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Coke Heads
Author: BobR    Date: 2014-02-05 11:31:17

For the football-challenged readers, there was this fairly important game this past Sunday called the Super Bowl. It's the final championship game of the year, so it garners a lot of attention. Because there are so many people watching it, commercial ad time is at a very high premium, so companies pull out all the stops to make their ad spots memorable. In recent years, there is as much anticipation and post-game discussion about the commercials as there is about the game, which I can only describe using a phrase of a previous occupant of the White House: "uniquely American".

This year was no different. For the purposes of this blog, however, there is only one commercial that has really set tongues wagging, and not in a good way. I am referring, of course, to the Coca Cola commercial, in which the song "America the Beautiful" was song by people of a variety of colors, nationalities, and sexual orientation. Oh yeah, parts of it were sung in languages other than English.

The reactions by the neanderthals in the right wing has been loud and nauseating. Between all the tweets and blog and Facebook comments, you'd think the Aryan Brotherhood was on the rise. Apparently, anything with the word "America" in it MUST NEVER BE SPOKEN OR SUNG IN ANY LANGUAGE EXCEPT ENGLISH. It says it right there in the Constitution... or so they must think. Can you imagine the outrage if someone sang a favorite American Christmas carol (like "O Tannenbaum") in another language, like German or something?

The anonymous internet idiots are bad enough, but then you get people who were (once) elected to office saying things like
I am quite sure there may be some who appreciated the commercial, but Coca Cola missed the mark in my opinion. If we cannot be proud enough as a country to sing “American the Beautiful” in English in a commercial during the Super Bowl, by a company as American as they come — doggone we are on the road to perdition.

This from a guy who has a drop-down in the bottom of his website front page that allows you to read his site in another language - like Spanish! Here's the Spanish version from his site:
Características comunes del lenguaje une y permite el paso de un carácter nacional a las generaciones posteriores y para todos aquellos que - legalmente - vienen a nuestras costas.

Pero, de nuevo, tal vez incluso Coca-Cola es la compra en la "transformación fundamental" de América.

Hmm - I don't think that's quite a literal translation. Methinks he's soft-selling the xenophobia to the Hispanic crowd.

There's also the paranoid conspiracy types who can weave a conspiracy out of anything. In their minds, this was all just a plot to push immigration reform. Oy...

One of the best responses to all this was from one of my favorite news anchors in Atlanta - Brenda Wood - who had this to say in response to the haters:



Can you imagine if they put out a commercial about wanting to "teach the world to sing" nowadays? They'd be accused (ironically) of pushing communism. Idiocracy was supposed to happen 500 years in our future, but I have to wonder if that movie was off by 400 years.
 

67 comments (Latest Comment: 02/06/2014 04:11:34 by Will in Chicago)
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Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 13:12:57
good morning.

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 13:59:53
I am drinking a refreshing, multicultural embracing Diet Coke even as we speak. Salute!

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 14:03:41
Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 14:07:39



Oh yes, I heard/saw something bout this yesterday. They are going to be...fun.

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 14:12:36
We had a bit of an ice storm overnight, but the office is open. I did get an email, though, that our Boston office is closed due to snow.

You know - Boston...

Comment by TriSec on 02/05/2014 14:12:40
Morning, comrades.

Sitting at home today - everyone around us called the ball at around 5am.

I've had a few conga lines go down my sleepy side street already. Looking at a popcorn and movie day, methinks.



Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 14:16:30
Quote by BobR:
We had a bit of an ice storm overnight, but the office is open. I did get an email, though, that our Boston office is closed due to snow.

You know - Boston...



:rimshot:

Comment by TriSec on 02/05/2014 14:26:03
Well, with 5 inches on the ground already and another 12 due by sunset, we know better than to try.

Besides, this city owns something called "snowplows", and they work better when the roads don't have hundreds of cars stuck on them.



Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 14:32:51
Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 14:34:56
Quote by Raine:
I love this!
http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/2014-02/enhanced/webdr06/3/15/enhanced-16176-1391460684-19.jpg



It makes me smile.

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 14:35:41
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 14:37:00
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?


Comment by clintster on 02/05/2014 14:38:21
Just goats to shard, you shoulder Mexican with autocorrect when writhing a headless for tennis vision.

https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQA0WDpfq04IKqN-&w=398&h=208&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi.huffpost.com%2Fgen%2F1600181%2Fthumbs%2Fo-BBC-HORSE-WHORES-facebook.jpg&cfs=1


Comment by clintster on 02/05/2014 14:39:57
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?

Allow me...



Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 14:42:22
Morning

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 14:42:43
Quote by clintster:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?

Allow me...

Well then....

It wasn't in the plans for today -- but I'll keep that in mind.


Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 14:44:45
Quote by clintster:
Just goats to shard, you shoulder Mexican with autocorrect when writhing a headless for tennis vision.

https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQA0WDpfq04IKqN-&w=398&h=208&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi.huffpost.com%2Fgen%2F1600181%2Fthumbs%2Fo-BBC-HORSE-WHORES-facebook.jpg&cfs=1
the gifs at that link are AWESOME!


Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 14:46:05
Quote by clintster:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?

Allow me...


Do you have your dates a little mixed up?

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2014 14:48:08
Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 14:51:07
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?



William Burroughs' 100 birthday is today. See what Bobber posted

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 14:53:44
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?



William Burroughs' 100 birthday is today. See what Bobber posted
I'm still confused. I know it's his birthday and his beautiful love affair...




Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 14:59:05
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?



William Burroughs' 100 birthday is today. See what Bobber posted
I'm still confused. I know it's his birthday and his beautiful love affair...



It really was a reach Mondo. Nice try.

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 15:03:25
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Bob and Raine, no shooting apples off each others head for the Burroughs centenary, mmkay?
huh?



William Burroughs' 100 birthday is today. See what Bobber posted
I'm still confused. I know it's his birthday and his beautiful love affair...





Burroughs was high on smack, as was his wont. He accidentally his lovely bride in the head, killing her.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 15:03:28
I've moved on.... to this


Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 15:05:31
Oh well so much for my efforts in Beat history. :Wanders off, reading Naked Lunch:

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 15:08:52
Quote by Mondobubba:
Oh well so much for my efforts in Beat history. :Wanders off, reading Naked Lunch:
You were fine. I just couldn't figure out how we fit in!

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 15:41:25
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 15:43:25
Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 15:48:45
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?


what's a facebook movie?

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2014 15:52:13

Oh that sucks! well not really.. I suppose the other declared candidates are already in a better position.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2014 15:53:12
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?


what's a facebook movie?

Go to www.facebook.com/lookback to find out

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 15:53:50
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/05/2014 15:55:59
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.

It's actually a pretty cool piece of coding.. I suppose they wrote a JSON script to automate the whole thing from each user's timeline postings.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:00:57
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 16:03:29
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


mine's rather lame, I'm sure everyone else's is more interesting


Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:06:14
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


mine's rather lame, I'm sure everyone else's is more interesting
NO. you must share!


Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 16:13:15
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


mine's rather lame, I'm sure everyone else's is more interesting
NO. you must share!




ooookkkaaayy *slowly hits 'share' button*

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 16:15:14
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


mine's rather lame, I'm sure everyone else's is more interesting
NO. you must share!




ooookkkaaayy *slowly hits 'share' button*

we need a "slowly backing away" emoticon...

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:21:02
I loved it!


Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 16:21:39
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


Hey! Stop bullying Mala! She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:22:41
Quote by BobR:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


mine's rather lame, I'm sure everyone else's is more interesting
NO. you must share!




ooookkkaaayy *slowly hits 'share' button*

we need a "slowly backing away" emoticon...

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/293/7/2/backing_away_slowly_by_adscomics-d6r8ku8.gif


Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:23:35
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


Hey! Stop bullying Mala! She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to.
your turn.


Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 16:23:50
Quote by Raine:
I loved it!



You're being sweet, thank you

Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 16:25:36
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


Hey! Stop bullying Mala! She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to.
your turn.



Not lame at all, Mala.

I did mine last night, Raine. Click on the linky-dinky below.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:27:18
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


Hey! Stop bullying Mala! She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to.
your turn.



Not lame at all, Mala.

I did mine last night, Raine. Click on the linky-dinky below.
Unless you share the movie, it takes me to *my* movie. did you share it on the BoF? (upper right hand corner, green share button)


Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:27:57
Never mind! I see it, Mondo!

Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 16:30:44
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


Hey! Stop bullying Mala! She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to.
your turn.



Not lame at all, Mala.

I did mine last night, Raine. Click on the linky-dinky below.


it was totally lame - I do not live a very exciting life due to certain factors


Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 16:33:14
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Ryan is going to run for President.



Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 16:41:49
Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 16:50:59

Yup - improved quality of life.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 17:09:52
Ed's whining cause people are hitting him on twitter for his pipeline stance.

Comment by TriSec on 02/05/2014 17:22:52
Dear Dr. Maddow.

I love you; you know that.

But is it necessary for every hour of every show for the last 3 weeks to be the "New Christie Minstrel Show"?

I hope you get a Pullet Surprise, at least.

Love, TriSec.


Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 17:24:09
Quote by BobR:

Yup - improved quality of life.



When I heard the reporting about it yesterday, I knew the 2 million jobs lost figure was BS.

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 17:25:51
Quote by TriSec:
Dear Dr. Maddow.

I love you; you know that.

But is it necessary for every hour of every show for the last 3 weeks to be the "New Christie Minstrel Show"?

I hope you get a Pullet Surprise, at least.

Love, TriSec.

I've been complaining about this too. There are other important stories to cover (like the Keystone XL debacle).

Comment by livingonli on 02/05/2014 17:34:31
Good day, folks. Nothing like three-quarters of an inch of ice on top of the crap although they do seem to be backing away from the Snowmargeddon forecasts for this weekend so we might not get 30 inches then.

Comment by livingonli on 02/05/2014 19:26:33
I guess bloggie took an extended lunch break

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 19:37:06
Quote by livingonli:
I guess bloggie took an extended lunch break

It was time for lunch INDEED!

Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 19:50:18
I notice that Ed doesn't bring up that he's pro-pipeline with Senator Sanders

Comment by livingonli on 02/05/2014 19:58:15
Quote by wickedpam:
I notice that Ed doesn't bring up that he's pro-pipeline with Senator Sanders

Because Sanders might shoot him down on his points. Both Thom Hartmann and Mike Malloy have both spoken out sharply against the pipeline.

Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 20:07:23
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by wickedpam:
I notice that Ed doesn't bring up that he's pro-pipeline with Senator Sanders

Because Sanders might shoot him down on his points. Both Thom Hartmann and Mike Malloy have both spoken out sharply against the pipeline.
I thought that interesting as well.

Sanders would have shot him down, that's for sure.

I do not approve of what ed is standing for.



Comment by wickedpam on 02/05/2014 20:12:51
Quote by Raine:
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by wickedpam:
I notice that Ed doesn't bring up that he's pro-pipeline with Senator Sanders

Because Sanders might shoot him down on his points. Both Thom Hartmann and Mike Malloy have both spoken out sharply against the pipeline.
I thought that interesting as well.

Sanders would have shot him down, that's for sure.

I do not approve of what ed is standing for.




Thought the same thing - didn't want to look like s fool on his show.


Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 20:19:22




Comment by Raine on 02/05/2014 20:56:48
Comment by Mondobubba on 02/05/2014 21:15:57
Quote by Raine:







Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/05/2014 21:27:58
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
CAn I just say that I absolutely LOVE the Facebook movies?



They are really nifty! Facebook movie.
You have to share yours!


Hey! Stop bullying Mala! She doesn't have to share if she doesn't want to.
your turn.



Not lame at all, Mala.

I did mine last night, Raine. Click on the linky-dinky below.
Unless you share the movie, it takes me to *my* movie. did you share it on the BoF? (upper right hand corner, green share button)

I find it rather interesting what it picture it chose to put in the center for the final collage of my movie. It's not a new picture.

Comment by BobR on 02/05/2014 21:36:38
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Quote by Raine:
Unless you share the movie, it takes me to *my* movie. did you share it on the BoF? (upper right hand corner, green share button)

I find it rather interesting what it picture it chose to put in the center for the final collage of my movie. It's not a new picture.

For mine (the first time I ran it) it chose my profile pic.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/06/2014 04:11:34
Quote by Mondobubba:
Oh well so much for my efforts in Beat history. :Wanders off, reading Naked Lunch:


I am sorry that I am so late, but I have been digging out from even more snow.

Mondo, you may want to check out Move Under Ground, a horror novel mash up by Nick Mamatas. (Spoilers in the Wikipedia article, of course.) It features William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsburg, Neal Cassady, Cthulhu and Azathoth. You can download the novel free (with the author's permission) here.