Eat, Drink and Be Merry

[Uisce Beatha]

For tomorrow you may be in Utah.

http://deseretnews.com/home/1,5125,,00.html

A "top story" on the front page of the site and the most commented upon story of the day.   

Makes me want to go pop a top.   

[spacey]

Pathetic, ain't it? 

[Uisce Beatha]

Pathetic, ain't it? 

As you know, when you live here it's not that big a deal.  Other than having to drive downtown for a decent wine selection (the entire concept of which is beyond me anyway) it's pretty straightforward.  We're easily able to function as a responsible drinkers. 

But to how it looks from outside?  Strict liquor laws and policies are one thing.  Amazingly stupid ones quite another.  I've lived in Alabama and I've seen the former.  I live in Utah and cringe constantly at the latter.

[Uisce Beatha]

By the way, I commented on that article myself opining that it's a non-story given the fact that his alcohol/cigarette business was reported as close to zip.  It further strikes me that the store has done itself a favor by trading meager profits for freedom from the DABC and the cigarette police (I assume there are such).  They don't have to worry about training their cashiers, running them through the little "this is how you sell beer" class, being shopped by the authorities looking for underage sales violations, etc. 

The cynic in me wants to say that this was in the works regardless and someone decided to try and get some mileage out of it.  Or perhaps a D-News photographer just happened to be in the store on the day they pulled the contents of the 12' beer section.   

[spacey]

Furthermore, I suspect a report of actual transactions (vs sales volumes) containing beer/tobacco was run to determine the number of customers he actually stood to lose as a result. In Provo he actually probably stands to gain customers. If the Reams on State Street and 30ish South halted beer/tobacco sales, they'd be closed in a week.

The fact that stories like this become headline news is one of the primary reasons I've all but given up on local news coverage.

[MFAWG]

FIRST comment:

Great, now how about getting rid of the coffee and tea too.
...



   

[tdcoly]

And I thought the liquor laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania were draconian.

[campy]

I've lived on the UT border long enough that nothing in the article suprises me.  The reader comments on the other hand, just about floored me.  The puttnfool school of intolerance and misinformation runs strong in them folks.

[spacey]

I've lived on the UT border long enough that nothing in the article suprises me.  The reader comments on the other hand, just about floored me.  The puttnfool school of intolerance and misinformation runs strong in them folks.

In all fairness, though, Deseret News readers are entirely a different breed of cat than even the most average of intolerant Utahns.

[Uisce Beatha]

I've lived on the UT border long enough that nothing in the article suprises me.  The reader comments on the other hand, just about floored me.  The puttnfool school of intolerance and misinformation runs strong in them folks.

In all fairness, though, Deseret News readers are entirely a different breed of cat than even the most average of intolerant Utahns.

Someone sent me the link.  I promise.