This weeks coffee news:

According to MSNBC, Starbucks is closing 600 stores beginning this month through March of 2009. With 16,000 stores worldwide, that is just 4% of Starbucks total empire but it still sounds to me like the coffee giant’s perch is crumbling—just a bit.

Full Story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25482250/
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While Starbucks is closing stores, it seems the number of McCafe’s are growing-in Louisville at least. The Louisville Business First says that several McDonald’s operators in the area are moving forward with adding the coffee bars to their businesses.

Full Story: http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2008/07/07/daily18.html
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The pendulum on coffee swings both ways--always.

The bad news first:

BBC News reported a recent study suggests that coffee can reduce even further a woman with fertility problems chances of conceiving.

Full Story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7494249.stm

The good news:

According to Science Daily in an article entitled, Post-Exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel, “Glycogen, the muscle's primary fuel source during exercise, is replenished more rapidly when athletes ingest both carbohydrate and caffeine following exhaustive exercise…”

Full Story: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080701083456.htm

Oh coffee--so good, yet so bad.
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A story in the Eureka Reporter says, “A 41-year-old transient was arrested Monday morning after he allegedly brandished a knife at a doughnut shop clerk and stole a cup of coffee, the Eureka Police Department reported.” Okay, I know my morning coffee is important to me, but I don’t think I would take it as far as this man. Would I?

Full Story: http://eurekareporter.com/article/080707-transient-arrested-after-coffee-caper
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I know prices are at an all time high, but this story suggests that if you give up one latte a day, you could pay off your mortgage faster. On Stuff.com, a New Zealand business news site, a story entitled It'll Only Cost You A Coffee A Day says that putting “$3.50 a day into your mortgage and you will save at least $44,000 in interest by paying it off earlier.” I’d rather cut back on a gallon of gas personally. I’ll just walk the extra mile and lose weight at the same time. I know; I need an intervention.

Full Story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4611819a1864.html