David Down asked:

Is it really possible to run a free reverse cell phone lookup on the internet? Many of us have become disillusioned and frustrated in the past with websites which appear to offer free products or services online but in fact do not. Is this the case with cell phone lookups?

Firstly let us examine exactly what we mean by a phone number lookup. If you have in your possession a residential phone number but no idea who the number belongs to or what address it relates to you can use a “reverse lookup” service to find out those details. This can obviously be very useful in situations where you have lost contact with someone but still have a record of their phone number, or simply wish to verify who owns the number before mistakenly phoning the wrong number. There are many places you can perform such residential and business phone lookups online for free, including toll-free numbers.

However a problem arises when you need to run a reverse lookup on a cellular phone as the free directories do not contain any such numbers. Similarly they do not contain fax numbers as this information is only held by the carriers and telecommunications companies. Do these records exist, and are they free?

The good news is there are websites which claim to offer large numbers of cell phone numbers, but they are not free. These websites naturally have to pay for access to some of this information, and go to the considerable trouble of pulling all the various resources together in one place, and as a result you will be charged a small fee before you can access the lookup databases. However the fee is a one-off payment and with some websites you can run as many searches as you like once you have access, with others they offer a single lookup for a lower fee. The records they claim to offer include cell owner details, address history, carrier details, and the phone connection status. It is also worth noting that the databases offered by each company differ to some degree, but most include cell phones and often residential, business, toll-free, even pagers, and these websites say your searches are guaranteed legal and confidential.

In addition to reverse lookups there are also similar websites which offer access to information such as background checks and background reports, people finder databases, bankruptcies, liens, public records databases including births, deaths, marriages, divorces and adoptions, *** offender records, police records, and much more. These sites operate in the same way, offering access to specific types of information for a set fee, however it should be noted that you will not receive access to such information as part of your cell phone lookup site membership.

I have seen websites claiming to offer free cell lookups, but they always lead eventually to the paid sites in the end, even allowing people to search for free and then charging to view the results. It is the sad truth that the only place where you are likely to find detailed reverse cell records is within the legitimate paid directories. In conclusion, the answer is no, free cell phone lookups do not currently exist. However if you really want to access such records then I believe paying a small fee is a price worth paying.

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Davion Wong asked:

It should not come as a surprise to those interested to watch satellite TV on computers that there are already millions doing so. Billions of video streams are watched every single day and people are getting used to watching entertainment media using their PCs online. Basically, the easiest way around it is to power up your computer with a special satellite TV software. We will find out more in this article about this unique software that can enable you to watch satellite TV on computer through the internet and how it compares with the services you are using today.

The software can be downloaded from retailers online and installed quickly. There are clear instruction manuals that take you through a step-by-step approach. Even the most technically challenged can install software in a few steps. The usage is simple since the navigation is user-friendly. Once you are done with the installation, you can instantly check out the TV channels they offer and find the desired TV program you can watch.

If you have been a satellite TV subscriber for the longest time, you would be glad that there are no monthly costs involved at all. The only cost ever is the one time payment for the software which works out to less than $50 for most software versions and brands. When new programs are added, you also need not top up or pay anything extra. These are all included in the software package.

Since the software is receiving free to air TV feeds from FTA TV stations, the TV channels you can watch on computer are entirely free. A quick comparison between satellite and cable TV versus PC satellite TV would reveal that you are catching maybe 700 channels at max with the monthly services but getting access to over 2000 TV channels with the software. This is the one main reason why people love to use the PC satellite TV software.

Other than the software, you do not need extra equipment or hardware, just a good internet connection will do, be it broadband or dial up. Ideally, you should use broadband for faster speeds of TV feed transmission. You also need to have Macromedia Flash and Windows Media Player installed before you can watch satellite TV on computer.

The software has an intelligent user interface that makes it a breeze to use to search and find TV shows to watch. Once you watched it, click to save the TV channel so that you can come back another day to watch. The whole process is as hassle-free as it can get.

Looking at the software side by side with monthly TV services, it outshines services in terms of affordability, the number of TV channels available and the userability. This probably is the reason why more TV viewers, especially the younger folks now watch TV in this way. Learn more about this new technology and how you can make use of PC satellite TV software to watch satellite TV on computer at home from my TV blog.

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Dan Kerr asked:

Independent catastrophic claims adjusting or “cat” adjusting is an exciting, lucrative, and relatively unknown occupational niche in the insurance industry. When disaster strikes, cat adjusters or “storm troopers” answer the call to assist insurance policyholders in recovering from their losses. The work is challenging, personally fulfilling and can be surprisingly profitable. Follow these 4 steps to become a licensed, trained, ready-to-deploy cat adjuster:

#1: Obtain Your Adjuster License

It is highly recommended that you obtain an adjuster license as a first step in this career. Obtaining a license demonstrates to hiring companies that you are a legitimate applicant, that you know the basics of claims practice and policy, and that you are legally certified to handle claims in the state you are licensed in. As a general rule, it is best to first obtain a license in the state of your residence. Many states, however, do not require a license to operate as an adjuster. Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are but a few examples. In this case it is suggested that you obtain either a Texas or Florida adjuster license. Both licenses are very well respected and highly reciprocal – meaning you can obtain other states licenses with them without having to take that state’s exam or required coursework. Texas and Florida adjuster pre-licensing courses, which satisfy all requirements for obtaining their respective state licenses, are available in either a classroom or online setting. Course tuition will average $299 for online and $499 for classroom. After the course has been completed and you have submitted your application to the regulating authority, you can expect to be a licensed adjuster in just a few weeks.

#2: Obtain Critical Adjuster Training

For those making career transitions from the residential or commercial contracting industries, supplemental training may prove unnecessary. But for those who have little previous experience with construction, loss analysis, estimating software, and standard methods of repair, it is tremendously helpful to undertake some practical training. Probably the most important training a newly licensed adjuster should consider is Xactimate training. Used by roughly 75% of independent adjusters, Xactimate is the most popular estimating program today. Others, like MSB IntegriClaim, have their place, and may be preferred by particular insurance carriers. Still, Xactimate is accepted by more carriers than any other and is the best place to begin learning software estimatics. Courses, ranging from 1 to 5 days ($400 to $1,200) may be taken and courses taught by actual claims adjusters ought to be preferred.

#3: Find a Job

Becoming an adjuster doesn’t make sense unless there is work to do. While ultimately there is no silver bullet (outside the handy personal contact) for finding work, understanding the employment landscape will go a long way towards helping you land a job.

Understanding Demand
The bottom line is that the demand for independent adjusters fluctuates greatly and depends on the frequency and severity of catastrophic weather events. In 2005 and 2006, in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, finding work as a cat adjuster was almost as simple as raising your hand. 2007, however, saw surprisingly clement weather and did not produce many claims. Adjusting companies consequently could afford to be far pickier in their hiring process. 3 to 5 experience requirements became common and job prospects were bleak for new cat adjusters. At the time of this article, the 2008 storm season has been extremely tough on the Midwest with flooding, hail, and tornado. And with the anticipation of a potentially huge hurricane year, adjusting companies are scrambling to fill their deployment rosters and are relaxing experience requirements in order to do so. Because demand is weather driven, timing is crucial in finding work as an independent adjuster.

Who do I Work For?

It isn’t always correctly understood who cat adjusters work for. Lets clear this up. Technically, and for tax purposes, an independent adjuster is an independent contractor that works for oneself. Work is typically obtained, however, through adjusting firms that in turn contract with insurance companies to handle claims. For example, after Hurricane Katrina, insurance companies didn’t have nearly enough adjusters on staff to handle the massive influx of claims. Acme insurance company, as a theoretical, would then give out 10,000 claims to be handled by Pinnacle adjusting firm. Pinnacle adjusting firm in turn hires individual independent adjusters in sufficient numbers to handle the 10,000 claims. Those adjusters who work efficiently and with little oversight (babysitting) get the most claims from Pinnacle. So, if you are looking for a job as a cat adjuster, you should be looking towards getting on with adjusting firm.

Where do I Look for a Job?

There are several useful adjusting firm directories and social networks that keep you apprised of adjuster job listings. Adjusting firms maintain deployment rosters of qualified adjusters who are eligible for being put to work in the event of a catastrophe. A new independent adjuster should aspire to join as many rosters as possible. The ultimate goal is to have a steady stream of invitations to work which can be accepted or declined at your discretion. Remember, you are your own boss!

#4: Maintain Your Good Standing

Staying on top of Continuing Education (CE) requirements keeps you in compliance with your adjuster license and also gives you a legitimate opportunity to advance your knowledge base and skills as an adjuster. CE opportunities abound in both online and classroom form. Failure to maintain CE compliance can result in very steep penalties and forfeiture of your license. Considering the ease by which most states’ CE is kept this should be easily avoided.

Robert Brant asked:

Did you know that more than 30,000 people are injured each year while using a chainsaw? And, that figure is in the United States alone. Since worldwide numbers are not readily available we can see that the actual number is much higher. For this reason, particularly if you are an employer whose employees use a chainsaw regularly, safety training is an absolute must. By providing proper training for those affected employees, you can reduce your on the job injuries, reduce your workers’ compensation insurance costs, and have a much cleaner safety record.

First and foremost, ensure that any new employees that are hired are trained on the proper use of the chain saw before they use it. Regardless of the employees experience level, it is your job that any new hire is trained before being allowed to use this dangerous tool. Why? At least two reasons: 1) It is an OSHA requirement that all new employees be trained before they enter a hazardous workplace, and 2) you took the time to find, hire, and retain this new employee and you don’t want to have to start over again. Is this selfish on behalf of you the employer? Absolutely.

Much of your chainsaw safety training needs to revolve around the use of the proper personal protective equipment or PPE. Much time should be spent discussing the use of hard hats, proper hand protection such as gloves, eye protection in the form of safety glasses, and hearing protection such as ear plugs. Proper training on PPE will go a long way to ensure that your employees who use a chainsaw on the worksite will remain safe while on the job.

Finally, make sure that your employees are trained on the proper process of starting the chainsaw. Although this sounds overly simple, many accidents occur by employees doing an “air drop” technique to start the saw. This is where the operator holds the starting cord with one hand and drops the saw forcing the start of the tool by gravity. Many employees think this is the “cool” way to start a chainsaw and many an operator have lost their hands while attempting this. There is only one proper way to start a chainsaw and that is with the tool in complete control at all times. Your employee’s should know that safety is important at your company and that any violations might result in discipline or termination.

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David Hardin asked:

Disaster preparation should be a family affair and must include some first aid training. The person best suited for the job, should be the designated caregiver. A second person should be trained as backup in case the primary caregiver is among the injured.

The dangers inherent to the more violent natural disasters, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes are obvious, but floods, winter emergencies and heat related energy outages also have risks associated with them.

The bare minimum the caregiver should know is the following;

how to clean and dress wounds, how to suture wounds and when not to suture wounds, how to reset, splint, or immobilize fractures, how to perform cpr, how to reduce a high fever, how to deal with shock, or post-traumatic stress syndrome, how to deal with heat exhaustion, or heat stroke, how to deal with frostbite and hypothermia, how to recognize and treat food poisoning, how to clean and treat burns, how to treat symptoms of electrical shock, how to recognize symptoms of various diseases, the importance of hygiene and sanitation following a disaster.

The American Red Cross offers courses that cover most, if not all, of these subjects. People who have never worked in the medical field often shy away from these courses, thinking that they are not qualified, or capable of learning life saving techniques. This is not so. The courses are set up to train people with no prior knowledge of medicine. They are taught in layman’s terms and are interesting, informative and usually fun.

In North America, first responders should be on the scene within 72 hours, but this is not always the case. Survivors should be prepared to care for themselves for at least a week, maybe longer. Following a disaster of any magnitude the survivors will be facing the same problems that people living in third world countries face, daily. Under these conditions a person with any first aid or medical training will be invaluable.

Some people hesitate giving first aid help in fear of law suits. The Good Samaritan law protects caregivers in an emergency situation.

Preparing in advance by maintaining a well stocked first aid kit will greatly improve the chance of survival for you and your family, but additional training in field expedient medicine is invaluable. You can make a splint, or a neck brace using a rolled up newspaper. Bandages can be made from cotton cloth, or paper towels and duct tape. Remedies for upset stomachs, dehydration, burn treatment and other common problems can be made from ingredients found in any kitchen.

The more you know, the safer you will be, but nothing takes the place of advance preparation. Disaster preparedness is the best and least expensive insurance policy you can get for your family.

Michael Andreson asked:

As is mostly believed, the ratio of disasters has increased over the years. This might not be the case, as disasters have always struck humanity. However, the media explosion and coverage enable us to get to know about every disaster striking in any corner of the world. This media attention and the increased devastation have forced many governments to implement the advanced methods of disaster management. Disaster shelter is one of the most visible and most useful components of any disaster management program.

A disaster shelter does not have a set or fixed structure or equipment. Disaster shelters depend upon the type and nature of a particular natural event and are constructed in a manner to accommodate the affected population of that incident. However, there are some common types of equipment present in every disaster shelter. Following is a brief description of each of equipment.

Bedding

Bedding has to be included in the equipment category during a disaster due to heavy displacement of people. As the houses and properties are damaged, people are unable to arrange their own beddings. Subsequently, it is provided to them in the disaster shelters.

Tents

Tents and camping equipment are also some of the core supplies in any disaster shelter. In most cases, disaster shelters are themselves housed in tents. Affected people are provided with tents and camping equipment so that they can have some shelter and privacy.

Medical Supplies

Medical equipment and supplies are also of paramount importance. Their importance is quadrupled in the case of a disaster. This is the time when thousands or even millions of people are injured seriously. They need immediate medical attention. A basic disaster shelter should have a doctor or paramedics on call so that patients can be treated immediately and the loss of lives can be curtailed. Similarly, a disaster shelter has to have a continuous supply of medicines and basic medical equipment like an X-ray machine and basic blood testing system, among other things.

Water Purifiers

Disasters cripple the water supply system. In the case of an earthquake or flood, water supply lines are mixed with the sewerage system thus, making the water polluted. People can become ill, and the whole population can come under a disease outbreak if there is no system of water purification. A disaster shelter should have a facility to treat and purify the drinking water

Electricity Generator

There should be an electricity generator in a disaster shelter. In the absence of electricity, no one would be able to carry out the relief work or even support the affected people in the disaster shelter. Additionally, the electricity generator should be of a high voltage so as to support the operations of medical equipment and electric stoves, among other things.

Communications System

A communication system is also necessary to keep in touch with the higher authorities and disaster relief committees. The communication system also helps in a speedy transportation of relief goods to the affected areas. Moreover, it can help the victims of natural disaster to get in touch with their families and relatives, living in other parts of the country, which may eventually result in some of the victims moving temporarily to their relatives.

Wayne Bennett asked:

Myth #1 – Planning and Preparedness is useless, people just panic in disasters
A small portion of people may suffer from Disaster Shock and become paralyzed by what is before them. But the real truth is, the greater majority of people perform with unusual effectiveness and stamina. Often heroically. Although, due to this emotional state, some well intentioned folks make mistakes. These persons we will call spontaneous rescuers, tend to make decisions using their hearts instead of their heads (emotions vs. common sense). With proper training, they learn to become part of the solution, instead of the problem.

Myth #2 – Get into a Doorway
To get into a doorway means you probably moved away from some perfectly good cover in the form of furniture. Remember, every step you take during the shaking, you increase your odds of becoming injured by falling and flying debris within the room. Doorways pose risks to the victim whose hands become crushed by the slamming door. This myth was created back in a time when many of the California Missions were built from adobe. After an earthquake the only part of the building left standing, was the doorway. With modern construction standards improving over the years, doorways have actually become the weakest part of the structure.

Myth #3 – Food and Water is the most important
Actually food and water can wait. The truth is a First Aid Kit, Fire Extinguisher and Utility Shutoff tool are the most important. No one will starve to death in the following minutes, hours or even days. But failing to manage first aid, fire or your utilities in the first minutes of a disaster can lead to a true disaster. Not attending to Breathing or severe Bleeding and managing Shock immediately could lead to death in only minutes. A real first aid kit is a must. Not extinguishing fires will lead to much larger fires. Failing to control utilities almost always leads to explosions and/or fires.

Myth #4 – If trapped, just start yelling
Bad idea. All that yelling will cause you to choke and possibly suffocate on the debris dust, which can be substantial following a collapse. This will also cause you to fatigue quickly at a time when you need to save your strength. Yelling will dehydrate you at a much faster rate from the loss of moisture in your breath. Tapping 3 times periodically will save energy and can be detected by rescuers.

Myth #5 – Shut off the Gas Meter if you smell gas
The old saying if you smell gas-turn if off, is not always accurate or safe. Just because you smell gas does not mean it is your house that has the problem. What is unsafe about using the smell of gas as the measurement of safety is people then assume if no smell, no leak. With natural gas being lighter than air it could be a considerable amount time before you discover gas leaking in your walls or attic space. The simple act of turning on a light switch could have devastating consequences. A better method is to watch for any dials turning on your gas meter. Remember, keep a wrench at the meter.

Tyler Tichelaar asked:

George W. Doherty continues his work of educating recovery workers so they can help themselves and those directly affected by crises in “From Crisis to Recovery: Strategic Planning for Response, Resilience, and Recovery.” This book is a type of follow up to his earlier work, “Crisis Intervention Training for Disaster Workers: An Introduction.” While Doherty covers some similar ground in this book, overall, the book is better organized and more reader-friendly, breaking down everything to be considered during a crisis to provide an effective response and recovery from the event.

The first chapter, “What is Stress?” is valuable to everyone, whether the person has been in a disaster, helped at a disaster, or just lived a normal life. While this chapter does not relate to disasters specifically, it is relevant to understand what is the natural level of stress people can handle and what are basic and effective methods of coping with stress, including effective breathing exercises. The many positive side effects of stress are also included because they propel us forward. As Doherty points out later in the book, humans prefer a certain level of risk, rather than stagnation, and if risk is not present, they will create a level of risk comfortable to them. I found all this information helpful in understanding my own stress and anxieties, and I feel better prepared for traumatic situations as a result of reading this book. I can see how this understanding of people’s responses to stress is invaluable for understanding how they cope with disasters.

Anyone who will work with people during a crisis will find this book invaluable, especially team leaders who must prepare for all the various aspects of a crisis. As Doherty points out several times, it is important to understand that “No one who sees a disaster is untouched by it.” Whether a person loses a home or loved one in the disaster, is part of relief and recovery efforts, or is simply part of the media reporting on the story, all these people have undergone a traumatic experience and need to know how to handle it. Doherty’s explanations of understanding how different people cope with trauma, based on age and cultural background, make it clear one method does not fit everyone, one form of grief processing does not heal everyone grieving, and people have to consider the human and individual elements in the recovery process.

Throughout, the book offers practical steps for helping in a crisis. One excellent example was if a crisis worker is told about an elderly person having a difficult time dealing with the crisis, the worker can prioritize what otherwise would be overwhelming by focusing on immediate rather than secondary needs, immediate needs including medication, eyeglasses, and shelter; once immediate needs are determined, the easiest can be tackled first. I thought this suggestion was a practical and stress-relieving way to help the person suffering from the crisis. In addition, Doherty discusses helping children cope with the situation, as well as how disaster workers can explain their absence from home to their own children without traumatizing them with worry. In short, Doherty covers every possible scenario imaginable. I doubt there is anything he did not consider in writing this book. Much of the book seems like common sense, but the material is invaluable as a reminder of what needs to be done, which otherwise workers may not mentally be able to formulate for themselves in the midst of a crisis.

Doherty uses considerable research and references to real disasters ranging from September 11th to hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes to illustrate his points. While at times the book is a bit repetitive, and may also seem a little overwhelming to read from cover to cover, after one thorough read, I think it would serve as a quick and effective reference guide that crisis workers will return to again and again.

Beyond the book’s main text, the appendices provide an enormous list of resources-they actually make up over a quarter of the book. Web sites, books, and phone numbers of emergency organizations are included as well as outlines of what is needed for planning consideration, structural organization, and guidelines for setting up processes. Examples of individual “After Action” reports and actual disaster plans are included.

George Doherty is the founder of the Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute and its current president/CEO. He also serves as Clinical Coordinator of the Snow Range Critical Incident Stress Management Team. He has been involved in disaster relief since 1995 as a Disaster Mental Health Specialist who has helped people through disasters from train wrecks to hurricanes and flash floods. I admire his expertise, his courage in performing what has to be a traumatic job, and his willingness to share his knowledge to aid workers in helping others and themselves in the most effective ways possible so people can be resilient and recover from the unforeseen disasters they experience.

Avy Barnes asked:

How would you like to get a flatter midsection fast, easy, and without having to resort to doing anything complicated or unnatural? Here are 5 tips that will help you flatten your stomach in no time with ease:

1. The key to being able to remove water weight, flush out harmful toxins in your body, help increase your metabolism, boost energy levels, and so much is to ensure that you get plenty of water each day. I recommend 1/2 your body weight for best results.

2. If you want to make sure that you have the best chance possible to shed away inches of fat each day, you must ensure that you jump start your metabolism each day. The best ways to do this is to do a quick 5 minute circuit training routine (push ups, body weight squats, jog in place, etc.) and/or drink an 8 oz. glass of ice cold water as soon as you awake (this causes thermogenesis which will raise your metabolism).

3. Do you ever get those annoying hunger pangs later in the day? Do you seem sluggish through out the day? Well, one of the causes for this could be that you’re skipping breakfast. Skipping breakfast will cause you to be excessively hungry later in the day and ultimately binge eating. Plus, avoiding breakfast will slow your metabolism down. So, make sure that you get a nutrient dense breakfast each morning to prevent slowing down your metabolism.

4. To boost your metabolism, decrease hunger, stop those annoying cravings, and so much more, I recommend that you go on a diet where one of the aspects of the program is that you’ll be eating more frequently through out the day with smaller meals. This not only will speed up your metabolism, but also will decrease hunger pangs and cravings.

5. The following tip was a HUGE reason I successfully dropped an amazing 52 pounds and was able to get a flatter midsection easily, consistently, and in 8 weeks time! This tip was that I went on a diet that was not only based on eating more frequently, but also eating in a special way that would burn fat away on autopilot! All I had to do was eat NORMAL foods, but the trick was that the meals I was eating were designed in a special way that caused my metabolism to soar to the highest peak for crazy fat loss!

John J. Albert asked:

Are you wondering about how to make your ******* bigger and you are afraid of surgery and implants? Are you trying to find out the safest method to make them larger? Now there are safer methods than surgery that can help you grow bigger ******. In this article I will tell you about some of the natural ****** enhancement methods:

Enhancement Creams

What ****** enlargement creams do is that they mimic the action of estrogen in your body leading to promotion of additional tissue in your ******. They contain ingredients which are plant based and they are similar to estrogen, so by applying these creams to your ****** they enhance the growth of your ****** tissue by stimulating the estrogen receptors in the mammary glands.

Enhancement Pills

Breast enhancement pills also have the same mechanism in enlarging ******* as they also can mimic the action of estrogen in your body. Pills can have better effect as they can provide more amounts of these compounds that have an effect similar to estrogenic effect. The same idea applies here to as these pills stimulate estrogen receptors to help adding new tissue to your ******.

Pumps

Pumps are a good and simple to make your ****** grow permanently. They can increase size of the ****** slightly by encouraging ****** tissue expansion by their vacuum pressure. The bad thing about ****** pumps is that they only increase ****** size by about half a cup and you have to wear it about 12 hours a day.

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