In two states in India, Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh, farmers have discovered a new kind of pesticide. Instead of paying large sums of money to international chemical companies for chemical pesticides, they are spraying their cotton and chili pepper field with Coca-Cola. 

        In the past month there have been reports of hundreds of farmers spraying cola on their fields. Thousands of others are expected to make the switch to cola from the usual pesticides as word spreads about the new spray. A farmer in Andhra Pradesh interviewed by a local newspaper said he was very satisfied with his new cola spray, which he applied this year to several acres of cotton. He observed that the insects on his cotton plants began to die soon after he sprayed his field with cola. 

        Local agriculture officials would not comment on this new development, except to note that the cola spray cost considerably less than the pesticides produced by Montsanto, Shell and Dow Chemical. The Coca-Cola Company already is in legal difficulties in Andhra Pradesh state, where it has been accused of taking water away from farmers for its bottling plants. So far, representatives of the Coca-Cola Company have refused to comment on the new use of their product. It is not known if or how sales of the soft drinks have been affected, though it is likely that the company may try to profit from this new market.

    The festival of San Fermin, or the Running of the Bulls as it is more commonly known outside Spain, is held in honor of Saint Fermin in Pamplona in Spain every year from 6th to 14th July. It is also traditionally held in other places such as towns and villages across Spain and Portugal, some cities in Mexico, and southern France during the summer.

   The origin of the run can be traced back to the 14th century in northeastern Spain, where bull breeders needed to transport their bulls from the fields outside the city to the bullring, where they would be killed. To speed up the transporting process, workers would hurry the cattle using tactics of fear and excitement. Later this practice turned into a competition, as young adults would attempt to race in front of the bulls. It seemed that the modern-day celebration has evolved from this as well as individual commercial and bullfighting fiestas.

   The Pamplona bull run is the highest-profile event of the San Fermin festival. The first bull running is on 7th July, followed by one on each of the following mornings of the festival, beginning every day at 8 a.m. sharp. It all starts with a rocket fired to confirm that the gate of the bullring has been opened. After runners pray to San Fermin, a second rocket announces that the bulls, typically six, have left. The bulls and the runners then proceed along the route. A third rocket is set off once all the bulls have entered the bullring. When the bulls are in the bullpen, the final rocket ends the run.

   The vast number of participants nowadays adds to the already considerable danger of running alongside wild bulls weighing in the region of 700 kg each. Although plenty security and first-aid personnel are on hand, there is really little they can do to prevent people from injury, or even death, during the running of the bulls.