How Does Ohio Respond to Increasing Demand For Long Term Care?

The Genworth Financial conducted a study of the statewide costs of care in some key cities of Ohio. According to data, the average annual cost of a nursing home in Ohio is $74,825 for a private bedroom while $67,890 for a semi-private room, these rates are less expensive than the national average. Long term care can be either medical or non-medical, and these services can be administered at home or nursing home facilities. Families in Ohio that stick with the traditional home care have average expenses of $42,328 for Medicare-certified home health aide, while those in assisted living facilities spend around $39,330.

Long term care services roughly batter people to debt and, worse, poverty. Elders are protecting their assets that they can pass along their heirs, but it could suddenly be depleted as long term care costs rise. People who are not insured are obliged to shoulder all long term care expenses, unless their assets are low enough to qualify for Medicaid assistance. An individual must have $1,500 worth of assets and couples with $2,250 to become eligible for Medicaid program in Ohio.

Ohio Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Program

On September 1, 2007, the Ohio Revised Code 5111.18 petitioned the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and several departments such as the Department of Insurance and the Department of Aging to conduct partnership with insurance companies in Ohio. This program was called the Ohio's Partnership for Long Term Care Insurance. Its goal is to encourage Ohioans to purchase affordable long term care policies to finance their health needs in the future.

Partnership Policy Features

The main selling point of the partnership policy is the asset protection benefit. This feature is not developed to lure people from purchasing policies and increase sales; the primary goal of this is to protect potential policyholders from losing their assets when applying for Medicaid assistance. Everyone can benefit from Medicaid without exhausting his or her benefits. The asset protection or disregard uses dollar-for-dollar model wherein every dollar that a person receives from policy benefits is the amount of dollar that he or she can protect from Medicaid. An individual's assets are protected regardless of the amount Medicaid sets for eligibility.

Through this, Medicaid has no control over how much assets a person wishes to keep, unless the person does not comply with the partnership rules. Thus, if the partnership policy doles out $300,000 for long term care benefits and services, an individual can still keep the same amount of assets or even more and still qualify for Medicaid eligibility. Private insurance policies purchased on or after August 12,2002 can be converted to partnership policies.

The second feature that is included in all long term care partnerships is the inflation protection minimums. The amount of inflation protection varies on the age of policyholder at the time of purchase. Policyholders aged 60 and below at the time of purchase are entitled for 3% minimum inflation benefit. Otherwise, policyholders above 76 years have the option to include inflation protection in the policy benefits.

Third feature is the reciprocity agreement. This allows partnership policyholders to continue the benefits when they move to other states. However the state the person has moved in shall comply with the reciprocity agreement to obtain the benefits of the partnership policy purchased in Ohio.

Desert Journey by Dr Jerry Burgener - Book Review

iUniverse (2007) ISBN 9780595908509

The basic premise of Jerry Burgener's well-written and moving book, "Desert Journey," is this: A middle-aged man, battered by a series of failed relationships and filled with self-doubt, decides to take a couple of months off and travel to the American Southwest. Once there, he plans to do very little but ride his horse, enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Superstition Mountains, and maybe---just maybe---sort out the issues that had been plaguing his life. But destiny had something different in mind for him, and what was waiting for him in those mountains, was the start of a profound, mystical journey of self-discovery, facilitated by a wise and ageless Indian who soon became his mentor and spiritual advisor.

Seeking spiritual guidance and self-discovery from within the Native American shamanistic culture is not a new concept, of course. Carlos Castaneda explored that paradigm brilliantly in the 1960s with his series of writings based on "The Teachings of Don Juan." But there is something about Burgener's approach that is more---how shall I put this---peaceful, than the frenetic, peyote-induced rituals described in Castaneda's writings.

The thing I liked the most about "Desert Journey" is how quickly Burgener's journey became my journey. Thanks to his talented and descriptive writing, I could feel the warm nuzzle of his horse on my arm, smell the crisp, clean desert air, savor the sight of the multi-hued canyon walls changing with the light, and hear the sharp "screech" of a hawk flying overhead. I also found myself reading and rereading many of the passages in the book trying to divine the deeper wisdom buried within. One of my favorite sayings was, "dreams are powerful tools for us to use to connect with other worlds." This is a new and refreshing idea to me as I had always thought dreams were tools for exploring our subconscious, a place I have no desire to visit!

The only part of "Desert Journey" that did not totally fulfill my expectations was the ending. I expected the story to rise to a crescendo and finish with some kind of profound proclamation summarizing what the journey had really been all about. Instead, the author loads his horse into the trailer and heads back to Illinois. But then again, that's what life is all about, isn't it? Every time we reach the summit we discover that we are only on a plateau, and there is more climbing to be done.

"Desert Journey" is written in the first person singular and I am assuming the narrator, "Jerry," is in fact the author. On the other hand, the book is listed as fiction and is described as a novel, so I could be wrong. I hope I'm not though, because there are a million questions I want to ask Jerry Burgener as one Illinois boy to another. Meanwhile, "Desert Journey" is an excellent book and I strongly recommend it. Be forewarned, however, that if you do read it you may be tempted to take your own spiritual journey. I know I am.

carNAVi Pro BT Review

GPS navigation devices aren't exactly new; in fact they have enjoyed a presence in the local market by way of gray and parallel imports. Of course, these devices were far from reliable- not because of their design, but because of the data available to them. More specifically, the maps weren't that accurate, as there was no official support from the respective manufacturers. It's a different story nowadays, as there are now GPS navigation gadgets that have extremely accurate maps and local support and you'd be hard pressed to get lost with these things in your car. carNAVi is the latest manufacturer to jump into the domestic GPS navigation scene, and if their top of the line Pro BT is any indication, they're set to give their competitors a run for their money.

The Pro BT is what you'd expect from a navigation device-it's not the thinnest or most elegant device out there, but it's not the flimsiest either. It has a 4.3-inch touch TFT LCD screen that's easy enough to use. There's a 3.5mm jack on the right side, along with a mini-USB port that serves as both data and charging port. All data, maps and media are stored in the SD card that goes in the unit, whose slot is located at the right side.

Powering the Pro BT is an SIR Atlas 3 GPS processor running at 400 MHz, with 64MB of memory. The operating system is a modified Windows CE. The GUI is pleasant enough and you're able to jump into the different menus and features with a simple touch of the screen.

Like other solutions in the market, you'll be able to set your destination in different ways, mainly through points of interests (PCI), address search and city search. You will have to tell the unit in what city the location you're looking for though, potentially slowing down searches when you're in a hurry. One thing that pleasantly surprised me is the large number of POIs in the system. Of course, a product like the Pro BT is only as good as the quality of its maps, and I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint. The maps are pretty accurate and up to date, and carNAVI assures me that they have maps of the whole country in some way or the other.

The Pro BT uses an internal GPS antenna and acquires a signal in less than two minutes. It has voice prompts which tells you when to take a turn, how far you are to your destination, etc. One thing I liked about the display is that the environment is rendered in 3D, so you'll be able to see if you'll be passing under a tunnel or going over it. The display also dims automatically depending on the time of the day and when you go into a tunnel.

The only minor nitpick I have with the Pro BT is that street names disappear on the screen momentarily when you turn which, while disconcerting, isn't really something to be worried about.

What's HOT

Picks up signal in less than 2 minutes

Easy to use and understand GUI

Updated maps of the country, plenty of POIs

3D rendered maps

What NOT

Street names momentarily disappear on the screen when you take a turn

Verdict

The carNAVi Pro BT is an excellent GPS navigation device, and is a godsend for navigationally challenged people who always seem to get lost.

Brands that Scored with World Cup

If there ever was a time for brands to jump on the sports brand wagon World Cup 2006 was it. Even though this year's games garnered record per-game viewership in the millions it is yet to be fully disclosed if viewership equates to an increase in brand awareness and/or sales.

Intuitive brand managers know that visibility and/or sponsorship during high-profile events may automatically equate to an increase in brand awareness but not necessarily sales. In some cases, depending on viewer perception, an increase in awareness could equal a decrease in sales. It bears noting then that companies who are more visible must work as hard as those who are not to ensure that visibility yields a positive return on investment.

Among the 20 brands displayed during one match: Trinidad versus Sweden, five brands were duly awarded for their attempts in connecting with the viewing audience through commercial ads and the potential for their efforts to either convert viewership to sales or increase brand awareness.

The "Best Brand Commercial" award was given to Budweiser. Budweiser received a ten for creativity and product placement in its fan-directed commercial. The company did an excellent job tying in football's fan-driven enthusiasm and love for the sport with product placement. The end result was a convincing marriage between football and Budweiser beer, brand awareness, and positive sales potential. The "Best Overall Brand Placement" award was given to Adidas who received a score of eight. The company is doing a good job becoming the brand of choice for football wear. This is a solid move as Nike is the dominating brand of choice and sponsor for most other sports especially American football.

Puma's commercial ranked third best receiving a score of six. The commercial was equally creative and fan-directed but focused on celebrity cameos and children to incite an emotional buy-in to their product. It was a meaningful yet typical approach that easily increased awareness although, not necessarily sales. The "Why am I not Surprised this Brand has Product Placement?" award goes to Coca-Cola. The soft drink company has a knack for edging its way into everything visual including top-viewing reality show, American Idol. Coke's presence at World Cup seemed to make it an international celebrity. Even though the bottling company's brand is high-profile, being seen at World Cup may not have an affect on sales beyond the game itself is why the brand received a score of four.

"The Good-Try Brand" award and a total score of two were given to T-Mobile. Although the German company's garnering of an international audience was creative it was less likely to equate to an increase in sales--an easy conclusion to make given that competitor, Cingular Wireless was voted best for least dropped calls. In the U.S. especially, T-Mobile is famous for dropped calls.

Getting product placement in a highly publicized event such as World Cup is a tactical move. For the 20 plus brands that got on board and the five brands that made an impression, you deserve a hearty, "Gooaall!"

For more on branding, visit: http://www.zibs.com/blog

5 Laptops For the Casual Gamer

If you like computer games, you might want to play those games on your laptop. The problem is, it can be hard to decide which laptops fit your needs. That's where this article comes in. It will show you which laptops you can purchase to play games at your leisure.

1. Overview The casual gaming laptop market is exploding. Many folks who used to play games on desktop PCs are now playing games on laptops. Manufacturers like Alienware, Dell and HP are creating laptops geared towards gamers and their ilk. Let's look at some of these laptops now.

1. The Velocity Micro NoteMagix C90 Ultra It certainly has a long name, but the The Velocity Micro NoteMagix C90 Ultra is a good powerhouse gaming laptop. While it cannot match the high-end gaming systems (like those from Alienware), it does well in rendering 3D graphics in games.

2. ASUS G1S If you like a laptop that can do both gaming and multimedia, the ASUS G1S is a perfect choice. Its specifications are good enough to do video editing and yet play the latest 3D games.

3. Acer Aspire 5920G Next up is the Acer Aspire 5920G. This laptop has a GeForce 8600M GT graphics card, which means it can easily handle the most demanding of 3D games. What's more, it has a HD DVD-ROM drive which allows you to view HD movies.

4. HP Pavilion dv9500t This popular laptop, the HP Pavilion dv9500t, is a Media Center machine. Essentially, you get a nice 17-inch screen, complete with a HD DVD-ROM drive. The graphics produced by the laptop are nothing short of stellar.

5. Alienware Area-51 m15x The Alienware Area-51 m15x is a behemoth of a laptop. It has out-of-this-world specifications and is easily one of the most expensive laptop class machines in the market. Its 3D gaming performance puts even the best desktop PCs to shame.

Conclusion I hope this article has given you some idea of what the top 5 casual gaming laptops are. While you would not want to shell out too much cash for a laptop, it might make sense if you want the ultimate in multimedia and gaming. If that is the case, any of these laptops would be right up your alley.

BMW and Las Vegas Luxury Car Rentals - The Only Way to Go

On Wall Street Journal Asia's 200 most-admired companies, BMW reaches the top. It was first in luxury automobile brand and came in second for quality. It has the best corporate reputation among all multinational companies that operates in Asia. BMW, according to Ashvin Chotai of Intelligence Automobile Asia, is the brand younger professionals, celebrities, and "new money" aspire to have in most Asian countries.

The brand, after all, has stuck to its core values, engineering excellence, and culture. It has not been diluted by mergers and acquisitions. BMW was also the top-ranked car company in the quality attribute. So you could just imagine how it would be like to drive a suave BMW on the neon-lit Fairmont Avenue or how it feels to cruise the Strip in one. Grand, isn't it. It's what the lifestyles of the money and the famous are made of. Now, in you don't have to blow your life's savings to drive one. Because in this day and age, what you cannot have, you can always rent. And while you're dreaming of maneuvering that 100K steering wheel, why not plan a day trip too? Many travelers get drawn by the lights and sounds of Las Vegas but few get to check out the wonders of Mother Nature that surround them. Now you have the chance to make this Las Vegas trip unique. Rugged mountains, red rock canyons, and deep desert valleys offer stunning scenery and endless outdoor recreational activities. And because the region is gifted with a favorable climate, BMW car rentals make this outdoor activity attractive all year round. So buckle up,the day trip has just begun. One of the sights worth checking out is Mt. Charleston.

It is located 35 miles from Las Vegas with its highest elevation at 11,918 feet. It has an average of 20 to 30 degrees cooler than Las Vegas, the place is ideal for hiking, horseback riding, and picnics. In addition to its year-round hotel accommodations and tours, there is also a full service camping facility that is available from May through September. Then there is Death Valley, which is located in California 135 miles from Las Vegas.

It offers a scenic wonder made evident as it is the lowest elevation in North America at 280 feet below sea level. In the summer months, the heat and conditions are so oppressive that it verifies why it is called Death Valley. So better bring loads of water with you if you plan on going. After that, you can still proceed to Grand Canyon, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, and Bryce Canyon. Nature's great beauty marks, they are. And all are perfect for a day trip with a BMW car rental.

How To Write A Novel In 30 Days - Can You Really Learn How To Write A Novel In 30 Days

Many best-selling authors write several books each year. You have the ability to do the same. The only thing they have that you don't is experience in doing the same thing over and over.

With the appropriate guidance, you can follow the same steps they do, and gain the experience as you go. As long as you are committed and organized, you can learn how to write a novel in 30 days.

The steps are simple, though not necessarily easy. Here they are:

1. Decide what genre you want to write in. If you write what you love to read, your passion and knowledge will inspire you forward.

2. Adapt your chosen genre to the current market. If you buy your books at a used book store, and your chosen genre is no longer being published, you will have to adapt to something that is popular in today's market. Visit bookstores to find something similar that is popular and to your liking.

3. Shape your story idea. Newspapers, overheard conversations, friends, and even television programs and other books can be a source of inspiration.

4. Define your lead and other characters. Determine the gender and approximate age of all of your main characters. For other attributes, some authors find it helpful to cut out pictures from magazines.

5. Present your lead character with a crisis. Again, family, friends, co-workers, the media, places you've been, your dreams, and eavesdropping are all sources you can draw from.

6. Now that you have presented your lead with a crisis, he or she will have to have a plan of action against this crisis. This will be the lead's story goal.

7. It is now time to define your lead in more detail. Filling out a complete Character Fact List is the simplest way to accomplish this.

8. Defining your other characters. Here, you will repeat the process you used with the lead, and apply it to your other characters.

9. As you begin plotting your novel, you will use the classic story structure. The beginning consists of the first quarter of your story. The middle consists of half of your story's length. The end is the last quarter of your novel. Each of these parts have specific purposes, which will move the story along at the appropriate pace and bring it to a satisfying conclusion.

10. For reasons which I am unable to explain in a relatively short article, determining your novel's ideal length is much more important than you might think.

11. You will use section sheets, which are essentially templates, to divide your story into action and reaction sections. Each of your viewpoint characters will have a set number of scenes.

12. This will prove to be an invaluable way to keep your story organized and moving along at a compelling pace. As well, it virtually puts an end to writer's block.

13. You will now begin weaving subplots into your storyline to add texture and depth. Subplots give your readers issues other than the main story goal to worry about.

14. Knowing where and how to insert surprises can make the difference between a dull, lagging story and one that keeps your readers on the edge of their seats. Planting the surprises during the plotting phase literally make writing a breeze.

15. Many authors find crafting the middle sections of their story the most daunting. Working through the first, middle, and last sections of the middle, in a clearly laid out plan makes short work of this problem.

16. Ending your story with a bang, not a whimper, is crucial. If a reader has stuck with you for an entire book, you owe him a reward that will stay with him long after he has finished your book. As you bring it to a close, you will begin narrowing the options and worsening the failures. You will resolve all story lines, and tie up any loose ends.

17. And now, the fun part begins. You have finished plotting. Now, it's time for the creative stuff, the actual writing. You've already divided your story according to the specific viewpoint characters. Every scene will be written from the perspective of the character who owns that scene.

18. In fiction, conflict is king. Ride it for all it's worth. When you feel you've taken it as far as you can, dive into crisp and dramatic failure. With the exception of short reprieves, your story should be a never-ending struggle of conflict and failure, until the end. Just when it looks like all is lost, your hero will achieve her goal.

This is simply an overview to show you how to write a novel in 30 days. Each of these steps require detailed explanation beyond the scope of this article. In future articles, I will go through them separately.

As with anything else, it appears much more complicated until it becomes habit. Think about how exasperated you felt when you were first learning to drive. As time went on, it became so natural, you could carry on a conversation without giving a thought to the many things you were doing, all at the same time.

Techniques For Studying

Studying or reviewing for an exam or test can be a very taxing endeavor. Most of the time, you have to sacrifice sleep and other responsibilities just to ensure a passing score on your upcoming test. In these modern times where everything seems so fast, time is a luxury. And studying requires an enormous amount of this.

But what if I told you there is an easier way? There is a tool that can help you score high on your exam, improve your grades and make you understand and master the lessons faster and easier.

With this, you do not have to be a geek to achieve the grades you've always wanted. Available now in PDF format through instant download, "How to Get the Best Grades with the Least Amount of Effort" is a precious selection of helpful methods, tips and tools that will definitely improve your studying techniques and memory retention. It will change the way you approach studying.

This product is not only for the "ungifted" ones; this is also ideal for smart students who do not have good study habits, do not have enough time or are too lazy to study. "How to Get the Best Grades with the Least Amount of Effort" will teach you how to digest, comprehend and retain huge amounts of information in no time. Each step will be shown, identified and explained thoroughly for easy identification and comprehension.

Well, who wouldn't want this product? Just think of all the fun things that you don't have to sacrifice by having using this. Losing sleep and late night study sessions will be things of the past. Not only that, you'll save lots of money because you won't need to hire a tutor anymore. You can all the fun stuff like net surfing, playing all sorts of games, watching TV, going out and much more and still do well academically.

"How to Get the Best Grades with the Least Amount of Time" will actually let you have a life even during school season. You'll have lots of time to venture into other things like sports, arts, etc. and will greatly aid you in becoming a better-rounded individual.

Now, who wouldn't want that?

The Issue With Adoption - Or Should I Say Issues?

Children are a joy to have in your life. It's unfortunate however, that approximately 6.2 million women in the US have impaired infertility. For many reasons...to many to go into detail...the infertility rate is steadily climbing. As a result, families are adopting more and more. Adoption is not only as a result of infertility but it seems to be a trend, especially when it comes to adopting children from impoverished countries. This is an amazing act, not just for the lucky children that get a new chance at life, but for the people whose lives they touch.

Though adoption has many benefits to individuals and the society at large, there are many issues that an adopting family must face when they make the decision to take such a big step in life; issues that are sometimes overlooked for the many joys. In order to adequately prepare for this new person/s in your life and to make the transition more smooth, you should think about the circumstances which may arise.

Parenthood on a whole, is a huge responsibility; not something to take lightly. Adoption is the same concept except with a couple of extra twists. Adoption is a permanent commitment that can cost a lot. Money, attention, time and energy are all important aspects of being a parent. It is up to the parent to provide a loving home for the child to grow without fear or deprivation.

One major issue associated with adoption is bonding with the child. As I previously mentioned, the absence of fear and deprivation are huge factors in the life of a happy child. The act of bonding is visible when the adopted child begins to trust the caregiver and is assured that his/her needs will be reliably met. For the parents however, some may fear that because they were absent for the early developmental stages of the child or that they are not the biological parents, then they won't be able to bond with the child. This is a genuine worry but the thing to understand is that natural parents experience this as well, especially in mothers who experience post partum depression or when they have to be absent right after the birth of the child. Whatever the case, it can be resolved by spending quality time and interacting with the child. Love and patience go a long way in this situation.

A second issue is that of unknown health issues. This can be a big issue, especially if it is an international adoption. There can be little to know information regarding the birth parents' health. This means that the child can be vulnerable to genetic, medical or psychological illnesses without you being aware. This would no doubt cause unfortunate challenges for the family.

The third issue is that of behavioral problems seen in older children. While this is not always the case, it is a reality for some. Older children sometimes develop behavioral issues when they live a hard life. Living in foster care or living their whole life with the sense that nobody wants them, can make any child act out. If you are challenged with this situation, do not withdraw your acts of love or start becoming impatient. Remember that they are only pushing the boundaries until they are sure that you won't change your mind and give them away.

Adopted kids are worthy of all the love and care that you would give to your birth children. If you make the decision to adopt, you should remember the lifelong commitment you made no matter what issues may arise down the road. Properly educating yourself will give you the confidence you need to tackle any situation that comes with adoption.

How Would You Describe Your Running 10 Years Ago?

Have you ever stopped to look back on your running career? How have you changed over the past decade?

The first time that I was asked this question was about a decade after I graduated from high school. I was on the cusp of a level of training that I had never even considered or dreamed of. I was training through the Summer months between high school graduation and my freshman year in college, and I had no direction and no idea what to expect when I got there.

My main concern was how to get my mileage up. In high school, I doubt that I ever ran more than 35 miles per week, and I have no doubt that I usually ran much less than that. I had not yet become obsessive compulsive about tracking my training at that point.

I knew that 35 miles per week just was not going to cut it, so my goal was to raise my mileage up to around 60 to 65 miles per week. By late July or mid-August, I was consistently getting that level of training in, as well as working full time in Sales Promotions for Merrill Lynch and getting over to the bowling alley for a few rounds after work most days.

Once I got to college, I only ran 85 miles the first week because I missed a few workouts due to freshman obligations. I spent the next few years running between 85-95 miles most weeks, topping out a couple of times at just over 120 miles and not infrequently running 100-105 miles, especially early in each season.

That high mileage built a great base for me, but my college coach had a completely different style of coaching than I was used to from my high school coach.  His workouts produced great short term results and then resulted in injury after injury.

Half a decade after graduating from college, I was running much lower mileage but still ran at a pretty quick pace for all of my runs, whether I should have been or not. I was regularly competing in a couple of marathons per year, was making my way to Boston, and was on the verge of discovering the ultra-running scene.

Another half of a decade later and I had gotten my body back to doing high mileage weeks, was running mostly on trails, and had started competing in races as long as 50k or 50 miles on a pretty regular basis.

Think back on your own running history. What changes have you made to your training, and how have those changes reflected in not just your running but in the rest of your life?

Finding Money in Your Back Pocket - Why You May Be Owed Cash

Have you ever found money in the pocket of an old pair of jeans you had completely forgotten about? It's always a nice feeling to find "lost" money, but there is a much bigger pocket full of money that you may be overlooking - your state's unclaimed property list. Anytime a company owes you money and cannot contact you for whatever reason, the company cannot legally keep your money and is required to turn it over (also known as escheat) to the state as unclaimed.

Laws vary by state, but the general rule is that companies must escheat assets inactive for 3 years. The most common types of property turned over to the state are earned interest on a closed savings account, rebate or refund check, dividends, stocks, and bonds; real estate and unused gift certificates are usually excluded. According to their websites, the State of California is currently in possession of more than $5.7 billion in unclaimed property belonging to approximately 11.6 million individuals and organizations; New York has $10.5 billion, and Texas has $2.2 billion. The good news is that it is easy to find and collect your money...

Every state has unclaimed property laws, and collecting your money is as easy as filling out a simple form. I know firsthand that especially in the banking sector, unclaimed property laws are strictly enforced; while I was working at the Federal Reserve as a Bank Examiner, we regularly checked bank records to ensure banks were escheating unclaimed property to the states in a timely manner. There are many unclaimed property scams so be careful of any unsolicited requests to help you claim your money for a fee. There is no cost to claim and collect money escheated to the state.

However, if your unclaimed property exceeds a given amount, which varies by state, you may be required to get your claim form notarized. Once you make your claim, most states also allow you to check the status of the claim. I recommend you search any state you have ever lived in for your unclaimed properties. Start your search here: http://www.unclaimed.org and then click on your state to go directly to your state's treasury and/or controller's website. Always make sure the site you are visiting is an official government site with.gov or.us in their web address - you don't want to get duped into scam sites trying to get your personal and financial information.

Remember, unclaimed property is escheated to the state when a company cannot contact you, so to minimize future unclaimed properties, always update your contact information with any company you do business with, especially your financial institutions. Most of the time, the value of escheated property is a few hundred dollars. These days, who couldn't use a few hundred dollars? That may be enough for a full tank of gas.

Proper Documentation in Technical Writing - How Important it Is

Proper documentation serves several reasons in a document. First, it gives proper credit to authors for their work. It avoids plagiarism. Second, it gives strength to the view one is trying to show, and thirdly, it gives the reader of the document an avenue to pursue further information of a subject if he or she chooses to do so.

There are seven most popular documentation styles: the APA style, the MLA style, and the Chicago style. There are also the four number styles which include the CBE, ACS, AMS and AIP styles. After citing an author one has to use the author's last name and the year the book was published at the end of the cite. The only fault in using APA style would be if one has two books that is authored by someone with the same last name and published in the same year, it would be hard to distinguish which book was cited. The number style does not have this problem because every instance one cites an author, a number is placed at the end of the cite. A main problem when using the number style is the addition of a cite in the middle of a paper when the paper is almost finished. One would have to go through the paper and change all the cite numbers after the addition avoiding using two same cite numbers. Then one would have to change the numbers on the reference or notes page at the end of the paper.

Another reason is the ethical and professional acknowledgment of any source used in your writing will prevent unintentional plagiarism as well as any copyright infringements. Documentation used properly, adds credibility to your document, and lends authority to your own personal ideas within your document. Documenting and citing your sources gives the audience the ability to learn in addition to having quick access on where to read more from a cited author.

Documentation is important in the technical writing process because it fulfills the ethical acknowledgment of authority, credibility, and efficiency for further study. Moreover, without proper documentation technical writers are dealing with issues such as conducting repeated research, going backwards to collect information from the same source with double time spent etc.

Keep the Sparkle in Your Diamond

Diamonds are extremely hard and durable. Take care of your diamond by avoiding breaks and scratches and keep it clean. With good care, your diamond will have the same sparkle and beauty in ten, a hundred or a thousand years. Diamonds do not fade, tarnish or wear out like most materials. The secret to keeping a diamond's sparkle is keeping it clean.

Diamonds are the hardest natural material. Only a diamond can scratch a diamond. Use great caution when wearing multiple diamond rings on the same finger. If the diamonds of one ring touch diamonds in another ring, both diamonds will likely end up scratched in a relatively short time. If you have a diamond wedding band next to your diamond engagement ring, be sure their design allows them to fit together so the diamonds do not touch.

The next most dangerous place for diamonds scratching each other is in the jewelry box. Do not throw your diamond rings, diamond earrings, and diamond bracelet together. Since diamonds will scratch diamonds, think of what they can do to other gemstones and precious metals. Keep your diamond jewelry in separate compartments or isolated by soft cloth to keep them from rubbing each other.

While diamonds are very durable, they can break or chip. You would not let someone hit your diamond with a steel hammer but your diamond ring faces the same type of danger every day. File cabinets, metal seat belt buckles, and car doors are just a few of the metal surfaces that can hit a diamond in the course of a normal day. Avoid sharp impacts with hard surfaces and you will avoid chips and cracks in your diamond.

Diamonds are natural grease attractors. Some diamond mines separate diamonds from the broken rocks by running the material over a conveyor belt covered with a layer of grease. Diamonds stick to the grease and the rocks slide off. At the end of the shift, they remove the grease and melt it away, leaving the diamonds.

Remember diamond's attraction to grease when you touch a diamond with your finger. The oil from your fingertips will coat the diamond and reduce the sparkle. The same is true when your diamond ring touches the oil in your hair. Hand creams, lotions, hair spray, soap, and grease from food will create a film on your diamond that hides its beauty. When you put your hands in dishwater, the dirt and grease in the water will adhere to the diamond. Dust and powders also cling to diamonds.

Fortunately, diamonds are easy to clean. Put your diamond jewelry in a warm solution of mild liquid detergent and water. You can also use the containers of "Jewelry Cleaner" available at jewelry and department stores. These typically have a small basket the ring can sit in and a small, soft brush to clean the hard to reach places around the diamond. Swish the ring around in the solution, rinse it with warm water, and dry the ring with a lint-free cloth. While chemicals will probably not hurt your diamond, harsh chemicals like chlorine or bleach can weaken and discolor the metal in the jewelry. Keep in mind that swimming pools and hot tubs usually have high levels of chlorine and are not a safe place for jewelry.

There are many types of ultrasonic cleaners available to the public today. The piece of jewelry sits in a basket of water and detergent. The ultrasonic cleaner produces high-frequency turbulence that is an excellent way to clean the hard to get at part of jewelry. Not all gemstones are as durable as diamonds. Never put soft materials like emeralds, opals and pearls in an ultrasonic cleaner.

With a little common sense and regular cleaning, your diamonds will keep their sparkle and beauty for years of enjoyment.

Handmade Jewelry Information Resource

One of the things that make handmade jewelry so special is not only that it is crafted personally by its maker's own patient hands, but also that it takes hours of careful, deliberate concentration to construct.

Every type of handmade jewelry is unique from any other jewelry piece in the world. No two pieces of handmade jewelry are ever exactly alike--making your own personal handmade keepsake a one-of-a-kind original treasure. Since each piece of handmade jewelry is individually crafted, it is practically impossible replicate its style. Handmade jewelry is particularly fashionable because of its natural beauty. Its decorative stones, beads and metals oftentimes sport tiny imperfections, which add quality and depth to each individual piece and serve as a kind of 'seal of authenticity' which proves that it was not merely part-and-parcel of a mass manufacturing chain.

Handmade jewelry has been prized for centuries upon centuries. The old civilizations of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt were extremely advanced in metalworking. Their perfected techniques were passed on throughout time to the Byzantinian, Greek, Oriental and cultures. Long before there were machines fashioned to design and produce large quantities of jewelry, the artisan peoples of ancient cultures were busy hand-working gold into thin pliable sheets from which adornments could be easily sculpted. Gold is, in its purest form, flexible and soft. It is liable to bending and twisting as well, which is helpful in the hand making of fanciful gold broaches and embroidered medallions.

Embossed decoration in handmade jewelry is made by first heating the gold or other jewelry metal, and then gently hammering a pattern into the back surface of the metal. The resulting embroidery is fashionably unique. It has a one-of-a-kind motif that can never be replicated in the same style again. This innate quality of rarity and distinctivness is what sets handmade jewelry apart from all other types of jewelry on the market.

Handmade jewelry is not only crafted from common jewelry metals. Oftentimes, handmade pieces include a mix of ceramic, plaster, or wooden beads; iron, copper, and soft-metal wires; ribbons or coils; and precious gems. It is this eclectic look of eccentric styles that appeals to almost every taste--even those of the world's pickiest and most popular fashionistas.

Gifts for Neighbors Who are Moving Away

Your kids have played together. Both husbands coordinated and erected that wooden fence between your properties and installed a gate between the two yards. This neighbor has been your dearest friend. You have shared raising your children, she gave that great flowering bush out front, and you even shared your family recipes with her. Now they are moving. It is like a part of your family is moving across the country.

You have both said you will stay in touch with each other. You'll write and she'll write. There will be the occasional phone calls back and forth. You want to give her a gift that will have some special meaning of your life together or will continue the closeness you have. Your neighbor also has her hands busy with packing. You want to give her something that will help. So, what do you do you give to your dearest neighbor?

I have a few suggestions. Maybe some of these will be just right.

-If you are better at talking than writing, then stay in touch with phone calls. Purchase a long distance calling card to keep in touch. Find a card with a picture of the plant she gave you, or two houses side by side, or other symbol of your friendship.

-Your neighbor will need to notify everyone of her address change. Pick up a Mail address change packet at the post office and fill out her old and new addresses for her.

-Get a new address book and have all the neighbors add their info it.

-Go through your old photos and put together a picture book of all the times you've shared together.

-As a remembrance of your long lasting friendship, get a plant or small tree for your neighbor to plant in her new yard.

-Find or write a poem of your friendship, type or do calligraphy on to stationery and frame it to be hung in her new home.

-Find a door mat with their last name inscribed on it.

-If your neighbor has a dog, get a new dog tag with his name and new address and phone number.

-Get a pretty box of stationery, stamp each envelope and write your address on each.

-If it's going to be a long trip in the car to their new town, put together a picnic basket with all the goodies that the family likes.

-When they arrive, your neighbors are going to have their hands full with unpacking. Put together a basket of canned meats, cheese, and crackers that will help on a tired night.

-Get gift coupons from national pizza parlors, fast take out places. This will help for the trip and those nights of unpacking.