Independent Contractor Spotlight:Kelly Hernandez

This week's post is dedicated to our multi-talented independent contractor Kelly Hernandez.

Kelly has worked as a dealer with D&E Casino Service for several years. His dealing skills are enhanced by a winning personality and intellect that he refined in business school. We are thankful to have on our dealing team.

One skill that Kelly possesses, which sets him apart from others on other staff, is his interest and ability in performing magic. He performs magic at private parties when he is not working with D&E Casino Services. He comments that hi interest in magic began as a child and never left.

Check out his webpage kellyspades.com and myspace profile http://www.myspace.com/kellyspades

Thanks for being part of our team Kelly!

Haiti Disaster: Fundraise and Help!

As everyone is aware, Haiti experienced a traumatic earthquake that killed an estimated 50 to 200,000 and left countless others injured, homeless, or orphaned. The Red Cross is providing much needed support in Haiti. At this time they need monetary donations to continue their relief efforts.

Quoted from redcross.org "You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org"

D&E Casino Services fully supports the Redcross efforts and would like to encourage everyone to do their part. We can help you plan and coordinate a casino fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the relief efforts taking place in Haiti.

Jennifer and Ellie will walk you through the entire event process. Call them at 562-925-1957.

Up in the Air and D&E Casino Parallels

The 2009 movie Up In the Air, starring George Clooney, was brought to my attention earlier today. The film possesses some interesting parallels to our company D&E Casino Services.

First of which the main character shares the surname Bingham. Ryan Bingham is the films protagonist, who travels around America firing employees for various companies. Unlike the Binghams I know( Ellie, Dan, Jennifer, and myself), Ryan Bingham does not value relationships and connections in life. Which is a major point of contrast within out company. Whereas Ryan tries to minimize personal connections, our company does our best to maximize personalization and increase relationships amongst independent contractors and with clients. We believe that a healthy company is full-bodied; possessing a brain, body, and HEART!

Our company, like Ryan, is accustomed to non-stop travel. in the last 11 days we have visited many Sheratons and other venues in the cities of:

Cerritos, Tarzana, Universal City, Fontana, Huntington Beach, Culver City, Irvine, Temecula, and more...

Company Jr. Partner, Jennifer Bingham, is currently in Belize vacationing with key independent contractor and her boyfriend Ken Miranda. We are excited that she has the chance to refresh and bring home some Belizian sugar.

My point in writing this piece is to reemphasize the message imparted by Up In the Air. There is more to life than work, work, work. If you spend your whole life running away from relationships and commitments, then what do you have except a bare wall and empty refrigerator. Enjoy life and be merry!

Celebrate National Trivia Day: Casino Fun Facts

January 4th, 2010 is National Trivia Day. I sought out some interesting trivia facts related to casino gaming tables and Las Vegas. Fun Stuff!

• Worldwide there are about 4800 casinos, with about 1790 in North America, 1670 in the United States and 26 in Michigan.
• The word "Casino" originally meant a small villa, summerhouse or pavilion built for pleasure, usually on the grounds of a larger Italian villa or palazzo. During the 19th century, the word "Casino" came to include other public buildings where pleasurable activities, including gambling and sports, took place.
• "Playing with House Money" refers to the situation where a winning player is placing bets with money that has been won from the casino.
• When it opened in 1989, The Mirage, in Las Vegas, was the first casino to use security cameras full time on all table games to catch cheaters.
• Dice have been made from wood, clay, stone, peach pits, animal horns, teeth, ivory, bronze, porcelain, even jewels. The oldest known dice with regular sides were found in northern Iraq. They're made of baked clay and date to about 3,000 B.C.
• The kings in decks of playing cards represent real leaders and conquerors from history, although not all had the title of king. The deck we use today is based on cards designed in 15th-century France. The king of spades represents the Biblical King David, the king of clubs represents Alexander the Great, the king of hearts represents Charlemagne and the king of diamonds represents Julius Caesar.
• Horizontal gaming wheels, such as those used in roulette, were invented in England in 1720 for a game called roly-poly. Roly-poly was similar to roulette, except there were no numbers on the wheel. There were alternating white spaces and black spaces, along with a "bar black" space and a "bar white" space. The "bar" spaces were the equivalents of zero and double-zero -- if the ball landed in either space, bets on black or white lost.
• In the Chinese culture, the number four is considered bad luck. High-rolling whales from China are very important to the gambling industry in Vegas. With this in mind, Wynn Las Vegas and Rio have no tower floors that start with four. The elevators count 38, 39, 50, 51 etc.
• Former President Richard Nixon won $6,000 playing poker n his first two months in the U.S. Navy during WWll. That is roughly equal to $42,640 in 2004 dollars. He used that money as well as more poker winnings to finance his run for the U.S. Congress in 1946, which he won.

I really enjoy the fact that casino gaming has had a place in society since ancient times and remains such a strong presence.

There is a plethora of these type of facts. Do you know any? Leave us a comment below:)

Hope everyone is enjoying 2010!!!!!!!!!