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PAYROLL BLUES

Small-business hiring is up slightly, according to the national SurePayroll Hiring Index of 13,000 firms:

* New hires rose 0.4 percent last month, compared with October.

* Hiring was up 3.6 percent for the year.

* Small-business paychecks, which have been dropping this year, were down 0.4 percent last month. The index is down 3.8 percent for the year.

GOLDEN STARTUPS

If you're nearing the golden years but want to start a business, "The Best Home Businesses for People 50+" by Paul and Sarah Edwards lists scores of prospects. These are among the new entries to their book's list this year:

* Elder or pet caregiver

* Foreign-language translator

* Feng shui consultant

* Web designer

* Relocation specialty

* Handwriting analyst

GOOD BETS FOR VETS

Military veterans take away skills from their service that help them to run small businesses, according to a study from the Advocacy Office in the U.S. Small Business Administration. More than a third of vets gain business skills from their service. But the best teacher is small-business ownership or employment experience.

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