Trends for May 14, 2001

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, May 14, 2001 | 8:46 a.m.

Pop payola

It's time for another round of contests.

Next time you reach for a can of Coca-Cola, beware it may be an imposter. Not the soda inside, but the can.

The company is reintroducing its "pop-top" cans with lids that pop off to reveal a "prize-winning disk." This summer Coke is giving away five $1 million cash prizes in cans of its classic, diet and caffeine-free Coke, as well as Sprite.

To promote the giveaway, it has compiled a list of "Facts Worth a Million." Bet you didn't know or care that if all of the Coke ever produced were to spew from Old Faithful at the geyser's rate of 15,000 gallons per hour, soda would flow for nearly 14 million hours or 1,577 years.

To equal the amount of tea dumped into the harbor during the Boston Tea Party, you'd need 24 million cans of Coke.

In case you were wondering we're guessing you weren't Coca-Cola products are gulped down at the rate of more than 41.7 million drinks per hour.

Keep working it

Are you counting down the days, weeks or years until your retirement?

Then stop reading now.

Chances are you won't qualify to participate in a contest being sponsored by Green Thumb Inc. The national company, which provides training and employment for mature and disadvantaged workers, is searching for someone to hold the 2001 title of America's Oldest Worker. To be considered, applicants must work at least 20 hours per week in paid employment. They can nominate themselves, or be given the nod by friends, family or an employer.

The person with the earliest birth date who meets the criteria wins. The award will be presented in September during National Prime Time Awards Week in Washington, D.C.

For the record, last year's winner was 103-year-old Robert Eisenberg, who worked as a consultant for Zabin Industries in Los Angeles.

To obtain a nomination form (which is due June 15), visit greenthumb.org.

Just the two of us

Are you a karaoke nut? Then grab a partner and get busy practicing tunes for a chance to be named Glade's Freshest New Duet.

The contest's name plays off Glade's Duet air freshener. That's why the company is looking for five karaoke duos to compete in August at New York's Grand Central Terminal. The finalists will be judged by another famous duo Northern Nevada residents and singing stars Captain and Tennille as well as a talent scout.

The grand-prize winners will take home $5,000, a year's supply of Glade Duet and the chance to sing in a Glade ad.

To enter, send a VHS-taped performance, along with your name, address, phone number and age (21 and older only) by July 15 to Glade Duet, 676 N. St. Clair, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60611.