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Mobile phone and social trends in America: the increasing important of a call to a friend while shopping in a brick-and-mortar store

The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project released their latest findings on the growing important of a phone call to a friend when making purchasing decisions during the holiday season in America.  According to the report, 38% of mobile phone users used their cellphone to talk to a friend while shopping in a brick-and-mortar store.  They needed their friends’ advices about making a purchase decision. 

The report found 25% of cellphone subscribers used a phone to compare the price of a product online while they were in a physical store.

Further, the study also found 24% of cellphone subscribers used a phone to check out Internet reviews on a product while they were in a brick-and-mortar store.

(Chart:  pewinternet.org)

The side effects of caffeinated beverage on women's estrogen levels which varies by race (i.e., Asian and white women) and age groups (younger and older women)

Using samples of 259 women ages between 18 to 44-year old, for a period from 2005 and 2007, Schliep et.al found caffeinated beverage changes women's estrogen levels.  Each tester must consume at least 90 milligrams of caffeine per day.  Researchers found there are side effects which may differ by race and age group.  The study is being published in February by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition via online.

For the testing purposes, testers were given 200 milligrams or more of caffeine per day which equal to two cups of coffee, researchers found Asian women caffeine drinkers had their estrogen levels increased significantly compared to other races.  On the contrast, white women who consumed 200 milligrams of caffeine had decreased their estrogen levels.  While for Black women who consumed 200 milligrams of caffeine had just increased a little bit of their estrogen levels.

Banned chemical substance in imported orange juice in America: Food and Drug Administration seized about 14% of imported orange containing carbendazim which was used to fight black spots fungus on leaves and mold on trees

America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized about 14% of imported orange juice over fungicide since early January 2012.  Carbendazim is a chemical substance that is not allowed in America due to cancer reason.  According to reuters.com, FDA seized nine shipments of orange juice from top importers from Brazil and Canada.  Those banned orange juice contained traces of some type of illegal chemical substance for agriculture to fight black spots fungus on leaves and mold on trees. Almost half of all orange juice imported to America was from Brazil.

According to reuters.com, FDA received warning from Coca-Cola, one of the most popular orange juice packaging companies in America with two top brands include Minute Maid and Simply Orange, in the first week of January 2012.

Orange juice traders show worry that the recent findings of fungicide would further harm the beverage demand as consumers are concerned with health risk.  In recent weeks, the asking prices for future shipments of orange juice have skyrocketed and consumers may have to pay extra money for drinking orange juice.

(Image: Minute Maid orange juice)

Tweet withheld: the world’s largest social communication website to censor users’ tweets on a country-by-country basis in an attempt to be a good business partner in certain countries

Many governments in the world do not welcome all expression by their citizens in general public such as in China, the Middle Eastern nations, Cuba, North Korea, and others.  In an attempt to be a good business partner in certain countries, Twitter, the world’s largest social communication website will soon censor users’ tweets.  But, the company will leave other parts of the world to see the censored tweets. 

According to Twitter blog post, the Silicon Valley-based company will now withhold offending content by a specific country if a local government objects to those tweets. To distinguish those censored posts, the company will post a censorship notice to warn its users.  The label text is shown as the following “Tweet withheld. This Tweet from @Username has been withheld in: Country. Learn more.” The “learn more” link will explain Twitter company policy.

(Image: Twitter)

The health benefits of drinking 3 cups of black tea on a daily basis include lowering blood pressure, preventing hypertension and lowering risk of heart disease and death

Using sample of 95 men and women with normal to high-normal blood pressure who consumed at least 3 cups of black tea per day for 6 months, a team of researchers in Australia led by Jonathan M. Hodgson, PhD, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, found that tea drinkers could lower their blood pressure levels by about 2 to 3 points.  The study is being published by Archives of Internal Medicine.

Health experts believe that by lowering blood pressure may also preventing hypertension and lowering risk of heart disease and death.

Researchers believe drinking black tea can improve the function of human body cells including maintaining good blood vessels.  Researchers also found that black tea also contains flavonoids which also help to improve blood vessel’s tone and cut human body weight and reducing body fat.

Condoms in pornography film sets: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed a new law which requires porn stars to wear condoms during filming in the second largest city in America

Aside with its popular Hollywood sign depicting the capital of blockbuster movies makers in the world, Los Angeles is also famous as the capital of porn films makers.  Producers of adult movies usually require getting a city film permit before filming in Los Angeles.  Several cities in the porn industry district are under the management of city of Los Angeles such as San Fernando Valley.

In order to protect porn performers from health issues such as AIDS with HIV disease, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed a new law early this week.  The new law requires porn stars to wear condoms during pornography film sets in the second largest city in America.  The new law also received a fully support from Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

According to latimes.com, many porn films makers disapproved with the new rule.  Porn movie makers believe that it would be difficult to market their films that featuring condoms.  Later, latimes.com added that many porn movie makers are planning to move the pornography film sets outside the city of Los Angeles boundaries.

Apple reports spectacular financial results and all-time record sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs for fiscal 2012 first quarter (Oct to Dec 2011), while iPods sales continued to decline

With the passing of its former CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs during fiscal 2012 first quarter, Apple’s financial results hit the highest level in term of revenue and sales from October to December 2011.  As per the latest financial results ended December 31, 2011, the world’s largest mobile gadgets company announced all-time high quarterly revenue of $46.33 billion.  The Company has a record setting of net profit of $13.06 billion. Compared to one year ago, the revenue for fiscal 2011 first quarter was $26.74 billion (or, an increase of $19.6 billion in term of revenue).  While in term of net quarterly profit, one year ago was $6 billion (or, an increase of $7 billion).

The hottest selling item was iPhone as Apple sold 37.04 million multi-touch phones during the October to December quarter.  The Company stated that iPhones demand increased about 128% over one year ago. 

The next hottest item was iPad as Apple sold 15.43 million iPads.  Apple noted that the demand for iPads increased about 111% over one year ago.

Apple didn’t sell many iPods during the quarter compared to one year ago.  The Silicon Valley-based company sold only 15.4 million iPods or a drop of 21% from one year ago.

Do you want a beer with that? Starbucks to sell beer and alcohol beverages in Atlanta and Southern California (incl. the greater Los Angeles area)

Starbucks Corp, the world's biggest coffee houses with over 11,000 cafes in America alone is exploring to start selling alcohol beverages (beer and wine) in several cafes in Atlanta and Southern California including in the greater Los Angeles area.  The timing for the new product lines in the newest marketplaces will be around the incoming 2012 holiday season.

Starbucks have been testing the market for selling alcohol beverages in its hometown Seattle in October 2010.  Later it expanded to its neighbor Pacific Northwest state including Portland, Oregon.  According to Starbucks press release, just before Christmas last year, the company also announced a similar testing place including in Chicago area.

Aside of adding alcohol beverages, the company is also planning to add more premium food into its menu such as savory snacks, cheese plates and hot flatbreads.

Please leave home without it: credit card was yesterday, PayPal to partner with brick and mortar retailers for payments, initial service will be in more than 2,000 Home Depot stores

Popular online payment company PayPal has partnered with several brick and mortar retailers such as Home Depot Inc. to let shoppers to pay with their PayPal accounts.  PayPal is owned by online auction website EBay.com.  PayPal has been used widely online and continues to helping EBay to generate a ton of revenues for their quarterly earnings.  The latest PayPal effort could win the new generation of customers from using credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Amex) and replacing them with a PayPal login and a password.

In its first trial with brick and mortar stores for payments starting this week, PayPal will coordinate with 51 of Home Depot stores in the San Francisco Bay area, as reported by bloomberg.com.  After the learning curves in the Bay Area, PayPal will expand in-store payments in more than 2,000 Home Depot Inc. stores around America by March 2012.

America’s pricey drinks: orange juice prices hit an all-time high record due to fungicide, disease, and freezing weather

The price of orange juice for future delivery in America increased significantly this week due to several issues including fungicide, disease, and freezing weather.  The asking price for one pound of orange juice for March delivery hit an all-time high record at $2.1065, as reported by businessweek.com. The previous record for the most expensive orange juice occurred on December 7, 2006, at $2.094 per pound.

First, America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working hard to test imported orange juice from Brazil due to mounting concern with banned fungicide carbendazim.  One week ago, the agency was alerted as they found juice imports that may contain carbendazim.  This type of chemical could be linked to liver tumors as tested on labs animals. 

Second, citrus greening disease had damaged many orange trees in Florida.  The Southern state in America is well known as the world’s number two grower.  Then, the same disease appears to transfer to Texas early this week as experts have confirmed finding some type of citrus greening in the largest state in America.

Third, several Western states in America, including Northern and Central California as the top citrus-growing region, are facing artic freezing weather this week.  Cooler temperatures could bring high risk of frost in the region.

Statins pills to lower cholesterol level could be used to fight breast cancer in some women

A team of researchers led by William Freed-Pastor of Columbia University have found some encouraging news for women who have breast cancer.  Among certain women, they could fight breast cancer by taking statin pills to lower cholesterol. 

In a laboratory test, Freed-Pastor et.al used statins to shrink the growth of cancerous cells carrying mutant p53 genes.  The study is being published in the January 20, 2012 issue of the journal Cell.