Coffee Anyone?

What was once a great American brand is continuing a free fall into coffee oblivion. What was once a destination coffee house continues to flail away looking for a way to bring a reticent American public back into their stores. Starbucks will do themselves a disservice if they try and blame their current economic challenges on outside pressures rather than look deep within their corporate soul. But this is what organizations typically do, because it is easier to place, rather than accept blame. Starbucks has lost their way and it started long before the meltdown we are now facing. It started when they decided they wanted a commodity, rather than an experience. When the big green decided to have a store on every corner, they lost the panache of going to a Starbucks. Why? Because of overexposure. You see, when something is available everywhere, there is nothing special about it, so why bother? Now to implement their strategy of coffee carpet bombing, Starbucks began to put stores in strip malls, grocery stores, and any other vacant retail space they could find. And the look of their units took a design beating. This contributed to the killing of the special coffee experience. Let me show you what I mean. Here is a typical US based Starbucks. Here is a typical Mexico based Starbucks. You tell me which store looks more inviting to you. When you add this to a company now offering instant coffee, five hundred types of tea, breakfast cereal, sandwiches, and what not, you have a recipe for disaster. If the company really wants recover their brand, get back to basics. Coffee. In a great atmosphere, at a fair price. El Jarocho Cafe in Coyoacan, the eclectic neighborhood in Mexico City has done that for years and they are still going strong. Last Tuesday night, when I was there, the line was 10 deep for most of the evening. The atmosphere was alive and a dollar got you a great tasting cup of jose. It has been that way since they started over 50 years ago. Maybe El Jarocho knows something Starbucks doesn't, or has forgot.

Happy Valentine's Day Michele

I have been in Mexico the last two weeks doing some teaching, counseling, and building. My trip started on Wednesday, February 11th. Now if you are somewhat sharp, you know that means I missed being with Michele, my wife of almost 30 years, on Valentine's Day Tonight when I get home, we are headed to church for an Ash Wednesday service and then out to dinner to celebrate. There are no words for me to express how much I love you Michele. I am so glad you are my Valentine!

Meandering in Mexico

(A great picture of a mototaxi in Mitla, where I am currently serving. No that is not me!) Things just happen slower here. No matter how often I experience this, I still struggle with it. Immigration is a tough issue. There will be no solution unless and until both the US and Mexico decide to deal with this together. Fiesta is more than an event, it is a way of life. When you struggle to meet your daily needs, a fiesta helps a community to set aside their struggles, their worries, their pobreza, and just live a few days in pure joy. You walk a lot in Mexico. Is it any wonder I wear out so many shoes when I walk a few miles each day. I have too much stuff. As I travel here and live amongst the people, I am amazed how life goes on without all the things I am convinced are essentials. The church here is a lot like the US church. Afraid of change, struggling to remain relevant, and looking for a voice in the 21st century. Poverty can be brutal. I don’t know how someone can break the cycle of poverty when the minimum wage is less than $5.00 a day. There is a lot of variety in tortillas. I think I prefer the northern flour tortillas, hand made, as opposed to the Oaxacan tlayudas, or the popular corn variety of Guadalajara. I like riding in a mototaxi. Think of this small town transportation as a souped up gas powered golf cart. A ride in town costs only 5 pesos. It really is Febrero Loco. The weather today was hot during the day and freezing once the sun went down, proving the Mexican adage that the weather in February really is crazy. I am currently finishing up a two week stint in Mexico. I have been serving in Mitla, Oaxaca and will be heading to Puebla and Mexico City for a few days before I return to the US. More later, but until then, nos vemos!

What Would Jesus Do? A Monumental Question

Many Christians I talk to cannot understand why the church is viewed negatively by those on the outside. They struggle to comprehend why non Christians seem to believe that the church cares mostly about itself. Here is an article that might shed some light on that subject. Neighbors at odds with church over huge crosses. Here is the crux of the short story from the Las Vegas Sun. A donor has given a local church $350,000.00 to erect a three cross monument at the site of the church's new facility. Without getting into whether the monument is going to impact residential views, here is the $64,000.00, or rather $350,000.00 question. How will this monument positively impact a community devastated by the current economic crisis? How many lives will be changed as a result of this monument? And how does this look to a community that could use this apparently expendable $350,000.00 for some type of Kingdom focused ministry? You can be sure there are a lot of non Christian people in Las Vegas asking why, if this donor has that kind of money to invest, he not investing it in people instead of monuments? I think it is a reasonable question.

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Coach K from Duke is upset because he can't find his Prilosec during tonights meltdown against Clemson. Every once in a while you get to experience a miracle. Tonight the players from Clemson University beat Goliath. Clemson, the little team that typically can't, beat Duke. This is hold the presses stuff. The Giants win the pennant. The Empire somehow managing to defeat Lord Palpatine and destroy the Deathstar. And they did it convincingly 74 - 47. Duke has not lost this bad in years. You can bet Coach K. is still looking for his Prilosec. I mean all you have to know is that with four minutes left, Duke put the white guys in and basically surrendered. In Little League, this game would have been called because of the mercy rule. Who knows if the players from Clemson will ever again experience a level of joy like they did tonight, but right now, they are giant killers.

A Letter To President Obama

Dear President Obama, Well now that you have had a few days, how does it feel? People waiting on you everyday, keeping the place clean, taking care of your dry cleaning and stuff like that. I'll caution you on one thing as it relates to this kind of stuff though. Don't you forget about Michelle. You see, if you get all big headed and think she needs to wait on you hand and foot too, I am sure you'll be in for a rude awakening. But enough of the pleasantries... let's move on to some of the heavier stuff. Enough is enough and I'm concerned. I'm concerned because I am starting see a pattern and I find it troubling. Now lest you think this a missive from some right wing nut job, all you have to do is check my little bog over on Google. While you are at it, check your campaign office records in Henderson, Nevada where my family and I volunteered for and donated to your campaign. It looks as though you are missing a few beats on the political side of things. Let me explain. You promised us a culture of openness and ethics. You told us it would not be business as usual in Washington Have you forgotten those pledges? You told us that you were different. That you were about change. Well what has happened to that? Your Treasury Secretary did not pay his taxes. Something like $45,000.00. Beyond the absurdity of this, if a guy can't figure out how much he owes in taxes, do we really want him running our treasury? Your HHS nominee did not pay his taxes. I've heard that amount is over $125,000.00 and that he has known about it since June. Did he tell you then, or just recently drop this bombshell? Either way, this is bad. If he hid it from you, can you really expect honesty and respect from him moving forward? And if he told you about his problems early on, what were you thinking nominating him? I remember when the I.R.S. said I owed an additional $2000.00 in back taxes. You know what their response was after sending me my five hundred harassing, threatening letters and phone calls? Pay us now and work it out later. Or we start taking your assets. And in this era of background checks to flip burgers, an I.R.S. issue on your record can immediately disqualify you for a job. Now I know these guys have said that they made mistakes. Yeah, so what? Besides, I don't buy it. And in the culture of ethics you promised us, are there not consequences for mistakes? We, the American people, gave you a mulligan on Geithner. You get one pass. But you need to drop Daschle. Or risk losing your credibility What is suggested by your strong initial, and in some case ongoing support of these men is an inability to grasp the potential political downsides of all of this. And that for me draws into question your judgment. I am not saying these men would not be great servants of the American people. What I am saying is that the political downsides of these guys might outweigh the positives. It looks like politics as usual. This is not the change we need. President Bush was blinded by loyality at times. The American people demanded, and voted for something different in you. I know you can get guys like this approved, the question I have is do you really want to? President Obama, we voted for a more ethical and open administration. If you are serious about bringing chamge to Washington, this is not how you go about it. Sincerely, Dave Quick Update... Former Senator Tom Daschle has withdrawn his name for consideration as HHS Secretary over his tax issues. Nancy Killefer, named by President Obama as his chief performance expert at the Office of Management and Budget, has withdrawn her nomination on account of -- among other things -- tax problems!

Pittsburgh Wins Record Sixth Super Bowl

NY Times photo of Big Ben and his coach Mike Tomlin during the game. Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of sports best run franchises, on their record sixth Super Bowl Championship. If you are like the majority of people in this country, you at least watched part of the game yesterday. Either at home, at a bar, or maybe, like me, at your church with a group of friends. And you probably ate too many chips, too much dip, a few too many cookies, and drank too much soda or beer. Super Bowl Sunday has become "The American Holiday." Think about it for a few moments. All of our holidays celebrate something and yesterday was no different. All across America, families and friends were reunited by the common bonds of sports, food, and friendship for a four hour love fest that would have made even the god Bacchanal blush. While certainly tempered by our current economic struggles, based on the lines I saw in stores here in Las Vegas, currently ground zero in the housing crisis, you can bet few corners were cut as we worshiped at the twin altars of Costco and Walmart in preparation for the big day. We even cheered the commercials Sunday, those stinking interruptions that any other day would be cursed as nothing more than a distraction. And we do all of this because Super Bowl Sunday is about consumption. It is our last gasp at gluttony before we go into hibernation to await spring. Or perhaps this year, until sometime later in 2010. It is our day to celebrate stuff. Think about it for a few moments. Everything about the day is designed for us to spend money we don't have, buy stuff we don't need, and eat more food than can possibly be good for us. The American Lifestyle. It is, for many, as if the game is secondary. When did that happen?