Problem: Article: Before you do anything else, shut off the main water supply to your home and take a close look at your water meter. If either the normal or low-flow indicator hand is moving, it means you have a continuous leak somewhere in the line. On newer digital meters, the tipoff will be seeing any number other than “0” on the flow rate screen.  All homes are equipped with water meters designed to simplify billing and help homeowners keep track of how much water they’re using on a regular basis. In most cases, your water meter will be in a protective “box” near the curb or sidewalk in front of your home. Minor leaks may not create enough lost water to show up on your water meter right away. To be absolutely sure, wait 1-2 hours after your initial reading and take a second one. If the second reading differs from the first, you’ve got a leak. Once you’ve determined that you've got a leak on your hands, it’s time to locate it. Start by heading to your hot water heater and looking for pooling on the surrounding floor. If the cause is a dripping valve, it probably just needs to be replaced. If the valves are dry, there’s a chance that the leak is inside the tank, which means you may need a brand new water heater.  You’ll find the pressure relief and drain valves at the top and bottom of your water heater, respectively. Listen closely for dripping, gurgling, or hissing sounds, as well. It’s possible that your leak hasn’t yet manifested visibly on the outside of the water heater, but it may still be detectable audibly. Add a few drops of dark food coloring to the toilet’s tank, then wait half an hour or so without flushing the toilet. After that time, look to see if the dye has made its way into the bowl. Assuming it has, the problem is most likely a worn-out flapper valve. However, a bad flush handle may also be the culprit. Your next step is to identify which component is to blame and pick up a replacement at your local hardware store.  The majority of toilet leaks originate at the flapper valve, which is the rubber seal that moves up and down when you flush the toilet. You’ll often hear the water running continuously if the flapper valve isn’t sealing properly.  If you think the flush handle might be the problem, try tightening the nut securing it to the side of the tank or adjusting the length of the chain so that it’s neither too taut nor too loose. If neither of these solutions work, you may need to replace the handle altogether. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to spot the source of the leak with your own eyes. Otherwise, look for water stains, swelling, or rotting in the surrounding wood or particle board. Tightening the faucet base, replacing cracked handle or knob valves, or scraping away and applying new waterproof caulk around fixtures will remedy most small-scale point leaks.Here’s a helpful experiment if you can see water but aren’t sure where it’s coming from: pour out a large glass of water all around the sink basin, including the countertop. Then, open the cabinet beneath the sink and watch for it to dribble out from unseen cracks or holes.
Summary: Watch for changes in your water meter to confirm that you have a leak. Eyeball the pressure relief and drain valves on your hot water heater. Examine each of the toilets in your home. Pay attention to evidence of water damage around sinks and faucets.

Problem: Article: This means preparing to listen to hear the message of your partner and not to prepare your defense. Find a time and place where you can be without distractions and focus only on what your partner is saying.  Try to set aside your negative perceptions about his or her actions or motives so you can focus on the conversation in real time.  Orient towards your partner. Make eye contact. Nod your head when you agree and show you are attentive. After he or she finishes speaking, paraphrase what was said like “What I heard you say was that…” and ask any questions to clarify whether you got the right message “Am I right in thinking you feel like…?” Be aware of the nonverbal signs as well as what is said out loud. Does the message your partner is sharing with you line up with the nonverbal cues? Also, look for signs of tension or frustration. Balled fists, crossed arms, or frowns may demonstrate that the other person needs a break or is to upset to resolve any issues right now. Communication is not about blame, it is about responsibility. “I” statements start with how you are feeling about the behavior or action of your partner. It means you take ownership of your feelings and also suggest a way to improve the behavior. The focus is not to tell your partner the action is bad, just to share your own experience of it.  "You" statements frequently blame the other person. Avoid making these kinds of statements. They may sound like "You are always making big purchases without asking me first!" An example of an “I” statement may be “I feel confused when you make big purchases without me because I thought we agreed to go together. From now on, I would like to be included in these purchases.” Your relationship should be based on mutual respect and love, not fear. A soft voice reflects the love, compassion and understanding that is missing from yelling. Meet your partner’s eyes and speak from a place of love and understanding. Disagreements don’t require anger and yelling to resolve. If affectionate names are commonly used in your relationship, you can use such names to show that you still care for your partner even during a disagreement. Saying things like  "What do you think, dear?" or "I'm sorry I disappointed you, baby. How can I make things right?" may help to ease the tension. Save harsh words, even during arguments. You can’t take back what’s been said. When you say something hurtful to your partner you send the message that a disagreement is equivalent to a war. You are on the same side. Remember that.  To prevent saying nasty things and getting caught up in anger, many couples use a “24 hour” rule. In this scenario, if things get too heated, they table the discussion for 24 hours so both parties calm down and are able to talk. It is pretty rare to find a discussion that can’t wait for a cooling down period if need be.
Summary: Practice active listening. Use “I” statements. Use a soft, warm tone when speaking. Be respectful to your partner always.

Problem: Article: If a company is doing a large amount of borrowing, its ROE may be artificially high.  This is because debt decreases equity (equity = assets – liabilities), driving the ROE up.  However, assets increase because of the influx of cash from the loan.  So, the ROA will be lower because you are dividing net income by total assets. This is a company's current share price compared to its per-share earnings. Divide Market Value per Share (current share price) by Earnings per Share as found on the company's website.  For example, $25 current share price) / $5 (earnings per share) = 5 P/E Ratio. A high P/E Ratio indicates investors are expecting higher earnings growth in the future. A low P/E suggests a company may currently be undervalued or that it is doing very well compared to its past trends. The average market P/E ratio since the late 19th century has been about 16.6. A company should show continuous growth in revenue as a result of sales over a 5-10 year period. Earnings are the amount of revenue that the company keeps after paying all its expenses.
Summary:
Investigate the amount of debt carried. Calculate the Price Earnings Ratio (P/E Ratio). Compare Earnings per Share.