US Elections, this says it all:

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:43:38 -0800

An analogy between the candidates and the Mobile handset that they use!

Driving the New BMW 3 Series

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:48:23 -0800

A review of the New BMW three series facelift in South Africa during the press launch

Choosing Coffee Equipment:

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:27:48 -0700

From the page: "Choosing Equipment:
Choosing a Grinder:

Grinders are the key Barista tool, and the right grinder tends to have a bigger effect on coffee flavour than the espresso machine. When choosing , consider some issues with Grinders:

The grinder needs to stay cool.

It is necessary to match your grinder with your needs. If you are making one or two shots a day at home, your requirements are very different to a busy espresso bar. The coffee grinding process generates excess heat. The build up of heat causes your grind to change and the flavour of the coffee is thus negatively affected by the heat. The heat transfer to the ground beans will accelerate the oxidation of the coffee, further reducing quality.

Conical burrs cut more efficiently than flat burrs. They run cooler and shave the coffee better and faster.

Consider the durability of the grinder. Heavier, better made grinders, generally last longer.

The grinder motor�s duty cycle can be analysed, some motors are not designed to be switched on and off continuously. Check with supplier

Does the grinder have stepped or micro adjustment. Stepped (notched) adjustment can be annoying. You can find yourself between settings.

We currently recommend the Compak k-10

http://www.compak.es/en/productos/020103.htm )as a conical espresso grinder if possible. If budget constrains and it is necessary to go budget, consider the Mazzer Super Jolly http://www.mazzer.com/second.asp?menu=2 ), with its robustness and flat blades, this grinder does dose heavily to one side of the porta filter though. Consider the mini mazzer as a decaf grinder
Choosing an Espresso Machine

I prefer manual machines, semi auto machines are an excuse for the barista to ignore how the shot is pouring.= cups per day

Generally on chooses the size of the machine on how busy one anticipates being. The larger the machine (number of groupheads) the bigger the heat capacity and the more demand can be put on the machine. A café serving 100 -300 cups a day probably want a 2 head machine and a café serving 300 plus cups a 3 head, larger venues (1000 + cups per day) are in my opinion best served by groups of two head machines. Rather buy a machine to grow out of if cash is short and buy the larger one from cash flow, but it is pointless buying too small for anticipated need.

There are 4 general categories of machine:

1. Machines that don�t work! A budget machine with technical issues or without support or spares is a machine that doesn�t work. Generally speaking machines with Tamper sizes below 57.5 mm have been a problem for us

2. Basic Workhorses. These are uninspiring machines that get the job done, Budget machines with a decent level of quality, look plain, work for years. The Wega Atlas http://wega.it/atlas-evd-epu/ing/ ) or Pegaso is a good example. Downside is low resale value, and unsexy. This is ok if the machine is a little hidden or Coffee is not the central focus of the business

3. Sexy Machines, These are the pretty machines. The Faema e-61 http://www.faema.com/eng/pr_scheda.asp?id=77 ) is a good example. Sexy, robust, desirable and with pre-infusion. Re-sale value is better and parts quality is probably higher. Customer perception is the main advantage with the ability to sometimes save on shopfitting as the machine becomes the focus

4. The �oeits all about the coffee machines”. Thes give a slightly better tasting cup, the machines have all the advantages of the sexy machines, and are typically hand built. Diminishing returns on purchase price kick in with small gains in quality being expensive. Good examples have PID (fuzzy logic ) temperature control, are temperature stable, have manual pre-infusion and ultimate control. These also have a marketing advantage in that the machine is a story, good examples are the La Marzocco GB5 http://www.lamarzocco.com/prodotti.html ), The Synesso Cyncra (my personal favourite) http://www.synesso.com/ ) and the gorgeous Mirage http://www.keesvanderwesten.com/ )

We generally do not recommend used equipment as reliability is an issue

Other equipment

One additionally needs decent Water Filtration and if in a hard water area, water softeners, we like Everpure filters. This is a requirement to both coffee quality and to validate the equipment Guarantee. Reverse osmosis water is not suitable for coffee flavour optimisation.

Stainless steel milk jugs with a defined spout are vital for latte art.

A decent Metal tamper that fits the machine is needed.

Cleaning brushes and some form of coffee solvent is required to keep the machine clean.

Filter Coffee

We love decent filter coffee, but not coffee that is kept warm with an element. Those glass pour-overs kill coffee instantly. Coffee made directly into a vacuum flask is delicious. We currently recommend Queen machines http://tinyurl.com/5dnoxc ) with Stainless vacuum pots and a grinder to provide freshly Ground coffee on a budget.

Ten Ways Employers Kill Employees

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:34:46 -0700

An analysis of common mistakes Entrepreneurs make in these troubled times

Farboud's Latest: Arash reveals final form of AF10 supercar - Autoblog

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:48:32 -0700

New Supercar hits the streets 0-100 3.4secs

Leatherman Skeletool CX

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:53:10 -0700

The new cool, very good looking Leatherman tool

Volvo XC70

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:51:17 -0700

Review of the Volvo XC70 by David Donde, published in GQ

Feature Creep

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:59:14 -0700

why manufacturers add stuff we can't use

Keeping Coffee

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:54:10 -0700

how to store Coffee and for how long

Quotable Quotes, or why I love Dorothy Parker

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:24:58 -0700

A collection of memorable and funny Dorothy Parker

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