Happy Halloween!

Just one thing to say tonight: be safe and enjoy your night. Send me pictures of your costumes and I'll post them on Facebook/Twitter/Bekan website.

Song of the day/night/week - "Hot Soft Light" from my boys The Hold Steady. Two years ago today they recorded their live album A Positive Rage at the Metro in Chicago. Rock on.

Thursday Links

Man, it sure does feel like Friday today, doesn't it? Unfortunately, we haven't reached our Halloween festivities yet, but in due time it will come.

The big Bekan news today takes place over on our Facebook account. If you are one of the first 3 fans to comment on our status, you get entered in our drawing to win a FREE iPod Touch. Do it. Here's the link.

This week's beer choice may be slightly delayed, due to my abstinence from alcohol. The doctor told me drinking spirits isn't healthy for you. I suppose you learn something every day. But, never fear, we'll be back soon with Beer of the Week.

On the BIG blog, we're talking about Halloween safety. So be sure to check it out.

That's all for today. If you aren't already following us on Facebook or Twitter, what are you waiting for? We reveal key savings tips in a flash over there!

Welcome to the Fall Classic

In honor of Game 1 of baseball's World Series, and the fact that I don't have much else to say on this lovely evening, who is your pick to win the title?

At the outset of the playoffs, I took the Yankees to beat the Dodgers. However, now that L.A. is out of action, Philly has taken their place. While I hope the Phils repeat for the title, I really see the Yankees winning. We'll see how it plays out. What do you think?

Weekend Review

The weekend has ended and we're all back to the real world, but before we get back to business, let's examine our weekends.

All kinds of sports action headlined the weekend, but Chicagoans had their struggles with the Bears lackluster performance against the Bengals. Hey, at least you have the mighty Blackhawks.

Some of our agents had themselves great weekends around the house, while other took to the road to visit friends and family. The important part: everyone came home healthy and happy. No strains of H1N1 for us!

Yours truly took a trip to Bloomington, IN for the weekend, and as promised I saw Pete Yorn in concert Saturday night. As expected, he brought tons of energy and put on a great show.

Tying in with Yorn, Bekan Insurance Group's favorite radio station, 93.1 WXRT just announced their BIG Holiday Concert with headliners The Flaming Lips, Phoenix and The aforementioned Pete Yorn. The show looks to be fantastic, and if at all possible, this writer will be in attendance for a great night.

Check in soon for updates to the company, including some videos and other programs we are working on.

Beer of the Week: Newcastle Brown Ale

The old favorite is back. It's Beer of the Week time!

This week we take a look at a Newcastle Brown Ale, which has quickly become a favorite of mine. Imported from England, as the label states, but actually from Scotland, Newcastle has a nice taste that is refreshing to all drinkers. While a bit costly (I found a 6-pack for $8.99!), the brown tinted ale with a nice frothy head gives drinkers a nice smooth taste. Check it out at your local pub or liquor store. You won't be disappointed. My rating: 4 out of 5. Very tasty.

The song of the day comes from my buddy (not really, I don't know him) Pete Yorn. It's "Life on a Chain" from his 2001 release, musicforthemorningafter. I just love this song, but I picked it because I'm seeing the man on Saturday night in Bloomington at the Bluebird. Can't wait. Hope you enjoy.

Inside Look at Bekan: Burnes Barney Part II

If you missed Part I, I'm not sure what you were doing. But, since we're a family company, I'll play nice. Check it out over at the Bekan blog. For everyone else, continue on below to Part II. Enjoy!

I imagine. It sounds exhilerating. Do you ever get time to read? Have a favorite book?
BB: Yes and no. I spend a lot of time doing other things, but my favorite book is Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes.

I shouldn't have expected anything different. What about your favorite movie?
BB: Dances with Wolves. Just a great film.

Ok, changing gears a bit, what's your favorite place to eat a pizza?
BB: Hmm, I'll have to go with Aurelio's. That's got to be my favorite.

And finally, what's one thing you can't live without?
BB: Shredded wheat.

Burnes, thanks for your time. It's been very interesting.

If you would like to talk to Burnes about insurance, give us a call at 800.894.8225 and ask for him. He'll help you save money!

Stay Current With Us

If you're reading this, you obviously want to save money on your insurance policies. Don't hide. There's no getting around it. The best part about it is that we can help you do so. While the easiest way to save money on your home or auto insurance policy is to head over to Bekan or call 800.894.8225, there are a few other ways you can help save a buck or two.

1. Join us on Facebook - It's a simple way to find out what is happening inside our company. Savings, deals, contests are all broken first here, and you can get in on the ground floor if you join us here.
2. Join us on Twitter - The second social media site that we use is up and running all the way to the bank. Another way to get small tidbits of information to you at no cost. Join us here.
3. Follow our blog - Yes, this is one-half of the blogging beauty that is Bekan Insurance Group. The other one has tons of relevant information about everything insurance. Check it here.

So, if you have a computer (which you most likely do, if you're reading this webpage) join us at Facebook and Twitter and start following what I write on the other site. You don't want to miss out!

Weekend Wrap-Up

The weekend is over and we're back to work, but before we jump all the way in, let's recap our weekends.

Friday marked a significant day in Bekan Insurance Group history. Our boss, Jimmy Langen celebrated his birthday (we won't get into how old he is!) in style. He took his family to Notre Dame Friday night for the ND/USC pep rally and the ND hockey game. Surely, Jimmy enjoyed Friday, but Saturday was slightly different. Notre Dame's inability to pull of the upset of USC left him empty handed and going home with defeat another year.

This writer celebrated his younger brother's 17th birthday on Saturday with a visit to the United Center in Chicago to watch the Chicago Blackhawks take on the Dallas Stars. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks couldn't pull out the victory, but the journey was still a good one.

In other news, Bekan welcomes back Customer Service Representative Laurie Massi, who is returning from her vacation in the woods of North Carolina. We'll be sure to get a full recap of how isolation treated her and her close friends.

Check back in later when we have some actual news for everyone, and as always, visit Bekan Insurance Group for all of your insurance needs!

Just in Time for Your Weekend Reading

Ok, I wasn't going to post today over here, but I settled on finally doing it before I headed home for the weekend. Things here were hectic and there wasn't an enormous amount of time to stir up your brain waves, but what kind of blogger would I be if I left you hanging on a Friday afternoon. Onward to the links!

Disappointing news for people who have just graduated. Man, this is some bad news.

I know I'm a day late or so, but the Dow Jones went over 10,000 points the other day, maybe signaling a return to prosperity. Maybe. Man, do I hope so.

This is music-related and interesting. The Flaming Lips are going to cover Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Hmm, verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry intriguing. I can't wait to see how this ends up.

Song of the day - "Gamma Ray" from Beck's most recent release, Modern Guilt. Good, catchy tune. I like Beck, but he's not quite in my top 10. Check for the #10 artist next week.

Phones Down!

Going along with this week's concept of safe driving, our Lowell, IN office today suffered a power outage. While you may think, "That has nothing to do with safe driving," in this case it did. Earlier today, there was a car accident that left a telephone pole down. Soon after the crash, Bekan Insurance Group went down for close to an hour, leaving us without our phones and computers.

We wish to apologize to anyone who called in during this time, as we were unable to service any insurance needs that you may have encountered. Please call us back whenever you feel like it, and we will answer anything you need.

For all you drivers out there, I've been preaching it all week: keep your eyes on the road ahead!

If you are in the market for home, auto or business insurance in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan or Wisconsin, we can help you get the best rates around. Our customer service representatives are standing by ready to transfer you to our best insurance agents. Call us at 800.894.8225 today.

Wednesday Notes

I didn't post this over here, because it was a shorter interview, but we got to have a short sit-down conversation with consultant Larry Hitzeman for the Inside Look at Bekan series. Check it out here. Larry is one of the big wigs here at Bekan Insurance Group, but he is really a great guy and exceptional agent. Hopefully you'll read the interview.

Elsewhere, we are cranking out policies and bringing in new clients left and right. People are saving thousands of dollars on their home, auto, life and business insurance policies all across Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. Will you be the next to jump in the great savings?

Finally, our song of the day comes from laid-back singer-songwriter Bon Iver. This guy is really cool, and his music is exceptional. Check out "Skinny Love" from his recent LP, For Emma, Forever Ago. This was my favorite song of 2008, it's a purely remarkable song.

Charlie Davies Fallout

Yesterday, I passed along info that star US soccer striker Charlie Davies was seriously injured in a fatal car accident early Tuesday morning. Now, some more details are starting to come through.

First off, the rider that died was indeed a passenger. Her name was Ashley Roberta. Let us pray for her family and friends. Rest in peace.

Second, here's the link of the NBC Washington story on the crash. There are pictures of the car, and let me say, they are terrifying. The car is literally cut in half. How Davies survived is beyond me.

Third, onto Davies story. Now, we are yet to know what exactly he was doing out, all we do know is that it was past US soccer curfew for him. He had surgery yesterday on his right femur/tibia area, and titanium rods were inserted in there. He was listed in serious condition after surgery, and this type of injury takes 6-12 months to heal. Because Davies is a high-level athlete, he is expected to return. However, it is unlikely that he will return before the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg. A deep blow to the US team indeed, but with their depth, the US squad may be okay. If you want to follow along, Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl is tweeting updates on his Twitter page.

The most important news for Davies, is that he is alive and well now. While it is tough to swallow for Davies that we will not play, he needs to realize he is alive. It's just a testament to safe driving. Folks, you need to stay safe. That's the bottom line.

Drive Safe My Friends

I've noted before that I am a huge US soccer fan. Today, Uncle Sam's Army took a big hit to their health. Star forward Charlie Davies was injured in a one vehicle accident early this morning. He is currently in surgery that is expected to last over 5 hours, but that's not even the worst part. In the car accident, one of the passengers was killed.

Take a moment of silence for the passengers with Davies. Today the United States may have lost a star footballer, but our country also lost a member of our country. Rest in peace.

Folks, remember to drive safely. In the past few days on the Bekan site, I've been writing about the dangers of using your cell phone while driving, and this seems to be like there was a problem in the vehicle or on the road. Hopefully, you don't have any accidents like this in the future. Stay safe and remember that Bekan Insurance Group can insure that any of your car accidents will cost you the least amount of money possible. Call us at 800.894.8225 to speak with one of our trusty agents.

Tuesday Happenings

Part II to the cell phone usage while driving debate got thrown up on the mother site. Check it out here. It's got some shocking stats on texting while driving, and there are even some radical comparisons thrown out there. Pretty crazy stuff.

The Twitter site is going nuts. We've been tweeting non-stop over there, and really trying to boost our recognition on the web. So, if you are on Twitter, start following us! Our link is @BekanInsurance. Check us out today.

As for your daily trip into my musical mind, we'll take a recent cut from a band that goes by the xx. The song is "Crystalised," and I heard it for the first time last night. Since then, I can't get it out of my head. Tell me what you think.

Become a Friend of Bekan!

Ladies and gentlemen of the business world,

I've mentioned it before, but the Friends of Bekan program is up and running and we want YOU to join. It's a completely FREE way to get your name out on our website and all we ask is for you to link our company back to you. No money exchanges hands, only the backlinking expertise of ours/your webmasters. It's a perfect way to advertise...without spending a dime.

Here's the link to our wondrous and revolutionary program. Join in today to get your company off the ground with no advertising costs to you. All types of businesses are welcome to join. There is NO catch, and we've already seen web traffic rise by up to 50% for our first two businesses to take the leap of faith with us. Will you be the next?

Links!

So, while you've been sleeping in until noon, I've been hard at work.

Linkage to the mother site new blog -> Bekan Insurance Group. It's a nice little discussion on the talking/texting while driving debate going on now. Part II will come tomorrow on this. Follow along for more updates.

As for the song of the day, let me offer Alexi Murdoch's "Orange Sky." It just seems like a perfect time for this, especially considering the brutal Northwest Indiana cold and pumpkin season all over the place.

County Market?

Lately, I've become hooked by the band Wilco. If you know anything about me, you understand this isn't remotely rare. First off, I've had an on and off love affair with the band dating about five years back. Second, when I'm exposed to a band's entire catalog over a short period of time, I tend to completely buy in to what they're selling. In this case, my buying represents my addiction in listening to nearly everything Wilco.

So, as of today, I must consider Wilco as one of my favorite bands. It's been a slow climb, but so many aspects push them over the top crust, and into the top 10. So, over the next 10 weeks (or possibly sooner, my planning is for shame on this project), I will release to you my ten favorite bands. It should be an interesting experiment in music.

There's clearly no question who the song of the day is coming from, and since I haven't picked a song all week, this is going to turn out to be the song of the week. It's Wilco with one of their most easily recognizable songs, "Heavy Metal Drummer." By the way, the music starts around the :35 clip, before that is part of their documentary, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. It's one of my favorites. Enjoy it.

Beer of the Week: Back?

It's Thursday, folks! At Bekan Insurance Group, that means it's the legendary Beer of the Week contest. Each week after work, a different person would nominate a new beer for the gang to try, and then we would rate the beers. Afterwards, I would write a short review of the beer we tried. Eventually, at the end of the time period, we would elect a winner.

It was an absolute blast, and unfortunately, it's something that we have gotten away from. Well, no longer. The return of the fun tasting contest will begin once we get our first nomination, either from you or one of our hard working employees.

Surely it should be noted that Bekan Insurance Group never mixes work with alcoholic beverages. This is strictly an after work experience; one in which we can kick back and enjoy the delicious flavorings of a newly introduced beverage. Afterwards, we safely return home with no risk of driving under the influence.

Finally, because I'm required to, come to Bekan Insurance Group to get a live free quote with our rating system. We have 9 live quoting companies, and after we finish that, we will rate your information through more than 12 more companies to find you the best price. We will get you the lowest rates on your home, auto and business insurance throughout the state of Indiana, including Lowell, Schererville, South Bend, Indianapolis, Bloomington and more. Come check us out!

Identity Theft: A Real Problem

One of the top problems with the rampant use of credit cards and other online information trading is the possibility of identity theft. Every year, over 9 million Americans have their identity stolen - a staggering amount. If you are like several of the Americans that have had their life's earnings taken away from them, then you know the perils of identity theft.

However, there are ways to ensure you are safe from identity theft. The easiest way? Visit us at Bekan Insurance Group or call us toll-free at 800.894.8225 and ask how you can be sure that your identity won't get stolen. Be safe!

Michael Moore: Genius or Idiot?

Well crew, I'm winding down tonight, checking out my usual nightly routine of Baseball Tonight, David Letterman, Jon Stewart's Daily Show and Keith Olbermann's Countdown and I got to thinking...

You know when I get to thinking, it's usually something way over my head, but I figured I'd lay it on you anyway. Is Michael Moore's new movie, Capitalism: A Love Story going to be worth seeing on an intellectual level? There are many who think that Moore is an absolute clown, while there are others who think the man is a genius. I tend to waver, depending on what he's saying. However, his recent quips with health insurance have been particularly eye opening for me. Here's a guy who has no fear in putting everything on the line, simply because that's what he's been doing his whole life.

This fact simply amazes me. We, as people, often tell others around us that people they don't care for don't affect them. That people can't get to them unless they are integral parts in their lives. For the most part, this is a charade. If people say it, and even go as far as believing it, all people have affects on their lives, however small it may be. I believe this to be true for approximately 99.8% of the world (give or take .1%). For Michael Moore, people outside of his close group have no effect on him. He will be admired and hated by millions and that does not bother him one bit. He will go about his life in the exact same way. He's done enough to prove that fact, and he will keep proving it until the day he dies.

The Bekan Video

The big boppers at Bekan Insurance Group have decided that they want me to head up a video. We're going viral and we need your help!

What do you want to see a video on? So far, thoughts include a company tour, chalked full of fun interviews, following around agents on day to day tasks, company traditions and more. However, we want to make something that you will enjoy. So let us know in the comments or email me at blangen@bekan.com. Let's make this something we all can be proud of.

Yes, That's Us on the Billboards

After a trip to my old stomping grounds in Bloomington, I'm back in full action for you Bekan followers to start October a few days late. The trip was great, getting to see my old landmarks and giving IU a piece of my mind.

But now, it's back to business. If you've been driving around recently and seen our billboards, you might have been a little surprised. Indeed, we have made the jump to outdoor advertising and we're hoping to bring in more people like you to our family.

If you have seen one of these billboards and have been lead to us here, let me show you the way to the best savings on home, auto and business insurance in Indiana. We are THE place to get insured.

So, check out our website where you can get free live quotes instantaneously. Check it out!