Claude Keiper by Claude Keiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks A compilation of reviews may itself be called a review. en-us 2015-11-12 05:53:32 UTC 2025-11-02 21:38:40 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.storage.googleapis.com/portrait/announcement.jpg Kaiser promotes healthy babies with Dr. Richard Isaacs claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/80830148 2015-11-12 05:57:39 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/80830148 Kaiser promotes healthy babies with Dr. Richard Isaacs claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/80830173

Kaiser pushes for greater breast-feeding success among moms

The healthiest thing any child will ever consume is his or her mother’s breast milk. Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento wants to make certain new mothers learn how to breastfeed their babies before they leave the hospital to increase the future good health for babies.

Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento was recently designated a “Baby Friendly” hospital in accordance with the World Health Organization’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

The staff had a small celebration on Aug. 14.

Max Villalobos, senior vice president for Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento said, “This is an international recognition.”

He said a special thanks to Barb Hansen, assistant manager of health education, and Cheryl Cox, manager of the perinatal services unit.

“Sometimes we overuse words, but this is prestigious,” he said.

Currently, Kaiser South Sacramento is one of 83 hospitals nationwide to fulfill the program’s 10-step process to become baby friendly.

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was launched in 1991 with help from UNICEF. Kaiser staff received a certificate of intent to work towards being admitted to the Baby Friendly program in 1993.

Physician-in-Chief, Dr. Richard S. Isaacs thanked the staff for their commitment. Isaacs, an ear, nose and throat doctor, said he learned that breast-feeding a baby causes fewer ear infections as they grow.

“It gives the child the best start,” he said. “It gives them natural immunity, it helps prevent infection, and it gives them tremendous nutrition. But more importantly it’s an emotional bond between the mother and the child.”

Debra Payne, program planner for First 5 Sacramento was at the Aug. 14 ceremony to congratulate the staff. First 5 Sacramento was involved with this program at Kaiser too.

Joni Wuthrich, director of prenatal services, said the staff have undergone training courses, learning the importance of encouraging breast-feeding over formula and allowing new mothers to “room in,” or stay with their baby the entire hour after delivery to breastfeed.

“I’ve been a nurse for 34 years and every single year more research comes out about how good breast-feeding is for babies,” she said.

Dessiree Whitehurst gave birth to her first child, a girl, on Aug. 13 at Kaiser in South Sacramento. The fact that Kaiser South Sacramento is in the Baby Friendly program and promotes breast-feeding amongst new mothers was reassuring to her as a new mom, she said.

“I’ve heard so many things like ‘It’s hard to breastfeed,’” she said. “Knowing that there is so much help- it’s really good for me.”

Whitehurst had already started breast-feeding her baby by the next day.

As part of the Baby Friendly Initiative, Kaiser will not accept free formula from vendors.

“We separated our relationship with formula vendors and that is a part of baby friendly too,” Wuthrich said.

Formula is prescribed when it is medically recommended for babies, rather than being a substitute for milk.

Wuthrich said baby formula is healthy, but human milk is better.

Not all women have to breast-feed, they support family choice too, she added.

]]> 2015-11-12 05:58:14 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/80830173 Kaiser promotes healthy babies with Dr. Richard Isaacs claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/80830198

Kaiser pushes for greater breast-feeding success among moms

The healthiest thing any child will ever consume is his or her mother’s breast milk. Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento wants to make certain new mothers learn how to breastfeed their babies before they leave the hospital to increase the future good health for babies.

Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento was recently designated a “Baby Friendly” hospital in accordance with the World Health Organization’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

The staff had a small celebration on Aug. 14.

Max Villalobos, senior vice president for Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento said, “This is an international recognition.”

He said a special thanks to Barb Hansen, assistant manager of health education, and Cheryl Cox, manager of the perinatal services unit.

“Sometimes we overuse words, but this is prestigious,” he said.

Currently, Kaiser South Sacramento is one of 83 hospitals nationwide to fulfill the program’s 10-step process to become baby friendly.

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was launched in 1991 with help from UNICEF. Kaiser staff received a certificate of intent to work towards being admitted to the Baby Friendly program in 1993.

Physician-in-Chief, Dr. Richard S. Isaacs thanked the staff for their commitment. Isaacs, an ear, nose and throat doctor, said he learned that breast-feeding a baby causes fewer ear infections as they grow.

“It gives the child the best start,” he said. “It gives them natural immunity, it helps prevent infection, and it gives them tremendous nutrition. But more importantly it’s an emotional bond between the mother and the child.”

Debra Payne, program planner for First 5 Sacramento was at the Aug. 14 ceremony to congratulate the staff. First 5 Sacramento was involved with this program at Kaiser too.

Joni Wuthrich, director of prenatal services, said the staff have undergone training courses, learning the importance of encouraging breast-feeding over formula and allowing new mothers to “room in,” or stay with their baby the entire hour after delivery to breastfeed.

“I’ve been a nurse for 34 years and every single year more research comes out about how good breast-feeding is for babies,” she said.

Dessiree Whitehurst gave birth to her first child, a girl, on Aug. 13 at Kaiser in South Sacramento. The fact that Kaiser South Sacramento is in the Baby Friendly program and promotes breast-feeding amongst new mothers was reassuring to her as a new mom, she said.

“I’ve heard so many things like ‘It’s hard to breastfeed,’” she said. “Knowing that there is so much help- it’s really good for me.”

Whitehurst had already started breast-feeding her baby by the next day.

As part of the Baby Friendly Initiative, Kaiser will not accept free formula from vendors.

“We separated our relationship with formula vendors and that is a part of baby friendly too,” Wuthrich said.

Formula is prescribed when it is medically recommended for babies, rather than being a substitute for milk.

Wuthrich said baby formula is healthy, but human milk is better.

Not all women have to breast-feed, they support family choice too, she added.

]]> 2015-11-12 05:59:01 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/80830198 HOWARD MARANS MD: WHERE IS THE BEST DOCTOR FOR ACL TREATMENT IN HUNTINGTON BEACH? claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/91134091

Supporting and maintaining the knee joint is the function of numerous tendons and ligaments. The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the major components in the knee providing a connection of the femur to the tibia. A tear or other injury to the ACL may happen to anyone regardless of age. Sports participants often obtain the injury more frequently. Finding the best doctor for ACL treatment Huntington Beach Beach will depend on the degree of injury and other contributing factors.

The Best ACL Doctor in Huntington Beach

With a little time and research, a person will be able to find the best doctor for ACL tears or other related injuries. Ask for referrals from friends, family members, primary care professional and others within the patient’s peer network. After compiling a list, start narrowing down the choices.

  • Medical Insurance Coverage: The biggest consideration when finding the best doctor for ACL treatment will be the extent of a patient’s health insurance coverage. Contacting the insurance provider’s claims representative will help you discover the amount of your coverage for ACL treatment.
  • Medical Training and Credentials: The type of education, specialized training, and experience of a potential doctor must also be considered when finding one to treat your ACL. Ask potential doctors about their board certifications, professional associations, and hospital affiliations.
  • Experience: Consider how many times an orthopedic specialist has performed ACL procedures within the past year, month, or even week. A doctor who regularly performs ACL treatment procedures is most likely to be current on the best standard of care.

Finding the Best ACL Treatment Options

The first appointment will help determine if the doctor is the right choice for the patient’s needs. The best doctors will begin with an accurate diagnosis to determine what course of action is the best treatment option.

Before going to your consultation appointment, prepare a list of questions to ask the doctor. The best doctor to treat your ACL will be one who takes the time to address each question and concern until you feel confident with proceeding with diagnostic testing and treatment.

ACL Treatment in Huntington Beach

As a provider of the best ACL treatment in Huntington Beach, Dr. Howard Marans will explain each step in the diagnostic testing and treatment process. The Doctor will explain his desired outcome resulting from his recommended treatment option. Depending on the degree of injury, non-surgical methods may be the first course of treatment. If a conservative approach fails to yield the desired results, or the degree of injury is too severe based upon diagnostic testing, surgery may be the Doctor’s chosen treatment method.

Dr. Howard Marans and his courteous staff will work with numerous insurance programs, including PPOs, to give each patient the highest level of care without creating an overwhelming financial burden. Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 714.979.8981.

]]> 2016-01-26 03:43:59 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/91134091 HOWARD MARANS MD: WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO TELL IF YOU FRACTURED YOUR WRIST claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/91379742

What To Look For To Tell If You Fractured Your Wrist

Wrist fractures are a serious and painful condition that usually occurs as a result of trauma, such as breaking a fall with the wrist. Although wrist fractures can be painful, the majority of cases can be completely healed as long as they are treated promptly. Below, we will take a look at what wrist fracture symptoms you should look for.

Understanding Wrist Fractures

The wrist is composed of a number of bones. Any of these bones can be broken during a wrist fracture. In addition, some people damage the bones in the forearm that articulate with the wrist. Athletes and older adults are especially at risk of fracturing the wrist. A fractured wrist can cause pain and can press against the nerves and tendons that run to the hand to control the fingers.

Symptoms of Wrist Fractures

If you have sustained a wrist fracture, you may experience a variety of symptoms depending on the location and severity of the fracture. Some common symptoms include:

  • Swelling
  • Tenderness
  • Bruising
  • Severe pain
  • Pain that gets worse when gripping or squeezing
  • Inability or difficulty moving the hand
  • Numbness in the hand
  • Visibly bent or deformed wrist
  • Bone poking from skin

If you are experiencing these symptoms and believe you have a wrist fracture, it is important to seek treatment promptly. Fractures are more likely to heal fully when they are treated promptly.

 Treatments for Wrist Fractures

Treatment for wrist fractures depends on the nature of the fracture. If the fracture is a hairline or stress fracture, the location of the bone is left intact. The goal of treatment in this case is to immobilize the wrist so that the bone can heal without sustaining any further damage. This type of fracture is usually casted or splinted.

If the wrist is fractured in many places, the fracture is an open fracture, or the bone is severed in two, then surgery is usually necessary to put the bones back in their natural positions so that the bones can heal. The doctor first performs open reduction, which is putting the bones back in place, then internal fixation, which is the use of screws, pins, and other hardware to keep the bones in place. Then, the bone is casted.

After the bone heals and the cast comes off, strength and flexibility has often been lost. To relieve these problems, the doctor will recommend exercises you can perform at home. In addition, you might attend formal physical therapy sessions at first.

If you think you have a wrist fracture, Dr. Howard Marans would be happy to meet with you about your diagnosis and treatment. To schedule your consultation today, please click below and enter your information or call OC Orthopedic at (714) 979-8981.

]]> 2016-01-27 01:55:38 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/91379742 2016 Honda Stateline 1300 - Al Lamb's Dallas Honda claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/96894406 The beauty is in the details. Part of the 1300 Custom Line series, the VT1300CR Stateline boasts impressive bells and whistles, including a low slung profile with blacked-out fins and sweeping bars. Add to that the raked-out forks and fenders over fat front and rear tires. The styling touches on this touring motorcycle will cause quite the stir. And don’t forget the speedometer – nestled in the gorgeous tank-mounted nacelle, it’s the small details on the Stateline that make it a giant in its class.
 
Beyond its progressive styling, the real beauty of Stateline Chopper is beneath the surface with a massive 1312cc 52° V-twin engine with a single-pin crankshaft and dual balancers that deliver plenty of torque and power. The VT1300CR Stateline’s fuel injection system means optimal performance in any condition – from chilly mornings to high altitudes. Even with this much power, this machine can still reel itself in with front and rear disc brakes.
 
With the unique, retro-cool look of a Stateline Custom and the engineering only Honda can deliver – the VT1300CR Stateline is the ultimate package in a chopper bike. Its wide, low tires are the basis for the Stateline’s excellent handling, and they look big and bad too. Plus, silver-finish five-spoke wheels are easy to keep clean and look right on a classic chopper like the Stateline Custom.
]]> 2016-02-24 02:16:49 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/96894406 2015 Honda VT1300 Fury 1300 ABS - Al Lamb's Dallas Honda claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/100373808 When you ride a VT1300CX ABS Fury, you’re the center of attention – whether you’re cruising through town or out on the open highway. Spanning nearly six feet from axle to axle, this is one long and lean machine. Best of all, you have two Fury custom motorcycles to choose from: Our standard VT1300 CX Fury, or the ABS version for riders who want an added level of stopping control in less-than-ideal environments.
 
What makes the VT1300CX ABS Fury stand out? Let’s break it down. The standard – if you can call the Fury standard – integrates a single powerful 336mm-diameter front disc brake is complemented by a 296mm rear disc brake. With Honda’s innovative anti-lock brake system (ABS), cruiser motorcycle drivers have the added security and stopping power that only Honda engineering can deliver. After all, the road can throw anything at you – from wet pavement to sand and other debris on the road.
 
ABS is designed to help custom motorcycle tires achieve optimal deceleration and stopping performance while preventing them from exceeding their limits of grip. As a result, it’s possible to maintain efficient and effective braking control over a wide variety of riding conditions. You have the added confidence when applying brakes in emergency maneuvers or on slippery roads. Simpler braking with the VT1300CX ABS Fury increases any riding enjoyment.
]]> 2016-03-11 01:34:16 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/100373808 The Most Important Elements of Budget 2016, If You Run an SME claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/107438764 Did you know I have something in common with Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat and his predecessor Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam? We all wear glasses. And while the three of us might be literally short-sighted, there’s nothing short-sighted about the government’s consistent commitment to business growth in Singapore.
 
And the maiden Budget speech that Mr Heng gave last month echoed the Budget speeches of his predecessor DPM Tharman, in that he continues to recognise the importance of supporting small and medium enterprises in Singapore. Measures to strengthen local industries, such as the creation of new industrial spaces to cluster companies within the same industry and support to Trade Associations and Chambers to strengthen their capabilities and drive industry-wide solutions to common challenges were announced.
 
SMEs stand to benefit from having greater industry support as well as a more competitive industry. SMEs also enjoy financial support from a wide range of measures such as grants and tax rebates. But too often, it’s not clear what measures are available for businesses, or whether you’re eligible for them. Well, we’ve done the legwork for you. Regardless of where your company is on your enterprise journey, here is what Budget 2016 has for you:
 
1.     What Budget 2016 means to fresh start-ups
 
The first step to getting help is knowing what help is actually available. Mr Heng admitted that although there’s a range of incentives schemes, some firms may often be confused as to which applies to them, or which agency is relevant to their interests.
 
Hopefully, this problem will be solved with a new Business Grants Portal, expected in the fourth quarter of 2016, as a centralized source of information on all grants available from government agencies. Through the Portal, SMEs should be better equipped to tap on the various financial aid available at different stages of their development.
 
In addition to the grants, the government is introducing an SME Working Capital Loan scheme for an initial period of 3 years, which lends up to $300,000 for each SME. This is especially useful for an SME starting out, when cash flow issues are a major problem. The government will co-share half of the default risk with participating financial institutions. This announcement comes on the heels of DBS’s announcement that they are the first bank in Singapore to offer SMEs bridging loans, which are collateral-free and have preferential interest rates.
 
However, start-ups also need to be aware that the cash payout rate under the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme will be reduced from 60% to 40% for expenditures incurred on or after 1 August 2016, and the PIC scheme will expire after the Year of Assessment 2018. According to Mr Heng, this move is to shift away from broad-based support to more targeted measures. The implication is clear – firms cannot just do their own thing and expect the government to subsidise you. If you want state aid, you’re going to have to move in the same direction that the most competitive firms are going. Ultimately, however, this stands to benefit the company as it is somewhat of a partnership towards improving the performance of the company overall.
 
2.    What Budget 2016 means to start-ups looking to grow and scale-up
 
“Increase productivity, scale up and internationalise” became quite the catchphrase for Mr Heng during his Budget speech. But he’s also putting his money where his mouth is – literally, and most of the announcements will benefit companies looking to scale up in the next few years.
 
It’s 2016, we’re a year AFTER the future in Back to the Future, and Mr Heng knows it. Recognising that companies will only move towards automation if there are subsidies behind it, he has announced a new Automation Support Package. This is a combination of measures that includes a grant of up to $1 million that funds up to 50% of the automation project costs, a 100% Investment Allowance for approved capital expenditure, better access to loans for qualifying projects by SMEs, and assistance for such firms to enter overseas markets.
 
Needless to say, if your firm can take advantage of this Automation Support Package, you should. It’s expected to provide support of over $400 million over the next 3 years.
 
If your company is not thinking of automation but looking at growing the business at this point, there are other avenues to support you in your endeavour. First, Mr Heng announced that another $50 million has been added to the SME Mezzanine Growth Fund, bringing it to $150 million. Introduced in Budget 2014 to help SMEs obtain more flexible funding, the additional funding will provide more capital to support SMEs in growing their business locally and internationally.
 
Second, SMEs seeking opportunity to grow via acquisitions can also get more support for their mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals. The value of qualifying deals eligible for M&A allowance has been raised from $20 million to $40 million. This means that companies can now enjoy up to $10 million of M&A tax allowances per Year of Assessment (25% of the value of the deal) instead of $5 million. This move will hopefully encourage larger SMEs to cast the net wider when looking to acquire other companies with the higher tax savings.
 
There’s also good news in the form of an increased Corporate Income Tax rebate, from 30% to 50% of tax payable with a cap of $20,000 rebate per year for the Years of Assessment 2016 and 2017. With this increased Corporate Income Tax rebate, grants and a slew of other ways to manage the tax costs such as through tax deductions and allowances, a smart SME owner has the opportunity to sit down and think through how the company can maximise the value from these measures. With the additional cash flow from the tax savings, you can use it to fund your business expansion plan.
 
In addition, the Special Employment Credit scheme has been adjusted and extended for another three years. This extension will help to defray the costs of hiring workers aged 55 and above and paid up to $4,000 a month. In fact, companies hiring Singaporeans aged 65 and above can currently have their wage costs be defrayed by up to 11% of their monthly wage till the re-employment age is raised in 2017. If you are scaling up your business and the work can be performed by older workers, there really is no reason not to give this a shot. Not only will you be able to leverage on their rich work experience, you can also keep your cost down even as you grow your business.
 
3.    What Budget 2016 means for companies looking to go international
 
Once your business has reached a certain level in Singapore, it’s time to look to expansion overseas where the markets are significantly larger. To that end, Mr Heng also announced several measures to help. Some initiatives such as the Global Company Partnership and Market Readiness Assistance programmes can help to prepare SMEs for what might seem like a daunting and costly task, reducing the perceived risks companies might envision before taking a jump overseas.
 
Speaking of taxes, the Double Tax Deduction for Internationalisation has been extended by another four years to 31 March 2020. This allowed companies to claim 200% tax deduction on items like airfare, hotel accommodation for overseas business development and investment study trips, and even salaries of Singaporeans posted overseas.
 
So no matter what stage your company is at, Budget 2016 has something for you. Seen in the light of existing schemes and programmes from previous Budget announcements, it’s clear that there is now a specific direction that the government is encouraging firms of all sizes to move towards – towards greater innovation, internationalisation, and enterprise. SMEs should take advantage of this to restructure accordingly and maximise the benefits available to them.
 
Are you an SME owner? What do these announcements mean for you? We want to hear your thoughts.
 
 
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]]> 2016-04-25 02:26:15 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/107438764 Human Capital Alliance Inc, Thailand, Singapore: Creating Valuable-Enhancing Boards claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/114293647 Human Capital Alliance managing director Edwin Sim looks at optimizing Board of Directors strategies.

Assembling a Board of Directors that can optimize value-creation is a critical sustainability element for all Thai companies.

A recent McKinsey Global Boards survey indicated that most respondents believed their impact was high or very high.

Spending more time

McKinsey’s Global survey also showed across-the-board increases in the time that directors spent on board work (averaging 33 days).

In many cases, board members are spending 50 days or more per year on board work, either due to regulatory pressure or because the time required to do a good job is usually more than they initially expected.

Time spend on strategy rising

Most board members said their biggest contributions and most time spent was on evaluating company strategies.

Directors spent an average of nine days per year on strategy, the greatest amount of time across the numerous areas tested.

“Indeed, directors are almost twice as likely to say their boards are more effective at strategy than any other area of their work; they report the least effectiveness at organizational health and talent management.”

Average boards only spent about three days a year considering organizational health and talent management.

Actions, dynamics and self-perception important

Top performing or striving board of directors stood out in many ways.

They reported exceptionally strong cultures of trust and respect, wherein Board members and management constructively challenge each other.

Continuous feedback mechanisms were also critical.

Top performing boards also regularly conducted evaluations, and asked for additional inputs after each meeting.

Identifying patterns

To gain a deeper understanding of how boards create value, the study identified patterns between directors’ assessments of the board’s overall impact, effectiveness at executing specific tasks, and the way the board works.

Most successful boards must be effective at individual tasks, maintain trust-based challenging board cultures that embrace feedback, and aim to improve continuously.

Healthy boardrooms

Effective and well-rounded boards must have strong board dynamics. Trust and respect cultures are vital to healthy boardrooms.

An effective chairperson, that runs meetings well, establishes a culture of trust and constructive discourse, and invests in training, development, and feedback is also an important board dynamics ingredient.

Good leadership, the survey said sets the tone for the board as a whole and can set the stage for a more effective, value-enhancing boards.

Ineffective boards

Less than half of the ineffective boards studied, reported cultures of trust and respect in the boardroom. Moreover, many directors said they were forced to seek information on their own and less than one per cent received sufficient induction training.]]> 2016-06-10 07:05:20 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/114293647 claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/117856973 Central American residents pay nearly twice as much to keep their lights on as do their neighbors in South America. The high energy costs hurt the region’s businesses and its residents, hampering job creation and making it harder for people to improve their lives.
 
Soaring electricity rates have long burdened Central America, as the region is highly dependent on imported fossil fuel and at the mercy of fluctuating oil prices. At the same time, rising demand is putting pressure on the region to expand its capacity to generate electricity. It is crucial that the region develop alternate power sources to lower costs, ease the reliance on fuel imports, and reduce carbon emissions.
 
To tackle this challenge, IFC has supported private sector developers and financed a series of projects in the region—building on our decades of experience in supporting electricity generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades in developing countries.
 
The latest one is AES Colón—Central America’s first integrated plant that generates power from liquefied natural gas. In July, we completed a $150 million financing package for the construction and operation of the 380-megawatt plant, which will help mitigate the risk of electricity shortages while introducing a clean, cost-effective, and reliable energy source
 
CUTTING CARBON EMISSIONS
 
Natural gas—a cheaper and cleaner alternative to fossil fuels—holds great potential as a source of energy in Central America. The region currently relies on heavy fuel oil and diesel for over 40 percent of its installed generation capacity.
 
Over the past decade, Central America struggled to get natural gas projects off the ground. These plants demand large investment, and the energy markets in the region were not big enough to attract investors. As a whole, Central America has roughly the same capacity to generate electricity as Colombia, further south.
 
IFC is helping to change that. Located on Panama’s Atlantic coast, AES Colón includes an onshore terminal where liquefied natural gas is regasified to feed the power plant. The facility is sponsored by AES Corporation and Panama-based Motta Group.
 
By its third year of operation, AES Colón is expected to generate 2,100 gigawatt hours of power which would otherwise be produced using heavy fuel and diesel. This will represent a reduction of about 1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year—the equivalent of taking more than 200,000 cars off the road. Once operational, the project is expected to reduce Panama’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 4 percent.
 
In addition to reducing carbon emissions, natural gas complements renewable energy by ensuring a steady supply of clean power that is able to balance the inherent variability of wind and solar energy.
 
POWER FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
 
Since 2010, IFC has supported the implementation of over 900 MW of new renewable energy capacity in Central America, including 215 MW of wind and 215 megawatt-peak of solar photovoltaic projects, helping offset a slowdown in the construction of hydropower projects in the region.
 
In Panama, we have provided a $300 million financing package for the Penonome wind power plant, the largest wind farm in Central America. The project is expected to generate the equivalent to 5 percent of the country’s total energy demand. In Honduras, we have recently supported three of the first large-scale grid-connected solar projects in the country.
 
In Costa Rica, the Reventazón 305-MW hydropower plant we are supporting will bring light to half a million homes. In recent years, we have also financed a 72-MW geothermal plant in Nicaragua and 123 MW of run-of-the-river hydroelectricity projects in Panama and Honduras—where little or no water storage is necessary.
 
From Panama to Costa Rica through Nicaragua and on to Honduras, new renewable and clean-energy projects are helping transform Central America’s energy landscape and demonstrate that the region can develop the power infrastructure it needs to grow sustainably.
]]> 2016-08-10 03:51:46 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/117856973 CHANGING THE ENERGY LANDSCAPE IN CENTRAL AMERICA claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/117856985 Central American residents pay nearly twice as much to keep their lights on as do their neighbors in South America. The high energy costs hurt the region’s businesses and its residents, hampering job creation and making it harder for people to improve their lives.
 
Soaring electricity rates have long burdened Central America, as the region is highly dependent on imported fossil fuel and at the mercy of fluctuating oil prices. At the same time, rising demand is putting pressure on the region to expand its capacity to generate electricity. It is crucial that the region develop alternate power sources to lower costs, ease the reliance on fuel imports, and reduce carbon emissions.
 
To tackle this challenge, IFC has supported private sector developers and financed a series of projects in the region—building on our decades of experience in supporting electricity generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades in developing countries.
 
The latest one is AES Colón—Central America’s first integrated plant that generates power from liquefied natural gas. In July, we completed a $150 million financing package for the construction and operation of the 380-megawatt plant, which will help mitigate the risk of electricity shortages while introducing a clean, cost-effective, and reliable energy source
 
CUTTING CARBON EMISSIONS
 
Natural gas—a cheaper and cleaner alternative to fossil fuels—holds great potential as a source of energy in Central America. The region currently relies on heavy fuel oil and diesel for over 40 percent of its installed generation capacity.
 
Over the past decade, Central America struggled to get natural gas projects off the ground. These plants demand large investment, and the energy markets in the region were not big enough to attract investors. As a whole, Central America has roughly the same capacity to generate electricity as Colombia, further south.
 
IFC is helping to change that. Located on Panama’s Atlantic coast, AES Colón includes an onshore terminal where liquefied natural gas is regasified to feed the power plant. The facility is sponsored by AES Corporation and Panama-based Motta Group.
 
By its third year of operation, AES Colón is expected to generate 2,100 gigawatt hours of power which would otherwise be produced using heavy fuel and diesel. This will represent a reduction of about 1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year—the equivalent of taking more than 200,000 cars off the road. Once operational, the project is expected to reduce Panama’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 4 percent.
 
In addition to reducing carbon emissions, natural gas complements renewable energy by ensuring a steady supply of clean power that is able to balance the inherent variability of wind and solar energy.
 
POWER FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
 
Since 2010, IFC has supported the implementation of over 900 MW of new renewable energy capacity in Central America, including 215 MW of wind and 215 megawatt-peak of solar photovoltaic projects, helping offset a slowdown in the construction of hydropower projects in the region.
 
In Panama, we have provided a $300 million financing package for the Penonome wind power plant, the largest wind farm in Central America. The project is expected to generate the equivalent to 5 percent of the country’s total energy demand. In Honduras, we have recently supported three of the first large-scale grid-connected solar projects in the country.
 
In Costa Rica, the Reventazón 305-MW hydropower plant we are supporting will bring light to half a million homes. In recent years, we have also financed a 72-MW geothermal plant in Nicaragua and 123 MW of run-of-the-river hydroelectricity projects in Panama and Honduras—where little or no water storage is necessary.
 
From Panama to Costa Rica through Nicaragua and on to Honduras, new renewable and clean-energy projects are helping transform Central America’s energy landscape and demonstrate that the region can develop the power infrastructure it needs to grow sustainably.
]]> 2016-08-10 03:51:54 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/117856985 APPLIED CONSULTANTS, INC. – Brief Project Review claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/118363611 M3 Midstream – Marcellus Shale: Applied Consultants has supplied Inspection for the Greenfield project for M3 Midstream in the Marcellus Shale. This project consisted of 120 miles of 24” Transmission Pipe with numerous lateral lines. The project also consisted of 2 Compressor Stations and 2 CDP’s as well as multiple HDD’s. This system is located in the remote areas of West Virginia and South West Pennsylvania. This is the first footprint for M3 in the Marcellus Shale. This project has transitioned into the Utica with Applied supplying Inspection personnel on several large Plants and pipeline projects. Applied currently has 94 Inspectors working for M3 Midstream and M3 Utica.
 
Pioneer Natural Resources – EFS Midstream/Eagle Ford Shale: Applied has provided inspection and engineering services to this green field project since July 2010. With Applied’s assistance, EFS Midstream was able to in quickly develop their position in the Eagle Ford trend almost 6-8 months ahead of any of their competitors. Applied currently has approximately 50 employees working in various roles on this project. To highlight this effort; six (6) large Central Gas Processing (CGPs) facilities were engineered, constructed and brought on line within 12 months. Each of these facilities consisted of 150 gpm amine plants, glycol dehydration units and 5000 bpd condensate stabilization units. Custody transfer services were also provided at these facilities for both gas and condensate. 300 miles of 8” and 12” pipelines have been laid with numerous bores, including bores under the San Antonio River and Interstate 37. This is an on-going project that continues to keep EFS Midstream as the major contender in this trend.
 
Hawk Field Services/Haynesville Shale Play: Applied has effectively delivered inspection and engineering services to Hawk in a grass-roots movement to develop their position in the Haynesville play since August 2008. To support the ensuing multitude of projects, Applied currently has 54 Inspectors working on these projects in the Haynesville for Hawk Field Services. Highlighted projects during this period are 59 miles and 43 miles - 16” pipelines including 2 Red River bores with an additional 65 miles of pipeline. Our inspectors also managed the installation of several meter facility interconnects to transmission lines with a collective takeaway capacity of some 685MMCFD. Applied’s engineering staff has worked or is working on the design, drafting and installation of 7 amine plants that will total approximately 1300GPM when all are complete.
 
Mark West/Oklahoma: The construction of a 50 mile - 24” gas pipeline began January of 2009 originating in Colgate Oklahoma and ties into Gulf South’s system near Bennington, Okla. Applied’s construction inspection services for this project and others have required a maximum level of some 40 inspectors and field staff. This project completed in June of 2009.
 
Energy Transfer/Barnett: Applied has worked throughout the Barnett for many years and for many companies. We have worked on several projects for ETC over this time period furnishing both inspection and engineering assistance. Some of the ETC projects Applied has furnished inspection services for are:
 
1) 21 miles of 36” Tolar to Cleburne including a power plant lake bore; 
2) 54 mi of 24” Cleburne to Springtown; and
3) Numerous gathering interconnects in NW Barnett of some 100 miles.
 
Encana: Applied provides various inspection services for Encana throughout the US. Some of the inspection disciplines include:
 
1) Monitoring new construction for pipelines, plants, compressor stations and measurement facilities.
2) Inspection of DOT system upgrades for class location changes;
3) Injection facilities; and
4) A host of misc maintenance projects.
 
Our inspector staffing has routinely been between 10 to 70 Applied employees, depending on work load, for the last 3 years lending a definite level of consistency to desired goals achieved.
 
GMX Resources/Haynesville & Cotton Valley: Applied’s engineering department conducted detailed design for a 500MMSCFD, 18 unit single-stage Cat 3608 (2300HP) compressor station and will serve as project manager for the construction. The project also included six inlet pipelines, inlet separation, compression, SulfaTreat and four outlet pipelines. Applied also supplied design, engineering and pipeline inspection for six miles of 12” and 16” pipelines. Our contribution included project management, site plan, plot plan, foundations, P&ID, equipment specifications, piping design, and complete 3D compressor, vessel and piping drawings. The piping drawings included plan & elevation drawings, bill of materials and isometric drawings.
 
Tristate Midstream/Haynesville: Applied has provided plot plan & P&ID as-built drawings for six (6) compression, treating and dehydration facilities. We also provided the design and engineering of a 40 MMSCFD treating and dehydration facility. Engineering included project management, site plan, plot plan, foundations, P&ID, piping design, complete 3D vessel and piping drawings. The piping drawings included plan & elevation drawings, bill of materials and isometric drawings. We have also provided all the inspection services for these projects.
 
TGG Pipeline/Haynesville: Applied served as project manager providing engineering design and inspection services for a 12” HDD of the KCS Railroad along with 4.5 miles of 36” header pipeline. We also conducted the initial permitting process for a 36” dry bore of the same railway. Applied’s engineering department is presently providing the same services for a 23 mile extension of the pipeline and a 500MMSCFD, 4 unit Cat 3616 (4735hp) compressor station with treating and dehydration capability including 5 inlet pipelines and 3 sales connects. Engineering services include the complete basic design package (including those attributes noted in the GMX and Tri-State narratives above) as well as construction specifications to include a RFP for construction of the station.
 
TGG Pipeline/Haynesville: Included in the Basic Engineering Package are:
 
o Design Basis
o Block Flow Diagram & Plot Plan
o Specs for Eqpt, Piping, Elec, & Const.
o Project Schedule 
o P&IDs
o Data for environmental permits
o Electrical One-Line Diagram & Plot
o Equipment List
o Instrument List
o Foundation Design
o Piping Drawings 
o Bill of Materials
o Electrical Area Classification
o Power & Grounding
 
Petrologistics: Applied has served as project manager providing inspection services for 35 miles of 8” & 12” gas pipeline. Applied has also Project Managed and inspected over a Depropanizer plant that was built for around $46 million dollars. We have had as many as 35 inspectors and field staff with Petrologistics at one time to complete their projects.
 
Crosstex Energy: We have worked on several projects for Crosstex over the last 4 years furnishing both inspection and engineering assistance. Some of the Crosstex projects Applied has furnished inspection services for are:
 
1) 12 miles of 20” West Weatherford Loop Line
2) 10 miles of 8” & 10” Benbrook Line
3) Numerous ESB Systems and Compressor Stations
 
Chesapeake Energy – Barnett, Haynsville, Eagle Ford, Marcellus Shales: Applied has provided inspection and engineering services to Chesapeake in these main shale’s but also in several other remote locations. Applied Consultants has become a valued client of Chesapeake’s and has helped build gathering systems, Plants, Compressor Station, Meters, etc. Currently we have over 120 inspectors working throughout the United States for Chesapeake and still growing.
 
]]> 2016-08-16 01:56:01 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/118363611 claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/122625125 2016-09-09 01:06:54 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/122625125 Apple and SAP Partnership: An intelligent move to the future claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/122625185 We at Pro Axia Consultants Business Consulting Group in Osaka, Tokyo, Nagoya, Japan considers this partnership as a worthwhile move for both firms. Both are gigantic and can produce a lot of innovative developments and improve business value as well. We are already expecting a lot of good things to happen because the reliable user experiences of Apple along with the great end-to-end business process and software of SAP could be a smart move towards a more innovative future.
 
We can see that this partnership could lead companies and developers to build great change in the digital world. Different opportunities await us and there will be a transformation in the mobile work experience of customers. Excellent business applications will also be created as well as opening potential for their joint customers.
 
We found out that SAP is creating a lot of new and native iOS industry apps for core business processes. This is to enable customers to completely leverage the data in their SAP enterprise systems and to revolutionize how they run their business anywhere. We know that the kind of capability that powers a digital enterprise is being able to obtain mission-critical information, reports, and data without being tied to your desktop.
 
We learned that SAP is beginning with industries that have a high demand for consumer applications. The said firm is also offering their community of developers with advanced tools and training to build, extend and run a new class of native iOS applications using the HANA Cloud Platform (HCP). Developers will then get access to the power of HANA in the cloud.
 
It's a good thing that you don't need to be a developer to alter an existing SAP application because HCP allows you to do it. Through SAP HCP SDK for iOS, together with training for developers to native iOS apps, we believe that companies and developers can easily create their own native apps for iPhone and iPad.
 
We also found out that this partnership can provide developers with a SAP Fiori for iOS design language based on SAP Fiori UX adapted for iOS, including reusable design components and building blocks to enhance the development of reliable and excellent UI design.
 
Connecting millions of developers, customers, SI partners and ISV partners needs SAP and Apple to build together a SAP Academy for iOS to complement the SDK, and to curate and educate their combined ecosystem. Both firms can gain benefits from sharing the knowledge of technical expertise and design skills for native iOS app development.
 
SAP/Apple collaboration will also make it easier to consume and leverage your organization's most crucial data on their iPhone and iPad devices. We learned that through HANA, SAP's enterprise computing platform can allow customers to constantly access their data each day and acquire significant information.
 
The world we live in requires newer and faster methods to perform a task, access data and do our jobs, and this is what this partnership is aiming for. Being able to access accurate and real-time data is revolutionary. Mobile apps on iOS will make digital transformation even more prevalent across different enterprises. We at Pro Axia Consultants are confident that this partnership will lead to several helpful innovations.
]]> 2016-09-09 01:07:30 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/122625185 Moss Adams: Financial Statements claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/129021380 We focus on the areas of greatest risk to your business to deliver solutions tailored to you and the users of your financial statements.
 
TARGETED APPROACH, TIMELY SERVICE
 
Depending on the needs of your financial statement users, you may need to report under different sets of standards or provide varying levels of detail. Regardless of your requirements now or in the future, we can scale our audit solutions to meet your needs.
 
What’s more, with Moss Adams you’ll benefit from a customized, risk-based approach that emphasizes timely communication and coordination of activities. With dedicated and ongoing involvement from our senior-level professionals, your audit, review, or compilation will be planned and executed by an experienced team that understands your industry.
 
Our emphasis on tailoring an integrated audit to focus on areas of significant risks allows us to complete your engagement in an efficient and effective manner that reduces time spent on post-audit procedures and wrap-up. This approach helps us:
 
• Plan the engagement based on a thorough understanding of your business risks and transactions
• Communicate and coordinate activities with management and the audit committee based on an agreed-upon timeline
• Conduct continuous audit procedures to increase efficiency and reduce the burden on your personnel at year-end
• Work with management to resolve any complex accounting or reporting issues as early as possible in the audit process
• Provide recommendations to management of areas for improvement
 
We provide financial statement assurance solutions in the following areas:
 
• IFRS
• Outsourced accounting
• Reviews and compilations
• SEC audits
 
Lease Accounting Report
 
New guidelines from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) require lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheet through a right-of-use (ROU) asset and corresponding lease liability.
 
This report gives details and examples to help you implement the new guidance, identify leases, distinguish operating leases from finance leases, and more.
]]> 2016-10-07 05:43:45 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/129021380 Harmony Chinese Takeaway Review: Giving you a lovely Chinese cuisine claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/131670276 Bournemouth is such a lovely town and Southbourne, its suburb, is beautiful as well. And within Southbourne lies a Chinese takeaway that most people loved, it is the Harmony Chinese Takeaway. The foods were freshly prepared and were piping hot even when you got home. Experience their well-known generosity with their delicious cuisine with large sized portions. 

There will come a time where you will find Harmony Chinese Takeaway in a busy state and you will have to wait a few more minutes for your order, but it's certain that all will be worth once finished. Every staff was polite and friendly and you won't encounter any major problems with them. 

For many years, several people have been eating on this takeaway and Harmony hasn’t faced any major complaints yet with regards to its food and service. The food was cooked within the right amount of time and was remarkably tasty. Travelers were amazed and view Harmony as the best-kept secret in the town of Bournemouth. 

Every visit is worth your money and you'll never be disappointed. People are attracted to Harmony Chinese Takeaway's traditional Chinese takeaway and affordable yet delicious foods. Its effort in providing lovely Chinese cuisine is admired by locals as well as tourists. 

Customers can't help but to come back again after trying out the food of Harmony. Reviewers claim that every meal was such a lovely experience. The staff was always working hard to provide the best to their customers and it's evident in their welcoming service and top quality food. 

It was also considered as an excellent Chinese takeaway shop and the people appreciate its simple surrounding. They also make sure to provide a prompt service even if they were swamped with lots of orders. 

Every family could enjoy the food of this beautiful takeaway. Harmony is head and shoulders above the rest of takeaways in their town, from its staff to its food, everything is at its finest.]]> 2016-10-19 01:26:21 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/131670276 Hawkfield Gallery Consultants Review: Growing Up with Art claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/132248898 What makes your upbringing different from others? Are you like Sally Caverly who grew up surrounded with art and loving it?
 
Sally Caverly is an art lover, researcher and a conservationist born in 1962 at Massachusettes and New Hampshire. She is the heart and soul of Hawkfield Gallery, the owner and curator dedicated in making the gallery one of the most attractive places to visit in a shore town halfway between Boston and Cape Cod. 
 
Art has become an integrated part of Sally’s life. Her parents are both artists and it seems that they trained her so early on how to run a business by assigning Sally occasionally to serve as an auctioneer for their collection of American impressionist artworks.
 
During her twenties, she started acquiring artworks for her collection. The first artwork she fortunately obtained is a pastel drawing of wild ducks from the famous American pastel artist Willian Henry Chandler. And it seems that her attachment from her home environment which is the East Coast is apparent on her collections as it consists of artworks with birds, geese, ducks and wild animals.
 
Her passion for art combined with a broad experience in the art world has helped her in maintaining the reputation of Hawkfield Gallery in giving a quality service and assistance to art buyers and collectors.
 
Accomplishments
 
Ms. Sally Caverly is currently working as a Director at the North and South Rivers Watershed Association. Her previous works include running online retail store and head of Houghton Mifflin Company’s Research Department. Aside from managing Hawkfield Gallery, Sally loves tutoring students with special needs too. She obtained a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Simmons College, a diploma from Phillips Academy in Andover and a Master’s degree in Education.
]]> 2016-10-21 00:39:43 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/132248898 Oakmere Wealth Management Advisors: Chartered Financial Planner claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/144254176  
Carla Brown graduated through the Chartered Insurance Institute and has been awarded the title Chartered Financial Planner by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).
 
Chartered Status is the profession's gold standard for financial planners. It confirms that every Chartered Financial Planner has completed a suite of professional qualifications equivalent to a bachelor's degree.
 
It also involves a commitment to continuing professional development and adherence to an industry standard Code of Ethics. You can view the Code at www.cii.co.uk/code.
]]> 2016-12-19 02:55:27 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/144254176 How to move money offshore by Bowman Offshore Bank Transfers claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/254717781 Having an offshore bank account — or two… or three — is an important step in planting flags around the world. As we often discuss, the actual opening of an account is relatively easy, and you don’t need a lot of money.

In my guide, The Best Offshore Banks, we discuss 55 banks that will open offshore accounts for anyone with as little as $500 to deposit. In some cases, you won’t even have to leave your living room, as a number of Caribbean and even European banks allow for remote account opening.

However, the bigger challenge for offshore banking newbies is how to move money offshore; precisely, how to get your onshore funds into your new offshore account.

To make things clear, this article is NOT about how to hide money offshore. While the media loves to do gotcha pieces about how easy it is to move money overseas, the reality is that playing by the rules is a lot better way to go.

In the era of FATCA, mutual legal assistance policies among governments, and offshore bank account reporting requirements, you don’t want to play hide and seek. When used legally, offshore bank accounts are an excellent asset protection tool to protect you from bankrupt governments.

If you don’t have an offshore bank account yet, you can learn more about how to get one here. However, if you do have an account but are confused about how to move money into it, here are several strategies for funding your offshore bank account.

International wire transfer

The most common and straightforward method is to simply wire the money from your onshore account (or your existing offshore account) to the new offshore account. Wire transfers work well because there is often no limit to the amount you can send, making it the most practical option for large transfers.

In some countries, sending a wire transfer is extremely simple and affordable. My Hong Kong bank charges about $11 to send money almost anywhere. The only problem is when the transfer gets rejected for some reason by the receiving party and I’m charged a large return fee. This shouldn’t be an issue, however, if you’re wiring money to yourself.

The downside to sending a wire is that it could take a while to arrive in some smaller banking jurisdictions, like Belize, that involve “correspondent banks” that are often in the US or Germany.

In countries where bankers tend to freak out about international wire transfers (see: the United States), you may need to go into a branch to initiate the wire. I know people who have had their US bank accounts restricted for daring to send an international wire transfer to themselves, so be careful. Then again, isn’t that why you wanted to move money offshore to begin with?

Transferwise

If you want to transfer money online, but don’t want to send a wire transfer, new services like Transferwise can help. (For a full review of the different services, read our article on the best ways to transfer money internationally coming out in September 2016.)

Transferwise is based on a peer-to-peer system that cuts out middleman banks and allegedly reduces the fees of moving money overseas. I haven’t found this to be the case; the cost to send $5,000 to a foreign bank account was as much as $50; even crappy US banks charge less to send larger wires.

In reality, services like Transferwise are a better replacement for expensive money senders like Western Union or Moneygram, not for replacing wire transfers. However, Transferwise is easier to use than a wire if your domestic bank dislikes your moving money offshore, since you send the money domestically and their service handles the rest.

Take cash from an ATM

It sounds too easy, but among the easiest ways to move money offshore is merely to take it out offshore to begin with. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best.

In The Best Offshore Banks, we discuss a number of high quality banks that require $2,000, $1,000, or even less in their foreign currency equivalent to open. The only catch with some of these banks is that — unlike accounts that allow you to wire money in later — you need to deposit the money when you open the account.

These banks don’t allow remote account opening, but you can literally use their ATM to take out the amount of the minimum deposit. If you’re domestic bank ATM card imposes a limit on daily withdrawals (usually $400 or $500 for US banks), you may need to plan one day ahead so you can max out the limit on two different days in order to get enough cash.

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin has been put forward as the possible “ultimate offshore bank account” due to its ability to store money securely in the cloud. Bitcoin guru Stephanie Murphy spoke extensively about the privacy benefits of using Bitcoin at two of my Passport to Freedom conferences.

However, Bitcoin can also be used as a mechanism to transfer funds offshore. If you own Bitcoin in your home country, you can access them in your destination country by using services like Local Bitcoins, or by using one of the growing numbers of platforms that connects directly to a bank account.

Coinapult, for instance, allows you to store Bitcoins and freeze their value to the value of a foreign currency, gold, or silver, reducing volatility until you want to move them into your foreign bank account. Coinbase and other services allow transfers to connected bank accounts, although many offshore jurisdictions are not yet supported.

Sell your gold and silver

If you own gold or silver offshore, such as in a vault here in Singapore, you can often sell those precious metals and have funds wired into your local bank account. Singapore is an excellent option for this as gold storage here is highly secure and Singapore bank accounts are also excellent.

If you already own gold and silver, there are ways to ship it overseas (again, Singapore is a good option) and later sell it for cash. Transporting gold on your person can be risky since customs forms are required in many cases. You should also make sure you follow all rules regarding sales of precious metals, capital gains taxes and other reporting requirements in your home country. Consult a tax professional for help.

If you’re wondering why “put money in a suitcase and show up in the Virgin Islands” isn’t on the list, it’s because almost everyone on earth — save those in Hong Kong and a few other countries — has to declare cash being taken out of the country.

While transporting any amount of cash is legal in most countries, most law-abiding citizens don’t carry large amounts of cash over borders. Those who do often make customs officials suspicious enough to go so far as to confiscate your cash. On top of the legal hassles, most banks don’t want huge piles of cash being deposited due to money laundering concerns; many banks now charge a cash deposit fee for the privilege.
]]> 2018-04-24 08:18:07 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/254717781 Bowman Offshore Bank Transfers: Ten Things to Know About Offshore Bank Accounts claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/255081008 If you are a U.S. citizen or resident and maintain an undisclosed foreign bank account, beware. As numerous prosecutions trumpeted by the IRS make clear, the stakes have never been higher and the potential liabilities can be staggering. Why worry?

The vaunted secrecy of Swiss and other tax havens turns out not to be so secret after all. They've already named names to the IRS and more are on the way. 

Although the UBS case was most publicized, HSBC, Credit Suisse, and many other banks are in the mix now, as are many foreign countries besides Switzerland. So putting your head in the sand won't work in the long term.

The IRS had a special "Voluntary Disclosure Program" to bring violators into the fold, but the cutoff for participating in it was Oct. 15, 2009. If you are in that program, you are probably still slogging through filings and disclosures to the IRS. But if you missed that deadline--and many thousands did--beware. Sooner or later you'll have to address this problem one way or another.

Here's what you need to know:

1. You Must Report Worldwide Income

You must report your worldwide income on your U.S. income tax return. Plus, you must check "yes" (on Schedule B) if you have an interest in a foreign bank or financial account. Worldwide income means everything, including interest, foreign earnings, wages, dividends and other income. Even if the foreign income is taxed somewhere else, you still must report it to the IRS. You might be entitled to a foreign tax credit, or if you are living and working abroad, you may be entitled to an exclusion from U.S. tax for some or all of the income you earn abroad. But you still must report it.

2. Tax Return Disclosure Isn't Enough

Tax return filing alone isn't enough. All U.S. persons with foreign bank accounts must also file annually a Treasury Department Form, TD F 90-22.1 Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts--commonly called an FBAR. The FBAR is due each June 30 for the preceding year. You must file an FBAR if the aggregate value of your foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the year. All your foreign accounts are aggregated, so if you have two small accounts, say one in Germany with $5,000, and one in England with $6,000, you need to file an FBAR. If your foreign account balances at all times during the year total less than the equivalent of $10,000 U.S., you do not need to check the box on your tax return or file an FBAR, but you must still report any account earnings on your tax return.

3. There Are Big Tax Penalties

If you don't comply with one or both sets of obligations the penalties are severe. You sign tax returns under penalties of perjury, so if you fail to report your worldwide income--or even fail to check the box disclosing you have a foreign account--it can be considered tax evasion and fraud. The statute of limitations on such criminal acts is six years. Plus, the statute of limitations never expires on civil tax fraud, so the IRS can pursue you 10 or 20 years later for back taxes, interest and penalties. If you failed to report income, your civil liability to the IRS can include a 20% accuracy-related penalty or a 75% civil fraud penalty.

4. FBAR Penalties Are Even Bigger

The penalties for failure to file an FBAR are even worse. Failing to file an FBAR can carry a civil penalty of $10,000 for each non-willful violation. But if your violation is found to be willful, the penalty is the greater of $100,000 or 50 percent of the amount in the account for each violation--and each year you didn't file is a separate violation.


5. You Can Go To Jail
Filing a false tax return is a felony, while failing to file is only a misdemeanor--think of it as the Wesley Snipes rule. A person convicted of tax evasion can face a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. Filing a false return can mean up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A person who fails to file a tax return can face up to one year of prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Failing to file FBARs can be criminal too, and the penalties are even more severe. The monetary penalties can be up to $500,000 and the potential prison term is up to ten years.

6. Voluntary Disclosure Is Still an Option

If you admit your failures to the IRS and say you want to make it right, you've made a "voluntary disclosure." Don't confuse this with the "Voluntary Disclosure Program," which had an Oct. 15, 2009 deadline. It is too late for that prepackaged program, but it's not too late to make an individual "voluntary disclosure." A voluntary disclosure must be truthful, timely and complete. You must: cooperate with the IRS in determining your correct tax liability; and make good faith arrangements with the IRS to pay the tax, interest and penalties determined by the IRS.

While a voluntary disclosure does not guarantee immunity from prosecution, the government generally will not prosecute you if you come forward voluntarily before you're under investigation. (If the IRS is already investigating you, all bets are off.) Note, however, that in publicizing the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program in 2009, the IRS made clear it would show no mercy to those with undisclosed offshore accounts who didn't turn themselves in by the Oct. 15, 2009 deadline. For that reason, some tax lawyers fear that the traditional advantage of a voluntary disclosure--no criminal prosecution--is less certain.

Stepping forward should be done through a tax lawyer to the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. Usually the case will be referred to the civil branch of the IRS where all the filings, amending and penalty calculations are done. You then must file amended income tax returns for past years and delinquent FBARs. There's no bright line for how far back you'll have to go, as situations vary. 

However, the Oct. 15, 2009 program required six years of amended tax returns and FBARs, so that's a good benchmark. The total cost of making a voluntary disclosure is also hard to assess, but it can be more than the amount in your foreign account.

7. "Quiet Disclosure" Is Also an Option

Some practitioners consider a voluntary disclosure "noisy," since it involves going to the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. A "quiet" disclosure involves a correction of past problems without drawing attention to what you are doing and without going to the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. If you amend all past tax returns to report all income, check the box on Schedule B, and file all past due FBARs, haven't you (quietly) fixed everything? Arguably, yes. You would send in all the money you owe or wait to be billed. If you have been paying foreign taxes on your foreign earnings, your foreign tax credits could even net out the U.S. tax, so you might not owe back taxes.

If you reported and paid tax on all your income but did not file FBARs, you should attach a statement explaining why they were late. Perhaps you had never heard of FBARs or were told by your accountant you were in full compliance. You can avoid penalties if you had "reasonable cause" for not filing FBARs, but the grounds for waiving penalties aren't terribly clear.

8. Inconsistency Will Hurt You

Can you amend your tax returns, reporting your worldwide income and checking the foreign account box, but not bother filing delinquent FBARs? By checking the tax return box acknowledging your foreign account, you are admitting you have an FBAR filing obligation. So not also filing the delinquent FBARs seems risky.

Even though FBAR penalties are big, there have been some indications the IRS may not be pushing them too hard. If you don't file a pile of old FBARs, perhaps it won't be obvious you didn't file in the past? A tax lawyer cannot recommend this, but some clients are probably choosing not to file old FBARs.

9. Prospective Compliance Only Is Risky

Can you start filing complete tax returns and FBARs prospectively, but not try to fix the past? Some people think the IRS is so overwhelmed with FBARs and tax returns that you might be OK, but the risks are enormous and I cannot  recommend it. The IRS may ask about the lack of prior FBARs and of prior tax returns disclosing a foreign account. If they ask questions, you should respond through your attorney and you can't lie.

10. Keeping Money Offshore Is Still Legal

Should you close all your foreign accounts and bring your money home? You are entitled to have money and investments anywhere in the world as long as you disclose your foreign accounts. If you are considering not trying to clean up your past tax returns and FBARs, you may be tempted to close your foreign account. However, closing your foreign account doesn't relieve you of the obligation to file accurate tax returns and FBARs. Tying off the problem prospectively may make sense, but can make your lack of compliance even worse if your actions are viewed as efforts to conceal your previous offshore activities. For that reason, don't take any of these steps without professional advice.

There's widespread confusion and noncompliance involving foreign bank accounts and the situation is unlikely to get better. Get some professional advice and try to get your situation resolved.
]]> 2018-04-25 02:48:45 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/255081008 Cryptocurrency: How Cardonio Credit Card Can Change Your World? claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/277849174 Recent years introduced us to a new phenomenon in finance and currency unprecedented in the history of human civilization. All this, just as every new communication and information technology advancement, we owe to the advent of semiconductors which human ingenuity discovered and harnessed from natural processes uncovered by biology, chemistry and physics.

Who would have thought that such elementary science principles we learned in our youth carried with them so much potential that they would all become integrated into other aspects of human life, such as medicine, telecommunications, space exploration, engineering and other fields not so obviously related, in particular, economics.

Moreover, all of these advancements would not have been possible without the initial human discoveries and advancement in mathematical theories and applications. Economics, for instance, utilizes math to allow practitioners to analyze past, present and future behavior of market prices, stocks, capital values, taxes, business decline/growth, sales trends and so many other financial and economic parameters.

One new-kid-in-town, in particular, has provided ordinary people as well as companies a way to short-circuit the highly-regulated world of finance: cryptocurrency. It has literally transformed the world in only a few years. Cardonio recognizes the potential of this financial tool and has set itself up to provide assistance to everyone willing to ride its unprecedented rise to fame and prominence.

Truly, Cardonio believe that cryptocurrencies “can change the entire distribution of wealth, and give the two billion unbanked people access to the same type of financial services that everybody else has. We are developing financial products that solve real problems around the world for millions of people.” With its professional management team fifteen-year track record in the development of digital payment and banking solutions, Cardonio has what it takes to make every individual’s financial goals become a reality.

Equipped with the sufficient knowledge and experience in conventional, as well as innovative modern financial management expertise, Cardonio is a pioneer poised to take on the challenges of the bright and exciting financial world of the future.

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]]> 2018-09-05 06:24:13 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/277849174 What is a Cardonio Crypto Credit Card? claudekeiper https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/279228602  
Crytocurrency entered human consciousness only in the past few years and yet has grown phenomenally due to its revolutionary nature, being a currency tool that is practically unregulated by any formal financial institution other than the “underground” purveyors of the currency who resided online in the virtual world. In short, it introduced a convenient way to hold money, save money and spend money that was invisible but was as efficient as real fiat money itself. It was a radical idea that was quite liberating for the individual. And the fact that it was a growing phenomenon at the very outset brought many to dip their fingers into the sumptuous pie. 

It did not take long before the financial regulatory agencies sought to look into this new tool. Recent reports related to cryptocurrency highlighting its supposed failures and abuses, has not prevented many to put their money into this new currency mode. We can practically say with enough confidence that cryptocurrency, just like the gold coin in the ancient world of barter trading, is here to stay. 

Considering the nature of cryptocurrency being what it is, making use of it to one’s best advantage requires having easy access to it in the same way that the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) did to savings banking for the ordinary consumer. Cardonio brought it a step further for people who use foreign currency around the world by coming out with an efficient payment card for those who hold Ether, Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrency accounts. 

This solution targets people within the Cryptocurrency community and allows them “to secure instant lines of credit using nothing more than their existing Crypto holdings as security”. This gives immense power to a person, as if he or she virtually owns the world’s banking systems, giving one “complete liquidity of their Cryptocurrency assets, because if the price of their Crypto increases during the 90-day period, they receive the benefits of all upside gains”. 

Moreover, every customer can choose whatever percentage they set their “stop loss limits up to a maximum of 35%, meaning even in the event the value of their crypto holdings drops, they are protected at the level they chose”. This assurance gives the individual the confidence that Cardonio stands behind every individual transaction entered into at any location in the world at any time. 

One great benefit derived from using a Cardonio Card is that any time a purchase is made, for example, for $10,000 which, let us just say, is worth 1BTC, when the due date comes for paying for that transaction after 90 days, the BTC price might go above $12,000. We can easily see that a savings of more than of 20% has been gained. This leveraging on the potential growth of cryptocurrency may not appear so different from existing currency or price inflation which is but an opposite effect; however, it builds on the innovative idea that cryptocurrency acts in a generally positive curve, whereas conventional currencies act on a generally negative curve. It is no different from the practice of medicine which tries to address symptoms while the new paradigm in wellness and new health protocols depends on nutrition and positive living – in short, positive growth vs. loss of value. 

The guardians of conventional currencies may not be so pleased with what is happening. But now, any person can have a better choice through what Cardonio offers. 

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]]> 2018-09-10 01:17:23 UTC https://padlet.com/claudekeiper/Bookmarks/wish/279228602