You are not allowed to read this . . .

Banned Books Week 2005 is September 24 – October 1

Often, being an entrepreneur is about bucking the system. The conventional wisdom is that more businesses fail than succeed, so why bother? Many of us bother for a whole myriad of reasons. Not the least of which is the ideal of following our dream.

These are the risk takers, the dreamers and often the fringes of society. Otherwise, we would go get respectable jobs and be decent contributing members of society rather than following our passions. We have the freedom to follow our dreams. Quite a privilege!

In many societies, that luxury doesn’t exist. As we pursue our dreams, we must protect this freedom along with some other very basic rights. The right to think outside the box, the right to call society on the carpet for its misdeeds and many others. And where do many of us get these crazy ideas? From the classics of our childhoods and the provocative prose of modern day thinkers.

This week is the American Library Association's Banned Books Week

Celebrating the Freedom to Read

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is essential to our democracy, and reading is among our greatest freedoms; and

WHEREAS, privacy is essential to the exercise of that freedom, and the right to privacy is the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one's interest examined or scrutinized by others; and

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is protected by our Constitution

Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion, even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them.

The list of most frequently challenged books includes "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, for racism, homosexuality, sexual content, offensive language and unsuited to age group and "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, for racism, offensive language and violence. Number 7 on the list - Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling.

The freedom to read is a sacred privilege many of us take for granted. I urge you to visit the American Library Association's website and ensure this right continues. As you enjoy the fruits of your freedom to be independent, remember to ensure the next generation has the same guiding figures often found in the likes of Atticus Finch of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

What would you do?

As a follow up to last week's preparedness discussion . . .

Imagine that you have no electricity, no gas, no water and no telephone service. Imagine that all the businesses are closed and you are without any kind of emergency services. What will you do until help arrives?

Do you have a plan? Most of us don't.

Find out how you can prepare yourself and your family for an emergency. You can also learn what to do in response to a specific disaster, like a tsunami, just in case.

The folks over at 72 Hours can help.

All creatures great and small . . .

If you've been on reading for awhile, you may have remembered the trials and tribulations of my dog, Puck. Puck had surgery and is doing great!

I can't imagine my life without my buddy. And I can't imagine leaving him behind. As I look into his big brown eyes, I am reminded of the other victims of Katrina... namely furry and feathered pals who are now without a home.

The ASPCA is doing an awesome job of setting up temporary shelters all over the South, complete with veterinarian teams and volunteers.

Visit the ASPCA website for the latest updates on hurricane relief.

Puck has made a donation to help his friends... have you?

Open for Business?

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, we encourage our members and friends to make a donation to the relief effort.

Below you will find a short list of respected charities - the monies will go to everything necessary to help those affected rebuild their homes ...and their lives.

To donate choose:
American Red Cross
AmeriCares
Operation USA

Please take a moment to make a donation and send a message of hope to those affected by this horrific natural disaster.

As small business owners, we are reminded of the inevitable "What if?" If a natural disaster where to hit your area, would your business survive? Do you have a disaster recover plan? Could you operate remotely? Is your office set up so that your employees could telecommute, if necessary?

Way back when, I had written an article of Disaster Recovery after a virus had crashed my computer network. It offers a few tips on remaining "Open for Business." An estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety.

September is National Preparedness Month over at the SBA. The Agency offers materials and resources on its Web site that can help small businesses make plans to recover from financial losses and business interruption and to protect their employees, the community and the environment after a natural disaster. In addition, the SBA has pledged to position loan officers in federal and state disaster recovery centers.