This image was lost some time after publication.

We find it endlessly amusing that mild-mannered Jim Romenesko, who runs the most feared blog in journalism (except this one), puts an equal amount of passion into "Starbucks Gossip," his other blog that is, for some reason, the preeminent inside news site for the coffee chain. And he's not too happy about the company's corporatized attempt to move in on his territory with its new, half-bright "MyStarbucksIdea.com" site. Romenesko is throwing down in public!

"MyStarbucksIdea.com was clearly inspired by my site, which was created nearly four years ago to move barista/customer conversations to the web," Romenesko said in an e-mail Wednesday.

"My site will continue to thrive because it's an authentic reflection of how customers and employees feel about the company. MyStarbucksIdea.com, on the other hand, is clearly a corporate propaganda site," he said. [Seattle Times]

Motherfuckin right, Romenesko! He's like the Shepard Fairey of Starbucks bloggers. A serious fight could be brewing, and we, for one, are more than ready to see a pay-per-view boxing match between Jim Romenesko and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz—possibly in a steel cage, or a vat of pudding.

Can there be a peaceful resolution? One commenter on Starbucks Gossip suggests a possible path to settlement:


and what is the big deal? Stop being morons - get your own coffee company then you can complain. Why be a bunch of white trash losers and complain about things that have nothing do with you - and start something just to hear yourselves speak. Get a life.

Posted by: Gooooogirl | Mar 20, 2008 7:32:19 PM