My Personal Finance Blog

The world of politics is never supposed to make any real sense. After all, once you pit people’s cherished beliefs against each other, passions are roused and the arguments soon become bitter. It would be better if everyone was just allowed to do what they wanted. But, when it comes to organising medical care for the population, it takes a government to put the right kind of infrastructure in place. People have to be trained as care givers. This takes years and costs a small fortune. Hospitals and clinics have to be built. And then we come to all the support staff who drive the ambulances, keep the places clean and keep the accounts. Ah, yes, the money. All of this work over years has to be paid for. So the $64,000 question is who should foot the bill? It’s at this point that emotions get in the way of common sense.

Talk to one side of the argument and they will tell you people who want access to medical care should carry private insurance. Talk to the other side and they will tell you the state should pay for the service out of the tax revenue. It’s never really clear why people disagree. Only people who are in work pay tax. Only people who earn can afford to pay the premiums on insurance. It’s the same money. The only difference is the way it’s collected – one as tax and the other as premiums paid to an insurance company. But wait! There is a difference! If the state collects in the money, it can use it more efficiently because, unlike the insurance industry, it does not intend to make a profit. So the only reason to support the current system is to allow the insurance industry to continue making an ever larger profit.

As the Senate is currently set up, forty-one senators can stop any reform. That’s forty Republicans plus one other. Yet when you look at the number of people these Republican senators represent, it’s only 36% of the US population. This is somewhat unfair. The party with the majority of representatives was voted in by 64% of the population. The Democratic platform could not have been more clear. It was to be reform of healthcare provision. Yet when you look at the media (which is controlled by big business), all you see reported is the opposition to reform. The “tea party” movement captures all the headlines. But in all this, there is one really big irony that gets very little coverage.

The Republican senators may only represent 36% of the population, but they represent nearly 50% of the children without any health insurance and 42% of the adult population with no insurance. Despite the fact that half the uninsured children in the US are represented by the Republicans, their opposition to any reform that would give the children coverage could not be more aggressive. If we assume the outcome of the reform would be cheap health insurance for almost all US citizens, the Republicans are against it. Their policy is to keep the profits rolling in for the health insurance industry and, if the majority of the people who live in their states have no insurance, that’s just their bad luck. The US is genuinely a strange place. Despite the recession, it’s one of the richest countries in the world yet it has a political party determined to prevent its citizens from enjoying cheap health insurance. Sadly this party with the minority of votes in the Senate could get their way.

Choosing the right Valentine’s Day Gift for her can seem like a laborious and mind-boggling process.  The goal in finding the right gift is one that has a perfect fusion of appealing to her unique qualities and illustrating your affection.  It’s a tough balancing act, though an imperative one.

When buying the precise Valentine’s Day gift for the special lady in your life, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1) What are her interests?

Common sense it seems like?  You don’t want to buy her a golfer’s gift if she absolutely hates golfing or a business gift if she’s not working, right?  After all, when purchasing a gift for a girlfriend, wife or other special someone, you want to ensure she actually likes it.  This is extremely important.

2) How long will the gift last?

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, this is a topic not many people think of.  Though many women love to receive the traditional flowers and chocolates, having a timeless gift (one that can last for many years) is much more significant than flowers, chocolates, or other time-sensitive goodies.  Don’t get me wrong, flowers and chocolate are important Valentines components, but over time, such gifts have become less and less memorable.  On the other hand, gifts like a jewelry box, tealight candle holder, or a purse mirror are ideal timeless gifts that can not only signify Valentine’s Day, but gifts that she can use day to day.

3) How should I deliver the gift?

Before thinking about the right Valentine’s Day gift delivery presentation, you must make sure that her special gift comes before or on Valentine’s Day.  Unfortunately, what good would a Valentine’s Day gift serve if your special lady receives it once it’s too late?  Sure, she may still appreciate the gesture and the gift, but you’ve already lost half of the battle of when you really think about.  Additionally, the actual delivery of a gift is just as important as the gift delivery timing, as well as the gift itself.  The key details, such as specific wrapping and location, are important elements to a perfect Valentine’s Day gift delivery.

Giving a gift is like giving a gift from the heart — not all of us have the same hearts, so why not give a personalized gift that signifies yours and her unique heart?  To all the men out there: sons, boyfriends, husbands, uncles, grandfathers, and dads — go and get a head start and make your special lady smile on Valentine’s Day.  Just like Santa said for Christmas, “make a list, and check it twice!”

Article by GPS City Garmin Canada

The RCMP on Prince Edward Island in Canada are concerned about motorists putting too much of their faith and trust in their GPS devices. The RCMP are advising travelers who use these devices to take some precautionary and common sense measures before heading out.1. They should input their route, and then they should look at it to see if it makes sense to them

2. They might not want to use those smaller country roads where there are no services, no service stations, or street lights

3. A GPS device should aid your own navigational abilities rather than replace them

4.Many GPS devices are also programmed to provide the shortest route to a destination. But shorter isn’t always better, says an Island motorist. “When I first tried it, I was heading to Halifax. And heading to the boat, it was telling me to take this dirt road and this snow-covered road just to get to the boat,” This was clearly a misdirection.

5. The GPS devices can also be a distraction if drivers try to program them while they’re driving, or pay more attention to the GPS than they do the road. Don’t neglect line of sight while following directions given by your GPS. 6. The GPS will tell people, well to turn left or right or take a particular exit. There is no indication whether or not it’s safe to do it at that point. This might cause some drivers to panic whenever they get the orders, and they’re not ready to make a lane change.

7. It’s important for motorists to remember that if they miss a turn, the GPS will recalculate and get them back on track

8. Most GPS devices offer multiple routes to a destination, so if motorists don’t like the idea of taking a snow-covered country road, they can, and should, find another way

9. Of 3,000 motorists that were surveyed, almost two-thirds said they kept a route map in their vehicles “just in case”.

As GPS devices become more popular and commonplace, these are excellent points to remember when traveling and using your device. Don’t check your common sense at the door just because you have a satellite navigational device in your car. Remember that the RCMP says, A GPS device should aid your own navigational abilities rather than replace them. Sounds like excellent advice to me.

Article by iPhone 3GS Repair

Touted as stronger than previous models, the iPhone 4 still suffers from the weakness of any glass object and that is shattering, scratching, and cracking, perhaps from a tiny bit of miss use (you know who you are). Why is it though that the iPhone 4 front glass and/or LCD costs so much more to repair than the iPhone 3G and 3Gs? And does it blend? Well in reverse order, yes it blends, and as for the expense read on (prices at bottom).Yes, being a new product the parts are still more expensive than current iPhone repairs due to the Gods of supply and demand. A larger difference though is due to the make up of the front glass itself which is coupled with the LCD as a complete part. Quoting the technical team at a Sydney repair centre “Where as the 3G and 3Gs had a separate glass digitiser (touch component) and LCD the iPhone 4 is much like the 2G in that the front glass and LCD are glued together”. They further impart their knowledge “Although there are kits that allow for replacement of the iPhone 4 glass without the LCD we offer these repairs with the complete assembly for a higher quality and longer lasting repair. Also we don’t see how spending an hour carefully trying to remove the glass and LCD is going to save anyone any money in the end and you’re most likely going to break something doing it that way too”. Sounds like a dollar of common sense to me.So what is the magic glass on the iPhone 4 that reacts to my soft caresses? The front glass is made of aluminosilicate glass which is basically normal glass combined with aluminium oxides to aid in scratch resistance and overall strength. The quality of this mixture is why the iPhone response is so good compared to cheaper imitations. There were some rumours of the iPhone 4 using Gorilla Glass (which, though touted as nearly unbreakable, it does in fact break, just ask some confuddled Dell Streak owners) but this is not the case. The LCD itself is also not a cheap component as is basically a purpose built HD LCD which is claimed to be a retina display though the jury is still deciding on the exact definition of how and why and if it is a true retina display. By gluing this front glass to the LCD itself basically means that both need replacing as a complete assembly, adding to the overall costs, and adding to the chance down the track of not repairing your iPhone 4 and instead getting an iPhone Gamma (likely to be released July 2012; the rumours start here).It is expected for iPhone 4 front glass repair prices to decrease, however, as with the 2G, the more expensive part will likely keep a higher level than current 3Gs glass repairs. Our advice? Get a good iPhone 4 cover, try to look after the phone, and always keep the phone away from any potential drop zones and blenders.Avg Cost of Front Glass & LCD iPhone Repairs From Around Sydney (proper repair centres not Dodgy Davis/Travis/Elvis etc)2G – front glass and LCD, if available 5, only one place offered same day3G and 3Gs – 0 for either LCD or front glass, 5 for both LCD and front glass, 30 min-1 hour service.iPhone 4 – front glass and LCD, 5 for same day, some places offering around off but 3-5 day wait.iPhone 3GS Repair