Everything Else

AFAIK, absinthe is legal in canada, but american's should note that while illegal to buy/make/whatnot in the US, it is not illegal to receive a shipment(!). So there are quite a few outfits in the UK and other places in the EU that will ship via courier to the US, and have pretty good service and delivery times. Check the vendors page on the wormwood society's page.

Re: Gibson/semiotics
I suppose I should've been more specific than that. I've read the bridge trilogy and found it nice, if a little tedious. I do that with books, I've been about 3/4 finished with Atlas Shrugged because I can't expect to be surprised by the rest. never even read the DaVinci code because given a few hints by a friend reading it, I knew what the ending was going to be. Bummer. I hate simple movies for the same reason. Anyway, I was looking for more good picks of things to read, by him and in the same vein. And yes, neuromancer was on the list, as was the cryptonomicon.
As for semiotics, it's almost always used in texts where the author is being intentionally obtuse because there really isn't much to say, poor anthropology for one example. I suppose I know a thing or two about it given my dad worked on some sort of international signage program back when the government gave two bits about that kind of thing. And Edward tufte's books have been on my wishlist for years now, that guy's got it down pat! But obviously, more links/resources are greatly encouraged.
Thanks!
-sorry for waxing on and on

epitaxial bandgap wrote: I've read the bridge trilogy and found it nice, if a little tedious.

A little tedious? Blasphemer!

never even read the DaVinci code because given a few hints by a friend reading it, I knew what the ending was going to be. Bummer.

Ditto, but I still plan on reading it. My reference to Dan Brown was actually about the book Angels and Demons, more semiotics in that

Anyway, I was looking for more good picks of things to read, by him and in the same vein. And yes, neuromancer was on the list, as was the cryptonomicon.

The Sprawl Trilogy, begining with Neuromancer (dur) is worth the read. He also wrote some of the best episodes of the X-Files. Season 5, ep 11 being the best of those...

But obviously, more links/resources are greatly encouraged.

I wish I had some! Like you said, it is hard to find anything concrete or canonical on the subject. That must be because of its soft-science nature, which is always up for intepretation.

that's totally rad!

...you know in every forum on the net its memebers (want to) believe that "this forum is the best, cause our memebers have an iq above the average" though all you get from most forums is pr0n links + pics, the latest hype for pc boxes, geeky replies intended for geeks-only, and -if u get lucky enough- how to reset the NVRAM of your Mac...

So here we are on nekochan talking alcohol and semiotics..how cool is that..!?

VenomousPinecone wrote: Father of Cyberpunk and the coiner of many a phrase, including "cyberspace"

Father(s) of Cyberpunk as we know it is Velvet Underground + their friends (Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, etc) + W. Gibson for putting the word on his book(s)

But "cyber" as a prefix was coined by the master, Stanislaw Lem , whose most popular book is "Solaris" . Another master, A. Tarkovski turned it into one of the masterpieces in film history (nothing to do with Soderbergh's adaptation and George Clooney's performance)

To get an idea about Lem: there was an interview of Arthur Clarke in Wired (can't remember which issue), and he quoted "...if Lem had written in English, none of us would stand no chance.." So if you dig sci-fi, you ought to read Lem's books...

VenomousPinecone wrote:

But obviously, more links/resources are greatly encouraged.

I wish I had some! Like you said, it is hard to find anything concrete or canonical on the subject. That must be because of its soft-science nature, which is always up for intepretation.

The quick and dirty is: the study of signs and symbols, what they mean and how they are used

Now, about Semiotics:

Father of Semiotics as a field of research is Umberto Eco . Semiotics is not soft science, it's a special section of Philosophy, Gnosiology (theory of knowledge or epistemology) to be precise. Like most things these days, semiotics is often confused with just about anything, and more often than not, every illiterate "author" is publishing a book about some conspiracy mumbo-jumbo (ie DaVinci Code) and wants to convince his/her readers that semiotics is what his/her work is all about...however, the skill required to turn such a book down requires a sound understanding of semiotics...

Here's a Semiotics 101 (and why it matters):

Semiotics for Beginners
Semiotics and Media
Pictorial Semiotics

People doing some serious work on semiotics:

C Theory
AdBusters / CultureJammers
Critical Art Ensemble
Autonomedia

and of course: N. Chomski, the creators of Southpark and Family Guy series, and F.U. F.Me

i'm gonna stop now cause i may end up going too deep

this is an alcohol thread after all...

fu wrote: Semiotics is not soft science, it's a special section of Philosophy...

Meaning it is not even science at all?

Thanks for the links Mr. Manchu, I shall read up!

Meaning it is not even science at all?

I would consider even philosophy as science, but back to c2h5oh

Usually we (my girl & I) have and like:
beer (Pilsner) at least at the football games
wine, red or white just depends, most of the times german or italian
spirits I like are cognac (Hine), or some Obstler or Jägermeister after dinner
For whiskey (in what ever spelling you choose) I take malts, irish and as a burbon Maker's Mark, even though I have to find a new place which is selling it.

Ga53n wrote: I would consider even philosophy as science

I must be seriously jaded or something... I find it really hard to call philosophy and psychology science. Thats my opinion, cant/wont change. So lets forget about it.

but back to c2h5oh

Indeed!

That sucks that it is hard to find Makers Mark (My fathers favorite) in Germany, you can buy a case of it at Costco here in the states. Not that I have ever bought it by the case...

You could probably purchase it online somewhere.

And if any Americans here are tired of wimpy, cat piss & club soda beer and want something domestic with a good alcohol content you should try Arrogant Bastard Ale, or for the more daring Ruination IPA. You can find them at better retailers around the US, comapny website is:

http://www.stonebrew.com

Ruination goes really well with spicy tuna rolls.

VenomousPinecone wrote:

Ga53n wrote: I would consider even philosophy as science

I must be seriously jaded or something... I find it really hard to call philosophy and psychology science. Thats my opinion, cant/wont change. So lets forget about it.

let's mix some tonic with the gin:

no no no Philosophy is NOT Science (and will never be)

Philosophy is a field of inquiry – the pursuit of wisdom; the predecessor and complement of science, pondering those questions which are beyond the scope of science...

Ga53n wrote: but back to c2h5oh

drink of the moment: Gin Tonic

Well right now I struggle with Karl Poppers "Conjecutes and Refutations"
I never liked philosophy of science that much, but now I start to appreciate it more and more.

current drink: h2o

p. s. Newton and Leibnitz where mainy philosophers and then scientists

Beer: Boddingtons of Manchester, Robinsons of Stockport
Lager: DAB, Hansa, Grolsch, Amstel, Warsteiner, Tuborg, Dortmunder Union, ... or anything brewed under the Reinheitsgebot (apologies to Deutscher folks if the spelling isn't correct). Anything except the local Australian crap which is brewed with sugar and topped up with preservatives and artificial colourings - disgraceful!
Wine: MacLaren Vale reds (red wines are one thing that are created properly locally, in our warm dry climate)
Spirits: Jamesons (Irish as noted by Dubthach I think), Dalwhinnie (Scotch - superb) both of these should of course be consumed straight from the glass (or bottle )

Kampai! Prost! Yum Sing! Naz'drovya! Skol! Cheers! ....

French wines
Guinness
Paddy and GingerAle

120%

Just in case you are into Scotch single malts...I got myself a bottle of Macallan Season 1841 - very superb stuff, indeed [whatever it is worth, Michael Jackson rates it at 96 - the highest score he has assigned yet (together with the 1948 Macallan)]...

Grab one for yourself as well - but be warned: it will set you back by about $300

Beer: Guinness and Hertog Jan or La Chouffe.
Otherwise: Jack Daniels or Four Roses.

Tonight? Jim Beam. Last night it was Cuervo Anejo tequila shooters. When Curevo discontinued their Anejo, I bought quite a few bottles to keep. It's smoothness seems closer to a bourbon than a tequila.

I'm allergic to the malt in beers. Since I really don't like getting really sick, beer is out for me. So I stick to wine (usually Italian reds) or spirits. I tend to drink bourbon a lot. Mostly I drink Gentleman Jack or Jim Beam. I also keep Maker's Mark and a couple of different single barrel brands. For vodka it's Tito's Handmade Vodka. Not as medicinal as most vodka's, Tito's has a spicy, almost peppery taste. In gin, I prefer either Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray.

My wife experiments with a lot of different liqueurs. She has collected 30-40 different ones in the bar. She seems to always go back to either Baileys or Di Saronno.

Apparently my stomach can't take the abuse in it's former glory anymore (or has forgotten all the lessons learned in military service ), but when i decide to hoist down a few it'll probably be:

- A good Tullamore Dew or Famous Grouse on ice (nice smooth taste, doesn't have that sharp 'bite' afterwards);
- a Belgium'ish beer, like Wiekse Witte, Leffe triple, Verboden Vrucht (forbidden fruit);
A wine will also do nicely thankyou

Oh yeah, still got a bottle of 'Santa Teresa' rum waiting to be assasinated; i took that one along from Isla Marguerita because of it's....hint of chocolate taste (don't know what to call it else).

Alcohol Preferences?

As little as possible.

Depends on situation:

But for starters: Guinness never fails. Ever.

Other than that:
Becks and Becks Dark are favs of mine.

For the most part, I hate American Beer.
But occasionally Milwaukee gets something right:
Leinenkugel Honey Weiss is pretty damn good considering where it came from!
http://www.leinie.com/honey_weiss.htm

However if I'm visiting the family back in Chicago and am at a Cubs game, only Old Style, foulest of american beers will suffice.

Tragically I can't get that when I want to go watch my favorite hockey team on a 12 game or so losing streak, so at the Blackhawks I'll reluctantly drink Miller.

My favorite hockey beer is made by people who truly know and appreciate Hockey, Canadians. Molson has got to be one of the bests in its genre imho. (Maybe if they had that at the united center they wouldn't have so much trouble struggling to fill one fifth of the seats...)

As for the harder stuff - I dont really do that so much anymore - but a good russian vodka is always hard to turn down.

Speaking of Leinenkugel's their Winter Sampler is full of awesome outstandingness...

People who say "I hate American beer" actually mean "I hate the bifurcate-monopoly Miller/Budweiser swill that crushed or bought out virtually all the competition back in the '70s." Leinie's is a good example of how fallacious it is to equate that with American beer as a whole (they've been around since the Before Time - I don't know how they managed to survive the extinction event that claimed so many other brands, but I'm glad they did,) and thankfully in the last ten or fifteen years small breweries making damn good stuff have seen a huge resurgence. Try something from Summit or Deschutes or Sierra Nevada, and then try to tell me American beer as a whole sucks.

(What brought this ancient thread back from the dustbin after 9 years?)

I'll speak up for D.G. Yuengling & Son , the oldest operating brewing company in the US! (Founded 1829 - I'm sure that "oldest" is disputed. And sponsoring a NASCAR team disqualifies any notion of them being small any more...)

The beer revival in the US has been going on for more than 25 years, depending on where you were and what you consider that to be. There was a successful, running brew pub in Northampton, MA when I went off to college in 1986. That same year the Commonwealth Brewing Company opened a brew pub in Boston, and the Harpoon Brewery started the first commercial bottling of beer in Boston since 1964. I'm sure there was plenty fermenting (ha, see what I did there!) in other towns like Seattle, San Francisco, etc - Anchor Brewing shut down for a few years in the late 1950's, but was revived a couple times, started bottling again in the early 1970's, and had a tasty range of beers even then.