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Dec 25, 2007 at 14:49 o\clock

Cascading life insurance strategy

by: travelcanada

by Michael Arbetov

Would you like to know how to transfer assets between generations tax-efficiently to ensure the full value of non-registered investments you have set aside as an inheritance is received?

Cascading life insurance strategy is a simple way for you to preserve wealth for your loved ones.

The Cascading life insurance strategy is designed for individuals who:

· Have annual tax obligations from non-registered and registered investments
· Want to leave an inheritance to heirs
· Want to control their legacy
· Are worried about leaving their family with a large tax burden

The Cascading life insurance strategy provides:
· Permanent life insurance protection and control of capital, in a tax-advantaged life insurance policy
· An immediate estate enhancement
· Potential for tax-advantaged accumulation within the life insurance policy
· Potential to transfer the policy’s cash value growth tax-free to an adult child (who is the only life insured on the policy)

· Death benefit proceeds transfer tax-free to named beneficiaries at the death of the life insured
· The elimination of probate fees at death of the life insured with a named beneficiary other than the estate (not applicable in Quebec)

Independend financial advisor always can help you to use cascading life insurance strategy more effectively.

Michael Arbetov , CFP, FMA,Financial Advisor

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Dec 21, 2007 at 13:10 o\clock

Five Places You Must Visit In Jasper National Park

by: travelcanada

by Brunel

Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canada Rocky Mountain area. As part of the World Heritage site, its environment is well preserved with protected eco systems. What you get to see is its most natural view, with beautiful, spectacular and rugged mountainous scene.

There are so many places of interest to visit within the Jasper National Park that you probably need at least a month to visit each of them, or am I grossly under estimating?

Well most visitors will not have the luxury to stay for a month or more. Mostly will stay for couple of weeks or so. With the limited times, which place should you visit?

To name a few, Maligne Canyon, Maligne Lake, the Columbia Icefield and the Medicine Lake are not to be missed.

The Maligne Canyon which is formed some eight thousands years ago. You will get to see how water from the Maligne Lake cuts through the limestone bed, forming layers of crack lines gap. The hiking trail has 6 bridges, each provides you a unique angle to look at the waterfall. The third bridge is the best photo-taking spot.

The Maligne Lake is the largest and deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies. Strolling the lake on the Maligne Lake Cruise is an experience that you should not miss. The cruise will bring you to the famous Spirit Island which is a landmark icon of the Canadian Rockies that has been featured in many post card, travel magazine and publication.

The Columbia Icefield is another great attraction. It is one of the only icefield in the world that is accessible by road. Experience the 90-minute ride on the Ice Explorer and have a walk on the glacier. On average the glacier is loosing at a rate of about 30 meters per year. Every year in summer, the glacier is loosing about 80 meters and during winter, it only manage to replenish 50 meters. That is a typical example of global warming effect.

How can you miss the Medicine Lake? This lake is special because during the autumn, the lake water disappears and in summer, the water re-appears. In recent years, scientists have discovered that at the bottom of the lake, there are cracks that probably lead to a huge underground cave system. This forms a natural flushing system. During late spring or early summer where the snow from mountains melted and flow to the lake, because the water is filling faster than it drains off from the cracks, water start to fill up the lake. Then in late summer, where most of the snow has melted, water flowing to the lake is lesser and water is draining faster and by end summer, most water would disappear.

Another great place to visit is the Jasper Park Lodge. It is as famous as the Banff Spring Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise, as one of the key landmark in the Canadian Rockies. The difference is Jasper Park Lodge is basically cedar log cabins, that is in a rugged and yet a grand heritage resort. There are 3 hiking trails, the Lake Beauvert Loop (3.5 KM), Lake Annette Look (2.5 KM and Lake Edith Loop (4.5 KM). Walking along the trail, enjoying the beauty of the Canadian Rockies is a great experience. You may get to see some wild life like Elk, Deer or Goat.

About the Author

Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included:

http://www.travelpodblog.com/Canadian_Rockies/

 

Dec 14, 2007 at 11:58 o\clock

The Diverse And Beautiful Vancouver, Canada

by: travelcanada

Author: Wolfgang Jaegel

The third largest city in Canada, Vancouver is one of the world's diverse as well as beautiful cities, located in south west province of British Columbia, on the Strait of Georgia. Vancouver serves as the major commercial and industrial center of the province. Surrounded by water from all the three sides, Vancouver boasts of an amazing ecosystem comprising attractive beaches and oceans, enchanting mountains, sparkling rivers and lakes, and lush green meadows and marshes.


In fact, this fascinating city is considered a premier location for enjoying such interesting activities as birding, salmon as well as trout fishing, and whale watching. Vancouver is also a year-round destination for enjoying activities like skiing and swimming. Perhaps for these reasons, Vancouver has been consistently rated among the most livable cities in the world. In addition, it was voted 'the Best City in Americas', based on its ambience, friendliness, culture and sites, restaurants, lodging, and shopping.

Vancouver has to its credit such a great amount of attractions that it takes months to explore them all. The focal point of the city is the scenic Stanley Park, set amid 1,000 acres of evergreen oasis. The first of its kind in the city, Stanley Park is much popular among the wild life as well as plant lovers, naturalists and people who like relax in a tranquil setting with a backdrop of majestic trees such as cedar, fir, and hemlock.

Built in 1889, Capilano Suspension Bridge is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vancouver. Located across the Capilano River, the bridge holds the distinction of being the world's greatest suspension footbridge. Another great attraction is Granville Island, regarded as the cultural hotspot of the city. This lively spot is swarmed with theaters, galleries, and a public market.

A must-see attraction in the city is the University of British Columbia, housing facilities such as the Museum of Anthropology, Chan Center of the Performing Arts, and Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Vancouver's highlights also include attractions such as Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science conducting dolphin and whale shows; Minter Gardens with 11 spectacular themed gardens; Science World coupled with a gallery exclusively for kids; Space Center providing stargazing opportunities at its expansive theaters; and Storyeum offering presentations on the colorful past of British Columbia. Further, attractions in Vancouver cover Queen Elizabeth Park, Pacific Space Centre/Planetarium, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Robson Street, Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden, and Robson Street.

No visit to Vancouver is complete without taking a tour to the fabulous museums of the city, including, the Museum of Anthropology featuring artifacts of Northwest Coast First Peoples; the Roedde House Museum with displays of Vancouver family life from 1890 to 1925; Vancouver Art Gallery housing artworks of the British Columbia artist Emily Carr; Pacific Museum of the Earth with exhibits like an 80 million year old Lambeosaurus; and Vancouver Museum, the largest civic museum in the nation.

Apart from these attractions, Vancouver has a good number of mountains, among which prominent ones are the Grouse Mountains - an incredible area providing opportunities for a range of activities such as helicopter tours, skiing, ice skating, and sleigh riding; Mount Seymour boasting of panoramic vistas, forest trails, Seymour Dam, and Seymour Fish Hatcher; and Cypress Mountains offering a rewarding skiing, among many others. Canada's much famed Whistler and Blackcomb mountains are also within the easy reach of Canada. Equally worth mentioning are the beaches of the city, such as, the English Bay, Crescent, Kitsilano Beach, Locarno Beach, Jericho Beach, and Spanish Banks, each of which serves as a perfect ground for a variety of water sport recreational activities.

Vancouver is also home to a host of interesting festivals such as Vancouver Fringe Festival, Powell Street Festival, the New Play Festival, Vancouver International Dance Festivals, Hyack Festival, Pacific National Exhibition, New Forms Festival, Alcan Dragon Boat Festival, and Merritt Mountain Music Fest.

Above all, the area's gastronomy is superb, with a fantastic array of restaurants including Chinese restaurants. Vancouver's accommodations facilities are also superb. For instance, for weary travelers, some excellent options are available in the form of Vida Wellness Spa specializing in holistic treatments, Bedwell River Outpost Wilderness Resort, and the Westin Resort and Spa with an exclusive spa facility offering more than 75 treatments inclusive of holistic Chinese therapies.

There are also fantastic accommodation choices available for budget conscious travelers. Some hotels even provide packages inclusive of accommodation, dining, and facilities to explore the attractions of the place.

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-diverse-and-beautiful-vancouver-canada-232803.html

About the Author:

Launched in Hong Kong on 26 October 2006, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines pioneers a fresh approach to flying. We are now flying daily between Hong Kong, London and Vancouver

 

Dec 7, 2007 at 15:49 o\clock

The Neglected Part Of Weight Training

by: travelcanada

By Rico Connor

Let's start with the basics of weight training. Stretching is an important part of any weight-training program. Yet it is one of the most neglected components of many people's strength training regimens. A lot of people march straight into the gym and immediately start working out, claiming they don't have the time to warm up and stretch or don't do it because they simply aren't aware of the importance of stretching.

You need to warm up your muscles before you start using them strenuously. Not warming up before lifting weights is a shock to your system and could cause injuries to your joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. It's hard to be fit when you are not able to go to the gym because you have injured yourself as a result of improperly warming up and not stretching your muscles. Stretching before you work out allows you to train safer and harder.

Stretching

Stretching increases flexibility, which is defined as the range of motion around a joint. To put it simply, the more flexible you are, the easier you can perform tasks. We get less flexible with inactivity and as we age. Anyone can increase his/her degree of flexibility with a stretching program. Stretching lengthens muscle fibers, reduces muscle soreness, reduces the risk of injury, improves relaxation, and reduces stress.

Most experts recommend using the static stretching method, which is slowly positioning yourself into a stretch until you feel tension in the muscle. When you reach that position, you should hold the stretch for ten to thirty seconds. You should never bounce as bouncing causes the muscle to contract and increases the possibility of injury and muscle soreness. A lot of people who are aerobically fit and have great muscularity might be very inflexible because they haven't been on a stretching program.

Myth:

Having muscles makes one less flexible.

Fact:

Not stretching makes one less flexible. There are professional bodybuilders who can do full splits. These are men over 250 pounds and are packed with more muscle mass than 99 % of the population.

When you start stretching, you'll notice your muscles aren't as tight and feel more relaxed. You'll probably find that you'll be able to lift more weight after you've been stretching for a while.

I always stretch the muscle group that I am going to work out before, during and after I work it out. It helps keep my focus on the muscle between sets and keeps the muscle pumped with blood. It also keeps my muscle continually warmed and flexible. Stretching helps muscles recover from workouts and also helps them grow.

It doesn't take extra time because I stretch the muscle during the forty-five to sixty seconds I'm waiting to do my next set. What else do you have to do? If you start gabbing with the girl or guy next to you, you will find your sixty second rest between sets may become a four or five minute rest and your muscle gets cold and stiff. Most people who claim to spend two hours in the gym are such people. Maybe 20 % of their time was actually productive. When you actually study your hour in the gym, most of the time is spent waiting between sets. If you use that time to your advantage, you'll see better results and do it in less time. The object for me-and I'm sure for most of you-is to get in, get a great workout, and get out. I'm as busy as the next guy and have many things to do every day.

My program has you doing a total of twenty one to thirty total sets for two to three body parts per workout. Figuring that a set takes about thirty seconds, your actual time spent lifting is between ten and fifteen minutes. That leaves forty five to fifty minutes to use productively. You will not have to devote an extra two-to-three, twenty-to-thirty minute sessions per week for stretching by building stretching into your routine. See, I just saved you about an hour and a half a week.

After you've done a cardiovascular warm up and stretched the muscle group/s you're going to work out, get more blood to the muscle by doing a set or two of your planned exercises for that muscle without any weight or a very small amount of weight. Now, you're ready to start working out.

Rico Connor is a 53 year old self-taught health and fitness expert, author, bodybuilder, and business entrepreneur. He has been featured in Muscle & Fitness, FLEX, AXL, Health Smart and LVAC Magazines. He writes two columns for national magazines and has won the only two bodybuilding contests he has ever entered. His expertise lies in the fields of mind-body connection, nutrition, strength training, and supplementation. His web site is http://www.totalhealth4life.net features his eBook: Total Health For Life, Mind & Body, What the Diet and Fitness Gurus Wont Tell You, which teaches how to achieve optimal health, fight disease and reverse aging-as well as training your mind for success and finding happiness and fulfillment.