Offline Earnings during the last Decade

I have been working out of my home since March 2003, doing both ‘online’ and ‘offline’ work. Basically … whatever works – is my work. Everything I do to earn income is my HBS Management Consultants (HBSMC) business as I am the Proprietor and consider everything to be a division or a subset of this business. Honestly, I don’t really care what I do .. as long as I earn money. If certain aspects of my business needs concentrating on and is producing at the expense of another aspect of my business, I tend to go where the money is, because I believe in the bottom line being my end result.

These figures that follow do not include my “online” earnings – just those earnings that represent the “accounting, bookkeeping, income tax preparation, systems and consulting” portion of my “offline” earnings. I am stating them as a percentage to further dilute the possibility of figuring out what my earnings truly are. I will say that for the physical dollars involved, I still consider myself to be a non-profit organization, if anybody asks If people I know ask … I would suggest that I spend 75% of my time doing offline work and the other 75% doing online work! That’s right – I don’t sleep much~

* YEAR ENDS – this includes all work related to financial statement preparation, T2 Corporation preparation and filing, T3/T4/T5 and other election preparation and filing, as well as valuations, and sub-contracting related to preparation of year ends by other accountants. This also include personal income tax preparation of the owners or shareholders of the businesses that year ends were performed, as well as financial remuneration calculations and financial planning.

* MONTHLIES – this includes monthly accounting, GST and PST and Payroll Deduction calculations, consulting and systems analysis and training, and other ongoing matters. Most monthly accounting turns into year end accounting, but I keep and bill the year end work separately as year end work.

* INCOME TAXES – this represents personal tax clients that I only prepare income tax returns on an annual basis, although may include subsequent reviews, planning and going over assessment notices or filing T1-Adj amendments.

Without scientific proof or accounting reconciliation, I feel that the income tax portion of my business represents more than 75% of my offline software and office expenses during the year, and about 65% of my time keeping up with research, meetings, and my own professional development (if any) as I do work on my own and I have to keep current and updated.

The year end work is by far the most lucrative because it takes more time to prepare and there are usually no stops and starts. Working 15 hours on one corporate client can be done in 2 days where, 15 hours of personal income tax work takes much longer … printing, assembling, meeting clients, filing time, and going over subsequent assessments and reviews. You can’t meet everybody ‘on their way home from work’ when it’s convenient for them.

The monthly accounting work is by far the most regular, because it is recurring work. Often, it also helps with the cash flow budgeting expenses. The only problem is that most monthly clients need to be done by the end of the month, and the clients don’t get all the stuff until the middle or latter part of the month – yet have it all ready for me. Usually the last week of every month is almost worst than tax season time-wise. A few monthly clients prefer to supply me the information quarterly, although I do 3 monthlies each time. This always adds to the stress and time management when GST is due at the end of the month and I receive 3 months on the 28th or something like that.

Offline Earnings Estimate for the next Decade

I don’t think it’s fair to drop my personal income tax clients – THIS YEAR. I should have prepared them last year, but I was distracted when my father got ill, who passed away December 25, 2010. My goal this year is to inform my personal tax clients of my decision to maintain and focus on my corporate clients in the future, as I have to start thinking of my own bottom line. This is a very hard decision for me to make, because I can say that for the most part, my personal tax clients have been more loyal and always there for me over the years and personal relationships have grown over the longest of time that I have dealt with my clients since 2003 and many many years for some who were also clients of my father while he was practicing Chartered Accountant.

I think 50/50 mix between the monthly and corporate work is a good mix. I know I could increase my rates and earn more if I lean towards the year end work, but have less stress and probably maintain the current rates with the monthly and bookkeeping work. Normally I do all the year end work for my monthly clients. There is a possibility of me doing month end work, and letting other accountants or Chartered Accountants get involved and do the year end work. I have lot to think of in 2011.

My father passed away around 9:00am Saturday December 25, 2010. The funeral will be held on Tuesday December 28, 2010 at 2:00pm.

I thought I would post a few pictures that I had on my computer with my dad in it.

October 17, 1936

Here is a picture of my mom and dad (Aaron and Bette Singer) on their wedding day October 17, 1936. There was a time that everybody thought I looked exactly like my father, and from the image – I can see what they meant.

August 31, 2002

Here is a picture of my mom and dad (Aaron and Bette Singer) with my wife Yvonne (Konig) and myself at our Medieval Wedding on August 31, 2002. It was hot that day about 33c and we were all wearing heaving medieval and renaissance style costumes!

October 17, 2006

Here is a picture of my mom and dad (Aaron and Bette Singer) taken at their 50th Anniversary Party held here in Winnipeg.

I plan to do a full memorial post later in the new year upon reflection and mourning.

AARON SINGER

Born: January 26, 1935
Died: December 25, 2010

What Is This Contest And Who Can Enter?

Blog Catalog, SOBCon08, and Authority Blogger have come together and put forth a contest offer that I couldn’t refuse to enter, with a deadline of March 31, 2008.

* About The Prizes …

1) $1000 budget to pay for SOBCon08 registration and travel expenses which also including various goodies
2) A hour of consulting with Chris Garrett, face-to-face if possible.
3) The complete Authority Blogger online course when it launches.
4) An introduction to all of the speakers at the event.

* How To Enter …

1) Write a blog post explaining why you’re the best candidate to be the next Authority Blogger.
2) Have your post written by March 31st.
3) Leave a trackback to this post
4) Your post can include pictures, but should be no longer than 1000 words.

What Is An Authority Blogger? Who Is An Authority?

Good question. Chris Garrett from ChrisG.com believes that an authority blogger will have the following qualities:

* have an open and friendly personality
* have some expertise, experience, knowledge or talent that is worth sharing
* be willing and have the skills to share this expertise and knowledge – get noticed – and build an audience

Maki from DoshDosh.com defines an authority as someone who has developed specialist knowledge and because of sharing this knowledge, has developed a reputation as an expert in the field. Jeff Quipp from SearchEnginePeople.com defines an authority is someone or some entity who’s opinion(s) about specific topics are respected and valued by industry peers.

.. and that’s straight from the mouths of REAL authority bloggers!

Everybody in the world DEFINITELY has experience at .. something. Everybody else in the world has opinions on how you can share that knowledge with the rest of the world. Unlike our age and our health … time spent blogging PROVES that “Time Is NOT Our Enemy”, and both our experiences (and abilities to share our experiences) really do get better with age! That’s why blogging is so attractive these days. That’s why the ones you already perceive to be an authority – become even more of an authority over time.

Am I An Authority? Is HART An Authority Blogger?

I’m cannot be sure what people think of me. I know that I would like to think that when people see my caricature head or read my comments signed as either “PetLvr” or “HART (1-800-HART)” .. that my words are respected and believable. I use my caricature everywhere and am trying to brand this HART-Empire Network with my face. I want people that come to one of my sites – whether they know me or not – recognize the brand and “trust their HART” that the information will be accurate and helpful.

I truly want to help. I’m not the type of person that signs up in a forum just to leave my signature and links, and ask questions. I’m the type of guy that first browses all categories to see what my experience and knowledge can actually help a person in need, and respond to those asking for help. Everybody was a “newbie” once in their lives. I hope people over at BlogCatalog.com .. and other Forums that I attend, perceive me to be a useful member of their community, and that I tend to go out of my way to chat and be friendly and offer my 2cents and help, if I could.

I Have Experience. I Have Expertise. I Have Skills

I must be doing something right. In the past 12 months, I have been building up my network and starting to build a brand. My unique visitors have increased 6x’s and page views literally has increased by over 100,000 per month in March 2008!

My gross revenue for March 2008 will be approximately $1400 (February 2008 was almost $1100) and growing. Of course, I hope you are not naive to believe that I am actually seeing any of this money as I am bootstrapping the growth of this venture and just spending it all for dedicated server, content, writers, software, domain renewals, etc etc.

Why Liz Strauss Straus Thinks HART Should Win This Contest

* Liz Strauss Called HART an S.O.B. and I’m proud to be called an S.O.B.
* I am a B.A.D. Blogger and yes! I’m that guy who said the now-famous-quote …“Half the show is in the comments” way back in November 2005
* I make Liz Happy and make her smile with all my stories C’mon! You know it’s true

Why Chris Garrett Thinks HART Should Win This Contest

* Chris Garrett and HART have a CANADIAN connection – You see Chris is from Calgary Alberta Canada, although Chris has been in U.K. for over 25 years .. these two people have a connection here in Manitoba too – Chris’s In-Laws are from Manitoba (and his wife) so, hopefully, HART and Chris will meet one day – for drinks or dinner or something – even if HART doesn’t win this contest!
* Chris also appreciates people like HART who talk about Chris in the third person tone to gain a better Google ranking for his name
* Grey Cup 2007 Winnipeg vs Saskatchewan, nudge,nudge (enough said)

Why Blog Catalog Thinks HART Should Win This Contest

* TonyB from BlogCatalog thinks I should go
* PetLvr.com – [The Blog] Received Honorable Mention — Posting For Hope: Bloggers Unite Challenge, when I blogged to help stop animal cruelty and pet abuse September 29, 2007

Why HART Thinks He Should Win This Contest

* I’m a really nice guy and fun to have at parties
* I want to go, but can not afford the airfare. April 30th is a big Income Tax Deadline for me and I’m unable to drive to Chicago, myself, from Winnipeg and make the conference in time.
* HART loves to party – did I say that?

In Conclusion

Sure I’d like to go .. Regardless if I am selected, however, I wish the SOBcon08 a great success and look forward to reading everything about it around the blogosphere!

I’ve been tagged by Julie Anne Bonner to do this meme for the PETLVR blog .. but, I thought it would be more appropriate to post it on the 1800HART blog.

RULES: You have to post these rules before you give the facts. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.

If you didn’t know, I go by two names ..

* HART (1-800-HART) … This is what I want all my blog postings to identify me as the poster. I might use any of my 50 domains as the URL of my name, but I hope that when people see a comment from HART (1-800-HART) they know who HART is, and if I’m lucky .. will find their way back to this 1800HART site. Google shows 20,700 instances of this nickname.

* HARTLEY B SINGER .. that is how I present myself to clients and everywhere else, although ‘Hey You!’ and even ‘Dumbass’ works in case you want to get my attention~ Google only shows 146 instances of this in their searches, mainly because I really don’t want it to be too popular in the searches. Entries like these however, always add up into the search engines whenever I do ultimately mention my real name – so, I can’t help that!

My business name is based on my initials .. HBS Management Consultants .. I am not incorporated, although I do have a corporation and have been thinking about it for a long time now … and practically every venture that I am doing, is a division of HBS Management Consultants. I still feel a little uncomfortable giving out my middle name .. although I’m not using it as any reference or password hint or anything like that – so, I don’t see why I just don’t put my middle name out there.

Here we go:

B – I really don’t like giving out my middle name. When people used to ask me what my middle name was, I used to say .. “B” …. just an initial, with no name – or, as I went to University of Manitoba enrolled in the Batchelor of Commerce program, I would say my middle name is “B.Comm” .. however, I never actually would state that I was in the B. Comm program, but instead refer to it as .. HART who wanted to BECOME something eventually with my life.

R – I couldn’t really think of anything for R .. “RENT” .. (and not the movie). I have never lived in a rented apartment or rented any living quarters in my life – ever. I pretty much lived at home as long as I could, (free rent, but contributed with chores) or I owned my own house. In my 20′s, we had a family business and owned a building close to Downtown Winnipeg, and I was sleeping at the building so often, we just renovated one of the floors for a few rooms, kitchen and shower etc. I eventually bought a cheap house (repo from a client) and actually paid off the mortgage in 5 years, and enjoyed that – until I met my future wife. It was too small, and we eventually purchased and currently live in a Condominium Townhouse. I work out of my home. If I were to think of anything else for “R” .. it would have been RADIO – which, I used to listen to every night and can fall asleep almost immediately to (also, it helps mask the stress of thinking about work when trying to fall asleep).

E – I’ll just use this letter to attribute a link out to the OTHER Hartley Singer out there … HARTLEY E. SINGER. Grrrrr. I’ve got about 50+ domains registered, and this person had registered HartleySinger.com first! Here’s his BIO site .. he’s actually a musician too, although while I am a hobbyist musician playing keyboards, he is quite a professional guitarist .. check it out! I suppose since I’ve discovered this Hartley E Singer out there, I have wanted to use my full name as HARTLEY B. SINGER even more.

N – Hmm .. I dunno .. “NICE”? I think I am a nice guy, and everybody else thinks I am a nice guy and I have a lot of acquaintances who think I am a nice guy. The bottom line, is that I don’t hate anybody (except one person who tried to screw me professionally) and I don’t think anybody hates me or even has a grudge with me (except that same person who tried to screw me professionally).

T – “TRIP” .. I’ll describe the last letter of my middle name as something that has had great influence over social aspects of my life – the internet. I’ve been online since March 1995 with my own internet account in July 1995 and my own websites since early November 1995. In 1996 I went to London, UK and Sweden and met up with internet friends. I think, as a result of recouperating from my expensive trip .. it was a boost in me meeting a very nice girl online (a local internet friend) in March 1997 who eventually became my wife – Yvonne! Here’s a recap of my 1996 European Trip if interested, although I must say – it’s probably boring to you.

~~~~

So there you have it .. did you figure out my middle name yet?

I guess that I have to ‘tag’ five people, which is the length of my middle name .. Julie looked at her MyBlogLog community list .. but, I will look to yesterday’s 2kblogger list – and at the first 5 on the list ..

TAG! YOU’RE IT!

www.biztipsblog.com

www.blacklooks.org

www.bleedingespresso-sognatrice.blogspot.com

www.blessedmadness.com

www.bloash.com

Last week I received an email asking why I post 100% of certain government news items and other times I don’t. There was also a comment implied that I’m “STEALING CONTENT” when I post the article in its entirety. Naturally, I trashed that email and tried to forget all about, and figured the person would just show up on one of my posts and leave a comment – but, has not done so.

Firstly, around my sites I do post a lot of other people’s content .. in the form of Ezine articles and news releases.

For ezine articles, I always leave the bottom promotional links intact for the author and include the author’s name at the top of the article.

For news articles that other people blog about, I generally just leave it to them and don’t bother repostiing anything, unless I find that item newsworthy, and you might see the blog in one of my “random linking” entries.

For news articles from news sources .. I’m sick and tired of news sites reorganizing their information and having links in my blogs ruined or become invalid. So, this is how I do consider reposting. For heads up news I will continue to link the news item .. for interesting news I will just blockquote some interesting quotes with a “read more” link .. For major information that I believe is important to read – and worry about it ever getting lost or reshuffled .. I will repost the entire article. I also link the source, the current URL when posted and any copyright notice link when available.

In this site .. I’ve been posting articles from the Canada Revenue Agency site and Department of Finance Canada site in two ways. For the stuff that is interesting, but not really important to you or I .. I usually just post the link and either a quick blockquote or nothing at all. You can usually tell the importance of each of these type of news that I post by the number of “Blah Blah Blah’s” set as the tag!

For important information and news .. I do post 100% of everything under the following assumption – that, despite this site is monetized to recouperate certain fees spent to maintain it – I consider this blog a NON-PROFIT OPERATION!

SOURCE: Department of Finance

Non-commercial Reproduction

Information on this site has been posted with the intent that it be readily available for personal and public non-commercial use and may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from the Department of Finance Canada. We ask only that:

* Users exercise due diligence in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced;
* The Department of Finance Canada be identified as the source department; and,
* The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made, in affiliation with or with the endorsement of the Department of Finance Canada.

Sometimes, it’s just easier to to a search for a topic in THIS SITE to find me a heads up link to search for more information at the CRA of FIN sites.

Thord Daniel Hedengren’s Digital Playground has tagged me this morning with one of those MEMEs you hear about. Basically .. it’s another chain letter out here in the blogosphere, and if I don’t respond within 24 hours .. something horrible will happen to me .. like I’ll fall down the stairs, get hit by a bus, swallow a marble, or some other wierd curse placed upon my family! Just kidding~ If you are really curious how this works, click on the link to Thord’s site, and just follow all the links back to whoever links the current person back to the previous person and so on and so on.

So .. without further delay ..here are five things you might not have known about me .. HART

1) I was a Beta Tester for Win95

Yes .. I have been online since March 1995 and quite interested with this “internet” thingy, but sorry .. this is just a lie that I used to tell people in 1996. I wasn’t actually an official beta tester, but my cousin was and at the beginning of June 1995 I ‘borrowed’ his beta win95 CD and installed it and felt superior over everyone! Of course, the official release was August 1995 I believe, so it was pretty much in its final stages and I had no suggestions or comments or any input to its development. Although, I do recall asking my cousin to put in a “chit” comment that asked why that BLUE screen kept popping up periodically. (I don’t think they ever fixed that really, did they?)

2) Hi. My Name Is HART. Please Send Me a Dollar!

I still have 100% of all my websites ever created online at this very moment. The stuff since 1995 is mostly sitting at HARTandYVONNE.com/gatewest.net/ folder … but I’m afraid I haven’t really spent much time making some of the useful stuff into part of my current sites, nor have I found the time or desire to edit all the pages to fix the links. I did try to go down memory lane in my call HART crazy blog (those Get-Rich-Quick pages are a hoot!). Back in 1999 I was planning on writing my memoirs .. *cough,cough* but got writer’s block or something .. you can read HART’s STORY by clicking on the link, but .. perhaps you should be reading it with a shot of whiskey or a glass of beer .. because it’s quite pitiful.

3) I consider myself to be a musician

I grew up playing the piano, and currently attribute all my typing speed and skills to my ability of playing the piano. If memory serves me correctly .. I went as far as grade 8 with the Royal Conservatory of Music in piano and Grade 9 with Theory. For some reason this morning, I can’t recall exactly .. that was in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s. When I purchased a few synthesisers (Roland Juno 2 and Korg DW) .. I became quite popular and asked to join several bands .. because I was the only keyboard player they knew. I did it more for basement/beer bash reasons .. and actually only did 2 gigs in my life. One gig was as a keyboard player at the Tyndal Motor Inn on Halloween Weekend (which, I’ve got on DVD). I also happened to play bass guitar and had a Rickenbacher .. and played a gig at the New West Hotel for a week with a band. In addition, I was backup keyboardist on 2 songs of a heavy metal band (that disbanded long ago) on a Record Demo produced by one of the original Guess Who members. Since I met with wife, who goes to sleep early every night, and have been living in a Condo since November 1997 .. it’s been hard but, I rarely even bother to set it up and jam anymore.

4) I met my wife online you know!

In 1996, I flew to London, UK and Stockholm, Sweden for an internet party meeting about 30 great people. In 1997 I was pretty much grounded trying to pay for this venture paid by my newly MBNA Mastercard! I still was chatting online, and was jointly using ICQ, mIRC and PowWow chat software. During late February 1997 .. my future-wife messaged me out of the blue on Powwow, based on my geographical location, and we type/chatted for a while. She was great and we had a lot of things in common, including it being a local call to each other! I met her in person on March 12, 1997 (a day before her birthday) and I practically moved in before the end of June 1997. I think she thought I moved in around September 1997 though We purchased our condo in November 1997 and got married on August 31, 2002. It’s boring, but if you are interested in more than the readers’ digest version that I just gave you .. you can read how we met According to HART and According to YVONNE

Btw .. that’s my passport picture in the sidebar from 1996 .. if you want to see more current me.. there’s always our Wedding pictures and videos .. up on our HARTandYVONNE site

5) My Brothers And Our Family Businesses

I wouldn’t say that we were successful in business, but I do not consider our business ventures as failures. Even the ones that ended prematurely helped shape who we are and helped us in the way we operated our next business venture. One of our first businesses was called SOLID TIME INC. (STI) In the late 1970′s .. and early 1980′s .. we credit ourselves as the first company who marketed those Pen Watches to Shell Canada gas stations across Canada. That was a big sale for my younger brother brad, Who was mostly involved at the time. We also sold and warrantied digital watches sold in Safeway Canada. We were an importer company. We then started a newer company, called STI Merchandising Corporation (STIMC – name derived out of the watch company) and began merchandising novelties and confectioneries throughout Manitoba, North West Ontario and Saskatchewan. We had contracts selling meat snacks and other confections at all 7-Eleven Stores in these areas. We also were selling refrigerated products, like Hygaard CO2 packed sandwiches and Little Debbie Pastry treats among various other candy confections and novelties, local and imported. I started working for my father in his Chartered Accountancy firm in 1985 as an accountant, and except for the years 1989 to 1992 when I was working full-time with my brothers, I have worked with my father up until his retirement in 2003. Since 2003, I have been working on my own out of my home.

Now it’s my turn to pass along the torch .. to pick 5 people and “TAG” them, and hopefully they will write 5 things we don’t know about themselves!

And .. even if they don’t follow suit and write 5 things we don’t know .. I hope you check out these sites and add their feed to your reading list .. they’re great! And, if any of you five have already been tagged and blogged already .. um, okay .. just leave a link to your post Thank-You!

* Jon (Art of Money)
* Neil (NeilMcIntyre.ca)
* Darren (Blog-Republic)
* Eileen (Increase Your Reach: Infuse Your Marketing with Technology)
* Michelle (Golden Practices)
* David (David Maister: Professional Business, Professional Life)

Geez .. It’s been up on the PetLvr Community Calendar for a year now …

I bought myself a birthday present last weekend in anticipation! Don’t worry – I sent myself a FREE PETLVR E-GREETING CARD

July 11th … another year already? Awww. the years seem to go quite fast since I’ve been counting backwards since my 33rd birthday .. but, it sure feels good to be 23 again! :p So, I thought I would just play some appropriate songs today.

Arrogant Worms – The Happy Birthday Song

The Beatles – Happy Birthday

Uriah Heep – The Magician’s Birthday

Of course .. it wouldn’t be the same for me to post songs without my favorite inspirational song ..

Baz Luhrmann – Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen

I won’t be posting anywhere on my blogs today, in celebration of this momentus and monumental event and day in history.

From Scope System’s ANYDAY IN HISTORY Script

UPDATE: Thanks Joe!

Birthdates which occurred on your SELECTED date of July 11:

1274 Robert the Bruce Scotland, King (1328-1329)
1558 Robert Greene Elizabethan dramatist (Friar Bacon)
1754 Thomas Bowdler famous prude, bowdlerized Shakespeare
1767 John Quincy Adams Braintree, Mass, 6th Pres (D) (1825-1829)
1838 John Wanamaker merchant (Wanamakers Dept Store)
1851 Millieand Christine NC, siamese twins
1861 George William Norris (Rep-Neb)
1888 Dr Lyman Bryson Valentine Nebr, educator (UN Casebook)
1892 Thomas Mitchell NJ, academy award winning actor (Outlaw, Adventures)
1899 E.B. White writer (Charlotte’s Web, Elements of Style)
19– Bobbi Jordan Hardensburg Ky, actress (Tootsie-Blondie, Turnabout)
19– Brett Somers New Brunswick Canada, actress (Blanche-Odd Couple)
19– Jay Johnson Abernathy Texas, ventriloquist (Chuck-Soap)
19– Rodney Saulsberry actor (Capitol)
1906 Harry Von Zell Indianapolis Ind, TV announcer (Burns & Allen)
1910 Irene Hervey LA Calif, actress (Aunt Meg-Honey West)
1915 Colin Purdie Kelly US, 1st US air hero during WW II
1915 Yul Brynner Sakhalin Is Japan, actor (King & I)
1916 Gough Whitlam (ALP) Australia, PM (1972-75)
1920 Yul Brynner actor (King & I, 10 Commandments)
1922 Gene Evans Hollbrook Az, actor (My Friend Flicka, Matt Helm, Alamo)
1927 Herbert Blomstedt Springfield Mass, conductor (Oslo Phil 1954-61)
1929 Hermann Prey Berlin Germany, baritone (Wolfram-Tannhaser)
1931 Tab Hunter actor (Damn Yankees, Lust in the Dust, Battle Cry)
1931 Thurston Harris Indianapolis, vocalist (Little Bitty Pretty One)
1943 Susan Seaforth Hayes SF, actress (Days of our Life, Young & Restless)
1945 Deborah Harry singer (Blondie) actress (Videodrome, Hairspray)
1946 Beverly Todd Ohio, actress (Roots, Having Babies, Redd Foxx Show)
1947 Jeff Hanna rock vocalist (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Mr Bojangles)
1950 Bonnie Pointer singer (Pointer Sisters)
1953 Leon Spinks US, heavyweight boxing champ (1978, Olympic-gold-1976)
1953 Peter Bergman Guantanamo Bay Cuba, actor (Starland Vocal Band)
1955 Sergey Babinov USSR, ice hockey star (Olympic-gold-1972)
1956 Sela Ward actor (Hilary-Emerald Point NAS)
1957 Michael Rose rocker (Black Uhuru-Brutal, Positive)
1957 Pete Murphy rocker (Love Hysteria)
1958 Mark Lester Oxford England, actor (Oliver, Prince & Pauper)
1958 Ray Dodds rocker (Fairground Attraction-You Send Me)
1959 Richie Sambora guitarist (Bon Jovi-You Give Love a Bad Name)
1959 Suzanne Vega rocker (My Name is Luka)
1966 Mel Appleby rocker (Mel & Kim-Coming to America)
1977 Brandy Gold Northridge Calif, actress (Annie-Baby Makes 5)

Deaths which occurred on July 11:

1593 Giuseppe Arcimboldo 1st surrealist painter, dies (birth date unkn)
1804 Alex Hamilton killed by VP Aaron Burr in pistol duel near Weehawken
1909 Simon Newcomb celestial mechanics authority, dies
1937 George Gershwin composer (American in Paris), dies at 38
1965 Ray Collins actor (Halls of Ivy, Perry Mason), dies at 75
1971 Carleton Young actor (Court of Last Resorts), dies at 64
1973 Isabel Randolph actress (Mrs Nester-Our Miss Brooks), dies at 83
1980 Peggy Knudson acttress (April-So This is Hollywood), dies at 57
1987 Thomas F Waddell found of Gay olympics, dies of AIDS at 50
1989 Sir Laurence Olivier acting great, dies at 82

On this day…

1533 Pope Clement VII excommunicated England’s King Henry VIII
1740 Jews are expelled from Little Russia by order of Czarina Anne
1781 Thomas Hutchins designated Geographer of the US
1792 Prussia army moves into French territory
1798 US Marine Corps created by an act of Congress
1804 VP Aaron Burr kills Alex Hamilton in a pistol duel near Weehawken
1812 US invades Canada (Detroit frontier)
1818 Keats writes “In the Cottage Where Burns Was Born,” “Lines Written
in the Highlands,” & “The Gadfly”
1864 Confederate forces led by Gen J Early begin invasion of Wash DC
1868 J C Watson discovers asteroid #100 Hekate
1888 118ø F (48ø C), Bennett, Colorado (state record)
1888 Pennsylvania’s Monongehela River rises 32′ after 24 hour rainfall
1901 L Carnera discovers asteroid #472 Roma
1905 Black intellectuals & activists organize Niagara movement
1916 1st federal grant-in-aid for state roads enacted
1918 M Wolf discovers asteroid #895 Helio
1921 Mongolia gains independence from China (National Day)
1931 NY Giants beat Phillies 23-8
1934 FDR became 1st pres to travel through Panama Canal
1936 Triborough Bridge linking Manhattan, Bronx & Queens opens
1939 Yanks host 7th All Star Game, McCarthy starts 6 Yanks, AL wins 3-1
1944 Bill Boggs, Phila, TV host/producer (Midday, Morton Downey Jr Show)
1944 NL beats AL 7-1 in 12th All Star Game (Pitts’ Forbes Field)
1950 NL beats AL 4-3 (14 inn) in 17th All Star Game (Comiskey Park Chic)
Ted Williams breaks his elbow; 1st extra inning All Star Game
1952 Gen Eisenhower nominated as Republican presidential candidate
1954 1st White Citizens Council organizes in Indianola, Miss
1955 Congress authorizes all US currency to say “In God We Trust”
1955 New USAF Academy dedicated at Lowry AFB in Colo with 300 cadets
1960 Ivory Coast, Dahomey, Upper Volta & Niger declare independence
1960 NL beats AL 5-3 in 28th All Star Game (Municipal Stadium, KC)
1962 1st transatlantic TV transmission via satellite (Telstar I)
1962 Cosmonaut Micolaev set then record longest space flight – 4 days
1962 Fred Baldasare is 1st to swim English Channel underwater (scuba)
1967 Kenny Rogers forms 1st Edition
1967 Longest All Star Game, NL beats AL 2-1 (15 inn) (Anaheim Stadium, Cal)
1969 David Bowie releases “Space Oddity”
1969 Rolling Stones release “Honky Tonk Woman”
1971 Phillies Deron Johnson 3 HRs caps his 4 in a row
1974 House Judiciary Committee releases evidence on Watergate inquiry
1974 World Football League plays 1st games
1975 L Chernykh discovers asteroid #2489 Suvorov
1977 Medal of Freedom awarded posthumously to Rev Martin Luther King Jr
1978 NL beats AL 7-3 in 49th All Star Game (San Diego Stadium)
1979 US Skylab enters atmosphere over Australia & disintegrates
1980 American hostage Richard I Queen freed by Iran
1981 Sebastian Coe of UK sets record for 1000 m, 2:12.18
1982 Italy beats West Germany 3-1 for soccer’s 12th World Cup in Madrid
1983 E Bowell discovers asteroid #3485 Barucci
1984 England’s MusicBox begins satellite transmission to Europe
1984 NL beats AL 3-1 in 55th All Star Game (Candlestick Park SF)
1985 Astros’ Nolan Ryan, 1st to strike out 4000 (Mets’ Danny Heep)
1985 Refurbished Columbia moves overland from Palmdale to Dryden
1986 Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway runs 10,000 m in world record 30:13.74
1986 Maricica Puica of Romania runs 2,000 m in 5:28.69 (record for women)
1986 Mary Beth Whitehead christens surrogate Baby M, Sara
1987 Heart’s “Alone,” single goes #1 for 3 weeks
1988 Mike Tyson hires Donald Trump as an advisor
1989 AL beats NL 5-3, (3rd of last 4 All Star Games) in California
1989 President Ronald Reagan sportscasts the All Star Game
1990 NYC police arrest “Dartman” (stabbed over 50 women with darts)
1991 Total solar eclipse is seen in Hawaii

Holidays

Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given “day of the week”

Appleton Cheshire, England : Bawming the Thorn Day
Dahomey, Ivory Coast, Niger, Upper Volta : Independence Day (1960)
Mongolia : National Day (1921)
North Belgium : Flemish Day
South Africa : Family Day – - – - – ( Monday )
Swaziland : Reed Dance Day – - – - – ( Monday )

Religious Observances

Orthodox : Feast of St Olga, 1st Russian saint the Orthodox Church
RC : Commemoration of St Pius I, 10th pope (141-55), martyr
Ang, Luth, RC : Mem of St Benedict of Nursia, abbot of Monte Cassino

Religious History

1533 Clement VII excommunicated Henry VIII for divorcing Catherine of Aragon, andafterward marrying Anne Boleyn. Two years later, Henry broke with Rome and established theAnglican communion as the national religion of England.
1656 Ann Austin and Mary Fisher became the first Quakers to arrive in America Ä andwere promptly arrested. Five weeks later, they were deported back to England.
1952 American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal: ‘Teach me, LordJesus,… not to be hungering for the “strange and peculiar” when the common, ordinary, andregular, rightly taken, will suffice to feed and satisfy the soul.’
1955 American Presbyterian missionary Francis Schaeffer observed in a letter: ‘No priceis too high to have a free conscience before God.’
1967 The Vatican reported that Albania had closed its last Roman Catholic church.(Albania is a tiny Balkan country with an area only the size of Maryland.

Thank-you for your patience during ‘renovations’‘ .. Construction is now complete!

Version 2 is now the active and “Official” 1-800-HART WordPress Blog Template. I hope you find it easy to navigate.

100 Things You Always Wanted To Know About 1-800-HART

1. Version 2′s Hostile Takeover Date: November 3, 2005
2. This template is called Copperleaf Plus Theme and modified to suit my own personal needs
3. The header picture is from an unknown Email FWD of Provencher Bridge during an Electrical Thunderstorm in Winnipeg, Manitoba – supposedly in 2005. There is a Salisbury House Restaurant beneath those lights on the left
4. The picture in the header with the green hair was my first attempt at doctoring my 1996 Passport picture, with a suit and some fancy green hair
5. The Picture in the right sidebar is my 1996 passport photo
6. That white space on my forehead is not an anomaly, but rather when my passport was stolen in 1996, the thief scratched with a pin or paper clip “Cdn”. When I got home I tried to ‘fix’ it and failed miserably with Adobe Photoshop
7. Earn commissions like I do with Chitika eMiniMalls on your site too!
8. The right sidebar will FOLD up and HIDE the stuff in the categories and will remember your choice next time you visit here
9. Get updated automatically using RSS (Really Simple Syndication). You can add me directly to your free online Bloglines account or to your favorite news aggregator program. If it’s not listed under the “Blog Stuff” section, just click on the XML button, place your cursor on the URL Address line, CTRL-C (copy) and then CTRL-V (paste) this directly into your own reader.
10. If you click anywhere on the top header graphic or on the link in the top left 1-800-HART, you will go to the front or “start” page of this blog
11. Just like instant messaging, if you were not aware, the latest entry is at the top of the pile. The oldest is at the bottom of the pile.
12. The options have been set to display the last 10 posts on the front page. If you wish to scroll down to the bottom, you will see “previous” and “newer” links. Click these to display posts prior to the last one at the bottom of the page
13. Version 1 was called “Grimelda” theme
14. My bookmarks are broken into two sections. The BLOG-like links that I follow by RSS or similar using my Bloglines account, can be reviewed and selected by clicking in the sidebar “Pages” and then “Links”. This is the same “Links” that is also at the top of the page. The list is not complete, but includes the ones that I read regularly, by topic.
15. Under Categories, you will see HART’s Bookmarks. These are my non-blog links that was on my computer and I am trying to sort them out. Feel free to review and have fun with them
16. I really like to listen to Baz Lurhmann’s song “Everybody’s Free (to wear Sunscreen). The line that I like the most is:
    

    Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

    What great advice this ‘Class of 1997 Speech’ brings. Click HERE to listen while you are reading this blog (right click – open in new window)

17. I operate under the name HBS Management Consultants, HBS being my initials. It is a registered name. The following other registered names are considered to be “divisions” of HBS Management Consultants: HART-Empire.com, PapillonLvr.com, and PetLvr.com. I am a proprietorship
18. I am registered with Canada Revenue Agency and can E-File Income Tax Returns
19. Unfortunately, due to client confidentiality and The Privacy Act here in Canada, there’s not much I can blog about things that like at all – sorry
20. I prefer Tim Horton coffee over Robin’s Donuts coffee, take extra-large with triple cream, no sugar
21. I can’t count – .. am I close to 100?
22. My wife and I married August 31, 2002 – you can see all the pictures and videos of our Medieval Wedding at HARTandYVONNE.com/blog/
23. We have two wonderful Papillon dogs and one cat – you can see all the pictures at our dog’s website PapillonLvr.com/blog/
24. I also have PetLvr.com – [The Blog] and always seeking co-contributors!
25. I wish everybody would send me $1.00 Canadian Funds just for the heck of it using the following Paypal button below! (although an extra-large coffee is $1.65 – Join 1-800-HART’s Coffee Club!

This is what other people had said about me, over the years,… who am I to argue? The customer is always right

Take care
HART
1-800-HART

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Hartley B. Singer specializes in accounting systems in computerized environments. He has developed comprehensive internal information systems and has worked with hundreds of businesses in a microcomputer environment with a focus on bottom line improvements to the organizations. His experience includes 18 years working in chartered accountancy firms with responsibilities including the preparation of operational management reports, audit work, tax planning and assistance with the set-up, implementation and review of client’s books.

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Hartley is able to transfer his experience and knowledge in professional, and easy to understand techniques.

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Hartley has an in-depth knowledge of many off-the-shelf software programs for accounting, spreadsheets, word processors, and databases, as well as familiarity with networking and programming. His accounting knowledge is what makes his training abilities and advice much greater than strictly being a computer “technician”, as he will help assure that proper systems of control are in place and working.

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Hartley will adapt a client’s choice of current accounting softare to the client’s accounting needs. Most software will work in most circumstances, if properly configured!

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Hartley B. Singer is HBS Management Consultants, a Proprietorship. He currently works in a shared space environment with other professionals and Chartered Accountants and because of this, he has a access to lot of resources and information. You are not alone when you hire Hartley B. Singer as your accountant.

I began to work in PUBLIC PRACTICE along side my father, AARON SINGER, Chartered Accountant (C.A.), since the summer of 1985.

Between the summer of 1985 to June 30, 1989 the firm name was Singer Lazer + Grant, Chartered Accountants.

In July 1989 my father, one of the senior partners, left with a junior partner and they formed their own accounting firm. The name was Singer & Johnson, Chartered Accountants.

Sometime around 1994 or so, another C.A. joined the firmed, and it was renamed to Singer Johnson Sasley.

Sasley announced he was leaving post January 31, 1999 and the firm name was renamed to Singer Johnson, Chartered Accountants.

I performed all the normal duties of an accounting technician, and I was ‘production’ staff. I was also the network administrator, the E-File Co-ordinator, the computer guy, and I even emptied the garbage cans too!

Around 1995 my parents began vacationing in Hemet California, on an annual basis, for at least two months a year. Their plan was to increase it to six months each year away on vacation and away from the Chartered Accountant Firm. I took a greater role in managing my father’s client base and dealing with the clients and maintaining client satisfaction.

My father retired in 2003 and I had major personal issues with his partner, in the way he handled the busines, myself and my father’s retirement, so it was officially in March 2003 when I left public practice to work under my own business name HBS Management Consultants. I maintained all of the relationships with the existing client base and still maintain them.

I am not a Chartered Accountant. Nor do I have any degrees.

I have taken the Bachelor of Commerce (honours) program at University of Manitoba, but I didn’t graduate. I had taken all of the courses except I failed the last course in the program called “Administrative Policy”. The reasons were, in my opinion, unfair and unreasonable and while I detested immensely and appealed the grade. I managed to repeat the course in the summer, but didn’t attend any classes and deserved to fail. I should have graduated in 1985. When I tried to enroll in the spring 1987 session to finish this course and program, I was placed on academic suspension for taking too long, and using up too many credit hours. The ‘rules’ to allow me to get back into the program, was to take a full 1-1/2 year session or 27 credit hours of non-accounting related ART courses before I could repeat the course.

I did not choose that option, and on June 30, 1989 I left public practice and university to become controller with our family business STI Merchanding Corporation, with my two brothers. I created HBS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS and was also doing monthly accounting for a few individual lawyers, a few restaurants, and my cousin’s screen printing business.

I returned February 1992 to work at Singer & Johnson, Chartered Accountants, when I learned of their rapid growth problems and high turnover of accountant technician problems, and everyone thought (including myself) that I could make a difference.

In 1994 I enrolled in the Certified General Accountants (C.G.A.) program but, mostly concentrated on Income Tax courses, to help make me a better tax accountant. This was a good idea at the time, but had proved to be a bad timing decision. The course was intense and I barely finished it. I shouldn’t have enrolled during tax time. When the 3rd level came I put the courses on hold.

I never did get around to re-enrolling into the CGA or CA program and I really don’t want to go back either. I know my experience and what I am capable of doing. Of course, in my business, you have to keep up to date with the latest changes to accounting practices, income tax legislation, and technology. I do participate in many accounting forums, I do research all the time with regards to income tax and other matters, and I do subscribe to many newsletters and other sources of information that might occassionally give me a “heads up” to help me give me direction for future research.

For the more complex tax issues, I do engage the services of a tax specialist to assist me and provide consultation, but for the most part I can hold my own.

Since I’ve been on my own, I describe my business as an “Accounting / Consultanting” business specializing in “Systems Consulting” , and not as a public practice. I can prepare and file all types of tax returns and can help you be compliant and the accounting and income tax preparation consists the majority of my business income. I can prepare and publish Notice to Reader and Review Engagements. I cannot perform an audit, or sign a lawyer’s Form-D annual report and other audits of that nature.

I hope this blog entry helps paint a picture of me, in a good way. Throughout the years, I do not believe I lasted there because my father was the senior C.A. partner, where in fact – it was the exact opposite. He would stay out of all decisions and actions to avoid helping me and favoring me in any way. My growth and development and experience had evolved at the success of my own making, and of my peers.

Take care.
HART

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FYI

“Public Practice” refers to “the practice of public accounting”.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba defines it in its bylaws:
www.icam.mb.ca/bylaws_100_generalprovisions.html

“practice of public accounting” means providing or offering to provide one or more of the following services to the public: