Obama Wants to Step Up Loan Modification Progress

President Obama wants mortgage companies to increase their foreclosure-prevention efforts... now! Officials from the US Treasury Department said today that they're going to increase the pressure on over 70 lenders who participate in the government's $75 billion dollar foreclosure assistance program. In fact they're sending small "SWAT teams" to several of the nation's largest mortgage companies to monitor their efforts and request twice-daily reports on their progress. According to the mortgage companies/loan servicers, it's difficult getting distressed home owners to complete the paperwork required to take part in the government's loan modification program. Apparently, almost 60% of the borrowers who are eligible to have their load modifications completed this year have submitted incomplete paperwork... or no paperwork at all!

If you're "underwater" on your home and want to modify your mortgage loan, get moving on that paperwork right away. The Obama administration is trying to help you save your house... so help them help you!

Learn some mo': White House tries to spur mortgage relief plan

Experts Predict Long Road Out of Recession

US economics experts are predicting a long, slow road out of the Great Recession that began in 2008. Even as some parts of the United States are beginning to claw their way out of the hole, the nation as a whole is still in some of the worst financial doldrums in its history. People are still out of work or only partially employed, consumers are still buying less, and banks are still hesitant to lend money on a large scale. Still, the stock market has begun to fight its way back out of the dark hole it was in at the beginning of the year and corporate profits appear to be strengthening significantly. Experts believe that this recovery will be similar to the one that took place in the early 1980s. Long, slow, painful... but no total collapse/doomsday scenario!

Read some mo': Lessons from ‘80s don’t bode well for economy

Tags: Great Recession

A Good Yawn Can Help Your Brain!

A research from the University of Pennsylvania says that the simple act of yawning is one of the best things you can do for your brain. In fact, Andrew Newburg calls yawning "one of the best-kept secrets in neuroscience". Besides its more well-known benefits, a good yawn may help you to wake up, solve a difficult problem, relax, prepare for sleep, and reduce feelings of anger, stress, and anxiety. Newburg says that you should always yawn before doing a challenging task, such as public speaking or taking a test. And you should even yawn while praying or meditating because it may intensify the spiritual experience.

Learn some mo': Yawn for Brain Health

How to Protect Your Wallet on Black Friday

Black Friday is usually a good day to find great deals and discounts on all kinds of popular products. But many of the "deals" retailers promote on Black Friday aren't really deals at all. They're basically just marketing gimmicks used to trick people into buying things they probably don't even really want or need. Visit the link below to learn how to protect your money and avoid getting ripped off on fake "bargains" at all the popular stores (including Best Buy, Walmart, Sears, Target, and even online retailer Amazon.com)...

Black Friday Anti-Deals: What Not To Buy

Mindflex Game: A Workout for Your Brain

Another hot toy this holiday season is the Mindflex Game. This very unique game actually reads your brainwaves and allows you to control a levitating ball using only the power of your mind. It's fun and may be a very useful tool for children with mental disabilities, including ADD and even autism! People are always looking for unique gifts and they don't come much better than this...

Check out this video:



Pretty cool stuff. We hope someone gives us a Mindflex and a Zhu Zhu Hamster for Christmas!

Tags: Mindflex

Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters are HOT!

Looking for the hottest "cheap" gift this holiday season? Then go get yourself some Zhu Zhu pet hamsters! Zhu Zhu mania is sweeping across America and is sure to do the same in many other parts of the world in the very near future. These inexpensive little mechanical toys make the perfect gift. They're cute, interesting, affordable (most sell for under $10 bucks!), and highly collectible. What more could you ask for? The small company that makes them, Cepia, is definitely onto something here. It's been a long time since we've seen a toy get so hot and take over the "buzz-o-sphere" so quickly like the Zhu Zhu pets have done.

Here's a vid from Toys R Us:

Tags: Zhu Zhu Pets

Exercise By Itself Won't Help You Lose Weight

It's a common belief that regular exercise almost always leads to healthy weight loss. Well, it turns out that this old fitness stand-by may not be true at all. New research shows that regular exercise may actually make it more difficult to lose weight for one simple reason: it can stimulate the appetite and cause you to eat more calories. Not only that, but many people believe that they can eat more junk foods and drink high-calorie, sugar-laden beverages in order to "reward" themselves for exercising. Obviously, this can totally negate any calorie-burning benefits of a hard workout. And scientific studies back this up.

Still, regular intense exercise has lots of health benefits. And the good news is that exercise can still help you to lose weight quickly and in a safe, healthy manner. But it will only work effectively if you change your diet and limit your total calorie intake. It's probably much better to do less exercise and focus more on eating a healthy, balanced diet that contains only small amounts of processed foods and refined sugars, flours, and fats. No matter what, if you exercise intensely you should take steps to control your appetite and food cravings!

Learn some mo': Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin

Tags: Exercise, Weight Loss

"The Secret of Oz" Video

Many economics experts believe that the United States and possibly most of the world will enter into another Great Depression within the next few years (possibly as soon as 2010!). A hot new documentary called The Secret of Oz offers a great overview and a possible solution to this potential crisis. It explains some of the

Check out the trailer:




Learn some mo':

Political interpretations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Nathan's Economic Edge

Dissolving Dollars Blog

Tags: Wizard of Oz, Secret of Oz

Sarah Palin Supporters Video

Right now this is a hot buzz video on the interwebs. It's great, whether you like "dangerous" Sarah Palin or not...

Tags: Sarah Palin

A Little Less Swine Flu

More good news about the swine flu pandemic. Health officials from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta are reporting a decrease in H1N1 influenza activity in the United States. Basically, fewer states are now reporting "widespread" flu activity. Still, health and disease experts are warning that flu activity is still extremely high, much higher than it normally is at this time of year. Also, it's definitely too early to know if the worst of the flu season is over for this winter. So keep taking those healthy precautions to protect yourself from flu and its dangerous effects (e.g. getting enough sleep, taking vitamin D and vitamin C supplements, avoiding sugars and processed foods, etc.).

Learn some mo': H1N1 cases decrease as vaccine availability increases

Tags: swine flu

Hadron Collider Gets Re-Started

The largest, most-expensive, and most-daring science project in the history of the world was restarted today. The newly repaired Hadron Collider, a 17-mile circular "atom smasher", was fired up for the first time in more than a year. The nuclear physicist eggheads on hand were surprised at how quickly they could get the gigantic tunnel to shoot beams of protons at near the speed of light.

Now hopefully we can figure out what exactly that dang "dark matter" stuff is!

Learn some mo': 'Very fast' pace excites Big Bang machine team
machine

Is Mayweather Scared of Losing to Pacquiao?

Boxing promoter Bob Arum is saying that world champion Floyd Mayweather probably won't take a risky fight against the world's best pound-for-pound fighter Manny Pacquiao. The fight everyone wants may not happen, according to Arum, because Mayweather will do anything to avoid ruining his perfect unbeaten record. Here's what he said:

"Psychologically he may not be prepared to do this fight... Now this is me being an amateur psychologist, but Mayweather is so tied up with the fact that nobody has beaten him, that he has a zero on his record, I don't know if he would be willing to go into the ring with anybody that could jeopardize that zero... He is afraid, terrified of losing that zero...That's why he's ducked (Shane) Mosely, (Antonio) Margarito and Cotto, and the question is will he duck Manny Pacquiao because he's so afraid of losing that zero."

Get some mo': Record-wary Mayweather may duck Pacquiao: Arum

Tags: mayweather, pacquiao, boxing

HP G71 329WM -- A $400 Notebook Computer Deal!

Looking for a really cheap and really good notebook computer? Then check out the "Black Friday" deal on the HP G71 329WM at Walmart:



We've been looking for some good laptop deals and we think we've found a great one. Time to send a low-paid intern to stand in line at the local Walmart on Black Friday 2009!

:)

More HP G71-329wm info

Tags: HP G71 329WM

Vitamin D = Healthier Heart, Less Depression

We already know that vitamin D has about a million health benefits. Now we can add a few more. New research from the University of Utah shows that vitamin D helps to protect us against heart disease, strokes, and depression.

According to Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D., a vitamin D expert and author of the new book The Vitamin D Solution:

"It is estimated that many of the genes that regulate cardiovascular health are directly or indirectly regulated by vitamin D... We know that vitamin D regulates blood pressure, and it is very important for maintaining good heart health... The new research is confirming previous observations that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of depression."

So it looks like we should also be spending more time in the sun and probably taking a good vitamin D supplement as well!

Learn some mo':

3 Ways to Get More Vitamin D

Tags: vitamin D, depression

You Have a .02% Chance of Dying from Swine Flu

Real numbers show that the swine flu isn't as deadly as some people think it is. Of the approximately 22 million Americans who have come down with the swine flu, about 4000 have died. That's less than a .02% "Case Fatality Rate". Believe it or not, this is actually quadruple the early estimates made last spring. Still, health experts are saying that this does not mean the swine flu has worsened. It's just that now we have a better understanding of the disease and more real world statistics to evaluate.

The good news is this: if you get the swine flu you will very likely survive and, in fact, you probably won't even need a doctor's care! Still, it's very early in the flu season and, according to scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, we have a long flu-filled winter ahead of us.

You might want to start taking extra vitamin C and vitamin D now, both of which can boost the immune system and help protect you from viral infections. In fact there are many natural flu prevention techniques you can use.

Stay tuned for more swine flu news...

Tags: swine flu news

Manny Pacquiao Slaps Cotto Upside His Head

Last night the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao, beat Miguel Cotto handily. In the process he slapped the Puerto Rican boxer upside his head... literally!

Check it out:



Manny is just incredible. He makes world-class fighters look like amateurs. Check out his cool website to learn more about this amazing boxer!

Now, if only Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his camp would help make the fight of the decade we can find out who is truly the best fighter of his generation...

Tags: Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather Jr., boxing, Las Vegas

No More Strippers-On-A-Truck in Las Vegas!

After a very brief run, a Las Vegas strip club -- Deja Vu Showgirls -- has agreed to stop their "Strippers-On-Wheels" marketing promotion. It involved exotic dancers in bikinis, a huge see-through plexiglas box, a truck, and a stripper pole... all being driven around the streets of Las Vegas at night, from 10 pm to 2 am. Apparently even in Sin City, that pushed the limits of taste... and safety!

Read some mo':

Stripper ad campaign halted in Las Vegas

Tags: las vegas, exotic dancers

Polaroid V130 Camcorder -- A Cheap Alternative to the Flip!

It's about time someone came out with a cheap, good-quality alternative to the Flip video cameras! The Polaroid V 130 (or DVF-130, we're not completely sure yet) camcorder costs only about 40 to 60 dollars and has some really cool features that allow it to keep with the very-cool line of Flip camcorders. Apparently it's expected to be a top-seller during the upcoming "Black Friday" sales. As electronic gadgets get cheaper and more popular, we expect to see some really interesting battles involving upstarts like the Polaroid V130. Oh and by the way, you don't need to shake the thing to get your photos out of it!

Learn more:

Polaroid DVF-130: USB Camcorder

Tags: Polaroid V130 Camcorder, Polaroid DVF-130LC, Flip camera

The Hawaii Chair is Cool!

We don't care what anybody says... the Hawaii Chair is a cool fitness product! It's certainly no worse -- or stranger -- than those horseback-ride-simulating "exercise" machines like the uGallop! Want to just sit around No, it might not burn off your belly fat or give you "six pack" abdominal muscles... but it probably does at least strengthen those important "core" muscles we keep hearing about! At the very least, it's definitely a lot more fun than those damn elliptical machines!

Check out the Hawaii Chair commercial:



If that's not fun exercise we don't know what is! :)

Tags: Hawaii Chair

"Go" Programming Language Released by Google

Google has officially released it's own new programming language called "Go"... and the programming world is pretty excited about it. Google's engineers say that the open-source Go is designed to serve as a systems language like C++ but with the speed and simplicity of development of a language like Python. We have a feeling that it's going to be very useful, easy to learn and implement, and extremely powerful... just like most of the stuff Google creates!

Tags: Go programming language, Google News

Pete Rose's Sexy Girlfriend in Playboy?

Baseball hero Pete Rose has a very sexy, very beautiful, and very "well endowed" Korean girlfriend who, we think, lives in Las Vegas. Apparently this beautiful asian model is going to try to appear on the venerated pages of Playboy Magazine in the near future (and we can't wait!).

Here's a BIG photo of Pete and his girl from a recent boxing match in Vegas:


(Click on it to see the full-size version!)

Could Kiana Kim be the next superstar Asian model? We think so... :)

Tags: pete rose's girlfriend, playboy magazine

Air Jordan 2010 Buzz

It's been 25 years and they're still the most popular athletic shoes on the planet. The Air Jordan 2010 shoes are coming this February and the sneaker-fan world is all abuzz. Collectors are already scrambling to figure out how to get their hands on these incredibly in-demand (and expensive) basketball shoes!

Besides MJ himself, there is at least one NBA superstar who will have no problem getting several pairs of the shoes for free. Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade will wear and promote the 25th anniversary edition of the shoes, making the jump from Converse to Jordan Brand.


The new shoes should look something like this:


Good luck getting your own 25th Anniversary Air Jordans... you're gonna need it!

Tags: 25th Anniversary Air Jordans, Air Jordan 2010

Curry Kills Cancer!

New research confirms something scientists have suspected for years: a chemical in curry kills cancer cells... very well! Researchers in Ireland tested curcumin -- a compound found in turmeric (a primary ingredient of curry) -- on esophageal cancer cells. It started to kill the cancer cells within just a few hours! Not only that, but the cells actually began to "digest" themselves. Sound pretty nasty to us... but pretty damn good as well!

Until they invent a new anti-cancer drug based on curcumin, you may just want to start eating more curry, which can be surprisingly delicious anyway. Also, there are several good turmeric supplements available that you might want to add to your daily routine.

Learn some mo'...

Curry compound kills cancer cells, study shows

Tags: curry kills cancer, turmeric, curcumin, natural cancer treatments

Droid Google Phone Set to Battle iPhone

The "Droid" smart phone from Motorola will go on sale this Friday. It's another phone based on the open-source operating system called "Android" from Google. It will work on the Verizon mobile network and some people are very excited about it, especially since it may be capable of seriously competing against the Apple iPhone! Google SEO Eric Schmidt says that the smart cell phone market is now on the cusp of an explosion of Android-powered products.


Here's what the new Motorola Droid looks like:

We really don't think it looks all that great... but what do we know?? Anyway, stay tuned for more about the Droid vs. iPhone battle...

Learn some mo':

Motorola Droid hands on!

Floyd Mayweather Gets Called Out on the Radio

World champion Floyd Mayweather recently got called out live on the radio by a true boxing expert, RA The Rugged Man. He pretty much gets asked the questions all real boxing fans want to ask, most importantly:

"Why won't you fight the best opponents when they're in the prime of their career??"

Listen in on this highly entertaining phone call:

(Part 1)


(Part 2)


Great stuff. Come on Floyd... stop ducking... prove your greatness to the world... FIGHT THE BEST... PLEASE!!

US Health Care Bill Gets Passed in the House!

Last night the US House of Representatives passed the controversial health reform bill that will theoretically provide health care coverage to nearly every American citizen, place tough new restrictions on insurance companies, and possibly even begin to lower the out-of-control costs of medicine in the United States. President Barack Obama says that now it's the Senate's turn to pass the legislation so that he can sign it into law.

According to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

“For nearly a century, leaders of every party and political philosophy – as far back as Teddy Roosevelt - have called for health care for the American people... For generations, the American people have called for affordable, quality health care for their families. Today, the call will be answered.”

Lots of people are happy that the government is trying to make health care available and affordable to all Americans, but the questions still linger: can we pay for it and can the government actually run it efficiently??

10 Things We Want to Accomplish With This Blog

1. Find the best buzz.

2. Help our readers live healthier, happier lives.

3. Have fun.

4. Get some Google love!

5. Make some people laugh.

6. Help some people save money and/or make more money.

7. Publish some interesting photos and videos.

8. Provide some valuable tips, tricks, and "secrets".

9. Experiment.

10. Create a very good, interesting, and maybe even useful blog!

Where to Find the Buzz

As the name suggests, this blog is all about buzz. We don't claim to have the best or newest buzz but... well actually we have no buzz at all yet. This is a brand new blog after all. Until we get our act together you can find some good, hot, juicy buzz at these great web sites:

Google Hot Trends

Yahoo Buzz

Yahoo Top Searches

Digg.com Top Stories

Yahoo News: Most Popular

There are other places to find out what's "hot" in the world right now, but the ones listed above are definitely a few of the best. Take some time to check them out.

More to come...

Tags: buzz, hot topics

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