Buzz Punching

Starbucks To Offer Booze

2012-01-25T00:55:00.000-08:00

Some Starbucks cafes will soon offer alcoholic drinks, according to a new announcement from the coffee giant. Wine and beer will be available in select locations, as will a new variety of "premium food" like hot flatbreads and small plates. The company has already been testing the idea at a location in Seattle since 2010 where it offers $5 beers (including the delicious Rogue Dead Guy Ale) and $7-$9 glasses of wine (including an Oregon Pinot Noir and an Argentine Malbec).

Starbucks says the goal is to increase the level of "relaxation" in its shops and offering alcohol after 2 p.m. is a great way to do that. According to the company's senior vice president of U.S. operations:

"As our customers transition from work to home, many are looking for a warm and inviting place to unwind and connect with the people they care about."

The good news for worried parents and soccer moms: all beer and wine bottles will be kept behind the counters and not on the outside display cases. Experts say Starbucks is desperate to differentiate itself from up-and-coming competitors like McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Panera Bread. They are also planning on launching a new chain of speciality juice shops so we'll have to wait and see if vodka screwdrivers are on the menu at those locations.

We say: This is a fantastic idea. Now we don't have to bring flasks of bourbon in our laptop bags when we go to Starbucks to work on blog posts! :)

Learn some mo': Starbucks to add beer, wine to menu at select coffee shops

10 Minute Trainer Is Hot -- Reviews Needed!

2012-01-23T17:09:00.000-08:00

Looking for a 10 minute workout that actually works? Well it appears millions of other people are too, especially in North America. In the past three weeks "10 Minute Trainer" has become a top search phrase in Google, even appearing on their Hot Trends page a few days ago. So what's the deal? Well, it turns out 10 Minute Trainer is another one of those incredibly well-produced and well-promoted Beachbody home workout programs (P90X or Insanity anyone?) that promises a fitness model's body within a matter of weeks.

Surprisingly, this is not a new product. In fact, going by the oldest reviews on Amazon.com, it was first released way back in early 2008. So why the explosion in popularity online? Probably because Beachbody has been seriously ramping up its TV and web marketing efforts in the past few weeks, most likely to take advantage of the surge in interest in fast weight loss and quick fitness solutions that appears every January.

What Is It?

10 Minute Trainer is basically an ultra-efficient, super fast workout system for busy people. It combines high-intensity cardio, ab exercises, and "total body toning" strength training exercises in one short workout. It of course includes a strict eating plan that is absolutely necessary for rapid fat loss results and the DVDs also come with special rubber resistance bands to help raise the intensity/efficiency of the exercises. The videos are hosted by Beachbody fitness guru Tony Horton and they promise to help you "tone and trim" your entire body in just 10 minutes per day by using the supposedly unique "Super Stacking Technique" system.

Sound super, doesn't it??

Reviews Needed

As is often the case with Beachbody's ultra-popular home exercise products, there's not a whole lot of real information online. Most of the customer "reviews" currently available on the web were created by people who make money selling the 10 Minute Training DVD program -- often promoting it directly on the very same website. The over 100 reviews currently on Amazon are generally positive although there are a handful of negative 1 and 2-star reviews as well. Unfortunately, many of the most positive 5-star reviews appear to be fakes. There's too much similar language, too many exclamation points!!!, and few if any other reviews from the reviewers -- all signs of less-than-genuine reviews. So we need your help...

If you've used the 10 Minute Trainer workout system please leave your own reviews, ratings, or opinions in the comments section below. Thanks! :)

We say: Ten and 15 minute workouts are nothing new and many of the best are totally free. Although we're sure the 10 Minute Trainer system has some definite benefits, especially for newbies and people who need some visual motivation from their televisions, we're also fairly confident it's a little over-priced for what it is. For $90 you could buy a couple of high-quality kettlebells and a great jumprope, which all anyone needs to get an extremely effective fast workout anytime they want! (If you don't disagree tells us why in the comments section below!)

By the way, here's the Ten Minute Trainer commercial. If you live in the US you've probably already seen it a few hundred times...

Oh, and here are some reviews from the Beachbody site!

Las Vegas One of the Rudest, Most Stressful US Cities

2012-01-19T18:06:00.000-08:00

Here's some more good news for Las Vegas tourism: it has just been voted as being among America's rudest and most stressful cities! A new study by CNBC.com identified Vegas as the country's second most stressful city, right behind Tampa, FL. They base their findings on the Vegas area's high crime, horrible economy, bad traffic, crazy unemployment rate, and still-going-down home values. The city has one of the highest divorce rates in the nation and is lucky enough to have a high per capita violent crime rate.

The only "happy" thing about Vegas? Sunshine. We have the fewest cloudy days of any city surveyed. Awesome.

All that stress must be making Vegas Valley people very rude, because Travel + Leisure magazine just rated us the 12th rudest population in the US. The magazine's editors say they took into account culture, quality of life, shopping, nightlife options, trip experiences, and overall "friendliness" in making their list. They say Vegas kicks butt in the nightlife category but that people here (locals and tourists alike) don't necessarily enjoy interacting with one another very much.

Kind of surprisingly, Vegas was among the worst cities for "athletically active" people. Aren't we supposed to be one of the best cities for outdoor sports enthusiasts?? Not surprising at all, the city ranks extremely low for intelligence of the population, city pride, museums, peace, and public parks.

We say: Of course we're stressed and pissed off in Sin City! There are no jobs. Everyone's losing their house. The economy absolutely sucks. And Vegas seems to attract some of the least friendly people not just from the US but from all over the world (we're looking at you Vietnamese blackjack dealers... learn how to smile once in awhile!). Thank God for the sun...

Learn some mo': Study ranks Las Vegas as nation’s second most stressful city and Las Vegas one of America’s rudest cities

Las Vegas New Home Sales Hit 30-Year Low

2012-01-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

Just a few short years ago Las Vegas had one of the hottest housing markets in the United States. In the world even! But in 2011 it's home-building industry was one of the coldest, falling to a 30-year low. New home sales topped out at just under 3,900 -- a fraction of the 2005 number of nearly 39,000.

According to Dennis Smith, president of Home Builders Research Inc:

“2011 was the most difficult year the [Las Vegas] home building industry has ever been through."

He said it was the worst he's seen since he started tracking the Vegas market in 1987. In fact, it only barely beat the 1982 new homes figure of 3600. Maybe the scariest thing is that the Las Vegas Valley now has about 4 times more people than it did in '82.

The Vegas economy continues to be mired in high unemployment and huge number of "underwater" mortgages/foreclosures. The only bright spot is that Las Vegas houses have become incredibly cheap to buy! Many economists expect the Vegas economy to pick up slight in 2012 and continue to gain momentum into 2013 but there will almost certainly be no rapid, dramatic recovery for Sin City!

We say: Vegas needs jobs. That's all there is to it. Until our "brilliant" local business leaders and politicians figure out a way to bring new industries and decent-paying jobs into this city not much is going to change.

Learn some mo': Las Vegas new home sales hit 30-year low in 2011

Natural Antidepressant: Vitamin D?

2012-01-14T02:38:00.000-08:00

Vitamin D may be one of the best natural antidepressants, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that people with low levels of the "sunshine" vitamin were much more likely to experience symptoms of depression compared to those with high levels. Experts say it backs up past research showing that vitamin D is an ultra-important brain booster.

It's not clear how or why exactly vitamin D has such a strong effect on mood. Scientists do know however that the human brain is full of special vitamin D receptors, so it's obviously an important nutrient for brain and mental health. The Institute of Medicine has recently raised its recommendations for vitamin D to 600 IUs for people under 70 and 800 for people over.

According to Dr. E. Sherwood Brown, a top researcher in the Texas study:

“[These findings] add depression to the spectrum of medical illnesses associated with low vitamin D, and people with depression probably should consider a blood test to see if their vitamin D is low and whether supplements may be needed."

But he warns that vitamin D may not be a "cure" for depression. It certainly can't hurt to make sure your "D" levels are high enough!

Learn some mo': Low Levels of Vitamin D May Be Linked to Depression

Best Diets of 2012 Chosen by U.S. News & World Report

2012-01-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

According to a new report from U.S. News & World Report the best weight loss diet for 2012 is the Weight Watchers diet. The next best is the "Biggest Loser" diet followed up by the Jenny Craig diet plan. According to the people who put the report together, data shows that Weight Watchers dieters have the most success with both short term weight loss and long term weight loss/weight maintenance. They also say that Weight Watchers is one of the easier diets to follow, making it more likely that a client will stick to the plan over time.

The Jenny Craig program, another top commercial diet plan, can be effective but, according to researchers, relies too much on pre-packaged meals and is significantly more expensive than other options. It's interesting to note that, not very long ago, research from the Journal of the American Medical Association as well as ratings from Consumer Reports magazine showed Jenny Craig to be the best weight loss diet on the market.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was chosen has the best overall diet for 2012, for the 2nd time in two years. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet and the Mayo Clinic diet took the 2nd and 3rd spots in that category. The rankings were created by a panel of 22 diet, nutrition, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and "food psychology" experts who voted on things like how easy a diet is to follow, nutritional completeness, safety, and a diet's ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss results.

We say: US News & World Report has already shown their love for both Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig in the past. Could it be that they're being paid off by these billion-dollar diet companies? We'd give it 50/50 odds that that could be the case!

Learn some mo': Best Diets of 2012 -- New Rankings

Las Vegas Constables Get Embarrassing

2012-01-03T16:45:00.001-08:00

Most Las Vegas residents who have had to deal with local constables already know that these "half-cops" aren't the most professional people in the world. They foreclose homes, serve legal papers, and even pull drivers over on the road (even though they're not really supposed to!). But now a new video recently posted on Youtube shows the Vegas constables office is actually much worse than we thought:

Constable offices from surrounding cities -- including North Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City -- are already doing their best to distance themselves from this fiasco. They've addressed their concerns to the Clark County Commission, with one Henderson constable even saying this:

"For the past 12 years, we’ve cleaned up the professionalism of the office... That, I’ll be honest, has been destroyed in the last 12 months."

Las Vegas Metro Police have their own, more serious, problems to deal with. The fact that the city constables are basically acting like jackasses embarasses the entire city of Las Vegas. Thanks guys, just what we need right now!

Learn some mo': Constables say system ‘out of control’

New Drug Might Kill All Viruses

2011-12-23T01:16:00.000-08:00

Doctors may soon be able to prescribe a drug that kills all viruses, according to new research from MIT. DRACO is a novel broad-spectrum treatment that appears to cause virus-infected cells in the body to commit suicide, eventually killing (or at least controlling) the infection throughout the body.

A recent study found that DRACO effectively kills 15 different virus types in both human and animal cells, including polio, dengue fever, a stomach virus, various types of hemorrhagic fever (including the scary-deadly Ebola virus), the H1N1 "swine" flu virus, and even the common cold! According to Todd Rider, DRACO's inventor and a top researcher at MIT:

“In theory, it should work against all viruses."

Basically the new anti-viral drug works by telling an infected cell to kill itself before a virus can replicate inside of it. In effect it manipulates the cell's natural defense mechanisms in a way that wipes out a virus before it can produce many copies of itself.

The best news is that, according to experts, viruses may not be able to become resistant to the effects of DRACO the way they do to many other anti-viral compounds. There is simply no direct pathway to resistance because the drug really acts on the cell, not on the virus itself. Scientists are hoping DRACO will be the virus "cure-all" we've been waiting for for thousands of years!

Learn some mo': New drug could cure nearly any viral infection

Anti-Alzheimer's / Memory Booster Pill Might Be Coming Soon

2011-12-20T00:21:00.000-08:00

Scientists may be on the verge of creating a drug that reverses Alzheimer's syndrome and dramatically boosts the memory. New research has identified a powerful gene in mice that gives them "super memory" powers and fights off the negative effects of several degenerative mental illnesses, including Alzheimer's.

Mice brains and human brains are surprisingly similar so some in the scientific community believe a drug could be developed based on harnessing the power of this brain-boosting super gene. Researchers found that it blocks the release of a another gene -- called PKR -- that triggers the beginning of Alzheimer's disease. Aside from protecting the brain it appears to greatly increase the memory recall abilities of mice.

According to lead researcher Maura Costa-Mattioli:

"If we were to find an inhibitor, a molecule, a drug that will specifically block PKR, we should be able to do the same [in humans]... And we did. We recognize that PKR plays a dual role, one in regulating simple everyday processes like the way neurons talk to each other [for] memory, but also has a stress response."

We say: It seems like by now they should have Alzheimer's cured or at least "contained". And we would LOVE a pharmaceutical memory booster that really works. So get it done science geeks!!

Learn some mo': Could this be the cure for Alzheimer's? Scientists say memory-boosting pill could be coming soon

Analyst: iPad 3 Release Date Will Be February 2012

2011-12-08T22:34:00.001-08:00

People have a lot of questions about the upcoming iPad 3 from Apple. The biggest are: "Should I wait for it? When is the release date? How much better is it compared to the iPad 2?" Now we may have an answer to one of those queries.

There were rumors that it would be available for Christmas 2011 but that obviously is not the case. Then some "insiders" were predicting a March or April 2012 release date. Now Citi analyst Richard Gardner says he knows when the iPad 3 will really be available: February 2012.

In a report filed today he claimed several inside sources have indicated that Apple will launch the 3rd generation iPad sometime in the month of February. Technology-related glitches may have delayed the release of the new tablet but, according to Gardner:

"There do not appear to be any significant technical hurdles remaining [to releasing the iPad 3]."

Apple usually releases new versions of popular products one year apart. But they do occasionally shorten the time frame, as would be the case if the release date is in February (the iPad 2 was release in March of 2011). Apple is currently dominating the tablet computer market but is seeing strong new competition from the Amazon Kindle Fire and other new Android-based tablets like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime. They may be anxious to get their best product on the market ASAP.

We say: The best thing about a new iPad being released is that the older version iPads will be available at a deep discount. Cheaper tabs make us happy!

Learn some mo': iPad 3 is Coming in February

Blowfish Hangover Pill: The Next Big Thing?

2011-12-07T01:40:00.001-08:00

A new FDA-approved hangover "cure" has hit the market and some think it could be a bestseller for 2012. It's called "Blowfish" and it's basically an alka seltzer with big doses of caffeine, aspirin, and a "stomach-soothing" antacid formula designed to reduce hangover-related discomfort. The supplement is taken the morning after a night of drinking and it claims to be able to remedy a severe hangover within 30 minutes.

The people behind Blowfish say it's the perfect solution for dealing with crazy happy hours and out-of-control holiday parties. According to its creator: "This gets you functioning again quickly!"

A dose of Blowfish currently costs about 3 dollars. 6-packs can be had for about 12 bucks. Some experts say that, if it really works, it could catch on the way energy drink did and sell millions of units within just the first year.

We say: Sound cool but why wouldn't we just drink a Rockstar, take a couple big aspirins, and pop a couple of Tums like we normally do after a long night on Fremont Street??

Learn some mo': Hangover pill approved by FDA

Adipotide: A "Dream" Drug for Fast Weight Loss?

2011-12-03T10:13:00.001-08:00

Adipotide is a relatively simple drug that may become the "dream" solution for fast weight loss in overweight people. It was created as a novel cancer treatment but, while it was being tested, researchers found that it causes rapid fat loss and even improves metabolic function -- at least in mice and monkeys -- without diet or exercise changes. The good news is that drugs that work in primates usually have similar effects in humans.

The pharmaceutical industry has been desperately trying to find a new weight loss drug that works without a bunch of risky side effects. Experts are saying that adipotide may very well be that drug. It functions by killing the blood supply to adipose cells (aka bodyfat) and in turn reducing their number.

Overweight "couch potato" monkeys who received only about a month's worth of daily adipotide injections lost an average of 11 percent of their total body weight and nearly 40% of their bodyfat stores. That's a HUGE amount of weight and fat loss, especially in such a short time frame! The injections caused the monkeys to eat fewer calories and lose belly fat. They also underwent positive metabolic changes that may prevent Type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related health problems.

The researchers behind the unique chemical compound have already applied for FDA approval of human trials and expect them to begin within a year.

According to head researcher Wadih Arap:

"It is incredibly exciting, a dream coming true in slow motion."

We say: A drug that allows couch potatoes to lose 40% of their belly fat in a month without exercising or dieting... are you kidding us?? If this thing gets approved it'll sell about $100 billion in the first week!

Learn some mo': Drug helps monkeys lose weight, are humans next?

The Kindle Fire is the Best-Selling iPad Alternative

2011-12-03T01:03:00.001-08:00

Sales of the new Kindle Fire tablet from Amazon are literally on fire, according to new retail statistics. New numbers from IHS iSuppli show that nearly 4 million Kindle Fires will ship during this quarter, making it the number 1 Google Android-based tablet and the number 2 selling tablet overall.

The Apple iPad 2 still dominates the tablet market. But some experts are predicting that the Kindle Fire will emerge as the top iPad-alternative and steal a large percentage of Apple's market share over the next few quarters. The popular Samsung Galaxy Tab, another Android device, is more powerful than the "Fire" but it's also a lot more expensive... which is probably only 1.4 million are expected to sell his quarter.

It's interesting to note that the original iPad only sold 3.3 million in its first quarter (Q3 2010) on the market. Kindle Fire sales will easily beat that. As we've already seen, consumers love cheap-but-powerful tablet computers. Plus the 7-inch Kindle Fire is significantly lighter, smaller, and more "portable" than the iPad, allowing it to be more of a go-anywhere content consumption/personal entertainment center device. The question analysts are already asking is this: could the Amazon Kindle Fire outsell the iPad in the near future? We'll just have to wait and see.

We say: We got our hands on a Kindle Fire and we really like it. Just the right size and weight, plus it's great for watching movies/videos. The only serious problem so far: it doesn't allow you to download all the Android apps yet! What's up with that Amazon??

Learn some mo': The Kindle Fire Is On Fire

The Type 2 Diabetes "Cure" Diet

2011-12-02T00:56:00.001-08:00

Dutch scientists say they may have found a true type 2 diabetes "cure": the calorie restriction diet. They found that diabetes patients who followed a very low calorie (just 500 calories per day!) diet for four months dramatically improved their overall health, reducing dangerous "pericardial" fat and improving the function of their hearts.

Body mass index (BMI), one of the best measurements of overall body fat levels, fell greatly, from 35.3 to 27.5 on average. But probably the biggest surprise of the study was this: volunteers on the calorie-restricted diet were able to stop taking their daily insulin injections! According to study leader, Dr. Sebastiaan Hammer:

"It was very striking to us to see how a relatively simple intervention such as a very-low-calorie diet effectively cures type 2 diabetes mellitus."

We say: This is GREAT news for people who suffer from diabetes! Just basically starve yourself for a few months and you'll cure/treat yourself naturally. Or you could just stick to boring old balanced diet, regular exercise, and smart supplementation... but where's the fun in that??

Learn some mo': Calorie restriction cures diabetes? What study says

Hottest Kids Toy in 2011: Tablet Computers!

2011-11-23T15:50:00.001-08:00

Forget flying radio-controlled fish and video game consoles -- the most in-demand kid's "toy" this year is the tablet computer! In fact, according to a new Nielsen research poll, the Apple iPad is the most-asked-for gift among children this holiday season. A whopping 44% of kids surveyed said they wanted an Ipad, up from just 30% last year.

The Consumer Electronics Association says that tablet devices are definitely the hottest gifts for the 2011 Christmas season. According to the CEA director of research Shawn DuBravac:

"Tablets, tablets, tablets and some more tablets on the side... Far and away, that will be the most popular item!"

He says that it's difficult to know for sure which of the many tablets on the market will end up being the true sales star in the US. The population is very diverse demographically. According to DuBravac:

"There’s going to be multiple tablets that will probably do well because there’s a large variation of consumers out there... They all want different things."

Many experts believe that younger children will be demanding the new LeapPad Explorer "learning tablet"... a device designed to help kids learn reading, writing, and math faster. Just don't tell them it's not really as cool as an iPad or Kindle Fire!

Learn some mo': Tablets are the new Cabbage Patch Kids

Another Reason Not to Eat Canned Food: Toxic Chemicals!

2011-11-23T15:21:00.001-08:00

Eating a lot of canned food can skyrocket the level of a toxic chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) in your bloodstream, according to a new study from Harvard. That's bad because BPA is pretty nasty stuff that significantly hurts your overall health, especially over time.

Researchers found that people who eat a serving of canned soup every day had much higher BPA levels (about 20 times higher!) in their urine than people who eat fresh non-canned soup. That's because BPA is a by-product of a chemical used to prevent the corrosion of the can's metal, and it leaches into the food.

According to the study's head researcher Karin Michels:

"To see an increase in this magnitude was quite surprising... [the levels of BPA seen in the study participants] are among the most extreme reported in a nonoccupational setting."

We say: Just another reason to not eat canned foods. What sucks is that some of the best tomato products are canned, but these are among the worst because the tomatoes' acid leached out the BPA even faster!

Learn some mo': Soaring BPA Levels Found in People Who Eat Canned Foods

Green Tea Can Lower Bad Cholesterol

2011-11-18T01:07:00.000-08:00

Drinking green tea or taking a green tea supplement can lower your "bad" cholesterol according to a new study. Researchers found that regular green tea consumption significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels in patients. They tested both regular green tea and a supplement containing the phytonutrient catechins found in green tea.

The researchers found that drinking green tea was slightly more effective at lowering cholesterol than taking supplements. Experts say that a daily dose of green tea could be a good way to improve overall cholesterol numbers.

We say: This is just more evidence that green tea kicks serious butt. There are so many health-boosting reasons to drink this stuff that it boggles the mind!

Learn some mo': Green tea may trim "bad" cholesterol: study

Is the Kobo Vox the Next Good Cheap iPad Alternative?

2011-10-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

As HP proved a couple months ago, Americans LOVE powerful and cheap tablet computers. Now sales of the new $200 Amazon Kindle Fire are literally exploding through the roof... despite the fact that it's significantly less powerful than the top-selling Apple iPad tablet. Now there's a new low-cost iPad alternative that some experts are predicting could be the best of them all: the Kobo Vox!

This new affordable tablet has a 7-inch display and will sell for just $199. It's more of a traditional Android-based tablet than the Kindle Fire, with the normal app icon interface. It weighs just over 14 ounces, features a SD memory card slot, and has a new type of anti-reflective screen that's based on the material used for airplane cockpits. This first version does not come with a camera, external microphone, or 3G internet connectivity. But it does come with a nice low price that consumers are sure to love!

According to Kobo the Vox's main advantage over the Kindle Fire is its software. It's much more "open" than the Amazon tablet's apps and allows you to take purchased content off of the device. So, for example, you can transfer an ebook to another Android device if you choose to do so. It also features some pretty cool "social reading" functionality that allows users to easily communicate about a piece of content.

We say: The Kobo Vox sounds freaking GREAT! A cheap iPad-alternative tablet that doesn't have all the pain-in-the-butt issues associated with the Amazon Kindle Fire. More competition is always good and we're sure the "ultimate" $99 buy-one-for-every-room tablet will soon be on the market!

Learn some mo': Kobo Vox, Social-Reading Android Competitor to the Kindle Fire w/ Photos

Las Vegas Houses Get Cheaper: Back to 1998 Levels!

2011-10-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wish you'd bought a cheap house in sunny Las Vegas back before the city's real estate market started exploding in the early 2000's? Well you're in luck! Home prices have dropped like a rock since the Great Recession began and over a decade's worth of value growth has basically been wiped out!

In fact, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price indices report, average home values in the Las Vegas Valley have dropped back to the same levels they were at in October 1998. A single family home is now going for about $123,000... about 60% below their August 2006 peak. It's a post-recession low in the nation's epicenter of the foreclosure crisis. While almost every other big US city is seeing slight increases in home values, Las Vegas dwellings are still worth less and less every day.

This is not real great news for a city that's dealing with huge numbers of "underwater" mortgages and about 14% unemployment rate. Las Vegas's economic boom of the late 90's and early 2000's has turned into an absolute nightmare with no end in sight, especially considering that Las Vegas only has 2 real industries -- casinos and construction -- and 95% of new building has ground to a halt.

We say: Vegas home values need to hurry up and bottom out. Harry Reid and Co. need to get some major construction project going (high-speed rail to LA anyone??) to help out all these out-of-work construction guys. And Vegas needs to do some quick and dirty development of small new industries that will lead to job growth. Until those things happen Vegas is going to remain in big, big, BIG economic trouble!

Learn some mo': Las Vegas home prices dip to October 1998 level

ASUS Reveals High-Power Transformer Prime Android Tablet

2011-10-24T01:22:00.000-07:00

In just a few short years ASUS has become a pretty cool computer company with some REALLY cool, high-value computing products. Now they've just revealed a "next-generation" tablet called the Transformer Prime. Some are calling it the mostly highly anticipated Android tablet device every to be released!

Why? Because it's really, really, really powerful. It runs the new version of Android -- 4.0 aka "Ice Cream Sandwich" -- and features the freakishly high-performance NVidia quad-core Kal-El Tegra 3 microprocessor. This new chip somehow provides much better performance while using less power and significantly extending battery life!

Maybe the coolest thing about the Transformer Prime is how it looks. It's less than 8 and a half millimeters thick and has a brushed aluminum body said to resist fingerprints and stop certain handgun bullets. It has a 10-inch screen, an SD card slot, mini-HDMI port, and over 14-hours of battery life when it's fresh. It's expected to be available before the end of the year.

We say: Good stuff! We need more ultra powerful, battery-life-extending, shiny metalic tablet computers. Somebody needs to give the damn iPad a run for its money...

Learn some mo': ASUS' Jonney Shih unveils Transformer Prime Android tablet: 10-inch, 8.3mm, quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3

Some Fake "Natural" Weight Loss Supplements Contain Dangerous Drug

2011-10-20T02:31:00.000-07:00

A BUNCH of popular "natural" weight loss/diet supplements contain a powerful prescription appetite suppressant drug that was taken off the market by the FDA, according to a new US consumer warning. 20 brands of so-called natural weight loss aids were found to contain sibutramine, known as "Meridia" in the United States. The FDA took it off the market last year because it may cause some nasty side effects... like strokes and heart attacks!

The FDA says consumers should stop taking the supplements (see list below) and throw away the bottles ASAP. Anyone experiencing any strange health symptoms should see a doctor immediately. FDA lab tests uncovered the supplement scam. Experts say that unscrupulous marketers are willing to market weight loss products as "natural" alternatives to prescription drugs in order to make them seem safer to consumers and boost sales. Most of the products below are sold online in capsule form, but some are also tea and coffee versions.

List of sibutramine-spiked diet supplements:

: “Slender Slim 11”
: “Advanced Slim 5”
: “A-Slim 100% Natural Slimming Capsule”
: “Dream Body Slimming Capsule”
: “Ja Dera 100% Natural Weight Loss Supplement”
: “Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee”
: “Lishou”
: “Magic Slim Tea”
: “Magic Slim Weight Reduction Capsule”
: “P57 Hoodia”
: “PhentraBurn Slimming Capsules”
: “Sheng Yuan Fang”
: “Tengda”
: “Acai Berry Soft Gel ABC”
: “Botanical Slimming”
: “DaiDaiHuaJiaoNang”
: “Fruit Plant Loosing Fat Capsule”
: “Health Slimming Coffee”
: “Lose Weight Coffee”
: “Pai You Guo Slim Tea”
: "Slim Forte Slimming Capsules," "Slim Forte Slimming Coffee," and Botanical Slimming Soft Gel"
: "Slim Forte Slimming Capsule" and "Slim Forte Double Power Slimming Capsules"
: “Slim Xtreme Herbal Slimming Capsule”
: “Celerite Slimming Capsules”
: Fruta Planta weight loss products

We say: It sounds like someone was trying to get rid of a bunch of banned Meridia so they sold it ultra cheap to some shady-ass supplement makers!

Learn some mo': FDA: 20 weight-loss supplements contain undeclared drug

Blood Oxygenation Treatment Might Cure Severe Swine Flu Infections

2011-10-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

Using a special medical treatment that oxygenates the blood may save the lives of people with severe H1N1 flu ("swine flu") infections, according to new research from Britain. The procedure, called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, basically involves adding oxygen to a person's blood outside of the body and then returning it to the body. It's a powerful (but expensive) technology that's already used to treat patients with severe respiratory problems, including newborn babies born prematurely.

Researchers took a close look at cases where patients developed breathing problems due to H1N1 infections. They noticed that people who received the oxygenation treatment were much less likely -- about 50% less likely in fact -- to die from the viral infection than those who didn't get the treatment.

There are already several types of mainstream oxygen therapies used to treat a variety of ailments. Also, many alternative health practitioners consider oxygen-boosting treatments -- such as hydrogen peroxide and ozone treatments -- to be among the best "natural" health treatments out there. The study's authors say that factors other than the oxygenation procedure might be responsible for the decreased risk of death, but it's reasonable to believe that significantly boosting oxygen levels in the blood directly or indirectly killed the H1N1 virus and saved lives.

Learn some mo': Oxygenating Blood of Hospitalized H1N1 Flu Patients Saved Lives

Apple Releases New iPod Nano Fitness Watch

2011-10-05T04:21:00.000-07:00

Apple has released a new version of its popular iPod Nano music player. It runs new software that basically turns it into a "fitness watch" with capabilities far beyond the old pedometer function of the 2010 Nano. In fact, it has built-in support for the Nike+ workout tracking software that allows you to run some pretty cool walking and running programs while syncing data with the Nike+ website.

The new Nano is basically the same hardware as the 6th-generation model released last year. But it's cheaper, selling for just $129 for the 8GB model and $149 for the 16 gigabyte model. The improvements come from software. Updated touch-screen software includes 16 new virtual clock face designs, which should increase its popularity as a geek watch. A new scrolling touch user interface is said to be much better than the old grid UI.

We say: Too bad Apple didn't include a GPS-enabled version of the iPod Nano. That would have made it the ultimate fitness/workout watch for geeks who like to hike/run/bike while listening to their Rocky-theme playlist!

Learn some mo': New iPod Nano Is Clock and Fitness Watch in One

Flexible Piezoelectric Remote Works by Bending & Twisting It

2011-09-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

A new flexible remote control is being released that allows you to change channels and adjust volume levels by bending and twisting it. It's made out of a new type of piezoelectric sensor film that was developed my Japanese tech firm Murata Manufacturing.

The "Leaf Grip Remote Controller" has two handles with a transparent film between them. The film contains two layers of special piezoelectric sensors that create small amounts of electricity through bending and twisting motions. Experts say that the new film is a breakthrough because it doesn't suffer from "pyroelectric" problems, which involve changes in temperature adversely effecting a piezoelectric device.

Murata has also announced the release of a "Touch Pressure Pad" that can be used to control a computer. It detects finger movements and can gauge the amount of pressure being applied. It could lead to an entirely new class of electronic device controls.

We say: Very nice. Now just hurry up and make a bendy/twisty controller for our video game consoles!

Learn some mo': Piezoelectric Remote Control Changes Channels When You Bend It

Google Search Ads Get More Social With +1 Feature

2011-09-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Google added the +1 social voting feature to their search ads today in an attempt to personalize users' "ad experiences." It also may be a move to create a fresh monetization channel for their new, and increasingly popular, Google Plus social network.

According to Google's engineers, clicking on a +1 button has the same effect whether it's an ad, a search results page listing, or an individual web page. +1 buttons will also start showing up on Adsense for Mobile text and image ads within the next couple of weeks. According to the search giant, users will be able to opt-out of the +1 ad personalization system by updating their Google account/Gmail personalization options. Advertisers can also choose to opt out and not have the +1 buttons appear on their ad campaigns.

We say: This is a very interesting move by the Big G. Adding a social layer to their ginormous ad network allows for all kinds of possibilities. It will also certainly affect the Adwords "quality score" feature that already gives advertisers (especially spammers) nightmares. So it may have a big effect on search engine marketing and pay-per-click (PPC) ad buying as a whole. Overall though, this should lead to better, more useful, and more targeted ads... higher revenues for Google... and more GREAT free Google products. That's always a good thing! :)

Learn some mo': Google Puts +1 on Ads, Creates Google Plus Revenue Stream