Addiction Recovery, The Beginning

In the beginning, the only thing that drug or alcohol abusers want is to be left alone to continue using their substance of choice, not caring about be forgotten by all of the people who love and respect them. They forget their friends and family, as they become superficially high and unconscious, removed from reality, or simply absentminded. These people seem to the public to be lost souls amongst us, wandering without direction, and even sometimes frightening. They feel unloved and not needed, unnecessary and like their lives are meaningless and without value.

 The only reasonable step for a drug or alcohol abuser to take from this low point of life is to enter one of the drug addiction recovery programs in his or her region. These centers are available to users at any stage of their addiction, whether they're just beginning to become addicted to a substance, or whether they've been off of the grid and missing for decades. Success rates of users who enter these drug addiction recovery programs and centers varies depending upon the program and the participants willingness to change.

 If you love and know someone who is in need of assistance, or in the process of recovering from one of these substances, then a program that would help them is a great idea. These programs are a crutch for people who are not ready to walk on their own two feet, and they act as intermediaries with law enforcement issues, too. The programs help people to heal physically, emotionally, and physiologically, as well as socially. It's important, at this pivotal time of change, that former users receive as much supervision and support as they can possibly get. At a good drug addiction recovery center, a former substance abuser would be supported and encouraged with the long journey to a sober lifestyle.

Make Money Through Investments

One of the best ways to make money is through passive income. This can be done in multiple ways, but investments where all you have to do is lend your money are a good source. There are many different types of investments but the two most common are stocks and bonds. A stock is when you own a share of a company and a bond is when you loan money to a company. Bonds are safer investments than stocks, in general, but there still is a bit of risk involved.

Once you have saved up enough money to enter the investment world, it is best to do your research so that you do not invest in the wrong thing. Then as you earn interest and your investments start to give you a return, you can widen your portfolio and invest in a broader spectrum of things. The minimum amount to begin investing is usually $5,000, which is the minimum to open up a money market account at a bank. It is also usually the minimum required to purchase a bond. Stocks can be bought for very few dollars, but it is best to have a lot of money to invest to really see a return on your investment.

Once you have a large investment portfolio, you are going to need a way of keeping track of all of your money. You can find useful tools to monitor a single stock or bond online. Then you can combine all of your investments into charts to help you make good decisions about them. There are companies that are based on the Internet that can give you a very professional portfolio analysis and even give you advice on what to do to earn more money through your investments.

The John Hardy Incorporates the Beauty of Quality with Sustainability

John Hardy's story truly begins with his visit to Bali during his world travels. The craftsmanship and tradition of these Indonesian artisans caught his imagination. He set up his workshop in the late Eighties and began distributing his collection to high-end department stores by the early nineties. The name John Hardy quickly became synonymous with distinction.

The John Hardy Collection includes a wide range of pieces for both women and men. One can enjoy the simple beauty of a bamboo bangle crafted out of silver, zen earrings, or a glittering diamond pendant on a braided silver necklace. Any woman of sophistication and taste is sure to love these pieces. For men, John Hardy includes everything from black sapphire cufflinks and rings to sterling silver dog tags and money clips. The vast selection ensure that at least one piece will catch the eye of a discerning gentleman. The John Hardy Collection's quality, diversity and boldness stands at the pinnacle of excellence.

John Hardy also upholds its responsibilities as a environmentally conscious company. They make the pieces at their Bali workshop, which they have built with low impact materials. Furthermore, it doubles as an organic farm. Many of the pieces use recycled silver to avoid further damaging the environment through additional mining operations. The company plants bamboo in order to offset their carbon emissions with an eye to global climate change. They've built their Hong Kong office out of sustainable non-toxic materials. Moreover, they even launch entire collections to increase environmental sustainability. They plant a set number of bamboo seedlings for every piece purchased from Bamboo Collection and most pieces have the number engraved upon them. A purchase from John Hardy shouldn't only satisfy your fashion sense, but also your sense of social responsibility.

Betting on Sportsbook

Sports betting is no longer a secretive affair, a business conducted with roughnecks whom you'd be afraid to meet in a dark alley. With the Internet, betting on sports around the globe is as simple as clicking a button. Betting with Sportsbook is quick, easy and interactive - not a bad way to enjoy the game.

The Sportsbook option on BetUS is fully licensed, with a successful record which boasts service to millions of customers. No matter what time of year, you'll find opportunities to place bets on sports around the globe. From the biggest sporting events to average local games, Sportsbook allows you to wager at a moment's notice.

The front page provides a long category of sporting events, so you can select the games you want to place a monetary stake in. You'll also find a frequently-updated window featuring two types of bets: last-minute and most popular. The interactive feature allows you to see the bets that other gamblers are making. With Sportsbook, you aren't just wagering on the game - you're part of the betting community.

Sportsbook offers betting options for NFL, NCAA, 1AA, CFL, Arena, and Futures football games; NBA, NCAA, WNBA, WNCAA, International, and Futures basketball games; MLB, International, NCAA, Triple A, and Futures baseball games; NHL, International, NCAA and Futures ice hockey; soccer; tennis; golf; boxing; and more.

Everything from horse racing to cricket to darts to politics is offered through Sportsbook. In fact, if you can't find it, you might want to double-check that it even exists because this Web site allows you to get on almost everything. When sports betting isn't panning out, you might even choose to switch to the site's online casino. If you can gamble on it, chances are you'll find it on Sportsbook.

The Advantages of Home Security Systems

If you have recently installed a home security system, you might just qualify for a reward that you probably didn't expect. Some banks are now providing people with lower insurance premiums if they have home security systems installed. Specifically, Fidelity Bank is one such institution that has negotiated with insurance companies to create new insurance packages with cheaper rates. Homeowners might be able to get as much as 10 percent lower rates on their insurance premiums if they have lowered their risk for robberies by installing an alarm system. And, if you're also a customer of Fidelity Bank, you would receive a discount on the alarm system itself.

It's true that crime rates and break-ins are on the rise, and the bank wants to encourage people to install home security systems, realizing that this is a good way to help prevent losses due to burglary. One of the bank's employees stated that this is a way to prevent people from becoming victims, but also a way to cover them if such a thing did occur.

One expert praised the bank's efforts, stating that he was glad to see a financial institution that had chosen to reward those who take responsibility for their property by installing home security systems. Stuart Bostock of The Security Centre said, "We have been courting the insurance industry for many years now about offering discounted premiums to people who installed security systems but the sector has been reluctant to offer reductions to those home owners who have alarm systems and security precautions. It's fantastic that Fidelity is finally offering customers this option." It's unclear at this point whether Fidelity Bank is starting a trend that will encourage other banks to offer similar incentives for installing home security systems.

According to some experts, people who choose to install home security systems are four times less likely to experience a robbery.

Direct TV is Family Friendly

Direct TV is family friendly. Direct TV decided to provide programming for every member of the family, including baby. BabyFirstTV provides all-infant programming, all the time. This programming is for children who are 2 yrs old and younger. Programs shown on this station are from Brainy Baby and First Impressions DVDs, among others. It also includes a daily story time program. This baby TV is both educational and interactive, providing activities for parents to do with children throughout the day.

As a parent, you know how important it is to be involved with your child's entertainment choices. Direct TV allows you to limit the channels and shows allowed into your home. With Direct TV's parental controls, you can limit or block any programming you consider to be inappropriate for your children. You can restrict unsupervised TV viewing and block specific channels, you can also control how much time your children spend watching TV by limiting viewing times. This is great for enforcing family rules about not watching TV until homework is finished or chores are done. If your children need an hour of uninterrupted homework time right after school, you can lock all TV channels so that the TV isn't a distraction. If you are worried about your kids going over your household budget with spending on pay-per-view movies, you can set spending limits for DIRECTV Cinema movies or live pay-per-view events. When children try to view forbidden programs or to watch TV during their homework time, they will be asked to enter a PIN. That means that, while certain channels are restricted from your children, you can choose to watch any program by entering your PIN.

Direct TV takes care of your family and children at all ages. Take advantage of their family-friendly options today!

Clear Internet Service Provides High Speed Mobile Access

Are you tired of waiting while your Internet connection uploads or downloads? Do you need your wireless access to be available no matter where you are? It's probably time to get Clear internet service. Clear internet services can provide you with true mobile broadband Internet services using its 4G WiMAX technology. This cutting-edge technology gives entire cities the ability to be wireless-enabled. And with Clear internet service, you can download and upload files and check emails whenever you need to wherever you are.

Clear 4G WiMAX is the latest mobile internet offering from Clearwire that works as quickly at remote locations as it does at your home or office base. This Clear internet service covers a wide area, eliminating the need for you to locate a wireless hotspot. This is because the hotspot actually travels with you - anywhere Clear has coverage.

And Clear internet service is fast! It is up to four times faster than 3G networks. Current mobile technology was designed generally for making phone calls. The Clear internet service network for wireless devices is built with the internet in mind. This means that you will have a better online experience when using your mobile devices for email, online videos, or music downloads - basically anything you need to get done via the web.

Clear internet service has many different plans depending on your needs. Perhaps you mainly need your Clear internet service for emails; there's a plan designed for that. Maybe you and your company need to access files via the web; there's a plan that can help you streamline your mobile web needs. There are also services options with Clear internet service that can combine both your home and office needs - your kids can download their favorite videos on their mobile devices while you are answering company emails!

Avoiding Identity Theft (Know what YOU can do)

Recently, I've been hearing complaints from my aunts and uncles about their credit cards suddenly getting frozen or cut because of what the credit card companies call as "unusual activity". They are a bit old and it's very much of a hassle for them to keep calling the bank and ask why it happened and how they get reconnected. As a result, they end up blaming the bank. I really don't think it's the bank's fault. So I decided to make my own research to explain to them what really happened and found out that these were cases of identity theft. I continued my research to find out and inform them of how to avoid such incidents. In my search, I found this press release from Affinion that gave me the best solution to their problem.

This information is taken from the press release entitled "Taxes and Personal Data: 5 Ways to Avoid Identity Theft". To find their release, click here.

Here are five tips to keep in mind:
 
1. Be proactive

Check your credit card and bank statements at least monthly for unusual activity. You should do this regularly, not just when you’ve had a problem. Surprisingly, most people don’t.
It’s very important to catch problems quickly. A thief abusing your account will frequently make a charge, then wait to see if it goes through unchecked. If it does, he’ll strike again to get as much out of the account as possible before he’s stopped.

Many banks have programs to notify customers of unusual credit card activity and frequently freeze an account until they figure out whether a charge is legitimate. You may want to check on your card provider’s policies.

 
2. Know what’s in your credit report

Check your credit report at the three credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You are allowed to check each once a year for free. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com for the government-authorized free reports. Look for any credit accounts you didn’t open, a sure sign someone has stolen your identity and is opening credit lines in your name. A good proactive practice is to check one of the agencies every four months to help catch any major changes throughout the year.
If you believe your identity has been stolen, place a fraud alert on your credit file by calling the credit reporting agencies, said Tom Rusin, CEO of Affinion Security Center, a Norwalk, Conn.-based identity protection and data security company. In the case of identity theft, this prevents anyone from opening a new account until you are called and authorize it. A fraud alert stays on your credit file for 90 days and it carries no cost.
It can cause delays in obtaining credit since you must be contacted by telephone before any new accounts are approved.
The Federal Trade Commission offers phone numbers and addresses for each of the credit agencies and step-by-step instructions at http://tinyurl.com/3ckxvc.

 
3. Get secure

Maintain an updated computer security program which includes firewall, virus and spyware software. Computers typically come with some protection, but the effectiveness of these and other free programs is debated among computer technicians. Several software products are offered by companies such as Symantec Corp., McAfee Inc. and Trend Micro Inc. They typically range from $30 to $80 and must be renewed each year.
With high-speed Internet connections frequently left on most of the time, an unsecured computer can become a gateway to data theft.
Many consumers also have wireless connections at home so they can use laptops or handheld devices without cables. Make sure any home network is password protected so anyone nearby cannot access that connection. It’s one way thieves can attach keystroke capture devices to your system and learn your passwords. The instructions that came with your wireless router should help walk you through the process.

 
4. Password protect yourself

Change the passwords on your online accounts. That means bank accounts and any others that have links to credit information or account numbers. It might mean changing e-mail passwords, too. Passwords should include numbers and capital letters. Do not make them the name of your pet, your mother’s maiden name or some other bit of information about you that’s easy to find. It’s wise not to use the same password for every account and to get in the habit of changing them periodically.
Also, change the PIN on your accounts, especially a debit card.

 
5. Use cards carefully

Remember that a credit card uses the banks money, a debit card uses your money. It’s wise to limit the use of a debit card, especially when it comes to online purchases. If a thief steals a debit card, he’s getting your money out of your bank account. It’s more difficult to get your money back once it’s gone.
For credit cards, federal law establishes your maximum liability for unauthorized charges at $50 per card. You must notify the card issuer of the charge within 60 days after the first bill showing the charge. The bank must acknowledge your complaint within 30 days if it’s not resolved before that. The money should be credited back within two billing cycles.
For debit or ATM cards, you could have to absorb more of the loss if you don’t report it within two days. However, Visa and MasterCard voluntarily limit your liability to $50 even if it’s not reported right away.
It’s a good practice to use one credit card for all online purchases, booking hotel rooms and buying airline tickets, said Linda Foley, co-founder of the Identity Theft Resource Center. Anytime you’re not physically standing in front of a clerk swiping your card, use the same card. That way only one credit card is at risk.
If an unauthorized charge shows up, don’t panic. If it’s just one card affected, you’ll likely be fine once the bank closes down the old account and issues a new card. Remember, if you have any charges automatically taken out each month on the old card, transfer that over to the new account.

Nathaniel Lipman is the current President, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Affinion Group. Through Nathaniel Lipman's leadership, the Affinion Group has grown to be the world's leader in membership services, insurance providers, loyalty programs, value-added checking programs, and security services.

Starting a Simple Internet Business

Starting a simple Internet business is a pursuit for many who seek the convenience of working for themselves and enjoying a flexible schedule. Finding a viable Internet business can be done through research, interviews and reading as much as you can about the field that interests you. Affiliate marketing is a very popular business idea that many people work from their laptops or from the comforts of home. Through reading and researching materials online, you can find a lot of information about affiliate marketing. You can also find information through any affiliate program review that may be on an affiliate's site or other online forums.

Working online in affiliate marketing is a very popular concept. Many people consider starting a simple Internet business such as this as a way to create an income. This type of business has proven to be quite successful and attracts a lot of online marketers. To make sure that you find the program that suits you best, research the affiliate program review about the business that discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the business, what's required and what you can expect once you sign up.

There are certain things that you should look for in any affiliate program review that you read on an Internet business. For instance, consider the time investment that is required for you to get the business started. What resources (i.e., high-speed Internet, dual-phone lines, software) do you need to start the Internet business? Will you be able to live off your current income until your Internet business draws an income? Also, while reading information on the affiliate program review, take note of how much time it took for the members to see results of their marketing efforts. This will not necessarily be applicable to you, but it will give you an idea of what to expect from the program. From there, you can accurately decide if the program is a good fit for you.