Where has the year gone?

It's been a while since I posted something on this blog. This is just a test for now!

Drones? Robots? Wrist Phone? Give me a high-tech bed any time

LAS VEGAS — A funny thing happened on the way to eat a free lunch at the Las Vegas Convention Center this week.

I was at the International Consumer Electronics Show walking around in the press area looking for a place to sit, rest my feet and eat my complimentary box lunch.

Across the press luncheon there was a door with chairs and as I peaked in someone invited me inside and said the presentation would start in 10 minutes. 

Sounded fine to me and I was not in a hurry and I did see there were more boxes of lunches. My lunch box was in a show bag and out of site. The woman pointed to the boxes and said something like, “Grab a lunch and please have a seat.” Well, I am not one to turn down a second free lunch. I grabbed a turkey sandwich box and sat down. 

I realized I was in the Sleep Number presentation and about to hear the latest and greatest news about sleep technology. The presenters showed photos and talked about the new technology within the comfortable mattress.

This was the introduction to the Sleep Number x12 bed. I never realized how much tech could be stuffed into mattress.

This was no ordinary bed. This was the new x12 bed with voice command and designed to help anyone get a great night’s rest. It has a computerized monitor and each side has its own controls for couples.

There is also a program to help snorers like me who may need an adjustment in the middle of the night. If one person snores too loud, his spouse could just tell the x12 to raise the mattress and change the snorer’s breathing and hopefully lessen the sounds.

Some bed. However, with a price tag of north of $7,000 I doubt I will ever find this bed in my home.

People in the audience had questions about security of the information used for the bed. Some people are actually afraid that by sleeping on this bed the government may tap into your sleep pattern and check to see if you are actually sleeping or out gathering government secrets. The NSA has made Americans quite nervous it seems.

There was also a question of whether this bed record who actually sleeps in the bed and whether the activity is monitored. The answer is simple: just turn it off and no one will know who did what in the bed and how many positions were used. I doubt the bed is that smart but I do wonder how nice the air cushions would feel while watching TV.

I may go looking for this bed later this week and see how the mattress feels. I may not be able to afford the bed but I can afford a few minutes to lie down and imagine what it would be like to have this bed in my home. I’d like to know my Sleep IQ.

The Dodgers are on a roll...

Another great come-from-a-little-behind win by the Los Angeles Dodgers.


Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer, Andre Ethier and Jerry Hairston Jr. added solo shots and the streaking Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-9 Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory and 22nd in 27 games.

CJ the chimp to spend another night in northern Nevada

CJ the chimp to spend another night in northern Nevada

Ramsay Steak Opens Friday, May 11

LAS VEGAS (April 20, 2012) – Internationally-renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay announced that Gordon Ramsay Steak, his first restaurant in Las Vegas, will open Friday, May 11 at Paris Las Vegas.  Gordon Ramsay Steak will offer guests a fresh, high-energy modern steakhouse environment that playfully transports guests from Paris to London.

“The space is bold and innovative, and we've put together a strong team who together created a contemporary and fresh menu,” says Chef Ramsay. “I can't wait to open and start welcoming guests to my very first Vegas-based restaurant.”

David Hoenemeyer, president of Paris Las Vegas, looks forward to welcoming Gordon Ramsay to the resort: “I am incredibly pleased with the restaurant that Gordon Ramsay and his team have created at Gordon Ramsay Steak.  The space is one-of-a-kind in its design and energy; my mouth waters simply reading the menu.”

On the evening of May 11, Ramsay will participate in Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit’s Grand Tasting where Gordon Ramsay Steak will serve small bites to thousands of guests from its newly fabricated booth, stylistically representative of the restaurant.  Attendees of the event will be treated to a selection of some of Ramsay’s traditional favorites such as the roasted beef Wellington served with potato puree and butter-glazed root vegetables, pan-seared Haddock with Irish potato broth and sticky toffee pudding.  This will be Chef Ramsay’s first year participating in the culinary event at Caesars Palace Garden of the Gods pool oasis.

Gordon Ramsay Steak’s menu, carried out by new Executive Chef Kevin Hee, who has trained under the Gordon Ramsay Group, will showcase Ramsay’s interpretation of traditional American steakhouse dishes with a hint of modern flair intertwined with many contemporary classics.  The menu will change seasonally drawing on the best product available at the time giving visitors new tastes upon every return.  Diners can choose from starters either “From Sea” or “From Land” with dishes like butter-poached Maine lobster, fried oysters and smoked beef tartare with Guinness-infused mustard seeds.  Main courses offer a wide selection of grilled items such as a large range of Wagyu beef, various cuts of dry-aged steaks, veal, Kurobuta double pork chop and an assortment of seafood choices. 

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Missing my chance to meet Captain America

I am addicted to trade shows and when I can’t get to a certain show I will look online for news and information about trade shows not taking place in Las Vegas


The one show that has eluded me year after year is Comic Con — the annual convention of popular arts with special guests, themes and anniversaries, and programming. It is the ultimate gathering of science fiction characters, comic book heroes and the celebrities who portray them in films.

Most of the characters are the attendees who travel to the San Diego Convention Center to participate in the convention. The press enjoys covering this event because there is never a shortage of costume-clad sci-fi fans. This year the show is going ape with the release of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” on Aug. 5.


More than 125,000 fans have descended upon the Convention Center this week, dressing up like their heroes, which this year will include vampires, werewolves, zombie-killers and demon-hunters featured in recent and forthcoming comic books, TV shows, movies and video games.

Hugh Jackman was photographed at Comic Con passing out movie poster to hundreds of fans. Most fans know him as Wolverine of X-Men films of he has been promoting “Real Steel” his latest action film about boxing robots.

According to press releases, Jackman is Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring.

This film will most likely appeal to males. From the trailers it looks like the Rock ’Em Sock ’E Robots of my youth have taken over the silver screen.

I wouldn’t mind donning my Star Trek uniform and spend a day walking among Captain America, the Hulk or Spiderman.

Las Vegas does host the Star Trek Convention but it is not the same since Star Trek: The Experience shut down at the Hilton.

Las Vegas meanwhile has a beauty show in Cosmoprof North America, a show shoe from WSA and the ASD merchandise show taking place this month.

I may not get to rub elbows with Captain America but next month I will get chance to listen to President Bill Clinton who is the keynote speaker for the Summer 2011 Las Vegas Market at the World Market Center on Aug. 1.

Live long and prosper.

Healthcare exhibit industry on an upswing

I am addicted to trade shows so when an association makes a rare stop in Las Vegas I make an effort to visit and check out the exhibits. For the first time ever the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association held its annual meeting at the Wynn in Las Vegas. The June 25-28 meeting offered a great opportunity to learn about the association and learn about the industry.

There were a few exhibitors who had also exhibit at the annual Exhibitor show held in Las Vegas during the spring so a few companies were able to reuse some of the elements from its booth from that show in March. MG Design and Elements were two companies that had a familiar branding to me since I also visited their booths at Exhibit2011.

One education session gave me some insight into the state of the health care exhibit industry and, according to HCEA’s marketing research and communications manager Frank Skinner, the industry is on a small upswing but many companies are using less space at trade shows and spending less money.

The average square footage for large shows dropped from 200,000 to 130,000 square feet during the past year.

The Wynn was a great location for a show of this size. The exhibit show floor was located just a few hundred yards from the education sessions, but for some reason Las Vegas is not among the top cites for the health care exhibit industry.

“For 14 years Orlando has hosted an new healthcare meeting every five days,” Skinner said, adding that other popular destinations are Washington, D.C., San Diego and New Orleans.

I managed to walk the floor and talk with some exhibitors who demonstrated their products.

Congratulations to two exhibitors for winning best booth awards during the show. Kaon, No. 122, was the best small booth with its under 10-foot-by-10-foot exhibit. The best large booth award went to Crêpes á Latte Catering for its attention-grabbing booth. Not only did their booth look good, but the coffee and mini cupcakes were delicious.

Coffee must be very much accepted in the healthcare industry because I could not help but notice that there were a few exhibitors offering cups of java for attendees. Markey Coffee Communication caught my attention with it special blend of coffee brought from the United Kingdom.

For the first time, the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA) will have the attendance at its Annual Meeting professionally audited by an independent, third party auditing organization.

The 2011 HCEA Annual Meeting, to be held June 25-28, 2011, in Las Vegas, will be audited by the not-for-profit organization BPA Worldwide, therefore providing HCEA with complete and accurate attendance and demographic data about its meeting. 

The audit will be a census-based, independent validation of verified meeting attendance. BPA Worldwide will confirm and validate show attendance data for HCEA based on verified registration, demographics and geographic coverage. Thanks to Jennifer Palcher-Silliman for making it possible for me to attend.

Overall a great show with decent attendance. I will have to wait for the audit to be complete before knowing how many healthcare professionals attended but I think the association should be pleased with the results.