I have to smile about the news that the Beer Institute is establishing a new five-member panel to hear consumer complaints about beer advertising.

Things must really be at a low if the industry trade group is in the "we-better-regulate-ourselves-before-someone-else-does" mode. I have little hope that the panel will result in meaningful change, however, because the vast majority of beer advertising is clearly appealing to underage drinkers. And no matter what the beermakers say about "21 means 21," underage and abusive drinkers are not only their present but also their future.