This month's featured entrepreneur has been in business for quite a few years.  Although he uses a lot of so-called volunteer helpers, we're focusing on the business owner himself - yup, that's the one, the fat guy whose belly shakes like a bowl of jelly when he laughs, all bundled up in a red wooly suit with matching cap.  He appears to wear this same suite 24/7 - or, has many duplicate suits of the same color and style in his closet (just to confuse us!).  We understand that he owns his own small business somewhere up North and he saves gas by traveling around the world in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer.  He also saves travel expenses by doing all of his traveling during only one night of the year.  Instead of dining out during his travels, he prefers cookies and milk left by residents of the places he visits.  His toys and games are all manufactured at home, further eliminating the need for rented office space, and he employs a whole bunch of tiny elves who don't require much feeding due to their smallish stature.  Since they burn the midnight oil in hurrying to complete their projects before Christmas Eve delivery, we don't anticipate they have a high electric bill each month - besides his company apparently uses a wood-burning fireplace for heat.  Transportation and delivery costs for this entrepreneur are quite low (fuel for the reindeer in the form of feed is his major expense) as he makes all the deliveries himself, thus no outsourcing expense.  Repairs to the sled?  We estimate these expenses are non-existent as his sled is made of lightweight unearthly materials to prevent corrosion of body parts.  And, who is it that stays at home, tending to things while he is gone on his yearly midnight run?  This legendary woman behind the man, famous for her jolly cheeks and good home cooking - Mrs. Claus, of course!
 
The legend of Santa Claus originated with a 4th century bishop named Saint Nicholas of Myra.  Famous for his generosity to the poor in what is present day Turkey, Saint Nicholas is said to have saved three impoverished daughters from slavery by providing for their dowries.  Saint Nicholas is portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes, and his feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 6.  Toward the end of the 18th century, Dutch settlers brought the legend of Saint Nicholas, known to them as Sinter Klaas, to America.  Legend has it that Sinter Klaas rode a white horse and left gifts in wooden shoes.  This story merged with the British character Father Christmas, who dates back at least as far as the 17th century.  Sinter Klaas was eventually Americanized to "Santa Claus."  The rituals and fantasy surrounding Santa Claus became fixed in the modern American imagination with the publication of the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Moore in 1823.  Better known as "The Night Before Christmas," the poem established Santa´s physical appearance (plump and jolly), his mode of transportation (a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer), and his method of toy delivery (down the chimney) for generations to come.  (Source:  www.biography.com/santa-claus)
 
Footnote:  In 1897, eight year old Virginia Hanlon wrote a letter to the New York Sun asking if Santa Clause were real.  The response, written by veteran editor Francis P. Church, son of a Baptist minister, became one of the most memorable editorials in newspaper history (www.newseum.org/yesvirginia).

 

 

According to Ye Xiaowen, head of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, China has become one of the countries publishing the largest number of Bibles in the world.  A Chinese printing company in Nanjing (capital of JiangsuProvince) recently published China's 50 millionth complete Bible.  About three million copies of the Bible have been rolling off that company's press annually in recent years.  (Source:  Awake! Sept. 2008)

 

 

Every December 10th since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been awarded for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and for peace.  The Nobel Prize is an international award administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden.  In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize.  Each prize consists of a medal, personal diploma, and a cash award.
 
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was born in Stockholm, Sweden on October 21, 1833.  His family moved to Russia when he was nine years old, where he completed only two years of schooling.  He never attended a university, but was taught his profession of a chemist and mechanical engineer by tutors.  When he was 17 years old, he was sent on various travels to complete his education, which included one year of studies in the United States.  Mr. Nobel did extensive studies into explosives and nitroglycerin in Sweden and in 1867 (at age 34) obtained a British patent for dynamite, followed by a U.S. patent in 1868.  At age 43, he obtained a patent for blasting gelatin, and 13 years later (at age 56) produced ballistite, one of the earliest of the nitroglycerin smokeless powders and a precursor of cordite.  He is also known for the construction and perfection of detonators.  He amassed his immense fortune from the manufacture of dynamite and other explosives, and exploitation of Baku oil fields.
 
Alfred Nobel was a lonely man, never married and was in ill health most of his life.  Pessimism and a satirical view of mankind was his nature.  He died in San Remo, Italy on December 10, 1896 at the age of 63.  His strong belief in the future of humanity caused him to leave the bulk of his $9 million fortune in trust to establish five prizes in peace, physics, chemistry, physiology & medicine, and literature, to be awarded annually "to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind" in each of these fields.  In 1969, an additional prize in the field of economics was established.  The first awards were distributed December 10, 1901, five years after Alfred Nobel's death.  Each prize consists of a cash award, gold medal, and diploma bearing the winner's name and field of achievement.  The yearly amount of each cash prize is based on the annual yield of the Nobel fund capital.  In 2007 it was at 10 million Swedish kronor each (approx. US$1,262,321).  Prize winners are known as Nobel laureates.  For more information about the Nobel Peace Prizes, the 2008 nominees, past winners, and much more, visit http://nobelprize.org.  You can also take virtual tours available online by searching "Tours" from their official website - great educational fun for the entire family! (Note: In converting Swedish kronor to US Dollars, we used www.coinmill.com.)  Future issues of Building Bridges will highlight a different Nobel laureate as our recognition of the contribution these distinguished individuals made to the betterment of our world.

 

 

Mazon has recently added a new optional Client service - The creation of invoice forms geared specifically to your particular business, ready for you to send directly to a printer of your choice.  We are not charging Clients for creating new invoice forms, but clients would have to pay a printer directly for invoice printing costs.  If you would like to take us up on our "free" offer to create a new invoice form for your business, please contact your account manager.  Professional-looking invoices relect positively on your business, which can increase business for you.  Your success is always our first priority.

 

 

Would Santa Claus benefit from using Mazon's factoring services?  Probably not - because he does not generate business-to-business invoices for products or services to companies.  However, you may find our accounts receivable to be quite to your liking and suitable to your business. The following is a short list of what cash flow can mean for your company by factoring your business with Mazon Associates:
 
o  Obtain an instant source of working capital/cash flow for immediate needs.
o  Finance rapid sales growth.
o  Fulfill payroll and tax obligations.
o  Purchase necessary equipment or inventory.
o  Take advantage of trade discounts.
o  Outsource accounts receivable management and eliminate internal collection and accounting costs.
o  Obtain credit information prior to shipping merchandise or performing a service so you only deal with credit worthy customers.
o  We rely on the credit worthiness of your customers, not your balance sheet.
o  Opportunity for you business to grow into a bankable company.
o  Constant detailed reporting, both scheduled and on-demand.

 

 

The economy has been extremely difficult for many businesses this year.  In our commitment to helping Clients through these bumps in the road, we recommend that a business limit high concentrations within their customer portfolio.  It is our policy to notify Clients if their customers are not paying or are paying slower than they have historically paid with Mazon.  If a Client notices anything different occurring with a customer, prompt communication to Mazon gets us on a potential problem faster so we can all be on the same page in dealing with any problem.  When a Client has a large concentration with one customer, we often use credit insurance as the necessary tool to increase the credit limit.  However, due to the current national economy, the credit insurance companies have been tightening their credit standards and it is becomingharder to use this tool to help Clients increase credit limits for customers.  Every company needs to be alert to changes in the credit worthiness of their customers, and Mazon will work to alert our Clients of changes as soon as we become aware.  Please know that we are on our Client's team and want the best for their business, and for all of us to make money -- not lose money.  If we can be of assistance to our Clients, please contact your account manager.
 

With the onset of the Christmas holidays, even the most savvy internet users could get taken in by a sneaky new e-mail attack in which criminals create fake YouTube pages to push their malicious software and make it look like it's safe stuff coming from a trusted source.  A program circulating online helps hackers build those fake pages.  Users who follow an e-mail pointing them to one of the pages would see an error message that claims the video they want won't play without installing new software first.  That error message includes a link the hacker has provided to a malicious program, which delivers a virus.  Even worse, once the computer is infected, it's simple for the hacker to silently redirect the victims to a real YouTube page to see videos they were hoping to see - and hide the crime.  What are the telltale warning signs with the fake YouTube pages?  The web browser address bar won't show the real YouTube internet address.  And to even see the malicious page, you have to first follow a link that's sent to you, which is often a tip-off that you should independently verify whether the site is legitimate.  (Source: Jordan Robertson, YellowBrix 2008)

 

 

The holiday season is the time when most of the toys and games are purchased.  Some toy tips to consider when buying toys for children are:  When selecting toys, consider the child's age, interests and skill level.  Look for quality design and construction and follow age and safety recommendations on the labels.  Check the National Safe Kids Campaign website www.safekids.org for updates and information on recent toy recalls.  Use mylar balloons instead of latex to eliminate the risk of choking or latex allergy reaction.  Avoid: Toys with sharp points or edges; toys that produce loud noises and projectiles (i.e. darts); toys with strings, straps or cords longer than 7 inches that may pose a strangulation risk; electrical toys with heating elements (children under age 8); cap guns that use caps that can be ignited by the slightest friction (causing burns).  (Source:  http://www.purdue.edu/hr/WorkLife/articles.html)

 

 

It is as foolish for the Notary to notarize a blank or incomplete document as it would be for you to sign a blank or incomplete check.  In several states it is flatly illegal to notarize an incomplete document and in every other state, Notaries are officially discouraged from doing so.  Signing blank or incomplete documents may facilitate fraud and often results in lawsuits, both criminal and civil.  Document signers are often surprised at information put in blank spaces that they have trusted someone else to complete.  Therefore, complete your document first, telephoning if necessary to get the needed information.  If certain spaces don't apply, line through or initial them, or write "N/A" ("Not Applicable") in the blank.  Then ask the Notary to notarize the document.  (Source:  www.NationalNotary.org.)

 

 

December 7-13th is National Handwashing Awareness Week.  Following the 4 Principles of Hand Awareness below, you will be in virtual isolation regardless of the people around you.  Direct contamination (inoculation) of your mucus membranes (eyes, nose or mouth) is how infectious disease enters your body.  It is not wafting through the ventilation system in the building.  Let's work together to minimize the fear factor of infectious disease pandemics or seasonal illness. Only you are responsible for giving yourself the flu or flu-like illness
1) WASH your hands when they are dirty and BEFORE eating.
2) DO NOT cough into your hands.
3) DO NOT sneeze into your hands.
4) Above all, DO NOT put your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth!

 
(Source:  www.henrythehand.com) 

Dec. 1: World AIDS Day; Dec. 5:  Day of the Ninja; Dec. 7:  PearHarbor Day; Dec. 8: Bodhi Day; Dec. 10: Human Rights Day, Nobel Prize Day; Dec. 12: Poinsettia Day; Dec. 15:  Bill of Rights Day; Dec. 16: Boston Tea Party; Dec. 20: Louisiana Purchase Day; Dec 21-29: Chanukkah; Dec. 21: Forefather's Day; Dec. 23: Festivus; Dec. 25: Christmas Day; Dec. 26: Boxing Day; Dec. 26-31: Kwanzaa; Dec. 29: Islamic New Year; Dec. 31: New Year's Eve.
 
NOTICE:  Mazon offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, December 25th & 26th in celebration of Christmas.  We will resume normal business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 29th.  You may still submit invoices during our closed hours via fax, e-mail or drop-slot on Monday.

 

 

We have researched the internet for sites where you can enjoy holiday light displays.  In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, click on www.guidelive.com/feature/326 for a current local area listing by the Dallas Morning News and www.town-mall.net/community/dfwchristmaslights.html.  For online displays via your computer, www.komar.org/cgi-bin/christmas_webcam has decorated his home with lights and music for worldwide viewing enjoyment, and to raise money for celiac disease treatment for his children.  You can also click on www.lightorama02.com to view light displays with music posted by internet viewers.  Enjoy!

 

-- Agnes M. Pharo
 

The holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with family, friends, and colleagues.  But holiday events pose a special challenge for healthy eating and may have the unwanted result of weight gain.  A recent study suggests that most Americans gain about a pound during the winter holiday season.  This year, whether you are a guest or holding a party yourself, try a new strategy of "wait and watch" what exactly you eat.  When you see something you would LOVE to indulge in, wait a moment to consider the food or beverage's effect on your health before filling your plate or glass with over-the-norm share of goodies from the serving table.  Remember, you can still enjoy the holiday season with its festivities and foods while keeping off the extra pounds through informed nutritious choices, controlled portion sizes, and increased physical activity.  For nutrition information, visit the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture at www.nutrition.gov.