Urban Legends

We all receive those emails from well-meaning friends who want to pass along the latest "warning" or request for support for an ailing child. But how do you know if they're true or a hoax? Try checking the stories out at Snopes (www.snopes.com) - the online Urban Legend authority. Just enter the title or topic in the search box, and Snopes will return any entries they have on the subject. Well-researched information is available at your fingertips. This gives you a chance to play 30-second detective, and could help preserve your reputation with those your own contact list.

Aphthous ulcers are also known as canker sores. They are painful, temporary sores that may occur anywhere in the mouth, although less likely on the gums, lips, or roof of the mouth. They can occur one at a time or as a group of sores.

Causes
No one knows what causes aphthous ulcers. It is a common misconception that they are a form of the herpes virus. Unlike herpes, however, aphthous ulcers cannot spread from one person to another. Rather, they are thought to result from a reaction of the immune system. They tend to occur more often in women than in men, with the first instance between the ages of 10 to 40.

The following conditions may make certain people more prone to developing these mouth sores:
•Stress or trauma in the mouth, such as biting the tongue
•Certain foods (especially acidic foods, such as tomatoes and pineapples)
•Family history
•Changes in hormone levels

Risk Factors:
•Deficiencies of iron, vitamin B12, or folic acid
•Bacterial infections, such as stomach ulcers caused by the bacterium, H pylori
•Certain inflammatory bowel disorders, such as Crohn’s disease
•Infection with the AIDS virus
•Behcet’s disease

Symptoms
Some people get aphthous ulcers two or three times per year, while others develop lesions continually one after another. Usually the most painful phase is the first 3 to 4 days, and then the sores begin to heal.

Treatment
Aphthous ulcers usually resolve on their own within 1 to 2 weeks, thus treatments for aphthous ulcers are not usually necessary. However, treatment options for especially painful or persistent aphthous ulcers may include the following:

Oral Pain Relieving Rinses or Gels
Oral Antibiotic Rinse
Corticosteroids

Nine Common Mistakes Business Owners Make:

This is the second in a three part column by L. Content McLaughlin, a partner with the law firm of Tydings & Rosenberg LLP, regarding nine common mistakes business owners make.

4. Using Ignorance of the Law as an Excuse. You cannot ignore the laws that affect your business, despite the number and complexity of such laws. Before you went into business, you made sure you knew as much about the business world as you could. Learning a little about the basic areas of the law that you will encounter is crucial information for business owners to have. A basic understanding of contractual rules, how and when to protect your ideas through copyright, patent, trade secrets, major employer-employee laws, security laws affecting how you can raise capital for your business, and the governmental regulation of your industry is important. Having an experienced corporate attorney familiar with you and your business can be one of your best resources.

For more information, please contact L. Content McLaughlin, Esq., Tydings & Rosenberg LLP, 100 E. Pratt Street, 26th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. She can also be reached at (410) 752-9755 or cmclaughlin@tydingslaw.com. To view her biography, click here.

Physical activity helps to improve the physical quality of your life by making you healthy on the inside as well as the outside. But did you know that physical activity can also help you to change your emotional state? Improving your emotional state can help you handle stress and help you feel more positive about who you are.

The type and quality of the paint greatly affects how you clean a wall and how easily dirt comes off. Generally, there are four types of paint finishes:

1. Baked enamel (most appliance finishes), epoxy enamel and automotive paints.
These paints are durable and stain-resistant. Dirt typically cannot penetrate the hard finish. These surfaces can withstand scouring with mild abrasives, and can also handle heavy-duty cleaners and degreasers. With these finishes, be most careful of scratching or dulling the finish by using harsh abrasives, steel wool, colored scrub pads and strong solvents.

2. General-purpose enamels.
Most often found on interior walls, especially kitchen and bathroom walls, this surface is stain-resistant and can handle moderate scrubbing. Do not use abrasive substances or colored scrub pads, which can scratch the finish. Use a neutral cleaning solution and a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge. Only use heavy-duty cleaners or abrasive cleansers when you're willing to take your chances on ruining the paint. If you have latex enamel paints, avoid leaving them wet for more than a minute or so. Oil-based enamels are more water-resistant. Keep in mind that gloss enamels are the most durable and washable, followed by semi-glosses and then satin finishes.

3. Latex flat.
The most common household paint, flat latex is not as washable as enamels. Heavy-duty cleaners or hard scrubbing can remove the paint along with any dirt. Use mild detergents and gentle scrubbing, and don't let any solution sit on the surface for more than a minute.

4. Exterior paints.
These paints are typically oil-based or latex and should be scrubbed only with a mild detergent and then rinsed with a hose. Use a long-handled brush for hard-to-reach areas or stubborn spots. Some people like to use pressure washers on the outside of their homes, but like harsh chemicals, these can loosen the paint, so use with caution.

For more information, click here, or call their toll free number: 1-800-MERRYMAIDS.

Titan™ Skin Tightening

Titan™ offers a non-surgical solution that tightens skin and reverses the signs of aging! Using light energy to stimulate new collagen growth deep beneath your skin’s surface, Titan™ can firm skin all over the body. It is an ideal solution to enhance your youthful and healthy appearance without surgery, recovery time, or injections.

The Titan™ Difference
Titan™ employs infrared light to provide energy because it provides a more uniform distribution of energy for heating the deep dermis than other energy sources such as RF (radio frequency). Unlike other tissue tightening devices which can be painful enough to require sedation and anesthetic, clients are amazed by the sensation of the Titan™. The hand piece slowly warms the targeted area over a period of a few seconds.

How Does Titan™ Work?
Titan™ utilizes a safe, infrared light to heat the dermis well below the skin’s surface. This can cause immediate collagen contraction, resulting in some tightening during the treatment itself. Following the procedure, new collagen development results in further tightening as well as the development of a more youthful complexion with fewer lines, folds, and looseness of skin.

How Many Treatments Will I Need?
Although some clients see improvement with one treatment, a series of three treatments is recommended.

When Will I See Results?
Some clients see results immediately. However, for most clients, improvement occurs gradually, with the best results appearing over a three to six month period as new collagen is formed and the skin tightens.

How Long Do Results Last?
Factors such as genetics, sun exposure, and environmental stressors influence each person to age differently. Maintenance recommendations will be based on your individual symptoms and lifestyle.

With the ever changing complex tax laws, planning is more essential today than it has ever been. There are still many opportunities to reduce a corporation and its owner’s tax, but planning is a necessity! The following is a valuable tip for corporations:

Consider a Cost Segregation Study – Planning to purchase, construct or improve real estate? Take advantage of a cost segregation study to allocate some of the purchase/improvement costs to a much shorter depreciable property life (5, 7 or 15 yr) instead of having a 39-year property life for commercial property or 29 ½-year property life for residential property without a study. A study is a great way to significantly save tax dollars and, as a result, increase the business' cash flow.

Did you purchase, construct or improve real estate in an earlier year without having a study done? Fortunately, the opportunity to do one is not lost – no amended return is required, as the study can be done now to catch up all prior year(s) missed depreciation in the current tax year.