Would Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, make a good presidential candidate in 2020?
In light of recent events, does it matter that Starbucks has views on how to treat customers?
Starbucks is a big company. They Lead their industry. I care that they care about their employees, their stores, their customers, and suppliers (Fair trade coffee). I buy their products, and I invest in their company
5 Big Brands Making the World a Better Place – Wise Bread
To see books on Corporate Ethics from Amazon, click here.
You may not care, and that is your choice, but I do. Putting my money where my mouth is, and hoping the world will be a better place for it.
Disclaimer: I own starbucks stock and usually have a tall Pikes with 2%milk.
Click here for Books on Starbucks corporation and Howard Schultz, the CEO, from Amazon.
How to keep your car’s finish clean between waxings
Keeping a car clean between waxings is a battle I personally wage with Mother nature, birds, certain trees (they know who they are), acid rain, and the relentless sun that burns through the shrinking ozone layer.
Waxing your car keeps a protective coating on the surface that smooths it out and helps it repel all the nasty things (see my first paragraph) that can harm your paint. A second coat of wax, about 2 weeks to a month after your “base” coat, will give your car extra help in keeping clean and build up some extra protection. All decent auto supply shops (Pep Boys, Auto Zone, Advance Auto Parts, Walmart, Sears, etc.) carry a good choice of waxes, and detailing products for your black or chrome trim, tires, and rims. They also have car wash products with wax in them, although they may not be a substitute for a good hand wax on your car. An orbital buffer makes quick work of rubbing the wax off of the hood, roof, and body panels, leaving a nice shine.
In between waxes, you really should keep the car clean. Use only car wash solution, in a bucket with water. I use a long handled dip brush (for my 14 year old minivan), and the action of the brush combined with the car wash loosen and lift dirt and grime off the finish. I sometimes go over the hard spots where bird droppings and tree sap have hardened on the surface – these chemically react with your paint if left on, so the extra work is worth while. This method is also FAST. you cover more ground with a soapy brush than with a rag or sponge. you also have a longer reach. Ask anyone that cleans their boat, it is quick. The mineral content in your water makes it spot, so be prepared to wipe it dry with a soft chamois or super-absorbent cloth. We can’t just drive fast as hell and let the water slide off the car, like in the old days. There is also no shame in going to a local car wash, especially if you have a discount coupon.
If you want extra protection, or put a nice show car shine on the car, there are products for this that are “spray and wipe”. They need a good wax base to work – they are not a substitute for waxing. My Cousin Steve, a “dyed in the wool car guy”, used lemon pledge on his Corvette(s). They always smelled great, and they shine was outstanding! Keep in mind that these show-car top coats do not last a long time, but the do look really good. In my opinion, waxing can be just as quick, and most times more wax does not hurt. Also consider that Pledge is an indoor polish (a form of light oil) that puts a lemon-fresh shine on almost anything. Your results may vary, especially if you don’t pledge your ride like my cousin.
If you can garage your car, the shine will last long because it is protected from the sun and rain. Car covers are useful – but they can become a chore, need to be folded up (not good if you are wearing a suit), and need to be stored (which takes up trunk space. Not to mention they rip and get dirty over time. They work well if you keep your car outside, and are worth the effort if it keeps your car protected.
To recap:Wash the car!
Pay attention to nasty bits from birds or treesWaxWax again in a few weeksUse showtime polish or Lemon PledgeCover, garage, or carport your car (if possible)
Shameless self promotion: I have a pinterest section on cars. Feel free to take a look if you like my point of view.
Has Starbucks Pike Place Roast gone Downhill?
Tesla stock price is down, Is it a good buy?
My opinion is this:
400,000 people put down deposits to get on the list for a model 3. (no one does this for Ford, GM, or Fiat-Chrysler).
Tesla builds a car that is one of the best in the world, that happens to be electric.
Tesla is making their own batteries, charging stations, and more, forcing a massive change in personal transportation in the WORLD. They also have a 10 year head start, having developed their concept in 2008.
All the other car companies lust enviously for this loyal customer base, and are abandoning their “beloved” diesel and internal combustion engines to “go electric”, despite their cultural contempt for something that they think should be, well, a big golf cart. None of them have built a better electric car or have the chops Elon Musk has. With a multi-year head start, and “big picture” vision, I would put my cash on Tesla, rather than GM (who required a big cash bailout from the government), Ford (a stock stuck in the low teens and is stopping certain car production, like GM in the ‘90’s – and I own that stock at a loss), Fiat-Chrysler (what else can they sell to raise more cash? -nuff said), and VW (who can forget the Diesel emissions scandal). BMW built a performance electric, $75k more expensive than a model S, that does not offer much more than a BMW medallion on a mediocre (and expensive) electric car, rushed to market lest a BMW customer buy a -heavens no- Tesla!
I am not putting my life savings into Tesla, but I am an investor. Tesla has a head start on all the other car makers, who are rapidly building battery plants and their own plug-in adapters (Tesla offers their patented charging technology royalty free – other car makers won’t take it) and struggling with a learning curve years behind Tesla. They have a lot of Internal combustion baggage to lose, and legendary contempt for regulation, massive recalls, crooked dealers, and notoriously bad cars foisted on a trusting consumer.
It may not go to $1,000 a share, but I can feel better about Tesla than the money I put into Ford.
My apologies if you are seeking a technical analysis of PE ratios and moving averages; I am working with my gut and published information – my belief that this company, in particular, is more than just a pile of averages and graphs. Many analysts, notably Jim Cramer of Mad Money fame, frquently get caught up in speculation as to “what Tesla is”. Is Tesla a Car manufacturer? Tech Company? Cult company (Elon Musk cult of fame bringing blind investment dollars? Tesla is not always quantifiable based on industry or peer analysis. Here is Cramer commenting on Tesla’s May Conference call.
This is my opinion, not investment advice, and I suggest you do form your own opinion before plunking down any money on Tesla.
Tesla Model 3 delays don’t appear to dent depositor confidence – Autoweek
Tesla Model 3: Elon Musk’s mass-market car is a magic carpet ride – SCMP
How Tesla changed the auto industry forever – The Verge
7 Ways Tesla Is Changing Everything – Futurism
Tesla To Make Supercharger Network Available To All Automakers inside EV’s
Tesla points to opening up its Supercharger network to other carmakers -AutoVista group
BMW Has Been Building Mediocre Electric Cars Since 1972 – Business insider
What’s Really Stopping Big Automakers from Catching Up to Tesla –Inverse
Sorry if that been a bit of a rant, but I feel it’s time for personal transportation, if not the whole auto/truck industry, to go through a major shift in ideology.
Coffee Madness. It is upon us….
First of all, I want to confess to being a coffee bigot. I know what kind of coffee I like, and will venture into unexplored (by me) coffee territory, but I mostly like a dark roast, usually Kona, Starbucks Pike Place roast, or similar coffees.
Two cups a day is my typical limit. A three cup day is a hard day, and bad coffee is not in my program. Not to say that instant coffee or starbucks Via has not crossed my lips, but hey – let’s brew, OK?
today I got an email promoting – get this – “Mushroom Coffee”.
Bonbons. A food fit for the Gods! (perfect for us mere mortals)!
Lookout Kids and Millennials – Seniors are kicking Butt in Pokemon!
When I was invited to a Community Bulbasaur hunt by my son and Grandson, I was honored and put-off; I was never much of a game player. I am, however, a good sport, and went along with the team, stopping at Pokestops (thank you Starbucks) and capturing Pokemon while traipsing across Queens (the Borough in NYC, not any royals).
I was very curious about the Pokemon GO game, and how it grew into a map based adventure. Unlike Pirates’ buried treasure maps of my youth, you can actually catch Pokemon overlaid on a moving map of the local terrain! And catch them we did, moving up levels and feeling like the great Pokemon hunters we had become! The Pokemon were successfully captured, and we rejoiced afterwards while feasting on sandwiches after the hunt.
It was weeks afterward, when I was googling around the internet, that I came across some fascinating articles:
These seniors are kicking ass in Pokemon Go – cnet
What can Pokémon Go do for the elderly ? – Silver Economy
‘This is what 73 looks like’: Seniors embracing Pokémon GO – Vancouver TV News
I learned that “Pokemon seduces people of all ages”; and “In the US, Pokémon Go invades retirement homes”. Interim Healthcare posted this article, “Pokemon Go offers health benefits to seniors” – specifically noting the ways Pokemon can help seniors get more exercise and fight depression with Pokemon. Perhaps the youngsters have gotten on to something. And now the experienced and mature seniors just might need to show those upstarts “how it is done”.
Senior tools for catching Pokemon:
Big Vision Magnifying glasses (for viewing small phone screens) – on Amazon
Secrets of Winning at the Casino Slot machines!