Global village

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | February 10 2007 | na

[fishhound]

Communist Coke

Kvass, a soft drink made from fermented bread, is seen as a quintessentially Russian item. But now Coca-Cola, the ultimate symbol of Western capitalism, is to start producing a version of the drink that is often called "the Coke of Communism".

The soft drinks giant is in talks with beverage companies in Moscow over bottling the drink, a murky concoction which can also contain berries, fruit or birch sap. Nikita Volkov, the marketing director of Deka, one of the country's biggest producers of kvass, said that he was unfazed by the new competition. "If their kvass is sold alongside Coke, it will improve its image among young people and raise the whole sector," he said. - GN&M Sardine party sunk

A Spanish court has cancelled one of the world's biggest carnival celebrations, in the Canary Islands city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, because they are too noisy. The court awarded an injunction halting the festivities after a group of citizens complained that they violated their human rights, state radio reported. The celebrations include parades, dancing, music and fireworks and come to a climax with the famous "burial of the sardine".

In Santa Cruz, an enormous sardine sitting on a throne is carried through the streets on a float, followed by mourners and widows in floods of tears amid general hysteria. - Reuters The banned played on

The leader of the Caribbean island of Grenada's police band has been temporarily relieved of his musical duties after Taiwan's national anthem was performed at the inauguration of a stadium financed by China.

Investigators will determine how Inspector Bryan Hurst's ensemble came to play the anthem of Taiwan instead of China to open the $US40 million ($52 million) Queen's Park stadium last week.

The Chinese ambassador, Qian Hongshan, and Chinese labourers who built the stadium were visibly uncomfortable as the anthem was played inside the 20,000-seat venue, which will host matches during the cricket World Cup next month. - AP Makes perfect scents

First movie stars launched their own ranges of perfume, then pop stars joined the act. Now Hong Kong has given the trend a twist with a housing estate producing its own scent.

Residence Bel-Air, part of a high-rise, high-price development overlooking the sea in Hong Kong's Pok Fu Lam district, has produced Fragrance Bel-Air No.8 to give away to residents and prospective buyers. "We wanted to offer something sophisticated, like the homes in our property," a marketing spokeswoman said. - AFP

[fishhound]

The celebrations include parades, dancing, music and fireworks and come to a climax with the famous "burial of the sardine".

I thought the climax usually comes after the "burial of the sardine"

[RedStateRocker]

Been to Coke world headquarters in Atlanta. They have a LOT of variations of Coke for different parts of the world. They have a variant for Africa that supposedly mimics a local drink. And it was pretty good.

[The Great RJ]

Let's see if Coke is willing to make some real Russian drinks popular during the Soviet days ....like those combining wood varnish, dandruff remover and cheap beer.

[Jimmy Valentine]

I don't think that this will play in the U.S., although in Eastern Europe it may go well. Kvass has a very curious taste and is very popular in Ukraine; they sell it on the street in cups from what looks like a water tanker.

[operation clinton cleanup]

I thought the climax usually comes after the "burial of the sardine"

If it was a sardine being buried, she was probably faking it.