IT IS MORE THAN A CUPPA
My Son Kevin asked me to join him for some conversation, and a cup of coffee. It required no more explanation. I knew where we were headed. You see he is addicted. Mention Starbucks and his eyes light up. In a way the enchantment has penetrated my staid ways. Kevin, as I have claimed in the past is my role model, but never imagined it to extend to my drinking habits.
This is more than my Son’s influence, and a coffee habit, it is the result of a success story. It is one of the greatest contemporary examples of Capitalism at its’ finest. The genius of Starbuck’s marketing cannot be overstated. They have not responded to a demand, they “created” the demand, and others have followed suit.
It is one of unique ideas and innovation. Outside of the technology industry, one of the best examples of marketing savvy to come down the pike in a long time, and it all started at a venue called Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington.
Coffeehouses had been around for years and coffee drinking for centuries. Both came together during the last sixty years to create a phenomenon of unheard of proportions. Starbucks is not the only firm producing extremely good tasting coffee. There has been an explosion of businesses catering to a variation of newly acquired tastes of the bean. With it there is the romance of how the coffee bean is nurtured and processed. It all has become more than just a cup of coffee. It is sold to an eager populace as an “experience”. They almost have one believing; “better than sex”!
Let us get back to the good old coffeehouse. By the way one thing we must make clear, Starbucks should not be considered a coffeehouse, it is a “coffeehouse company” Let’s talk briefly about coffeehouses any way because the “company’ would like you to subliminally enjoy some of the benefits coffeehouses of the 60’ and 70’s offered.
Those wonderful, friendly establishments offered coffee, but the coffee was not the primary attraction. In fact, the brew in most cases left much to be desired. These dimly lit venues were primarily the gathering place for the Jack Kerouac’s, and Allen Ginsberg’s of the world. My visits to those in Venice, California and Hollywood (cannot forget the Xanadu on Melrose) satisfied my conversation and curiosity needs but usually were followed by a trip to the local Denny’s for a good cup of Joe.
Starbucks is a Seattle based company. This is where it all started. It also was the location of one of the first “true” coffeehouses; “Last Exit on Brooklyn” that opened in June of 1967 by entrepreneur and chess player Irv Cisski. Unlike many similar venues it did provide an original espresso concoction. In order to give you a better understanding of what the “old coffeehouse” was about I offer you several excerpts, and quotes from those that lived the “Last Exit” experience.
Yasser Seirawan a noted chess player wrote; “a chess haven where an unlikely bunch of unusual people congregate to do battle”. He also described the Last Exit as “scrabble players, backgammon players, chess and game hustling. This became my home. This was to become my family.Cisski himself said, “So what if games-people turn away business, they add flavor. They are assets to a coffeehouse. He also described his intent to “create a haven where students and benign crazies ‘were welcome and where everyone felt equal and there were no sacred cows.
Seattle writer and journalist Knute Berger wrote; “It was one of Seattle’s great 60s landmarks, a gathering place for University of Washington students, radicals, poets, nut jobs, chess masters, teens, intellectuals, workers, musicians, artists, beatniks, and hippies.. I remember the din, the open-mike music, cigarette smoke, impromptu poetry readings, and the arguments of lefties, libertarians, crackpots, and cultists. You can hear the rhythm and roar of the counterculture as it lived and breathed.”
Now I ask; “does this sound like a Starbucks to you?
Howard Schultz the founder of Starbucks on a trip to Milan Italy put the concept together! At that time in 1982 Mr. Schultz was the director of marketing for a fledgling Starbucks named after Captain Ahab’s first mate in Moby Dick. He noted that coffee bars existed on practically every street. They served as a meeting place or public square. There were over 200,000 in Italy!
He could not sell his inspiration to those in charge but eventually through his genius, he took over Starbucks, implemented his ideas and the rest is history, Today there are 17,000 (11,000 in the U.S.) stores in 55 countries with India being next!
There exists in marketing something I call, “variations of a theme, it sells”. The theme of course is the product, and in this case it is coffee. Everything from café latte to a frappachino. You desire it you get it. In addition to coffee there is an inviting list of food items. Merchandise includes; equipment and music CDs.
Two of Howard Schultz’s business principles: the common goal is to act like a small company, and make sure growth does not dilute the company’s culture. They seem like contradictory statements but in essence it all works.
Just what is the company’s culture? To whom does the business cater? There is the suggested relationship to the American coffeehouse, and Italy’s coffee bars. The primary money making product is coffee. Give them credit. Through their committed effort to offer the finest of blends, Starbucks has achieved this magnificently, and have kept up, if not surpassed their competitors for an excellent variety of brews.
In order to separate his company from others and make it an inviting venue Mr. Shultz incorporated all the elements that existed in those coffee establishments in the old houses and in Italy. Although it really does not resemble those of old, the way it is set up, “hints the appearance of a place for intellectuals, and those that aspire”. There is a flavor or suggestion of a good old meeting place. But is it really? They do offer plug-ins for PCs, Wi-Fi, games, tables and chairs, and piped in jazz. A Starbucks will never be construed as a coffeehouse, and I do not think they wish to, it is merely implied for affect.
Whereas the coffeehouses of the 60s attracted a specific element of our society, they really were a result of that element. They were the product of a movement that began in the 50s with a segment of society labeled “Beatniks. The Beatniks were then followed by the Hippies. Both entities were in the most part made up of restless intellectuals, veterans of WWII, and the Korean War. The emerging Vietnam War added to the frustration. Dissatisfied with the status quo, they desired change in the controlling aspects of daily life. and all levels of society. Traditions as well as government were the targets. Freedom of expression was finally at work. And coffeehouses provided the forum. After all this was the 60s and as you are well aware, the impact of those voices resulted in a dynamic societal transformation!
A confession of sorts; as most of you that followed the weekly Re-Cappy are aware; there were occasional cynical and sarcastic references to Starbucks. This blog’s intention at the onset was to downplay the success story that is Starbucks. Commercialism at the expense of sacrificing honesty, and promoting mediocrity in a business enterprise was going to be the message.
I love capitalism but have an aversion to commercialism which is lifeblood of successful businesses. I have struggled with this dichotomy mainly because of commercialism’s likelihood of consequential mediocrity. Alas, somewhere during this challenging endeavor; I too, have become addicted.
No question about it Starbucks is a business and as a business must attract consumers. As I stated at the beginning of this article Starbucks created a demand. Drinking coffee has been elevated to a sophisticated level. When one mentions a Starbucks brew it is a far cry from the potentially rancid cup we formerly purchased for a nickel at a run down counter. The price? Who cares! I have a cuppa with a very respectable status logo on it. It has become so prized to order a café latte that when I ask for mine black-with no embellishments; I feel strange vibes over my shoulder:-)Soon!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
WIRED (A Cappy Political Reach)
There is a film clip often used when sports broadcasters, or historians present a flashback of legendary Green Bay Packer coach; Vince Lombardi. In heavy overcoat on the sidelines after something he did not like occurred on the field, he is heard to exclaim; “what the hell is going on out there?” Those words echo in my mind when trying to make sense of the current national political turmoil – specifically this primary season!
Do you experience confusion, or are we all wired to be all right with the mayhem occurring regardless of position?
One thing that should be stated up front; I am a Liberal Democrat. Have I been wired from birth to be a Democrat, or is my present political philosophy the result of a series of personal experiences? Let us examine that, and perhaps we may arrive at some definite conclusion, or perhaps none of what I have to say will matter! Hopefully there is an answer to the question “what the hell?” Let us try.
In 1948 I turned twenty one, just in time to vote in the Presidential election between Harry Truman, the incumbent Democratic President and Thomas Dewey, Republican and the Governor of the State of New York. I must confess my knowledge of politics was nada, nada. I did however follow current events but not in a concentrated or studious manner. My interests leaned toward pop culture - you know; the celebrities of the day, be-bop, dancing, and girls were of course high on the priority list.
Most of us were aware that Truman’s predecessor Franklin Delano Roosevelt was loved by the majority of Americans, including me. But for some reason I was in awe of Thomas Dewey! I guess it was because he came close to being identified as a celebrity.
Add to this unreasonable leaning toward Dewey, my older brother had a good argument to persuade me to register Republican and vote for Dewey. I am sorry to say his job depended on satisfying some local Republican city officials. That was the way it was in city politics, and for certain the case today. My dear brother recruited me, and the result is history. My first vote for a President of the United States was for naught!
Did that change my political leanings? Certainly not! During WWII one of my heroes besides General Patton was Dwight D. Eisenhower. I voted for Dwight, a Republican and happily so. His speech when he uttered those lines about the “military industrial complex” still rings in my ears!
If one is not tuned in to political beliefs at birth then it must be those life experiences an individual encounters throughout their whole life. Most important perhaps much of it is formed during early impressionable and adult growth years. I do not pretend to know anything of the human psyche. What I offer here, is in essence the result only of my personal experiences.
While working at a TV station in Phoenix Arizona in the late 50s I had the pleasure of shaking hands with Barry Goldwater. He impressed me with his statesman like persona and I did not mind his ultra conservative views. But then along came the Presidential election of 1960. The Nation and yours truly were introduced to John F. Kennedy. All of my political leanings toward the right faded; like scaffolding at the end of a construction project. It was at this time, politics became serious thought in my life. It did not consume me, but it ceased to exist at the bottom of the totem pole.
Vividly I recall the first TV debates between JFK and Richard Nixon. Kennedy with his cool demeanor and Nixon sweating profusely under the glaring lights. I cannot forget the newly elected President’s “ask not” inaugural speech. Also recalled; the moments when the president called Khrushchev’s bluff during the Cuban missile crises. Were these the impressions that nudged me?
Civil rights legislation during Johnson’s term looms large in my memory. The unfortunate events of Carter’s time in office, i.e.; double digit inflation, and the Iranian hostage situation, failed to dim my ideological fervor. After all, the oil embargos were not of his doing and he did win a Nobel Peace prize for helping to arrange peace between Israel and Egypt. The die was cast. I guess you might say I became a Liberal somewhere during that time. Unless there is an earth shattering negative experience caused by the Democrats, or I fall deeply in love with a Republican lady, that mindset will remain!
Was my becoming a liberal, innate, all the while? Was it dormant within my consciousness and just required some outside prodding? Is my personality, one that tends to be restrained and non-aggressive have something to do with it? I do not have the answers and do not know if anyone does.
There are some obvious conditions that can be discussed. The percentages I may quote are purely my guess and not based on any scientific research. It may be fair to say that somewhere between twenty to thirty five percent of the electorate ideologically lies on either side of the political spectrum. This for simplicity strictly within this blog is defined as the base of each political party. The individuals belonging in this group, of which I am one, will probably never change their opinions.
From personal experience I have found that those individuals that lean right think the current group of Republican candidates is of the highest order. Whereas those on the left regard the current Republican primary process and debates a joke. For further proof give a listen, as I have to the talking heads on MSNBC and those on FOX. The difference in respect and belief is alarming!
That brings us to the question raised at the onset; “what the hell is going on out there?”
This query is reference to the ongoing Presidential electoral process of the year 2012. After watching the Republican political debates have you been asking the same question? Are you as perplexed as I?
As you have surmised by the historical accounts in this piece, which by the way is much longer than ever anticipated, I am an aged man, eighty four years aged. Notice I refrained from saying the three letter word usually reserved for one that is beyond seventy. Well through all those years, and I am sure others my age would repeat; “never, ever witnessed a Presidential election progression as bizarre as this! One element; it is being performed on the Republican stage. The Democrats in most part have been the spectators and primarily the subject, or in this case the sub plot.
Before I go any further, if I may, let us look at your perspective. Do you identify with what I am uttering? Do you align yourself with my experiences? Are you reading this and exclaiming; “Cappy has gone totally overboard?’ What the hell is he drinking?’ The answer; “none of the above” OK enough with the quotes.
If you are still with me, then you perhaps agree with this presentation, anxious to hear more, do not agree, and are curious enough to continue, or angry enough to find it necessary to accumulate a foundation in order to retort, or change channels!
My thoughts are merely assumptions, very subjective, and offered to perhaps provide some humor to what up to now has been a parade of Presidential candidates that do not rise to the high standards of their own Party. My intent is not to evaluate each of the candidate’s capabilities, nor to comment on performance. Those assessments will be up to the electorate.
We have become victims. Regardless of beliefs, our vulnerabilities and sensitivities are under attack! What follows is my opinion of; “what the hell is going on out there!”
Is it possible we are witnessing a “reality show”? It sure seems so. We have had contestants eliminated one by one, unable to remember their lines, or who they really are. Unfortunately the cast has dwindled to an un-precious few. Placing it in focus; the Republican Party base may or may not be content with the available selection. So what do we have and what lies in the future?
This show has been supported by all major TV networks. Because it is a reality show it must go on as a hard fought struggle to survive. If you have doubt this is a TV rigged show I would like to recall a little history. When Joe Louis was the heavyweight boxing champion of the world his popularity was starting to wane. His fights which he won with ease were two infrequent. The promoters decided to feed Mr. Louis a victim each month. This became known as the “bum of the month club” because the competition was so thin. Nevertheless his popularity soared even though he dispensed with most of them before the third round. I am familiar with all this because I was one of those entranced with others as we gathered around the radio.
I draw this parallel to the debates primarily because as you now know the phrase “flavor of the month” has been used to describe the on-going parade of candidates where the leading candidate seems to change with each state’s primary. Romney, then Gingrich, then Santorum and even Paul getting in there for a few punches.
However, the TV ratings for the debates are in jeopardy because we have had nineteen or so and the specter of a “brokered convention” looms on the horizon. The absence of any brokered talk has been noticeable. It would take away the competitive angle of this wonderful intense production! The media will have none of that chatter through the summer and are doing their hardest to shut the threat of that commotion down!
There are two reasons why a brokered convention is only whispered 1) the aforementioned TV attraction of competitiveness for interest and survival, and 2) the negative appearance of the Republican Party because there is no clear-cut candidate!
Stranger things have happened. Perhaps the media, the GOP claims is liberal, is in essence making the GOP look good in its’ quest to nominate a viable nominee?
Oh, before I forget; there is a supporting cast in this drama. In the wings we have; Sarah Palin and Donald Trump. This entire production would be a colossal failure if their voices were not injected. If there are doubts as to my assumptions that this is a reality show then one must ponder the question, why are they featured so often?
Many Republicans, not of the base, are dissatisfied with the current collection of candidates, and I do not blame them. If there is a brokered convention, do not be surprised if one or two additional hats will be tossed into the ring! These would be individuals that did not care to appear on any reality show, and could not afford to do so. Have you noticed during the CPAC; Marco Rubio auditioning? Perhaps looking forward to 2016, or just maybe, just maybe?
In summary, as noted the title of this piece is “Wired”. Without doubt, one would conclude I am a wired liberal. That is OK, whether at birth or by influence. Can you identify the origin of your political leanings? It could have been a teacher, a friend, family member, spouse, talk show host or a celebrity. Myriad influences exist out there especially now in this age of rapid and accessible information. In the end it all comes down to your ability to sift through fact and fiction. Normally we all are open to influence, and the media has taken advantage of all their weapons. We do, however have the ability to reason and use common sense. In a way these mental attributes rely on a Wi-Fi probability. So there is hope - for all of us!
At the core of it all, the final judge is you. Soon!
There is a film clip often used when sports broadcasters, or historians present a flashback of legendary Green Bay Packer coach; Vince Lombardi. In heavy overcoat on the sidelines after something he did not like occurred on the field, he is heard to exclaim; “what the hell is going on out there?” Those words echo in my mind when trying to make sense of the current national political turmoil – specifically this primary season!
Do you experience confusion, or are we all wired to be all right with the mayhem occurring regardless of position?
One thing that should be stated up front; I am a Liberal Democrat. Have I been wired from birth to be a Democrat, or is my present political philosophy the result of a series of personal experiences? Let us examine that, and perhaps we may arrive at some definite conclusion, or perhaps none of what I have to say will matter! Hopefully there is an answer to the question “what the hell?” Let us try.
In 1948 I turned twenty one, just in time to vote in the Presidential election between Harry Truman, the incumbent Democratic President and Thomas Dewey, Republican and the Governor of the State of New York. I must confess my knowledge of politics was nada, nada. I did however follow current events but not in a concentrated or studious manner. My interests leaned toward pop culture - you know; the celebrities of the day, be-bop, dancing, and girls were of course high on the priority list.
Most of us were aware that Truman’s predecessor Franklin Delano Roosevelt was loved by the majority of Americans, including me. But for some reason I was in awe of Thomas Dewey! I guess it was because he came close to being identified as a celebrity.
Add to this unreasonable leaning toward Dewey, my older brother had a good argument to persuade me to register Republican and vote for Dewey. I am sorry to say his job depended on satisfying some local Republican city officials. That was the way it was in city politics, and for certain the case today. My dear brother recruited me, and the result is history. My first vote for a President of the United States was for naught!
Did that change my political leanings? Certainly not! During WWII one of my heroes besides General Patton was Dwight D. Eisenhower. I voted for Dwight, a Republican and happily so. His speech when he uttered those lines about the “military industrial complex” still rings in my ears!
If one is not tuned in to political beliefs at birth then it must be those life experiences an individual encounters throughout their whole life. Most important perhaps much of it is formed during early impressionable and adult growth years. I do not pretend to know anything of the human psyche. What I offer here, is in essence the result only of my personal experiences.
While working at a TV station in Phoenix Arizona in the late 50s I had the pleasure of shaking hands with Barry Goldwater. He impressed me with his statesman like persona and I did not mind his ultra conservative views. But then along came the Presidential election of 1960. The Nation and yours truly were introduced to John F. Kennedy. All of my political leanings toward the right faded; like scaffolding at the end of a construction project. It was at this time, politics became serious thought in my life. It did not consume me, but it ceased to exist at the bottom of the totem pole.
Vividly I recall the first TV debates between JFK and Richard Nixon. Kennedy with his cool demeanor and Nixon sweating profusely under the glaring lights. I cannot forget the newly elected President’s “ask not” inaugural speech. Also recalled; the moments when the president called Khrushchev’s bluff during the Cuban missile crises. Were these the impressions that nudged me?
Civil rights legislation during Johnson’s term looms large in my memory. The unfortunate events of Carter’s time in office, i.e.; double digit inflation, and the Iranian hostage situation, failed to dim my ideological fervor. After all, the oil embargos were not of his doing and he did win a Nobel Peace prize for helping to arrange peace between Israel and Egypt. The die was cast. I guess you might say I became a Liberal somewhere during that time. Unless there is an earth shattering negative experience caused by the Democrats, or I fall deeply in love with a Republican lady, that mindset will remain!
Was my becoming a liberal, innate, all the while? Was it dormant within my consciousness and just required some outside prodding? Is my personality, one that tends to be restrained and non-aggressive have something to do with it? I do not have the answers and do not know if anyone does.
There are some obvious conditions that can be discussed. The percentages I may quote are purely my guess and not based on any scientific research. It may be fair to say that somewhere between twenty to thirty five percent of the electorate ideologically lies on either side of the political spectrum. This for simplicity strictly within this blog is defined as the base of each political party. The individuals belonging in this group, of which I am one, will probably never change their opinions.
From personal experience I have found that those individuals that lean right think the current group of Republican candidates is of the highest order. Whereas those on the left regard the current Republican primary process and debates a joke. For further proof give a listen, as I have to the talking heads on MSNBC and those on FOX. The difference in respect and belief is alarming!
That brings us to the question raised at the onset; “what the hell is going on out there?”
This query is reference to the ongoing Presidential electoral process of the year 2012. After watching the Republican political debates have you been asking the same question? Are you as perplexed as I?
As you have surmised by the historical accounts in this piece, which by the way is much longer than ever anticipated, I am an aged man, eighty four years aged. Notice I refrained from saying the three letter word usually reserved for one that is beyond seventy. Well through all those years, and I am sure others my age would repeat; “never, ever witnessed a Presidential election progression as bizarre as this! One element; it is being performed on the Republican stage. The Democrats in most part have been the spectators and primarily the subject, or in this case the sub plot.
Before I go any further, if I may, let us look at your perspective. Do you identify with what I am uttering? Do you align yourself with my experiences? Are you reading this and exclaiming; “Cappy has gone totally overboard?’ What the hell is he drinking?’ The answer; “none of the above” OK enough with the quotes.
If you are still with me, then you perhaps agree with this presentation, anxious to hear more, do not agree, and are curious enough to continue, or angry enough to find it necessary to accumulate a foundation in order to retort, or change channels!
My thoughts are merely assumptions, very subjective, and offered to perhaps provide some humor to what up to now has been a parade of Presidential candidates that do not rise to the high standards of their own Party. My intent is not to evaluate each of the candidate’s capabilities, nor to comment on performance. Those assessments will be up to the electorate.
We have become victims. Regardless of beliefs, our vulnerabilities and sensitivities are under attack! What follows is my opinion of; “what the hell is going on out there!”
Is it possible we are witnessing a “reality show”? It sure seems so. We have had contestants eliminated one by one, unable to remember their lines, or who they really are. Unfortunately the cast has dwindled to an un-precious few. Placing it in focus; the Republican Party base may or may not be content with the available selection. So what do we have and what lies in the future?
This show has been supported by all major TV networks. Because it is a reality show it must go on as a hard fought struggle to survive. If you have doubt this is a TV rigged show I would like to recall a little history. When Joe Louis was the heavyweight boxing champion of the world his popularity was starting to wane. His fights which he won with ease were two infrequent. The promoters decided to feed Mr. Louis a victim each month. This became known as the “bum of the month club” because the competition was so thin. Nevertheless his popularity soared even though he dispensed with most of them before the third round. I am familiar with all this because I was one of those entranced with others as we gathered around the radio.
I draw this parallel to the debates primarily because as you now know the phrase “flavor of the month” has been used to describe the on-going parade of candidates where the leading candidate seems to change with each state’s primary. Romney, then Gingrich, then Santorum and even Paul getting in there for a few punches.
However, the TV ratings for the debates are in jeopardy because we have had nineteen or so and the specter of a “brokered convention” looms on the horizon. The absence of any brokered talk has been noticeable. It would take away the competitive angle of this wonderful intense production! The media will have none of that chatter through the summer and are doing their hardest to shut the threat of that commotion down!
There are two reasons why a brokered convention is only whispered 1) the aforementioned TV attraction of competitiveness for interest and survival, and 2) the negative appearance of the Republican Party because there is no clear-cut candidate!
Stranger things have happened. Perhaps the media, the GOP claims is liberal, is in essence making the GOP look good in its’ quest to nominate a viable nominee?
Oh, before I forget; there is a supporting cast in this drama. In the wings we have; Sarah Palin and Donald Trump. This entire production would be a colossal failure if their voices were not injected. If there are doubts as to my assumptions that this is a reality show then one must ponder the question, why are they featured so often?
Many Republicans, not of the base, are dissatisfied with the current collection of candidates, and I do not blame them. If there is a brokered convention, do not be surprised if one or two additional hats will be tossed into the ring! These would be individuals that did not care to appear on any reality show, and could not afford to do so. Have you noticed during the CPAC; Marco Rubio auditioning? Perhaps looking forward to 2016, or just maybe, just maybe?
In summary, as noted the title of this piece is “Wired”. Without doubt, one would conclude I am a wired liberal. That is OK, whether at birth or by influence. Can you identify the origin of your political leanings? It could have been a teacher, a friend, family member, spouse, talk show host or a celebrity. Myriad influences exist out there especially now in this age of rapid and accessible information. In the end it all comes down to your ability to sift through fact and fiction. Normally we all are open to influence, and the media has taken advantage of all their weapons. We do, however have the ability to reason and use common sense. In a way these mental attributes rely on a Wi-Fi probability. So there is hope - for all of us!
At the core of it all, the final judge is you. Soon!
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