20-08-2003 10:47									#61
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by elijah dont eat it, and make sure attractive women you have influence over dont eat it

I don't have any influence over attractive women, they have all kinds of influence over me

Happily, they don't drink coffee.

	20-08-2003 19:46									#62
	Got spare money?

Dunkin Donuts.

	20-08-2003 22:27									#63
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

[Public Access Channel]
Announcer: Live! It's the South Park Town Hall meeting on Public Access. Tonight's topic, Prop Ten!
[Audience claps]
Host: Should Harbucks be able to open a store in South Park? That's tonight's topic. On my left, five innocent, starry-eyed boys from middle America. On my right a big fat, smelly corporate guy from New York.
Audience: Boooooo!
John: Hey, I'm not fat or smelly.
Host: Alright Mr. Deuschbag.
John: Poston.
Host: Pardon me Mr. A$s Face. Anyway let's hear your side of the argument.
Audience: Boooo!
John: My argument is simple, this country is founded on free enterprise. Harbucks is an organization that-
Audience: Sssssssssssssss!
John: An organization that prides itself on great coffee! We simply want to- Aw to hell with you!
Host: Ok, Arcafé. Now for the other side of the argument we turn to our young, handsome lads. Boys your thoughts.
[Silence]
Host: C'mon boys, don't be shy. What's your principle argument?
[Silence]
Kyle: Uh?
Stan: Uh?
Cartman: This guy sucks a$s!
Audience: Yeah!
Host: Great argument. You win boys.
John: What?!
Mr. Garrison: That was close Mr. Hat.

[Later on the set]
[A commercial is playing]
Guy: What is the future of America? Is it the money we make?
[A dollar flies by the screen]
Guy: The quests we conquer
[Shot of Neil Armstrong on the moon flies by]
Guy: No. It's the children.
[Shows a pic of the five boys]
Guy: So what do the children have to say about Prop Ten?
[Kyle's head flies by]
Kyle: I don't like big corporations.
[Then Stan]
Stan: I like small businesses.
[Then Cartman]
Cartman: I believe in the family owned enterprise.
[Kenny]
Kenny: Mumble mumble mumble mumble.
[And finally Tweek]
Tweek: Ah!
Guy: It's time to stop large corporations. Prop Ten is about children. Vote yes on Prop Ten or else you hate children. You don't hate children, do you? Remember, keep American business small or else.
[Show a pic of all five boys' heads as burnt skulls with hats]
Guy: Paid for by citizens for a fair and equal way to get Harbucks Coffee kicked out of town forever.

	21-08-2003 09:18									#65
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by lord of the mark What the US does best is taking OTHER countries cultural products, and then standardizing them for the masses. And standardization means just that - it wont be the best, but it will be reliable.

lotm, that's hitting the nail on the head. One of the most important things that Starbucks, McDonalds, Subway, Krispy Kreme, and many other popular chains have in common are standardized quality. McDonalds found a way to make a hamburger taste the same whether it's made in New York or Los Angeles or even Tokyo so when people go to those places, they know what their getting.

McDs and the other food chains also have speed and price on their side which fits right in with the American culture. Fast, cheap and easy.

And as lotm said, it's not the best tasting stuff, but that's not why they make the money.

quote: Originally posted by Hueij Well, being from The Netherlands, Starbuck won't stand a chance here. Here we have REAL coffeeshops...

Here a story from my brother. There was a street with two mom and pop coffee shops (real coffee shops) on it. Starbucks came in and built it's own shop between the two pre-existing shops. Soon, one of the others closed down.

My brother believes that Starbucks is able to make such moves because they are able to take a loss at one shop because of the corporate backing whereas the mom and pop shops don't have enough funds to take the losses and will be forced to close earlier.

Has anyone else noticed this kind of strategy from Starucks and do you think this is a fair assesment of Starbuck's move?

	21-08-2003 09:43									#66
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

quote: Originally posted by badams52 And as lotm said, it's not the best tasting stuff, but that's not why they make the money.

There are two ways to make truckloads of $.

First, sell outrageously expensive items to a selected few. Second, sell crap cheaply to the masses.

Dogbert calls the first group, Stupid Rich. The second group, Stupid Poor.

McD follows the second method. However, it seems to me that Harbuck has successfully combined the two ways, selling crap expensively to a group who thinks they are somehow exclusive.