Effective Mental Health Treatment May Mean Using Alternative Methods

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Effective mental health treatment doesn’t have to mean prescription drugs and hours of therapy. There are alternative methods for dealing with things like stress, depression, memory issues and even age related issues like Alzheimer’s and dementia. So why don’t we hear more about them? A lack of understand on the part of many doctors keeps the public from being educated and aggressive marketing by drug companies keeps prescriptions flowing.

This is not to say that there isn’t a time and place for mental health treatments like prescription drugs or therapy. Those can be helpful for certain things, but it may be that we are too quick to turn to them for mild to moderate forms of stress, depression, etc. Often there are alternative mental health treatments available.

While the category of alternative mental health treatments can be broad, the primary method that can be of benefit is natural supplements. Secondary treatment methods would include lifestyle changes such as exercise, altering diet, etc. Research has recently been done in both those areas that has opened the door to new thinking on how to address illness of the mind. Some of the change in thinking involves treatment, the rest prevention. However, it is the primary method of supplements that is the focus of this article.

Mental health treatments that are truly effective deal both with prevention and treatment. Supplements are a powerful tool to address each. Studies have been done showing that many herbal supplements are as effective as prescription drugs in dealing with various aliments. For example, a study on Passion Flower found it to be as effective as a leading anti-anxiety medicine for helping people suffering from anxiety disorders.

Ginkgo Biloba is another example. In a study done on Alzheimer’s patients the results demonstrated that Ginkgo may be as effective as a commonly used Alzheimer’s medication in delaying the symptoms of dementia in people that have the disease. It also seems to be effective as a preventative mental health treatment to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s in those who may be predisposed to it.

The thing about these alternative mental health treatments is that the findings of these studies are not likely to get public press and acceptance of the information by both medicine and the public alike is slow. However, they are far more cost effective and have fewer side effects than most prescription drugs. This is not something drug companies like very much so much is done by them to over emphasize their products.

Newer supplement products containing compounds like huperzine A, choline, L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP are also promising in their ability to support a healthy mind. They work to help the body produce and sustain neurotransmitters, the chemicals your brain needs to function. Many mental issues like depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, etc. involve reduced levels of certain neurotransmitters or destroy them outright. These compounds help counter that effect thereby sustaining brain function. Studies have been done on these, but more research is underway.

Impact of Cloud Computing on Travel Industry

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Introduction

The last decade has seen major changes in the travel distribution landscape. First, it was the Internet that started a revolution and forever changed how the travel industry operates. This online boom followed by subsequent economic slowdown has created new dynamics in travel distribution. The proliferation of smart phones and social media has resulted in further creating both chaos as well as new opportunities. While opening up new avenues for growth, these developments have also created new operational challenges.

Challenges faced by travel distribution industry

Dynamic Demand

One key nature of the travel industry is that the demand for travel is highly seasonal and cyclic. This creates a challenge for any operations manager in terms of capacity planning and right sizing of the IT support infrastructure. Planning for peak size can result in underutilization and lead to higher marginal cost. On the other hand, not planning for peak load runs the risk of lost transaction opportunities, unsatisfied customers and finally business losses. This is one of the primary reasons why most travel distribution players end up having higher IT infrastructure cost and lower operating margins.

Increased Search Volume

Increased number of travel portals along with a changing pattern of travel booking behavior of the travelers, has resulted in a huge surge in ‘look to book’ ratio. This increased number of availability request per booking now runs into thousands from a mere single digit number few years back, putting an enormous pressure on existing IT infrastructure. According to Pegasus Solutions, global processor of hotel transactions through the GDS and ADS channels, the look-to-book ratio soared to around +60% over 2009 levels and is expected to rise further. Today’s common look-to-book ratio is almost at a 2,500 -3,000 to 1, -primarily due to growth of online reservation and the changing consumer behavior who is now looking ‘value for money’ deals. For this, travel shoppers use multiple avenues such as search engines, referral sites, websites, mobile applications, and social media.

Business Disruptions

Just prior to the recession, online travel booking soared to all time highs attracting further investments in IT infrastructure in demand anticipation. However, discretionary travel was one of the first spends that was cut down during the slowdown. This caused a severe strain on financials and travel companies had to rethink their models yet again.

Increase in number of sales channels

Popularity of smart phones has persuaded travel players to embrace mobility as a medium to manage bookings and provide other experiences to increase customer stickiness. At the same time, social media sites have also become very popular and travel portals are trying to utilize this trend by integrating different social media components with their sites. Of course, more number of channels also increases complexities in product management.

Cloud computing from a travel distribution perspective

The Cloud helps enterprises to have a dynamically scalable abstracted computing infrastructure that is available on-demand and on a pay-per-use basis. This model not only saves the IT teams from investing heavily on infrastructure, but also shields them from the intricacies involved in infrastructure setup and management. Presently, apart from providing the on-demand IT infrastructure, cloud service providers typically provide interfaces for other related IT management services. To understand the application of Cloud computing to the travel industry, availability searching or shopping is probably the best example; it is by and large the biggest resource consumer in a typical travel process. In today’s circumstances, travel enterprises who run their entire travel application on a single infrastructure platform put unnecessary stress on operational budgets. One of the probable solutions to this problem is to decouple the availability search functionality from the traditional CRS system transfer it on an infrastructure that can support flexible demand. At the onset, it seems to be a complex and upheaval task, as it creates operational challenges such as latency. However, these challenges can be handled through a cloud based solution which offers higher scalability by using modern architecture patterns. On the other hand, mobility is witnessing an unprecedented growth in demand – this is another area where a cloud strategy can bring in competitive advantages for travel organizations. The key challenges that travel enterprises are facing today regarding mobile and social media channels are manifold, viz.,

  • With the advancements of mobile devices such as iPhone, iPad, Android, Symbian, and Blackberry, travel enterprises need to invest in leveraging these to further their distribution and fulfillment channels.
  • Mobility, being a rapidly evolving technology, is difficult to predict in terms of short term as well as long term demand. Due to this, travel enterprises are facing a challenge in scoping the required infrastructure for supporting mobility channel.
  • Travel enterprises need to create a business model to measure increase in revenue and profit against the costs incurred on mobility & social media investments.

Cloud based flexible and on-demand infrastructure enables a travel enterprise to offer mobility and social media channels without incurring any fixed cost. Using a cloud infrastructure, a travel enterprise can start in a small way and grow into these evolving markets with a lower risk and financial strain.

Key concerns in adopting cloud based system

Availability of a Service

Organizations worry about whether utility computing services will have adequate availability, and this makes them wary of Cloud Computing. But in reality, cloud infrastructure providers such as Amazon and Google have much lower outage compared to any internal IT system.

Data lock-in

The primary way to access the cloud platforms is through proprietary APIs. Thus, enterprises feel that they cannot easily extract their data and programs from one site to run on another. But in reality, all major service providers have an obligation in their contract to return the data to the enterprise. These service providers also have data access APIs that can be used to extract data in standard formats.

Data Confidentiality and Statutory Requirements

Many enterprises believe that their data will not be secure in the cloud, since current cloud offerings are essentially public networks. However in reality most of these cloud service providers have better data protection and security mechanism than most IT organizations. They achieve this through the usage of audit trail, encrypted storage, and network middle-boxes. Service providers also comply with various statutory and audit requirements related to enterprise and personal data security and usage.

Integration with external systems

Since travel distribution systems interact with multiple external applications, travel enterprises always have a concern about integrating the cloud based system with other external systems. However, all major cloud service providers have web service interfaces that can be utilized to integrate the cloud based system with other external systems.

Solution for the ‘long tail’

As we know, the travel industry comprises of many small to mid-sized companies. A large majority of which are very entrepreneurial and niche in terms of the products and services they offer. Companies in this ‘long tail’ have little or limited IT knowledge or support and rely on numerous third parties for IT. Such companies always find it difficult to balance their IT spending between IT upgrades and innovating on their solutions, and this tends to become a barrier for business growth. Even today, many small time travel enterprises do not even have an IT system, because they cannot afford to setup an IT operation in-house. Economics of Cloud environment can change this basic premise and make it both affordable and beneficial for travel enterprises of any size who can use this service to derive a competitive advantage. Such an environment brings tremendous advantages to such companies because it also helps them to manage their cash flow better. At the other end of the horizon, start-ups are finding it easier to build and offer products like CRSs, tour operating systems, distribution systems or basic inventory systems on a SaaS model, which is a stronger value proposition and provides a competitive edge to their offerings.

Business outcomes of using cloud based systems

From the above discussion we can conclude that travel enterprise can achieve business growth by leveraging the power of cloud computing:

  • A cloud-based solution reduces the total cost of IT ownership for the travel enterprises and offers performance, reliability, security, and flexible scalability advantages
  • Travel enterprises are able to increase customer base due to higher availability, low congestion, and additional sales channels
  • Competitive advantage to the small and mid-sized enterprise in the form of lower fixed or upfront capital cost
  • Improved operational efficiency due to low marginal cost
  • Ability to manage risks better by reducing fixed investment on any new initiative

How To Select The Best Home Furniture

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If you have an interest in purchasing home furniture from Malaysia then there are certain considerations that should not be overlooked. As it is known as one of the top five exporters of furniture worldwide, you can be sure that the range of options will be extensive. It is important to think carefully about the purchase so as to ensure that you buy the perfect items for your place of residence.

Before spending any money you should visualize how the pieces you are considering would look in your own home. Whether or not you opt for a complete set of furniture or choose individual items would depend upon your exact needs. Often selecting separate pieces would give you greater scope for flexibility and changes at a later date.

If you feel that you do not have the time or the inclination to sit down and analyze every aspect of choosing modern Malaysian furniture, the solution would be to hire a professional to conduct the task on your behalf. Most interior designers would be able to suggest specific pieces depending upon your tastes, current decor, and budget. As such individuals are trained in decoration you would be able to create a look that is unique.

Today, choosing home furniture is a lot easier thanks to the internet. Now wherever you are located you can browse at leisure a wide variety of online furniture retailers. If you are planning to shop online make sure you are clear on such factors as the exact color of the items, their dimensions, and shipping costs. You should also inquire if there is a return policy in case you are not happy with the goods once they are delivered.

Of course you can always spend time visiting furniture stores in person. Though you would be able to see exactly how certain furnishings appear you would not necessarily have access to the greatest range of items or the best deals. Using the internet to locate suitable pieces and then planning a viewing trip would make more sense.

Before parting with your hard earned cash make sure you have considered how the home furniture will be transported to your home. Do you need to pick it up or will it be sent to your address. Also, do not make the unfortunate mistake of buying pieces that are too large to fit through your doors or windows; this is an error that occurs all to often.

How To Decide Which Piece of Jewelry To Buy Your Lady Friend

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When it comes to buying gifts for women, jewelry is one of the top choices. Of course you can always give candy or flowers, but these things are temporary. They only last a short amount of time. Jewelry, on the other hand, can last forever.

So let’s say you decide to buy a piece of jewelry as a gift for someone you care about; then you have to decide what type of jewelry to purchase.

Every woman has her own tastes and preferences. If you do not already know what she likes, look for these cues and see if you can decide what would be best:

Earrings- Earrings often work best for women who like to wear their hair up. When they wear their hair up they give the opportunity to highlight earrings whether they are studs or long earrings. Earrings do not work well for women with young children who will be attracted to the earrings and pull on them while they are still in their mothers’ ears.

Necklaces- Necklaces look great on most women. Most women wear tops with a scoop or v neck that offers the perfect showcase for a beautiful necklace. They are not for all women, though. Some women prefer not to wear necklaces because they have larger chests. Women with larger bust lines might run into the problem of a necklace falling right into their cleavage and drawing too much attention there.

Bracelets- Bracelets can be worn by most women and look beautiful. Bracelets are a less commonly worn piece of jewelry, though. They make an outfit look much fancier, so when going for a casual look women often leave the bracelet out of their outfit.

Rings- Rings are one of the most popular pieces of jewelry for women. Unmarried women often wear rings on both hands, while married women primarily wear extra rings on their right hand. Rings can dress up an outfit, or can keep an outfit casual as well depending on the type of setting and stone that you choose.

Before making a choice, try to watch the habits of the person you are looking to purchase for. If she often wears rings or often wears necklaces, that may be because those are the pieces of jewelry that she likes best. But check her jewelry stash to make sure. She may not wear necklaces simply because she does not have any that she likes.

Jewelry is a great choice when looking for a gift to give to a woman you care about. To make sure you get the best gift for her personally, watch her habits, and look for the things mentioned in the list above. You will be sure to make a great choice!

The Correlation Between Drug Abuse And Healthcare Costs

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A study conducted by an organization known as Monitoring the Future, found that 47% of teenagers had involved used illegal drugs before they completed high school. This is not only a problem attributed to the youth, since it is found in adults too. Illegal drugs have a detrimental effect on the livelihoods of the people who use them, making it a national concern. People have lost their lives, and caused untold pain to those who are around them. These drugs have also led to a high level of crime, an issue, which has led to the formation of enforcement agencies, to fight the vice. There is a significant relationship between Drug Abuse and Health Care Cost.

How the abuse of drugs affects healthcare costs.

People who use illegal drugs spend a lot of time in medical facilities, due to a myriad of problems brought about by consumption of the drugs. These drugs affect your health directly by compromising your immune system. If you abuse drugs, you will always be suffering from one illness to another, thereby resulting in more visits to the hospital, than you would, if you were not abusing the drugs. This considerably increases the cost of health care per capita. Insurance companies that provide healthcare schemes are therefore forced to increase the amount of money that you pay, in the form of premiums. Government healthcare schemes are also stretched thus, providing lower cover for people. Drug abuse also has an indirect effect on the cost of healthcare. Scores of people around you will be affected when you abuse drugs. Accidents, on people who do not use drugs, caused by people who are under the influence of drugs are on the increase. These people need medical care, and therefore have to spend large sums of money, treating a condition that was not of their own doing. This is how drugs, directly and indirectly, affect the cost of healthcare provision.

Apart from increasing the cost of providing emergency medical response to people who abuse drugs, a large volume of financial resources goes into curative drug abuse programs. These are programs designed to help you stop abusing drugs. The reason why they are expensive is because they take a long time to have any measurable effect, and they are conducted by highly paid professionals. Drug rehabilitation programs have a draining effect on the exchequer. A lot of taxes are used in creating programs that help people to stop using drugs. Private medical care schemes also spend a lot of money in paying for private rehabilitation of drug addicts in clinics or at home. The costs are further increased by the fact that you still have to be monitored after you leave a rehabilitation facility. This is done so you do not suffer a relapse, and end up where you began.

How you can help lower the healthcare costs brought about by drug abuse.

The first step towards lowering this cost is to stay away from drugs in the first place. Get involved with your peers, and other members of your community, to educate people on the dangers of abusing these drugs. Your efforts will reduce the cost of providing healthcare to drug addicts. If you, or anyone you know, are abusing drugs, you should seek immediate help from a professional. The cost of rehabilitation can be reduced considerably, if you make a personal commitment to staying away from illicit drugs. If you go through a rehabilitation program, only to relapse later, you will have increased the national cost of healthcare provision.

The untold story of abusing prescription drugs

Although the abuse of illegal drugs is a primary concern, when it comes to the cost of providing healthcare, the abuse of prescription drugs, to a lesser extent, also contributes to this issue. When you are addicted to prescription drugs, you will have to spend a lot of money buying the drugs, when you do not need them. To stop this, you should use all prescription drugs according to the directions given by your physician. Do not use the drugs, for a longer period than that prescribed. If you do not get better, you should visit your physician who will give you an alternative treatment.

Payday Loans: No Credit Check No Fuss Loans

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Payday loans are the fastest and most convenient option for getting a cash advance for emergencies before your next payday. However getting payday loans and their repayments involve certain important aspects. Herein we are attempting to answer all your general queries related to Payday loans and we hope it will serve as a tool to open up any mystery surrounding payday loans or cash advance.

What Is A Payday Loan Or Cash Advance Loan?

We daily come across many loan types like housing loan, personal loan, and education loan. However, the payday loans are a new buzz in the market, and it is very popular. This loan is known by many names like “Cash Advance”, “Paycheck loan”, “Check loans”, and “Payday advance loans”. Let us understand what is a payday loan or cash advance loan and how and when it should be used for your maximum advantage. Payday loans are unsecured loans, which can be used for meeting your emergency financial needs and is paid back out of your next paycheck on your payday. Thus, payday loans are the shortest tenure loans among the other loans available in the market.

Are there any limitations on payday loan or cash advance loan usage?

Many a times we face a situation when we need money badly but feel like our hands are tied as our payday is still several days away. In such a scenario, we either have to shelve or defer our plan of purchasing something or go for a heavy interest credit card loan to meet the obligation. The requirement could be to pay up unexpected medical bills, your kid’s school fee, to avoid bouncing of your issued checks or any other financial obligation. In such trying times, payday loans or a cash advance comes in handy. Thus, you can use this cash advance for whatever purpose. There is no restriction on the usage of payday loans.

Am I eligible to receive a payday loan or cash advance loan?

The best thing about payday loans is that they can be had even if your credit rating is not very good. The second best thing about payday loans is that taking a cash advance does not affect your credit rating. All you need to be eligible to receive the payday loans is to have a running checking account and a regular job.

How should I apply for a payday loan?

To apply for the payday loans, we would say it is easier to do than to say. You can apply for payday loans online using Internet. You may be required to supply some basic information such as your Name, Address, and your employer details. Some companies offering payday loans may ask for your Bank Statement or pay stub over fax. The documents required by these companies for payday loans are minimum in comparison to other types of loans.

What is the fee charged for payday loans?

Before applying for payday loans, we suggest that you scan 5-6 companies for the fees they are charging. Some companies offer payday loans without any fee for the first week.

How much cash can I get with a payday loan?

The amount of payday loans ranges from $100 to $1000 depending upon the repaying capacity of the borrower.

What is the length of payday loans?

Normally a cash advance is supposed to be paid back on or before your coming payday. Therefore, the maximum length of payday loan could be up to 30 days. However, some companies are flexible with respect to the loan duration as well. Payday loans can be extended until the next payday. This extension of payday loans however comes at a price.

How long does it take to get a payday loan?

Payday loans are much easier to get and in less time than other loans. After applying for a payday loan online, you will get a telephone call from the payday lender. After completing the small formalities, the cash advance will be credited to your checking account the next business day.

Does this mean I can enjoy my pay without waiting for my payday?

Before you jump for a payday loan, please note that the rate of interest charged for these loans are higher than other loans. Extending the duration of payment will only increase the fees charged. The payday loans or cash advance loan should be used very prudently and only for meeting financial exigencies that cannot be avoided. Please remember that getting a payday loan or cash advance loan too frequently could upset your monthly budget and you may find it difficult to get out.

Turquoise and 2017 Fashion Styles

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Turquoise has been described as the 2017 color of the year by Pantone. To be exact it is the color Pantone 15- 5519. And Pantone describes this turquoise as an inviting, luminous hue. There is something yes truly illuminating about turquoise. ‘Illuminating’ seems to be the right word. Turquoise doesn’t sparkle. Instead it illuminates and it is a color that can seduce too. But ‘seduce’ may not be the right word either. Scarlet reds and maybe blacks seduce but turquoise, a color of the sea, a color linked to Caribbean, Mediterranean waters calms and excites and illuminates rather than seduces.

Other words used by pantone for turquoise are tranquil and exciting. These might seem contradictory terms. But the effect of color is contradictory and actually there might be nothing contradictory at all in calling a color, both exciting and tranquil.

Still how can one truly describe the effect of colors? But the effect of colors is important. In fashion, colors can be used to electrify and excite e.g if turquoise was used with a metallic look or a certain type of fabric eg Mesh. Or it can be calming like with cotton. Anyway let’s not dig a hole.

Effects are important. The right effect is important for fashion. So turquoise should be used to create the right fashion effect and for 2017, Pantone is perhaps saying that turquoise is a color that can do this for 2017.

Turquoise is just a color and it needs to be used to create the right looks, and the right look needs the right fabric, style/design and also perhaps the right patterns, where the turquoise hue is part of a pattern e.g. with whites and other lighter hues or perhaps with more powerful hues like red.

One can perhaps imagine turquoise as having that loose effect, loose feel, effect. Perhaps it can be described as a color suitable for casual wear but to be more exact, it is a color for Spring and Summer where the casual look is important. It is suitable for the world of the beach or clubs, the afternoons where the sun shines and people rid themselves of coats and heavy jackets and color is important.

Imagine the drapy turquoise chemise dress, the drapy turquoise t-shirt and there the more fitted looks, the tight looks which accent the body, And turquoise is the sea color, the color of beaches, spring/ summer afternoons. It can be used for the popular gypsy dresses and the popular 70s styles which are in vogue. And turquoise is of course an illuminating color which means too that it is a powerful color so a simple turquoise chemise dress might be the right look. One might need subtle designs. Turquoise is a pure, simple color but powerful too and one might just need another color/hue for contrast e.g. white. And then there is black which combined with turquoise can create an edgy, stylish look. And one can move into the world of prints but here the effect of turquoise might be lost when combined with reds, purples, violets. Imagine the turquoise dress, shirt worn on the beach. One doesn’t really need a red, purple contrast hue with it. There is also turquoise combined with a green hue. Yes turquoise can be merged with other colors/hues to create interesting prints but this is really another area completely.

Turquoise can be used for different social functions/gatherings/parties. There are obviously different types of occasions. There is the beach party, the afternoon gathering too and turquoise is ‘there for that’. Turquoise can be imagined as a ‘t-shirt’ color, a dress color but it can be used as the skirt color in a separate look with another hue for the top area.

So turquoise can be used to create the cool warrior look. Think of a cool warrior walking along the sea. Actually a cool ‘girl’ warrior look because in the fashion world, warriors are usually women. The cool warrior wears the cool turquoise. And the warrior wears a dress but there is an edginess about the look. It is an edgy warrior look. Maybe there is a short turquoise chemise dress. The shoulders are shown and there is a purity about the turquoise here The emphasis is on the effect turquoise brings across. Yes turquoise is one color that can be used to style apparel for the months of sun; the seasons of sun, spring and summer.

How to Choose Home Furniture

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You recently bought a new house and then you found yourself asking, “Now what?” choosing a house is one thing, choosing home furniture is another. Furniture is the core feature of a house. It should be comfortable yet suits your personal taste. Here are some tips on how to choose home furniture.

    • Look through home decor magazines or surf the net for interior designing websites. Also, observe other people’s house. You can get several kinds of ideas that you can choose from.
    • Consider the size, layout, and the general style of your house. Moreover, think of what kind of lifestyle you have and also think about your everyday life. You should consider things that people in your house or guests will more likely use very often. This can help you choose upholstery details such as what color and type of fabric to use.
    • Determine your house’s color scheme. Your wall is the background for everything. You can also make large furniture as a base color and accessories such as throw pillows and other decors as accent colors that will add spice to your room.
    • Research on different styles and prices of furniture. You can go to showrooms and furniture shops and you can also visit websites. Not only you can see the hottest home furnishing in today’s interior decorating style but also you can get tips from various subjects related to home and garden improvements.
  • You should be prepared when you go to furniture shop. You should bring the types of fabrics that you have in your house such as curtains, table top, rugs, carpets, etc. moreover, bring measurements with you so that you will not make a mistake in choosing furniture.

At Your Own Risk – 10 Countries Where Travel Insurance Won’t Be Able To Help You

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The foreign and commonwealth office draws up an extensive list of countries that should not be traveled to quite regularly and it is from that our, and other global travel insurance providers’, underwriters decide which countries travel insurance should be provided for. We look at the government travel advice and decide from that whether or not we can provide insurance to travelers.

Although global travel insurance does, by its nature, cover the majority of the world, the current climate ensures that there are some places where the likelihood of incident means that UK travel insurance providers are unable to offer protection. Thankfully, the list is clear of the majority of popular holiday destinations, and you’re unlikely to have your big holiday plans affected. The most likely group to have their travel plans altered by the foreign office’s travel advice are business travelers.

The foreign office’s travel advice is not to travel to the following countries, even if it means losing business – the risk from the war-zones listed below is just too great to make the reward worth the danger:

Here’s our top 10 countries to avoid traveling to, and the reasons for the high risk factor! The risk is far from conclusive (the foreign office’s travel advice lists many more countries), but to me, these are the ones that all travelers should avoid like the plague:

10) Liberia

Economic hardship in Liberia is currently making outbreaks of violence common, and foreigners (especially westerners) are at risk targets due to their affluence. This extra likelihood of incident ensures that no UK travel insurance provider would risk offering you cover if you choose to visit Liberia

9) Nepal

Occasional acts of terrorism and political violence in urban areas make Nepal off-limits for those who want to get travel insurance. In September this year, three nearly simultaneous bombs went off in the capital of Kathmandu, killing 3 and injuring many innocent bystanders.

8)Haiti

Haiti is considered off limits to many travelers on account of the high risk of kidnappings and civil unrest that is prominent. At the time of writing, there have been 12 kidnappings of American travelers in 2007 – mostly criminal in nature. In the past, these kidnappings have ended in physical and sexual assaults and shootings. The potential for spontaneous protests and demonstrations has also been known to result in unexpected violence, day or night. It’s no surprise that the government’s travel advice is not to travel here!

7)Yemen

Due to the high levels of terrorist activity in Yemen, westerners are advised to steer clear of Yemen. If this is not possible, then all travelers are encouraged to stay vigilant and to keep a low profile to avoid attacks or kidnapping. The situation is so grave that the US Embassy often restricts American citizens from certain hotels, restaurants and shopping areas.

6)Israel

The Gaza Strip and West Bank has seen immense violence in recent months between Israeli and Palestinian factions, and shootings, kidnappings and violence demonstrations have occurred in each. The region’s continued instability makes travel to Israel widely recommended against – the risk of abduction or worse makes travel insurance impossible to obtain.

5)Democratic Republic of Congo

The democratic republic of Congo remains one of the most dangerous places to travel in Africa, where violence, neglect and corruption has left the country distinctly damaged. Fighting erupted in the streets of Kinshasa in March this year, and the situation remains volatile despite the immediate threat of violence calming down. Travel outside of Kinshasa is difficult and dangerous with security, especially in the north and easy, being unstable. Any traveler brave enough to travel to the Congo should be extremely cautious, avoid the North Kivu district which is the backdrop to armed conflict between government troops and army rebels, avoid crowds and keep a close eye on local media.

4)Burma (Myanmar)

While the human rights situation makes Myanmar an ethically uneasy place to visit, currently there is a lot of personal risk involved as well. Throughout September, the anti-government protests sparked a violent crackdown from the authorities and made international headlines. Although the dusk-til-dawn curfew imposed in some of the towns has been lifted, it still remains an uncertain time to visit the country and you’re unlikely to find any global travel insurance company who will insure you.

3)Colombia

Colombia remains one of the most dangerous places to travel in the world thanks to the crime the country suffers from. The illicit drug trade in urban areas such as Cali and Buenaventura means that there is often a high risk of violence, while the more rural areas expose visitors to the country at risk from narcoterrorist groups who will often kidnap civilians to use for ransom or to gain media attention. Naturally UK travel insurance companies are loathe to insure travellers who choose to ignore these warning and travel to Colombia anyway.

2)Afghanistan

With the war on terror in Afghanistan still fresh in the mind, it’s no surprise that the country remains a big no-go area. Western tourists are obvious kidnap and assassination targets, as many of the disbanded Taliban and Al-Qa’ida forces remain at large and hostile to the new regieme. Additionally, the country remains unsafe due to tribal groups, explosive devices, landmines, military operations and acts of terrorism. Unsurprisingly, the government’s travel advice is to avoid traveling here at all costs!

1)Iraq

Given the high profile nature of western kidnappings by various insurgent groups, and the regular acts of terrorism and hostility to Western troops, it is no surprise that no travel insurance companies will insure travelers to the troubled country. The instability is caused by various groups – Ba’ath regime remnants, transnational terrorists and criminal elements have been known to attack convoys en-route to venues, hotels, restaurants, checkpoints and police stations.

While holidaymakers are unlikely to be affected by these less touristy locations, their riskiness means that business travelers will have to forgo their travel insurance if they are unable to cancel their trips.

Divorce and Temporary Protection Order (TPO’s)

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A court has the power to issue a TPO (temporary protection order) to protect individuals from being harassed and stalked. In a divorce proceeding, the court may also grant a TPO to a spouse, husband or wife, if the spouse has been subject to instances of domestic violence.

Domestic violence is not simply defined by physical violence towards a spouse or child. It takes many different forms. In Nevada, the law provides that a court may issue a TPO on a current or former spouse if it finds evidence of:

Sexual violence
Child abuse
Harassment
Physical violence
Threats of physical violence
Coercion

There are several TPO’s that a court may issue. First, you can apply for an emergency protection order. This application must be made while your spouse is still in police custody after being arrested for a domestic violence incident and is effective for 7 days. A temporary protection order may also be requested regardless of whether there is an arrest and is effective for 30 days. Finally, you can apply for an extended protection order, which can last for up to one year. If you apply for an extended order, a hearing will be scheduled. Your spouse must be notified and has the right to attend the hearing. It is also absolutely necessary that you attend the hearing or the TPO will be dismissed.

A judge can rule on a number of issues when granting a TPO. Your spouse can be ordered to stay away from your home, place of work, or your child’s school or daycare, or any other relevant place. Your spouse can also be ordered not to contact you in the form of phone calls, through a third party such as friends or family, and email. Your spouse can be prevented from destroying your property, assaulting you or your children, and harassing you in any way. The judge may also order your spouse to leave the marital home, assign control of bank accounts and other items that you share, as well as temporary child custody.

Every situation is different and if you are unsure of whether you are entitled to a TPO you can contact the Family Violence Intervention Program located in the Clark County Family Court. Applications are free and advocates are there to assist you. They cannot provide legal advice, but they can help you with the application process.

A temporary protection order is designed to protect individuals from domestic violence before, during, and after a divorce and these matters are taken very seriously. The court will not tolerate false or exaggerated accusations of domestic violence in order to gain some sort of advantage in a divorce or custody battle. If you are in need of a TPO, or you have had a TPO wrongfully issued against you, it may be in your best interest to consult a Las Vegas divorce attorney experienced in these legal matters to protect you rights.