Million Signatures

Archive for June, 2010

I work for a specialty after market auto parts retailer. We have no showroom, so around twenty percent of our business comes from the Internet while eighty percent comes from the telephone. We send out catalogs to those who request them or anyone who has placed an order in the last year. We also advertise in the back of automotive magazines. Needless to say, telephone sales are truly the lifeblood of our business. As of late, however, I’ve been wishing that weren’t the case.

My company’s business phone system has what I would call, the absolute most annoying hold message ever produced. My boss, the owner of the company, is a really nice guy. Unfortunately, he is a really nice guy with a very pronounced speech impediment. One day he decided that instead of the traditional hold music, he would play a repeating digital loop of him announcing our weekly specials. We are a very busy company. In fact, most days find our sales reps on the phone from the time we get in until the time we leave. As you might guess, with such a high volume of calls, many people are left on hold.

When our customers finally reach a sales rep, I would estimate that about thirty to forty percent of them do an impersonation of my boss… no kidding. The other sixty or seventy percent usually compliment us on the “funny voice” doing our ads. I’ve had a few who were offended by it, thinking we were trying to make fun of those with speech impediments. The thing is, almost everybody has something to say about the hold ads. I even had one customer complete an extensive order while doing his version of “the voice”. Since our boss is a really great guy, my coworkers and I are less than amused on one hand, yet highly entertained on the other. My only problem is that while most of my colleagues are spread out over a huge office, my cubical is right next to the boss’. I have to keep a straight face during some fairly good impressions.

I miss the hold music.

First life insurance originated in ancient Rome, where “burial clubs took over” the funeral expenses of their members and the surviving relatives financially supported. Others were the precursors of modern life in the 17th tontines Century France. Merchants, ship owners and underwriters met in so-called Lloyd’s Coffee House, predecessor of today’s well-known insurance market Lloyd’s of London. This certainly also benefit plans were made to the lives of people. And there were other bets in England often on the lives of people. This resulted in later life insurance contracts (Life Insurance Quotes) could only be completed if the economic benefit could be demonstrated in the survival of the insured.

It was envisaged in the “early days” of the life insurance death benefits while in contracts, or experience of specific individuals, but this was not done yet systematically calculated on base, but either in the form of an assessment or as a kind of bet. As the inventor of the life insurance mathematics is Edmond Halley. Modern life insurance was in the late 17th Century created. As a “modern” origin of the first working age with actuarially determined contributions Society for Equitable Assurances on Lives and Survivorships is 1762 in London. To get the list of the Best Life Insurance Companies recently, please visit lifeinsurancestar.com

Back injury is one the most common injuries in the workplace. Back injuries can occur in the office setting, construction sites, and in manufacturing facilities. The injury is easy to prevent; a little guidance is all that is needed. It is easier to avoid the injury than trying to recover from the injury.

The first step to have strong back and stomach muscles; it is important in order to ease the work your back is put through each day. By doing simple back-toning exercises, you not only strengthen your back but also reduce stress; you will also improve your appearance. Check with your doctor as to the best exercises for you.

Excess weight exerts extra force on the back and stomach muscles. Your back tries to support the extra weight and causes excess strain on the lower back muscles. By losing weight, you can reduce strain and pain in your back. Check with your doctor for the most sensible diet plan for you.

By learning to stand tall with your head up and shoulders back, you can prevent many back pains. This relearning process can be carried over to learning to sit and lift items correctly. When you sit down, don’t slouch. Slouching makes the back ligaments, not the muscles, stretch and hurt, thus putting pressure on the vertebrae. The best way to sit is straight, with your back against the back of the chair with your feet flat on the floor and your knees slightly higher than your hips.

The way you sleep can also affect your back. Pick a firm mattress or place plywood between your box springs and mattress for good back support. If your mattress is too soft it could result in a back sprain. Sleep on your side with your knees bent or on your back with a pillow under your knees for support.

Driving can also affect your back. Drive with your back straight against the seat and close enough to the wheel so your knees are bent and are slightly higher than your hips.

Lifting items is usually where the injury occurs. The factors above can be contributing to the obvious injury. Lifting objects is often a mindless task, and unfortunately many people perform their lift incorrectly, resulting in unnecessary strain on their back and surrounding muscles. In order to lift correctly and reduce strain on your back, it’s important to plan your lift in advance. This means to think about the weight of the object you will be moving and the distance you will be moving it. Take a few seconds and consider the item. Consideration for the item should include: bulkiness, weight, help required, distance to move, and area is clear for the movement.

If all considerations have been made, it is important to align yourself correctly in front of the load with your feet straddling the load, one foot slightly in front of the other for balance. Slowly squat down by bending your knees, not your back and stomach. Using both hands, firmly grab the load and bring it as close to your body as you can. This will help distribute the weight of the load over your feet and make the move easier.

Once the load is close to your body, slowly straighten out your legs until you are standing upright. Make sure the load isn’t blocking your vision as you begin to walk. If you need to turn to the side, turn by moving your feet around and not by twisting at your stomach.

If the load is too heavy, bulky, or awkward for you to lift alone, find someone to help you carry it. If no one is available, try to break down the load into easier parts. Use of a dolly or hand truck may also help move the item.

Remember injuries from improperly lifting items can take years to heal. Learning to carry items and even yourself correctly, will lead to a healthy back.