• Albania: Mëmë, nënë

• Belarus: Matka

• Czech Republic: Abatyse

• Estonia: Ema

• France: Mère, maman

• Greece: Màna

• Indonesia: Induk, ibu, biang, nyokap

• Netherlands: Moeder, moer

• Portugal: Mãe

• Samoa: Tina

• Sweden: Mamma, mor, morsa

• Create a contract. Work with your children on an agreement spelling out some good rules for Internet use (including all other forms of communication, like cell phones). “No bullying on Facebook” might be a good place to start. Let kids know you’ll be monitoring them.

• Establish a curfew. Make a rule about shutting down computers and other electronics for the night at 8:30 or 9:15 so they don’t keep your kids up late.

• Discourage texting in the passenger seat. You can have some good conversations with your children while you’re driving, as long as they’re not holding another chat with their friends via cell phone.

• Have a tech-free day. Make Friday night a family night where no technology is allowed. This will remind your kids that they can relax and have fun without a computer.

This week I sit down to write my column with kind of a heavy heart. I recently lost an old friend who had suffered from Alzheimers and know several others who are dealing with severe health problems. My heart goes out to the family who lost this loved one. I’ve been blessed in that I’ve lived 52 years and have not lost a member of my immediate family. Losing a family
member has got to be a bitter pill to swallow. It’s just so permanent. Fortunately, these folks are all believers, so they have the promise of seeing their loved one again. But they still have that sense of loss that penetrates to the center of their being.

I’ve come to understand that death is not the only thing that produces that sense of loss. These folks that I know who are dealing with debilitating illness are experiencing their own grief over losing the life they used to live. Men that were once strong, active, and vibrant are now extremely limited to what they can do. In some of their situations, just getting out of the house is a challenge. Their life is radically different from what it was just a few months ago. Did they see it coming? No. Were they prepared for their world to be rocked? No. But they are living on, doing they best they can…

I’m sure you can relate to these situations and have your own acquaintances dealing with similar issues. So here’s the question…How do we respond? I’ve spent some time thinking about my response and here’s my roadmap.

#1. Appreciate my health and my family. God has greatly blessed me with a sound body and a great family. I regularly take both of them for granted. I need to daily thank God for the blessings He so freely gives to me. Life and health are fragile. We need to ackowledge that fragility and give those gifts the reverence and respect they deserve.

#2. Love the afflicted. God’s charge to us is not that complicated. Jesus said that all the teachings could be boiled down to loving God and loving our neighbor. When we know others who are dealing with loss, we have a choice. We can say “good thing it’s them rather than me” and “there but by the grace of God go I”. Or we can seek God’s direction as to the way He would have us minister to them. Love in the original language can be defined “to do what is best for”. My goal is to try to be available to “do what is best for” those that I know who are dealing with loss.

Sorry that there are no original thoughts here, but maybe these musings will have an impact. Perhaps another expression of gratitude or another expression of love will be motivated by these words. May God bless you and yours!

Even among adults 65 years and older, with only 23 percent using the Internet as a diversion, the percentage has quadrupled in the past decade. The Pew researchers attribute the upsurge to the availability of broadband connections and the growth of social networking.

The agent replied that every ambitious actor has one or two good monologues ready to perform for an agent or a director, but only a handful can really launch into action at a moment’s notice. Most of them need one or two minutes to “get into character” or otherwise get ready to audition. But those who can become another person without hesitation are the people who are likely to succeed in show business.

It’s the same in almost any industry. Are you ready to start selling to a customer, or work on your novel, or build a new machine, whenever you get an opportunity? If so, you’re already prepared—and ahead of the pack of other people who “just need a few minutes” to get ready.

In contrast, actual cash value (ACV), also known as market value, is the standard that insurance companies arguably prefer when reimbursing policyholders for their losses. Actual cash value is equal to the replacement cost minus any depreciation (ACV = replacement cost – depreciation). It represents the dollar amount you could expect to receive for the item if you sold it in the marketplace. The insurance company determines the depreciation based on a combination of objective criteria (using a formula that takes into account the category and age of the property) and subjective assessment (the insurance adjuster’s visual observations of the property or a photograph of it). In the case of the stolen camera, the insurance company would deduct from its replacement cost an amount for all the wear and tear it endured prior to the time it was stolen.

What Does “Replacement Cost” Mean?

The term “replacement cost” is defined or explained in the policy. Simply stated, it means the cost to replace the property on the same premises with other property of comparable material and quality used for the same purpose. This applies unless the limit of insurance or the cost actually spent to repair or replace the damaged property is less. Refer to your policy for the exact definition and explanation of replacement cost.

What is “Actual Cash Value”?

The term “actual cash value” is not as easily defined. Some courts have interpreted the term to mean “fair market value,” which is the amount a buyer would pay a seller if neither were under undue time constraints. Most courts, however, have upheld the insurance industry’s traditional definition: the cost to replace with new property of like kind and quality, less depreciation. Courts have varied in their rulings as to whether or not depreciation includes obsolescence (loss of usefulness as a result of outmoded design, construction, etc.).

So What’s the Difference?

The only difference between replacement cost and actual cash value is a deduction for depreciation. However, both are based on the cost today to replace the damaged property with new property.

What About “Book” Value?

Note that accounting or “book” value has no relevance to either of the previous methods of valuation. The depreciation rate reflected in “book” value would yield a terribly inadequate settlement. Another problem with using “book” value is that it may reflect only the items that are “capitalized.” To determine adequate limits, one must add “expensed” items into capitalized items.

Other Kinds of Valuation

Certain property may be subject to a special valuation basis other than replacement cost or actual cash value. The value reported should match the applicable valuation basis. For example, if the property policy is endorsed with a selling price endorsement for finished goods, the proper value to insure for finished goods is the cash selling price, less any customary discounts and expenses that otherwise would be incurred.

Be sure and ask your agent for a quote for replacement cost versus actual cash value…

Riley posted his “Hustle Stats” in the Knicks’ locker room after every game. Without any additional comment on his part, so the story goes, Riley’s players became a top-level team.

Focus on results, yes, but keep an eye on your level of effort to reach the top.

• “Just do your job.” Your job description is a bare minimum. Fulfilling it means you’ll probably keep your job, but you won’t stand out when managers are deciding whom to promote. Push the envelope a little so your boss sees that you’re committed to helping the organization, not safeguarding your position.

• “Never say ‘No.’” You can’t do everything, or know everything, or even attempt everything your boss asks you to. Be willing to admit that you don’t have the answer, or that you don’t have time for every assignment. Then work with your boss to solve the problem and accommodate his or her needs.

• “Always go for the promotion.” You don’t have to accept more responsibility than you’re ready for, or a management position that doesn’t match your goals. Pursuing advancement for its own sake may lead you on a career path you don’t really want. Be sure of what you’re going for, and let your manager know what you’re interested in. Then get to work preparing yourself for the position you want.

• “Network constantly.” Aim for quality, not quantity, when you network. A “contacts” list with 700 names of people who barely know you won’t be much help when you need specific assistance; instead, be selective so you can maintain solid connections with people who can really help you with your career.

Most of us know the tradition of Groundhog Day. On Feb. 2, the legend goes, a groundhog that comes up out of its burrow to check the weather will go back inside if it sees its shadow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. But if the sky is cloudy and it casts no shadow, the harsh winter weather is over.

Punxsutawney, Pa., hosts the best-known Groundhog Day event, featuring “Punxsutawney Phil” (who gained fame in the 1993 film Groundhog Day), but other towns in Pennsylvania and Maryland hold similar celebrations.

Where does the legend come from? It may have origins in ancient European beliefs involving a badger or a bear as a weather forecaster, as well as the Pagan festival Imbolc, whose traditions point to a bear or a serpent as a herald of good or bad weather. In the United States, Groundhog Day can be traced back to 1841, when a Pennsylvania shopkeeper wrote in his diary that that Candlemas day (Feb. 2) was the day on which, “according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.”

So keep an eye out for the groundhog’s report, and dress appropriately.