Colombia Automotive » car reantal

Women really do pay less than men

koolguy — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:04:41 +0000

A while back, we chewed over the question of why women might pay less to put wheels on the road (http://www.allstatescarinsurance.com/behind-the-wheel.html). Now we’re back again. This time with the results of one of these surveys we all love to hate. It’s one of those, “We told you so!” stories. There’s this corporation based over in Sacramento. It runs a big network of insurance agencies and related education services, collecting data from its more than 10 million clients. The good thing about computers is they let you crunch numbers. In this case, the corporation has published a report showing the median rates for men and women over multiple states. The bad news for men is this confirmation they pay an average 9% more than women on comparable vehicles. In actual numbers across all states, men pay about $765 for a six-month policy whereas women pay about $698 to insure the same makes and models. So what might explain this difference (remembering it’s a median number so there will be many instances where the difference is a lot more than 9%)? Well we start off with some fairly routine facts. When it comes to picking up tickets, men are clear winners. They are significantly more likely to collect a moving violation and, hardly a surprise here, up to 50% more likely to have a DUI/DWI conviction. When that favorite pub is just too far to walk, men take the risk. Then we get to the details of the policies women prefer. More opt for the discounts for lower mileages and are prepared to restrict their driving to the less dangerous times of the day and night, i.e. avoiding the time when all the men are driving back from their favourite pubs. Then we come to what might seem at first sight to be a slightly strange fact. Women who are the registered owners are less likely to own more than one vehicle and are more likely to be the sole driver. This is a survivor from the days when the man was the key player. He would have all the vehicles in his name with the wife or partner as the named driver. Now with more independent women around, they buy the one car they need and drive it themselves. No expensive men likely to mess up their claims records. Ah, yes, those claims records. Statistically, women are involved in less accidents than men and, because they drive more slowly, there is less damage to the vehicles. “What vehicles?” you ask. Well, on average, women buy less expensive and safer vehicles than men. Put all these factors together and this explains why women can expect to pay so much less than men on their car insurance rates. This does not mean, of course, that women will find their insurance “cheap”. Because of gender discrimination in the job market, women earn less than men so paying lower premiums takes a bigger percentage of their earnings. Sadly, our society remains less fair than women would like but, at least in this one area of insurance, the balance has swung to favor the women. Everyone should get multiple auto insurance quotes to find the best deal. But putting a woman’s name on the application gets a benefit.

Do herbal solutions really help against anxiety?

koolguy — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 14:05:36 +0000

Anxiety can be treated in two main ways. The first is the traditional prescription medicine you get from your doctor. And the other are the natural supplements you can find in any herbal shop. There are a lot of producers who claim to have the best natural anti anxiety treatment based on herbs. And while the effectiveness of these supplements can be really high for some people suffering from anxiety disorders, you have to understand that these herbal treatments are not approved by the officials. In fact, the majority of natural anxiety solutions you see on the market these days even don’t have any medical or clinical trials to prove their effectiveness. Also make sure to read about the ingredients of the supplement you want to try using. In most cases, these supplements are based around the same herbs, mixing them in different proportions. The most common herbs found in the majority of natural anti anxiety solutions are Valerian and Passion Flower. Both these herbs are known to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and are found in numerous traditional remedies in cultures all around the world. Thankfully, there are a lot of clinical studies on the actual effectiveness of these herbs, and all doctors agree that both Valerian and Passion Flower can be effective for relieving mild to moderate forms of anxiety. Taking 50 to 500 milligrams of Valerian per day can help overcome some symptoms of anxiety and be a good addition to conventional treatment. Passion Flower extract can be also beneficial, if taken in safe doses (couple of hundred milligrams per day), and can also help relax and fight stress after a hard day’s work. Some people also state that Green Tea is a good way to prevent and treat anxiety in a natural fashion. Green Tea contains L-theanine, a natural compound that is known to have anti-anxiety properties. However, in order for it to be really beneficial in relieving anxiety, the daily dose should be between 100 and 300 milligrams. Many herbal supplements claim to carry L-theanine as the main active ingredient. Still, the actual amount of this substance found in most supplements claiming to contain it is too low in order to state that these solutions are really effective in treating anxiety. Some specialists state that the herb St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is also quite beneficial for relieving the symptoms of anxiety and depression while not delivering the negative side effects of prescription medications. However, in order for the treatment to be really effective, a herbal remedy based on St. John’s Wort has to carry a high concentration of its active ingredient, hyperforin. This substance is quite similar to SSRI anti anxiety treatments, are known to regulate the levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain. Whatever herbal solution you choose to try, it still won’t be able to compare with prescription drugs like Valium. Moreover, only a professional doctor can choose the right treatment option for you and decide whether you need a prescription medication like Valium or a simple Valerian supplement. Don’t try to heal yourself without professional medical help, because you can make things even worse. Leave it to people who really know what’s best for you.

Low-carb or low-fat

koolguy — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:53:53 +0000

International organizations and governments are now more or less agreed we have an epidemic of obesity so, for the research community, the big question is which diet to recommend. Note the “recommend”. There’s no willingness in any government to try forcing a change in what we eat. The best first step is to recommend the most effective diet based on the best available evidence. There are a number to choose from under the general headings of low-carb, high-protein, high-fat diets. The problem with much of the current evidence is the small number of people enrolled in short-term trials. To be able to make general statements, there should be a statistically significant number of participants and the trials should last a reasonable period of time for the full effects to be measured. With dieting there’s also the problem that up to half the participants drop out of most trials. Just published is a new trial that lasted for two years. Called DIRECT (Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Test), it compared a Mediterranean, calorie-restricted diet based on the Harvard Medical School guide to healthy eating; a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet based on the American Heart Association’s guidelines; and a low-carb, non-restricted-calorie diet based on Atkins. The participants were aged between 40 and 65 and had a BMI of at least 27, or an existing diagnosis of diabetes or heart disease. The average was people with a BMI of 31 with 86% men. Over two years, 92% stayed with the low-fat diet, 85% with the Mediterranean diet, and 78% with the low-carb diet. Weight was lost consistently in the first six months, with the new weight then stabilizing. Those in the low-fat group lost the least weight with the loss by the Mediterranean and low-carb groups broadly similar with participants dropping two BMI levels. Everyone lost about 2 inches in waist circumference. But the Mediterranean and low-carb diets showed good reductions in blood pressure and improvements in metabolic effects making them the preferred approaches, i.e. there were real, measurable health benefits and not just weight loss. The recommendation is therefore for doctors or nutritionists to discuss dieting preferences with you, aiming to agree a strategy suited to your tastes. In selecting the diet, it may be that an Atkins approach is best for those who find it difficult to restrict their calorie intake. No one should approach this decision with closed minds. It’s a case of starting with one program and then varying it to find the combination of foods you find easiest to accept for the long-term where the greatest health benefits are earned. Acomplia is a useful addition to the program. In clinical trials, it also performed well, helping participants lose an average 10% of their body weight. With the right diet, a little additional exercise, and Acomplia in support, there’s no reason why you should not break the two-year barrier and go on to an increasingly healthy future life. All it needs is your own willpower and the support of your family and friends.

Online blackjack playing culture

koolguy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:30:51 +0000

Some games are known for their spirit of union and excitement of acting as a team and it’s quite common in team sports such as football, baseball and basketball. However, some individual games are known for the same level of adrenaline rush and for many it will be a real surprise to learn that some online casino players describe their excitement just like football players would do.

One of the games that is known for its excitement and exquisite tension that makes the player as involved as with a physical sport is of course blackjack. And no big surprise that some many online casino players choose this particular game when entering numerous online casino sites all over the world.

The cultures of online and real world blackjack playing are quite different despite the fact that it’s pretty much the same game being played. The main difference is of course that when playing online you’re playing alone, usually in the comfort of your home without the typical distractions and tension you get in brick-and-mortar casinos. Of course, there’s a downside to it – you don’t get the thrill and excitement that make blackjack games so exciting.

People who play blackjack form close communities because they are very passionate about the game, And taking the fact that it’s all in all a gambling game where the stakes can go sky high and earn the winners a fortune, sometimes the communication between blackjack players can seem to be a bit esoteric to those who are not in the game.

That’s what online blackjack is famous for – there are numerous specialized forums that form communities of players all over the world. The Internet lets many players communicate regardless of their location, and when there are many people sharing the same passion for such thing as playing blackjack online you can definitely say that there’s a real culture behind it.

Just with any other game-specific forums and communities you can get lost and confused the first time you enter such an online community. They are quite often based around online casinos where you can play blackjack anytime, and discuss the game after you had your fun at the online table. Of course, some forums are more open to newbies than the others and with some communities you will find it hard to communicate with other players if they haven’t seen you in the casino.

Still, without a doubt, the Internet has revolutionized the culture of blackjack, turning it into a global phenomenon rather than a local community-based game, revolving around clubs and real casinos. Regardless of your location, you can play blackjack online, take part in tournaments with large prizes, win real money and discuss the strategies and experience with other players who enjoy playing blackjack just like you do. And you don’t need to pack your bags and go to a city where playing blackjack is legal. All you need is a good Internet connection and plenty of time to enjoy this exciting game.

Top blackjack myths unveiled

koolguy — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:03:51 +0000

A large number of players who prefer online casinos to brick-and-mortar gambling houses often lose their money because of believing in various myths and rumors that spread around the web. If you don’t want to make part of that number you have to be cautious about the most common myths blackjack players tell about when playing online.

Myth #1: Card counting is not required

Those of you who have spent a bit of time at the table know that card counting is the most basic winning strategy, and the myth tells that you don’t need it to win at the game.

Fact #1:

It’s almost impossible to beat the dealer if you don’t know what cards are remaining in the deck. That’s why players use card counting in order to raise the odds of winning against the house. If you have read about a strategy that doesn’t tell you to count cards then it’s definitely not a strategy that will help you win in the long run. Card counting isn’t as complicated as some players think it is, there are ways you can easily count cards and raise your chances of winning, and that’s definitely what you want in the end, right?

Myth #2: In order to win you need only the basic strategy

You don’t need any complicated strategies in order to win, you just need to learn the basic strategy that is available even at online casino sites and you will win for sure.

Fact #2:

Most players who use only the basic strategy lose nearly all of the time. That’s because in most cases the basic strategy is given directly at the online casino’s site and there’s no sense for the casino to post such things other than increasing their in-house odds and fooling players. There are numerous books on blackjack winning strategies that are based around the very same basic strategy and not that many players can say that these tips have helped them. In order to win you will need something more effective in raising your odds at online blackjack than the basic strategy.

Myth #3: Get as close to 21 as you can in order to win

This is probably the most common myth among those who have only started to play blackjack and are new to the game. This is a popular misconception because blackjack is also sometimes called as the game of 21. And assuming that’s the main goal of the game, new players believe that it’s crucial to get close to 21.

Fact #3:

The main goal of the game is not getting close to 21. In order to win at blackjack you have to beat the dealer’s hand, have a larger count with the cards you have than the house has. No matter if it will be 13 against 9, you will still win if it’s your count that’s larger. Many rookies make the common mistake and try to get as close to 21, taking more cards and busting their chances by going beyond 21. Leave the number behind and focus on the dealer’s hands – that will give you much greater chances of winning.

Blackjack tournaments: online vs real world

koolguy — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:03:06 +0000

The popularity of blackjack tournaments is constantly increasing and it’s no big surprise that many online casinos offer more tournaments with larger prizes on a regular basis. And by “regular basis” we mean the possibility to take part in an online tournament virtually at any time of the day. However, you have to understand that there are substantial differences between online and land based tournaments, and knowing these differences is very important for any blackjack player

A large part of players get involved into tournaments because of the adrenaline rash and the intensity of playing with other participants head to head. Those who regularly take part in such tournaments say that it’s a real pleasure to sit with other players at the same table, watching them make their bets, following their expressions and feeling the real excitement of a challenge that is just not the same when you play one on one with a dealer. Tournaments represent a real challenge and test of skills for any player, especially when it comes to the elimination rounds. The way the people interact and get involved in the drama is something that can be as valuable as the prize itself. No wonder that there are so many blackjack tournament games even on the TV these days.

Of course, these feelings are a bit hard to experience when it comes to playing blackjack online. Web-based tournaments just can’t bring the excitement of a real life tournament because it’s just you and your computer, no one else. Of course, you can play a tournament with players all over the world instantly by joining any big online casino tournament but that can be hardly compared to seeing a real living person next to you. Still, it’s a matter of personal choice and preference, because some players are in for the excitement and emotions, while others are in just for the playing experience and the prize.

What makes online blackjack a really interesting feature is that it lets players all over the world put their skills to the test and win real money in a tournament against other players. There’s no need to enroll in special events or even leave your home – everything you need to play a game is within your reach and it’s only you and your skills that really matter. For those, who don’t excited by the thrill of a real tournament or those who aren’t just confident in their abilities this is probably the best way to enjoy real professional poker.

One can say that it all depends on how introvert or extrovert a person is. If you’re seeking attention and love seeing another person near you get nervous when you hit blackjack, then you will definitely find online tournaments boring and lacking the real excitement of the game. But if you jut want to win and don’t care about who’s sitting next to you and don’t want to be distracted from your strategy then playing online seems like a perfect choice for you. Of course, the best way is to try both things and define what works best for you.

Play online slots and watch your winnings roll in

koolguy — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:38:57 +0000

Looking round the US right now is a bit like Alice in Wonderland (but not the big-earning version by Tim Burton which looks to beat the one billion mark in takings worldwide). There’s a lot of unreality around and it all goes back to one of these pesky idioms, “Trying to get blood from a stone”. Let’s take it step by step. In the world of boxing, you introduce the fighters according to their corners. So, in the blue corner, you have the lefty socialist liberals and they all want to keep the entitlement spending without increasing taxes. While in the red corner, you have all those Tea Party members who want to do away with government and all its spending on little things like defense and the infrastructure that delivers electricity, drinking water and so on. Oh, and they don’t want to raise taxes either. In fact, abolishing big government means no IRS. So, whoever you ask, they all agree it’s impossible to raise taxes (“starve the beast” as the GOP puts it) but, without more money coming from somewhere, it will be impossible to balance the budget. Does balancing the budget matter? Well, ask Greece whether they should balance their budget. Once the riots die down, you may have an answer. In the meantime, the world’s lenders think Greece will default on its debts. In ten years time, without action from the US government (big or small), the same fear may affect the US power to borrow.

So, right now, states cannot raise taxes and face paying out on entitlements. The majority are licensing more gambling. The levy is not counted as a tax and is politically acceptable. Except, there’s too much gambling already. No matter how many casinos or other sites you licence, there’s still the same number of gamblers. Hence, the reference to “blood from stone”. It’s going to be very difficult for states to get any real increase in revenue, particularly when you add in the effect of online gambling. With rising gas prices and family budgets still under pressure because of the recession, it’s cheaper and more convenient to stay home to gamble.

So, let’s pick a few states and see what plans are in the pipeline. Go to Boston and you find yourself in a war zone with New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island all pushing their own gambling agendas. Wherever you look, there are plans for new resort-casinos and thousands of slot machines at race tracks and dedicated slots parlors. With all these states in competition to attract the same hard-core gamblers, they all risk ending up with little improvement to their revenue streams. More interestingly, you have to doubt the commercial judgement of the corporations still prepared to consider building new casinos. Just as the states have looming deficits to fill, many of the existing casinos have fallen on hard times as online slots have grown more popular. Indeed, if the GOP and its Tea Party element are against big government, they should oppose the use of gambling to prop up state finances. Surely, the libertarian stays home to play slots, keeps all the winnings and pays no taxes, direct or indirect.

Slots in New Hampshire are becoming a battleground

koolguy — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:07:52 +0000

One of the more exciting features of the latest recession has been the collapse of tax revenue flowing into the coffers of the individual US states. Sales are down so there’s less tax take there. Property values have crashed through the floor so, where tax is a percentage of valuation, the tax take has fallen – with so many properties foreclosed and families unemployed, payment of the tax has been difficult to enforce. People have been earning less and businesses have made less profit so, again, less income tax. Put everything together and many states are effectively bankrupt, their bonds reduced to junk status by the credit rating agencies. Yet there is no political will to really grasp the nettle of tax increases. If the electorate want the same level of services from the state, they have to pay for them. If they genuinely will not pay, they must be prepared to accept real cuts in the quality of the services. Perhaps this recession will finally break through the stubborn refusal to pay a larger percentage of income as tax. While we wait for this revolution, individual states are playing around the margins to save a few dollars here, and raise a few dollars there. Their theory is that federal government will not allow them to fail. Like AIG, many of the states are “too big”. So bail-out money will save them from having to make the hard decisions.

This has not prevented some states from getting creative. In New Hampshire, Governor John Lynch has a new policy. To help bridge the gap between solvency and insolvency, he’s proposing to legalize online gambling. The detail of the plan is to be announced soon, but it’s already controversial. Ignoring the problems created by the federal law clamp-down on the transfer of funds for gambling purposes, the Governor has been caught in a classic flip-flop. Not so long ago, the lawmakers who represent the real-world casino interests proposed a bill to licence some 17,000 slots and table games. The recession was not yet in its full glory and the hole in the budget was not today’s gaping chasm. The Governor decided to veto the bill.

He gave two reasons. The first a simple calculation that there were already a significant number of machines in the state and licensing more was unlikely to produce a real increase in revenue. It would only share out the same money among more machines. But it’s the second reason that has landed him in trouble. He said the bill would lead to an increase in gambling. Whether he was concerned at the rising level of addiction, the risk of more young people being tempted into gambling or he had some moral objections is not clear. The bill died. The new proposal to legalize online gambling is likely to make gambling more accessible. If people have to travel to specific locations, their behavior can be more closely monitored and controlled. The age of players can be verified. Operators can stop someone when they have obviously lost too much. Allowing gambling from PCs, lap and palm top machines, and Blackberrys is opening the flood gates. Playing online slots, people can burn through a lot of money very quickly without anyone to stop them. The Governor can’t have it both ways. If proliferating gambling is a bad thing, legalizing online gambling is a bad thing. While he decides how to answer, we can all have fun playing slots wherever we find them.

Casino online games lose out to the real world

koolguy — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:48:21 +0000

In many ways, the US has the best and the worst system of federal and state governments in the world. Arguably it has the qualities of being the best because, even though it’s a two-horse race, there’s enough of a difference between the political intentions of the successful candidates to make life interesting. But it’s one of the worst because of the level of corruption in the lawmaking following elections. Money speaks loud behind the scenes with different lobbying groups pressuring the elected representatives to deliver on the promises they made to get the campaign funds. For these purposes, it makes no difference which party you look at. All the individuals at every level in the political system depend on “donations” to get elected. When it comes to the world of gambling, the politics get particularly complicated. For individual states, the revenue derived from the different forms of licensed gambling helps avoid complete financial meltdown. Yes, there’s a recession, but this has only slowed the flow of money into gambling. Unlike other sources of tax revenue, the gamblers of America are helping balance budgets. But there are different interested parties. In one corner stand the real world casino operators who want the least possible regulation on their activities. Their group is not united because the casinos on Indian land have advantages and, some say, represent unfair competition. We should not forget the other sites who can get licences to run slots. In another corner stand the racing interests. They are long-standing political players and also want the maximum freedom to run their own betting operations with the least interference from states. This blurs into another group that runs betting operations on other sporting events. While a more distant group runs online casinos.

As an example of the conflict of interests, let’s go to Massachusetts where there’s a new bill in the state House to establish two new real world casinos. As always, the declared intention is to generate more revenue for the state. To maintain a monopoly for the land-based casino operations, the bill proposes to criminalize all online gambling. It will be an offense for any resident of Massachusetts to place or accept a wager placed by a telecommunication device, no matter where they may be located. You will realize, of course, this includes all telephone betting and would hit the racing and sports betting operations. Not surprisingly, this has stirred up an intense lobbying exercise.

Real world operations are preferred because they are easier to police and monitor when it comes to collecting the tax or levy. Once operations disappear down telephone lines or into the internet, they can be based anywhere. This seriously complicates the collection of any tax. States like to keep their worlds simple. They want the maximum revenue from licensed gambling with the lowest possible cost for collection. Just crossing state lines makes collection more difficult. If casino games are offered from outside US territory, tax cannot be collected. That’s one of the reasons why the federal government clamped down on the use of credit cards and other easy payment methods. It forced more operations onshore where they could be taxed. Whether you agree with this approach to balancing the budgets is irrelevant. Casino games are seen as the easy way to raise money without upsetting the electorate. Imagine a world without gambling and hear the roar of anger if states announced an increase in sales tax.

How will live dealing affect online casinos?

koolguy — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:15:46 +0000

Whichever time you look at, there has always been gambling. For example, there is evidence of keno, dice and mahjong being played in Ancient China from 2,000 B.C. onward. Different forms of gaming were also a popular pastime in the other major ancient civilizations of India, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. Despite attempts to ban or control gambling because of its addictive nature, it has persisted until today. Sometimes it went underground, while other governments allowed commercialisation. Throughout, gambling has been seen as a social activity. The rich would gather in each others palaces and mansions to play or attend exclusive clubs. The poor would flock to “dens of iniquity” which were often run by criminal gangs tied into the worlds of prostitution and street drugs. This history is one long transfer of wealth from one individual to another. Before regulation, it was usually the criminal gangs that became rich. After regulation, those in positions of power took their commissions while governments subsidized the taxpayers through levies and taxes. But there was one constant thread. Whether you were an aristocrat lounging in a casino in an exclusive spa town in Europe or panning for gold in the 1840′s and 50′s, the majority of games depended on live dealing or the supervision of the betting by an employee of the House. In the more modern clubs and casinos, the dealers and croupiers have often been beautiful women, dressed attractively. In their own right, they were part of the attraction of the “place”. The men would come, leaving their wives at home, to lose their money while ogling the girls.

Then along came the internet. There is nothing wrong with the quality of the graphics, animation and soundtrack. In most cases, they represent a brave attempt to create an experience similar to a real-world casino. But players can never suspend disbelief. They continue to sit at home or nursing their laptops in a hotspot with their attention fixed on a small screen. Nothing can replace the smell, noise and crush of people in a casino. Except, as the technology has matured and bandwidth improved, online casinos have begun to introduce live dealers for a range of your favorite casino games. This has two advantages. Many people prefer to avoid the random number generators that drive the software versions of the games. RGNs are too perfect. They feel it is better to gamble where human beings shuffle the packs or spin the wheels because human beings make mistakes and are inefficient. Secondly, animations only go so far. Even though it is a small screen, a live video feed of a sexy lady dealing blackjack or running a roulette table brings in the business.

Live dealing has been increasingly common on sites serving Europe but the first online casinos in the US are now recruiting live dealers and launching their own service. You can only go so far to compete on animation and welcome bonuses. Web cameras are cheap and not much of a studio is required to create interactive play between dealer and you sitting at home. With your favorite casino games now coming to you live, the pressure will be on the majority of the other casinos to innovate ad improve the interface and user experience. As bandwidth improves, your gaming experience will improve.