Tag

Having the day off meant that everyone slept late.  Kyle had a long day yesterday after injuring his knee playing soccer, Sue and Kyle paid a visit to Stony Brook Hospital to make sure that the injury was not too serious.  Thankfully a couple of hours later, they had already been seen, X-Ray taken, and prognosis given.

A sprained Knee with a note saying no soccer, gym or other sports for at least a week, and stay off the leg.

Keeping off the leg, Kyle was treated to breakfast and lunch on the couch, and is doing his homework with his leg up.  RICE is the remedy of choice for most soft tissue injuries.  Rest-Ice-Compress-Elevate.   Kyle has ice on it, and hopefully he will be able to hobble his way thru school tomorrow.

Luke had some best buy gift card from Christmas, so we went to pick up a couple of movies and some music.  I found an Everclear Greatest Hits CD for $4.99, I think I know at least 2 songs on the CD.  Will take a listen tomorrow at work.

I went to planet fitness, and when I got back, Sue went to Kohls to shop for a couple of new outfits.  Indian butter chicken, basmati rice, papadam, naan, and peas for dinner.

This day in history “The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting the "manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes," is ratified on this day in 1919 and becomes the law of the land.”

The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when Americans concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for total national abstinence. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, also known as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification.


Prohibition took effect in January 1919. Nine months later, Congress passed the Volstead Act, or National Prohibition Act, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. The Volstead Act provided for the enforcement of prohibition, including the creation of a special unit of the Treasury Department. Despite a vigorous effort by law-enforcement agencies, the Volstead Act failed to prevent the large-scale distribution of alcoholic beverages, and organized crime flourished in America. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was passed and ratified, repealing prohibition.

So for 14 long years, moonshine ruled, and the folks in Appalachia continued to supplying the juice as they have done since they settled in and fired up their stills.  Now, alcohol is still controlled at the Federal, State and county levels in many cases.  The government wants to collect the taxes, the state too.  Liquor licenses and the law to dispense or sell alcohol varies greatly from state to state. 

Moonshine (meaning illicit distillation, also called white lightning, mountain dew, hooch, "tennessee white whiskey", and many other names) is an illegally produced distilled beverage. The word is believed to derive from early English smugglers and illegal Appalachian distillers who clandestinely (i.e., by the light of the moon) produced and distributed whiskey.^[1][2]

Is it illegal to run a still for your own consumption ?  History channel has a show called Moonshiners.  It is not that interesting.

New York laws allow sale of Spirits in liquor stores, which are interdependently owned with owners required to live within a certain distance of their establishment.  Beer sold in grocery and convenience stores.  As of 2006, the Sunday morning prohibition was lifted, but counties may establish their own rules
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New Jersey has package stores, and typically that means buying beer in once store and alcohol or spirits in another, sometimes they are sister stores in the same location, kept separated.   Beer typically not found in a convenience store.

While honeymooning in Jamaica we went on a catamaran sunset cruise that served over proof rum punch.  Sue didn’t want to drink that white lightening as rumor was that you could hallucinate if you drink too much.  I drank hers too.  The bay was illuminated by movements in the water, the most striking was when one of the crew dove into the bay shortly after dark.  I think that was my first taste of Caribbean moonshine.  No, I was not hallucinating, the bay had a high level of bioluminesence producing organisms.   

Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism.

There was another opportunity to try Irish moonshine that was taken away by Sue’s grandma GG.  On a trip back from Ireland, there was a Smirnoff bottle filled with hooch at the Walsh residence.  Not sure what proof it was, but there was fear involved with having anyone drink it, let alone taste it.  I would have taken a sip if allowed.

Nowadays, we go into town to Tag Liquors, perhaps a handful of times per year to buy some wine, Malibu rum, and my favorite, tequilla.   Beer makes it way home once in a while from costco, 7-eleven, or from the grocery store.  Sue likes Stella Artois , and I like Blue Moon or Sam Adams, or Guiness, or Heineken.  Depends on the time of year I guess.  Looks like Tag is expanding as I see a sign at the closed Video store, that suggests a new beer distributor.

Photo of the day “Tag”