It seems to be a set of distilleries. One seems for Absynth, but the other, you're not too sure. You see a pepper symbol on the distill. It must be for some fruity drink, perhaps the newfound fruity loops, which gives you a buzz and makes you hyperactive. Drink/drugs aren't your department, that's PS', but it affects all three of you. It influences the way people think, but it also gives people an alternative to your cold, hand-fed facts.
People see in the newspaper (which you run), PROSPIT TO WIN WAR SOON! And when they wait for that "soon" and it doesn't happen, they feel duped. As though someone was trying to trick them into a false sense of security, which is exactly what you were going for. So, they hang out with one of their friends who is really into substances, and they show them how different life can be if you simply take it one sip at a time. Then they start not going to church. Then they start disrespecting curfew. Then they call the lordling a phony. Then they get really into alternative ideas, like fascism, and other harsh dictatorships.