$11,000 for coffee?

Crimson and clover, over and over: Starbucks is introducing to select shops in the Seattle area an $11,000 espresso machine, called Clover, that it hopes will improve flagging sales.

Which begs the question: What could an $11,000 machine do that a shot from a $12 bottle of Irish whiskey couldn't do to make coffee better?

Take a chance on me: Tribal casinos in Snohomish County and elsewhere in the state are switching to slot machines that take gamblers' cash directly, rather than using a purchased ticket.

The state Gambling Commission rejected an earlier proposal that would have allowed the tribes to electronically connect slot machines to gamblers' bank accounts, allowing them to be drained quicker.

Eating with relish: A controversial TV commercial is attacking hot dogs and processed meats, linking them to an increased risk of colon cancer.

The Buzz is not a doctor, and doesn't even play one on TV, so we can't comment on the cancer risk. But we are pretty sure that eating hot dogs does increase your risk of eating pig snouts, cow lips, goat gullets and lamb spleens.