Hundreds of angry Americans took to pouring their Absolut vodka down the drain after the company published an advertisement showing several Southwestern states as part of Mexico. Sensing an opening akin to a major gaffe on the campaign trail, SKYY Vodka has issued a press release slamming their Swedish rivals. As it turns our, SKYY supports the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

We generally don't run press releases as a whole, but this is just too funny:

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican-America War (1846-1848). With the signing of this treaty, the United States gained control of what was to become the Golden West, including California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and parts of Colorado and New Mexico. Today, SKYY® Vodka, the number-one vodka produced in the United States, spoke out against suggestions by Absolut® Vodka to disregard that treaty, as well as the joining of Texas to the Union in 1845, as depicted in Absolut's recent advertising.

"Like SKYY Vodka, the residents of states like California, Texas and Arizona are exceptionally proud of the fact that they are from the United States of America," said Dave Karraker, SKYY Vodka. "To imply that they might be interested in changing their mailing addresses, as our competitor seems to be suggesting in their advertising, is a bit presumptuous."

In the ad, an "Absolut World" is depicted where the map of North America is re-drawn with Mexico claiming much of the Western United States, negating the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, as well as the Gadsden Purchase (1853), and the independence of Texas (1836).

"Don't get me started on the Gadsden Purchase," continues Karraker. "I think the folks in Tucson and Yuma would be rubbed the wrong way if they hear this landmark deal was somehow nullified as suggested by Absolut, a Swedish-owned brand."

SKYY Vodka was founded in San Francisco in 1992 and continues to be produced in the United States. Premium SKYY Vodka is made from American grain carefully selected from the Midwest and 100% pure filtered water. SKYY's proprietary four-column distillation and three-step filtration process consistently ensures exceptional quality. SKYY Vodka products include luxury SKYY90 and new SKYY Infusions, a unique, all-natural infused experience made with premium SKYY Vodka and succulent real fruit.

"Don't get me started on the Gadsden Purchase"? It's an attack line to make the Obama and Clinton press offices jealous.

Posted by Reid Wilson at 02:20 PM | Email Author | Permalink

The world's increasing fuel needs mean countries are doing anything they can to stake their claims to any oil fields left. Now, the battle is raging over a more and more pertinent question: Who owns the North Pole?

Russia last month sent a submarine underneath the Pole, where it planted a titanium flag to claim the area in order to win drilling rights on what many believe is one of the world's largest untapped oil fields. At the time, Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay dismissed the move with a great zinger: "This isn't the 15th century. You can't go around the world and just plant flags and say, 'We're claiming this territory.'"

Russia's move followed a visit to Resolute Bay by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who traveled to the country's northern-most point to claim that "the first principle of Arctic sovereignty is -- use it or lose it." Meanwhile, Denmark, which lays claim to Greenland, has called for international talks over the North Pole.

Talks may not do any good, points out The New Republic's Josh Patashnik. Russia now claims soil samples from beneath the North Pole show the area is geologically linked to the Russian continental shelf, which would give Russia oil drilling rights. Patashnik: "I suppose [the soil sample] has a little bit more legitimacy than going around and planting flags all over the place."

Posted by Reid Wilson at 09:30 AM | Email Author | Permalink