The world's most expensive vodka

You sure won't find this at your average Fountain party.

Diva gem-filtered Premium Vodka just may be the most expensive brand of vodka in the world. An "exceptionally smooth, wheat-based, ultra-premium spirit of style and substance, Diva is triple-distilled and filtered through Nordic birch charcoal, then filtered through a dense column of gems including diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, for a final polish before bottling."

No two bottles are alike, with a removable column of crystals which tumble out on removal of the top stopper but are safely in the bottle during pouring. The gems may be used as a drink garnish and decoration. The 48 crystals in each bottle, selected by a Hatton Garden specialist, include cubic zircona, Scottish smoky topaz, pink tourmaline, sky blue topaz, London blue topaz, amethyst, citrine and Peridot.

The crystals in each botle are hand-prepared by people in the Shetland Isles, Scotland. Each person filling the crystals has a favourite colour and puts this at the bottom of each column, so each bottle is trackable to the individual.

You'd better start saving for Senior Week! A bottle with diamonds will set you back a cool $1 million.

Thanks to Jia Yee '09 for the tip.

NYTimes Against Lower Drinking Age

Remember that petition by a lot of American college presidents to lower the legal drinking age? The New York Times editorial board takes a break from being generally socially liberal to say that this is a bad, irresponsible idea, because college drinking culture is the real problem:

Certainly, surreptitious drinking can lead to excessive drinking, but that does not justify the college executives’ conclusion that “21 is not working” where binge drinking is concerned. Europe, often cited as an example of controlled use of alcohol by younger people, has binge drinking problems. France, which has long allowed drinking for 16-year-olds, is debating raising the age.

The 21-year-old floor is not the problem. It is the culture of drinking at school.

Thoughts, underage alkies?

Hide your goods, freshmen!

From a recent email sent by Dean Rick Culliton:

Please remember that Residential Life and Campus Fire Safety conduct periodic room inspections. During these inspections fire safety violations are documented and if alcohol is found in plain view in student rooms where the residents are not 21 or older, it will be confiscated.

College Presidents for a Lower Drinking Age

College presidents from over 100 American universities have signed a petition urging a revision of the drinking age from 21 to 18, in response to many recent studies which suggest that barring legal alcohol access to college-age students actually fuels on-campus binge drinking.

The Amethyst Initiative, a coalition of university chancellors and presidents which formed last month, is behind the growing movement, and seems to be on the verge of a publicity onslaught:

The statement the presidents have signed avoids calling explicitly for a younger drinking age. Rather, it seeks "an informed and dispassionate debate" over the issue and the federal highway law that made 21 the de facto national drinking age by denying money to any state that bucks the trend.

But the statement makes clear the signers think the current law isn't working, citing a "culture of dangerous, clandestine binge-drinking," and noting that while adults under 21 can vote and enlist in the military, they "are told they are not mature enough to have a beer." Furthermore, "by choosing to use fake IDs, students make ethical compromises that erode respect for the law."

The petition includes the presidents of such notable schools as Dartmouth, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, and Middlebury. So far Wesleyan hasn't signed, but Michael Roth seems to be a fan of good ideas.

Check out Professor Claire Potter's excellent post on why civilized (legal) collegiate drinking is greatly preferable to the currently prevalent, potentially brain-damaging boozemania.

Links:
Amethyst Initiative: Mission Statement - Rethink Drinking Age
CNN.com: College chiefs urge new debate on drinking age
Tenured Radical: Make Mine a Double, Please

Spring Fling, Things of Note

The WSA and Dean's Office throw down rules for the big day:

Students are not allowed on the stage. Having students on the stage endangers both students as well as the sound equipment and performers. In addition, performers have the right, by their contract, to stop performing if individuals climb on the stage.

[Uhh right... because Project Pat's homeboys were clearly really pissed last year when all these girls barged on stage and started dancing with them (see below).]

Of course, booze is an issue. Go through the proper channels or use discretion if you must:

Anyone who is 21 years of age and wants to consume alcohol at the event must present a valid government issued ID and a Wesleyan ID in order to obtain a wristband. Anyone of legal age possessing or consuming alcohol without a wristband will be directed to obtain a wristband or dispose of the alcohol. Wristbands will be available free of charge at a station near the observatory throughout the event.

· Anyone who violates the Code is subject to being referred to Student Judicial Board.
· Bulk containers of alcohol, such as kegs, will not be allowed at Spring Fling.
· Only outdoor/lawn furniture will be allowed at Spring Fling. Large pieces of furniture, such as couches, will not be allowed.
· Large coolers will be checked and turned away if they contain more alcohol
that can be reasonably consumed by those in possession of it.

And how about an unofficial rule - no hate criming.

72/52 degrees, clear skies and sunny all day Wednesday. Enjoy!

Photos courtesy of Joanna Dicke '10.

Not Alcoholism Til You Graduate! Roth Disagrees

Apparently there was a big Connecticut-wide summit meeting here on Monday - representatives from 20 colleges came to Wes to discuss what to do about "the drinking culture that infuses so much of campus life," says the Hartford Courant.

"Have we solved the problem? Not yet," said Walter Bernstein, vice president of Western Connecticut State University. "But I am convinced that the first step toward solving the problem is admitting that a problem exists."

Like a true alcoholic anonymous! Seriously, though:

The statistics are startling: About half of all college students in the U.S. binge drink or abuse drugs.

One quarter of them meet the medical criteria for drug or alcohol dependency, compared with about 8.5 percent of the general population. And college women, though they lag behind their male peers in terms of alcohol consumption, are catching up fast.

Those are the findings of a 2005 study conducted by the National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

Our chief executive gets some words in - "It is 'part and parcel of our mission,' said Wesleyan President Michael Roth. 'You cannot learn the things you need to learn as a college student if you continue on a path' of unhealthy behavior, he said."

Uh you heard it kids, don't do anything Roth wouldn't do!

Why People Drink Themselves Silly

There's a lot of folk wisdom out there about different levels of tolerance associated with binge drinking (officially defined as more than 5 drinks in 24 hours), and how this reflects on resulting idiocy, but as it happens it is in fact all relative, as shown in today's Science Times. Behavior after excessive drinking is highly variable across cultures and societal groups.

According to sociological studies done in the '60s, the Yuruna Indians in the Xingu region of Brazil would become "exceptionally reserved" after a lot of moonshine. The Camba of eastern Bolivia, who would drink excessively twice a month, just kept toasting each other more extravagantly with each successive drink.

In the Japanese island village of Takashima, people considered a drinking occasion out of control when villagers started to sing or dance, but violent or sexual aggression when drunk was unheard of. Contrast this to Spring Break in Cancun.

In a series of studies in the '80s, University of Washington psychologists put 300 students in a room decorated like a bar and served icy vodka tonics to one group and icy tonic water to the other - both drinks looked and tasted the same, and most students drank around five within two hours. The ones given the placebo acted exactly as they expected to when drunk, and one participant in the study who was unwittingly given alcohol refused to believe it, since she wasn't flushed as she usually got when drunk. When the researchers told her that she was in fact drinking alcohol, she immediately flushed.

Peer groups can also have an influence. New Zealand researcher studied two cliques of high school girls, both of which rightly associated drinking with uninhibited behavior. But while one group considered it uninhibited to just make out, the other group extended the definition uh, much further.

So, you pretty much behave as badly as you expect to when you've had one too many. Don't just blame the liquor for the physical and emotional havoc you wreaked last weekend, you alky, it's your sociocultural threshold of inhibition.

Gag Reflex Show!

Mary Lauran Hall '10 brings us science! Sort of:

Researchers at the American University in Cairo recently published a study in which it was found that humans aged 18-25 experienced drastically improved study skills (heightened concentration, increased brain activity, especially acute memory) for up to seven days when exposed to moderate to high levels of long-form improvisational comedy. Researchers determined that the study group with the most benefits had witnessed long-form type improvisational comedy in an environment with two elevators and a marble floor and then experienced prolonged exposure to short-form improvisational comedy (also known in some English vernacular as "improv").

Clearly, in order to improve performance during exam time, everyone should come to the GAG REFLEX READING WEEK SHOW TONIGHT, at 8 PM, in the SCIENCE CENTER LOBBY. The person who is most fucked with work to do wins a bottle of Southern Comfort!

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 11 (Also known as tonight!)
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Science Center Lobby

Fire Safety on the Prowl!

Last night I was heading back to 'da butts' around 8 or so and apparently fire safety was fire drillin’ us. Recently fire safety has been going into student’s rooms while they're huddled in the chilly weather outside. The bad news is this has led to two arrests of students (at least one of which was for the good ol' green contraband). Last night the fire safety lady told everyone that she found some "really interesting stuff" in our rooms and to watch out since "the middletown police are not joking around anymore."

Now I find this whole thing a little backwards since fire safety is supposedly there to protect us, not send wesleyan's beloved counterculture iconoclastic student body to prison! They are already forcing a gross invasion of privacy upon us to find dangerous items like candles… you’d think the last thing they’d want to do is get us in trouble with the law. Also, I don't really understand why the “middletown police getting serious” has anything to do with fire safety inspections and or arrests since it's essentially fire safety that calls the cops on you. The whole thing really irks me out.

A word to the wise: keep all of your illicit things in your drawers and out of site. The good news is that they can only look through your room. They are not allowed to open your drawers. Be safe and don't get your ass arrested (or fined)!
Also for those under 21 years of age: If you have bottles of liquor/beer that is left out and still full they will also call the cops on you and your ass will be really sorry. Empty bottles, however, are absolutely legal! Go figure...

Secrets of the Student Handbook: Secret #293

Consuming alcohol at high risk levels is more likely to result in personal consequences such as:

• hangovers, vomiting or nausea


• memory loss ("blacking out") or loss of consciousness ("passing out")


• being criticized for [your] drinking behaviors


• regretting actions taken while under the influence of alcohol


• damage to relationships with friends and family


• unplanned or unsafe sexual activity


• missing classes


• poor performance on an exam or project


• lower grade point averages


• driving while intoxicated


• hospitalization due to injury or severe intoxication


• citation by university judicial system or arrest by local police


• alcohol dependency or addiction


• death due to injury, accident or alcohol overdose

A friendly reminder from your Student Handbook.

Wow. Hunter. Without Words.

So Hunter King '08 officially wins the award for having ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH HIS SUMMER for collecting 100 of youtube's best videos starring monkeys doing silly things.

Yeah. Seriously. Here's a video of some alcoholic monkeys sneaking drinks from tourists I would never otherwise have seen:

The Ultimate Beer Glass

Samuel Adams introduced a beer glass designed specifically to showcase the quality of your beer. I know there are people who really like drinking beer, but this dude frikkin' looooooooooves his beer:

"It's a personal passion of mine to develop a beer glass that elevates the craft-beer drinking experience," Jim Koch, company chairman and founder of the Samuel Adams beer brand, said in a statement. "We wanted to create a glass that offers beer lovers a full sensory experience by fully showcasing Samuel Adams Boston Lager's complex balance of malt and hop flavors."

I disapprove based purely on the tip-ability factor. Look at that thing. That's screaming "SPILL ME ALL OVER YOUR PANTS! DO IT NOW!" Boo, beer-glass designers, boo.

State of the Union

It's time for the President's annual State of the Union Address, so get your despair on. Here's the more-or-less official State of the Union Drinking Game, which involves, among other things, possibly taking a shot of olive oil. What makes it official? I dunno, it's the first link on Google for "state of the union drinking game". Alternate, more complicated version here.

Though I'll have to say that these things usually degenerate into everyone sinking into a deep depression and just drinking whenever the hell they feel like it. Bonus: Classes begin the next day!

This year, President Bush's State of the Union address is scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 9pm (Eastern). It should be broadcast on all major networks and cable news/political networks.

For online coverage, go here.

File this Idea Under Stupidly Profitable

In Tennessee, you still have to pay tax on drugs, despite the fact that it's illegal to buy the drugs:

The so-called "crack tax" applies to controlled substances like marijuana and cocaine, and also illicit alcoholic beverages like moonshine. It allows someone to anonymously purchase stamps in person from the Department of Revenue based on the type and amount of the substance ($3.50 for a gram of marijuana, $50 for a gram of cocaine, etc.) with the understanding that doing so cannot be used against them in a criminal court. Posessing drugs is still illegal — the tax works completely outside the criminal justice system. A stamp cannot provide immunity from criminal prosecution, and a conviction of possession isn't required for the Department of Revenue to assess the penalties.

The penalty for not having a stamp can exceed 10 times the original cost — and the Department of Revenue concedes that the tax was instituted with the expectation that most dealers won't buy the stamp. "Dealers can do it either way," says Assistant Commissioner for Operations Sam Chessor. "But in reality, the payoff for us is going to be on the back end, not the front end. "

Breast-Enhancing Beer?

Boza Beer is rumored throughout Europe to increase the boobage of its drinker. Apparently, thanks to Bulgaria's entrance into the EU and thus the dismantling of prohibitive customs duties, men are flocking to Bulgaria to snatch up the drink for their wives and female friends.

Constantin Barbu crossed the Danube from Romania to buy Boza in the Bulgarian border town of Ruse.

He said: "I've bought a case for my wife to try out. I really hope I see an improvement."

Beirut Bacteria

Two seniors at George Washington University decided to find out how much bacteria is involved in a typical game of Beirut. Their findings are, well, less than shocking:

"It was pretty obvious what we were going to find. It's pretty clear that beer pong isn't exactly a clean game, between people drinking out of the same cups, and the ball falling on the floor," Heffner said.

So to test their hypothesis Heffner and Morrissey set up their own game of beer pong, had eight people play for three hours, going through about a 30-pack of beer before ending the night and letting the bacteria settle.

"We used brand-new balls and cups so that nothing would have any sort of bacteria on it before the game," Heffner said.

Heffner and Morrissey returned to the table the next morning to gather their test tubes and observed them under the microscope. Heffner and Morrissey said the results were startling -- every single test tube had bacteria in it.

Heffner said that from one night's worth of playing the typical college drinking game, they found high levels of a bacterial family that contains such species as E. coli, pneumonia and salmonella.

Hangover Helpers

Finals are over. You've turned in a 20 page paper with 3" margins and 13pt font and you just couldn't care less at this point. You're making a last minute run to Metro at 8:42 to pick up what your body will hate you for later. And well, you wake up and your liver is wreaking its revenge.

So what are some ways to ease the pain of a hangover? Chow lists the top ten:

1. Painkillers
2. Water
3. Taurine
4. Pedialyte
5. Fried Food
6. Marmite or Vegemite on Toast
7. Ginger
8. Soups such as Menudo, Poutine, Hejangguk, Pho, or Borscht.
9. Honey
10. Hangover Pills

Disguise your beer can

This is fucking genius. Click on each page to download a pdf.




Thanks, Los Angeles Loyolan!

Six steps to enlightenment:

1. Buy a handle of Dubra or other suitably cheap vodka and five packets of Skittles.
2. Pick out the green and purple Skittles. Eat them.
3. Dump the rest of the Skittles into the vodka.
4. Wait 24 hours. The skittles will almost completely dissolve, leaving you with a freakishly vibrant, orange/red concoction.
5. Strain with a coffee filter or kitchen towel.
6. Chill and enjoy!

Weird Loophole: buy booze in bulk for less

According to a loopholes in licensing laws reaching as far back as Prohibition, you can buy alcohol without a membership at warehouse stores such as BJ's, Costco and Sam's Club.

Store	Policy	Alcohol Availability
BJ's Wholesale Club	Membership is not required for purchases of alcohol in the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas and Vermont.	Selection varies by store. (Some carry liquor, beer and wine, while others have only beer and wine. Some carry no alcohol at all.)
Costco Wholesale	Membership is not required for purchases of alcohol in the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas and Vermont	Selection varies by store. (Some carry liquor, beer and wine, while others have only beer and wine. Yet others carry no alcohol at all.) Costco.com carries wine and champagne. Due to shipping restrictions, orders can only be delivered to California, Idaho, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon and West Virginia.
Sam's Club	Membership is not required for purchases of alcohol.	Selection varies by store. (Some carry liquor, beer and wine, while others have only beer and wine. Some carry no alcohol at all.)

---

Item	Mainstream Retailer Price (New York, N.Y.)	Sam's Club Price (Secaucus, N.J.)
Absolut Vodka, 1-liter bottle	$27.99	$20.59. You'll save 25%.
Absolut Vodka, 1.75-liter bottle	$45.99	$31.09. You'll save 32%.
Sam Adams, 24-pack of 12-oz. bottles	$29.99	$23.54. You'll save 22%.