Small businesses finance themselves differently from larger entities, understanding trends in their financing methods and their sources of capital are important to both policy makers and economic research.

"To obtain a full picture of small businesses and their financial needs, the Federal Reserve sponsored the first Survey of Small Business Finances in 1987. The survey was so successful in filling gaps in the data that it was conducted again in 1993 and 1998," then-Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan wrote to small businesses invited to participate in the latest survey. "The data collected in these surveys have been critical for policy decisions at the Federal Reserve and in other parts of the government. However, both the state of the economy and the use of technology are very different today than they were five years, when the last survey was conducted."

For more on results of the 2003 Survey of Small Business Finances (SSBF) and the financial services utilized by small businesses, read "Survey Defines Financial Services Used by Small Businesses", Click Here.

So-called "educational toys" are one of the holiday season's hottest trends. "These toys feed parents' desires to have intelligent children who have a heads-up on learning," says Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, the Lefkowitz Professor of Psychology at Temple University and co-author of "Einstein Never Used Flashcards". "Unfortunately, these kinds of toys pound children with information but don't spark their imagination or sense of discovery."

Hirsh-Pasek says the educational toy industry has become a multi-billion-dollar interest and continues to show growth every year. A report from the Kaiser Foundation concluded in 2005 that many of the claims made by toy companies regarding such toys are unsupported.

When it comes to picking proper toys for young children, Hirsh-Pasek advises:

- Looking for toys that allow children to command it and figure out what is going on for themselves, rather than commanding them to press buttons or levers.

- Choosing versatile toys that build imagination and allow kids to express creativity.

- Be wary of promises to make a child smarter, bilingual or teaching advanced topics, as they are unlikely to achieve the promised results even with parental intervention.

- Looking for toys that can be used by more than one child simultaneously, these teach children valuable negotiation and sharing skills.

- Considering price, since the value and enjoyment a toy delivers is not always reflected in its price. In fact, old-fashioned toys like crayons, blocks and balls can encourage creativity as much or more than expensive electronic toys.

"This advice is not about marketing, but about what we know from 30 years of child psychology about how children learn and how they grow," Hirsh-Pasek concludes.

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