Is Coke ‘Magic’, or Just Bubbly Sugar-Water?

With U.S. consumption of soda pop falling, it would appear that Coca Cola’s unwholesome ingredients are finally catching up with it.  I swore off the stuff in 1964, when I was 15 and worried that Coke would make my zits worse. What cemented my doubts was a provocative cover story in Fact, a magazine published in the mid-1960s by impresario Ralph Ginzburg that took journalistic muckraking to new heights.  In one of Fact’s notorious broadsides, the magazine asserted that drinking Coke regularly would not only cause acne, but a host of other problems, including “tooth decay, headaches… nephritis, nausea, delirium, heart disease, emotional disturbances, constipation, insomnia, indigestion, diarrhea and mutated offspring.”   If that wasn’t warning enough, Fidel Castro weighed in around the same time with a jeremiad against sugar.  It was Americans’ addiction to sweets, not Communism, he asserted, that was causing the nation to rot from the inside.

In retrospect, the dictator appears to have been onto something. Fifty years later, Americans are finally starting to take the message to heart, switching en masse from soda pop to juices, bottled war and energy drinks. The shift has been so pronounced in recent years that an industry analyst, Tom Pirko of Bevmart, was led to comment recently that “sugar water with bubbles is not the future of the world. There’s an existential issue.”  Not that a visitor from another planet could tell. The typical Coca Cola commercial would have viewers believe that the product is the very elixir of life, and that quenching one’s thirst with a cold Coke is one of the few things we humans can do that is as enjoyable as sex.

Coming Soon in a Big Way: Taylor Swift

Whether or not you believe this, even subliminally, Coke certainly seems to. Although a growing number of analysts think the company should spend less on advertising and more on diversifying its product line, the Atlanta-based company reportedly is about to “double down” on its namesake drink.  “Coca-Cola remains magical,” CEO Muhtar Kent recently told The Wall Street Journal. “We need to work even harder to enhance the romance of the brand in every corner of the world.”  To that end, the firm plans to boost last year’s $3.3 billion advertising budget by $1 billion over the next three years. Expect to see a lot more of Taylor Swift, who will be featured prominently in the campaign.

It will be interesting to see whether all of this, most particularly the impending, massive overexposure of Ms. Swift, can turn things around.  If so, we consumers are more like Pavlov’s dog than anyone outside of Madison Avenue might have imagined.  Still, the task of reversing soda pop’s decade-long decline will be daunting, since the company is shooting for growth of 3% to 4% at a time when soda pop sales have been increasing less than 1% per year. Moreover, there is growing resistance to diet sodas in particular. Coke can point to hundreds of studies that say aspartame is perfectly safe, but it remains to be seen whether consumers’ by-now hardened suspicions about this can be allayed by the ineffable charms of Ms. Swift.  Although it might be unsettling to think that an additional billion dollars of spending to advertise “sugar water with bubbles” can make us drink more of it, we’ve learned never to count out the pro-active, solution-oriented pitch men of the advertising world.  When it comes to making us crave things that we not only don’t need but which are demonstrably bad for our health, Madison Avenue has a long history of success.

  • Redwilldanaher April 27, 2014, 5:55 pm

    http://m.spokesman.com/stories/2014/apr/25/mcmorris-rodgers-says-aca-likely-to-stay/

    As surely as the sun will rise…

    Last week’s topic or the previous???

    Hate it when expectations are met…

    • VILE VLAD April 28, 2014, 3:10 am

      world is spinning now, big-time fast, red.
      and right now, aca, is least important of all.
      so, aca will play, as ‘the world turns’. literally.

      • squiredanaher April 28, 2014, 2:16 pm

        I hear you Despicable V, it wasn’t too long ago (2 weeks?) that the Rethuglican cave-in was predicted herein by many. This was a public service posting to put that issues 100% to bed.

  • mava April 25, 2014, 7:45 am

    Microsoft… Apple…

    I am an android user, and won’t swap it for anything. My sis though, couldn’t get the touch. So, I got her the iPhone. OMG. No, really, I long knew that Apple is literally dumb computing-wise, but I held an opinion that their hardware is great, and their iPhone is very good for those not able to understand how things work. Well, now I hate Apple. What a clumsy thing. Too small, can’t see the characters on the screen. So much for the hardware. And the OS… just a POS. Only does things the apple way. Not capable to even magnify it’s own fonts properly. Something my android (even though it’s bigger) is doing on the fly. Only one wifi transfer app. Can’t save pics from MMS messages to the photo album other than one by one!

    On desktop, the world runs on XP and 7. Win8 occupies measly 7 percent. I now understand why every consecutive windows iteration is progressively worse than the previous version. Today we have computers, on which we can do anything. Most of it royalty free, unless you just want to pay. Well, when Microsoft is done with us, we won’t be able to do anything at all for free. The way for that is web apps – cloud apps. They are ugly and low functional. Why would we swap everything for nothing? This is why, each windows iteration teaches us to do without a whole lot of features, until we finally forget what we had. With the move from XP to 7, and 8, and 8.1, they gradually boil us, like the proverbial frogs. We will end up with something completely useless, like a Mac, and we will love it, because we won’t remember how it was when we could do anything.

    Just take W7 and do a simple file search. Ha-ha. You can’t. There is no more “search”, there is only a useless index based filtering. You can never get the true search results like you could with XP. And so on, similarly with all the other features.

    It is even seen with hardware. You used to be able to buy a PC which had bunch of bays. Nowadays, whether you buy HP or Dell, you get a stupid box with 3 bays. (Same tendency – your true capabilities are being progressively diminished, all the while supposedly getting better.) You go ahead and try to build a NAS using that crap. Good luck!

    (Disclosure: I am not a true “home user”. I’ve been professionally involved with using PCs in a professional environment for many years.)

    • gary leibowitz April 25, 2014, 7:37 pm

      Microsoft’s demise has been way premature. their move to windows 8 was needed. They don’t want the old-timers fixed ways on doing things. Windows 8 uses tiles like a touch screen would do. That’s the idea. Get the young users on both the mobile and tablet style to look and feel the same. Anyone who is old enough to use the multiple migrations from ME on up will not like the transition. It took me a while to get used to it, but with the ease of switching from tile platform to windows 7 desktop view it is a great transition.

      They are proving that they can still maintain a prominence in this new age time of fast technological advances.

      • Stephen G April 26, 2014, 7:58 pm

        Gary – you are assuming that people want to interact with a laptop the exact same way they interact with a smartphone or even a tablet. You are flat wrong in that assumption. You’re also wrong to assume it’s only “old timers” who find Windows 8 atrocious.

      • mario cavolo April 27, 2014, 1:49 pm

        Stephen, why do you find Windows 8 “atrocious” , I don’t get it…what do you need/wish it to do, and in comparison to other choices, that it doesn’t do that makes it atrocious…? I’m reacting to its use simply in terms of wanting to get stuff done through a friendly, fluid interface…so that leaves me pondering Mac and Windows 7 computers, and then android, Apple’s OS and Windows 8 on hybrid laptop/tablets and tablets and smartphones… What’s all the fuss about?

        Cheers, Mario

  • mario cavolo April 25, 2014, 4:06 am

    Connecting to today’s topic, people often drink Coke while on their computers.

    Moving on to your Apple comments….they have another big, yet quiet problem…and I accept in advance this will likely rile your feathers Rick 🙂

    The rise of Microsoft’s Windows 8 platform. Why would I say such a ghastly thing? Even I acknowledge Apple’s product is awesome and integrated into other devices superbly. Wife has an Iphone 4, piece of art. 5S even better. But so has Microsoft gotten it together, its the only other closed integrated OS system, and at this point it is equally tight and seamless. Lacking the variety of apps, but its made for business folks and far better than Apple in that regard. Read the user reviews of the Surface Pro, 4 hour battery life is sh*t, besides that, its the very best performing machine out there, users love it, I’ve joined them.

    I’ve had my Lumia 925 windows 8 smartphone for a few weeks, best smartphone decision I ever made, used both apple and android previously for years, the integration into the cloud, web, Office, Lens, Notebook, voice recognition and other apps and features is seamless, the tiles are cool, the flexibility and intuitiveness on the mark, slick and smooth as butta’… its all there no clutter. its actually a mini Surface with a phone, rather than a phone with other stuff. My laptop is an X200, soon trading up to a Surface Pro, being across the board Windows integrated is much the same benefit as an Apple lover being tightly connected up.

    Yet, android is doing well in the marketplace for consumers who apparently need in today’s crazy world to be very preoccupied by a zillion apps. I’m a business user, I want clean efficient fingertip info and integration across my devices, no clutter. I suspect Microsoft is finally getting some deserved respect for creating the Surface Pro/Windows 8 platform not to mention even better 8.1 update just out.

    I’ve heard reviews complaining about getting used to 8’s tile system, etc. Complain all you want, the system is a superb laptop and tablet, as such, it does far more than a tablet, of course it requires some learning curve and well worth it.

    Microsoft’s latest setup will continue to gain marketshare as far as this customer is concerned.

    Cheers, Mario

    &&&&&&&

    It was Microsoft’s huge mistake to try to ram Windows 8 down the throats of desktop users. Although I am loathe to credit Ballmer & Co. with ever having done ANYTHING right, you’ve opened my mind to the possibility that perhaps Surface is a winner. I say this in part because it has proven so difficult to do the things on an Android-powered notepad that were so easy to do on a mini-laptop. Tablets may be great for cafe habitues, but there is just no getting any real work done on them. RA

    • mario cavolo April 25, 2014, 5:12 am

      Exactly right, they’ve made so many mistakes over the years. Windows 8 tiles on a non touch screen laptop is lunacy. These new hybrid tablet/laptops on the other hand are truly next gen for users, and linked to a matching smartphone device, nice tight, closed system. A friend bought the latest by Dell…laptop/fully detachable 13″ tablet screen, runs his MNC manufacturing company out of it, enterprise level software, yet a tablet too, he’s equally amazed by all it can do on both sides of the fence so to speak…

    • VITUPIRATIVE VLAD April 26, 2014, 1:53 am

      windows 8 is an utter piece of ****.

      I had to buy a new laptop year ago.
      got a cheap chinese one with win 8.

      everything about it is ****. win 7
      and all it’s apps were much better.

      the new skype-messenger is ****,
      new windows-explorer 10 is ****,
      always crashing, microsoft is an
      utter piece of shit, but no surprise
      there, since gates, whom ‘created
      dos,’ STOLE dos for only 50 grand;
      and then suckered steve jobs, to join,
      and both then stole, ‘point click’ screen
      from a xerox think-tank, in ussa’s florida.

      but then, jobs got sick of gates, and left.
      and jobs created ‘apple,’ as competitor.

      ergo, gates is ****, unless he can steal.
      and aids jobs is d-e-d; so, so is apple.
      no more to be said. both now- stink.

      however, can’t comment on ‘smart phones.’
      never had one, all my phones are stupid.
      they just make calls, or give me time.

  • D.B. April 22, 2014, 8:20 pm

    It also works for killing ant hills/colonies. Dilute with a little water if you like, or add some Borax for extra potency.

  • Rich April 22, 2014, 7:22 pm

    (Sure would appreciate edit function on these posts.
    Hit Backspace and it posted before ready.)
    Here’s the finished product:

    Great essay Rick.

    Addictive products sell.

    Madison Avenue does indeed have a long history of success, Bernays, Freud, LeBon and Mad Men notwithstanding, with alcohol, caffeine, cocaine and nicotine.

    Why not marijuana, opium and other natural drugs that were legal before Woodrow Wilson was president, making fortunes for Skull and Bones families?

    Ty Cobb’s wealth was mostly due to KO stock KO paid him to promote KO as a famous baseball player.

    Both Hugh Hefner and Uncle Warren enjoyed their branded colas lemon PEP and cherry KO.

    The Mormon church accumulated KO shares in size before announcing Coke was ok to consume.

    Steve Jobs pulled John Sculley from PEP to AAPL CEO with, “Do you want to sell sugared water for the rest of your life? Or do you want to come with me and change the world?”

    The story of how the morphine-addicted pharmacist inventor of caffeine cocaine hallucinogenic damiana kola nut medicine syrup wine, his son and business partners were allegedly defrauded out of Coca Cola for cash and forgeries mostly disappeared from search engines as bad PR:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola

    KO was still one of the largest consumers of vanilla, sweeteners and denatured coca.

    As the most recognized brand name, KO changed the world and was linked with CIA and clandestine operations globally.

    At least one conspiracy researcher, model for Ironsides, said KO stopped using cocaine in the US in 1989, which led to a decline in US sales:

    http://www.rense.com/general51/coa.htm

    Perhaps this, cane sugar and medically dangerous High Fructose Corn Syrup account for the popularity of Mexican Coke, with consumer product medical epidemics raising healthcare costs:

    http://drhyman.com/blog/2011/05/13/5-reasons-high-fructose-corn-syrup-will-kill-you/#close

    Re tooth decay, a classmate did a science fair project where he dissolved his baby tooth in Coke in a short period of time. Reportedly also a great rust remover.

    Recognizing increased sugar consumption as a healthcare risk, consumer companies jumped out of the natural frying pan into the fire with toxic artificial sweeteners, flavours and fats generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by inadequate shoddy medical research.

    Washington Insider Donald Rumsfeld was CEO Chairman of GD Searle who got political FDA approval of Aspartame after it was blocked by conflicts of interest, criminal referrals to DOJ for possibly causing brain tumours, cancers and holes in the brain with inadequate clinical testing.

    Rummy’s aspartame point man left FDA and went to Burston-Marsteller, chief public relations firm for both Monsanto and GD Searle, acquired by MON in 1985:

    http://www.rense.com/general33/legal.htm

    Today politicized regulatory capture of FDA and medical research by food pharma monopolies like MON is fait accompli.

    Medical researchers funded by these foundation monopolies pump out reams of safety studies to keep them off the hook.

    This we suffer growing epidemics of medical problems caused by disruptive man-made chemicals and Genetically Modified Organisms added to our beverage and food supply without full disclosure.

    Aspartame was not labelled in dairy products:

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/13/unlabeled-aspartame-use.aspx

    GMO labeling was defeated in CA, NH and WA and delayed even at WFM until 2018:

    http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/tags/gmos

    Some companies even consider them natural ingredients for children’s multivitamins and other FDA approved foods:

    http://www.naturalnews.com/040872_flinstones_vitamins_multivitamins_synthetic_additives.html

    Noting the KO stock decline from 1998 to new lows with the rise in then-healthier beverages at Hansen/Monster, we approached Coca Cola with a winner business incubator natural beverage product.

    The predictable result was not-invented or known here corporate ignorance with continued KO share decline. They even blocked our calls and emails.

    Recently KO stock approached 1998 split-adjusted highs of 44.47 in July 1998. Though our natural product idea could take KO to new highs, we are occupied with winning Las Vegas CD 1 back for the people, they will have to approach us, remote prospect based on precedent.

    Cheers to all the bright lights here.

    Regards*Rich

  • redwilldanaher April 22, 2014, 6:03 pm

    Sort of off topic but sort of not at the same time:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/the-american-middle-class-is-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html?hp&_r=0

    Keep on hooraying El Garo!

    • gary leibowitz April 22, 2014, 11:26 pm

      Glad you agree with me. While we still have the best income level for the middle-class it is deteriorating. Perhaps Canada is equal to us. This is from the article you presented. In fact I will agree with everything they stated in that article. BTW, how would YOU fix this problem? Give less subsidies? Keep minimum wage at a 30 year low? Reduce taxes to the wealthy and corporations?

      &&&&&

      There are almost no significant problems in this world that are not directly attributable to Big Government. Big Government is the root of all evil. Thus, the solution to just about any problem is to take Big Government out of the equation. RA

      • mava April 23, 2014, 7:04 am

        Absolutely, RA. Deflation or not, but this is something I will always agree with you on.

        If there are any problems on earth, they all are due to the existence of the government. There no longer any possibility of a “small government”. People are too corrupted by the government. Not any more than a possibility of “just few shots” for an alcoholic, there is no “small drinking binge”, and there is no “big one”, they are one and the same.

        Thus, I just skip the “big” part.

      • mava April 23, 2014, 9:11 pm

        Just when you mentioned, the LRC has the Rothbards article on how and why one must properly hate the government if he wants to love freedom.
        http://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/04/murray-n-rothbard/do-you-pass-the-rothbard-test/

        &&&&&&&

        Thanks for the link, Mava. The essay reminds me why Milton Friedman’s kind of libertarianism is so unsatisfying. RA

      • Redwilldanaher April 24, 2014, 1:15 am

        The bell tolls for the Amerikan middle class and you’re cheering. This is the age of the pretender and you sir are one of the best I’ve come across.

      • Gary leibowitz April 24, 2014, 10:46 pm

        The Great Depression was a result of massive gov intervention?

        &&&&&&

        Intervention is not the right word, Gary. But I hope you’re not trying to suggest that The Great Crash — or the Panic of 1873; or of 1907 — were the result of mere market forces, uninfluenced by the fine hand of Government.
        RA

      • gary leibowitz April 25, 2014, 5:48 pm

        Wikipedia definitions:
        The Panic of 1873 and the subsequent depression had several underlying causes, of which economic historians debate the relative importance. Post-war inflation, rampant speculative investments (overwhelmingly in railroads), a large trade deficit, ripples from economic dislocation in Europe resulting from the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), property losses in the Chicago (1871) and Boston (1872) fires, and other factors put a massive strain on bank reserves, which plummeted in New York City during September and October 1873 from $50 million to $17 million.

        The Panic of 1907 – also known as the 1907 Bankers’ Panic or Knickerbocker Crisis[1] – was a United States financial crisis that took place when the New York Stock Exchange fell almost 50% from its peak the previous year. Panic occurred, as this was during a time of economic recession, and there were numerous runs on banks and trust companies
        =====================================

        I both cases there was no central bank, no government subsidies, and no taxes. Big Government? Hardly. More likely the exact opposite to your reasoning. Greed and corruption were allowed to flourish right before the crashes. No government interventions to prevent this from occurring. No big government. If I am wrong can you expand on your notion of Big Government?

      • Oregon April 25, 2014, 9:08 pm

        So Gary, what you are saying is that now we have massive subsidies, personal income taxes, and BIG gov’t, and still have crashes. If I am wrong, can you expand on your idea that we need BIG gov’t.?

      • gary leibowitz April 25, 2014, 10:30 pm

        I never said we need big government. What we need is safeguards. I suppose if those safeguards were in place we would not need the subsidies. If you allow power and greed to take hold it will always benefit the already well off. A flat tax, or consumption tax is much fairer than what we have today. As for corporations being allowed to hide their money overseas, that’s a travesty. Why have corporate taxes, real paid taxes, been going down for 50 years? Why are we catering to the needs of huge corporations instead of the masses? Same for rich individuals. Rules and regulations should be based on fairness, not who has the larger political purse strings.

        Your mantra against big government is a code for “leave my wealth alone”. I get it. The problem with that is as the shift in wealth keeps gravitating to the top 5 percent, everyone else left behind finds the easiest target for that blame. It’s not the amount of rules or restrictions that government place, it’s the unfairness of it. If the rules were the same for all, no one would be complaining. To expect a big economically expanding populous to keep small government is ludicrous. A business as it expands has larger and larger overhead. they must expand on management’s role. Same with governments. Do you think China will be any different? No such thing as communist rule when you allow free enterprise to take hold. they too will experience the same expansion.

        This big government has put in place social security and Medicare, along with a slew of social agencies to help counter their own misplaced allegiance to money and power. With no cost to do so its expedient. Politicians can only receive a net gain in popularity and financial campaign support by catering to both sides. It’s a natural function with current campaign laws.

        I don’t blame big government, I blame big corruption. I never get this one question answered, no matter how many times I voice it. Where would we be today had government only catered to the rich and corporations? if we had no social government sponsored programs would we be already in a deep depression or not? It is quite obvious to me, but perhaps I read the data wrong.

      • VITUPIRATIVE VLAD April 26, 2014, 1:05 am

        leibowitz, the great depression of 1930’s was a full creation of the ‘federal reserve’ act,
        created, purposefully, in early 1900’s, to control and manipulate the swings of markets.
        as now. for century-long history of fed manipulation of credit, has been chart-tracked.
        before, and after, the creation of it. and the entire-purpose, was to insider-profit.

      • Redwilldanaher April 26, 2014, 4:03 am

        El Toolo, the corporation is the government and it is run by the company. You just can’t pull out the hard wiring can you? You own obtuseness the way Crosby owns White Christmas…

  • Rich April 22, 2014, 5:32 pm

    Great essay Rick.
    Madison Avenue does indeed have a long history of success, Bernays, LeBon and Mad Men notwithstanding.

    Both Hugh Hefner and Uncle Warren enjoyed their colas.

    Washington Insider Donald Rumsfeld was CEO Chairman of GD Searle that got a political FDA approval of Aspartame after it was blocked for possibly causing brain tumours and holes in the brain and inadequate clinical testing. His front m

  • mava April 22, 2014, 5:57 am

    Advertising is an indecent exposure, and when used as a commercial is a legalized prostitution. (Not that I am against prostitution of one’s mind. Just pointing at the things that are exactly same.) We like and use it so much in lieu of properly paying, we even have the term for this kind of prostitution: “free”.

    • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 6:28 am

      hey, mav, I’ve got to defend prostitutes, the oldest profession of all, for I love them.

      • mava April 22, 2014, 5:08 pm

        Agree. I didn’t mean to dis them. Just pointing out that we all are (if we consume anything ad supported), or at least curious (if we pay attention to banners and such). Because we think, that our mind is always “protected”. However, it our mind was, really “impenetrable”, paying for an ad placement would be a pointless activity.

  • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 3:55 am

    so far, this week’s blog responses, have to indubitably be, most surreal I have read herein.
    for no one seems to GET, what the overall theme is. INDOCTRINATION– since a kid.

    because you are all fixated on the UNimportant, which is– HOW someone wishes to–
    pollute his body, with this or that nonsense, carbonated sugar beverages, until death.

    while, all that matters, is– WHY.

    so, I go back to the theme I raised yesterday– INDOCTRINATION, since birth.

    so let’s focus on that– to get good feedback.
    for coca-cola company itself, means nothing.

    but, what it REPRESENTS,
    and how it is sold into your brain, since birth, THAT DOES matter, as it applies to,
    almost ALL things, worldwide;
    and HOW you are TAUGHT, since young, to BELIEVE,
    whatever, as REALLY IMPORTANT–
    be it ‘truth,’ ‘religion, ‘country, ‘belief,’ ‘morality’, ‘family,’ etc, or just plain old– soda-pop.

    so, it is BRAINWASHING since birth, that matters– and coca-cola, is just tip of the iceberg.

    and I remembered today, where I heard that quote. it had to do with north korea, in 50’s.
    quote about ‘give me any young kid, and I can make him think, whatever I want, forever.’
    it was from ‘manchurian candidate’ time. because if you can headwash adults– imagine kids.

    &&&&&&&

    Yes, Vlad, the subtext of my essay was indoctrination. It is both inscrutable and depressing to me that Coke’s spending a lot of money to put Taylor Swift in our faces is all that it takes to get people to drink more Coca-Cola (which is arguably a mild poison). To take your last comment a step further, it would seem we are living in a ‘Raymond, play solitaire’ world. RA

    • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 5:47 am

      ackerman dude, I would say pretext, and not subtext; but then again, maybe subtext,
      is all amerikain understand, subliminally, thus you have to subtext them, to get them.

      and as to taylor swift you keep mentioning, and now raymond solitaire, who are they?
      they don’t sound important whatsoever, so I will not research them, don’t waste my time.

      now putin, and his slowly developing world game, that’s important, for most humans.
      and this last week, he is mister nice-guy, ‘hey, I don’t make trouble, trouble comes to me.’
      meanwhile, daily, he buys time. time to execute step 2 or 3, of his (and xi’s) master plan.
      for he is no hurry. in toppling ussa, forever. but I assure you, xi and he mean business.
      and right now, I see them winning, even though it will take them few years to do so.

      &&&&&&

      Raymond was the Laurence Harvey character in ‘The Manchurian Candidate’, which you had mentioned. RA

      • VILE VLAD April 23, 2014, 7:01 am

        ackerman, I rarely forget anything, but raymond and playing solitaire, I forgot.
        so, could it be because I am raymond? jaja. after all, that is how brainwashing works.
        but I tell you this, to trump you. best brainwashing film ever, is not ‘manchurian c.’
        that is 2nd best. the best ever is, a small brit 60’s film, named ‘the mind benders.’
        and if you have to ‘walk over glass,’ as one teacher to told me once, you gotta see it.
        for it shows how easy it is to melt a human psyche into mush, and shape it as you will.

    • mario April 22, 2014, 4:37 pm

      Try not to make me regret saying it… a great post and spot on point V…

      • VILE VLAD April 23, 2014, 7:07 am

        mario, I might take it easy on you if you tell me all you know about China’s underground bunkers, many circular kilometers wide, preparing for WW3. But if you tell, will they kill you? For you have avoided this question, often.

      • mario cavolo April 24, 2014, 11:49 am

        V, I used to live in Sanya on Hainan Island, less than a kilometer away from the bay where the reported nuclear submarine station was being developed. The entire island was originally a military installation, still is. One day, at Yalong Bay, lined with 5 star hotels, a hotel guest wandered on his Yamaha jet ski “over the line” and promptly got himself into a heap of trouble. Another day I was exploring the island on my my big fat, fake Harley Chinese motorcycle with my wife as we often did on weekends, rolled down a private road to find a military guard gate; to say they were intimidating upon our arrival is an understatement, wife was unhappy.

        I have no doubt of their military development. However, they don’t have a record, long term, of being an aggressor to start a war. They won’t ever back down on their Taiwan stance. They are duly, truly and rightfully pissed at the Japanese, who were slaughtering monsters, as we all know and not easy to let bygones be bygones. Many including myself would be extremely surprised and scared by a new attitude of broader military aggression by China, hey, could happen though.

    • Farmer April 23, 2014, 1:15 pm

      Yeah, I appreciate that post of yours Vlad. You hit it on the head. The same themes percolate throughout our lives at every level. Here are just a few that most people seem to accept without question.

      Government is there to serve the people.
      The police are here to protect us.
      The police always get the bad guys.
      Justice is fair and it prevails in the end.
      Our pensions are secure. (Hah!).
      Gold is not money.
      Child Services are for the benefit of children.
      The government will take care of you if your family won’t.
      Store bought foods are safer than stuff you make at home.
      Savings are not important. We are backstopped by the social “put”.
      Herbal remedies are dangerous.
      Backyard chickens bring disease.
      We can trust big companies and big banks (because they are working in the interests of the public)

      You get the drift. I am sure you can easily expand the list of themes the brainwashed adhere too without questions. This nonsense consumes most peoples day to day thinking and they have little time anyway to challenge most of it. That too is part of the social indoctrination that makes our society what it is.

  • orig Dave April 22, 2014, 3:30 am

    Sugar is not Coke’s only problem.

    An Atkins Dieter since the 1970s, I began drinking Diet Coke when it used cyclamates, now banned in the USA but sold in Canada/Europe, ban may be lifted in near future, then when it used saccharin. When the move to aspartame/Nutrasweet occurred, I had to stop drinking from cans and bottles, since I became severely ill when consuming it.

    Aspartame is an excitotoxin like MSG and possibly connected to Parkinson’s. It also kills ants. Michael J. Fox, a spokesperson for Diet Pepsi who consumed lots of it, coincidentally developed Parkinson’s early during his ad days. Diet Coke from fountain sources, like 7-11, fast food restaurants, Costco Cafe’s etc. uses saccharin, though the syrup box ingredient label states both saccharin and aspartame. There is no aspartame as I would become sick immediately if there was. You can buy Coke, Diet Coke boxed syrups at Sam’s Club.

    This past August, due to continued declining sales of Diet Coke (and diet sodas in general), Coke began an ad campaign to inform the public on the “safety” of aspartame and Diet Coke. This in spite of growing interest in healthier natural sugar substitutes, like stevia, and less use of chemical additives.

    http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/coca-cola-artificial-sweetener-ad-coke-ads-defend-19955465

    Monsanto originally brought Nutrasweet/aspartame to market with FDA connections and studies showing lab rats fed saccharin the equivalent of 1000+ cans diet soda daily developed cancer. Now they are bringing us GMO corn and more. Coke and Monsanto lobby against GMO labeling laws.

    Coca Cola seems to redeem themselves in Japan, where besides the USA unhealthy products, they have coffee and tea products

    http://www.cocacola.co.jp/brands/all-products/

    One tea product I find imported in NYC Japanese markets and in Mitsuwa, a national Japanese supermarket chain, is a healthy unsweetened tea herb blend which actually tastes good and I feel is beneficial. Using Google Translate:

    Balanced mix of carefully selected oriental material a total of nine types of focus with the cooperation of medicine Nippon-do was based on the idea of ​​health in the East “Tour of the body”. It is a taste of oolong tea base blended (oolong tea, Pu’er tea, green tea, yellow tea) in the tea leaves of four. Please enjoy the easiness of drink that was refreshing and renewal packages are also “tea cruiser body”.

    http://www.cocacola.co.jp/brands/karadameguricha/karadameguricha-t

    Ingredients: Real tea oolong tea, green tea, Houttuynia, striped bamboo, du zhong tea, Pu’er tea, lotus, yellow tea, wolfberry, tangerine peel, mountain 楂子, ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum, vitamin C

    http://c.cocacola.co.jp/meguri/product/

    Coca Cola can do healthy when it is financially lucrative for them.

    Also of interest is the Coca Cola Freestyle machine, a touchscreen dispenser where you make your own Coke fountain product blend. My favorite is Caffeine Free Diet Coke Raspberry and Cherry Vanilla.

    https://www.coca-colafreestyle.com/

    Coca Cola purchased Honest Tea, an organic bottled tea company. They’ve increased the offerings of more sugary tea and lemonade drinks while offering less of the unsweetened ones, recently discontinuing Just Black 64 oz, organic unsweetened black tea (the only organic one available large size) while that segment is growing for other brands like Liptons, WholeFoods, Itoen. Obviously the Coke parent is in control while they maintain the faux image of being the original small independent started by Seth and Barry. Think Ben & Jerry’s, who are long gone from the Unilever parent. If you complain to Honest Tea on Facebook, they block you and delete the post.

    http://www.honesttea.com/

    Coca Cola also owns Dasani water, very good tasting, reverse osmosis filtered tap water with added minerals and new Dasani sparkling flavored water, which uses basic filtered water, not RO filtered, though the marketing is questionable since one would assume they are using Dasani water in Dasani Sparkling. NOT!

    http://www.dasani.com/

    Since I like very fizzy soda, instead of buying a SodaStream machine and expensive replacement cartridges, I buy various of their flavors and mix some into my favorite seltzer brands. They offer various healthy and “unhealthy” flavors, don’t use aspartame, but do use Splenda/sucralose and Acesulfame K (these can have other health issues) and have 1/2 the sugar/carb content than Coke in their sweetened products.

    http://www.sodastreamusa.com/TasteNutritionInfo.aspx

    • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 6:15 am

      I am constantly amazed, at how seriously some humans take, all this ‘coke’ stuff.
      for just look at lengthy dissertation, by original dave, as to how he was betrayed, by coke.

      I mean, how really important is all you say, in detail, vs. the overall concept, that,
      those in power, throughout history, have repeatedly poisoned their own kind,
      whenever they saw fit, and with no ‘conscience’ whatsoever, just to profit,
      and profit to the max; I mean, what is so shocking about all this? nothing. it’s normal.

      for it’s normal for few in power, to always add to their power. by fooling, the idiot majority.

      this is like beating a dead horse, no point in it. yes, you are being poisoned. so what?
      wait, wicked few in power, adjust to cultural factor, so they can benefit better. yawn.

      but, what are you doing about this, that is more important. yet you, do nothing.
      so, why bitch and moan? BECAUSE YOU ARE INDOCTRINATED TO DO SO.
      and that’s what you don’t see. because you have been bred since birth, to TRUST coke.

      so now, you feel betrayed. hence, you bitch and moan; and analyse, how it was so.

      boring.

      • dk April 22, 2014, 5:13 pm

        Vlad, please, for your own good, give it a rest. We get it. Basically, we’re stupid and you pity us. You seem to be stressing yourself over this too much, though.

        For what it’s worth I’m pretty sure EVERYONE on this board knows who Edward Bernays was and who his Uncle was, etc.

        Also, Coke owns several of the aforementioned health products, etc. Vitamin Water (Glaceau) is one of them.

        Just like many other “healthy” brands that have been swallowed up by conglomerates and subsequently reformulated, contaminated, or “smeared” at the least as a result.
        http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/jan/25/consumers-multinationals-ethical-brands

        I can’t speak for this organization, but this map is interesting
        http://www.cornucopia.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Organic-chart-feb-2014.jpg

        Please note that USDA “Organic” still leave room for 5% of ingredients not having to be organic (although they cannot be GMO sourced). That leaves room for synthetics, preservatives, artificial this or that.

      • VILE VLAD April 23, 2014, 6:47 am

        dk, dk, dk.
        ‘for my own good’, you say?
        don’t you know that is, commie talk?

        I have liked you, up until now.
        but if you want me as your enemy, so be it.
        no one shuts me up. not even the host. just ask him.

        and as to cocacola, I don’t care about it.
        and as to putting in your body poison, I don’t care either.
        I do it all the time. and we each all have to die. so to each his own poison.

        so grow up, dk. each of us, is alone. we live alone, die alone. all else, is pretense.
        you think your wife and kids are interlocked amoebas,’ of you? yeah, right.
        alone, dk. like everyone. and only amerikain are indoctrinated from birth otherwise.
        INDOCTRINATION.

      • VITUPIRATIVE VLAD April 26, 2014, 12:37 am

        dk and dave, you focus on wrong thing.
        because you are indoctrinated to do so. to focus on small, and not big.
        yes, soda pop is killing us all that drink it. true enough, it’s like battery acid.

        but, while we are dwelling on this minutea, we are missing true bigger picture.
        that is all I am saying. that there are ‘bigger fish to fry,’ and rile against, than ‘coke.’

        however, I do agree, that gut-corrosive ‘coke’ is perfectly minimalistically exemplary,
        of how those that make it, do NOT CARE in the slightest, for you, and your life.

        yet, this is what I find interesting about you all. in that you do not get the concept,
        behind it all. for it is methodical. and you understood concentration camps.
        afterwards. but you don’t understand this now. and what it has already, foretold.
        but your kids will understand it, afterwards. and the price to be paid, after all.

      • dk April 26, 2014, 5:52 am

        How ironic, a jab from you including some half-assed attempted association with my comment, perhaps you missed the second part of that remark. Stress man, get a grip.

        You’re doing yourself no favors (nor anyone here) by posting the same damn thing over, and over, and over… just taking up more room on the board. Scrolling is a pain sometimes…

        Just like you, I don’t care whether you like me or not, etc, so you can skip it save your breath

        Wait, am I supposed to be disappointed in you no longer liking me? Was I supposed to feel grateful that you did before? I never noticed, nor did I ever care. Guess what? I don’t care about shutting you up either, knock yourself out, keep on goin’. It’s your life and your time, do whatever you want with it.

        Get over yourself. I hate to break it to you but you’re most likely not better (or better off) than anyone here. Feel free to keep on thinking and telling yourself otherwise though, I’m sure it goes without saying.

        Regarding Coke, I’m not into soda personally. I’ve dropped some rum it a glass and hit it with a splash of the stuff but haven’t done so since college.

        My post had nothing to do with caring about what you put in your body, or mine, it simply pointed out there’s more to that story line than a lot of people know.
        To that end, personally, when I put “manure” like that in my body, I feel the affects afterwards. I feel like, well, “manure,” and more often than not, I don’t like feeling like “manure.” Pretty simple.
        So, to your point, do whatever you want, I couldn’t care less.

        Regarding “growing up,” is that supposed to be funny? That’s rich coming from you.

        By the way, everyone on this board (maybe a few minor exceptions) is nowhere near as “indoctrinated” as you mindlessly chant, for if we were, the dialogue that appears on this board wouldn’t be here (at least not most of it). You judge our “indoctrination” based on the main stream media (laughable) and the errant comments of a few people on this board, hardly a case study there buddy.

        Oh, and I’m not alone, I don’t live alone, and I won’t die alone, but I’m not even going to entertain another pointless debate or argument with you over this.
        I’ve already spent far too much time and energy writing this reply.

        As you were…

    • Rich April 22, 2014, 7:37 pm

      Good Earth Tea is another sweet spicy tea without sugar.

    • VILE VLAD April 28, 2014, 2:35 am

      upon a 3rd re-read of this post, by original dave,
      I find it more interesting, each time.
      for original dave really cares about his fitzy drinks, and how he is lied to, about them.

      and as to what this represents, in last throes of big ussa corps. INDOCTRINATION,
      and with fda sanction– that, ‘trust us,’ for we are from the gov. and here to ‘help you.’

      it all started from factory mass production, in 1800’s england. all started from machines.
      not just the reality of it, but, concept of it. as the way to become rich, was, to sell to– all.

      and some of you take this, seriously. I don’t. you think morality, matters. I don’t.
      for I think only winning matters. no matter how it’s done. but– can you live, with it?
      that is the only question. for if you can live with it, then, you are in, like flynn. haha.

  • John Jay April 22, 2014, 2:28 am

    Rick;
    Re: Michelle Obama

    As if our country was not already in enough trouble! First Lady has become at least a Cabinet Level position, and possibly a whole new branch of the Federal Government, with an unlimited budget and answering to no one!

    I believe Hillary Clinton was the one to establish the position, and Michelle has carried the concept to new heights. Typical of the House that they do not even attempt to rein in Michelle with an annual budget at the very least. At least Caligula’s` horse was happy to stay home and enjoy his gold and ivory decorated stall after he was made a Senator!

    What will be the next outrage we will made to suffer? The world wonders!

    • gary leibowitz April 24, 2014, 5:58 pm

      Michelle is fat and out of control on spending and living a lavish life style. Anyone want to back this up?

      It seems we got some news wrong all these years. Aliens from Jupiter, not Mars, has been seen and have infiltrated the White House staff.

      Palin’s choice for VP says something about where we would be had that ticket won the election. Palin seemed to established her world view without the help of newspapers or magazines. I guess her strong proximity to Russia had something to do with it. Rick do you really listen to Palin? Now that is shocking to me.

      • John Jay April 27, 2014, 2:46 am

        Gary,

        “Michelle is fat and out of control on spending and living a lavish life style. Anyone want to back this up?”

        Google it Gary, 33,400,000 results in .57 seconds for “how much money has the Obama family spent on vacations”.

        They are setting new spending records daily for a POTUS and family.

        I say again, First Lady is now a de facto Cabinet level position at best, and an entirely new branch of the Federal Government at worse .
        Spending without restraint, answering to no one at all.

        Very disturbing, to me at least.

  • mercury April 22, 2014, 2:16 am

    I understand the key ingredient of original Coca-Cola was coca leaf extract. It was a very simple process to make this extract, unlike to caustic chemical process required to produce cocaine from the same plant. I understand this coca leaf is quite harmless and very effective at producing a distinctly pleasant and uplifting effect on humans. Still found rural areas of the world where the Coca plant grows natively, remote areas that are not subject to routine policing of crops, i.e. Argentina, people
    still can enjoy the pleasant effects of holding a leaf in their cheek all day. Another one of God’s great gifts to humans, stolen away by those who seek control over humans.
    BTW I have recently given up coffee & soda, and I’m doing fine

  • Jason S April 21, 2014, 8:00 pm

    Coke may be finding that it has saturated the market. Despite the best efforts of Taylor Swift and all the folks on Madison Ave., there is a limit to how many human beings want to plump up to three bills, waddle around, have no energy, suffer from diabetes, etc. I am shocked how many people accept a life like that as it is.

    Maybe Coke can merge with McDonalds and some large mortuary and be the first Soylent Green company, turning us fatties into the newest version of pink slime for the fast food industry. Profits forever (or at least until the prion disease strikes.)

    • Stephen G April 21, 2014, 8:06 pm

      Didn’t Sarah Palin say that consuming sugar was patriotic and that those who prefer a healthier diet (like Michelle Obama) are un-American?

      &&&&&&

      Sounds more like something that either you or MSNBC made up, Steve. Anyway, whatever kind of healthy food Michelle is eating, it would appear that she’s s getting plenty of it. RA

      • Larry D April 21, 2014, 8:49 pm

        Nah … Sarah said smoke ’em if you got ’em – and be just like Michelle’s husband.

      • Stephen G April 21, 2014, 9:23 pm

        Awfully catty thing to say, Rick – you’re actually calling Michelle Obama heavy?

        Sarah Palin was on record opposing Michelle’s anti-obesity campaign a few years ago and to prove her point, unloaded dozens of sugar cookies at a Pennsylvania school.

        &&&&&&&

        Let’s just say she’s ‘big-boned’ and leave it at that. But I must admit, Steve, that absolutely nothing Michelle Obama could conceivably say — repeat, N-O-T-H-I-N-G — is going to sit well with me. Palin, on the other hand, makes perfect sense no matter what she says. And if it seems otherwise, it is only because she has been misquoted or taken out of context by those who get their Palin quotes second-hand from the rageful, ideologically warped pundits on MSNBC.

        If Palin finds things not to like about Michelle’s anti-obesity campaign, then there are most probably things we should all dislike about it. And although no one is necessarily wild about big-gulp cups and trans fats, there is surely nothing wrong with intensely disliking Bloomberg for banning them. RA

      • Oregon April 22, 2014, 6:55 am

        “Palin, on the other hand, makes perfect sense no matter what she says.”

        Holy Crap R.A., you have to be kidding! If she would just stand there with her mouth open I would support her 100%, but as soon as the words come out, the attraction is gone.

    • Jason S April 21, 2014, 8:53 pm

      Sorry, I didn’t respect the future branding, that should read, “…turning us McFatties(tm) into the newest version of pink slime…”

      &&&&&&

      If I use the phrase ‘Oscar Awards’ without noting the trademark, can I be arrested or fined? Incidentally, for years, I have deliberately spelled ‘Realtor’ with a lower-case ‘r’ and gotten away with it.
      RA

      • Jason S April 22, 2014, 5:38 pm

        Rick, I am sure there is a desperate ambulance chaser out there that may come knocking with a nine-figure law suit. Probably some judge who would accept it too. You don’t even want to imagine what happens if you tear off a mattress tag.

  • Stephen G April 21, 2014, 6:52 pm

    I stopped drinking pop years ago, and over the past several months I’ve also phased out fruit juice. I decided, at 34, I wasn’t all that interested in rotting my teeth with untold kilograms of refined sugar relegating me to dentures by the time I’m 50. Fruit juice (provided no sugar added) at least has nutrients, however it’s always better to eat an actual piece of fruit rather than the juice. Now the only liquids I consume are water and green tea (with the occasional beer on weekends – I’m only human).

    My parents meanwhile, in their late 60s, can’t seem to get enough of that sugary garbage. Every meal I have at my parents’ house is accompanied by can after can of coke (I politely decline and bring my glass to the tap for some water). I’ve gently raised the issue of the sugar content – my mother’s response is “well, it perks me up”. It’s a lost cause I think.

    As for the “diet” version – we all know that it’s poison.

    Gary Leibowitz – re: your comment on generational shift. It’s true younger people are eschewing pop, but it’s also true that they consume far more sugary concoctions from Starbucks than their elders, so it’s probably a wash.

    • Farmer April 23, 2014, 12:49 pm

      Seems you can hardly get away from the sugar, Stephen. Even those people who think they are clean living and free of the stuff might be surprised how much sneaks into their lives in one or another of its variations.

      In my case I was shocked by my own consumption. I had never really tried to tally my daily use with much more than a passing effort. But one day this past week I woke up feeling utterly rotten. Just like I had not slept the whole night.

      So I thought back over the prior day trying to determine what food might have left me feeling so awful. Nothing really came to mind as an obvious culprit. Not until I started adding up all the sugar I had been using.

      Anyway, I had been out traveling and had stopped frequently for coffee and sodas. During that day I consumed 12 coffees with CoffeeMate (r), four sweetened sodas, a piece of cake with icing and other mixed fast foods.

      The total was stunning. Each coffee had 2.5 heaping spoons of sugar just for starters and of course most here know that CoffeeMate is really just oil and sugar made to mimic milk.

      In short, my sugar consumption amounted to 74 spoonfuls when all things were considered. After checking on the internet how much of the sweet stuff was in each pop I got an even bigger eyeful. There are 40 grams of sugar in each Coca Cola for example.

      So then I got out the electronic scale and proceeded to manually fill a container with an equivalent amount of my daily sugar consumed just to see what it looked like and then put a number on it.

      It was more than a half pound! Holy Crap Batman!!

      And that was just one day of sugary drinks and sweets that I thoughtlessly drank up or ate. It was no wonder I slept so badly. My heart had been racing all night trying to process all that material. A second consideration was that I was probably wearing down a few other important body parts like my liver, kidneys, bladder and heart as my body tried to deal with the assault of all those sweets.

      Try it for yourself. Add up your daily sugar use…….you may just swear off the stuff altogether as I have tried to do these past few days.

    • gary leibowitz April 24, 2014, 5:37 pm

      Stephen, while it’s true sugar has managed to be an addicted ingredient for all, the biggest growth is in the “organic” food industry. Investing in companies that take advantage of this is smart business. It is not a fad. This part of the segment is growing twice any other. It is estimated to continue to do so for another 4 years or more.

  • John Jay April 21, 2014, 4:04 pm

    Coke’s competition from store brands is very likely increasing. I have seen Walmartians with shopping carts loaded up with just 2 liter bottles of soda and nothing else. Can’t beat Walmart for big cheap bags of peppermint candies for 98 cents. The horses at the stable can’t get enough of them, then they have peppermint breath! So the sugar addiction has crossed over to another species!

    I have seen lots of group photos from 100 years ago, and everyone is thin, nothing like today’s Americans. You can go to shorpy.com to view lots of high resolution photographs from the past and see what I am talking about.

    • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 7:46 am

      ‘walmartians.’ great oneliner.

  • mario cavolo April 21, 2014, 10:20 am

    Unfortunately, the ad men are good at what they do and daily behavior including eating habits are a societal problem driven by the manipulations of the big food companies, advertisers and government. In the past 20 years since the AHA or whichever govt org it is started advocating its higher carb diet, lower protein, lower fat diet , diabetes has gone up 4x in the United States, not to mention the U.S. is most obese country on the planet. The pharmaceutical industry wants you to have a plethora of prescription pills in your daily diet while the healthcare/medical/insurance industry complex industry wants you buying them to continue feeding their outrageous corrupt pricing and billing. It ain’t a pretty picture and yet simple common sense applies, most people are simply eating or drinking too many carbs and not enough protein, vegetables and healthy fats/oils. Every major diet/nutrition program boils down to that. People who drink a litre of sugar-drink every day, not to mention all the crap that’s in it, are somehow oblivious to the obvious fact that they shouldn’t be.

    Personally, I’m a meat eater, spent a full year in the late 90’s as a vegetarian, listened to and followed everything about that, didn’t feel one bit “better”, and at the end of that year, nothing tastier than the Outback cajun blackened ribeye I ordered. At the same time, I’m aware that it requires far more farmland and water to raise that pound of flesh for my enjoyment than it does to farm veggies, not very “green” for the environment. Meanwhile, sugar drinks remain off the list of any sensible person’s understanding of nutrition and health except as an occasional vice like anything else might be.

    Cheers, Mario

    • gary leibowitz April 21, 2014, 4:46 pm

      Mario, I have to disagree. The new age consumer is very concerned about the environment. That is reflected in the surge of “organic” products. Coke will catch up with Pepsi in its diversification, but they can’t abandon the huge profit margins of their soda today. They will be around for a long time to come. I believe Pepsi is the quicker of the two to diversify.

      The old generation is keeping the sugar craze going, while the younger generation is definitely looking to have a balanced, healthier life style. Meats and vegetables will both survive going forward. I wonder what the Monsantos of the world will do to thrive in the next generation. The only-salad outlets are sprouting up. The environmentally safe consumer products are catching on in a big way, and large companies are taking notice, and adjusting accordingly. In this arena companies do follow the trends, and are very adapt at changing.

      The benefits of vegetables are dramatic and have reversed many ailments and diseases found in the body. That’s not to say most people will abandon meats. The divide between the old way and new are a result of the generational and educational gap. The more educated, more affluent individual is shifting towards a healthier lifestyle.

      50 years of genetically altering these plants to withstand disease might have a long term negative affect. What are the nutritional values compared to the non altered variety. Will we be able to revert back to the soil and seed without these alterations?

      • gary leibowitz April 21, 2014, 11:58 pm

        Market Muse: We should at least test new highs in 1 to 1.5 months time. Earnings, rates, winter thaw, all contributing to this push. Leading indicators have surged. The Nasdaq has a rising wedge formation starting in mid-December. 4,000 tested 3 times. If it holds in next week we should see that last leg up. S/B faster higher and steeper than last leg. If this does occur I would bet a wooden nickel we have a 5 month drop. Nasdaq got to hold above 4,000 for all this to have a chance of happening.

        &&&&&&

        So, Gary: Is everyone else on this board currently calling for a market collapse any day now? I just want to have you on record about this. And lest you claim at some future date to have been the only person who foresaw a rally, keep in mind that I have been calling for a Dow run-up to 17622 for months. RA

      • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 6:47 am

        gary,
        I concur on your comment above. nasdaq holding 4000 is important. and dji is outdated.
        however, strange thing, I still believe, in dow theory. for, why has djia, still not broken out?
        since it’s now near 4 months, dji has not confirmed bull. and until it does, all is possible.
        but, if and when djia breaks to new high, and only then, I ‘ll agree with ra’s 17622, or more.

        ps–I have never seen a market as weird as this one, in over 30 years. all built on smoke.
        but that is what it takes, to live in world of tulips, being worth more than dutch homes.

      • gary leibowitz April 22, 2014, 11:01 pm

        Rick I only pointed out the fact that you look for any reason to disbelieve your own technical analysis when it comes to new highs. I don’t question your very long standing number for “the” top. It’s your own actions that I question. You seem to hold onto any decent drop in the market in “hopes” it breaks support. Your technical are unbiased, but not your bets. You seem to let it ride on the downside, as opposed to the upside, in hopes the crash will happen.

        I post my immediate interpretation of the current market when I have a fair amount of conviction. I even post when I see a possible drop. No ulterior motive. When I think we are at a junction I post.

        I also see a majority of analysts having doubts this move is for real. Most think it will not break new highs. When it comes to sticking with your technical method it has a statistically better track record than most. I never question the unemotional proprietary system of yours. I just question the assumptions that all is an illusion with dozens of unproven conspiracies. Like UFO’s. To believe we are visited today you would have to believe the incredible odds of zero verifiable evidence. No wreckage, no proven sightings. 90 to 95 percent of all sightings investigated and disproved. it’s the 5 percent people latch onto. just because they can’t be disproven some people conclude it must be real.

        &&&&&&

        Not sure where you got your information about my trades, but I always like to remind subscribers that since put options were first listed in the 1970s, there has not been a four-day stretch, even, when those who held them felt anything remotely approaching exhilaration. On trades that I’ve recommended to subscribers, probably 85% of the winners were bull trades. RA

      • Farmer April 23, 2014, 12:07 pm

        Gary, that surge of interest in organics you speak of represents maybe 2% of all food sales. It amounts to little more than a distraction to most retailers and so while they pander to the demands of a very small segment of their customers who want healthier foods they also charge accordingly as these are still considered a specialty line of foods. When organics are as common as other veggies and fruits prices will be more competitive. Just look in on the typical supermarket for evidence of how weak demand really is. How much space is allotted to organics versus all the other processed foods? Typically it is a small corner of the veggie aisle and a half row of shelving. Potato chips alone get more space than that and they are more prominently displayed being amongst the first products you encounter as you walk through the front doors of most markets.

      • gary leibowitz April 23, 2014, 4:02 pm

        Rick if what you say is true than I apologize. I am only looking at the snippets shown on this blog for the unsubscribed viewers.

        &&&&&&

        No harm done, Gary. And by the way, you can receive a free trading ‘tout’ each day by going to my home page and clicking on the word ‘Subscribe’ in the ‘Uncannily Accurate Forecasts’ box toward the upper left-hand corner. RA

      • Redwilldanaher April 24, 2014, 4:04 am

        Once again I’m glad that Rick smacked El Garo’s nose with the newspaper. Who is/has called for a technical Crash oh great tool El Garo? What else can you build besides straw men and porous arguments?

    • Jason S April 21, 2014, 6:10 pm

      Mario, on the green front you will be pleased to know that the greenies are working on bioengineering a cow that does not fart methane. So while it will still take more land to produce a lb of protein, it will harm the environment less. Now we may all die early from the GMO foods but at least we can all sleep better at night knowing the planet is a little safer from greenhouse gasses.

      http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/genetically-modified-cows-could-fart-less/story-fn5fsgyc-1226311605016

  • VILE VLAD April 21, 2014, 8:28 am

    now, in terms of most amerikain, this is indubitably their theorical means of ‘escape.’ ha.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfish_herd_theory

    read it carefully.

  • VILE VLAD April 21, 2014, 7:00 am

    look up these 2 dead dudes, explains all, about madison av. made myths, bred into your brain.
    and ‘coca-cola’ is only 1 of these many myths, inseminated into you by tv, since birth.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Le_Bon

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

    both caucasian north europeans. and they reshaped modern world, even more than freud
    (also a caucasian european; but let’s not forget jung, same as them, but probably best of all).

    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

    someone told me a long time ago, that some commie leader, once admittedly said,
    that– ‘you give me any kid early, and I can make him think forever, whatever I want.’

    true story. but can you really brainwash a human, early, into thinking whatever, forever?
    and I think this week’s ackerman theme, is all about this, via specific ussa way– ‘coca-cola.’

    yet, the true holistic theme this week is–
    worldwide, young kid, early brainwashing.

    • VILE VLAD April 21, 2014, 7:24 am

      is that an authentic rockwell you posted, or a knock-off? for it sure looks like a rockwell.
      because we can also discuss how great artists can sell anything. and rockwell is great, IMO.
      since your provided pic captures idealistic way of thinking for teens, inside their dreams.

      (and I think girl really likes the guy in jock blue, just look how she reaches out for him,
      staring at him, and if you don’t think that isn’t on purpose, you don’t know duke,
      for it’s meant to say, coke is great for athletes that attracts cute girls, what else to say).

      • Chuck April 21, 2014, 5:10 pm

        and even though the pretty girl is completely enthralled with the jock in blue sweater, he isn’t letting her know that he is even aware of this. He is just being himself….all American lol. Good call Vlad.

      • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 5:29 am

        true enough, chuck, that’s top game to play, when you are the top teen–ignore the adore.
        but, did you notice how artist also reinforces coca-cola, by jock’s letter-sweater,
        sporting a ‘c’?
        all part of the design.
        plus, blue is the top true male color of all.
        and in this case, it’s a soft blue, to not scare chickies, ’cause you are ‘kind.’

        subliminal images work best of all, in human brain, especially, in the very young.
        and they stick for life.
        as the ideal dream, come true.
        and even if it never comes true. for at least, you got to dream it.

        for dreaming is much more important, than living it. since the dream is enough.
        and that’s how the human mind works. for good or ill. as dreams are most real.

        $$$$$$$$$$$$$

        now, will any of you ussa geniuses tell me, is this a real rockwell pic, or not?

        she’s an honest loving redhead, all firey hot, and her hero, is an allamerikan ‘open truth’ brunette guy (he actually looks like a young reagan, weird), and the sidekick blond guy is in a green (moneyed) corny tweed jacket, and yellow vest (so he’s ‘yellow’ inside); plus he’s commenting on something (snidely, with hand partly covering mouth)– so now, whom would you trust, of these 2 teen guys? the guy with a big ‘c’ on his chest, and a white, open necked, normal white shirt (representing the allamerican dream, jock with a hint of arm muscle, that cute chicks adore); or, do you root for the other (obviously) sneaky, crooked kid, that nobody wants to be? ha. artist just sold you on amerikan dream. and those that dream most, are teens. so, COCA-COLA! and then you ‘can be, all you can be.’ ha.

        $$$$$$$$$$$

        this thing reminds of the beatles in early 60’s. when ussa chicks tore out their hair,
        just listening to them, when they went to amerika, and sang ‘i want to hold your hand.’

        $$$$$$$$$$$$

        love brainwash stories. amerikain so easy to headlaunder. watch film- ‘wag the dog.’

  • mava April 21, 2014, 6:49 am

    Can’t speak on this subject. Never drank any soda. Not when I was a kid, not now. I am amazed by one particular claim: Coke extinguishes the thirst? How can that be? I tried it may-be three or four times (due to nothing else available after a long hike, on accident, being way in the “boonies”), and I felt like I had to immediately have a bucket of water. It felt sticky! It felt dehydrating!
    Coca cola would do better if they simply got rid of the nasty substance, and become a provider of healthy drinks branded “Coca Cola”.

    • Oregon April 21, 2014, 5:56 pm

      Coca Cola would do MUCH better if they put the cocaine back in and branded it “Cocaine Cola”. To hell with coffee!

      • VILE VLAD April 22, 2014, 7:54 am

        oregon,
        ‘cocaine-cola’ is too frontal for p.c. amerikain, so how about calling it–
        ‘colombian-caca-cola’, so it’s in ussa’s quasi ‘political correct’ mode? ha.

      • Oregon April 22, 2014, 5:55 pm

        ‘colombian-caca-cola’? No way Vlad, this only highlights how little you understand Americans. You see, in America (Los Estados Unidos) ‘caca’ is poop, or feces, and is disgusting in the context of refreshment.

        However, if there was a national ad campaign with Beyonce’, or Shakira, or Kim Kardashian, or Sarah Palin (for R.A.) with a close-up twerking (Ella está sacudiendo la basura en su tronco) then they could sell the shit out of ‘columbian-caca-cola’; pun intended. (*)

        *author’s note: this post contains INDOCTRINATION subtext.

      • VILE VLAD April 23, 2014, 6:24 am

        pretty good ussa shake-ass commercial you present, oregon,
        but, your ‘analysis’ above, has several errors.

        first of all, it’s ‘colombia,’ not columbia.
        (so do not confuse, ‘pre-columbian artifacts,’
        with, real name of ‘the’ coca country– colombia).

        and caca is poop everywhere, so it was just a joke, foolish inbred oregonian.
        but I like how ‘you took that ball and ran with it,’ re shaking prime arses, on tv.

        and as to your–
        ‘Ella está sacudiendo la basura en su tronco’
        jaja.
        you must have used a really bad online translator.
        ‘basura’?
        basura is trash, not shit.
        and ‘tronco’?
        that is even worse.
        tronco is ‘trunk’, which has nothing to do,
        with ‘culo’ or ‘ano’, as you tried to say.

        so question—being oregonian, how many hours a day, do you stare at tree trunks?
        and maybe there, is your ‘tronco’ fixation. staring at too many ‘troncos’ daily, I think.

        and that, and much more more, is called, lifetime INDOCTRINATION.
        where you even confuse a woman’s arse, with a tree trunk– ‘tronco’.

        and from where you actually think, you are smarter, than any colombian spic.
        for, IMO, most pathetic creature on earth, is indoctrinated since birth– amerikain.

      • Oregon April 23, 2014, 11:54 pm

        “so question—being oregonian, how many hours a day, do you stare at tree trunks?”

        Every time I take a piss.

      • Oregon April 24, 2014, 12:18 am

        re: caca… So you did mean feces, not the Roman goddess who betrayed her brother?

        Spanish is not my first language, you probably understand.

        In America (Los Estados Unidos), we have a saying: ‘She is shaking the junk in her trunk’. I could not remember the spanish word for ‘automobile trunk’ and instead went with tronco, of the tree variety, because it sounds good, and is coincidentally the nickname of my penis. If ever you are in Oregon I will drop a dollar, a large sum of money for you, and show you there is not much difference between the two.

        I hope this clears up any confusion.

        Your Amigo,
        El Tronco

      • VLAD THE IMPALER April 24, 2014, 8:42 am

        first of all, Oregon, you are not from ‘los estados unidos,’ you are from ‘los estados unidos de américa’.

        second, you are not solely an ‘american,’ for you are just a ‘estado unidense,’
        because ALL people from this large chunk of land, are named after americo v.;
        and ALL are ‘americans’–be they ‘south american,’ ‘central american’ or ‘north americans.’

        third, I am not your friend, in the slightest aspect, nor of anyone here either, least of all you.

      • Oregon April 25, 2014, 7:50 am

        More like Vlad the Impaled…

        What are you, a washed up social studies teacher, tripping over your contradictions? You’re not even fun to play with, you’re just pathetic.

        Buenos tacos,
        El Tronco

        R.A.: Sorry ’bout the sideshow… Some people’s children… I can’t take me anywhere.

        &&&&&&&

        Since we know of Vlad’s tendency to go over-the-top with vituperation in responding to anyone who has mentioned him, let me say this: Vlad, Oregon has had the last word. If you want to see your next post published, make sure it’s on-topic.
        RA

      • mario cavolo April 27, 2014, 1:38 pm

        See, that’s why I LOVE this board.

        Where else on the web or in my life time of reading would I have ever discovered the words “vituperation” and “vituparitive”?

        🙂

  • Oregon April 21, 2014, 6:33 am

    Coke is cheaper than bottled water, and a potent cleaner; of battery terminals for instance. How can they lose?