Shot Glasses

I live in a somewhat "dry" county - believe it or not, they still exist! We just got the "right" to purchase beer on Sundays a few years ago. In fact, I live only a few miles from the county line and they literally padlock the doors to the beer cooler after midnight and on Sundays. If you think that is weird, imagine how I felt the first time I saw it! Anyway, while beer is sold, liquor stores are not allowed. You have to drive 30 miles in either direction to get liquor, and I overwhelmingly prefer liquor to beer.

I also prefer to drink my liquor in shot glasses. I like mixed drinks just fine, depending on what I am drinking, but when it comes to getting hammered, I like to measure my drinking and chase my shots. In my younger days, we used to have shots with our rounds of beer at bars. There are plenty of bars here, but none serve liquor.

I know a lot of people like to collect shot glasses, and now you can get engraved glassware from Glass with a Twist - shot glasses with your own design and text.If you have ever caught our show, you know we like to play drinking games as well, and shot glasses are great for those! In fact, we may just have to get some personalized shot glasses just for such occasions...

Malibu Horizon

While some celebrities have abused the entire notion of rehabilitation, most people realize that there is a need for drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers like Malibu Horizon alcohol treatment. While they can be expensive, many insurance plans cover drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and most people would be hard-pressed to put a price on their own lives. If you need help, or know someone who does, it is never too late to start looking for the right program.

Oak Barrels

I have a growing interest in wines, though I do not think I will ever venture into winemaking. However, I have known a lot of people who have made their own wines. If you are serious about the matter, you need the right equipment - like oak barrels. The best wines are always aged in barrels - at least as far as I know. Again, I do not know a lot about wines, but I am starting to become more interested, so let me know if you are a winemaker who reads The OddBlog!

Indian Officials Offer $2000 Reward for Captured Vampires

Residents of Dharampuri in India are refusing to come outside after nightfall and have taken to painting holy symbols on the fronts of their houses to ward off Ratha Kaatten -- local vampires. After a spate of cattle killings in the area, word spread that the cattle were being killed by Ratha Kaatten.

Authorities say the rumors were started by bootleggers and other criminals whose night time activities were being disturbed. To prove there are no Ratha Kaatten attacking the livestock, they have offered a $2000 reward for the corpse of any vampire.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

Lithuanian Clergy Puts Stop to Ad Campaign

Lithuanian-area monks and nuns effectively ended a regional advertising campaign that featured a Franciscan monk hoisting a mug of beer. The company behind the campaign said it was only trying to link monks' historical past as brewers to their product and meant no insult, but nuns and monks from the area wrote to tell the company that they found it offensive. The company has ended the campaign and apologized for the error.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

The Cryptozoological Curiosity of Wetzel Kangaroo Beer

For a solid decade -- 1957 - 1967 -- residents in and around Coon Rapids, Minneapolis repeatedly encountered at least two kangaroos. The wood behind the suburban Anoka County Fairgrounds is where they are believed to have lived, though they were spotted as far away as Nebraska, sometimes hundreds of miles apart from one another.

A local brewer, Charles Wetzel, bore witness to one of the kangaroos, inspiring him to brew the Wetzel Kangaroo Beer. In fact, it turns out that there is a thriving microbrewery scene involving cryptids and cryptozoological, which is covered quite well by Cryptobrewology dotCom.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Smart Kids Become Heavy Drinking Adults

Two separate studies came to the same conclusion: When smart kids grow-up, they tend to drink more often, and more heavily, than their stupiderer classmates. One of the studies was conducted in America, the other in Britain. But researchers do not know exactly what the correlation is. Many people, mostly outside of the scientific community, have offered theories, but I was too drunk to give a damn.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Moderate Drinkers Live Longer Than Teetotalers

According to a new study, moderate drinkers outlive both heavy drinkers and teetotalers, but the bigger revelation is that heavy drinkers tend to outlive those who do not drink. "Moderate drinkers" are those who have three or fewer drinks a day, or less.

The study involved six researchers from the University of Texas at Austin who reviewed case studies over a span of 20 years. With consideration to all factors, such as socio-economical conditions, support systems (friends and contacts), physical activity, and the like, it turned out that heavy drinkers not only outlived those who did not drink, but teetotalers were more likely to be depressed.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Divers Discover 18th-Century Champagne

Divers working on a shipwreck near the Aland Islands discovered several bottles of what they was wine. They brought the bottles to the surface, hoping their dating would tell them more about the shipwreck. They were astonished to learn the bottle contained champagne. And they were impressed by its taste, which one described as "fantastic!"

The champagne is thought to have been bottled in the late 18^th Century, making it the oldest drinkable champagne known. The oldest, verified, drinkable champagne is from 1825. The shipwreck is thought to have been Russian and carried cargo. It was found at a depth of approximately 200'. The conditions are excellent for storing alcohol: dark and cold.

The diving instructor who discovered the wreck, Christian Ekstrom, said he is confident of the bottle's age and authenticity, but samples have been sent to French labs for validation. Ekstrom described the champagne as "Very sweet... with a tobacco taste and oak."

If the champagne is authenticated, one expert said each bottle could fetch upwards of $100,000.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Martians Give Drunk Man Ride to Strip Club

A 50-year-old man arrested outside of a Wisconsin strip club after crashing his SUV into its entrance told police he had gotten a ride from "Martians." Police say the man was asked to leave the establishment after he vomited in the VIP room. Once outside, the man promptly put his SUV in reverse and slammed into the club's entrance. The report does not indicate the wreck was purposeful; when asked how he was doing, he replied, "Not good. [But I] seen some nice strippers."

Ufologists know what this means. Party in Wisconsin!

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Teen 'Eyeballing' Leads to Trouble

This is not that kind of story (though there is no dearth of them these days); this is actually a story about a new "fad" amongst some teenagers. We were all stupid kids when we were, well, kids - I wrote the book on Stupid many a time, or at least a chapter here and there - but I'm not sure this one ever came-up except maybe on a dare (and well after everyone was already too drunk to feel it):

According to some experts, teenagers have taken to pouring vodka in their eyes! It's called "eyeballin," and they are not doing it to get drunk, but after they are already wasted (like I said...). There are now hundreds of YouTube videos of the act, and some say it is increasingly common at parties and large gatherings.

Experts warn that vodka can actually burn away the top layer of the cornea, eventually leading to blindness, though scarring is more likely. This lesser damage comes with its own perils, including infection.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

9000-year Old Brew On Shelves Now!

Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats in Delaware is offering a few new brews this season - one of which is based on a recipe over 9000 years old! Detailed by an archaeologist a few years back, the formula for Chateau Jihau is based on chemical analysis from pottery found in Jihau, China. Ingredients include rice, honey, and fruit.

Dogfish is offering consumers another ancient recipe this summer, as well: Sahtea. An updated version of the 9^th-Century Finnish potable, sahti, the owner of Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats, Sam Calagione, put together the hard way: with freshly-picked juniper berries shipped to him from Finland.

A few years back, another major, American brewer used ancient references to recreate ancient brews. Anchor Steam did this in 1989 by following the "recipe" included in the Sumerian hymn to Ninkasi, Goddess of Brewing. Dogfish Head's recipe came from Patrick McGovern, a molecular archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania, and an avid craft brewer. McGovern offered the recipe to several breweries and thought Dogfish Head's was the best.

Dogfish Head has one more ancient beer recipe to bring us this summer: Theobrama. First brewed in 2008, Theobrama is based on chemical analysis of pottery found in the Honduras. One of the foremost ingredients is chocolate.

While researching the Sumerian recipe, the team at Anchor Steam came across a theory which posited that the first nomads (hunter/gatherers) were persuaded to settle not to bake bread, but to brew beer! The baking of bread and brewing of beer are closely intertwined.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Our Drunken Ancestors

A US team under the leadership of the Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, Patrick McGovern, used organic compounds and cutting-edge science to determine that liquid recovered from a vase some 5000 years old contained alcohol.  The container was excavated from Egyptian tombs dating back to around 3150BC.  They are the earliest jars, or amphora, discovered so far containing liquid.

Professor McGovern said the findings prove that our ancestors were using trial and error to develop medicinal concoctions, and that alcohol was a key ingredient in their treatments.  Other ingredients in the liquid are known medicinal components, including herbs and tree barks.  McGovern notes that alcoholic brews would have been particularly well-suited for dissolving these ingredients.

The professor is now collaborating with a team at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center in testing the oldest alcoholic beverage in existence -- liquid found in China which dates back to around 7000BC.  He is hoping to recreate some of the compounds.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

SAB Miller Opens Plant in Sudan

For 25 years, Sudanese have faced the threat of 40 lashes for drinking a beer. Now, SAB Miller - one of the world's largest brewers, is about to open a brewery there.

25 years ago, Sudan fell under Islamic rule and uprisings led to a two decades-long war. Even now, north and south Sudan are in disputes over oilfields and both are preparing for war. Tensions run high in the region, but the new SAB Miller brewery, in which the company has invested some £25 million, is as much a statement of independence as anything else.

Previously, restauranteurs had to bicycle miles to bring back as much alcohol as they could carry, with the Sudanese having gained a semi-autonomous state from the Islamic rule of the Khartoum in 2005. Alcohol remains hard to find in the region, but all that will change when the new brewery opens its doors.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Wash Your Windows, Go to Jail

Police were surprised to discover windows-washing fluid fumes can apparently register on a Breathalyzer.

Monika Mårtensson had just cleaned her windshield when police pulled her over. She told them she had not drunk alcohol in over five years, but they are required to give her a field Breathalyzer test, which she failed. Both police and Ms. Mårtensson were shocked, so the cops let her breathe fresh air for five minutes and retake the test, which she then passed. While Mårtensson was embarrassed by the stop, she was allowed to go about her way.

A policeman told reporters, "I know that mouthwash has been found to register on the meter. There could well be [similar factors which indicate false positives]." The legal driving limit is only .02 in Sweden, compared to 0.05 across most of the rest of Europe and generally .08 in America, just in case you were thinking of using this as an excuse.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Tequila Turned Into Diamonds

Scientists from Mexico claim physicists there have discovered a way to make diamonds out of tequila. While too small to be made into jewelry, the synthetic diamonds may have many industrial uses.

The process involves vaporizing the tequila, then heating the gases even further, creating diamond crystals. These can only be seen under a microscope. Some practical uses include silicon chips and surgical devices. Even more promising, even the cheapest tequila works.

American women have been using tequila to get diamonds for years.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Water to Wine

Every year, the Italian town of Marino interrupts the water supply to flow wine through to the statues at the center of their Grape Festival. But due to a technical error this year, wine flowed from taps in peoples' homes for a full three minutes!

Many thought it was a gift from the town council, but it was simply an error that was quickly corrected. 10-12 homes experienced the "gift," along with the main local bar. The Grape Festival is held annually on the first Sunday in October to celebrate Admiral Marcantonio Colonna's return home following his victory over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Heifer Arrested

32-year old Michelle Allen was arrested wearing a cow suit for allegedly chasing children, urinating on a neighbor's porch, and acting belligerent toward officers.

Earlier, Allen had been warned to go home and stay there for the rest of the day. Police say she reeked of alcohol. The weird thing is that she was wearing a cow suit!

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Lawmakers Against Caffeinated Adult Beverage

Lawmakers are targeting MillerCoors LLC for the manufacturing and distribution of the Sparks energy drink. Sparks is an alcoholic, high-caffeine drink.

I have personally drank Sparks on several occasions and agree that the amount of caffeine in it tends to lessen the feeling of intoxication. But I do not see this as a bad thing. I mean, I was too awake to feel drunk, so I was less impaired... how is that a worse thing?

Lawmakers in 25 states disagree, indicating the drink is primarily aimed at teenagers and young drinkers who are drawn to high-energy drinks, such as Red Bull. Obviously, Tennessee already sells the beverage.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Pterodactyl in Wenatchee, Washington?

A 29-year old man from Wenatchee, Washington, wrecked his car on a lightpole in December of last year.  When police investigating the crash asked him what happened, he said, "Pterodactyl."

Witnesses claim the man veered into oncoming traffic before plowing into the lightpole and police found "a minimal amount of alcohol" in his system.  None of the crash witnesses reported any airborne objects, whether or not any were present.

While most likely a drunken incident, this is far from the first time the prehistoric pterodactyl has been reported in modern times.  In particular, reports persist in the Southwestern United States (notably Arizona and Texas) to this day.  Some cryptozoologists and phenomenalists have even suggested that the infamous Mothman sightings of the 1960s may have been related to a pterodactyl(s).

Most recently, the Sci-Fi Channel hit series, Destination Truth, caught something on camera in Rio Branco where the local populace has been complaining of a "winged monster."  Whatever it was had bright, red eyes, just as reported.

As noted, Washington is quite a ways out of the pterodactyl's normal stamping grounds, but the center of Batsquatch activity.

Source: Olyblog

© C Harris Lynn, 2008