What?

I don't drink "alcohol" -- I drink wine, beer, whiskey, gin and they bring me a LOT of pleasure, as they do countless millions of other people. Sure, overuse isn't good for you and some people, alas, can't manage even small amounts of alcohol. But great wine is to the taste buds and the nose what great music is to the ears. France without wine? You must be kidding. What's next, Japan without sake? Germany or Belgium without beer? Scotland without Scotch? Are you aware that it is wine that is transformed in the Mass into the Blood of Our Lord (or so hundreds of millions believe) -- and that sake plays a central role in the rites of the indigenous religion of Japan (and in many other religions as well)? Plenty of evidence exists that civilization itself arose from the manufacture and storage of fermented beverages. If you don't like these beverages or can't handle the effects, don't drink them. But don't try to force your tastes on other people. As Benjamin Franklin said, "beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." SR