Is your financial data really safe?

The threat is remote but real. With a world of
hackers, hijackers and spoofers out there waiting
to steal your stuff, a little caution is in order
-- online and off.

By Liz Pulliam Weston

When you're paying bills, making investments,
viewing your bank
balance, checking your credit card statements,
preparing your taxes and buying stuff online, are
you taking a big risk?

The answer, unfortunately, is that no one really
knows.

The reality is that you're vulnerable to identity
theft even if you don't own a computer. Some of the
biggest hacking and identity theft cases have
targeted business or government databases over
which individuals have little control:

* Thieves posing as Ford Motor Credit Co. personnel
accessed a
credit bureau database and stole credit reports of
more than 30,000 consumers. The U.S. Attorney's
Office in New York said its investigation uncovered
more than $2.7 million in financial losses.

* A hacker broke into the California state
controller's computer
system and gained access to the names and Social
Security numbers of 265,000 state employees --
including the governor and all 120 state
legislators.

* A clerk of New York state's Insurance Fund was
arrested for
using personal financial information from
applications and other paper documents to set up
credit accounts and purchase more than $100,000
worth of goods, including $70,000 in computers.

* In February, a hacker accessed 8 million credit
card numbers by
breaking into the database of a company that
processes transactions for Visa, MasterCard,
American Express and Discover. The credit card
companies said there was no evidence the numbers
had been used for fraudulent purchases.

Certain online transactions may increase the
chances that you'll be a victim. As several recent
incidents have shown, letting a Web site store your
credit card number could put you at risk. Hackers
have stolen credit card numbers from online
databases, including one at Amazon.com subsidiary
Bibliofind.com. Incredibly, many companies still
don't encrypt these databases, said attorney and
computer fraud expert Nick Akerman, making them
relatively easy targets for thieves.

Theoretically, just establishing a user ID and a
password for a
financial account could make you more vulnerable,
because a hacker could conceivably break into your
computer, plant a keystroke-tracking program,
retrieve the data and use it to access your
account. But most hackers wouldn't bother with all
that work for one account, security experts said.

The reality is that it's pretty tough to quantify
your risk of losing valuable personal information
to a computer hacker, and even less possible to
determine how vulnerable you are to a financial
loss because of that crime. Why?

* Most companies keep hacking incidents under
wraps. Only 30% of
companies surveyed by the FBI and the Computer
Security Institute said they reported such
incursions to law enforcement. (Although that could
soon change, thanks to a new California law; more
below.) Some companies have such lax security,
Akerman said, that they don't even know when
they've been hacked or what information, if any,
has been stolen.

* Identity-theft complaints are rising, but the
source of the
theft is usually unknown. Of the 161,000
identity-theft complaints reported to the Federal
Trade Commission last year, 80% of the victims had
no idea how their information was stolen. Most of
the rest "could only guess" at how they were
compromised, said FTC spokeswoman Claudia Bourne
Farrell.

* Offline threats still seem to outnumber online
threats.

Sixty-eight percent of the law enforcement
officials interviewed by the California Public
Interest Research Group identified theft of snail
mail as the leading threat. Thieves use purloined
account statements, convenience checks,
pre-approved credit card offers and even bills to
take over existing accounts or establish new ones.
Other offline threats include dumpster diving,
stolen wallets and unscrupulous employees of banks
and other lenders.

Just handing your credit or debit card to a waiter
at a restaurant, says security expert Pradeep K.
Khosla, is a transaction fraught with danger.

The waiter could run multiple transactions, or
glean enough
information from the card's magnetic strip --
thanks to a pocket-sized device called a skimmer --
to create a duplicate card.

"Somehow we don't worry about that risk," said
Khosla, director of Carnegie Mellon University's
Center for Computer and Communications Security.
"We're kind of used to it."

Spoofing is no joke

Khosla, who also heads the university's electrical
and computer
engineering department, knows well the dangers that
may lurk online. He's particularly spooked by
"spoofing" -- a hacking technique that redirects
customers of a financial or shopping Web site to a
look-alike, so thieves can glean IDs and passwords
or credit card numbers. If well done, there's
little to tip off an unsuspecting user.

The real Web sites usually detect and swiftly shut
down these
incursions, "but in the 30 seconds or two minutes
that can take," Khosla said, "something bad can
happen."

Yet the dangers don't keep Khosla from banking,
shopping, investing and paying bills on the
Internet. The risks he perceives don't outweigh the
convenience.

"I do everything (online)," he said.

So do I -- and have for years. I pay bills,
rebalance my investment portfolio and shop for
clothes and books. Every day, I download our bank,
investment and credit card transactions into my
personal finance software -- an exercise that
simultaneously helps me stay in control of my
finances and allows me to spot any problems
immediately. So far, so good: the only unauthorized
transactions have turned out to be of the "oh,
sweetheart, I forgot to tell you" variety.

Don't ignore the risks

There's nothing like a long history of good
experiences to make you comfortable transacting
business on the Web. But understanding where the
biggest risks lie might help you decide how much of
your financial life you want to conduct online.

Computer security experts say the databases at
either end of the
Internet transaction -- the one at the financial
institution and the one in your computer -- are
usually the most vulnerable. The information that
flies between these databases is typically
encrypted (you can tell by the little yellow
padlock in the lower right hand side of your
browser) and difficult to hack.

One expert likens an Internet financial transaction
to driving an
armored car between two cardboard boxes -- the car
could be targeted, but it 's far more likely
hackers will go after the more vulnerable boxes.

Where are you stored?

That's why many security experts who use credit
cards to buy stuff on the Web are nervous about
storing their credit card numbers on the same site.
It's also why you may be fine e-filing your taxes,
but reluctant to actually prepare them online if
they're stored at a Web site.

Of course, you can't always tell when a Web site is
hanging on to the information you give it. Many
reputable sites offer to "remember" your card
number for you, but others may simple snatch and
keep the information without consulting you, said
online financial services analyst Chris Musto, of
research firm Gomez Advisors. That's why it's
important to deal with reputable sites and to
review privacy policies.

We may soon get a better idea of the risks we're
actually taking,
thanks to a California law that takes effect July
1. The law requires companies to alert their
California customers if hackers or employees steal
information that could be used for identity theft.

(The bill was undoubtedly helped by the fact that
the lawmakers had just gotten a dose of what it
feels like to have their information stolen, thanks
to the hacking incident noted above. "It made the
issue real and immediate for the 120 lawmakers who
were obliged to vote on the issue," is the way
sponsoring Assemblyman Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto,
put it.)

Law could force action

Because companies are required to comply regardless
of where they're headquartered, computer security
experts believe the California law will lead to a
nationwide increase in firms reporting hacking
incidents. They also hope it will inspire companies
to take additional security measures to avoid the
hassle and publicity of such disclosures.

"It's forcing companies to take the medicine that
they should have been taking a long time ago," said
Akerman.

Consumers should be taking that medicine as well.
Firewalls,
anti-virus software and the simple act of changing
passwords once in a while can help reduce your
vulnerability. Also:

* Hunt for spyware. This nasty software tracks
where you go and
what you do and reports it back -- sometimes to
companies that sell the information to marketers,
sometimes to crooks. Wall Street Journal columnist
Jeremy Wagstaff recommends Ad-aware from Lavasoft
or Spybot Search and Destroy. (See links at left
under Related Sites.)

* Be careful with wi-fi. Wireless Internet is hot,
it's cool --
and it's about as secure as a cell phone
conversation. If you're worried about security,
don't conduct your financial transactions online
while at your corner Starbucks.

¿2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

---->Gaming solutions, and Ecurrency systems and usages !
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----> Encryption Services, Relocation Services to
----> Costa Rica, and Elsewhere Privacy/Offshore Consultations
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--<>-- --<<<+>>>-- --<>--
Get Spiritual Refreshment. Restore your soul.
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--<>-- --<<<+>>>-- --<>--
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------------------

Too late to double check

Area man warns others to be on guard after check
paid out twice
Check bank statements promptly, police advise

By STEVE LOUDEN - GM Today Staff
March 24, 2004

OCONOMOWOC - Writing a check was
something Robert Spoerl never
thought twice about.
But now that one of his checks has been
paid out twice, he is. "There's a lot
of people that never check their bank
statements," said Spoerl, who lives in the town of
Ixonia. "All of sudden they're way out of whack
with their (checkbook). Then they'll reconcile with
what the bank said because if the bank said it, it
must be true. But the bank's records on it aren't
the Bible, are they?"
On Nov. 23, Spoerl filled up his sport
utility vehicle with
gasoline at Citgo Mart, 744 E. Wisconsin Ave. His
wife, Jeanie, went inside the station to pay.
Spoerl said his wife wrote the check
and the owner, Gurdip S.
Dhillon, scanned the check using a Global Telecom
Inc. device. After scanning the check, Spoerl said
Dhillon put the check into the cash register.
Dhillon said he only puts a check into
the cash register when it
cannot be read by the scanner. If the check scans
properly, Dhillon said he stamps it with the words
"ACH Processed" and returns the check to the person
who writes it.
Dhillon said Spoerl's check failed to
scan properly and that is
why he placed it in the register. He said he did
not deposit the check twice and an official at his
bank, Bank One, confirmed that.
They claimed the error took place with
Spoerl's bank - not
Dhillon's.
"It's a bank error, (something that)
would happen on your bank's
part," Judy Guenther, of Bank One in Oconomowoc,
told Spoerl on Monday.
Where did payment go?
After writing the check, the Spoerls
were on vacation for nearly
two months and unaware of any problem. It was not
until they returned that Spoerl noticed the double
billing.
Spoerl said he was told by two people
at his bank, Associated
Bank, he must report any discrepancies in his bank
statement within 60 days of receiving it - but that
time frame had expired before he returned and had a
chance to look at the statement.
So, he went higher up the ladder at the
bank and was later told
his money would be returned.
"But that isn't the point," Spoerl
said. "The point is that this
can happen, and I don't know if the general public
knows about it. I sure as heck didn't know about
it."
An Associated Bank official declined to
talk about the issue,
stating he was protecting the privacy of Spoerl's
account.
Still not knowing who received the
second payment, Spoerl
contacted the Oconomowoc Police Department last
week.
Lt. Jeff Schmidt said Spoerl's
complaint is an isolated issue
and the department has not received other
complaints from Citgo Mart customers.
At this point, Schmidt said he doubts
any intentional fraud on
Dhillon's part.
"On its face, it doesn't appear to be a
criminal violation,"
Schmidt said.
Schmidt said bank security officers the
police department works
with are very concerned about issues such as
Spoerl's.
"People do need to be reviewing their
accounts and checking with
their banks when they suspect any suspicious
activity," he said. "The first place people need to
go ... (is) their bank. It's not something they
should wait two weeks and then go do it."

Waiting for answers

Spoerl, president of a town of Ixonia
trucking company, admitted
that he was not worried about losing the $24.45.
It's the fact that any check could be cashed twice
that has him concerned.
"What if this was not a $24.45 check?"
he asked. "What if it was
a $200 check? Could they have done this twice?"
Spoerl said he is concerned the double
billing was not caught at
his bank.
"I really think the problem is in the
bank and the banking
system," he added. "The bank shouldn't let that
opportunity happen, is the way I feel."
By Monday afternoon, Spoerl said he was
left playing the waiting
game.
"If the police department tells me that
there's fraud involved,
or theft of any sort, and asks me, 'Will I pursue
it?' Definitely, if the situation warrants it," he
said.
According to Schmidt, it is unlikely
that will happen. He said
department policy would be to only pursue the case
if it is contacted by Associated Bank.

Steve Louden can be reached at
slouden@conleynet.com.
This story appeared in the Waukesha Freeman on
March 24, 2004.

CHECK TIPS

While technological advances have helped financial
institutions better protect your account
information, technology has also helped criminals
in their attempts to get your money. Here are some
tips to help keep what is yours.

* Reconcile your bank statement within 30 days of
receipt
to detect any irregularities.

* Unless needed for tax purpose, destroy old
canceled
checks, account statements, deposit tickets and ATM
receipts.

* Limit the amount of personal information on your
check.
For example, do not include your Social Security,
driver's license or telephone numbers on your
check. A criminal can use this information to
literally steal your identity by applying for a
credit card or loan in your name, or even open a
new checking account.

* Don't leave blank spaces on the payee and amount
lines.

* Use dark ink that can't be easily erased or
covered
over.

* Don't write your credit card number on the check.

* Don't make a check payable to cash. If lost or
stolen,
the check can be cashed by anyone.

* Store your checks, deposit slips, bank statements
and
canceled checks in a secure and locked location.
Never leave your checkbook in your vehicle or in
the open.

Source: National Check Fraud Center


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----- New Investment Opportunities ------
----> Encryption Services, Relocation Services to
----> Costa Rica, and Elsewhere Privacy/Offshore Consultations
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----> SuccessQuest http://successquest.blogspot.com/
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----> Costa Rica News http://costa-rica-news.blogspot.com/
------------------

Secrets Of The Richest People

Would you like to realize your goals? Maybe you'd like to run your own business, expand your material possessions, or succeed in the arts. There is no one path to the pot of gold, but many people of all backgrounds have successfully found it.

Whether you want to follow the ways of the great financiers, the famous politicians, or the dynamic movie stars, there are common modes of behavior each of them followed. And in many cases, they have shared their secrets so YOU CAN FOLLOW THEIR FOOTSTEPS.

"If you wish to know the road up the mountain, ask the person who goes back and forth on it," said the ancient sage, Zenrin. What better way is there to know the secrets than to ask those who made it?

What goals do you want to achieve? And what amount of effort can you commit? You may want money for the extra things in life, money to build a corporate empire, or money to support yourself while you pursue the fine arts.

Perhaps you'd like to take the risk to start something new in your life. You may want to open your own business, devote your energies to an artistic career such as acting, or reap the benefits of your yearly endeavors with fabulous vacations several times a year.

What will bring you happiness? The satisfaction of success takes many forms. Not only are people seeking financial fortunes, but also the ancient goal of peace of mind.

Do you worry? You might be concerned about your health or your family's well-being. You may be anxious about the added expenses of education, medical bills, or the steady increase of cost of living. There are ways out of the endless cycles of worry, stress and anxiety. Right now, you can rise above the whirl of survival to achieve the accomplishments you dream of. When you're ready to put your whole effort into realizing your goals, YOU WILL SUCCEED.

What Are Riches

"Had I but plenty of money, money enough to spare," wrote Robert Browning. And money is the greatest attribute of riches. A universal desire, money is the materialization of riches, the stuff that makes the rest possible.

Are you looking for financial security? For retirement, for education or leisure? Riches are the overflowing abundance of material possessions - houses, cars, boats, furnishings - everything you ever wanted.

Centuries ago, Horace wrote, "By right means, if you can, but by any means, make money." For many people it is a path towards happiness, a cure-all for worry and peace of mind.

For others, riches come in the form of satisfaction and personal independence. Satisfaction comes from accomplishment in employment or attaining goals. It is that feeling of contentment and confidence from a good task well done. Riches are closely linked with success. And with that comes fame and acknowledgment of position. Success might be the feeling of well-being from the rewards of good effort. Or the enthusiasm and vitality triggered by recognition.

"Success is how well I enjoy the minutes," said producer Norman Lear.

Throughout history, the people who lived with riches often achieved them by hard work, diligence and a belief in themselves. For some people, it took courage, genius and stamina.

But for many others, it took nothing special but the desire to turn dreams into reality. Whether you want millions of dollars, recognition as an artist, or personal freedom, you have the ability to make your life as rich as you want.

Think about what you most desire. It may not be hard cash, but what it can buy. Or it may be those feelings of inner satisfaction, from creating something beautiful or strong.

You may want personal independence from the work week, or freedom to live anywhere you want. You may be looking for something meaningful and significant in life - something other than things money can buy. Whatever your goals, and however difficult they seem to be to accomplish, you have the ability to become who you want. Take a look - can you see yourself surrounded by riches?

Picture the world open and in front of you, ready to become the form of your dreams, ready to stage your desires. "Why then, the world's mine oyster," wrote Shakespeare, "which I with sword will open."

Who Is Successful?

Many people who achieve fortune in the world are not born rich. But they accomplish their dee hard to implement as it will bring in lots of ordersires through hard work and a plan of action.

Every type of person on earth can become successful. There are saints and scoundrels; philanthropists and thieves; poets and politicians; young and old. There are no limitations or physical boundaries for success.

Success comes to those who think about success and strive for it. Although many rich financiers at the turn of the century had no formal education, they overcame that and went on to great fame.

Some people strive towards a single goal from early in life, and often attain that goal while still young. Others are willing to risk new adventures later and still attain success.

"It's never too late to learn," wrote Malcolm Forbes, the money magnate. "I learned to ride a motorcycle at 50 and fly balloons at 52."

Whatever your task, whatever your obstacles, you can be as successful as anyone else. Study the people who accomplished recognition in the areas of your pursuit. How did they achieve their goals?

And don't be afraid you don't have what it takes. As Daniel Webster wrote, "There is always room at the top."

Forming Conviction

The single attribute that every successful person has is the one-pointed devotion to attain a goal. "There in the sunshine are my highest aspirations," wrote Louisa May Alcott, "I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."

What are your desires? How can you form them into definite goals that you can attain? Lawrence Peter wrote, "If you don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else."

Maybe you're studying a craft or skill. Perhaps you're caught in a rung of the corporate ladder. Or, you might feel constricted by your family and the environment around you.

Which star are you reaching for? "Ours is a world where people don't know what they want and are willing to go through anything to get it," wrote Don Marquis.

Take the time to think about your own aspirations. Look inside to find what feels right. Almost everyone entertains the notions of fame and fortune, but put on the costume that fits you.

Conviction requires certain qualities of action. You must be sincere and be willing to assume responsibility. And you need the self-discipline necessary to work towards your goals.

Are you prepared to achieve your dreams? Can you form their reality in your mind? Will you devote your entire being to attaining what you want?

On Your Own

Most millionaires are non-conformists. So are the most famous actors and actresses; and the most prominent artists. Writers are known for their individual traits and eccentricities.

Your convictions and goals are your own business, even when you find help along the path. Mentors often take people under their wings to nourish and teach. Or spiritual guides will show you the path to attainment. But you're on your own to achieve.

Cultivate a sense of justice and an ability to make decisions. Cooperate with everybody and develop your own self-respect. And follow good criticism and advice after you've judged carefully. J. Paul Getty said, "I advise young millionaires to be skeptical of advice. They should advise themselves; they should form their own opinions."

Lord Byron wrote, "There is rapture on the lonely shore." And if you attain your goals with poise and sincerity, you'll find warmth and love at the top - not the cold loneliness pictured by the jealous.

Put on blinders to negative comments and criticism meant to hurt you. About the people who criticize, Voltaire wrote, "Never having been able to succeed in the world, they took revenge by speaking ill of it."

Seize The Day

People are judged by what they think and what they say. But the true measure of their character is what they do. Anyone who has achieved success and fortune in the world has done it by action.

William Jennings Bryan wrote, "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

The choice of the path you follow is often put before you as opportunity. "Few people recognize opportunity," said Cary Grant, "because it comes disguised as hard work."

Don't let opportunities slip past while you're still considering them, and create new ones as you see them. "Wise people make more opportunities than they find," said Francis Bacon.

What opportunities can you act upon? Woolworth saw a need for small inexpensive items and opened the chain of stores that grossed billions. Wrigley started giving gum away as a bonus from a supplies wagon he sold from, and saw the opportunity to make money from the gum that became in high demand.

All successful people the world over have found the opportunities for their own special talents and acted upon those ways to achieve. Why wait for the time to pass? There's never a better time than now.

"Sometimes," wrote Lewis Carroll believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." Take your own impossible dreams and make them become reality.

How They Think

Thousands of potential millionaires are born every year. And making a million dollars is coming closer to everyone's pocket. What advice did the money-makers follow?

Aristotle Onassis worked eighteen hours a day to maintain his fortune. He started as a welder and aimed for the top. "You have to think money day and night," he said, "you should even dream about it in your sleep."

John D. Rockefeller, Jr., said, "I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes every person an opportunity to make a living."

And J. Paul Getty acknowledged his hard work: "I have no complex about wealth. I have worked hard for my money, producing things people need."

Even Proverbs advises: "In all labor there is profit."

Richard Bach, the author of the best selling "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" wrote, "You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however."

The Empress of the British Empire, Queen Victoria, admonished, "We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat."

Do You Have What It Takes?

There are qualities of endeavor and achievement that are common to many people who make it to the top. The following questions are a guideline to self-enterprise and attaining your goals.

Do you prefer to work for yourself than for others?

Are you well-informed on current business and political affairs?

Are you a leader?

Do you take advantage of opportunities?

Do you pay attention to what other people say?

Can you finish a job even when it is difficult or unpleasant?

Are you challenged by problems?

Do you have a goal you want to achieve?

Do you consider other people?

Do you strive to attain?

Can you obey commands?

Can you bounce back after defeat?

Do you believe in yourself?

Can you stand by your actions in spite of criticism?

Can you follow instructions?

Can you respond to the needs of others?

Will you give credit to other

Can you make your own decisions?

Are you determined?

Are you ready for success?

Establish A Goal

What do you want? Are you looking for financial security, professional acknowledgment, spiritual attainment? Do you want to fit better socially, or become more expressive creatively? Establish the goal that's right for you.

Then turn that goal from a dream into a desire. You want to realize that goal, not just wish for it. Aesop said, "Beware that you do not lose the substance by grabbing at the shadow." Know exactly what you want, then go for it.

Don't be tricked by your own procrastination - especially if you want to achieve something artistic. The writer Thomas Wolfe wrote, "I had been sustained by that delightful illusion of success which we all have when we dream about the books we are going to write instead of actually doing them. Now I was face to face with it, and suddenly I realized that I had committed my life and my integrity so irrevocably to this struggle that I must conquer now or be destroyed."

Can you see what you want? If you want the abundance of material wealth that money provides, what goal will give you that money? Do you want the prestige of owning your own business? What business do you want to begin?

Where are the opportunities for you? Talk to everyone in the business you want to join. Make friends in the literary or art societies in your area. Read books and articles about your field of endeavor. How can you attain your goal?

"If you don't want to work, you have to work to earn enough money so that you don't have to work," wrote Ogden Nash. And isn't that the way" Money makes money; success breeds success. But not always. How can you break through those thoughts to help yourself to the rewards?

Henry David Thoreau wrote, "I have learned this at least by my experiment: that if you advance confidently in the direction of your dreams, and endeavor to live the life which you imagine, you will meet with success."

Think big and visualize success. Do you see yourself in a big house? Maybe you picture your artwork hanging in a gallery. Can you feel your book in print and in your hands? How does it feel to be a person of success? Believe that you are; believe that it is in your grasp. That's what the others did, and that's how people make it to the top.

Then get down to basics. Be precise. Exactly how much money do you want, and by what date? And exactly what are you going to do to earn that money? Be realistic, but give yourself short-term goals.

Write it down. In six months or one year, you will have how much money. And repeat it until it feels good. Then repeat it twice a day until it swirls in your subconscious, until it becomes your one-pointed goal.

"The goal stands up, the keeper stands up to keep the goal," wrote A.E. Housman.

Keys To Success

Make people feel at ease. They will respond to your needs as you respond to theirs.

Share the spotlight. Give credit to those who deserve it - and to those who strive. Don't grab praise away from other people.

Have confidence in your own value. Don't do anything that won't credit your own self-respect. Follow up your actions as they reflect your own self-worth.

Listen well to others' comments. Then weigh your own actions. Cultivate relationships with people who have good and important things to say.

Participate in life. Be active in business meetings and endeavors; volunteer to be part of organizations and groups. Social interaction will boost your sense of well-being .

Feel worthy of your own goal. Know that you can attain it and that it is right for you.

Grasp your own challenge. Don't give yourself impossible goals, but always reach higher.

Relax and be yourself. Each person is different and just as wonderful as the next. Don't be plagued by what you think others think of you.

Don't bathe in success - use it. Once you achieve your first goal, go on to others. Use the money you earn for the rewards you look for. Then go on to the next endeavor.

Be slow to criticize others' achievements. Find out how they did it and learn from them.

Never use subterfuge. Don't go behind someone's back. Speak your mind and earn respect.

Banish negative thoughts and traits. Restructure your life to exclude bad habits.

Believe in yourself and what you are to accomplish. All the power in the world is within you to achieve.

Work Towards Your Goal

"To get profit without risk, experience without danger, and reward without work, is as impossible as it is to live without being born," wrote A.P. Gouthey. Every person who has attained something worthwhile has worked for that goal.

Cary Grant said, "I do believe that people can do practically anything they set out to do if they apply themselves diligently and learn."

Which path is the right way towards your goal? Do you need more education? Do you need a few years experience in your field of business? Maybe you need a teacher or guide to help you practice.

"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached, as by the obstacles which are overcome while trying to succeed," wrote Booker T. Washington.

What obstacles are in your way? Consider them as easy to pass through as hurdles are to a champion runner. Take each obstacle as a special challenge placed especially for you. Approach it with intelligence and courage, then learn what it has to teach.

"Success is a journey," said Ben Sweetland, "not a destination." For some, the process of attainment is the attainment itself. They move on, keep growing and expanding. There is no still water at the top.

"The message from the moon is that no problem need any longer be considered insoluble," wrote Norman Cousins. And you can attain anything that seems impossible.

If you have a problem that needs to be solved, sit calmly and consider it with a clear mind. Observe all the consequences of the actions - both good and bad. Ponder the paths and actions and contemplate the core of the problem. The solution will appear.

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you for everyone who asketh, receiveth. He that seeketh, findeth and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

Tap the inner self and encourage positive actions. With each outgoing breath, release the impossible; at each incoming breath, inhale the attainable. Demand the best of yourself, but don't despair from an overused sense of perfection.

What can you learn? And who can teach you? Can you attend classes and seminars from universities near home? Check out books from the libraries and absorb the material. Find a master and become an apprentice.

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty," said Henry Ford. "Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."

Never stop learning; never stop growing and expanding as a person and in your personal endeavor.

Ask Yourself

As you consider the success you desire, you need to affirm its possibilities and develop the self-confidence necessary to attain the goals. Learn to do things well. "If you know how to do one thing well, you can do everything," wrote the philosopher Gurdjieff.

Are you ready for success?

Is what you are doing now helping you to achieve your goals?

Do you weigh the consequences before making a decision?

Is this the best use of your time?

Do you cooperate with everyone and help cultivate their best potentials?

Are you warm and sincere?

Do you have the courage to succeed?

Do you have the self-discipline necessary to achieve your goals?

Do you have a realistic sense of self-worth?

Do you give more than you take?

Do you have the courage to fail, and then pick up and try again?

Can you assume responsibility without blaming others if things go wrong?

Are you strong?

Can you be sympathetic to life and its sufferings?

Can you say no?

Will you follow your convictions and plans to achieve?

Do you sincerely want to achieve the goals you have chosen?

Taking Responsibility

"The price of greatness is responsibility," wrote Winston Churchill. Are you willing to take the responsibility once you attain the success you desire?

"The deepest personal defeat suffered by human beings is constituted by the difference between what one was capable of becoming and what one has in fact become," wrote Ashley Montague. And the greatest tragedy is to become less than your full potential, using less than the abilities you have to work with.

Are you waiting for something to happen? Maybe you're waiting for a job offer, or a promotion. Perhaps you're waiting until you get good enough at a craft or skill. Or are you waiting for the inspiration of creativity to strike your life?

It is up to you to take the actions and be responsible for their consequences. "Our responsibility: every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty," wrote John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Inspire yourself. Read books that will spurn you to action; talk to people who have the vitality you admire. How would you like to lead your life? And make the changes necessary to be like that. "There is nothing permanent except change," wrote Heraclitus. What changes do you want to make? What are you waiting for?

Accomplishment

What actions will take you closer to your goals? Decide upon the steps and write them down. Review them until you feel comfortable with those steps. Then repeat them at least once a day, crossing them off as you accomplish them.

"I believe there is no escape from the rule that We must do many, many little things to accomplish even just one big thing," said James Dupont. "This gives me patience when I need it most."

The most rewarding accomplishments are those that take long to achieve and present difficulties. It is only through these difficulties that a person can rise above the rest to be the unusual, the outspoken and the well-deserved.

As if building a kit, follow your own instructions. Decide your best courses of action and achieve their benefits. Whether the steps are small or large, make them achievable and then do them. Don't commit yourself to things that you never intend to do.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there," said Will Rogers. Don't be paralyzed by inaction; rather act upon your own convictions.

Set yourself up for rewards. Don't give yourself goals that have no feeling of satisfaction or no monetary rewards. If you want to be an artist, be the best and learn from the best. Don't dwell on imperfections or the awkwardness of unpolished skills.

If you go into business, do it for profit or reinvestment. "In business, the earning of profit is something more than an incident of success. It is an essential condition of success. Because the continued absence of profit itself spells failure," said Justice Brandeis.

Marchant wrote, "To be a success in business, be daring, be first, be different." Think of ways to achieve the best; formulas to increase productivity or decrease overhead. Profit is your drive.

"Profitability is the sovereign criterion of the enterprise," wrote Peter Drucker. And, profitability is the core of any achievement - whether financial or artistic.

Once you achieve your goals, think of ways to benefit others. "Money-getters are the benefactors of our race," said P.T. Barnum. "To them we are indebted for our institutions of learning, and of art, our academies, colleges and churches." How can you benefit humankind and still keep enough to fulfill your own desires?

The Hidden Asset

Not all success can be counted in dollars; not all richness is measured by money. "The great secret of success is to go through life as a person who never gets used up," said Albert Schweitzer. "Retire upon yourself and look for the ultimate cause of things inside you."

Look within yourself for the ultimate inspiration, and follow the true feelings you discover. "One of my favorite methods is to whisper," said Alfred Hitchcock. "I've discovered the best work is done with sweet reason."

Act upon your own conscience -that guides; that judges your actions and signals your behavior. "Conscience is the inner voice that warns us that someone may be looking," wrote H.L. Mencken.

Accomplish what you desire; fulfill your inner yearnings. But don't compromise your deepest feelings.

"We do our best that we know how at the moment, and if it doesn't turn out, we modify it," said F.D. Roosevelt.

Follow the paths that life offers you and live the fullest existence you can.

Take A Look

Look at yourself and look at those who have succeeded throughout history. Do you have what it takes? Even if you have only a few of the qualities of the other great people, you can achieve your heart's desire.

Reach for the highest, then reach higher. Accomplish your steps one by one on a daily basis, always moving forward, always making progress. Encourage yourself. Insist that you can succeed and affirm these thoughts daily.

Keep a sense of proportion and judge for yourself. Then keep busy at the tasks you've set out to accomplish. What's keeping you? "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration," said Albert Einstein.

Find inspiration wherever you can. Talk to people; read about people; learn your business or craft. Believe that you can do it and you will. The only way to dispel the doubt that you can do something is to finish it.

Always be the best you can be. Never fall short from fatigue or lethargy. Don't attempt to do anything that you can't give your all to.

There is no way to inner satisfaction without appealing to the higher consciousness. Search within and without to find the paths that are meant for you and follow them with conviction and a steady heart. And, you will succeed to become as rich and full as you ever desired.

Harold Ickes wanted the "freedom to live one's life with the window of the soul open to new thoughts, new ideas and new aspirations."

And Woody Allen looked for a clear path. "If only God would give me some clear sign" he said. "Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank."

Finally, Sophie Tucker sums up everyone's worldly outlook: "I've been rich and I've been poor," she said. "Rich is better."



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> Subject: [PT] Canada: Have Laptop, Will Travel: Effective
> Immigration Strategies For The Global Economic Elite
>
>
> David S. Lesperance, Barrister and Solicitor
>
> Canada: Have Laptop, Will Travel: Effective Immigration
> Strategies For The Global Economic Elite
>
> 15 March 2004
>
> Article by David S. Lesperance
>
> "The world's my home: When I'm mobile": 'Going Mobile' by The
> Who, 1971
>
> A glance around the business class lounge at any airport
> lounge will bring you face to face with numerous varieties of
> that modern day creature, "The Mobile Worker". Logging in the
> available workstations, checking email on their BlackBerries,
> or using cell phones to speak with their assistant at the
> home office, these travelers are the modern incarnation of
> the "Global Economic Elite" ("GEE").
>
> WHO ARE THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC ELITE?
>
> There are two general archetypes of GEEs. The first are
> individuals who bring their universally transferable skills
> to various locations around the world. This group includes
> pilots, doctors, nurses, financial analysts, management
> consultants, engineering and computer consultants, artisans,
> musicians and actors, and skilled-trades people.
>
> The second group is individuals who are able to operate from
> any location, which has sufficient technological
> infrastructure. They include money managers, remote business
> operators, and mail order or on-line service providers. This
> group also includes internationally orientated lawyers such
> as the author. A significant number of GEEs are a hybrid of
> the two archetypes and find their need to travel varies
> according to their personal or professional career life
> cycle. However it is the rare GEE who never engages in at
> least some type of business travel.
>
> In order to be competitive in the modern global economy,
> every country must have a critical mass of GEEs operating
> within their borders. This truism was explained by Professor
> Ian Angell of the London School of Economics in his landmark
> book, "The New Barbarian Manifesto" (Kogan Page 2000).
>
> "The income of these owners of intellectual and financial
> wealth will increase substantially. They will be made welcome
> anywhere in the world, no matter what their age, race, sex,
> colour or creed. In an attempt at 'right-sizing', companies
> and countries will be scouring the globe, competing with each
> other to attract this top quality 'people product', dragging
> them off the planes if necessary. Knowledge workers now have
> a choice. They can stay with the nations of their birth,
> providing of course that the price is right, or they can join
> the new barbarian hordes of 'economic mercenaries' somewhere
> else, thereby ransacking the old order." (p. 55-56)
>
> Unfortunately while I agree with the theoretical soundness of
> Prof. Angell's statement, I find that the 'on the ground'
> reality is often quite different. GEEs don't deal with
> Finance and Immigration Ministers at the arrival counter of
> airports. Rather they deal with front-line bureaucrats who
> may be ignorant of the economic benefit that GEEs bring; feel
> that they are the protectors of the domestic work force or
> simply jealous of the obvious prosperity of the GEEs in front
> of them. As a result GEEs themselves or the organizations
> which are seeking their presence must plan ahead to ensure
> their smooth and timely access to all of the jurisdictions in
> which they hope to reside or operate.
>
> THE PROPER CARE AND FEEDING OF THE HIGHLY MOBILE ELITE
>
> If you are a GEE or are the Human Resource Manager
> responsible for attracting or retaining external and/ or
> internal mobile workers, then you need to have a proper
> immigration strategy in place long before the plane touches
> down on the tarmac. As in most effective problem solving
> exercises there are four basic steps that should be followed.
> In short they are:
>
> Step 1 Investigate and Evaluate: Review the individual
> professional and personal necessities/preferences of each
> particular GEE. This step would include determining the following:
>
> * Existing citizenship(s) and residence status(es)
> * Breakdown of frequency of travel to various countries (i.e.
> occasional day visits, short-term assignments, long-term or
> permanent relocations);
> * Nature of activities during travel to various countries
> (i.e. meetings at hotel, site visits for discussions,
> 'hands-on' work or direct involvement with locally based
> workers, senior administrative duties);
> * Economic impacts if unable to enter or remain in a given country;
> * Local presence requirements (i.e. operate out of hotel room
> or customer's location or need to establish a permanent
> physical base of operations);
> * Accompanying family members (i.e. will they be working or
> attending school);
> * Employment/ labor standards regulation (employee vs. contractor);
> * Minimizing global tax burden (e.g. restricting time in a
> given location); and
> * Medical or minor criminal complications.
>
> Step 2 Analyze and Strategize: Work with qualified
> immigration counsel to determine 'best practices' for travel
> for business meetings; determine means of acquiring required
> 'work permits' (also study permits for children); review
> advantages and means of securing 'permanent residence' and
> citizenship (including reviewing related tax and dual
> citizenship issues).
>
> Step 3 Execute: Work with qualified immigration counsel to
> determine what elements of the strategy can be completed
> directly by either the GEE or the Human Resource Manager; and
> what elements are so complicated or important that outside
> counsel should be involved.
>
> Step 4 Monitor: The immigration counsel should monitor and
> advise as to on-going changes to immigration laws and
> administrative practices which may present difficulties or
> opportunities to GEEs or the organizations that they deal
> with. As the immigration counsel is dealing with a number of
> cases, across a variety of situations and over an extended
> period of time, they should have a more accurate
> understanding of current trends than a given GEE who may have
> had a single negative (i.e. refusal) or positive (i.e. no
> questions asked) experience.
>
> Given the cost of a missed business meeting or the ability to
> operate in a chosen market, proper immigration strategies are
> a 'mission critical' requirement for GEEs. Furthermore
> increased scrutiny in a post-September 11th world, which is
> also struggling with the shift of economic power away for
> fixed local workers to mobile GEEs means that it is even more
> important for individuals to not rely solely on their ability
> 'to talk their way in'. This is especially true when claiming
> that you are just here 'visiting friends', could result in a
> long-term bar for misrepresentation.
>
> The turn of the millennium is a time for unbounded potential
> for the Global Economic Elites. However that potential can be
> frustrated or even severely curtailed if you believe the myth
> that the world has no borders.
>
> Copyright ¿ David S. Lesperance
>
> The content of this article is intended to provide a general
> guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be
> sought about your specific circumstances.
>
>
>

How To Publish Your Own Newsletter

With the expansion and diversion of businesses, manufacturers, and even hobbyists into more and more
specialized areas of endeavor, there is an increasing need for more information. And newsletters are the
high profit way to cash in on that market for specialized information.

You can write and produce your own newsletter from home with a low overhead and potential for high
returns. Many newsletter subscriptions range from $25 to $100 per year, some much higher. Even a
thousand subscribers will bring in huge earnings.

There are no tried and true methods of making a newsletter successful, but if you investigate the market
thoroughly, and are cautious in your moves, you can make a break-even profit turn into a sound income
year after year.

You don't have to be a famous business consultant or an insider on the stock market to produce a
newsletter. There are many that cater to all types of sports, crafts, health, housing or money making.

The most important aspect of creating a successful newsletter is the market. You need to research who
will buy the subscription and how much they are willing to pay. But there are sound methods of testing
the market so you can be sure to come out ahead and establish yourself in the field.

If you have a special interest that has a broad following, you might find that a newsletter will be readily
accepted and flourish.

What interests or hobbies have you been involved with that can make a lively income for you? If you
follow the steps and carefully consider your market, there is no reason why you can't get into the
newsletter business too. And you can MAKE IT WORK.

WHAT IS A NEWSLETTER?

A newsletter is a special timely report on a single subject. It is a personalized, concise statement from an
expert or person thoroughly familiar with a specialized field. Newsletters are maintained solely by
subscriptions; there is no advertising. Most are printed within low budget means, typewritten, from two
to eight pages.

The specialized information in newsletters is current, and usually cannot be found elsewhere. They are a
logical extension to trade journals and magazines.

Aimed at a select group, they often contain the inside information in the field, hot tips or news scoops
that become old news in publications of the trade.

Newsletters are not distributed by newsstands, nor are they meant for the mass market. In fact, the
average number of potential readers of newsletters in any one field is relatively small.

Because of their specific information, newsletters can command a high subscription fee. Businesses can
afford to spend the money to offer executives top-rate inside information.

There are hundreds of newsletters now being published and distributed in the United States. But there is
room for hundreds more. Because of the specialized market, there is often little competition among
newsletters, and THERE IS A RISING TREND TOWARDS SUBSCRIBING.

WHY ARE NEWSLETTERS POPULAR?

With all the print media and visual communications in this country, you might think there is a saturated
market. And that is true when it comes to general interest mass market publications.

However, the need for specific information in specialized fields is constantly increasing. How can I beat
the competition? How does the world news affect my industry? Will a union strike on the other side of
the world raise our prices?

The focus of the newsletter is success. Success in business, success in hobbies, success in health and
happiness. The information contained in the newsletters motivates readers to follow the advice. What are
the best investments? Where are the trade shows? How can I get an edge on winning contests?

There is an endless need for specific knowledge in every field of endeavor. Since there is a high
standard of competition within every aspect of our modern life, people search for ways to be in the
know, and use that information effectively.

One of the reasons subscription prices can stay high is because people are paying for the knowledge and
what might be gained by it. If a two hundred dollar newsletter saves a company thousands of dollars in
excellent advice, then it is well worth the price.

WHAT IT TAKES

You can start a newsletter by yourself; you don't need a large staff. A desk at home, a typewriter and a
telephone are all the basic tools you need to creat a newsletter. Even when you get into comupterized
labels and mass mailings, you still will not need a large space.

You don't need to invest a lot of money to begin a simple newsletter. You may need to put a little out for
advertising for subscribers or mailings to introduce your product. And you may need to spend some
money on getting the first newsletter printed.

But, if your subscription list builds properly, you'll be able to earn back your initial investments quickly
- with some left over.

WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT

The topic you choose has got to be your major interest. You'll be living with it day in and day out for
years, so you need to be devoted to the subject. Usually, it's not hard. You probably already have a
chosen field of endeavor, or have developed a keen interest in a special hobby or sport. Writing a
newsletter is only one more way to demonstrate your interest.

Read any newsletters you can find. What do they talk about? How much do they cost? How long have
they been in business? You might want to talk to the publishers of a few to find out how they started and
what troubles they encountered. Consider paying them a consulting fee to help you get on your way.

Take a look at all the trade magazines of the topic you'd like to work with. Find out if there are any
newsletters already existing in that field. But don't worry - there is usually room for more if you keep to
another aspect of the business or endeavor.

Keep up with the current trends in health, money, sports, or social events and styles. What's new with
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the young people? Or the elderly? There are many retired people actively pursuing hundreds of various
interests. How can you tap into that market?

WHO WILL BUY?

The first place to test your newsletter is with associates and colleagues. And, you don't need their sub-
scription - just their input. What do they think about your ideas? How much would they pay for a
newsletter delivered to their office or home on the subjects that are vital to them?

The target you're aiming at is simply, anyone who will benefit from the information you have. Not only
are people in a specific profession hungry for news, but there are people in all sorts of related jobs and
organizations seeking specialized knowledge.

Everyone is interested in making or saving money. Although you don't have to focus on investments -
there are many such newsletters already - you can point out the benefits of your inside tips on how to
find the easiest, or the least expensive, or direct-to-the-source methods of attaining materials for pursuits
or sports.

Generally, you have a small audience target - about thirty to fifty thousand people. But even a small
percentage of that target will make your newsletter profitable.

Extremely successful topics are new trends where people can't get enough information. Manufacturers,
advertisers and entrepreneurs are all searching for the new to exploit. Depending on the subject you
choose, tap into those potential subscribers.

WHAT TO CALL IT

The title at the top of the newsletter is the most visual aspect of the publication. It reflects the content
and it reflects you.

What title is best for your newsletter? If you are well-known in your field, you can use your own name.
Or, think of a few titles that indicate the topic, or use a catch-phrase that sums up the endeavor. Two-
word titles work well.

You might use an action title if you're going after sports, or a title that includes the word "money" if
that's a main focus of your subject.

Make up a few titles of your own. How do they compare with the titles of other newsletters? Which
rings true for your enterprise?Check at the library to be sure your title is original and doesn't duplicate
other publications currently on the market. The title is your trademark.

Although newsletters require very little graphic design, illustrations, or an art director on staff, you may
want to consult a professional designer to help you with the prototype.

Since the title of the newsletter is so important, it would be worhwhile to have it designed. You'll only
need to pay a one-time fee, and you can use it forevermore.

The logo can be very simple. If you have a title that doesn't Àse your name, you might have a company
name under or above the title in small print. Although most publications don't place the address under
the title, newsletters often do, so potential subscribers know where to write.

Another aspect of the title at the top of the publication is the date and the issue number. These should be
considered in the original design. Since a newsletter has timely information, the date of the issue should
be easy to find.

The newsletter will be typewritten and photo offset, so an elaborate logo may look out of place. Start out
with one color and keep it as homespun and fresh as the news you'll publish.

Avoid fancy type styles or those that are hard to read. And don't go overboard with a clever or cute
design. Something simple and clear is what you're after.

STYLE AND FORMAT

A low-budget newsletter is usually one column, typewritten copy, with am ple but not wide margins.
Anything with two or more columns should be typeset, which is an extra expense you don't need.

The most economical way of printing the newsletter is on one or two 11 x 17 inch pages, printed on both
sides, and folded. This will give you a small booklet of four to eight pages, each the standard 8 1/2 x 11
inch size.

You might consider having it three-hole punched. It doesn't cost much to have this done at the printers,
and it could be an added feature to encourage subscribers to save the valuable information.

Any graphics should be kept simple, but don't be afraid to use subheads to break up the copy. A few
words capitalized or in a larger or darker print help the reader identify the information, and make it
easier to read.

Keep enough white space to encourage reading, but fill the pages to make the subscriber feel the
newsletter fulfills its promises.

WHAT TO INCLUDE

Consider a copy format that is divided by types of information. For example, you can have a section
labeled profiles, another on upcoming events. Perhaps you have a calendar of shows, conventions, or
seminars that would concern readers.

There might be sections on various industry policies or unwritten rules. Past events and history are
always good fillers. And don't forget humor. Although your newsletter is serious, potent information, no
field of endeavor is without its light side.

Don't lock yourself into a format you can't always fulfill. Rather, have these sections available for you to
use or not as each issue is written.

And always include subscription information. Your own newsletter is the best way to sell more.

FINDING THE FACTS

Your first few issues won't lack for information, because you already have pages of information to
publish. But after that, you'll need renewable sources of copy.

What's new in the industry? Your associates and colleagues are the prime source of undercurrents in the
field you write about. Renew and make new contacts - they'll be invaluable for getting information.Are
there any correspondents you can use in other parts of the country to give you facts? Perhaps you can
work out a financial arrangement with an insider for important information you want to include.

Interviews are important ways to get vital information. If you can't contact the people in the high places,
such as presidents or directors, their assistants can be just as - if not more than - valuable in acquiring
information.

New trends are found by talking to the workers, or the participants. An employee might describe the
wonders of a new machine; an athlete may praise some new equipment. And you don't have to travel to
see these people. A good phone voice can unlock many doors.

Don't overlook the obvious - public relations people have a lot of information to disperse. Creating a
good rapport with a p.r. person can get you constant timely advice and specialized information.

Talk to people who have nothing to hide. Secretaries often know more details than their bosses. And
they usually aren't told to keep projects secret. What they know can fill pages of newsletters.

Follow up on the articles presented in the trade publications. You might be able to use some more in-
depth aspects of the same topics they publish. Can you talk to the people they interview? Perhaps you
can critique some controversial subject and get someone to present an opposite opinion.

The newsletter is a personal forum. That means that you are welcome to give your personal comments
and opinions on anything. However, they can't be egotistical or narrow minded, or you'll lose
subscribers.

Trade shows and conventions are your gold. Every person who displays or attends the show is interested
in the subject. You could virtually interview everyone and get a complete overview of the industry.

If you are working with a sports topic, meets and events are the place you need to be. Talk to people
who arrange them and the broadcasters - they have a lot of background knowledge. You might be able to
feature events regularly in the newsletter.

Where are the people who subscribe to the newsletter? What events happen in their towns? If you are
writing about an industry, where are the main manufacturing plants? Have their local newspapers
written about public opinions about those plants, such as pollution or high employment?

If you have a topic that requires a certain environment, how do the local towns cater to the enthusiasts -
especially during a main event?

WRITING COPY

In this publication, you are the authority. Use strong, direct statements with an active voice. Although
you are often offering opinion, the content should be factual.

Your readers are intelligent, and experts in the same field you are writing about. You'll need to back up
your statements with research. A rule of thumb is that three concurring sources make fact. Although you
don't need to be a polished writer, your copy must be easy to read and understand. It should be exciting,
filled with lots of bits of information.

The main thrust of the newsletter is enthusiasm. Your subscribers are into the subject you are writing
about. Don't be afraid to let them know you love the topic as much as they do. Go ahead - get excited.

If you have chosen a technical subject, you'll need to be an expert in the field. If you are not, have
somebody you can call at any time to confirm fact. After all, your newsletter is geared towards the
experts, so you have to pull through.

You don't have to do all the writing yourself. You can employ free lancers who collect or write material
for the newsletter. The financial arrangement is negotiable. But keep in mind that high quality skills and
expert knowledge usually cost.

The success of the newsletter lies with the quality of information you have. Not the quality of writing -
the quality of information. If a reader can review an entire copy and say, "I know that," you're not
coming through with inside information or new trends.

Quality of information is the dozens of little tidbits of information, expert advice, and tips for success.
That is the core of the newsletter, and should be the core of your own interests. That is why you have a
unique knowledge to offer, and why your newsletter will be successful.

What interests you? You are the best judge of lively topics, and are the best critic of the newsletter. If
you subscribed to this publication, would this be what you'd expect? Are you delivering the full potential
of the subject matter?

Above all, is the information practical? Can a person reading the newsletter gain from having acquired
that information? Although you are publishing the newsletter for a select group of people, you should
direct it to each individual person.

The personal approach is the best attitude to take in both gathering information and in writing copy.
Since the newsletter is an informal publication, the copy should read informally - as though you just
heard the hot news and are writing it quickly for your best friend to profit by.

GETTING READY FOR PRINTING

Once you have all your copy finished, you need to have it typed. If you are an expert typist with an
excellent typewriter, you're ahead of the game. But if not, spend the money necessary for the final copy
to be letter perfect. Any errors will reflect on you - even typographical errors.

The first few newsletters you publish will require a lot of trial and error with copy and layout. You'll
need to decide how many spaces to leave between the end of a paragraph and the beginning of a
subhead, how many spaces to indent, and how big the margins will be.

Think about what is important to the format. Some newsletters use italics or underlined words to
emphasize the importance. And some of these overuse these methods publication is also . Always let
good taste dictate the layout and style of your publication.

When a whole line is taken up by a few words, or the last half of a hyphenated word, it is called a
widow. These look sloppy in any type of publication, so you may rewrite the paragraph to extend or
shorten that sentence.

Be careful about carry-overs to the next page. It's very awkward to hyphenate at the bottom of a page, or
have only one line at the top of the next, then space for a subhead. As you get more adept at preparing
copy, you'll be able to write to fit. And that looks good.

The basic standard for a newsletter is clarity. Can you read the type? Are the ideas well presented and
easy to understand? Do the subheads interest and motivate the readers?

The final typed copy is exactly what will be printed. Since photo offset is the least expensive way to
print multiple copies of typewritten material, the pages must be clean. Any second color should be
indicated with an overlay. This is a sheet of tracing paper taped to the copy with printers instructions
written on it and sections circled that need special attention.

For the first year of publication, you won't need to put in any photos - in fact, you may never use photos.
But give yourself a long enough time to get established before you go on to more expensive elements.

PRINTING

The least expensive - and most practical - way to print your newsletter is at an instant printers, using
photo offset. These small local businesses can print, collate, fold, and stuff into envelopes - all for a
reasonable fee.

If you want to use two colors in the newsletter, first have your masthead and perhaps border designs
printed in huge quantities. All the black type can later be printed on those two-color pre-printed sheets.

Don't go to the expense of elaborate printing until your subscription volume is high and you advance
into a different format. Almost any publication you read - newspapers, books, magazines-are printed on
large roll presses and require typesetting.

Typesetting is expensive, but it certainly gives a professional finish to publications. Consider, however,
if you want your newsletter to be slick. It may detract from its personal approach, and subscribers may
drop if it leans towards a magazine.

But, if your subscription list is large and the newsletter is successful, you can find excellent printers who
will handle the whole job of typesetting, layout, printing - all the way to mailing.

HOW OFTEN TO PUBLISH

There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding upon a publication schedule. The main one is how
fast can you produce a newsletter.

Work backwards. You want a subscriber to receive the newsletter on a certain date. It needs to be in the
mail a few days before that. And before that, it will take the printer how many days to deliver the printed
materials. How long will it take a typist to finish the copy, and for you to decide on the final layout?

How long will it take you to research and write material for your newsletter? This may be a deciding
factor in the size of the publication. Perhaps you'd prefer to get a four page newsletter out every other
week rather than an eight-page newsletter out every month.

If your topic is filled with today's news, then you'll want to get that out to your subscribers as fast as
possible. Other subjects can be done monthly, bimonthly, or even quarterly. Be careful with infrequent
mailings, however, because the subscribers may just forget about it. And what use is a small newsletter only a few times a year?

You must deliver the newsletter on a regular basis. Whatever production schedule you've decide on,
keep to it. Later, when it's successful and you have more people to help you with it, you may step up the
production and publish more frequently.

GETTING SUBSCRIBERS

Thin about where the people who would want your newsletter are, and go find them. Do you have access
to mailing lists directly related to your subject matter? Maybe you already have a small business selling
information, or have access to a customer list of people who buy similar information.

You can purchase mailing lists that have every demographic breakdown you can imagine. What is the
profile of your potential subscribers? Think about those people, and write down their attributes. Write
down the age group, sex, education level, income, where they live, perhaps the type of housing
accommodation. A good list broker can work out the best lists to give you results.

A sure way to build up a potential subscriber mailing list is with a drawing at a trade show or
convention. You can have cards printed up for people to fill in their names and addresses. All attendees
would be interested in the subject matter of your newsletter.

You can take out display ads in the trade magazines that cater to the topic you are pursuing. Include the
full details of your newsletter, or use a leader to get inquiries, and send the details later. Especially with
the prices of newsletters, you may want to prepare and send out literature and samples rather than go for
a low response.

Prepare a direct mail piece that describes the benefits and features of your newsletter and pushes for
subscription. You can offer a special free booklet to new subscribers, or a discount. You may include a
sample newsletter in the direct mail piece to show how worthwhile the publication is.

Selling newsletters - like any other direct mail or publishing enterprise - takes a lot of testing. You need
to test the initial response to the idea of the topic; and the response to the first few newsletters produced.

Pricing is always a tricky aspect of selling information. How high can you price your newsletter and still
keep the number of subscribers to make it profitable? You'll find through testing that there's a plateau,
and subscriptions will fall off when the price gets too high.

Frequency of publication is also important. Although you may be able to prepare and publish a weekly
newsletter, your subscribers may not be able to keep up with reading it, and prefer a monthly
subscription.

Any good mailing list should be used over and over. If you know you have a list of prime targets for
your newsletter, don't stop with one mailing. Follow through with subsequent offers at certain intervals
to catch those who couldn't decide the first time.

MAILING

You can use computer services in your town to have labels printed up, or, if you're only dealing in a
small quantity, you can have mailing lists photocopied onto address labels.

After your first success, and after you've paid your initial investment and you've got enough money to
expand, make things easy on yourself. The most sophisticated, and the easiest method of mailing to
subscribers is by computer.

Nowadays, computers are so commercially popular that they are within almost anybody's budget. And a
computer that would store and print out names and addresses need not be expensive.

If the mail is pre-sorted by zip code, you can use a bulk rate for mailing and save money. If your
newsletter can meet the specifications, you might even be able to get a special second class rate permit
for educational material. Talk with the postal workers to find out what you need to do to comply with
these special rates.

BOOKKEEPING

You can keep complete and accurate accounts of your newsletter business by yourself. It's basically
broken down into two areas: how much you spend, and how much you make. If you keep track of all
your expenses, you'll have an easy time of it at tax time.

Open up a business checking account at your bank. Get to know the bank manager - you may already.
Although you can start and maintain a newsletter within a low budget, be sure to figure your costs and
risks before you invest too much money, and be sure of a back up to be able to fulfill all the
subscriptions.

Maintaining your subscription lists is a task that needs diligence and a head for details. Since each
subscriber starts at a different issue, you need to create and continue a method of keeping track of
expiring subscriptions.

You'll want to write a standard appeal for renewal to be sent out in plenty of time for subscribers to
renew. And you'll have to follow up for those who choose not to renew at the end of their present
subscriptions.

The best advice is to get the best advice. Who can help you set up a subscription system? Maybe
somebody local is expert at that. Find out who handles subscriptions at a nearby publications, and talk to
that person.

WHAT'S LEGAL

Although any business in the United States is subject to the Federal Trade Commission's regulations, a
newsletter business is simple.

You don't need a license for this business. However, you should consult with your local Sales Tax office
for acquiring a resale tax permit.

The content of the newsletter must be documented by facts if you get into any dispute. If you don't
border on libel, you should have no problem with any law suits for the content of your publication.
However, consult your attorney if there are any problems with copyright, confidentiality, or access to
news.

If you write with integrity, independent of any payoffs by companies or individuals, you'll have no
trouble with being on the wrong side of the law.

SUCCESS IS YOURS

Writing and publishing a newsletter is a challenging and exciting way to express yourself. And it will
give you prestige and acknowledgment in the community.

You can start the business with virtually no overhead and a small amount of capital, and you can build
up to making profits in the six-figure bracket.

A newsletter has a market, and the people who subscribe to it will pay high prices for the information
you have. Tap into the market and reap those profits.

There's no news you can't find out about, and there's no industry or type of endeavor in this country
today that doesn't have a large group of enthusiasts. How can you find out what they want to know? This
is a place to use your resources and use your background.

The actual task of researching, writing, and having a newsletter published is easy. There are no secrets
or special tricks or skills you need besides a good nose for the best prices. What is important is coming
up with an idea for a newsletter that will sell to a select group who has no specialized information
presently available in that or in a similar form.

You've probably got your ideas already. Well, go ahead. Make up a sample newsletter and pass it
around. Get a good response? A small sampling is only a good indication that the rest will like it too.
Success is around the corner.

If you need specialized LEGAL advice or assistance on this subject, the services of a professional
person is recommended.

Each day we publish a new article on Success!

For more resources, go to Destiny Central!

Here is wishing you the very best of success!

John