Pesti Cola, anyone?

"This is a setback for the Indian economy". US Undersecretary for International Trade Franklin Lavin on the cola controversy in India. The bans were prompted by a report from the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which said pesticide residues had been found in 57 samples of the two firms' products. Need I add that the "study found that 57 bottles from 12 states contained residues anywhere between 10-50 times above the final standard."

That, folks, is an extract from a local newspaper, from an article that sounds a bit like 'India makes a mistake'. The fact that this newspaper, who enjoyed bashing up the US on the Lebanon war, should take a stand like 'India should continue to feed its children pesticides so that Big Bro can make big money off her and then shove a few dollar bills into her skirt' boggles the mind.

This extract from the Times of India says "Pepsi's top boss in India on Friday virtually admitted that the flagship fizzy cola of his company could be harmful for children, saying Pepsico India will "discourage primary schools" from allowing the drink. Rajeev Bakshi, chairman of Pepsico India Holdings Private Ltd, said as a company he always wanted Pepsico to keep its "fun drinks" like Pepsi and Mirinda away from school children. "Our advertisement and marketing exercises never target primary school children," he said."

Oh, those kids in an early Pepsi ad weren't PRIMARY school children. The ads for the 'family size' bottles of Pepsi and Coke also did not have PRIMARY school children. And we will "discourage PRIMARY schools" from allowing the drink. Smart pesticides these, they may kill everything else but not 'primary school children'. Israel might want to tinker with these smart pesticides, so their bombs don't kill any more babies, just adults.

I remember reading something on some blog that said 'we banned Danish products for the cartoon controversy, can't we ban American products for its anti-Middle East stand?' Wake up and smell the [Starbucks] coffee, people. Despite the US's anti-'everybody who we don't like' policy, sorry folks, we just ain't got the guts to reject their products.

One Large McFries and Coke please, and supersize it.