Comments:

brett - 2004-05-28 00:43:13
I've read plenty of books on western migration, but i can't say that i make head or tails out of this map. It most reminds me of the maps Desmond Morris made for human gestures and curse words.
The important thing is that, as anyone reading this can see, it's called "POP".
I grew up in pittsburgh and also lived in ohio, and MY DADDY was the most correct. He referred to it as "Beverage".
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Laura - 2004-05-28 08:10:04
As a Michigander born and bred, it's "pop," although I never drink the stuff. My Baltimore-born dad calls it "soda," and also calls lunch "dinner" and dinner "supper," which appears to be another regional variation.
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leighton - 2004-05-28 08:33:48
Grew up in the SOuth hearing, "What kinda coke you want? We got Sprite, Fresca, Dr. Pepper..." The Atlanta / Chattanooga origins of Coca Cola explains that regionalism.
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Laura - 2004-05-28 09:33:08
I'd heard of that regionalism, but never knew the reason...thanks leighton.
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Larry Kestenbaum - 2004-05-28 15:11:14
That's a fabulous map, and it confirms my understanding of the geography. I didn't know about the greater-Milwaukee and greater-St.Louis enclaves of "soda", though. Note that the southern edge of the "pop" region runs from Rochester NY, arcing southwest and west to Oklahoma, then northwest to Oregon. I have seen that exact same line before. It is the boundary between Miracle Whip, dominant throughout the "pop zone", and Hellman's mayonnaise, which is most popular in the East Coast, south, southwest, and California. (Technically, Hellman's is known under another name on the West Coast.)
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Laura - 2004-05-28 15:15:18
True; I rarely see Hellmann's around in the store; Miracle Whip does seem to be the default mayo for the pop zone. Yes, isn't the map fun? I too am puzzled by the Milwaukee-St. Louis soda enclave.
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Fizzylifting - 2004-05-28 17:14:26
I grew up in Mass. saying "soda", but, having lived in Mich. for 15 years, have learned to love saying "pop". It's so corny and, well, Pop (in the Andy Warhol sense-- commercially overhyped and empty of nutritional value). A beautiful confluence of form and function.
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Laura - 2004-05-28 17:30:40
I know what you mean Fizzylifting...I can see where it would sound kind of corny or, as one commentor on the map's comments section said, "too little house on the prairie," but I find that kind of endearing, myself.
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