Coffee "Bean"

Did you know...
The coffee bean is not a bean at all, it is the seed of the coffee plant (the pit inside the red or purple fruit). The fruits better known as coffee cherries or coffee berries, most commonly contain two stones rounded on the outside and flat on the other side, with their flat sides together forming a round pit. Coffee beans consist mostly of endosperm that contains 0.8 - 2.5 % caffeine, which is one of the main reasons the plants are cultivated. Coffee beans are an important export product for some countries.

The name "coffee bean" derives from the Arabic language (qahwa - "coffee" and bunn - "berry"). The name bean is not botanically accurate as the Coffee plant is not a member of the Fabaceae family. These pits are roasted and ground to make coffee grounds,coffeemeal and coffee powder.

Species of coffee plants include Coffea arabica, Coffea benghalensis, Coffea canephora, Coffea congensis, Coffea excelsa, Coffea gallienii, Coffea bonnieri, Coffea mogeneti, Coffea liberica, and Coffea stenophylla.
The seeds of different species produce coffee with slightly different taste.

Your Life Span

Did you know...
Your life span may depend on where you live?

10 Shortest Life Span States

On average, an American can expect to enjoy about 78 years of life on this planet, according to a report by the United Nations. Factors such as genetic predisposition and lifestyle choices can extend or abbreviate this amount of time, but did you know that the area in which you live can play a part as well? Here, the states with the shortest life expectancies, as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau and supported by data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC).

1. District of Columbia. Perhaps since state and world affairs weigh heavy over their heads, people residing in the nation's capital live a mere 72.6 years, but it's more likely due to the polluted air and homicide rates, which are the highest in the country. Washington, D.C., also sees the highest incidence of prostate cancer and diabetes, and the district ranks third among states with the heaviest drinkers.

2. Mississippi. Boasting the highest rate of obesity in the United States, Mississippi is in a dead heat with the District of Columbia for the greatest occurrence of diabetes per capita and the most people living below the poverty line; a Mississippian tends to live only about 73.7 years.

3. Louisiana. Not only is 30 percent of Louisiana's population obese; it also ranks ninth among states with the highest overall cancer rates, has some of the highest murder stats, and its capital, Baton Rogue, is among the most polluted cities. No wonder a Louisianan has a life expectancy of just 74.4 years.

4. Alabama. Subject to a prevalence of heart disease and diabetes and an obesity rate of 28.1 percent, inhabitants of the Heart of Dixie, 24.8 percent of whom are smokers, will be lucky if they live to a meager 74.6 years old.

5. South Carolina. The Palmetto State has the highest crime rate, and 28.5 percent of its population is obese, which are probably major contributors to an average South Carolinian's life span of 74.9 years.

6. and 7. Tennessee and West Virginia. Residents of both these states are expected to live an even 75 years. Tennessee has a high incidence of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, and it ranks third among states with the most smokers. West Virginia is the second most obese state in the nation.

8. Arkansas. The state's obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease statistics are remarkably high. To make matters worse, 15.6 percent of its people live in poverty, which might further explain why residents of Arkansas live only about 75.1 years.

9. and 10. Kentucky and Oklahoma. Considering that the Bluegrass State has the most smokers, the highest incidence of lung cancer among men, and a population that is 27.4 percent obese (plus one of its major cities, Lexington, creates the highest carbon footprint of all major U.S. metropolises), it's actually surprising that Kentuckians live to the relatively ripe old age of 75.3. And not one but two of Oklahoma's urban centers made it onto the American Podiatric Medical Association's list of the 10 Worst Walking Cities of 2008-Oklahoma City at No. 1 and Enid at No. 6. That, combined with a prevalence of heart disease and a notable suicide rate (the 11th highest in the nation), surely play a role in its top 10 spot.

The Liberty Bell

Since the 4th of July is just around the corner I thought a little information about the Liberty Bell was in order, to remind us why we rang this bell and still celebrate this day.

Did you know...
The Liberty Bell got it's crack in March 1753 when the bell was hung from temporary scaffolding in the square outside the State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was rung to try out the sound.

To the dismay of onlookers, the bell cracked. Isaac Norris, speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly, wrote "I had the mortification to hear that it was cracked by a stroke of the clapper without any other violence as it was hung up to try the sound."

While waiting for a replacement the bell was rebuilt by John Dock Pass and John Stow of Philadelphia, whose surnames appear inscribed on the bell. Pass and Stow added copper to the composition of the alloy used to cast the bell, and the tone of the new bell proved unsatisfactory. The two recast the bell yet again, restoring the correct balance of metal, and this third bell was hung in the steeple of the State House in June 1753.

The Liberty Bell, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a bell that has served as one of the most prominent symbols of the American Revolutionary War. It is a familiar symbol of independence within the United States and has been described as an international icon of liberty and justice.

According to tradition, its most famous ringing occurred on Monday, July 8,1776, to summons people to the State House. There the Declaration of Independence was "proclaimed" (read aloud) by Col.John Nixon of the Philadelphia Committee of Safety.

The bell had also been rung to announce the opening of the First Continental Congress in 1774 and after the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775. Historians today consider this highly doubtful, as the steeple in which the bell was hung had deteriorated significantly by that time.

The Liberty Bell was also known as the "Independence Bell" or the "Old Yankee's Bell" until 1837, when it was adopted by the American Anti-Slavery Society as a symbol of the abolitionist movement.

When looking closely at the Liberty Bell you may see that the state of Pennsylvania is spelled incorrectly but The spelling "Pensylvania" was an accepted variant at the time.

Run Your Car on Water

Did You know...
You can run your car on water?
Why isn't our government doing this...is it because they are afraid to say "NO" to these large oil companies that has a monopoly on oil, or is it because they are one of them who is getting richer from us, the consumer?