A coffee break in the shutdown crisis

Americanos for America: Starbucks is throwing itself into the government shutdown crisis in Washington, D.C. The coffee chain is asking customers at its 11,000 U.S. locations to sign petitions calling for the government to be reopened, for debts to be paid on time and a long-term budget deal to be passed by the end of the year.

Maybe it’ll work. Nothing puts an emphasis on public opinion like coffee stains and biscotti crumbs.

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Please pillage responsibly: Herald movie critic Robert Horton praises Tom Hanks’ performance in “Captain Phillips,” drawn from the 2009 hijacking of a cargo ship by Somali pirates.

We’re just surprised Hollywood producers didn’t insist on rewrites that would have subbed out the Somali pirates for Captain Morgan and Jack Sparrow.

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Dead to the world: An Ohio man who disappeared in 1986 and was declared legally dead in 1994 has reappeared and is asking a court to change the ruling so he can get a driver’s license and his Social Security number. His ex-wife opposes the request because she’d have to pay back death benefits.

Isn’t that just like an ex-wife: Can’t live with her; can’t be declared alive without her.

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