China…Got (Safe) Milk?

The Chinese food safety system is learning that lesson the hard way when contaminated milked killed four babies and endangered the lives of 53,000 more, according to the article, “UN urges China to revamp food safety after milk crisis.”

The Chinese must change their entire food safety system and introduce new amendments that will regain the trust of the Chinese people and the rest of the world. The Chinese government needs to train food companies in proper inspection of food products in the most effective manner, or the crisis will never end. Not only does it affect the domestic market, but the global market as well. “Made in China” will soon become “Made in Contamination.”

Food companies need to utilize all of its resources and ensure that workers will do their jobs properly and honestly. If not, people will start losing confidence in their government system. It is sad to hear that laziness and complete disregard for a person’s well-being cost the lives of four babies.

How is it possible that a country in today’s modern times is still not able to produce clean consumable products? The regulation in China has the government taking responsibility instead of individuals being accountable. To put it plainly, if you can do what you want and never get in trouble, would you care how strict certain rules and regulations were? I think not.

Learn2Serve.com is happy to announce the State Approved Texas Food Handler Certification Course!

Learn2Serve.com is happy to announce the launch of our newest course, the State Approved Texas Food Handler Certification Course!

This 100% ONLINE Texas food handler course is all you’ve come to expect from Learn2Serve, but now it’s approved throughout the ENTIRE State of Texas!

So if you’re tired of going to the county or city health department where you live just to find out where to sign up for the local classroom version, go ONLINE and take it with us!

Since our course is only $10 for the general Texas Food Handler Course, you’ll definitely safe yourself some money, as well as the time and hassle of having to attend an onsite class.
Learn2Serve also has a very special offer for food handlers in the City of Plano, Texas.

Now, food handlers in Plano can get their course purchased along with all local health department fees in one fail swoop for $30!

Get certified at www.learn2serve.com!

Good and Bad Food Combos

When making decisions on food pairings, people generally do what tastes best. Sometimes this is OK, sometimes it is not.

It all depends on how the foods will chemically react to one another inside of your body. And as always, science constantly has its two-cents to put into the equation. Here are some of the latest food pairing “do’s” and “don’ts”:

DO’S:

Steak and Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli and cauliflower, contain certain compounds that can help rid the body of carcinogens. Namely, the carcinogens formed on the meat through the grilling process. Of course, it’s always better practice to cook meat slowly until it’s done, but the grill probably isn’t going anywhere for a while, and a little burnt taste is often preferred.

Avocado and Tomato

Antioxidants get a lot of press these days. And for good reason. Tomatoes are known to contain large amounts of lycopene, an antioxidant that can help protect against prostate cancer, other forms of cancer, and other serious diseases. Hence, tomatoes are known as a “super food.” But mix tomatoes with avocado and what do you get? A super food on steroids. The fat in the avocado allows your body to absorb seven times more lycopene.

Spinach and Oranges

Spinach, as Popeye would have you believe, is good for you as it’s high in iron. However, to get the most out of your spinach, you need vitamin C. That’s where the orange comes into play. The vitamin C converts the iron in spinach, and other veggies like broccoli, into a form that is more easily absorbed by the body.

DON’TS:

Alcohol and Energy Drinks

It seems to be the trend these days, but as more information is coming out, the general consensus of the medical community is that mixing alcohol and energy drinks can be quite dangerous. This is because the stimulants found in energy drinks (caffeine, etc.) and the fact that alcohol is a depressant, confuses the nervous system. This can cause heart palpitations, breathing problems, and in severe cases, heart attack and/or stroke. It is generally advisable to give a couple hours time in between the consumption of such beverages.

Alcohol and Diet Soda

The lack of sugar in the diet soda makes your body process the concoction at a faster rate. In turn, this can cause you to become drunk faster. This is because the calories found in a sweet mixed drink slow the emptying of the stomach, which causes your small intestine to absorb the alcohol at a slower rate. Take those calories away though and you may find yourself stumbling around a bit quicker than you had anticipated.

Coffee and Breakfast Cereal

In this instance, antioxidants are the culprit. Polyphenois, an antioxidant found in coffee, black tea, and some herbal teas, can actually hamper your body’s ability to effectively absorb the iron found in most breakfast cereals. The solution? Have your cup of joy before or after the cereal.

Sweet Science

Government scientists, with financial backing from Mars, Inc., are taking the first steps in a five-year journey to map the genome of perhaps the most-loved plant on the planet: the cocoa bean.

The project is a peculiar one, especially in light of the scientific community’s usual emphasis on mapping the human genome and other biological entities that seem…well…more important than the cocoa bean.

The end- goal of the project is to more effectively combat crop diseases in the cocoa.

Though virtually no cocoa is harvested in the U.S., crop diseases account for an annual $700 million in global losses for cocoa farmers. Domestic farmers who grow things like almonds and raisins depend a great deal on chocolate, so the belief is that the project should eventually yield positive results for many different types of farmers in many different countries.

Another welcomed result of the project may also be that producers will be able to make better tasting chocolate products, an idea that most anyone could get excited about.

The scientists’ first step is to catalog the entirety of the more than 400 million parts of the cocoa genome. Next, they will be able to concentrate on the parts of the double-helix that are of particular interest and importance to farmers and candy producers alike.

Although Mars Inc., the makers of M&M’s and Snickers candies, are footing the bill for the research, the results will be made public, even to the company’s competitors.

"For us, the fact that Hershey has similar information that every other chocolate company in the world has, that's fine," said Howard-Yana Shapiro, Mars' global director of plant science.

The belief is that there will be too much information for any one company to catalog and effectively analyze anyway.

Shapiro said he did not expect improvements in yields from research would lead to larger overall cocoa crops, but did say that higher yields would allow farmers to devote some of their land to other lucrative crops that could make them more money. This coupled with the potential for better tasting chocolate products could make for a sweet future for chocolate lovers the world over.

FLORIDA ALCOHOL SERVER COURSE

Learn2Serve now offers a full solution for insurance liability relief for alcohol-serving establishments in the state of Florida.

Establishments whose servers take the Learn2Serve 3-hour Florida alcohol safety course and stay current with the 1-hour refresher course may eligible to receive insurance discounts, and Learn2Serve’s training also offers mitigating benefits if an incident does occur.

Learn2Serve has a relationship with many large insurance companies such as USLI and Centrex, so interested managers should check out www.learn2serve.com and contact their insurance companies to see if they can receive insurance discounts and increased liability protection.

How to Minimize Liability in the Texas Hospitality Industry

Until 1987, Texas law did not impose liability on establishments who “over-served” patrons. The statute that changed that is known as the “Dram Shop Act”. This law dictates that an establishment could be held liable for civil damages on proof that:

1. At the time that the provider sold or served the alcohol, it was apparent that to the provider that the recipient was obviously intoxicated to the extent he/she presented a clear danger to him/herself and/or others, and
2. The intoxication of that individual proximately caused the damages suffered.

In addition to this civil liability, the Dram Shop Act also provides that the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission can revoke the alcohol permit of a provider who violates the provisions of the statute.

That being said, selling alcohol can be risky for an establishment, but the Dram Shop Act does provide for a “safe harbor.” Under this “safe harbor,” and establishment is protected even if its employee’s actions violate the act. To be protected, and establishment must meet three requirements:

1. The employer required its employees to attend a TABC approved “seller training program.”
2. The employee(s) in question actually attended the training, and
3. The employer did not directly or indirectly encourage the employee to violate the act.

In a recent interpretation of the statute, the Texas Supreme Court further defined the burden of proof on the each of the three elements, and clarified the standard for a finding on the third. The court concluded that the defendant (provider) retains the burden of proof for the first two elements, and the plaintiff for the third.

At least 42 states have statutes similar to the Texas Dram Shop Act, although some states do not permit the intoxicated person to sue for his/her own injuries, while some others impose a cap on the amount of damages.

The best thing for an establishment to do is:

1. Be up to date on current laws in their state(s)/area(s) of operation. Consult your legal representation.
2. Make sure employees understand the policies of the governing bodies of said state(s). This can be most effectively done through state-approved seller training.
3. Take advantage of any liability relief offered through the statutes of governance. The money saved by avoiding litigation will more than offset the potential money lost by cutting patrons off when they have had questionable amounts of alcohol.

There are many different companies offering alcohol training for servers, and they do so through many different mediums. The traditional forum is in a proctored, live setting with an instructor physically on the premises. Online solutions, however, are becoming increasingly popular in the hospitality industry due to their time-saving, convenient, and cost-effective means of delivery. Check out Learn2Serve for your online hospitality training needs as they have something for pretty much every state.

Important Food Safety Bulletin

The Texas State Department of Health Services and the Food and Drug Administration are urging consumers to avoid eating products that contain raw Roma, red plum or round red tomatoes.

Since mid-April, 21 cases of Salmonella poisoning have been associated with the consumption of these kinds of tomatoes. Cases have been confirmed in Harris, Fort Bend, Dallas, Tarrant, Hays, and Cameron counties.

Although, the source has yet to be identified, restaurants are taking extra precautions to insure the safety of their customers. Many restaurants have removed raw tomatoes products entirely from their menu and others are working with their suppliers to resolve the issue.

Information on safe handling of produce can be found at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html.

Tomato consumer page can be found at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

Updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/

John McCain speaks to the National Restaraunt Association

Earlier this month, the 89th annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show was held at McCormick Place in Chicago. Attendees from the hospitality and restaurant industry had the opportunity to hear from special guest, U.S. Senator and Republican Party nominee, John McCain.

“The restaurant industry and its entrepreneurs have created 13 million jobs and over the next decade in a strong economy, you will likely create another two million of them. However, this will depend on the choices we make in Washington,” stated McCain.

After McCain addressed the Show, he took the time to meet with some of the industries CEOs and mayors, including NRA president Dawn Sweeney and Michael Kaufman, chairman of the Board of the Directors.

Kaufman, regarded the senator as, “an ally of the restaurant industry on immigration and the need for comprehensive reform and was pleased the senator took the time to address the Show.”

Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were also invited to the Show, but were unable to attend due to the current presidential primary contest.

Weather Channel Sexual Harassment Suit

If there was ever an example of how NOT to handle sexual harassment in the workplace, look no further than The Weather Channel.

Former co-anchor Hillary Andrews filed suit----and won----against The Weather Channel’s Bob Stokes, her former co-anchor, after a laundry list of inappropriate comments and unwanted sexual advances were made to her during her employment at the network.

Andrews’ suit claimed that Stokes made several inappropriate sexual advances, including following her into her dressing room and asking if she would like to lick his “swizzle stick.” When Andrews responded negatively to Stokes’ remarks, Stokes began to insult her on the air and attempted to “sabotage her on-air performance,” according to arbitration documents.

The next step was to take the issue to upper management, who then placed Andrews on the night-shift while leaving the highly-rated Stokes on air during prime-time hours.

Exhausted and out of options, Andrews eventually resigned. Not surprisingly, Stokes was fired shortly after losing the case, and The Weather Channel is doing all it can to prevent any documentation of the suit from becoming public.

However, they have thus far been unsuccessful. The internet is teaming with stories, blogs, and copies of arbitration documents related to the suit. All this is because TWC wouldn’t do the right thing in the first place when they had the chance.

However, there is always a silver lining, and the good thing is that now people are talking about sexual harassment, how to handle it, and how to prevent it.

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the EEOC received 12,510 sexual harassment charges in fiscal year 2007. 16 percent of these complaints were filed by males.

And according to the EEOC, “prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace.”

Sexual harassment training is not mandatory in every state, but there is no doubt that had The Weather Channel mandated such training for its employees, it may have been able to prevent these types of incidents from happening. At the least, the network could have had some liability relief in such a case. Learn2Serve.com offers sexual harassment training in an online format, giving companies the peace of mind that guidelines for behavior have been established, and possibly even granting them insurance relief.

“Our training removes undue burdens from the shoulders of the companies,” said Joy Sisson, Business Unit Manager for Learn2Serve.com. “It promotes personal responsibility for individual employees, and definitely makes it easier on the company to handle such issues if and when they arise.”

Do you trust your favorite restaurant?

Trust. Sometimes it’s earned. Sometimes it’s given without a second thought. When it comes to restaurants, customers give it away freely for the most part. At least initially, think about it. Let’s say that I walk into a new burger joint for my first time. My expectation is that regardless of whether or not I end up liking the food, I assume that it will be safe to eat. I assume that strict food safety guidelines are in place. I assume that the business has passed inspection. I assume the entire staff washes their hands with hot water and anti-bacterial soap after each trip to the restroom. I assume no one ever drops a hamburger patty or steak on the floor and then puts it back on a plate to be served. I assume that the cooking and wait staffs are all congenial people who would never take out their frustrations on an unsuspecting customer. I don’t think twice about the possibility of a psycho-killer cook putting cyanide ketchup on my burger. I lend my trust-to put potentially hazardous materials into my body-based on assumptions. And if I don’t die or get sick, then my trust endures.

But it’s probably happened somewhere, sometime before. Have you ever seen the movie “Waiting”? Makes ‘ya think, doesn’t it? Sure it does, but you still eat out. And why? Because these days, not everyone has time to cook for themselves at the drop of a hat. Or sometimes we’re just too lazy. We sacrifice reason at the altar of convenience. We risk possible death or sickness every day for its sake. We do the same thing when we drive vehicles. And though I am sure I will probably eat out tonight, it just seems silly to me when put into perspective.

Let’s say that tomorrow I win the lottery. I am now super rich. I have more money than I will ever need. Next month, I’m driving an Aston-Martin. I am less likely to trust a friend out of my sight behind the wheel of my new exotic sports car than I am to trust some guy who I have never met to prepare something for me to put INSIDE OF MY BODY. I can replace the car. Remember, I’m rich. Super rich. Can’t replace my body, though.

That’s one reason why I tip well and NEVER complain. I will never (at least intentionally) give anyone a reason to “get me in the gut”. NEVER. I have enough friends who work in that business and have heard enough stories from them that the only way for me to eat out is to have this blind faith that as long as I am nice, they will be too. Let’s just hope that’s the way it is in the real world.

China and Food Safety

First it was the lead-based paint on the toys. Next it was the poisonous pet food. In the following month, Americans would learn just how insatiable our economy’s appetite is for Chinese manufactured goods, but more importantly, just how lax the Chinese are when it comes to safety and quality assurance of those goods.

The fact that last year’s total imports into the U.S. from all over the world account for about $2 trillion is definitely noteworthy and testament to our addiction of all things foreign: be it oil, food, toys, or whatever. Of course, there are numerous economic factors which directly affect, and many would argue, make necessary, our growing dependence on other nations for a variety of goods. But I’m not going to get into that. To me, the issue it hand is much more simple and of higher priority.

It was the lead in the paint that first set me off. Forget all of the economic factors. Forget all of the budding business relationships between our country and theirs.

The fact of the matter is that they were (maybe still are) selling us toys with POISON on them. POISON.

It dawned on me at this point that common sense had completely gone out the window and has been replaced by the idea of saving a buck to make two bucks, regardless of the potential disasters that could ensue.

Then it was the pet food. Anyone who is cognitive and socially active enough to have at least one friend knows about that.

Initially, simple deductive reasoning tells me: “If this is what they think of our kids and our pets, I wonder what they think of us?” “What about our food supply?” “It’s not like they have the most outstanding human rights record to boot. Which should tell us something, as well.”

To be fair, I think the truth is simply that they DON’T think of us past using us to make their money. And we DON’T think of them past using them for the same reason. I’m talking about the average Chinese citizen and his American counterpart. They do what they do to get their dollar, and we do the same, both economies benefit, and everyone’s supposed to be happy.

At the governmental level, the fact of the matter is that we CAN’T and SHOULDN’T depend on them to think of us when they’re sitting over there painting toy cars with lead or making pet food full of melamine. Just because we enjoy a pretty stable and cozy economic relationship with China doesn’t mean that both governments and their militaries aren’t constantly staring down long gun barrels at one another. The Chinese are too busy with all of that to worry about silly things like safety regulations. Fair enough.

But I digress.

The issue at hand, I believe, is that OUR regulatory and quality assurance bureaucracies here at home have failed us. And the companies who import these things and then sell them to us have failed us.

What about the fact that China is the leading provider of seafood to the U.S.? What about the fact they produce 80% of the world’s vitamin C? In addition to toy safety and pet food safety, what about general food safety?

In the last five years, American food imports from China have increased 140%. Recently, I read a report in which it was revealed that a substantial amount of shrimp imported from China was grown in sewage water. What do I need to do now if I want shrimp? Go out and catch it myself? Maybe so.

It’s like when a kid misbehaves and then they are rewarded for doing so. So they up the ante. These guys across the pacific are going to have to do something worse than kill a few pets and sell us poison toys before we will wake up and reevaluate our QA practices. And that’s what scares me.

Learn2Serve and ABL

Learn2serve.com and 360training are proud to announce our new partnership with the ABL (American Beverage Licensees) organization. ABL is comprised of hundreds of on and off premise licensees across the nation, and offers its members exposure to over 50,000 readers via the “ABL Leader,” its monthly trade publication. The organization also offers its members additional benefits including rental car discounts and updates on legislation important to the alcohol industry. Most recently, ABL members and affiliates are able to get their wait staff trained online thanks to their partnership with 360training and Learn2serve.com.

With our array of online compliance training courses, we hope to create a one-stop solution for ABL members and affiliates. Through multiple payment models and branded training universities, ABL affiliates can offer customized solutions to their corporate members and the communities around them. “We are constantly growing and expanding our business due to the quality products we offer and our commitment to being the number one online provider of hospitality and compliance training,” said Joy Sisson, business unit manager for learn2serve.com. “The addition of ABL to our long list of value-added resellers is a testament to our continued success.”

California Alcohol Server Course Launch

Learn2Serve is proud to announce that we now offer courses for California Responsible Beverage Service Training both on and off-premise. This course is approved by the California Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and we are one of only two ONLINE providers in the state. But enough about us. This course is what you need to serve alcohol in the state of California. The certification is good for two years, and offers mitigating penalties. For more info on state requirements, please visit the CABC’s website here. To view course descriptions please click on the following links:

California Responsible Beverage Service Training On-Premise

California Responsible Beverage Service Training Off-Premise

So if you’re in California, and you need alcohol server training, visit learn2serve.com and register yourself. It’s online, it’s convenient. It’s learn2serve.

Nightclub & Bar Security

Death of a Nightclub
by Chris E McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM

(source: http://www.crimedoctor.com/nightclub_security_4.htm)

“Nightclubs and Bars have been forced to close their doors because of failing to control assaultive crime on the premises. As a security consultant, I often get calls at the eleventh hour to try to salvage the dangerous reputation of a nightclub. In most cases it’s apparent to me what needs to be done to cure the problem but often times it’s too late to save the club. The death of a nightclub comes slowly and there were many telltale symptoms along the way that were not heeded. For popular nightclubs to operate safely, managers must look beyond the bottom line to ensure the long-term health of a club.

Nightclubs are designed to be hospitable social meeting places but are first and foremost in business to make money. The product being sold is entertainment that’s paid for by selling alcoholic beverages, food services, or by collecting door cover charges. Management determines the intended atmosphere and music format of the club. The venue and music format will determine what demographic group will go to the club. The demographic group and their behavior will determine whether bouncers are necessary to control their conduct. As you can imagine, a nightclub that markets itself to young adults in an effort to become the next hotspot is destined to have a few conduct problems. Clubs ordained as the new hot club begin to lose control when greed replaces reason. Many clubs will promote drink specials such as two-for-one pitchers of beer or oversize margaritas that encourages sales and over indulgence. Some clubs will advertise ladies night specials to attract more female patrons and pack the house. Club managers can dial down the intensity of a club at anytime by modifying the club music format, amount of door charge, limiting the number admitted, adopting stricter dress codes, and altering, or limiting the advertising.

Nightclub problems arise when there is intentional over-crowding, over-serving of alcohol, failing to ban minors, admitting and serving obviously intoxicated persons, and known troublemakers. Other liabilities include failure to control loitering in the parking lot, failure to establish and enforce reasonable club rules, and an intentional policy not to call the police when warranted. Poor business decisions can make a club too intense and will place too much responsibility in the hands of club bouncers to control misconduct. This is a big mistake.

I have seen dozens of nightclubs forced to close down soon after they lost their liquor license or city permits. One day the nightclub is packing the house and enjoying tremendous cash flow. The next day a club is shut down and forced to close its doors. How does this happen overnight? The answer is that it doesn’t. The writing was probably on the wall for some time, but the aggressive club operators failed to heed the warnings.”

“In addition to the smart business practices outlined above, proper training for nightclub and bar personnel can make a positive contribution to the longevity, safety, and general reputation of a nightclub or bar,” says Joy Sisson, Business Unit Manager for learn2serve.com. Learn2serve.com now offers ONLINE nightclub security training specifically designed to counter drugs and minors entering your establishment. “Not only do these courses give employees the knowledge to prevent problems before they arise, but they give them the knowledge to properly deal with issues if and when they do occur,” said Sisson.

X versus Y

Move over baby boomers make room for the X and Yers. According to Rainmaker Thinking, a management consulting firm, these generations began outnumbering the baby boomers in 2005 and make up 50.5 percent of the workforce. What does that mean for you? Well, you need to know how to train and develop these new generations of employees, as they are the managers of today and tomorrow.

To begin with, you will need to understand the similarities and differences in these two generations, then target their needs, and lastly build effective on-boarding and training programs to keep your operations going strong.

X versus Y

Below are the general guidelines on who makes up these generations:

	Generation X	Generation Y
Born	1965-1976	1977-1994
Age Now	31-42	12-30
Size	49.1 million	73.5 million
Nicknames	“Slacker generation”	“Millennials, echo boomers”

Source: U. S. Census 1

Generation X is said to be more independent, as they were the first generation of latchkey kids with two parents working. They also seem to be a bit more cynical, seeing that they were also privileged to be around during the beginning of the massive layoffs and downsizing trends. Generation Xers grew up together with technology, and has an added appreciation for where technology has gone over the years.

Generation Y was raised with increased positive reinforcement and self-esteem building beginning practically at birth. With that said this generation tends to be a bit more needy and has difficulty accepting constructive criticism and managing conflict. Generation Yers can’t imagine life without technology.

Both generations have a very different view of work and career than that of the baby boomers. Both tend to change jobs more frequently, are more self-centered and rather than thinking about what they will be doing with the current company in five years – its about what will my resume look like.

Sound like a lost cause for training and development? It doesn’t have to. You just need to know how to work with these generations to make it a win-win for both.

Training Strategies# 1: Onboarding New Employees

Quick and effective. Right from the start tell the employee what their responsibilities are and the tasks they will be doing, and how they contribute to the restaurant company as a whole. These generations like to know the big picture and where they fit in. But keep it brief and to the point. Don’t bore these employees with fifty PowerPoint slides on the mission and vision of the company.

Support System. Explain what systems are in place for supporting employees. How will they receive feedback? Will it be with formal evaluations? Who will be providing coaching and when? What types of on-going training will be provided? This is especially needed for the Yers.

# 2: Training Methods

Technology Based. These generations love their technology, as they will tolerate some classroom training, wherever you can add technology-based methods you will benefit.

Hands-on. These generations seem to be better doers then listeners. They are more likely to jump in and try to do something, then read a manual from front to back before trying a new task. Having a training program that has built in hands-on training activities and on-the-job practice work great for these generations. # 3: On-Going Training & Coaching

On-the-Job Feedback. Don’t wait for the thirty day trial period or annual performance review to give feedback, provide feedback daily, both positive and feedback for improvement. X and Yers want to know if they are doing a good job.

Provide Mentoring. These generations understand the value of a good mentor and what they can mean to their career. This doesn’t have to be a formal mentoring program, by simply pairing the right individuals together you can begin to build a very effective mentoring relationship.

Cross-Training. X and Yers don’t necessarily care about climbing the management ladder, but many are interested in obtaining a variety of skills to build on their work experience. Cross training can be a great way for your employees to gain this and at the same time you will have skilled employees that can work in many different areas of your restaurant.

Even though studies show that these generations don’t tend to stay longer than a year with a company, there are ways to help you make that time a little longer and try to make the employees stick around. Provide employees’ opportunities to gain new skills and experience often, this can be done on-the-job, with formal training, during team meetings – anytime you can have the opportunity to introduce a new skill to an employee - take it. Also, get employee’s involved in the day to day operations of the business - empower them to help with problem solving and suggesting new ways to improve service and efficiency.

Whether you have Xers, Yers, and even some Baby Boomers – there is one thing that hasn’t changed - Your employees are your biggest asset – without them, you would not be able to serve your customers and run your business – take the time to bring them on, train them, and provide coaching and you will be successful. “Learn2Serve.com is a perfect fit for all of your hospitality training needs,” says Joy Sisson, Business unit Manager for Learn2Serve.com. “Regardless of the generation you’re dealing with, our online training provides a convenient and cost-efficient solution to your training needs.”

source: http://www.mymfn.com/?p=311

Refresher Courses May Help Protect Your Business

The Austin Police Department just released a list of the top ten bars in Austin where patrons leave only to get DWI charges filed against them. They are as follows:

1. Oilcan Harry’s
2. Sherlock’s Pub
3. Rain
4. The Belmont
5. Union Park
6. The Yellow Rose
7. Antone’s
8. Fado
9. Cedar Street
10. The Whiskey Bar

The report, which is a compilation of data from 2007, should be of particular importance to alcohol establishments regardless of location. Police departments nationwide are beginning to track and publish these statistics, putting a potential blemish on the reputations of many establishments. In addition, these types of statistics are often used as ammunition by lawyers filing suit against establishments on behalf of accident victims and even those who receive DWI citations. Not to mention that it’s hard enough for a bar owner to get a liquor license renewal without any added complications. “These are all reasons why an alcohol server course could be given to employees as not only an initial certification, but as a refresher,” says Joy Sisson, Business Unit Manager for learn2serve.com. “It’s the ammunition for establishments to use in combating the inherent adversities that encompass the bar business, and it may even offer some insurance relief.”

Source: http://www.kvue.com/video/local-index.html?nvid=208788

Danger on the Road

High blood pressure. Depression. Good looks. Bad looks. Baldness. Smelliness. All of these traits have historically been recognized as being hereditary. But what about bad driving habits?

Researchers at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin have discovered that parents’ bad driving habits influence those of their children, even though the children know it’s not smart and not safe.

So is it something that happens at the genetic level? Maybe not. But is it noteworthy? Absolutely.

Froedtert & the Medical College gathered additional research on this phenomenon by conducting an online survey to better understand teens’ and parents’ perceptions of their driving and of each other’s driving.

What they learned confirmed their thinking. The survey found that parents were, indeed, the biggest influence on teen drivers. Nearly 70 percent of the teens said their mother or father influenced them in how to drive. However, adult drivers did not exhibit the best role model behavior. The survey found most parents exhibit the same distracted behaviors as teens such as talking on the phone, listening to music, eating, speeding and following other vehicles too closely.

In fact, when asked to list the top five driving distractions, both teens and parents reported the same distractions, all of which they said they had done within the last 30 days:

Changing the radio station; tape or CD (79 percent)

Exceeding the speed limit (61 percent)

Driving without both hands on the steering wheel (61 percent)

Talking on the phone (51 percent)

Eating (45 percent)

More concerning, nearly 90 percent of respondents said they, a family member or a close friend had experienced the effects of a car crash, yet more than half (56 percent) didn’t change their driving habits because of the crash.

While both groups admit to being distracted, many are not changing their behaviors even if involved in a crash. If they are changing behavior after the crash, the tendency was to shift the focus to other drivers rather than themselves.

Other findings from the survey include:

Teens are divided on whether they believe they drive differently with their friends than with their parents. Just over 40 percent said they don’t drive differently with their friends and nearly 40 percent said they do.

Parents are also divided on whether they believe teens drive differently with their friends. More than 30 percent said they believe they do drive differently and nearly 30 percent said they don’t (38 percent weren’t sure).

When all respondents were asked if teens are often distracted drivers, 90 percent said they somewhat or strongly agree.

Statistically, 41,000 people die from car accidents in America each year. About two million get injured. And that’s just America. Armed with defensive driving, statistics, risk management and common sense, you can avoid joining the ranks of the 41,000 or the two million. This is where learn2serve comes in.

“We make it easy to get insurance discounts, ticket dismissal, and much needed defensive driver training online, anytime, anywhere,” says Joy Sisson, Business Unit Manager for learn2serve.com.


Sources:
http://www.froedtert.com/HealthResources/JustDrive/DrivingResearchandStatistics/

http://autos.savvy-cafe.com/defensive-driving-statistics-%E2%80%93-risk-management-for-your-life-2007-09-07/

2008!

2007 was a great year for learn2serve.com, and we are looking forward to another great year of serving our clients with the most comprehensive and reasonably priced training and certification services available online.

As always, we are constantly expanding our services to better serve all 50 states and are proud to announce that we now offer NEHA certified Pennsylvania Food Safety Training online.

To kick off 2008, we’re going to do something a little more fun this month in the “what’s new” section:

FUN ALCOHOL FACTS…

• Vikings used the skulls of their enemies as drinking vessels.
• Chicha, an alcohol beverage which has been made for thousands of years in Central and South America, begins with people chewing grain and spitting into a vat. An enzyme in saliva changes starch in the grain to sugar, which then ferments.
• William Sokolin paid $519,750.00 for a bottle of 1787 vintage wine which supposedly had been owned by Thomas Jefferson, then later accidentally knocked it over, breaking it and spilling the precious contents on the floor.
• Of Texas' 254 counties, 79 are still completely dry seven decades after the Repeal of Prohibition.
• McDonald's restaurants in some European countries serve alcohol because otherwise, parents would be less willing to take their children to them.
• Many high school cafeterias in Europe serve alcohol to their students who choose to drink.
• Early recipes for beer included such ingredients as poppy seeds, mushrooms, aromatics, honey, sugar, bay leaves, butter and bread crumbs.
• Of all the countries with armies stationed in Bosnia, only the U. S. forbade its soldiers from consuming alcohol.
• Federal agencies and departments of the U. S. Government actually discourage public knowledge of the health benefits associated with moderate drinking. For example, the National Institutes of Health funded a study that found moderate drinkers to be less likely to suffer heart disease, but refused to allow the Harvard researcher to publish the results because it considered them "socially undesirable."
• While in some countries the penalty for driving while intoxicated can be death (yes, death), in Uruguay intoxication is a legal excuse for having an accident while driving. "Please believe me officer, I really was drunk."
• The United States has the highest minimum drinking age in the entire world.
• The Uape Indians of the upper Amazon in Brazil mix the ashes of their cremated dead with casiri, the local alcohol beverage. All members of the deceased's family, young and old, then drink the beverage with great reverence and fond memories.
• The Aztecs of Mexico used a "rabbit scale" to describe degrees of intoxication. It ranged from very mild intoxication (a few rabbits) to heavy drunkenness (400 rabbits).
• The highest price ever paid for distilled spirits at auction was $79,552 for a 50-year-old bottle of Glenfiddich whisky in 1992.

(source: http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/FunFacts/WouldYouBelieve.html)