Don't Rejoice Over Starbucks' Closing Doors

Squaw Valley ski resort opens first ski-thru Starbucks

(NEWSER) - Tired of having to take off your skis, trudge inside, and peel off your snow gear just to get a tall half-caff mocha with skim milk? Well, those days are over for skiers at California's Squaw Valley resort. Now they have access to the world's first ski-thru Starbucks location, perched at an altitude of 7,900 feet, OntheSnow reports. More»

Total cost: $23.60

(NEWSER) - Ahh, Starbucks. Land of the $4 cappuccino ... and $23.60 Frappuccino? That's the final tally one man managed to ring up on his quest to order the most expensive Starbucks drink ever. Logan Warren started by requesting the largest size beverage, the 31-ounce Trenta. Into it went a Java Chip Frappuccino, enhanced with plenty of that'll-cost-you-add-ons: 16 shots of espresso, soy milk, caramel, banana and strawberry purees, vanilla beans, and Matcha and protein powders, all topped with a bit of caramel and mocha. More»

Just 10% approve of work on Hill, according to latest Gallup poll

(NEWSER) - A Gallup poll released Wednesday finds that Americans' approval of Congress has hit yet another record low: 10%. There aren't many institutions Americans have liked less over the last 50-or-so years, according to Gallup: Only Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, and OJ Simpson detective Mark Fuhrman have ever scored lower. ABC News takes a look at some very unpopular things that still manage to rank above Congress:

• According to an August poll, Paris Hilton is America's least-favorite celeb. But her 60% disapproval rating is still better than Congress's 86% disapproval rating.

Frank Bruni on why Starbucks, Microsoft, and others are backing change

(NEWSER) - If you support gay marriage, maybe you should grab a latte at Starbucks sometime soon, because the company is under fire for its support of a same-sex marriage law in its native Washington state. One pastor even called the company " haters of God ," and demanded a boycott. So why has Starbucks taken such a controversial stand? For the same reason Microsoft, Amazon, and other corporate behemoths are backing same-sex marriage, reasons Frank Bruni of the New York Times : "It's the future." More»

Company is following Satan, says USA Christian Ministries chief

(NEWSER) - A pastor is calling on Christians to shun Starbucks because of its support of gay marriage in Washington state , reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer . "Starbucks is no longer fashionable," says USA Christian Ministries head Steven Andrew in a statement. He makes the case that the chain would lose 80% of its clientele if Christians united in the cause. "Starbucks can follow Satan if they want to," he says. (They're also "haters of God.") More»