Have you ever wondered why a minuscule chip in your tooth can cause an unbelievable amount of pain but slicing your hair to pieces is completely painless.  I know a haircut can sometimes feel like a painful experience but unlike teeth hair doesn’t actually have any nerves.

A hair follicle is composed of three parts; the root which is below the skin surface, the bulb which feeds nutrients to the root and the shaft which is the hair we see above the surface of the skin.  The main purpose of hair is to provide us with insulation (preventing warmth from escaping); it cushions our body during impacts and protects our skin.

To understand why you don’t feel pain when you get your hair cut; you must first understand how hair grows.  The bulb provides the nutrients necessary to make new cells.  The cells grow underneath the surface of the skin forming the hair follicle.  This hair follicle is very much alive when it’s below the scalp surface; this is required in order for the hair to grow.  When someone pulls your hair, it’s these nerves that are being stimulated causing pain.  As the hair grows above the surface of the scalp the follicle fills with a fibrous protein and dies; a process known as keratinization.  By the time you are able to see the hair follicle it is simply a strand of dead protein cells, similar to our nails.  If hair had nerves it would cause an incredible amount of pain since hair is constantly breaking and falling out.

Teeth are composed enamel dentin and pulp.  The enamel is the hard outer layer of the tooth; it protects the tooth by providing a hard shell that’s difficult to break.  Dentin is the layer found just underneath the enamel and is essentially the bulk of the tooth.  When the enamel is worn away the dentin becomes exposed and deteriorates quickly. The pulp is located in the center of the tooth; this is where the pain nerves are located.  Unlike hair, once an adult tooth has broken or fallen out it does not repair itself or grow back.

These nerves found in teeth serve some very important purposes.  They are stimulated by heat, cold, acid as well as infections.  When you chew the muscle in the jaw actually has enough strength to break your teeth.  The nerves in our teeth let you know how hard you’re biting down, thus preventing your teeth from breaking when you chew food.  They let you know if something too hot, cold or acidic.  These nerves also tell you when there’s something wrong with your teeth, like an infection in the root.

If teeth didn’t feel pain then they could get broken or worse infected and rot; you would never know until the teeth fell out.  Imagine having to go get your hair cut if your hair actually had nerves; it would feel just like going to the dentist’s office.  They would have to knock everyone out; it would be like…pulling teeth

You’ve barely walked in the front door and notice a waterfall cascading down the stairs.  Then you remember; you forgot to shut the bath water off before running to the store.  The only thing that could make this bad situation even more stressful is that this flood was not caused a natural disaster but by human error.

Water damage causes all kinds of problems and can be quite costly if not acted upon quickly.  Wet drywall and insulation will have to be replaced; there’s also the devastating risk of mould and fungus growth.    Just a couple of inches of water can cost thousands of bucks in repairs; not to mention the cost of replacing those treasured belongings.  Although your flood insurance policy may not cover the repair costs; your home owner’s insurance just might come to the rescue.  If you don’t own your home then hopefully you’ve purchased renters insurance which can sometimes cover the costs of your lost belongings

Flood insurance policies do not cover household damages caused by human error, broken pipes or main breaks unless they are caused by flooding.

The term “flooding” is defined by insurance companies as the “A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more adjacent properties (at least one of which is yours).  Flooding by this definition is not covered by most home owner’s insurance policies.  A separate flood insurance policy can be purchased.  Flood insurance policies in the United States are backed by the National Flood Insurance Program and only cover damages caused by the rising of flood waters from the ground.

Home owner’s insurance policies will cover water damage caused by the accidental overflow of water like an overflowing bathtub.

Home owners insurance will cover water damages caused by most sudden accidents.  For example, the bathtub overflowing is considered accidental; therefore, the resulting damages would be covered.  If your dishwater hose leaks and damages your floor; the water damaged floor will be covered by your home owners insurance but the dishwasher repair will not.  Your home owners insurance will not cover water damage caused by neglect or poor maintenance.  For example, if you neglect to repair a leaking pipe any resulting damages will not be covered by your home owner’s insurance.

Renters insurance is available to individuals that don’t own their accommodations but still want to protect themselves and their belongings.  Renters insurance might not cover the cost of repairing damages to the structure itself but will cover the damages to your personal property.  When you purchase renters insurance it’s important to make sure water damage is specifically mentioned in the policy.

Notify your Insurance agent as soon as possible after the damage has occurred; he will explain the processes you need to follow to file your claim.  Be sure to accurately document all damages; use a camera or video and be specific in your wording.  Make list of damaged items that need to be replaced and be sure to include it with your claim.  After you’ve filed your claim be sure to keep in touch with your Insurance agent and get regular updates regarding your claim.

In difficult economic times many people find themselves having to consider making a career change in order to remain gainfully employed or compete in a difficult job market. Even when the economy improves many people are simply bored with their current jobs, which lead to a lack of productivity, so a career change may be on the cards.

However, changing careers is not something that can be undertaken lightly or without a good deal of planning. Here are a few do’s and don’ts that one should keep in mind when thinking about a career change:

DO develop a solid plan for your career change. There is a lot more to such a course of action than waking up one morning and deciding you want to switch your job as a secretary for a career as an interior designer simply because someone told you last week your living room was arranged very nicely.

DON’T worry if the idea of making a career change scares the heck out of you. Such feelings are perfectly normal, we all like at least a little comfort and security.

DO expect to have to put in a good deal of time and effort when changing careers, but DON”T allow yourself to become discouraged too quickly. These things simply take time but are often very satisfying at the end of it all.

DO consider your personal passions when considering a career change. It may be an old cliché but if you love what you do you really are going to be ten times more successful and productive. You should also consider your dislikes as well. For instance if the sight of blood makes you nauseous, a career in nursing is probably not for you, however well it might pay.

DO find ways to gain experience in your new career choice before you quit your current job. Volunteer in your chosen field in some way or undertake a part time unpaid internship to gain experience and confidence.

DO realize that you may need to return to school to gain extra education in order to change careers successfully but DON’T enroll in the first school you come across, do your research first and make sure that the program of study really will be helpful, as education rarely ever comes cheap these days.

DO realize that in order to make a career change you will need to be flexible. You are basically starting out all over again, so you may have to take a paycut or relocate in order to be successful.