How can I get insurance company to give me a cheque instead of paying the repair shop?
You can certainly request a cash settlement (which is the term for what you are describing) however the insurer will still want to assess the damage properly by way of a quote from their recommended repair shop. Now, Insurers do not want people pocketing cash and driving damaged cars around, so I wouldn't mention that part or they will decline the request. However, there are other, reasonable grounds, for you to request one...All you need to do is get the car assessed at the repairer they recommend to you. As soon as the repairer sends the quote to the insurer, call the insurer and say that you want a cash settlement for the cost of repairs. They will ask you why - perhaps you are very busy with work and do not have time right now to give the car up for the days it will take to repair. Plus, you have a repairer that your family have used in the past and want the car repaired there, at a time that suits you.They may ask for the request in writing such as an email or similar.Provide your account details at the end of the email (for an electronic payment transfer) and your address if they prefer to pay via cheque.Most insurers will be happy to oblige. But you should also be aware that pre-existing damage can affect your own policy coverage, and if the same area were damaged again you might be asked to contribute to the cost of repairs. They may devalue the car harshly if it was involved in a larger accident after this event, and you would not receive the full insured value of your car in the case of a write off.Ultimately, the other drivers insurer has met their obligations to you by paying fair and reasonable repair costs, be it to the repairer, or yourself.All of this is said on the basis the damage is purely cosmetic and does not affect the safety or road-worthiness of the vehicle. If there is any risk of being pulled over by the police for a defect, the insurer may not agree to this due to their social responsibilities and safety concerns.Do not drive an unsafe vehicle. Money is nice and all, but your life is more important.
Veterinarians & vet techs: what are your least favorite dog breeds to have as patients and why?
There are a few breeds that I know are inclined to take a snap at people. Of those, I probably see more chihuahuas than anything else as they’re so popular at the moment. Actually, they’re the only breed I’ve actually been bitten by, although there have been a few close escapes. Dachshunds can be a little untrustworthy when it comes to biting too. And I won’t generally touch a Chow Chow unless it’s muzzled although you don’t see so many of those any more, as someone else mentioned. I’ve worked with a few people who feel Border Collies are not all that trustworthy as they tend to give you side-eye regardless of temperament. With them, it’s usually fear though - and they’re the breed I grew up with, so I can generally read them fairly easily.In reality, it’s best to approach any dog of any breed carefully initially - every breed can have badly behaved or aggressive examples. And when they’re in a clinic, they’re usually way out of their comfort zone which can cause even the nicest dog to snap at someone. And, especially with smaller breeds, there’s a tendency for them not to be as well trained as the breeds that are more usually considered aggressive. I guess maybe in a home situation, having a tiny little dog that thinks it can take on the whole world is amusing or cute somehow. I’ve lost count of the number of times a Pitbull owner has taken care to reassure me that their dog is trained and won’t bite…yet they’re one of the breeds that I know are usually easier to handle - owners know they don’t have the best reputation with the public and usually train them extremely well to counteract that.Ultimately, I simply find cats easier to handle than dogs. I’ve owned cats for many years and I can read them without any trouble at all. I do love dogs, but I’m rather more wary around all dogs than I need to be around the majority of cats.
On a scale of 1-10 how dangerous is infantry?
It's a 10. Infantry also takes a huge toll on their body. My husband has been in 5 years and through 3 Iraq deployments and I will say it has made him age quite a bit. You can always tell the difference between a 24 year old Infantryman and a 24 year old that has never been to combat... the Infantryman just looks older. My husband is a Infantryman through and through... in other words if it's not training, instructing, or deploying Infantry he isn't going to do it. So he will spend the next 20-25 years deploying, training, and deploying some more. Some men can do it that long, others can't/won't. All in all, though, if you man loves Infantry you need to support him no matter how dangerous it is. Is it scary? Yes. But I know my husband would not be happy doing anything else in the Corps, and I support him. Best of luck to you, and God Bless.
Any cure for Anaplastic Anemia/Canine Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia (CIT) in a Great Pyrenees?
Please help: we have a young (appx age 2) fixed male Great Pyrenees (rescued a few months ago weighing 56 lbs and gained to about 80 lbs). He tested positive for heartworm and had the fastkill done last month. Suddenly last week his good health changed. The vet says it's a combination of CIT and Anaplastic Anemia - his body is turning on itself and he cannot make enough red blood cells on his own. His red blood cells are long/oblong with holes in them. His gums are very pale, as the oxygen is very low in his blood but no other bruising or visual marks. So far, he's had a transfusion (which helped increase his platelets some but not much) and he's on several steroids, plus doxiclyclene. His weight is now down to 72 lbs. Can anyone point us in the right direction for a cure for this, either herbal or prescription, to help his body stop turning on itself? We don't have much time, the doctors that have consulted so far have not been able to save the few dogs they've seen with this problem. He's young and a wonderful, beautiful dog - we are trying anything to save him. Thank you in advance for your help, Great Pyr in Florida
What is it like to be a military intelligence officer?
It's great :) I could tell you how great, but then...Actually, I get asked that question a lot, even within the military. Some people imagine it's like James Bond, in reality it's a job - just a different job.Military Intelligence when it all comes down to it is about saving lives. Part of the U.S. Army Intelligence Creed is "performing the first task of an Army - to find know, and never lose the enemy." This is done so we know what we need to do to eliminate threats and protect our Soldiers. Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of that.Some intelligence officers, like me, are "all-source" which as the name implies means that we use everything at our disposal to answer those questions. We are the "big picture" people. Some become specialized in a particular intelligence disciplines, so signals intelligence (SIGINT) officers for example specialize in intelligence collection and analysis of signals (e.g. radio, etc.)The jobs run a gamut at all levels. As an all-source officer I was the only intelligence officer for a logistics battalion that sent trucks on the road in Iraq, by far the most rewarding job of my career. I also worked at a joint assignment at a much higher level. All-source intelligence is one of the rare jobs in the military where you can be assigned to almost any unit.Like any job it's not all roses. There's an administrative component as well, specifically security clearances. One of the main responsibilities for S-2 (intelligence) sections in garrison is processing security clearances, which if that sounds mundane, it's because it is. Also, all intelligence officers have TOP SECRET security clearances, which means your life is looked at every five years. Finally, almost all intelligence personnel (officer and enlisted) are taught they're the top 2% of the military, so you're constantly dealing with people that think they're smarter than they are.It is a very highly rewarding career, and I wouldn't trade it for anything the military has to offer. That said, many times it's not very sexy, and all the time it's far from what you see in the movies. But if the idea of saving lives, and like using your brain, I'd highly recommend it.
Military Identification that doesn't expire?
Not sure about the older ID's, but currently Officers are issued ID's with the expiration of "Indefinite" on them. This is because once you receive a commission, you remain in the Armed Forces until you either resign it, you retire, or the service removes you. Enlisted soldiers have specific "out" or "ETS" dates, so their ID's have specific expiration dates on them. Just a guess, but I would assume that this was the same back then as well. Upon exit from service the ID's were to be returned/destroyed - something that wasn't all that big a priority and I imagine many servicemen kept their last ID's as memorabilia. It would no longer be valid today, but it is an interesting story/conversation piece. Ahhh - based on the additional info and a little more research, I am assuming he volunteered through the draft board during the WWII years. During this period, the service did not know how long inductees would be needed so their cards were automatically dated as "Indef". Please thank him for his service - he is not forgotten.