Beer Tax

There is a possibility of the state of Minnesota raising the taxes on alcohol and I'm okay with that.  It is an effort by the Democrat led state government to help balance the budget, something you would think most would be in favor of.  When anyone hears the term 'tax hike' or 'tax increase' panic sets in.  No one likes to pay more for something they enjoy.  Hell, I get mad every once in a while when I fill up my Jeep because I know that about fifteen years ago, it cost about a dollar a gallon and not three fifty.  In the days of running the government on a deficit and credit, it would be nice to live in a state that is trying to get ahead of it's own debt and get back into the black.  By all accounts, if the tax hike were to go through, it could raise the cost of beer about two dollars a case.  Buying a pint at the bar would cost an extra seven cents.  At least that is the line that is coming out of the Capitol.

On the other hand, the state brewers and liquor lobby (yes, we have one of those!) are saying that the cost will be much higher to them and to the consumer.  Here's how it breaks down from the perspective of the brewers:   all brewers pay a tax of $4.60 for each barrel (thirty one gallons) of beer they make.  For one litre bottles of spirits and liquor, the makers are charged $1.33 tax.  Wine is also taxed, but varies based on alcohol content.  So the tax for each seems pretty low to me and that is how the brewers would like to keep it.  With the proposed tax hike, the beer brewers would pay $27.75 for each barrel of beer brewed (I couldn't find information on the new tax price for liquor or wine).  Instead of seeing a seven cent per pint and two dollar hike on a case, the brewers are estimating that it would be double that.  So, fourteen cents and four dollar respectively.    

Now this rate hasn't changed since 1987, so it would be a shock to the brewers to have to pay this new tax.  It all comes down to the bottom line for the brewers and how strong their lobby is.  Of course they want to keep the tax rate the same, it means that they have to pay less to sell their product.  If they pay less, they make more.  Business sense says why mess with something that works.  The problem is that everyone has to make sacrifices when it comes to the state wide budget.  This time, it's the brewers that might have to take the hit.  Yes, it is a huge jump going from five dollars to twenty eight, but with them paying so little for so long, it should be time to help out their state.  I think that if the proposed tax was about ten to fifteen dollars less you would see less push back from the brewers.  Both sides would win, the state is still getting more tax money and the brewers aren't getting taxed as much as first proposed.  

People aren't going to stop drinking just because the price goes up.  They might drink less in one sitting or they might go from buying a case of beer a week to a case of beer once every two weeks, but isn't that a good thing?  Isn't it a little bit healthier for us?  These proposed higher taxes aren't going to put brewers out of business, they just won't be making as much of a profit margin as they once were. 

Below is a quote from an article in the Star Tribune written by Baird Helgeson.

“I am against it, absolutely against it,” Joe Mangin, 85.  “The people who like to drink, we are being discriminated against.”

 This brings to mind when Wichita  was deciding on whether or not to go smokeless in bars.  Smokers were up in arms over having to go outside to kill their lungs and save mine.  The main argument was that they were being discriminated against because...well that's just it, there never was a good argument.  Just because a law has been passed or a tax is in the process of being enacted and it affects you and your vices does not mean the government is discriminating against you.  Not being able to drink from a certain water fountain or not being able to marry someone is the government discriminating against you.  Know the difference. 

Marathon Reaction

Watching my niece play while oblivious to what is happening in Boston right now.I miss being a kid sometimes.
— Michael Litzner (@Litzner) April 15, 2013

Above is what I tweeted regarding the explosions during the Boston Marathon yesterday.  My niece was playing on the floor with her toys not paying attention to anything else.  She doesn't watch the television unless there are cartoons on...or I'm trying to watch a sporting event.  So it was great that she was not paying attention so we did not have to talk to her about it.  How do you explain what is happening when a bomb goes off to a four year old?  Is there a way to explain it?  I don't think there is.  Not unless you want to shatter their illusion of a safe world.  When my nephew came in he started asking what had happened.  He is old enough to watch something happening on the TV and figure some stuff out.  So he started asking questions and we answered the questions the best we could without many details. 

I now have three nieces and one nephew who all were born into the post 9/11 world.  They will never know what it was like to not have to take your shoes off at the airport or living without a color coded fear spectrum.  They will always have to travel with three ounces of shampoo and conditioner and nothing more.  They will have to deal with these fears and stresses until something more monumental happens (be it for better or worse).  I don't know if they will understand what it was like.  They will read about the events in their history books, but might not be able to fully grasp the situation.  It is along the same lines as someone my age reading or watching the events of Pearl Harbor.  Sure, I have seen the video of the attack, I have read the first hand account, I have listened to Franklin Roosevelt's speech, but I do not know the instant feelings and reaction. 

The Book Movie Connection

We are four months into the year and already I have read more books than I did last year.  Partly because I have sworn off history books for at least a year (learning is hard guys) and partly because I'm reading books I love.  Books that I have read over and over.  Reading books several times over is easy because you have it in your mind what the characters look like, what the characters are wearing, how they walk, how they talk.  They are familiar faces in your mind.  When you read a new book, you have to develop the characters or at least I do.  And that is where I start to slow down when I read.

Part of the slow down is trying to develop the characters in my head despite the fact that this is what the author has done.  However, telling me someone is wearing a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, and sunglasses doesn't help me out.  Is there a graphic on the sweatshirt?  What color is the sweatshirt?  Are the jeans some old beat up pair with a ton of tears in them or brand new?  Are they a pair of acid wash 80s throwback?  See, this is what I deal with.  And yes, some authors go into detail about these little things which is awesome because the work is done for me.

This is where movies help me out.  Not everyone is a fan of a movie being adapted from a book, but it's okay by my standards.  I remember reading 'Jurassic Park' after seeing the movie.  Despite the differences, it was so much better for me to read it after seeing the movie because the characters were already there.  Same thing when I read the 'Lord of the Ring' trilogy.  Having this kind of connection in my mind helps to get me through some books.  

To counter this point, isn't one of the points of a book to engage your mind and imagination?  And I say absolutely!  For example. all the Cormac McCarthy books that I have read (four in total) I have fully developed the characters in my mind.  What helps out is his attention to detail.  While it may take longer to finish the book, I find myself going back and re-reading paragraphs, pages, or even chapters just to absorb as much detail as possible.  That is the glory of his writing style.  Don Delillo is the same way (I've read three of his books).  Both throw out some heavy subjects and the detail that they write with helps to get through the books.  

The story is in the details, but getting a boost from the silver screen every once in a while helps.  

Lazy Morning

This morning I woke up around 7:30.  My first thought was 'holy shit it's early'.  Then, while I was laying in bed contemplating whether or not I wanted to try to go back to sleep, I realized I had slept for about seven hours.  More than my fair share.  Six to six and a half hours is normally what I have been getting so anything more than that is awesome.  When I sleep for eight hours it is mainly because I had only gotten four or five over the previous three days.  So, up and at 'em before 8:00 this morning. 

Up to do what exactly?  We still are apartment dwellers so I don't have lawn chores to deal with.  It's the morning of a closing shift at work so I don't really want to do anything.  I did the only thing I could do while trying not to make too much noise.  A whole lotta nothing.  And let me tell you, it is everything slackers have made it out to be.  It's almost like I'm on vacation, but I still know that I have work to do later today.  Being productive during the morning when I have to go to work in the afternoon just never sits right with me.  I don't know why. 

So here I sit on the couch with the television off staring at the computer screen.  As long as I'm doing something it does not feel like a wasted morning.  I made a pot of coffee.  I finished watching a movie.  I've listened to some podcasts and some music.  I've read through some articles online.  I adjusted my fantasy baseball lineups (yes, I do that).  And I'm writing this post.  This is the extent of my productivity for the morning.  Plus, it's a weekend.  Everyone is suppose to be a little bit lazy on the weekends.  Am I right? 

The Tale of the Indifferent Cat

Last week my wife and I had to make, to this date, the most difficult decision of our lives.  Our cat, Libby, had been sick for about a month and we decided it was time.  This was the first time we had to make this decision and was rough on both of us.  Tears were shed, comforting hugs were had, and reassurances between the both of us that we were doing the right thing.  Even now, its tough to hold back a few tears (proof that I do in fact have a heart and soul).  

My wife got Libby from the Humane Society down in Wichita shortly after moving down there.  She picked her because of her fluffy tail.  Little did we know that the fluffy tail meant fluff all over as she grew up!  Libby has set the standard in our household for fluff and fur for any future felines that come into our lives. 

Now, I say that she was 'our' cat, when in fact, she was my wife's cat.  Libby was a one person cat.  Insanely indifferent to the rest of the world, whenever my wife would wake up in the morning, Libby would come out for her morning head scratches and occasional tummy rub.  When I woke up in the morning?  I got 'the glare' from her.  The 'you aren't my human now go away' glare.  She was by no means an aggressive cat, in fact I'm sure she was scared of her own hiss or shadow.  

The picture below I took of her lazing on the couch is the best one that we have of her.    

From her crazy whiskers to her furry little paws, Libby was in our lives for too short of a time.  That's how life is from time to time.  Unfair.  You just have to relish in the time together. 

It's a Me Vacation

I took two days of vacation today and tomorrow.  Incorporate that with my weekend off and my normal day off on Wednesday, I have a five day mini vacation.  I wanted to take a day off to watch Opening Day, something I use to do in college.  I would skip class to watch the Tigers play their first game of the year.  It's the little things in life that make it great.  I figured, why not take another day off while I'm at it?  I'll make these days all about me!  Something I don't do very often.  I do have a real vacation coming up in the middle of April, but I just wanted some time to decompress from work.  And what better way than to do absolutely nothing?

The initial plan was to go to Opening Day, but we opted for game number two instead.  It's a big deal, but not a deal breaker.  I just want to be part of it.  Maybe next year.  So, if I can't be there in person, I might as well enjoy the game at home.  Drinking a few beers in the middle of the afternoon, cheering on the reigning American League Champions.  I wanted the day off to watch baseball.  Then I figured, why not take another day off as well, you know, to recuperate.  The first games of the day are starting around noon.  The Tigers are playing at 3:00 CST

These are days off well deserved.  We were talking about it earlier in March, but I don't think I have taken any vacation since last May (maybe in July too, but I can't remember).  Even if it were in July, that's about nine months.  Too long between vacations.  I don't count the times we were home in November and December.  You can't count funerals as vacation, even if you are home.  Regardless,  I wanted more than a regular weekend off.  I wanted to take a few days off that were all about me.  I wanted to laze around, drink beer, watch movies and sports.  And I have done so thus far.  I have watched at least one full game since Friday.  I don't like basketball, but the college tournament is engrossing.  Just the excitement that the crowd brings is great. 

So these five days are selfish days.  Days that nothing much got done, but something got done.  I was able to relax.  To not be stressed out about work.  To not be worried about anything really.  I wanted nothing more than to lay around, and I have accomplished that.  I just don't know how I'm going to handle the real world again come Thursday.  I didn't choose the slothful life, the slothful life chose me.  Oh wait....