#820 Zappuccino

There are more signs the economy continues to slow down.
Like the big story the other day about the pilot’s union filing a formal complaint with the FAA against the airlines. Seems the airlines are trying to save fuel costs two ways: Having pilots fly slower and cutting unnecessary weight—plastic dishes, less excess garbage, you know.
A good idea even in your own car. Are you still carrying around your winter chains in your trunk in August? Even with the weird weather aberrations brought on by global warming, I think it’s safe to store them in the garage.
Likewise the airlines are shucking their spare loads. Except one of those spare loads happens to be reserve fuel. Arguing that fuel weighs something and the way to save fuel is to carry less of it, the airline are forcing pilots to fly with what they feel are unsafe reserves.
Sometimes weather conditions force flights off track or planes are required to circle airports innumerable times because of back-ups and delays. Reserve fuel gets them their safely. The pilots want to be in charge of how much fuel to carry, and I’m with them.
What with the airlines’ record for over-booking flights, misfiguring ticket sales, losing baggage, and never arriving on time, do we want them to be making the judgment?
The other ominous cloud on the horizon of our economic storm is Starbucks. Formerly the darling of coffee addicts and corporate America, the Starbucks business model seemed recession proof.
Guess what? Surprisingly, when America is paying four dollars a gallon for gas they’re less likely to fork over four bucks a cup for coffee, fancy or otherwise. Something’s got to give.
Disposable income purchases depend on one thing—having disposable income.
Starbucks is having to close 600 outlets nationwide and is laying off 7% of its workforce. Talk about a downer.
They say the spinoffs of the housing slump led to all our other problems. I’m worried about the side effects of this great coffee depression.
Depression.
Or at least slowing down. How can we rule the world without our buzz? Where is America going to get its competitive energy without it’s morning zappuccino?
America, ya gotta love it.