There are a few things in life that are obvious. Death, taxes, and if you drive, car insurance cannot be avoided. Here are some things you can do to cut your auto insurance costs.

1. Raise your deductible to cut your Auto Insurance costs: According to the Cleveland Insurance Agency, “increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 on collision coverage could reduce your cost by as much as 30 percent.” While you will have to pay more out of pocket should you have an accident, price reduction in your insurance bill will more than make up for it. Plus, if someone else caused the accident, their insurance company may reimburse you for the deductible.

2. Drive less to cut your Auto Insurance costs:OnlineAutoInsurance.com reports, “the less time that a person spends on the road, the less likely that they will be eager in a traffic accident and cause a loss to their provider”. For that reason, you car insurance will be less if you reduce how much you drive. Don’t forget to report to your insurance company that your mileage has decreased or they won’t know to cleave your rates.

3. Bundle your policies to cut your Auto Insurance costs: According to DMV.org, you can bundle car, homeowners, health, property, rental, and/or life insurance policies for much lower rates. Don’t honest give one company all of your business though. Do your homework and ask several carriers for quotes, measuring what each will cover versus what they will cost.

4. Pay your bill in full to reduce your Auto Insurance costs: Car insurance companies used to charge a lump sum twice a year to cloak your car. Eventually they realized that they could charge extra processing fees each month if they collected monthly payments. Progressive Insurance reports that if you make one payment when you engage your policy, you win discount and don’t pay fees.

5. Improve and evaluate your credit rating to gash your auto insurance costs: An error on your credit characterize could mean a lower credit rating and higher insurance premiums in all states except California and Georgia. According to USInsuraneonline.com “The insurance industry keeps statistics on credit ratings and insurance claims and, based on these statistics, they have found in general that the lower the insurance credit score, the more likely you are to file claims, exaggerate the claims you file, and perhaps even commit insurance fraud.” Therefore, they will charge you higher premiums to compensate.

6. Crack down on your teen to cut your auto insurance costs: Edmunds.com reports that “16-year-olds get into accidents almost six times more often than drivers between the age of 30 and 59″ To procure your insurance rates lower, your kids will need to maintain a “B” average in high school or college. Have them earn a young driver discount by taking safe driver classes. They should also leave the car at home when they go off to college. If your teenager feels this is too much to ask, make them pay their own auto insurance.

Auto insurance is fraction of the household expenses that constrain the budget of many US residents. In order to keep these household expenses at outrageous level, there is a need to adjust every household expense to its minimal level. Other household monthly expenses include auto loan payment, health insurance payment among others. A sound cash saving practice must entail well budgeted and affordable payments and other expenses. Usually, these payments are prioritized.

Loans are granted first priority due to the fact that they must be paid otherwise collaterals placed against them may be lost. Similarly, in order to have a good credit score for future borrowing, it is advisable to support the monthly expenses at bay so that one does not struggle in paying loans and insurance premiums. In order to obtain desirable cheap auto insurance premiums, there are a number of factors that can be applied.

Usually in order to collect the best deals, it is valuable to make a pre-purchase research to accumulate out which auto insurance companies are offering smart premium rates for your vehicle. It is also vital to enquire on factors such as insurance cancellation charges and any available discounts. However, insurance buyers should be very careful when ‘widow shopping’ for cheap insurance firms. This is one of the areas where opportunistic fraudsters have exploited unsuspecting clients. These fraudsters claim to offer very cheap premium rates, or have discount offer for a couple of months in form of free insurance. Finding a cheap insurance firm implies that the long term effect on a persons household budget is favored.

When insuring current vehicles, insurance buyers normally consider all appropriate coverage such as comprehensive, towing coverage, lease off coverage among others. This is because the value of the vehicle is high at purchase. However, as the use of the vehicle advances, it depreciates in value and there is a need to adjust on the premium payable. It is thus important to adjust on the payable premiums so as to match the depreciating car value. The cost of premium is determined by the ‘deductibles’ payable and the coverage adopted should be reviewed. As your car devalues, there is a need to withdraw some of the insurance coverage or some terms of the insurance policy. For instance, comprehensive coverage can be dropped out and only have collision coverage.

Another factors that can be considered in order to come at minimum premiums is quoting high ‘deductibles’ payable. Deductibles are fixed amount payable whenever an accident occurs, and the insurance company repairs your vehicle. They are usually paid by the insurance buyer. When quoting the deductible to be paid every time an accident occurs, it is valuable to quote higher amount.

Normally, insurance companies use deductible as one of the factors to determine the rate of premiums payable. Therefore, when the quoted deductible is high, this means that premium payable is low. Consequently, when the deductible quoted is low, this implies that the premium rate is high. Usually the deductible is quoted during the insurance coverage registration. It is therefore necessary for the insurance buyer to make an appropriate quote. This will ensure the premium payable is low. The ‘deductible’ amount is added together with the insurance pay off to settle the repair expenses.

Automobile insurance is a diverse feature which is sometimes complex to define. Usually, auto insurance premiums cover the vehicle, the bodily injury of the driver, values items in the vehicle as well as injury of other passengers in the vehicle at the time of accident. In order to avoid insurance frauds of compensation claims, insurance firms define a code of agreement that substantiates what coverage entails. In the US, some states require that vehicle owners subscribe to a liability insurance coverage that covers cost of injury or death of persons and damage of property in the event of an accident. Where the insurance conceal contains coverage of persons other than the driver of the vehicle, there are set governing rules to define how these people are eligible for compensations. Some of these rules may include the considerations that the other persons should not live at the same address as the policy holder. The rules may also include the number of people who may be liable of compensations whenever an accident occurs. This implies that, if a car is involved in an accident, and the passenger exceeds the covered number, this means that not all are eligible for the compensation. This is a complex sing that may involve inter-party confrontations and legal disputes.

Liability coverage usually entails the coverage of the driver and any other passenger who may be alive to in the vehicle accident as well as damage of the vehicle and any valuable in the car as defined by the owner. These coverage may be included in one package as combined ‘single limit’ cloak or separated as ‘split limit liability’ cover’. A combined single limit cover usually puts together bodily injury and property damage in one liability coverage. On the other hand, split limit liability coverage usually breaks up property damage and personal injuries in independent liability covers.

Besides liability cover, auto insurance may entail full coverage. This takes into account many factors including full payment of a vehicle incase of irrepairable damages. Collision coverage puts into consideration costs of harm and any other cost that may be attached to the damaged vehicle. It is usually suitable for persons who have been granted auto loans. It may entail payment to repair the vehicle or a total cash value to buy another vehicle depending on the magnitude of damage caused to the car. Not all insurance firms offer this coverage and it differs from one state to another. Collision coverage is optional in Florida.

Full coverage also entails a Comprehensive coverage which offers an auto mobile insurance policy cover for a vehicle which is damaged by accidents which are not considered collisions or vehicle accidents. These kind of accidents involve fire, theft, bad weather, accidents with animals among others. In a nut shell, Full coverage is used to refer to both Comprehensive and Collision coverage and its use has raised a lot of concern within insurance firms and some do not use the terms in their coverage to avoid any misinterpretations..

Essentially, the best BofA credit cards bear moderate interest rates so consumers who carry them will not have to worry about becoming broke in the future. Of course, wise consumers who want to gain good FICO credit scores must make determined that they are carrying credit cards which will not lead them to experience huge financial troubles. Are you looking to apply for some of the best Bank of America credit cards that are designed for young or old consumers?

The BankAmericard Visa Fully Secured Card is One of the Best BofA Loan Products

Borrowers who want to do business with excellent lenders must not underestimate this particular Bank of America credit card. The BankAmericard Visa Fully Secured Card is a secured credit card which can be loaded with deposits of up to $10,000. The excellent secured credit card has a variable APR of 20.24% and its annual fee is $39. Even though the BankAmericard Visa Fully Secured Card possesses an annual fee, it can help college students to establish credit histories if credit bureaus as Transunion, Experian and Equifax do not have records about their financial strengths. The variable APR of this BofA credit card applies to purchases and balance transfers that are performed by its holder.

BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card Has a Advantageous Introductory APR

This Visa credit card produces an introductory APR of 0% for 12 months. Yes, its holder can use it for making purchases while expecting to dodge certain fees for 12 billing cycles. Also, you may be able to earn 3% cash back on gas, drugstore purchases and grocery for 6 months when you apply for the BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card in Manhattan, New York or Los Angeles, California.

Apply for an Upromise World MasterCard Credit Card with Dining & Grocery Rewards

College students will love carrying this Bank of America MasterCard credit since it offers a 1% college savings on every purchase it used for carrying out. The Upromise World MasterCard card has a standard APR of 12.99% to 20.99% and the good thing about it is that, it bears no annual fees at all. Consumers who apply for this MasterCard credit card through the online banking website of BofA may be able to take advantage of its positive introductory APR as well.

Pfizer Inc. is a research based, pharmaceutical company. Pfizer Inc. was named after Charles Pfizer, a chemist, who started the company in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1849. During World War II, Pfizer became firmly established as one of the nations top drug companies when the company mass-produced the antibiotic penicillin for soldiers. By the 1950’s, Pfizer became a prominent global company establishing headquarters in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and England. In 2000, Pfizer merged with Warner-Lambert in order to acquire full rights to Liptor, a drug used to lower cholesterol levels. Then, in 2002, Pfizer again merged with Pharmacia to become the world’s largest pharmaceutical company in the world devoted to healthcare. Similarly, the merger was induced to gain the rights to the drug Celebrex1. 

Currently, Pfizer Inc. has three major core business segments. First, Pfizer’s pharmaceutical segment provides treatments for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, central nervous system disorders, arthritis and pain, cancer, eye disease, etc. In 2003, over 1 billion prescriptions were written for Pfizer medicines. In addition, 14 of their prescription drugs were category leaders in 2003. Some of Pfizer’s most noteworthy drugs are the allergy medication Zyrtrec, the erectile dysfunction drug, Viagra, and Celebrex which helps painful arthritis. Next, Pfizer’s Consumer Healthcare segment includes many over the counter health care products. These medications include self-medications for oral care, respiratory health, skin care, hair growth, tobacco dependence, etc. This segment produces many of the well-known brands such as Visine, BenGay, Listerine, Benadryl, and Sudafed. Finally, Pfizer’s Animal Health segment is mainly responsible for treatments for disease in livestock and domestic animals. Pfizer’s animal heath business is the largest in the world2.

INDUSTRY/ COMPETITVE ENVIRONMENT
The Pharmaceutical Industry has been under some serious pressure in current years. Many of the legitimate concerns involve patent expirations, generic competition, drug importation, and legal liabilities. There is particular controversy over the drug companies of Merck and Pfizer. In late 2004, Merck pulled Vioxx from the market, after discovering that the drug could augment the risk of cardiovascular disease. Since this time, Merck has lost over 30 billion in market valuation. In addition, Pfizer’s stock price also reflected decreased significantly because of the drug Celebrex. Studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute showed that the drug raised the risk of heart attacks and stocks. Since the Vioxx and Celebrex controversies, investors have been reluctant to invest in other drugmakers in the fear of similar situations. However, many research companies view that people have overreacted to the Merck and Pfizer controversies3. 

The US leads the world in the purchase of drugs. In addition, it serves as the home for five of the ten largest drug producers: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson and Johnson, Merck & Co., Pfizer, and Abbot Laboratories. After the purchase of Pharmacia, Pfizer firmly established their heed as the world’s largest drug company. Pfizer has 14 drugs that are the top sellers in their respective categories. Currently, drug companies are focusing on drugs that require chronic consumption in order to bear a true client base. A promising figure for the drug industry is that the world’s elderly population is increasing. On average, this group consumes three times and as many drugs and the younger populations. However, the aging population has increased the need for cheaper drugs. In addition, many of drug companies patents are expiring. Many drug companies are paying generic drug companies to not produce their drugs. This is enticing many of the major companies to merge with smaller companies. Experts insist that more companies will be merging in order to do money and find the next blockbuster drug4.

RATIO ANALYSIS (all ratios in APPENDIX II pgs 1-8)
In 2003, Pfizer’s fresh ratio, a measure of liquidity, was 1.2572. The current ratio is calculated by dividing the firm’s current assets/current liabilities. Thus, the novel ratio is useful in assessing the company’s ability to pay short-term obligations. In addition, the current ratio is useful for comparing companies of the same industry5. For the pharmaceutical industry in 2003, the current ratio was 1.8921 which means Pfizer is slightly less liquid then the average company in the drug industry. The higher the current ratio, the less likely the company is to default on its current obligations. Although Pfizer’s current ratio is below the average the its industry bond raters have historically rated Pfizer’s debt with extremely high ratings, “Fitch Ratings has assigned ratings of ‘AAA’ to Pfizer’s Inc.’s senior unsecured debt and ‘F1’ to the company’s short term debt.”6 This article in Business Wire continues to elaborate why the ratings are so high “Pfizer’s ratings assume its superior liquidity and cash flow generation. At the extinguish of the first quarter 2004, the company had approximately 14 billion of cash in addition to 5.4 billion of long term investments.”6 Thus, as long as Pfizer maintains a current ratio that is greater than one (unusual assets are greater than current liabilities), it appears to be a positive label for the company. A low current ratio can indicate that the company is operating efficiently and they are not tying up funds in current assets rather than taking advantage of higher yield, longer-term financial opportunities5. 

Next, an necessary ratio when dealing with the plan of efficiency is the sales to total assets ratio. To compute sales to total assets you divide Pfizer’s sales to total assets was .38697 in 2003. In contrast to the drug industry, the mean sales to total assets was .5744. Basically, this means that Pfizer’s competitors are producing their products much more efficiently7. However, this number may be skewed because of Pfizer’s large expenditure on Research and Development. In 2004, Pfizer spent approximately 7.7 billion in R&D, the greatest amount in the pharmaceutical industry2. Thus, Pfizer’s low sale to total assets indicates that the company has a lot of room for improvement in regards to efficiency.
Another important ratio when assessing Pfizer is the leverage of the firm demonstrated in the debt ratio. The debt ratio is calculated by adding short-term and long-term debt and dividing by total assets5. Pfizer has a debt ratio of .2519 compared to the drug’s industry average of .39014. The fact that Pfizer has a below average total debt to assets ratio relative to its industry indicates that the firm is less uncertain than the average drug industry firm. In addition, it also indicates that Pfizer can lower its cost of capital if more debt is used in financing because financing with debt cost less than financing with stock5.
Instead of examining the return on equity of Pfizer individually, it is easier to incorporate the ROE with the analysis of the Dupont Ratio. The Dupont ratio is calculated by the following formula8…
Profit Margin X Total Asset Turnover X Equity Multiplier =Dupont equation
*profit margin= net income/sales *asset turnover= sales/total assets
*equity multiplier=total assets/equity
Pfizer’s Dupont Ratio for 2003 was .02304 while the industry Dupont Ratio was .162. Therefore, this also shows that Pfizer’s Return on Equity Ratio was also much lower than the industry. Thus, this indicates that Pfizer currently has weak operating management (low profit margin), weak asset management (crude asset turnover), and also a venerable capital structure9. This weak capital structure was also demonstrated in Pfizer’s relatively low total debt to asset ratio. This could be a sign that Pfizer needs to change its capital structure. 

Finally, the New Z model is useful to identify firms that are struggling or near bankruptcy. The Modern Z score uses unique and past profitability, liquidity, leverage, and sales turnover ratios to calculate a single score. If a firm’s new Z is greater than 2, it is considered financially healthy. If a firm’s Recent Z is less than 2, the firm is considered to be struggling7. Pfizer’s New Z score was approximately 2.024 which means the companies current financial situation is relatively stable. The industries New Z is slightly higher than Pfizer’s at 2.288. However, this difference real is not that significant and Pfizer Inc. is unexcited considered a relatively safe stock compared to other stocks in the pharmaceutical industry.

Stock Valuation (all work is shown in APPENDIX V pgs 1-2)
First, we must find Pfizer’s required rate of return. In order to find the required rate of return we exhaust the following equation.
K=Rf + {E(Rm)- Rf}*B

*Rf=the unusual federal funds rate9 = 2.75%
*E(Rm)=11.85% (for large stocks)10

The beta (B) for Pfizer is .3847 and was found by running the SAS Program. The beta’s standard error is .17953 and t value is 2.14 (APPENDIX I). Beta is calculated using regression analysis. A beta of 1 indicates that the security’s price will travel with the market. A beta greater than 1 indicates that the security’s price will be more volatile than the market. A beta less than 1 means that it will be less volatile than the market5. Therefore, Pfizer’s stock is considered a relatively low risk investment. We know that Pfizer’s Beta is gracious because of the t-value when the data was run. The t-value is 2.14 and therefore, we reject the null hypothesis that beta is equal to zero because Pfizer’s beta is not in the range between {-2,2}12. Thus, we are 95% confident that Pfizer’s beta is not equal to zero and that the SAS Program data is valid.
If we substitute the above values into the Capital Asset Pricing Model above, we pick up that….
K= 2.75% + (11.85%-2.75%)*.3847

We find that Pfizer’s required rate of return is approximately 6.25%.

Dividend Growth Model (all work is shown in APPENDIX V pgs 1-2)
In order to find the fundamental value of Pfizer’s stock, we use the dividend growth model.
Pcs= D/K-G
Hoovers online an investment website stationed out of Current York City found that the forecasted dividend growth rate for Pfizer was 16.1%13. Therefore, we must assume that this is a supernormal growth rate and we must apply the supernormal growth rate model.
First, we must find the future dividends and the periods of supernormal growth. Next, these dividends must be discounted at the Pfizer’s required rate of return which is 6.25%.
By adding the demonstrate value of these future dividends we find the present value of the first 5 years of dividends is $3.95. Next, we need to evaluate the value of years 6 and on assuming the historic growth rate of the economy of 4%. We use the following equation…
Pn=Pn+1/K-G = D5 (1.04)/.0625-.04
We find that the future value of dividends at year 5 is equal to $58.4. We discount $58.4 at Pfizer’s required rate of return to find Pn discounted to today= 43.20. Thus, we procure the price of Pfizer’s common stock is equal to $43.20+$3.95= $47.15. Pfizer’s unusual stock price is approximately $27.00. Thus, using the Gordon model with a supernormal growth rate of about 16% for five years we find that Pfizer’s stock is equal to 47.15 and undervalued by nearly twenty dollars.
In order to check the validity of Hoover’s investment website, we decided to calculate Pfizer’s historic dividend growth rate in the previous ten years. Pfizer’s current dividend is $.60. Ten years ago Pfizer’s dividend was $.14 . Therefore, we rep the historic growth rate of the previous ten years by the following equation…
g= .60/.14 – 1
We find that the growth rate in the previous ten years is approximately 15.57%. We can conclude that Hoover’s Investments Online forecasted dividend growth rate can be substantiated and could be considered valid. Therefore, Pfizer’s value of common stock of $47.15 is considered a legitimate fundamental value.

CONCLUSION
Some investors may need more than the stock evaluation shown above to be convinced to purchase Pfizer’s stock. Therefore, Pfizer should be bought for many other reasons besides the necessary current under valuation of their stock price.
First, Pfizer’s 2004 performance speaks for itself. In 2004, total revenues increased 17% to 52.5 billion and 39% to 44.7 billion in 2003. Also, the company’s net income increased to 11.4 billion in 2004 compared to a mere 3.9 billion in 2003. In addition, Pfizer achieved cost synergies from the Pharmacia acquisition of 3.6 billion in 2004, up from an annual rate of 1.3 billion in 2003. In addition, despite some negative publicity with the drug Celebrex, Pfizer has consistently increased their dividends in the last 10 years14. 

Next, most good investment sources recommend buying Pfizer stock. These sources adamantly proclaim that Pfizer is a solid company. Morningstar, a reliable source of independent research and data gave Pfizer a premium rating and stated “Pfizer has a impressive branded drug portfolio and best-in-class sales force.”15 In addition, Forbes Magazine sights the past high stock prices of Pfizer and an investment analysis stated “ I believe that return will occur this year, especially in the second half of this year as the rotation to quality, industry leading stocks accelerates.”16 Also, Value Line also gives Pfizer very favorable reviews. The financial strength of the company was given an “A++”, the stock price stability is a 90 out of 100, and the earnings predictability was given a perfect score of 100 (Appendix III). The earnings predictability is necessary because this means that Pfizer is a relatively non-volatile company and this implies that forecasted growth rates are usually very reliable for Pfizer. Thus, this supports the reliability of the supernormal growth rate used in our model. 

Finally, investors must put the numbers aside and think logically about the lawful value of Pfizer’s stock and company. Pfizer’s stock price plummeted when investors found out about the possible negative effects of Celebrex. However this drug only accounts for 6% of the company’s total sales. Investors must withhold in mind that Pfizer has fourteen drugs that are at the top of the respective categories. In addition, it should be noted that Pfizer has more than 160 projects in development and more than 300 projects in discovery research2. The R&D of Pfizer is unmatched in the industry. They have significantly increased their spending each year and are constantly coming up with recent drugs. Furthermore, the elderly population is increasing. People are simply living longer and this means that people are going to be consuming more and more drugs.
It makes sense in all areas: logically, financially, and mathematically. Pfizer’s stock should be an immediate BUY.

Bibliography
1. http://en.wilkipedia.org (Pfizer Inc. History)
2. www.pfizer.com
3. Value Line 2004 Drug Industry
4. http://finance.yahoo.com (Industry Center-Major Drugs)
5. www.investopedia.com
6. Business Wire, “Fitch Rates Pfizer, Inc. “AAA”: Rating Outlook Stable. June 30, 2004.
7. Chapter 5, Guerard and Schwartz, QCF. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2005
8. Dr. Chris Peterson, “Dupont Analysis and Its Interpretation”
9. www.msu.edu/course/abm/437/lectureDupontAnalysis.pdf.
10. www.bloomberg.com
11. Ibbottson and Sinqurfield Data, 1926-2003
12. www.statistics.com
13. www.hoovers.com
14. Pfizer Inc and Subsidiary Companies: Financial Review
15. www.morningstar.com
16. www.forbes.com

When purchasing a second hand car or truck in Montana, many people fail to remember to consider insurance premiums. These people consider what car they should buy, how select a vehicle that was maintained well. Majority of person automobile buyers will even complete a very good research about archaic auto loans. The majority of consumers will even study the reliability scores, consumer reviews and probable trouble spots. However over 90 per cent of individuals ignore auto insurance premiums. In subsequent 5 minutes you’ll learn how important vehicle insurance are when looking for second-hand vehicle.

The sure fact is that car insurance quotes can differ very noteworthy if you just change just one variable: car model. Automobile insurers view some autos as luxurious or high-performance models and make homeowners pay a lot more to insure those. Also if the replacement parts are pricey for a certain automobile, they will charge you extra for collision coverage. If a automobile is prone to being stolen or vandalized, you can anticipate to pay extra. That is why before buying a vehicle it is a spacious idea to catch price estimates for different car models that you are interested in. The fluctuation in car insurance price is often large and might amount to many hundred bucks per year. However what would be the greatest solution to get quotes for different auto models quickly and with no delay? The respond is on the net.

When you’re shopping for Montana car insurance coverage on the net, search for the internet websites which provide applicants with skill to compare multiple price estimates. By doing this you will be killing two birds with one stone. You can figure out what car is actually the most optimal to win to save a lot of cash on car insurance. On top of that you will learn which vehicle insurance provider is the lowest priced for you. In barely couple of minutes you’ll win your palms on quite a lot of rates from the leading insurers in Montana, making it easy to find the cheapest premium in your spot.

Come to Des Moines, Iowa! Don’t just drive through Des Moines, [pronounced demwan] Iowa on Interstates 35 and 80 which join right here in the center of North America and the United States. Des Moines is located at the banks of the Des Moines and the Raccoon Rivers and has been home for humans for at least 3,000 years. At least three villages dated from A.D. 1300 – 1700 and 15 prehistoric American Indian mounds were found by early settlers. All have been destroyed.

History

Des Moines actually traces its origin to May, 1843, when Ft. Des Moines was built to control the Sauk and Meskwaki Indians, who had been transplanted from eastern Iowa. Today, Des Moines, with a metro area population of more than 600,000 is the county seat of Polk County Iowa.

In 1857, the name Ft. Des Moines was shortened to Des Moines and the capital was moved to Des Moines from Iowa City.

In 1851 and 1993 terrible floods from water flowing from the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers devastated Des Moines. Each time the people dug in, started anew and upgraded the city.

Interesting Information

Today the city is a major insurance industry center and has large financial and business bases. This change began in the 50s – as major industries built in downtown, enchanting Des Moines from a blue-collar to a more white collar city. Des Moines is known for its number one spot for these types of businesses.

The U.S. presidential political importance is found in Des Moines at caucus time. Des Moines is the home to Iowa caucuses, the 1st major political event in the nomination of the President of the U.S. Many candidates set up campaign headquarters here and you will have a great opportunity to view and even meet all the candidates.

Transportation

You won’t find much pubic transportation – but Des Moines’ Swagger bus services have grown since the cost of gas exploded and continues to have high ridership. I-235 cuts through the middle of Des Moines and joins I-35 and I-80 which outline the city to the north and west. for very easy access to any U.S. coast and in between.

Capitol Building

The Sate Capitol building, among the most beautiful in the U.S., arises in the east, facing downtown, and has a shining 23 karat gold leafed dome towering above the city. Four smaller gold leafed domes accent the stout dome. Savor the tour of the building’s beautiful interior, which includes among many things, a collection of first lady dolls. The spacious and beautiful surrounding grounds include a World War ll Wall of Memories, pretty gardens, statues and sculptures.

Des Moines Attractions

Visit the Des Moines Botanical Center, located in a beautiful river setting. Late winter is a gigantic time to shed winter’s drudgery by wandering among the tulips and other spring flowers. Also reflect the Blank Park Zoo, the Great Ape Trust of Iowa, East Village with its quaint and spectacular microscopic nooks and crannies, or Adventureland Park for a day of roller coasters and fun.

Arts, Theatre and Festivals

Arts and Theatres cultural centers include the Civic Centers that hosts best Broadway and other live professional theater shows. The Temple for Performing Arts, a refashioned former building, and the Des Moines Playhouse host live theatre, comedy and a variety of venues.

The Des Moines Metro Opera and the Des Moines Symphony are both well-respected nationally and have much to offer for everyone.

Salisbury House and Gardens [named after the King's House in Salisbury, England] contains authentic 16th century English oaks and rafters dating to Shakespeare’s day. The House has world class collections of original art, tapestries and rare books. The Des Moines Art Center, art festivals, farmer’s markets, antique days, and The Iowa Position Fair which the movie “State Fair” was based upon, are great attractions. Also Living History Farms, Science Center, Prairie Meadows, sports teams from the Iowa Cubs, to college teams to 5 year olds unbiased learning the game, provide many opportunities for fun.

Don’t overlook the Principal Riverwalk, Grays Lake Park, and a walk through the downtown skywalks. Many bike and walking trails provide exercise and enjoyment. They are instrumental in making the Des Moines metro area the place people want to live.

Education

Iowans have always valued immense education from the days of one-room schools and into the future. Students fare above normal and Des Moines is also home or terminate to several colleges, both public and private. People look to Iowa for educating their children.

Media

The Des Moines Register serves Iowa as a daily newspaper and several weeklies are published in the metro area. TV markets include a 35 county area and many radio stations serve the position. Des Moines is extremely visible online.

Sorry to Say

Like everywhere, small towns are fading, but the farmers there are known for their ever-increasing products. Most celebrated are Iowa corn and soybeans. However small farms are producing for farmer’s markets, Chlo lunches and local grocery stores. Iowa is known for it’s black soil and great prairie growing conditions. They’ve found out that our soil and growing conditions are broad for vineyards – and we now have many!

Ancestry

In the mid 1800s, many families left Germany and surrounding countries hoping to find a life free from wars and political problems. They worked hard, struggled and generations later many still work the land and are prominent in other professions. However, Des Moines and all of Iowa, are home to all races and ethnic groups. People tend to work hard, yet have fun, one of Iowa’s traditions beginning from its first settlers.

Welcome to Des Moines

Please take time to visit Des Moines and all of Iowa. You will find apt people, hills, corn fields, flat lands, rivers on both sides of the state, lower cost housing, and plenty to do. Ask questions – we’ll be glad to help you learn more about our community and our state.

Sources: wikipedia and a lifetime of living in the Des Moines metro site.

There are usages of many words that have become altered in this day and age, and it appears the progressive movement has influenced or changed much of the English language.

Let’s take a look at 5 of the most prevalent examples:

Boyfriend/Girlfriend; Fiancé/Fiancée

These words used to be more innocent, describing appropriate relationships among young men and women. Now, they’re commonly used to refer to a person with whom one is living and/or maintaining as a regular sexual partner.

People really don’t know what to call the person they’re “with,” so they use “girlfriend,” “fiancée,” and so on. I’m certain they don’t look anything foul with using these words because they don’t sight anything wrong with the relationships they’re in.

Gay

The Encarta Dictionary now lists the first definition of “gay” as: “Relating to sexual attraction or activity among members of the same sex,” and the second definition is: “Full of lightheartedness and merriment.”

I rarely use the word “happy” unless I’m running out of station. I normally say “homosexual” in regard to those who engage in what is still illegal in many regions around the globe.

Wikipedia informs us: “Today, consensual homosexual acts between adults are illegal in about 70 out of the 195 countries of the world…”

Homophobe

“Homophobe,” although appearing in modern dictionaries, is not a valid word, in my opinion. It should actually mean “one who has a fear of homosexuals,” but it is defined as: “One who has irrational hatred of homosexuality.” Now, “acrophobia” is defined as a “terror of heights,” without any indication of hate. Why, then, does a “homophobe” supposedly manifest “abominate,” whereas an “acrophobe” harbors fear?

“Homophobe” is usually more of an insult than it is a respectable word. From what I have seen, the vast majority of people who understand the proper usage of the human anatomy do not hate people.

It should also be noted that some groups are trying to put an end to free speech for others, while preserving it for themselves. They are attempting to legislate so-called “disfavor speech,” while excluding derogatory words such as “homophobe.” I explained this in my article, “Exposing Bogus ‘Hate Crime’ Legislation: The Attempt to Slay Free Speech.” It can be read: Here.

Hater

The meaning of “hater” has been changed from a person who actually does harbor hate, to a person who opposes the liberal and related agendas. An individual is arbitrarily determined to be a “hater” for reasons of disagreement, maintaining a politically incorrect viewpoint, and the inability of others to overcome his arguments.

Virgin

“Virgin” is a word I really don’t like, and it has mostly been changed from describing someone who is honorable and strong to depicting someone who is inexperienced or unmanly/unwomanly.

I particularly find usage of the word objectionable when it pertains to a man or a young man and I believe dictionary editors have erred by including the male reference.

There are many fallacious perceptions associated with male so-called “virgins.” These commonly include: Tender, soft, old, inexperienced, unmanly, unworldly, non-athletic, and so on.

These five cases in point illustrate the most common poor usages of English words today, from what I’ve seen.

www.encarta.com

www.wikipedia.org

Rather than being a single coverage, auto insurance is truly a compilation of a number of distinct sorts of coverage Some of these kinds of coverage are optional although other people are needed Coverage that is needed by law varies from state to state, as does the dollar quantity of coverage needed The most widespread kind of auto insurance that is needed by law in some states is liability auto insurance A lot of of the optional sorts of coverage are still extremely necessary for a automobile owner to have, even though they are not needed by law Some of these coverage varieties are created to protect the insured such as uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and comprehensive and collision coverage

Liability InsuranceLiability insurance can be for bodily injury and property damage Normally, both varieties of coverage are needed in most states Most auto insurance policies will list liability coverage in the following format: $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 or merely as 25/50/25 Translated, this means that if the individual with this policy had been to get in an accident that was deemed that person’s fault in which the other people today involved had been injured, they would have twenty-five thousand dollars of bodily injury liability coverage per individual and fifty thousand dollars of bodily injury coverage per accident total – no matter how countless individuals had been involved The last number indicates that this individual would have twenty-five thousand dollars worth of coverage for property damage in that accident This would likely go toward paying for the damages or replacement of the other person’s vehicle This quantity of coverage may possibly or could not be sufficient, depending on the injuries and vehicles involved If a individual does not have sufficient liability coverage, that individual may well be held financially responsible for the remainder of the costs associated with the accident With the costs associated with medical coverage and the price of newer-model cars, most state minimums do not provide the level of protection most persons need. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Automobile InsuranceUninsured and underinsured motorist vehicle insurance coverage is created to protect automobile owners from drivers that either do not have the legally needed liability coverage or do not have sufficient For example, if a individual with a automobile valued at 30,000 is rear-ended by a person that has only 15,000 dollars of property damage liability coverage, the individual who was rear-ended will be covered for the extra quantity by the underinsured motorist policy Comprehensive and Collision Coverage Automobile InsuranceComprehensive and collision automobile insurance are also optional coverage kinds that can be really useful Even though usually optional, if a individual has a vehicle that is financed, the financing bank will likely need that the individual maintain comprehensive and collision coverage on the vehicle for the duration of the loan Collision coverage essentially covers the automobile in the event it is involved in a collision with nearly anything other than a deer, which falls under comprehensive auto insurance coverage Comprehensive coverage will cover most events that collision coverage does not This consists of things like vandalism, flooding and theft In most states and with most insurers, this also consists of collision with an animal like a deer .

Whether this is your first new car or your tenth, you probably already know that auto insurance is extremely important. Failing to insure your vehicle can lead to serious fines if your are caught, not to mention extraordinary liability should you get in an accident. But what's the best way to go about insuring a new car?

1. Shop Around

Even if you already have insurance through a particular agency, it never hurts to shop around before insuring a new car. Things might have changed since you last sought a quote, and different types of vehicles are treated differently depending on the carrier.

2. Consider Comparing Before Buying

If you're in the market for a new car, it might help to know how much it will cost to insure. According to Edmunds, there can be enormous differences based on make and model. So call around and ask about the type of vehicles you are considering.

3. Purchase Gap Insurance

One of the biggest mistakes people make when insuring a new car is failing to mediate the difference between what the car is worth and the amount they actually owe on the loan. Before you select your new vehicle on a road trip, ask your insurance agent about gap insurance, which you can cancel when you no longer need it.

4. Ask About Features

The safety features you get with a fresh car are not always obvious, particularly if you aren't well-versed in auto lingo. Ask the dealership for a list of safety features that come with your car so you can supply that information to your insurance company. You'll bag a better deal when insuring a unique car if you can take advantage of safety discounts.

5. Know the Finance Company's Rules

When you finance a new car win, the lender will usually require a specific level of auto insurance on the vehicle. Learn those requirements and make sure the policy you purchase is adequate. Otherwise, you could be in huge pains with the bank.

6. Know the Insurance Company's Rules

Some insurance companies provide what they call “automatic coverage” for insuring a recent car. In other words, if you already have a policy with them and you buy a fresh car, that vehicle is covered for a specific period of time (usually about 30 days). Others have no such policy. Manufacture certain you know the rules so you don't drive the car off the lot with no coverage.

7. Talk to an Agent

A new car is a big investment. Rather than just buying a policy on the Internet, visit your insurance company and sit down to talk with your agent. Get his or her recommendations on the level of insurance you should have, then weigh that advice against your own experience, needs and budget.

8. Pay Up Front

It's good that most insurance companies allow you to pay for your policy in six monthly installments, but you can save money if you pay for it all up front. When insuring a new car, take advantage of that discount if you can afford to do so.

9. Reduce Other Insurance

Honest because you're insuring a new car doesn't mean you're trading in or selling the traditional one. If you're going to hold on to older vehicles, consider lowering the insurance coverage for them. In most cases, an older vehicle isn't worth full comprehensive and collision coverage.

10. Go with Strong Insurance Companies

This is my particular preference, but there is solid reasoning tedious it. If I'm insuring a modern car, I want the peace of mind of knowing that the company will be able to handle any claim I'm forced to make. For this reason, I only work with companies that have righteous (and long) track records and a solid reputation.