Alcohol consumption

No, I haven't been imbibing this evening. But I am curious about people's attitudes around alcohol.

Everyone seems to have their own definition of what is reasonable use, and what is overuse. But people seem to have a hard time stating exactly how much is too much and how often is too often.

And I get the impression there's a big difference between Europe's attitude towards alcohol use and America's attitude, but it'd be hard to say what that is.

So what's your thoughts on it? Please respond with your opinion, as well as your age and your rough location.

For the record, please, if you're not of legal age, do not jeopradize yourself or the board by relating any first hand experience. Please keep your responses in the hypothetical.

Oops, could somebody please move this to the Backroom?

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Originally Posted by Don Corleone

Oops, could somebody please move this to the Backroom?

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Done :bow:

People have different tolerances towards alcohol. Each one is different.

For me, a bottle of wine does the soul good in the late night. As does a six pack of corona over the poker table. Aside from that, I'm not much of a party drinker or into pong or anything like that.

I find the alcohol laws in Germany to be fairly reasonable on a general basis.

One thing I have noticed, is that bad drunks ALWAYS want to drink to excess. It's strange because, some people are happy drunks, and they'll just sorta drink a little, or drink a lot, just depends. Bad drunks though, the kind who get really mean and surly, they ALWAYS make sure to drink enough to get to the point that they're mean and surly. I never understood that, if alchol makes you mean and angry, why would you always want to drink a lot of it?

See, in America, alcohol is a very touchy thing. I think we tend to be much too interested in each other's business. Have more than 1 glass of wine or 1 beer at a business function, even a cocktail party, and there are people looking down their noses at you. And there are a lot of people, from all sides of the spectrum, that honestly believe even one drink is one too many. I seriously think that there's about 1/3 of the population that would bring back prohibitition if they could.

A little alcohol once in a while is good, but severing your brain cells often isn't the best idea.

And American parties go too far....not that I have any experience :juggle2:

It's not how much you drink, it's how well you handle yourself. Alcohol doesn't make you act like a jackass; it just makes some people think it's ok to act like one.

Reasonable use depends on how much other people are drinking. But can be anywhere between 3 drinks and not throwing up.

I drink unhealthy amounts of alcohol. I have some nasty horror stories., you'd think this would stop me but eh whaddyagonnado. As for my attitude for it I will quote Homer Simpson

“Here's to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.”

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

I drink unhealthy amounts of alcohol. I have some nasty horror stories., you'd think this would stop me but eh whaddyagonnado. As for my attitude for it I will quote Homer Simpson

“Here's to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.”

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I picture you as a happier drunk though. I could be wrong, just a feeling. Everyone knows some really nasty drunks, who insist on drinking too often though, don't they?

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Originally Posted by Koga No Goshi

I picture you as a happier drunk though. I could be wrong, just a feeling. Everyone knows some really nasty drunks, who insist on drinking too often though, don't they?

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Oh I am happy I just drink entirely to much and entirely to often. My family has always though of drinking lots of beer as a sign of maturity and my friends are all in college so yea I dont get much of a break.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

Oh I am happy I just drink entirely to much and entirely to often. My family has always though of drinking lots of beer as a sign of maturity and my friends are all in college so yea I dont get much of a break.

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Alcohol was easily the #1 thing I saw as the reason people had to withdraw from college or got bumped out of their major or scholarship. Just be careful. Frats on my campus were infamous for "expecting you to take as much as you've ever drunk in one night, and drink that much everynight." That was the phrase everyone used anyway.

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Originally Posted by Koga No Goshi

Alcohol was easily the #1 thing I saw as the reason people had to withdraw from college or got bumped out of their major or scholarship. Just be careful. Frats on my campus were infamous for "expecting you to take as much as you've ever drunk in one night, and drink that much everynight." That was the phrase everyone used anyway.

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eh Im fine. Being as big as I am and how often I drink, I have built up a good tolerance (I know my limits and listen to my body Im just saying) So those cute little frat boys can challenge me all they want but I guarantee I will be the one standing. TBH though I can still have fun with out alcohol and I have allot of fun with it. My grades are good so I see no reason to change my habits. Have I made some DUMB decisions hell yes but I mean sometimes you gotta jump.

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Originally Posted by Sasaki Kojiro

It's not how much you drink, it's how well you handle yourself.

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Can I get an amen? I know people who turn into blithering fools after just a few beers, and I know guys who can handle a heavy load of liquor and be just as charming and fun as ever. It's very idiosyncratic.

Personally, I gave up alcohol when my wife was preggers, which happened twice, which means I spent an aggregate eighteen months not drinking. I've stayed off since then. This means that two beers is enough to send me flying these days, since my poor liver is all pink and fluffy and under-utilized. Makes me a cheap date, which is cool.

I've allowed my five-year-old to taste my wine at dinner. I'm with the Euros on the idea that allowing kids to have moderate alcohol with dinner every now and then will prevent them from going gonzo on booze when they hit their first high school/college party. I'm very much in favor of short-circuiting the forbidden fruit, if you don't mind a mixed metaphor.

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Originally Posted by Lemur

Can I get an amen? I know people who turn into blithering fools after just a few beers, and I know guys who can handle a heavy load of liquor and be just as charming and fun as ever. It's very idiosyncratic.

Personally, I gave up alcohol when my wife was preggers, which happened twice, which means I spent an aggregate eighteen months not drinking. I've stayed off since then. This means that two beers is enough to send me flying these days, since my poor liver is all pink and fluffy and under-utilized. Makes me a cheap date, which is cool.

I've allowed my five-year-old to taste my wine at dinner. I'm with the Euros on the idea that allowing kids to have moderate alcohol with dinner every now and then will prevent them from going gonzo on booze when they hit their first high school/college party. I'm very much in favor of short-circuiting the forbidden fruit, if you don't mind a mixed metaphor.

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Wait, you have wine at dinner? I thought you said you weren't having alcohol?:inquisitive:

Can't stand parties; I do not touch alcohol as doing that seems rather pointless to me (is it the social norms and expectations that sit so tight that one need alcohol to free oneself?).

I would certainly not be jeopardising anything if told that I'd been drinking under age as that is anything but a hush-hush in Norway; in fact it's rather normal. But normality does not interest me. :smash:

I´m straight edge personally so I don´t touch any alcohol or other drugs...but I don´t any problem with people who do...as long as they are responsible about it.....

Most of my friends drink, but I don´t know anyone who is a "mean drunk"....most of them get silly and happy....I guess if it was otherwise they wouldn´t be my friends.

drugs and alcohol are never an excuse for acting like an asshole.

I don't drink too often and usually not much and then again sometimes I may drink a bit too much, it all depends. but I always keep my head together enough to behave myself, my puking story can be found in the drunkards thread. :sweatdrop:

If you are drunk you have had too much. I drink 1 bottle of wine a day, a bit too much really but I like wine and can handle it well.

I don't drink as much as most people my age (18... the legal age down here) in this area, but when I do I drink hard. I have several nights that are completely blanked out of my mind. I also occassionally enjoy a beer or two, but only good stuff such as Stella Artois - damn you Belgians are good!

As a side note - our Prime Minister recently declared binge drinking to be 4 middies (40 fl. oz / 1.1 litres), which is a ridiculous notion in a country with a strong drinking culture such as ours. So there's an official perspective for you (Though the PM was largely ridiculed for this statement).

CountArach - the PM's a complete nonce. Binge drinking is when the whites of your eyes are red, you can't speak straight or stand straight, you're no longer yourself. You are no longer human. This can't be measured by how much a person drinks as it differs from person to person. And i should know, my many night shifts have exposed me to these kinds of people.

As for me, my alcohol consumption consists of drinking whenever i have it. So if i find a bottle of vodka under my bed at 9am, no one's home and i'm not doing anything for the rest of the day, i'll crack it open and enjoy. If i'm out for the night, well, for me going out is one of those special things that happen every few weeks, so it's an excuse to just drink heavily, usually a whole load of whisky, followed by jugs and jugs of ale. But i handle myself well.

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Originally Posted by makaikhaan

Wait, you have wine at dinner? I thought you said you weren't having alcohol?:inquisitive:

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Only when we have dinner parties. I probably should have been clear about that ...

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Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar

CountArach - the PM's a complete nonce. Binge drinking is when the whites of your eyes are red, you can't speak straight or stand straight, you're no longer yourself. You are no longer human. This can't be measured by how much a person drinks as it differs from person to person. And i should know, my many night shifts have exposed me to these kinds of people.

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That a problem in Australia as well huh, I was really shocked last time I was in London how incredibly drunk people get, even the women, maybe a major generalisition but binge drinking and drugs abuse appears be a major problem exclusively of the english speaking world.

Here in Poland alcohol is tolerated but not always. If you are on business meeting drinking too much is bad. But with friends its tolerated. Too much - depends who drink. Some people can drink only 1/4 l of vodka, some can drink 1 l.

I probably drink more than I should, but I know when to do it and in what quantities given the situation. I went through an intense 4 year training regimen that taught me how to act when consuming alcohol, and how to know when to stop. :yes:

The historic puritanism in the US has hurt us regarding alcohol and culture. A more European take on the situation would do us some good.

I like to drink. :beam:

I like to get to the point where you first notice you’re a little buzzy, maybe you look across the room quickly at a friends suggestion (check out the babe at the door) and notice the slightest spinning in your head. That is the sweet spot to me. With a little restraint I can stay that way for hours.

I am not a big beer drinker, although I do have one from time to time I would rather have a mixed drink. Red Bull and vodka is my favorite but I like 7&7, gin and tonic, and a good margarita (on the rocks with salt) is always fun. I have always found the allure of a martini to be interesting but can’t really get into it.

I also find the plethora of new flavors of hooch interesting, like the flavored vodkas, lime beers, spiked lemonades, etc. when something new comes out (that doesn’t sound horrible) I usually give it try.

In my younger days I would party too hard and usually end up feeling sick or getting sick. Not that it isn’t a little fun to have a good story the next day but it is always better to have a story that started with a few drinks and ended with company for breakfast (if you know what I mean :eyebrows: ) than a story that started with a bunch of drinks and ended with a puke stain on my shirt.

Now that I am a little older I have learned how my body reacts to the drink and I can have a good time without getting stupid.

My work doesn’t mind if I have a couple of drinks with a customer at dinner and my family and friends don’t mind some social drinking but nobody likes to have someone in the group get “drunk” and either become a drag on the fun by needing to be taken care of or becoming a belligerent jerk. Most people I hang with drink and are ok with drinking as long as it doesn’t go too far. ~:cheers:

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Originally Posted by Fragony

That a problem in Australia as well huh, I was really shocked last time I was in London how incredibly drunk people get, even the women, maybe a major generalisition but binge drinking and drugs abuse appears be a major problem exclusively of the english speaking world.

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You should visit Northern Ireland. In Belfast the city is busier at 2am on a saturday than at 2pm.

We have the highest per person comsumption of alcohol than anyone else but we also have the most teetotallers in Europe :inquisitive:

I usually drink quite a bit when I go out but I'm a big guy and I have a high tolerance to it and I usually stop before the memory of the night gets affected, not that I get completely off my face either.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

That a problem in Australia as well huh, I was really shocked last time I was in London how incredibly drunk people get, even the women, maybe a major generalisition but binge drinking and drugs abuse appears be a major problem exclusively of the English speaking world.

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I saw a special recently on youth and Binge drinking in Switzerland, I can't remember where, but here's a similar story:

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/front/Dr...22689000&ty=st


I think the real key is moderation. Growing up in New Orleans, I can tell you that Americans like to drink far more than they let on to their neighbors. It's just that some of "us" would rather be micturating in some strangers yard.


By the way, thanks for turning a catholic holiday into a fraternity holiday. Maybe if the rest of the U.S. would have a reasonable expectation of alcohol consumption, it would be better for all of us. That way "your" mothers and sisters, and hey father and brothers too (not yours in particular), wouldn't end up showing their private parts to strangers and occasionally returning home with some nice STDS.


That being said, sometimes a bender can cleanse the human soul far purer than any other fasting would do.

My rule is that as long as I'm social drinker, I'm okay. It's not about how much, it's about when I drink it. I'll start to worry if I start to drink on my own. Just to clarify, I don't count couple of beers a day, or several glass of wine in the afternoon/for dinner, or even a shot or two as drinking. That's ok. By drinking alone I mean when I open a bottle of hard stuff and start pouring.

So, I usually drink a lot on weekends when I go out or on some social occasions (especially on a slava), and very rarely during the week.

I'm not a drinker. I don't like the taste of alcohol. But I also don't believe in stepping on anyones right to kill their liver/brain with it. My brother is a drinker though. But he's been unable to stand on 2 occasions. That's his line. :laugh4:

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Originally Posted by CA

our Prime Minister recently declared binge drinking to be 4 middies (40 fl. oz / 1.1 litres)

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Haha, what a laugh. Four beers is a light session, like pizza with mates or kicking a footie down at the beach. :laugh4:

If I'm out drinking casually I'll usually drink anywhere between 6-8 beers/rum and cokes/vodka shots/anythingthatainttequila :wink2:. More than that (12-13) to get plastered, but hey who wants to not remember the evening anyway?

Most of my mates handle booze well, so it's pretty steady drinking round here. Yeah, I know a few jerks who drink way to much, deliberately so, and a few mean drunks too. But those are people I tend to avoid.

What I never understood is women who go over the top? I know a couple girls who drink to not remember anything. For guys I guess it's kind of a macho thing. But girls? :shrug:

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Originally Posted by Rythmic

What I never understood is women who go over the top? I know a couple girls who drink to not remember anything. For guys I guess it's kind of a macho thing. But girls? :shrug:

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What women can't be macho now?

Alcohol is an awful DANGEROUS, but tons of fun at the same time. If you have will power, like most other things, you should be fine.

I probably drink less than 80% of the other kids on campus. Once in a while (maybe 2-3 times a semester) I'll get really drunk and feel like crap the entire next day. That will remind me why I don't drink much.

Don't get me wrong, I usually drink on the weekend, but I don't overdo it anymore. I'll have a few beers, get a buzz, socialize, play some pong, and then then just chill.

I am the only student in the world that is for prohibition.

I've only drank once in my life, had 4 or 5 Stella Artois (the only beer I've tasted), plus some punch, wine etc because it was a school thing but I was at a friends house before. Anyway I didn't get drunk so I suppose that wasn't a very interesting story. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

I am the only student in the world that is for prohibition.

I've only drank once in my life, had 4 or 5 Stella Artois (the only beer I've tasted), plus some punch, wine etc because it was a school thing but I was at a friends house before. Anyway I didn't get drunk so I suppose that wasn't a very interesting story. :shrug:

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At the risk of hijacking...why?

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

At the risk of hijacking...why?

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Well if not practically at least ideologically. Because alcohol is a problem for all of society, people in the UK now in most cases drink specifically to get completely drunk. Then they start harming people and themselves and causing a big headache to the health services and anyone else who comes across their path. Plus it completely wrecks entire lives for serious alcholics, they might choose to drink at first but they quickly become its slave.

To put it bluntly, alcohol is EVIL. It goes unchallenged because it is not dangerous in moderation, its problems just grow unnoticed like a cancer, but it can't be challenged because then moderate drinkers say they are having their freedom removed.

Get the problem at the source. People need to learn to have fun without being mildly intoxicated, it just needs to be removed from the culture.

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Well if not practically at least ideologically. Because alcohol is a problem for all of society, people in the UK now in most cases drink specifically to get completely drunk. Then they start harming people and themselves and causing a big headache to the health services and anyone else who comes across their path. Plus it completely wrecks entire lives for serious alcholics, they might choose to drink at first but they quickly become its slave.

To put it bluntly, alcohol is EVIL. It goes unchallenged because it is not dangerous in moderation, its problems just grow unnoticed like a cancer, but it can't be challenged because then moderate drinkers say they are having their freedom removed.

Get the problem at the source. People need to learn to have fun without being mildly intoxicated, it just needs to be removed from the culture.

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I think history has shown to us that you cannot legislate against the search of pleasure by the masses...be it booze, drugs, sex, whatever.....the people won´t stand for it...you just have to look at the other countries that tried to put such laws into practice...it doesn´t work.

anyway...back to the topic.

Mostly confine myself to beer, as it's what I like best. Not much of a wine drinker, and haven't acquired a taste for the more subtle hard liquor drinks (think whiskey) yet. And hard liquor has the added factor of being more expensive than plain beer, which as a student is reason enough to drink it only occasionally.

:balloon2:

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

I am the only student in the world that is for prohibition.

I've only drank once in my life, had 4 or 5 Stella Artois (the only beer I've tasted), plus some punch, wine etc because it was a school thing but I was at a friends house before. Anyway I didn't get drunk so I suppose that wasn't a very interesting story. :shrug:

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So you admittedly don’t know much about it but you want to ban it? I think maybe your observations are a little shallow and that most people in the UK or anywhere are not drinking specifically to get completely drunk, nor are they harming people or causing a big headache in the health care system. Everyone has an opinion and you are welcome to yours but I would get out and experience a little life before condemning all the responsible drinkers because of some fools you have encountered that can’t handle themselves.

Drinking is no more EVIL than a bullet, both can be deadly if used irresponsibly but neither is inherently EVIL. :bow:

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Well if not practically at least ideologically. Because alcohol is a problem for all of society, people in the UK now in most cases drink specifically to get completely drunk. Then they start harming people and themselves and causing a big headache to the health services and anyone else who comes across their path. Plus it completely wrecks entire lives for serious alcholics, they might choose to drink at first but they quickly become its slave.

To put it bluntly, alcohol is EVIL. It goes unchallenged because it is not dangerous in moderation, its problems just grow unnoticed like a cancer, but it can't be challenged because then moderate drinkers say they are having their freedom removed.

Get the problem at the source. People need to learn to have fun without being mildly intoxicated, it just needs to be removed from the culture.

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No.

Alcohol is not evil. It is a molecular compound.

Even if it is widely abused, that does not make alcohol evil.

It is that vilification of a mere substance that avoids the real issue; personal responsibility.

Until you have people take responsibility for their actions, and realize that it is their reckless actions, their decisions to abuse alcohol, that lead to the problems, you won't solve any of the issues you are worried about.

And to the OP - I see nothing wrong with imbibing a bit. I don't drink often myself, only really once, maybe twice, a week. But I wasn't raised in the prohibition/anti-alcohol tradition.

CR

I know the situation is particularly dire in the UK and indeed Scotland, but from what I see people either relentlessly binge drink, or practically don't drink at all. Probably the situation here is similar to that described by ShadesPanther, drinkers consume a ridiculous amount but those who don't binge avoid it completely.

Anyway, why do I have to have been drunk to see the problems binge drinking causes? :dizzy2:

Unfortunately, so long as we live in a society then individuals personal irresponsibility will often affect others. If a shop owner has his windows tanned in, is he personally responsible? Or the guy who gets battered by a gang of neds on buckie? Or the guy who died of a heart attack while the ambulances were busy in the town centre?

How appropriate, I can hear some drunken neds passing by my house as I type this. Admittedly it is a Friday night, but even still these idiots are making the place dangerous for everyone.

Gah it used to be our labour parties has a strong policy of temperence before Irish immigration meant that policy didn't win so many votes. Why must the socialist parties today go down the route of appeasing modern liberal values? I suppose they are pandering to the idiot students who go on marches for workers rights and anti-nuclear weapon rallies carrying USSR flags. On the one hand its funny, but on the other its a bit disheartening.

OK I went completely off topic there but...

I usually tell friends when I think they're drinking to fast, but I don't slap them around the head with it. They do the same with me, though these days I drink more moderately when going out so it doesn't happen a lot.

On "normal evenings" I often have a beer or two; sometimes I induldge myself with more or heavier stuff and I usually go without the next day - not because it results in hangovers, but because I don't want to develop a pattern of regulary being inebriated.

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Originally Posted by Ronin

I´m straight edge personally so I don´t touch any alcohol or other drugs...but I don´t any problem with people who do...as long as they are responsible about it.....

Most of my friends drink, but I don´t know anyone who is a "mean drunk"....most of them get silly and happy....I guess if it was otherwise they wouldn´t be my friends.

drugs and alcohol are never an excuse for acting like an asshole.

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So Amsterdam only appeals to you because of the prostitutes? :martass:

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Anyway, why do I have to have been drunk to see the problems binge drinking causes? :dizzy2:

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You don’t have to be drunk to see that binge drinking can cause problems but you have to open your eyes to see that not everyone that drinks, binges and that supporting prohibition is a band-aid that will chaff the responsible drinkers and only transfer irresponsible people’s vices. If you don’t like binge drinkers then support a help group but don’t support legislating away freedoms. :bow:

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Originally Posted by CountArach

As a side note - our Prime Minister recently declared binge drinking to be 4 middies (40 fl. oz / 1.1 litres), which is a ridiculous notion in a country with a strong drinking culture such as ours. So there's an official perspective for you (Though the PM was largely ridiculed for this statement).

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:inquisitive:

Your Prime Minister needs to be shown what a Maß is.

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Originally Posted by yesdachi

If you don’t like binge drinkers then support a help group but don’t support legislating away freedoms. :bow:

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Well we're not free to take other harmful substances. Alcohol is only seen as a freedom because people are used to having it, if it hadn't been for its historical acceptance we would still be talking about legalising it today, just like with marijuana and the real serious drugs.

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Well we're not free to take other harmful substances. Alcohol is only seen as a freedom because people are used to having it, if it hadn't been for its historical acceptance we would still be talking about legalising it today, just like with marijuana and the real serious drugs.

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A cheeseburger is just as harmful a substance as alcohol but you are ok with fat and unhealthy people walking around?

Historical acceptance is a big part of why it is legal but so is the fact that not everyone that uses it is transformed into a binge drinking monster that wrecks lives and the health system. It comes down to personal responsibility and the government can not force us to be responsible by taking away all the potential vices like a parent protects a child from sharp objects.

Well my day is over; I am going to get a drink. Any brain cells that are killed in the process I consider simple and deserving of the culling. The strong will survive to make me smarter. Enjoy your weekend :medievalcheers:

Total abstinence... Not saying this has always been so.

When I drink at parties, I drink in order to get completely drunk. There's no alternative to that. Usually takes about 5 litres(a sixpack at the pre-party, then around 5 pints at the pub) of beer coupled with 1/5-1/4 bottle of scotch. I do swap the beer for red wine from time to time though, and then it's 2 bottles of that. Basically the beer is the filler, I feel so alone without my good pal Mr. Alcohol in my hand :sweatdrop: The scotch is what makes my vision blur...
"Casual drinking", or whatever you may call it, at parties is an alien concept to me; if I'm not drinking to get shit drunk, I see no point in drinking at all. I'm a very, very happy drunk, by the way :smash:

As for drinking at other times, well... Not so much. There's the occasional beer when there's a football game on, as well as a bottle of wine when I'm trying to get lucky.

As for record drinking, well... I've been "russ"(norwegian graduation period), where I consumed 12 bottles of Jack Daniels in roughly 3 weeks, in addition to a lot of beer...

Oh, and as for starting age, I was drunk for the first time at 16. Roughly the average age here, I believe.

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Originally Posted by yesdachi

A cheeseburger is just as harmful a substance as alcohol but you are ok with fat and unhealthy people walking around?

Historical acceptance is a big part of why it is legal but so is the fact that not everyone that uses it is transformed into a binge drinking monster that wrecks lives and the health system. It comes down to personal responsibility and the government can not force us to be responsible by taking away all the potential vices like a parent protects a child from sharp objects.

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Well fat people don't tear the town apart and attack people because they are fat. As I said earlier when people are irresponsible often innocent people pay for their stupidity. Don't waste time and money hoping the police will be able to protect them, cut the problem at the source.

The purpose of alcohol is to intoxicate, just in varying degrees. This is not the case with other issues that can lead to harm such as owning knives (for cooking purposes), driving cars etc.

We have a binge drinking culture, you either drink or you don't, there's not much of a middle-ground. No alcohol, no problem, its that simple.

EDIT: See above post.

I do not drink, which makes college somewhat less enjoyable I'm sure. :sweatdrop:

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Originally Posted by Fenring

So Amsterdam only appeals to you because of the prostitutes? :martass:

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we all have some vices ~:pimp::laugh4:

I'll only drink in social settings. By myself and it just as absolutely no appeal. I may have gotten drunk enough to be extremely stupid, but I would never become a jackass or anything. I just laugh a ton, but if I'm that bad it's with a ton of other people who are that bad.

The drinking age should be 18 AT LEAST here. I agree with the European approach. Allow kids to drink sooner and make it a hell of a lot harder to get a license and drive. Then again Europe is mein himmel so...:sweatdrop:

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Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar

CountArach - the PM's a complete nonce. Binge drinking is when the whites of your eyes are red, you can't speak straight or stand straight, you're no longer yourself. You are no longer human. This can't be measured by how much a person drinks as it differs from person to person. And i should know, my many night shifts have exposed me to these kinds of people.

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Don't get me wrong - Rudd was 100% wrong when he said it. I'm just pointing out what the official story is.

im pretty drunk. I'd thought id post here and the drunkards thread. I guess my earlier thread doesnt apply or this one of the 2 to 3 a semster. Doubtful. now its time for my other favorite "substamnce"

i have a beer every day, even if i rarely go out to drink a lot.

my bro, who spends a lot of time with young florida types say that people rarely drink, but if you go to a game then the idea is to get wrecked.

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Well fat people don't tear the town apart and attack people because they are fat. As I said earlier when people are irresponsible often innocent people pay for their stupidity. Don't waste time and money hoping the police will be able to protect them, cut the problem at the source.

The purpose of alcohol is to intoxicate, just in varying degrees. This is not the case with other issues that can lead to harm such as owning knives (for cooking purposes), driving cars etc.

We have a binge drinking culture, you either drink or you don't, there's not much of a middle-ground. No alcohol, no problem, its that simple.

EDIT: See above post.

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So, after a brief stroll thru Google I have found that over 60% of Americans drink and that over 50 (all binge drinkers according to you :dizzy2: ) of the 60 million people in the UK drink. You would rather make all those people criminals than encourage a social program that condemns binging and supports personal responsibility?

Without alcohol do you think the binge drinkers would just convert to a life of mediocrity, quietly cuddling up with a romance novel on a Friday night? I think not, they want action, excitement, fun, they are going to tray and replace one vice with another, perhaps one even more dangerous or even illegal, oh but wait, you can solve that too by taking away whatever new vice they choose and the next one or maybe you can just take away their freewill, anything to stop the drunken Ned’s from walking by your house on a Friday night, while you sit in front of your computer chatting on a gamming website.

If you only had the power to remove freewill.

Hmm well why would I go outside when I've got RTW?!

Free will needs to be balanced with public safety. If we could only harm ourselves, then I would say anyone can do anything they like. But that is not the reality, people die for these people's 'excitement'.

If you remove all government control, then people start abusing their rights to take away others' rights. It's about balance. And any policeman in pretty much any town centre on a Friday/Saturday night will tell you that that balance has not been struck.

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Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Hmm well why would I go outside when I've got RTW?!

Free will needs to be balanced with public safety. If we could only harm ourselves, then I would say anyone can do anything they like. But that is not the reality, people die for these people's 'excitement'.

If you remove all government control, then people start abusing their rights to take away others' rights. It's about balance. And any policeman in pretty much any town centre on a Friday/Saturday night will tell you that that balance has not been struck.

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the average civilian living in chicago during the 1930's would tell you that there wasn´t much balance to be found there either....

proibition like laws about this kind of thing do not work.....this is not an opinion....it´s an historical fact.:book:

Does anyone else want to start a microbrewery? I want to really bad. After I hit the lotto I'll do it

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

Does anyone else want to start a microbrewery? I want to really bad. After I hit the lotto I'll do it

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Strike, I think I've found the way for you to lose some pounds. :)

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Originally Posted by Koga No Goshi

Strike, I think I've found the way for you to lose some pounds. :)

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You are the 4th person to say that today.....

This question has no meaning in Ireland you are either drinker or you are a non-drinker.

I am probably the most qualified to answer your original question Don. :clown:

An educational definition on alcoholism once goven me was: An individual who, no matter how often he indulges, must drink to total inebriation.

In other words, if every time you drink you must drink until you are drunk, than you have a problem. If you can not have a beer or two or even three and be satisfied, then you should take an honest introspective look.


What is too much? What is too often?


I think the two are related. I find it perfectly acceptable, and in fact healthy, to have too much on a rare occasion. That said, it would be "too much" to drink to excess routinely.

Now, for the more subtle issue: regular drinking. Moderation, responsibility, and accountability are the answers to this. Moderation is understanding your limits, your body's reaction to each drink as you continue. Responsibility here is whether you are willing to give up your keys every time you drink (And I mean EVERY time, no matter how much! Even ONE!) and similar actions. Accountability is whether you recognize how your behavior is affecting others, and whether you are willing to answer for your behavior.


As long as these 3 issues are accounted for, regular drinking is a personal choice and anybody who passes judgment on another for their behavior is a hypocritical snob unworthy of a relationship with you.

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Originally Posted by yesdachi

Without alcohol do you think the binge drinkers would just convert to a life of mediocrity, quietly cuddling up with a romance novel on a Friday night? I think not, they want action, excitement, fun...

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I came across this statement and had to comment on it.


I consider myself a regular drinker. Not to excess, though that happens by accident usually (drinking too fast, impatiently, and then *wham* it hits ya and its too late). But I do drink a bit and I do it often (I've poured 6 shots tonight for two drinks in the last two hours). I don;t lose control. I don't get sick.

Why do I drink. Yesdachi hit it. Its a source of entertainment. I live on excitement and adventure. I loved the Corps and now nothing makes me happier than to fight some fire or respond to a wicked trauma call. I require thrills in my life. Its mandatory.

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Originally Posted by Divinus Arma

Responsibility here is whether you are willing to give up your keys every time you drink (And I mean EVERY time, no matter how much! Even ONE!).

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Huh. Every time I see people in other countries discuss alcohol, they stress how important it is not to drink and drive. Is it a huge problem in some countries? Here, it pretty much goes without saying... And I can't seem to recall any statistic here that showed it as a huge problem either...

Not saying we're the perfect law-abiding people though of course, that would be rather silly as I've been slapped with a fine of roughly 1000USD for driving under the influence myself :beam:

To my defence, I have to add that it had been 12 hours since I stopped drinking, it was the morning after and I thought I was completely sober, and my alcohol level was 0,23, if I had waited another 20-30 minutes I would've gone clear.... The most expensive half hour of my life :clown:

Pfft, I have never ever given away my keys when drunk, no matter how drunk.

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

Is it a huge problem in some countries?

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The further west you go in the US, the more our cities are planned/built around the automobile. So that when you get to California, for example, any city over 10,000 in population virtually requires the average Joe to own and operate a car. There are precious few 'corner groceries' or neighborhood pubs, or walking-distance theaters, etc., not to mention everyone needing to commute to workplaces and schools.

So, although DWI is not an epidemic, it is much higher than it ought to be, because everyone is accustomed to hopping into their Honda to go here and there, and then return home. Giving up the keys, as DA points out, is a seemingly un-natural act in such an environment - and one therefore to be applauded as the epitome of personal responsibility and accountability.

-edit-

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Originally Posted by Husar

Pfft, I have never ever given away my keys when drunk, no matter how drunk.

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In my 3 years in Germany, I never drove a car. Didn't need to. Pubs, theaters, work, everything was either within walking distance, or a short hop away on excellent public transport.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

Does anyone else want to start a microbrewery? I want to really bad. After I hit the lotto I'll do it

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You may want to read/listen to this.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=16245024

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

Huh. Every time I see people in other countries discuss alcohol, they stress how important it is not to drink and drive. Is it a huge problem in some countries? Here, it pretty much goes without saying... And I can't seem to recall any statistic here that showed it as a huge problem either...

Not saying we're the perfect law-abiding people though of course, that would be rather silly as I've been slapped with a fine of roughly 1000USD for driving under the influence myself :beam:

To my defence, I have to add that it had been 12 hours since I stopped drinking, it was the morning after and I thought I was completely sober, and my alcohol level was 0,23, if I had waited another 20-30 minutes I would've gone clear.... The most expensive half hour of my life :clown:

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Hmm, which Norway do you live in? :inquisitive: It's rather normal that people are caught DWI.

Rarely does an evening go by that I don't have at least one glass of wine with my dinner, even if I'm dining alone with only my television set for company.

Weekends? I still hit the clubs on occasion, and will often have 10 drinks or more of an evening out.

But with a few very rare exceptions, my own body tells me when it's time to stop. At a certain point, the drinks just start to taste bad and I know it's time to go home.

Will occasionally go out and get hammered, not often, and not since I got back from Melbourne (four months ago), had a horrible experience there that I won't go into. Still had fun on my birthday weekend (a few days ago), without getting totalled.

That said Rudd's comment was an absolute joke, if I am going to drink, and I go out most weekends, I'll be having more than that.

Sasaki's comment was probably the best, it's not what, or how much you drink, it's how you act. And some of my acquaintances can be total idiots when they get on the alcohol.

With the DUI thing, I never ever give up my keys, have had people try and remove them though(idiots). I never drive after drinking... ever. Easiest way around it.

So yeah don't go out for the purpose of getting plastered, just go and have fun (which is possible without drinking, but easier when half-cut).

My take on this issue,

Curio

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We have the highest per person comsumption of alcohol than anyone else but we also have the most teetotallers in Europe

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Hmm interesting - are Russians and Poles counted? :) I like to mix alcohols. Generally i love vodka with beer. You have terrible hangover after it but tastes really good. Of course it has too be good vodka and good beer.
Other thing i like is Red Finlandia. Great vodka. Both smell and taste fantastic.


Someone here mentioned about Australia. What are beers there. How many alcohol. Here I must tell that hardly anyone can hold 12 beers (but beer have at least 5%).

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Originally Posted by KrooK

Someone here mentioned about Australia. What are beers there. How many alcohol. Here I must tell that hardly anyone can hold 12 beers (but beer have at least 5%).

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Most beers are about 3-7%, with the average probably being just around 4%.

My wife and I tend to drink one bottle of wine per night with dinner about 5 nights per week. It would be 7 nights per week, but we pay a lot of attention to food/wine pairings and we often have at least 2 nights where we don't have a bottle that can conceivably fit with our meal. We are definitely not alcoholics, we do not crave alcohol and we can easily go without it indefinitely if we choose to. I don't think our consumption level is even remotely bad on any level, yet we are WAY, WAY over the recommended weekly consumption level. I think by medical standards we are considered very heavy drinkers, but again it's just a bottle between the two of us with dinner. We almost never get drunk and rarely drink anything outside of these bottles with dinner. In my opinion, either we're freaks of nature in our ability to lead normal lives while drinking this much, or the medical standards for heavy drinking are way too low. I'm undecided on what the right answer is.

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Originally Posted by TinCow

In my opinion, either we're freaks of nature in our ability to lead normal lives while drinking this much, or the medical standards for heavy drinking are way too low. I'm undecided on what the right answer is.

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The latter. :yes:

Drinking half a bottle of wine a night has been shown to be healthier than abstaining by medical studies...

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Originally Posted by Sasaki Kojiro

Drinking half a bottle of wine a night has been shown to be healthier than abstaining by medical studies...

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Yeah but if you do that in the U.S., you must be:

1) European
2) Gay
3) Elitist/Pretentious.


If you do the same thing with beer or whiskey though, you're a good solid American. :inquisitive:

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Originally Posted by Koga No Goshi

Yeah but if you do that in the U.S., you must be:

1) European
2) Gay
3) Elitist/Pretentious.


If you do the same thing with beer or whiskey though, you're a good solid American. :inquisitive:

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That's fine, I'm definitely Elitist/Pretentious. I also hold UK citizenship, so I guess I qualify on 2 out of the 3. :laugh4:

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Originally Posted by TinCow

That's fine, I'm definitely Elitist/Pretentious. I also hold UK citizenship, so I guess I qualify on 2 out of the 3. :laugh4:

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Well see the problem is, in the U.S., if you any 2 out of the 3, you must be the third as well. ;) :oops: