Starchange

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_16/b4080000943927.htm

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I know through personal experience with local Starbucks around the greater Houston area, as well as employment at a local location and in Galveston, plus trips to others around the nation that the quality of the company's coffee has been on a downfall for a while now. Other coffee shops around the city (and nation, I presume) are beginning to compete with Starbucks. Although this is hardly a novel idea, this is the first time the other companies are seeing real success in taking the big boy's customers. To make up for their shortcomings, Starbucks has begun to offer a $1 cup of coffee with free refills.

Starbucks is still trying to grow, as impossible as that may seem, and the company cannot be blamed for trying to do all it can to maximize its profits. But what happened to the charitable, customer-friendly, partner loving organization I worked for? When I was an employee, the company stressed the idea of being the "third place" for customers. Home being number one, work being number two, and Starbucks being number three, where customers go to get away, hang out with friends, and all the things that people do at their regular "hangouts."

Starbucks began as a company with a big heart and a big dream, but as of late, it would seem that only the dream remains and it has been perverted into screwing over the little guy. I never would have thought Starbucks would become a Wal-Mart kind of association, but gradually it seems to be heading in that direction, intent more on a quick sale and a quick fix (cup of coffee) rather than dedicated employees, happy customers, and competent managers.

Starbucks’ stock dropped nearly 50% in 2007 and, so far in 2008, it has dropped about 15%. Howard Schultz, the founder who resigned eight years ago, has reclaimed the CEO position for the company. His thoughts on why the company has not been doing well (as well as what he plans to do about it) shed some light on how Starbucks may manage to cast off its current negative image and shine the way it used to – through exceeding customer expectations and increasing the quality of its product. The recent implementation of Pike Place Coffee, the coffee for the everyday man, is only the first of many changes soon to be put into place.

Lucky fucking Starbucks... Schultz is back to save the day.

And by day, I mean the company's future.

In a recent interview, Schultz expressed his own disappointment in the company, but insisted that extenuating circumstances were present. When asked why people were buying less four dollar lattes, he responded that “[Starbucks’] research suggests [potential customers are] not going anywhere else; they're just coming to us less frequently. So we have to do everything we can to demonstrate to our customers that Starbucks is an affordable luxury. We have to surprise and delight them. And this launch of Pike Place Roast in reinventing brewed coffee is just the beginning.”

Schultz’s positive attitude combined with his optimistic (but achievable) goals for the company’s future are exactly what Starbucks needs. Although keeping the details under wraps, the future of Starbucks should be “exciting and innovative,” like nothing we have seen since Starbucks first appeared in the industry. Starbucks’ goal, however, is clear. To quote their new cups, “…Since 1971. The best cup then. The best cup now."

We'll see about that.

xO

The Government Doesn't Care About Black People

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080411/D8VVUAHG0.html

I've got two words for Alicia Keys:

Occam's Razor.

Sure, this is a plausible idea, if... if... IF...

I wouldn't mind hearing her ideas on how exactly the government came up with the idea for 'Gangsta Rap,' but I find it interesting that she came to this conclusion after reading the autobiographies of certain Black Panthers.

Didn't the Black Panthers consider Martin Luther King's non-aggressive ideas useless?

I wouldn't put much faith in a Black Panther, but that's just me.

Green Day may have pulled off intigrating politics into their music, but I'd suggesst Ms. Keys stick with love songs.

To quote Ms. Keys:
I've been there before
But that life's a bore
So full of the superficial.

xO

Act Patriotic... And Stay Home

Chicago's Ban on Gang Loitering: Making Sense of Vagueness and Overbreadth in Loitering Laws

http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0008-1221(199501)83%3A1%3C379%3ACBOGLM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6

Just read the bottom below Abstract.
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It would seem that this article is discussing criminal gang activity, but with further looking into, I found out that drug dealers look for large groups of kids hanging out and that of course will be their next group of customers.

So basically, kids shouldn't hang out in groups. Fly solo, kids!! Spread your wings.

A perfect example of this would be a local Starbucks. After 9:00 P.M., any group of kids larger than three is asked to leave promptly after buying their coffee by a police officer... Not a security guard, but a police officer. I have been witness (multiple times) to kids walking into the Starbucks, purchasing numerous drinks, walking out to their cars and discussing in the parking lot where to go, and before coming to a consensus, being run off by said police officer. On top of being paying customers, these kids are only on the property for about ten minutes or less.

Now, I have no qualms with said officer. I actually happen to be fond of the cop, who is just doing their job. But this is bullshit and I cannot believe it has not become an issue yet. Perhaps it's because of where this Starbucks is located (next door to a mildly upscale neighborhood, that considers itself extremely high-class), but it has been happening nation wide.

Essentially all large cities and enforcing loitering laws even if they clash with First Amendment protection of free speech.

I am a legal adult, and I expect to be treated as one, regardless of whether I am wearing a t-shirt and a hat or a suit and a tie.

Personally, I find this frightening. Infringing on our protected amendments? Who the hell would let them do that? Next thing you know, the government is going to pass an act with some sort of patriotic title that will infringe on our rights even more.

Oh, wait...

xO

Why Do We Lie To Hurt So Much?

I find it interesting that people would rather judge each other about what school they attend, what kind of car they drive, what their SAT score was… And all that other bullshit that’s really quite frivolous when you think about it, when it’s so much easier to accept each other for our differences. Embrace them, even. Or maybe it’s just easy for me.

And why can’t people ever save themselves? Everyone is looking for a savior, but Jesus is never the answer anymore. Everyone wants a personal Jesus. People need to realize that no once can fulfill that role. Fulfillment must be found through self.

Just something to think on.

xO

Hello 2008; Hello Blog; Hello Life

So the new year is here, and with it comes new resolutions toward how the new year will go, but all too well known as well are the regrets from the prior year.

So I'll cover the negative aspects first to get them out of the way... And because they are the ones always at the forefront of most people's minds (even if they deny it).

From mid-2006 through most of 2007, I was not a very happy person. I was displeased with the choices I was making. At the time, I felt like the victim and, to a certain extent, I still feel as though much of what happened was undeserved and not my fault. But I've come to realize that those times were times where I learned a lot about myself, my limitations, and life.

Then, I would look back at my life and feel regret and anger. Now, as I look back at my life so far, I realize that it all happened for a reason and has helped shape me to be the person I am today... And the person I will one day become.

I look at the four walls of my room and my head is filled with memories; both good and bad. Two of the walls are covered in posters and pictures of friends and family. While some of these images bring about the feel-good emotions of a Reese Witherspoon movie, others have connotations of melancholy. Ex-girlfriends, deceased relatives and friends, relationships gone awry... I leave these images up because this is my room; this is me - unabridged.

I am not going to attempt to remove memories from my life just because they were painful. These memories and experiences helped make me who I am, and I am definitely not interested in hiding that. Some of the pictures make me think about what things about myself that I have drastically changed after a certain... Shall we say... Drastic experiences. A few memories jump into the front row seats of my mind and others show up late and slink into the back.

I think of how easy it is to let the bad memories stay with you and write off the good ones. For this very reason, I do not remove the hurtful pictures from my walls. They have helped define me. And, over a certain period of time, I have learned to appreciate them... Enjoy them, even.

Regrets are like quicksand. If you spend too much time dwelling on them, you're pretty much fucked. So we'll move on the promise of a new year.

I have many expectations for this upcoming year, but I'll keep most of them to myself... I've found that the more I talk about something happening, the more disappointed I am if it doesn't. Those who know me well know the things I expect to see from myself... And from others.

Sometimes people get caught up on the idea of the New Year's Resolution. Not me. I prefer to have a New Year's Outlook. This year, my outlook has changed my perception of life in general. I've realized that indifference is overrated. And definitely not cool.

As cliche as it sounds, what is cool is being yourself. But what's not cliche is defining what that is. Don't play into the norm of what everyone else wants and expects of you. And realize that you may be doing just that if you read this and are smirking to yourself thinking, "Keever's a fucking tool." Figure out what you want and what you expect from life. You'll be surprised how many people you impress.

Hell, you might even impress yourself.

xO