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When I heard of that whole conference movement a while ago, I was firstly a bit confused about why some people are spending their time organizing events on which all kinds of folks from the internet meet together and talk with each other. Every time someone from those big players in our industry decided to post a picture of himself sitting within the crowd of such a conference, I simply couldn't understand it. We're the internet. If we want to talk with people, it doesn't matter if they're on the back side of the world, we just need to hit a button and we're immediately able to both hear and see each other and discuss whatever the fuck we would like to discuss.
But when I got older, I realized that this way of communicating can't be compared to the way how people deal with each other on those events. It also feels much less forced and freer. There are no connection losses or bad interfaces in between, just a nice bunch of people talking about their favorite topic.
Since I'm just a human and therefore much more of a fan of this than chatting with someone over the internet, I decided that I have to check out one of those conferences at least once. So I tried to find one which is interesting but sadly soon forgot about it, because I couldn't find a suitable one. But then, after a long time had passed, I noticed on Twitter that there was one about JavaScript starting in Berlin. And since I already really liked JS, I brought myself to do it.
Now there was only one problem which was standing between me and the conference: Money. I don't know exactly why, but I thought a ticket for it would cost around 100 euros and then turned out to be over 700 (or something like that). And then there was also the cost for the train ticket and my accommodation for three nights. All in all, it was a bit over a thousand euros for just two days of talks and All You Can Eat Food. It was just too much. But as soon as I got sad about that I probably wouldn't be able to attend the event, their Twitter account tweeted about how easy it is to get a scholarship if you're part of a small, ethnic group. I wasn't, so I got sad again.
Thankfully, they told me that they could even sponsor "regular" people like me if I couldn't afford it. So on the same day, I sent out an application through their web form and hoped that I would be selected as one of the small group of people which will receive a sponsorship.
Then one day, I got an email with "Congrats, you're going to Berlin!" in the subject line. It was from Simone, one of the great people who spent their time organizing those huge meetups. And then it started, I got really nervous immediately. I knew I will meet new people who're indeed on the same topic as I, but definitely on a different level. But I tried to tell myself to stay calm and booked a nice little room on Airbnb and packed by stuff for the 4-hour trip to Berlin.
It was a long, exhausting ride on a train with really bad WiFi and omnipresent nausea. But I've managed to distract myself with music and the development of a website which will launch soon1.
As I finally arrived there, I was immediately blown away by all those huge buildings, huge crowds of business people in grey suits rushing to work and students sitting on benches while looking strained into books, drinking Starbucks coffee and gulping down all kinds of fast food. All in all it didn't felt like a cozy town to me. But much more like a instrument of power which was purely created to fit a huge amount of people in one place and impress other countries.
It was definitely the result of the megalomania of Germany's past politician that I felt like I was being crushed by endlessly high castles and blocks made of pure concrete and glass.
Maybe the bombing in the second world war and the thereupon as-fast-as-possible created buildings played a part in this.
After walking a bit, a huge quadrangular block made of pure concrete and glass showed up in front of me. I looked on the sign that tells the walkers what is being build here and it said something like "The new Berlin castle".
I took a big step away from the fence, stared at the lifeless built and thought "That's not a castle, you must be kidding me". Then I walked a little further and found another sign (more like a plastic poster) which showed the number 60 written in red letters. Under it, there was a text in a different font which said "Current liabilities of the city in billions".
Yeah, sure. "Guys, we haven't spend enough of our country's money yet. Let's build a crappy looking concrete block for another few millions!". I guess that pretty much sums up my feelings about Berlin. There are definitely some great spots, but most if it is just not my thing.
#The Conference
Now enough with that talking about the city itself. While I was there, I didn't just sit around for 4 days, I actually did something. The main reason why I even visited Berlin was because of my first web conference, the JSConf EU. It's a nice event with great food and friendly people who're presenting cool things that are happing around JavaScript.
Before the first day of the event, I was very nervous and went to bed very late. In the morning, I woke up early too, just to notice that I haven't brought my hairdryer with me. Fuck. Once I had figured out how to towel them down, the event had already started and I prayed that the breakfast is still going. Thankfully, I had a few minutes to enjoy my pancakes with jam, before the halls got opened for the audience.
Then, the whole room suddenly got completely darkened. The only things that were still visible were the bright-shining screens of those people, who decided not to close their MacBooks for a fucking second. I knew that they would come up with a great opening, but I did neither expect this, nor that.
After the beginning, the crew introduced themselves and the talks started. It was a great journey through all the areas, in which JavaScript is now being used to create great things. I felt like they really took the whole "JavaScript everything" as an attitude for life. I heard of a sewing machine running it and Pawel Szymczykowski showed us how to build a balloon carrying a payload of sensors and cameras which will by launched into the Earth's atmosphere, all thanks to node.
I don't want to dig too much into all the great stuff that was shown to us, because all of them will be released in the next days on their YouTube channel. I'm sadly now able to tell you my favorite talk, because most of them were just above ground. But one of those was definitely "Illusion of Time" by Denys Mishunov (where he explained why people don't care about waiting if they're able to move forward while they wait and why they do care if they need to wait without doing anything) and "Disconnected Networking" by Razvan Caliman. In this one, he showed us how to use various APIs (like audio or ambient light) of the newer browser versions to transfer data between devices or simply control a computer with gestures.
Another thing I was very happy about was, that Microsoft finally decided to kill the Internet Explorer in favor of their new browser: Edge. They dropped a huge amount of old code lines and replaced them with all the cool features which browsers like Chrome already have since a long time. When I got back to my agency, I had the chance to install Windows 10 on one of our testing devices and I noticed that they haven't completely removed IE yet. But I'm sure they will, in the near future.
I also met David Valdman, the creator of the talk "Functional Layout - Updating the DOM at 60FPS" (which happened in a different hall at the same time) and we were chatting a bit about how big Berlin is and that it's not comparable to all the beatiful cities we actually have in Germany. Thanks to him, I'm now also aware of how much projects like JSConf do to get some decent talks for their audience. No matter where you live, they will pay for your flight, your accommodation and for all your human needs (food, drinks, et cetera).
All in all, it was a really great event. Altought I didn't really know where to go at first, I found it out a short while later because everything was so perfectly organized and explaned through signs and the crew. Someone even built a full mobile version of the schedule, so it was very easy to switch halls if the current talk wasn't very interesting.
Oh, I forgot to mention that: The whole event took place in two different rooms: The "Back track" (where I was most of the time) and the "Side track". Everyone was allowed to change to the other room if the talk on the other side was more appealing to him, or just for fun.
Sadly, I wasn't able to stay until the Closing Conference and the Group Foto. Since I didn't knew the schedule when I booked my tickets, I bought one of those for the train which can only be used at a certain time. I was so thankful that I've received the sponsorship, but I still wanted to find the cheapest ticket so that I could spend more money on the Airbnb room (which was this one, by the way). I was very late when I've decided to book a room on Airbnb instead of one in a hotel, so there where only a few ones left.
But as you can see, I got a great one anyway - it was beatiful!
If you have the chance to attend one of those web conferences, do it! You will meet a lot of great people, stay up-to-date with the new stuff in our industry and also have a lot of fun!
On of the biggest problems I personally had was simply being too shy to do it. But trust me, those people are a lot nicer than the the average person you'll meet on the street!
1Really, what else?


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We are proud to work with the global leading hotel brands:
Why are we different?
Performance-based scheme of collaboration and a minimum guaranteed saving in the first year is provided
Deliver proprietary solutions based on IoT technology to allow for automated control and autonomous commissioning of hotel´s systems
Specialised in energy efficiency services exclusively for the hospitality sector working with world´s renowned hotel chains
Achieve energy savings by optimising the use of current facility installations without any investment required from the hotel
Monitor & Save
Monitor & Save is world´s first energy efficiency project focused on optimisation of existing facilities entirely under performance-based scheme: if there are No Savings achieved – No Fees apply for the client. It is designed exclusively for the hospitality sector and consists of four main components which allow perfectly balanced energy and operational efficiency.
Seamless energy saving is here without suffering brand standards or guest comfort!
Cloud – based Monitoring and Analytical Platform tracks energy performance progress, identifies faults and cause-effect scenarios
Identification of necessary control enhancements and upgrades to maximize building´s performance and energy saving
Proprietary machine-learning based software and tailored hardware solutions for automation of entire HVAC system of the hotel
Human Resources
Team of Energy Efficiency Engineers with extensive experience in hospitality sector, handles all the tasks related to the project
Intelligent Building Automation – Software as Performance
24/7 optimised control delivered by in-built intelligent solution perfectly tailored for your building's needs.
Innovative solution based on Machine Learning technology which allows for intelligent HVAC management, augments operational capabilities of each individual system to maximise building value. By covering the necessary demands depending on different variables which influence energy consumption, it enhances energy savings while maintaining highest comfort standards.
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11F, Tower B, Central Towers No.567,
Shanghai, 200333, China
For more information and news follow us on social networks

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to sac NOTARY PUBLIC
Ranked #1 with all 5 star reviews on Yelp for Sacramento County
Since 2010
Ranked #1 with all 5 star reviews on Yelp for Sacramento County
Since 2010
Hello, my name is Joseph (Joey) Maita. I have been a mobile notary public since 2010. I have successfully completed thousands of notary signings in the Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sutter, Placer, Yolo, Solano, and Amador counties.
Google Mobile Notary Public Sacramento or Elk Grove & you will see there are so many Mobile Notaries here in Sacramento & Elk Grove. Some signing experiences can be stressful and I try to be myself and make the customer feel at ease. I am punctual and take my appointments very serious. If I cant make the appointment, I will always find you a Notary that can. My rates are also reasonable and fair. I could tell you more about me but let me allow my clients do that for me. Click here to read my Yelp Reviews: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mobile-notary-public-sacramento-elk-grove-6 notary near me
$15 per signature
$30-100 Travel Fee
Copyright © 2018 Mobile Notary Public of Sacramento - All Rights Reserved.


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Publication Date: March 2005
Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Research Area: Banking and finance
Until recently, the Nasdaq stock market was a for-profit, but wholly-owned subsidiary of the nonprofit National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD), the largest self-regulatory organization (SRO) for the securities industry. In 2000, in a strategic response to an increasingly competitive securities trading market, the NASD membership approved spinning off the for-profit NASD-owned Nasdaq and converting it into a for-profit shareholder-owned market that later planned to issue publicly traded stock.
The process has three broad stages: (1) issuing privately placed stock; (2) converting to technical exchange status; and (3) issuing publicly-held stock. Stage one, the private placement stage has been completed. In March 2001, Nasdaq submitted an application for exchange status to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Obtaining exchange status is necessary for Nasdaq to proceed to stage three of Introduction, its conversion to an independent shareholder owned market -- a public stock offering.
A major reason that the SEC continues to hold up Nasdaq's exchange application is that exchanges must comply with a trading protocol in which they provide execution priority to the best priced offers to trade known as price priority. As an association and not an exchange, Nasdaq is not beholden to such a rule. And SEC officials have been reluctant to grant it exchange status without a price priority trading protocol, which Nasdaq officials say is an intrinsic and beneficial part of its business model.
Learn how to upload your organization's valuable work into PolicyArchive and share your works with researchers and policymakers around the world.


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Loree Forest, Collingwood
Nottawasaga Lighthouse, Collingwood, Ontario
Sunset Park, Collingwood, Ontario
View From Pisgah Inn.
Note: this is a huge file at 73MB as it is made up of 24 images stitched together to make up this Panorama image. One lens cannot capture it all.
Sunset at Gauley Bay
Hilton Falls
Taken February 2017
Lone Loon
Fall Colours at Paudash Lake
Inglis Falls
No Gas for YOU!
Burleigh Falls
American Falls at Niagara, Illuminated
Montmorency Falls
Taken May 2016
Days End
Oxtongue Rapids
Taken October 2016
Lookout in Algonquin, Track and Tower Trail
5 image Panorama, Algonquin Look out, Track and Tower Trail
Eugenia Falls
Taken February 2016
Hoggs Falls
hoggs falls, collingwood, ontario, waterfalls
Niagara Falls Illuminated
Misty Morning on Paudash Lake
This Image "Misty Morning on Paudash Lake" has been Featured on:
*TodaysPhoto.org on Sept 26,2009
*Paudash Lake Conservation Association Newsletter Summer 2011
into the abyss
Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Fireworks over the American Falls, Niagara Falls , Ontario


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Melbourne Silicon Beach
Hub Melbourne is a professional member community that DRIVES innovation through collaboration. We do this by providing diverse individuals and organisations with a thriving space for co-working, meetings and events. We also host learning and collaboration experiences that create value for our members, their projects, and the community. Events are open to both members and non-members with members receiving free or discounted entry. To find out how you or your organisation can benefit from membership, please click here.
To use the creative, innovative spaces at Hub Melbourne for your next meeting and event, please click here. If you would like to know more about using Hub Melbourne as your workspace please click here.
Sorry, there are no upcoming events


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The government of laos, one of the few remaining one-party communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. the results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year in 1988-2007 except during the short-lived drop caused by the asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. despite this high growth rate, laos remains a country with a underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with support from japan and china. electricity is available in urban areas and in most rural districts. subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about 40% of gdp and provides 80% of total employment. the economy will continue to benefit from aid from international donors and from foreign investment in hydropower and mining. construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. several policy changes since 2004 may help spur growth. in late 2004, laos gained normal trade relations status with the us, allowing laos-based producers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. laos is taking steps to join the world trade organization in the next few years; the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. on the fiscal side, a value-added tax (vat) regime, slated to begin in 2008, should help streamline the government's inefficient tax system.
Unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
Communist state
6,677,534 (july 2008 est.)
Southeastern asia, northeast of thailand, west of vietnam
Total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km
Slightly larger than utah
Conventional long form: lao people's democratic republic conventional short form: laos local long form: sathalanalat paxathipatai paxaxon lao local short form: none
Name: vientiane geographic coordinates: 17 58 n, 102 36 e time difference: utc+7 (12 hours ahead of washington, dc during standard time)
15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Southeast asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with thailand but disputes remain over islands in the mekong river; concern among mekong commission members that china's construction of dams on the mekong river will affect water levels


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Poppies and Rose Vine
Yay my Poppies and my Mini Rose Vine are finished.
Here are some pics from my photo shoot with my Poppies. The arrangement was ordered with some gold and black ferns, but I personally prefer it without them. These little leaves were so easy to make, but it required some weird technique combos.
And then I got to make another mini rose vine. This time the roses were larger than the usual ones I make, and the entire vine was wrapped with beads. My customer picked off-white, red, and black for the roses, with mixed green leaves. I wasn't sure how the mix would turn out, I'm in love with it. I need to make more and smother my whole house in them. Muahahaha.
The leaves all have different shading patterns, which were really fun to make. I do plan on doing a pattern for the rose vine someday, I'm just not sure when.
Up next I will be making some Lily of the Valley stems. Then I'm taking a break from custom orders to do the Dahlia pattern that everyone has been requesting since last summer. I'm thinking I'll make these ones orange and yellow, just because I don't work with a lot of orange. Or maybe red and garnet? Gah I can't decide.
I will also be working a little on the beaded berry pattern that my friend, Suzanne Steffenson, and I have been developing. Hopefully I will have more news (or at least some teaser pics) for that soon. Though we are including a great deal of info, so it's a longer term tutorial project.
In other news I am running a pattern sale this week! Every single PDF Pattern and Tutorial in my Pattern Shop is 40% off until March 21st. No coupon code required!
Dahlias and Poppies
Hello again, folks! It's been a very busy week(ish) at Lauren's Creations. I've finished my next order for these 2 pink Dahlias. Yay!
But I've also received quite a few more custom orders since last I updated this blog. I'm now booked all the way through June. I will leave my shop open until Saturday, when my 15% off offer expires, then after that I will be closing for a few months so I can get through this long list. My current project is for a mini Poppy arrangement. Originally we were going with the larger Poppy, but my customer decided she wanted them smaller. So I'm making 3 of the tiny ones on the left. Plus a couple buds, some of those funky poppy leaves, and the black and gold fern leaves that you can kind of see in the background in the second picture. I'm saving the larger one I made for a future project. :)
This one will be finished in just a couple days. Then I'm jumping right in to another mini rose vine. Then I get to make Lily of the Valley, after which I'm taking a break to do my Dahlia Pattern by the end of the month. Then I will be making an Astilbe Stem, a Purple Iris, 3 Purple Gerbera Daisies, a Wedding Bouquet!, a Hydrangea, then another Southern Magnolia and a Purple Ruffled Rose. Phew! Some of these projects seem so far away. But I'm excited for each and every one of them. Of course, because of the scheduling needs of a couple of them, I'm having to push my Hydrangea pattern from April into June. But, I'm making a Hydrangea that month for a custom order so it works out well. :) I haven't published a new pattern this year and it feels really strange. I had no idea that this many orders would come in back to back. My little fingers are going to be beading like crazy, that's for sure.
I will see you all next week with another update on my progress.
LAUREN'S CREATIONS has moved to it's new home on the web! Come drop on by my new website - BeadandBlossom.com - to learn the art of French Beaded Flowers.
Hello everyone! I am Lauren Harpster, the designer behind Lauren's Creations. I am a 28 year old wife, and a mother to three adorable little kids. I've been making French Beaded Flowers for six years now, and teaching French Beading through my website for about four years. I hope you'll join me on my blog so you, too, can Learn the Art of French Beading.
November 2018


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Welcome to The Views, prestige living integrated seamlessly with nature. Lot 221 is part of stage 4 of the development and it's getting ready for you to build your dream home. With 560 square meters and at the hot price of $218,000, make this lot on Adelaide Street (South) yours today.
The Views offer a tranquil, natural lifestyle with breathtaking northerly views over the Toowoomba Ranges and Gowrie Mountain. You'll truly get the best of both worlds, a rural lifestyle and an inner city location. Just 6km north-west of the Toowoomba CBD and close to schools, childcare, Wilsonton Shopping Centre, St Andrews Hospital and Toowoomba International Airport, The Views truly has everything you need just around the corner.
Cranley is quickly morphing into a suburb suited to those looking for a fresher lifestyle. It's relaxed, with families of all ages moving to the area for an active lifestyle without the hustle and bustle of the CBD inner suburbs.
The Views is immaculately presented, blending in seamlessly with the surrounding national parklands, featuring native trees and walking trails. Let the kids run free through adjoining Cranley Park's 50 hectares of parklands; a natural playground offering nature walks, bike rides and serene spots for Sunday afternoon picnics.
Whether you're an empty nester looking to downsize, a large family looking to upsize or an investor, this scenic residential north-facing address caters to everyone. Offering a dream combination of nature and proximity to the city, this is a lifestyle opportunity not to be missed.
Come home to breath-taking views, stunning natural parklands and a neighbourhood of quality homes within a beautifully designed estate.
Give Andrew or Amy a call today to have a chat about making this lifestyle yours, and we can arrange a viewing of the land for you.
|R&H Suburb Summary
|Number of sales
|Average Price
|Median Price
|Median Rental Price
|$368 p.w.
|Change in Rental Rate (5yr)
|-3 %
|R&H Suburb Summary
|Number of sales
|Average Price
|Median Price
|Median Rental Price
|$315 p.w.
Proposed Lot 221, The Views Sanctuary Rise, Adelaide Street (South), Cranley,
Queensland, 4350


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Remember that scene in the 2009 rom-com The Ugly Truth where Katherine Heigl's character finds herself wearing a remote control vibrator at a restaurant?
She's trying to talk to her colleagues but she can't stop squirming because the kid at the next table is playing with the remote.
It's a very uncomfortable and cringe-worthy scene in a not otherwise memorable movie, but I've secretly wanted to try a remote control vibrator ever since.
Something about the idea of handing my partner the remote and giving them total control over my pleasure really gets me going.
The Mantric Rechargeable Remote Control Egg Vibrator seemed like the perfect way to live out this fantasy. Here's what happened when it arrived…


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Prayer resources
10 Days of Prayer
SIM gathers together in a special time of prayer during the 10 days between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost. Will you join us for our 10 Days of Prayer? Use this prayer guide, focusing on 'one anothers,' from May 21-30.
- . English PDF
- . French PDF
- . Portuguese PDF
- . Spanish PDF
- . English Text
- . French Text
- . Portuguese Text
- . Spanish Text
#PraytoEndCOVID19 Prayer Guide
SIM invites you to join us in prayer on Wednesday, March 11, for the end of the coronavirus and COVID-19. Find our 10 prayer points in this guide.
2020 SIM Prayer Guide
Welcome to the 2020 Prayer Guide. We hope this prayer resource inspires, informs and invites you to pray for SIM ministries throughout the globe. Share this guide with those you know so they can join us as we ask God to use us to glorify his name throughout the world.
2019 SIM Founders' Day
Join us on Founders' Day, Dec. 4th, as we renew our minds through prayer. While only a few of us may serve on Faithful Witness teams, we are all faithful witnesses for Jesus wherever God has placed us. In the spirit of Revelation 1:5, let us pray for the Lord to strengthen us and help us emulate Jesus, the ultimate Faithful Witness.
SIM By Prayer App
Join us in daily prayer via our SIM By Prayer App. Available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play store. Sign up with your email address and create your password. Answer the questions from our sponsors. If you choose "no" to customising the app, simply verify that you are over 13 years of age. Interested in praying along with us? Go to the menu on the "Message" page and select the "My Tracks" option. Press the add tool (+) to receive updates from the "Prayer Requests" track.
Prayer resource archives
2019 SIM Prayer Guide
Welcome to the 2019 Prayer Guide. The purpose of this prayer mobilisation tool is to inform, inspire and invite readers like you to pray for SIM ministries all around the world. Please share this Prayer Guide freely and broadly with all who would like to join us in praying for what God is doing through SIM.
2019 10 Days of Prayer
Find our prayer resource from 2019's 10 Days of Prayer below. This resource can guide through what the Bible says about joy in our lives.
- . English
- . Francais
- . Español
- . Português
- . 한국어 Korean
- . Text English
- . Texte en Francais
- . Texto en Español
- . Texto en Português
- . 한국어 텍스트 Text in Korean
2018 SIM Founders' Day
The past year has been one of celebrating God's faithfulness over 125 years. What a wonder that He would choose ordinary people like our founders — and like us — to take forward the gospel. However, after the rhythm of celebration comes the rhythm of work. We have celebrated a great harvest of the past. Now let us pray for the harvest of the future.


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By Justin White
A few simple repairs can limit the need for expensive claims repairs this winter.… Read more
5 easy fall home maintenance projects
5 easy fall home maintenance projects
By Justin White
A few simple repairs can limit the need for expensive claims repairs this winter.… Read more
7 tips for keeping your pets safe on Halloween
By Rosalie L. Donlon, PropertyCasualty360.com
Help keep your pet safe on Halloween, and avoid insurance claims for Homeowners or Auto damage.…Read more
Car Pooling - Part 2
Car Pooling - Part 2
Note: Please be sure to read "Car Pooling - Part 1"
You have already learned that many drivers use different ride-sharing arrangements. The typical automobile insurance policy covers these arrangements because the driving exposure is essentially the same. The common policy exclusion that refers to "public or livery conveyances" is to prevent coverage for business situations. Using a car or SUV that is insured by a personal auto policy to transport people or goods for hire is unfair to insurers. The premium a company charges for personal use is inadequate to cover "public or livery conveyances" that are typically:
Are There Other Coverage Considerations?
Yes. Car owners may worry if their insurance is affected if another member of a pool is driving their car. The answer is that any person using the vehicle with the car owner's permission is covered along with the car owner.
Persons who drive in carpools may want to discuss the details with their insurance agent. An insurance agent may recommend that you carry higher bodily injury liability insurance limits. Higher medical payments limits may also be in order. Providing full details can help an agent make sure that any fees involved in the arrangement represent coverage for the driver's operating expenses and not additional income.
In most instances, using a car in a typical share-the-ride arrangement or car pool will not affect the protection under the personal auto policy. The fact that passengers offer financial help to cover auto expenses is unlikely to eliminate insurance coverage since the car is not being used as a "public or livery conveyance." However, any fees received by a driver from car pool passengers should only reflect a reasonable share of the gas and oil expense and depreciation on the car. Do you still have questions about your situation? If so, contact one of our insurance agents, a professional who's in an excellent position to provide you with answers.
Car Pooling - Part 1
Car Pooling - Part 1
Environmental concerns, traffic congestion, convenience, desire to relieve driver stress, poor public transportation, lack or expense of parking are all factors that contribute to commuters forming driver groups or car pools. Parents use such arrangements to transport children to school, sports events and extracurricular activities. It is also common for a student owning a car to carry classmates back and forth between home and school.
Regardless of the name, driver groups, share-the-ride arrangements or car pools are a permanent part of the American scene. Typically, several drivers take turns assuming the responsibility for driving their companions. It's common for the turns to last a week and may be done on a rotating basis. These people frequently live in the same area and work in the same office or plant, taking turns driving or regularly riding in one car and paying the owner a reasonable fee to help pay for gasoline, maintenance and wear and tear.
The practice of a parent taking a group of children on an outing, to a youth sports activities, and the like is commonplace. Other examples of group driving exposures are plentiful:
Drivers involved in car pools and other group arrangements may wonder if the situation is covered under their auto policy. This concern is valid as many auto policies have restrictions. Typically, liability coverage under personal automobile policies does not apply to "…liability arising out of the ownership or operation of a vehicle while it is being used as a public or livery conveyance." (A public conveyance is a vehicle used indiscriminately in transporting the public without being limited to certain persons or occasions. A livery vehicle is one that is offered for rental). There is slight variation in language among policies issued by various insurers, but the intent is the same: to exclude the use of a personal auto for transporting people or property for income. However, this exclusion does not affect coverage for car pool, driver group, and share-the-ride arrangements.
Please be sure to read Car Pooling – Part 2.
Settling Insurance Claims After a Disaster – Part 4
Download a PDF version of this brochure.
What you need to know about
The Payment Process
Disasters can make enormous demands on insurance company personnel. Sometimes after a major disaster, state officials ask insurance company adjusters to see everyone who has filed a claim before a certain date. When there are a huge number of claims, the deadline may force some to make a rough first estimate. If the first evaluation is not complete, set up an appointment for a second visit. The first check you get from your insurance company is often an advance. If you're offered an on-the-spot settlement, you can accept the check right away. Later on, if you find other damage, you can "reopen" the claim and file for an additional amount.
Most policies require claims to be filed within one year from the date of the disaster.
Some insurance companies may require you to fill out and sign a proof of loss form. This formal statement provides details of your losses and the amount of money you're claiming and acts as a legal record. Some companies waive this requirement after a disaster if you've met with the adjuster, especially if your claim is not complicated.
The choice of repair firms is yours. If your home was adequately insured, you won't have to settle for anything less than you had before the disaster. Be sure the contractor is giving you the same quality materials. Don't get permanent repairs done until after the adjuster has approved the price. If you've received bids, show them to the adjuster. If the adjuster agrees with one of your bids, then the repair process can begin. If the bids are too high, ask the adjuster to negotiate a better price with the contractor. Adjusters may also recommend firms that they have worked with before. Some insurance companies even guarantee the work of firms they recommend, but such programs are not available everywhere. Make sure contactors get the proper building permits.
If you can't reach an agreement with your insurance company: If you and the insurer's adjuster can't agree on a settlement amount, contact your agent or your insurance company's claim department manager. Make sure you have figures to back up your claim for more money. If you and your insurance company still disagree, your policy allows for an independent appraisal of the loss. In this case, both you and your insurance company hire independent appraisers who choose a mediator. The decision of any two of these three people is binding. You and your insurance company each pay for your appraiser and share the other costs. However, disputes rarely get to this stage.
Some insurance companies may offer a slightly different way of settling a dispute called arbitration. When settlement differences are arbitrated, a neutral arbiter hears the arguments of both sides and then makes a final decision.
How you receive the money: When both the dwelling and the contents of your home are damaged, you generally get two separate checks from your insurance company. If your home is mortgaged, the check for home repairs will generally be made out to you and the mortgage lender. As a condition of granting a mortgage, lenders usually require that they are named in the homeowners policy and that they are a party to any insurance payments related to the structure. The lender gets equal rights to the insurance check to ensure that the necessary repairs are made to the property in which it has a significant financial interest. This means that the mortgage company or bank will have to endorse the check. Lenders generally put the money in an escrow account and pay for the repairs as the work is completed.
You should show the mortgage lender your contractor's bid and say how much the contractor wants up front to start the job. Your mortgage company may want to inspect the finished job before releasing the funds for payment. If you don't get a separate check from your insurance company for the contents of your home and other expenses, the lender should release the insurance payments that don't relate to the dwelling. It should also release funds that exceed the balance of the mortgage. State bank regulators often publish guidelines for banks to follow after a major disaster. Contact state regulatory offices to find out what these guidelines are.
Some construction firms want you to sign a direction to pay form that allows your insurance company to pay the firm directly. The firm then will bill your insurance company directly and attach the form you signed. Make certain that you're completely satisfied with the repair work and that the job has been completed before signing any forms.
If you have a replacement cost policy for your personal possessions, you normally need to replace the damaged items before your insurance company will pay. If you decide not to replace some items, you will be paid their actual cash value. Your insurance company will generally allow you several months from the date of the cash value payment to replace the items and collect full replacement cost. Find out how many months you are allowed. Some insurance companies supply lists of vendors that can help replace your property. Some companies may supply some replacement items themselves.
After your claim has been settled and the repair work is underway: Take the time to re-evaluate your homeowners insurance coverage. For example, was your home adequately insured? Did you have replacement cost coverage for your personal property? Talk to your insurance agent or company representative about possible changes.
Consider taking a home inventory to make the claims process easier in the future. The Insurance Information Institute offers free downloadable home inventory software at www.KnowYourStuff.org.
Settling Insurance Claims After a Disaster – Part 3
Download a PDF version of this brochure.
What you need to know about
Other factors
Compliance with current building codes: Building codes require structures to be built to certain minimum standards. In areas likely to be hit by hurricanes, for example, buildings must be able to withstand high winds. If your home was damaged and it was not in compliance with current local building codes, you may have to rebuild the damaged sections according to current codes.
In some cases, complying with the code may require a change in design or building materials and may cost more. Generally, homeowners insurance policies won't pay for these extra costs, but insurance companies offer an endorsement that pays a specified amount toward such changes. (An endorsement is an addition to an insurance policy that changes what the policy covers.) Information concerning this coverage is found under ordinance or law in the Section I exclusion part of your policy.
The use of public adjusters: Your insurance company provides an adjuster at no charge. You also may be contacted by adjusters who have no relationship with your insurance company and charge a fee for their services. They are known as public adjusters. If you decide to use a public adjuster to help you in settling your claim, this service could cost you as much as 15 percent of the total value of your settlement. Sometimes after a disaster, the percentage that public adjusters may charge is set by the insurance department. If you do decide to use a public adjuster, first check references and qualifications by contacting the Better Business Bureau and your state insurance department (See back cover for contact information). Also contact the National Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters (www.naiia.com).
Compensation for Damage
Vehicles: If your car was damaged and you have comprehensive coverage in your auto insurance policy, contact your auto insurance company. If your car has been so badly damaged that it's not worth repairing, you will receive a check for the car's actual cash value -- what it would have been worth if it had been sold just before the disaster. Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) or other such publications can give you an idea of what your car was worth.
Trees and shrubbery: Most insurance companies will pay up to $500 for the removal of trees or shrubs that have fallen on your home. They will also pay for damage caused to insured structures and their contents up to policy limits, but they won't pay to remove trees that have fallen causing a mess in your yard.
Water: While homeowners policies don't cover flood damage, they cover other kinds of water damage. For example, they will generally pay for damage from rain coming through a hole in the roof or a broken window as long as the hole was caused by a hurricane or other disaster covered by the policy. If there is water damage, check with your agent or insurance company representative as to whether it is covered.
Settling Insurance Claims After a Disaster – Part 2
Download a PDF version of this brochure.
What you need to know about
Factors That Determine The Amount Of Settlement You Get
Type of Policy
Replacement Cost and Actual Cash Value: Replacement cost policies provides you with the dollar amount needed to replace a damaged item with one of similar kind and quality without deducting for depreciation (the decrease in value due to age, wear and tear, and other factors). Actual cash value policies pay the amount needed to replace the item minus depreciation.
Suppose, for example, a tree fell through the roof onto your eight-year-old washing machine. With a replacement cost policy, the insurance company would pay to replace the old machine with a new one. If you had an actual cash value policy, the company would pay only a part of the cost of a new washing machine because a machine that has been used for eight years is worth less than its original cost.
Extended and Guaranteed Replacement Cost: If your home is damaged beyond repair, a typical homeowners policy will pay to replace it up to the limits of the policy. If the value of your insurance policy has kept up with increases in local building costs, a similar dwelling can generally be built for an amount within the policy limits.
With an extended replacement cost policy your insurer will pay a certain percentage over the limit to rebuild your home -- 20 percent or more, depending on the insurer --- so that if building costs go up unexpectedly, you will have extra funds to cover the bill. A few insurance companies offer a guaranteed replacement cost policy that pays whatever it costs to rebuild your home as it was before the disaster. But neither type of policy will pay for more expensive materials than those that were used in the structure that was destroyed.
Mobile Home, Stated Amount: If you own a mobile home, you may have a stated amount policy. With this policy, the maximum amount you receive if your home is destroyed is the sum you agreed to when the policy was issued. If you opt for the stated amount, update your policy annually to make sure that the amount will cover the cost of replacing your mobile home. Check with local mobile home dealers to find out what similar homes now sell for.
Policy limits
Most insurance policies provide adequate coverage because they include an inflation-guard clause to keep up with increases in local building costs. If you have replacement cost coverage, your insurance company will pay the full cost of repairing or replacing the damaged structure with a building of "like kind and quality." In other words, if you were adequately insured and lived in a three-bedroom ranch before the disaster, your insurance company would pay to build a similar three-bedroom ranch.
Most insurance companies recommend that a dwelling be insured for 100 percent of replacement cost so that you have enough money to rebuild if your home is totally destroyed.
You may not be fully covered, however, if you have made significant improvements on your house, such as enclosing a porch to create another room or expanding your kitchen, without informing your insurance company of the changes at the time.
Temporary living expenses
If you can't live in your home because of the damage, your insurance company will advance you money to pay for reasonable additional living expenses. The amount available to pay for such expenses is generally equal to 20 percent of the insurance on your home. This amount is in addition to the money for repairs or to rebuild your home. Some insurance companies pay more than 20 percent. Others limit additional living expenses to the amount spent during a certain period of time.
Among the items typically covered are eating out, rent, telephone or utility installation costs in a temporary residence, and extra transportation costs. Insurance policies often discuss additional living expenses under the heading loss of use.
Rebuilding and making repairs
If your home was destroyed, you have several options.
You can rebuild a new home on the same site.
Depending on state law, you can sell the land and build or buy a house in a different place, even another state.
You can decide that you would rather rent.
If you decide not to rebuild, the settlement amount depends on state law, what the courts have said about this matter and the kind of policy you have. Find out from your insurance agent or company representative what the settlement amount will be based on.
Concerning repairs, if you downgrade, for example, replace an expensive wood floor with one using a cheaper product, you are not entitled to the difference in cash.
Settling Insurance Claims After a Disaster – Part 1
Download a PDF version of this brochure.
What you need to know about
First Steps
Contact your agent or company immediately. Find out:
Make temporary repairs: Take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage. Save receipts for what you spend and submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement. Remember that payments for temporary repairs are part of the total settlement. So if you pay a contractor a large sum for a temporary repair job, you may not have enough money for permanent repairs. Beware of contractors who ask for a large amount of money up front and contractors whose bids are very low -- they might cut corners and do shabby work. Don't make extensive permanent repairs until the claims adjuster has assessed the damage.
If you need to relocate, keep your receipts: If you need to find other accommodations while your home is being repaired, keep records of your expenses. Homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for the cost of additional living expenses if your home is damaged by an insured disaster.
Prepare for the adjuster's visits: Your insurance company may send you a proof of loss form to complete or an adjuster may visit your home first. (An adjuster is a person professionally trained to assess the damage.) In either case, the more information you have about your damaged possessions -- a description of the item, approximate date of purchase and what it would cost to replace or repair -- the faster your claim generally can be settled.
Flood damage is excluded under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies. Flood coverage, however, is available as a separate policy from the federal government's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and from a few private insurers. The NFIP provides coverage up to $250,000 for the structure of the home and $100,000 for personal possessions. Flood insurance claims should be filed with your homeowners insurance company.
Please refer to part 1 for additional CPP information.
What CPP Covers
A Commercial Package Policy covers building, completed additions, fixtures, permanently installed machinery and equipment, personal property that is used to service or maintain the building or premises, and, under certain circumstances, construction equipment, material and supplies.
Under personal property, the CPP covers furniture and fixtures, machinery, equipment, stock, all other personal property owned by the insured and used for business, labor, materials, or services furnished or arranged by the insured on the personal property of others, any improvements and betterments made by or acquired by the insured (when a tenant), and any leased personal property the insured has a contractual responsibility for. The CPP also covers property that is outside if it is in the open or in a vehicle that is within 100 feet of the premises.
What CPP Does Not Cover
Like any insurance policy, there are items that are not covered. A CPP does not provide coverage for accounts, bills, currency (and similar property), animals, automobiles held for sale, bridges, roadways, walks, patios, or other paved surfaces, contraband, property being transported by air or over waterways, land, crops, underground property, most vehicles, expenses related to replacing company records and other property.
Again, this is just a very brief discussion of the CPP. If you need more information, help is nearby. Contact one of our insurance professionals to talk about coverages and your coverage needs.
No matter the size or type of business, tangible property is a major asset. A national standard for insuring such property is the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Commercial Property Program (CPP). The CPP may be written either as a single policy (covering only buildings and property) or as a package (providing property, liability and, other important protection) for your business.
The Parts of A CPP
A Commercial Property Policy is flexible because it consists of several basic parts or forms:
· Declarations Forms - these tell you who is covered, the amount of insurance, the type of coverage written, other information about the business and other identifying details.
· Conditions Forms - these documents contain sets of conditions that control how the policy operates such as the customer's duties when a loss occurs, the method used for settling a loss or what steps to take when the customer and the insurer disagree over the amount of a loss.
· Coverage Forms - these include descriptions of the type of property that is covered or excluded and it explains items such as coverages, insurance limits, definitions, deductibles and other important provisions.
· Causes of Loss Forms - as you might expect, these forms describe the causes of loss (perils) that are insured against and any exclusions.
· Policy Cover or Jacket - this is, literally, a cover designed by the company providing the policy and it usually includes a table of contents or an index.
The above, basic parts can be modified or supplemented to better fit different types of businesses by adding a wide variety of optional coverage forms called endorsements.
Causes Of Loss Forms
The following Causes of Loss Forms are available under the CPP:
BASIC - protects against Fire, Lightning, Explosion, Windstorm, Hail, Smoke, Aircraft or Vehicles, Riot or Civil Commotion, Sprinkler Leakage, Vandalism, Sinkhole Collapse, and Volcanic Action
BROAD - adds several additional covered causes of loss over the Basic Form, including Breakage of Glass, Falling Objects, Weight of Snow, Ice, or Sleet, and Water Damage.
SPECIAL - provides coverage on an "all risk" basis which essentially covers anything not otherwise excluded.
EARTHQUAKE - covers earthquake shocks or volcanic eruptions that occur within any 168-hour period.
Please refer to part 2 for additional CPP coverage information.
Did You Know?
Our articles are written by professionals in the insurance industry who's mission is to educate
April 2020


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Community Programs
Together we have been working to reduce recidivism by helping inmates receive letters at mail call. During these ten years of encouraging inmates and their friends and families, we have identified several critical areas of need and expanded our services to address those needs. Here, in our Community Programs section, you can 1) help an inmate find employment, 2) fill a prison library with books, 3) access an application for a scholarship for a student who has been impacted by crime, 4) donate to support the cause and 5) access and share critical self-help guides for inmates. We are always thinking of ways to improve the world we live in, but we can't do it alone. Your support has made all the difference and will continue to do so. Please peruse this section, and see how you can help. Thank you.


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DRE Veterinary Unveils Multi-Parameter, Portable Patient Monitor
February 25, 2008 (PRLEAP.COM) Health NewsDRE Veterinary, a premier veterinary surgical equipment supplier, recently introduced the DRE Axis 4, a four-parameter patient monitor. The Axis 4 is lightweight, compact and economically priced.
The DRE Axis 4 veterinary monitor offers fast and reliable ECG, SpO2, noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP), and temperature of small, medium and large animals. The Axis 4 displays parameters with waveforms and trend information on its bright, high-visibility monographic LCD screen. It also displays heart rate and pulse rate.
With dimensions of 10 in width, 3.5 in height and 3 in diameter, and at less than three pounds, the Axis 4 saves space and is highly portable. Veterinarians can easily transport the Axis 4 using its easy-to-grip handle or by mounting it to an IV pole. The Axis 4s portability is bolstered by its long-life battery, which can hold a charge for up to three hours when measuring all parameters and up to five hours when measuring ECG alone.
DRE Veterinary released the Axis 4 in response to requests from veterinarians for inexpensive, multi-parameter monitors. According to Jim Evans, Director of DRE Veterinary, the Axis 4 is quickly gaining popularity with veterinary facilities.
Many veterinary surgeons praise us for our advanced monitors like the Waveline Plus vital signs monitor and Spectra AG5 anesthesia gas monitor, says Evans, but a lot of animal care facilities arent in need of the added size and features those monitors provide.
With the Axis 4, were able to provide a product all veterinarians need at a price they can afford, says Evans. And veterinarians are impressed by how such a compact monitor can be so versatile and effective for veterinary use.
DRE Veterinary is currently supplying the Axis 4 to veterinary and animal care facilities throughout the United States and abroad. Veterinarians can view additional product information by visiting www.dreveterinary.com.
The Axis 4 is an upgrade to the Axis, a pulse oximeter that is a staple of the DRE Veterinary product line. But while the Axis is limited to measuring pulse oximetry, the upgraded Axis 4 also measures ECG, NIBP and patient temperature.
DRE Veterinary has a broad line of patient monitors, including the Waveline Plus, a seven-parameter vital signs monitor, and the Spectra AG5, a ten-channel anesthesia gas and vital signs monitor. In addition to patient monitors, DRE Veterinarys product line includes the Premier Veterinary Anesthesia Machine, the Vision XL Surgery Light System, and the ASG-120 Electrosurgical Generator.
About DRE Veterinary
DRE Veterinary is a premier supplier of veterinary and laboratory research equipment. DRE Veterinary provides new and refurbished veterinary medical equipment to universities, surgery centers, research facilities and veterinary practices around the globe. DRE Veterinarys parent company, DRE Inc., was established in 1984 and offers value to doctors by providing the features and reliability they need while fitting within their budget.
Contact Information
DRE Veterinary Equipment
DRE Veterinary Equipment
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DRE Veterinary Equipment
DRE Veterinary Equipment
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Subaru maintenance and repairs require specific tools and equipment – our Subaru service technicians are equipped with all the latest Subaru technology to diagnose and repair your vehicle. We're also home to genuine Subaru parts and accessories with everything from tires to windshields and everything in between.
Subaru Warranty
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Your local Subaru Dealership in Maple, Aurora and Richmond Hill
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