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While you probably can’t precisely equate the overthrow of whole regimes in the Mideast to the budget standoff happening at the Wisconsin State Capitol, the two actions have some things in common, not the least of which is a mass occupation of public space.

And when that many people get together, they’re going to need to eat at some point. Apparently, someone in Egypt decided the folks in Madison, Wisc., need pizza.

Politico reports that Ian’s on State Street – part of a regional pizza chain – has received hundreds of donations for free pies for the Wisconsin protesters from all over the world, including Egypt. And yes, donors in the U.S. have chipped in, too.

The store began getting international orders last week and noted it on its Facebook page. That appears to have kicked off a flood of calls from overseas.

“I don’t think we started it,” said Ryan O’Connor, a sophomore at a local technical school who works the register at Ian’s. “We made a post to our Facebook page because of the volume of calls we already had been getting unprompted.”

O’Connor said Ian’s got its first call Thursday when a mother of a University of Wisconsin student called and offered to donate $200 to help feed the people her daughter told her had flooded the Capitol. Since then, the outpouring of money from all over the world has put the pizza-makers into overdrive.

The blackboard behind the counter lists the “countries donating” as “Korea, Finland, Egypt, Denmark, Australia, US, Canada, Germany, China, London, Netherlands, Turkey” and has the abbreviations for all 50 states listed below, with donating states circled. As of Sunday afternoon, 38 states had been marked as contributors.

As of Saturday, Politico says, Ian’s had delivered more than 300 pizzas to protesters and given away 1,057 slices. On Sunday, the shop had to quit answering its phones because it had maxed out its ability to cook pies.

Of course, not everyone agrees with the Wisconsin protesters, who are demanding changes in a bill that would strip collective bargaining rights from public employees. Ian’s has heard from people who want to post dissenting views on its Facebook wall.

Regardless, it’s a fascinating example of just how social media – and international long-distance calls – can shrink the world.

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In what may be the ultimate expression of conspicuous consumption, Starbucks says you can now pay for the company’s products with selected handheld devices.

That’s right. Your overpriced cell phone, connected to the Internet thanks to an overpriced data plan, will be able to reimburse Starbucks for its overpriced coffee. A trifecta!

Starbucks has been testing payments via smartphone at stores in Seattle, New York, parts of California and in the Starbucks stores found in Targets. The New York Times says  the program is going nationwide, covering more than 7,500 stores.

The program uses an app that can be downloaded by BlackBerry, iPhone or iPod Touch users. You’ll need a Starbucks account and a physical Starbucks card. Enter the number found on the back of the card into your phone.

Once that’s done, you can load your Starbucks card with cash from a credit or debit card, and the amount will show up on the phone. When you’re ready to pay, tap a button and the phone displays a barcode that the barista will scan.

The app also can show you nearby Starbucks stores that are participating in the program, and will keep track of your rewards points.

Not all Starbucks will participate, however. Store that don’t normally accept the cards – such as those inside Barnes and Noble bookstores – won’t take the app. Check with your friendly neighborhood barista to see whether the app works there before flashing your smartphone around.

Update: It turns out there also is an Android app that will let you pay at a Starbucks. It’s not an official app, but rather a widget created by a third-party developer. It’s free, and requires at least Android 1.6.