A Northern Carolina molecular biologist thinks you might be wasting valuable time by sipping on coffee while munching on donuts. Having worked hard to eliminate caffeine’s nasty taste, Dr. Robert Bohannon is developing a way to caffeinate baked goods:

The amount of caffeine in his creations can vary, but Bohannon can easily put 100 milligrams of caffeine — the equivalent of a 5-ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee — into the treats he plans to market under the “Buzz Donuts” and “Buzzed Bagels” names.

While we welcome the caffeination of everthing, we hate to say that we’ve had a patented process in place for years that mixes caffeine and donuts - it’s called ‘dunking’.

Scientist Develops Caffeinated Baked Goods [Uber Lounge]

Homebrewing beer is one of those great hobbies that not only lets you indulge your ‘DIY genius’ fantasy, but also allows you to drink a lot of beer.

But being that the world’s best beer is brewed by Trappist monks in Belgium, rather than by you in your garage, perhaps its time to stop focusing on your process and instead look at your soul.

Well, maybe not, but Brew Like A Monk by Stan Hieronymus could be a good start. Starting with the history of beer in Belgium and moving onto how its brewed, the book then tells you how you can attempt to emulate theirs techniques in your own home.

Gown and shaved crown not included.

Book Review: Brew Like A Monk by Stan Hieronymus [A Good Beer Blog]

Perhaps paranoid of leaving anything unsaid, Motorola’s latest unveiling is the RAZRmaxx V6 Ferrari Challenge Mobile Phone Limited Edition. We can’t really describe it any better than the product name does already…

Sporting the famous cavallino rampante on the outside of the clamshell, genuine Ferrari V8 sound effects, red backlighting, themed wallpapers and car photos complete the branding, while the $635 price also gives it that desired Ferrari exclusivity.

As for the phone itself, 3.6 Mbps HSDPA broadband brings the phone up to speed, and the now-standard 2MP camera and second, outward-facing VGA screen are joined by external media controls.

Not that Ferrari fans could care less. That logo could be stickered onto the side of an empty beans can attached to a piece of string and they’d buy it.

Motorola preps Ferrari edition RAZRmaxx [Electronista via Crunch Gear]

Although unlikely to sway man bag haters, dispatches from the runways of Europe are promising for those who prefer totes to pockets.

Trends this season (and whoever thought we’d be discussing trends and man bags side-by-side) are broad and accessible. Fabrics, colours, styles – many major houses are designing a wide range, including Paul Smith, Valentino, Balenciaga and an Italian big-bag specialist…

Prada
Prada has them in updated styles with soft leather in a soft, squishy duffle shape. Held on the runway almost like a clutch, straps hanging down, it’s a totally manly accessory for any businessman with an edge. Paired with a slim gray suit, it’s just the look for the season.

If you’re still a little unsure about throwing a bag strap around your shoulder everyday, Prada might not be your brand of choice for now (you can instead opt for something manlier, like a shooting bag from Bill Amberg), but for those who are a little tired with the army surplus canvas satchel, maybe a designer man bag is the way to go this year.

Trend Watch: Man Bags [Men's Flair]

It’s often the case that the simplest answers are often the most likely. It’s bright outside because of the sun. It’s dark at night because there’s no sun. Porsches are so damn expensive because the profit margins are outrageous.

So says a report from Germany’s Welt an Sonntag newspaper, which claims the average Porsche profit is $28,000.

$28,000! Audi and BMW both manage with less than $5000 per unit while Volkswagen and Chrysler net less than a grand for each car sold!

Report: Porsche profits $28,000 per car [Left lane news via New Launches]

Once a permanent fixture on the heads of playboys and presidents alike, the once proud Panama hat is in danger of extinction.

The rise of the baseball cap, a decline in the number of skilled weavers in Ecuador, an increasing risk from cheap international knock-offs, especially from China, and other factors have all conspired to make the Panama a fashion relic, and its production as unpopular as ever.

But there may be hope for the hat, from an unlikely source.

Intermon Oxfam has set up the Chordeleg Artisan Centre where weavers are producing small number of Fairtrade Panama hats. The women are receiving training so that they can perfect techniques, weave higher quality hats with better finishes, and improve production and marketing. They have been able to increase the quantity and the price so that they can now make a living and maintain their traditions.

A fair trade Panama hat? Could milinery so beautifully mix politics and headwear? Regardless, its time for a Panama revival.

Artisan Center Chordeleg (translated) [Oxfam via Treehugger via Financial Times]

With the future approaching us at a rapid rate, it’s time for us to start demanding the gadgets we were promised in the past.

It’s 2007, which means the world has eight years to make good on the 2015 presented to us by Back to the Future Part II. Hoverboards, flying cars, fashion that dictates two ties instead of one and, of course, Nikes with powerlaces.

In fact, why wait? ‘The McFly Project’ (also known as ‘Operation McFly’) are petitioning Nike to get with the powerlaces, already.

You can sign the petition or, if you’re in need of convincing, check out their powerful political advertisement.

At the other end of the price spectrum on novelty Tuesday is a device that, we fear, is not a novelty at all. This rather ugly tie is worth over $1000. And why? The hi-res spy camera hidden inside it.

Including a cigarette-pack-sized monitor and recorder with remote control, the pinhole camera woven into this tie shoots plasma-busting 768×492 pixel video (or 768×582 in PAL) with audio.

So now those of us catching public transport in Melbourne, Australia will have to be suspicious not only of the large-footed, but now also shifty characters in ugly business attire?

Tie Camera wired to Miniature Digital Video recorder/Monitor [ Spycatcher of Knightsbridge via The Red Ferret Journal]

Novelty Tuesday is really just a slow news day with a theme – assorted novelty stuff that gets a quick chortle and not much more.

But we recognize that some of you will giggle at this stuff long enough to buy it, and thus we provide this crap both for your amusement and, hopefully, your consumption.

This chrome match-shaped lighter, for example, isn’t really the most convenient size or shape (7in. x ¼in. x ¼in.), but as a piece of party kitsch costing only £3 ($US6), why not?

Match shaped lighter [Dwell via Coolest Gadgets via Crib Candy]

Any product listing for a bin that begins with…

…the “Claremont” is an accurately rendered, medieval sculpture…

…wins points from us right away.

Obviously, a majority of those who’ll eventually own this will just think of it as the vaguely amusing piece of crap that it is.

However, we’ve all met the kind of obsessive medieval revivalist collectors who’d be bitterly disappointed if, even though it’s just a novelty wastepaper basket, they discovered even the slightest historical inaccuracy.

Hence the cleverness in all that detail.

But it’s $60 and it’s a wastepaper basket. We’re not going to tell you not to buy it, because it is kind of cool. But we’re going to let you weigh up your priorities and decide for yourselves.

“The Claremont Helmet” Lidded Bin [Toscano via Neat-o-rama]