Does the Supreme Court Need Reserve Players on the Bench?

A standing-room-only crowd filled the courtroom of Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently when retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor appeared there to help decide three Montana cases.

Although it is rare to see a former member of the nation's highest court fill in on a lower court panel, it is not unusual in the federal court system for judges to substitute for one another. The only court that does not permit pinch-hitters is the Supreme Court.

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, thinks it may be time for the Supreme Court to allow retired justices to fill in when an active member of the court recuses himself or herself from a case. The suggestion, according to Leahy, comes from none other than the just-retired Justice John Paul Stevens, who at age 90 may already be feeling some remorse over his decision to step down.

Once a federal judge, always a federal judge. Article III of the U.S. Constitution establishes that federal judges "shall hold their offices during good behavior," effectively allowing them to serve for life unless impeached.(1) After retirement, judges may take what is known as "senior status," continuing to receive the same annual salary they received while active and retaining the ability to hear cases on a part-time basis.(2)

These provisions preserve the judiciary's independence and integrity by immunizing judges from political and financial pressures. They also provide a pool of experienced judges ready to step in whenever a full-time judge is unavailable.

Federal law provides that "Any retired circuit or district judge may be designated and assigned by the chief judge or judicial council of his circuit to perform such judicial duties within the circuit as he is willing and able to undertake." This means that judges who have retired from district courts may, on occasion, serve on the three-judge panels of the circuit courts of appeals. Active district court judges may also be called on from time to time to fill vacancies at the circuit court level.

Meanwhile, senior judges and justices from higher courts, including the Supreme Court, may fill vacancies in lower courts. Former Justice O'Connor took senior status when she left the Supreme Court in 2006 and has since heard cases in appellate courts across the nation.

This substitution and mixing of judges from various levels of the court system is intellectually healthy as well as efficient. Lower court judges can remind appellate judges, who may not have run a trial court in many years (if ever), what it is like on the front lines of the federal justice system. Judges from higher courts can bring renewed rigor and a broader perspective to lower court proceedings.

But I don't think it is a good idea to extend this mix-and-match system of judicial selection to the nation's highest court. I think it would further politicize the court and undermine respect for the justices and their decisions. This would not be good for the country.

Justices have complete discretion over whether to recuse themselves from hearing a particular case. Typically they do not disclose their reasons for recusal, though it is usually apparent that a justice may have a personal or financial conflict of interest, or may have worked on a case or a closely related matter prior to joining the court.

The remaining eight justices decide the case if one of their brethren takes a pass. This means the court can split 4-4, which is liable to happen on any number of issues where the modern court is polarized. A tie means the lower court's decision stands, but the Supreme Court's action does not establish a precedent that is binding in future cases. Leahy and Stevens argue that justices may avoid recusing themselves to avoid having cases end in such an unfulfilling way.

"If there is a way for retired justices to help the court fulfill its role in our democracy, I think we should consider it," Leahy told The Washington Post.

It strikes me that the substitution proposal would create much bigger problems than it would solve. If a tie occurs because of a recusal, the Supreme Court can revisit the issue in another case. On the other hand, a justice who opts not to step aside in a particular case is open to second-guessing from critics, who will argue that the justice was afraid to give a substitute with a different philosophy the opportunity to cast the deciding vote. It is much healthier for the high court to simply wait to set its nationally binding, unreviewable precedents in cases where no justice needs to be disqualified.

Leahy's proposal also carries a partisan tone. Former Justice O'Connor is a judicial moderate, while the other two current Supreme Court retirees - Justices Stevens and David Souter - are more closely aligned with the court's liberal faction, which is currently outnumbered 5-4 on many issues by the conservative bloc led by Chief Justice John Roberts. Allowing these retirees to step back onto the high court is a no-lose proposition for Leahy, a highly partisan backer of the liberals. Only O'Connor is even remotely likely to side with the conservatives in a split decision, and even then she is going to be among the more moderate conservatives. In nearly all cases, allowing substitutions will either strengthen the liberals or leave their power unchanged.

Leahy has not said how he would propose to go about selecting which justice should fill in for a vacancy in a particular case.

We do not have a non-ideological, non-political Supreme Court today. That's too bad. But we do have an independent court that is free to decide cases without regard to what Congress or the President would prefer. We need only look to last year's Citizens United decision-and President Obama's childish State of the Union rant-for proof of that. The Leahy-Stevens proposal looks like an effort to stack the bench with their preferred bench players. When it comes to the highest court in the land, we should accept no substitutes.

Sources:

(1) U.S. Constitution Online: Article III

(2) Cornell University Law School: Assignment of Retired Justices or Judges to Active Duty

Knowing the Use of Gun Safes in Various Countries

There are many different choices of gun safes on the market. The differences are actually about the sizes and features. However, have you known about various regulations in some countries? The important thing about this matter will be explained below. So, you will finally find the conclusion about the facts. The following explanation will focus on Australia and United States.

The first thing about gun safe in Australia is about the storage. Australia consists of several states and all of them require the same thing. The firearms should be locked in the most appropriate places. In this case, the best choices are such as the steel safes or cabinets. In this case, the ammunition should be placed in different section of a safe. Another legal requirement is about the location. The gun safe should be bolted to the floor and wall.

The Western Australia issues the other regulations too. The shooters are required to have at least double locks on their safes. In this case, the police commonly inspect the storage facility firstly. The inspection will be done before they issue the license for shooters. Sometimes, the random checks are required too. Make sure to follow the instructions and obey the given regulations.

What about the United States? In fact, the gun safe will be tested by an institution called Underwriters Laboratories or UL. There are some different grades for RSC certification. The UL certification is helpful to provide the best protection for the shooters. The law issues certain regulations for certain purposes and you should not break the rules. Anyway, there will be various price ranges you need to know. So, you can estimate about the amount of money you should spend for it. The good understanding will let you to choose the real suitable and worthy investment. Which one do you like best?

Don't Make These Costly Mistakes With Your Medicare Coverage

I received a call the other day from my office saying a desperate and confused couple had come in needing some help with their Medicare Part D coverage. The office told me the plan was not covering one of their expensive drugs! It did not take long for me to realize the mess was bigger than a simple phone call could resolve so I set an appointment to meet with them. I had no idea what I was walking into!

At the appointment I started asking questions as I usually do, trying to understand what the issues were, and how they had evolved. I found out that the wife was on Medicare as of the beginning of the year due to coming off her husband's insurance. Let's just say she is over 70 years old now. Apparently, she had decided to try to handle her insurance on her own over the phone! I don't want to generalize here, but most people coming off a group insurance and going onto Medicare should not be handling the process on their own! You will see why as I continue with this horrific story.

I found out that she was enrolled into a Medicare Part D drug plan, and the plan was covering her expensive brand drug. The problem is that the drug cost over $400, and as most agents know that is going to land you into the Coverage Gap. Of course she knew/understood nothing about this. In fact, she thought the plan quit covering her drug. Just a quick aside here. Whoever the genius was that thought up the Coverage Gap should be required to go around the country giving lectures explaining it to seniors!

As I begin to dig further I found that she had received a letter back in February from her plan saying that she did not have "creditable drug coverage" for the last six years and if she did not provide proof of "creditable coverage" within 60 days that she would be paying an additional $20/month which equates to $240/year. The not so funny thing about this was that the husband went to get a file at my request and right in the front of the file was the proof of creditable coverage from his previous employer. I called the plan immediately, and of course was told that since the time had expired it was out of their hands, and that I would have to go through an appeal with Medicare. Oh, the insanity. If only they had used a good independent, knowledgeable agent!

Anyway, where there's one termite there's usually another or something line that. I started asking about their supplemental coverage, and of course they didn't know what they had or what they had done. I uncovered a letter that was sent from an insurer saying that she had applied for a Medicare supplement plan N, but was missing a simple form in order for processing to complete. I immediately called the company, and of course, you guessed it. No coverage was in place! They never received the form so it was never put into place.

I don't have room here to go into the measures that I did to help them, but it was extensive, and it took several hours. The point? Well, sometimes you can do more damage than good when it comes to Medicare. Could you get burned by an unscrupulous agent? Certainly! Can you do more damage handling it yourself? Absolutely! The more complicated your situation, the more you need help! Find yourself a truly independent agent who has your best interest in mind.

P.S. If you receive something in the mail regarding your insurance, you might want to open it, and then take the appropriate action!

Creating Cloud Formations in the Battlespace - Cumulus Nimbus

Okay so, when we talk about using clouds in the Battlespace most modern day warriors assume we are talking about some sort of secured electronic communication scheme using cloud computing strategies. However, I'd like to talk about real clouds, that is to say; thunder clouds. Also, I'd like to discuss how we can use weather as a force multiplier in regional conflicts and during actual military operations - specifically I'd like to discuss using UAVs to make clouds as an asset for cover, disruption, and an aerial fog of war.

Yes, humans have been plus or minus able to create clouds. Often they do this during severe drought periods, when there isn't enough rain for the crops. Occasionally they create too many clouds, and the downpour continues, and that deluge causes severe flooding. Yes, it's rather unfortunate to go from drought stricken times, to massive floods. Nevertheless, what mankind has learned from this can also be used in warfare. It can be used as a force multiplier to force your political will onto your enemy, the same enemy that wants to kill you.

In other words, what I'm suggesting is that we create devices which can create thunderclouds, Cumulus Nimbus Clouds, to just disrupt the enemy, make it difficult for them to see, hear, or shoot down our aerial assets; also to protect our troops from enemy aerial assets, which our enemy might use for close air support. Owning the air and controlling the airspace above the battlefield is ultra-important in modern warfare. But to fully control the air above the battlespace, it will be necessary to also control the weather.

Indeed, from all my studies I cannot dismiss the fact that it is possible, and we have unmanned aerial vehicles which can do this for us without putting human pilots in jeopardy. It has always been difficult to seed the clouds with chemicals, compounds, and dry ice type solutions without causing the aircraft itself to run into challenges (carburetor ice, massive ice build-up on the wings and airfoils) causing it to lose power and crash. However, with new materials, new paint coatings, and robotic systems we should be able to do this very easily using a swarming grid technique and no more than two crisscross patterns.

Thunder and lightning will severely disrupting enemies communications, and provide another layer of fog which will disrupt their command-and-control. They will also have to deal with lightning strikes, rain, hail, and adverse weather conditions, as our blue force converges on the enemy to eliminate and annihilate them. The United States military must have the strongest force in the solar system to protect this great nation, our assets, and our allies. We must stand tall, proud, and be victorious at every possible turn, no matter what, so help us God. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on.

GP Medical Negligence: What Can You Do?

Throughout your life, the chances are that the medical professional you will deal with most will be your GP. General Practise is a fantastic element of the NHS, and a lot of the time patients can build a warm relationship with their GP, as well as a great degree of trust. Sometimes this trust is so deep that the GP may end up caring for various generations of the same family.

However, GPs work under a great deal of pressure with numerous patients and, unfortunately, this means mistakes can and do happen. Most GP medical negligence claims are due to delayed or misdiagnosis, which can cause serious complications in a patient's treatment or, in the worst cases, death.

With a relationship built on trust and respect, suffering medical negligence at the hands of your GP can have emotional repercussions as well. For some, the idea of trying to claim money because of someone they respect making a mistake can feel like a betrayal, or unethical.

There are two important things to remember if you aren't sure about making a compensation claim for GP medical negligence. The first is that you aren't actually suing your doctor - instead, you're claiming against the NHS. Therefore, any legal action isn't a personal attack on your doctor.

Secondly, it's important to remember that you are the victim in this case, not your doctor. If you or a loved one has suffered from undue stress or extended illness due to your doctor making a mistake, you are entitled to compensation, both monetary and emotional (through apologies and recognition of wrongdoing, etc).

There are three aspects to a medical negligence case. The first is to proving your GP acted in a manner that was unprofessional and caused you harm, be it physical or psychological. The second is to ascertain who you are suing (this will usually be the NHS), whilst the third is proving you actually suffered an injury through medical records.

Finding a good solicitor specialising in medical negligence cases is essential, as they will usually cover all of these aspects for you. The clinical nature of medical negligence cases means that they can become complex for the uninitiated, so finding a solicitor with the right medical credentials who knows what they are talking about and the evidence they require to support your case is really important.

One of the big fears victims of medical negligence have is how they fund their case. Luckily, there are schemes and funding in place to help victims bring their cases to court, even if they feel like their financial situation wouldn't allow for potentially costly legal proceedings.

Legal Aid is available for people unable to afford court proceedings but be aware that not all solicitors are authorised to claim Legal Aid. Another avenue to take is 'no-win, no-fee', in which you don't have to pay your lawyers a fee if you lose. Again, be aware that should you lose, you may be liable for your opponent's fees. Therefore, it's important to make sure you have Legal Expense Insurance, which acts as safety net should you lose your case.

Charcoal Vs Propane The Great Grilling Debate

If you're a griller of any level, you have a preference for the type of fuel you burn to cook your meals. There are two camps that are common in the world of grilling and barbecuing. You're either a Gas Guy or a Charcoal Guy. What's the difference? Let's take a look at some of the pros and cons for each.

Propane/Natural Gas Grills

Pros:

Ready for cooking almost instantly No cleanup of ashes No charcoal to purchase or light Clean burning, no smoke or odor Doesn't impart a flavor to your food

Cons:

Doesn't impart flavor to your food. While this can be a pro, many BBQ and grilling enthusiasts enjoy the smoky goodness that hardwood charcoal can add to their meats Propane tanks are unreliable. You may have enough fuel to finish cooking, you may not. A gauge will help alleviate some of this problem Propane can be dangerous. If you're not keeping a close eye on the condition of your tanks, you could be in for a disaster You have to lug around a 25lb canister anytime you want to move your grill to a different location Not well suited for low temperature cooking

This is not an exhaustive list by any standard, just some of the more common pros and cons involved with using Propane as your primary fuel source. Many a fine meal has been created with the assistance of propane and natural gas.

Charcoal/Hardwood

Pros:

Imparts a flavor to all foods cooked with it. You can supplement your charcoal with hardwoods to further enhance flavor High temps are a snap with charcoal Maintaining a lower, longer cook time is possible with charcoal by simply positioning your food away from the heat source You get the "authentic" experience of cooking over hot coals

Cons:

Takes longer to get coals up to temperature for cooking Ash cleanup and disposal You can't easily regulate your temps by simply dialing down the flame You have to keep charcoal on hand at all times for impromptu grilling sessions

While I mentioned charcoal is more "authentic" that's really subjective. Gas grills have been around long enough now that it's more a matter of preference than it is anything else. You can create delicious meals with either method, and in the end it all comes down to what you are more comfortable with using in your endeavors.

Just a final word on either method of cooking. No matter which fuel source you prefer, the key to creating great BBQ and grilled foods is technique. Take your time and study the methods you are using. Look to the friends and family who are skilled in the art of BBQ'ing for advice on how to improve your process. As with anything you undertake, grilling and BBQ'ing expertise is earned through trial and error. Learn from your mistakes, and you'll find yourself at the top of the grilling world before you know it.

Do I Need Excess Liability Coverage? Don't End Up Like Mary and John!

John and Mary live in a nice five bedroom home located in California. They've lived in their three thousand square foot home for twenty five years and are retired. Their home is paid for and worth about $900,000. They live off their retirement and have hardly no bills to pay. John and Mary have always had a homeowners policy to cover their home in case of fire, theft or other potential losses involving their home. Mary is age 75 and John is age 72. They hope to someday leave their home to their adult children.

On a nice spring day, Mary went to run some errands in her vehicle around her neighborhood. She pulled into the parking lot of her local grocery store. For some reason, after Mary parked her car , her foot slipped off the brake and hit the accelerator instead. Mary's car went through the wall of the grocery store. Her vehicle continued through the wall of the store and she collided into two pedestrians who were standing in line with their grocery carts.

Both of the pedestrians were rushed to the hospital due to the severity of the injuries they sustained from Mary's car striking them. Mary was upset about the accident and did not know what she should do. She called her insurance agent the same day of the accident and her agent took her information to start processing her claim.

Months later after the accident, Mary and John found out that the damages filed by the two pedestrians injured from the accident, exceeded the auto insurance liability limits that they carried with their insurance company. John and Mary found out from their adjuster that they would be personally liable for any money damages which exceeded the liability limits that they carried.

The adjuster also told them that the pedestrians attorney did an asset check to see if Mary and John owned property. The attorney found out that they owned a home and would be expecting them to contribute additional monies towards the settlement of the pedestrians claims in addition to the auto insurance liability limits that they carried.

Mary and John were devastated and did not realize that their home the most valuable asset they owned was at stake! They worked all their lives for their home and could not believe that it may be at risk due to the accident. John and Mary did not know they may have avoided contributing monies towards the pedestrians injury claims if they had excess liability coverage or an umbrella policy!

What is excess liability coverage or an umbrella policy? This policy would be liability coverage which would exceed your homeowners or vehicle policy for damages you may be liable for.

The cost of excess liability coverage or an umbrella policy is very minimal for the amount of additional coverage you would receive. You can expect to pay somewhere between $150-$400 annually for this coverage. Consult your insurance company for details. Remember, excess coverage is important for you to consider if your assets are substantial, especially being a homeowner. This extra protection may give you better peace of mind in the long run and will be well worth it!

Scuba Diving in Lake Malawi, One of the Best Fresh Water Diving Locations in the World

As the sun bakes down upon the glistening surface of Lake Malawi, three divers emerge close to the rocky outcrop of Masimwbe Island, a dive site off Likoma Island in Lake Malawi. Bursting with excitement they return to the boat, remove their kit and discuss the fish they spotted on the short journey back to shore. With unspoilt white beaches and pure blue water stretching as far as the eye can see, you continually remind yourself that you are not diving in the Caribbean, but in the 3rd largest lake in Africa. Together with over 1000 different species of Cichlid fish, as well as cat fish and even otters, it is no wonder Lake Malawi has been cited as one of the best fresh water diving locations in the world.

Malawi is a landlocked country in the Southern Region of Africa and is bordered by Tanzania to the north, Zambia to the west and Mozambique to the east and south. The landscape is dominated along its eastern side by the third largest Lake in Africa, and the ninth largest in the world. Lake Malawi is known as the Lake of Stars, due to its impressive ability to mirror the star's constellations at night in its crystal clear fresh waters. The lake is of substantial importance to the country not only as a means of transport but also as a source of both food and water. As a Scuba diver, its significance lays in its remarkable abundance of different fish species- making it the most biologically diverse fresh water environment in the world.

Lake Malawi contains a greater variety of indigenous species (around 1000) of Cichlid fishes than any other lake. Researchers have identified over 500 species to date that are endemic to Lake Malawi, which is more than all of the freshwater species found in all the waters of both Europe and North America. The Cichlids of Lake Malawi, perhaps even more so than the Cichlids from the other two rift lakes, Victoria and Tanganyika, are brightly coloured and patterned. Cichlids have evolved from a single common species into the hundreds found today, coexisting within the lake ecosystem. The variable species have developed differential feeding techniques to maximise productivity. Some species have developed teeth specialized in scraping algae from the rocks, or aquatic plants. Others use a sand filtration technique to sieve aquatic animals or invertebrates from the sand. Also found are species specialised in snail, plant and fish consumption.

One of the most fascinating phenomena seen on dives is the protective nature of the mouthbreeders, made famous in the BBC documentary series 'Planet Earth'. The Cichlids of Lake Malawi are among a relatively small number of fishes that look after and protect their offspring. The mothers carry their eggs and fry in their mouths until the juveniles are large enough to fend for themselves. Even at this stage, in many species, the baby fry remain close to their mother in a tight shoal when at the first sign of predatory danger, she opens her mouth and the whole brood are taken in for safety. In the case of many of the mouthbreeders, the males exhibit no parental care; after spawning, they move on to find another female. Often divers can see the males dig large spawning pits- large round craters - in the sand, at water depths of around 2-20 meters (6-65 feet), in order to attract further females.

Other species in Lake Malawi have developed some very unique hunting adaptations, which make them fun to observe whilst diving. At least two species lure small fish within range by feigning death and lying motionless in the sand! These have been given the nickname of "The play-dead fish." One of the largest fish that can be seen whilst diving is the Kampango. Growing up to 2m in length, the Kampango is a large, territorial and predatory catfish endemic to Lake Malawi, occurring from the lower reaches of rivers to the deepest habitable parts of the lake. A nocturnal predator, it feeds largely on smaller cichlids. Juveniles mainly feed on eggs released by the female, and when slightly older, the male helps the young in searching for invertebrates in and around the nesting site, which both parents will defend. If you are lucky enough to find a catfish pair with babies, you will see perfectly formed miniature catfish - up to 80 of them in one nest! The Kampango is inquisitive and will approach divers entering its territory, particularly when breeding.

Lake Malawi is a fresh water environment; as a result there is no coral growth on the reefs. However, that doesn't mean to say there is no plant life. Lake Malawi boasts an endemic genus and species of freshwater sponge, Malawispongia echinoides. This little colonial animal occurs nowhere else on earth.

About one third of the lakes' coast is rocky, which is home to the vegetarian cichlids, the Mbuna, as well as the occasional fresh water eel. These underwater rock formations make for stunning dive sites including countless swim throughs and drop-off walls. The rest of the coastline is characterised by sandy beaches and bottoms. This is where the majority of the open-water piscivores (eat other fish), called Haps, dwell. A few Cichlid species inhabit the muddy and weed-strewn bottom where larger rivers flow into the lake.

Lake Malawi is unusual in that it does not have tides or significantly strong currents, making it a perfect environment for open water training. Diving is possible all year round. However, between August and November, the lake is at its calmest, with very little wind. Water temperatures can rise up to 30 Degrees Celsius during this time, with visibility as good as 20 metres. With these conditions, 3-5mm wetsuits with little or no weight systems are perfectly suitable in this freshwater paradise. Given that Lake Malawi sits at nearly 500m above sea level, special procedures are required when diving at altitude.

Night diving is certainly regarded as a unique experience in the lake. Dolphin fish, resembling nothing like their names sake, can be seen using the torch light of divers to facilitate an easy meal. Numerous different catfish can also be seen rising from the depths of their daytime lairs in search of food. In the shallower waters a plethora of blue crabs can be found on the sandy bottom, whilst a sharp eye can spot tiny fresh water shrimp located in and around the rocky boulders.

For those days that divers prefer to stay topside there is always something to do on Lake Malawi. Kaya Mawa, an award-winning lodge on Likoma Island, offers activities for its guests, such as sailing, kayaks, bicycles, waterskiing and wakeboarding, round island boat trips and quad bike tours. For the 2012 season, Malawi's first Kite-surfing school has also opened. For those keen on birdwatching, Lake Malawi is a haven for hundreds of species. If you are lucky, you might spot the crimson-rumped waxbill, found only on Likoma Island, or the Majestic Fish Eagle, swooping down to catch it's prey.

There are several international airlines that fly into Malawi, including South African Airways, Kenyan Airways, Air Malawi and Ethiopian Airways. Internal transport is possible by bus, taxi, rental car, internal flight companies (Ulendo Airlink) and the Ilala ferry, that travels a continuous route around the Lake.

Top Reasons Companies Hire Contractors

Unlike many countries, the US follows "at will" employment laws which means an employer can hire or fire an employee (or the employee can leave) for no reason with no liability or obligations. So why do companies hire contractors if it is so easy to hire and fire employees.

The major reasons companies hire contractor or consultants to come on-site and work in staff augmentation are

- Companies need a specialized skill-set that is not required long term or have a temporary high load of work.

- Some highly skilled contractors or consultants may not want to work full-time jobs and are only available on a consulting basis.

- The company needs someone temporarily as it requires more time to fill the full-time position as the interviews, offer acceptance, relocation, etc. take a lot longer.

- Contractors can cost less in terms of fully loaded costs as companies are not required to pay for benefits like vacations, medical insurance, etc.

- The temporary resource can be tested and can be converted to full-time if they meet the bar.(contract-to-hire)

- Sometimes the company is limited by its investor/owners/management to limit full-time headcount to maintain flexibility. It is easier to fire contractors without incurring a lot of HR/layoff 'case building' if business conditions deteriorate.

This also leads to a followup question then. "Why do companies hire contractors through staffing companies?"

- The main reason for this is co-employment risks. If a company gets similar work done by a contractor like an employee with the only difference being - not paying them benefits, then they can become liable for benefits, stock options, etc. if the employee takes them to court (IRS 20 factor test for independent contractors, Microsoft Ruling). By having a buffer agency in between companies reduce this risk. It is also the reason you won't normally find HR or the company recruiters involved in the selection of contractors. Hiring of contractors is usually done by Procurement.

- The other reason is the staffing companies have the advantage of economies of scale and breadth. They have more recruiters hiring the same skills for multiple companies in multiple cities and can do a better job than a single recruiter or group within a large company.

So companies would rather pay a few extra bucks to outsource this hiring and administration of contractors in exchange for lower overhead and lower risk.

When Lizards Will Not Eat, They Have to Eat

Like any animal, lizards at times in captivity will need to be force fed. There are situations and conditions which will result in a lizard not eating on their own.

Some diseases lizards can get will result in seizures, or a similar condition. It is imperative not to feed them during an incident like this. They will most likely not be able to swallow the food. It is best to seek the help of a veterinarian at this point. The animal will need to have a tube placed into their stomach to feed. If the animal shows no signs of seizures, they can be fed using a syringe. It is tricky to get their mouth open, but should be possible using the syringe itself.

Using the syringe, squeeze the processed food into the back of the throat, taking great care to avoid the trachea at the back of the tongue. Make sure to only offer as much food as the animal can handle. Larger lizards can obviously handle more food. It may also be possible to force-feed feeder insects. If the lizard is having digestive problems however, the liquid substitute is much easier to digest, as much of the work is already done. Another advantage of liquid feeding is the fact that you control exactly what the lizard is getting into its diet.

For the vegetable part of the liquid diet, vegetable baby food works very well. This food is high in vitamins and can easily be digested by the lizard. Make sure to add in a calcium supplement to the food. Younger lizards need to be fed more often but in smaller quantities, while larger lizards will need to be fed less often, but with higher quantities per feeding. You have to follow the natural way your lizard eats its food, as not to upset their natural metabolism. If your lizard eats both insects and vegetables, you can use a type of cat food (used for sick cats) if they will eat it. You can also try to add insect matter (use fresh insects) into the liquid mix.

Consumers Eager for Life Insurance, Buck Life Insurance Myths

Deloitte LLP, a financial advisory firm, has released the findings of its recent survey of life insurance buyers-and it has found something surprising: Many individuals don't have insurance coverage because no carrier has tried to sell them their products.

Deloitte said that, in fact, even insured individuals who are interested in purchasing new coverage reported not having been solicited by carriers-pointing to a new opportunity for insurers (and, of course, for insurance professionals who already have a life insurance continued education or insurance CE) to exploit.

"From our survey it is clear that life insurance is very much on the minds of many consumers," said Rebecca C. Amoroso, vice chairman and U.S. Insurance Leader for Deloitte, in an interview with insurancenewsnet.com. "A significant percentage of respondents have simply not been offered coverage recently; many also noted that they never shop for coverage on their own initiative. Not soliciting their business exacerbates this gap between insurers' interests and consumers' needs."

Sam Friedman, insurance leader for Deloitte Research and survey-project leader said: "A significant number of respondents frankly don't know if they need more insurance-or if they do, they don't know how much they might need to buy."

Deloitte said the survey, "The Voice of the Life Insurance Consumer," was designed and conducted to give life insurers insights into how people value life insurance, especially where coverage ranked among their other financial priorities, and how consumers wanted to be reached. In addition to priorities, the survey looked into buyers' and nonbuyers' beliefs, influences, motivations, and preferences.

Meanwhile, InsuranceHotline.com attempts to bust some myths about insurance, the least understood insurance line among buyers.

Myth 1:No need to buy insurance while still young. In truth, there are more good reasons to get coverage when still young than when one is older. One major reason: lower premiums. Another reason: the younger and healthier the individual is, the easier it is to qualify for coverage.

Myth 2. Insurance is expensive. Not really-not if the buyer shops around enough. There are ample options on the market today to make life insurance affordable for just about anyone. Term insurance policies are surprisingly affordable.

Myth 3.No-medical-exam insurance is the choice for you. Not always and certainly not for everyone. InsuranceHotline.com still recommends a traditional policy. Traditional policies give more options in policy length and coverage amounts.

Myth 4. Buyers must choose: term insurance whole life insurance? There really is no need to choose between the two because the wise decision is to have both. A whole policy is for the long-term, while a term policy is for the period when a life need requires a larger coverage.

Myth 5. Senior citizens cannot qualify for insurance. False. Insurers catering to seniors are widespread and more reputable than ever before.

10 Best How-To Books Ever Written

Somebody once said there are more book titles beginning with the words "how to" than with anything else. Perhaps that's because we all want to learn to do things better.

I've spent hours combing library shelves for how-to titles. (I've also spent several minutes combing my hair, but that's another story.)

What follows is a completely subjective list of outstanding books that teach us how to improve ourselves. Warning: Some of these titles do NOT begin with the words "how to."

1. "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie - written in 1936 - offers great tips on "six ways of making people like you," "12 ways of winning people to your way of thinking," and much, much more. It's one of history's greatest guides.

2. "How to Make Your Advertising Make Money" by researcher John Caples provides great advice for just about anybody, especially those looking for ideas to help them write better.

3. "Simplify Your Life" by Elaine St. James offers "100 ways to slow down and enjoy the things that really matter."

4."The 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People" by David Niven, Ph.D. talks about the "traits, beliefs, and practices" successful people share.

5. "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom tells the true story of a dying professor who offers great lessons on living. It's a wonderful book for any reader.

6."Free Publicity" by Jeff Crilley. This "TV reporter shares the secrets of getting covered on the news."

7. "Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things" by Charles Panati discusses the origin of hundreds of "items, expressions, and customs," and offers fascinating facts.

8. "The Practical Guide to Practically Everything" by Peter Bernstein and Christopher Ma offers ideas and advice on many, many subjects.

9. "What Every American Should Know About American History" by Dr. Alan Axelrod and Charles Phillips discusses "200 events that shaped the nation."

10."Cracking the Network Code" by Dean Lindsay. This terrific book from Lindsay - a popular business speaker - offers ideas for "meeting, connecting, and developing long-term relationships with co-workers and others."

The Need For Upgrading Skills Through Higher Education

Education is a lifelong process. It especially takes a higher priority once the professional life sets in. this fact is contradictory to the popular belief but holds true in the most literal sense. One's professional life is met with a varied range of challenges, some avoidable, while some highly tricky. This calls for a specialized training in one's vocation, in order to effectively meet these challenges. It is often seen that professionals, in a quest to fulfill their job responsibilities, sideline the need for obtaining higher education. In the hurry to meet deadlines and earn money, education mostly takes a backseat. This trend is not only disturbing, but also derogatory and is sure to take the person down.

Business is ever evolving. New and new technologies are coming up from time to time. This necessitates the need for keeping abreast with the latest in one's field of work. This factor when not kept into purview proves fatal for one's talent. You may be the best salesman ever, but if you are not aware of the latest trends in your field, your expertise would become stale and obsolete in a very short span of time and then it would be difficult for you to hold on to your faithful customers, let alone attracting and keeping the interest of the new ones. Your practices may not be in line with the requirements of the modern customer, leading to the death of your celebrated monogamy in your field. New players, with better and more updated and modern methods of work may take over and put you out of business soon.

This entails a need for higher education. Higher education adds an advanced knowledge and skills to your resume. It gives you an edge over others and helps you take your career to greater heights. It is however observed that people refrain from going in for higher education. This is generally due to the fact that going in for higher education demands time, dedication and money. Most people do not wish to leave the comfort of their jobs and therefore miss on all the opportunities that come with higher education. Many prestigious institutes and universities have endeavored to cater to the special needs of working professionals and introduced a sea of executive courses that not only offer the chance at improving one's skill set and adding better qualifications to one's resume, but also do it in the most accessible manner. These executive courses have been framed keeping the special time and monetary needs of working professionals in mind. With changing work environments, there is a growing acknowledgement of online executive courses. These online executive courses encompass all the good points of a regular MBA program and make it better by adding features such as flexibility of schedule and curse work according to one's convenience.

Summer Pond Tips

Low Oxygen levels Kill Fish

Use an oxygen tester and air stones to keep your available

oxygen level to at least 7.0 parts per million of dissolved

oxygen in 90 degree F. water. Koi and goldfish start showing

signs of stress at oxygen levels of 4.0 ppm and will start

dying at 3.0 ppm. The higher the water temperature goes the

less oxygen that's available. Water temperatures over 90

degrees will also affect fish health so keep the temperature

under control by providing shade during the hottest parts of

the day.

It's Parasite Season

Warm water causes an increase in parasites such as anchor

worms, fish lice or flukes. Some parasites such as anchor worm

and fish lice are visible and can be treated with Dylox,

Dipterex or Masoten.

Invisible parasites such as external protozoa and flukes can

not be seen but they usually cause symptoms including extra

thick mucus, constant scratching by rubbing against objects,

flashing, or jumping. Some variations will cause a noticeable

head shaking and yawning. COntact your pond specialist for

treatments because different symptoms are indicative of

different infections. Follow label instructions at all times

or you could cause serious injury or death to your fish.

Summer Koi Feeding Tips

If you water is between 70 to 85 F. then feed a low protein

food in a quantity that is equal to 1.0% to 1.5% of total koi

body weight in pond. Estimate total koi body weight in pond

and feed recommended % of food daily based on season and water

temperature divided into intervals of about 2-2-1/2 hours.

Takes koi about 2- 2-1/2 to digest food in warmer water and

4-8 hrs in colder water when feeding is begun. So in warmer

ideal water temperatures feed 5-8 times daily the individual

portions totaling daily amount needed. In cooler temperatures

feed 1-3 times daily.

Sunblock for your Koi

Koi are not immune from sunburn, especially in shallow ponds

that get direct sunlight. Provide shade such as water lilies

or a rock overhang. Even a beach umbrella will do in a pinch.

Watch for Evaporation

Depending upon the surface area of your pond, you can lose

several inches per day to evaporation. Monitor and adjust your

water levels daily or as necessary. Remember, do not use

water with chlorine in it if you have fish!

Five Quick Tips For Healthy Summertime Water

1. Ensure that you have good mechanical and biological

filtration and that your pump will turn the pond water over

totally at least twice per day.

2. Operate the pump 24 hours a day.

3. Provide adequate shade by having 60 to 70% of the pond's

surface area covered with floating plants or other types of

shade.

4. Add water clarifiers and bottled bacteria if your water

remains cloudy even when good filtration is present.

5. Test oxygen levels daily and add air stones if levels fall

below 7 PPM.

Private Jet Ownership Indeed

Wouldn't you like to own your own private jet? Have you ever thought about it? Many of us have and you know what it is not all that expensive as you might think after all. Private jet ownership is really taking off these days. As a matter of fact manufacturers of business aircraft are quite happy with the market sector and most are completely bullish on their future prospects in the industry.

There is much interest in the private transportation sector and jet aircraft business. Fractional Jet ownership has never been easier. While we are nearing the top of a classic business cycle we see good economic conditions. Business Jet sales and fractional ownership continue to rise; in fact one aircraft manufacturing in a press release stated that they predict; "8,300 business jet purchases worldwide through 2014, valued at more than $131 billion" and are reading themselves now to take advantage of it. No city in America could be more thrilled with that kind of news than Wichita Kansas.

In another recent industry press release it stated; "The industry's most seasoned advisors will convene once again at Strategic Research Institute's 10th Annual Corporate Aircraft Transactions, July 11-12, in New York City, to bring you up-to-date on current issues affecting business aviation today and introduce tools and techniques needed to advance your knowledge in the corporate jet acquisition and financing process." Federal Aviation regulations and Part 135 have changed a bit and seem to be moving towards working with the market place to insure continuation of this private jet trend. Fractional Jet ownership has never been easy. Where would you like to fly today? Think about it.

Where To Buy Life Insurance: A Policy With The Right Amount Of Cover

It is important for every financial provider to take every measure to safeguard the financial wellbeing of the family, and for this reason, people invented Life insurance. When you decide to buy insurance, you give your dependents a vehicle through which they can receive substantial amount of resources. This helps to cushion the dependents in the event of a terminal illness or the death of the breadwinner. There are many factors to consider when buying insurance.

A cover that is enough to replace lost salary:

The decision of where to buy a policy with the right amount of cover is important. Therefore, the most important factor the applicant will consider is how much money they make. The insurance cover should be enough to replace lost salary. In case there are extra expenses like unpaid loans and college tuition then the insurance coverage should be increased. Determining the right amount of cover can prove difficult; therefore, using an online life insurance calculator can be of great help. Furthermore, getting in touch with the company agent can help.

It is equally important to choose the type of policy that is best for you. Therefore, a choice has to be made between a term and permanent life insurance policy. The term life insurance policy allows the insured to receive the benefits when the term expires. In case the insured dies before the term expires then the dependents can receive the benefits. The period can run between one year and 30 years with most of the policies ranging between 10 and 30 years.

On the other hand, the permanent or whole life policy allows the dependents to receive the benefits only when the insured dies. In case the insured has no dependents, the benefits can be used to cater for the insured hospital bills and burial expenses. Furthermore, the balance can be channeled to charitable organizations or the settlement of debts.

It is necessary to understand that not all insurance companies offer similar plans with the same prices. Therefore, it is important to decide where to buy insurance. Shopping around for insurance cover is very important this will overcome the problem of drafting a contract with companies that offer low quality products and services.

It is important to buy insurance when you are healthy, this will make it possible for you to get an insurance policy with lower rates. It is equally important to stop activities such as smoking, long before you make the decision to purchase insurance. Alternatively, you can choose a no-medical exam life insurance policy or smoker's life insurance.

Determination Is The Ultimate Learning Tool

As money and outer resources are not everything, it takes something more. Let me give you an object lesson in that fact. Sure, you can have books, computers, all kinds of "thinking tools" and the like. But, what is the greatest learning tool within you? I will say it with my answer from the beginning of this article, your own determination and productive creativity. Without that resource, all tools and gadgets are nothing but useless objects of art that would have a use if you could think how to use them.

But, in all reality, the best of us and the worst of us has the capacity for productive imagination. The best uses it right, and the worst uses it wrong to harm themselves and others consciously or unconsciously. I put it so simply for the best of us without any embellishment, because that is it, they use it right, it is that simple. But the worst of us make excuses for why it is used wrong, even if it is unconsciously destructive or consciously destructive. Unconscious wrongness is the worst, because usually when that happens, you do not even know you are wrong, and you close your mind to the right for fear of being wrong unless you do have a genuinely open mind to correct yourself in time. But, it cannot matter how things are looked at subjectively, there is a right way to do things and there is a wrong way to do things.

It is always simpler to do them consciously right from the initial stages instead of make excuses for "why they were done wrong by default". Weak people make excuses, strong people understand and can actively and honestly without shame correct themselves. That is why everybody loves a winner, and hates a loser even when they claim to be lazy and weak themselves". Everyone is a good learner who can depend on their determination to make them work and learn productively. In fact, I can honestly say that is what makes a genuinely masterful person or the highest amount of determination makes the most masterful person. That is the only thing that seems miraculous about any master or person who "wins big" and "makes good". They make themselves the best through their work ethic and creative productivity. But then, I cannot give this answer to making a loser into a winner enough, because that is how it all really is. Everybody starts out at zero and goes up the accomplishment scale for the best or worst. That is my point.