There was once a time for me, years ago, when the sound of the letter slot quietly closing on our front door was a source of excitement. The mail had come!
I was a young boy of thirteen. I had two pen pals, one in Alaska, the other in Manchester, England. I unexcited stamps, and was fascinated with every new four-cent commemorative that was issued. I was sending and receiving my first adolescent letters of love. As a Scout, I had a subscription to “Boy’s Life” magazine. My parents received “LIFE” every week.
But aside from the real (as opposed to e) mail and the magazines, and the few but regularly received envelopes with the little glassine windows that would occasionally set off a screaming match between my parents, there was NOTHING else! Once in a while, a package would be left on the front step. Sometimes, days would pass with no mail at all.
But that was then………
We are now besieged by daily deliveries of useless material that is collectively referred to as “Junk Mail.” Ironically, this incredible explosion of the bulk-mail business just might be the cause of the United States Postal Service’s eventual demise.
Most customers of the United States Post Office deeply resent this onslaught. The sorters and especially the carriers who walk a route are overwhelmed with the extra weight.
Every day, in homes and at every US Post Office in the country, most customers go to their mail boxes and retrieve a thick handful of mail which has to be carefully (lest some important letter or check be buried in the pages of some real estate ad) sorted into two piles… the “real” and the “junk.” The junk, which usually constitutes the majority, is then quickly (if at all) skimmed through before being deposited in the nearest wastebasket.
At the Post offices, this results in multiple, extra-large plastic garbage bags crammed to capacity with layer upon layer of the same bulk-mailed material: Pizza restaurant discounts; weekly supermarket specials; “Free” Internet access CDs; life, health and automobile insurance ads from every agency in the country; postcards with the faces of missing children; ten-pages of Wal-Mart ads; magazine sweepstakes and all sorts of other gimmicks and scams. Items very cleverly disguised as genuine U.S; Postal Express Mail Packages inquire of the recipient’s immediate attention. Seemingly authentic Western _Union-type telegrams acquire personalized “Congratulations for being chosen as one of five semi-finalists in our Ten Million Dollar give-away!”
The worst offenders are the credit card companies who deliberately target those with low credit ratings. The envelopes routinely have the words “You’ve Been Pre-Approved” printed on the outside along with the promise of 0% interest for at least one year. The unsuspecting (all too often the elderly), or the desperate neck-deep-in-debt consumers who plan the offer a away to finally consolidate the bills and get out of debt, drag the envelope open and either ignoring or failing to comprehend the many pages of fine print, go directly to the line that says, “sign here,” thereby missing the part stating in exquisite legalize that if one is late in paying any of one’s other bills, even the phone bill, the initial 0% will magically jump to as high as 27%. Another victim gets hopelessly trapped.
The costs incurred by the Post Office for processing this material, from its sorting through its delivery and right down to its ultimate bagging and removal as waste, are passed on to the customer in the form of higher postage fees. The price of a first-class stamp is swiftly approaching forty cents. Today, one can select a generic “US Postage” price that does not have a particular value printed on it, allowing for the steadily rising cost of mailing a letter.
The beautifully engraved three and four-cent commemoratives of my youth have long been replaced by an extensive variety of colorful stamps bearing the images of objective about everything from flowers to cartoon characters and celebrity portraits. These stamps are aggressively marketed by the Post Office as “collectibles,” that often come with special descriptive booklets. A few years ago, the P.O. actually polled the nation as to whether the “Old” Elvis or the “New” Elvis should adorn a proposed stamp.
It costs practically nothing to send an email. Consequently (and sadly), the hand-written letter has become a rarity. For package delivery, the Post Office is now forced to compete with FED-EX and the UPS Stores. Every day, an increasing number of business transactions of all kinds, from purchasing to billing, are done on-line, instantaneously and inexpensively.
Because of the higher prices for postage that can be attributed to the rising amount of junk mail and the public’s growing disgust with that mail and with what the Post office has become, some day soon, the United States Postal Service will be nothing more than a purveyor of “collectible” stamps and postal money orders, and the sole distributor of the all but ignored bulk mailings.
Not long after that, when all of the insidious Junk Mail has finally spammed its way completely into cyberspace, the USPS will simply cease to exist.
Filed under Automobile Insurance Company Ratings by on Mar 14th, 2011. Comment. 
On Jan. 27, 2011, PR Newswire issued a characterize from an Allstate Insurance press release on zodiac signs and accident rates which led many news agencies to interpret the data that people born under certain astrological signs have fewer or more auto accidents. The buzz was; “Your zodiac sign tells insurance companies if you are a good risk or not.”
What Allstate and the entire media failed to do was analyze the data sitting before them. Since Allstate now used the new, revised zodiac calendar which includes a new 13th effect, “Ophiuchus,” the number of days within each zodiac sign also changed. Scorpio, for instance, now only has six days, while Virgo has 45 days.
What Allstate did was select the aggregate Number of Driver Accidents whose birth dates fall on each zodiac sign and then made claims that the best drivers (or those with the fewest accidents) are the ones with the fewest accidents within their zodiac dates, and so on down the zodiac list.
According to the PR Newswire – Allstate release, it stated that: “Over the past year, Virgos were nearly 700 percent more likely to be in a car accident when compared to the determined and aware Scorpio, the best drivers in the study. Perhaps a Virgo's shy, perfectionist nature leads to overly cautious and insecure driving habits. By inequity, Scorpios were only involved in 1.5 percent of all accidents in 2010.”
From this data, Allstate extrapolated all sorts of incorrect information about their clients.
If Allstate had looked more carefully at their possess data they would have found that they needed to divide the Number of Driver Accidents by the number of days in the new zodiac calendar to arrive at an “apples-to-apples” comparison.
The photo shown here is my re-calculation of how their data should have looked by including the number of days in each zodiac sign.
When re-calculated like this, Aries comes out on top and Cancer on the bottom, but most importantly the contrast between the “safest drivers and the worst” is a mere 17.8 percent, not the 700 percent Allstate claims between the two extremes in their report.
The ACCIDENTS PER DAY in each sign is relatively end to one another and, in statistical terms, the difference is so nominal as to be irrelevant.
This mess-up has several bottom-lines:
1. According to a Fox News report of a national poll conducted by Belief Dynamics Corporation shows about 25 percent of Americans believe in astrology. That's about 4 million Allstate customers. What's next for Allstate? Comparing Jewish drivers to Christians, or blacks to whites? Allstate is a publicly owned company and has a moral obligation to be sensitive to reports it issues. Why cause unnecessary wretchedness to their clients and others?
2. And when Allstate does deny reports they should have another set of “clean, new eyes” examine the report for accuracy. Many Virgos are probably upset with the narrate, as well they should be. According to Allstate Insurance. “Virgos, known to be critical, meticulous and reserved, are also more likely to earn into a car accident.” This is just plain stupid analysis on the part of Allstate. Their PR person ought to be fired for crap like this, and their CEO held accountable.
3. Two days after their original “zodiac” press release, Allstate issued a damage control press release: “Allstate Corrects Misperceptions Zodiac Press Release May Have Created,” in which they clarify that being born under a certain zodiac effect, has “no role” in how they execrable their coverage. Apparently, Allstate thinks their customers will leave them thinking they are a greater risk to be insured because of their zodiac sign and their premiums will increase. Allstate unexcited had not figured out that their zodiac numbers were totally out of whack. Interestingly enough, the original zodiac press release has been removed from the Allstate website.
4. The media should learn a lesson in this too. While most media outlets, i.e. TV and radio stations, newspapers and Internet news services gather the bulk of their news via press releases distributed by independent third-party content providers, it should tranquil be up to the respective news station to screen information more carefully. Fair, there is a lot of news out there, but each situation only runs for each broadcast only a handful of news items and they should have an obligation to viewers and readers that the news going out has been vetted…that is the cornerstone of good journalism. However, most media now have disclaimers on their websites, saying in so many words they are not responsible for “information contained on their websites.” This is lawyer crap and is just moving us closer to a closed society…bad Soros and his dream of an open society.
Unbiased this week, another news myth broke here in Florida about a piano which mysteriously appeared on a sand bar off Miami. At first the local TV stations broke the news that a husband and wife photo team had placed the piano there for a world-wide photo shoot of pianos located in unfamiliar places. We only found out a week later that a group of teenagers placed the piano there as a prank. Fair of the story: If we cannot score accurate news from our professional media sources, then who?
In researching this report, I found many interesting facts about astrology which in fact has changed my sign.
The zodiac calendar starts on the spring equinox in March in the northern hemisphere, and in September in the southern hemisphere. All my life I opinion I was a Libra, but, being born in Australia, I now find I am an Aries, and with Ophiuchus muddling up the celestial waters, I have no idea what sign I am any longer.
And since I was born at 8 a.m. local time in Australia on Oct. 10, it was still Oct. 9 in the States…so do I celebrate my staunch birthday on the 9th or the 10th? Being Australian, I celebrate both days with lots of drinking and partying, but this should have legal implications too since I live in the States now. I'll check into this and get back to you.
In the meantime, in our new Internet age, when you see a news story, all free people who aspire to stay that way should read, study and part their wisdom . We are all the eyes, ears, and analysts of our new information age…it appears it is up to people reading the news to effect clear it is correct and accurate.
Peace
Sources:
PR Newswire, What Does Your Zodiac Sign Say About Your Driving? , Allstate Press Release.
Fox News Polls, More Believe In God Than In Heaven, By Dana Blanton.
Allstate Newsroom, Allstate Corrects Misperceptions Zodiac Press Release May Have Created, Laura Strykowski, Allstate.
Valleynewslive.com, Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.
Soros, Open Society Foundations, About the Open Society George Soros.
Filed under Allstate by on Mar 14th, 2011. Comment.
California wildfire victims are being warned to tread cautiously when filing claims for their losses. Recalling tactics used by insurance companies after Hurricane Katrina and the Oakland Firestorm, InsuranceConsumers.com has released a consumer advisory with tips on how to increase your chance of getting your homeowners insurance claim approved.
The first step is to educate yourself about what is and is not covered under your policy. You will probably need support in deciphering some terminology, and the group has a section on Homeowner’s Insurance to encourage clarify. They also recomment content on insulttoinjury.org, a non-profit. Numerous other consumer information sites exist, and spending a little time researching on such sites is the first step, according to the consumer’s groups.
Another important step to take is to hire your own appraisers, contractors, or others that will give a firm dollar figure to the amount of damage you sustained. There is a difference between a bid and an estimate. Bids, specifically a not-to-exceed bid, is what you want to submit to the insurance company. Estimates are flexible numbers that could fluctuate and be disputed.
The group goes on to make several other points regarding filing claims with home insurance companies. Some of the valuable points follow:
1. If the dollar amount of your policy turns out to be too low to cover your losses, the insurance company may be forced to pay a higher amount. In this case it must be shown that the company sold you an inadequete policy in order to keep your premiums coarse enough to be competitive. Major insurance companies, including Allstate, were fined millions of dollars for under-insuring homeowners in order to increase sales after the Oakland Firestorm in 1991.
2. Remember that the insurance adjuster works for the insurance company, and often draws bonuses for saving the company money. This reinforces the need to hire your own appraisers (an adjuser is essentially an appraiser for the insurance company).
3. If you believe that the company has handled your claim in bad faith, you have the right to sue for your claim as well as all attorney fees, court costs, and associated losses. This could be a point of leverage when dealing with insurance companies.
The full list of 10 tips can be found at the group’s website, as well as a helpful free glossary and directory of related websites. Some of the site’s resources require a little membership fee, and while membership may be useful to streamline your research, you can always check with the station insurance commission and related web sites as sources of information instead.
Source:
InsuranceConsumers.com, Consumers Group Cautions Firestorm Victims, PR Newswire
Filed under Allstate by on Feb 27th, 2011. Comment.
Once you have made it to the pinnacle of your life, there may be obvious and specific perks which can help you stay fervent in living active and productive twilight years. Seniors finally qualify for deeper discounts on the things like auto insurance which could make a big difference in their quality of life.
Making it all the map to senior state around here does have its perks and certain insurance discounts are only a small bit of the good stuff that is to be in store. When I mention twilight here I don’t mean the dreamy attractive brooding vampires from the movies either. I mean those golden few years where you are supposed be able to rest easy and lift your time getting somewhere instead of rushing around like a maniac all the time.
It is surprising to me having impartial turned fifty that I actually had to go and ask our insurance agent to give me any available senior discounts they offer. It is not like they do not know my age! In fact, they probably know more about me than most of my friends and family combined. So make a point of asking your agent to gather you tuned in to every senior discount option they offer. If you are not delighted with these results then contact other insurance agencies and start shopping around. Once you have the agents attention ask them to help you with the following things.
First see if they offer a pleasure driver rate as this can do a senior money on their insurance since they are typically not driving nearly as worthy as when they commuted to work every day of the week. This one change could save you ten to fifteen percent on your premiums.
Another item to consider is to ask if they can relieve set you up with an AARP or AAA safe driver course which once completed successfully they should be able to offer you another form of safe driver discount. It is common knowledge that folks between the ages of 50 and 70 are reportedly some of the safest drivers on the road.
Since you are officially a safer driver than most and to present it you finished your safe driver course it may be time to raise your deductible so that your monthly premiums are lowered. This is worth the risk if you have a good driving relate and can put away the deductible amount you may need ahead of time. Of course paying the deductible later negates some of the savings you accrued but that is always going to be the same risk no matter how worthy you pay per month.
One really fast plot to save on your insurance cost is to pay your annual premium amount in full at the beginning of the term. This can score you a ample cost reduction on your premiums if you can afford to plunge the cash in one big lump payment.
Getting what the insurance business calls “Multi-Line” insurance is another great way for seniors to save on their insurance bills. What you need to do is find an insurance company that covers cars and homes and combine these policies. many of us have one for each and this is not cost effective.
You could downsize your sedan and go with something smaller that is less costly to insure and is perhaps gets even better fuel mileage saving you more money per year as well. If possible you could judge selling the car and going with public transportation or ride one of the newer motor scooters that are more like motorcycles than scooters. One is even a three wheeled unit that is really safe from a company called Piaggio.
All things considered seniors are wise to consult with a few different agents to see that they are getting the best deals possible since most of us will be on a fixed income at some point in our twilight years we may as well be frugal on things like our insurance premiums.
Filed under State Farm Auto Insurance by on Feb 27th, 2011. Comment.
Car insurance when you get older can be rather tricky. Now that you may be living on a itsy-bitsy income you may have to do some comparison shopping to find the best auto insurance policies available. Here are some helpful tips on how to establish money while getting the best auto insurance rates for seniors.
As a person ages they drive less so it stands to reason if you haven’t had any accidents your rates tend to lower. However, for income reasons it is still best to comparison shop for the best insurance quotes when it comes to any type of insurance, especially auto. The first thing to remember is nobody can be turned away for car insurance because of their age. However, if they let their license lapse, they may be required to take an exam before they are able to acquire their license renewed.
It is important to get insurance quotes from several different companies before deciding on your auto insurance choice.
Taking a driving course or purchasing a car with additional safety features can save money on your insurance rates.
There are several auto insurance companies that specialize in insurance for seniors such as AARP and AAA.
Sometimes employers or church groups may offer a group insurance rate that will save money on auto insurance policies.
Sometimes local insurance agents can offer lower rates than other auto insurance companies, it is always good to recognize at several different avenues to find the best policy quotes.
Many seniors are driving automobiles that they have had for many years and sometimes the deductible on a certain car many cost more than the car is worth. To find the best senior rate you may need to choose a higher deductible for your automobile.
Your insurance rates are adjusted according to your zip code. If you gain two homes and spend the same amount of time in each home, you will need to choose to list the car insurance in the zip code that will give you the best rate.
Most seniors never want to give up driving, however sometimes due to health reasons it may become necessary to give up driving. People sometimes continue paying for car insurance policies even after they never drive anymore due to health reasons for fear they may need to drive someday. The cost far outweighs the succor and if you do have to drive one day, you probably wouldn’t be able to due to medical reasons, so let the insurance and car go. Use senior taxicabs, family members or friends. The money you save by no longer having a car will easily pay for your trips here and there to the store and doctor appointments.
Some good insurance companies that offer good rates to seniors are AARP, Progressive, Allstate, Farm Bureau, Geico and State Farm.
Make sure you accumulate all the quotes you can and philosophize them what you can pay, sometimes as with Progressive they can work around your priceline. Geico has a senior discount program and many other insurances do as well.
References for this article include: www.nscddconline.com/geicosenior/
www.insurancefinder.com/autoinsurance/seniorauto.html
seniorautoinsurance.org/
seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Discounts/2007/7-06-28-SenCitCanFind.htm
Filed under Automobile Insurance Information by on Feb 24th, 2011. Comment.
