Pepsi has left the building

We've lost our Pepsi machines at the T-G -- and yours may be leaving, too.

Our former Pepsi guy said the company's removing machines from locations where too few drinks are sold as part of delivery routes being cut due to fuel costs. Ours were taken last Thursday.

"We are upset about this...We (heart) Pepsi," someone's note left on our empty, unplugged Pepsi machine, complete with 6-foot-high image of a bottle, read. Others say they'll miss the bottled water.

Meanwhile, I'm bringing in my own supply of Diet Pepsi and pouring 'em over ice. They're better like that, anyway. And the manager of the convenience store across the street sure isn't complaining about a sudden burst in business.

Looks like there's a big gap standing wide open for Coca-Cola or another soft drink firm to suddenly arrive with a machine. In fact, a sign now posted in the empty space in our newsroom says "Relief is on the way!"

I'll keep drinking Pepsi (my normal purchase for home or car) along with Coca-Cola and other soft drink brands occasionally.

And it appears that many will "suffer" (as if this was really suffering...) because of greedy Big Oil. Just another example of the domino effect: Oil prices rise, other firms are forced to raise prices or cut back, and the consumer takes another hit.