Comments for Paradigm Shifted

Comment on i don’t need advice by Swaroop

Swaroop — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:20:01 +0000

I stand behind the power of a messy desk. Its pure randomness at work. Whatever you are searching for on a cluttered desk, there is an equal probability of finding it. Not so true on the hyper organized obsessive desk.

Comment on an ode to coffee (why mass consumerism will ruin us all) by steve

steve — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:29:02 +0000

Starbucks as a company has probably done as much or more for the plight of coffee growers as the “Fair Trade” coffee movement. The situation for coffee growers far predates Starbucks and is similar to the situation for countries that produce bananas, etc, in which large (mostly American) coffee companies put coffee producers at a serious disadvantage throughout the 20th century, while at the same time gradually degrading the quality of their product (canned coffee)by gradually increasing the amount of cheap robusta beans compared to arabica beans, so that the end consumer didn’t notice it.

Starbucks, although they don’t participate in Fair Trade, in many cases pays more than “Fair Trade” rates for their coffee. They have an interest in getting quality beans, so, while they aren’t **giving** money away, they have an interest in having and nurturing viable suppliers.

Starbucks also has the primary responsibility for creating the gourmet coffee market in this country, which has created a market for smaller roasters/cafes that didn’t exist before Starbucks created it.

And, yes, they are a big successful corporation and do some things that aren’t “nice” as well.

If you want an interesting book about coffee and Starbucks, try reading “Starbucked”, which was published in 2008.

–steve

Comment on the story of stuff by steve

steve — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:17:58 +0000

my two cents:

One dollar coffee is not “cheap.” I make it at my house for about 15 cents, excluding the milk. I bring it to work in a jar leave it in the fridge, and microwave a cupful when I want some coffee at work.

that’s cheap.

You can eat a pretty well for $4 a day if you cook all your own food and beverages. After you’ve done that for a while, you will start to see takeout coffee for the luxury that it is. I do get it sometimes, but i don’t think of it as “cheap” but as “expensive”. Particularly when you add the ‘add-on’ cookie or pastry that I associate with the coffee shop experience, a trip to the local cafe costs $3 or more, and if you get a specialty coffee drink it will cost more than my usual cost for food for the day.

if you look at it a certain way $1 coffee is exorbitantly priced.

Comment on business models that i love by GM

GM — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:27:34 +0000

Any business model that makes money in an ethical fashion is a good model for me. But I get the personal persective of your post though.

Comment on a random sort of epiphany by deepali

deepali — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:42:57 +0000

@ RacerX - I love it!

Comment on a random sort of epiphany by RacerX

RacerX — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:05:29 +0000

Fine then…4/5 bloggers I know think you are doing a good job on your goals!

Keep it up!

Comment on out of clutter find simplicity by imthat

imthat — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:34:50 +0000

Liked your last line of the blog. Good insights.

Comment on out of clutter find simplicity by B

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:31:04 +0000

Hmmm…I read your blog regularly and just happen to be moving to DC in October and looking for a place! Keep us all updated on your plans to rent. Maybe one of your trusted readers can become your trusted renter!

Comment on out of clutter find simplicity by brittany marie

brittany marie — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:24:27 +0000

I love simplicity. Every summer before heading back for the fall semester I have a trash party where I get rid of old papers, things I have collected, etc…it is an awesome thing to whittle four boxes down to two.

Comment on always do what you are afraid to do by Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:30:26 +0000

Sounds good. Foreign experience may be something that younger people do more often, but I think those with a little more experience in life get more out of it. Not unlike college…which after going through once, I’d like to “do right” this time. Sure I got A’s, but I don’t know if I learned everything I wish I had.

And I agree that it’ll look good on your resume/career.

And hey, you can do it! That’s pretty cool. I occasionally wish that I weren’t tied down at all and could make huge decisions like that.