Are Travel Agents Old School?
It appears you can’t stare at the TV for 60 minutes without seeing a notice with William Shatner discussing Travelocity or that senseless dwarf discussing Orbitz. These travel sites have been extremely effective at encouraging voyagers to book their own particular carrier and lodging reservations on the web. So with this colossal push from the web to assume control over the travel business, one needs to ask, “Are travel agents old school?”In the event that you have searched for some of these travel web sites, you have watched that they are stunning in the assorted qualities of travel choices that they make accessible. As a business traveler, be that as it may, your requirements are fairly unique in relation to the run of the mill aircraft traveler.There are some certain administrations and genuine help that a living and breathing travel agent can give that basically can’t be duplicated by a computerized site like Travelocity or Orbitz. Some of those administrations that a prepared business traveler would be unable to live without having…A Travel Agent will give you…- Focus. You as a business traveler are not orchestrating this excursion for excitement. You have particular business goals as a main priority. So on the off chance that you should remove time from planning for your business assignment to stress over travel agendas, lodging and rental auto reservations and so forth, that is time that you are not being beneficial for your business.When you get the chance that you can call a skilled travel agent who knows your travel profile well and delegate those courses of action to that agent, they carry out their occupation in finding only the right facilities for you and you are liberated to do what you excel at, spotlight on your business and the up and coming business trip.- Economy. It is hard to find that harmony between finding the housing that fit the requesting timetable of a businessman out and about and is conscious of the organizations travel spending plan too.On the off chance that you utilize a computerized online travel administration, you may need to relinquish accommodation, timetable or area for economy.A decent travel agent will endeavor to get you the right schedule while getting as close the corporate travel cost confinements as would be prudent. Furthermore, they will do it without taking up a considerable measure of your time.- Back up. You needn’t bother with help if your excursion goes totally as arranged. Be that as it may, in the event that you experience issues out and about, you can wind up in need or rescheduling flights and finding new lodging to work around scratched off flights, climate issues or other surprising intrusions to your arrangements.These travel debacles are not aware of your tight due dates to meet your business objectives. In any case, you have a travel agent who is committed to giving you administration, he or she can locate those option courses and assets to do whatever they can to get you to your destination so you can direct your business on time.- That individual touch. You may have travel inclinations that you need to accomplish with every outing you take. A travel agent has your profile and your travel history so they can do what they can to suit your inclinations.Yet, in addition, when you have particular unique needs, for example, an eating regimen constraint or a requirement for convenience because of an inability, it will be a travel agent that sees to it that your needs are accommodated and you are well dealt with out and about.- No Complications. In the event that your travel agenda includes making associations with different business accomplices who are going from various workplaces, complex travel calendars and schedule challenges that just can’t be depicted to the nonexclusive screens of an online travel administration, you can disclose these inconveniences to your travel agent and they can work with other travel agents attempting to arrange the meeting and see to it that your agenda meets your prerequisites.While the online travel administrations do give a profitable and moderate other option to the general voyaging open, it is anything but difficult to see their confinements on the off chance that you are attempting to book a trek that is dubious or in the event that you have particular needs that the screens don’t suspect.That is the reason working with a human travel agent ensures that this travel proficient person will devote themselves to the assignment of ensuring your excursion attempts to your details and that you get to your destination prepared to lead in business and be fruitful in your accomplishing your objectives.
Health Care – A Populist Solution
It should be obvious by now that the U.S. health care system is not going to be happily corrected from the top down. If we truly had a free-market competitive system with many insurance companies vying for the public’s business, that should bring prices of their service down, right?How can our President be an honest broker in a negotiation with the fabulously wealthy health insurance corporations, the pharmaceutical industry, and others who were major contributors to his election? It simply is not going to happen. These folks have spent a lot of money and time to get their corporations into a position where they have got the most profitable game in town, and — as we have seen with the heavy Wall Street influence on this administration — they are not going to be forced to give it all up, just to make the American people happy.An article recently appeared in the newspaper by T.R. Reid, which gives a rundown of the administrative costs of various health insurance plans around the world, with ours included. The U.S. topped them all at 20% being spent on paperwork, reviewing claims, and marketing. The European countries and Canada ran about 4-6% administrative costs. Taiwan came in the lowest at 1.5%! It shouldn’t require private detective sleuthing around the corridors of power in Washington to help us figure out that Americans are under the thumb of an uncompetitive and — I may as well say it — corrupt system.We have a system where the people with the most to gain, “gain access” to our political leaders with the help of well-connected lobbyists to get their views heard. Then, when election time rolls around, mega-contributions flow into the appropriate party’s account in return for favorable legislation that allows the corporations to maintain their strangle-hold on our shrinking American economy. It’s all a highly-ritualized dance here, but in any Third-World country the same general process is called corruption and influence-buying. The results are the same, whatever we call it.So how do we, as a nation, break free of the hold the Health Care Industry has on our economy? It is really very simple. We must use one of the few freedoms we have left: Boycott these industries that have been overcharging us for years. And give up the naive notion that your elected representatives will negotiate a fairer deal(for you and me) with the industries that paid to put them into office.Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “If I give up my current health insurance and something happens to me or one of my family, we’d be sunk!” You have a point, there.It’s a shame to live in fear of something, out of your control happening to you, isn’t it? But what about the elements of your health that you CAN control? So much of our long term disability develops from simple everyday choices we make that lead to our weight gain, or whether we smoke, whether we drink too much. These are all controllable if we choose. I choose — do you?Are you doing everything you can to reduce your need for health care? There are many peer-reviewed medical studies showing the health benefits of a primarily vegetarian diet, combined with daily cardiovascular exercise, being very effective at reducing bad cholesterol, lowering high blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, etc. Are you availing yourself and your family of these proven do-it-yourself healthcare measures?Both Health Reimbursement and Health Savings Accounts Offer More Treatment Options and Lower CostsIf you can afford to enroll in a Health Savings Account and live with a $5000 deductible health insurance policy, this has many advantages, not the least of which is slashing the tribute you pay for unused medical care you will get through a standard health care policy. If you are in a high-risk profession where major injury is possible, then this may not work for you. For most people, however, it will.How about we boycott the pharmaceutical drug industry to the extent we can?Take a hard look at the prescription drugs you and your family take. How many are really necessary? In many cases, Big Pharma has just cooked up drugs that are letting you slide by without changing your unhealthy habits of eating, drinking, smoking, and not enough physical activity. They have dreamed up new “medical conditions” like GERD (gastric reflux) which in many cases is just caused by what used to be called indigestion — you ate a bunch of greasy, fatty food just before bed and, as your stomach churned and labored to digest this overly-rich mess, the stomach acid backed up your esophagus. Are you willing to stop eating like that, to save yourself money and be part of a movement to get the attention of the pharmaceutical industry?Are you willing to quit eating pepperoni pizza for a midnight snack? What ARE you willing to do to get your freedom back from the sickness-care and prepared food industries who are getting rich off a tag team attack on your health?In these hard times — and no, the downturn is far from over — wouldn’t it be smart to stop paying so much for fattening foods and the medical problems they cause?Go down the list of pharmaceuticals you take, read some books on the subject of legitimate alternative diet and health practices that would make these drugs unnecessary. Then, take personal action yourself to correct the problem. I must warn you, under threat of prosecution, that if your doctor has you on statin drugs or some other major medication, that you must get the help of another doctor to help wean you off them. Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn have some good books out that can give you solid proof that what I am saying is true and do-able.Dr. Esselstyn has a list of health care professionals on his Web site who can help transition you off many pharmaceutical meds. Another good source for this information is Dr. John McDougall — offered for free on his Web site.It can be done, the only question is whether the American consumer of so-called health care products and services will have the courage and gumption to do anything about it. The average American has a clear choice here: to continue their comfortable habits, even though they are growing slowly fatter and sicker, or to make a stand for freedom, when all the odds are stacked against them? It won’t be easy, but nothing feels as good as freedom and trouncing a bunch of rich fat-cats who have been ripping you off for years!Our politicians don’t care as much about our little votes as they desperately seek the huge campaign contributions of the Pharmaceutical and Health Insurance Industries. We have no power unless we learn — and we can learn — to live without most of these rip-off-priced health care services.It will take a consumer revolt — a Boycott — over a period of time, to get the attention of the industries that own the political power in the USA.All Big Pharma understands is the bottom line. If their sales in this country go down, they will be forced to listen and do something. (Have you read the list of side-effects? You are better off not consuming these pills anyway — there are legitimate doctors who can provide you with healthy alternatives.)What we need to do is make it clear that Big Health Insurance is next on our boycott listTo a great extent, what I am proposing is already taking place. Many people, like me (and perhaps you, too?) are offended by the high costs and narrow options for treatment our present medical/insurance system offers, so we’re not participating. The Obama administration has made some noises about making it compulsory that everyone — Everyone?! — pay into a health insurance system, except Senators and Congressmen and -women and, of course the President. We’ll see how that goes over.Most of the diseases that kill us and those that disable us are preventable. Our diet is the biggest source of our fatal diseases. We have been brainwashed since childhood to overlook this obvious culprit that causes us so much pain and frustration. It is up to us to start seeing the elephant in the room and retake our freedom and a large part of our personal budget back from the people who are profiting off our food-caused sickness.The only question is, ” How much abuse will Americans take at the hands of the overpriced Health Care Industry before we stop being played for suckers?”Stop begging the politicians for help and get healthy. It’s free! Show the Symptom-Relief industry you don’t need them any more!Then prices will come down as we negotiate from a position of power. Cut out the middlemen — the insurance industry — and pay cash for services you want. That’s how the consumer gets a bargain in any negotiation, not by asking the federal government to add a new layer of bureaucratic expense.
Fundamental Rethinking Of Federal Education Policy
Now is the time to begin a focused discussion of education reform at the national level and that this discussion should be rooted in an appreciation of and understanding of the reform successes among the states. Washington, in other words, can learn a great deal from what has happened to education among the states and should look to the states for ideas and solutions. That would be a profound transformation in a set of policies and programs that have signaled to states that ideas – and rules – flow from Washington.This is the moment for fundamental rethinking of federal education policy and for supporting at the national level the reformation of public education that is beginning to take place at the state and local levels. The central organizing concept for this much-needed transformation is student achievement. Results in student achievement must be emphasized and reported in a way easily understood by parents and taxpayers, creating an academic bottom line. Everyone in public education – at the federal, state and local levels, elected officials and professional educators – must focus on that bottom line and be held to account for it.Public education is undergoing an overdue transformation. The tides of accountability, innovation and flexibility are sweeping the education landscape at all levels – except one. Federal policy has simply not kept up with the pace of reform occurring at the state and local levels. It now must change to complement and support this new reality. No longer should energy and ideas be thought to flow from Washington outward. It is time for the federal government to contribute to this flow. Americans are better informed than ever about school performance and its implications for our future, and feel a sense of urgency to take decisive action to improve their children’s education.This urgency is shifting the policy focus at every level of government. Examples abound of localities placing the educational needs of children and desires of parents over the ingrained habits of systems. Educators are focusing on improving student achievement rather than strict compliance with process and procedure. Superintendents and school boards are adopting policies that free the creativity, energy and unique abilities of communities, enterprising school leaders and committed teachers. Responding to the needs of students, parents, educators and communities, states have adopted high academic standards with rigorous assessments to measure student performance. Student achievement is being emphasized and reported in a way easily understood by parents and taxpayers, creating an academic bottom line. Those responsible for producing that bottom line are accountable for results, not simply for intentions or efforts.Education choices have been increased through initiatives such as strong and autonomous charter schools. Efforts are underway to improve the quality of teaching and reduce the regulations that make it difficult for the best and brightest to enter and remain in the profession.Despite these changes, federal programs enacted generations ago have been pushing in the wrong direction: toward ever-stricter micro-management from Washington via thousands of pages of laws and regulations. Increasing procedural controls, input mandates and rules seem to have become an end themselves, with little consideration of whether they actually are improving student learning. We understand that education initiatives, policies and practices are strongest when generated by those closest to the children being served, and weakest when imposed upon communities through federal mandates and regulations. The federal government has a legitimate role in supporting national priorities in education. It does not follow, however, that every issue that concerns someone in Washington should have a corresponding federal program or that every legitimate national priority is best attained via rules set in Washington.This approach makes sense to most citizens, but in practice it will require overcoming years of ingrained assumptions about the proper roles of the federal, state and local governments in providing America’s children with a quality education.Title I came into being as part of the landmark ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) of 1965 and remains the centerpiece of the federal role in public education. Its purpose always has been commendable: to boost academic performance of poor and disadvantaged children and reduce the performance gap between rich and poor students. Despite this clear and present commitment, Title I has failed to deliver the results it promised. The academic achievement of disadvantaged students has not been significantly improved, and the performance gap between rich and poor has not been significantly narrowed.Perhaps the most glaring example of a critical area where Title I efforts have failed to produce results is reading. Despite a purported emphasis on reading and language arts, reading preparedness in our schools is severely lacking. A great deal has been learned about how and when to focus on reading and reading readiness. This research indicates that the quality of early childhood literacy programs predicts later reading success and language development, and offers greater potential for overall academic success.This legacy of failure results largely from misplaced priorities and flawed design. Chief among these shortcomings are a focus on process rather than results, a proclivity for funding school systems rather than children, and a design that leaves parents on the outside looking in as decisions are made that affect their children’s education and future.In many states, nearly 39 percent of state education department staff are required to oversee and administer federal education dollars, though they account for only about 8 percent of total spending. A needed focus on improving the academic performance of disadvantaged children has taken a back seat to demands that money be spent in dictated categories and that mandated processes be meticulously followed and accounted for. Though the federal contribution to education is small, it has a dramatic effect on state and local policies. Today, more and more, that effect is slipping from positive to neutral to harmful.Bureaucratic micro-management of inflexible and burdensome regulations never will improve the education of a single child. Washington must recognize the proper role of state, local and school leaders to set priorities and make decisions on how to achieve educational goals. It also must recognize the primacy of parents as children’s first and most important teachers.In exchange for this freedom and flexibility, state and local officials should be held accountable for delivering results for all children. Meaningful accountability requires clear and measurable standards, and annual assessment of student learning at the state level. On this basis, there should be rewards for success and real consequences for failure. This point is critical to assuring that all children, regardless of income or location, receive the quality education they deserve.If our democracy is to endure and prosper, we cannot continue to tolerate two systems of education – one of high expectations for the children of the fortunate and one of lesser standards for children of poverty and color. What is most important is that it need not be this way.It is a matter of faith among all educators that the involvement of parents is a vital component of educational success, particularly among disadvantaged students. Yet, as currently configured, the system denies parents the opportunity to take action on behalf of their children when schools fail them. Federal policy has more than a little to do with that denial.It is a matter of justice that parents should have the ultimate authority to decide what type of education their children receive and that federal dollars – like state and local dollars – should follow the lead set by parents.We are well aware that “school choice” is a contentious issue in America today and that states have reached different decisions about how much of it to encourage and allow. We are well aware that state constitutions and laws bearing on school choice are highly varied and that feelings on this issue sometimes run strong. In this sensitive domain, we are convinced that the only policy that makes sense for Washington is strict neutrality. The federal government should neither impose education choices on states that do not want them nor retard the practice of choice in states that do. Today, however, federal programs impede the exercise of choice even where state policy permits it.In this area as in others, Washington should defer to the states. Federal dollars should be “portable,” i.e. attached to eligible children, but states and communities should set the limits. Federal dollars should “travel” with children as far as states permit their own education dollars to travel. That is the formula for “neutrality” and we are convinced that it is the only acceptable policy for the federal government to espouse in this area. States must decide the range of options available to children, and federal dollars should follow.
Using a Private Loan to Pay For College
Only after maximizing and using all available not private funding resources should you consider taking on a private loan to pay for college.To start with you’ll need to be conservative and be sure to only borrow what you an absolutely afford. As with any loan, it is not just an investment but often a long term commitment. Ask a financial aid advisor about what kinds of private financial aid is available to you.To qualify for a private loan you’ll need to go through a full application process but before doing that I suggest you pre-qualify to see if you are eligible for the actual loan. This will eliminate any uncertainty right at the beginning so you don’t waste valuable time. You’ll discover the amount you can get and leave you feeling stress free and available to locate further alternative funding if the approved amount won’t cover 100% of your anticipated or known expenses.Various loans are available but the main list includes these options:Signature Student Loans
Tuition Answer Loan
Signature Student Loan for Community Colleges
Continuing Education Loan
Career Training LoanLet’s now take a closer look at each loan:Signature Student LoansApply for if grants, scholarships and Federal Stafford loans haven’t completely covered your total educational costs. To be eligible you must be at least half way towards a 4-5 year degree or attend a community college where you are working towards your degree. You also need to have maintained a respectable credit rating.Many students do get approved. If your credit worthiness isn’t exactly the most desirable then you could co-sign affording you a lower interest rate too. If your school vouches for your educational costs then a signature student loan can be increased according to your financial requirements.You won’t need to make repayments while you are still studying. This kind of loan is also available to international students with an eligible co-signer.You may repay over 15 years or longer (usually at a 0% interest rate) and loan limits vary according to college and discipline: community colleges: $50,000; 4-5 year colleges: $100,000 – $220,000 including all private student loan debt.Tuition Answer LoanThis loan allows credit worthy parents and students (undergraduate and postgraduate) to borrow from $1,500 to $40,000 to cover up to total college costs.To be eligible you must have a social security number, be a US citizen and have good credit. You must also prove you are enrolled in a college with an official document i.e. tuition bill, class schedule printout.If you are successful in applying for a Tuition Answer Loan then the checks will come to you, not to the school where you study. Collateral is not required for this loan and repayment options are flexible and can be deferred until after graduation. Repayment options vary but you must start repayments of the interest and/or the actual loan amount at least beginning at the half-way point through your course of study. Deferment must end after either 4.5 years or 6 months after graduation, but the later you leave it the higher the interest rate will be. The initial amount you borrow will determine your costs later on to a large extent.A one-time fee is charged for this loan which is added to the loan amount at disbursement. The interest rate is Prime Rate and adjusted monthly and is calculated too according to your credit history and that of a cosigner if there is one. You will receive a 0.5 percentage point interest rate reduction after 24 on-time consecutive payments have been made.It is recommended you apply for this loan with a cosigner to meet often strict credit requirements. It is wise to read the small print carefully so that you know what kind of agreement you are truly entering into.Signature Student Loan for Community CollegesCreated especially for community college students, this loan is the most popular after-Stafford loan.This loan is similar to the Signature Student Loan described above. Please reread the above to gain more clarity.Loan amounts range from $500 to $50,000 aggregated. Interest rates are variable and based on Prime Rates. Depending on your credit history, repayment rates are 0% – 3%. You can repay your loan in full at any time without penalty.Continuing Education LoanDesigned especially to suit postsecondary students not seeking degrees and part-time degree seeking students, this loan requires you be a US citizen and have a good, established credit history.There is no maximum loan limit on a Continuing Education Loan.The continuing education loan rewards good credit history with better interest rates and lower fees. You can repay over 15 years at the most. If you have a bad credit history, apply with a co-signer. There is no prepayment penalty and you may use your loan for tuition and other educationally related expenses.Loan fees range from 0% – 6.5% With three types of repayment, this type of loan is flexible. With the standard repayment option (principal and interest), minimum monthly repayment is $30. With the interest-only repayment, you can repay only interest while in school and then the full loan amount in installments once you have graduated. You can defer payment too, as a third option, and pay a $10 deferment payment for each month that you want to defer payment, useful if money is tight during those long student days and nights.Once again it is wise to read the small print before sending your application for this loan.Career Training LoanSpecializing in training school, technical training or trade school, this loan is for continuing education programs. You must be a US citizen and have a good credit history. Interest rates and fees are reduced for those applicants with good credit ratings. Apply with a co-signer if you feel you can’t meet the high expectations required to successful approval.Once again there is no upper limit to the amount you can borrow. Loan fees range from 0% – 6.5%. For repayment options, see the Continuing Education Loan section above. You can pay the interest only while still studying, pay the full loan while studying or defer for up to 12 months paying a $10 fee at the end of each month of defermentConclusionFor all borrowing a good credit score is essential to lower your repayment costs. If you don’t have the best credit rating, apply with a co-signer who does have a good credit rating. Private student loans are a final option after successful grant and scholarship applications have run dry. Be careful how much you borrow. You will obviously need to pay it back plus interest!Good luck!