I am shocked, shocked to find that Starbuck's coffee is for sale in the gift shop of the new L.A. Cathedral. Cappuccinos must be popular. But do they sell Popesicles?

Caffeine can be used to control slugs -- apparently even very dilute solutions of it are fatal to mollusks. Very large amounts of caffeine are fatal to people, as documented in the case of James Bird, an apparent suicide.

And Cadbury/Schweppes, makers of 7-Up, are introducing a new drink. Dubbed "dnL" (wonder how much that cost them), it's sort of an anti-7Up, as it contains caffeine and is not clear. Bizarre.

Oh, and for both of my American readers -- be aware that Canadian Mountain Dew is caffeine-free, so there's absolutely no mitigating reason to drink it, up here. Go to a coffee shop instead.