For example, one label says "Who knew soft drinks could be hydrating?"
Another says "A walk during lunch can be energizing and relaxing. Just like a Diet Coke."
[While I was unaware of all these "benefits", I did have an experience with the Coca-Cola company one time. In the summer of 2005, I was advising a cash-strapped, long shot candidate for State Senate (who was running against Derrick Shepherd, among others). After throwing her hat in the ring, one of the first calls my candidate received was from the Coca-Cola company. They were willing to make a maximum donation to her campaign, but first they wanted to know my candidate's view on soda vending machines in public schools. She said she opposed them, and Coke decided not to support her.]
"Hydrating" and "relaxing"... who knew?
I'm still a bit unclear, though. Is it the calcium-stealing phosphoric acid that causes the relaxation, or is it the neurotoxic aspartame?
Indymedia and the Gristmill blog (respectfully) add a little more caramel color to the story:
The history behind the granting of commercial licenses for the use of Asparatame is truly shocking (Asparatame is also known as nutrasweet and owned by the Monsanto corporation)). Before the FDA in the United States granted its approval, it's own investigators uncovered a shocking 95% level of misdirected testing; concealed tests, collusion between corporate and their company-funded research; inappropriate ante-mortum issues; withholding of material facts; alterations of records: lying to investigators, lost records, no records; falsification of reports, bribery, and poor test methodology or design.
and
Why would the FDA allow [aspartame]? In 1981, a company called Searle owned the patent on aspartame, already known, paradoxically, as Nutrasweet. The company's CEO? Donald Rumsfeld -- not too far removed from serving as Gerald Ford's secretary of defense. Don't believe me? Check it out.
Then-president Ronald Reagan had appointed a man named Arthur Hull Hayes as his FDA chair. In 1981, Hayes approved aspartame over the objections of several internal panels.
Rummy, of course, would go on to greater things, but not before engineering the sale of Searle and its suddenly quite valuable Nutrasweet division to Monsanto (which in turn sold Nutrasweet to a private-equity firm).
A walk at lunch can be relaxing. Just like a Diet Coke, or this soothing instrumental by Operation Ivy.
Enjoy:
