Jeff the Great Petitions Amazon.com

I was pretty excited to read Amazon.com's announcement the other day that they are soon releasing the Kindle2, the second version of their popular e-book reader. I do not own the original Kindle but have been a big fan of the device since I first laid eyes on it. I have wanted one very bad but have not yet made the purchase for two reasons: cost of the reader and the effect it would have on my library.

Now, I am not an early adopter but I am also not a technophobe. I love my Blackberry, I am typing this blog post on one of 3 computers in the house while I watch HD TV that is provided to me through ultra high-tech Verizon FiOS. I want to read books on an e-reader, I really do!

In the few years that I have been an avid reader I have become very proud of the library I am building. I enjoy owning books and hard-covers are my preference. I even have three books signed by their authors and I look forward to acquiring more signatures! But When I finally do get myself a Kindle, what will happen to my library? Will I still need to own print books? What will my favorite authors sign when they come to town on a book tour?

I want to own print books and I also want to read on a Kindle! However, I refuse to buy two versions of every book. That's why many months ago I came up with a perfect solution for me and Amazon.com.

I ask that for every 'dead tree' book purchased from Amazon.com, they provide Kindle owners a free e-version of that same book if available.

Its a simple solution that will encourage me and many others to finally buy a Kindle Not only that but it will likely increase sales of books at Amazon.com in general. In the event that anyone else feels the same way as I do, I have setup an online petition via Google Doc's to collect names. When the petition reaches critical mass, I will package and send to Amazon.com.

The petition can be found online here and I have also embedded it below.

Thanks for your support!

-Jeff the Great

Jeff the Great's Frustration with Starbucks Continues

Its no surprise that I have a love/hate relationship with Starbucks. I love most of their drip coffee but hate what has become of their customer service. Not to mention I hate the new "Pikes Place" blend, its worse than truck stop coffee!

This morning I showed up at Starbucks and ordered a venti coffee like I always do. I asked for the alternate blend (because Pikes is the default blen now at all stores) and as per usual, they didn't have any of the alternate blend brewed at the moment...it was a 5 minute wait. They seem to NEVER have the alternate brew ready.

Then this evening I was driving home from my sisters house that is about 100 miles away, so I went to a Starbucks drive-thru and ordered a venti half decaf coffee. When I pulled up to the window to pay I was told that per a new Starbucks policy, after 5pm each day they only brew decaf on demand. It would be a few minute wait if I wanted half decaf.

There are a few problems here:

1. Its not really on demand if I have to wait for it!
2. The idea of not having decaf available after 5pm makes no sense. The only time most people I know drink decaf is at night!

So I was told that if I didn't want to wait, they would give me a half decaf Americano for the price of a regular coffee. After agreeing to the offer, I commented that I should be charged less since an Americano isn't what I wanted. The barista was confused and said "I am charging you less, an Americano is more!" I explained that I know how much an Americano is but my point is that when someone wants a coffee, anything else is infirior. An Americano provides less value to me than a coffee does, dispite what the menu prices are.

She didn't get it. So I took my half decaf venti Americano, paid her for a venti coffee and drove off knowing that she is going to have a tough time in life.

Jeff the Great