Jugs

I'd like to see more jugs. No, I'm not euphemistically talking about women's hooters...er...breasts, but I refer to ewers, clay receptacles, earthenware storage units. You know, jugs.
Jugs were once a mainstay of civilization. Even before Jesus was a puppy, people were schlepping around all sorts of commodities in jugs. Jugs of wine were real popular, as were jugs of grain, dates, water, hummus, cocoa puffs and animal renderings. Jugs were the backbone of ancient commerce.
Jugs were easy to make, too. A little water and dirt and, viola--a jug. Jug-making guilds sprang up all over the Middle East, providing thousands of workers with an honest day's labor. There are even inscriptions on ancient pyramid walls featuring jugs. Jug craftsmen were hailed as great artists. Ernie of Mesopotamia was the first recipient of the "Juggie" award in 12 BC. He set a standard that jugsters aspire to today.
But there lies the rub. There are not many jug craftspeople left. Why? Because the demand for them has dwindled. Sure, maybe a few maple-syrup factories order some, but by and large, jug packaging has become a thing of the past. Now, we are deluged with plastic and cardboard containers that have no style, no panache, and no soul. With a jug all you have to do is take off the top and pour the contents out. Not any more; have you ever tried to open a cd package? Of course people might say, "Well, now we have metal canisters, they're much better." Perhaps metal canisters are better if you are storing nuclear material, but metal is a harsh, industrial material fit only to enfold waste products, but they lack aesthetics. Jugs are earthy, vibrant, and beautiful. When metal dies, it rusts. When jugs die the eulogy might read, "dirt to dirt, water to mud." Jugs are environmentally sound and their construction can provide even the most simple-minded person with gainful employment. Jugs rock.
It's time to bring jugs back. Write your government officials.