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Insurance_contractAn Insurance contract determines the law|legal framework under which the features of an insurance policy are enforced. Insurance contracts are designed to meet very specific needs and thus have many features not found in many other types of contracts. Many features are similar across a wide variety of different types of insurance policies. |
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RagwortRagwort (''Senecio jacobaea'') is a very common wild flower in the family Asteraceae that is found throughout Europe, usually in dry, open places, and has also been widely distributed as a weed elsewhere.Alternative names include Tansy Ragwort, St. James-wort, Ragweed, Stinking Nanny/Ninny/Willy, Staggerwort, Dog Standard, Cankerwort, Stammerwort and Mare's Fart. In the western US it is generally known as "Tansy Ragwort", or even more confusingly "Tansy", though its resemblance to the true tansy is superficial at best. This is a potentially dangerous misuse of names, since the true tansy has been used for culinary purposes. |
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MoscatelMoscatel is a liqueurous wine from the Set?bal Peninsula, Portugal. Although the region produces wines since the dawn of nationality, it is in 1797 that the wines of Set?bal become firstly mentioned. Since 1870, most of the Set?bal Moscatels are growned with special care. And the most known is "Moscatel Roxo", a wine that only becomes commercialized after aging 20 years in a cellar.There is another variety of Moscatel wine, the "Moscatel de Favaios", in the Regi?o Demarcada do Douro, it is made from a different casta, the "Galego" (white), while Moscatel Roxo is made upon a casta with the same name has the wine. |
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| Konwledge of Wine Renewal 2005.10.03 |
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Tallong_Midge_OrchidThe Tallong Midge Orchid (''Genoplesium plumosum'') is a tiny flower that grows only in the village of Tallong in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Its discovery brought the village to the attention of botanists and conservationists. This orchid is now a protected species. |
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| American actor Renewal 2005.10.02 |
Jagerteeand spice are sold in shops.Jagertee is an invigorating drink made by mixing rum into black tea. It is popular in cold parts of Central Europe.The name ''Jagertee'' (or, alternatively, ''Jagatee'' or ''J?gertee'') derives from the German language|German ''J?ger'' "hunter" + ''Tee'' "tea". Some rural establishments also serve ''Wilderertee'' ("poacher's tea"), which is even stronger.Jagertee has become a very popular drink while skiing, also among tourists. |
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| Alcoholic beverages Renewal 2005.10.01
Beerenburg / Kitron / On the rocks / Maotai / Gin / Dry county / Corn liquor / Chouchen / Ratafia / Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur / Shochu / Makkoli / Irish crack / Beer / Pimm's / Tanqueray / Hand grenade (drink) / Jagertee / Long drink / Spruce beer
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Construction, Canada. A crane is readied to lower a barge into the water. This barge will be placed under any cutting work on the bridge to lessen the environmental impact. Note the concrete barricades and snow fencing in place to protect the public and workers.In project architecture and civil engineering, construction is the building or assembly of any infrastructure. Although this may be thought of as a single activity, in fact construction is a feat of multitasking. Normally the job is managed by the construction manager, supervised by the project manager, design engineer or project architect. While these people work in offices and make the most money, every construction project requires a large number of laborers to complete the physical task of construction. For the successful execution (management)|execution of a project effective planning is often essential. Those involved with the design and execution of the infrastructure in question must consider the environmental impact o! f the job, the successful scheduling, Budget|budgeting, Construction site safety|site safety, inconvenience to the public caused by construction delays, tender|preparing tender documents... The list goes on and on. |
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| Construction Renewal 2005.09.30
Glazing / Scaffolding / Ashlar / Asphalt / Drywall / Civil engineering / Corrugated galvanised iron / Gravity base structure / Building material / Brick nog / Built environment / Land rehabilitation / |
Mortality_dragMortality drag is a term used, in reference to annuity|life time annuities, to describe a negative impact that is experienced when an annuity purchased is delayed on a fund from which regular withdrawals are being taken by an individual.First, it should be understood how a lifetime annuity works. In simple terms, a lump sum is given to an insurance company that agrees to pay back the sum over the expected lifetime of an individual based on a fixed underlying interest rate or the return on underlying investment after costs have been taken into consideration (It may be helpful to think of it as a loan in reverse from the perspective of the individual purchasing the annuity). Those who live longer than the mean lifespan of an annuity population are effectively subsidised by those who die earlier, and the insurance company usually assumes the risk of making this work based on actuary|acturarial assumptions. This is known as a cross subsidy. An individual may therefore suffer! a mortality loss or mortaliy gain based on when they actually die. This is a risk they take on board in exchange the guarantee of income for the rest of their lives which cannot be predetermined.When an individual delays buying an annuity, say between the ages of 60 and 65, the following occur: # Some of annuity population that would have been connected annuity purchased at age 60 will have died, meaning their subsidy has been lost to those those purchasing at 65. # While the total expected remaining lifespan will have decreased, the mean age of death in an annuity population entering at age 65 will be greater than for a group purchasing at age 60. In practical terms, those with an invested amount may gain more from the growth of the investment such that they are still better off waiting until they are older to purchase the annuity. However, where an individual decides to take withdrawals from a given lump sum before buying an annuity the impact of mortality drag becomes very significant and increases exponentially with age. For example, using imaginary actuarial assumptions, an individual with $100,000 can buy an annuity with an underlying interest rate after costs of 5% that gives them $8,024 at the end of each year based on a mean life expectancy of 20 years. Instead, they invest in an investment with a fixed return of 5% and take $8,024 at the end of each year. Three years later they use the residual investment, now worth $90! ,466, to buy an annuity. The mean remaining life expectancy according to the mortality tables used by the insurance company will not be 17 years but longer. Let us suppose it is 18 years. The annuity that can now be purchased would give $7,739 each year. In order to offset the reduction, the alternative investment used for three years would have had to return 5.47%. If an individual waits longer than three years, the additional growth required will increase over time, reflecting the exponential effect of mortality drag. In the United Kingdom Pension Income Withdrawal (formerly and still popularly refered to as Income Drawdown) permits an individual to withdrawals from a private pension fund from a permitted age before buying an annuity. The maximum level of withdrawal is controlled, but care must also be taken to maintain the fun at a level that can still buy an equivalent annuity or higher in the future. The risk of reduced general annuity rates in the future must b! e considered, and mortality drag becomes an ever more prominen! t factor as a person gets older. |
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KendoKendo ( ''Kendō'', ) , which is the modern martial art of Japanese fencing, developed from traditional techniques of Japanese swordsmanship known as ''kenjutsu''. Since 1975 the goal of Kendo has been stated by the All Japan Kendo Federation as "to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the ''katana'' (the Japanese standard sword)". However, Kendo combines martial arts values with sport elements, with some practitioners stressing the former and others the latter.Taught using "sword|swords" made of split bamboo (shinai) and extensive protective armour (Bogu), practitioners are called ''kendoka'' or "kenshi". Kendoka merely means one who practices kendo. Kenshi means swordsman. Both terms are used, though many clubs have a preference for one term. Kendoka also use ''bokken|bokuto'' (wooden katana) to practice set forms known as kata. On formal occasions, real swords or metal swords with a blunt edge, ca! lled ''habiki'', can be used. There are 10 basic ''kata''.Achievement in Kendo is signified by advancement in rank, or ''dan'', with the eighth rank (''hachi-dan'') currently the highest rank attainable through testing. Higher dan is awarded on an honorary basis as recognition to one's lifetime contribution to the advancement of Kendo as an art. Additionally there are six ranks below ''dan'' known as ''kyu''. The number preceding the ''kyu'' is the number of ranks it is below the first ''dan'' rank (''sho-dan''). Sho-dan is equivalent to a first degree blackbelt.In modern kendo, there are two types of attacks - strikes and thrusts. Strikes are allowed against only certain areas on the body. The valid targets are ''men'' (top of the opponent's head), ''sayu-men'' (the left or right side of the opponent's head), right ''kote'', or wrist at any time, the left ''kote'' when it is in a raised position (such as ''jodan''), the left or right ''do'' (in tournament situations poin! ts are rarely awarded for striking the left side of the oppone! nt's ''d o''). Thrusts are only allowed to the throat (''tsuki''). However, since a wrongly done thrust could injure the neck, thrust techniques are often left out at the starting level and practiced at later levels.In matches, a point is only awarded when the attack is done firmly and properly to any of the allowed targets with ''Ki-ken-tai-ichi'', or spirit, sword, and body as one. This means for an attack to be successful the shinai must strike a proper target at the same time the attacker's front foot makes contact with the ground and at the same time of a ''kiai'' or shout that displays good spirit. Though it is common, especially in matches within a dojo, a ''kiai'' need not be the target name that is being struck.In a tournament, there are three judges (''shimpan''), each holding a red and a white flag in either hand. Each competitor has either a white or red flag attached to his or her back. For a point to be awarded, two judges must agree. To signal this, the judges lift up ! the color flag of the player who scored the point. The first to score two points wins the match. If the time limit runs out before two points are awarded, several things may happen: If one player has one point and the other does not, then the player with one point wins. In cases of tie, the match may be decided by a period of overtime, sudden death overtime (the first to score a point wins regardless of time left), or a ''hansoko'', or judges' decision.The International Kendo Federation (IKF) has members in 44 countries. The international championships are held every three years since 1970, when the IKF was founded. |
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| Japanese terms Renewal 2005.09.28
Hitori / Origami / Josei / Gaikokujin / Wasabi / Sushi / Mon (crest) / Shinobi / Tatami / Kodomo / Shiitake mushroom / Sumo / Haiku / Reiki / Kunoichi / Daimyo / Suetsumuhana / Senpai / Gairaigo / Shingaku
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Dessert_wineDessert wines are those wines which are typically served with dessert, although they are also drunk on their own, i.e. not accompanying food. They are often sweet wines such as ice wine, Sauternes, Tokaji|Tokaji Asz?, beerenauslese, trockenbeerenauslese and Commandaria or fortified wines such as sherry and port wine|port.Legally in the United States, ''dessert wine'' refers to wines of 14% alcohol or greater. Historically these were fortified, as table wines were typically 12.5%. With a greater emphasis on ripe fruit, many dry unfortified wines, particularly Zinfandels, reach 15% or more and are thus legally considered dessert wines, and are taxed at a higher rate.Many dessert wines have a much lower alcohol level however, many German wine|German dessert wines only reaching 7-8%.Despite their name, many of these wines are not particularly well suited to desserts, and are more suitably consumed on their own or with very rich savoury foods such as foie gras. |
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| Konwledge of Wine Renewal 2005.09.27
Rose / Corkscrew (tool) / Vin gris / Cooking wine / Robert M. Parker, Jr. / Dom Perignon (person) / Cleanskin / Sommelier / Wine / P cont. / Varietal / Cork taint / Bottling line / Screwcap / Clos vougeot / Farm winery / KWV / Kosher wine / Negociant / Cercle des Amateurs de Vin
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Earthquake_insuranceEarthquake insurance is a form of property insurance that pays the policyholder in the event of an earthquake that causes damage to the property. Most ordinary homeowners insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage.Most earthquake insurance policies feature a high deductible, which makes this type of insurance useful if the entire home is destroyed, but not useful if the home is merely damaged. Rates depend on location and the probability of an earthquake. Rates may be cheaper for homes made of wood, which withstand earthquakes better than homes made of brick.As with flood insurance or insurance on damage from a hurricane or other large-scale disasters, insurance companies must be careful when assigning this type of insurance, because an earthquake strong enough to destroy one home will probably destroy dozens of homes in the same area. If one company has written insurance policies on a large number of homes in a particular city, then a devastating earthquake will ! quickly drain all the company's resources. Insurance companies devote much study and effort toward risk management to avoid such cases. CaliforniaEarthquake insurance has become a political issue in California, whose residents purchase more earthquake insurance than residents of any other state in the United States of America|U.S. After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, nearly all insurance companies completely stopped writing homeowners' insurance policies altogether in the state, because under California law (the "mandatory offer law"), companies offering homeowners' insurance must also offer earthquake insurance. Eventually the legislature created a "mini policy" that could be sold by any insurer to comply with the mandatory offer law: only structural damage need be covered, with a 15% deductible. Claims on personal property losses and "loss of use" are limited. The legislature also created a quasi-public (privately funded, publicly managed) agency called th! e CEA California Earthquake Authority. Membership in the CEA ! by insur ers is voluntary and member companies satisfy the mandatory offer law by selling the CEA mini policy. Premiums are paid to the insurer, and then pooled in the CEA to cover claims from homeowners with a CEA policy from member insurers. The state of California specifically states that it does not back up CEA earthquake insurance, in the event that claims from a major earthquake were to drain all CEA funds, nor will it cover claims from non-CEA insurers if they were to become insolvent due to earthquake losses. [http://www.earthquakeauthority.com/about/about.html#top]JapanThe government of Japan created the "Japanese Earthquake Reinsurance" scheme in 1966, and the scheme has been revised several times since. Homeowners may buy earthquake insurance from an insurance company, usually as an optional rider to a fire insurance policy. Insurers enrolled in the JER scheme who have to pay earthquake claims to homeowners share the risk among themselves and also the govern! ment, through the JER. The government pays a much larger proportion of the claims if a single earthquake causes aggregate damage of over about 1 trillion yen. The maximum payout in a single year to all JER insurance claim filers is 4.5 trillion yen; if claims exceed this amount, then the claims are pro-rated among all claimants. |
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