Worldwide Patent Privileges

Patent your invention.

In the age of globalization, it is more important than ever for an inventor to obtain worldwide patent protection. There is no such thing as a worldwide patent, however--each nation approves patents within its jurisdiction only, except that certain bodies such as the European Patent Office have regional authority. However, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) allows the preliminary work on patent approval to be performed by a single international body.

Patent Rights

Patents protect technological inventions, rather than works of art, scientific discoveries or (with certain exceptions) computer software. Patented technology must be novel, useful and inventive, according to the legal meaning of those terms. The grant of a patent confers on its owner the exclusive right to use and profit from the invention for a statutory period, typically in the neighborhood of 20 years. In exchange for this, the inventor allows the details about the technology to be published, and abandons all proprietary rights after the expiration of the patent.

Patent Cooperation Treaty

The Patent Cooperation Treaty has been entered into by over 100 nations. It provides a unified system for examining patent applications for inventors who seek international protection. Since an inventor cannot apply for patent protection after detailed information about the invention has been made public anywhere in the world. In the past, this meant that once an inventor applied for patent protection in one country and the invention was publicized by that country's patent office, it was too late to apply for patent protection anywhere else in the world. Under the PCT, the PCT filing date is applied to every PCT country, thereby solving the prior publication problem.

International Searching Authority

Once a patent application is filed with the PCT Receiving Office, the PCT International Searching Authority will check numerous databases to see if any prior invention incorporates the technology that the applicant seeks to patent. If the technology is not new, the International Searching Authority will issue an unfavorable opinion on the novelty of the invention. If it cannot find any similar preexisting technology, it will issue a favorable opinion.

International Publication

Eighteen months after the PCT filing date, the World Intellectual Property Organization will publish details about the invention in its public gazette. The description will include specifications taken from the patent application.

International Preliminary Examination Authority

If the applicant so requests, the PCT International Preliminary Examination Authority will examine the invention and issue an opinion on its utility and inventiveness. This opinion, together with the opinion issued by the International Search Authority, helps inventors decide whether or not to bother going to the additional expense of applying for patent protection in individual countries.

Individual National Jurisdictions

The International Preliminary Examination Authority will send the patent application to the individual national patent offices listed on the patent applications. These offices will make final decisions on the patentability of the invention based on local law. If the application is approved, patent protection will be granted retroactive to the PCT filing date.

Calculate The Finance Fee With Payday Loans

A finance charge on a cash advance usually consists of two parts: a charge for the cash advance and a charge for interest on the cash advance. Most credit car companies do not offer a grace period on cash advances, so you will start accruing interest on the cash advance from the day you take the money. In addition, most credit card firms require you to pay off other lower-interest charges first before paying off cash advance first. Since the charges are significantly larger than you would incur for a normal charge, cash advances on credit card accounts should be used as a late resort.

Instructions

1. Calculate the cash advance fee. Most cards charge a fee between 2 and 4 percent of the advance, or a minimum flat rate, such as $10, whichever is lower. For example, if your card charged 3 percent or $10, and you got a cash advance of $100, you would be charged $10, because the flat fee is greater than the 3 percent. However, if you took a cash advance of $500, you would be charged $15.

2. Determine the cash advance interest rate and how many days interest has accrued on your cash advance.

3. Calculate the interest on the cash advance by dividing the annual interest rate by 365 and multiplying it by the number of days that passed before you paid off the cash advance. Then multiply that by the amount of the cash advance. For example, if you had a $500 cash advance at 20 percent and you didn't pay it off for 30 days, your interest charges would be $8.22.

4. Add the cash advance fee from step 1 to the interest rate charges from step 3 to find the total finance charge of your cash advance.

Federal Programs To Prevent House foreclosures

Homeowners are usually intimidated by foreclosure notices. According to a United Way study, more than 70 percent of homeowners fail to respond to lender communication when facing foreclosure due to the assumption that no other alternatives exist. However, the federal government offers an array of foreclosure prevention programs to help homeowners save their homes through its Making Home Affordable initiative.

Loan Modification

Loan modification is the process of restructuring your mortgage loan to create affordable monthly payments by, for example, adding the amount of your past-due balance onto your principal to bring your loan current or extending the life of your mortgage loan to reduce payments. Loan modification through the Making Home Affordable program is available to you if you're experiencing financial hardship and have the income to support modified payments. The current amount of the monthly mortgage payments must be more than 31 percent of your income. Documentation of your income is required when applying for mortgage modification through Making Home Affordable.

Refinancing

If you have a predatory loan, you can refinance through Making Home Affordable to reduce a high interest rate or replace loan repayment terms to match your financial circumstances. Predatory loans include any loan with terms that don't match your financial circumstances. For example, if you have an interest-only mortgage, you may find that the balloon payments due at the end of the interest-only term far exceeds your monthly budget. The existing loan can be replaced with a new loan bearing different terms when you refinance through Making Home Affordable. One caveat to refinancing this way is that you must be current on your mortgage payments and owe more than the home is worth to qualify.

Unemployment Assistance

If you're unemployed and qualify for unemployment benefits, you may qualify for a special type of forbearance called unemployment assistance. Forbearance occurs when your mortgage payments are temporarily suspended or reduced. Making Home Affordable uses the amount of your unemployment benefits to determine whether you're required to make partial payments during forbearance or wait until the end of the period to pay.

Second Mortgages

One benefit to pursuing a mortgage modification through Making Home Affordable is that second and third mortgages are automatically considered. In certain cases, second and third mortgages are eliminated. You must owe more than $5,000 on your second mortgage, and monthly payments should exceed $100 each month. Review the Home Affordable Modification program list of participating lenders to determine whether your lender offers modification assistance through Making Home Affordable.

Considerations

Applying for assistance through Making Home Affordable is beneficial as long as you have a source of income. Money received through unemployment benefits can be used to cover the cost of reduced mortgage payments, but claiming no income means you may be forced to use the Making Home Affordable relocation program instead. The program provides homeowners who are ineligible for mortgage assistance with $3,000 to relocate to a new home.

Do You Want A Telephone Line For Any Fax Machine

Most Fax Machines Connect to Telephone Lines

A fax machine works by scanning a document into a digital image, modulating the image into sound, connecting to another fax machine across a telephone network and sending the modulated data as machine-readable sound. Because this process requires a connection to the public-switched telephone network (PSTN), a fax machine must have some connection to a telephone line. This connection is generally accomplished by plugging a dedicated telephone line into the fax machine.

Fax Machines May Share the Line

The fax machine does not need any special services on the fax line; the sound produced by the machine can be sent across any telephone connection. Because a dedicated fax line can be a considerable expense for a small business, a slew of items that allow a fax machine to share an existing (voice) telephone line have entered the market. One such item is a telephone ring director (available from providers like ablecomm.com and hellodirect.com); this device works with a subscription to a "distinctive ring" service offered by your local telephone company. When a caller dials your regular telephone number, the line rings in a traditional pattern and the call is sent to your telephone. When a caller dials your secondary--presumably, your fax--number, the telephone company sends a special ring to your telephone line indicating the call type. The ring director device recognizes this special ring and routes the call directly to the fax machine. Since you control when you want to send a fax, outgoing faxes do not interfere with normal telephone conversations.

Other Alternatives

Some fax machines with exceptional error-handling capabilities or high-quality telephone connections may work well with telephone service alternatives such as Voice Over IP (VoIP) service. This service allows the fax machine to connect to the public-switched telephone network through a regular Internet connection, eliminating the need for a traditional phone line. VOIP service ranges in price from a low annual fee to a monthly rate plan, however, and the unregulated quality of the service may occasionally interfere with fax services.

Some users choose to bypass the expense of a fax machine and telephone line altogether, opting for one of many online fax services. Companies like FaxDigits.com and eFax.com offer the ability to send documents or pictures directly from your computer and an online fax "inbox" where you can receive faxes. These services range in price from free to a nominal monthly charge.

Meaning Of Buying Energy Parity

Purchasing power parity and exchange rates

Purchasing power parity (PPP) is an economic theory mainly concerned with the reliability of spot exchange rates between two currencies. The theory attempts to explain the continual shifting of exchange rates between currencies based on the relative value of each currency and their respective inflation rates. Based on the theory of one price, PPP explains how numerous currencies can exist in a global market without a select few eventually overpowering all others.

Significance

The fundamental concept behind the theory of purchasing power parity is the belief that the ratio of the prices of a single product or a selection of products in both currencies should represent the official currency-exchange rate. When this is true, the two countries are said to be at parity or equilibrium.

For example, if the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and Canadian dollar is 1.50 USD per 1 CAD, then a product that costs $1.50 USD in the USA should cost $1 CAD in Canada. When this is the case, the two currencies are at parity and the exchange rate is expected to remain generally constant.

Expectations

According to the University of British Columbia Sauder Business College, the exchange rate between two currencies is expected to shift when the ratio of actual prices differs from the official exchange rate. When exchange rates favor one currency over another such that the price of a benchmark product is less expensive in real terms compared to another currency, then the first currency can be expected to devalue against the second until parity is reached.

Comparative price levels and PPP statistics on all member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) are available online.

Considerations

As with a great number of economic theories, purchasing power parity is based on assumptions that are only relevant in a static, lab-controlled world. The real world includes uncontrollable variables, such as transportation costs, political barriers to trade and raw material availability, that may skew the calculations. Recent events have also shown that single economies can take unexpected plunges due to such factors as corruption and dependence on large organizations that are prone to fail, which presents specific challenges to the theory.

Relative Purchasing Power Parity

Relative purchasing power parity takes PPP a step further by accounting for differences in inflation rates between two currencies. The theory asserts that if one currency's inflation rate is higher than another's, the exchange rate should shift to compensate for the extra devaluation of the currency with the higher rate of inflation.

Calculations

According to investopedia.com, the formula for determining the purchasing power parity between two currencies is:

Spot Exchange Rate = Price in Currency 1 / Price in Currency 2

The formula for determining relative purchasing power is:

S1 / S2 = (1+Iy) / (1 + Ix)

where S1 = the exchange rate at the end of the period; S2 = the exchange rate at the beginning of the period; Iy = the expected annual inflation rate for the foreign country; Ix = the expected annual inflation rate for the home country.

Write A Real Estate Ad

If you're selling commercial real estate, consider the interests of the prospective buyer of commercial property. They're different than the residential real estate shopper. Write an attention-getting ad for commercial property.

Instructions

1. Give accurate details of any structures on the property. List the full dimensions of the footprint of the building. List square footage of various interior areas. Detail available warehouse space, office space, meetings areas, bay and utility areas and retail space.

2. Detail the exterior space regarding acreage, zoning and land use. Be specific about parking areas, any additional structures and their uses, and the possibility of future expansion.

3. Tell the reader exactly where the property is located. Make specific references to distances from highways, airports and areas landmarks as applicable. Discuss neighboring properties, what kind of businesses operate nearby and what kind of traffic is generated as a result.

4. List previous uses of the building and relative success. State traffic and gross income generated by the property in commerce, product, sales or other units as applicable.

5. Name the business currently operating at the site. Briefly mention why the property and/or business is now for sale.

6. List all fixtures and equipment that may be included in the sale. Detail the general condition of major elements.

7. Specify asking price, terms of the sale and any special options the seller offers. Include information about tax incentives and financing options.

Federal housing administration Insurance Recommendations

The Federal Housing Administration insures residential real estate loans written by mortgage companies across the United States. Both the borrower and the home being financed must meet FHA eligibility guidelines. Borrowers pay annual insurance premiums that pay for the insurance coverage the FHA provides for lenders. The FHA insurance covers a percentage of the loan amount in the event of borrower default.

Borrowers

People seeking financing through FHA-insured loans must have credit scores of 580 or better. Applicants must have sufficient cash reserves to make a mortgage down payment of at least 3 1/2 percent as well as additional funds to cover pre-paid taxes, insurance and other closing costs. Loan applicants must have verifiable income and a debt-to-income ratio of 43 percent or less. The DTI ratio reflects the amount of the applicant's income that goes to cover debt payments, including the mortgage.

Collateral

The FHA insures loans used to buy, refinance or renovate houses. Homeowners can use FHA-insured loans to finance detached or semi-detached homes, townhomes, row houses and condominium units in complexes that meet FHA condominium eligibility guidelines. Borrowers must use the financed property as their primary residence. FHA-certified home appraisers must ensure that no safety hazards exist in financed homes and that all properties being financed have road access, sewage and water access. The FHA does not insure commercial or mulit-use properties.

Premiums

Homeowners must pay insurance premiums on a monthly basis. Typically, the mortgage payment includes the cost of the mortgage insurance as well as the homeowners insurance and property tax. On an annual basis most homeowners are required to pay an FHA insurance premium of up to 0.9 percent. The FHA also charges an upfront insurance premium that borrowers must pay at loan closing. As of 2011, the upfront premium equates to 2.25 percent of the mortgage amount.

Mortgage Insurance

Lenders requires homeowners whose mortgage exceeds more than 80 percent of their property value to pay for mortgage insurance. Federal law requires mortgage companies to discontinue mortgage insurance coverage once a borrower has at least 20 percent equity in a home. The provision requiring borrowers to drop mortgage insurance does not apply to FHA insured loans. Therefore you must continue to pay FHA insurance on an FHA backed loan until you pay off or refinance your mortgage.

Meaning Of Foreign Currency Marketplaces

Foreign exchange markets are among the most exciting in the world of finance. This is where the world's various currencies are priced by speculators, traders, banks and investment funds. By some estimates, over $4 trillion a day changes hands in the foreign exchange (forex) markets. This is more than all of the world's stock and bond markets combined. Foreign exchange means the value of one country's currency against another, and that is the primary way currencies trade: in pairs.The major currencies are considered to be the U.S. dollar, the Euro, the Japanese Yen, the British Pound, the Swiss Franc and the Australian, Canadian and New Zealand dollars.

Open 24 Hours

One of the biggest differences between the forex markets and markets for other asset classes is that the forex markets are open 24 hours a day. The trading session starts when the Tokyo market opens and once Tokyo closes, London opens. London then passes the baton to New York to complete the day. Since no other markets are open 24 hours a day, no other markets offer the potential for profit (or loss) the way the forex does.

Demand Factors

One factor on demand for various currencies is tourism. That's right. Every time a traveler enters a country other than his own, he must convert his cash into the currency of the country he is entering. That creates demand.

Another way demand is created is within the forex markets themselves where speculators and traders will value another currency above another, which may lead other investors to purchase the higher valued currency.

Central banks also weigh on demand for certain currencies. For example, if the Bank of England wants to purchase a large amount of U.S. dollars, that will lower the supply and the dollar will rise as a result.

No Central Exchange

There is no central exchange or regulatory body for the forex markets. In the United States, the stock exchanges are located in New York and they regulate themselves, though they are subject to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. There is no home market for the forex market and hence no regulatory body to enforce rules and regulations. The International Bank of Settlements tracks trading volume, but it is not an enforcement body.

The Largest Forex Traders

By volume, the largest players in the foreign exchange markets are Germany's Deutsche Bank, Switzerland's UBS, England's Barclays Capital, the United States' Citigroup and the Royal Bank of Scotland. The biggest trading center is London.

Other Participants

About 70 to 90 percent of forex transactions are used for investment purposes, meaning the rest are purchases by central banks as part of swaps with other central banks. Hedge funds are among the biggest speculators in the foreign exchange markets and are known for their aggressive tactics.

How Foreign Exchange Rates Are Calculated

Trade between two countries can impact how their currencies are valued as a pair. For example, if the United States has $1 million and Japan has $1 million, the dollar and the yen would be equal. However, if the United States buys $100,000 worth of goods from Japan, in theory, Japan is now wealthier and the yen would rise against the dollar.

Interest rates set by central banks also impact currency valuations. If the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, the cost of borrowing dollars rises and the dollar's value in turn increases. When the Fed lowers rates, dollars are cheaper and their value falls. And if a country's central bank decides to print more money, the value of its currency will almost always decline.

Roles Of Sponsors

Sponsors want to develop a connection with a medium's audience for long-term success.

The primary role of an advertising sponsor is to help pay for programming or content produced by a medium in exchange for advertising messages delivered during the sponsored program or content. This is a mutually beneficial relationship that is commonplace in various types of media, as sponsors advertise on television, radio, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, billboards and several other niche media.

Paying for Sponsorship

To the media, a main role of a sponsor is to pay for the time or space used for ad placement. Television programs, for example, only survive if they have a strong-enough viewership to derive interest from sponsors willing to pay a reasonable price for sponsorship. Based on the amount of the sponsorship, the advertiser typically gets a certain amount of time or number of placements.

Creating Ads

Sponsors essentially pay for the programming or content in exchange for the ability to deliver a message through an ad placement. It is the responsibility of the sponsor, or advertiser, to develop the ad that will appear on TV or radio, or in print in the newspaper magazine or website. Many advertisers go to advertising agencies to help develop their advertisements to get the most original and effective advertising messages.

Provide Appropriate Content

Professional business consultant and speaker Chris Brogan explains in his June 2006 article "What Sponsors Want" that the relationship between media and advertisers only lasts if mutually beneficial. Media must manage two important relationships - with audiences and sponsors. Each medium has an obligation to protect the interests of its audience with regard to content value and appropriateness. When sponsors agree to a sponsorship, they must adhere to any specific guidelines from the medium regarding appropriateness of message content.

Follow-Up

An effective ad sponsorship needs good follow up by the advertiser. A sponsorship relationship between an advertiser and medium typically means a longer-term partnership, as opposed to a standard advertiser-medium transaction. Sponsors need to follow up to find out what type of impact their advertising had. This means getting information on television or radio ratings, newspaper and magazine circulation and Internet traffic statistics.

About Trugreen Chemlawn Dumping

TruGreen Chemlawn has been accused of illegal chemical dumping in various forms since the early 1990s. While the company has never been caught, former employees and other citizens in the areas where this company operates insist this is occurring.

History

TruGreen Chemlawn was created in 1973, and in 1992 was acquired by ServiceMaster. Since then the company has been accused numerous times of illegal chemical waste dumping in many of the areas in which it operates. A number of these accusations stem from former employees of TruGreen. The complaints against TruGreen Chemlawn from consumers are overwhelming and range from damaged trees, plants and grass on their properties, to having their lawn treated without ever contacting or agreeing for such services. This sneaky spraying is a form of dumping--the chemicals need to get off the truck and be distributed somewhere so your lawn in the dumping site of the day. Former employees suggest that because of TruGreen's strict policies that their employees meet a certain amount of stops per month, workers often feel pressured to find consumers any way they can, even if this means spraying without one knowing and then requesting payment later on. TruGreen Chemlawn has also been accused of dumping overflow illegally as well as covering up spills. TruGreen objects to any wrongdoings or dumping taking place.

Theories/Speculation

It's rumored that a TruGreen's Fairfield, Ohio branch was investigated for dumping waste illegally into a creek that ran through one of its employee's land. Supposedly TruGreen dumping takes place in this fashion. Employees that have empty land on their properties or a body of water of some sort are paid overtime during the weeks that an overflow or unused chemicals were dumped on the property. The problem with this is yes, it's illegal to dump chemicals this way even if it's private land however, when the dumping is taking place in a non-public place, it's going to be extremely hard to catch; currently very little is being done to prove TruGreen Chemlawn is doing anything wrong because of this fact. A former employee of TruGreen Chemlawn in Ohio is rumored to have sent photos to the Department of Agriculture there in hopes of helping nab the company for illegal dumping. This happened back in 2002. These photos show a TruGreen ChemLawn truck dumping approximately 700 gallons of chemicals onto an employee's property. This employee states that this happens every winter at this same location. The Environmental Protection Agency has never caught TruGreen.

Types

According to a legal group that deals with environmental settlements online, it's suspected that TruGreen Chemlawn is responsible for numerous occasions where chemical spills went unreported and cover-ups took place. Research shows that in Dakota County Minnesota alone, a pretty great number of chemical spills were reported in a 10-year span. These include incidences labeled as "valve malfunction," "hose leak" and "believed to be a tank transfer problem." A valve being turned the wrong way resulted in a 100-gallon spill, and other spills result in 5 gallons lost here, and 10 lost gallons there. People believe these small spills are often extra chemicals from the day that need to be emptied somewhere. While actual large scale dumping is not taking place these small "spills" are ways of distributing and covering its illegal disposal of chemicals.

Significance

Many environmental advocates speak out against TruGreen Chemlawn on a regular basis, insisting that it is dumping chemicals right in front of our very eyes. The chemicals used for the lawn treatment services TruGreen offers are linked to an increased risk of lymphoma, leukemia and brain cancer. TruGreen Chemlawn has made marketing ploys to parents who have children participating in the the U.S. Youth Soccer League. The fields that these kids play on everyday are sprayed with the very pesticides and fertilizers that can be causing major health issues among our children and some activists believe this type of dumping should be banned with the intention of protecting kids across the country.

Future

Unfortunately chemical dumping takes place everyday. The unfortunate news is that many companies that dump their waste and chemicals have found ways to do it that prevents them getting caught by authorities. Chemicals are spread out on private properties on various days and times, small spills take place that can be covered up quickly and easily, and even if they are caught, the fine for an "accidental spill" is much less than the penalty for dumping huge amounts of chemicals illegally. If what people are accusing TruGreen Chemlawn of doing is true, then quite some time may go by before anything is done, simply because it will take that long to prove TruGreen guilty of chemical dumping. While the information available is useful, TruGreen has to be physically caught in the act of illegal dumping. If it is not, then its creative ways of dumping will continue.

Evict Noisy Tenants

Eviction is the legal proceeding used by a landlord to remove a tenant from a rental unit. A tenant may be evicted for a variety of reasons, including non-payment of rent, breach of the lease agreement or threats to other tenants. You may be able to evict your tenants for being excessively noisy, but the exact method and requirements vary by state law.

Instructions

1. Review the rental agreement if you had the tenants sign a lease. Look for a clause that makes noises or disturbances a lease violation.

2. Write a notice to correct lease violations. The notice typically must include the nature of the violation and how long the tenant has to address the matter. Deliver the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep the receipt with your records. Wait the amount of time required under your state's laws before starting a formal eviction proceeding. Do not attempt to evict the tenant if the noise ceases before you are allowed to move forward with legal proceedings.

3. Talk to your other tenants in the same building or house, if applicable. Ask the tenants to give you a signed and written statement detailing the noise problem with the tenants you want to evict. Your state's laws may allow statements from other tenants as evidence during eviction proceedings.

4. Visit the clerk's office of the court with jurisdiction over evictions in the area your rental property is located in. Visit the official website of your county's court system to locate the proper court if you are unsure. Ask for the forms and instructions for eviction proceedings. Fill out the forms in full and detail the noise problem if required. File the eviction summons or petition in court.

5. Comply with all court requirements. You must serve the notice of eviction proceedings on the tenants by the method specified by the court -- like by certified mail or personal service -- and within the designated time-frame. Some states require you post the eviction notice on the front door or window of the rental unit where the tenants live.

6. Attend the eviction hearing. Bring copies of the lease and any supporting documents you have, like the witness statements.

7. Review your state's laws if your tenants did not sign a lease. You may be able to send the tenants a notice to vacate within the number of days permitted under your state's laws. Send any notice to vacate by certified mail, return receipt requested.

What Exactly Are Acrylic Urethane Films

Acrylic urethane is used to coat wooden floors.

Acrylic urethane is a material used as a protective coating. There are several different forms, and it is often used as a paint or a finish for items highly susceptible to damage, such as floors or boat hulls. The strong coating is the result of a chemical reaction.

Uses

Acrylic urethane is a material used to provide protective coatings for a number of different materials and applications. It is primarily used to coat automobiles and protect floors but is also used for wooden furniture and flooring, boat hulls, city water towers, fire escapes, handrails, industrial maintenance topcoats and as a general purpose metal coating. It is appealing as a coating because it is durable, resists scratching and cracking, is chemically resistant and comes in many colors and sheens.

Application

Acrylic urethane coatings require surface preparation before application because of relatively low adhesion. Often, they are applied over an epoxy primer. Sometimes surfaces are sanded before the application of an acrylic urethane coating to increase the adhesion. It can also be applied over water-based paints, which is useful for household applications. They are typically sprayed onto surfaces for an even coat but are easily brushed on, as well. Tools used with acrylic urethanes can be cleaned with water.

Chemistry

Acrylic urethane usually consists of two parts, an acrylic polyol solution, which is the acrylic part, and a polyisocyanate, though specific compositions can vary. Together, they form a substance that is a hybrid between acrylics and urethanes, which have different properties. The two react with each other to form the acrylic urethane coating. Acrylic urethanes may also contain solvents, which are materials that the solids are dissolved in. These solvents evaporate away once the coating has been applied. Acrylic urethanes may also contain colorants to add color to the final coat.

Curing

Although the solvent in an acrylic urethane evaporates, the coating itself is created through the process of the acrylic polyol and polyisocyanate reacting with one another to form a solid surface. Typically, acrylic urethane is mixed with an activator to start the curing process although acrylic urethanes with a different chemical composition that cure upon exposure to light are available. Because it is a chemical reaction, there are many ways to change the curing time. Chemicals that make the curing process slower or faster can be mixed into the acrylic urethane. In addition, the temperature changes the cure time, with acrylic urethanes curing more quickly in high heat.

Evaluate The Potency Of Training Employees

Pre-training and post-training measurements are effective ways to track the effectivness of employee training.

Training and development for an entire workforce can be a sizable investment; the return on investment benefits employers tremendously. Increased productivity and performance improvement are two ways effective training manifests itself in the workplace. However, measuring the effectiveness of workplace training can be a difficult task without quantitative guidelines and concrete results. Measuring training effectiveness is a task that must be contemplated before training begins -- using post-training metrics cannot provide accurate results.

Instructions

1. Review your training and development strategy long before employee training begins. Incorporate performance appraisal reviews into your training strategy as your starting point. Reviewing individual or departmental performance measurements before training establishes a baseline from which you can measure progress after employees complete training. If at all possible, quantify the performance ratings -- this helps in producing metrics you can use for later comparisons. Once employees complete training, conduct post-training performance appraisals and compare those ratings to previous evaluations.

2. Establish benchmarks for employee performance before and after training. Benchmarks are sometimes referred to as key performance indicators, or KPIs. Your organizational or departmental KPIs can be expressed as training goals or as the distance between before-training performance and post-training performance. They may be unrelated to actual performance appraisals in that they identify specific areas in which employees demonstrate improvement.

3. Solicit employee feedback through opinion surveys and training evaluations. Training and development specialists generally begin orientation by asking employees what they expect to learn from each session. Identifying employee learning objectives will help you determine if the training meets employees expectations. For example, at the beginning of new hire orientation, human resources staff ask employees what they expect to learn during orientation. Training specialists construct a list from employee input and review the list on completion of orientation. If there are areas that orientation didn't cover, the facilitator has a record of employee expectations and can review orientation topics to ensure future sessions include those topics.

4. Calculate employee productivity. If you provide job skills training or training on new equipment for use in production-oriented work environments, measuring the effectiveness of your training can be simpler if you take before and after measurements. Prior to job skills training, calculate productivity using equipment and processes already in place. Following training, conduct similar measurements with employees utilizing the new equipment or processes. This type of measurement can be easily performed on a smaller scale and multiplied to generate organization-wide metrics.

5. Poll supervisors and managers about employee feedback before and after training as well as their observations of performance improvement prior to and subsequent to employee training. This is a subjective approach to measuring feedback; however, supervisors and managers are in the habit of observing employee performance because they are closer to employee day-to-day activities. While supervisor and manager observations are valuable, their assessments should be supplemented by quantitative data.

Make An Application For Nonprofit Status

The application process to become a nonprofit entity is relatively easy, requiring both state incorporation as a nonprofit and approval by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The application process can be can be made much easier with some early planning and internal organization.

Instructions

1. Establish goals and leadership for your nonprofit. Before an organization can be deemed a charity by the Internal Revenue Service, it must have a charitable purpose. Charitable purposes cover a range of activities, and common sense largely dictates whether something qualifies. The leadership of the charity should be clearly established early, and leaders should not be in a position to make unreasonable financial gains from their roles.

2. Draft and adopt articles of incorporation and bylaws for the charity. The articles of incorporation should address only the basic information about the charity, including the address, its board of directors and its name. Some states have a form that can be used in lieu of drafting articles. Bylaws should detail how the organization will operate. This might include details such as the election of board members and the budgetary process. The bylaws should be much more detailed than the articles of incorporation.

3. Establish nonprofit corporation status with the appropriate secretary of state. Many secretaries of state accept applications both via mail and online. There is generally a fee associated with the application, and in most states the paperwork is complete in about a week.

4. Create pro forma financials for the charity. Donors, in addition to the IRS, may be interested in seeing sound financial recording. For IRS purposes, a pro forma balance sheet, statement of revenues and statement of expenses should be prepared for the current year and projected for the two years following.

5. Complete IRS Form 1023. This form requires information that should be readily available from the documents described in the previous steps, including basic contact information, the purpose of the charity and its financials. A copy of the bylaws should be included as well. The fee for the application is $300 for small charities and $700 for larger ones. This process can be slow--expect six weeks or more for processing.

Operate A Effective College Campaign

Communicate with other students to convey your campaign message.

Running for office at college takes careful planning and time. You need to be confident about your skills and sure of your campaign messages before you can persuade other students to give you their votes. Taking part in a student election gives you valuable experience in communication strategies, planning, public speaking and time management skills. You will learn the basics of political campaigning and involve yourself in all aspects of college life. Future employers will also be impressed with your ability to put together an effective campaign and your leadership capability.

Instructions

1. Write an action plan for your campaign. This should contain a section on your personal reasons for running, what you hope to achieve and what you will do if you win. Be specific about the changes you want, such as introducing new lighting to improve campus safety.

2. Create a persuasive message to convince students to vote for you. This could include a catchy slogan, but a slogan alone is not going to win over students. You need a solid argument for your campaign. For instance, if you are trying to push a safety message, you could get figures on how safe students feel walking around the campus at night.

3. Build a campaign team. Your team will inevitably be small at first and will probably include close friends. However, the more students you talk to and convince, the more will want to join your campaign team. Use the different skills of your team members, such as graphic design and public relations expertise, to create an effective campaign. Give the team stickers or T-shirts with your slogan to identify them and create a cohesive unit.

4. Get your message across by arranging debates and class presentations. Put up posters throughout the campus. Run your campaign on social media sites, such as Facebook.

5. Create even more attention by getting publicity in your college newsletter, website and other publications. Approach local radio stations for a slot to air your campaign messages. If your campaign is topical and newsworthy, the radio station is more likely to invite you on for an interview.

6. Hold a rally to build momentum. Make sure that all the students understand your campaign. End the rally with a rousing speech, including a call for students to vote.

7. Remind students that it is election day and specifically ask for their votes. Make sure you and your team are visible by walking around the campus and talking to students.

Stocks Versus Goods

Cotton is a type of a commodity.

Stocks and commodities belong to two separate asset classes, although both are investment assets. Stocks are included in the equities asset class, while commodities comprise their own asset class. There are various types of commodities that trade in the financial markets.

Types

Stocks are categorized by the industry in which they trade, such as energy, pharmaceutical or finance. Commodities determine the underlying value in a futures contract, which is an agreement to buy or sell a product at a future date at a fixed price. These assets might be agricultural or energy products, in addition to financial instruments.

Exchanges

Stocks and commodities both trade on exchanges, but not on the same ones. Stocks trade on major stock exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange in the U.S. and the London Stock Exchange in the United Kingdom. Commodities trade on an exchange dedicated to commodities trading, such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group in the U.S, where commodities trade as part of futures contracts.

Considerations

Stocks and commodities tend to trade in opposite directions, according to MarketWatch. There are exceptions, however, according to Ed Yardeni, chief investment strategist at Yardeni Research. In times of extreme market cycles, such as times of global market expansion or during a recession, both groups are likely to trade in the same direction.

Diversification

By including both stocks and commodities in an investment portfolio, an investor is diversifying risk. Since stocks and commodities tend to trade in opposite directions under non-extreme market conditions, there is a better chance that if one asset class under-performs, the other will add stability or even growth to an investment portfolio.

Risks

Both stocks and commodities can be volatile investments, that is both asset classes can experience dramatic price swings in either an upward or downward direction. For instance, energy resources including oil and gas are commodities, and they trade based on global factors such as supply and demand, which can be unpredictable.

Just How Much Does Adsense Pay

Google's AdSense is a free program that allows online publishers to earn revenue by displaying relevant ads on a wide variety of content. Although it is easy to use, it is more difficult to turn these ads into a substantial profit. Read on to find out make the process easier.

Pay Structure

Each ad displayed through AdSense pays the website publisher based on the "cost-per-click," which is the number of website visitors who click on the ad, or the "cost-per-impression," which is the number of times the website page is displayed to a visitor and the ad is viewed. Per-click ads are used by default, unless an advertiser has specified that it wants targeted per-impression ads placed on a website.

Another Option

Until August 2008, AdSense also offered website publishers the option of being paid for certain actions taken by readers, such as signing up for a program or ordering a product. This payment structure was offered through a separate program, the Google Affiliate Network.

Pay Rate

Google does not disclose specific data about how much revenue is shared with website publishers, but it says it aims to pay as well or better than other advertising programs. Pay rates are also determined by how much advertisers are willing to pay, with AdSense using a bidding system to choose those that are willing to pay the most. Advertisers are often willing to pay more for ad space on websites that are more likely to attract viewers who are interested in buying their products, such as those sites with relevant niche content. Google will only say, very broadly, that most publishers earn between 5 cents and $5 per 1,000 page impressions.

Results

Income from Google AdSense varies dramatically among users. While many have never generated any income or made just a few dollars a month from the program, some users have made sizable incomes from it, which they can use to live on or to supplement their business.

Payment Thresholds

One thing to keep in mind is that AdSense only pays once cumulative revenue reaches $100 at the end of a month. The payment is then processed and sent at the end of the following month. If the AdSense account is cancelled, the threshold is lowered to $10 and paid within 90 days.

Sell Raw Gold

Sell Raw Gold

Unlike most metals, gold often occurs naturally in nearly pure form. Raw gold is the generic term for gold nuggets, gold dust and pocket gold. The easiest way to sell raw gold is to find a company that does both assaying and refining of precious metals. There is also a market for raw gold (especially gold nuggets) used for jewelry and decorative purposes and you can sell raw gold on eBay or to dealers who market gold in this fashion. The steps you need to follow are similar no matter how you choose to market raw gold.

Instructions

1. Know the market value of your gold. Check the online financial pages for daily price quotes on gold. This will give you an idea of the value of your gold, although it will be worth a little less since it has not been refined into coins or bullion.

2. Have your gold assayed. An assay is a chemical test that verifies that what you have is gold and determines the gold content (that is, how much is gold and how much is impurities). This is information that is needed to calculate the value of your raw gold.

3. Find a dealer to buy your raw gold. In many cases, the assay service also buys and refines gold, so this may be very simple. If the assay service does not buy raw gold, you can use the U.S. Mint's bullion dealer locator to find buyers in your area or contact online dealers. The link to the U.S. Mint and links to sample online buyers are provided in the Resources section.

4. Sell your raw gold. Plan on receiving a price somewhat less than the price of bullion on the financial markets, since the cost of refining the gold has to be taken into account, as well as the dealer's commission.

5. Maintain a complete record of all the steps (assaying, refining and actual sale). You will need these records for tax purposes later.

Begin A Kiwi Fruit Farm

Establishing a kiwi fruit farm requires pruning the vines.

Kiwi plants are similar to grapes as that both are grown on vines that are pruned back every year. To give the plants their best chance of survival, they must be kept in 5-gallon buckets during the first growing season and then planted outdoors when all chance of a frost has past. If properly maintained, a kiwi plant can last for more than 70 years.

Instructions

1. Arrange to have a space large enough to accommodate 5-gallon buckets of all the kiwi plants. Spending their first season in the buckets provide the plants with a better chance of survival by not developing root rot or being planted in poorly drained soil.

2. Plant kiwi plants in well drained and slightly acidic soil (pH 5 to 6.5) . The holes should be 4-5 feet apart and can have a shovel full of organic matter like nitrogen-rich fertilizer also thrown into the hole. Plant the kiwi plants in the sun, although they can tolerate some shade. Stake the kiwi plants so the vines can trellis

3. Water kiwi fruit plants thoroughly and often during their long growing season need large volumes of water. Mulching the plant will keep it moist.

4. Prune the plant stem back to two buds. In a few weeks, one of the buds will develop shoots. Choose the larger shoot to become the main trunk. Tie to the stake and prune back the rest. When the main trunk grows significantly, kiwis can grow to 10 feet high, prune off the end of the trunk that was growing. As the end develops more branches, choose two to four and prune away all the others.

Possess A Nonprofit Business

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A nonprofit business is created to benefit the public or a specific group.

Owning a nonprofit business is an honorable endeavor. To be considered a nonprofit company, a business must be created to benefit either the public or a specific group. As you embark on your new business, there are a few simple steps to get started.

Instructions

1. Choose a name. Check with the Division of Corporations in your state to search through fictitious names and see if the one you have chosen is available. Once you find one that is not taken, be sure to register it.

2. File with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) so that your nonprofit business will receive tax exempt status. There are different types of nonprofit businesses, and you can choose the type that best fits your company. Go to http://www.IRS.gov/charities/index.html for information on tax exemption for charities and other nonprofit businesses. In addition, you will need to apply for an employer identification number with the IRS.

3. Register as a nonprofit corporation by contacting your state's Division of Corporations. You can do this online in most states. You will need to submit an annual report, list officers, and include your articles of incorporation that describe your nonprofit business's purpose.

4. File with your state revenue office. If your nonprofit business is selling goods, you will need to file with your state Department of Revenue to collect sales tax.

5. Check with your city hall or Chamber of Commerce to determine if a local business license is required for your nonprofit business.

6. Register to solicit contributions. If your nonprofit business will be soliciting contributions, your state may require you to register. Check with your state's consumer affairs office to find out if this is necessary. Many states have solicitors of contributions file annual reports stating how much has been raised and the percentage of funds collected that actually go toward the cause that the nonprofit corporation is promoting.

Enter Pink Sheet Stocks In Microsoft Money

Pink Sheet stocks are usually penny stocks that are unlisted on national exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the American Stock Exchange because of low interest or inadequate funding. While some penny stocks are listed on a national exchange, most must be manually tracked in MSN Money (a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft) within the Investing Portfolio. The same holds true for privately held companies. In these cases, you must enter the data associated with the stock purchase yourself.

Instructions

1. Open the MSN Money Portfolio Manager.

2. Select the account to which you want to add the Pink Sheet stock.

3. Open the Common Tasks section, and click "Work With Investments."

4. Click "Record a Buy."

5. Type a name for the Pink Sheet stock and click "OK."

6. Select "Other" as the type of Investment when the Create New Investment Wizard starts.

7. Fill in as much information as you can about the purchase of the stock, including the purchase price, the number of shares purchased, the commission and any other information you want to track in your Money Portfolio Manager.

Dictation Tips

To ensure the best-quality recording, work in a noise-free enviornment when you dictate.

Many professionals occasionally need to record material to be transcribed by another party. Though dictation may seem like a simple process, the transcript that is produced from your recording may be inaccurate if you don't practice proper dictation techniques. As you prepare for your next dictation project, a few tips should help the transcriptionist capture your words without need for clarification.

Familiarize Yourself With the Equipment

Before you begin dictating, make sure that you are familiar with the equipment you are using. Locate all the necessary buttons and consult the user manual if you are unsure use a specific function. It's also a good idea to have your dictation equipment serviced once a year to ensure that it is in good working order.

Pay Attention to Distance From the Microphone

Most dictation equipment recommends a specific distance between mouth and microphone to ensure the best sound quality. Holding the equipment too close to your mouth may muffle your words; holding it at too great a distance may create a recording that is too quiet. Varying the distance can be difficult on the transcriptionist, so try to be consistent with your position. Consult the user manual and follow the guidelines.

Pause After Hitting the Record Function

Your words may be clipped at the beginning or end of sentences if you begin speaking directly before or after activating your dictation equipment's record on/off button. To avoid missing words in a transcription, pause for one or two seconds after turning the record function on and before turning it off. In addition, do not use the voice activation feature if your equipment has it, because it may lead to clipped words as well.

Work in a Quiet Area

When dictating, try to work in a noise-free environment. The transcriptionist will be able to hear your words better without background noise to distract from or distort them. Working in a quiet area may help you concentrate better as well, so you do not need to correct yourself during the dictation. Minimize rattling cups, tapping pens and shuffling papers.

Spell Unusual Words or Names

To ensure accuracy in the transcript, spell out any unusual words or names while dictating. It may also help avoid the need for written documentation to clarify terms in your dictation. Spell any words that may be ambiguous or have multiple spellings, such as Maine Street and Main Street or Christine and Kristine.

Pay Attention to Grammar

As you dictate, be clear about the punctuation. Indicate where you would like a new paragraph to begin by stating "New paragraph." Identify commas, question marks and other punctuation marks in a similar fashion. Make it clear where quotations should begin and end and which words or phrases should be italicized.

Software For Creating Postcards

There are many free postcard creation software options.

Creating custom unique postcards allows the sender to share a special message with the person receiving the postcard. Depending on the level of sophistication the card requires, there are many easy to use and free software solutions. Many postcard creation software packages are offered by printers who link the software with their printing services.

Adobe Products

Adobe products, such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, can all be used together or separately to create stunning postcard designs. The draw back is the cost of this software runs about $500 to $1,000 per title and requires some training or skill to learn to use. The advantage is that the programs are only limited to the imagination of the designer. These are the tools that graphic design professionals use to create the majority of postcard designs seen in card shops.

Vistaprint.com

Vistaprint.com is a popular online printer and their website allows users to create custom postcards. It offers a number of templates and themes and the easy to follow step-by-step process makes creating postcards a snap for even a novice user. Vistaprint then allows the user to print the postcards and they are mailed out quickly to the customer within three days in the United States. Their pricing is competitive and there are discounts for larger orders.

Gdmdst Unlimited Printing

Gdmdst.com offers a free 30-day trial of their printing software which not only designs postcards but also according to its website "labels (Tags), barcode, stickers, certificates, business cards, postcards, envelopes, invoices, bills, express bills, documents, tables, forms-making, graphics and report cover." The program requires a bit of a tutorial to use fully but a quick examination of the help file will allow most users to gain the maximum use from this software application.

Hallmark Card Studio Special Edition

Hallmarksoftware.com is offered by the well known Hallmark cards company for $9.99. The software is very easy to use and includes over 700 templates, hundreds of clip art images and tons of custom fonts. This software not only works well for postcards but can also handle most greeting cards as well. The program allows the user to customize her card and then email it as an ecard to friends or print it from a home printer or print to Hallmark's printing house.

Postcard Services

Postcardservices.com is a comprehensive site that allows users to design, print and order custom and templates postcards. The company offers 5,000 4"x6" postcards for $150. Users can choose from custom art work and clip art as well as template designs. Customers also have the option of uploading their own graphics and using the site's tools to create their own custom designs.

Email A Thanks Letter After A Job Interview

Sending a thank you letter after an interview shows your potential employer both that the interview was meaningful for you and that you are familiar with proper manners and etiquette. Send a letter to each person who was present at your interview. According to Boston College, approximately 75 percent of employers think that an emailed thank you letter is as good as or better than a thank you letter sent by postal mail. If you are unsure, you can send a letter by e-mail and print out a hard copy to send by postal mail.

Instructions

1. Type a subject line that indicates that the email is in response to the interview. Potential subjects include "Interview follow-up" or "Thank you for the interview."

2. At the top type the date you sent the e-mail. You should send your e-mail within 24 hours of the interview.

3. Type the name and position title of the person who will receive the e-mail. On the lines below that, type the name and street address of the company.

4. Write a greeting that says, "Dear Mr. Jones:", obviously using the name of the person present during your interview.

5. Write at least two paragraphs of body text. You should start by thanking the interviewer for meeting with you and mentioning how the interview increased your interest in the position and the company. Remind the interviewer of some parts of the interview that especially stood out or of some of your biggest strengths or qualifications.

6. Write a closing sentence that reaffirms your interest in the position and invites the interviewer to contact you with any further questions.

7. Close the letter by writing, "Sincerely," skipping a line and typing your full name. Below your name, type your mailing address, phone and fax number and e-mail address.

8. Proofread the thank you letter. Format it so you skip a line between each chunk of information to make it more readable.

9. Type the person's e-mail address in the "To" box of the e-mail and send it. Although you could have entered the e-mail address earlier, saving it for now will prevent you from accidentally sending an incomplete letter.

Train Technical Writing

Pencil

Technical writing is a form of communication. It is used in specific areas such as software, finance, chemistry, aerospace, robotics and biotechnology. Technical writing is used to communicate with audiences that are well-versed in technical data and those that are not. If you have experience in technical writing, you can teach this skill to others.

Instructions

1. Educate yourself about technical writing before you intend to teach it. It is a learned skill. Take classes online or go to a local university or college and ask about any technical writing courses. The certificate training program in technical writing below in Resources will help prepare you to teach technical writing.

2. Become a technical writer to get the hands-on experience you cannot get anywhere else. Applying for technical writing positions and working with clients can help you better understand what your students will go through when they successfully complete your technical writing class.

3. Start your own email class online to teach students all over the world who want to learn about technical writing. Create a syllabus and write out the entire class. An email class should be between four and 12 weeks with one class per week. Include assignments that will help students get hands-on experience. Send classes via email once per week to students who have paid for the class. Be available for questions and concerns.

4. Teach technical writing to students who are already in college. Many college students are required to take and pass at least one technical writing course, but most have difficulty doing so. You can help them by becoming a tutor in technical writing. Put up fliers in your area colleges and universities to offer your services.

5. Apply for a professor position at local colleges and universities to teach technical writing. Prove to them that you can offer the best teaching program and help students understand technical writing. Outline your experience, training and skills.

Avoid Slanderous Language

Avoid Slanderous Language

The easiest way to avoid slanderous language is to understand what constitutes slander. Slander occurs when a verbal statement is found to be false and injures the reputation of the person the statement is made about. Most people are aware that they are entitled to certain free speech rights, but sometimes they are not clear on the type of language that could subject them to a civil action. An awareness of the particulars can go far in preventing issues at a later time.

Instructions

1. Authenticate the source of the information you use to base your statements. The best way to prevent libel is to tell the absolute truth. If your information is correct, you will avoid slanderous language and are protected in the event of a lawsuit.

2. Think before you speak. Slanderous language is often a result of blurting out opinions without censor. You can often make your observations without any problems if you are considerate about your word choices. Take the time to formulate your viewpoint and to present it in a way that makes it clear that is only your opinion.

3. Be selective about the place that you make statements. You can direct a statement to another person, which may not be true, and not be subject to a slander action if there is no one else present. An essential part of any type of claim of defamation is that the statement is heard by at least a third person (other than the speaker and the object of his statement). If that ingredient is missing, there is no slander.

4. Arm yourself with the facts about what amounts to slander and defamation. The Media Law Resource Center offers a good primer on First Amendment rights for the general public as well as for someone who is part of the media (see Resources below). The more you know about this subject, the more confident you can be in asserting your views to the public.

Edit L1 & L2 Using The Ti84

The "L1" and "L2" lists, found in Texas Instrument's graphing calculators, can help to increase your productivity. You can recall variables and equations stored in the "L1" and "L2" lists on your TI-84 calculator, along with the four other sequentially numbered list slots. And if the data in the "L1," "L2," or any of the other list slots is no longer relevant, you can edit your lists with your TI-84's "Stat List Editor."

Instructions

1. Power on your TI-84. Press the calculator's "On" button.

2. Press the TI-84's "Stat" button. Press the "Enter" button to select the "Edit" option from the "Stat" menu. The "Stat List Editor" menu will appear.

3. Use the TI-84's arrow buttons to move to either the "L1" or "L2" column in the "Stat List Editor."

4. Move the blinking cursor over the value of the "L1" or "L2" data that you'd like to replace. Enter the new character.

5. Press the "Del" button to delete a value. Press the "2nd" button, followed by the "INS" button, to insert a value into your list's equation.

6. Press the "Clear" and "Enter" buttons at the same time to undo the deletion of a value.

7. Press the "Enter" button, and then press the "Up" arrow to store your changes to L1 and L2. Press "2nd," "Quit" to exit the "Stat List Editor."

Issues With Sarbanesoxley

In 2002, Senator Paul Sarbanes and Representative Michael Oxley sponsored legislation aimed at creating greater financial accountability within corporations and restoring investor confidence in publicly traded companies. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was a reaction to the scandals of corporate giants such as WorldCom, Enron and Tyco. Poor accounting and auditing within these companies failed to discover huge financial abuses committed by chief officers within these companies. The eventual collapse of these companies cost both employees and investors billions of dollars.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or SOX, achieves several different purposes. In Section 302, it ties CEOs and CFOs to the accuracy and thoroughness of auditing reports. If there are willful or knowing inaccuracies, SOX creates legal penalties for these officers. Section 402 prohibits companies from making personal loans to corporate officers and places limits on their ability to trade company stock. Section 404 mandates a set of internal auditing controls that must be checked and verified by external auditors. Section 409 requires publicly traded corporations to disclose changes in its financial status in real time. Section 902 makes it a crime for anyone to hide or destroy any auditing documents used to commit fraud or alter them so they cannot be used in court.

Cost

The single biggest complaint is that it costs too much to implement SOX, specifically Section 404. Regulators originally estimated the costs to be around $91,000, but many companies have found actual costs to run into the millions. Large companies are able to swallow the costs, but smaller companies have found it to be a hardship. For this reason, many startups have chosen to not list on publicly traded markets or decided to trade on foreign markets, such as the London Exchange, to avoid being subject to SOX compliance.

Executive Compensation

For corporate executives, SOX has changed the structure of their compensation packages. Stock options were a very common part of a company executive's overall compensation plan. When the executive needed cash, the company would loan him money against the value of the stock. The executive got to use the cash value of the stock without having to sell it. Instead of taking stock options as a large part of their compensation package, many changed to another format, including cash, which affected the bottom line of many companies.

Data Storage

Companies keep all their information and records, including financial records, on mainframes. Compliance with SOX is encouraging companies to save everything to avoid dumping vital auditing information. An article on CNET News asked if keeping this large volume of information actually promoted fraud by making it harder to detect financial abnormalities among the volume of unnecessary data. A whitepaper from Data Governance pointed out the difficulty placed on companies by SOX concerning updating their mainframes. Prior to SOX, updates were done manually but manual updates had the risk of errors. Since SOX created a penalty for CEO and CFOs for data errors, many companies had to either change their mainframe updating system to an automated one at a high cost or take their chances.

Buy Carpet Squares

Carpet covers the floors in bedrooms, family rooms and other common areas of many homes. Traditional wall-to-wall carpeting is best installed by a professional for a good finish. If you want to save money and handle the installation yourself, carpet squares are a good option. Also called carpet tiles, these self-adhesive sections of carpet have some a long way. They come in a variety of colors and styles, allowing you to customize the look of the floor.

Instructions

1. Calculate how much you want to spend on the carpet square purchase. Keep this in mind as you narrow down the selection and options.

2. Measure the length and width of the room. Multiply these two numbers to determine the area of the room. Take these numbers with you to ensure you purchase the right amount of carpet squares.

3. Decide if you want all of the carpet squares the same color of if you want to create a pattern with different-colored squares. If you want to use more than one color, decide on the pattern you want. A checkerboard pattern is a common option. Another option is to outline the room in one color and fill in with another color.

4. Choose between solid-colored or patterned carpet tiles. Pattern options range from stripes to florals to zebra stripes. Consider the overall room design.

5. Select the type of carpet you want. Carpet squares come in a variety of types include shag, wool and plush.

6. Purchase extra carpet tile pieces to keep on hand. If you stain one of the squares or one becomes worn, simply replace it with one of the extra squares. The ease of replacing a small section is one of the advantages of using carpet squares.

Techniques To Value A Business

Valuation involves determining the price of a business.

Valuing a company is an important process for anyone who will be buying, selling or investing in a company. Determining the value of a company is not as straightforward as it might seem, though, as there is no single preferred way to do it. Instead, there are a variety of different methods that can be used to value a firm.

Income Approaches

Income approaches to business valuation focus on the company's cash flows. Income-based approaches include the capital asset pricing model, the weighted average cost of capital and the discount rate method. These different methods consider a firm's income differently, but they all consider this the foundation of the valuation. This type of method is well suited to firms that have strong intangible assets that cannot be easily measured.

Market Approaches

The market approach to valuating businesses considers what the market is willing to pay for a firm. Typically, market approaches will look at similar businesses that have been sold in recent times in order to assess the company's value. For instance, to determine the value of a restaurant, one would look at the value of similarly sized restaurants in the same area of the city or in similar cities in recent months.

Asset Approaches

Asset approaches for valuating businesses are the simplest type of valuation. In essence, asset approaches consider the value of a company's assets. The book value method is a method of valuating a company based simply on its assets and liabilities. A company's liabilities are subtracted from its assets to give the book value. Alternatively, a firm can be valuated using the cost to create method, in which the value is based on the estimated cost to create these assets.

Choosing a Method

Some methods are better suited to certain situations. The income method is preferred in situations where it is difficult to determine the value of a company's assets or where most of the company's assets are intangible. The market approach is suitable when the book value does not accurately portray the value of a company. Asset approaches are good to rely on when the company is being liquidated and has no added value as a complete company. It is often beneficial to use multiple methods to give different perspectives on the value of a company.

Choose An Advisor For Business Structure Analysis

An outgoing, well-spoken consultant should also write well.

A consultant who can recommend organizational changes to improve productivity and profitability is worth his fee. Selecting a consultant for organizational structure analysis should be done with long-term improvements in mind. Get to know the personality, passion and knowledge of the consultant in addition to how he expresses his concern for the client.

Instructions

1. Determine whether the consultant has good listening skills.

Review the current organizational structure with the existing management team. Identify which processes work and then identify where communication appears to break down when pursuing company goals. Ask each member of the team to write down the areas where they would like a consultant to examine the structure; then ask team members to list questions they would like presented in an interview, such as "how has the consultant improved communication and productivity" and similar issues.

2. Contact prospective organizational consultants through human resource departments of similarly sized companies, groups such as the Society for Human Resource Management and the Association of Management Consulting Firms and referrals from reputable local business groups such as the chamber of commerce.

3. Interview each prospective consultant by first laying out concerns from the company's perspective. Ask him if he has worked with companies in the same industry or companies facing the same challenges.Then ask why he is a consultant. Listen for the passion and the facts the consultant expresses in each statement.

4. Ask the consultant to describe in detail how she helps organizations define challenges. Invite her to talk about how she would make recommendations on changing corporate culture or leaving it primarily intact. Ask how she plans to arrive at "recommendations that not only solve the [company] problem but also are right for the organization," as stated by Bob Nelson and Peter Economy in "Consulting for Dummies."

5. Personal and professional experiences shape consultants.

Listen to how the consultant talks about personal experiences and relates them to the workplace and how skills were gained. Evaluate if the answers relate to the challenges the company is having. Have the consultant meet key members of the management team so they are familiar with the personality; call a separate meeting later to ask if there was rapport and why or why not.

6. Ask if the consultant offers a package for initial consultations and follow-up seminars. Have him clearly explain how staff meetings are structured and how many employees should be involved.

7. Note which proposals arrive in a timely manner. Evaluate if the proposal is written in language that is professional and understandable. Consider the price and the value proposed; understand if the consultants who charge more also offer value-added services such as business networking opportunities or other benefits not necessarily included in the basic pricing.

Open A Grownup Daycare

More Americans are choosing adult day care services for their ailing relatives over nursing homes than ever before. Adult day care allows families to care for their sick relatives in the comfort of home. If you are interested in starting an adult day care, you need to do a lot of research, networking and have a sincere compassion for your clients. Here is a guide to point you in the right direction.

Instructions

1. Before you decide to open your business, learn everything you can about adult day care services. Study the business models and services of successful and highly rated adult day cares.

2. Educate yourself about basic business administration. Make certain you understand everything necessary to run a business. If you are a business novice, you might want to consider taking on an experienced partner. Create a business plan, which includes the age range of clients and the services you will provide.

3. Research all licenses and guidelines required by your state. Be familiar with national guidelines for adult day care. These guidelines will also affect the type of building and equipment you select for the business.

4. Obtain an adult day care operating license.

5. After you have your brick and mortar, make sure the building and equipment meet city and state regulations. These include zoning and fire/safety issues.

6. Hire only certified health care workers. Always conduct a background check on staff.

7. Create a marketing plan that maps out how you will publicize your new business.

8. Network at churches, non-profit organizations, charities, the chamber of commerce and small business associations.

The Benefits Of Cpi Calculation

The Bureau of Labor Statistics calls grocery stores to find out the prices of everyday items.

The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of goods and services, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which issues the report. The CPI is used as a measure of inflation, an economic indicator and to calculate cost-of-living adjustments, or COLA, for Social Security payments.

Coverage of Population

The CPI measurement spending patterns of two groups two population groups: all urban consumers and urban wage earners and clerical workers. These two groups make up approximately 87 percent of the entire population. People represented in these two groups include professionals, the self-employed, the poor, the unemployed and retired people, as well as urban wage earners and clerical workers. The CPI covers the expenditures of the vast majority of all Americans, making it reliable to the country overall.

Sources of Data

The information gathered for the CPI reports comes from over 23,000 retail and service establishments giving detailed information on the price of their goods and services over a period of time. Over 50,000 landlords and tenants are surveyed to obtain information on rent expenses. In 2007 and 2008, the BLS interviewed 7,000 families that kept track of their daily expenditures over a two-week period. This information, along with 28,000 diaries and 60,000 quarterly interviews, were used to create more than 200 categories weighted by importance to the average family. The advantage of taking large sample sizes allows the report to have a smaller percentage error within the report.

Frequency

The national CPI report is released on a monthly basis, providing information on the prior month's change in prices. For example, in the July report, the CPI will reflect the changes for the month of June. This timely information is a key economic indicator of inflation pressures the average family might be experiencing. CPI reports are also provided monthly for 11 metropolitan cities across the country. Another 13 cities receive biannual CPI reports. Combining the national and metropolitan city reports can provide information on price changes within different regions of the country.

Categories

The CPI also breaks down price changes within different categories. The CPI lists eight different pricing categories, including food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication and other goods and services. By breaking down the prices in these areas, it becomes clear if one particular area if suffering from inflationary increases compared to other areas. For example, the price of medical care may increase faster than the cost apparel goods.

Seasonally Adjusted

The CPI is provided with unadjusted and seasonally adjusted measures. Seasonally adjusted measures make it easier to compare month-to-month price changes than unadjusted reports. This is because consumers spend more money at certain times of a year than others. An example is trying to compare December-to-January prices. December holidays usually lead to higher spending amounts on items than in January. Comparing the prices from these two months is difficult without adjusting for seasonal factors.

Dress Just Like A Entrepreneur

Men and women alike should choose tailored, neutral-tone suits for business.

Although business dress today is more casual than it was before 1960, there are still time-honored standards of "dressing for success." Whether already in the workforce or preparing for an upcoming job interview, professionals should present an image of proper business attire and feel confident with their appearance. Create a polished and non-distracting look with a sleek hairstyle, tailored clothing, and conservative accessories to help you stay on top in today's business world.

Instructions

1. Select clothes that are tailored and well-fitting, in neutral shades, such as black, brown, khaki, or blue. Men should dress in business suits, with long-sleeve, button-down shirts, ties that are not too "loud," and belts with unostentatious buckles. Women should opt for pant suits, tailored skirts, blouses, and blazers while avoiding skirts that are too short or have high slits. Both women and men should avoid flashy colors, fad styles, and clothes that are too tight or too baggy. Keep all clothing items clean and ironed to reflect a professional appearance.

2. Style hair in a clean-cut look. Men should wear their hair short and well-trimmed with a clean-shaven face or a well-manicured beard. Women should wear their hair pulled back or in an updo with makeup and lipstick in neutral tones. Avoid extreme styles, bright hair colors, overly ornate hair accessories or heavy makeup.

3. Choose dress shoes in shades such as brown, black, or navy blue. Men should wear leather, lace-up dress shoes or loafers. Women should choose closed-toe and closed-back dress heels or pumps and avoid strappy or open-toed shoes. Sneakers, flip-flops and clogs are never appropriate for business dress.

4. Customize business dress with accessories but select items that are conservative and not overly flashy. A watch and cufflinks are appropriate choices for men. Women should keep their jewelry simple, such as small earrings and a necklace, avoiding large, distracting or brightly-colored jewelry. Other options include scarves and handkerchiefs.

5. Carry a briefcase or shoulder bag to complete the business look. Briefcases come in a variety of styles and colors and are appropriate for both men and women to carry. Avoid bright colors or patterns and animal prints; choose instead a bag in black, brown, or other neutral shade.

The Significance Of Legal & Ethical Fiscal Confirming & Accountability To Stakeholders

Former Enron executive Andrew Fastow leaves a federal courtroom after his fraud indictment.

Accounting scandals are not a new phenomenon in America. However, the collapse of high-flying players like Enron brought renewed pressure for more rigorous standards. Congress responded in 2002 by passing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which made executives responsible for submitting false or misleading financial statements. Supporters of such legislation cite the need for transparency as their biggest priority -- since investors are less likely to flock to a company that does little to heed those rules.

Changing Corporate Culture

Without a strong ethical culture, financial services industry employees may cut corners more readily, the Center for Audit Quality stated in a December 2010 report. Professionals interviewed for the report stressed senior management's commitment to creating such a culture as the best line of defense against fraud. Managers must also clearly communicate ethical expectations and live by them, the report states. The center also recommended setting up readily accessible whistleblowing programs because most fraud is detected through tips.

Consequences for Employees

White-collar convictions also have implications for finance professionals like Walter Pavlo, who served a 41-month prison term for diverting $6 million from MCI's poorly performing clients into an offshore account. For Pavlo, the consequences included an order to pay restitution over a 27-year period, ABC News reported in March 2006. While in prison, Pavlo's wife divorced him, and the nature of his offense made employers leery of hiring him. Ironically, this led to Pavlo's present career as a white-collar crime lecturer.

Consequences for Governance

No scandal better illustrates the breakdown of traditional corporate governance than the 2001 demise of Enron, which left $1.2 billion in write-offs, University of Washington business professor Gary L. Sundem says. Employees and investors had no idea what was coming, because Enron's auditors, Arthur Andersen, stressed revenue above its reputation, Sundem contended in a speech for the 2003 CGA Accounting Research Centre's conference. By linking performance to profits, firms like Andersen made public service a lesser priority.

Consequences for Markets

The surge in financial reporting fraud has exerted a major negative ripple effect throughout the U.S. economy, the center's report states. For example, financial fraud cases investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission tripled from a median figure of $4.1 million in 1999 to $12.1 million 2007, the report showed. Failure to spot these frauds, in turn, contributed to the boom/bust cycles that damaged public confidence in the economy.

Restoring Public Confidence

For Sundem, Congress's passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act marked a crucial first step in restoring public confidence. One key provision required all accounting activity to become a self-supporting function, instead of being subsidized by consulting or other services. The law also created a Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to regulate the accounting profession, and make executives accountable for false statements. However, Sundem held off in judging the law's long-term impact -- mainly because the corporate culture of short-run profit that prevailed before Enron's collapse still exists, he says.

Draft A Holding Statement For That Media

Draft a Holding Statement for the Media

Accidents happen. Sometimes the results are minor; some accidents, such as a large oil spill, can have drastic consequences. In the wake of a serious incident, the public has a right to know what happened and what is going on to fix whatever happened. Your business's public relations department can provide the media with an initial holding statement that sets forth the basic facts about the incident and lets people know that you are dealing with the situation. The statement must be carefully written in clear and concise language.

Instructions

1. Appoint a person to draft and/or deliver the holding statement to the media. Typically, businesses employ a public relations staff to handle these matters. Understand, however, that the media may need to hear from the actual decision-makers at the company, such as the owner or chief executive officer.

2. Begin your holding statement with a statement expressing your concern for any victims and your empathy for the situation.

3. State the basic facts of the incident. According to SAE Communications, your holding statement should answer the basic questions of what happened, who was involved, when it happened, where it happened and why it happened.

4. Explain that you are investigating the incident and doing all you can to reduce the chances of another incident and to make any amends.

5. Provide a time line for when you will address the media again and how the media can contact the organization for more information. Explain if and when the "powers that be" in the company, such as the CEO, will be available to address questions and concerns.

Get Began Recycling

The Unites States produces over 251 million tons of trash each year. Only about 32 percent of that is recycled. As you fill your trash bags each week, you may think that a single individual or family can't make a big difference, but every piece of recycled trash helps. Over the course of a year, the average American uses over 680 pounds of paper alone. Add aluminum cans, plastic jugs and cardboard boxes into this and we are each responsible for a hefty amount of waste. Over one-third of the average garbage dump is composed of packaging material alone. Take control of the trash in your household and begin recycling-it can make a big difference. These easy steps should get you well on your way.

Instructions

Setting Up a System

1. Designate your bins for recycling. Ideally, you should try to recycle aluminum, paper, glass and plastic. The fifth trash bin is for all other materials. Label each bin clearly, and put them near the kitchen, or somewhere that is as convenient as possible.

2. Find a recycling center. You can visit Earth911.org, in the resources section of this article, to find a recycling center near you. Simply enter your zip code and the material that needs to be recycled. If you are lucky enough to have curbside recycling in your neighborhood, find out what they recycle and how it needs to be sorted.

3. Schedule a weekly trip. If you have family, friends or neighbors who would also like to start recycling, you may be able to organize something of a carpool. If four families work together, each one will only need to pick up everyone's recycling and drop it off at a collection center once a month.

Preparing Your Items for Recycling

4. Wash out cans and jars. You don't need to leave these items perfectly clean, but you should at least rinse out any food or drink containers before putting them in the recycling bin.

5. Remove non-recyclable components. Take the staples out of paper, remove the lids from jugs and jars, and check with your recycling center to see if any other actions should be taken to ensure that your items are ready for recycling.

6. Get everyone involved. Make sure that every member of your family knows what's going on and understands your system. Include pictures of the recyclable items on each bin to help children understand what goes where.

Create Free Produced Banner Advertisements

A new banner for your website is just a few clicks away!

Using a banner ad on a website is a great way to attract attention. Banners can be used purely for advertising purposes, as links that draw traffic from one website to another, or within the same website to attract attention to special offers. If you don't know make one yourself, there's no need to worry. Several websites enable you to create banners for free and in very little time.

Instructions

Design Your Ad

1. Choose a website. Several websites, such as My Banner Maker and Banner Fans, offer free banner ad design services. But be prepared -- many require you to register with the site and superimpose the company logo at the bottom of your banner in exchange for the service.

2. Follow the onscreen prompts. Each site offers different options for customizing your banner, although size, background color and text are standard options. The rest of these instructions are based on My Banner Maker specifically.

3. Choose a banner size by clicking on one of the gray boxes on the main page. My Banner Maker offers almost two dozen options for both vertically and horizontally oriented advertisements. Boxes are shown to-size, with dimensions also provided in pixels. After you click your selection, the image at the top of the screen will change to reflect your choice.

4. Click the "Background" tab below the "Banner Preview" window to move to the next section. Once there, click on the green bars to open a color palette, or click the "Browse" button to upload an existing image from your computer. If you choose the color palette, simply click different areas of the palette until the color you want appears in the column on the right. Then close the palette to continue customizing.

5. Click the "Text" tab. You can add up to four lines of custom text, and select different fonts, font sizes and colors for each by clicking in the labeled boxes. Move the sliders at the bottom of the page to move the text up and down or left to right within the banner.

6. Continue customizing with the remaining tabs, if desired. You can create a border around the banner or add special effects such as blinking text or sparkles.

7. Save your work. When you're happy with your ad, select the "Save" tab at the far right of the page; this will bring up a new screen.

8. If you want your ad to link to a website, enter the URL where it says "Link." (The default links back to My Banner Maker.) Under "Banner Code Options," select "Normal Banner" and check the box to show code beneath the banner. Click "Save The Banner" at the bottom of the page.

9. Click "Continue on for Free" on the next page.

10. Copy the HTML code that appears beneath your banner and paste it into the source code for your website.