Bootleggin'!

That's what I'll be doing (within the limits of the law of course!).  

Last Monday, was the last day of the 90 day Maryland Legislative session.  Of course, the session could not be complete without the Dem dominated make up passing some kind of tax scheme and scheme they did!  In passing a bill that will shoot the alcohol tax up from 6% to 9% effective July 1, 2011.  Of course, any good scheme wouldn't be complete without claiming to help the needy, and then divert the raised revenues to politically expedient, vote buying jurisdictions in the form of "education" funds.

Of $47.5 million of first-year revenue to be doled out for school construction, $43 million goes to the larger, more Democratic counties in the state. Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties would each receive $9 million if signed into law by O’Malley. 

The above continues to prove that Maryland, like it's FedGov cousin, continually has a spending problem and not a revenue problem! 

So, yes dear reader (and the state of Maryland, since I'm sure you're watching) I can assure you I will be participating in this tax as little as legally possible.  I will not be transporting any alcohol from our neighboring states for financial gain, but only for personal consumption.  Meaning, I intend to drink anything bought out of state and returned to Maryland.  No gifts will be provided to friends and family, and no distributions (except to my liver and kidneys) will be made for compensation or non-compensation.  Further, I will be making all my beer and wine purchases before this regressive tax is imposed on July 1. 

I guess it's time to figure out a good home brewing setup; suggestions are welcome. 

Leave it to the Polacks to Breathalyze Skiiers

There are days when I have trouble skiing on my own accord, so I am not quite sure how a Polack could ski while drunk (oh the irony, and the jokes).  Either way, it seems that legislation in Poland will now be targeting drunk skiers and getting them off the mountain.

I'm all for drinking and skiing, but I am a firm believe that the former should be done in a hot tub while recovering from the days adventures.  So, to all you powder hounds out there, I hope you find a good SUI (skiing under the influence) lawyer in advance of your trip to the Polish resorts this winter.

Food Police are Here for Your Alcoholic Energy Drinks

As usual, when there are not enough criminals, the police state will always legislate more criminals (or in this case the usurping bureaucracy will arbitrarily make a rule to regulate something).  On Tuesday, we talked about Baltimore making illegal carry a felony but now, something far worse is rearing it's ugly head.  The FDA is coming for your alcoholic energy drinks. 

That's right, caffeine is now being labeled an "unsafe" additive to alcoholic beverages, and the manufactures of these drinks better cough them up, else the FDA Food Nazis will come looking for them!  A rash of teenage drinking and driving (already illegal) accidents related to these alcoholic energy drinks has spurn some sort of manufactured outrage on behalf of the government overlords.  It would seem that the social ills that follow drinking are now more dangerous when the caffeine is added directly to the adult beverage.  Making drunks more awake, enables them to have more bar brawls and engage in destructive behaviors that are never associated with passed out drunks.  Oh snap, don't tell the college age kids that they will have to lay off their Jager Bombs because they are now creating an illegal and dangerous drink!

Apparently a good cup of coffee after pounding down some happy hour beers never caused a drunk to be wide awake?  Isn't this one of the first things they teach you in driver's education classes?  That, if you have been drinking, nothing but time will allow the effects of alcohol to subside?  The whole cold shower and a cup of coffee to "sober" up has been the time tested urban legend that we have all heard preached to us, yet how many bars serve coffee and stock Red Bull?  All I know is that Drew Carey would be extremely disappointed with this decision. 

Simply more unintended consequences from micromanaging as John Lott points out.  I have to wonder what Mike W. will say over at Another Gun Blog, since he is the resident beer blogger of the mid-Atlantic.  I wonder how this will impact producers of craft beers that tend to mix coffee malts into their brew kettles? 

You can have my SPARKS when you pry it from my cold dead, tall and frosty, hands!