EchoBooming in Birmingham

Thanks to Nico for pointing me to this article over at the Montgomery Advertiser.

Apparently a ton of constituents are <gasp> calling their legislators and begging them to vote no on the bill.

This article focuses on the fact that the Alabama Wholesale Beer Association (AKA Big Beer) is behind the proposed legislation.

“Helping solve the underage drinking problem in Alabama is more important,” he (Chris Fuchs, manager of Budweiser’s Mobile market) said. Still, the attorney for the Alabama Wholesale Beer Association offered another reason for the bill — legal liability.

“There is a liability question, and I’m sure (distributors) don’t want to be exposed to it,” Montgomery attorney Walter Byars said. He said a distributor for Miller High Life in Birmingham was sued over a keg party several years ago.

He won at the Alabama Supreme Court but spent $80,000 in attorney fees.

Ok, that’s like baning cars because people die in them everyday.

Why don’t these jackholes propose some FREAKING TORT REFORM LAWS if they’re so worried about being sued?

My research into the keg ban has brought some more info to light:

“Big Beer” (aka the beer distributors) are big proponents of this bill.

Of course they make much more money if you buy 160+ bottles compared to one keg (approx. retail of $133 vs. $85).

Also it seems that the bill has only the innocent kids in mind. At least that’s what the bill’s sponsor wants you to think of when it comes time to vote.

Apparently beer is the source of all evil…

Alabama State Senate votes 30-0 on the ban of Keg sales to individuals.

Other than my (somewhat) annual Halloween Party, I have no reason nor desire to buy a keg of beer, but if I choose to spend my money that way, I don’t want my government to tell me that I can’t.

If you like beer, or if you think our Legislators just need a smack across the face, please take some action.

Go to this site: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/misc/zipsearch.html
Look up your state Representative (since the Senators are a lost cause already) and call him or her. (too bad my representative won’t answer his freaking phone!

I HATE OUR STATE GOVERNMENT

Bain Mattox will be playing WorkPlay this evening. (big thanks to helluva for reminding me of such). This is the Birmingham CD release party for his new album “Prizefighter”.

Bain is the front man of what has become a bit of a revolving back up band. Their support of his music (which is mainly written for single instrument accompaniment) brings ROCK to an artist otherwise categorized as a “singer/songwriter”.

Mattox uses instruments such as the accordion, mandolin, banjo, and oddly tuned guitars to break the monotony of the everyday crap you hear on the radio.

Five Star Iris will be the supporting act, and the show gets started around 8.

Hopefully I’ll be able to make it as I completely forgot about the show :-/

Apparently ours is the first generation where prosperity <> tons of offspring.
*(<> means does not equal for you non dork types)

But back in the day, with tons of power and tons of money came tons of offspring. Genghis Khan passed on the Y chromosome that is present in 8 percent of males in Central Asia.

And apparently, there was some Irish King that has approximately 3 million descendants today.

Can you imagine if the wealthy and powerful were dropping seed like that today?

In 1500 years we’d have 3 million little Bill Gates running around…

<shudder>…