Skeptics might write off My Starbucks Idea as an online suggestion box. But I wonder what's wrong with asking people what they think about the Starbucks experience and how it could be better -- especially when more than 100,000 people respond in just seven days. I have a very strong bond with any excellent cup of coffee, but this is an amazing statistic. "...the heavy traffic it's drawn and the message Starbucks is sending -- that it's listening, and listening carefully -- have impressed corporate marketing experts." -- Associated Press story

Just as important as asking, is sharing the results so people know that the time they spent offering ideas was worthwhile. I'd simply call it respect for your customers. After a month collecting ideas, Starbucks has circled back to people with a status report on Ideas in Action as well as those still under review. A great conversation is taking place. More

PR is a full-time job for the airlines because flying sure isn't as much fun as it used to be. Within the last month, I have been stranded twice overnight. When the GRR leg of your trip is cancelled due to flight crew problems or maintenance issues, you are stuck -- unless you can find an affordable rental car and drive back. (My last one-way car quote was $180.)

My last airline adventure wasn't on American, but those flight cancellations had a domino effect on anyone trying to fly last weekend. After boarding a different plane (maintenance) in Charlotte, we were only an hour late reaching LaGuardia. Yes, I was connecting there to make my fare less than $800. Of course, the GRR flight was cancelled (maintenance).

Customer service is usually my complaint just about everywhere, but in this case, I was pleasantly surprised. The NW agent rebooking me was great. She reconnected me the next morning through JFK, and provided car service, hotel voucher and food vouchers to get me through the overnight stay. Much better than my recent O'Hare experience with United, which offered a travel certificate to smooth things over. We still had to wait not once, not twice, but three times for a flight attendant to show up so we could depart from Detroit (flight crew problem) -- but I made it back by 3 p.m. Saturday, instead of 8:45 p.m. Friday. Better than most people that weekend.

More on the impact of mergers on flying -- Wall Street Journal's The Middle Seat.

I never know where people find the time to read all the blogs that are published (excepting this one, of course.) But there are a few I really enjoy, including You Don't Say by John McIntyre, assistant managing editor for the Baltimore Sun's copy desk.

His obsession with language is a breath of fresh air to stylebook geeks like me. Also, his writing is a treat! Here, he takes on lost hyphens and hostility toward apostrophes. More