OXFAM Virtual Village

Something to both keep you amused and help you learn about the huge difference OXFAM Unwrapped Christmas gifts can make: both in the virtual world and in real life:

The Story of Coffee

Anyone who has spent more than five minutes in my company will be very much aware that coffee is a huge part of my life. You can see it just by looking at my recently-generated TweetCloud, in fact; it's up there with words like 'fantastic' and 'book'. Not only does coffee generate much of my output on Twitter, however; it also keeps me going throughout the day.

How much do I know about the story of coffee itself, though? The answer was 'not much', until I watched this new video from Douwe Egberts, which takes us on a caffeine-fuelled journey through the history of the humble bean.

What Did You Want To Be?

When I was at primary school, we had one of those sitting around in a circle and talking sessions, in which the teacher went around the class and asked each child what they wanted to be. "Vet", said one girl. "Postman", said one boy. "Footballer", said another boy. "And you, Scar", asked the teacher, "what do you want to be?" Already a glutton for punishment, I looked up at her and replied "Psychology researcher". And now I am.

One of the few things in the world that makes me sad, however, is the number of people who forget their childhood dreams entirely; who lose touch with the enchantment, the creativity, the fantastic world view that kids have, and who end up doing something they hate. The Children's Mutual is currently running a campaign to raise awareness of their work in helping parents to facilitate their children in achieving their dreams.

Schumacher & Calabrese - How (not) to mix a cocktail

Two guys at the top of their games - Michael Schumacher and Salvatore Calabrese - put their professional skills to the test in this new video to promote responsibility while driving. Calabrese, the world's leading mixologist, tries to mix a cocktail while Schumacher floors the accelerator around a track. Hilarious, and a good message:

The Arts Council Site Launch

The Arts Council have just relaunched their website, and to celebrate this, artists Thomson & Craighead have created a bespoke new digital art commission:

The Importance of Breathing

A Beautiful Green Racecar

We've been hearing a lot about 'green' cars lately. "They're useful", people say; "they don't look so different to normal cars. They're good for the environment." All very true, but they're still not Lambos, are they? There is still a distinct market out there who will look at a Honda Civic and start to cry.

This car may change all that. Swiss company Green GT have come up with this beauty:

Whilst you catch your breath, here are some specifications:

• It has a fibreglass body, mounted on a carbon-fibre chassis. Light as.
• It's electric.
• 0-60 in... wait for it... under 4 seconds. Which is pretty damn good.
• Estimated top speed? 171mph.

I certainly wouldn't feel ashamed to be seen in one. How about you?

Oh, alright. I want another picture too.