5 Exceptional Wine Picks 4 Under $10-Winter 07

2005 Banrock Station Reisling-Austrailia ($5), 2006 Santa Isabel Torrontes-White-Argentina ($7), 2005 Skouras White-Greece ($9), 2005 Rioja Vega Joven-Red-Spain ($8) and NV HRM Rex Goliath Ziffandel-California ($9).

How To Fight A Denied Insurance Claim

If you've been denied a legitimate insurance claim by an auto, health, home owners or life insurance company, these consumer advocate websites will help you win your claim. www.familiesusa.org,www.naic.org, www.healthinsuranceinfo.net, www.policyholdersofamerica.org and www.unitedpolicyholders.org

If you're a plantiff in a mold lawsuit, show this to your lawyer

If mold has made you sick and you're a plantiff in a mold lawsuit, tell your lawyer to read the front page of the January 9th, 2007 Wall St. Journal.The article is titled,"Amid Suits Over Mold, Experts Wear Two Hats." The article states that a position paper by the American College Of Occupational and Environmental Medicine or ACOEM,has been intoduced by defense lawyers. The paper says that "scientific evidence DOES NOT support the proposition that human health has been adversely affected by inhaled mycotoxins in the home, school or office environment." What the paper doesn't reveal is that the people who wrote the paper are regularly paid experts for the defense in mold litigation.The paper has become a key defense tool used by builders, landlords and insuers in litigation. Your lawyer should base his or her case on a paper issued by the Institute Of Medicine that states:"Studies have demonstrated adverse effects-including immunotoxic, neurologic, respiratory and dermal responses-after exposure to specific toxins,bacteria, molds or their by products."

7 Ways To Protect Yourself From A Dirty Hospital

Every year, over 80,000 people die in the US from infections contracted in dirty hospitals. Here are 7 ways to protect yourself. 1. Wash your hands frequently and don't be shy about asking doctors, nurses and aids to do the same. 2. Try to lose weight or stop smoking before having surgery. People who are overweight or who smoke are more susceptible to infection. 3. Wash with 4% chlorhexidine antibiotic soap at least 3 days before having surgery. 4. Ask your MD for a nasal swab test to detect MRSA. MRSA is short for the drug resistant bug, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. 5. Ask your MD to prescribe an antibiotic for you before surgery. 6. Ask your doctor to not to shave the surgical site. Instead, have the MD use hair clippers. Tiny cuts from razors can get infected. 7.Ask friends and family not to visit you in the hospital if they are ill. Then ask your doctor to limit the number of aides and medical students that enter your room. If you can't speak up for yourself, have a family member or friend do it for you.

8 Fabulous Travel Tips

1.Ignore Expiration Dates Make sure you save all travel website specials regardless of their expiration dates. When you want to take advantage of the special, just call the hotel or sales director. Many times you'll get the deal even if it isn't officially available. That's because companies are always trying to fill rooms and tours no matter what the time of year.2. Carry On Toothpaste & Shampoo Buy Eco-DenT Tooth Powder and Burt's Shampoo Bars at Whole Foods. 3.Ginger Candy Stops Motion Sickness Just about any kind of ginger candy will prevent motion sickness on the road, on a plane or at sea. 4. Avoid booking hotel rooms online Hotel managers hate guests who book rooms through website booking engines. Because after the internet takes it's cut,the hotel barely makes any money. So if you book directly with the hotel chain, you always get better service. Contact the hotel directly and ask for the best price. When you book directly, many hotels will even give you AAA or AARP discounts even if you're not a member! 5. Be pleasant when lodging complaints with the front desk If you're staying at a hotel, and you have a legitimate complaint, raise your concern in a pleasant manner. Hotel staffers stick together, and if you're rude and nasty, the front desk clerk will make a note of it in the logbook. So if you insult one employee, don't expect good treatment from another employee. When it comes to hotel front desk complaints, you'll get a lot farther with honey than vinegar. 6. Record credit card phone numbers Put all your credit card phone numbers with the last 4 numbers of your account,on a piece of paper. Then tape it to inside of your luggage. If your wallet is lost or stolen on a trip, you can call all the credit card companies to put a fraud alert on your account and get new cards issued. 7. Buy a three-legged folding chair When you are touring public places, carry a ultra light and strong folding chair for long-winded impromtu talks by tour operators. A folding chair also comes in handy when touring large museums with no rest seating,waiting in long airport lines, and outdoor, bring your own chair, concerts. A product called the "packseat" weighs just 26 ounces and holds up to 300 pounds. It fits in a case 15" x 4" and you can sew on cheap, wide guitar strap handle to make it easy to carry over your shoulder. It's under $25 and available at www.magellans.com 8. Ask An Rx Where To Eat If you're in a foreign city and don't know where to eat, ask a pharmacist. Most of them speak English and they can recommend a "safe" and "clean" place to eat. This comes in handy especially when visiting 3rd world or developing countries.

How To Buy Land At A 30% Discount

Unlike housing, land is down just about all over the county by 30%. Since "they ain't makin' anymore of the stuff, nows the time to buy. To check out land prices in various areas, visit: www.LandFarm.Com, www.ELandUsa.Com,www.LandAuction.Com , www.Land-Fsbo.Com and www.Land.Net.

How To Check Up On Your Mutual Fund & 401(k)

To make sure your mutual fund manager has your best interests in mind, you can now check on the size of the fees, the corporate culture and the caliber of the fund trustees. For $135 a year, www.MorningStar.Com will research your funds and give then stewardship grades from A to F. The grades will you how well the fund manages your money with supporting commentary. You can also check your 401(k)funds too. If yoour company's investment provider receives low scores, you can show the results to your human resources rep and ask for a change. Poor money management costs you money.

Make Free International Calls To Over 50 Countries

To make free international phone calls to over 50 countries and Canada simply call 712-429-8888, 712-338-8288 or 641-297-8888 from your home, office or mobile phone to be connected to a gateway. Once it answers, just follow the pre-recorded message. For Canada dial 1 plus the area code and number. The country code for the USA is 011. You'll also need to know the country code for the country you're calling and the city code. For instance, to call Venice, Italy, you first dial the country code from where you're calling which is 011 for the USA. Then dial the country code for the country you're calling which is 39 for Italy, and then the city code for Venice which is 41. Then you dial the number. Some phone numbers may already have the city code included in the number. Wait a few moments for your call to ring through and then enjoy your free call. Keep in mind that 712-429-8888, 712-338-8288 and 641-297-8888 are domestic toll calls to Iowa if you do not have VOIP, free evenings and weekends on your mobile or unlimited long distance on your land line. For more details see: www.FreeCallPlanet.Com . You can also visit www.FuturePhone.Com

Six Tips On How To Buy Diamonds At Auction

1. Buying At Auction: When you buy a diamond at a reputable auction house like Christie's or Sotheby's, expect to save from 25% to %50 off retail prices. 2.Investing : Don't buy diamonds for investments. Diamonds just about keep up with the rate of inflation. 3.Diamond Cuts:Round diamonds have the most sparkle. Fancy shapes like pear, marquis,emerald and heart shaped have more weight retention and are reserved for weights 10 carats or more. 4.Carat Size: Carat weight can be an illusion since a high carat stone may not look large and a stone can appear larger than it's true weight.To reflect light properly and sparkle, a diamond should be properly proportioned. 5.Diamond Clarity: To most people, the beauty of a stone is not diminished by internal perfections. Keep in mind that clarity gradings are made under magnification. So until you hit a grade labeled imperfect, most flaws are not visible to the naked eye. So when it comes to clarity, diamond buyers can save big money. 6.Diamiond Color: Unless you're buying a colored diamond, always buy the whitest diamond you can afford. So you can save more money on a stone that has a slight amount of color. Like clarity, stones are graded for color under clinical conditions at grades D,E F and G. To the naked eye, it's very difficult to discern color without a jeweler's loupe. But stay away from stones rated at H or lower. Whether you buy a diamond at auction or at a store, make sure you insure the diamond for all types of loss before you take it home.

Best Chinese Restaurants In LA

There are more Chinese in LA that any metro area outside of Peking. So LA is the place to be when searching for fabulous chinese food. The five best Chinese eateries in Los Angeles are: Foo Chow, 949 North Hill St, 213-485-1294. $15 pp. Chung King ,206 S. Garfield Ave,Monterey Park, 626-280-7430. $15 pp. Chang's Garden , 627 W. Duarte Rd, Arcadia,626-445-0606. $20 pp. Mission 621, 261 S. Mission Dr. San Gabriel,626-588-1666. $25 pp. Triumphal Palace, 500 W. Main St,Alhambra, 626-308-3222. $30pp.

Best US Champagne Value For The Holidays

Sparking wines from the Gruet Winery in New Mexico from $13.99

World's Most Exquisite Candles Now On Sale

If you enjoy gorgeous home furnishings, then you'll just love the unique candles made by Ana Design. These hand-crafted candles are made by a little known process that was lost at the turn of the century. Ana is the only candle maker in the world that offers striped candles in colors that can match any decor. Ana's candles are usually available at the nation's most exclusive gift shops and museum stores. But once a year, Ana has a factory showroom sale of overstocked and discontinued designs that simply should not be missed. During the sale, candles that sell for $7.50 each can be had for just $1.50. The factory showroom is only open on Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Also, the sale days are limited to December 8th and 9th, and December 15th and 16th. But if you don't live in the NJ, NY, PA tri-state area, you can still purchase Ana's latest candle designs from www.AnaCandles.Com. Ana Design Corp is located at One Ott Street, Trenton, NJ 08638. Phone 609-394-0300.

Last Minute Holiday Wine Bargains Under $15

REDS: Vinum Africa 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon by Stellenbosch $14,Hogue 2004 Merlot-WA-$9, Lindemans 2005 Bin 99 Pinot Noir-Australia-$8, Brampton 2004 Shiraz-South Africa $12.Punto Final 2004 Malbec-Argentina-$11. WHITES: Undurraga 2005 Aliwen Chardonnay-Chile-$10, Chateau Ste. Michelle 2005 Riesling-WA-$8,Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2005 Sauvignon Blanc $11.

Don't Buy Home Improvments From Big Box Stores

If you're shopping for home improvement services, stay away from big box stores. Reason? First, nothing you buy is made exactly the same as a product from a local building supply store. If you want proof, shop for a lawn mower or a washing machine with model numbers from a Consumer Reports magazine. You'll find that none of the model numbers match any models sold in the big box store. Why? Because the big box stores dictate to the manufacturers that their prices must be lower than anyone's elses so they must cheapen the product somehow to meet the big box price points. Secondly, big box stores never pay their sub-contractors on time which results in shoddy workmanship and long delays. Here's how it works. Say you purchase a $10,000 vinyl fence for your property. The fence is delivered by the big box store except for the decorative caps that go on each fence post. Result? The sub installs the fence, but you won't sign off that the work was completed because there are no fence post caps. Since you didn't sign off, the sub won't get paid until the caps come in and you sign off on the job. This may take 2 to 3 months. So you're mad and so is the sub. This is how big box stores make big money on the backs of tradesmen trying to make a living. Plus if you financed your purchase through the big box store, you've got no recourse for satisfaction. They've got you coming and going. That's why contractors who are really worth their salt would never be caught dead buying anything in a big box store nor would they work for them as sub-contractors.

Security Freeze Law Helps Protect NJ Residents From Identity Theft

NJ now has one of the strongest identity theft laws in the nation. One aspect of the law allows NJ residents to put a "security freeze" on their credit reports. When you freeze your credit report, the report is placed into a high-security status that makes it theft proof. Only you can unlock the freeze. If you live in NJ, be sure to take advantage of the new law by freezing your report with Equifax at 1-800-685- 1111 or www.Equifax.Com , Experian at 1-800-397-3742 or www.Experian.com and TransUnion at 1-800-916-8800 or www.TransUnion.com

Best Fast Food In The USA

FRIES: Original Hot Dog Shop, Pittsburgh, In-N-Out, Las Vegas, Bistrot du Coin, D.C., The Fire Dog, San Antonio, Frities, Seattle, Ishkabibbles, Philadelphia. HOT DOGS: Original Hot Dog Shop, Pittsburgh, Pinks, Hollywood, CA, Spikes, Boston, Steves Snap N Dogs, Denver, Shake Shack NYC, Nathan's , Las Vegas, Ben Chili Bowl and The Reef, D.C., The Stand, Encino, CA, Zack's, Baltimore, Skyline Chili, Cincinnati, Mulligan's, Atlanta & Carl's Drive-In, St. Louis. BURGERS: All American Driv-In, L.I. NY, Chris Madrids, San Antonio, City Grille, Denver, Dicks Drive-In, Seattle, Goldyburgers, Chicago, In-N-Out Burgers, LA ,CA O'Connell's Pub, St. Louis, Roaring Fork, Phoenix, Stanich's, Portland, OR, Tossaro's, Pittsburgh, Thurman Cafe, Columbus,OH, Val's Burgers, San Francisco, 96th St. Steakburgers, Indianapolis.

How To Get Car Dealers To Beg For Your Business

If you're shopping for a new car, don't waste your time visiting car lots unless you want to test drive a car. If you'd really like to get a feel for the car you want to purchase, consider renting the car of your choice for a fews days to see if you really like it. That way, you can avoid visiting a dealer's lot until the day you decide to make a purchase. In this article, you'll learn how to shop for a car from the comfort of your home or office by phone, fax or e-mail without putting up with any hassles, mind games or pressure. To get a great deal, you only need to engage dealers in a competitive bidding process for your business. Once you've decided on the make and model of a car or truck, you can start the bidding process. You don't have to know the exact factory options on your choosen vehicle right away. However, always conduct the bidding process by phone, fax, or e-mail. Never try to deal in person to avoid dealing with a salesman. If you deal with a salesman, the dealership will have to pay him or her a commission and the dealer won't take your seriously. When calling a dealership, ask for the fleet manager or the sales manager. Dealing with a fleet manager is prefered since a fleet manager 's commissions are based on sales volume instead of the gross profit per vehicle sold. However, some dealers don't have fleet managers and you'll have to deal with the sales manager. To find a list of dealers near you , you need only go to the car manufacturer's website for a list of dealers in your state or nearby states. To find a manufacturers 's website, just type www.and the name of the maker plus .Com. For a GM car or truck, it would be www.GM.com We recommend you get bids from at least 10 dealers. You should get each dealer to bid any amount above or below the factory invoice price. The factory invoice price is the same for all dealers in the same region. So if one dealer bids $500 above invoice and the second bids $500 under invoice, you'll know the second dealer is $1,000 lower in price than the first. Using this method, you don't have to decide the exact options you want until the bidding is complete. To get factory invoice pricing on new vehicles, , visit www.Edmunds.Com or www.KBB.Com However, you don't really need the factory invoice information in advance. Just inform each dealer you speak with that you expect to be shown the actual factory invoice on any car you are considering. Here is what you should say when speaking with a fleet or a sales manager: "I'm in the market for ( make & model of vehicle) and I've made a list of several dealers to call. I'm done my research and I know the approximate invoice cost of the car. Right now, I'm calling each dealer on my list to find out what each wants as a markup or markdown from factory invoice. I expect to take my pick of any car on your lot within my model range. To be fair to all the dealers, I'm only calling each dealer once, and I won't reveal what any other dealer is bidding." "To make sure everyone is bidding on the same basis, I need to know all the extra charges that may show up on your factory invoice. Does your invoice show a dealer advertising association fee? If so, how much is it? Are there dealer prep charges, port charges, or any other charges? To do business with me, you'll have to show me the factory invoice for any new vehicle I choose to buy on your lot. " Plus if there is any factory-to-customer rebate on the car, I expect you to not figure it in your bid and subtract the rebate as a furthur discount on the bid. "Also, before we discuss any mark up or mark down from the factory invoice, you must inform me about any document fees or other charges that are not listed on the factory invoice. Will I be required to pay for dealer add-ons like rustproofing, pinstripes, wheel locks or other items that I don't want? "Are there any important options I might want that you may have to install because they are not installed at the factory and are not listed on the factory invoice?" For some foreign makes, options like air-conditioning are dealer installed. Ask the dealer for his charge to install these items. Then say: "I think that's about it. So what is the best markup or markdown from factory invoice if I buy the vehicle in the next 30 days?" Once you collected all your competing bids by phone, make the lowest bidders confirm their offers in writing via e-mail or by fax. After you get your best offers in writing, and there are some things you don't understand, or if answers to your questions are unclear, ask again. Remember, it's your money! If there are dealers who won't cooperate and give you a phone bid, tell them if they don't bid, they will have no chance at your business. Do not fall for any excuses why the dealer can't give you a price by phone. Don't give in one inch on this requirement. Keep in mind that some dealers will be able to sell you a car several thousand dollars well below the factory invoice. This is possible because the dealer often gets "holdbacks" or "factory kick backs" or "end of year carry over allowances" that don't show up on a factory invoice. He may pass them on to you. Once in a blue moon a dealer won't live up to the bid he or she gave you. So if this happens, then refuse to do business with that dealer and move on to the next lowest bidding dealer. Also, keep in mind that you are better off not to limit dealer bids to specific options or colors. Factory installed options will have the same invoice price regardless of the dealer you choose. This approach allows all dealers to bid even if they don't have a car with a specific option you requested but may not be important to you. Once you have your bids, you can call the lowest bidders to see what options and colors are available on their lots. When asking for bids, tell all the dealers you don't need financing and you don't have a trade-in. If you need financing or want to trade a car in, mention these issues only after you get your lowest bid on the car with the color and options you want . Mentioning financing and trade-ins before you get your final bids will only confuse the process. These issues should only be brought up when you physically go to the dealership to inspect the car. Then financing and trade-ins can be brought up at that time. Just make sure you check your financing options in advance by shopping local banks in your area. Currently, the time of year you request bids does not matter except when the new model year is being introduced and dealers must get rid of leftovers quick. If sales are up for your particular car or truck, you may not get favorable bids. However, if you're not in a hurry, you can wait a month and and start a new bid process. If you're offered an extended service contract, you can shop that too. For instance, you can buy a Honda from one dealer, buy a Honda backed extended service contract from another Honda dealer and take your car for factory service to another Honda dealer. For instance, one dealer may offer you an extended service contract at $400 while the same contract at another dealer might be $1200. So when considering extended service contracts, shop around. When it comes to dealer add ons like rustproofing, paint sealent , pinstripping ,and fabric protection, dealers pay only about $50 per car for all these items. So if these items are on a car you may be considering, pay no more than $50 for these items. Other scam overcharges to watch out for are environmental fees, and advertising fees. Advertising and others fees are the dealer's responsibility. If you want to get a good idea on the wholesale true worth of your trade-in, visit several used cars lots that buy cars and ask them to make you an offer. If three lots offer you $1,000, and the dealer where you plan to buy your car offers you $1500, then you might want to trade it in. Edmounds and KBB can also give you a good idea what your trade-in is worth . You can also get used car values from www.Cars.com If you plan to lease a car, the purchase is a little more complex because it involves dealer financing. For help with leasing , visit www.LeaseCars4Less.Com , www.LowerMyLease.Com and www.LeaseCompare.com If you don't have the time or the desire to go through the phone bid process, Capital One Bank has set up a free website that will do the lowest bid car shopping for you. But keep in mind this free service is not available in all areas. Visit: www.DriveOne.Com If you're buying a used car from a private individual or a dealer, never make the purchase unless you get the VIN or "vehicle identification number" from the selling party. Then you can buy a www.Carfax.Com report that will tell you if the car was in a wreck, a flood or other seedy situations. If you plan on financing your car, watch our for dealer financing scams that involve a downpayment and 5% financing. One scan involves the salesman spreading out several documents on the desk and asking you to sign in serveral places. Never sign any blank documents unless you have time to read them completely. If you're too eager to sign the documents, you'll drive off the lot with a car and get a phone call from the dealer a week later saying that the financing didn't go through. Then the dealer may say you have to come up with a few more grand and the financing rate is 9%. The dealer may also lie and say your trade-in was sold to get you to agree to the higher financing rate. So don't sign any applications containing a writ of rescission and don't agree to take delivery of any vehicle until the dealer approves your loan. A better tactic is to get a loan pre-approved from a credit union or bank so the dealer can't play loan and interest rate games with you. Also, try to avoid zero interest rate deals, because only a few buyers qualify for these rates. If you pay some interest on these deals, you might end up owing way more than the vehicle is worth. To avoid this,refuse to sign any agreement that makes the sale contingent on financing and insist that the dealer arrange any financing while you wait. Also, make sure you do not sign any mandatory arbitration agreements. They are usually worded in the dealer's favor are are usually used by dishonest dealers who don't want to be sued. If the deal is contingent on your signing one of these documents, cancel the deal.

Hip Replacement Made Easy

The FDA has approved a new partial artificial hip aimed at younger, more active patients. Called the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing system, the less invasive procedure requires little bone removal. It simply replaces the ball on the high bone and resurfaces the socket. For more information go to : www.BirminghamHipResurfacing.Com

How To Make An Extra $3,000 A Year With Your Credit Card

When you get those 0% interest free checks in your credit card statements, don't toss them. Deposit them in a high yield, FDIC insured no minimum money market account like the ones offered at www.CapitalOne.Com These types of accounts pay 5% interest per month. If you deposit $50,000 in 0% interest free checks, you could make up to $3,000 in interest in one year. Just make sure you withdraw enough money to make the minimum re-payments, and repay the loans in full at the end of the six month grace period. You also select certain cards for transfers only with no spending and make sure you never pay a transfer fee more than $75.

Best Wine Buys For The Summer Of 2006

Great white wines that go with fish are the 2005 Muscadet from Domaine de la Pepiere $12, 2004 Will Schaefer Estate Riesling #1 from Germany $17, and 2005 Luigi Ferrando di Caluso from Italy $14 . For reds that go with grilled meats its 2004 Zweight Riedencuvee from Glatzer-Austria $14, 2004 Sigalas Santorini -Greece-$14 and from France its 2004 Chateau d'Opia Minervois. For wines to drink with everything try 2005 Estancia Piedra Rosado-Spain $11, and 2005 Commanderie de Peyrassol @ $15 from France. Great salad wines include 2003 Nine Stones Shiraz -Australia-$11, 2003 Schlumberger Gewurztraminer -France-$16, and from Argentina try 2005 Bodegas Lurton Pinot Gris @ $9. For fabulous Bordeauxs at half the price try France's "second label" wines. They are dead ringers for a "Grand Vin" but are the result of over production and younger vines. Try Carruades de Lafite 2004 @ $44, Les Hauts de Pontel-Canet 2000 @ $24, and Amiral de Beychevelle 2002 @ $29. For remarkable roses try 2005 Bonny Doon "Vin Gris de Cigare" from CA @ $13, and 2005 "Sabine" Rose from Bieler Pere et Fils-France @ $10 or try 2005 Routas "Rouviere" Rose also from France @ $11. To find all the wines listed Go2 www. Wine-Searcher.com