With all this talk about the virtues of Diet Coke, I thought I would take an opportunity to defend the honor of the one drink to rule them all, Coca-Cola Classic. The Coke website says it best:

Dr. John S. Pemberton knew what he was doing when he trademarked Coca-Cola in 1887. Coca-Cola is without a doubt, the most popular drink in history. Nothing tastes quite like it.

Now, I'm not going to claim that popularity necessarily means one thing is better than another. For example, Britney Spears (Pepsi spokeswoman, coincidentally or not) is wildly popular. Yet her music sucks. There is a difference in the application of popularity in her case. Her music is force-fed through all channels such as radio (Clear-Channel) and television (MTV). An impressionable youth hardly stands a chance of avoiding her music, and has to go far out of his way to find a hidden gem like Pedro the Lion or Far Star. Moving from pop back to soda, Coke and Diet Coke are equally accessible, as are Pepsi and Diet Pepsi in most countries. There are plenty of soda choices, and people overwhelmingly choose Coke.

Then there's the taste itself. Coke is sweet, but not too sweet. And the burn... the way it lights up your throat when you swallow it. There really is nothing like it. Diet Coke is too sugary and a little flat tasting. Pepsi is too sweet and has no discernable bite. Dr. Pepper, while not bad, just doesn't compare. Go to the gas station and buy a cold Coke in a glass bottle. That is the finest drink on the planet, in its purest form, and surely it is heaven sent.

Finally, consider this: Bono didn't sing "If Diet Coke is a Mystery..." did he?