Georgia Citizens Get Real Life Lesson in Value of Flood Insurance
More than nine US citizens in the states of Georgia and Alabama have died due to a storm that has dowsed the region in heavy rain fall and caused massive flooding of local rivers, several of which have risen by inches to overflow their banks. Although the federal government requires home owners to take out flood insurance if they live in a flood plain, much of the damage claims that are pouring in come from those who lived in areas where such coverage was optional.
With more than 2.2 million home owners residing in the state of Georgia, there are only 91,000 flood insurance policies taken out in the state according to a FEMA spokesperson. When the rivers and creeks begin to rise, the high water often creeps into homes and even at a very low level that’s not deadly to residents, it can create thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage within hours. Those without flood
insurance often worry that they will have no way to make their homes livable again, but with the rising cost of even basic flood insurance premiums, some consumers have opted to go it alone and hope for the best.
New MTC Software Helps Pavement Management Projects
Oakland, California’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has introduced MobileRater, new software designed to be installed on hand held computers used by city and public works department employees to raise standards of local street and road maintenance by speeding up the process of collecting data regarding pavement distress. The software will be totally compatible with the already popular application StreetSaver Online, a program developed by the MTC and currently in use nationwide by more than 400 municipalities who need to invest their limited pavement maintenance funds in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Microsoft Windows Mobile 6, one of the most popular operating systems for PDAs and smart phones of all types, is the platform on which MobileRater is run. Using the software, employees can evaluate and record their pavement inspection data faster and with greater accuracy. They are also able to get an instant calculation of the pavement condition index (PCI) for a given segment of pavement. Alligator cracking or utility-cut patching distresses can be recorded simultaneously in the format that pavement evaluators would typically fill into paper sheets. At the end of an inspection period, employees simply transfer the data they’ve gathered via USB connection to a computer in order to be uploaded to a server of StreetSaver Online.
Liquid Roots Necklace by Sergio Gutierrez
From designer Sergio Gutierrez comes the Liquid Roots Necklace RTN3, a intricately designed piece that is part of his foundational Liquid Metal Collection. The design fuses a futuristic feel with an antique ambiance to create a truly stylish necklace that looks quite unlike anything else being offered today. At a length of 22 inches, with a width of 2 and 1/4 inches, this is a very substantial piece of jewelry that is sure to attract attention wherever the wearer goes. A mesh type design lends a striking look and adds to the comfort of this necklace.
The RTN3 offers stone options of White Crystal or Blue Aqua so that customers are able to create a look that works for them and since the pieces are not created until they are ordered, the customized feeling is definitely enhanced.
Gutierrez, originally an engineer and native of Columbia, is known for his innovation in creating the ball and chain style mesh fabric that has become the inspiration for his Liquid Metal Mesh line of fine jewelry. Renown fashion designer Betsy Johnson approached him in 1994 to arrange to sell his jewelry in her retail shops and from there, Gutierrez has gone on to sell his pieces through Bebe, Cache and Nordstrom.
The Liquid Roots Necklace RTN3 sells for $180.00 through Metal Reaction online boutique.
Adidas Brings a Whole Different Game Into Play
What is the first company you think of when you are looking for a creative style in athletic shoes? We know it isn’t the top dog of the industry because they tend to put their money into advertising, but the second biggest dog in the pack, the Germany based Adidas is going to change the world even more than they already have because they’ve got an excellent way of bringing out new and interesting looks that many people fall in love with. To illustrate their extreme creativity all you have to do is check out the Adidas Adicolor, a shoe that was plain white in a wooden box and came with paint that let you decorate your own pair. People loved this in the 80’s when it first came out and they love it now, too.
Then you have a shoe style that is very popular and iconic in terms of pop culture cult status and that is the Adidas Superstar. It may well be the only shoe that’s ever had a song written about it and that happens to be the hit singly ‘My Adidas’ from early hip hop artists Run DMC. That’s because they used to wear these shoes on stage the same way they wore them in their neighborhoods and people got upset about this and attacked them in lyrics. However, it all worked out and now this style is one of the most popular on the planet.
You can definitely expect to save a lot on money on Adidas shoes if you shop online where the prices are always the very lowest possible.