Make That a Big Mac . . .chiato.

You have probably read by now that McDonald's is store-testing the sale of espresso and cappuccino, and as a part of that test, how well they can train their own "baristas" to make said drinks.

They are after a bigger swig of the retail, brewed-coffee sales especially after the success of their new, premium coffee. The question remains whether cappuccino sippers will be interested in imbibing while surrounded by kids, kids meals, and construction workers in a hurry -- even if it is cheaper. And there is the obvious problem of store quality and consistency, it's one thing to teach someone to make coffee, another to make a good caramel macchiato -- training that Starbucks does amazingly well. I happen to like Starbucks coffee (sorry Jeromey) but I also know they are selling more than coffee. They are also selling escape and image, something McDonald's can't do, at least in the present store configuration.

The other side of this venture is old-fashioned, corporate warfare. McDonald's sees a chastened, and now vulnerable, Starbucks whose stock value has halved in the last year and who has dramatically slowed domestic store growth, which at its peak was 2,500 new stores a year (over 6 stores a day, a mind-numbing figure).

Personally, I think McDonald's could pull off the espresso move and not hurt Starbucks. It's not necessarily a crossover market.

The reality is as I have said, Starbucks to date has had no nation-wide competition. Dunkin Donuts is trying, 7-11 has their steady share of quick-coffee buyers, and McDonald's at present is low-fat competition. Starbucks created the U.S. coffee as a meeting/reading/relaxation concept and is king of the hill. Their current setbacks notwithstanding, they are here for a long while and are very, very profitable. Krispy-Kreme they ain't.

I like the McDonald's move, but my research uncovered one final question: Will we soon refer to them as Mickey D . . . caf ? Sorry.

New to Fort Worth? Attend the Stock Show.

When I moved to Fort Worth, it was called the Fat Stock Show. Now, it's just the Stock Show and there have been a few more than a hundred of them. If you want a good look and feel into Texas tradition and particularly Fort Worth tradition visit the Fort Worth Stock Show. The Stock Show has all the amenities of a county fair and a serious competitive element of showing animals and selling stock. Plus, you have the rodeo.

My wife is from England who grew up in farm country where sheep dog trials were the main event of the county fair. We saw one at the Stock show and it was very enjoyable.

Young children love the small animals, rabbits, chickens, and you name it, it's judged; older folks like the dog shows and horse shows, and everybody loves the rodeo.

It's all worth the inexpensive admission. Once you have paid the small admission fee there are dozens of free events including music, animal shows, milking parlors, etc.

January 11 - February 3, 2008

Check out the calendar of events at their website: http://www.fwssr.com/default.asp

Have a favorite Stock Show event or story? Please let us know in the comments.

Hate Junk Mail? How About Spy-Cam Mail?

Specifically, the cameras at designated Fort Worth
intersections that click and report you in your car running that red light. Then, a couple weeks later, their owners send a notice of violation to your mailbox, including three pictures of the violator (you) and a demand for payment of the $75.00 fine.

Does this bother anyone but me?

I have a few questions. Who's guarding the data? Let's just say someone wanted to impose a picture of my license plate over someone's car that looked like mine? How difficult would that be? Are these documents proof of violation? Can one plead "not guilty"? How do they know my car wasn't stolen? Or, that it wasn't loaned it to a friend?

Okay, it's a red-light violation and not a violation of the 1st Amendment, but there is something annoying about it. Is it all that necessary? Fort Worth is a great town that doesn't need this kind of law enforcement.

(By the way, I didn't receive one, I know someone who did)