It was alarming and embarrassing in equal measure. Halfway through a posh, international dinner party near London, the woman to my left put it to me bluntly: “You’re a functioning alcoholic.” It was quite an accusation, not least since we’d…
Eric Felten, an award-winning drinks writer, recently pointed out a glaring downside to government-run drinks shops: I heard last week from an intrepid subscriber to the Washington Examiner who had read my May 10 column about how I like my…
The Washington Post reports, “Several senior White House officials have begun discussing whether to push for a temporary payroll tax cut as a way to arrest an economic slowdown, three people familiar with the discussions said.” The discussions follow a…
Keystone State legislators may abolish Pennsylvania’s stealth drinks tax. The House Liquor Control Committee is examining HB 1512, which would end the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s “flexible pricing” power. Rep. Jesse Topper, the measure’s primary sponsor, argues that flexible pricing…
The Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) ruling this week that paves the way for states other than Nevada to legalize sports betting is a victory for states’ rights and should put another nail in the coffin for those attempting to ban all forms…
A few months back, a friend came to town from Tennessee. His schedule was jammed as was mine, but I was eager to see him. He works in insurance and I inevitably learn a lot when he explains the various…
That time of year is nearly upon us when the masses (of the poker-playing variety) descend on Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker. The cash games and smaller tournaments kick off at the Rio on Tuesday, while other…
His hand felt like an oven mitt — filled with stone. “My god,” I thought as I removed my paw, “those are hands that have worked the vines.” Which is true. Raimund Prüm is a mountain of a man, and…
Sacramento Discovering interesting new music in my college days was an entertaining yet costly experience. This was long before the invention of music apps and before the days that most record stores had listening booths to sample music. So I…