Corb7 International January 22, 2020 Newsletter

International Business

Cryptocurrency

Bitcoin

Bitcoin recently broke above the $8,800 level – an amazing achievement in a relatively short period of time.  As such, we thought it might be a perfect moment to review its history.  It is, arguably, the iconic cryptocurrency and seemingly becoming more essential to understand as it works into everyday commerce.

International Business

Business Tools

Your Favorite Podcasts!

A great method to gain an edge over your competition is listening to podcasts during your downtime.  The challenge is that there are now so many, trying to choose those of value is becoming harder by the day.    One of my “pet peeves” is downloading a promising podcast only to hear the host – with an interesting guest- relate everything back to themselves.  Being self-absorbed does not make a host more interesting or informative.  In any case, there are many great business-related broadcasts and we would like to bring several of our favorites to your attention.

The Journal WSJ – Financial

The Joe Rogan Experience – Current Events & Entertainment

Jocko Podcast – Leadership & Self-Discipline

TED Business – General Business

Business Wars Daily – General Business

Do you have others?  Please feel free to share with us at contact@corb7.com

International Business

Business Technology

The Biggest Online Scams of 2019?

According to Business Insider, here are the top online scams of 2019.
Spoiler alert:  Online purchase scams are number one.

Click Here for List

Lifestyle

Executive Fitness

Polar Plunge Anyone?

Come wintertime, polar plunges are sponsored by various organizations. Such events may serve as fundraisers for club operations or to help needy individuals, while others may simply be efforts to fend off cabin fever.

While no one can say for sure who originated the polar plunge, the first recorded Polar Bear Swim took place in Boston in 1904. In Canada and the Netherlands, it has become tradition to host plunges on New Year’s Day. Even people in the southern hemisphere participate, with plunges off the coast of New Zealand and Antarctica in June. In the United Kingdom, a “Loony Dook” takes place in Scotland, with several thousand people attending the event and taking the plunge after New Year’s Eve celebrations. The largest plunge in the United States is the Plungapalooza in Maryland, which includes 12,000 swimmers, all of whom are there to raise funds for the Special Olympics.

Polar bear swims are not for the feint of heart, and even the most stalwart (and cold-tolerant) plunger can employ a few strategies to make the swim a success.

· Prepare in advance. Build up your cold tolerance in the bathtub or shower. Cold water may cause some people to hyperventilate. Acclimating to the sensation can make it less shocking when it’s time to get in the water.

· Exercise caution if you have a heart condition. Experts in medicine at Mount Sinai Medical School say that, following cold shock, the body will do something called a diving reflex. This means constricting blood vessels to direct more blood flow to the heart and brain, which causes an increased cardiac workload.

· Walk slowly into the water. Rather than running and diving in, slow enter the water to acclimate your body to the cold and mitigate some of the shock.

· Make it a brief stint. Only stay in the water for a few minutes. Doctors say that cold water incapacitation can begin within five minutes of entering the water. Hypothermia requires being immersed for 30 minutes or more to set in.

· Bring along warm clothes. You’ll need to warm up quickly after the plunge. A terry cloth bath robe, thick wool socks, heavy sweater, and a hat can help restore body heat.

· Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can give off a false feeling of warmth and heat in the body, advises Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani at Indiana’s Ball State University. Alcohol dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the limbs at the expense of the core. It also may interrupt the body’s natural shivering response. Warming up with some scotch is not advisable before or after the plunge.

If health ailments do not preclude a person from plunging, it can be an exciting way to spend a few wet minutes.

Lifestyle

Spirits & Cuisine

Chicken Wings for Your Super Bowl Party!

The Super Bowl is only two weeks away!  Few events generate as much enthusiasm among sports fans and non-sports fans as the Super Bowl. For sports fans who can’t wait to see the National Football League crown a new champion, the game itself is a must-watch event. For those who aren’t fans of the game, Super Bowl Sunday is still a chance to chow down and socialize with friends and family.

There’s no right or wrong way to watch the Super Bowl, but some might consider a Super Bowl soiree without chicken wings a major faux pas. For those who want to avoid such a misstep, this recipe for “Virgil’s Smoked Chicken Wings With Blue Cheese Dip” from Neal Corman’s “Virgil’s Barbecue Road Trip Cookbook” (St. Martin’s Press) is sure to please.

Virgil’s Smoked Chicken Wings With Blue Cheese Dip

Serves 4

Blue Cheese Dip

2 cups blue cheese crumbles, divided

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

Marinade

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup hot sauce

4 tablespoons Virgil’s Dry Rub (see below)

4 tablespoons granulated garlic

4 tablespoons granulated onion

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Wings

8 large chicken wings

1/2 cup Virgil’s Dry Rub (see below)

Sauce

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 tablespoons white vinegar

3/4 cup hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. To make the dip, combine 1 cup of the blue cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend on low until smooth.

2. Remove to a medium mixing bowl and fold in the rest of the blue cheese, scallions and celery, being sure to break up the larger blue cheese crumbles. Place in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

3. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place the wings in a large container with a lid and pour the mixture over the wings. Toss until the wings are thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days.

4. Preheat the grill or smoker to 245 F.

5. Spread out the wings on a sheet pan and wipe away any excess marinade. Sprinkle liberally with the dry rub, coating the wings all over.

6. Position the wings on the grill away from the direct heat of the coals or burners, and add hickory to the smoker or hickory chips on the coals or gas burners.

7. Cook the wings for about 3 hours, flipping every 30 minutes (their internal temperature should be about 165 F when cooked).

8. While the wings are cooking, cut the butter for the sauce into 1-inch cubes and refrigerate. Whisk the cornstarch into the white vinegar, in a small bowl.

9. In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, bring the hot sauce to a simmer and whisk in the thickened vinegar. Return to a simmer, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the heat.

10. Add the cayenne and slowly whisk in the cold butter. Keep warm until serving.

11. Remove the wings from the smoker or grill and put half of them into a bowl, cover with the sauce, and toss. Repeat with the remaining wings and serve on a platter, with the blue cheese dip on the side.

Virgil’s Dry Rub

Makes 5 to 51/2 cups

21/2 cups sweet paprika

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Texas-style chili powder

1/2 cup minced onion

1/2 cup granulated garlic

1/4 cup dried parsley flakes

6 tablespoons kosher salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until completely incorporated. Transfer to a covered bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dry place.

Lifestyle

Living & Traveling Offshore

Planning for the Tokyo Summer Olympics

Last Friday, the Olympic Rings began to be installed for public display in Tokyo.  As such, we thought it a great time to discuss potential travel arrangements and safety planning.  Our first Olympic experience was at the Atlanta 1996 games, and as you may recall the Centennial Olympic Park bombing would mar those games.   A domestic terrorist pipe bomb attack in the Park on July 27 would kill one person and wound 111 more.  We had been in the park just hours before the assault and while the games went on – I can relate from personal experience – the atmosphere totally changed. Fortunately, as with every such incident, security has vastly improved over the years, and these games will hopefully provide wonderful memories for all that attend and the opportunity to see tremendous athletic competition.

Planning for an Olympic trip is time consuming and expensive.  Flights can be difficult to obtain and even the most modest of hotel accommodations charge top fees.  Of course, the closer you are to the events, the more expensive the lodging will be.  If you are thinking about going, now would be the time to make your arrangements.  Above is a video we came across produced by NBC News which might help you in becoming ware of what to expect.

Business Services

Profit & Asset Protection

We are excited to bring two excellent vintage Swiss Trust Companies to your attention!
This is an outstanding opportunity aimed at business planning for 2020.

46 year-old Swiss Trust Company
and 19 year-old Swiss Trust Company 

Here is a synopsis of of what each includes:

 Swiss Trust Company:
* Place of Incorporation: Switzerland
* Corresponding Bank Relationship: Client’s Choice
* Excellent administration with a prestigious law firm located in Zurich
* Administration first year fees included in acquisition price
* Initial legal retainer also included
* Administration also has SRO license which is large benefit to meet AML & KYC obligations

For Details & Complimentary Consultation:

Call:  +1-310-601-3115 (Beverly Hills Office)
 or
Email: contact@corb7.com