u/Not-Somebody-Famous

I’m in Texas and it’s hotter than a coal fire this time of year. I like to ride too but even in this heat I wear at least jeans, tshirt, steel toe boots, and helmet.

This year I’ve seen so many people riding in this area in shorts, tennis shoes, and no helmet. Sometimes they’re wearing flip flops/sandals.

All I can say is you better hope extra hard that something doesn’t happen, rocks and other road debris doesn’t get kicked up at you, etc. It will hurt a lot worse than a sunburn.

I'm interested in learning how to distill rums as a learning skill/hobby at first and eventually getting into commercial distilling/bottling/warehousing but there is one major hurdle -- If I'm understanding correctly it is a felony (illegal) to distill spirits at home in the USA. (26 USC 5601). Spirits including rum, whisky, bourbon, etc.

I haven't done anything with this. I'm very interested but I have no idea how to get started without a huge amount of money up front. It basically feels like I would need to win the lottery to even get started.

I was reading through 26 and 27 USCs and Title 27 of the CFR and it is a highly regulated industry. Commercial space is required + required security by regulation for the space + equipment + commercial insurance + required surety bond + TTB and probably FDA inspections. Then on top of that a good rum needs to age like 6 months and probably up to 2-3 years overall... So for 6 months to 2 years who is paying all the bills and expenses while the initial rum is aged and tested??

Seems to me the government has regulated the alcohol industry so severely to prohibit any new businesses from entering. Only the large and/or existing companies can afford to operate. Think Captain Morgan, Bacardi, Malibu Rum, etc... It seems like nobody new can get in. It's ridiculous.

So my question is how is anybody new supposed to get into the rum industry without huge amounts of cash to start with, like millions of dollars in cash??

Do people not have ranch dressing outside the USA? I’ve been a lot of places but I guess we haven’t noticed.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is issuing a serious warning to international World Cup visitors: Don't pack ranch dressing in your carry-on luggage.

As the World Cup brings millions of international visitors to the United States, many fans are trying out American staples — and, apparently, rushing to take them back home with them.

Social media has lit up amid Scotland’s World Cup appearance at Boston Stadium, with Bostonians and Scots speculating whether the Tartan Army’s takeover in the Hub could lead to a baby boom.

Drove I-30 + I-40 eastbound last week and there were so many semi trucks/18-wheelers on I-40 between Little Rock and Nashville. They were driving like cars as in changing lanes at the last second, cutting each other off, cutting off cars, and driving slowly in both lanes to pass over 1-2 mph. These semi trucks stretched on for miles and miles clogging the interstate and slowing traffic way down.

Then going back westbound this week the same thing happened in the same place between Nashville and Little Rock. It’s ridiculous and frustrating!

I also passed semi weigh stations with open signs in TN and Ark and saw trucks just driving past them without stopping. No cops came out to pull them over.

Signs everywhere saying left lane for passing only but who’s gonna enforce it on these semi drivers? Only saw maybe 2 cops in that entire stretch both ways.

Anybody that says there’s a shortage of truck drivers either isn’t paying attention, or they don’t drive enough to see it, or they’re lying.

— Car hits another car = Maybe scratches and dents, maybe worse maybe not

— Semi trucks carry up to 80,000 lbs or more for oversize loads. Careless/reckless truckers tailgate or swerve and hit a car = Car destroyed, serious injury, maybe death

Where are the police or lawmakers to enforce convoy laws?? Who’s gonna stop the semis from clogging up the interstates and driving those big ass rigs recklessly like cars??