A LIAR FROM DOUGLAS COUNTY

Well here we are again, a new day Sunday January, 6^th, 2008 and the sun is shinning on this new day.

The weather man has been giving us some great forecast for the rest of the day, today it is heading back into the high 60’s and that makes me feel so good.

Today I want to concentrate on things that are so simple that really know one knows until they take the first drink or taste of something that they have always liked.

Let’s start with our own city, Atlanta, the home of Coca Cola. We here takes Coke for granted. But remember when Coke came in a glass bottle? And it said Coca Cola on the side and everyone was happy. Then the company in the 70’s or 80’s thought why not change it. And then was born the new Cola that was supposed to be better than the original.

Wrong!. The famous Soft drink company had changed the recipe and anyone knows that when something is working don’t make a change.

But they gave us a new real tasting Coca Cola; in a fancy bottle as well the new 2 liter bottle.

The trouble is now they have upset those that were drinking Coke, the taste was not the same, the ump!, was gone, It did not taste the same, it was miserable and everyone that bought the new Coke said the same thing, “it’s not the same ,why did they mess with it?”.

Later Coca Cola got the message and returned with the new Coca Cola and on the side of the can, bottle or 2 liter it said “CLASSIC” Coca Cola”. So here I am drinking a “Classic” Cola, Why do people change things when they work. Leave them alone unless you have tons of folks saying how bad things taste or how bad they are.

Let’s say your sister-in-law made the best apple pie in the south, and your family on every re-union or holiday came by and they expected her to bring her apple pie as only she could make. They were all waiting and hoping to get that huge slice. Then when they cut a piece and placed it on a plate and took a bite to sit back and enjoy, hug!! It had been changed. They demanded what she had done wrong. Staring her in the face they all looked at her and she said “well, I did not add the same apples, and I added more artificial sugar, not to mention the dough was from a can I picked up at the store”. Then suddenly all the plates could be heard like a thunder as they were slammed to the table. “Do you know what you have done” they demanded, “You have taken a trick out of Coca Cola’s book of tricks”. Remember everything was great until they changed the recipe for the real brand of Coke to what they called “New” and “improved”. The sister-in-law, dropped her eye’s and in disgust said “you know your all right, I was just trying to cut some corner’s and make it a faster way, I never once thought of the taste”.

With that everyone hugged her and guess what at the next re-union, the original apple pie was there for everyone to have a slice of, and as a matter of fact she had made an extra one just to be safe.

Now that is what makes things right.

If something is good, please do not change the recipe or you could have an uprising.

Moral of the story, change nothing when it works, never skimp, and always do your best at whatever you do.

And “Thanks” Coke for giving us “Classic” Coke Cola back, even though CLASSIC makes me sound old, but that’s Ok, because you know I am a "real classic " in itself.

Augustino Patti Jr.

Sunday, January 06, 2008