What began as a May 2004 story on Starbucks for Taylor Clark has turned into his first book, Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture, soon to be released by Little, Brown. The former staff writer "chronicles the rise of Starbucks from a modest Northwest operation to a global powerhouse, examines the ways the company impacts society, and what it says about our culture that the company can place stores literally within sight of one another and turn a healthy profit in both," according to a press release." Publisher's Weekly says that Clark's "dubious perspective on one of the modern world's most ubiquitous icons is just frothy enough to prove entertaining."

Continue ReadingWillamette Week Cover Story Turns into Book Project

"This week's issue marks my last as editor," Bill Colrus writes in a farewell column. He's leaving the Chattanooga alt-weekly "for a new and exciting opportunity in the world of custom publishing," and will be replaced by current co-publisher Michael Kull. "This paper has been devoted to digging for bits of truth buried in mountains of dishonesty and spin, and I've been glad to man the shovel," writes Colrus, who was hired prior to the paper's launch in 2003. "As I leave, I am confident that The Pulse will continue its mission to give a voice to the voiceless, go deeper on stories when a superficial snapshot is not enough, and strive to tell the stories nobody else will tell."

Continue ReadingThe Pulse’s Founding Editor Steps Down