<HTML> <HEAD> <title>WebForm1</title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 7.1"> <meta name="CODE_LANGUAGE" content="Visual Basic .NET 7.1"> <meta name="vs_defaultClientScript" content="JavaScript"> <meta name="vs_targetSchema" content="http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/ie5"> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content='text/html; charset=UTF-8'> </HEAD> <body > <TABLE id="Table1" cellSpacing="1" cellPadding="1" width="100%" border="0"> <TR> <TD><b>Comment Number:</b></TD> <TD>522852-00042</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Received Date:</b></TD> <TD>5/2/2006 10:32:17 AM</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Organization:</b></TD> <TD></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Commenter:</b></TD> <TD>Laipply, Bob</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>State:</b></TD> <TD>OH</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Agency:</b></TD> <TD>Federal Trade Commission</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Rule:</b></TD> <TD>Proposed Information Requests to Manufacturers of Alcoholic Beverages</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><b>Docket ID:</b></TD> <TD>PO64505</TD> </TR> <TR> <td colspan='2'>No Attachments</td> </TR> </TABLE> <hr/> <b>Comments:</b><br/><br/> Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras Federal Trade Commission - Office of the Secretary Room H-135 (Annex J), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20580 Dear Chairman Majoras, At 57 I still live in the same small town I was born and raised in, Bucyrus, Ohio. My wife and I raised our three children here and all of us graduated from Bucyrus High School. When I was young, Bucyrus was known for having more bars than churches. It?s still close, but the churches have moved ahead in the count. But if you now add all of the drive-throughs, gas stations and groceries you find it?s much easier to find a pint than a pew. As a middle school teacher of 30 years I have witnessed first hand some of the devastating effects of under aged drinking, generational alcoholism, teens becoming parents and all of the nasty collateral damage that accompanies alcohol abuse. I have visited too many hospitals rooms, hugged too many grieving parents and attended too many funerals as a result of alcohol use to remain silent on this issue. I know your responsibility is great and I urge you to continue to protect our Freedom of Speech, but there have always been some limits on those Rights. I can not do anything to incite riot not slander or defame someone?s character. No shouting FIRE in a crowded building. Common sense tells us that the line must be drawn some where, the question is ?Where?? I have my opinion and so does Howard Stern and so does Coors. But when the health of our citizens is at stake, we must stand firm. You did with tobacco products, you recognized the danger and modified the tobacco companies' right to advertise because of that danger. Can?t you see the similarities with alcohol? We are at epidemic levels of alcohol related health risk. We worry so much about the ?bird flu? and its possible danger, but good old alcohol has been around for so long that most people don/t even notice the risk, unless or until it strikes their families. Alcohol companies downplay the effect their commercials have on teens, they say it doesn?t really influence kids? decisions to use or not use. Then why do they spend so much money during the Super Bowl. Why advertise with strong, sexual overtones and all the beautiful people having fun? Why don?t we see people vomiting? Driving recklessly? Mourning the death of a friend or family member? Why don?t they show that in their commercials? Because it won?t sell beer, it would hurt the bottom line and the Board of Directors would have heads rolling. Please, hold them accountable, make them responsible for their actions, tighten up the standards they must meet in their advertising. We know they won?t do it themselves. They have a proven track record. Count the grave stones and hear the stories before you vote. Protect our citizens, each and every one. Thank you. Bob Laipply </body> </HTML>