Home to humans since 3000 BC and commercially settled by the Spanish in 1776, the "Bay Area," as it is called by locals, has an amazingly colorful history.

Fueled by the California Gold Rush in 1848, the city exploded from 1800 residents to 25,000 nearly overnight. U.S. statehood quickly followed, along with a brigade of U.S. Troops. They built forts at the current sites of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.

San Francisco business moguls are credited with igniting the transcontinental railroad boom, and several of the country's major commercial banks sprang up to accommodate the money generated by gold prospectors and merchants. San Francisco became home to the nation's first commercial cable 1873. It still functions today.

San Francisco flourished thanks to rail and sea trade and by the 1900s it was home to many influential people. The city was totally destroyed at 5:12 AM on April 18, 1906, by an 8.3 magnitude earthquake that leveled almost every building. Rupturing gas lines ignited fires, destroying most remaining structures. Thousands were killed. A massive effort was expended on rebuilding the destruction and San Francisco rose from its ashes stronger and even more vibrant.

San Francisco's Sights and Sounds

You cannot visit the City by the Bay without being overwhelmed by the historical sites attesting to the strength and ingenuity of the City's inhabitants.

Little Italy, China Town, Japan Town and the Hispanic Mission District underscore the fact that San Francisco is a cultural melting pot reflecting the nationalities of people who mined its gold, ran its businesses and built its bridges and railroads. Good food, unique shopping and the hustle and bustle of people living their daily lives await anyone who visits these unique "cities within the city."

The Presidio of San Francisco, once a Spanish fort, is now operated by the U.S. National Park Service as has been awarded the designation of a National Historic Landmark District by the U.S. Congress.

Steeped in history, it was built by the Spanish in 1776 and seized by the U.S. Army in 1846. It once served as headquarters for many famous Army commands and was the strategic headquarters for Army generals including William Tecumseh Sherman and John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing. The beauty of the grounds and surrounding gardens, combined with its unique architecture, make the Presidio a definite must-see on your visit to San Francisco.

Of course, no visit to San Francisco is complete without a tour of the infamous Alcatraz. Its transition from military fort to Federal prison saw it become home to America's most hardened and dangerous criminals. They say that "no one has ever escaped from Alcatraz," and once you see its imposing walls and experience a boat ride on the rough shark-filled waters leading to "the rock," it's easy to understand why.

Older than America itself, and as modern as tomorrow, San Francisco is a cannot-be-missed stop when visiting California.

In this day and age, health care costs are through the roof. A simple doctor's appointment can cost well over $100 before any lab work is completed or prescriptions are filled. For this reason, many people choose to have health insurance so that they are not so burdened by these costs. There are several types of health insurance plans. HMOs and Supplemental (Indemnity) plans are two types of plans. HMOs, health maintenance organizations, have been given a bad name by the media. However, many would argue that they are the best health plans available. They tend to have affordable premiums and quality health care. However, with an HMO, you are only allowed to see physicians that are on your network. When you sign up for an HMO plan you will be given a booklet with all of your local physicians that are in network. Many health insurance companies have such extensive networks that finding a physician in the network is not generally an issue.

Supplemental or Indemnity health insurance works differently than an HMO. With a supplemental or indemnity plan, you will be able to see any physician that you choose. However, you will have to pay for your visit upfront and then be reimbursed by your insurance company. This is ideal for people that live in rural areas and do not have any physicians in town that are on the insurance company's network. This is also a great option for people that have a doctor that they like and do not want to see a different doctor, yet find that the doctor that they currently see if not on the insurance company's network list.

Both of these options are the right fit for different people. Speak with your insurance agent to determine which plan will best meet your needs for your individual situation.

HRIS stands for Human Resources Information System.

This is a software tracking solution for human resources professionals which can handle multiple tasks such as; data entry, data information, etc. Human Resource managers have a hard time managing multiple tasks. This can stall the growth and development of the company. In many cases, professionals must act as the administrative assistant and human resource manager. A HRIS system can help in managing these daily tasks. Here are the top 7 reasons to use the software:

Automatic Data Tracking- As with most human resources business professionals, it can get pretty hectic and make it hard to organize every single task. The HRIS is able to provide resources for online solutions such as; data entry, data tracking, data information management and accounting functions.

Management of Employee Information- If you are head of a huge company that may have more than 100 employees, keeping track of sensitive information can be quite daunting. Most human resources information systems can automatically track this information from addresses, phone numbers and much more. Company related documents can also be stored including handbooks, emergency procedures and safety guidelines.

Handles Administration Tasks- For companies that are trying to cut down on their overall budget, they may have human resources professionals take on the task of the administrative assistant as well. The HRIS is capable of handling administrative duties such as keeping track of enrollment status and any personal information updating.

Account Management- For those who are also responsible for the accounting, the software is able to help with managing financial and accounting data. This makes the process easy and doesn't require multiple downloads of software for various tasks.

Controls Resume Management- The software also comes with resume management which is perfect for the hiring press. Applications can be immediately stored without any problems. No messy papers or excel files are needed.

Tracking of Performance and Development Plans- For any type of goals and development plans that is used to help push the company ahead, the HRIS is able to track them.

Application Management- Professionals can keep track of the interviewing and selection process based on certain criteria.

Manager Can Focus More on Ethical Side of Business- When a manager is more focused on the administrative tasks instead of controlling the development and growth of the employees, the business can suffer. Since most companies are cutting down on expenses, they rather hire a human resources manager to handle administrative tasks and employee development. Depending on the amount of employees present in the company, this can really make the company suffer as far as hiring qualified employees in order to create a productive company.

The HRIS software was made in order to benefit the user in completing and accomplishing task. It is also able to allow employees and applicants to update their own information, making it less stressful for the human resource manager. They are more able to focus on career growth, development and equal treatment instead of the administrative side of the job. Managers will be able to have quick access to vital information for legally, ethically and effectively supporting the company by reporting employees. This is the overall reason for the system.

How to Play Boggle

Boggle is a wonderful and classic game that is plaid by word geeks. This game help build your vocabulary thru finding words on a 4x4 grid of blocks. Each block has a different letter on each side. You will need the boggle game, a 3-minut timer, paper and pencils.

There are five steps to your game of Boggle that are real simple to follow.

First Step- Each player receives a pencil and a piece of paper.

Second Step- Place all 16 blocks on the grid and put on the cover. Shake the game so that the blocks get all mixed up and set it down when all the blocks lie flat in the board.

Third Step- Remove the cover and start the timer.

Fourth Step- Write down all the words you see. You can only use blocks that are directly touching. You can find words in lots of ways. diagonal forwards backwards sideways or that are shaped like a snake. But all the blocks touch. Write until the time is up.

Fifth Step- After the time is up everyone stops writing words. Then the scoring the fun part comes. Each player reads there list of words. If someone else has that word on they're list, nobody get points for the word. 3-letter words are worth 1 point, 4-letter words are worth 2 points and 5 and more letter words are worth three points. Names, slang and forign words are not ok. The person with the most points wins.