Best playing cards- Poker cards for the serious

Long Lasting Ultimate Playing Cards- Play Poker for a Year

Thinking about hosting a weekly poker game and need a good set of cards to last? After purchasing a set of these cards for my brother in law a few years back, then playing with them they are definitely the best playing cards I have ever used.

Copag Poker Playing Cards are an entirely plastic playing card that will last FAR FAR longer than that old beat up deck of bicycle cards.  They come in multiple designs for those with a particular style in mind besides the old red and blue cards we are all used too.

History with the best poker cards made

In 2008 Copag the manufacturer celebrate it's 100th anniversary. So be rest assured they have been around long enough to know some important things you'd like to see on the table or not.  Features include;

• 100% Plastic
• WASHABLE
• Very difficult to mar or mark up
• Bend resistant 
• Goes back to original shape
• Textured back for easy control
• Smooth bottom - easy slide to your players

KEM, a close second in the race for best playing cards

One of the other leading manufacturer of non-traditional playing cards KEM is also an excellent choice for a premium product.  Don't ask me to explain it but I can tell you these cards are also advertised of 100% plastic but not PVC like Copag. Instead they use cellulose acetate.  They are a bit pricier than Copags but I can't tell a real difference. However they do have one thing going for them - A GOLF themed deck!

A Mug that won't spill and you'll love- The Best Coffee Mug

Spill proof and AWESOME you'll love Contigo Mugs

 I found my new favorite coffee travel mug!

Well as you see above I found a great new mug to put my morning coffee in and I could not be more pleased.  This one is pretty simple it's a fantastic mug at keeping your beverage hot and cool while at the same time being leak and spill proof.

It's all about the lid on these.  The lid actually screws on unlike many cheaper friction seal mugs out there.  Additionally there is a button(easy to press long) right where you'd pick up your mug and you have to press it in order to open the slit that allows your morning bliss to flow out.  

Indeed, it has quickly become my go to cup for all types of beverage including water.  Yesterday I left some ice water in it and today my son found it with ice still in it!

Anyway check em out you will LOVE THEM.  I first got the idea when looking up a mug for my Kuerig on their site and found that they use Contigo technology.

Here's the one I got but they are available in ton's of colors and different capacity's.  

Best places to bank - ditching traditional banking

Say goodbye to high fees! - Where to bank

First a story about how I and many other people choose their first bank.  When I got a job corn detasseling (worst job I've ever had) with the advice of my Mom and Dad I opened a checking account at the local bank my parents used.  At the time it was Old Kent Bank.  For the most part I have been reasonably happy with them.  The first account I had was called totally free checking.  It was for the most part free.  

Fast forward a few years to when I start doing a few more complicated banking things, we have me and my long time girlfriend (now wife) sharing the same account lots of deposits and too many withdrawals.  After Old Kent merged with Fifth Third bank and my smart spouse wanted to get checks recently she upgraded the account to a "club" checking account which was also free but included free checks.  With the requirements being "direct deposit" which we've always had and at least 6 transactions a month (pretty much have this every day it seems)  

Reasons I started checking into switching from the BANK

• Once I got an overdraft fee - I am not whining I understand overdraft fees but I thought in this case, it was done in a particularly petty way.  You see I knew I had a deposit coming in and I scheduled a largish payoff the same day.  They posted the payment on payoff a couple of hours before my direct deposit and henceforth charged me an overdraft fee for the few hours till they posted the deposit.  Funny thing is the bank KNOWS the money is coming in and the exact amount the day before it posts ( I have called before to see and the representative was able to tell me)
• FRAUD- we had two transactions of $300 fraudulently charged from Boca Raton, FL a few years back - Good news the bank caught it an shut down the account.  Bad news - NO COMMUNICATION, I go to pay for lunch and my card got declined (embarrassing, I pay with another card)  Mind you this is MY BANK they have my email, cell phone number, wife's cell phone, my work number.  A quick - "Hi this is the fraud department your account has been suspended please contact us" would have been nice.  Actually I think is should be a requirement!
• FEES - These suck and while many of them are understandable I had two bad experiences I thought were particularly unfair and wrong to say the least.  ONE - using a teller to deposit funds/withdraw.  The bank charges to use a live person.  I knew this going in at the time a few years back.  The problem was the ATM was BROKEN so you couldn't use it.  I went in to deposit something and take out money.  Later I noticed a 1.00 teller assist fee. LUDICROUS!   TWO- Cashiers Check for closing on my home.  $7 - it took them 90 seconds to process this request and I was charged $7.00.  The credit union I'll talk about in a second charges ZERO.  Fifth Third in particular seems to have a horrible track record on crazy fees 
• Refusal to remove someone - I realize this is a relatively common practice for large banks but I think it is not consumer friendly at all.  They would not remove my mom (who was on there when I was a MINOR) from my account without closing the entire account and reopening a new one.  THIS IS A PAIN,  but eventually I decided to do it.  In fact the credit union I am switching too has a 1/3 page form to get signatures and make this happen.  I don't see why they wouldn't do it IF you got permission in writing from all account holders.

Military Credit Unions THE WAY TO BANK for less

If you can get into one I firmly believe military credit unions serving their members, family members and household members are a fantastic place to put your money! Here's some of my top choices.  Ofcourse your local credit union could be great too.

• NFCU   -Navy Federal Credit Union
• USAA  (Technically a Federal Savings Bank)
• Airforce Federal Credit Union

You'll enjoy very low if any fees.  I found mine NFCU to have the lowest loan rates I could find.  They pay you interest on your checking and savings. In general you'll see lower approval guidelines and more personalized service.  

Additionally, most credit unions work together to allow FREE USE at the network of ATM's.  Another great feature I love of NFCU and USAA is online scanned check deposits.  Deposit a check from ANYWHERE with a scanner.  Partner that with free use of more local credit union ATM's and your set.  

Find a way in, my Dad who had previously served got membership and therefore I could.  Now I can sponsor so my kids, wife etc can me members as well.

DITCH YOUR BANK CHOOSE A CREDIT UNION

Having trouble sleeping, get a good nights sleep

Best way to ensure a restful sleep

I am going to explore some of the top factors preventing you from getting a good nights sleep and help make a game plan for awakening rested.  Truth is for the most part you anyone can get a restful sleep if they simply plan their day effectively and follow the proper routine. 

What to do to get the best night's sleep

If you are truly having trouble sleeping and ready to make a commitment to getting a good nights sleep I am going to lay out a road map for your day that will help set your body up for sleeping.

• Start off the day with a plan for eating well, get good breakfast in the morning but don't gorge.
• Most of you are working so just make sure you take a few minutes to have a light lunch or snack (we need to avoid the feeling of being famished that will play in later)
• Exercise - This is key but so is the timing.  We want to stop our exercise no later than 3 hours before you plan on hitting the sack.  You do need your body to have used the proper amount of energy during the day.  It is vital that you don't exercise too late though too,  exercising close to bed time can keep you up as well as you kick start your bodies metabolism and awaken your brain.  You don't have to go to the gym, just be MOVING - cleaning the house for an hour, mowing your lawn, taking the dog on a long walk all work.  Of course if you can actually get to the gym for a more serious workout this will help too.
• Eat Dinner - Well we know your hungry by now - but try to eat a balanced dinner.  If at all possible stop eating 2.5 hours or earlier before bedtime.  Toy with these times a little, you need to be full but not so full you feel terrible.  Also, it can't have been to long since your last meal either or you may start getting hungry again.  
• About 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime try to limit your exposure to harsh light.  Do your nighttime routines before now, like brushing your teeth etc...  If sipping on a beverage helps you try some warm milk of non caffeinated tea, my wife especially likes sleepytime tea.  
• Having a hard time turning your brain off?  So do I if you can exercise a little more intensely earlier in the day this will help.  So will getting your focus on something else immediately before bed like a good book.  Crossword puzzles or brain teasers, some low stress activity that nonetheless requires your attention.
• Get where ever you are sleeping as DARK as possible.  Also put on a fan or some sort of static noise so the silence doesn't allow you to start thinking again.  
• Sleeping temperature;  Generally speaking it needs to be colder ambient temperature in your room than during the day to get optimal sleep.  At the same time many people including myself find it hard to fall asleep in the first place if it's that cold.  Instead try setting a programmable thermostat to a lower temperature either right before you hit the sack(the temp with gradually drop) or program it so the lower temp takes effect 1-1.5 hours after you start sleeping.

Hard time falling asleep - Is Melatonin the answer?

I am NOT A DOCTOR, so before you take any drugs or supplements you may want to consult a physician.  OK, now that being said I had some great luck with helping me get back into a good sleeping pattern by taking an all natural melatonin supplement 1/2 hour before bedtime.  This is an over the counter supplement.  You body naturally produces melatonin as well.  For me it helped me turn my brain off so I could more easily get to sleep.  

What to avoid if you need a good nights sleep

1. The number one misused thing to get to sleep is ALCOHOL.  OK, you say passing out is getting to sleep?  Well it's not an alcohol creates a ton of tossing and turning.  After heavy drinking you'll hardly ever get any restorative sleep. If you are going to drink anyway that night try to stop early and limit your intake.  The goal here is to have processed any alcohol before trying to sleep.
2. Rigorous activity - Don't work out right before bed.  Nor should you be marathon cleaning or shoveling snow before you try to get some Z's, you need some calm down time.
3. Caffeine - Many people don't know that depending on your metabolism and the amount of caffeine you've consumed there can be traces of it in your body 8-14 hours later.   For me I've tried to establish a lunch cut off time for consuming caffeinated beverages.  

The Best Whistles is The World -

The common whistle taken up a few notches to become the BEST!

 Yep that thing is a whistle!  It may look a little weird and unlike the traditional one your referee has been carrying around for years but make no doubts about it this is the best.

The odd shape is part of the genius in the design which also makes it the LOUDEST mouth blown whistle in the world.
STORM® Safety Whistle

State of the art technology, sounding chamber

The All Weather Safety Whistle Company makes it and they call it simply THE STORM WHISTLE.  Boy is it at 130 decibels this packs quite a punch and actually can be dangerously loud if improperly used.  The patented harmonic chamber is what allows this whistle to achieve its ear drum shattering volume but the good things about this whistle don't stop there.

• Usable UNDER WATER - when blow all water is forced out and can actually be heard 50 ft away while submerged.
• High amplitude 3150 Hertz- proven easiest to hear over engines and crowd noise.
• Law Enforcement and military applications give great credence to it's quality.
• Available is multiple different colors
• Still in-expensive

For a little less bulk try it's baby sister, while only a few less decibels loud but more compact it's also a top notch whistle for that special referee, life guard or adventurer. 

Windstorm Safety Whistle

2nd Best still not bad at all

Pictured at the left is our second favorite.  This series of whistle available with or without a synthetic pea are called Hammerhead Whistles.  The particular one on the left is the M4:9 Mighty in Black.  As you can see the major advantage of this over more traditional products is the sound exits FORWARD.  Traditional whistles shoot the sound up towards the ears of the user which can be deafening.  

The neat new "pea" is excellent at producing a pleasing tone and great modulation while being basically freeze proof.  It also fights mold and bacteria working equally well in both dry and wet conditions.  

Do me a favor though and don't give this to your 5 year old that thinks he may be FUN to randomly blow this whistle and make people jump!

Milk Alternative for Lactose Intolerant

Best Dairy Free Milk For The Lactose Intolorant

Being the father or a lactose intolerant child son we went looking for a good tasting alternative to cow's milk.  At the same time we needed something we could use in baked good, pancakes etc that would be a suitable alternative.

Soy or Almond Milk

The two primary products our there are soy milk SILK being the most well known brand,  and Almond milk made by the same company.

The soy milk does have a distinct flavor that our family just never liked and so we switched to almond milk.  It is available in Vanilla and Dark Chocolate flavor.  

We use the vanilla in cereal and pancake mix. It is very good for you and taste great too.

Is soy milk bad for children?

There have been some studies showing the chemical makeup in soy milk can raise estrogen levels in children.  While no concrete date is available the idea was enough for us to avoid using soy milk on a daily basis.  However we still use it for baked goods and feel it is safe.  We aren't using it in high quantities.  The chocolate cake/cornbread mixes that we buy are dairy, gluten and lactose free when made without cow milk. 

Dark Chocolate Almond Milk from Silk - A Desert in a Glass.

This stuff is great!  It is very thick and honestly tastes more like a chocolate shake then a milk substitute. My youngest sometimes even puts it in certain cereals and loves it.

I occasionally put it in my coffee both to cool it down and as a flavor enhancer.

High End Custom PC's -

Configuring the best custom desktop computers - 

If you are looking to buy a high end PC their is no shortage of companies out there begging for a chance to sell you one.  This post will share the best one I have found that allows a fair amount of configuration without making it too complicated at the same time.

While they don't have every conceivable option out there like you may be able to get if building your own computer you can also be assured that every option you select will be compatible together.  Fair pricing for maximum performance they don't make anything not worthy.  

Falcon Northwest- The best high end custom PC maker

If you've got the money I highly reccomend purchasing a PC from Falcon Northwest.  Their online configurator will allow you to choose nearly any option you can think of for your new state of the art machine including

• Hard Drives (conventional and solid state)
• Ram (32GB and up available on some models)
• Graphics Cards(they don't have any that suck, and the sky's the limit)
• Audio Card (You could run a home theater set up)
• Optical Drives (Blu-Ray burning anyone)
• Custom Case Mods

With names like Mach V, Talon, Fragbox and Tiki you expect a lot and they do not fail to deliver.  Building PC's for over 20 years they have earned a solid reputation in the industry.

You'll also get massive Power supplies 1000 Watts if you'd like to run every power hungry component and peripheral you can think of. 

Sound Dampening, Liquid cooling and top of the line motherboards round out the upper end line Mach V to give a the ultimate PC!

Try it you'll like it. 

Best Ways to Be Energy Efficient

Wanting to make your home more Energy Efficient?

I am going to help those homeowners who want a simple plan to follow to increase the efficiency in their home and thus lower their electric and gas bills.  There are a ton of easy things available and others that are a little but harder.  Of course if you can start anew you have the greatest chance of making the lowest possible energy footprint in your home.

Simple things to be more energy efficient

Switch out your existing light bulbs already...TO LED's    I know this advice has been out there a long time but it's time to make it happen.  CFL's are old news and they contain harmful mercury.  So if at all possible find LED light bulbs or change out your light fixtures to ones that accept LED lighting.  Around 10x more efficient than incandescent light and more pleasing light too.  You'll also love the fact that you'll probably NEVER have to replace them.  The average life of this type of lighting is around 7 years, and the average time people stay in a house is 5 - 7 years.

Get a Programmable Thermostat... AND USE IT   Yep this is an oldie but a goodie too.  While there are tons of programmable thermostats out there I can't tell you how many times I went into peoples home to do a home energy audit and they weren't programmed etc... This is what I do but find a solution that works for you.  I like it around 69 degrees in the home - so I have the thermostat automatically set to that for our waking hours around 6:30 am on weekdays and 8am on the weekend.  It automatically goes to 62 about an half-hour to an hour AFTER I go to bed, so it is still warm when I go to bed but the temperature gradually drops once I have fallen asleep.  We don't even notice it and actually it has helped me start sleeping better.  The key is to make sure the temp goes down after you fall asleep.

For those of you are are particularly lazy or HATE programming things try the learning one pictured above.

Turn Down the hot water heater to be more energy efficient  
You probably won't even notice but do a quick double check and TURN DOWN your hot water heater to medium.

Install Energy Efficient Blinds/Curtains  
While brand new windows can be quite efficient they are also expensive and difficult to install.  A much simpler thing you can do is install some energy efficient blinds and or curtains.  Many new blind and curtains are even energy star rated and reflect heat back into the room.  At the same time closing them off in high sunlight can reflect the sun back out and keep you cool.   These are the REAL DEAL- being even the federal government realized the savings and offers a tax credit for installing them.

Turn OFF the water
This one is simple don't leave the water running. We do this every day when you brush your teeth in the morning.  Or are washing your hands.  When rinsing dishes turn it off in between dishes or use an on demand sprayer.

Spray Foam Seal the easy things
Go get some  can foam.  This stuff is easy to use and works GREAT.  Common places to seal are basement window perimeters.  Plumbing pipe penetrations bathroom, sinks etc.  Around windows(hint take the casing off and seal the gaps) Exterior foundation under siding etc...

Being Energy Efficient for the serious....

Get a home energy audit

These comprehensive audits will show you where your house is losing energy.  They even model your home based on your actual energy use using sophisticated modeling software.  This will show you your weak-points   Check with your local gas or electric company many of them partner with companies to provide these at a reasonable cost. Sometime even free. 

Upgrade your Furnace or AC Unit

It costs some money but if you have an outdated HVAC system it is probably one of the least energy efficient systems in your home.  BIG MISTAKE - we see a huge mistake on this matter every day people getting the same size HVAC unit they already have when the home could be fine with something much smaller now.  Make sure whoever you hire to install your furnace or ac unit models your home and is basing the size on the CURRENT energy needs of your home.  Not 50 years ago when you had no insulation, bad windows, and aluminum siding.  

On Demand Hot Water

Hot water sitting your tank all day getting colder then being reheated is a huge drain on your energy consumption gas or electric. On demand hot water heaters are widely available and only heat the water when you need it.  Bonus the hot water should never run out on you in the shower again!

Replace it - Windows, Doors, Light fixtures, bath fans, appliances

Easier said than done - and these things can have the longest pay off period but for top notch energy efficient performance get rid of all the "stuff" that is drawing more power than necessary.

Lastly Alternative Energy Production

OK, you have done everything on the list and you still hate paying the utility provider every month.  Well besides living in a cave and starting fires you have one more option.  

Make your own energy.  Set up a bicycle and hook it up to a generator with batteries.  Every spare chance you get START PEDDLING!    ummmm.................  no not really

We're talking wind or solar power here.  There are off the shelf solar panels you can purchase as well as wind turbines.  Or if you are particularly motivated scour Google and make your own. 

 In any event good luck and thanks for wanting to be more energy efficient!

Mobile Poker - Find The Best Apps

Finding The Best Way to Play Mobile Poker 

If you're a poker fan like me you'll inevitably start searching for the best way to play at anytime.  In the world of smartphones and tablets this is almost certainly where you'll be drawn to apps.  While it would be nice to pick up a game wherever and whenever you choose it's not always possible to find live players.

We're going to explore the options for taking your poker passion to the next level by GOING MOBILE.

Mobile Poker - The methods at your disposal...

1. A Deck of Cards and a stranger - Yep this method has been used for over a hundred years and is still one of the easiest ways to start up a game.  While whenever possible I do think it is funner to play in person with others.  It's an oldie but still the best
2. Handheld Poker Machine - These little electronics games have been out for over 20 years and the electronics in them have gotten better at simulating an actual card deck. However if your hoping to bet against real opponents this simply won't do.
3. Internet Poker - This genre of mobile poker has exploded! in recent years.  There are a great many operators allowing free or bet play. So if you have a laptop this can be a ton of fun and there is always a game to sit down at with real people on the other end.  Either next door or across the world.
4. Mobile Phone-  If your a true junky you need to be able to play poker anywhere you go and at any time this is when to break out the variety of cell phone apps we'll look at a few of the best soon.
5. Tablet - The newest and perhaps coolest way to play poker on the road.  Our recommended method for playing - bigger and easier to use than a cell phone.  But quicker and more portable than booting up and using a full laptop.

Mobile Poker - Internet accessible Cell, Tablet or Laptop

This genre has seen the largest growth in the past couple of years and there is HUGE money in it.  

With Zynga poker and Facebook nearly everyone has the opportunity to learn how to play poker for free.  This type of poker isn't nearly as "real" as the true contenders we'll explore below but it's not bad for starters.  There are a lot of gimicky ways to get chips- just for playing - giving away chips to your friends playing other games on the network.  You may see some much less realistic gameplay being its not real money. 

888poker a leader is internet - mobile - tablet poker

You must check out this site if you want to play on your mobile or tablet they have put some real attention into the interface.  With tons of players you'll always have a game on the road. 888poker let's you start for free and if you ever feel like betting you can transition into playing with real money.

Pokerstars.net - largest poker site on the net

There isn't a larger poker site out there so if you need to find a place to call home when you can't play with your friends this is a site you definitely need to check out.  All the features are available here, they have some higher profile poker players backing or promoting this site as well.  Paying out $100,000's of winnings nearly every week.  They also have state of the art security measures to make sure no one is cheating.   

Best Free Poker Apps

Live Hold Em Poker Pro-  is a widely used app on the Android market available through Google Play. It is the app I started to use on Android when I first started mobile poker playing.  You play against real opponents which I found good and bad.

Yes they are live people so it is not some computer generated algorithm you are playing against.  The gameplay is good in that way.  The biggest negative I noticed on the phone was timing.  You see if a ton of people are playing on their cell phones the lag can suck.  It can take quite a while to get through a round.  So if you fold quick for a hand plan on waiting 5 minutes or so sometimes to get back in.

PokerShark is another massive online poker playing app available for free-  Boasting over 20 million players is great for stats.  Unfortunately it suffers from some lag problems many users reported getting booted and some at the worst of times.  Nothing is worse than just about winning on the river with your ROYAL FLUSH and getting BOOTED!

Do You Really Need Mobile Poker?

Let's be honest for a minute you don't NEED to be able to play poker all the time. Yes, it's fun and entertaining and if your lucky/good enough you can even make some money at it.  But if you find yourself constantly on your phone betting with real money you have a problem.

What's that?  Your addicted to poker.... go get a life, read a book, take your wife on a date or move out of your parents basement.

BE CAREFUL - many poker has caused many divorces, even more bankruptcy's, job loss etc... But like anything MODERATION is the key here - play what you can afford to lose.  Or play for fun just make sure it doesn't take over your life.

What is a 401k? How to get the best!

Best 401k ideas - What is a good way to make the most.

For beginners let's explore exactly what is means to have an employer sponsored plan as such.  

401k's are the most common form of a defined contribution retirement plan.  Well that's a mouthful let's look at this is sections:

1. DEFINED = You choose what percentage of your payroll earnings is 
2. CONTRIBUTION = or contributed (directly by your employer) into your 
3. RETIREMENT = account- that is a special way of savings TAX FREE for the future
4. PLAN = Your employer sets this "plan" up with certain features and possible benefits(like an employer match.  It is managed by a third party company.

Here's an example say you want to contribute 5% out of your paycheck towards your future retirement.

You make $500/week.  So right off the top 5% or $25 goes directly into the plan.  Best part is you are only taxed on $475 in earnings now so the net effect on your take home pay is LESS than the amount you are having withheld.  

The best 401k plans - aggressive employer matching!

Many new potential workers are increasing seeking out employers that have excellent matching benefits for their plan.  A common formula will have the employer MATCHING the contribution up to a certain percentage like 5% or so.  

The best plans allow higher matching contribution amounts as well as matching the SAME amount the employee puts in right off the bat.  One way employers limit there financial outlay is to only match 50% or so of what the employee puts in knowing that the more an employee has to put up, in order to receive the maximum match the less likely it is they will contribute.

Features of the best 401k plans by employers

• Instant Vesting - simply means that the money your employer puts in is YOURS immediately, no waiting period for how the money is invested or used.
• High Matching Percentage - Employers with a high matching percentage, DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR are the best meaning they match 100% of what you put in. Top tier company's are now matching in the 7%-10% range of an employees salary.
• No Limit Contributions - Some employers will limit the amount of your salary you can put into the 401k plan.  The best have no limit - this can be handy especially later in life when you or your spouse may not need the income from your job but you are eligible for "catch up" contributions.
• As you go Employer Matching - There are a few larger companies lately that in order to save some cash flow have instituted policy's of funding the employers matching contribution in one lump sum at the end of the year. All other things being equal this is NOT GOOD for two reasons 1)  You do not get to earn returns on your employers match as the year go's                                 2)  If you leave you often don't get the money you would have been due
• LOW PLAN COST - Yes the company managing the money you and your employer are forking over does not work for free.  There are cost associated with investing the money even if you choose everywhere it goes.  The best 401k plans have very low cost typically under .5%
• Range of Choices - Look for a 401k plan offering lots of options to invest your money.  Many mutual funds etc..   Additionally if you want a professional managing your plan for a fee it's nice to go to a company that has this as an option.  
• Non Elective Base Contributions - This is where an employer is mandated by the plan to put in a certain percentage of an employees pay whether or not the individual decides to contribute or not.  Although we'd rather see a higher matching amount this can be good too. 

Insurance Premium, What, Why, and How

 Look at your Insurance Premium - I'm Sorry

I am writing this post after recently looking at my insurance premium(s) and just about going nuts!  After my employer decided to send us all a letter letting us know that due to increases cost (who would have guessed) that all of our co-payments would be increasing by $5.  Now I know $5 bucks doesn't seem like a lot but it got me looking at all my insurance.  In our case 2 cars, our house and life insurance for a family of four.

It had been a while since I took a look and while insurance is a necessity I was hoping to find a way to lower it. Well my total bill that is.  

Finding a local carrier and agent

After a few online quotes from the big boys in the insurance world I didn't feel like any of it was worth my time so I started researching some more regional or local companies providing coverage.  I first got the idea a couple of years ago when working for a home improvement company.  A large storm had come through a city I was working in and the damage claims for homeowners insurance was astronomical.  While it was hit or miss on getting timely honest service for some of the big players like State Farm, Allstate, and AAA.  The few customers who had a local or statewide only insurance company had much better luck.  They were quicker to respond as they didn't have 200 homes to see in the area.  They also seemed much easier to deal with in terms of estimating the real damage to peoples homes and taking input from the contractor.  Best of all they were happy with the insurance premiums they were paying and what it got them.

Why Insurance Premiums are lower from more local carriers

This starts with how premium quotes are arrived at.  A simple definition is that your payments to the insurance company are a transfer of risk from you to them in a covered event they pay the loss so you don't have to.  So that payment has to cover expected(projected) losses and all cost associated with providing the insurance.  Some of those cost are adjusters, employees, advertising etc... another one is a fair profit margin.  What I found was that many of the larger companies try to find ways to LOWER the amount they owe or make the payout as low as possible.  The local guys ended up paying more on average.  

While I am not a financial auditor or any expert by any means this is all just from practical experience.  My best guess is at least where I live is that the risk for the smaller carriers is lower and they don't try to get as much profit, they certainly don't advertise as much(if at all).  

Searching for a lower insurance premium?

Although none of the online quotes were any cheaper than I was paying now, I didn't give up.  Searching for a better premium payment became a manor of copying my current insurance docs and emailing them to some local agents using off name carriers.  The results were great for auto and home insurance.  Unfortunately for me since I had acquired some life insurance policies at birth for the children and quite early for me and my spouse I didn't realize any real savings there.

So go search out some state only carriers.  Try searching for "___state___ insurance company" or just call a couple independent insurance agents and find one that offers some insurances you haven't quite heard of.

WARNING - There are a handful of very small unstable insurance companies that probably aren't worth the risk, so do some research and make sure whoever you choose has a good history.

The Best Motivational Speakers and Speeches

Defining the best motivational speakers and speeches

Criteria: While in modern times motivational speaking has turned into a big business we are going to try and cut through any self promotion and attempt to define the best out there.

First we'll explore the criteria then declare the winner---

Best Motivational Speaker

1. Currently Living - There are some great personalities of the passed, inspiring many but we are looking for the best one here and now.
2. Available- Either possible to book for private talks or you can travel to hear them speak
3. Not Niche Based- We are looking for broad appeal here not the best motivation speaker on relationships, religion, government.  While the background can be any of these thing, we're looking for someone who speaks to a broad base.
4. Genuine - I don't want the "world's greatest bull shitter" (My wife would say that's me)
5. Action Based Results - Some sort of proof of people, clients, participants actually being motivated and going to DO SOMETHING.  While it's great to be temporarily hyped up the truest measure has to be if people were ACTUALLY motivated.

Anthony "Tony" Robbins is the best motivational speaker alive.

A quick synopsis; Tony Robbins is a force in the motivational speaking world.  He routinely host a variety of workshops to help people realize their potential in life and take life by the horns.  He is also available for private speaking engagements if you have the scratch.

Starting from humble beginnings and enduring through a few divorces of his mother who raised him gave him a certain background from which to gain experience. He has also lived through a tumor in his brain causing abnormally large hands and feet.  A true professional who studied the art of inspiring people and had great mentors along the way.  Their are a countless number of professionals, celebrity's and everyday people who give credit to Tony for helping them become more in life.   You can watch many of Tony Robbins inspirational speeches for free on YouTube. 

He also has two best selling books.

Awaken the Giant Within : How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!

Unleash the Power Within: Personal Coaching from Anthony Robbins That Will Transform Your Life!

Best Motivational Speeches

1. Timeless - Doesn't matter if speaker is still living, message when heard can motivate throughout the generations!
2. Broad Appeal - While you may have been the most motivated by your great grandfathers speech about "making the most" of something, I am looking for something for almost any of us. 
3. Reality Based - Over and over again the truly motivational speeches are rooted in personal experience, not a super hero overcoming the bad guy etc...

A caveat - depending on any individuals unique circumstances ofcourse different people will be motivated by different things but I love this one.

From the commencement ceremony at a great college.  Given my someone who never graduated.  Was kicked out of a business he started then later reclaimed it.  Built upon a vision to become arguably the best visionary in business of all time.  This speech tells 3 stories - has broad appeal and I believe is timeless. So if you have the time listen to it and GET MOTIVATED.

Best Types of Firewood for Burning?

What are the best species and types of firewood to burn?

As someone who has been around wood heat a long time I would like to share some good and not so good experiences with indoor fireplace and wood stove type applications.  Then I will share some tips on starting fires and how to get the optimal amount of heat from your wood.

Best Firewood Species 

As you may have heard from looking at nearly anyone selling firewood HARDWOOD species are the best for burning.  Why? - Hardwood species such as Oak, Maple, Madrone, Ash, even Pecan are all acceptable choices for indoor burning.  They all have the density to  burn for long periods of time(less feeding the fire) emit very little smoke provide adequate heat output for your typical woodstove.

Top Choices For Indoor Wood Burning species

1) OAK - in particular white oak if you can get it is my go to choice for everyday logs. They burn for long amounts of time.  Produce slightly more than average heat output and is readily available across the nation at reasonable prices.  In fact there are tons of mature oaks falling every year

2) BIRCHWOOD - My second choice, birch does not seem to burn quite as long as properly seasoned Oak but I think it gives off a little more heat when dry.  Easy to find and split.  Very limited smoke or sparking. 

3) ASH- black or white you really can't go wrong with ash.  If there were more ash trees around me than Oak this may take over it's spot but it just doesn't seem as available in my part.  Medium High heat, no spark or smoke to speak of.

***Prerequisite - make sure the wood is "seasoned" at least a year, preferably 2-3***

Fireplace or outdoor species of wood.

Fruit wood especially from a cherry or apple tree are a favorite for family gathering type fires.  They of course produce heat as all wood does.  Disadvantages being burn less hot.  Throw some sparks which is kind cool in a fireplace(with a screen) and fill the room with a woody fruit tree aroma.  They are also a great wood to throw outside around a campfire. 

Optimal Heat from burning firewood

The key to making your firewood last the longest and burning the cleanest is to properly control the amount of AIR/Oxygen it receives   Modern wood stoves make this easier with the many vents and air input sources but you can do quite well with older era stoves by simply leaving the door cracked a little bit.  If you have the time you'll want to let the woodstove heat up gradually instead of starting a roaring fire all at once.  Start with no more than 4 split pieces of wood and get a nice medium flame going.  Think not roaring and just before you think it would start to lower the flames to 1-2" level.  You see as long as you heat up the outside(cast iron often) of the stove that is radiating the heat into the room and the air temperature produced is plenty if you have a blower system.  The goal is to get the most out of the wood and stay pleasant.

Burn the wood to fast or too high of heat and you'll be opening windows to cool down.  Too low and you'll either give up or LOAD up and produce too much or a good thing.

Quick trick for starting fire

Bonus tip to start burning your firewood.  The most common age old thing to use is kindling(small slivers or sticks of wood). We caution against using newspaper especially in a dirty fireplace as the pieces can catch and float up chimney with a live flame igniting creosote or other buildup but if you really need some help and can't find any kindling try some CARDBOARD.

Best Way to Burn Calories? Quickly! with minimal time

Intense burst of energy = best way to burn calories

Are you struggling with losing weight and not sure of the "right" way to exercise?  Well I am going to give you some great exercises focused on burning calories the best fastest way possible.  Many people think because they exercised a long time or are really tired at the end of a workout that they burned a ton of calories.  Just not true.  

Intensity and resistance is the ultimate way to burn calories and by following these guidelines you can do so in much littler time than you may think.  Now get ready for some real work but don't worry you can do anything for 5 minutes right?  Well you don't even have to do that in fact there are many ways to burn calories with only 30 second to 1 minute burst of maximum effort.

One of Best Exercises for burning calories

 A popular study as shown that an exercise bike can help you burn a lot of calories fast but only if you know what to do.

1. Start with a 2 minute warmup at your own pace
2. Turn up the resistance to at least 60% and go ALL OUT for 30 seconds(thats all you need)
3. Don't Stop - 4 minutes of leisurely pedaling
4. Again, max resistance and ALL OUT of effort for another 30 seconds
5. Repeat this pattern just 5 times for right around a 30 minute workout

The secret here is(well not really a secret) the intense actions of maximun effort kick your metabolism into overdrive and since you don't just peter out to nothing in between those 30 second grueling sessions your body has to keep going.  

Best way to burn calories now and for the rest of the day.

You see while this approximately 1/2 hour workout will burn right around 500 calories immediately your body will burn another about 150 calories over the remainder of the day, you see your metabolism just received a big boost and want to keep up.

Don't worry if your max isn't has great as an Olympic athlete it isn't going to be as long as you are pushing it you'll get the same effect- actually better. 

Another great intense work out to burn best amount of calories

This one is almost certainly FREE- no equipment needed and you can find what you need almost anywhere.  Now, this is for the COORDINATED- don't go blaming me if you have two left feet and decide to give this one a try anyway.

Stairs- There is a reason these are so popular as a workout regimen.  One if done correctly the calorie burn here is MASSIVE.  Two, it can really help tone the leg and glutenous muscles many people have a hard time with. 

Here's the routine.

• Find a set of stairs that if you are PUSHING IT you can get up in 30-45 seconds giving it your all.  
• For your warmup simply walk up and down them once
• Then get up them as fast as you can
• When you get to the top head back down, just walking in a zig zag pattern to hopefully eat up 3-4 minutes
• REPEAT this process at least 5 times

Secondary method if you can't find long enough stairs this will still work just go up and down with intensity. When you are during a rest or low activity period don't climb stairs your hamstring muscles will be firing like crazy and to get through this workout you'll probably need those breaks.

Take it up a notch for maximum calorie burn

Really want the best way to burn calories fast to effect you as soon as possible.  If you can handle it switch routines to different large muscle groups.  The exact exercise doesn't matter as much as the intensity of the workouts. Here's an example.

• Jog in place warmup
• One minute of non stop push-ups
• Hop on the bike for 4 minutes
• One minute of "as fast as I can go"
• Stair Stepper no resistance 4 minutes
• One Minute of all our effort on the stairs
• Walk for 4 minutes
• SPRINT for a full 60 seconds
• Warm down walk for 3-5 minutes

Relax your going to make it!

Best Backpacking Locations in USA

The Best Places To Go Backpacking in the United States

We are talking about real backpacking, hiking, camping here.  Not somewhere you can pull up your Class A Motorhome with AC satellite TV and a jacuzzi, then venture outside when you get bored.  I am looking for a place to go to experience the true wilderness.

Also important is FREEDOM - many of the most popular places to backpack across the country have many "rules" associated with them.  Some of the most popular are;

• No Fires (we HATE THIS ONE) or No Fires unless in designated areas
• Only staying in designated "campsites" or shelters
• No Hunting or fishing! 
• No weapons allowed
• Noise Restrictions

Those rules while not all bad are not what we are looking for when determining the "best places to go backpacking" we want to live.  Backpack in and backpack out - live off the land- bring only what you can carry and have a great time. Throw is some local wildlife and we are game. 

If your ready for a true adventure look below.

Lake Clark Alaska - True Backcountry Backpacking for Serious Hikers

Alaska is one of the few places in the USA that still has lots of natural land, without a ton of tourist visiting it constantly and ruining the natural landscape.  It is one of the very few national park that requires NO PERMIT and NO RESERVATIONS with NO FEES for using the awesome landscape.

You can literally plan this trip on a whim and experience an uncrowded natural landscape.

Let's address the things we love about Lake Clark for Backpackers

• Make a campsite anywhere - there aren't designate campsites you have to stay in or use.  Find a good spot in the middle of the forest with some down trees you want to use as a wall for your shelter GO AHEAD.
• FIRES- the essential survival tool.  While the park service naturally doesn't want you cutting down trees to use as firewood- you can use all the down wood you want to make a campfire- BE SAFE! put it out before you leave and know what your doing. But make a Campfire where you want.
• Hunt and Fish - yes you need a hunting license and fishing licence but you can essentially hunt anywhere out here and eat your kill, same goes for fishing.  Amazing fishing with pristine glacier fed Lakes is abundant.  Because of the remoteness fishing here is GREAT. 
• The natural wildlife is amazing here, look out for Bears, Moose, Wolfs, birds of all sort(including bald eagles), caribou, moose and even mountain sheep.
• Be respectful if you happen to be near some other Backpackers but you and your buddies can have a great time being a little loud. 
• REMOTENESS - you have to fly in for goodness sake unless your exceptionally motivated.  It is common to never see another party here. 

Best Backpacking for Beginners

Not quite ready to fly into Alaska for a true backcountry experience.  Hey we understand in fact much of the time this is simple unfeasible and you need something more accessible. There are some awesome places to experience nature in the US with some good amenities like campsites- food availability - designated trails and resources.  Out top pick is;

Yellowstone National Park Beginning Backpacker Top Destination

Yep with no reservations if you haven't been here before now's the time to go.  Polar opposite from our true backpackers pick this is no less fun if you make it that.  This is a huge tourist attraction so if you are going prime season April-September or so expect neighbors and many of them.  There are designated campsites and fire restrictions vary throughout the year but you can find a way to have a campfire. 

Your sure to see some geysers including old faithful and an abundant array of wildlife. Over 2000 campsites are available to help your experience the landscape of this iconic park.

VERY established trails are available so no worries about getting lost here.

Check out Yellowstones government site here.

The Best Dog Leashes, Professional and Budget

The Best Professional Dog Leash 

Here's what we are looking for.  A leash for your favorite canine that will last forever and be easy on your while giving you good control over your best friend.

If your looking for the absolute top of the line model, why not use one that is used by trainers across the world.  What type of K9 do you think is the toughest on leashes?  Yep, police dogs most often German Shepards.  You may think Put Bulls too but in general pit bulls when handled properly by their owners are very kind and loving.

Is leather the best dog leash? 

For many years this was the case.  Synthetic fibers and manufacturing process have only recently caught up to natural leather leash as a viable and long term alternative to a good quality dog leash.  If you are a old school leash purist leather is still a GREAT choice for long lasting leashes but I have to say is no longer quite the BEST which is what we are looking for here.

So without further ado the best dog leash is the ......

Ram Tech Leather Alternative Police Lead

We're looking at a leather alternative lead used for the toughest of situations that must stand up to all sorts of conditions.  This leash is used every day on some of the hardest working dogs in the world.  It is comfortable long lasting and even looks awesome.  It also comes with adjustability features by way of a floating stainless steel O ring on both hands.  This is paired with a super tough stainless steel clasp for attaching to your favorite collar.

Best Budget Dog Leash

My Dog McKenzie In The Snow

First off a preface.  Our family has a chocolate lab named McKenzie. She is an amazing family dog, very nice, plays well with other dogs, submissive, loyal, and RAMBUNCTIOUS! I am quite sure she is the fittest Labrador Retriever ever made. Although she got the sort end of the genes for intelligence she means well and always wants to please the family.  

So when I make this next recommendation it is out of the experience of going through many a dog leashes before we found the perfect blend of value and quality.

The best budget dog leashes on the planet are made by Lupine
as you can see they are fun looking too, available in a wide variety of design or colors to express you or your dogs personality to the fullest.  Lupine leashes are made of jacquard woven nylon  which is very strong and helps with their durability.

Probably the best thing about this company is that it offer LIFETIME WARRANTY's even if chewed on their products.  It took a little while to train McKenzie and she LOVED to chew on everything when she was a little younger.  We are actually on our THIRD Lupine leash having only ever paid for the first one.  Check em out by clicking on the picture of leash above you'll love em!

Pinch Collar Link

Alright, I got the perfect leash now I need the best collar!

This prong type collar is the absolute best we have found for walking the dog.  After just a day or so McKenzie adapted and is now fun to walk with.  A child can walk a dog trained with this type of prong collar.  It's not meant to hurt the dog, the last thing I want to do, but help them realize that pulling against their masters wishes is unacceptable.  If you have a particular full of energy dog you need this unit. 

For a simpler collar for your low key dog go back to LUPINE.