Hello Ellen, I'm just a lurker on the bulbs list, but felt I really wanted to say something, in reply or addition to your remarks re bulbs for microcredit and starting businesses halfway around the world. What bothers me most is that these attempts to start micro-businesses in the third world usually end up lining the pockets of those who profess to be trying to help. I know of several people who have made very good money trying to 'help' the economies in Sri Lanka. I am sufficiently disgusted by this to protest whenever I can. Anyway, your comments seem right on to me. That said, as a micro-business owner myself, in civilized Canada, in a 'normal' business, I can tell you that a micro-loan at the start would have helped enormously. As it was, it was impossible to get less than $150,000 without putting my car up as collateral and calling it a VISA account.....something wrong there, somewhere. Cheers, Lis Carp, Ontario, Canada, near Ottawa, zone 4/5 -- Elisabeth Allison Pine Ridge Studio