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Belly dancing originated from various sources which are why there are lots of theories about its origin. It is known world-wide and practiced by a lot of people.

As far as world history is concerned, Belly Dancing is among the oldest societal dances. It is believed that it originated from the Eastern Mediterranean. This is due to the fact that there are similarities in Egyptian artwork poses and modern dance.

Belly dancing have two forms that are called raqs baladi and raqs sharqi. Raqs baladi is a social dance in Lebanon and Palestine. It is performed by everyone during festivities such as weddings that are intended for celebrations and mere fun. The theatrical version of Belly dancing is the “raqs shargi”. Raqs sharqi is the most popular type of dance in the United States today. Both forms of Belly dancing can be performed with female and male dancers.

Belly dancing is a native dance that is why it is generally learned in the early stage of childhood. The children learn the dance informally by imitating and observing their elders through community and social celebrations, along with informal gatherings like most social dances. Nowadays, belly-dancing classes are offered throughout the world. Skilled dancers of this art share their knowledge that was even passed down from the indigenous people.

The real and exact origin of Belly dancing is widely debated by dance enthusiasts. Dancers who attempt to understand the origin of this dance did some research. This is because these dancers overlooked the fact that most Middle Eastern dances take place only in social backgrounds rather than going with the current glamorous and more visible background of professional dancers in nightclubs these days. There are lots of theories about the origin of belly dancing due to the misunderstandings of the people who want to learn its art. It is also regarded as a fusion of different dance styles. This is why belly dancing has many origins. Thus, most of the dance styles are derived from folk dances.

Here is a list of theories about the origin of belly dancing, according to most dancers:

1. Belly dancing originated in Greece and it spread because of Alexander the Great.

2. Belly dancing originated from a religious dance that a Temple Priestess made.

3. Belly dancing originated from the Upper Ancient Egypt through indigenous dancing.

4. Belly dancing descended from Uzbekistan and traveled to India because of the slave trade.

5. Belly dancing was spread during the Romani people’s migrations (termed as “gypsies”) and other related groups.

6. Belly dancing originated in Northwest India, particularly in Banjara of Rajasthan.

7. Bally dancing is part of a traditional birthing practice in its region or regions of origin.

From all the theories stated above, the first one is considered as the most “believed” theory. This is although the most popular theory is that it originated from a religious dance. The theory about the “birthing practice” has several movements that are incorporated in the modern “raqs sharqi”. This is because some of the movements demonstrated a type of exercise in order to ease childbirth. Thus, there are two points stated above that suggests that the so-called “Roma dance” is the origin of belly dancing. Regardless of where this dance began, it has a vast history and this eventually traveled fast around the world. It has a wide history in Africa and the Middle East as well.

The Costume

The most popular costume style include a bra or a fitted top that usually have coins or beans, along with a skirt and a fitted belt placed in the hips that have fringes of coins or beads. The skirts may be layered, paneled, circular or straight -styled. A veil is sometimes used in performing a complete dance. The veil must be four or three and a half yards in length. It is used as a part of the dance in order to frame and see the movements of the belly dancer. Egyptian belly dancers wear dresses that are fully beaded and designed according to tradition and dance. In the western world, dancers are free to choose the design of the costume according to fantasy and taste.

Dancing Techniques

The basic step of this form of dance is doing a circular motion on an isolated part of the body. An example of this is a step where in the dancer performs in a circular motion that is parallel to the ground and a body part. This is, in which, the shoulders or hips become isolated.

Belly dancing both have physical and mental benefits. Dancing alone gives a good workout to any person’s cardio-vascular muscles. This can increase the strength and flexibility focused on the “core muscles” or the torso. This form of dance also builds up leg strength. Most belly dance steps emphasize the so-called “muscular isolations” due to the fact that it teaches the ability to move different muscle groups or muscles in the body independently. The veil work can build the shoulders, arms and the general upper body system. Playing the “zils” builds independence and strength on the fingers. This form of dance is good for all body types and all age groups.

Belly dancing is now a part of the modern pop culture as well. Some pop icons of this age fused belly dancing into the modern hip-hop dancing. The Latin star Shakira has recently popularized belly dancing for she uses Latino dance along with belly dancing and modern dance. The late R&B singer Aaliyah used this form of dance as her “signature move”. Ssliyah named her dance the “belly roll” and it was featured in music videos. Some singers or performers that featured a kind of belly dancing in one of their music videos include Ciara, Rihanna, Beyonce Knowles, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Nelly Furtado. Out of all the singers that performed belly dancing on music videos, only Shakira had a professional “Belly Dance training”.

For more information on Belly Dancing please visit our website.

Giving gifts, especially during birthdays, wedding, baptismal, graduations and the like is a tradition practiced by almost everyone in the globe. Of course, there are times when you find it hard to find the perfect gift for your special friend or someone in particular. It can be help if you will base the gift you will give to the personality of the person you are giving it to. You also need some information about what he or she likes or dislikes.

Special occasions come only once a year, sometimes once in a lifetime. When that day arrives, a simple gift is nice to have. It can be a birthday, an anniversary, a graduation, thanksgiving or Christmas among others, gift giving is a traditional practiced by almost everyone in the globe. This may even range from the simplest item or thought to the most extravagant gifts. Whatever it is you give, the never ending line that says “it’s the thought that counts” remains true. It is nice to receive gifts but the real thrill will be on giving them. It is not just you but everyone else experience difficulties in finding the “perfect gift” It’s really tough to decide on what you can give, especially if you need to follow a budget.

Here are some tips you can work with:

Know the main event or theme of the celebration. Know the gender, age of your recipient, his or her favourites like his favourite shade, the things he enjoys more and the things he doesn’t like. It is better to know all this so that you can weigh the most likely gift you will give him or her. Of course, if it’s a family member or a friend, it won’t be that hard to assess what he or she wants or needs.

However, for cases where in it’s the birthday of your boss’ child or an in-law and distant relative, it will help if will understand how you can correlate every detail you know about that person. Let us say it’s someone’s debut and you just can’t find the right gift for her but you find out that her favourite colour is violet, and she has an allergy on jewelleries. She is a sporty type of girl who likes to work out and play volleyball. She is also a top student in her class and likes to read. This kind of girl is easy to please with best-selling books, a pair of running shoes, nickel-free jewels or the latest digital video of a cardio work out. Problems may arise if she has all these things already.

Nevertheless, you can think of a suitable gift based from the facts you have of that person. It is easy to buy any gift but the real value of the gift will depend on the effort you made to find it and say that it is the perfect present for this person.

Hence, going back to the sample mentioned above, if ever she already has the best selling books and everything you can still think of, you can just think out of the box and ask yourself what other things possibly please her on that special day. Well, one suggestion would be to look for a bracelet, a necklace or an anklet where in you can have her name engraved on it or you can have the initial of her name attached to the necklace like a pendant. This may be classic and old school but still many adore this and has a somewhat effect in the subconscious saying that it is precious and that it is worth using.

If you will give her the bestselling book, you can add a personalized bookmark, having her name, nick name or initials on it. You will find this available in some bookstore or you can improvise, be creative and make one yourself. It is easy to do, you just need the right materials like a plastic or metallic string, big beads that can fit into your string, and of course the beads with letters embedded on it. Just arrange and insert it into your string and make a knot so as to prevent the beads from falling off. Then, you already have a personalized bookmark. This idea is of course not limited to only one person or gender; this could be improved by putting some more artistic ideas into your item.

Aside from this, there is a lot of personalized stuff you can do for anyone in particular. A scrap book with the person’s pictures or with you, his or her family, friends and school days can be put together. This is a good gift that can act as a type of memorabilia for a person who will move to another place. It can even act as a simple reminder of how many years you spent together or how exciting your location is. Plus, you can arrange it in an ascending order, according to the time and date that the pictures were taken. You may also add more clippings of your favourite cartoon character or just a serious mood thing for your scrap book. It all depends on how creative you can be and how much you want that person to smile when she or he receives your scrap book gift. Some themes would include: funny and colourful pages of your scrap book, simple borders for the photo, or some memorable things like the ribbon she is wore from a particular picture, a petal from her favourite flower or even a few notes from old friends saying good things about that him or her.

It is a noted fact that in finding the most suitable present, you cannot do it in a way that is rushed and wasn’t given enough time and thought. You really need to think about it, be on the person’s shoes and assess if it is worth giving. Having the best present doesn’t mean that you need to buy something as expensive as a car, a beach timeshare or tickets and accommodations to the Bahamas. It can be considered as precious even if it’s the cheapest gift. It can be an accessory, a small figurine you bought from a garage sale, bath salts or scented candles you made or something you can add to the person’s collection like stamps, shells and stickers among others. Just take your time to assess what can be worth your while.

Thus, these days when inflation has become a major issue on a lot of countries, it is best to give a gift that can be practical and useful in a sense. There are those who like and adore it when the gifts given to them were hand crafted or home made. This is due to the fact that these things had your time and effort to please them invisibly engraved on it. This is what makes your gift more special and more exceptional. Although these gifts can take your time and wits, it will surely get the appreciation and adoration from the recipient.

Some of the gifts you can make at home are as follows:

• Scented candles

• Bath salts

• Cake and cookies

• Baskets

• Blankets

• Socks

• Sweaters

• Frames

• Figurines

• Small sculptures

Gifts may be of different sizes and shapes. It can mean different things to different people also. Thus, no matter how big or small your gift is, it is also the thought behind it that counts.

For more information on Practical Gifts: Having it Personalized, Hand Crafted and Home Made please visit our website.

We use the word “commencement” to refer to graduation from high school or college. Most graduation speeches express a theme similar to the following:

“Today we are turning a page of the book of life and entering a new chapter.”

Commencement is defined in the dictionary as the beginning of something new but it is also a continuation. Rather than leading to a new chapter every graduate must realize that the learning experience, formal and informal, will continue throughout life. Lifetime learning has become a reality of the 21st Century.

It is estimated today that more information will be generated in one year than in the previous 5,000 years. The amount of new technical information is doubling every two years. By the year 2010 it is predicted that it will double every 72 hours. Perhaps the most important lesson today’s students can learn is that they will always be training and learning. For those who are starting a 4-year technical or college degree program in 2008, one-half of the information they learn in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year.

Graduation at every level (high school, technical school or college) is a great achievement but is only the beginning. Facing the reality of lifelong learning requires educators to cultivate positive attitudes toward learning. Taking mandatory classes and passing tests can result in superficial or negative motivation. Rather than the desire to learn the subject matter, the student is motivated by the fear of negative results. The likely consequence to this negative orientation is a lack of motivation to engage with course material. This experience may reinforce a feeling of incompetence and lead to poor performance in the classroom. It is probable that students in this category will shy away from lifelong learning. As educators it is our mission to turn negative motivation into a positive desire to learn.

D. Stipek in his book Motivation to Learn states the obvious - “Individuals always do best when learning is enjoyable.” Learning becomes enjoyable when students engage in learning for their own intrinsic reasons (i.e. because they want to rather than have to). Positive motivation will result when a student develops a positive feeling from mastering subject mater with challenging material. Then by internalizing achievement values the student will also engage in academic activities (mandatory courses) that may be of low interest.

How does an educator motivate his or her students to become ready for lifelong learning? There is no answer that applies to every student but it has been well established that we learn better when the subject matter relates to a real-life situation as in the following example.

The geometry teacher invited a construction engineer to speak to his class. The engineer took the class to an outdoor area. Using string and state-of-the-art surveying equipment he helped the students lay out the foundation lines for a house. This exercise reinforced the importance of calculating accurate angles i.e. geometry.

Such a real-life application of subject matter makes learning enjoyable, practical and long-lasting. The student is also introduced to a career that actually applies the subject matter to a real-life experience. The human resources available in every community are an asset to the educator and help to reinforce the relevance of subject matter.

“Commencement” is definitely a step forward but the path of learning continues. Knowing that there is always more to learn creates a positive energy and excitement as we face the challenges of the future.

Jim Leatherwood is the author of Facing the Future Together: Forming Successful School-Business Partnerships. Website: Successful School Business; E-mail: thebrookepress@aol.com.

Tax time is coming around again. I’m reminded because I just placed my order for the 2007 version of TurboTax, which is a software application that guides me through federal and Pennsylvania tax return preparation. The damn tax code has become so complex, you really need either a good accountant or a tax package to get it right.

Taxes are everywhere, on everything. Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, federal death tax, Medicaid, state income tax, state sales tax, state death tax … let me catch my breath. Certain cities or counties get you for an income tax or a wage tax or maybe even a sales tax. Then there are the smaller but still irritating levies like federal and state gasoline taxes, the state automobile registration tax, the hotel room occupancy tax (talk about taxation without representation!) and the federal telephone taxes (check out your phone bill for the beloved Federal Subscriber Line Charge and the smaller, but still irritating Federal Universal Service Fee). And if you have a small business, well, I won’t get into that.

They tax you when you earn, they tax you when you buy and they tax you when you die. Whatever you do, the Taxman has his hand in your pocket. If they could figure out how to do it, they’d tax you for bodily functions. Maybe a little meter on the toilet. Two cents per flush. Wireless, of course.

And think about the skillions of hours that are wasted on tax planning, preparation and collection. Tax attorneys, tax accountants, tax return software, IRS employees, state and local tax collectors, they are all working day and night on our taxes. While you’re sleeping innocently in your bed, an IRS computer is selecting you for an audit. And if you are in a hotel, you’re paying tax to sleep while that IRS computer is humming away. Your federal government at work.

I read somewhere that the top half of earners pay 96% of federal income taxes while the lower half pays 4%. The principle that a person with a larger income should pay more in taxes is fair, but 96% seems a bit extreme. Every citizen with a decent income, it seems to me, should pay something in taxes. Even if it’s only a couple of bucks withheld from each paycheck, at least you’re holding up your end as best you can.

My personal choice would be for a flat income tax. No tax on the first twenty five grand, then 15% on everything after that. Or something similar. Allow a few deductibles such as spouse and children, mortgage and medical. Keep it really simple, so that a normal person could file their return without screaming. That’s right, tax prep would become the no scream zone. Maybe even no cursing … okay, I lost my head. Anyway, I enjoy cursing at my return.

It’s interesting that our government has too much money and yet not enough. A duality that would interest a quantum mechanics researcher. Here’s the issue: the government needs more money to fund entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare, but a big tax increase might plunge the economy into recession. And recessions are not good for incumbent politicians.

The simple truth is that people should be allowed to keep the bulk of the money they earn. They know what they need better than a government bureaucrat. Plus, the more an entrepreneur can keep, the more likely she is to invest her money in a small business, and that’s what drives the economy. JFK knew that and so did Reagan and Bush 43.

Entitlements are out of control. Already Medicare has more money going out in benefits than tax payments coming in. Social Security is still in the black, but economists predict 2017 as the date it goes into the red. To fund these deficits, the government has to increase its borrowing, raise taxes or divert funds from other programs. These are not good alternatives, so why don’t we actually try to fix these creaky old programs. To put it bluntly, they suck. No rational young person would invest his money in Social Security if he had a choice. Let’s fix the damn thing!

Unfortunately, it’s not going to happen. Here’s a bold prediction — they’ll eventually put together a bipartisan, blue ribbon, lip smacking panel of old pols and they’ll recommend … hold your breath … raising Social Security taxes.

Let’s face it, we fifty plus citizens are pretty demanding. We coughed up money supporting prior generations, so we want our fair share of the benefits when we get older. Without these entitlements, many baby boomers will have a tough retirement. If you can afford to retire.

But let’s be fair and look at it from the point of the twenty something working stiff. The ratio of retired persons to workers is getting worse year by year. A young guy or gal has forty or fifty years of ever increasing Social Security taxes to pay. They are not happy and I don’t blame them.

Dan Ronco’s expertise in engineering and computer science infuses his fast-paced techno-thriller Unholy Domain with detail and authenticity. His second novel, it warns of the looming clash between religion and advanced science. Visit Dan Ronco.

My first post about comics as an educational aid generated an interesting response — from the managing director of Classical Comics, a comic book company in the United Kingdom. Not to be confused with Classic Comics, often teasingly referred to as a study guide for college literature classes here in the State, Classical Comics turns classical literature into high-quality visual graphic novels.

Founded two and a half years ago, Classical Comics first title was Henry the V in November, 2007, followed by the launch of a Macbeth graphic novel in February, 2008. The Macbeth title received the endorsement of Shakespearean actor, and former Star Trek, The Next Generationstar Patrick Stewart. Upcoming titles for the remainder of 2008 include: Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, and a Christmas Carol. Seven new titles are planned for 2009.

Unlike prior educational efforts, Classical Comics’ titles come in four text options: the original text of the play or novel, plain text translation, a quick text for younger readers, and, a blank text where readers may fill in the captions and bubbles. The first titles are also accompanied by detailed study guides, aimed at the British equivalent of grades kindergarten through middle school. While the titles are too new for the company to have collected readership data, the original version would be likely targeted at ninth and tenth graders with the translations to be more popular with younger readers. I will know better shortly, as the company has shipped me a box of the titles. I have been warned that it will be a very heavy box!

Classical Comics’ managing director Karen Wenborn, a marketer and self-professed avid reader said that the first titles have been well-received because of their high visual quality, substantial feel (gloss paper, much like hardbound graphic novels) and efforts to be true to the period of the story. From viewing covers for the titles at Classical Comics’ website, artwork and action are quite similar to the modern superhero genre. Wenborn pointed out that past efforts to represent classical literature in comics have faltered because the artwork had not been kept up to date; she added that while those titles are being reprinted in the original art, their largest market in the U.K is nostalgia buffs, as opposed to students and educators.

I agree with Karen that visual quality is essential for the success of these titles. Super heroes are actually “old” characters in the United States, for instance, Batman and Superman characters from the 1940’s. Spiderman, Hulk and Ironman are creations from the early 1960’s. Yet these titles succeed, not because they have been made into cartoons and movies, but because their look has been considerably freshened up to appeal to adults (who bought the titles as kids) as well as children. Characters from the 1940’s and 1960’s have had to keep up with the times, as well as technology.

A graphic novel of a classic book, by comparison, does not need to be “updated,” but artistic techniques, combined with historical research, make the story truer to the time it took place. The reader will be comparing their first exposure to these stories with movies that use computer-generated images. A plain text book with no illustrations or one of the original comics will appear dull compared to the visual representations kids see today in comics, video games and movies.

However, Karen explained that Classical Comics are more expensive to produce than similar graphic novels because of the research required for powerful visual effects as well as translations. I see only two obstacles to success: cost to schools versus a more traditional book (which is serious in times of tight budgets in U.S. public schools) and past beliefs about comics among individual educators. I have to ask if librarians might be a stronger market for U.S. expansion; they are more likely to promote the entertainment value of reading than teachers. However, if I were a teacher, and especially if I were the head of a high school English department, I would be trying to negotiate a fair price on original and basic text versions of these books. I know they would entice students to read other titles on their own.

Karen told me that the titles have been very well received in the U.K; they have received the endorsement of Shakespeare for Kidz, an international non-profit organization that provides Shakespeare education to children through a variety of media, and the National Association for the Teaching of English.

I look forward to seeing these titles and reviewing them for you.

Contact Stuart Nachbar at Educated Quest, a blog on education politics, policy and technology or read about his first book, The Sex Ed Chronicle, a novel on education and politics in 1980 New Jersey, at Sex Ed Chronicles.

Reading charts is a tricky thing, one you need training to do successfully. A person without training will see simply up-and-down moves with no meaning. Those trained in analysis, however, can discern the meaning of these sometimes seemingly random movements. Those ‘in the know’ can use the charts to see what the future holds for stock prices. There is not necessarily one pattern that can be used to make good predictions but when the dozens and dozens of different patterns, all of the indicators, are taken together, those with practice can be very good indeed at anticipating future market movements.

Stock Price Patterns - One commonly used pattern to watch for is Cup and Handle. A high price to start then a dip and then back up forms the cup. Then when prices level out for a bit you have the handle. Buying on the handle can bring you quite satisfactory profits.

Head and Shoulders is another commonly watched pattern to look for. The first shoulder is a peak in price. Then follows a dip, then a second, higher, peak forms the head. This is followed by a dip and then the rise that forms the second shoulder. This is interpreted bearishly and you should look for prices to fall significantly after the second shoulder.

Moving Average - Hands down, the most used indicator is the Moving Average. For a 30 day moving average the Average price over time is calculated by adding the closing prices each day for 30 days together and then dividing by 30. Moving averages are also frequently used for 20, 50, 100 and 200 days. Moving averages are plotted onto a graph as a line that goes up and down as the price changes. When you see prices fall below the moving average they often will continue that fall. On the other hand, a rise above the moving average often signals a continued rise.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is used to analyze the number of days a stock ends up with the number of days it finishes down. It is calculated as follows. You take the closing price of a particular stock over a certain period, (usually between 9 and 15 days) divide the average number of days with an up finish by the average number of days with a down closing. Then add this number to one and use the result to divide 100. Subtract that result from 100. This gives you the RSI, which has a range between 0 and 100.

Often an RSI above 70 is a signal that a particular stock is overbought and a fall in price can be expected. Conversely, an RSI below 30 can be a good signal that it is time to buy. Of course, these numbers must be used in conjunction with an appreciation of how the market stands as a whole. What is a high or low RSI varies between a bull and bear market. If you chart RSI over longer periods the movement becomes less abrupt so looking at charts that cover a year or more gives a good indication of how that stock normally moves against its RSI.

Unlike the RSI, which follows only stock prices, The Money Flow Index, also known as MFI, also includes the number of shares traded. This indicator also varies from 0 to 100. As with the RSI, 30 is usually a good place to look at buying and 70 is where selling should be considered. And again as with the RSI, tracking the MFI over longer periods gives a more accurate result.

For Bollinger Bands three lines are charted on a graph and read together. Market volatility is measured in the upper and lower lines. A more volatile market moves the lines apart and when the market is quieter the lines move toward each other. The simple moving average is plotted on the middle line. When prices rise toward the upper line it signals that an overbought stock is due for a fall in price. As you would expect, then, when the market price falls toward the bottom band a rise in price should be expected. Of course, no single indicator should be used in isolation. Those who succeed as technical analysts consistently look at a number of indicators before making trading decisions.

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Individual voluntary agreements, otherwise called IVAs, are a process in the United Kingdom that an individual may be eligible for if they are deeply in debt but want to avoid bankruptcy. An IVA is an agreement that is agreed upon between the creditors and the individual. The amount will vary greatly and is dependent upon the borrower’s own situation. Creditors are not required to agree with the amount in an individual voluntary agreement but they usually choose to do so because IVSs provide a better return for creditors than bankruptcy would. There are many pros and cons attached to these agreements and it’s important to understand them before committing to it.

One benefit is that a person’s financial situation can remain confidential. Bankruptcy announcements are often broadcast in the newspaper but this is not so for IVAs. Although creditors may still consider you a risk because it does appear on your credit report, the agreement is solely between you and the creditor. Another positive aspect of IVAs is the amount of time they are effective. While bankruptcy runs out after one year, an IVA policy may cover as many as five years! The cost of a bankruptcy is also much more expensive than that of an IVA.

An IVA also holds many more benefits than other debt management systems when it refers to the protection that it provides. Once a creditor has agreed to a set amount, they cannot withdraw from the agreement. This cannot always be done in other debt management processes. Once a creditor has agreed to the IVA, they are bound to that agreement and cannot decide not to partake in it at any point. An individual voluntary agreement will show up on a credit report just as a file for bankruptcy would however, they do show a willingness to repay the debt whereas with bankruptcy, a borrower has claimed that they are not paying the debt back.

Individual voluntary agreements can also work better in business than bankruptcy. Should a partner in a company file for bankruptcy, they would generally need to dissolve the partnership of the company and they would also be required to tell any suppliers that they have filed for bankruptcy.

If a borrower should apply for credit and a creditor looks at their credit report, the IVA will show on the credit report, as mentioned above. However, this will not automatically dismiss the borrower as a good loan candidate. This would not be the case with bankruptcy as bankruptcy is considered to be the worst financial situation and no lenders will take on bankruptcy cases.

However, the main advantage to IVAs is that the borrower still has complete control over their home. This is not the case in bankruptcy and usually the home will be taken from the borrower and sold to cover the borrower’s debts.

One of the only disadvantages to an individual voluntary agreement is that it does appear on your credit report. It will only appear for a short period of time but it will still be there. Although this is a negative, it’s important to consider how important that really is. If you are deep in debt and considering an IVA the chances are that the credit report already has a few smudges on it and that even if it doesn’t, if you don’t do something to help yourself, such as an IVA, it won’t take long for the smudges to get there!

MoneySolve provides Individual Voluntary Agreements to prevent you from having to file bankruptcy. They are dedicated to help individuals in financial difficulty and specialize in effective debt management. They are highly experienced and have an effective debt management program which includes IVA.

A motor trade insurance policy is important if you work in a business that buys, sells, or fixes cars. Trade insurance protects the business owners and/or the individuals working in the business from financial loss should an unpleasant situation occur. No matter how big or how small the business, motor trade insurance is an extremely important part of running that business! However, because every business is different, there are many different types of motor trade insurance policies. The different types will offer different degrees of coverage, different premiums and different features.

There are five main types of trade insurance that you can choose from. These are the third-party only, also known as third part; fire and theft; comprehensive; liability; and a combined policy. When choosing among these options, you must determine what the needs of your business are to determine what type of policy will be best for you. Some different features included on motor trade insurance policy may include administrative benefits, and social and personal use of any vehicles to specified drivers.

One type of a motor trade insurance policy that is required by law for certain types of traders is the third party only motor trade insurance policy. The types of traders that are legally responsible to own such a policy are buyers and sellers; those working as mobile tuners; a repairs man, or a Valier or fitter. This is generally a type of policy that is needed if the insured is going to be working on cars. It’s a particularly important type because it holds the insured responsible should the repairs fail and someone get into a car accident. This type of insurance is especially important if the insured will be driving any car out on the road. Another option with this type of insurance is fire and theft. This type of motor trade insurance policy combines all the protection with the third party only policy but adds on protection in case of fire or theft.

The comprehensive policy includes the same type of coverage as the third party only policy but it also includes a comprehensive element. Comprehensive coverage is insurance that will cover the costs of repairing or replacing the insured’s car should it become damaged from the result of something that was not an accident. The liability type of motor trade insurance provides protection for a business that will be having the public on their property while providing a service for them. Liability coverage however, plays its most important role by covering the owner who hires the workers that are working on the vehicles. There are also three different types of liability coverage. These types are public; employers and product; and sales and service indemnity.

Many of the different types of trade insurance policies overlap one another and have very subtle differences. It’s very important to sit down with a professional motor trade insurance agent to find out what policy is going to suit you best. If an owner purchases a trade insurance policy that is not right for their business, they will likely end up paying too much money for their policy or finding out that they don’t have the proper protection at a very inopportune time.

QuoteMeToday.co.uk are expert motor trade insurance brokers, and have many years of experience in motor trade insurance.

“Group coverage” is used loosely to describe health insurance plans that are employer sponsored but there is a distinction between “Small Group” and “Large Group” health benefits which is important. Your company’s options can be quite different under these two umbrellas so let’s take a look at the how they differ both in terms of qualification and treatment under the law.

What is “Small Group” in terms of employer-sponsored health insurance In the State of California, Small Group health insurance is essentially employer-sponsored health insurance for companies with 2-50 employees. Eligibility requirements and protection is handled under AB1672.

First, “Guaranteed issue” is a very big advantage to establishing a Group health insurance plan in California versus other States. Regardless of the health of employees enrolling, the carrier must offer coverage to an eligible company. There are requirements that must be met by the company but the big three are 1) 2-50 employees/owners; 2) 75% of the eligible employees must go with the plan; and 3) the employer must pay at least 50% of the employee’s premium (does not mandate dependents). For more information on qualifying for Small Group coverage, please check our page of Small Group enrollment.

The ability of the company to change rates is also very important, especially for companies that have employees with health issues. In California, the carriers can up or down from the standard rate by 10%. This is called the RAF (Risk Adjustment Factor). The size of the group can affect this rate factor since the larger the group are more likely to get a lower RAF. The theory is that health issues are spread among a larger pool of people. It’s not atypical for carriers to offer RAF guarantees based on the size of the enrolling group.

Finally, the health carriers in California designate and file their Small Group plans with State agency responsible. Any eligible group can then apply for the same plan regardless of health. This is important to keep carriers from “cherry picking” healthy groups on to certain plan types and excluding less healthy groups.

How does Large Group health insurance differ?

Officially, large group health insurance is for groups with more than 50 employees/owners. Some carriers may allow groups that were originally designated as Small Group to remain on the Small Group suite of plans if they grow beyond 50 employees but they are not required to. There are some very big differences when comparing Large Group with Small Group described above.

Large group plans are not protected by AB 1672 and are not “guaranteed issue”. The carrier can decline coverage to groups based on claims experience and/or health history. Rates are built for that specific group’s claims experience and risk so total amounts can vary significantly from group to group. The plan options are different from those offered to Small Group and then to offer many more options. Some carriers even offer more of a cafeteria option where employer’s pick specific benefits to offer (i.e. choice of office copay, etc). Some Large group have tailor-made benefits to meet their needs and budget. Large group is quite different from Small Group and contacting an experienced agent is more important than ever when navigating this side of the business.

Dennis Jarvis is a licensed California group health insurance broker with extensive knowledge of the Small Group health market in California.

Once you graduate from your high school and enter college, you become eligible for a student credit card. Many banks and financial institutions offer student credit cards to college students. They are very easy to avail of and are ideal for a student to establish a good credit standing. Nonetheless, there are some problems associated with student credit cards that most students fail to understand.

Things You Need to Consider:

Once you decide to avail of a student card, ensure to consider a few things. First, you need to ascertain the annual fees of a bank issuing credit cards. It is the amount that a credit card company charges on their card every twelve months. Some student credit cards do not have such annual fees.

Before applying for a student credit card, understand how this credit card works and how you can avoid getting yourself in troubles. Usually, credit cards offer loan on purchases. You may purchase anything without paying instant cash using your student card. Eventually, you need to pay such purchase charges with certain interest to credit card companies. Most companies permit 30 days to repay the due amount.

If you fail to repay this amount within a certain stipulated period, the credit company may charge an interest on your card. Usually, credit card companies charge a percentage of interest on the overdue amount. Hence, if you have a balance of $100 and if your credit card company charges 15% interest on your credit card, then you owe $115 to your credit card company. You also need to consider the interest rate and other charges levied on your credit card. Most of the credit card companies also charge penalty fees for going beyond the credit limit.

The interest rates charged on student credit cards are rising since the past few years and hence, if you possess any student credit card, you need to ensure yourself by paying the minimum amount due duly to avoid any sort of hefty interest on your credit card. Hence, it is advisable to get enough knowledge on the ins and outs of credit cards and a credit card company’s interest charges on their cards.

At times, if you spend more than your credit limit, your credit card company may charge some amount of interest on your excessive amount. This not only triggers additional fees on your credit card, but also suggests that you no longer can make use of your credit card. If you pay more attention to the different norms and conditions of student credit cards, you can choose a suitable one for usage.

Suggestions:

Avoid spending more than the credit limit, since it is likely to cause to pay more than your budget and damage your credit standing. Student credit cards are an ideal way to build credit standing. However, one needs to be very careful while using them. Ensure to use them only when need arises. Try deriving maximum benefits from them and avoid calling for any difficulty.

Find a student credit card and more of Tom’s work at FINDcollegecards.