History has recorded many people with psychic abilities. Some have later proved to be fraudulent, but others have confounded investigators and continue to be a source of mystery.

Helen Duncan was born in Scotland in 1898. She was in demand for her psychic skills during the 1930s and 1940s. She held séances in people’s homes and churches. Ms. Duncan used clairvoyance to help people connect with loved ones.

Helen Duncan was found guilty of fraud when a policewoman grabbed a vest that was purported to be Helen’s spirit child helper. She was found guilty of fraud and fined £10. Police raided one of her séances in 1944. In spite of this occurrence, many people visited Helen and claim to have been benefited from her psychic powers. During one of her trials, many people testified and recalled many of her impossible feats. The mystic surrounding her personality continues to motivate many practicing mediums in the world.

Daniel Douglas Home was one of the most amazing physical mediums of the nineteenth century. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Daniel and his family moved to America in 1842. While still in his teens, he experienced strange phenomena in his house, like the moving of furniture and strange noises. His aunt called in ministers to rid him of the “”curse,”" but instead was informed that he was gifted by God to carry out his work. He then turned his abilities to giving séances. In 1852, Home first began to levitate, a phenomena he later became renowned for. In 1855, he returned to England and once again began to demonstrate his psychic gifts. After conducting a series of tests, noted scientist Sir William Crookes concluded that his gifts were genuine. Home eventually retired in 1873 due to failing health. He died of tuberculosis in June 1886.

The most exciting product to come along in a while…ellepots. This simple, basic technology can profoundly reduce the amount of plastic waste generated by plant growers.

The Danish company Ellegaard a/s has introduced to the U.S. it’s ellepot paper plant pots. The ellepot is a biodegradable paper fiber tube filled with potting soil. How many times have you finished gardening, only to throw away a stack of plastic pots? Nobody really wants old pots and recyclers will not take most. Ellepots are your solution as they are to be planted directly in the ground or container.

If you compare different brands of pots, you will see many different plastic recycling numbers. There are no industry standards to accomodate recycling old plastic pots. Ellepots overcome all these environmental problems associated with plastic pots by using no plastic in the end product. Single use consumer packages (nursery pots in gardeners case) end up as solid waste in a landfill; this left over trash from each and every plant has always seemed contrary to gardening principles. In our nursery we haven’t been able to totally get away from plastic as we grow our ellepot crop in plastic flats. We are, however, able to reuse the flats many times, minimizing our waste.

Ellepots, being made from paper fiber, are a truly renewable resource, unlike oil. The drawbacks seen so far with using ellepots are all aesthetic; the roots are growing through the paper and the root ball is wet, sometimes algae grows on the sides of the ellepot. A finicky person might have a hard time keeping their hands clean when handling ellepots. To a gardener it is exciting to see the whole plant you are buying; gardeners get their hands dirty, therefore they should like using ellepots. The absence of plastic pots saves labor at planting and clean up.

In addition, the paper allows the roots of the plant to breath and develop in a way similar to being in the ground. This oxygen makes for healthier, stronger roots leading to healthier, stronger plants. You will be happy to know that you are not only helping your environment, you are also helping your garden!

In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. The facility has grown over the years, and is now 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover. Briscoe has over 25 years of gardening experience. For further information on indoor and outdoor gardening plants or gardening tips please contact Briscoe White at bwhite@thegrowersexchange.com.

If you drive a car, you need to understand auto insurance. Believe me; it’s much better to learn now than it is after an accident. Here are 19 ways to get the most coverage for the least money:

1. Spend your money wisely

Put your money towards the things that could wipe you out financially.

Most people will spend a lot of money to get a $500 deductible and ignore the fact that a $500,000 lawsuit could bury them forever. You should raise your deductible and increase your liability coverage. The premium change will balance itself out to about the same amount you are paying now. Raising your total liability coverage from the standard $300,000 to $500,000 will only cost you about $60 more per year on two cars.

Look at the trade-off: what you are saving in premiums vs. how much risk you can accept. You can save on your premiums by shaving off your personal injury protection. This is often called the medical payments coverage. If you already have health insurance, it will pay your medical bills after an accident. You are basically paying for the same coverage twice.

2. Look at your liability coverage per person

Have your agent write your policy so that the total amount paid per accident and per person are the same amount.

If you have $300,000 in total liability, often only $100,000 is payable for each person injured. If you are sued by an individual for $200,000 - you are responsible for half. Your $300,000 worth of coverage should reflect $300,000 worth of coverage.

3. Buy an umbrella policy

If you have a considerable amount of assets, or plan to, consider taking out an umbrella policy that covers both your home and autos for liability. These policies usually start at $200 to $300 annually for up to $1 million of coverage.

4. Good advice is worth looking for

Make sure that you get your advice from neutral, credited professionals. When shopping for an agent, look for experience. You don’t want to necessarily go with an agent that has only had one weeks worth of training! Look at their education and industry credentials. Look for those who are members of the CPCU, CIC and AAI.

5. Good credit ratings count

Your credit rating is used to determine your insurability and your premiums. Good credit equals affordable insurance.

6. Your insurance company pays for your rental

If you have been in an accident and your car has to be in the shop, make sure that your policy covers the costs of renting a similar car. While a week with your car in the shop doesn’t sound like all that long, one-week worth of rental fees can add up to the hundreds of dollars.

7. Shopping around pays off

Premiums vary widely from company to company. You can often pay more than double for the same insurance. Make sure that you call around for quotes from brand name companies and independent agents.

Don’t assume that going with a well known company will cost you more. Insurance companies with the best ratings often have the best prices.

Don’t just get a quote - ask for the exact numbers on the exact coverage you need. You want to compare apples to apples.

8. Take advantage of discounts

Discounts can help to save you a lot of money. If you haven’t had an accident in years, if you store your car in your garage, if you don’t drive many miles - you may be eligible for a discount. Companies will also give you discounts for safety features and anti-theft devises. More than one car or more than one type of policy with a company gives you a discount also.

Paying your premiums annually instead of monthly can save you over $100 a year. Driving classes and good grades while in school can save you also.

9. Teens that aren’t driving don’t need to be insured

If you teen is away at college and is no longer driving your car, take them off of your policy. Teen drivers add anywhere from 50% to 500% to your premium. If your teen is driving, make him or her get their own insurance. Its time for them to start learning about insurance on their own.

10. Older cars don’t need collision insurance

If you have an older car, you often don’t need to carry collision insurance. You will be paying more in premiums for it than the car is worth. Ask your agent what your car is worth and how much of your premium goes towards collision insurance. Chances are you could just save the extra money for a year and have plenty set aside for replacing your car.

11. Shop for the best service

You need to find a company that is responsive, responsible and easy to deal with. Chances are that you are going to file a claim at some time in your life. You need an agent that will work with you towards a common goal: your satisfaction.

A good agent will act like a coach. He or she will advice you on how to present your claim to adjusters and will help you in any disputes. Don’t settle for a 800- number that never lets you talk to a real person.

12. Understand the claims process

Have the agent explain to you the claims process before you chose which company to go with. Find out if your insurance pays for brand name, generic or used parts to fix your vehicle. Are you limited in your choice of garages? Make sure that you have everything in writing.

13. Diminished value - ask about it

This is a very hot topic when it comes to auto insurance. Is a car worth less after an accident? If it is, should the insurance fix the car and pay you the difference in values? Ask your agent what your state regulations and rulings are regarding diminished value.

14. As soon as you have an accident, call your agent

There are time limits for most claim reports, usually 48 hours. If you want to ensure that all is being taken care of, call immediately.

15. Keep claim records

Write down everything that happens after an accident - names, dates and what was said. Keep track of when and who you speak with regarding the accident. You may be able to record any phone conversations. Save all of your receipts, get estimates and pick up a copy of the accident report.

16. Keep your claim moving

Shop around and get any necessary estimates. By jumping right in and doing so, you will be prepared and save everyone time.

17. Include everything in loss estimates

If you total your car, you may be able to recover the entire cost, including your sales tax and registration fees. Contact your agent to find out what estimates you need to have.

18. Be patient with your adjuster, but keep pressuring

An adjuster is just like you or me, they make mistakes. If you keep your temper and politely work your way up the chain of command, you will get much further. Have all denials put in writing with reasons included. Compare the explanation with your policy.

Your agent is there to make calls on your behalf. Ask to have the matter reviewed. You can choose to go into arbitration, but you will pay half of the costs. This is often quicker than taking the matter to court. See what the record of customer satisfaction is with the company’s arbitration hearings. Your last resort is suing.

19. If you switch companies, cancel your old policy

But don’t cancel it before you have new insurance. You want to have no gaps. Some companies will report that you are driving without insurance and you may face a suspended driver’s license. If you get a letter from the state, make sure that you provide your proof of insurance immediately.

Martin Lukac, represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes and 12 Emmys, including two by Della Reese for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Touched By An Angel built a sizeable and loyal audience with its upbeat themes and inspirational storylines. The brainchild of John Masius, creator of Providence (1999) and writer for such hit series as St. Elsewhere (1982) and LA Law (1986), Touched By An Angel follows in the footsteps of Michael Landon’s successful series Highway To Heaven, which chronicled the exploits of a single angel who wandered across the United States providing support for lost souls in need of aid. Touched By An Angel is quite similar, but the series uses multiple angels to achieve its purpose. Like Highway To Heaven the series utilizes a contemporary setting and modern problems, allowing the show reach a broad audience who enjoy its themes of love, hope, and redemption…

Touched By An Angel follows the exploits of several angels sent to Earth as “caseworkers” so as to bring God’s message of love, peace, and hope to the distressed people of the world. When the series begins, Monica (Roma Downey) is a novice caseworker still in training (having just been promoted from “search & rescue”). Assisting Monica, and a caseworker in her own right, is Tess (Della Reese) who lends the wisdom of her many years of experience in dealing with the problems afflicting humanity at large. Together, these two angels interact with people on Earth, easing the burden of each soul with which they come into contact. In later seasons, Monica and Tess would be joined by Andrew (John Dye), the Angel of Death who also fills in as a caseworker to help lighten the load, and in the final two seasons (2001-2003), Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli) would join the trio as a regular recurring angel character… Overall, Touched By An Angel filled a desperately unmet need along the TV programming landscape. With much of today’s programming fixated on sex, violence, and “reality,” the hour-long CBS drama provided deeply probing family-oriented content which always left its viewers with a positive and upbeat feeling…

The Touched By An Angel (Season 1) DVD features a number of touching episodes including the series premiere “The Southbound Bus” in which Monica is prepared for her first case since being promoted from angel “search and rescue”. While on the southbound bus, she befriends a young boy named David who tells her the story of his sister and mother’s death in a car accident. But when Monica is hired as David’s nanny, she soon learns the truth. David’s mother is still alive, and Monica’s assignment is to reunite her with her family… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “Cassie’s Choice” in which Monica and Tess help a teenager deal with the birth of her child and the decision of whether or not to give her baby up for adoption, and “There, But for the Grace of God” in which Monica is stripped of her angelic powers in order to learn a lesson of her own while on a case working with several homeless individuals…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Touched By An Angel (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (The Southbound Bus) Air Date: 09-21-1994
Episode 2 (Show Me the Way Home) Air Date: 09-28-1994
Episode 3 (Tough Love) Air Date: 10-12-1994
Episode 4 (Fallen Angela) Air Date: 10-19-1994
Episode 5 (Cassie’s Choice) Air Date: 10-26-1994
Episode 6 (The Heart of the Matter) Air Date: 11-02-1994
Episode 7 (An Unexpected Snow) Air Date: 12-07-1994
Episode 8 (Snow) Air Date: 12-14-1994
Episode 9 (Fear Not!) Air Date: 12-25-1994
Episode 10 (There, But for the Grace of God) Air Date: 02-25-1995
Episode 11 (The Hero) Air Date: 03-04-1995

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Touched By An Angel (DVD).