Pessimists who believe that once a large piece of governmental malpractice is in place, it is there forever and immoveable, should to pay attention to this day and, perhaps, celebrate with a cocktail.

It was on December 5th 1933 that Prohibition was repealed. Government, at all levels, still had a lot to say about your drinking – and it wasn’t shy about taxing alcohol – but at least the absolutist prohibition had been recognized as folly. People were going to drink and they found ways to make it interesting. It’s in the DNA … or something.