Justice?? Hahaha.

Bojangles wants to get 8 year olds drunk - and Corrupt and GWSkank want to be there for the party too!

Now CharlieCorrupt ... I knew about the 1-year thing, but what I didn't know is that each ANC had the choice to decide what they wanted the rules to be after that one year period (whether to keep it, or to back) - that puts me even more against it. That is exactly what we don't need - rules that vary across the city. Laws like this need to be uniform ... it would be like allowing each ANC to set their own last-call time ... utterly ridic.

And I don't really understand the argument 'Kriston' ... she/he seems to want the DC Council out of the business of managing bar employees - and so do I. The licenses are currently managed by the DC ABC, the Circus just decided to put into the argument and make a new rule. So Kirston it seems that you and I agree - lets go back to the old way of the ABC making the rule, and guess what - the ABC thinks the way it used to be is the best way.

Under either system the problem falls to the bar owners ... but under the pre-Bojangles way, the bar owners and managers would have to be much more careful with selection and training of new employees. Underage drinking isn't life or death - but it is honestly important that bar owners enforce it properly. When there is a new bartender or bounder - the manager should have someone (or them self) rechecking IDs of people they think maybe shouldn't have be let in. The employees should be screened and have references ... and yes, I know mistakes happen. And suspending a license is tough for a single mistake, but I really think that it makes the bar owners and managers much more aware and on-top of their employees.

Oh Bojangles (Jim Graham) ... looks like its you and the entire city versus me.

Late edit: Apparently Corrupt wrote this post, not GWSkank as I had initially said.

E.L.E.

Extinction Level Event ... when I first heard this I thought of a movie with Morgan Freeman, but couldn't remember what it was. Turns out it was Deep Impact - where the comet hit the Earth ... same premise as Armageddon, equally lackluster movies - thought I think I might go find Deep Impact right now and watch it, haha. Deep Impact has a quote about E.L.E. - who a reporter thinks is a mistress, but it turns out she has discovered the fact that a comet is headed towards Earth. Anyway ... the point of this whole thing is an op-ed in The Paper of Record that made me shed a tear - it was titled Extinction-Level Television Event.

Alan Spinwall writes what NBC's decision to surrender its 10PM timeslot to Jay Leno really means for the television world as we know it. That timeslot has been the home of some of the greatest shows - including the long-running ER, and leaves each of the Three Networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) with only 10 hours of primetime programming per week (M-F, 8-10PM; Saturday is not a TV day; Sunday is for football). Only ten hours ... wow. As someone who grew up in the cable-world, with cable - I suppose I shouldn't be surprised ... Cable TV has everything, the Networks have very little.

I suggest you read the Op-Ed, I linked it - here - again. Any in order to drive you to read it, I am going to take two thought-provoking excerpts from the piece. One:

This reminds me of a joke Tina Fey told at the Television Critics Association awards ceremony. She thanked us “for making ‘30 Rock’ the most successful cable show on broadcast television,” and added: “Oh, it’s a great time to be on broadcast television, isn’t it? It’s exciting! It’s like being in vaudeville in the ’60s!”

and two:

To use a pop culture metaphor that everyone should (I hope) understand, the networks are Wile E. Coyote running off a cliff. So long as they pump their legs and assume there’s solid ground beneath their feet, they get to keep moving. But as soon as one of them gives up and looks at where it is, as NBC has with the Jay Leno deal, there’s nowhere to go but way, way down.

Sadness ... I hope this isn't really true - but it seems that it is.


Also ... on a completely unrelated note. I am going to ride the Nostalgia train on Sunday -- look forward to pictures!

Jim Graham ... likes drunk kids

Let me start this post off by making something clear: Underage drinking is acceptable.  And the drinking age should be lowered to 13 ... but for now the drinking age is 21, and that means that minors should be unable to buy/drink liquor.  Do whatever you want behind closed doors ... In fact, I encourage you to drink behind closed doors - you just can't go out -- sorry.

I was shocked to see this WaPo post from Loose Lips this morning over at the City Desk.  Councilman Jim Graham has introduced legislation to give bar/club owners who are caught serving a minor a warning on their first offense.  It is currently a $1000 fine and the suspension of their license for 2 days.  I'm sorry ... are you kidding me?  A warning?  What is this pre-school?  Even more ridiculous is Graham's reasoning after listening to the testimony ... "a distracted employee or an employee who didn't understand the importance of checking ID. These were not cases of places that just didn't care." what!?  hahaha.

Lets go over this ... 'an employee who didn't understand the importance of checking ID' - that place deserves to be shut down for a week.  If the employees don't understand that they have to check ID, what else aren't they clear on?  Perhaps they aren't clear on washing their hands after going to the bathroom, or not spitting in customers food.  Lame excuse.

Excuse 2 ... 'distracted employee' - if a jail guard was to be distracted and left a cell door open, would we take pity on him.  If that same restaurant was too distracted to realize that he was pouring rum into my Rose Kennedy ... would I be pleased with him?  should the management?  NO.

THIS IS UNREAL.  UNREAL, PEOPLE.

Oh ps ... Jim Graham also called DC's capitol of underage drinking -- Lauriol Plaza -- a respectable place.  They are respectable about making great Margaritas ... that is about it.  Checking IDs -- not so much.

I won't forget this Jim Graham.  This is just unreal.  I'm sorry.  How much are these people paying you to introduce this legislation.

In case you were wondering DC's ABC Board is completely against it.

The Council has tentatively approved the measures and is voting for sure tomorrow.

To find your Councilman - visit here!   Please contact him/her today!

If you live in Ward 1 - email Jim: jgraham@dccouncil.us