1st     Renewal Dues not received are delinquent
 
          Deadline for candidate forms for State offices

2nd    Friendship Day
 
          Last day to Absentee vote for Aug 5th Election

5th     CISR Advanced Lecture Series, Flowood, MS

          Election Day

6-8th  CIC Life and Health, Flowood, MS

15th    NAIW “Inroads” Emailed

18th     U.S. Women win the right to vote, 1920

19th     CISR Personal Auto, Kenner, LA

19-21st Agent’s License Review, Flowood MS

20th     CISR Personal Auto, Baton Rouge, LA

21st     Monthly Business Meeting of the IW of SW MS

Citing inadequate rates and new regulations on underwriting procedures, Safeco Personal Insurance has stopped selling homeowners policies in California, prompting the state’s insurance commissioner to label their stated explanation for the departure as “bogus.”

Despite a near doubling of catastrophe losses, Allstate Corp. saw cumulative rate increases for both homeowners and automobile polices catapult earnings by 71% in the second quarter.

A. M. Best Company has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A-“ of Lloyds of London.  The outlook remains stable.

Reauthorization of the Fair Credit Reporting Act advanced in an U.S. House subcommittee, but it picked up an amendment that calls for a study of insurers’ use of credit information.
 

Earthquakes are a terrifying experience for anyone.  What scares people the most is that earthquakes can not be predicted.  While sometimes there are signs that an earthquake can occur, usually they occur when no one expects them to.  Generally we expect earthquakes to occur in California, but they can occur anywhere.  Earthquakes can and do happen east of the Rocky Mountains.  The National Seismic Hazard Map shows the highest areas of earthquake hazards.

Most of the state of Mississippi falls in the “blue 2-4” area of the map.  North Mississippi, however is in the “green 4-6” area, while a small corner is in the “yellow 8-10” area.  According to the United States Geological Services the City of McComb, MS has a 1.9% chance of having an earthquake in the next 50 years.  It is important to understand the risk of an earthquake for your area, because the standard homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover earthquakes.  Coverage for earthquakes can be purchased by endorsement only.

As of July 16, 2003, there have been 13 noteworthy earthquakes in 2003.  Two of these quakes were in the Untied States.  June 6, 2003 an earthquake measuring 4.0M was in Kentucky and on June 23rd a 6.9M earthquake was felt in the Rat and Aleutian Islands in Alaska.  While the earthquake in Kentucky was not the largest one this year, because it was east of the Rocky Mountains it was totally unexpected.

Earthquakes leave a damaging toll.  The February 24, 2003, quake in China killed at least 261 people, injured 4,000, and 71,000 buildings collapsed.  The May 21, 2003, quake in Northern Algeria killed at least 2,000 people, with 1,136 missing, 9,085 injured and 200,000 homes damaged.

By: Ruth Phillips, CISR

In today’s society, we all lead busy lives.  It is a known fact that there are only 24 hours in the day.  Often we feel that we don’t have enough time to complete everything that we need to do.  If you are feeling excessively stressed and pressured, you may have inadvertently lost not only control, but also perspective on what you are doing with the time in your life.

The first step in your recovery from this unhealthy way of living is to accept that no matter what your circumstances, you will always have the power or personal choice in how you use your time.  Second, you must realize that you will never get completely caught up with all you have to do.  Third, you must start being kinder to yourself by meeting important emotional needs that will help you enjoy life more.

If you are feeling too pressured and you are ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle there a number of changes you can make.

Find a non-productive leisure activity.  Do something just because you enjoy doing it.

Know and accept your physical limits.  Make it a point to get enough sleep and eat well.

Teach others to respect your time.  It is easy to be taken for granted by others if you let it happen.

Eliminate unfulfilling obligations from your schedule.  If you don’t enjoy a volunteer activity, then don’t do it.

Learn to delegate at home and at work.  Share the workload.

Schedule “retreat time.”  Have some time for yourself each day.

Congratulations go out to Virginia!  She has earned a new designation.  Virginia can now add the letters ACSR after her name.

Ruthie has spent her free time with Keri trying to learn how to sew.  The key word in that sentence is “trying”, as she is not the most patient person, she finds sewing very frustrating.

Deb is busy practicing her magic tricks.  She is looking forward to putting on a show!

Keri Morrell is studying for her AAI 82 & 83 exams in September in between planning, shopping, and sewing for state meeting.

Did you see the Sunday, July 27, 2003 edition of the Enterprise Journal?  There was a picture of the officer installation.
 
Virginia has just survived 3 family birthday celebrations!  She is looking forward to a calm August so she can work on State Meeting projects.  She is also involved in a big genealogy project for the Southwest MS Genealogical Society.  They are inputting Pike County Cemetery information into a searchable database that will be available on their web site.

Mary Stogner has sold her house in McComb and is now busy packing.  The construction crew has finished the dirt work on her and Tim’s new house, but they have not started the actual construction yet.  She has spent the little free time she has fishing.  Tim and Mary are going to be grandparents in March.  Tim’s son Andy and wife Kathy are expecting.

See how well you do on the following short leadership quiz.  Answer the following questions with yes or no.

Are all your members aware of the organization’s Mission?

Are you and your members committed to a common goal?

Do you communicate decisions so that they are fully understood?

Are you providing model behavior for your members?

Are goals and objectives, roles and responsibilities clear to everyone?

Are you recognizing and developing future potential in members?

Do you encourage open, honest discussions?

Are you motivating your members to meet objectives?

Are you trusted and respected?

Do you encourage participation from your members?

Did you get:
All yes answers – Super
7-9 yes answers –Good
5-6 yes answers – Fair
less than 5 – Needs Improvement

If an earthquake hits in your area head for a doorway if you live in an old, unreinforced home.  In modern homes doorways are no stronger than any other parts of your house.  You are safer practicing the “duck, cover, and hold” under a sturdy piece of furniture.

Keep on hand the following emergency supplies:

1. Fire extinguisher.
2. Adequate supplies of medications that you or your family members are taking.
3. Crescent and pipe wrenches to turn off gas and water supplies.
4. First aid kit and handbook.
5. Flashlights with extra bulbs and batteries.
6. Portable radio with extra batteries.
7. Water for each family member for at least 3 days (one gallon per person per day.) and water purification tablets.
8. Canned and packaged foods and a mechanical can opener.  Food for pets if necessary.
9. Camp stove to cook on.
10. Waterproof, heavy duty plastic bags.

Establish a meeting place to meet family members after an earthquake occurs.

Know where your gas, electric, and water main shutoffs are and how to turn them off.  Make sure older members of your family can turn off the utilities.

Take a Red Cross First Aid and CPR training course.

Review your insurance coverage