the Striking Writers' Picket Line
15. "I don't think anyone is getting the point of the blank picket signs."
14. "Between you and me, this is a relief. I was getting sick of ripping off Aristophanes and Plato for 'Family Guy' scripts."
13. "I thought all problems worked themselves out in 30 minutes -- or an hour max."
12. "Look, pal, we're *all* mad as hell, and we're *all* not gonna take it anymore. So just shut up and walk, willya?"
11. "It's like they want us to sit around and write humor for free! What kind of suckers would fall for such BS?"
10. "Our public needs us. You can practically hear the pitiful cries for more Paris Hilton jokes."
9. "Leno's paying his comedy writers out of his own pocket during the strike? That's amazing! When did Leno start using comedy writers?"
8. "Man, write *one* episode of 'Baywatch,' and people just don't take you seriously as an artist anymore."
7. "If I have to go a few more weeks without a paycheck, the next catch phrase I crank out will be 'Would you like fries with that, Willis?'"
6. "As soon as the networks start filling with reruns of 'According to Jim,' we win, baby!"
5. "Right in the middle of my pitch for a musical based on a cross between 'Terminator' and 'Stepford Wives,' the producer says, 'Good thing you guys are going on strike.'"
4. "Eva Longoria is personally delivering free pizza to the picket line, and you think we want to *stop* striking?!"
3. "I had an original idea once, but luckily I forgot it before the studio had me euthanized."
2. "Be careful who you talk to. That magazine interview I did the other day turned up as a scene in last night's 'Smallville.'"
1. "Dude, your sign's misspelled."
Man, I love these kinds of lists. Had to change one line though.
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Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:49 pm Post Subject:
LOL, quenlin, you have a good sense of humor, where did you get this?
Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 02:59 am Post Subject:
Heh, my sense of humor is mostly mocking current events, while they're still current. But not tasteless humor, most people pass that around for shock value. It's not comedy, it's just being a jerk.
I see it as the duty for every comedian to draw the line, and storm over it. Then again, I see it as my duty as a human to make sure I don't take it too far.
Just Google 'Top 10 Lists', thats how I found it. It's topfive or something.
Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 03:08 am Post Subject:
LOL, that is hilarious, Here is one you can actually use.
Credit Insurance is insurance that you can purchase when you take out a loan that protects both you and the lender in the event that you are unable to pay the loan due to death, disability or unemployment. Credit insurance is always sold in connection with a specific loan. The cost of the insurance (if any) if generally built into the loan payment.
What are the types of credit insurance?
There are several types of credit insurance:
Credit life insurance: Pays off your loan if you die.
Credit disability insurance: Also called accident and health insurance. Pays a monthly benefit directly to the lender equal to the loan's minimum monthly payment if you become disabled. You must remain disabled for a certain number of days before a benefit is paid. In some cases, the benefit is retroactive to the first day of disability. In other cases, the benefit begins only after the waiting period is satisfied. Common waiting periods are 14 days and 30 days.
Credit unemployment insurance: Also called involuntary unemployment insurance. Pays a monthly benefit directly to the lender equal to the loan's minimum monthly payment if you become involuntarily unemployed such as through a layoff. You must remain unemployed for a certain number of days before a benefit is paid. In some cases, the benefit is retroactive to the first day of unemployment. In other cases, the benefit begins only after the waiting period is satisfied. The common waiting period is 30 days.
Should I buy credit insurance?
Before purchasing credit insurance, you should consider the following:
Do I have other insurance or other assets, such as savings, that would cover my debts in the event of my death, disability or unemployment?
How much is the premium for credit insurance? Would it be less expensive and better suit my needs to buy a life insurance policy or a disability insurance policy? Credit insurance may cost more than a traditional life insurance policy or a disability policy.
If I purchase single premium coverage, will the premium be financed as part of the loan? If so, how much will my loan payment increase due to the cost of the credit insurance?
Will the credit insurance cover the full term of the loan and the entire balance?
How long do I have to wait before my monthly benefit is paid if I become disabled or lose my job?
What conditions are not covered by the policy?
Can I cancel the insurance?
Can the insurance company or lender cancel the insurance?
Can the terms of the policy be changed without my consent? Can the premium rate be increased?
If you decide to purchase credit insurance, it is important to shop around since the cost of credit insurance may vary notably from company to company. Since you must obtain credit insurance from the institution where you obtain the loan, you must shop for credit insurance at the same time as you shop for a loan.
Where can I purchase credit insurance?
Although you can obtain credit insurance as an individual, in most cases, a group policy is sold to a lender such as a bank, finance company, credit union or a vendor such as an auto dealer or a furniture store. When you borrow from a lender that has a group policy, the lender may offer the credit insurance as an additional service. If your application for insurance is approved, you will be given a certificate of insurance, which describes your coverage and serves as proof of insurance. You should receive a certificate within 30 days after you apply for insurance.
You must purchase credit insurance at the institution where you obtain your loan. Therefore, if you plan to purchase credit insurance, you should shop for insurance at the same time that you shop for a loan.
Am I eligible for credit insurance?
Age: You will probably not be eligible for credit insurance if you are age 65 or above. Age eligibility may take two forms: your age at the beginning of the loan and/or your age as of the scheduled maturity date of the loan. An age less than 65 at the start of the loan may not be used. An age limit less than 66 at the end of the loan may not be used. In addition, some policies terminate coverage when a certain age is reached. However the termination age may not be less than 66 and must be disclosed on the application for insurance.
Medical history: Many applications for credit insurance ask you questions about your medical history. If you have been diagnosed or treated for cancer, heart disease or another serious medical condition in the past you may not be eligible for coverage. The look back time varies but is often no more than 3, 5 or 10 years.
Work hours requirement: Most credit disability and credit unemployment (and some credit life) policies require you to be working a certain number of hours per week. The number of hours required may not exceed 30 hours per week.
Credit unemployment: To qualify for credit unemployment benefits, you must be eligible (with certain limited exceptions) to receive State unemployment benefits.
What types of loans can I obtain credit insurance for?
Credit insurance is available on just about all types of personal loans including both closed-end and open-end loans. A closed-end loan is a loan for a specified amount and for a fixed term. Most closed-end loans in the credit setting are installment loans, which means that the loan is repayable in equal monthly payments. An open-end loan is a loan where you can increase the amount of the loan at any time and the term of the loan is not fixed. The most common example of an open-end loan is a credit card.
Examples of loans that you can obtain credit insurance for include, among other things, loans to cover the purchase of appliances, motor vehicles and farm equipment, as well as educational, credit card, home equity and mortgage loans.
Can the lender require that I purchase credit insurance?
No. The lender cannot require that you purchase credit life or disability insurance as a condition for obtaining a loan. However, the lender can require you to have, or to purchase, other insurance, such as a traditional life or disability policy, which would cover the amount of the loan.
How do I pay for credit insurance?
There are two primary ways to pay for credit insurance:
Single Premium: The premium is generally added to your loan amount and included in the amount financed. This increases the amount borrowed as well as the amount of interest you will pay. Single premium insurance is only available for closed-end loans.
Monthly Premium: For open-end loans, your monthly premium is calculated by multiplying the outstanding balance in your account on the account's monthly billing date by the premium rate or by multiplying the average of the daily loan balances during the previous month by the premium rate. For closed-end loans, your monthly premium is calculated by multiplying the outstanding balance in your account on the account's monthly billing date by the premium rate.
Will credit insurance cover the full term and amount of my loan?
Some credit insurance policies will not cover the full term and amount of your loan.
Under New York State Law, the maximum allowable amount of coverage for credit life insurance is generally $220,000 for a mortgage loan and $55,000 for all other debts. For credit disability insurance, the maximum amount is generally $75,000 for a mortgage loan and $30,000 for all other debts. For credit unemployment insurance, the maximum amount is generally $110,000 for a mortgage loan and $55,000 for all other debts. The term of a credit policy generally may not extend for more than 35 years after the debt is incurred.
However, some credit insurance policies are offered for amounts and terms much less than the maximum allowable amounts.
What if I want to cancel my coverage?
Many credit policies offer a free look provision which gives you time (usually 30 days) after the insurance becomes effective to cancel your insurance and get your premium back. However, an insurance company is not required to offer a free look provision for credit products. In addition, most credit policies allow you to cancel your insurance after the end of any free look period. If you cancel your single premium coverage, you will be due a refund of a portion of the premium. This refund will often be credited to your loan balance.
Can the insurance company or lender cancel my coverage?
If you pay your insurance premiums monthly, the insurance company or lender may cancel your coverage but generally must give you 31 days advance notice. If you have single premium insurance, the insurance company or lender may not cancel your coverage.
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 03:16 am Post Subject:
Heres another useful list
Life insurance is used to replace in whole or part the economic value of human life for either family purposes or business purposes. In exchange for premium payments, the life insurance company agrees to pay a death benefit upon the death of the insured to the beneficiary named in the application for the policy. Life insurance policies may provide other uses and benefits as well.
Do I need life insurance?
You need life insurance if you want to provide financial protection for your dependents (or to your creditors) in the event of your death. A business may want to use life insurance to fund its employee benefit plans, protect against the premature death of a keyperson or to provide for business continuation.
The following are typical examples of family and business purposes to consider when assessing the need for life insurance:
Dependent children.
Dependent spouse, parent or grandparent.
Credit enhancement.
Key person indemnification.
Business continuation.
Employee benefit plans.
Should one or more of these examples apply to you, the purchase of life insurance may be suitable for your needs.
How much life insurance do I need?
The amount of life insurance a person needs will depend on their own particular circumstances and the reasons for purchasing the policy. One approach to determine how much life insurance you should purchase is to analyze the various needs of your family in the event of the death of a family member. Life insurance may satisfy a number of these needs by providing a fund that can be used to:
Pay off an individual's last debts such as medical bills and funeral expenses;
Meet estate taxes and other expenses in settling an estate;
Provide life income for the spouse;
Pay off a mortgage;
Pay for the children's education;
Provide funds for retirement;
Provide an income for the policyholder's spouse to give the family time to readjust to a new standard of living;
Draw interest to provide funds for some special purpose; or
Provide a monthly income until the children are grown and out of school.
Thus, the current and future financial needs particular to your family can be a significant consideration in determining the amount of life insurance that is right for you. Another factor that may be taken into consideration in determining how much life insurance you need is the amount of your annual salary.
What are the main types of life insurance products available for purchase?
While there are many types and variations of life insurance products available in today's marketplace, there are basically two types of life insurance: term insurance and permanent insurance.
Term life insurance provides death benefit protection for a certain period of time such as one or ten years. Death benefits are paid to the beneficiary only if the insured dies during that term period. Generally, term policies do not build up any cash values.
Permanent life insurance can provide death benefit protection for your lifetime and the policy will provide for the build up of a cash value. The cash value may be used in several different ways e.g. you may borrow against the cash value by taking a loan. Permanent insurance includes several different types of policies such as whole life, universal life and variable universal life.
What factors should I consider when selecting a life insurance company?
There are two types of life insurance companies i.e. stock companies and mutual companies. Stock insurers are corporations owned by the shareholders of the corporation. Mutual insurers are owned by their policyowners who may receive a yearly dividend if one is declared by the company's board of directors. Both stock insurers and mutual insurers offer suitable policies for purchase.
Some factors you may want to consider when selecting a company include the following:
The types of life insurance policies the company sells.
The company's reputation for treating policyholders fairly (especially with respect to discretionary items such as the crediting of additional interest or dividends)
Financial safety
The company's history and experience in the life insurance industry.
Insurance companies must be licensed by the New York State Insurance Department to operate in New York State; however, the Insurance Department does not rate the financial condition of insurance companies. There are private rating services that conduct financial analyses and grade insurance companies.
How is life insurance sold?
Individual life insurance can be sold directly from an insurance company through an agent or broker, through the mail, over the internet, over the telephone as well as from banks or other financial institutions. You may also be able to purchase insurance from a fraternal benefit organization if you are a member. Group insurance may be available through your job or from associations or other organizations in which you participate.
What is underwriting?
Underwriting is the process an insurance company uses when it selects applicants it is willing to insure and determines the cost of providing coverage. There are common factors that insurance companies may use to decide how much to charge you for the kind and amount of coverage you want to buy, such as:
your age,
your gender,
your health and health habits (smoking for example),
your family health history,
whether you are engaged in a hazardous occupation, or
dangerous hobbies (auto racing or sky diving for example).
The insurance company receives this information from your application, and may ask you to fill out a health questionnaire or have a health examination or certain medical tests. In addition, the company may request that you consent to the preparation of an investigative consumer report or a Medical Information Bureau (MIB) report.
It should be noted that there are varying levels of underwriting including full underwriting, simplified underwriting and guaranteed issue. Each type of underwriting impacts the premium rates to be charged. Ask your agent or the company which type of underwriting is applicable to the policy you are interested in purchasing and what type of medical information, if any, needs to be provided.
Often group life insurance is subject to different types of underwriting. In some cases, employees actively at work do not need to provide any medical information if they enroll within a specified period of time.
How do I compare cost?
To compare the costs of purchasing a life insurance policy, it is recommended that consumers obtain quotes for similar policies from different companies. Comparing costs only makes sense if you are comparing similar policies. Comparison of costs can become increasingly complicated when products include such non-guaranteed features as dividends or additional amounts. There is no guarantee that a company's past practices with respect to non-guaranteed features will continue.
Quotes for various products can be readily obtained from many sources, including local agents and brokers, telephone quote services and the internet.
Make sure that you can afford the amount of coverage you intend to purchase. Premiums for some products can change over time and your circumstances i.e. your ability to pay the premiums over an extended period of time may change as well. When comparing the costs of policies be sure to ask if the premiums, death benefit, or cash values can change over time.
Do I need a sales illustration?
A sales illustration is a detailed projection of future policy values based upon the variables selected by you and your agent in conjunction with the purchase you are considering. The illustration can help to show you how the policy is expected to work. The illustration will show you what costs and benefits are guaranteed and what costs and benefits are not guaranteed. It is recommended that consumers request a sales illustration if available, prior to purchase.
Can I change my mind after I purchase a policy?
You will have a period that can be anywhere between 10 and 30 days, depending on the terms of the policy, after you receive the insurance policy to return the policy if you are not satisfied and receive a refund of premium. This period of time is called the “free-look” period, and a “free-look” notice is required to be displayed on the cover page of the policy. Use the free look period to read your policy carefully. If there is something in the policy you do not understand call your agent or contact the company for an explanation.
Should I replace my existing life insurance policy?
Replacing an existing life insurance policy can be costly and may not be in your best interest. When you apply for a life insurance policy you will be provided with a “Definition of Replacement” form which will explain what constitutes a replacement. If you intend to replace your policy, than no later than when you sign an application for a policy to replace your current policy with a new policy, you will receive a copy of a "Important Notice Regarding Replacement or Change of Life Insurance Policies or Annuity Contracts," and a “Disclosure Statement.” These documents give you information to think about before replacing your life insurance policy or annuity contract.
Some factors you should take into consideration if you are thinking of replacing your policy:
Contact your present life insurance company to discuss the proposed replacement of your current policy. Your company may be able to help you make a change to your current policy that is more favorable than replacing your existing coverage.
Since you are older than you were when you purchased your original policy it is likely the premium for the new policy will be higher due to your age.
If your health status has changed for the worse the premiums for the new policy will be higher.
The contestable and the suicide provisions will begin again in the new policy.
If your policy has a cash value you should know that the initial costs for such policies are charged against the cash value in the earlier years. The replacement of such a policy by a new cash value policy results in you sustaining these costs again.
Your present policy may also include surrender charges which you will incur if you surrender your policy during the surrender charge period. Alternatively, there may be a surrender charge period which has already ended on your present policy. You will want to find out if you will be subject to a surrender charge period in your new policy.
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 06:35 am Post Subject:
Guys please dont copy paste content. You can just put a deactivated link if you feel something is worth sharing with the community members.
Thanks,
Evan
Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 06:51 am Post Subject:
Alright, sorry about that, wont happen again.
Reason I didn't want to post a link is because some of the lists were a tad tasteless, nothing extreme but I prefer to keep my posts clean.
Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 07:14 am Post Subject:
Thanks for the co-operation. :)
Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 07:18 am Post Subject: Hi
Hi Quenlin!
Reason I didn't want to post a link is because some of the lists were a tad tasteless, nothing extreme but I prefer to keep my posts clean.
Thanks that you were selective. Actually we all need to be like that..we need to select what is best for our community. Then we may present it in our own words or we may depict it within the Quotes.
Regards,
Sasha
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