marti and erin.com

So, Starbucks brags about the “experience” you have. The company claims that this experience warrants charging $5 for a cup of coffee. It claims that they provide an environment to meet, study, work, or just relax. So what I can’t understand is if they are so intent on providing you with a comfortable, convenient place to spend your time why can’t they provide free wireless internet? It amazes me for all the money that they earn from your cup of coffee, that they are stingy enough to make your sign up with T-Mobile for a minium of $9.95 for a 24 hour pass for the internet. Not exactly a practical interval of time or reasonable price, but alas Starbucks is greedy with the wireless.

Other locations have seen clear of giving it away. My hat off to Panera Bread and the Atlanta Bread Company who both offer a much better selection of food and are truly inviting people to work in their locations by offering the internet for free. I know I choose one of those locations when I need to get some work done on the go. I only choose Starbucks for the non-tech days.

I wish I knew why Starbucks, a company that makes so much money, would be so greedy with the wireless…

…is the Panda Cam at the National Zoo. In July, the Zoo welcomed a giant panda cub who has since been named Tai Shan. He is super cute and the object of much interest in the Washington area. If you want to check him out, go here and scroll down the page. There are two live cams, as well as some stored footage of Tai Shan and his mom, Mei Xiang.

OK, fast thought-provoking question on a Saturday…
I saw a few Fruit of the Loom commercials today and could clearly recognize purple grapes, green grapes, and an apple, but there is a fourth fruit that is a yellowish brown and has a lot of leaves on it. Any idea what that fruit is?

Any info you want to share on your artist of the day (who is quite cute)
or do I need to googlehim myself?

Just a quickie today….

Must-have album du jour: 1972 by Josh Rouse. Oh my. So good.