Tuesday, July 31, 2007

[business plans] mistakes to avoid

These things are all over the net but this is a summary of one of the best. If it seems facile and a bit Biz Admin 101, still, it's a handy reminder of the salient points.

As I'm currently involved in writing one of these, the advice is relevant to me:

Too Much Information

# Most investors have half dozen or so specific points that they look. Everything else just gets in the way so keep it to 25 pages.

# The purpose of your plan is not to impress the investor with the depth and extent of your knowledge but to focus on the key elements succinctly.

# If you have pages of information you must include, put them in the back as an addendum.

Hiding Weaknesses

# Effectively dealing with weaknesses is usually not addressed, on the grounds that what the investor doesn't know won't hurt him and anyway, we'll recover once the funds come in.

# That strategy doesn't work. Like a heat-seeking missile, if there is a weakness in your product, service or strategy, the savvy investor will find it within the first few minutes.

# Once this subterfuge is uncovered and it is obvious to everyone that you haven't been completely forthright, the next logical question is "what else haven't you told me." When you've lost this element of trust, you've lost the opportunity.

# The best way and really the only way of properly handling problems and weaknesses is to get then out in the open and to have a detailed and well thought out action plan that effectively addresses each problem.

Distribution Channels

# If you don’t have a thorough understanding of distribution, the portion of your plan that deals with channel strategies is fraught with potential landmines.

# How your product reaches the market is unquestionably one of the most important aspects. At all costs, resist the temptation to cover all bases by listing every imaginable channel possibility e.g. via Internet, catalogs, distributors, value added resellers, infomercials, wholesalers, direct mail, agents, direct field sales, telemarketing, retail outlets and - oh yes smoke signals in selected areas."

# This tells the investor is that you don't have a channel strategy.

Competitive Analysis

# The operative word here is "analysis." Listing the name and address of your competitors is NOT analysis.

# The investor wants to know what you know and expect to see from your competitors near term and longer term - their strategic direction, core competencies and what makes them tick.

# Knowing little or nothing about your competition is evidence that you haven't done your homework.

Legal Entanglements

# The time to address any potential legal problems is during the plan review. Here are some questions to ask yourself if you're not sure of potential legal issues:

Was your product developed while you were employed somewhere else

Are there potential employment contracts or non-compete conflicts

Is there any possible patent infringement issues

Are there any disgruntled former employee(s) who could sue your company

Is there clear ownership of your product or service

# If you have doubts about any of the above questions, it's probably a good idea to have an attorney review and resolve the issue before you meet with an investor. You want to avoid surprises at all costs.

Assessment of Risks

# Risks are different to weaknesses in that they deal with the future and are normally outside your business.

# Are there market forces that could prevent your plan from being successful and if so, what are they?

# Possible impact of new technology, e-commerce, changes in consumer demand and a variety of other issues that could negatively impact your business should be investigated.

Financial Projections

# Can you answer the final question: "what data do you have to support these projections? Show me your analysis..."

# First, be prepared for this question because it will come up.

# There is a very strong correlation between the amount of research data that you have to support your projections and the likelihood of success in securing funding.

[From Daniel M. McGilvery, President of The Business Planning Institute ("BPI") . BPI provides professional business plan writing and review services. Contact BPI at 561-242-0429 or e-mail at info@bpiplans.com or visit our Web site at www.bpiplans.com]

[blogfocus wednesday] on wednesday, surprisingly

I think I can promise an entertaining read tomorrow evening [he chuckles to himself inanely]. Hope the day doesn't prove too boring either. Now how many of you actually read the religious post below? :)

[religions] defined or defiled by devotees

Warning: This is not only long but it's all on the front page - it doesn't continue onto another page. It attacks and defends aspects of all three monotheistic religions and is intended for moderates to read, not for fanatics. The fanatics will find cold comfort here.

How the train of thought began

My friendship with various Muslims, mainly women, teaches me that the most strident criticisms we read and hear in the west do not encompass the whole Muslim world, nor do they adequately address the way people go about their lives.

People in the west, ostensibly Christian, are concerned with job, money, house, car, travel, the football, home furnishings, nightclubbing, the opposite sex and so on and that's no different for the Muslims I know.

Foibles, yes, stubbornness, yes, misplaced ideas about everything we also have misplaced ideas about - there are the devout and the not so devout. I once asked a lady if she was religious; it was like a foreign element had been introduced:

"Well, yes, I'm Muslim. It's the religion of my family. What do you want? I love my country and wouldn't want to leave for any great length of time."

So, from this, I'm no closer to understanding why all the troubles around the world.

Fanaticism versus moderation

A Jewish Tale

In 1993 I was in a cottage in the north of England and knew the local school had been booked for a summer camp by a Jewish group. I saw a group of young people go by my window and they were in desultory conversation about this and that, nothing substantial, lots of laughter.

Then, from up the road, I heard shouting and the kids stopped and up to them came a man of about 30 in Chassidic gear and he started chanting and clapping his hands in the middle of the English countryside.

The kids started one or two at a time to join in and then in unison to shout songs in a sort of chant as they all went down the steep hill, the man passionately clapping, urging and whipping them into a frenzy, as I imagine the Druids might have done. He was walking first in front of them, then to the side, then to the other side, not unlike a dark sheepdog.

Judaic friends won't like me writing of this that but it happened and it was not isolated and it brought back memories of years earlier when I'd taught in an orthodox Jewish school. And therein lies the real issue, I think - Orthodoxy.

Fanatical Orthodoxy - unquestioning, unreasoning and I'm going to use another word here - rabid.

So where does that leave me? I am also Orthodox. I "know" that there is a trinity and that accepting the Word leads to undoubted happiness. I "know" this because I live it every day. I know there is a Comforter who comes in time of need. That makes me a very strange person, no?

But somehow I'm not into the happy clapping, the chanted verses and the mindless devotion and neither was JC himself. He warned people not to get into "vain repetitions" as they do at the temple nor to parade their religion. Just to quietly go about doing good [the good Samaritan] and thus the Christian ministry is well known by its fruits, good and bad.

It's the evangelical aspect which I'm most uncomfortable with. The whole notion of preaching it, as distinct from just simply presenting it, is anathema to me. It seems to me that it's far better to just go about your business doing what good you can and being tolerant of your neighbour and if the question arises, you can say what religion you are.

A Christian Tale

When I was a head teacher there were constant complaints coming to me about one particular new teacher and the substance was that she was preaching Christianity to the children. As a Christian myself, in Britain, an officially Christian country, I couldn't see what the problem was.

That was, until I paid a spot visit to her and was horrified. They were too young to be "converted" but she was having them sing hymns in the classroom in an arithmetic lesson and the thing which struck me was how vehement she was.

Rabid.

When we had a talk in my room later, she was intractable and chagrined that I, who considered myself a Christian, was not implementing Christian Sharia in the school. She left in high dudgeon, convinced I was working for the other side, the devil incarnate.

With such people, imposition, teaching, force, compulsion, total conviction which brooks no questioning voice, this is the daily bread and butter of their evangelism.

I want no part of it.

And so back to Islam

Clearly the secular Muslims, and they're the ones I know and like, are no different to you and me, except for certain observances during the year and we do that too. Big deal.

So where's the problem? The first problem is when a religion, first promulgated many centuries ago, is imposed by law in the current day and all the observances and outdated claptrap is also imposed by force.

Nothing wrong with the ideals themselves. Have you really, really read the Sermon on the Mount? The hardest words I can find there are:

"Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery in his heart".
Hmmm. Think I'm damned then, like Jimmy Carter or:

"Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for fornication, causeth her to commit adultery".

Or if you buy anything on a Sunday, you're causing those shopgirls, indirectly, to break the Sabbath. That's why I buy nothing on a Sunday.

These are hard sayings and what about:

"And if thine right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee."

Pretty violent, huh? So, do you see Christians walking up to people, offering them a dagger and saying: "OK, you know what to do."

The second problem is where a substantial, i.e. threatening minority, of one religion comes into a country where another religion and culture is the norm and attempts to spread, rather than just observing their faith in their own way. I include both Muslim and Christian here but strangely, not the Jews.

My Headmistress at the Jewish school I once taught asked me why I refused to wear the kippar in the synagogue. She asked if I thought she was trying to convert me and smiled:

"We have enough Jews to deal with at the moment, James. We don't need any more just now."
What could I say? I wore the kippar into the synagogue, just as I now take off my shoes and wear a cap in the mosque.

Some selections from scripture

In the ancient monotheistic religions, there are verses urging peace and mutual understanding and then there are … well, there are the others. It is these others which are seized on by the fanatics.

In the following, Red = Muslim, Green = Jewish and Purple = Christian:

"And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they first fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them." [Surah 2:190-193]

"The gentiles are outside the protection of the law and God has exposed their money to Israel." [Baba Kamma 37b]

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." [John 13:34]

"No two religions are to exist on the Arab peninsula." [Ibn Kathir d. 1372]

If a Jew is tempted to do evil he should go to a city where he is not known and do the evil there. [Moed Kattan 17a]

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." [John 15:12]

"Kill the disbelievers wherever we find them." [Surah 2:191]

"If a heathen (gentile) hits a Jew, the gentile must be killed." [Sanhedrin 58b]

"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." [1 Peter 1:22]

"Not to make friendship with Jews and Christians" [Surah 5:51]

"Gentile girls are in a state of niddah from birth." [Abodah Zarah 36b]

"And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another." [2 John 1:5]

"I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers: you smite them above their necks and smite all their fingertips off them." [Surah, 8:12]

"All gentile children are animals." [Yebamoth 98a]

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." [Matthew 6: 7, 8]

"Fight and slay the Pagans, seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem" [Surah 9:5]

"Kill [even] the good among the gentiles." [R. Shimon ben Yochai]

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [Ephesians 6: 12, 13]

"O Prophet! Make war against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be merciless against them. Their home is hell, an evil refuge indeed." [Surah, 9:73]

"She who was the descendant of princes and governors played the harlot with carpenters." [Sanhedrin 106a] Referring to Mary.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. [Matthew 28: 18-20 - this one is disliked by the Jews and Muslims.]

"When we decide to destroy a population, we send a definite order to them who have the good things in life and yet sin. So that Allah's word is proven true against them, then we destroy them utterly." [Surah, 17:16-17]

Scriptural interpretations, esp. today

And in which way do the other two religions consider the third errs today?

Accusation against Israel

Ha'aretz, December 21, 1997; translated by Shabatai Zvi, by Gideon Levy:

Injustice leads to injustice and a sin leads to another. First, Israel murdered 1,346 Palestinians among whom were 276 children. Some of them were mere innocent passersby. And now, she is repudiating herself from the responsibility. The Intifada Law which is aimed at stifling the right of the Palestinians, victims of the Intifada, to receive some compensation from the state is going at an intense speed. Yitzhak Rabin started the initiative; Shimon Peres pushed it forward; and now Minister of Justice, Tsahi HaNagbi, delivered for its ethical basis when he said that law has an absolute ethical power.

Accusation against Christians

Dr. Trasta Breganka Kunha, a Catholic citizen of Goa writes, "In spite of all the mutilations and concealment of history, it remains an undoubted fact that religious conversion of Goans is due to methods of force adopted by the Portuguese to establish their rule. As a result of this violence the character of our people was destroyed. The propagation of Christian sect in Goa came about not by religious preaching but through the methods of violence and pressure. If any evidence is needed for this fact, we can obtain it through law books, orders and reports of the local rulers of that time and also from the most dependable documents of the Christian sect itself. [www. indpride. com/ portuguese %20 invasion.html]

Accusations against Muslims

Executions

Slaying unbelievers

Chopping off of hands

Honour killings

Infibulation - western view

Infibulation - Sudanese view

Janjaweed text and pictures

Algerian militias

Terrorism and Jihad - western view

Terrorism and Jihad - Muslim view

More moderate pleas for peace and reconciliation

Of course not everyone is a fanatic. Just a small minority who whip the others into a frenzy. I am currently corresponding with a Sudanese Muslim girl. The voice of reason can be heard in each of the religions. Here are some examples:

Jewish

"Our philosophy asserts that every human being is created in the image of the Lord and the primacy of integrity and honesty in all dealings without exception. I strongly repudiate any assertions in the name of Judaism that do not represent and reflect this philosophy." [Rabbi Malkiel Kotler, Dean of Lakewood Yeshiva, Dec. 16, 2003]

Muslim

"Of the five fingers that Almighty G-d has given most of us on each hand, if we point one at Israel and another at America, what are the three remaining fingers pointed at? Will we point at least one of them at ourselves? Can we dare to have that happen? And if not, why not? Usher in an era of reformation through introspection. Being a refusenik doesn't mean I refuse to be a Muslim; it simply means I refuse to join an army of automatons in the name of Allah." [Irshad Manji, Random House, Toronto]

Christian

"First, to address the apparently irreconcilable difference between how Christians have seen Muhammad's life - as a sinner's guide - and how Muslims see his life, as a noble example, Christians should read such biographies as Martin Lings' Muhammad, or Karen Armstrong's." [Clinton Bennett www. geocities. com/clintonbennett/ Lectures/Muhammad.htm]

Conclusions

I can only speak as a Christian but in the criticism of Christian missionaries by Dr. Trasta Breganka Kunha [above], I also see the woman I fired for her manner of evangelizing children in our school.

I can only conclude that when the more distasteful references in each of the scriptures are seized as justifications by people who are not completely calm and rational in their own general demeanour, for the purpose of either evangelism, exclusivity, killing or revenge, then that is contrary to the overall spirit of those scriptures.

In the Jewish school I worked in, my best friend was Rabbi Steven Levy and where could you hope to find a more rational, reasonable man? Here one of my best friends is a Muslim lady who is of a similar outlook. I've known some fine Christians and Humanists.

The world should be in the hands of such moderates, the calm and the open-minded but not the degenerate - people of recognized integrity, decency and moderation in their field.


Analogy

Look, it can all be explained by Krikkit. And what exactly is Krikkit, for those born in another galaxy who don't know?

After ten billion years, sentient life evolved on Krikkit, blissfully unaware of the concept of 'others'. Slowly nurtured by Hactar, the Krikkiters eventually discovered a universe beyond their sun, and since it conflicted with their concept of life, the universe and everything, they decided to get rid of it - the rest of the universe, that is.
In another part of Life, the Universe and Everything, Ford Prefect is holding forth:
Ford continued, picking up his early fierce momentum as best he could.

"The point is," he said, "that people like you and me, Slartibartfast, and Arthur - particularly and especially Arthur - are just dilletantes, eccentrics, layabouts, fartarounds if you like."

Slartibartfast frowned, partly in puzzlement and partly in umbrage. He started to speak.

"- ..." is as far as he got.

"We're not obsessed by anything, you see," insisted Ford.

"..."

"And that's the deciding factor. We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't. They win."

"I care about lots of things," said Slartibartfast, his voice trembling partly with annoyance, but partly also with uncertainty.

"Such as?"

"Well," said the old man, "life, the Universe. Everything, really. Fjords."

"Would you die for them?"

"Fjords?" blinked Slartibartfast in surprise. "No."

"Well then."

"Wouldn't see the point, to be honest."

"And I still can't see the connection," said Arthur, "with whelks."

Ford could feel the conversation slipping out of his control, and refused to be sidetracked by anything at this point.

"The point is," he hissed, "that we are not obsessive people, and we don't stand a chance against ..."

"Except for your sudden obsession with whelks," pursued Arthur, "which I still haven't understood."

"Will you please leave whelks out of it?"

"I will if you will," said Arthur. "You brought the subject up."

"It was an error," said Ford, "forget them. The point is this."

He leant forward and rested his forehead on the tips of his fingers.

"What was I talking about?" he said wearily.

"Let's just go down to the party," said Slartibartfast, "for whatever reason." He stood up, shaking his head.

"I think that's what I was trying to say," said Ford.

By the way, that's a Christian Church being built in Doha here to the right.

[climate sceptics] step this way

There's virtually no doubt that climate change is occurring.

Too many phenomena are going on which palpably have not happened before, especially in this neck of the woods. I would love to have had my sceptic friends here during the wild storm a couple of weeks back.

It's easily checked against the records which don't go back twelve years - they go back over a hundred. More tenuous records exist before that in the literature of the nation.

Blame whom you like - blame the huge increase in population, blame logging, blame natural causes, blame the cabals [close to the truth here and here], blame anyone you like but it is happening, folks.

I characterize sceptics as in the photo below right and address them as in this post but Oddiya goes much further, quoting this source as one sceptics should read first before coming to a debate and that's provocative stuff:

While deniers arguments gain coverage in the mainstream thanks to so called "balanced reporting", bloggers are to blame for freely publishing deniers comments regardless of how demonstrably false they are - a practice that gives the false impression of a debate about the facts of climate change when in reality there isn't one.

Thunderdragon answered with:

I do not "deny" that there is something going on, but I think it is extremely arrogant to say that it is humans who are the primary or only cause of it. We have been industrialised for little more than two centuries.

I just find it incredible that we could have been the only cause of it - we have undoubtedly affected it is some way and sped up the process, but I doubt that we alone could have possibly "caused" it.

The simple question in reply, TD, is that if "we" didn't, then who did? Now I'm going to work my way through the "grist" articles and see what they have to say.

Please don't ignore the evidence, people, especially this and then start saying "climate change, my ass" or swiftly trot out the facile "climate porn" whenever you're challenged. That's as much debate as my cartoon to the right.

Monday, July 30, 2007

[crochet] it's a boy's thing

Kyle says: "Yo, crochet is go!"

I was looking for the word croquet, found crochet instead and thought what the heck - let's go with it. I used to crochet at school when I was eleven and I once won the best … no, hold on … that was embroidery.

Anyway, crocheting is for boys. That's the thing I was trying to say. Check out the neat little tent Jeffrey made [centre right]. You see, rather than chasing women and playing ball, this is what you could be doing, guys. And women will admire you for it and look - you have the tent at the ready.

As Gwen says:

Crochet is a metaphor for many pleasing things in their lives and they find the process to be as important as the product and use it to express emotions and ideas.

Now, that crochet pattern I promised you boyz is here [see photo below of the finished skorts for your girlfriend]. But be careful - there had to be some changes. As Sue says:

I have changed where it says "*1sc, 1dc* to end of row" and replaced it with "Seed st (1sc, 1dc) to end of row", as everyone will know from the instructions that Seed St means to make a sc in the dc of the previous row and a dc in the sc on the previous row.

Hope that's clear.

[housekeeping] navbar updates and skorts

Please check my lower Navbar for changes today. Unfortunately, the Islamic post must wait until tomorrow morning and in its place, above, the gentle art of skorts.

[strafing again] kamikaze operations

I wouldn't want you to think I have a fixation about crashing aircraft and bombs [kerboom, kerboom] but a divine wind forces me to run this Wiki excerpt:

... Purpose-built kamikaze planes, as opposed to converted fighters and dive-bombers, were also being constructed. Ensign Mitsuo Ohta had suggested that piloted glider bombs, carried within range of targets by a mother plane, should be developed.

The First Naval Air Technical Bureau (Kugisho), in Yokosuka, refined Ohta's idea. Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka rocket planes, launched from bombers, were first deployed in kamikaze attacks from March 1945. U.S. personnel gave them the derisive nickname "Baka Bombs" (baka is Japanese for "idiot" or "stupid").

Allied naval crews had begun to develop techniques to negate kamikaze attacks, such as firing their high-caliber guns into the sea in front of attacking planes flying near sea level, in order to create walls of water which would swamp the attacking planes.

Although such tactics could not be used against Okhas and other fast, high angle attacks, these were in turn more vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire ...

My new title: Daimyo Higham-Baka-Ohta of Straf Okinawa, birthday September 13th, 1944.

[british airways] classic rant source

One of the best rants of all time? Don't give a thought to the layout and occasional typos, as Guthrum was clearly angry:

And a big thank you to British Airways

Do not, repeat, do not patronise me with your 'safety' demonstrations. Let me tell you my friends, that the survival rate will be low in the case of an emergency, because you have crammed people in so tight, that even a little lad like me has difficulty getting IN to my seat, let alone getting out in a fire,forced landing, ditching situation.. The evacuation will be in order of the survival of the fittest as you bloody well know.

Oh I can personally feel every part of this as he writes. He continues:

I would also like to extend my thanks to the ignorant Afrikaaner in front of me who at every opportunity put his seat back during the laughingly [named] 'meal times' when his maw consumed the meagre fare in two seconds, despite my very English protests of I say, do you mind' (in reality it was for fcuk sake will you pack it in) he finally got the message, but I have found it does take time for new ideas with his kind of volk.

I would also like to thank Mr & Mrs English Bucket and spade for their incessant whinging (loud sotto voce of course) Stay at home dears and go to Margate, you know it makes sense!

Finally to the git opposite me with a cold, but at forty eight has not learned the rudiments of put you hand over your mouth when you have a bad cold and sneezing over a radius of five rows and me is not socially or medically acceptable. You selfish bastard !

Here's something a bit nicer about BA. Poor Tim Lancaster.

[next pm] have we found him?

While the U.S. does what it can to keep the Lizard Queen out of power, Iain Dale rates the qualifications of the next British PM:

[David] Davis is scarcely a woolly liberal, a Soho brand manager or a tree hugger. His voice reaches parts of the party Cameron cannot reach. Well-read and supremely intelligent, Davis is in a different league to John Prescott: Davis would make a fine party leader, which is something that could never have been said of Prescott.

So let's look at his bio:

Conservative Party

Wikipedia

So what do you think? Cameron clearly won't wash so is David Davis the man?

[north america] in dire straits

The big question in the U.S. is how to keep the Lizard Queen out. The CFR are gearing up for the election and may have already told Fred, a CFR himself, to desist and perhaps that's why he hasn't nominated.

Here is Lord Nazh's take on the next President, as he sees it.

Obama is clearly a stalking horse and Giuliani is unelectable outside of New York so it looks very much like the Lizard Queen will take the big one. Then the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America comes in, under the North American Advisory Council and it's a new North American continent.

Good luck, America.

[help me] how to get the list down to 20?

My Top 20 UK Political Bloggers, so far, in no particular order and I'm already planning three changes.

An apology to Guido straight away. Of course he's the top blogger in the UK - you'd have to be mad to say otherwise but I feel he'll get in anyway without my vote and therefore it's best to give his place over to another worthy. Iain also doesn't need it but he's doing the work … so:

20] Iain Dale

19] Chris Dillow

18] Devil's Kitchen

17] Mr Eugenides

16] Tim Worstall

15] Croydonian

14] The Englishman

13] UK Daily Pundit

12] Chicken Yoghurt

11] Ellee Seymour

10] Tony Sharp

9] Matt Sinclair

8] L'Ombre

7] Tom Paine

6] Praguetory

5] Daily Referendum

4] Benedict White

3] Andrew Allison [local issues]

2] Thunderdragon [very slow for a month]

1] Notsaussure [currently not blogging]

Trouble is, there are also these to fit in:

Guido, Reactionary Snob, Unity, CityUnslicker, Flying Rodent, As a Dodo, Dizzy Thinks, Clive Davis, Stephen Pollard, Political Umpire, Fabian Tassano, Trixy, Gavin Ayling, Man in a Shed, Martin Kelly, Mars Hill, Shuggy, The Select, Normblog, Oliver Kamm, Stephen Pollard, Wat Tyler, Two Wolves, Pub Philosopher, Matt Wardman, Bel Today, Bryan Appleyard, Guthrum the Old, Toque

… even before we go to the unsung people I'd love to include for encouragement.

And even then I've possibly forgotten key people. Who have I missed who could genuinely be seen as a top blogger in the UK sphere?

[By the way, I'm going to try it on with Iain and send the lot but don't think I'll get too far.]