When BP Spills Coffee

This is pretty funny.  Beware, there is some profanity at the end…

Coffee Inhaler – Really?

If you don’t have time for JustOneCup, this inventor thinks you might want a Whif of Coffee.  From an inhaler.  I’m not so sure that you do as the taste, aroma, warmth, and overall sensory experience is what many love about coffee.  But, maybe some people would want a Whif – tiny particles of coffee inhaled into their system.  Eight Whifs are the equivalent of a cup of espresso, so if you don’t have time for an espresso, just Whif a bunch.  Of course, an espresso is only a sip or two anyway, so consumption time generally isn’t the issue.  Regardless, it’s a coffee related invention, so I’ll leave it to you to decide. 

I say, if you’re in a big hurry, get a Keurig and a travel mug…

Video Link to see the Whif in action.

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=12220441

A coffee inhaler for the quick caffeine fix

Posted: Mar 29, 2010 8:03 AM PDTUpdated: Mar 29, 2010 8:03 AM PDT

Posted by Jenny Anchondo – PARIS, France. (KOLD) – If you’re so busy you can’t even squeeze in time for a coffee break in the morning, would a spritz of coffee in an inhaler do the trick?  

"The Whif" is a plastic inhaler that dispenses tiny coffee particles into the body. The product could target the commuter coffee rush, satisfying that morning caffeine craving with just a few puffs.

Le Whif Inventor David Edwards developed the product following the success of a similar inhaler used for chocolate.

" When I whif, it’s like a sip of coffee, and if I whif eight times I empty my Whif and I’ve received the caffeine content of a small espresso," Edwards said.

Some café workers said the Whif could never replace coffee, especially for those people who like to dip their bread in coffee.

Meanwhile, Whif chocolate is gaining popularity from Paris to New York as a replacement for after dinner chocolate and with children in the playground.

Quality Office Coffee Good for Morale

A Boston article points out that offering quality coffee as an office perk can improve morale.  Based on a January survey by Keurig (yes, the results are self serving, but still true!), many employees would prefer gourmet coffee and tea over a Holiday Party.  In fact, coffee ranked about as high as flexible hours and casual work days in the perk pecking order.  If you’re one who needs at least JustOneCup of coffee to get yourself going, you know they’re right about the salubrious (promoting health or well being – we looked it up) effect of a good cup of coffee. 

http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/03/free_joe_can_ca.html

Free joe can caffeinate workplace morale

Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 report spending an estimated $440 a year and log more than 38 hours of time toward purchasing coffee and tea during the work week.

So concludes a survey commissioned by Keurig Inc., a Reading brand that markets machines that can brew a single cup of coffee. (At right is a photo of a Keurig machine) Keurig is a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. of Vermont.

One focus of the survey was to get input on how to improve the mood of the workplace. Not surprisingly perhaps, the survey finds that free Joe can have a salubrious effect on cubicle morale – under the right circumstances, complimentary caffeine can cause even the most cynical of drudges and drones to whistle while they work.

In fact, free gourmet coffee is as nearly as prized as flexible hours and casual work days when employees can mothball the pinstripes and bust out the khakis and cargo pants, the survey suggests.

Undertaken in early January, the national survey is based on telephone interviews with 958 adults, Keurig said.

As a perk, meanwhile, the annual holiday party around Christmas may be highly overrated, with 37 percent of employees surveyed saying that they would prefer free, daily fresh gourmet coffee or tea over a party, Keurig said.

Why is free coffee so prized? Perhaps it’s because 50 percent of employees surveyed reported they are looking to cut back coffee-and-tea spending, suggested Keurig, which added that small perks can make employees "feel more valued."

Coffee Powered Car – the Carpaccino

And here I thought I was doing well putting my coffee grounds on my roses and hydrangeas.  This 1998 Scirocco is powered by coffee grounds.  At over $13 per mile, it’s not quite cost effective and refilling every thirty minutes is a bit much, but it’s a start.  It took Doc a while to perfect the flux capacitor, so we’ll give the Carpaccino some time.

http://blog.pricewheels.com/2010/03/08/coffee-powered-car-gets-56-espressos-per-mile/ 

Coffee Powered Car Gets 56 Espressos Per Mile

Mar 8th, 2010 by Ross Edwards

A car powered completely by coffee grounds named Carpuccino has been built for the British TV show Bang Goes The Theory. According to The Daily Mail, the car, a 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco, was chosen because it looks like the DeLorean from the movie Back To The Future. With the added hardware necessary for using coffee as fuel, the similarities between the Carpuccino and the DeLorean are actually pretty strong.

The coffee grounds are heated to about 1300 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point it breaks down into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The separated gases are then cooled, filtered, and then finally burned for fuel in the car`s engine. The coffee powered Scirocco has a top speed of about 60 miles per hour. The drivers will need to refill the car`s pot every half hour and clean the filter every 60 miles.

The coffee powered car is more of a scientific exercise than a real alternative to petroleum fuel. The Carpuccino will use about £1,820 ($2,740 U.S.) worth of coffee on its 210 mile trip. A standard Scirocco would only use about £36 of gasoline for that same trip. While using coffee isn`t economically viable, the technology used in the Carpuccino could also burn garbage to power cars. While garbage is definitely cheaper than coffee, the difference in aromas would mean the difference between the driver being a local celebrity and a pariah.

Muppets make JustOneCup

The Muppet Show – The Swedish Chef Meets the Vets

Great Muppet coffee scene!