Friday, September 29, 2006

More brand fans + links

As a postscript to my earlier discussion of corporate brand fans, consider this Starbucks enthusiast (via) named Winter who dresses only in Starbucks t-shirts and is attempting to drink at least four ounces of caffeinated coffee from every Evil Empire outpost in the Universe. Someone is apparently making a film of this, which might help spread the star's philosophy. What's that? In his words, "I'd like to see an elimination of global conflict." He admits that this is not really a newsworthy philosophy but that's his line.

Meanwhile, on the internet...

-Bacon Press: Why I Don't Read Your Blog.

-Zingfu: do fun things with photos (via).

-Taking pictures in restaurants: the Cod is against it. I'm undecided. I've done it in the past but part of me doesn't like to. Related: Flickr, does anyone take pictures of their meatballs while dining at IKEA? (Also, IKEA groups on Flickr.)

-Degrassi, new season, tonight at 8 pm on television, at 9 on the web. Having no cable is no longer a good explanation for why you don't watch television. Still, watching on a computer screen isn't ideal.

-This op-ed in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is the smartest thing I've read in the mainstream press on Whole Foods coming to town. It addresses issues of gentrification and the big guys stomping on the little guys. On a personal note: having shopped there several times now, I am still marvelling at the huge size of the place, the hordes of people always eating and shopping there, and some of the products they sell. Who goes to a supermarket to buy Robeez shoes for their babies?

2 Comments:

Blogger the chocolate doctor מרת שאקאלאד said...

I vote with the cod on this one. Other items I would prefer not to see or hear in restaurants are mobile phones, ipods, and blackberries, unless they are that other kind of blackberry.
I will admit to having taken a photo once at a sidewalk cafe, with the San Gennaro festival booming on all sides.

3:09 PM  
Blogger Jeff said...

I liked the editorial but what the writer, and many others who don't understand how development works need to understand that you cannot stop Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or any other retailer from coming to your City. The author finishes the editorial by stating "...our city needs to continue to think about the whole picture in considering what is best for our neighborhoods and our dinner tables." Well in a perfect world Cities could pick and chose what types of stores come in but much to the chagrin of people like Rachel Ida Buff (the author and UWM professor), who have their heads buried in the sand of academia, Cities have very little control over what can and cannot come to their community. If Whole Foods comes in and meets all of the zoning, engineering, and architectural standards, you cannot treat them any different than someplace deemed cool, like Outpost or Beans and Barley.

I don’t agree with everything that Whole Foods does and I am well aware that their presence on the East Side may spell the end of someplace like Beans and Barley (at least their grocery portion, the restaurant should not be affected at all) but if you weigh the positives with the negatives I would say that there are far more positives such as increased tax base, more decent paying jobs, an increased community awareness in organic foods, sustainable agriculture, and healthy eating and also adding to Milwaukee’s viability as a place to do business as an upscale retailer.

2:55 PM  

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