The Authentic Bartender Blog

Madoff's gone but Ponzi schemes go on

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:40:00 +0000

By John Waggoner

If you want to know how rampant Ponzi schemes are, just ask Michigan attorney Andrew Kochanowski.

In the spring of 2008, he was working on a class-action lawsuit against a $250 million Ponzi scheme in the Detroit suburbs. At the same time, another Ponzi scheme was operating just down the hall from Kochanowski.

That $53 million scheme, the Billionaire Boys Club, run by a retired police officer, promised victims 8% to 12% annual returns with no fees. But the Billionaire Boys were allegedly spending investors' money on Ferraris, boats and vacation homes.

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A Few Useful Details Regarding Bartending That You Could Find Helpful

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:42:00 +0000

By Andy

So numerous youthful individuals end up working in restaurants as wait workforce during their high school and college years. They end up being run off their feet, working for minimum wage and having to rely on tips just to make ends meets.

Several do not intend to spend their lives as waiters or waitresses, they may think they will end up making great money as a roofing contractor tracy so they’d rather not spend any extra lifetime or money on training to get themselves a better position.

They may think they will make more money as a career in personal training.
Though, bartending school may indeed be a decent selection for numerous of these youthful individuals.

Although it does take some extra studying, bartending training is available for a surprisingly minimal cost, and bartending is a decent skill to have and it can even be numerous fun.

Plus, you have the occasion to make some serious money, express your ingenuity, and have the comfort of being behind the bar, rather than out there mixing with drunken, groping customers.

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More women with breast cancer opt to remove healthy one, study finds

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:34:00 +0000

By Shari Roan

The choice to remove a healthy breast in order to avoid breast cancer is a deeply personal decision -- one that appears to be on the upswing in a specific segment of cancer patients, although there's little evidence to suggest it improves survival.

A study published Monday in the journal Cancer found that among women who had cancer in one breast, the number who opted to have the other breast removed, called contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, more than doubled from 1995 through 2005 in New York state.

The number of healthy women who chose to have a prophylactic mastectomy of both breasts because of a higher-than-average risk of developing cancer held steady during that time period.

The practice of removing breasts to avoid cancer is most common among women with a strong family history of the disease and who test positive for the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene mutation. The new research is among the first to examine the choice of prophylactic mastectomy among women who actually did have cancer.

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Baby boomers face more health problems than their parents

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:56:00 +0000

By Susan Abram

For Suzanne Lyons, each leg lunge and weight curl is an act of defiance against the generation before hers.
She plans to head into her 60s devoid of illness and disease.

"Our parents listened to doctors, to the government, the dairy and meat and industries for health advice," the 55-year-old Lyons said as she lifted weights inside Burbank's Miami Fitness gym.

"In our generation, we were introduced to a lot of processed foods, but I think more of us are educated, a lot more awake to health," she said.

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Injecting Your Signature Drinks With Panache, Pizzazz & Style

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:46:00 +0000

From The American Mixologist,

Ask a room full of food and beverage operators why they’re in business and the likely response is “to make money.” All except for the one businesswoman in the back, the one with the air of confidence, who knows that the answer is “exceed guest expectations”.

The formula for long-term success in this business is far from tricky—keep the clientele intrigued and they and their discretionary income will continue to return.

Dissatisfied guests will leave and tear out your listing from the yellow pages and advise everyone they come in contact with for weeks to do the same.

With this in mind, creating an engaging line-up of signature drinks is essential. These enhanced creations will become the restaurant’s trademark. Thinking in terms of specialty drinks misses the point, however.

Savvy consumers are growing cold to the notion of house specialties. There’s nothing necessarily exclusive about a specialty drink.

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noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

By Susan Abram, Staff Writer
BURBANK — For Suzanne Lyons, each leg lunge and weight curl is an act of defiance against the generation before hers. She plans to head into her 60s devoid of illness and disease.

"Our parents listened to doctors, to the government, the dairy and meat and industries for health advice," the 55-year-old Lyons said as she lifted weights inside Burbank's Miami Fitness gym.
/
"In our generation, we were introduced to a lot of processed foods, but I think more of us are educated, a lot more awake to health," she said.
//
Lyons could be right, but according to a new study released Thursday, members of her generation are in some respects likely to be less healthy than their parents' generationr here to Continue Reading This Post

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Loosely defined as the 78 million Americans born from 1946 to 1964, Baby Boomers entering their 60s could end up suffering from more disabilities than their counterparts from previous generations, the new UCLA study suggests.

5 Ways to EXPAND Your Mobile Bartending Empire

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:24:00 +0000

When I started my business, I was still in college. It was great because I worked one night a week and still had time for school and friends. But as school ended, and my time freed up, I realized it was time to invest MORE time in order to make more money!

Whether you are just starting out or you have a bit of experience as a Mobile Bartender, you may have already noticed that your business is taking off faster than you can handle!

You need to be prepared and ready to expand as the demand for your services expands. I want to quickly share some quick ways to creates multiple streams of income in your business…in other words, make MORE money for doing the same work! Sounds good, right?!

1. Extra Bartenders: Hire a staff of on-call bartenders that are available weekends at a moment’s notice. Use those you have worked with in the past, know and trust OR interview them thoroughly.

Make them purchase all of their own tools, etc. And pay them on an hourly rate where you can take a cut of the profit. Make sure to find both male and female bartenders.

2. Servers/Cocktail Waitresses: These employees should be women, and their rates should be less expensive than bartenders. They will help the client with pre-party setup, kitchen and food prep work, tray passing, clean-up, etc.

3. Rent Equipment: Purchase various glassware and now you have the opportunity to rent it out to your clients. I also rent portable bars, dj equipment and more.

4. Concierge Service: Provide the option of purchasing the liquor and supplies for a client. Get the money upfront and be sure to make enough profit to make it worth it. This is perfect for high-end clients who do not want to lift a single finger.

5. Creating a Training/Hiring Center for New Bartenders: Make new bartenders pay to go through your training course and NOW you have new employees!

Over the next few weeks/months, I will be going over each of these streams of income in greater detail, but I want you to start thinking about all the various options you have available to you.

Remember: you are MORE than just a bartender…you are a business owner now! It’s time to learn how to make MORE money for the same amount of work…it’s called LEVERAGE and it’s very powerful!

Exercise vs. Counting Calories -- Actually, both are important.

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:08:00 +0000

By Judy Foreman

As a nation, we are obviously getting fatter and fatter. Not only are we ever more confused about how to lose weight, we're particularly fuzzy on the question of how big a role exercise plays and whether we just have to count calories.

So, here's the deal. Yes, you can count calories or weigh yourself every day. If your weight is up today compared with yesterday, you ate more calories than you burned. If it's less, you burned more than you ate -- provided you didn't drink gallons of liquid the day before, which could throw the scale off.

It comes down to simple arithmetic, and you've heard it before: Calories in, calories out. You will absolutely, inevitably, sadly, this-could-not-be-clearer gain weight if you eat more calories than you expend in basic metabolism -- breathing, digesting, sleeping, etc. -- plus whatever else you do, such as chasing the kids, walking, vacuuming or going to the gym.

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10 Jobs With High Pay and Minimal Schooling Required!

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:54:00 +0000

by Michael Kling

You don't have to go to college earn a decent living. Some professions pay good salaries without requiring post-secondary schooling.

A college degree can be a great path towards a well-paying, satisfying profession, but a bachelor's degree isn't for everyone. In fact, some see advanced education as overrated.

A surge in the number of college graduates have dampened the value of a college education. College comes intact with high tuition, room and board, and supplies fees - and that's not even factoring in debt payments that usually last for years, if not decades.

Trusting the 'Net

Beware of online lists of top-paying professions with little schooling. Some lists cite obscure professions or ones requiring long-term on-the-job training.

Just because a profession doesn't officially require a degree is no indicator that and education wouldn't be advantageous, especially for inexperienced applicants in today's competitive job market.

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Making a Clean Sweep — Keeping Your Bar Spotless

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:26:00 +0000

From The American Mixologist

A commercial bar is challenging to keep clean.
Sanitary standards are exacting and must be
maintained both to stay in business and protect
the public health.

As if to add insult to injury, the
results of an unsatisfactory health inspection
are frequently published in the newspaper. The
damage to the reputation of the business from
this kind of adverse publicity is unfathomable.

Ensuring the bar’s cleanliness is an inherent
managerial responsibility. It is extremely important
that management institute regimented, carefully
supervised sanitation procedures throughout the
operation.

Presuming that employees will take it
upon themselves to maintain the facility to the
unwavering standards of the health department
is an open invitation for trouble.

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6 Simple Steps To $1 Million

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:38:00 +0000

by Glenn Curtis

Let's face it; we all don't make millions of dollars a year, and the odds are that most of us won't receive a large windfall inheritance either. However, that doesn't mean that we can't build sizeable wealth - it'll just take some time.

If you're young, time is on your side and retiring a millionaire is achievable. Read on for some tips on how to increase your savings and work toward this goal.

Stop Senseless Spending

Unfortunately, people have a habit of spending their hard-earned cash on goods and services that they don't need. Even relatively small expenses, such as indulging in a gourmet coffee from a premium coffee shop every morning, can really add up - and decrease the amount of money you can save.

Larger expenses on luxury items also prevent many people from putting money into savings each month. (For related reading, see Squeeze A Greenback Out Of Your Latte.)

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How Bad Are Your Credit Card Mistakes?

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:24:00 +0000

by Erin Peterson

Grade yours on a 10-point scale.

Nobody's perfect. When it comes to our financial lives, we've all done things we later regretted -- whether it's getting slapped with a $3 fee for using an out-of-network ATM or going on a Las Vegas bender and losing the house on an overly aggressive poker bet.

The key is to understand the scale of the transgression. With credit card blunders, that's no easy task -- is it worse to take a cash advance or to pay a bill a day or two late?

Experts graded a range of credit card mistakes on a scale from 1 (losing a few bucks to a cash machine) to 10 (losing the house). Find out which worry the pros most -- and which may (almost) get a free pass.

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Increasing Sales in a Down Economy

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:16:00 +0000

By Robert Plotkin

Americans drink in good times and bad. Historically accurate or not, it’s nevertheless safe to anticipate that in a slumping economy there will be fewer people on the street and they’ll have less money in their pockets.

The moment the markets stumbled and crashed was when it was no longer became business as usual. Perhaps the best piece of business advice for rocky times is coming up with a plan to increase revenue and sticking with it.

Taking a breather and maintaining status quo solidly fixes you at a point in space, allowing competitors to surge past. This is no time to be tentative. Armed with the right plan, the only difference between financially under-performing and exceeding expectations is commitment.

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Good Pay Without a 4-Year Degree -- 10 Careers With Shorter On-Ramps

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:18:00 +0000

by Carol Tice, PayScale.com

A well-paying, rewarding career doesn't have to mean a four-year slog through college. There are plenty of jobs that pay nicely with less education, ranging from certificate courses just a few months long to two-year community college programs. Education costs for most of these careers are modest -- you might even pay nothing at all.

If you're from a low-income family and between 18-24, you may qualify to receive up to three years of free job training, housing and support services through the federal program Job Corps. National program director Esther Jacobs says Job Corps serves roughly 100,000 students a year.

"We're the best-kept secret in this country," she says.

Otherwise, state-sponsored technical and vocational schools will usually be a cheaper option than private training companies, and many offer financial aid. Most training programs will help you with job placement when you're done, too.

Here's a look at some of the best-paying jobs you can get into fast, listed with their median annual pay rate for someone with three to five years' experience, according to PayScale.com.

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Smart Tools for Shopping, Saving and Investing

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:54:00 +0000

by Laura Rowley

If we've learned anything from the financial crisis, it's that consumers must fend for themselves. No one will protect you from an exploding subprime mortgage, disastrously high investment fees, or scam artists of the Madoff variety.

That puts a premium on information and transparency. At the Finovate conference in New York this week, companies were heavily focused on helping consumers get the information they need to make better financial decisions. Here's an overview of some of the best innovations.

Combining Search and Rewards

Have you ever searched online for a product, say, a digital camera, found the model you wanted, then launched a separate search to find possible coupons or discounts for the item, so you could land the best deal? (Or spent an hour searching your email inbox for that coupon from the electronics store?)

Billeo, a provider of personal finance applications, has launched a free service that combines the two searches -- finding the product and scoring the deal -- into one.

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Advice for the Rookie Bar Manager

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:05:00 +0000

From The American Mixologist

Being able to effectively manage a bar is not a skill you’re born with, or even an ability garnered working as a bartender. Hands-on bartending experience is certainly beneficial, but it teaches you next to nothing about being an effective manager.

I am living proof. I accepted my first job as a bar manager after having bartended for 8 years. It soon became apparent, however, that I was grossly unqualified for the position.

My bartending experience helped me to initially establish standards behind the bar, but it had taught me nothing about inventory control, profitability analysis, or how to ensure the establishment stays out of legal trouble.

I proceeded to do two things that saved my job. I started to read everything I could find on beverage management. While most of it had an academic bent and jived little with how bars operate in reality, the material did introduce me to accepted business concepts and practices.

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How to Save on "Black Friday" 2009

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:16:00 +0000

From ConsumerWorld

With the best bargain shopping day of the year nearly here (Nov. 27), shoppers are being encouraged to start their homework now on products and prices to help separate the surprisingly few real doorbusters from the many ho-hum deals being promoted this year.

"Black Friday is still the real McCoy of sale days, but many of the so-called "doorbusters" are not worth getting up at 3am for," said Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org, a non-commercial consumer resource guide.

Shoppers are being advised to check retailers' websites for "secret" or web-only deals on Nov. 26-28, and to consider the many pre-Black Friday sales, some with better prices than on Black Friday.

Consumer World offers these holiday shopping tips to help bag the best bargains:

1. Read the Ads: Check local newspapers on Thanksgiving Day. They will be chock-full of circulars and last minute deals. Friday's papers will include additional sales. To preview some of the items now that will be on sale on "Black Friday", visit bfads.net or blackfriday.gottadeal.com, websites with advance copies of store ads.

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http://www.consumerworld.org/pages/shoptips.htm

And By The Way, Have A Happy Holiday!!!

Seven Daily Routines That Can Cost You Big

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:20:00 +0000

by Laura Rowley

A recent study found that showerheads are apparently a nightclub of sorts for bacteria -- a warm, dark haven to party and multiply. An analysis of 50 showerheads from nine U.S. cities found about 30 percent contained high levels of a strain of bacteria that can cause lung infections when inhaled or swallowed.

The levels were 100 times higher in showerheads than in typical household water, the researchers found.

This means your everyday routine may involve luxuriating in a cascade of germs. Aside from pondering the prospects of companies that manufacture showerheads, the report made me wonder:

What dark corruption might be lurking behind your daily money routines, imperiling your road to wealth? What every day activities may be threatening your financial health? Here are seven:

1. Tossing out the "junk mail" from your credit card company.

The Credit Card Holders Bill of Rights Act goes into full effect in February. Ahead of that deadline, companies are changing the terms of customer agreements. For example, the new law prohibits raising the interest rate on existing balances unless a customer pays more than 60 days late.

To skirt that provision, firms are notifying customers that their cards are now "variable rate." (Translation: We can jack up your rate whenever we please.)

So watch those benign notices, and be ready to call and demand a fixed-rate card or take your business elsewhere. Amid these tactics, a new bill calls for moving up the deadline on the credit card law to Dec. 1.

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http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/moneyhappy/196161

When you've got six months to live: 3 tips for living each day as if it could be your last

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:52:00 +0000

by Yeah Dave

In the matter of 2 hours, I met 2 different people who’d been told they have 6 months to live. In their presence, I felt all of my worries, issues, and concerns fall by the wayside. These people know the true value of each and every moment.

I was presenting at the National Cervical Cancer/HPV Cancer Coalition conference this past weekend in Chicago. It was totally mind-opening and absolutely life-changing.

I’ve never met a group of people who enjoy life more than the ladies attending this conference. They laughed harder, smiled wider, and lived each moment as if it could be the last.

I chatted it up with one attendee for an hour about sports, sleeping late, and countless other topics. Only later did I discover this lady has stage 4 cervical cancer with a diagnosis of 6 months to live.

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Anyone Attended National Bartenders Bartending School?

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:35:00 +0000

I have heard a lot of bartending schools are scams, but I was thinking about taking courses at one to get some experience. I’m already planning on studying some books and practicing at home with a make-shift bar.

I was considering this school because I don’t really know anyone in the F&B industry that could help with a shoe-in, so I thought this could possibly be helpful. (I wouldn’t put it on my resume, however, or tell potential employers I took the course). Thanks!

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5 Reasons Why It's a Good Idea to Call in Sick

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:48:00 +0000

by Sarah Jio

Do you dread calling in sick? Whether it's the fear of a judgmental boss or just concerns about missing out on important happenings, health experts want to put you at ease.

There are times when making the call is a must. Confused about whether staying home is a good idea? Here are five signs that a sick day is in order...

According to a recent Glamour.com poll, only 21 percent of readers say they make a point to stay home when they're sick. The rest of you do sometimes or not at all.

Guys! The world will not end if you stay home and a.) rest and recover so you can get well again, and b.) prevent the spread of your germs to others.

But, I know it can be confusing about whether a sick day is in order--especially at 6 a.m. Here are five signs, from the experts at WebMD, that you need to make the call to your boss and head back to bed:

1. If you wake up feel pretty icky with a sore throat and the sniffles (which weren't there yesterday). Health experts say that the first few hours/days of a virus tend to be the most contagious, so spare your co-workers your germs and keep your sneezy self at home until the following day.

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Why Voice Problems Shouldn't be Ignored: 5 Tips for Dealing With Hoarseness

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:32:00 +0000

By January W. Payne

Hoarseness is an annoyance that many people tend to ignore, but any persistent abnormal change in the voice--including a breathy, raspy, or strained quality--should be evaluated by a doctor, experts say.

And the onus may be on you to ask for a voice evaluation, as a new study finds that primary care doctors often don't examine their patients for voice problems.

"What people should know is that a little hoarseness can be the sign of a big problem," says Richard Rosenfeld, professor and chairman of otolaryngology at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., and one of the authors of clinical practice guidelines for treating hoarseness that were published in September in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Voice problems affect about 30 percent of people in their lifetimes, and these issues can limit productivity in the workplace and damage quality of life. In the new study, researchers asked primary care physicians how often they routinely evaluate patients for problems with their voices.

Just a third of the 271 primary care doctors surveyed reported doing regular evaluations for voice problems, and about 1 in 5 said they never evaluate patients for voice disorders.

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How Much Training Is Required To Obtain The Job As A Bartender?

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:23:00 +0000

i’m really interested in being a bartender and want to go to bartending school.but before i completely focus on that i want to get some info about it.
it is easy or hard to find a job in this feild or what?
what would be my salary and benefits?

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7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:47:00 +0000

From Mercola.com

Tim Ferriss of The Four Hour Work Week has posted an exclusive excerpt from Drs. Michael and Mary Eades’ newest book, The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle.

The two doctors note that no matter how the story spins from the denizens of the anti-fat camp, one piece of their advice remains staunchly constant: “You should sharply limit your intake of saturated fats.”

But will saturated fats really increase your risk of heart disease and raise your cholesterol? In a word, no. In fact, humans need them, and here are just a few reasons why:

1) Improved cardiovascular risk factors

Saturated fat plays a key role in cardiovascular health. The addition of saturated fat to the diet reduces the levels of a substance called lipoprotein (a) that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease.

Research has shown that when women diet, those eating the greatest percentage of the total fat in their diets as saturated fat, lose the most weight.

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Asset Allocation Update: Global Economic Outcome Boils down to U.S. Consumer

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:02:00 +0000

From LOM Global Perspectives

Personal consumption in the U.S. makes up over 70 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, a significant global factor since the U.S. accounts for nearly 25% of the world’s GDP. The actions of the U.S. consumer, as measured by the personal savings rate, are therefore vital to the future of the global economy.

In the LOM Investment Policy Committee’s view, an increase in the U.S. personal savings rate will likely lead to a double dip recession as consumers hunker down and spend less. On the other hand, a decrease in the personal savings rate could lead to a boom for the economy and equity markets but will cause inflation.

LOM believes that this unknown factor, the U.S. consumer’s propensity to save, for the next 4 to 6 months will be the essential data in forecasting equity, bond, currency, and commodity price movements.

Our strategy for the next quarter will be to push aside the bulk of the “noise” from economic data and instead focus carefully on the U.S. consumer. In addition to published numbers, we will examine raw data, surveys, and make observational inferences.

At this time, the LOM Investment Policy Committee is leaving its strategic asset allocations unchanged. However, we anticipate updating our recommendations as we gain further insight into the behavior of the U.S. consumer.

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