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posted by martyb on Thursday April 16 2015, @11:15AM   Printer-friendly
from the look-what's-brewing-on-the-ISS dept.

Imagine starting your day without any coffee. Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Hortons and vany other chains thrive on our coffee addiction. Add to that the fact that many of us have already had a cup or two even before venturing out to get a cup from one of those chains. Well, an Anonymous Coward has written in to tell us of some hard-working folks who had to give up real coffee for months at a time!

For years, the hard-working astronauts aboard the ISS had to begin their day with freeze-dried, reconstituted coffee served in plastic pouches. Now, this gross injustice may finally be remedied. The resupply mission scheduled to be launched today (Tuesday) will carry a new model of space espresso maker. Manufactured by Lavazza and the Italian aerospace firm Argotec, the machine is specially designed for microgravity operation, and uses off-the-shelf Lavazza coffee packets.

 
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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by dublet on Thursday April 16 2015, @11:50AM

    by dublet (2994) on Thursday April 16 2015, @11:50AM (#171534)

    Why does anyone need coffee to start their day? I rarely drink coffee, nor tea in fact and am as productive as I need to be.

    The millions of people who depend on a shot of coffee to kickstart their day are no more alert than those who are not regular coffee drinkers, say researchers.

    A cup of coffee, suggests a study, only counteracts the effects of caffeine withdrawal that has built up overnight.

    "Someone who consumes caffeine regularly when they're at work but not at weekends runs the risk of feeling a bit rubbish by Sunday," said Peter Rogers, who led the research at Bristol University. "It's better to stick with it or keep off it altogether."

    Source: The Guardian [theguardian.com], which in turn quotes a Nature study [nature.com]

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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by draconx on Thursday April 16 2015, @12:41PM

    by draconx (4649) on Thursday April 16 2015, @12:41PM (#171554)

    Why does anyone need coffee to start their day?

    The text you quoted answers this question. We need coffee to start our day because we are addicted to coffee. Coffee drinkers understand this.

    But it's not so bad, since coffee is the most awesome beverage on earth.

    "Someone who consumes caffeine regularly when they're at work but not at weekends runs the risk of feeling a bit rubbish by Sunday," said Peter Rogers, who led the research at Bristol University. "It's better to stick with it or keep off it altogether."

    I've never met anyone who drinks coffee during the week but not on weekends. That seems pretty silly.

    • (Score: 1) by yarp on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:06PM

      by yarp (2665) on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:06PM (#171560)

      I drink coffee more or less every morning but sometimes (not usually by choice) I'll go without for several days yet this doesn't leave me with withdrawal symptoms. Am I doing it wrong?

    • (Score: 2) by frojack on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:36PM

      by frojack (1554) on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:36PM (#171640) Journal

      The text you quoted answers this question. We need coffee to start our day because we are addicted to coffee. Coffee drinkers understand this.

      Maybe heavy coffee drinkers.

      Actually, its a pretty weak addiction, if it is an addiction at all. I usually have coffee most mornings. Its a rare day when I have another cup later in the day. (I don't wok near an always brewing pot like I did in my past jobs).
      But on days I don't have time, or I am faced with only restaurant coffee, I just skip it.
      I enjoy the coffee for taste. Especially a fine cup of Ethiopian Harrar.
      But If I don't get it I'm none the worse for wear, and don't crave it.

      --
      No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
    • (Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Thursday April 16 2015, @10:15PM

      by LoRdTAW (3755) on Thursday April 16 2015, @10:15PM (#171757) Journal

      I've never met anyone who drinks coffee during the week but not on weekends. That seems pretty silly.

      Meet me. I drink anywhere from 3-5 cups per day at work. At home I do not drink coffee. And yes, that includes weekends. The only time I drink coffee outside of work is on road trips. And that is usually a cup or two at a rest/truck stop.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @07:33AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @07:33AM (#171928)

        Yeah, but you can't even capitalize properly. LoRdTAW indeed!

  • (Score: 2) by Kilo110 on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:06PM

    by Kilo110 (2853) Subscriber Badge on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:06PM (#171561)

    That was my thought as well.

    "Imagine starting your day without any coffee."

    I don't need to imagine since I've been doing that for the better part of 3 decades. I'm just as awake as my caffeine-addicted coworkers. And I don't need to waste time buying a morning pick-me-up.

    • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday April 16 2015, @02:45PM

      by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday April 16 2015, @02:45PM (#171606) Journal

      Yes well that depends in large part on your own personal brain chemistry. I have struggled with caffeine addiction my whole adult life. I have been caffeine-free for periods up to a year, and I can attest that what you're saying about being just as alert without it is true. I can also say that during the times when I was purposely weaning myself from it I did train myself to perceive the smell of coffee as poison (which is actually easier when it's Starbucks you're smelling).

      But...

      Coffee is lovely. Caffeine is wonderful. I never developed an addiction to drugs, because I never had the crime quotient or bank balance to do so. But I also was afraid to try, because my system's response to mere caffeine was so euphoric that I somehow knew that if I ever sampled heroin I'd be done for. And I do. Feel euphoric after drinking coffee, that is. And when I quit caffeine, you don't want to be within 3 counties of me, I'm that cranky and evil.

      So, take that for what it is. Everyone's chemistry is different, and condemning others for their coffee addiction (because your own dopamine levels are sufficient) is tantamount to picking on the fat kid for liking food--it's just how they're wired.

      --
      Washington DC delenda est.
  • (Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:23PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:23PM (#171574)
    You sound like one of those smug prats who loves to tell everyone within earshot that he doesn't own a television.
    • (Score: 2) by sudo rm -rf on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:53PM

      by sudo rm -rf (2357) on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:53PM (#171588) Journal

      I don't own a television, you insensitive clod.

      • (Score: 3, Touché) by tibman on Thursday April 16 2015, @02:40PM

        by tibman (134) Subscriber Badge on Thursday April 16 2015, @02:40PM (#171604)

        Yeah, but how many monitors do you own :P

        --
        SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
      • (Score: 3, Funny) by Phoenix666 on Thursday April 16 2015, @02:48PM

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday April 16 2015, @02:48PM (#171608) Journal

        Me neither. I own a wall-mounted flat-screen display that I variously re-purpose as a music system via Pandora, an instructional aid via YouTube, an entertainment vehicle via Netflix, or a computing interface via RPi. What is this "television" thing of which you speak?

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.
        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Thexalon on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:07PM

          by Thexalon (636) on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:07PM (#171632)

          What is this "television" thing of which you speak?

          It's a mind-control device that's so effective that people will pay good money to have their brains messed with.

          --
          The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
          • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:20PM

            by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:20PM (#171636) Journal

            It's a testament to the power of culture, isn't it? We could have almost as easily have evolved the practice in Logan's Run or The World Inside, where you interact with actual people to satisfy venal desires. Instead, we have the virtual (somewhat) satisfaction of TV and computers. Is the result better, or are we trending toward the insipid reality of Fahrenheit 451?

            My read: Most would be taken in and taken over by simulacra, but in the end reality, and real experience, trump all.

            --
            Washington DC delenda est.
            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2015, @11:20PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2015, @11:20PM (#171777)

              I thought of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery. [wikipedia.org]

              I also though of the ST-TOS episode where a guy had violated the Prime Directive [memory-alpha.org] and reworked a planet's culture in the form of Nazi Germany and they televised executions.

              -- gewg_

          • (Score: 2) by Tork on Friday April 17 2015, @12:32AM

            by Tork (3914) Subscriber Badge on Friday April 17 2015, @12:32AM (#171801)
            Heh, right. "TV sucks!" "Bring back Firefly!"
            --
            🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @06:02PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @06:02PM (#172126)

        Yeah, now I remember where I read about you [theonion.com].

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2015, @08:59PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 16 2015, @08:59PM (#171727)
      Revelation: SN is full of EXACTLY that sort of smug prat.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Thexalon on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:24PM

    by Thexalon (636) on Thursday April 16 2015, @01:24PM (#171575)

    Why does anyone need coffee to start their day?

    2 reasons explain everything:
    1. Caffeine tolerance.
    2. Sleep deprivation.

    And yes, this tends to build up over time: sleep deprivation leads to using caffeine regularly leads to tolerance leads to more sleep deprivation leads to more caffeine ...

    I dated a caffeine addict once, and being around me (I've always been quite happy without it most of the time) convinced her to try quitting. After a couple of weeks of headaches and drowsiness, she was able to sleep much better and was much more alert during the day. Yes, the plural of anecdote is not evidence, but in my experience caffeine really is best used as a very temporary measure.

    --
    The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
    • (Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:45PM

      by frojack (1554) on Thursday April 16 2015, @04:45PM (#171643) Journal

      She must have been a heavy coffee drinker. Because dropping coffee usually causes no problems, not even temporary ones.

      Espresso, being nothing more than a dark roast, actually has less caffeine than typical brewed coffee. The longer you roast the beans the more of the caffeine you drive out. Even non-espresso darker roasts have less caffeine.

      --
      No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by kbahey on Thursday April 16 2015, @03:50PM

    by kbahey (1147) on Thursday April 16 2015, @03:50PM (#171627) Homepage

    I went caffeine free for a month, after having 4 cups of black tea in the morning to noon (lightly brewed), and 2 cups of coffee around noon.

    My sleep is now better. I don't need an hour to fall asleep and don't wake up during the night.

    The first week without caffeine is miserable with withdrawal headaches. But after that, there is none of that.

  • (Score: 2) by TheRaven on Thursday April 16 2015, @05:29PM

    by TheRaven (270) on Thursday April 16 2015, @05:29PM (#171664) Journal
    In my case, it's largely psychological. Every morning, I drink a large copy of coffee (freshly ground, blend of Kivu/Mysore/Harrar - not over-roast, nice and smooth), which usually takes me about 45 minutes to finish. I wake up gradually and by the time I've finished the coffee I'm wide awake. A caffeine-free infusion works as well, but I like the taste of coffee in the morning. It doesn't really matter what you do, but having a morning ritual helps start the day.
    --
    sudo mod me up