My 900th post!

For my 900th post I would like to salute Vodka.
For those of you who do not partake in the drinking of vodka you are missing something great.
Yes Bourbon is the drink of choice if you want to act macho and then puke your guts out later but there is nothing manly about a guy hugging a toilet while pleading with God and promising that this will be the last time you ever drink again.
Vodka is said to be developed in the Northern European region. The Polish claim it was their discovery. The Russians will tell you it was theirs.
Vodka came to be a huge part of the Russian culture, as it was being distilled even before the word vodka came into general use. Although it has been described by many other names, the word vodka is a diminutive of the word voda; in Russia, meaning water.
Originally made for medical purposes, this crude anesthetic and disinfectant was distilled from rye.
It was not until the middle fourteenth century that vodka was discovered to have intoxicating characteristics. Families and communities were producing the drink before the end of the 1300’s for the purpose of drinking. In Russia, it was believed that the drink contained its own spirit and it was used at religious events.
A cup would be passed around, at times containing more than a gallon of vodka. Those who refused to partake would be considered blasphemous or even wicked.
From the beginning of the seventeenth century it had become customary for vodka to be served at Russian Imperial banquets. All meals were begun with bread and vodka.
Over the years, Russia experienced problems with vodka, namely moral issues, as drunkenness became an issue. In 1917, vodka was banned from the markets and, until 1936; beverages over 20% of alcohol content could not be sold.

Although vodka had been a hit over in Russia and Eastern Europe for hundreds of years, it did not become popular in the United States until the 1930’s when the Smirnoff Company opened for business. They introduced gold vodka; vodka that is aged for ten years in oak casks before it’s sold on the market.
Today vodka commands 20% of the market in the United States, and almost the entire market in Russia and Eastern Europe. It is one of the most popular drinks worldwide and should continue to be for a long time in the future.
Vodka is a wonderfully versatile drink as well. You can mix it with just about any other liquid and it will go together like peas and carrots. I have personally mixed it with Tomato juice, Orange juice, Coke, Root beer, 7-Up, Squirt, Orange Crush, Iced Tea, Richard’s Wild Irish Rose wine and of course water. Hell, I bet that you could mix vodka with spoiled milk and still have a good time.
On top of that the hang over from drinking vodka is not as severe as the ones caused by Rum, Bourbon, Tequila, Scotch, Brandy or Red wine.
Vodka….a truly wonderful invention.

Not to forget the famous "shaken and not stirred" original 007 - Martini!







Congrats for your 900 8) but why did you put your post in the smack- and not in the atrium- area?

What a ripoff. I was hoping for a salute to another Bears great, perhaps Cade McNown or someone of his ilk.:mrgreen:

Congratulations Phil...I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am 900% sure that Ditka should have given the ball to Sweetness on the goal line in the Super Bowl instead of the big, bad, fat Refrigerator Perry...

And I 900% agree with you.