Why are alcoholic beverages wrapped in paper bags?


A note about my questions. If you were to search for my previous
questions, you will understand a few things. First of all, I do not
want you to do a Google search. This question (and the low price) is
for those who know the question already. Second, I could use free
services by other companies. I ask questions here because I would like
an answer. However, I am not looking for an exessively authorative
answer. Anything beyond the simple answer (following generally the way
of the question, but in any direction you want) will be appreciated
and will be rewarded by a tip.

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Clarification of Question by eestudent-ga on 15 Aug 2006 14:52 PDT

d!mn that Geegle word! The question will be locked for some time.

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Clarification of Question by eestudent-ga on 15 Aug 2006 21:19 PDT

New rules for those who answer!

If you answer my questions, please specify whether you did Geegling
and how many hours you have spent. In case you read my (now deleted)
topic on Geegle pay, I worry about quality pay. Tips from me will be
based on such info that you provide.

Thank you!

Hi eestudent, I hope that my answer satisfies your requirements. 

The answer first of all is that in the USA, the fourth amendment
protects the property of a person against unreasonable searches. This
means that although it is illegal in most states to carry alcohol in
the streets, if you are carrying and drinking from a bag that "may or
may not" have alcohol in it, it would be a violation of your rights
under the fourth amendment to search the bag.

This always reminds me of "shrodingers cat". If you are not familiar
with this theory, in a nutshell they basically stick a theoretical cat
in a theoretical  chamber with a vial of acid and a tiny amount of
radioactive substance.If even one atom of the substance decays it
releases a hammer hitting the vial and killing the cat.

Since the observer cannot see the cat and cannot know whether the
material has decayed and the trap sprung, according to quantum law the
cat is both dead and alive - it exists in both states.

Getting back to this point, the bottle in the bag could be alcohol or
it might not be, but since the possibility exists that no law has been
broken there is no cause to search the person and to do so would be a
violation of their fourth amendment rights.

However before anyone takes to the streets filling brown paper bags
with illegal substances and alcohol, the question as to whether the
fourth amendment has and would be infringed is frequently tested and
in law the judge, you would hope, would always weigh the interests of
the safety of the public in with their consideration of an individuals
constitutional rights.


The Fourth Amendment
********************
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the
place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The Fourth Amendment
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment04/


As far as time spent, I spent about 45 minutes on this because I was
already aware of the fourth amendment and knew the answer to the
question. However, I spent most of the time trying to paraphrase the
shrodingers cat into something that did not insult a much revered
theoretical experiment.

I did not geegle on this one other than to get the link for the fourth
amendment link above.

I hope that the this answer is satisfactory. 

Thanks

Johnny Phoenix

The answer was great. I did not even suspect the issue was so freaking FUNNY!!!

As many people I know, I disagree with all similar laws on alcohol,
smoking, and drugs. They (gov't) could at least TRY to make it look
intelligent.

And finally, you could easily specify that you spent several days
trying to answer the problem (lol). That is why I specified that I
would like an approximate estimation of effort. Enjoy the tip.

Schrödinger had a cat, too, and his is better known. ;-)

While searching diligently for an answerable question, Pinkfreud
happens to come in here.  She reads the brown bag question in under a
minute and thinks ?Wow, this is an easy one? I can whip this out in 20
minutes and make a quick $5.?  Then she reads the overly long rant
below the easy question to realize that the questioner is very picky
about the way things are done and Pink realizes that she is not suited
to appropriately answer the question.  After 6 minutes of reading and
thinking, she leaves with nothing to show for it. ?Total time for
Pinkfreud: 6.2 minutes

Enter Pafalafa.  Like Pink, Paf sees opportunity here.  He reads the
title and the first part of the question and he runs off to find the
right website.  8 minutes later he returns with all the information he
needs to provide a complete and concise answer that would please any
questioner.  But as he begins to post his answer, Paf notices the
extra part of the question.  He thinks to himself ?Why doesn?t
Eestudent just want an answer?  Answers are very easy to provide and
they take almost not time at all.?  Feeling frustrated by the whole
experience, Pafalafa leaves the question put for another researcher. 
?Total time for Pafalafa: 11.5 minutes

Bobbie7 comes rolling in.  Being an very observant and careful
researcher, Bobbie carefully reads every word of the question and the
clarifications.  He knows the answer but he is unsure exactly what
Eestudent wants (?I do not
want you to do a Google search.?  ?please specify whether you did Geegling
and how many hours you have spent.?)  Bobbie thinks to himself ?Do I
?Geegle? or not???  Rather than spend another 10 minutes pondering the
situation, Bobbie decides to leave in search of a questioner who knows
what he is really asking.  ?Total time for Bobbie7: 7.6 minutes

Enter Johnny Phoenix.  Johnny reads the question, thinks long and hard
about the best way to appease Eestudent (not an easy task) and he
begins to jot down some ideas on paper.  The draft is finally done and
Johnny proceeds to type his answer.  He scratches his head several
times in the process and realizes that Eestudent will tip more if he
takes longer.  So the process is greatly extended? 10 minutes go by. 
20 minutes go by.  Johnnyealizes that he could have answered the
question in 15 minutes and starts to feel guilty so he finishes up and
posts an answer that is worthy of the great Geegle name that stands
behind it.  ?Total time for Johnny Phoenix: 45 minutes

-Total time so far for the 4 poor researchers dragged into this
question: 70.3 minutes

**and Johnny Phoenix will come back several times to read the comments
to make sure his job is done.
-Total time for the researchers: 1 hour 25 minutes
-Total time that this question would have taken for the researchers if
it was asked in the normal fashion: 30 minutes (but we wouldn?t have
gotten the great cat story)


I hope you know my poking and exagerated story telling is in good fun
Eestudent :)  I do appreciate the motivation behind what you are
trying to do even if I can't appreciate the actions.  Motivation
usually exceeds results in my book.

Spot on, back for my first visit and spent another 5 minutes reading
the comments and another 6.4 minutes laughing about the comments with
the wife.

I knew I shouldn't have risked digression on the quantum state of
potentially radioactive felines.

....There's a sentence I'll probably never use again.

Sorry folks, for some freaky reason I was unable either to leave a
comment or rate the answer since it was answered untill now.

jack_of_few_trades-ga, you are wasting your time on GA with your
talent. What can I say? I can only say that between my questions being
deleted, and me wondering why I can't leave a comment just because a
question has expired, I try to contribute to GA by commenting on
questions that I know about.

superb, thank you very much for your generous tip.