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Utah Talks About Banning All Use of Cell Phones While Driving

2011-12-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

Texting while driving is DANGEROUS - we all know this. We, at Wiseman Insurance, especially know this. Texting causes more fatal accidents than the texts that are being sent could ever be worth. After all, could a sending text ever be worth risking a human life?

But maybe texting isn't the only problem. Utah is considering placing a ban on all automobile cellphone use because of how dangerous it is. Here is the article that was posted on KSL:

"SALT LAKE CITY — Driving and texting, emailing, even just talking on the phone is too dangerous to be allowed, according to a new recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board. But look around you on the road, and it's easy to spot lots of people on cellphones. People have gotten used to having a cellphone to manage both their personal and work lives.

Accidents caused by cellphone-distracted drivers are sparking the call for a complete ban on all automobile cellphone use, including hands-free conversations. That's stricter than any law any state has passed so far.

"It would be very tough for people who live on their cellphones to completely take away all forms of communication while driving," said Shelby Cravens, a Utah driver.

"I do work at a job where people will call me on my cellphone; and if that kind of law came into effect, I would say I can't, and I won't," said Chris Bennion, also a Utah Driver.

Even text messaging behind the wheel, which Utah law bans, is a tough law to enforce. Yet, Frank Drews, a psychologist at the University of Utah, says research shows it's clearly justified.

"While you're text messaging, you're driving blind. You don't see what is happening," Drews said. A decade worth of studies, he says, show the same for all cell phone use too, backing up what the NTSB is recommending.

"There's clear scientific evidence that a number of these technologies have a clear impact on driving performance," Drews said.

But the only pending legislation at Utah's Capitol will address a loophole in the texting law: it permits drivers to type a message as long as it's not sent.

Sen. Lyle Hillyard says a ban on phone conversations probably won't fly. "I don't think you'll get that passed," he said, "but I think as more and more people see the value of such legislation, then I think more support will be easier to garner."

KSL News spoke with several businesses, including courier services who say they'd be affected if cellphone conversations were banned by law. But many companies do have formal policies that don't allow talking or texting behind the wheel."

ref: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=18487777&title=are-utah-drivers-ready-for-a-ban-on-cellphones

70 Years

2011-12-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Today, on the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, we at Wiseman Insurance are spending the day honoring and remembering those who experienced the attack and survived, as well as those who lost their lives. I found a great article on MSN on an interview with a Navy veteran who recounted his experience at Pearl Harbor. Here it is:

Seventy years ago this week, Navy veteran Lou Core was startled by the muffled thuds of explosions and a burst of commotion while cleaning up from breakfast below deck on the USS Phoenix, a cruiser docked at Pearl Harbor.

Hurrying topside, the 18-year-old seaman second-class was confronted by pandemonium he was unable to immediately comprehend -- flames shooting skyward, roiling clouds of dark, acrid smoke, swarms of fighter-bombers buzzing low overhead.

Within moments that Sunday morning, it became clear that the U.S. Pacific fleet was under attack. As reflexes from training took over, Gore and others aboard the Phoenix jumped into action and began firing back with anti-aircraft guns.

"We didn't know (at first) those were Japanese planes," Gore, now 88 and visiting the islands with nine members of his family, recalled in a recent interview. "We didn't know what was happening. I just didn't my job."

Gore is one of the 100 aging Pearl Harbor Survivors who will attend ceremonies on Wednesday on Oahu marking the 70th anniversary of the Japanese air and naval assault that claimed 2,390 American lives and drew the United States into World War Two.

Nearly half of those who perished were sailors aboard the battleship USS Arizona, which Japanese torpedo bombers sank early in the attack, sending 1,177 of it's 1,400-member crew to their deaths.

The USSArizona Memorial, built over the remains of the ship, now forms a centerpiece of the World War Two Valor in the Pacific National Monument, an historic site administered by the National Park Service.

'BODIES EVERYWHERE'
Gore's vessel, the Phoenix, was anchored a short distance from the stretch of harbor known as Battleship Row, where the Arizona was moored when it was hit.

"I'll never forget watching the ... USS Arizona battleship jumping up out of the water, landing and rolling on its side," Gore said. "There were bodies everywhere. Brooms floating in the water, canisters."

Long after the two-hour surprise attack had ended, the base remained on edge, he recounted. "Everyone was keyed up. After the attack, at night, it wasn't safe to be out. People were shooting at shadows."

The Phoenix, among a handful of light cruisers and other vessels that got out of the harbor during or just after the attack, emerged unscathed.

Besides the nearly 2,400 who were killed, the attack left 1,178 people wounded, sank or heavily damaged a dozen U.S. warships and destroyed 323 aircraft, badly crippling the Pacific fleet.

As has been the practice of past anniversary ceremonies, visiting veterans, relatives and dignitaries will bow their heads for a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m. on Wednesday, the time when the attack began, as military jets soar overhead in a "missing-man" formation.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon will render a salute to the fallen crew of the Arizona, and the morning service will end with a "walk of honor" by more than 100 Pearl Harbor Survivors and other World War Two veterans many of them in their late 80s. The gathering is expected to include seven of the last known 18 survivors from Arizona's crew.

The turnout by Pearl Harbor veterans on Wednesday is expected to be only about half of what it was last year, when about 200 attended.

Mal Middlesworth, former president of the National Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and current publisher of the Pearl Gram, a quarterly newsletter, estimates there are about 2,700 Pearl Harbor veterans still alive.

For Gore, a resident of Seattle, this week marks his first visit to Hawaii since the 1960s, and his first opportunity to personally show his two sons, his daughter and his granddaughter where he was on the morning of the attack.

Gore went on to serve in Okinawa and New Guinea during World War Two and remained int he Navy for 20 years, including a brief stint in Korea and two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. He retried as a petty officer first-class.

Despite the tributes he is receiving this year as a Pearl Harbor veteran, Gore insists he is no hero.

"I'm grateful to still be alive. So many lost their lives for no reason. ... I wish I had been able to save more" (lives), he said.

ref: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45567513#.Tt-3YmD5aYs

Great Salt Lake Turned Red

2011-11-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

This would be a pretty crazy thing to see if you didn't know what was happening! Hope you are having a wonderful day.

-Wiseman Insurance

"There was a striking sight on the Great Salt Lake, at least for people who might have flown over it Wednesday.

A sizable portion of the lake turned bright red.

The color came from a small stream that enters the lake near Saltair, a color change that was planned by scientists as part of a large-scale experiment. They're trying to get a better understanding of how pollutants contaminate the lake. The striking color gives them a way to visualize it.

The dye mimics pollutants, particularly selenium, which can be a threat to waterfowl.

"Weather conditions are perfect for this," said Patrick Lambert, a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey.

Dye is injected into water and just above the Great Salt Lake, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011. (Ravell Call/Deseret News)

As he spoke, red dye spurted into the waters of Lee Creek about 12 ounces at a time. Every few seconds, an automated pump sent a burp of fluorescent red dye into the stream, which is at its lowest flows of the year.

"It's much easier to work at lower flow," said USGS hydrologist Briant Kimball. "The same amount of dye will be more visible in the lake."

As the dye drifted out of the creek and into the lake, it gave scientists a way of seeing how the freshwater mixes with water significantly saltier than the world's oceans.

"One of the questions that we need to answer better is, how do these discharges diffuse into the Great Salt Lake?" said John Whitehead of the Utah Division of Water Quality. "What sort of mixing are we getting? And that's very important to us to make sure we protect the Great Salt Lake and the beneficial uses of the Great Salt Lake."

A few hundred yards offshore, scientists in a boat collected water samples. They also operated an unmanned mini-submarine that gathered data below the surface.

Scientists want to know what happens as pollutants move out of streams into the lake. "Is it dispersed so that it is no longer a concern or is it concentrated in certain areas?" Kimball said. The answers to those questions could help scientists and planners figure out how to regulate facilities that discharge pollutants into the lake's tributaries.

"There are questions about timing," Lambert said. "When should discharges take place? At what locations in the lake should they take place, to minimize the effect of those discharges to the lake?"

The scientists say the tracking dye is harmless and breaks down quickly in sunlight. As the red plume drifted into the lake Wednesday morning, Lambert said, "The coloration in the lake will be gone by tomorrow."

The data from the experiment will be analyzed over the next year or so and then made available to planners. It can be used to create scientific models of the water movements.

In the future, similar experiments will likely be conducted at other locations on the lake. It's part of a big push by federal and state scientists in recent years to get better handle on the unique behavior of the Great Salt Lake."

ref: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=17924547

Save $1,000 for the Holidays

2011-11-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

At Wiseman Insurance, we know how tight money can get around the holidays. MSN posted a video about how to save $1,000 before the holidays though. The video focuses on doing these three simple things:
1. Canceling your landline
2. Canceling your gym membership
3. Adjusting your tax witholdings

You can check out the video here.

ref: http://money.msn.com/money-video/default.aspx?vid=9727835e-69eb-9f33-6507-c3ce5a4d1580%26tab=Kiplinger's%20Kip%20Tips&from=gallery_en-us_money_home-page&src=FLPl:videoContainer:play:tag_usage

Jimmy Kimmel Challenge: Tell Your Kids You Ate Their Halloween Candy

2011-11-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

The effort that kid's put in to trick-or-treating on Halloween night is some serious stuff to most kids. So -Jimmy Kimmel challenged parents to tell their kids that they ate all of their Halloween candy and film it! Here is the compilation video aired on his show. We at Wiseman Insurance think the two boys at the very end are pretty darn cute. Hope it helps to brighten up your Monday!

ref: http://youtu.be/_YQpbzQ6gzs

On Being Yourself

2011-10-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a quote that I came across while spending time doing service in Fiji. If you have children, this is the perfect quote to share with them - AND to keep in mind for yourself. Hope you are all having a great Friday from Wiseman Insurance!

You must learn that you cannot be loved by all people.

You can be the finest apple in the world - ripe, juicy, sweet, succulent - and offer yourself to all. But you must remember that there will be people who do not like apples.

You must understand that if you are the world's finest apple, and someone you love does not like apples, you have the choice of becoming a banana.

But you must be warned that if you choose to become a banana, you will be be a second-rate banana.

But you can always be the finest apple.

You must also realize that if you choose to be a second-rate banana, there will be people who do not like bananas.

Furthermore, you can spend your life trying to become the best banana - which is impossible if you are an apple - or you can seek again to be the finest apple.

Author Unknown

Test Your Awareness

2011-10-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

Most people believe that they are very aware of their surroundings. Working at Wiseman Insurance, I especially hear it when I talk to people about not texting while driving. A lot of the time I get the response, "I'm good at multitasking! I can text and pay perfect attention!" Well, if you are one of those people who believes you are invincible (don't text while driving!!!!!), take this awareness test! How aware are you really? :)

ref: http://youtu.be/Ahg6qcgoay4

Halloween Light Show

2011-10-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

With Halloween just a week away, this particular family has taken the time to celebrate with a Thriller light show. Maybe we should try to do something like this at the Wiseman Insurance office. :)

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUAV_1jBJB4

Dog Saves Dog

2011-10-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty incredible story! We were all loving it over here at Wiseman Insurance. Hope you are all having a wonderful Friday!

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKoZJoWuWS4

9 Myths About Fixing Your Credit

2011-10-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday on the Wiseman Insurance blog! Many people out there are looking for way to fix their credit, however, sadly there is not a quick fix. Here are 9 Myths about fixing your credit that were listed on MSN:

1. Opting out of credit card offers will help

Many consumers assume if they opt out of credit card offers, there will be fewer credit inquiries on their credit reports, says John Ulzheimer, the president of consumer education at Smart Credit. However, those inquiries are considered "soft" inquiries and don't affect your credit score, Ulzheimer says. You can keep the offers coming if you'd like, but doing so won't help you build better credit.

If you want to opt out of offers to reduce your junk mail, call toll-free (888) 5-OPT-OUT/(888) 567-8688, or visit OptOutPrescreen.com to remove your name from the credit-reporting agency lists for unsolicited credit and insurance offers. That will remove your name for five years.

To keep your name off the list, mail in the permanent opt-out election form available on the website. Consumers can also opt in on the website if they've already opted out.

2. You can bump hard inquiries off your credit report

A "hard" inquiry is generated when creditors pull your report or score after you apply for a loan or line of credit. Your score falls because it shows you're interested in taking on more credit and, therefore, more risk. Other inquiries are considered "soft," such as those triggered by you, your employer or companies sending credit card offers in the mail.

Some consumers believe if they pull their credit report every day to load up on "soft" inquiries, they will bump off the hard ones that weigh on their credit score.

"It's speculative. There's no indication there's a finite amount of space for inquiries," says Ulzheimer. And it's only a small part of the score. "There's better bang for your buck if you do more legitimate things."

3. Closing old accounts will boost your score

This is a hard-to-kill-off myth. Closing accounts typically won't help your score and could possibly dent it, says Trey Loughran, the president of personal information solutions at Equifax. The results can shorten your credit history eventually and leave you with a smaller amount of available credit, both of which can harm your efforts to build better credit.

The length of credit history shows how seasoned a borrower you are, so the more positive experience you have, the better. Having more available credit helps to keep your utilization rate low. The utilization rate is how much available credit a borrower uses; the lower the percentage, the better.

"Say you have $100 in debt with $1,000 in allowable credit across multiple accounts and you close a credit card with a limit of $500. Then you doubled your utilization rate from 10% to 20%," Loughran says.

4. Opening many accounts will improve my credit score

Some consumers with credit problems believe opening many accounts will be proof that they can handle credit. Actually, it has the opposite effect.

"That makes lenders scratch their heads and wonder why you need all that credit," says Rod Griffin, director of public education at Experian. "It's a sign of risk." Your credit score can suffer as a result.

What lenders will see is a boatload of new, hard inquiries on your credit report. Those inquiries will deduct from your credit score, while lenders will worry that you're in dire financial straits and desperately need access to credit to make ends meet.

5. Paying off delinquencies will restore your credit score

Nope. It will help, but don't expect a supersized boost, says Ulzheimer. That's because the delinquency will stay on your report, even if it has a zero balance.

Most derogatory information such as late payments, collection accounts, charged-off accounts, tax liens and judgments live on your credit report for seven years before dropping off. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy can linger on your report from seven to 10 years, while Chapter 7 bankruptciesremain on your credit report for 10 years.

"Don't expect your score to recover to what it was before the incident, because it ain't going to happen," Ulzheimer says. "The more important part is the incident."

6. Paying off loans early is better than making payments

"It's a Catch-22," says Sarah Davies, the senior vice president of analytics, product management and research for VantageScore Solutions, because while it may be good for your personal finances to pay off a loan, it doesn't do much for your credit score.

Indeed, a closed, paid-off account adds to your score, but an open credit account in good standing boosts it more.

That's because an open account shows you're consistently handling credit wisely. A closed account only shows good payment behavior in the past and becomes less and less predictive of future habits.

7. Paying before the due date helps your credit score

Your credit score takes into account how much available credit you're using. Paying a credit card balance in full 10 days or one day ahead of the due date won't help your utilization ratio and thereby improve your score. That strategy doesn't work because the balance of the account has already been reported to the credit agency, says Ulzheimer.

However, if you pay the balance in full before the statement closing date, which appears on your statement, your report will post a zero balance for that account. That will help your utilization rate, or how much credit you are using, along with your credit score, says Ulzheimer.

To get started, you will have to pay one credit card bill earlier than usual and then consider your statement date as your due date, says Ulzheimer. Also, you will need to check your balance online or over the phone to make sure you pay the correct amount.

8. All delinquencies are created equal

If you're in the unenviable position of having to miss a payment, choose carefully. Missing a mortgage or auto loan payment will ding your credit more than skipping a credit card payment will. "Those are more substantive debts, so they carry more weight in the credit score," Davies says.

Of course, missing a payment is a last resort. Pay the minimum payment to keep accounts current. To head off a catastrophe, contact a nonprofit credit-counseling service that can help you work with your lenders to come up with a more affordable, temporary payment plan or another solution.

9. I can't have any negatives on my report

"I'm here to tell you that you can have anything from a 30-day missed payment to a bankruptcy on your report and still have a really good score," says Barry Paperno, the consumer operations manager at MyFICO.com.

The most recent information on credit reports is weighted more heavily than older data, Paperno says. So if you have a bankruptcy from five years ago but have had good credit performance since, it's possible to have a 700 FICO score.

To build better credit, Paperno preaches consistent good payment behavior instead of a quick fix. The advice is simple: Pay the minimum payment every month at least, if not the full balance. Diversify your account types, and keep balances low. The result will be a higher credit score.

ref: http://money.msn.com/credit-rating/9-myths-about-fixing-your-credit-bankrate.aspx?page=2

The Holy War Goes Viral

2011-10-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Since we at Wiseman Insurance are located in Provo, Utah, we have our fair share of interaction with the "Holy War", or BYU vs. Utah rivalry. Recently, the Holy War went viral on youtube. This is a funny video of a little boy who does NOT want to be considered a BYU guy - he's a Ute fan!

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoU8jd1f8io&feature=player_embedded

'Thriller' Back to Salt Lake

2011-10-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Starting October 12th and carrying through November 1st, the dance show "Thriller" will be playing at the Odyssey Dance Theatre in Salt Lake City. The show combines the technical aspect of dance with the all of the stars of the Halloween season including Frankenstein's monster, his bride, skeletons, mummies, ghouls and werewolves. The show has been a hit for the past 13 years, and if you haven't seen it, you should definitely consider doing so. Sounds like a lot of fun to all of us at Wiseman Insurance.

ref: http://www.abc4.com/content/news/state/story/Odyssey-Dance-Theatre-Performs-Thriller-In-Salt/qv88wCEuNk2wRDzG-vUfNg.cspx, http://www.nowplayingutah.com/event/detail/440171124/Odyssey_Dance_Theatres_Thriller

Saving Money at the Grocery Store

2011-10-03T13:47:00.000-07:00

We at Wiseman Insurance know that during these times people are looking to save money! One great place to do that saving is at the grocery store. Here are a few tips to help you keep wallet full:

1. Buy in bulk: When possible, buy your needs in bulk! The initial purchase will be more, but you'll end up saving money in the long run.

2. Only buy groceries at the grocery store: It's easier to buy everything you need at once at the grocery store, but things like lightbulbs will be cheaper at the hardware store.

3. Consider things like the Potato: Individual potatoes are around $1 a pound, however, a 10lb bag of potatoes is $6, or $.60 a pound. If you are willing to buy to bag of potatoes, you will save 67%. If properly stored, they will last a month.

4. Use the scales to weigh the pre-weighed bags: Make sure you are ACTUALLY getting what you are paying for!!

5. Be aware of what you pay for convenience: Rather than buying already shredded cheese, just buy the block and do the shredding yourself.

Rule of Thumb: The more pre-prepared and processed, the more you will pay!

ref: http://money.msn.com/money-video/default.aspx?vid=11ac9690-b2c1-52fc-8aae-7d05c46d5861

Combating the Teenage Year Finances

2011-09-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

We at Wiseman Insurance understand how expensive it can get having teenagers in your household. MSN just released a video with some good tips on how to combat the high cost of having a teenager and save some money. You can check out the video here.

Hope you all are having a great day!

Traffic Light Camera Scam

2011-09-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

Scammers are always looking for new ways to work us over, and they have definitely found a new one. Since we at Wiseman Insurance want you to be safe, I figured I would post the information about it, taken from Yahoo. Here you go:

" Traffic light cameras are annoying at the best of times, but while some people manage to escape the fines, most of us simply pay up without thinking about it or questioning whether the charge is valid. Tricky scammers are taking advantage of that lazy human tendency, making a handful of money and stealing identities in the process.

Scare tactics
The scam is simple. A no-good type picks your phone number at random and, once you answer, tells you that you have an overdue red light camera fine. The only way to avoid a significant late fee, a court case, or even jail time is to pay the bill right then and there over the phone. If you don't pay up, you're threatened with a warrant for your arrest.

Of course, there was no camera, no photograph, and no overdue bill. The scammer really has no ability to arrest you, fine you, or take you to court.

Taken off guard
The voice at the end of the phone line identifies itself as that of a police officer, possibly even giving you a (phony) identification number. As well as trusting you to be lazy and not do your fact checking, the scammer is working on the element of surprise. It's scary to be told you may be facing a jail sentence over something you have no recollection of doing, and you'll be more inclined to overlook a few simple signs that should tell you that the phone call is anything but legitimate.

After convincing you to pay the fraudulent fine, the "traffic cop" will ask for your credit card information, including the security code. That's required information for paying any bill from a remote location. Alarm bells should start ringing as the questions continue, though, as the caller asks for your billing address, date of birth and Social Security number. Surely, the police would have some — if not all — of this information on file. They have your license plate in the photo from the red light camera, after all.

That's not our style
No American police agency currently conducts business like this; in fact, no agencies anywhere conduct business like this. The police do not use the telephone to chase down or collect overdue fines or tickets. They use the postal service or, in more dire cases, a process server or law enforcement officer.

Even if things did get to the third-party debt collector stage, all correspondence would be carried out in writing, creating an official paper trail that can be traced back and audited if necessary.

The police (and most other authorities) will not ask you for personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call. Dialing the cable company to pay your bill by credit card is one thing — you dialed the numbers, and you can be relatively certain you are connected to the right party. But even with Caller ID, there is no real way to verify incoming calls; if questioned, scammers can come up with a quick excuse. Perhaps they are "calling from a different office" or "a new number that hasn't been set up yet."

Other variations
While this red light camera scam is relatively new (originating in Texas, by the way), it's very similar to another popular identity theft attempt. In that instance, you'll receive a call informing you that you have missed jury duty and — you guessed it — must pay a fine or be slapped with a late fee, along with possible jail time or a court case of your own.

Just like the traffic camera scam, there is no missed jury duty, and the "court official" on the other end of the phone is after your money and your personal information.

Throwing you off the scent
In a particularly nasty twist, you might receive a second call a few days later. The operator made a mistake — it wasn't your car in the photograph, or it wasn't really your name on the jury duty list. Gushing apologies, the caller will fall over himself to reassure you that your credit card will not be billed and that he is very sorry for wasting your time and causing you undue stress.

This second call, of course, is a distraction. You are so happy that you aren't really in trouble that you don't think back over the phone calls too closely and don't think to check your bank account to double-check the transaction. By the time you do check, it's often too late.

Common sense prevails
Fortunately, this simple scam has an equally simple method of prevention. Never, ever provide personal or financial information over the phone, email, text, or mail when solicited by a stranger. At the same time, find out as much as you can about the caller. Get a contact number, name, account number, job title, and any other relevant information that will help you identify them later. Tell them a story about wanting the information in case you need to call back later, if you must. (Hint: They're not going to want to give their details freely.)

If you believe you may have been sucked in by this scam, call your credit card company immediately and cancel your card(s). Look carefully at your statements to see if there are any fraudulent transactions, and report those as soon as you can. Consider getting fraud alerts placed on your credit report by contacting your credit bureau, too; these can be free and well worth your time, if you're concerned.

If you've handed over your Social Security number, slap yourself on the wrist and report that to the authorities, too. You will, unfortunately, need to take further steps to protect yourself from more serious fraud and identity theft."
ref: http://autos.yahoo.com/news/traffic-light-camera-scam-steals-your-identity.html

iPhone 5 Concept Features

2011-09-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

Now this is just a concept video, but it's pretty cool all the same! Imagine the possibilities!! And have a great day. :)

- Wiseman Insurance

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzsBwnv_dAg

Fuzzy Dinosaurs?

2011-09-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting bit of information I came across today and I figured I would share it on the Wiseman Insurance blog. Dinosaur feathers, over 70 million years old, have been found preserved in amber which shows that the creatures were not only scaly, but fuzzy as well.

"In science fiction, amber preserved the DNA that allowed rebirth of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. In real life, amber preserved feathers that provide a new image of what dinosaurs looked like.

'Now, instead of scaly animals portrayed as usually drab creatures, we have solid evidence for a fluffy colored past,' reports Mark A. Norell of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Examples of ancient feathers ranging form the simple to the complex are now being studied. They were preserved in amber found in western Canada, researchers led by Ryan C. McKellar of the University of Alberta report in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

Amber, hardened tree resin, preserved a mixture of feathers form 70 million years ago. Other feathers contained in amber dating to 90 million years ago are less diverse.

Specimens include simple filament structures similar to the earliest feathers of non-flying dinosaurs - a form unknown in modern birds - and more complicated bird feathers 'displaying pigmentation and adaptations for flight and diving," the researchers reported.

Indications of feathers have been found on much older fossils, and the new discoveries indicated feathers continued to develop into modern more before the extinction of dinosaurs, explained Norell, who was not part of the research team.

A separate report by Roy A. Wogelius of the University of Manchester, England, published online June 30 by Science, reports the finding of trace metals in feather fossils, suggest their colors included black, brown, and a reddish-brown.

'Despite many reports over the past decade of feathered dinosaurs and new birds from China, only now are we beginning to understand just how diverse feather types were' millions of years ago, Norell said."

ref: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44536161/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/dinosaur-feathers-found-preserved-amber/?gt1=43001#.TnOPEXN3uYs

Group Lifts Burning Car Off Trapped Motorcyclist

2011-09-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

This story is incredible! We at Wiseman Insurance hope that the motorcyclist is recovering well and commend all the bystanders on their heroic actions.

"The university math students heard the crash, saw the smoke and knew they had to act quickly. A motorcyclist had just collided with a car and was pinned beneath the flaming, twisted metal wreckage.

Disregarding their own safety, they rushed to the street and lined up with more than a half-dozen others on one side of the car. Within moments, they managed to lift the roughly 4000-pound car just high enough for one rescuer to pull Brandon Wright to safety.

'The danger? I didn't think about it for a minute,' said James Odei, 35, a doctoral candidate from Ghana who is studying statistics. 'All I wanted to do was grab that car and raise it.'

For their actions, the rescuers are being called 'heroes' and 'angels' -- their few minutes of heroics were captured on video and have gone viral on the Internet. The man they saved -- the 21-year old Utah State University student is grateful.

'I'm just very thankful for everyone that helped me out,' Wright told The Associated Press by telephone form his hospital bed. 'They saved my life.'

Had none of the rescuers acted, 'you can only speculate what the outcome would have been,' Assistant Logan Police Chief Jeff Curtis said. 'Every one of those people put their lives in danger.'

That may be true, but none who came to Wright's aid want to be labeled a hero.

'That's a big title.' Abbass Sharif, 28, another doctoral candidate who is from Lebanon. 'I don't consider myself a hero. It's just our humanity... Everyone is going to help.'"

ref: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/state-and-regional/article_8f963bb6-bc39-5e81-b084-404b690ac910.html

The New World Trade Center

2011-09-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

We at Wiseman Insurance have had 9/11 on our minds for weeks what with the 10 year anniversary having just passed. The 9/11 memorial plaza opened in New York on September 11th this year, and Today's Matt Lauer was able to take a tour of the new World Trade Center building currently under construction. Take a look:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

ref: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44483977/ns/us_news-9_11_ten_years_later/?GT1=43001#.Tm5NOHN3uYs

Remembering September 11th

2011-09-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

We at Wiseman Insurance will never forget when tragedy struck on September 11th in New York. With new 9/11 audio being released, the shock and confusion Americans felt comes to light once again. We will never forget those who lost their lives on that infamous day.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

ref: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/44445917#44445917?from=en-us_msnhp&GT1=43001

U.S. 5th in Global Competitiveness

2011-09-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

Since we at Wiseman Insurance are located in the U.S., and we are sure that you are too, this is a pretty interesting bit of information:

The U.S. has tumbled further down a global ranking of the world's most competitive economies, landing at fifth place because of its huge deficits and declining public faith in government, a global economic group said Wednesday.

The announcement by the World Economic Forum was the latest bad news for the Obama administration, which has been struggling to boost the sinking U.S. economy and lower an unemployment rate of more than 9 percent.

Switzerland held onto the top spot for the third consecutive year in the annual ranking by the Geneva-based forum, which is best known for its exclusive meeting of luminaries in Davos, Switzerland, each January.

Singapore moved up to second place, bumping Sweden down to third. Finland moved up to fourth place, from seventh last year. The U.S. was in fourth place last year, after falling from No. 1 in 2008.

The rankings, which the forum has issued for more than three decades, are based on economic data and a survey of 15,000 business executives.

The forum praised the U.S. for its productivity, highly sophisticated and innovative companies, excellent universities and flexible labor market. But it also cited "a number of escalating weaknesses" such as rising government debt and declining public faith in political leaders and corporate ethics.

The results of a survey of 142 nations comes a day before Obama is preparing to tackle jobs issues in a speech to the U.S. Congress, and just as U.S. polls show a clear majority of those surveyed say they disapprove of the way Obama is handling the economy.

Switzerland held onto its top ranking, the forum said, because of "continuing strong performance across the board" with innovation, technological readiness, even-handed regulation and having one of the world's most stable economic environments.

Germany, Europe's economic powerhouse, was sixth, followed by the Netherlands and Denmark. Japan came in ninth, and Britain was 10th. France was 18th, and Greece, saddled with debt, fell to 90th.

The report looked at broader trends: While the U.S. slipped, emerging markets gained traction. China took 26th place, highest among major emerging economies; Brazil was 53rd; India was 56th; and Russia was 66th.

"Fiscal imbalances that have been building up around the world are really a danger to future competitiveness, in terms of the ability of countries to invest in those things that will be very important for competitiveness going forward, things like education, infrastructure and so on," said Jennifer Blanke, an economist with the forum.

ref: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44423519/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/t/us-falls-th-global-competitiveness-survey-shows/?GT1=43001#.TmeornN3uYs

LDS Missionary Talks About Lion Attack

2011-09-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

Hopefully this Missionary has health insurance! This is a CRAZY story. He is very lucky to have survived:

ST. GEORGE — He's missing a piece of his leg, his arm was recently amputated and the tendons in his thumb were torn from pressing so hard on his attacker's eyeball, but Elder Paul Richard Oakey said he plans to move on from a day that two lions almost took his life.

"Accidents happen. We don't plan them. They just happen," said the 20-year-old whose humility is visible from across a room. "I wasn't planning on getting attacked by lions. It happened and I'm just going to move on."

Oakey said that a group of missionaries from an area he was serving in, in the Guatemala City South Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, decided to visit a zoo in the small mountain town of Esquipulas on July 11. The zoo, which charges an admission of five Quetzals (the equivalent of about 64 cents in the U.S.), boasts about a dozen different varieties of animals in cages at the top of a fairly steep hill that is accessible by a fairly lengthy hike.

It was their "preparation day," or a day off from full- time proselyting, and a chance to explore the culture and scenery of Guatemala.

After a monkey in a cage reached out and grabbed a camera from one of the missionaries, the group moved on to look on a pair of caged lions.

Oakey thought he could get a great picture of his colleagues from the other side of the cage, but had to scale a cement wall, just outside the back of the cage, to be at the same level as the other missionaries.

"I looked down at my camera and out of the corner of my eye, I see a lion coming around the corner real fast," he said. Oakey barely had time to react before the lion had grabbed hold of his right calf.

"I looked up and saw everyone and I just yelled for help," Oakey said, with signs of reliving the attack all over again escaping in his voice. "I put my arm up on the cage to start pulling away from that claw on my calf and a second lion got my arm and I was pinned to the fence."

"I was just pinned there — one lion on my calf, one lion on my arm — and I was just watching them playing with my arm."

All that Oakey could think to do was to punch one of the lions in the head repeatedly, but "that didn't work because it's a lion and that doesn't hurt them," he said. "So I started gouging its eyeball out because that's the only thing I could do by myself to free myself."

Between the gouging, another elder trying to shove a pole in the lion's mouth and the zookeeper firing a gun into the air, one of the lions released Oakey's arm and he fell backwards, detained only by the other lion's tight grasp on his leg.

When that lion went for a better bite of Oakey's upper thigh, Oakey fell to the ground, with others in his group there to catch him.

"The first thing I said is, 'Don't tell my mom,'" Oakey recalled. He now laughs at the thought that his mother finding out would be the worst outcome. His second thought was of his own camera, as he wanted to document the unusual experience he'd had in a foreign land — just as he had done on his blog throughout the previous 19 months of his mission in Guatemala.

Oakey was taken via ambulance on a bumpy, dirt road to a Guatemalan hospital that was six hours away. He remembered all of it until he got to the hospital and then he blacked out from extreme blood loss.

He's been told that nearly 60 percent of his blood was drained from the various traumatic injuries. And fortunately for Oakey, there was a vascular surgeon randomly at the rural hospital that day who was able to transfuse some blood almost immediately. Each of the other missionaries had lined up to donate.

Oakey spent four days in the hospital in Guatemala and was then brought home to Utah for an extended stay at the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. In all, he spent 38 days at the hospital and now goes back twice weekly for physical therapy.

"We gotta get me back in business," he said. Oakey's arm was kept in tact following the attack, but three weeks ago, he chose to have it amputated.

"It was between having my arm just flop there the rest of my life and having a prosthetic, so I'm like, 'cut my arm off,'" Oakey said he told the doctors at IMC. "I want to have something I can use. I don't want to have it in a sling the rest of my life just to have an arm."

The young man said he has a new lease on life after having been through such a tragic occurrence just 53 days ago.

"This is not going to stop me much," he said. "I have a whole life ahead of me and this is just a little stepping stone and I have got to deal with it."

He hopes to share his hope with other accident victims, helping them see the positive in their lives like he has. It's what got him through the last two months and also what keeps him going, he said.

The returned missionary now plans to get a college education and work on writing a book about his adventure, "so everyone can know what I'm about and how I can help them."

"I want to help people," he said

ref: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=17070935

Wonders Below Israel's Caves

2011-08-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

This was fascinating to us at Wiseman Insurance! Hope you enjoy!

You'll need a headlamp, a tight waistline and no fear of the dark in order to enjoy one of the most extreme, yet lesser known, archaeological wonders of the Holy Land.

Even with the proper equipment it is easy to lose your cool when crawling through the expansive ancient tunnel systems dug by Jewish rebels to fight the Roman Empire.

The hundred of hideouts, ranging from just a few meters deep to seemingly unending labyrinths, are popular among Israeli archaeologists and adventurers. But the subterranean mazes, which date back as early as the first century B.C., are virtually unknown to foreigners.

Even if you go looking for them, as designed, they are easy to miss.

The systems were often reached through trap doors in Jewish villages, some of which are now archaeological sites. Other cave entrances may be no more than an indistinct, shoulder-width opening in the ground or hillside.

You may have to crawl, even slither, for a few minutes through a pitch-black burrow - too cramped for a fully armed Roman legionary. Turns can be so tight that you have to back up to spot where you can flip from head to feet first in order to continue.

Your headlamp will illuminate niches where oil lamps once lay, and other carvings in the rocks. You may emerge suddenly into an expansive columbarium, with hundreds of holes int he wall once used to raise pigeons, or perhaps a decorated storage room.

It is easy to lose your way in these underground mazes. Only a handful are well-marked and maintained, and it is best to hire a guide to take you around. With proper climbing equipment, the extremely brave and experience can rappel even deeper if they come upon massive subterranean cisterns and chambers.

"These tunnels are an amazing secret that tourists unfortunately don't know about," said veteran guide Asael Lavi. "It's possible to spend an entire day or two crawling in the different systems and experience the fear, grief and even excitement that the rebels must have felt."

ref: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44330400/ns/technology_and_science-science/?gt1=43001#.Tl5ruHN3uYs

Hurricane Irene Aftermath

2011-08-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

Though Hurricane Irene may be over, it has left devastation in it's tread. At Wiseman Insurance, our prayers are with those affected. It just goes to show how quickly and unexpectedly natural disasters can happen, and how important it is to be prepared. Contact us to get a quote on insurance and stay as prepared as you can.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Stocks Continue to Drop

2011-08-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

At Wiseman Insurance, we thought that this was some good information for US to know, so we figured we would share it with YOU as well:

Stocks plunged at today's open, with the Dow Jones industrials ($INDU) briefly falling as many 539 points and the 10-year Treasury yield dropping under 2% for the first time ever.

Gold (-GC) topped $1,800 again, silver (-SI) neared $41, and crude oil (-CL) dropped nearly to $83 a barrel.

The immediate causes: Morgan Stanley cut its forecast for global growth this year, citing an "insufficient" policy response to Europe’s sovereign debt crisis, weakened confidence and the prospect of fiscal tightening. The government issued a weaker-than-expected report on jobless claims. In addition, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. regulators are looking carefully at the U.S. arms of big eurozone banks to assess risks amid intensifying financial pressures.

Exacerbating the selling were reports of a decline in manufacturing for August from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank and weaker-than-expected existing-home sales.

At 1:10 ET, the Dow was down 434 points, or 3.8%, to 10,976. If the loss holds, it will be the fourth decline of 400 points or more in 11 sessions. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) had dropped 52 points, or 4.3%, to 1,142, and the Nasdaq Composite Index ($COMPX) had fallen 117 points, or 4.7%, to 2,394.

All 30 Dow stocks were lower; along with all of the stocks in the Nasdaq-100 Index ($NDX.X), the Dow Jones Transportation Average ($DJT), the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ($SOX) and the Philadelphia KBW Bank Index ($BKX).

Only four S&P 500 stocks were showing gains.

The only good news in this ugly sell-off is that the market found some support when the S&P 500 hit 1,136. Another wave of selling ended with the index hit 1,140. The buying trimmed the Dow's losses by 100 points and the S&P 500's loss by 10 points.

Gold was at 1,820.70 an ounce, up $26.90 an ounce after peaking at $1,828.20. Silver had risen 28.9 cents to $40.64 an ounce. Copper (-HG), which moves up and down with economic trends, was off 6.9 cents to $3.9635 a pound.

Crude oil, meanwhile, had fallen to $83.68 an ounce, down $3.90, or 4.5%.

Is Hewlett-Packard getting out of PCs?
Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), briefly shot higher on reports that it may spin off its personal-computer business and is in talks to buy British software developer Autonomy (AUTNF) for $10 billion bid.

HP shares hit $34 at about 12:20 p.m. ET but fell back quickly. At 12:40 p.m. ET, the shares were off 1.5% to $30.93. HP is scheduled to report fiscal-third-quarter results after today's close.

Autonomy shares, meanwhile, were up 55.8% to $39.75.

While HP's PC business is the world's largest, it is a low-profit-margin business, and CEO Leo Apotheker wants to lessen the tech giant's depends on computers. As a former head of SAP (SAP), he also sees enterprise software offering greater opportunities.

Bank of America falls below $7; Apple drops 3%
Industrial, energy, technology and financial stocks were the worst performers in the market.

The Dow's biggest loser today was Bank of America (BAC), down 6.7% to $6.96.

Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) was off 4.3% to $35.01. Goldman Sachs (GS) had dropped 3.3% to $113.32.

IBM (IBM), Chevron (CVX), United Technologies (UTX) and Caterpillar (CAT) were down 4.8%, 4.4%, 5.1% and 4.4%, respectively, and contributed more than 151 points to the Dow's loss by themselves. Caterpillar's decline came despite reporting that its July sales were 35% higher than a year ago.

Apple (AAPL), down 3.3% to $368.02, contributed about 10 points to the Nasdaq-100's loss of 98 points, or 4.5%, to 2,083. Oracle (ORCL), down 7.7% to $25.36, added 9 point to the index's decline. The index was down 94 points, or 4.3%, to 2,087.

The economic data doesn't help
Today's economic reports fed into worries that the U.S. economy is slowing down.

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank's closely watched index slumped to a reading of minus 30.7 in August from July's level of positive 3.2. Wall Street had anticipated a much milder drop to a reading of 1.

The number of people filing for unemployment insurance for the first time climbed back up above 400,000 last week. The Labor Department said initial jobless claims rose by 9,000 to 408,000 in the week ended Aug. 13. The consensus had been for an increase of about 5,000.

Existing-home sales unexpectedly dropped 3.5% in July to 4.67 million from 4.96 million in June, the National Association of Realtors said. Economists had expected sales to rise to 4.87 million from initially reported sales of 4.77 million in June. Some 3.65 million homes were for sale in July, down slightly from June. But that represents a 9.4-month supply. About 16% of agents and brokers reported contract cancellations, along with 9% reporting sale delays and 13% reporting renegotiated sale prices because appraisals came in low.

Consumer prices climbed 0.5% in July, according to the Labor Department's consumer price index. Wall Street had anticipated growth of 0.2% after a decline of 0.2% in June. The core rate, which excludes volatile food and energy prices and is considered the closest gauge of inflation, grew 0.2%, as expected, after an uptick of 0.3% in June.

The Conference Board said leading indicators report rose 0.5% in July, exceeding expectations for growth of 0.2%. In June, leading indicators increased 0.3%.

ref: http://money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=10b5d3d9-0c6e-46db-bbdc-ee91e19ef11f&gt1=33009

Father Becomes a Hero

2011-08-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

We loved this news report here at Wiseman Insurance, and I'm sure you will all love it too:

The timing was just right for saving the life a 6-year old girl and for turning a 24-year-old mechanic and father of two young daughters into a hero.

It was coincidence that Antonio Diaz Chacon had come home from work early to spend time with his family Monday afternoon. It was also a coincidence that the family's washing machine had just gone out, forcing them to do laundry a block down the road at a relative's home.

Had it not been for that, Diaz Chacon wouldn't have been there to see the girl thrown into a van as another neighbor yelled for the would-be kidnapper to let the child go.

Diaz Chacon is credited with saving the girl after chasing the van through a maze of neighborhoods to the edge of where Albuquerque's sprawling housing developments meet the desert. It was there where the van crashed into a pole, the suspect fled and Diaz Chacon was able to rescue the girl and take her home.

He didn't think twice about his actions.

"The way he grabbed her and threw her into the van, I knew it wasn't right," he said, as a swarm of media stood outside his home Tuesday night to hear his story. The events were interpreted and relayed from Spanish to English by his wife.

"I knew I had to catch him. I had to get the girl back from him and take her home, back where she belongs," he said.

The Diazes said the girl's family had thanked them on Monday, saying they would always be grateful for what the young father had done.

Martha Diaz said she was grateful what could have been a parent's worst nightmare was not realized that day.

"Everything just worked out," she said, referring to the perfect timing of that afternoon.

"Even now we say, 'What if, what if we hadn't seen him? What if he would have been two minutes earlier.'"

ref: http://news.yahoo.com/father-2-becomes-hero-abducted-girls-rescue-073823983.html

The Last Text

2011-08-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Working at Wiseman Insurance, we see a lot of claims regarding accidents from texting while driving. While some people are fortunate enough to come out with only damages to their car, many are not so lucky and suffer life-changing injuries or death. AT&T released the documentary "The Last Text" to help educate all people, especially teens, of the dangers of texting while driving. Please watch and share with everyone you know. It's an incredibly important message.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DebhWD6ljZs

5 Mileage-Boosting Myths

2011-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

With fuel pricing higher and number of fluctuations tremendous, many of us (even here at Wiseman Insurance) are trying to find ways to save money on fuel. However, there are also many mileage-boosting myths out there that we should be aware of as well. Here are five of them:

1. Airflow gadgets: $90-plus wasted

The theory: High-tech devices designed to increase your engine's airflow will improve fuel efficiency.

The facts: It sounds plausible, but the results don't back up the impressive claims. Consumer Reports tested several of the devices, such as Fuel Genie ($89.95, plus shipping), that purport to increase fuel economy by accelerating airflow to the engine. The tests found no noticeable reductions in fuel usage despite claims of savings of up to 50%. While it's true that drastically increasing the airflow to an engine is a common way to increase horsepower (i.e. forced induction through turbo- and superchargers), doing so will actually increase both fuel consumption and engine wear.

2. Fuel additives: $5 to $250 wasted (per treatment)

The theory: The gas we buy can be improved by adding scientifically formulated chemicals that will increase fuel efficiency and, sometimes, horsepower.

The facts: Clearly, some drivers hope the answer to their fuel woes lies in a magic elixir, because there are numerous fuel treatments that claim to increase efficiency, despite no scientific proof or explanation of how less fuel is burned. According to CNN.com, one common tactic is to tout the product's approval by the Environmental Protection Agency. This suggests that a trusted consumer watchdog has approved the product's claims, when in fact, the EPA had deemed only that the product does not increase a vehicle's harmful emissions. The truth is, if there were an additive that made fuel burn more efficiently, oil companies would be racing to market their new gas at the pumps and gain an even bigger market share.

3. Premium fuel: $4 wasted per tank (on average)

The theory: Premium gas provides increased performance and better gas mileage.

The facts: This is true -- if you drive a premium automobile that requires high-octane gas, but drivers of such cars are in the minority. So if you're in the majority -- drooling over a Ferrari from the seat of yourCorolla -- your car's engine is designed to run on the octane levels present in regular unleaded gas. Increasing the octane -- either through buying premium gas or adding bottles of octane-booster -- can actually cause the engine to be less efficient, as the car's combustion timing is altered and efficiency is lost. But the most noticeable loss will be the 20 cents per gallon you'll be wasting on high-octane gas. A safe bet is that if you can afford a vehicle that requires premium fuel, you likely aren't concerned with gas prices or fuel efficiency.

4. Overinflated tires: $200 wasted (minimum)

The theory: Rounder tires roll more easily, creating less work for the engine and therefore, better gas mileage.

The facts: Again, this tip is true -- to a point. Overinflated tires have less contact with the road, which reduces the effort the engine exerts to keep the car rolling, providing slight gas savings. However, overinflated tires wear out quickly and irregularly, creating a need for early replacements, at a cost of about $50 to $100 per tire. What's worse is that the decreased contact with the road increases stopping distances and limits handling capabilities. This all adds up to an increased risk of costly accidents and injuries. Even if you are able to avoid a collision, it would take a lifetime (which could well be short if you're riding on bald, bulbous tires) for your fuel savings to negate the cost of four new tires. According to Edmunds.com'stesting, the fuel-consumption difference between driving with overinflated tires and tires at the recommended pressure is negligible. Sometimes, carmakers know what they're doing, and the recommended settings and levels provide the best results.

5. Windows instead of air conditioning: Comfort wasted

The theory: Operating the air conditioning to cool the vehicle uses fuel, so it's more efficient to cool off by driving with the windows down.

The facts: While it's true that some fuel is used to operate the air-conditioning compressor, as much or more fuel is lost when the windows are down. Rolling down the windows increases the drag on the car, which causes the car to work harder to maintain its speed. For even better mileage, you can improve your air conditioner's efficiency by using the recirculation setting on the car's HVAC system instead of forcing the air conditioner to cool the hot air from outside. Heeding this tip will increase your mileage as well as your comfort.

ref: http://money.msn.com/saving-money/5-mileage-boosting-myths-exposed-investopedia.aspx?cp-documentid=6832375&gt1=33026

Backyard Rollercoaster

2011-07-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

While we at Wiseman Insurance LOVE roller coasters and we are sure many of you do too, this man probably loves them more. He built his very own homemade roller coaster in his backyard! Though it looks fun, it looks like it could be a little dangerous too.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF6irUskuUY

Netflix Ups Their Prices

2011-07-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Netflix price hike has affected many people - some of us here at Wiseman Insurance, as well as some of you. Some Netflix customers called it a slap in the face. Others a betrayal. Many threatened to drop the movie service.

On Tuesday, the company said it was splitting up it's two services, which means that subscribers who want both streaming videos and DVD-access will have to get separate plans that cost at least $16 per month total. Netflix had been offering both services as a single package that was available for as little as $10 a month.

On Wednesday, many of them vented on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere, seething of Netflix Inc.'s decision to raise its prices by up to 60 percent for the millions of subscribers who want to rent DVDs by mail and watch movies online.

"I can definitely afford it but I dropped them on principle," said Joe Turick, a technology engineer in Monroe, N.C., who has been with Netflix for about a decade, cancelled his subscription within an hour of learning of Tuesday's price changes and plans to try competitors.

By Wednesday afternoon, more than 40,000 people had responded to a post on Netflix's Facebook page announcing the change, with some saying they would switch to rivals such as Hulu.com's paid service and to Redbox's DVD-rental kiosks.

Netflix said company executives expected the intense reaction.

"Everything Netflix does is with extensive research and testing and analysis, so we expected some people to be disappointed," spokesman Steve Swasey said.

While thousands of Netflix users complained, with 22.8 million customers in the U.S., it's clear that plenty of them are not upset about the change.

In online postings, a number of users concluded that, even at a higher price, Netflix is still a better deal than competitors.

While the changes will help Netflix bring in more money to cover rising costs it faces to cover buying and shipping discs while licensing more content for its streaming library, they also put off a number of subscribers - at least in the short term.

Chris Caggiano, a professor at The Boston Conservatory, isn't planning to change his NEtflix plan, even though he'll pay $20 in September - up from the $15 currently - to have unlimited streaing and two DVDs out at a time.

"Prices go up. I don't see the big deal. There's this huge cry - it's like the end of the world," he said.

And Netflix, Caggiano pointed out, is a for-profit business.

"This is not a public service," he said. "And, as many people are deciding to do, you can go elsewhere."

ref: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/national/article_8e9b4741-5987-58c7-b9c9-406c726b0a48.html?oCampaign=hottopics

The Casey Anthony Trial

2011-07-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

As we at Wiseman Insurance know, and we're sure you know, many people in America have become outraged at the jury finding Casey Anthony not guilty of the murder of her young daughter. In this Today Show interview with the defense attorney, NBC News anchors Kerry Sanders and Savannah Guthrie take a deeper look at the Casey Anthony trial by speaking with the defense attorney, discuss how "Juror 12" now fears for her life, and look at the possibility of a new law, "Caylee's Law" that would state that a parent must report their missing child within two days of their disappearance.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

ref: http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/10/7055601-the-miserable-postscript-for-a-casey-anthony-juror?GT1=43001

The Last Lecture reprised

2011-06-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of our dreams and all that we can do with our lives. I know that for us at Wiseman Insurance, we get busy and stressed and can lose sight of actually living our lives. This is a reprise of Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture. He is very inspiring.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BODHsU3hDo4

Waving at the Bus

2011-06-07T01:16:00.000-07:00

Rain Price will never forget the first day of his sophomore year of high school. On the bus, packed with classmates from his school, Rain peered out the window, mortified.

"The school bus for the first time ever came down our street this year," explains Rain's dad, Dale. "This was [my son's] first year on the bus. My wife came funning in the room and suggested we go wave at him to embarrass him."

And so began Dale's hazing ritual that continued every day for the rest of the school year. The first day may have been the most shocking for Rain, but in the days to follow, the surprises kept coming.

Since the fall, Dale has waved at his son in 180 different outlandish costumes. The second day of school he wore a football helmet and jersey, and in the months that followed, he opened the front door dressed as a blushing bride, a superhero, a Star Trek fan, Michael Jackson, and a giant chicken. One day he even lugged an old toilet bowl onto the street and sat on it reading a newspaper, stopping to wave as the bus rolled by.

The father of three, a stay-at-home dad, raided the family's Halloween costume collection, borrowed outfits from neighbors, and managed to spend under $40 over theyear to make his son's bus ride the highlight of the day. You can check out a photograph of each outfit on their family blog titled: waveatthebus.blogspot.com

We at Wiseman Insurance think that this dad deserves a mighty fine Father's Day present for all the creativity and work put into making his son's bus ride such an exciting drive. :)

ref: http://www.shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/dad-plays-best-prank-ever-on-teenage-son-2493685#photoViewer=1

Awesome Speech By A Kid After Learning To Ride The Bike

2011-06-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

Every now and again we can all use a good funny, cute, and inspiration speech from a kid to brighten our day. We at Wiseman Insurance hope this does just that for you. :)

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYoBAzc8QO8

Pill to Erase Painful Memories

2011-06-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

This is a very interesting bit of research I came across this morning:

What if you could take a pill and erase painful memories? For most of us, we want to hold on to those memories, but what if you are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Forgetting memories from taking a pill is exactly what researchers are trying to figure out how to do.

Researchers took a group of 22 students and showed them a film about a young girl who has a horrible accident while visiting her grandparents. When her and her grandfather are building a bird house, the girl's hand gets caught in a saw and the student volunteers are shown a picture of the mangled hand. Though they are able to save her hand in the end, the experience of watching it happen is a very stressful and emotional experience for the students.

After watching, the researchers took samples of the levels of the stress hormone, Cortisol, in the students. Then they were sent on their way.

Three days later, the volunteers were brought back in to the lab. Some were given a placebo, while the rest were given one or two doses of a drug that knocks back the amount of cortisol coursing through the body.

When the researchers asked the volunteers to try to recall the video presentation, those who were given the cortisol-damping drug had a harder time recalling the more wrenching details. The higher the dose, the harder it was for them to remember.

Four days later the volunteers were asked once again to come back to the lab. Surprisingly, the drug's impact on memory was still apparent.

ref: http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/05/31/6757302-pill-could-erase-painful-memories-study-shows

Trivia Tuesday: Tornadoes

2011-05-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

With all of the tornadoes we have been experiencing in the Southern United States, we decided at Wiseman Insurance to make this week's Trivia Tuesday post about tornadoes. Why do tornadoes form? National Geographic explains it all in this video.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSajNLBH7cA

First Person Video of Joplin MO Tornado

2011-05-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

This is a chilling first person account of the Joplin MO tornado that took place on May 22, 2011. It gives real insight into how terrifying it would be to have witnessed it first hand. From Wiseman Insurance, our prayers are with those who were, or had loved ones in Joplin during the time of the tornado.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQnvxJZucds&feature=player_embedded

The Dog Who Crawled Home

2011-05-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

Last month, a scruffy Alabama terrier mix named Mason was whisked away by the fierce twisters. His owners, who lost their home in the storm, had to fear the worst. However, in a remarkable tale of survival, the mutt apparently crawled back to his home days later with two broken legs.

Local news outlet WBRC reported that Mason would blown away from the garage where he had been hiding during the twisters. His owners looked for him everywhere but couldn't find him. Two and half weeks later, when they returned to the house to look through the debris, he was waiting for them on their front porch.

Now Mason is "doing fantastic". He had surgery on May 20th to attach metal plates to his bones so they could heal, but he will be returned to his family in 3 weeks.

From all of us at Wiseman Insurance: we sincerely hope that all of the families who have been affected by the tornados in the South are able to experience little miracles like this to help ease their pain.

ref: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110526/us_yblog_thelookout/dog-with-two-broken-legs-finds-owner-after-storm

Elizabeth Smart's Abductor Sentenced Today

2011-05-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

After 8 years of waiting, today will be the day for Elizabeth Smart to finally see her abductor, Brian David Mitchell, receive his sentencing for abducting her for 9 months and abusing her sexually, physically, and emotionally.

What Smart has done is rarest of rare. Heather Stringfellow, executive director of the Rape Recovery Center in Salt Lake, said, "There's very few numbers of rape victims who have the opportunity to be at sentencing where their offender is held accountable and sent to prison for what they did. The she did it and that she's holding him accountable is really remarkable."

Though breaking out into song and religious prophecies has become an expected interruption of court with Brian David Mitchell, he will be given the opportunity to say something on his own behalf before the judge passes sentence. His own attorney doesn't even know what that will be - it will be up to him to use his time wisely.

Smart will also be given the opportunity to address the court. Her message, though, is expected to carry far beyond the halls of the federal courthouse.

As far as we are concerned her at Wiseman Insurance, we stand behind you Elizabeth Smart, and are proud of you for standing up against the man who caused you to live through something that no child ever should.

ref: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=15689138

Trivia Tuesday: Obama's codename in Britian

2011-05-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

For the Trivia Tuesday post of the Wiseman Insurance blog this week, I will be sharing what codename the British police have for President Obama... and the winner is: Smart Alec.

Do the Brits believe that Obama is a bit of a "smart alec"?

The label certainly seems to fit the minds of the British police. The UK Daily Maily reported that the UK's police force, Scotland Yard, gave Obama the security codename 'Chalaque' for his visit the the United Kingdom just this week. The term is a Punjabi word meaning someone who is too clever for his own good, according to the newspaper.

A Punjabi speaker told the newspaper that the word is 'not consider rude', but could be 'mildly offensive'. It is also said to mean 'cheeky, crafty and cunning'.

However, Scotland Yard insiders told the Sunday Times that codewords are randomly generated by computer, "but the paper wondered why official decided to stick with them, when they could have simply had another word selected that would be less provocative," the paper notes."

Either way, the president of the United States goes by the codename of 'smart alec' in Britain.

It's the Best Time to Sell Used Cars

2011-05-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

If you have been thinking about selling your used car lately, we at Wiseman Insurance have some good news for you! This is the best time in years to sell your car.

Before the recession, people were holding on to cars and trucks for about a year less than they are now, which has created a tight supply of used vehicles. Few enough are on the market that prices have risen to their highest in at least 16 years. "You're not going to find a situation like this very often." says Jonathan Banks, executive auto analyst for the National Automobile Dealers Association used car pricing guide.

Japan's earthquake and tsunami are also driving up the price of some used cars. New models of some small cars, such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Fit, are expected to be in short supply. Dealers are buying used ones to sell in their place. However, there are signs that we are hitting the used car selling peak as well, so it's best to sell now at the peak rather than wait for the asking prices to start dropping.

ref: http://www.heraldextra.com/business/article_6bbe2b3a-9bbc-5428-a09e-0fb3e6699f06.html

Race for Red

2011-05-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

As a Wiseman Insurance employee, I LOVE finding ways to help in the community - whether through volunteer service, donations, or just attending community events. The good news is that there is an event coming up on May 21st - THIS Saturday!

At 8:00am at Fox Field in Provo, there will be the Race for Red. Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities are invited to take part in this 3rd Annual Race sponsored by Utah Valley Heart & Vascular Services. The race is designed to help people understand what it takes to prevent heart disease since it is the number one killer of women and men in the United States and most of the risk factors for the disease can be controlled through living a healthy lifestyle.

If you register before the 18th, the run is $25. If you register at the event, the cost goes up to $30.

For more information, Click Here.

ref: http://intermountainhealthcare.org/classes/forms/RaceforRed/Pages/home.aspx

Covey's 90/10 Principle

2011-05-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

At Wiseman Insurance, we try to use this principle daily and we think that it may help to better your days as well.

Stephen Covey says that 10% of life is made up by what happens to us. The things that we have no control over. The other 90% of life is made up by how we choose to react to those things that we cannot control.

For example, you are eating breakfast when your daughter spills coffee on your business shirt. You can't control the spill, but you can control how you react.

Let's say you choose to get upset. Your daughter starts crying and runs to her room. She misses the bus because she has been crying, so you have to rush her to school before work. You end up getting a $60.00 speeding ticket for going 40mph in a 30mph zone, and your daughter rushes out of the car without saying goodbye as soon as you get to the school. You arrive at work 20 minutes late and realize that you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started horribly and continues to get worse throughout the day. You can't wait to get home, but when you get there, you find a small wedge in your relationship with your wife and daughter.

What if you would have chosen to react in a different way?

Let's say you choose to let it slide. You tell your daughter that it's okay, but that she needs to be more careful next time. You go and change your shirt, grab your suitcase, wave goodbye to your daughter as she leaves for the bus, and you make it to work on time. You have had an entirely different day.

90% of our lives are made up by how we choose to react to the things that we cannot control. How would you have chosen to react?

Today's Google Doodle

2011-05-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

For most of us, especially here at Wiseman Insurance, Google's home page is supposed to get you to your destination rather than be the destination. Today, however, may be an exception.

BYU professor Ryan Woodward created the 12-second "Google Doodle" animation that replaces the typical colored font on the home page. The animation celebrates the 117th birthday of Martha Graham, a dancer and choreographer.

Go check it out!

ref: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/education/college/article_8552459b-9c98-52e0-9233-99c0ae66825e.html

Trivia Tuesday: Inventions that Didn't Work

2011-05-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

We live every day of our lives using inventions that have worked, but what we don't realize is that the majority of inventions are flops! Only 3% actually succeed.

Enjoy the video and we at Wiseman Insurance hope you are having a great day!

ref: http://whoknew.news.yahoo.com/?vid=25172450

Running With Angels

2011-05-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Mother's Day brings thoughts of how grateful we are for our moms and gives us an opportunity to thank them for all that they have done for us. But what about the mothers who have lost a child? The Angel Watch program focuses on those mothers - and at Wiseman Insurance, we think it's a pretty good idea.

The program is about helping to soften the blow for expectant mothers who have unborn children with conditions that will end their lives before or shorty after birth. It is a statewide program, offered free of charge by IHC, that works to help parents cope with the hammer blow of learning that the child they were expecting to nurture for decades will be taken from them almost the moment that he or she finally arrives. These parents have a cruelly different experience because, while they also lose their child, they find out that the child will die months before it happens.

The Running with Angels 5k has a special affection for Angel Watch. The race is open to the public and is scheduled for May 21st at 8:00am at the Thanksgiving Point Gardens. The cost is $30 with all proceeds going to the Angel Watch programs at the Orem Community Hospital, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, and American Fork Hospital.

ref: http://www.heraldextra.com/momclick/activities/article_613daa08-7868-11e0-af85-001cc4c002e0.html

Utah Shakespeare Festival Celebrates 50 Years

2011-05-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season. The original idea for the famous open-air theater was born in the Fluffy Bundle Laundromat. It no longer exists, but the vision that Fred Adams and his late wife, Barbara, had there in 1961 grew more incredible than even they imagined.

It was simply a dream, but the dreamer had a vision. Fred Adams, a theater professor at Southern Utah State College and his wife came up with the idea of Shakespeare on the lawn with folding chairs. Some 25 students and friends volunteered to build scenery and sew costumes.

The first season was in 1962, and the festival attracted 3,276 visitors. By 1977, the festival needed a theater. The cost was $18,000 and the festival managers didn't have it. After two donors came forward, they were able to get the theater they needed. In 1981, the BBC and Royal Shakespeare Company traveled to Cedar City and chose to film here, in then the closest replica to Shakespeare's theater in the world. And in 2000, the Utah Shakespearean Festival received the American heater's highest honor: a Tony. This year, the audience is projected to be nearly 150,000.

The 2011 Utah Shakespeare Festival opens with preview performances on June 23 and continues through October 22.

Congratulations from Wiseman Insurance to the Utah Shakespeare Festival on your 50 years of excellence!

ref: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=15428731

Grand National Pigeon Show

2011-05-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Some people put their dogs in shows, some people put their babies in cutest-baby competitions, but have you ever heard of putting your pigeon in a pigeon show? Neither had we at Wiseman Insurance! Check out these pictures of some of the Grand National Pigeon Show champions. Also, there is a link below to the rest of the pictures of the champions.

ref: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42645029?gt1=43001

Osama Bin Laden's Death

2011-05-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

We have heard it over here at Wiseman Insurance, we're sure you have heard it where you are, but the news is true: Osama Bin Laden has been caught and killed. The link to the full article is posted below:
KSL: Bin Laden

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADW-hgryntI

Tornadoes in the South

2011-04-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Dozens of tornadoes have ripped through the South these past few weeks killing more than 248 people and leaving nothing but shattered homes behind. It has been the deadliest outbreak in nearly 40 years.

The most recent hit hard in Alabama. Jerry Stewart, a 63-year-old retired firefighter said, "It happened so fast it was unbelievable. They said the storm was in Tuscaloosa and it would be here in 15 minutes. And before I knew it, it was here."

Stewart and his family were able to survive by hiding under the front porch of their house. Their neighbors, who did the same, weren't as fortunate - he had pulled their bodies out of the rubble of their house that had been pulled completely off of it's foundation.

Some of the worst damage was in Tuscaloosa. The population is more than 83,000 and it is also home to the University of Alabama. After the tornado hit, residents who survived walked through the neighborhoods next to the hospital, a home to a mix of students and townspeople, and found dozens of homes without roofs. Household items were scattered on the ground and streets were impassable.

Dr. David Hinson was working at the hospital when the tornado hit. He and his wife had to walk several blocks to find their house, which had been destroyed. Several houses down, he helped pull three students from the rubble. One was dead and two were badly injured. He had others used pieces of debris as makeshift stretchers to carry them to an ambulance. He said, "We just did the best we could to get them out and get them stabilized and get them to help. I don't know what happened to them."

At Wiseman Insurance, we offer our condolences to those who have lost loved ones as well as their possessions. We would also like to remind everyone to stay as prepared as possible for in case something happens to your family. We never think anything will happen to us, but I'm sure that these people thought that as well. Give us a call and we will help you with the insurance part of staying prepared and protecting your family.

ref: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/national/article_d5eb9f4d-706f-5d99-ab4f-738c5f4ba6e4.html?oCampaign=hottopics

Trivia Tuesday: 10 Lost Cities of the World

2011-04-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

For the Wiseman Insurance Trivia Tuesday post today, we will be focusing on 10 lost cities of the world. Here they are:

1. Petra, Jordan

Country: Jordan

Civilization: the Nabataeans

Inhabited: sixth century B.C.

This rose-colored city carved from cliffs garnered fame in the West thanks to the 1980s blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Chichen Itza, Mexico

Photo: John Elk III/Getty Images

2. Chichen Itza, Mexico

Country: Mexico

Civilization: the Mayans

Inhabited: 600 to 1000 A.D.

Site of one of Mesoamerica's largest ball courts, this royal city is located near a massive underground cenote, or sinkhole, where the bodies of human sacrifices were dropped.

Derinkuyu Underground City

Photo: Thinkstock

3. Derinkuyu Underground City, Turkey

Country: Turkey

Civilization: possibly the Phrygians

Inhabited: Approximately eighth century B.C.to 10th century A.D.

This underground network has more than 10 floors and room for up to 50,000 people, plus livestock. It is rumored to have been a hideout for early Christians escaping Roman persecution.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Photo: Glowimages/Getty Images

4. Machu Picchu, Peru

Country: Peru

Civilization: the Incas

Inhabited: 15th and 16th centuries A.D.

Conquistadors carrying small pox wiped out the inhabitants of this royal mountaintop fortress, but the Lost City of the Incas was never actually discovered by the Spanish--in fact, it wasn't discovered until 1911.

Angkor, Cambodia

Photo: Otto Stadler /Getty Images

5. Angkor, Cambodia

Country: Cambodia

Civilization: the Khmer Empire

Inhabited: ninth century to 15th century A.D.

More than a thousand temples, including Angkor Wat, populate this long-time Khmer capital. It declined after a successful attack by invaders from what is now Thailand.

Pre-Roman Carthage, Tunisia

Photo: iStockphoto

6. Pre-Roman Carthage, Tunisia

Country: Tunisia

Civilization: the Phoenicians

Inhabited: 650 to 146 B.C.

Carthage was home to the Roman Empire's arch-nemesis, Hannibal. It was burned and the earth salted during the final Punic War.

Pompeii, Italy

Photo: Dhuss/iStockphoto

7. Pompeii, Italy

Country: Italy

Civilization: the Roman Empire

Inhabited: seventh/sixth century B.C. to 79 A.D.

Pompeii was a cultural center and vacation destination for Roman high society until it was destroyed in 79 A.D. by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Left behind are naturally ash-encased mummies.

Memphis, Egypt

Photo: DEA /A. VERGANI/Getty Images

8. Memphis, Egypt

Country: Egypt

Civilization: the Ancient Egyptians

Inhabited: third millennium B.C. to seventh century A.D.

Located at the mouth of the Nile delta, Memphis thrived for centures as a center of trade, commerce, religion and royalty. Foreign invasions, including one by Alexander the Great, let to its demise.

Teotihuacan, Mexico

Photo: Dmitry Rukhlenko/iStockphoto

9. Teotihuacan, Mexico

Country: Mexico

Civilization: possibly the Totonac people

Inhabited: 100 B.C. to 250 A.D.

This city, the founders of which remain a mystery, is home to some of the largest pyramids in pre-Columbian America. It inspired several major empires, those of the Zapotec and Mayans.

Mosque City of Bagerhat, Bangladesh

Photo: Lonely Planet Images/Alamy

10. Mosque City of Bagerhat, Bangladesh

Country: Bangladesh

Civilization: Khan Jahan Ali

Inhabited: 15th century A.D.

The city formerly known as Khalifatabad was founded by a Turkish general. It boasts more than 50 Islamic monuments and the Sixty Pillar Mosque, constructed with 60 pillars and 80 domes.

ref: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-39274939

Limit Your Lawn Watering

2011-04-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Good Monday Morning from Wiseman Insurance everyone!

We have definitely been having a few very wet weather weeks lately, but water managers in Utah have advised us not to water our lawn unnecessarily.

Right now, most lawns are doing fine with the water that nature has provided them. However, many people have already started watering their lawns and state officials have issued an important message: the wet weather is not an excuse to waste water.

Even though we have plenty of water right now, "water conservation is about a long-term ethic," said Eric Klotz, water conservation chief with the Utah Department of Natural Resources. "You should still be watering to what your landscape actually needs, not based on how much supply there is in the mountains."

It's also good to make your lawn healthier by training it to go after water deep in the soil. If you don't make the roots go deep to get the water, they won't go as deep and be as healthy.

ref: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15277231

Witness. Disaster in Japan (2011)

2011-04-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

National Geographic released this shocking footage of the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. It is heart wrenching to get a small amount of insight into the horror their entire country lived through. At Wiseman Insurance, we ask you to please take the time to watch this and share with others.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cpXZa6U8lo&feature=related

Our Milky Way

2011-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most amazing videos I have ever seen. A photographer filmed on top of El Teide, Spain's tallest mountain, between April 4th and April 11th. After the footage was taken, they sped it up and released this incredible video of our Milky Way Galaxy - from Earth. We loved it over here at Wiseman Insurance. I'm sure you will too.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk6_hdRtJOE

Trivia Tuesday: Interesting Facts

2011-04-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

For today's Wiseman Insurance Trivia Tuesday, we have a few brainteasers! See if you can figure them out. I'll post the answers below so make sure not to scroll down too far to where you can see them.

1. Riddle:
My first is simply a vegetable, delicious, round and green.
My third and fourth are sound asleep, as plainly can be seen.
My fifth is fifty, clear enough for any riddle-setter.
Two of my second stacked on their sides will give my final letter.
Now that my second has my parts, fit them together well.
You see me now before your eyes; it's plain for all to tell.

2. Which of the black shapes are identical to the red? There may be more than one:

3. What is represented by this brain bat:

D A

E
C N

4. Which of the 4 shapes comes next in this sequence?

5. These 2 sets of 5 clues each leaders to 5 words that only differ by one vowel (the vowel is a, e, i, o or u, but not necessarily in that order). What are the words?

Small Robot.

Small part.

On the contrary.

Nocturnal mammal.

Wager.

Struck.

Heated.

Straw dwelling.

A head warmer.

Not cold.

ANSWERS BELOW:

1. Answer:

Puzzle.
My first is simply a vegetable, delicious, round and green. - Pea/P
My third and fourth are sound asleep, as plainly can be seen. - ZZ
My fifth is fifty, clear enough for any riddle-setter. - L (Roman Numeral)
Two of my second on their sides will give my final letter. - E (Take 2 U's and stack them sideways)
Now that my second has my parts, fit them together well. - Now that YOU (u) have my parts...
You see me now before your eyes; it's plain for all to tell.

2. Answer:
B and F.

3. Answer:
Square Dance.

4. Answer:
C. The shapes are the spaces between the digits in the numbers 27, 28, 29, and 30. Therefore, C is the correct answer, as it is the spaces between the digits in the number 31.

5. Answer:
Bot, bit, but, bat, bet.
Hit, het, hut, hat, hot.

ref: http://www.braingle.com/brainteasers/teaser.php?op=2&id=36649, http://www.brainbashers.com/showpuzzles.asp?page=11

Sand Art

2011-04-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you guys have seen sand art before, but it is awesome and good way to lighten up this very rainy Monday. At Wiseman Insurance we hope you are all having a good day! Enjoy:

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kefTLicuxb4&feature=relmfu

7 Pains You Shouldn't Ignore

2011-04-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

Sure, we as humans occasionally have random pains shoot through our bodies, and most of them we ignore. I'm sure you all do it, and we all do it over here at Wiseman Insurance. However, some of them shouldn't just be ignored. Here is a list of 7 pains that you should NOT ignore:

1. Chest Pain: According to a preventive cardiologist, Arthur Agatston MD, three good indicators that something is wrong with your heart are that chest pain doesn't go away, varied shortness of breath, and upper body pain that hasn't occurred before. He said, "If you experience any of these symptoms you should call your doctor or 911 immediately."
2. Severe Head Pain: Most likely, it's a migraine. But if it isn't accompanied by other migraine symptoms (such as a visual aura) sudden, severe head pain can signal a brain aneurysm. Considering how a burst aneurysm can cause brain damage within minutes, you should call 911 immediately.
3. A Throbbing Tooth: It's likely that the tooth's nerve has become damaged. If the enamel is cracked or rotting, you want to patch it up quickly so that the bacteria in your mouth cannot invade the nerve. If the tooth is already infected, you'll need a root canal.
4. Sharp Pain in Your Side: If you feel as if you are being skewered in your right side, and you are also nauseated and running a fever, you could have appendicitis. For women, another possibility is ovarian cyst. In both cases, you are looking at emergency surgery.
5. Abdominal Discomfort with Gas or Bloating: If for the past month you've felt gassy and bloated more days than not, and you fill up much faster than you used to, the worst case scenario is ovarian cancer. The first symptoms of the cancer are bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, and difficulty eating. If you experience them almost daily for more than 2 or 3 weeks, consider it a red flag and schedule and appointment with your OB-GYN.
6. Back Pain with Tingling Toes: One of your discs (the spongy rings that cushion the bones in your spine) could be pressing on the spinal nerve. Without proper attention, you risk permanent nerve damage - make sure to visit an orthopedist.
7. Leg Pain with Swelling: If your calf is extremely tender in one location, noticeably swollen, and red or warm to the touch, you might have deep-vein thrombosis, or a blood clot. If the clot breaks free, it can travel through your veins up to your lungs and cut off your oxygen supply. See your doctor right away and they may put you on blood thinners to dissolve it.

Also good to know: The signs of a stroke. They include:
* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
* Sudden through walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
* Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, so if you or anyone you know experiences these symptoms, call 911 immediately.

ref: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/pain-management/fibromyalgia/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100270003&imageindex=2

Running from Tsunami

2011-04-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

We at Wiseman Insurance are still keeping those affected by the tsunami in forefront of our minds. This video gives a small taste of what it would have been like to be there the day the tsunami hit.

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC0OFT8WWHk&feature=share

Obama's Plan to Cut $4 Trillion

2011-04-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday Wiseman Insurance readers! Here is your article of the day:

After staying on the sidelines during the discussion of the deficit, today, President Obama gave a broad framework to reduce the federal budget gap by $4 trillion over the next 12 years.

In a speech at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Obama proposed what he called a "balanced approach," a mix of spending cuts and tax increases "that puts every kind of spending on the table, but [...] protects the middle class, our promise to seniors, and our investments in the future." he said.

Here's what Obama called for in his "Framework for Shared Prosperity and Shared Fiscal Responsibility"

One quarter of the deficit reduction to be achieved through tax increases, with the rest to come mostly from spending cuts--a split that the president's liberal base may see as still too heavily tilted toward spending cuts
An end to the Bush tax cuts for the 2 percent of Americans making $250,000 or more
Tax reform aimed at closing loopholes that favor the rich, allowing for a lowering of overall rates, as recommended by the Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction commission
Cuts of $770 billion by 2023 to non-security discretionary spending, another Bowles-Simpson recommendation
Cuts of $400 billion to "security spending"--that is, defense--by 2023
A rejection of the Ryan budget's approach to Medicare and Medicaid, which the White House believes would unfairly shift costs to seniors and the vulnerable while undermining both programs in the long term. Instead, Obama proposed reforms to reduce the growth of health care spending (beyond those in the overhaul last year) that would save $480 billion by 2023, and at least an additional trillion in the decade following
Cuts to other mandatory programs--the White House listed agricultural subsidies, the federal pension insurance system, and anti-fraud measures--worth $360 billion by 2023
A general effort to "strengthen Social Security for the long haul," without slashing benefits for future generations
A "debt failsafe," to kick in by 2014. If long-term deficit projections aren't looking better by that time, the failsafe would trigger an across-the-board spending reduction (with exceptions for Social Security, low-income programs, and Medicare benefits)
The creation of a committee chaired by Vice President Joe Biden and including members of both parties and houses of Congress, to begin meeting next month in order to "agree on a legislative framework for comprehensive deficit reduction"

ref: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110413/ts_yblog_thelookout/key-from-the-speech-whats-in-obamas-deficit-reduction-plan

Trivia Tuesday: Inventions By Kids

2011-04-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

For today's Trivia Tuesday, we at Wiseman Insurance are going to focus on five inventions inspired and created by kids. With organizations like By Kids for Kids and Liberty Science Center, turning their products into sales is becoming more of a reality.

The SMART Wheel:

The Inventioneers (a group of 6 teens) created this device to help curb distracted driving. It stands for "Safe Motorist Alert for Restricting Texting, Tweeting, Typing, Touch Screens, and Touch-Ups". It covers your steering wheel with sensors and LED lights that determine if both your hands aren't on the wheel.

POPSICLES:

Popsicles were created by accident in 1905 by 11-year old Frank Epperson. He had accidentally left a mixture of powdered soda and water with a stick in a cup out on his porch on a very cold night. When he woke up in the morning, he had a tasty frozen treat on a stick! He had originally called it the "Epsicle", but as he grew older and his kid's would ask for "Pop's 'sicle", the name eventually changed.

Makin' Bacon:

When 8-year old Abby Fleck and her dad were making bacon together one Saturday morning, they didn't have paper towels to soak up the grease. Instead, Abby thought of just standing there and holding the bacon up so that the grease could drip off. And so, the Makin' Bacon Dish was formed. Not only does it save on paper towels, but it's healthier because the grease drips out.

Wristies:

10-year old KK Gregory was fed up of wearing mittens but still having snow get down his sleeves. Rather than dealing with it any longer, she created the first "Wristie"- a fingerless glove that goes halfway up your arm to keep your wrists warm and dry. When they were a hit with the Girl Scout troop, she decided to turn it into a business.

Ear Muffs:
In 1873, 15-year old Chester Greenwood was testing out ice skating. He kept getting frustrated because his ears were cold and when he pulled his scarf up around his head, it was too bulky and itchy. He took a piece of wire, bent it to fit around his head, and asked his grandma to sew fur into the loops of wire at the ends.

ref: http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112523/kid-inventions-cnbc

Two Changes to Improve Your Odds of Retirement

2011-04-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday from Wiseman Insurance! If you are over 50 years old and you are worried about your retirement, I found an article that states two changes that could significantly improve your odds! Here you go:

If you're over age 50, and feel like you're behind with your retirement goals, you need to make a realistic assessment of what's achievable. For many people, the lifestyles they're leading while working won't be supportable by the income they can generate from their retirement savings at age 65.

That means you've got to change your retirement goals. If you combine working a little longer with some modest reductions in your retirement lifestyle, you can vastly improve your retirement picture.

1. Working 5 More Years

First, consider how much of an impact working five more years could have on your retirement. Let's assume you're 65 and have $1,000,000 in retirement assets. If you could earn 5% a year on those funds, your retirement plan would be worth about $1,275,000 at age 70, or about 28% more than at age 65. That means it could support almost 28% more in distributions.

Plus, let's assume you could save $15,000 a year for each of those 5 years. The extra savings helps boost the plan balance to $1,360,000, or about 36% more than at age 65.

By waiting five years, you've increased your retirement assets and potential retirement income by 36%.

2. Reducing Your Lifestyle

Now let's assume you also reduce your retirement lifestyle expectations by 15%. That means you'll need 15% less in savings to meet your goals.

• For a couple targeting $100,000 of retirement income, that means living on $15,000 less a year. A good rule of thumb for producing distributions in retirement is that every $5,000 worth of distributions will require about $100,000 of assets at age 70. If you reduce your lifestyle needs by $15,000 that means you need $300,000 less in assets to support your retirement.

You might not be happy about the prospects of a reduced lifestyle, but you may find it works just fine if you adjust your expectations. It really comes down to how important it is for you not to work. If that 15% reduction provides you with the freedom to retire, it may well be worth it.

Combined Impact

When you combine the 36% boost in retirement assets by working five more years with the 15% reduction in lifestyle expenses, you've got a swing of 50% in your retirement preparedness. That's a huge change, and can make all the difference between an unrealistic goal and an achievable goal.

There are lots of retirement planning tools out there that will help you make some projections, and allow you to play with different retirement scenarios. I like some of the calculators at www.dinkytown.net because the site provides a variety of different calculators on savings and debt reduction. If you're working with an advisor, then enlist their help in running different retirement goals.

Bottom Line

You can put yourself on a path to a more secure retirement if you're willing to adjust the path.

Ref: http://finance.yahoo.com/retirement/article/112503/changes-improve-odds-retire-moneywatch?mod=retire-planning

Walk A Mile in Her Shoes

2011-04-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

TOMORROW, April 9th, is the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® campaign. It sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun and for a good cause - which we Wiseman Insurance employees love getting involved with! If you can make it, you definitely should.

Why Walk a Mile? Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® is an internationally growing campaign we’ve brought to Utah County where members of the community come together and walk for rape and sexual assault awareness. Specifically, men and women are invited to wear high heels, and literally walk a mile in “her” shoes; however wearing women’s shoes is not a requirement. Overall, this is a unique opportunity for everyone to show their support to all survivors that continue to endure through their own walk of life.

Please join us! The entire community is invited to walk – men, women & children.

When and Where: Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® will be April 9, 2011 at the Orem City Center at the corner of State Street and Center Street in Orem, Utah. A silent auction fundraiser will begin at 9 a.m. along with registration for the event. The walk will begin at 10 a.m.

Shoes: This march asks men & women to wear their own high heels or any women’s shoe for the event. If you are unable to walk in high heels, please come anyway and support the cause by walking side by side with those who can.

Cost: A $5 fee is required to register for the walk. It is meant to help cover the costs of the event. All money left over will be donated to the Center for Women and Children in Crisis. Bracelets will be on sale at the cost of $1.00 along with T-shirts at the cost of $5.00. We have a limited number of shirts available so come early!

Awards & Prizes: Awards will be given for the man and woman with the most outstanding heels.

Walking in Heels: Here is some advice for your first time in heels: Keep your legs straight and close together; with each step, point your feet and keep them straight in front of you. Start off slow and when you become more confident with your walking abilities increase your pace.

Registration: You can register online and pay the minimum $5 fee as well as make any additional donations, or bring a check or cash and register the day of. If you register at the event instead of online at http://walk.cwcic.org/, please come early. Online registration is preferred.

Woman Almost Filmed Her Own Death

2011-04-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Wendy Cobb, a woman who was driving behind two trucks who were irresponsibly driving side by side for the duration of her drive decided to record them her phone so that she could report them after she made it home. Unexpectedly, she instead captured video of a two-by-four that one of the trucks had kicked up and sent crashing through her windshield. She's VERY lucky she wasn't hurt! Here's the video:

These things always happen when you least expect them to - which is why it's good to have insurance! By the look of the condition of her car, I'll bet she's grateful to have car insurance right about now. If she had been injured (which is amazing that she wasn't), I'm sure she would have been more than grateful for health insurance as well.

Contact us as Wiseman Insurance so that you are prepared for the times that you least expect something to happen! We can find you the best rates possible on utah auto insurance, Utah Homeowners Insurance, Commercial Insurance Provo UT (as well as the rest of Utah), health insurance, AND life insurance. We are the best of the utah insurance agencies. Let us help you stay prepared!

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOhgMAOrp0c

Google's Face Recognition App

2011-04-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

Alright readers of the Wiseman Insurance blog... this is CRAZY! Google is currently in the process of making a face recognition application. It would allow users to snap pictures of people's faces in order to access their personal information such as phone number, address, etc.

Creepy, right?

However, users would have to check a box allowing Google to access their pictures and personal information, and Hartmut Neven, the google engineering director for the program, said, "We recognize that Google has to be extra careful when it comes to these [privacy] issues. Face recognition we will bring out once we have acceptable privacy models in place."

ref: http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/03/31/google.face/index.html

Trivia Tuesday: Useless but Awesome Facts!

2011-04-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

Depending on how you look at it, today's Trivia Tuesday is 50 facts that everyone should know, OR 50 completely useless things that are just fun to know. Either way, hope your weeks are going well and let us know if you are looking to SAVE some money on your insurance, because I assure you, we can do that for you. Enjoy!

The word "queue" is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.
Beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms like fried bacon.
Of all the words in the English language, the word 'set' has the most definitions.
What is called a "French Kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English Kiss" in France.
"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Rhythm" is the longest English word without a vowel.
In 1386, a pig in France was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child.
A cockroach can live several weeks with it's head cut off.
Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.
You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.
There is a city called Rome on every continent.
It's against the law to have a pet dog in Iceland.
Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day.
Horatio Nelson, one of England's most illustrious admirals, was never able to find a cure for his sea-sickness.
The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham is present at all important meetings of the University of London.
Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left handed people.
Your ribs move about 5 million times a year - every time you breath.
The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump.
One quarter of the bones in your body are in your feet.
Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.
The first known transfusion of blood was performed as early as 1667 when Jean-Baptiste transfused two pints of blood from a sheep to a young man.
Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails.
Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.
The present population of 5 billion+ people in the world is predicted to become 15 billion by 2080.
Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian and had only one testicle.
Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.
Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."
Coca-Cola would be green if coloring weren't added to it.
On average, a hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute.
More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.
The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words.
More people are allergic to cow's milk than any other food.
Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand.
The placement of a donkey's eyes in it's head enable it to see all four feet at all times.
The six official languages of the United Nations are: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.
Earth is the only planet not named after a God.
It's against the law to burp or sneeze in a church in Nebraska, USA.
You're born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206.
Some worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food.
Dolphins sleep with one eye open.
It is, in fact, possible to sneeze with your eyes open. Mythbusters proved this. :)
The world's oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old.
The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds.
Queen Elizabeth I regarded herself as a paragon of cleanliness. She declared that she bathed once every three months - whether she needed it or not.
Slugs have 4 noses.
Owls are the only birds who can see the color blue.
A man name Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years.
A giraffe can clean it's ears with it's 21-inch tongue.
The avery person laughs 10 times a day.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain.

ref: http://www.world-english.org/facts.htm

Watch Out for Scams!

2011-04-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend, a company called Epsilon (who manages email communications for companies that include Best Buy, Chase Bank, Citibank, and around 2,500 other big named companies) had a security breach that may have allowed hackers to access customer email addresses.

With this security breach, the companies have been warning customers to expect to receive fraudulent emails that will try to coax personal information out of them - such as login information, etc. It's also a standard tactic among online fraudsters to send email to random people, purporting to be from a large bank and asking them to log in at a site that looks like the bank's site. Instead, the fraudulent site captures their login information and uses it to access the real account.

If you receive an email asking you to disclose any personal or login information, choose to be safe rather than sorry, and work to recognize scams. You can do things like contact the company to make sure the inquiry is coming from them directly, and make sure not to use any links within the emails.

Our goal at Wiseman Insurance is to keep you and your family protected - so make sure that you are doing all that you can to protect yourselves as well!

ref: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Banks-creditcard-issuers-warn-apf-754015157.html

April Fools!

2011-04-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

We are planning on having a LOT of fun over here at Wiseman Insurance to celebrate April Fools Day. Do you guys need some ideas? Here are a few that I found:

1. What's wrong with my mouse?....
Use a piece of scotch tape and cover up the 'laser' part of your coworkers mouse. Stay after work or pop into their cube while they're away from their computer. The mouse won't work with the tape over it and they'll start unhooking all their cords and slamming it against the desk before realizing to turn it over! For extra spice, write the words "April Fools!" on the piece of tape.

2. Man Down!....
Before your coworker gets to work, unscrew the wheels on their desk chair. Most of them pop out with a strong tug. Place the wheels back in their sockets lightly so that it still looks like the chair is assembled. Then when your coworker sits down, the chair collapses suddenly.

3. What's wrong with my phone?...
Grab a piece of scotch tape and go to your coworker's phone. Lit the receiver and stick the tape on the phone's switch hook so that you can no longer hear the dial tone. Then, when your coworker gets a phone call, they'll pick up their receiver, but the phone will keep on ringing! (Make sure you have a backup plan to answer the call)

4. Please see me!...
Pick a target (let's say "Todd"). Leave a Post-it note on everyone else's monitor saying "See me when you get in - Todd." Everyone will be coming to his cube, or office, asking him what he wanted to see them about.

5. Annoying Homepage...
When your coworker is at a meeting and leaves their computer unlocked, go into their internet options in their browser and change their homepage to: http://www.funnyjunk.com/pages/haha.htm

Enjoy!! And REMEMBER... use discretion when choosing who the play these pranks on!

ref: http://www.purpletrail.com/partytrail/holiday_parties/april_fools/pranks-for-the-work-place-fun-and-almost-innocent-april-fools-day-ideas

Contact Juggling

2011-03-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Wiseman Insurance! So this is pretty cool - a new form of juggling is making it's mark throughout the world. Check it out:

ref: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knowhnbCV-E

Message in a Bottle Found 24 Years Later

2011-03-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is a really cool news report that I came across!

24 years ago, a German boy tossed a letter in a bottle into the sea and he is finally going to get a response!

In Moscow Russia, a 13 year old boy was walking along the beach with his family when he noticed a bottle lying on the beach that had a letter in it. The letter was written in German and dated back to 1987.

The letter was wrapped in cellophane and a medical bandage to protect it. The boy's father, who knows German, translated the letter to find that is said, "My name is Frank, and I'm five years old. My dad and I are traveling on a ship to Denmark. If you find this letter, please write back to me, and I will write back to you." The letter included an address to respond to, and though Frank, who is now 29, no longer lives there, his parents still reside at that address.

When Frank was first informed that his letter was found, he couldn't believe it! He hardly even remembered the trip to Denmark he and his father had taken. He was very excited about it being found though, and he had the opportunity to video chat with the Russian boy who found his letter early this month. They exchanged addresses and will continue to be pen pals with hopes to eventually meet in person.

The boy says that he doesn't believe that the bottle spent the full 24 years in the sea because "It would not have survived in the water all that time." Instead, he believes that it had been hidden under the sand right where he found it - on the Curonian Spit, a 60-mile stretch of sand in Lithuania and Russia.

Kind of an exciting and interesting story, right? Maybe I'll get all of the employees at Wiseman Insurance to write letters and put them in bottles to send out to sea. Who knows... maybe we will get a response in 24 years!

ref: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_odd_russia_letter_in_a_bottle

Trivia Tuesday: Today in History

2011-03-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

Today's Trivia Tuesday is going to be a "Today in History" post. Hope you all enjoy and have a great day from the employees at Wiseman Insurance!

2010	At least 38 are killed and 60 injured when two female suicide bombers carry out two separate terrorist attacks at Moscow Metro stations Lubyana and Park Kultury
1999	61st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: at ThunderDome St. Petersburg
1998	17th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: at Kemper Arena KC
1998	27th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship
1997	1st game at Turner Field Atlanta, Braves beats Yankees 2-0 (exhibition)
1997	Actor Harry Hamlin weds actress Lisa Rinna
1995	Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Chicago, Illinois on WCKG 105.9 FM
1994	Coach Jimmy Johnson quits Dallas Cowboys
1993	65th Academy Awards - "Unforgiven," Al Pacino and Emma Thompson win
1989	61st Academy Awards - "Rainman," Dustin Hoffman and Jodie Foster win
1986	Beatle records officially go on sale in Russia
1985	Wayne Gretzky breaks own NHL season record with 126th assist
1984	NFL Baltimore Colts move to Indianapolis
1982	44th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: North Carolina beats Georgetown 63-62
1982	54th Academy Awards - "Chariots of Fire," Henry Fonda and K Hepburn win
1976	38th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Indiana beats Michigan 86-68
1976	8 Ohio National Guardsmen indicted for shooting 4 Kent State students
1973	Dave Cowens, wins NBA MVP
1971	Development of a serum hepatitis vaccine for children announced
1971	WSVN (now WSBN) TV channel 47 in Norton, Virginia (PBS) begins broadcasting
1968	Students seize building at Bowie State College
1967	WCMU TV channel 14 in Mount Pleasant, MI (PBS) begins broadcasting
1966	Muhammad Ali beats George Chuvalo in 15 for heavyweight boxing title
1961	23rd Amendment ratified, allows Washington D.C. residents to vote for president
1961	After a 4 year trial Nelson Mandela is acquitted on treason charge
1961	KCPT TV channel 19 in Kansas City, Missouri (PBS) begins broadcasting
1959	"Some Like it Hot" with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon premieres
1951	"King and I" opens at St. James Theater New York City for 1246 performances
1951	23rd Academy Awards - "All About Eve," Judy Holliday and J Ferrer win
1951	Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are convicted of spying
1948	Yankees and Red Sox tie at 2-2 in 17, spring training game
1943	Meat, butter and cheese rationed in U.S. during WW II
1943	Meat rationed in U.S., 784 gram/week, 2 kilogram for GI's
1941	3rd NCAA Men's Basketball Champion: Wisconsin beats Washington State 39-34
1936	10,000 watch the 200" mirror blank passing through Indianapolis
1936	Nazi propaganda claims 99% of Germans voted for Nazi candidates
1935	French liner Normandie begins its maiden voyage
1928	Yeshiva College (now University) chartered (New York City)
1886	Chemist John Pemberton begins to advertise for Coca-Coke
1867	Congress approves Lincoln Memorial
1865	Battle of Quaker Road, VA
1852	Ohio makes it illegal for children under 18 and women to work more than 10 hours a day
1848	Niagara Falls stops flowing for 30 hours due to an ice jam
1798	Republic of Switzerland forms
1795	Beethoven (24) debuts as pianist in Vienna
1638	1st permanent white settlement in Delaware (Swedish Lutherans)
	ref: http://www.brainyhistory.com/days/march_29.html

BYU Organized Relief Effort for Japan

2011-03-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

I came across this information this morning, and since we at Wiseman Insurance found it to be very good to know, I decided to share it with you readers.

BYU students have organized a way to donate to the Japan relief effort without having to go through a third party (like the Red Cross) which can take a lot of time to distribute the collected funds.

By visiting the website www.liftjapan.org, you can donate to two organizations that are active currently in the emergency response to Japan - JEN and KnK Japan. JEN donations focus on restoring a self-supporting livelihood economically and mentally, and KnK focuses on assisting children who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami. It's a great way to directly give what you can to help the suffering survivors in Japan.

ref: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/education/college/article_d20061da-5938-11e0-b50f-001cc4c03286.html, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110315-nuclear-reactor-japan-tsunami-earthquake-world-photos-meltdown/#/japan-earthquake-tsunami-nuclear-unforgettable-pictures-victim_33289_600x450.jpg