AC Interpreting

Archive for June, 2010

:: 1. What is the difference between copper cable and fiber optic cable?

Even though fiber optic cables may look like traditional copper cables, we should always keep in mind that inside fiber cables are fragile glass fibers which can be broken easily if not properly handled.

:: 2. What are the most important things to obey in fiber cable installation?

During any fiber optic cable installation project, we must keep two very important things in mind: First, never over-bend the fiber cable over its minimum bend radius. Second, never pull over the cable manufacturer’s cable pulling tension specification.

:: 3. What is a Minimum Bend Radius?

Fiber cables all have a minimum bend radius specification by the manufacturers. This the minimum curve radius while bending the fiber cable in either installation process or after the installation in its final resting position. You can make larger curves but never smaller than specified.

:: 4. What is Fiber Cable Loaded Minimum Bend Radius?

Loaded minimum bend radius is the fiber cable bend radius specification during a cable pull as in the installation process. The cable must not bend tighter than its loaded minimum bend radius at any time during the installation process. Loaded minimum bend radius is larger than unloaded minimum bend radius as explained below.

:: 5. What is Fiber Cable Unloaded Minimum Bend Radius?

Unloaded minimum bend radius is the fiber bending radius specification in the cable’s final resting position after installation. That is when the cable is not under any tension. Unloaded minimum bend radius is smaller than loaded minimum bend radius. Often, this spec is determined by a simple multiplication such as 15~25 X OD (fiber cable outside diameter).

:: 6. What is Fiber’s Minimum Bend Radius?

Fiber optic cables are composed of individual fibers (strands). Individual fibers also have a minimum bend radius specification, which is usually 2~3 cm and is much smaller than jacket cables.

:: 7. What will happen if a fiber cable is bent smaller than its minimum bend radius?

Bending a fiber cable over its minimum bend radius is one of biggest factors in fiber damaging in fiber cable installation projects. This practice can either break the inside fibers or increase fiber attenuation (fiber power loss) over the manufacturer’s specification. Even if the inside fibers are already broken, you may not see any physical damage to the outside jacket at all. The consequence is, you have to replace the whole section or even the entire length of cable. As a good practice, all fibers need to be thoroughly tested after cable installation.

:: 8. What is Pulling Tension?

Pulling tension is the force placed on per square unit of fiber cable cross section. Maximum pulling tensions during fiber cable installation are specified by cable manufacturers and should not be exceeded at any time. Most tensile load on a cable will occur in a vertical installation and is caused by the cable’s own weight.

:: 9. Other Fiber Optic Cable Installation Tips

a. The cable should be pulled by hand as much as possible

b. Pulling tension should always be monitored when using mechanical pulling techniques

c. Cable should be pulled in a steady, continuous motion and never jerked

d. Never push a fiber optic cable

e. Using the minimum possible tension while pulling fiber cables

A financial plan is for those who want to structure their future. Although you cannot ‘plan’ the future, you can at least think about it. And that is what a financial plan supports you with.

Here are some simple steps (A spreadsheet will help you a lot…):

One – Income. Start with your current income. Analyse the growth rate if this income of previous years and calculate an average (growth rate). If you use a spreadsheet you can use a first line on the income sheet and add for each next line the increment in salary and other income. You can place YEAR in the first column. Than have the spreadsheet calculate your income until the age of your retirement.

Two – Expenses. A next sheet could be dedicated to expenses. You can analyse this up to any level, but the main idea is that you understand how many percent of your income is spend on normal and extra expenses, taxes and what percent is left for savings. In order to plan you need the get clear what percentages are dedicated to what category (see the next step). The financial plan stops here if there are no structural savings…

Three – Possessions. What have you built up previously? You can choose to balance this with (long term) debts like a mortgage, but to keep it simple you can leave this out. This first line is about historic data. You will have to calculate the next (Years) by adding income, and deducting (future) taxes and other expenses. Investment returns fall also in this category. What kind of a yield (rate) do you plan for your future investments?

Four – Scenarios. This sheet is where financial planning is all about. You want to plan. And therefore a (personal) financial plan is not any different than a project planning. You want to discuss possible scenarios with other stakeholders (for example with your partner). Scenarios are about questions like; “when could we stop, can we take a sabbatical,” or other questions starting with; “what if…” Things you need to know in advance. You need to anticipate. This, because you have to steer the scenarios with some kind of investments.

The last step is about realizations. Setting up a financial plan is very easy, although you can make it as complex as you would wish. If your investments grow less than planned, you need to take (additional) actions.

In order to achieve success in your online network marketing business it will be a good move for you to utilize online marketing tactics. Not a lot of people are familiar with the marketing tactics that are available on the Internet and this is the main reason why they never use them to promote their business. There are many tactics that you can utilize to promote your business without even having to spend any money.

One of the most basic online marketing tactics that you can actually utilize to get started on the Internet is known as article marketing. This is a very powerful and effective method that you can use to promote your online network marketing business and actually start getting results.

This is one of those promotional method that you actually just invest your time into and you do not have to put in any money, is the perfect way to get started. Understand that this is just not the only method but is one of the best ones that you can use and you won’t have to spend any money. There are many people who promote your network marketing business off-line and that is fine but keep in mind that the Internet offers many ways for you to actually start promoting from home from the comfort of your computer.

The time that you would spend trying to find people off-line you can spend it writing articles because it will be a lot more profitable towards your business success. All you’re going to have to do is basically go on the Internet and start getting familiar with the different methods you can utilize. This is going to take some time but it is going to be worth it.

As much as people like to deny it, jewelry is something we all desire. Whether we prefer a ring or a pair of diamond earrings, individuals of all ages consider jewelry to be a symbol of class and style. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly difficult for the average consumer to get his or her hands on this fashionable accessory. Prices have continued to skyrocket to the point that the majority of shoppers have only been able to select from a paltry variety, one limited to very simplistic looking jewelry. Fortunately, a new industry sprung up to address the needs of the financially conservative consumer. This industry has made wholesale costume jewellery widely available, putting stylish jewelry within the financial grasp of a larger number of people. The quality of such jewelry has greatly improved thanks to technological progress in the manufacturing process. Given the affordable price of such trendy adornments, it simply doesn’t make sense to put off glamorizing your wardrobe any longer.

Many consumers often wonder why wholesale costume jewllery is available so inexpensively. The answer lies in its unique manufacturing process. Instead of utilizing precious metal to make an entire piece of jewelry, developers merely coated a non-precious one with either silver or gold. This cut costs considerably. Since most consumers will never see the inner portion of their chain, ring, or bracelet, it is rather pointless to occupy the space with an expensive metal. Over the years, manufacturers have grown more diligent in increasing the thickness of the plating, for occasional usage can sometimes degrade the coating in some areas. This has resulted in jewelry with a much longer lifespan. The karat rating of the plating has also grown in recent years. Many higher-quality pieces often feature an 18K+ plating. This high rating works to attract more attention to the jewelry thanks to its increased luster and color depth. Numerous pieces of plated jewelry look so authentic that few people dare to question their legitimacy.

As with traditional jewelry, wholesale costume jewellery is tailored for a wide array of tastes. Some consumers may prefer a more flashy look that dazzles the eyes of onlookers. This can be achieved with “iced” jewelry. Others might gravitate towards the less flashy, more elegant pieces which feature only a few “diamonds.” In either case, the industry has you covered. The more quality-oriented pieces often make use of cubic zirconia stones. These stones imitate the look of actual diamonds surprisingly well, and are more than durable for most consumers’ needs. Since they cost only fractions the amount of an actual diamond, manufacturers can use them as sparingly in their products as needed.

Consumers are no longer limited to spending gross amounts of money in hopes of appeasing their desire for jewelry. Buying imitation jewelry is one of the best ways you can get your hands on stylish jewelry without subjecting yourself to bankruptcy. Aesthetically, such jewelry is impeccably identical to traditional jewelry, making it indistinguishable from the real thing. A small investment can mean favorable results even when dealing with jewelry.

If you are a small business owner, you know there was welcome relief in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, popularly known as the Stimulus Act. So what was so great about the Act? Among other things, section 501 reduced the fees paid by borrowers so they did not have to pay the dreaded “SBA loan guarantee fee”. This was traditionally 2% of 75% of the loan amount on the large 7(a) loans. Also, section 502 increased the guarantee percentage which pays banks their losses upon default, from 75 to 90%. Cause for celebration? Absolutely. But we must temper our excitement with the fact these benefits may no longer be in effect if Congress does not appropriate more money. In fact, some pundits think it may run out in December based on the volume of SBA loans.

To understand this, you have to get a grasp on why more money is needed. Prior to the Act, banks were given more incentive to make loans because the SBA would step in and pay their losses by a certain percentage. When the guarantee rate went from 75% to 90%, coupled with a higher default rate because of the economy, the Feds had to shell out more money to the banks. And then there was the waiver of SBA guarantee fees which are subsidized by taxpayers-you and I. Without the money, those incentives go way.

So, things were really percolating along as a result of these incentives. In the beginning of 2009, the SBA approved approximately 165 million loans. But by July and August, the figure had risen to 320 million and 400 million respectively. More loans simply meant more risk-increased expenditures by the government.

And so what is Congress doing to find the extra funds? It is probably unlikely to secure additional appropriation in the new Stimulus Act amendments since they have already passed committee and did not include such measures. Instead, Congress is looking into any unused money under our friend (depending on what political aisle you’re sitting on) the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). This originally allocated funds to prop up the secondary market. Amendments to that bill could provide some of the appropriation necessary.

Translation: as small business owners we don’t care what you call it or who’s doing it, just as long as these incentives continue. The fact that there are actually banks making small business loans does wonders to provide needed capital and at least keep our hopes alive in this anguishing financial market.

So what does that mean to me as a small business owner? I’m not interested in a large loan with a lot of paperwork. I simply want a streamlined loan application where I can receive unsecured monies in the neighborhood of 5K to 50K . The last thing anyone wants to see is this type of loan going away. Well, you are in luck. Because of these incentives, banks are actually making these loans under a popular program called SBA Community Express. It does not require business plans, tax returns, or financials , and is now running at the rate of approximately 7.75% or $60 per month for every $5,000 borrowed. We can only keep our fingers crossed that this golden egg laid by Congress remains available.

If you are like me, you loathe spending money on gas. Especially the time when, for no good reason, it goes up five or ten cents over night. Many of my clients seeking personal finance help are searching for tips on saving money in certain areas. For now, I’ll focus on how to manage money in relation to your fuel economy. Keep in mind, It is vitally important that you have a good quality budget in place so that you have a pre-determined spending goal on gas. You could search google for various budget tools, or go to our resource link for a detailed budget spreadsheet. Here are three very useful tips.

Drive Sensibly – My grandma’s Lincoln Town Car has a mileage gage. It’s amazing the change on the gage when I accelerate quickly (imaging it’s not a town car, but I pretend it’s a Ferrari) versus taking it easy. Studies have shown that fast acceleration, speeding and abrupt braking can lower fuel economy by 33% on the freeway and 5% city driving. So, take a lesson from my grandma if you want to learn how to manage money better, drive safe and slower. Fewer accidents, save on fuel.

Use Cruise Control – On top of cruise’s ability to allow you to relax your legs on lengthy trips, it also helps you avoid speeding which uses more gas. Also, it limits how often you drop your speed which causes you to speed up more often to get back up to speed. Not only will cruise save you gas, but as you’re using it as a method of how to manage money, you’ll prevent those expensive speeding tickets.

Buy fuel efficient vehicles – There are many benefits with this one. Smaller, more fuel efficient cars are also less expensive off the lot. When I show my clients how to manage money and be more frugal, their pick of a car usually plays a big role. They save cash on the purchase and smaller vehicles are a lot better on gas. When I purchased a 2008 Honda Civic, it qualified for Canada’s eco-auto rebate program. I received $1000 back from the government.

So I know how much you’d love to appear wealthy and successful and have people everywhere staring at your big SUV, but it’s bad for the environment and for your wallet. In most of the how to manage money lessons I have with my clients who are thinking of buying a new vehicle, I tell them to choose cars that are better on gas. They will not only have more money to save for their future after they buy the car, but they’ll also save lots of cash on their gas. Search online or check out our budget spreadsheet to figure out which car you can afford and what vehicle will save you more cash.