Beer: The Gateway to Addiction!

[GGT]

The nordic countries have a culture of binge-drinking, perhaps because of the harsh climate and the tough living.

But they have SSSocialism, so how tough can the living be?

The US has tons of nordic descendants in harsh frozen tundras like Minnesota. They only binge drink while ice fishing, or attending football games. Not sure about Alaskans, but maybe those who don't drink there are the crazy ones. Like Sarah Palin.

Then there's the Canadians.....don't they ALL drink beer and watch hockey?

[oldmunchkin]

Hell, in BFE we all drink our drink of choice and either watch the grass grow or count snowflakes, depending on the season!

I actually think part of the Nordic thing is the harsh living conditions, but I also think those of us in areas where men are more apt to have a physical labor job, instead of a desk job, drink more.

[GGT]

Not according to the 50's or 60's, with three martini lunches for business men.

Ever watched Mad Men?

[oldmunchkin]

Not according to the 50's or 60's, with three martini lunches for business men.

Ever watched Mad Men?

Uhm...I don't have TV, remember! Trust me, it was just background noise most of the time, so I really don't miss it that much. If there is going to be a specific program I want to watch, I can always find some place to go watch it! And, if it's Bronco's...I promptly depart to the beloved LLS to watch and cheer and drink!

I really think the mid-western/western states (California excluded due to too many nuts there!) got a pretty bad rap years ago in the ZOMG they drink too much! Yes, it's true, we used to measure distance by how many beers (Fred, you better get a 6-pak, Casper is a 3 beer per person drive! ) or number of bars (Hey Joe, how many bars to Cody?) but that is changing. I think it's one of those "we work hard, we play hard" things. Then too, a nice, icy cold Bud tastes great on a steaming hot day, when you have been working in the hay field all damned day, are sunburned beyond a crisp, and eaten alive by sweat bees and other pests!

[GGT]

You rather missed my point about the show. They created a whole show (which is no small peanuts) dedicated to "reliving" the 50's and 60's from the urbanite Manhattan ad man perspective. The I Love Lucy show started it, then the Dick Van Dyke show mainstreamed it, and maybe Bewitched kept it going, but from a whole different angle. With some humor.

If you never lived in an ex-urban (suburb) that depended on an urban income, maybe it wouldn't interest you. Mad Men goes to the dark side of "capitalism, success, and the family", and there's lots of booze involved.

[oldmunchkin]

You rather missed my point about the show. They created a whole show (which is no small peanuts) dedicated to "reliving" the 50's and 60's from the urbanite Manhattan ad man perspective. The I Love Lucy show started it, then the Dick Van Dyke show mainstreamed it, and maybe Bewitched kept it going, but from a whole different angle. With some humor.

If you never lived in an ex-urban (suburb) that depended on an urban income, maybe it wouldn't interest you. Mad Men goes to the dark side of "capitalism, success, and the family", and there's lots of booze involved.

I have heard people talking about it. Quite a few of my friends find it hilarious and never miss it!

Somewhere along the way you got the mistaken idea that I have never lived in an urban area. I have, and I don't regret moving back to small town USA one little bit. Too many people, all wanting the American Dream and failing miserably. Then, they go get drunk to forget for a while, try to get home, and get thrown in jail for DUI!

[GGT]

I have heard people talking about it. Quite a few of my friends find it hilarious and never miss it!

It's a show that gets old pretty fast, IMO. Variations on the same theme over and over.....but maybe it's interesting to those who like retro stuff. I find the costumes and set designs more interesting than the actual themes or scripts. There are many continuity errors.

Somewhere along the way you got the mistaken idea that I have never lived in an urban area. I have, and I don't regret moving back to small town USA one little bit. Too many people, all wanting the American Dream and failing miserably. Then, they go get drunk to forget for a while, try to get home, and get thrown in jail for DUI!

Denver in the 80's or 90's isn't what I'd call the contemporary urban experience, but I can see how you might. I really do think one has to live on the east coast, the west coast, and in the middle states, to get the full flavor of our nation. It's not just a northern-southern thing. But there are some similarities. (I was never a resident on the west coast but "lived" there off and on for almost two years, so that counts a bit. It really is like a different world. When Dread posts from the Real America, he means anything outside NYC. At least he admits it......

[oldmunchkin]

I may not have lived in an urban area in the last 10 years, but I have visited enough of them to know I don't want to live in one. OMG, the traffic, the pollution, the people, the idiots, the just too fucking congested feeling, to say nothing of feeling like I am being crowded, all combines to make me certain I am NOT a city person. And, it's not just Denver...it's SLC, Phoenix, and don't even get me started on Chicago!

[GGT]

When did you live in Chicago?

[Dreadnaught]

This is like watching Bill O'Reilly talk to John Stewart about "the folks".

[oldmunchkin]

When did you live in Chicago?

I didn't live there, I spent a month there with a friend. It was horrible...the worst month I think I have ever spent anywhere!

This is like watching Bill O'Reilly talk to John Stewart about "the folks".

Very funny!