Selasa, 14 Juli 2009

THE CUSTOM -- HOUSE


INTRODUCTORY TO "THE SCARLET LETTER"
 
  It is a little remarkable, that -- though disinclined to talk
overmuch of myself and my affairs at the fireside, and to my
personal friends -- an autobiographical impulse should twice in
my life have taken possession of me, in addressing the public. 
The first time was three or four years since, when I favoured the
reader -- inexcusably, and for no earthly reason that either the
indulgent reader or the intrusive author could imagine -- with a
description of my way of life in the deep quietude of an Old
Manse. And now -- because, beyond my deserts, I was happy enough
to find a listener or two on the former occasion -- I again seize
the public by the button, and talk of my three years' experience
in a Custom-House. The example of the famous "P. P. , Clerk of
this Parish," was never more faithfully followed. The truth
seems to be, however, that when he casts his leaves forth upon
the wind, the author addresses, not the many who will fling aside
his volume, or never take it up, but the few who will understand
him better than most of his schoolmates or lifemates. Some
authors, indeed, do far more than this, and indulge themselves in
such confidential depths of revelation as could fittingly be
addressed only and exclusively to the one heart and


Senin, 13 Juli 2009

Fairy Bread


Come up here, O dusty feet!
  Here is fairy bread to eat.
Here in my retiring room,
Children, you may dine
On the golden smell of broom
  And the shade of pine;
And when you have eaten well,
Fairy stories hear and tell.



Sabtu, 11 Juli 2009

Bed in Summer


In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?


Jumat, 10 Juli 2009

HOW TO GET DOLLARS IN YOUR MAILBOX THRU MAIL ORDER


There are a wide variety of ways that you can get dollars in your mailbox 
through mail order. In fact, there are so many this report doesn't even begin 
to have room to list them all. However, we will attempt to help you to get 
started in the fascinating business of mail order. It isn't difficult at all 
if you learn to take it slow. Save your money! It won't cost you a lot 
initially and you'll be amazed at how easy it is to generate a second income 
quickly.

A word of caution though: People everywhere are in constant need of 
information. And they'll pay you money to get it. The only problem is that 
some mail order reports you see advertised have been on the market for over 
40 years. Everybody, including their mother and cousin has seen these 1,000's 
of times and already know what they are.

As a beginner to the mail order world, you naturally have never seen these 
old reports and think they are something brand new. The publisher will sell 
you a package of them with reprint rights and never give you information 
about promoting them to make money. Therefore, before you get involved in any 
programs that claim to make you lots of money be sure and check them out.  
Don't fall into the same trap everybody else does that begins a mail order 
business. Instead, discover the vast array of products and services being 
offered by millions of reputable and down-to-earth folks!

How do you do this? By writing to some of the honest mail order dealers who 
have been in business for a long time. One of these people is Gloria Rivers, 
5308 NE 49th Street, Vancouver WA 98661 and another is Gary Davis, PO Box 80, 
Foyil OK 74031. Both of these reputable people will help steer you in the 
right direction.

In the meantime _ back to the subject. How can you get dollars in your 
mailbox through mail order? Just follow the steps below:

1. If you have never read a mail order publication of any kind, write to 
  Gloria or Gary (above) and ask them to send you a "Big Mail" filled with 
  tabloids, adsheets and other publications. Be sure to enclose $1 or 
  4 first-class postage stamps to pay for the postage to mail the package 
  back to you.

2. Go through the publications you receive and study the advertisements 
  that other people are running.

3. When you find something that interests you, order the product or request 
  more information. Don't spend a lot of your hard-earned money until you 
  know what is involved in selling the particular item you have selected.

4. Some programs will give you free camera-ready ads (just like the ones you 
  read in the mail order publications) that have your name and address 
  already on them if you decide to sell the product or service they offer.

5. All that's left to do is to run the camera-ready ads with your name and 
  address on them in other mail order publications. (You can receive a collection of these over a period of a few weeks simply by writing 
  letters to publishers who are advertising in the same publications 
  Gloria and Gary send you.) You'll be surprised how much valuable 
  information and contacts you can get just from studying the tabloids 
  and publications _ which are free.

6. When people respond to your ad they will send you money.
7. You either fill the order yourself or send it to the "prime source" 
  to complete. Then you simply pocket your commission.

The mail order business is a fascinating business that anyone can get 
involved in. In fact, once you are exposed to the products and services 
you can purchase through the mail, you will never go back to paying retail 
prices again. You can buy everything from groceries to shampoo to printing 
to publishing services through the mail. And the prices are always 50% 
(most even 80%) less than you would pay locally.


Kamis, 09 Juli 2009

The Labourer and the Nightingale


A Labourer lay listening to a Nightingale's song throughout
the summer night. So pleased was he with it that the next night
he set a trap for it and captured it. "Now that I have caught
thee," he cried, "thou shalt always sing to me."

"We Nightingales never sing in a cage." said the bird.

"Then I'll eat thee." said the Labourer. "I have always heard
say that a nightingale on toast is dainty morsel."

"Nay, kill me not," said the Nightingale; "but let me free,
and I'll tell thee three things far better worth than my poor
body." The Labourer let him loose, and he flew up to a branch of
a tree and said: "Never believe a captive's promise; that's one
thing. Then again: Keep what you have. And third piece of advice
is: Sorrow not over what is lost forever." Then the song-bird
flew away.


Rabu, 08 Juli 2009

The Dog and the Shadow



  It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was
carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on his way
home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he
crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the
water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of
meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at
the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of
meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.

Selasa, 07 Juli 2009

HOW SMALL BUSINESSES AFFECT OUR ECONOMY


Very few of us are aware of the contribution small businesses make to the 
American economy. According to the Small Business Administration, in 1988, 
the United States had approximately 19 million businesses. Of those, 15.7 
million were operated as sole proprietorships _ the businesses that 
traditionally train the work force by employing young people in their first 
jobs and women returning to the work force in local or part-time jobs. 

Of the remaining 3.3 million corporations and partnerships, a full 99.8% 
employ fewer than 500 people and are classified as small businesses for 
Small Business Administration programs. And of the 10.5 million jobs created 
in the private sector between 1980 and 1986, 6.6 million (or 63.5%) were 
created by small business!

Since people who own and operate their own business take "pride" in their 
work, it is common for their quality and efficiency to bemuch higher. In 
many cases small businesses are known for providing their customers 
personalized and customized, high-quality products and services.

Just compare a "temp help" in a big company with an independent home-business 
owner. If a temporary is hired for 40 hours per week, he or she may not give 
the customer-company 40 hours in production. Part of those 40 hours is spent 
on orientation, gathering office supplies, getting the computer turned on and 
paper loaded, etc.) This breaks down the actual time spent working and 
producing for the company to about 25 hours, with 15 hours lost per week 
through no fault of your (or their) own.

However, the home worker different. The home worker will charge for time 
actually spent on the job. If you produce 10 pages of text at a price of 
$4 per page, you would charge $40 for the completed job. The company does 
not pay you per hour, but for the amount of work you complete. This saves 
the company money _ and we mean BIG money. Now all you have to do is convince 
the larger companies of this concept and your business at home will flourish!

There is only one drawback to being in a small business. People do not take 
you seriously at first. Companies will try and take advantage of you when 
you are not established. Why? Because they know you need the business and 
they want to continue receiving "something for nothing."

Human nature continues to strike me with awe. If I could purchase a 
higher-quality product from a small business for $15, why would I go to 
the mall and purchase a lower-quality version for $60? There are many small 
businesses that design crafts that could never be purchased in a store. 
These crafts show human pride and quality that could never be mass produced. 
But why do people continue paying for lower quality at a higher price? Is it 
the money-back guarantee? I don't think so because the toys you purchase at 
premium rates around Christmas time normally break and are destroyed by 
December 26. Do you return them? Most people don't, so what good is a 
money-back guarantee?

And wouldn't a hand-crafted product withstand more abuse than it's 
store-bought counterpart? So what if you have to make your purchase at 
someone's place of residence? Don't they offer a money-back guarantee also 
and wouldn't they be easier to locate if you did want a refund? Wouldn't all 
this be much more personable than a mall with 1,000's of screaming people 
fighting you to the next Blue Light special?

With this same type of human nature involved, larger businesses will try and 
take advantage of smaller companies. Why? To tell you the truth, I really 
don't know. If I had to pay $80 per hour to have my computer serviced by IBM, 
but I knew a small business owner could do the same job for $25 per hour,  
I'd be more than happy to pay the small business their $25.

Senin, 06 Juli 2009

ADULT BOOK & VIDEO CLUB

For Mature Audiences Only

It is not the intention of this publication to proliferate or encourage 
sexually oriented merchandise. However, as an observer of entrepreneurial 
activities, this medium would be naive and pretentious to ignore a 
profitable, legal business that could possibly be of interesdt to others.
  
The concept is plain and simple. Renting video tapes is profitable business.  
Renting adult videos is even more profitable.
Most adults will watch x-rated tapes only occasionally. This attitude does 
not warrant them to purchase video tapes. They would rather pay a premium 
to rent the tapes that they want.

  BUY WHOLESALE Sources for adult videos include local distributors, 
  used tape distributors, and catalog houses.
  The average adult video costs $40. In volume, you can buy them 
  wholesale for around $15 each.

  RENTAL REVENUES Since adult videos are not sensitive to release 
  schedules, they do not get dated in the same manner as theatrical 
  films. As a result, adult videos generally enjoy a longer shelf 
  life.

Because of this, it can be rented more often and over a longer period of 
time. Where the average video can be rented approximately 40 times over a 
period of 12 months, adult videos can extend well in to 50 or 60 times.

If you rent your videos even at $2 each, you can expect rental revenues of 
around $100 per tape per year.


If you purchased the video for $15, you have just multiplied your investment 
4 times. Furthermore, you can offer your year-old tapes for sale for around 
$12 each. (Note that selling adult videos across state lines is a Federal 
offense. Ifd you want to sell tapes, sell them to your members in your 
local area. Likewise, you should check your local zoning regulations 
regarding this business.)

Jumat, 03 Juli 2009

information every business plan

This is a logical organization of the information every business plan should cover. I'll explain each of these chapter titles in greater detail, but first, let me elaborate upon the reasons for proper organization of your business plan.

 Having a set of "questions to answer" about your business forces you to take an objective and critical look at your ideas. Putting it all down on paper allows you to change, erase and refine everything to function in the manner of a smoothly oiled machine. You'll be able to spot weaknesses and strengthen them before they develop into major problems. Overall, you'll be developing an operating manual for your business - a valuable tool which will keep your business on track, and guide you in the profitable management of your business.

 Because it's your idea, and your business, it's very important that YOU do the planning. This is YOUR business plan, so YOU develop it, and put it all down on paper just the way YOU want it to read. Seek out the advice of other people; talk with, listen
to, and observe, other people running similar businesses; enlist the advice of your accountant and attorney - but at the bottom line, don't ever forget that it has to be YOUR BUSINESS PLAN!

 Remember too, that statistics show the greatest causes of business failure to be poor management and lack of planning - without a plan by which to operate, no one can manage; and without a direction in which to aim its efforts, no business can attain any real success.

 On the very first page, which is the title page, put down the name of your business - ABC ACTION - with your business address underneath. Now, skip a couple of lines, and write in all capital letters: PRINCIPAL OWNER - followed by your name if you're the principal owner. On your finished report, you would want to center this information on the page, with the words "principal owner" offset to the left about five spaces.

Example: ABC ACTION
1234 SW 5th Ave. Anywhere, USA 00000


PRINCIPAL OWNER: Your Name

 That's all you'll have on that page, except the page number...
-1-

 Following your title page is the page for your statement of purpose. This should be a simple statement of your primary business function, such as: We are a service business engaged in the business of selling business success manuals and other information by mail.

 The title of the page should be in all capital letters across the top of the page, centered on your final draft - skip a few lines and write the statement of purpose. This should be direct, clear and short - never more than two (2) sentences in length.

 Then you should skip a few lines, and from the left hand margin of the paper, write out a subheading in all capital letters, such as: EXPLANATION OF PURPOSE.  
  From, and within this subheading, you can briefly explain your statement of purpose, such as: Our surveys have found most entrepreneurs to be "sadly" lacking in basic information that will enable them to achieve success. This market is estimated at more than 100 million persons, with at least half of these people actively "searching" for sources that provide the kind of information they want, and need.

 With our business, advertising and publishing experience, it is our goal to capture at least half of this market of information seekers, with our publication, MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Our market research indicates we can achieve this goal, and realize a profit of $1,000,000 per year within the next 5 years...

 The above example is generally the way you should write your "explanation of purpose," and in subtle definition, why you need such an explanation. Point to remember: Keep it short. Very few business purpose explanations are justifiably more than a half page long.

 Next comes your table of contents page. Don't really worry about this one until you've got the entire plan completed and ready for final typing. It's a good idea though, to list the subjects (chapter titles) as I have, and then check off each one as you complete that part of your plan. By having a list of the points you want to cover, you'll also be able to skip around and work on each phase of your business plan as the idea or the interest in organizing that particular phase, stimulates you. In other words, you won't have to make your thinking or your planning conform to the chronological order of the "chapters" of your business plan - another reason for the loose leaf notebook...

 In describing your business, it's best to begin where your statement of purpose leaves off. Describe your product, the production process, who has responsibility for what, and most importantly, what makes you product or service unique - what gives it an edge in your market. You can briefly summarize your business beginnings, present position and potential for future success, as well.

 Next, describe the buyers you're trying to reach - why they need and want or will buy your product - and the results of any tests or surveys you may have conducted. Once you've defined your market, go on to explain how you intend to reach that market - how
you'll alert these prospects to your product or service and induce them to buy. You might want to break this chapter down into sections such as... publicity and promotions, advertising plans, direct sales force, and dealer/distributor programs. Each sect ion would then be an outline of your plans and policies.

 Moving into the chapter on competition, identify who your competitors are their weaknesses and strong points - explain how you intend to capitalize on those weaknesses and match or better the strong points. Talk to as many of your "indirect" competitors as possible - those operating in different cities and states.

 One of the easiest ways of gathering a lot of useful information about your competitors is by developing a series of survey questions and sending these questionnaires out to each of them. Later on, you might want to compile the answers to these questionnaires into some form of directory or report on this type of business.

 It's also advisable to contact the trade associations and publications serving your proposed type of, business. For information on trade associations and specific trade publications, visit your public library, and after explaining what you want, ask for the librarian's help.

 The chapter on management should be an elaboration on the people operating the business. Those people that actually run the business - their job titles, duties, responsibilities and backfilled resume's. It's important that you "paint" a strong picture of your top management people because the people coming to work for you or investing in your business, will be "investing in these people" as much as your product ideas. Individual tenacity, mature judgement under fire, and innovative problem-solving have "won over" more people than all the AAA Credit Ratings and astronomical sales figures put together.

 People becoming involved with any new venture want to know that the person in charge - the guy running the business knows what he's doing, will not lose his cool when problems arise, and has what it takes to make money for all of them. After showing the "muscle" of this person, go on to outline the other key positions within your business; who the persons are you've selected to handle those jobs and the sources as well as availability of any other help you might need.

 If you've been in business on any kind of scale, the next chapter is a picture of your financial status - a review of your operating costs and income from the business to date. Generally, this is a listing of your profit & loss statements for the past six months, plus copies of your business income tax: records for each of the previous three years the business has been an entity.

 The chapter on the explanation of your plans for the future growth of your business is just that - an explanation of how you plan to keep your business growing - a detailed guide of what you're going to do, and how you're going to increase your profits.
These plans should show your goals for the coming year, two years, and three years. By breaking your objectives down into annual milestones, your plans will be accepted as more realistic and, be more understandable as a part of your ultimate success.

 Following this explanation, you'll need to itemize the projected cost and income figures of your three year plan. It'll take a lot of research, and undoubtedly a good deal of erasing, but it's very important that you list these figures based upon thorough investigation. You may have to adjust some of your plans downward, but once you've got these two chapters on paper, your whole business plan will fall into line and begin to make sense. You'll have a precise "map" of where you're headed, how much it's going to cost, when you can expect to start making money, and how much.

 Now that you know where you're going, how much it's going to cost and how long it's going to be before you begin to recoup your investment, you're ready to talk about how and where you're going to get the money to finance your journey. Unless you're independently wealthy, you'll want to use this chapter to list the possibilities and alternatives.

 Make a list of friends you can approach, and perhaps induce to put up some money as silent partners. Make a list of those people you might be able to sell as stockholders in your company - in many cases you can sell up to $300,000 worth of stock on a "private issue" basis without filing papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Check with a corporate or tax attorney in your area for more details. Make a list of relatives and
friends that might help you with an outright loan to furnish money for the development of your business.

 Then search out and make a list of venture capital organizations. Visit the Small Business Administration office in your area - pick up the loan application papers they have - read them, study them, and even fill them out on a preliminary basis - and finally, check the costs, determine which business publications would be best to advertise in, if you were to advertise for a partner or investor, and write an ad you'd want to use if you did decide to advertise for monetary help.

 With a listing of all the options available to your needs, all that's left is the arranging of these options in the order you would want to use them when the time comes to ask for money. When you're researching these money sources, you'll save time by noting the "contact" to deal with when you want money, and whenever possible, by developing a working relationship with these people.

 In your documentation section, you should have a credit report on yourself. Use the yellow pages or check at the credit department in your bank for the nearest credit reporting office. When, you get your credit report, look it over ant take whatever steps are necessary to eliminate any negative comments. Once these have been taken care of, ask for a revised copy of your report and include a copy of that in your business plan.

 If you own any patents or copyrights, include copies of these. Any licenses to use someone else's patent or copyright should also be included. If you own the distribution, wholesale or exclusive sales rights to a product, include copies of this documentation. You should also include copies of any leases, special agreements or other legal papers that might be pertinent to your business.

 In conclusion, write out a brief, overall summary of your business - when the business was started, the purpose of the business, what makes your business different, how you're going to gain a profitable share of the market, and your expected success during the coming 5-years...

 The last page of your business plan is a "courtesy page" listing the names, addresses and phone numbers of personal and business references - persons who have known you closely for the past five years or longer - and companies or firms you've had business or credit dealings with during the past five years.

 And, that's it - your complete business plan. Before you send it out for formal typing, read it over once a day for a week or ten days. Take care of any changes or corrections, and then have it reviewed by an attorney and then, an accountant. It would also be a good idea to have it reviewed by a business consultant serving the business community to which your business will be related. After these reviews, and any last-minute changes you want to make, it'll be ready for formal typing.

 Hire a professional typist to type the entire plan on ordinary white bond paper. Make sure you proofread it against the original. Check for and correct any typographical errors then one more time - read it through for clarity and the perfection you want of it.

 Now you're ready to have it printed and published for whatever use you have planned for it - distribution amongst your partners or stockholders, as the business plan for putting together a winning financial proposal, or as a business operating manual.

 Take it to a quality printed in your area, and have three copies printed. Don't settle for photocopying... Have it printed! Photocopying leaves a slight film on the paper, and will detract from the overall professionalism of your business plan, when presented to someone you're trying to impress. So, after going to all this work to put it together properly, go all the way and have it duplicated properly.

 Next, stop by a stationery store, variety store or even a dimestore, and pick up an ordinary, inexpensive bind-in theme cover for each copy of your business plan. Have the holes punched in the pages of your business report to fit these binders and then slip each copy into a binder of its own.

 Now you can relax, take a break ant feel good about yourself... You have a complete and detailed business plan with which to operate a successful business of your own... A plan you can use as a basis for any financing proposal you may want to submit... And a precise road-map for the attainment of real success...

 Congratulations