I'm shocked, shocked to discover that opening up a Starbucks across the street from another Starbucks has not proven to be good business practice.

I mean, I like Starbucks. I like it a lot more than Coffee Bean, for example. But I stick to drip. And being something of a coffee fanatic -- I really did enjoy their darker and bolder African and Pacific Rim brews -- I'm a bit disappointed that they're serving this blander Pike's Place stuff now.

Incidentally, you wanna know where to go to get some consistently good, fresh, high quality beans to brew at home? Trader Joe's. Some Fair Trade Organic Nicaraguan whipped up with expertise here at Casa HQ makes for a fine pot of black gold.

-jw