good while it lasted

(m01229)

Has Starbucks Ended The Era Of Free Drink Coupons?

Since the dawn of man — or at least as long as I can remember going to Starbucks — the coffee colossus has given employees the discretion of handing out handwritten free drink coupons. Some customers took this vague offer of hospitality as a chance to push the limits of caffeine delivery. But this informal orgy of free coffee may be entering a more conservative era. [More]

(Great Beyond)

Minnesotans Only Have A Week Of “Tax-Free” Shopping Left On Amazon

You can now add Minnesota to the growing list of states where Amazon will be collecting sales tax from customers after a surprise announcement on Monday that, starting Oct. 1, shoppers in the state will start seeing the tax added to their purchases. [More]

Appeals Court Won’t Hear Aereo’s “We’re A Cable Company” Argument

Appeals Court Won’t Hear Aereo’s “We’re A Cable Company” Argument

Following its crushing defeat before the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this summer, streaming video startup Aereo tried to stay alive by arguing that since the court said it was acting like a cable company, it should then be considered a cable company. Alas, a federal appeals court has decided not to hear this debate, possibly hammering the final nail into Aereo’s coffin. [More]