Slashdot Mirror
The Traveling Salesman Problem Meets Starbucks
Call Me Black Cloud writes "John 'Winter' Smith, a contract computer programmer, is living the traveling salesman problem. His personal quest is to visit every company-owned Starbucks and he's not doing too badly. After 7 years he's hit over 4,000 locations in the United States and 167 in Britain and Japan. What motivates him? That's one for the professionals to answer, but since Starbucks opens an average of 10 stores per week it doesn't look like Winter will be stopping any time soon. His website offers insight into why he does this ('to be different') and has pictures of the 4000+ Starbucks he's visited."
One could "be different" is ways far less absolutely stupid. Take the money being spent on airfare, and open a homeless kitchen - that would be different, right?
Hopefully, eventually, we'll (as a group) stop thinking crap like this is cool. Its a blatant waste of natural and economic resources, and there are far better things to entertain ones self with than freaking coffee. Make a name by contributing to some breakthrough OSS project...volunteer with Habitat for Humanity...something. I have to breathe this damn dirty air too, you know - your rediculous quest does affect me.
Oh, to have mod points today...
Typically by looking very surprised and displaying facial expressions like I'm wasting their time. Or they might ask 'what' like they didn't hear me or thought I made a mistake in my incredibly simple order. Occasionally, I've also been pressed to order a bigger size, although they don't usually do this if they are busy (I assume because they know there is a bigger sale standing right behind me in line).
Looking back over what I typed, that doesn't seem as bad as I made it out to be. I guess that the employees display a sense of haughtiness towards my order that disturbs me ('We're too good for just coffee...')