Jasele Oita's Blog A weblog about everything

September 29, 2009

Genworth CFO seeing mortgage insurance market improving

Filed under: Finance — admin @ 5:42 pm

While the market for mortgage insurance might have taken a tumble in recent months, Reuters reports that Genworth’s Chief Financial Officer Patrick Kelleher believes that the market is going to be on the upswing in the near future.

Homeowners lured by overly low subprime mortgage rates caused mortgage insurers to take a massive hit in the last 18 months. But current mortgage rates have stabilized, lessening the chances of homeowners defaulting on their mortgages and having to foreclose and of mortgage insurers having to pay out hefty premiums to lenders.

"The value proposition of mortgage insurance has become more clear than ever," Kelleher said at an investor meeting held in New York by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.

"We are encouraged by some of the dynamics in the mortgage insurance market," he added, after a nationwide contraction in the wake of the U.S. housing market downturn.

All Breakers specializes in hard-to-find circuit breakers including cutler hammer breakers, electrical distribution and control equipment.

September 28, 2009

Preventing Tooth Discoloration

Filed under: Health — admin @ 5:21 pm

There are some people who turn to cosmetic dentistry to repair discoloration and other damage to teeth that might have been avoided by changing a few lifestyle habits. There are certain things that we do that can exacerbate the need for bleaching and even porcelain veneers.

Minimize the deeply colored foods and beverages you indulge in. This includes tea, coffee, red wine, and carrots. Citrus and other acidic foods can also erode the enamel on your teeth, making the yellowish core material more visible.

Cosmetic dentists will also tell you that smoking leaves discoloration on your teeth that is hard to remove. The brown deposits that are left are actually absorbed by the tooth, leaving intrinsic stains.

While grinding your teeth in itself doesn’t cause stains, it can make them more prone to discoloration. Micro-fractures can occur through grinding, meaning there are more places for debris and stains to collect.

September 25, 2009

American Home Insurance Association Wants Policy Holders to Make Smart Choices

Filed under: Insurance — admin @ 11:09 am

The American Home Insurance Association has launched a new initiative designed to let homeowners know how important it is to take advantage of the many opportunities to get a home owner insurance quote and see for themselves the types of savings that are available on the open market.

“There are too many people making false economies,” said spokesperson Adam Schwartz. “Sure, times are tough and it’s hard to keep up the installments, but too many people are reducing the amount of their coverage to save dollars.”

Instead, the AHIA recommends that instead of cutting back on the amount of coverage afforded by their home insurance policies, homeowners should conduct several free home insurance searches and perform simple tasks to get better policy deals. These steps can make insurance premiums more affordable, even in tough economic times.

September 24, 2009

Types of Insulation

Filed under: Hardware — admin @ 2:05 am

There are many types of insulation you can choose from when you decide to insulate your home. Before you decide on the type of insulation, you must determine where you want to install/add insulation and the recommended R-values for areas you want insulated.

There are four basic types of insulation: loose fill, batts and blankets, rigid board and spray foam.

Loose-fill Insulation – include loose fibres or fibre pellets blown into building cavities using special equipment. While it costs more, it is perfect to fill nooks and crannies easily, reduces air leakage and provides better sound insulation. While loose-fill insulation has an R value of 3-4 per inch, cellulose fibre has approximately 30% more insulating value than loose-fill rock wool.

Batt and Blanket Insulation – is made of mineral fibre. This being either processed fibreglass or rock wool. These are generally used to insulate below floors, above ceilings and within walls. It is the least expensive options but requires careful installation for effective performance.

Rigid Board Insulation – this too is made commonly from fibreglass as well as polystyrene or polyurethane and is available in a variety of thicknesses with a high insulation value of around R-4-8 per inch. Use mostly for reproofing work on flat roofs (repair leaking roof), basement walls and perimeter insulation at concrete slab edges.

Spray Foam Insulation – it is a two-part liquid with polymer and a foaming agent. It is sprayed through a nozzle into walls, ceilings and floor cavities and then expands into a solid cellular plastic which fills every nook and cranny. Remember, it should be applied by professionals only using special equipment.

September 23, 2009

Wooden jewelry makes appearance at New York Fashion Week

Filed under: Jewelry — admin @ 11:20 pm

When it comes to designer jewelry, most people are used to seeing precious gemstones such as diamonds being used. But if Catherine Malandrino’s recent showcase at the 2009 New York Fashion Week is any indication, there might be a new material being used that could create quite a stir within the industry: wood.

The Watertown Daily Times reports that as part of her tribal, African-themed collection, many of Malandrino’s models wore wooden fashion jewelry to go along with tribal pants. But Malandrino was not alone in looking to Africa for inspiration: many other top designers went with a safari theme for their looks, including Chris Benz, who showcased a “safari-ready” silk dress at his event.

This is not entirely surprising, as anyone who has shopped at a fashion jewelry online store like Rilee & Lo recently has seen that many leading jewelry designers have been turning to global inspirations in recent years, including African designs.

Loopholes for Do Not Call Laws

Filed under: Business Services — admin @ 5:05 pm

While most call center services are fully willing to comply with the federal laws that regulate the telemarketing industry, there are also those that do whatever they can to bypass those laws, sometimes to the point of harassing the people that those laws are supposed to protect.

One tricky method involves calls offering a survey. The caller asks the resident during the survey if it would be all right for them to place a follow-up call. Little does the homeowner realize that they’ve just opted in to receive calls from a company trying to hawk goods.

Another trick used by telemarketers can actually result in a homeowner calling a live answering service in order to make the calls stop. This involves companies that sell filtering and call blocking services harassing residents by calling at all hours until they’re desperate for call center solutions that will give them a little peace.

September 22, 2009

Understanding Escrow Services

Filed under: Finance — admin @ 2:04 am

Real estate deals require a lot of documentation, funds transfers and transactions between all parties involved. Therefore the best option is to acquire the services of an escrow agent to ensure that the deal is successfully concluded.

In simple terms escrow services are a neutral third party who oversee the closing of a deal and ensure that all parties are satisfied. Until the deal is closed, the escrow agents will hold the documents, deeds, funds and security. Therefore it is essential that your choice of escrow company should be a trustworthy, reputed organization. When looking for an escrow company to handle your next deal, look for the following:

The company should have staff who are trained in different types of escrow accounts; as an example, real estate, mergers, mortgage transactions etc.
Since the escrow agent will be holding funds until the deal is done, they should have sufficient liquidity products that can be used to safeguard the funds.
Read the terms and conditions carefully and make sure you are aware of all the fees that they will be charging.

Keeping the above tips in mind you should be able to research and find a good escrow company that will assist you with the closing of your deal.

September 20, 2009

Juliette Balconies

Filed under: Home improvement — admin @ 5:17 am

Named after William Shakespeare’s famous Romeo & Juliet balcony scene, this type of false balcony is increasingly popular for adding increased light and ventilation to a room. Juliette Balconies are practical and stylish ways of stopping people of animals from having accidents, and is big enough to allow a small amount of room to step out to. The Juliette Balcony offers a safe and secure balustrade system.

1. Standard width balconies are available in 1264mm, 1578mm, 1876mm, 2182mm and 2488mm wide.
2. Juliette balconies can be constructed in iron, stainless steel or glass.
3. Stainless steel balcony designs are few due to expensive machining requirements needed to form intricate shape. Aluminium railings on the other hand are more flexible in terms of design.
4. To prevent rusting and corrosion, Juliette Balconies are powder coated in a finish chosen by the customer.
5. It is important that your Juliette Balcony is set up according to all appropriate building regulations. This is a responsibility of the property owner.

Juliette balconies are simulated metal balconies usually found in urban or coastal areas, used to take full advantage of stunning views. A very shallow balcony, which comes complete with balustrades, gives you the perfect way of replacing a conventional window with patio doors. The additional glass adds more light and gives your property a chic feel to it. The balustrades are made from open metalwork, but can be constructed using iron, steel, chrome, wood or glass. Juliette Balconies are child-safe, as long as the balustrades are close enough together.

September 19, 2009

What Documents Should I Shred?

Filed under: Legal — admin @ 5:16 am

At present, document security is becoming an important factor to take into consideration. As the owner or manager of the establishment, you must take the necessary measure to protect the privacy and safety of your company, its employees and their information. Identity theft in the US has now forced law makers to focus efforts on thieves stealing private information.

When destroying important documents, it is important that you employ a proper method of doing so. This method of disposal should be concrete, as identity thieves are capable of going to any extent to obtain crucial information. Shredders are commonly used in companies to rid themselves of unwanted documents. You can even get one for use at home. It is important that you destroy monthly bills, bank statements, receipts, etc.

Remember all company documents with proprietary company and client information not required for ongoing business purposes should be shredded. Here’s a list of some of the documents that should be shredded, but these are just a few:

Account Records or Ledgers Items with Names, Addresses, Phone Numbers and/or Email Addresses
ATM Receipts Market Research
Bank Statements Maps or Blueprints
Bids, Estimates and Quotations Marketing Plans
Birth Certificates and Other Copies of Vital Records Minutes from Meetings
Business Plans New Product Information
Cancelled or Voided Checks Patient Records
Contracts Personnel Records
Client List and Files Payroll Records
Credit Card bills Presentations
Credit Reports Proposals and Quotes
Customer Lists Obsolete Brochures/Stationary/Files
Executive Correspondence R&D Files/Data
Expense Reports Receipts and Invoices
Financial Records Strategic Planning Reports
ID Cards and Badges Tax Records

September 17, 2009

Recycled Rides helps families in need in Ohio

Filed under: Charity — admin @ 7:21 pm

According to the Mansfield News Journal, residents in Mansfield, Ohio can apply to receive one of two cars donated locally through the nationwide Recycled Rides vehicle donation program. The program works with auto body repair shops through the nation to refurbish older car and donate them to families in need of transportation.

Local repair shop Baker’s Collision has donated repair labor for a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox and 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which have been contributed by Grange and State Farm insurance companies.

The Mansfield Rotary Club Foundation and The Salvation Army are in charge of finding two worthy families in need of assistance for the auto donation. One vehicle will be given away to a family in Richland County while a second vehicle will be donated to a family in Ashland County.

Interested Richland County residents may send a letter detailing their need to The Salvation Army, attn: Major Marcus Jugenheimer, 47 S. Main St., Mansfield, OH 44902. Ashland County residents may send their letters of need to Salvation Army, attn: Barbara Arnold, 527 E. Liberty St., Ashland, OH 44805.

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