Coffee users at lower risk for Parkinson's -study

Source: Reuters

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters Life!) - People from families prone to Parkinson's who drink coffee or smoke are less likely to develop the disease, researchers said on Monday in a finding that reinforces earlier observations and offers potential paths to treatment.

The researchers doubt that smoking and caffeine protect from Parkinson's, but say the information offers clues about how environment works with genes to cause disease.

Dr. William Scott of the University of Miami school of medicine, who led the study, said the findings point clearly to dopamine -- a message-carrying chemical in the brain that falls to low levels in Parkinson's.

"Dopamine is important because both smoking and drinking caffeine affect dopamine in the brain," Scott said in a telephone interview.

Other researchers had noted that both smoking and drinking coffee seemed to reduce the risk of Parkinson's, but no one had tracked it in families prone to Parkinson's.

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Starbucks to build roasting facility in S. Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina is poised to help the Southeast start its day with a jolt.

Starbucks and state officials on Monday announced the global coffee purveyor has plans to build a roasting and distribution plant in St. Matthews, about 15 miles from the state capital. Coffee beans would be sent to the 150,000-square-foot plant, where they'd be roasted and packaged for shipment to the region's 2,200 Starbucks stores and other coffee sellers.

"This new facility will help us meet increasing demand for our premium coffees and allows us to support our growth in the Southeast," Peter Gibbons, a Starbucks senior vice president, said in a statement.

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Nanny State

According to Wikipedia: The term nanny state, used especially in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, is a derogatory term for state protectionism, interventionism, or regulation policies as they are perceived as being institutionalized as common practice. Its usage varies by political context, but in general it is used in reference to policies where the state is characterized as being excessive in its desire to protect ("nanny"), govern or control particular aspects of society.

I don't smoke. I quit about 25 years ago and I'm glad I did. Maybe because I'm a former smoker, or maybe because I worry about our country becoming a "nanny state," I do not like the idea of the anti-smoking regulations in coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. I would not frequent a restaurant that allowed smoking, because it stinks. But that is my preference. Why should everyone be forced to go along with my preferences? I prefer to let the market control the restaurants, not the government. If a restaurant owner chooses to allow smoking, it's his business, not mine. A smoker (and the restaurant owner) should be allowed to choose, just as I am allowed to choose.

It's the freedom I worry about. I also worry that my fellow citizens do not worry enough about freedom.

Thomas Jefferson said it well: "That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves."

He also said, "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

For more on this subject, see www.nannystate.net

How to make an Italian coffee with a Moka Pot

Caribou Coffee Lawsuit Could Become Class-Action

(AP) St. Paul Hundreds of former and current shop managers for Caribou Coffee Company Inc. should be allowed to collectively press their claims for overtime pay in a pair of lawsuits in federal and Minnesota courts, a federal magistrate says.

Friday's recommendation is a boost to the lawsuits claiming that managers for Caribou, the country's No. 2 specialty coffee chain behind Starbucks, are more barista than boss, and should be paid time-and-a-half for the 10 to 15 extra hours a week they regularly worked.

Federal and state laws say that all employees except managers are entitled to overtime pay for hours beyond a regular workweek. The managers' wages average about $18 an hour.

"We are very pleased," said plaintiffs attorney Jon Tostrud, of Los Angeles. "It permits us to proceed in a collective capacity."

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Starbucks' "Ethos"

by skralyx
Daily Kos

I know you don't need another reason to hate Starbucks, but I'm here to provide one anyway. Reason No. 91: Ethos Water. Actually, it's another reason to hate bottled water, too.

It seems Starbucks has acquired a company called Ethos Water, which purports to be ... well, I'll let them tell you what they purport to be:

"Founded in 2002, Ethos™ Water takes a unique approach to doing business -- it is the bottled water that helps children around the world get clean water. It's a powerfully simple concept...Water for Water.

In April of 2005, Ethos was acquired by the Starbucks Coffee Company. As part of Starbucks' long standing dedication to Corporate Social Responsibility, Starbucks and Ethos are committed to raising awareness of the World Water Crisis and empowering our consumers to make a difference with every purchase of Ethos. Every time you purchase a bottle of Ethos water we will contribute 5 cents toward our target goal of raising at least $10 million over five years.

In June 2006, Starbucks and Ethos entered into an agreement, through Starbucks’ existing joint-venture partnership with PepsiCo, for the distribution of Ethos™ Water in the United States and Canada. The agreement is anticipated to increase the distribution reach of Ethos™ Water to as many as 100,000 outlets in North America.

By transforming every purchase into an opportunity, we can directly engage a growing community to help solve the world water crisis."

So only 5 cents per bottle (which Starbucks will be happy to sell you for $1.80) goes toward helping developing nations get access to clean drinking water. I don't have to tell you where the other $1.75 goes.

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