Do You Want a Good Read? Checkout "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive" By Steve Earle

Are you like me and enjoy a good read? Speaking for myself I look for a good story line which keeps me turning the pages. Characters I can relate to and a good narrator's voice. As long as I can understand what's happening I'm not too fussed about the grammar and I soon get bored if there is a lot of unnecessary descriptive detail. So my reviews reflect these criteria.

I have just finished reading "I'll Never Get out of This World Alive," By Steve Earle.

· I believe Steve has set out to let us, his readers know. Those who for whatever reason have taken to prostitution, thievery or other antisocial activities to feed addictions to drugs, gambling and other vices are still able to retain a basic human goodness and concern for others. Also, given encouragement and faith they are able to let this goodness be the means to climb back and rebuild lives.

· The story line, which kept me turning pages, has a central character Doc who has lost his license, is hooked on morphine and is constantly harassed by a ghost from his past. The good Doc who in spite of his addiction is humane and compassionate, carries on an illegal medical practice as he struggles to exist and feed his addiction. His circle of, "Friends," drug dealers, street girls and gamblers all hustling and all dependent on each other as they drift on to an uncertain future. Then one day a young Mexican girl, Graciela joins the circle as an abortion patient and everything slowly but surely changes as members of the circle start to break away to make a new life. Until eventually the circle is broken with an explosive climax.

· I found I could relate to the main character Doc and also to some extent to Graciela. The other characters although sketchy were substantial enough to play their part. The narrator's voice led me seamlessly from event to event.

· Descriptive detail was not overdone and I didn't find myself bored and skipping paragraphs. At no time did I have to reread a sentence to get its meaning so I guess the grammar meets my criteria.

· This is a book which I found entertaining and left me very much aware of how others can lead worthwhile lives in spite of the circumstances in which they find themselves. Certainly a good read and worth four stars.

Why Every Company Needs its Own Domain

This morning when I drove to the office I had a big truck in from of me. A truck has a huge surface to be used as advertising space, and the owner cleverly placed the company name, phone number and e-mail address on the back.

However, the e-mail address was an address given by the internet connection provider - Wanadoo in this case. I was amazed. There was this huge truck, costing ten-thousands of euros, with professional lettering costing hundreds of euros giving an amateur image because they did not care to spend ten euros to buy their own domain name!

Any company, big or small, should have its own domain name.

An own domain name has various benefits:

Using the domain name of your internet provider does not look professional and gives the impression that you so not understand or do not care about the internet; If you ever decide to change your internet provider, your e-mail address will change as well, costing you a lot of money to update stationary and the lettering of your truck; Each time you use your company@provider.com e-mail address, you are making publicity for your internet provider. Why not use that opportunity to make publicity for yourself? Of course, what counts for e-mail addresses is also valid (even stronger in my opinion) for web pages. If you have a small shop, do not hesitate and purchase your own domain name.

Estate Planning And The Revocable Living Trust

According to Plan-My-Estate.com - With a Revocable Living Trust, you transfer the title of any of your assets (such as a house) from yourself as an individual, to yourself as Trustee of the Trust. Then you, as the Trustee of the Trust, manage the assets of the Trust for the benefit of the beneficiary, which is you. In this manner, you keep complete control over the assets. Once you pass on, a Successor Trustee takes over the management of the asssets for the benefit of the beneficiaries that you named in your Trust. Your assets do not have to pass through Probate because the assets are no longer titled in your name as an individual, but are now titled in the name of the trust. Upon your death, the Successor Trustee simply transfers your assets directly to your beneficiaries without the need for court or attorney's fees or costs.

With a Revocable Living Trust you keep complete control over your assets and ensure that your assets are passed to your designated beneficiaries without delay or unnecessary costs.

Why use a revocable living trust as part of your estate planning strategy?

1. Assets funded into the trust avoid probate. This can save your beneficiaries time and money and if there is no probate, there is probably no public record of the distribution of assets. Note, however, that only the assets written into the trust agreement are covered by the trust. If you win the lottery today and die tomorrow without amending the trust, the winning proceeds will not be covered and may have to be run through probate.

2. You decide when and what principal and or income will be passed to which beneficiaries and for what purposes the income or principal can be distributed, ie: so and so can only use the money for educational purposes. If it's not used for educational purposes by a certain date then it goes to another beneficiary. Or, the income from the trust is to go to your current spouse and when she dies or remarries or what ever condition you wish to add, the assets are to be distributed to your children, or your children are to receive the income from the trust until they reach a certain age and then the assets are to be distributed as set up in the trust.

3. The trust's assets are normally protected from the beneficiary's creditors as the trust owns the assets not the beneficiary. Note: The trust's assets are not normally protected from your creditors. Because a living trust is revocable your creditors can usually go after the assets.

You should consult with an attorney who specializes in estate planning.

While a living trust can offer many advantages in addition to the foregoing, it also has various disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages can depend on both your financial and personal situation. A good attorney will go over your both your financial and personal situations and then provide you with proper advice about planning and protecting your estate and assets.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is not an attorney and the foregoing information is not given as legal advice. It is instead given as information and opinion gathered and developed through experience over the last thirty years as a private investigator dealing almost exclusivly with attorneys. The author also interviewed various estate planning attorneys prior to writing this article. Although the author believes the information to be accurate no guarantee is made or implied. As in all legal matters the advice of a competent attorney should be sought when planning or attempting to protect your estate.

This article may be reprinted, at no charge, provided that credit is given to the author and that any links contained herein are retained and kept active.

©Copyright 2005 Resources For Attorneys. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Infopreneurs: How to Avoid a Painful, Stressful Product Launch

If you try to emulate the big launches that you see in the internet marketing arena, you will quickly find it very difficult. It's incredibly stressful to organize and execute the number of behind-the-scenes details that make the big launches work. This complexity is rarely talked about, but is immediately realized once you jump in to a product launch of your own. Not only are there a lot details to organize, but there are lot of people to manage as well.

Trying to copy what you see without having the proper tools in place is a recipe for pain, stress, or even worse...launch failure. This article will help you simplify your upcoming launch to decrease the level of stress and increase your chances for success.

Engage less promotional partners. Managing multiple promotional partners is a highly stressful experience. Instead of trying to recruit an "army" of promotional partners, set up a core group and keep a strong relationship with them. To make things even easier, conduct your next launch focused only on your own email list. Keeping the number of promotional partners down allows for less mistakes to be made (by you and others) and gives you a platform for a larger launch in the future.

Shorten the promotional period. The shorter the promotional period, the less time you will spend afraid of losing launch momentum. You should consider a 7 or 14 day launch timeframe instead of a 30 or 60 day launch timeframe. The shorter timeframe makes it easier to keep your target market's attention. This will give you a greater chance of success by limiting the number of elements to sequence.

Launch an affiliate product. If you choose to launch an affiliate product, you don't have to fulfill any of the customer service responsibilities. For example, you won't have to deliver the product, return defective items, or respond to problem tickets. If you choose to launch your own product these are all things you must do. Launching an affiliate product allow you to focus on creating anticipation for the launch event while increasing the total offer with high quality bonuses.

Each of these solutions will lessen the pressure and frustration of managing the behind-the-scenes details of a product launch. The less details you have to manage personally, the more time you have to focus on quality execution of your product launch sequence.

Trying to emulate a "guru-style" product launch is very stressful without the proper knowledge and tools. There are a lot of activities that appear once your launch gets started, but by then it can be too late to make adjustments. Choose one or all of the ideas above to lessen the stress of your launch and give yourself a better chance for success.

Quick Down and Dirty Prepping

I often hear people complaining that they don't have much money to invest in emergency prepping or they will say I simply do not have enough time to stock up on all the items I would need in the event that the balloon goes up. In as few of words as possible this is a lot of bunk. In all reality you do not need to be rich to stock up and survival a 30 day ordeal safely.

If you have the proper items in place and possess a survivor mindset you can accomplish your mission with ease. It doesn't matter if you live in a rural country setting or in a bustling city if you keep it simple you can acquire an inexpensive emergency prepping supply which could take care of a 30 day period of time per individual. Let's cover the essentials in detail now.

Food

Food is a simple essential to accumulate but remember the golden rule, store what you eat and eat what you store. Store approximate 30 cans of beef stew, 30 cans of mixed vegetables and 30 gallons of water per person. When possible try to store those foods which do not require water to prepare. Alternately, you could store up on 30 cans of tuna or canned chicken and 30 cans of mixed vegetables. If you can store up on extra water you should do so. It can always be used for flavored drinks such as instant teas, coffee and powdered type drinks. The extra water will also allow you to use instant noodles and rice for a more filling meal.

By following the suggestions above you should be set for at least a month in the event of a crisis. Combined with the food in your refrigerator and pantry you should be able to last even longer.

I realize that 30 gallons of water is not a lot when you consider it being used for hygiene, cooking and drinking. If you are able to do so you should buy or build a water filter. You also have the water in your hot water heater which could be used during emergency times.

Light

Light can be provided by only 1 hurricane lamp complimented with three or four gallons of lamp oil. A hurricane lamp will burn oil at the rate of 1/2 oz per hour. You can forget about batteries as they do not last very long for practical use. Use your flashlights or headlight only in the event that you must wander outside at night. In fact, crank flashlights would be a wise investment. Maintain some flint and steel in your supplies to aid in starting your hurricane lamp.

Heat

Surprisingly in a dire emergency a lamp will put out a considerable amount of heat especially if confined to a small room. In addition, you should have a good supply of winter clothing and wool blankets on hand to handle those extra cold evenings. Fires could be used but they represent an un-needed safety hazard and usually require ventilation.

Sanitation

Sanitation can easily be accomplished by the use of the commercially available five gallon toilet buckets and a large selection of garbage bags. Stock up on toilet paper according to your normal consumption needs. Keep a bottle of waterless soap handy in your toilet facilities for hygienic cleanup.

Health

In emergency conditions we must take care of our health and in doing so we may require alcohol for disinfecting wounds, various selections of pain killers and bandages. Bandages can be an assortment of clean dish towels, pillow cases or even sheets cut to size. These can be used to stop any bleeding issues encountered. Anything of a more serious nature will require some sort of improvisation. Keep at least one large bottle of multi vitamins in your supplies.

Security

Quick security measures can be as simple as tossing some 2 x 4's under your bed to nail across your doors or windows. You could also use those 2 x 4's laid on the floor with one end propped against the door while the other end was jammed against the opposite wall. You could employ several simple wedges under the door to prevent it from opening too easily. If worse comes to shove you can use the closet or bathroom doors for the same purpose. Keep a hammer, some nails, several types of screwdrivers and a hatchet readily at hand.

If you live in an area where you are permitted to have a weapon you should secure a shotgun for defense along with some sort of concealed pistol for when you go outside the home. I especially like the thought of a survival.22 which could be used for small game and defense if the time arrives. I have a 12 ga. shotgun, a 20 ga. And several.22's so I stock up on ammo accordingly. A good hunting knife would be an excellent addition to your defense weapons.

Don't forget the value of a good quality hand cranked emergency radio to provide you with a sense of what's going on in the outside world.

The items listed above can be quickly assembled and will not interfere greatly with your budget. The food supplies should naturally be rotated within your daily food menus allowing for frequent replenishment. Any scenario which will exceed this 30 day supply becomes a serious issue and you will have to get out and finding what you need to survive. Always maintain a low profile and remain out of sight when possible.

For those individuals who may already have a good 30 day emergency supplies on hand you are well ahead of most of the other people when it comes to security and management of emergencies however even the best systems that are in place often overlook something of important. You may discover that your equipment doesn't work as you expected it to therefore it is always a smart move to test your preparedness system prior to actually needing it.

If everything on this list is implemented you can always add to your supplies as you go along. Preparing for emergencies is a never-ending task and takes place continuously. In fact once you are all set for the 30 days mentioned here why not start thinking about 30 more days. Keep up this mindset until you are stored up for a complete year.

By Joseph Parish

Copyright @2012 Joseph Parish http://www.survival-training.info

Cleaning of Chimney and Its Importance

Imagine a cold winter night when winds are blowing, dried leaves are scattered around and fog clouds are on your window. You are sitting in your house which is cozy and warm, in front of a chimney. Isn't this relaxing?

Ever thought how miserable winters could be in the absence of a fireplace? Or how much you will have to suffer if your chimney is not cleaned properly? Your house can freeze in extreme winters without a chimney. While a poorly cleaned flue can cause hazardous smoke, this smoke can fill in your house and can cause several problems, including severe suffocation.

Over the years, because of soot and rust, your chimney cap may also face corrosion. This will allow dust and dried leaves to enter your house. Sometimes environmental conditions and a change in the flow of air can reverse the function of flue. This can be avoided by cleaning your chimney after an extreme winter season.

Cleaning the chimney:

Step#1: Remove the ashes: Cleaning the flue is not a difficult job and you can do it easily. During the winter seasons, make sure that ashes do not accumulate more than two inches on the chimney. Once the season is over, you can get rid of these ashes by using a flat fireplace shovel to remove stubborn ashes while a high pressure vacuum cleaner can be used to remove dust.

Step#2: Remove Soot: Spray some soapy water on the firebox or place it is soap water for about 30 minutes. When the residue starts leaving the surface of the fireplace, scrub it with a brush. Removing stains and soot from flue is difficult and time consuming.

Step##: 3 Removal of Stubborn Stains: For stains that are not easily removed, use something stronger than soap. This can be done by using detergent or diluted chemicals such as muriatic acid. But make sure you follow all the precautionary measures while using chemicals.

Mix the chemical with water to make it dilute. Now apply this mixture on stains and leave it for at least half an hour. When the stains start leaving the surface of the fireplace, use a brush to remove it completely. Dust on damper can also be removed with the help of a brush.

Step#4: Replacing When replacing the chimney, examine the smoke pipes for any holes and if found, repair them. Ensure that all the joints are assembled properly before installing and then seal the flue with cement. To ensure the safety of your house, it is necessary to clean your chimney at least once a year. You can easily do this cleaning by yourself. However, the services of professionals can be rendered for intensive cleaning.

9 Awesome Halloween Costume Ideas for Women

Are you ready for the fun to get started? Whether you're having a party at home, attending a party somewhere else or taking the kids on their candy-obtaining journey, you need a costume that rocks. With the suggestions in this article, you're sure to find what fits the bill. Below are some costumes that will thrill and chill and are perfect for the spookiest night of the year.

Black Swan

This idea comes from the movie Black Swan and you can have that dark swan look with the Exotic Eyes Dark Swan makeup. Add the black wings and black lace tights for your own personal touches.

Lara Croft

And speaking of things dark, try out the Tomb Raider costume. With the black shorts jumpsuit and the gun holster, you can slip into the role made popular by Lara Croft.

Neytiri

Ready for more Halloween costume ideas for women? Just keep reading. Let's get a little blue for this one and bring Neytiri to life in costume. This appealing Avatar costume has a striped blue jumpsuit, comes with the gauntlet and has an apron. Get the wig and makeup and you'll be plenty otherworldly for the night.

Wilma

Sticking with characters from other worlds, go way back in time and dress like the most popular cavewoman of all - Wilma Flintstone. The white dress and zebra trim, orange hair and huge rock pearl necklace is Yabba Dabba Do perfect for you!

Catwoman

Slinking into something with some feline grace is the Catwoman costume. With the black jumpsuit and stretch to fit headpiece, you'll be quite the cat of the night. The boot tops and belt are included in this villainous outfit.

Flapper

If dancing fun is your passion, then you'll enjoy going to gatherings as a flapper. You can razzle dazzle any crowd wearing this gold and black fringe dress. The feathered headpiece gives the costume that roaring '20s appeal.

Flashdance

Coming forward just a little in time, there's a costume that can pay homage to a great movie while giving you a unique costume and that's the Flashdance outfit. The Flashdance sweatshirt dress is a retro peek back into the '80s complete with the leg warmers and headband.

Gangster

Rounding off the list of Halloween costume ideas for women is the Women's Gangster costume. In the striped black pants and shirt with the necktie and hat, you'll be a regular Bonnie ready for some Halloween action.

Dorothy

Of course, if you prefer to stick to the not so straight and narrow yellow brick road, the blue and white gingham romper of Dorothy's might be what you have in mind. Click some ruby red slippers together and on Halloween night, you'll have some magical fun.

Vision Insurance is Something You Need to Look Into

Have you looked into your medical insurance policy lately? Does it cover such things as; Lasik eye surgery, glasses or catastrophic eye problems? Most medical policies do not have these coverages. Even the best medical coverage policies do not always cover such things. Perhaps you need to look into vision insurance and see if you can get the coverage you may need in case of problems with your eyes.

Of course you will need to talk to an expert insurance and it is best to talk with someone before such issues with your vision arise. One eye insurance policy I looked into had a monthly membership fee which was nominal and low deductibles too. I asked my insurance person about this and she told me she had even a better plan that what I had found searching on the Internet, which tells me that shopping around makes a lot of sense.

First, review your current medical policy, then study what is available on the Internet a little and then once you have a pretty good handle on it write down a list of serious questions to ask and get the answers you need from an insurance expert.

Sometimes employer medical plans include such things, but not always and for us self-employed folks well we are clearly on our own when it comes to such things, but we must not forget our eyes.

Running a business blind is truly visionless indeed. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

Bad Medical Billing Employees Can Destroy Your Practice

A weak medical billing staff can undermine the best technology and billing processes. Medical Billing success requires great medical billing employees. Developing a strong medical billing team is a difficult, but worthwhile effort. Here is how to make it happen:

1) Installing a well-defined and predictable method for recruiting, identifying, hiring and keeping great medical billers:

Medical billing is a critical function and the process for finding and selecting medical billing employees must reflect the criticality of the job. You would not hire an accountant or an attorney based upon a few questions about what they liked or did not like about previous jobs, you should not hire medical billers with any less rigorous a process. Install multiple interviews and multiple testing levels. Test for billing knowledge, work style and work effort. Check references and check criminal history.

The leading billing organizations train to develop desired quality.  Junior staff members must pass demanding training programs-junior team members are developed into billers, capable of following the measured and monitored billing process.  In addition, staff is trained throughout the year in latest payer rules, follow-up techniques and compliance guidelines.  A dedicated Compliance Officer is responsible for all additional HIPAA and OIG training.

The best staff is retained; weak staff released.  The billing organization's staff is evaluated every year to assure proper development and progress.  Evaluations are based on tangible, measurable targets and quality indicators. Best performers are properly rewarded and the lowest 10% of performers are asked to leave. This should be done methodically in an effort to continuously improve the quality of billing staff.

2) Focus your team members: The best medical billing processes are designed to allow individuals to specialize in specific areas such as charge posting, insurance follow-up or payment posting.  Such specialization allows the individuals to become true experts capable of spotting issues quickly that billers spending their time performing multiple tasks might miss.

3) Invest heavily in analytical efforts:  Continuous improvement of the billing process and the billing team requires significant and on-going analytical efforts. By measuring key factors about both payers and the billing process, a billing group can speed up collections, lower denials and lower the cost of the billing process.

4) Compensate your medical billing specialists based upon performance, not effort: Your billing department should succeed when the practice succeeds. Many good billing systems have been undermined by a compensation approach that does not give the medical billing team the proper motivation to doggedly and efficiently pursue the practice's claims. Remember to insure the compensation system falls with the OIG's guidelines.

These steps provide a foundation for growing  a medical billing team that will be second to none.

Copyright 2008 by Carl Mays II