When I was in college I clerked in a liquor store for a while. It was a great job for a student. On weekends we worked hard, but during the week the store was not busy and I was able to study hard.
I had a legal responsibility to not sell alcohol to people that were intoxicated. Not only did I face criminal action, but as it was explained to me I could also face civil liabilities. It is not always easy to tell if someone was over the limit. It is almost always an argument when you refuse to sell to them, but I did do so a few times. Continue reading “Step Away from the Counter”
Good question! I am fond of telling folks that my blog has a dedicated readership in the low single digits. That enumeration includes me, my girlfriend’s sporadic browsings, and couple of other folks that on rare occasions pursue my ramblings. At one point I had a fantasy that some of my articles would spark other folks to comment and generate some discussions. Like so many of my dreams and aspirations in this life that has never really materialized. I am okay with that at this point.
Hallelujah – May be one of the best pieces of music I have ever heard.
While I have attended the occasional opera over my 5 decades, it is generally not my preferred entertainment. I do love classical music though. On one station I stream they played the Hallelujah track from this CD. I had not heard of Renée Fleming (yes I know shameful) before, but I was an instant fan. I ordered the CD within minutes.
While I do enjoy the occasional opera, I am not a big fan of opera. Outside of my girlfriend’s friend, Frances Ginsberg, I cannot name very many opera stars.
I do love classical music though, and listen to classical music stations frequently. On one of these stations I discovered Renée Fleming. She has been called America’s Soprano or The People’s Diva. This station played Hallelujah from the pop album of indie rock songs that she has recently released, Dark Hope. I bought the CD based one that one song. The whole album is wonderful, but Hallelujah goes to a whole different plane. I have listened to it multiple times, and I alternate between having the hair on my neck stand up and wanting to tear up. It is an absolutely wonderful piece of music, performed by a marvelous talent.
Below is from a BBC show and has Renée Fleming singing an abbreviated version of the song. On the CD it runs a very, very short 7:39. This version is enough to give you a taste though. Absolutely marvelous…if I were in the audience I would be on my feet screaming bravo between the tears.
I was in line at Walgreens. In the other line were a mother and her son who appeared to be around 5. I first noticed them because the boy was yammering and his words were not quite making sense. They were Asian, and I thought at first he must be speaking a western rim language. As I listened closer the English came into focus. I did have the impression that English was not the mother’s native language.
The boy was lobbying for some candy or toy. One can only assume that marketers do not have children or are sadists. Why else would they place such things at eye level of children? It is Pavlovian destiny that the child will begin to try and close the sale when they see such things.
The mother had indicated several times that she was not going to purchase whatever item the son wanted. At this point she was ignoring him and I had pretty much done the same to them. My attention was suddenly jerked back to them by the youngster saying in a loud, obnoxious voice, “Hello…Hello…”
I decided right then I would have probably gone to jail as I would have backhanded the kid across the store.
The wonderful editorialist, Nicholas D. Kristoff, wrote an editorial that encompasses an eye opening religious test. His article was in response to the Pew Foundation’s test of religious knowledge. See my posting Test Your Religious Knowledge
One story I have shared with many folks over the years is about my Aunt Peggy. She had some cards, may still have some for all I know, that she carried in her wallet.
Upon the cards were the words, “I see you smoke, well I chew. If you do not blow smoke on me, I will not spit on you.”
I never saw her hand it to anyone, but I am betting that she did from time to time. It was certainly a nice, humorous way to get your point across.
The only time bootleggers and preachers voted the same was to keep Prohibition. Apparently this is the case again in California where the legalizing marijuana for recreational use is on the ballot. Two big opponents funding the opposition to the bill are the liquor industry and the medical marijuana industry. Both feel they will lose some portion of the profit pie they are currently enjoying. Medical marijuana is going for $300 an ounce. One study predicted with legalization for recreation use, a price drop of 90 percent. That would bring it down to 1970s prices, and even cheaper if you consider our inflated dollars.
