Hope springs eternal for those few dedicated fans awaiting the release of Chinese Democracy. After spending the better part of twenty years existing on a couple performances and a leaked track, however, even the most stalwart among them are beginning to question the release of the album in their lifetime. Their time in the wilderness may soon be coming to end, though, as Dr Pepper has stepped with a proposal to slake the collective thirst for hair metal and second tier soft drinks. If Chinese Democracy is released at any point in 2008, Dr Pepper will give everyone in America (save ex-guitarists Slash and Buckethead) a free can of soda. Axl has been able to resist the prospect of making millions of dollars and take the slings and arrows of critics saying that he’s a has-been, but the prospect of denying Slash and Buckethead twelve ounces of refreshment might just be the straw that will break the camel’s back. [Idolator]