Last night's episode of The Office was titled "The Surplus," and the episode appropriately opened with Oscar explaining to Michael why they had to spend the $4,300 budget surplus by the day's end. When Michael doesn't understand what Oscar is talking about, he asks Oscar to explain it to him like he's an 8-year-old. Then, when the light-bulb still doesn't go on, he asks Oscar to explain it to him like he's a 5-year-old. I was impressed with how patient Oscar was with Michael! Check out the video below and then tell me, do you ever feel like you're smarter than your boss?

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Starbucks has never been in so much trouble, financially speaking. The company's same-store sales continue to worsen as consumers visit the chain less frequently, and CEO Howard Schulz admitted, "We're beating ourselves up every day because we've just never seen numbers like this." He predicts that 2009 will be an even bigger challenge than the second half of this year but thinks the company will get by until the economy begins to improve.

It seems Starbucks strategy won't change much from its previous moves to make a comeback. Before, it was the introduction of a customer loyalty card and new lines of smoothies and healthier food items. This time, Starbucks is reacting to its worrisome finances with plans to start selling its Seattle's Best Coffee brand at nearly 2,000 Subway locations, launch new tea lattes, and will use only one recipe for banana bread instead of 11.

Do you think Starbucks will be able to make it through the recession?

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