By Dr. Joseph Mercola
Finding total happiness is the ultimate goal for many people -- but should it be? New research suggests that if wealth and success are also at the top of your list, the two goals may be somewhat incompatible.
Income does tend to increase along with happiness, according to data from the World Values Survey -- but only to a point. Those who rated their happiness a “10,” the top score, earned significantly less than those who put down 8 or 9.
Those who were slightly less happy were also more likely to have gone to college, engaged in the political process and saved money.
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Monday, June 30, 2008
Still Looking for the Housing Turn
By David Lee Smith
Have you noticed that sentiment about the housing market looks a lot like Phil Mickelson's golf ball did on that horrible hole at last weekend's U.S. Open? It moved up a hill toward the green for a while, but before reaching the crest, it retreated back to lower ground.
Think there could be a housing double bogey in the works here? Here's what I mean: During the first part of the year, homebuilders' share prices headed strongly upward, and it finally looked as though they might have turned the corner and put the downturn behind them.
But since May, the group's shares have begun to fall again, as much-anticipated good news has mostly failed to materialize.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Have you noticed that sentiment about the housing market looks a lot like Phil Mickelson's golf ball did on that horrible hole at last weekend's U.S. Open? It moved up a hill toward the green for a while, but before reaching the crest, it retreated back to lower ground.
Think there could be a housing double bogey in the works here? Here's what I mean: During the first part of the year, homebuilders' share prices headed strongly upward, and it finally looked as though they might have turned the corner and put the downturn behind them.
But since May, the group's shares have begun to fall again, as much-anticipated good news has mostly failed to materialize.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Is Bartending School Neccesary?
Posted by Joe Bartender
Bar tending is an exciting job but many people really do not know how one gets into bartending. The question remains, does one have to go to a Bar tending school to become a bartender?
In general, the answer is no.
In the old days there were no bartending schools; the majority of bartenders made it through by starting out as waiters, busboys and assistants. The majority toiled in these low paid jobs for years and eventually got a break. Like in all jobs, it does help if you know someone who will give you a break.
While going to bar tending school is not essential, it sure does help you know the basics. If someone does not have the money or time to go to Bartending School, one may just have to start was a waiter or an assistant to a bar tender.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Bar tending is an exciting job but many people really do not know how one gets into bartending. The question remains, does one have to go to a Bar tending school to become a bartender?
In general, the answer is no.
In the old days there were no bartending schools; the majority of bartenders made it through by starting out as waiters, busboys and assistants. The majority toiled in these low paid jobs for years and eventually got a break. Like in all jobs, it does help if you know someone who will give you a break.
While going to bar tending school is not essential, it sure does help you know the basics. If someone does not have the money or time to go to Bartending School, one may just have to start was a waiter or an assistant to a bar tender.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Saturday, June 28, 2008
12 Food Additives to Avoid
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness. My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)
1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)
This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.
2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness. My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)
1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)
This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.
2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
4 Tips for XM and Sirius
By Rick Aristotle Munarriz
Now that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is working to rally his troops around approving the merger between XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR) and Sirius Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI), investors may be tossing confetti, donning party hats, and ducking champagne corks.
Hold the bubbly.
This isn't the end. It's barely the beginning. The companies still have to get the FCC's official blessing, line up deal financing, and sober up long enough to battle a very competitive marketplace in portable audio.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Now that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is working to rally his troops around approving the merger between XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR) and Sirius Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI), investors may be tossing confetti, donning party hats, and ducking champagne corks.
Hold the bubbly.
This isn't the end. It's barely the beginning. The companies still have to get the FCC's official blessing, line up deal financing, and sober up long enough to battle a very competitive marketplace in portable audio.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Aficionados aside, Mexican beers still popular
By Josh L. Dickey
No doubt there once existed a truly Mexican style of beer, brewed in a tradition that, through centuries of trial and error, fine-tuned indigenous ingredients and local conditions into perfect harmony.
Unfortunately, we'll never taste it.Each and every invading force, from the Spanish conquistadors to Maximilian, apparently decided they could do better than what the locals were pouring.
And perhaps as a result, we've been left with a grafting of someone else's beer preference onto climate, soil and water conditions that never quite suited it.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
No doubt there once existed a truly Mexican style of beer, brewed in a tradition that, through centuries of trial and error, fine-tuned indigenous ingredients and local conditions into perfect harmony.
Unfortunately, we'll never taste it.Each and every invading force, from the Spanish conquistadors to Maximilian, apparently decided they could do better than what the locals were pouring.
And perhaps as a result, we've been left with a grafting of someone else's beer preference onto climate, soil and water conditions that never quite suited it.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
You're Not So Weird
By Selena Maranjian
I stumbled upon a website the other day called iamneurotic.com. It's full of weird confessions. And it proves to me that we all have some rather strange idiosyncrasies.
Personal quirks can be endearing. However, they can cost you money if they take the form of investing neuroses.
Candle-wick perfection
For example, someone at iamneurotic.com writes: "I trim all my candle wicks to exactly 1/4 inch. ... [U]nruly flames drive me insane! I like tight, calm, perfect little flames."
Weird, right? Sure -- but many investors obsessively seek perfection in the same way.
For instance, if you screen for investments, you might just miss out on lots of decent investments. Let's say you screen for companies in the S&P 500 with net profit margins of at least 10% and expected earnings growth over the coming five years of at least 15%
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
I stumbled upon a website the other day called iamneurotic.com. It's full of weird confessions. And it proves to me that we all have some rather strange idiosyncrasies.
Personal quirks can be endearing. However, they can cost you money if they take the form of investing neuroses.
Candle-wick perfection
For example, someone at iamneurotic.com writes: "I trim all my candle wicks to exactly 1/4 inch. ... [U]nruly flames drive me insane! I like tight, calm, perfect little flames."
Weird, right? Sure -- but many investors obsessively seek perfection in the same way.
For instance, if you screen for investments, you might just miss out on lots of decent investments. Let's say you screen for companies in the S&P 500 with net profit margins of at least 10% and expected earnings growth over the coming five years of at least 15%
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Rethinking Reverse Mortgages
By John Rosevear
Reverse mortgages -- a way for seniors to tap into their home equity without having to make monthly payments -- have become a mainstream retirement-planning option in recent years. Despite some drawbacks, for many retirees, a wisely chosen reverse mortgage has helped fund a comfortable, active retirement when savings and pensions alone weren't sufficient.
But recently, the reverse-mortgage picture has gotten very complicated. Consider: The conventional wisdom around reverse mortgages has long been that retirees should wait as long as possible before taking one.
There are two reasons for this:
Reverse mortgages usually have an actuarial component, meaning that the lender looks at your likely remaining life expectancy when deciding how much to lend you. The older you are, the better your chances of getting more money. More money is good.
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Reverse mortgages -- a way for seniors to tap into their home equity without having to make monthly payments -- have become a mainstream retirement-planning option in recent years. Despite some drawbacks, for many retirees, a wisely chosen reverse mortgage has helped fund a comfortable, active retirement when savings and pensions alone weren't sufficient.
But recently, the reverse-mortgage picture has gotten very complicated. Consider: The conventional wisdom around reverse mortgages has long been that retirees should wait as long as possible before taking one.
There are two reasons for this:
Reverse mortgages usually have an actuarial component, meaning that the lender looks at your likely remaining life expectancy when deciding how much to lend you. The older you are, the better your chances of getting more money. More money is good.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Is Bartending School A Good Option For You ?
By : MIKE SELVON
Bartending has been portrayed by the media as running the gamut from exciting, as in movies like Cocktail, to not so thrilling, as in the bartender Mo in the Simpsons. As with any other job, a bartending job has its ups and downs, but it really depends on the person who is pursuing the career.
A bartending school is a great idea for someone who is looking to make bartending into a full time occupation. Bartending services run the gamut from just pouring beers in a local tavern, all the way to working in posh restaurants and knowing how to mix drinks.
Finding the best school to attend to learn how to bartend is very important; you need to know what your options are.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Bartending has been portrayed by the media as running the gamut from exciting, as in movies like Cocktail, to not so thrilling, as in the bartender Mo in the Simpsons. As with any other job, a bartending job has its ups and downs, but it really depends on the person who is pursuing the career.
A bartending school is a great idea for someone who is looking to make bartending into a full time occupation. Bartending services run the gamut from just pouring beers in a local tavern, all the way to working in posh restaurants and knowing how to mix drinks.
Finding the best school to attend to learn how to bartend is very important; you need to know what your options are.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Saturday, June 21, 2008
A Guidebook for Investing in Down Markets
By Amanda B. Kish, CFA
There's no doubt about it: Investing is an emotional pursuit. Keeping your cool is pretty easy when the market is heading up and you're posting double-digit gains each year, but investing in a down market is a whole different animal.
When you're watching your portfolio fall into the red, it's easy to give in to fear and panic. But if you follow these simple rules for investing during volatile times, you can reduce some of those emotional tailspins -- and never worry about bear markets again.
1. Don't try to time the market
You've heard it before, and you'll undoubtedly hear it again, but this is one of the most important aspects of investing -- and one of the most easily forgotten. No one, not even the rafts of experts, knows what the market is going to do when. Don't waste your time trying to figure it out.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
There's no doubt about it: Investing is an emotional pursuit. Keeping your cool is pretty easy when the market is heading up and you're posting double-digit gains each year, but investing in a down market is a whole different animal.
When you're watching your portfolio fall into the red, it's easy to give in to fear and panic. But if you follow these simple rules for investing during volatile times, you can reduce some of those emotional tailspins -- and never worry about bear markets again.
1. Don't try to time the market
You've heard it before, and you'll undoubtedly hear it again, but this is one of the most important aspects of investing -- and one of the most easily forgotten. No one, not even the rafts of experts, knows what the market is going to do when. Don't waste your time trying to figure it out.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Why You Should Embrace $4 Gasoline
By Morgan Housel
Everyone should want cheap transportation. Everyone should want to return to the days when filling up your automobile didn't incinerate your savings. Your 100-mile daily commute shouldn't consume half of your paycheck. You deserve better. And that's exactly why you should embrace $4 gasoline.
Huh?
Nearly every "solution" to the current gas situation involves lowering prices. There are all sorts of proposed ideas, from establishing gas-tax holidays to scolding Big Oil companies to building more refineries. Some of those ideas would indeed lower prices. You can't blame people for wanting to pay less.
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Everyone should want cheap transportation. Everyone should want to return to the days when filling up your automobile didn't incinerate your savings. Your 100-mile daily commute shouldn't consume half of your paycheck. You deserve better. And that's exactly why you should embrace $4 gasoline.
Huh?
Nearly every "solution" to the current gas situation involves lowering prices. There are all sorts of proposed ideas, from establishing gas-tax holidays to scolding Big Oil companies to building more refineries. Some of those ideas would indeed lower prices. You can't blame people for wanting to pay less.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Bartending: An Inroduction
From http://naviarora.blogspot.com/
Have you ever dreamt of having your own bar? If you like alcohol then it may be your dream to have your own bar. However setting up a bar is not as difficult as it sounds. Like every other field you will here also need to learn some things which will help you run your bar smoothly as a bartender.
If you want to make your bar a grand success than you will more than just the right wines, liquors and spirits and more importantly you will need the right tools and equipments. Also in addition to these you as bartender will need to know the various techniques of mixing various drinks together in the proper way.
One of the most important things while opening your own bar is the location. The bar should be such it is easily accessible by all and provides plenty of parking space for the peak hours.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Have you ever dreamt of having your own bar? If you like alcohol then it may be your dream to have your own bar. However setting up a bar is not as difficult as it sounds. Like every other field you will here also need to learn some things which will help you run your bar smoothly as a bartender.
If you want to make your bar a grand success than you will more than just the right wines, liquors and spirits and more importantly you will need the right tools and equipments. Also in addition to these you as bartender will need to know the various techniques of mixing various drinks together in the proper way.
One of the most important things while opening your own bar is the location. The bar should be such it is easily accessible by all and provides plenty of parking space for the peak hours.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Simple Bartending Tips - How To Be A Professional Bartender
The following article is from a series of career related articles, tips, videos and information about bartending …
If you desire to become a great bartender, then you need to have the knowledge and skill that the job requires. Bartending is an extremely rewarding career, but it is also fairly demanding. A bartender must keep their customers and themselves happy with the service that they provide.
No one likes to be around a bartender who delivers poor service. There are certain things that a bartender has to do to keep ahead of the game. Knowing drinks and how to prepare them is one of the most essential things to learn.
In this article are several bartending tips that will help you along in your quest to be a great barkeep.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
If you desire to become a great bartender, then you need to have the knowledge and skill that the job requires. Bartending is an extremely rewarding career, but it is also fairly demanding. A bartender must keep their customers and themselves happy with the service that they provide.
No one likes to be around a bartender who delivers poor service. There are certain things that a bartender has to do to keep ahead of the game. Knowing drinks and how to prepare them is one of the most essential things to learn.
In this article are several bartending tips that will help you along in your quest to be a great barkeep.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
More Drugs That Kill You
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
People who receive blood-pressure-lowering drugs known as beta blockers shortly before, and after, having non-cardiac surgery are at higher risk of dying or having a stroke.
Surgery increases your heart's need for oxygen, and beta blockers are commonly given to help reduce blood pressure and heart rate, thereby reducing strain on the heart.
In the study of over 8,300 people, participants were randomly assigned to receive a beta blocker two to four hours before surgery, as well as for 30 days after the procedure, or a placebo.
Compared to those given a placebo, those who received beta blockers were 27 percent less likely to have a heart attack. However, they also had a 33 percent increased risk of dying, and double the risk of stroke.
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People who receive blood-pressure-lowering drugs known as beta blockers shortly before, and after, having non-cardiac surgery are at higher risk of dying or having a stroke.
Surgery increases your heart's need for oxygen, and beta blockers are commonly given to help reduce blood pressure and heart rate, thereby reducing strain on the heart.
In the study of over 8,300 people, participants were randomly assigned to receive a beta blocker two to four hours before surgery, as well as for 30 days after the procedure, or a placebo.
Compared to those given a placebo, those who received beta blockers were 27 percent less likely to have a heart attack. However, they also had a 33 percent increased risk of dying, and double the risk of stroke.
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Mini Meltdown
By Jewel Diamond Taylor
You may feel like your efforts and faith are not bearing fruit. Working every day to maintain your life can feel like you're on a treadmill: going to work - taking care of your family - paperwork - long commutes to work - paying bills - dodging sickness and bill collectors - cooking and cleaning -- coping with family drama - healing heartaches - running here, running there - putting out fires of emergencies - phone calls - to-do list - interviews - committees, classes and church - meetings and medicine!!!!
OK - you may be experiencing a mini meltdown. You may have a "24 hour virus called exhaustion and disappointment". How do you overcome your mini meltdown?
Take off your superwo(man) cape.
Take some tasks off your plate. You re-evaluate your priorities and delegate. You stop and regroup. You rest and pray. You take a break before you have a breakdown. You fast and meditate.
You laugh or cry and shake it off. You re-commit to your goals and purpose. You strengthen your coping skills. You take some time to pamper yourself. Check your blood pressure. You call a good friend.
You work on your dreams and passion. You help someone in need. You go for a walk. Plan a vacation. Enjoy nature. You increase your faith. You place your foot on the enemy's neck. You encourage yourself. You speak life over yourself.
You dismantle the camp and tent called "disconTENTment. You stand up in God's grace. You count your blessings. You focus on what you can do now with what you have now. You don't give up. You take a deep breath and start again stronger, wiser, focused, optimistic and encouraged.
Train your brain for success.
Don't be tired, get inspired.
Get equipped so you can't be whipped by stress.
Ready --- set --- GROW !
You may feel like your efforts and faith are not bearing fruit. Working every day to maintain your life can feel like you're on a treadmill: going to work - taking care of your family - paperwork - long commutes to work - paying bills - dodging sickness and bill collectors - cooking and cleaning -- coping with family drama - healing heartaches - running here, running there - putting out fires of emergencies - phone calls - to-do list - interviews - committees, classes and church - meetings and medicine!!!!
OK - you may be experiencing a mini meltdown. You may have a "24 hour virus called exhaustion and disappointment". How do you overcome your mini meltdown?
Take off your superwo(man) cape.
Take some tasks off your plate. You re-evaluate your priorities and delegate. You stop and regroup. You rest and pray. You take a break before you have a breakdown. You fast and meditate.
You laugh or cry and shake it off. You re-commit to your goals and purpose. You strengthen your coping skills. You take some time to pamper yourself. Check your blood pressure. You call a good friend.
You work on your dreams and passion. You help someone in need. You go for a walk. Plan a vacation. Enjoy nature. You increase your faith. You place your foot on the enemy's neck. You encourage yourself. You speak life over yourself.
You dismantle the camp and tent called "disconTENTment. You stand up in God's grace. You count your blessings. You focus on what you can do now with what you have now. You don't give up. You take a deep breath and start again stronger, wiser, focused, optimistic and encouraged.
Train your brain for success.
Don't be tired, get inspired.
Get equipped so you can't be whipped by stress.
Ready --- set --- GROW !
Battling pinot grigio's not so smart image
By Bill Daley
Pinot grigio has really become the merlot of white wine.Hugely popular with the public, profitable for winemakers (double-digit growth in dollar sales and volume sold over the last year, according to The Nielsen Co., the market research firm), this is a wine that's totally, utterly, dissed by many serious wine drinkers.
Fairly typical of the attitude is this comment from a wine store employee: "Pinot grigio is dull, flabby and uninteresting. They are all alike to me."
Well, not really. For just as one must remember that the much-maligned merlot is the stuff of the legendary Cheval-Blanc and Petrus, so must one realize there are some "smart" pinot grigios out there.
To find the best, know where to look.Pinot grigio (PEE-no GREE-geeoh) is Italian for the pinot gris (PEE-no gree) grape, which is named for its grayish hue. The wine is made around the world in a multitude of styles and can be labeled as either pinot gris or pinot grigio, depending on maker and location.
Asked to identify some excellent pinot grigios, Chicago-area wine merchants roamed widely. Janel Syron of Wine Styles Belmont in Chicago suggested an Anne Amie pinot gris from Oregon's Willamette Valley.
Emmett Malloy III of Sav-Way Fine Wines & Spirits stores liked the Santiago Graffigna pinot grigio from Argentina. And Mark Wrobel, a wine buyer for Fox & Obel in Chicago, picked out a Virginia pinot grigio made by Barboursville Vineyards.
Others also were quick to point to northern Italy and its cooler wine regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Alto Adige for quality pinot grigio."The only way to make a special pinot grigio is in a cold climate," said Tom Hyland, a Chicago wine educator and writer.
"If you see a pinot grigio from Tuscany, forget it."Hyland loves the crisp, clean finish and strength found in pinot grigios from Friuli and Alto Adige but admitted that the "blandness" of pinot grigio made in warmer climes may be key to its wide appeal.
"It doesn't offend anyone," he said, "and that's the strength of these weak pinot grigios. I don't think too many Americans want a lot of acidity in their wine."Mike Baker of Wine Discount Center in Chicago thinks producers like Abbazia di Novacella, Livio Felluga, Elena Walch and Venica e Venica set the direction for better-quality pinot grigio.
"These wines are typically deeper in color, sometimes with streaks of amber, gold, burnt red," he said. "Texturally, they tend toward a weightier and richer mouth-feel, as well as a drier and longer finish.
... The flavors are also different: Less fruitiness and more earth and mineral tones."While there are producers out there striving to do "bigger and better" pinot grigios, Doug Jeffirs of Binny's Beverage Depot said that wine consumers need to have a realistic image of what pinot grigio should be.
"People need to understand it for what it is: inexpensive, fresh, lively juice," he said. "I think it has opened the door, at least in this market, for other, more interesting Italian whites to be considered, like Soave, Gavi, vernaccia and even vermentino and inzolia.
"But others say pinot grigio for pinot grigio's sake still is a worthy cause."Pinot grigio, if anything, is better than it was five years ago," Baker insisted.
"I believe growers in northeast Italy that allow for true varietal expression, that is, pinot grigio that really looks and tastes like the varietal, have created a quality resurgence. We taste far fewer insipid examples than in recent past years."
Pinot grigio has really become the merlot of white wine.Hugely popular with the public, profitable for winemakers (double-digit growth in dollar sales and volume sold over the last year, according to The Nielsen Co., the market research firm), this is a wine that's totally, utterly, dissed by many serious wine drinkers.
Fairly typical of the attitude is this comment from a wine store employee: "Pinot grigio is dull, flabby and uninteresting. They are all alike to me."
Well, not really. For just as one must remember that the much-maligned merlot is the stuff of the legendary Cheval-Blanc and Petrus, so must one realize there are some "smart" pinot grigios out there.
To find the best, know where to look.Pinot grigio (PEE-no GREE-geeoh) is Italian for the pinot gris (PEE-no gree) grape, which is named for its grayish hue. The wine is made around the world in a multitude of styles and can be labeled as either pinot gris or pinot grigio, depending on maker and location.
Asked to identify some excellent pinot grigios, Chicago-area wine merchants roamed widely. Janel Syron of Wine Styles Belmont in Chicago suggested an Anne Amie pinot gris from Oregon's Willamette Valley.
Emmett Malloy III of Sav-Way Fine Wines & Spirits stores liked the Santiago Graffigna pinot grigio from Argentina. And Mark Wrobel, a wine buyer for Fox & Obel in Chicago, picked out a Virginia pinot grigio made by Barboursville Vineyards.
Others also were quick to point to northern Italy and its cooler wine regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Alto Adige for quality pinot grigio."The only way to make a special pinot grigio is in a cold climate," said Tom Hyland, a Chicago wine educator and writer.
"If you see a pinot grigio from Tuscany, forget it."Hyland loves the crisp, clean finish and strength found in pinot grigios from Friuli and Alto Adige but admitted that the "blandness" of pinot grigio made in warmer climes may be key to its wide appeal.
"It doesn't offend anyone," he said, "and that's the strength of these weak pinot grigios. I don't think too many Americans want a lot of acidity in their wine."Mike Baker of Wine Discount Center in Chicago thinks producers like Abbazia di Novacella, Livio Felluga, Elena Walch and Venica e Venica set the direction for better-quality pinot grigio.
"These wines are typically deeper in color, sometimes with streaks of amber, gold, burnt red," he said. "Texturally, they tend toward a weightier and richer mouth-feel, as well as a drier and longer finish.
... The flavors are also different: Less fruitiness and more earth and mineral tones."While there are producers out there striving to do "bigger and better" pinot grigios, Doug Jeffirs of Binny's Beverage Depot said that wine consumers need to have a realistic image of what pinot grigio should be.
"People need to understand it for what it is: inexpensive, fresh, lively juice," he said. "I think it has opened the door, at least in this market, for other, more interesting Italian whites to be considered, like Soave, Gavi, vernaccia and even vermentino and inzolia.
"But others say pinot grigio for pinot grigio's sake still is a worthy cause."Pinot grigio, if anything, is better than it was five years ago," Baker insisted.
"I believe growers in northeast Italy that allow for true varietal expression, that is, pinot grigio that really looks and tastes like the varietal, have created a quality resurgence. We taste far fewer insipid examples than in recent past years."
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Stocks That Beat Recession and Inflation
By Alex Dumortier, CFA
Through the first four months of the year, everyone took it for granted that the economy was, or would soon be, in a recession. Well, nearly everyone. At the end of February, I drew Inside Value readers' attention to a CNBC interview with Sam Zell.
The self-made billionaire investor stated that he didn't think the economy was in a recession -- nor would it go into a recession. He wasn't whistling against the wind, he was whistling against a typhoon.
Three short months later he's been mostly vindicated -- recession worries are now passe. The talking herds have moved on to the next fear of the moment: inflation. The stream of "experts" who counsel investors to prepare for economic scenarios that change constantly are confusing everyone.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Through the first four months of the year, everyone took it for granted that the economy was, or would soon be, in a recession. Well, nearly everyone. At the end of February, I drew Inside Value readers' attention to a CNBC interview with Sam Zell.
The self-made billionaire investor stated that he didn't think the economy was in a recession -- nor would it go into a recession. He wasn't whistling against the wind, he was whistling against a typhoon.
Three short months later he's been mostly vindicated -- recession worries are now passe. The talking herds have moved on to the next fear of the moment: inflation. The stream of "experts" who counsel investors to prepare for economic scenarios that change constantly are confusing everyone.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Fruit Can Keep Your Arteries Squeaky Clean
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
A study on juices made from apples or purple grapes showed that both the juices and the fruits themselves can help prevent clogged arteries. Researchers fed hamsters fruit and juice along with a fatty diet.
The animals who were fed grape juice had the lowest risk of developing artery problems. The benefits came from the fruits’ high levels of phenols, a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants in various foods are already known to be beneficial to heart health.
In this case, the team wanted to see how juicing affected the phenol content, because most studies have looked at raw fruit. The hamsters were given an amount of fruit equivalent to three apples, or three bunches of grapes for a human weighing 154 pounds (70 kg), and drank the equivalent of four glasses of juice daily.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
A study on juices made from apples or purple grapes showed that both the juices and the fruits themselves can help prevent clogged arteries. Researchers fed hamsters fruit and juice along with a fatty diet.
The animals who were fed grape juice had the lowest risk of developing artery problems. The benefits came from the fruits’ high levels of phenols, a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants in various foods are already known to be beneficial to heart health.
In this case, the team wanted to see how juicing affected the phenol content, because most studies have looked at raw fruit. The hamsters were given an amount of fruit equivalent to three apples, or three bunches of grapes for a human weighing 154 pounds (70 kg), and drank the equivalent of four glasses of juice daily.
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Sauvignon Republic: a Sauvignon Blanc specialist
By Corie Brown
The label produces wines made with the white grape from the Russian River, New Zealand, South Africa and Mendocino, with more on the way. As he stands before his Sensory Evaluation of Wine class at UC Davis Extension, John Buechsenstein, winemaker, professor and commercial vineyard location scout, sticks his nose into the tilted wine glass and breathes in deeply.
Ah, Sauvignon Blanc: the chameleon of the wine world.Buechsenstein's nose knows. As an instructor at Davis and at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Buechsenstein teaches students how to sniff out wine's variations. Sauvignon Blanc, he says, is an underrated star that can display multiple personalities.
Click Here to Continue Reading " Sauvignon Republic: a Sauvignon Blanc specialist”
The label produces wines made with the white grape from the Russian River, New Zealand, South Africa and Mendocino, with more on the way. As he stands before his Sensory Evaluation of Wine class at UC Davis Extension, John Buechsenstein, winemaker, professor and commercial vineyard location scout, sticks his nose into the tilted wine glass and breathes in deeply.
Ah, Sauvignon Blanc: the chameleon of the wine world.Buechsenstein's nose knows. As an instructor at Davis and at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Buechsenstein teaches students how to sniff out wine's variations. Sauvignon Blanc, he says, is an underrated star that can display multiple personalities.
Click Here to Continue Reading " Sauvignon Republic: a Sauvignon Blanc specialist”
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Why You Need to Earn 10%
By Selena Maranjian
Odds are that like me, you've heard plenty about asset allocation. You've read that as we get older, it can make sense to move some of our money out of stocks and into bonds. Many advisors would even park a sizable chunk of your money into bonds right now, even if you're still 10 or 20 years away from retirement.
I know that for long-term money, stocks almost always outperform bonds. According to research from business professor Jeremy Siegel, stocks have outperformed bonds 74% of the time over all five-year periods between 1871 and 2001.
Over all 10-year periods in the same span, that figure rises to 82%. Meanwhile, stocks outperform bonds 95% of the time over all 20-year periods, and 99% of the time over all 30-year periods!
Click Here to Continue Reading “Why You Need to Earn 10%”
Odds are that like me, you've heard plenty about asset allocation. You've read that as we get older, it can make sense to move some of our money out of stocks and into bonds. Many advisors would even park a sizable chunk of your money into bonds right now, even if you're still 10 or 20 years away from retirement.
I know that for long-term money, stocks almost always outperform bonds. According to research from business professor Jeremy Siegel, stocks have outperformed bonds 74% of the time over all five-year periods between 1871 and 2001.
Over all 10-year periods in the same span, that figure rises to 82%. Meanwhile, stocks outperform bonds 95% of the time over all 20-year periods, and 99% of the time over all 30-year periods!
Click Here to Continue Reading “Why You Need to Earn 10%”
Successful Job Seeking Tips
By Jewel Diamond Taylor
There are many things to consider and prepare for to secure your next employment:-
. connect with others, networking
. make phone calls
. overcome procrastination and fear
. increase your skills/education
. write down your goals and expectations
. update your resume
. interview attire
. targeting specific jobs
Click Here to Continue Reading “Successful Job Seeking Tips”
There are many things to consider and prepare for to secure your next employment:-
. connect with others, networking
. make phone calls
. overcome procrastination and fear
. increase your skills/education
. write down your goals and expectations
. update your resume
. interview attire
. targeting specific jobs
Click Here to Continue Reading “Successful Job Seeking Tips”
Is Bartending School Right For You?
by: Joe Bartender
If you are looking for a new exciting career you may consider bar tending. There are a lot of common misconceptions about bartending and the training involved. In most states, Bartending School is not required.
If you don’t have appropriate training however, it is a great idea to attend a school with a bartending program. Your other option is to get in with a company that does not mind training you.
However during this training time you may not get paid and finding a place that is willing to train you may be difficult.
Click Here to Continue Reading "Is Bartending School Right For You?”
If you are looking for a new exciting career you may consider bar tending. There are a lot of common misconceptions about bartending and the training involved. In most states, Bartending School is not required.
If you don’t have appropriate training however, it is a great idea to attend a school with a bartending program. Your other option is to get in with a company that does not mind training you.
However during this training time you may not get paid and finding a place that is willing to train you may be difficult.
Click Here to Continue Reading "Is Bartending School Right For You?”
Friday, June 06, 2008
The Wrong Side of a Real Estate Slump
By Elizabeth Brokamp
When my husband and I bought our home in April 2005, the Washington, D.C.-area housing market was in a frenzy. We'd paraded through homes, all priced at far more than half a million dollars, with cracked foundations, slanting floors, and "slight" flooding problems.
We'd been told that it was likely we'd lose bidding wars to folks willing to waive the home inspection contingency. In fact, we had lost bids on two other homes, even with escalation clauses that sometimes went thousands over asking price.
The market around the area had been red-hot for several years, long enough that many of us forgot it could be any other way.
Click Here to Continue Reading “The Wrong Side of a Real Estate Slump”
When my husband and I bought our home in April 2005, the Washington, D.C.-area housing market was in a frenzy. We'd paraded through homes, all priced at far more than half a million dollars, with cracked foundations, slanting floors, and "slight" flooding problems.
We'd been told that it was likely we'd lose bidding wars to folks willing to waive the home inspection contingency. In fact, we had lost bids on two other homes, even with escalation clauses that sometimes went thousands over asking price.
The market around the area had been red-hot for several years, long enough that many of us forgot it could be any other way.
Click Here to Continue Reading “The Wrong Side of a Real Estate Slump”
How Does Your Garnish Grow?
From Imbibe Unfiltered
Summer has officially kicked off, which means it's time to head into the garden. Herbs are an easy, rewarding way to exercise your green thumb, and when it comes to cocktails, they're an essential ingredient.
If you have a sunny spot, big or small, try growing your own garnish garden (oh, and you can use it for cooking too!). Here are some of the plants we're growing this year for prime summer cocktail season:
Mint
Mint grows abundantly and its many varieties allow for fun experimentation with flavors. It's the signature herb in countless cocktails, from the Mint Julep to the Mojito. Try mint in the gingery Sleepyhead for a new take on mint in your next cocktail. It's also great for making your own mint tea or for adding to your favorite lemonade.
Click Here to Continue Reading "How Does Your Garnish Grow?”
Summer has officially kicked off, which means it's time to head into the garden. Herbs are an easy, rewarding way to exercise your green thumb, and when it comes to cocktails, they're an essential ingredient.
If you have a sunny spot, big or small, try growing your own garnish garden (oh, and you can use it for cooking too!). Here are some of the plants we're growing this year for prime summer cocktail season:
Mint
Mint grows abundantly and its many varieties allow for fun experimentation with flavors. It's the signature herb in countless cocktails, from the Mint Julep to the Mojito. Try mint in the gingery Sleepyhead for a new take on mint in your next cocktail. It's also great for making your own mint tea or for adding to your favorite lemonade.
Click Here to Continue Reading "How Does Your Garnish Grow?”
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Turn $451 a Month Into a Million Bucks
provided by Kiplinger.com
If you're 30 years old, you need to set aside $448 per month for next 35 years to become a millionaire -- if you earn a reasonable 8% annualized return in a retirement account. Don’t have $448 to spare -- or even $248? Maybe you do and don't realize it. Let's take a look at how you can come up with the cash.
Save $219 Per Month on Taxes
Here’s How: The average refund for the 2008 filing season so far is about $2,500. If you received an average refund and you are in the 25% federal tax bracket, you could be entitled to three extra exemptions worth $3,500 each.
That would boost your take-home pay by $219 a month. A couple of reasons you might be eligible for more exemptions: becoming a new parent or buying a house.
Click Here to Continue Reading “Turn $451 a Month Into a Million Bucks”
If you're 30 years old, you need to set aside $448 per month for next 35 years to become a millionaire -- if you earn a reasonable 8% annualized return in a retirement account. Don’t have $448 to spare -- or even $248? Maybe you do and don't realize it. Let's take a look at how you can come up with the cash.
Save $219 Per Month on Taxes
Here’s How: The average refund for the 2008 filing season so far is about $2,500. If you received an average refund and you are in the 25% federal tax bracket, you could be entitled to three extra exemptions worth $3,500 each.
That would boost your take-home pay by $219 a month. A couple of reasons you might be eligible for more exemptions: becoming a new parent or buying a house.
Click Here to Continue Reading “Turn $451 a Month Into a Million Bucks”
Choose your battles wisely
By Jewel Diamond Taylor
"Sometimes your anger can be so subtle that you don't even realize you are neglecting your health, your goals/dreams, your family, your house or your job.
The anger can be so paralyzing that you put your happiness on layaway waiting until "someday" to enjoy the gift of life.
Choose your battles wisely. Don't allow old hurts or disappointments to keep you from living with gratitude, hope, joy, love, peace, forgiveness, faith and action. The past has passed.
Click Here to Continue Reading “Choose your battles wisely”
"Sometimes your anger can be so subtle that you don't even realize you are neglecting your health, your goals/dreams, your family, your house or your job.
The anger can be so paralyzing that you put your happiness on layaway waiting until "someday" to enjoy the gift of life.
Choose your battles wisely. Don't allow old hurts or disappointments to keep you from living with gratitude, hope, joy, love, peace, forgiveness, faith and action. The past has passed.
Click Here to Continue Reading “Choose your battles wisely”
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Beer of the Moment: Maredsous 8 Dubbel
From Imbibe Unfiltered
Some of the best things in life are brown: espresso, bitter liqueurs, Manhattans and rich Belgian beers like one of our new favorites, Maredsous 8 Dubbel.
With its velvety body, floral aroma and deep, nuanced flavor with sweet notes of dark chocolate and wine, it’s just the thing to help weather the last rainy days of spring. Try it with a hunk of fresh, buttered, whole-grain artisan bread. Check maredsous-usa.com to find a distributor near you.
Some of the best things in life are brown: espresso, bitter liqueurs, Manhattans and rich Belgian beers like one of our new favorites, Maredsous 8 Dubbel.
With its velvety body, floral aroma and deep, nuanced flavor with sweet notes of dark chocolate and wine, it’s just the thing to help weather the last rainy days of spring. Try it with a hunk of fresh, buttered, whole-grain artisan bread. Check maredsous-usa.com to find a distributor near you.
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