Jims ThirdSpace

Caffeinated Nation

The numbers are in and the USA is the most caffeinated nation, and it’s not. While we have more Starbucks than any other country, over 11,000, and consume more coffee than any other country, we aren’t even in the top ten of consumption per capita! Really? Americans consume 105.9 liters of coffee per capita, ranking sixteenth worldwide.

It’s hard to believe that fifteen countries drink more coffee per capita that we do, but it’s true.  Even the tea drinking Brits out coffee us, consuming 134.7 liters per capita. What country takes the gold? Finland with 608.2 liters per capita followed by Norway with 322.6 liters, then Denmark with 180.6 liters.  I see a pattern here. Countries with those very cold winters and long dark nights keep saying  pass me the coffee.  Historically the very cold countries have had the biggest coffee addiction, but that is changing.  Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer is on track to pass the USA as the largest consumer of coffee.  They are even serving cafe com leite – coffee with milk – in school meals for kids 5 and up. Wow.  “Could I have a decaf with my mac and cheese?”

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Tags: coffee

I drink coffee for the caffeine

I never could figure out decaf coffee. Whenever I’m at a friend’s house for dinner or a party or just hanging out and they say, “we only have decaf, I hope that’s OK”, I want to scream, NO, NO, it’s not OK, I drink coffee for the caffeine.   Arrgh!

Well my decaf friends, guess what? Don’t go to Starbucks in the afternoon anymore.

Starbucks will no longer have decaf waiting on you in the afternoons. AND, by not having decaf for you, they are saving $400 million dollars a year.

How does that sound for a caffeinated stimulus plan!

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Tags: caffine, coffee, starbucks

Go vote, get caffine

Starbucks is giving out free coffee today to everyone that votes.

Do your civic duty, get caffinated!

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Tags: coffee, starbucks, vote

it’s Friday

I need another cup….

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Tags: coffee

Thirdspace in Nicaragua

Yes, Nicaragua does have third space venues, but they are definitely not what you find in North America. I went in a cyber-cafe and found a world of old pcs, older monitors (that the owners would beat on the back to keep the picture flickering on for you), temperatures that were in the mid 90′s, no door, and a steady stream of people coming in to get copies made on a fax machine. One of the best things I saw were power strips that were duct taped together then to a metal rack, that were completely loaded up.

While I was dripping in sweat watching the action, I started talking to one of the locals, Pablo Blanco. I asked him if it was always like this, and he said it was a great winter day in Nicaragua. Just another day in paradise.

Check out my latest light hearted looks at Mission Nicaragua in my Scrapbook.

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Tags: coffee, Great place, Nicaragua, Pablo, third space

Who’s number one?

Heard some new numbers this week about coffee sales. It must be the “dog days of summer” when coffee sales are news worthy. (ever wonder where the dog days of summer came from) ?

In 2006, Starbucks was the place where more Americans bought cups of coffee than any other place. Then in 2007, a new number one took over, Dunkin Donuts, shoving Starbucks to number two. Then, in 2008, Dunkin Donuts was a repeat at number one, but McDonalds came in at number two pushing Starbucks down to number three. Does anyone see a trend here?

No wonder Starbucks is taking a long hard look at themselves. It’ll be interesting to see how they come out of this time of testing. I think the long term outlook is great with some short term inconveniences.

Maybe the other players (coffee sellers) have shoved them down in sells, but I don’t see a surge in groups of people building community at Dunkin Donuts (except for Cops and Firemen), or other people rushing to McDonalds to surf the net, and talk to a Barrister, who can actually be engaged in a conversation.

Yes the coffee costs more, but it’s all about the presentation, the atmosphere, the community.

Do you want to wipe up Happy Meal residue or listen to McCartney, JT, or Bono?

What do you want, a Walkman or an Ipod?

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Tags: coffee, community, dog days of summer, Great place

I stole this post from Maria’s blog

Created by OnePlusYou

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Tags: caffine, coffee, no way, so funny

Noise

I need noise! Not the noise from the car bouncing next to me at a stop light, but the other kind of noise. Last night I was trying to pound on some work at home and it was so quiet, I couldn’t concentrate. My wife was in her sweet spot. She was able to focus on some studying she needed to get done, because it was so quiet. Eventually she went to a quiet space, I turned on some background noise, so I could multi-task and concentrate on the three things I needed to get done.

How many of you guys who thrive on Third Space venues need noise to focus? I think most of us, Third Spacers need noise.

If you have to have quiet, and love Third Spaces, why?

Let me hear from you.

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Tags: coffee, Great place, noise, third space