach. It also has stunning sea stacks, which attract cormorants and other sea birds.

Broad Beach Road goes through a residential neighborhood between Pacific Coast Highway and the beach. there are a couple of beach access points that go between the houses. You can enjoy the beach at the end of the path or steps, but be careful not to trespass onto private property.

In marked contrast, Zuma Beach County Park is a wide sandy beach with lots of facilities, including restrooms, showers, dressing rooms, snack stands, volleyball, swings and a large pay parking lot.

Point Dume State Beach is next to the Point Dume Headlands, which has some trails. The beach has tide pools and sandstone cliffs. Westward Beach is the section towards the Point, which faces west.

Paradise Cove is a small but lovely beach with expensive parking. No surfing is allowed. Escondido Beach can be found near Malibu Cove Colony Drive. The access point is next to a blue and white trash can. This is a diving spot. Corral State Beach/Solstice Beach is a narrow sandy beach with street parking.

Where Malibu Road veers off PCH through another neighborhood, there are several public stairways next to telltale blue and white trash cans. These paths or stairways go between private homes, so take care not to disturb the residents or trespass. Once on the beach, you must stay a certain distance away from the rear of the houses; below the high tide line should be safe enough.

Malibu Bluffs County Park is off of Pacific Coast Highway, at the end of Malibu Canyon Road, across from Pepperdine University. While not a beach itself, you can park there, use the restrooms and hike down a one and a half mile trail down through the bluffs with magnificent views to Malibu Road and the beach access points mentioned previously. Exhilarating! (But don’t forget you have to hike back
up later.)

Malibu Lagoon State Beach bears an estuary, the Malibu Lagoon, the historic Adamson House and museum, the Malibu Pier, and popular Surfrider Beach which has great waves for surfing.

East of the pier along PCH, are more public stairways to the beach between houses, marked by the blue and white trash cans. Las Tunas State Beach is narrow, sandy and rocky in places. Be careful of rusted metal groins under the water if you swim there.

Topanga State Beach lies at the end of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. It is a narrow sandy beach with rocky parts. There is a pay parking lot, but people also park up along Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Malibu is a beautiful place to visit and is sure to have a beach to suit just about everyone.

Laura Eggers is a beach lover with a website. http://www.southern-california-beaches-vacation-guide.com offers visitors a plethora of information about the different beach areas to help with planning their beach vacation in sunny Southern California.

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Have you ever heard of an Overlanding expedition?

Overlanding in Africa is by far the best way to really experience the diversity of Africa. Let’s face it; you can only really experience Africa if you truly become part of it. You need to breathe its air, walk on its ground and hear its sounds.

Overlanding shortly defined involves travelling in small groups and by a specific route to remote territories - places that are off the beaten track. This is what makes these trips all that exciting, as not many people have the opportunity to visit such areas. These trips are definitely not ordinary. They are for the fun loving, excited and adventurous at heart.
Tours can last anything between 4 days to 6 months and usually includes visiting more than one country. Group sizes are small varying from 10 to 25.

Overlanding is a very budget style of travel and accommodation, transport, National Park entry fees and most meals are included in prices. The idea behind an overlanding trip is to escape the busy City life and just become part of nature.

These trips are nothing boring; as it includes all levels of adventurous activities and is suitable for all persons with average to good fitness and good health. Tours are carefully planned so that each tour has its own optional activities. These activities can range anything from extreme adventure - like bungee jumping - to more fun adventure activities like elephant back safaris, scuba diving, white water rafting, fishing, horse riding …and the list just continues.
The great thing about optional activities is that you do not have to pay for anything you cannot afford or would not like to do.
You will however be expected to participate in limited amount of general duties on tour like washing your dishes, keeping the vehicle clean, setting up your camp and getting all muddy should the truck get stuck. This ensures that everything on tour runs as smoothly as possible and mostly so that there’s not a dull moment. All the more excitement!

Overlanding vehicles are generally specially designed trucks suited for the roads travelled on and can range anything from “rough-it overlanding” trucks to more luxury spacious trucks with comfortable seats.
The accommodation on tour can range anything from plain camping to budget National Park style bungalows or safari tents.

Local payments may be levied from tour participants in certain African countries. This is a very common on overlanding tours. Local Payments are essential in order to transfer the foreign currencies of the countries visited in order to operate the tours.
Your tour itinerary should state if a local payment will be necessary for the countries you will visit.
A good tip is to always carry US$ cash on you when on tour as US dollars are widely accepted throughout Africa.

Air fares to Africa are usually excluded in the tour price, but overlanding companies or booking agents are mostly able to arrange it on your behalf.
Travel insurance is very important and compulsory on overlanding trips. You must ensure that you take out adequate travel insurance to cover the type of activities you may be interested in. Certain overlanding booking agents or companies will even be able to arrange travel insurance for you.

What makes an overlanding tour so unique is that you meet great people, you experience so much about other cultures, and because you travel in a group, you have experienced guides by your side who will be able to explain all the inns and outs on tour - wherever you are off to.

So, my advice to you, if you are looking for an experience of a lifetime, pack your bag of enthusiasm, excitement and sense of humour and you are ready to head off to an African overlanding adventure of a lifetime.

Alta van Wyk - Holds a degree in Tourism Management and is the Co Owner of Wild Expeditions, a company specialising in quality overlanding trips and safaris in South Africa and parts of Africa. See http://www.wildexpeditions.co.za for great tours to Africa.

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Before you head out to buy a new sleeping bag, make sure you know exactly what you are looking for. When you answer these questions, you’ll be better prepared to pick out the sleeping bag that is just right for you.

* How will you be using your sleeping bag? Will you be backpacking or hiking? Or do you just need a bag for a family camping trip?

* What time of year will you be camping? Will you be doing summer camping, spring through fall excursions, or rough winter camping?

* Consider your budget. How much do you want to spend? Can you save money by getting a higher quality sleeping bag on discount?

* Where will you be using it? Will you be sleeping in a tent? Out in the open? In a lodge or cabin? What areas will you be using the sleeping bag? Will it be in wet areas, dry deserts, mountains?

* What comfort level do you want? If weight isn’t a consideration, do you prefer a roomier, softer, more comfortable sleeping bag? Are you accustomed to the cold night air or do you chill easily?

* Is the weight and compatibility important? Will you be carrying it for a long distance? Do you have limited space?

* How long do you want it to last? Would you prefer to get a cheaper one and replace it later? Or do you want a higher quality sleeping bag that will last many years?

* Is flexibility important? Do you need one bag to meet all your needs, summer through winter?

* How often do you intend to use it? Is this a once a year camping trip? Or will you be using it very frequently?

* Who will be using the bag? Man, woman, or child? What is their body shape?

* How much extra room do you like? Do you sleep still at night or do you tend to toss and turn a lot?

Be sure you consider all these aspects before you buy your sleeping bag. Then your new sleeping bag will be just perfect for you and your needs.

Copyright 2004 Camp Spot all rights reserved. Republished with permission from author.

About Author: Maria is the editor of http://www.My-Favorite-Camping-Store.com, an excellent resource for campers. Visit her site for more fun camping tips and articles. Get ready for your next camping vacation by learning about camping tents, sleeping bags, and other supplies.
http://www.my-favorite-camping-store.com/camping-kits.html

**Publishing guidelines:
Publication is permitted so long as the resource information at the end of the article remains intact, and links are live and intact with no redirect.

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