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You're scrolling.
Cycling through Instagram for an endless array of summer outfit inspiration.
Summer season is soon upon us and you see the glittery leggy outfits of Coachella's past.
Thinking to yourself, I love that look.
Or otherwise, you're feeling frustrated by lack of variety in your wardrobe and how you'll never branch out of black on black on black. I feel you on that. It's time to break up the ordinary, like this little hottest skirt of the summer. I have compiled this little guide to Conquering the Skirt!
If you've ever thought to yourself:
I can't find the right skirt for my body type.
Skirts cling to my body in the wrong way.
I wish I had a comfortable summer attire.
I will never find the perfect skirt.
Fear no longer my friends. Below I have compiled 10 times that skirts looked absolutely breathe taking. You are guaranteed to find some goodies.
Skirts are a joy to wear in summer months especially with the endless array of colors, styles and textures that will leave any gal (or guy!) smitten. For the fearless, I would suggest a silk knee length skirt. This trend is so cute paired with a sneaker or a dressy shoe for a night out. This is the pop of color piece your wardrobe needs. Pair with a white t-shirt (tied to the front) for a totally relaxed babe on the go look.
Currently seeing tons of vibrant patterns at play along with the 2019 favorite cheetah print. This pattern does not seem to be going away and I'm not mad about it. She's loud, unapologetic and fierce. Vibrant patterns hide problem areas and give a boost of confidence.
These are for those blazin' hot days where wishing we can find ourselves by a pool. Or strolling around some ancient European cities. These are for those blazin' hot days where wishing we can find ourselves by a pool. Or strolling around some ancient European cities.
Looking for a covert cover up? When girl's say "I feel more exposed in a skirt" Enter: The Midi skirt. This is also an excellent choice for the gal who loves long skirts, but it not that tall.
These skirts scream bohemian. Reserve for those long summer days at the beach on a properly sunny location. Bohemian style prints can be longer or shorter and usually feature tassels, ties or even buttons up the front. An effortless pairing is a slouchy t-shirt tied to the front or oversized button down shirt for maximum I'm-on-vacation cool. Points for wicker bags and leather sandals.
The denim skirt really deserves it's own section because denim can be worn SO many ways by SO many babes. A personal love affair is happening for me with the tight midi-denim skirt because once it's tailored to you by a tailor it fits like an absolute glove. I am additionally a big fan of denim skirts with effortless cool girl rips.
A Kim K. Favorite. It seems she never leaves home without the pencil skirt on. Rightfully so, as it is extremely figure flattering with those who have, uhm, a little more booty down there. The pencil skirt elevates any even look by adding length (traditionally too the knee), however, by hugging you in all of the right places this skirt is the secret weapon for any women ready to take make the world hers. I am loving the look with pulled back high pony a la Ariana Grande or opt for something sexier up top.
The A-line skirt is a classically feminine silhouette. Conversely, this type of skirt is perfect for hiding the derriere and accentuating the waist. A high waist A-line skirt is a fan favorite for girly girls and field frolickers alike. You do not need to own a little house on the prairie to have this on rotation in your wardrobe. Make sure that you choose one that fits snug at the true waist for a flattering slim skirt look. This look is complete with a top tucked in or a slouchy light sweater worn over for a sluggish, yet comfortable skirt look.
Less tapered and less body-con the professional skirt is the office-approved pencil skirt. Summer work wear bumming you out? No need to sweat before the work day begins in the heated summer months. This skirt look is complete with a loose professional blouse. A fan favorite is a professional looking down button down shirt, however, you could trya number of options like a basic shell tank with a light sweater or a tucked in white t-shirt.
Another girly option the wrap skirt. Yes I mean with a bow, and if you're asking my opinion the bigger the bow the better. I think this is such a cute take on the traditional skirt. A lot of these options show leg if you so dare. This is perfect for those who claim that they like to wear skirts, but are not that tall. By exposing the leg you feel less like you're swimming in fabric and more of the hottie that you are. I love to see these all over the 'gram on holidays at the beach or worn with a little stiletto out to dinner.
Finally, you have made it all the way down here and you deserve an applause.
Have I totally converted you into a skirt gal yet?
Everything above should prepare you to absolutely slay this summer.
Need a bit of dewy in your life? Try the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid Highlighter . I pair this product with their Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation for a dewy look with great coverage. Oh look, it's on sale for $21 the next 24 hours.
Vera Casagrande
Where can I buy very comfortable Sandals? Good question. Gorgeous and comfortable sandals for everyday are a dime in a dozen. Frequently, we seek out the cute summer without thinking too much about practicality. This is great until you spend a few hours in them only to realize you've made a terrible terrible choice. […]
White Denim Dresses for Women Seeking a super cute, versatile piece for Spring, Summer, indoors and outdoors (someday!)? Then I think I've found the piece. Whether you're taking professional Zoom calls or planning that late summer getaway, denim has never looked so inviting. I never thought a denim dress would fit so perfectly into my […]
Bikini Season. Almost! As Spring is being eaten up by coronavirus quarantine. I'm turning a lens to my health and attempting a bundle of fitness programs indoors while I'm in isolation. Get out for some daily sun in the yard ( I don't last long as it's March and already 80-90 degrees!). I hopped […]


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A beautifully presented four-bedroom semi-detached house benefiting from two bathrooms and boasting a substantial back garden with open fields to the rear, situated in a sought-after location in Lydiate Ash, Bromsgrove.
The deceptively spacious interior of the property briefly comprises: an entrance porch, hallway with stairs rising to the first-floor landing, spacious extended lounge with feature fireplace and double doors opening into rear garden and further double doors into the dining room, a contemporary country style kitchen providing a free standing range cooker benefiting from a double oven and 8 gas ring burners, integrated fridge and dishwasher and access to the lengthy tandem garage which benefits from fitted plumbing, electrics and lighting along with space for further utilities and double garage doors to the rear to give access to the garden.
Upstairs the first-floor landing accommodates a master bedroom opening into a beautifully presented en-suite with free standing bathtub, two further double bedrooms, a single bedroom four currently being used as an office and a family bathroom with corner bathtub.
Outside the property boasts a truly extensive rear garden, up-to an acre in size (approx.) Having initial patio area leading back to lawns and reaching further to woodland. The garden provides vast space for extending the property and opportunity to construct outbuildings. To the front the property is set back from the road by a large driveway for off-road parking.
Furthermore, the property offers a new composite front door, gas fired central heating system, double glazing, two loft spaces with one being mostly boarded with loft ladder and excellent potential to convert into further living space.
Situated in a prime location of Lydiate Ash backing onto beautiful Lickey Hills woodland perfect for dog walking. The property is also within easy reach of Bromsgrove Town and Barnt Green offering a variety of shopping and amenities. Ease of access to major transport links include the M5 & M42 ideal for commuting into Birmingham & Worcester.
18' 6'' x 10' 8'' (5.63m x 3.25m) max
Dining Room
12' 9'' x 10' 8'' (3.88m x 3.25m) max
15' 8'' x 6' 8'' (4.77m x 2.03m) max
Master Bedroom
14' 0'' x 9' 0'' (4.26m x 2.74m) max
7' 4'' x 9' 10'' (2.23m x 2.99m)
Bedroom Two
10' 8'' x 10' 9'' (3.25m x 3.27m) max
Bedroom Three
10' 9'' x 10' 9'' (3.27m x 3.27m) max
Bedroom Four
6' 5'' x 6' 9'' (1.95m x 2.06m)
7' 8'' x 6' 9'' (2.34m x 2.06m)
Tandem Garage
35' 1'' x 9' 8'' (10.69m x 2.94m) max
4 Worcester Road, BromsgroveSee all properties from this agent
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Cellini Ceiling lamp
The dazzling aluminum design of the Cellini Ceiling Lamp is at once both sophisticated and playful.
An oval design comprising of a satin nickel stainless steel frame and a lampshade made of nickel-plated aluminum chains, the Cellini is a stunning lighting piece that looks stunning with and without illumination.
Warranted to meet or exceed industry standards.
Materials & Finishes
Satin Nickel Frame, Nickel-Plated Aluminum


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Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
is our charity of choice
Although we would love to donate to all causes, we cannot. We have chosen Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as our charity of donation. This is a cause close to our hearts and have chosen to donate only to this foundation. Thank you for your understanding.
You can help with this worthy cause by purchasing a bottle of our "Breathe Easy" wine. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the foundation.
Or you may also donate directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by clicking here.


text: Here is where we lay out everything you need to know about UTI antibiotics. Knowing why certain antibiotics are helpful and others aren't will give you more control over your own treatment. That way you can confirm the knowledge you already have, then expand on it. If you've ever googled questions like…Should I take Amoxicillin for UTI? When faced with an uncomplicated urinary tract infection, your three main treatment options are antibiotics, natural remedies, or riding it out with nothing but water. In reality, UTI antibiotics refers to a whole range of different drugs and doses, selected for specific reasons. We find people discuss UTI antibiotics as though this represents a single treatment option. Even if you haven't googled any of these, but have questions about antibiotics for UTI, this should have you covered. Can you take just any antibiotic for bladder infection? Every antibiotic is processed by our bodies differently. Some antibiotics, when taken orally, will never pass through the urinary tract. methotrexate injection teaching [Posted 08/03/2018]AUDIENCE: Patient, Health Professional, Oncology ISSUE: The antibiotic azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) should not be given long-term to prevent a certain inflammatory lung condition in patients with cancers of the blood or lymph nodes who undergo a donor stem cell transplant. Results of a clinical trial found an increased rate of relapse in cancers affecting the blood and lymph nodes, including death, in these patients. We are reviewing additional data and will communicate our conclusions and recommendations when our review is complete. BACKGROUND: The serious lung condition for which long-term azithromycin was being studied called bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is caused by inflammation and scarring in the airways of the lungs, resulting in severe shortness of breath and dry cough. Cancer patients who undergo stem cell transplants from donors are at risk for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. The manufacturer of brand name azithromycin is providing a Dear Healthcare Provider letter on this safety issue to health care professionals who care for patients undergoing donor stem cell transplants. Azithromycin is not approved for preventing bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Can you buy cialis otc in canada Wellbutrin reviews weight loss What is the treatment for a urinary tract infection UTI?; What are common. Macrolides for example, clarithromycin, azithromycin, and erythromycin, used. propranolol dosage for anxiety Azithromycin is taken for treating UTI. 470 patients conversations about taking Azithromycin for UTI. Azithromycin for treating UTI. diagnosis or treatment. Or lack of importance for screening and treating patients for asymptomatic bacteriuria. and will highlight those agents that should not be relied upon to treat UTIs. Urinary distribution of azithromycin approximates that of erythromycin at. .pass_color_to_child_links a.u-margin-left--xs.u-margin-right--sm.u-padding-left--xs.u-padding-right--xs.u-absolute.u-absolute--center.u-width--100.u-flex-align-self--center.u-flex-justify--between.u-serif-font-main--regular.js-wf-loaded .u-serif-font-main--regular.amp-page .u-serif-font-main--regular.u-border-radius--ellipse.u-hover-bg--black-transparent.u-hover-bg--black-transparent:hover. Content Header .feed_item_answer_user.js-wf-loaded . What is a UTI | Which antibiotic to use | Common side effects | Antibiotic resistance | New antibiotics | OTC antibiotics | Recurring UTIs | Treatment without antibiotics | Cranberry juice | More resources If you have ever experienced the frequent urge to go the bathroom with painful burning urination, you have probably experienced a urinary tract infection (UTI). You may be surprised to know that UTIs are the second most common type of infection in the body, accounting for over 8 million visits to health care providers each year. Sometimes a UTI can be self-limiting, meaning that your body can fight the infection without antibiotics; however, most uncomplicated UTI cases can be treated quickly with a short course of oral UTI antibiotics. A UTI infection can happen anywhere along your urinary tract, which includes the kidneys (the organ that filters the blood to make urine), the ureters (the tubes that take urine from each kidney to the bladder), the bladder (stores urine), or the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder to the outside). A lower urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria gets into the urethra and is deposited up into the bladder -- this is called cystitis. Infections that get past the bladder and up into the kidneys are called pyelonephritis . An infection of the tube that empties urine from the bladder to the outside is called urethritis. Urinary tract infection symptoms may include: Upper UTIs which include the kidney may also have symptoms of fever, back pain, and nausea or vomiting. Will azithromycin cure a uti Urinary Tract Infection Treatment HowStuffWorks, Azithromycin for treating UTI Treato Doxycycline and clindamycin Order bactrim online Can u buy cialis in canada Prednisone exercise Azithromycin is the generic name for a prescription drug available as Zithromax, Zmax, and Z-Pak. The drug is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections, such as cat-scratch. Azithromycin Zithromax - Side Effects, Dosage, Interactions. A reminder about treating urinary tract infections - Healio Azithromycin Oral Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings. Azithromycin Zithromax is used for treating a variety of bacterial infections, such as cat-scratch disease, ear infections and throat or tonsil. doxycycline bijwerkingen How do you know if you have a bladder infection? WebMD explains the symptoms and warning signs, tests doctors use to diagnose it, and your options for. Aug 21, 2018. The best way to treat a UTI -- and to relieve symptoms like pain. A minor UTI can turn into a serious kidney or blood infection if you don't.


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Mon., July 15, 2013
A world without rules
The Tour de France in going on. Baseball's home run derby is tonight. Track and field is in the news. What do these three things have in common? Read on.
• If you answered the joy of athletic competition, it's OK to laugh. It's pretty obvious what common thread runs through these sports right now. Performance enhancing drugs. The Tour has been, and probably always will be, rife with drug use. Even today, with a more rigorous drug-testing program in place, a cloud named Biogenesis hangs over major league baseball. And some of the world's top sprinters, including American Tyson Gay, were announced as having failed drug tests yesterday. The news (and rumors) of PED use has gotten so pervasive in our sports culture that such news doesn't even seem to phase us anymore. Heck, Doug Logan, former CEO of USA Track and Field, says it's time to give up the fight against PEDs and just admit the battle is lost. Let the genie out of the bottle and level the playing field by giving everyone the same opportunity. No rules. It's a tempting thought. After all, Logan points out the war has been lost for a long time. He's right in a sense. Every time a new steroid or hormone or designer drug enters the market, the cheaters have a huge advantage. It takes a while, some times a long while, before the testers can catch up. If they ever do. If it's true, as some say, only the incompetent ever get caught, then why not just say forget it, we can't keep up, everyone can use whatever they want? Simple safety. Envision this scenario is a Wild West world of no drug rules. It's a pretty plausible one. A young girl is a world-class sprinter (let's call her Charity), but even with the training help of HGH and a smartly administered steroid regime, she's still finishing fourth, fifth, sixth in her big races. She needs just a little boost to win that Olympic medal she's dreamt about as long as she can remember. That's when she runs into Shady, a guy with a promise. Use this designer steroid and all her dreams will come true. There are no rules, no testing, no recriminations. Everyone she is losing to, Shady says, is using it. Sure, it hasn't been tested on animals or anything, but it works. Her doctors tell Charity the drug is dangerous and she should use it. But there are no rules against it and the reward is so great. So Charity says yes. Soon she is winning big races, running past women who have edged her out for years. Her dreams are fulfilled. But she is about to become the next Lyle Alzado. Her body is changing, and not in all ways for the better. Besides stronger muscles and faster recovery time, something else has grown within Charity. Within a couple of years it is all over. After all, every drug has side effects, from the over-the-counter products you take for a headache to the powerful anti-cancer formulas used as a miracle cure. Drugs developed for one purpose, healing, can be detrimental if misused for another, competing. The desire to win is such a strong force in most world-class athletes that any thought of the future, of the ramifications of what they are doing, is pushed to the end of the line. Today there is a brake. The threat of getting caught has probably deterred quite a few folks, though we will never know. Eliminate the penalty and, if you want to win, a world-class athlete will have to become a user. The decision is out of their hands. That doesn't seem right.
• WSU: The Utah Utes may have two offensive coordinators – including former Cougar head coach Dennis Erickson – but the still need a proven running back.
• Gonzaga: Kelly Olynyk turned some heads in the Orlando summer league.
• Indians: The Indians are headed back home and they will be coming back after a victory, 8-4, over Salem-Keiser. Chris Derrick advances the homestand with this feature on the Ledbetter twins, both drafted by the Rangers this year.
• Golf: A final round 64 is just what Russell Grove (pictured above) needed to win the 50th Lilac City Invitational. Jim Meehan has the story.
• Mariners: It only took 95 games, but the Mariners can actually claim a sweep of a season series. They accomplished that Sunday with a 4-3 win over the disintegrating Angels. Hisashi Iwakuma returned to his early season form (or close to it) and Michael Saunders homered, giving the M's home runs in a team-record 22 consecutive games. The M's are official hot. Of course, now comes the three-day All-Star break, just enough time to cool off again. ... Raul Ibanez is looking forward to his break, even if he's having the best season of just about any 41-year-old in baseball history.
• Sounders: The Sounders weren't all that healthy going into Saturday's game at San Jose. Now they really aren't healthy. The Quakes inflicted a handful of injuries, some of them coming on iffy plays. Seattle is still trying to figure out who will be available this week.
• Another Monday, isn't it? One good thing this week, there is another major golf tournament on tap. Another chance for Tiger Woods to resume his historic march on Jack Nicklaus' record. And another week of "is Tiger back" stories. Great. Until later ...


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The Life Offices' Association (LOA) and the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) welcome the release of the Consumer Credit Insurance Enquiry Report by the independent panel of enquiry jointly appointed by the two associations in July last year to identify problem areas in the consumer credit insurance market.
The panel of enquiry, chaired by Judge Peet Nienaber, retired Ombudsman for Long-term Insurance, was appointed following accusations that some insurance companies active in this market were engaging in 'undesirable practices'.
Gerhard Joubert, CE of the LOA, describes the findings and recommendations contained in the report as far reaching in that they are likely to impact considerably on how the credit life insurance industry functions in future, if accepted and implemented.
The members of the panel were Desmond Smith (director of companies and chairman of the LOA as from the end of last year), Ronnie Napier (former SAIA Chairman and senior partner of law firm Webber Wentzel), Louis Wessels, (former Head Legal and Policy at the FSB) and Moses Moeletsi (Chairman of the Board of the Ombudsman for Short-term Insurance and a member of the Long-term Ombudsman's Council).
The panel of enquiry was guided by the following terms of reference:
• Improper and inappropriate marketing and distribution practises.
• The payment of excessive commissions or other improper fees or incentives.
• The fairness of standard terms and conditions.
• The adequacy of the overall value provided to consumers.
• Pre- and post-sale disclosures and information provided to consumers.
• Promoting greater consumer understanding of credit life products, their benefits and the consumer's rights.
The panel requested written submissions from interested parties, including members of the public, and listened to over 20 hours of evidence on practices in the credit insurance market and their impact on the consumer. Evidence was given by life insurers, short-term insurers, credit providers, industry analysts, a member of the public, representatives of the LOA and SAIA, and the Ombudsmen for Long- and Short-term Insurance.
The panel's final report has been submitted to National Treasury, the FSB, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Finance and the National Credit Regulator (NCR) as well as to the boards of the LOA and the SAIA.
One practice identified in its final report concerned the payment to motor dealerships and furniture retailers of remuneration for outsourcing administrative work that, on the panel's interpretation of the legislation, exceeded the permissible maximum.
However, the panel accepted that these structures were put in place on the basis of legal advice received and accordingly did not find it necessary to recommend that any action be taken against any insurers by the Life Offices' Association (LOA) or the South African Insurance Association (SAIA), save that the matter be taken up with the FSB by the LOA and SAIA and the individual insurers concerned.
The panel noted in its report that both Insurance Acts are unclear on the point and in need of review and revision. The maximum commission provisions in the two Acts result in anomalies when applied to non-typical cover such as consumer credit insurance. "From the submissions received and the evidence given during several days of public hearings it became manifest that there was a lack of clarity and consistency in the manner in which individual insurers understood and applied the commission regulations issued in terms of the two Insurance Acts."
As for other commission contraventions, the panel found that these had been corrected, especially since the spotlight fell on these practices last year.
Judge Peet Nienaber says while some of the insurers who made submission to the panel are mentioned in the report, the aim was not to name and shame, but rather to analyse and explain some of the practices in the consumer credit insurance industry as disclosed in written and oral submissions received.
He says constraints encountered by the panel included the fact that it was dependent on the voluntary co-operation by LOA and SAIA member companies and that it had no powers to investigate and compel companies, especially non-members, to give evidence.
"Nevertheless, the panel was gratified by the number of responses it received from both life insurers and short-term insurers. We were impressed with the co-operation received and the frankness and quality with which participants prepared and presented their submissions."
Types of credit life
There are different types of consumer credit insurance products available to the consumer:
Credit life. Credit life insurance can be issued under a long-term or short-term policy and is designed to cover the outstanding balance of the money owed to the credit provider by the person whose life is insured should this person die, become disabled, develop a critical illness or become retrenched. Credit life insurance is available for the following credit transactions: personal loans, overdraft facilities, student loans, credit card facilities, mortgage bonds and asset financing.
Extended warranty. An extended warranty is marketed by motor dealerships or retailers on behalf of short-term insurers. This type of cover is designed to indemnify consumers against the risk of mechanical breakdown of the insured vehicles or goods like electronic equipment purchased. It normally comes into effect on the expiry of the manufacturer's warranty.
Top-up cover. Top-up or shortfall cover is a short-term policy and is designed to cover the shortfall between the amount still owed and the insurance payout in the event of loss or damage to the vehicle, furniture or appliance.
Minor chips cover. Minor chips and dents cover is a short-term policy issued under a short-term license and provides cover for minor damage to the bodywork of a vehicle, which usually falls within the excess of a comprehensive motor policy.
Asset insurance. Asset insurance is defined by the National Credit Act as part of the term "credit insurance" as "covering loss of or damage to property" and must therefore be considered a type of consumer credit insurance cover.
The report discusses the question whether these are all true insurance products.
The panel, in its final report, concluded that there can be little doubt that consumer credit insurance is a key and integral element of the credit provision industry since there are many risks in a loan transaction for both the provider and the recipient of the credit, which can only be mitigated through the use of insurance.
"Without such risk mitigation access to credit would simply not be feasible. To this one may add the relative ease with which credit life insurance can be arranged, without medical underwriting or undue delay."
The report lists the following as some of the reasons why consumer credit insurance is valuable to consumers:
• It enables many consumers to obtain credit which might not otherwise be available to them.
• It settles the remainder of the debt in the event of the consumer's death, critical illness, permanent or temporary disability, or retrenchment. In these events it also ensures that consumers or their families do not have to give up on assets purchased which would otherwise be repossessed.
• It ensures that the consumer does not remain liable for the debt incurred in purchasing the asset even if the asset has been lost, destroyed or damaged beyond repair.
• It provides cover against the sudden and unforeseen mechanical breakdown of vehicles.
• It is tailored to consumers' specific needs and benefit options.
• It is convenient, easy to obtain and to understand, and automatically accepted and free of medical underwriting.
• It is affordable.
The report lists the benefits for credit providers as being security for a debt which could turn into a bad debt. In addition, the consumer credit insurance business is a profitable one for insurers, credit providers and intermediaries.
Judge Nienaber says despite all these benefits, consumer credit insurance in South Africa has a bad name and is seen by many as a scam or a rip-off. This impression was confirmed by responses to the panel by consumer representatives and by comments in the media.
He says this poor reputation is due to a number of factors:
• The number of "add-ons" to a credit transaction of which consumer credit insurance forms a major part and which are often only disclosed, if at all, post-sale. Often these are disproportionate to the basic product price and to the risk profiles of consumers.
• The significant profit margins which are generally believed to be recovered at the ultimate expense of the consumer.
• The perceived low claims ratio on some of these products compared to insurance products generally.
• The technical defences on which some insurers sometimes rely to escape liability, and which only become apparent at claims stage.
He says not all of these perceptions are necessarily valid and it is always necessary to distinguish between different insurers and different insurance products.
"The fact remains that consumer credit insurance has huge value to both the provider and the receiver of credit. In effect it creates a platform without which access to credit would be limited – restricted largely to those who have a lesser need for credit. A viable, sustainable consumer credit insurance underpin is therefore essential for a sustainable credit industry which in itself feeds economic growth."
In its report, the panel concludes that consumer credit insurance fulfils a definite insurance need for consumers. But at the same time there are potential deficiencies in the system lending themselves to the exploitation of consumers by practitioners more intent on profit than service.
"Such deficiencies, if not neutralised, will substantially detract from the value proposition of consumer credit insurance. Therefore, what is needed is not an outright and self-righteous condemnation of consumer credit insurance, but the elimination of its potential abuses."
He says the panel has made recommendations relating to various undesirable practices and potential abuses. If these are left unattended by the industry itself and by the various regulators concerned with it, consumer credit insurance will continue to add to its current unsavoury reputation, and operate in practice to the ultimate detriment of at least some consumers.
He says the short answer to whether consumer credit insurance in South Africa has a sustainable value proposition, is accordingly "yes, but".
According to Nienaber it is, however, also important that consumers realise they are not passive parties to consumer credit insurance policies. "The consumer has a duty to be vigilant as to how the policy affects his or her interests. This includes reading the contract. While consumers must be placed in the position where they can make informed decisions, they must then take responsibility for these decisions."
The main recommendations
Intermediary remuneration. The root of the problem is the attempt in the commission regulations to control the payment for the outsourcing of administrative work.
A key recommendation is that the servicing fee should be deregulated completely. This will not be to the detriment of consumers since market forces will ultimately determine the level of the premiums and the amount of remuneration payable to intermediaries.
As for the introduction fee some members of the panel believe that this should also be deregulated in its entirety. Others believe that the introduction fee should continue to be regulated at the upper income end of the market as the only effective measure to combat improper incentive payments.
At the lower income end of the market the panel supports the view expressed in National Treasury's recently issued discussion paper on Micro-Insurance, namely that there should be no commission capping at all.
Any deregulation of intermediary remuneration must be accompanied by full and proper disclosure.
If commission regulations are not scrapped, the present regulations should be thoroughly revised and commission caps under the Long-term Insurance Act and the Short-term Insurance Act should be aligned.
Market conduct. During the hearings numerous manifestations of market misconduct were brought to the panel's attention, with lack of proper disclosure being the main problem. In the panel's view, the regulation of market conduct in South Africa compares favourably with similar forms of regulation elsewhere. The real problem is therefore not the regulation as such, but the monitoring and investigation of instances of non-compliance with the regulations.
Better disclosure. Disclosure is the cornerstone of consumer protection. Therefore there must be proper disclosure to consumers of the remuneration and any other payments to the third party, be it the intermediary, retailer, dealer or credit provider.
Consumer credit insurance is often sold as part of a package when a credit transaction is concluded. Unless consumers' attention is specifically drawn to the credit insurance transaction, they may not be aware of its existence. The panel therefore recommends that the identity of the insurer be disclosed to the client together with the insurance premium as part of the breakdown of the installment payment. In addition consumers should be advised to inform their families of the existence of the cover and its importance.
Standardise terminology. The LOA and SAIA should look into standardising terminology used in consumer credit insurance documentation. In addition consumers must be alerted to exclusion clauses and other limitations in their credit insurance cover. The consequences of the non-payment of premiums must also be spelled out.
Health declaration. The importance and the consequences of the health declaration that is signed by consumers when applying for consumer credit insurance must be highlighted.
Better communication. Insurers should consider sending policyholders a welcome letter together with their policy document, highlighting important issues. These could also be sent out with every monthly statement as a constant reminder.
Obligations spelt out. Both the LOA and SAIA need to explore ways of highlighting in an effective way to consumers what is due by them in terms of payments and what is due to the consumer by way of benefits.
Standardised waiting periods and exclusion clauses. The panel believes that the standardisation of waiting periods and exclusion clauses should be explored by insurers as this would introduce greater certainty into the consumer credit insurance industry and pre-empt consumer exploitation.
Single premiums. Single premium payments were definitely a malpractice prevalent in the consumer credit insurance industry, but this has thankfully been outlawed by the National Credit Act.
Who controls the industry? Consumer credit insurance is different from other forms of insurance. It cannot be separated from credit. Its principal beneficiary is often not the consumer but the credit provider. Consumer credit insurance should accordingly be treated as a category separate and distinct from other forms of insurance.
Whoever controls credit should also control consumer credit insurance.
One of the main purposes of the National Credit Act (NCA) is to provide for the general regulation of consumer credit. This Act already contains a section that deals specifically with credit insurance with the aim of ensuring consumer protection.
The members of the panel believe that the National Credit Regulator (NCR) should assume control of market conduct of consumer credit insurance as well as of intermediary remuneration where it is regulated.
This will require appropriate amendments not only to the NCA itself but also to the Long- and Short-term Insurance Acts and the FAIS Act. The LOA and SAIA Codes may also require revision.
A key recommendation of the report is accordingly that the principal regulatory control of consumer credit insurance should rest with the NCR. The NCR has the manpower and the means at his disposal to exercise such control.
Consumer education and awareness. In the view of the panel adequate market regulation requires commitment and effort on the part of the regulator with the manpower to supervise the market on an on-going, hands-on basis by means of on-site visits and formal inspections and the authority to act decisively if instances of non-compliance are encountered.
The industry developing a distinct culture of compliance, individually and through its trade associations, thereby serving not only their own interests but also those of their customers.
As a result of the current socio-economic developments in South Africa, consumers are increasingly exposed to new and sophisticated financial products and services. Consumers must be educated to understand these products and to appreciate and enforce their rights. There is an urgent need for representative and strong consumer organisations. Consumer activism is an imperative for truly effective market regulation. A separate chapter in the report is devoted to consumer education and awareness.
Mr Joubert says the recommendations put forward by Judge Nienaber's panel will be discussed by the relevant LOA Committees and proposals will then be made to the LOA Board for discussion at the end of May.
"Some of the recommendations, especially on intermediary remuneration, already form part of our discussions with National Treasury and the Financial Services Board (FSB) on changing the way that commission structures work to the benefit of consumers."
Barry Scott, CE of the SAIA, says the association was pleased that the enquiry to a greater extent found compliance with the relevant legislation, and that where short-term insurers stood accused of non-compliance this was largely due to difficulties experienced with the interpretation of Section 48 of the Short-term Insurance Act.
"The enquiry recommended that no action be taken against insurers, since some of the irregularities regarding remuneration for outsourcing administrative work occurred because the Long-term and Short-term Insurance Acts are unclear and inconsistent on this point and in need of review and revision."
He noted that the report also focused on the need for consumer education. "To this end the SAIA has developed, over the last four years, consumer education initiatives with its partners, the FSB and more recently the Life Offices' Association and has to date spent more than R27-million on consumer education.
"The insurance industry as a whole was very concerned when allegations of non-compliance first surfaced last year. At the time our member companies active in the consumer credit insurance market pledged their full cooperation to help identify problem areas and eradicate undesirable practices with a view to improving consumer protection," he says.
The report is some 300 pages long and consists of 15 chapters, covering various problematic aspects of consumer credit insurance in South Africa. Also included is a chapter about comparable problems encountered in the consumer credit insurance industries in the UK, Australia and the USA. The full report can be downloaded at www.loa.co.za or www.saia.co.za.
Pull quote: The National Credit Regulator should assume control of market conduct of consumer credit insurance as well as of intermediary remuneration where it is regulated.


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Noble Savages and English Gardeners: Kulturkritik from Rousseau to Goethe
- Philosophy and Literature
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 39, Number 2, October 2015
- pp. 422-442
- 10.1353/phl.2015.0055
- Article
- View Citation
- Additional Information
- Purchase/rental options available:
The noble savage and the English gardener are oxymoronic articulations of a reconciliation of nature and culture that the eighteenth century celebrates and questions as a remedy for modern self-alienation. They are also anthropological and horticultural manifestations of the paradox of Kulturkritik. More than just a critique of culture, Kulturkritik is a mode of experimental thinking that, self-critically, acts out antithetical scenarios for the sake of finding ways to heal from culture through culture. To explore the aesthetically pleasing but illusionary panacea, this essay draws on Rousseau's Discourses and Julie, Schiller's Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man, and Goethe's Elective Affinities and Faust.


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Hot Springs, North Carolina is the winner in the small town category of our Best Mountain Towns reader poll. Check out what this tiny hamlet has to offer the outdoor enthusiast.
Read the full article on Hot Springs, and the rest of our Best Mountain Town poll winners here.
Best Mountain Towns – Hot Springs from Summit Publishing on Vimeo.


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Toothy panel show regular Rob Beckett will host this year's Edinburgh Comedy Gala for Waverley Care on Fri 18 Aug at Edinburgh Playhouse.
Beckett, one of TV comedy's most famous faces, thanks to turns on 8 Out of 10 Cats and Mock The Week will share duties with another special guest host yet to be announced.
"I am delighted to be hosting this year's 10th anniversary night of the Edinburgh Comedy Gala!" said Beckett. "I loved performing in 2015 alongside a brilliant line up and this year is no different. Here's to another 10 years of fundraising for Waverley Care."
Comedy producers Off The Kerb Productions run the gala, which raises funds for Waverley Care, Scotland's biggest charity providing care and support to those living with HIV and Hepatitis C. Tickets go fast, with all proceeds raised from the event going straight to support Waverley Care's life changing work. This year should take the total raised to date to £500,000.
"We continue to be immensely grateful to the many comedians who are willing to give of their time," said Waverley Care's Chief Executive, Grant Sugden. "Off The Kerb's continued support helps us make an enormous difference to the lives of many people across Scotland who are living with HIV or Hepatitis C. And what better way to make that difference than through laughter!"
Performers already announced for this year's show include Al Murray, Shappi Khorsandi, Andrew Maxwell, Simon Evans, Phill Jupitus, Ivo Graham, Suzi Ruffell, Andrew Ryan and Mark Watson. More will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are available now.
Edinburgh Comedy Gala 2017 is @ Edinburgh Playhouse on Fri 18 Aug @ 7:30pm


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Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
That's the story we learn in school, isn't it?
Immigrants were destitute and persecuted, and would have starved had they stayed in their home countries, but the United States offered them refuge.
What's more, we're told, whenever one expresses concerns about assimilation of our current cohort of immigrants, that the native born have always feared lack of assimilation, but each successive cohort of immigrants landed at the bottom, and worked their way up, to be replaced by a new cohort of immigrants at the bottom, a new wave from a new country, now feared and disdained by the very sons-of-immigrants who had forgotten about their roots.
Which is all a very moving story, and suggests that the morally right thing for we Americans who are descendants of immigrants to do, is to continue to allow new waves of immigrants in, with as much generosity as in the past, knowing that history "proves" that our fears are misguided. We should also think back in our family history and know that it's hypocritical to object to the entry of largely poor and uneducated workers, because our ancestors came under similar circumstances.
Here's another document, the "official" Catholic "social teaching" on immigration:
First Principle: People have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families. . . .When a person cannot achieve a meaningful life in his or her own land, that person has the right to move. . . .While individuals have the right to move in search of a safe and humane life, no country is bound to accept all those who wish to resettle there. By this principle the Church recognizes that most immigration is ultimately not something to celebrate. Ordinarily, people do not leave the security of their own land and culture just to seek adventure in a new place or merely to enhance their standard of living. Instead, they migrate because they are desperate and the opportunity for a safe and secure life does not exist in their own land. Immigrants and refugees endure many hardships and often long for the homes they left behind. As Americans we should cherish and celebrate the contributions of immigrants and their cultures; however, we should work to make it unnecessary for people to leave their own land.
Now, there's a sleight of hand in the move from "right to migrate to sustain life" to a right to a "meaningful life," and from the "right to migrate" as a right to leave one's home country, into a right to move to the particular country of one's choice, but, apart from that, the clear expectation is that, by the very fact that they are migrants, all migrants are compelled to leave their home countries because of the utter misery there, so that it's not even open to discussion whether they "needed" to migrate or not.
But what if that's not true?
I've been reading a book that I dug out of my basement, The Transplanted, A History of Immigrants in Urban America, by John Bodnar. Like most such books in my basement, it dates to my college/grad school days, and, in particular, was published in 1985, so I can't attest to the degree to which his ideas have held up or been supplanted by new scholarship (and whether that new scholarship is credible or just new). Fun fact: the image above, from the Wikipedia entry on Italians in the United States, is also the cover photo; I find it interesting that this photograph, at least to me, produces a sense that these people are destitute and downcast but the caption says they've got more luggage than the few items in the photo, lost in the Ellis Island version of baggage-claim.
Anyway: the first chapters of the book talk about the circumstances in which immigrants came to the United States. There were a number of factors, among them the population growth in any given country, and the inheritance patterns — whether the farm is divided among all children/sons, or passed on to the firstborn — but also the impact of the industrial revolution and capitalism (in the sense that historians use the term, to talk about the advent of factories owned by capitalists — men with capital — replacing small family workshops) and large-scale "capitalist" agriculture; all of these, as well as specific political events (e.g., the impact of the unification of Italy) impacted different parts of Europe at different times. In addition, the simple factor of transportation — the ease with which some regions could access ports — played a role, and there was a common pattern of migration from one region of the country to another preceding emigration elsewhere.
But here's the key pattern Bodnar observes: it was not the wealthy who immigrated — they were doing just fine where they were. It was not the poor, either — they couldn't afford to travel, and were more likely to end up in the industrializing cities (or, for the Irish, to cross the Irish Sea to England); it was the middle- and lower-middle class.
Abundant evidence exists . . . to suggest that those departing were not coming from the depths of their respective society but occupied positions somewhere in the middle and lower-middle levels of their social structures. Those too poor could seldom afford to go, and the wealthiest usually had too much of a stake in the homelands to depart. (p. 13)
(Commenter SKJAM! mentioned this just yesterday, coincidentally, in a comment on my "Fact-checking the fact-checkers" post, which spurred me to take this post out of its half-written draft form.)
To be sure, that wasn't universally true, and certain groups had more "push" than "pull" factors (yes, I know about the Irish during the potato famine!) but Bodnar supports this conclusion with details from a number of immigrant groups. Here's a bit about the Italians:
The image of poor peasants fleeing to America has also dominated much of the scholarship on Italian emigrants but closer analysis reveals that the very poor seldom left. For instance, the average yearly wages in Abruzzi e Molise and Calabria were well above those in Tuscany and Lombardy, and yet emigration was heavier from the former provinces than the latter. Usually those who left were in the middle and lower-middle levels of the peasantry. Supplementing this stream was a characteristic segment of artisans, craftsmen, and others with skills which were increasingly difficult to implement in societies undergoing either a commercialization in agriculture or growing competition with manufactured goods. (p. 20)
It is also a key part of the "immigrant" experience that a fair number of these arrivals were not immigrants at all, but simply migrants. Here's Bodnar again:
No phenomenon is more central to understanding the motives of those moving from agricultural to industrial regions nor more revealing about the predisposition to use industrial wages to improve or maintain status in the rural world than the process of return migration. Because everyone did not or was unable to return should not obscure the fact that a return was usually every emigrant's goal. The only major exceptions seem to have been those who had worked as craftsmen or those who ventured to America before 1860 with sufficient capital to initiate farming or commercial enterprises in the new world and groups such as East European Jews who faced severe political restrictions in the homeland. While estimates vary, return rates usually ranged from 25 to 60 percent, although most records on immigration are somewhat imprecise. Hvidt found about 30 percent of the Danes returning, and the German figure was between 35 and 40 percent. About four of every ten Greeks returned, and the Polish figure was only slightly below that. The most likely of all to return were those from central and southern Italy (56 percent) and northeast Hungary. Magyar rates have been estimated at 64 percent and those of Slovaks at 59 percent. (p. 53)
And, indeed, Lazarus wrote her poem with an eye to the plight specifically of Jews escaping persecution in Russia, not with respect to immigrants in general.
It's my understanding that, in many cases, the same is true today. The Syrians and other migrants who flooded into Europe via Turkey over the past several years paid a substantial amount of money for the trip — as much as $10,000. There are reports of Africans making there way across the Atlantic into Central America, and then upwards to Mexico and then crossing illegally into the U.S. — again, not a cheap voyage.
Now, I'll admit that I'm not far enough along in my reading of this book or others to assess the second half of the "immigration myth," that each successive cohort of immigrants worked their way up, only to wrongly disdain the new arrivals. I had hoped to do some reading and come to a firmer conclusion on that point before writing this up, but I'm running out of steam. But it doesn't seem to fit with with what I know about American economic mobility, at least in its most simplified form. If you think about the urban poor in the 19th century, was it really the case that the children of immigrant factory workers went to school, learned their lessons, and got good office jobs when they graduated? Wasn't it, by and large, the case that those children left school in their early teens (or even earlier) and went to work in those same factories, and only with the advent of the modernization of the economy in the 20th century, that the lot of the urban poor improved, for everyone regardless of how many generations ago their ancestors immigrated? To be sure, there was a certain social and political mobility, as Irish-ancestry politicians came to dominate machine politics, for example, but that's not the same thing as this simplified view of income stratification by time-since-arrival.
What does this mean? Largely, it's a matter of what this doesn't mean. The narrative of "we have an obligation to welcome destitute immigrants because our ancestors were also once destitute" doesn't work, nor does "all migrants are always, by definition, only ever coming because they are in dire need." I am not, in this post, expounding on the right decisions about immigration to the United States in the year 2017. I'm just saying that we can't make them by telling ourselves incorrect stories about the past.
UPDATE: yes, there are issues with line spacing. Bear with me.
And here's a related article, "Syrian Refugees Resettled in the U.S.: Why Them and Not Others?" which says that the UNHCR seems to be picking refugees for resettlement to the US seemingly at random, even among people who had a fairly stable living situation, despite the claim that they were sending the most vulnerable, the most needy. Not sure what to make of this but it seemed worth sharing.
Image: By Lewis W. Hine(Life time: 1874-1940) – Original publication: Photo-studyImmediate source: Brooklyn Museum, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51292180


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How do you make money when your job is to help people save?
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The savings app Qapital had its best day for new accounts since its 2015 launch this week, while Chime saw new-account openings jump 20% over what it typically does.
Those firms can thank fellow savings app Digit — and their own marketing teams — for some of the bump.
Digit announced earlier this week that it would soon begin charging its customers $2.99 a month for its service, which uses technology to spot opportunities to tuck away small amounts of cash for customers. Consumers have taken to social media to voice their disappointment and Qapital and Chime have joined the Twitter conversation by promising to never institute such fees.
Digit, which says it has helped people save $500 million so far, has described the decision to charge a fee as part of its maturation. As it eyed how to become a self-sustaining startup, it decided that it would rather charge a monthly fee than sell its customer data, peddle credit cards or take other steps.
The move speaks to a broader challenge for fintechs everywhere, and specifically ones focused on cash management versus lending where the business case is much more evident. Even the well-funded savings apps that are gaining traction with consumers have to determine a way to transition from rounds of venture funding into businesses that make money.
"It's interesting that they said they don't want to sell data or make money on referrals," said one digital-banking executive, who asked not to be named.
"I think that's great," the executive added. "In many ways they are doing what several other fintech startups will be forced to do: figure out how to become self-sustaining. By not being a bank — by not having multiple sources and products for revenue — it's a tougher path forward unless you find profitability early on."
Several observers sympathized with the issue fintechs like Digit face in building profitable businesses. Still, many viewed Digit's specific tactic as a major misstep.
"I'd say it is almost suicidal on the face of it to start charging for this tool," said Mark Schwanhausser, director of omnichannel financial services at Javelin Strategy & Research, though he acknowledged the challenge that deposit-focused fintechs face. "I understand why the other guys are stepping up and saying we won't charge you, but I'm sure they are praying like hell they come up with a way to make money."
Chime, which has 300,000 accounts, largely makes its money via transaction fees when customers use their Chime debit card.
"Our business model is aligned with the consumers' interests," Chris Britt, Chime's CEO, said in an interview. "We only make money, we only profit, when our users commit to using us."
Qapital, which has 190,000 accounts, is ramping up toward a similar business model. It plans to release a checking account later this year, said CEO George Friedman.
"We are using the savings app as a go-to-market product to reach those people who need help putting away $2,000 to $5,000 to have some cushion," Friedman said in an interview. Following the release of the checking product, "we'll make money on interchange. We won't charge you as a customer. We want to be aligned with you as a customer."
Qapital is free and does not have any monthly charges. We want users to feel BETTER about their money, not TAKE their money. #Qapitalapp
— Qapital (@qapitalapp) April 11, 2017
Acorns, a savings app that moves the difference between the amount of a purchase and the nearest dollar into an investment account, charges $1 a month for its service. It boasts 1.7 million users. It declined to comment for this story.
Perhaps the heart of the issue is that people will be willing to pay for the assistance if they value it.
"Companies like Digit have solved a real problem in the lives of their customers and they need to find a way to get paid to solve that problem," said Ryan Falvey, managing director of the Financial Solutions Lab, which is managed by the Center for Financial Services Innovation and supported by JPMorgan Chase. Digit was the 2015 winner of the lab's annual competition; as a result, the lab owns a stake in the firm.
"If people are willing to pay for that help is the question," Falvey said. "The details — how much? when? — the market will solve that."
Bankers have an addiction to giving things away for free, said Jim Marous, co-publisher of The Financial Brand and a digital banking expert.
"Overall, I'm a proponent for charging for value. … Our industry just loves to give things away," Marous said. "A lot of bankers will say, 'Why should we charge for something when others are doing something for free?' Well, people pay an ATM fee for the immediate access to cash, and I think the concept is valid for charging for a budgeting tool."
Besides banking, tech at large has groomed people, particularly millennials who tend to be the target audience for savings apps, to expect free services.
"Millennials like free. Unless the product is that much more valuable, most people will just switch to a free option," said Ramona Ortega, founder and chief executive of My Money My Future, a mission-driven financial tech company currently in its beta phase of testing.
Marous is not a fan of Digit's approach. He said the company would have been better off using gamification in the fee structure. In other words, charging a fee but offering users incentives to avoid the fee by, say, hitting a savings goal or limiting withdrawals from their rainy-day funds in a given month.
"It was a good concept, but they could have implemented it better," Marous said.
Digit's goal "is to be as transparent as possible about pricing, so we don't want to create an obfuscated fees situation," a company spokeswoman said in an email.
The spokeswoman declined multiple requests to make a Digit executive available for an interview. In the same email, she said the company is expecting some fallout.
"We're changing expectations for people, and that's painful," she said. "We believe the way we're going about it is the right way to build an independent financial services company."
The Digit savings app is charging a $2.99 monthly subscription fee in a couple months lol *deletes*
— Air Ric (@MisterEG3) April 11, 2017
Alongside the fee announcement, Digit also said it would pay savers 1% on their deposits, compared to the previous 0.2%. Several critics have pointed out that customers would need to save $3,600 a year in order for the interest rate boost to offset the monthly fee.
Several observers said the fallout could be significant. Still, others said there might be a better way to view the fallout. Essentially, it will separate the real users from the casual ones.
"It's too early to say if they did it the right way," said Alex Davidov, a vice president at Core Innovation Capital, a values-based venture firm. Core is not invested in Digit.
"They are certainly going to get a lot of churn and many will use that churn to say it was a bad decision, but I'd offer a more nuanced view," Davidov added. "What if they are more valuable with half the users? … The result would be a user base that you can say dramatically values your product. There is no validation the other way."
That's Davidov's optimistic opinion of what drove Digit's decision. He said the cynic in him chalked the move up to Digit's effort to make itself a more attractive acquisition candidate.
Indeed, banks will likely pay more attention to what happens next for Digit. Many are beginning to look more closely at budgeting tools and the ability to charge a fee for it could be attractive to them. Or at least they should be watching what happens closely, Marous said.
Marous also cautioned that the other savings apps ought to be careful in promising to never charge fees.
Britt, however, doubled down.
"We're never going to charge a monthly fee," he said, but added that there could be other things that its customers would be willing to pay for.
Chime's decision to join the conversation wasn't a swipe against Digit, Britt said. Rather, the company saw people who were complaining about the juxtaposition of paying to help save.
"When we wake up, we are not trying to crush the other savings apps. We love all the innovation and we have tons of respect for Digit," Britt said.
"We are very active on social media and we are watching how consumers are reacting to the fee change. … We were simply responding to people saying, 'this stinks,' " he said.
Bummed about Digit's new monthly fee? Switch to Chime and enjoy 2x round up bonuses for 12 weeks. NO monthly fees. https://t.co/SQrof40s8q
— Chime (@Chime) April 12, 2017
Falvey said the reaction by the other savings apps to disheartened consumers was a major win for people who struggle to save and those who are focused on it, like CFSI.
"It's unbelievable — there are companies competing to help people save. That's really a good thing for the market," Falvey said. "It's a positive thing that fintech is evolving in a good direction; you have companies competing to improve the financial lives of their customers."


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FRIDAY, Oct. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Antibiotics aren't necessary for most toothaches, a new American Dental Association (ADA) guideline says.
It's common for doctors and dentists to prescribe antibiotics to ease toothache symptoms and prevent a more serious condition.
But a review that led to the new guideline concluded that antibiotics are not the best option for adults with a toothache. Instead, they should get dental treatment and, if needed, use over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), according to the ADA.
"Antibiotics are, of course, tremendously important medications," said Dr. Peter Lockhart, chairman of the expert panel that developed the new guideline. "However, it's vital that we use them wisely so that they continue to be effective when absolutely needed."
Lockhart is chairman of the department of oral medicine at Carolinas Medical Center--Atrium Health in the Charlotte metro area.
Antibiotics are designed to combat bacterial infections, but they don't necessarily help with a toothache. They can cause serious side effects, and overuse has resulted in bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
The guideline does provide examples when antibiotics may be prescribed for a toothache.
"When dental treatment is not immediately available and the patient has signs and symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, or extreme tiredness, antibiotics may need to be prescribed," Lockhart said in an ADA news release. "But in most cases when adults have a toothache and access to dental treatment, antibiotics may actually do more harm than good."
The new guideline appears in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on toothaches.
SOURCE: American Dental Association, news release, Oct. 25, 2019


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About InsureMyTaxicab
Compare Multiple Taxi Insurance Brokers Easily with InsureMyTaxicab
Formed in 2016 with the sole purpose of helping taxi drivers find and compare the cost of private and public hire insurance easily with the aim of finding a good deal. The process starts by the entry of your base insurance requirements, having vehicle details to hand will enable you to complete this stage in just a few minutes. Your quote details are then instantly delivered to a select panel of UK insurance brokers that provide taxi insurance quotes.
To get a quote simply select the get taxi insurance button below and enter your requirements and then receive multiple quotes that you can browse through to find a policy that meets fully with your business or sole driver requirements.
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The following documents provide guidance for engaging in the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Quality Self-Assessment Process:
- NC Foundations, Progressions, TS GOLD, COR Alignment with Early Childhood Outcomes – Aligns the content of NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development, NC Progressions: Birth to Five, TS GOLD Objectives, Dimensions, and Indicators as well as COR Advantage Items with each of the three child outcomes (March, 2019)
- COS Quality Self-Assessment Process Overview
- COS Program Quality Self-Assessment
- COS Data Quality Self-Assessment
- COS File Review for Supporting Evidence
- Charting a Child's Progress Against Age-Expected Development
Other resources:
- COS Completion- When Teams Can't Meet in Person - Assists teams conducting COS rating determination meetings using telecommunication devices such as phones and/or computers with or without video to have discussions with team members in different locations through teleconferencing.
- What to Look for in Your Outcomes Data: Resources to support LEAs in analyzing their data to determine if it is valid and reliable, and if it meets the state's designated performance targets
- COS Process Professional Development: Collection of national resources to support COS training and technical assistance provided by ECTA.
- Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Process Module: Collecting and Using Data to Improve Programs - The Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center has partnered with the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy) for the development of an online learning module that provides key information about the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process and the practices that contribute to consistent and meaningful COS decision making.
- The Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center: Outcomes Measurement - Links to child and family outcomes measurement tools and references.
- NC Preschool Pyramid Model - Initiative designed to help improve child outcomes for preschool children with disabilities and to increase opportunities for instruction in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
- Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) - Resources to promote the adoption and sustained use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices.
- Child Outcomes Step by Step Video - Describes and illustrates the three child outcomes.
- The NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has a number of publications available to help explain the importance of child outcomes, as well as the process and requirements. Click here for more information.
- NC Early Childhood Outcomes Systems brochure - Overview of the three child outcomes that includes a decision tree for summary rating discussions.
- Understanding the Developmental Trajectories for Early Childhood Outcomes - Describes and visually depicts the 5 categories of children's developmental trajectories.
- A Family Guide to Understanding the Early Childhood Outcomes Measurement Process - Explains the three child outcomes to parents of young children participating in the NC Infant-Toddler or Exceptional Children Preschool Program.


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Hot skin and leg cramps… these are the first signs that your child has heatstroke
These are the symptoms you should look out for
WITH weather experts predicting the hottest temperatures of the year so far, kids all over the country will be spending the weekend outside.
But while we'll all aware of the the risks of sunburn, your children could also be at risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke - potentially dangerous conditions.
NHS guidelines state that heat exhaustion occurs when the body becomes very hot and water and salt is lost from the body, causing the sufferer to feel unwell. If left untreated, it can lead to heatstroke - where the body becomes unable to cool itself down, leading to dangerously high body temperature and potentially life-threatening complications due to strain on vital organs.
Heatstroke is also known as sunstroke in cases where it is caused by exposure to direct sunlight.
Symptoms can develop as quickly as in just a few minutes, or more gradually over a few hours or even days - and babies and young children are one of the groups most at risk.
Signs of heat exhaustion
Call 999 if these symptoms don't respond to treatment after 30 minutes
Tiredness and weakness
Feeling faint or dizzy
Decreased blood pressure
Muscle cramps
Nausea and vomiting
Heavy sweating
Intense thirst
A fast pulse
Reduced urinating
Darker urine than usual
Signs of heatstroke/sunstroke
Call 999 immediately if the person shows any of these symptoms
Symptoms of heat exhaustion
Seizures (fits)
Loss of consciousness
Elderly people, those with long term health conditions, people who are dehydrated from other illnesses (such as diarrhoea) and people who exercise heavily are also at risk - while restrictive clothing or a poorly-ventilated environment can be a contributing factor.
If your child, or someone you're with, does show signs of heat exhaustion, it's crucial to act fast to try to cool them down.
You can do this by having them lie down in a cool place, removing any unnecessary clothing and cooling their skin with flannels, cool packs, or wrapping them in a cool, wet sheet. You can also fan their skin while it's moist, and give them fluids - ideally water, fruit juice or a sports drink designed to re-hydrate.
Most people should recover with half an hour - but if symptoms do not disappear after 30 minutes, you should call 999.
How to treat heat exhaustion
Have the person lie down in a cool place
Cool the skin with wet flannels, sponges or cool packs
Wrap them in a cool, wet sheet
Fan the skin while it's moist
Give fluids
Although these symptoms sound scary - and can have terrifying consequences - heat exhaustion is easy to prevent. Staying out the sun between 11am and 3pm - making sure to walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat - provides protection. Keeping cool by drinking plenty of cold drinks, eating cold food and taking cool showers and baths can help too.
Meanwhile, babies less than six months old should be kept out of the sun completely - and older infants should be kept out of direct sunlight as much as possible.
It's also important to keep young children hydrated - with diluted fruit juice, ice cubes and homemade fruit juice lollies all good options if they don't seem keen to drink water.


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Getting over a partners infidelity
Written by: Rebecca Robinson
A cheating partner
A partner cheating can be one of the most traumatic experiences you go through in life. You may have preconceived ideas of how we will react or claim that if anyone cheated on you, you would never forgive them. But until you have been in that situation, it's difficult to know for sure exactly how you will deal with it and how you'll move forward with your life.
Getting over a partners infidelity is life changing, whether the relationship ends after or whether you choose to stay together. The circumstances surrounding the infidelity may decide whether you stay together. Was it just a one off drunken night? Where they going through emotional difficulties or experiencing mental health issues? Was it an affair over a long period of time or with someone you knew and trusted? There is no right or wrong types of infidelity but the circumstances in which it occurred may impact on how you choose to move on.
It might be that your spouse wants to end the relationship with you or they may feel genuinely sorry they have cheated and seek forgiveness in the hope you can stay together. Regardless, you will still go through the same intense emotions of anger, hatred, jealousy, betrayal, and confusion. Why did they cheat? Do they not love me anyone? How could they hurt me so much? Why is this other person better than me? You may be so overcome with emotion to take it out on those around you or become violent towards your partner and their lover. These feelings are normal and you will begin to deal with them after you've got over the initial shock.
Time heals
Once you've found out the devastating news, your life will change and you'll start to accept what has happened. If your partner is no longer around you, serving as a constant reminder of the pain they've caused, you will begin to heal quicker. Even if you hope to forgive them, some time alone to grieve and come to terms with the situation, will help you stabilise. You may have gotten over the intense feeling of anger and pain if your spouse has apologised or given you some form of explanation; they may have promised never to cheat again, tell you how much you mean to them and ask for a second chance. While you can't undo what has been done, you can decide whether you want to end the relationship or try and forgive.
All change
If you end the relationship, your life will fundamentally change. You may have to sell your home, move out, reconsider your finances, and face the prospect of eventually dating and starting a new relationship again. If you have children you'll also need to think about the effect this will have on them. While no child wants to be stuck in the middle of arguing parents in a volatile relationship, the impact of parents splitting up can have an equally devastating blow on children, so their needs and feelings will also be taken into consideration. Remember, if they know their parent has cheated on the other, they too may feel just as hurt and betrayed that their parent has put the family in this predicament.
Trying again
If you want to continue with your relationship, you might go through a wave of happiness now that you still have your partner with you, they've chosen you, that your relationship will continue and there won't be any great changes in your life. But you must accept your relationship will never be the same as it was before, not necessarily worse, but different.
You may go through a second wave of anger and betrayal after deciding to forgive your partner and memories of the cheating will suddenly emerge at unexpected moments such as during a romantic meal or in the bedroom. One day you may feel you've dealt with your feelings, the next you might find you're constantly reminded of the hurt they've caused and wonder if you can ever trust them again. You may want to go to marriage counselling together to talk through your feelings and start to re built trust. You may decide after addressing the issue, to draw a line under it and never bring it up in arguments or use as a weapon during a row, or you may try and move forward but ultimately decide you just can't get over such an event.
Whether you continue with your relationship or end it is a decision only you can make. You may find it harder to trust or fear it will happen again, but with the support of friends and family and sense of empowerment that you've come through this, you'll eventually move on, either with or without your partner.


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Ectoplasmic Armor
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No
With a final word, shimmering translucent slime appears around the target and fits to its form like a suit of plate.
The subject of the spell gains a +5 armor bonus to AC, with an additional +1 to the bonus for every four caster levels you have (maximum +9 bonus at 16th level). This armor bonus applies only against incorporeal touch attacks. All other attacks ignore the armor bonus from ectoplasmic armor.
Source: Spell Compendium
page revision: 1, last edited: 15 Sep 2011 00:46


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Got a burning SEO question?
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I'm looking for a tool similar to Keyword Planner that retrieves (local) search volumes for keywords. The 1000 keyword limit is too low for me, I would like to be able to fetch the search volume for at least 10.000 keywords in one request. It needs to have local search volume (for the Netherlands and if possible Belgium). I used VolumeAPI which worked like a charm, unfortunatly volumeAPI stopped after the changes made to keywordplanner. Any ideas?
Tested and not found suitable:
- Wordtracker
- Keyword explorer 2.0
1 Response
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Segregating Personal and Sensitive Data in Mobile Review with RVM's ConTXT: Addressing The Most Frequency Asked Question
by Geoffrey M. Sherman
How will your personal and potentially sensitive information be separated from what is relevant for legal review? It's the most frequently asked question when collecting data from mobile devices for review. The topic of data privacy for personal and highly sensitive data creates a lot of anxiety for our clients, as such we want to ease these concerns with solutions and workflows developed.
While corporations, agencies, and outside counsel are legally obligated to collect pertinent company data from employees' mobile devices, it is equally important to not include and expose employees' personal data. We remedy this concern with our latest innovation –ConTXTTM, RVM's Mobile Review Solution.
Through advanced filtering capabilities within ConTXTTM clients are able to broadly eliminate or mask personal and sensitive data. This can be achieved by the following:
- Using charts and graphical filters to visually isolate large corpuses of data which contains personal correspondents.
- Filtering by and labeling specific correspondents using our "Parties" Tab to narrow down the correspondents in scope and help to eliminate those which are not.
- Using the "Parties" Tab to label specific phone numbers and screen names as "Personal" so that their true names are logically suppressed while reviewing.
- Leveraging our image review and filtering tool SnapshotTM to allow for easy identification and suppression of personal pictures and their corresponding conversations.
- Applying pattern matching techniques such as regular expressions for specific patterns of PII.
These inclusive and exclusive filtration techniques help to eliminate client privacy concerns.
Naturally, let's not forget about the additional benefits of eliminating personal data from review to time and cost effectiveness. No one wants to spend more time and money reviewing irrelevant data.
About ConTXTTM
ConTXTTM is the latest addition to RVM's line of solutions which works both with and without the use of Relativity for Review. Through ConTXTTM RVM is able to take data collected from any mobile device, including cell phones and tablets, using industry leading forensics software and present it to Relativity and other Review Platforms where it can be reviewed quickly and logically. With ConTXTTM clients can put an end to reviewing in spreadsheets and pdf files — a common practice with cell phone data. The process has been transformed to take on the elegance and simplicity they expect in a modern age of eDiscovery and Digital Forensics
Want to learn more about ConTXTTM? Let's schedule a demo:


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Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE), Diabetes Educator, Dietitian
The research into glycemic index showed that it was not just the 'sugar' content of foods that would predict the impact of a food on BGLs but the processing and type of starch was of equal importance. A good example of this is white bread. If you just considered the sugar content of white bread you would think it was fine for diabetes. We know however that white bread raises the blood glucose level almost at the same rate as drinking straight glucose (like in the oral glucose tolerance test). Some natural muesli cereal however will have a high 'sugar' content but these are generally naturally occurring sugars such a fructose. When tested in humans, most of these natural muesli cereals are low GI.
I now encourage people with diabetes to just think about the total amount of carbohydrate they are having and also the glycemic index of that food. An accredited practicing dietitian can prescribe the right amount carbohydrate individual to your needs.
You must be a HealthShare member to report this post.to your account or now (it's free).
The reason you need to look at TOTAL carbohydrate is that ALL carbohydrates break down to glucose (the basic sugar that is the preferred energy source for your body) and so will raise your BGL, just at different rates based on what Sophie explained about the glycemic index. You can read more about the glycemic index here: http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php
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Daniel Ayala, Monique Gonzalez, Richard Kalkbrenner,
Taekwonda Bowman, and Christopher Lamerson
March 25th, 2013
Richard A. Clemens
Organizational Structure: Behavior, Power, and Politics According to Robbins and Judge (2011), "Organizational culture refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations" (pg. 520). It is a culture that reflects down from upper management and is the working environment of the organization. Every employee's personal traits, skills, values, and behaviors are the basis of the culture and the culture allows the employees to complete the tasks necessary for the organization to have success. Whether an organizational structure is starting out for the first time or going through a renovation, a detailed blueprint is crucial to success. For example, a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, purchases a nearby casino and the hotel staff acquires new responsibilities and tasks as a result of the purchase. Unfortunately, management did not provide the staff with a new organizational structure. As a result of this, employees are experiencing conflict with one another whereas departments are disagreeing and compromising the service and production employees provide for customers. The design of an organization structure covers many components, such as work specialization, chain of command, span of control, centralization, decentralization, ad formalization, and departmentalization. To design an organization structure there are initial decisions management must make. For instance will the organization adopt a simple structure, virtual matrix, bureaucratic or boundryless style? Another initial decision when decision structure is whether the organization will embrace mechanistic or organic model (Robbins & Judge, 2011). Despite the logistical decisions management will make during the development of the organizational structure, reward systems should be equally important in the development process. The reward system will have a significant impact on the organizational culture. Informing employees that particular behaviors and actions will warrant a specific reward is the first step. Also the employees should consider the rewards to be of value and management should extract feedback from employees regarding the value of rewards (Agarwal, 1998). Organizational structure and employee behavior go hand in hand. Not every employee will respect or like the organizational structure but most employees will follow the structure. Organizational structures also can be both beneficial and a liability. An organizational structure is beneficial because it sets the tone for employee behavior. An organization has a specific motto, slogan, or mission statement employees should believe in and follow. This is the backbone of the organization and will assist employees with understanding the company's functions and purpose along with ensuring the company is productive and able to reach its goals. The organizational structure is a liability because a number of employees may share beliefs and values, such as old policies, techniques, or styles of management causing the organization to fail to progress or advance


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Living my whole life on the coast, I have always had a special love for bikinis. In high school, I remember driving a good amount of miles to the "it" high-end bikini boutique and spending all the allowance I saved up on the verrry best bikini I ever laid my eyes on. I still have the bikini today! Where some women spend money on shoes or handbags, there are women like us, who want to spend their money on bikinis. And it's exciting because the quality of bikinis has only gotten better and better.
Last season I sold women's bikinis and had some customers who couldn't figure out what size they were in the tops and bottoms. I decided to send them a few sizes of the bikinis so that they could try them on first and then they could send the other that didn't fit back to me. I included a pre-paid label in the package for them to easily send the other back. She loved it and this sparked the idea for me to be able to provide this service to more people.
I have been working hard coding and designing the website so that it can function seamlessly for you. There is always room for improvement, so please feel free to get in touch and we can chat!


text: Bovis ISSN 2398-2993 McMaster worm egg count Synonym(s): Fecal egg count, FEC, FWEC Contributor(s): Mike Taylor , Andrew Forbes Introduction Requirements Procedure Aftercare Outcomes Introduction The McMaster Method is the most widely used method for nematode fecal egg counting (FEC) or coccidia faecal oocyst counting (FOC). The method uses a specific counting chamber (McMaster slide) to examine microscopically a known volume of a fecal suspension for helminth (worm) eggs and coccidia oocysts. If a known weight of feces and a known volume of flotation fluid are used to prepare the suspension, then the number of worm eggs per gram (epg) or coccidia oocysts per gram (opg) of the feces can be calculated by multiplying the number of eggs/oocysts under the marked areas in the slide chamber by simple conversion factors. Uses The demonstration and counting (quantitative) of helminth eggs or coccidia oocysts in fecal samples. Trichostrongyle nematodes (Ostertagia Ostertagia ostergagi, Cooperia Cooperia spp, Haemonchus Haemonchus placei, Trichostrongylus Trichostrongylus axei, Nematodirus Nematodirus spp). Strongyle nematodes (Chabertia, Oesophagostomum Oesophagostomum, Bunostomum Bonostomum). Other gastrointestinal nematodes (Toxocara, Strongyloides Strongyloides spp, Trichuris Trichuris spp). Tapeworms (Moniezia). Fluke (Fasciola) Fasciola gigantica Fasciola hepatica. Coccidia oocysts (Eimeria) Eimeria bovis Eimeria zuernii. Used as part of parasite control programmes. Used in investigation of calves with weight loss/diarrhea. Used to identify potential wormer resistance and suspect loss of efficacy (SLOE) to anthelmintics by means of fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test. Advantages Allows the number of parasite eggs/oocysts per gram of feces to be calculated. Generic identification is possible with some parasite species. FECs or FOCs allow identification of cattle with high parasite infections and guide targeted treatments. Cattle with low or zero parasite counts can be identified avoiding unnecessary antiparasitic treatments, but beware of limitations of the techniques and the risk of disease caused by immature/larval stages. Disadvantages Only patent infections are identified. For nematode fecal egg counts: Numbers of eggs reflect only the presence of adult female worms in the intestinal lumen despite potentially large numbers of immature worms/larvae being present and; Do not always indicate the number of worms present in the animal from which the feces came, i.e. there is no direct linear correlation between actual worm burden and the FEC. However, cattle with FEC <200 epg have significantly lower intestinal worm burdens that cattle with FEC >500 epg. Numbers of trematode or cestode eggs, and protozoa cysts in feces, may provide less reliable estimates of parasite burdens due to intermittent excretion. Not all eggs/cysts from the various different parasite species are the same weight. Heavier eggs, and some protozoa cysts, will not float as well in lower specific gravity solutions. This will decrease their counts. Worm egg or protozoa cyst counts will also be influenced by the volume of feces passed each day, intestinal ingesta passage rate, and the way the eggs/cysts are distributed through the feces. Trichostrongyle and strongyle eggs cannot be differentiated to genus or species level unless subjected to fecal culture and larval identification. Coccidia oocyst counts, on their own, are insufficient and oocysts should be identified to species . Requirements This article is available in full to registered subscribers Sign up now to purchase a 30 day trial, or Login Procedure This article is available in full to registered subscribers Sign up now to purchase a 30 day trial, or Login Aftercare This article is available in full to registered subscribers Sign up now to purchase a 30 day trial, or Login Outcomes This article is available in full to registered subscribers Sign up now to purchase a 30 day trial, or Login Further ReadingPublicationsRefereed Papers Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource. Dunn A & Keymer A (1986) Factors affecting the reliability of the McMaster technique. J Helminthol 60, 260-262. Pereckiene A, Kaziunaite V, Petkevicius S, Malakauskas A, Sarkunas M & Taylor M A (2007) A comparison of modifications of the McMaster method for the enumeration of Ascaris suum in pig faecal samples. Vet Parasitol 149, 111-116. Other sources of information Taylor M A, Coop R L & Wall R L (2016) Laboratory Diagnosis of Parasitism. In: Veterinary Parasitology. 4th edn. Wiley-Blackwell, UK. pp 259-262. Gibbons L M, Jacobs D E & Fox M T & Hansen J (2015) McMaster Egg Counting Technique. In: The RVC/FAO Guide to Veterinary Diagnostic Parasitology. The Royal Veterinary College, UK. Website: www.rvc.ac.uk. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1986) Reference Book 418: Manual of Veterinary Parasitological Laboratory Techniques. 3rd edn. HMSO, UK. pp 12-15. Thienpont D, Rochette F & Vanparijs O F J (1986) Diagnosing Helminthiasis by Coprological Examination. 2nd edn. Janssen Research Foundation, Belgium. pp 205. Whitlock H V (1948) Some modifications of the McMaster helminth egg-counting technique and apparatus. J Council Sci Indust Res Australia 21, 177-180. Gordon H M & Whitlock H V (1939) A new technique for counting nematode eggs in sheep faeces. J Council Sci Indust Res Australia 12, 50-52.


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Champion (487)
25-04-2017, 08:56
HI there,
As most of you know MSX to me is : M.S.X. = Music Sex eXtacy
i will buy msx
i will collect msx
i will sell msx
i will trade msx with others.
i just want spread msx to all over
i use ebay , jauce , FB , yahoo , my contacts
keep msx alive ..
i donate few msx sw/hw producers.
I.J.N.M. = I Just Need More
i have 5 msx for sale now
to me is coming 3 msx in next 5 weeks
i just trade msx to brazil
i have sold about 90 msx away in last 3 years
im searching : Yamaha YIS805 RUS / Aucnet NIA 2001
so keep up good work.
Long Live MSX
Skype:; hauestaja MSX


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AN AGENT RECENTLY E-MAILED with a vexing problem, one that I hope not many of you have endured. The agent had done business with a tour operator that shut down after the client had traveled. Calls placed in regard to the agent's outstanding $2,000 commission went unreturned, as did Travel Agent's calls seeking comment on the situation.
The next step was to call Bob Whitley, president of the United States Tour Operators Association, for his advice on the situation. The tour operator was not a member of USTOA (which held its annual conference in Cancun last week), and although Whitley said it's unlikely the agent would get the money owed to him, he did provide insight on how to prevent similar circumstances in the future.
Travel Agent: In such a case, what are an agent's options for getting that commission check?
Whitley: My experience is that they won't be paid. If the tour operator declares bankruptcy, the agent can file as a creditor and fill out forms to be listed as a creditor to receive any assets. But when most companies close, they do not file bankruptcy, because the cost is more than what they owe. If the tour operator did file bankruptcy, the agent would have received a notice. The other option is to make a complaint to the attorney general's office [in the state where the tour operator is based].
Travel Agent: How can agents prevent this scenario from happening?
Whitley: Having a customer pay by check is the safest option for an agent's commission. With a check payment, the agent [takes] the commission and sends the remaining balance to the tour operator. However, paying with a credit card is the safest bet for the customer.
Travel Agent: That's a tough choice for an agent. Is there anything else that can be done?
Whitley: This is why we recommend agents book members of USTOA. We have our consumer assistance program, which helps to rebook travel plans if a tour operator goes out of business. It does not cover commissions, but if a tour operator goes out of business and a customer travels anyway, the agent will keep that client. —JENNIFER MERRITT