COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / PLETHORA OF PRE-LOVED COFFEE CUPS

Image by Holden DeMayo, PillartoPost.org, culinary reporter and chief sampler.

Today's coffee centric blog goes local. 

 It's a fun thing to do on a gray day--if you have the time and inclination. Travel out to Pacific Beach and visit Kitchens for Good, a unique kitchen consignment experience in Pacific Beach, San Diego. 

Perfect excursion for you retired birds. 

Kitchens for Good is located at 980 Hornblend Street, between Grand and Garnet Avenues, this nonprofit store specializes in gently used and new kitchenware, offering everything from high-end appliances to vintage glassware and handcrafted items. 

What makes it stand out is that it has a curated selection fitting the kitchen and cooking theme. If you're looking for old roller skates, posters of an old rodeo or yesterday's stuff then go elsewhere. 

Kitchens for Good is a 5,000-square-foot space thoughtfully organized, featuring a diverse array of kitchen and dining essentials, including unique collectibles and limited-edition items made by program apprentices. 

 • Proceeds support Kitchens for Good’s culinary apprenticeship programs, which assist individuals overcoming barriers to employment, as well as initiatives focused on hunger relief and food waste reduction. 

 • • Donate kitchenware and home decor items on theme you no longer need to support this fine establishment's ongoing community programs.

• :Shoppers frequently praise the store's vast selection and reasonable prices. One customer noted, "The selection was vast. I think I circled the store 5 times. So much to see and so many amazing quality items." 

 • • And, the main reason for being included in this blog's weekly coffee coverage is the fact they have the town's biggest selection of used coffee cups. Where else are you going to find a Chico State Alum cup to match your collection? Eh? 

• Hours: Open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM • Contact: (858) 999-0125 

KITCHENS FOR GOOD PHOTO ESSAY

Culinary program graduation Day

FRIDAY FISTICUFFS / *WHY / HOW DO WIVES WIN EVERY ARGUMENT?

It’s not science. 

It’s not sorcery. 

It’s something far more powerful: marriage logic. 

Ask any seasoned husband and he’ll tell you the same thing—wives win every argument. Not because they shout louder, but because they’ve studied the subject. 

You were binge-watching baseball replays; she was silently majoring in Advanced Spousal Rhetoric. 

 First off, wives come prepared. 

A husband stumbles into a disagreement with all the swagger of a guy holding a TV remote. His rebuttal? A shrug and maybe a quote from a Clint Eastwood movie. 

Meanwhile, she’s bringing up evidence from 2008, cross-referenced with texts, tone of voice, and your facial expression during that trip to Monterey. 

 Wives also have timing down to a science. An argument will never occur when you're alert and full of protein. No, it’s usually at the end of a long day, right after you've just committed to watching a documentary on invasive jellyfish. 

 They also deploy silence like a Swiss Army knife. That long pause? That’s not surrender. That’s strategic airspace control. You fill it with noise. You confess things you weren’t even accused of. And let’s not ignore their closing technique. 

Wives don’t end arguments. They wrap them in dignity. “Let’s just agree to disagree,” she’ll say, which sounds reasonable—until you realize it means she’s giving you a generous moment to reflect on how wrong you are. 

 So yes, wives win every marital argument. Not because of brute force, but because they are better trained, better resourced, and always slightly ahead. 

 And if you're lucky, she'll still make you coffee in the morning. That’s not surrender either. That’s grace—the quiet kind that wins hearts after it's done winning the argument. 

* Why? Is a series exclusive to PillartoPost.org on why and how things are in the world we exist in.

THE FOODIST / NEW TACO SHERIFF IN TOWN

 

Famed Tacos El Franc Now in National City 

Tijuana's popular tacos have gone international.  Tacos El Franc, the famed Tijuana taquería long revered for its high-heat asada and high-stand salsas, has expanded by opening its first U.S. location inside Westfield Plaza Bonita in National City. 

Known for drawing daily crowds in TJ since 1974, El Franc isn’t trying to reinvent anything—just share its fire-kissed flavors stateside. The new spot is led by Roberto Kelly and Salvador Lombroso, who are determined to preserve the taquería’s soul: sizzling carne, tortillas flipped in rhythm, and a no-fuss menu served hot behind a steel counter. 

Think: tacos, adobada, charred edges, and a tang of lime. “We didn’t want to water it down,” says Kelly. “This is our pride, and we’re bringing it to the same people who cross the border for it every weekend.” 

Expect the same recipes that earned it praise from the Michelin Guide only now, it's a lot closer to home. 

📍 Tacos El Franc, Westfield Plaza Bonita 3030 Plaza Bonita Road, National City, CA 

🌐 tacoselfrancusa.com 

SPACE CADETS / PLANET EARTH'S RESUME

Photo taken aboard an Apollo mission orbit
around the moon in 1969.

GUEST BLOG / By 1440 Daily Digest Topics Team--The 4.5 billion-year-old Earth is the only known astronomical object to harbor life, giving rise to billions of species of stunning diversity, including ours, Homo sapiens. 

It has formed the backdrop of an estimated 110 billion human lives. At 13.1 septillion pounds and 25,000 miles in circumference, the third planet from the sun long formed the horizon of all human experience and knowledge. 

 Recent discoveries have revealed our home planet’s relative size and location in the universe: a pale blue dot within the Orion Spur, located 26,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, one of 100,000 galaxies within the Laniakea Supercluster. 

 Formation Early 

Earth is theorized to have formed alongside the other planets within a solar nebula, where a massive cloud of spinning, interstellar gas and dust contracted under its own gravity and flattened into a hot disk. The core of the disk became dense with lighter elements like hydrogen, eventually heating up and triggering nuclear fusion, forming the sun. 

Solar wind pushed lighter elements farther out into the system, while heavier metals like iron gathered into increasingly larger masses known as planetesimals in a process called accretion to form the Earth and other inner rocky planets. As the protoplanet grew, heat from the colliding material and radioactive decay differentiated Earth’s heavier iron-rich core from its lighter rocky mantle, giving rise to Earth’s magnetic field and long-term stability. 

Various models suggest Earth’s formation took tens of millions of years. 

 Two billion years later, Earth changed dramatically when cyanobacteria, a microbe, evolved to generate energy from sunlight (i.e., photosynthesis) and release oxygen as a byproduct into the atmosphere during the Great Oxidation Event. 

 Structure and Composition 

Earth is the densest planet in the solar system and the most massive of the four rocky terrestrials. Shaped into a sphere by gravity, Earth is flattened at its poles and bulges at its equator due to its roughly 1,000-mile-per-hour eastward spin (Jupiter spins 28 times faster). 

 By analyzing seismic waves, researchers theorize that a solid, 9,800-degree Fahrenheit inner core is surrounded by an outer core of liquid iron and nickel—common elements that consolidate into solids at high pressures. Above the core, a slow-moving rocky mantle moves the crust's tectonic plates, causing volcanoes and earthquakes. 

 Earth’s spin combines with the core’s electrical conductivity and extreme heat to produce a magnetic field that protects its surface from damaging solar winds, cosmic rays, and deep space radiation. This so-called geodynamo process is expected to last for billions of years. 

 Surface and Climate 

Situated within the solar system’s “Goldilocks zone,” Earth is the only planet with conditions able to sustain liquid surface water, key to the formation of life. 

Roughly 71% of its surface is water; the rest is land. An estimated 300 million planets in our galaxy are located in similar zones. 

 The Earth’s five-layer atmosphere traps solar energy and maintains an average global surface temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Roughly 21% is oxygen, crucial for respiration but highly flammable. Nitrogen (78%) dilutes the oxygen and prevents rapid combustion. Seasons result from the Earth’s 23.4-degree tilt in relation to the orbital plane. 

Ice ages last millions of years and result from shifting climatic conditions—like ocean currents and the position of tectonic plates—that drop average temperatures by double digits. 

 We live amid the fifth major ice age, though we are in the middle of a warmer interglacial period that began 11,000 years ago.  

THINK PIECE / WILL WE RUN OUT OF BREATHABLE AIR SOON?

THE MIRACLE OF A CONSTANT OXYGEN SUPPLY

Tourists to Stonehenge feeling the breeze 

By F. Stop Fitzgerald, PillartoPost.org Photo and Science Editor--It’s a question that floats in and out of our collective minds—especially when standing on a breezy coastal bluff, watching waves roll in under a crisp, oxygen-rich sky: Why doesn’t Earth ever run out of air? 

Why, despite our factories, traffic jams, and burning forests, can we still breathe? 

The short answer? Earth's atmosphere is a brilliantly balanced, self-renewing system—at least, so far. The breathable air we rely on—roughly 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and a dash of carbon dioxide and other gases—doesn’t sit still. It circulates constantly, stirred by winds, weather systems, and the rotation of the planet. 

But the deeper reason we don’t run out lies in Earth’s biosphere: the partnership between plants, oceans, and atmospheric chemistry. 

Photosynthesis 

Is the Planet’s Life Support Plants, algae, and oceanic phytoplankton continuously convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis. They act as Earth’s lungs, exhaling oxygen as a byproduct of capturing sunlight. While old-growth forests help, it’s the oceans—those vast blue mirrors you see from the coast—that do the heavy lifting. 

Around 50 to 80 percent of all atmospheric oxygen is generated by microscopic plankton drifting just below the surface. 

A Stable Mix Through Natural Feedback Earth's atmosphere has stayed remarkably stable for millions of years thanks to built-in feedback loops. 

Too much carbon dioxide? Photosynthetic life ramps up. 

Volcanic eruption? The ash and sulfur might temporarily cool the planet, but the atmosphere adjusts. 

The natural carbon and oxygen cycles, although delicate, are robust on a planetary scale. 

What About the Smog in Cities? 

Urban air pollution is real, but it's local. In cities, air becomes temporarily fouled due to vehicle emissions and industrial output, but prevailing winds and weather patterns usually disperse it. 

That’s why standing on a coastal cliff feels so different—there, the ocean acts not just as a source of oxygen, but also as a stabilizer and purifier. 

The scale and motion of the atmosphere smooth out much of the damage we do, at least for now. 

Still, This Balance Isn’t Guaranteed Forever Earth’s atmosphere is vast, but not infinite. 

Human activity—especially deforestation, fossil fuel burning, and unchecked carbon emissions—is testing the limits of this balance. 

Climate change, acidifying oceans, and mass species die-offs are warning signs. We haven’t run out of air—but we’re learning that even resilient systems can be pushed too far. For now, when you stand on that cliff, take a deep breath. You're inhaling part of a miracle—a living, circulating sky that’s been running the same oxygen relay for over two billion years. 

*Why?  Is a series exclusive to PillartoPost.org online magazine style blog.

MONDAY SALUTE / ULTIMATE THANKS

 

SUNDAY REVIEW / AXIOS EXCELLENT COVERAGE OF BROADWAY'S LIVE SPILL OVER INTO LIVE TV

Broadway's TV revival 

GUEST BLOG / By Axios reporters Kerry Flynn, Sara Fischer with illustration: Allie Carl/Axios-- Broadway shows are getting newfound attention from TV networks and streamers looking to tap into the theater industry's post-pandemic boom. 

Why it matters: "In this era of AI, there's still nothing like a live show to bring people together because it is live and you know it is real," said Eric Kuhn, a Broadway investor and three-time Tony Award-winning producer. • "People are dying for community, to be together, and to tap into that energy where you know what you're seeing is real because it's happening on stage in real-time," said Kuhn, who is also co-founder and co-CEO of Folk Media Group, a creative studio and private investment firm. 

Driving the news: CNN will air a live telecast of George Clooney's "Good Night, and Good Luck" next month and mark a historic Broadway first of a live play being televised, the company said last week. • "Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone," Clooney said in a statement. The big picture: Streamers and TV networks have aired Broadway shows to tap into their cultural relevance and reach new audiences. 

• Disney will release a recorded version of "Frozen" from its West End run on Disney+ on June 20. Back in 2020, Disney brought "Hamilton" to Disney+. • PBS is now airing its eighth annual "Broadway's Best" lineup for the PBS series, Great Performances, including "Next to Normal, "Yellow Face," "Girl from the North Country" and "Kiss Me, Kate." 

• Max began streaming a filmed version of "Waitress: The Musical," starring Sara Bareilles, earlier this year. Max also offers "Alex Edelman: Just for Us," a recording from the 2023 Broadway run, after it aired on HBO. 

• NBC has hosted its own live productions of musicals, including "Hairspray" in 2016, "Jesus Christ Superstar" in 2018 and "Annie" in 2021. 

• Fox aired its own live version of "Rent" in 2019. 

Between the lines: Streamers and live productions are converging as content owners see value in expanding reach from stages to screens and vice versa. 

• Netflix released a stage adaption of "Stranger Things." Written as a prequel to its hit series, "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" debuted on the West End in 2023 and came to Broadway this year. 

• Disney has long brought its movies to stages. "Aladdin" celebrated its 4,000th performance on Broadway last weekend. "Hercules" starts on the West End next month. "Beauty and the Beast" begins a North American Tour this summer. • Warner Bros. produced a musical version of "Beetlejuice." 

• NBCUniversal's "Wicked" adaptation renewed interest in the stage productions, securing the highest-grossing week in Broadway history last December at $5 million. Yes, but: Adaptations may not always be big financial wins on their own but for streamers with big pockets, like Netflix, they can boost broader marketing or talent promotion efforts. 

• Netflix produced the limited Broadway run of "Patriots" by Peter Morgan, the creator and writer of its series "The Crown." Morgan reportedly is working on a film adaptation. • Netflix's "Stranger Things" Broadway adaptation grossed about $880,000 in the week ending May 11. It's unclear how much Netflix is spending to run the show, but for major productions like "Wicked," fixed costs typically run anywhere from $650,000 to $800,000 weekly. By the numbers: Broadway recently returned to its pre-pandemic heights, per the New York Times. 

• The current theater season has already grossed $1.801 billion, surpassing the $1.793 billion brought in by this point in the record-setting 2018–19 season, according to data from The Broadway League. But profitability remains a concern as production costs rise. Zoom out: Old fears that putting shows on streaming would cannibalize ticket sales are starting to subside. Sports, concerts and Broadway have benefitted from making their content more widely available. 

• "The previous thinking was, if you stream things, no one will come to the theater," said Alex Levy, four-time Tony-winning producer. "Broadway is now starting to realize that streaming shows actually builds interest in the live experience, it doesn't detract from it." What to watch: Broadway has long been supported by individuals interested in supporting the arts. Many shows hardly break even. 

• "The big question is, what role can streaming play in improving the economics of Broadway?" Levy asked. 

COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / COFFEE WITH CRANKSHAFT

AND, DON'T MISS...

TOMORROW IS VISTA'S ANNUAL
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL. FREE

FRIDAY NOT SO FUNNIES / DEM BOTHERSOME FACTS

Illustration Pedro Molina 

THE FOODIST / TASTY ITALIAN DISHES THAT AREN'T SO ITALIAN

PillartoPost.org image by F. Stop Fitzgerald

Italians have given the world culinary masterpieces—pasta, espresso, risotto, gelato. But somewhere between Ellis Island and the Olive Garden, a few dishes were Americanized, reinvented, or flat-out invented. 

They're still tasty, but don't go looking for them in Rome unless you're packing your own grated cheese. 

Here are ten delicious dishes many diners assume are pure Italian—but Mama Mia, they’re not. 

 1. Spaghetti and Meatballs A red-sauce staple from Hoboken to Hollywood. In Italy, polpette (meatballs) are served solo, as a second course—never over a mountain of pasta. 

2. Fettuccine Alfredo Creamy, buttery, and beloved—especially on U.S. menus. But in Italy, fettuccine al burro is far more restrained: just butter and Parmigiano, no cream in sight. 

3. Chicken (or Veal) Parmesan Pounded, breaded cutlets drenched in marinara and melted mozzarella? A crowd-pleaser here, but a stranger to Italian kitchens. Italy reserves Parmigiana for eggplant—and keeps the sauce subtle. 

4. Garlic Bread Americans think garlic bread is an essential side. Italians think it’s bruschetta—toasted bread with olive oil and maybe a rub of garlic. Butter? Not invited. 

5. Pepperoni Pizza Order pepperoni in Naples, and you’ll get bell peppers. The spicy salami-topped pizza we know and love is an American evolution. In Italy, ask for diavola if you want heat. 

6. Italian Dressing Those herb-flecked bottles in American fridges are more Midwest than Milan. Real Italian salads are dressed simply—olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt. That’s it. 

7. Shrimp Scampi In Italy, scampi refers to langoustines, not shrimp—and they’re usually grilled. The buttery shrimp-pasta combo found in U.S. seafood joints is a Yankee remix. 

8. Baked Ziti Ziti baked with sauce, ricotta, and gobs of cheese—perfect for potlucks and Sunday feasts. But it’s more Staten Island than Sicily. Italy’s pasta al forno is similar, but never quite so gooey. 

9. Mozzarella Sticks No one’s denying the glory of fried cheese. But these crunchy logs dipped in marinara are pure Americana. Italy prefers its mozzarella fresh—on a plate, not a fryer basket. 

10. Tiramisu (with extras) Yes, tiramisu is Italian—technically. But whipped cream, liquor, and chocolate drizzle? Those are American add-ons. The original is elegant and restrained: mascarpone, espresso-soaked ladyfingers, and a dusting of cocoa. 

 Just because they aren't authentically Italian doesn't mean they aren't worthy of your fork. These dishes are part of the Italian-American culinary story—a love letter written in tomato sauce, garlic, and melted cheese. And that, my friend, is worth a second helping. Buon appetito—wherever the recipe came from. 

ART DECO CENTURY / THINK ZINC PARIS CAFE DESIGN

 

Le Petit Zinc didn’t rise out of a branding meeting. It wasn’t built to “evoke” anything. It simply was—a working café with a flair for beauty, opened in 1924 and quietly adorned with the rich, curving lines of Art Nouveau just as the world was beginning to turn sharp and modern. 

Its name, a nod to the classic zinc countertops of early 20th-century cafés, caught on quickly. 

Originally operating on Rue de Buci, the establishment moved to 11 rue Saint-Benoît in the early ’90s, occupying the former space of L’Assiette au Beurre. But it brought its soul with it—carved panels, swirling ironwork, mirrored reflections—all the hallmarks of a time when decorative arts weren’t an afterthought. 

If anything, they were the draw. During the Nazi occupation of Paris, many Parisian cafés lost their zinc bars—melted down for the German war machine. Some cafés didn’t reopen. 

Others reemerged stripped of their original identity. But Le Petit Zinc held on. Through blackout curtains and rationed sugar, the café stayed open, feeding quiet resistance with coffee and stolen time. 

There’s no plaque for it, no grand story—just regulars who never stopped coming and staff who refused to give up a good room with a view. 

 Now beyond its centennial, Le Petit Zinc endures as more than a Paris landmark. It’s a working monument to design with purpose, elegance in the everyday. Come for the espresso, stay for the tilework, and leave with the certainty that beauty—when it has grit behind it—can outlast wars, fashion, and even clichés from writers zapped on espressos. 

LOCAL / NORTH PARK/ BURLINGAME GARDEN TOUR

 San Diego Floral Association Garden Tour set for May 31. Explore private gardens in North Park’s Bird Park and Burlingame neighborhoods during the “Urban Havens” tour, hosted by the San Diego Floral Association. The self-guided tour runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $30 online through May 30, or $35 day-of at Grape Street Square, where the tour begins. Info & tickets: sandiegofloral.org/garden-tour 

THINK PIECE / HOW DO BRAINS CREATE NEW MEMORIES?

 

UC San Diego Neuroscientists discover ‘rules’ for how neurons encode new information 

 Previously published in Science Magazine and TheConversation.com 

By William Wright Postdoctoral Scholar in Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego and Takaki Komiyama Professor of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego  

Every day, people are constantly learning and forming new memories. When you pick up a new hobby, try a recipe a friend recommended or read the latest world news, your brain stores many of these memories for years or decades. 

 But how does your brain achieve this incredible feat? 

In our newly published research in the journal Science, we have identified some of the “rules” the brain uses to learn. 

 Learning in the brain 

The human brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called Neurons. These neurons conduct electrical pulses that carry information, much like how computers use binary code to carry data. These electrical pulses are communicated with other neurons through connections between them called synapses. 

Individual neurons have branching extensions known as dendrites that can receive thousands of electrical inputs from other cells. 

Dendrites transmit these inputs to the main body of the neuron, where it then integrates all these signals to generate its own electrical pulses. 

 It is the collective activity of these electrical pulses across specific groups of neurons that form the representations of different information and experiences within the brain. 

 

Neurons are the basic units of the brain. 

For decades, neuroscientists have thought that the brain learns by changing how neurons are connected to one another. As new information and experiences alter how neurons communicate with each other and change their collective activity patterns, some synaptic connections are made stronger while others are made weaker. 

This process of synaptic plasticity is what produces representations of new information and experiences within your brain. 

 In order for your brain to produce the correct representations during learning, however, the right synaptic connections must undergo the right changes at the right time. 

The “rules” that your brain uses to select which synapses to change during learning – what neuroscientists call the credit assignment problem – have remained largely unclear. 

 Defining the rules We decided to monitor the activity of individual synaptic connections within the brain during learning to see whether we could identify activity patterns that determine which connections would get stronger or weaker. 

 To do this, we genetically encoded biosensors in the neurons of mice that would light up in response to synaptic and neural activity. We monitored this activity in real time as the mice learned a task that involved pressing a lever to a certain position after a sound cue in order to receive water. 

 We were surprised to find that the synapses on a neuron don’t all follow the same rule. 

For example, scientists have often thought that neurons follow what are called Hebbian rules, where neurons that consistently fire together, wire together. 

Instead, we saw that synapses on different locations of dendrites of the same neuron followed different rules to determine whether connections got stronger or weaker. 

Some synapses adhered to the traditional Hebbian rule where neurons that consistently fire together strengthen their connections. 

Other synapses did something different and completely independent of the neuron’s activity. 

 Our findings suggest that neurons, by simultaneously using two different sets of rules for learning across different groups of synapses, rather than a single uniform rule, can more precisely tune the different types of inputs they receive to appropriately represent new information in the brain. 

 In other words, by following different rules in the process of learning, neurons can multitask and perform multiple functions in parallel. 

 Future applications 

This discovery provides a clearer understanding of how the connections between neurons change during learning. 

Given that most brain disorders, including degenerative and psychiatric conditions, involve some form of malfunctioning synapses, this has potentially important implications for human health and society. 

 For example, depression may develop from an excessive weakening of the synaptic connections within certain areas of the brain that make it harder to experience pleasure. 

By understanding how synaptic plasticity normally operates, scientists may be able to better understand what goes wrong in depression and then develop therapies to more effectively treat it. 

These findings may also have implications for artificial intelligence. 

The artificial neural networks underlying AI have largely been inspired by how the brain works. However, the learning rules researchers use to update the connections within the networks and train the models are usually uniform and also not biologically plausible. 

Our research may provide insights into how to develop more biologically realistic AI models that are more efficient, have better performance, or both. 

 There is still a long way to go before we can use this information to develop new therapies for human brain disorders. 

While we found that synaptic connections on different groups of dendrites use different learning rules, we don’t know exactly why or how. 

In addition, while the ability of neurons to simultaneously use multiple learning methods increases their capacity to encode information, what other properties this may give them isn’t yet clear. 

 Future research will hopefully answer these questions and further our understanding of how the brain learns.

ICE TEE CONTEST AT VISTA'S STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

SAVE THE DATE

The annual Vista Strawberry Festival returns Saturday, May 25, celebrating the city's berry-rich past with pie eating, ice cream sundae races, beer stein holds, and a 5K Strawberry Run. Hosted by the Vista Chamber of Commerce, the festival features 450+ vendors, live music on four stages, and plenty of strawberry-themed eats and drinks. Contests include a Little Miss Strawberry Shortcake pageant, a costume contest, and messy fun like the Frozen T-Shirt and Whole Pie Eating competitions. 

The free Strawberry Film Festival screens at 9 and 11 a.m. at The Film Hub. 

The event runs 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Vista, with the carnival continuing late into the night at Vista Magnet Middle School. Free shuttle service starts at 6:30 a.m. from Vista Courthouse and other nearby lots. Admission is free. Carnival tickets: $2–$45. Full schedule and registration info: www.vistastrawberryfest.com Festival kicks off Friday with carnival rides. 

COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS /TARIFFS COULD ADD 75 CENTS TO A $3 CUP OF COFFEE

This month's staff favorite: Classic architectural readaption of existing structure: Starbuck's, Dupont Circle, Washington DC.

GUEST BLOG / PillartoPost.org/ChatGPT4o--The recent implementation of tariffs under President Trump's administration is poised to significantly impact the cost of a single cup of coffee in the United States. These tariffs, part of a broader trade policy shift, introduce new financial pressures across the coffee supply chain, from importers to consumers. 

 ☕ The Tariff Breakdown As of April 2025, the U.S. has imposed a 10% base tariff on coffee imports, with higher rates for specific countries:

 • Vietnam: 46% 

• Indonesia: 32% 

• India: 26% 

• China: 54% (primarily affecting packaging materials). 

These tariffs are particularly impactful given that the U.S. imports approximately 99% of its coffee, with major suppliers including Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam, and Indonesia .

 💸 From Bean to Brew: Cost Implications The added tariffs increase the cost of imported coffee beans, which, in turn, affects the retail price of coffee beverages. For instance, a coffee shop owner in Westminster, Colorado, anticipates a 25% increase in costs, translating to an additional 75 cents on a $3 cup of coffee. 

Similarly, in Colorado Springs, coffee businesses are raising prices by approximately 11% to offset the increased costs associated with the tariffs .

 🌍 Global Factors: Amplify the Impact Beyond tariffs, global issues such as climate change are exacerbating coffee price increases. Droughts in key coffee-producing countries like Brazil and Vietnam have led to reduced output, further driving up prices 

📈 Consumer Price Projections: The combination of tariffs and global supply challenges suggests that consumers can expect to pay more for their daily coffee. Estimates indicate that the price of coffee from Brazil could rise from $8.30 to $9.13 per pound due to the 10% tariff  

🛍️ Broader Economic Implications: These tariffs are not limited to coffee alone; they are part of a wider trade policy affecting various imported goods. The increased costs may lead to reduced product variety and higher prices across multiple sectors.

 🏁 Final Sip: In summary, the newly imposed tariffs are set to increase the cost of coffee in the U.S., affecting both businesses and consumers. As the situation evolves, it remains to be seen how the industry and consumers will adapt to these changes. Stay tuned.

FREEZE YOUR ASS FRIDAY / GOOD DAY, BAD DAY ATOP EVEREST

WHAT IT’S LIKE ATOP EVEREST ON A NICE DAY 

A feeling like no other.   

A clear day at the summit of Mount Everest is rare, but unforgettable. Above 29,000 feet, the so-called “Death Zone” becomes, for a fleeting window, almost serene. The sky turns a darker shade of blue than most have ever seen. Winds drop to a manageable hum. Oxygen tanks hiss steadily as climbers take in views stretching into Tibet and Nepal.   

On such days, you can see the shadow of Everest cast onto the Himalayas, a giant’s silhouette at dawn. Communication is clear, radios crackle with cheerful updates, and those few who reach the summit can afford a moment’s pause—for photos, flags, and stunned silence.   

The cold never leaves—temperatures hover around -10°F even on a “warm” day—but without gale-force winds, frostbite risk diminishes. The snow underfoot remains firm, the horizon endless. Helicopters are rare but possible for rescues or filming. 

And for those lucky climbers with the weather gods on their side, there’s the unshakable knowledge they’ve stood on top of the world in rare peace. 

WHEN EVEREST TURNS VICIOUS 

Same peak, different beast   

A storm atop Everest is brutal and unforgiving. 

Visibility drops to inches. 

Winds howl past 70 mph, slashing exposed skin and knocking climbers off balance. 

Temperatures plummet to -40°F or worse, freezing fingers, lungs, and resolve.   

Tents shred. 

Communication fails. 

Oxygen tanks ice over. 

Ice screws pop loose. 

Navigation becomes guesswork, and descents are blind survival plays. 

Avalanche risks spike, and frostbite sets in within minutes. 

Helicopters won’t fly in these conditions.   

The same summit that once offered awe now becomes a trap. 

On bad days, Everest doesn’t care who you are. It just wants you off the mountain—or not at all. 

A DIME OF NOIR BARS IN CALIFORNIA THAT STILL POUR IT RIGHT

GUEST BLOG / Holden DeMayo, PillartoPost.org Food & Booze Editor--California has always been a playground for the noir imagination. From San Francisco’s fog-choked alleys to Hollywood’s gilded shadows, there’s no better setting for danger and double-crosses. 

The right bar can feel like a Raymond Chandler paragraph—dark, bitter, with a twist. Here are nine joints where dames drink dry martinis, cops nurse regrets, and every barkeep looks like they’ve heard too much. 

These bars aren’t theme parks—they’re time machines. Pull up a stool, order something bitter, and watch the shadows crawl. Just remember: in these joints, everybody’s got a past. 

 1. John’s Grill — San Francisco Best Drink: Manhattan, stiff and sincere Why It’s Noir: The Maltese Falcon’s Sam Spade ate chops here. Still does if you squint. Dark wood, history, and a menu right out of 1930. Dashiell Hammett made this his watering hole. 

2. Musso & Frank Grill — Hollywood Best Drink: Classic dry martini, stirred with respect Why It’s Noir: It is noir. Bogart, Chandler, Faulkner, Fitzgerald. Red booths, waiters in tuxedos, a bar that hasn’t blinked since 1919. You can practically hear the Remingtons clacking in the back. 

 3. The Tower Bar — Sunset Strip, L.A. Best Drink: Negroni, bitter as a good backstory Why It’s Noir: Sunset Tower Hotel housed mobsters and movie stars alike. Now it’s hush-hush meetings in velvet booths overlooking the Strip. Trouble comes dressed in satin. 

 4. Vesuvio Café — San Francisco Best Drink: Bohemian Coffee (brandy-laced rebellion) Why It’s Noir: Across from City Lights Books, Kerouac drank here. Neon glows, sawdust floors, and Beat ghosts still mumble poetry in the corners. 

 

5. Bourbon & Branch — Left: San Francisco Best Drink: Old Cuban (dark rum, mint, champagne) Why It’s Noir: A speakeasy hidden behind a false bookshelf. Passwords, trap doors, and whispers. Feels like you’re five minutes from a deal going bad. Chandler would’ve approved. 

6. Dobson’s — San Diego Best Drink: Mussel Bisque Martini (yes, really) Why It’s Noir: Built into the historic Spreckels Building with a secret passage to the theater. It’s where city hall types, journalists, and faded cops tell stories they can’t print. Dim booths, tall ceilings, and old ghosts. 

 7. House of Shields — San Francisco Why It’s Noir: Since 1908, it’s stood without a clock, because time forgets itself here. Dark mahogany, marble, and myth. Cops drank downstairs, politicians upstairs, and nobody asked questions. The chandeliers still flicker like secrets. Best Drink: Rye Old-Fashioned, neat with a glare 

 8. Tosca Café — North Beach, SF Best Drink: House cappuccino with a surprise (hint: brandy) Why It’s Noir: Red booths, jukebox arias, and a back room once used by opera-loving wiseguys. In the '50s, this was the unofficial HQ for cops, poets, and cons. Tosca keeps its secrets well. 

 9. Tom Bergin’s — Los Angeles Best Drink: Irish Coffee (served since the 1930s) Why It’s Noir: This old Irish pub predates noir itself. Horseshoe bar, shadowy regulars, and enough shamrocks with faded names to raise the dead. You come here to remember—or forget. 

 

10. Lobby Bar, Westgate Hotel — Above; San Diego Best Drink: French 75 in crystal stemware Why It’s Noir: The closest thing this side of the Atlantic to Harry’s Bar at the Ritz. Mirrors, chandeliers, and an atmosphere so lush even your alibi would crack. Best place in town to dress up and vanish. 

ART DECO CENTURY / THE TREE THAT ESCAPED THE CROWDED FOREST REAWAKENS

In a compelling twist of architectural fate, Frank Lloyd Wright’s only realized skyscraper—the iconic Price Tower (left) in Bartlesville, Oklahoma—has found new life under the stewardship of the Snyder family, renowned for their restoration of Tulsa’s historic Mayo Hotel.

The 19-story Art Deco-ish, Wright-ish tower, completed in 1956 and often dubbed “the tree that escaped the crowded forest,” was acquired on May 5, 2025, by McFarlin Building LLC for $1.4 million. 

This acquisition followed a tumultuous period marked by financial mismanagement, bankruptcy, and the controversial sale of protected artifacts. 

The previous owners, Copper Tree Inc. and Green Copper Holdings, had purchased the tower in 2023 for a nominal $10 but failed to fulfill their $10 million restoration commitment, leading to the building's closure and mounting debts exceeding $2 million 

The Snyder family, led by John Snyder and his daughter Macy Snyder-Amatucci, (pictured above in the lobby of the Price Tower) brings a proven track record in historic preservation. Their revitalization of the Mayo Hotel transformed a decaying Art Deco landmark into a vibrant boutique hotel and event space, catalyzing downtown Tulsa's resurgence. 

Their plans for Price Tower are equally ambitious, envisioning a $10 million investment to restore the building's structural integrity and revive its mixed-use functionality, including a boutique hotel, residences, and public cultural spaces 

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, which holds a preservation easement on Price Tower, has expressed optimism about the Snyder family's acquisition. The Conservancy is actively collaborating with the new owners to ensure the restoration respects Wright's original design and the building's historical significance 

 As the Snyder family embarks on this restoration journey, Price Tower stands poised to reclaim its status as a beacon of architectural innovation and cultural vitality on the Oklahoma prairie.

Sources: .Architect Magazine+10Designboom+10Artnet News+10Architectural Digest; Facebook+3Architectural Digest+3Designboom+3CoStar+1m.bartlesvilleradio.com+1;  Architect Magazine+10Architectural Digest+10Designboom+10News On 6+5Architectural Digest+5Wikipedia+5 and Wikipedia+6Designboom+6Designboom+6 

AMERICANA / OUTSIDE TRUMP'S NEWEST GULAG

GULAG TRUMP

Image by Tim Clary, AFP via  Getty Images 

THE CONTINUING COLLAPSE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark speaks to the press near ICE agents (wearing masks of shame) at a demonstration outside an immigrant detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The Mayor arrived at the gates of Delaney Hall to inspect the previously vacant prison that is being converted into an immigrant detention center. Delaney Hall has the ability to hold over a 1000 people, and the detention facility, privately owned by The GEO Group, holds a contract with the federal government to house people arrested by ICE. 

MEDIA MONDAY / INSIDE GULAG TRUMP

Image via PillartoPost.org from Internet

A PillartoPost.org researcher ran across the following post, an amazing effort by USA Today about a Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova, who has been in ICE detention for three months. She is one of a growing number of non-criminal immigrants caught up and detained in...JUST ONE OF TRUMP'S GULAGS 

 GUEST BLOG / By Lauren Villagran--USA Today Reporter--Every night at midnight, Will Trim sits down to the piano in his Boston apartment and waits for lights out in the Louisiana ICE detention center where his best friend is being held. 

His cellphone rings. 

On the other end, Kseniia Petrova is silent. She leans against a brick wall in a freezing ward with 101 other women, cradling one of six working phones to her ear. She listens. Trim plays Bach or Chopin to calm her until the jail line clicks off at the 15-minute mark and she – a shy, 30-year-old Harvard scientist with no history of immigration violations or criminality – retreats to the bunk where she has slept for nearly three months in immigration detention. 

"I know he is very worried about me," Petrova told USA TODAY, using one of the phones. 

"Maybe I should be tougher," said Trim, a biologist, who works in a Harvard Medical School lab with Petrova, his colleague and roommate. "But even after three months, the music doesn’t sing anymore unless she calls and wants to hear it." 

Across the country, President Donald Trump's deportation campaign is ensnaring people of all sorts – not only immigrants with criminal backgrounds, as promised during the presidential campaign. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained international students, immigrants with valid green cards, immigrants with legal work permits; tourists, U.S. citizen children, and, in Petrova's case, top-tier scholars who work legally in the nation's prestigious research labs. 

A court hearing May 14 could decide her fate. 

Trim and Petrova met in the Harvard Medical School lab in Boston where they worked together on cutting-edge research on aging and longevity. In photos, he is blond and slender; she has shoulder-length black hair and a round face. He was a British post-doctoral student looking for a place to continue his research. 

Petrova, a computational scientist, arrived after fleeing Russia. She had been working for the Genome Russia project, mapping the genetic variation of humankind, until she ran afoul of Vladimir Putin's government for protesting Russia's war on Ukraine. 

"She didn’t compromise," Trim said, with awe. "She stood up for what she believed in." 

In mid-February, Petrova was returning to Boston from France when U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped her at baggage claim. She had gone to Paris to visit friends and see the concert of a Hungarian pianist she adored. Before she departed, she stopped by a sister laboratory to pick up a package of non-hazardous biological samples to bring back to Harvard, at the request of her boss. 

The last time they tried to ship the samples they went bad before arriving. Customs officers alleged Petrova didn't properly declare the samples, which included "loose vials of frog cells... without proper permits," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. "She knowingly broke the law and took deliberate steps to evade it," according to the statement, which criticized media coverage of "noteworthy individuals," including Petrova. 

The customs officers could have withheld the samples and issued a fine, her attorney said; instead, they canceled her J-1 scholar visa and detained her. She was turned over to ICE, sent to a processing center in Vermont and then transferred to the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana. 

Harvard scientist Kensiia Petrova in happier times.

And Petrova and Trim, like many others, began to learn the sometimes cruel idiosyncrasies of the U.S. immigration system. How foreigners can be held without charge. How immigration detention isn't supposed to be punishing, even though detention centers look, feel and often were, in the past, prisons. 

 Trim has made the trek from Boston to Monroe – population 46,616 – three times, with a fourth visit planned. Each time, guards shepherd him to a prison wing beyond a double-barbed wire fence, to a room where Petrova waits. They are allowed a quick embrace at the beginning of their two-hour allotment. They sit at the short ends of a long table. They are allowed another quick hug at the end. The first time he asked, "Are you okay?" 

"The guard sat at a table right behind her," Trim said. "I don’t know if he was taking notes. She was in a jumpsuit, a green prison outfit which was kind of sad, especially for someone who has done nothing wrong. She was reserved about what to say." "I miss everything," Petrova told USA TODAY. "To work, to read articles, to discuss with my colleagues, to make experiments, to do science." 

Trim sends her books direct from Amazon, per detention center rules. Petrova is reading his latest gift: Transformer, by Nick Lane, a book on biochemistry whose central question is: "What brings the Earth to life, and our own lives to an end?" Petrova looks less well each time he sees her, Trim said, by scientific observation. 

"My masters degree is in nutritional biochemistry," he said. "I noticed very specific things in her eyes, hair and skin and fingernails. He sends her money for commissary. "She buys multivitamins but it’s not doing enough." 

They both miss the freedoms they took for granted. Chatting about the day's research on the six-minute walk from their apartment near Fenway Park to the Harvard lab. 

Boldly trying new recipes for dinner though neither knows how to cook. Sitting on the floor listening to classical music every night. "I’m not sure why we sat on the floor," Trim said, laughing. Petrova would invariably ask if he'd like some "Russian" tea, maybe while he played the piano? 

He'd jokingly remind her the tea package was labeled "London." He'd sit down to the piano. "I like listening to his playing very much," Petrova said. "I would even prefer to listening to some professional. The music isn’t about technique; it’s about feelings." 

"She was always shy about asking me to play," he said. "I'm not very good but she genuinely liked hearing it. It’s all those little things. We would cook, have tea, play music and talk. And then in the morning we’d start again." On weekends, she made cappuccinos. "She has a way to use a French press to froth milk," Trim said. "It's stupid, but I watched a video on YouTube," she said, giggling. "Don't tell him." 

Most nights now, Trim can't stand to be in the apartment alone, so he walks the streets of Boston until late. Until the clock nears midnight by him, 11 p.m. and lights out by her. 

He plays the piano. 

She listens. 

Eventually, an automated voice from the Gulag, interrupts the phone call: "You have one minute remaining on this call." 

He plays a few measures more. 

The line clicks off. 

###

PillartoPost believes the article you just read is deserving of a Pulitzer Prize.

SUNDAY REVIEW / A POEM FROM THE MIDDLE AGES

By Ibn al-Farid from his work "The Khamriyyah." 

 Translated from the Arabic by Leonard Chalmers-Hunt. 

 i There is a vineyard planted by the Lord, ’Tis nigh to all who dwell in sweet accord— Who drink the Cup of Blessings manifold, The Living Wine by Prophecy foretold. 

 ii A Parable of Life doth crown the Vine, Each purple cluster forms a mystic sign, The Passion-flower doth yield in that fair Land Blossoms of comfort for the Pilgrim band. 

 iii As when the ruby in the Crystal Cup Glows with encrimson’d light when lifted up While th’ attendant with obsequious hand, Pours out a measure at the guest’s command. 

 iv So doth the sun that bathes the world in light Shed paler glory on the moon at night. Whose crescent is the symbol of man’s birth, Whose Fulness marks his Zenith on the earth. 

 v Imperial knowledge shines with visions bright When it is worship of the Infinite, Like water mix’d with wine, some understand And reach like children for their Father’s hand. 

 vi Like an Oasis in far desert land, Its Tavern by spice-laden breezes fann’d, That guide the grateful trav’ller when astray, As they have guided me, tho’ far away. 

vii Or, when grey shadows of Night’s Last Watch fly Ere Dawn’s pale flush illumes the Orient sky, So doth heart feel, and fervent impulse glow, With loveliest imagery that thought can know. 

 viii For in that hallow’d Vintage lies the sense! That brings the wayfarer his recompense, No vain imaginings could e’er have found, The Source that giveth Light to all around. 

 ix E’en as the essence of the Lotus-flower That philters thro’ the gardens hour by hour In ancient Egypt—Lo! it’s quick’ning breath Makes wise the meek, and triumphs over Death. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Ibn al-Fāriḍ (1181–1235) was a celebrated Arab poet and mystic, widely regarded as one of the greatest Sufi poets in Islamic literature. Born in Cairo, Egypt, his most famous works include the "Wine Ode" (Khamriyya) and "The Poem of the Sufi Way" (Nazm al-Sulūk), which explore themes of divine love, spiritual intoxication, and union with God. Ibn al-Fāriḍ’s poetry is known for its emotional intensity, rich symbolism, and metaphysical depth, making him a cornerstone of classical Arabic poetry and mystical literature to this day.  

AMERICANA / GEEZ, WE THOUGHT THE MALIBU FIRES WERE BAD

Illustration Michael Ramirez, Las Vegas Review-Journal

WHY HIGHER TARIFFS ARE BAD FOR HOLLYWOOD-CENTRIC FILMMAKING

1. Increased Production Costs Tariffs on imported film equipment, costumes, set materials, or post-production tech (especially VFX software/hardware from abroad) can inflate budgets—particularly for mid-tier or indie productions already walking a tightrope. 

2. Disruption of Global Supply Chains Hollywood’s moviemaking machine is global. Camera gear from Germany, lighting from China, props from Mexico, animation work outsourced to Canada or India—tariffs choke the arteries of that system, slowing projects and raising costs. 

3. Foreign Retaliation = Lost Markets If the U.S. imposes tariffs, other countries often retaliate. That means foreign governments may restrict or tax American films, cutting into box office revenue abroad—especially in massive markets like China, Brazil, or the EU. 

4. Less Diversity in Storytelling Global co-productions thrive on free trade. Tariffs discourage partnerships with foreign studios and talent. That can limit the range of authentic international stories told through a Hollywood lens and reduce creative richness. 

5. Harm to Indie Filmmakers and Smaller Studios The big studios may absorb cost increases. But independents relying on tight budgets and international gear rentals or FX services could be priced out of completing or even starting their films. 

6. Reduced Export Competitiveness If U.S. films are more expensive to produce and face tariffs abroad, they become less competitive versus cheaper, local content. That can open the door for other countries’ film industries to eat into Hollywood’s dominance. 

7. Undermines Streaming Globalization Streamers like Netflix, Apple TV, and Amazon rely on Hollywood’s global appeal. Tariffs disrupt not just movie production but the distribution and delivery pipeline, weakening the streaming economy’s international reach. 

8. Job Loss in Domestic Post-Production and FX If costs rise too much domestically due to retaliatory tariffs or pricing wars, foreign studios may bypass Hollywood altogether. Jobs in California and New York post-production houses could dry up. 

9. Reduces Innovation and Tech Exchange Tariffs slow down the import of cutting-edge filmmaking tech—whether it's drones, cameras, or motion-capture rigs. Hollywood thrives on pushing the envelope, and tariffs dull its sharpest tools. 

10. Cinema Is (and Should Be) Borderless At its core, Hollywood filmmaking is a global art form. Tariffs reintroduce artificial barriers in a medium that depends on creative fluidity, international markets, and cultural cross-pollination.

 

COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / WHY ARE THE MUSES UP SO DAMN EARLY?

 

EARLY RISERS, INDEED

The Muses are nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (the goddess of memory) in Greek mythology, each presiding over a different art or science: from epic poetry and history to music and dance. They were said to inspire artists, poets, and thinkers, whispering ideas and verse into mortal ears.

Writers have long clung to the notion of “a Muse” because it captures the elusive magic of creativity—the sudden spark at dawn, the phrase that writes itself, the plot twist that arrives unbidden. In truth, the Muse is less a divine being and more a metaphor for discipline, curiosity, and early-morning clarity.

So why are they up so early? Maybe because inspiration keeps the same hours as bakers and baristas. Before the day crowds in, before doubt and noise, that’s when the Muse slips through.

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY / EFT PRIMER FOR TAPPING AWAY STRESS

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping: A Beginner’s Primer 

Imagine easing anxiety or stress by gently tapping your fingertips on your forehead or chest. It may sound unusual, but this practice – known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or tapping – has been gaining attention in wellness circles. EFT tapping is a mind-body method that involves tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on an emotional issue. Advocates say it can help calm the mind and even alleviate physical tension in minutes. Here’s a journalistic-style primer to introduce you to EFT, its origins, how it works, and how you can try it yourself. 

What Is EFT Tapping and Where Did It Come From? 

EFT tapping is often described as a form of “psychological acupressure” that aims to reduce stress and emotional pain (medicalnewstoday.com). In practice, a person taps on a sequence of points on the face and upper body – similar to acupuncture points – while acknowledging an issue they'd like to resolve (medicalnewstoday.com healthy.kaiserpermanente.org). 

The technique was first introduced in the early 1990s by Gary Craig, a Stanford-trained engineer and personal coach, who built on the work of psychologist Dr. Roger Callahan (webmd.com) . 

Callahan had developed a precursor called Thought Field Therapy in the 1980s to help patients overcome phobias by tapping on meridian points (webmd.com). Craig simplified those methods into a uniform tapping routine that anyone could learn, coining it “Emotional Freedom Techniques” and making it widely available as a self-help practice (webmd.com). 

Today EFT is simply known as tapping for its distinctive tapping process, and it’s used by people around the world to manage stress, fear, cravings, and more. 

Gary Craig founder of EFT taps on specific acupressure points (mainly on the face, head, and torso) while focusing on an emotional issue or stressor. 

How Does Tapping Support Emotional & Physical Wellness? 

EFT tapping draws on concepts from both Eastern medicine and psychology to promote wellness. The method targets the same energy meridian points described in traditional Chinese medicine – the pathways along which vital energy (“Qi”) flows [medicalnewstoday.com]. 

By tapping on these points with one’s fingertips (rather than using needles, as in acupuncture), EFT practitioners believe they can restore balance to the body’s energy flow and relieve negative emotions or pain [medicalnewstoday.com healthline.com]. 

Proponents say the tapping sends calming signals to the brain’s stress center, essentially telling the body it’s safe to relax [healthline.com]. 

At the same time, EFT incorporates elements of modern psychology. While tapping, individuals maintain focus on a specific problem or feeling and often repeat a reassuring phrase. This process can resemble a brief mindfulness or exposure exercise: you acknowledge a distressing feeling but pair it with a calming physical stimulus. 

According to EFT developer Gary Craig, this combination helps “balance the energy” around the issue, reducing its emotional charge [medicalnewstoday.com]. 

Some researchers note that tapping may also work by distracting the mind and inducing a relaxation response, similar to meditation or deep breathing [medicalnewstoday.com]. 

In essence, EFT provides a structured way to confront an emotional issue while simultaneously soothing your nervous system. 

Potential Benefits of EFT Tapping 

People turn to EFT tapping for a variety of emotional and even physical concerns. Although research is still emerging, many individuals report meaningful benefits from this technique. 

Here are some of the potential benefits: 

• Stress and Anxiety Relief: Tapping is perhaps best known for its ability to rapidly reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Users say it helps them calm down quickly in tense moments webmd.com . In fact, studies have found that after an EFT session, participants had lower heart rates, lower blood pressure, and even reduced levels of cortisol – a stress hormone webmd.com . This physiological shift corresponds with a sense of relaxation. Health providers note that EFT may help if you’re feeling overwhelmed, angry, or worried, serving as a handy tool to dial down acute stress healthy.kaiserpermanente.org . 

• Emotional Regulation and Trauma Support: EFT is used to cope with difficult emotions ranging from everyday sadness to more serious trauma. Tapping has been applied for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with promising results medicalnewstoday.com . For example, in one study with war veterans, a course of EFT coaching significantly reduced PTSD symptoms – over half of those who tried tapping no longer met the clinical criteria for PTSD afterward healthline.com . Therapists have integrated EFT alongside conventional treatments to help people process grief, phobias, and past traumas in a gentle, self-empowering way. While experts caution that EFT isn’t a standalone cure for serious trauma, it appears to be a useful complementary technique for emotional regulation healthy.kaiserpermanente.org . 

• Personal Growth and Positive Mindset: Because EFT involves self-affirmation and release of negative feelings, many people use it as a personal development tool. Tapping practitioners often speak of “clearing emotional blocks” that hold one back. By reducing stress and fear, EFT might help individuals move past limiting beliefs or habits. Some anecdotal reports and small studies suggest tapping can boost self-esteem and confidence – for instance, a 2022 study found EFT tapping increased nurses’ self-esteem while lowering their work stress healthline.com . Others use it to overcome performance anxieties: public speakers, athletes, and even creative artists have tapped to find a calmer, more focused state before high-pressure events. In short, EFT can serve as a quick emotional reset, potentially allowing for improved focus, creativity, and overall mindset purdue.edu . 

• Physical Well-Being: Interestingly, the mind-body approach of EFT may carry over into physical symptoms that are stress-related. There is evidence (and plenty of user testimony) that tapping can help diminish stress-related aches and pains – such as tension headaches, muscle knots, or the physical aspects of anxiety [purdue.edu]. 

Some individuals use EFT to curb cravings or unwanted urges; by tapping through the anxiety or emotion driving the craving, they find the urge lessens purdue.edu . Other reported benefits include better sleep and even support in weight loss journeys by reducing emotional eating triggers [purdue.edu]. 

While more scientific research is needed to confirm these outcomes, the existing studies suggest a broad range of potential uses for tapping, with minimal downside. Experts note that EFT has no significant known side effects and you can use it alongside standard medical or psychological care – though it shouldn’t replace professional help for serious conditions healthy [kaiserpermanente.org . 

How to Do EFT Tapping: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide 

One reason EFT has grown in popularity is that it’s easy to learn and do on your own. A basic tapping routine only takes a few minutes. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to try EFT tapping for yourself: 

1. Identify the Issue: Choose one specific problem, emotion, or stressful memory to focus on. It could be anything from “an upcoming presentation” to “feeling hurt by a comment.” Narrow it down to a single issue for the session (EFT works best when you tackle one feeling at a time) medicalnewstoday.com . 

2. Rate the Intensity: Before tapping, take a moment to measure how much this issue is bothering you right now. Give it a subjective intensity score from 0 to 10, where 0 means no distress and 10 means extremely upsetting medicalnewstoday.com . For example, you might rate your current anxiety about the presentation as a 7 out of 10. This step establishes a baseline so you can compare your feelings after tapping. 

3. Create a Setup Statement: Come up with a simple phrase that acknowledges the problem and affirms self-acceptance despite it. The classic EFT setup statement is: “Even though I have this [problem], I deeply and completely accept myself.” medicalnewstoday.com Insert your own issue into the phrase. For instance: “Even though I’m nervous about this presentation, I deeply and completely accept myself.” Say this statement out loud while tapping the karate chop point – the outer edge of your hand (along the fleshy side of your palm below the little finger) [medicalnewstoday.com]. Repeat the statement 2-3 times. This helps “set” your intention and tune your mind into the issue. 

4. Tap the Sequence of Points: Next, you will tap a series of key points on your body, using two or three fingertips. Use a firm but gentle pressure – enough to feel it, but not painful. Tap each point about 5–7 times. As you tap on each spot, you can say a short reminder phrase to keep your focus on the issue (for example, “this nervous feeling” or “anxious about the talk”). The main EFT tapping points, in order, are: top of the head, beginning of the eyebrow (inner eyebrow near the bridge of the nose), side of the eye (on the bone outside the eye), under the eye (on the bone below the eye), under the nose (between the nose and upper lip), chin (the crease between lower lip and chin), collarbone (just below the collarbone notch), and under the arm (side of torso about 4 inches below the armpit) healthy.kaiserpermanente.org . You can tap on one side of the body (since the points mirror on both sides) or even use both hands tapping each side. Maintain a steady breath as you go through the sequence. (If it feels a bit awkward at first, that’s normal – with practice the sequence becomes more natural.) 

5. Assess the Intensity Again: After one round of tapping, pause and rate your emotional intensity on the 0–10 scale again healthy.kaiserpermanente.org . How do you feel now when you think about the issue? Many people notice the feeling has decreased — for example, the anxiety might have dropped from 7/10 to 4/10. If there’s still discomfort (say your rating is not down to 0 or 1 yet), you can do another round of tapping on the same points using the same reminder phrase. It’s common to do 2–4 rounds, slightly adjusting the wording as needed, until you experience significant relief or a shift in perspective [medicalnewstoday.com]. 

Once your distress rating has substantially lowered, you can finish by taking a deep breath and acknowledging the change. 

Congratulations, you’ve just done an EFT tapping session! (Tip: If new emotions or thoughts came up during tapping, you can repeat the process focusing on those aspects. EFT is a flexible technique – you can experiment with different wording or tapping additional points, but the basic above sequence is a great starting template.) 

Growing Popularity and Recent Insights 

What began as a niche therapy has steadily entered the mainstream wellness arena. In the last decade, EFT tapping has attracted a wide following – from psychotherapists and life coaches to everyday people seeking self-help tools [thetappingsolution.com]. 

There are now books, workshops, and even smartphone apps dedicated to tapping; for example, the Tapping Solution app offers guided EFT sessions and has brought the practice to users’ fingertips globally [thetappingsolution.com purdue.edu]. 

Key figures in the self-help world have also embraced EFT. 

Personal development gurus like Tony Robbins teach it in their seminars, and popular media have taken notice. Television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz once featured EFT tapping on his show, introducing it to a broad audience with practitioner Nick Ortner as a guest [inciteinspirations.com]. Even Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine ran a feature titled “Tapping Her Potential,” highlighting how tapping can help people overcome personal hurdles [inciteinspirations.com]. 

Such high-profile exposure has fueled curiosity and social media buzz, making EFT a trending topic in wellness communities. 

Beyond the anecdotes and celebrity endorsements, a growing body of research is examining EFT’s effectiveness. Recent clinical studies have started to back up some of the claims. For instance, a large 2020 trial found that people who used EFT tapping for anxiety had greater improvement than those who received conventional talk therapy or medication [webmd.com]. Other studies have reported significant reductions in anxiety and PTSD symptoms after a series of tapping sessions [webmd.com]. 

Researchers have documented physiological changes too, such as decreased cortisol levels and improved heart rate variability, suggesting a lowered stress response [webmd.com]. These findings are encouraging, and they help explain why some psychologists and health professionals are integrating tapping alongside standard treatments [webmd.com]. 

That said, experts emphasize that more research is needed. 

Some skeptics attribute benefits to a placebo effect or the therapeutic elements (like focused breathing and affirmations) rather than the tapping itself [webmd.com]. 

For now, the consensus is that while EFT is not a magic bullet, it can be a useful stress-reduction and self-soothing technique. 

From a personal growth perspective, EFT tapping’s rise in popularity speaks to a broader trend: people are looking for accessible, DIY methods to take charge of their emotional well-being. 

The appeal of EFT lies in its simplicity – anyone can learn the basics in minutes – and its empowering message that we have tools at our own fingertips to help heal emotional stress. 

It’s free, portable, and can be done virtually anywhere, anytime you need it [thetappingsolution.com]. 

In wellness circles, you’ll hear many first-hand stories of “tapping” bringing relief during difficult times, whether it’s a working professional using a quick tapping break to dissipate work stress, or a trauma survivor using EFT techniques to ease a flashback. 

Not every story is scientific data, of course, but the accumulating positive experiences are part of why EFT’s reputation has grown by word of mouth. 

In summary, Emotional Freedom Technique is an unconventional yet intriguing approach to emotional wellness and personal development. It blends ancient acupressure concepts with modern psychological strategies in a way that’s easy to try for yourself. 

While skeptics call for further evidence, many beginners find that a few minutes of tapping helps them feel noticeably calmer, more centered, and “free” from the intensity of whatever emotion was weighing them down. 

If you’re curious, it may be worth giving EFT tapping a shot – with an open mind and a bit of practice, you just might tap into a new sense of emotional freedom [thetappingsolution.com]. 

Sources for this article: • Gary Craig’s introduction of EFT and its origins webmd.com thetappingsolution.com 

• Description of EFT tapping technique and theory medicalnewstoday.com healthline.com 

• How EFT relates to acupuncture points and energy meridians medicalnewstoday.com webmd.com • Claims on stress relief and physiological effects (cortisol, etc.) webmd.com thetappingsolution.com 

• Uses of EFT for anxiety, PTSD, cravings, and other issues medicalnewstoday.com purdue.edu • Kaiser Permanente on using EFT for managing emotions and stress healthy.kaiserpermanente.org healthy.kaiserpermanente.org 

• Step-by-step EFT tapping guide adapted from clinical sources medicalnewstoday.com healthy.kaiserpermanente.org 

• Research findings and expert opinions on EFT’s effectiveness healthline.com webmd.com • Examples of growing popularity and mainstream exposure inciteinspirations.com purdue.edu