Costco switches soft drinks from Pepsi to Coca-Cola in food courts

January 27th, 2025

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SGT
January 27, 2025

Salty Ginger Talk Newsletter

January 27th, 2025

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CURRENT EVENTS

Costco switches soft drinks from Pepsi to Coca-Cola in food courts

Our take: Costco started as a warehouse/wholesale discount chain in 1983. Known for its no frills value shopping experience, it has amassed a cult following over the years.

One of the things Costco fans rave about is the insane $1.50 hot dog and soda combo it offers at its food court. The deal has remained in place (including the $1.50 price) since the 80’s.

The hot dog is a quarter pound all beef hot dog - not a measly picnic size meal. It is substantial, with a topping bar to finish off your dog the way you like it, and a free refill on the drink.

Costco has announced it has changed its exclusive partnership that was in place with Pepsico for over a decade. Soon, shoppers can get the same deal, but will have a variety of Coke products available for their beverage choice.

This is a big win for Coke and a big loss for Pepsico. This business is worth hundreds of millions of dollars for the contract winner. Plus, we only drink Coke Zero and are huge Costco fans, so this was great news for us that we thought we would share.

If you have not tried the hot dog/drink combo at Costco, you should. It is legit.

COURTESY: MSN

Psychologist tells parents to let kids try and fail to help them become stronger adults

Our take: Parenting approaches have evolved since the beginning of time. Some changes have been good (seatbelts & carseats, teaching kids to avoid predatory people, sunscreen, etc.) and some not so good.

The tendency for parents to solve their kids problems for them instead of letting them try and dealing with the consequences of their actions would fall in the latter category.

Psychologist Daniel Amen discussed this topic during a recent podcast episode.

Parents too often make the mistake of "overdoing" for their kids, resulting in "mentally weak children," Amen told the "Built Different" podcast, in an episode that aired on Tuesday. Such behaviors — like doing your kid's class project yourself to help them get a better grade, or giving them what they want solely to halt an oncoming tantrum — limit children's mental resilience and sense of independence, said Amen. And highly resilient kids are more likely to become happy, successful adults, research shows.

Good tips from a trained professional. Let your kids solve their own problems and deal with the consequences. As long as their physical safety or long term well being are not at harm, it will make your kids tougher, more resilient, and give them a better chance to grow up and build a successful life.

COURTESY: MSN

Some Democrats move to middle on key issues

Our take: This is either a sign that some Democrats are listening to what the American electorate is telling them, or a sign that the apocalypse is near, several Democrats have warmed to the common sense idea of immigration reform.

The Laiken Riley act cleared the Senate this month, with 12 Democrats voting for the bill. Laiken Riley was a Georgia medical student who was raped and murdered by an illegal immigrant who had previously been deported but made his way back to the United States under the Biden administrations lax immigration enforcement.

After failing to win almost any support from congressional Democrats last year, the Act cleared the Senate this month with 12 Democrats voting in favor. In the House, 48 Democrats voted in favor.

In one of the most stark examples, 13 Democratic senators signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), expressing a desire to work with Republicans on immigration reform, including freshman Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).

"There is a lot of common ground for us to start on. We see a need for strong, commonsense, and fair immigration enforcement accompanied by the necessary resources to effectively secure our borders," the letter read.

This is a good sign for Americans. Blindly adhering to party lines (both parties get some issues dead wrong in our opinion) instead of using common sense and building on shared values (both parties share a lot of values when you stop and look at it) leads to division and gridlock in the government.

Governments most important job is to keep people safe. Hopefully starting with that topic can bridge some of the divide that seems to have widened over the past 10 years or so, and give us a chance to tackle some of the big issues that affect every American, regardless of political leanings, every day.

COURTESY: MSN

TIP OF THE DAY

Don’t waste time thinking about what you don’t have or can’t do. Spend all your time and effort focusing on what you do have and what you can do. The first bucket is entirely out of your control. The second bucket is the only way you can improve your situation, so spend all your time and energy there.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” - Arthur Ashe

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