Rose Johnson - Unintended Consequences

As I relaxed yesterday to enjoy the newspaper, I can across the following article about the tragic death of a local artist - the result of perverse incentives, unintended consequences and the coercion of the government. While this took place in Bali, this blog posting shows how frequent it is in the US, with equally devastating consequences.

Bisbee artist among 25 killed by tainted liquor

The Associated Press

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.03.2009

"Artist Rose Johnson, an English-born painter and muralist who spent more than 20 years working in Phoenix and Bisbee, was among 25 people who died after drinking homemade liquor in Indonesia.

Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, can be used for fuel and is an ingredient in formaldehyde as well as plastics and paints.

Alcohol is heavily taxed in Indonesia, the world's most-populous Muslim nation, and the high prices have spawned a huge black market for wine and liquor."