I have found myself fascinated with random bits of trivia that happened in history. Here are a few things that happened on this day in history. In 1867, the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million dollars. In 1939, the comic book “Detective Comics #27” appeared on newsstands. This comic introduced Batman. And in 1982, the space shuttle Columbia completed its third and its longest test flight after 8 days in space. Things you need to know…

Coffee And Your Health – Though some decry the benefits of drinking coffee, there are some interesting studies exploring just what some of those benefits may be. Here are a few of them.

Monopoly and WW2 POWs – I found this to be incredibly intriguing. This is a bit of history to one of my favorite board games that I have never heard before. It would be really cool to find one of these old boards.

What To Wear With A Navy Blazer – I just bought a navy blazer. This is an interesting article on how to look the best when wearing one.

Today is a very significant day in history. On this day in 1912, the Dixie Cup was invented. In 1806, Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific coast and started back east. And in 1794, Josiah Pierson patented a rivet machine.

Roasting Coffee In A Frying Pan – I really want to try this, but it may be too much of a strong odor in the house. It’s still very tempting, though…

Journey To The Center Of The Earth – This is an interactive graphic that gives a pretty interesting perspective of the depth of the earth, to the very core. Showing what you may find at various depths, this is a very fun site to peruse.

How Clocks Changed Humanity – I have never really thought about how humanity operated before the advent of time-keeping mechanisms. This is very interesting. This is well worth the few minutes it takes to watch.

It is starting to look like spring around here. Flowers are starting to pop up, the weather is warmer, and the spring peepers are making noise in the woods behind our house. I’m ready for it! The only thing keeping me inside right now is all the mud. So, until it dries, here are a few links to check out.

There Is Only Coffee – I have heard both positive things and negative things about the newly formed Ethiopian coffee cooperative. This video paints it in a pretty good light, from the perspective of the Ethiopian coffee growers. The insights into the culture are pretty interesting.

Beautiful Landscapes And Mountains Of Transylvania – Regardless of whether Dracula lives here or not, Transylvania is a beautiful place. It is one of the top ten places I want to visit one day, with a camera in hand. These images are pretty stunning. Check out more images by this photographer at his website.

Why Digital Natives Prefer Reading In Print – In the continuing debate of print versus digital, this article brings some interesting thoughts, and comes from an unexpected generation.

We were hit with another blast of winter over the past week. Snow. Ice. No school. Slick roads. I hope spring arrives soon! But, with all that spare time on my hands while snowed in, I found several interesting articles. Enjoy!

Preparing A Traditional Turkish Coffee – I love trying new coffee, and new methods of making coffee. Some of the best coffee I ever tasted was while in Central and South America. This Turkish coffee looks very intriguing. I may have to give this a try.

The One Ring Explained – One of my favorite authors is J. R. R. Tolkien. I love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, both the books, and the movies. This brief video explains the concept behind the One Ring.

13 Ways You Waste Your Money – A lot of these hit close to home. Others, not so much. With a large family like ours, we always look for good ways to save money. There are some god ideas here.

Two months into the new year already! That hardly seems possible. Snow and cold temps here to boot. That means we are staying indoors as much as possible. If you’re snowbound too, here are some great links to peruse with a cup of hot coffee.

Iced Mint Mocha Recipe – Since it is so cold outside, this may not be the best thing to try right now. But turn up the heat, pretend it’s summer, and enjoy one of these cool drinks.

Darth Vader Reimagined – Someone has a lot of creative talent. And a lot of these images are downright awesome!

Gigapixels Of Andromeda – The heavens declare the glory of God! This brief video shows some of the highest resolution photos of our closest galactic neighbor.

After missing last week, the Coffee Break is back on schedule! If you haven’t heard, our newest addition to the family was born on February 12, a healthy baby girl, bringing our family to a total of nine!

20 Facts About Coffee – There are facts listed on this infographic that I didn’t know. And there are several that I’d like to research further, simply because I find them interesting, such as how many beans it takes to make other varieties of coffee drinks.

What You Can Do To Be Productive On A Snow Day – We have a lot of snow. For the first time this winter, there is enough for the kids to sled and build snowmen. They love it. But when it snows a lot, and sleets, and keeps many of us at home, a snow day can be very disruptive. Here are some ideas to enjoy the day, and still get something accomplished.

Droids Of Star Wars – Because I am a Star Wars fan. What else needs to be said?

How is the weather where you are? Over the past week, we have have temps in the teens and in the sixties! If it is too crazy to go outside, here are a few links to keep you occupied.

Brewing Coffee With A Coffee Sock – Need a quick dose of coffee without making a lot? If you don’t have a pourover, such as a Chemex, you could try the coffee sock. It may be just what you need.

Some Of The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries – As a book nerd, these are the kinds of places I would love to go visit. Some of these are absolutely beautiful. Here’s another gallery of images.

Domino Chain Reaction – Who knew that dominoes had such force behind them? The physics here are interesting.