Corporate Values - Before You Get Them Out in The Open…

Defining corporate values is a useful exercise. It is part of the communication process where you invest in alignment of teams. Even though different teams or departments will each have their own tasks and responsibilities, you want them to share some same principles. For example;

• “We are …to please our customers…without them nothing else matters.”

Corporate values should be balanced yet communicate a certain direction, so they should be selective. You should select four to six of such corporate values. Three would be a minimum to be able to balance attention; more than six would mean that your company doesn’t make real choices.

• “We commit to personal excellence & self-improvement…we draw strength from performance evaluations…striving to excel and improve in all aspects of business.”

Corporate values communicate both to the external world as to the internal organization. Because of their communicative power, they should be credible. Each value should be clear; the description of the value should match the heading;

“Professionalism
We respect our members, vendors, competition, and each other.”

Is professionalism the same as respect and does the description cover the value to communicate?

Before you use the corporate values for external communication, you should check them internally. You should use them as an additional management tools in the area of taking decisions and setting priorities. They should be helpful to your internal organization, because they express the “how” in addition to “What”.

This takes time. So before getting them out in the open, select a single corporate value to start with, elaborate the description and use it. Then, add more values until your organization is confident to communicate them externally.

To support the discipline of using the corporate values and to increase credibility, you should not only concentrate on periods of change. Use them also in team-building sessions or when dealing with complex decisions.

© 2006 Hans Bool

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days.
Check our free (corporate values) assessments & tools

Is “Anaerobic Exercise” a Myth?

For many years and even to the present day, the exercise science and textbooks classify exercise as being one of two types: aerobic or anaerobic. This classification refers to the metabolic energy systems required to perform either extended duration/low intensity exercise (aerobic) or short duration/high intensity exercise (anaerobic). Aerobic literally means “with oxygen” and anaerobic means “without oxygen”. This article provides some very basic information on anaerobic exercise and argues the very real possibility that this form of exercise according to the given definition, simply does not exist.

Different Energy Requirements - Different Energy Systems

During low intensity exercise such as walking, a large majority of the required energy comes from the use of fat as a fuel. Oxygen is required to convert fat into energy and is therefore called aerobic metabolism and the exercise it supports, aerobic exercise. This process of generating energy however is very slow and cannot generate energy quickly enough for higher intensity exercise such as running and sprinting. A different type of energy system is required for high intensity exercise - one that relies more heavily on the use of carbohydrate. This energy system is able to generate energy much quicker and does not require the need for oxygen. Thus exercise scientists have named this energy system the anaerobic energy system and the exercise it fuels, anaerobic exercise. It is important for the reader to note that energy systems work on an intensity continuum, that is at any given exercise intensity, a certain percentage of the energy yield will come from fat metabolism and a certain percent will come from carbohydrates. For anaerobic metabolism system to work at a high speed however requires the formation of a substance called lactate or lactic acid.

Muscle power output and oxygen demands

Recall from our article on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) we discussed the concept of intensity, power and power output. As exercise intensity and muscle power output increase, so proportionally does the oxygen demand of muscle. This oxygen demand is referred to as the volume of oxygen uptake or VO2. For the most part, as heart rate (an indicator of intensity) increases, so too in direct proportion does VO2. Traditional exercise physiology theorizes that as exercise intensity (running speed) progressively increases, the muscles become more and more anaerobic until a point occurs where oxygen uptake no longer increases, but reaches a maximum value and levels off. This leveling off has become known as maximal oxygen uptake or VO2 max. VO2 max is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use to produce work and is therefore a measure of the body’s maximum aerobic power. At the point where VO2max is noted, traditional exercise science proposes that the working muscles must be 100% anaerobic, leading to massive buildup of lactic acid which “acidifies” and shuts down the muscles, causing the individual to stop exercising.

Anaerobic exercise cannot exist since muscles never attain a truly anaerobic state

Professor Tim Noakes at the University of Cape Town prefers to call anaerobic activity “oxygen independent” activity since muscles never actually attain a truly anaerobic state. Noakes argues that if according to “traditional” exercise science theory the working muscles were to become anaerobic, then the heart, which is slave to the muscles for supplying oxygen (via blood flow), must become anaerobic first. Modern exercise science has failed to realize or consider that the heart, which is also a muscle, demands the same increased oxygen requirements with increasing exercise intensity as the working muscles do. Should the heart become anaerobic, then a heart attack would result and the exerciser would die. Clearly this does not happen on a regular basis in healthy exercising individuals. Noake’s documented research also points out that half of subjects tested in laboratory settings fail to demonstrate a leveling off of VO2 at exercise termination - in other words, their oxygen uptake was actually still going up when they stopped. Also, Noakes points to research that shows that lactate levels actually decrease as altitude increases. This so called “Lactate Paradox” is the exact opposite of what would be expected, since the traditional model of exercise physiology claims that as altitude increases and there is less “available oxygen”, there is therefore an increased potential for the development of anaerobic muscle. The previous explanations shoot holes in the concept of anaerobic exercise and also fail to explain what causes people to terminate exercise.

If lactate and anaerobic muscle do not limit maximal exercise then what does?

Prof. Noakes proposes that there exists a “central governor” somewhere in the body that informs the brain of the heart’s condition. Clearly, the heart must be protected from working so hard to supply the exercising muscle with oxygen as to jeopardize its own risk of becoming anaerobic and causing death to the body. Although it is unclear at this time the exact mechanism of its location or operation, Noakes proposes that the central governor somehow regulates the power output of the exercising muscles in order to protect the heart from overload. This regulation of power is suspected to occur via a decreased motor nerve activity to the working muscle via the motor cortex of the brain (part of the brain that regulates muscle activity). Recall that lactic acid generation is directly dependent on muscle power output - which would explain why muscle lactate decreases as altitude increases. A decrease in activation of the working muscle mass decreases the oxygen demand of the muscle, ensuring a sufficient blood flow (oxygen) to the heart.

It should be clear from this article that anaerobic exercise and anaerobic muscle in their defined form cannot exist during even extremely high intensity exercise. Some other regulating factor must be present in the human body to prevent it from “running itself to death.” While much research on the reasons for exercise termination needs to be done, for now it may be that “oxygen independent” exercise is a more accurate description of high intensity exercise instead of anaerobic exercise.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com.

NOTE: You’re free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this note, author information and all LIVE website links as above.

Term Life Insurance Information Sources

Term life insurance is a straight forward product with one direct and many indirect benefits. Although most people understand the basic idea of life insurance they stand frozen in indecision, and avoid purchasing a policy out of lack of knowldege.

People need guidance, and especially when it comes to purchasing term life insurance they can use a little more help.

Luckily the Internet has made available ample information sources for people considering life insurance. Below are the some great information sources for people looking for term life insurance.

Term Life Insurance Source #1

Life Line is an industry sponsored site that offers educational information on life insurance. The site offers detailed information compiled by insurance professionals paid by the insurance industry.

Term Life Insurance Source #2

Lifeinsurance.net is a privately run insurance site. It offers a detailed explanation on term life insurance and other life insurance options. A handy calculator can help you calculate your insurance needs.

Term Life Insurance Source #3

Lifeinsure.com offers live links to help visitors work through the insurance process.
A user can read articles on insurance and click on key words to read more on a subject. For example an article on term life insurance might have the word premium highlighted as a live link. A user can click on the word and be taken to a page providing a detailed explanation on what a premium is.

Term Life Insurance Source #4

Your local library. Libraries can be a great source for life insurance information. They have books that have been approved by librarians for their content. While many of the books might have basic explanations, they will also eliminate many get rich quick style books.

Term Life Insurance Source #5

Financial planner. A certified financial planner is a great source of information and professional guidance. He can make recommendations based on your personal situation. Opt for a financial planner who is compensated by you and not the insurance company. If he receives a commission from the insurance company he might be swayed towards recommending an insurance product based on his potential commission.

Term Life Insurance Source #6

Search engines. Search online and you will see thousands of sites that offer free information, along with free term life insurance quotes. Spend the time analyzing and comparing term life policies and obtaining quotes, you will be surprised at the differences in terms and prices.

Donny Lowy manages http://www.americanlifedirectonline.com an online term life insurance portal.

Your Most Profitable Strategy in Online Betting: Rake Back Offers

Many a gamer has asked me “Why would I benefit from any Full Tilt Poker rakeback? I play in online poker sites if I have a bonus.” Even So what if you take the chance to play poker full time? There are numerous gamers in the online poker world that kick themselves for not taking Full Tilt Poker rakeback however nowadays they have opted in for each major poker room and skins.

Don’t make the same error. If you are an individual who bets less than $1/$2 and just gambles if you are clearing bonus payments, you could be experiencing normally around 100% rake back for the bonus on the stake. A well known poker website lately shut down players who used the gambling web site merely for this function. Who knows if this practise might begin a trend. Should this occur then right away a rakeback deal is going to be imperative.

Someday you may hit tiptop form and discover yourself extremely rich, that’s if it has not come about by now. I was hurt in an accident and stumbled upon online poker when I was off work and I have never looked back. That’s a couple of years ago now and I haven’t required to work in those two years all because of internet betting and of course rakeback. Forward planning is a great plan. Consider it as an investment for tomorrow, if you don’t believe poker rake back is good for you at present it could become an outstanding strategy soon, there’s no way you can lose. If you are thinking about checking out any new websites you should sign up for rake back. Rakeback The online gamblers help service Rakeback Professionals is proud to offer such a lot of ethical affiliates all in the same place.

Enjoying the profits can be as uncomplicated as visiting any The gamblers’ advice association Rakeback Professionals affiliate website or as accessible as e-mailing. Any associate can get you set up on the spot. You will be able to begin playing straight off. Should you sign up with a partner via Rakeback Professionals you can always rest easy as every single partner will have been checked out and agrees to allow The Rakeback Professionals organization to sort out any complaints you might experience. All The Same because we invariably evaluate every one of our associates, we have had well-nigh no issues and we will always move swiftly to look into each problem to protect the players.

Homeowner Insurance Online Quote - Things to Consider

The homeowner policy has so many benefits and features. The online shopper can get confused in all the details when trying to compare policies. There are some basic benefits and there are a variety supplemental benefits and riders. The rates are calculated based on two different methods of claim settlement. The homeowner needs to understand these two methods in order to select the appropriate policy.

Two Types of Claim Settlement

1. Actual Cash Value - This type of claim settlement uses depreciation when determining the amount paid after a loss. For example: If a property has a current replacement value of $100,000 and has depreciated by 30% due to age and use, the actual cash value of the property would be $70,000. Actual cash value policies are usually written on older homes that depreciate.

2. Replacement Cost - This type of claim settlement does not use depreciation. Replacement cost is defined as the cost to replace with like kind and quality at today’s replacement cost without any depreciation. Replacement cost policies are generally purchased on newer homes.

The next thing to consider is how to determine the proper value of your home. Insurance companies use a calculator to find the appropriate amount of insurance. It will make your online experience a lot easier if you can have some of these details available.

1. Square Footage - Insurance companies always use square footage to calculate replacement cost. The square footage is available on your appraisal.

2. Finished Basement - This adds to the replacement cost value of your home. What percentage of your basement is finished?

3. Detached Structures - The homeowner policy has protection for other structures. The amount of protection is 10% of the dwelling amount. You may need more added to this 10% if you have some larger detached structures.

There are other things to consider like air conditioning, decks, and fireplaces. These all add into the final calculation. There are discounts for smoke detectors, fire and burglar alarm systems. Please view our recommended insurers for details.

View our Recommended Insurance Company This site is simple and easy to fill out a quote and has a lot of great info about Home Insurance and Affordable Health Insurance

Helpful Tips For Buying Term Life Insurance Online

Term life insurance is very simple, and can easily be purchased online. For this reason the number of people buying term life insurance online has doubled in two years. There are some advantages and disadvantages to buying term life insurance online.

Advantages

Term life insurance is simple, there is no cash value, so it is easy to comparison shop for the right policy for you

There are numerous websites that will compare hundreds of different policies. This makes it easy to take advantage of a policy that you otherwise would not have found

You eliminate salesmen that may have been able to convince you to buy a more expensive policy that you don’t really need.

Disadvantages

There is no personal service. If you have questions it is often hard to find someone you feel comfortable talking to

Often agents can offer special rates or deals, and that is lost when you are working through comparison shopping online

When you buy online, there is no one to walk you through the process so you need to be sure that you know how much coverage you need and what type of term life insurance you want to buy. There are three basic types of term life insurance: Decreasing Term, Annual Renewable Term, and Level Term.

Decreasing Term

This policy is set up for a specific number of years usually between ten and thirty years. The face amount decreases over that period of time. This is a good type of policy for a couple that will have fewer financial responsibilities as time passes.

Annual Renewable Term

This type of policy has the same level of death benefit, but the rates increase each year. You have to renew the insurance each year. This is the most temporary life insurance coverage you can get and may be useful for a person whose situation changes often.

Level Term

This is usually the most common type of policy. It has a level death benefit and a fixed rate for a specific amount of time. Most allow you to renew the policy when the term is up if it is desired. This is most popular because the premium remains low, especially if the policy is bought when a person is young, for the life of the policy.

Good things to ask about or include with your policy are:

Make sure the insurance is “written in trust.” This insures that the money goes immediately to those you list. It also makes sure that those who receive the money do not have to pay taxes on it.

Consider having the policy also include critical illness insurance. This will provide money for your family if you suffer from long-term illness. Buying it with an insurance policy is usually cheaper, but be sure not to confuse this with terminal illness coverage.

Be sure that you can easily find contact information for the company you are buying the policy from.

Before buying a policy do a little research about the company and make sure it is legitimate.

Chris Simons is a prolific freelance writer. You are welcomed to visit http://life-insurance.cyberinformer.com, for more information on Life Insurance.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

This booklet has been written with three groups of people in mind.

You may be a parent or carer of a child who has been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). You may be wondering whether your child has ADHD, because of difficulties they are experiencing in settling down, paying attention or controlling their behaviour. Or you may be someone with a general interest in ADHD - a relative or friend, a teacher, GP, or health visitor. Whatever the reason for your interest in ADHD, this booklet will give you answers to some of the most common questions about ADHD. It also points you in the direction of more detailed publications, and gives you details of organisations that can help.

Throughout the booklet we have included comments and statements from parents of children diagnosed as having ADHD. Some of these parents wrote about their experiences as part of the Mental Health Foundation’s Inquiry into the mental health of children and young people. They have helped us all to understand more about the impact of ADHD on children and their families. This booklet concentrates mainly on young children with ADHD. If you are concerned with older children, teenagers or adults with ADHD you will find some relevant books listed at the end of this booklet.

Finally, this is a booklet with an optimistic message. Children with ADHD and their families have faced many difficulties in the past, but we now know much more about how to help and support them - at home, at school, and in their future lives.

—————————————————————– —————

1. What is ADHD? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is normally used to describe children who have three main kinds of problems:

overactive behaviour ( hyperactivity) impulsive behaviour difficulty in paying attention Because they are overactive and impulsive, children with ADHD often find it difficult to fit in at school. They may also have problems getting on with other children. These difficulties can continue as they grow up, particularly if children and families do not get the help they need.

Leading Psychiatrists are calling Arthur a ‘walking miracle’-After 15 years in mental institutions, absorbing inhumane shock treatments, abusing alcohol, he’s now being called worldwide’ The Zig Ziglar of Mental Illness ‘Read about his amazing comeback and what #1 best-selling author Mike Litman has called The Most Inspirational Book of 2002′ Out of Darkness - One Man’s Journey From The Depths Of Mental Illness to Pure Joy

They are calling Arthur Buchanan’s methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) ‘Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE ‘If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you can’t see positive results with whatever illness you have’ Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan’

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!

http://freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3 THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!

With Much Love, Arthur Buchanan

President/CEO Out of Darkness & Into the Light 43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012 Huron Ohio, 44839 www.out-of-darkness.com 567-219-0994 (cell)

Some children have significant problems in concentration and attention, but are not necessarily overactive or impulsive. These children are sometimes described as having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) rather than ADHD. ADD can easily be missed because the child is quiet and dreamy rather than disruptive. ADHD is not related to intelligence. Children with all levels of ability can have ADHD.

Overactive behaviour

One mother described the first years of her son’s life as follows:

‘The day always began from the moment he was awake with his exhausting and insatiable demands. No one was prepared to babysit because he was so exhausting and a liability. It was impossible to enjoy him and no fun to take him anywhere. His energy levels were incredible. As parents we wondered where we were going wrong.’ (Alison Douglas, Young Minds 39)

If you have a child with less severe problems, overactive behaviour may only cause major difficulties when she or he goes to school. For example, a child who races around the classroom, unable to sit still, interfering with other children’s activities, will probably not be very popular with other children, and may be seen as naughty or unwilling to learn.

Impulsive behaviour Being impulsive means acting without thinking about the consequences. Children with ADHD may be impulsive in many ways, such as saying or doing the first thing that occurs to them. They are also easily distracted by irrelevant things. These children find it very hard to carry out tasks which involve waiting, since they have great difficulty stopping themselves from responding straightaway. They will find it hard to do any activity which involves waiting to give an answer, or in which they have to take turns.

Sometimes impulsive children find it easier to wait if they are given a reward for waiting, or some other kind of motivation. This does not mean that they have been deliberately impulsive. It just means that they find this kind of task particularly hard to handle and need extra encouragement to succeed.

Difficulty in paying attention Children with ADHD have a short attention span. They find it hard to concentrate and therefore hard to learn new skills, both academic and practical. Research from the USA suggests that 90% children with ADHD underachieve at school and 20% have reading difficulties. For example, a mother of a child with ADHD described how

‘Every parents’ evening told stories of poor compliance, shoddy and incomplete work, class clowning, no homework, incessant talking and easy distraction both to himself and others.’

This explains why it is important to identify attention problems as soon as possible, preferably before children go to school, so that they can be given help. Children with ADHD may themselves be quite distressed, because they do not mean to behave badly in class but do not know how to change.

Social problems Children with severe ADHD may be rejected or disliked by other children, because they disrupt their play or damage their possessions. It is easy for a child with ADHD to become labelled as troublesome, or for parents to think it is their fault for not controlling their child. One mother noted that her six year old son ‘… gets picked on by children and adults because he is always being told off by people - other children blame him for things he didn’t do.’

Another parent commented: ‘T has only recently been diagnosed. Until then people thought all his problems were due to his upbringing. So no help or care was offered until we kicked up and demanded help.’

Part of the difficulty is that children with ADHD may not realise how their behaviour affects other people. They may want to make friends, but have no idea how to go about it, having never picked up the basic rules of social behaviour which most children learn naturally. Because the children are impulsive, it is also easy for other children to ’set them up’ to behave badly.

—————————————————————– —————

2. When is a diagnosis of ADHD appropriate? We know that young children have lots of energy and like to be active. Young children also tend to have a short attention span - they soon get tired of an activity and want to move on to something new. So how can you tell whether your child has ADHD or is simply restless or bored? To a certain extent it may be a matter of degree - children with ADHD are not just very active but have a wide range of problem behaviours which can make them very difficult to care for and control. For example, one parent described her eight-year-old son’s behaviour as follows:

‘(he)… fidgets with hands and feet continually… great difficulty remaining seated… very easily distracted… difficulty following instructions… very poor short-term memory… difficulty sustaining attention on activities for more than twenty minutes… shifts from one uncompleted task to another… doesn’t seem to listen to what is said… loses things necessary for a task… engages in some physically dangerous activities - he acts before he thinks… poor social skills…’

It is important to remember that no label or diagnosis will give a perfect description of an individual child. Children are all different, and will express their problems in different ways.

Diagnosis Diagnosis of ADHD can be quite difficult because:

There is no test for ADHD; we cannot take a blood sample or an X-ray to make a firm diagnosis. All children have some problems with self-control and it can be hard to decide where to draw the line and give a diagnosis of ADHD Other problems can result in behaviour similar to ADHD, for example language or hearing difficulties, dyslexia, major disruptions in a child’s life. Over half of the children with ADHD will have other areas of difficulty, such as these, in addition to ADHD. Symptoms The kinds of symptoms professionals look for in diagnosing ADHD include

difficulty following instructions or completing tasks difficulty ’sticking to’ an activity easily distracted and forgetful often doesn’t listen when spoken to fidgets, is restless, can’t sit still in class can’t stop talking, interrupts others runs about when it is not appropriate blurts out answers without waiting for the question to finish difficulty in waiting or taking turns In order to be diagnosed with ADHD some of these problems would have been apparent before the age of six or seven years.

These behaviours must normally occur in more than one setting (for example at home as well as at school) for ADHD to be diagnosed.

—————————————————————– —————

3. How common is ADHD? It is difficult to say exactly how many children worldwide have ADHD because different countries have used different ways of diagnosing it. In the UK, diagnosis is based on quite a narrow set of symptoms, and about 0.5-1% of children are thought to have attention or hyperactivity problems. In comparison, until recently, professionals in the USA used a much broader definition of the term ADHD. As a result, up to 10% of children in the USA were described as having ADHD. Current estimates suggest that ADHD is present throughout the world in about 1-5% of the population.

About five times more boys than girls are diagnosed with ADHD. This may be partly because of the particular ways they express their difficulties. Boys and girls both have attention problems, but boys are more likely to be overactive and difficult to manage.

What is Fitness Pole Dancing All About and Would I Benefit From a Lesson?

Once seen as a taboo pastime or career that very few women would admit to doing or being even interested in, Pole Dancing is now one of the hottest fitness trends ready to explode into the mainstream. As a Dance and Fitness Instructor for over 17 years I have sought out, studied and taught every different fitness trend imaginable, as every new trend brings a new section of women into fitness, and one of my main aims is to make fitness fun, enjoyable and motivational. Getting fit and in shape should never be boring or dull, it’s a lifelong journey that is exciting and inspirational and Fitness Pole Dancing ticks all those boxes!

It’s easy to see why Pole Dancing is catching on. It’s great for self-expression, relaxation and confidence building, as well as being able to perform well and feel good about yourself and can raise confidence and self-esteem. I have taught so many introverted, shy girls who, after only 1 lesson, have found inner confidence and beauty they thought they would never have. Fitness Pole Dancing is for women of all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life; it doesn’t matter in the slightest what you weigh, what shape you are in, or how tall you are, Fitness Pole Dancing is for everyone.

A typical Fitness Pole Dancing lesson is really a combination of aerobic dance, strength training and flexibility all mixed into one session. After a thorough warm up and prestretch the lessons will include basic spinning moves, poses, dancing and finally putting the spins and choreography together to form a routine. Everyone leaves a Pole Dancing lesson wanting more, you find you start dreaming about Pole Dancing, it really is that addictive. But it’s not for the fainthearted. After an initial session, the whole body will ache and will be so stiff. As a Fitness Instructor I am used to feeling my muscles ache, but after my first lesson, I could hardly sit down or even hold up my hairdryer! But don’t let that put you of!! Your body will soon get used to it and in no time you will be spinning upside down and climbing the pole.

The moves can be as simple as a basic spin, holding on to the pole with both hands, to something as complex as spinning round the pole upside down with one leg. You can take Pole Dancing in whatever direction you like, keep it simple or continually strive for new moves and combinations. Pole Dancing is not only a great cardio vascular exercise, but is also great for muscle building, body toning, flexibility, body posture and suppleness. As the moves become more complicated the body will be put in more demanding positions and some of these positions can mean supporting the whole of you body weight on one arm or leg. You can expect great increased muscle definition and toning all over, especially in the arms, thighs, buttocks and abs.

If you would like to take a look at Fitness Pole Dancing you can visit http://www.fitnesspoledancing.com/home.asp where you can download Fitness Pole dancing moves and lessons and buy your own pole to work out on at home.

Financial Planning and Insurance

There are many vital parts of our financial plan: estate planning, mortgages, credit cards, and UK Secured Loans. One area you need to include is insurance. Insurance answers the question, “what if something bad happens?” No one likes to think about and too many people avoid the topic of insurance because they fail to see the benefit.

But there is a benefit! With insurance, you will have peace of mind that their loved ones will be taken care of if they die. So why are you reading about insurance on a site that has to do with loans? Simple. You may want to consider insurance to cover your loans so that if you were to pass away, your loved ones will not be saddled with unexpected debt.

And, if you have a secured loan that your loved ones cannot cover, you do not want your assets seized to cover the loan. That will add tragedy to tragedy for your loved ones!

So how do you know what kind of insurance to get to cover your loans? Or any expenses at all, for that matter? The easiest thing to do is to determine the length of time that a particular expense will be present in your life and get insurance that matches the term of the expense.

For example, any death or estate tax will always be present in your life because no matter when you pass away, those expenses will be incurred. Also, if you want to bequeath a gift to a charitable organization, you will likely always want to have that as an available gift to make.

However, for many other expenses, including your loans, a temporary solution is better. For example the mortgage on your house or the loan on your car are both excellent loans to create insurance for. This way, if you were to pass away while these expenses are still present, they will be automatically paid off at your death. And because you are matching the term of the loan to the term of the insurance, you are only buying insurance for as long as you have the loan.

For example, say you have a secured home improvement loan to last for three years while you build an addition onto your home. At the same time you take out a three year term insurance policy for the same amount as the loan.

If you were to pass away in the second year, the insurance would pay your loved ones the full amount of the loan, of which they can use two thirds of it to pay the remaining portion that is still outstanding on your loan.

People do this for many kinds of loans, including their mortgage, their automobile loans, and any other kind of loan they have. It’s an excellent way to ensure that your loved ones are not going to be saddled with debt if tragedy should strike.

Jeff Lakie is a contributing author at our website where
You can get a free
Secured Loans Quote right now. Take a moment and see
for yourself.

Exploring the White Sands of New Mexico

To most, sand dunes are as synonymous with deserts as water is to an ocean. However, the deserts of the southwest are certainly no American Sahara. Sand dunes cover but a small percentage of the total land area, with the vast majority made up of silica, composed of weathered quartz. What makes the white sands of New Mexico’s White Sands National Monument, located just outside of Alamogordo, special is their composition- gypsum. There are only a few gypsum sand dune fields in the world, with those preserved at White Sands National Monument being by far the largest. Since gypsum is a water soluble mineral, and is usually carried by rivers away to the sea, a perfect coincidence of environmental conditions must exist to form a gypsum dune field. In additional to the snow white color, which turns sublime shades of pink and purple under the right light, gypsum sands differ from silica in being much softer and less abrasive. This sand actually feels like talcum powder between your fingers and toes!

So where did all this gypsum sand originate? During the age of the dinosaurs, a shallow sea covered much of the interior of North America. Gypsum, a salt of calcium sulfate, was dissolved in the water and formed sediments when the seas dried up. The sediments were lifted into a giant dome in southern New Mexico 70 million years ago, during the same period that the Rocky Mountains were formed. The dome began to collapse 10 million years ago, forming the Tularosa basin. The lowest point in the basin, Lake Lucero, is the main source of material from which the dunes have been carved. Large crystals of gypsum known as selenite can be found there. The constant action of southwesterly winds has eroded these deposits into tiny particles and blown them into the dune field. The dunes are constantly being moved to the southwest and reshaped by these winds.

Life forms at White Sands are specially adapted to the challenging conditions of the dunes. Yuccas grow at a rate fast enough to keep up with the advancing sand, ultimately developing stems over 30 feet long, mostly covered by sand. When the dunes move on, the plant collapses and dies. Other plants have strong roots which hold in place pedestals of raised sand, forming an island for life in the harsh dune environment. Much of the fauna found at White Sands, including lizards, toads, pocket mice, crickets, and beetles, have evolved white forms that are camoflauged with their environment. In order to cope with the extremes of temperature and dryness, many animals remain underground by day and emerge at only night. A morning hike through the dunes will reveal copious evidence of their nocturnal activities.

Although the road in White Sands National Monument leads directly into the dune field, the best way to experience this place is to leave the car and hike some of the trails. The Big Dune Nature trail, located on the edge of the dune field, allows for close observation of many of the plants and animals adapted to life there. Animals are especially active early in the moring and at dusk. The Interdune Boardwalk goes through an area densely populated by wildflowers during the blooming season. For a true wilderness experience, the Alkalai Flats trail will take you deep into the heart of the dunes- a sea of white surrounded by rugged mountains! The 4.6 mile loop leads to the dry lakebed of Lake Otero and back, and is marked by orange plastic markers anchored to the dunes. The color and forms of the dunes there are very reminescent of snow- a surreal environment. While hiking this trail, several times I had to remind myself that I was in New Mexico, not Antarctica! Like snow, they reflect the sunlight fiercely, so high strength sunblock is a must. Also, the plastic markers are the only landmarks, so be sure to stay in sight of them. Being on the dunes at dusk or dawn and watching the sands glow different shades of pink and purple in the low rays of the sun is an experience not soon to be forgotten. It’s also a great place to bring the kids, or to let out your inner child, and romp about in the soft sand.

Copyright 2004, Brian Vuillemenot. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Brian Vuillemenot is a scientifically trained outdoor adventurer and photographer specializing in large format and panoramic images of the American southwest. To see more of his work, including images of White Sands, visit his website at:

http://www.imagesofenchantment.com