Diet Coke

A San Fernando Valley woman who last week told police that she found a syringe in a can of Diet Coke was charged Wednesday with filing a false police report. Debra Uyeoka, 24, of Van Nuys faces Municipal Court arraignment July 21 on the misdemeanor charge, said Deputy City Atty. Laura Van Eyk. If convicted, she faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Uyeoka told police on June 14 that she was stuck in the mouth by a syringe found inside a sealed Diet Coke can.

Diet Coke is canning its venerable "Just for the Taste of It" slogan on New Year's Day, changing the catchwords for the first time since the low-calorie soda debuted in 1982. The new slogans will be "Taste It All" and "One Awesome Calorie," the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. confirmed Tuesday. Both will be emblazoned on Diet Coke cans and bottles and will form the basis of a new advertising campaign, Coke spokesman Randy Donaldson said.

The Super Bowl came blasting on Sunday with words like "greatness," "monumental achievements," "grit and determination," "prodigious talents," "ultimate confrontation." Silly us, we thought they were talking about the teams. Obviously the game wasn't very monumental. They probably were referring to the ultimate confrontation between Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola. The final score isn't known, since this is a continuing contest . . .

In yet another pop-meets-pop-star match-up, Diet Coke has signed Paula Abdul to appear in television and radio commercials for an undisclosed sum. As the reigning pop music queen, Abdul has had three No. 1 singles in the last year--"Straight Up," "Forever Your Girl" and "Cold Hearted" --on her debut album, 'Forever Your Girl." 'We're thrilled to usher in the new decade with an incredible talent like Paula," said Coca-Cola Vice President Michael A.

Details are continuing to emerge about the most astounding video news of the year: Warner Home Video's decision to release "Batman" Nov. 15 for $24.98. For example: The tape will lead off with a Diet Coke commercial featuring the "Batman" character Alfred the Butler (Michael Gough). Alfred is seen calling a Gotham City store to order the soft drink while Batman races to pick it up in the Batmobile.