The Authentic Bartender Blog

Antiviral drug found to reduce severity of Mononucleosis

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:28:00 +0000

By Shari Roan

Mononucleosis, the curse of high school and college students, doesn't have to bring social and academic lives to a screeching halt, researchers say. Instead, the disease can be treated to shorten the duration of the illness and reduce the chance of transmission.

In a study presented Sept. 14 at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in San Francisco, University of Minnesota researchers found that students who receive an antiviral medication early in the course of the illness become less sick than those offered the standard advice to rest for several weeks.

The results are similar to a previous study by the same researchers on a different antiviral drug. But whether doctors embrace treatment of mononucleosis may depend on how they view the illness.

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'Sonic' toothbrushes may not clean up better than manual ones

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:11:00 +0000

By Chris Woolston

Your first toothbrush probably didn't come with a user's manual. You picked the thing up, put it in your mouth, moved it across your teeth in a vaguely up-and-down fashion, and called it good.Old-school toothbrushes are still the norm in medicine cabinets everywhere.

Dentists hand them out for free by the ton, and stores sell them for a few bucks apiece. Rotary brushes powered by AAA batteries that cost $10 are another popular option.

But scan those store shelves, and you can find "sonic" toothbrushes that take oral hygiene to a new level of technological sophistication, not to mention a new stratosphere of price.

But do you really need to spend more than $100 for a decent toothbrush?

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The Fear of Cognac De-Mystifying the World’s Noblest Brandy

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:01:00 +0000

From The American Mixologist

Cognac is an intimidating subject for nearly all of us. After all, it’s French, expensive, and the names are hard to pronounce. Most of us are uncomfortable even talking about it lest we unwittingly reveal an utter lack of savior-faire.

Yet, cognac is arguably the noblest of brandies and typifies the height of elegance and sophistication. With our society firmly entrenched in a return to pleasure and small indulgences, consumer interest in cognac has never been higher.

Fear of cognac is an understandable syndrome. There are roughly 175 producers of cognac, each with widely differing styles. These cognac houses produce a variety of different grades of cognac, many of which eschew the accepted designations—e.g. VS, VSOP, XO—for more colorful and elaborate names, further adding to the general confusion.

There are hundreds of labels of cognacs roaming the planet, no two sharing exactly the same characteristics.

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Secrets Of The Self-Made 2009

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:26:00 +0000

by Melanie Lindner

Business tips are a penny a dozen. A billionaire's playbook for success: priceless. We asked eight of the wealthiest self-made members of the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans to weigh in on 22 topics, from universal health care to the right amount of vacation.

These guys have horrendous schedules and a lot on their minds, but for the most part, they were willing to share.

One lesson is clear: If you want to make serious cake, start a business. Of the 400 titans on our list, 274 are self-made--up from 270 last year. Six of the top 10 spots on the Forbes 400 belong to entrepreneurs (as opposed to those born into wealth). Their combined net worth: $166.5 billion.

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Turn Small Savings Into a Big Nest Egg

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:19:00 +0000

by Marv Dumon

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the personal savings rate of Americans has ranged between -1% and approximately 4% between the years 2005 and 2009.

Americans' nonchalance was reflected in the negative savings rate of fiscal 2005, which occurred as people reduced their savings and delved further into debt in order to purchase goods and services.

Although the savings rate had rebounded to 6% by May of 2009, as global financial crisis forced many consumers to adopt more cautious spending habits.

Despite the about-face in consumer spending habits, in many cases, the attempt at saving proved too little, too late. Read on to find out why you need to save no matter what the economic climate.

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How to Stock a Home Bar

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:56:00 +0000

From pubkit.com

Stock a great home bar with these essential liquors and alcoholic mixers. Explore the types of alcohol a home bar requires with these tips from anaward-winning bartender in this free bartending video.

Expert: Babz Zerillo Bio: Babz Zerillo has been bartending for the past five years at martini lounges, private clubs and bars. She was the bartender of the month in April 2006 for The Pulse Lifestyle & Entertainment magazine.

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Secrets Your Dentist Doesn't Want You To Know

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:57:00 +0000

Posted by: Dr. Mercola

Here are the secrets your dentist may not want you to know -- but you need to know to get the best care possible:

Secret #1: Your dentist may not be as educated as you think.

Dentistry has changed a lot since your dentist graduated from dental school. There have been major advances in most materials used in fillings, bonding and root canals.

If your dentist is not actively engaged in continuing education, it is unlikely that he or she is keeping up with these developments.

Secret #2: Your dentist may not have the latest technology.

Digital x-ray: Dentists who do not have digital x-ray equipment are practicing in the dark ages. Digital x-rays use less radiation than film. They are easier to read and the ability to manipulate contrast makes diagnosis more accurate.

Ultrasonic Cleaning: Ultrasonic instruments vibrate plaque and calculus off your teeth, even in areas below your gums. It is much more comfortable than old-fashioned hand scraping.

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Rules For Post-Recession Investing

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:52:00 +0000

by Rob Gordon and Jason Whitby

Despite the pundits' pronouncements of green-shoots or signs that the economy is on the mend, many investors remain scarred and understandably sensitive to the previously unimagined threats to capital market stability.

In many cases, not only have they reduced their equity exposure to levels that will not help them beat inflation, many have pulled out of the publicly-traded markets entirely, and remain on the sidelines.

Return to Investing

If you are planning to retire on the assets you have accumulated or are accumulating, you need to get exposure to the equities markets and you need to do that sooner rather than later. Global equities markets work and you deserve your share of the positive long-term returns they generate.

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Coffee Service On-the-Rocks Spells Added Profits

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:06:00 +0000

From The American Mixologist

Coffee is one of the highest profit items in the house, usually generating higher margins than liquor, beer or wine. Yet most of us pay little attention to our coffee service, content to let the staff adequately service the demand.

Times have changed, however, and coffee’s unprecedented popularity has opened new opportunities to tap into this phenomenal trend.

Coffee is brewed using boiling water and served piping hot. The boiling water is necessary to extract the coffee essence from the beans. Serving it while still hot is a convention, one born out of the desire to capture the coffee’s freshly brewed flavor.

But there is an entire realm of coffee service that challenges this convention and explores the creative possibilities of serving coffee at the opposite end of the temperature spectrum—freshly brewed and icy cold.

There are considerable operational benefits to serving iced coffee, not the least of which is selling coffee in the summer months. While you’re at it, why not sell iced espresso or cappuccinos? There are loads of creative options, as well as numerous applications for iced coffee behind the bar.

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The Road Map For Increasing Your Tips

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:59:00 +0000

From The American Mixologist

Let’s face it, one of the great things about bartending is getting tipped. They’re like financial pats on the back. Tips make a good night that much better and a bad one much more tolerable.

When bartenders reach the point where they no longer appreciate getting tipped, I think it’s probably time for them to get out from behind the bar.

Tips are also something of a financial health barometer for a bar and therefore a legitimate managerial concern. For one thing, when bartenders are earning sizeable amounts of gratuities, they presumably won’t be as likely to put their jobs in jeopardy by ripping off the house.

Although it is speculation and I appreciate that exceptions abound, incidence of internal theft can be expected to drop when bartenders are well compensated for their efforts.

Another reason to be mindful of staff gratuities is that guests rarely reward blasé service or lackluster cocktails. Going through the motions doesn’t equate to attentive service and inadequate drinks are an affront.

So unless your establishment attracts an unusually generous crowd, a staff that hauls in good tips is likely one that understands their primary missions.

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4 dumb financial moves in the recession

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:35:00 +0000

By Marilyn Kennedy Melia

You can almost hear the collective slaps to the head.

This recession has brought to light dumb money management practices, forcing just about all of us to confront our financial foibles.

Maybe, for instance, you're one of the ones who panicked and sold during the market bottom. Or, you believed housing prices were guaranteed to rise.

The federal government is tapping behavioral economists -- experts on why we humans make the money judgments we do -- to help devise regulations so that people don't take on unaffordable mortgages and to help them understand their actual credit card fees.

But these efforts just scratch the surface. Here are four common mistakes that surfaced during this economic turmoil, and fixes that we can put in place to prevent ourselves from making the same costly error again:

4 recession regrets

1. Not having emergency reserves.
2. Panicking over the market collapse.
3. Investing in the "sure" thing.
4. Ignoring the fine print.

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13 Things a Burglar Will Never Tell You

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:26:00 +0000

Posted by: Dr. Mercola

The information for this comes from crime experts and convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and Kentucky. Here’s what a burglar won’t tell you:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love the flowers -- they tell me you have taste, and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they
have.

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A Ride on the Wild Side

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:15:00 +0000

By: Emily Hanna Mayock

Minneapolis and safari – not two words you often think of together. But that is just what the minds behind the bars at W Minneapolis–The Foshay and other venues around the city have in store with the Twin Cities Cocktail Safari, which started in July.

On the tour, safari-goers hop in a limousine from Renee’s Royal Valet Limousine Service to sample signature drinks at four of the participating bars: W’s Prohibition and The Living Room, La Belle Vie, Chambers Hotel, Barrio and Solera.

All bars involved are connected in some way to real estate magnates Ralph and Ryan Burnet, “our little family, so to speak,” explains Brian Johnson, general manager of The Living Room and Prohibition.

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10 Reasons Why Exercise is Good for Your Weight

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Posted by: Dr. Mercola

A recent Time magazine article, "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin," is misleading at best. Exercise is critical to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight, especially when paired with healthy eating habits.

Countless studies, numerous experts who study exercise, and the millions of people who have lost weight all attest to the fact that working out works.

1. Exercise zaps belly fat

Regular moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise has the greatest impact on reducing abdominal fat -- the dangerous fat that increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

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Top 5 Books For Young Investors

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:14:00 +0000

by Marv Dumon

It's imperative for young adults and professionals to start investing early. One of the main reasons for doing so is to obtain the power of compound interest; by holding long-term investments, one can allow his or her assets to generate more returns. Investing just a few years earlier could translate to tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of additional funds for your retirement nest egg.

But while it is important to invest early, it is also important to invest wisely. Let's take a look at five classic investing books. They can provide indispensable business and finance insights for young investors - and they're a good read, too!

"Rich Dad, Poor Dad" (2000) by Robert Kiyosaki

This classic is a must-read for young investors. Kiyosaki's view is that the poor and middle class work for money, but the rich work to learn. He stresses the importance of financial literacy, and presents financial independence as the ultimate goal and a way to avoid the rat race of corporate America.

The author points out that while accounting is important to learn, it can also be misleading. Banks label a house as an asset for the individual, but because of the required payments to keep it, it can really be a liability in terms of cash flow. Real assets add cash flow to your wallet.

Kiyosaki advocates investments that produce periodic cash flow for the investor while providing upside in terms of equity value. Real estate and stocks that provide dividends are viewed favorably.

The author advises that America's educational system is designed to keep people working hard for the rest of their lives and that the school system does a poor job of teaching people to create enough wealth so they won't have to work anymore.

Kiyosaki also highlights the importance of tax planning. (For more suggested readings, check out 10 Books Every Investor Should Read.)

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Potions with Pizzazz

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:07:00 +0000

By: Kelly Magyarics

When molecular mixology hit the scene a few years ago, isomalt and soy lecithin gained a place on some shelves right next to gin and bitters, and emulsifiers and Cryovac machines joined cocktail shakers and Hawthorne strainers as bars became indistinguishable from laboratories.

This subset of bartending — an offshoot of molecular gastronomy — gives cocktailians the chance to flex their muscles and highlight more complex textures and flavors in drinks, providing both a wow factor for guests and a high level of showmanship for operators.

Admittedly, some of these tipple techniques can be intricately esoteric, requiring expensive or difficult to obtain ingredients and equipment, as well as a great deal of experimentation. But several others exist that are simple to introduce.

Though the trend has leveled off a bit, an impressive number of bartenders still are using scientific innovation to drive traffic and sales. We asked some proponents of molecular mixology for tips on employing easily impressive elements into any bar environment.

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Selling Your Home In A Down Market

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:33:00 +0000

by Glenn Curtis

In a declining real estate market where supply outstrips demand, a person can generally sell a house faster by lowering the price. But there are other ways to enhance a home's attractiveness besides lowering the asking price. If you're looking to sell your home in a cooling real estate market, read on for some tips on how to generate interest and get the best price possible.

Differentiate From the Neighbors In order to attract attention and to make your home more memorable, consider custom designs or additions, such as landscaping, high grade windows or an updated Timberline roof.

This can help improve the home's aesthetics, while potentially adding value to the home. Any improvements should be practical and use colors and designs that would appeal to the widest audience.

In addition, they should compliment the home and its other amenities, such as building a deck or patio adjacent to an outdoor swimming pool.

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Seeing the economy through wrong lenses

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:25:00 +0000

From LOM Global Perspectives

The deep global recession from which we are currently recovering came as a surprise to the majority of Wall Street analyst, as well as central bankers and academic economists. It is not too difficult to nail them to the wall, because their assertions have been widely recorded in print and the general media.

There was an astonishing degree of complacency right on the eve of the downturn, even as danger signs increased. Now, herd behaviour is very common in this line of business, and this was particularly so after the experience of a long period of robust low-inflation growth.

Everybody bought into the model and it became an article of faith that the blue skies would continue, as people routinely discounted contrary evidence.

For the individual analyst, it is always safer to issue opinions close to the consensus than to stand apart from the crowd. Only occasionally will someone risk a radical departure from the reigning view, because the cost of getting it wrong may be higher than the temporary fame of being right.
Sticking your neck out may be a dangerous career move. Being wrong, along with the majority, is a safer bet than being wrong alone.

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Have a drink waiting

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:19:00 +0000

By Robert Stahl

A good bartender will have a drink ready and waiting for his regulars by the time they sit down at the bar. This gesture serves several purposes-- it gives your guest the impression that you’ve saved him a seat, it lets him know you’re happy to see him, and it makes him feel instantly welcome, allowing him to relax and enjoy his visit.

Now you’re not going to be able to do this for all your guests. With some, you never know what they’re going to feel like drinking from one day to the next. For instance, I have one guest that orders a different cocktail each time I see him.

But over time you’re going to develop your own regular customers, and you’ll quickly which of them repeatedly drinks the same thing on a regular basis. For these guests, you should take the initiative and go ahead and prepare his drink when you see him entering the bar.

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Closely Watched Buffett Recalculating His Bets

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:02:00 +0000

At 79, Mr. Buffett is coming off the worst year of his long, storied career. On paper, he personally lost an estimated $25 billion in the financial panic of 2008, enough to cost him his title as the world's richest man. (His friend and sometime bridge partner, Bill Gates, now holds that honor, according to Forbes.)

And yet few people on or off Wall Street have capitalized on this crisis as deftly as Mr. Buffett. After counseling Washington to rescue the nation's financial industry and publicly urging Americans to buy stocks as the markets reeled, in he swooped.

Mr. Buffett positioned himself to profit from the market mayhem -- as well as all those taxpayer-financed bailouts -- and thus secure his legacy as one of the greatest investors of all time.by Graham Bowley

Warren E. Buffett has two cardinal rules of investing. Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1.

Well, a lot of old rules got trashed when the financial crisis struck -- even for the Oracle of Omaha.

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One of the Key Herbs that Prevents and Treats Swine Flu

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:07:00 +0000

Posted by: Dr. Mercola

Ayurveda, India’s traditional 'science of life,' has the remedy for swine flu in the form of the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.

Tulsi is well known in India for its remarkable healing properties. But the anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently.

Tulsi improves your body's overall defense mechanism, including its ability to fight viral diseases.Apart from acting as a preventive medicine, Tulsi can also help a patient recover faster.

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What Do Your Bartenders Really Need to Know?

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:01:00 +0000

From The American Mixologist

Considering the pivotal role bartenders play within your business, what they don’t know can hurt you. But let’s be honest, what’s easier to put off than staff training? The irony is that few things are more pivotal to your operation’s success than ensuring your frontline employees are well trained.

If a mind is a terrible thing to waste, imagine the terrible cost of squandering the intellectual capacity of your entire staff.

Simply put, training is a dollars and cents issue. If bartenders and servers are insufficiently trained, every aspect of the operation suffers.

Consider the ramifications of servers who aren’t familiar with the menu, bartenders who don’t know about the products on the back bar, or who aren’t comfortable cutting someone off. This just begins to scratch the surface of the things your staff needs to know.

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10 Tricks for Creatively Hiding Your Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:48:00 +0000

Posted by: Dr. Mercola

10. Draw useful information on book edges

Terrible with names? Can't remember the lunch specials at your favorite take-out spot? These kinds of reminders, the kind you don't necessarily want everyone to know you use, are perfect for the edge of a Moleskine, a paperback, or, if appearances aren't that important, your tourist guidebook.

9. Keep cat litter inconspicuous

You can turn an entryway storage unit or a storage bin that fits under a sink into litter boxes that use discrete space and won't necessarily make those rooms less pleasant.

8. Make a cable-free workspace

Do a little creative stashing of those cables and cords. Here a cordless workspace idea that’s a good starting point.

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12 Surprising Signs You'll Live to 100

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:38:00 +0000

by: Dr. Mercola

You're the life of the party

Outgoing people are 50 percent less likely to develop dementia. Researchers speculate that their more resilient brains may be due to lower levels of cortisol -- studies show that oversecretion of this "stress hormone" can inhibit brain cells' communication.

You run for 40 minutes a day

Middle-aged people who run for a total of about 5 hours per week lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older. They didn't just get less heart disease -- they also developed fewer cases of cancer, neurological diseases, and infections.

You like raspberries

Dietary fiber helps reduce total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, and boost weight loss. Raspberries are high in fiber.

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Irish Whiskeys Sizzle With Contemporary Appeal

noreply@blogger.com (George Courtney) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:20:00 +0000

There’s no such thing as an uninspired Irish whiskey. Collectively they present aficionados a range of whiskies diverse in style and breadth of expressions with world-class offerings at every price point.

Add in that they’re highly aromatic and exceptionally easy to drink and you begin to explain why Irish whiskeys have become hot commodities, continuing a growth cycle begun in the late ‘90s, sales of Irish in the U.S. increased 16.8 percent in 2007.

Part of their attraction is that they are triple-distilled from both malted and unmalted barley, and most lack the peaty smokiness of Scotch. Traditionally Irish distillers develop the character of their spirits in the vat rather than post-distillation blending.

As a result, whiskeys are typically light-bodied and brimming with character and intriguing nuances.

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