Friday, October 29, 2010

CherryPad: The Best Cheap Tablet Computer?

Looking for a cheap tablet computer that does everything you need? Well then check out the brand new CherryPad from Cherrypal. It's an Android device that will cost you just $188. At only 7-inches in width and about a pound in weight it's the perfect low-cost tablet for those who want WiFi internet, a resistive touch screen, 2GB of memory, and many more cool features usually found in higher-end tablet computers.

The CherryPad may not be the best ultra-portable PC out there but, for the price, it seems tough to beat. It is, for the time being, the ultimate in portability and low price among the emerging tablet computers!

Learn some mo': CherryPad: This is What a $188 Tablet Looks Like

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Is Las Vegas America's Dumbest City?

Las Vegas makes it on A LOT of "Top 10" lists, and now it's number 1 according to to the Daily Beast website: America's Dumbest City. Technically, it took the last spot -- number 55 out of 55 -- on the site's list of "smartest" US cities. In 2009, Vegas was 2nd-to-last on the same list, so apparently the foreclosure capital of the world has actually gotten stupider.

Although we live in Las Vegas and do our best to defend it, we have to say: they're kinda right. A lot of really dumbass people live in our home city. Spend 20 minutes on a local highway or 30 seconds dealing with a front-line customer service rep at any Downtown casino and you'll understand what we mean. We simply don't attract the sharpest knives in the drawer for some reason.

Actually, we have theory of why so many dumbbells choose to live here. It's a place (or at least it used to be a place) where anyone with any background and any level of education can relatively easily earn $60,000+ per year working in a casino. Also, we have one of the worst public school systems in the US, as well as some of the poorest medical care. Add in the highest foreclosure rate and worst unemployment and it's pretty easy to see why Vegas isn't too bright.

The worst part: the city has no real plans to change any of this. Very, very stupid...

Learn some mo': America’s ‘dumbest’ city? Annual report says Las Vegas

Saturday, October 23, 2010

eBay Will Buy Your Old Electronics (Really Cheap)

eBay is launching a new service that will help you sell all those old electronics sitting around your house. Their new "InstantSale" program will allow you to trade old cell phones, mp3 players, iPods, computers, etc. for money. According to eBay one of the goals is to recycle the old gadgets, keep them from filling up landfills, and, hopefully, help save the environment. We're sure there's also a nice profit to be had buying "outdated" electronics for super cheap prices and then reselling them and/or their internal parts...

Still, if you have good stuff, you can make some decent money in a relatively quick and easy way. A Droid Eris in good condition, for example, will earn you nearly $90! Even worthless old electronic junk can be gotten rid of for free using eBay's new system.

There have been other similar services offered in the past, but eBay's counting on its 90+ million user base to help it get real traction. At the very least, we now have another option for getting rid of all those gadgets so many of us have sitting around. An option that can earn us some cash! :)

Learn some mo': EBay's Instant Sale Offers Cash for Old Electronics

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Is Jillian Michaels a Fitness Fraud?

The LA Times has highlighted something that some personal trainers and fitness experts have been saying for awhile now: "Biggest Loser" star Jillian Michaels may be a fitness fraud. According to a recent article in the Times, Michaels is really an "actress playing the role of fitness trainer".

Dang, that's gotta sting the very well-known fitness celeb!

The article goes on to say that Jillian Michaels regularly demonstrates a lack of knowledge, especially when it comes to exercise technique in the gym. She also apparently gives unsafe training advice to her millions of followers/fans. The Times goes on to state that Michaels' fitness credentials are pretty low-quality, having only 2 "introductory" fitness certifications to her name.

According to Jillian Michaels the LA Times is the real fraud and has resorted to liable and defamation in order to sell newspapers. She says that she's a true workout and weight loss expert who has developed her own continuing education program for personal trainers in conjunction with sports medicine doctors. She also reminds us that she has nearly 20 years as a fitness trainer.

No matter what, and as Times writer James S. Fell points out in his article, the weight loss claims of several of Michaels' products (especially the DVDs) are dubious. Several claim to allow you to lose 5 pounds per week. Any knowledgeable health or fitness expert knows that that's extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the average person to accomplish. And it may be just one of many "red flags" showing that Jillian Michaels is more of a marketer and money-maker than a true fitness expert!

What do you think? Leave your comments below!

Learn some mo': Jillian Michaels a Fraud? Critic Calls Her an Actress Not a Trainer

Thursday, October 14, 2010

South Park New Jersey Map

South Park released one of the best episodes of all time last night: It's a Jersey Thing! According to Comedy Central the show just had to "take a stand" against New Jersey, which they say is quickly taking over the US, one state at a time.

The best part of the whole episode was when they showed a map of the United States with NJ taking up the entire half east of the Rocky Mountains. Check it out:


Freaking HILARIOUS!

:D

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Fatter Americans = More Arthritis Pain

More and more Americans are suffering from arthritis, and it may be because more and more of them are overweight. US health experts say that 22% of American adults -- about 50 million -- suffer from arthritis pain, and the number of people who say the pain limits their activities has jumped significantly in the past few years. In fact, about 21 million people suffer from that kind of bone pain in the US.

Many of these people are obese and overweight baby boomers, according to researchers. These people are reaching their 60's with a high level of osteoarthritis, which breaks down cartilage and causes joint stiffness. Health and fitness experts have long said that one of the best "cures" for arthritis and joint point is to lose weight (body fat) while strengthening and stretching muscle tissue.

So basically, this is just another of the hundreds of negative side-effects caused by rapidly increasing levels of obesity in the United State. We're sure that these trends will continue here and in other parts of the world where huge percentages of the population are overweight.

Learn some mo': More Obesity Fallout: Nearly 50 Million Americans with Arthritis

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Vitamin C Cheers Up Hospital Patients!

Daily doses of vitamin C appears to quickly boost the mood of "acute-care" hospital patients, according to new research from Canada. This helps to back up lots of other evidence showing a strong link between vitamin C levels and mood, especially in sick people.

A 2002 study in the medical journal Biological Psychiatry showed that taking high doses of vitamin C (aka ascorbic acid) significantly boosted mood and even led to more sex in healthy young adults. Other studies have shown even better improvements in people with chronic health problems.

According to one researcher, Dr. L. John Hoffer:
"About one in five acute-care patients in our hospital have vitamin C levels so low as to be compatible with scurvy... But patients are rarely given vitamin supplements. Most physicians are simply unaware of the problem. Subclinical deficiencies of vitamin C and D have each been linked to psychological abnormalities, so we examined that aspect in our clinical trial."
So if you want to cheer up a sick, hospital-ridden person -- or simply boost your own mood -- try taking a quality vitamin C supplement and eating more vitamin C-rich foods like vegetables and fruits. You may even want to look into intravenous ascorbic acid treatments in cases of acute disease.

Learn some mo': Study: Vitamin C May Boost Mood in Acute Care Patients

Kiana Kim 2011 Calendar is Coming!

Kiana Kim (Pete Rose's girlfriend) is pretty much the sexiest Korean-American model on Earth. We know it, you know it... the entire world knows it!

WE LOVE KIANA! So for us and all the Kiana Kim lovers out there here's some very good news: she's coming out with a 2011 calendar. Here's a little teaser pic to keep you all happy until January rolls around:


Now that's a sexy Asian.

:D

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Las Vegas Commercial Real Estate Shows Signs of Life (Finally!)

Incredibly, commercial real estate is finally coming back to life here in our hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. Office space vacancy fell for the first time in nearly 2 years and office leasing activity in the Las Vegas Valley has increased according to new reports.

So, for the time being at least, the "free fall" that has been happening in the commercial real estate sector appears to have stopped. Plus, signs of life are also appearing in major construction, which has been asleep for the past couple of years. The developers of Tivoli Village have acquired 23 more acres of land, hopefully signaling a new phase of large scale construction on the western side of the city.

According to Cathy Jones, president of Sun Commercial Real Estate:
“I believe they are going to expand their retail and entertainment development across the street."
The analysts and experts, however, state the obvious: a slight rebound in the Las Vegas commercial real estate market certainly doesn't mean that the city's economy has recovered. Far from it in fact. Pretty much everyone knows that the Great Las Vegas Recovery won't begin until the jobs show up, consumer confidence improves, and our millions and millions of yearly visitors begin to spend more money during their vacations.

Learn some mo': Commercial market shows gains after months of free-fall

Monday, October 4, 2010

Drink Beetroot Juice to Exercise Longer

Want to exercise longer and feel better doing it? Then drink some of the dark purple juice that comes from beetroots! Experts say that the stuff is a natural performance booster that increases physical endurance when taken in large amounts. One top long-distance runner credits beetroot juice with giving him the equivalent benefits of a year's worth of training.

Studies done at Exeter University found that cyclists who drank about half a quart of beet juice a few hours before training were able to ride 20% longer than those who drank a placebo. That's a hell of an endurance boost!

Experts believe that the dark juice causes muscles to use less oxygen than usual, allowing them to conserve energy. It appears that the large amount of nitrates found in beetroot juice is responsible for the athletic boost. Although they're not sure exactly how it works yet, some scientists believe that the nitrates increase the levels of nitric oxide in the body, which is a proven exercise enhancer.

If you don't like the taste of beetroot juice, you may be able to get similar results by eating large amounts of other nitrate-rich foods like spinach and green lettuce. Or you could just take a good nitric oxide supplement, which have become more and more popular among exercisers and bodybuilders.

Learn some mo': To exercise longer, try beetroot juice

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Empty Calories Making US Kids Unhealthy

Empty calories are hurting the health of children and adolescent kids in the United States according to a new report from the American Dietetic Association. Experts say that the obesity epidemic among US kids has become one of the biggest public health problems. Many people that the solution will involve a combination of diet changes and physical exercise. But the biggest change that must be made now?

Stop the flow of empty calories into kids diets!

American children are simply consuming way too much energy in the form of empty calories, mainly from refined sugars and refined "white" grain products (like pizza and desserts). If your child is consuming large amounts of soda, chips, pizza, candies, and other junk food he or she is much more likely to be overweight and suffer from serious health problems later in life.

Another form of empty calories comes from low-quality fats like the trans-fats found in many processed foods. Many health experts believe that the combination of bad fats and bad carbs (especially simple sugars and refined flours) is especially dangerous because the carbs cause a spike in insulin production within the human body. This in turns causes the body to shuttle the empty calories from the fats and carbohydrates into the body fat cells, greatly increasing the amount of stored fat on a child

According to Dr. Rae-Ellen W. Kavey from the University of Rochester Medical Center:

"High added sugar consumption which occurs most commonly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a constellation of cardiovascular risk factors, both independently, and through the development of obesity. Multiple studies have shown that presence of these risk factors in childhood is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and early cardiovascular disease. Randomized trials of nutritionist-guided interventions show us that diet change can be accomplished and is associated with important cardiovascular benefits. This combined body of evidence suggests that reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages should be considered a critical dietary approach to reducing cardiovascular risk in childhood."

Learn some mo': Flow of empty calories into children's food supply must be reduced