March 27, 2008
Wow, does it suck to be a Democrat or what? Last year they lose because both their candidates are terrible, this year they're afraid they could lose because both their candidates are spectacular. When they win, they lose. One of those deals.
Because, yes, indeed, the polarization of the party due to the continuing bickering between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has officially become a problem. Recent polls indicate that it is a growing concern of the Democratic party.
And not because of crossover votes. Don't make the mistake in thinking that Obama or Clinton supporters are going to all of a sudden vote for McCain in the general election...no...but it may just as bad. They may not vote at all - which would somewhat diminish the entire Democratic population by half.
But the solution is not for one of them to dropout before the convention as Democratic speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi has encouraged. Because either candidate dropping out of the race at this point would disenfranchise voters because they believe that their candidate can still win.
Instead, let this thing run its course. Let all the marbles come out at the convention. BUT...make darn sure that whoever loses, makes a grand speech in support of the winning candidate and the party as a whole. Even if it is Obama who, if loses, will do so even with the majority of delegate votes. Let the superdelegates speak, depending on whatever strategy they see fit, and make both candidates live with it.
Otherwise, the Democrats will be blowing their biggest political opportunity in history.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Quick Thoughts Today
March 25, 2008
First and foremost, let's have a moment of silence for the 4,000 Americans who have lost their lives in Iraq. Ultimate sacrifice for your country, in a war about half the country doesn't understand...that's worth a little respect.
If you want to see the best package I came across which addresses this "milestone", take a look at today's New York Times - it includes pictures of the latest 1,000 dead servicemen/women and e-mails sent by troops back home before their death. Really, take a look.
The only other thing I want to say today is SHAME on USA Today for their yellow-journalism headline on the front page today, obviously (and shamelessly) designed to attract readers to what amounted to be a very lame, uninformative story.
On the Today's front page was a glowing picture of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton actually looking like they like each other and the words: "Dream Team Ticket - More than just a wish". Which, of course, sent half the country into a hyperventilating type of breathing and scrambling to read if in fact the two had decided to join forces against the evil foe, John McCain.
Instead the story talked about how a dream team ticket is possible but, ultimately, unlikely. It was like plastoring a six-year old picture of Brittany Spears on the cover and saying, "Spears - Hot and Talented again" over it. Possible? Perhaps. But then again, anything's possible...I believe is what our parents told us.
First and foremost, let's have a moment of silence for the 4,000 Americans who have lost their lives in Iraq. Ultimate sacrifice for your country, in a war about half the country doesn't understand...that's worth a little respect.
If you want to see the best package I came across which addresses this "milestone", take a look at today's New York Times - it includes pictures of the latest 1,000 dead servicemen/women and e-mails sent by troops back home before their death. Really, take a look.
The only other thing I want to say today is SHAME on USA Today for their yellow-journalism headline on the front page today, obviously (and shamelessly) designed to attract readers to what amounted to be a very lame, uninformative story.
On the Today's front page was a glowing picture of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton actually looking like they like each other and the words: "Dream Team Ticket - More than just a wish". Which, of course, sent half the country into a hyperventilating type of breathing and scrambling to read if in fact the two had decided to join forces against the evil foe, John McCain.
Instead the story talked about how a dream team ticket is possible but, ultimately, unlikely. It was like plastoring a six-year old picture of Brittany Spears on the cover and saying, "Spears - Hot and Talented again" over it. Possible? Perhaps. But then again, anything's possible...I believe is what our parents told us.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Oldtown Ogres: An in-depth look at Fort Collins Bouncers
History of the Bouncer
According to Webster’s online dictionary, “A bouncer is an informal term for security guards or doormen employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a place based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or other standards.” Bouncers are often required where crowd size or alcohol consumption may make arguments or fights commonplace.
The history of the bouncer profession was one of rough and brute force. When intoxicated patrons would act up, bouncers would literally beat them and throw them out of the venue. It wasn’t until lawsuits started to become an ordinary occurrence in our society though, that many bars and venues had to rethink their bouncer policies.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a period of wild-west saloons and untamed beards, bar keepers and brothel madams hired bouncers to remove troublesome, violent, or dead-drunk patrons, and protect the saloon girls and prostitutes. The word "bouncer" was first used in the saloon sense in an 1883 newspaper article: "'The Bouncer' is merely the English 'chucker out'. When liberty verges on license and gaiety on wanton delirium, the bouncer selects the gayest of the gay, and bounces him!”
In US Western towns in the 1870s, high-class brothels known as "good houses" or “parlor houses” hired bouncers for security and to prevent patrons from evading payment. “Good house” style brothels considered themselves the cream of the crop, and the prostitutes working there scorned those who worked in (or out of) saloons, dance halls, and theaters.
The best bordellos looked like respectable mansions, with attractively-decorated parlors, a game room and a dance hall. For security, “somewhere in every parlor house there was always a bouncer, a giant of a man who stayed sober to handle any customer who got too rough with one of the girls or didn't want to pay his bill.” The protective presence of bouncers in high-class brothels was “One of the reasons the girls considered themselves superior to free-lancers, who lacked any such shepherds.”
In Wisconsin's lumberjack days, bouncers would physically remove drinkers who were too drunk to keep buying drinks, and thus free up space in the bar for new patrons. The slang term 'snake-room' was used to describe a room off a saloon, usually two or three steps down, into which a bar-keeper or the bouncer could slide drunk lumber-jacks head first through swinging doors from the bar-room.
In the late 1800s, until Prohibition, bouncers also had the unusual role of protecting the saloon's buffet. To attract business, "Many saloons lured customers with offers of a free lunch usually well salted to inspire drinking, and the saloon bouncer was generally on hand to discourage [those with too] hearty appetites".
The profession slowly died out for a brief period, right around 1920 to1933, when the sale, consumption, and holding of alcohol became illegal due to prohibition. The more communication oriented and less physical bouncer emerged from this short break, but as any bouncer will attest, there is definitely still a major intimidation factor a bouncer presents; it’s just unlikely they’ll beat the crap out of you anymore.
What it Takes to Bounce in Fort Collins
So you want to be a bouncer in Fort Collins eh? If you think you have what it takes, then keep on reading.
The scene of Fort Collins downtown nightlife isn’t much different than that of any other small town rated #1 place in America to live. It really is a safe and welcoming place. Fights are uncommon; people are friendly, and more often than not, doormen in our small town have a fairly easy job; aside from the cold nights standing outdoors checking I.D’s.
This is the main reason that any person wanting to become a bouncer in this town doesn’t have to possess the typical ‘bouncer characteristics’ that so many other larger cities require of their doormen. In Fort Collins, a bouncer’s job is really only checking to make sure people are 21, along with denying patrons who’ve had too much to drink.
Being a bouncer is so uneventful in Fort Collins, that a few bars actually have female bouncers standing (or sitting) out in the front of the bar from time to time. Compiled below is a brief list of what qualities a Fort Collins bouncer should possess.
They must:
Have great communication skills.
Have a good eye to catch people with fake I.D’s.
Be knowledgeable about the establishment they work at.
Be friendly, outgoing, and personable.
Be able to withstand large amounts of cigarette smoke being blown in their general direction.
In an event a fight does occur they should be able to get physical and break up the altercation.
Be able to withstand cold Colorado nights.
Be able to stand on their feet for hours on end.
Always remember how easily it is to sue people nowadays, and never get too physical with women or guys who think their real tough
Keeping all this in mind, there is a good chance you possess all these qualities and maybe one day, you too, can be considered one of Fort Collins elite team of bar protectors.
Life as a Bouncer: Swing Monitor at the Drunken Monkey
Michael Benedetto has worked a few jobs in his life, but none of them have been anything like bouncing at the Drunken Monkey. For the better part of 2006, Michael was responsible for throwing out drunks, breaking up fights, and looking out for the betterment of the Drunken Monkey Cantina by doing whatever was necessary. “Being a bouncer just isn’t a regular job,” Michael comments, “I guess that’s why I took [the job] in the first place”. Michael remembers when he was first hired, and unlike most jobs, there was very little training. “They pretty just threw me in the mix and told me that if someone looked to drunk, come tell us (the management) or take care of it yourself,” he said. Michael also commented that due to the lack of specific tasks given by the management, the role of being a bouncer to him was just having common sense and doing what he though was right. He recalls on several occasions where he had to break up fights and tell people that they were looking too drunk, but he said that he was way more “chill” than most of his co-workers. “When I’m out, I’m usually that drunk guy, so I don’t want to be a [expletive deleted] and kick people out who are just having a good time”. One of his main tasks while working at the DM was monitoring the multiple swings located near the bar. “One time I had to carry this drunk girl out after she fell off of the swings like three times in a row,” he said, “and I even felt bad about doing that. I just want everybody to have a good time.” Again, many of his co-workers felt a little bit differently, and enjoyed kicking as many people out as they could. “Some guys [bouncers] would throw punches at people fighting, and sometimes they would even start fights [with customers]”. Michael said that due to being so “chill” at work, i.e. not kicking enough people out, he was eventually let go. “All in all, I thought it sucked. You have to work till like 3 a.m. some nights, you have to be around a bunch of drunks when you’re not drunk, man, I’d much rather wait tables.”
Bouncer Perceptions:
Roadhouse ‘Roiders or Pub Protectors?
Imagine that you’re in line for your favorite club, you’re all dressed up, ready to have a fun and easy going night on the town. You get into the back of the line, and wait for a few people to leave so you can finally get inside. All you want to do is mind your own business, but that big guy at the front of the line is giving you the ol’ hairy eyeball. Sure, maybe he’s just doing his job, checking I.D.’s and making sure that there’s no trouble. Or maybe he thinks that this is the movie Roadhouse and he can’t wait for you to slip up so he can serve you up an ice cold knuckle-cranberry on the rocks. Of course, every bouncer is just some guy who is doing a job, and many people feel that they are within the job scope most of the time. Others feel quite the contrary, like the bouncers at the local pubs are intentionally acting rude just to prove a point. Local bar patron Joe Hann is quite convinced that these Old Town Ogres are out to “flex nuts” and are on some kind of “crazy, [messed] up power trip”. Hann, a 23 year old Colorado State University student and self proclaimed bar aficionado, says that bouncers are “egotistical meat-heads that are just looking to tackle somebody.” Hann has been asked to leave bars in Old Town on several occasions, once for fighting, once under the suspicion of bringing in outside alcoholic beverages, and a few times for being “over served”. On each occasion, he commented that the bouncers were acting out of line by shoving him out of the bar instead of asking him to leave, and were intentionally trying to initiate a physical altercation. When asked about the foundations of his opinions on bouncers, Hann was quick to acknowledge that he is often semi-intoxicated at local bars, and perhaps his view isn’t the most objective.
Take another real life scenario about bouncers from a different perspective. Say that you are at Tony’s, a local pub that is notorious for rambunctious patrons. You’re standing near the bar, anxiously awaiting that first tasty drink of the evening. Before you can mutter out “four Jager Bombs”, a drunken bum comes stumbling to the front of the bar and starts causing trouble. The apparent homeless man starts swearing like a sailor and starts to untie the back of your lovely lady’s new halter top. Where’s Superman when you need him? Well, if your name is Chris Miller, than your Superman is the bouncer at Tony’s who comes leaping over the bar to tackle the weirdo who’s feeling up your girl. Quite literally, the brave pub protector instinctively saw the creepy man and noticed that all wasn’t well. Like a scene right out of a comic book, the brave bouncer leaped over the bar and spear tackled the guy like Clark Kent would have done, and physically tossed the molester out of the bar like a sack of potatoes. Chris recalls the account and is very thankful that the bouncers were so alert that night. “I thought that I was going to have to fight the guy,” Chris said, and he was fearful that if he did, he might end up with an assault charge or something. “I definitely didn’t mind the bouncers that night”. Bouncers, are they peacekeepers looking to save the day, or are they meatheads looking to ruin your night? It’s all about perspective.
Bouncers and Police…together?
When the term “bouncer” gets thrown around, most people probably think of a big, violent-type of guy who can end a fight with one, hard right.
Shane Belcher, owner of Washington’s, one of the most popular bars in Fort Collins, thinks of something else.
“I have a couple guys who are no more than five feet six inches and don’t weigh much more than 150 pounds,” Belcher said. “More than anything I’m looking for a guy who can handle a situation.”
According to Belcher, “security” is just another priority (one not even at the top) of a large list of duties within his bar. One far more important to him, is working hand-in-hand with local law enforcement to establish a safe, legal atmosphere.
“From my experience when you hire people on and give them the attitude that they’re there for security reasons, they tend to carry out their job more aggressively,” Belcher said. “A much bigger issue for us is underage drinking and over-intoxication. Those two don’t make it past our door, and if they do, they’re dealt with quickly.”
One of the major responsibilities of bouncers is to monitor underage drinking through the spotting of fake IDs. According to Belcher, Washington’s takes more fake IDs than any other bar in the state.
“We have a great relationship with the Fort Collins Police Department,” Belcher said. “They put on classes for our staff for everything from fake IDs to self defense.”
Once fake IDs are spotted they are usually handed over the police department, which does a short investigation to see if the ID is real or not.
“If doormen think an ID is fake, they are expected by law to confiscate the card and bring it to the police department,” said Jane with the FCPD who couldn’t reveal her last name because of FCPD guidelines. “From there either it is determined that the ID is real and returned or it is destroyed.”
In addition to working together in preventing underage drinking, bouncers and the police can work together in a serious enough situation if it calls for it.
“Depending on the situation we may call the cops and we may not,” said Brad Reingard, a bouncer at Daisy Dukes in Fort Collins. “If it’s just a couple of guys fighting we’ll throw them out and tell them to leave the property. If there’s a big enough fight though, like one we had just a few weeks ago, we fight side by side with the cops.”
While it might not seem that law enforcement and a bar should go together, some of the bars actually encourage police involvement in certain issues.
“A lot of bars don’t want police around but we always want them involved,” Belcher said. “We keep in contact with them on a weekly, if not daily basis.”
Q & A with Brad Reingard, Bouncer at the newly opened Daisy Dukes.
Q. What’s the best part about being a bouncer?
A. Getting to work with all the hot bartenders and never having a boring night. Also, getting a chance to meet lots and lots of drunk women…just kidding.
Q. What’s the worst part?
A. Dealing with drunks who think that after a few drinks they are superman. A lot of times they try and get tough with me, even though I weigh more than two of them.
Q. How much money do you make as a bouncer?
A. I get $10 an hour which is about average for a bouncer. I get lots of other things though, like discounts on my tab when I’m drinking there and my boss is taking all of us to Las Vegas this weekend.
Q. What’s the best “bouncer story” you have?
A. Probably the best story so far is about a night a couple weeks ago when nine guys from Brownsville, Texas came in and started a fight that broke out into a brawl that included about 20 people. They have me on tape body slamming this guy into the ground, who required stitches later. Another bouncer grabbed the bottle of mace but didn’t know how far it sprayed so he accidentally shot it over the brawl and into these people who were standing on the side. My manager ended up getting stabbed in the arm by one of the guys who started it. They all got arrested.
Q. What’s the hardest part about being bouncer?
A. Just dealing with all the stupidity from drunk people in general. There are a lot of fights but they get settled pretty quick. The rest of the time you’re just trying to stay civilized with people who are out of their mind.
According to Webster’s online dictionary, “A bouncer is an informal term for security guards or doormen employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a place based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or other standards.” Bouncers are often required where crowd size or alcohol consumption may make arguments or fights commonplace.
The history of the bouncer profession was one of rough and brute force. When intoxicated patrons would act up, bouncers would literally beat them and throw them out of the venue. It wasn’t until lawsuits started to become an ordinary occurrence in our society though, that many bars and venues had to rethink their bouncer policies.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a period of wild-west saloons and untamed beards, bar keepers and brothel madams hired bouncers to remove troublesome, violent, or dead-drunk patrons, and protect the saloon girls and prostitutes. The word "bouncer" was first used in the saloon sense in an 1883 newspaper article: "'The Bouncer' is merely the English 'chucker out'. When liberty verges on license and gaiety on wanton delirium, the bouncer selects the gayest of the gay, and bounces him!”
In US Western towns in the 1870s, high-class brothels known as "good houses" or “parlor houses” hired bouncers for security and to prevent patrons from evading payment. “Good house” style brothels considered themselves the cream of the crop, and the prostitutes working there scorned those who worked in (or out of) saloons, dance halls, and theaters.
The best bordellos looked like respectable mansions, with attractively-decorated parlors, a game room and a dance hall. For security, “somewhere in every parlor house there was always a bouncer, a giant of a man who stayed sober to handle any customer who got too rough with one of the girls or didn't want to pay his bill.” The protective presence of bouncers in high-class brothels was “One of the reasons the girls considered themselves superior to free-lancers, who lacked any such shepherds.”
In Wisconsin's lumberjack days, bouncers would physically remove drinkers who were too drunk to keep buying drinks, and thus free up space in the bar for new patrons. The slang term 'snake-room' was used to describe a room off a saloon, usually two or three steps down, into which a bar-keeper or the bouncer could slide drunk lumber-jacks head first through swinging doors from the bar-room.
In the late 1800s, until Prohibition, bouncers also had the unusual role of protecting the saloon's buffet. To attract business, "Many saloons lured customers with offers of a free lunch usually well salted to inspire drinking, and the saloon bouncer was generally on hand to discourage [those with too] hearty appetites".
The profession slowly died out for a brief period, right around 1920 to1933, when the sale, consumption, and holding of alcohol became illegal due to prohibition. The more communication oriented and less physical bouncer emerged from this short break, but as any bouncer will attest, there is definitely still a major intimidation factor a bouncer presents; it’s just unlikely they’ll beat the crap out of you anymore.
What it Takes to Bounce in Fort Collins
So you want to be a bouncer in Fort Collins eh? If you think you have what it takes, then keep on reading.
The scene of Fort Collins downtown nightlife isn’t much different than that of any other small town rated #1 place in America to live. It really is a safe and welcoming place. Fights are uncommon; people are friendly, and more often than not, doormen in our small town have a fairly easy job; aside from the cold nights standing outdoors checking I.D’s.
This is the main reason that any person wanting to become a bouncer in this town doesn’t have to possess the typical ‘bouncer characteristics’ that so many other larger cities require of their doormen. In Fort Collins, a bouncer’s job is really only checking to make sure people are 21, along with denying patrons who’ve had too much to drink.
Being a bouncer is so uneventful in Fort Collins, that a few bars actually have female bouncers standing (or sitting) out in the front of the bar from time to time. Compiled below is a brief list of what qualities a Fort Collins bouncer should possess.
They must:
Have great communication skills.
Have a good eye to catch people with fake I.D’s.
Be knowledgeable about the establishment they work at.
Be friendly, outgoing, and personable.
Be able to withstand large amounts of cigarette smoke being blown in their general direction.
In an event a fight does occur they should be able to get physical and break up the altercation.
Be able to withstand cold Colorado nights.
Be able to stand on their feet for hours on end.
Always remember how easily it is to sue people nowadays, and never get too physical with women or guys who think their real tough
Keeping all this in mind, there is a good chance you possess all these qualities and maybe one day, you too, can be considered one of Fort Collins elite team of bar protectors.
Life as a Bouncer: Swing Monitor at the Drunken Monkey
Michael Benedetto has worked a few jobs in his life, but none of them have been anything like bouncing at the Drunken Monkey. For the better part of 2006, Michael was responsible for throwing out drunks, breaking up fights, and looking out for the betterment of the Drunken Monkey Cantina by doing whatever was necessary. “Being a bouncer just isn’t a regular job,” Michael comments, “I guess that’s why I took [the job] in the first place”. Michael remembers when he was first hired, and unlike most jobs, there was very little training. “They pretty just threw me in the mix and told me that if someone looked to drunk, come tell us (the management) or take care of it yourself,” he said. Michael also commented that due to the lack of specific tasks given by the management, the role of being a bouncer to him was just having common sense and doing what he though was right. He recalls on several occasions where he had to break up fights and tell people that they were looking too drunk, but he said that he was way more “chill” than most of his co-workers. “When I’m out, I’m usually that drunk guy, so I don’t want to be a [expletive deleted] and kick people out who are just having a good time”. One of his main tasks while working at the DM was monitoring the multiple swings located near the bar. “One time I had to carry this drunk girl out after she fell off of the swings like three times in a row,” he said, “and I even felt bad about doing that. I just want everybody to have a good time.” Again, many of his co-workers felt a little bit differently, and enjoyed kicking as many people out as they could. “Some guys [bouncers] would throw punches at people fighting, and sometimes they would even start fights [with customers]”. Michael said that due to being so “chill” at work, i.e. not kicking enough people out, he was eventually let go. “All in all, I thought it sucked. You have to work till like 3 a.m. some nights, you have to be around a bunch of drunks when you’re not drunk, man, I’d much rather wait tables.”
Bouncer Perceptions:
Roadhouse ‘Roiders or Pub Protectors?
Imagine that you’re in line for your favorite club, you’re all dressed up, ready to have a fun and easy going night on the town. You get into the back of the line, and wait for a few people to leave so you can finally get inside. All you want to do is mind your own business, but that big guy at the front of the line is giving you the ol’ hairy eyeball. Sure, maybe he’s just doing his job, checking I.D.’s and making sure that there’s no trouble. Or maybe he thinks that this is the movie Roadhouse and he can’t wait for you to slip up so he can serve you up an ice cold knuckle-cranberry on the rocks. Of course, every bouncer is just some guy who is doing a job, and many people feel that they are within the job scope most of the time. Others feel quite the contrary, like the bouncers at the local pubs are intentionally acting rude just to prove a point. Local bar patron Joe Hann is quite convinced that these Old Town Ogres are out to “flex nuts” and are on some kind of “crazy, [messed] up power trip”. Hann, a 23 year old Colorado State University student and self proclaimed bar aficionado, says that bouncers are “egotistical meat-heads that are just looking to tackle somebody.” Hann has been asked to leave bars in Old Town on several occasions, once for fighting, once under the suspicion of bringing in outside alcoholic beverages, and a few times for being “over served”. On each occasion, he commented that the bouncers were acting out of line by shoving him out of the bar instead of asking him to leave, and were intentionally trying to initiate a physical altercation. When asked about the foundations of his opinions on bouncers, Hann was quick to acknowledge that he is often semi-intoxicated at local bars, and perhaps his view isn’t the most objective.
Take another real life scenario about bouncers from a different perspective. Say that you are at Tony’s, a local pub that is notorious for rambunctious patrons. You’re standing near the bar, anxiously awaiting that first tasty drink of the evening. Before you can mutter out “four Jager Bombs”, a drunken bum comes stumbling to the front of the bar and starts causing trouble. The apparent homeless man starts swearing like a sailor and starts to untie the back of your lovely lady’s new halter top. Where’s Superman when you need him? Well, if your name is Chris Miller, than your Superman is the bouncer at Tony’s who comes leaping over the bar to tackle the weirdo who’s feeling up your girl. Quite literally, the brave pub protector instinctively saw the creepy man and noticed that all wasn’t well. Like a scene right out of a comic book, the brave bouncer leaped over the bar and spear tackled the guy like Clark Kent would have done, and physically tossed the molester out of the bar like a sack of potatoes. Chris recalls the account and is very thankful that the bouncers were so alert that night. “I thought that I was going to have to fight the guy,” Chris said, and he was fearful that if he did, he might end up with an assault charge or something. “I definitely didn’t mind the bouncers that night”. Bouncers, are they peacekeepers looking to save the day, or are they meatheads looking to ruin your night? It’s all about perspective.
Bouncers and Police…together?
When the term “bouncer” gets thrown around, most people probably think of a big, violent-type of guy who can end a fight with one, hard right.
Shane Belcher, owner of Washington’s, one of the most popular bars in Fort Collins, thinks of something else.
“I have a couple guys who are no more than five feet six inches and don’t weigh much more than 150 pounds,” Belcher said. “More than anything I’m looking for a guy who can handle a situation.”
According to Belcher, “security” is just another priority (one not even at the top) of a large list of duties within his bar. One far more important to him, is working hand-in-hand with local law enforcement to establish a safe, legal atmosphere.
“From my experience when you hire people on and give them the attitude that they’re there for security reasons, they tend to carry out their job more aggressively,” Belcher said. “A much bigger issue for us is underage drinking and over-intoxication. Those two don’t make it past our door, and if they do, they’re dealt with quickly.”
One of the major responsibilities of bouncers is to monitor underage drinking through the spotting of fake IDs. According to Belcher, Washington’s takes more fake IDs than any other bar in the state.
“We have a great relationship with the Fort Collins Police Department,” Belcher said. “They put on classes for our staff for everything from fake IDs to self defense.”
Once fake IDs are spotted they are usually handed over the police department, which does a short investigation to see if the ID is real or not.
“If doormen think an ID is fake, they are expected by law to confiscate the card and bring it to the police department,” said Jane with the FCPD who couldn’t reveal her last name because of FCPD guidelines. “From there either it is determined that the ID is real and returned or it is destroyed.”
In addition to working together in preventing underage drinking, bouncers and the police can work together in a serious enough situation if it calls for it.
“Depending on the situation we may call the cops and we may not,” said Brad Reingard, a bouncer at Daisy Dukes in Fort Collins. “If it’s just a couple of guys fighting we’ll throw them out and tell them to leave the property. If there’s a big enough fight though, like one we had just a few weeks ago, we fight side by side with the cops.”
While it might not seem that law enforcement and a bar should go together, some of the bars actually encourage police involvement in certain issues.
“A lot of bars don’t want police around but we always want them involved,” Belcher said. “We keep in contact with them on a weekly, if not daily basis.”
Q & A with Brad Reingard, Bouncer at the newly opened Daisy Dukes.
Q. What’s the best part about being a bouncer?
A. Getting to work with all the hot bartenders and never having a boring night. Also, getting a chance to meet lots and lots of drunk women…just kidding.
Q. What’s the worst part?
A. Dealing with drunks who think that after a few drinks they are superman. A lot of times they try and get tough with me, even though I weigh more than two of them.
Q. How much money do you make as a bouncer?
A. I get $10 an hour which is about average for a bouncer. I get lots of other things though, like discounts on my tab when I’m drinking there and my boss is taking all of us to Las Vegas this weekend.
Q. What’s the best “bouncer story” you have?
A. Probably the best story so far is about a night a couple weeks ago when nine guys from Brownsville, Texas came in and started a fight that broke out into a brawl that included about 20 people. They have me on tape body slamming this guy into the ground, who required stitches later. Another bouncer grabbed the bottle of mace but didn’t know how far it sprayed so he accidentally shot it over the brawl and into these people who were standing on the side. My manager ended up getting stabbed in the arm by one of the guys who started it. They all got arrested.
Q. What’s the hardest part about being bouncer?
A. Just dealing with all the stupidity from drunk people in general. There are a lot of fights but they get settled pretty quick. The rest of the time you’re just trying to stay civilized with people who are out of their mind.
Sources for Oldtown Ogres
Sources for: History of Bouncers, and What it Takes to Bounce in Fort Collins
Snake-room (logging) (from Logger's Words of Yesteryears, Sorden, L.G.; Isabel J. Ebert; Madison, 1956, via wisconsinhistory.net) Accessed 4/10/2008
Drinking in America: A History - Search for Consensus: Drinking and the War Against Pluralism, 1860-1920, Lender, Mark Edward & Martin, James Kirby, The Free Press, New York, 1982
Bouncer (from the Websters Online Dictionary) Accessed 4/10/2008
Old School-New School: Guide to Bouncers, Security and Registered Door Supervisors, Jamie O'Keefe New Breed Publishing, August 1997
Sources for: Q and A and Police and Bouncers
Brad Reingard, Fort Collins, 310-4176
Shane Belcher, Owner of Washington’s, Fort Collins, 484-3989
Jane, Fort Collins Police Department, 221-6540
Sources for: Bouncer Perceptions and What it’s like to be a bouncer
Joe Hann, CSU student, Ft Collins, CO 720-289-8380
Chris Miller, CSU student, Ft Collins, CO 970-214-12021
Michael Benedetto, ex-drunken monkey bouncer, 720-318-1170
Sources for Audio Interview:
Dan, Drunken Monkey bouncer, 224-5272
Snake-room (logging) (from Logger's Words of Yesteryears, Sorden, L.G.; Isabel J. Ebert; Madison, 1956, via wisconsinhistory.net) Accessed 4/10/2008
Drinking in America: A History - Search for Consensus: Drinking and the War Against Pluralism, 1860-1920, Lender, Mark Edward & Martin, James Kirby, The Free Press, New York, 1982
Bouncer (from the Websters Online Dictionary) Accessed 4/10/2008
Old School-New School: Guide to Bouncers, Security and Registered Door Supervisors, Jamie O'Keefe New Breed Publishing, August 1997
Sources for: Q and A and Police and Bouncers
Brad Reingard, Fort Collins, 310-4176
Shane Belcher, Owner of Washington’s, Fort Collins, 484-3989
Jane, Fort Collins Police Department, 221-6540
Sources for: Bouncer Perceptions and What it’s like to be a bouncer
Joe Hann, CSU student, Ft Collins, CO 720-289-8380
Chris Miller, CSU student, Ft Collins, CO 970-214-12021
Michael Benedetto, ex-drunken monkey bouncer, 720-318-1170
Sources for Audio Interview:
Dan, Drunken Monkey bouncer, 224-5272
Listen to a Real Fort Collins Bouncer
Hear Dan talk about his experiences as a bouncer at Drunken Monkey.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
This will end eventually...right?
March 11, 2008
Once upon a time, when the Democratic race was still between eight candidates and not two, Hillary Clinton responded to a question on a televised debate as to whether or not she thought the rest of the candidates were ganging up on her because of her gender.
She cooly responded, "They're not ganging up on me because I'm a woman, they're ganging up on me because I'm ahead."
Super Tuesday came along and although it was way too close to call, no one was surprised when Clinton emerged as the conceivable winner. We had a front runner.
But then Obama won 11 states in a row and started being called a "rock star" in media and again, we had a front runner. A clear one.
But now Clinton has won Texas and Ohio and polls suggest Obama leads in Mississippi while a childhood video and a governor's endorsement is pointing towards a Clinton win in Pennsylvania and once again we're stuck not having any idea of who we might be voting for in the general election.
Now we're discussing a $20 million plan to re-vote in Florida where we already said their vote wouldn't count?
I never thought I'd say this but it's time for one of these candidates to step down in the best interest of the party. What needs to happen is John Edwards needs to endorse one, which would give a significant push to either candidate, and the superdelegates need to go ahead and make some of their endorsements (which will ultimately decide this stalemate) early. Because if things continue the way they are through August, it will start to have an impact on the party's morale.
Once upon a time, when the Democratic race was still between eight candidates and not two, Hillary Clinton responded to a question on a televised debate as to whether or not she thought the rest of the candidates were ganging up on her because of her gender.
She cooly responded, "They're not ganging up on me because I'm a woman, they're ganging up on me because I'm ahead."
Super Tuesday came along and although it was way too close to call, no one was surprised when Clinton emerged as the conceivable winner. We had a front runner.
But then Obama won 11 states in a row and started being called a "rock star" in media and again, we had a front runner. A clear one.
But now Clinton has won Texas and Ohio and polls suggest Obama leads in Mississippi while a childhood video and a governor's endorsement is pointing towards a Clinton win in Pennsylvania and once again we're stuck not having any idea of who we might be voting for in the general election.
Now we're discussing a $20 million plan to re-vote in Florida where we already said their vote wouldn't count?
I never thought I'd say this but it's time for one of these candidates to step down in the best interest of the party. What needs to happen is John Edwards needs to endorse one, which would give a significant push to either candidate, and the superdelegates need to go ahead and make some of their endorsements (which will ultimately decide this stalemate) early. Because if things continue the way they are through August, it will start to have an impact on the party's morale.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
No Hillary, No
March 5, 2008
As this Democratic race continues to rage on between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton...sometimes I find myself asking...is Hillary seriously trying to lose?
Even after her victories in Ohio and Texas, and maybe a slight edge of a win on Super Tuesday just because she claimed California, Clinton's ability to take advantage of momentum is one of the worst I have ever seen in a political figure.
Trailing Obama in nearly every aspect recently (popularity, money, delegates), Clinton had a chance to take these wins (which really, in the scheme of delegate count don't mean much) and turn them into a true turnaround for her campaign.
Instead, she's drowning in them.
Maybe that offer is flawed but I just don't see how proclaiming the day after these wins that she would be open to the idea of a shared ticket with Obama...helps her chances of winning the nomination. Especially after much of her success in Ohio and Texas was arguably due to the fact she heightened her criticisms of Obama during her campaigns there.
Also, by bringing up the thorn in every Democrats side (thorns actually), Michigan and Florida, Clinton did nothing to increase her image of a candidate who had just landed a major victory. She appears as a candidate who is crying over spilled milk at this point, blaming her lack of delegates on two states that neither candidate even campaigned in.
At least...at least she finally succeeded in (what appears to be) getting under Obama's skin when he commented on the negative attitude her campaign has taken and that he has to start responding to some of these claims.
But that is a meaningless victory in the long run because in the end, Clinton's worst enemy remains herself. She is still losing, and (even worse) she's showing the entire country she is with her behavior.
As this Democratic race continues to rage on between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton...sometimes I find myself asking...is Hillary seriously trying to lose?
Even after her victories in Ohio and Texas, and maybe a slight edge of a win on Super Tuesday just because she claimed California, Clinton's ability to take advantage of momentum is one of the worst I have ever seen in a political figure.
Trailing Obama in nearly every aspect recently (popularity, money, delegates), Clinton had a chance to take these wins (which really, in the scheme of delegate count don't mean much) and turn them into a true turnaround for her campaign.
Instead, she's drowning in them.
Maybe that offer is flawed but I just don't see how proclaiming the day after these wins that she would be open to the idea of a shared ticket with Obama...helps her chances of winning the nomination. Especially after much of her success in Ohio and Texas was arguably due to the fact she heightened her criticisms of Obama during her campaigns there.
Also, by bringing up the thorn in every Democrats side (thorns actually), Michigan and Florida, Clinton did nothing to increase her image of a candidate who had just landed a major victory. She appears as a candidate who is crying over spilled milk at this point, blaming her lack of delegates on two states that neither candidate even campaigned in.
At least...at least she finally succeeded in (what appears to be) getting under Obama's skin when he commented on the negative attitude her campaign has taken and that he has to start responding to some of these claims.
But that is a meaningless victory in the long run because in the end, Clinton's worst enemy remains herself. She is still losing, and (even worse) she's showing the entire country she is with her behavior.
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