JELLY COOKIES

JELLY COOKIES



 3/4 lb. butter
1 c. sugar
4 c. flour
3 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla

 Cream together butter and sugar. Add to above, flour, yolks and vanilla.

Roll in a ball the size of a walnut and punch down in center.

Pull small dab of jelly in center. Bake in 425 degree oven from 10 to 12 minutes. Yield: 3 dozen cookies.  

THE LANDING

"Just the place for a Snark!" the Bellman cried,
  As he landed his crew with care;
Supporting each man on the top of the tide
  By a finger entwined in his hair.

"Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice:
  That alone should encourage the crew.
Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
  What i tell you three times is true."

The crew was complete: it included a Boots--
  A maker of Bonnets and Hoods--
A Barrister, brought to arrange their disputes--
  And a Broker, to value their goods.

A Billiard-maker, whose skill was immense,
  Might perhaps have won more than his share--
But a Banker, engaged at enormous expense,
  Had the whole of their cash in his care.

There was also a Beaver, that paced on the deck,
  Or would sit making lace in the bow:
And had often (the Bellman said) saved them from wreck,
  Though none of the sailors knew how.

There was one who was famed for the number of things
  He forgot when he entered the ship:
His umbrella, his watch, all his jewels and rings,
  And the clothes he had bought for the trip.

He had forty-two boxes, all carefully packed,
  With his name painted clearly on each:
But, since he omitted to mention the fact,
  They were all left behind on the beach.

Winter-time

Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,
A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;
Blinks but an hour or two; and then,
A blood-red orange, sets again.

Before the stars have left the skies,
At morning in the dark I rise;
And shivering in my nakedness,
By the cold candle, bathe and dress.

Close by the jolly fire I sit
To warm my frozen bones a bit;
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore
The colder countries round the door.

When to go out, my nurse doth wrap
Me in my comforter and cap;
The cold wind burns my face, and blows
Its frosty pepper up my nose.

Black are my steps on silver sod;
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding cake.

At the Sea-side

When I was down beside the sea
A wooden spade they gave to me
  To dig the sandy shore.

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH JUNKY STUFF IN THE MAIL THESE DAYS?

I hear it all the time: "There is so much junk in the mail. Most of the stuff 
is crooked, hard to read, copied 100 times and ugly. I wouldn't order from 
them regardless of what they were selling." I agree! In fact _ I have 
wondered what would possess people to actually send out some of this "junky" 
stuff. Don't they realize it will cost them a great loss in potential sales? 
Don't they care? Don't they realize that they are actually LOSING money?
However, remember the old saying: "The rich get richer and the poor get 
poorer?" While a poor person of today can be a rich person of tomorrow - 
a person that stays poor their entire life does so because they have made 
themselves that way. They have never learned the proper way to conduct 
business in order for it to turn a profit for them. Some of them may have 
tried and tried _ but for some reason, they continually made bad decisions 
to keep themselves poor.
   
Let me give you a common example of what I mean. Around the 
first of the month, go grocery shopping. This is the time that people 
shop who are on fixed incomes and draw food stamp benefits. (I consider 
this the poor side of America.)  
   
Now - watch their buying habits very carefully. Very rarely will you 
see someone use manufacturers coupons to save money. Very rarely do you see 
them purchase a brand name product (unless its cigarettes or beer.) Most of 
the poor people ALWAYS purchase unbrand products. These are fine in some 
circumstances, but if a poor person buys a unbrand name of laundry detergent 
or dishwashing liquid _ it will run out 3 or 4 times faster than name brands 
like Dawn, Ivory and Palmalive. Sure _ the name brand costs more in the 
beginning, but the long term effects will save the poor person lots of money!
   
What does going to the grocery store and watching poor people have 
to do with junky mail? Plenty! Junky mail is created by people who will never 
be more than they are today _ OR they are people who have been taught by bad 
teachers and are trying to do what they are told. The fact remains through - 
ANYBODY can look at other things that come in the mail and learn from them. 
EVERYONE gets mailings from large companies that are written by professionals 
to sell products. All the mail order dealer has to do is READ them.
   
When a piece of mail arrives to you that appears professional and 
looks like it came from a company who had a lot of money - dissect it. Find a 
way that YOU can make your materials look like theirs for a price within 
your budget.
   
One problem that some dealers have who mail this "junky" stuff is 
that they don't believe they can look good without investing a lot of money. 
It doesn't take a lot of money to look good. Just like it doesn't take a lot 
of money to take a bath every day! You can still be poor but accomplish the 
same goal.

The Fox and the Mosquitoes

A Fox after crossing a river got its tail entangled in a bush,
and could not move. A number of Mosquitoes seeing its plight
settled upon it and enjoyed a good meal undisturbed by its tail.
A hedgehog strolling by took pity upon the Fox and went up to him:
"You are in a bad way, neighbour," said the hedgehog; "shall I
relieve you by driving off those Mosquitoes who are sucking your
blood?"

"Thank you, Master Hedgehog," said the Fox, "but I would
rather not."

"Why, how is that?" asked the hedgehog.

"Well, you see," was the answer, "these Mosquitoes have had
their fill; if you drive these away, others will come with fresh
appetite and bleed me to death."

The Wolf and the Crane

A Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, when
suddenly a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he could
not swallow it. He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ran
up and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something to
relieve the pain. He tried to induce every one he met to remove
the bone. "I would give anything," said he, "if you would take it
out." At last the Crane agreed to try, and told the Wolf to lie
on his side and open his jaws as wide as he could. Then the Crane
put its long neck down the Wolf's throat, and with its beak
loosened the bone, till at last it got it out.

"Will you kindly give me the reward you promised?" said the
Crane.

The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: "Be content.
You have put your head inside a Wolf's mouth and taken it out
again in safety; that ought to be reward enough for you."

Gratitude and greed go not together.

HOW TO MAKE MONEY PLACING CLASSIFIED ADS

With many small mail order publications, the cost of classified ads is 
extremely reasonable. The trick is that you have to run several to pay off 
any money unless the publication is not dominated by classifieds. Otheriwse, 
people will simply skim them over and more than likely miss your ad. 
Therefore, before advertising in any publication, make sure you write and 
request a sample copy. This way _ you'll know up front how noticeable your 
classified ad will be. You also will know the length of classified ad to run. 

  (Example: if most of the ads are short, you can run a longer one and 
  be noticed easier.)

Probably the most effective classified advertising is in national publica-
tions like The National Enquirer, Star Magazine and Small Business Opportu-
nities. But who has enough money to pay for a classified ad in these when 
the rates are $6 to $10 per word? You do! That's right! Now there is a way 
that almost everyone can appear in these highly-circulated and target-
marketed publications for $50 or less!

First of all, get yourself a Voice Mail Box. You can get these through a 
wide variety of places but I personally use American Voice Mail. (Contact 
them by calling 1-800-347-2861 or by writing them directly at 2233 Barry Ave, 
Los Angeles CA 90064.) You don't have to live in California to establish 
service with them. You don't have to go through a credit check or have valid 
telephone service. You can even have a PO Box with no street address. Anyone 
can establish a Voice Mail Service. There are no previous requirements.

Simply call them up and establish your Voice Mail Box over the phone. It 
will be activated within 24-hours and the charge is around $10 per month. 
You also have to pay the first and last month's charges within 10 days after 
establishing your Voice Mail Box, but $20 is very little to invest for the 
convenience and marketing advantage that will now be open to you! Once your 
Voice Mail Box has been turned on and your payment received the company will 
mail you information on accessing your Voice Mail Box and how to leave a 
message on it.

Now start placing classified ads asking people to call your Voice Mail Box 
number instead of sending in $1 or a first-class stamp for more information 
(like you do in your ads now.) When they call, you will have a recorded 
message describing your product or service in more detail. At the end of the 
message, you will ask the person to leave their name and address so you can 
mail them additional information with an order form.
Now, 24-hours a day, your Voice Mail Box service will be working for you. Once or twice a day, you can call the Voice Mail Box y
ourself and retrieve your messages (this doesn't cost you anything.) Write down the names and addresses and immediately send the
m follow-up materials as promised.

You would be amazed how effective this form of marketing really is. The call 
doesn't cost you anything and you have up to 2 minutes on your recording to 
tell the caller more about what you're selling. It sure saves classified word 
space and cost _ plus, callers are more excited about your product or service 
when they hear a "real" voice telling them about it. You'll get a lot of 
fantastic leads and increased business!

Here are a few examples of classified ads you can run in national publica-
tions that will draw inquiries for you:

  Start your own publishing business. 
  Call (number) Make money with me. 
  Call (number) Free business information. 
  Call (number) Start a real business. 
  Call (number) Free gift. 
  Just call (number) Make $1,000's. 
  Call (number) Stay home and make money. 
  Call (number)

Of course it depends on the product you are trying to sell. You want to make 
your ad generalized so a lot of people will call it and listen to your 
message. You can qualify them and eliminate people not interested in your 
product or service because when they call, you'll tell them everything you 
wanted to say in a classified. If they listen to the entire message and leave 
their name and address to receive your materials _ they are probably 
interested in what you have to sell.

However, don't be too generalized. If your product is bookkeeping services, 
say "Low-cost Bookkeeping services. Just call (number)." If you offer items 
for re-sell, say "Distributors needed for new product. Call (number)." 
And if you sell gift-type items, say "Free gift catalog. Call (number)." 
After you test a few out first in the low-cost publications _ you'll be 
ready for the big time! Have fun!

Producing Newsletters On CD

Minimum Start-Up: $2,500 
Average Start-Up: 10,000
Profit Margins: 50% to 75% 
One Person Business: Yes

Brandel Communications is currently developing a newsletter that will be 
released on Compact Discs, mailed to you once every two months.

The subscription rate is $195 a year. (Our production cost: around $3 per 
CD. With 6 CDs a year, our total cost is $18 per subscriber.)

Instead of print or video, we have decided to tap the CD market, the fastest 
growing communications media.


OPPORTUNITY SEEKERS

To offer a subscription to this (still unnamed) newsletter, we are running 
full page ads in opportunities magazines, as well as implement a direct mail 
campaign.

Our initial marketing thrust will be directed at individuals seeking to 
start their own business, or a second source of revenue.

The BizOpp market is at a strategic crossroads where new economic 
opportunities intersect with our growing disenchantment with conventional 
employment.

This market thinks! And it is quick at recognizing new opportunities.  
This is why we decided that the growth of How-To CDs depend on the variety 
of titles available.

cash-raising methods

The inability to come up with the necessary cash when suddenly presented with a "can't miss" opportunity, is one of the most frustrating experiences anyone ever live through. Yet, there are literally hundreds of ways to raise unlimited amounts of cash in an hour or less! 

 You may not be aware of many of these cash-raising methods we're about to describe for you, but they are all legal and any one of them could be the answer to your money needs the next time you have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a sure-fire winner. The important thing is to be aware of the possibilities, and then to position yourself to use them when the need arises.



 Almost everyone uses plastic credit cards in place of money for the purchase of many of the things they want and need. Most people aren't aware though, that in addition to merchandise and services, you can also buy money with these credit cards. 

 The "Cash Advance" privilege of these cards is actually the best and easiest way to raise cash - immediately and with no questions asked. Generally, most people can write themselves a check for at least a thousand dollars against these credit cards and with no questions or quibbling relative to the amount requested. With an American Express card, you can even write yourself a check for $2,500 with no argument.



 Now then, if you have 10 of these credit cards, and you needed $10,000 - all you'd have to do would be to write 10 different check for $1,000 each - a $1,000 check against each of your credit cards with this cash advance privilege - present the checks at each of the banks sponsoring the credit cards, and you've got the $10,000 you were needing.



 Besides the no-fee cards such as MasterCard and Visa, there's a growing number of travel and entertainment cards such as American Express, Carte Blanche and Diners Club. Your annual income and credit rating has to be higher than for many of the others, and they charge you an annual service charge for the privilege of using them, but the amount of cash you can draw against them is much higher. For instance, with an American Express "Gold Card," you can draw up to $5,000 in instant cash, immediately with no questions asked.



 In addition to the "cash advance" privileges of most credit cards, most modern bank accounts include an automatic overdraft provision. This amounts to the privilege of your being able to write a check for more than the balance you have in the bank, and the bank honoring your check by merely loaning you money to cover the amount of the check. In effect, this is an immediate and automatic loan to you - without questions. Most of these "check guarantee" accounts will cover you up to at least $1,000 and if you have 3-such accounts, you can write three $1,000 checks, and be on your way with whatever you need instant cash for .



 Another source of money is your circle of friends and relatives. Therefore, it's always to your benefit to make friends, encourage them as necessary, and keep them believing in you. One of the easiest of all money-raising ideas to promote amongst your friends and relatives is the sale of "private stock" in your idea or project. For instance, if 100 of your friends and relatives were to give you $100 each, you'd have $10,000 with which to either jump into or launch a new venture. And by-the-way, it's always important to have at least 3 people you can count on to co-sign a note or loan for you if the need should ever arise.



 Loans against life insurance policies are another source of "no questions asked" instant cash. You simply borrow against the cash value of the policy, and in most cases, the interest you pay is far lower than against other loans, plus you never have to pay it back nor will your insurance policy lost value, so long as you keep the interest payments up to date. Still another avenue to explore is the feasibility of using your insurance policy as collateral when you don't seem to have enough unassigned collateral otherwise.



 If you're buying the home you live in, and have a conventional home mortgage, you can often-times borrow against the equity you've built up. Generally speaking, if you buy a home for $50,000 - live in it and make regular payments on the mortgage for 10-years - the value of your home has probably increased to the neighborhood of $100,000 and conceivably, you could borrow $50,000 against your equity. In these times of tight money, this is a most intelligent method of coming up with the cash you need to start a new business.



 There's also a lot of possible instant cash just lying dormant in people's attics, basements and garages. Go through all the things you've got stored - you may find valuable heirlooms, priceless antiques and collectibles that other people are looking for, and willing to buy from you. And, don't forget all the money you've loaned out to friends, neighbors and/or relatives over the years - check your memory and get in touch with these people - ask for repayment.



 Finally, if you're wanting to start a business, and you've got your business plan all together, don't be afraid to take it in and show the people at your commercial bank. These banks - as opposed to regular savings banks - are always on the lookout for new businesses to invest in, and are willing to take risks - they'll welcome you with "open arms" and can really help. to be aware 

BULLETIN BOARD ADVERTISING SERVICE

Believe it or not, bulletin boards actually work as traffic builders for just about any small business. They serve to enhance the community relations image of a business, and the space required to locate a bulletin board can be written off as a tax deduction when listed as advertising or public relations expense.

 People use these "business provided" bulletin boards to advertise things they want to sell, home-based businesses, and whatever they might want to trade for or buy. Then, they come back, sometimes morning, noon, and evening everyday, to check on them, or to see who else as an announcement posted. Each time they come into the business owner's store or shop, they may not feel an obligation to buy something, but of course the business
owner has another opportunity to sell them something .

 Just about anybody can organize a route of bulletin boards; charge the advertisers a small monthly fee; keep them up-to-date and neat, (which will make the business owner happy) and make some really easy money in the whole process.

 The first step is to contact as many businesses in your area as possible. Grocery stores, drugstores, barber shops, beauty salons, service stations, quick print shops, rental shops, mobile home parks, shopping centers, apartment complexes that have foyers or recreation rooms - and the list goes on endlessly.

 Sell them the idea of allowing you to install and maintain a bulletin board service for them. Emphasize the community service, the tax write-off, and the fact that you'll keep it neat. When you get ten or more signed to allow you to install a bulletin board, you're ready to start making your bulletin boards.

 The best plan (and of course the most economical) is to make your own. Cut a piece of corkboard 3 feet by 4 feet, mount a 3/4 by 1 inch frame around the edge, and cover this frame with a 3-foot by 4-foot piece of plastic. Mount the plastic with hinges at the top and a hasp at the bottom. On the back of the corkboard, install a couple of hocks for hanging it, and you're ready to go.

 Make up a sign - you can even type it out and use it as another bulletin board announcement - something like this:

 CITY-WIDE BULLETIN BOARD SERVICES!
 Your announcement or advertisement displayed
 here for only $5 per month! For more information,
 call 123-4567.

 Put your sign or announcement on each of your bulletin boards, lock them up, and install them in all your locations. Ten such signs with only 50 announcements per bulletin board should bring you an easy $500 per month.

 When you put an announcement from the same person up on more than one board, charge them $5 per month for each announcement on each bulletin board. And one other thing: The date the "run of display" ends should be marked on each announcement you put up on each of your bulletin boards.

 In all likelihood, you'll have people waiting for space on your bulletin boards. Keeping records should be very simple and easy. Start with a loose leaf notebook, blank paper and a couple of packages of 3 by 5 cards. In your notebook, write down the date, the amount of money received and the number of announcements on display, and the contract expiration date. On the 3 by 5 cards, write the name, address, phone number and expiration date of each contract, and the location(s) of the bulletin board(s) that particular announcement is on. Arrange the cards in chronological order according to expiration date, and file them in a storage box.

 Once you get rolling, you shouldn't have to service your bulletin boards more than once a week, and as more people see them, more businesses will want you to put one in their business location, and more people will want to display an announcement. Simple, easy, and a real money-maker for you.

 This kind of business is what the newspapers like to write about, and the TV stations like to carry as news of what people in their areas are doing as entrepreneurs. So take the feature editors out to lunch, make friends with them, and push for all the free publicity you can get.

 That's the plan. It's simple, easy, and depending upon the population density of your area, it could very well be the very thing you've been looking for to supply you an extra income. It demands little investment, not much of your time, and no special 
training or education. But, as with any business venture, it takes ACTION on your part.

going into business

Every year, several thousand people develop an interest in "going into business." Many of these people have an idea, a product or a service they hope to promote into an in come producing business which they can operate from their own homes.

 If you are one of these people, here are some practical thoughts to consider b fore hanging out the "Open-for-Business" sign.

 In areas zoned "Residential Only," your proposed business could be illegal. In many areas, zoning restrictions rule out home businesses involving the coming and going of many customers, clients or employees. Many businesses that sell or even store any thing for sale on the premises also fall into this category.

 Be sure to check with your local zoning office to see how the ordinances in your particular area may affect your business plans. You may need a special permit to operate your business from your home; and you may find that making small changes in your plan will put you into the position of meeting zoning standards.

 Many communities grant home occupation permits for businesses that involve typing, sewing and teaching, but turn thumbs down on requests from photographers, interior decorators and home-improve ment businesses to be run from the home. And often, even if you are permitted to use your home for a given business, there will be restrictions that you may need to take into consideration. By all means, work with your zoning people, and save yourself time, trouble and dollars.

 One of the requirements imposed might be off-street parking for your customers or patrons. And, signs are generally forbidden in residential districts. If you teach, there is almost always a limit on the number of students you may have at any one time.

 Obtaining zoning approval for your business, then, could be as simple as filling out an application, or it could involve a public hearing. The important points the zoning officials will consider will center around how your business will affect the neighborhood.
Will it increase the traffic noticeably on your street? Will there be a substantial in crease in noise? And how will your neighbors feel about this business alongside their homes?

 To repeat, check into the zoning restrictions, and then check again to determine if you will need a city license. If you're selling something, you may need a vendor's license, and be required to collect sales taxes on your transactions. The sales tax requirement would result in the need for careful record keeping.

 Licensing can be an involved process, and depending upon the type of business, it could even involve the inspection of your home to determine if it meets with local health and building and fire codes. Should this be the case, you will need t o bring your facilities up to the local standards. Usually this will involve some simple repairs or adjustments that you can either do personally, or hire out to a handyman at a nominal cost.

 Still more items to consider: Will your homeowner's insurance cover the property and liability involved in your new business? This must definitely be resolved, so be sure to talk it over with your insurance agent.

 Tax deductions, which were once one of the beauties of engaging in a home business, are not what they once were. To be eligible for business related deductions today, you must use that part of your home claimed exclusively and regularly as either the
principal location of your business, or the place reserved to meet patients, clients or customers.

 An interesting case in point: If you use your den or a spare bedroom as the principal place of business, working there from 8:00 to 5:00 every day, but permit your children to watch TV in that room during the evening hours, the IRS dictates that you cannot claim a deduction for that room as your office or place of business.

 There are, however, a couple of exceptions we will note to the "exclusive use" rule. One is the storage of inventory in your home, where your home is the location of your trade or business, and approval for your business, then, could be as sour trade or
business is the selling of products at retail or wholesale. According to the IRS, such storage space must be used on a regular basis, and be a separately identifiable space.

 Another exception applies to day care services that are provided for children, the elderly, or physically or mentally handicapped. This exception applies only if the owner of the facility complies with the state laws for licensing.

 To be eligible for business deductions, your business must be an activity under taken with the intent of making a profit. It's presumed you meet this requirement if your business makes a profit in any two years of a five-year period.

Outback Steakhouse Blooming Onion

Outback Steakhouse Blooming Onion.

4 Vidalia or Texas Sweet Onions

Batter:
1/3 Cup Cornstarch
1 1/2 Cup Flour
2 tsp. Garlic - minced
2 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
24 oz. Beer
Seasoned Flour:
2 Cup Flour
4 tsp. Paprika
2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper
Mix cornstarch, flour, and seasonings until well blended. Add beer,
mix well. Cut about 3/4" off top of onion and peel. Cut into onion
12 to 16 vertical wedges, but do not cut through bottom root end.
Remove about 1" of petals from center of onion. Dip onion in
seasoned flour and remove excess by shaking. Separate petals and
dip in batter to coat thoroughly. Gently place in fryer basket and
deep-fry at 375 to 400 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over, and fry an
additional 1 1/2 minutes.
Drain on paper towels.
Place onion upright in shallow bowl and remove center core with
circular cutter or apple corer. Serve hot with Creamy Chili Sauce.
Creamy Chili Sauce:
1 pint Mayonnaise
1 pint Sour cream
1/2 Cup Chili sauce
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper