Beer of Nations

It's been roughly five years since I was last in college, and three since I was last in grad school. I've spent most of those years in New York City, where I will admit, I have lost some perspective in terms of what others consider expensive. At this point, I fully expect to pay a couple of bucks more than I used to on most things. That being said, I found portions of the following article laugh-out-loud funny, in a bittersweet sort of way:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/29/battleground.wednesday/index.html

Why would I find an article about how our current economic downturn is affecting college students amusing you ask? Mostly because of this little nugget with regard to one Mr. Tom Pinnell of St. Louis University:

"Those 30-packs of Natural Light beer that used to cost $14? They're $17 now, Pinnell said.

Even the watering hole that offered quarter pitchers last year is charging 50 cents, he said."

I'm sorry, what? WHAT? FIFTY CENTS? Did I read that right? Is this a misprint? This must be a misprint. Again I say, whaaaat? Is Mr. Pinnell drinking in 1950? Does it cost a nickel to mail a letter there, too? Because I honestly can't think of much I can get for fifty cents, short of a Homies character or two out of a vending machine. Now I will grant that Homies are cool in their own right, and as evidence of this, I give you the following:

Right? I mean, check out the clown-faced DJ. Awesome, no? Seriously. But can they get you drunk? NO! Sadly they cannot. Which leads us to the question, why is Mr. Pinnell complaining? Why, when for what the average New Yorker spends on a single mug of beer he can buy a couple of pitchers and still have money left over for several Homies (should he choose, in these financially challenging times, to spend his money wisely)?

And a thirty-pack of beer for seventeen bucks? Do they even make thirty packs here?

Given that in addition to living in the land o' plenty (of beer, at least), he has yet experienced the need to take out a student loan, is it a surprise that he's voting for McCain? Suffice it to say, it's not surprising that the two students interviewed who need to apply for financial aid and/or are working several jobs while going to school are voting for Obama. Methinks Tommy would feel differently about so-called tax-and-spend liberals if he ever felt the sting of a $15 pitcher and a monthly student loan bill.