Noted in passing

After a fruitful life, Ernest Gallo has passed on:

BERKELEY, Calif. - Ernest Gallo, who parlayed $5,900 and a wine recipe from a public library into the world's largest winemaking empire, died Tuesday at his home in Modesto. He was 97. "He passed away peacefully this afternoon surrounded by his family," said Susan Hensley, vice president of public relations for E.&J. Gallo Winery.

You know, if one day you wake up and just decide that you're tired of working for the man, and you've had it with the rat race, and that personal hygiene is overrated, and you don't really need a roof over your head; you should pick up a few bottles of the twin titans of bum-wines: Ernest Gallo's Night Train, and Thunderbird. They're the twin pillars that support the exit ramp to the homeless shelter. Is that too harsh? I suppose it's true that you can achieve the same result with wines that require a corkscrew to open, but for ease of use, I'd have to cast my vote for the Gallo products.