Alcohol consumption

[Koga No Goshi]

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

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

[Strike For The South]

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

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

[gaelic cowboy]

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

[Divinus Arma]

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

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.

[Divinus Arma]

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...

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.

[HoreTore]

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!).

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

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

[Husar]

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

[KukriKhan]

Is it a huge problem in some countries?

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-

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

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.

[Yoyoma1910]

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

You may want to read/listen to this.

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

[Viking]

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

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

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

[Goofball]

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.

[Gaius Scribonius Curio]

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

[KrooK]

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

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%).

[CountArach]

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%).

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

[TinCow]

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.

[drone]

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.

The latter.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

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

[Koga No Goshi]

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

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.

[TinCow]

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.

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

[Koga No Goshi]

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

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

[Rhyfelwyr]

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.

Damn straight, same here in Scotland, although not really much England anymore.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

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.

That's just because wine is more expensive than beer and whiskey. Someone drinking overpriced whiskey or beer would be seen as elitest/pretentious/possibly european. "gay' is confined for girly drinks though lol.

[Koga No Goshi]

That's just because wine is more expensive than beer and whiskey. Someone drinking overpriced whiskey or beer would be seen as elitest/pretentious/possibly european. "gay' is confined for girly drinks though lol.

My brother-in-law is European. American men think or assume he is gay, constantly. But he's just European. ;)

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

That's just because wine is more expensive than beer and whiskey.

At four Euro a bottle?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Strike For The South]

My brother-in-law is European. American men think or assume he is gay, constantly. But he's just European. ;)

Thats what we call a synonym

[Alexanderofmacedon]

I had alcohol awareness class today and yesterday (yes I was caught with alcohol as a minor). I got home and my friend sent me a messege that his parents are gone for two weeks.........

....that being said I am in favor of no tolerance for drunk driving. If you're above 0.06 in my opinion you should be fined up to $10,000 and 10 years no license. It's the only way for them to learn, and in my state we have the highest amount of people killed from drunk driving accidents - not a laughing matter.

[Prince Cobra]

Me? Alcohol? My secondary-school stuents' farewell ball was a special case so in the restaurant I drank less than half glass of wine. And have in mind I was drinking it... 4 hours... In the disco I drank nothing... I just do not like alcohol... I prefer water (mineral water)...

[HoreTore]

....that being said I am in favor of no tolerance for drunk driving. If you're above 0.06 in my opinion you should be fined up to $10,000 and 10 years no license. It's the only way for them to learn, and in my state we have the highest amount of people killed from drunk driving accidents - not a laughing matter.

.....I think you mean 0.6, not 0.06, right? Because you can get that level by using the wrong toothpaste....

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

.....I think you mean 0.6, not 0.06, right? Because you can get that level by using the wrong toothpaste....

No, 0.08% is the legal alcohol limit for driving. A BAC of 0.6 would, in all probability, kill you.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

No, 0.08% is the legal alcohol limit for driving. A BAC of 0.6 would, in all probability, kill you.

Yep.