Have you ever stared down at your keyboard and wondered how many
things were hidden in it as a result of countless snacks and
lunches taken over it?
Internet service provider AOL and Domino's Pizza have undertaken
some keyboard research to find out what you, and perhaps others
sharing your desk, have stored away for later, writes Antony
Savvas.
The companies commissioned some keyboard analysis at Reading
Scientific Research Laboratory and found that identifiable keyboard
debris in a typical keyboard included cornflakes (15% of debris
found), boiled sweets (15%), noodles (7%) and vegetable pieces
(4%).
These figures suggest that coming into the office early and
having breakfast, and leaving late after eating a Chinese takeaway
is becoming the norm.
But making up the vast percentage of debris (56%) was
unidentifiable particles which could have been anything from
biscuit and bread crumbs to pastry flakes, chocolate and sweet
crumbs.
Adding to the grime were leaves, pencil lead/shavings, staples,
finger nails, tape, plastic, insects, foil and hair - all on
1%.
By highlighting the absence of identifiable pizza crumbs thrown
up by the research, the two wanted to prove that pizza was the best
food to munch while working in IT, and, in particular, surfing the
Internet.
They do have some support in this, as IT legends have been
created as a result of the combination of acid rock and double
pepperoni pizzas. Indeed, a best-selling book on the founders of
Apple revealed that they ate nothing for months except for pizza,
while they developed the Mac's operating system.
The argument is that pizza is least likely to create keyboard
crumbs of all fast food types.
But not content with their research, they've employed the
opinions of a nutritionist to promote the idea that plenty of pizza
is good for your work rate.
Michael van Straten, author of Superfoods, says, "No other snack
food can be as varied, filling, enjoyable and still not crumble or
spill.
"You can also eat it with one hand, leaving the other for the
mouse," he says.
And pizza is also good for office romance, says van Straten,
with many popular ingredients having some useful love properties.
The ideal love pizza for the office, says van Straten, is topped
with jalapeno peppers (offering stimulation), pepperoni
(encouraging you to be daring), and oregano (encouraging
adventure).