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Group Term Life Insurance
About Group Term Life Insurance in Texas
Group term life insurance is where the employer pays a low group rate for the coverage, and the employee pays no tax on the first $50,000 of coverage.
Most employers offer group term life insurance as an employee benefit, although other types can be offered. Term insurance is life insurance that is in effect for a certain period of time only. Generally, in the case of employer-provided term life insurance, the term is for as long as the employee is employed. Group-term life insurance can be offered to employees only, not to employee's spouses and children.
10-Employee Restriction for Group Term Life Tax Deduction
To take advantage of the tax deduction for group-term life insurance (for instance, the value of up to $50,000 in insurance is tax-exempt for the employee), an employer must have at least 10 full-time employees. The 10-employee restriction does not apply if the following occur:
- The employer provides coverage to all full-time employees.
- The method for computing the amounts of insurance is set (such as a uniform percentage of the employee's annual salary).
- No physical exams are required to obtain coverage.
There are other types of insurance that employers can offer besides group-term life, including the following:
- Group accidental death and dismemberment. Commonly known in the industry as AD&D, this coverage pays benefits to the employee's beneficiary if death occurs due to an accident or if the employee loses use of portions of the body (loss of one arm and leg, for example, may result in payment of a percentage of the total benefits).
- Business travel accident insurance. This insurance covers only a narrow occurrence — the death of the employee while traveling on business. If employees do not travel or travel infrequently, this may not be a suitable investment.
- Split-dollar life insurance. This insurance pays the employee's beneficiary when the employee dies and returns the premiums paid to the employer. The insurance is paid by both the employer and employee and has a substantial investment element to it. Employers may wish to consider this option for key employees only, as opposed to an entire employee group.Plans may offer an infinite number of riders that can be added to the plan and that allow employers to customize the plan to a degree. A rider is an additional feature or benefit that may be added to an existing insurance policy. For example, in the case of health insurance, a mental health coverage rider could be purchased that would add some coverage for mental health treatments to the basic medical insurance. In the case of life insurance, an accidental death and dismemberment rider could be added to a group-term life insurance policy that would pay double the death benefit if the employee died due to an accident. An insurance agent can explain the various riders available in conjunction with plans.
When you make Healthcare Consultants, Inc. your company's Broker of Record, your agent will discuss with you the various types of employee benefits available, including life insurance, and answer any questions you may have.
Employee Coverage: Deciding Who to Offer Term Life Benefits
Once an employer has decided to offer life insurance, the employer must decide which employees will be eligible. Employers may want to offer group-term life insurance benefits to all full-time employees, particularly if lower rates are available (and individual medical exams are avoidable) with a larger group. If the employer plans to offer it as a special benefit to a few key employees, the employer will not be able to deduct the premiums for federal tax purposes, unless special nondiscrimination requirements can be met.
Nondiscrimination Requirements for Group Term Life Insurance
Generally, nondiscrimination requirements are designed to discourage employers from providing benefits only to the most highly compensated employees or providing benefits that limit lower compensated employees from participating because of the price of the benefits. In the case of group-term life insurance, a plan does not discriminate as to an employee's eligibility to participate if any of the following conditions are met:
- The plan benefits at least 70 percent of all employees.
- At least 85 percent of all participating employees are not key employees.
- The plan benefits employees who qualify under a classification that is set up by the employer and found by the IRS not to discriminate in favor of key employees.
In the case of group-term life insurance an employer may offer life insurance to small subgroups of employees if the distinctions are based on the following:Marital status.
- Job duties.
- Compensation.
- Length of service.
- Participation in a pension, profit sharing, stock bonus, or accident and health plan.
Other employment-related factors.
Choosing the Amount of Term Life Coverage
Most group-term policies offer either a set amount of insurance (for example, a $10,000 policy for each employee) or are based on the employee's salary (for example, policy values of one, two, or three times the employee's yearly salary). In some cases, employers can allow employees to purchase life insurance in $1,000 increments, the cost of which is based on their age.
Example: An organization offers life insurance that can be purchased in $1,000 increments. The insurance vendor gives the employer the following rate schedule per thousand dollars of coverage purchased:
Employees under age 30 pay $.20 per thousand per month.
Employees between the ages of 30 and 40 pay $.22 per thousand per month.
Employees between the ages of 40 and 50 pay $.30 per thousand per month.
Carl, age 27, wants to purchase $5,000 of life insurance. He will have to pay 5 x $.20 = $1.00 per month for his insurance. Janet, 30, will have to pay 5 x $.22 = $1.10 for the same amount of coverage.
Group Term Life Taxable Income: The $50,000 Threshold
The cost of employer-provided group-term life insurance in excess of $50,000 is taxable to employees. This means that if an employer pays the premiums for employees' life insurance, any premiums paid for more than $50,000 in coverage for one employee count as taxable income for that employee. In addition to the employee paying income taxes, the employee and the employer will both have to pay payroll taxes on the amount as well. It is possible for the employee to waive coverage amounts in excess of $50,000.
Example: Sports Heaven, Inc. pays the premiums on a $120,000 group-term life insurance policy on Karen, who is 46 years old. The monthly rate for employees in the 45 to 49 age group under the plan is $.29 per thousand. If Karen makes no contribution toward the plan, the cost of the $70,000 coverage ($120,000 – $50,000 exclusion = $70,000) counts as taxable income for Karen. The amount included in taxable income would be $243.60 for the year (70 [thousand-dollar increments] x $.29 [per thousand] times 12 [months]).
If Karen contributes $10 per month toward the coverage, then the taxable amount included as gross income for the year is $123.60 ($243.60 – $120 (Karen's contribution) = $123.60).
Administering Term Life Insurance Benefits for Employees
On the whole, life group-term benefits are easy to administer because they do not require constant monitoring and may not generate many claims.
Enrolling Employees
The insurance company chosen to administer the plan should provide the employer with the necessary forms to enroll employees. A copy of the enrollment document should be kept in each employee's benefit file.
Designating a Beneficiary
The beneficiary is the designated person who will receive the money if an employee dies and the policy covers the death. Occasionally, the plan will allow people to designate several beneficiaries and to split the benefit into percentages. Employers should explain to employees the importance of keeping this information up to date by making changes to their beneficiary designation when appropriate; for example, when the employee does any of the following:
- Marries.
- Becomes legally separated.
- Becomes divorced.
- Has a child.
- When a spouse, parent, or other close relative dies.
- The insurance company should provide employers with forms for designating beneficiaries.
Proof of Insurability
Generally, with group-term life insurance, employees will not be asked to complete a medical questionnaire.
However, if employers offer employees the option of purchasing additional life insurance to complement what is provided by the employer, employees choosing to purchase the additional insurance may be required to complete a medical questionnaire. The employee may either mail the questionnaire directly to the insurance company or may return it to the employer to submit to the insurance company.
Processing Claims: The Employer's Responsibility
Part of the employer's duty includes filing for life insurance benefits.
The employer will often receive information about an employee's injury or death from the employee's family, and will then need to complete the necessary forms to begin the claims process.
Example: An employee's next of kin calls the employer to inform them that the employee has died or been killed. The employer must first notify the insurance company, which will provide the employer with the necessary forms to begin the claims process. The employer will need to obtain a certified death certificate, which is usually available from the funeral home/crematorium or directly from the deceased employee's executor or next-of-kin. The employer should make a copy of the completed claim form and any supporting documents for the employer's files. The claim should then be submitted to the insurance company via registered or certified mail.
Terminating Term Life Benefits
If an employer has group-term life insurance, some policies may allow a conversion privilege when an employee leaves or changes employment.
This means that if an employee leaves or the life insurance offered by the employer is otherwise terminated, the employee may be able to obtain a private policy through the insurance agency. Generally, these policies are much more expensive than the group-term policy that the employer will offer, and sometimes they have low coverage limits and require proof of insurability.
How HCI's Term Life Insurance Agents Can Help
With expert group term life insurance agents, Healthcare Consultants can help your employees with the following life insurance needs:
- Help guide them through the planning process
- Help them determine how much coverage they need
- Prepare an analysis tailored to their family's unique needs
- Find the right life insurance carrier that fits their needs
Group Term Life Insurance Quotes
Simple and Affordable Protection for your Family
If you need assistance with a quote for Group Term Life Insurance in Texas, or you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of Healthcare Consultants' licensed term life insurance agents for service. Call us at 713-626-2838 or complete our Contact Form.


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The FORD Challenge Prague Triathlon 2018 at saw a clash of world champions in the Pro men's race, with reigning IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Javier Gomez facing his compatriot, and recent ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championship winner, Pablo Dapena Gonzalez.
Katrien Verstuyft (BEL) – female winner of FORD Challenge Prague 2018, Kirsty Jahn (CAN) won the silver medal and second place, and Laura Siddall from UK – bronze with 3rd position in the triathlon race in the heart of Prague!
Photo: © Challenge Prague Triathlon
1. GOMEZ NOYA Javier (ESP) – 3:44:40
2. DAPENA GONZÁLEZ Pablo (ESP) – 3:50:53
3. HEEMERYCK Pieter (BEL) – 3:51:55
Total of men's finishers in the middle distance of Challenge Prague Triathlon 2018 ⇒ 606 athletes.
1. VERSTUYFT Katrien (BEL) – 4:21:30
2. JAHN Kirsty (CAN) – 4:22:03
3. SIDDALL Laura (GBR) – 4:22:21
Total of women's finishers in the middle distance of Challenge Prague Triathlon 2018 ⇒ 126 athletes.
The FORD Challenge Prague 2018 is a biggest triathlon event in the capital of Czech Republic and one of the best race in middle triathlon distance in Europe from Challenge Family Series.
The highest level of organization of this event makes the Challenge race very attractive in a magical Prague. Welcome and enjoy of wonderful triathlon weekend in the Czech Republic every summer!
Photos by: © Jan Brychta
Organizer: © Challenge Prague
European Sports Promoter: Swim.by via EMG
Andrzej Waszkewicz – Sports Manager
Sports Reviews:
Javier Gomez is heading to Challenge Prague 2018
Ford Challenge Prague 2018
Challenge TRY-ATHLON in Prague
Hervis Challenge Junior 2018
Arena Slovakia Swimming Masters Cup 2018
Susz Triathlon 1/2 Ironman 2018
Petr Vabroušek about Challenge Prague Triathlon
Garmin Challenge Denmark 2018
VOLATMAN Triathlon 2018
Susz Sprint Triathlon 2018
Triathlon IRONSTAR Zavidovo 2018
What is Mixed Relay in Triathlon?

subset: commoncrawl


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Your morning adorable: Pembroke Welsh corgis frolic in deep snow
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
We can't get enough of animals playing in the snow. The sight of polar bear cubs, tigers or Syrian brown bears frolicking in a winter wonderland warms our hearts like few other things can. Of course, we also love watching dogs play in the snow, be they big boxers or feisty little terriers.
YouTube user annapark1000's snow-loving Pembroke Welsh corgis, Rudy and Penny, are every bit as cute as the animals listed above. As viewers of this video will see, they all but disappear in the deep snow -- after all, they do have those tiny corgi legs -- but they clearly love every minute of it.
Rudy and Penny are equal-opportunity weather lovers; annapark1000 also caught them on video enthusiastically playing in (and barking at) a backyard sprinkler during a heat wave some months after the above video was recorded.
If your own animal friends are as playful as these guys, we'd love to see it! Share your photos (.jpg format) or videos at Your Scene, The Times' photo-sharing site, and be sure to include a caption that tells us a bit about your pet!
Your morning adorable: Energetic Pembroke Welsh corgi dances for his breakfast
Video goodness: Pembroke Welsh corgi responds only to Liverpudlian accent
-- Lindsay Barnett
Video: annapark1000 via YouTube


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Monday may feel like the longest day of the week, but this Monday will actually be the longest day of the year.
That is, it will have the most daylight of the year.
Monday, June 20, is the summer solstice, the day on the calendar with the most daylight for those in the Northern Hemisphere.
Here a few things to know as we begin what many consider the first day of summer.
1. Today has the most daylight of any day this year north of the equator
Everywhere north of the equator will have at least 12 hours of daylight today.
Birmingham, for example, will have 14 hours, 22 minutes and 42 seconds of daylight on Monday. Miami will have 13 hours and 45 minutes of daylight, San Francisco 14 hours, 46 minutes and 54 seconds and New York City will have 15 hours, five minutes and 37 seconds.
Alaska takes the prize, though.
2. There are 24 hours of daylight above the Arctic Circle
It's called the midnight sun. The boundary of the midnight sun is the Arctic Circle. That marks the lowest latitude at which the sun remains above the horizon for a full 24 hours during summer solstice and below the horizon for a full 24 hours during winter solstice in December.
Nearly one-third of Alaska lies above the Arctic Circle, according to the Alaska Public Lands Information Center.
3. The full moon and June solstice will both happen June 20 for the first time in decades
Once in a lifetime event tomorrow. 1st time since 1948 where 1st day of summer occurs with a full "strawberry" moon. pic.twitter.com/icIXNhSD8C-- NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) June 19, 2016
The last time the June full moon, sometimes called the "strawberry moon," and the summer solstice fell on the same day was 1948.
According to EarthSky.org, the two won't share the same calendar square again until June 21, 2062.
4. After today, the days begin to get shorter
The days begin to shrink by seconds each day from Tuesday until the winter solstice, which this year falls on Dec. 21 at 4:44 a.m. CST. On that day there will be only 10 hours and nine minutes and 37 seconds of daylight in Mobile. The farther north you go, the shorter the day length. Birmingham will have nine hours and 55 minutes and 46 seconds of daylight on Dec. 21; Huntsville gets only nine hours, 49 minutes and 31 seconds.
5. The earliest sunrises don't always fall on the solstice
The summer solstice has one of the earliest sunrises of the year (but not necessarily the earliest). For example, Birmingham, Ala., saw its earliest sunrises on June 4-19, at 5:37 a.m. CDT. Birmingham's sunrise on Monday will be at 5:38 a.m. (Huntsville's earliest sunrises were at 5:33 a.m. on June 4 through today. Mobile's earliest sunrises were at 5:49 a.m. CDT June 3-18. Monday's sunrise will be at 5:50 a.m.)
6. The summer solstice falls only on one of three days
The summer solstice usually occurs on June 20 or 21, and rarely on June 22. According to TimeandDate.com, the next solstice on June 22 won't be until 2203. The last one was in 1975.
7. The solstice happens worldwide at the same time
The summer solstice occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer, located at latitude 23.5 degrees North. (It runs through Mexico, the Bahamas, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India and southern China.) The sun will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 5:34 p.m. CDT on Monday.
The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs at the same moment the winter solstice occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.
8. It's the longest day of the year, but not usually the hottest
According to the National Weather Service, there is about a six-week lag between the longest day of the year and the warmest average temperatures for most mid- and high-latitude locations.
Through the next couple months, the atmosphere and oceans in the Northern Hemisphere will continue to absorb -- and slowly release -- energy from the sun.
Even though more energy absorption is taking place on the summer solstice, it'll take about another six weeks for us to feel the highest temperatures.


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Wedding Anniversary Weekend Away at Craxton Wood Hotel
Facilities 4/5
Food 4/5
Service 2/5
Our wedding anniversary was a week last Sunday. My mother-in-law offered to babysit for the weekend. Yey! Of course, it was an opportunity we couldn't miss. I looked for a deal to stay in a hotel with a nice spa. I found the MacDonald Craxton Wood Hotel on Groupon. I called the hotel up to see if there were any rooms available before I bought the voucher. They told me there was a room available, on our anniversary weekend too. Fantastic!
I wanted to book a treatment for both of us as well as dinner but there were two separate package deals on the Groupon site. One was a treatment with one night hotel stay and the other was dinner with one night hotel stay. So, I asked the hotel directly if they have a deal with both. They did! It included one treatment for 2 people and dinner for 2 people as well as one night stay in the hotel.
I asked if we could have a massage together as a couple massage. And the receptionist on the phone had to ask the leisure club, so, it took a while. The only available slot for a couple massage was at 1pm on the Saturday. So, she said to me, "You can have a massage first and then check in later." I booked it straight away.
So, we sorted the kids' lunch and their clothes bags to go to their nanny's house before we left. We arrived in the leisure club 5 minutes early. The receptionist at the spa said, "I just called you to say that we can't give you your massage at 1pm together as the therapist is off sick today." (Effectively cancelling our appointment with 5 minutes notice)
[Me] "When can we have it together?"
[Leisure Club] "You can have it separately tomorrow morning at 9:30 and 12:30."
[Me] "Can we have it together at a different time?"
[Leisure Club] 'The only time you can do together is 12 o'clock tomorrow."
[Me] "Okay. I was looking forward to having a massage now…."
[Leisure Club] "We will give you each a complimentary glass of Prosecco for the inconvenience."
I watched as the bartender poured the dregs of two bottles of Prosecco into our glasses and then topped up one of our drinks with a fresh bottle. I hoped the nearly empty bottles hadn't been sitting around too long. We drank our drinks in the cafe before we changed into the robes and slippers and were shown around the leisure club. It was wonderful. There were 3 different saunas, 2 steam rooms, a foot jacuzzi, a pool, a garden room from where you could see a nice garden and help yourself to tea and water and a relaxation room which was very dimly lit and had reclining beds, with cushions and blankets. The only thing they were missing was a full size hot tub.
Our dinner was booked at 6:30, so, we decided to leave the leisure club about 6pm. Just as I was leaving, I saw a missed call from the leisure club. I went to the desk and asked the lady on duty. It took her a while to find out why I had a missed call from them.
[Leisure Club] "The therapist who is off sick today is not coming in tomorrow, either. So, we can't give you a massage together. But, you can have a massage separately."
That was terrible. I was on the phone for ages to book a couple massage when I was booking the hotel. And it has been cancelled twice! Also, another thing is I saw two women arriving at the desk for their treatment. Their treatment was cancelled, so, they were very upset. The lady on the desk offered a couple massage at 12pm on Sunday, which was the same time as us. I was wondering if they cancelled our treatment to book them instead?
My husband had gone to the car, so, I was by myself. There was a young woman who was dealing with me and there was an older women next to her. When the young one was checking with her workmates about my massage, I asked the older women if there was a way to the hotel inside instead of going around the outside. She told me she doesn't know as it is her first day. I overheard her conversation with other workers and she was an agency worker not hotel staff.
[Me] "I am disappointed that our massage has been cancelled twice."
[Leisure Club] "The only thing I can do is to apologize. What time would you like to get your massage tomorrow morning? You can have your treatment separately"
[Me] "Well… I am disappointed. Can we have it together?"
[Leisure Club] "Would you come for your massage on a different day if you want it together?"
What is this lady saying to me? To come here on a different day to get a massage? It is a bit cheeky, I thought considering this is a 4 star hotel!
[Me] "Well… No. It is not good service."
As soon as I said this to the young one, the older woman next to her looked quite upset and said,
"It is not her fault someone's been sick."
Mmmm… It made me feel quite upset. I felt they treated me as if I was the problem.
[Me] "Can I speak to your manager?"
[Leisure Club] "The manager finished her shift, so, she is not on site. I can give you her email address if you want to write about it."
[Me] "Can I speak to someone who is in charge of the manager's role now? I'd prefer speaking instead of writing."
As soon as I said this, the older woman scoffed at me. That was awful.
About 20 minutes later, the operations manager came out. She apologized, but, there wasn't anything she could do for me. Wonderful. I went to the hotel check in counter and checked us in. My husband arrived before me as it took me a while in the leisure club. I told the deputy manager about the cancellation of the massage twice and the way the older woman had treated me like a problem. My husband said to me straight away, "Cancel the treatment." So, I cancelled them off. The manager sincerely apologized and offered us a drink each with our meal. That was nice of him.
The meal was tasty. We had a starter, a main meal and dessert. I ordered smoked salmon as a starter, a ribeye steak for my main and chocolate tart for dessert. The smoked salmon was amazing. My husband had liver parfait with toast for a starter, lamb shank for main and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. He enjoyed his meal thoroughly. We had draught Italian beer, and three more cocktails each later in the bar. I haven't had that much to drink since I had children, so, I got quite drunk. We went back to our room and I promptly fell asleep. At 9:30pm.
The next day, we had breakfast. The breakfast was wonderful. There were continental foods as well as a full English breakfast buffet with coffee, tea and assorted juices. We decided to check out and go back to the spa. My husband finished packing while I went down to the reception. The receptionist gave me my bill which was £100 over what I was expecting. I know I was drunk the night before but I didn't remember eating and drinking so much! When I checked the bill they had charged us for four meals and extra drinks. When the receptionist checked they had put someone else's dinner bill onto ours by mistake! The receptionist was apologetic and sorted our bill correctly but it took another 20 minutes.
We finally went back to the spa and enjoyed the sauna, pool and relaxation rooms. We left about 2pm. We could have stayed all day but we were missing our children so we decided to go.
Overall, the leisure club facilities, the meal and the breakfast were great. The service ranged from downright rude to incompetent but to be fair to the breakfast staff, they were great. I was disappointed that I didn't get a massage but it was cancelled twice, so, I'd better not wait for it again and wonder if it is still on.


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Flake: It's time to talk water
- Forward-looking water projects built the Arizona of today.
- Drought in California and Africa show the importance of planning for tomorrow.
- Sen. Flake pledges to lead a year-long conversation on water issues.
Nowhere else in the country are people more keenly aware of the value of water than here in the desert Southwest. It's the lifeblood of our communities.
Yet growing demands on shared water supplies have generated intense interest and regional tensions. Throughout our country and around the world, water continues to be one of the most important issues of our time.
That is why I am pleased to announce that on Saturday, World Water Day, I am launching a yearlong conversation on domestic and international water issues. This project will focus on bringing attention to water-security challenges with an eye toward identifying effective policies that could inform water-management decisions.
I look forward to tapping the reservoir of expertise we have in Arizona at the Department of Water Resources, the University of Arizona's Water Resource Research Center, and Arizona State University's Morrison Institute, among others.
For more than a century, Arizona has been on the cutting edge of water management, and our breadth of experience will ensure we can successfully tackle the water challenges ahead. Arizona as we know it today is due in large part to the historic vision that led to the development of the Salt River Project, construction of Roosevelt Dam and creation of the Central Arizona Project. We continued with the passage of prudent conservation policies such as the Groundwater Management Code.
Because we are home to 22 federally recognized American Indian tribes, we have also had the opportunity to work on mutually beneficial water settlements. Our location along the border has enabled us to be a part of water treaty negotiations with Mexico. This diverse set of water challenges, and Arizona's know-how in addressing them, will serve as a valuable resource for the rest of the United States and the world.
With recent events in California and continued attention on global water scarcity in Africa and elsewhere, it is clear the time for a conversation about water policy is now. Hundreds of millions of people at home and abroad face issues with access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.
Thankfully, leaders like Gov. Jan Brewer and former Sen. Jon Kyl, along with others in the water community, have helped pave the way to address these problems in Arizona. With the release of Arizona's Strategic Water Vision in January and Kyl's work with the Morrison Institute to refine that discussion, the state is proactively looking at ways to plan our future.
My hope is to build on those efforts, and better understand how our local solutions might inform federal policy.
I am pleased to say our experience has shown the best solutions to these problems are driven by water managers at the local level. We are fortunate in Arizona to have some of the best leaders and best water-management practices in the world.
The domestic and international challenges related to this issue are real; now is the time to understand them and advance better water policies. I look forward to getting started.
Jeff Flake is a U.S. senator from Arizona.


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What You Should Expect from Your Die Caster …and how to get it!
When selecting a die caster for your next project, ask your prospective suppliers these questions:
- Do they deliver cost-effective solutions in the quantities you need?
Rangers Die Casting can deliver from 100 to one million pieces a year.
- What are the limits of their casting production capabilities?
There is no aluminum die casting job too large or too small for the production staff at Rangers.We specialize in cast aluminum parts and die cast aluminum components, giving Rangers Die Casting a competitive edge over other die casting companies.
- Do they use x-ray technology for quality assurance?
Rangers was the first and still one of the few companies in the western states that use real-time x-ray technology for ongoing quality assurance of cast aluminum parts. Our die casting company's quality control ensures your aluminum die castings meet casting specifications.
- Can they meet your production deadlines?
Rangers' in-house aluminum die casting design, production and finishing ensures that orders are ready when you need them.We do our own precision machining of aluminum alloy castings, complete metal finishing and cast aluminum parts assembly to save you time. Plus, we're close to our major customers, eliminating shipping lags that are common with offshore suppliers.
- Do they have the die cast experience you need?
We have delivered effective customer solutions for more than six decades. A stable management team that knows the industry backs our aluminum die casting company experience.We know what it takes to produce complex die cast components and exceptional die cast aluminum parts.
- Do they have a "Work With" attitude?
We collaborate with you to understand your needs and to develop effective solutions. Listening to your needs and understanding critical production requirements ensures long-term success and meaningful working relationships.We can help you convert existing parts from other material to cost-effective aluminum die castings using appropriate aluminum alloys.
- Do the bids all use the same basis?
Often low bids either do not include every cost that will be incurred or they are based on lower quality methods or alloys. Make sure your bid specs are clear so that every bid can be compared on an "apples-to-apples" basis.
- Do the bidders' engineering team understand your project?
Rangers will meet with you and ask the right questions to gain a full understanding not only of your parts requirements, but also the end product so that we can help you achieve the quality part you need at the price you can afford.We will help you optimize your drawings for maximum performance from the parts we manufacture for you.
- Do your die cast bidders keep up to date with the latest technologies?
Successful companies stay on top by re-investing in the latest technological innovations. At Rangers, we use the latest advanced technology including process simulation software.We can plan for the best die design for production issues such as metal flow, air entrapment, metal velocity, and thermal balance.With Rangers, you can rely on a quality part delivered with a short lead time and produced at a competitive price.
- Do your casting suppliers know how to select the correct alloy for your part?
Alloy selection is a key component of any die cast operation. At Rangers, you can depend on our engineers making an alloy selection that best meets the requirements of your die cast component.
Make sure you select the appropriate die cast company for your projects. The cost of a mistake can be significant in terms of end product reliability and quality, production delays and cost overruns.With Rangers you can rely on our innovation, integrity, accessibility and reliability for the production of your die cast components. For your next die cast project, choose Rangers.
Connie Sotelo's 20th Anniversary at Rangers!
Connie Sotelo recently celebrated her 20th anniversary as a member of the Rangers Die Casting production team. She has worked in the areas of quality control and secondary operations since the mid-1990s. Her bilingual language skills and strong work ethic have made her invaluable to Rangers over the years. Company management reports that Connie is well respected and liked by everyone.
Connie: We wish you continued success and happiness as you start your third decade of service at Rangers Die Casting!
10 Things Worth Knowing About Rangers Die Casting
- Rangers Die Casting has launched an all-out new Green Initiatives program with far reaching benefits for all OEM customers.
- We specialize in aluminum die casting
- We handle production runs from 100 to 1,000,000 pieces
- We were the first west coast die caster to deploy real time x-ray technology for quality assurance.
- We have more than 65 years of experience in aluminum die casting
- We serve Automotive, Aerospace, Communications, Computer, HVAC, Sporting Goods and other major market segments.
- We collaborate with our customers for better die design and more efficient production
- We are your one-stop solution for aluminum die casting design assistance, die design, precision aluminum alloy castings, machining, finishing and assembly.
- We offer the fastest turnaround in the industry so you can depend on receiving your pieces when you need them.
- We operate 14 aluminum die casting cells with gas and electric furnaces so we have the capacity to handle your needs.
2015 Trade Show Schedule
We look forward to seeing you at these industry events
Del Mar Electronics & Design Show
May 6 -7, 2015
Del Mar Fairgrounds
San Diego, California
Design2Part Show
October 21- 22, 2015
Pasadena Convention Center
Pasadena, California
What AreYour Needs?
We're here to serve you with the finest in aluminum die casting. Let us know about your plans and challenges for 2015 so we can help.
Don Klements


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Well hello! You may or may not have noticed that I missed last week's meal planning post. I'm not sure how interesting these posts are to you guys but they are actually very helpful to me, which is much of the reason that I continue posting them! I find it really helpful to use my past weekly meal planning posts as a resource for ideas when preparing my menu and grocery list for the upcoming week. So I hope at least someone out there finds these posts at least somewhat interesting / helpful as well!
Without further ado, here is a recap of last week's dinners, leaving off after my last meal plan post:
- Sunday, December 8: Hot Chile Grilled Cheese; didn't love these.
[photo source: Eating Well]
- Monday, December 9: Indian Buffet at Raja Rani. This was my first time trying their buffet and it was great!
- Tuesday, December 10: Tuna Wrap (canned tuna, and I replaced most of the mayo I would normally use with avocado, and it was fantastic!), Sautéed Kale, leftover Mac 'n' Cheese from Ribfest.
- Wednesday December 11: Blackened Salmon, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Avocado Butter Lettuce Salad
- Thursday, December 12: Qdoba! (You're welcome for this super-appealing photo.)
- Friday, December 13: My work holiday party. I totally spaced and didn't take any pictures, but the menu was similar to last year. The catered food is always great at our holiday parties. These pics from last year will give you a general idea:
Saturday, December 14: We had plans to attend a party, but the huz was sick and there was a raging blizzard, so we had Domino's delivered instead, and watched Home Alone and The Holiday, my two fave holiday movies. I'll take it.
- Sunday, December 15: Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Topping – oh my word, this recipe was amazing!! I cannot wait to share it with you soon.
Meatless Monday, December 16: Mini Cheese Burritos; Corn, Black Beans, and Avocado Salad
Tuesday, December 17: Cookies!!! (Just kidding. Kind of. Actually I also went to the drive-thru after my Holiday Cookies Class, and grabbed a burger afterward too.) Clearly a healthy dinner. Not. But it's okay. It's the holiday season and indulgence is allowed.
Wednesday, December 18: Leek, Potato, & Spinach Stew
Thursday, December 19: Dinner date at Grizzly Peak with my BFF! We both tried the White Christmas Ale and the Cheddar Ale Soup. The Cheddar Ale Soup was amazing, as always. I did like the beer (it is strong!), but I hoped it would be a bit spicier.
For dinner I ordered the Cherry Chicken Salad. This wasn't quite as good as I remember it being in the past when I've ordered it. Not sure what happened. Lacking in freshness and not enough blue cheese and pecans.
I absolutely love bringing friends to Iorio's Gelateria for the first time! I was happy to see many holiday flavors featured in the day's gelato line up. I went for: Eggnog, Figgy Pudding, and Venezuelan Dark Chocolate. The Dark Chocolate was out.of.this.world.
Friday, December 20: Goat Cheese Mac & Cheese, Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Another recipe I can't wait to share with you soooon!
Upcoming Week
Dinner Meal Plan for December 21-28:
- Saturday: Out to dinner
- Sunday: Cuban Pork Shoulder with Beans and Rice
- Monday: Either leftover pork, or Chickpea Sausage Minestrone
- Tuesday: Christmas Eve
- Wednesday: Christmas Day
- Thursday: Special German menu planned!
- Friday: TBD
- Saturday: Wing it
Grocery Shopping:
- Produce:
- Bananas
- Scallions
- Lemon
- Oranges
- Pears
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Fresh Oregano
- Onions
- Garlic
- Roma Tomatoes
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Button Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Meat:
- Bone-in Pork Shoulder
- Ground Sirloin
- Dairy/Eggs:
- Stonyfield Yogurts
- Oikos Cucumber Dill Dip <- this is SO GOOD!
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Cottage Cheese
- Pantry:
- Tomato Sauce
- Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- Rice
- Black Beans
- Chicken Stock (unsalted)
- Annie's Mac & Cheese
- Frozen:
- Bagel Bites
- Beverages
- Red wine


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Kybella is an FDA approved fat dissolving agent. It aims to reduce localized deposits of fat by direct injection into that area. Most commonly it is used under the chin, or on the fullness lateral to the breast right next to the shoulder. It is made from bile acids, the same molecules that are found in the gallbladder, that dissolve the fat. When injected into tissues it dissolves the fat cells, and then over weeks to months, your body reabsorbs those fats cells and excretes them. It usually takes 2-4 treatments for good results. Alternative is liposuction of that area.
Recovery after Kybella injections
Immediately there will be swelling and some burning. The burning will last for a few minutes, but the swelling will last for a few weeks. First few days it will be very noticeable. In 1-2 weeks the fullness will go back to baseline, but you will not see the result. 1-3 months the result will start to be visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart should I do my treatments?
It is recommended that you wait at least a month. So anywhere from one to three months is ideal.


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I recently asked our readers what their fave shows are to watch with their hubbies after the kiddos go to bed. Most said they break out all the secret snacks and stream some good 'ol Netflix. So, I decided to make a list. In no ranking order, here's the best shows to watch with the hubs.
We were recently #hosted by the brand new Cava Robles RV Resort in Paso Robles, California. And, you guys, we…
Overall, these make for a fun craft that turns into a toy. For my kids specifically, I think this toy is a little too old for them. The box says ages 6+. So it's too old for Wyatt (age 2) for sure, but Clara (age 4) was borderline able to assemble it with my help, which caused a lot of frustration for her because she wants to be able to do it herself.On the other hand, she really liked that the dolls were sparkly, pretty and that one of them involved her one true love – cupcakes. So for the price, it's worth trying one out to see if your 4/5/6 year old can manage it.
Kids game company @Pressmantoy gifted us three kids games to review. In our house, Clara really loves "winning" so we pick the "everyone wins!" concept of gameplay and keep playing till everyone can have a turn at winning. Read on to take a look.
From singing and dancing at the library to strolling alongside the waterfront – we've got ya covered. Here are some of our absolute favorite quick-hits for things to do in SLO County with very small children.


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The hem in my dad's dress pants had come undone and so he asked me to hem them for him.
If you don't know much about sewing, this isn't something that you can just whip out on the sewing machine.
It must be hand sewn with a whip stitch.
I don't claim to be anything close to a professional seamstress, but I thought I'd post a little tutorial on how I fixed up the pants anyways.
This is just my interpretation on how to hem pants without the seam showing on the outside (I'm sure there are those out there that could tell you a different way to do it).
Here are the pants from the outside, with a built in cuff.
One of the legs is still hemmed. The other leg has come undone.
Thread your needle with a matching color thread. Turn the pants inside out. Insert the needle into the back side of the cuffed edge and pull through.
To make your next stitch, you must first hold down the thread that was just pulled through the cuff with your thumb. This way, your needle will come through on the right side of this thread when making the next stitch. This creates the "whip."
To make the next stitch, you will again insert the needle into the back side of the cuff. This time, you will grab a thread or two from the actual pants before placing the needle through the cuff. You must only grab a small thread! If you grab too much, your thread will show on the outside of the pants. Pull the needle and thread through, making sure it comes through on the right side of the previous stitches thread. Continue this process all the way around.
When you have gone around the entire cuff, you simply tie off your thread. Make sure to tuck in the tails for a clean look. This is how the inside hem should look:
And this is how the outside should look:
This is really an easy fix, especially if you already know how to create a whip stitch! To make sure there are no visible seams on the outside, you simply must remember to only grab a thread or two when making the stitch on the inside of the pants.
Now you can go and impress your husband!


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Three Column Interior Page
Main Content
This is an example of a three column interior page.
Page Properties
To change the amount of columns displayed, users can use the Number of Columns drop-down found inside Page Properties. Users also have access to changing the Page Title, Description, Keywords, and Author in Page Properties as well.
Right Column
Users are given the opportunity to enter initial content for this region under Right Column in the Interior Page wizard. Number of Columns must be set to at least three to display this region.


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2018 Barbados Klimt Tree of Life 1 Gram Gold and 8.5 Gram Silver Proof Coin Pendant
We are pleased to offer the incredible and feature rich 2018 Klimt Tree of Life that commemorates the famous painting by Gustav Klimt.
This is a legal tender issue of Barbados that satisfies on so many different levels. It is not only a proof quality silver coin that features Rhodium accents, but it also incorporates a 1 Gram .9999 Piedfort Gold Coin. If that's not enough, the two pieces combined are not only unique collectibles in their own right, but the entire presentation is also a pendant.
Legal Tender coin jewelry
8.5 Gram Silver Coin with Rhodium application
Embedded 1 Gram .9999 Gold Coin
Low mintage of just 2,018 sets
This coin is the legal tender issuance of Barbados.
Specifications:Year: 2018
Grade: Proof
Mintage: 2018
Denomination: $10
Metal Content: 1 Gram Gold, 8.5 Grams Silver
Purity: .9999 AU, .925 AG
Issuer: Barbados
Diameter: 11 mm, 40 mm
Mint capsule, Presentation Box, Certificate of Authenticity


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The death toll from Hurricane Florence and its remnants has risen to 17 as officials say a 3-month-old died in North Carolina when a tree landed on a mobile home.
Gaston County manager Earl Mathers said in an email to commissioners the tree fell on a mobile home Sunday in Dallas, about 240 miles (386 kilometers) west of where Hurricane Florence made landfall Friday in Wrightsville Beach.
County spokesman James McConnell confirmed to The Associated Press that officials believe the tree fell because of the rain and wind from the storm's remnants.
Source: Associated Press


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Dear Aspirants,
Daily Current Affairs (January 12, 2019) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness , Static GK and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.
GST Council's 32nd Meeting Held In New Delhi :
- GST Council's 32nd Meeting Held In New Delhi Under The Chairmanship Of The Union Minister Of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley.
- The limit of Annual Turnover in the preceding Financial Year for availing Composition Scheme for Goods shall be increased to Rs 1.5 crore.
- There would be two Threshold Limits for exemption from Registration and Payment of GST for the suppliers of Goods i.e. Rs 40 lakhs and Rs 20 lakhs.
- The Threshold for Registration for Service Providers would continue to be Rs 20 lakhs and in case of Special Category States at Rs 10 lakhs.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in New Delhi :
- The Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in New Delhi.
- It will be a mid-term, five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year.
- It will be launched in the 43 smart cities falling in the list of the 102 non-attainment cities, under the Smart Cities program. Selection of 102 non-attainment cities identified with respect to 'Ambient Air Quality India' report of 2011-15 and WHO report of 2014-2018.
Ravi Shankar Inaugurates NIC Command & Control Centre at National Informatics Centre (NIC), New Delhi :
- Ravi Shankar Prasad,Minister for Electronics & IT and Law and Justice inaugurated NIC's(National Informatics Centre) Command & Control Centre (CCC) and Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence by NIC, it have stamina to transform societies in the regime of transparency and efficient governance.
- NIC as of now has 4 National Data Centres and 30 Mini Data Centres across the country hosting over 10,000 e-Governance applications.
One-day Global Skill Summit 2019 held in Ranchi, Jharkhand :
- The one-day Global Skill Summit 2019 was held in Ranchi, Jharkhand.It is the only state where overall three global summits were organized in a row merely in four years by the state government.
- The theme of the Summit was: 'Skilling Youth, Enabling Youth'.It was under the #MOMEMTUM JHARKHAND campaign.
Capital: Ranchi.
Chief Minister: Raghubar Das.
Governor: Draupadi Murmu.
Sikkim will become first state to roll out Universal Basic Income :
- Sikkim,though being a smallest state have set a initiative to introduce UBI in the entire nation.
- Sikkim's long lasting chief minister and head of sikkim's ruling party(sikkim democratic front) Pawan kumar chamling, quoted that if everything goes right then sikkim would be the first state to implement UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME SYSTEM and execute it by 2022.
Guatemala unilaterally terminate the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) agreement :
- The Foreign Minister of Guatemala Sandra Jovel notified the United Nations secretary-general about the Government's decision to terminate the agreement which established the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has "strongly rejected" the Guatemalan Government's decision to unilaterally terminate the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).
STATIC :Gautemala
Capital: Gautemala city
Currency: Gautemala Quetzal
Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
President: Jimmy Morales
Ashok Chawla resigns as NSE chairman over Aircel-Maxis charges:
- Ashok Chawla resigned as chairman of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) with immediate effect.
- Ashok Chawla's resignation as NSE chairman came on a day CBI obtained sanction to prosecute him and four others in the Aircel-Maxis case
Su Tseng-chang appointed as Taiwan PM :
- Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has appointed Su Tseng-chang as Prime Minister during a Cabinet reshuffle following the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's heavy losses in local elections.
- Su is a former premier appointed in 2006 by then-President Chen Shui-bian and was a chairman of Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party for two terms.
- His appointment follows the widely-expected resignation of William Lai, the second premier to quit since Tsai took office in 2016.
STATIC: Taiwan
Capital: Taipei,
Currency: New Taiwan dollar.
First manned mission to space by December 2021: ISRO
- ISRO Chairman Dr. K Sivan stated that the organisation is well prepared to meet the targets of launching Gaganyaan manned mission to outer space by December 2021.
- 332 launches are planned this year. Important among them are Chandrayaaan -2 mission to the moon in mid-April. GSAT-20 Satellite for high bandwidth connectivity to be launched in September-October.
ISRO Director: K. Sivan
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri received honorary membership of Sydney Cricket Ground:
- Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri received honorary membership of the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for their contribution to the sport of cricket.
- Apart from them, the only other international cricketers to be granted the honorary membership of the SCG are iconic Sachin Tendulkar and Brain Lara of the West Indies.
Adi Godrej Conferred ICSI Lifetime Award :
- Industrialist and Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej was conferred the ICSIs Lifetime Achievement Award for 'Translating Excellence in Corporate Governance into Reality".
- The awards were instituted by The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), which is celebrating its golden jubilee.
- The 18th ICSI National Awards for Excellence in Corporate Governance were bagged jointly by Cipla Ltd and Dabur India Ltd and five others:ACC Ltd, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Indian Oil Corp, Tata Metaliks Ltd and Indian Hotels Co Ltd.
Albie Morkel announces retirement from all formats of cricket :
- South African allrounder Albie Morkel announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, putting an end to nearly 20-year of professional cricketing career.
- Morkel earned a call-up into the South African ODI set-up for the series against New Zealand in 2004 after snaring 12 scalps in List A games in the 2003-04 season.
- Morkel has represented South Africa in 58 ODIs, 50 T20Is and one Test, in which he amassed overall 1,412 runs and picked 77 wickets.
January 10 : Army Air Defence Day
- 26th Army Air Defence Day was being observed by Army Air Defence Corps on January 10.
- A wreath Laying Ceremony was held at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, New Delhi.
1 comment
when tryiny to study previous days current affairs its only showing the newly updated one for whole page plss try to rectify that soon


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Quick Links: Employee Satisfaction Surveys 4Cs Employee Survey FAQs Employee Survey Benchmarks
4Cs Blog: Happy Employees = Happy Customers
Posted by Insightlink on 06/24/22
7 Effective Employee Engagement Strategies That Work in the Hospitality Industry
Employee engagement is crucial for the success of any business operating in the hospitality industry because it helps retain the best talents and encourages productivity. When employees are engaged, they'll stay longer with the business and become more motivated to work every day.
But with the number of employees working in hotel management and other related fields, creating employment engagement strategies might become a challenge. This is especially true for businesses that are new in the industry or don't have experience in creating such strategies.
Fortunately, you don't have to be a professional or experienced to create engagement strategies. Here are easy-to-follow yet highly effective employee engagement strategies that are sure to work in the hospitality industry:
Posted by Insightlink on 06/23/22
The 4 Most Common Causes of Data Breaches
Malware is one of the most common causes of data breaches in the workplace. Some hackers create malware specifically to steal sensitive data. Once installed, this malicious software will capture targeted data and relay it back to the hacker. Ransomware attacks can be devastating, but human error is involved. Listed below are the five most common causes of data breaches.Read full post
Posted by Insightlink on 06/23/22
8 Steps to Successfully Implementing a Business Intelligence Strategy
Are you looking to implement a business intelligence (BI) strategy, but aren't sure where to start? Businesses of all sizes are turning to business intelligence (BI) tools and strategies in order to gain a competitive edge. BI can seem like a daunting task, but with the right plan in place, it can be a great way to improve your business' performance. Here are eight steps to successfully implementing a BI strategy.
Read full post
Posted by Insightlink on 06/23/22
How to Achieve Organizational Effectiveness Through Employee Engagement
In today's business environment, possibly more than ever before, companies rely on the commitment, energy, and engagement of their employees in an effort to succeed and thrive. When workers are engaged with their jobs, that means they are emotionally invested in devoting their time, energy, and talent to bringing more value to organizations and their teams. This is a key factor in building organizational effectiveness, which is why employee engagement has to be a priority for all modern businesses. To that end, here are some efficient ways to improve employee engagement and reach higher levels of corporate success:Read full post
Posted by Insightlink on 06/23/22
The Importance of Recordkeeping Throughout The Hiring Process
In any industry, records play an integral role, especially in legal and compliance. In fact, some industries have a legal obligation to keep specific records.
When it comes to hiring new employees, maintaining accurate records is absolutely vital. In fact, failing to do so can open a company up to legal trouble.
The recruiting process should involve the development, usage, and storage of records that aid in the employment process. It aids in ensuring that the firm complies with federal and state employment rules and regulations.
Compliance enables businesses to demonstrate their commitment to nondiscrimination in recruitment and hiring, react to reasonable requests for accommodation in the hiring process, and achieve their aim of attracting the best applicants.
Posted by Insightlink on 06/23/22
Fun Team Building Ideas For The Workplace
Team building is a hard thing to accomplish. Ever since school days, team-building exercises have been seen as a potentially stressful activity that widens gaps between people, instead of helping them. However, that is the result of team-building exercises not suited for the people involved.
Mandatory HR events are no fun as an adult, especially for folks who just want to get work done. That's why it's important to pick team-building activities that actually fit your team. Most importantly, they should not feel forced into doing anything they do not want to do. Always frame these ideas in such a way that it will be beneficial for them to participate.Read full post
Where does your company stand on each of the critical "4Cs" of employee engagement and satisfaction?
How many of each do you have?
AboutInsightlink Communications are experts in employee survey design, data collection and analysis. Since 2001 we've helped companies of all sizes measure and improve their employee satisfaction and engagement.
4Cs Blog Home
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Self-Employment: Steps to Take to Become Your Own Boss
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Favorite Links
Scoop.it Employee Engagement
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HR ToolKit Guide to Employee Surveys
Good info on how to write surveys
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Makes 360 assessment surveys easy.
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Forum | op-ed Submission
Why students should care about healthcare
16.2, 42, 46…The numbers are everywhere and the debate is now ubiquitous. The debate on the U.S. health care system, that is. Ever since President Obama ranked health care reform as a top priority, the contentious dialogue flooded in from left, right and center with a pessimistic outlook for agreement or compromise.
The U.S. health care system is incredibly complex, and the political process causes real reform to be that much more complex. As students with our own more immediate crises at hand, why should we care? We should care because of the stories behind these numbers: Health care comprises 16.2 percent of the United States' gross domestic product, yet our average life expectancy ranks only 42nd in the world, while 46 million people remain entirely uninsured in our country.
Together, these numbers imply tremendous health care expenses with insufficient health rewards. And yet the numbers only provide the stories' background. Money and insurance are critical factors, but our lifestyle, education, culture and other systemic factors also play leading roles in our health.
Successful health system reform must account for all of this information. As the next beneficiaries of the country's health care system, we must understand these variables and use the understanding to embolden reform. If you still need convincing, please refer to the Oct. 12 staff editorial ("As students, we should care about health care") providing additional address to this issue.
As a forum not only for increasing health care understanding, but also for asking your questions and stating your opinions, the Roosevelt Institution presents the Wash. U. Health Care Town Hall on Oct. 27. Against the incessant rhetoric of how health care reform could fail, expert panelists will provide their perspectives on health policy and examples of successful practices from economic, medical and political angles.
Whether we like it or not, as we are college-age students, the outcome of this current health care policy debate is going to determine a great part of the rest of our lives and our future family's lives more than any other age cohort. The issues that have been discussed in this article are not simply just part of another drawn-out, overly politicized and meaningless debacle in Washington. Instead, they are real challenges that affect millions of people everyday and whose solutions, whether meaningful or not, have the power to perpetuate or alleviate class divisions and exacerbate or provide answers to the disturbing deterioration of health in our nation.
The issue of health care in our society is urgent, but it is also deeply affects our and our society's long-term future. It is not up to our parents or our grandparents to fix. We are the ones that will be here for that future, and thus action, from us, must be reactive, loud, critical and, most importantly, heard.
Be heard at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the Roosevelt Institution's Health Care Town Hall in McMillan Café.


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- Hide menu
You've found the home of Rocky Su, Web Developer, Programmer, CEO. As much as I enjoy imagery and graphics, I find that code, and algorithms, to be far more beautiful than any image, hence my tagline "Pictures are pretty, but code is beautiful". I've been in the programming field since the days of the Commodore 64. The good 'ol days of Commodore BASIC, and JiffyDOS sparked a fire inside me that lead me to a continuing education in technology.
I've since studied many different languages, including Swift, Objective C, C++, PHP, JavaScript, MySQL, HTML, Pearl, Python, VB, and several more. I'm a huge advocate for HTML5, and CSS3, and love the direction it's going. I highly encourage people take the leap to the newest advancement in web development and push towards a more HTML5 friendly world.
Being a former employee of Apple Computer Inc., a fan of Apple Computer Inc. products, and a Programmer, it seemed only fitting that I program for the iOS devices. Even though I enjoy doing content management apps, or customer relations management apps, I've built iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch applications for many different purposes, and for many different people and companies. The iPad and iPhone are excellent devices, making them a pleasure to work with.


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Creating a menu item that links to another internal page
1. Add a page as described in Creating a page.
2. Under Page Type select 'Shortcut'.
3. Right click on the page, click 'Edit'
4. On the 'Shortcut' tab click on 'Browse for Records' to search for the page you wish to link to
5. Select the page as shown below


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Laser therapy is the medical use of monochromatic light from a low intensity laser diode (250 milliwatts or less) or an array of high intensity super luminous diodes (providing total optical power up to the 2000 milliwatt range). Conditions successfully treated by laser light include painful inflammatory joint and muscle conditions such as tendonitis and osteoarthritis, particularly of the neck, knee and shoulder and back. Many sports injuries and certain skin diseases respond too. Recently the beneficial effects of low intensity laser are being shown in deep inflammatory conditions such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ulcerative colitis and inflammation of the prostate. The light source is placed in contact with the skin allowing the photon energy to penetrate tissue, where it interacts with various intracellular biomolecules resulting in biochemical changes in deep cellular components, such as mitochondria – the "power plants" of the cell. Many of the body's healing processes are accelerated or enhanced.
This relatively new technology bathes normal and abnormal tissue with photons. Photons are particles of light energy that are absorbed by a variety of micro-molecules within the cell, a process that initiates a number of physiological responses. In irradiated cells light energy is converted into biochemical energy, stimulating cellular respiration and regeneration. The result: cell structure and function are restored using the body's own mechanisms. The monochromatic coherent and polarised characteristics of the therapeutic light beam permit penetration of deep tissues without harming normal cells. It should be noted that the end result is intending to be curative, rather than just symptom control - (the conventional approach for the management of pain).
These beneficial physiological changes are the result of cell stimulation and tissue regeneration. Other positive effects are found including hormonal change and alterations to cerebral spinal fluid. These are significant and are currently under investigation.
Dr Peter J Herbert 2018


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If you have 15 minutes to spare, then you're in for a treat. My amazing in-laws while visiting always bring a basket full of avocados, lemons, tomatoes, and oranges they grow them in their backyard and never fail to bring us a few, so grateful!
I had a few left over lemons so I decided to take on a project I've been wanting to for some time especially because I had family and friends over this past weekend. What better way to welcome guest then with a handmade floral arrangement? Take a peek.
Uh oh.. I'm sensing a new hobby. You got to excuse the type A personality.
As always, Carolina Xoxo


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Business Insider points out that Obama is set to make a "pivot" in his State of the Union address tomorrow night:
Senior White House advisers have laid out the key themes of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night — income inequality, job growth, and helping the long-term unemployed in a still-stagnating economy.
But perhaps the most important part of Obama's speech will be a more forceful outline than ever of how he plans to address those and other items on his agenda. He will say how he plans to get things done himself if Congress won't work with him — through executive action, or, as he and his advisers like to put it, through a "pen and a phone."
For the White House, it's a "year of action."
Currently, people can still be fired for being gay in 29 states. LGBT advocates have long been pushing for an executive order since legislation that would forbid anti-LGBT discrimination in the workplace (ENDA) has been stagnating in Congress for years, and isn't going anywhere fast.
Although the Senate passed ENDA in November, House Speaker John Boehner refuses to bring it up for a vote. That month, Boehner reiterated his assertion that there is no need for such legislation and it would be the basis for "frivolous lawsuits."
President Obama has expressed his frustration over House obstruction of ENDA, saying, following the Senate vote:
"One party in one house of Congress should not stand in the way of millions of Americans who want to go to work each day and simply be judged by the job they do. Now is the time to end this kind of discrimination in the workplace, not enable it."
It seems that ENDA would fit nicely in the President's "year of action" agenda.
Will we see a nod toward it in tomorrow night's State of the Union address, with NBA player Jason Collins sitting in the box with the First Lady? Wait and see.


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I Worked at Walmart for Two Years and I Actually Really Liked It
I'm a former Walmart associate.
Not only did I work there once, but I liked the job so much that I actually returned for three more tours of duty during college.
About six months before I started, a Walmart opened near my hometown to fanfare from a number of residents and scorn from a majority of local businesses.
[Related: 8 signs of an extraordinary boss]
When my summer job ended, I decided to apply to Walmart. The first thing you notice is the application: it's time consuming and actually difficult.
I sat at a kiosk in the store for about an hour filling out a questionnaire which mainly was intended to see how I would react in certain situations that employees would face, such as confrontations with coworkers and observing theft.
Soon after, I got a call back for an interview, which was also surprisingly grueling. I passed and was soon onboard as an associate in the automotive department, starting around $9 per hour. But before I hit the sales floor, I spent the majority of my first few days in the training room on computer terminals, learning proper store practices. They are actually useful, and if you pay attention, you learn a great deal about being on the floor.
Furthermore, you are encouraged by management to go back to the training room at any time during your employment to use the computers and learn more. They do not count as break time, and associates are paid while using them.
At Walmart, you are assigned a department to work in, but that is not the only place you will be working. As you learn in training, there is a heavy emphasis on the customer. If someone is within 10 feet, you are supposed to greet them and ask if they need help. If they are looking for something, you are then to take them to the item, not just vaguely point.
Walmart taught me exactly how to deal with customers, and in my personal life, people, that could be considered difficult to handle.
Days at Walmart are long. A full-time shift is nine hours. You get two fifteen-minute breaks and a one-hour lunch where you must clock out. The break room was always lively, clean, and stocked with good reading material. During my tenure, overtime was almost nonexistent. You were to work during your shift, but make sure you punched out on time. The company wanted to pay you, but didn't want to pay for more than you were scheduled. It made sense.
The good thing is weekend shifts go by fast since so many people are in the store. A Tuesday afternoon during June felt like it lasted for years.
[Related: Wal-Mart shaken by bribery probe]
Walmart works to make each associate feel like an owner. Each is given a scanning gun that could check stock levels. If something is out, the average employee on the floor orders goods to be in the department. This really encourages associates to know what sells in their departments, since it's up to them to make sure the hottest sellers are in stock.
The company also wanted us to know what was going on from a broader perspective. Every evening I would go to a meeting with the store manager, who would tell us the stock price, how much we had sold that day, and if there were other expectations before we left for the night.
The best thing that I learned at Walmart was that hard work was recognized and rewarded. I worked hard and came back during a break from college to be promoted to work in the photo lab (more responsibility, higher rate of pay). I also saw many full-time employees that I worked with move up to become department managers, assistant store managers, and even move on to the corporate office.
[Related: Why your colleagues don't like you]
However, I also saw the opposite end of the spectrum. Some fellow associates seemed content to do the bare minimum and didn't go anywhere in the company because of it. In fact, they are still at the same level.
In my opinion, these are also the employees that you hear speaking negatively of Walmart's employment practices. They want something for nothing from the company and they aren't getting it.
Overall, I spent about two years at Walmart. It was a great experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.
About the author: Travis Okulski is a former Walmart Associate who now covers transportation for Business Insider.


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I thought I would write today about the wonderful benefits of an emotional culture at work. I think the more we foster feelings of affection, compassion, caring, and tenderness among our co-workers, the stronger our bonds are, and the higher our feelings of satisfaction. I call this 'Companionate Love.'
Let us all collaborate with each other side by side, expressing caring and affection towards one another, and safeguarding each others' feelings. Let us show tenderness and compassion towards each other when things don't go well, and support each other in work and non work matters.
Let us feel free to express ourselves, to share our struggles, perhaps use the power of touch to communicate feelings of warmth and love. Let us use every opportunity to celebrate each others' lives, be it birthdays, anniversaries, or anything else.
A strong culture of Companionate Love will keep us in a healthy frame of mind, looking forward to work, and enjoying beautiful bonds with our co-workers.
We often discuss intellectual concepts such as fostering innovation, creativity, or transparency in a work environment. Those are important, but equally important is to encourage a positive emotional culture, and we will find ourselves experiences unimaginable support, strength, freedom, and a sense of safety and security in our daily lives.


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KINGWOOD TOWNSHIP, New Jersey -- In a truly remarkable reunion, a New Jersey State Trooper stopped a retired police officer who had delivered him for than two decades ago.
It happened June 1 in Kingwood Township, when trooper Michael Patterson stopped Matthew Bailly after a minor motor vehicle collision.
After learning Bailly was a retired Piscataway police officer, Patterson told him he was also from Piscataway.
State police said when Patterson named the block he grew up on, Bailly said he remembered the street because he helped deliver a baby there 27 years ago when he was a rookie cop.
He went on to describe the color, style of house, and the baby's name, Michael.
Trooper Patterson extended his hand and replied, "My name is Michael Patterson, sir. Thank you for delivering me."
Police said Patterson's mother had been out shopping on October 5, 1991, when she went into labor.
She barely made it home, and her husband called the doctor who then talked officer Bailly through the birth.
After they crossed paths once again, Patterson and his mother visited Bailly and his wife at their home.
The State Police related the story on their Facebook page:


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Wind, darkness couldn't keep officer from answering shooting call during Hurricane Harvey
EDITOR'S NOTE: Power at the Corpus Christi Emergency Operations Center went out as Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25, 2017. An earlier version of this article misidentified the center.
As darkness fell on Corpus Christi on Aug. 25, 2017, there was only one car on South Padre Island Drive.
And Senior Officer Steven Ruebelmann was in it.
It's unusual for traffic to be so light on one of Corpus Christi's busiest streets.
This night was different.
Hurricane Harvey, a massive, unforgiving Category 4 storm, made landfall that night.
MORE:What date did Hurricane Harvey make landfall? Here are key facts from the Coastal Bend
Ruebelmann had been sheltering at La Palmera mall with scores of other police officers when a call came in around 11 p.m.
A family on the Southside needed help. And they needed it just as the storm's fury began to build.
"I'll never forget it. The whole city was pitch black," said Ruebelmann, a member of Corpus Christi's police force for nine years. "It was like something out of a zombie apocalypse movie.
"We were the only ones on the highway. It was surreal."
MORE:1 year later, Hurricane Harvey's path, devastation still fresh on Texans' minds
La Palmera became a makeshift police station during the storm; dozens of Corpus Christi officers huddled in the mall, away from the comfort of their beds and loved ones, as the storm swept through the Coastal Bend.
They slept on cots. There were cases of bottled water available to them. But many drank coffee, trying to stay awake.
Officers also hunkered down across town at Gulf Compress, near 19th and Laredo streets.
As nightfall approached officers were ordered to shelter in place for at least eight hours at both locations. The police dispatch radios went silent for most of that time.
Some of the officers Ruebelmann bunked with that night attended the police academy with him several years ago.
Ruebelmann recalled talking with them and scoping out comfortable places to relax in the shopping center until the hurricane passed.
His thoughts, at times, dwelt on his three dogs; he had to leave them at home while was working.
It would be about 10 to 12 hours before he'd get to see them again, when officers were given the all clear to leave their designated shelters.
"It was nerve-wracking, to say the least. To be told 'hey, you're going to wait until the danger passes.' You know we're police officers. There's still people out there," said Ruebelmann, who was raised in Michigan.
MORE:Hurricane Harvey memories strong for Armonie Brown as Refugio rebuilds
Though the winds of the hurricane were loud, it didn't scare the gang unit and SWAT officer, though it did nearly knock him down.
Patrol cars were stored in the mall's parking garage during the storm.
At one point, Ruebelmann went outside and the tall, muscular officer was almost knocked off his feet by Harvey's winds.
After the storm passed, Ruebelmann, like other officers, waited for the go ahead to get in their vehicles and begin to assess damage around the city.
He and other gang unit officers were eventually sent to Rockport to assist that town's storm-battered police department.
Hurricane Harvey book 'something to learn from'
Corpus Christi police later reflected on its own hurricane plans. The department published those plans in what is known simply as the "Hurricane Harvey" book.
The more than 200-page book documents hurricane season preparation, presentations by the National Weather Service on the historic storm and the moments before it rumbled ashore.
It also chronicles what happened during its landfall and after it moved north toward Houston.
"We have something to learn from," Lt. Chris Hooper said, referring to the book. "No matter how well prepared you are, it's still an event that is going to have unexpected issues."
All their preparation was put to the test as the storm crashed ashore that August night.
A homicide was reported on the city's southside. Some officers didn't get the call directly; some had their radios turned off in an effort to conserve their batteries.
A supervisor told the squad about the call and Ruebelmann volunteered with five others to respond.
This wasn't a normal call.
MORE:Rockport's Redfish Lodge slowly rebuilds for better after Hurricane Harvey
Officers had to drive the roughly five-mile one-way trek through winds of up to 75 mph in stark blackness.
Police were told a man tried to break into a home on Ficus Court, near South Staples Street and Lipes Boulevard.
The caller told police he feared for the safety of his family and fired on the intruder.
Gilbert Soto, 33, was shot and later died. Soto's wife told police later her husband had suffered from post traumatic stress and was trying to find shelter.
No one was charged with a crime in the shooting.
'How effective can you be in the middle of a hurricane?'
Despite planning ahead of the storm, some departments had to adjust.
Jail closures and power outages were some of the unexpected roadblocks police encountered as Hurricane Harvey approached.
The Nueces County Jail only took in people suspected of major felonies and domestic violence crimes.
Assistant Chief of Police Mark Schauer said Corpus Christi Fire Department medics and firefighters also stopped responding to calls for services as the wind speeds increased.
"There was a fire on (North Padre) Island they didn't respond to," Schauer said. "How effective can you be in the middle of a hurricane? So they let it burn."
As heavy rain and winds of more than 70 mph hit the city, power outages became an issue.
Power at the city's Emergency Operations Center went out at one point. Its generator also failed.
To keep the operations center running, personnel moved to the Corpus Christi International Airport, Schauer said. Emergency dispatchers had been sent there earlier.
Officers transitioned from eight-hours shifts to 12-hour shifts. They stayed on those shifts for days after the hurricane.
MORE:Hurricane season is almost here. Here's how to prepare
As soon as it was safe, officers began to patrols. Detectives and officers took an "all boots on the ground approach" to doing so.
That meant uniformed officers went to neighborhoods and removed debris and tree branches and talked to traumatized residents, all while keeping an eye out for looters.
"You're trying to get an idea of how much damage has occurred. The last 12 hours we just heard everything, but we didn't know the extent of it," Ruebelmann said. "There's no one out and about, there's stuff all over the roads, but it's not too bad."
'We got off lucky here'
Corpus Christi, though damaged in some spots, was lucky. Other towns were hit much harder.
Corpus Christi officers went to Port Aransas, Rockport and other surrounding communities to help officers get back on their feet.
Some officers in those towns hadn't been back to their homes yet.
Ruebelmann and other Corpus Christi officers helped out by responding to calls in those other towns. There, they responded to reports of looting, thefts or suspicious people.
They also helped man checkpoints for curfews in Port Aransas and Rockport. Checkpoints would have been a reality for Corpus Christi had it gotten a direct blow from Hurricane Harvey, Schauer said.
The response plan would have also included manning stations where food, water and toiletries could be handed out to the public.
MORE:Here's the costly price tag of Hurricane Harvey cleanup in Aransas County
Guard duty at temporary shelters and setting up blockades to keep people out of low-lying areas, such as North Beach and the Island, also would have been part of the plan.
"We've thought it through. It's just that we didn't have to see that here during this last storm. So we got off lucky here," Schauer said. "So people shouldn't get a false sense that they made it through, that this storm won't be so bad (because) we made it through Harvey.
"Well, if you're in Rockport, maybe you can say that."
This story is part of a Caller-Times series marking the one year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey's landfall, the aftermath and ongoing recovery efforts in South Texas.


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User Profile For Flatline
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T3h cake is a lie!
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2017 The Artist "Schafer" Blend
93 points
- Wine & Spirits
93 points
The 2017 Artist Series Schafer from Schafer checks in as 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 17% Cabernet Franc that spent a full two years in 40% new French oak. Deep ruby-colored with a meaty, spicy style in its red and black fruits, tobacco, dried spice, and loamy soil aromas and flavors, it gains freshness and purity with time in the glass and is a seamless, medium to full-bodied, gorgeously textured effort. It's a terrific value to enjoy over the coming decade or more.
- Jeb Dunnuck
Wine Specs
Red Blend
Walla Walla Valley
Alcohol %


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EU Pig Production Fell Slightly in MayEU - Provisional figures from the EU Commission show that EU pig meat production increased year-on-year in May, up 3 per cent to 1,879 thousand tonnes.
However, when adjusted to the same working days, production levels were slightly back on 2015 levels, by 2 per cent.
Similarly, clean pig slaughterings were also up in May on the year earlier, by 3 per cent to 20.8 million head, and slightly down when adjusted to the same number of working days, by 2 per cent.
The decrease in slaughterings and production illustrates the tightening of supplies during May and during the same period, demand from the Far East strengthened considerably. Therefore, both factors assisted in a sharp increase in the EU pig price that was recorded through May.
There were fluctuations in production levels from the member states. German production was up 1 per cent year-on-year, while Spanish production increased by 11 per cent over the same period. Denmark posted the most significant fall in production levels, at 16 per cent, and the Netherlands saw production fall back by a lesser degree, at 7 per cent.


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And now a new competition from the Global Challenges Foundation is calling for solutions to the world's most pressing problems, like conflict, climate change and extreme poverty. Registration for "A New Shape" is open until March 31.
How silly! Oh, sure, I am glad DP & GOP senators are recognizing the need to send DTrump a signal to leave the Mueller investigation alone. But in a BILL? Where will you find the nineteen GOP senators willing to help 48 democrats to over-ride Trump's inevitable veto?
As it happens, the Constitution has a provision that would let Congress - by simple majority - appoint an "other body" under the 25th Amendment that could do two things (1) make strong (though perhaps sub-binding) rulings about the President's power to evade justice, and (2) issue - in conjunction with the Vice President, a temporary removal of presidential power. Elsewhere, I explain how this works.
This missive on Huffpost: "Why Democrats Could Consider Registering Republican To Stop Trump" is a dumb version of my own earlier suggestion. Indeed, is it time to reconsider a mass migration of blacks and other minorities to Mississippi or Alabama? They are already almost 40%! Hey Amazon, set up shop there.
"For as wealth is power, so all power will infallibly draw wealth to itself by some means or other." – Edmund Burke (1780)
"Of great riches there is no real use, except it be in the distribution."
– Francis Bacon (De Dignitate et Augmentis Scientiarum, 1623)
"That mankind as a whole shall become richer does not, of necessity involve an increase in human welfare. – John Bates Clark
"Riches: The saving of many in the hands of one."
– Eugene V. Debs
Those persons who comprise the independent classes are dependent upon two things: the industry of their fellow creatures; and injustice, which enables them to command it.
– Based on John Gray (A Lecture on Human Happiness, 1825)
"No rich man is ugly."
– Zsa Zsa Gabor


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Use Your Summer Vacation Time Wisely
Nearly every student looks forward to summer vacation. It's a period of relaxation, endless fun, and no schoolwork. However, after the first couple weeks of having all this free time, boredom inevitably sets in. If you're serious about your studies and securing your dream job, though, then don't waste your summer. Use it productively to help improve your future.
Enrolling in a Study Abroad Program
- Figure out if a study abroad program is right for you. It sounds great. But is it a good fit for you? Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you like traveling to unfamiliar places?
- Are you comfortable being away from friends and family for an extended period of time?
- Would you enjoy exploring another culture?
- If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, studying abroad may be a terrific choice for you. If you answered "no" to most, you may need more soul searching before you decide. Studying abroad is an exciting and unique opportunity to grow both as a student and as a person. However, it does come with some challenges like being out of your comfort zone and far away from people who you're close to.
- Decide where you want to study abroad. There are so many exciting places to choose from that it can be an overwhelming choice. You may want to first narrow down the kind of locale that interests you the most and make your decision from there. For instance, ask yourself: Would you prefer an urban or a rural setting? Do you want to go to an English-speaking location or where they speak a foreign language? Is it important that you be centrally located so that you can spend time on weekends traveling to neighboring cities?
- To assist you in finding the perfect place, it's also a good idea to visit some of the study abroad websites to read from fellow student bloggers on what it's like to visit there.
- Start planning well in advance. You will need to plan at least 6 months, if not 9 months, in advance of your summer vacation. Most programs require that you apply 6 months prior. Having 9 months will give you time to research, find, and apply to a program at your leisure.
- Find a program. Once you've decided where and when, it's time to find a program. Since you're thinking about studying abroad during the summer, then that helps to narrow your choices down somewhat. At this point, it's important to talk directly with someone from the program you are interested in. From this person, you can learn more about what it offers, the cost and which amenities are or aren't included such as onsite orientation, airport pickup, housing etc.
- Talk to your support system. Meet with your academic counselor to discuss with him or her how this program fits in with coursework for the next year and if it meets the same criteria for any of the classes you will be taking next year. If you're still in high school or in college and your parents are involved in helping you with these kinds of decisions, talk with them about all the details of the program.
Finding an Internship in a Career Field that Interests You
- Think about your goals. To start the process of finding the right internship, think about the skills you want to learn and the areas you want to explore. Do you love graphic design? Do you want to know what an oceanographer does all day or what scientific research is like? Having clear objectives in your mind will help you find an internship that you can get excited about.
- For instance, a potential pre-med student can intern in a hospital or a research lab. A business student can volunteer in a public relations or marketing firm. A future environmentalist can work with rangers in a forest.
- Use the internet. Once you know the direction you want to head in, you can start looking for an internship online. Begin by searching for local organizations and businesses in your areas of interest to see if they offer internship programs. There are also large websites that allow you to search for internships at non-profits as well as opportunities in different countries.
- Take advantage of other avenues. Using local resources and personal contacts are other terrific ways to find an internship. Visit your school's career office. Ask your teachers and high school advisor for help. Check with coaches. Find out if friends or family know someone in a field that interests you. You can also find alumni from your school through one of the big networking websites who are employed at one of your preferred companies. Connect with them, and let them know you're interested in an internship and if they have any advice for you or tips.
- If there's a specific organization or company you'd like to intern with, don't be afraid to contact someone there.
Developing One of Your Passions
- Pinpoint your passion. It only makes sense that before you develop it you have to find it first. Ask yourself, what is that you like to do? Or what have you always dreamed of doing? Do you have a favorite hobby that you could turn into your dream job? If you have varied interests or you're unsure, consider taking an aptitude test. There are a few terrific ones that can help a person to really pinpoint their strengths in given areas.
- Develop it. Once you've identified it, spend as much time as possible developing what it is that you really want to explore. If writing screenplays is your passion, work on it. Sign up for a writing group. Ask friends to read and critique your work.
- If you love photography, get a decent camera and learn how to use it. Then start taking photos – lots of them, far away and close-up. You get the picture. Whatever your passion is, follow it.
- Establish measurable objectives. In order to turn your passion into a reality, it's important to set specific objectives. Many people make daily "to do" lists but that's not enough. You may have certain steps for each day, but also think about what you want to achieve by the end of the week, month and a year from now. Then set goals to make it happen. Set specific deadlines for yourself, and you will be more likely to reach them.
- Reevaluate your progress. After 4 to 6 weeks, reflect on the progress you've made and where you are. Look at the objectives you've set, and compare them to where you are on your path. If you've met all of them along the way, then congratulate yourself. If you fell behind, then reevaluate.
- Ask yourself, have you worked hard enough? Should you change something? Or were your goals too big to start with? Be realistic in the process as you take steps towards your passion, and you're more likely to achieve it.
Focusing on Other Worthwhile Activities That You Can Do
- Get a job. Starting in the work force early in life can serve many purposes. Some of these include building your resume, earning money and the development of interpersonal and organizational skills. Getting a job is a fairly practical option, and it can't help but build character.
- Volunteer somewhere. There are plenty of deserving causes that need help and the summer is a perfect time to do it. Whether it's digging boreholes in Uganda or reading to kids at the local library, the outcome is the same: you're helping society in a hands-on way. From homeless shelters to hospitals, choose something you care about and give back to the greater good.
- Take a class. Once final exams are finished, most students look forward to a long summer break before classes resume again in the fall. However, you may want to consider signing up for a summer class. There are many great reasons to do it. It can help you make up for a course that you didn't do well in. It could also help if you want to complete a prerequisite class so that you can take a certain class in the fall.
- Taking a summer class may also give you an advantage in finishing your school program early.
- Another terrific benefit, though you need to make sure you really focus, is that the classes are usually shorter.
- Motivate yourself! Set a goal and decide, prior to its completion, how you will reward yourself for a job well done. A tedious task can seem much less daunting when you can look forward to a treat or favorite activity upon completion!
- Studies show that there is such a thing as "Summer Knowledge Loss." Review notes, worksheets, assignments etc. It will pay off in the future.
- If you want to feel good, help people by volunteering or donating to charities.
- Don't forget to enjoy yourself. If you attempt a structured approach to this holiday, make sure you don't lose sight of the fun side of summer.
Things You'll Need
- A calendar or planner
Related Articles
- Motivate Yourself
- Get a Fun Summer Job
- Manage Your Time over Summer Break
- Use Your Time Wisely
- Spend Your Summer Holidays
Sources and Citations
- http://www.studyabroad.com/articles/studying-abroad-getting-started.aspx#ixzz3mQ4HYrPx
- ↑ http://www.playbuzz.com/jordanw19/where-should-you-study-abroad
- http://www.studyabroad.com/articles/studying-abroad-getting-started.aspx#ixzz3mQ4OPuja
- http://www.studyabroad.com/articles/studying-abroad-getting-started.aspx#ixzz3mQ4Zdclx
- ↑ https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/outside-the-classroom/how-to-find-an-internship-youll-value
- ↑ http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/how-find-and-develop-your-passions.html
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasmith/2013/12/30/a-guide-to-evaluate-your-priorities-set-goals/
- http://admissions.tufts.edu/blogs/inside-admissions/post/how-to-spend-your-summer-vacation/
- http://admissions.tufts.edu/blogs/inside-admissions/post/how-to-spend-your-summer-vacation/
- http://www.collegeparentcentral.com/2009/06/should-my-college-student-consider-summer-classes/
- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/opinion/28smink.html?_r=0