You might have not known the California State Legislature approved a number of new laws of interest to all motorists during 2011, that may affect you and your family members who are on the road everyday.

And these measures take effect January 1, 2012. Here are the new laws for road travelers.

Vehicle License Fee

On July 1, 2011, the Vehicle License Fee was reduced a vehicles’ assessed value from 1.15% to 0.65%. In 2009 the Vehicle License Fee had been temporarily raised to help back fill the stat’s chronic budget deficit; the 0.5% increase generated approximately $1.7 billion each year for California. An extension of the Vehicle License Fee was not included in the stat’s 2011 to 2012 fiscal year budget.

Registration Fees

senate Bill 89 increased the registration fee for vehicles from $31 to $43 per year, effective July 1. This increase will bring approximately $360 million per year for California, that used for fund DMV operations. A number of additional state and local registration fees assessed bring the overall fee total to about $100. These are added to the Vehicle License Fee charges which is assessed as a percentage of a vehicle’s value.

Booster Seats

SB 949 strengthens California’s child passenger restraint law by requiring children under the age of 8, unless at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, to be properly restrained in a booster seat in a vehicle’s backseat. Previously, children up to age 6 or weighing less than 60 pounds were required to use booster seats.

Vehicle Purchases

Beginning July 1, assembly Bill 1215 requires that when new-car dealers sell a vehicle, they register it electronically with the DMV. The measure also allows dealers to charge up to $80 for electronic document processing and up to $65 for manual processing. AB 1215 also requires used-car dealers to make a vehicle history report from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information Service available to buyers prior to sale and prohibits the dealer from offering a used vehicle for sale unless the dealer first obtains the report. This requirement does not apply to the sale of motorcycles, off-road vehicles, or recreational vehicles.

Drunk Driving

Tow measures signed into law alter DUI (driving under the influence) penalties in noteworthy ways. AB 353 prohibits law enforcement from impounding a vehicle at a sobriety checkpoint f the driver’s only offense is not having a valid driver’s license. Police must also make a reasonable attempt to identify the registered owner of the vehicle in order to release the vehicle to the registered owner or to a licensed driver authorized by the registered owner. AB 520 allows a person convicted of alcohol-related reckless driving to apply for a restricted licensed early if this person complies with specified requirements, including the installation of an ignition-interlock device.

New Rules For Air Travelers

If you have encountered troubles with getting stuck aboard aircraft parked on the tarmac for hours or bumped from an overbooked flight without alternative flight out, here is the good news:

US Department of Transportation new rules ensure passenger can expect to be treated better, starting January 24, 2012.

Delay Notification

Airlines must notify your of delays of more than 30 minutes.

Reservation And Cancellation

you will be able to hold a reservation without paying for up to 24 hours of cancel it without penalty if the booking is made at least 1 week prior to your departure. Once you purchase our ticket, an airline cannot hike the price.
Other rules have begun since the past fall:

Delay For Destination

if you get bumped involuntarily from an overbooked flight, causing you to be 1-2 hours late in getting to your domestic destination, you will get double the value of our ticket, up to $650; for more than 2 hours, you will get 4 times the ticket value, up to $1300.
International flight cannot hold passengers on the tarmac for more than 4 hours, and domestic flights for more than 3 hours, without allowing passengers to deplane.
Adequate food and water, lavatories, and medical care must be provided if you are stuck for 2 hours on the tarmac. If airlines exceed those limits, they may get hit with stiff fines.

Disclosure Of Fees

Airlines must disclose their websites optional fees for baggage, meals, changing or canceling reservations, or advance or upgraded seating.

Raining season starts kicking in around fall with or without surprise, after warm summer days, you might have been caught in a sudden downpour without umbrella – wet hair, soaked shoes or washed-off make-up, which is annoying. However the most disconcerting is the damage that rain can wreak on our home and car. It is just easy to forget to prepare your most valuable assets as it is to forget to carry your umbrella.

Are you prepared for rainy days? You may start planning ahead to protect your home and car during the raining seasons by a few simple things – the steps to avoid wet-weather headaches such as an insurance claim down the road.

Ready Your Home For The Rainstorm

Clean Out Rain Gutters

Get your house ready for rainy days, removing debris will allow gutters to work effectively. Rain gutters direct rainwater away from your house. If gutters cannot do the job, rain could run off your roof on to windows, doors and walls and cause damage.

Check The Roof Weak Spots

Do not wait until your find a pool of water on your floor to realize there is leak in your roof. If repairs are necessary, do it before rainy days start. Preventive maintenance is cost less than fixing.

Inspect Windows And Doors

Thoroughly check your house windows and walls, looking for cracked caulking, if there is something you need to repair to prevent windows leaking from rainstorm, do it now. Check your door for old or damaged weather stripping, and replace it as needed so the door is sealed properly and keep the rain out.

Check Landscaping

Water should drain away from the structure. If pools on your property, it could damage your lawn or plants, your deck or porch, or in the worst case, it could damage the house foundation. So check the landscaping around your house.

Get Your Car Ready For Rain

Driving in raining condition is challenging, many rain-related claims are due to crashes; typically the vehicle’s condition and driver behavior are contributing factors. Prepare your vehicle and yourself are the best ways to stay safe on the road during the raining days.

Check Wiper Blades

Worn wiper blades can compromise your ability to see the road clearly. Usually wiper blades only work effectively for one year at most, some of them even less. The cause of crack, ear, and harden is that excessive heat and exposure to the sun’s ray. If you see your wiper blades chatter or leave streaks, it is time to get a new set.

While you are checking wiper blades, make sure to fill your window shield washer washer reservoir, and check your heater and defroster are working properly, in order to keep them nice and clear.

Check Tire Tread And Pressure

Worn-out tires will lose contact with the road in a rainstorm, that could cause a loss of steering or braking control. Make sure your tires are properly inflated and reach the best possible traction.

Ensure Headlights And Brake Lights Working

In raining weather, you will use your headlights to improve visibility and help other to see you better. California law requires your headlights be on when your wipers are operating constantly, and your break lights are functioning, which warn other drivers that you are slowing down or stopping.

The holiday season brings many festive occasions with our friends and family, unfortunately, it also increases risk on our roadways. Before the holiday arrive, we often get advice and warning from our family, friends and media – Don’t drink and drive. Based on the Auto Club research, there are nearly 1800 people were killed or injured alcohol-related crashes in California in November and December from 2005 through 2009.

Cost Of Drunk Driving

The fine for drunk driving is extremely expensive, for a first offense arrest can cost a driver more than $1,200 in fines, vehicle storage, alcohol-education courses, the victim restitution fund, DMV license reissue fees, attorney expenses and insurance costs. There are also additional costs such as booking and fingerprinting fees and ignition interlock-device, which vary around the state.

More Expensive For Young Drivers

If you are young driver under age 21, it would be financial trouble as your total cost can easily reach to $1,700. The large portion of increase is the insurance premiums, which are typically greater than older and more experienced drivers.

Cost Of Hospital and Litigation

After all the time spent in jail or the hospital, taking time off from work for court or other related appointments, repairing or replacing a car, the hassle of living without driver license, and other legal liabilities if you are sued. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drinking and driving costs society more than $45 billion annually.

Certainly, drinking and driving exacts an even more important toll that cannot be measure in monetary terms – the cost of people injured or killed, perhaps the driver’s loved ones. Do your part and be aware of the following safety tips during holidays season. Do not drink and drive.

Safety Tips

• Plan ahead and designated a non-drinking driver before any holiday party or celebration begins
• If you are hosting a party, be a responsible and offer alcohol-free beverages and food
• If possible, utilize a bus, taxi or other publish transportation to get to and from the party place
• Reserve a hotel room near your party or stay with friends locally rather than trying to make home
• Take advantage of the Auto Club’s Tipsy Tow program. This program offers free rides to membership drivers who have been drinking at the New Year Eve. The service runs from 6pm Saturday, December 31, through 6am Sunday, January 1

After Halloween trick-and-treat, we are getting ready for the winter holidays and vacations, celebrating year end and gathering with family and friends. This is the time we need to especially careful when driving. As many of American families suffer from fatal traffic crashes due to drunk driving directly and indirectly. At this time of the year, there are significantly increased accidents on the road. So it is very important to slow down whether it is bad weather or you are in rush to parties. If you drink, do not drive.

These days our cars are safer than they have even been as new technologies and safety awareness, most of cars have antilock brakes, air bags, and stability control have reduced and prevented the number of deaths and injuries from crashes. Thankfully, high-tech amenities such as precollision braking systems and lane-departure warning systems should help driver avoid crashes in the first place.

Buckle Up

It might be “old school fashion” that we emphasize wearing a seat belt as number one holiday travel safety. It remains the most effective way to prevent people from being killed or injured during a crash. You will find it is surprising “buck up” reduces the great chances of dying by nearly 50%. There is 95% seat belt use in California, saving us 1,500 lives per year.

Children Safety

It is not really a good picture to paint when it comes to keeping our young passengers safe. There are 90% of parents put young passengers in car seats, shockingly these car seats are misused 80% of the time, children often are not secure tightly enough in the set or the seat isn’t fastened securely to the vehicle. Plus many parents move toddlers to a booster seat before it’s safe to do so. There is only 40% of parents place their children in booster seats for travel safety, even then these parents often move their youngsters to regular seat belts too soon.

Make sure that your children restrained in the backseat, either in a car seat or booster seat, until they reach at least 6 years old or weigh 60 pounds.

New Law On Child Safety

Just following the law is not enough to ensure children travel safety. For example, California requires that infants ride in rear-facing car seats until age 1, but new guidelines from the American Pediatric Association advise keeping children in rear-facing car seats until age 2. A new law requires children to be in booster seats until age 8. Its effective January 1, 2012. This is supported by the Auto Club. It is considered as an improvement, however it is even safer to keep your youngster in booster seats until they are large enough to fit safely in adult seat belts. Finally, children should ride in the backseat though age 12.

For additional information, you may visit AAA.com/saferdrving to find more about holiday travel safety and the latest crash-test standards and automotive safety features.

Hope you and your family have a happy and safe holiday season.

Every year when Holidays on the way, I make sweets for my family and friends, sending my best wishes and love to the people every I spend my time or thoughts. The number one favor treats for my friends is Italian classic biscotti.

Unlike traditional recipe, I innovated a new way to balance healthy ingredients yet tastes extremely good with unique flavor and crunchy, gentle bites, with sip of creamy warm coffee or tea, you finally feel the holidays.

I’d love to share the recipe, so you can make the same fun for yourself and special treats for your friends and loved ones.

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 grams or 8 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 grams or 8 oz) whole wheat flour
1 cup (400 grams) raw whole almonds
2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated organic brown sugar or raw cane sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon anise or vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoon non-trans-fat butter

Direction:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Toast almonds for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Let cool.
Beat the sugar and eggs on until thick (about 5 minutes).
(When you slowly raise the beaters the batter should make little ribbons.)
Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder.
Add to the egg batter and butter and mix until combined.
Fold in the almonds.
Form dough into a log, about 12 inches (30 cm) long and 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide. Really you can form however you want to fit your baking container. Pick the size that makes you happy.
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn over for another 10 minutes to ensure both sides are golden brown and firm to touch.
Remove from oven.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). 
Transfer the log to a cutting board and cut into 3/4 inch (2 cm) diagonal slices.
Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes until golden brown. (Many times depending on humidity it takes longer. I will take as long as the biscotti needs to get it dry.)
Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

You may find all ingredients in Trader Joe’s or other super markets.

Before you start to drive, you probably have already started to phantasize about your first car. What kind of car should that be?

Whether you are a teenager thinking about what car you can get for yourself, or you are the parent consider what type of car you may choose for your son or daugther, you ought to consider two critical elements for the first car – safety and cost.

Setting Priority

Set your priority what is important, what kind of car do you or your teen needs, this may not be a dream car you or your teen wants to drive. For example, you want a sporty car or an SUV because this kind of cars are fun and looking cool. However according to survey, teens are more likely involving crashes, the Auto Club recommends that safety should be the chief priority. Neither sporty car nor SUV are good choices in this respect. Sporty car tempt teens, who have a hard time with imp use control, to drive aggressively. And SUV even those with stability control, are more difficult for new drivers to handle and can be more pone to roll over in an accident.

The Best Car Recommendation

So what is the safest kind of car to get for you or your teen? The Auto Club recommends:

• A relatively new midsize car
• 4 cylinder engine
• Automatic transmission
• Antilock brakes
• High crash test scores, stability control and a good reputation for reliability

Here is the reason:

• A mid size car is big enough to protect the occupant in a crash but small enough for a novice drive to handle easily
• 4 cylinder engine limits the car’s acceleration capabilities and also have better fuel economy
• An automatic transmission makes driving easier and allows young drivers to focus on steering, throttle control, and braking
• Antilock brakes make braking easier and safer
• A car with a 5 star overall crash rating is safer in a collision. A reliable car also costs less to maintain and is less likely to break down and leave you stranded

Traction Control & Stability Control

Further more other safety considerations are traction control and stability control:

• Avoid to select a car with too many gadgets, that can distract young drivers from paying full attention to driving
• Select a relatively new car if possible as a newer car is most likely to have import an standard safety features like supplemental air bags, stability and traction control and antilock barkers

The Best Used Car Selection

According to AAA, these are the best used cars:

• Acura TSX 2008-2010
• Chevrolet Malibu 2008-2010
• Chrysler Sebring 2008-2010
• Ford Fusion 2008-2010
• Hyundai Sonata 2008-2010
• Kia Optima 2008-2010
• Kia Rondo 2008-2009
• Lincoln MKZ 2008-2009
• Mazda5 2009-2010
• Mercury Milan 2008-2009
• Nissan Altima 2008-2010
• Subaru Impreza 2008-2010
• Subaru Legacy 2008-2010
• Suzuki Kizashi 2010
• Toyota Camry 2008-2010
• Volvo V70 wagon 2008

The Best New Car Selection 2011

And here are the best new cars for teen drivers, according to AAA:

• Buick LaCrosse
• Chevrolet Cruze
• Honda Accord sedan
• Hyundai Sonata
• Kia Optima
• Toyota Prius

Some of you might find this kind of cars are boring, however when you loo over the list that Auto Club recommends, you will find a few have a reasonably decent cool factor.
The principle of car is cheap to buy, cheap to keep. Take this logical assumption into your consideration; at the same time, you may need to think about insurance for the car you want to purchase.

When travel with cruise ships, people like to take advantage of more stopping ports and more days. One of the interesting bargain hunting for cruise travel is to find repositioning cruise.

Cost You Less

They are cheaper generally, and you will be surprisingly find special treats when the cruise is repositioning. Most of repositioning cruises have more days. Many of them go from East coast to Europe can be on the open ocean for 6 or more days. Many cruisers prefer topping at several different ports. So in order to attract more passengers, cruise lines tend to charge less for repositioning cruise.

Late Booking

Most of cruises require you book early to take advantage of better perks, such as luxury cabin. You will have to book 6 month early, even you don’t even know what happens in 6 months. With repositioning cruises, the demand for early booking is much lower, you still can get them when you are not able to plan your vacation in 6 months in advance. If you book repositioning cruises 2 months advance, the chances of getting a cabin are still very high. However travel agents still will suggest you to book as early as you can, so you can get the best deal, because most cruises give away the best discount to early birds.

Special Treats And Perks

Given long stretches at sea, repositioning cruses will sometimes feature more entertainment than normal cruse. U.S. editor of Seatrade Cruise Review Anne Kalosh comments on repositioning cruses, SeaDream Yacht Club, which does not regularly schedule lecturers, typically has some big name guest speakers on board its transatlantic sailing. Crystal Cruises often has ballroom dance themed crossings with classes, afternoon tea dances, and a famous featured big band.

Experienced Cruisers On Board

You may also find on repositioning cruises, there are lots of people are very knowledgeable on board with you. These cruises tend to attract to veterans; they have been to all the usual ports and are ready for something new. On some cruise, passagener have their doors with photos from pervious cruises; for some of them, the L.A. to Vancouver sailing was their 20th with Disney Cruise Line. While waiting at t the launderette and lounging at the pool, you may find yourself making conversations with interesting people and pick up tips on everything from the best spots on the ship to the best places to cruise.

Unusual Scenes

As you spend more time at sea, you will have more time to enjoy the ship’s amenities, and to simply slow down and gaze at the ocean. Many people find them on board for the cruise transatlantic crossing, staring out at the vast waters and feeling peace, experiencing calmest ocean water in the middle of the ocean – it feels like a lake in the middle of the sea. You feel harmony at the night while the moon light gently spreading on the peaceful ocean.

According to AAA Foundation for traffic safety, nation wide traffic crashes rank as the number 1 cause of death for 16-19 year old teens, every year, more than 3,000 teens die on the road, and 350,000 wind up in emergency rooms for crash-related injuries.

Families and friends are suffering from these crashes as teens are not prepared to navigate the roads safely put everyone on risk. 2/3 of those who die in crashes involving teen drivers are other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

If you are a parent, you are in mixed emotions when you hand out the car key to your teenage child – you don’t have to play chauffeur much longer; learning to drive marks a rite of passage for you child with pride; after all you carry anxiety and fear.

You Are The Role Model

Your children look up to you since they are so little. Now it is critical for you to play role model than ever. Your children are watching you how you respond when a driver cuts you off in traffic, or if you roll through stop signs, or speeding for a rush…how you drive and how you behave wield the most influence in your teen’s lives. And their driving skills are learned, not inherited.

There is a clear link between parents’ and teens’ driving records. Teen who got into crashes were far more likely to have parents who go into crashes or traffic tickets as the parent’s behavior is a reflection of teen’s behavior. Your children have been watching you drive for years and will likely model your driving habits.

There are 95% parents believe that they are safe drivers and only 82% of teens report seeing their parent being careless when they are driving.

Lead by example, wear seat belt, drive with speed limit, limit distractions such as no cell phone, no texting, maintain as safe following distance and keep your cool behind wheel.

Use Teachable Moments

Parents have plenty of opportunities to impart advice to teens directly without being turned out. Parents should take a moment to explain what they do and why to children while driving with them. You don’t need to provide a running commentary on every maneuver, however you can recognize teachable moments and prepare your teen for similar circumstances. You can also share your own driving experiences.

Making The Most Of Practice

There is 50 hours of supervised practice required for California law, including 10 hours at night and experts recommend 100 hours so new teen drivers can gain more experience in full variety of driving environments and conditions. You may keep lesson simple, and focus on one skill at a time, start out in basic low risk situations, such as a parking lot or residential street, and gradually move to more complex situations like high ways or challenging weather.

Make sure you are calm and reinforce what your teen does well while you give lessons, correct mistakes by asking questions like the speed limit in that location, rather say “you are going to fast”.

Take regular breaks as often as you need or minimum every 20 minutes and the mean while offering feedback on both good and bad points and discuss what you just practiced.

Just remember, every single teen and parent will make difference, you will change the world by driving safely. After all, every day and every moment safe driving counts.

Enemies Of Success

What prevents us from success? Negativity, fear and worry. It is up to you to decide whether you will become a master or a creature of circumstances.

It depends on the direction in which we set our faces and how persistently follow the road upon which we set foot. Facing the right direction is the main thing. If, then, we have backbone and stamina and a fair degree of good cheer – which, if pursued persistently, will lead to a merry heart all along the way.

Our thought is the key, sturdy and defiant thought the look. Whichever way we look, we will find that thought is at the bottom of all progress or retrogression, of all that is desirable or unendurable in human life, it is a matter of sequence that follows the elemental law of cause and effect.

Fear Is Not Natural

Everyone has the power of determine what types of thought we entertain and live with. James Allen said:”A man can only rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts. He can only remain weak and abject and miserable by refusing to live up to his thoughts…Action is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are tis fruits; thus does a man garner in the west and bitter fruitage of his won husbandry.”

There are natural emotions and thoughts follows the train only good, normal, god-intended. Among these are hope, faith, courage, good cheer, love, harmony, compassion, forgiveness, and peace, that are positive, and uplifting and bodybuilding. They act upon the life forces within so as to stimulate the circulation and the process of nutrition, or even restore and to maintain harmony, and make both for mental and physical health and strength and vigor.

Oppositely,  there are thoughts and emotions are not perversions, unnatural and abnormal, such as fear, worry, long continued grief, anger, hatred and avarice, that considered as low types of thought and emotions, can produce disturbance and generate weakness in both mind and body. They lead to retrogression rather than to growth. We will see them work through a slow, corroding, pulling down process; or quick-acting in their poisoning, destructive influences.

Fear Factor

When fear becomes sufficiently deep-seated, we invite and attract the influences and conditions we desire.  The operation of the thoughts and emotions are subtle yet powerful, so we must look for the bulk of whatever comes into our lives. A deep psychological law says:”for the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and what which I was afraid of is come unto me.”

People who have grown habitually timid in their minds and spirits and whose bodies have been reduced to a low and sluggish tone through the influences. The number of people living way below par, mentally and physically as an effect of fear and worry is simply enormous. Additionally this general lowering of practical all bodily functions and peers, in thousands of cases fear and worry focus their effects on specific ailments and disease, according to the particular weaknesses of the individual in whose life they gain a foothold. The law of correspondence is wonderfully exact in its workings.

We remain continual salves to the hosts of things that we fear come and that we ceaselessly worry about, and in reality we often find out that these things hardly ever come.

Commanding Figures Do Not Fear

We fear what is ours today may not be ours tomorrow, fear for the lost of position or possession or friends, fear of accident, fear of disease, fear of death; or fear that something will befall this one or that one near or dear to us. We fear while inside – that something may happen, though we do not know what. When out on God’s road highway we fear that the bogeyman, in whatever form he may take any particular life, will stalk across our path.

We must take ourselves out of the class of fear and afraid, the abnormal. The commanding figures in life do not fear. The others, who are giving time to fear, are allowing the neutralizing and even paralyzing power of this perverted mental force to work its havoc in other lives. They are seeing the ideal they would actualize or attain to, and then setting into activity strong, definite types of thought-force that are hourly working for them along the negative lines they are going.

Protect Your Interior Treasure

Fear and worry steal the effectiveness from human endeavor and happiness. To reach the point where we in time become free from them is a matter of self-control. You can keep your mind true to the idea and the purpose, it is simply a matter of time you will have taken yourself entirely out of the class of the fear and afraid, the get nowhere.

Habit of fear and worry will have to bear the same stigma that others who lack self-control along other lines are compelled to bear today. We habitually concern ourselves with so many things that we really need not concern ourselves with for small matters of mere detail, instead of concerning our primarily with the fundamental, and allowing the attars of detail to fall in place naturally and of their done accord.

We get so accustomed to running in ruts that we can never hope for anything other than a limited or a one-sided development, unless we do this occasionally. We remember that by fear and worry nothing is ever to be gained, but much is always to be lost. By this negative attitude of mind, we open the doors many times for the entrance of the very conditions we fear many come upon us.

Unlimited Boundary

Fear is as direct a line of relationship as love. It is not the amount w expend that counts, but the way in which we spend it. When we spend last dollar knowing, internally, that it is impossible for us to become penniless, we then get a position which will not only let that dollar go, but will bring us another over the same line of transference.

Most of people do this without knowing the laws they are setting into motion. We must know how to look behind the things created into the energy that creates, and this recognition held steadfastly brings life into relation with higher liens of attraction.

The positive and constructive use of the power of mind with a definite goal in view will invariably result in advancement, attainment and achievement. We must also learn the full use of mind, and as it applies the use of the whole mind – deeper mental fields and forces, and to understand the subconscious as well as the conscious.

What we put consume for our bodies affects everything, emotionally and physically including our sexual desire. Empty calories and fatty treats just don’t cut it in the boudoir, as poor eating contributes to an expanding waistline and crumby sheets kill the sexy mood. Saturated fats and sugar zap the body’s stores of zinc, mainly a key player in all things amorous. Zinc improves sex drive, and heightens the senses of taste and smell.