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Archive for May, 2012|Monthly archive page

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Tax Tiger Reports that State Tax Collectors Offer Negotiations

In Finance on May 31, 2012 at 11:26 am
Tax Tiger


Tax Tiger

California catches up with Federal government on Offers in Compromise acceptance rates, says Tax Tiger.

In this recent interview with Tax Tiger, Presentation Solutions uncovers information on how the firm can help individuals and business owners in California negotiate with their state income tax collector.

Presentation Solutions: We understand that many states are now offering to negotiate tax debt. For time’s sake, let’s focus on your primary state of California. Can you tell us who is responsible for collecting taxes in the Golden State?

Tax Tiger: The State of CA Franchise Tax Board.

Presentation Solutions: Is it more difficult to qualify for an Offer in Compromise from state to state than it is with the federal government?

Tax Tiger: That appeared to be the case until recently. Over the last few years, the State of California appears to have leveled out with the federal acceptance rate.

Presentation Solutions: Is the submission and approval process faster with the state or the IRS?

Tax Tiger: Turnaround time is considerably faster with the state, which works more intuitively than the IRS.

Presentation Solutions: Does the state pursue collection activities in the middle of an OIC Proceeding?

Tax Tiger: Not usually, but there are no laws prohibiting the state from doing so. This differs from the IRS who does offer a protected stay period during the negotiating process.

Presentation Solutions: How does the state determine compromise numbers when a taxpayer also owes the federal government?

Tax Tiger: Very simply stated, the state of California expects an offer to be proportionate to the amount the taxpayer owes the federal government. Tax Tiger can help by reviewing the taxpayer’s current information and helping them determine a reasonable amount. This will expedite the process.

Presentation Solutions: So if a taxpayer owes the state approximately one-half of what they owe the IRS, should they offer a proportionate settlement?

Tax Tiger: Yes, that is exactly right. The state is much more likely to accept an offer of less than the actual money owed when a taxpayer is also facing a federal liability.

Presentation Solutions: Are there any tips that you would offer taxpayers who are trying to negotiate with the state and the IRS at the same time?

Tax Tiger: If the taxpayer can pay the state a proportionate amount in cash, they can exclude this amount from the available assets they present to the federal government, possibly increasing the chances of a lower settlement with the IRS.

Presentation Solutions: How far back does the Franchise Tax Board review taxpayer income history?

Tax Tiger: Three years so that the state may compare the reported income to previous tax years.

Presentation Solutions: Are there any differences between the federal and state forms required to apply for an OIC?

Tax Tiger: The state forms are longer and require a more detailed breakdown of expenses. This is actually a benefit to taxpayers since it allows for items such as tithing and college education expenses to be considered. Tax Tiger can help the taxpayer here as well, since we are familiar with what expenses are allowable and which are not.

Tax Tiger, America’s Most Effective Tax Representation Company can be contacted by calling 866.667.3829 or by going online to http://www.taxtiger.com


Aviation Tips from John Stein | Current Options for Cabin Creature Comfort

In Professionals on May 22, 2012 at 7:29 pm

During his lengthy career in the aviation business, John Stein personally thinks that cabin comfort in private jets has reached new heights. According to John Stein, the comfort factor isn’t just for show. Whether you’re flying from his office in San Francisco or your own in New York or Miami, the more comfortable you are the less you will be tired or jet lagged – and when time is money, being rested can be worth millions.

John Stein has seen the obvious niceties including roomier seats with butter-soft leather as well as headroom so that even the tallest passengers can stand up and move about comfortably. Other fatigue-reducing improvements include air quality in the cabin, natural light, vibration and ambient noise. When you’ve got clients planning to fly extra long-range, adds John Stein, the comfort factor ramps up in importance.

Take air pressure as an example. According to John Stein, a commercial flight can reduce a passenger’s intake of oxygen by approximately 4 percent when flying at 8,000 feet. This causes fatigue — the longer the trip, the more tired the passenger. When you improve the differential in pressurization, passengers (and crew) find that the fatigue factor is greatly reduced. This goes directly to safety aspects as well, points out John Stein. A tired crew can make mistakes, which is why cabin pressure that can simulate close to sea level altitude is a feature that many of the more recent private aircraft strive for (and some actually deliver).

Commercial airliners filter a mix of fresh and re-circulated air, which is very dry. Not only does the dehydration cause passenger discomfort, it also encourages airborne illnesses. Some private aircraft for sale by John Stein offer features like humidifiers, bacteria filters and fresh air throughout the flight, and these all add up to a more comfortable and pleasant flight experience.

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American Medical Student Association

In Health and Beauty, Information on May 21, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Kyle Thomas Glasser

Kyle Thomas Glasser

American Medical Student Association (AMSA) has been in existence since 1950. Currently, AMSA has registered members totaling to 68,000 and Kyle Thomas Glasser is one of them. The members include premedical students, medical students, practicing physicians, interns as well as medical residents. It is located in Washington D.C. as an independent association meant to help physicians who are undergoing training all over United States. This is one of the oldest national associations for premedical and medical students. The main aim of AMSA is to assist students in giving high quality health care services as well as provide health care generally.

Every month, AMSA invites people who are in the field of medicine to attend their meetings where students get a chance to interact with them and help them understand medical field better. When you become a member of American Medical Student Association, you will benefit in many ways like:

  • All the members of AMSA are involved in moral, ethical and social obligations that every medical doctor should do
  • Helps in bettering your understanding and improving health-related problems- the good thing with this is that you will be tackling the problems practically unlike in class where you learn much theory than practical
  •  You will have an opportunity to contribute towards the welfare of premedical students, medical students, trainees, interns and residents
  • You will be able to improve your medical education, increase your leadership values as well as promote activism

If you have a dream and a vision of becoming a medical doctor, then you should join AMSA now- if you have not joined yet. You are not late yet and the process of becoming a member is simple. If you are a medical student, you will not pay any membership fee. On the other hand, you must be studying in an accredited university or undertaking osteopathic or allopathic training program. In addition, you do not have to renew your membership as long as you are still studying for your medical course.

Once you have become a member of AMSA, you will never regret. You will automatically become one among the many physicians who share common interests and who know that patients and health professionals can work together in the maintenance and management of health. As a physician, you should acknowledge that patients have the right of accessing health care facilities unlike others who think that it is a privilege. Your way of taking ideas will be transformed into institutional change, public service and innovation just like what happened to Kyle Thomas Glasser.

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Garrett Hoelscher Says Functional Strength Training Can Help Accomplish the Impossible

In Finance, Health and Beauty, Lifestyle on May 20, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Garrett Hoelscher

Garrett Hoelscher

Presentation Solutions recently sat down with financial analyst Garrett Hoelscher, to discuss staying fit while working a desk job.

Presentation Solutions: First, Garrett Hoelscher, we’d like to thank you for your time today.

Garrett Hoelscher:  I am always happy to talk about the things I am passionate about. Fitness is something upon which I place a very high value.

Presentation Solutions: Can you tell us what you typically include in your workout routine?

Garrett Hoelscher:  Well, there are many different approaches to exercise, and I have tried many of them…

Presentation Solutions: We understand that there is particularly one that you believe in, is that correct?

Garrett Hoelscher:  Yes. What I have found most effective and efficient are CrossFit workouts. CrossFit consists of intense intervals of movements that use multiple muscle groups simultaneously. My own personal experience with CrossFit has taught me a lot about the body and fitness.

Presentation Solutions: Is this program something you do at your local gym?

Garrett Hoelscher:  You could, but in most gyms across the country, we see countless types of machines that isolate muscle groups. Aside from professional body builders, these will do little good for most people.

Presentation Solutions: Why is that?

Garrett Hoelscher:  Those machines develop nonfunctional strength – they make it possible to strengthen one group of muscle without developing complementary and supportive muscle groups. That increases the likelihood of strain and injury.

Presentation Solutions: That sounds like it could potentially be dangerous for inexperienced gym-goers.

Garrett Hoelscher:  It could. In my humble opinion, it best to focus on functional strength and conditioning by way of big exercise and lifts that workout the whole body together. This increases total net strength.

Presentation Solutions: Isn’t functional strength training only for athletes who need each muscle to coordinate with one another quickly an efficiently?

Garrett Hoelscher:  No, not really. A workout routine like CrossFit is actually a fitness model that anyone and everyone can follow. Basically, it leads to a better sense of balance and increased joint stability since all of the muscles must work in unison. In fact, functional strength training’s roots are in physical therapy and rehabilitation where individuals who have suffered an injury must learn to use their entire body instead of compensating for the hurt area.

Presentation Solutions: Are there certain pieces of equipment one should use for this type of training?

Garrett Hoelscher:  There are several key strength training aids. Sandbags, free weights, exercise balls, and balance disks are pretty commonly utilized implements.

Presentation Solutions: Can you give us an example of how your CrossFit training has helped your overall life?

Garrett Hoelscher:  Absolutely… last year some friends and I decided to climb Mt. Washington. I was just past the recovery stage of reconstructive knee surgery. It was a 20-mile hike in grueling conditions but I made it without reinjuring my knee. I wholeheartedly believe that because of my background in CrossFit my body was able to handle the strain of such a strenuous undertaking.

Presentation Solutions: That alone is quite a feat and it is amazing that you could conquer Mt. Washington post surgery – any kind of surgery, but especially knee surgery.

Garrett Hoelscher:  Thank you.

Presentation Solutions: Again, we appreciate your speaking with us and are sure that you will serve as an inspiration to our readers. We look forward to catching up with you again later in the year.

 

With a diverse resume, Garrett Hoelscher has leveraged his experience to effectively serve a diversity of clients in his work as a financial analyst. Currently a Performance Manager at Wayfair, Garrett Hoelscher has come around full circle from his early days as a commercial banking intern at ING in New York City.

Over his years of business experience, Garrett Hoelscher has had the opportunity to reside in a variety of locations throughout the United States. Garrett Hoelscher points to the time spent in Aspen, Colorado as one of the most memorable. There, Garrett Hoelscher found success as an entrepreneur and enjoyed outdoor activities such as skiing the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Today, Garrett Hoelscher is a resident of the northeastern United States where he stays in shape with hiking, skiing, and the pursuit of the CrossFit rigorous fitness regimen. He also enjoys the outdoors, including the pursuit of skiing, mountain trekking, and lacrosse.

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Blog Post – Markus Lattner

In Personal on May 18, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Markus Lattner

Markus Lattner

Growing up in the countryside of Austria and spending all his free time in the woods, marshes and mountains, Markus Lattner created an intimate connection to nature. The main focus of study and interest for Markus Lattner was on raptors; in his teen years he spent every minute observing, seeking out and collecting data on these birds of prey.

At 13 years of age Markus Lattner became aware that a big waste company was planning to build a large trash sorting and composting facility only a half mile from his home in the marshland adjacent to the river flowing thru the valley. At that time Markus Lattner knew that a vary rare bird named the Eurasian Curlew, ‘Grosser Brachvogel’ in German (Numenius arquata) was using that land as a nesting ground. It is now declared a near threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Markus Lattner was very upset that these birds could be lost, and with his cousin (who had inspired him to take up interest in birds) and uncle’s help, the three started to sound alarm in the community. It took many years of fighting, educating the community, and legal wrangling but they were instrumental in creating the first grass roots movement for the conservation of nature in the region of Upper Austria.

According to Markus Lattner, their efforts resulted in the scrapping of plans to build the composting facility. Instead, the company built a very small recycling sorting facility a few years later outside the marsh area. It also led to the protection of land by the WWF for the birds. In a new unique way now, reports Markus Lattner, the marshes are left untouched until the birds have left in late spring and only then the farmers can use the land for agricultural purposes when the birds are no longer affected.

More importantly, says Markus Lattner, this was part of the beginning of the larger green movement in Austria. The people involved in that movement later fought for changes in building a major European north/south highway corridor thru the valley. In addition, Markus Lattner says that the people realized that concentrating waste in one place was more harmful to the environment than equally distributing the waste. It also brought about major restructuring how Austrians looked at waste creation, collection, separation and recycling. In fact, says Markus Lattner, Austria now is the leading country in the world – recycling 60% of waste products.

These lessons, relates Markus Lattner, are a constant reminder of the importance of ever-looking at energy needs and finding environmental solutions for them. He says that it has reinforced in him a belief that decentralizing the creation of energy is the way forward. Part of the solution, suggests Markus Lattner, would be that energy is created at the point of usage without having to rely on complex (and vulnerable) distribution and centralized generation systems. He agrees that there will remain a need for a distribution network and central generation but on a minimal scale. Unfortunately, concludes Markus Lattner, that would mean loss of control for big interest groups and therefore investment into solutions are not of great interest.

Civil Servant Michael Ray Discusses Community Volunteering

In Professionals on May 18, 2012 at 4:12 pm

It has long been a fact of life that religious organizations help the needy.  Michael Ray has studied history and reports that in the old times, before America existed as these United States, convents were commonly regarded as the place to go for maternity care and other basic medical treatments. Michael Ray states that the tenets of most religions are based on helping the needy and less fortunate souls in our society. Centuries later, comments Michael Ray, convents and monasteries take it upon themselves to raise abandoned children, feed the hungry, and help heal the sick if possible.

Michael Ray cites historical changes.  With the rise of professional medicine, Michael Ray explains, the medical role of religious organizations has taken a back seat. But Michael Ray notes that religious communities still participate actively in many forms of social work, from orphanages to schools and beyond.  In our modern times, there are more people in need and less people in a position to help them.  For this reason, various religious organizations rely on volunteer aid and donations to maintain their charitable services.  Michael Ray finds giving back to his community very rewarding.

Would you like to volunteer your time or donate your money to a charitable religious organization?  Many people who answer, “Yes,” to this question simply do not have enough information to move on to the next step.  Michael Ray is aware of many organizations, religious and otherwise, that pledge help to the needy.  How will you choose whom to volunteer with?  Where will your donation go?  Who will it help?

Your best bet, says Michael Ray, is to find a cause that is meaningful to you personally.  Find a cause, be it abandoned children or weight loss, and make a few phone calls to your local religious organizations and charitable foundations.  Michael Ray knows from experience that you will feel most comfortable volunteering for a cause to which you feel personally connected.

 

 

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The Perfect Vacation Source Wants You to Have Your Dream Vacation to Australia

In Outdoor Adventures on May 18, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Perfect Vacation Source

Perfect Vacation Source

The Perfect Vacation Source is a travel club specializing in resort vacations at wholesale prices. Because they are also a full-service travel agency, they are knowledgeable about areas all over the world. Today, they are discussing some of the most exciting places to visit in Australia with the staff at Presentation Solutions.

Presentation Solutions: Good Morning, thank you for joining us.

The Perfect Vacation Source: We appreciate the invitation, and you’re welcome.

Presentation Solutions: Because you are so familiar with Australia, can you tell us what the “must see” places are?

The Perfect Vacation Source: One of the most stunning places on earth is the Great Barrier Reef, and there is a small island on the reef named Port Douglas for Low Isles that’s also magnificent.

Presentation Solutions: What else would you recommend visitors see on the Great Barrier Reef?

The Perfect Vacation Source: Traveling on a clear-bottomed boat through the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most mesmerizing and exhilarating trips that a person can take. Also, we suggest to travelers that they consider renting a boat to spend the night anchored in the reef. There’s nothing like it.

Presentation Solutions: That sounds so tranquil. Well, if someone is able to pry him or herself away from the ocean, where else should they go?

The Perfect Vacation Source: We highly recommend that visitors check out the area in Swan Valley. It’s home to the oldest wine producing region in Australia.

Presentation Solutions: What else can visitors experience there?

The Perfect Vacation Source: The Swan Valley is well known for it’s amazing vineyards, microbreweries and waterfalls.

Presentation Solutions: That sounds so picturesque.

The Perfect Vacation Source: It really is. And it’s a fantastic place to go horse riding and biking too.

Presentation Solutions: Where else would you point people towards?

The Perfect Vacation Source: We would definitely suggest that they visit Cairns.

Presentation Solutions: What are some of the highlights in Cairns?

The Perfect Vacation Source: There are amazing fruit farms which grow mangoes, bananas and pineapples.

Presentation Solutions: What you’re describing almost sounds like Paradise.

The Perfect Vacation Source: It truly is. And there is also fantastic seafood and organic bush food.

Presentation Solutions: There are rainforests in Australia, correct?

The Perfect Vacation Source: Oh, yes there are. And the Daintree Cape Tribulation Rainforest is an amazingly diverse area. It houses an extensive range of animals and plants.

Presentation Solutions: Is there anything else you would like to share before we wrap things up?

The Perfect Vacation Source: Yes, one more thing. We think that visitors to Australia should visit the Aboriginal areas. The Aboriginal people have a rich and amazing culture and many visitors find them awe-inspiring.

Presentation Solutions: Thank you so much for talking to us today.

The Perfect Vacation Source: It was our pleasure. Thanks for having us.

Learn more about what The Perfect Vacation Source offers club members at http://www.perfectvacationsource.com

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Pierre Bennett Global Vacations | Best Places to Visit in Spain

In Travel on May 17, 2012 at 10:54 am
Pierre Bennett Global Vacations


Pierre Bennett Global Vacations

When visiting historic and beautiful Spain, Pierre Bennett Global Vacations has several recommendations for travel club members. From the sunny Costa del Sol to the largest urban areas, Spain is endlessly fascinating. And Pierre Bennett Global Vacations wants members to see it all.

Catalonia is located in the north and has a very marked culture of its own. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations notes that it might be because it’s one of the most cosmopolitan places in Spain, and is a hub of international commerce. But, when members get the lowest price available at time of booking,  Pierre Bennett Global Vacations believes that Catalonia should be their first stop.

Madrid is a stunning capital city with numerous interesting attractions, says the team at Pierre Bennett Global Vacations. The most important things to see in the city are “Old Madrid,” The Prado and the Royal Palace. A small day trip from Madrid is to El Escorial, the magnificent palace of King Phillip II, and because Pierre Bennett Global Vacations members can purchase condo inventory up to a year in advance, they can daydream about the sights in the magnificent Madrid area before visiting.
 

 
Pierre Bennett Global Vacations also suggests that members visit Andalusia. It is a beautiful area in the country that is synonymous with “Moorish Spain.” The culture of the area has been influenced by ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, as well as the other invaders of Iberia. And because Pierre Bennett Global Vacations has club resorts available all over the world, members can enjoy staying in Andalusia safe in the knowledge that they have excellent accommodations.

Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, explains Pierre Bennett Global Vacations. It is heavily influenced by the Moors. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations suggests that visitors tour The Alhambra, an old Moorish Palace. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations offers deals that aren’t a timeshare, so members are not tied down to one location, or forced to work around another vacationer’s schedule. That leaves more time for eating Granada’s famed tapas while enjoying cocktails.

The quaint city of Valencia is renowned for the world’s biggest tomato fight (La Tomatina), notes the travel team at Pierre Bennett Global Vacations. But this charming city also has the Fallas festival and The Silk Exchange. And with Pierre Bennett Global Vacations club savings, members are able to travel much more often. This seaside city is teeming with culture, history, nightlife and fine dining options. Pierre Bennett Global Vacations also highly recommends that visitors to Valencia venture to The Cathedral and Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias.

To contact the travel professionals at Pierre Bennett Global Vacations, call (703) 395-1430.

A More Direct Way to Give Aid

In Professionals, Relationships on May 15, 2012 at 11:48 pm

Do you consider yourself someone who wants to help unfortunate people in need? You are not alone. Furthermore, you are a very valuable commodity. Religious organizations all over the country, galvanized by recent developments worldwide and natural disasters like the earthquake in Haiti, are organizing as much aid as they possibly can. Even if you cannot volunteer your time, you may be able to provide valuable assistance with donations of food, money and clothing.

If you doubt that donating to a sprawling bureaucracy like the American Red Cross is your best option, take just a moment to consider how effective a local religious organization can be. Many local religious groups are tireless distributors of aid, support, and service to the needy and tragedy stricken citizens of your community and the world. And volunteering or donating to a local religious organization is simpler, easier, and may be more effective than writing a check to an agency that spends a lot of money on overhead and administrative costs.

Often, religious organizations are more directly linked with their communities and can deliver aid directly to those who need it, without mediators in between. Hurricane Katrina was a good example, as local southern churches were much faster and more effective in delivering aid than FEMA.

Your help, be it with personal volunteer work or a financial donation, can make a very real difference in the life of an individual or family who has fallen on hard times. Next time you feel like giving back to your community, why not look up your preferred local religious organization and take the next step by offering them your help.

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Success Isn’t Easy | Douglas Battista Explains the Value of Hard Work

In Information, Personal, Professionals on May 15, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista

Growing up in southeastern Pennsylvania, Douglas Battista was taught the value of hard work by his father. Today, he is the President of North America Field Operations for Jenny Craig in Carlsbad, California. Douglas Battista says that his climb up the corporate ladder was not without bumps in the road, and believes that his father’s influence provided him the tools needed to focus on his goals.

Douglas Battista attended Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Travel Tourism/Hospitality Administration in 1994. Shortly after college he took a job as the Food Service Director for the ARAMARK Corporation in Hartford, Connecticut. During his time at ARAMARK, Douglas Battista enrolled at the University of Hartford to focus on a graduate degree. He earned a Masters of Science in Organizational Behavior in 1998, one year after being promoted to Regional Recruiter.

According to Douglas Battista, many people thought that working a full-time/high-stress job while living so far from home would make it difficult to complete his degree. What they didn’t understand, says Douglas Battista, was that he understood that to find his place in the world he had to make his own breaks. No one was going to do that for him. In 1999, with five years of experience, a college degree, and a passion for human resources, Douglas Battista relocated to Irving, Texas, where he continued to serve ARAMARK as the HR Manager. This position set into motion events that would eventually lead him to work for the Walt Disney Company, and finally to his current appointment.

It seems, reflects Douglas Battista, that the values instilled in him during his youth are becoming less important with each successive generation. Many people believe that if they want something bad enough, they’ll get it, but often aren’t willing to put much effort into achieving their goals, observes Douglas Battista. In fact, many of these dreamers are disappointed when they reach their 30s and are still waiting for their adult life to begin, laments Douglas Battista.

According to Douglas Battista, creating your own successes isn’t just financially rewarding. He reports that people who set goals for themselves and take the steps to achieve them tend to be happier overall, even if they encounter obstacles along the way. And, points out Douglas Battista, the emotional benefit of looking back and seeing what you’ve accomplished is the most rewarding part life.