Coke or Pepsi?

Coke or Pepsi...does it have to be a choice between the two?

I rarely drink colas. In fact, I've never been a huge fan of cola (unless there's bourbon mixed in there). But seriously though...why is it a choice between these two? I think it says a lot about our country's mindset. Either/or.

I used to spend a lot of time down south. One of my favorite things about the southern lexicon was their habit of referring to ALL soft drinks as "Coke". You'd be sitting in a restaurant or diner and the waitress would ask if you'd like a Coke...then she'd ask you what kind you wanted. Always cracked me up. My ex girlfriend, born and raised in Tennessee, would always refer to my (then) beloved Mt. Dew as "yellow Coke". (It's actually a bit more green....but I digress)

I used to live on Mt. Dew. Since my heart attack 5 years ago, I've gone caffeine-free. I prefer orange soda now. Orange Crush is always in my fridge. Fanta's orange soda is pretty good too. Once in a while, I like a grape soda. Or a nice cold root beer (sarsaparilla when/if I can find it!). So why all of the ballyhoo over Coke and/or Pepsi?

Simple. They're the 2 biggies. 2 large corporations who want your money. Somehow in the past 30 years, soda, colas in particular, have become a dietary staple. When I was a kid, a soda was a treat. What happened?

I'll tell you what happened. These corporations decided that they weren't making enough money with their global sales. They decided, FOR YOU, that you should drink more soda. Rather than rely on each person's individual tastes, they started an aggressive, never-ending campaign for your money. Remember New Coke? It was a genius strategy. The New Coke tasted flat and bland. But once Coca Cola released Classic Coke, it sold like gangbusters! There was Pepsi Lite (I think that's what it was called). It was Pepsi with a lemony flavor. And Crystal Pepsi. Cherry Coke. Cherry Pepsi. Vanilla Coke. When I was a kid, I remember getting chocolate Cokes at restaurants & diners. Now that was a treat! The war for your money was on! And we all bought it and we all drank it.

 Back in the day, I was a Mt. Dew fan. Horridly sweet, with loads of caffeine. And...owned by Pepsi. Coke has it's version too...Mellow Yellow. Does anyone remember Royal Crown Cola...RC? I haven't seen that in a while. As far as colas go, I actually liked that one! I liked Jolt too...do they even still make that stuff?

Thirty years ago, hardly anyone would have a soda in the morning. It was just too sweet...too fizzy. Maybe with lunch...but not 1st thing in the morning. Well, thanks to corporate product placement in movies and TV, its now not unusual for someone to get their morning caffeine fix from a Coke or Pepsi rather than a cup of coffee or tea. And let's be honest, shall we...none of it is exactly good for you. And yes, while there are "diet" soft drinks, they're every bit as bad for you....possibly worse.

When I was in high school, we had a little snack concession...run by the marching band I think...in our school cafeteria. I never ate lunch at school, but would often have an afternoon study hall there. I'd grab a Mt. Dew and a Slim Jim most days. The Mt. Dew was neither in a bottle nor a can. It was a fountain drink....and usually watered down.  10 years later, it was commonplace to see Coke and/or Pepsi vending machines in schools. That disturbed me. These corporations had taken on the same mindset as hillbillies training bloodhounds or looking for wives. Get `em young! I don't think I ever saw an RC Cola machine in a school.

Regardless of you preference....Coke, Pepsi, Mt. Dew, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, etc...they're probably owned by one of these 2 major corporations. Chances are, your day just isn't complete without something these corporations has deemed a vital part of your daily intake...and at great cost to you. The cost is not only your money but your health. There's some truly bad crap in these drinks! Even my Orange Crush! I won't go into the chemistry of it all...but we all know it's not good for us. Don't we?

If you're wondering why you can't shed that weight, or why your child is obese and is developing high blood pressure at age 9, think about what you're eating and drinking. The corporations have taken over our lives to the point where we all blindly sit back and ingest the crap...and pay them for the privilege. Doesn't really make sense when you think about.

For a list of Coca Cola's products, look here: COKE LIST

For a list of Pepsi Cola's products, look here: PEPSI LIST

So which will it be for you, dear reader? Coke or Pepsi? Or will you just say No Thanks and go have a glass of tap water. Or maybe squeeze your own juice. The corporations don't want you to do any of that! They want to serve you...at a price. They'll give you convenience in a bottle or a can. No pesky filling up a glass or having to take all that time to squeeze an orange. It's all ready for you. Just open it up and take a drink. There you go...nice and sweet....and fizzy too! Feels good going down your throat...doesn't it? Keep on drinking. You're a slave to it now. All you have to do now is choose....Coke or Pepsi.