When two civilizations collide, very interesting realia can be born on the edge. Hardly can we imagine the way of life in other countries but here are some examples for you to try to picture how people live in Africa. Continue reading
24 states have no vision exam required to renew a license, and 44 will renew the license of a senior driver online, or from mail. With so many senior drivers on the roads in the US, you may be wondering if it’s like this all over the world. In fact, some countries are more lenient, and others much more strict, than the US. With the number of senior drivers expected to increase from 13% to nearly 30% over the next 20 years, it may be time for law reforms – or at least amendments to car insurance plans. What do you think?
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Road trips are an iconic part of the American experience. Despite the ease and speed of air travel, seeing America by car is still the preferred means of travel for many. But some of the most iconic roadways in the world are actually located outside of the US, and many of them put the longest roads in America to shame. While some roads span states, many others span entire countries, as the following list will show.
The second longest highway in America, Interstate 80 serves as America’s equator. Splitting the country in half as it travels east to west, beginning in San Francisco and ending in Teaneck, New Jersey, I-80 spans 2,909 miles.
Built in 1956, this road mimics the path of the Lincoln Highway, which was the first road across America. Not surprisingly, there is an obvious shortage of former Confederate states along the Lincoln Highway.
Inching out I-80 by about 200 miles, Interstate 90 holds the title of longest road in America. Starting in Seattle and ending in Boston, there isn’t much room for the road to get any longer.
Built in 1957 and spanning 12 states, I-90 literally connects America from sea to shining sea (both of which are in fact oceans).
Although America takes pride in being the best at everything, our neighbors to the north simply have more real estate than we do, which is why parts of the Trans-Canada Highway dwarf our interstates.
Built in 1962, this highway connects Victoria, British Columbia, to North Sydney, Nova Scotia (and then, after a 110-mile ferry ride, to St. John’s, Newfoundland). Translation for the Canadian Geographically-challenged: just shy of 5,000 miles of open road connecting east to west. Not bad, eh?
Spanning the width of Russia, the Trans-Siberian Highway connects the edges of the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Beginning in St. Petersburg and ending in Vladivostok, the 6,800 miles of road comprise Russia’s main highway system.
This massive amount of road proves that America and Russia have much in common, despite the fact that they may not see eye to eye on everything (for more information, see Rocky IV).
A racetrack on steroids, Australia’s Highway 1 puts the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to shame. This 9,000 mile highway circles the outer edge of the entire continent, and intersects every state capital in Australia.
This makes it a must-visit destination for your next tour to Australia.
Traveled by an average of one million motorists per day, this main highway of Australia keeps the continent connected, for those who like to take the long way around.
Although this road lacks an official sponsor, as it spans several countries and continents, it is widely considered to be the longest motorable road in the world. The term “motorable” is an important qualifier, as there is a 54 mile gap where traditional automobiles cannot pass.
Nevertheless, from its northernmost point in Alaska to its southernmost point in South America, this road is the longest road you’ll never want to drive. Though mileage measurements vary widely from source to source (16,000-29,800), 27,197 miles is our official count, based on go-panamerican.com.
Although the Tarim Desert Highway comes in at a meek 343 miles long, it may well be the “longest” road in terms of your perception of the length, as 80% of it cuts through an uninhabitable desert in Central Asia.
Motorists on this road enjoy the sights of the Taklamakan Desert, including sand, sun, and… more sand. While this road may not be the longest on the map, it certainly feels like it.
Although those traveling coast to coast or country to country are usually far better served booking a flight, many adventure seekers rejoice knowing that where there’s a will, a car, and one heck of a roadside protection package, there’s almost always a road that will get them to where they are going.
Life certainly has not stopped its evolutionary march, as demonstrated by society’s advancements, from the internet and the iPod to the first artificial heart and nanotechnology. Just as technical, scientific, and cultural advancements reach a summit, another peak reveals itself in the distance.
Here’s a list of some of the most notable ways life has changed over the past twenty years. By no means is this intended to be an exhaustive look at the past twenty years of development, but it will certainly reveal the relatively young age of some of our most notable achievements and their marked prevalence in society.
1990. The World Wide Web is developed and formally introduced to the scientific community by Tim Berners-Lee of London, England. Heard of HTML and URLs? Yes, Berners-Lee was also the man behind those. And what is his net worth today? Who knows. He simply developed and contributed to the world.
1993. The pentium processor is developed and becomes the gold standard for central processing units (CPU) of computers world-wide. Of course, Intel is behind this particular accomplishment and soon finds itself the undisputed leader of CPU technology.
1998. The most famous little blue pill since “Alice in Wonderland’s” adventures down the rabbit hole, Viagra brought erectile dysfunction into mainstream consciousness and resulted in billions of dollars in sales for manufacturer, Pfizer.
2001. AbioCor artificial heart is developed by AbioMed. This is the first fully implantable artificial heart and credited with having extended the lives of patients otherwise faced with little time left to live due to severe heart failure.
2001. In October of this year, Apple Computers announced the development of the iPod, a revolutionary concept in portable music players and the precursor to other revolutionary developments by this computer manufacturer: the iPhone and iPad. What’s next?
2002. Nano-tex, a wearable fabric utilizing nanotechnology, is invented by Nano-tex LLC. Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter from the atomic and molecular level. A concept first introduced in the late 1950′s has now become reality.
2002. The first projection keyboard is developed by Canesta, allowing for a virtual keyboard to be projected onto any level surface and utilized as a traditional keyboard.
2004. The delivery of medication via sound waves is developed by SonoPrep, thereby providing an alternative to injection.
2005. Online sharing of video, otherwise known as Youtube, is invented by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. Yay for new media achievements.
2008. Smog eating cement is introduced by Italian company, Italcementi. It claims to be able to reduce nitric oxides in the air by destroying certain pollutants responsible for the discoloration of cement.
Where are we going from here? It’s hard to say. Just as there is no shortage of advancements in technological, medical, or industrial circles, there seems to be no abatement of problems, challenges, and obstacles to overcome. While we may often feel close to the pinnacle of achievement in a particular area of study, another generation soon reveals a further frontier left to explore and possibilities left to conquer.
For the most part, insurance salesmen and women are unassuming professionals who care about their clients. Because they receive a great deal of their business from referrals and often keep the same clients for life, most agents are calm, trustworthy professionals who keep your best interest in mind. However some salesmen are sleazy, deceptive and downright gross, which is why these offenders need to be taken down a peg, and identified as the most annoying salesmen on Earth.
THE LINE: “How’s it been?”
IMPLICATION: “We’ve been in touch before, old friend.”
BFF Contract. The insurance papers come later.
Best friend Bob is one of the most annoying and omnipresent individual on the planet, as every agency has at least one. Easily spotted by his idiot smile from the moment you walk in the door, Bob can’t wait to shake your hand before emptying your wallet.
Bob wants to hear about your kids, because Bob Jr. just started tee ball. Did you know that Bob drives the same car as you? It’s because people who buy Chevrolets are patriotic and attractive. Can Bob interest you in boat insurance? Sure you don’t own one, but what if you’re out on the lake one day, and you decide you’re in the market? You wouldn’t want to be caught without boat insurance.
The simple fact of the matter is: Bob is not your friend. Bob shouldn’t be your friend. Bob is your salesman. If you are looking for a friend, go to a bar. By pulling heartstrings and making you think your relationship is personal, Bob can sell you anything he wants. Don’t let him. There’s no room at Thanksgiving dinner for Bob.
THE LINE: “That car almost clipped you when you pulled in!”
IMPLICATION: “Danger is lurking everywhere.”
Steve, hearing the funniest joke he’s ever been told
The polar opposite of Bob, Scare-Tactic Steve preys on your paranoid side. Steve doesn’t smile, because there is nothing funny about what he does or what he sells, and if you don’t feel the same way, you can get the hell out.
Steve wants you to know that since you began reading this, 100 American teenagers died of cancer. Another 200 died from AIDS-related traffic accidents, and 35 more lost lives to wild animal attacks. In a world this horrifying, can you afford not to have insurance? The answer is yes.
Steve has flawed statistics for everything, skewed to be far more terrifying than they actually are. For example, Steve could say that every hour, an American dies in a garbage disposal accident. Scary stuff, except when you do some quick math and realize that comes out to be 8,750 people per year, or roughly 0.003% of the American population.
THE LINE: “Aren’t hardwood floors beautiful? I bet they’re uber-flammable!”
THE IMPLICATION: “Your world is going to burn down.”
Insurance papers, or restaurant menu? It doesn’t matter.
Logic-Jumping Laura is a dangerous predator. Wily and cunning, her instincts are to tell you that 2 + 2 = whatever she wants, and your natural instincts are to believe her.
Perhaps you are opening a small business with Laura as your representative. She would be quick to tell you that employee coverage and fire insurance is a must, despite the fact that your business is headquartered out of your home and you are the only employee.
Nevertheless, what if your house does burn down? Sure, maybe you have fire insurance on your home, but does that cover damages to your den? Unless your home insurance is broken down per room, you are fine. Ignore Laura’s attempts to get you to forget the missing pieces of the equation and up-sell you.
THE LINE: “I know you wanted coffee, but we’re out. Here’s orange juice.”
THE IMPLICATION: “Take what I give you, and like it.”
These people will testify on Bill’s behalf.
Bait-and-Switch Bill is a tricky guy. Far more laid back than Bob, Bill will also begin his sale with lots of personal “get to know you” questions. Be careful with your answers, because everything you say can and will be used against you at the end of the sale.
Bill is less of an insurance salesman and more like a prosecuting lawyer, carefully building his case from the moment you walk in the door. What may seem like trivial conversation at first can quickly turn into the final nails in your coffin.
Example? Bill may ask you about your hobbies, to which you could reply that you play golf. An hour later, when he has you over a barrel, getting ready to sell you alien abduction insurance, he WILL say “for the money spent on one round of golf, you can insure your family for an entire year.” Oh. Oh, that’s cold Bill. That’s cold.
THE LINE: “Can you believe this cherry-pitter gadget is only three bucks?”
THE IMPLICATION: “Cheap things are awesome, even if they’re useless.”
Larry’s dad, Lance. He taught Larry everything he knows.
Unlike Bill, Larry doesn’t need to acquire personal information in order to tell you exactly how you should be spending your money. Sprinkled with a bit of Laura, Larry is really good at making everything seem affordable.
Larry will tell you that roofing insurance is only $17 per month. That is the same amount of money most people spend per month on milk and bread. The hail-damage-to-window rider is only $4 per month, which is the same as a gallon of gas. All of these things sound affordable, until later when you remember you still have to buy milk, bread, and gas.
Despite how easy Larry makes it, he isn’t the one figuring out your monthly budget. Be careful not to be sucked into paying for something you don’t need, just because it is cheaper than the things you do need.
THE LINE: “You’re going to have attractive kids one day!”
THE IMPLICATION: “You’re going to have kids! It could be tomorrow.”
Dan knows what will be best for you, eventually.
Down-the-Road Dan appeals to the planner inside of us all. He can see down the road like a hawk, but sees the present like a bat. While he may get you to look down the road, it is important to remember which road you are currently on before making any decisions.
Dan wants you ready for what life throws at you long before life has even wound up to throw it. He wants to make sure that your children have dental insurance before they have teeth, and that your car will be covered for ten years even though it will be sold in five.
Down-the-Road Dan doesn’t need to concern himself with where you are now, because he is all about where you want to be. It can be easy to go on a journey with him, but before you sign any checks, remember just exactly how long you have before you find yourself on the same road as Dan.
While choosing the right brand of insurance is important, choosing the right agent is far more significant. Since all of your claims will be filed and taken care of by your agent, you need someone you can trust, enjoy and rely upon, which is why these six salesmen should stay as far away from your affairs as possible.
Making the most of the money you get paid is hard to do. There are so many things you want that it’s hard to say no. You want to plan for the future but not at the cost of sacrificing your happiness today. The issue is in finding a balance between what you want now and what you will need down the road.
The key to establishing a sound financial situation is knowing the things in life that are important to you. This is much easier if you are doing it alone. In any respect, you should be able to know what the money you are making is working towards and go after it. For some it is long term security. For others it is to build wealth. Then there are some that are concerned with making the most of their money while they can.
Every goal for your money is different and therefore shouldn’t be thought of as irresponsible. The key, however, is not backing yourself into a corner when an emergency comes up. While there are great places like payday loans that can bail you out, the key is keeping your goals on track by dodging smaller bullets.
A good rule of thumb is to take 10% of the money you make and put it into savings. This will allow you to keep a bit of safe money in case things go wrong. While it might be more prudent to save more money, there are economic factors that might prohibit more savings.
If your goals are more long term, you might consider saving more money. This could be an effective way to achieve retirement quicker or the capital to invest in property. Either way, having a sense of clearly structured goals will mean the difference in the life you want and the life you wish you had.
Let’s be honest for a moment here–credit card payments, poor credit ratings and credit card fees are awful. Unless you know the system with scholarly depth, you won’t navigate through the maze unscathed. Credit card company’s are unforgiving too, one missed payment and your credit ratings start going down the tubes in a big hurry. Why not try a Prepaid Credit Card instead where you can avoid some of the confusion associated with the average credit cards and put yourself in control over your credit score, get back on your feet and begin to building a brighter future with good credit credit.
Unlike a normal credit card, a prepaid card is loaded with your money, either with cash or direct deposit of your paycheck. You won’t lose control and discover down the road that you owe thousands of dollars. You can put the card to work doing anything from paying bills to buying movie tickets, anywhere that uses a credit card. And the kicker is that each time you pay a bill with this card, not only do you save money from avoiding fees like check cashing, but you’re also building your credit rating. Prepaid is a economical and simple system with a small flat monthly fee to maintain the card.
In addition to elevating your credit score, you’ll see a real difference in your bottom line from using a prepaid credit card. You’ll avoid all of the fees associated with cashing your paycheck, paying bills or shopping online, which can quickly add up to a couple hundred dollars per month. The real cherry on this sundae is how secure your money will be. While the world of credit is a confusing place, a simple Prepaid Credit Card can help you get your good credit back and get back control over your hard-earned money.
Do you find yourself living above your means? Are the bills piling up unpaid, or do you wonder how other people can afford a lifestyle that seems out of reach to you? If you find yourself saying ‘yes’ to questions like these, you might be a person who would benefit from Credit Counseling.
This sort of counseling is not unlike relationship counseling, in which a therapist works with feuding partners to find solutions for their attempts at emotional connection. In the case of a credit counselor however, instead of covering topics related to romance, they will cover topics related to the wallet. From basic concepts to the more advanced, these trained specialists can help alleviate the problems which stem from poor personal financial management.
Sometimes a re-working of your entire spending pattern is in order, and doing so will free up cash to put towards paying down those balances accumulating interest. While some people are in dire need of a total financial education, others are merely a bit off the path, and just need a bit of guidance. Receiving counseling for a few money lessons can refresh and renew your formerly good habits of paying bills on time, avoiding late fees and interest, and assisting with rebuilding good credit.
Counselors are trained to point out specific ways in which an individual is being sidetracked from the route of appropriate fiscal habit. Whether the pattern is from a lack of saving, or a surplus of spending, you’ll get the best way to conserve. Some individuals don’t identify credit cards as cash, or just procrastination when it’s time to pay the bills. Let a credit counselor help you identify the problem keeping you from your dreams of financial independence and good credit.
If you suffer from several of these afflictions simultaneously, good credit counseling might just save your important relationships.
Life is busy and your life won’t get less busy as the summer time rolls around. You plan vacations, parties, and outings in the summer, and you still have to work your regular job. So with all the hustle and bustle of the life you lead, where is there time to care for your lawn? The question gets overlooked and often times so does the quality and health of your lawn. But the answer to lawn care doesn’t ever have to be complicated. A couple of simple steps and your lawn can look good all summer long.
Keeping the quality and care of your grass starts with the grass itself. Investing in centipede grass is a smart way to keep your lawn looking fresh. With centipede grass it grows low so you don’t have to worry if you can’t mow it all the time. The other nice thing is that it reacts well to little or no water. It can’t survive forever without water but it eliminates the need for watering everyday. Picking up the right kind of grass gives you a head start.
Putting your sprinkler on a timer also makes sense. Taking the time to water your grass isn’t always practical. Letting your sprinkler do it for you is just plain smart. Set the timer to go at least once a day and not more than twice because over watering your lawn doesn’t make sense.
If all else fails you can always have a lawn care service do the work for you. They are relatively cheap and will come over and do a full service lawn care. This makes it very easy for you to maintain your lawn without having to worry about taking care of it.
The summer is hectic enough, take these small steps to ensure that your lawn stays looking attended to even if you can’t attend to it.
The key to successful promotion of your business is finding a method that is highly effective but low in cost, therefore optimizing the profit potential of that promotion. One of the most effective methods of promotion, or marketing, that comes at an affordable cost, is postcard printing. Postcard printing allows you to keep regular contact with your current clients and gain potential clients. You can have postcards printed that feature the most recent and exciting work from your company, to announce news, sales or events, or keep your business at the forefront of the market.
Postcard printing is easy and affordable. All you need to do is find a promotional printing company that suits your needs and can offer you a good deal and the best quality. Most promotional companies offer rates that decrease in price withthe quantity you order. For example, if you order 500 verses 250 postcards, you will receive a lower rate per postcard than if you only ordered 250. A good idea is to talk to the company you are considering working with and see examples of their previous work, examining the workmanship and quality. Once you decide who to work with, consult with the printer to make sure the postcard is designed the way you want it.
No matter what the objective of your promotion is, it is essential to confirm that the information is spelled correctly on the postcard, presented clearly and catches the interests of readers. If you are wanting to advertise a new product or project, be sure the postcard showcases all of the advantages and features, and has your contact information easily visible.
To mail your postcards you can use an independent service or utilize mailing services that are part of the printing company. You can then build and maintain a mailing list of recipients, send the postcards and make connections, bringing customers to your business.
