What's with the high maintenance coffee drinks in the US?

[lebkuchen]

Half the world lives in poverty yet Americans spend a good portion of their day in coffee lines ordering non-fat decaf ethiopian blend 180 degree chai latte grandes with whipped cream.

The US has to be the most self-possessed self-indulgent country in the world.

btw, since I've been off the plane, I have not heard one word of support for the troops.

[tandot]

1. Don't you think you overgeneralize a bit?

I can't afford to buy stuff like that. This is a luxury item for me and many others like me.

Not all Americans drink "non-fat decaf ethiopian blend 180 degree chai latte grandes with whipped cream" or drive gas-guzzling SUVs, or live in big mansions with swimming pools...

[Screaming Lord Byron]

2. Yeah, yeah, broad, sweeping generalizations.

And what do your people do that we could contrast with the starving?

[HughBeaumont]

3. Then there's people like me

. . . who just don't DRINK that awful stuff. Sorry, but something that tastes like thin bittersweet cocoa with a urinary aftertaste isn't my idea of a ideal wake-up call.

[cmf]

4. I think it's a small portion of the population

most people drink what they brewed themeselves. If I get a coffee out, it's most likely going to be regular old drip.

Oh and the troops - people have pretty much forgotten about them.

[HuckleB]

7. Huh?

Maybe it's just living in Oregon, where the guardsmen and their families have been hit by death and elongated service, but, uh, no one's forgotten the troops here.

[cmf]

9. meh, I meant the people who were having those rallies

the ones to counter the anti-war protests. The rabid "support the troops and the president" stuff has died down. I live in Washington, a big military state whose troops from Ft Lewis have been hit hard.

[HuckleB]

5. Hmm.

I do drink my home-brewed drip coffee every day. I admit that. In fact, most people I know drink the same type of home-brew or tea. Some just go with water or juice though, forsaking the caffeine. I don't understand those folks either.

As for the comment about the troops, I'm not sure what you want to hear. Should everyone be waving to each other, saying, "I support the troops," instead of "hello" or "how's it going?" The war's been going on for almost a year and a half now. Supporting the troops no longer has much to do with repeating the mantra and everything to do with action.

I send a package of books and magazine to the troops in Iraq nearly every week. Does that count?

Anyway, cheers! Have a triple tall soy mocha sans whip on me!

:)

[name not needed]

6. Thanks for making me feel guilty for being born here!

I'd love to help them, but I'm too busy clubbing baby seals and raping the lower class to give a fuck.:eyes:

[StClone]

8. Sorry if I like Coffee (Espresso)

I drink it a few times a month. A nice place down the road charges $2.16 a great cup and I tip the server. I don't drink soda/pop.

Here is a link to Illy Coffee some of the world's fineness. As you can see the price is 'expressively' higher. We didn't invent it and as you can see you can get it less expensively.

http://www.surlatable.com/common/products/product_details.cfm?dmode=flagged&FlagName=New&FlagValue=N&StartRow=145&PRRFNBR=12527