Read Sara Deseran’s 7×7 article about Four Barrel, Sight Glass, Blue Bottle and Ritual. While we don’t agree with the author’s main point – we think that web sites like Twitter, Four Square, and Yelp have made the service industry more self-aware and accountable – we do agree that customer service needs to be the primary focus for third wave shops worldwide.

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March 11, 2011:

From the most recent installment of Andy Rooney’s ongoing series of nationally televised foibles, peccadillos and that which grinds his gears, an exploration on the ever-confusing relationship between coffee and human health. Turns out America’s beloved curmudgeon has no time for scientific inquiry:

Few people know that Mr. Rooney’s 90 second opinion pieces for “60 Minutes” are actually cut down from half-hour diatribes. Sprudge.com has obtained the unreleased version of this particular rant, wherein Mr. Rooney tears apart the GCQRI, calling their mandate “mumbo jumbo” and accusing them of “gumming up the works” for the common coffee drinker. He goes on to assail Jeff Babcock, Todd Carmichael, Giorgio Milos and other industry leaders for their lack of “spit-shine” and “gumption”.

“I don’t like lattes that have intricate patterns; it makes me think that the barista is spending too much time pouring and not enough time brewing. If I wanted a picture I’d buy a painting.”

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