*1
(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)
The events of the last two years – most notably the pandemic, have generated profound changes – in economics, culture, politics, media, communications and interpersonal relationships as well as education – to name a few. (*1 See end of post for external photo attribution)
And, in part, due to the stress and the unfortunate influence of social media (except for blogs….) there is a spate of irrational thought as the chorus in Billy Currington’s song states:
“God is great, beer is good
And people are crazy.”
One wonders about those who question the need for masks and the debate has caused a lot of strife. It made me think back to one of my favorite childhood TV shows – the Lone Ranger.
Perhaps those who oppose masks and don’t believe in the scientists’ assertions, could protest by adopting the legendary Texas Ranger’s – facial adornment as shown below rather than an N95 mask or suitable alternative. (The people in Texas might approve of this style.)
Clayton Moore and Silver – “Master of Disguise?” *2
And what struck me as somewhat humorous is that the description of the Lone Ranger’s attributes on Wikipedia listed “Expert marksman, above-average athlete, horseman, hand-to-hand combat, and master of disguise.” (emphasis added) This raises several questions I never thought about in the “50’s such as “Did he just make the University of Texas RodeoTeam, but not get into the starting roster and therefor was only considered above average?”
More importantly, “Did Clayton Moore and the Directors really think that this mask, which he always wore (even without a mask mandate), would keep most people from surmising who wore it? What about this facial covering makes him a “Master of Disguise?”
Statistics
COVID has also resulted in a need to redirect the emphasis of Thebeerchaser blog from exploring new bars and breweries – at least until the statistics trend downward. But, in pondering the pandemic, I offer a few thoughts – and questions.
Although it is vital that they are monitored, we’re all tired of hearing about trends for the virus – statistics which are always filled with nuance and disclaimers. And then, a new variant springs up. I don’t know as many statistician jokes as lawyer or bar jokes, but this one is pretty good and also works in a bar theme:
“A guy met a statistician at a bar and asked her for her phone number. She gave him an estimate.”
We made it through 2020 – a horrible year and as 2021 closed, most people thought, “We are out of the woods,” only to have Omicron start a new and more contagious surge. This prompted one guy to ask rhetorically, “Omicron is like eternity. When is it going to end?”
And one empathizes with parents, teachers and students as education has been turned inside out. One wonders if grade school kids are now going to have to learn the Greek Alphabet — and what it will look like in cursive?
There are other crazy news items including this one which most people wouldn’t comprehend. And as can be seen below, it wasn’t just because of COVID, but a repeat annual record. (Maybe I just have more time to read this type of valuable information since the lockdowns and constraints on traveling.)
“Spam sales hit a record high for the seventh year in a row, the CEO of parent Hormel said.” It appears that this is because of global sales:
“Outside the (Continental) US, Spam has a large international market, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. It has been a household name in Hawaii since it was introduced in 1937. It can be found on menus across the islands, as Spam musubi – a sushi-like dish – Spam fried rice, and the popular breakfast – Spam, eggs, and rice.
In South Korea, it was introduced by the US army during the Korean War, when food was scarce. Today, Spam is so much a part of South Korean culture, that it is the staple ingredient in one of the country’s favorite dishes: budae jjigae, or army stew.”
And if you would like to personally take in all the facts about this pork product, take a trip to Austin, Minnesota where the Spam Museum is located and admission is free!
“The museum tells the history of the Hormel company, the origin of Spam, and its place in world culture. Austin is also the location of final judging in the national Spam recipe competition.”
What Were They Thinking???
But perhaps the most bizarre event I’ve read about occurred recently in my own city – Portland, Oregon. It made papers ranging from The Oregonian to the New York Times to The Guardian. It begs the question, “What were these people (a lot of them in different roles) thinking?”
Fact Situation:
- 98-year old David Saunders, a World War II and Korean war veteran who lived in Louisiana with his 92-year-old wife, died from the coronavirus.
- His wife donated the body to Med Ed Labs, a Las Vegas based company and is told it would be used for research with the cremated remains returned to her in an urn.
- Med Ed sells the body to another company – Death Science for use in a “Cadaver Lab Class” held during the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, an annual traveling event marketed toward “lovers of the strange, unusual and bizarre.”
- Death Science sells tickets for an autopsy to be held at a downtown Portland hotel with tickets ranging from $100 to $500 per person.
- The hotel, originally scheduled, finds out about the plan and backs out, whereupon the Portland Downtown Marriott ends up holding the event. Seventy people watched a “certified anatomist – a former University of Montana professor – handle the remains with ‘utmost respect’ and take questions from people in the audience representing themselves as students, anthropologists, and therapists, (New York Times)
Perhaps the Manager of the Downtown Mariott took an overly broad interpretation of the corporation’s mission statement: “To enhance the lives of our customers by creating and enabling unsurpassed vacation and leisure experience.”
Understandably, there was a lot of finger-pointing by all parties involved and both law enforcement and regulatory agencies from Multnomah County and the State of Oregon are investigating. And then there’s the future law suits…….
Drinking…
And since this is a blog that usually deals with bars and breweries and the beverages consumed therein, I will end with some more statistics, recent events and an observation or two.
The pandemic has obviously affected the work environment and work habits of millions of Americans. While some workers prefer the remote environment and not having to either dress for or commute to work, it creates stress if their home workspace is small and has to be shared with family members. Conversely, in many cases, it creates a more relaxed and informal workplace.
An Oregon Live article published in April 2020, was entitled, “Almost half of Oregonians are drinking while working at home during coronavirus pandemic:”
“Beer is their drink of choice over cocktails, according to Alcohol.org, but that’s probably little consolation to corporate bigwigs….Advertising and marketing agency employees had the highest percentage of employees answering with ‘Yes’, with 49.14%,’ Fishbowl (a social network for employees) reported…..
The larger Fishbowl survey showed workers in North Carolina, Oregon and Connecticut were the biggest drinkers, each with 47% partaking on the job.”
Having worked in a law firm environment, I can see where a gin and tonic could help a lawyer’s attitude when trying to formulate a creative justification for the taking clause in an eminent domain case or construct a Daubert motion to exclude expert testimony.
However, this is a disturbing trend and it remains to be seen how companies will implement policies on working on/off site once the pandemic is over.
And one article asked, “What’s more embarrassing—a drunk text or a drunk trade? Nearly one-third of investors, and 59% of Gen Z investors, have traded while inebriated, according to a survey from consumer finance site MagnifyMoney.” *9
And so Oregonians don’t get overly concerned about the statistics above, (after all, the survey was taken during a global pandemic) consumption by those in Oregon pales in comparison to Australia and France as set forth in this fascinating piece from The Guardian – 12/3/2021 with the caption:
“Risky levels – Australia is the drunkest country in the world, survey finds — While French drank most times a week, Australians surveyed got drunk an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average.”
It begs the question, “Were respondents sober enough to give an accurate answer to the questions?” The results are summarized below:
The international survey found Australians drank to the point of drunkenness an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average of 15. Almost a quarter of Australians reported feeling regret for becoming intoxicated.
The Global Drug Survey (GDS) asked more than 32,000 people from 22 countries what their drug and alcohol consumption was last year….(the majority of participants tend to be young and the findings are not representative of the wider population).
On average, Australians drank alcohol in line with the global average of two nights a week, and became heavily drunk about once every two weeks. The French topped that metric, drinking around three times a week.”
What’s interesting is how time (and booze) ebb and flow. For example, in October 2020 during the first year of the pandemic, I read a headline, “Millions of kegs of beer have gone stale as venues and bars closed down across the country, Bloomberg reports.”
“While some companies have found creative ways to turn the beverage into natural gas for electricity generation or into hand sanitizer, a majority of it will ultimately be dumped—a college fraternity’s worst nightmare.” *12
Fortunately, offsetting the statistics on increased alcoholic consumption as COVID raged, is a new trend addressed in an ABC News article (3/15/21) entitled, “New wave of bars creates buzz without the booze. Alcohol-free bars are opening around the world amid a growing number of people exploring sobriety”
I have often said that I could pursue my hobby and “Beerchase” while drinking Sprite or soda water, because I primarily want to discover the ambiance and history of the bar or brewery. For example, on my 2019 solo road trip through Montana where I hit 29 watering holes in six days, you better believe I did not consume a Budweiser at each stop.
Concepts such as Zero-Proof Therapy explained in a fascinating New Yorker article “An Ex-Drinker’s Search for a Sober Buzz” and Dry Januarys are becoming more prevalent. The same article stated:
“But an increased interest in health and wellness has allowed brands to try to own the practice of moderation. A 2019 Nielsen survey found that 66% of millennials are trying to cut back on alcohol consumption, compared with 47% of all people of drinking age in the US.” (“Marketing Brew” Newsletter – 9/27/21)
In addition, alcohol-free beers and cocktails are starting to appear. For example, Heineken started marketing its “0.0” beer in the US in 2019 and a senior marketing rep stated “…the Heineken brand is spending nearly half its US media budget in 2021 on marketing 0.0.”
Brewing a great tasting 0.0% alcohol free malt beverage, is it even possible? *13
If your preference is for ready to-drink cocktails rather than beer, check out this Thrillist article entitled “Our Favorite Non-Alcoholic Canned Cocktails.”
And before those of you who prefer a high ABV beer get too concerned with this trend, you can finish this post with some reassurance as reported by “CNN Business:”
“Samuel Adams is launching a new, limited edition beer, (‘Utopias’) and it packs such a potent punch it’s illegal in 15 states.”
Although your buzz ((28% ABV) will be expensive, since the limited edition’s suggested retail price is $240 for 25.4-ounce bottle!
Finally – you know it’s really too late for Dry January in 2022, but February only has 28 days…..
Cheers
External Photo Attribution
*1 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/AntiCoronaShield.png) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication – 8 April 2020.
*2 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Ranger#/media/File:Lone_ranger_silver_1965.JPG) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1927 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: Pleasure Island – 2 August 2011.
*3 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons: (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Omicron_uc_lc_2.svg) File is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author: Miguel C. Ventura -15June2015.
*4 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spam_2.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Cypher789 (Bodo Akdeniz) – 7 November 2005.
*5 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spam_Museum_Sign.JPG) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Darb02 -16 March2016.
*6 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Autopsy_Room_at_Indiana_Medical_History_Museum.png) The copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: Huw Williams 29 July 2010.
*7 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Instrumental_para_autopsia_Jetter_%26_Sheerer,_Tuttlingen,_1940.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Pablo de otto 18 August 2020.
*8 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons – PacWest Center (icensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Cacophony 18 June 2006.
*9 Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_market#/media/File:Philippine-stock-market-board.jpg) By Katrina.Tuliao – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12262407
*10 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reliefmap_of_Australia.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license. Author: Hans Braxmeier – 15 January 2008.
*11 Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France#/media/File:France_base_map_18_regions.png By Chessrat at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50060468. Author: User:Chessrat, User:Rosss, User:Sting 28 December 2015.
* 12 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kegs_in_Bristol.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Tiia Monto 3 August, 2018.
*13 Heinekin ‘0.0’ Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/heineken0.0ru/photos/a.106680548076221/1066813180761440
Thebeerchaser 
Don, as always, enjoyable!! Larry Paulson
________________________________
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks General. I miss our Beerchasing adventures. Stay tuned….Hope you and the family are well.
LikeLike
Don,
When I wasn’t being a firm administrator, as a CPA, I had several outside clients. One of those clients was Dave Saunders, the man in your story about the cadaver. A very interesting man with a wealth if knowledge. My dad, who passed away in April 2021 at the age of 93 worked with him at Kaiser Aluminum in Chalmette LA. He worked in the plant’s electrical power department. After he was forced to retire he really invented himself and ran a small company repairing gas station electronics on gas pumps. I lost track of him after Katrina when he moved away. My dad always told me he tough he had drowned during Katrina. A small world indeed.
And not to digress, my favorite New Orleans brewery is Second Line in Mid-City NO. Wonderful place, great beer and friendly folks.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for your comment Ray. That does not surprise me about Dave Saunders who was a real patriot. And my purpose in the narrative on that incident was not to make light of what happened after his passing, but just to give an example of how people seem to just ignore common sense – especially after we have faced the pandemic this long.
I haven’t been to New Orleans and bayou country since a few years since I retired, but definitely want to go back. I keep a file on future watering holes to visit and Second Line is now on the list. Cheers Don
LikeLike
So Clark Kent only had his glasses 👓 for a disguise…maybe the lack of red tights and a cape helped 🤔
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yeah, I guess people were less “perceptive” in that era! And I think Clark Kent probably was only an above average athlete as well…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don, my mail and your post tell me that January 2022 has been hard on a lot of people. This is both sad and heartening to me as I had supposed that I was the only one struggling to find my “happy place”…But doggone, you have nailed it here. The stats on work-at-home drinking were interesting and they beg the question: Are they part of the reason (all of the reason?) people don’t want to go back to the jobsites? Nobody knows for sure where it came from, but the phrase about living in interesting times has never been more applicable. And no, it was not a Chinese curse. One attribution is to Robert Kennedy… Beware the Jabberwock and the JubJub bird. Beware also the Internet and its algorithms, misinformation and wrongly attributed quotations.
February is Nigh!!!
Molly
LikeLiked by 1 person
And after February, Beware the Ides of March…… Thanks Molly
LikeLike
Ah, but shortly after the Ides of March, we have Spring!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think we are heading in a good direction with COVID despite the surge in new cases. Fewer people are requiring hospitalization and, more importantly, are dying. That said, we still need to be vigilant if we want to broaden our “freedom” in the next phase. Sadly, that does not be an agreed on idea and that will make this drag on even longer than the expected three years. There haven’t been many 1 or 2 year wars in history and when you fight nature, you generally lose. People lose sight of the fact that COVID is a force of nature and a very adaptable one, surely more so than humans who can’t breathe through a mask. If COVID needs a mask, it will wear one. It won’t think about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great comments, Rich and good analogy. Rather than being a debate about freedom, perhaps it should be posed as a review of scientific data. And as we move forward, those who are vaccinated and wear masks just as a matter of common sense are going to come out in better shape than those who oppose these measures for one reason or another. Cheers
LikeLike
This was very entertaining. I did dry January and I plan to continue, I’m potential going to be a non drinker. I never drink much, a nice glass of wine or cold beer but I saw a documentary on the link to cancer and turned me off the stuff. Cheers.
LikeLiked by 2 people