Nevernever Locale: The Library

[bibliophile20]

*glances in direction of kitchen*  I'm not addicted!  I can quit anytime I want to! 

[Drashna]

Lol. There was never cocaine in Coca-Cola. However, the FDA did try to shut them down for adding a "poisonous brain tonic" to it.  A very potent, addictive psychoactive drug was used, and is still being used: CAFFEINE.

[bibliophile20]

I thought Coke actually did have cocaine in it a hundred years ago or so, and pulled it when it became obvious how dangerous the stuff was. 

On the topic of other top secret material, however....  Hmmm... I hate to say it, but I think things like nuclear launch codes, code books and other secure materials might get "picked up" by the Library's magic; however, stuff like that is almost certainly kept in the Restricted Shelves in Administration.  If nothing else, the gods in charge of the place realize how dangerous that information is and keep it out of the main shelves. (which reminds me: I'm not too familiar with Japanese mythology, but is there a god or kami in charge of knowledge?  He or she (or it) would almost certainly be on the Library's deific coalition).

[UmbraLux]

I thought Coke actually did have cocaine in it a hundred years ago or so, and pulled it when it became obvious how dangerous the stuff was. 

It did.

[Richard_Chilton]

That's the link above, or you could head to Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke-Cola#Coca_.E2.80.94_cocaine.

They've changed the formula for Coke many times.  The formula doesn't matter any more than the "secret" of the colonel's recipe.  The money is in the trademarks and the brand names.

I could make a Coke clone and sell it with chicken that tastes like KFC, but I'd have to call it no name cola and come up with a new name for the chicken.  And people who like KFC would still buy the brand name they like, just like the coke-cola fans would still buy their coke.

The way to compete is to come up with your own taste and market that, not rip off someone who has economy of scale behind their pricing points.

In short, most secrets are less valuable than most people think.

Richard