Starbucks Free Coffee; Tastes Like The Old Coffee

In an attempt to regain energy, I popped into Starbucks this morning and gave the new Pike’s Roast Coffee a whirl. Not surprisingly, it tasted exactly like all the rest of Starbucks coffee.

Starbucks is attempting to regain profits and shareholder confidence by introducing new lines of coffee at their stores and forcing their uneducated Barista’s to learn how to make coffee by hand, instead of a timed espresso machine.

My grade for the new Pike’s Coffee: C

Bourne Ultimatum Review

Jason Bourne vs. James Bond. The debate between these two manly men who can avoid sure death and can kill 10 guys with their bare hands while conducting a symphony has been raging in my mind since I viewed the ” The Bourne Ultimatum” Friday evening. Sure, Bond has the women, good looks, and cars and gadgets, but there is something about Bourne’s CIA assassin character that I just love.

In a weird way, Bourne is more believable than Bond. Yes, in the Ultimatum Matt Damon’s character avoids certain death 37 times… in the first 10 minutes of the movie. And, who can really drive a car like that and avoid not killing themselves or others. This dude would be the best F1 driver in the world if he wanted to be. But, saying that, Damon does a superb job to make us care about Bourne. Although Daniel Craig did a wonderful job in the latest Bond, there had been too many people who have played Bond as someone we may have wanted to be like, but knew could never be. Bourne has issues like all of us, and he is just trying to survive… and kick ass while doing it.

The Ultimatum is a two-hour thrill ride with zero dull moments. The acting is solid, except for Julia Stiles who I wish was killed off. The directing is solid, although the shaking camera perspective can get annoying. And, the stunts are the best I’ve seen since Casino Royale. All in all, the movie is…well… a solid summer action flick.

Grade: A-