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Your Top Start-Up Questions Answered
This story appears in the July 2002 issue of HomeOfficeMag.com. Subscribe »
Entrepreneur.com is a virtual gold mine of information, but sometimes it's nice to have all your top questions and answers in one spot. That's why we decided to create a kind of FAQ section just for homebased startups, culled from questions posed to our former Startup Expert, Keith Lowe. Read on to glean tons of useful tidbits from these, your top start-up questions.
Q: I have decided to start a business on the Internet selling computer hardware, software, books and accessories. Do I need to obtain the products for sale on my Web site from the manufacturers? Is this allowed, or do I have to go about it another way in order to sell products online?
One of the reasons why I am asking is to make sure this is allowed or whether I will require licenses in order to sell my products. I would also like to know if I am too young to do this.
A: There are a few ways to go about this. One is to buy some products, store them in your basement and ship them to customers as you sell them. The positive side to this is that you can usually make more money if you do this by taking more risk. The negative side is the possibility of getting stuck with stuff you can't sell. That's why you sometimes see department stores having sales for 75 percent off-they are trying to get rid of stuff that they bought and now can't sell.
Another way to go about this is to use a fulfillment company. If you go to www.google.com and search on "fulfillment company," you'll find out more than you want to know about how they work. Many will handle everything-they'll give you a list of products and the wholesale prices, you take the orders, and they do the rest.
I'm not quite sure what you mean when you ask, "Is this allowed?" If you mean can you buy products, keep them in your basement and then resell them, the answer is yes, provided there are no city zoning restrictions that would prevent you from keeping inventory on the premises. Check with your city's zoning department on any restrictions, for inventory or otherwise. And check with your city on any needed licenses or permits.
When in doubt, a good attorney or accountant will be able to answer these types of questions, and it's always a good idea to consult them when starting a business. I think you are on the right track, and I would encourage you to keep trying and keep pushing until you get this thing going!
Q: I am just itching to get into the business world, but I have limited financial resources. Can you give me any suggestions on low-cost businesses to start that mostly involve the Internet?
A: Well, there are so many opportunities, I don't know where to start. First you need to find something that interests you-it is pretty easy to find tons of services to offer (from Web site promotion to retail to being a technical writer to you name it).
There are many ways to go about this, and many can be done without a lot of risk or investment. One way is to start on eBay. There are lots of people making great money just selling things on eBay (but you need to pick something you have expertise with). I've got a friend who sells several hundred thousand dollars' worth of used golf clubs per year on eBay, works his own hours and has a blast.
If you wanted to get started with something like that, try buying and selling a couple of inexpensive things (but be careful!) just to see how things work. One word of caution: To do well on eBay, you must sell something you know a lot about-my friend is very successful, but mostly because he's an expert in golf clubs.
I've got another friend who quit his job in Atlanta, moved to a small town in Georgia and became a ghost writer-he will write articles and books for people and get them published. He lives in a small town with a low cost of living and works in a local coffee shop. What a life!
The key here is to find something that interests you, hopefully something that you can be passionate about!
Getting Started
Buying a Business
Q: I currently work for a small company that has been profitable for about 30 years. The two owners are thinking about getting out, and I'm very interested in buying them out and taking this business to a whole new level. How do I determine a fair price? A friend of mine recommended figuring out what their profits are (after paying out salaries), then multiplying this figure by five years, and that's what the purchase price will be. Is this accurate?
A: What your friend said is one rule of thumb, and you can sometimes use it, but the problem is that there are hundreds of rules of thumb! Sometimes you might use a multiple of cash flow; sometimes you might use a multiple of yearly cash flow. You've got to take many, many different factors into account, including the industry and the state of the economy.
There are a couple of things you can do. First do some research-check out www.bizbuysell.com and www.usbx.com. If you go through a few of these, you'll see some rules of thumb that stick out. Another route is to hire a valuation firm (that's what my company does)-your accountant or estate planning attorney probably can recommend one-and have them advise you on what that business is worth. You can spend a few hundred bucks and probably save a lot of money by having them help you avoid a mistake.
Help! Where Do I Start?
Q: I want to start an IV therapy center. I know what to do in the center, but I don't know where to start with the business part. What do I need to do?
A: Getting started is difficult, and there so many unknowns. The way I often try to solve a problem like this is to just start a list of things to do, and add to it as I think of more issues. Just write down everything you can think of, in no particular order (you can organize later). In your case, your list might look something like this:
- Do I buy or lease an existing building?
- If so, will I have to renovate?
- If so, how much would that cost?
- Can I get a loan? (Talk to a bank.)
- Will I need to build something?
- How much would that cost? (Talk to a builder.)
- How much space do I need?
- How much would my monthly operating costs be (heat, water, gas, mortgage/rent, etc.)?
- How much business would I have to sell to pay these costs?
- After my costs are paid, is there enough left over to make it worth all my time?
And so on. One thing to keep in mind: Knowing how to do technical work is very different from running a business that does that technical work. (A great book on that subject is Michael Gerber's The E-Myth.)
The main thing that I would do is to go to some nearby towns (where you won't be competing for business), find a few similar places and talk to the owners. They will almost certainly be happy to tell you about their experiences and mistakes and give you advice. Nothing you can do will be more valuable than this.
Finally, for the mechanics of starting a business, I'd say to start with a good attorney. They'll guide you through the mechanics of getting started, and anything you pay them will be money well-spent.
Q: I came up with an idea for a product, but I have no idea how to make a prototype. My questions are:
- Who can build me a prototype of my product?
- How can I trust this person if my product isn't patented yet?
- How do I check to see that this product doesn't already exist, and if it doesn't, how do I patent it?
- How do I locate a manufacturer for the product?
A: You can absolutely find your way through this, but be prepared to do a bunch of research and leg work. It is hard to advise you on where to go to get a prototype built without knowing more about the product. The first place I'd look would be to go to www.google.com and search on "XX prototype," with XX being your product. You'll find contract manufacturers who will be able to do it for you.
There really isn't a good answer for whether you can trust them not to steal your idea. In general though, I don't usually worry about this because I have found that by itself, an idea isn't worth much. The real value is in the talent, brains and determination to make it successful. The vast majority of people you deal with wouldn't steal your idea, and of those who might, most of them don't have the time to use it-they probably have their own company and plenty of ideas of their own. It is a tremendous amount of work to bring a product to market, and few people would try it with the risk of you suing them hanging over their heads.
That being said, my understanding is that this is a bit more of a risk when dealing with very large companies, which sometimes see stealing ideas as just another way to do business. The best thing, in my opinion, is just to trust your gut and go for it.
The patent process is pretty straightforward-there is a lot of information on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site. If you move forward with this, you will probably want to work with a patent agent or patent attorney who can guide you through the process and help you with searching for similar products. Also, go back to Google for that.
Once you get through all that and are ready to manufacture your product, you'll find many, many companies ready to do that for you-just search on "contract manufacturers" on Google, and you'll be amazed at how many there are.
Selecting Retail Space
Q: I operate an interior decorating business out of my home. The business is successful by many standards. My husband and I have discussed branching out and opening a home specialty store in one of the local shopping centers. We've searched for information on starting a small retail store, but most of the information for starting a business that we find deals with manufacturing, franchises or other homebased businesses. Where can I find information on how to select retail space and how much space is needed, where to get store fixtures and products, and how to finance the early stages of a retail store?
A: I talked to a friend of mine who had a great deal to say on this. I thought his wisdom might help. Here's what he had to say:
First, talk to some small retailers. Ask them how it's going and how they started. Some may be unwilling to talk to a potential competitor; find someone else. Don't try to hide what you're doing; many people will be delighted to offer information. Small-business owners tend to be a clubby sort, particularly in a strip sort of area, where more stores means more traffic and everyone can win. Obviously, this won't work well if there's already a store of your type in the strip you're looking at.
The next fairly simple thing to investigate, math-wise, is the cost of retail space. Anywhere there's a blank retail window, there's a phone number of the person who wants to fill the space. Call them and ask about the cost of the space, what that includes, the minimum lease times, and the typical utility costs or whether they're included. While you're at it, ask about typical traffic for the unit.
Check with surrounding business owners, too. Ask how the landlord is about problems, whether they're happy where they are, whether they get good traffic. Ask them about who provides their insurance in the retail sector, and you'll get some agent names. Ask the lessor what kind of shop was in the space before you and maybe even before that.
Next, find the market that sells what you'd sell, and go there. There are homebuilders' shows, retail clothing, jewelry, furniture, everything. And until you go and actually talk to some wholesale vendors-the people you'll be buying from to equip and fill your store-you simply won't know what you can and can't get and how much it will cost you. Some places won't sell you just what you need; there are often minimum amounts to buy, particularly for more popular brands.
On the other hand, wholesale vendors may offer you great ideas for starting your store. Don't be bashful about the fact that you're opening a new store. You've been in business for a while, you're experienced in your field, and now you're adding a retail outlet and looking for experienced vendors to help you make it a success. I guarantee they'll talk to you. It's all in how you present yourself. If you seem serious at all, they'll take time and help you. If they don't, find another vendor-the next booth over is probably perfect. (That's the great thing about shows.)
Keep in mind that the time spent managing the store will not only include the time that your doors are open, but also the time buying, receiving, stocking and returning inventory. It will include trips to the bank (hopefully lots of those!), monthly inventory checks, tax preparation, licenses and so on. That's not a reason not to do it; it's just time that you have to spend. But you should be paid for that time, and that should enter into the "cost" of the store. You should be aware of it upfront, and then make your decision.
Start-Up Resources
Q: I'm an absolute novice about starting a business. Could you please give me some ideas or a Web site where I could gather step-by-step information on starting a business?
A: Wow, that's a tall order! There are lots of books on this subject (just try a search on Amazon.com), such as Start Your Own Business by Rieva Lesonsky and the staff of Entrepreneur, and lots of Web sites, but I don't know of one that I'd really recommend, other than Entrepreneur.com! Seriously, if you are looking for "getting off the ground" advice, that's the place to look. You'll find articles on licenses, incorporating, working from home, you name it.
If I can just give you some basic advice (and a lot of this depends on the kind of business you are going to start)-watch your overhead like crazy-it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of starting a new business and, especially if you came from a big company, think that you need all kinds of expensive equipment, office furniture, etc.-and usually you don't.
Legal Issues
Licenses & Permits
Q: I'm thinking of starting an e-commerce site that sells products to college students, such as dorm room decorations and lights. What licenses and permits do I need to do this? Should I incorporate if my products are coming from a wholesaler and I simply distribute the goods?
A: My advice is to definitely form a corporation. And don't do it on the Internet or out of the back of a magazine-get a real attorney to help you. This will cost you less than $1,000 for the whole thing, but if you don't have the money to do this, try to do it as soon as you can.
One major reason to incorporate is to separate you personally from the corporation for liability reasons. You may have heard a reference to the "corporate veil." In general, you can't be held personally liable for anything that happens in the corporation, and your personal assets (house, car, etc.) can't be attacked by creditors or a lawsuit on the corporation.
In order to have that protection, you must act like a corporation. That means you need to do things like have board meetings, take notes and publish minutes in your corporate books. Be sure to have a separate corporate checking account and, if you need them, corporate credit cards. Don't use corporate money for personal things, and vice versa (unless you file an expense report). Many people think that they don't need to go to all this trouble if it is just a one- or two-person company, but in order to be treated like a company, you must act like one. Your attorney will be able to give you a lot more details.
To determine what permits and licenses you need, contact your city or county. They can tell you exactly what you need.
Registering Your Company
Q: How do I register my company-not the Web page, but the company?
A: Company names are registered by state. When I've started a company, I've always had my attorney do a name search-I think there is a state database that most lawyers have access to. I'm sure you can do this yourself, but it has always been part of the start-up process-my attorney has drafted articles of incorporation, bylaws and the name.
Skipping the attorney and incorporating yourself is something that I absolutely do not recommend. The odds are that somewhere, sometime, someone will wind up suing you. If they do, you want to be protected personally, and a good set of corporate documents is the best way to do that.
Subchapter S Corporation
Q: I am starting the first of three Day Spas in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee/Virginia area. My question is regarding subchapter S corporations. I will be starting the business with one other partner. After much research, we decided on the S corp structure for the tax and limited liability aspects.
The name of our corporation will be different from the name of our spa. How does this work tax-wise? Under the corporation, there will be at least three to six different businesses within the next five years.
A: This used to confuse me considerably. Eventually, I figured it out-you can have an official name for your company "XYZ Corp." and then have as many "doing business as" (dba) names as you want. For example, I used to run a contract engineering company (WireSpeed), and with my brother-in-law, I started a golf vacation business (Tucker Golf). As you can see, those companies are very different, with different employees and different clients. Instead of incorporating a new business for Tucker Golf, we just ran it under WireSpeed as a dba. Officially it was "WireSpeed dba Tucker Golf," but to the public it was "Tucker Golf Co." We kept a separate set of books, had a separate checking account, separate corporate credit cards, etc. No one knew or cared that they were really the same company.
Then one day we decided that it was big enough to stand on its own, so we incorporated Tucker Golf Corp. We did this because we wanted to start out small and cheap and not spend the money on paperwork for the new company until we knew it would be successful.
You can do the same thing even if you don't ever plan on making them separate corporations. You will need to register your dba name with either your local or state government. There are always tax, accounting and cross-liability considerations with such a strategy, so contact your accountant and attorney for advice.
Q: I am a graphic designer in the process of starting my own company. I am the sole proprietor and principal designer. I would like to use the business name "Divine Design." I've checked with the official government trademark registration office via the Web, and there is no business officially registered as that. However, there is a Web site, divinedesign.org, that has a TM next to its "Divine Design" logo. Does this forbid me from using that name for my own business?
A: You have hit on one of the hardest things about starting a business these days-getting a decent name! With so many people out there registering domain names, it is tough to get a good one anymore.
As for the trademark, the only way to be sure is to check with a decent corporate attorney. My advice, though, is to come up with a name that is unique to you. Having a cool name like Divine isn't as important as having one that means you! Come up with something that you can attach a good domain name to-in the graphics business, that's probably where most people will find you anyway. Even if you can legally use the name Divine Designs, you don't want people to be confused or to go to the other Web site looking for you.
Changing Directions
Q: My husband and I run a fence business from our home, and we offer financing, but it is done through an outside company. We are interested in opening our own finance company, but we don't know where to start. We would mainly be offering financing for fence jobs and maybe personal loans-it depends on the information I can dig up.
A: Are you interested in doing this because your experience has given you a good feel for which customers are a good risk and which are not? Unless the answer is an absolute yes, I'd think carefully about this. I'm not saying that you don't want to do this, but be sure you fully understand the risk. Outside agencies such as the one you are currently using have spent a lot of time and money developing the risk profiles that let them profitably decide whom to lend to and whom to refuse.
One argument against this is to ask "What kind of business am I really in?" Is it the fence business or the finance business? They are very different, with different risks and different skill sets involved. To me, you have the perfect setup-you can offer financing, but you don't have to manage it or take the risk. I'd be certain that I understood how much extra money I might make before I took on the extra headache.
On the other hand, if your goal is to eventually get out of the fence business and be in the finance business, then this is a good way to ease into it. I'd recommend talking to a banker or two and letting them explain as much of the process as possible. Then do some research on the Web, and also look for some financial consultants who can guide you.
I've had my share of problems trying to do too many things at once, and I've learned that focus is crucial to success. My advice is to pick one of the two businesses and concentrate all your efforts on making it as profitable as possible.
Q: I am considering approaching several individuals to be on my Advisory Board for my start up company. However I don't know what to offer candidates. I am raising money for the company by offering LLC units.
A: I've see different people do this different ways, and my advice is to offer your advisors some small number of LLC units for every advisory meeting they attend, plus some amount to agree to be and advisor in the first place. I think you want these people on your team, you want them to have incentive for the company to succeed, and you want to be generous with them. The number could vary but here's my opinion on a rough amount-if you have 1,000,000 membership units outstanding, I'd consider giving them a few hundred to start, and then after a few months if they are being of value, I'd up that to a few thousand each. For advisors who are adding significant value to the company, even more.
Q: I am starting a consulting company and am working on the logistics of getting the company up and running. I have a simple question regarding job descriptions. What are the major roles and responsibilities for the president of a company vs. the CEO?
A: I've come to see it this way: the president is an inward-facing position, and the CEO is an outward-facing position. The president (often combined with the COO title) is responsible for running the company-managing the consultants, interfacing with the customers when appropriate, managing the sales and marketing staff, making sure the bills get paid and money is being spent wisely, motivating the employees and so on. The CEO is more responsible for dealing with the press, vendors (especially your banker, attorney and accountant) and strategic partners. The CEO spends most of his/her time on the overall strategy of the company-and setting, understanding and communicating (with employees, vendors and customers) that strategy. A CEO's schedule is filled with networking, going to lunches and dinners, attending meetings, and looking for opportunities to tell the company's story. In one sentence, I'd say the CEO is responsible for articulating the vision/strategy, and the president is responsible for executing that vision/strategy.
Note that until a company is a certain size and can support more overhead, one person usually serves as CEO, president and COO (and of course CFO, CTO, IT support, bookkeeper, janitor, etc.).
When I first started out, we had a three-person company, and I spent a lot of time on job descriptions, employee policies, manuals, etc. Much of that was wasted time, because our real need was getting new business and making sure we delivered quality on the business we had. We really didn't need much of that until we had 15 to 20 people. This is not to say that procedures, policies and job descriptions aren't important, because they absolutely are. As you grow, if you've got good procedures in place, you don't have to reorganize the company every time you get a little bigger. But don't spend too much time on this early on-focus on getting new customers and delivering your service, and you'll have plenty of time to develop other things as you go.
Money & Finance
Investors Vs. Bootstrapping
Q: I am seeking funding in one of the most unforgiving economic climates in modern history. My company specializes in making CD business cards. Initially, I drew up a business plan with a budget for $150,000. However, this is way too small for venture capital, while being a hefty price tag for an individual investor. By the way, friends, family, credit and SBA loans have all been explored.
So I drastically altered my budget, creating a $28K model. Now, after wining and dining one angel investor for months only to have him back out in the end, my question is this: Where can I find and approach people who would be interested in an investment of this size?
A: Yours is a classic problem, and it is difficult to solve. Most people don't want to invest in unproven businesses or people-they want to think that something is about to take off, and then get on board. That doesn't seem fair to an entrepreneur who is trying to get off the ground, but unfortunately that's the way it works.
If there is any way to bootstrap it-to take a job and work on this at night until you got revenue going-that would be my first recommendation. Getting investors is a major step, and after you have them, your life will be harder, not easier. Before that, you are only responsible to yourself-after that, you have to keep their best interests at heart, and there is responsibility and liability that goes with that.
If you believe that getting investors is the only way to go, then look around for a local incubator (preferably a nonprofit) by searching at www.nbia.org. You'll find people there who can help you network with investors.
Setting Prices
Q: I am in the process of starting a landscape design company. I have management degrees, horticulture degrees, affiliations, etc., but I seem to be clueless on where to set my baseline costs. I need some type of schematic for costing. Should I tell the potential client that it will cost a flat rate to visit-creditable to the design should they choose to undertake my services? What if they do not like my design and I have spent the initial time (five to 10 hours plus travel, photos, measuring, etc.)? Reimbursing them would be out of the question!
Currently, I visit a client, explain my fees and request $100 (nonrefundable)-this covers the usual one- to two-hour interview and measuring plus travel and photos. It is barely enough. Halfway through, I show them where my design has taken their yard, and at that point they may change it (somewhat) without penalty. Once we have all agreed on a direction the yard will take, I bring the design back to the drawing board for the homestretch. Upon finalization, I request the balance. The problem is, I am leaving myself open to a lot of gray area regarding personal interpretation of the design, and consequently nonpayment. I have not run into this yet, but it's only a matter of time.
A: It seems to me that you really have a handle on this business and are asking all the right questions. After reading this, I'm struck by the similarities between your business and mine (contract software development). The sales process is very similar.
My thoughts are that you should develop a nice one-page "fact sheet" or something that explains how you work. In it, I'd lay out the things that you will deliver and what you'll charge for them. This will give people a clear understanding that this is how you make your living and that they shouldn't expect free stuff.
At my company, we developed a two-phase development process. We would have a meeting with the client and learn about the project, and then tell them that phase one was the design phase. For that, we charged $X per hour, and at the end of that they would have a complete design for the project. Then we could do the implementation phase for $X per hour or they could take our design to someone else.
Now, your business seems to be different in that you only have the design phase, but I think you can handle it in the same way. I would meet with potential clients and tell them that there is no charge for an initial meeting. I'd talk about what they are doing, give them some ideas (a taste of your talent) and learn what they're looking for. Then I'd go back and work up a design proposal, saying that you charge $X per hour and that you estimate that this project will take between X and Y hours. Then bill them for every single hour you spend on it.
Depending on how large a job it is, you can give them preliminary reports to show them the direction you're taking-if they don't like it, they can either change it or stop it. Either way, you get paid. If they don't like your design, well, that's the way it goes.
The chance that any client of yours is taking is that they will need to spend a little money to see how good you are. I think that anyone who isn't willing to do that is probably going to be more pain than they are worth, and you probably don't want them as a customer anyway.
Q: I am considering starting a hair salon with two other people. We have an opportunity to buy an existing salon at a very reasonable price. One partner is very experienced with running salons and is also a licensed beautician. She will be hired only to run the business, but she will not have ownership of the business. The other partner and I will split the upfront financial requirements and handle the books, bills, etc. We are planning to incorporate the business and split ownership. However, I want to know how the business contract should be organized so that my financial interest will be protected. How is this explained in the contract?
A: It sounds like this is a reasonably simple deal, but there is only one place to go to be sure that your interests are protected. You definitely need to talk to an attorney and get them to draw up a contract for you. There are tons of gotchas in something like this, and unless you've done it a lot, you won't think of all of them.
That said, I do have one piece of advice: While it is important to have an attorney to draw up a contract, I don't believe a business relationship should be based on the letter of the contract. By that I mean that you must draw up the contract so that it is fair to everyone and so that everyone gets what they want out of the deal. Also, make the contract such that everyone can have a way out, if they want it, that doesn't hurt the other partners. I say this because if you ever have problems in the relationship with either partner (and the odds are that you will), you'll need a way to gracefully separate. Long term, if everyone isn't happy and doesn't think they got a good deal, then it won't work. And even though you may have a legal right to force someone to do something, if they aren't willing, you will have a very hard time running a successful business. So get an attorney to draw up a contract that is fair to all parties and spells out what is expected of everyone.
Do You Need a Partner?
Q: I will be graduating from Penn State University next December, and I am seriously interested in starting my own business. I served four years in the military, and during that time I was successful in writing a business plan that was approved by a bank for financing. I turned that offer down because I was not ready to live in that part of the country. My question is this: I have a plan for a business, but I could really use the help of having a partner. What should I look for in that person?
A: That's a tough question. I think finding a partner is like finding a mentor. (See my article "Finding a Mentor" for more on mentors.) However, since you will depend much more on a partner than you would on a mentor, you should choose carefully!
Have you considered why you really need a partner? Is it moral support? Is it that you have a big hole in your knowledge or skill base and need someone to complement your skills? I've started a business with someone I didn't know, and it didn't work out very well. The last few that I've started have been with people I've known and trusted for a long time. You can never be completely sure if you've selected the right person, but the better you know them, the more likely you'll make a good choice.
If you decide you really need a partner, then get as many personal references as possible, and check them carefully.
Who's the Founder?
Q: My partner and I are having a hard time determining the correct usage of the term "founder." Initially my partner, Jill, and I had a previous business relationship. Because of this, when Jill suggested selling gourmet foods through home parties, she called me. My response was, "I'd invest in that," and I did.
For two years, the company operated out of a building on my property, and Jill put in countless hours getting the business off and running. For four and a half years, I had little involvement other than some encouragement now and then. At that point, the business grew to the point that it needed someone like me to play the role of COO. Until recently, Jill and I titled ourselves president (Jill) and vice president (me). Because neither title refers to foundership, we are struggling with correct usage of the word founder. Is she the founder and I co-founder? Are we both founders? Are we both co-founders?
A: I would consider you both co-founders-you both started the company (you with money, her with time). My advice is not to worry too much about that. If you are searching for a way to refer to yourselves, I think co-founders sounds fine. You might also consider "principal"-that's more of a financial industry term, but it sounds pretty good and seems to fit here. I wrote an article on titles that you might find helpful, "The Relevance of Employee Titles."
Sales & Marketing
Q: I am located in a small town in south Georgia. I've been in business for a few months now. I only have six Web hosting customers, and I'm trying desperately to get more. I am planning on putting ads in the newspaper in a local town that is a lot larger and will reach many more people. What do you think? Any advertising advise?
A: I'd be careful about spending a lot money on newspaper advertising. I've not found that to be very effective, and it can be quite expensive. Instead, get your own site in tip-top shape, then spend most of your time promoting it in the search engines and trying to drive as much traffic to it as possible. I've had a good amount of success in several different businesses by putting most, if not all, of my marketing efforts into driving traffic to my site via the search engines. Learn more about traffic at Web Site Secrets and Web Site Garage.
You should also network like crazy. The bottom line is to meet as many people as possible, tell them what you do and ask them if they have any business for you.
Getting Customers
Q: I own a computer network integration firm. To be honest, the business only exists on paper at the moment, along with a bank account and a credit card. Only a few people seem to know I exist at all, and that's where my question comes in. How do I get customers? My problem lies in the fact that I am in a small urban community, with small urban communities surrounding it.
A: Boy is this familiar. I was talking about this question with a friend of mine (with whom I've started several businesses), and he and I were remembering how hard this was for us. Here are some of his thoughts:
- Find a local coffee shop/Internet café, and hold a couple of "seminar" sessions. A local guy I know of is doing just that, and that's how I found out the shop exists.
- Have some business cards printed up, then frequent places where your target audience (maybe overworked IT folks?) frequent and "drop" them all over the place.
- Put up fliers or cards at local grocery stores. Offer to help the local library manage its computer services, and see if, in return, they'll let you post a "Computer services provided by XX" in the library or leave some cards around.
- Go to the local bookstore, and find books that are for what you do, but on a beginner level. Open each one, and slip your card in the table of contents with a tiny "Let me help!" on the front.
- Contact your local chamber of commerce to get a list of businesses in your area that might be interested in your services. Write a letter to each one (not a mass mailing; you've got time to do each one separately) explaining who you are and what you're available to do. Tell them satisfaction is guaranteed (nobody in IT seems to do that) to get your foot in the door. Even if a few of them rip you off for a few hours, you'll get customers, contacts and experience.
- Offer to help local churches that are big enough to have an IT staff, again either for free or for very little, in return for word-of-mouth referrals.
- Radio stations, newspapers, TV stations-anyone who has an audience for their opinion-find a way to get them to like you and talk about you (which is free, and very effective, advertising).
- Ask local computer stores (preferably independent ones, and definitely ones that you buy from) if you can leave cards or fliers near the front desk. Find ones that do not already have a competing services group, and ask if they ever get requests for business of the sort that you do. Offer them a 10 percent cut of the entire job for any referrals that you end up getting. Again, you might not do this forever, but it's a great way to get some exposure.
- Target small, nontechnical offices, and see if you can find the person who's been saddled with "keeping the network up" responsibility. This person is probably nontechnical and probably hates it, but is afraid to call in a "big-time consultant" because of the money. Offer to do a free assessment or a free first service call (up to an hour, for instance). If they like what you do and you fix their problem, they'll call you back at your regular rates (be sure to have these fixed and handy, preferably in a flier or on the back of your card, when you go on these "free" introductory calls).
- Get a magnetic sign that you can slap on the door of your car while you drive around town. Spend a few lunchtimes driving to local computer or office supply megastores.
- See if there are any small-business associations that meet monthly in your town. If there are, slap on a tie, grab some business cards and go see what's happening.
- Drop your business cards in every "free lunch for you" restaurant bowl you can find. This increases your chances of getting noticed, and after all that work, it's nice to get a free lunch.
Q: I'm looking to start a carpet-cleaning business, and I'm wondering how to determine the demand for this service and the level of competition in my geographical area. Also, with the recent recession, do you think I should worry that people will stop purchasing this type of service?
A: The majority of your competition would probably be listed in your local phone book. But you may or may not care about how many other people are competing with you. I say that because in my experience, this is a business where you can start small and grow rapidly with good word-of-mouth if you provide good service. If you don't have to quit your job and do this full time, this could be a very good deal.
My opinion is that there is a lot of money to be made in this business by focusing on service, because so few people give good service. My personal experience with carpet cleaning is that most of the people who offer it show up late, do an OK job, aren't very careful in your house, and overall have a poor appearance and/or attitude. I think that if you can always keep appointments, do a good job, be careful and respectful of people's houses, look professional and be polite, you can clean up (no pun intended) in this business.
If you start this business, be sure to ask each client, after you've done a good job and they are happy, if they would give you the names of two other people who might want their carpets cleaned. If you can call someone and say "I just cleaned your friend Sarah's carpets, and she thought you might be interested in getting yours cleaned-please call her and ask her if she was happy with my work," then you'll have more business than you can handle.
Contractor or Employee?
Q: Currently I am employed as a developer for a small company. I have no benefits other than three weeks of vacation. I would like to start my own business and work as a contractor for this company. What advantages would there be to this arrangement, both for my current company and for me?
A: Your accountant can give you a lot more detail, but the bottom line is that you'll need other clients to be considered a contractor. If you become a contractor and only work for this one company, the IRS will classify you as an employee anyway. There is a list of rules that you can get (your accountant or the IRS will have them) that tells you whether you are a contractor or an employee.
That aside, advantages for you would be more flexibility (if they tell you when or where to work, then the IRS will say you are an employee), the ability to find other projects (and perhaps become in demand enough to raise your rates), and the feeling of being your own boss. The disadvantages are that you'd have to pay your own Social Security and employment taxes-be sure that if you become a contractor, you get more than you get now, because your expenses will increase. Plus, the company will have a lot less of a commitment to you-it is much easier to "lay off" a contractor than an employee.
Q: I am starting an HR Consulting and Training business. My question is very broad: What are deductible expenses for a small, homebased start-up?
A: You'll definitely want to talk to an accountant to get the official version, but here is some basic data:
Any miles that you drive for business purposes-to a meeting, to buy company supplies and equipment, and so on-can be deducted. The easiest thing (and the most defendable to the IRS) is to get a mileage book from any office supply store and, whenever you get in your car, ask "Is this for business?" If so, record the beginning and ending mileage on that trip. Some people combine personal trips with business trips, but I'm not sure how the IRS views that.
Other things you could probably deduct would be computer equipment in your home office, possibly furniture and other supplies for that office, a digital camera or camcorder if you can show that you use it in your business, magazine subscriptions, and meals with clients. The rules on these things are always changing, so definitely check with an accountant.
Here are some good resources to help you:
Withholding Taxes
Q: I have been asked by a family in our city to supervise the homeschooling of their three children. They would pay me $450 per week. Obviously, I would owe taxes on this money. Would I be considered a small business and responsible for my own taxes and FICA, or are the people who hire me responsible for this?
A: You will need to sit down with them and decide one way or another. If I had to guess, I'd say that they have assumed you'll pay your own taxes, and this is the typical way (as it is a fair amount of work for them to make you an employee). If that's the case, then make sure you know how much taxes and FICA you'd owe, and subtract that from the $450, and make sure it is worth it for that amount. You may need to negotiate a higher amount after you take that into consideration.
Any accountant can explain this in detail, and I'd recommend that you contact one for detailed advice. This isn't something you want to mess around with-you want to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Teen Startups
Choosing a Major
Q: I am college student, and I want to start my own business eventually. What major would be best for a future entrepreneur?
A: I'm not sure there is any one that would be best. As an undergraduate, you can major in just about anything. I majored in electrical engineering, then worked for a big company as a software developer, then a manager, then became an entrepreneur with a software development start-up, so my engineering background helped a lot. I know lots of entrepreneurs who have business-related or marketing degrees. So much of this depends on the person.
If you are a very technical person, I'd consider getting an engineering or computer science degree as a base. If not, a marketing degree would serve you very well-many entrepreneurs are very weak in marketing. A lot depends on your personality: If you are the kind of person who would do well in engineering, for example, the attributes that allow you to focus on one thing for a long time probably aren't great for schmoozing people (an important sales skill), and vice versa-most salespeople would have a very hard time spending much time in front of a PC.
Q: I am trying to start a business in the automotive sales and performance industry. I have done a lot of research on obtaining my Florida dealer's license and plan to buy and sell cars as one business while using that location to open an automotive performance shop. Here are the two problems I continue to run into: 1) I am 19 years old, and 2) I don't have a lot of upfront capital or assets to pledge for equity. How can I get the start-up financing I need? I am looking for less than $50,000. My partner is 20 years old and has less debt and a better credit score than me.
A: I'm not an expert on microloans, but that might be a good way to go if it is open to you. Unfortunately, as you probably expect, there isn't an easy answer to this. Because of your age, most people will assume that you are going to make a lot of mistakes before you get good at your business. Probably the best bet for you and your partner is to start out small and bootstrap yourself. Get your dealer's license (that doesn't cost much); buy a few cars on credit; and, after you sell them, put the profits back into buying more. Eventually you'll establish yourself, and credit will start to be easier to get.
Another option is to try to find a store or car lot that someone wants to get out of. There was a lot in my town recently where the guy had several cars and maybe 10 more on consignment, and he needed to move out of town so he was going to let the whole thing (including the office and equipment) go for something like $30,000. If you can find a good deal like that, that might give you your start.
One last tip: Go to our new online magazine for teens, TeenStartUps.com. You'll find a lot of helpful advice for people like you trying to overcome the age barrier and get financing for their start-ups.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but you should understand the reality. Don't let this hold you back, though-keep pushing ahead and you'll make it!
I'm Young...Really Young
Q: I'm a 12-year-old Bill Gates. I love making money. But I just need some simple advice on starting a business. I know I can't go overboard at my age-I hate those child labor laws. They hold me back from making money on something larger than a lemonade stand! But if you can advise me, and kind of guide me through the steps, I would surely appreciate it.
A: I like your attitude. You are right that your age will hold you back a bit, but don't let that get you down. I became an entrepreneur reasonably late in life (from your perspective anyway) at age 32. I have sometimes thought back and regretted not preparing myself more-I didn't even know I was going to be an entrepreneur until just before I quit my job and dove in.
If I were 12 years old again, here is what I'd do. I'd take the long-term view and plan my entrepreneurial career. I'd educate the heck out of myself. I'd read magazines like Entrepreneur and Web sites like Entrepreneur.com (which, by the way includes the teen-focused TeenStartUps.com). I'd listen to audio tapes from people like Zig Zigler, Brian Tracy and Michael Gerber. I'd take classes that helped build my knowledge base. I'd not worry too much about my age and about its limitations. I'd do a lot of research on the Internet and find out what other young entrepreneurs are doing. I'd get part-time jobs in small companies and offer to do anything to learn how to do various tasks. If you do all these things, you'll be way ahead of everyone else when it is time to select a major in college.
I Want a Business Now
Q: I am a student working toward my business management degree. I am extremely interested in owning my own business. My ultimate goal is to own/operate my own resort. Obviously, I don't have the time or money for that right now, but I really want to start my own business immediately. I am extremely interested in public safety; I know the field really well. Do you think there is something I can do part time, selling the equipment or somehow making my own business out of it?
A: One of the hard lessons that I've learned in my life (at the expense of a lot of time, effort and money) is that experience is way more important than I had ever thought. When I got out of college, I worked as an engineer and a manager for 10 years, never thinking about becoming an entrepreneur. When I did become one, I really had to start from scratch, and therefore I had to make a lot more mistakes than I would have if I'd been preparing for that all along.
So I'd ask you to think about a few things. First, get as much practical experience as possible on someone else's dime. Find a job, and when you are looking for that job, don't make salary, vacation time or benefits your primary concern-look for something that will give you the training and experience you need to go out on your own.
If the desire to be on your own is too great to spend the time to establish a skill base (or if you already have some business skills or experience), then I'd recommend you start something part time and see what success you can have while you finish your degree. That would be a great proving ground, and if the first or second thing you tried didn't work out, keep looking-you'll find something that does.
Without knowing a lot more details, it's difficult to give specific advice, but I think you are on the right track with the thought of testing your sales skills with a product before diving in to something more major.
Keith Lowe is a principal of Pretium Capital Group, a boutique investment bank in Huntsville, Alabama. Keith also mentors new entrepreneurs; serves as chairman of the board for Biztech, a nonprofit high-technology business incubator; and is a co-founder and officer for the Alabama Information Technology Association.


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How To Make Sure That The Content You Publish Directly Contributes To Your Business' Growth
Today, the web is flooded with content. Recognizing and expanding sustainable competitive advantage could easily be considered one of the most challenging activities for a new business venture. The process can often be extremely challenging for the regular small business owner, as the jo .... Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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The German Cricket Bowler
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- Parent Category: India Jokes-Humor
- Category: Indian Cricket Jokes
- Hits: 5512
Coach Qazi had put together the perfect Pakistani Cricket team. The only thing he was missing was a good bowler. He had scouted all the colleges, and even the high schools, but he couldn't find a right bowler who ould ensure a World Cup win.
Then one night, while watching CNN, he saw a war-zone scene in Germany. In one corner of the background, he spotted a young German soldier with a ruly incredible arm. He threw a hand grenade straight into a 15th-story indow 200 yards away -- ka-boom! He threw another hand grenade into a group of 10 soldiers 100 yards away -- ka-blooey! Then a car passed, going 90 mph -- bulls-eye!
"I've got to get this guy!" Qazi said to himself. "He has the perfect arm!"
So, he brings him to Pakistan and teaches him the great game of cricket, and the Pakistani Cricket Team go on to win there World Cup for the first time in history.
The young german is showed as the Great Hero of cricket, and when Qazi asks him what he wants, all the young man wants to do is to call his mother. "Mom," he says into the phone, "I just won the World Cup."
"I don't want to talk to you," the old woman says. "You deserted us. You are not my son."
"I don't think you understand, Mother!" the young man pleads. "I just won the greatest sporting event in the world. I'm here among thousands of my adoring fans."
"No, let me tell you," the mother retorts. "At this very moment, there are gunshots all around us. The neighborhood is a pile of rubble. Your two brothers were beaten within an inch of their lives last week, and this week your sister was raped in broad daylight."
The old lady pauses, and then tearfully says
"...I'll never forgive you for making us move to Karachi!
New ICC Rules for Cricket
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- Parent Category: India Jokes-Humor
- Category: Indian Cricket Jokes
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- Ricky Ponting €" (THE TRULY GENUINE CRICKETER OF THE CRICKET ERA AND WHOSE INTEGRITY SHOULD NOT BE DOUBTED) should be considered as the FOURTH UMPIRE. As per the new rules, FOURTH UMPIRE decision is final and will over ride any decisions taken by any other umpires. ON-FIELD umpires can seek the assistance of RICKY PONTING even if he is not on the field. This rule is to be made, so that every team should understand the importance of the FOURTH UMPIRE.
- While AUSTRALIAN TEAM is bowling, If the ball flies anywhere close to the AUSTRALIAN FIELDER(WITHIN 5 meter distance), the batsman is to be considered OUT irrelevant of whether the catch was taken cleanly or grassed. Any decision for further clarification should be seeked from the FOURTH UMPIRE. This is made to ensure that the cricket is played with SPORTIVE SPIRIT by all the teams.
- While BATTING, AUSTRALIAN players will wait for the ON-FIELD UMPIRE decisions only (even if the catch goes to the FIFTH SLIP as the ball might not have touched the bat). Each AUSTRALIAN batsman has to be out FOUR TIMES (minimum) before he can return to the pavilion. In case of THE CRICKETER WITH INTEGRITY, this can be higher.
- UMPIRES should consider a huge bonus if an AUSTRALIAN player scores a century. Any wrong decisions can be ignored as they will be paid huge bonus and will receive the backing of the AUSTRALIAN team and board.
- All AUSTRALIAN players are eligible to keep commenting about all players on the field and the OPPONENT TEAM should never comment as they will be spoiling the spirit of the AUSTRALIAN team. Any comments made in any other language are to be considered as RACISM only.
- MATCH REFEREE's decisions will be taken purely on the AUSTRALIAN TEAM advices only. Player views from the other teams decisions will not be considered for hearing. MATCH REFEREE's are to be given huge bonus if this rule is implemented.
- NO VISITING TEAM should plan to win in AUSTRALIA. This is to ensure that the sportive spirit of CRICKET is maintained.
- THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: If any bowler gets RICKY PONTING - €œTHE UNDISPUTED CRICKETER WITH INTEGTIRY IN THE GAME OF CRICKET€ more than twice in a series, he will be banned for the REST OF THE SERIES. This is to ensure that the best batsman/Captain will be played to break records and create history in the game of CRICKET.
These rules will clarify better to the all the teams VISITING AUSTRALIA.
Some other important points to be noted down
- When you are going out for the toss with Mr Integrity plz check both sides of the coin. Who knows Mr Integrity might have fixed that as well.
- When an Aussie cheater is out don€™t appeal to their team members standing near the stump & square leg. They are blind as a bat & deaf as a door post & as biased as a mother. Instead appeal to the cheater oops batsman himself by pleading with him.
- Spend some of the endorsement money to buy expensive & cutting edge home theatre system surround sound/dts et all. Maybe then the 12th & 13th man of the oz team & their holier than thou media might I repeat might c or hear a nick. it€™s a 1000 in a 1 shot but still worth trying.
- Sachin must share his fairy angel€™s name with Gangs & dravid. because shockingly Sachin has survived throughout this series without any blessings frm the 12th & 13th men unlike his previous series. so mayb his prayers aft 2003 series were strong enough to protect him this time around.
Indian batsmen plz plz plz don€™t even touch the ball with ur bat. Just stand their smiling leaving all the balls. coz if it hits the ball either u ll b adjudged caught behind or lbw. also don€™t come out of the crease coz u ll b adjudged stumped or run out.
Last of all instruct all ur bowlers/fielders not 2 appeal even if its clean bowled or caught near the boundary. Just turn around & start bowling the next ball. If the umpire taps the bowler on the shoulder & says son that€™s out register shock & incredulity & ask him 2 confirm with Mr Integrity if that was really out!
2019 World Cup Cricket Headlines
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- Parent Category: India Jokes-Humor
- Category: Indian Cricket Jokes
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2019 World Cup - News Headlines!
- Coach Sehwag to be sacked after India's defeat over Mongolia
- "Tendulkar should consider quitting" : Rahul Dravid
- Pathan touches 60 mph!!!
- India out of Super 30 contention
- VVS Laxman : "I still hope for a spot in the team in 2023"
- NORTH KOREA don't want to take minnows Pakistan lightly
- Former Paki captain Inzamam : "Boys is not plays with heart"
- Flintoff publishes 7th autobiography : How I got drunk, shot and woke up in the Pacific!
- Greg Chappell talks of cracks in the Solomon Islands team: "Seniors are behaving like Mafia"
- Security increased outside Sehwag's mithai shop after India's defeat
Ganguly Starts Producing Movies
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Ganguly starts producing movies, the films would be titled as follows
- Kabhi ek Kabhi duck
- Opponent team wale wicket le jayenge.
- Main captaincy ka diwana hoon.
- Hum wicket de chuke sanam.
- Kal team mein ho na ho.
- Ab tak chappan(ducks)
- Kyon...out ho gaya na?
- Captaincy ke liye kuch bhi karega.
Cricket, Heaven and Hell
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- Category: Indian Cricket Jokes
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A very keen cricketer asked a divine, allegedly with good connections on high , whether there was any cricket in heaven .
The priest replied:"I cant tell you now , but if you come back on Sunday , I might have an answer . "
On sundaythe priest told the cricketer : "I've had good news and bad news . The good news is : Yes , there is cricket in heaven . And now for the bad news : You are in to bat on Friday !"
The Devils challenged the Angels to a game of cricket.
"But we've got all the cricketers," said the Angels.
"Yes. But we've got all the umpires!" exclaimed The Devils.
A cricket enthusiast died and went to hell. After a few days, the Devil came up to him and said, 'What do you feel like doing today? You can have anything you like.'
'Well,' said the cricketer, I can't think of nothing better than a game of cricket. Can we do that?'
'Certainly,' said the Devil, and off they went to get changed. They arrived at a beautiful pitch, and the batsman in his new gear took up a stance. Nothing happpened.
'Come on then,' he said to the Devil, 'bowl the first ball.'
'Ah, that's the Hell of it,' said the Devil. 'We haven't got any balls


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George Van Reeth
George Pieter Van Reeth was the third and last Secretary General of ELDO, and has spent 27 years with ESA and its predecessors. He passed away in August 2010.
Born in 1924 in Herselt, Belgium, he studied civil engineering and then law at the Catholic University of Louvain. He obtained a Doctorate in Law in 1952. He practised as an Attorney at the Bar in Antwerp from 1953 until 1962, when he became a legal expert in the NATO Starfighter Monitoring Office in Koblenz, charged with negotiating and managing contracts for the purchase of electronic equipment.
In 1964 he was appointed by ESRO to organise and head the Contracts Service at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) which had just started to operate; as such, he introduced new advanced forms of contracts for the first ESRO satellite programmes. In particular, he adapted incentive contracts and project control methods as practised in the United States to a specifically European environment.
He was instrumental in defining and implementing an industrial policy adapted to the requirements of ESRO and later of ESA. He played an important role in the setting up of the European industrial consortia which were in those years among the first European joint ventures in a field of high technology.
In 1972 he became the Administrative Director of ELDO and later Acting Secretary General. When ELDO and ESRO were merged in 1975 he was appointed Director of Administration of ESA in Paris. In addition to his duties in Administration, in particular overall responsibility for budget and procurement, he had been personally involved in all aspects of the European space policy in general, notably in the aspects of international relations and industrial policy, including equitable distribution of contracts between Member States.
He had equally taken a large part in defining the relations with other space organisations, in particular NASA, and conducted many negotiations on international level.
In 1991 he retired from ESA and became President of the International Space University (ISU), where he was responsible for the conversion of what was primarily a Summer School activity into a permanent institution issuing Master Degrees in Space Studies. He was instrumental in the establishment of the ISU Central Campus in Strasbourg, France. His mandate as President ended on 30 June 1994.
Van Reeth was a member of the International Academy of Astronautics and Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was President of the International Astronautical Federation from 1988 to 1990 and Vice-President of the Committee for Space Law of the International Bar Association from 1987 to 1989. He has published writings on management, industrial property rights, patents and space insurance. He was a strong believer in education and space history and supported many initiatives in this field.


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Topological phases are often characterized by special edge states confined near the boundaries by an energy gap in the bulk. On raising temperature, these edge states are lost in a clean system due to mobile thermal excitations. Recently however, it has been established that disorder can localize an isolated many body system, potentially allowing for a sharply defined topological phase even in a highly excited state.I will show this to be the case for the topological phase of a one dimensional magnet with quenched disorder, which features spin one-half excitations at the edges. The time evolution of a simple, highly excited, initial state is used to reveal quantum coherent edge spins. In particular, I will demonstrate, using theoretical arguments and numerical simulation, the coherent revival of an edge spin over a time scale that grows exponentially bigger with system size. This is in sharp contrast to the general expectation that quantum bits strongly coupled to a 'hot' many body system will rapidly lose coherence.


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Record-Breaking Thread
- Updated
is it just me, or does the following sound like I, Robot was basically a ripoff by rehashing a previous film to a book adptation? (gonna have to click the spoiler button thingy, which will tell you what I was linking)
I happened to have watched the latter part of Virtuosity and thought it was too familiar. I actually could list the parallels if anyone wants to see it.2 Replies
Isn't "I, Robot" based for the most part on the Isaac Asimov short story?
The could draw from the same source material.
I did the cursory search on it already. that's why I said: "basically a ripoff by rehashing a previous film to a book adptation"
also, further looking into the IMDB page, it says it used the same story source from the TV adaptation that was in the Outer Limits series. I, Robot would be based on the story, but they took up some artistic license to make some slight changes, making it look like it was a rewrite of Virtuosity.
a few things in my list thus far (people can add to it if I'm missing anything):
- the first, obvious one in the basic plot, was the reference I linked. Denzel Washington would have been slated for the part of Spooner in I, Robot, since he had already taken the role of a cop that had lost his left arm, and was tasked with chasing a robot that strayed (this was the only most direct reference I could find in IMDB, so I'm not sure if people didn't already start to see the similarities, or they haven't seen/forgotten about Virtuosity).
- our hero cop kinda goes rogue during pursuit.
- the female partner to the cop, are doctors in some field of psychology.
- by the end of the films, both fight scenes involve a glass building, which of course eventually means quite a bit of glass gets in the way.
- they both end up getting to the "brains" of the operation that was causing havoc.
- the inventors of both SID 6.7 and Sonny were apparently killed off at some point.
the list could go on.
[speaking to Philly] there's no direct claim of inspiration or a remake between either film as far as I've seen. so, I'm not sure anyone has ever compared them. I, Robot would have been based on the Asimov stories, but if you put that on Virtuosity instead, the basic plot elements that are there, would have been very little difference to what the I, Robot film looks like now.
I just thought that it was weird. I didn't look into whether there was any connection between the films in the production side for any common people that worked on it, which could bring up the possibility of Virtuosity being subconsciously inserted into I, Robot. or maybe they were aware of it, but probably too ashamed to realize what they had done.
that has been quite common in hollywood, ever since the start of films many films have been re-made under original or new names, remember " the old tricks, are still the best tricks "
Well, after my daughter had her little mishap in the garage trying to back out around the snowblower, my wife "suggested" that I put it away for the year, since clearly it was the snowblower's (and thus, my) fault that it happened. Between yesterday and overnight last night I have about 6-7 inches of snow in the driveway. Screw it, I'm not shovelling.
5 Replies
Good morning all.
Kovalev packed it in: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=4187985 Replies


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good fit
Reviewed By Veronica B (Maple Valley, WA) Reviewed for a 1999 Chevy Corvette —6/21/2017 8:48 PM
Fits the car well, easy install
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Reviewed By Ronald R (Martinsburg, WV) Reviewed for a 2015 Chevy Corvette —2/28/2015 12:08 PM
Purchased a 2015 Corvette, and as I have done with all of my vehicles, wanted to keep it covered in my Garage. As it sits with my Thunderbird, also covered by a Coverking Coverbond 4, I wanted to ensure no dents or scratches. I like the Universal covers for their length and elastic on the ends. Does a great job.


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This overview tour offers a broad insight into our Permanent Exhibition.
More than 7,000 selected exponents with unique historical value offer a comprehensive view of the past. On display is an extensive representation of German history that takes account of the multifarious processes of exchange as well as political and cultural interconnection with neighbouring states and the entire world. A tour of the Permanent Exhibition leads through the various epochs chronologically, from the Middle Ages on up to the signing of the Two Plus Four Agreement on 3 October 1990.
60 minutes
4€ plus admission
Meeting point: Information Zeughaus


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Uniworld's 118-passenger Queen Isabel replaced the 130-passenger Douro Spirit and will take guests to the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Douro River Valley.
Reducing its passenger capacity allowed Uniworld to provide more of its coveted suites — two 323-square-foot full suites and eighteen 215-square-foot junior suites — on the top deck with step-out balconies. Accommodations on the Main Deck have French balconies and Lower Deck staterooms have large windows. The staterooms on the Main and Lower decks are 161 square feet. All accommodations are outside, and all have L'Occitane bath products, waffle bathrobes and slippers.
Although Douro vessels are chartered from a local company, Douro Azul, they are distinguished by many of Uniworld's signature features — beautiful silk, dark woods and brass fittings. They are furnished with comfortable chairs, heavenly beds and large stools in the stateroom that open up to provide extra storage space.
Queen Isabel offers a wide variety of onboard amenities for optimal comfort and convenience. The sun deck has a small heated swimming pool, a sheltered seating area, loungers around the pool and solar panels that help supply energy for the ship. The ship also features a library, free Internet access and a complimentary coffee and tea bar that serves snacks, sweets and continental breakfast items. The open-seating restaurant offers ample choices for breakfast and a nice selection of regional specialties at lunch and dinner. Unlimited complimentary beverages, from wines and spirits to craft and regional beers, make for a congenial atmosphere while guests mingle before and after dinner. Isabel's fitness center includes free weights, a treadmill and a massage service that can be booked onboard.
The itinerary provides dramatic scenery and plenty of opportunities to sample local culture. Wine is king on this cruise — with daily tastings, lectures and winemaker meet-and-greets — and guests will spend a lovely evening with a winemaking family at the Quinta de Avessoda, with traditional music and regional specialties at dinner. Tell your clients to save room for the exquisite creme brulee.
One of the most popular stops is Salamanca, a buzzing university town where visitors can stock up on saffron, pata negra ham and olives at the picturesque market hall and visit the cosmopolitan shops and beautiful churches. On my cruise, all Uniworld guests were given approximately $20 to sample the restaurants and cafes of the Old City.
Encourage your clients to book the pre-cruise program in Lisbon. During the five-day land tour, guests fell in love with Lisbon and Porto, from the Manueline Baroque Jeronimos Monastery to the pastry shops, and enjoyed both guided sightseeing and time to explore on their own. Most of the guests on my cruise described it as a highlight of their experience, and it is perfectly timed to bring passengers onboard when their rooms and food are ready.
Queen Isabel sails the 11-day (including the land tour in Lisbon) Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley cruise from the end of March to mid-November, priced from $3,599.


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Check out one of our favorite stories from FitSugar here on Self!
The following post was written by New York-based trainer David Kirsch.**
** Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, and if you're like me, you've started to plan the holiday festivities. You are probably debating about how much food to make-- and possibly wondering whether or not to pull those elastic-waist pants out from the closet! Indeed, for some, consuming 2 days worth of calories in one sitting is an annual tradition. But it doesn't have to be that way . . .
On the day where we celebrate what we're thankful for, your health should be at the top of the list. So why not make it a healthy Thanksgiving dinner? You heard me correctly. Undoubtedly, there will be your favorite dishes -- including the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes -- but without the butter, sugar, and added fat. Your heart, waist, and arteries will be externally grateful. 4. Check out David's eating tip when you . Here are my fat-saving tips for the Thanksgiving Day feast that will be good for your body and soul:
- Appetizer: Instead of cheese and crackers, try low fat hummus with vegetable wedges or sweet potato chips.
- Entree: For the main attraction -- the bird -- think brine. The technique ensures that you end up with a moist, seasoned and tasty bird. Instead of bathing the bird in butter, slow roast and baste it with a mixture of turkey stock, white wine, celery, carrots, onion, parsnips, and apples. For the finishing touches, I brush the turkey with olive oil when there is about 30 to 45 minutes of roasting to go.
- Cranberry: Instead of a high-calorie, sugar-loaded canned sauce, follow a recipe using fresh or frozen cranberries. My favorite cranberry relish uses red wine and anise to balance out the intensity of fresh cranberries.
- Stuffing: I opt for a rice-based stuffing instead of using high-carb breads. With olive oil, herbs, nuts and a little egg to help bind, this recipe will appease the stuffing addicts in your family.
- Sides: My favorite sides are all healthier options than some of the standard fare. Roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans with lemon zest and almonds, and mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and balsamic vinegar are all deliciously nutritious.
- Dessert: Try to minimize sugar consumption. For dessert, I would try things like dark chocolate and berries. But if you're like me and you love your pecan pie, remember my adage: if some is good more is not necessarily better!
To find out my exclusive recipes, I'll be featuring Thanksgiving recipes each day this week on my blog. And later this week, you'll get a few side dishes right here on FitSugar! 5. 6. More from FitSugar: Here are more healthy Thanksgiving recipes for your holiday meal. Worried about holiday weight gain? Check out our holiday survival guide for some handy tips.


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BRIDGEPORT -- A Fairfield University student, charged with raping a female student, bragged to friends after the alleged incident that he had done "the nasty tonight" with a freshman girl, police said.
"She didn't want to lose her virginity until she was in love ha ha," police said Joshua Delvecchio texted a friend.
On Tuesday morning, Delvecchio pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and third-degree assault. Delvecchio, of Randi Drive, Madison, stood beside his lawyer, William Dow, in Superior Court and elected a jury trial.
"He entered a plea of not guilty and that speaks for itself," Dow said as he and Delvecchio later left the courtroom. "History tells us accusations are easily made but not easily proven."
Judge John Kavanewsky Jr. continued the case to Feb. 25. Delvecchio is free on $50,000 bond.
On Oct. 18, the 18-year-old alleged victim was attending an on-campus party when she met Delvecchio, police said. The two went back to the girl's dorm room where, police said, they started kissing, but the victim warned Delvecchio she was a virgin and did not intend to have sex with him. However, police said, Delvecchio then held the young woman down and raped her.
Police said the woman later texted friends that she had been raped and went to the campus health center, where campus security officers were contacted. Her parents spent the next night in the young woman's dorm room where, police said, they were awakened about 1:30 a.m. by Delvecchio persistently banging on the door.
Police said some of Delvecchio's friends told detectives that Delvecchio had bragged to them about having sex with a freshman girl while they were having breakfast with him the morning after the incident, and that he sent them numerous texts describing the relations. But police said that Delvecchio maintained the sex had been consensual.
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-330-6308; http://twitter.com/dantepfer


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I have just seen a copy of the newly published Treasures from Lord Fairhaven's Library at Anglesey Abbey, written by Mark Purcell, William Hale and David Pearson. The authors describe the extraordinary collection of books assembled at Anglesey Abbey by Huttleston Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) between the 1920s and the 1960s.
Lord Fairhaven was the eldest son of Urban Hanlon Broughton (1857-1929), an Anglo-American sanitation and mining entrepreneur, and Cara Rogers (1867-1939) the daughter of Henry Huttleston Rogers (1840-1909), an American oil, gas, copper and railway tycoon. Rogers was an exponent of the rise of the monopolistic businessman in late nineteenth-century America, which saw him and other ruthless titans like John D. Rockefeller, Henry Clay Frick, Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan amass stupendous fortunes.
Although this book is strictly speaking about Fairhaven's library, it also clearly shows how his tastes more generally were shaped by his American plutocratic background. The appearance of Anglesey Abbey and its gardens reflects the ideas of Gilded Age arbiters of taste such as Edith Wharton (1862-1937). Anglesey Abbey is, in effect, a Gilded Age 'cottage' preserved in the Cambridgeshire Fens.
Fairhaven loved British art and architecture, and he had the ancient Anglesey Abbey – latterly used as a farmhouse – carefully restored and – in phases – extended. But the interiors were done up lavishly, complete with fitted carpets and central heating, relatively rare at the time. And he gradually filled the house with a very fine, if also very personal, collection of paintings, bronzes, tapestries, furniture, clocks and books.
The Library, as described in this book, 'is a slightly modernised 1930s take on the historicist style in vogue in Britain and America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries – with just a hint of Gotham City and the Bat Cave.' This book once again triumphantly proves the point (previously made by Mark Purcell here and here, for instance) that books are not just information carriers but also biographical, social and cultural signifiers.


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Local Boy Makes Good
My hometown doesn't have a lot of celebrities. I remember Henry Thomas was a big deal when ET came out because he was from San Antonio. Carol Burnett was born here, and Joan Crawford, James Roday from Psych, Summer Glau from The Sarah Connor Chrionicles and the girl who plays Tiffy on The Unit, but not many others you would have heard of. Oh, and Eva Longoria is married to a Spur, but that doesn't really count.
So I was really excited to learn, after I got hooked on Supernatural, that Jared Padalecki is from San Antonio. Even cooler, he grew up less than 5 miles from where I grew up, and attended a rival high school, James Madison High. (He graduated after I'd already been teaching 10 years, but we won't talk about that.) When I'd take my son to his friend's house, I'd drive by Madison, along the same route Jared must have come to school.
Every year my mom and I go to a crafts fair there, and I think, wow, Jared walked these halls. (There's no recognition of his success or anything, though.) My dh and ds know me too well, because they mock me.
He grew up in the neighborhood behind the Eckerds where I used to work. I wonder if young Jared ever came in with his parents.
According to Wikipedia, his mom teaches journalism at a different local high school. I wonder if she's gotten tons of email from fans, because I just found her school email. My son is in journalism, and I wanted him to look up Mrs. P at some of the journalism events he's gone to, but he won't. Bad boy.
One of the members of my writing chapter SARA worked with Jared when he was in drama. She taught at a different high school but apparently the drama community in NEISD is close-knit, because she said he'd greet her with effusiveness when he'd see her.
Apparently Jared still has affection for San Antonio because during filming of Friday the 13th in Austin, he'd come visit his folks. And I know he and Jensen had some good natured rivalry when the Spurs and Mavericks were in the playoffs last year.
I don't imagine I'll ever run into Jared in my hometown, but having the connection makes me want his success even more.


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Liberty Farm was the home of Abby Kelley Foster, outspoken abolitionist and early suffragist, and her husband, Stephen Symonds Foster, from 1847 until 1881. Born in 1810, Abby Kelley was raised as a Quaker and developed the same spirit of independence and strong moral commitment that so many adherents of the faith seemed to possess. While teaching in Lynn, MA, Kelley developed into a staunch abolitionist by reading William Lloyd Garrisons newspaper The Liberator. In 1838, Kelly made her first public speech at an anti-slavery convention in Philadelphia, and was so effective that Theodore Weld begged her to continue speaking, saying, "Abby, if you dont, God will smite you!" Kelley decided to become a reformer, but she did not concentrate only on abolition. Throughout her crusade against slavery, Kelley also voiced the importance of equal rights for African-Americans and women, an issue abolitionists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony also advocated. In the early 1840s, Kelley met Stephen Symonds Foster--himself an outspoken abolitionsist--and in 1845, she married him. Though both were widely sought after as lecturers, in 1847, the couple purchased Liberty Farm, and immediately opened the house to slaves escaping north on the Underground Railroad. After the Civil War, Kelley Fosters attention shifted to equal rights and the enfranchisement of women, lecturing to crowds of shocked listeners who had never seen women speak in public before. Although too sick to speak in later years, Kelley Foster and her husband still managed to voice their displeasure with Abbys inability to vote--from 1874 to 1879, the Fosters refused to pay property taxes on their attractive Federal-style farmhouse, Liberty Farm. Auctioned off by the state several times, friends repeatedly purchased the house and then gave Liberty Farm back to the Fosters.
Liberty Farm, a National Historic Landmark, is located at 116 Mower St. in Worcester, MA. The property is not open to the public.
Home | List of Sites | Main Map | Western MA Map | Next Site


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Unique Gifts
The unique gifts section is full of unique personalised gifts, ranging from adopting your own animal, to a personalised classic (such as Wuthering Heights). This section is the perfect place to find gifts for people that they really wont find on the high street.
There is a complete range for all genders, ages and needs. They can be for a bit of fun, or a serious present from the one you love.


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PORTSMOUTH — Strawbery Banke Museum chose "A Winter's Eve" as the theme for its 33rd Annual Candlelight Stroll and Mother Nature helped them along.
With a dusting of snow all day Saturday and seasonal evening temperatures in the 20s, several thousand people descended upon the internationally known 10-acre site to participate in one of New England's premier holiday traditions.
"This is most likely the largest opening night crowd we have ever seen," said Larry Yerdon, the museum's extremely pleased president and CEO. "Certainly in my eight-year tenure."
As the throng moved calmly through the foyer of the entrance building, it passed by a huge, triple-sized table area holding hundreds of ginger bread houses made by local artisans and school children. While perusing the delicate creations, they were entertained by local musicians. A. Aidan McManus, Dover's globe trotting attorney, recently back from the visiting the Old Sod, was settled at the baby grand piano, serving up any number of songs of the season, much to the delight of those passing through on their way to the stroll.
Those enjoying the tuxedo-clad, red-suspendered McManus' ivory tickling were Kittery's Tammy and Mark Svenson with their 2-year-old daughter, Piper.
"This is not Piper's first visit to the Banke," explained a smiling Tammy. "We are members of the museum and come often. Tonight is beautiful, it is perfect with the snow, well worth putting a hat on for." The Svensons were joined by friend naturopathic physician Nicole Schertell of Portsmouth.
Upon entering, museum-goers were immediately exposed to the center portion of the Banke, which was ringed in lights, with each path lined by wooden boxed candles. As they strolled toward the clusters of houses they could be seen selecting initial goals for the evening. Some had arrived individually, some as couples, but the vast majority were groups of friends or families. For many, it was an annual trip.
Dover's Mike and Krysten Maddocks were joined by several friends from the local area as well as Portland, Maine.
"We've been coming here for several years for the Candlelight Stroll," said Mike, North Hampton's deputy police chief. "This gives us an opportunity to show our friends what a wonderful experience the Stroll is," explained the vivacious Ms. Maddocks, "and tonight the weather is perfect."
Pat Wilson of New Castle and Jean Forest of Stratham could be seen on the Strawbery Banke version of a busman's holiday. The women are both volunteers during the year at the museum and instead were visiting tourists this evening.
"I really enjoy coming here as a visitor," said Wilson, a four-year volunteer in the horticultural department.
"It is fun to be a visitor," said Forest, who has been volunteering for three years. "We see it from another perspective, and I understand how much I like working here, everyone on staff makes each visitor so comfortable.
"They really make it easy to enjoy everything," added Wilson.
Fourteen-year-old Emily McDonald of Nottingham was joined by her grandparents, Scott and Gloria Gibbs, as part of their annual family Christmas routine.
"I really like coming here every year," said Emily. "I love seeing the old houses, but most importantly I like best seeing how they decorated at the different periods in time, but especially in the early years when they didn't even celebrate or decorate for Christmas. It is a learning experience that is fun."
Caren Lasky of Strafford brought her three sons, Carter, Nate and Oliver, for their annual visit to the Stroll. They were joined by friend, 12-year-old Shayla Ashley who found the visit " ... extremely interesting, I really like that everything is exactly as it was back in each era."
As the groups worked their way through the site, holding up maps, one family could be heard exclaiming, "Let's go to the Shapiro house and watch Mrs. Shapiro making latkes for Hanukkah!"
They did, being greeted by the affable prototypical Jewish mother in the 1920s kitchen and when they entered the living room they encountered 15-year-old Sophie Shapiro, who was joined by 10-year-old Mollie Shapiro and 15-year-old cousin Molly Brown, as they played the dreidel game while "waiting for our cousin Fannie to arrive, we are hosting a surprise birthday party for her … don't tell a soul."
As with all the Stroll re-enactors, the young women held character completely and engaged the visitors in conversations related to the time they represented.
With lines at the door of each home and exhibit, there was ample opportunity for interaction within groups and between those in attendance. A large line of festive visitors moved smoothly into the cider house where warm mulled cider and some hot jazz awaited them. Handing out Lindt chocolates to Jim and Debbie Blanchard of Framingham, Mass., as well as Patrick Higgins of Somersworth, Lauren Treacy of Dover and Samantha MacKinnon of Chester was Rye Junior High School's Rebecca Rowland, a longtime volunteer.
With a recording of the Glenn Miller Orchestra's "I'll be home for Christmas" playing in the background, 10-year-old Olivia Elder of Windham, Maine, was waiting on a path to be greeted by a 19th-century garbed Santa Claus.
"I really, really like it here," she said. "If they had an apartment building, I would move in and live here forever."
The Candlelight Stroll continues Dec. 8 and 9, 15 and 16 — Saturday hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays 4 to 8 p.m. Information can be found at www.strawberybanke.org.


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Battlefield 3 End Game's Dirt Bike Bonanza
Dirt bikes are coming! We've been exclaiming it for a while now, but it's tough to keep our excitement in check when we know that Battlefield 3's End Game downloadable content pack will let us fly off ramps while launching rocket-powered grenades.
An update on the Battlefield Blog from a DICE Quality Assurance Analyst, Malin von Matern, goes over how the jumps in the new End Game maps exist to let players have a lot of fun on the dirt bikes.
He talks about how much they had to tweak the initial jumps so that players could successfully get some "big air" or avoid features in the environment that would lead to certain doom, like rock walls or trees.
Shown below are some dev shots illustrating the changes made on a jump in order to make it more successful and fun.
"If you don't give the player enough information about the jump on the approach, it's easy to misalign the jump and end up crashing into a rock or a tree," said von Matern. " An example of this is the problem we had with the mega jump on Operation Riverside mentioned earlier. When players came up on the second jump while approaching from the Russian side of the river, many ended up crashing straight into the rock wall."
One of the biggest advantages of riding the dirt bike is that it's small and fast, allowing you to zip past enemies or outrun heavy vehicles. And the best part is that you don't have to ride solo, since having a passenger won't weigh down your bike. We personally want to see if we can use a buddy to launch an RPG as soon as we hit a jump, just to give us that extra little boost.
End Game will be available next month for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Let us know if you're going to grab some air during your runs through the new maps! Check out the dev shots and video below, showing the bikes in flight. And of course, it wouldn't be Battlefield if we didn't see something exploding!


text: expphoto Share Posted July 31, 2013 (edited) First, let me start with my definitions. Babysit: Do everything for them, presume they know absolutely nothing. Making little to no effort to be proactive in making sure they know basic functions Teach: Do the hard stuff for them, expect them to have a common knowledge of how to use their computers (in which they work on everyday). Be proactive in making sure they know how to perform basic functions. Common Knowledge: Ability to navigate a Windows Machine, such as accessing programs from the start menu, using USB drives, copy and paste, moving files, etc. Also being able to follow directions. My co-worker and I have a different view on this. I think people should be forced to know the basic functions, he says people don't care and that it's our job to do it for them. What are your opinions on this overall? Edited July 31, 2013 by jeston Edited per OP request. 1 Share Link to post Share on other sites


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