bdmarine

I'm not sure what is meant by a "smirk" test. I do agree that governments don't always make the best rules. A quick reading of the Declaration of Independence would tell you what needs to be done if that continues.

The British government passed a stamp tax to raise revenue. The colonies revolted and the USA was born. HAL wants you to pay them for every beer. The passengers should organize and revolt. You say, "If you don't like the rule, and don't intend to abide it, either takes your lumps like a big boy/girl, or go elsewhere." I say your philosophy is laying the red carpet before tyrants. You don't change bad behavior by tolerating it and giving in to it.

I am always amazed to see many of the comments on these kinds of threads. Here we have some vacationer just carrying a beer onto a cruise ship and responses range from worries about national security to disobedience of the rules.

First, let's distinguish rules made by a properly constituted government authority from rules handed down by the controller of a corporation. The government authority is supposed to be making rules for the health and safety of the governed. The corporation just wants as much money as they can get from the customer. Do we give all rules the same authority, no matter what the motive?