Dr. Pepper has overtaken Pepsi to claim the #2 spot in the cola wars. Pepsi has been in second place to Coca-Cola almost every year since 1985 (except for a brief period from 2010 to 2013 when it was Diet Coke). There was a time that Pepsi was doing so badly they put the company up for sale and Coca-Cola had the opportunity to buy it, and cheaply at that. But their reasoning at the time was if Pepsi was that bad off they would do nothing and see if it would just die. Whoops.
Whoops number 2 came in 1985 when Coca-Cola changed their secret formula for the first time in 99 years. What they really did was added more sugar making Coke taste more like Pepsi, the choice of a new generation, which is ironic since for years they had referred to Pepsi as the great imitator. Many loyal customers felt betrayed and several regional bottlers, particularly in the South, sued Coca-Cola. Peter Jennings of ABC News interrupted General Hospital with the news that the original formula was coming back. That was in July, just 79 days after New Coke had launched in April. By the end of 1985 Coca-Cola Classic was substantially outselling both New Coke and Pepsi.
If you look at the graph above, Dr. Pepper and Pepsi together do not equal the 19% market share held by Coca-Cola. I would also point out that Sprite and Diet Coke are Coca-Cola products. The truth is the “cola wars” I referenced have been over for a long time. Not as many people drink soft drinks (the Deep South term for what some of you call soda or pop) as they used to. Every soft drink company offers their own brand of bottled water and sports drinks for the “healthier” minded customer and energy drinks for those who don’t think soda is unhealthy enough. Congrats Dr. Pepper for moving up in the world and pushing Pepsi a little further down. “Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper too?”
Operation Overlord, more commonly known as D-Day, was launched in the overnight hours of June 6th, 1944, in a effort to take back France from Nazi German occupation. I’ve heard the term American exceptionalism once this week, which surprised me, and more than one reference to “America saving the world.” Even if that case were made, Operation Overlord was a joint venture between the Americans, the British, French personnel that escaped as France was taken and a few Canadians. Hitler had estimated it would take six weeks for German pilots to take out British defenses and ground troops to take control of all England. After 10 months of the Battle of Britain and ensuing night air raids known as the Blitz, Germany never seized control nor did Great Britain ever surrender. The often repeated “Keep Calm and Carry On” was the official rallying cry of this period.
My grandfather was not there for D-Day but did join the fighting shortly after at the Battle of the Bulge. You can read more about his march across Europe in this post from 2021. This will probably be the last major reunion in Normandy of those who fought as those surviving veterans are now in their late 90’s or over 100 years old. One soldier had traveled to Europe but passed away at the age of 102 just a few days before the June 6th ceremony. The Greatest Generation was forged out of necessity. Before we criticize young men today for drinking Starbucks every morning and looking at cell phones all day, let’s be thankful they have not and hopefully will not ever have to do what their great-grandparents did. 2,500 Americans and nearly 4,500 Allied troops total died on D-Day alone. Let us never forget the price paid for freedom.
The joro spider is venomous – and terrifying to look at – but is not fatal to humans. A bite will be painful and swell and there is always the chance for an allergic reaction. They don’t really fly either but they do spin a web and use it as a sail to be carried by the wind. The spiders have been in Georgia for a few years but are now spreading up the east coast and could go all the way to Canada. An invasive species that arrived from Asia they are probably here now to stay.
Not sure what to do with that information, but it is interesting.
I like to take lots of pictures and then decide later which are worth keeping and then identify an even smaller number that are worth sharing. The full-size uncropped image looks perfectly fine but when I zoom way in to get a better look at this bunny in my Aunt Doris’s yard it turns into an impressionist painting.
Good thing I also took this pic instead of just assuming I had the snapshot I wanted. Same distance, same resolution, but my phone automatically sets the shutter speed which is slower for the second pic, 1/30th of a second instead of just 1/42nd. Take lots of pictures, more than you need, to make sure you get the one you want. That’s the lesson.
Remember the 80’s? I don’t remember ever seeing a boombox with a built in record player but I have to believe it, I’m looking right at it.
Pat Sajak is 77 years old and has hosted Wheel of Fortune since 1981. Friday night was his last episode and he finished with a short speech. Vanna White will continue next season when Ryan Seacrest takes over. Will the show survive? Drew Carey has now hosted The Price Is Right for 17 years, and it seems to be doing okay.
Here is a post I wrote this week about God’s grace when it comes to getting our theology 100% correct in every way. Fortunately that is not required.
And finally…
Jim Henson Idea Man is a documentary directed by Ron Howard and streaming on Disney+. The Henson family, Frank Oz and others he worked with are cut together with archival footage and interviews he did himself over the years. He was always excited about the next thing, his next project, the newest technology, and new ideas he was afraid he would run out of time without getting to try.
The Master's Table 
I think Digital Bunny would make a great band name. I don’t have a band, probably not forming one, but if anyone would like to buy the rights to that name let me know.