Japan’s young people aren’t drinking up, the number of the nation’s older imbibers is shrinking, and nightlife is down due to COVID, so tax revenue from alcohol is down. To boost boozing, the National Tax Agency’s new “Sake Viva!” contest invites youngsters to submit business ideas to encourage alcohol consumption. You can even submit entries from abroad if they’re written in Japanese. Kanpai! (“Bottoms Up!”; “Cheers!”).
More:
“Japan has a message for its young adults: Drink more alcohol,” Rachel Pannett and Julia Mio Inuma, Washington Post
“Drink Up, Japan Tells Young People. I’ll Pass, Many Reply.” Hikari Hida and John Yoon, New York Times
Image (“Young Beauty With iPhone, after Kikugawa Eizan”) by Mike Licht. Download a copyhere. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
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Last month, Russia’s Gamaleya Institute announced that its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is 92% effective, and Russia began mass vaccinations early this month. Many Russians have avoided getting innoculated, however. The rapid rollout of the vaccine leaves many Russians skeptical, but there may be another reason they’re staying away. Russia has one of the highest per capita rates of alcohol consumption in Europe, and Russian officials are saying the vaccinated should lay off the vodka for 42 days. A walk-back to 6 days followed, 3 days after each of the two injections, but that still may be too much for many hard-drinking Russians.
Last Monday, before leaving the Governor’s office, New Jersey’s Chris Christie signed a law making it illegal to fly aerial drones while drunk. Anyone flying a drone in the Garden State with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher or while drugged faces up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. Flying drones near a prison or while pursuing wildlife is also banned.
Last night, the 5th of May, millions of Americans commemorated the Mexican victory at theBattle of Puebla (1862) with volleys of shots — of tequila — bravura barrages of beer, and murderous margaritas. Unsurprisingly, this morning finds heads held hostage and stomachs seared from nacho napalm. Today’s Spanish vocabulary lesson: crudomeans ” hangover.”
If you celebrated Cinco de Mayo with cerveza, celebrate Seis de Mayo this morning with el desayuno de los campeones, the Breakfast of Champions. The traditional Mexican hangover cure is menudo – tripe soup or stew.
Emergency hangover instructions issued by the Department of Homeland Security suggest a stockpile of canned menudo —Juanita’s, Pico Pica, La Preferida, La Costeña, — but if you prefer fresh relief, have an ambulance deliver a few pounds of white honeycomb beef tripe (culin or pancita), posole (white hominy), dried or fresh chili peppers (ancho, poblano), onion, garlic, and maybe a nice calf’s foot (veal knuckle). Sure beats corn flakes.
Last night, the 5th of May, millions of Americans commemorated the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla (1862) with volleys of shots — of tequila — bravura barrages of beer, and murderous margaritas. Unsurprisingly, this morning finds heads held hostage and stomachs seared from nacho napalm. Today’s Spanish vocabulary lesson: crudomeans ” hangover.”
If you celebrated Cinco de Mayo with cerveza, celebrate Seis de Mayo this morning with el desayuno de los campeones, the Breakfast of Champions. The traditional Mexican hangover cure is menudo – tripe soup or stew.
Emergency hangover instructions issued by the Department of Homeland Security suggest a stockpile of canned menudo —Juanita’s, Pico Pica, La Preferida, La Costeña, — but if you prefer fresh relief, have an ambulance deliver a few pounds of white honeycomb beef tripe (culin or pancita), posole (white hominy), dried or fresh chili peppers (ancho, poblano), onion, garlic, and maybe a nice calf’s foot (veal knuckle). Sure beats corn flakes.
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