Lomilomi

1. Crooning Bob, Hidden Muse

2. Masked & Anonymous

3. Robert Allen Zimmerman

4. Elston Gunn

5. A Star Is Born

6. A Legend Mends A Legend

7. Emergence

8. Bringing It All Back Home

9. Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid

10. Grammy Time

11. Pope On The Red Line

12. In Their Father's Footsteps?

13. Albums Of The Year

14. Hollywood Hit List

15. Jack Fate

16. Award Monger

17. The Missing Beatle?

"I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom." - Bob Dylan

1. Crooning Bob, Hidden Muse

Recently a Japanese writer named Junichi Saga was astonished and flattered to learn that passages from one of his books apparently found their way into a few of Bob Dylan's lyrics.
In Bob Dylan's 2001 song, "Floater", he croons - "My old man, he's like some feudal lord, got more lives than a cat." "I'm not quite as cool or forgiving as I sound" "Sometimes somebody wants you to give something up, and tears or not, it's too much to ask."

On page six of Junicihi Saga's book, "Confessions of a Yakuza", he writes - "My old man would sit there like a feudal lord." "I'm not as cool or forgiving as I might have sounded." Then on page 182, writes - "Tears or not, though, that was too much to ask."

The practitioner of Chinese medicine resounded that the revelation of Dylan calling upon his own work was surprising. This could be counted as a literary theft of sorts, but the author has stated he has no plans to sue. "Why would I sue? To take something that made people around the world happy and try to exploit it for money - that's poverty.", stated Saga.
"This shows that people in other countries can relate to the harsh realities of prewar Japan, which was a poor, struggling nation. I'm just happy somebody read my book and liked it.", said Saga. "My book hasn't even sold that well, and it's out of print in Japan." He further added he has estimated to have only made about $8,475 from the publication.

A few weeks ago, Saga bought his first Bob Dylan CD, "The Best of Bob Dylan".

2. Masked & Anonymous

Would you reach out a hand to save a drowning man if you thought he might pull you in?

This is the tagline for Bob's latest film called, "Masked & Anonymous". In it, Bob plays, Jack Fate, a singer whose career has gone on a downward spiral and is forced to make a comeback to the performance stage for a benefit concert. For this film he was joined by some of Hollywood's hottest and brightest, all of which reportedly signed onto the film at scale rates. The cast includes: John Goodman, Jessica Lange, Luke Wilson, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, Reggie Lee, Angela Bassett, Steven Bauer, Larry Campbell, Bruce Dern, Alex Desert, Treva Etienne, Dan Frischman, Tony Garnier, Laura Elena Harring, Ed Harris, Shawn Michael Howard, Val Kilmer, Bruce Kirschbaum, Antonio David Lyons, Cheech Marin, Chris Penn, George Receli, Giovanni Ribisi, Mickey Rourke, Sam Sarpong, Charlie Sexton, Jon Sklaroff, Christian Slater and Fred Ward. On top of all of that, T-Shirt King friend, Keri Bruno, pulls 2nd Unit Directing duties on the talent heavy film.

The film hits theatres in a limited US release on July 25th.

3. Robert Allen Zimmerman

At 5 foot six inches, Robert Allen Zimmerman might be a slight man, but under the name Bob Dylan, he is a legendary giant of a musician.

4. Elston Gunn

Robert Allen Zimmerman was born May 24th 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. His father, Abe, was employed by the Standard Oil Company there, but when Robert was six the family moved to Hibbing, Minnesota. The one riddling note about Hibbing is that is very often the coldest place in the United States. Yikes. Growing up there he taught himself piano and guitar and formed several high school rock bands. Around this time he toyed with the stage name, "Elston Gunn".

5. A Star Is Born

By 1959, Robert entered the University of Minnesota and began performing under the name Bob Dylan at clubs in Minnesota and St. Paul.

6. A Legend Mends A Legend

In 1960 he traveled to New York to perform in various folk clubs throughout Greenwich Village. While in New York he spent time with his idol, Woody Guthrie at his hospital room.

7. Emergence

Late in 1961 he landed a contract with Columbia Records and the following year his debut album was released with two original songs. A year after that, "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" emerged with an all original album, including a song that became an anthem of the '60's - "Blowin' in the Wind".

8. Bringing It All Back Home

In February 1964 Dylan and a small group of friends drove south out of New York City and stopped in unannounced to see poet 'Carl Sandburg' in North Carolina. Disappointingly, Dylan left only 10 minutes after arriving when he realized he couldn't get the venerable man of letters to take him seriously as a fellow poet.

He popped folk-rock into the mainstream after touring with Joan Baez with his own flavor of electric/acoustic swagger, culminating with his hit song, "Bringing it all Back Home". Soon after the Byrd's turned his song "Mr. Tambourine Man" into another hit with their cover version of the famous tune.

9. Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid

Following a motorcycle accident in 1966 which took him out of the limelight until 1969. Around that time, Sam Peckinpah asked him to compose the score and appear in his film, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid". This would be the only the beginning of a long and continuing relationship with Hollywood and filmmaking.

10. Grammy Time

In 1974, Bob Dylan and The Band hit the road to promote their first number one album, "Planet Waves". The next year they had another chart-topper with the release of, "Blood on the Tracks". He followed that with several Rolling Thunder tours, a film called, "Renaldo and Clara" and then stunned the music world with the release of his fundamentalist Christian album, "Slow Train Coming". A song from this album garnered him his first Grammy.

11. Pope On The Red Line

In May 1997, he was stricken with histaplasmosis, a possibly fatal infection of the heart sac, but recovered to take on a tour of Europe. He kicked off the trip by September, starting off in Rome by special request of the Pope.

12. In Their Father's Footsteps?

His son Jakob Dylan has made a good time semi-emulating his infamous father with his own band, The Wallflowers. However, his Jesse Dylan has taken a slightly altered route to stardom, opting for the glamour of Tinsletown. His first major directing gig is about to be released, "American Pie 3". Jesse also directed a film called, "How High" and appears with a special thanks credit on "The Matrix Revisited".

13. Albums Of The Year

He is truly legendary, his 1997 album, "Time Out of Mind" and his 2001 album "Love and Theft" were both voted Album of the Year by the Village Voice's annual critics' poll. Seems like a no-brainer to us.

14. Hollywood Hit List

He has composed and recorded songs or had his recorded songs used in the following films:

Gods & Generals

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Vanilla Sky

Bandits

Blow

Remember the Titans

High Fidelity

Wonder Boys

The Hurricane

American Beauty

Hope Floats

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The Big Lebowski

Jerry Maguire

Breaking the Waves

With Honors

Dogfight

Band of the Hand

American Pop

Renaldo and Clara

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

15. Jack Fate

The small $10 million dollar film, "Masked & Anonymous" was directed by veteran TV comedy director, Larry Charles, who has also helmed shows for, "Mad About You", "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm".

He appeared on the TV show, "Dharma & Greg" playing himself. When he met Conan O'Brien at a recent concert, Bob was quoted as saying, "I know you from the TeeVee."

16. Award Monger

He has received numerous awards of note, including: The Polar Music Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 2000, The Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France in 1990, an honorary doctorate from Princeton University in 1970 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Bruce Springteen at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel in 1988.

17. The Missing Beatle?

He appears on the sleeve of the Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club".

At the famous "Johnny Cash at San Quentin" concert, Johnny Cash introduced a song he co-wrote with Dylan by describing his as "the greatest writer of our times."

To read more articles by Chad, visit the American Pop Culture Encyclopedia at: American Pop Culture Encyclopedia.

If you would like to read this article, or others like it, on American Pop Culture Encyclopedia, please visit:
Bob Dylan

The whole advent of reality TV has changed the way people do TV viewing. It has come across a lot of aspects- from beauty, face, body, room, house make-overs, to big brother fame, to match-making type, psychological therapy kind, adventure/race-to-win sort, to talent searches. Talent searches include singing competitions where they look for top caliber singers that could be the next sensations in the not-so-distant future. Music-based reality TV shows have their share on the entire reality TV fad-there's Dream Academy, RockStar:INXS and the follow-up RockStar, and American Idol, to name a few.

We see the actuality from all the hopefuls who have achieved their hopes. Take American Idol as the best example, since it has been the most-watched television show ever since it sprouted seven years ago. In American Idol, even if you're only one of the finalists, it still grants you full access towards the fulfilment of your musical dreams. Without a doubt, you're life is changed if America (and the rest of the world) voted you as the American Idol. Even the hopelessly pathetic (as Simon Cowell describes them) gets their fifteen minutes of fame, and further celebrity status (who would not forget William Hung?). We see the mediocre, those with too much attitude, and of course those with pure talent flood the audition sites to get the golden ticket, or just to see their faces on TV. The reality of it also seems to get more and more scripted each season, adding more amusingly annoying ones for the sake of entertainment, and even letting some get to Hollywood. Remember the crazy barefooted guy in Season Five? Well, it shows that it's not only about the three judges' decisions, the producers have a say on who would be in to Hollywood or who would be out, depending on who can provide higher ratings.

American Idol indeed brought a big wave in the face of television, and the music industry. Kelly Clarkson became the first American Idol, and since then she has graced her way towards top hits, number one chart spots, multiple album certifications, and the most coveted Grammys. Reuben Studdard was capped the second American Idol, which also led to his own musical career. Runner-up Clay Aiken also became successful as an artist, even becoming the first American Idol contestant to have a U.S. Hot 100 number one single. Season three gave way for even more flourishing careers, the most flourishing so far. Fantasia Barrino was professionally identified as "Fantasia" and finalist Jennifer Hudson has reached the utmost achievements for not only excelling in singing, but also in acting. She received a Golden Globe award, and a "Best Supporting Actress" trophy from the most superior award-giving body in American cinema, the Academy Awards.

Season four brought to fame Carrie Underwood, with singles reaching #1 spots on the Billboard charts, achieving towering record sales and platinum certifications, and like Clarkson, garnering a Grammy of her own. Bo Vice also has his share of success, with RIAA platinum certification for his album. Season five yielded Taylor Hicks as the next American Idol, who has his own number one spot at Billboard Hot 100 and a certified gold album. Runner-up Katharine MacPhee has continually spreading MacPheever in the music business. Chris Daughtry also has an album on his own, which has been doing well in the charts and record sales.

And who would have forgotten the last seasons talent war between Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis. Reigning as the current American Idol, Jordin Sparks has achieved her dreams at a very young age of 17.

Now Season Seven is set to find talented-dreamers that would be the next Americas favorite. Many hopes that they could snatch a glimpse of success while other dreamers are determined and want even more. A new bunch of visionaries are on their way to fame to take the spot of the next America Idol. Who would it be?

Bienvenido David is an active contributor of the Music Blog. He is also an online retailer of Magic Mic and Magazine Subscription

The high profile ebook reading device from Amazon called the Kindle has caught the attention of readers. But then the gadget's cost, ranging from $350 to $400, gives people pause. This product review will introduce you to the features of the Kindle and my opinions about its strengths and weaknesses.

What the Kindle can do

The Kindle is an ebook reading device about the size of a paperback book. With a screen using e-ink display technology, it allows you to comfortably read digital text in both sunlight and artificial light. The screen refresh rate when you advance an ebook page is faster than turning a paper page. Depending on whether you use the Kindle's internal memory or add memory cards, you can store dozens to hundreds of ebooks and audio books.

If you like audio books, then the Kindle is a great device because it has an internal speaker for direct listening to audio books. Or, it can be plugged into headphones or external speakers, like in your car. Because the mp3 files for audio books are larger than ebooks, you'll need memory cards if you plan to load the device with more than a couple audio titles.

In addition to ebooks and audio books, the Kindle can access numerous newspaper and magazine publications and blogs.

A leading capability of the Kindle is wireless shopping. Right now, it has immediate wireless access to the Amazon store in the United States. Purchases can be made and content loaded onto the Kindle without using a computer.

The strengths of the Kindle

Overall, the physical characteristics of the Kindle are ergonomically comfortable. The page turning buttons operate smoothly and can be easily used by all sizes of hands. The power usage of the device is conservative, and depending on your reading habits, you can easily expect to go one or two weeks without needing to charge it.

The large content selection through Amazon for its device is also a strength. With thousands of ebooks, audio books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs wirelessly available to users, you will not lack for easily accessible media.

Also note that the wireless service has no ongoing cell phone charges. Your costs of operating the Kindle will be determined by how much content you buy for it.

The weaknesses of the Kindle

Being a first generation device, the Kindle is not perfect. In my opinion the user interface was hard to understand and the menus were cumbersome to use. For example, when browsing through the table of contents of an ebook, I found it somewhat hard to line up the menu cursor with the headings.

I have noted that the mechanical parts are comfortable to use, but I did not always agree with their placement. The right side only has a control to advance the page while the left side has controls to advance the page or return to the previous page. Therefore, to turn a page back you are forced to use your left hand. I think that page forward and back controls should be on both sides of the device. Adding to my confusion was a control labeled "Back" on the right side, which I would hit in error trying to go back a page. This control actually took me back to a different menu.

Another general complaint made by many users about the Kindle is the proprietary format of the ebooks from Amazon. The device is meant to steer you to make purchases from only Amazon. This is understandable from the company's point of view, but it does mean that ebooks bought through Amazon can only be viewed on their device. If you decide in the future to buy an ebook reading device from another company, thenyou would not have access on that new non-Kindle device to any ebooks you purchased from Amazon.

Although designed to be an Amazon device, the Kindle can actually be used to read ebooks from other sources. A USB cable will connect the device to your computer where you could load ebooks in the widely available Mobipocket format (unencrypted files only) or plain text files.

Conclusion

The Kindle presents you with a quality device for reading ebooks along with other media. Although not perfect, especially with a user interface that often left me befuddled, it still performs its purpose well. A final consideration is the seller of the device. Amazon is a large company with a huge content selection, and, very importantly, an excellent reputation for customer service.

This product review was written by Tracy Falbe, author of The Rys Chronicles epic fantasy series. She invites you to download her free fantasy ebook Union of Renegades at http://www.braveluck.com where, among other formats, a Kindle-compatible Mobipocket version is available.

Are you a sports TV junkie? Do your Sundays consist of watching football from 1:00 until midnight? Is the NCAA basketball tournament a 4 week holiday at your home? Do you spend evenings glued to the local sports network, cheering on all of your favorite teams night after night?

If so then you owe it to yourself to add a new Samsung HD LCD TV to your home. A new Samsung flat LCD will allow you to enjoy your sports in beautiful, crystal clear high definition. If your local market has a HD sports network then you will be able to enjoy just about every game in HD.

Samsung HD LCD TV sales have been going through the roof in recent months and with good reason as quality continues to rise and prices continue to drop. The following are 5 reasons why a Samsung flat LCD is a great choice for watching sports.

1. Smoother motion - Sports viewing in particular places a higher importance on smoother motion due to the fast moving scenes common in most sporting events. The handling of motion was previously perceived as a weakness among LCD technology. As LCD technology has improved in this area, Samsung HD LCD TV technology has really taken major strides forward in the area of motion with the addition of 120Hz starting with their Series 5 (LNxxA550) models. The 120Hz models add Auto Motion Plus, or AMP which provides image interpolation for smoother motion.

2. Great response rates - Another major improvement that Samsung flat LCD TVs have added starting with their Series 5 TVs is a substantially lower (better) response rate that dropped from 8ms, which is common among LCDs, down to 4ms. This improvement in response time will also help create a smooth picture even during times of fast motion.

3. Brightness - One of the big drawing points of LCD as a whole as well as specifically with a Samsung HD LCD TV is the brightness of the screen which will allow you to view the TV even in areas with a lot of ambient light from inside or outside of the room. This is especially important for sports because often times you will have friends over for the big game and you more then likely don't typically don't turn the lights off like you might if you were watching a movie.

4. Vivid colors - Sports viewing is often times a chance to view a wide variety of bright colors. Just think of college football with the contrasting uniform colors and bright colors throughout the crowd. A Samsung HD LCD TV does a great job of reproducing these bright, vivid colors while at the same time displaying accurate skin tones due to better clear panel technology.

5. Ultra wide viewing angles - If you like to have friends over for the big game it is important that each of your guests is able to have a good view of the game. A Samsung flat LCD has an ultra wide viewing angle of 178 degrees which will allow you a good view even if you are sitting off to the side.

A Samsung HD LCD TV is a sports lovers dream. There are many different models available with various features in a wide variety of sizes, whether you are looking for a small 22" model for your bedroom or even better a 52" inch for your living room wall or your home theater/game room.

For more information about the popular Samsung flat LCD tvs as well as a review of some of the other best LCD flat panels stop by http://www.familyhometheaterguide.com

Call a Public Adjuster to evaluate your claim!

A public adjuster (PA) is an adjuster that assists an insured who has had a loss in the preparation and presentation of the insurance claim. PAs perform very valuable services to the insured by consulting with the insured on options available in their recovery, filling out forms, helping prepare inventory lists, preparing estimates on structural damages, helping to find you a temporary place to live if you're home is too damaged to live in, assisting in negotiations for settlement...and many more vital functions.

Public Adjusters work only on losses that involve property, such as homes, businesses and public buildings. Those are called "first party property claims."

If you have a loss to your property that was caused by someone else, that is called a "third party property claim." An example is when a vehicle runs into a dwelling, causing damage. In some situations, PAs will accept clients for third party losses. However, PAs cannot directly negotiate a third part claim. They can either advise the client as to the extent and value of the third party loss, or work with an attorney in presenting the claim.

Public Adjusters do not handle Bodily Injury (Casualty) losses, such as happen in an automobile accident. For assistance in those kinds of losses, consult a personal injury attorney.

There's an easy way to understand the function of a Public Adjuster. Compare them to an attorney in a lawsuit, or a Certified Public Accountant or tax preparer when filing your tax forms with the Internal Revenue Service.

Let me ask you some questions:

If someone filed suit against you, would you represent yourself in court? Or, would you just call the plaintiff and say, "You've already got a lawyer. Why don't we just use yours?" Neither choice protects you, does it?

Would you allow the IRS to prepare your tax return for you? If you did, would you expect the IRS to do its best to find every tax deduction for you so that you paid the least tax or got the biggest refund?

Do you file your own tax returns, or do you hire a tax preparation professional to prepare your tax return on your behalf?

Do you hire a tax professional because:

1. You don't have time to do it yourself?
2. The IRS has written a tax code that is too complicated for a normal person to understand?
3. You usually get a larger refund, or smaller tax liability, when you use a professional...because the professional finds more deductions for you?
4. The fee you pay is usually far less than the additional money you save?

OK then...you've just found comparable reasons to use Public Adjusters.

1. You need your own experts to help you file your claim.
2. Policies are written by the insurance companies and are usually complicated and hard to understand. These policies are known as "contracts of adhesion," because they inherently benefit the author of the contract, the insurance companies.
3. Many people are not willing to take the time to learn about their policies and learn the claims process.
4. Some people are too busy with work, and family, and life, to handle their own claim...especially in the turmoil immediately after a significantly large claim.
5. Public Adjusters usually help the policyholder collect hundreds or even thousands more dollars when the policyholder submits a claim. Their fees are a very small percentage of the amount of the settlement.

PAs usually have to be licensed adjusters, and are usually regulated by the Insurance Department of your state. Some states have special licenses for Public Adjusters. Call your state's Insurance Department office to find out more information about what Public Adjusters can do in your state. You'll find contact information for the Insurance Commissioners for all US states in the Appendix of the book.

Many of the people on the insurance company side take it very personally when a policyholder hires a public adjuster. Many truly believe that the policyholder should just trust the insurance company and adjuster to do the right thing, and not ever question them.

Adjusters and insurance company personnel sometimes play games with their own policyholders when the insured hires a PA. I've heard claims examiners refuse to speak with the insured by phone, telling the insured that, now that they are represented, all conversations have to go through the PA.

However, there's nothing in your policy that states that. Public Adjusters are not attorneys, and the attorney/client relationship is not the same as the relationship between an insured and a Public Adjuster. If your adjuster or insurance company examiner tries to pull that stunt, he's just doing it to delay and cause you problems. Call his supervisor or call the Department of Insurance.

Isn't this amazing? The insurance company writes the policy, makes the rules hard to understand, and then gets mad at you when you hire someone to help you submit a claim. This would be like the Internal Revenue Service getting mad at you because you hired an accountant to help you prepare your tax return.

But it still happens, even though it makes no sense.

The environment is changing, though. Following the hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005, a newfound respect has grown within the insurance community regarding the value and professionalism of an accredited, licensed Public Adjuster.

Why do you think that the insurance companies and adjusters are not happy when you hire Public Adjusters? There's one big reason. Usually, when a PA is involved, the dollar amount of the claim is higher than a claim without a PA.

When I first got into the claims adjusting field, the "old timers" told me horror stories about public adjuster. They told me how crooked they were, and how they grossly inflated the repair or replacement costs in claims. They told me stories of how PAs were liars and cheats and totally dishonest.

Yet, in my experience dealing with PAs in claims, from homeowner losses to large apartment building fires, to commercial and business losses, I have not met one public adjuster that I didn't like as a person. I have not met a public adjuster who acted in an unprofessional manner. I have not met a public adjuster who wasn't trying his best to make sure that his client...the policyholder who had a loss...got every dollar that was owed to them by the insurance company.

Public adjusters usually represent a client on a contingency basis. That simply means that they help present the claim documents to the insurance company and receive a percentage of the total amount of the insurance proceeds. The average percentage nationwide is 10%. The major incentive that makes the PA work hard is to help the insured get a larger settlement from the insurance company than the insured could have gotten by himself.

The PA is motivated to maximize your claim and expedite the claim adjustment process. It is a balance of making sure that the claim is packaged as completely as possible so you collect every dollar you are entitled to collect without creating unnecessary disputes with the insurance carrier. The PA does not charge for his services until after the claim is paid to you, so they are motivated to get it settled as quickly as possible. Their fee is usually all inclusive, with no additional out-of-pocket expenses. Most established Public adjusting firms can show you how their fee is absorbed in the adjustment process.

You should know that fees are negotiable with PAs. I've seen PA firms agree to substantial discounts from their standard 10% fee on huge commercial losses, and I regularly see 10% contracts on dwelling and small commercial losses. Caveat emptor...let the buyer beware. Just be aware that if the PA plunks down a contract in front of you with a blank space where the fee percentage is supposed to be, DON'T SIGN IT!! Negotiate the fee you're willing to pay BEFORE signing the contract. Then let your attorney review it before you sign.

Some state's Department of Insurance regulations cover Public Adjuster fees, and the maximum amounts they can charge for their services. I don't think that's any of the State's business. For the most part, states do not regulate the fees that independent adjusters charge the insurance companies. Why regulate PA fees? I believe that the policy holder and the PA should be able to set whatever fee they can agree upon.

Regardless of my opinion, you need to check with your state's Department of Insurance for this information if you're considering hiring a PA.

You've heard of personal injury attorneys being called "ambulance chasers?" Well, sometimes PAs have to be "fire truck chasers." It is quite normal for PAs to listen in to fire and police scanners and follow the fire trucks out to the location of the fire. It is quite normal for PAs to go door to door in a tornado or hurricane damaged area and solicit business. There is nothing wrong with this, since it may be the only way to contact victims after a fire or windstorm. That being said, the PA should always be professional, respecting your time and your personal situation.

A professional public adjuster can offer valuable assistance in the preparation of your claim, or even represent you in the presentation of the claim. Hiring a PA early in the claim process can help control the situation and quickly begin the recovery process. The PA can control over-zealous restoration contractors and pushy adjusters. The PA can accelerate and smooth the claim process by walking through the loss with the insurance company's adjuster so they agree on the scope of the loss. This one process can make a huge difference in how quickly your claim is settled, and many times, prevent disputes later on. You may decide that, in your situation, it makes sense to hire a PA in the first 24 hours after your loss.

If you wish to consider hiring a public adjuster, you should treat them just like you treat the adjuster and contractor. Call two or three public adjusters. Meet them, go over the details of your claim, and listen to their proposal of how they are going to represent you.

Get referrals of satisfied customers with phone numbers that you can call and verify. Then, spend the time checking them out. Call the Better Business Bureau about them. Find out if they have a good reputation.

Once you've checked them out, and if you want to retain a PA, hire the one who checks out best.

Remember what I told you in Chapter Six, "Should I Get a Lawyer?" Don't sign anything without having your attorney review the document FIRST. But, having said that, remember that there may be many things that need immediate attention, like contents removal, emergency board-up, and temporary family accommodations. This means that you should get your PA contract in front of your attorney immediately!

If you've hired a Public Adjuster, you should treat him just the same as the insurance company adjuster. See Chapter Four, Don't Be In A Hurry, with regard to writing down everything you discuss with him. Keep an accurate record of the date and time of all of your conversations, and what was discussed. Record the conversations if possible.

Insist that the PA give you copies of every document he generates on your behalf. Insist on copies of all letters and correspondences between the PA and the adjuster or insurance company.

Your PA will likely have you sign an assignment form, in which you agree to have the PA's name placed on the settlement checks along with yours.

There are only six states in the USA that require the PA to be included as a payee on an insurance company settlement check: Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Wyoming, Illinois and Kentucky. That means that if the insurance company doesn't want to be cooperative and place the PA's name on the check, they might not be cooperative unless the law requires them to do so.

In summary, the Public Adjuster will do most of the things for you that are found in this book regarding proper documentation and submission of your claim.

REMEMBER THIS IMPORTANT POINT!!

You can do all of the things that a Public Adjuster does on your behalf if you'll follow the steps I've written in this book. This will require a lot of work on your part. If you follow my recommendations, you will assuredly collect hundreds or even thousands more dollars in your claim settlement. However, in my opinion, you will collect even more money from your insurance company when you use the services of a Public Adjuster.

For those of you who do not want to expend the effort to handle your own claim from start to finish, and are willing to pay someone to do these tasks for you, then a professional Public Adjuster will perform a tremendous service for you.

Finally, I recommend that you check out the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (www.napia.com) for a listing of accredited public adjusting firms in your state. At the website, you'll find helpful links, articles of interest, and information on how individual public adjusters are licensed and accredited through the organization.

Copyright 2008 by Russell D. Longcore

P.S. I wrote a book that YOU need!

check out: http://www.insurance-claim-secrets.com

NUMBER ONE at Amazon.com in its category!

My blog is at: http://insurance-claim-secrets.blogspot.com/

Nominated for Georgia Author of the Year Award 2008

Today, many people are wondering if leasing or purchasing is the best when it comes to new cars. Both leasing and buying have wonderful advantages as well as their own disadvantages.

No matter if you plan to lease or purchase you will be more than likely making monthly payments. Leasing does give you a bit of relief in that your payments will be lower than if you were purchasing, however, you will never own the car. If you purchase, your monthly payment will be higher, but you will own the car after all your payments are complete.

You may hear that leasing is better by some of your family or friends and then you will hear some that buying is better. Before you make your own decision, you should learn the similarities and difference of both options.

When you decide to purchase a car, most people have to apply for a loan. Not too many people have enough cash lying around to pay for a brand new car; therefore, they apply for a loan. The loan consists of two charges, the principal charge and the finance charge. The principal charge is the total value of the car and the finance charge is the interest that is placed on the loan. You should shop around and find the best possible interest rate before applying for a car loan; you may find that you can receive lower monthly payment through your own bank than with the car dealership.

Remember, when you are making monthly payments to purchase a car, the car is yours as long as your make your payment. You can travel any place you would like to go and make any additions that you would like to your car or other customizations. It is your car unless you default on the loan and then the car can be repossessed by the loan company that gave you the loan to purchase the car.

There are a couple of disadvantages to purchasing a new car. Your monthly payment will be higher than leasing, is the number one disadvantage and the other is that you will have to sell the car if you do not want the car any longer.

When leasing a car you will have to make monthly payments that consist of two charges, a depreciation charge and a finance charge. The depreciation charge is the price that the car has gone down in price while you were using the car, this will give the dealership compensation for the depreciation value that you used. The finance charge is of course the interest that you are paying on the term of the lease.

When you lease a car, you will never become owner of the car. You cannot make any additions or customizations to the car. You cannot sell the car or trade it in if you get tired of it. If you decide to take it back and the lease is not up, you will have stiff penalties to pay. You will also not be able to go any place you like. When you are leasing a car, you are given a certain amount of miles that you are allowed to drive during the term of your lease. If you go over the amount of miles specified then you will have to pay for every mile that you go over the original amount.

The short-term advantages of leasing are of course the fact that the monthly lease payment is quite a bit cheaper than monthly payments for purchasing. A matter of fact the payments are between 30 to 60 percent lower than most loan payments.

However when it comes to long-term advantages purchasing wins hands down, if you do not plan on keeping the leased car after the term of the lease. If you plan on returning the car at the end of the term of the lease and leasing another car, of course, you will end up paying more in the long run. You will own your car after you have paid off your loan, however, with a leased car you will have to lease another one and another one compared to driving the same owned car over the same amount of time.

Making this decision is a personal one and if you prefer to drive a new car quite often, then leasing will give you this chance even if you will never own the car. You can always sport around in a brand new car.

Dennis is the owner of Car Quote and Car Dealer Check two sites dedicated to make car buying easy.

So you are thinking of a refinancing car loan to make your payments more affordable. Did you know that not only will it make the payments less, but in the long run it can save you money in interest if done correctly?

If you have purchased a new or used car in the last couple of years, you know that the excitement of purchasing a vehicle can sometimes overwhelm you. Instead of focusing on the interest rate and trying to get the lowest one possible, some people are so caught up in the moment that they end up with a higher rate than they could have gotten.

Rates vary from dealer to dealer and state to state. Some consumers have reported getting an interest rate of almost 19 percent, which is ludicrous, even in a bad economy or with bad credit. The interest rate is very dependent on several factors, including your credit score, the price of the vehicle you are purchasing, and how long you are financing it. It also depends on how much effort you put into shopping around for the best rates!

There are several options available to help you to reduce your interest rates. A second chance finance offer can lower your interest rate by a significant percentage. Refinancing car loan payments can make sense if you think about the long-range advantages as well as the current ones. Yes, you will have a lower payment but you can also save thousands on interest depending on the price of your car.

As an example, consider a car loan financed for 84 months at 12.6 percent. If you can get your interest rate lowered to even 8.99 percent and a year cut off the financing time, a savings of over $7600 in interest payments are realized. Now this is really when a refinancing car loan makes sense. Remember, you are no longer financing the entire brand new cost of the car, but only the outstanding balance where you have already reduced that balance from the payments you have been making to date.

The good news is that not only do you save money on interest but when your car is paid off, it will have a higher value than if you had not gotten the year cut off the financing time. Another year of wear and tear on the vehicle makes the value go down, so in reality it would be worth less than if you paid it off a year earlier.

Typically a typical finance rate on a 60-month loan is 8.99 percent with decent credit. However, with nine cuts in ten months by the Federal Reserve Board, who knows what the typical rate is going to be today or tomorrow. One thing that does tell you though; now is the time for a refinancing car loan.

When considering your refinancing car loan options, be sure to consider how the interest rate on the loan you have now is calculated. If it is a simple interest loan, you are being charged interest everyday on the balance of the loan.

Can you pay your car off early or is there a prepayment penalty for this? This is one thing of many factors you need to know about your finance company. Even if you do not have good or excellent credit, you can apply for a refinance. If you refinance, is your state going to charge you a fee for changing the name of the lender on the title of the car? Some states do and some finance companies pay this while others do not.

It just makes good economic sense to check into a refinancing car loan. If you only save $500, that is money that you can use on other things in this day and age, like maybe, gasoline.

For more information and additional insights about a Refinancing Car Loan as well as getting a free online refinance car loan quote, please visit our web site at http://www.car-loan-resources.com/car-loan-refinancing.php

Many smart consumers are wisely opting for pre approved auto loans when purchasing a car and there are several reasons why they are taking this route. Buying a new or used vehicle can be complicated but arranging financing should be quite straightforward. This article will explain the benefits which can be gleaned from a auto loan that is approved in advance when shopping around for the best interest rate and terms to finance your new purchase.

1. By being aware of how much you can borrow and the duration of the loan, in advance of going to the dealer, you are clearly placing yourself in the drivers seat. This will do away with any hidden costs and uncertainty which may arise when you try to arrange your auto loan through the dealership from where you are buying the car.

2. You can walk into the dealership, with your preapproved auto loan safely in place, which in turn will allow you to choose the car you want and at the same time negotiate the best price, as a 'cash buyer'. You can also take advantage of any other offers the dealer may present to you. Best of all you will not have to sacrifice such offers in order to secure a lower interest rate. Let's face it; the dealer never gives you both great interest rates and special offers at the same time!

3. You can eliminate over extending yourself and stay within your budget. Pre approved auto loans make you aware of exactly how much you have to spend and you cannot overstep the amount of the loan. This discourages you from making a purchase which is really out of your financial reach.

4. Another great advantage is that you will essentially be a 'cash buyer'. So you will not have to dicker a around or come up with a deposit payment for your new car, as you are paying the total price of the car at the time of purchase.

5. By arranging your auto loan prior to going into the car dealers and taking each part of buying your new vehicle a step at a time, you are less likely to get involved in a quickly closed deal on a car you do not really want. You are less likely to completely lose your sense of good judgment just because the salesman is good at his job and has got you so excited at the prospect of owning a new car.

When looking for a new car a and auto loan, it pays to shop around and do a little research of your own. The finding and comparing of a few auto loan quotes online will save you money and time, it is easy, fast and secure. You could try your local bank, or make an application on line in minutes. Applying for a pre-approved auto loan is a simple and efficient method of financing your new or used car purchase and getting the most benefits.

Get More information on getting the best auto loans quotes click here Apply Online For Auto Loans Also go to http://e-BestAutoLoans.Com where you will find valuable information and articles on auto loans online, best auto loans, new and used auto loans, refinancing auto loans and more...

There's a good chance that at some point you're going to have to apply for an automotive loan, also known as a car loan. Auto financing has grown into one of the largest loan industries in the world today.

With the cost of new cars and trucks on the market today, it's perfectly understandable why a person would likely need to finance their new vehicle. Of course, depending upon your credit score and the car or truck that you want to buy you might find it a bit difficult to find the automotive loan that you want with an interest rate that you can afford.

With a little bit of careful shopping and comparing of interest rates and loan terms it should be very easy to determine which automotive loan is right for you. Below you'll find some basic tips to assist you in your search for a car loan.

Determine how much you can afford

The first thing that you should do when looking for a new car or truck is to determine exactly how much you can afford to spend, and how much you'll need to borrow. The initial down payment that you make will affect both your interest rate and monthly payment, so you should put forth as much of an initial payment as you can.

After you've decided exactly how much you can afford to spend on your initial down payment, you should also figure out how much you can afford to spend on your monthly payments. If you might be cutting it close to not having enough money for a certain monthly payment, it would be best to cut back on the amount you think you can afford so as not to cause any financial problems down the line.

Choosing the right car or truck

Once you've started looking for your car or truck, there are a few things that you should be on the lookout for so as to avoid problems with your financing later.

If you're going to apply for automotive financing, you should look at the new and used cars and trucks that are for sale from automotive dealers... lenders are much more likely to grant you a loan for a car or truck that's purchased from a dealer than from an individual because of the assurances that a dealer can provide that the transaction is legal and legitimate. In addition, automotive dealers carry a much larger selection than most individuals would have access to.

Shopping for the best car loans

When you've found a car or truck that's in good shape and is priced so that you can afford the payments, it's time to start shopping for your loan. So as to find the best interest rate for your loan, it's important to consider all of your options when looking for a lender... visit your local banks, finance companies, and even some online lenders so as to compare the interest rates that each offers.

Get quotes for both interest rates and loan terms, since some lenders may offer better repayment terms than others, and compare them individually in order to find your best deal.

Once you've found your best loan offer with the best interest rate, go ahead and submit your application for financing... make sure that you keep your next best offer on hand, though, just in case there is some problem with the lender or the dealership and you aren't able to get the first loan that you apply for.

Bill Stone writes for Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Recently a survey in UK proves that half of the total car loans taken are subprime auto loans. These loans are easier to get than prime loans. These loans avail credit to the borrowers easily. Subprime auto loans are offered to those with low credit score. If your score is below 620 in the FICO credit scores, you are eligible for this loan. Check your credit rating from Equifax, Trans union and Experian also. It is better to keep a copy of your report.

These loans are the only way to purchase a car if you have a poor credit rating and do not have enough finance to purchase a car. There are bad and dishonest lenders in the loan market. If the lender asks for prepayment penalties do not borrow from him. Car loans and secured loans do not need any prepayments. Forceful arbitration is a sign of a dishonest lender. Adding 1%-4% of the amount of the loan in fees or points is normal. Predatory lenders can double the charges for you.

Subprime Auto loans can be find easily but getting a cheaper loan deal is little hard. The best way to get a reasonable loan rate is to shop around. Log on to internet and apply on different loaning websites. You can ask for free quotes from the lenders. Compare the interest rate and the loan term and you can take help of the loan calculators in calculating loan terms and interest rate. Then you can apply for the cheap deal and enjoy the car at low interest rate.

These loans are for the poor credit people. So it is obvious that the rate of interest will be high for this loan. If you shop around you can get a cheaper deal. But it is better to take a car which is affordable. Remember that you will have to repay the loan amount so think wisely before applying for the loan.

Kalvin Jason is proficient in the credit market because of a degree in finance from the esteemed University of Oxford. He has also done his masters in insurance management from the Risk Management Research Institute.To find online car loans, best car loans, quick car loans visit http://www.driversamerica.com

Did you know that Alberta Health does not pay for the extras, such as TV and telephone while we are in hospital and personal items such as wheelchairs, prescriptions or special treatments when we are out?

Thousands of Canadians are seeing the need to supplement their provincial health plans with a private one that will support them and their families should the unforeseen happen. Most group insurance plans are limited to the basic medical expenses and hospital care and may not cover your everyday needs. Alberta Health and group plans do not help with your mortgage, heat, lights, food or clothing expenses.

Am I really telling you something you did not already know? Probably not, just something you did not want to address at this time. Be aware that you have to have insurance before the situation arises that you require the need.

Self-employed people are on his or her own when it comes to getting financial help due to accident or sickness. In this instance, Alberta Health pays exactly the same for everyone, but the extras are what need to be provided for. If you cannot work, you more than likely will have no money coming in. You and your family still need to live until you can get back on your feet. Disability can be a factor as well. Whether it is short term or long term will make a difference as to the plans available to you.

Your health could become a factor as well. Fortunately medical science today allows us to function under the strain of the diseases that are becoming rampant in our society, such as diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, etc. Unfortunately, living with diseases limits our working capabilities and can be expensive to fund the medications.

When you have a house fire, you will lose some, if not all of your possessions, which includes your house. Replacing them is costly, if not impossible. Therefore fire insurance is a necessity as well. Did you know that fire insurance policies do not normally cover you, the person or your family, just your possessions?

Looking for low cost auto insurance is a nightmare! Finding out after the accident is not a good time to discover that your policy did not cover that. It can be detrimental to your finances and possibly your livelihood.

Getting affordable insurance coverage, regardless whether it is accident, sickness, disability, health, auto or fire requires a guide to map out different companies, different coverage, different rates, and different amounts. Without this guide you could be wandering around in the dark, hoping against hope that you will eventually come out into the light. Being able to compare all the necessary information to provide coverage for your needs and wants is invaluable. With our help you will be able to make an educated decision that will work for you and most importantly your family.

http://www.insurancehelpingyou.com provides detailed information about various insurance products.

Do you consider the cost of insurance before you buy your dream car? You should. The Highway Loss Data Institute analyzes the cost to insurance companies from theft, collision, and injury claims as they relate to cars. They look at the color of the cars, how many doors they have, and even break them down type.

The Highway Loss Data Institute is a nonprofit public service organization. It is closely associated with and funded through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is wholly supported by auto insurers. HLDI gathers, processes, and publishes data on the ways losses vary among different kinds of vehicles. http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl.htm

4- Door cars have a 93% less chance of having a claim related to theft than their sibling 2-Door cars. Buy a Buick LeSabre and have relatively no chance of a theft loss. Compare that to the convertible Chevrolet Corvette that has over 5 times the average theft rate. You may have known that. However, did you know that the Toyota Celica has a 67% higher chance of theft than the Toyota Camry?

In addition, even though the 2002 Lexus IS 300 gets a "best pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its performance on crash tests, previous years' models of the same car are some of the most costly in terms of collision claims. "One of the factors that come into play there is the cost of repairing an expensive vehicle," says Russ Rader, with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

What about safety? You may be surprised at some of the results. For example, the Porsche 911 has a 67% less chance for injury claims than the norm. Go figure. The Mitsubishi Lancer has almost double the injury claim rate over the norm.

Where does you car fit for injury theft and collision? What about your dream car? Take a look at this run down based on 2000-2002 HLDI data:

Models that are among the most expensive for theft claims include:

Cadillac Escalade four-wheel drive

Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

Lincoln Navigator four-wheel drive

Jeep Cherokee four-door

BMW 3 series Convertible

Models that are among the least expensive for theft claims include:

Buick LeSabre

Buick Park Avenue

Volvo V70 Station Wagon

Mercury Grand Marquis four-door

Models that are among the most expensive for injury claims include:

Suzuki Esteem four-door

Kia Rio four-door

Mitsubishi Mirage two-door

Kia Sepectra four-door

Models that are among the least expensive for injury claims include:

GMC Sierra 2500 two-wheel drive

Chevrolet Silverado 2500

GMC Yukon XL 1500 four-wheel drive

GMC Sierra 2500 four-wheel drive

Chevrolet Tahoe two-wheel drive

Models that are among the most expensive for collision claims include:

Subaru Impreza WRX four-wheel drive four-door

Lexus IS 300 4 door

Hyundai Tiburon two-door

Porsche 911 Coupe

Acura RSX

Models that are among the least expensive for collision claims include:

Ford Excursion two-wheel drive

GMC Safari four-wheel drive

GMC Sierra 2500

GMC Yukon XL 1500 four-wheel drive

Source: The Highway Loss Data Institute

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Jon Register is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728.

CarInsurance.com's online insurance marketplace gives an opportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer the ability to shop for car insurance online.

Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don't have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online...anytime!