Castillo, 45, struck a flight attendant on the buttocks with the back of her hand during Saturday's flight, FBI Special Agent Peter Carricato said in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte. She also stood and fell onto the head of a blind passenger and later started pulling the person's hair, the complaint stated.

Ankle cuffs kept slipping off Castillo, so the flight crew and two passengers were forced to use duct tape to keep her in her seat, the complaint states.

She calmed as the pilot diverted the flight to Charlotte-Douglass International Airport, but became disruptive again when authorities boarded the plane to remove her, authorities said.

Watch how much you drink at the airport, people.

FBI: Airline passenger restrained with duct tape [AP]
(Photo: Getty)

The AP says:

United Airlines says 1 of its pilots has been arrested by police for being over the legal alcohol limit.

The airline says the first officer was due to join the crew of flight 955 from London's Heathrow Airport to San Francisco when he was arrested early Sunday morning. London's Metropolitan Police say the 44-year-old was arrested following a breath test but has since been bailed.

Fox News has some quotes from horrified passengers who witnessed the pilot being marched off the plane:

“A couple of police officers stormed on to the plane as we were all sitting down and went straight for the cockpit.

“We didn’t have a clue what was happening and we were kept waiting on the plane for hours.

“It is horrifying to think we were apparently so close to being flown thousands of miles by somebody who could have been drinking."

United Airlines issued a statement about the incident:

"United Airlines' alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry and we have absolutely no tolerance for abuse or violation of this well-established policy.

"Safety is our number one priority and the pilot has been removed from service while we are co-operating with the authorities and conducting a full investigation.

Sigh.

Pilot arrested after failing breath test [Reuters]
'Drunk' United Airlines Pilot Arrested Before Takeoff [Fox News]
Pilot arrested in UK for being over alcohol limit [WHBF]
Pilot Arrested at Heathrow Following Breath Test[WSJ Middle Seat Blog]
(Photo: Zonaphoto )

From the Wall Street Journal:

John McCardell, a history professor and former president of Middlebury College in Vermont, is leading the effort. His group, Choose Responsibility, a nonprofit unaffiliated with the college, has received financial backing from money manger Julian Robertson. Mr. McCardell says he receives no money from the alcohol industry.

He argues current laws drive drinking underground, causing more problems than they solve. "The law is out of step with reality," he says. "The law is so obviously unjust and discriminatory. It ought to at least be the subject of debate."

But he and the college presidents are taking on powerful constituencies, including some of their colleagues, the top government traffic-safety agency, the insurance industry and public-health authorities, all of which say the higher drinking age saves lives. Even representatives of the alcohol industry say they support current laws.

A college student interviewed for the piece says she cut back on her drinking once it was no longer forbidden:

Elizabeth Pogust, a 21-year-old senior at Middlebury, says she felt pressured to drink as a freshman. Classmates would quaff alcohol in their rooms before roaming the campus on weekends, she recalls. As they got older, she says, she and her peers learned their lessons. "I've noticed a definite change in my attitude once it was no longer forbidden," she says.

What do you think? Is the 21-year-old drinking age part of the problem — or the solution?

Bid to Reconsider Drinking Age Taps Unlikely Supporters [WSJ]
List of College Presidents Who Signed The Petition [Amethyst Initiative]

whether they had at least one drink of alcohol within the past 30 days; whether men had more than two drinks per day or women one drink per day; and whether they had five or more drinks on one occasion. In each case, higher-ranking cities reported larger percentages of their population answering in the affirmative.

Of course, as Forbes notes, a better "hard drinkin'" rank doesn't mean your city is a "den of debauchery," and "just downing a few cold ones doesn't make a person irresponsible." Well, like, duh...

Forbes' 15 Hardest Drinking Cities

• 1. Austin, TX
• 2. Milwaukee, WI
• 3. San Francisco, CA
• 4. Providence, R.I.
• 5. Chicago, IL
• 8. (tie) Seattle, WA, Cleveland, OH, St. Louis, MO
• 9. Boston, MA
• 10. Cincinnati, OH
• 11. Pittsburgh,PA
• 12. Virginia Beach, VA
• 13. Portland, OR
• 14. Jacksonville, FL
• 15. Detroit, MI

America's Hard-Drinking Cities [Forbes]
(Photo: Paxton Holley )

My wife showed the cashier her license, which was behind a clear window in her wallet. He said, “No, please hand it to me.” We both assumed he just wanted a closer look. Once he had it, he immediately picked up a barcode scanner and scanned the back of her drivers license. I asked him what that was all about, as I had never seen anyone do that before. Almost bragging that Target now knows, for example, exactly where we live, he explained that the scan “gets all the information off of the license.”

Thruhike98 wants to know why Target needs all of this data, and so do we. As he points out in his blog post, it's possible that by scanning the card they're creating verifiable evidence that they performed the required ID check—but in the meantime, the customer has just inadvertently given up all of his license data to a faceless corporation. (One that won't even respond to Thruhike98's email asking them about the practice.)

We'd like to know whether Target retains all of the data they scan off the license, and if so, why?

"Target Must Record My Organ Donor Status to Sell Me Wine?" [Thruhike98]
(Illustration: Getty)

Meet Christina Elizabeth Szele of Woodside, NY. She was charged with assault and interference with flight attendants after she caused such a disturbance that her flight was diverted to Colorado. According to an FBI agent who witness the event, Szele yelled "obscenities and racial epithets" when a flight attendant tried to keep her from smoking, prompting the flight attendants to restrain her in plastic cuffs... Szele then broke through the cuffs, and commenced punching.

Szele had been drinking and doesn't remember any of it, says the AP.

Woman accused of punching JetBlue flight attendant [Examiner]
(Photo: So Cal Metro )

5. Tharra
This spirit native to India boasts a 90% alcohol content and is made by fermenting the mash of sugar cane pulp in ceramic containers. One unfortunate characteristic of the stuff is if you let it sit long enough it turns toxic. Tharra kills hundreds of people per year.

4. Russian Aftershave
Many poor Russians have turned to "surrogate" alcohol, which is basically any product with a high alcohol content. Russian aftershaves are a popular item since some have a 97% alcohol content.

3. Thunderbird
It is a "fortified wine" and typically contains 17.5% alcohol. Thunderbird was introduced by Ernest and Julio Gallo Winery after the end of prohibition. It was marketed to low income drinkers in America. Their radio ads featured these lyrics: "What's the word / Thunderbird / How's it sold? / Good and cold / What's the jive? / Bird's alive / What's the price? / Thirty twice." Despite its yellow color, Thunderbird turns your lips and tongue black when consumed in large quantities.

2. Pruno
Pruno is a famous jailhouse drink which is typically made from different available fruits, sugar, ketchup and bread for its yeast. Basically the ingredients are put into a Ziploc bag, heated occasionally, strained and served. It is legendary for its foul taste.

1. Changaa
Changaa is an illegal drink which is popular in Kenya. It is a libation made from distilled grains such as maize and sorghum. Changaa is usually controlled by the criminal gangs who often spike batches with jet fuel, battery acid or formalin. Obviously, this stuff kills many people every year.

Nectar of the Broke: The World's 5 Worst Ways To Get Drunk [Cracked]

It turns out, no one could really tell one vodka from the other—there was one successful pick, but it wasn't repeatable. (Probably because the subjects were all half-drunk by that point.)

The other conclusion I drew was that when it comes to mixing vodka with fruit juice, or unpurified ice, you might as well as save your money and keep a bottle of Popov around. After mixing with fruit juice, muddled mint, simple syrup, or tap-water ice, the slight subtleties of the vodka in these concoctions go out the window faster than the promise of a contractor who says he'll come to your house every day to work until the job is done.

Oddly, there's a related slideshow of various vodka brands with "tasting notes" that seem to imply that every vodka is a unique and beautiful creation. Hmm, looks like we'll have to try our own blind taste test.

"World's Best Vodka? It's Anybody's Guess" [BusinessWeek]
"The Best Vodkas" (slideshow) [BusinessWeek]
(Photo: Getty)

“Adolescent and teenage girls hardly need further inducements to drink,” wrote George A. Hacker, director of the alcohol policies project at CSPI. “Heavy drinking imposes special risks for girls, due to their lower body weights and different metabolisms and the contributing role of alcohol in sexual assaults, date rape, and unwanted and unplanned pregnancies.”

The devilish ts in question featured the logos of various beers such as Miller, Guinness and Foster's, as well as catchy slogans like “beer is my anti-drug,” and “save water, drink beer.” Forever 21 has responded by quietly yanking the shirts from its website.

We don't think the CPSI should be so hard on Forever 21. After all "21" is in the name and they do have this handy outdated food pyramid shirt. I mean, what more could they ask?

Brewers Urged to Stop Marketing Beer Shirts to Young Girls [CSPI]

Andrea eventually shipped the laptop to Dell so they could repair Joel's damage. Sadly, they forgot to repair her headphone jack.

Andrea writes:

I was just reading the story about the pubic hair laptop, and I have my own story about Dell!

Since I bought my Dell Inspiron 9100 in fall 2004, it has had so many problems, making my extended accident insurance totally worthwhile! My charger died after about a year, they replaced it after 3 hours on the phone, and that one died shortly after, which was also replaced. I reformatted the summer after college, and my Wifi quit working. I spent hours on the phone with a multitude of different techs and the last one realized the cd they'd sent me wasn't for a different wireless card. But the worst thing to go wrong was my computer's fans. Being an overzealous first-time computer buyer, I didn't realize what a GIANT this laptop is. After just a few minutes on, it heats up fiery-hot and kicks on the jet-engine fans. And after a few months, the headphone jack attached to one of the scorching fans stopped working.

So I called Dell. Over, and over, and over. Keep in mind this was in 2005. Every tech had their own idea what to do, and many of them spoke almost no English, so it usually took at least 2 hours just to explain what was wrong. Don't get me wrong, they were courteous and they wanted to help, but they just couldn't understand me. Finally, in fall 2006, someone decided to do something about it. They offered to send someone out to replace my motherboard, or ship it off to Dell somewhere. I couldn't afford to not have my computer for a week, so I opted for the Dell technician. Oh jeez was I stupid.

The next day, a gentleman named Joel called to schedule my appointment. He arrived at the scheduled time and went to work. I was alarmed by the overwhelming scent of ALCOHOL and cigarettes on him, but too polite to say anything, I let him do it. Except, he forgot his tools in the truck. He returned 5 minutes later reeking more strongly, but ready to fix my computer. I watched him take out all the parts, gently. My IT boyfriend came over around then, and we sat watching videos and watching Joel. After removing my motherboard, he started replacing parts. Except, they didn't fit. What to do?? GET OUT A HAMMER AND HAMMER IT BACK IN!!?? Oh yes, he did. With my LCD monitor attached.

When completed, there were a few problems. The frame around my monitor was cracked through, and there were 2 nail holes coming up through the wrist rest area and frame of the keyboard. I pointed them out to Joel [the destroyer] and he said 'Yeah, I thought that was weird when I got here'. He asked if it was working now and I said yes(like I was going to say no and have him touch my poor laptop again!) When I lift up my laptop, there was a neat little pile of the bits of plastic he had broken off.

I called Dell right after this and the tech I got was pretty indifferent. After 3 hours, they said they'd send out a different Dell Service Technician to fix the problem. Guess who called? You're right, JOEL! I didn't answer his call. So I called Dell again, and said no, not Joel. I had to explain the damage to this technician too, which despite showing them pictures still took 3 more hours, they put in another service order. It was Joel, AGAIN! This time, he showed up AT MY HOUSE, WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT. He called me 5 times that day, each time leaving angrier and angrier messages about where am I? The only reason I didn't call the cops was because I had just moved and this creepy freaking guy outside my house all day didn't know that I no longer lived there. He had been calling me on his cell phone, so I had no idea what company he worked for or what I was supposed to do. I asked Dell. They told me if I wanted someone else, I would have to call the company. So I did. I complained about him and demanded another technician. And they said he is the only Tech in the area, so it's him or nothing. So I decided maybe losing my laptop for a week wouldn't be the worst thing ever. I am still pissed that his company felt too good to give me an apology. If you live in Madison, WI, beware of JOEL!!

Dell shipped it out and back in 4 days to replace the cracked frame, nailed wrist rest and keyboard frame, and motherboard. Keep in mind the WHOLE POINT was to fix my HEADPHONE JACK. Everything came back all pretty except the jack was STILL BROKEN. AND the computer overheats and shuts down now! I called Dell, again. They stayed on the line with me for hours AGAIN. And FINALLY I got someone who knew something about my laptop!!! Dana shipped me a replacement fan, which was also a replacement headphone jack, and TADA! After 2 years, my headphone jack worked! Now, if my warranty hadn't expired, I could get my computer to stop trying to start on fire, and then shut down! It is completely worthless if I want to use it for longer than 5 minutes.

I attached 3 of the most obvious photos of what was damaged when he hammered my computer. The first is of the cracked LCD frame, the 2nd the weird dent from hammering a screw into the wrist rest, and the 3rd the completely drilled through keyboard frame. And in Dell's defense, my boyfriend got me a Latitude C640 from 2002 they were throwing out at his work and it's wonderful. It is portable, reasonably fast, and doesn't overheat, even after 6 years of use.

It is amazing how good it feels to vent that to someone who could benefit from my experience! Thanks for this opportunity, Consumerist!

A-B issued a statement:

"Anheuser-Busch is, of course, cooperating with the subpoenas," the company said. "But it is important to realize that the AGs are investigating products whose formulation and labeling already have been approved by the federal authorities, as well as by those states that require state liquor authority approval."

"We responsibly market our products to legal drinking age consumers consistent with industry marketing codes and applicable laws and regulations," the Milwaukee-based company, a unit of SABMiller PLC, said.

"If the Attorneys General truly believe that, despite the state and federal regulatory approvals, alcohol and caffeine should not be mixed, then they should use their powers to persuade these authorities to regulate or ban all such beverages, not just the lower-alcohol, prepackaged ones," the statement said.

We didn't get the impression that the AGs thought people shouldn't mix caffeine and alcohol, just that maybe the drinks shouldn't be marketed to kids (if indeed they actually are.)

The first time someone handed us a "Sparks" or whatever, we seriously thought it was soda from ALDI or something.

States probe marketing of energy drinks [BusinessWeek]
(Photo:Mister Brentus)

A 64-year-old man was trying to get past airport security with a liter bottle of vodka, and, rather than surrender the bottle or pay an extra fee to check his carry-on baggage—he chugged the entire thing.

He was soon unable to stand or walk, and had to be taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for alcohol poisoning.

Man chugs liter of vodka in airport security line [MSNBC] (Thanks, Douglas!)
(Photo:Brittany G)

...cannot reasonably find that approval of application will protect the public health and safety or that it is in the public interest.

According to The Arizona Republic, this is "the first time the agency has taken such an action." US Airways earned New Mexico's ire twice before for boozing up passengers who were later cited for drunk driving. The state had issued the airline a citation, and even reached out to discuss a settlement. US Airways never responded.

"That citation is still open, it's never been dealt with," [Bob Hagan, a spokesman for the department] said.

Those two incidents and a third in which state employees witnessed US Airways flight attendants serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated man while on board a flight from Phoenix to San Diego on Nov. 6, weighed heavily on the state's decision to deny the permit, Hagan said.

"That obviously is not a violation of New Mexico law because they weren't in New Mexico air space, but we took that as an indication US Airways is a questionable candidate for a New Mexico liquor license," Hagan said.

The article provides a lot of other useful information for the DIY liquor-store-enthusiast. For instance, it was illegal under federal law to brew your own beer or wine until 1978, but now a household with two adults can brew up to 200 gallons each of wine and beer, unless you live in a state that says you can't. Also, moonshine drinkers tend to have lots of lead poisoning, which is why 'round these parts we call it "Chinese Import Tea."

"Why Is Moonshine Against the Law?" [Slate]

RELATED
Laws for Homebrewing [Beertown]
(Photo: Getty)

Enforcement is strict, and the consequences are severe. Says the author of the blog:

A friend of mine who worked at a convenience store actually had that happen to him because he wasn't paying attention on a holiday weekend and sold a pack of Marlboro Lights to a kid that looked 25 but was really 16. The episode cost him his job and almost $4,000 in attorney fees and fines. They don't play.

Every single time anyone who does not look old enough to have fought at Normandy tries to buy tobacco or alcohol from me I feel an icy stab of fear grip my chest. "Is this the one? Are there agents watching? Is this a sting?" We've had the ID traps run at our store. Cashiers have been fired and arrested.

(We still think it's foolishness to card a 74-year-old man.)

"Why are some retail places retentive about proving your age?" [Behind the Counter — and our first title for this post was, "Retail Double Agent Reveals Big Brother Conspiracy Behind ID Checks!"]
(Photo: Getty)

What particularly upset him was that the store manager refused to intervene—instead, he took the wine away. "He picks up the wine and, in the manner of a child taking home his ball, says 'Well, we won't serve you'. ...I applaud any efforts to stop kids being served and standing on street corners getting drunk. But this was just totally stupid."

A spokesperson for the liquor store offered a "them's the rules" explanation which sounds like it was pulled from the script for "Idiocracy" (emphasis is ours):

We take our responsibility with regard to selling alcohol very seriously and all our stores operate the Task 21 scheme, which addresses the difficulties our staff face in being able to determine if a customer is legally old enough to buy alcohol. To further limit any element of doubt staff at the West Kirby store are required to ask anyone buying alcohol to confirm that they are over 21.

Look, we sympathize with the man, and we're not mocking the cashier either, who probably agrees that it's overkill but isn't in a position to argue. But blind bureaucracy like this makes the whole human race look stupid. We suspect the store manager is much closer to 21 than the grandfather or the cashier.

"Man, 72, refused alcohol over age" [BBC News via Behind the Counter, because we couldn't resist]
(Photo: Getty)

The wines we recommend are gulpable and satisfying with a modest level of intrigue. You cannot expect much complexity at this level, or subtlety. But you can hope for something more than the most basic, and you can strive to avoid wines that are obviously confected or manipulated to achieve a predetermined set of characteristics.

Here are the wines they recommend, listed in order beginning with their highest rated. Read the full article for tasting notes, ratings, and commentary.

1. Casa Cadaval Portugal Ribatejano , $8.99, Padre Pedro 2002
2. Domaine de l'Ameillaud France , $9, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse 2005
3. Viña Gormaz Spain Ribera del Duero , $9, Tempranillo 2005
4. Georges Duboeuf France , $9, Beaujolais-Villages 2006
5. Altas Cumbres Argentina Mendoza , $9, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
6. Wyatt California Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 , $10
7. J. Vidal-Fleury France , $10, Côtes-du-Ventoux 2005
8. Domaine Monte de Luz , $7, Uruguay Tannat 2006
9. Ravenswood California Vintner's Blend , $10, Merlot 2004
10. Paringa , $9, South Australia Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

"Happiness for $10 or Less" [New York Times]
(Photo: Getty)

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Nutrition Labels Proposed for Alcohol [NYT]
27 CFR Parts 4, 5, 7, and 24 [Notice No. 73; Ref: Notice No. 41] Labeling and Advertising of Wines, Distilled Spirits and Malt Beverages; Proposed Rule (PDF) [Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau]
(Photo: Irish Typepad)

In all four states, liquor was the most prevalent type of alcoholic beverage usually consumed among students who reported current alcohol use, ranging from 34.1% in Nebraska to 44.7% in Arkansas. The second most prevalent type of alcohol usually consumed was either beer or malt beverages (beer in Nebraska, malt beverages in Arkansas, and beer and malt beverages nearly equally in New Mexico and Wyoming). Wine was the least prevalent type of alcohol usually consumed in all four states, ranging from 1.6% in Arkansas and Wyoming to 3.1% in New Mexico.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest disagrees with the CDC's conclusions and believes liquor's popularity can be chalked up to clever marketing:

Think of the dull amber, brown, and clear bottles in liquor stores of yesterday and compare that to the bright pinks, neon blues, and girly greens that characterize hard liquor today. Today's infantilized liquors are flavored with peach, raspberry, mango, cherry, grape and every other kid-friendly flavor under the sun: Hypnotiq. Smirnoff Blueberry. DeKuyper Pineapple Coconut, Sour Apple, or Tropical Mango schnapps. Pink Grapefruit flavored Hiram Walker? Please.

Types of Alcoholic Beverages Usually Consumed by Students in 9th—12th Grades —- Four States, 2005 [CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report via the CSPI]
(Photo: jenerally speaking)

So you're asking yourself, why is this news? Back in November, another drunk passenger from a US Airways flight drove after being over served on that airline and killed 5 members of a Las Vegas family when he "drove the wrong way on Interstate 25." It was later found that US Airways did not have a valid liquor license.

The airline has since applied for a temporary license and are serving alcohol while they wait for approval in New Mexico.

Remember to watch how much you have to drink when traveling. It's long. It's boring. There's no food. Don't get to a place where you can't drive yourself home. The report said the driver in question had been served two small bottles of whiskey on top of whatever he'd had at the airport. If you're going to drive home, perhaps that's a bit too much. —MEGHANN MARCO

Police: Drunken driver served on flight [The New Mexican]
(Photo: JohnKit)

"Due to its limited volume potential and unfounded criticism, we have ceased production of Spykes," Anheuser-Busch said in a statement, in which it added that Spykes was the lowest alcohol content product in its market segment.

Anheuser-Busch says will stop selling Spykes [Reuters]
PREVIOUSLY: Twenty Nine Attorneys General Worry Teenagers May Get All Coked-Up On Spykes
(Photo: cyancey)

Anheuser-Busch spokeswoman Francine Katz said the St. Louis company does not endorse underage drinking and does not target minors. She said Spykes shots, which are sold in 2-ounce bottles and have as much alcohol as a third of a glass of wine, are less likely to appeal to minors, who typically "drink for instant impact."

Anheuser Criticized Over Alcohol-Caffeine Drinks [Washington Post]

To be perfectly frank, we don't have a real strong opinion on the pros or cons of beer tax, but we thought you'd like to know about it just in case you'd like to form one for yourself. For more info, you can check out the running beer money tally at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Since, you know, people in Congress are technically supposed to be representing you and not beer.—MEGHANN MARCO

Beer Money In Congress [CSPI]
(Photo: tubes.)

The post has been advertised against a backdrop of a sharp rise in the number of air rage incidents. According to the Civil Aviation Authority's latest statistics, the number of incidents has increased from one in every 27,000 flights in 2002-3 to one in every 16,000 flights in 2005-6.

British Airways, however, insisted that it had not seen any significant increase on its flights in recent years.

British Airways seeks air rage investigator [Telegraph]
(Photo: RusselJSmith)

Here's what not to do when you're a concert pianist on an airplane and you're still drunk from last night. Don't:

• Sneak more alcohol on the plane in a sports bottle, then ask for a glass of ice.
• Lie to the flight attendant when he asks if you're drinking alcohol with your "glass of ice with lime."
• Wash your ADD meds down with vodka and a Valium chaser.
• Play Rachmaninoff's Piano Sonata No. 2 on your tray table.
• Pound on the walls of the lavatory like some sort of giant ape.
• Threaten to kill a flight attendant.
• Scribble weird messages all over your sheet music.
• Push a flight attendant in the chest causing the airline to land the plane so you can be arrested
• Resist arrest by locking your arms and legs under your seat.
• Go limp and refuse to walk so the officers have to carry you to the waiting squad car.

Really, any of these things are pretty bad. Taken together and you've got one drunk concert pianist. When asked to explain himself in court, Howell said:

"I really can't argue with anything," Howell told U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull on Thursday as he pleaded guilty to charges of interference with flight crew members. "You can't argue with things when you're in that state of mind."

Pianist admits to interference on flight [Billings Gazette]
(Photo:NYCviaRachel)

RELATED: Drunks On A Plane: How Not To Behave On A 6 Hour Flight

Why you should care: A sizable minority of natural corks can introduce a nasty chemical (TCA) into the wine, giving it a musty, dirty flavor. Longer-term, corks also let in more oxygen, which causes the wine's flavors to deteriorate. Screwcaps keep far more oxygen out, don't inject TCA into the juice, and result in a more consistent product.

Proof? How about a taste test of the same higher-end wines, bottled at the same time, but with different closures:

The difference was shocking. With screwcap, the 2002 Chablis St. Martin (about $25; find this wine) was still a youthful, flinty Chablis without a whole lot of intrigue but solid and fresh. The cork closure for the same wine, by contrast, was older tasting with more signs of oxidation. Everyone save one person at the tasting preferred the screwcap.

Don't buy into that. Opening a bottle of wine by turning the cap might feel like opening a Miller Lite, and you won't get the satisfaction of a good "pop!" but you're paying for what's inside, after all. Get the best quality for the money, we say! — MARK ASHLEY

Bringing closure? A screwcap-cork showdown [DrVino.com]
(Photo: Mr.mt)

Heineken CEO Jean-Fran ois van Boxmeer pointed out on Wednesday that the increasing demand for grain for biofuel will put pressure on the price of grain, and by extension on malt and hop prices as well, two important raw materials.

But something seems fishy here. Beer — at least good beer — is made from barley, and we've never heard of barley being distilled into fuel additives. We have heard of wine being distilled into ethanol, which just seems so, so wrong... Corn remains the fuel crop of choice.

And why would the price of hops go up because of "biofuels"? Hops can't be converted into fuel at all.

Sounds to us like Heineken is just looking for an excuse to jack up prices.
— MARK ASHLEY

Cleaner fuel, dearer beer? [Expatica]
(Photo)

• Used her cell phone.

• Made jokes about the plane being hijacked when asked who she was talking to: "I'm calling 911 because the plane is being hijacked."

• Attempted to take her dog into the airplane bathroom.

•Locked herself in said bathroom saying: "You are going to have to kill me and my dog."

• Attempted to exit the aircraft mid-flight. "I'm getting off the aircraft," she said. She was then restrained with handcuffs and plastic ties.

Attention readers: Do not get drunk during a long flight. We know they stopped giving you food, but you shouldn't fly drunk. Bring a sandwich. Have a cocktail. But remember, it's an airplane, not a nightclub. It's inappropriate to be stinking of alcohol and out of control on a plane. Oh, and bring breath mints, too. Please.—MEGHANN MARCO

United passenger charged for alleged drunken behavior on flight [USA Today]

"A Brazilian study found that college students didn't perceive themselves to be as intoxicated as they really were. The study indicated that drinking alcohol and Red Bull together significantly reduces the perception of headache, weakness, dry mouth and impairment of motor coordination." So, it works then? In all seriousness, binge drinking is bad for you energy drink or no. Just ask the chicks on "Girls Gone Wild."—MEGHANN MARCO

Red Bull Not the Best Mixer [ABC News]

"A study published last year in Hepatology concluded that liver damage caused by acetaminophen exceeded other causes of U.S. drug-induced acute liver failure, but that most of the cases stemmed from accidental overdoses or suicide attempts. About 100 people in the USA die each year after accidental acetaminophen overdoses, the FDA says."

Products Affected:
"NSAIDs: Aspirin, Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen), Aleve (naproxen)

Products with acetaminophen: Tylenol, Tylenol Children's, Excedrin PM, Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus, Sudafed Sinus & Cold."

The new labeling would identify products that contain acetaminophen or NSAIDs clearly on the packaging (some cold medicines have these drugs and people don't realize it) and warn consumers about the risk of stomach bleeding with NSAIDs and liver damage with acetaminophen, particularly when consumed with alcohol. So, if you're drinking, don't take Tylenol! —MEGHANN MARCO

FDA calls for pain reliever warning [USA Today]

Sometimes, it has extended even to passengers without any visible booze: one stewardess was denied five taxis in a row because she had wine in her suitcase.

Minneapolis has come up with a solution to the stand-off, finally, and it's fair. They have no interest in stamping down on a taxi driver's religious beliefs, but their new policy is that any cabbie who refuses a passenger must go to the back of the queue. That's a potential three-hour wait for a fare.

It's a tricky situation, but you can't really capitulate: as the linked article points out, cabbies have also refused to take blind people as fares if they are accompanied by seeing eye-dogs, since good old Rufus is Koranically "unclean."

A two-tiered airport taxi system could lead to 'Chapter Two' [Star Tribine] (via Upgrade Travel)

New research shows that drinkers earn more than non-drinkers, and that visiting a bar correlates with even higher pay. Sweet success comes at the bottom of a dirty glass.

And all along I thought that alcohol only improved your looks, smarts, and sexual prowess. Who knew the fiduciary benefits could be this tangible?

Time to start getting receipts from the bartender, and writing off the night as job training related expenses.

Gawd, with all the money we spent on boozing and coke parties we could've cruised around the world on the Queen Elizabeth II. Or eaten better than flour and water and tomato paste!

But according to this article over at USA Today, my own anal-retentive pretentiousness is chargeable by up to a buck. There is a mounting tendency amongst bartenders, restaurants and airlines to charge an extra dollar for drinks without ice, because "there's more liquor in it."

Which is, of course, bullshit. Bartenders have largely become so pedantic about sloshing liquor into your glass that they have precise measuring cups behind the counter. If it's an issue of the aesthetics of 'filling' the glass, you simply keep smaller glasses behind the counter. What's most absurd is they are charging the $1 no-ice surcharge against drinks that aren't even supposed to have ice in them, like martinis (and, I'd argue to the bloody death, scotch!)

I like Patricia Dailey, editor in chief of Restaurants & Institutions: "A drink's a drink. Control your glass size."

The $1 'straight up' charge has drinkers all stirred up (Thanks, Upgrade Travel!)

Just the nightmare scenario Continental Airlines was trying to avoid after they removed a pilot from the cockpit of flight 706 from Houston to Tampa when stewardesses noticed that his breath reeked of booze.

The pilot was given a blood-alcohol test that was "above the limit for pilots". That's probably anything above 0.00%

Hey, we know pilots have a stressful job, but when you are the man who is responsible for guiding a 20 ton hunk of metal filled with people in a control fall out of the sky, we damn well expect you to take the edge off in the time-honored method of sober pilots: in-flight fellatio from the hottest stewardess.

Continental Airlines Pilot Removed From Flight [Click2Houston.com]

A statement by Coors reads: "I made a mistake by driving myself home after a friend's wedding celebration. I should have planned ahead for a ride. For years I've advocated the responsible use of our Company's products. That's still my message, and our Company's message, and it's the right message. I am sorry that I didn't follow it myself."

How he managed to get drunk on those cups of "small water" is beyond human comprehension.

"Pete Coors To Appear In Court On DUI Charge" [CBS2]

After the jump, select lengths the Rocky Mountain News went to put their hometown hero's gaffe in perspective...

Doth protest too much, much?

"was driving the same route he takes home every day from work"

"rolled through a stop sign...one block from his home and near his world-famous brewery."

"voluntarily agreed to a Breathalyzer test"

"Two years ago, Coors would have been considered impaired, not under the influence, at the level his breath tested. Before 2004, only drivers registering a BAC of 0.1 percent or higher were cited for driving under the influence.

Colorado law has since changed to say that a driver with a blood-alcohol content of between 0.05 percent and 0.07 percent is presumed to be impaired. A driver with a BAC of 0.08 percent or greater is presumed to be driving under the influence." (emphasis added)

Maybe Coors just didn't get that memo...

"Coors Sorry for Driving Drunk" [Rocky Mountain News]

But on just such a vacation with his daughters, the Observer's Tim Adams discovered that Disney employees wouldn't just let him line up a dozen glasses of booze. Although he wanted two glasses of wine, one for his wife and one for himself, he was told by the bartender that he couldn't purchase the second glass, as the bartender could not see this ephemeral Harvey-like "wife" of Adams'.

So how did he manage to get two glasses? He queued for ten minutes for the first glass, brought it over to his wife, then queued for ten minutes for the second glass. Customer service at its finest! Adams hates Disneyworld for a lot of other hysterical reasons too.

No fun? Are you taking the Mickey, dad? [Observer]