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What is covered by standard homeowners insurance?

Understanding the four essential protections provided by your homeowners policy Homeowners + Renters Insurance IN THIS ARTICLE Coverage for the structure of your home Coverage for your personal belongings Liability protection Additional living expenses (ALE) SHARE THIS EN ESPAÑOL DOWNLOAD TO PDF Homeowners coverage provides financial protection against loss due to disasters, theft and accidents. Most standard policies include four essential types of coverage: coverage for the structure of your home; coverage for your personal belongings; liability protection; coverage for additional living expenses Coverage for the structure of your home Your homeowners policy pays to repair or rebuild your home if it is damaged or destroyed by fire, hurricane, hail, lightning or other disasters listed in your policy. Most policies also cover detached structures such as a garage, tool shed or gazebo—generally for about 10 percent of the amount of insurance you have on the structure of the house. A standard policy will not pay for damage caused by a flood, earthquake or routine wear and tear. When purchasing coverage for the structure of your home, remember this simple guideline: Purchase enough coverage to rebuild your home. Coverage for your personal belongings Your furniture, clothes, sports equipment and other personal items are covered if they are stolen or destroyed by fire, hurricane or other insured disasters. The coverage is generally 50 to 70 percent of the insurance you have on the structure of the house. The best way to determine if this is enough coverage is to conduct a home inventory. Personal belongings coverage includes items stored off-premises—this means you are covered anywhere in the world. Some companies limit the amount to 10 percent of the amount of insurance you have for your possessions. You also have up to $500 of coverage for unauthorized use of your credit cards. Expensive items like jewelry, furs, art, collectibles and silverware are covered, but there are usually dollar limits if they are stolen. To insure these items to their full value, purchase a special personal property endorsement or floater and insure the item for its officially appraised value. Trees, plants and shrubs are also covered under standard homeowners insurance—generally for about $500 per item. Trees and plants are not covered for disease, or if they have been poorly maintained. Liability protection Liability covers you against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or family members cause to other people. It also pays for damage caused by your pets. So, if your son, daughter (or even your dog) accidentally ruins a neighbor’s expensive rug, you are covered. (However, if they destroy your rug, you’re out of luck.) The liability portion of your policy pays for both the cost of defending you in court and any court awards—up to the limit stated in your policy documents. Liability limits generally start at about $100,000, however, it’s a good idea to discuss whether you should purchase a higher level of protection with your insurance professional. If you have significant assets and want more coverage than is available under your homeowners policy, consider purchasing an umbrella or excess liability policy, which provides broader coverage and higher liability limits. Your policy also provides no-fault medical coverage, so if a friend or neighbor is injured in your home, he or she can simply submit medical bills to your insurance company. This way, expenses can be paid without a liability claim being filed against you. It does not, however, pay the medical bills for your own family or your pet. Additional living expenses (ALE) ALE pays the additional costs of living away from home if you cannot live there due to damage from a an insured disaster. It covers hotel bills, restaurant meals and other costs, over and above your usual living expenses, incurred while your home is being rebuilt. Keep in mind that the ALE coverage in your homeowners policy has limits—and some policies include a time limitation. However, these limits are separate from the amount available to rebuild or repair your home. Even if you use up your ALE your insurance company will still pay the full cost of rebuilding your home up to the policy limit. If you rent out part of your house, ALE also covers you for the rent that you would have collected from your tenant if your home had not been destroyed.
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The History of Coffee

No one knows exactly how or when coffee was discovered, though there are many legends about its origin. An Ethiopian Legend GoatsCoffee grown worldwide can trace its heritage back centuries to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau. There, legend says the goat herder Kaldi first discovered the potential of these beloved beans. The story goes that that Kaldi discovered coffee after he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the berries and found that it kept him alert through the long hours of evening prayer. The abbot shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, and knowledge of the energizing berries began to spread. As word moved east and coffee reached the Arabian peninsula, it began a journey that would bring these beans across the globe. The Arabian Peninsula Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula. By the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of Arabia and by the 16th century, it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey. Coffee was not only enjoyed in homes, but also in the many public coffee houses — called qahveh khaneh — which began to appear in cities across the Near East. The popularity of the coffee houses was unequaled and people frequented them for all kinds of social activity. Not only did the patrons drink coffee and engage in conversation, but they also listened to music, watched performers, played chess, and kept current on the news. Coffee houses quickly became such an important center for the exchange of information that they were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.” With thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Mecca each year from all over the world, knowledge of this “wine of Araby” began to spread. Coffee Comes to Europe European travelers to the Near East brought back stories of an unusual dark black beverage. By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to Europe and was becoming popular across the continent. Some people reacted to this new beverage with suspicion or fear, calling it the “bitter invention of Satan.” The local clergy condemned coffee when it came to Venice in 1615. The controversy was so great that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene. He decided to taste the beverage for himself before making a decision and found the drink so satisfying that he gave it papal approval. Despite such controversy, coffee houses were quickly becoming centers of social activity and communication in the major cities of England, Austria, France, Germany, and Holland. In England “penny universities” sprang up, so-called because for the price of a penny one could purchase a cup of coffee and engage in stimulating conversation. Coffee began to replace the common breakfast drink beverages of the time — beer and wine. Those who drank coffee instead of alcohol began the day alert and energized, and not surprisingly, the quality of their work was greatly improved. (We like to think of this a precursor to the modern office coffee service.) By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London, many of which attracted like-minded patrons, including merchants, shippers, brokers, and artists. Many businesses grew out of these specialized coffee houses. Lloyd’s of London, for example, came into existence at Edward Lloyd’s Coffee House. The New World In the mid-1600s, coffee was brought to New Amsterdam, later called New York by the British. Though coffee houses rapidly began to appear, tea continued to be the favored drink in the New World until 1773, when the colonists revolted against a heavy tax on tea imposed by King George III. The revolt, known as the Boston Tea Party, would forever change the American drinking preference for coffee. Plantations Around the World As demand for the beverage continued to spread, there was fierce competition to cultivate coffee outside of Arabia. The Dutch finally got seedlings in the latter half of the 17th century. Their first attempts to plant them in India failed, but they were successful with their efforts in Batavia, on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia. The plants thrived and soon the Dutch had a productive and growing trade in coffee. They then expanded the cultivation of coffee trees to the islands of Sumatra and Celebes. Coming to the Americas In 1714, the Mayor of Amsterdam presented a gift of a young coffee plant to King Louis XIV of France. The King ordered it to be planted in the Royal Botanical Garden in Paris. In 1723, a young naval officer, Gabriel de Clieu obtained a seedling from the King’s plant. Despite a challenging voyage — complete with horrendous weather, a saboteur who tried to destroy the seedling, and a pirate attack — he managed to transport it safely to Martinique. Once planted, the seedling not only thrived but it’s credited with the spread of over 18 million coffee trees on the island of Martinique in the next 50 years. Even more incredible is that this seedling was the parent of all coffee trees throughout the Caribbean, South and Central America. The famed Brazilian coffee owes its existence to Francisco de Mello Palheta, who was sent by the emperor to French Guiana to get coffee seedlings. The French were not willing to share, but the French Governor’s wife, captivated by his good looks, gave him a large bouquet of flowers before he left— buried inside were enough coffee seeds to begin what is today a billion-dollar industry. Missionaries and travelers, traders, and colonists continued to carry coffee seeds to new lands, and coffee trees were planted worldwide. Plantations were established in magnificent tropical forests and on rugged mountain highlands. Some crops flourished, while others were short-lived. New nations were established on coffee economies. Fortunes were made and lost. By >>Read more
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Luxury train journeys: Discover the world in a new light on a voyage through spectacular scenery

Agatha Christie once said: ‘Trains are wonderful… to travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches, and rivers, in fact, to see life.’ She was right. Here we round up some of the world’s most spectacular rides. GOING, GOING, GHAN The shiny, stainless-steel carriages of The Ghan – pictured – sweep across the immense dusty red-soil plains of Australia The 54-hour, 1,851-mile journey between Darwin and Adelaide — or vice versa — on The Ghan, is superb. Shiny, stainless-steel carriages sweep across immense dusty red-soil plains, stopping in Alice Springs, which is a springboard to see the famous sandstone monolith of Uluru. The Ghan is a shortening of The Afghan Express, the name given to Afghan camel herdsmen who crossed the Outback in the 1800s. INTO INDIA India’s Shimla service from Kalka is nicknamed the ‘toy train’, with a twisty 60-mile route through 107 tunnels There are more than 68,000 miles of rail tracks in India, making it a wonderful country to explore by train. Some of the finest rides are along narrow-gauge lines into the former hill stations of British colonial rule at Darjeeling and Shimla, both in the foothills of the Himalayas. The Shimla service from Kalka is nicknamed the ‘toy train’, with a twisty 60-mile route through 107 tunnels. NO-RUSH RUSSIA Preparing to dine in luxury on the Trans-Siberian Express. Traveling on the railway gives you an idea of the sheer enormity of Russia Crossing from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian Railway, you get an idea of the sheer enormity of Russia — the ride covers 5,752 miles. The service also runs from Moscow to Beijing, either through Mongolia (4,735 miles) or Manchuria (5,623 miles). In Siberia, vast pine forests spread out, interrupted by cities with great smokestacks and villages with simple abodes. ON A SWISS ROLL Carriages on the Glacier Express (pictured) have panoramic windows so you can see all the peaks Join the Glacier Express in winter to see the snow-capped mountains of the Swiss Alps rising all around. The route covers 181 miles from Zermatt to St Moritz. Carriages have panoramic windows so you can see all the peaks. SPEED IN JAPAN Zip along coastlines and between mountains on Japan’s Shinkansen trains. Above, the bullet train passes Mount Fuji Japan’s Shinkansen (bullet) trains reach 186mph and are famous for their punctuality. Zip along coastlines and between mountains. Many tours begin in Sapporo in the north and finish in Hakata in the south. PERFECT PYRENEES Climb aboard the Little Red Train (pictured above) for a 38-mile journey between Rivesaltes and Axat Slide along the narrow-gauge tracks of the French Pyrenees aboard the Little Yellow Train, rising from an altitude of 427 meters in Villefranche de Conflent to Bolquere-Eyne, France’s highest railway station at 1,592 meters. The 39-mile route passes through 22 stations. In good weather, passengers can sit in open-sided carriages. Join the Little Red Train for a 38-mile journey between Rivesaltes and Axat, drinking in views of vineyards and chateaux. STEAM DREAM Sip champagne on the Northern Belle as it passes through the Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, with the impress Ribblehead Viaduct, pictured, one of the highlights Enjoy a ride on the Northern Belle train along the 73-mile Settle-Carlisle line. The route takes you through the Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, with highlights including the impressive Ribblehead Viaduct. Expect a Pullman dining car, champagne, and fine dining. ANDES ADVENTURE Ten-day ‘Peru by Rail’ trips with the Belmond Andean Explorer and Hiram Bingham trains Inside the five-star Belmond Andean Explorer, which is a grand sleeper train Travel between the ancient Inca capital of Cusco and Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, before continuing to the whitewashed city of Arequipa, on the five-star Belmond Andean Explorer, a sleeper train. This three-day journey takes in magnificent mountain scenery, including the El Misti volcano rising near Arequipa. From Cusco, a day trip on the Hiram Bingham train takes you to the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. ACROSS AFRICA Enjoy an odyssey across Africa’s great plains on the ‘Coast to Coast – African Kingdoms’ tour, pictured, with the possibility to stop for safaris How about a coast-to-coast ride across Africa? Join a ‘Rovos Rail — Pride of Africa’ luxury train on the Katanga-Benguela route across Angola into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The route links up with tracks into Zambia and Tanzania on a 2,650-mile odyssey across great plains, through remote valleys, and along mighty rivers, with the possibility to stop for safaris. You’ll ride in comfortable 1950s vintage carriages, plus there’s a swanky restaurant car. ROCKY RITUAL Take to the tracks between Denver in Colorado and Moab in Utah on a new, two-day Rocky Mountaineer service. Following the swirling waters of the Colorado River, the train snakes into canyons and crosses a desert-like landscape. Some carriages have panoramic glass roofs. It goes slowly so you’ll be sure to get lots of super snaps. TOP TRAIN TRAVEL TIPS Read up about where you will be passing by — it adds to the enjoyment. Always investigate the dining carriage — you might bump into interesting people. Watch the scenery (not a smartphone screen). Enjoy a sundowner if you are traveling by sleeper train. Take a pack of cards (and/or Scrabble or your favorite game) for evenings. Dress up for dinner on luxury trains — it all adds to the Agatha Christie-ish atmosphere (minus any murders, hopefully).
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Why the International Space Station will crash down into the Pacific Ocean’s

The International Space Station (ISS) will join hundreds of articles of space junk littered across the ocean floor in the Pacific when it is deorbited from space in 2031, renewing concerns about the environmental impact of the region’s “spacecraft graveyard”. Key points: The ISS will crash at Point Nemo in the Pacific Ocean, an artificial reef made up of hundreds of deorbited spacecraft Bringing spacecraft down can result in toxic fuel leaking into the ocean Experts say it is the safest option, despite the environmental impact NASA announced that the ISS will fall from space to its final resting place at Point Nemo in the South Pacific Ocean, to lay among about 300 spacecraft including Russia’s Mir space station and China’s Tiangong-1 space station. Dr. Brad Tucker is an astronomer at the Mount Stromlo Observatory in Canberra and said as the largest spacecraft to ever be deorbited, a controlled re-entry into the South Pacific was critical to bring the ISS back safely. “It’s about the size of a football field. It weighs about 450 tons,” Dr. Tucker said. “So things like the Mir — Russia’s space station — was a fraction of the size. “That’s actually why bringing it down somewhere near this spacecraft graveyard is even doubly important because lots of bits of it will fragment [and] there will be large bits that come back down to earth.” Point Nemo is located about halfway between New Zealand and Chile and was chosen because of its position as the furthest point from land in any direction, limiting the risk of space junk falling near inhabited areas. “So this place has been purposely known for deorbiting craft in such a way that there’s almost an artificial reef — a graveyard full of old spacecraft bits that are lying there in the ocean,” Dr. Tucker said. “This still isn’t the best solution, we don’t actually really like this solution. It’s the least bad option there is. Associate Professor Alice Gorman is a space archaeologist at Flinders University and said many parts of spacecraft burn up as they make their way back down to earth. But she said robust objects like fuel tanks can pose a problem, depending on whether they are intact, the level of fuel, and the type of fuel inside. “There are a number of spacecraft fuels which end up decaying into fairly benign products, they don’t have any implications, but there are also some quite toxic spacecraft fuels. Hydrazine is one of these,” Professor Gorman said. Dr. Tucker added Hydrazine was one of the most common fuels used in spacecraft by countries around the world. “If a fuel tank splits open while it’s still in the re-entry process, those fuels will evaporate, but if it were to break up upon falling to the ocean floor and release some of those fuels that could have a not so great environmental impact,” Professor Gorman said. She said predictive modeling will have been done to gauge how well components like fuel tanks will survive coming back through the atmosphere, the fuel load, and the dangers once it reaches the ocean floor. “So there are some environmental questions to be answered,” Professor Gorman said. In a statement, Greenpeace said it was clear “we need to stop treating the ocean like a dumping ground”. “We need to protect the ocean to allow it to thrive into the future — that means not dumping our pollution into it. “Our wellbeing is inherently linked to the health of the ocean, so it’s in all our best interests to look after it.” NASA did not respond to the ABC’s request for comment in relation to the environmental concerns associated with the ISS’s landing at Point Nemo. ‘No other options’ Professor Gorman said there wasn’t a safer option to bring back this kind of spacecraft. “There will be some environmental impacts, although we may not know exactly what they are, it’s not like there is the choice,” she said. “It’s not like you can say, ‘oh, the impacts are too great, we will leave it in orbit’ because that’s not possible. “Eventually, if we left it there without fuel to continually help it maintain its position, it would drift back down, and we wouldn’t have any control of where it landed.” This happened in Australia in 1979 when the first United States space station, Skylab, had an uncontrolled re-entry over Western Australia. Media reports from the time said the space station disintegrated “in a blaze of fireworks” over the Indian Ocean before debris fell across the desert. Fortunately, no one was injured. Professor Gorman also said if environmental impacts were minimized, deorbited spacecraft could act like shipwrecks and create new habitats for marine life. She said space companies were working to improve their impact through initiatives like the Space Sustainability Rating, which is used to assess how green a company is. Source: abc.net.au
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5 arguments in favor of adding beaker bongs to your stoner collection

In addition to providing a cooler, smoother smoking experience, bongs are highly regarded for their capacity to eliminate pollutants, resulting in a cleaner and all-around more enjoyable smoking session. There are too many different bong shapes and designs to choose from, then, how to decide which bong to try out next? The composition of a bong Let’s first take a look at the bong’s anatomy before we examine the advantages of the beaker bong. There are five essential parts to a bong: The Bowl: The dry marijuana is placed and ignited in this bulbous, larger area of the bong. The Carb is often known as a “carburetor,” and it is a hole through which smoke may be removed from a bong’s chamber. The downstem: The smoke passes from the bowl to the base through the downstem, a little tube, and then it percolates into the water. The Tube: The smoke that has been filtered via the water fills the chamber of the tube. The base: The bong’s base, which may be found in a variety of forms, is its base. A beaker bong’s base is easily recognized and serves as a water chamber through which the smoke is passed. A beaker bong: what is it? Now that you understand the fundamentals, let’s examine the beaker bong in more detail. A beaker bong resembles a piece of science lab gear in every way. The conical flask-shaped base of this bong has several advantages for the user apart from enhancing its geeky look. Beaker bongs: Why every stoner needs one A sturdy, reliable structure The beaker bong is more stable because of its broad footprint. The base of the beaker bong is far more robust than the bases of many other bong designs, which means that it can survive flailing elbows or arms, resulting in less spillage and less cleanup. This piece’s sturdy bottom makes it ideal for daily usage. Additionally, the broader base will produce a lot of smoke, speeding up your hit. A hit or pull with better taste An excellent technique to improve the flavor of your plants is to use a beaker bong. The basic explanation for this is that the beaker bong’s broader base contains more smoke, giving you a generous dose and eventually a stronger high. Better cooling resulted from more water Any bong enthusiast will tell you that higher filtering results from using more water. The beaker bong has more surface area and can hold more water, which results in a cooler, smoother, and tastier hit than some other bongs. Convenience This glassware is simple to use and simple to clean. A beaker bong is a terrific option for you if you want a bong that you can simply “grab and go.” All you have to do to relax after a hard day is take your beaker bong, find a comfortable spot, and get high. With no mess or hassle. You get more from a bong than simply a smoother, cooler, and better-tasting hit. Most bong enthusiasts think that smoking from bongs is also healthy. The good news for all bong enthusiasts is that some researchers have established this to be accurate. It is believed that up to 90% of the dangerous cancer-causing chemicals produced while burning any material are captured by the water in the bong. A decrease in the number of pollutants you are breathing in can only be a beneficial thing as the water traps these dangerous compounds before they can enter your lungs. Bongs provide you with a cleaner hit by filtering out those unpleasant contaminants, but they also have additional advantages. The majority of smokers prefer the hit they get from a bong because it provides a better smoking experience. In addition to filtering the smoke, the water in the bong lowers the temperature of the smoke before it enters your mouth and lungs. Additional techniques to enhance the quality of your bong experience There are a few things you may do if you’re seeking additional strategies to improve your bong hits. Opt for a glass bong rather than a metal or plastic pipe. Smoking through plastic and metal can expose your lungs to harmful substances. This is due to the heat-induced release of toxic chemicals from plastic or metal. Although it may be tempting to choose a plastic bong that is less expensive, you will subsequently thank yourself for investing in a glass bong. To enhance the quality of your smoking experience, you should also maintain the water in your bong clean and fresh. The flavor of your hit will be impacted by any chemicals in the water, some of which, like chlorine, might be harmful to breathe in. You should always maintain your bong clean before each usage because of this. Glassware to improve the session should be available to every serious smoker. Why not treat yourself to a beaker bong so that you may experience the better sweet, smooth, and cool hit for yourself? Take advantage of our deal.
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