Love the Mermaid!

The Very First Starbucks
Originally uploaded by Mr. phelps.

From time to time I come across coffee individuals who portray Starbucks in a most negative light. I will call such individuals "windowsmashers" (see Seattle WTO 1999). To these individuals I must retort. I believe that such windowsmashers are simply misguided. People who like coffee should love Starbucks. Starbucks consistently pays some of the highest prices for green beans to its farmers. They create coffee house locations that people enjoy going to (creating new coffee markets in places that previously did not exist). Starbucks is a big company that strives to live up to its ideals. It produces friendly baristas and offers part time benefits. They offer great music and a wide variety of different coffees, teas, and other concoctions. The consequences of Starbucks are good. For those who absolutely need a coffee corporation to bash they are out there --do a little research -- they just don't stand out (not so green and clean as Starbucks). For the coffee enthusiast, instead of being a Starbucks hater windowsmasher, simply drink or make better coffee than Starbucks offers -economic law of supply and demand (that would be an inclusive "or" either drink or make or both.). So, to all coffee people out there (windowsmasher or not): please, love the mermaid.