The Toll Men

Health Insurance seems like a simple exchange. You pay an insurance company a premium and insurance pays your bills. You get rid of risk and the insurance company takes your risk. However, there is more to it that this. What does the insurance company do with your risk? Do they keep it? Do they also get rid of it somehow? When you understand what the insurance company does with your risk, then you can better evaluate your options and perhaps get a better deal on health insurance.

One measure of risk is the potential for ups and downs. Having a stock that pays $100 in dividends each year and seldom changes in price is not very risky. Having a stock that goes up or down wildly from one period to another is risky. The same is true for health care costs. Paying $100 each year for eyeglasses is not risky. Having a chance of winding up in the hospital and having to pay $100,000 is risky.

“Risk Pooling” happens when many people get together and share their losses by averaging them together. Risk pooling works because of the “law of large numbers.” As you average together more and more numbers in a certain range, the average becomes more and more stable. Unusually high or low numbers tend to cancel each other out. For example, if you roll dice once, the result can be anywhere from 2 to 12. If you roll dice more and more, the average will get closer and closer to 7. By the time you roll the dice 1,000 times, the average will be very stable around 7.

Health Insurance companies use risk pooling to get rid of the risk they take from you. They charge you a premium based on average cost plus their administrative cost. When they pool many people, the average cost is very stable and they have little risk themselves. Risking pooling is also used in finance. When people buy a bunch of different stocks in a diversified portfolio, their average return from the portfolio is more stable and less risky than the return from a single stock.

In order for risk pooling to work, the individual risks that are pooled must be independent. “Independent” risks go up and down at different times, not together. When risks go up and down at different times, they tend to cancel each other out. If they go up and down together, the do not cancel out. For example, it is less risky to provide accident insurance for 100 people traveling on 100 different boats than for 100 people traveling on the same boat. Health care risks for individuals are generally independent, although contagious diseases or widespread disasters can change that. This is one reason why many life and property insurance policies exclude losses from catastrophic events such as war.

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Almost nothing is more important than composition. No amount of manipulation of your image will help a badly composed picture.

But what is “composition”.

Don’t worry about the fancy terms, but basically, composition is the art of getting the final image looking right, starting from the moment you take the picture.

There are several elements:

- choose the correct subject: make sure the subject is relevant to your audience and to the message you are trying to convey

- place the subject: the “rule of thirds” means that subjects look best one third in from the side of the image or one third from top or bottom

- associate your subject: use the appropriate setting which gives “meaning” to your subject

- clear clutter: check the background for unnecessary rubbish or distractions

- watch for inanimate objects: don’t have lampposts growing out of people’s heads

- choose the correct lighting: no squinting or shadowy faces allowed, unless intended

- isolate your subject appropriately: use different apertures to change depth of field

- make your subject “talk”: get your picture to tell a story of some sort

- use props: where necessary, consider using a complementary prop (for example, someone holding a flower, or a boy on a bike)

- use an appropriate lens: telephotos and wide angles have different fields of view

- fill the frame: where possible, make your subject fill the frame and avoid unnecessary inclusions

Composition is the backbone of good photography. Use it wisely and your images will have impact.

Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com

Caring for any type of jewelry made from silver is important. It should be made part of your regular jewelry wearing routine. Sterling silver necklaces, beaded necklaces made of silver or just a simple sterling silver necklace falls into this “caring” category. It is important to keep your silver jewelry in a dry, cool place, as this will avoid oxidation. Since silver reacts to hydrogen sulfide and sulfur in the air, it turns dull after a while and needs to be buffed and taken care of. These airborne particles can tarnish silver jewelry and rob them of their natural sheen. It is best to keep your silver jewelry locked tightly in your jewel box when not wearing it, as exposure to artificial light or sunlight for long periods of time will accelerate the tarnishing process.

If you have a sterling silver necklace, storing it in a cloth to help resist tarnishing is a great first step. Don’t throw silver jewelry items into drawers along with beaded necklaces and other forms of jewelry. They rub against each other and create scratches.

Buy a good quality, liquid polish and use a polishing cloth for your precious silver jewelry. One great tip for protecting sterling silver necklaces is to glaze them with a fine coat of Egyptian lacquer. If you use sterling silver dips, remember to clean them off well, as they may rub off the color if you’re not careful. One of the best and most economical methods for cleaning your sterling silver necklace is to make a solution of mild dishwashing liquid and water. Remember to keep all traces of moisture from your jewelry pieces by drying them thoroughly. Definitely keep your silver jewelry away from bleach or chlorinated swimming pools.

By Terry Price- Remember to visit- http://www.diamond-silver-necklace.com/beaded-necklaces.html -Are you looking for a piece of sterling silver evening wear? http://www.diamond-silver-necklace.com/112-bold-sterling-silver-link-necklaces.html

Shopping for health insurance can be very discouraging when you become aware of the costs. If you are in search of affordable health insurance, an online quote may be very helpful to you. Purchasing insurance online or simply getting an online quote from one or more health insurance carriers can save you a lot of money on the health insurance you so desperately need.

Hospital and doctor bills can be too costly for most people too afford without a health insurance plan. Uninsured or under insured medical bills can spell disaster. A health insurance plan is imperative to your health and your financial security. Online health insurance quotes are available now and you may find more affordable rates than you expected. You can find the cheapest rates possible for your health insurance needs when you receive a fast, easy quote online.

Health insurance can provide security for you and your family in the event of sudden illness or unexpected medical emergencies. The continually rising costs associated with medical care are staggering. Do not be caught in the position of needing medical attention for yourself or a family member with no health insurance coverage. An online quote can provide you with information about the choices in coverage at the cheapest rates. Medical expenses that arise suddenly could mean financial ruin if you do not have adequate health insurance coverage. Doctor bills, hospital expenses, and even prescription medications can very quickly add up to large amounts of money out of your pocket.

Online health insurance quotes are quick, easy, and could save you hundreds of dollars each year in health insurance costs. You can find excellent health insurance plans and the cheapest rates possible in just minutes when you get an online quote. If you think affordable health insurance is out of your reach, keep in mind health insurance providers are ready to give you an online quote now and will offer you the cheapest rates available. Don’t risk your financial security. Your health is the most important issue in your life. Get an online quote now and obtain the health insurance you need at the cheapest rates possible.

To view our recommended health insurance companies, visit: Recommended Health Insurance Companies.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an informational website with articles and the latest news about
various topics.

Transform Yourself Into an Advisor

Would you like to:

Have your existing clients continue doing business with you for years to come?

Have your existing clients refer you to everyone they know?

Have NEW prospects, who are anxious to do business with you?

Then you must transform yourself from a typical insurance agent into an Advisor.

Most insurance agents are under the impression that to make more money they need to have either the lowest priced product, the top performing product, or the newest product and they must provide exceptional service. However, doesn’t every agent claim to have the lowest price, or the best and newest products? Don’t they all claim to provide exceptional service? If that’s all an agent has to offer, how are they any different from the other insurance agents out there?

Do your prospects and clients think of you as an “Advisor”… or do they simply think of you as another insurance agent who sells insurance products?

To make more money, you need to find a way to standout from the rest of the crowd. The goal is to keep your existing clients buying, while you identify and attract more high quality prospects. To do this, you need to address two critical questions your clients and prospects want to know:

Why should I do business with you instead of one of your competitors?

What’s in it for me?

You must show them you understand and can solve their problems.

The first step to helping your clients to think of you as an advisor is to develop a Unique Selling Proposition.

Your Unique Selling Proposition or USP is that single, compelling ideal that makes people want to do business with you instead of your competitors. To put it another way, your USP is that distinct and appealing idea that sets you and your business apart from your competition.

Almost all successful businesses, whether small or large, have a USP. In fact, that’s how small businesses grow into giant corporations. For example, both Domino’s Pizza and Federal Express became billion-dollar corporations in a very short period of time - because of their powerful USP.

Federal Express’ USP was, ‘When it absolutely and positively has to be there overnight.’ This statement tells the potential customers if they want to be 100% certain their mail will get delivered the next day, then, they must use Federal Express. Domino’s USP was, ‘Hot, fresh pizza delivered within 30 minutes - guaranteed - or it’s free!’

Your USP, when formulated powerfully, can propel you to the top of your industry in a very short period of time, just like what Federal Express and Domino’s USP did for them. So, if you want to start improving your business, you need to invest whatever time necessary to create a compelling USP and implement it in your business, immediately!

Remember all of your prospects want to know what benefits they will gain from doing business with you. What problems can you solve? Unless you can answer these questions to their satisfaction, you have very little chance of getting an appointment, let alone getting them to buy from you.

The main reason the prospecting/marketing materials or systems currently used by most agents are so ineffective is they don’t answer the prospects’ most important question: “What’s in it for me?” They don’t give their prospects a good reason for doing business with that particular agency or agent.”

How to develop and use your USP…

Your USP must be one sentence.

Your USP is either Pain or Pleasure oriented. Since most people will do more to avoid pain than to gain pleasure, you might want to model your USP around the pain that your product or service removes. What problem can you solve for them?

Make sure your marketing theme, campaigns, and business plans evolve around your USP. Did you ever see a business that’s marketing had nothing to do with their USP? Did it made them look like as if they had a values conflict?

Your USP should address a void in the marketplace, with a promise you can honestly fill.

The true test of whether you’ve designed a good USP or not, is if sells for you in the marketplace. Does it define your edge? Does the consumer value it with their hard-earned money?

Contact LifePro’s Marketing Specialist Colin Baier Today - Toll Free - 866-238-8602, ext. 132 | Cell - 860-918-6503 | Fax - 860-812-2125

www.LifePro.com

The FM modulator or FM transmitter is a device used to play your plug-and-play Satellite radio receiver through your vehicle’s FM stereo. FM transmitters can also be used to play other digital audio devices like iPods, CD and MD players.

Normally second choice to an audio cassette adaptor because of sound quality, the FM modulator is still a very quick and simple way to get your plug-and-play Satellite radio receiver working in your vehicle.

Although sometimes only used if all else fails, the FM modulator at least provides an option for listeners who not audiophiles, want an easy way to hook up their receiver, or simply do not have a built-in cassette player in their vehicle.

Enough degrading these devices; there are probably thousands of Satellite radio listeners out there who will tell you that they experience good reception using an FM modulator. However, there is no doubt about it, an FM modulator, if used, can and will on occasions degrade the quality of audio output from your plug-and-play Satellite radio receiver.

An FM modulator converts the audio signal from the plug-and-play receiver into an FM signal, which is then transmitted over an unused FM frequency or station selected by the listener. The limitations of the FM frequency band mean this in no way represents what the signal actually sounds like.

There are two types of modulator available; wireless and hardwired.

The wireless modulator is built-in to a power adaptor that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket, the docking station or cradle that houses the plug-and-play receiver, or, more recently, the plug-and-play receiver itself. The receiver’s audio output is transmitted over the air to an unused FM frequency.

The wireless modulator is convenient, easy to install and configure, but broadcasts only a very short-range signal prone to fading and with interference; comparatively weaker compared to a hardwired modulator.

The hardwired modulator is placed in between the vehicle’s stereo unit and antenna. The modulator connects directly into the stereo’s FM antenna socket to provide a better frequency response and a signal with less interference that is less lightly to fade.

It is recommended that a hardwired modulator be installed professionally, as it requires a connection to the antenna socket on the rear of the vehicle’s stereo and to the electrical system, all located behind the dashboard.

The amount of interference, static and fading you experience, using either of these devices, depends on where you are geographically located in the US, quality of the in-built tuner or broadcast and the type of modulator installed in your vehicle.

For example, somebody living in a major metropolitan area, using a wireless modulator, will no doubt experience poor reception along with the frequent and often debilitating interference from other radio stations.

With regard to sound quality, the wireless modulator rests at the bottom of the pile with the hardwired version above it. However, depending on circumstances, hardwired modulators can be as good as cassette adaptors if not better.

For more information please visit: http://www.the-satellite-radio-advisor.com

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

Jonathan Dalton: admin@the-satellite-radio-advisor.com

The advent of the internet has opened up the possibility of cheaper life insurance for all.

In years gone by, if you were considering life insurance you would probably have invited an insurance salesman from your favourite insurance company to meet you or alternatively gone to your local insurance broker. But rarely would you have been courageous enough to get competitive quotations. It just wasn’t done. You trusted the salesman to do the best for you and surely you thought, life insurance is somewhat technical and requires specialised knowledge. All very cosy. All very expensive. How life has changed!

People now realise that life insurance is not that complicated. If on a scale of 1 to 10, buying car insurance online rates 9, life insurance must be a 7 or 8. This has opened up the Internet as a prime arena for cut-price life insurance. That’s not to imply that life policies bought on the Internet are in any way substandard. No, you’re most likely to end up with a policy from one of the UK’s big insurers like Norwich Union or Legal & General and they’ll be exactly the same policies as you could buy anywhere else. It’s just that the intense competition on the internet and efficiency and simplicity of the system, means that most online brokers decide to cut the commission and roll back the savings into lower prices.

Ah yes I hear you saying, 7 or 8 implies that life insurance is more complicated than car insurance. Yes it is - but that doesn’t mean that it represents a problem. The companies selling life insurance online recognise that many clients feel that some level of personal advice is useful and indeed, necessary. They accommodate this with a mix of useful information on the web site and more often than not, with a short telephone conversation with a life insurance adviser prior to you buying. This provides reassurance and helps to ensure you really do get the policy options you need all at rock bottom prices.

Buying online certainly is a good idea.

Michael Challiner has 15 years experience in financial services marketing at senior level, the last 5 of which specialised in online marketing. Prior to that he spent 15 years in advertising with two of the world’s top advertising agencies, J Walter Thompson and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Michael now works as the editor of Express Life Insurance on behalf of Andromeda Webs Ltd

Futher reading Can I get an online life insurance quote

Futher reading What is Level Term Life Insurance

Owners of digital cameras enjoy many advantages over those with film cameras. A couple of these advantages are that they can take multiple pictures of the same thing without the fear of wasting shots and they can simply take the memory cards out of their digital cameras and put photos on a computer without worrying about storing sensitive film rolls. However, when the subject of getting digital camera photos into picture form comes up; inexperienced owners may be left scratching their heads and yearning for their old film cameras. But these digital camera owners need not fear because there is an easy solution for their problems: digital photo printing processing.

Sure the easiest solution for getting a digital camera photo into picture form is to print it straight off of the computer. This leaves people with no hassles and quality pictures, right? Well, not quite because ink and printing paper always seem to have the nasty habit of increasing in price every year and the average printer just isn’t capable of producing good, presentable prints. This is why seeking out an established online company to carry out the digital photo printing and processing duties is the common sense solution. Finding online websites to carry out theses tasks is extremely easy due to the fact that there are multiple sites throughout the Internet that specialize in digital photo printing processing. After finding a website of choice, all a person needs to do is upload the pictures saved on their computer to the company’s photo service and choose their preference of options. After payment and shipping details are complete, the pictures will be processed and printed by the company and then sent by mail.

While it would be nice to think that just about any online photo service will fit your needs, the reality is that there is many variations among the various companies. Some companies may be higher priced but offer more quality and some may offer average prints at lower prices. Make sure to check out online reviews about whatever company that you are planning to use to make sure that your preferences will be fulfilled.

To view our list of recommended sources for digital photo printing online,
visit Recommended Sources For
Digital Photo Printing Online.

Most often we our eyes set on a particular destination and a particular high end hotel but checking the prices makes us…well, sick! What if there’s a way to indulge in a luxury vacation, with everything taken care of, at really good prices? Then, look for an all inclusive vacation . Such packages always contain some heavily discounted item. It might be the hotel, it might be the flight or some interesting activities might be included. Plus, if you wait until the last minute you can benefit from huge discounts as well. The beauty of such offers is that you don’t need to worry about booking everything separately and then figure out a budget for the extra activities as well. The flight, hotel and meals are already included in the price. And depending on what package you book, the taxes might be included as well. Plus, there’s always the possibility to add some other services or activities. If you plan a romantic vacation, most often a romantic dinner or massage for two is offered by the hotel. If you want an active holiday, several activities or excursions are added. All you have to do now is check a travel guide about your destination and figure out what to do with your extra free time. You might want to try a local dish in a traditional restaurant. Or you might want to visit some museums. Whatever your plans are, make sure to bring loads of memory cards and batteries for your camera! Nothing reminds us more about a vacation than seeing the photos once we get back.

Did you ever see an image where only a small part of it is sharp? Using the aperture ring correctly can maximise the artistic look of your image.

Not only does it determine the depth-of-field, it also has the power to direct the human eye.

The human eye is instinctively drawn towards noticeable points of an image. These are usually the sharpest and most important parts of an image. Using a wide aperture to limit the area of sharp focus can direct attention to the most important elements of your image and blur out any off-putting backgrounds.

This isn’t that hard to accomplish, and can be blissful if done correctly.

Lets start off with understanding depth-of-field, aperture and f/stops.

Depth-of -field: The distance from the front to back that is in reasonable sharp focus is called the depth-of-field. There are two ways of controlling depth-of-field: Use a small aperture or focus on a point farther away from your camera.

Aperture and f/stops: The aperture is an opening in the centre of the lens through which light passes. The amount of light, which passes through an aperture, is indicated by f/stops. The lower the f/stop the more light that passes through the aperture. Opening up one full f/stop doubles the amount of light entering the camera. F/4 admits twice the light of f5.6.

By selecting a small or narrow aperture (f/16 or up), all or most of the scene will be reasonably sharp. This is ideal for landscape photography. By using a small aperture you increase the depth-of-field.

By selecting a large or wide aperture (f/5.6 or below) you decide which part of your image is sharp. This is ideal for taking pictures of wildlife, portraits, sport and small objects. By using a large aperture you decrease the depth-of-field

The smaller the f/number, the wider the aperture.

There is about twice the depth-of-field behind the point of focus as there is in front of it, using any aperture.

Now you know how to isolate your subject, so it’s time to put it to use. Set your camera to aperture-priority (AV) mode, and then select a large aperture (f/2 - f/5.6). By doing this the camera will select the shutter speed automatically. If you are shooting wildlife choose a low viewpoint to maximise the image, try putting the camera lens at eye-level with the subject.

While the above will help to isolate you subject, it’s only a start. Know your subject, especially when shooting wildlife. Don’t be fooled into thinking all elements of an image must be sharp to be considered a good photo.

TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape Photographer. If you are looking for more tips visit: Photo tips. To view some of his images visit his on-line gallery: Pictures of Ireland.