Tips About Anything

Archive for October, 2009

Many people have stopped relying solely on banks as a safe place to hold money, given the economic climate.  Here are seven tips to consider to protect any cash you may have:

1. Be sure your institution is insured:   If you are not sure if your bank is FDIC insured, find out or get your money out and move it to an  institution that is FDIC insured.
2. Start and grow a coin collection:  Coin collections are tangible assets that will always keep their face value.  This is an alternative to just owning stocks that could depreciate or cause you to lose money.
3. Keep cash safe at home: Cash is ‘King’.  Believe this statement, and remember not to keep it in a thief’s favorite spot like in the bread box or under/in the mattress. 
4. US Savings bonds:  This is an oldie, but goodie (safe) option.  US Savings bonds are an easy way for your money to stay safe for the future.  However, if lost or stolen, the bonds could be difficult to replace unless the serial number(s) was kept in a safe place.  US Savings bonds must now be held for at least 1 year before cashing them in.
5. Gold and Silver: If you already own gold or silver, great, hold on to it.  If you do not own it, try to obtain as many US government issued gold and silver coins, as you can.  Due to the recent demand, the US  Mint had to halt the production of some of their most valued gold coins. 
6. Real estate:  With interest rates at historic all-time lows, the market is sure to recover and property values will once again bounce back.  Those who hold on to their homes or other real estate will likely reap the benefits of these investments.
7. Purchase a good safe: Home safes are becoming a necessity during times of economic turmoil.  A good safe is made from solid steel construction and can range in price depending on size.  If you find a good safe, you will have your own ‘Fort Knox’ to keep everything safe including official documents, coin collections, currency, US Savings Bonds, guns, gold, silver, deeds, wills and other legal papers.

Dress to be seen

Fall is a good time for safety awareness, in and around the neighborhoods, especially during Halloween.  Keep in mind:

• when selecting a costume to not impede your child’s vision and not impact their balance and coordination
• utilize clothing with reflective features like sneakers,, wristbands or jackets
• make sure batteries in the flash lights are new and your child is aware of traffic dangers.  Glow sticks are a good temporary or supplemental source of illumination

Fall Attire

Night time activities increase as the hours of daylight decrease.  Keeping safe this season helps by dressing appropriately.  Wear bright, light, reflective clothing.  If jogging or walking on roads, always face traffic and do not wear headphones.  Watch for evasive actions from oncoming vehicles as drivers may be distracted.

Home Tips

At the beginning of the fall season, ensure that you have a proper inspection and cleaning performed on your central heating unit and fireplace.  Inspections can unveil potential issues such as blocked pipes or carbon monoxide poisoning and reduce the risk of having a chimney fire.  Also, be sure to inspect your chimney regularly for cracks and any ]blockages that could pose a fire safety tip.  If you use space heaters, ensure they are UL Listed, in good condition and a safe distance away from drapery, furniture or other combustibles.  Always ensure that they are turned off before bedtime or leaving the home.

Some tips for the ones who visit China the first time

Going to China for the first time ?  Here are several helpful tips
1. Prepare some notes with Chinese names of your destinations. Not enough Chinese speak English. So if you can’t speak Chinese and you want to go somewhere and you’re afraid of getting lost, you could always show the Chinese charactors to any Chinese people on the road and most of them would be able to show you how to go.

2. Don’t trust the traffic lights. I’m not saying anything bad about China but sometimes the traffic lights and the drivers don’t get good cooperation. So when you want to cross road, especially in a smaller city than Beijing, you’d better trust your eyes more than the traffic lights.

3. About the toilets in China. There’s often no toilet paper in the toilet and the floor is usually wet. (I’m not talking about the luxurious places, but the normal and most of the places in China) So if you want to go to the toilet and there’s some possibility for you to use any tissue, take some with you before you find it’s too late.

4. Don’t trust the saleman on the road. Most of the time, the qualities of the goods are not ok. It’s not worth to buy at all. And they always try to offer a crazy foriegn prize for you. Well… at least most of the time.

5. If you don’t want to be cheated by any tour company or guide, you’d better tell them before they have the chance to do something naughty. Most of the time they will expect you. But if you don’t make it clearly, you’re giving them some excuse to cheat on you yourself.

 How to use Chopsticks the Chinese way. A picture tells a thousand words.

Chinese have been using chopsticks for centuries. They say it is a superior eating tool than the western forks & knives.

Eating with chopsticks require a certain amount of dexterity. Once you have mastered this skill, you can use it in more ways that the forks & knives.

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Now here is combination of all of the above see here… Read the rest of this entry »