Friday Feed #52

If you're going to the pool, getting some outdoor work finished or taking it to the beach this weekend, be sure to stay safe and drink plenty of water. Have a great Holiday weekend and we'll see you back here on Tuesday.

Colosseum to open underground corridors
One of Italy's most famous landmarks is to open its underground corridors to the public for the first time.

Hurricane season could be 'active or extremely active'
The coming summer and fall could be an "active to extremely active" hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted.

10 Oldest Trees in the World
These trees have seen some things.

Entrepreneur's Annual 100 Brilliant Ideas
Great thinkers doing work.

Unbreakable Baseball Records
511 wins. That will never be touched.

How Insurance Rates Are Determined

The following is an excerpt from Ken Hardison's book, The Ultimate Guide to Buying Auto Insurance in NC. If you would like to request a free copy, please click here or give us a call at 1-800-600-7969.

Insurance companies evaluate each applicant individually. A variety of factors are used to determine each applicant’s level of risk. Insurance is a business of risk, not a risky business. Each time a company provides someone with an auto insurance policy, that company is taking a calculated risk on whomever and whatever is being insured. You, as a consumer, are also taking a risk when you insure your car with a particular insurance company.

Both you and the insurance company are taking a chance on each other, a mutual risk if you will. Looking at buying auto insurance in this light may make it easier to understand why there are so many factors to consider and so many questions to be asked and answered before you can confidently walk away with a solid auto insurance policy. When buying auto insurance remember that insurance companies need your business just as much as you need their promise of protection.

The process by which insurance companies consider applications and evaluate an applicant’s level of risk is called underwriting. Each company follows different guidelines for underwriting, hence the varying auto insurance quotes from different insurance companies. You may inquire about an auto insurance policy and obtain quotes from three to four agencies and each one come back to you considerably different!

The best way to be ready to effectively shop for insurance is to gain an understanding of the factors used most often by insurance companies to determine rates. The most common factors used as standard measures of risk are your driving record, where you live, the type of automobile you drive, and the use of the automobile to be insured.

Driving Record

When you are buying auto insurance, you should know that your driving record is the single most important thing to consider. This factor alone can cost you a considerable amount of money. Before you decide to purchase a new auto insurance policy, check your driving record. If you can’t remember how many tickets you’ve had or how many fender benders you’ve been involved in, contact the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) to obtain a copy of your driving record.

Safe drivers in North Carolina are rewarded with the lowest possible insurance rates thanks to the North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Plan (NCSDIP). This is why a clean driving record is so important in North Carolina. Once insurance points are added to your record, they remain for three years. This three year period is referred to as the experience period, which immediately preceded the date of your auto insurance application or the preparation of your auto policy renewal.

Insurance points vary based on violations and your driving record along with the violations occurrence during the experience period. Depending on your auto insurance company, a single insurance point could cause your premium to increase by ten to twenty percent! If you are convicted of a traffic violation or involved in accidents for which you are found at fault, insurance companies in North Carolina will charge you higher premiums based on your driving record.

If you have tickets or charges that are about to fall off your record, try and postpone obtaining quotes for a new policy. The better your driving record, the better your quote will be. The absence of a driving record may affect rates just as much as a bad driving record.

A driver is deemed an inexperienced driver if he or she has less than three years experience behind the wheel of a car. If you were to compare identical auto insurance policies for a driver with no experience and a driver sporting a good driving record with three years experience, the rate differential could be as high as twenty percent.

Keep this in mind when buying auto insurance in North Carolina. Inexperienced drivers may affect your rate as if you were paying insurance points for an accident just waiting to happen.

Where you Live

The area in which you live can influence your auto insurance premium. Insurance companies analyze categories of data including (but not limited to):

• Population density

• Number of vehicles on roadways at any given time

• Road conditions and maintenance

• Auto accident statistics

• Auto repair and replacement costs

• Medical care costs

Those who live in urban or metropolitan areas typically pay higher insurance premiums than those living in rural areas or less populated cities.

Automobile Type

When shopping for a car, auto insurance seems to be the last thing anyone thinks about. This factor should be the most obvious thing to consider when applying for auto insurance. For instance, if you purchase a brand new luxury sedan, you will definitely pay a higher rate for auto insurance than if you were to buy that dependable used sub-compact.

The evaluation of this factor is usually based on the following:

• Style & type of vehicle (Sedan, SUV, station wagon, sports car, etc)

• Actual Cash Value (ACV)

• Cost of repairs, replacement and maintenance
• Likelihood of theft

So the next time you’ve got your eye on that slick new sports car, think about how it may affect your insurance premium…you just might find yourself attracted to that cozy family sedan on the next lot.

Use of Automobile
It stands to reason that the more you use your vehicle, the more you will pay for auto insurance. If you commute fifteen to twenty miles to work everyday, your premium will be higher than if you only use your car to occasionally drive to the grocery store.

The daily use of your automobile increases your chances of being involved in an auto accident which increases your risk to the insurance company therefore increasing your insurance premium. This factor will make a difference in your rate and can fluctuate from one insurance period to the next. Your insurance company may request an odometer reading from you each insurance period, so make sure to estimate your mileage and auto usage as accurately and truthfully as possible when applying for auto insurance.

As you are prepare to buy auto insurance in North Carolina, sit down and think about the factors just described and apply each one to you, your automobile and your current situation. Considering how these factors are relevant to you will help you when it’s time to submit your insurance application for review.

It’s always a good idea to take the necessary steps to make sure you are able to put your best foot forward when applying for an auto insurance policy. If you’d like to see how much you may possibly be charged for auto

insurance coverage based on your personal information as it relates to these factors, visit www.ncinsurancefreequote.com to obtain free quotes from qualified insurance providers at no cost or obligation to you. By getting quotes based on your actual situation, you should be able to determine which factors, if any, need to be addressed for better or worse to improve your auto insurance rates.

The better you look to the insurance company, the better your auto insurance policy will look to you!

The Right To Dignity in North Carolina Nursing Homes

Every patient in the nursing home has the legal right to be treated with respect. Nursing home residents have certain statutory rights. These rights include:

-To be treated with consideration, respect and full recognition of personal dignity and individuality;

-To receive care, treatment, and services that are adequate and appropriate and in compliance with relevant federal and State statutes and rules;

-To receive at the time of admission and during stay, a written statement of services provided by the facility, including those required to be offered on an as needed basis, and of related charges. Charges for services not covered under Medicare and Medicaid shall be specified. The patient will sign a written receipt upon receiving the above information;

-To have on file physician’s orders with proposed schedule of medical treatment. Written and signed evidence of prior informed consent to participation in experimental research shall be in patient’s file;

-To receive respect and privacy in his/her medical care program. All personal and medical records are confidential;

-To be free of mental and physical abuse. Except in emergencies, to be free of chemical and physical restraint unless authorized for a specified period of time by a physician according to clear and indicated medical need;

-To receive from the administration or staff of the facility a reasonable response to all requests;

-To associate and communicate privately and without restriction with persons and groups of the patient’s choice at any reasonable hour. To send and receive mail promptly and unopened. To have access to a telephone where the patient may speak privately. To have access to writing instruments, stationary and postage;

-To manage his/her own financial affairs unless other legal arrangements have been implemented. The facility may also assist the patient, but is required to follow stringent guidelines;

-To have privacy in visits by the patient’s spouse, and if both are patients in the same facility, they shall be given the opportunity, where feasible, to share a room;

-To enjoy privacy in his/her room;

-To present grievances and recommend changes in policies and services personally, through other persons or in combination with others, without fear of reprisal, restraint, interference, coercion or discrimination;

-To not be required to perform services for the facility without personal consent and the written approval of the attending physician;

-To retain, to secure storage for, and to use his or her personal clothing and possessions, where reasonable;

-To not be transferred or discharged from a facility except for medical, financial, or their own or other patient’s welfare, nonpayment for the stay or when mandated by Medicare or Medicaid. Any such transfer shall require at least five days’ notice, unless the attending physician orders immediate transfer, which shall be documented in the patient’s medical record;

-To be notified within ten days after the facility’s license is revoked or made provisional. The responsible party or guardian must be notified as well.

If you have any questions concerning North Carolina Nursing Home Negligence, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-600-7969.

Know Your North Carolina Workers' Compensation Statutes: §97-19.1

§97-19.1 Truck, tractor, or truck tractor trailer driver’s status as employee or independent contractor.

An individual in the interstate or intrastate carrier industry who operates a truck, tractor, or truck tractor trailer licensed by a governmental motor vehicle regulatory agency may be an employee or an independent contractor under this Article dependent upon the application of the common law test for determining employment status.

Any principal contractor, intermediate contractor, or subcontractor, irrespective of whether such contractor regularly employs three or more employees, who contracts with an individual in the interstate or intrastate carrier industry who operates a truck, tractor, or truck tractor trailer licensed by a governmental motor vehicle regulatory agency and who has not secured the payment of compensation in the manner provided for employers set forth in G.S. §97-93 for himself personally and for his employees and subcontractors, if any, shall be liable as an employer under this Article for the payment of compensation and other benefits on account of the injury or death of the independent contractor and his employees or subcontractors due to an accident arising out of and in the course of the performance of the work covered by such contract.

The principal contractor, intermediate contractor, or subcontractor may insure any and all of his independent contractors and their employees or subcontractors in a blanket policy, and when insured, the independent contractors, subcontractors, and employees will be entitled to compensation benefits under the blanket policy.

A principal contractor, intermediate contractor, or subcontractor may include in the governing contract with an independent contractor in the interstate or intrastate carrier industry who operates a truck, tractor, or truck tractor trailer licensed by a governmental motor vehicle regulatory agency an agreement for the independent contractor to reimburse the cost of covering that independent contractor under the principal contractor’s, intermediate contractor’s, or subcontractor’s coverage of his business.

See more North Carolina Workers' Compensation Statutes here.

Drug Alert: Reglan and Tardive Dyskinesia

What is Reglan?

Reglan is an oral medication which is used to treat certain conditions of the stomach and intestines. It can also be used to remedy heartburn over a short period of time. Reglan is used to treat heartburn when other medicines have failed to work.

Reglan can also be used in diabetic patients who have gastroparesis. Gastroparesis is a condition where the stomach is unable to empty its contents. This is without any kind of obstruction to empty the contents.

What are some normal side effects of Reglan?
From drugs.com:

-tremors, or restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;

-mask-like appearance of the face;
-very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out;
-depressed mood, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;
-hallucinations, anxiety, agitation, jittery feeling, trouble staying still;
-swelling, fluid retention;
-jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes); or
seizure (convulsions).

Less serious Reglan side effects may include:
-feeling restless, drowsy, tired, or dizzy;
-headache, sleep problems (insomnia);
-nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
-breast tenderness or swelling;
-changes in your menstrual periods; or
-urinating more than usual.

What is Tardive dyskinesia?
Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder that involves involuntary movement of the body. Characteristics of the disorder include repetitive, involuntary, purposeless movements. These can included grimacing, lip smacking, puckering and rapid eye blinking. Please watch the video below for more information on Tardive Dyskinesia.

Is Tardive dyskinesia permanent?

Yes, it can be. After the patient begins to withdraw from Reglan, the involuntary movements can last for months, years and as started, for life.

Friday Feed #51

Newborn Babies Learn While They’re Asleep
It's never too early (or too late) to learn.

Mount St. Helens, 30 years ago
Some amazing pictures from Boston's Big Picture Blog.

Famous Ancient Sites Under Threat
12 Ancient spots around the world that might be in trouble.

Gwinnett County, GA Asks Workers to Return Bonuses -- 16 Years After They Were Given
Headline pretty much says it all.

Behold! The First Pictures of Lufthansa's New Airbus A380
The massive A380 takes to the sky.

Nursing Homes, Long Term Care Facilities and Arbitration Agreements

You do not have to sign an arbitration agreement. Generally, a nursing home is not permitted to refuse admission because of a patient or family member’s refusal to sign an arbitration agreement. Arbitration is a proceeding where you agree to give up your right to a jury trial and instead agree to resolve any dispute against the nursing home in a private proceeding.

Many nursing homes now ask residents or family members to sign an arbitration agreement when the resident is admitted to the facility. We suggest that under no circumstances should you sign an arbitration agreement. A nursing home may not require you sign the arbitration agreement as a condition of admission. If they do, REFUSE. Again, there is absolutely no benefit to you or the resident to sign an arbitration agreement. Arbitration agreements only benefit the nursing home. If a dispute arises, you can, after consultation with an attorney, agree to arbitrate the dispute.

Scenes From the Moore County, NC Jazz & Blues Concert at Wicker Park in Pinehurst, NC

This past weekend we made the trip down to Moore County, Pinehurst to be exact, to check out the 2010 Moore Jazz & Blues Concert. The line-up included North Carolina's own Reggie Codrington and John Brown. Each brought their own style of jazz to the table, but neither failed to disappoint. With the temperatures reaching the mid 90's, the crowd needed some smooth notes to cool them down. Each Tar Heel State musician offered just that. Below are a couple short videos we shot. You can check out all the pictures, as always, at out Facebook page.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and chatted with us throughout the course of the day!

Know Your North Carolina Workers' Compensation Statutes: §97-12

§97-12. Use of intoxicant or controlled substance; willful neglect; willful disobedience of statutory duty, safety regulation or rule.


No compensation shall be payable if the injury or death to the employee was proximately caused by:

- His intoxication, provided the intoxicant was not supplied by the employer or his agent in a supervisory capacity to the employee; or

- His being under the influence of any controlled substance listed in the North Carolina Controlled Substances Act, G.S. 90-86, et seq., where such controlled substance was not by prescription by a practitioner; or

- His willful intention to injure or kill himself or another.

When the injury or death is caused by the willful failure of the employer to comply with any statutory requirement or any lawful order of the Commission, compensation shall be increased ten percent (10%). When the injury or death is caused by the willful failure of the employee to use a safety appliance or perform a statutory duty or by the willful breach of any rule or regulation adopted by the employer and approved by the Commission and brought to the knowledge of the employee prior to the injury compensation shall be reduced ten percent (10%).

"Intoxication" and "under the influence" shall mean that the employee shall have consumed a sufficient quantity of intoxicating beverage or controlled substance to cause the employee to lose the normal control of his or her bodily or mental faculties, or both, to such an extent that there was an appreciable impairment of either or both of these faculties at the time of the injury.

A result consistent with "intoxication" or being "under the influence" from a blood or other medical test conducted in a manner generally acceptable to the scientific community and consistent with applicable State and federal law, if any, shall create a rebuttable presumption of impairment from the use of alcohol or a controlled substance."

The burden of proof shall be upon him who claims an exemption or forfeiture under this section. (1929, c. 120, s. 13; 1975, c. 740; 2005.)

Signs of North Carolina Nursing Home Negligence: Malnutrition

Malnutrition can occur because the patient is not eating, because the patient is not receiving the right diet, is not receiving proper dietary supplements, or is not being fed.
A nursing home cannot force a nursing home patient to eat. With that being said, a nursing home has a responsibility to know how much a resident is eating, what a resident is eating, and why a resident is not eating. There could be a number of reasons why a resident is not eating. For example, the resident may not like the food, may not be able to chew the food, the food may be cold, or the resident may not be hungry when the food is served. The resident may have a medical condition that prevents them from eating.

On admission, the nursing home needs to assess the resident and determine their food preferences, diet restrictions, and other aspects of the resident that may affect what the resident can and cannot eat. If the resident begins to refuse food or not eat, the nursing home needs to find out why this is happening.

In addition, there are a number of nutritional supplements and stimulants that can be given to the resident to assist with eating.

THE PLAN
If the resident gets to the point that he or she is physically unable to eat, then the family, doctor and nursing home need to decide whether a feeding tube will be used. Perhaps the resident has already made the decision that he or she does not want a feeding tube. If so, then the nursing home must still try to encourage the resident to eat.

Top Baby Names 2009

We check the Social Security Announcement website each day to bring you all the updated news within the Social Security system. When we logged on today, we saw a press release we had to share on the blog. Following are the top 10 names for boys and girls in 2009. The Social Security Administration has been compiling these list since 1997. You can also check out popular baby names since 1880. Pretty fun stuff. Check out the full press release here.

Boys:
1) Jacob 
2) Ethan
3) Michael
4) Alexander
5) William
6) Joshua
7) Daniel
8) Jayden
9) Noah 
10)Anthony

Girls:
1) Isabella
2) Emma
3) Olivia
4) Sophia
5) Ava
6) Emily
7) Madison
8) Abigail
9) Chloe
10)Mia

The 2010 Blooming Festival in Nashville, North Carolina

It was a hot (we have sunburns to prove it) and windy day, but we had a blast at the 2010 Blooming Festival located in the downtown area in Nashville, North Carolina. It's a small town, but it's bursting with personality. The people were great and the hot dogs, orangeade, lemonade and turkey sandwiches we consumed during the course of the day were great too. Best part of the day was without doubt the parade. Some pictures we snapped are below, but if you'd like to check them all out, visit out Facebook page.

Friday Feed #50

We'll be down in Nashville, North Carolina this weekend for the Blooming Festival. If you're around the area you should come check it out. Looks like a great time. Bands, fair rides, food, games and a parade. Sounds awesome.

Meet the 5-year-old baseball phenom -- whacking fastballs at 85 MPH
Regular Hank Aaron right here.

New York's Sky Line over 137 Years'
Changes.

Rain Drum Umbrella: Bring in Some Fun in Your Rainy Day
Awesome Idea.

College Golfer Loses On Purpose to Advance Challenger To Finals
This had the sports world talking this week.

Flooding in Tennessee
Pictures from the recent flooding in Nashville, TN

Drug Information: Fentanyl Patches

Fentanyl pain patches, manufactured under the Duragesic ® Patch label or a generic fentanyl label, contain a Schedule II opioid medication for pain relief that is 80-100 times stronger than Morphine. Fentanyl was originally approved in 1990 to treat acute, postoperative and moderate-to-severe pain. Applied to the skin, the patch delivers a powerful and constant dose of fentanyl in gel form, providing pain relief for up to 3 days.

On February 17, 2004, Janssen Pharmaceutical Products, LP issued an urgent Recall Notice on the Duragesic® fentanyl patch, informing users that approximately 400,000 Duragesic® patches were defective. The manufacturing defect is a seal breach on one edge of the patch that allows direct skin contact with the powerful fentanyl drug gel that could result in overdose and potentially death.

Subsequently on July 15, 2005, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory warning to physicians and users of all Fentanyl patches that, “deaths and overdoses have occurred in patients using both the brand name product Duragesic and the generic [fentanyl] product." The FDA is currently investigating more than 120 deaths associated with the fentanyl patch.

The fentanyl patch, whether under the Duragesic ® label or a generic fentanyl label, has been linked to a number of severe, life-threatening, side effects such as:

- depressed respiratory function
- decreased blood pressure
- coma
- death

Immediately contact a doctor if you or a loved one has experienced any of the above side effects associated with fentanyl use.

43 Liquid Child/Infant Products Recalled by Johnson and Johnson

Due to a manufacturing defect, 43 child and infant liquid formulations of Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl have been recalled. The products are made by McNeil, which is a division of Johnson and Johnson.

The company says that the chance of injury from one of the recalled products is remote, but they are still urging consumers to quit use of the products. A company news release said the following of the products and cited the reason for the recall:"Some of the products included in the recall may contain a higher concentration of active ingredient than is specified; others may contain inactive ingredients that may not meet internal testing requirements; and others may contain tiny particles."

For a complete list of the products being recalled, please see the chart at the bottom of this web page.