I don't know who lit a fire under the folks who write/produce Smallville, but the least few episodes have been the best in years. The introduction of Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, has been nothing but fun, fun, fun. An EMP arrow? Oh, yeah! Thankfully, Oliver and Clark already know about each other's extracurricular activities, saving us from a year of ridiculously contrived scenes in which secret identities are protected. Now, if Green Lantern would make an appearance. In brightest day, in darkest night . . .
I started reading Barak Obama's The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream yesterday. Since the late 90s, I've refused to support either of the major parties and have cast my lot with a no-shot-in-hell third party candidate. I'm fifty pages into his book and, should he decide to run, I might have to give him a serious look.
Starbucks continues to garner media attention, this time as a result of various marketing maneuvers and rhetorical strategies: Starbucks as Cultural Filter; The Starbucks Aesthetic. Despite my love/hate relationship with the franchise, I have to admit they do a terrific job adjusting their marketing message. Their coffee, while better than vacuum packed Folgers, isn't all that great; the big draw of Starbucks is the trendy vibe. People feel hip when they order their skinny, no foam Carmel Cappamachiolatte. Hold the whip. Even though the majority of the Starbucks' roasts possess a subtle hint of burnt coffee bean, the overall architectural aesthetic appeals to the snobbiest of coffee geeks: me. Go figure.
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