| How to Prepare Plastic Bags for Knitting or Crochet Posted: 16 Jun 2016 05:00 PM PDT If you have decided to knit or crochet a bag from plastic bags, you'll need to know how to prepare the plastic bag first. This article demonstrates how to create the ribbon of plastic needed for creating the "plastic yarn" that you can use for knitting or crocheting your new bag. - Trim the bottom seam from the plastic bag.
- Unfold as much of the bag as possible. Flatten it out.
- Fold the bag not quite in half width wise (with the fold perpendicular to the seam you cut off). Let one of the edges stick out about 1 inch/2.5 cm. Fold the part you already folded in half, repeating until the folded part is also about 1 inch/2.5 cm wide.
- Cut off the handles.
- About every inch or 2.5 cm, cut the folded part of the bag with vertical slits. Make sure you cut all the way through the folded part, but try not to cut into the unfolded part of the bag.
- Grab the unfolded part of the bag, and shake gently. The folded part will unroll into a fringe.
- Open up the unfolded part of the bag and spread flat. It helps to slide in a piece of cardboard or a cardboard tube under the unfolded part so that you don't accidentally cut through the fringe area.
- Make a cut from the center (width wise) of the unfolded part to the nearest cut, diagonally.
- Keep cutting across the unfolded part, diagonally, connecting the different cuts.
- The last cut will be similar to the first, finishing in the center, width wise, of the unfolded part. You have just turned the plastic bag into a single long, thin, plastic ribbon.
- Roll the plastic ribbon into a ball. Now you can knit something like a pencil holder.
- Use the same procedure to recycle old T-shirts into "yarn" for soft crocheted chair pads, pet beds, and little rugs.
- Try using different colored bags to make rainbow effects.
- Plastic ribbon yarn can be used with any type of crochet hook or knitting needle (i.e. metal, wood, plastic, etc), whatever you're comfortable with using and gives a suitable gauge for working your project.
- Keep plastic bags away from small children. They are a potential source of suffocation.
- Cats are also notorious for swallowing things they shouldn't. Plastic yarn could mean an expensive trip to the vet.
- Beware of the cat––claws and plastic bag yarn don't mix.
EditThings You'll Need - Plastic bags
- Scissors
- Pattern for knitting or crocheting bag
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| How to Analyze Debt to Equity Ratio Posted: 16 Jun 2016 09:00 AM PDT The debt to equity ratio is a calculation used to assess the capital structure of a business. In simple terms, it's a way to examine how a company uses different sources of funding to pay for its operations.[1] The ratio measures the proportion of assets that are funded by debt to those funded by equity. The debt to equity ratio is also called the risk ratio or leverage ratio. It is a quick tool for determining the amount of financial leverage a company is using. In other words, it gives you an idea of how much a company uses debt to pay for operations.[2] It also can help you understand a company's exposure to interest rate increases or insolvency. EditDoing the Basic Calculations and Analysis - Determine the company's debt and equity. You can find the information you'll need to make this calculation on the company's balance sheet. You will have to make some decisions about which of the balance sheet accounts to include in your calculation of debt.
- Equity refers to the funds contributed by the stockholders, plus the company's earnings.[3] The balance sheet should include a figure labeled as total equity.
- When determining debt, include interest-bearing, long term debt such as notes payable and bonds. Be sure to include the current amount of long-term debt. You'll find this in the current liabilities section of the balance sheet.[4]
- Analysts often leave out current liabilities, such as accounts payable and accrued liabilities.[5] These items provide little information about how a company is leveraged. This is because they do not reflect long-term commitments, but only the day-to-day operations of the business.[6]
- Watch out for expenditures that aren't listed on the balance sheet. Companies will sometimes keep certain expenditures off their balance sheets. This is to make their debt equity ratios look better.[7]
- You should include certain off-balance sheet liabilities when calculating debt. Operating leases and unfunded pensions are two common off-balance sheet liabilities. These expenditures are often large enough to include in the debt to equity ratio.[8]
- Other debt to look out for may come from joint ventures or research and development partnerships. Scan through the notes to the financial statements and look for off-balance sheet liabilities. Include those greater than 10% of the total of interest bearing debt.
- Calculate the debt-to-equity ratio. Find this ratio by dividing total debt by total equity.[9] Start with the parts that you identified in Step 1 and plug them into this formula: Debt to Equity Ratio = Total Debt ÷ Total Equity. The result is the debt-to-equity ratio.
- For example, suppose a company has $300,000 of long-term interest bearing debt. The company also has $1,000,000 of total equity. This company would have a debt to equity ratio of 0.3 (300,000 / 1,000,000), meaning that total debt is 30% of total equity.
- Do a basic assessment of the firm's capital structure. Once you have calculated a company's debt to equity ratio, you can begin to develop an idea of its capital structure. Here are some things to keep in mind:
 - A ratio of 0.3 or lower is considered healthy by many analysts.[10] In recent years though, others have concluded that too little leverage is just as bad as too much leverage. Too little leverage can suggest a conservative management unwilling to take risk.
- A ratio of 1.0 means that the company funds its projects with an even mix of debt and equity.[11]
- A ratio greater than 2.0 means that the company borrows a lot to finance operations. It means that creditors have twice as much money in the company as equity holders.[12]
- Lower ratios mean that the company has less debt, and this reduces risk.[13] A company with less debt will also have less exposure to interest rate increases and changes in credit conditions.
- Some companies will choose debt financing despite the increased risk. Debt financing allows a company to gain access to capital without diluting ownership. It may sometimes also result in higher earnings.[14] If a company with lots of debt becomes profitable, a small number of owners may make a lot of money.
EditAnalyzing in Depth - Consider the financing needs of the industry the firm operates within. As noted above, a high debt to equity ratio (above 2.00) is worrisome. Such a ratio may suggest a dangerous amount of leverage. For some industries though, high debt to equity ratios are appropriate.[15]
- For example, construction firms use construction loans to finance most of their projects. Although this leads to a high debt to equity ratio, the firm is not at risk of insolvency. The owners of each construction project are essentially paying to service the debt themselves.
- Finance companies may also have high debt to equity ratios because they borrow money at low rates and lend at higher rates. Another example would be capital-intensive industries like manufacturing. These companies often borrow money to buy raw materials for manufacturing.[16]
- Industries which are not capital intensive can have a lower debt to equity ratio. Examples would include software providers and professional service firms.
- To assess whether a company's debt-to-equity ratio is within an appropriate range, it is a good idea to compare it to other companies in the same industry, and/or to compare its current debt to equity ratio to that of past periods.
- Consider the effect of treasury stock on the debt-to-equity ratio. Treasury stock repurchases reduce the balance of stockholder's equity. This can result in a massive increase in the debt to equity ratio.[17]
- Treasury stock purchases reduce shareholder equity and consequently increase the debt-to-equity ratio.[18] But, the overall impact on shareholders may be beneficial. This is because the remaining shareholders receive a larger portion of the net income and dividends with no increase in the debt load.[19]
- Financial leverage is increased by treasury stock purchases. At the same time, operating leverage (the ratio of fixed to variable costs) remains unchanged. In other words, the cost of production, pricing, and profit margins are not affected.
- Consider calculating the debt-service coverage ratio. When a company has a high debt to equity ratio, many financial financial analysts turn to the debt-service coverage ratio. This adds further insight about the ability of the company to repay its obligations.[20]
- The debt-service coverage ratio divides the company's operating income by its debt service payments. The larger the result, the more likely it is that the company will have enough income available to service its debt.[21]
- A ratio of 1.5 or higher is the bare minimum in most industries.[22] A low debt-service coverage ratio combined with a high debt to equity ratio should concern any investor.
- A high operating income may allow even a debt-burdened company to meets its obligations.
- When using the debt-to-equity ratio listed on a financial website, it's a good idea to look into which forms of debt they include. These websites often exclude off balance sheet expenditures. They sometimes do include short-term liabilities that are less important.
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| How to Build a One Person Emergency Shelter Posted: 16 Jun 2016 01:00 AM PDT Whether you are stranded in the wilderness or preparing for a tornado, a safe place to stay could save your life. In any disaster situation, advance preparation is always more effective than improvisation. Stock your car or basement with emergency supplies now, and learn how to seek shelter before you're forced to. EditBuilding a Shelter in the Wilderness - Pack a one person tent. A lightweight, portable tent takes up little room in your car. Setting one up is much easier and faster than building a shelter from scratch, if you end up lost or caught in a storm.
- This is also a good solution if you may need to leave your home at a moment's notice. Keep food, water, and fuel in the car as well, or in a handheld pack as portable as you can make it.
- Build a shelter from branches or debris. Even flimsy material can greatly increase your odds of survival in stormy or wintry conditions. Refer to the linked article for full instructions, or follow this quick checklist:
- Clear a patch of relatively dry ground. Insulate it with a layer of branches or dry clothing. A good rule of thumb to have 3 or more feet of debris in autumn and fall and about 1-3 feet of insulation in warmer weather and 2 feet in rainy weather.
- Cover this with a simple lean-to structure. If you have time and rope, lean branches against together and tie them together. If not, just lean branches, cardboard, or anything else against a tree trunk or boulder.
- Cover the structure with branches or other debris as well as you can for insulation (or a tarp if available). Pine branches with the needles facing down trap additional air pockets for insulation. A top layer of leaves or trash increases rain resistance.
- Build a snow cave. Even a bare field of snow can provide shelter if you are able to put in a few hours' work, and the snow is packed enough to form a structure. Pile up the snow into a hillock large enough to fit you, leave it two hours to harden, then dig out a tunnel into the interior.
- Pack a compact snow shovel to make this more feasible in emergency situations.
- If the snow is too powdery or if temperatures are too high (which could cause a collapse), dig a trench in the snow instead and cover it with a tarp.
- Keep shelters small if it's cold. Whichever type of shelter you use, it should be just large enough to fit you. The less space there is, the faster your body heat will warm it. In warm conditions, you want a big shelter so it will keep you protected and cooler than a shelter that is inches from your face.
EditPreparing for Disasters - Identify hurricane or tornado shelters. No quickly constructed shelter will help you from winds at this strength. Instead, go to a basement, or failing that to a room near the center of a building with no windows.
- Come up with an earthquake plan. A shelter is usually not the best option for an earthquake, although you can prepare in other ways. Earthquake survival is based on two main strategies:
- If the tremor is mild and there is a relatively open space outside (no tall buildings), walk to it through the nearest exit. Do not use elevators.
- If the tremor is violent or you cannot reach an open space safely, drop under or next to sturdy furniture and hold on.
- Construct a long-lasting shelter. If you own a house and are committed to disaster preparation, dig out a basement or dig a bunker. Stock this with emergency supplies in case ordinary services are disrupted. You can also get a FRS or ham radio (you need a license though) for communication.
- Learn how to survive nuclear fallout. An underground bunker is your best bet for protecting yourself from radioactive fallout. In general, the safest areas are indoors, with as many walls and thick furniture between you and the outdoors as possible. Insulating the walls with as much dense material as you can find will protect you further.Seal all vents using duct tape and try to close all doors.
- In cold weather, remove wet clothing as soon as you get inside the shelter. Staying dry is vital for preventing hypothermia.
- Build your shelter on high ground if you are near a creek bed or river.
- Don't build a shelter too close to the ocean because tides can rise.
- Try not to sleep directly on the ground, lay down debris or even build your shelter on top of a compost pile, since they are warm.
- Even a plain rubberized tarp can be made into a tent for less of a monetary investment.
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