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(Reuters) - President Barack Obama’s revised bailout plan for the banking system is likely to rely in part on private sector investors other than banks to buy the contaminating assets that wiped out the capital of many banks, the New York Times said, citing administration officials.

The officials told the paper that they are counting on the profit motive of private investors like hedge funds, private equity funds and perhaps insurance companies to create a market for the assets.

The government would guarantee a floor value as a way to overcome investors’ reluctance to buy the assets, the officials told the paper.

A spokeswoman for the Obama administration did not immediately return a Reuters email seeking comment that was sent outside of normal business hours.

By trying to bring in private sector buyers to set prices for the distressed assets, and to take some but not all of the risk that the asset value will continue to decline, Obama officials evidently hope to restore confidence in the banking system, the paper said.

They will also try to avoid the politically sensitive course of having the government directly buy the assets with public money at prices that could turn out to be far higher, or lower, than their eventual value, the paper added.

The Obama administration on Sunday pushed back until Tuesday the announcement of the keenly awaited bank rescue plan as it pressed lawmakers to settle their differences over a huge economic stimulus package.

Buying and using a Motorhome or RV is one of life’s great pleasures – providing life on the open road and the opportunity to find great weather and spectacular locations. But what happens when something goes wrong? With the right insurance policy, virtually any situation can be managed quickly, efficiently and hassle-free. But with the wrong insurance, you run the risk of encountering heartache which could drag on for days, weeks or even months. One of the easiest ways to get the very best Motorhome or RV cover is to use a company that specialises in bespoke Motorhome insurance – like Sureterm Direct, for example – who understand exactly what’s required to guarantee a trouble-free life when accidents happen. Here’s a list of the key dos and don’ts when insuring your Motorhome. 5 ESSENTIAL Dos DO consider exactly what your circumstances are likely to be over the coming year. How much will you be using your vehicle? Where will you be going, especially abroad? How many miles do you expect to do? All these factors can affect your policy. DO make sure your policy covers personal effects that will be in the Motorhome or RV, and extras like awnings. Some large awnings, for example, can be expensive to replace. Specialist insurers pick up on these little things when you’re discussing your requirements. DO ask if there are discounts available depending on the length of time you’ve owned your Motorhome or RV, or if you’re a member of a club or association. Many specialist Motorhome insurers reward experience with better premiums. DO be clear about your No Claims Discounts (NCD). Many insurers will mirror the NCD you’ve accrued while driving your car. DO make sure your policy provides adequate cover for legal expenses. In the USA, particularly, personal claims lawyers can be as vicious as the alligators in the Florida swamps, and you may need to fight fire with fire. If you’re policy means you can employ your own alligator – at no extra cost to you – it makes sense! 5 IMPORTANT DON’Ts DON’T lie about your circumstances - be honest with your underwriter. If you cause a pile-up in Peru having claimed you were never going to leave Peterborough, be prepared for a nasty surprise! DON’T make assumptions. For example, many Motorhome owners tow a small car behind to make it easy to pop to the local shops. But don’t assume your Ford Ka, Smart car or little Fiat will be covered simply because it’s attached to your Eldiss or Bessacar. Some policies automatically give you third-party cover for your cover, but in other cases you might need to take out full-comprehensive car insurance too. Always check. DON’T always settle for a high Excess figure. The joy of using a specialist insurer is that they can often create Motorhome cover with lower than expected Excess figures (the initial amount you have to contribute to any repairs to another vehicle before your insurer covers the rest). The usual Excess figure is between ?100 and ?500. But with a specialist company, even if your Excess is slightly higher than you’d expected, the policy you get is often way better, with many more features, than an ‘off the shelf’ product.

Read full article: http://kvadra.07x.net/2009/03/10-tips-to-get-the-best-motorhome-insurance/

You probably know at least one person who snores. It could be your partner, parents, grandparents, or even Uncle Ned or Aunt Sophie that snore at various noise levels.

Some laugh and make jokes about it, but it can be a symptom of a serious disorder called obstructive sleep apnea. And if it is obstructive sleep apnea, then it is no laughing matter; that individual needs to get evaluated by a sleep specialist.

what is snoring?

Snoring is a noise produced when an individual breathes (usually produced when inhaling) during sleep, which in turn causes vibration of the soft palate and uvula (that thing that hangs down in the back of the throat).

The word “apnea” means the absence of breathing. Unfortunately, men are hit with more bouts of disruptive snoring than women. Sorry guys, but even if you don’t think you snore, you probably do.

treatment for snoring

The most important point to make about the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), or Snoring Syndrome, is that effective treatment requires several related problems to be treated simultaneously. At least the following need to be addressed:

Lifestyle factors

The impression is growing that to a large extent, many cases of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring may be related to Western culture. The risk of significant obstructive sleep apnea increases with the numerous factors described below, many of which are problems currently rampant in our society. Correction of OSA generally requires that these factors be eliminated. At times, elimination of these factors completely resolves the problem.

Weight

Excessive weight brought about by a sedentary lifestyle, too many rich foods, or by medically related situations such as thyroid problems, is probably the leading factor contributing to OSA. Bed partners almost invariably make the observation that the larger their snoring spouse becomes, the louder the snoring bellows, and the more often they hear snoring pauses followed by snorts, and a resumption of breathing (i.e., apneas — episodes of obstructed breathing). Conversely, in a large percentage of patients, weight loss down to an ideal weight has reversed the process.

Smoking

Smoking has numerous undesirable effects on the body. Most pertinent to OSA are the obstructions to the airway which cigarette smoking causes: swelling of the mucous membrane in the nose, swelling of the tissue in the throat, and blockage of the small vessels in the lungs. Therefore, add this to another list of reasons why you should stop this nasty habit.

What other factors may be the culprits?

more contributing factors

Alcohol

It is the partial collapse of the airway (breathing tube between nose, mouth and lungs) that is the immediate cause of snoring, and its complete collapse that is the immediate cause of apnea. Alcohol causes too great a relaxation of the airway during sleep. This, and other effects of alcohol on the body, means that it can either cause or greatly contribute to the development of loud snoring and apnea.

Organization of sleep

There are two periods of sleep which, given the right circumstances, are especially vulnerable to the development of unstable breathing. These are Stage 1 sleep, which should only occur when a person is first falling asleep but can occur many times during the night if sleep is poor; and REM sleep, which is the time when dreaming most frequently occurs.

If a person has very unbalanced sleeping habits during the week, it can result in the development of very significant respiratory instability during sleep. It’s that simple: unstable sleeping patterns lead to unstable breathing. Therefore, all you need to do is regulate your sleep by getting at least 7.5 hours of it per night. Sometimes, this is all that is required.

Medical problems

Anything that can lead to a blockage of the nose, throat, or lungs potentially plays a role in the development of OSA.

Pertinent nasal problems include allergies to air-borne particles such as animal dander, and dryness of the nose because of a wood-burning stove. Factors that can block the throat include large tonsils, large adenoids, excessive amounts of fatty tissue, and at times, the enlargement of some of the complex tissue at the back of the throat. In these cases, surgery can help by removing unwanted or excess tissue.

Snoring can also be a symptom of diabetes or hypothyroidism. Therefore, sometimes the best treatment for snoring and apnea is to go to the source of the problem and treat the medical problem itself.

lifestyle before surgery

On a final note, if you are an excessive snorer, and constantly get complaints from friends and loved ones, look at your lifestyle very carefully first. Try changing some bad habits to good ones, and exercise more.

If after all this, you still snore excessively, then I suggest you go see a physician or a nose, ear and throat specialist. Always make surgery your last resort. Even though proven to be safe, surgery can still do damage to your pockets, when all you needed to do was quit smoking or join a gym.

To all you snorers out there, sweet dreams.

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