Friday is upon us once again, so it's time for a few links to round out the week.

This week Starbucks announced a new size for its beverages, the Trenta, a 31-ounce cup. What they didn’t tell you is that “Trenta Frappucino” is Italian for “fat American”. The joke’s on us. link

With coffee prices so high, it’s a hard time to be an independent coffee shop, according to Inc.com. Will we see a lot of independents go out of business in 2011, or will coffee drinkers just get used to paying more for their coffee? link

It’s no secret that coffee grounds are good for a garden’s soil, and a pair of former UC Berkeley business school students have started a company that sells mushrooms grown in leftover coffee grounds. Sounds like a business that could fit in well in the Portland area. link

This guy is trying to drink coffee at every Starbucks on the planet.

A Cuban blogger discusses her culture’s connection to coffee and some of the innovative ways families and the government have stretched the limited coffee supply. link

Police have apprehended the alleged accomplice of the robber who was shot and killed when he tried to rob a Dutch Bros. kiosk in Eugene. link

More details about the attempted robbery and the barista’s retaliation came out this week. link

A bikini-clad barista at Twin Perks on NE Killingsworth chased down a man who tried to rob the café’s tip jar. link

I know I've been doing my part to keep the coffee economy running smoothly in the new year, but according to Seatlle Times bloggers Melissa Allison and Amy Martinez, January is still the worst month of the year for coffee sales. link