Archive for May, 2008

Lose Thirty Pounds of What?

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

By Bentley Thompson It’s a popular phrase in weight loss advertising today - “Lose 30 lbs in as many days, or your money back.” Most often you can’t get your money back, because you do lose 30 lbs, and your money too! Would-be weight loss candidates need to think carefully about what is promised in these ads and what exactly they are losing. The human body is about 70% water, so we can lose some of that. But that can easily be replenished. We just need to drink adequate amounts of water. But what about losing muscle? Body fat can produce about three times the amount of energy as can muscle (protein), weight for weight. And weight loss efforts, including physical exercise, can make you lose muscle. But there are serious implications when you lose muscle mass during the weight loss process. Losing muscle mass means decreasing your fat-burning capacityDecreasing muscle mass means losing the your shape and healthy figureLosing muscle may mean extra protein metabolism, hence taxing the kidneysCalorie restricting diets often leave the habit that promoted the weight gain in tact. This does not make for permanent weight loss. Consider a better alternative A better alternative to losing weight by restricting calories is a lifestyle makeover. Consider changing the habits that lead to weight loss. This doesn’t require pills or low calorie diets diets. Typically, eating the right carbohydrates, at the right time, getting enough exercise and rest will allow almost anyone to maintain their ideal body weight. Going on diets such as the grapefruit diet is simply practising purposeful malnutrition. We don’t need to starve our bodies that way in order to lose weight. A famous dietitian said that it is rare to find ab obese person who doesn’t have the habit of skipping breakfast, eating late at night, and snacking all the time. Usually one or more of those habits will lead to weight gain and associated lifestyle conditions, such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension. Missing breakfast, snacking, and eating less than four hours before bed time are health habits that, over time, make it difficult for us to see (or touch) our toes! Eating the wrong things is equally damaging. Make sure you lose the right stuff In your weight loss efforts it is important to make sure you lose the right stuff - the fat. In fact, exercise will help you build more muscle, and this means better fat-burning capacity, so you will have no trouble keeping the weight off. With the right approach to weight loss, we can lose unwanted body fat, build more muscle mass muscle and improve physical strength, and improve health in general, all at the same time. This can be done without losing your money too. Copyright 2006 by Bentley Thompson Bentley writes about lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases. He advocates the anti-diabetes diet which he describes on his website. You may visit his website and blog using the following URLs:http://www.anti-diabetes-diet-supplements.com/ and http://choosehealthtoday.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bentley_Thompson http://EzineArticles.com/?Lose-Thirty-Pounds-of-What?&id=242721 find personal loans for poor credit hard money lender rates accountnow payday loan payday loan for teachers

Wheelchair Ramps - How to Construct Them Within the ADA Specifications

Monday, May 26th, 2008

By Eric Comforth Wheelchair ramps are a statutory necessity in building construction. The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) gives construction specifications of wheelchair ramps. These ramps enable disabled persons and patients to move into and out of buildings without undergoing undue difficulties. Hence, construction of wheelchair ramps to ADA specifications is mandatory. A few construction consultants recommend long-tread lower-riser steps. These long-tread lower-riser steps are safer and easier, compared to a 1:12 slope ramp due to a stronger ground grip. However, the wheelchair has to be tilted back a little, lifting the front wheels to provide enough clearance to negotiate the riser. As such, they are useful mostly for attendant-propelled wheelchairs. A sloping route constructed with a slope greater than 1:20 is considered a ramp in ADA specifications. The ADA plans for wheelchair ramps are detailed in the schedules and appendices. The ease of using a ramp depends on the slope as well as the length of the ramp. Normally, ramp slopes in the range of 1:16 to 1:20 are preferred. Most wheelchair users can manage a slope of 1:16. However, a slope of 1:12 for a distance of about 30-ft. would be very difficult for disabled persons using wheelchairs. As such, the least possible slope has to be used in the construction of the ramp. Construction or alteration below the stipulated requirements is not permitted. The ramps must have level landings both at the bottom and at the top of each ramp. To comply with ADA specifications of building wheelchair ramps, the landings must be as wide as the ramp leading into the landing. The minimum landing length has to be 60 inches. If there is a direction change of the ramp, the minimum landing size has to be 60 inches by 60 inches. Ramps and landings with drop-offs must be protected with curbs, railings, walls or projected surfaces to protect users from slipping off the ramp. Outdoor ramps and landings should be planned for complete water drain to avoid slipping on wet surface. Handrails with a maximum height of 28 inches from the ramp surface to the top of the rail surface would be advisable. To assist children, a second set of handrails in between the top rail and the ramp surface has to be provided. The ramp should be constructed with handrails on both sides, if the ramp has a rise greater than 6 inches. The gripping surface of the rail has to be continuous. The ends of handrails should be rounded or joined to wall or post or floor to avoid injury to users. Specifications of ADA require that the slope of a ramp should be one inch or lesser for every 12 inches of ramp run. ADA further specifies that the wheelchair ramp surfaces must be hard, stable and regular. Soft loose surfaces and irregular surfaces that could impede wheelchair movement have to be avoided. Carpets, loose sand or gravel and wet clay are normally considered soft loose surfaces. Cobblestones and the like are treated as irregular surfaces. Pressure treated wheelchair ramps are the most suitable method of ramp construction. ADA recommends a static friction coefficient of more than 0.5 for surfaces used by normal persons. On the other hand, the static friction coefficient recommended for ramps is 0.8 to assist disabled persons using wheelchairs from slipping. Pressure treated wheelchair ramps would normally conform to the ADA guidelines of slip resistant surfaces. The do-it-yourself wheelchair ramps are usually made of steel. They are modular in design for easy use by wheelchair persons. The ramp is normally of steel mesh type so that water and snow do not stagnate on the ramp. These ramps are available both with handrails on both sides or without handrails. The standard widths offered vary from 30 inches to 60 inches. Lengths are determined by the needs of the user. Steel turning landings are also available with sizes of 4 ft. by 4 ft. and 5 ft. by 5 ft. Wheelchair ramps for GMC Safari as well as GMC Safari vans fitted with ramps for use by disabled persons and patients are available from several van dealers in most American cities. GMC Safari vans with wheelchair ramps can be purchased for prices ranging from $6,000 to $25,000, depending on the model of the GMC Safari and its condition. Eric Comforth is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics. There is more wheelchair information at Wheelchairs For You. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Comforth http://EzineArticles.com/?Wheelchair-Ramps—How-to-Construct-Them-Within-the-ADA-Specifications&id=481778 fast cash ct loanshop pay day loan overnight personal loans how to determine paycheck taxes

How We Select The Cheap Mobile Phone Deals?

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carlo_Janee]Carlo Janee With the passage of time mobile phones are gradually becoming or rather has become a part and parcel of the everyday lives. The easy availability of phones along with reasonable rates is increasing the demand in the use of mobile phones. Almost everybody now uses a mobile phone. It helps to communicate, makes work easy, and even adds on to your leisure moments. And the real good part is that network providers are together with mobile phone manufacturers have come up with good mobile phone deals that are economic and with the help of these plans purchasing a mobile phone actually becomes easier. So while one plans to purchase a mobile phone he can avail a deal that suits him and even avail other value added services. Leading mobile phone manufacturers and network operators in the United Kingdom have come up with the Contract mobile deals that include some real cheap deals. These deals provided by network operators like Orange, O2, T Mobile, Vodafone and others, include cheap line rentals, lower tariff rates, free messaging services and many more. The end users are also given the option to choose the pre-paid plans of the mobile phone usage. And the deal does not only end here. These deals are available with some of the latest and most wanted handsets like phones from Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and other leading brands. The best thing about these deals is that you get to choose and select them according to the customers preferences, calling needs and budget. This is a real advantage as you can limit your calling expenses and still enjoy calling at your own will. If you are interested in availing a cheap mobile phones deal you can find out more about that from that offer full details about the deals. You can choose your type of deal by understanding your communication needs and your budget and even select a handset that has all the latest features and technologies and at suits his personality and reflects his style statement. I am webmsater of online moible phone shop offer latest mobile phone and compare [http://www.onlinemobilephoneshop.co.uk/]mobile phone deals on Recommended Mobile Phone Retailers get latest mobile like [http://www.onlinemobilephoneshop.co.uk/payasyougo.asp]lg shine pay as you go, samsung, sonyericssion and mobile information. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carlo_Janee http://EzineArticles.com/?How-We-Select-The-Cheap-Mobile-Phone-Deals?&id=570849 nee a loan quick going to jail for not paying back payday loans attorney cash advances online loan applications

ESOL Courses

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

By Sharon White ESOL courses can interest those who are in need of good career, further employment or current employment advancement. While there are other different entry level courses provided by further education colleges ESOL courses should be accepted as the primary goal for non-speaking English residents. ESOL courses have many advantages. One of them is the certificate which is issued after successful completion of the courses. The certificate is usually provided for those ESOL courses attendants who have successfully passed ESOL exams conducted by local further education college committee or authority members. This certificate gives ESOL graduates opportunity to either get further education by entering the first level courses at local college or obtain promotion for working people who are interested in getting higher salary or position within one company. As a matter of fact ESOL certificates are accepted by most English employers and they are recognized by English colleges admissions and committees, and education authorities as well. ESOL certificate is considered to be an approval and confirmation of the entry level education graduation. Once ESOL students have obtained the certificate they can apply for the first level education at the same college where they have graduated from ESOL course. Usually colleges for further education encourage ESOL graduates with providing them assistance in preparing for further education entry. College tutors, admission committees and authorities provide ESOL graduates with the information about available courses for further education and financial aid possibilities. Due to increased demand in advanced level of English knowledge among non-speaking English residents ESOL courses have been adapted to those who are in need of further education but are not going to quit their jobs. Thus, ESOL courses can be conducted as either evening classes or weekend classes. Depending on daily or weekly hours spent for classes ESOL courses may last four-twenty weeks (one-six months). Local further education college tutors are very tolerant towards ESOL students because they understand most such students are busy at their work places and have to spend much time at works in order to survive in unknown environment. Tutors usually encourage ESOL applicants willingness to know English better and be recognized as good English-speaking residents. Thus, it is very easy to find ESOL courses at local college, school or authority. Any query regarding obtaining ESOL certificate will be quickly accepted and the information provided together with local colleges and school addresses and contacts. ESOL courses are adapted to attendants in not only classes schedule but their cost as well. Usually ESOL courses cost does not exceed one hundred of British pounds. The article was produced by the writer of masterpapers.com. Sharon White is a 5-years experienced freelance writer and a senior manager of thesis proposal writing services support team. Contact her to get custom term paper tips and buy dissertations. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_White http://EzineArticles.com/?ESOL-Courses&id=359589 money street lender multiple payday loan walmart payday card my bills are more than my paycheck

The Squeeze-Out or Buying out a Minority Interest Shareholder at an Unfair Price

Friday, May 9th, 2008

By Dave Kauppi If you are a minority interest shareholder in a privately held company, watch out for these Red Flags: The majority shareholder grants himself a salary and benefit package way above the going market rate in effect granting him a constructive dividend No dividends are paid from a very profitable company He begins using the company as his personal piggy bank You are removed from your Board of Director position Company financial information is withheld from you You are fired from the company without cause If one or of these events has occurred, watch out! The next shoe to fall is an unsolicited offer to buy out your shares. The offer price seems unusually low. If you protest, expect the buyer to refer you to the shareholder agreement where the corporation has the right of first refusal to buy your shares at net book value. That number, for most companies, values your shares at pennies on the dollar. You next get the speech that the majority shareholder will never sell his company. The price I am offering is all the company can afford. We are not going to pay any dividends. This is a risky market and the business could falter. This is the only way you are going to get any liquidity for your stock. In family situations this can be devastating. It is usually the result of children inheriting the business through either gifting or from dads estate. Because 90% of his net worth is tied up in the business, to be fair, he has to give essentially equal shares to all of his children. Maybe Son A and Daughter C work in the business and Son B and Daughter D do not. Dad gives 30% ownership to each sibling in the business and 20% to each sibling that is not involved. The two siblings running the business begin to blur the lines between stock ownership and employment. They develop an attitude of entitlement. Those other two siblings did nothing to grow this business. The company-involved owners begin to view their stock as more valuable than the other siblings. Their salaries and perks get bloated and no dividends get paid to the other shareholders. I dont think Bill Gates refuses to pay dividends to his stockholders because they did nothing to grow this business. Here is where the problems begin. Dad has left a company shareholder agreement in place that makes it almost impossible for a minority shareholder to get a fair price for their company stock. Dad has also done a great job of estate tax planning, using all available legal means to minimize the gift and estate taxes resulting from transferring ownership to the next generation. The most common approach is to form two or more Family LLC’s that would be the owners of the company stock and then dad gives a gift of an equal share of the LLC’s to each heir. This effectively breaks the company into several minority interest ownership positions. Now a qualified valuation firm is hired to value the LLCs. All of a sudden the value of the company evaporates. Here is how it works. Lets say that Johnson Corporation would command a price of $9 million if an M&A firm in a competitive market transaction sold it. However, Johnson Corporation is 33% minority owned by three different Family LLCs. The valuation firm values the company stock held in each LLC not at $3 million, but at $3 million less a 40% lack of control discount, or $1.8 million. Next they apply a lack of marketability discount (after all, the shareholder agreement restricts the sale to outside investors) and the valuation drops further to $1,080,000. Now the three LLCs are added back together and the $9 million company is valued at $2,240,000 for Gift and Estate Tax Purposes. This document is submitted as supporting documentation with the gift or estate tax filing very official. The IRS examiner reviews it and accepts it as the basis for the tax payment. Two years later the two siblings running the company approach the other two siblings and present them with a buy-out offer accompanied with this valuation that was filed and accepted by the IRS. Son B owns 20% of the company stock through his interests in the three Family LLCs. He is offered 20% of $3,240,000 or $648,000 for his company ownership. The fair value is 20% of $9,000,000 or $1,800,000. He has no idea what the company is worth and has never been given any information of earnings or comparable M&A transactions in the market. Even though the valuation has on its cover, For Gift and Estate Tax Purposes Only, he does not understand the implications of that standard blanket disclaimer. His natural reaction is that this document was filed with the IRS and accepted. It must be pretty close to what my stock is worth. If someone were not involved in this area of law professionally (estate tax attorney, estate planner, tax accountant, valuation firm, investment banker, or IRS agent), they would likely accept this as the accurate value of their shares. I tell clients that it would be like being handed an MRI of my heart and being asked to interpret it. I am not experienced in this very specialized area and therefore would depend on my doctor to interpret it for me. A nationally recognized and credentialed valuation firm complete with 50 pages of discounted cash flow and other sophisticated analysis and data completed this valuation. It next passed the scrutiny of the IRS examiners. Now a family member is interpreting it for you. What conclusion are your supposed to draw? Unfortunately this happens all the time. Usually it results in the non-involved siblings having a standard of living that is significantly different than what dad had intended when he equally divided his estate among all his children. Dad would not approve. Dave Kauppi is a business broker and President of MidMarket Capital. We help business owners with all aspects of Mergers and Acquisitions. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Kauppi http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Squeeze-Out-or-Buying-out-a-Minority-Interest-Shareholder-at-an-Unfair-Price&id=154598 hard money quick close loans no faxing payday loan hard money rehab lenders tampa florida payday advance jacksonville

Tips for a Slimmer Waist

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

By Tim Grimsley The key to a slim waist is knowing how to attack the fat in this problem area. Most people try to slim their waistline with targeted exercises, such as crunches and torso twists. This is certainly not a bad idea, but the truth is to get the best results you must develop a well rounded plan. In order to see great results from your hard work you need to turn on your body’s fat furnace. This will start a process that will burn the fat 24 hours per day. When you are burning fat all day you will see the results that you only dream about. First we will look at exercise. When you are looking to burn fat, two types of exercise is necessary. The first is muscle building. Getting rid of unwanted fat requires that you build more muscle. I’m not talking about toning, there is a difference. Toning does not involve the addition of new muscle cells. Some examples of muscle building exercise is weight lifting, or any type of resistance exercises. You will only burn more calories daily by increasing the amount of muscle cells that need the calories for energy. You will also need to add some form of aerobic exercise at least twice a week. This will improve your bodies use of oxygen. This a vital part of your plan, because oxygen use is necessary to burn fat from the body. Some examples are walking, jogging, and rowing. The benefits of aerobic exercise go far beyond the issue of losing weight. It is an excellent help for many health problems. Lastly we need to look at your diet. In order to really optimize your fat loss it is very important to reduce your carbohydrates. This is because our bodies use carbs for it’s first source of energy. If we eat too many carbs, our body will never kick into the fat for energy mode. We will also have to cut our intake of total calories. Most people are eating far to many calories. There is a new product that has recently made it a lot easier. Hoodia Gordonii is a powerful appetite suppressant, has no side effects, and is all natural. HoodiaContinue Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Grimsley http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-for-a-Slimmer-Waist&id=265767 federal payday calendar 2008 including payday loans in chapter 13 unsecured debt consolidation loan car finance car loans online

How to Succeed at Coin Collecting

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

By James Ross Coin collecting is not a hobby that you can learn over night. It takes time to do, but if you have the passion for it it is well worth doing and something you will get a lot out satisfaction from. If you only collect coins as an investment it may work for a while but soon enough you will give up because like anything in life there bumps along the way and if you do not have the passion to see them through this might put you off persisting with it. To be successful you need to take in as much information on coin collecting as you can. Reading magazines, subscribing to on line or off line newsletters and talking to dealers are good sources of finding and gathering information. On the net you can find lots of news sites that relay the latest information as it happens. Using these resources effectively will make you a successful collector, but trying to collect without applying the basics will lead you to failure. You must learn to know what is the value of the coins so grading coins is a skill you need to learn as soon as you can. This is a skill you will need if you intend to trade coins for greater valued coins when the opportunity arises, as well as making sure that you never get scammed. Patience is a prerequisite for a successful coin collector. The best collectors in the world have often waited years for the opportunity to buy a coin they wanted for their collection. Less patient collectors have been known to buy a fake coins to complete their collection simply because of their impatience and this can be costly and disheartening. Gaining the mentality of a successful coin collector is something you should strive to achieve. Being too eager can make you rush into buying without checking up on the coin you are wanting to add to your collection. So always make sure you trust the source you buy from or that the information you received about a coin you received is also genuine and trust worthy. Starting out in coin collecting can be initially hard to do but if you study the market carefully for at least 3 to 6 months to get the basics right, then when you start trading for real you will not make the same mistakes many new comers make. When starting out and throughout your coin collecting hobby you need to set goals every step of the way. Never run before you can walk is a phrase that applies very well to this hobby. Learning and applying the basic slowly and steadily will make you an expert in the long run and you will reap the benefits by becoming a successful coin collector if not a rich one. James Ross is the web master of Collectible coins info a website totally dedicated to coins collecting. For more articles and information please find out more at http://collectible-coins.info Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Ross http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Succeed-at-Coin-Collecting&id=206456 disputing a credit report credit score to get a blank check va bad credit lending i would like to get a free credit report