Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S.

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subfever -> Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 6:48:25 AM)
Chicago was just listed as having the highest percentage of binge-drinkers per capita. And this is on the heels of being placed number one on the fattest cities of America last year. Geez... I wonder what's next. Will Chicago be voted the unhealthiest city in America? ... [sm=frown.gif] http://maroon.uchicago.edu/online_edition/news/2007/01/26/scientists-examine-chicago%E2%80%99s-binge-drinking/

LadyEllen -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 6:59:13 AM)
Its something to do with spatial coordinatesI'm sure. Bingiest drinkers in UK; Scotland (right up north in case anyone doesnt know); also supposedly the unhealthiest diet up there (home of the deep fried Mars bar) Bingiest drinkers in EU; Finland (right up north, again) And now Chicago, which is northerly in the US. Curiously, if you draw a line on a map from Finland, through Scotland, Chicago will lie on this line; as does Toronto and Perth, Australia. What are the figures for these two latter cities I wonder? Am I on something, aside from the drugs? E

thompsonx -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:06:46 AM)
LadyEllen: Perhaps it has to do with long cold nights and poor tv programing. I am curious how you got Perth Australia on that line....were you drinking when you drew that line? thompson

pahunkboy -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:07:07 AM)
my best of times and worst of times were in chicago. C-H-I-C-a-g-o is indian- for the word onion field. Much of cook county is wetland-swamp area. my dads side of the family- emigrated from Poland- thru Ellis island- where the car/horse and buggy broke down is where they settled. that being Chicago. Moms side of the family has been here practically came over on the Mae Flowers. Supposely there is royal blood on moms side. anywho- YO MOMMA, hits me lke a ton of bricks. [sobs] mommy is moving to Chicago- and I wont. I wll miss her. the moving truck arrives in a month. my siblings can fkng kizzz my azzz! im planning to be unavailable that day. MY SIBLINGS need to learn RESPECT! but then Chicagoans arent really known for civility!

pahunkboy -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:20:22 AM)
I gots to add- that it depends where you learned to party.... and i learned in chicago. viva chi-cagooooooooooooooooo

stef -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:29:21 AM)
I think that we might be able to blame Chicago's jump to the top of this list on Rex Grossman. He's got to be on one serious bender right now after his suckfest last weekend. ~stef

MrRodgers -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:31:57 AM)
My first thought would be that the Irish would be Europe's bingiest drinkers but, thinking again I realize that most of the Irish don't binge...they never stop drinking.

LadyEllen -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:35:50 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: thompsonx LadyEllen: Perhaps it has to do with long cold nights and poor tv programing. I am curious how you got Perth Australia on that line....were you drinking when you drew that line? thompson There's a thing; Barstow CA is now on the line too...... LOL! E

LuckyAlbatross -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:40:16 AM)
See they just need to come to Austin and learn how to drink heavy ALL the time.

popeye1250 -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:41:31 AM)
Lady, I read somewhere a few years back that Iceland and Stockholm, Sweden were real big in this area too. Is Iceland in the E.U. by the way? A shipmate of mine in the Navy was stationed in Reykavik, Iceland for two years at a Naval Communications Station there in the early 70's and he said the young people there would be absolutely blotto on the weekends falling down in the streets etc. And from what I've heard Stockholm has always been a big drinker's city although it is expensive there and a lot of Swedes take the ferry to Finland to drink and buy booze on the weekends as it's far cheaper than Sweden. And also that the whole of Russia was a lake of alchoholism!

thompsonx -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:44:15 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyEllen quote: ORIGINAL: thompsonx LadyEllen: Perhaps it has to do with long cold nights and poor tv programing. I am curious how you got Perth Australia on that line....were you drinking when you drew that line? thompson There's a thing; Barstow CA is now on the line too...... LOL! E LadyEllen: Now that is just plane silly...everyone knows all the tweekers (methamphtimine addicts) in Barstow drink shoe polish. thompson

LadyEllen -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:56:05 AM)
Hi Popeye I was only being silly LOL! Yes - the Scandinavians are renowned for their ability to get well and truly pissed up drunk at any opportunity; they are the same lot as the Vikings, after all. I believe its one of the reasons why there are such strong controls on alcohol in most Scandinavian countries and such high prices. I can well believe what you say about the Swedes - they also travel into Denmark where things are more relaxed and get into a lot of trouble, and the Norwegians catch the ferry to England on a Friday night so they can spend 48 hours drinking before they get home again (they dont actually make it off the ferry). Finland is a special case though. Like with the Russians, the Finns dont consider anything less than 40% ABV vodka as being alcoholic. Beer is a soft drink for them. They also get completely pissed up drunk before going out to a bar. As for the Russians - we used to transport to Russia and Kazakhstan by road, just after the end of communism. We did it before the end too, but things changed a lot from the days of stern faced officials waving guns. Our drivers got the habit of waiting until evening to cross the border; by then, the border guards and customs guys would all be collapsed on their desks. The drivers would go in, stamp their own papers and drive through. Heaven knows what made it into Russia that way. E edited to add; no, Iceland isnt in the EU. Its in the rival trade body, EFTA along with Norway and Switzerland.

thompsonx -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 7:59:44 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyEllen Hi Popeye I was only being silly LOL! Yes - the Scandinavians are renowned for their ability to get well and truly pissed up drunk at any opportunity; they are the same lot as the Vikings, after all. I believe its one of the reasons why there are such strong controls on alcohol in most Scandinavian countries and such high prices. I can well believe what you say about the Swedes - they also travel into Denmark where things are more relaxed and get into a lot of trouble, and the Norwegians catch the ferry to England on a Friday night so they can spend 48 hours drinking before they get home again (they dont actually make it off the ferry). Finland is a special case though. Like with the Russians, the Finns dont consider anything less than 40% ABV vodka as being alcoholic. Beer is a soft drink for them. They also get completely pissed up drunk before going out to a bar. As for the Russians - we used to transport to Russia and Kazakhstan by road, just after the end of communism. We did it before the end too, but things changed a lot from the days of stern faced officials waving guns. Our drivers got the habit of waiting until evening to cross the border; by then, the border guards and customs guys would all be collapsed on their desks. The drivers would go in, stamp their own papers and drive through. Heaven knows what made it into Russia that way. E edited to add; no, Iceland isnt in the EU. Its in the rival trade body, EFTA along with Norway and Switzerland. LadyEllen: So much for the iron fist of communism.[;)] thompson

pahunkboy -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 8:03:52 AM)
alcohol doesnt really do much for me. Nor will a touch street drugs. Chicago has a ton of drs in the 80s- that wrote out rxs. color me- pill popper. BTW- the type of drinking the OP is dangerous- popular in the college crowd- a number of kids have died via piosening their system. PS- on many overdoses- it isnt the substance itself that kills- but the choking on the vomit. [while passed out]

LadyEllen -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 8:07:21 AM)
Oh Thompson! I could tell such tales of those days....and the days shortly before the fall of the curtain! Of us transporting Lada jeeps from the UK showrooms to Russia... Of drunk KGB men "accompanying" our drivers and shooting wild camels out the truck window in Kazakhstan Of disappearing roads east of Moscow, because the locals planted corn across them Of overnight floods up the axles that took 3 days to go down again Of the truck that ran off the road and was rescued by the Russian army; 3 tanks, a tank transporter, a bulldozer, two helicopters...and they never asked for a penny Of the fridge trailer engine breaking down in Moscow and this being a problem because the foodstuffs had to be kept warm compared to the outside Of the thousands of pounds of repairs that each truck needed on return to the UK Of the robberies and highwaymen of Belarus Happy days E

popeye1250 -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 8:25:40 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyEllen Hi Popeye I was only being silly LOL! Yes - the Scandinavians are renowned for their ability to get well and truly pissed up drunk at any opportunity; they are the same lot as the Vikings, after all. I believe its one of the reasons why there are such strong controls on alcohol in most Scandinavian countries and such high prices. I can well believe what you say about the Swedes - they also travel into Denmark where things are more relaxed and get into a lot of trouble, and the Norwegians catch the ferry to England on a Friday night so they can spend 48 hours drinking before they get home again (they dont actually make it off the ferry). Finland is a special case though. Like with the Russians, the Finns dont consider anything less than 40% ABV vodka as being alcoholic. Beer is a soft drink for them. They also get completely pissed up drunk before going out to a bar. As for the Russians - we used to transport to Russia and Kazakhstan by road, just after the end of communism. We did it before the end too, but things changed a lot from the days of stern faced officials waving guns. Our drivers got the habit of waiting until evening to cross the border; by then, the border guards and customs guys would all be collapsed on their desks. The drivers would go in, stamp their own papers and drive through. Heaven knows what made it into Russia that way. E edited to add; no, Iceland isnt in the EU. Its in the rival trade body, EFTA along with Norway and Switzerland. Lady, thanks for the info. Yeah, I heard about those "booze cruise" ferrys to nowhere over there whose only purpose is to go out away from the jurisdictional waters so that people can buy cheap booze, avoid the heavy taxes on it and get drunk. I understand Sweden has very high taxes on booze. Is Denmark a big drinking country too? I've always wanted to go to Sweden and Denmark but for the scenery and culture, not the booze. Maybe the next time I go to Ireland I'll try to fit them in as a package deal. Maybe England too, I haven't been there since '71. Stayed in the Hammersmith and Earl'scourt areas of London back then with all the crazy hours that they had for pubs. I know more than a few people with combined Swedish/Irish heritage in their families. One of my friends with the last name of "Gallagher" had a "Swedish Grandmother." Seems the Swedes and Irish mix well together! I was reading that summertime is the "low season" in Sweden for some reason and much more affordable than winters. I wonder why that is? Don't the Swedes have a drink that they call "Glug" or something like that? Also I heard that drink driving penalties are very strict in Sweden. No wonder they take the ferry! lol

LadyEllen -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 8:39:38 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: popeye1250 Lady, thanks for the info. Yeah, I heard about those "booze cruise" ferrys to nowhere over there whose only purpose is to go out away from the jurisdictional waters so that people can buy cheap booze, avoid the heavy taxes on it and get drunk. I understand Sweden has very high taxes on booze. Is Denmark a big drinking country too? I've always wanted to go to Sweden and Denmark but for the scenery and culture, not the booze. Maybe the next time I go to Ireland I'll try to fit them in as a package deal. Maybe England too, I haven't been there since '71. Stayed in the Hammersmith and Earl'scourt areas of London back then with all the crazy hours that they had for pubs. I know more than a few people with combined Swedish/Irish heritage in their families. One of my friends with the last name of "Gallagher" had a "Swedish Grandmother." Seems the Swedes and Irish mix well together! I was reading that summertime is the "low season" in Sweden for some reason and much more affordable than winters. I wonder why that is? Don't the Swedes have a drink that they call "Glug" or something like that? Also I heard that drink driving penalties are very strict in Sweden. No wonder they take the ferry! lol Iceland is very expensive for booze (a friend paid around USD 30-00 for a bottle of wine that would be around USD 5-00 in UK) though I dont know if thats tax or what. Sweden and Norway meanwhile do have high taxes on booze - I'm not sure if its still the case as to whether you can only buy in government shops, though that was the case a while back at least. Denmark is much freer - a lot like the UK in fact; they drink like fish too, but without the control of their northern neighbours. It was in Denmark that I had the one and only occasion in my life when I was convinced I would die from drinking - our business partners took us out for the night and like a fool I tried to keep up. Dont know about that drink you mentioned (Glug), though I wouldnt be surprised if that was something like a toast they give (I'd guess it means luck). Sweden might well be one of those no alcohol countries for driving too - we're OK in UK up to so much alcohol per so much blood, but then its impossible to judge that for yourself. I'd love to do Scandinavia too - I'm into runes and Viking stuff, and thats the place to be for that! Not sure about prices though, sorry. Iceland is meant to be expensive any time, but where else can you relax in an outdoor geothermal pool in midwinter and watch the northern lights!? By the way, we have 24 hour bars now - but personally I hate London! Too big, too busy, too many people, too much stress. I guess its different when youre a tourist though - I go to capital cities all over and never feel like I do in London. E

thompsonx -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 8:59:22 AM)
Popeye: I do not know if this is of any help but several years ago a friend of mine who worked in a crystal shop gave me "glug" decanter from Sweden. It is a four sided bottle with hollow stems on each corner and a hollow center with a ground glass stopper. When you pour the contents into a glass it makes a characteristic "glug,glug,glug" sound but the stream comes out smooth. thompson

subfever -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 12:02:00 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: thompsonx Popeye: I do not know if this is of any help but several years ago a friend of mine who worked in a crystal shop gave me "glug" decanter from Sweden. It is a four sided bottle with hollow stems on each corner and a hollow center with a ground glass stopper. When you pour the contents into a glass it makes a characteristic "glug,glug,glug" sound but the stream comes out smooth. thompson Gotta wonder if that's what the Three Stooges used for their sound effects... [:D]

subfever -> RE: Binge-Drinking Capitol of the U.S. (2/8/2007 12:33:03 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyEllen Finland is a special case though. Like with the Russians, the Finns dont consider anything less than 40% ABV vodka as being alcoholic. Beer is a soft drink for them. They also get completely pissed up drunk before going out to a bar. As for the Russians - we used to transport to Russia and Kazakhstan by road, just after the end of communism. We did it before the end too, but things changed a lot from the days of stern faced officials waving guns. Our drivers got the habit of waiting until evening to cross the border; by then, the border guards and customs guys would all be collapsed on their desks. The drivers would go in, stamp their own papers and drive through. Heaven knows what made it into Russia that way. It's hard to grasp the level of drinking in Russia until you've actually seen it yourself. I visited there in the late 90's. Many of these people drink vodka morning noon, and night... no exaggeration. I was there in late November, and I couldn't believe how freaking cold it was! One morning, my travel companion and I went to a cafe. Our hired driver (with car) for the week pulled out a knife, three oranges, a bottle of vodka, a large metal flask filled with vodka, and three small metal drinking cups (about 2-3 ounce capacity)... all from inner pockets of his heavy, full-length topcoat. A quick look around confirmed that there were others who had brought in their own hooch. That was our breakfast! I have to admit that I've never had vodka so smooth before in my life, and it sure took the edge off the extremely cold weather. Early that afternoon, we had lunch aboard a naval ship with the ship's captain. We had vodka and dill pickles for an appetitzer before lunch with the captain! Long story short... almost everywhere we went, people were drinking vodka at all times of the day. It seems as though it's the natural course of doing things there. I brought home a liter of vodka and shared it with several of my friends here, who all agreed that nothing they've ever had domestically even came close in quality. I don't know about today, but the US Dollar really went a long way back then. I told the owner of the relatively small (by Chicago standards) liquor store to give me a bottle of his best vodka. I paid only $6.00 for it. Over 90% of the alcohol I drink is beer. But you know what they say... "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Gotta wonder how much vodka I would drink if I lived in Russia though... [8\|]

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