Through the Keyhole - August 2021

 

IT Services - Business Consulting - Digital Marketing JULY 2021 Through the Keyhole Take a break from your day... Not your typical company OR newsletter

"This place is HOT this time of year (and humid).  Home to some some great sports teams and crazy politics.  Also the place where many movies are made.  Remember you can only vote once!"  Can you guess the location? Summer dances on... When I was a kid, I hated seeing all of the back to school advertisements.  It made me sad that the summer was ending and I had to buy some new wrangler jeans that took forever to break in.  Remember those?  They might as well have been made out of cardboard.  This month is often packed with activities, vacations and getting ready to get the kids off to school.  From my perspective, I really enjoy this month but still find myself dreading the end of summer but also enjoy the change of seasons.  I think midwestern people have to... Although I don't put any credence to it, the month of August is dominated by the zodiac sign, Leo, with the last few days falling under Virgo. People born between July 23 and August 21 are considered Leos. They are attention-seekers and can be very demanding at times. However, Leos are born leaders and whether consciously or unconsciously, they like to rule.  They are brave and fearless when it comes to confrontation and are natural leaders. They take pride in themselves and possess an extreme sense of supremacy, just like the Lion itself. Some notable Leo's: 1. Meghan Markle (ugh.) 2. Matthew Perry 3. Dua Lipa  4. Michael Jackson 5. Ben Afleck 6. Demi Lovato 7. Kobe Bryant 8. Roger Federer 9. Jack Black 10. Napoleon Bonaparte 11. Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster) 12. Chris Hemsworth 13. Blake Lively 14. Amy Adams 15. Warren Buffett 16. Madonna 17. Whitney Houston Alright, Let's go. There is a new car company that had its IPO this week.  It is to rival TESLA and many of the people who worked there came from there.  It is a beautiful vehicle called LUCID.  Take a look. ~9 minutes State of Small Business Survey Results We surveyed several hundred businesses over a two week period and collected responses from a variety of businesses across dozens of industries.  Participating companies ranged from less than $2M to over $100M in annual revenue, with the largest sector representing $5-20M of annual revenue. The survey results reflected a variety of perspectives, from staff to manager to CEO, and the majority of responses (60%) came from CEOs/Owners. On behalf of the TURNkey Consulting Team, we appreciate the participant's willingness to share their perspectives.  We were truly encouraged by the results and hope you will likewise be interested in our findings. Based on what you told us, we are expecting to see the small business sector work through a few common issues and then grow in the months ahead.      Thanks again if you participated as we will be undoubtedly needing your input in future surveys.   The good news is that small business is alive and kicking! Next month we will share the pictures of those who won the burgers. Email us here to request the full report. Sophos Managed Threat Response We have to get serious about Cyber Attacks I will be sending out information to all of our customers about upgrading their cyber defense.  We now have a partner in Sophos that provides a very comprehensive approach to protecting networks.  Unfortunately, it is not a matter of IF but WHEN you will be attacked.  The service is 24x7x365 real time HUMAN monitoring and remediation of threats.  Super cool and super effective... It is a serious solution to a serious problem.  If you would like to know more, please contact us.  Otherwise, we will be actively pushing for our base to be protected in every way possible. Stay tuned... Guess the Location Game Last month the winner of the guess the location game was Sergio Selles  who guessed the right answer.  I appreciate all of the participation.  THANKS FOR PLAYING! ANSWER: Camelback Mountain, Phoenix, AZ "This oddly shaped mountain is a great place to hike (in the morning) and it takes 30 minutes to get anywhere by car.  Plenty of golf and dry heat.  Remember your vote counts and the world is watching!"   Can you guess the location? I love Arizona in the winter but am not a fan in the summer.  Too hot.  Funny how everyone says it's a "dry heat".  Yeah but it's like holding a blow dryer in your face or sticking your head in the oven.  Everyone has to get a pool.  I hear some of them are made with cooling equipment so the water doesn't get too hot.  However, the fall, winter and spring are mostly glorious.  Seems funny to me that we have to be inside all winter long but they have to be inside all summer.  No place is perfect but I sure do enjoy AZ in the cooler months... Some Facts about AZ:   Arizona is one of the youngest US states, at least based on when it was admitted into the union. It was branded the 48th   This occurred in 1912, after the USA took control of the land from Mexico.   The Grand Canyon, which is likely to be one of the most popular attractions in the state, is around 227 miles long! It’s also a big drop down, with a mile leading to the bottom of the chasm.   In fact, the Grand Canyon National Park is regarded as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It has a unique claim to this, as there are no other wonders based in the USA.   Famous people to come from Arizona include Chief Geronimo, late US Senator John McCain, Hollywood star Emma Stone and the singer Linda Ronstadt.   Arizona’s official reptile – yes, it has one – is the rattlesnake. This may be as a result of there being around 13 different species across the state!  There are more different kinds of rattlesnake in Arizona than you will find in any other region.   Believe it or not, the man who discovered Pluto was doing so while observing the stars in Arizona. Not by eye, of course, but up at the famous Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.   In fact, many people are able to view stars in great detail across the state. It suffers from very little light pollution, which means that people are able to see the night skies clearer here than they might across neighboring states.   Arizona is also home to the discovery of copper, back in the mid-1800s.   The Sonoran desert is one of the most fascinating stretches of its kind. It stretches to over 260,000km, and likely sees 10 inches of rainfall each year.  For a desert of any size, this is particularly wet.  You will also find unique cacti and flowers than bloom here throughout the summer.   Very little of Arizona is private land. Despite being one of the biggest states in terms of size, less than a fifth of its landscape is owned by any given party or operator.  That’s because the vast majority of the state is wide open land or national parkland.   The World Health Organization has recognised Arizona as being remarkably pure in air quality. The city of Wenden is one of only a handful of cities worldwide that restricts pollution to a specific level.   There are still a number of native American tribes who live in Arizona, with more than 20 recognized by federal government. One of them still resides within the Grand Canyon itself!   Maricopa County is the nation's 4th largest county with 4.4 million people which makes up more than half of the state's population. Huh. Andrea takes you through Phoenix ~ 11 min. This guy talks about moving to AZ and what you need to do expect. ~8 min. Signs, Signs Everywhere a Sign Heading into a Tsunami... A mental challenge... 1 minute Where have all the celebrities gone? 1 minute.  Funny. Exercise your BRAIN... Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow older, it’s important to keep mentally alert. If you don’t use it, you will lose it !!!   Here is a very private way to gauge how your memory compares to your last test. Some may think it is too easy, but the ones with memory problems may have difficulty.   Take this test to determine if you’re losing it or not.   The spaces below are so you don’t see the answers until you’ve answered.   OK,RELAX,clear your mind and begin.   #1. What do you put in a toaster ?                                       Answer: 'bread.' If you said 'toast', just give up now and go do something else.   And, try not to hurt yourself. If you said, bread, go to Question #2. # 2. Say 'silk' ten times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink ?                                           Answer: Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next question.   Your brain is already over-stressed and may even overheat.   Content yourself with reading more appropriate literature such as Women's Weekly or Auto World.   However, if you did say 'water', proceed to Question #3. # 3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from ?                                                                     Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said 'green bricks', why are you still reading this ??? PLEASE, go lie down ! But, if you said 'glass,' go on to Question #4. # 4. Please do not use a calculator for this for it would be cheating: You are driving a bus from New York City to Philadelphia.   In Staten Island, 17 people got on the bus.   In New Brunswick, 6 people get off the bus and 9 people get on.   In Windsor, 2 people get off and 4 get on.   In Trenton, 11 people get off and 16 people get on.   In Bristol, 3 people get off and 5 people get on.   And, in Camden, 6 people get off and 3 get on. You then arrive at Philadelphia Station.   Without going back to review, how old is the bus driver ?                                           Answer: Oh, for crying out loud ! Don't you remember your own age?!?! It was YOU driving the bus!   If you pass this along to your friends, pray they do better than you. PS: 95% of people fail most of the questions!   Sorry for all the spaces. You'd be tempted to cheat otherwise. Randomness... Pop Goes the Ball Never saw this before... Beer Fail Compilation These are pretty funny  ~ 3 minutes Cutting Trees can be DANGEROUS... ~8 minutes. Biggest Flirts in Sports One in a Million Moments in Sports history ~ 8 min. Colorize me... Remember Benny Hill? My Dad Loved this Guy... 7 minutes Olympic Memes... Meanwhile in Texas... Crispy, Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Ingredients 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts salt, to taste pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 16 slices swiss cheese ½ lb ham, thinly sliced peanut oil, or vegetable oil, for frying 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups panko bread crumbs CREAMY DIJON SAUCE 3 tablespoons butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups milk ¼ cup dijon mustard 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese salt, to taste pepper, to taste   Preparation Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, tossing to coat evenly. On a cutting board, place a chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound until about ½ inch (1 cm) thick with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy pan. Remove the plastic wrap and place 2 slices of Swiss cheese, then 2 slices of ham, then another layer of Swiss cheese, and another layer of ham. Evenly roll the chicken and place onto a new sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the chicken in the plastic wrap tightly and use the excess plastic on the sides to twist, firming up the roll of chicken cordon bleu as you work. Tie the excess plastic. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, then chill the rolls in the fridge to set for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a tall-sided pan with 2 inches (5 cm) of oil to 325°F (170°C). After the rolls are set, prepare 2 separate large, wide dishes with the flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs. Dredge the chicken first in the flour, then the egg, and then bread crumbs. Place the breaded chicken cordon bleu in the oil and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until the outside is an even golden brown. If a good color is achieved and the chicken’s center is still not 165°F (75°C), place the chicken cordon bleu on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and finish the chicken in the oven at 325°F (170°C) until that temperature is reached. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a 1 ½-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook the garlic until soft. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk until fully combined with the roux and no lumps remain. Continue whisking until the mixture comes to a simmer and has thickened. Add the mustard, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Remove the pan from the heat. Slice the chicken and serve drizzled with Dijon sauce.  All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 210 S. Milwaukee Ave. Wheeling, IL 60090 USA