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All The Facts on Online Piracy

All The Facts on Online Piracy

What is Online Piracy?

Online piracy is a term used to elucidate on the illegal copying of licensed and copyrighted materials from the Internet. Online piracy, as a term, is widely used and upheld by agents who distribute licenses and trademarks for Internet companies in a multitude of industries. 
There are three fundamental forms of Online Piracy: music piracy, software piracy, and movie piracy. Although other forms of online piracy exist, these three remain the most common and the most fundamental avenues for which online piracy is present. 
The opponents of online piracy feel that the illegitimate or fraudulent actions of the maneuver pose a serious threat to the creative and artistic development of the world. In addition to violating terms in copyrights, opponents of the actions believe that online piracy limits profits, by reducing the amount of money an artist or programmer can obtain through the production of their particular good.
The majority of individuals who participate in online piracy do so to obtain the benefits of a particular item for free. The most dominating example of online piracy is found in the illegal download market for free media, such as music and movies. Opponents of the online piracy market further point out that the use of such creative works without paying for them also affects the large support staffs (i.e. publishers, designers, engineers, sound technicians etc.) who lends a hand in the creation of the work. 
The most common form of Internet piracy that is present today are found in bit torrent sites. A Bit Torrent is an illegal, digital file-sharing program that is operated from a centralized location, which grants access to its users that allows them to participate in the transfer, import, and export of intellectual property.
Typically, a Bit Torrent website will contain a series of servers that houses the intellectual property through which is being circulated throughout the Bit Torrent web site; membership to Bit Torrent websites – ranging from those offered without a charge to those that require membership fees – are able to download and upload digital media belonging to the members of that particular Bit Torrent website. 
Bit Torrent, which is classified as a Peer-to-Peer (p2p) digital file-sharing program is considered to be more efficient than its predecessors, which include Napster, Kazaa, and Limewire. In contrast to traditional fire-sharing programs in which full files are circulated through digital transmission, Bit Torrent sharing allows for the segmented transmission of digital media through its server(s); as a result, users are inundated with much smaller files, which allow for more a more comprehensive and seamless transmission – however, this design does not detract from the illegality innate in all file-sharing programs.
The criminal activity inherent in digital file-sharing can be covered by a multitude of legal fields, including copyright law, cyber law, and criminal law; the unlawful transmission and dissemination of digital media in lieu of both legal purchase, as well as financial recuperation on the part of the industry applicable to the digital media is considered to be a criminal activity punishable by law enforcement.

Travel Insurance Coverage

Travel Insurance Coverage

What is Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance is a form of insurance that provides coverage for medical and financial expenses and other losses that might occur while an individual travels. The financial expenses in this regard refer to the loss of money from the investment in non-refundable pre-payments associated with travel. 
Travel insurance is typically offered in a short-term form and is usually arranged at the time of the booking. These characteristics are intended to cover the costs associated with the exact duration of the trip. Continuous travel insurance policies may be purchased from travel insurance companies, travel agents, or directly from a travel supplier (such as tour operators or cruise lines). That being said, any travel insurance policy that is purchased from a travel supplier will be less inclusive than plans offered by reputable insurance companies. 
Travel insurance will provide coverage for a variety of travelers. For example, student travelers, business travelers, adventure travelers, those who are travelling for leisure, cruise travel, and international travel will all possess different intricacies as well as an assortment of options that may be insured. 
Travel Insurance Coverage Types:
A travel insurance policy will cover the most common risks that are experienced during travel. The following risks or expenses are typically covered by a travel insurance policy:
    Medical Expenses
    Return of a minor child
    Repatriation of remains
    Fees associated with trip cancellation or interruption
    Emergency evacuations
    Overseas funeral expenses
    Delayed departures
Any losses obtained from theft or damage to personal possessions and money—travel documents are included in this description
Any costs associated with delayed baggage—travel insurance will also provide emergency replacement of essential items
    Legal assistance
    Personal liability and excessive damages to rental cars
    Curtailment
Some forms of travel insurance will additionally provide coverage for unexpected or additional costs; these forms of coverage will vary widely between particular providers. Additionally, separate insurance may be purchased for the accruement of specific costs such as:
    Coverage for any pre-existing conditions
    Sports with an element of risk that are associated with travel such as skiing, spelunking, or scuba diving
    Traveling to countries that are regarded as high-risk due to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or war
    Kidnap and ransom insurance
    Additional AD&D coverage policies
Although different policies will include additional forms of coverage, there are common exclusions that are typically eliminated by all travel insurance plans. For example, an insurer will cover any expenses related to pregnancy if the travel occurs within the first trimester, after that; however, the majority of plans will not provide coverage for any costs obtained. 
Travel insurance plans are typically priced in relation to the trip’s overall cost and the duration of the journey. In most cases, a typical coverage plan will cost approximately 5-7% of the cost of the trip.

Find Your Tax Brackets For 2010

Find Your Tax Brackets For 2010

What are the Tax Brackets for 2010?

The federal income tax in the United States is a progressive model where those individuals who earn higher wages are taxed at a higher percentage and vice versa. The tax brackets represent the divisions at which tax rates are implemented; these rates will change based on a given fiscal year in accordance with inflation and the macro-economic standing of the country. In essence, the tax brackets represent cutoff values for an earner’s taxable income—incomes past a certain point will be taxed at the next available tax bracket.

Additionally the tax rates will fluctuate for individuals who file separately or for those couples who file joint returns. The tax rate is dependent on income, meaning the amount of money an individual earns from his or her job; however, the tax rates will also fluctuate given the delivery of tax deductions, tax credits, and the status of the filing. Contact an income tax lawyer to review your case.

The following brackets will elucidate on the taxable incomes of American earners and the separate filing statuses that are present in the Federal income taxation system. 

2010 Tax Brackets for single earners:

Single 2010 Tax Brackets

Taxable Income:    Income Tax:

$0-$8,375    10% of the amount over $0

$8,375-$34,000    $837.50 plus 15% of the amount over $8,375

$34,000-$82,400    $4,681.25 plus 25% of the amount over $34,000

$82,400-$171,850    $16,781.25 plus 28% of the amount over $82,400

$171,850-$373,650    $41,827.25 plus 33% of the amount over $171,850

$373,650+    $108,421.25 plus 35% of the amount over $373,650

 

An individual’s tax bracket is dependent on two primary variables: the individual’s taxable income and their filing status. The options for filing status include the following: the individual will file a single return, a Married Filing Jointly return, a Married Filing Separately Return, a head of household, or a Qualifying Widower with Dependent Child. 

The filing status is dependent upon the filer’s marital and family situation on the last day of the taxable year. If on the last day of the taxable year, multiple filing statuses apply, the individual will be allowed to choose between them.

2010 Tax brackets for individuals who file for  Married Jointly:

Married Filing Jointly 2010 Tax Brackets

Taxable Income:    Income Tax:

$0-$16,750    10% of the amount over $0

$16,750-$68,000    $1,675 plus 15% of the amount over $16,750

$68,000-$137,300    $9,362.50 plus 25% of the amount over $68,000

$137,300-$209,250    $26,687.50 plus 28% of the amount over $137,300

$209,250-$373,650    $46,833.50 plus 33% of the amount over $209,250

$373,650+    $101,085.50 plus 35% of the amount over $373,650

Tax Brackets for those who are Married but File Separately:

Married Filing Separately 2010 Tax Brackets

Taxable Income:    Income Tax:

$0-$8,375    10% of the amount over $0

$8,375-$34,000    $837.50 plus 15% of the amount over $8,375

$34,000-$68,650    $4,681.25 plus 25% of the amount over $34,000

$68,650-$104,625    $13,343.75 plus 28% of the amount over $68,650

$104,625-$186,825    $23,416.75 plus 33% of the amount over $104,625

$186,825+    $50,542.75 plus 35% of the amount over $186,825

Tax Brackets for those who file as Head of Household:

Head of Household 2010 Tax Brackets

Taxable Income:    Income Tax:

$0-$11,950    10% of the amount over $0

$11,950-$45,550    $1,195.00 plus 15% of the amount over $11,950

$45,550-$117,650    $6,235 plus 25% of the amount over $45,550

$117,650-$190,550    $24,260 plus 28% of the amount over $117,650

$190,550-$373,650    $44,672 plus 33% of the amount over $190,550

$373,650+    $105,095 35% of the amount over $373,650

 

 

All You Need To Know About Torn Claims

All You Need To Know About Torn ClaimsWhat is a Tort Claim?

•    A tort claim is a legal filing made in response to a party (typically an individual) who is subjected to a wrongful act that did not include a breach violation. Torts are classified into five categories: negligent actions, strict liability, intentional torts, miscellaneous torts, and cases that revolve around product liability.

•    When people file tort claims, the individuals are filing a civil lawsuit against the individual or entity who committed the tort, meaning the action which precipitated some sort of damage. To win a tort claim and be awarded the monetary compensation to recoup the damages undertaken, the plaintiff must prove that all of the elements of the tort law were committed. 
•    To file a tort claim for an intentional tort, the plaintiff (the individual who suffered some sort of damage, whether physical or damage incurred on his or her property)must successfully prove the elements of the pledged duty, the subsequent breach, and the aftereffects of the situation, meaning the causation and damages incurred. 
•    A negligence tort claim arises when a party does not intend to cause harm to the plaintiff, but the unreasonable act or the unreasonable failure to act precipitates an injury to the plaintiff. In turn, the defendant of a tort claim might have possessed a direct duty to uphold the standard of care but must breach the intended duty and subsequently cause an injury to the plaintiff. To have a legitimate negligence claim, it is not enough for the defendant’s negligent act to have created harm to another party. The plaintiff must also show damages that resulted from the negligent act carried out by the defending party.
•    In a strict liability tort claim, a person will be held liable for the victimized party’s injury without having committed a wrongful act. In this instance, the plaintiff must assert the elements that the aggressing party had a direct duty to institute a safety protocol or institute something safe and that the defendant blatantly breached that duty, which resulted in injury to the plaintiff or to the plaintiff’s property. Strict liability tort claims arise when a defendant has engaged in a hazardous or abnormally dangerous activity.
•    The majority of products liability claims come under a strict liability theory. Under this principle, the commercial supplier and manufacturer of the underlying product that has caused an injury to a plaintiff can be held strictly liable for the victimized party’s injuries, particularly if the product in question was inherently unsafe or dangerously defective.

Lenders to Speed Up Insurance Payments

Lenders to Speed Up Insurance Payments

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) stated on Friday, September 21, that approved lenders need to expedite hazard insurance payments to struggling families affected by Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana and Mississippi. 

On Friday, September 21, the FHA released a Mortgagee Letter that reiterated the important polices concerning the insurance handouts to homeowners trying to rebuild their damaged property after a natural disaster like a hurricane. 

The Letter was released because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had begun to notice that some lenders were using the insurance funds to pay off outstanding mortgage balances.  These actions resulted in many homeowners failing to obtain the proper materials to rebuild their damaged homes and property. 

The HUD encourages lenders to do the following after a natural disaster:

1. provide copies of the hazard insurance policies when homeowners request the information

2. quickly hand over the insurance claim funds to homeowners when a repair plan has been authorized

3. follow strict guidelines so the insurance claims are filed and settled quickly

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu stated the following about the policies under the FHA: “This ensures that the actions of several unscrupulous mortgage lenders after Katrina will not be repeated during recovery from Isaac.  It is important that homeowners themselves receive their insurance proceeds so they can begin to rebuild their homes and lives impacted by this storm.” 

The FHA also stresses the fact that lenders need to quickly release funds for personal property, temporary living quarters, and multiple other expenses.  Unless the homeowner has signed a written consent, the lender cannot withhold the funds. 

Carol Galante, the FHA’s Acting Commissioner, states, “FHA Lenders are always required to follow our guidance and, particularly following a devastating disaster like Hurricane Isaac, it is important that FDA take affirmative steps to ensure that is the case.” 

Source: Department of Housing and Urban Development

 

Flood Insurance Rate Maps Undergoing Update

Flood Insurance Rate Maps Undergoing Update

 

On October 11, 2012, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are going to be updated for people living along the coast in the Southeast.  The updated FIRMs will present a clearer picture of flood risks and provide flood hazard information for other areas as well.  
 
According to FEMA, floods are most commonly occurring natural disasters in the United States, and towns and cities along the coast are in the most danger of floods.  About 40 percent of the population in the United States lives in communities along the coast, and these communities need to know the risks of floods and steps they can take to protect themselves and their property.  
 
FEMA and other partners need to update the FIRMS because flood risk changes over the course of time.  All of the following can lead to new water and flow patterns: construction, environmental factors, shoreline erosion, and numerous other manmade and natural factors.  
 
FEMA will work with regional, state and local partners through the Southeast over the next couple of years to revise the FIRMs along coastal areas.  The new FIRMs will qualify as the most detailed and accurate flood risk data because of new technology and engineering tools.  
 
The state of Mississippi received completed FIRMS in 2007.  The updated counties include Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson.  In order to see the progress of the FIRMs for the FEMA Region IV Coastal Analysis and Mapping, you can visit the following website: www.southeastcoastalmaps.com.  You can find information for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.  
 
Community planners can use the new information when planning activities.  Developers can use the information in order to make decisions where to build and how the construction might affect flood risks.  Insurance companies and real estate agents can use the new information to make changes to their rates.  
 
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Direct Travel Insurance

Direct Travel Insurance

 
 
Travel Insurance Explained:
 
Travel insurance is a type of insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, financial hardships over travel suppliers and other losses, such as stolen or lost luggage, cancelled flights, and weather delays, that may occur while travelling. Travel insurance may be purchased by an individual travelling within his or her country or abroad; regardless of the location, the insurance policy provides coverage against any financial losses or any negative externalities that occur as a result of travelling. 
 
 
Types of Travel Insurance:
 
 
In addition to a traditional or comprehensive travel insurance policy—typically referred to as direct travel insurance–an individual can purchase temporary coverage, which is usually arranged at the time the trip is booked. This form of cheap travel insurance will provide coverage for exactly the duration of the trip. As a result of the limited coverage offered, temporary travel insurance is far less extensive than traditional travel insurance, which is typically purchased from travel agents (individuals who work for travel insurance companies) or directly from travel suppliers, such as tour operators or cruise lines. That being said, a comprehensive travel insurance package, purchased from a travel supplier, will tend to be less inclusive than a policy offered by an insurance company. 
 
 
Travel insurance will often provide coverage to an assortment of travels; student travel, leisure travel, adventure travel, business travel, international travel and cruise travel are all options or forms of travel that can be covered by travel insurance. To broaden the types of direct travel insurance we will forego the specifics associated with what is covered and instead, label the forms of direct travel insurance with a wider lens. The first and most common form of direct travel insurance is Trip Cancellation/Interruption coverage. The majority of these policies will cover all trip or flight cancellations due to weather, sudden illness or death, emergency military operation, jury duty and bankruptcy of the airline of cruise line prior to departure. The majority of these direct travel insurance policies, will provide terrorism insurance; a form of catastrophic coverage that will reimburse expenses in the event that the United States Department of States issues a travel warning advising individuals not to travel within a given country for a specified period of time.  
 
 
Another form of direct travel insurance is offered to cover expenses associated with medical emergencies. This policy is particularly useful if the individual is travelling to underdeveloped regions of the world or for individuals who are inflicted with a chronic illness. These policies will reimburse the holder for all costs that stem from doctor’s visits, medication and occasionally medical evacuations out of the destination. 
 
 
For longer trips or habitual travels, an extensive form of direct travel insurance is typically the most common policy purchased. These comprehensive plans will provide a wide variety of coverage as well as a personalization characteristic, which ultimately enables the traveller to choose what kinds of coverage to be included. Since it is difficult to prognosticate in regards to what problems may arise during a trip, a comprehensive direct travel insurance policy will cover every aspect or situation that may carry a monetary loss for the traveler.  
 

Collision Insurance

Collision Insurance

Rental Car Insurance

Rental Car Insurance

Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy

 

A Closer Look at the United States Life Expectancy

Life expectancy is the average number of years expected left to live in group of individuals who are born in the same year. These values can also be given based on the expected remaining years based on a given age instead of the expectancy when born (at the age of 0). This is often done to take infant mortality into account, which can greatly distort life expectancy averages, if the rate of infant mortality is high.

Because many mortalities specific to age have been reduced, the life expectancy in the United States has increased dramatically over the last century. In addition, fertility has decreased considerably in the population, leading to a rapidly aging population, which a higher percentage of individuals who are at least 65 years old.

As of 2011, the life expectancy of Americans is currently 78.37 years. The United States has the 50th longest life expectancy of its citizens out of 222 counties, being surpassed by many others including Japan, Italy, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Norway, and many others, all which have life expectancy rates over 80 years.

Most variations in life expectancy rates globally are due to differences in medical care, public health, and diet. However, in poorer nations and third world countries, a dramatically lower rate can result from mortality from disease, war and starvation. An example of this would be in South Africa, where life expectancy should be approximately 69.9 years but is instead measured to be around 41.5 years due to the prevalence of AIDS.

The average life expectancies among the majority of countries are no constant between men or women. Men typically have a lower life expectancy in comparison to women. Currently, men have an expectancy of 75.92 years while women have a life expectancy of 80.93 years.

Life expectancies have been growing significantly as more medical and technological advances have been made. From 1900 to 1902, the expectancy in the United States was 49.2 years (97.9 for men and 50.7 for women). This average increased by 10 years by 1930 and nearly another 10 by 1950. Since then, it has steadily increased up till today’s value.

While the life expectancy has grown considerably in the United States, this does not eliminate the fact that there are certain conditions that are more likely to affect an individual be the cause of death.

As of 2009, the 15 leading causes of death and the death rates according to the CDC were:

• Heart diseases or heart conditions:  598,607

• Malignant neoplasms (cancer): 568,668

• Chronic lower respiratory conditions: 137,082

• Cerebrovascular conditions: 128,603

• Unintentional injuries: 117,176

• Alzheimer’s disease: 78,889

• Diabetes Mellitus: 68,504

• Pneumonia or influenza:53,582

• Nephritis: 48714

• Suicide: 36,547

• Septicemia: 35,587

• Cirrhosis or chronic liver disease: 30,444

• Hypertension or hypertensive renal disease: 25,651

• Parkinson’s disease: 20,552

• Homicide: 16,591

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