What is going on at Starbucks? The place is already a normal part of a large percentage of the country's population's lives, but it has crossed that line into the realm of celebrities, reality TV personalities and Tiger Woods. Every move they make is news all of a sudden. Not only are people are beginning to use Starbucks as an outlet to express their political beliefs, it has developed the same bad habits as American institutions like McDonalds and GM. You'd think companies might learn that bigger is not always better.

It will be interesting to see how some of this stuff settles out. Across the country there are people bringing their loaded guns to Starbucks, where now they can order almost a liter of coffee at a time. Obviously, the last thing the world needs are some gun owners that are not only proud, but also jittery from their bucket of coffee. The question is, what happens when a teabagger becomes such a fan of a coffee shop? Irony aside, the hipness of Starbucks is likely to suffer.

Part of the benefit of Starbucks is that customers typically come in, order a drink and leave with it. Since each drink can cost up to $5, most people limit themselves to just one. This is a far preferable situation than people sitting at work all day guzzling cup after cup after cup. Now that 3 or 4 normal cups of coffee can come in one serving, the addicts will feel better about getting "one" drink at Starbucks. The challenge is going to be drinking the thing before it gets cold or hot, whichever you don't want it to do.

At least people might now learn that "Trenta" is Italian for "thirty". Since the drink is actually 31 ounces, Starbucks must have thought trentuno wasn't as marketable.