Book Review: Starbucked by Taylor Clark

This was a fun and educational read. Clark is a young author (this is his first book) from Portland. He has a dry wit that had me laughing while reading. His book goes into many in aspects of Starbucks, as well as coffee culture here and around the world.
I enjoyed the telling truths about Starbucks as a company. There are many reasons not to like this coffee chain, but many of the reasons you hear every day are BS. Towards the end of the book Clark makes the a comment, really more of a questions, is starbucks a global homogenizing force, or just a product of global homogenization. The fact is Starbucks is not forcing anyone to drink their coffee. People are choosing to do that. We can mourn the loss of culture in places like China and London, but people there are still buying starbucks.
Another key point I took away was the false idea that Starbucks is bad for the mom and pop coffee house. The opposite is actually true. Starbucks is a gateway coffee company. A person begins with a vanilla latte, but will later branch out. Also their coffee is not that good. So when drinking coffee is socially "cool" why not drink good coffee. Starbucks needs the milk in lattes so no one taste what their coffee really is. This leads many to find a local coffee shop and enjoy coffee how one should. (A side note for anyone in Normal, do not seek out Coffee House, its name is misleading. It should be called "Hang out of Patchouli wearing vegetarians that are anti-everything and elitist, but despite how well educated they want you to think they are, can still not tell that they are drinking horrible coffee, House". That place has the worst coffee I have every had, second only to instant). So basically this was a great book for a coffee nerd like me, and Clark writes in a way that even a non-nerd would enjoy it. Check it out if you have some time.

Whoring out the Faith. (reposted)

I originally wrote this for my other blog.

You know I don't think people ever learn. After being fully embarrassed to call myself a christian as the Creation Museum was being built, I now find another reason to blush. In Tennessee there is a Bible theme park proposed. This would be "historical" as the men in charge of the project say. I just say this is ridiculous, and I think all the readers know why. The article even quotes the supports as comparing people who do not support the project to telling a bookstore to stop selling the bible because they are making money off of it. This is crazy. Selling a manuscript that is a crux to a faith is very, very, VERY different than a million dollar theme park that will probably be poorly done, and a financial disaster. I say wait ten years, and if the creation museum has not been turned into the headquarters for an insurance company, or the largest strip club in Ohio, then talk about this. But even then I say this is a stupid idea.

As if Owning a Moleskine didn't Make Me Pretentious Enough...

This is one of my favorite pieces from the website 'skine art. There a lot of different styles, so I am sure you will find something you like. I mainly use my moleskine for writing things down; ideas, lists, directions, but I wish I used mine in this way. Check it out.

Frontline on healthcare.

Tonight on PBS is a frontline report on healthcare. I watched the reporter on Charlie Rose today and it interested me. He makes points that Japan and Germany do not have "socialized" medicine, but they have much better healthcare than here in the US. I hope even you right aligned readers take time to watch this and learn that there are ways to have functioning healthcare here in America. Here is a trailer. There are multiple air times, so check your local listings, and I think you can watch it online after that.

Marrying for Love is Not the Whole Story.

I found this article in The Star very interesting. It essentially says that in mixed marriages someone of a minority ethnicity "marries down" with a white partner. I don't know what group this is most offensive to, but either way it is a little offensive. The article also talks about how little romantic love actually plays into marriage choices, instead suggesting that a better indicatior is social class. This makes sense when one thinks that a person is normally attracted to someone who has similar experiences to themselves. Being from a social science background, I can really point out that there are too many factors interacting with one another to really say anything concrete, but again I though this was interesting.

So much Faith.

After having a great conversation about some specifics of differing worldviews with a friend, I decided to post somethings on the blog I contribute to. I posted a review of a book a read and a link to a long, and very thought provoking, article about evangelistic atheism. Check them out.

New Monasticism

This article from the Boston Globe caught my eye. I would love to look at this more in depth. The basic ideas are something that I, and I know some of my friends, have been thinking about for a while. I do not think that the mega-church is the devil, but to me this is a more real faith. I just went to a church today that I liked, but it was not where I feel I should be. To find a community like this is something I wish I had in my life. Well anyway, take time to read this article, it is not that long.

Where you always get a free onion.

I was talking with a friend about this commercial. This was a huge part of me growing up. The difference is when I first saw this commercial it was an old man (his father?) breaking the sticks with him. I am glad that you still get a free onion. Keep it up big Mike.

Money is not everything.

This story from 60 min. is interesting. I am sure there are problems in Denmark, but living there is looking more appealing than here. One of the danes interviewed is getting paid to stay at home for 6 months with his child. Now that is something I could get behind. I love how this story points out that money is not everything. In a side note, this story also mentions positive psychology. This is something I have done a bit of study on, and I am not a big fan. It makes sense to study good aspects of a person, but healthy people don't need doctors. Of course I could just be angry at a professor I have right now that loves pos. psych and is one of the worst teachers I have. Anyway enjoy this clip.

A Gift for all of You.

Today is the arrival of the new album by Derek Porter. I am proud to say I helped in small way, getting writing credit on one song. It is a very good album and if you were a fan of The Ways I'm Going Blind, this will not disappoint. The best part is it is FREE. You can download it for free and enjoy the music now. What are you waiting for. Have a good V-day.