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<!--Generated by Squarespace Site Server v5.9.2 (http://www.squarespace.com/) on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:29:26 GMT--><rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:rss="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:cc="http://web.resource.org/cc/"><rss:channel rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/"><rss:title>The Raw Deal</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/</rss:link><rss:description></rss:description><dc:language>en-US</dc:language><dc:date>2010-03-12T16:29:27Z</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.squarespace.com/">Squarespace Site Server v5.9.2 (http://www.squarespace.com/)</admin:generatorAgent><rss:items><rdf:Seq><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/san-franciscan-treats-vegas-delights-and-anti-valentines.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/algae-biofuel-the-future-of-energy.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/against-the-grain-debunking-doomsday-2012.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/nintendo-wii-working-miracles-physical-rehab.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/top-50-pitches-announced-for-the-perfect-pitch-w-richard-bra.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/pizza-fusion-pizza-and-sandwiches-reinvented-green-healthy-a.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/michael-vick-the-great-debate-business-edition.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/the-artificial-sugar-conspiracy-stevia.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/sundays-at-xiv-sbe-and-house-music-reinventing-hollywood.html"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/dirty-dialogue-a-good-girls-guide-to-being-bad.html"/></rdf:Seq></rss:items></rss:channel><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/san-franciscan-treats-vegas-delights-and-anti-valentines.html"><rss:title>San Franciscan Treats, Vegas Delights, and Anti-Valentines</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/san-franciscan-treats-vegas-delights-and-anti-valentines.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2010-02-17T21:02:04Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Business Entertainment Los Angeles Nightlife &amp; Lifstyle San Francisco las vegas the perfect pitch valentines day</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2FIMG_1882.JPG%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1266441418507',1200,1600);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-5803826-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1266441418508" alt="" /></a></span></span>I recently took a two week vacation from Los Angeles. &nbsp;It&#8217;s good to get away from home every once in a while. &nbsp;It rejuvenates me and when I return, I feel refreshed and ready to be home again. &nbsp;And though it was technically a &#8220;vacation,&#8221; I did get a lot of work done in my absence from Hollywood.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2FThePalmsfb.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1266441637736',326,254);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-5803905-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1266441637737" alt="" /></a></span></span>The Las Vegas part of the trip was for both business and pleasure. &nbsp;I met with The Palms Casino and Resort to discuss the possibility of hosting <a href="http://facebook.com/theperfectpitch" target="_blank">The Perfect Pitch 2010</a> there. &nbsp;Their team was excellent in their presentation of their facilities. &nbsp;I was extremely impressed with how well they exemplified the treatment their guests/clients get. &nbsp;So we now move forward with trying to put it all together. &nbsp;<a href="http://facebook.com/theperfectpitch" target="_blank">The Perfect Pitch 2010</a>&nbsp;should prove to be a complete upgrade from last year&#8217;s event with The Palms allowing us to cater to 2500 people versus 500 last year and the conference being two days this year!! &nbsp;Not to mention, all of our guests will also be able to enjoy the entertainment that Las Vegas has to offer. &nbsp;It makes for a much more interesting 4 day weekend get-away. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Once I got back to Los Angeles, it was time for the Hallmark Holiday - Valentines Day. &nbsp;This is such a silly &#8220;holiday,&#8221; and LA seems to agree based on all the anti-valentines day behavior and events that were taking place.</p>
<p>I uploaded photos from the whole 3 week vacation for my readers&#8217; enjoyment: <a href="http://www.therawdealblog.com/display/ShowGallery?moduleId=324771&amp;galleryId=321284">http://www.therawdealblog.com/display/ShowGallery?moduleId=324771&amp;galleryId=321284</a></p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/algae-biofuel-the-future-of-energy.html"><rss:title>Algae Biofuel - The Future of Energy</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/algae-biofuel-the-future-of-energy.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-12-30T19:22:49Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Science Technology World News algae biofuel energy crisis environment exxon</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Falgae-biofuel.png%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1262202030948',276,460);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-5200424-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1262202033224" alt="" /></a></span></span>There are rapidly growing concerns on the energy crisis as we wrap up this first decade of the 21st century. &nbsp;This crisis concerns more than just people getting to and from work, flying to remote resort destinations, or conflicts in the middle east over oil. &nbsp;The lifelines of the human race, such as water and food distribution, will be severely threatened in the next few decades. &nbsp;We simply consume more energy every year at a exponential rate that our current energy production cannot keep up with; not to mention the destruction our current energy sources are doing to our ecosystem.</p>
<p>Just to give you an idea of the crisis in the U.S.: &nbsp;In 1999, the United States consumed 95 quadrillion BTUs of energy, while producing 61 quadrillion BTUs. The result being a&nbsp;<strong>34 quadrillion BTU energy deficit</strong>. We use far more energy than we produce domestically. To keep the lights on and the wheels rolling, we make up the shortfall by importing energy, mainly in the form of tanker-upon-tanker of pricey OPEC oil. And that, is the heart of the energy crisis.</p>
<p>Clearly we need to find an alternative energy source. &nbsp;One that is non-destructive to our ecosystem and one that is not in danger of being depleted completely. &nbsp;The answer is algae.</p>
<p>Gene scientist&nbsp;<a title="Craig Venter" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/venter">Craig Venter</a>&nbsp;has announced plans to develop next-generation&nbsp;<a title="More from guardian.co.uk on Biofuels" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/biofuels">biofuels</a>&nbsp;from algae in a $600m (&pound;370m) partnership with&nbsp;<a title="More from guardian.co.uk on Oil" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/oil">oil</a>&nbsp;giant&nbsp;<a title="More from guardian.co.uk on Exxon Mobil" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/exxonmobil">Exxon Mobil</a>. &nbsp;</p>
<p>His company,&nbsp;<a title="Synthetic Genomics Incorporated" href="http://www.syntheticgenomics.com/">Synthetic Genomics Incorporated</a>&nbsp;(SGI), will develop fuels that can be used by cars or aeroplanes without the need for any modification of their engines. Exxon Mobil will provide $600m over five years with half going to SGI.</p>
<p>&#8220;Meeting the world&#8217;s growing energy demands will require a multitude of technologies and energy sources,&#8221; said Emil Jacobs, vice president of research and development at ExxonMobil. &#8220;We believe that&nbsp;<a title="biofuel produced by algae" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jun/28/china-algae-carbon-capture-plan">biofuel produced by algae</a>&nbsp;could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future if our efforts result in an economically viable, low-net carbon emission transportation fuel.&#8221;</p>
<p>Algae is an attractive way to harvest solar energy because they reproduce themselves, they can live in areas not useful for producing food and they do not need clean or even fresh water. &nbsp;As a biofuel, algae is essentially an organic solar panel. &nbsp;In addition, they use far less space to grow than traditional biofuel crops such as corn or palm oil.</p>
<p>&#8220;Algae consumes carbon dioxide and sunlight in the presence of water, to make a kind of oil that has similar molecular structures to petroleum products we produce today,&#8221; said Jacobs. &#8220;That means it could be possible to convert it into gasoline and diesel in existing refineries, transport it through existing pipelines, and sell it to consumers from existing service stations.&#8221;</p>
<p>The&nbsp;<a title="Carbon Trust" href="http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/default.ct">Carbon Trust</a>, a government-backed agency that promotes low-carbon technologies, has forecast that&nbsp;<a title="algae-based biofuels could replace more than 70 billion litres of fossil fuels" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/23/biofuels-energy">algae-based biofuels could replace more than 70bn litres of fossil fuels</a>&nbsp;used every year around the world in road transport and aviation by 2030, equivalent to 12% of annual global jet fuel consumption or 6% of road transport diesel. In carbon terms, this equates to an annual saving of more than 160m tonnes of CO2 globally with a market value of more than &pound;15bn.</p>
<p>Ben Graziano, research and development manager at the Carbon Trust, said that alge-based biofuels offered the potential for &#8220;major carbon savings&#8221;. &#8220;Exxon Mobil is estimating that algae could yield just over 20,000&nbsp;litres of fuel per hectare each year, which is in line with our own forecasts. However, producing biofuel from algae on such a massive commercial scale is a major challenge, which will require many years of research and development.&#8221;</p>
<p><a title="Venter, who is best known for his role in sequencing the human genome" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/oct/06/genetics">Venter, who is best known for his role in sequencing the human genome</a>, said the new partnership was the largest single investment in trying to produce biofuels from algae but said the challenge to creating a viable next-generation fuel was the ability to produce it in large volumes. &#8220;This would not happen without the oil industry stepping up and taking part,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The challenges are not minor for any of us but we have the combined teams and scientific and engineering talents to give this the best chance of success.&#8221;</p>
<p>The research program will begin with the construction of a new test facility in San Diego, where Venter says different techniques to grow and optimise algae will be tested. These will include open ponds as well as bioreactors, where the algae are grown in sealed tubes. &#8220;We will be trying out these different approaches &hellip; using newly-discovered natural algae to test the best approaches we can come up with to go into a scale-up mode.&#8221;</p>
<p>Venter has spent several years trawling the world&#8217;s oceans in search of environmentally-friendly microbes that could be used, in one way or another, to bring down the world&#8217;s carbon emissions. The organisms he has found include those that can turn CO2 into methane, which could be used to make fuels from the exhaust gases of power stations, and another that turns&nbsp;<a title="More from guardian.co.uk on Coal" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/coal">coal</a>&nbsp;into natural&nbsp;<a title="More from guardian.co.uk on Gas" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gas">gas</a>, speeding up a natural process and reducing both the energy needed to extract the fossil fuel and the amount of pollution caused when it is burned.</p>
<p>Welcome to the future. &nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/against-the-grain-debunking-doomsday-2012.html"><rss:title>Against the Grain: Debunking Doomsday 2012</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/against-the-grain-debunking-doomsday-2012.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-11-17T00:35:31Z</dc:date><dc:subject>2012 Hollywood NASA Science The World World News debunk 2012 doomsday end of the world mayan movie nibiru solar flares solar maximum</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2F2012Doomsdaymayan.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1258419209148',454,350);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-4780144-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1258419209157" alt="" /></a></span></span>Unless you&rsquo;re living under a rock, I&rsquo;m sure you&rsquo;ve read, watched, or heard about December 21, 2012.&nbsp; The Mayans, I-Ching, and numerous other ancient civilization have left artifacts or texts that have been translated to be pointing to this day as the &ldquo;End of Times.&rdquo;&nbsp; This isn&rsquo;t the first time the world has experienced talks of the end of the World.&nbsp; But what is interesting to me, is this time seems to have an awful lot of scientific and theoretical evidence that, at the very least, raise questions:</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Our magnetosphere appears to be at its weakest point in recorded history; </li>
<li>The sun is due for its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_maximum" target="_blank">Solar Maximum</a> in 2012 (period of greatest solar activity in the solar cycle<span>)<br /></span></li>
<li>Evidence of the magnetic poles shifting</li>
<li>Significant climate change with global warming</li>
<li>Numerous ancient civilizations pointing to this time period as a time of big change</li>
<li>The galactic alignment where our sun lines with the center of the galaxy (26,000 year event)</li>
<li>A supposed 12<sup>th</sup>planet, Nibiru, discovered by the ancient Sumerians due to pass through our solar system</li>
</ul>
<p><span class="full-image-block ssNonEditable"><span><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/galignment.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1258419302959" alt="" /></span></span>Hollywood and the entertainment world are presenting scenarios through feature films, TV programming, and even National Geographic documentaries. &nbsp;All of these scenarios have one common theme: The World is going to end Dec. 21, 2012.&nbsp; If you search, most of the results are going to support these fears.&nbsp; But if you really look hard, you actually will find much more empirical evidence that debunks what so many believe.</p>
<p>David Morrison, an astrobiologist for NASA, has started a site called <a href="http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astrobiologist/intro/nibiru-and-doomsday-2012-questions-and-answers" target="_blank">&ldquo;Ask an Astrobiologist.&rdquo;</a>&nbsp; The site is dedicated to answering questions that site visitors send in about the end of the world.&nbsp; If you read through the site, you will see many questions regarding the bulleted list I provided above.&nbsp; In a nutshell, all of the information is VERY unlikely to ever happen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fgalactic%20alignment%20-%20true.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1258419639859',409,545);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-4780201-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1258419639868" alt="" /></a></span></span>The so called &#8220;galactic alignment&#8221; where the sun crosses the plain that aligns with the center of our Galaxy isn&#8217;t going to happen in 2012.&nbsp; It actually happened 3 million years ago and won&#8217;t be occuring again for another 30 million years.&nbsp; Instead, what the Mayan refer to, and the rest of the world following suit, is the sun aligning with the center of the Galaxy in relation to our view here on Earth.&nbsp; From our perspective it appears we are crossing the plain of the center of the Galaxy&#8230;but we&#8217;re really not.&nbsp; Refer to this site for info: <a href="http://the2012deception.net/?p=15">http://the2012deception.net/?p=15</a></p>
<p>On top of David Morrison, NASA itself is spending some of its precious budget on a <a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=2224252" target="_blank">public crusade to debunk the 2012 theories</a>in hopes to dissipate some of the fear.&nbsp; And though some insist that this is part of some government conspiracy to cover up the truth, the bottom line is if something like Nibiru was to exist, even the novice astronomer would be able to see the 12<sup>th</sup> planet at this point in time.</p>
<p>Now the movie commercials tell you to Google &ldquo;<a href="http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS334US334&amp;aq=f&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;q=2012" target="_blank">2012</a>&rdquo;.&nbsp; And if you do, you find all the information I&rsquo;ve already mentioned.&nbsp; Now&hellip;try Googling &ldquo;<a href="http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS334US334&amp;aq=f&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;q=Debunk+2012" target="_blank">Debunk 2012</a>.&rdquo;&nbsp; Low and behold- tons of information debunking every single theory of a looming Doomsday in 2012.</p>
<p>I find it fascinating that different civilizations appear to point to this specific day in 2012.&nbsp; I find it fascinating that our planet seems to be going through changes at this time too.&nbsp; And even more fascinating that the Sun&rsquo;s Solar Maximum happens to be in 2012.&nbsp; But I&rsquo;m not quick to believe all the hype.&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/nintendo-wii-working-miracles-physical-rehab.html"><rss:title>Nintendo Wii Working Miracles - Physical Rehab</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/nintendo-wii-working-miracles-physical-rehab.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-10-25T02:44:03Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Entertainment Gaming Health injury nintendo rehabilitation wii</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fnintendo_wii.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1257184036509',386,386);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-4631748-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1257184036511" alt="" /></a></span></span>When I first heard that the Nintendo Wii could be used in physical rehab from a friend that is a director at a rehabilitation center here in Los Angeles, I laughed thinking she was telling me a joke. &nbsp;As she began to explain how she uses it in her program, it began to make sense. &nbsp;You can check out my friend&#8217;s blog with info on this and other health related topics: <a href="http://www.nursestacey.com/" target="_blank">www.nursestacey.com</a></p>
<p>The Nintendo Wii program has been implemented into rehabilitation programs as an effective, fun, and social treatment modality. The Wii is helping to progress patients, reaching goals of improved coordination-(eye-hand and gross motor), balance (static and dynamic), range of motion, weight bearing&#8230;.all components addressed working towards an improved independence of functioning&nbsp; in daily lives.</p>
<p>The Wii is being used in several types of rehab settings, primarily&nbsp; in-patient acute rehab and skilled nsg facilities-patients suffering from hip/knee replacements, cardio/pulmonary rehab, strokes, multiple sclerosis, etc.</p>
<p>The program addresses many smaller components of rehab to help such patients, such as crossing midline and weight shifting through bilateral lower extremities. Cognitive processing skills are also a key area addressed in this virtual therapy tool, which is essential part of&nbsp; recovery and progress for many individuals.</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2FWii_rehab.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1257184086285',459,648);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-4631757-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1257184086286" alt="" /></a></span></span>Patients are more motivated and enjoying the Wii, and the progress of treatment is justifying the effectiveness. &nbsp;This could be the most important factor that the Wii bring to rehabilitation. &nbsp;The Wii does what more traditional therapies attempt to accomplish, by giving patients a second take on rehab and immediate accomplishment/motivation (such as bowling and getting 6 out of 10 pins after having a stroke, playing a game of doubles tennis even with tremors from Parkinson&#8217;s disease.)</p>
<p>Currently, games like Wii fitness and Wii sports games are being used. &nbsp;But as popularity and press on this grows, I imagine we will start to see companies developing games specifically for physical rehabilitation which might in turn further progress the effectiveness of the Nintendo Wii in this process!</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/top-50-pitches-announced-for-the-perfect-pitch-w-richard-bra.html"><rss:title>Top 50 Pitches Announced for The Perfect Pitch w/ Richard Branson</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/top-50-pitches-announced-for-the-perfect-pitch-w-richard-bra.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-10-01T04:53:19Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Business richard branson the perfect pitch top 50</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We&#8217;ve announced the Top 50 pitches submitted for The Perfect Pitch 2009 competition. &nbsp;We thank everyone who submitted a pitch, and remind you that your pitch will be seen by accredited investors at the <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com" target="_blank">PerfectBusiness.com</a> Pitch Center.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We received many amazing submissions for The Perfect Pitch 2009. It was very difficult to select the Top 50. Pitches were evaluated on clarity, viability, consumer need, growth potential, marketing strategy, team capability, scalability and competitive advantages.</p>
<p>Judges will further narrow the Top 50, and the Top 10 will be announced on October 5, 2009. &nbsp;Not only will be the winners be announced at The Perfect Pitch 2009 Entrepreneur/Investor Conference, but we also have an all-star lineup of speakers that will be sharing and educating their expertise on a variety of business topics, including Richard Branson and Alberto Alvarado, District Director of the Small Business Administration.</span><br />
<p><a href="https://www.perfectbusiness.com/ThePerfectPitch/tickets.cfm">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to check out details on the The Perfect Pitch 2009.</p>
<p>Without further ado, here are the entrepreneurs who submitted the Top 50 Pitches:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/jvrahnos">Alatico</a> <br /> Sun + Wind +  Sea = Clean Water for a Thirsty Planet<br /> Posted  by:jvrahnos<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/sbarkley">Auction Bridal</a> <br /> Redirecting the  cost of love&#8230;<br /> Posted  by:sbarkley<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/orosenbaum">Auri Footwear</a> <br /> New Technology  and Fashion Footwear Brand Launches<br /> Posted  by:orosenbaum<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/bzcorp">Beyond Zero&trade; Corporation</a> <br /> 100% Authentic  Frozen Liquor Cubes!<br /> Posted  by:bzcorp<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/rezekedw">BidDay.com</a> <br /> A Bleeding Edge  International Enterprise Level Real Estate sales, analysis, evaluation, and  vendor coordination system.<br /> Posted  by:rezekedw<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/doctorkosan">Bionit</a> <br /> Biomass Based  Diesel Fuel Replacement<br /> Posted  by:doctorkosan<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/ryanhart2003">Bundlebuy.com</a> <br /> Join a bundle,  Save a bundle<br /> Posted  by:ryanhart2003<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Canditto">Canditto</a> <br /> Rent a Canditto  and all your wedding guests&#8217; digital photos are saved instantly &#8212; and forever!<br /> Posted  by:Canditto<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/chexout">CheXout Systems Inc.</a> <br /> Bridging the  gap between cell phone payments and physical merchants.<br /> Posted  by:chexout<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/EricMay">CoKnown</a> <br /> It&#8217;s not known  til it&#8217;s CoKnown. Welcome to the Knowledge Age.<br /> Posted  by:EricMay<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/nrf02000">COLLEGE HUNKS HAULING JUNK</a> <br /> Let Tomorrow&#8217;s  Leaders Haul Your Junk Today<br /> Posted  by:nrf02000<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/mariakop">Cookology, Recreational Culinary School</a> <br /> Cooking school  caters to suburban foodie with hands-on cooking classes for adults and kids.<br /> Posted  by:mariakop<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Daniel222">Didrick Medical Inc.</a> <br /> We are a small  company unable to satisfy the increasing global demand for our patented  artificial fingers.<br /> Posted  by:Daniel222<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Ebblock">EBBLOCK: Preemptive Recycling Sustainable Building</a> <br /> 800 Million  customers/consumers in 2 years: Designing the Future of Logical Packaging.<br /> Posted  by:Ebblock<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/mdurwin">Gathr.Me</a> <br /> Gathr.Me: A  simple, elegant web portal that manages users&rsquo; online communications, media,  accounts, profiles.<br /> Posted  by:mdurwin<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/sansoy">Green Wavelength</a> <br /> Bumble Bee  Inspired Wind Turbine<br /> Posted  by:sansoy<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Greneden">Greneden</a> <br /> The Most  Economical, Energy Efficient and Ecological Building Method in the World<br /> Posted  by:Greneden<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/jackthickett">Homeminders.com</a> <br /> Bad Things don&#8217;t  have to happen to Good Homes<br /> Posted  by:jackthickett<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/ICONaircraft">ICON Aircraft</a> <br /> The Next  Powersport<br /> Posted  by:ICONaircraft<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Crimson6">InnovaPrep LLC</a> <br /> InnovaPrep  prepares samples for better biological detection.<br /> Posted  by:Crimson6<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Invis-A-Rack">Invis-A-Rack</a> <br /> Invisible to  Invaluable in Seconds<br /> Posted  by:Invis-A-Rack<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/IODUPONT">Io Dupont LLC.</a> <br /> Io Dupont is an  growing new technology company<br /> Posted  by:IODUPONT<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/sharon13m">Juci Inc.</a> <br /> The Future of  Beverages<br /> Posted  by:sharon13m<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/scotrichardson">LaughStub.com</a> <br /> Fandango of  live comedy<br /> Posted  by:scotrichardson<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/xtracooltech">LtWv Next Gen Gaming Controller</a> <br /> LtWv turns all  computers around the world into a Wii like experience<br /> Posted  by:xtracooltech<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/magicflashdrive">Magic Flash Drive</a> <br /> MagicFlashDrive.com  - &#8220;We fix your PC online in real time!&#8221;<br /> Posted  by:magicflashdrive<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/LeifPC">Malama Composites</a> <br /> Green Building  Material<br /> Posted  by:LeifPC<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/phillund">Mars Global Initiative, LLC</a> <br /> Crowd sourcing  and branding a manned mission to Mars<br /> Posted  by:phillund<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/jwgerlach">Nativ Boardriding Company</a> <br /> A unique new  snowboard: The &#8220;Nativ Snowsurf&#8221; translates the feel and style of  surfing and skateboarding to the snow.<br /> Posted  by:jwgerlach<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/NerdsToGo">NerdsToGo Expansion</a> <br /> NerdsToGo will  be a household name brand!<br /> Posted  by:NerdsToGo<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/ygaffen">nSPEC</a> <br /> Mobile  Enterprise Inspection Platform for Gov&#8217;t and AEC - New Corp spin out from  established Companies<br /> Posted  by:ygaffen<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/OneCubicle">OneCubicle.com</a> <br /> OneCubicle.com  is the online destination for 20-somethings to Brand Themselves Professionally.<br /> Posted  by:OneCubicle<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/dalefranklin">PeanutButter</a> <br /> PeanutButter -  Foreign Language Software that Sticks<br /> Posted  by:dalefranklin<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/dpeck1">Personal Storage Solutions</a> <br /> NetFlix for  Self-Storage<br /> Posted  by:dpeck1<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/gdearth">PlayItOver(tm)</a> <br /> Instant replay  of sports video on any mobile phone<br /> Posted  by:gdearth<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/raltschul">Pop Test</a> <br /> Non Invasive  Diabetes Testing System<br /> Posted  by:raltschul<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/pkraft">Procedura LLC</a> <br /> Web-based  virtual demonstrations of medical procedures, designed to supplement informed  consent and mitigate risk for insurers and doctors.<br /> Posted  by:pkraft<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/jhoward1">Rockin&#8217; Water&trade;</a> <br /> Rockin&#8217; Water&trade;  Rocks Kids Beverage Market<br /> Posted  by:jhoward1<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/seatchute">Seatchute, LLC</a> <br /> &#8220;Parachute  Equipped Aircraft Seats &amp; Office Chairs&#8221;<br /> Posted  by:seatchute<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/sentry">Sentry Card International L.L.C.</a> <br /> Proactive  Credit Card Fraud Prevention System<br /> Posted  by:sentry<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/lanke">Sky</a> <br /> Live Like  Everything is for Sale - Real Estate, etc.<br /> Posted by:lanke<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/tkurlas">SnoworSand: Your Ticket to the World</a> <br /> What would the  travel industry look like if real people were part of the package?<br /> Posted  by:tkurlas<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/randyschwartz">Stock Images Agency</a> <br /> Unique Stock  Imagery Business<br /> Posted  by:randyschwartz<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/geoffmccue">The ONLY Fuel Efficient Automobile Wheel Project!</a> <br /> A new WHEEL  that increases fuel economy up to 50% on new AND existing cars!<br /> Posted  by:geoffmccue<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Sonzala">Tubular Rail Proof of Concept</a> <br /> Tubular Rail the  Future of Passenger Transportation for the Green World<br /> Posted  by:Sonzala<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/utique">U*tique</a> <br /> Building the  Next Channel in Retail and Advertising: U*tique<br /> Posted  by:utique<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/smeairs">University Drive LLC</a> <br /> University  Drive is revolutionizing the way students approach the college admission  process through digital media, software and consulting services.<br /> Posted  by:smeairs<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/Deanostent">VideoMD.com</a> <br /> VideoMD.com:  Excellence in Physician-Patient Education<br /> Posted  by:Deanostent<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/adambutton">Vubiq, Inc.</a> <br /> Gigabit per  second speeds at consumer price points<br /> Posted  by:adambutton<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.perfectbusiness.com/dbelaga">Wellness Brands Inc</a> <br /> Serious  Hydration for Serious Athletes - NASA licensed patent<br /> Posted  by:dbelaga</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/pizza-fusion-pizza-and-sandwiches-reinvented-green-healthy-a.html"><rss:title>Pizza Fusion - Pizza and Sandwiches Reinvented: Green, Healthy, and Tasty?!?!?</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/pizza-fusion-pizza-and-sandwiches-reinvented-green-healthy-a.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-09-24T17:11:36Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Business Consumer Products Hollywood food green pizza pizza fusion</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/39fB2NGZXsQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/39fB2NGZXsQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fpizzafusion.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1253812421440',162,270);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-4247769-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1253812421442" alt="" /></a></span></span></p>
<p>I recently moved into a &#8220;resort&#8221;-type apartment building that seeks to solve all the needs of their tenants not only by providing amazing amenties, but also integrates commercial space on the bottom floor that can further cater to tenant lifestyle.</p>
<p>One of the commercials spaces, Pizza Fusion, happens to be directly under my apartment.&nbsp; So convenient that even if I am craving something as symbol as their organic coffee or sugar-cane sweetened soft drinks, I can simply walk downstairs in 1 min and have my craving satisfied.</p>
<p>I feel lucky to have this place below.&nbsp; I have been practicing a healthy lifestyle for years, but I admit, even I have a craving for &#8220;comfort&#8221; food like pizza, philly cheesesteak sandwiches, or a soft drink (which I refer to as &#8220;pop&#8221;).&nbsp; Pizza Fusion allows me to satisfy these rare, yet very real cravings.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The concept is very interesting.&nbsp; First, the entire establishment is built around a green and organic concept.&nbsp; Everything in the restaurant (including the soy based polished floors) is build from a green product.&nbsp; The ingredients they use in the food are organic all bought from local distributers and farmers to help support the local economy.</p>
<p>The soda they serve is from a company that sweetens their soda with raw sugar cane juice rather than the nasty high fructose corn syrup that most Americans consume. &nbsp;If you have read up on it, high fructose corn syrup is extremely unhealthy for you and is linked to being a large factor in many of the obesity cases across the nation. &nbsp;But it&#8217;s not just about being healthy&#8230;if you tasted the soda, you&#8217;d agree how much better tasting it is than normal Coke or Pepsi products. &nbsp;The black cherry soda Pizza Fusion has was out due to high demand before the first week of business!!</p>
<p>They have a variety of vegan, vegitarian, and meat dishes to satisfy whatever type of person walks through their door.&nbsp; Furthermore, they also offer gluten free crust for their pizza for those that are uber health conscious (or have gluten allergies).</p>
<p>The first question most people whom are not familiar/fond of &#8220;healthy&#8221; food is:&nbsp; How does it taste?&nbsp; Answer:&nbsp; F$%@ing Amazing!!.&nbsp; Don&#8217;t walk into the restaurant expecting to get a grease dripping, fattening pie of pizza or philly cheesesteak, because you won&#8217;t get that here.&nbsp; Instead, you get a &#8220;fuzed&#8221; version of the popular unhealthy dishes that aren&#8217;t dripping with grease and filled with fat, but still taste amazing.</p>
<p>The franchise appears to be fairly new as there are other locations nationally, but seem to be scattered randomly throughout the southwest, south, and southeast (and even one in Saudi Arabia!). &nbsp;As you can see from the CNN report, this franchise is gaining support fast!! &nbsp;I would expect we will see not only more Pizza Fusions popping up all throughout the country, but also we may begin to see a trend of other green/healthy fusion restaurants that will offer healthy alternatives to our most devious cravings!</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/michael-vick-the-great-debate-business-edition.html"><rss:title>Michael Vick - The Great Debate: Business Edition</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/michael-vick-the-great-debate-business-edition.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-08-27T23:24:51Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Business Politics Sports criminal culture dogs eagles michael vick nfl</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fmichael-vick-dog.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1251416960287',345,425);"><img style="width: 195px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-3979847-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1251418539795" alt="" /></a></span>A lot of people are very opinionated about the subject of Michael Vick due to the fact that dogs (For the record: &nbsp;I&#8217;m &nbsp;a huge dog fan and have own and loved many) are involved in the situation. &nbsp;For the first part of my rant, I&#8217;m going to strip away moral debate on this topic. &nbsp;I mean, it&#8217;s very clear that what he did is wrong. &nbsp;He should and did get punished for his actions. &nbsp;The moral debate lies more on whether he should be let back into the NFL. &nbsp;I&#8217;ll touch on that in a bit.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 120%;">The Business Debate - A &#8220;Good&#8221; or &#8220;Bad&#8221; Move for the NFL&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p>The verdict is in, everyone knows it: &nbsp;Vick has clearance to play in the 2009-2010 NFL season. &nbsp;Of course the NFL and the Eagles are going to catch a ton of scrutiny for this decision, posing the question, &#8220;Is this a good move for the NFL and the Eagles?&#8221;</p>
<p>From a business standpoint, letting Vick play is a great decision for the NFL and the Eagles. &nbsp;Why? &nbsp;Well I, for one, am very interested in seeing him on the playing field. &nbsp;In his previous seasons, Vick was one of the most electrifying and exciting players to watch on the field. &nbsp;Being from Detroit, I was reminded of the glorious days (glorious in terms of the Lions&#8217; history of horrible teams) of Barry Sanders. &nbsp;As a young lad, I was excited to go to the Thanksgiving Day games (we went every year) no matter what the record of the Lions was because Barry was always so amazing to watch&#8230;even if a loss was the end result.</p>
<p>Now, even if someone is not a Detroit fan (most likely 95% of the NFL fans out there!!), I would imagine that there are thousands, if not millions, of the NFL fans out there that agree with me on Vick&#8217;s &#8220;excitability.&#8221; &nbsp;This means that Vick&#8217;s return to the field, after years in jail, will probably attract a number of eyes that normally wouldn&#8217;t watch the Eagles. &nbsp;Also factor in that &#8220;Michael Vick&#8221; has become a household name that people trash over their family dinner regularly, you now have the non-NFL fans that will undoubtedly watch just because they are interested in the drama (think about how many people gawk at a car wreck). &nbsp;This most definitely means that the ratings on the games in which Vick takes the field will most likely be quite high&#8230;which means more advertising dollars.</p>
<p>The same applies for the tickets sold for the games in which Vick plays. &nbsp;Teams, such as the Lions, that have had horrible consecutive seasons will most likely see a spike in tickets sales for the game(s) that Vick is taking the field. &nbsp;This equates to $$$$ to the NFL - Plain and simple. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Additionally, as the saying goes, &#8220;No PR is bad PR.&#8221; &nbsp;Even though the whole world may hate Michael Vick, his presence on the field will attract the eyes of people who may not have ever watched a football game. &nbsp;This equates to higher ratings which in turn&#8230;I already explained the scenario above. &nbsp;The only question left to ask from a PR standpoint is, &#8220;Will Michael Vick&#8217;s presence on the field cause people to not watch NFL games or advertisers to not run ads on his games?&#8221; &nbsp;I&#8217;m sure that there will be a very small percentage of people that might answer a questionnaire stating this is the reason they don&#8217;t watch NFL games. &nbsp;But let&#8217;s be honest people, if you are an NFL fan, no matter how disgusted with Michael Vick, and maybe even the NFL and Eagles for putting him on the field, you&#8217;re still going to watch <em>your</em> team play on Sundays. &nbsp;There maybe a few conservative advertisers that might drop out, but I think it&#8217;s safe to assume most will stay on, especially because the ratings will be higher. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Analyze this data, the only conclusion to come to is: &nbsp;A phenomenal move on the part of the NFL and Eagles to better their business.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 120%;">The Business Debate - Ethics and Practices</span></h3>
<p>The second business topic deals more with the moral issues in this case. &nbsp;As much as businesses and entrepreneurs would like to base decisions purely on the financial result, our society has evolved in such a way that business ethics are a very important part of the decision making process (Although I say very important, when it comes down to it, let&#8217;s not forget the point of a business is to make money).</p>
<p>The professional sports industry plays a very large role in the lives of our youth society. &nbsp;Pro players are role models - no ifs, ands, or buts about it. &nbsp;Being so, the entities, such as the NFL, that control the industry must take this into account when making decisions such as this case. &nbsp;Although they are in it to make money, if they were completely irresponsible and allowed rapists, killers, and drug users (known to the public at least!!) to play professional sports, they would undoubtedly be taken to the town square and stoned.</p>
<p>Is it ethical for the NFL and Eagles to put Vick on the field? &nbsp;Probably not. &nbsp;If you look at other &nbsp;careers, such as a lawyer, a felony conviction would get any lawyer&#8217;s license to practice revoked. &nbsp;Granted, an NFL player is not defending criminals or representing accident victims in a court of law, but with the whole &#8220;role model&#8221; influence such a powerful medium to the youth across the country, one could argue that it&#8217;s of very similar significance.</p>
<p>In the end, as I mentioned above, the decision isn&#8217;t really going to take away from the NFL audience. &nbsp;Weigh all these factors together, and I would have made the same decision.</p>
<p>Play on Michael Vick.</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/the-artificial-sugar-conspiracy-stevia.html"><rss:title>The Artificial Sugar Conspiracy - Stevia</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/the-artificial-sugar-conspiracy-stevia.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-08-19T20:28:24Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Business Politics additives artificial sweetener coca-cola culture fda stevia sugar supplement</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2FStevia_Rebaudiana_Extract.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1250714826202',623,629);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-3904146-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1250714826204" alt="" /></a></span></span>Stevia. Most people probably haven&#8217;t heard of it. Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical South America and Central America. The species Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia&#8217;s taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.</p>
<p>With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets. However, health and political controversies have limited stevia&#8217;s availability in many countries; for example, the United States banned it in the early 1990s unless labeled as a supplement.</p>
<p>The question to ask is: Why it was banned unless labeled as a supplement by the US FDA? Is it because it&#8217;s potentially harmful to humans? In reality, stevia is natural and non-toxic. Compared to nutra-sweet or Splenda which are both derived through a chemical process, it&#8217;s actually much healthier for you.</p>
<p>In 1991, when the FDA labeled the plant as an &#8220;unsafe additive,&#8221; it restricted the import of stevia. This brought on much controversy that brought up questions of whether the FDA acted on results from empirical data that stevia was &#8220;inadequate to demonstrate its safety,&#8221; or if it was pressure from lobbyists in the artificial sweetener industry. Most likely we all have our opinions on that!</p>
<p>Well guess what&#8230;last year the FDA lifted the restriction and stevia can now be used as an additive. Wow, just when you thought our government did not act in the best interest of the people they TOTALLY redeem themselves&#8230;or NOT.</p>
<p>The real reason the restriction was lifted is not because they find that it&#8217;s in the best interest of public health. Forget that there is this all-natural product that grows from the ground that could be used as a sugar substitute rather than using nasty chemicals that we are finding cause an array of symptoms. Instead, what really pushed them to make the change&#8230;COCA COLA. That&#8217;s right folks. The beverage giant pushed and the government tipped over.</p>
<p>At least the soda giants took a turn for the better **<em>applause**:</em></p>
<p>In December 2008, the FDA gave a &#8220;no objection&#8221; approval for GRAS status to Truvia (developed by Cargill and The Coca-Cola Company) and PureVia (developed by PepsiCo and the Whole Earth Sweetener Company, a subsidiary of Merisant), both of which are wholly-derived from the Stevia plant.</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/sundays-at-xiv-sbe-and-house-music-reinventing-hollywood.html"><rss:title>Sundays at XIV - SBE and House Music Reinventing Hollywood</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/sundays-at-xiv-sbe-and-house-music-reinventing-hollywood.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-08-03T23:14:32Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Hollywood Nightlife &amp; Lifstyle SBE XIV</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="full-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><img style="width: 200px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/0802090003.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1249342090040" alt="" /></span></span>Clubs and houses in the hills are standards when you try to describe the nightlife in Hollywood. &nbsp;It&#8217;s gotten so saturated with clubs that there&#8217;s few &#8220;good&#8221; nights out there. &nbsp;SBE has turned away from the mainstream practices that have been slowly losing its luster over the past couple years and turned to House music as a resurgence&#8230;and boy has it worked. &nbsp;</p>
<p>First began Sundays at Foxtail which pulled larger crowds then some of the weekend nights they had. &nbsp;Then they started up a House music night at Hyde and Thursdays which gets so packed that if you&#8217;re not at a table you feel more like a cow at a slaughter house awaiting its fate. &nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2F0719090002.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1249342695547',240,320);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-3758982-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1249342695548" alt="" /></a></span></span>Then began Sundays at XIV. &nbsp;XIV really is just a restaurant, but on Sundays it&#8217;s transformed into a massive, insane patio party. &nbsp;Sundays are typically the pool party days during the summer. &nbsp;People flock to houses in the hills and hotel pools to drink and basque in the sun. &nbsp;Typically after a long day of partying, people simply go home and pass out early. &nbsp;Not anymore, now EVERYONE heads to XIV to keep the party going.</p>
<p>Sundays at XIV wasn&#8217;t a huge smash right from the beginning. &nbsp;As Dean May explained, the first Sunday had a mere 30 people that came for the free alcohol they were providing. &nbsp;Quickly word spread of house music at XIV with free alcohol. &nbsp;The next week got bigger&#8230;and so on. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Now the party rages with all the pool party goers coming in their bikinis and bathing suits to sweat as they dance to the beats of house music. &nbsp;The energy is absolutely amazing&#8230;literally the whole patio is bouncing to the beats. &nbsp;As you pass by from outside, all you see are bodies sitting atop the tables and people dancing with their hands in the air. &nbsp;Oh, by the way&#8230;they aren&#8217;t giving away free alcohol anymore&#8230;instead they are selling out bottle service at every table in the patio.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t be so quick to come check it out&#8230;this party is exclusive. &nbsp;The door is run as tight as any SBE venue. &nbsp;Unless you know someone&#8230;or you are a pretty girl&#8230;you might have a difficult time getting in. &nbsp;Capacity is usually hit within the first hour it&#8217;s open. &nbsp;</p>
<p>You also can&#8217;t miss the bottle service girls and bartenders that get on the bar and dance with sparklers as they spray the crowd with bottles of champagne. &nbsp;It&#8217;s a sight I have yet to see in my 5 years in Hollywood. &nbsp;I think these guys are on to something!!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q1wODJXgxb0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q1wODJXgxb0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5wsztV656rI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5wsztV656rI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p>To quote Craig Clemens, a Hollywood promoter, &#8220;XIV saved the summer of &#8216;09!!&#8221;</p>
]]></content:encoded></rss:item><rss:item rdf:about="http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/dirty-dialogue-a-good-girls-guide-to-being-bad.html"><rss:title>Dirty Dialogue - "A Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad"</rss:title><rss:link>http://www.therawdealblog.com/the-raw-deal/dirty-dialogue-a-good-girls-guide-to-being-bad.html</rss:link><dc:creator>Luis Guajardo</dc:creator><dc:date>2009-07-28T23:23:45Z</dc:date><dc:subject>Life Love dirty talk men relationship sex women</dc:subject><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="thumbnail-image-block ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fdd.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229032559249',232,963);"><img style="width: 600px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2247707-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1238605789355" alt="" /></a></span></span></p>
<p>I have had the privilege of being sent this book to review, which you can find at <a href="http://www.dirtydialogue.com/ebook" target="_blank">http://www.dirtydialogue.com/ebook</a>.&nbsp; The title grabbed my attention immediately of course.&nbsp; But as I began to read the content inside, I began to realize the genius behind the idea.&nbsp; The introduction kept my eyes glued to the pages.&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Because it states exactly what is wrong with people and their perception of sexuality today:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Everything you&rsquo;ve ever learned about your sexuality is a<br />lie.<br />At least in terms of &ldquo;right&rdquo; and &ldquo;wrong,&rdquo; that is.<br />What&rsquo;s &ldquo;right&rdquo; is that we&rsquo;re all human beings. What&rsquo;s<br />&ldquo;wrong&rdquo; is that our sexual nature is governed by outdated<br />social scare tactics, which force us to deny who we are<br />inside.<br />Especially women.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The truth is, in every good girl, there&#8217;s a naughty part of them that&#8217;s just dying to come out.&nbsp; They may deny it, but behind closed doors with their boyfriend, you know they get naughty.&nbsp; The missionary position mixed in with a little doggy style can only go so far.&nbsp; Role playing, dirty talk, etc. can help spice up the sex life of even the most conservative Catholics.&nbsp; It&#8217;s just a matter of them being able to do it without them believing they will go to Hell!</p>
<p>The book targets women, as they are most likely the hardest gender to sell on this topic of &#8220;being naughty&#8221; (there are exceptions!!).&nbsp; Here&#8217;s a brief outline of what the book talks about:</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 130%;">Part 1 - How to Think About Talking Dirty</span></p>
<p>Chapter 1: Decoding the &#8220;Slut&#8221; Complex</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fmarilyn.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229037932811',1034,530);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2247995-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229037932812" alt="" width="101" height="187" /></a></span></span>This chapter talks about why a classy girl may be afraid to let go of control, what&rsquo;s getting in her way, and&nbsp; how she can get over her fear of being judged.&nbsp; The author touches on topics of mixed morals in pop culture, social slader &amp; scrutinization, the fear of &#8220;losing control&#8221;, and breaking sexual barriers.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s face it&#8230;there&#8217;s much truth in all of this.&nbsp; Back in the 60&#8217;s there wasn&#8217;t serious threat of STD&#8217;s and the birth control pill had just come out.&nbsp; It was a time of &#8220;free love&#8221;!!&nbsp; Perhaps the arrival of the HIV virus combined with a conservative movement that this idea of &#8220;free love&#8221; was removed from society.&nbsp; True, some precautions needed to be taken to avoid a viral epidemic with STD&#8217;s, but somehow the idea of sexual freedom got smothered.</p>
<p>Chapter 2: A Man&#8217;s Point of View</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fkiss.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229037968909',333,244);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2247998-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229037968910" alt="" width="100" height="137" /></a></span></span>In this chapter, the readers discover what a man wants, how he wants you to talk dirty, and why.&nbsp; The author starts with a story about himself touching on funny stories of awkward sexual situations he had in high school, and goes into when he &#8220;found&#8221; himself in his adult years and was able to transform into a sexually attractive man.&nbsp; He then touches on the Male Ego and the sexual connection between men and women: How do you make that connection?</p>
<p>Chapter 3:&nbsp; Lust: The Carnal Human Craving</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2FYin__Yang%20copy.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229038055055',791,840);"><img style="width: 150px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2248002-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229038055056" alt="" /></a></span></span>In this chapter, the reader learns the ancient secrets to how sexual energy works, how natural attraction is generated, and what hidden secrets you need to know to activate this primal appetite for having sex with you (and only you).&nbsp; The author touches on sexual nature: A man doesn&rsquo;t get off on you; he gets off on what he does to you. So in essence, he&rsquo;s really getting off to himself, his sense of accomplishment in being &ldquo;the man.&rdquo;&nbsp; He then goes into the &#8220;sexual secret&#8221; explaining the balance of a sexual relationship in terms of the yin and yang symbol.&nbsp; A universal symbol explaining the balance between opposites.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 140%;">Part 2: How to Express Your Sexuality</span></p>
<p>Chapter 4: Connecting Fantasy to Reality</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fstairs.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229038091845',402,321);"><img style="width: 150px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2248005-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229038091845" alt="" /></a></span></span>This chapter talks about what a fantasy is, how a fantasy works, and how to arouse this fantasy from all angles so that you control it completely.&nbsp; There are 3 sides of your &#8220;sexual&#8221; mind.&nbsp; Side 1: Your physical pleasure.&nbsp; Side 2:&nbsp; Your emotional desire.&nbsp; Side 3: Your mental reassurance.&nbsp; Let&#8217;s be honest people, we all have fantasies&#8230;but I bet the majority of us don&#8217;t express them to our partners in fear of&#8230;well&#8230;being laughed at.&nbsp; This book is so right&#8230;explore those fantasies and make them realities.&nbsp; Wigs and costumes are great!</p>
<p>Chapter 5:&nbsp; Breaking Out of Your Shell</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fshy.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229038139568',292,212);"><img src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2248008-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229038139568" alt="" width="87" height="120" /></a></span></span>In this chapter, the reader explores how to overcome sexual barriers, and how to give your self permission to unleash the kinky, freaky, nympho Yin within.&nbsp; First the author touches on what the issues women have with releasing their freak within&#8230;mostly identifying the problem as a trust issue.&nbsp; Then he goes into how to solve those issues.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 140%;">Part 3: How to Become His Sexual Fantasy</span></p>
<p>Chapter 6:&nbsp; How To Talk Dirty</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fdirty%20talk.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229038169698',333,300);"><img style="width: 150px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2248011-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229038169698" alt="" /></a></span></span>In chapter 6, the reader uncovers what to say when talking dirty, how to say it, how sexual triggers work in the flow of kinky conversation and how to blend it all together to become the fantasy of his life.&nbsp; Basically, if you are a shy girl and never have even dared to tell your man how you like it, this chapter is for you.&nbsp; Now you will be able to be in control of his fantasy and take your sexual relationship to places he only dreamed it would be.</p>
<p>Chapter 7:&nbsp; Exploring His Sexual Side</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-left ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fexploring.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229038202165',208,205);"><img style="width: 150px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2248013-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229038202166" alt="" /></a></span></span>Now let&#8217;s be honest&#8230;it&#8217;s not only girls that have issues releasing the sexual animal inside them.&nbsp; We all know (women knowing better than us men) that there are men out there that act more like dogs humping a leg then sexual beasts.&nbsp; So this chapter explains how to unravel your man&rsquo;s &lsquo;secret&rsquo; desires, what and where to look for clues, and how you are already his ultimate fantasy girl and you don&rsquo;t even know it.&nbsp; Here you will learn how to push the right buttons, how to escalate an intimate moment, how to test his boundaries, and learn your sexual &#8220;secret weapon&#8221;.</p>
<p>Chapter 8:&nbsp; Staying Dirty for Life</p>
<p><span class="thumbnail-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><a href="javascript:showFullImage('/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=%2Fstorage%2Fcouple.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1229038230669',400,600);"><img style="width: 150px;" src="http://www.therawdealblog.com/storage/thumbnails/321758-2248017-thumbnail.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1229038230669" alt="" /></a></span></span>Now that you&#8217;ve learned all this great material, this chapter teaches you how to keep the spark alive as long as you want, how to grow the most intimate bond a man and woman can share, and why you have just opened the doors to the most satisfying spiritual connection of your life.&nbsp; The author touches on how to keep the sex exciting, which we all know becomes a problem in a great majority of relationships out there.&nbsp; He then ends with lessons in the ultimate connection.&nbsp; This book is about fornicating with anyone and everyone out there&#8230;it&#8217;s about building the ultimate connection with your partner in all aspects of the relationship&#8230;the author just focuses more on the sex part in this book!</p>
<p>The author also has a live blog where he touches on this subject matter: <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;"><a href="http://www.dirtydialogue.com/diary">http://www.dirtydialogue.com/diary.</a>&nbsp; You should check it out!!&nbsp; Also available are some bonus material: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;">The Dirty Dictionary:&nbsp; The Definitive Guide to Dirty Talk Words and Phrases</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;">Dirty Dialing:&nbsp; Instant Phone Sex Fantasy Guide to Long Distance Lust!<br /></span></p>
<p>Dirty Delivery:<span> </span>77 Sexy Text Messages Guaranteed To Blow His Mind!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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