From Art : I have new, unused Big Chief Lemon bottle caps, never out of the original box. Make an offer on any quantity. I also have 17,000 TAB bottle caps.

From Rick Holt : I have three different return-for-deposit Hire's Root Beer bottles. I do not collect the painted labels, so if anyone would like them, I'll send them for shipping reimbursement only.

From Michael Coin : I have 16 Chero-Cola bottles and one NuGrape with the yellow painted label. All are in very good condition. 

From Blair Matthews, Editor of the Soda Pop Dreams Magazine : The third edition of The Soda Spectrum Series is coming  - dedicated to Coca-Cola bottles and Coke bottle collectors. Also a new back issues 'super' cd is available now with Issues #1-28 on one great cd..... Check out our website for details!!  Also, check out the first Coke bottle edition at: http://www.pww.on.ca/sodamag.htm.

From Richard Mix, Mix International :  If you've never looked at my auctions before, now is the time! - Mix International -- I have been "commissioned" by a few other collectors to sell several cases of bottles on ebay...LOTS OF FRESH INVENTORY - bottles that I have never posted before and MANY SOUGHT AFTER BOTTLES!!!  ...Subway, Canteen, Universal, SOCAP, Showeast, Showest, Denny's, McDonalds, a BOXED FRENCH LOVERS SET - and many many other great bottles!!

From Joe Morales : Please take a moment and visit my eBay auctions: Black Cat Trading. Thank you.

Also if anyone else has bottles or other soda-related items to offer, E-mail and let us all know.

WANTED: William V. Seifert book 'Collecting Hobbleskirt Coca Cola Bottles' published by Carstarphen Publishing around 1978. Please email/mail price to : Doug McCoy, 2851 Milford View, Marietta, GA 30008; Ph: (770) 435-9138 or send E-mail.

From 'electric pop' : I am looking for a book on Pepsi vending machines and coolers.

Do you have a particular item, or items, that you have been looking for a long time to complete part of your collection, or something you want - but have not as yet been able to find? Send it so all of us can help you look. You never know where it may turn up! E-mail it to My Missing Item

PepsiCo has relaunched its Mountain Dew LiveWire brand, which will be available in stores nationwide until August.

V-Net Beverage has signed a distribution and licensing agreement to market Rush Cola, a low calorie, all natural cola. According to the agreement, V-Net will retain distribution and licensing rights for the US for Rush Cola, available to consumers for purchase this summer.

The Coca-Cola Company has unveiled its plan of a series of marketing programs in conjunction with the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay. The relay officially began March 25th with the flame lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece. The flame will travel through 33 cities in 26 countries beginning June 4 through July 9. The flame will return to Greece on July 9 and conclude at the Athens Olympic Stadium on August 13. Coca-Cola has been a sponsor of the Olympic Games since 1928 and this is the fourth time that Coca-Cola is a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay.

Yo-Yo legend Jack Russell has died in his home in Florida on March 17 at age 83. The Jack Russell Company he built has sold more than 500 million yo-yos marketing Coca-Cola Company's brands worldwide.

Web users have put bottles of Coca-Cola’s Dasani water up for sale on eBay (UK). Coca-Cola had withdrawn Dasani after discovering it contained illegal levels of bromate, a chemical that could increase the risk of cancer and has no immediate plans to reintroduce the brand. At the time of this writing, there were currently five lots on eBay, including “two empty bottles that held Dasani water” and a Dasani pen. One eBay seller hads put a 99p starting bid on a bottle of Dasani and claimed in his posting that it “will become a collectors item after being withdrawn from sale because of health fears” and poses the question, “who knows what this will be worth in a few years”. Another seller describes their 1.5 litre bottle of Dasani water for sale as "a good investment and most unusual" and "truely a very collectable item". Media reports have mocked Coca-Cola after it emerged Coke had produced Dasani from mains water at a factory in Sidcup, Kent.

A dispute involving two young Nelson (New Zealand) people erupted over who is the rightful winner of a $49,990 car won through a Coca-Cola competition. Coca-Cola spokeswoman Alison Sykora said the problem arose when a young Nelson man, who bought a bottle of Coca-Cola, used a friend's cellphone to text a code from the underside of his bottle cap. A text message returned alerting him to the fact he had won a Subaru WRX car worth almost $50,000. However, the young female owner of the cellphone read the rules and realised that legally she was the rightful winner. The terms and conditions of the XLR8 competition clearly state the prize goes to "the registered user of the mobile number the text was sent from." Ms Sykora said the rules were clear and Coca-Cola "had to stick to them". The issue seemed to have been resolved when the families of the two young people decided to sell the car and split the profits.

New bottles or cans, or anything soda, in your area ?
Please send the info so all of us can know @ Whats New

APRIL 2 - 3  -  WHEATON, ILLINOIS
Collector's Jubilee Antique Insulator & Collectibles Show (Fri. 10 AM – 5 PM, Sat. 9 AM – 1 PM) at the Du Page County Fairgrounds, Wheaton, Illinois. INFO: JIM CRANDALL, 1486 Prospect Ave., Des Plaines, IL  60018, PH: (847) 827-4727.

APRIL 3  -  KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN
Kalamazoo Antique Bottle & Glass Show 25th Silver Annual Show & Michigan's largest bottle show (Sat. 10 AM – 3 PM) at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, 2900 Lake St., Kalamazoo, MI.  INFO: JOHN PASTOR, 7288 Thorncrest Dr. SE, Ada, MI 49301, PH: (616) 285-7604, E-mail: jpastor2000@msn.com or Mark McNee, PH: (269) 343-8393.

APRIL 4  -  CIRENCESTER, ENGLAND
Cirencester Bottle & Collector’s Fair (Sun. 11 AM – 3 PM, early admission 9 AM) at the Bingham Hall, King St., Cirencester, England. INFO: KEITH WAIT, 9 Purley Rd., Cirencester, Glos. GL7 1EP, England, PH: 011 44 1285 652 142.

APRIL 4  -  AYLESBURY, ENGLAND
National Society of Collectors Fairs Annual Good Friday Antique Bottle & Advertising Show & Sale (Sun. 11 AM – 3 PM, early admission 9 AM) at the Civic Center, Aylesbury, England. INFO: PAMELA BALL, 2 Pound Cottage, Blackthorn, Bicester, Oxon OX25 1TE, England, PH: 011-44-1869 241107.

APRIL 17  -  JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS
Little Rock Antique Bottle Club’s 34^th Annual Show & Sale (Sat. 9 AM – 3 PM) at the Jacksonville Community Center, 5 Municipal Dr., Jacksonville, Arkansas. INFO: ED TARDY, PH: (501) 868-9548, E-mail: etardy135@comcast.net

APRIL 18   -  ROCHESTER, NEW YORK  (New Show Location)  
Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association's 35th Annual Show & Sale (Sun. 9 AM - 3 PM) at the ESL Sports Centre at Monroe Community College, 2700 Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Rd., Rochester, New York. INFO: DON ANGELINI, PH: (585) 265-9516, E-mail: ange63@frontiernet.net or TOM WHIPPLE, PH: (585) 554-3964, E-mail: gvbcadealerstables@hotmail.com, Web site: www.gvbca.org.

APRIL 18  -  WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN 
Spring City Collector’s 1st Annual Antique Advertising & Bottle Show & Sale (Sun. 9 AM – 3 PM, early admission 8:30 AM) at the Quality Inn, 2417 Bluemound Rd. (I-94 exit 297), Waukesha, Wisconsin. INFO: JOE MARTIN, 332 W. Roberta Ave., Waukesha, WI  53186, PH: (262) 513–8820 or (414) 305–9562, E-mail: Mrtncmrt487@cs.com.

APRIL 23 – 24  -  VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA
Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society's 38^th Annual Show & Sale (Sat. 9 AM - 4 PM, early admission Fri. 2 PM – 8 PM) at the Solano County Fairgrounds McCormack Hall, 900 Fairgrounds Dr. (Hwy. 37/80 across from Six Flags Marine World), Vallejo, California. INFO: GARY ANTONE, 752 Murdell Lane, Livermore, CA 94550-5104, PH: (925) 373-6758 or (650) 603-9254, E-mail: packrat49er@netscape.net.

APRIL 25  -  HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA 
Historical Bottle Diggers of Virginia’s 33^rd Annual Show & Sale (Sun. 9 AM – 3 PM) at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, U. S.  Route 11 South, Harrisonburg, Virginia. INFO: SONNY SMILEY, 1025 Greendale Rd., Harrisonburg, VA  22801, PH: (540) 434-1129, E-mail: lithiaman1@yahoo.com.

APRIL 25  -  OTTAWA, ONTARIO
Bytown Bottle Seeker’s Antique, Collectibles & Bottle Show & Sale (Sun. 9 AM – 3 PM) at the Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Ave., Nepean (Ottawa), Ontario, Canada. INFO: PEGGY SWEET, PH: (613) 257-1269, E-mail: mississippi@canada.com, Website: http://bbsc1970.tripod.com.

APRIL 30 - MAY 1  -  GRAY, TENNESSEE
State of Franklin Antique Bottle & Collectible Association's 6th Annual Bottle Show & Sale (Sat. 7 AM - 9 PM, Free Admission. Set-up & Early Admission, Fri. Noon - 6 PM) at the Appalachian Fairgrounds, Gray, Tennessee. INFO: CHARLIE BARNETTE, 100 Coffey St., Bristol, TN 37620; PH: (423) 968-1437; E-mail: Brisbotls@chartertn.net.

The Mid-America Chapter of The Coca-Cola Collectors Club presents its “Spring Fling 2004 Convention “The Best By Any Measure” April 15-17, 2004 at the Roger T. Shermon Center, 201 N. Dodgion Street (intersection of Noland and Truman Roads), Independence, Missouri. The Convention banquet will begin at 6:30pm with the auction at 8:15pm. The swap-meet on April 17th will be open to the public with free admission from 9am to 2pm. There will also be free "Coca-Cola" memorabilia appraisals and raffles. All other convention events require registration. Swap-meet tables, jamboree picnic, games, door prizes, silent auction, regular auction, entertainment and banquet. For additional information, call: Ginny Wohlgemuth (Pres., Mid-American Chapter) 316-320-5424, or E-mail: gincoke@powwwer.net or midamericatcccc@yahoo.com.

NOVEMBER 4-6  -  BRANSON, MISSOURI
The Arkansas & Green County (Oklahoma) Coca-Cola Collector's Club Chapters present "Fall Fever in the Ozarks" event in Branson, Missouri at the Settle Inn Resort, 3050 Green Mountain Drive. Call 1-800-677-6906 for reservations at $65 + tax per night. INFO: KEN COTTRELL, PH: (918) 357-3067; E-mail: beartul@earthlink.net.

I now maintain a full 'events calendar' that you can check out for future shows.
Any new events  in your area? E-mail it so all of us can know, to: Upcoming Events

The Soda Fizz Magazine - March/April issue has been mailed. I do have some extra copies left over, so if you haven't requested a sample copy yet, now is the time  - just send me your name and postal address. The table of contents for this issue is online, if you want to check that out first.

Also, keep your comments, questions and (free) classified ads coming.  It is just one of the things that makes The Fizz interesting.

In the meantime - do remember the EXPO in Memphis in August. Make plans to be there - it will be here before we know it.

LAST NOTE: If anyone has an upcoming show and would like to place PSBCA (and or FOHBC) brochures on your table, DO let me know and I would be happy to send you a supply for that. Also, if you have a booth in an antique shop or mall, etc., I would send brochures for that as well.  All help is greatly appreciated.  (It is my goal to increase the PSBCA membership significantly this year, 2004.)

Until next time, Happy Holidays and Happy Collecting!

by Jim Harrison

"I am often asked if I am trying to say something with my work. Most of my painting efforts have been for the purpose of perpetuating things; times and places of the past. To label me just a barn and sign painter is not fair. I must have tremendous feeling for my subjects, but I am also concerned with the "spirit" of the place or thing. Without trying to be classed as one delivering a social comment, I am making my statement for posterity ... a posterity that would have been cheated by our so called 'progress.'

"Very little of our American heritage of yesteryear remains unspoiled by pollution and undamaged by the bulldozer. It is my purpose to stay a little > ahead of the wrecking crews so that I my record as much about the yesterdays and yesteryears as possible."

During the month of March, all online customers at www.jimharrison.com with orders totaling at least $100 will receive a free open edition print with their purchase. So don't delay, make your purchase today and receive this special gift!

If you have a soda-related subject that you would like to see here as an "FYI" article, or have information you yourself would like to contribute, don't be shy, send it to: FYI Idea