Well I have to admit that the idea is pretty interesting, unfortunately I don't have time to do that after work. It sounds funny "happy hours for drinking" in other contexts it's easy to understand something else, something like alcohol addiction because we don't lack that in our society.
Drug rehab center

is makin' me thirsty!!! Hey WIFFLE you and Becky should come watch the SCRG on Saturday night kill (not literally, folks) the SJVV at the Ernest Valdez Hall. 2 FULL BARS!!! 6 pm. drink til you puke, watch some hotties skate in circles and then when i've finally successfully taken out all of SJVV's blockers, buy me a drink and then jump on my back and i'll skate you home!!!!
I NEED A MARGARITA!!!!

~Lola the skating happyhour fanatic!

I really really really wish, that if people are going to be critical (or even praising) of a person, they would use their
real or fresnofamousimaginary names. I think taking potshots at a person under the cloak of "fresnoguest" is
lazy and rude at best and irresponsible at worst. That remark about seeing Void in his pickup was completley uncalled for, esp. since *he* was naming no names. I would go so far as requesting the site to take it down.

Does Void drive me nuts when he takes and derails a thread? Yes. Does it sometime seem to me that he misinterprets a situation and thinks that people are attacking his content (drunk driving) when really they are impatient with the way he delivers it (long, and that's not what we were talking about)? Yes. BUT, he knows me personally and come kick my butt if he feels like it , OR if he didn't know me personally, at least he would know my fakefresnofamous name, and I'd have to post responsibly because I know and he'd know that we'd both be hanging on this site.

Be true. State your opinion. But be cool.

I'm not surprised that I struck a nerve with my writings.
My stuff can be long, it's usually detailed, and you have found that tedius. (oh well.)

-as for the hypocrite part?

Yep, I do drive a truck.
More often I try to be on a bicycle.
-But even that is too rare these days as I'm busy working, (which has been nearly non-stop since early spring.)

I am an ardent supporter of several musicians, artists, and other events in town (when time permits?)
-not as much as I'd like, due to schedule constraints.

Some of them are hard partyers.
In truth?
There are a few who I don't expect to see old age, if they continue at the rate that they're going,
-and even a few who have been quite candid about nearly dying several times because of these concerns.
I still love them dearly.

What's sad?
They're really excellent people, they do a lot of great work, and often will give you the shirt off of their back to anyone,
-but there is no doubt that there's not going to be much left to them after too long.
(You may find this tedius, I find it kinda depressing.)
I still count them close, and value their friendship.
I wish they made better choices.
But what they choose to do with their own lives, however, is their own business.

-I personally rarely drink.

Even then?,
I may nurse a beer through a 4 hour event, but, even then? It's more likely half a beer, and I'm always craving water...

I simply refuse to drink and drive.
-and have only been in a car once, in my late teens, where the driver was 'tipsy,'
-that was 26 years ago, -and frightening enough.

In general?

I can be found around drunk people for only one or two reasons:

-I'm working with them clinically.
-It's a social function or some sort of production that I'm there with, they've gotten loaded and I don't want to be rude and 'just leave.'
-It's something that I'm at because (again,) it's part of a situation that I've been a part of, (or a party,) where I've been invited, and am there out of respect for the invitation.
If I know that there's going to be nothing going on but a bunch of drinking? I'll either pass or make an appearance and then leave.
(And then hang with folks when they're sober.)

Truth be told?
-I actually don't like being around people when they're drunk,
-can't stand most bars, (will only go if there's a band that I want to hear, otherwise they bore me to death,)
-and when my friends have been drinking? I kind of feel a bit torn as I don't want to let them just letting them wander off to their own devices.
(So, I'll hang, or see that they get home okay if there's nobody else doing so.)

-I usualy would rather go off and find something decent to eat.

I seriously hate drug use,
consider even pot to be illegal and damaging, (shocking, and here I am in Fresno,)
-and have had more than one 'good time,' kinda ruined when folks around me suddenly have the need to light up,
-because there's the that awkward '..um, no thanks,' when the rest of the room is sitting there getting all bloodshot and the place stinks like a 70's rock concert...
(No matter how nice you say 'no,' it sort of comes across as a deal killer to them, which is again, sad.)

Being in the arts most of my life, and the crowds I've run with over the years?
I've been around people who are 'under the influence,' most of my life as well.
-And if you want tedius? I could really bore the hell out of you by giving names, dates, and situaions where really brilliant and creative people have reduced themselves to practically nothing,
-or are even dead,
-because of their substance and alch. abuse.

-Being in human services for over two decades?
(most of the work I've done, btw, which requires a completely clean license and NO DUI activity whatsoever, (not even speeding tickets are allowed, -just to drive people around?,)
-has also given me case after case of individuals and their families,
-again devestated by subst. and alch. abuse.

Most of this I've learned prior to coming to Fresno,
-but have seen plenty here that I don't care to divulge.

The whole thing is pretty sad, in a way, and leads to the obvious question:

If Fresno is so 'wonderful,' why the big need to be so drunk or stoned to 'enjoy,' it?

I'll let you answer that for yourselves.
I think it relies on the person.

There ARE actually things to do here that are fun that don't include getting loaded.
(Surprise.)

-Such as work, for example, -which I'm off to.

I find his comments hypocritical and tedious. I've seen him a little 'tipsy' and driving off in his truck.

on purpose.

Diablo

I respect Void's opinion on drunk driving. But he's wrong about nobody in Fresno cares about drunk driving. I don't know the Fresnans he hangs with, but the ones I hang with don't let each other drive home drunk. We leave cars at people’s houses overnight, we leave them in parking lots...where ever.
(btw, I don't think a person having a couple Motto Brews with dinner is driving home drunk)

That being said, I'm very happy to see that folks like Milano, Alien, guest and Yoshi got what the intent of the post was about: a little snarky post about a new website that local businesses should check out and get themselves on...pleased to see it get used.

I am sorry for inadvertently starting this long-ass thread and if I had it to do again, would write it differently. But snark is the lifeblood of bloggers and I see little point in blogging without it.

Go post your happy hours guys!

I'll have that beer Yoshi...Now.

hope this makes the discussion look less bold.

anywhere anytime in anyway say ONE thing that condones drunk driving. EVER!

I think everyone knows that if they choose to make that stupid decision they are choosing to gamble their own lives, and those of others. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by this crime.

Is it a serious subject? Yes. Can you joke about it? Yes. The only people that need to be judged are the ones standing before the man in court.

Those of you that choose to drink and drive and kill yourself or some innocent person, may you live out your life (or afterlife) in one of the 7 rings of eternal hell(hopefully one of the really bad rings too). You know who you are, you know what you are doing.

In the mean time, I like Sierra Nevada, Stone IPA, Dead Guy Ale and Firestone Double Barrel lately. And when I'm serious, Long Islands, Cazadores Blanco no training wheels and Black Label.

Peace,
Diablo

hey wiffle...
we will buy you a beer!

well now, i never thought i'd thank the void for opening up yet another squabbling can-o-worms...

since the subject IS Happy Hour...

Happy Hour
with
UNI & HER UKELELE
September 20th
4-6pm
@ Yoshi NOW!

join us for 2 of the HAPPIEST hours U will ever have!
if you've never had the pleasure....you're in for a treat!
if U have...then U know...and U won't want to miss this!

if you're over 21...BYOB

check her out... www.myspace.com/uniherukelele

Yoshi NOW!
648 BROADWAY
SE corner MONO & BROADWAY
Deep in the Heart of
Beautiful Lovely DOWNTOWN Fresno
485-8142

no soapboxes allowed

Thanks for the tip. I just put MILANO on the map!
We have Happy Hour AND something that no other place has: an on-site attorney who handles drunk-driving cases.
Now, there's gotta be some good jokes about that.
Kendall
P.s. - we have a sense of humor too.

Mr. void took a thread about places to go in Fresno and used it as another chance to jump on his soapbox and ramble on about nothing.

...and we don't like what we are seeing. There is a collective culture here in Fresno that condones drunk driving. It has to change.

Should the FresnoFamous website die a slow grueling death, it won't be because the Fresno BEE bought it.
It will be because Void has been allowed to drone on and on and on and on and on to the point where folks a-void it.

Though this is a blog by an individual, it's not as if the origional post was on Blogger and I dropped in out of nowhere and started commenting on the writer's ideas.

It was a post that was addressed to 'Greater Fresno,' -and came across with information on where happy hours were (okay, no problem,) -but then had the link '-be sure to get off the streets before the checkpoints start.'

-The 'happy hour,' issue? Whatever. People can do with their lives as they wish.
-The 'avoiding the checkpoints,' comment?
-THAT I have issues with. (And that's what I went after.)

Since doing that?
-It's been called '...you're picking on Fresno,' '...you're saying we're worse than everybody else,' '...it was a joke,' '...it's endless squabbling,' '...it's turning away contributors.'

It's as simple as this:
-On a public message board somebody wrote something that very clearly looked like it encouraged getting sloshed and then getting home (driving,) without getting caught.
-And, having seen how devestating that situation is (both here and abroad,) --as well as how carelessly it's addressed? I voiced an opinion about it.
That's it.

This is not 'the rah-rah bus,'
I completely understand that not everybody is going to see things to the same severity that I do, -and don't require a chorus to agree or disagree and support or decry my position.
As I said, it's my opinion.
That's going to happen on a public message board.
Other than that post? I have no issues with wiffle whatsoever.

Though I see the humor of the T-Shirt?
And I'm sure there are cases of sever ocular damage in the valley?

The situation of alch. and substance abuse here in the valley is devestating and rampant.

Theramin, both you and I have been at events where people have gotten completely hammered and, at the end of the night -somehow made their way home.

-I completely expect any one of a number of folks in the circles that we travel to have a wreck, eventually, probably before my tenure here in the dusty grape is done.

-We already know people who are addled, and you yourself have told me stories about folks who were true greats in their craft, -and now are just soaked and nearly shot -on drinking, where others in the group shake their heads and say simply 'it's a shame.'

-There's even a local (well received,) show about one of ours practically dying -and having internal damage due to excessive drinking -where the person was left for dead by their own medical teams.
(They don't do this show as a joke, they don't present their nearly dying on several occasions as something funny, and actually, in the end call for sobriety and present it as an enormously destructive lifestyle, -with regret to a (usually astonished,) audience.

In circles we don't know?
A local newscaster was found in her car (behind the wheel,) with her kids in it as well(?) --and a blood alch. level (I think 3 to 4) times the acceptable level.

-And if some sort of fact check was done as far as the amount of D.U.I. arrests here in Fresno? I think the numbers would be staggering.
---And that's just the people who are 'getting caught,' (who somehow didn't miss the checkpoints.)

Checkpoints, by the way, which have been written about, -as well as police ops where people were caught as they left bars under the influence.

Is it a bummer subject?
Yep.

Is it squabbling over something petty?
Considering the severity of the issue here in Fresno?
The word 'petty,' never came to mind.

It boils down to this.

-If the subject is presented as 'funny,' if the checkpoints and DUI ops are presented as 'it's the man trying to come down heavy,' --then the comments are acceptable and seen as 'cool.'
-Because in counterculture circles the phrase 'fight for your right to party,' is not just a Beastie Boys song.
Here? It's seen as some sort of Inalienable right.

-An God forbid somebody in Fresno says '...look, this is stupid, this is not funny, (and) voices that (as unfortunate as it is,) other adults (as well as the police,) need to step in and speak up against other adults acting irresponsibly, -and that something has to be done.

If people wish to ruin their own lives and bodies in this way? Okayfine.
We're all responsible adults, everybody on this string is (I'm assuming over 21,)
-and if they want to pickle themselves, and die slowly?
Well, that's their right and I'll not interfere.

(On a side note?
I'm not real big on this
'...oooh, oooh, everybody, come quick, (drama-drama,) 'we need to do an intervention, because they're our friend and we need to help them,'
thing.
I think it's a very overused crutch, just furthers 'group mentality,' and can hinder a person developing a spine and making their own decisions and acting responsibly with their own lives.
(I respect others wishes to make their own choices, there is only so much a person can do to make the facts clear, -and support somebody else, and people's choices need to be respected -even if it's severely self-destructive.)

-But if we're talking about jeopardizing others?
(Which, when it comes to drunk driving in Fresno, is huge?)
That's a different story.

Some of us travel in 'activist,' and 'advocate,' circles.
And we all can site people who we were motivated by who had a different conviction and stood and said something about it.
(Some people get viewed as 'heros' and such for this.)
-I dunno, to me the whole idea of 'heroes,' leaves me cold sometimes, when all it is is somebody who cares about an issue taking a stand and voicing their opinions and then doing something about it.

-And, surprise, surprise, it's not often popular, and it's not always funny.

I'm not speaking for anyone else, -but I can say that in my own life, (though I'm not aware of that many friends loosing an eye,) I can attest to a ton of situations -even while being here in Fresno where out of control drinking, -and then even driving was seen as kind of 'normal,' and not confronted by people who were on the scene (who claimed to care for those who were smashed.)
--All the while some bizarre '...I'm respecting their rights, they know what they're doing, they're okay, they're my friend...' sort of thing plays out.
-That's bullshit and it needs to stop.

There are a ton of extremely creative people in this town, any one of a number of which, we could get a phone call saying, 'yeah, bad news, so and so died.'
-and it wouldn't even be '...yep, drunk driver hit them.'
-it very well could be '...they hit a pole going home from a party.'

-And, to be really honest about it?
As much as I care for all the 'creatives,' and 'counter-culture,' folks and friends I've made here in Fresno?
-I'm not even thinking necessairily of them (the people who I know and care about.)
MOST of them are highly intelligent, well schooled, well travelled smart people, ---who if they CHOOSE to drink and drive? are choosing to do something stupid,
-and should be dealt with all the more harshly, (they're smarter, they know better, they come from better lives, ---what's their excuse???)

I'm actually thinking of somebody innocent who just happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, who nobody knows, who they're going to have to have another freakin' car-wash just to have a decent funeral over,
---who got taken out by somebody driving drunk...

You see, that's the thing,
I can tell you the name of the people who I know (personally,) who killed a family of 6, or who killed a family of three (because they were driving under the influence,)
---But I havn't the slightest idea who those families were. (I don't.)
-Can't even tell you the stretch of roadway
-the town they got killed in.
(I can tell you what wrecks the people who hit them have been ever since.)

But to me? The victims are faceless sad situations who I never will know.
(Which sucks, -because to their survivors? (who would probably tell you right now
'...I wish god took me instead of them, they did nothing wrong, and had their whole life ahead of them,'
--they're NOT just faceless stats on a page.

Don't sweat it.
Just like Wiffle said.
It's only just a commentary thread, --and will be taken as some endless squabble.
-Most folks gave up reading this exact post when they saw it as a paragraph or two, ---and within a day, some promoter is going to put up a series of shows or something on the message board, ---and this will be buried under 8 pages of promo headlines.

-Even the newscaster who got busted a week or so ago,
---What was her name?
Is it going to matter in as many weeks?

Even if any one of us were to get killed or kill somebody else from being drunk behind the wheel,
-you can bet your boots that, probably even in this town, (let alone the outside world,) we'll be known as:
'...just another Fresno DUI statistic.'
-Nobody outside of our families are going to care or think about it that much, past saying, 'yep, damn shame,' -if that.

And somebody, somewhere might even make a joke about it.

Whole thing just sucks, and needs to stop.

Fresno as individuals, as groups, as creatives, as adults, (whatever tag you want to give yourselves,) needs to wake up on this and deal with it.

Whether I'm the only one who feels strongly enough about this subject to be this clear and this extensive?
I have no idea, and frankly, I don't care.
I don't define my concerns and what is right and wrong by others agreeing or disagreeing, and how popular or unpopular the view is.

Never have, and I hope I never will.

What IS funny, (in a dark humor, sort of way?)
For all of the great 'causes,' and evil tides and issues that there are to deal with in the world, and in Fresno?
-And there are many great causes and many social concerns that can and need addressing, don't get me wrong.

-I think this one (which is huge,)
CAN actually be addressed and really dealt with, (and be actually confronted, -person to person.)
-It doesn't require protesting,
-It doesn't require signs and banners,
and (strangely enough?)
-I don't think anybody with a sane mind is going to oppose going after the problem.

-Which is maybe why,
-folks are going after everything BUT this.
Too real, too close to home, too personal,
-requires actual saying (and) doing.
(AND) it's not some ominous 'thing,' that we're attacking.
It's dealing with 'us.'

But that's just theory.
I can only tell you why I'm treating it the way I am.
And I have.

-And if all this is just 'too heavy talk,' that will scare away readers and writers?
-Scroll and click and it's all gone, folks, just scroll and click.

Sitting through a funeral, seeing people you care about with huge holes in their lives that aren't going away, and watching (this) issue play out in lives of those left behind, (thinking, 'damn, should have said something, should have done something...)?

I think, a bit worse.

(but then again, that's just my opinion.)

Leave it to theremin man to wrap it up wisely.

I saw a t-shirt on a kid at the school where I work.
It has two kids playing keep-away from a third kid in the middle.
The t-shirt says “It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye”.
Then you notice that the kids are tossing an eyeball back and forth and the
kid in the middle is missing one.
I thought it was kinda funny. You know, playing with that cliché that adults
often repeat to kids, and then having it be all literal-like.

What if I had a sister who had lost her eye due to irresponsible adolescent behavior?
I might be flabbergasted. “How dare you joke about such a thing? Don’t you realize
that it’s just such a lax and sloppy attitude towards safety that causes so many young people to be crippled every year?”

Humor is almost always about human foibles. Foibles sometimes get foible-ey.
Cartoons are drawn, jokes are made about robberies, drunk people, people cheating
each other, people being dumb,etc.
Some people live through these situations; it’s too close to home, so they might not
think it’s funny.

The above couple of paragraphs are sort of obvious to many folks, so they might be confused as to why there was just 3andahalffeet of dueling going on in the previous
posts on this thread.

I believe such dueling can and has scared off many folks from expressing themselves on Fresno Famous, and many have publicly (as in right here on this site) declared that it has made them quit frequenting the site.
Some folks are wary of posting something because they feel they’ll be dragged into such
endless squabbling.

I have found myself in the position of being highly cautious about expressing opinions
(this is a notable exception, and I hope I don’t find myself wishing that I hadn’t) and mostly keep to the posting of events.

Had I not been taken in by a year's worth of reading this post.

Now I'm being funny.

If anybody has ever read my stuff on here before, I would hope they'd know I was joking. I TRY to put humor in everything I write because that's just my style. (I know, just because I try to be funny, doesn't mean I am. In fact, it's probably rare I'm funny.

But things are depressing enough in the real world (with things like life altering drunk driving wrecks), I don't feel like weighing down myself or a community blog site with "serious blogs".

If I made the mistake of thinking FF readers are smart enough to not listen to my blogger-nerd ramblings, then that's on me. Sorry. Again. Please, don't drive drunk.

So, if anybody (other than OOTV), thinks my original post was completely wrong and should be taked down or modified, then I'll do it. I don't care anymore. It's just a damn blog post. I've done too many on this site as it is. When you're second behind Jarah in posts, AND YOU'RE NOT BEING PAID, there's a screw loose somewhere.

I just wish I could find which screw was loose so I could tighten that up.

be pissed at your own keyboard.

You thought you were making a joke.

I'm telling you it's far from funny,
--and how the information you are presenting can be taken.
(Based upon the tagline and the content of the orig. post? You were telling folks 'where to find happy hours, -and then to be sure to get off the streets before the checkpoints start up...'

-did I miss something?
-is that not what you wrote?

Your defence that 'everybody is going to know that you were not serious,'
would be fine,
---with the exception that (again,) around here?,
-drunk driving is almost seen as a type of sport.

---and there have been many a heated thread all about dui-checkpoints and such (and not that long ago.)

It's far from slander,
I'm simply going with what you posted.

I simply don't like what you wrote,
-don't agree with it as being humorous,
and, fyi?
I'll never 'lighten up' on driving under the influence.

-and am saying how it reads (at least on this end,)
-and how it can be taken as information to further what is a massive problem in this town.

---that my own opinion on your post on a public message board.
-others may feel differently,
(and that's their right as well.)
They can say whatever they want, and defend your humor, (that's great, ...whatever.)

As for a need for a 'blog-cop,'
-when somebody writes in response to your initial (public) post?
(one that looked like you were encouraging drunk driving initially?)

-now you're joking, right?

Though it's nice to see you're clarifying a few things as the string goes on.

I think it's safe to say that we've had radically different experiences with this issue. (PS --though I have dealt with this stuff in NY, NJ, Pa. Conn. Ohio, Va. Fla, etc...)
-even though the issue is disproportionately high in Fresno, -that it's happening here, that I now live here, and have seen it play out again and again?
Is enough.

You deal with it your way, I'll deal with it mine.

RV, write your own seprate blog post on how bad you think drunk driving is. I'd say "good for you" and would agree with most of your "No quarter" on drunk driving (even though I already know everything you said). But...

STOP PUTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH, NOW! Slander is the one thing you can't do on this site and you're doing it to me. Please stop sir.

These are things you think I'm saying about driving drunk:

-"maybe you think it is, -and like it's a joke or something"

-Whether you care or not?
A person doesn't have a right to do this sort of thing.
(Ever.)

-'...Fresno is COOL because of this.'

-Whether this town is better or worse than any other on this, (and it is worse,) ---who cares?

Get real Void. You've had your say about drunk driving. We get it. Now think about this: In the real world, somebody drives home drunk. They get pulled over by Fresno's finest. The officer sees the drivers drunk and asks him why he got behind the wheel in this state. In your world, the driver would respond "Wiffle on Fresno Famous said it was cool as long as you avoid a checkpoint."

AGAIN. ME. WIFFLE FRESNO FAMOUS USER SAYS "DON'T DRIVE DRUNK FRESNO!"

And no, I'm not going to change my blogging style for you Void. Just like you've never changed your "style" after other bloggers have suggested you do, many times, over the years.

Where's a frickin' blogging checkpoint or blog-cop around when ya need one!?!

But seriously?

As much as you or I may say '...drunk driving is wrong, don't do it..'

-I can't tell you how many social events I've been to (even major fundraisers and such,) where people who were actually running the things were completely sloshed, -then went and got behind the wheel of a car, -and then drove home...)

After seeing it again and again?
(And seeing it taken so lightly, like it's no big deal,)
I've just had it.

This town does not take drunk driving seriously.
-they throw a royal fit when checkpoints go up.
-they make it a point to say how to avoid them,
-and the general attitude is one of '...how dare anyone tell me what to do, -including driving drunk.'

I'm all for free speech
I'm all for people being themselves and doing whatever they want with their lives. (no problem.)

But when it comes to people drinking, and then driving?
(...considering that this is the only area where I've actually seen billboards that say '...buzzed driving IS drunk drivingl...'
?

Obviously it's not just that Fresno has a problem with drinking and driving (possibly worse than other areas, -personally I could care less about 'how it stacks with other areas.')

When it comes to this issue?
No lightening up on it.

It's an area where most people who do it? Refuse to take personal responsiblity, -and then when they do go an kill or injure somebody everybody's like '...gee, it's a damn shame, but where were the friends who were supposed to be there to take the keys...?'

-They were all standing around, saying, '...it's not my business, they were a grown adult, and they made their choices.'
(In other words? They didn't care nor have the balls to say something to the person before they got behind the wheel.)

Nope, there is no kidding around about this, -particularly in this town.

It's cut and dried.
If somebody gets behind the wheel of a car, after drinking? They're an asshole and need to be arrested, (that's if they won't give up the keys.)

It's not taken seriously here at all, ---and going after folks who do drink and drive? -is all swept up in this lame-assed bullshit '...oh they're picking on my neighborhood boo-hoo boo-hoo spin.'

No quarter on this.
It's not funny.
(maybe you think it is, -and like it's a joke or something, okay, that's your right...
-but posting it very clearly comes across like you're not only encouraging people to do this, ---but telling them how to get away with it as well.

-Maybe it wasn't your goal, but that's clearly how it read.

And for the record?
My calling the cops, -or raising one hell of a fuss about somebody not driving drunk (when I'm around them?)
I promise you, it might get messy, (it has in the past, but I'm okay with that, -better to loose a friend as a 'friend,' -than to have them die, wind up in an ICU for weeks, -or kill other people
(I've had ALL THREE scenarios ---obviously you havn't.)

-But the life I may be saving may be yours, or may be somebody you care about.

-Whether you care or not?
A person doesn't have a right to do this sort of thing.
(Ever.)

-because just like you think it's a joke? (or may not consider that it's worth shutting somebody down from driving drunk?)

-Guaranteed there is somebody else who may feel the same way as you about some idiot who's going to go out driving drunk tonight between now and the bars closing,

-and if they run over you?,
or somebody that you care about?
-and you're nothing more than meat on a platter waiting to be claimed?

-What are we supposed to say to people who loved you all standing around, in shock, and messed up because you or somebody else is now dead
-asking the usual questionsL\: 'why,' and saying stuff like 'they were so young, it's such a shame.'
-what do you say then? (what sense is there that you can make of it? ---I've been in the situation countless times, and I'm usually at a loss for words,
-but (I guess,) you have some insights on this? Please enlighten me, (I'm serious,,, -because I don't see the problem stopping, -particularly here...)

I'm not going to step up to somebody going through THAT and say
'...well, you know, it was all a joke, you really need to lighten up... Fresno is COOL because of this.'

Whether this town is better or worse than any other on this, (and it is worse,)
---who cares?
It's a problem, It's Fresno's problem, it's laughed at enough,
-and people need to start going to jail.
LOUDLY.

-As much as you may have thought it was a funny thing to write,
-if somebody actually uses that information,
-but still kills themselves or somebody else, (because they got hammered and 'avoided a checkpoint,'
---yet still did damage
---how you gonna feel about that?'
(...you going to tell yourself and others, '...I was just screwing around, how was I to know that people actually read my shit...'

(I'm assuming you are a decent guy, you care about people, and you'd feel awful.)

--I'd (personally?)
just edit it or pull it alltogether,

-but you do what you wish.

-If I see somebody about to drive drunk?
I will do everything possible, (legally,) to stop them.

-that includes calling the cops, giving them license plate information, description of the driver, ---even blocking the car with my own vehicle until the cops show up.
I've gotten into shouting matches, fights have broken out, I've thrown keys into the bushes, -whatever it took.
(I've done it, I'll do it again, -and don't think twice about it.)

Some things are just not permissable, nor funny.
Even in Fresno.

Sorry wiff.

(I'm already regreting responding to this comment, but here we go)

You got to lighten the hell up OOTV.

People that come to this website are ADULTS and HAVE BRAINS! They aren't going to go out drunk-driving because I made a tounge-in-cheek post about a website that shows where there are happy hours.

And leave it Captain New York to take off on a bash Fresno tangent:

"Oh, but wait,
this is Fresno.
And you can't be having a good time unless you're under the influence of something... (my bad.)" -OOTV

YES YOU CAUGHT US VOID. WE ARE THE CITY THAT DRINKS. NO OTHER CITY DRINKS. WE ARE THE ONLY ONES. FRESNANS SHOULD ALL FEEL SHITY BECAUSE ONLY WE CAN'T CONTROL OURSELVES.

The "...avoid the checkpoints amigo" line is an obvious joke and if it wasn't, would anybody acutally take it as some sort of inside info as to how to avoid our checkpoints?

For the record I think driving drunk is bad. Fresnans, more than most cities, know this. The fact I have to actually say that is sad. It's like saying I think assholes act like assholes.

Damn dude, how much mind-control do you think is in a blog post anyway?

But seriously?

What I'm getting:
--Okay, you want to go out and get shitfaced, (because that's how you blow off steam, have a good time, and get... shitfaced.)
-okay, to each their own.

But then the exhortation:
-'Get off the streets before the checkpoints open for business...'

How about this one instead:
-Find a designated driver so you're not operating a vehicle while drunk.

-Don't drive if you've been drinking at all.

-Consider that, when you're drunk? You are endangering yourself (okay, not a major concern here, -you're blowing your money to waste braincells and your liver, -obviously you don't care about you..)

--but the wreck that you have will more than likely injure or kill others,

-not just yourself, (in fact, because you'll be sloshed, -you'll be relaxed, and be less likely to get injured, as you're body will be less rigid, more pliant and less likely to be injured in the forces of the crash...

-Those who you run into?
more than likely will NOT survive,
and will be lucky if they wind up a quad in a wheelchair.

-If you need to drink that heavily?
why not walk home?
(...but I don't want to be drunk, and vulnerable to being mugged or taken advantage of.
---Dude, what do you care (seriously,) you're poisoning yourself, and wiping out your mind, besides, you'll be drunk, -like you're going to care???

I mean, you could wander out in front of a car or something,
(which would really suck,
-because then SOMEBODY ELSE would have the feeling like they were responsible for your death or injury,)
--and their own vehicle would be totalled.
(ever see what a body does to a car?
picture a deer, just worse...)

Maybe the better plan is to not drink and drive at all...?

Oh, but wait,
this is Fresno.
And you can't be having a good time unless you're under the influence of something... (my bad.)

-(Oh wellk... for those who must?
I hope that you get caught,
loose your license,
are made a public spectacle of,
---or like, if you have to wreck into something?
don't damage anything further than your own car,
-and person, (which you obviously couldn't care less about anyway.)

-Still, I'd have a living will on you, or at least one of those donor cards on your drivers licens, ---so at least, you know, when you finally annihilate yourself? Somebody who could really use healthy body parts might have a chance at having something that works halfway decent, (you know, who WANTS life...)
-liver excluded of course...

I dunno wiff...

I mean, I think you're a cool guy and all, and respect your right to your views...

-but this just seems to be a really screwed up post, and is just encouraging people to injure themselves and others...

Like, I can see people clicking onto this, from outside of here, and thinking... '...now THIS is why this town is so screwed up...'

-ya know?