|
[[de:Glück]] [[pt:Sorte]]
[[Image:Cokecansmall.jpg|thumb|150px|right|The swirl present on all '''Coca-Cola''' cans throughout the world derives from the shape of the original '''Coca-Cola''' bottles. ]]
''This article is about good and bad fortune. There is also: [[Luck, Volhynia]], a town in [[Ukraine]], and [[Luck, Wisconsin]], a village in the [[USA]].''
----
'''Luck''' may be analysed from three viewpoints: rational, social, and spiritual.
==Rational viewpoint==
'''Coca-Cola''' (also commonly known as '''Coke''') is the name of a popular [[carbon dioxide|carbonated]] drink sold in stores, restaurants and [[vending machine]]s in many nations around the globe. It is one of the world's most recognizable and widely sold commercial [[brand]]s, available in over 200 countries, and is the best-selling [[soft drink]] in all but three of those countries. The Coca-Cola Company's international headquarters are in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], in the [[United States|United States of America]]. The company's stock is traded under the ticker symbol KO on the [[New York Stock Exchange]]. Coke's major rival is [[Pepsi]], which began as its imitator in the early [[20th century]].
As related to the occurrences of actual events considered to be of low [[probability]] in a [[mathematics|mathematical]] or [[statistics|statistical]] sense. A [[rationalist]] approach would lead to the conclusion that such matters as whether or not someone bore a victim ill will would have no bearing upon (for example) that person being hit by a loose brick falling from a decrepit building. It was only due to a remote statistical probability that the brick's four [[Dimension|dimensional]] [[Spacetime|space-time]] path intercepted the 4D path of the victim's head (this was an actual occurrence in [[San Francisco]]). In a case like this both rationalists and spiritualists would likely say that the victim was ''unlucky''. In an example of good luck, a person winning a [[lottery]] would generally be considered lucky, although a rationalist might point out that there was bound to be a winner sooner or later, and there was actually nothing lucky about ''someone'' winning - it was merely a [[probability|probabilistic]] event. It is doubful that the winner would agree with that analysis, however.
==Social viewpoint==
There are many controversies surrounding the company, its products and its trade practices. Coca-Cola has recently been denounced in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] for weaning young children onto [[junk food]]. In [[India]], the corporation has provoked a number of boycotts and protests as a result of its perceived low standards of hygiene and adverse impact on the environment.
As a [[Society|social]] phenomenon, there is much truth in the saying "what goes around, comes around" (see [[karma]]). On the one hand, those who are kind and generous to others are usually perceived as open and accepting and so more likely to be freely offered assistance from others. They are also more likely to also be able to ask for and receive help from others in time of need. On the other hand, those who are asocial or anti-social are less likely ask for assistance or to be offered assistance by others. The open, generous and cheerful person is more likely to be classified by others as lucky, while the curmudgeon is more likely to be considered by others or to consider him/her self unlucky.
==History==
===Early years===
Coca-Cola was invented in [[Columbus, Georgia]] by [[John S. Pemberton]], originally as a [[cocawine]] called [[Pemberton's French Wine Coca]]. It was initially sold as a [[patent medicine]] for five [[Cent (currency)|cent]]s a glass at [[soda]] fountains, which were popular in America at the time thanks to a belief that carbonated water was good for the health. It was relaunched as a soft drink to counter [[Prohibition]]. The first sales were made at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, on [[May 8]], [[1886]], and for the first eight months only thirteen drinks per day were sold. Pemberton then ran the first advertisement for the beverage on [[May 29]] of the same year in the ''[[Atlanta Journal]]''. [[Asa Griggs Candler]] bought out Pemberton and his partners in [[1887]] for a reported $2,300. He then began aggressively marketing the product — the efficacy of this concerted advertising campaign would not be realized until much later: by the time of its 50th anniversary, the drink had reached the status of a national symbol.
==Supernatural viewpoint==
[[Image:Cokebottles.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Specially designed [[Christmas]] labels featuring [[Santa Claus]] give a seasonal twist to these '''Coca-Cola''' bottles. The characteristic shape of the bottles is [[trademark]]ed.]]
There is also sometimes considered to be a [[supernatural]] bias towards experiencing events of good or ill fortune. In this sense some believe that one's own or another's good or bad luck can be influenced through spiritual means or by performing certain rituals or by avoiding certain (from a rational viewpoint non-relevant) situations. [[Voodoo]] is a religious practice in which this belief is particularly strong, although many cultures worldwide place a strong emphasis on a person's ability to influence their luckiness by ritualistic means. This often involves proper respect for spirits, believed to inhabit a ___location prior to human occupation. In some cultures, if one builds a house on a property it is respectful to provide a small [[spirit house]] for their habitation. In other cultures, a building may be interrupted by a passageway to allow the flow of spiritual energy - the ___location being determined by an expert in such matters. In such cultures, ignoring such matters is believed to lead to misfortune - ''bad luck''. In this context there is also the concept of "purpose" to events ascribed to luck, good or bad.
==Effects of viewpoint and beliefs==
===Coke takes over===
The belief in luck as a supernatural phenomenon is generally regarded by rationalists as a form of [[magical thinking]]. However, there is evidence that people who believe themselves to have '''good luck''' are more able to take advantage of fortunate chance events in their lives, and to compensate for unfortunate chance events in their lives, than people who believe that they have '''bad luck'''. This appears to be the result of [[positive thinking]] altering their responses to these events. A belief in luck can also indicate a belief in an external [[locus of control]] for events in their life and so escape from personal responsibility.
In the [[1930s]], [[Robert Woodruff]] became President of the Coca-Cola Company, presiding over the drink and its destiny till his death in [[1985]]. Although he eventually stepped down from his post due to stress, he retained control over the company despite holding positions with an ostensibly low profile. His fanatical devotion to Coke was widely reported, and even in his old age, whenever he stopped by a Coke vendor, he would count how many bottles in the trash belonged to Coca-Cola. This almost devout dedication to the product spilled over to other executives in the company. In recent years, [[Rick Bronson]], a truck driver for Coca-Cola, was fired for drinking a [[Pepsi]] (some allege it was actually over his involvement with [[labor union|unions]]). He was reinstated after a high-profile protest.
Some philosophers argue that we each "create our own reality", literally and not metaphorically, and in that context what appears to be good luck can be interpreted as having beliefs that encourage or create what are putatively good outcomes.
Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time on [[March 12]], [[1894]] and [[Aluminum beverage can|cans]] of Coke first appeared in [[1955]]. Asa Candler was tentative about bottling the drink, but the two entrepreneurs who proposed the idea were so persuasive that Candler signed a contract giving them control of the procedure. However, the loosely-termed contract proved to be problematic for the company for decades to come. Legal matters were not helped by the decision of the bottlers to subcontract to other companies — in effect, becoming parent bottlers.
===Coca-ColaRisky and World War IIlifestyles===
Often those who ascribe their travails to "bad luck" will be found upon close examination to be living [[Risk|risky]] [[Lifestyle|lifestyles]]. For example: a drunk driver may ascribe their arrest to the bad luck of being observed by a patrolman, or the bad luck of being involved in a traffic accident (perhaps not even the victim's fault), as a way of avoiding personal responsibility for his/her actions.
Coca-Cola had a controversial relationship with [[Nazism]] before and during [[World War II]]. The company adopted an apparent policy of ignoring the Nazis' practice of [[eugenics]] and exterminating [[Jew|Jews]]. Indeed, several of Coke's top executives in Germany were prominent Nazi members. When the United States entered World War II, Coke began to represent itself as a patriotic drink by providing free drinks for American soldiers. The American Army permitted Coca-Cola employees to enter the frontlines as "Technical Officers" when in reality they rarely if ever came close to a real battle. Instead, they operated Coke's system of providing refreshments for soldiers, who welcomed the beverage as a reminder of home. As the Allies advanced, so did Coke, which took advantage of the situation by establishing new franchises in the newly occupied countries. The popularity of the drink exploded in the wake of World War II as American soldiers returned home, more grateful than ever to partake of a beverage that had become synonymous with the American way of life.
===NewPositive Coke to the presentoutlook===
On the other hand, people who consider themselves "lucky" in having good health may be actually reaping the benefits of a cheerful outlook and satisfying social relationships, both of which are well known [[statistics|statistically]] to be protective against many stress-related diseases.
[[Image:Newcoke.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[New Coke]] stirred up a controversy when it replaced the original Coca-Cola in [[1985]]. Coca-Cola Classic was reinstated within a few months of New Coke's introduction into the market.]]
===Effects===
In 1985, Coca-Cola, amid much publicity, attempted to change the formula of the drink. Some authorities believe that [[New Coke]], as the reformulated drink was called, was invented specifically to respond to its commercial competitor, Pepsi. Blind [[taste test]]s indicated that most consumers preferred the taste of Pepsi (which has more lemon oil, less orange oil, and uses [[vanillin]] rather than vanilla) to Coke. New Coke was reformulated in a way which emulated Pepsi. Followup taste tests revealed that most consumers preferred the taste of New Coke to both Coke and Pepsi. The reformulation was led by the then President of the company, [[Roberto Goizueta]], and the [[CEO]] [[Don Keough]].
If "good" and "bad" events occur at random to everyone, believers in good luck will experience a net gain in their fortunes, and vice versa for believers in bad luck. This is clearly likely to be self-reinforcing. Thus, although untrue, a belief in good luck may actually be an adaptive [[meme]].
The [[gambler's fallacy]] and [[inverse gambler's fallacy]] are both related to belief in luck.
It is unclear what part Woodruff played in the reformulation. Goizueta claims that he endorsed it a few months before his death in 1985; others have pointed out that, as the two men were alone when the matter was discussed, Goizueta may have misinterpreted the wishes of the dying Woodruff, who could only speak in monosyllables. It has also been alleged that Woodruff may not have been able to understand what Goizueta was telling him.
==Numerology==
The commercial failure of New Coke therefore came as a grievous blow to the management of the Coca-Cola Corporation. It is possible that customers would not have noticed the change if it had been made secretly or gradually, and thus brand loyalty could have been maintained. Coca-Cola management was unprepared, however, for the nostalgic sentiments the drink aroused in the American public; some compared changing the Coke formula to rewriting the [[Constitution of the United States|American Constitution]].
Most cultures consider some [[numerology|numbers]] to be lucky or unlucky. This is found to be particularly strong in Asian cultures, where the obtaining of "lucky" [[telephone number]]s, automobile [[license plate]] numbers, and [[address (geography)|household addresses]] are actively sought, sometimes at great [[Money|monetary]] expense.
==Sayings==
The new Coca-Cola formula subsequently caused a public [[backlash]]. [[Gay Mullins]], from [[Seattle, Washington]], USA, founded the [[Old Coke Drinkers of America]] organisation, which attempted to sue the company, and lobbied for the formula of old coke to be released into the [[public ___domain]]. This and other protests caused the company to return to the old formula under the name Coca-Cola Classic on [[July 10]], [[1985]]. The company was later accused of performing this ''volte-face'' as an elaborate ruse to introduce a new product while reviving interest in the original. The company president responded to the accusation by declaring: "We are not that stupid, or that smart."
Popular sayings and quotations related to luck:
* "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" -
* "You make your own luck" -
* "When it rains, it pours" - this is an expression of the mathematical property of statistically independent events to bunch together.
* "Bad things happen in threes" - see above
* "Luck is the residue of design" - [[Branch Rickey]]
* When something happens by "sheer dumb luck", it is considered to have happened unintentionally and without planning.
* "Luck doesn't exist." There are more variations on this phrase than can be listed here, but not enough to make believers care.
* "Luck be your lady tonight"
* A famous Samuel Goldwyn quote sums up the rationalist view: "The harder I work, the luckier I get". Or an equally famous [[Gary Player]] quote "The harder I practise, the luckier I get".
* [[Knocking on wood]], spoken expression used as a [[charm]] to bring good luck.
* "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck" - [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]].
* "Luck can only get you so far" by Hermione, referring to a "luck potion Felix Felicis" in {{Harry Potter]] (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
==Items or events==
Meanwhile, the market share for New Coke had dwindled to only 3% by [[1986]]. The company renamed the product "Coke II" in 1990, but sales falloff caused a severe cutback in distribution. By [[1998]] it was only sold in a few places in the midwestern U.S.
Several items or happenings are considered lucky or unlucky.
===Lucky===
*Finding a [[penny]] on heads
*[[Horseshoe]]s
*Four-leaf [[clovers]]
*[[Rabbit]]'s [[feet]]
*[[Ladybug]]s
===Unlucky===
As of [[July 2004]], the [[CEO]] of the Coca-Cola Company is [[Douglas Daft]]. The company is listed on the [[New York Stock Exchange]] under the [[ticker symbol]] KO.
*[[Friday]] the [[13 (number)|13]]th
*The number 13 (Many buildings skipped 13 when numbering their floors for this reason)
*[[Black]] [[cat]] crossing your path
*Stepping on a crack (it breaks the mother of the stepper's back)
*Breaking a [[mirror]] (seven years bad luck)
*Spilling over [[salt]] (but you can get rid of the bad luck by throwing the salt over your left shoulder).
*Putting a hat on a bed
*Opening an [[umbrella]] indoors
*Seeing three butterflies at the same time
*Killing a ladybug
*Walking underneath a [[ladder]]
==Luck in fiction==
== What goes into Coke? ==
*[[Gladstone Gander]], a fictional [[cartoon]] character, is dependent solely upon his good luck.
:''Main article'': [[Coca-Cola formula]]
*[[Joe Btfsplk]], a character in the [[Li'l Abner]] (Little Abner) [[comic strip]] by the cartoonist [[Al Capp]] is not only unlucky, he is shunned by the other characters as they suspect (with good reason) that this bad luck may be [[infection|infectious]].
Coca-Cola's name derived from the [[coca]] leaves and [[kola]] [[fruit]]s used as flavoring. The exact [[formula]] is a legendary [[trade secret]]. Supposedly a copy of the formula is held in a safe in [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] with only two corporate officers having access, but this is in truth an [[urban legend]].
*In [[Larry Niven|Larry Niven's]] novel ''[[Ringworld]]'', the character [[Teela Brown]] was the incredibly lucky result of a centuries-long breeding program initiated by the alien [[Pierson's Puppeteers]] directed to just such an outcome. The consequence of her state was that she'd led such a charmed and worry-free life that she was emotionally immature and unprepared for "harsh reality."
*In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' series, luck is an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic personification]] known as the Lady, who, while not a goddess, is powerful enough to be the rival of the god Fate.
*[[Eugene Horowitz]] from [[Hey Arnold]] is known for the bad luck he constantly has, though his [[optimism]] always makes his personality win over it.
*In the [[Harry Potter]] novels, there is a [[potion]], [[Felix Felicis]], which gives its drinker good luck.
*[[Furrball]] the cat in ''[[Tiny Toon Adventures]]'' is a perpetually unfortunate feline, forever suffering mishaps, though frequently it's his own actions (i.e. overwhelming greed) that get him into trouble (not unlike mentor Sylvester the cat).
==See also==
The distinctive "cola" flavor comes mostly from the mix of sugar and essential [[orange (fruit)|orange]], [[lemon]] and [[vanilla]] oils. [http://members.lycos.co.uk/thomassheils/faq.htm] The other ingredients change the flavor only very slightly. In the United States, however, Coca-Cola is now sweetened with [[corn syrup]], causing the flavor to be "blunted". Coca-Cola with sugar is still available in [[Canada]], [[Mexico]], [[Europe]], and in certain American markets during [[Passover]].
*[[Curse]]
*[[Destiny]]
In the original formula, the natural [[cocaine]] content of the coca leaves, and [[caffeine]] from kola nuts, provided the drink's stimulant effect. Shortly after the turn of the century ([[1929]]), cocaine was removed from the coca leaves by processing (leaving a physiologically insignificant trace), and the amount of caffeine was reduced but not totally eliminated. The company's web site states that "Coca-Cola does not contain cocaine or any other harmful substance, and cocaine has never been an added ingredient for Coca-Cola". It should be noted that such a statement is entirely consistent with the presence of cocaine in the coca leaves in the original formulation, though it could be considered misleading. [http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/cocaine.asp] [http://questions.coca-cola.com/vrep/NSREExtended.asp?WhatUserSaid=cocaine&VRepTalk.x=14&VRepTalk.y=11]
*[[Evil eye]]
*[[Fate]]
The coca-leaf processing is done at a licensed coca-leaf processing plant in [[New York City]] (see [http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/imprt/reg/2004/fr031114.htm Federal Register Doc. 04-5476]). While this is probably the largest manufacturer, other chemical companies have obtained licenses for the import of coca leaves as well.
*[[Folk religion]]
*[[Irrationality]]
Besides cocaine, another controversial substance related to Coca-Cola is [[caffeine]]. Coke's caffeine content has been the subject of lawsuits since the [[1920s]]. By comparison, an 8-ounce (235 [[litre|ml]]) serving of Classic Coke as of [[June 2004]] contains 23 milligrams of caffeine. 8 ounces of non-decaffeinated [[coffee]], on the other hand, contains somewhere between 65 and 175 milligrams of caffeine. [http://www.nsda.org/WhatsIn/caffeinecontent.html] [http://wilstar.com/caffeine.htm]
*[[Magic (paranormal)]]
*[[Probability]]
The Coca-Cola Company is also the world's largest consumer of natural vanilla extract. When New Coke was introduced in [[1985]], the economy of [[Madagascar]] crashed, and only recovered after [[New Coke]] flopped, since New Coke used [[vanillin]], a less-expensive synthetic substitute. Purchases of vanilla more than halved during this period.
*[[Statistics]]
*[[Superstition]]
Today Coca-Cola is manufactured as a [[syrup]] and then supplied to various [[Franchising|franchise]]s which reconstitute, bottle and distribute it.
==Coca-Cola's advertising==
The drink and its advertising campaigns have had a significant impact on American culture. The company is frequently credited for "inventing" the modern image of [[Santa Claus]] as an old man in red-white garments; however, while the company did in fact start promoting this image in the 1930s in its winter advertising campaigns, it was already common before that [http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp]. In the [[1970s]], a song from a Coca-Cola commercial called "[[I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing]]" became a popular hit single, but there is no evidence it did anything to increase sales of the soft drink.
The company has a policy of avoiding using children below the age of 12 in any of its advertising as a result of a lawsuit from the beginning of the 20th Century which alleged that Coke's [[caffeine]] content was dangerous to children. However, in recent times, this has not stopped the company from targeting young consumers. In addition, it has not been disclosed in exact terms how safe Coke is for consumption by young children (or pregnant mothers).
Coke's advertising has been rather pervasive, as one of Woodruff's stated goals was to ensure that everyone on Earth drank Coca-Cola as their preferred beverage. Advertising for Coke is now almost ubiquitous, especially in southern areas of [[North America]], such as [[Atlanta]], where Coke was born. The [[1996 Summer Olympics]] were hosted in Atlanta, and as a result, Coca-Cola effectively received free advertising. Coca-Cola were also the first-ever [[sponsor]]s of the Olympic games, at the [[1928]] games in [[Amsterdam]].
During the [[1980s]], Pepsi-Cola ran a series of television advertisements showing people participating in taste tests in which they expressed a preference for Pepsi over Coke. Coca-Cola ran ads to combat Pepsi's ads in an incident sometimes referred to as the ''[[cola wars]]''; one of Coke's ads compared the so-called [[Pepsi challenge]] to two [[chimpanzees]] deciding which [[tennis ball]] was furrier. Thereafter, Coca-Cola regained its leadership in the market.
In an attempt to broaden its portfolio, Coca-cola purchased [[Columbia Pictures]] in [[1982]]. Columbia provided subtle publicity through Coke product placements in many of its films while under Coke's ownership. However, after a few early successes, Columbia began to underperform, and was dropped by the company in [[1989]].
Coca-Cola has gone through a number of different advertising slogans in its long history, including "The pause that refreshes", "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" and "Coke is it" (see [[Coca-Cola slogans]]).
==Other products==
[[Image:Diet Coke.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Diet Coke]] was introduced in [[1982]] to offer an alternative to dieters worried about the high number of calories present in Classic Coke.]]
The company produces many other soft drinks, including other varieties of Coca-Cola such as [[Diet Coke]] (introduced in [[1982]]), which uses [[aspartame]], a synthetic [[phenylalanine]]-based [[sweetener]], in order to reduce the [[sugar]] content of the drink, [[Cherry Coke]] (1985), [[Diet Cherry Coke]] ([[1986]]), Coke with Lemon ([[2001]]), Diet Coke with Lemon (2001), [[Vanilla Coke]] ([[2002]]), [[Diet Vanilla Coke]] (2002), and Diet Coke with Lime ([[2004]]).
[[Tab (soft drink)|Tab]] was Coca-Cola's first attempt at developing a diet soft drink. Although the product is still sold, its sales have dwindled since the introduction of Diet Coke.
The Coca-Cola Corporation also produces a number of other soft drinks including [[Fanta]] (introduced circa-[[1942]] or [[1943]]) and [[Sprite (soft drink)|Sprite]]. Fanta's origins date back to [[World War II]] when [[Max Keith]], who managed Coca-Cola's operations in [[Germany]] during the war, ran out of the ingredients for Coke, which could only be supplied from the United States. Keith resorted to producing a different soft drink, Fanta, which proved to be a hit, and when Coke took over again after the war, it adopted the Fanta brand as well.
In [[2004]], perhaps in response to the burgeoning popularity of [[low-carbohydrate diet]]s such as the [[Atkins Nutritional Approach|Atkins Diet]], Coca-Cola announced its intention to develop and sell a low-carbohydrate alternative to Coke Classic, dubbed [[C2 Cola]]. C2 contains a mix of [[corn syrup|high fructose corn syrup]], [[aspartame]], [[sucralose]], and [[acesulfame-k]]. C2 is designed to more closely emulate the taste of Coca-Cola Classic. Even with less than half of the calories and [[carbohydrates]] of standard soft drinks, C2 is not a replacement for zero-calorie soft drinks such as [[Diet Coke]]. C2 went on sale in the US on [[June 11]] [[2004]].
Coca-Cola is the best-selling soft drink in most countries. Nevertheless, there are some places like [[Scotland]], where the locally produced [[Irn Bru]] is more popular, and [[Quebec]], [[Canada]], where [[Pepsi]] is the market leader. Coke is less popular in other places, including some [[Middle East]] and [[Asia]]n countries such as [[Palestine]] and [[India]] — in the latter, due to suspicions regarding the health standards of the drink, and in the former, due to rumors that Coca-Cola supports Israel, or simply [[Anti-American sentiment]]s.
The Coca-Cola Company owns numerous brands and trademarks. Probably the most well-known besides Coca-Cola, Coke and its various spinoffs are [[Sprite (soft drink)|Sprite]], [[Fanta]], [[TaB]], [[Minute Maid]] and [[Mello Yello]] (see [[Coca-Cola brands]]).
==Controversies surrounding Coca-Cola==
===Coke in India===
Coca-Cola was banned from import in [[India]] in [[1970]] as a result of the corporation's refusal to release the list of its ingredients. In [[1993]], the ban was lifted in pursuance of India's [[Liberalization]] policy. Soon after the relaunch, a study led by the [[Center for Science and the Environment]] (CSE), an independent scientific laboratory in [[New Delhi]], found that Coca-Cola contained residues of dangerous [[pesticides]] at levels some thirty times the prescribed Indian and European norms. There were instances of substandard bottling practices by the company: the notorious discovery of a dead [[lizard]] inside a sealed Coca-Cola bottle was widely publicized. Environmental degradation in the form of depletion of the local ground [[water table]] due to the utilization of natural water resources by the company posed a serious threat to many communities. Finally, there were suspicions surrounding the addictive nature of the drink. As the company refused to disclose the exact ingredients, this remains a matter of speculation. In response to these allegedly unethical practices, several non-governmental organizations launched anti-Coca-Cola campaigns in India.
===Coke and trade unions===
[[Image:CocaColaCanThailand.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Coke cans from around the world all retain a common appearance due to the red and white colour scheme coupled with the trademarked swirl, as demonstrated by this example from [[Thailand]].]]
Coke has also been the subject of controversy in its relationship with [[labor union|unions]]. In [[Colombia]], it has been alleged that Coca-Cola hired paramilitary mercenaries to assassinate union leaders, although much of the evidence against the company is circumstantial. Critics argue that, whatever their source, these assassinations seem to have been helpful to Coca-Cola in eliminating troublemakers from their bottling plants. The Coca-Cola company denies these allegations.
In the [[1980s]], [[Guatemala]] also suffered a spate of mysterious murders of union-affiliated Coca-Cola employees. At one point, a factory was violently occupied by paramilitary mercenaries. Eventually, after pressure from several organisations worldwide, the conflict was ended when the corporation appointed a new franchise operator who brokered a deal with the union.
There have been troubled (but slightly less publicized) relationships between the company and unions in other parts of the world, notably the [[Philippines]], [[Zimbabwe]] and even the United States. In [[2002]] two Coca-Cola shareholders, the [[Christian Brothers]], presented a resolution at the shareholders' meeting which called for Coca-Cola to adopt a code of conduct on bottling practices and employee relations. The resolution was rejected, despite the fact that it had received almost unanimous union support in the aforementioned countries.
=== Urban legends about Coca-Cola ===
Coca-Cola has been the target of [[urban legend|urban legends]] decrying the drink for its supposedly copious amounts of [[acid]], or the "life-threatening" effects of its [[carbonated water]]. These urban legends usually take the form of "fun facts" e.g. "Coke can dissolve a tooth in 24-48 hours"; "[[highway troopers]] use Coke to clean blood from highways after accidents"; or "somebody once died in a Coke-drinking competition". All of these stories are false, and evidence has been presented in numerous cases against Coca-Cola since the [[1920s]] which decisively proves that the drink is not harmful — indeed, it contains less [[citric acid]] than an [[orange (fruit)|orange]]. [http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/tooth.asp] [http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp] [http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/deadly.asp]
[[Image:World-of-coca-cola.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] ''World of Coca Cola'' museum displays memorabilia from several decades and offers visitors samples of soda from around the world.]]
Another common urban legend is that Coca-Cola supports [[Israel]], or [[Palestine]], depending on the proclivities of the urban mythologist. A controversy arose in [[Egypt]] when a consumer mistook an [[Ethiopia|Ethiopian]] inscription on a Coca-Cola bottle for [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], sparking anger amongst Arab consumers of the drink. Coke's Egyptian manager reassured the press that the company would never open a bottling plant in Israel, thereby immediately escalating a local controversy almost to the status of an international incident. In truth, Coca-Cola had attempted to open a plant in Israel in [[1949]], but the Israeli government refused the permit, and the company did not push the issue further. A boycott began in the United States, leading to Coke's announcement that they would open a plant in [[Tel Aviv]]. This caused fury amongst Arab consumers of Coca-Cola, who in turn — led by the [[Arab League]] (with the exception of Egypt, whose boycott only lasted till [[1979]]) — boycotted Coke until [[1991]]. Pepsi also suffered from boycotts in America after intentionally avoiding Israel. This controversy eventually subsided when Pepsi entered the Israeli market in [[1992]]. [http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/israel.asp]
In the wake of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], numerous rumors abounded that Coke (or Pepsi) supported Israel (or Palestine) with donations. In response, [[Mecca-Cola]] was formed as a pro-Palestinian alternative to Coca-Cola. However, the majority of Coca-Cola intended for Palestine is produced in a bottling facility in [[Ramallah]], which employs mostly Palestinians, and so Mecca-Cola is regarded by some as more likely to hurt than help the Palestinian cause, even if the rumors about Coke's support of Israel were true. [http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/nocoke.htm]
The numerous urban legends about Coca-Cola have led the [[Urban Legends Reference Pages]] to devote a whole section of their site to "[http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/ Cokelore]".
== Bibliography ==
*Pendergrast, Mark: ''For God, Country, and Coca-Cola: The Definitive History of the Great American Soft Drink and the Company That Makes It''. New York: Basic Books, 2000 (second edition; ISBN 0465054684).
== See also ==
*[[Junk food]]
*[[List of major flops]] ("New Coke")
== External links ==
*[http://www.cocacola.com/ Company website]
*[http://csmweb2.emcweb.com/durable/1998/10/08/p9s3.htm A page about New Coke]
* [http://www.guerrillanews.com/cocakarma/ Allegations of copyright problems with some of Coca-Cola's corporate identity]
*[http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/ Coca-Cola urban legends (or not)]
*[http://www.killercoke.org/ Campaign to stop the murder and torture of union leaders working at Coca-Cola plants in Colombia]
[[de:Coca-Cola]]
[[es:Coca Cola]]
[[fr:Coca-Cola]]
[[nl:Coca Cola]]
[[no:Coca-Cola]]
[[ja:コカ・コーラ]]
[[pl:Coca-Cola]]
[[ro:Coca-Cola]]
[[sv:Coca-Cola]]
[[Category:Soft drinks]] [[Category:Coca-Cola brands]][[Category:Beverage companies of the United States]]
| 