Just recently the new Audi TT was proclaimed as the 2007 World Car Design of the Year toppling twenty-eight other candidates.

The judges comprised of renowned motoring journalists from 22 different countries around the world. The panel has reached its verdict and announced the award at the New York International Auto Show over the weekend.

The World Car of the Year jurors commended the TT’s new flared wheel arches, sleek silhouette, and signature single frame grille. They said that “while there is a clear connection to the original TT’s Bauhaus styling, the second-generation model evolves it into a more modern form”. The panel of judges has also praised the efforts that Audi has exerted to create “a more spacious, driver-focused cabin.”

The 2007 World Car Design of the Year is not the first award that the new Audi TT has received. Its blend of charming design and absolute dynamism has earned the TT awards from BBC Top Gear and What Car? Magazines in Great Britain and another award from ADAC Motorwelt and Auto Bild magazines in Germany.

The new Audi TT has also received recognition in Australia. It was awarded Drive Car of the Year by drive.com.au, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. The new TT is available with a 2.0 TFSI four cylinder engine or with a 3.2 liter six-cylinder engine and Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive.

The new Audi TT coupe is longer, wider, and much better equipped than its predecessor but despite its size it is very light. Such remarkable weight reduction is made possible through the use hybrid aluminum/steel ASF (Audi Space Frame) body. Aside from the Audi TT, the Audi RS 4 has also received an award as the 2007 World Performance Car of the Year while the Audi A6 was the inaugural World Car of the Year in 2005.

About Audi

Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer base in Ingolstadt, Bavaria and a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen the maker of quality VW water pumps with headquarters at Wolfsburg Germany.

Audi is renowned around the world for producing vehicles that don’t only look good but also leads when it comes to performance and power. Audi is the luxury unit of Volkswagen and headed by CEO Rupert Stadler.

For more about your VW water pumps needs like , visit your trusted online source.

Benjamin Hudson works as a supervisor at one of the top engineering firms in the business district of Louisiana. He is also a freelance journalist and has passion for anything automotive.

What separates cars from dream cars? The former basically includes cars that may be considered as necessity; you know ordinary transport that takes you from point A to point B and then back again. Dream cars however, are another story since they include the array of supercars that makes your heart flutter and transforms the road into a stage for you to show off.

The Abt Sportsline’s R8 is another addition to the selection of dream cars and is preparing to get ready to overtake the other sportscar in the battle for prestige. The design studies conducted by Abt for the Audi R8 has lead to the creation of one of the sportiest sports car that Audi-luxury unit of Volkswagen and recipient of quality VW vent visors– has ever had-the Abt Audi R8.

Abt a Kempten-based tuner has been able to perfect an excellent serial model like the R8 down to its littlest details and at the same time be able to accentuate the R8′ s racing genes. The front of the Bavarian R8 displays the signature Abt face.

The front of the Abt R8 is basically a part of an overall concept that brings about phenomenal roadholding. Its unique and beautiful rear with its four inclined arranged exhaust end pipes, together with the rear diffuser and extravagant rear wing gives the front of the Abt R8 with a look that is both classy and compelling.

The add-on parts equipped on the super sports car from Allgau-region enhance downforce and create a perfect balance of the front and rear axis. Such add-ons are especially reserved for only a few cars. The sideblades and the side skirts were especially created for the Abt R8 to enhance its aerodynamics.

The aerodynamically efficient Abt body kit also includes carbon-fiber parts that has not only enhance the looks of the Abt R8 but also display the state-of-the-art Bavarian precision work. The R8 will also sport a carbon-fiber bonnet that does not only reduce weight but also optimized weight distribution of the Abt R8.

Design and technology innovations do not only come from Maranello or Sant’ Agata Bolognese but also from Kempten. The Abt R8 is going to be one striking dream car with genes derived from a top-class race car. This car is expected to challenge the likes of Lamborghinis and Porsches. And with regards to the anticipated performance data the Bavarians are traditionally discreet. But these initial data already amazes sports car fans and makes them want to drive Bavarian horses.

The Abt Audi R8 revs up 530 hp (390 kW) drawn from the 4.2 liter V8 Abt supercharger engine and comparing it with the serial model which already shows impressive performance data it means that the Abt R8 has a significant power increase of 110 hp or 81 kW. The brand new Abt R8 20-inch BR wheels are stylish and complement the R8 on the road.

The all-wheel-drive dream car sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in a matter of 3.9 seconds and reaches top speed of 317 km/h. Such values reflect an extraordinary super sports car that is waiting to be driven. The Abt suspension equipped on the Abt Audi R8 is adjustable in height, pressure and rebound. This suspension increases the performance and driving comfort of the super sports car and can be adapted to the requirements of its driver. The Abt Audi R8 dream car is turning into reality this coming autumn.

For more about your VW vent visors needs like , visit your trusted online source.

Benjamin Hudson works as a supervisor at one of the top engineering firms in the business district of Louisiana. He is also a freelance journalist and has passion for anything automotive.

With the increase in the price of cigarettes, smoke-banning in all but a few public places and all the warning labels of how dangerous cigarette smoke is to your health, people are still lighting up every day and every night. And the reason is simple. Cigarette smoking is one of the most addictive habits there is, more addictive that heroin and cocaine.

I ought to know. I was a chain smoker for ten years, until eight years ago when I quit after my 50th attempt. As challenging as it was to withdraw from such a disgusting habit, I attribute my success to a few things:

(1) Quitting first begins in your head. You have to want to quit and you have to want it bad.

(2) Determination and persistence. Though I failed numerous times, I was determined to keep trying until I succeeded.

(3) Nicotine patch. Cravings for nicotine can be quite severe which keeps true smokers lighting up to dissipate the cravings.

(4) A substitute. I needed a substitute in the place of smoking so that I would have something, rather than nothing. I chose hot beverages. I drank teas and coffees in the morning, after a meal, while watching television, before bed, all the time. Whenever, I would normally smoke, I sipped hot beverages.

As good as most of this advice is, it won’t count for much if the drive to quit is not intense enough.

Wishing you much success and a long life of not smoking,
Jessie Jamie Coleman

Jessie Jamie Coleman is an author, screenwriter, freelance writer and a self-esteem expert. She is the author of two self-discovery journals, “The Incredible, Awesome You” and “Where Will You Be in Two Years.” For more information, visit her website: http://www.autumngirlpress.com and http://www.jessiejamiecoleman.com

When Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker voiced her objections toward women in combat she focused her editorial on the one female among 15 British sailors and marines held hostage by the Iranians. In singling out Leading Seaman Fay Turney, Parker stirred up a cauldron of my own feelings about American women in uniform fighting side by side with men in combat.

The R Word

Notwithstanding the sexual harassment and/or rape cases within our military ranks at home, the last thing American uniformed women want is to be captured and raped by hostiles. The Germans did it to Russian women in World War II. The Russians did it back to German women when they took East Berlin. The Japanese did it in Nanking; the American GIs did it in Vietnam. We all know what happened in Bosnia. Need I go back centuries? The visuals are not pretty.

Androgens (Male) vs. Estrogens (Female)

The hormones thing: Certainly there are some women-Judo experts, champion athletes come to mind-who are capable of taking care of themselves in certain circumstances, but not all and particularly not if they are outnumbered or injured.

Unless she regularly and vigorously works out, in most cases Eve’s body is physically weaker than Adam’s. I doubt there are many “GI Janes” within our Armed Forces. Private Jessica Lynch, whose capture and rescue in Iraq are still under a “fog of war” cloud, will testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee later this April. But it’s still unclear how much Jessica remembers, or wants to remember of what happened to her.

Score 10 for PR; 0 for Motherhood

The matter of motherhood: Wouldn’t you think that young Fay Turney would care more about her three-year-old-daughter than to put herself in harm’s way in the heavily contested waters of the Persian Gulf-not to mention the slimy hands of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? What fools the British were to let themselves be manipulated and humiliated by that insane fanatic. Those propaganda videos will go a long way in the Arab world toward making the Brits and us (guilt by association) look cowardly and weak.

Given that young Fay Turney obviously adores her little girl, she nevertheless lives in a world that expects her to sacrifice her most precious attribute, motherhood. And if we are to believe what we saw on the tapes-while behind the scenes she was frightened into apologizing-publicly the Iranians want us to think they treated Fay Turney as they do their own women-like a princess. To the Arab world Mr. Ahmadinejad comes off looking like Prince Charming, Tony Blair like Mr. Bumble.

What’s Fashionable

In the Broadway musical My Fair Lady Henry Higgins asks, “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?” Today’s professional American women are expected to think like men. Besides, it’s so old fashioned to talk of motherhood. But motherhood has nothing to do with fashion. Motherhood does not go in and out of fashion. Do mothers who are in and out of rehab better serve today’s children?

When I think of motherhood I think of the paintings of Mary Cassatt. She’s all about motherhood. If you are unfamiliar with the 19th century American Impressionist painter, you will find her on the Internet and in museums the world over. Looking at her gorgeous paintings is therapeutic for me. I can smell the milk breath of the babies and feel the inner peace of the mothers.

Woman the Nurturer

Those women who can afford to be full time mothers love it and their children love it. Children need their mothers. They need their fathers too, but it is the fathers who must go off to war; alas that is the way of the world. If mothers want to serve their country, if they want a military career, they can do it in so many ways with their brains, rather than weapons.

Women are Different Than Men

American women want to work anywhere they choose, regardless of whether the job is dirty or dangerous; and they are doing it successfully and that is a good thing. But there is a big difference between cracking the glass ceiling in the private sector, and fighting alongside men with boots on the ground and testosterone in the air. Yes, women are different than men, which is why they are often assaulted when and where they are most vulnerable. For example, uniformed women are warned consistently not to go to the latrines and showers alone.

To a lesser extent, these conditions prevailed in Vietnam where there were no women combatants, but military nurses who were there to save lives. In addition to all the backup support women and men provide the troops, women are particularly good at nurturing, healing, caring for and saving lives because that’s what they do naturally. Everything else has to be learned.

More Questions Than Answers

According to sketchy statistics, about 70 women have died fighting in Iraq and 450 have been wounded. Some have returned home and committed suicide. This is sad, even sadder if they were mothers. About 10 percent of the U.S. Forces currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are women. I would like to ask General David Petraeus, head of all U.S. forces in Iraq, these questions.

1. Does the integrated male/female military service really work?

2. If a female soldier is being raped while her male buddies are in a firefight nearby, should her buddies try to come to her aid, or hunker down and continue the firefight?

3. When women are dressed as men and consistently considered “one of the guys” is there concern that men might become desensitized to women and their innumerable unique differences?

4. Does the training of young women in the military include highly advanced self-defense like Tai Kwon Do or Karate?

5. After serving as combatants, or as non-combatants (drivers, mechanics) in a combat zone, how many women voluntarily return to Iraq? Of those, how many are mothers?

6. Historically, women have always served in America’s wars, domestic and foreign. But very few statistics are available on the health of women who served, such as women who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam (civilian and military); the number of post-traumatic stress cases, etc. Is there more attention focused on these serious health matters now that women are serving in combat roles?

There is little if any chance that General Petraeus will ever see this article. Maybe it’s too long for anyone’s attention span. Nevertheless, these are questions that make me wonder if I am the only one who asks them.

A writer/editor, I work with one client at a time for a cost effective solution to your writing and editing needs. Visit me at http://www.susanscharfman.com My novel The Sword & The Chrysanthemum is now available in paperback and in ebook.

In this society, business corporations sponsor everything from car and bike races; soccer; football; basketball; golf; tennis; dusting; bed-making; shoveling smoke; watching paint dry…you name it! There are corporate spokes-people for everything under the sun such as weight-loss products; soft drinks; beer; fast food; slow food; real slow food for Seniors; auto parts…you name it. Whenever there’s a buck to be made, there’s a corporate sponsor near-by! Put a corporate logo on a pile of manure, and see what happens! You’ll sell it before you can get a shovel.

I was dis-connected from the Internet and my website for 2 1/2 years, because of illness and hardship, so I’m still a novice in the writing and website-building business. But, the Lord has blessed me, and I’m back to start off where I left off.

Putting a corporate logo on a website, could mean a year’s salary or more for many of us. With SIX job layoffs over the past decade, I have wanted my own home business more than anything. But, the failure of the dot.com’s of a few years ago, showed us that there is no “pie in the sky,” and everything is going to take time, something that few of us have. Financial transactions on the Internet have not been safe until recent years, so that was a problem for business. Because all this learning was going to take time, I decided to construct an “entertainment website, ” first, while I was learning business and the Internet. But, through all of the learning and building, I have always had an eye on a corporate sponsor.

I think the name of the game in any business, is to spread the word. And, I have chosen to spread the word, by writing articles and having them posted on as many websites, blogs, directories, and I’ll post an article on your shirt if I see you in a bank line. Also, exchanging links; classifieds; rings; begging always helps to lure traffic!

As a woodcarver for over 25 years, I’m out of the art and craft world and I have no background in writing whatsoever. Over the years, I have participated in over 40 arts and crafts shows all over the state of New Mexico. (where I live) I have always taken chances with my wood work, and I do the same with my writing and with my website.

Business corporations are not going to know what your goals are unless you tell them. And, I think the most important thing in all of this, is always going to be if you AND I have the confidence, self-esteem and courage to proceed with the idea!

ARTICLES PUBLISHED: (70+ websites/includes links); Direct link: http://humordoctormd.homestead.com/articlespublished.html
Website name; humordoctormd - Over 150 colorful pages; over 300 graphics
http://humordoctormd.homestead.com
email; humordoctormd@yahoo.com
Copyright; Jerry L. Aragon (The Humor Doctor) 2007

Don’t be so dreamy.

Stop dreaming.

Or - sarcastically - keep dreaming!

We’ve all heard these admonitions.

Have you ever noticed that even though many parents will chastise their children for having silly dreams, and even though people are ridiculed when they share their big dreams with others, at the same time we all LOVE stories about people who accomplish wonderful things? Secretly, we even think - dare I say KNOW - that we are capable of great things, too. The people who have the guts and persistence to go for their dreams and make things happen are like heroes to the rest of us. They are beacons of possibility.

The flip side is, such people are vivid reminders that we have not gone for our own dreams. Perhaps this is why many people are also so quick to jump on the fascination bandwagon when someone in ‘high places’ falls and makes a mistake. Maybe it makes them feel better somehow, and not so badly about not pursuing their own dreams with passion.

But what if we ALL went for our dreams? What would this world look like? Imagine a world full of excited, passionate people. Everyone would encourage each other and things would get done with unprecedented speed and creativity. Ideas tend to flow when people are open to them, so instead of being shut down and settling for boring and secure options, many people would take more calculated risks and the world would be a very different place. If everyone was encouraged to dream and to create, many of today’s problems would be solved and inventions would soar to an all-time high.

So…with all of this possibility, why is being a dreamer a ‘bad’ thing? What is it that has us cling to secure jobs (which aren’t really secure) and worry about taking chances? What are we afraid of? It is likely our parents were trying to protect us from the pain of failure…but without failure, how can we ever really know how to succeed? How can we learn what we love, and what we are good at? Perhaps the people who laugh when we speak of our dreams are actually just shocked at our audacity, because they long ago gave up on their own dreams…or even worse: they have none.

We owe ourselves and our children the opportunity to fail at things…and thus the opportunity to learn how to wildly succeed. Remember this, and dream BIG - the world needs dreamers!

This is excerpted from the Breathing Prosperity blog - updated daily!

Shauna Arthurs is a writer/editor, business consultant and Co-founder/Owner of several web-based businesses, including

Breathing Prosperity and Daily Motivation as well as the Wealthy Women Foundation for struggling women.

LASIK (laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis ) is probably the most commonly performed laser eye surgery procedure and tends to be what people think of when considering laser surgery for vision correction. However not all patients may be ideal candidates for LASIK surgery due to variations in cornea thickness and curvature. Photo refractive keratectomy ,or PRK, may be the better option for vision correction in some patients who are not able to have LASIK.

Prior to the introduction and subsequent popularity of LASIK, PRK was the most common refractive eye surgery procedure performed. Both LASIK and PRK share similarities in that an excimer laser is utilized to sculpt and reshape the cornea of the eye in accordance with the patients medical needs. Both techniques are used in the correction of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism(blurred vision resulting from corneal irregularity), or a combination thereof. Likewise, both are outpatient surgical procedures which may be performed in a physicians office or clinic setting. There are however a few differences in the two procedures.

In a LASIK procedure a small flap is cut with a special tool on the exterior of the cornea. The computer controlled excimer laser is then used to reshape the corneal tissue under the flap. The flap is then replaced over the cornea where it will adhere to the eye and serve to protect it. In PRK, the excimer laser is used to remove tissue and reshape the cornea directly on the surface, or epithelial layer, of the eye. A protective soft contact lens is usually placed over the eye for 3-5 days to allow the epithelial surface to heal. Several major differences for the patient exist in the two procedures. The first is the recovery period, which tends to be considerable shorter for LASIK patients as opposed to PRK. Likewise, vision improvement with PRK tends to be more of a gradual process than take from a few days to a few months. LASIK patients will in most circumstances experience the benefits of their surgery in a much shorter frame.

A successful end result for both procedures is an improvement in vision, and the correction of pre-existing vision conditions. Only a thorough examination and consultation with a qualified laser eye surgeon can determine which is right for you.

To learn more about laser eye surgery or find a laser eye surgeon in your area visit our website at http://www.lasersurgeryeyes.net

Today I am going to be talking about choosing your palette of colors, color mixing, and how I choose to apply my acrylics to my painting surface of choice.

I don’t have a very extensive array of acrylic paints, but I think it is a lot of fun mixing colors. I think the color wheel is a good tool and starting off place for me (as well as for most artists, whether a beginner or professional), and experimentation is great fun and as artistic expression. I also read a lot of books and talk to a lot of artists to get hints and suggestions about everything from all directions. I think that is helpful to us all and I highly recommend it!

For starters, as a “color basis 101″, I have been told to use black very sparingly, and I do. If I do use anything close to that, if is “Payne’s Gray”, but usually I like to mix complimentary colors for the darker areas and try to put lots of colors in my shadows. This really adds a lot of interest and beauty to your painting. Besides, if you are a true observer of nature you will notice that shadows are not black at all, but are made up of multiple and varied colors, values, and hues. Try to be a great observer!

I choose to paint with a pretty limited palette and mix my paints to achieve the effects that I want to achieve. This accomplishes several things. This will save you money (if that is a concern of yours) by limiting the number of tubes of paint you are required to purchase. This will teach you a lot about mixing paint to achieve the colors you require ( by referring to the color wheel). I feel that your colors are much more stunning and true to life by painting this way than using colors straight from the tube, anyway. I never use any colors directly from the tube anymore. And, by mixing your own colors, you will have a continuity through out your painting that can only be achieved in this way.

When working with a painting that will have a large amount of green in it, I like to first start out by placing a wash of red over the entire canvas (surface). Red being the complement of green “greys” down the green making it a more natural color in the end. This is a great tip to use when painting landscapes, etc. that will require a lot of greens, but that you don’t want to have a harsh, or “kelly” green look to them. Another thing that I would definitely suggest is to mix your own greens (using blues and yellows) instead of a tube green - unless you go to a sap green or one of the already “greyed down” greens. Even those greens I mix with something else, I as said, previously.

I almost always like to do a wash on the surface before starting the painting as this does give a nice sense of cohesion to the painting. I have been told by a lot of artists that they feel the same way. Many times this is a complimentary color that will come shining through the subsequent layers of paint.

I usually start at the back of the painting and work toward the foreground saving the greater detail and stronger colors for the main subject and the aforementioned foreground area. When painting masses, such as muscles on an animal for example, these are usually darker areas and I start with these first when starting the subject. Then I work in many, many layers until finally reaching the lighter areas and highlights. My paintings always consist of multiple layers of glazes and/or washes - many times in the double digits - in order to achieve the effect that I wish to achieve.

Most importantly when working with colors, as with any aspect of painting, is to have fun with it! I think that if you do that it really comes through in your work. For examples of my acrylic paintings please visit http://www.hughbanksart.com I hope you can see that I have a passion about my work and that the “fun” I spoke of is coming through in my own pieces!

Debbie Hughbanks
http://www.hughbanksart.com/

Germs. We’ve been hearing about them since we were toddlers. Our Moms nagged us to wash the dirt off our hands when we came to dinner, and to cover our mouths when we coughed. Teachers taught us about Lister, Pasteur, and the “germ” theory of disease. But who talks about the perils of kissing?

Worldwide, there are billions of kisses exchanged between people every year. The casual pecks on the cheek, the California air-kiss, or the cultured kiss on the hand aren’t much of a threat. However, a kiss that exchanges saliva from one to another is an entirely different matter. Saliva carries microorganisms, bacteria and viruses. You’ve probably heard the mouth is the dirtiest place in the body: a human bite has more bacteria and is more dangerous than a dog bite, according to the Center for Disease Control. The CDC also preaches - and I agree - that hand washing is “the single most effective way to prevent the transmission of disease”. However, they don’t talk much about kissing. None of us likes to think that something we enjoy so much could be hazardous to our health.

The American Academy of Periodontology says more than 75% of adults over age 35 have some form of gum disease. The first signs of this infection are tender, swollen, bleeding gums. In their more advanced stages, periodontal diseases not only cause tooth loss but also put people at risk for many dangerous whole-body illnesses. In May 2000, the Surgeon General of the United States revealed studies linking bacterial infections of the mouth with heart attacks, strokes, diabetes complications, ulcers, respiratory problems, cancers, and many other serious diseases. Even premature childbirth and low birth weight babies were mentioned: pregnant women who have a severe gum infection could be nearly eight times more likely to have a premature baby, according to research done by Dr. Steven Offenbacher and colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry

Unlike ordinary dirt, the hitch with germs is that they are invisible. Most of them are so small they can only be seen through a microscope. Their diminutive size, however, doesn’t reduce their threat. Many different types of bacteria, like Strep Mutans, the bugs responsible for cavities, can be transferred from one mouth to another through kissing. Other organisms, like viruses, parasites, and yeasts, can be passed along as well.

In more than 35 years as a dental hygienist, I have harvested thousands of samples of bacterial plaque from the dark, moist, germ-friendly environments of the mouths of my patients. Under a microscope, the innocuous sticky white film I collected from between their teeth and gums transformed into a squiggling, undulating mass of organisms. This disturbing vision of highly-organized germ life was often all the motivation my patients needed to incorporate baking soda, salt, and diluted hydrogen peroxide into their daily oral care program along with a dental irrigator with a strong disinfectant. Germ warfare!

Since gum diseases are the equivalent of open wounds, kissing or having oral sex when you or your partner has bleeding gums, is a real invitation for transmission of unwanted organisms. Be careful: keep your mouth as healthy and germ-free as possible every day. Make sure your partner takes preventive actions too, so you can both enjoy those intimate smooches.

And don’t forget Fido. When your beloved pet slobbers your face with kisses, he is not only demonstrating his love and affection, he is also gifting you his germs. Be sure to keep his mouth healthy too.

Sheila Wolf, RDH, affectionately called “Mama Gums,” has been a registered dental hygienist since 1971. She is currently retired from clinical practice but enjoys writing, speaking, and consulting on various oral health issues. She has authored two award-winning books, Pregnancy and Oral Health: The critical connection between your mouth and your baby, and Your Mouth Could Be KILLING You. Both are available on her website, http://www.mamagums.com/about_book.html, through Amazon, and at finer bookstores everywhere. Sheila also works with people privately as an oral wellness coach, educating and empowering people to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime, avoid gum surgery, and just possibly add years to their lives. You may reach Sheila through her website, http://www.mamagums.com or in San Diego at 866-MAMA-GUMs.
Sheila will happily share her articles with you. Please acknowledge her contribution by including her “Bio” at the end of the article.

Do you want a no-nonsense, jargon-free, helper to guide you on starting and running your new business? Then look no further than Tom Ehrenfeld’s The Startup Garden (ISBN 0071368248, McGraw Hill, 2002, and still as vital as the day it was published).

The book is written by a widely experienced small business journalist. It is a pleasure to read and for someone wary of business semantics, Tom’s book will keep them at ease. Its format makes the information readily assimilable; there are plenty of breaks; short case-studies and practical descriptions of where you can get further help.

The Startup Garden treats entrepreneuring like gardening, so it’s about cultivating your business and caring for it as the living thing that it is. Tom is as much concerned with your own learning and development, as with the commercial development of the enterprise.

The book begins with an examination of why you might be wanting to start a business and what you want to get out of it. It shows how you can approach planning the business and make sure that you learn from the feedback that flows from operations. Tom’s approach to business numbers and finance helps you get clear on the big picture and what aspects of money matter to the business. He is of the school that considers raising large sums of external finance may not be the most effective way to go.

He favors the bootstrapping approach to business, where you generate the maximum volume of sales and are parsimonious with expenditure, leveraging all you resources until your business is performing successfully. Right through the Startup Garden you will be able to see how to draw on your own strengths rather than having recourse to expensive outside expertise. I know from my own business experience that it is all too easy to assume that there are people out there who know better than you do. Such notions tripped me up more than once, and at considerable cost.

What is clear, Tom points out, is that your best consultant is your own learning. At the beginning, the new entrepreneur tends to identify very closely with the business creation and detachment is difficult. The first lesson is to rejoice in the mistakes you make. They can be priceless teachers. He points out the importance of revisiting your original mission and testing its current validity, checking that your early role remains appropriate, especially in the light of the world outside your own company.

I share with Tom the last thoughts he expresses: “get started”. Reading books―even his―will only teach you so much. Doing it will teach you more. I have met far too many people who say things such as, “my prototype’s not right yet”, “inflation’s running too high”, “the trade cycle hasn’t bottomed out yet”, “my bank’s turned me down”, and many other invalid reasons for not launching. The right time is now. Reading the Startup Garden should not take more than an hour. That is a piece of procrastination I recommend! The quickest way to get a copy is to write an email direct to Tom Ehrenfeld: tomehrenfeld@comcast.com.

William Keyser, a veteran entrepreneur, is Managing Director of WorkSavvy “Sustainability from the Startup”. WorkSavvy offers a wealth of free information and advice to would-be and early stage entrepreneurs. Take a look at First Steps to Business Startup and Entrepreneurship and You for more on the subject of this article.

Will is a veteran entrepreneur with VC experience and he is committed to help business startups to: clarify their business purpose; sharpen their business model; better their business plan; speed their market entry; offer customer value; finance their business right; grow their business strongly; survive their business challenges-more effectively than they might do on their own.