That's One Tall Step for Man, One Venti Leap for Mankind

Fighting the Power, One Cup at a Time

SO I'M AT Starbucks late this afternoon, having decided to kick back for a few minutes with a decaf, and I do what I always do: eschew the chain's absurd, faux-European size designations and ask for a "medium." Not once has the chick behind the counter -- sorry, the "barista" -- ever held out and waited for me to say "grande" instead. I always get my medium, as I did today, and I always get the (very) small satisfaction of thwarting corporate America's furious attempts at mind control. Power to the people, man. Or, as my brother would say, get a haircut, hippie.

(I know, I know -- you waited almost five days for a post, and you get this? Hey, it's spring training -- if the guys in the Show can take it easy until the real games start, then so can I.)

Comments

[Mark]

Normally, I would agree with you - but there's something about the way "Venti Verona" rolls off the tongue...

[Tom G]

You are a rebel....But seriously, I heard this one last night: apparently there is no place called "Torino", NBC sort of created the name from Turin, where the Olympics are really being held. How is that for The Man confusing us?

[Tom Durso]

Mark, I feel like such a Philistine walking in there and saying, "Medium coffee, please" ...

Actually, TG, "Torino" is what the Italians call Turin. Then again, they call Italy "Italia," but I haven't heard NBC use that once. Damn Man ...

[Jeff Martin]

TG, go searching through the Deadspin archives and you'll find a post with something like 48 comments explaining the Turin/Torino thing.

For now, you have to deal with Americans saying "Torino, Italy," which just sounds retarted. How is it that we haven't Anglicized words like "Tokyo" but we have to deal with "Turin, Italy?" English makes no sense. That's why this former English major speaks in binary.