The Knockbox

From the NewScientist.com news service: A strong cup of coffee in the morning can feel like a life saver. Now, one of the largest and longest studies of coffee drinking suggests that coffee may indeed boost your lifespan – providing you drink enough of the stuff, that is.

The study tracked 129,000 men and women over two decades. It found that people who consumed several cups of coffee every day were less likely to die of heart disease than those who shied away from the stuff. Heart disease is an umbrella term for conditions including heart attacks, stroke, and arrhythmia.

The researchers found that women who drank four to five cups per day were 34% less likely to die of heart disease, while men who had more than five cups a day were 44% less likely to die.

Music fans can help out the local scene by drinking their morning cup of coffee. The Freaky Bean Coffee Company has collaborated with the Portland Music Foundation to release the PMF Musician's Blend, available in 12-ounce bags at Freaky Bean and Maine Roasters Coffee Co. locations and that will be available at the end of June online at www.freakybean.com.

One dollar from the sale of each bag of PMF Musician's Blend will go toward the foundation's efforts to educate area musicians on such topics as booking, press relations, publishing, recording and legal concerns.

The blend is part of Freaky Bean's partnership with the PMF, which also includes hosting PMF networking events at its locations and supporting area singer/songwriters with in-store performances.

Freaky Bean operates three retail locations — 855 Main St., Westbrook; and 360 U.S. Route 1 and 2 Cabela Way in Scarborough. The company will soon open another location, on Broadway in South Portland.