Emergency Situation

This time, it's not the blackberry emergency (thankfully, that's being taken care of due to its importance to the US Government). No, this is far more important - Russia is experiencing a drought of vodka at precisely the worst time of the year).

MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Russians could suffer a shortage of their national tipple next week because a bureaucratic mix-up has brought every vodka distillery in the country to a halt, producers say.

Distillers have been waiting since January 1 for tax authorities to send them new excise stamps -- the anti-counterfeit stickers that by law must be attached to every bottle of vodka.

"We are selling vodka left over from last year but those stocks are getting smaller all the time," said Vera Bragina, a spokeswoman for Russia's Smirnov Trading House.

I wonder if they'd consider importing a little Gray Goose?