Small businesses and self-employment Books

Book Synopsis Graphic design is a crowded, highly competitive world. And it takes a lot more than raw talent and technical ability to make it as an independent designer. Successful graphic designer and entrepreneur, Larry Daniels exposes the weak spot of so many: the critical business side of running even a one-person design firm. Designers often prioritize aesthetics over a client's needs, and ignore basic business skills such as writing, record keeping, and relationship building. This practical insider’s guide explains how to build a profitable, sustainable design business. Packed with sample agreements, letters, forms, and more, it reveals how to: • Create a website and portfolio that highlight design solutions • Do pre-pitch research and deliver winning presentations • Prepare inviting proposals that win lTable of Contents CONTENTS List of Figures vii About the Author ix Preface xi 1 Taking The Plunge: a daunting, energizing journey 1 2 Setting Up House: firm fundamentals 21 3 Design Firm Management: tools and templates 47 4 Designing a Relevant Firm Image 65 5 Communicating Credibility 81 6 Effective Business Writing: the cornerstone of firm growth 93 7 Crafting a Winning Proposal 101 8 Time Management: the key to design firm profitability 121 9 Effective Marketing: your passport to success 139 10 Growing Your Firm in Any Economic Climate 187 11 Sidestepp ing Obstacles in Your Firm’s Path 207 Index 223

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: A Letter from Eva Rosenberg to You, the Business Owner Lighten Up How to Use This Book Prologue: Update on the Latest Tax Laws 1 SMALL BUSINESS CHECKLIST Three Indicators Will Predict the Success of the Business So What Do You Need to Do? The Checklist in To-Do Order Resources 2 BUSINESS PLANS YOU KNOW AND TRUST Create a Business Plan Why You Need a Business Plan Real Business—Planned Losses General Benefits The Fine Line Between Success and Failure Exit Plans for Fun and Profit Let’s Not Fail Due to Success Knowing What to Do—When Outline of a Plan Rebalancing Your Business Plan for Tax Consequences Business Plan Books and Resources Resources 3 ENTITIES: SELECTING YOUR BUSINESS STRUCTURE Decisions, Decisions, Decisions What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? An Overview of Certain Tax Considerations Related to Entities Major Issues Related to Entities Entities, in All Their Glory A Brief Word About Nevada, Delaware, and WyomingCorporations What About Nonprofits? Entities We’re Not Discussing All the Highlights in One Place Your Big Decision Resources 4 RECORD KEEPING Keeping Records Is a Pain Types of Accounting Systems Doing It by Hand The IRS Says It All Fiscal Year Accounting Styles Records You Must Keep How Long Should You Keep Records? Glossary of Bookkeeping Terms Resources 5 INCOME Money In, Money Out, Wave Your Hands All About A Capital Idea What Is Income? Timing of Income A Brief Explanation About “Accrual Basis” Sales Taxes Received—Are They Your Money? Income Rarely Reported The IRS Has a Cash Audit Guide Some 1099s Your Business Receives So What the Heck Is Income? Resources6 COMMON DEDUCTIONS Rule of Thumb Universally Deductible It’s All About You Mixed-Use Assets Depreciation More Deductions Than You Can Imagine Resources 7 OFFICE IN HOME The Song Is Right! Let’s Stay Home It’s a Red Flag; It’s Just Asking for an Audit Frustrating Change to the Law Affecting Employees An Attractive Change to the Law Affecting Homeowners Only Simplify, Simplify Inner Space Two Critical Reminders Prove It, Baby! What Are Office-in-Home Expenses? When You Can’t Use Office-in-Home Deductions Evaluate Your Options A Final Note—and a Final Story Resources 8 VEHICLES: EVERYONE’S FAVORITE DEDUCTION Deducting Auto Expenses for Employees Deducting Auto Expenses for Business Owners Should I Lease or Buy? The Cons of Depreciation Give Yourself Credit Driving Home Conclusions Resources 9 EMPLOYEES AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS Who Is an Employee? Protecting Yourself from Independent Contractor Claims What Are 1099-MISCs? Payroll and Payroll Taxes Payroll Across Entities Hiring Family Members Paying Payroll Preparing Payroll: Checks, Journals, Reports Reporting Payroll Employee Benefits Employee Ownership and Stock Options Summing up Employees Resources 10 OWNERS’ FRINGE BENEFITS, RETIREMENT, AND TAXDEFERMENT Fringe Benefits and Reimbursements Retirement Plans Tax-Deferred Opportunities Using the IRS to Your Advantage Resources 11 ESTIMATED PAYMENTS Estimated Payments Overview My Short Method Worst-Case Scenario Computing Your Estimated Installment Payments Paying the Tax Tips to Reduce Penalties for Underpayment of Estimated Tax Don’t Overpay Your Estimates If You’re in Trouble Resources 12 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ONLINE BUSINESSES—AND BUSINESSES THAT SELL ACROSS STATE LINES WWW = Who, What, Where What? I Thought There Was No Internet Tax Nexus Internet Sales Tax Issues Rents and Services—Domestic and Abroad Legal Issues on the Internet In the End Resources 13 TAX NOTICES, AUDITS, AND COLLECTION NOTES Dealing with Basic Tax Notices for Individual Returns IRS Audits What Will Happen During the Audit? Negotiating Audit Reconsiderations, Appeals, and Tax Court:Some Brief Words Owing Taxes How About Filing Bankruptcy? Summary of IRS Interactions Resources Epilogue: Some Final Words of Advice—and Resources to Rely On Index

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Book SynopsisSet yourself up for business success with this pocket-sized playbook Packed with research, stories, and practical tools you can apply immediately, The Pocket MBA is an essential handbook for taking your business and your leadership to the next level. From mansplaining to motherhood, women face unique challenges when it comes to running a successful business. But whatever challenges you personally face, The Pocket MBA shares the insightful tips and strategies that will give you a head-start as a leader, manager, and owner. In four accessible parts, you'll uncover the key components for a rock-solid team and a booming business. Whether you're going it on your own or you're working with a franchise, you'll learn effective ways to: Lead yourself: Learn how to align your leadership with your values, and how to ground and centre yourself so that you can respond more effectively to challenges. Lead your team: Get tips for recruiting and c

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Book SynopsisAn expert-preneur's guide to building your audienceYour experiences and expertise can make a profound difference in someone else's life. But to create a profitable business from your stories, you need to say good-bye to rapid strategy switching and hello to a simple plan for growing your audience.In this entertaining how-to guide, marketing mentor Nikki Nash reveals a straightforward, three-step process for generating audience growth and consistent revenue. Through it, you will:-- Pinpoint who wants to pay for your expertise-- Discover how to capture your audience's attention-- Create a plan for generating a consistent flow of leads-- Build your sales system for a sustainable business-- Develop a road map for keeping customers year after yearThis in-depth coaching session provides you with the clear action steps for creating and validating a marketing plan that aligns with your unique business vision, creating the pathway to disco

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Book SynopsisIn Skipjack, Christopher White spends a pivotal year with three memorable captains as they battle man and nature to control the fate of their island villages and oyster fleet. Through these lively characters, White paints a vivid picture of life on a skipjack, a wooden oystering sailboat.Trade Review[An] evocative portrait of the nation's most beautiful and poignant vocational anachronism. It's an action-packed tale, complete with waterborne grudge matches, on-deck shootouts, fierce winter storms and suspenseful escapes. * The Washington Post *[A] colorful, comprehensive, and valuable piece of Americana. -- Peter Matthiessen, novelist and non-fiction writer, twice winner of the National Book AwardThe world has almost run out of fish, as modern technology strips our oceans bare. Christopher White’s Skipjack is a compelling story about how the wisdom of the past can help us protect the future of our fisheries. If you savor seafood, White’s chronicle of the gritty life aboard America’s last sailboat fishing fleet is a tale you need to hear. -- Trevor Corson, he author of Secret Life of Lobsters and The Story of SushiWell written, and carefully researched…. Chris White’s brilliant use of the waterman’s vernacular and his intimate knowledge of multiple generations of watermen combine to make this an excellent treatise on a culture that is clearly disappearing. -- Gilbert M. Grosvenor, former editor and Chairman of National Geographic SocietyAt a time when the last great wildernesses are melting or going up in smoke, it’s comforting to know that these watermen still exist-and that a writer as insightful and lyrical as Christopher White is on hand to document their fiercely independent way of life. -- George Reiger, Wanderer on My Native Shore, and former Conservation Editor, Field & StreamThe author spent a year with the captains of three skipjacks, as they balanced politics and tradition, environmental and economic issues in their struggle to harvest oysters from their wooden sailboats. * Wooden Boat *A stunning portrait...(White's) keen eye and lively prose together draw a clear image of a place where work, nature, and a deep connection to regional history are interwoven. Join the author as he rides along with the last vestiges of a great American tradition. * National Fisherman *Exciting and poignant as a few aging men and boats struggle to keep a remarkable way of life alive just a little longer. * Bay Journal *Table of ContentsPrologue Chapter 1: A Waterman's Summer Chapter 2: At the Races Chapter 3: November, Howell Point Chapter 4: The Water Trades Chapter 5: December, Gum Thickets Chapter 6: To the Shucking House Chapter 7: January, Six Foot Knoll Chapter 8: The Oyster Wars Chapter 9: February, the Deep Chapter 10: The Second Death Chapter 11: March, Black Walnut Sands Epilogue Author's Note Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisDesigning Your Business, 2nd Edition, transforms aspiring interior designers into savvy business people as well as creative interior designers by offering strategies for working effectively with colleagues, clients, and resources. The text explores business organization, legal and ethical issues, and business finance and accounting practices common to the profession. The practical approach and engaging interactive pedagogy make it easy and interesting to learn the intricacies of the business, law, and practice.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Part One: You and Your Work 1. Introduction to Professional Practices 2. Becoming a Professional 3. Working Ethically Part Two: You and Your Business 4. Understanding Law and Your Business 5. Planning Your Business Finances 6. Managing Your Business 7. Marketing and Promoting Your Business Part Three: You and Your Clients 8. Defining Your Services 9. Charging Clients for Your Services 10. Managing Your Client's Project 11. Defining the Client Relationship Part Four: You and Your Resources 12. Working with Vendors 13. Working with Service Providers Part Five: You and Your Career 14. Beginning Your Work Life 15. Planning Your Career Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisProvides a blueprint for leadership development that addresses the unique challenges of small to mid-sized companies. It shows how to identify high-potential talent, define key leadership competencies in your company, build an affordable and effective leadership development program, harness the power of mentoring and coaching, evaluate program effectiveness, and calculate what it will cost in budgetary and staff resources.

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Book SynopsisFully revised and expanded for the first time in a decade, this is Guy Kawasaki's classic, bestselling guide to launching and making your new product, service, or idea a success.Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, small-business owner, intrapreneur, or not-for-profit leader, there's no shortage of advice on topics such as innovating, recruiting, fund raising, and branding. In fact, there are so many books, articles, websites, blogs, webinars, and conferences that many startups get paralyzed, or they focus on the wrong priorities and go broke before they succeed. The Art of the Start 2.0 solves that problem by distilling Guy Kawasaki's decades of experience as one of the most hardworking and irreverent strategists in the business world. Guy has totally overhauled this iconic, essential guide for anyone starting anything.  It’s 64 percent longer than version 1.0 and features his latest insights and practical advice about social media, crowdfunding, cloud computing, and many other topics. Guy understands the seismic changes in business over the last decade: Once-invulnerable market leaders are struggling. Many of the basics of getting established have become easier, cheaper, and more democratic. Business plans are no longer necessary. Social media has replaced PR and advertising as the key method of promotion. Crowdfunding is now a viable alternative to investors. The cloud makes basic infrastructure affordable for almost any new venture. The Art of the Start 2.0 will show you how to effectively deploy all these new tools.  And it will help you master the fundamental challenges that have not changed: building a strong team, creating an awesome product or service, and facing down your competition. As Guy likes to say, “Entrepreneur is a state of mind, not a job title.” His book will help you make your crazy ideas stick, through an adventure that's more art than science - the art of the start.

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Book Synopsis In an increasingly competitive world market, how does the United States rank? Many Americans are worried about the economic state of their nation, especially now that countries like China are becoming ever more economically powerful. What does America need to both stabilize and energize its economy? Entrepreneurship, Steve Mariotti claims, is vital. An Entrepreneur’s Manifesto is Mariotti’s rallying cry for the world to recognize the potential that business creation holds for the individual and the economy. Mariotti explores how entrepreneurship affects schools and prisons, developed cities and isolated villages, brick-and-mortar stores, and internet-based businesses. He takes a hard look at the research on entrepreneurial education, entrepreneurship, government policy, and the social and cultural attributes most likely to foster successful business creation, incorporating his discussions with some of the best minds on the question of entrepreneurship. Mariotti also examines how the rise of the Internet and Web-based innovations like crowdfunding have both changed—and not changed—the fundamentals of promoting those who take the ultimate gamble of going into business for themselves. As the author of several leading textbooks on the subject and founder of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a global nonprofit organization that has educated more than 500,000 students and trained more than 5,000 teachers in 50 countries, Mariotti is both an experienced and reliable leader in what he calls the entrepreneurial revolution. Mariotti frequently writes for the Huffington Post and has been recruited by the State Department to discuss his ideas on youth entrepreneurship in Cambodia and other developing countries seeking to escape the shackles of centrally planned economic policies. Neither a dry recitation of academic theory nor a scattered collection of feel-good stories, An Entrepreneur’s Manifesto builds on Mariotti’s unique perspective to offer a critique that is both inspiring and practical. Riveting stories complement enlightening real-world perspectives, making the work relatable and inspiring. “There is no more revolutionary act,” Mariotti says, “than starting a business.” Trade Review“Written in an accessible, smoothly flowing style, The Entrepreneur’s Manifesto is a vitally important book to read and share if we are to change the ever-widening gap between the one percent and the rest of us.” —Mirah Riben, The Huffington Post “An Entrepreneur’s Manifesto beautifully illustrates the mandate to nourish and develop an entrepreneurial mindset for a new entrepreneurial generation, empowering individuals by tapping into their passion.” —Diana Davis Spencer, chairman and president of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation “In the next few decades, billions of young people will enter the global workforce. There are not jobs waiting for most of them, especially those who are low-income. I believe that entrepreneurship education is the best solution, and this book explains why!” —Michael Simmons, cofounder of Empact, Forbes columnist, and author of The Student Success Manifesto: How to Create a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity “One walks away from this book with a sense of urgency to ensure that entrepreneurial education becomes a mainstay in the halls of all schools and places of education.” —Rabbi Yehoshua Werde, director of Crown Heights Young Entrepreneurs“Through story, experience, and data, Mariotti makes it clear that entrepreneurship is the way to both reinvigorate our economy and redirect men and women away from legacies of incarceration and desperation and towards a promising, self-created career.” —Catherine Hoke, founder and CEO of Defy Ventures “With An Entrepreneur’s Manifesto, Steve Mariotti further enhances his reputation as a change agent. This powerful book can transform thinking, lives, and entire communities.” —Sheila Rule, cofounder of the Think Outside the Cell Foundation; former senior editor, New York Times “Entrepreneurship is the only real way for people to escape poverty. The prestige of a successful business builds incredible self-respect that also benefits society as a whole. Even business initiatives that are not successful still bring solid life experiences and serve as a base for subsequent efforts. Steve Mariotti’s latest book brings it all together. I highly recommend everyone read the book and join the ‘revolution.’” —Gary Voight, CEO of CorasWorks “The light of entrepreneurship is a guide to freedom and hope for young people from all corners of the earth, from all walks of life. An Entrepreneur’s Manifesto is the twenty-first-century economic blueprint we’ve been waiting for.” —Joseph Robinson, author of Think Outside the Cell: An Entrepreneur’s Guide for the Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated “An Entrepreneur’s Manifesto is destined to be a classic for my generation. Steve Mariotti has not only had a huge impact in causing entrepreneurship education to be taken seriously, but he has inspired countless individuals, including myself, to make an impact in that field. The significance of the insights he shares in this book cannot be overstated.” —Sheena Lindhal, CEO and cofounder of Empact “What is the larger purpose, not just for your business, but for you as a business person? In the case of Mariotti, his business, Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), is promoting business opportunities for all, especially at-risk youth who might otherwise not have considered entrepreneurship. When you read Mariotti’s excitement about entrepreneurship and the importance of entrepreneurial access for everyone, you can’t help but look more expansively about what role you can play to make as much of a difference.” —Caroline Ceniza-Levine, ForbesTable of ContentsPreface / ix Chapter 1: Entrepreneurship Can Be Taught—to Anyone / 3 Chapter 2: Nurturing the Entrepreneurial Mind-Set / 25 Chapter 3: Who Are the World’s Entrepreneurs? / 51 Chapter 4: Should Governments Help Promote Entrepreneurship? / 77 Chapter 5: A Teaching Revolution / 103 Chapter 6: The Digital Revolution: Technology Levels the Global Playing Field / 123 Chapter 7: On the Cusp: A Financing Revolution / 139 Chapter 8: A Prison Revolution: Desperately Needed / 167 Chapter 9: The Social Enterprise Revolution: Entrepreneurs Solving Social Problems / 187 Chapter 10: An Entrepreneur’s Manifesto / 211 Acknowledgments / 229 Index / 233

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Book SynopsisReduce Hiring Risks and Predict Success New Mindset. In The Best Team Wins, author Adam Robinson gives you a proven, straightforward, and effective method for hiring new employees. He teaches you how to rethink the process of finding, assessing, and hiring the right people. New Methods. Robinson, a recruiting professional with over twenty years experience, shows you how to; Use a Data-Driven Job Profile to Assess Candidate Risk; Build a Candidate Scorecard; Rate the Candidate's Core Competencies; Ask the Right Questions to Dig Deeper in Interviews; Craft an Offer the Candidate Can't Refuse; Better Results. By following Robinson's in-depth process, you can eliminate guesswork and focus on building a team that will bring value to your company's culture and bottom line.

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Book SynopsisDitch the day-job and put your organizational acumen to work! Virtual Assistants are growing increasingly vital for the modern business, with more opportunities to thrive than ever before.Not sure where to start? The experts at Entrepreneur take it from the top, guiding you step-by-step through the minutia so you can hone in on your unique skill set, land clients, manage multiple projects, and tackle time constraints with ease. Part-time, full-time, or contract work is welcome, with low start-up costs and no advanced degree required, there’s virtually no barrier to entry. Taskmasters rejoice, becoming your own boss has never been simpler!Providing insider tips from Entrepreneur’s hand-selected specialists, you’ll learn everything you need to make decisions with confidence. LLC or Sole Proprietorship? Hourly or flat rate fee? Our experts have you covered so you can focus on your business, not the busywork.Learn how to:   Brand your business without breaking the bank Set competitive rates for your services Establish your business as a legal entity  Curate your workspace for maximum productivity Access apps and software designed specifically for Virtual Assistants Get back to business on your own terms! Start Your Own Virtual Assistant Business takes you there.

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Book SynopsisGrow Your Business will provide you with all the tools and blueprints you need to take your business from startup to scale-up. You’ve sown the seeds, it’s time for the fruits of your labor to start producing! With Grow Your Business, Eric Butow and the experts at Entrepreneur give you insider knowledge and step-by-step guides to develop your growth plan and ensure your business thrives for the long-haul.With personal anecdotes, tried-and-true tips of the trade, and detailed blueprints to build out your company the right way, Grow Your Business details every step necessary for successful expansion. Learn the strategies to position your mindset for growth, set up proper management systems for smoother transitions and efficiency, and create multiple revenue streams by identifying the sales funnels and verticals that are right for your unique enterprise.  You’ll Discover: The 10 essential benchmarks to establish before expansion Advanced marketing and social media techniques to build out your loyal customer base Templates for straight-forward growth plans to keep you and your employees on the same page Your leverage points, value propositions, and identifying your unique audience Grow Your Business is the blueprint that will allow you to trigger explosive growth for your business. 

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Book SynopsisSmall business specialist Elaine Pofeldt offers her blueprint for getting a running start with your microbusiness—that is, a business with no more than 20 employees, including yourself. Following her previous book, The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business, Pofeldt gives readers the steps toward their next entrepreneurial venture, including testing an idea’s market viability while limiting risk, finding cash without giving up control, protecting your personal time and avoiding burn out, and knowing when it is time to start micro-scaling. Pofeldt’s focus is always on staying lean financially so that you can achieve your personal goals on an average person’s budget. In this book, Pofeldt profiles nearly 60 microbusinesses that have all reached $1 million in annual revenue without losing control or selling out. Tiny Business, Big Money also includes the results of a survey with the founders of 50 seven-figure microbusinesses that got to $1 million with no payroll or very small teams, which provides deeper visibility into their shared principles of success that you can apply to your own small business.

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Book Synopsis* Beyond the Corporation is a book for our times. Offering inspiration and vision in the wake of financial Armageddon, it is the story of ordinary people who share the ownership of the businesses where they work.* The enterprises come in all sizes: from companies employing just a few dozen people, to large corporations: John Lewis in the UK, employing 70,000 'partners'; Mondragon, a highly entrepreneurial group of over 100 businesses in Spain, employing more than 100,000; and many examples in the US, some employing tens of thousands. It would be hard to imagine a better informed, more involved or more enthusiastic set of employees - sharing the efforts of making their companies successful, and sharing all of the rewards. Unusually in the corporate world, they control their own destinies - a situation beyond the dreams of most working people.* Erdal takes a hard look at those who insist, in the teeth of the evidence, that shared ownership will never work - a sorry tale, he argues, of prejudice masquerading as economic thinking. The book contains detailed case studies as well as interviews with a range of people, whose inspiring stories of success fly in the face of received wisdom. These successes include: high levels of productivity; sustained rapid growth; fast-moving, innovative responses to changing worlds; high levels of investment aimed at long-term prosperity; and, above all, the sheer happiness employees experience in working together in businesses that they own together, sharing the wealth that they create. * At a time when the 'orthodox' corporate economy has been badly shaken, Beyond the Corporation makes essential reading.Trade ReviewThis is by far the best book to explain democratic employee ownership to business people and to the owners of family firms who might be considering a sale to the employees. David Erdal has "walked the walk" by arranging for the successful sale of his large family business to the employees so he speaks with a convincing authority on the matter. He masterfully spells out the arguments on economic, managerial, political, and social psychological grounds for democratic worker ownership. This combination of real world experience and interdisciplinary understanding of the issues makes this the book on democratic employee ownership. -- David EllermanThis is a significant piece of work and I expect it to play an important part in creating a different ownership landscape in the years to come. -- Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy & Tourism: The Scottish ParliamentAlready looks like being one of the most influential business books of the year * Scotsman *BEYOND THE CORPORATION gives a breathtaking overview of employee ownership over the years and across the continents and provides a passionate argument of the case for employee ownership. It should be compulsory reading, not just for those of us on the inside, but for any student of economics, sociology, business or politics. -- Carole Leslie, Policy Director, Employee Ownership AssociationErdal convincingly exposes the gross errors in the conventional models economists use to describe people and businesses (which he labels 'just-so stories'), and describes how and why employee-owned businesses are superior to publicly listed companies in every way. The book is an easy read, jam-packed with quotable passages. -- R. Eric Swanepoel * Bella Caledonia Blog *

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