Steaming Cup Of Coffee 3000

The Final Coffee Frontier

2010-10-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Looks like the great white north is no longer uncharted territory for Tim Hortons. The coffee giant is planning on pairing with the North West Company to open 3 kiosks in Iqaluit (Nunavut capital). This adds to 3,000+ stores across Canada (Yellowknife and Whitehorse already have locations). This should make satisfying that doughnut and caffeine itch for those who carry boxes of doughnuts and coffee grind back with them during business trips. A grand opening charity event is expected to happen in December.
(link)

Handy when it's too hot

2010-10-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

Straw anyone? How about a straw with your instant coffee? Seems like you got everything you need. Instant coffee, straw, stir stick, all you need is a cup of hot water.

new coffees

2010-09-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

http://newcoffeeupdates.com/

Gadgets that help us make better coffee

2010-09-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

High tech "science-y" stuff. Gadget you plug into your macbook that measures stuff and tells you whether you make a "mmm" sound or spit out your coffee in disgust. What's it called: Mojo? Mojotogo? ExtractMojo. I dunno, you read it and post it in the comments.

TLDR
Gizmodo

I plead Caffeine Insanity!

2010-09-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

The caffeine made me do it ... insanity! Ever feel out of control after sipping on too many lattes? Some crazy bastard in Newport, Kentucky claims to have been a victim of caffeine insanity. This of course after strangling and killing his wife, doh. He claims his psychosis was brought on by sleep deprivation, diet pills, and excessive caffeine. Sounds pretty crazy to me. While we've all been there after consuming too much coffee and enjoying that momentary caffeine high and buzz, rarely do we go out and commit a homicide. Us normal people that is.

Uh you know what? Make mine a decaf.

Coffee purchases

2010-09-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

A Canadian coffee distributor just got a little bigger. Green Mountain Coffee is acquiring Van Houtte. The numbers:
The deal is worth $915 million.
Green Mountain - US based company, acquired Timothy's Coffee last year.
Van Houtte - Montreal based company, operates 70 locations in Quebec.
GlobeandMail

Stock up while you can

2010-09-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

We all knew this was going to happen. Kraft Canada has confirmed that it will be raising prices of its coffee next month. Kraft produces popular brands such as: Nabob and Maxwell House. Citing increased demand, shortened supply, and weather instability as factors. Yahoo

Trouble Brewing at Timmys HQ

2010-09-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

TLDR
- donuts not made fresh, but frozen and defrosted at your local Tim Hortons
- selling out to Wendy's was a big mistakey
- donuts are 14% smaller than they used to be
- class action lawsuit by store owners vs senior executives to the tune of $1.95 billion
- blah blah blah
- much more backroom scandalous deal by corporate executives
- headbutting between store owners and board of directors
(link)

Cup Cosy

2010-09-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

Tired of burning your finger tips while trying to enjoy that fresh super hot cup of coffee in the morning? Try this out. A cup cosy for your morning ritual. Now when you get fingerprinted the cops won't think you're some crazy serial killer. Yay for fingerprints.

Starbucks adding instant flavors

2010-08-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

The success of Starbucks instant coffee has spawned more products. Flavors. Starbucks is planning on offering up a greater selection for those craving an instant brew. Soon you will be able to enjoy mocha, vanilla, caramel and cinnamon. The instant packs should be available in the fall at all local Starbucks locations. Prices should still hold steady at around $6 for 5 servings. The instant brand Via has earned an estimated $100 million over 10 months. (link)

This addiction is getting expensive

2010-08-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've ready the headlines about coffee prices hitting 12 or 13 year highs and you might be slightly perturbed (it's a real word, look it up). Let's break it down for the common folk. That home brew you're used to sucking down before you rush out of the house while being late for that important meeting ... yeah, that crud you brew in the morning. It's going to get more expensive. Folgers, Nabob, or whatever crap you drink will be more expensive at the local Walmart.

Whaa?! F*ck you! (Indeed, my thoughts exactly)

However, not all is bleak for coffee drinkers. Tim Hortons and Starbucks have stated that their customers have nothing to fear. The rise in coffee prices was wisely foreseen by future gambling stock market gurus and subsequently planned for and integrated into cost benefit analysis ... er did I lose you there? Lost myself too. No price increase for Starbucks or Tim Hortons, for now.

Time to start feeding my cat coffee beans ...

In the news...

2010-06-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Interesting read in the Vancouver Sun about Tim Hortons coffee. Wonder how much work goes into that morning cup of java at corporate headquarters? Read on. Coffee beans from Colombia, Brazil and Guatemala. Also McDonald's appears to be cutting into their business bigtime.

Ever consider dumping that cheap brand of coffee and upgrading to the good stuff? Well perhaps you might want to spend a few bucks and get something exotic. As in CoffeesOfHawaii exotic. Right now there's a deal on for 20% off your order and free shipping. Get the 2 pound bag of Kona.

Thanks Captain Obvious

2010-06-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

A crack team of British researchers have had an epiphany. Coffee doesn't increase alertness. The "alertness" factor was no higher for caffeine drinkers compared to non drinkers. Well duh. It's a drug dummy. Plain and simple. Caffeine gives the addict a temporary legal high putting your system into high gear, or at least a perceived alertness. Don't mistake alertness and hyper activity.

While you may feel more alert it's just your body reacting to a temporary high. That caffeine high we have all learned to love and enjoy. Now shut up and drink more coffee.

Coffee prices going up?

2010-05-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

I sure hope not. I guess it all depends on the great coffee bean harvest of 2010. The Canadian coffee chain isn't promising anything at this point but this still leaves the door open for a moderate increase. Probably just a good excuse to pad the bottom line for investors. BTW $78.9 million PROFIT for the first quarter of this year. Sales in both Canada and the U.S. were up. For only $500,000 you too can own your own money printing machine.

Tastes like garbage

2010-04-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

The coffee was brown and thick. More than usual. Like that was going to stop me? Don't lie it wouldn't/doesn't stop you either from slurping up the office coffee. BLEAH!

Oh good, b/c I thought it was just me. IT IS GARBAGE

There is a layer of "something" floating on top of the coffee. There are rings of oil indicating the previous levels of the coffee. The filter is disgusting dirty from leftover grind from the weekend.

GODDAMMIT! I've had enough. Time to roll up the sleeves and take control of the situation. We aren't going to lose the next brew like we lost the last one! Now pull it together people!

Step 1: clean the filter.
Not only rinse the leftover grind away, but use actual soap and remove the oily residue from the filter.

Step 2: clean the pot.
Those rings are from the disgusting oil layer floating on top. A couple drops of dish soap, fill with water, get all bubbly and clean, rinse till bubbles are gone.

Step 3: make good coffee.

Starbucks April 15, 2010

2010-04-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Starbucks: the big picture
As a part of the the corporate image of going green and saving mother earth Starbucks is enticing coffee drinkers everywhere to join them ... yes, come over to the dark side. It's a great idea, let's save some paper cups (because you they don't grow on trees!) and some trees. In fact invest $10 get yourself a nice travel mug and use it 365 days a year.

Free coffee! Bring your own cup! Gogogo!
(link)

Please Play Again

2010-03-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

This whole 'roll up the rim' thing sucks! I've won a total of ONE free coffee and ONE free donut since the inception of this year's contest. Despite my coffee consumption increasing (especially on the weekends) my prize rate is pathetically low. Plus the breakfast sandwiches suck.

On the flipside McDonald's coffee is looking better and better every day. Mmm, love those hashbrowns.

Why We Like Coffee

2010-03-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

Roll Up The Rim!

2010-03-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

GO! NOW!

Bad Coffee?

2010-02-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

Hear about the guy who got banned from Tim Horton's locations? He was a big complainer and despite the staff's best efforts to brew fresh pots for him, he still wasn't satisfied. Moral of the story? Complainers get what they deserve.

What I'm confused about is why would you keep going back? I mean if the coffee was so bad, why do you keep getting coffee from the same place? Wouldn't it be a great time to give another coffee company a try? Any normal person who has a bad experience at a place of business stops going there. If the product/service is that bad, you stop giving them your money. Plain and simple.

I think this guy just kept pushing his luck. Probably just wanted to get freebies because he thinks he's some important shit being a paramedic and all. Enjoy your ban, moron.

Best marketing ploy ever?

2010-01-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

Doesn't this sound like an awesome deal: any doughnut for $0.49 with any drink.

Mmmm, doughnut. Er wait a minute.

$0.49 for 1 doughnut.

OR

$4.50 for 12 doughnuts. ($0.38/per)

WHAT? Tim Hortons is probably selling more doughnuts now than they ever did before.

The sad thing is here in my office we collectively spend enough to buy 12. I'm thinking there's a potential for an extra 3 doughnuts. Mmmm, extra doughnuts.

Worth the trouble?

2010-01-14T12:14:00.001-08:00

How To Brew The Perfect Cup Of Coffee - Watch more Funny Videos

How Much Coffee Do You Drink?

2010-01-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

Take the survey. 2 seems to be the most common.

With anything, moderation is key. Except when it comes to coffee. Go for the twitching sugar high. ITS THE BEST! Experts say 3 cups of coffee a day should be the limit but what do they know! YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!

*glug glug glug, mmmm, good caffeine boost

Hey I can see double! And everyone around me seems to be jumping and jittery ...

Oh nooooo

2009-12-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

There's something in here about a new coffee species being twice the size of regular coffee beans. Wild coffee beans and exploding pods, and I think I read something about fungi. Eww. (source)

Bruce the performance artist soundboard.

Gift ideas for the caffeine challenged

2009-12-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Tim Hortons - gift basket, a tin of coffee, a pre paid tim card, travel mug.

Starbucks - coffee beans, espresso machine, pre paid card.

Canadian Tire - coffee maker, supplies, and etc.

ThinkGeek - cool coffee mugs and cups. Maybe even a t shirt.

Futureshop - coffee grinder, maker, etc.

BestBuy - cappuccino maker, webcam to watch it make your favorite drink.

Laura Secord - you know what goes great with coffee? Chocolate!

First of the season

2009-11-18T12:41:00.001-08:00

Coffee Infographic

2009-11-11T09:37:00.000-08:00

Some interesting tidbits.

Islam: alcohol is a no no but coffee is ok. Jihad!

70% of the world consumes Arabica, the other 30% is that bitter stuff that tastes like shit!

Coffee is the second most traded commodity after oil.

Mocha > Cappuccino.

Get the rest here.

Experiments, Coffee, and technology

2009-10-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

Ever get that twitchy feeling? All the time? Perhaps you need to try to ween yourself of the caffeine. That's what this guy did and blogged about it. The results could mean something. While the whole "hours of concentration" may be arbitrary I don't think there's anything groundbreaking about it. For some caffeine makes them extra jittery and hence concentration will be a problem. For most there's an inherent immunity that just builds up naturally. Solution: drink more coffee or simply give it up because you're a freakin' pussy. Yeah I'm talking to you jitterbug!

Got an iPhone and love Dunkin' Donuts? Then you probably have this app already. Caffeine and technology always work great together. Just lay off the donuts with the pink sprinkles on them, they're fattening. When is Tim Hortons going to hop on this trendy "iPhone" thing?!

Tim Hortons keeps expanding

2009-10-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

The latest location for your favorite cup of java? Fort Knox. That's right. Not only a tourist hotspot but also gold ... and a cash cow too. Tim Hortons opened up a location just outside of Fort Knox serving up tasty tasty coffee 24 hours a day. Looks like the next consumers targeted by TH is the military. The coffee company already has several locations operating out of Afghanistan on Canadian military bases.

(link)

Why Can't We Have Coffee Shops Like This?

2009-09-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

I'll have a latte, a muffin, and a side of titty please. (link)
Ahhh, $20 well spent. Seriously, I would switch coffee shops at a drop of a bra, I have no brand loyalty whatsoever. Way to ruin the fun coppers!

The Mug That Bites Back

2009-09-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

At least you won't have to worry about other people stealing your mug. The drop of brown liquid dripping down is a nice touch. (link)

My Mouth Tastes Like Burning

2009-09-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

Is it just me? Why have I started noticing a burnt taste to my recent cups of Tim Hortons coffee? WHY WHY WHY! You drive me to your cheaper competitor, that's right! McDonald's premium blend. Arrgghhh. It tastes ... decent. Mmm, not bad. Oooh, sausage mcmuffin AND hashbrowns! Also I've noticed my double double isn't always 2 sugars. Come on Tim Hortons! Move to a sugar cube system, the whole teaspoon method doesn't seem to be working.

#1 stop with the burnt coffee taste
#2 uniform sugar scoops
#3 tasty tasty hash browns
#4 do it now!

Ramblings: Coffee for the weak

2009-08-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

We've all been there. Heck, I'm there right now. The low point ... of the caffeine cycle. Any residual molecules have long left your body via yellow pee stream and summarily flushed away. It's a long walk back to your desk. You can barely must up enough strength to keep your eyes open. Coffee! You need coffee! Staring over at your coworkers desk you're tempted to grab their mug and make a run for it. Are you really that desperate? Yes, yes you are. What you would give right now for a coffee shop to spring up right next to your desk. Do you think you could keep a coffee machine in your bottom drawer without anyone noticing?

Heading to the kitchen you already know what to expect. A sip of coffee left in the pot almost entirely made up of grinds. Not only was the last pot poorly made but as well the last bastard to top up his cup have left you the responsibility to make a fresh pot. Perhaps you should add the title "barista" to your business cards.

Well if it must be done, then by golly you must do it right. Clean, fill, measure, brew, success! You raise your hands in achievement as you have magically turned water into coffee. A miracle! Too bad no one else is around to pat you on your back. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back. Tapping your toe impatiently you wait. Drip coffee, dammit, drip! So now we play the waiting game.

You hear your phone ring. Ignore it. It rings again. Ignore it. It's a ploy by one of your evil coworkers. They want to distract you so they can sneak in and steal "your precious" coffee. Going against your better judgment you quickly run back to your desk to pick up the phone. "Hello? Hello?" Drat! You took the bait. You spin around in time to see the last of them scurrying away giggling gleefully with mugs in hand. Bastards! Back to the kitchen and the damage has been done. Is this not deja vu? Why must you perform this song and dance everyday at 11am? 2pm? 4pm? Why?

Mercifully the last scavenger left you slightly more than a sip. Perhaps even enough to be called a gulp. FINE! Take some extra sugar, even more than usual. Top it up with cream, it turns almost completely white, then begrudgingly head back to your desk. Grinding your teeth all the way, giving the evil eye to anyone who unashamedly looks up to acknowledge their part in the despicable act. Don't worry, you'll show them all. One day, they'll show up one morning to discover their staplers missing! HAHA! You shall have your revenge!

You sit down and take a sip. Your entire body comes to life at the first drop that touches your tongue. At some point you're just happy to be ingesting some black liquid which temporarily provides you with sustenance with limited brain functions. You'll live.

Oh yeah, work? Forget work, you've got bigger problems! Coffee! That's where it's at! Everything is good again, at least temporarily. You savor what you have until it's gone. And so it begins again ...

Timmys goes to broadway

2009-07-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

Tim Hortons took over a slew of former Dunkin' Donuts location in New York city and started churning out Canadian java. Many were confused by the brand change and had no idea who this "Tim guy" was. Only a few people in-the-know had the inside scoop and relished the celebrated coffee brand's entry into the big apple. Overall the response has been positive. Good coffee, okay donuts. Guess we know why Americans are fat, eh? Go easy on the donuts already!

That's Not My Coffee, I Swear ...

2009-07-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

Awww, I was so hoping to receive my coffee order. Oh well I guess the Malaysian authorities have other ideas for it. So much for mixing 2 of my favorite things. I demand a refund!

Tim Hortons is Canadian ... again

2009-06-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Tim Hortons not Canadian? WHA?! Technically, no. Sadly Tim Hortons Inc. is registered in the United States. Blame it on the acquisition of the Wendy's food chain. Damn you Wendy's and your tasty Big Bacon Classic! On top of this its registered in Delaware of all places. What the hell is in Delaware? But not for long. The company has filed the necessary documents to bring itself home.

However, have no fear. Timmys will soon be headquartered in Oakville, west of Toronto (financial capital of Canada). Representatives say the move is for tax reasons. Other than that business as usual. Cheers. (link)

He Wants His Coffee Bad!

2009-06-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

Are you willing to sue for the right to get your coffee? A Nova Scotia man is doing just that. He's been denied service going through the drive through on his motorized scooter. His disability prevents him from going in the restaurant entrance so he had been relegated to using the drive through. Tim Horton's policy is that no pedestrians, bicycles, wheelchairs, or motorized scooters will be served via the drive through. It's just too dangerous. So off to the courts we go. Human right issue or not? Is it the basic necessity which every person should be allowed to receive? This is just plain silly.

Find a solution, give the man his freaking coffee.

... That's Because It Is!

2009-06-10T06:17:00.001-07:00

This coffee tastes like shit! ... That's because it IS shit. A Regina woman is suing McDonald's over found shit in her morning coffee. WHAT? The part of the story which I find highly unbelievable is that someone would drink half of the coffee and not notice a floating piece of shit. On top of that shit coffee isn't going to taste very good nor smell great either. So why take more than a sip?! It just does not make sense. However if that McDonald's location is putting shit in it's coffee what are they putting in that "special sauce"??

New Way To Get Your Kicks

2009-06-02T05:57:00.000-07:00

Drink coffee to get your caffeine kick? Pfftttt! Start chewing baby! That's right, get your caffeine in chewing gum format. One pack of gum is equivalent to 1.5 cups of coffee. Mmm, chewy, perky goodness. Just make sure you don't down a few packs in a short period or else you might end up in the hospital. More goodies here from ThinkGeek.

Mmmm, om nom nom

2009-05-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Tim Hortons serving up more than just donuts. A man in Calgary claims he crunched down on a bug while eating chili from the restaurant. So if you like insects in your food head to the Tim Hortons on 46th Avenue S.E. (link)

Mmm, more om nom nom. Raw seal heart? My favorite. Governor General Michaelle Jean helped to gut a seal and ate a piece of its raw heart in a show of support of the Inuit community. Sealers welcomed her show of support but others freaked out over the incident. (link)

FAIL: Opening a Carton

2009-05-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

Why do they have to make these cartons so complicated to open?!

Free iced coffee

2009-05-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

Did you line up at Tim Hortons to get your free iced coffee? Was it worth it? Standing in line with the other freeloaders waiting to get their free java? It's just coffee ... served with ice cubes. Cold coffee, but its free so no use in complaining. One thing I noticed was that if you ordered other items from the menu and actually paid for other stuff, then you get go to the regular line. If you were just there for the free coffee then you had to go and wait in the long line.

So I spent the extra $1.29 and got some timbits too, and was in and out in 5 minutes rather than my friend who stayed in line an extra 10 minutes.

So how was it? Like I said, it's cold coffee. Probably providing an alternative to those who've sworn off those tasty iced cappuccinos (like me). I'm not convinced and I'm not going to get hooked on another Tim Hortons product. I already spend enough on coffee and donuts.

Box Office: Star Trek vs Wolverine

2009-05-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

All I can say is: WTF?

How is it that X-Men Origins: Wolverine can pull in $85 million while Star Trek can only manage $72 million? After all of the bad press/reviews, leaked work print of the ENTIRE movie can a movie draw $85 million?! Stunning? Yes. By all accounts Star Trek had nothing but good news going for it. Glowing reviews, movie hype, the only thing lacking perhaps ... star power.

Wolverine had Hugh Jackman. Yes, the same song and dance guy who hosted the Oscars. Star Trek? Um, they had Sylar ... you know the guy from that tv show Heroes? And um, the Korean guy Harold, from Harold and Kumar, except he's playing Sulu ... a Japanese guy. Um, some hot girl playing Uhura ... um, no Shatner but Nimoy makes an appearance. Oh yeah, Eric Bana ... the bad Hulk movie from a few years ago?

Ok, so clearly star power has something to do with it. The X-Men franchise has a legion of comic book fans. However the same can be said about Star Trek, but the series reboot appears to have turned some of them off. Or perhaps the X-Men fans are just a more dedicated bunch than Star Trek? No, I hardly can imagine that. Which fan dresses up more frequently? Star Trek. Which fan questions the inner workings of the anti-matter warp drive? Star Trek. Did any Wolverine fans question how Logan became a mutant to begin with? I mean the movie is titled "Origins". That would seem to imply a bit of history would be told, especially about Wolverine's ability. Nope, no explanation, no questions.

I guess it's just one of those strange anomalies ...

Perhaps DVD sales will settle this.

And You'll Keep Paying

2009-05-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Tim Hortons hinted at future price increases. Surprised? It's not like it was gonna get any cheaper. Us caffeine addicted fans will just have to pay the piper. For the most part we're not going to notice a few cents here and there but at the end of the month when we re-load our TimCards we'll notice a difference. Some things, necessities, are just worth paying the extra money for. Especially when timmy's coffee tastes so good. Mmmm, double double.

Although the one thing I absolutely will not pay more for are those damn iced cappuccinos. Those things are a freaking rip-off. Tim Hortons loves students for this product alone. With summertime just around the corner ice-caps are going to single handedly boost Tim Hortons profits. Damn, cappuccinos! Why do you have to be so frosty and tasty?

Timmy's plans new plant

2009-04-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

Can coffee lead us through the economic times? Tim Horton's hopes so. They are planning to set up a new coffee bean plant in Hamilton at a price tag of $30 million. Woo! Score for Hamilton. It should lead to over a 100 jobs and possibly more in spill off money generated by plant activities. Hey, any news is good news right? (link)

Now if they could only get that hockey franchise.

F-R-E-E??

2009-04-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

Free coffee?! How many of you enjoyed the McDonald's free brew yesterday? I'm guessing a lot since I saw a huge lineup at the restaurants I passed on my way to work. I almost detoured to a mickey'Ds on my way to work this morning but figured I be late ... or at least later than normal. However, now that I am at work, I could really go for a sausage egg mcmuffin. McDonald's has been doing well despite the surrounding economic situation. Cheap fast food is just the ticket for many people to get through tough times. Too bad other fast food joints have jumped on the bandwagon.

(link)

It was bound to happen

2009-03-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Starbucks is shutting down its first Canadian location. Aberdeen Centre located in Richmond, B.C. The decision is because of the current economic problems and the location wasn't selling enough coffee. Reportedly staff received 5 days notice prior to being put out on the street. (link)

AH HA! Cheating bastards!

2009-03-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

"... because of the distribution of cups those odds vary across the country. The best chance to win big is in British Columbia (one in 5.9 million) and the worst is in Ontario (1 in 9.9 million)." Link

ARgggh! Judging by my recent poll numbers, I'm guessing very few of you are winning stuff. I hate these gimmicky contests .... awww how can I stay mad at you Timmy?

Free coffee enough to make you switch?

2009-03-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's that time of year again. Tim Hortons is doing their "roll up the rim" promotion. Country Style is also doing theirs, bring in a "try again" cup and get a free medium coffee. Hmm, free coffee? Is there such a thing as a bad "free" item? Normally I'd say no, but when it comes to timmy's coffee, it's really hard to switch. It's not so much I'm turning down something free but rather preserving my coffee tasting pallette as to not contaminate it. (did I mention I'm a strange fellow?)

Once you get used to a certain taste it can really create havoc with your tastebuds when you suddenly throw in a curveball every now and then. 4 Tim Hortons coffees in a row then a Country Style freebie. Coffee is slightly different tasting, caffiene punch is the same but my tongue is rejecting the free stuff. Meh. So it's a careful balance between satisfying my caffience habit and appeasing my tastebuds. Sometimes free is not always good.

Headlines: coffee fight and my new coffee hangout

2009-01-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

Coffee can cause even the most passive coworkers to come to blows. Whether it's failing to refill the sugar or never taking the time to brew a fresh pot once you've taken that cup. Even housemates can be driven to stab each other when it comes to coffee. Try 15 times. The weapon: a small kitchen knife. The crime: no sugar in his coffee. Sad, sad, situation. Oh and I guess it probably had something to do with him being high on cocaine and the fact that the guy slept with his girlfriend ... hmm, who knows. Coffee strikes again.

On a lighter note, I think I've found my new coffee hangout. However, I'm not sure how many hotties there are in Vassalboro, Maine, let alone hotties willing to take their tops off and serve coffee to people who buy one cup during their 6 hour stay. (points at myself)

AH HA! You've been drinking decaf!

2008-12-31T07:30:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you notice the morning pot has a bit less kick. Despite your suspicions you keep drinking a seemingly less potent brew. Maybe its a good idea to test it. That's right! Some genius has come up with a way to test whether you're drinking regular or decaf. Now you can take out all of the guess work. But really, deep down, you knew that lady from accounting was brewing up decaf all along but were too much of a pussy to call her out. Anyways now you know.

No smoking means 'no smoking'

2008-12-29T07:05:00.000-08:00

In a country where laws are often ignored one man learned the hard way that things are changing. A man caught smoking on a high speed train washroom was detained for 3 days after being discovered. It was an unusually harsh punishment.

The train was on it's way to Beijing from Tianjin. An alarm went off and caused the train to stop.

The train line was opened earlier in the year prior to the Beijing Olympics and is a 'luxury' train in China. (link)

AH HA! Nobody buys Baltic Avenue!

2008-12-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

That timeless classic board game has found a home with drug smuggling criminals. In Manitoba 3 criminals were charged with smuggling heroin in a shipment of monopoly games. Nice try.

However they probably missed the shipment of 'Clue' which had cocaine ... oops.

How much for a used kleenex?

2008-12-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

Scarlett Johansson auctioned up her used tissue paper on ebay to raise money for charity. Bids have reached $2,000. Who knew celebrity snot could be worth so much? How about spit? Or how about auctioning off the opportunity to give her boob a quick squeeze? I'm sure that would go for a ton of money.

I don't even want to know what her panties went for.

You aren't tripping, that really is bad cocaine

2008-12-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

Wow the economy must really be in the shitter. Even druggie are going for the cheaper 'generic' brand of cocaine. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Gave the same high at a cheaper price so many Vancouver area snorted it up without thinking. Now the problems are surfacing and serious health issues have resulted. The contaminated cocaine contained 'levamisole' an element which makes users more vulnerable to infections.

So if you are suffering from a persistent fever or chills, swollen glands, mouth sores, ass sores, skin infections, or pneumonia, perhaps it's time you fess up and head to the hospital. Yahoo

Is coffee recession proof?

2008-12-08T13:22:00.001-08:00

There's no doubt the economy is in trouble. However some necessities are not feeling the impact. Does coffee fall into this category? Well if you look at Starbucks recent troubles and closing locations you might reconsider. Some products just keep selling no matter whether it's good times or bad times. Coffee seems to fall into this category. Starbucks (luxury) coffee are probably the exception. I mean really?! How do you justify spending $3 on a coffee?! Although I really do like the cup cozies.

So how about it? Are you buying a medium instead of a large? Or are you (gasp) home brewing and taking a travel mug with you to work? The economy of coffee does not scale to the business economy. Until things get really bad it looks like coffee consumption will continue to be strong. And until then I'll continue sipping my lattes at my swanky little coffee shop down the street from my house.

Hula Daddy Kona best ever?

2008-12-05T09:37:00.000-08:00

Best ever? A special brew from Hula Daddy Kona Coffee got a 97 score out of a possible 100. That's pretty damn good. Wait, what the score for again? And who decides it? Apparently only 3 others have ever received this score ever.

Hula Daddy Kona Coffee is a boutique coffee estate located above the town of Kona, Hawaii on the slope of Mount Hualalai volcano. All of the coffee offered by Hula Daddy is grown on its private 14-acre plantation. Hula Daddy is committed to offering extraordinary 100% Kona coffee and exceptional customer service.
http://www.huladaddy.com.

Obama makes Iowa cookie popular

2008-12-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

If Obama eats it, so do his fans. An Iowa cafe is being flooded by orders for the "Obama cookie". Maybe that's part of the economic plan. Obama branded products. Obama cookies, Obama phones, Obama cars (yeah, that will get people buying cars again). It's funny how obscure brands of products get caught up in the popularity game. Everybody wants to show their support by buying the same stuff as their favorite celebrities (or politicians). Wonder if Arnold Schwarzenegger has his own "Guvernator" edition of the Hummer? How about the Stephen Harper sweater vest? Or Jack Layton mustache comb? Bill Clinton ?? I'm sure Bill would get plenty of sales.

Oh yeah, that's sticky

2008-11-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a sticky situation literally becomes a sticky situation. A man in Mexico found himself glued to the steering wheel of his car after stopping to help a woman. I guess it had nothing to do with the fact that she was blond and wearing a short mini skirt. Some of the facts seem contradictory but he was robbed and definitely glued to his steering wheel.

I'm guessing this was a sex thing gone wrong. Somehow he probably picked up a hooker and then when she found out he had no cash, she glued him to his truck and took his wallet. Probably not the kind of "sticky" he was hoping to be in. (Yahoo)

Um, we haven't fixed that yet

2008-11-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

NASA finally got their pee recycling machine working. Mmm, it's even warm! Um, Sergie ... we haven't fixed that yet ... Yeah it seemed a little yellow. Hey! That's explains why the coffee tasted like shit.

The crew from the shuttle Endeavour slept in after a late night of fixing the pee device. The machine takes four hours to "purify" that golden tasty liquid into a tasteless colorless liquid, we know to be, water.

Other outside repairs also went smoothly, no tools were lost, this time. (link)

Space coffee

2008-11-24T12:46:00.001-08:00

When you gotta have it, you gotta have it. As you can imagine, zero gravity can wreak havoc with hot liquids you're trying to drink up. Astronauts have to come up with unique ways to get their morning java so that they can focus on the job at hand, while keeping vital tools from floating away. Oops, that happened already. Sometimes those low tech solutions beat out the high tech ones.

Non dairy coffee mix ... now with milk!

2008-11-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of non dairy products out there but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has put out a recall on a few of them. Coffee mixes that are claiming to be "non dairy" actually have dairy in them. Oops! Guess it's pretty silly to assume that a product labeled as "non dairy" would actually not have any milk products in it. Silly consumers. Anyways, if you have any and are allergic to milk you should check out the full list. (Yahoo)

Discounts for reusable cups? Count me in!

2008-11-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

The environment has become a bigger issue as of late. Everybody wants the bit corporations to spend money and go green, right down to the coffee cup. Some politicians want major coffee retailers to offer reusable cups or give discounts to those who bring in their own cups. Fine by me. I just picked up a nice stainless steel mug for the road and I'd appreciate saving money on my morning cup of java.

However, what about the companies making those cups? What happens to them when major coffee companies suddenly stop ordering the paper or plastic cups they make? Suddenly you've got a few factories shutting down because nobody wants their cups anymore. Then those people can't afford their mortgages and have to live on the street and use those same paper cups to beg for money. Smart? No. But politicians saying "green" stuff just panders to the voting population. Definitely not a smart long term policy.

Sure going green is for the benefit of the planet but at what cost? You will have plenty of jobs eliminated by green technology. Of course some new jobs will be created but not in equal numbers of the ones lost. That's the trick. How do you create green technology that is good for the economy?

Worst coffee ever!

2008-11-11T08:50:00.001-08:00

I think I had the unfortunate pleasure of tasting the worst coffee ever this morning. The pot looked like it had 2.5 cups left in it so it wasn't the bottom feeder grind coffee. I didn't even take a full cup, just a half to top up what I had. Little did I know that I had just ruined any good coffee that was lingering in my cup. Took a sip and bleah! I almost puked. I rushed to the sink and spit out the remnants of that vile liquid that had taken up residence in my mouth. The after taste was immensely offensive. I rinsed out my mouth with tap water and eyed the dishwasher soap.

(*No, I am not that desperate)

I grabbed a paper towel and attempted to wipe the bitter taste from my tongue. What a day to leave my toothbrush at home. I scarfed down a cookie to wipe the memory of the foul brew from my taste buds.

After grumbling for 30 minutes I finally ventured back into the kitchen and brewed a fresh pot. Not a good way to start the day.

Ever had a creamer go bad?

2008-11-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

Often when I'm in a cafe I wonder how the coffee creamers and milk gets taken care of. Either you have the cartons sitting out at the sugar/stir stick/lid station or you have the little bowls of items sitting on the table. Do they ever go bad? How would you know? Did you get sick because of an old creamer you dumped in your coffee? When you consume as much coffee and cream as I do it's a pretty good question to ask yourself next time you're out at a cafe. Nothing starts the day off worse when you gotta dump a cup of coffee or tea because the cream or milk has gone bad.

Most of the places with the cartons usually go through enough in a day that you can expect to get a fresh one every hour or so. But the creamers are the ones that bother me. Occasionally the health agency will recall certain products, especially with the recent China milk scandal. However I find that more often, if I'm getting drive through on the way home, I'll take it black and just use the cream from the fridge at home. Seems silly but now more than ever you really need to question the quality of food you consume for granted.

Package frustration be gone!

2008-11-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

Amazon.com announced that it's working to cut the packaging excess for many of the goods they offer. Current plans are to ship items in plain cardboard boxes, instead of all the plastic that normally accompanies the actual product. This is great PR move as well as great for the environment. Why didn't anyone take the initiative before? So far the products available in frustration free packaging is limited to 19 but is expected to expand.

Should improve sales especially during the holiday rush. A company going green is sure to sway public opinion. Expect other retailers to jump on the bandwagon soon. One issue that could be a problem will be returns and how Amazon decides to handle them. Could be a major hassle for consumers and Amazon.

If like the plastic just not the sharp edges and the difficultly opening the packages. Pick up the Benchmark Safe Cut from Home Hardware. One of my personal favorites. Makes opening those Christmas gifts a breeze. Well worth the $10 and safe around the kids.

Vote and get free stuff

2008-11-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

Is there enough incentive now to vote? Too bad Canada couldn't get into the action. Will history be made tomorrow? It's hard to believe the race for the White House is almost over. Whatever the result it will indeed make history. Starbucks is giving away free coffee, Krispy Kreme is giving away donuts, sex shops are giving away toys.

It seems hard to believe that people need incentive to vote in such a historic event. This is a race which has taken many turns. Never has such a charismatic senator taken a run at the big job. Whoever gets the job is going to have a tough road ahead. So many problems to deal with and little leeway with a country looking for change.

Coffee + laptop = drowned hard drive

2008-10-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

"Recently a customer came to our lab and confessed, “I’ve killed it!”. To our dismay, the user had accidentally spilled coffee on their laptop. The notebook had completely shorted out. The drive was dead. However, the data was recoverable from beyond the grave. CBL engineers saved the data. The drive, however, was doomed to a murky mocha grave." (platter chatter)

Anime love gone too far

2008-10-31T07:14:00.000-07:00

A disillusioned Japanese man has launched a campaign to allow marriages between people and cartoon characters. He says he is more comfortable in the 2 dimensional cartoon world. Comic books are extremely popular in Japan, with a few fictional characters becoming virtual celebrities and even sex symbols.

Real life marriage, however, is on the decline as many young Japanese people find it increasingly difficult to find compatible partners. Taichi Takashita started an online petition hoping to get 1 million signatures to force the government to allow marriages with cartoon/anime characters.

So far he has gathered more than 1000 signatures and is gaining momentum.

"I am no longer interested in three dimensions. I would even like to become a resident of the two-dimensional world," he wrote. (link)

USB port wine

2008-10-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a new rule imposed by the European Union, wineries can't use the word "port" on their wine labels unless their stuff was made in Portugal. Peltier Station Winery wasn't the type to accept defeat: The winemakers thought of a clever loophole, branding their dessert wine "USB" as a substitute for the word "port." In its online store, Peltier Station even boldly lists the $25 wine as "USB Port." (link)

The color 'red' taps into men's sexual instinct

2008-10-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

The men found the lady with a red background more attractive, both physically and sexually.

Comparing the woman in a red shirt to the same woman dressed in blue, men said they were more likely to ask the lady in red on a date and to lavish more money on her.

As part of one of the experiments, as well, the researchers sought to see whether a group of women were similarly more attracted to the woman shown against a red backdrop than a background of a different color. They were not.

What the researchers call the "red-sex link" could have roots in humans' biological heritage.

For instance, among primates, females display more red on parts of their body when they are nearing ovulation, probably to attract the male of the species.

"Research has shown that male primates are indeed particularly attracted to female conspecifics exhibiting red," the study says. (link)

Starbucks shows it's charitable side

2008-10-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Starbucks Corp. employees are helping rebuild and beautify New Orleans neighborhoods as the coffee company seeks to distinguish itself during tough economic times as socially and environmentally conscious and more than just a place to buy designer drinks.

The company, which is holding its North American leadership conference in the city, says more than 10,000 store managers and others are working on dozens of projects in what's considered to be one of the largest outpourings of corporate support, in terms of volunteer labor, since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005.

The work on Monday came as Starbucks announced its "Shared Planet" goals, focusing on areas from volunteerism to going greener and buying all coffee from producers adhering to strict standards. The goals, which president, chairman and chief executive Howard Schultz called aspirational, are to be achieved by 2015. (link)

Holding a cup of coffee can help you pick up the ladies

2008-10-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

People of nearly every culture use "warm" and "cold" for both physical and personal descriptions. We tend to treat "warm" people better because we believe they have positive intentions towards us. Conversely, we like to avoid "cold" people who we perceive to be untrustworthy and unfriendly.

Psychologists propose that feelings of physical warmth triggers memories of warm feelings, comfort and trust from early experiences with caretakers who sheltered, fed, and supported us. Thus, Williams and Bargh argue that "the mere tactile experience of physical warmth should activate concepts or feelings of interpersonal warmth." Furthermore, they theorize that this temporary activation "should then influence, in an unintentional manner, judgments of and behavior toward other people without one being aware of this influence." They set out to prove their point in a pair of experiments. (link)

The pants lawsuit that won't go away

2008-10-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

A former administrative law judge who unsuccessfully sued a dry cleaner for US$54 million over a pair of lost pants tried to convince an appeals panel Wednesday that he deserves the money because he is a fraud victim.

"This is not a case about a pair of suit pants," Roy L. Pearson argued before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Rather, it is about whether the owners of a neighbourhood business misled consumers with a sign that claimed "Satisfaction Guaranteed," he said.

"There is an unconditional guarantee," he argued, unless the merchant indicates otherwise. (link)

Crazy 911 lady gets 15 month sentence

2008-10-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

A Quebec Court judge on Tuesday refused to grant a nine-month suspended sentence to a woman who called 911 more than 10,000 times in a 15-month period in Montreal.

Quebec Judge Serge Boisvert declined the joint sentence recommendation for Marie-Ève Dean, saying she would likely do it again if she didn't get therapy.

Dean, 23, was charged with mischief, conspiracy and not complying with an undertaking for placing thousands of calls to the emergency services line. She has pleaded guilty to the charges.

She returns to Montreal court on Dec. 17 to determine her sentence.

A court-ordered report submitted in Dean's case described her as "vengeful, aggressive and immature" and a person who hates the police. (link)

YouTube helps jail dumbass on motorcycle

2008-10-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

A British motorcyclist who posted footage of himself performing dangerous stunts and speeding at up to 130 mph (209 kph) on YouTube was given a 12-week jail term on Monday.

Sandor Ferenci, 28, performed wheelies, skids and raced on the opposite side of the road around Banbury, Oxfordshire, in June this year and then put the footage on the video-sharing website.

Ferenci, who admitted two counts of dangerous driving at a previous hearing was jailed at Oxford Crown Court and disqualified from driving for two years, the Press Association reported.

He will have to take an extended driving test before he is allowed on the road again. (link)

Record sandwich eaten in minutes

2008-10-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Iran failed Friday to register what it said would be the world's largest sandwich in the Guinness book of World Records after people rushed forward and began eating it -- before it was measured.

Event organizers had planned to stuff the 1,500-meter-long sandwich with 700 kg of ostrich meat and 700 kg of chicken, and display it in a park in the capital Tehran.

But as the sandwich was being measured, chaos ensued. The giant snack was gone in minutes, a Reuters witness said, leaving the three Guinness representatives present with a dilemma. (link)

Serving God, with a lawsuit

2008-10-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

A judge has thrown out a Nebraska legislator's lawsuit against God, saying the Almighty wasn't properly served due to his unlisted home address.

State Senator Ernie Chambers filed the lawsuit last year seeking a permanent injunction against God.

He said God has made terroristic threats against the senator and his constituents in Omaha, inspired fear and caused "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

Chambers has said he filed the lawsuit to make the point that everyone should have access to the courts regardless of whether they are rich or poor. (link)

Sugar, salt, ... rust remover?

2008-10-14T07:16:00.001-07:00

Some 170 wedding banquet guests were rushed to hospital in north China when powdered rust remover was added to the pot instead of salt after they all decided it needed added flavor, Chinese media said.

In a bizarre coincidence, 61 wedding guests were taken to hospital with similar symptoms a day earlier after a duck-and-donkey-meat banquet in northwest China.

In the rust remover case, the bride's proud father invited 170 friends and relatives to the wedding banquet at a village in northern Hebei province on Friday, the night before the nuptials, the Beijing News said.

"All food was stewed in a big pot but after dinner started, all of them felt the taste was too bland," the newspaper said. (link)

Starbucks in trouble for wasting water

2008-10-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

American coffee giant Starbucks became the target of conservationists today after an investigation by the U.K. newspaper The Sun estimated that the company wasted up to 6 million gallons of water every day, enough to quell the thirst of a small African nation.

As part of a company policy aimed at preventing germ buildup in its taps, Starbucks stores are directed to keep water running constantly into a sink, called a dipper well, to clean utensils and wash away food residue, The Sun reported.

As a result of running water all day, every day at each of the company's 10,000 worldwide coffee emporiums, Starbucks wastes water in an amount The Sun estimated to be "enough daily water for the entire 2 million strong population of drought-hit Namibia in Africa or fill an Olympic pool every 83 minutes." (link)

Obama leading McCain in coffee poll

2008-10-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

The convenience store chain is once again offering a 7-Election presidential coffee cup poll, which gives java drinkers their choice of a red 20-ounce cup for John McCain or a blue 20-ounce cup for Barack Obama.

It's a highly unscientific approach, but it seems to be fairly accurate. A single percentage point separated the cup counts of George W. Bush and Al Gore in the first 7-Election in 2000. Four years later, Bush beat John Kerry in the cup contest by 51% to 49%. (link)

7-election

How do you steal 5 planes?!

2008-10-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

Armed men stole five small planes from a private airstrip in the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa on Tuesday by overpowering a police officer and flying away, security forces said.

The group of around 20 men stormed the small airstrip at dawn, seized the officer's gun, tied him up, filled the planes with fuel and flew off, said Emma Quiroz, spokeswoman for the government's anti-organized crime operations in Sinaloa.

It was not clear if there was a link to drug gangs who use small aircraft to spirit cocaine through northern Mexico toward the United States. Quiroz's office said it was investigating whether any authorities had been complicit in the theft.

The office said in a statement that it was "taking the necessary actions to determine the whereabouts of these airplanes and the criminals who took part in the robbery." (link)

Pandas get chicken soup for the soul

2008-10-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs some chicken soup for the soul - even pandas.

The Wuhan Zoo in central China has been feeding its two pandas home-cooked chicken soup twice in a month to reduce stress and give them a nutritional boost, a zoo official said Friday.

He Zhihua said 3-year-old Xiwang and Weiwei - literally meaning "Hope" and "Greatness" - were tired and suffering from a little shock since the start Tuesday of the weeklong National Day holiday, one of the biggest travel seasons of the year.

On Wednesday, up to 30,000 people swarmed the zoo and about 1,000 tourists packed the panda enclosure, shouting to get the animals' attention, He said. The pandas paced restlessly. (link)

Cream, sugar, and bat in my coffee

2008-09-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

It wasn't just the caffeine that gave an Iowa woman an extra jolt after she had her morning coffee. It was also the bat she found in the filter.

The Iowa Department of Public Health says the woman reported a bat in her house but wasn't too worried about it. She turned on her automatic coffee maker before bedtime and drank her coffee the next morning.

She discovered the bat in the filter when she went to clean it that night. The woman has undergone treatment for possible rabies.

Health officials say that the bat was sent to a lab but that its brain was too cooked by the hot water to determine whether it had rabies. (link)

Death, taxes, and coffee

2008-09-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

The last thing Canadians need is a new tax on fuel, and we're not talking the carbon tax on gasoline. We're talking the fuel millions of Canadians need every morning just to wake up: coffee.

No one is proposing a coffee tax, but some elected officials are looking at the possibility of imposing a tax on disposable coffee cups.

Toronto is considering such a move starting Dec. 1.

While no coffee-cup tax is being considered for Vancouver, local politicians are offering solutions to reduce the impact of this product on our landfills. (link)

Doctor seeks ban on energy drinks for kids

2008-09-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Doctors in Prince Edward Island want the provincial government to ban the sale of caffeine-laden energy drinks to kids.

Caffeine not only causes behavioural problems in children, said Dr. Bill Scantlebury, the president of the P.E.I. Medical Society. They also pose serious health risks, too.

Many energy drinks contain more caffeine than the recommended daily limit for adults, Scantlebury said.

"We see kids, youth and some athletes drinking two or three of these before an event, believing they're going to get more energy out of it," Scantlebury told CTV.

"But they're really putting themselves at risk for some heart rhythm disturbances and blood pressure issues."

Energy drinks are positioned in stores next to candy in an attempt to attract younger consumers, Scantlebury said. (link)

Jetboil saves campers from coffee withdrawal

2008-09-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

The Jetboil Personal Cooking System (PCS) has sparked a revolution in outdoor cooking. Capable of boiling two cups in two minutes at 75-80% efficiency, the PCS is twice as fast and uses half as much fuel as conventional stoves. The PCS boils up to 50 cups (12 liters) of water from only one isobutane/propane micro-canister. Such outstanding performance results from the FluxRing heat exchanger, which captures and focuses the burner’s heat instead of the heat being lost to the ambient air. (link)

Hadron Collider fires, the world continues to spin

2008-09-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

The world's largest particle collider successfully completed its first major test by firing a beam of protons all the way around a 27-kilometre tunnel Wednesday in what scientists hope is the next great step to understanding the makeup of the universe.

After a series of trial runs, two white dots flashed on a computer screen indicating that the protons had traveled the full length of the US$3.8 billion Large Hadron Collider.

There it is," project leader Lyn Evans said when the beam completed its lap.

The startup was eagerly awaited by 9,000 physicists around the world who now have much greater power than ever before to smash the components of atoms together in attempts to see how they are made.

"Well done everybody," Robert Aymar, director-general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, said after the protons were fired into the accelerator below the Swiss-French border at 9:32 a.m. (link)

Fire shuts down Steinbach, MB Tim Hortons

2008-09-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

Steinbach coffee drinkers hoping for their early morning fix were out of luck Saturday.

A fire broke out at the Tim Hortons franchise on Hwy #12 in the city, at around 7:00 a.m.

Witnesses say they saw flames shooting out of the roof at the back of the building.

Steinbach's fire chief, Mark Loewen, says the staff at coffee shop worked quickly to get the customers out of the building, and that no one was hurt.

Fire crews cut through the roof to access the flames and put the fire out; but there was heavy smoke and heat damage in the building, and part of the roof collapsed. (link)

Train late/canceled? Burn the train

2008-09-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Furious rail commuters in Argentina set fire to a train on Thursday in anger over delays during the morning rush hour.

Television images showed black smoke and flames engulfing the train at the station of Merlo, in the western suburbs of the capital, Buenos Aires. At nearby Castelar, passengers hurled stones at the ticket office and blocked the rails.

"We understand that people get angry when the service is delayed or canceled, but they absolutely can't attack a public service in this way," Gustavo Gago, a spokesman for rail company TBA, told local television.

Many passengers said the delays, caused by a broken down train, had cost them a day's work. (link)

Pennies not welcome

2008-09-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

A cafe in Halifax has taken a Canada-wide proposal into its own hands and declared itself a "Penny Free Zone."

"It became clear to us that the amount of time we spent taking care of pennies wasn't valuable in the long run," said Ned Zimmerman, a supervisor at Nova Scotia's homegrown Just Us! Coffee Roaster Co-op, whose branch doesn't hand over pennies at the cash.

The cafe's policy comes after a bill suggesting abolishing the penny was introduced in Parliament in April - sparking debate about the copper coin across the country.

"People have responded really well to it," said Zimmerman.

"They think it's a really good idea, especially since Parliament has been discussing getting rid of the penny...it's something the country is kind of moving towards." (link)

"stinky" $100 bill

2008-09-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

New York City police say a man suspected in a string of 31 bank robberies found a novel place to stash his loot: Inside his shoes.

Police say Richard White admitted to robbing the banks after officers found about $3,500 hidden in his shoes after they'd arrested him in an unrelated domestic harassment case.

Police say White robbed one bank in Manhattan, eight in Queens and as many as 22 in Brooklyn. (link)

WTF?! Hot dogs! Fuck vegetarians!

2008-08-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

A new TV commercial shows kids eating hot dogs in a school cafeteria and one little boy's haunting lament: "I was dumbfounded when the doctor told me I have late-stage colon cancer."

It's a startling revelation in an ad that vilifies one of America's most beloved, if maligned, foods, while stoking fears about a dreaded disease.

But the boy doesn't have cancer. Neither do two other kids in the ad who claim to be afflicted.

The commercial's pro-vegetarian sponsors say it is a dramatization that highlights research linking processed meats, including hot dogs, with higher odds of getting colon cancer.

But that connection is based on studies of adults, not children, and the increased risk is slight, even if you ate a hot dog a day. While compelling, it isn't conclusive. (link)

Ontario couple use coupon for free dinner after 15 yrs

2008-08-21T06:21:00.000-07:00

A couple from Waterford, Ont., has finally taken up an Ohio restaurant on an offer that arrived 15 years ago - by balloon.

For its 1993 grand opening, Nicky's Restaurant in Canton, Ohio, released balloons with attached cards good for a free dinner for two.

One of the balloons made it across Lake Erie and into the backyard of Margaret and Ken Savory in Waterford.

They were treated to pork chop dinners Tuesday night when they presented the card at Nicky's. (link)

ZombieWalk 2008: brains!

2008-08-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

The hot, sunny weather in Vancouver didn't keep hundreds of normally nocturnal zombies from parading through the city.

A crowd of people covered in fake blood and guts - many yelling for brains - met at the city's art gallery and did a loop through the busy downtown, acquiring many puzzled looks along the way.

Part art project, part meaningless fun, the so-called ZombieWalk has been going on for several years. (link)

Newest cannonball champ from Edmonton

2008-08-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Although fans of aquatic sports may be captivated by the feats of Olympic gold-medal swimmer Michael Phelps, enthusiastic fans in Toronto watched Doug Bergmann in a more lighthearted competition in the water Wednesday.

The 29-year-old Edmonton man was crowned Canada's new national cannonball champion after four impressive leaps at the Trident Splash National Cannonball Championship. Bergmann, who finished tied for second in last year's competition, beat out former champion Brian Utley of Calgary to become the country's new cannonball king.

"This is going to the Olympics, baby," he said after his win. "You'll see me there in 2012." (link)

What's your limit?

2008-08-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Men may be able to handle alcohol better than women, but that doesn't necessarily hold true for caffeine, researchers say.

Some people are sensitive to the small amounts of caffeine in decaf, says Bruce Goldberger, director of toxicology and a professor at University of Florida, where others can handle large amounts with no problem.

There's no formula, says Laura Juliano, an assistant professor in psychology at American University; someone cannot take gender, age, race and body mass index, plug it into an equation and figure out her limit.

However, Juliano says recent studies suggest that genes may play a role in how the body responds to caffeine. Other factors, such as whether someone is a smoker or takes birth control pills, can influence it as well. (link)

Addicted? Who isn't?

2008-08-13T09:34:00.001-07:00

Caffeine is one of the 2 most widely used psychoactive drugs on earth (the other being alcohol). Psychoactive means that it has an effect on your psychological functioning (in addition to a number of physical effects). One of the primary effects is to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which governs the stress response. This produces anger, fear, anxiety, increased heart rate and blood pressure, tremour, a jittery feeling, rapid or shallow breathing, change in pain sensitivity, and dozens of other changes.

Caffeine is an addictive drug. Heavy caffeine users may:

* become psychologically dependent (believing that the drug is an essential part of their lives)
* develop tolerance (requiring more caffeine over time to get the same effects)
* undergo a withdrawal syndrome if they don't get it
(link)

I hope you don't eat at Burger King

2008-08-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

Burger King Corp. said Tuesday it had parted ways with an employee who was recorded taking a soapy bath in a utility sink in one of its restaurants in a video that ended up on his MySpace page.

The nearly four-minute video, which was posted online Thursday, shows the man taking the bath to celebrate his birthday. In the video, shot by another worker, the employee refers to himself only as "Mr. Unstable" and appears to be naked.

Timothy Tackett, 25, told WDTN-TV in Dayton that he is the sink-bather and that he made the video for his MySpace page. The video had been removed by Tuesday night. (link)

... and I'm the titty inspector

2008-08-12T07:08:00.000-07:00

Nice try.

Authorities in Colorado say a man claiming to be a police detective asked an adult novelty shop to give him free X-rated videos, saying he wanted to make sure the performers weren't underage. The man, who is on the run and has not yet been identified, attempted to get the videos on three separate occasions over a nine-day period last month.

He was turned down each time and the store manager called police after the third try. (link)