Shades of '1984': Amazon Removing E-Books from Kindles

The New York Times'David Pogue reports that Amazon has decided to pull certain copies of electronic books from its shelves. In doing so, however, Amazon has also pulled them off of Kindles its customers own, and who had already purchased the books in question. Pogue notes a complaints page where Amazon users have begun posting confused messages, trying to figure out why their e-books have disappeared. The publisher apparently decided to remove the books from its electronic catalog and Amazon followed suit.

The irony, of course, is which author was pulled from Amazon's electronic shelves: George Orwell, whose 1984 and Animal Farm basically defined institutional paranoia. And, the fact that Amazon rarely comments on its decisions makes the action even more sinister.

Billy Joel, Elton John: Midsummer double hitters!

5 Days

In preparation of the concert Tuesday night in Chicago

From billyjoel.com

Midsummer 2009 finds Billy Joel continuing the rapturously received series of concert dates that he and touring partner Sir Elton John commenced in early March. Beginning in Florida and sweeping through the heartland before notching some major Canadian cities, the tour’s venues have gradually shifted from indoor arenas towards bigger outdoor stadiums. The tour’s outdoor debut in Washington, D.C., held a special resonance as it also marked the inauguration of live music at Nationals Park, a year-old baseball facility that serves as home to the Washington Nationals. Despite construction delays on the city’s Metro system and a brief threat of rain as dusk settled in on the park, by show time an excited crowd had filled the bleachers and covered infield. The show began in its usual impressive fashion, with seasoned mimic Billy doing a fine job of channeling Elton on several verses of “Your Song”, and Sir Elton returning the favor on “Just the Way You Are”. Then with, Elton attempting to accompany his own “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” on his massive Yamaha convert grand, came a mishap that was distracting to say the least. As recounted by Washington Post contributor Chris Klimek in his review:

John called a timeout after that opening two-fer while a roadie tried to fix a stuck sustain pedal on the royal piano. As John cursed, relief pitcher Joel played an impromptu and funny "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Joel even crawled under his fuming co-star's piano to try to help solve the problem himself. It was one of the most crowd-pleasing moments of the evening, with three hours to go. "At least you know we're not on tape!" Joel quipped. "This is an authentic rock-and-roll [expletive]. You don't see many of these anymore!" Turning back to his own ever-ready Steinway (which gets a meticulous daily inspection from piano tech Wayne Williams, the same man who catches Billy’s flung microphone stand after “Still Rock `N Roll To Me” each night), Billy and band roared into his own portion of the set. The Post account picks up the saga: John finally withdrew while Joel fielded his band for a 65-minute set that opened with a swaggering "Prelude/Angry Young Man." As the entire spectacle was seen by Adam Mazmanian of The Washington Times in his July 13 review, “Piano men John, Joel rally over mishaps”:

In the end, the glitch proved to be a little bit of spilt milk in a 33-song musical feast that left all but the most gluttonous adult contemporary fans sated. Mr. Joel's set featured a rapid fire spray of crowd-pleasers, executed without too much frippery or noodling. There is a relentless drive to the melodies in "Movin' Out," "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "Don't Ask Me Why" that Mr. Joel mines to great effect in performance with bombastic piano playing and an energetic singing style. First attempted in 1994, the Face 2 Face tour's pairing of Mr. John and Mr. Joel almost had to happen. The two are nearly exact contemporaries — Mr. John is 62; Mr. Joel is 60 — and they occupy similar spots in the public imagination as leading piano men in a world of guitar heroes. That kind of rally bode well for the several remaining big-venue stops on the current tour leg, and anticipation was high both amongst the Joel troops and of course, the awaiting fans for tonight’s visit (followed by another show July 21) to the city’s historic Wrigley Field. With epochal converts in his native New York forming a good part of the Joel lore—his Yankee Stadium show in '90 was perhaps topped only by last year’s “Last Play At Shea”—baseball parks have been very, very good for Billy. His good pal Sir Paul McCartney is playing the New York Mets’ new Citi Field stadium this Friday, an event which was likely to see Billy in attendance, and the tour’s upcoming arrival at the New England Patriots’s Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.

With both piano prodigies sharing a determination to deliver a rocking show every night out, dates in the coming days in New York State and Billy’s traditional stronghold of Philadelphia promise to generate further buzz around a tour that is consistently topping the Billboard tally of top-grossing road acts. As a local reviewer found noted after attending an energetic gig in Columbus, Ohio:

Fifteen years ago, singer-pianists Billy Joel, 60, and Sir Elton John, 62, first toured together, including an appearance before more than 60,000 fans at Ohio Stadium.

In 2003, they hit the road again to more than 18,000 fans in Nationwide Arena. So the third time they've been "Face 2 Face" (the tour's name) may not have been as memorable an event as that first concert, but musically, it was just as great.

The No Responsibility Society
Suing Because Your Daughter Is Texting So Much She Didn't Notice The Open Pothole

From the Houston, We Have A Problem Dept

A bunch of news outlets have been reporting on various versions of this story -- and I have to admit, it sounds so ridiculous that it reads like an urban legend. I was hesitant to even write about it at first, but with so many mainstream media sources covering it, perhaps it really did happen. It was reported in the NY papers last week. Basically, a girl who claims she was so focused on text messaging while working fell into an open manhole in Staten Island. Now, that should be embarrassing enough, but the really crazy part is the claim that the girl's parents are planning to sue the city for not adequately protecting their daughter from herself. At least they're not suing the mobile carrier or mobile device maker as well...The kid should be sued for being stupid and wasting the taxpayers dollars on the manpower to help her out.

Change: Painful but Necessary

This is a great article written by the President of DKI. Advanced Restoration Corp. is a proud member of DKI. Just figured I would share this with everyone. It's a battle I face everyday.

Change: Painful but Necessary

By Dale Sailer

President of DKI

For years, I have been a champion for change. Starting with the first time I heard Dr. Robert Kriegel preach to a large audience of executives nearly two decades ago that “if it ain’t broke, break it”, I have been very vocal that personal or business plans that do nothing more than seek to sustain the status quo represent nothing more than well-worn recipes for eventual decline and failure.

Our world – politically, professionally and personally – is in a constant state of flux. The pace of life becomes overwhelming at times for even the most calm and organized person. We often feel that if we could just stop and rest for a while – coast, if you will – we could get a better handle on things. The problem with this is that the business world doesn’t afford any enterprise the opportunity to be complacent. Running in place while everyone else is moving forward doesn’t usually result in a successful outcome.

This lesson has been painfully playing out on a national stage over the last twelve months, and in fact for much longer. The painful reality is that the recent rash of bankruptcy filings across many industries are not the result of policies and actions over the last five months, or even the last nine years, but rather the inability of certain industries and institutions to support and drive internal change.

The American auto industry is a classic example of this failure. For nearly half a century Detroit has either dramatically delayed or overtly killed every meaningful innovation or idea that would have resulted in either significant gains in operational efficiency or considerable gains in market share. Why? The primary reason is because it was easier and more comfortable to maintain the status quo rather than make uncomfortable change, whether affected through labor strikes, lobbying efforts, or any of a number of different actions. The clear result is a domestic industry that has, in essence, given away the market to foreign competitors while wallowing in outright financial ruin.

Government is no different, as inefficiency and deficits mount uncontrollably at the city, state and federal levels. The age old reason remains the same - because regardless of party affiliation, the status quo guarantees a politician’s re-election. While their constituents want ‘change’, none of them actually want any change that has any perceived negative impact on them individually. Thus no change ends up being preferred to any change. And until someone in elected government has the actual political will to drive change at the risk of NOT being re-elected, meaningful change will never come.

Now despite being a champion of change generally, and specifically within the DKI organization, I will fully admit that actual change is hard. I learned this first hand when I received a new laptop after using the same old trusted one for nearly four years. I was quite comfortable with my technology life, familiar with the ‘old’ software my laptop ran, and knowledgeable with all the shortcuts necessary to make it hum. Life was good. I realized that with every passing day, the risk of my computer crashing for good increased exponentially, but I admit that I pushed off change as long as possible. But ultimately, I knew that change was necessary.

My new laptop is clearly not yet my friend. Newer versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint are frustrating in that they are different than the older versions I am used to. New ‘features’ feel like new ‘barriers’ to productivity. All my Internet cookies are gone, as are all my ‘quick fill’ email addresses – both will need to be slowly rebuilt. My new keyboard is bigger (meaning clunkier), has a different ‘feel’, and all the computer’s ports are in a different place. In short, I am a long way from my comfort zone and I don’t like it.

However I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am actually quickly getting used to the newer applications’ functionality and I am finding new solutions to problems that I couldn’t solve before. My new laptop is faster and my screen is much, much easier to see. And with some new software now loaded, I can actually communicate more effectively with my work colleagues and my customers. So while change represented a very short-term step backward, and has clearly been uncomfortable, it is also very clear that in the medium to long-term, I will make giant leaps forward in productivity and before I know it, my technology life will be as comfortable as it ever was.

You can rest assured that as a corporate organization, DKI is always seeking ways to change for the better. We do not have an interest in being complacent and remaining in our comfort zone. Rather, we constantly assess our business so that we can deliver new products and services so that our customers -whether contractor, insurance carrier, risk manager, property manager or supplier -can rely on us to help them remain ahead of their respective competitors. While the ride may not always be comfortable, the view from the front is a lot more exciting than it is from the back. I look forward to traveling with you out front.

Can Someone Explain How Video Games Are Worse For Kids Than Plain TV?

For years, video games have been a convenient scapegoat for politicians to use in complaining about the sort of thing "kids these days" do on a daily basis. In the past, it's been other things -- from TV to music to comic books. But, these days, video games pop up an awful lot. So I guess it should come as no surprise at all that a recent study I read in the newspaper said that parents put much greater limits on how much time kids can spend playing video games than they do on TV or movies.

Of course, this seems entirely backwards to me. Now I do not have children but I know what kind of crap is on TV. I can't imagine someone making the arguement of MTV over video games. Not that parents should let young kids just randomly play any video game, but if they're playing age-appropriate video games, you would think that would be a lot better than just sitting there watching TV with no interactivity whatsoever. Plenty of studies have shown that the interactivity of video games helps kids improve hand-eye coordination, problem solving skills and since video games have gone online, their social skills. While online the kids form 'clans," which are groups of their friends that get together and battle it out against other clans.

There are many educational video games as well. So why not encourage that? It's not examined in the studies, but I'd guess that the constant complaining about these "awful video games" has an impact on a busy parent. And the sensationalized media just plays it up and takes it to a new level.

RIP: Steve McNair

My heart goes out to Steve McNair's family, friends, and teammates. Just woke up to the news this morning on my way to get coffee. He was one of my favorite players growing up. McNair played college football at Alcorn State, where he won the 1994 Walter Payton Award as the top player in NCAA Division I-AA. He was drafted third overall by the NFL's Houston Oilers in 1995. He wore my fav #9. A class act who led the Tennessee Titans to their only Super Bowl in 1999 and shared the NFL MVP Award with Peyton manning in 2003. One of only 3 NFL Players to throw for 30,000 yards and run for 3,500. The other two players are Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young. That is great company to be in. And he was one of the toughest competitors that ever put on a NFL jersey. He will be missed.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AFP) — Former National Football League quarterback Steve McNair and an unidentified woman have been found shot dead. He was 36.

Police said they were called to a home in Nashville's downtown area where the former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback and the woman were involved in a double shooting.

Police said McNair was found on the couch in the home and suffered several gunshot wounds. The woman had a single gunshot wound and had the gun nearby her.

Officials said they don't have a motive for the shooting.

"We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today," Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams said.

"He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans.
"He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they deal with his untimely passing."

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, McNair shared the most valuable player of the NFL award in 2003.

In 161 games (153 starts), McNair threw for 31,304 yards on 2,733- of-4,544 passing, with 174 touchdowns. He also ran for 3,590 career yards and 37 TDs.

McNair last played in the NFL in 2007 for the Ravens. He is a former third overall pick by Houston in the NFL's 1995 entry draft.

"I will remember Steve's smile, his laugh, his ability to cook -- the man could cook -- and just the human being that he was," said former Titans running back Eddie George.

"We had some great times together, wonderful personality. The football thing was one thing and I remember his playing days, but just the human being. He brought so much joy to so many people. He was a consummate pro and he was a gentleman."

Emotional Robots: Will We Love Them Or Hate Them?

03 July 2009 by Hazel Muir

NewScientist.com

Magazine issue 2715. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.

SUNDAY, 1 February 2009, and 100 million Americans have got only one thing on their minds - the Super Bowl. The Pittsburgh Steelers are poised to battle the Arizona Cardinals in the most popular televised sporting event in the US. In a hotel room in New York, 46 supporters gather to watch the game, munching burgers and downing beers. Nothing strange about that, of course, aside from the machines that are monitoring these sports fans' every move and every breath they take.

The viewers are wearing vests with sensors that monitor their heart rate, movement, breathing and sweat. A market research company has kitted out the party-goers with these sensors to measure their emotional engagement with adverts during commercial breaks. Advertisers pay $3 million for a 30-second slot during the Super Bowl, so they want to be as confident as they can be that their ads are hitting home. And they are willing to pay for the knowledge. "It's a rapidly growing market - our revenues this year are four times what they were last year," says Carl Marci, CEO and chief scientist for the company running the experiment, Innerscope Research based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Innerscope's approach is the latest in a wave of ever more sophisticated emotion-sensing technologies. For years, computers in some call centres have monitored our voices so that managers can home in on what makes us fly into a wild rage. The latest technologies could soon be built into everyday gadgets to smooth our interactions with them. In-car alarms that jolt sleepy drivers awake, satnavs that sense our frustration in a traffic jam and offer alternative routes, and monitors that diagnose depression from body language are all in the pipeline. Prepare for the era of emotionally aware gadgets.

Outside of science fiction, the idea of technology that reads emotions has a brief, and chequered, past. Back in the mid-1990s, computer scientist Rosalind Picard at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggested pursuing this sort of research. She was greeted with scepticism. "It was such a taboo topic back then - it was seen as very undesirable, soft and irrelevant," she says.

Picard persevered, and in 1997 published a book called Affective Computing, which laid out the case that many technologies would work better if they were aware of their user's feelings. For instance, a computerised tutor could slow down its pace or give helpful suggestions if it sensed a student looking frustrated, just as a human teacher would.

She also suggested that wearable computers could sense emotion in a very direct way, by measuring your heart and breathing rate, or the changes in the skin's electrical conductance that signal emotional arousal. Wearable "mood detectors" could help people identify their stress triggers or communicate how they are feeling to others.

The most established way to analyse a person's feelings is through the tone of their voice. For several years, companies have been using "speech analytics" software that automatically monitors conversations between call-centre agents and customers. One supplier is NICE Systems, based in Ra'anana, Israel. It specialises in emotion-sensitive software and call-monitoring systems for companies and security organisations, and claims to have more than 24,000 customers worldwide, including the New York Police Department and Vodafone.
As well as scanning audio files for key words and phrases, such as a competitor's name, the software measures stress levels, as indicated by voice pitch and talking speed. Computers flag up calls in which customers appear to get angry or stressed out, perhaps because they are making a fraudulent insurance claim, or simply receiving poor service.

Voice works well when the person whose feelings you are trying to gauge is expressing themselves verbally, but that's not always the case, so several research teams are now figuring out ways of reading a person's feelings by analysing their posture and facial expressions alone.

Many groups have made impressive progress in the field, first by training computers to identify a face as such. Systems do this by searching for skin tone and using algorithms to locate features like the corners of the eyes and eyebrows, the nostrils and corners of the mouth (see diagram).

The computer can then keep track of these features as they move, often classifying the movements according to a commonly used emotion encoding system. That system recognises 44 "action units" representing facial movements. For instance, one might represent a smile - the mouth stretches horizontally and its corners go up. Add to that an eye-region movement that raises the cheeks and gives you crow's feet and now you have a beaming, genuinely happy smile rather than a stiff, polite one.

Using these techniques, computer programs can correctly recognise six basic emotions - disgust, happiness, sadness, anger, fear and surprise - more than 9 times out of 10, but only if the target face uses an exaggerated expression. Software can accurately judge more subtle, spontaneous facial expressions as "negative" or "positive" three-quarters of the time, but they cannot reliably spot spontaneous displays of the six specific emotions - yet. To accurately interpret complex, realistic emotions, computers will need extra cues, such as upper body posture and head motion.

That's because facial expressions alone are ambiguous. A smile on your face might actually signal embarrassment if it's also accompanied by a downward pitch of the head, for instance. A backward head motion is one part of an expression of disgust. But if someone combines that with a downward movement of the mouth and one raised shoulder, they're conveying indifference. "If I just looked at the face and saw the mouth going down, I would score it as sadness. But the combination with the shoulder and head motion is 'I don't care'," says Maja Pantic, who studies computer recognition of expressions at Imperial College London.
Pantic's team eventually hopes to find ways of fusing information from body gestures and facial expressions together in real time to read emotions accurately, although she concedes it may be an impossibly complex challenge. "This research is still so very new," she notes.

Basic emotions
In the meantime, they are studying the dynamics of how expressions change, to see if this can help computers identify emotions more accurately. Intuitively, most people know that a faked smile is more exaggerated than a real one, and switches on and off more abruptly. Facial-tracking technology has confirmed that, and also revealed some more subtle differences (you can see a video comparing fake and real smiles at www.newscientist.com/issue/2715).

These subtleties came to light in a 2004 study of 81 adults by Jeffrey Cohn and Karen Schmidt at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania (International Journal of Wavelets, Multiresolution and Information Processing, vol 2, p 1). They used tracking technology to compare forced smiles with spontaneous smiles provoked by comedy videos. This showed that spontaneous smiles are surprisingly complex, with multiple rises of the mouth corners.

Other teams have been highly successful at the opposite end of the emotional spectrum: pain detection. Computers are surprisingly good at distinguishing fake pain from the real thing, according to a study published this year by Gwen Littlewort of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues.
Her team investigated whether facial expression software could distinguish people in real pain (because their hands were in iced water) from others asked to fake pain. The computer correctly classified real or fake pain 88 per cent of the time. When the team asked 170 untrained volunteers to make the judgement, they were right only 49 per cent of the time - no better than complete guesswork.

This year, Pantic and her colleagues hope to find out whether computers can accurately recognise the signs of lower back pain from facial expressions and body posture. They hope that computers might be able to distinguish between real physiological pain and the pain someone might perceive, quite genuinely, if they expect to feel pain or are depressed, but have no physiological cause for it. It could lead to more reliable ways of assessing whether painkillers are effective. "If you get a prescribed medication for acute pain, we would be able to monitor whether these medicines are actually working just by observing a person's behaviour," says Pantic.

One group of researchers has developed emotion-reading technology for a particularly vulnerable group of people. Picard and Rana el Kaliouby of MIT have built an "Interactive Social-Emotional Toolkit" (iSET), designed to help children with disorders linked to sensory processing, such as autism, to understand emotions in other people. A camera monitors the face of someone the child is talking to, and identifies 31 facial and head movements. Software interprets the combination of movements in terms of six states: agreeing, disagreeing, concentrating, thinking, interested and confused.

Then a laptop-sized screen displays six labelled bubbles that grow or shrink accordingly. If someone's nodding and smiling during the conversation, the agreeing bubble grows. If the listener looks away, a growing red bubble signals disagreement or disinterest. The team will began randomised trials of the technology this month. For 15 weeks, one group of five autistic children will use the iSET, while two control groups will use either an interactive DVD that teaches emotional awareness or have only standard classroom training. Before and afterwards, the researchers will test how well the children identify emotional expressions unaided by the iSET to see if the technology helps them learn to identify emotions for themselves.

Patronising paperclips
Not everyone welcomes these developments. William Gaver, a designer at Goldsmiths, University of London, concedes some of the applications may be beneficial, but fears emotion-sensing computers will be used in patronising ways. Who could forget Microsoft's cringe-making "paperclip" that offered help with writing letters: Microsoft wisely killed it off because people found it so irritating. But what if some emotion-triggered reincarnated "Mr Clippy" started popping up everywhere?

"The nightmare scenario is that the Microsoft paperclip starts to be associated with anything from the force with which you're typing to some sort of physiological measurement," says Gaver. "Then it pops up on your screen and says: 'Oh I'm sorry you're unhappy, would you like me to help you with that?'"

Emotion sensors could undermine personal relationships, he adds. Monitors that track elderly people in their homes, for instance, could leave them isolated. "Imagine being in a hurry to get home and wondering whether to visit an older friend on the way," says Gaver. "Wouldn't this be less likely if you had a device to reassure you not only that they were active and safe, but showing all the physiological and expressive signs of happiness as well?"

Picard raises another concern - that emotion-sensing technologies might be used covertly. Security services could use face and posture-reading systems to sense stress in people from a distance (a common indicator a person may be lying), even when they're unaware of it. Imagine if an unsavoury regime got hold of such technology and used it to identify citizens who opposed it, says Picard. There has already been progress towards stress detectors. For instance, research by Ioannis Pavlidis at the University of Houston, Texas, has shown that thermal imaging of people's faces can sense stress-induced increases in blood flow around the eyes.

His team analysed thermal videos of 39 political activists given the opportunity to commit a mock crime - stealing a cheque left in an empty corridor, made payable to an organisation they strongly opposed. They had to deny it during subsequent interrogation, and were threatened with financial penalties and punishments of loud noise if the interrogator caught them lying (empty threats at it turned out, for ethical reasons). Computer analysis of the videos correctly distinguished the 15 innocent and 24 guilty "suspects" 82 per cent of the time.
Another fledgeling technique, called laser Doppler vibrometry, measures tiny stress-related changes in respiration and heartbeat from afar - indicators that are sometimes used to gauge whether a person is stressed, and hence possibly lying.

Picard says that anyone utilising emotion-sensing systems should be obliged to gain informed consent from the people they plan to "read". At least that way, whether you find it patronising, creepy or just plain annoying, you can hit the big "off" button and it will, or at least should, leave you and your emotions in peace.

I know how you feel
DO YOU reckon you're a master of reading another's true feelings? Many people think they are, but only about 1 in 100 of us are naturally gifted at recognising emotions in someone who's trying to conceal them, says Paul Ekman, a psychologist formerly at the University of California, San Francisco.

Ekman made his name when he identified the facial expressions of the seven key emotions that are universal, regardless of nationality or culture - happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, contempt and surprise. He also acts as a consultant to law-enforcement agencies, advising them on how to spot liars from clues in their facial expressions, speech and body movements.

It takes considerable effort to be a good human lie detector. To begin with, it is essential to know your subject's "baseline" behaviour when they're not stressed. Then look for deviations from this when they're under interrogation. Ekman points out that not everyone is the same. For example, some people look fearful regardless of their emotions.

So there are no absolute signs that people are definitely lying, but here are some of Ekman's top tips for spotting a fraud:

DO THEY HAVE RHYTHM?
Clues in the voice include unusually long or frequent pauses. People who are having trouble deciding exactly what to say usually use fewer hand gestures to reinforce their speech - they're less likely to "conduct" their speech by waving their hands.

LOOK OUT FOR FLICKERS
People can't help showing their true feelings for a fraction of a second. For example, a person might try to conceal their feelings of contempt, but give it away with a fleeting raised lip on one side, so look out for these micro-expressions. (Test your ability to interpret micro-expressions at http://www.facetest.notlong.com/)

SPOT THE GESTURAL SLIPS
Some gestures, called "emblems", have a precise meaning within a cultural group. Examples include a shoulder shrug with upward palms, communicating "who cares" or "I'm helpless". Usually people make them obvious, but when lying, they may display an incomplete emblem. They might rotate their hands upwards on their lap - a subconscious fragment of the shrug that betrays their feeling of helplessness at not lying well.

Hazel Muir is a freelance writer based in the UK

4th of July Fireworks Safety Tips for Kids

Everyone have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July. Here are some tips to keep in mind. All common sense stuff I know.

One of the reasons why the Fourth of July is so enjoyable is because of the perfect combination of warm weather and time spent with the family. It is the perfect backdrop to create memories so it is not surprising that fireworks are often used to cap off the memories made. To ensure that the celebration continues, it is important that everyone, particularly kids, are well-informed about the rules of fireworks safety.

As beautiful as they are, fireworks can be a cause of injury. Research has shown that in one year, there were 9,300 reported incidents of firework-related injuries in the United States. Even worse, deaths can result from improper handling. Most of these are cases due to direct contact such as burns or eye damage, but it can also be because of ingestion such as in poisoning.
The safest way to enjoy the show without the danger is by simply taking the family to see a public fireworks display. That way, the lighting is left in the hands of the professional. This is particularly important because in some states, lighting fireworks at home is illegal. If you still want to go and light it up, check with the fire department first if you are allowed to do so.

When it comes to kid safety tips during a 4th of July fireworks, take note that children should never be allowed to handle the explosives themselves. The use of firecrackers, rockets, and even the seemingly harmless sparklers are too dangerous. In fact, sparklers can reach a temperature of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt metals such as gold.

In addition to this, always use fireworks outside where there is enough space and never point them towards the face and hair. Sparks can easily ignite them and lead to injuries. Fireworks are also known to backfire or even fly off in a different direction. Keep a water source such as a garden hose in a nearby area in case of an emergency.

Teach your kids not to use fireworks when near flammable items such as leaves and trees. They easily ignite and cause the fire to spread. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association says that local fire departments answer to more than 50,000 calls of fire caused by fireworks each year.

Fireworks that are used should only be the legal ones. Teach your kids to identify them by checking to see if they have the name of the manufacturer and instructions. Illegal fireworks are often unlabeled. In addition to this, keep away from banned fireworks like the blockbuster and quarter pounder. On this note, never try to tweak with the fireworks to make them stronger than they are.

When it comes to handling the fireworks, kids should be instructed to only light one at a time. Do not try to experiment by trying to light them in glass or metal containers. This can cause it to explode, sending shrapnel flying. Also, do not let children relight fireworks that appear to be duds. These can still explode while on the hand.

In case of an injury, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. If it is the eye that was hit, under no circumstance should it be touched because it can result in more harm. Even running the eye under water can exacerbate the situation. Burn spots should be placed under cold running water.

These 4th of July Fireworks safety tips are not just useful for kids. Even those who are young at heart can benefit from them during the holiday.

If you do have a fire that causes property damage over the weekend due please do not hesitate to call. We are always On-Call 24/7. Call your insurance agent immediately. They will notify your insurance company.

Twenty Days

Twenty days until I leave for Chicago. Going to see Billy Joel and Elton John at Wrigley Field. We have This will be my 45th Billy Joel concert. Last time I saw him in concert was the Last Play At Shea w/Paul McCartney. I sat 2nd row with my cousin, my friend and his girlfriend. I have a huge chunk of Shea's outfield grass from that night. Looking to grab a piece of Wrigley too. This time I am taking someone very special to me. Our 1st Billy concert together. Hopefully not our last if she can put up with me.

Here is a video of Bennie and the Jets I found from their current tour. They do an unbelievable dueling pianos at the end of the song. If you weren't thinking of going to see them, don't pass up the opportunity.

Green Computing: Save Ink & Paper with GreenPrint World Edition

Even though we have technologies such as PDF’s, e-mail, and SharePoint sites that make it possible to achieve a paperless office, it seems like there is a never ending stream of printing going on, especially in the office environment. Today we'll introduce you to GreenPrint, an easy and free way to be more eco-friendly and save costs at the same time.

GreenPrint is designed to save printer ink, reduce unwanted pages, help reduce environmental damage, and save you money by catching pages before they go to the printer and optimize them to reduce waste.

Installing GreenPrint
Before installing you will need .Net Framework installed on your PC for GreenPrint to work. If you don’t it will download and install it for you. Most people should already have this installed, but it's good to know that it's a requirement.

You will be prompted to choose the default printer to use with GreenPrint during installation. Your default printer will be change to GreenPrint, which will then use the printer you choose on this step as the default physical printer to pass through.

Using GreenPrint
After everything is set up, GreenPrint runs quietly in the taskbar until ready to print. As a test I went to print out a webpage… note that GreenPrint is the default printer where all documents should be printed to.

GreenPrint will launch and analyze the page or pages you are printing out.

In the main user interface is where we can remove unnecessary images or text. Since this would print on 4 pages total you can choose to view all 4 or view them one at once or different combinations.

It functions very similar to most PDF viewers and gives you tools to remove pages, text, or images that you don't want to print, so you can save paper and ink. (for instance, if you look in this screenshot you'll see that the bottom page is useless and it would make sense to just remove it from printing)

The other feature is to print a document to PDF format which in itself saves a ton of paper and ink as some of the more technically inclined co-workers prefer a digital copy versus printing out 10 copies for every meeting.

With this option you can also leave in the extra pictures and / or text in if you want. Just click on the PDF button next to the Print button at the top. Then just browse to the location to store it.

The results are just as good as using other utilities like PDF Creator or the Microsoft Office 2007 PDF Add-in.

There is a very cool reporting feature that tells you how much money was saved and the positive environmental affects.

Conclusion
GreenPrint is a very cool utility which offers several options for eliminating needless images and text from documents. It is designed to help save paper, ink, and energy which is great for the environment. If that is not enough incentive to use it, then just consider the fact it will save you money as well. GreenPrint works on XP and Vista (32bit only) and there is also a beta version for Mac OSX.

GreenPrint World Edition is free and ad supported, the ads have humanitarian and environmental focus which is pretty cool versus random advertisements. To get ad free you will need to purchase the Home Premium or Enterprise version. The license also allows free email tech support, frequent version updates, and allows commercial use for your business.

Download GreenPrint World For Windows & Mac

Help Us Help You

Advanced Restoration Corporation, A DKI Member Company, is a family-owned and operated full-service property damage restoration company with a combined 75 years experience in dealing with Fire Damage Restoration, Water Damage Restoration, Flood & Storm Damage, Mold Remediation, Smoke Damage Restoration and Reconstruction. We service Long Island (Nassau County, NY; Suffolk County, NY) and the New York Metro area.

When disasters strike, Advanced Restoration Corp. is ready to respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are guaranteed to speak with one of our knowledgeable, caring team members, day or night.

Our immediate response to a claim/property loss helps minimize the damages to the structure, contents, and ease the sometime catastrophic effect that a disaster may have on an owner or occupants.

Our company is dedicated to serving our clients with courteous and prompt service. We take the utmost pride in the craftsmanship of our work. As certified specialists in water mitigation and fire/smoke restoration, we have the knowledge, expertise and experience to deal with all types of property damage. Our professional staff is also trained in all aspects of mold remediation and damage appraisals.

Our Clients
Homeowners
Business Owners
Insurance Professionals
Real Estate Professionals
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Water Damage In Your Home/Office: Seven Scenarios

Water damage is one of the most common reasons people make claims on their insurance policy. Frozen pipes, broken pipes, leaky appliances, roof leaks, drain backups and rain water often lead people to discover the details of their insurance policies.

Water damage and homeowners policies can be a tricky issue. You really have to sit down and talk to your insurance agent and make sure you have coverage for basic issues. In my experience, insurance companies will not cover the cause of the problem but they will pay for any resulting damages. For example, if you had a malfunction of your water heater which flooded your home/office, they usually will not pay to for the actual repair of the damaged water heater. But they will cover any cost from the damage to the structure that the water caused.

This does not cover a freeze-up situation. If you the water damage was a result of the frozen pipe, if it was caused by unforeseen problem insurance covers repairs to both the frozen pipe and the resulting damages.

Again, please speak with your insurance agent if you have an issue. They are your friend. By talking to him it does not mean you are putting in a claim. Whereas if you call your insurance company and ask questions, they automatically log the call as a filed claim.

Here are common water-damage scenarios and possible coverages.

1: Its the middle of winter. You go away on vacation. The temperature drops to 5 below zero, causing your water pipes to freeze and burst. Your neighbor calls you why you are away to tell you that your house is a block of ice .

Are you covered?
Yes, you're covered for water damage from burst pipes, but most policies won't cover you if you've left the house unoccupied and without heat. If that's the case, your claim could be denied because you've failed to perform your "Due Diligence" that would have prevented that accident.

2: Your pool cracks and floods your lawn and into your basement.

Are you covered?
The damage to your basement and your personal property are covered, but not the damage to your lawn. But again, ask your insurance agent and check your policy. According to a sample policy, "We do not cover land, including land on which the dwelling is located." However, your lawn is covered if it's damaged by certain "named perils." These include fire, explosion, riot, aircraft, vehicles not owned by you and vandalism. The amount of coverage for lawns and plants is small — usually only up to $500. Swimming-pool leaks are not a named peril. But if your leak was caused by a tree falling on the pool, it would be covered.

3: Your washing machine overflows, flooding the basement.

Are you covered?
Yes. But it depends on your home insurer's view of the problem: Did you fail to maintain the washer properly or did sudden, accidental damage cause the flood?

"Most of the time, if an appliance breaks and water goes all over, insurance covers it. In the case of a washing machine, you might need to purchase replacement parts out of your own pocket because they were not maintained correctly, but the damage to your basement is covered," says Griffin.

4: A sewer backs up, flooding your basement.

Are you covered?
No. Standard home insurance policies don't cover sewer backups, and many specifically exclude damage from sewer back-ups. Special endorsements are available, at added cost, for sewers and drains. Call your insurance agent to find out if you have the endorsement. It is not a fun job to cleanup. Trust me.

5: Water seeps from the ground into your basement, damaging your foundation and interior.

Are you covered?
No. Seepage is considered a maintenance problem, not "sudden and accidental" damage, and is excluded from home insurance coverage. Rainwater falls into this category.

6: During a heavy rainstorm, water leaks through your roof. The roof is damaged, as is furniture.

Are you covered?
Somewhat. You're unlikely to be reimbursed for roof repairs because that's a house-maintenance issue. If if it turns out that wind has damaged the roof you might be covered. Call your insurance agent to find out if have an issue. But the water damage to your home is covered. Damage to your furniture is also likely covered if you have a standard H0-3 homeowners policy, but not if you have a generic HO-1 policy (which many insurers don't even sell anymore).

If your neighbor's tree falls on your roof, the damage to your roof, home and belongings is covered. Your policy also reimburses you up to a certain amount, usually around $500, for the cost of removing the tree.

7: A nearby lake or river overflows its banks, causing a flash flood in your living room.

Are you covered?
No. Flood damage is not covered by home insurance. You must purchase flood insurance for that. You can purchase flood insurance as long as your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. But flood insurance does not kick in for any property below the front door. Which mean if you get flooded and you walk into the damages area and have to step down to get to it, they do not cover anything below grade.


Tips
I touched on this earlier in this post. But I can't stress this enough. Don't shoot yourself in the foot by reporting damage to your home insurance company that's not covered by your policy. Your damage report may still go on your insurance record and look like a claim when you shop for new insurance in the future. Call your insurance agent. They are your friends. It will not cost you anything to ask them questions. And they will answer it honestly and openly because your are their client. their job is to serve you. Whereas the insurance company will be looking out for the insurance company.

Be careful how you report damage to your insurance company. While you should be truthful, make sure you explain the situation using the most accurate language — or you could find your claim denied.

"What you say initially can affect the outcome of your claim. Many people believe their house is flooded because it's full of water — but it's not a 'flood' by the insurance definition," says Allan Sabel of Sabel & Associates, a Bridgeport, Conn.-based adjusting firm.

This may seem like a minor distinction, but your insurer has a very narrow definition of a "flood," which is not covered by home insurance. To an insurance company, flooding means that the water came from an overflow of a lake, stream, river or other body of water. If it didn't, don't even say the word "flood," says Sabel. If your basement is filled with water due to a burst pipe, it's not a flood — even if its depth is knee-high.

"You just have to be careful," Sabel says. "Know exactly what is in your policy, what's covered, what's not covered, and report your claim accurately."

Read how one five-minute call to your insurance company can dog you for seven years.

Legendary Rangers Defenseman Brian Leetch Headlines Hall of Fame Class

I know it's late, been busy with work. Arguably the greatest American born hockey player, Brian Leetch was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame this past week. Leetch was one of my favorite players growing up. It was a sad day when he was traded to Toronto. I'll admit my eyes watered up and I got goosebumps watching his jersey ceremony. Congratulations Brian, you deserve the 1st ballot election.

Legendary Rangers Defenseman Brian Leetch Headlines Hall of Fame Class

BY Michael Obernauer
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Tuesday, June 23rd 2009

6:38 PM New York Daily News

The greatest player the Rangers have ever produced will take his rightful place among the greats of the game.

In an announcement that has been scheduled ever since Brian Leetch hung up his skates three years ago, the Hockey Hall of Fame officially elected the legendary Ranger defenseman to its formidable Class of 2009. Leetch will join Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille at the induction ceremony on Nov.9 in Toronto.

The 18-member selection committee also tabbed Lou Lamoriello for induction in the builders' category, which the Devils president called "a complete surprise" - the only one of the day, in fact.

"A pretty overwhelming day, to say the least. I'm certainly humbled, excited, proud," Leetch said on a conference call, later adding that he was perhaps relieved above all. "And congratulations to the rest of the guys (elected) today. Just an amazing thing."

Leetch, the Rangers' top pick in the 1986 draft, joined the team in 1988 after stints with Boston College and the U.S. Olympic team, and won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie the following season. He played 17 seasons in a Blueshirt, covering 1,129 games - nine fewer than Harry Howell's team record - scoring 240 goals and 981 points (second on the team list to Rod Gilbert) while establishing himself as one of the best two-way defensemen in history.

Leetch won Norris Trophies in 1992 and '97, and cemented his place in Ranger lore by taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the 1994 playoff MVP when the Blueshirts broke their 54-year Stanley Cup drought.

Leetch, 41, was driving in his car yesterday afternoon when a call came into his cell phone from a number with a Toronto area code - meaning good news was on its way from Hall chairman Bill Hay. "I pulled my car over, took the call from Bill, and then sat there for another 15 minutes or so," Leetch said. "It was a sigh of relief."

That's a stark contrast from the call Leetch received on March 3, 2004, when Glen Sather's number on his caller ID made Leetch's stomach drop. The Rangers president/GM was calling that day to inform his best player that he had been traded to Toronto - a deal that devastated Leetch.

Leetch's next trip to the Garden came in 2006 in a Boston Bruins sweater; he returned again on Jan. 24, 2008, to watch his No.2 ascend to the rafters.

While Yzerman (692 goals), Hull (741) and Robitaille (668) are connected by the Cup they won together in Detroit in 2002, Leetch, Hull and Lamoriello share a bond from their Team USA days, peaking with their victory over Canada in the 1996 World Cup final. Leetch - widely regarded as the best U.S.-born defenseman - also left an impression on Lamoriello during the Rangers' epic defeat of the Devils in the '94 semis.

"I wish I couldn't comment on that, but I will," joked Lamoriello, whose Devil teams have won three Stanley Cups. "He was the catalyst for that Ranger team. His play was just extremely exceptional. We couldn't contain him."

The '09 class stacks up as one of the best to enter the Hall, although it gets a challenge from the 2007 group led by Leetch's pal Mark Messier that included Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis and Ron Francis. None of yesterday's honorees cared to compare classes.

"It's just great to be going into the Hall of Fame and joining those guys," Leetch said.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2009/06/23/2009-06-23_legendary_rangers_defenseman.html#ixzz0JmvFmBTJ&C

A Closer Look: Cause of Death

Where There's a Will... There's a Dead Guy

Another book I just downloaded on my Kindle from one of the greatest minds of our time.

Celebrating birthdays are always much more fun than thinking about becoming one with Force. But death can be quite interesting when broken down into unexpected statistics, false perceptions, bizarre myths and questions worth asking about diseases, accidents, occupational hazards, poisons, infections, murder, animal attacks, insect bites and war. Cause of Death: A Perfect Little Guide to What Kills Us by Lucy Autrey Wilson, Jack Mingo and Erin Barrett, a new book from George Lucas Books and Simon & Schuster, explores all the things that make us become Jedi ghosts before our time.

"As it must to all men, death came to Charles Foster Kane in one of the most famous movies of all time," filmmaker George Lucas writes in the book's introduction. "The eloquence of that notion -- that death will come to every single one of us -- has always been a bit of a morbid fascination for me. But is it really so morbid to be curious about the only thing in this world that is truly certain?.... But death is truth -- and its undeniably fascinating. So, I hope that Cause of Death will intrigue, inform, illuminate and perhaps even inspire you to action -- because when we learn a little about how we die, we also learn a lot about how we live."

Author Lucy Autrey Wilson, who fans might recall began her career with Lucasfilm in 1974 when she typed the script to the first Star Wars movie on an IBM Selectric typewriter, talks with Starwars.com about why George Lucas asked her to research a book about a topic most of us would rather avoid altogether.

How did the Cause of Death book project come about? Why did George Lucas want a comprehensive book of statistics and facts about all the ways humans can die?
In November 2000, in an interview between George Lucas and Tom Grace, George fleshed out his interest in a book that would provide "real" numbers and information on causes of death instead of the "funny" numbers one finds every time you read a newspaper or magazine. He thought providing people with the truth about death statistics would be both useful and entertaining. His good friend Jim Henson had died suddenly May 1990 from a bacterial infection. Because Henson traveled a lot, George had wondered if he caught the bug that killed him in an airport and that led to wondering what the most deadly diseases in the world really were. Tom had volunteered to write and research causes of death thinking it would provide good background for one of his thriller novels. The plan was for him to use his brother's proprietary software to search and find all the desired data online so the book could be put together quickly. Who knew, however, that finding accurate information on what a driver was doing when he crashed his car and was killed, or whether a virus is deadlier than bacteria, or whether people in war died more often of disease or gunshots, or which is the deadliest animal in Africa, etc. would be so much work!

How did you start tackling the research for this project?
My success with publishing Star Wars was to put the various projects into the right hands, which included a team of people who could provide the writers with the research and background they needed. After a year of death research that didn't even dent the surface of what George Lucas was interested in, Tom Grace left the project. By then I knew the book had to hinge on a consistent framework so the numbers being compared were apples to apples and not just random facts that didn't relate to each other. Tom had uncovered the databases maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO) and we had broken down all deaths into interesting groupings. Similarly, the U.S. mortality statistics reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) were synced up to the numbers reported by the WHO. What had become clear was that one couldn't count on online newspapers, bloggers or others to always have their facts straight. We needed to get the bulk of our data from more reliable sources -- i.e. via viable governmental agencies that have massive teams of people to report and track statistics.

With the help of another writer/researcher Jane Ellen Stevens, official sources for stats beyond the WHO and CDC were revealed from the United Nations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to Medline (part of the National Library of Medicine which helped enormously in turning medical terminology into "English" ) to the Bureau of Labor Statistics etc. With a framework of related death numbers reported by both the WHO and the CDC, now research needed to be done via hundreds of databases that would uncover answers to the questions George was asking. By 2004, completely hooked on the subject, and realizing I needed to know the data as well as any contributing researcher in order to edit the final book, I decided the only way to get the project done was to do the bulk of the remaining research myself and hire word-smiths who could then turn the facts into fun.

How did the Internet help with your research?
Without the Internet there would be no book. Thank heavens for Google! And thank heavens for how much all governmental agencies worldwide were uploading and making information accessible between when the research first started in 2001 to when it became intense in 2004. This is one area our tax dollars are really put to good use. Once the numbers, for example, for all worldwide and U.S. accidental deaths were known, then one needed to drill down to find the cause (cell phone or speeding, ladder or hot water, etc.). But when it came to certain areas, it wasn't easy. Neither the CDC nor the WHO list deaths by whether they were caused by a water buffalo or a hippo (in fact most deaths in Africa, China and other countries are best guesses). Nor do they include information on whether someone died being hit or struck while playing baseball or football. So, to flesh out the chapters on Accidental death by Flora and Fauna, Nature and Sports, for example, required coming up with a list of everything to be included (i.e. for Flora and Fauna, a list of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, marine animals, and flora A to Z) and then doing a Google search on each creature on the list to find out as much info as was out there on people killed by that particular agent.

What statistic or fact did you learn in writing this book that surprised you the most?
I probably spent the most research time on death by Flora and Fauna and Bugs. What surprised me in the Flora and Fauna section is that although death by shark attacks, mountain lions, bears, etc. are always front page news, we don't die very often from the creatures we share the planet with. In fact, it made me really sad to realize how many of these creatures man has managed to wipe out. In researching accidental deaths from motor vehicles, I was surprised by how many pedestrians are killed annually (I'm now very careful when I cross the street) and in researching death by Bugs (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and prions), I never fully realized how truly nasty those little microscopic creatures really are (especially if one has a weakened immune system). So, I'm now very good about washing my hands.

Which section of the book is your favorite and why?
I like Accidental deaths by Flora and Fauna and Bugs the best because they were the hardest to figure out and the most interesting. While I was working on the book, people were always asking me if I found the subject really depressing. The answer is no. What was increasingly refreshing was the realization that almost all premature deaths are preventable if you follow general guidelines (wash your hands, exercise, watch what you eat, etc.). That led to a decision to rank the deaths in the book by whether they happen prematurely rather than when one takes all ages into account. What was also uplifting is how much we've improved our average life spans since my parent's generation with inventions like seat belts, bike helmets and improved medicines.

What's the weirdest way to die?
One of the weirdest (and saddest) ways to die is from Scleroderma which killed one of my favorite painters, Paul Klee, and also a very sweet fellow Lucasfilm staffer many years ago. It's very rare, (only one person died of it in the U.S. in each of 2004 and 2005). It's a form of arthritis that causes the skin all over your body to become progressively hardened.

What's the most common way to die?
The most common way to die is by self inflicting your body with too much of the wrong substances (tobacco, high cholesterol foods, high fructose corn syrup, alcohol, etc.) which raise the probability you'll die from some kind of cancer or organ failure.

Why do you think this book will be helpful to readers, as well as entertaining?
I think Robert Young Pelton's introduction sums it up pretty well. It is an active body and inquisitive mind that keeps us young. We are all going to die, but we can live life longer and more fully by doing simple things like wearing a seatbelt, skipping dessert and never smoking. I hope the reader, rather than brood about all the horrible things that can kill you (or has just killed someone you read about daily in magazines and newspapers), will be careful to avoid the bad things that are within their control and go out and have a good time.

Can you talk a little bit about how George Lucas Books was created and why?
In 1999, I had been running the Lucas Licensing Publishing Department for about 10 years when George Lucas first mentioned he was interested in books on subjects that had nothing to do with Star Wars. Even though packaging and licensing books on our own popular movie properties was very different from developing factual nonfiction, I believe in the saying "Where there's a will there's a way" and took on the challenge of turning George's interests into books. One of the books was to be on causes of death and other general film-related books were also planned. So with one author already on board to research and write the death book, I hired Jonathan Rinzler to help edit the new nonfiction. That same year, we made a five-book deal with Ballantine to publish the new imprint nonfiction titles. The plan was to develop these books together with our publishing partner while continuing with our regular licensed projects. Each nonfiction book would have one author to both do the research and write.

Starting with one or two Star Wars titles per year in the late 1980s, the Lucasfilm publishing program had been built up so by the early 2000's we were publishing between 100 and 200 mostly Star Wars books, magazines and comic titles per year. When it became clear the new nonfiction was going to take a lot more time than anticipated, I left Licensing in August 2003 to join JAK Films and manage the new imprint as a department of one. Over time I realized most authors who are good with words are not that good with numbers and the one author-one book approach wasn't producing the desired results. Eventually, the arrangement with Ballantine was dissolved as unworkable and JAK Films moved forward packaging and publishing each title individually. That resulted in the very fine team at Simon & Schuster becoming the Cause of Death book's publisher and contributing the really great book design.

Cause of Death: A Perfect Little Guide to What Kills Us by Lucy Autrey Wilson, Jack Mingo and Erin Barrett, a new book from George Lucas Books and Simon & Schuster is on shelves in bookstores nationwide.

Home Owners and Renters Insurance

Types Of Coverages Available

Additional property coverage

Some insurance policies also provide additional property damage coverage when a loss occurs as the result of a covered peril.

Covered items include:

1. reasonable temporary repairs

2. necessary to protect the property against further damage

3. reasonable cost of removing damaged property and debris

4. expenses of removing property and storing it for up to thirty days

5.reimbursement for fire department service charges

6. reimbursement of up to $500 for loss of credit cards, check forgeries or acceptance in good faith of counterfeit money.

Most renters’ insurance policies do not have a property damage component. Some renter's insurance policies, however, do provide for loss or damage to the premises caused by the renter.

Home Owners and Renters Insurance

What Does Property Damage Cover?

The property damage portion of a homeowner's policy covers loss or damage to the home and other structures on the property. In the event of a total loss, the amount paid depends upon the dwelling policy limit of the insurance contract as well as the type of coverage provided under the contract.

On some policies, other structures (such as detached garages, tool sheds, fences, guesthouses, and gazebos) are typically covered at the rate of 10% of the limit set for the dwelling itself. For example, an insurance contract that provides $100,000 coverage for a dwelling typically will provide up to $10,000 coverage for other structures. Trees, shrubbery and other landscape are typically covered for 5% of the dwelling limit.

Know your policy, talk to your insurance agent, they are your friend.

How to Live by the Numbers: Health

The Frequent Walker Program

—Brendan I. Koerner

WIRED MAGAZINE: 17.07

Unless popcorn shrimp is on offer, many Americans are loath to walk any more than necessary. That chronic sloth is a drag for employers, whose health care costs can swell in tandem with their workers' waistlines. Now Virgin impresario Richard Branson thinks he can save businesses a bundle with a program that turns personal fitness into a game, complete with reams of stats to obsess over. When companies sign up with Virgin HealthMiles, their employees rack up rewards for staying active: The more you walk, the closer you get to earning HealthCash, which can be redeemed for real cash or gift cards from Amazon.com, Target, and (curiously) Omaha Steaks.

Participants are issued pedometers and challenged to take 7,000 steps a day. That's about 3.5 miles—40 percent more than the average deskbound adult's daily distance. Hitting that goal in a day garners 20 HealthMiles, the program's equivalent of frequent flier points. Bonuses are available for simply logging in to the HealthMiles Web site (10 miles), taking a no-smoking pledge (500 miles), or updating your blood pressure, weight, and body fat at a HealthMiles kiosk (200 miles).

I gave it a go and found that once my routine perambulation was assigned a numerical value—and valuable gifts were on the line—I began dedicating inordinate effort to meet that 7,000-step target. At first, I was aghast to learn that despite my 25-minute trudge to the office, I averaged only 6,600 steps per day. The problem? I'm tall, and my legs are longer than average. So I shortened my stride.

Alas, I'm still nowhere near reaching HealthMiles' vaunted Level Five, which pays $500 in HealthCash. Employers that offer the program pick up that tab, but it could be a worthwhile investment: Virgin CEO Christopher Boyce claims that corporate clients can cut $2,500 off the annual cost of health care provided to each participant. Imagine how much more they'll save if Virgin ever develops a pedometer capable of stopping people from walking into a Dunkin' Donuts.