Garret

Pet insurance is becoming increasingly popular in the UK but, do you really need it?

Some pet owners self insure their pet by saving a regular monthly amount instead of paying premiums to an insurance company. If your pet requires treatment, there are funds available to pay all or some of the cost. If you don't, the money just rolls up gaining interest and is always yours.

In practice, self insuring your pet should only be considered in limited circumstances and for pets that are unlikely to cause injury or accident to others which could result in legal action. For example, if a dog, directly or indirectly, injures another pet or even a person, you could be faced with hefty vet or medical bills at best. At worst you could be on the receiving end of court action and substantial legal claim.

So, for most pet owners, insurance is a prudent choice but are all pet insurance policies equal?

TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING PET INSURANCE

1. Compare the price
2. Consider the policy excess
3. Are you protected by lifelong cover?
4. Look at other benefits
5. Read the small print

1. COMPARE THE PRICE
Obviously, the cost of insuring your pet is an important factor. But different insurers have different ways of pricing pet insurance premiums, so always get a quote for your specific circumstances to compare like with like.

2. CONSIDER THE EXCESS
Pet insurance providers use a number of methods to save themselves money when it comes to paying out claims. The main one is to include a high excess on their policies.

The policy excess is the amount that you have to pay each time you make a claim for a certain condition, so choosing a cheaper product with a higher excess could actually end up costing you money if you do need to claim.

3. ARE YOU PROTECTED WITH LIFELONG COVER
You should check carefully what you are being offered by pet insurers and understand clearly what they mean by "lifelong cover". Understanding lifelong cover can be complicated, but here are a few simple guidelines on the types of cover generally available...

Time limited cover
Some plans will only cover a condition for the first year you claim.

For Example: If your pet developed arthritis, you might be able to claim up to 2,000 for the first year's treatment, but no more. You would then have to cover the cost of treatment every year yourself, for the rest of your pet's life.

Financially limited cover
Some insurers call their financially limited cover 'lifelong cover'. In this case, an insurer will pay out each year, but only up to a fixed total amount for each condition. After that, they will stop paying out.

For Example: If your pet developed diabetes and you had a policy that was financially capped at 3,500, you may need to claim 2,000 in the first year. By year two, the amount you can claim for treatment of the diabetes is now just 1,500. After this, you would have to pay for the treatment for the rest of your pet's life.

Lifelong cover
The best pet insurance is cover that pays for treatment up to a certain amount, every year, for as long as your pet needs treatment.

For Example: If your pet developed epilepsy and your policy covered up to 3,000 every year, you could claim for treatment up to this limit each year for the rest of your pet's life.

4. LOOK AT OTHER BENEFITS
Whilst cover for vets fee's is the key element of pet insurance, most insurers offer a range of additional benefits. These can include cover for:

• The cost of advertising and reward to recover your pet if it were to go missing;
• The cost of looking after your pet if you have to stay in hospital;
• The original purchase price of your pet if it is lost or passes away;
• The cost of your pet causing damage for which you are legally liable.

5. READ THE SMALL PRINT
All insurance plans have terms and conditions to make clear what is covered and what is not. Some providers make this clearer than others so be certain you are fully aware of how and when the policy will or will not pay out.

Copyright UK Pet Insurance Company Index http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk All rights reserved. Please feel free to publish this article online provided that the article and this copyright statement remain unchanged with live links.

Scalp pimples often are actually small inflammatory areas around hair follicles and are pimples on the scalp that are different to pimples / acne of the face which is associated with the oil glands that open directly on the surface of the skin.

On the scalp, the oil glands open into the hair follicles and often you will get a little inflammation around the hair follicle. Generally the use one of the ordinary medicated tar shampoos will control it nicely. They are not true pimples such as acne on the face but simply folliculitis or inflammation of the hair follicle.

The disorder can vary in nature and basically all variations result in small, itchy pustules that are generally first noticed while combing / brushing the hair. Such pimples can get infected quickly and become a problem.

The cause of scalp pimples is not clear but generally it is micro-organisms such as yeast, mites and staph bacterium that thrive on the scalp and can lead to scalp pimples.

Sometimes yeast may infect the crown and result in a small, red rash that stubbornly hangs on when treated with a variety of lotions and shampoos. Treatment with topical antibiotics may be necessary and in more severe infestations steroids may be needed, but usually simple and unrelenting scalp hygiene will solve the problem. Sometimes the doctor may prescribe an oral as well as a topical medication to eradicate scalp pimples caused by yeast infection.

The mild forms of scalp pimples are a nuisance but nothing to worry about. The affected area usually responds to the application of a salicylic acid solution (tar shampoo) but care in use of such preparation should be taken due to the extreme dehydrating and stripping action of compounds like benzoyl peroxide that can have an adverse and permanent effect on the actual hair.

Scalp hygiene should be improved if scalp pimples become evident and persist. Any hypoallergenic shampoo calibrated for oily skin types will definitely be of benefit as they will limit the production of sebum which is the naturally produced oil on the skin.

Note that the above information refers to to adults and not the scalp pimples that can be found on babies. Scalp pimples are sometimes the result of exposure to their mother's hormones during the birthing process and simply keeping the area dry over a period of days will allow the area to generally clear up on its own.

Cradle cap may be part of an overall skin issue that can be addressed readily by rubbing baby oil onto the head and then combing through it with a small comb; this will loosen the yellowish-brown 'cap' that is somewhat attached to the skin. Sometimes small red bumps are part of the cradle cap, but it is nothing to be too concerned with as long as they are disappearing within a few days after birth.

Complete and continued cleanliness of the hair and the skin is necessary to fully eliminate serious pimples on the scalp. Many people deal with milder conditions that are merely irritating and inconvenient, but do not pose a health threat. In these cases, there are numerous over-the-counter shampoos and scalp treatments that treat scalp pimples.

For more information now go to: http://www.blastacne.com/Scalp-Pimples.html http://www.myalpha-power.com. or http://www.aperfectharmony.com

I use to have a Lucky Charm. It was a toe ring. I wore it on my baby toe. An old boyfriend of mine had given it to me. It was a cheap little thing. I don't know why I even wore it. Call me sentimental.

The first night I wore it to a casino I won at the roulette table. I was betting straight-up on 33. It hit 3 times out of the 10 times I played. I walked away after the third hit.

The next night I wore the toe ring to the casino I decided to play the slots. Im not much for playing the slots. Too much exercise and not enough pay out. But for some reason I decided to play. An hour into playing I was a hundred dollars down. But then I hit the 3 cherries. And it was a Progressive Jackpot machine I was playing. I walked out of the casino after hitting that jackpot.

The third time I wore the toe ring was to a Poker Party my good friend Rachel was hosting. Just 5 girls getting together for a few drinks, a little gossip and a night of Texan Holdem. All of us were serious gamblers. By serious I mean we played to win. And we were very competitive with each other. All 5 of us were very good players and when we did get together to play poker very rarely did anyone come away a big winner.

That night I couldnt do any wrong. The cards came my way and when they didnt my bluffing was impeccable. That evening I walked away with over 5 thousand dollars.

A short time after that my lucky charm broke. Like I said, it was a cheap little thing. Im not sure why I think of it as a lucky charm. I had won at gambling many times before the charm and many times since. I guess I am like most gamblers superstitious.

But the best lucky charm I have ever had has been my gambling systems and my brain. I would never give those up for a toe ring or a rabbits foot or any other superstitious charm.

Copyright 2006 Pamela Pompeii. All rights reserved.

Pamela Pompeii is a new breed of stylistic journalist and the resident article writer for http://www.gambleonthis.com. She also has the ability, as she points out, to tell a tall tale once in awhile.

We all remember the legendary quote from the original Star Trek television show Space, the final frontier. Well for television it would seem that the combination of satellite television, HD (or Hi Definition), TiVo and the Digital Video Recorder is the final frontier for television! The world changes constantly and with it, technology. Now that most people in the United States Of America prefer peace to war, what better element of life to focus technological development on than entertainment? Now over the past century, going out to the movie theatre has been one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the United States.

Nowadays with a gradually diminishing economy and skyrocketing movie ticket prices (truly taking advantage of the average moviegoer) it is becoming more and more difficult for the average man to take his girl to the movies. For one, it just does not fit into the average mans financial format to spend twenty dollars on two movie tickets to see one movie. Heck, it is just a measly hour and a half of entertainment and if you are taking your girl out, she expects a whole evening of fun. Not to mention that if she wants a soda and popcorn it could create a very embarrassing situation when she eventually realizes that you actually do not have the money for it. Or if you are the easily persuaded type, you may actually spend a little of your rent money just to keep your girl from seeing that you are not as wealthy as you have been leading on. Dont you think it is time to stop worrying about all of those problems? Dont you think it is time to be able to spend an evening with your girl at a price you can afford? Well now you can!

Nowadays, the average man typically spends a regular monthly amount of money on cable television. The average man is not going to ask their girl to come home with them for an evening of cable television, she could watch cable at home! However, with DirecTV you can actually bring the movie experience right into the comfort of your own living room! That is right, you now have a good excuse to get your girlfriend to come over and watch TV. Of course this includes sodas and popcorn at the cost it takes to buy it at the local convenience store. Getting more to the point, DirecTV is proud to offer the best in modern sight and sound technology. You will be amazed at the quality of HD (or High Definition TV). With Hi Def you feel like you are almost looking out a window instead of into a TV screen. The only difference between Hi Def and the window is that with Hi Def its more like looking through an empty window pane! Oh yeah, it is really that clear!

Do not forget TiVo and the ever popular Digital Video Recorder. With TiVo and the Digital Video Recorder (also known as DVR) you can now record hours of programs that you miss on the nights you actually take your girl out. Not only can you record, you can also pause and rewind live television! Take a look around at the other providers. You will agree, DirecTV is truly the best in satellite television.

Written by Marie Amersan. Find more information on a Direct TV Offer

I never cared all that much for Dick Morris who was a former advisor to President Clinton for twenty years. Morris, who advised Clinton for 20 years, is best known for managing Bill Clinton's successful 1996 bid for re-election, but his tenure on that campaign was cut short just before the election when it was revealed he was involved in a scandal of juicy proportions. Morris resigned under pressure (though there are different and interesting stories as to the reason), following which he turned his focus to media commentary. Upon reflection, I suspect being pressured to resign for sexual escapades by, of all people, Bill Clinton could engender some legitimate bitterness. Anyway, he now writes a weekly column for the New York Post and appears regularly on the Fox News Channel. He is a harsh and non-relenting critic of the Clinton's and has written several books to that end. One is entitled, "Condi vs. Hillary : The Next Great Presidential Race" in which he makes the case for the election of Condoleezza Rice to the presidency. When I first noted this, I wrote it off as a case of payback.....but lately I have been surprising myself by having second thoughts on the viability of such a notion. I have also come to appreciate that Morris is as sharp as a new copper penny when it comes to political analysis and campaign strategy.....perhaps more so than James Carville, George Stephanopolous and/or Paul Begala.

Dr. Condoleezza Rice is the 66th and current United States Secretary of State and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush. She worked as an advisor in various capacities to the first Bush administration, eventually replacing Colin Powell on January 26, 2005 after his resignation. Philosophically, I view her as social conservative, but more importantly, as someone who does her duty to her country with dignity, mainstream values and the utmost professionalism. And I sense that I am not alone with this growing admiration for an extremely talented person.There is something special about her that goes beyond ambition, her unflappable and steely persistence, and strong presence. Some have suggested it is her will to master whatever she encounters. As just two examples, she mastered the piano as a young girl and, later, the complex field of Soviet military affairs.

Some criticize her for being a non politician; I say that's an advantage. Being National Security Advisor and Secretary Of State during a war and having been Chancellor of Stanford are good enough qualifications for me. In June 1999, she completed a six year tenure as Stanford University 's Provost, during which she was the institution's chief budget and academic officer. As Provost she was responsible for a $1.5 billion annual budget and the academic program involving 1,400 faculty members and 14,000 students. As professor of political science, she won two of the highest teaching honors -- the 1984 Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 1993 School of Humanities and Sciences Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching. Born in 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, she earned her bachelor's degree in political science, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Denver in 1974; her master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. From the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981

So much for her qualifications as she now emerges as the single most important person in the Bush Administration, particularly since Dick Cheney has disappeared and Rumsfeld has become "irrelevant." The tenacious and hard working Rice continues to serve her country by trying to work a peace in the Mideast crisis. Some might criticize her for being blindly loyal and in lock step with international policies that have gone awry, but that comes with the territory in being a loyal member of a president's administration. What goes on between Rice and Bush and what advise she may be giving him and what disagreements they might have are kept behind closed doors....and that seems to me to be the way it should be. Of course, that she is more intelligent than her boss is manifest.

There is no question that she will be tested as never before in the coming weeks. These will be the toughest issues with which she will be confronted thus far. But if she should get through them with positive results and a measurable degree of success, the phrase "why not" might become more than just a subject for Dick Morris to harp on. Her star will rise rapidly.

Moreover, there is a growing feeling that Rudy Giuliani has far too much baggage to be a viable presidential candidate and Sen. John McCain seems to be placing himself out of the mainstream of GOP politics. As Lieberman now struggles, so would McCain. Giuliani's messy divorce and positions on abortion, gay marriage and gun control are likely to make him unpopular among social conservatives and there are a large number of conservatives who seem to totally dislike McCain. As for Allen, Frist, Pataki, Romney, etc, they offer little to cheer about. If the Democrats move to the center as Clinton did and triangulate, they will be tough to beat in the next election. In my view, Senator Hillary Clinton may well be their candidate due to her strength with the black, Hispanic and women vote, her disciplined and shrewd strategy of making few waves as she learned the Senate ropes, and her ability to garner strong financial backing. So, based on these suppositions, what can the Republicans do?

How about the notion of nominating United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and hiring Dick Morris as her campaign advisor. As he did with Clinton, allow Morris to devise a strategy of "triangulation," whereby Rice would appeal to a diverse group of voters by distancing herself from both the Democratic and Republican parties......or at least the more extreme segments of each. This strategic move to the center of the political spectrum might disappoint some who want Rice to pursue a far more conservative policy but it would check (and perhaps checkmate) Hillary. If the Democrats play checkers, the Republicans should play chess....but that can work in reverse as well.

Certainly Dr. Rice carries with her the considerable baggage of the Bush Administration, most notably Iraq and a flawed policy of promoting democracy worldwide as a "cure" for terrorism and a "replacement" for theocracies, but who else knows the working of the Oval Office better? Who else is better qualified to beat Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, should she be the candidate?

I say Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may be the one. With success in the Mideast and the right political strategy, why not?

"Don't be Afraid To See What You See." Ronald Reagan

He writes a bi-weekly column for a local newspaper and is a regular contributor to the NH Business Review. He specializes in columns, articles, essays, op-eds, and short stories. Many of his works are widely published.

His works focus on issues and themes dealing with socio-political topics, business and economics (in which he advocates a free market approach to capitalism), patriotism, and matters dealing with individual freedom.They are frequently inspirational in nature and sometimes reflect the Objectivist philosophy of novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand. Ted is also a boxing historian and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

One of the most popular self-defense weapons in use today by the average citizen and police officers alike is the "Kubotan" (pronounced: 'koo-bow-tahn'), or simply the self-defense keychain. The versatility of the this effective little item is that it lends itself well to being used in different ways by people with different martial arts backgrounds, as well as by people with no formal training in the martial arts whatsoever. In fact, this is perhaps one of the Kubotan's greatest advantages and therefore strengths, in that it can be picked up and easily used by any martial artist, regardless of style or principle fighting method. Regardless of whether a practitioner has studied the techniques of Aikido, Jujitsu, Karate, Kung Fu, and, yes, Ninjutsu - the art of the Ninja - the self-defense keychain fits easily into, and increases the power of just about any technique.

As an example, a Karate-oriented practitioner who is trained in, and has a preference for striking techniques, can utilize the ends of the weapon for painful blows to soft tissue areas or disabling strikes to an opponent's vital points. Conversely, a practitioner schooled in a grappling-based system like Jujitsu or Aikido, may feel more comfortable using the Kubotan for hooking, trapping, and pain compliance techniques, using the leverage and intense pain generated by the weapon to immobilize and neutralize an opponent's ability to get at him.

Certainly, any school or practitioner that takes the view of having no preferential fighting method - that means that he or she is comfortable with both striking and grappling - will have even more options with this weapon. Composite styles, like ninjutsu and many other authentic warrior arts, find that the Kubotan, to them actually a simplified or modified version of what they call an eda-koppo stick, allows them the flexibility to go from striking-to-grappling and back again with no trouble whatsoever.

Even for those without experience in a formal martial art, the Kubotan provides an economical and easily-learned method of self-protection. This powerful weapon can, and should, also be a part of any good self-defense program. Its ease-of-use and relatively short learning-curve make it the ideal "first-weapon" for beginning students. It can be used to provide a level of comfort, security, and preparedness while the student is learning more scientific unarmed techniques, tactics, and strategies that naturally take more time to internalize.

For many, the self-defense keychain weapon is a tool of pain, pure-and-simple. Regardless of whether you're using it to strike, dig into sensitive areas, or apply crushing pressure to small bones and joints, the fact is that you don't need years of training to be good with it. You can practically, with little-or-no extensive training, pick one up and be ready to at-least hold-your-own against most common attackers.

Please note that I'm not saying that a certain level of training wouldn't significantly increase your ability and chances of success, especially in a more aggressive situation, but for most of the assaults and types of attackers you'll most likely encounter in Today's world, it's the perfect starting point for most new students.

As always, my advice is to find a qualified instructor, or a professionally delivered course, where you can be introduced to the weapon properly. Then, when you have the basic ideas and principles, combined with the fundamentals of unarmed self-protection tactics, you can go on to explore the full potential of both the weapon and it's uses against a real-world assailant who might want to do more than slap you around.

Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and director of Warrior Concepts International in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. He is the author of the "Foundations of Self-Defense Mastery" eCourse, which is available free of charge to subscribers of his self defense newsletter. You can subscribe to the newsletter at: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/newsletter-subscribe-self-defense.html He is also the creator of the EDR: Non-Martial Arts Defensive Training Program, author of the book, "The Karate-Myth" as-well-as the powerful, "Danger Prevention Tactics" video. Find out how you can get his book, FREE, when you order "Danger Prevention Tactics" here: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/self-defense-video-dpt1.html Additional information is available by visiting on his site.

One of the burdens and after effects of having to deal with acne is the scarring that can reside on the skin. For other people stretch marks are often the results of pregnancy and for some men that indulge in body building in an effort to bulk up and build muscle- stretch marks are often the consequences of frequent usage of anabolic steroids as the skin loses its elasticity due to the sudden increase on muscle size the skin can not keep up its natural springiness and a rebound effect occurs within the skin.

When looking for new acne scar and stretch mark treatments it is important to remember to look for an effective skin treatment that can be applied quickly without having to worry about it interacting badly with other any other medication you may be taking.

So called Natural treatments weather they be creams or oils such as Cocoa butter or olive oil may appear to give an initial softening effect to stretch marks or maybe even some mild acne scars, but their effect is just brief and is has no long term benefit.

Boxcar scars are a particular type of scar that can be identified as rather sinuous rounded cavity type marks upon the skin.Rolling acne scars have the appearance of normal skin tissue joined to scarred skin giving a rolled appearance. Icepick scars have a sharp angular look on the skin deep in appearance. Particular new acne scar and stretch mark treatments can reduce problem skin and improve the appearance of the skin quality.

Discover new acne scar and stretch mark treatments

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