Business: Can a Chain Help Local Business?

Bellinghamsters love supporting local business, as one can see by the wide variety of entrepreneurs who are successful in the community, and the "Buy Local" stickers dotting many a storefront. However, locals also enjoy drinking coffee at the local Starbucks, which is evidenced by long lines at multiple locations every morning. Thanks to this article in Slate, we can continue to do so, guilt-free.

According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, Starbucks has actually helped the mom-and-pop coffee shop succeed. How? Starbucks is notorious for buying store space near--sometimes even next door to--a local coffee shop in order to lure its customers. However, the effect is that both coffee shops benefit from an increase in sales because customers equate the whole area as a place to grab coffee. If the line is too long at Starbucks, the customers go next door to get their caffeine fix. Statistics show that in the years since Starbucks has dominated the American skyline, independent coffee shops have grown by 40%, and 57% of all coffee shops in America are still mom-and-pop operations.

Another fascinating fact from the article: a coffee shop has a mere 10% failure rate, which is much more favorable than a restaurant. Thus, if you are looking for a cup of coffee, don't feel too bad about alternating between Starbucks and the local favorite. If you are looking to buy a coffeehouse, especially in this town of buzz-seekers, it may be a good entrepreneurial adventure.

However, it still begs the ultimate question: what happens when two Starbucks are right next to each other?'

To read the full article, click here.

Digital Life: 2008 Calendars for Your Monitor

I Was reading the Lifehacker website and found a link to this very useful file. Seems Marlie at Marlie's Creative Universe website has made a .pdf file that prints out a handy 2008 calendar for the top or side of your monitor.

These calendars come in a couple configurations and are available in horizontal or vertical layouts. She also has them available in black/white or color. I printed a couple of the documents and they work just fine.

With the end of the year fast approaching, I thought many of you could use a nice calendar to get your year going.

Enjoy!

Digital Life: Google What!?

Google just released their annual Zeitgeist report. Loosely translated zeitgeist means "spirit of the times" and for Google this is the annual report on the biggest events, and the hottest searches of the year.

The report is fascinating look at culture across the United States and the world. It gives us a brief glimpse at what the world is thinking about at specific moments in time.

Anne Nicole Smith was one of the biggest stories until the Virginia Tech shootings. The biggest surprise to me was the death of Pavarotti generated just as many search as Virginia tech or Anne Nicole. Sudoku is on the list and so is eBuddy....whatever that is.

So take a quick look, you'll be fascinated by this brief slice of history. If your not familiar with Google, you may want to check out our Exploring Google class starting up March 1st.

Don't forget to post your comments below.

Education: Screaming as Stress Relief

I just read about a great new trend on college campuses. During finals week, when everyone in the dorms is vacillating between writing papers, studying for tests, and having a nervous breakdown, the whole college takes time out to go outside and scream.

This is just one of the many rituals described in the MSNBC article "College Students Screaming for Stress Relief". Since finals week is one of the most stressful experiences of a college students life, students as well as administrators are finding positive outlets for the stress. In addition to screaming, some schools have professors serve a midnight breakfast. Others are slightly more risque: Tufts University in Boston has a nude run during finals week.

Overall, it seems that the trend is to acknowledge the stress and do something slightly silly and edgy, rather than let students keep it inside to more tragic results.

So, to all of you trying to write the final paragraph on that paper or trying to memorize the entire endocrine system----get outside and let those lungs go!

To read the full article, click here.

Computers: Email is Dead

Today at work our email is down, and most of us feel pretty useless without it. However, it has given me some time to work on researching generational differences between Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Generation Y. Coincidentally, while looking for something to blog about I found an article that tied these two discrete concepts together: The Death of Email on slate.com.

Apparently the youth of America are not only bypassing the letter with the stamp on it, the phone call with all of its slow rotary dialing, the cellphone with all of its number-pushing, but also the email system, in favor of still faster methods of communication such as MySpace and Facebook. While an email is like a clunky long letter in computer form, a Facebook or an IM is instantaneous.

Unfortunately, we adults are slow to catch up. For example: in the wake of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, many universities are using campus-wide emails as a form of emergency communication, but the article states that email use is down among college students by 8%.

What does this mean for the future? The article concludes that email will always be important for business. For basic communication, however, it's all about the instant messaging. Not only is email dead here at my work today, but it may also be dying a slow death in society as Generation Y grows up and takes on leadership positions. In the meantime, start memorizing your emoticons! :)

To read the full article, click here.