A few items in the news caught my eye recently.

In the January 11 issue of Mark Brown’s Industry News Update there is a reprint of a WSJ article titled, Perhaps a Red, 4100 B.C. Here’s the story lead:

Scientists have discovered the world’s oldest known winery, secreted amid dozens of prehistoric graves in a cavern in Armenia…

Outside a mountain village still known for its wine-making skill, archaeologists unearthed a large vat set in a platform for treading grapes, along with the well-preserved remains of crushed grapes, seeds and vine leaves, dating to about 6,100 years ago—a thousand years older than other comparable finds.

The article ends by providing a “prehistory” of wine and indicates archaeologists have found traces of a fermented rice wine from a village in northern China dating back 9,000 years. Wow — alcohol use goes back 9,000 years!

But wait, there is more.

Last month the newsletter reprinted an article from the LA Times called Prohibition, online. The opening paragraph:

In most states, ordering a gun online is perfectly legal. As is ordering pornography, cigarettes and ammunition. A bottle of merlot, though, could land you in jail.

So, tell me, where do Neanderthals come from?