Business Education Lesson Plans: December 2012

Winter is a hard season for most drivers... and rental cars aren't an exception

It's that time of year again when the white stuff falls from the sky and does not immediately melt. For those who live in the cities, this is the signal of additional troubles. Although you have always been able to drive in snow and on ice, the majority of other road users act like learner drivers when freezing temperatures set in, skating around the white tops like their vehicles are on a permanent collision course with you or the nearest solid object. Naturally, you do all the maintenance things you are supposed to do and give yourself the best chance of staying out of trouble. But you just wish it was all over. But for a small percentage of the population, this is a signal for the start of excitement and celebration. These are the folk who head off for the nearest ski slopes whenever the nearest resorts start confirming enough snow of the right type.

It's at this point we have to draw a line in the snow. On one side, we have all the people who have to go out in the snow to drive to work or as work. For all these people, winter driving is just one of the things you have to get through. As a matter of routine, the anti-freeze liquid to keep the windshield free of ice is topped up, the tires are checked regularly, there are emergency supplies in the trunk, and so on. More importantly, everyone has thought carefully about their auto insurance. When the risks of a collision or damage from more extreme weather are at their highest, you think about adding a margin of safety on to your liability cover and check the values on the collision and comprehensive policies. But on the other side of the line are the drivers who can only think of getting to the slopes to begin skiing or boarding or sledding or whatever they propose doing. If their vehicles are already in prime condition, it's just more of the same and the journeys will be as safe as around town. But if you are coming from an area where there's no snow on the ground or you are proposing to rent when you fly into the area, what precautions did you take?

Let's say you are going to rent, what did you tell the car rental companies you asked for quotes? Did you tell them you are proposing to drive into areas where there's heavy snow? At the very least, this should prompt a very serious examination of your insurance situation. If you slide off the road and hit a tree, or your carefully parked car is swept away in an avalanche, will your existing auto insurance cover pay out on all the claims you will face for loss of the rental vehicle (including claims for loss of use and last profit)? If not, you will need to pay for additional cover from the car rental companies you decide to use.

How can you save money on road trips when gas prices skyrocket?

The price of gas seemed to be going to achieve escape velocity and go into orbit recently... For those of you not into NASA jargon, that's gas at more than $5 a gallon. Even now, when the upward pressure seems to have eased, it can still be a shock to the credit card every time you fill up the tank. Which does force us to wonder whether we should abandon the idea of a driving vacation. Just think back to the time when we were young, we could jump in the car and drive off on a whim. It only cost a few dollars to drive several thousand miles. Now it can cost one-hundred dollars to fill up one tank. That's a big change but one we have to keep in perspective. In the 1990s, a gallon of regular gas would cost you $1.36. Today you would expect to pay about $4.30. In 1990, the average worker earned about $20,000. In 2012, the same worker would be earning about $40,000. So although gas price has gone up three-fold, average incomes have doubled. It's still more expensive to put gas in your tank, but not quite as bad, particularly when you consider modern vehicles are far more fuel efficient than they were twenty years ago. So where does this get us?

If you are going on a road trip, you should look carefully at the make and model of the vehicle you propose to rent. Ask for vehicles with good storage space for all the additional "stuff" you need to carry, but with the best mileage you can find. Instead of renting an SUV that goes through a tank of gas like it's not having to pay the bills, you could take less "stuff" and rent a hybrid. For those of you who have never driven a hybrid, this can be an educational introduction. Within minutes you learn how difficult it is not to watch the real-time mileage reports. That really encourages the driver to learn how to make driving the most economical activity in the world. Then there's how you buy the gas. Look around the credit card offers for the best cash-back for fuel. In this, be alert. Some only show the headline percentage in big print but double the reward for use in buying gas and groceries. If you shop wisely, you can usually find cash-back offers of 5% so, if you were looking at gas prices of about $4.30 per gallon, the actual cost comes down to $4.03.

Talk to a number of car rental companies to find the most fuel-efficient vehicles available. Plus, while looking around for the best cash-back offers, also look for credit card providers offering the best insurance deals on rental vehicles. Beacuse the car rental companies are usually trying to sell you their own insurance... So pay by the credit card you've picked and refuse their insurance offers.

Herpes zoster (shingles) and Treatment by Prednisone

Most kids get chickenpox at an early age. This is usually short-lived and produces some vivid markings of the skin with those itchy pockmarks - although tempting to scratch, it is important to resist in order to prevent long term scarring. After a few days, the worst of the symptoms pass. Assuming you have resisted the temptation to scratch, the skin should heal leaving no obvious marks. It is easy to believe that all your troubles are over except the virus is not necessarily done with you. Around half of all adults experience a new range of symptoms arising from the same exact virus but later in life. This confirms a simple truth. This virus is almost impossible to kill and, no matter what you do, it can come back, sometimes years later. This time, the virus breaks out in the nerve endings and produce a rash along the line of the nerves affected. The rash may start off as a harmless itch, but it usually devolves into a sharp pain. With luck, the rash usually heals within one month, but there can be longer term pain in the affected nerves. If you are lucky, this pain will only last for a few months, but some people find the pain continues for more than a year. It is relatively rare for the skin rash to appear more than once.

If you start taking one of the specific antivirals within three days of the rash first appearing, there's a good chance the herpes will not develop into the most painful form. If you decide not to get treatment, the rash is much slower to clear and the pain is more likely to last more than a year. Those who are over fifty absolutely must seek treatment if they are to avoid pain. The moral of this is for you always to seek an antiviral as soon as a rash appears. To this prescription is added painkillers and corticosteroids. As to the pain, most people find the drugs available over the counter are sufficient to maintain quality of life. One of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will be best. As the spots begin to heal, one of the painkilling topical creams can be applied.

We now come to the question of the corticosteroids. Although the evidence pointing to positive results in younger people is discouraging, it seems that Prednisone can have great benefits for the older generation of 50+ year olds. The research suggests the spots heal more quickly and there is less pain without having to rely on painkillers. With prompt treatment, there seems to be less chance of longer term pain from damaged nerves, but there is no clear evidence. The best approach therefore seems to be that you should take Prednisone if you are over 50, the rash covers a significant area and is more painful than you expect. This is a precautionary approach relying on the fact that a short burst of the drug is unlikely to harm you and will ideally speed along the cure and recovery process.

Clear Skin Can Be a Reality by Getting Prescribed to Accutane

It is truly strange the way many people treat their health in modern society. For example, often times people will wait until the last minute to go to the hospital or seek treatment. As long as the affliction is a hidden one, without a visual component, many people resist any sort of treatment until they are literally in the hospital in critical condition. People don't wait with exterior altering conditions - they seek treatment aggressively the moment the first symptoms manifest, and pursue additional treatments with serious energy.

One might think that this can be attributed to people being too wrapped up in external appearances; however, it is important to note that acne can have serious psychological side effects on the bearer. Afflictions without a physical manifestation, or with a physical effect that cannot be easily hidden, serve as both intense reminders that something is very wrong and as humiliating public signs. Nobody likes the whole world to know their personal secrets - we all defend our privacy ferociously. Ironically this means we often treat harmless afflictions - like acne - with more energy and attention than more serious problems. Acne isn't deadly, or even harm you seriously in any way, as a rule, yet people are always willing to spend money, time, and energy pursuing spotless skin.

Of course, another aspect of this phenomenon is the fact that with acne, unlike a lot of other afflictions, you can, in fact, achieve your goal. Almost anyone suffering from acne can actually treat it using Accutane.

Accutane is an extremely effective treatment for acne of any degree. It is usually reserved for the most difficult cases that have proven impossible to resolve with any other treatments or simple lifestyle adjustments. This is due to the side effects that users of Accutane will experience. These are rare and can usually be resolved easily enough, but they must be considered soberly by anyone who seeks spotless skin by using this medication.

'Spotless' is, of course, a variable term. Most people never have literally spotless skin. We all bear imperfections, whether they are birthmarks or scars, or the occasional patch of dry skin or shine. Nobody is ever truly spotless and yet it remains a real goal for people. When someone with acne says they are striving for spotless skin they typically don't mean it in an unrealistic way, but simply that they want to see improvement. Any significant reduction in the amount or intensity of acne on their faces and bodies would be a blessing for them.

Achieving this with Accutane is possible, but people suffering from acne must be ready to follow the very strict guidelines they will be given when they begin a regimen of the medication. These instructions will be very specific and must be adhered to perfectly. Those who are tempted to increase dosage or rate of consumption in order to speed things along should be aware that it can be very dangerous to do so - and, most importantly, can compromise the medication's effectiveness. Always follow a doctor's instructions when treating acne - and spotless skin can be a reality for you as well.

Why Should You Go With Levitra for ED?

Viagra has been on the market since 1998, and has since become a very popular drug that most people - regardless of direct experience - have heard of. That being said, men with ED should still be aware that there are alternative medications available to them on the market today. Cialis and Levitra are two newer drugs that have had similar success. All three drugs are effective, but each has different characteristics that you should consider.

All three of these medications fall under the class of PDE-5 inhibitors. They all have similar effectiveness rates as well - as high as 70% of men are successfully treated, this even includes every different kind of erectile dysfunction. Each of these drugs also requires sexual stimulation in order to work - you will not get an automatic erection.

Viagra is the oldest of the drugs and claims to be the fastest to work. On average, it only takes 14 minutes from the time you take the pill for Viagra to be absorbed into the body, assuming you took it on an empty stomach. The downside of the pill is that the time it takes to kick in can vary widely based on how much food you have in your stomach. It takes about 30 minutes for you to feel the drugs full effects, but it loses half of this effect after about 4 hours. Side effects include things such as upset stomach, mild headaches, mild headaches, facial flushing, and unusually bright vision.

Levitra was the second drug to come onto the market. It is chemically composed differently than the other ones and is actually more powerful for the worst cases of ED. It takes about 45 minutes to take full effect, but it is not affected by stomach contents, unless they are highly fatty. Levitra has more efficacy, potency, and a longer duration than Viagra. Side effects you should be aware of can include flushing, headache, and runny or stuffy nose.

Finally, there is Cialis. This drug was the last to come onto the market, and has been approved to work for up to 36 hours, with some studies showing an effectiveness up to 100 hours. Cialis, unlike the others, will not be effected by your stomach contents and will kick in the hardest after 2 hours of absorption time. Cialis's half-life is between sixteen and twenty-two hours depending on the individual. The most common side effects include back and muscle aches, headaches, and upset stomach.

As you can see, these three drugs are very similar. The one you choose depends on your individual lifestyle and medical history. Keep in mind that you must speak to a doctor regarding these medications as they are all three prescription drugs. When you speak with your doctor, be sure to mention any medical conditions or drugs you may be taking. Some drugs interfere, so its important that your doctor is aware of them.

Erectile dysfunction can seriously affect your quality of life if you do not get treatment. Speak with your doctor today and get your life, relationship, and sex drive back on track!

Crohn's Disease treatment and Prednisone integration

This is one of the autoimmune disorders. Also known as inflammatory bowel disease, it inflames and damages the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract producing ulcers and bleeding. The inflammation and ulceration causes the intestinal walls to thicken. In that state, the lining loses its ability to absorb water from the waste that passes through to the colon. As a result, the stool becomes watery and you suffer diarrhea. If you neglect yourself, the lining goes on to produce excess mucus and may bleed. Over time the blood loss can lead to anemia and fatigue producing the classic symptoms of chronic Crohn's disease. However, this disease is not necessarily limited to the intestines leading down to the rectum. It can affect can affect the "top half" of the feeding system from the mouth down through the stomach. Put another way, if your immune system turns against the body, it can attack the healthy tissue in all the connected areas.

There are a number of symptoms that can show up, including loss of appetite, consequent weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhea, pain while passing stool, rectal bleeding, joint pain, mouth ulcers and swollen gums. These symptoms can flare up, disappear and reemerge in a cycle over the years. Despite the investment of significant research effort, the exact cause of the disease remains a mystery. It therefore follows there is no cure for this disease. The best that can be done is to manage the symptoms of the illness and maintain the best possible quality of life. A range of drugs is prescribed to suppress the immune system (which reduces the inflammation), to ease the digestive process, and to relieve the pain. Prednisone is synthetic corticosteroids used to suppress the operation of the immune system and for the anti-inflammatory effect. As one of the corticosteroids, there are potentially quite severe side effects if it is prescribed over any significant period of time. The usual treatment strategy is therefore to restrict its use to treating moderate to severe stages of the disease. Because the anti-inflammatory effect effect comes quickly, it is suitable for resolving the flare-ups. It should not be used over the longer term because the adrenal glands will stop working and leave you dependent on the drug. It takes time and patience to wean you off the drug and encourage your adrenal glands to start working naturally.

In consultation with your regular doctor, you should discuss when Prednisone can be used, at what dosage, and for how long. To make life slightly easier at home, the drug can be taken orally or by inserting it directly into the rectum. Once the flare-up subsides, you should stop as quickly as possible. Without this stop-start approach, there may be some thinning of your bones, impotence or menstrual irregularities. Finally, Crohn's Disease patients should eat a high-fibre balanced diet of protein and other nutrients to help the digestive process.