Global Money Transfer

Global Money Transfer
4 ways to send money abroad

1. Money Transfer Services. There are various services for retail or online money transfers. Xoom is the best known, most secure and reliable online service. If you open an account with them, you can send or receive money within minutes to/from other people around the globe. You pay the lowest fees in the market for your transfer. Recipients do not require a bank account or Internet connection to receive funds.
2. Post Office. Wire transfers can also be offered by the U.S. Postal Service. Your recipients can receive their funds from various bank branches up to $2,000 per day. For transfers exceeding $1,000 proper identification is required. According to the amount you send a fee ranging from $10 to $20 will be charged for each transaction. Your recipient’s name on their documentation should match exactly the name on the money transfer. Multiple money orders are subject to a daily maximum of $10,000 where as each money order is restricted to a maximum of $700. Your recipients will get local currency upon cashing their money orders. Local or damaged money orders can be claimed with a valid receipt. The cost of $3.25 each applies to any International money order of a value up to $700. Money orders can also be purchased at banks at a slightly higher price.

3. Banks. There are programs serving foreigners send money home that are developed by major U.S. banks as well as local smaller banks. Recipients can claim their money from partner banks where the funds were wired. Certain banks may require you to have an active account with them, so research your local branches for such services. You can also send funds by purchasing stored value cards offered by major U.S. banks. These cards are similar to credit cards with the difference that the amount has to be deposited in advance. Recipients can name purchases at stores that accept major credit cards or withdraw money from various ATM locations. Several banks will issue a check card connected to your U.S. account for your family members abroad. Check cards withdraw funds directly from your checking account and look like common credit cards.
4. Credit Unions. IRnet is a service that electronically transfers funds between credit unions’ members. Several countries in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia are served by IRnet including 3,000 locations nationwide.

Capital conservator Trusty Service
Benefits include:
a low profile, private alternative to offshore banking
simple, non-intrusive account opening paperwork
minimal documentation for transactions
Low profile Alternative to Offshore Banking
We offer streamlined anonymous access to financial accounts and precious metal
repositories through Capital Conservator master accounts.
Simple Account Opening Paperwork
One simple application process will save hundreds of hours of paperwork and months of waiting that would be required if the customer were to open these non-resident, international accounts on his own. Click here to open an account.
Security & Support
Real people operate Capital Conservator. We are not just a website. We maintain a physical presence in Uruguay and Moscow. We are operated by professionals with many years experience in banking and offshore finance. We make it easy to talk to our professionals. We maintain phone numbers in the UK, Canada and the US. Click here to find out more about the people that make Capital Conservator work.
Speed & Flexibility
Opening an account with Capital Conservator allows a customer to deposit funds and send and receive bank wires immediately. Special arrangements can also be made to trade securities, buy and sell precious metals, and perform most other international financial transactions.
Authority
Capital Conservator is a Financial Investment Company authorized by the Government of Uruguay* to carry out offshore commercial operations on behalf of third parties, including:
effecting investments abroad
functioning as a portfolio corporation
holding bank accounts in foreign currency
managing securities accounts
owning real estate, and
operating as a financial or treasury parking center

Welcome to MoneyGram
MoneyGram has been providing trusted payment and financial services since 1940.
The safe, fast way to send and receive money worldwide. MoneyGram

Privacy Policy: Nonpublic Personal Information Collected in the United States

All financial institutions are required by law to have in place policies regarding the collection and disclosure of information considered to be "nonpublic personal information." MoneyGram International is considered a financial institution under this law.

We obtain nonpublic personal information about our consumers from information that consumers provide on transaction forms and applications. This information is necessary to facilitate the consumer's transactions. We do not collect nonpublic personal information about our consumers from any other sources.

We may disclose some or all of the nonpublic personal information described above to independent contractors and service providers for the purposes of processing requested transactions or to perform marketing and similar services on our behalf with respect to our own products and services. Our agreements with these service providers contain confidentiality provisions and restrictions on using this information for any other purposes. We do not disclose nonpublic personal information about our consumers to anyone for the purpose of marketing or soliciting products or services other than our own.

Access to non-public personal information about our consumers or our consumers' transaction history is restricted to employees, independent contractors, or service providers who need to have access to that information to process our consumers' transactions. We may also disclose certain information as required or permitted under applicable law, for example, to government agencies. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal standards to guard our consumers' nonpublic personal information.

Note: Effective February 22, 2007. The practices and policies contained in this disclosure are applicable to MoneyGram International, MoneyGram Payment Systems, Inc. and FSMC, Inc. They are subject to change, but we will communicate any material changes as required by applicable law.

Inferlity Center

Welcome to the Infertility Center of St. Louis Website
Over the last 30 years, Sherman J. Silber, M.D., has pioneered most of the “miracle” infertility treatments now accepted around the world for male as well as female infertility. These breakthroughs include microscopic vasectomy reversal, intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), egg freezing to preserve fertility, ovary transplantation, and improving success rates with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reducing costs.
Dr. Sherman J. Silber, M.D.
We intend for this site to provide you with solid, extensive information on the latest in infertility, and to provide some information about our center. If you have any questions or would like even more information, please feel free to contact us.

In 2005, Dr. Silber published a completely revised and updated version of his classic book, How to Get Pregnant, which lays out in simple, clear terms the basic information that will help infertile couples learn how they can have a healthy, happy baby, and help younger women preserve their fertility.

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“Infertile couples from all over the world come to St. Louis, Missouri, to chase their dream, because Dr. Sherman Silber and his team are simply the best there is.” – Discovery Health Channel Documentary

Discovery Health Channel June 2004 Documentary
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Dr. Silber explains infertility treatments in depth in these two videos, optimized for all connection speeds:
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Dr. Silber explains Microscopic Vasectomy Reversal (MVR): What works, what doesn't work, and why
Vasectomy and Tubal Ligation Reversal:
Microscopic vasectomy reversal allows men who have had a vasectomy to become fertile again. Tubal ligation reversal does the same for previously sterilized women. Vasectomy reversal is performed under a microscope with very high magnification, using delicate instruments and suture that Dr. Silber designed specifically for this surgery. Dr. Silber re-operates on many men who have had unsuccessful vasectomy reversals elsewhere. Dr. Silber was the first in the US to perform microsurgical tubal ligation reversal, and was the first in the world to develop microsurgical vasectomy reversal. He has a success rate over 95% and has performed over 8,000 procedures, dwarfing all other centers in the world.

Vasectomy reversal technical video
IVF and ICSI:
In vitro fertilization (IVF) means that fertilization takes place outside the body, in a small glass dish, and the fertilized eggs, i.e., embryos, are then placed directly into the uterus. IVF was originally used in cases where the fallopian tubes are damaged preventing natural pregnancy, but now it is successful for virtually all types of infertility. Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is recommended for fertilization to make sure the sperm (even poor quality sperm) fertilizes the egg properly. In ICSI, the eggs and the sperm are fertilized in the laboratory, by direct injection of a single sperm into each egg. The resulting embryos are then simply placed into the uterus with no surgery, just as with IVF. Dr. Silber and colleagues in Brussels were the original developers of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection for the severest cases of male infertility, even azoospermia.

ICSI discussed on ABC World News Tonight
ICSI technical video

Egg and Ovary Banking to Preserve Fertility:
There are now techniques to literally freeze your biological clock [see video] and preserve your fertility so that you can have children later, when you are older and ready to have children. Egg, ovarian tissue, embryo, and sperm can all be preserved indefinitely, and furthermore we have perfected our freeze/thaw procedures to achieve success rates which are just as high as with "fresh" eggs. We even have the ability now to determine precisely where you are on your biological clock [see video], so that you will know exactly how long your fertility can be expected to last.

Dr. Silber discusses Egg and Ovary Banking to Preserve Fertility
Fox 2 News video on Antral Follicle Count


Dr. Silber explains Antral Follicle Count on New York network TV.
Channel 11 News video on Freezing Your Biological Clock

Video Showing the Vitrification Process
New Way to Extend Fertility: Freeze Ovary Tissue Wall Street Journal; April 26, 2007
Ovary Transplantation:
First with identical twins, now with non-identical sisters. Using the same technique to freeze the ovary before cancer treatment, we can hold your biological clock so you can have children at a later time. Click the links below to learn more about ovary transplantation:

Ovarian Tissue Transplant technical video
Whole Ovary Transplantation Between Non-identical Sisters - Fox News St. Louis


Trailer for BBC Documentary - “A Child Against All Odds: Gift of Life” Featuring Dr. Silber
Other procedures:
There are many other procedures that a couple battling with infertility can utilize. GIFT (Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer) is a reproductive technique for couples with religious objections to IVF whereby the husband's sperm and the wife's eggs are placed directly into her fallopian tube. Sperm aspiration is the technique for retrieving sperm directly from the testicles of men who have no sperm in the ejaculate. With advanced cryogenic technology, sperm, eggs, embryos, and ovarian tissue can be stored indefinitely to better ensure one's future fertility. This website contains detailed information on embryo freezing and sperm aspiration, as well as sperm and egg freezing.

Sperm aspiration technical video
Ovarian tissue freezing in the news


“Freezing Your Biological Clock” in the news
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The Infertility Center of St. Louis also offers pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of embryos. This reduces the risk for miscarriages and multiple pregnancies, and provides screening for birth defects such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, Tay-Sachs, and Down's syndrome, etc.

PGD in the news
Other information:
Dr. Silber also answers some common questions about infertility in our Frequently Asked Questions section, and in transcripts from his guest appearances in an online chat at TalkCity.com and an online chat at Mom.com.

In the News focuses on important developments in the science of infertility treatment, with articles of general interest and a selection of some of Dr. Silber's scientific research papers. Also take a look at our selection of online video and audio (Media Library), optimized for downloading. Dr. Sherman Silber's detailed book, completely revised and updated in 2005, is summarized in the How to Get Pregnant section, as is a complete bibliography, for those who wish to study the field more deeply.

A Special Message From Dr. Silber About Your Biological Clock and Preserving Your Fertility
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Two of Dr. Silber's patients relate their experiences receiving care at the Infertility Center of St. Louis.

Life Vision International!

Life Vision
Nu kan vi stolt presentera höstens mest spännande nyhet: Framgångsresan till Agadir, Marocko! Det är här den ultimata resan för dig som vill få ut det mesta av dig själv och ditt liv. En hel veckas intensivt fokus på ledarskap, försäljning, visioner, värderingar och med det som gör allt det andra möjligt som bas: Hälsan! Vill du veta mer innan du tar beslut om att boka så hittar du inbjudan genom att klicka på bilden:
Nu kan vi stolt presentera höstens mest spännande nyhet: Framgångsresan till Agadir, Marocko! Det är här den ultimata resan för dig som vill få ut det mesta av dig själv och ditt liv. En hel veckas intensivt fokus på ledarskap, försäljning, visioner, värderingar och med det som gör allt det andra möjligt som bas: Hälsan! Vill du veta mer innan du tar beslut om att boka så hittar du inbjudan genom att klicka på bilden:
Denna sida är skapad utifrån min personliga livsvision "Att inspirera, utbilda och göra skillnad i tillräckligt många människors privata och professionella liv för att göra en positiv skillnad i världen."

Så oavsett om du är här för att få veta mer innan du bokar ett livsförändrande seminarium för personalen på ditt företag, eller om du helt enkelt vill lära dig mer om det allra senaste inom personlig utveckling och prestationspsykologi för att snabbt lösa dina problem och bli ännu bättre på det du gör, så är det min förhoppning att du här hittar mer än det du söker...
Gör ditt liv till ett mästerverk, Hur kan du och jag, i denna snabbt skiftande värld, skapa balans mellan vår tid, våra känslor, vår hälsa, våra förhållanden och ekonomi på ett framgångsrikt sätt? Hemligheten är att definiera vad vi verkligen vill och sedan lära från dem som redan är absolut bäst på vad de gör.

All framgång lämnar spår och när du väl vet receptet för framgång, kan du komprimera årtionden till timmar och på rekordtid uppnå vad som tills helt nyligen bara var en dröm...
Anders Haglund
Certifierad Trainer of NLP av grundaren Dr. Richard Bandler
Anthony Robbins Mastery University Graduate
University of South Florida, Tampa
4-årig Teknisk El- tele
Europamästare och Spansk Mästare i golf; Europatouren 1996
Certifieringar

Precis som det har gjorts enorma framsteg inom all annan teknik och forskning de senaste åren, så har det även gjorts banbrytande upptäckter om hur vår kropp och hjärna fungerar. Detta har gjort att vi nu kan överföra förmågor från en person till annan. På så vis kan vi, genom att studera dem som är bäst inom respektive expertområde och sedan kombinera det med det allra senaste inom personlig utveckling och prestationspsykologi, hjälpa vem som helst att snabbt prestera mycket bättre i livets alla situationer.

Vi har redan hjälpt säljare att tillgodose sina kunders behov, sälja mer och ha roligt under tiden, idrottsmän har fått snabb hjälp att prestera ännu bättre och chefer har fått ta del av de bästa ledarnas recept för framgång.
Vi har även hjälpt dyslektiker att stava mycket bättre inom loppet av ett par timmar. Fobier tas bort på halva den tiden, tala inför folk blir lätt och deprimerade människor kan återfå livsglädjen inom samma tidsram. Dessutom kan vi minska din sjukfrånvaro till ett minimum.
Detta genom kost- och träningsprogram som tar bort och förebygger de flesta fysiska åkommor. Förkylningar, ryggont, nackbesvär etc. blir ett minne blott.
Den djupa kunskap som ligger till grund för sådana transformationer kan givetvis användas för att rekordsnabbt hitta motivation, trivas och prestera bättre, både på och utanför arbetsplatsen. Aldrig tidigare har det varit möjligt att, så här snabbt och elegant, ge människor tillgång till sina bästa resurser.

(Life's Vision International is a fully licensed, non-profit* international adoption and humanitarian aid agency that serves parents and children worldwide. We believe that every adoption involves a parent and a child who have a unique connection and are actually seeking each other.

Our Life's Vision
To reach out and clasp that tiny hand of a hopeful child with a not so tiny dream.
Hope, in a little one's eyes, is our inspiration.
Their future, is our motivation.
We envision a life nurtured with love, stability and a promise of a better tomorrow for every child.

PROGRAMS & PROGRAM NEWS
• China
• Ghana - 8 children have been awarded permanent adoptions by the Ghanaian courts and one child is home!
• Guatemala - New important information about the status of adoptions in Guatemala.
• Haiti - We have waiting children, some with scholarships.
• Nepal

ADOPTION RESOURCES
Our next Information Meetings are:
May 8, 2007
June 12, 2007
October 9, 2007
Join us to learn about the international adoption process and meet other families just starting out on their journey. These free meetings are always held in Bellevue on the second Tuesday of each month.
One on one meetings are also available at no charge. Please call for an appointment.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We regularly have great volunteer opportunities for those looking for a way to help care for the children of the world. Current oppportunities available include:
• Administrative work in our Bellevue office.
• Assistance with fund raising events/projects.
• Assistance with preparing for humanitarian aid project mission trips.

HUMANITARIAN AID
We are going to Ghana August 8 - 16, 2007 to build a sick bay at one of our orphanages. If you have a strong desire to go to Africa and want to make a difference consider going with us! Cost is $600 plus airfare. Please contact Lois at (425) 614-3938 or lois@lifesvision.org with questions or to get an application. We hope you can join us!!

SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN HELP LIFE'S VISION INTERNATIONAL
Raise money for Life's Vision International's Humanitarian Aid efforts just by shopping online! Go to iGive to learn more and sign up. It's all free!
Did you know Life's Vision International is a registered Washington State Charity? That means you can choose LVI as your charity for your work place giving campaigns. Just use our Registration #21835.

Real Estate

Real Estate
The terms real estate and real property are used primarily in common law, while civil law jurisdictions refer instead to immovable property.

In law, the word real means relating to a thing (from Latin res/rei, thing), as distinguished from a person. Thus the law broadly distinguishes between [real property] (land and anything affixed to it) and [personal property] (everything else, e.g., clothing, furniture, money). The conceptual difference was between immovable property, which would transfer title along with the land, and movable property, which a person would retain title to. (The word is not derived from the notion of land having historically been "royal" property. The word royal — and its Castilian cognate real — come from the related Latin word rex-regis, meaning king.)
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Business sector:

With the development of private property ownership, real estate has become a major area of business. Purchasing real estate requires a significant investment, and each parcel of land has unique characteristics, so the real estate industry has evolved into several distinct fields. Specialists are often called on to valuate real estate and facilitate transactions. Some kinds of real estate businesses include:


*Appraisal - Professional valuation services
*Brokerages - Assisting buyers and sellers in transactions
*Development - Improving land for use by adding or replacing buildings
*Property management - Managing a property for its owner(s)
*Real Estate Marketing - Managing the sales side of the property business
*Relocation services - Relocating people or business to a different country

Within each field, a business may specialize in a particular type of real estate, such as residential, commercial, or industrial property. In addition, almost all construction business effectively has a connection to real estate.

"Internet Real Estate" is a term coined by the internet investment community relating to the parallel that exists between high quality internet domain names and real-world, prime real estate. Many internet companies actually use the address of properties as domain names.
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Mortgages in real estate

In recent years, many economists have recognized that the lack of effective real estate laws can be a significant barrier to investment in many developing countries. In most societies, rich or poor, a significant fraction of the total wealth is in the form of land and buildings. In most advanced economies, the main source of capital used by individuals and small companies to purchase and improve land and buildings is mortgage loans --bank loans for which the real property itself constitutes collateral. Banks are willing to make such loans at favorable rates in large part because, if the borrower does not make payments, the lender can foreclose by filing a court action that lets them take back the property and sell it to get their money back. But in many developing countries there is no effective means by which a lender could foreclose, so the mortgage loan industry, as such, either does not exist at all or is only available to members of privileged social classes.

Trade & Investment

Promoting Trade and Investment

The defining purpose of the International Trade Administration (ITA) is helping to create economic opportunity for American workers and businesses. By promoting trade and investment we are promoting prosperity and a better world.

To increase trade and investment, ITA helps U.S. companies navigate foreign markets. We help educate companies about how to tailor their activities to the specific market with respect to their product slate, financing, marketing, assembly and logistics. While the United States exports more than any other country, making that first export can still be a daunting challenge for a small or medium sized business. ITA helps equip those businesses with the knowledge and tools that they need to meet that exporting challenge, and by extension, promote the trade and investment that helps us all.

The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce's ITA. The Commercial Service has 108 offices located throughout the country and 150 around the world, covering 96 percent of U.S. export markets. Its Web-based services are provided through the U.S. government's export portal, export.gov. At export.gov you can locate the U.S. Export Assistance Center nearest you or call 1-800-USA-TRAD(E) (1-800-872-8723).

Modern Jewellary

The Diamond Market
There are fewer than 200 or so companies or people authorized to buy these rough diamonds from De Beers. These “sightholders” tend to meet in Antwerp, Israel, London, and New York. They trade under the organizations of “The Syndicate”, “Central Selling Organization”, “Diamond Trading Company”, “Antwerp World Diamond Center” where these sightholders will sit across from each other and haggle ( to argue in bargaining ) on the numerous rough, polished and industrial diamonds through a formal contract of a simple handshake with the words “Muzel” exchanged.

Diamonds are the most coveted of all precious gems, as is witnessed by the extremely high demand for them. While this has not always been the case, diamonds are nonetheless exquisite gems that go through a long, tedious refining process from the time they are pulled from the ground to when you see them in the jewelry store. And, while some of the mystique of diamonds may be gone -- they're just carbon, after all -- the diamond will likely continue to be a highly coveted jewel, because, well, "A Diamond is Forever."

Online Banking

ONLINE BANKING


Online, there are no lines.
Citibank Online lets you take care of business without visiting a branch — you can pay bills, view account activity, make transfers, send wires, and use a wide variety of self-service options
Award Winning Online Banking
With Online Banking, you can do just about everything you need to do without ever visiting a branch or calling.

Free online bill payment — Make payments to virtually anyone in the U.S. anytime.
E-mail and wireless alerts — Have account updates delivered to your cell phone or e-mail.
Online bank statements — Receive your monthly statement online instead of by mail.
Online check images — View and print checks you've written that have cleared.
Extensive transfer services — Move money within the U.S. or abroad and to Citi or non-Citi accounts.

SafeWeb® Fraud Protection — Protects you against unauthorized transfers in your deposit accounts.
24/7 customer support — Call or send us a message online.
Pay virtually anyone, anytime – FREE.
Use Citibank's online bill payment and you'll never have to seal another envelope or lick another stamp again. It also makes recordkeeping a breeze, because your payment history is online.
Special Offers:
Could You want to join citi bank: http://www.citi.com/domain/special_offers.htm?US&BVE=https://web.da-us.citibank.com&BVP=/cgi-bin/citifi/scripts/&BV_UseBVCookie=yes&_u=visitor

Earn 3% cash back on purchases made at restaurants, gas stations, certain
office supply merchants, and for auto rentals. Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.**
Online Expense Organizer - create customized reports for client billing, tax purposes, or reimbursement.
Quarterly and Annual account summaries and categorized statements at no additional cost.
No annual fee and no redemption fees.
24/7 online access and Customer Service - just press "2" to quickly access a representative.
24/7 Personal Business Assistant helps arrange business dining, travel, entertainment and outings.
0% APR on balance transfers for first 12 months.*
• The 0% APR does not apply to Purchases or Cash Advances
• The 0% APR may increase if you default under any cardmember agreement you have with us because you pay us late, go over your credit limit, or have a returned check
• Your payments will be applied to low APR balances before higher ones
Learn About spoofs
Every Internet user should know about spoof (a.k.a. phishing or hoax) e-mails that appear to be from a well-known company but can put you at risk.
Although they can be difficult to spot, they generally ask you to click a link back to a spoof web site and provide, update or confirm sensitive personal information. To bait you, they may allude to an urgent or threatening condition concerning your account.
Even if you don't provide what they ask for, simply clicking the link could subject you to background installations of key logging software or viruses.
Learn about what you can do to protect yourself from getting spoofed.

Student Insurence

Welcome to Online Services


Offering a complete range of Insurance Products and Services designed especially for College Students.

WHO WE ARE
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources is one of the nation's largest providers of student health plans, with over 40 years of experience. Our mission is to provide the best value in affordable health insurance to students, individuals, small businesses and the self employed.

ONLINE SERVICES CAPABILITIES EXPANDED
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources designed Online Services to provide wide-ranging features and services of value to you, our student customers. You may review brochures, select insurance products, examine related rates, and enroll online electronically with payment made using Master Card, Visa, or an electronic bank draft. The My Account portion of the site gives you direct access to your individual, password protected web account. After login, you may view your current coverage and coverage history, your personal data, current claims status and electronically submitted insurance applications and status. You may update your personal data, change your password, locate a network provider or produce an ID card.
Visit for More details at
https://www.studentinsurance.net/



Business Intelligence Portal
Have you spent millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours in implementing sophisticated ERP and financial systems? Can you tell your CEO right now which customers, products and channels are profitable and contributing to increased shareholder value? With ALG Software's Enterprise Performance Optimization (EPO) Suite YOU CAN. ALG Software’s EPO Suite makes superior profitability and management decisions possible. This easy-to-use, best-of-breed software solution allows managers and executives to use the valuable information they already have to easily perform profitability analytics, enterprise planning, forecasting and driver-based budgeting. Used by some of the largest most progressive insurance companies in the industry, the EPO Suite links operational and financial perspectives to deliver visibility into future performance and the insight to make it better. Learn More By Visiting the ALG Software CPM Insurance Resource Page www.algsoftware.com/insurance.

News briefs and articles on business intelligence are available below.
Business Intelligence News Briefs
David West To Lead TowerGroup Insurance Research Practice
May 22, 2007 - West will bring a background in insurance analytics and P&C underwriting to his new post as insurance practice lead at research firm TowerGroup.

IASA CIO Roundtable Program Announced
May 3, 2007 - As part of its annual conference Executive Education Program, IASA announced its 3rd Annual CIO Roundtable, which includes four sessions: Enabling the Mobile Workforce; Focusing on Customers: Composing and Delivering Data-Driven Documents; Using ASP and BPO to Save Dollars and Make Sense; and the Tao...

SNL Financial Will Publish Statutory Insurance Data
April 19, 2007 - SNL expects to provide statutory insurance data in early 2008 and will include the data in its information service.

Insurers Worried about Crushing Volume of Data
April 9, 2007 - Insurance executives say they're concerned about managing the crushing volume of data their companies maintain, especially in light of strict reporting requirements.
TowerGroup Advises Carriers to Prepare for Regulatory Issues
January 31, 2007 - Carriers need to step up their technology preparedness to get ready for a national catastrophe fund, an extension of the Terrorist Risk Insurance Act, and an optional federal charter--a trio that TowerGroup says is likely to transform the insurance industry.
More Business Intelligence News Briefs
Business Intelligence Articles

When Paper is the Culprit
May 1, 2007 - Are mountains of paperwork preventing your company from providing great customer service? Then get rid of the paper.
Build-Operate-Transfer Plan Brings Outsourced Jobs In
May 1, 2007 - In what could become a trend, a company in India started a call center there and handed over the keys to a U.K.-based insurer.
Outsourcing to the 'Rescue' For Growing Reinsurer
May 1, 2007 - With prodigious growth and operations spread across 30 countries, Swiss Re is using vendors to fill cubicles and wield technology.
Solutions
Islands of Agreement
Standards Keep Pace With Carriers' Needs
May 1, 2007 - From simple messaging to integrating systems to improving point-of-sale process, standards are keeping pace with carriers' dynamic requirements.
SOA Rejuvenates Aging Mainframes
May 1, 2007 - Carriers balance modernization and replacement to breathe new life into venerable policy administration systems.
Keep Networks Secure In the Age of Mobility
April 1, 2007 - When a lost laptop provides access to thousands of identities, IT staffs need to compensate for physical and digital vulnerabilities.
What Agents Really Want In Management Systems
Solutions
News Briefs
Tech Twist for Geico
Content Management: In Content Management Piecemail Fix Can Work
April 1, 2007 - To hold down costs while creating a paperless workplace, carriers need to harmonize legacy content or document systems.
Solutions
Who's Buying What
Information SWAT Team
February 1, 2007 - For the newly named business information group at Hartford Life, turning data into actionable information is more than a rescue and recovery effort: it's a step toward profitable growth.
Insurance Networking News is a trusted resource for editorial and analysis covering topics such as Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, workers' compensation, business intelligence, insurance fraud, disaster planning, and data management.
Survey: 75% of Consumers Like Personalized Service
May 23, 2007 - New York - Three-quarters of consumers are very satisfied with the service provided by their insurance agents and remain committed to working with them in the future, according to a new survey of 1,000 American consumers commissioned by IBM.
U.S. consumers want personalized service and human interaction from their insurance providers, says the survey, which comes at a time when agent-based carriers are facing increased competition by direct channels and direct-only insurance carriers.
The study demonstrates consumers' unwavering loyalty to their insurance agent, regardless of potential savings that online channels alone can provide, and it indicates how insurance carriers are providing their agents with technologies to deliver more personalized customer services.
The study’s released coincided with the ACORD Loma conference in Orlando this week, and Jamie Bisker, Global Insurance Industry Leader for IBM’s thought leadership group, at IBM’s Institute for Business Value told INN, “The industry often confuses optimization with innovation, and we tend to forget to focus on people, culture, politics and resolving those problems,” he said. “The bottom line is that technology can help foster improved relationships, and insurers can help enhance both areas.”
The study indicates that only 15% of respondents said they would consider dropping their agent to save $150 annually by purchasing insurance online, and 54% indicated no amount would make them switch.
Of the respondents, 44% of consumers said their insurance provider is innovative as compared to other industries, and 71% of respondents said they will work directly with their agent for future insurance needs.
Personalized service and human interaction emerged as key factors in driving consumer loyalty with their agents. More than half (53%) of consumers cite personalized service as what they like best about the services offered by their insurance agent, and quality of service topped the list of the key factors in choosing an insurance provider. For example, face-time continues to play an important role in helping agents deliver quality services; 36% surveyed said they like to visit their agent.
"The insurance business is still very much relationship-based, and consumers are willing to pay a premium for agents that instill trust and provide ongoing advice regarding their insurance needs," said Norbert Dick, general manager, Global Insurance Industry, IBM. "But insurers should not ignore the potential in the online channels for maintaining existing customers' loyalty and capturing additional market segments. A combination of back office process improvements and customer experience improvements across channels like the Web, e-mail and cell phones can pay dividends in terms of repeat business and brand loyalty. And for customers who are looking at direct channels, particularly younger, emerging market segments, channel investments stand to gain new business."
The continued gradual shift towards direct and independent agent models, combined with the decline in agent retention and recruitment, means insurers with captive agent forces face increased competition for high performing agents and difficulties expanding into alternative channels without cannibalizing their agent base. Since agents wield a great deal of influence over the customer-carrier relationship and many customers still place high value on that relationship, managing agent productivity and retention becomes critical.
IBM recently polled captive agents from companies that represented over 46% of premiums generated in personal lines insurance segments. The 200-page survey covers 11 areas of agent behavior, needs and attitudes. The study found that carrier reputation and amount of carrier support were the main drivers of agents' satisfaction.
Agents also reported a high degree of satisfaction with their work environment and are optimistic about growing their customer base. For example, over 60% of agents polled have seen an increase in new business in the last 12 months.
Cross selling and customer retention has become critical success factors for captive agents and will be important to growing their premium share. Agents reported that 42% of their new business came from cross selling and 56% surveyed said that their primary focus was on managing existing customers.
In response to consumer demands for personalized service, insurance providers are now equipping agents with tools to improve communications and deepen relationships with their customers. Consequently, 44% of consumers now recognize their insurance provider as innovative in using technology as compared to retail and travel industries.
Agents indicated they are satisfied with the use of technology in their day-to-day activities and point to the centralization of sales-relevant software applications and data and use of customer analytics to better target products and services as key drivers in agent and customer satisfaction.
However, the study revealed there is more work to be done in providing the right mix of product and customer centric tools to provide the right types of products and services to the right customer, through the right channel. Knowing and accurately managing each customer's and agent's lifetime value will become more challenging and critical in today's marketplace, the study says. Innovation in data management, customer experience management and effective distribution channel management will become important enablers for growth, according to the report.
Source: IBM
Visit more info: http://www.insurancenetworking.com/index.cfm
OrbitProtect understand students like no one else!
If you’re an international student studying in New Zealand, the Government requires you to have medical and travel insurance while you’re here.
OrbitProtect Student is no ordinary medical and travel insurance. It’s been designed just for you. Whether you live in a flat or a home stay, your possessions are covered. OrbitProtect Student even covers you during your journey from home to New Zealand. And when you graduate, our insurance plans will keep you covered if you decide to stay on under the New Zealand open work permit programme.
We offer the flexibility of two different plans, so you can choose the one that suits you best. Student Prime is our comprehensive plan which automatically covers property, whilst Student Lite plan gives you the flexibility to choose whether or not to insure your property.
Due to popular demand, we have now included an option for you to extend your Prime or Lite policy to cover your legal liability for the damage you cause while you are driving a vehicle for private purposes (not for business). This cover only applies in New Zealand and does not cover any damage to the vehicle you are driving.
All our plans are underwritten by one of New Zealand’s largest insurers, Lumley General Insurance (N.Z.) Limited.

Abroad Study

Academic Study Abroad Programs
AmeriSpan's Academic Semester Abroad programs are available to college students who wish to study abroad for a semester, summer or quarter and earn transferable academic credit. We offer two distinct types of Academic Study Abroad programs and locations in a variety of Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese speaking countries so that you can find the study abroad program that meets your individual needs and interests.
Browse this section of our website to learn how to compare study abroad programs, what study abroad programs AmeriSpan offers and why more than 25,000 people have chosen to study abroad with AmeriSpan since the early 90's. Remember, AmeriSpan offers a variety of scholarships and you can use your financial aid for AmeriSpan programs.
Not a student? Don't need academic credit? Review our language travel programs.
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AmeriSpan Study Abroad
117 South 17th Street, STE 1401 Philadelphia, PA 19103
Worldwide: (215) 751-1100 Fax: (215) 751-1986 USA: (800) 879-6640
UK: 020-8123-6086 SKYPE: amerispan
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Prague - Czech Republic
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter, Throughout the year
Study Abroad with TEFL Worldwide Prague
Become certified to teach English abroad and receive lifetime job guidance worldwide. TEFL Worldwide offers the 4-week internationally recognized TEFL certificate course in Prague! This course comes recommended by our graduates. They are teaching abr ...
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TEFL Worldwide Prague
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai - China
Summer
China Quest Summer Program in China
Where can you study, travel, learn, discover, and explore a new culture? You can do it all at the China Quest study abroad program. For 35 days, students will not only study Chinese language and culture but also take a magnificent and eye opening to ...
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China Quest
Quezon City - Philippines
Fall, Spring, Academic Year
Study in the Philippines
For students interested in studying abroad in Southeast Asia, World Endeavors Study in the Philippines program is hard to beat. This is one of the most affordable programs available at one of the leading universities in Southeast Asia. As all courses ...
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World Endeavors
London - England
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter, Academic Year
API at London Metropolitan University
API offers a comprehensive study abroad program at the London Metropolitan University. The London Metropolitan University offers API students of all academic interests an ideal location for studying and soaking up all that London has to offer. The ...
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Academic Programs International (API)

Copenhagen - Denmark
Fall, Spring, Summer, Academic Year
Denmark's International Study Program
DIS offers challenging and unique coursework, taught in English, in the following disciplines: Architecture, China Studies, Communication & Mass Media, European Culture & History, European Politics & Society, HIV/AIDS in Western Europe, Interior Desi ...
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DIS, Denmark's International Study Program
Student Universe
"Student Universe" is the online travel service that specializes in Student Airfares to study abroad destinations and programs around the world. Student Universe has contracts with more than two dozen airlines providing the lowest fares - for students and faculty only - on the flights you need to Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Once you confirm your program's dates, and destination airport pick-up times, visit StudentUniverse to select the flights - from most cities in the US and Canada - to get you there in time. Take an additional 30 USD off your international Student Airfare by entering SA1207 in the promotion code box during your purchase (if you're traveling within the US use "gasurvey" and take 10 USD off).
» more info
Use these tips to find a cheap Student Airfare
Try searching alternate airports and/or dates
The more flexible you can be, the more likely we will have something available. This is especially true around the holidays, or if you're traveling in the next couple of days.
We offer one-way flights from the US and Canada
to most major cities worldwide. We also offer one-way flights from Europe, Asia, Australia, Central and South America, to the US and Canada. We do not have round trip flights from these areas to the US and Canada at this time, so you should search for two separate one-way fares to get the best student deals.
Try searching for a round trip
if you are having difficulty finding a one-way flight.

Try searching for two one-way flights
to and from your destination. Some airlines allow you to stay at your destination for only 30, 60, or 90 days. If you are looking to stay longer, try searching for two one-way flights to and from your destination

MS Windows Vista

Get Windows Vista
Moving to Windows Vista just got easier. Whether you plan to purchase a new PC or upgrade the one that you currently own, we've got the information you need to make it a smooth transition.
Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor
Is your Windows XP-based PC ready for Windows Vista? Download and run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor to find which edition of Windows Vista is right for you and to see if your current PC is ready to run it.
Upgrade paths from previous versions
For many, the experience of Windows Vista will begin with the purchase of a new PC. For others, the experience begins by upgrading your current PC, and it's important to know and understand your upgrade options from previous versions of Windows.
Find hardware that works with Windows Vista
Are you looking to add a new printer, monitor, digital camera, or other devices to your Windows Vista experience? Here's a quick and easy way to find what you're looking for.
Ready to buy? Start here Find partner products and special offers for the Windows Vista-related hardware and software you need. Or, explore the Windows Vista area on Windows Marketplac
Save more than 60% Here's how you can save more than 60% on Windows Vista Home Premium upgrades for your other household computers after you purchase the Windows Vista Ultimate retail boxed product.
Windows Anytime Upgrade When you're ready for more of what Windows Vista has to offer, upgrading to a different edition can be done without ever leaving your home or office. Using Windows Anytime Upgrade is a convenient and affordable way to grow your Windows Vista experience.

Top Mercidies

Write down your goals
People have known for years that making a list of goals is the best way to achieve them. Why is that? First, getting your goals in writing can help you clarify what you really want to do. You might find you have some important and some frivolous goals. That is OK. You’ve got space for 43 Things on your list. Not every one of them has to change the world (but save room for the ones that might).
Get Inspired
What do you want to do with your life? It is not an easy question to answer – and you shouldn’t have to answer alone. Browse 43 Things to find out what others want to do. You might find some goals you share. Click the “I want to do this” button to add a goal to your list. Got an idea for a new goal? Just type it in the text box on the homepage or at the bottom of any page on the site. Bam. Now, it’s your thing.

Share your progress
We all have stories about what we care about. Writing down your progress on a goal can help someone else learn about something you both want to do. When you see a goal you’ve achieved, click on the “I’ve done this” button and share a story about how you did it.

More about 43 Things . . .
Here’s a list of frequently asked questions that explains more about the mechanics of using the site
Read an essay about How to choose acheivable goals
Read entries from users who want to Share insights about how to use 43Things to best advantage, how it can be an aid to accomplishment, not a distraction
Read entries from users who are trying out 43 Things

Get Luxirious Hotel

Package inclusion
his 3-night package for 2 includes:

3 nights in a luxurious Junior Suite
Overlooking the Abbey and walled garden, your suite features antiques, flat screen television and DVD players, and a marbled en-suite bathroom.
Welcome Irish coffee at check in
Fresh flowers and fruit in suite upon arrval
Breakfast for two each morning
3-course dinner for two on one evening of your choice in the award winning Pullman Restaurant *
Converted into a wonderful restaurant car and without losing any of its original character, enjoy the old-world charm and elegance of this world-famous luxury train over a delicious dinner.
Round of golf, one per person, on the day of your choice **
The hotel’s unique 9 hole double green golf course offers a challenging test to all golfers. With the many lakes, trees, large greens, and the wind whipping up from Lough Corrib, it plays differently every day.
Complimentary use of driving range
Newspaper of choice each morning
Bathrobes for use during your stay
Evening turndown service
Taxes and service charges

Package Validity and Blackout Dates

NOTE: This special package is valid for travel between May 1, 2007 and October 31, 2007, subject to availability at time of booking. Blackout dates may apply during other major holidays and special event periods. Additional package restrictions
Rates above are quoted in U.S. dollars and are for two people sharing a Junior Suite. Price does not include airfare or customary gratuities.
* Alcoholic beverages are not included. Advance table reservations are recommended.
** Advance tee time reservations are mandatory.
Price does not include handling fee of $20.



About Glenlo Abbey Hotel
Situated on a 138-acre estate overlooking the waters of Lough Corrib in the West of Ireland, the privately owned Glenlo Abbey Hotel is Galway's exclusive five-star lodging. This former ancestral home of one of Galway's fourteen tribes and singular Small Luxury Hotels of the World affiliate offers refined accommodations that have been graced by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Pierce Brosnan and other notables. In an unspoiled natural environment, you'll experience a wonderland of sights and adventures among friendly folk whose warm hospitality is the essence of Ireland.

See full description
Visit web site: Glenlo Abbey Hotel

Global Credit Cards

About forex trading
FOREX.com is a division of GAIN Capital Group, one of the most respected online forex trading firms in the industry. The company's flagship service, GAIN Capital, is used by institutional investors, professional money managers and experienced day traders from over 140 countries. GAIN Capital Group is pleased to offer individual investors access to its award-winning trading platform and professional-level services via FOREX.com.

FOREX.com is a registered Futures Commission Merchant (NFA ID #0339826) and a member of the National Futures Association. As an FCM, FOREX.com is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), must uphold the highest standards and business practices and is subject to strict financial requirements and reporting. Interested parties can visit the NFA web site at any time to review FOREX.com's record.

Your feedback and suggestions are welcome. Please email us at info@forex.com


Are You New to Forex Trading?

Forex is traded much like any other financial instrument, using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

If you'd like to learn how to become a successful forex trader, consider a professional forex training course. FOREX.com is pleased to offer multiple forex training options that teach investors how to:

Understand the logic behind Forex trading
Recognize market trends
Develop a forex trading plan
Utilize tools to help you manage risk
React to major economic events impacting global currencies
Understanding Forex Quotes

Reading a foreign exchange quote may seem a bit confusing at first. However, it's really quite simple if you remember two things: 1) The first currency listed first is the base currency and 2) the value of the base currency is always 1.

The US dollar is the centerpiece of the Forex market and is normally considered the 'base' currency for quotes. In the "Majors", this includes USD/JPY, USD/CHF and USD/CAD. For these currencies and many others, quotes are expressed as a unit of $1 USD per the second currency quoted in the pair. For example, a quote of USD/JPY 110.01 means that one U.S. dollar is equal to 110.01 Japanese yen.

When the U.S. dollar is the base unit and
a currency quote goes up, it means the dollar has appreciated in value and the other currency has weakened. If the USD/JPY quote we previously mentioned increases to 113.01, the dollar is stronger because it will now buy more yen than before.

The three exceptions to this rule are the British pound (GBP), the Australian dollar (AUD) and the Euro (EUR). In these cases, you might see a quote such as GBP/USD 1.7366, meaning that one British pound equals 1.7366 U.S. dollars.

In these three currency pairs, where the U.S. dollar is not the base rate, a rising quote means a weakening dollar, as it now takes more U.S. dollars to equal one pound, euro or Australian dollar.

In other words, if a currency quote goes higher, that increases the value of the base currency. A lower quote means the base currency is weakening.

Currency pairs that do not involve the U.S. dollar are called cross currencies, but the premise is the same. For example, a quote of EUR/JPY 127.95 signifies that one Euro is equal to 127.95 Japanese yen.

When trading forex you will often see a two-sided quote, consisting of a 'bid' and 'ask':

The 'bid' is the price at which you can sell the base currency (at the same time buying the counter currency).
The 'ask' is the price at which you can buy the base currency (at the same time selling the counter currency).