What Is A Celtic Wedding?

March 16, 2010 at 8:07 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

Celtic wedding are an ideal way of showing your being a Celt. It is also a way of incorporating traditional values, symbols, themes and customs into major events in your life. However, Celtic wedding are hugely popular not only among people with a Celtic tradition, but among other couples who are taken by the ancient Celtic culture.

Celtic wedding have traditional symbolic decorations, often based on the Celtic knot. Welsh, Irish and Scottish families will occasionally marry in ancient buildings like castles or old manors, but that is not the standard. A traditional Celtic wedding is not significantly different from a normal British wedding in a lot of ways.

However, the number of similarities between Celtic wedding traditions and normal British-style weddings goes a lot further than that. If you want a traditional British style wedding, you will be going unwittingly for a Celtic wedding. But you can beef up the Celtic part of the wedding ceremony even further without sinking into silly theatrics.

This is a traditional Celtic poem about when to marry:

Marry when the year is new, Always loving, kind and true.

When February birds do mate, You may wed, nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow, Joy and sorrow both you’ll know.

Marry in April when you can, Joy for maiden and for man.

Marry in the month of May, You will surely rue the day.

Marry when June roses blow, Over land and sea you’ll go.

They who in July do wed, Must labour always for their bread.

Whoever wed in August be, Many a change are sure to see.

Marry in September’s shine, Your living will be rich and fine.

If in October you do marry, Love will come but riches tarry.

If you wed in bleak November, Only joy will come, remember.

When December’s showers fall fast, Marry and true love will last.

Here are a few other traditions:

Loving Cup: The traditional cup is a two-handled bowl with Celtic designs engraved onto it. The idea of the Loving Cup ceremony is for the bride and groom to share their first drink together as husband and wife and to demonstrate the coming together of their two families.

The Bell of Truce: A bell is blessed and then given to the bride and groom. The couple is required to ring the bell, while thinking loving thoughts of each other. The bell is then kept at home as a token of the wedding day. If an argument begins, the bell can be rung by either the husband or wife to call a truce. The tinkling sound is intended to remind the couple of their wedding vows and to help them relive happy memories from their wedding day.

Handfasting: Early Celts used to ?tie the knot?. It dates back to a pre-Christian custom of literally tying a couple’s wrists together in a kind of trial marriage lasting a year and a day, at the end of which a new agreement was made or the couple parted ways.

Bride’s Bouquet: In Celtic wedding traditions brides carried herbs beneath their veils to signify fidelity, and spices to frighten off evil spirits.

Ring finger: Ancient Celts thought that there was a vein in the third finger of the left hand that ran directly to the heart, so ring placed on that finger demonstrated a strong love and vow to the other.

Wedding cake: A thin loaf was broken over the bride’s head at the end of the service to indicate fertility. The wheat from which it was made symbolized fertility and the guests enthusiastically picked up the pieces for good luck charms.

It was also common for the Celtic groom to toss a handful of coins into the crowd after the wedding, in the belief that this would bring them good fortune in the years ahead.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

7-Reasons To Buy Michigan Life Insurance

March 12, 2010 at 8:53 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

Michigan life insurance policy mollifies those extenuating life altering scenarios. The ultimate value for purchasing a Michigan life insurance policy is to have a financial contingency plan for loved ones. It does not matter if a person is married or single, seven situations give good cause to purchase a Michigan life insurance policy, including:

Financial obligations. Married couples often purchase a life insurance policy as a financial cushion to cover expenses in the event of tragedy. Most married couples assign each other as the life insurance’s beneficiary.

Divorce declaration. Financial responsibilities do not disappear when couples part ways. Consequently, life insurance is a viable consideration of the divorce decree. Additionally, in situations where one ex spouse pays child support, a Michigan life insurance policy ensures protection for the parents or children in the event of a mishap.

Single parenting. A Michigan life insurance policy represents an income substitute, if something should happen to a single parent; at least the children have a modicum of financial stability.

Other dependents. Moreover, life insurance protects other family members, who are financially dependent (in example: siblings, parents, spouse) upon the household’s main source of income. Also, a Michigan life insurance policy acts a simple catalyst for creating an inheritance nest egg for beneficiaries.

Estate taxes. Quite often, consumers opt for a life insurance policy to offset heir’s estate taxes. In this case, a Michigan life insurance policy would ensure that the heirs don’t have to settle for a reduced inheritance or liquidate other assets.

Final arrangements. In the event of death, a Michigan life insurance can cover funeral, burial, other estate administration costs and, remaining debts.

Forced savings. When the death benefits go unpaid, certain Michigan life insurance programs have a cash value policy, enabling the account holder to withdraw or borrow against the plan. Even more redeeming is that the interest is tax deferred; but not all life insurance policies offer the same benefits.

Michael Novelli is a licensed Michigan life insurance agent, providing fuss free, professional advice and quotes. Please visit MichiganHealthandLife.com for more life insurance information or to obtain a free quote.

Gold Wedding Rings

March 2, 2010 at 11:55 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

The most frequently used element for wedding rings and engagement rings is gold. White gold is even more exclusive. Gold wedding rings look good whether the design is just a straightforward, plain band or an engraved band like a Celtic Knot. Gold rings can be given on other occasions as well of course. Some people give their children a gold ring for their coming of age birthday.

Until not so long ago, it was customary for the man to give a gold ring when he asked for his girlfriend’s hand in matrimony. However, nowadays it is more usual for the couple to go shopping for the engagement or wedding ring together. This makes good sense, even if it is less romantic, because the wearer can get the design that she likes.

Gold symbolizes purity in many cultures and that is one of the reasons why it is given to brides and brides to be. The symbolism is all but lost though in today’s consumer society in the West. For many people though it still symbolizes the hope that they will stay true to each other, until the day they die. It is a way of showing that the wearer has taken vows and intends to stick to them.

There is a vast variety of gold rings available. However, the variety lies not only in the design but also in the purity of the gold. Logically, the purer the gold, the more expensive it is. In the UK, most gold rings are either 9 or 18 carat. In the USA, most gold rings are 14 carat, but in Thailand, few people would buy gold that is less than 18 carat and 22 carat is the norm for women. Pure gold is 24 carat, however pure gold is so malleable that you can mould it with your bare hands.

This might sound fine, but it is not. A 24 carat gold ring goes out of shape every few hours, just by you doing what you do every day and then it can pinch your skin. Opening a door can buckle the ring. This means that you can not set stones in pure gold, because they would soon fall out. Pure gold rings are best not even engraved because the design would soon rub off.

Therefore, the best place to begin, if you want a gold ring, is to think about what style you want. Do you want precious stones set into it? Then you should not really go above 18 carat. If you cannot afford 18 carat then 9 or 14 carat is for you. If you want something like a Celtic Knot ring, that is one with an engraved design, then anything up to 18 carat for you too, depending on your budget. If you want a pain band of gold, then a thick ring of 22 carat gold would be great, but not if you do a lot of manual work.

If you really want something special, why not have a gold ring made to your own design? It is not so expensive as you might think and you will end up with something unique, especially if you provide your own stone to be polished too. Such a gold ring would become a family heirloom and could stay in the family for centuries.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

Forgoing Illinois Medical Insurance Heightens Risk of Death

February 22, 2010 at 1:32 pm • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

Forgoing Illinois medical insurance heightens death toll potential. As the health insurance reform bill remains unsettled, several research studies depict the risk of a higher mortality rate among the uninsured. From developing cardiovascular disease or cancer, to suffering from a traumatic injury, data indicates that being without Illinois medical insurance is merely a detrimental prospect.

A recent publication, regarding the study of 1231 patients recovering from head or neck cancers from 1998 through 2007 at the Pittsburgh Medical Center, compared the survival rate of patients who were insured to the uninsured. Fifty percent of the 128 patients, who were on Medicaid or were without health insurance perished. In comparison, fewer than 23 percent of the patients with medical coverage passed away.

Among traumatic injury sufferers, similar death discrepancies were notable. A group of researchers of Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School compiled statistics from the National Trauma Data Bank, which has a database of 2.7 million patients admitted to trauma centers throughout the United States. Evaluating patient admissions from 2002 and 2006, researchers reviewed 687,091 adult medical records.

The study correlated a significant link between the mortality rates of the uninsured patient versus the insured. Researchers tried to rework the data to eliminate any findings associated with age, race and gender; nonetheless, the statistics showed the same high mortality rate amongst individuals without insurance. Even more perplexing, Medicare members had a survival rate comparable to the insured patients.

Researchers compared the mortality rate of 29,829 patients admitted at the Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from 1998 to 2005. Uninsured patients accounted for 68 percent of the patients. Again, the data among the non-insured younger, less severely injured had a higher death rate than the insured counterparts.

Although hospitals provide treatment, it is undetermined whether the difference in medical care occurs during hospitalization. Even without any specific clinical trials comparing the death toll of the uninsured to individuals with Illinois medical insurance, the Centers for Disease Control has data suggesting that the rate of Illinoisans not having Illinois medical insurance has been spiking for the last decade.

In the interim, cardiovascular disease maintains its status as a leading killer United States. The American Heart Association made note of a 33 percent escalation of cardiovascular inpatient operations from 1996 to 2006. Given the emerging rate of cancer, heart disease diagnoses, a lack of health coverage foretells a fatal outcome.

Illinois medical insurance consultant, Michael Novelli “Despite the fact that cancer and cardiovascular diseases are not completely preventable, individuals with medical coverage are more apt to have early detection, assuring better medical care. An abundance of managed care Illinois medical insurance plans are economical enough to impede additional medical casualties.

Bookmark or visit Illinois Life and Health.com for more information regarding Illinois medical insurance. The site maintains the latest resources, news, and free health insurance quotes, online.

Saving Money In The Sales

February 12, 2010 at 11:13 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

Everyone likes to take advantage of the lower prices during the holiday sales. In fact, the best day to go shopping for special offers is the day after the actual holiday is over.

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and it is the busiest shopping day of the year. You will get huge savings, but you will have to get up early, be ready to queue and jostle.

Another example is jewellery and St Valentine?s Day. Many men buy their wives or girlfriends jewellery during this period as a St Valentine?s Day gift. However, in the weeks after St Valentine?s Day, you can save a minimum of 30% on the very same pieces of jewellery that were on sale a week before. This is a clear indication that we are being hood-winked on these holiday occasions and that we should wait until the actual holiday is over.

OK, it may not be so romantic to wait, but it must be better to be able to get 30% more gold for your money or to give the same present, but be able to go for a meal too. If I were a woman, I know which alternative I would take!

Or, instead of a nice silver or gold ring, you would be able to afford gold instead of silver or white gold instead of yellow. You could get a exquisite Celtic knot or a Claddagh ring instead of a simple band.

Striking Easter outfits are also pricey before Easter. However, why not buy the items you want after Easter and either use them next year or use them for parties, exceptional occasions or church? You can save a bundle of money in this way, just by using a little forward planning.

In order to help reduce how much money you spend on Christmas gifts, why not try purchasing them all year long as and when you find something appropriate in the sales? How many times have you seen something in a sale and said to yourself: ‘that would be the perfect present for so-and-so’? It is better to take advantage of these chances and keep the items aside for when the right occasion comes up.

Then there are those post Christmas sales as well. The Boxing Day sales are a great opportunity to pick up things that you can give as presents later in the year. And why not buy something for yourself too while you are at it? You can save a lot on your favourite perfumes. Buy enough to last you the rest of the year!

You can make your funds go a lot further if you take advantage of the post holiday sales. Rely on serendipity. Buy opportunistically and you will not only save yourself a lot of money, but you will never be stuck for a gift at the last minute either.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with theCeltic Knot wedding ring. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring

Some Michigan Health Plans Lack Proper Coverage

February 3, 2010 at 7:03 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

With a variation of policy exclusions, premiums and overall out of pocket, costs, it’s no wonder that all Michigan health plans are inequitable. Then tack on the numerous plans offered by major insurance providers, and the confounding jargon; hence, selecting a Michigan health plan without getting burned with an astronomical medical bill is a daunting task for most Michiganites.

Since, consumers are unaware of the terms of the insurance policies, market research surveys for the health care sectors, gathered from national agencies, indicate a high propensity of Americans purchase policies with inadequate coverage. Add to the mix, the uninsured consumer, who has a checkered medical history, buying a Michigan health plan-and there’s a high possibility that the policyholder will be subjected to paying off a hospital bill for the rest of their life.

President and publisher, Michael Novelli of Michigan Health and Life.com traces the Michigan health plan quandary on the fact that ‘the vast majority of laymen are not educated about what they are buying and with an unreliable insurance agent, trying to close a deal, the consumer is the victim.” The online publication, Michigan Health and Life.com features information about current news events, the health insurance reform bill, Michigan health plans, and complimentary medical quotes, serving as a concise resource for Michiganites in quest of viable health insurance.

A number of red flags highlight serve as caveat to the worthless Michigan health plan. These include:

* Miniscule – Insufficient benefits. “No major medical” and “limited benefit” insurance are two terms, indicating the potential composite of an insufficient Michigan health plan. These policies typically exclude the cost of a major illness, such as a heart attack, cancer, or diabetes. With the average treatment for colon cancer costing $250,000, it is quite obvious that health care expenses are outrageous. Michigan health plans with a $250,000 lifetime are substantially deficient in medical coverage benefits.

* Excluded medical services. Assume that any medical benefit not mentioned in a policy is not covered in the plan. Make sure that the plan accounts for in-hospital stay, physician’s visits as well as any outpatient medical treatments. Also, analyze whether the medical policy has adequate per-day benefits. Certain Michigan health plans impose ceilings for specific benefits. For instance, $800 per day is inadequate sufficient

* Ceaseless out-of-pocket costs. Depending on the Michigan health plan, the policy may not delineate a cap or maximum amount of the out-of-pocket costs. In other words, any co-payments, including doctor’s visits, medications and diagnostic procedures are not credited toward the out-of-pocket expense.

* Amazingly economical premiums. Anytime the premiums for a Michigan health plan seem abnormally low to be accurate, be sure to assess the cost of other plans (i.e. comprehensive and managed care plans. For example, Michigan Health and Life.com supplies several quotes to analyze the best-sized Michigan health plan.

Bookmark or visit Michigan Health and Life.com for additional information pertaining to Michigan medical insurance coverage. The site maintains the latest news, resources and free Michigan medical insurance quotes, online.

Basic Michigan Health Insurance Questions and Answers

January 5, 2010 at 8:47 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

For Michigan health insurance, the selection of medical coverage entails understanding various legal requirements, underwriting stipulations, as well as preexisting medical guidelines. Refer to the questions and answers to shop around for health insurance.

Are there any rate restrictions? Insurance carriers do not have any rate restrictions; however, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is required to community rate products for individual plans.

What are the underwriting stipulations for Michigan health insurance? In Michigan, all insurance agencies with the exception of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have the autonomy to medically underwrite services.

Is it legally plausible for insurance providers to apply elimination riders during open enrollment? During open enrollment, HMOs and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan must certify coverage, which includes HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)-eligible consumers and excludes elimination riders.

Are there strict guidelines for Michigan’s Patient Bill of Rights? Effective since, October 1, 1997, the Michigan Patient Bill of Rights grants patients the right to obtain their medical information and health coverage sooner for conditions that were diagnosed prior to enrollment of the current Michigan health insurance. The legislation does not apply to self-funded health care plans.

Does Michigan have any preexisting condition requirements? Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have a 6-month look-back and an exclusionary period limit for preexisting medical conditions. As for individual policies from other Michigan health insurance plans, providers have to follow a 6-month look-back and a 12-month exclusionary period limit for preexisting medical conditions.

Is there a source for the consumers in need of health insurance quotes to gather hassle free medical coverage information? Any insurance representative, charging for Michigan health insurance quotes is breaking the law.

For no obligation whatsoever, licensed insurance agent, Michael Novelli offers instant, free medical quotes at MichiganHealthandLife.com.

To speak with a trusted agent in Michigan about Michigan health insurance, speak to Mike Novelli at 1-866-522-5953. Or you can obtain your own free quote by clicking on this link, Michigan health insurance quote.

Illinois Health Insurance Companies Lack Adequate Governance

January 2, 2010 at 8:43 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

In Illinois, legislation is slanted toward health insurance agencies. These lenient laws illustrate why there is such a discrepancy of rates, coverage and policies from insurance provider-to-provider. Understanding Illinois health insurance’s underwriting terms and policies offers insight to finding the best medical coverage for ones own needs.

Statistics, published by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), depict that uninsured Midwesterners have the highest medical deferment rate due to cost. Individuals requiring Illinois health insurance, may use the consequential information to find adequate coverage.

What are the underwriting guidelines for Illinois health insurance policies? In Illinois, insurance companies may underwrite terms as they deem appropriate. Amid these lackadaisical underwriting policies, there are not any specific stipulations, standardizing the premiums and terms of medical coverage.

Does the state of Illinois mandate any specific insurance caps? There are not any insurance caps in the Illinois’ individual market. It is one of the contentious factors to the ever-inflating cost of medical coverage; whereby, consumers need the professional support of a licensed agent to advise suitable medical coverage.

President of Illinois Life and Health.com, Michael Novelli recommends a three basic, consumer-friendly tactics for obtaining affordable Illinois health insurance:

Provide a complete composite of medical history. Quite often, individuals shopping for insurance are rejected because they fail to disclose that previous medical conditions have been resolved. In cases where the insurance provider underwrites a policy, the premiums tend to be exorbitant, offering minimal benefits.

Compare as many medical quotes as possible. Through the analysis of different insurance quotes, consumers are able to compare costs, determining which coverage offers the most care. For family health plan, be sure to compare the cost of medical coverage for the family to an individual policy.

For more resources about Illinois medical insurance or to obtain an Illinois health insurance quote, visit Illinois Life & Health.com. Call 1-866-522-5953

Criminal Law for The Layman

November 24, 2009 at 11:03 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

How does the US criminal justice system decide just what is a crime? How does the whole world of criminal law work, and where did it come from? If we go back to Roman times we find that there was no criminal law, and that all offenses were deemed to be against the individual. It was only after the Romans that the concept of crimes against society emerged. Murder, rape and the like were given a special classification in order to protect the social order.

When something is harmful to society as a whole, rather than just an individual, it is elevated to the status of being a criminal offense. When facing a criminal charge a defendant is likely to face jail time. This contrasts with offenses against an individual which are handled by civil law, and more likely to be punished by a monetary penalty.

For a crime to have been committed two conditions need to be present: the criminal must have had a criminal intent, and they have to have undertaken the act. Mens rea is the legal term for criminal intent, and actus reus is the legal term for having committed the act. There are some rare crimes that do not need these two conditions to be present, and these are crimes of strict liability. With these crimes it does not matter whether there was intent or not.

Crimes are defined by state statutes, federal statutes and case law. Case law is where precedents are set at specific trials that decide where a certain action is criminal or not. Judges publish their reasons for making the decisions they did and this becomes case law. There are many nuances to the law and defense attorneys have plenty of scope to refute charges.

There are a number of elements that make up a criminal offense, and in the US criminal justice system the main thing that is debated in the trial courtrooms nationwide is whether each of these elements was present. This holds true whether the trial is in the state courts, federal courts, or special state criminal courts

The US criminal justice system determines whether or not crimes have taken place. It does so by determining whether the elements of the criminal offense were present. If you are facing criminal charges you are up against some might resources. This web site covers some interesting aspects of criminal law: http://hubpages.com/hub/Criminal-Liability-and-Actus-Reus

Focus – More Important Now Than It Ever Was

November 18, 2009 at 5:10 pm • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

Why is focus important in the context of finding a job? The simple fact that many people are in completely inappropriate job roles points to a significant lack of focus in peoples past job searches. Too often, people fall in to jobs that they are unhappy in and start to blame the employer. The fact is that it is not the employers job to make your role fit you. You have to make sure that you choose the correct job role for you. Stay focused

Motivating yourself to action is the key focus of your job search. As well as researching all the companies in your chosen field, focus on making your CV stand out from all of the others. You owe it to yourself to give yourself the best possible chance of finding and landing that dream job

The golfer Tommy Bolt, famous for his outbursts of anger stated in an interview that anger is the enemy of focus. I totally understand that from a golfers viewpoint. In context of looking for a better job however, the illustration is perhaps more obtuse. If you have been made redundant or lost your job, it is perhaps natural that you may feel angry and let down

Your tone of voice will come over in your job application. Women particularly are very sensitive to this and you cannot allow your feelings of anger or resentment to show themselves up in your CV. No employer want to employ someone who is carrying baggage, you need to focus your attention to revise your CV until you are sure that your CV is absolutely positive in all aspects

Concentration or focus can be easily dispersed. Write your CV when you are not likely to be disturbed. Get in a comfortable writing position- a desk is ideal. Don’t write your CV on a laptop in front of the television- it will show up in your writing. A recruiter is interested mostly in what you can do for them. Take this job seriously, you are selling yourself and you need to be sure that you show yourself in the best light possible

Achievements are what separate the great from the ordinary. If achievements were not important, then why would we have medals, prizes, competitions, etc. The simple truth is that life is competitive and we all want to be associated with winners. Achievements in your career show you to be a winner. Focus of showing a recruiter what you can do by highlighting your achievements in your CV

Extraordinary CVs get people interviews. You should seriously consider employing the services of a professional CV writing service if you are not sure that you can do this yourself. Most people can actually write an excellent CV but there are definitely ways to get your CV noticed. Buy a good book on the subject and study it intensely if funds are low

About the author: Glenn Hughes helps people get their dream job by providing a professional cv writing service to job seekers. More information and complementary articles can be found on the cv writing services website