Beer Brawl

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2008/03/beer.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1024;s:6:"height";i:768;s:4:"file";s:16:"2008/03/beer.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-771x578.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:578;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-768x576.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:576;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:14:"beer-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"beer-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:720801;s:14:"optimized_size";i:423055;s:7:"percent";d:41.310000000000002;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:44:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/03/beer.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:534341;s:14:"optimized_size";i:286580;s:7:"percent";d:46.369999999999997;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/03/beer-771x578.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:122166;s:14:"optimized_size";i:88462;s:7:"percent";d:27.59;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:50:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/03/beer-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4030;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3928;s:7:"percent";d:2.5299999999999998;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2008/03/beer-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:60264;s:14:"optimized_size";i:44085;s:7:"percent";d:26.850000000000001;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1663503210 
1205884800

Go to any state capital after a long day of work and you’ll find lawmakers mingling over drinks. But in Alabama, depending on what you drink, it could be illegal. It certainly is here, at a recent beer tasting in Montgomery. Buckets of ice cradle beer made by Trappist monks in Belgium, as well as microbrews from Georgia, Delaware and Colorado. Much of it is well above the 6% alcohol limit for beer in Alabama. Just a handful of states – including Mississippi and West Virginia – have such restrictive laws. In Alabama, violators face a thousand dollar fine and up to a year in jail.

“I don’t know… think they gonna arrest us? I would hope that nobody breaks in the door in here and arrests anyone!”

It would be pretty embarrassing, considering the man sipping a glass of illegal Dogfish Head beer is State Representative Johnny Morrow.

“One thing I notice, it’s more, uh, penetrating to my pallet! It has a real taste, a gusto, I guess.”

A bill in the Alabama legislature would more than double the allowable alcohol content in beer and open a new market to consumers like Stuart Carter, president of the advocacy group Free the Hops.

“To people in Alabama it looks like there’s a huge range of beers in the store already. They’re saying wow – there’s 300 beers. From my perspective, being someone who came into Alabama more recently, you can tell from the accent I’m originally from Scotland, I see 300 beers and think – where’s the beer?”

That’s too many for Dan Ireland. If he had his way, he’d roll back the clock to January 16th, 1920 – the day the 18th Amendment – Prohibition, went into effect.

“I’m a total abstainer. I’m 78 years old and I never tasted an alcoholic beverage. I just don’t think there’s any good quality about an alcoholic beverage.”

The former Baptist minister is honorary chaplain of the Alabama legislature and is lobbying to defeat the bill.

“My major concern is that this would be an inducement to teenagers, underage drinkers, to get their hands on it. You know, technically speaking, one beer, that much alcohol could conceivably get an average teenager drunk.”

Back at the beer tasting, Representative Patricia Todd, who’s nursing a Diet Coke, she doesn’t like beer – dismisses Ireland’s argument.

“I know when I was a teenager and we were looking for alcohol we were looking for the cheapest thing possible. Teenagers aren’t going to be drinking this.”

Gourmet beer can cost $15 or more a bottle. Last year, the craft beer market grew by double digits, with sales of more than $5.5 billion. Supporters of Alabama’s bill say it’s a matter of economic development. As the state looks to lure more foreign auto companies and manufacturers like German steel giant Thyssen Krupp, it has to offer a welcoming cultural and social climate.

The legislation narrowly passed the Alabama house, but is stalled in the Senate. Dan Ireland isn’t pinning all his tolerance hopes on Alabama. As leader of the American Council on Alcohol Problems he’s pushing anti-alcohol legislation in 37 states.

 

 

ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel off air after comments made about the Charlie Kirk killing

ABC announced Wednesday that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be off the air indefinitely following comments regarding speculation swirling around the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Trump is deploying the National Guard to Memphis. Experts worry it’s becoming normal

The president signed an order earlier this week to send Tennessee state National Guard troops, along with officials from various federal departments and agencies, into Memphis, in an effort to fight crime. It's one of several U.S. cities Trump has singled out for such a move, testing the limits of presidential power and military force.

What does the Google antitrust ruling mean for the future of AI?

A federal judge's mild ruling in the Justice Department's suit over Google's search engine monopoly has critics worried that the tech giant can now monopolize artificial intelligence.

Kirk shooting videos spread online, even to viewers who didn’t want to see them

Graphic videos of the Charlie Kirk shooting spread widely online, raising concerns over the emotional and political toll of exposure to violent imagery.

Why beef prices are higher than ever (and shoppers are finally resisting)

American ranchers are raising the fewest cows in decades. Through the price increases, American shoppers have stayed loyal to their love of burgers and steaks — until now.

CDC’s vaccine advisers meet this week. Here’s how they could affect policy

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. chose everyone in the group. Their votes could affect vaccine access for certain childhood vaccines and and the COVID shots. Here's what's at stake.

More Government Coverage