Monthly Archives: July 2012
Fly Like a Frequent Flier, Even If You Aren’t One
You don’t have to be a frequent flier to fly like one. Airline perks that may only be available to those with elite status can be yours, thanks to airline cards, programs, and some simple karma, which can make your flight less stressful. “I still occasionally let the inconvenience of modern air travel get to [...] Continue reading
Consumer 101: Tips and Tools for Navigating the Health Insurance Maze
Fighting through a 17-day ordeal over a treatment for a chronic illness taught me a great deal about the current state of the healthcare industry. Fortunately there are numerous websites dedicated to finding, purchasing, understanding, and using health insurance. These sites include tools that display your options and help you utilize your insurance plan in [...] Continue reading
Poll: Number of Vegetarians Barely Changes Since 1999
With the proliferation of organic and food options, and restaurants offering vegetarian menu choices, it may seem that Americans are increasingly embracing the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, but a recent Gallup poll indicates that the incidence of vegetarianism has remained largely unchanged since 1999. In a July 9-12 Gallup poll of 1,014 adults, aged 18 [...] Continue reading
Consumer 101: Navigating the Health Insurance Maze
I’ve been seeing the same doctor, going to the same facility, and receiving the same treatment for the same condition for two years. Every six weeks I have medication infused over a three hour period for an autoimmune disease I was diagnosed with in 2009. These infusions are what keep me free from serious illness [...] Continue reading
Laptop Buyer’s Guide: Getting the Computer That Suits Your Needs
For consumers who aren’t well-versed in the language of technology, shopping for a laptop computer can be a daunting experience. Whether they’re browsing online or in an electronics store they’re presented with numbers, specifications, and abbreviations that can be hard to interpret. In most cases, companies provide consumers with a list that includes processing speed, [...] Continue reading
Botulism Bummer: Canning Your Own Food Carries Health Risk
If the sluggish economy has been good for anything, it has taught many Americans to move away from mass consumerism and learn how to do more with less. The recession brought a resurgence in trends such as upcycling, the DIY revolution, the locavore movement, and embracing those nearly lost home economics skills that you swore [...] Continue reading
Insomniacs Paradise: Ranking Sleepless Cities
Lack of sleep has been connected to any number of physical and emotional problems from heart disease to depression. Yet, something so simple as allowing your body to adequately recharge continues to be elusive to the majority of Americans. If you think you’re the only one counting sheep, you are not alone. It turns out [...] Continue reading
Poll: Romney Leads on Issues, But Obama Still More Likeable
The pivotal Kennedy-Nixon televised 1960 debates proved that candidate image can swing an election. More than 50 years later, the American voting public can scarcely escape well-polished images of candidates in the media, but likeability continues to be a major voting consideration. If the election were to be held today, a July 17-23 Gallup Daily [...] Continue reading
Insurers Find Going Green Difficult to Gauge
Once completely experimental, the concept of green construction is becoming standardized. United States building codes are adopting levels of green practices, and insurance agencies are responding to the market as unique risks are revealed. Green buildings provide cleaner, healthier air for residents and employees; operate at higher levels of energy efficiency and emit less greenhouse [...] Continue reading
Survey: Most Employers Unprepared for Healthcare Reform
The passage of the Affordable Care Act gave cause for millions of Americans to celebrate, but implementing the required changes may have just as many people scratching their heads. Currently, more 160 million Americans receive employer-sponsored health insurance, with more than 60% of U.S. companies offering health benefits, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That [...] Continue reading