Tila Tequila, Lights Out?

I have seen the name Tila Tequila around, but admittedly have never paid that much attention, anyway with a name like Tila Tequila I always figured she was probably an adult star / porn star. However, names can be deceiving. It turns out Tila is in fact Tila Nguyen, hails from Singapore with Vietnamese roots and makes her living singing and doing TV, MTV to be precise. Although in my defense she has appeared in Playboy.

Apparently, the Tequila alludes to the fact that she is allergic to alcohol and doesn't drink, so it is supposed to be a touch of irony. However, recent reports suggest that despite any Tweets to the contrary, Ms. Tequila lives up to her name and does not mind knocking back the odd tequila shot or five. It also seems that she does not mind taking a few slugs on the vodka bottle. Gossip, rumors, or eyewitness testimony to her appetite for liquor sort of puts paid to the idea that the girl is allergic to alcohol.

Her consumption of the wicked liquor has led to some trouble so it seems with her current boyfriend of San Diego Chargers fame, Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman, has been arrested and bailed for allegedly assaulting the diminutive Tequila. Lights Out comes in at a hefty 1.93 meters and some 120kgs so it is hardly going to be a fair contest.

Lights Out reckons there was no assault, rather he was trying to be protective and stop Tequila, who seemingly had a few too many tequilas from driving home. According to reports a scuffle occurred, Tequila eventually broke free, and then called the police. Tequila then signed off on a citizen's arrest warrant that alleges battery and false imprisonment, both of which are felonies as I recall.

So, it seems at the moment to be a he said, she said scenario. This means that the fun and games are just about to begin.

And they have. James Brennan, the owner of Stingaree (a celebrity spotting paradise apparently), and where Lights Out and Tequila kicked off their fateful evening, has said that in interviewing all of his staff the gist is that Lights Out was drinking bottled water and Tequila was living up to her name knocking back tequila and vodka until she was visibly intoxicated (I would guess this is code for pissed).

The reason for this post is self-serving as it lets me post a picture of Tequila in most of her glory.

A Liquor Shortage for Jakarta

I do not go out all that often and I am guessing that I will probably not be going out at all for the foreseeable future with "The Kid" being born in a mere six days from now. However, I did notice recently that the price of my regular vodka & cranberry has almost doubled in price in just over a week. I just figured this was a trickle down on the imploding global economy that is being propped up by various bail out packages throughout the world. But, alas, it has more to do with a liquor shortage.

Probably more specifically it has to do with the sudden ratcheting-up of excise or duties on imported alcohol that now sees some 60 containers of liquor sitting idly in some Indonesian ports. The duty on the imported alcohol sitting in Indonesian ports is 300% apparently and importers are refusing to cough up and pay the higher duties. This is but part of the problem. The Government also imposes a quota on imported alcohol. This is designed to protect local producers from the market power of big multinational alcoholic beverage producers.

Nevertheless, standard fare is that this quota is usually tapped out by mid-year and the lack of further imports leads to plenty of smuggled liquor and other less than legal mechanisms of getting more imported liquor into the market.

The end result is that this is likely to make business difficult for places that sell alcohol as people are likely to be much more discerning when it comes to drinking and how much they drink. A three-drink night may well become a one-drink night and an early night at that. The trickle down effect is likely to not only impact the bottom lines of the businesses but also the people that they support, such as staff.

It looks like I will be saving some money.

Cold Chisel 2

I have a few Cold Chisel favorites and "Working Class Man" is another one. It was the soundtrack to a movie with the name Gung Ho and starring Michael Keaton. The song is a classic and captures the essence of the struggle in being a working class man. Let me assure you what Jimmy Barnes is sipping in the middle of this song is not water. It might be clear and it might look like water but Jimmy's stage poison of choice was vodka.

Organic Alcohol

Is it a fad? Is it going green for the environment? Do you feel any better the morning after?

These might be some of the questions one asks themselves when considering an order of organic alcohol! There are at least three major hotel chains who have jumped on the organic alcohol wagon: the Marriott, the Ritz-Carlton, and the Kimpton Hotels. It is also worth noting that the most frequently swearing chef on the planet, Gordon Ramsay, is carrying organic alcohol in his newest restaurant.

It seems that a company called Square One is leading the way in organic spirits.

So, what does it take to be certified organic? Simply, there can be no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers used at any stage of the process. Furthermore, no nitrogen or other chemicals can be used during the distilling process. I wonder if this means that the producers get the odd batch that is not drinkable?

Well, now that I know I can order organic, I might have to duck down to the Marriott or the Ritz after work and see if Indonesia is up with the trend towards organic spirits. If not then it might be off to the Ranch Farm to buy some organic produce of my own. I am sure I can learn to build a distillery on the Internet...I can see thriving underground business potential!

Jimmy Barnes + Cold Chisel

One of my all time favourite Australian bands is Cold Chisel and I am glad to say that I introduced the band to a few people around the globe and continue to do so! There is nothing like singing your heart along to the sweet sounds of Khe Sanh, Cheap Wine, Forever Now, or Saturday Night after a barbecue and a few beers with friends.

I have always followed the career of Jimmy Barnes with interest and recently read something about his biography in something called the Icons of Australian Music: Jimmy Barnes! The revelations were like how the hell does one live to tell this tale?

The revelations included this pearler on the period of his life from 1998 - 2002:

"I was doing about 10 grams of cocaine a day, maybe taking six or eight ecstasy [pills] and drinking three bottles of vodka - all in a day, every day".

Barnes is now clean and sober. His marriage is supposedly stronger than ever and he is now recognized as a global UNICEF parent. By all accounts he and his wife have raised four well-adjusted kids. This is testament to the character of the individual and to his family that in spite of all these demons he has managed to do what so many struggle to do!

I would not survive a week, let alone four or five years of this kind of drug and alcohol use (or abuse)! Yet, despite this I have no less respect for the man or Cold Chisel, they remain favourites.