Hook, Line And Release In The Maldives

Big game fish have always been an integral part of the culture and economic stability of the Maldives and due to its adopted sound environmental policy towards the sea and its inhabitants, plentiful numbers of fish can still be found in the waters surrounding the islands making the Maldives an ideal destination for keen fishermen and amateurs alike.

Traditional fishing in the Maldives is done from a dhoni, which is a small traditional one mast sailboat that the locals have always used to fish from. They are usually taken out in the early morning or after dark for some night fishing and are available to visitors who can join a fishing trips from most resorts.

If you're looking for bigger game fish such as tuna, marlin, barracuda and sail fish, day trips can be arranged from all the major resorts. The type of fishing done depends largely on what you want to catch so there is a real opportunity to try out different methods during your stay.

Even if you have never gone fishing before, the beautiful blue clear water surrounding the 26 atolls, (low lying coral islands enveloped by lagoons) which make up the Maldives, is a great place to give it a try. Fishing boats specialising in big game will employ local experts who will be happy to assist everyone on board and with their local knowledge of the area, the odds of bagging a big one are that much better!

For those who would rather swim with the fishes than hook them, jumping off the side of the boat will in most cases lead you to an undersea wonderland for diving and snorkelling. The coral reefs surrounding the islands consist of some of the best diving sites in the world, attracting keen divers all year round. The stable weather of the equatorial Maldives makes planning a vacation there easy. The climate is tropical and temperatures year-round remain warm. Not much rain falls in the region but the weather is affected by the monsoons that hit south Asia from May to September making rough seas and high winds at times.

No visas are necessary before travel to the Maldives as long as you have a valid passport. A free 30 day visitor's visa will be granted upon entry. Finding fantastic Maldives holidays is so simple it's really hard to go wrong.

Google Takes Over the Free World

You may not have seen ads that Google is running on your YouTube screen, but chances are, you will soon. Google Inc., which recently acquired YouTube, started testing overlay advertisements this week. The ads will appear after a 15 second interval across the bottom fifth of the video screen as you watch the clip. The ad space, which is partially transparent so it does not completely obstruct the view of the video showing underneath it, disappears after being displayed for 10 seconds.

Reaction from YouTube users is mixed. YouTube has been providing a service that users tend to think of as free, but it is not, and never has been, free of advertising. This is simply more blatant because it sits on the screen along with the video you are watching.

Since acquiring YouTube, Google has sought an alternative to the standard ad format for web videos, that is advertising at the beginning or advertising at the end of a clip. The company selected this ad format as the least intrusive to the viewer. In-video ads tested better than pre-rolls - commercials tacked on to the beginning of the clip - according to Google. When a viewer clicks on an ad, the clip itself pauses until the viewer returns to it.

The new ad format will seem familiar at least. It mimics what we see on television, secondary events which cover the bottom fifth of the television screen promoting other shows during the one you are watching. That will likely make the introduction of the new ad format a lot easier to accept for most users. And on second viewing of the same clip, the ad won't appear again.

YouTube is taking care not to unnecessarily alienate its 130 million subscribers, at least not right away. The ads can currently only be viewed on a limited number of content-appropriate clips, and currently the advertisements only represent a select handful of elite advertisers.

The company has to walk a fine line with them as well. Because so much of YouTube's content is user generated, even clips that are free of copyright violations could still be questionable content, inappropriate for or unacceptable to certain advertisers to suddenly find their brand names associated with it. The company will have to find a way to guarantee to advertisers that ads will only run on completely content-appropriate videos.

During the test launch, YouTube identified a select group of content owners who were willing to host the ads on their videos. Google announced that it will share ad revenue with these partners. Google will charge advertisers for every 1,000 times the ad appears, and has tantalizingly offered a cut of that revenue to content owners who want to cash in. Though to this point, there's no guarantee that the offer to host advertising will be extended to just anyone.

In the short term, Google has to gauge reaction from YouTube's hardcore fans, but more importantly, the company has to determined whether the model can be profitable, for itself and for its advertisers. Preliminary results, according to Google, suggest that the overlays are in fact generating a higher click-thru percentage than traditional advertising. But how much of that is the novelty of the format is unknown. And how quickly will YouTube users become blind to that form of advertising if it starts showing up in every single video? As any good internet marketer knows, click-thrus do not equal sales conversions, something else that Google has to track in order to keep its advertisers invested in the experiment.

No matter how the YouTube fandom reacts, the new ads are hardly the end of the world. If anything, users need to be prepared for a much wider launch of the ad format coming soon. So far, Google has said it will stay away from ads on the iPhone or AppleTV, and the YouTube ads currently only appear to users in the United States. But Google has to justify its $1.65 billion investment in YouTube, and has made it clear that some form of advertising on its videos was the inevitable result. If the last five years have proven anything, where there is a market, Google ads are sure to follow.

Dreams of a New Laptop

I want a new laptop. I want my new laptop to be shiny and new with keys that feel like magic when you type on them and a screen with resolution second to none. I want to be able to watch my favourite dvds on my laptop and see the sweat on Bruce Willis's face with crystal clear clarity as he dives from yet another bomb. I want infinite memory and amazing speed. I want to be able to bring down governments with it if I so choose. And play a good game of solitaire too.

There is a laptop that I think could do all those things, except possibly overthrow the government, I think I'll have to buy some software for that. The ASUS® VX2 Lamborghini Series VX274UL Intel® Core™ Duo T7400, 2.16GHz (VX274ULYL). Now I have absolutely no idea what any of that means. I'm not a techie. I know how to switch my computer on, install some programmes, use them and that's about it. Jargon is beyond me. But it says Lamborghini Series, that's got to be good and it costs $3896, that's got to be good too. If price is anything to go by its got to be extremely good, I reckon. A friend of mine has a laptop that cost $7792, or so he told me. That would be supremely cool. That probably comes with government usurpation software already installed. As tempting as that kind of power is, I think that I'll stick with the Lamborghini Series. Got to start slowly, work my way up.

Besides the Lamborghini Series says cool things like “8 X Super Multi Light Scribe” and “Colour Shine WXGA+ Wide Screen”. And it has a built in Webcam. I don't know what I would do with a Webcam. I'm very camera shy and extremely private, the idea of showing the general public my home makes me want to cringe, but I'm sure that once I've got it, and once I've figured out how to use it, I'll never know how I lived without it. I like the sound of wide screen though, and colour shine. Should be promising on the resolution front, or is my ignorance of computer jargon starting to show? I'm also hoping that at some stage someone will explain to me exactly, or even in rough general terms, what GeForce™ is. I'm not even going to hazard a guess. People will laugh.

I shall go into coffee shops with my smart new laptop, wifi friendly coffee shops of course, open it up and smile condescendingly at all the envious looks that come my way. I'll casually stretch my arms, click my fingers, and hold them above my magic keyboard while everyone holds their breath with anticipation. And then I'll order a latte and play a vigorous game of minesweeper. I'm quite good. My time for the expert is not too bad.

Unfortunately my new laptop in only a dream. Well the much desired Lamborghini Series is at any rate. Something much more realistic for my meagre budget is a basic little HP Intel Celeron, or an Acer TravelMate, or an LG Intel in the $714 – $779 price range. And you want to know something? I would love it to utter pieces. They say things like “Graphics Media Accelerator” and “WXGA Screen” and they're accompanied by lots of numbers that mean absolutely nothing to me. I'm totally boggled by the jargon and I love it.

So what if the screen resolution is not as perfectly brilliant as a 4k laptop. I bet Bruce Willis's sweat will still look just as fab to me. The resolution is so good on all computers these days that I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway. As for memory and speed, I have simple needs so I don't really need a gazillion gigabytes of memory. If I need more I'll get more. I understand that this is possible. And so what if I can't take over the world (I can always upgrade). I bet the keyboard will still be magic and that I can still play a killer game of solitaire.

The Truth About Dog Food Products

Would you ever knowingly feed your dog another dog? Most people would be really shocked at even the thought of such a thing, yet these are some of the things that the dog food companies are actually feeding to your pets every day. If you look on the side of a dog food bag at the ingredients you're only really given a partial story of what actually goes into the food that you are feeding your dog. Many people would be surprised, if not even shocked at what goes into average bag of dog food. The problem really lies in that the regulations for dog food are much more lenient than the regulations for human food. Here are some other things that you should know about dog food products.

Many dog food companies will mark their dog food as being chemical free although it contains many hormones and chemicals. As long as a dog food company does not add anything to the dog food once it enters the factory for rendering then they can mark their food as being chemical free. The problem is that before the food enters the factory it can be so pumped full of hormones and chemicals as to really make your dog sick. Not only that, but many dog food companies will put the euthanized bodies of dogs and cats into that same mix, sometimes without even removing them from their bags or taking their collars and tags off. So the next time you're looking for genuine information about dog food products make sure that you are looking deeper than what the dog food companies are telling you.

The dog food and dog care industries are out to get your money, not to help your dog live a healthy life. By making simple changes to the way you feed your pet you could help them to live a much healthier and longer life. Download our Special Report at http://www.healthy-fur-friends.info/

Getting Ready for College

College starts after labor day for most college-bound students. It's time to pack your things and get ready for the big day.
Many first-time students don't have the foggiest idea what to expect; it will be an entirely new experience for them. You can make your first day go more smoothly by completing some important preparation and "getting ready for college" tasks.
Some ideas to follow:
Get to Know the Campus
Familiarize yourself with the campus and its surroundings. It will make your adjustment to college much better. If the campus is near by, spend a day to walk the grounds and familiarize you with the buildings, your living quarters, and service facilities. Pay particular close attention to safety rules and suggested walkways for maximum protection.
If the school is too far away to make an actual visit, go online and take a virtual tour. It will help you understand the campus on your first day.
Get to Know Your Roommate(s)
You should have an idea who you will be bunking with for the coming year. If no, find out.
Get online to chat with your roommate or make a phone call to get know each other. Talk about your interests, your major, things you like to do for fun, and most importantly, your expectations for a good relationship.
Make Sure You Have Enough Money
The last thing that should be on your mind when starting class is whether you have enough money to pay tuition, housing, food, books, etc. Avoid being like many students who hope for that last minute scholarship to kick in.
Make sure you have enough funds to get through the entire year on Day 1. You may want to look into private student loans to help meet your cost needs. You can borrow up to $30,000 or more to pay for tuition, housing, books, and other education expenses, including a computer for classroom instruction. We have more information below.
Plan and Make a School Budget
Budget what to spend each month, especially for entertainment and other outside activities. You can run out of money quickly if you don't have a spending plan in place. You need to manage your spend each day and shop for less expensive books, supplies and entertainment to stay within budget.
Consider What Kind of Transportation
It would be nice if you have your own wheels for school to give you the freedom of movement. But having your own wheels comes with a cost: insurance, parking fees, fuel, maintenance, and perhaps a monthly financing payment. Again, budget what you can spend.
If you are not coming to college with your own wheels, you need to consider alternative transportation. School can get lonely fast if you get stuck at campus every day. Alternative transportation includes a motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, and public transportation. Come prepared for what you need.
Download Our Off-to-College Packing Checklist
Starting college means starting your first home away from home. Check to see if you have everything you need. You will be surprised what you will miss once you leave your parent's home. Pack your cosmetics, medications, cooking utensils, light bulbs, clothes, shoes, laundry detergent, and much more. Download our college packing checklist for reference (see below).
Do You Need a Computer?
The answer is big YES for most classrooms. Avoid wastng time in a computer lab when you can do your work more conveniently at home or in a group session at the library.
You don't need something fancy; and many college bulletins and community web sites offer great bargains for used systems.
Make sure you backup your work. Losing your term paper or other school work can be devastating.
Finally, Maintain a Positive Attitude for Success
College can be fun, but stay focused. Your goal is to graduate with honors so that you can begin a successful career.
Set goals. Discipline yourself. And execute your plans. These are the 3 ingredients of success: planning - discipline - execution

The 10 Best Arm Building Exercises for Beginning Bodybuilders

Everybody has fun with “Top 10” lists, and they sometimes contain information that you can actually use to improve your life or achieve a personal goal. If you’re serious about building big, muscular arms, then this is the list for you! But before I give you my Top 10 list for arm-building success, let me explain my selection criteria.

First, the exercises on this list are simple and for beginners who need to start with a solid foundation in arm-building fundamentals in order to achieve long-term success from their biceps, triceps and forearm workouts. Though I’ve said that these exercises are simple, this does not mean that they’re easy. Their simplicity lies in the intuitive benefits that come from each arm-building movement and the fact that you can do these exercises with a minimal time commitment. Getting the most from these exercises will still require careful attention to training technique and workout variety – the 2 keys to arm-building success that are not always easy for beginning bodybuilders.

In my experience, you’re a beginner if you’ve been training your arms once or twice per week for 6 months or less. You’re also a beginner if you been trying to build your arms for more than 6 months with exercises other than those provided on my list. Why? Because if you haven’t mastered the arm-building exercises listed in my Top 10, you’re not ready for the intermediate or advanced workout methods that you’ll eventually need to build truly Awesome Arms.

Second, to make my Top 10 list, the equipment needed for each arm-building exercise must be universally available. That means that you can do all of these exercises with dumbbells, an EZ-curl bar and a basic workout bench which you can find in any gym or health club. You can also do these exercises at home with a very small investment in this equipment for your home gym. There’s no need for fancy machines or trendy gimmicks here.

Finally, each of my Top 10 arm-building exercises will help you to simultaneously build mass, shape and power in your biceps, triceps and forearms. These muscle areas are directly targeted during each exercise to maximize growth and efficiency from your workouts.

Now that I’ve told you how I came up with my list, here are the Top 10 exercises for building the big, muscular arms that you desire! They’re not listed in any particular order, so there’s no reason to think that one particular exercise is better than another. You must decide what works best for you through experimentation with each exercise. But rest assured that any arm-building program that includes all of these exercises will definitely add inches, symmetry and power to your biceps, triceps and forearms.

1. EZ Bar Preacher Curls

The EZ bar preacher curl is one of my all time favorite biceps exercises. The preacher bench is a terrific training tool as it forces the biceps to work in relative isolation from the back and shoulders. Unlike standing barbell curls which usually involve biceps-cheating torso swing, preacher curls keep your arms at an angle that forces your biceps to provide the leverage needed to lift the weight. The EZ curl bar offers both narrow-grip and wide-grip hand positions. When you use the narrow grip, your hands are in a semi-neutral position and therefore increase involvement of the brachioradialis in the curling motion. If you have no experience with preacher curls, you should probably begin with the narrow-grip position.

As you become more experienced with this exercise you should move to the wider grip as it forces supination or a “palms up” positioning of your hands. Since the biceps function primarily as a hand-supinator, the more you supinate your hands the more resistance you will place on your biceps. If you’ve got the potential to build biceps peaks, EZ bar preacher curls will certainly tap that potential.

2. Dumbbell Preacher Curls

The dumbbell preacher curl is another one of my favorite biceps builders. This exercise really allows you to make the mind-body connection so essential to arm-building success. While many competitive bodybuilders use this exercise exclusively as a “shaper” during pre-contest training, the dumbbell preacher curl also works as a tremendous mass builder when used in a pyramid cycle. In fact, this exercise is the best high intensity bodybuilding movement for simultaneously adding size and shape to your biceps.

3. Dumbbell Concentration Curls

As the name suggests, this exercise places concentrated resistance on the biceps when performed properly. Besides building your biceps, this exercise also stresses and develops the brachialis. The brachialis is a true forearm flexor. It originates on the lower anterior surface of the humerus, ends on the anterior surface of the coronoid process of the ulna (the large bone on the inside of the forearm) and is visible on the outside of the upper arm between the biceps and the lateral head of the triceps. Development of the brachialis and biceps gives the front of your upper arms that thick, dense look that says “mess with me at your own risk!!”

4. Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls

This exercise is one of the best biceps builders ever as long as you sit on a bench that has a back rest to prevent torso movement. Too many people do this exercise either standing or sitting on a bench without back support. In order to make sure that your biceps get the most work from this movement you must stabilize your torso so as to prevent any jerking motion. Also, remember to supinate your hands throughout each repetition to stimulate maximum growth for your biceps.

5. EZ Bar Triceps Extensions

This exercise, also known as “Skull crushers” is a terrific mass-builder for your triceps. For maximum growth, EZ bar triceps extensions require that you keep your upper arms in a position perpendicular (90 degrees) to the exercise bench throughout each repetition. If this position causes you any elbow strain or discomfort, you can lower the angle by moving your arms slightly forward to reduce the stress on your elbows. Don’t worry – making this minor adjustment won’t impede your ability to get the benefits of this exercise.

You should also place your hands in the narrow-grip position on the EZ bar which, when combined with proper arm position, ensures that each triceps head receives maximum resistance throughout the exercise motion. Lower and extend the weight in a smooth, continuous motion without jerking or swinging the bar with your back or shoulders. When done correctly, you can’t beat EZ bar triceps extensions for building big, muscular triceps.

6. Triceps Pushups

You’re probably familiar with standard pushups which are performed with your arms in a shoulder width position. While standard pushups involve the triceps, chest and shoulders in the “pushing” motion, triceps pushups are designed to minimize chest and shoulder involvement so as to maximize training resistance on the triceps. This exercise is deceptively simple in that it appears to the untrained eye as just another pushup. But like every exercise on my Top 10 list, technique is extremely important and proper hand position determines whether these pushups will add muscular inches to your triceps.

For proper performance, take a standard pushup position with your hands and arms extended and shoulder-width apart. Then slide your hands closer together until your thumbs nearly touch each other. This is the starting position. With your hands in this position, slowly lower your arms underneath you and then push yourself back up to the starting position as you would with regular pushups. Make sure that you keep your back straight and your head up for maximum resistance on your triceps. As you extend your arms, concentrate mentally on maintaining proper form and technique with each repetition. For added resistance or pyramid cycles, have a training buddy gently place a 5-10 pound barbell plate on your back to force your triceps to work harder and build greater mass.

7. Seated Triceps Dips

Seated triceps dips are another terrific triceps builder, yet I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen anyone doing them in the gym. Maybe people ignore them because, like triceps pushups, they look too simple to do any good. Well, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and seated triceps dips have certainly added considerable power and density to my triceps.

To do this exercise, sit on a workout bench with your legs together and extended on the floor in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended and shoulder-width apart behind you. Slide your body slightly forward to suspend yourself so that your arms are bearing your bodyweight between the bench and the floor. With your arms extended, lower yourself as though to sit on the floor and then push yourself back up by extending your arms and returning to the starting position. This exercise, when performed properly, will add tremendous power, shape and definition to your triceps – guaranteed!

8. Single-Arm Triceps Extension

The single-arm triceps extension, also known as the “French dumbbell press” is a triceps-builder that I recommend primarily as a shaping movement. Although it is possible to build mass with this exercise, the over-head arm position may prevent you from using sufficient weight to generate the type of power and mass-building potential available from Skull crushers and triceps pushups. You should experiment with this exercise and use it in a manner that gives you the best results. But remember, I do not recommend using heavy weight with this movement because of the risk of shoulder injury. Consistent use of light-to-moderate weight will provide the best results from this triceps builder.

9. Reverse-Grip EZ Bar Curls

This exercise puts primary stress on the brachioradialis and extensor muscles of the dorsal or outer surface of your forearms. Since your hands are pronated in the narrow-grip position, your wrists are extended which forces involvement of the extensor carpi radialis and extensor carpi ulnaris. This pronated or “palms down” positioning of the hands also takes the biceps out of this exercise, which isolates the brachioradialis as the primary forearm flexor. If you’re serious about building big, muscular forearms, reverse-grip EZ bar curls are a good first step.

10. Wrist Curls

Wrist curls work to develop the two large muscles on the inside portion of the anterior surface of the forearm. These muscles, the flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor carpi radialis, are the wrist flexors and combine to form a thick, muscular region from the elbow to the lower forearm. While these muscles do considerable work during your biceps curling movements, wrist curls isolate these flexors so as to maximize resistance on this section of your forearms. If you want to add thickness and power to your inner forearms, heavy wrist curls will do the job.

So, there you have it – my Top 10 list of arm-building exercises for beginning bodybuilders. Try them, have fun with them, and make sure that you use safe amounts of weight and proper training technique with every exercise. You'll be very happy with the results!

Free iPod Movie Downloads

First of all, let me tell you that it is true that you can get free iPod movie downloads online without paying any pay-per-download fees. The only problem right now is to find the right resources in order to start downloading. Second of all, let me tell you how I found a way to get iPod movie downloads for free.

About 3 months ago I was looking for a way to get free iPod movie downloads but I couldn't really find anything that is worth joining, because most of the sites were forcing me to pay for ever movie I wanted to download, which made me completely pissed off.

Until recently, I saw an ad somewhere on Google, which claimed to deliver iPod movie downloads for free with lots of bonuses, free video converter and many other free downloads like music and games for iPod. Although, I was a little bit skeptical because that is way too good to be true, but I decided to try it out anyway.

I must admit that I have not been disappointed, I was very surprised when I joined my first iPod download service web site which provides with free iPod movie downloads, free iPod game downloads and free iPod music downloads. The service is truly amazing, I can download everything I want and even everything I don't want. I have a 3Mbit connection and I always download at a full speed, which makes it very fast and reliable.

I download free iPod movies within minutes, takes around 5-10 to download a movie for my iPod, oh, and I am not talking about songs, because those take seconds to download. The best part of this is that I get all downloads for free, I don't pay any pay-per-download fees, or any additional fees. This is even 100% legal and safe. This is literally the best way to get free iPod movie downloads online.

I am very thankful to the people who created such a good service, because I am saving so much money with an iPod download service that I lost count. This is my secret, if you want to get free iPod movie downloads then join an iPod download site with unlimited downloads. Free iPod movie downloads are available to everyone and in every country.

Feel free to check out the download service I am using.

Free iPod Movie Downloads with iPod Net Downloads. I am Earl Bennett and iPod Net Downloads is the best iPod download service that I have tried so far.

The Magic Move to Being in Business

Lots of entrepreneurs that I speak to spend a lot of time "being busy." They're attending meetings, answering emails and a ton of activity that fills up their schedule. They have great ideas in the middle of it all, but are so overwhelmed they fall into "productivity paralysis" and are just plain perplexed about how to really get to that next level. There's a magic move to being productive and profitable in business that no one is talking about.

Before we get to the "Magic Move," we have to first acknowledge that as an Entrepreneur you should always be striving to work on your business rather than just in your business. You open up the energy around this by setting up systems. This approach allows you to be set up for growth and actually implement all those fabulous ideas you have. For example, if you're an acupuncturist instead of only treating patients all day you can explore ways to treat and reach more people at once-leveraging your time and your income. Strong systems in your business operations will create that space. I have entrepreneurs I coach who either set up or strengthen their systems as a must. For the sake of this article, we accept that as a given. Now, step into the magic move-the one that has you in joy with everything you're doing, rather than just trying to catch your breath and stay one step ahead (or filing you your time with "stuff" because you secretly feel lost about what to do next).

Often, I've found that even when you have the tightest of systems, you can find yourself feeling like something is missing. Your energy is a bit blah and you don't feel jazzed to create. Even though the systems are crankin', you feel stuck. Just about every time I hear this from an entrepreneur, I know the magic move is missing; there isn't anywhere in the systems that allows for time to just be. Incorporating this move makes all the difference in the world and it's the one that is most resisted (including myself at times). Interesting, right?

Let's get clear about exactly what I mean by "time to just be." I'm not talking about time to watch TV or be with family and friends-although this is important and should be part of your systems, too. I'm talking about time to really connect to that part of yourself which is a direct connection to divine, inspired action. These are the ideas, solutions, and "how tos" that cannot be conceived of, created, or tapped into when you are busy "doing" and "going 24-7." And it's the powerful, magic move that no one in business is talking about. Frankly, I believe it's because they're scared to.

Traditional business doesn't operate from a place of stillness. The battle cry is, "if you're not in motion, you're losing money!" Meanwhile, money is being left on the table everywhere because folks are rushing by and too busy to see it. Even all the latest buzz about the Law of Attraction is filled with insistence to, "use this tool, this exercise, this strategy." Be sure to understand, these are very helpful, but the point of them is often lost; to bring us to that deep place of knowing that comes from being able to be.

Every time I've coached a client around this magic move more money has appeared. I have one client who just created $4,500 in a half day. The inspiration to pursue this means would never have appeared had she just still been going, going, going. It works.

Call To Action:

Start by scheduling some "be" time. Just take it and see what happens.

Write down anything that comes to you.

Let it go and then return to it a week later. Mark what that experience is like (you might be surprised what happened in the week between!).

Travel Insurance Stands in Good Stead

Travelling is entertaining, educative and at same time a little risky too. You get to see new places, meet various people, enjoy exotic food, experience nice weather and thus have lots of fun. You come to know about cultures, geography, traditions, etc. and thereby gather good knowledge. When you return home, you feel relaxed, energized and ready to plunge into a new assignment.

The way of taking delight of all these pleasures is not totally free from risk. Your journey from place to place makes you face some risks, mostly monetary. While you can not do anything to prevent an unexpected storm from closing the airport, you can certainly do something to recover the financial loss through buying travel insurance. It is an insurance plan that is intended to cover financial and other losses incurred while traveling.

No matter whether some one is traveling within his native country, or going to some foreign location, travel insurance will cover them. Thus, it will be like an investment that will stand in good stead in time of dire need. Your vacation may require you save money for years and it may take only a second to ruin it. By purchasing an insurance plan, you can recover financial losses caused by any kind of unforeseen mishap. s

The commonest of losses covered by this insurance are cancellation of vacation and trip, travel interruptions and delays, emergency medical and health expenses, lost of baggage and any other mishaps like this. Travel Insurance can be arranged at the time of booking a trip to cover exactly the duration of that trip. This will be rather cheaper.

One can also buy a more extensive, continuous insurance from travel agents, travel insurance companies or directly from travel suppliers. Some of the agencies that sell travel insurance offer 24-hour emergency service for emergencies like medical assistance, last-minute or emergency travel and flight changes, lost luggage tracking, pre-trip travel advice and more. Explore our options online to choose the coverage that best meets your travel needs.

How Are Finance Charges Calculated?

Whether you are shopping for a new credit card or wondering about the one that you may already have, knowing how to calculate the finance charge applied to that card is important. First, however, it is equally important to know what finance charges really are.

A credit card finance charge is the amount of money that you pay to the credit card company in order to use their credit. This is not the same as the purchase amount balance. The purchase amount balance is the dollar amount of the purchases that you made using the card. If you pay off the purchase amount balance within the stated amount of time that the company allows, you will have no finance charges applied to the amount. It is when you carry over your balance that finance charges are triggered and added to your account.

Finance charges are calculated using the amount of your outstanding balance and APR. The APR is the Annual Percentage Rate and all credit cards use them to figure finance charges. It is important for consumers to understand that the ARP can vary from one company to the next, and it can even vary within the same company. It is for this reason that consumers should always look for the companies with the lowest APR's. This will save you money in the long run.

There are several ways that credit card companies can calculate the finance charges that they apply to consumer credit. Many people do not realize it but the method that is used can make a difference in the amount of money that you will have to pay. Here are some of the methods that credit card companies use to figure finance charges on your outstanding balance:

They can calculate using one billing cycle or two billing cycles.

They can use the adjusted balance, previous balance, or the average daily balance.

They can exclude or include new purchases in the balance.

You will normally find that you have a lower finance charge when the company uses what is known as one-cycle billing and uses the average daily balance method which excludes new purchases. Much of this, however, depends on the balance and the time of the month that you make purchases and payments.

The next lower finance charge method is the adjusted balance, followed by the previous balance method. You can see which method the company is using by reading the bill that you receive. This information is usually contained on the back side.

It is also important that you understand that some companies will have a minimum finance charge system. When a credit card company uses this system you will be charged that set amount even if your calculated finance charge is less than that amount.

Of particular importance to some credit card holders are the cash advance programs that come with some cards. Consumers should be very careful when using credit cards for cash advances. Many companies that offer cash advances treat those advances differently than they do purchases. Before you use your credit card for a cash advance, make sure you look for the details of how you will be charged for that advance.

You will certainly want to know what the APR is for cash advances. Keep in mind that this may be significantly higher than the APR that is used for purchases. You should also investigate the fees that may be applied to the transaction. Fees are in addition to the finance charge that you will have to pay.

Lastly, find out how your payments will be credited. Some companies will apply your payments to your purchases first and then to any advances in cash that you have taken.

Use your credit card wisely and keep track of your finance charges and you will enjoy your credit more fully and avoid some of the pitfalls that many consumers experience.