Getting a membership for the American Automobile Association, AAA, better known as and referred to as Triple A, is something most motorists and car owners consider. This not for profit organization is a federation of motor clubs, and has its presence in North America. The Triple A also has international affiliates in various countries, which means that its members gets reciprocal services while traveling to those countries, and when visitors come to the United States, they too can avail of services.
Triple A provides a number of valuable services to its members, the best known of which is perhaps roadside assistance and towing services for when a car breaks down or a driver gets into an accident. However, the Triple A actually offers a whole slew of services, including issuing International Driving Permits in the U.S, and also provides road maps, travel guides and publications, and hotel and restaurant ratings to its members. Having a Triple A membership also means one can get some good discounts on car rental services. And given its involvement in reviewing and rating dining establishments and places to stay, you can even avail of discounts on hotels and restaurants with your Triple A card!
Some of the well-known and reputed car rental agencies offer special discounts for Triple A members, over and above their regular offers. Hertz and Thrifty offer between 10% and 20% discounts for Triple A members on a car rental, and you can do the research online on the agencies’ websites or via aggregator sites like Expedia and Car Rental Savers. Both companies also offer special deals that change, including a certain amount off of a weekly car rental, or discounts or benefits on add-ons like GPS.
You can enter your Triple A membership number when doing an online search and booking to see what your discount comes up to, and when you pick up the car at the car rental agency’s location, you will be asked to show your Triple A card.
If you’re a Triple A member from another country traveling within the United States, you can get the discounts too. As for North American members traveling to Europe, remember to keep your Triple A membership card handy so you can head to a car rental place and save a little more than you expected.
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Here’s what you need to know about property record searches
Read moreGetting property records to set up purchase transactions or to execute a purchase agreement is highly crucial when you are a buyer. These records bear all the details crucial for the sale of a property and give you an upper hand, especially when you are the buyer. The best details for negotiation are usually found in the history of the property, and when you compare properties based on their property records, your decision is definitely bound to be more logical than just going with facts that you are informed of by the owners. While most purchasers rely just on the data provided by the multiple listing service (MLS), there are other avenues for receiving property records.
Why are property records really that important? Well, if you could negotiate on the final price and push it slightly below than what the owners expected, it’s definitely a win situation for your finances. Let say you are looking at property records and find out that the current owners are a couple, and they want to sell in the face of their divorce. Now that you have this information, you know that they are motivated to get the proceedings cleared soon, and thus, there is a chance that they can drop a little lower on the price. Moreover, if through a property record search, you find out that the property was listed some time ago and is still to be sold, you can further find out what the reason is and negotiate better terms with the owner for a price reduction. When the property has been on the market too long, the owner is definitely trying to get the property off the hook as soon as possible. These are not the only details, you can also find details such as if the property is listed just now or have there been previous listings and withdrawn, foreclosure details, improvements on the property, cost of the original structure, etc.
The most common place to search for property records is at the public records offices. Each city has a records office that bears all the details and information pertaining to all properties in the area. You can just visit the county courthouse or the city hall and request the respective personnel to help you gain access to the property’s deeds or encumbrances.
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Endoscopy – Its procedure and purposes
Read moreEndoscopy is a procedure that requires specialized instruments which help in viewing and operating the internal organs of the body. It helps the doctors and surgeons to view the internal organs of the body without making any large incisions on the body.
Endoscopy procedure is performed to indentify causes like abdominal chest pain, nausea and vomiting, heartburn, bleeding and swallowing problems. It is also used to identify problems like inflammation nd ulcers in the organs.
Performed as an outpatient procedure, upper endoscopy helps to identify and treat conditions such as upper digestive system bleeding. Upper endoscopy is better than x-rays to detect abnormal growths such as malignant or benign tumors.
Types of abnormalities that can be detected through an upper endoscopic procedure:
Following are some of the abnormalities that can be detected through an upper endoscope procedure
- Objects stuck in the esophagus, stomach or digestive tract.
- Bleeding caused due to ulcers, cancerous tumors.
- It can also help in detecting polyps, which are growths in tissues in the stomach.
- It can be used to take out tissue samples for biopsies that can be analyzed for further treatment.
Need for an Endoscopy procedure
A doctor may advise for an endoscopy procedure to initially examine an internal organ.Since, it is a minimally invasive procedure a surgeon inserts the endoscopic apparatus through a small cut, a natural body opening such as mouth. The endoscopic apparatus has a lighted camera that allows the doctor to examine potential problems; a screen attached to it further helps the surgeons and doctors to see exactly what the endoscope is seeing.
As mentioned earlier, if the doctor finds a suspicious growth in the organ, they will remove a small sample of the abnormal growth and send it for biopsy.
The doctors will then review the symptoms and based on the physical examination, and blood samples taken prior to the endoscopy procedure, they will, with a more accurate understanding deduce the possible cause of the symptoms. Prior blood tests and other physical examinations can also help determine if the medical condition can be treated without an endoscopy or surgery.
Before the procedure, the doctor will provide complete instructions that will guide you to prepare for the same. Most of the endoscopy procedures require the patient to fast for at least 12 hours before the procedure. The laxatives and enemas given by the doctor prior to the procedure will help to clear the system.
It is important to tell the doctor about your medical history, current medications that you might taking (even though they are over-the-counter), and allergies if any that you might have. All these information will help the doctor perform a trouble-free procedure.