Daily fix

Well Starbucks has released the list of stores closing.  For coffee junkies everywhere, it seems they might have to walk an extra 10 feet to get their venti-soy-no foam-extra shot-latte.  A dark day in America?  For some, yes. As today some might find themselves shivering in a dark corner at the thought of their favorite store closing, staring at a drawer full of Starbucks gift cards each with less than a dollar of value left.

I for one am happy they aren't closing my local Pacifica outlet or the infamous Starbears in the Castro.  If the latter was slated for closure, there would be no less than 300 300-pound hairy men in upheaval at the thought of their hangout being converted into yet another porn store or pizza place.  

But why is this newsworthy?  Indeed I am devoting an entry in my blog about the closure of 616 caffeinated drug dens, so surely I am finding some relevance with the topic today.   I think it's because we love to see those on top fall. Take Britney slurping her Starbucks above.  We've all loved watching her plummet to earth.  In fact sometimes we got so wrapped up in the theater of her demise that we needed that extra espresso shot in our Frappucino.  Even today, she decided to give up sole custody of her kids to K-Fed.  Goodness. What does it say about our culture when K-Fed makes the better parent and more importantly, why should we care?

And what does it say about our culture that the Starbucks empire had such an enormous reach to the masses that a closure of 616 stores will barely leave a dent?  Indeed people will still queue up to pay $5 for their fix.   I know I will. I like my vanilla lattes and the boyfriend likes his pink Fraps with whipped cream.