Coke celebrates 125 years of being the real thing

WASHINGTON, United States - Exactly 125 years ago an Atlanta pharmacist mixed up a cure for headache and fatigue and stumbled upon the recipe for what has become one of the world's most recognizable drinks and brand names.

Coca Cola is celebrating the moment when on May 8, 1886 John Pemberton made his way into American culture, creating a soft drink now sold in more than 200 countries and earning the company a place among the world's top 100 firms.

Regular Coke, as opposed to its numerous offshoots such as Diet Coke, remains the world's favorite soda with a whopping 17% market share, trouncing its rival Pepsi.

The recipe is a closely guarded secret passed down through the generations, and according to legend safely stashed away in a company vault.

"The Coca Cola saga has been reverentially preserved and nurtured over the years," writes author Mark Pendergrast in his book "For God, Country and Coca-Cola" which relates the history of the drink.

The official version of events in this rags-to-riches story "has all the earmarks of the class American success myth."

According to the legend which has grown up around Coke the poor but kindly Pemberton was transformed from a dishwasher into a millionaire.

But in reality Pemberton was no grumpy, herbal doctor who unwittingly brewed up his magic potion in his backyard, Pendergrast maintains.

Coca-Cola was a typical by-product of "the golden age of quackery" at the end of the 1800s when many doctors were trying to patent all kinds of cures and medicines for a variety of ailments.

Pharmacists and quacks offered their wares for sale on every street corner amid a growing clamor in the developing industrial age for effective cure-alls at the infancy of modern medicine.

The original Coca Cola most likely tasted different from the liquid today, Pendergrast notes. "It was like many such other nostrums, a patent medicine with a distinct cocaine kick."

Pemberton is thought to have discovered his new "miracle" medicine on May 8, 1886, and dubbed it Coca-Cola. But at the start the public eschewed his marvelous new elixir and in the first year he only sold on average nine glasses a day.

It was in 1888 that business began to bubble when entrepreneur Asa Chandler bought the rights and began to mass produce this "medicine" as a refreshing soft drink.

Within just a few years, Coca-Cola was a favorite beverage around the United States. The brew only made it across the Atlantic and into Europe in 1919 where it first appeared on shelves in France, before arriving in Germany in 1929.

But apart from its business success, Coca-Cola is above all a cultural phenomenon.

It remains one of the world's favorite drinks despite concerns over its sugar content, amid rising obesity levels especially among children.

Last year the company had a net revenue of about $35 billion, leading to profits of almost $12 billion.

Selling more of the soft drink to children would be a "public health disaster," says Michael F. Jacobson from the Center for Science in the Public Interest lobby group.

But it's hard to defeat such nimble marketing and overturn a brand image which has turned Coke, which its distinctive red and white label, from a mere consumer product into an object of desire, argues Constance Hays in her book "The Real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company."

"Through relentless advertising, clever marketing and sometimes plain old luck, Coke came to stand for the glamorous, prosperous, flag-waving side of America, the part that always looked forward, not back," she writes.

Coca-Cola is celebrating its birthday with a huge concert on Saturday in Atlanta streamed live on the Internet.

And the secret recipe? That remains firmly under lock and key even if some people claim to have already discovered the right ingredients.

Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive, said in February that Coca-Cola was entering 2011, its 125th year in business, "with solid momentum."

"While we recognize that challenges remain in our worldwide marketplace, we are confident that we are advancing our global momentum to deliver long-term sustainable growth and value for our shareowners," he said.

Are gay men more at risk for cancer?

NEW YORK, United States - More gay men reported being cancer survivors than straight men in a new study from California.

That suggests they may need targeted interventions to prevent cancer, the researchers said, but more studies are needed to answer lingering questions. For example, are gay men more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than straight men? Or, are they just more likely to survive if they do get cancer?

"A lack of hard data" on how sexual orientation affects the risk of cancer is "one of the biggest problems we have," said Liz Margolies, executive director of The National LGBT Cancer Network. Margolies, who was not involved in the research, told Reuters Health, "It's critical that we know that for funding and for program planning."

As a step toward addressing the lack of data, researchers looked at three years of responses to the California Health Interview survey, which included more than 120,000 adults living in the state.

Among other health-related questions, participants were asked if they had ever been diagnosed with cancer and whether they identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight.

The findings are published in the journal Cancer.

Out of 51,000 men, about 3,700 said they had been diagnosed with cancer as an adult. While just over 8% of gay men reported a history of cancer, that figure was only 5% in straight men. The disparity could not be attributed to differences in race, age, or income between gay and straight men.

About 7,300 out of 71,000 women in the study had been diagnosed with cancer, but overall cancer rates did not differ among lesbian, bisexual, and straight women.

However, among women who were cancer survivors, lesbian and bisexual women were more likely to report fair or poor health than straight women.

Ulrike Boehmer, the study's lead author from the Boston University School of Public Health, said higher rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be related to the increased risk of cancer in gay men, but the study couldn't address that question specifically.

Margolies thinks there is more going on. "Gay men as a group have a bunch of risk factors for cancer," she said.

For instance, gay men and lesbian women are more likely to smoke and abuse alcohol than straight men and women. They're also more likely to avoid going to see their doctor for routine physicals or cancer screening, Margolies added - since healthcare providers may not all be tolerant and accepting of their identity.

"I don't think that we're going to get people to have early screening or see doctors except in emergencies ... until they can be guaranteed a safe and welcoming experience" at the doctor's office, she said.

Margolies said that while the new findings are "very important," she cautions about generalizing them too far beyond this individual study. Partially that's because she suspects lesbian women may also have an increased risk of cancer compared to straight women, because they have some of the same risk factors as gay men.

But Margolies and Boehmer agree that there is still an important message to take away from the findings: gay, lesbian and bisexual people need more attention from the healthcare community, specifically when it comes to their cancer risks.

"Because more gay men report as cancer survivors, we need foremost programs for gay men that focus on primary cancer prevention and early cancer detection," Boehmer told Reuters Health in an email.

And, "Because more lesbian and bisexual women than heterosexual women with cancer report that they are in poor health, we need foremost programs and services that improve the well-being of lesbian and bisexual cancer survivors," she added.

"Health care facilities and social service agencies -- any organization that addresses the needs of cancer survivors -- must understand the extra challenges that lesbian and bisexual cancer survivors and gay men have," Margolies concluded.

Superman threatens to renounce US citizenship

LOS ANGELES, United States - Superman, citizen of the world?

The Man of Steel, in the latest issue of Action Comics which hit newsstands on Wednesday, said he intends to renounce his US citizenship in a speech before the United Nations.

"I'm tired of having my actions construed as instruments of US policy," Superman said in a short story in the issue, Action Comics No. 900 from the Time Warner Inc unit DC Comics.

In the comic, Superman never actually renounces his citizenship, he only talks about his plans to do that.

But conservative commentators reacted with disgust to the new storyline, given that the fictional superhero has long proclaimed he stood for "Truth, Justice and the American way."

In a blog post at The Weekly Standard, senior writer Jonathan Last questioned Superman's beliefs, now that he seems to have rejected the United States.

"Does he believe in British interventionism or Swiss neutrality?" Last wrote. "You see where I'm going with this: If Superman doesn't believe in America, then he doesn't believe in anything."

The new plot twist for Superman comes as the superhero visitor from a distant planet, who was raised by a Kansas farmer and his wife, looks to take on a more global mission for his battle against evil.

"The world's too small. Too connected," Superman said in the comic book.

Superman, who was first introduced in the 1938, has a long association with the United States. But Joe Shuster, the artist who helped create the character with writer Jerry Siegel, was born in Canada.

And critics have described Superman's life story as a metaphor for the immigrant experience, because he is an alien.

DC Comics co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio seemed to downplay their landmark superhero character's latest declaration, in a joint statement.

"In a short story in Action Comics 900, Superman announces his intention to put a global focus on his never ending battle, but he remains, as always, committed to his adopted home and his roots as a Kansas farm boy from Smallville," they said.

Profiles: Prince William and Kate Middleton

MANILA, Philippines - The long wait is over.

In a few hours, Prince William will marry Kate Middleton at the Westminster Abbey in London, England in a grand ceremony to be watched by millions all over the globe.

Here is a quick look at their lives before they become husband and wife.

Prince William

Prince William is the first son of one of the world's most famous parents -- Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana -- and the second in line to the British throne. He has a younger brother named Harry.

Born on June 21, 1982, he was given the title "His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis," but went by the nickname "Wills" to a curious public.

He studied at Eton College, a prestigious boarding school near London. Here, he excelled not only in academics but also in sports, playing football and polo and becoming captain of the school's swimming team.

The prince then took a year off and went to Chile and Africa where he taught children and did household chores. He returned to the United Kingdom for his college education at University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

After graduation, William decided to pursue a military career as a search and rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force. He also began his royal duties, going on overseas trips on behalf of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Following in his mother's footsteps, he is patron to several charities, helping the homeless and preserving the African wildlife.

Kate Middleton

Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, nicknamed Kate, was born on January 9, 1982. She is the eldest child of then airline officer Michael and Carole, a flight attendant. Her ancestors on her mother's side were coal miners.

Kate's parents eventually became millionaires by setting up Party Pieces, an online party supplies business. So, although born a commoner, she grew up privileged.

She studied art history at the prestigious University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she met and fell in love with Prince William.

After college, Kate had a stint as an accessories buyer for fashion chain Jigsaw, but mostly helped her parents run their business.

Much rests on her shoulders as she becomes part of the British monarchy. She is expected to support her husband in his royal duties, focus on charity work, and more importantly, give birth to an heir.

3D porn film beats Avatar at Hong Kong box office

HONG KONG - A Hong Kong movie billed as the world's first 3D porn film has broken the city's first-day box office record previously set by Hollywood blockbuster Avatar.

"3-D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" took in HK$2.8 million ($360,000) on its first day last week, outpacing director James Cameron's science fiction epic which drew HK$2.6 million, the porn movie's publicist told AFP Thursday.

The film has taken more than HK$15 million since its release, she added.

Curious movie-goers from all walks of life -- office workers, retirees and students -- stood in long queues outside Hong Kong cinemas on the film's first day last week, eager to catch an eyeful of the steamy 3D action.

Loosely based on a piece of classical Chinese erotic literature, the $3.2-million Cantonese-language movie features orgies, swinging and some very graphic sex scenes.

Set in the Ming dynasty, the film chronicles the story of a young man who, after being introduced to the erotic world of an aristocrat, realizes his ex-wife is the love of his life.

The film stars Japanese adult actresses Yukiko Suo and Saori Hara.

The movie, which opened in Taiwan last Friday, and has sparked strong interest in many Asian markets, including Japan and South Korea, as well as Europe and the United States, according to the producer.

Travel operators were reportedly organizing movie-going excursions to Hong Kong and Taiwan for tourists from mainland China, where strict censorship rules prevent any screening of the film.

"3-D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" opened ahead of reported plans by other filmmakers to produce similar 3D porn movies.

Italian director Tinto Brass has announced he is to produce a 3D remake of his 1979 erotic film Caligula, while Hustler plans to release a pornographic spoof of Avatar, the top-grossing movie of all time.

Dior taking its time to replace Galliano

PARIS - French fashion house Christian Dior is in no hurry to replace disgraced designer John Galliano as it relies on existing teams for new collections, its head said on Thursday.

Dior, one of the biggest brands within luxury goods group LVMH, sacked Galliano earlier this month following publicity over a video of him shouting abuse in a Paris bar and saying he loved Hitler.

Dior Chairman and Chief Executive Sidney Toledano said the company was studying possible replacements and the brand's creative development had not been interrupted.

Fashion magazine Elle reported this week that Dior might not announce Galliano's replacement before the autumn.

"(The announcement) could come at any time, after (the autumn) or before," Toledano told Reuters after LVMH's annual shareholder meeting in Paris.

"It requires a period of study of various projects. As our internal teams are working perfectly well, we have time."

Toledano said the brand's teams were working on a new cruise collection and that there would be a Dior haute couture show in early July as planned.

"There is no interruption at all," he said. "No blanks in the calendar of creations."

It is not clear, however, what will happen to the John Galliano brand of which Dior owns 92%. Toledano said it was for Dior to decide its future but he declined to elaborate.

Fashion critics said Galliano, known for his theatrical and dramatic styles, had grown out of touch with minimalist, sober and conservative designs favored after the financial crisis.

Possible contenders to replace Galliano include Peter Copping at Nina Ricci and, within the LVMH group, Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy and Phoebe Philo at Celine.

Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, now promoting Miss Dior Cherie perfume, publicly condemned Galliano for his comments and said she no longer wanted anything to do with him.

LVMH, the world's biggest luxury group, this month agreed to buy Roman jeweller Bulgari for 3.7 billion euros, its biggest acquisition in a decade.

The group, which makes 9% of its sales in Japan, on Thursday said the nuclear crisis in the country had only affected trading in the east and north of the country.

But overall, LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault said: "The impact should be quite limited, despite everything."

Arnault said the group had made a donation of 500 million yen ($6.03 million) to help rebuild Japan.

3 Pinay supermodels join Levi's NY fashion show

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - When these Filipina supermodels in New York went to a go-see casting call for Levi's, they had no idea all 3 of them would make it.

To their surprise, Charo Ronquillo, Charlene Alvarez, and Danica Magpantay were 3 out of the 24 models who made it to the Levi's Fall/Winter Fashion Collection Preview in New York's Soho District yesterday.

It's an exclusive and private preview that showcases different Levi's lines worn by live models presented in various installations.

"Sobrang na-surprise po kaming tatlo, as in, 'Na-gets mo? Na-gets mo? Na-gets mo?' 'Yeah, na-gets ko! Go!' Then nagkita-kita po kami ng call time as in ang saya-saya namin. Hug kami," said Ronquillo, 2nd runner-up in the Ford Supermodel of the World contest in 2005.

Magpantay made Filipinos proud when she was crowned Ford Supermodel of the World 2011 in New York last January.

Since then she has been working nonstop but she's happy to find out that more and more Filipinos are getting into the New York fashion scene.

The Levi's show is extra special for her because she got to work with 2 of her Pinay supermodel friends.

"Ito 'yung first time naming tatlong mag-work. Si Chat I’ve been with her in some presentations and some shows which is fun kasi makikita mo talaga na certain designers really like our look and hindi mahirap na makapasok ang Filipino ngayon. Ngayon tatlo kami. It’s Levi’s, it's big!' Magpantay said.

Levi's Jeans publicist Melissa Ladines said they want models from different kinds of ethnicities.

"I think most brands are going global. We sell Levi’s all over the world, so we wanna cast all models from different kinds of ethnicities just so we have a lot of representation," Ladines said.

While many people see the glitz and glamor side of the fashion industry, these Pinay supermodels say it's all hard work, sweat, and tears, especially during Fashion Week where many of them have to attend 15 castings a day scattered in different parts of the Big Apple.

"Takbo ka ng takbo all over the city. Tapos pagkatapos nung araw, may paltos paltos ka. Tapos hindi mo alam kung makukuha mo 'yung job or ano. Mahirap. Mahirap bago mo makuha ang isang trabaho," said Alvarez, 1st runner-up in the Ford Supermodel of the World 2010.

Looking fabulous and glamorous is key to making supermodels look even more stunning on and off the catwalk.

Albee Franson, the head makeup artist for the Levi's preview who made these girls ready for their close-ups, happens to be Filipino-American.

"My gosh, I was in awe when I found out there were 3 Filipino models out of the 20 models that we have here. I actually had to come up and ask them, 'What are you?' because I didn’t believe they were Filipinos. I love that they bring a different kind of look to the set. So pretty," said Franson.

The achievements of these Filipinos in New York's fashion scene is only making it easier for future Filipino supermodels to make their dreams come true in the Big Apple.

Poverty not an excuse to humiliate Jan-Jan: columnist

MANILA, Philippines - On Sunday, mom and columnist Cathy Babao Guballa wrote a letter to Jan-Jan, the 6-year-old boy who was made to dance in a lewd manner in television show Willing Willie in exchange for P10,000.

Since then, the letter has been making the rounds on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and has been causing netizens to react strongly to the issue.

In the said letter, Guballa stressed that a child shouldn't go through humiliation for any reason, not even money woes.

"It's not all about the money, Jan-jan. The dignity of every child must be upheld. By allowing you to perform that way, they trampled on you and made you feel so small. I could see the fear and embarrassment in your eyes. It was undeniable. If there was only some way to rescue you from that moment, I'm sure every parent worth their salt would have done so," Guballa wrote.

"Poverty must never be an excuse to humiliate people. A child must be allowed to be a child. This terrible experience has probably left a mark on your soul and my prayer is that you will not be damaged by it forever. And this is why this insanity has to stop," she added.

Guballa, a columnist for The Philippine Daily Inquirer, said there are many people to blame for the humiliating experience that Jan-jan went through -- the child's guardians, the studio audience and host Willie Revillame.

She scored Revillame in particular for egging on the crowd and comparing Jan-jan to a "burlesque dancer."

"Willie had the power in that moment to stop, no, to prevent you from even performing your dance number. Had he done so, he may have even redeemed himself in a way. But what did he do? He gave you the money that you perhaps came for so that you could give it to your parents who for the life of me perhaps did not know any better than to send you there," Guballa wrote.

She continued, "Willie, a parent many times over, and a grandfather -- did not see the faces of his children or of his grandson when he was egging you on to dance a second or a third time? That he found enjoyment in watching you, and poking fun at you as you cried and looked so miserable was to my mind inexcusable. You are a child, and you are supposed to be loved and protected. Your right to protection is provided for under the law. I am so sorry that we failed to do this for you."

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has stepped into the controversy involving Willing Willie and Jan-jan, saying that the episode aired March 12 is a "clear case of child abuse."

DSWD has asked TV5 to not allow children to appear in shows like Willing Willie and other programs that "capitalize on poverty as a source of immediate entertainment."

The agency will also get in touch with Jan-jan's family, determine the incident's effect on the child and determine if necessary counseling should be given to the child and his parents.

Below is the full letter written by Guballa to Jan-jan.

Prince William holds stag night in private: palace

LONDON, United Kingdom - Prince William has given the press the slip and has held his stag night in private, palace officials confirmed Monday.

The 28-year-old, who marries long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, reportedly marked the end of his life as a single man with a low-key party at a rural retreat at the weekend.

"It has taken place. We are not saying when, or where," a spokeswoman for the prince told AFP.

When William announced that his younger brother Prince Harry would be his best man and would therefore organise the stag, commentators suggested he gear himself up for a big night at some of Harry's favourite London hotspots.

But wary of a potential media frenzy, William held a low-key party with about 20 of his closest friends at a country estate outside London, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

But the newspaper could give no details of where the stag night took place.

William and Kate's wedding is the biggest royal event in Britain since the marriage of his parents, Prince Charles and Diana, in 1981 and has sparked a frenzy of excitement around the world.

Pagcor settles endowment for National Museum

MANILA, Philippines – The country's National Museum will live through any hurdles.

This is what the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) vowed after finally promising to pay its P178 million balance to the National Museum of the Philippines.

PAGCOR signed the agreement with the Museum to compensate for the P250 million endowment fund bound by law. Partial remittances had been made in the past, with only P178 million left as balance.

In a signing ceremony attended by PAGCOR Chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr., National Museum Director Jeremy Barns and Assistant Director Cecilio Salcedo, and Senator Edgardo Angara of the Museum's Board of Trustees, PAGCOR pledged to finally pay the balance between April and December this year.

The Museum is authorized to use endowment funds "necessary for the preservation of its art collection" under Republic Act No. 8942 or the National Museum Act of 1998.

Aside from the fund from PAGCOR, the Museum is also bound to receive another P250 million from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The Museum shall receive the endowment funds within a period of three years until completed, its charter dictates.

Perfect timing

Barns said PAGCOR's settled endowment fund will help in the Museum's agenda for revitalization.

“We are in the process of creating a new and improved National Museum that every Filipino can be proud of. We have been working hard to modernize, expand and upgrade our facilities for the general public as well as enhance the general appeal of the Museum. We have not had the resources that we need to make any big moves, but that has changed significantly now," he said.

Angara, an ex-officio member of the Board, commended the move as "a huge milestone for our country."

"It will foster cultural and artistic literacy. The National Museum has not acquired any large collection in the last few years, and now it finally can. This is the largest amount that any government agency has given so far, and the National Museum can use every penny of it," the head of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture said.

Meanwhile, apart from completing the endowment, Naguiat said PAGCOR is also consistently working to raise funds for the governments’ socio-civic and national developmental efforts.