Lifesavers

On my way to a work event I NEEDED coffee. Fortunately on my route (well only a minor deviation...) was Elixir.

An exquisite single origin CoE from Costa Rica, then a cold press El Salvador with a flat white in the hand to see me on my way.

Thank you Jonny and Justin, I made it through my afternoon!

Nestlé -Free Week

We all know them as the makers of an appalling range of substances they have the gall to describe as 'coffee', but they have been guilty of much worse, and thus from 25 October to 31 October we have "Nestlé-Free week.

The aim of the campaign is not to hurt Nestlé economically but to let them know that corporate activities do not go unnoticed by consumers.

I support the boycott of Nestlé products.

According the the World Health Organisation Authority (WHO) 1.5 million babies die every year as a result of inappropriate feeding. Despite this Nestlé continues to push its baby milks in breach of international standards.

Monitoring by groups on the ground around the world shows Nestlé is responsible for more violations than any other company. That's why it is singled out for boycott action.

If you don't boycott Nestlé already, I ask that you consider looking at the evidence and giving up Nestlé products, or at least its principal brand, Nescafé coffee.

The boycott has forced some changes from the company, but it is still a long way from complying. Campaigners are also working for laws. Nestlé can comply when it is given no choice. It is not being asked to do something that is impossible, but without pressure it continues to put its own profits before infant health and mothers' rights.

You can find out more information and look at the evidence yourself on the Baby Milk Action website at:

http://www.babymilkaction.org/resources/boycott/nestlefree.html

You can sign up there to support the boycott.

It is important to tell Nestlé you will be boycotting it until it accepts and acts on the plan put to it by boycott groups for saving infant lives.

You can Nestlé send a message via its website
http://www.nestle.com/

They have changed some of their practices and there is hope that they will change some more - they do make some good quality products and it is to their shame as a compant that they feel the need to dominate their industry to the point of unethical business practices.

Coffee however, is NOT one of their good quality products...

H/T to the Hoydens for the campaign details

SMS

For all my love of technology I can be somewhat of a naïf in its use.

To put this into a popular cultural context, there is a scene in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life where a hospital administrator is showing VIPs around the obstetrics theatre where a woman is giving birth amidst a confusing tangle of cables and machines. The administrator clearly acknowledges the valuable asset the technology represents but has no idea, absolutely no idea at all what it is for.

I am, at times, appallingly like that administrator, understanding that this new technology is fabulous, immensely valuable and has a satisfying ‘ping’ but little idea how best to use it.

In this example the technology is not even really new…

Mooba in Subiaco were at the receiving end today when I attempted to order a coffee via SMS using my new phone. Said phone has a wonderfully inept spell correction feature that ignores any previous efforts you have made to add to its dictionary and you have to repeatedly tell it to fuck off before it understands that you just want to spell a word your way.

I COULD turn the feature off, but it is handy at times and on balance the good outweighs the bad…

Unfortunately, the ‘send’ button is also where the ‘backspace’ button was on my old phone – which led to today’s series of texts:

1 FE

(at this point I had attempted to backspace to delete the ‘e’ and substitute a ‘w’ but sent the message instead)

Ignore prev.

(Lest I receive a cup of iron filings I thought it best to cancel that order)

1 M FW w 2 sugar, 1 M FW thanks

(and hit send...)

*facepalm*

No name.

Thankfully the barista’s at Mooba managed to interpret their way through my technological ineptitude and both coffees were ready when I arrived a few minutes later.

I must try this adventure again soon…