Starbucks! My Life!

( Boston , MA ) Despite 20 years of reassuring research, many people
still avoid caffeinated coffee because they worry about its health
effects. However, current research reveals that in moderation—a few
cups a day—coffee is a safe beverage that may even offer some health
benefits. The September issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch weighs the pros and cons of this popular beverage and eases the concerns of moderate coffee drinkers.

The
latest research has not only confirmed that moderate coffee consumption
doesn’t cause harm, it’s also uncovered possible benefits. Studies show
that the risk for type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee
drinkers than among those who don’t drink it. Also, coffee may reduce
the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon
cancer, improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in
people at high risk for liver disease, and reduce the risk of
Parkinson’s disease. Coffee has also been shown to improve endurance
performance in long-duration physical activities.

For
those who drink coffee to stay alert, new research suggests that you’ll
stay more alert, particularly if you are fighting sleep deprivation, if
you spread your coffee consumption over the course of the day. For
instance, if you usually drink 16 ounces in the morning, try consuming
a 2-3 ounce serving every hour or so. Again, moderation is the key.

However,
as the September issue notes, coffee is not completely innocent.
Caffeine, coffee’s main ingredient is a mild addictive stimulant. And
coffee does have modest cardiovascular effects such as increased heart
rate, increased blood pressure, and occasional irregular heartbeat that
should be considered. Studies have been largely inconclusive regarding
coffee and its effect on women’s health issues such as breast health,
cancer, and osteoporosis. But, the negative effects of coffee tend to
emerge in excessive drinking so it is best to avoid heavy consumption.

Now the fake account of Starbucks was now removed from the friendster circulation. Thanks to all those who helped us report it to friendster admin and to all those undying fans of Starbucks Coffee. God bless everyone

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Drinkers of frothy lattes, European-style macchiatos
and syrupy Frappuccinos across the United States were in denial
Wednesday as Starbucks fell victim to the economic downturn and announced it was closing 600 coffee shops.

"For more than a year now, we have seen the adverse impact that a
slower economy and dramatic decline in consumer confidence have had on
our US business," Starbucks founder Howard Schultz, who last year returned to the helm of the company, said in a statement.

"After an extensive and rigorous review of our US store portfolio,
our executive and field leadership team has decided to close
approximately 600 underperforming company-operated stores in the US
market, which includes our previously announced plans to close 100
stores," Schultz said.

            
Exactly which Starbucks will be shuttered has not yet been announced, but in cities such as Washington, San Francisco or New York, losing a Starbucks here or there would hardly be felt, and seems almost an inevitability.

There are three Starbucks within two blocks of each other near the
White House, with one more across a small park — and yet another one
around the corner. That’s roughly one Starbucks per city block.

And yet, the manager of one of the Washington Starbucks said he did
not think any of the shops in the shadow of the White House will be
closed.

"I don’t think it will impact the DC area that much, and not our
store in particular because we’re busy and profitable," he said, asking
not to be named.

Chris Lombardi, a journalist who lives in New York’s Washington
Heights neighborhood, was convinced her local Starbucks would not get
the chop either, but for a different reason.

            
"I’m thinking they won’t close my local because there’s not another one nearby, as opposed to Greenwich Village where there’s one every half block," she said.

            
Furthermore, Lombardi’s local was always packed. "Never any room at the inn," she said.

            
So was musician and television producer Clint Conley’s local Starbucks in Concord, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, and the self-confessed Starbucks addict felt sure that would save it.

"The line of cars out the lot of our local Starbucks backs traffic
up through a stop light…. That would seem to suggest our local won’t
be shuttered," said Conley.

            
"But perhaps we’re all in denial," he added.

            
Thomasine Lewis-Tilden of California said the closures would help to restore some of Starbucks’ brand integrity.

"It’s mystifying that they cheapened the brand by McDonalds-izing
– building way too many stores, some so close to another that they
cannibalized sales," she told AFP.

            
"I think cutting back and closing down stores is essential to keeping the integrity of the brand."

San Franciscan Debbie Guardian bemoaned the fate of the several
thousand workers who would lose their jobs, but was not sorry that
Starbucks was hurting.

"It’s not their coffee I don’t like but what they represent –
wiping out the small-business cafe and (saying) ‘let’s rule the
world’," she said.

"I miss the little neighborhood cafe…. I miss those dark,
speakeasy-looking cafes with wooden tables," she said, recalling an era
before Starbucks began a prolific expansion that saw it explode from
677 shops in 1995 to nearly 16,000 last year.

Starbucks coffees don’t come cheap, and with Americans doling
out more and more money to fill up their cars, many have decided to
forego their frothy coffees.

            
A medium cappuccino at Starbucks costs 3.69 dollars in Washington, or the equivalent of 29.50 dollars per gallon.

            
Gasoline seems a bargain at 4.08 per gallon.

Twenty-eight percent of US motorists have stopped going to
Starbucks or other coffee houses entirely, and 21 percent are going
less often due to skyrocketing gas prices, a survey conducted last
month by Kelley’s Blue Book showed.

            
For Conley, giving up coffee is as much out of the question as is giving up driving.

            
"I wish it were as easy as cutting back, but I am deep in the grips of caffeine addiction," Conley told AFP.

(CNN) — In an effort to alleviate problems facing the company,
Starbucks announced that it will close 600 company-run U.S. stores over
the next year. Most of the stores are near another Starbucks and aren’t
profitable.

CNN.com asked iReporters to respond to the news that the coffee
giant, known for its saturation of the market, is shuttering some
retail locations.

iReporter mattwilliams says he’s happy to see
some Starbucks go, opening the market for independent coffee shops.
Rusty1978 says he can’t imagine how Starbucks is in financial trouble,
given that his local store is always packed. Cval predicts more people
will give up their lattes as the economy tightens.

Below are a selection of iReport responses, some of which have been edited for length and clarity. iReport.com: Share your thoughts on Starbucks here

   Stefan:
Starbucks Coffee, no doubt, has been a powerhouse phenomenon in the
American barista world. The coffee super-giant has not only introduced,
but set a national trend in coffee drinking for years to come … they
have created a culture.

Everywhere you look, from street corners, to bookstores and now
even supermarkets, there is a Starbucks coffee shop or stand. So what
will we do if we no longer have our daily dose of super-charged joe? Go
somewhere else.

Since they started becoming a national chain,
there has been a rush of smaller coffee shops trying to duplicate the
relaxing, welcoming feel of Starbucks, and some do well and even exceed
the patron’s expectations, offering sofa’s, tables, background music
and even free internet.

But what about the coffee? As for those
specialty drinks, many small coffee shop owners have started sending
their employees to barista school, where they learn how to make the
"perfect" cup of coffee / espresso with those perfect little beans. …
It is possible we may see a new coffee shop in town; and maybe, just
maybe, the "next big thing".

   FlashBauer38:
I am glad to see Starbucks finally realized you only need one store per
city block. I personally do not like or go to Starbucks. I normally get
my coffee from Dunkin Donuts on the way to work or buy grounds from
them to make at home … for a reasonable price. I already have to
spend $4 a gallon on gas, why would I spend $4 for 12 oz of coffee?

cval:
You’re kidding me, right? Anyone heard of the Mr. Coffee machine? You
can get one for $15, and set it to have your coffee ready for you when
you roll out of bed, then it turns off an hour later so as not to burn
your house down should you forget to turn it off. Starbucks has always
been a luxury item, when people need to get back to basics to survive.

Maybe people are just realizing this, and it is way overdue if you
ask me. It’s as expensive as smoking, think of all the money you can
put into savings if you brew your own coffee.

   Johnmcook:
"My Starbucks", in the Uptown section of West Village is much more than
a place to get a cup of java. It is a real part of the community, a
busy, urban, somewhat trendy area near downtown Dallas.

I know
each employee by name and they know me. I keep track of their progress
through college, another’s budding music career, and will attend
another’s wedding. When on the patio with my Chihuahua, they bring him
water to help beat the heat or whipped cream as a treat …

If
you have ever spent time in the UK… you understand the social
importance of meeting at the local pub… my Starbucks is the
equivalent of that. You come there to get your favorite coffee but you
leave with and come back for … so much more.

   rusty1978: Well,
amongst all the Starbucks frowners around, I must say it’s strong
coffee and that’s how I like it. I’ve got a Starbucks in commercial
space in my building — so convenient. I love the Verona, Gold Coast
and Kenya blends.

I just can’t believe they’re not doing good
business as most every store is always packed with people — and
they’ve even raised their prices last year, so I can’t understand the
closings at all. Someone please explain. Yes, I prefer strong Starbucks
coffee in the morning!

   mattwilliams:
Could I live without Starbucks? The answer is a resounding YES! I live
in a small tourist town on the coast of Georgia. Our many different
local restaurants provide unique dining experiences with their
atmospheres and menus. This is something I fear is being lost because
of big chains like Starbucks coming in and replacing local, unique
businesses with the same atmosphere and dining experience one could
have in Anytown, USA.

So rather than make every little getaway
town in this country the very same one Starbucks at a time, I say
boycott them all and shut them all down! That won’t happen because
Starbucks has become part of a routine for so many people.

What
would be nice is for the average American consumer to wake up and try
to have a unique experience in his or her hometown. Rather than going
to that same Starbucks that is so convenient with its drive-thru and
perfect location on the way to one’s destination, why not take a detour
and find a mom-and-pop coffee shoppe, like our own Palm Coast Coffee or
Daddy Cate’s, and support their brave attempt at making the landscape
of where one lives unique.

   Nblomq:
Definitely a Starbucks Junkie! I moved from Georgia to Arizona last
fall, and the first digital picture I sent my girlfriends once I
arrived in Tucson was a picture of my first official visitor to my new
home … a Starbucks Chai!

   grdpxjmpr: I absolutely could live without Starbucks.

Reason 1: I don’t like the taste of Starbucks coffee, especially since
they had their closure back in February to make their coffee shop more
like a coffee shop. The coffee they have started using since then is
terrible.

2. If the Starbucks chain would close some stores, it
would allow mom-and-pop-type places to get a footing in the market or
allow local smaller chains to expand.

3. Buying beans for home
and making your own coffee is substantially less expensive than getting
coffee every day from Starbucks. In this economy, being able to pinch
pennies helps.

   MrRealtor:
I hate to say this, but I just like a good ole cup of coffee, and that
cannot be found at a Starbucks. Even their most mild coffee is terribly
bitter. Will I miss them? No. I would miss a 99-cent cup of coffee from
7-11 worse than a $4.50 cup of yuck from Starbucks.

   Blueken:
In my entire life, I have had exactly one coffee from Starbucks.
Nothing special. I’m not a coffee snob, of course, but I do like a pure
Kona roast. I get my caffeine fix at the local gas station. Fresh
brewed, $1.49. I predict overpriced microbrew beer is the next to take
a hit as the economy gets real.

IchDenke:
Yep, Starbucks is too pricey, too burnt and too mega for me! Gimme a
hometown-y joint that ain’t too expensive and supports our veterans
like Just Plain Joe’s, and I’m OK!