It's never too late

http://vitality.yahoo.com/video-second-act-donald-arthur-20045514

Utility Savings that help the Environment

‘Power With Purpose’

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Congratulations and please share the savings with others!

Tracy McGrady sharing some great information!

(2009) 62 min

Tracy McGrady travels to Darfur to learn about the ravaging effects of the recent ongoing genocide.

When NBA star Tracy McGrady (T-Mac) heard about the massive challenges children from Darfur were facing in the refugee camps in Chad, he decided to travel there, discovering the ravaging effects of the recent ongoing genocide. 3 POINTS follows McGrady’s journey in Chad and his return to the U.S.

http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/3_points/?sms_ss=email

What have you expected

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASjta-KfebY&feature=player_embedded

EVERYTHING COUNTS

It amazes me to see how many people:

- Listen to nasty music and think it won't affect them.

- Watch bad images and think they will not be impacted by them.

- Lie, cheat, and steal and think that it will not undermine their
reputation.

- Are late, unprepared and apathetic and think that it will not
impact their income potential.

- Make excuses and blame others for their sorry state and think
that it serves a useful purpose.

- Surround themselves with a lousy reference group and think that
they will not become just like them.

- Gossip about and criticize other people and think that it does
not demonstrate a lack of character.

- Expose their mind and soul to behavioral indecencies and really
think that it will not negatively impact their results.

These people are delusional if they think that’s the case.

UNFORTUNATELY, far too many are OVER-EXPOSED to these behavioral
indecencies which add absolutely no value to their lives.

In fact, by remaining exposed to these indecencies, they are in
effect digging a grave which they may never climb out of.

THE SOLUTION

You must never forget that your mind thinks about what it is
exposed too.

Therefore, consciously give serious and consistent exposure to
whatever is:

- True

- Noble

- Right

- Pure

- Lovely

- Admirable

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—expose yourself
accordingly.

YOUR TWO-STEP CHALLENGE

Your challenge each and every day is twofold:

Step 1. Expose yourself to new ideas, to stimulating conversation,
to positivity, to good—honorable people, to quality music, to
healthy food, and...anything that is virtuous.

Step 2. Expose other people to your good character, sound judgment,
and to your helpful nature. You must expose people to the example
you want emulated in society.

You must consistently expose yourself, your children, employees and
friends to world-class ideas.

If you like this you must read "Everything Counts" by Gary Ryan Blair

A great way to save 16 - 20% on your electric bill and help the environment!

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Congress Approves Extension of the Homebuyer Tax Credit Closing Deadline

Congress approved late Wednesday an extension to the June 30 closing deadline for the home buyer tax credit, hours before it was set to expire. The move will give would-be buyers who signed a purchase agreement by April 30 more time to close on those deals and receive the credit that is worth up to $8,000. The new deadline is Sept. 30.

The Senate approved the measure unanimously on Wednesday, one day after the provision sailed through the House of Representatives with little opposition. The President is expected to sign the measure soon.

The Senate had failed to pass the provision last week when it was included in a bigger package that would have extended jobless benefits, among other measures. On Wednesday, an effort to reinstate unemployment insurance failed, and the Senate opted to pass the tax credit provision by itself.

In recent weeks, lenders and real-estate companies have warned of bottlenecks that could lead thousands of potential buyers to miss out on the credit that they thought they were getting. The probably is particularly acute for short sales, where a lender allows a home to sell for less than the amount owed. Banks and the federal government have stepped up efforts to encourage short sales as an alternative to foreclosure, but the deals take longer to approve because they require note holders to reconcile losses.

Congress first created a tax credit for homeowners in 2008. It was extended and expanded twice during 2009. The last extension, approved last fall, said that house purchase contracts would have to be signed by April 30, and home buyers would have until June 30 to close on those sales. The extension is only good for those buyers who were under contract by April 30. Someone who signed a contract after April 30 and buys a home by Sept. 30 isn’t eligible for the tax credit.

The Senate also passed an extension of the federal flood insurance program until Sept. 30. The change is retroactive to June 1, when the program had lapsed.

Wonder Twins

Please share this and continue to nurture and challenge every child that comes your way this is absolutely AWESOME!

·

Paula and Peter Imafidon are just like any other 9-year-olds. They love laughing, playing on the computer and fighting with each other. What sets these twins apart from their peers, though, is that they are, hands down, prodigies who are about to enter high school and make British history as the youngest to do so.

The precocious London-based tykes, known as the "Wonder Twins," floored academics a year ago when they aced University of Cambridge 's advanced mathematics exam. They are the youngest students to ever pass the test.

The future little scholars' father, Chris , and mother, Ann, immigrated to Britain from Nigeria more than 30 years ago and have actually been down this prodigy route before with their three older children, who are also overachievers.

The couple's oldest daughter, Anne-Marie , is now 20, but at age 13, she won a British government scholarship to take undergraduate courses at John s Hopkins University in Baltimore . Christiana ,

17, their other daughter, is the youngest student ever to study at the undergraduate level in any British University at the age of 11. Youngest daughter, Samantha , now 12, passed two rigorous

high school l evel mathematics and statistics exams at the age of 6. She mentored the twins to

pass their own math secondary school test when they were also 6.

Even with all of this, the proud dad denies that there is any particular genius in his family. He does credit his children's success to the Excellence in Education program for disadvantaged inner-city youth. "Every child is a genius," he said. "Once you identify the talent of a child and put them in the environment that will nurture that talent, then the sky is the limit. Look at Tiger Woods or the Williams sisters -- they were nurtured. You can never rule anything out with them. The competition between the two of them makes them excel in anything they do."

The darling duo are competitive to say the least, and this is what fuels them to out-achieve each other. Paula said, "I am excited to pass, but I should have got higher than Peter."

As far as career paths Paula says she wants to be a math teacher, while Peter aspires to be prime minister one day.

Use These Basic Ten Tips For A Good Night’s Rest

How did you sleep last night? As an African-American, chances are you probably didn’t get enough.

It’s already a well known fact that African-Americans suffer disproportionately from just about all major diseases and chronic health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease.

Here are the top ten suggestions to have good night’s rest.

1. Save your worries for the daytime. If concerns come to mind, write them in a “worry book” so you can address those issues the next day.

2. Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to sleep and wake at the same time every day, and avoid spending more time in bed than needed.

3. Select a relaxing bedtime ritual and relaxing techniques. Focus on calming activities and thoughts, particularly an hour before your bedtime, like a warm bath or listening to calming music.

4. Prepare your bedroom for sleep. Create an environment that is conducive to sleep that is quiet, dark and cool with a comfortable mattress and pillows.

5. Stop making your bedroom an all-purpose space. Use your bedroom only for sleep to strengthen the association between your bed and sleep. It may help to remove work materials, computers and televisions from your bedroom. If you can’t sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired.

6. Enjoy a carbohydrate-rich dinner or snack, as well as a cup of herbal tea. Carbs can stave off hunger, a known sleep robber. A study found that when healthy sleepers ate carbohydrate-rich suppers of veggies and tomato sauce over rice, they fell asleep significantly faster at bedtime. Also, some experts say that herbal teas, while not scientifically proven, may make you sleepy by generating body heat. Chamomile, lemon balm, hops and passionflower are all touted for their sleep-promoting properties.

7. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and (believe it or not) milk. Caffeine affects everyone differently, so if you’re sensitive it might be worth trying to cut down—or limit caffeine to the morning only.

Also, though a glass of wine may help you fall asleep, excessive alcohol use can make you wake up in the night. One theory is that alcohol suppresses the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep state that’s critical to a good night’s sleep. Drink moderately, if at all; avoid drinking within a few hours of bedtime.

“What about a warm glass of milk!?” Well, decades ago, scientists looked into this folk remedy and posited that tryptophan, an amino acid in milk (and turkey), might be responsible for its supposed sleep-inducing effect. But in recent tests, they failed to affect sleep patterns, perhaps because other amino acids in those foods competed with tryptophan to get into the brain. Warm milk at bedtime may be comforting, but it won’t boost sleep-promoting serotonin.

8. Try alternative sleep technologies, such as RealSleep. Remember that kind of groggy, sleepy sensation you get when you’re on a bus, train or are the passenger in a car? RealSleep is a CD that helps you sleep by triggering that same sleepy sensation. It uses three kinds of nearly-inaudible sounds embedded in music to help induce a natural state of sleep, and has been extremely affective in clinical trials. “Sound can drive so much,” says Seth Horowitz. “If you’re really stressed and trying to get to sleep, this will help you.”

9. Exercise regularly. But avoid vigorous workouts close to bedtime.

10. Talk to your doctor. Of course, if you find that nothing is helping you, or you have questions or concerns, speak to a doctor or sleep professional.

Apply these basic ten tips and Sweet Dreams!

Practitioners Seek Compensation from BP

Among people trying to collect compensation from BP for income loss caused by the oil spill are real estate practitioners.

Four states—Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida—have opened claim centers where residents who lost income due to the spill can request compensation.

Only Florida is reporting its numbers. Over the last three weeks, BP has paid $75,725 to begin settling 446 claims against it for income lost from rental properties. It paid another $5,000 to begin settling losses due to stalled real estate sales.

BP CEO Tony Hayward said in a TV commercial, “We will honor all legitimate claims, and our clean-up efforts will not come at any cost to taxpayers.”

Health Benefits of Water

How 8 Glasses a Day Keeps Fat Away

Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Although most of us take for granted, water may be the only true "magic potion" for permanent weight loss.Water supresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.

Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.

Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When the body gets less water,it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored in extracellular spaces (outside the cell). This shows up as swollen feet, legs and hands.

Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a treat and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns.

The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs -- plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released.

If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt may be to blame. Your body will tolerate sodium only in a certain concentration. The more salt you eat the more water your system retains to dilute it.

But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy -- just drink more water. As it's forced through the kidneys it takes away excess sodium.

The overweight person needs more water than a thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the over weight person needs more water.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weigh loss -- shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of -- all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste.

Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is one primary source. Result? Constipation. But when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function usually returns.

So far, we've discovered some remarkable truths about water and weight loss:

• The body will not function properly without enough water and can't metabolize stored fat efficiently.
• Retained water shows up as excess weight.
• To get rid of excess water you must drink more water.
• Drinking water is essential to weight loss.

How much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses every day. That's about 2 quarts. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. The amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.Water should preferably be cold. It's absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water. And some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually help burn calories. To utilize water most efficiently during weight loss, follow this schedule:

Morning: 1 quart consumed over a 30-minute period.
Noon: 1 quart consumed over a 30-minute period.
Evening: 1 quart consumed between five and six o'clock.When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, it's fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have reached the "breakthrough point." What does this mean?

• Endocrine-gland function improves.
• Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost.
• More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat.
• Natural thirst returns.
• There is a loss of hunger almost over night.

If you stop drinking enough water, your body fluids will be thrown out of balance again, and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst. To remedy the situation you'll have to go back and force another "breakthrough."

Housing Inventory Snapshot

I hope you will find the following snapshot of local Real Estate inventory interesting. The table represents aggregated values based on MLS data for the specified date.

Housing Inventory Snapshot May 31, 2010 Average List Price Median List Price Average Days On Market Anne Arundel County, MD Single Family under $500K $332,560 $329,000 131 Single Family over $500K $1,052,815 $749,999 180 Condo/Townhome under $300K $194,382 $209,999 128 Condo/Townhome over $300K $460,228 $379,000 131 Baltimore County, MD Single Family under $500K $280,704 $265,000 122 Single Family over $500K $914,592 $679,900 148 Condo/Townhome under $300K $169,124 $165,000 115 Condo/Townhome over $300K $433,518 $389,000 117 Baltimore City, MD Single Family under $500K $233,793 $219,900 128 Single Family over $500K $855,148 $689,900 166 Condo/Townhome under $300K $124,209 $119,900 140 Condo/Townhome over $300K $509,657 $410,000 146 Cecil County, MD Single Family under $500K $274,802 $260,000 155 Single Family over $500K $944,037 $700,000 233 Condo/Townhome under $230K $147,450 $152,150 162 Condo/Townhome over $230K $304,610 $270,000 140 Harford County, MD Single Family under $500K $311,914 $315,000 129 Single Family over $500K $734,534 $634,990 166 Condo/Townhome under $300K $186,252 $194,990 110 Condo/Townhome over $300K $424,113 $375,900 134 Howard County, MD Single Family under $500K $369,162 $375,000 111 Single Family over $500K $824,708 $699,900 154 Condo/Townhome under $300K $210,266 $219,900 93 Condo/Townhome over $300K $399,312 $365,000 65 Montgomery County, MD Single Family under $1M $528,164 $496,900 87 Single Family over $1M $2,053,150 $1,624,900 104 Condo/Townhome under $600K $261,262 $250,000 93 Condo/Townhome over $600K $1,081,597 $820,000 89 Prince Georges County, MD Single Family under $500K $255,759 $244,900 127 Single Family over $500K $848,628 $643,995 217 Condo/Townhome under $300K $163,155 $165,000 122 Condo/Townhome over $300K $386,774 $350,000 98

MORTGAGE. National Averages (May 31, 2010)* 30-year fixed Rate - 4.92% APR - n/a% 15-year fixed Rate - 4.33% APR - n/a% 5/1 ARM Rate - 3.79% APR - n/a%

How Large Is Your Future?

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. Genesis 2:1

Dear to live your dreams! For the way you view your future will directly affect your right-now actions. You cannot look at your tomorrow through dismal eyes of despair. In your mind, you must get a future that is so large that today seems very small. Your future has got to be so large that your situation today becomes insignificant. Whatever you are going through today is not even a worry, and should not matter, because your future is much larger than your today. When you properly view your future, you really won’t have time to weep over your present circumstances.

God sees your future as big and bright

You’ll be surprised to learn that the problem is that your future is not in God’s hands. It is in your hands. So how you see your future must be in alignment with how God sees it in order for you to have a successful future. Many people sabotage their own futures because they begin to choke, trying to accept that fact that their tomorrow is greater than their yesterday. Your future is only as large as you see it.

What is large to you may not necessarily appear to be large to the next person. So then, you have to create your own future by reassessing your visual awareness. Remember you will only have in life what you can see yourself having, nothing more and nothing less. You may not be an artist, but consider yourself Leonardo DaVinci. Actually draw a picture of “your big future.” Be sure to include everything that you can think of, that typifies the kind of life that you know you deserve to live.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LOR D,thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

Here’s how it works. Whatever we hope for mentally, we must begin to see it with our mind’s eye and see all possibilities that are connected with it. Nothing becomes substantial until you see it mentally, with possibilities. Faith resides in the unseen realm. Our faith results in the manifestation of our thoughts, our dreams, our hopes and our desires.

Faith resides in the unseen realm

Baltimore

Native blue crabs seasoned with Old Bay are reason enough to visit Baltimore, but there's much more to experience in this waterfront town. Take, for example, this underrated city's revitalized Inner Harbor area, where you'll find where you’ll find Kimpton’s new Hotel Monaco (opened in July 2009); the upscale neighborhood of Mount Vernon, home to the nation's first large-scale Washington Monument and the 29-room boutique Hotel Brexton (opened in March 2010); and Harbor East, where a number of hotels and restaurants are opening their doors. Its new, contemporary look aside, you can still discover some 300 years of American history along Baltimore's cobblestone streets (not only was the "Star Spangled Banner" written here, but abolitionist Frederick Douglass lived and worked in the historic waterfront community of Fells Point in the 1830s) and track down the settings for John Waters's films (Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, and Female Trouble, among many others, were all shot here). Sports fans will also find no shortage of outlets, since Baltimore is also home to the Orioles baseball team, Ravens football team, and the Preakness (the second leg of the Triple Crown).

Five Bad Home Improvement Ideas

When considering adding value to a home, you consistently hear from the real estate industry that updated bathrooms and quality kitchens stand out in a home sale. Those are proven sale closers. There are certain other improvements you can make to your home that will beautify it or create convenience for your family. When it comes time to selling, however, those improvements may do nothing to increase the value of the property and may even turn off potential homebuyers.

Over-the-Top Renovations

Au contraire mon frère, not all renovations will raise the value of your home. Just `cause it's bigger doesn't mean it will be perceived as better by future homebuyers. Unless your home is located in Beverly Hills or some other very posh neighborhood, don't install the bathroom with the supersized steam shower, imported Italian marble and several different spray heads ... unless you have the money to do it for your own pleasure and enjoyment only. That kind of improvement doesn't typically do anything to increase the value of the average home.

On the other hand, if you updated an old bathroom, you could see an increase of several thousand dollars to your home's bottom line. Real estate professionals suggest that homeowners pour over local home listings to see what amenities are the standard in your area, then upgrade your home to meet it. If you overdo it, however, you may not recoup your investment.

Swimming Pools

If you think installing a swimming pool in the back side of your home will draw hoards of homebuyers clamoring to make offers on your home at sale time, you'd be wrong. Some may consider it a perk, but others may perceive it as a pain with all the maintenance it will require.

Homeowners have even paid to have their swimming pools buried to create more yard space. If you shell out the expense to build one, don't expect your home's value to budge. The only exception to building a swimming pool is if you live in states where they are considered the norm.

Home Office Renovations

Although, a home office is often an amenity appreciated by those shopping for a home, it should be built with frugality in mind. Overhauling an office doesn't pay off when it's time to sell your home. Don't steal usable space from another living area to create a home office. Instead, make sure the space can easily be converted back into a bedroom or other living space if needed. If you decide you just have to have the built-in Curly Maple wood shelves, know that you will only recoup around 50 percent of your cost at sale time.

Unique Builds

Home magazines are always coming up with clever and creative ways to change the look of your living space. Some are exotic and outlandish, but they can pique your interest. Tempted to put a classic disco ball with lights in your bedroom, a constellation ceiling in your family room or a peaceful Koi pond in your back yard? Avoid making outlandish changes to your home or changes that will be perceived as adding work for a future homeowner. Don't be tempted to incorporate these ideas into your own home, unless you don't plan on selling anytime soon. Homebuyers may not share your enthusiasm.

Roof Renovations

If your roof needs repair, don't hesitate to have the work done. It will be one less issue you'll have to deal with when listing your home. If in your pursuit to list your home you think replacing your roof with cedar shakes or clay tiles will increase the value, think again. Although they have the ability to make your home stand out, they probably won't inspire homebuyers to pay more for them. So, unless you have the money to burn, keep it simple when preparing your home to be listed on the real estate market.

Homeowner Insurance

A homeowner can be sued if anyone is injured on their property, whether it happens inside or outside. Image: Paul Burns/Blend Images/Getty Images

Accidents happen at home: A visitor trips on your front steps, or a neighbor cleaning your gutters falls off a ladder. As the property owner, you can be held legally liable. Standard homeowners insurance typically offers some liability coverage, but it might not be enough to cover a major claim.

Umbrella insurance provides additional homeowner liability protection that kicks in after your homeowners insurance hits its policy limit. A lawsuit, even one seemingly unrelated to homeownership, can wipe out your net worth—including your home. That’s why protecting yourself against lawsuits is an essential part of protecting your home.

Understand homeowner liability

Liability insurance covers you in the event you get hit with a lawsuit. Some of the liability risks faced by homeowners are more apparent than others. For example, a house guest takes a tumble after slipping on your hardwood floors, or a neighbor’s kid falls off a swing in your backyard. Insurance agents call swimming pools, jungle gyms, and trampolines “attractive nuisances” because they draw children unable to appreciate their dangers.

If someone gets hurt on your property—whether inside or outside, and whether you think it’s your fault or not—you can get sued. Travelers, an insurance provider, says you could even face a lawsuit if your dog bites someone. If your pet or a member of your residence causes accidental damage to the property of others, you’re liable too. Automobile accidents can also lead to lawsuits.

In addition, you can face lawsuits from personal injury, which includes a wide variety of problems, such as emotional distress or sickness or disease. You can be sued for malicious prosecution, humiliation, libel, slander, defamation of character, or invasion of privacy. Although many of these scenarios seem to have little to do with homeownership, the end result of an unfavorable lawsuit judgment can be the loss of your home.

Brian Mittman, an attorney in White Plains, N.Y., says the reality is that anyone can be sued for anything at any time, though it’s less likely that juries will side with a plaintiff where there’s no obvious fault on the homeowner’s part. Some states also have so-called homstead laws that can protect homes from creditors. Consult an attorney.

Start with your homeowner policy

Homeowners are more likely to see a lawsuit if there’s a foreseeable incident with knowledge of a defect. Consider a homeowner whose front steps have loose bricks. A lawyer could argue the homeowner should’ve known about the problem and fixed it. This is an example of what could be a low-payoff situation—a trip to the emergency room and a sprained ankle that heals quickly. Many lawyers would pass on the case.

On the other hand, a visitor’s tumble down rickety basement steps could lead to a long hospital stay and a permanent limp. The homeowner could be found liable and have to pay, even if the injured party has medical and disability insurance. An injured party’s own insurance situation doesn’t necessarily let the homeowner off the hook.

The good news is a limited amount of liability insurance is standard in most homeowner policies. Although terms can vary, $300,000 is typical. Check your policy. For about another $300 a year, you should be able to add $1 million of liability coverage to your homeowners insurance.

Umbrella insurance adds layer of protection

Many financial advisers prefer umbrella insurance over increasing the liability coverage of a homeowner policy because the umbrella insurance applies to your vehicles as well as your residence. Remember, umbrella insurance is an overarching policy that covers liability issues at home and in the car. This is critical since you could lose all of your assets including your home as a result of a major lawsuit stemming from an auto accident.

Umbrella insurance, in general, runs about $300 a year for $1 million of coverage. Premiums can vary greatly depending on a host of factors including your credit and claims history, where you live, and who’s covered. In most cases you can get a policy issued in a couple of hours. The process is faster, and you might receive a multi-policy discount, if you get umbrella insurance through your current insurer.

Keep in mind that umbrella policies by nature come with very high deductibles. They only pay off after a homeowner’s other liability coverage is exhausted. If you use the same insurer, it’s easier to coordinate claims and ensure your homeowners insurance dovetails with your umbrella’s deductible.

Umbrella coverage has its limits

Generally, anything business-related isn’t covered by umbrella insurance. Bob Gustafson, a certified financial planner in Marlborough, Mass., notes that people connected with a home-based business aren’t covered under typical homeowner or umbrella policies. However, many homeowner policies will allow the purchase of a rider for small businesses, which will increase your annual premium between $300 and $400.

Businesses you work with and de facto employees, such as domestic workers, also are unlikely to be covered. Riders are available for full-time domestic workers; occasional house cleaners and babysitters should be covered under a standard policy. Major outside contractors, such as roofers, for example, should have their own insurance. Ask for proof before you hire any contractor.