Darshan Blog

News that Starbucks is closing 5% of their stores comes as more than a surprise to some. Its the canary in the mine shaft. For a year critics have been arguing about the economy and whether we are in a recession. This closure of stores can be a fine mark that a recession is upon us.

We could make the argument that the companies growth was too much too fast with every city block seems to be dotted with the ubiquitous green logo. While other coffee proprietors fight for a piece of the market and try to catch up bolstering their brand with research saying American’s prefer the taste of their more traditional bled. Even McDonald’s introduces items similar, yet many American’s now refer to a cup of coffee as not joe… but Starbucks.

A year ago a memo was leaked about the need to for Starbucks to return to its roots. Included in the changes; a need to focus on the stores which have turned into automats with green smocked employees who would just press a series of buttons to create the products with long names that signified the unique blend they request. The president wanted to bring back the originality of Starbucks. Bring back the coffee house atmosphere with conversation plus the gourmet creation of coffee, the first step would be to return to the original blend and get rid of pastries. Now it seems that the Starbucks need to close some of their stories because quite simply they are competing with each other and that system isn’t working.

I think it is all a case of bad timing. The canary has died in the mine shaft. Its warning us that worse times are on the way. A time where one cannot afford three dollar coffee and gas is at an all time high. It also reminds me of a warning I received when I first started working. A coworker advised “you know how your company is doing by the items they provide free for their employees. You must start to worry when they switch to one ply in the bathroom and when they take away the free coffee.”

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In Ian Shapira’s article in the Washington Post, he strongly states that Chelsea Clinton is not a representatives of her generation. Mostly because she isn’t putting all her dirty laundry out for the press to go through and for not being totally accessible for both the fans of a Clinton Presidency, and against. Is that all our generation represents to Mr Shapira? Are we just the MySpace generation who use the internet to find dates and to put up that picture of us partying with our friends? Are we just the generation of people dying to be on the latest reality show?

I think those who seem to have no privacy are the minority. I think most people in my generation (those of the age 25-30) are educated, socially minded citizens. We are the ones who set up bake sales to save the music program at our high school and did the community service before it was required before high school graduation. I think Chelsea perfectly represents this part of the generation who work hard for themselves so they can turn around and help their community.

I have always been impressed by Chelsea. I always empathized with her during the first Clinton Election (remember the one in 1992?). We were about the same age and going through the early 90’s with bad teeth and a bad haircut. But there she was by her parents side always smiling and behaving well in the lime light (remember Rudy Giuliani’s son in the 1994 inauguration?). I knew I wouldn’t want anyone to see my 8th grade graduation picture, where I had mall bangs and a big Laura Ashley dress, but there is Chelsea at the inaugural looking so proud of her father forever immortalized in press pictures.

She then disappeared for a long time suddenly coming back with a fabulous hair cut, no braces and announcing she was off to Stanford as her college of choice. Once again my peers looked at her as a role model. I am sure it doesn’t hurt in her college essay she could reference trips oversees as a representative of her father… the president.

By college graduation Chelsea had matured into a well spoken, educated, and tough as nails young woman. Since being born Chelsea has had to not only choose her words wisely, but choose when she would make a public appearance. Everything was read into when she appeared and which parent she stood next to.

My generation has grown up with spin. We know how to sense it and we know who to believe before they even start speaking. Chelsea has had to be both private citizen and public figure at the same time and now as she has chosen to speak for her mother on many college campuses that balance is being tested. Maybe she should have made that decision earlier on how open to be, but it seems she is happy with the decision she has made. Her words are criticized as spin. I can’t imagine how one should “spin” their accolades for their mother. She is a spokeswoman for her mother as HER DAUGHTER, not as another elected official. So why should Mr. Shapira give her bad marks for struggling still with this dual citizenship? How many other people under the age of 30 have had to be questioned by a stranger on the strength of their parents marriage publicly?

Whatever happens with the Democratic Party and the Presidential election in unknown. What I can tell is that Chelsea will learn a lot from this experience and will use it to propel her to the next level in her life and career. I will keep checking the news for what she is doing throughout her life to be not only motivated, but proud of one of my peers. Maybe it is time for another Clinton in the White House, one who has seen it from all sides. How about Chelsea in 2016?

Author: Sonya Gavankar

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Raleigh, North Carolina has banned garbage disposals; violators are being threatened with a hefty fine of $25,000 per day!

Last year near Raleigh, N.C., a tall geyser exploded through the ground and swallowed a Corvette and the cause was said to be cooking grease, the kind that slips down the drain and—unknown to your average household chef—clogs sewage lines. To solve the problem, the city has taken a dramatic step: it’s banned garbage disposals in homes.

Sewage overflows cause health hazards, property and environmental damage. Raleigh already spends $10 million a year on overflow prevention. So, the residents have been forbid to install new or replace old disposals. Violators will be charged with a hefty fine of $25,000 per day. This has been opposed by the citizens who believe that a basic homeowner’s right is on the line. Some residents worry that garbage volumes will increase as a result, crowding landfills, while others dispute the premise that grease is truly the culprit.

There has been lot of opposition to this ban, and it is has been sent back to commitee for further review.

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