Happy Repeal Day!
Here in the Pacific Northwest, rain, cold, and short days have arrived, and with them, the possibilities for bars and restaurants to hang on by offering outdoor dining have taken a major hit. Throughout the northern parts of the United States, businesses have adapted by putting up various forms of shelter, ranging from simple umbrellas to elaborate pods and tents. At some point, one has to wonder if these structures cross the line of no longer meaningfully counting as outdoors at all.
I explored this topic for my latest article at Inside Hook, reading up on the latest research related to airborne transmission of the virus that causes COVID and interviewing Alex Huffman, an aerosol scientist at the University of Denver. The article explains the factors to consider to stay safe this winter when dining outdoors. The short version: stick to your existing close contacts, dress warm, and prioritize airflow over shelter.
Recommended reading
The new COVID vaccines have me very optimistic for spring and summer of 2021, but there are still many logistical challenges ahead to rolling them out effectively. This report from Helen Branswell at STAT is very worth reading on the topic. Also at STAT: the amazing story of how mRNA vaccines came into being.
In the short-term, however, we are still headed into some of the worst days of the pandemic. COVID deaths in the United States are now averaging near or above 2,000 per day, and a new analysis of excess deaths suggests that nearly 350,000 more Americans have died this year than in ordinary years, reflecting the true direct and indirect toll of the pandemic.
The other big medical news of the week is DeepMind’s startling progress on the problem of protein folding; read about that at Nature.
If you’re like me, you definitely have Trump fatigue by now, but I’ll still point you to a couple articles. First, this piece by Matthew Walther finds a new way to analyze Trump’s appeal through the lens of camp. Second, although Trump’s attempts to overturn the election are extremely unlikely to succeed, they are nonetheless dangerous and destructive to American democracy. William Saletan rounds up the shameful, anti-American post-election behavior of many of today’s Republicans.
Although the bill is unlikely to advance in the Senate, yesterday’s House vote to legalize marijuana at the federal level is historic. 222 Democrats and only 5 Republicans voted to stop throwing people in cages for using marijuana — something to keep in mind if you’re wondering why so many libertarians now feel more allied with Democrats than with the GOP.
Will a Chinese astronomer be the first to discover alien life?
Social distancing
Happy Repeal Day! Today is the day that the 21st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ratified in 1933, bringing alcohol Prohibition to an end. With that in mind, the rest of today’s newsletter will be dedicated to drinking.
To subscribe: My longtime friend Peter Suderman, editor at Reason and enthusiastic home bartender, has launched a new Substack newsletter dedicated to making better drinks at home. He knows his stuff and if you’re into making cocktails, it’s definitely worth subscribing.
To read: Give Me Liberty and Give Me a Drink! is the new book from Jarrett Dieterle, senior fellow at the R Street Institute. Jarrett offers a fun survey of America’s weird liquor laws accompanied by 65 cocktail recipes.
To luge: December 3 was also a notable date in the history of drinking, the tenth anniversary of the creation of the bone luge. In a celebratory thread on Twitter, I finally told the story of how this strange and divisive drinking ritual came to be and traveled around the world.
To buy: Over at my blog, I’ve posted my 2020 gift guide to products I love, with selections for cocktails, coffee, cooking, apparel, and travel. Among the offerings is this stirred cocktail set from Portland company Bull in China, which has everything you need to make better stirred cocktails at home. As a bonus, Bull in China has offered readers of my blog and newsletter a $15 discount on the set with code “LIQUIDITYPREF”. Don’t pass this up!
To drink: For something in the Repeal Day spirit, you might want to try a Boothby. Named after the late 1800s/early 1900s bartender William “Cocktail Bill” Boothby, it’s simply a Manhattan topped with a splash of champagne or other sparkling wine. It’s debatable whether this actually improves the drink, but it certainly does make it lighter, and I find it pretty enjoyable. And after you’ve made a Boothby or two, you’ll still have a nearly full bottle of champagne to enjoy. How better to celebrate the end of Prohibition?
1 1/2 oz rye or bourbon
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 oz champagne or dry sparkling wine
cherry or orange peel, for garnish
Stir all but the champagne with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Top with the champagne and garnish as desired.
A favor
If you enjoy this newsletter, whether you read it for the articles or just for the cocktails at the bottom, consider forwarding it on to someone you know who might like it, too.
Newsletter details and obligatory self-promotion
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