To the People

Dillinger Packed A Big Gun

2009-07-02T22:33:00.003-04:00

The new Johnny Depp movie about the notorious 1930's bank robber John Dillinger is as good an excuse as TtP will ever get to post the above classic photo of the late hoodlum experiencing some serious rigor mortis.

Thanks to the website Awkward Boners for the pic. Yes, it is a broad, deep well that TtP takes inspiration from.

By the way, also worth putting on your netflix cue is this earlier version of the Dillinger story.

Workplace Tip

2009-07-01T16:39:00.003-04:00

Anytime people are installing a large computerized device with a keypad and intercom in your work area and they haven't mentioned anything about it to you; right away would be a good time to start looking for a new job.

My office just completed installation on a computerized entry system for the front door. One of those things with a directory guests can use to page the employee they are coming to visit. Today they fired the receptionist and the file clerk who was also the second string receptionist. Nothing like being around to see them install the machine that is going to replace you.

Here's a Baseball Promotion That You Can't Pass Up

2009-07-01T12:40:00.003-04:00

July 8th the Bowie Baysox (the Orioles AA minor league affiliate) will be hosting Inhalant Abuse Night at the ballpark. No word yet on whether the give-a-way will be glue, aerosol whipped cream, or spray paint.

BTW -- just in case you're a kid who's wondering what will get you high in your own home, the American School Counselor Association kindly answers that question. Just about everything:

Nationwide, children abuse more than 1,400 everyday products, according to a statement. With the cooperation of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), Louie, the Baysox mascot, and team representatives will visit dozens of local schools to discuss inhalant abuse.

I love making up numbers too. I've had sex with 250 thin, attractive women over the past 10 years. None of them have had an STD. I also make $150,000/year, and this blog as a daily traffic of over 100,000 unique visitors. See, isn't it fun to make up numbers?

Link

2009-06-26T09:20:00.002-04:00

A classic draft day diary from Bill Simmons. If you like him even just a little go read it it now. Great stuff.

Vladimir Putin Gets Some New Homeboyz

2009-06-25T22:25:00.005-04:00

A friend alerted me to this BBC story, which only sounds like a Dave Chappelle skit:

Russia's energy giant Gazprom has signed a $2.5bn (£1.53bn) deal with Nigeria's state operated NNPC, to invest in a new joint venture.

The new firm, to be called Nigaz, is set to build refineries, pipelines and gas power stations in Nigeria. (emphasis added.)

Analysts say the move could further strengthen Russia's role in supplying natural gas to Europe.

The agreement comes during a four-day African tour by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

As well as forming Nigaz, Russia is keen on developing a trans-African pipeline to transport Nigerian gas to Europe.

Read the whole BBC article here, which has a few more mentions of the company's name.

1,000,000 Visitor

2009-06-25T11:15:00.003-04:00

We have officially crossed the 1,000,000 hits mark as of a few weeks ago. Sorry, I was derelict in my blog managing duties by not mentioning this monumental achievement.

Let me now take a few moments to highlight some of our important pieces of work that have helped drive our traffic over the years. While you might at first glance think that 97% of our traffic is driven by people looking for porn -- with or without horses -- and not return readers looking for insightful commentary on the news of the day, I'd like to think that....well....fuck....I guess it is the case. Anyways, enjoy some of these labels and posts that remain, day-after-day to be the traffic whores of TtP.

Wishing for 'Piss Christ', Again

Lief Garrett Jailed in LA

Label: Whores (Not to be confused with our Prostitution label.)

Label: Boobies

Smoke 'Em (Thru the Glory Hole) While You Can

No More Tolerance for Horse Fucking. Even if the Horse Wants It.

Label: Bestiality

Mark Sanford, Digging That Hole Just A Little Deeper

2009-06-24T23:10:00.005-04:00

I don't have much else to add to the saga of Mark Sanford except to say that Argentina is a hell of a long way to go for a booty call. Well, that and it is yet another defeat for the small government movement since Sanford was one of the few governors to voice any opposition to Obama's runaway deficit spending.

The news did spur me to read a March profile of Sanford that had run in the American Conservative. The issue had been lying around my office and I had never bothered to pick it up before. It's a decent piece and fairly flattering towards Sanford, though the author obviously had no inkling of Sanford's indiscretions.

Amusingly the magazine is now trying to distance themselves from the governor. In the print edition the profile is titled "Plain Right: Can South Carolina's Governor Save the GOP?" The online version has been retitled "The Strange Case of Mark Sanford."

Anyhow, the one bit from the article that really does fascinate is this nugget about a different scandal involving Sanford:

During Sanford’s first gubernatorial campaign in 2002, an 8-year-old African-American girl wandered onto a Sanford family property on Lady’s Island and drowned. A source close to the governor said she fell into a “retaining pond.” Her family’s lawyer, Manning Smith, called it a “pit.” Other sources claim that Sanford, who owned a hydraulic excavator at the time, digs holes on his property to unwind. According to a source involved in the settlement, the governor’s insurance company paid the girl’s family “around $300,000.”

He digs enormous holes in the backyard to unwind? Umm, okay ...

Humpday Post

2009-06-24T12:09:00.000-04:00

Something about the incoming e-mail *ding* that can be constantly heard in an open work-space really perturbs me. My cube neighbor coughing up internal organs followed by a oink (I think it's a swine flu joke) isn't pleasant either.

Funny item in the Onion today: World's Worst Person Decides To Go Into Marketing

I'm thinking you could do a similar item for Human Resources...

I'm not sure what I think about this Gov Sanford MIA story. It's interesting, that's for sure -- and makes for good reading -- but I don't think I don't know if I should/or would care one way or the other if I was still a resident of South Carolina. I'm leaning towards no. But I like the guy a lot so I'm willing to admit some bias towards thinking he ISN'T a fucking lunatic.

It's hard though being a libertarian sympathizer (speaking of myself) when most of your political leaders are in fact borderline lunatics. It makes you -- in a case such as this one -- a little gun shy about defending the guy right off the bat.

(We could argue for a while about where exactly Mark Sanford fits on both the libertarian scale and the crazy scale. I'd argue he is pretty advanced on the libertarian scale and just the right amount of crazy. But I wouldn't be willing to place a large bet on either one of my guesses.)

Can You Say Social Security?

2009-06-23T12:18:00.002-04:00

As stay-at-home moms everywhere eagerly await the Smoker-In-Chief's upcoming 4th presser in about 3 minutes, (it seems like there have been more, no?) I remain unconvinced that he is going to be able to accomplish any of his lofty domestic goals, especially health care and that it could prove to be a Bush social security reform moment for Obama.

I'm not really basing this off of any of the recent polling data, it's more just a gut feeling from a sales guy about the angle Obama has taken on health care reform. Selling health care reform as a necessary part of balancing the budget is a pretty gutsy and transparent move. This might be a case of me giving too much credit to the average American, but I get the feeling that most people see right through his pitch, and that's the point where customers stop listening to a sales pitch.

For starters -- and lots of people have made this point -- it's tough to convince people you care about spending and balancing the budget when you are spending like Obama has, and will continue to do. Also, I'm pretty sure that most semi-educated folks understand that universal health care would cost more money, but feel as though health care is a right in a developed society and is worth the trade-off of additional costs. I don't agree with that, but it's a position that one can defend. Most discussions I get into with co-workers centers around the fundamental issue of whether people have a right to free health care, and exactly what "free" health care entitles one to. Until Obama has that discussion with the American public I don't think he can make much headway in his pursuit.

Don't Delis Usually Have Meat?

2009-06-18T14:43:00.002-04:00

Perusing the classifieds on craigslist:

This is your chance to work in a strictly lacto-vegetarian/vegan deli....we have 2 locations....1 in Timonium and 1 in Monkton. Please specify which area you are most interested in when applying. Looking for someone who is self-directed, motiivated, clean, on time, knowledgeable about vegetarian food, kind, easygoing and works fast. No slowpokes need apply. Pay contingent upon experience and what you offer to the business. Must learn to use register, make sandwiches and juices, clean, do prep and other related tasks. If you know how to cook and have worked with food professionally that is a huge plus. For the most part, if you say "I like to cook for myself", that doesn't count as professional experience. Respond quickly because these jobs will not be open for long. Looking for part-timers and seasonal workers (Monkton location). If you don't like to smile, don't respond to this add. Peace. Also offering unpaid internships to folks who want to work in our places

Gee, who wouldn't want an "unpaid internship" at a vegan sandwich shop. Sweet gig to put on you resume. Hey future employers, I was stupid enough to fill bread for free. Hire me!

Which reminds me -- I have an unpaid internship available in my home office that involves doing all my daily chores (minus masterbation) and assorted day job work. Hit me up if you are interested.

Oops

2009-06-17T14:10:00.000-04:00

Republican Senator from Neveda admits to an affair with staffer:

Sen. John Ensign acknowledged Tuesday that he had an affair with a campaign staffer - an admission that stunned his colleagues, hurt his chances for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination and called into question his future as a leader of the Senate GOP.

The Nevada Republican admitted in Las Vegas Tuesday that he had "violated the vows" of marriage by having an affair with a staffer. He did not identify the woman except to say that she and her husband were both "close friends" who worked for him, and that "the closeness" of their relationship had "put me in situations which led to my inappropriate behavior."

I want to take the opportunity to release my own statement addressing some regrettable behaviour of my own. I know rumors have been circulating, so I'd like to come clean.

"Yes, I dry-humped a co-worker who was a close friend and that closeness of our relationship put us in close situations where dry-humping was possible. I regret that she had second thoughts before I was able to get off her pants. The rug-burn on my penis is also regrettable. The inappropriate behavior was not so regrettable; but I am aware that I look like a horses-ass for dry-humping a 34 year old woman. For that I kind of regret the whole situations, but would most likely do it again. Who am I kidding -- I'd definitely do it again"

Slipping Back In

2009-06-15T17:32:00.004-04:00

Arrived back home from Vegas last night at 1:30 a.m. after nearly 2 hours driving around my neighborhood looking for parking. Finally found what I thought was a legal street some 10 blocks away from my apartment. Found out this morning via a ticket on my windshield that I was wrong. Appropriate ending for this wallet crushing vacation that I'll be paying off for the better part of 2009.

Mind you, it was quite the enjoyable trip full of all the legal and illegal things you hope to play, ingest and touch over 8 days Las Vegas. [Yes...8 DAYS in Vegas. By the far, the most irresponsible decision made by this blogger in many years] Now back in Baltimore as I adjust to the time difference, work demands and cheaper hookers I'll do my best to getting back to blogging as usual. As always, bear with us and keep checking in.

What Happens In Bahrain ... Angers Allah

2009-06-10T22:15:00.005-04:00

Bahrain is among the few places in the Middle East -- Israel being the main exception -- where they don't live under the puritanical Sharia law. Well, looks like the parties ain't gonna rock like they used to, according to the Wall Street Journal:

With few other attractions, Bahrain's booming tourism industry thrives on the island's reputation as a freewheeling oasis just a short drive from major Saudi cities. Bahrain has little oil of its own; tourism, mostly by the four million Saudis who cross the causeway each year, accounts for a tenth of its economy.

All of this is endangered, as Bahraini legislators press to scrap the country's drinking laws -- currently the most liberal in the Persian Gulf -- and to impose near-total prohibition.

"I'm sorry to say, but Bahrain has become the brothel of the Gulf, and our people are very upset about it," says parliamentarian Adel Maawdah, one of the promoters of the new legislation. "It's not only the drinking that we oppose, but also what it drags with it: prostitution, corruption, drugs and people-trafficking."

The Parliament's elected lower chamber unanimously approved a motion last month to prohibit alcohol in hotels, restaurants, duty-free shops and aboard Gulf Air, the national airline. Lawmakers acted amid outrage over a widely circulated men's Web-site article placing Bahraini capital Manama in the world's "top 10 cities to pursue vice and debauchery."

The article goes on to say that sheiks who run the country hope to turn it into a family-style resort destination. I dunno if that'll help. Seriously, if there is one place where people really, really need to blow off some steam with a few stiff vodka tonics rather than blowing the holy fuck outta things it is the Middle East. I mean, you never saw Dean Martin strap on a dynamite belt, did you?

Bonus Borat-of-Arabia quote:

"Do you think the tourists come here to Bahrain to see my face? There are tourist places in Saudi Arabia that are one hundred times better than in Bahrain," exclaimed Ahmed Sanad, president of the Bahraini Society of Hotel and Restaurant Owners. "They only come here to drink, and to have happy time with a Chinese or Thai girl."

The pic is from a Newsweek story about booze in Iraq. Yay freedom.

Forgot to Mention

2009-06-08T23:30:00.002-04:00

I'm in Vegas for the week. I might try blogging some if time allows. Or if I haven't hurled my laptop out my hotel window in rage over the latest string of bad cards. I am however, tweeting on a regular basis if you would like to follow @tothepeople.

By the Way..

2009-06-03T22:01:00.002-04:00

Some great sporting events on late night (east coast wise) tonight. Orioles/Mariners (for me as an Orioles fan), Costa Rica/USA World Cup Qualifying match, and most likely, Nats/Giants (rain delay makes it late night) as Randy Johnson goes for his 300th win. I'll be drinking and watching.

Blue Light Specials In Red Light District

2009-06-02T07:38:00.002-04:00

The recession is hurting Amsterdam's prostitutes so bady that they have been forced to discount themselves like they were mini Wal-Marts:

Eva, a 25-year-old prostitute in Amsterdam's red-light district, gestures angrily in the direction of a rival who has slashed her rates as the economic crisis emboldens sex tourists to haggle.

"People like her make it very difficult for the rest of us," scowled the tall, blonde Estonian in skimpy black-and-white lingerie as she dragged on a cigarette while posing for men passing the window in which she offers herself.

"Some of the girls are now doing it for 30 euros (A$70). My price is still 50 euros, but the men are playing us off against each other. Some want to pay only 20 euros," she said.

Eva is not the only one complaining.

As the credit crunch keeps away sightseers and business travellers, owners of brothels, escort agencies and sex shops grumble that visitors who still do indulge in the pleasures of the flesh are increasingly tight-fisted.

They haven't been helped by the fact that Amsterdam has been busily trying to destroy its own tourism industry:

Last December, Amsterdam's city officials announced plans to halve the total 482 prostitutes' windows in the centre in a multi-million-euro revamp that would also involve shuttering many cannabis-vending coffee shops, another tourist drawcard.

Officials claim the two vices, in themselves not illegal, attract elements of organised crime. But observers have pointed to a growing Dutch conservatism.

They Aren't Working

2009-06-01T12:12:00.003-04:00

Florida couple nabbed by cops for distributing steroids illegally. Couple claims they sold to athletes in multiple major sports leagues including -- get ready for this -- the Washington Nationals. Yes those 13-36 Nationals. ESPN:

"We're following very closely the developments in Florida as the case progresses," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Washington Post on Sunday. "We think it's important from the league's perspective to investigate this because any allegations of this type are concerning."

Upon his arrest last Tuesday, Richard Thomas of Lakeland, Fla., told police that he had provided drugs to numerous professional athletes. He did not mention names or offer evidence to support his allegations, Polk Co. Sheriff Grady Judd said. Thomas' wife, Sandra, also was arrested in the bust.

The Thomases face 21 state charges of importing and possessing steroids and other controlled drugs.

"We asked him if he'd sold to major professional athletes, and his quote was, 'You name the sport, we've sold to them,' " Judd told ESPN's T.J. Quinn last week. "He didn't name specifics, but he said he had dealt with [players for] the Washington Nationals and the Capitals."

Full story here.

Jenna Bush Has the Fist Pump of a Challenged 5 Year Old

2009-06-01T11:21:00.001-04:00

I happened to score some very nice, (and some very free) tickets for the big Matt Wieters debut on Friday night at Camden Yards. It was a lovely night -- perfect weather, Orioles win and post-game fireworks to boot. Wonderful time had by all -- including Jenna Bush who happened to be sitting a few suites over. I don't have much of a spy report other than I can say Coors Light and Miller Lite cans appeared to be the beers of choice, and she looked fuckable in white pants, black tank top (though I must say, I'm partial to her sister). She looked like she'd had a few, but take that observation for what it's worth because I was half in the bag by that point.

I will say that she has no concept how to cheer. I didn't notice her rooting much during the game, but she was enthralled by the fireworks, giving the loud blasts a somewhat confused and half-retarded version of a fist-pump in the air. Kinda like a Tiger Woods fist-pump at a rock concert. That or a celebration for Jello Day at Melwood. And just to clarify -- I'm not making fun of the "developmentally challenged" folks at Melwood, I'm making fun of the developmentally challenged Bush daughter.

Original TtP coverage of the Bushes moving to Baltimore, here.

Everyone Knows To Zip It Up While Driving Past Truckers

2009-05-27T14:01:00.004-04:00

Rookie mistake. That or the guy was impaired from smoking a lot of meth. I'm betting it was a little of both. Smoking Gun:

MAY 19--Driving to see his girlfriend Sunday evening, Andrew Jones recalled being "excited" about their approaching rendezvous. Which might explain why Jones, 34, was allegedly masturbating while supposedly "talking dirty" to the woman on the phone (while simultaneously piloting his 2002 Chrysler Sebring). Of course, that doesn't really explain why the West Virginia man was wearing women's underwear and stockings at the time. Jones was busted by a state trooper after two separate truckers called 911 to report seeing a motorist "masturbating while driving." Jones, seen in the mug shot at right, was charged with indecent exposure and drug possession (a bag of methamphetamine and a pipe were found in his car), according to the below misdemeanor criminal complaint.

We've all jerked of a time or a hundred while driving down I-95, or down the street to the grocery store. It's as American as marshmallows over a campfire and carols at Christmas time. But just because everyone does it (right?) doesn't mean you shouldn't use a little common sense. Like making sure you don't have meth on your person. Or pantyhose on your legs. Most importantly, try to cover your crotch while driving past a vehicle that rides higher than yours. It's just common sense people.

P.S. Readers may or may not be surprised that this isn't the first time that we've commented on a masturbating driver.

People Are Impatient In Beijing

2009-05-24T15:44:00.004-04:00

I really have nothing to add to this story.

Beijing -- Chen Fuchao was heavily in debt and had been on a bridge in southern China for hours, contemplating suicide, when a man came up to him, shook his hand -- and then pushed him off.

Chen fell 26 feet onto a partially inflated emergency air cushion laid out by authorities. He suffered injuries to his spine and elbow, but survived, the official New China News Agency said Saturday.

It quoted the passer-by, Lai Jiansheng, 66, as saying he was fed up with Chen's "selfish activity." Traffic around the Haizhu bridge, in Guangzhou, had been backed up for five hours and police had cordoned off the area.

Eleven people have attempted suicide at the bridge since April, news reports said.

"I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very selfish. Their action violates a lot of public interest," Lai was quoted as saying. "They do not really dare to kill themselves. Instead, they just want to raise the relevant government authorities' attention to their appeals."

Hardcore. The photo above is an action shot of Chen falling after being pushed. Read the whole thing here.

You Can't Get Ahead Even When You're Giving Head

2009-05-24T15:23:00.004-04:00

Every so often I hear libertarians make the argument that we should legalize something so it can taxed and become a great source of revenue. Actually it's more of a liberal argument than a libertarian one, but I hear libertarians make it often enough.

Personally, I don't get it. Taxation and regulation can be just as onerous, burdensome and flat-out unfair as keeping it illegal. And since when should classical liberals be encouraging any new taxes?

Here's a case in point of why the legalize-it-to-tax-it argument is so rotten:

Tax authorities in Germany are poised to claim 50 per cent of the money that a teenage student earned for 'auctioning' her virginity because they claim it was 'tantamount to prostitution'.

Romanian-born Alina Percea [pictured left], who is a student in Germany, was paid £8,800 in cash for a weekend of sex with the Italian businessman after she auctioned her virginity online.

But tax officials in Berlin regard the 18-year-old's act as 'nothing more than prostitution'.

Prostitution is legal in Germany - but it is heavily taxed.

'It is not a moral standpoint but a fiscal one,' an official said. 'Prostitution is not an illegal act in Germany, but not paying tax on earned money is.

'Consequently we are assessing her case and it looks likely she will have to pay around half of the sum she gained.'

Wait, it gets better:

It also emerged that, because Alina earned so much in such a short time, she may even be liable for a hefty VAT bill too.

VAT in Germany works out to 19 per cent, meaning the sale of her virginity could land her with just over £3,000 in the end.

So, in other words, of the £8,800 she earned for selling her body, the government may claim £5,800. Read the whole story here.

Happy Memorial Day Folks

2009-05-22T08:18:00.002-04:00

Enjoy the weekend!

What a Way to Get Your Jollies: Taxing Poor People

2009-05-21T14:37:00.001-04:00

Matt Yglesias teaches -- Picking on Poor People 101:

Suffice it to say, however, that the real value of taxes on beer, wine, and liquor has declined substantially over the past fifty years. So an increase of this sort would not be an unprecedented burden on the American consumer, it would be more like a return to the level of taxation that existed a few decades ago.[...]

But when you consider that universal health care is highly desirable and has to be paid for somehow, I think this is a pretty attractive way of going about it. The economic efficiency of this sort of tax is high, the public health benefits would be large. What’s more, the incidence would fall overwhelmingly on a relatively small number of problem drinkers (rather than the broad mass of people who drink moderately on social occasions) and the businessmen who profit off them, while the public health benefits from decreased drunk driving and alcohol-related violence would be broadly shared.

BTW, He's piggybacking off of this USA Today article highlighting an alcohol tax that is working its way through the Senate.

Maybe I need someone to explain these taxes to me...See, I thought people argue for them because they are a popular way to create additional revenue streams. They also want to discourage people from unhealthy behavior. They might actually do that, like cigarette taxes have, and then revenue drops as less people buy the good. Success? Or failure?

What about the people who don't stop? Does anyone who advocates these taxes have any issues with making money from people that are in their words, making self-destructive decisions? That's a moral problem that I can't ever get pass. I don't personally care, or even feel bad for someone chooses to smoke, drink, shoot heroin, whatever. It's their choice. I make some of those choices. However, I have a problem with my government making money off of these people, who also tend to be in vulnerable demographics to begin with (income, race). Doesn't it seem slimy for a government to say "We are trying to help you quit because the decisions you are making are destructive to you and others." But then turn around and turn those decisions into a money-making scheme? It seems dishonest to me.

It would be more honest to either ban the substance outright that you think is so dangerous, or to just say that additional taxes are purely for revenue. I don't think you can claim to care about people as you simultaneously plot ways to make money from their poor decisions. I'm certainly not saying we should ban booze; we just shouldn't use tax policy in this fashion.

One more thing: Matt could have looked up the income statistics for regular drinkers. If he had bothered to do that he would have found that in 2007 males in the $10-19,999 income range had the highest instance of *heavy drinkers (9.6%). Males making $55,000+ had the lowest percentage of heavy drinkers (4%). $20-34,999 is your basic middle class and they are at 7.2%. Comfortable taxing poor people Matt?

*CDC definition of a heavy male drinker is more than 2 drinks a day. Basically a heavy drinker is just a regular drinker.

Why The GOP Cannot Get Its Shit Together

2009-05-20T20:34:00.004-04:00

For far too many people it's just a racket to be exploited, not a cause they believe passionately in. Case in point: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. The Moonie Times has the inside dirt:

When Michael S. Steele took over as chairman of the Republican National Committee earlier this year, he brought along longtime personal assistant Belinda Cook and gave her a salary nearly three times what her predecessor made.

Mrs. Cook's son, Lee, also landed an RNC job.

Mr. Steele hired another family friend, Angela Sailor, to be the party's outreach director at a salary of $180,000, more than double her predecessor's compensation, though new responsibilities have been added to the job, according to a high-ranking RNC official and Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.

Mr. Steele's early record and personnel decisions figure to be hot topics at a special meeting of Republican state party chairmen Tuesday and Wednesday at National Harbor in Washington's Maryland suburbs. His hiring of friends and the salaries he is paying them already helped to instigate a struggle over who controls the party's purse strings, one that forced the new party chairman to relinquish some control to elected RNC members.

It sort of makes sense then that Steele has had such a hard time staying on message. Maybe he just doesn't have one. Maybe he is just in it because it looked like a good opportunity to introduce Michael Steele to some high-powered donors.

The right has been infected with this kind of institutional rot for years. Unless some people on the inside get serious about cleaning house and standing for something, they run the risk of going the way of the Whig Party.

Who are the Whigs? My point exactly.

Preakness Round-Up

2009-05-19T10:39:00.003-04:00

As Archibald noted the Preakness was missing one crucial component to the infield party -- people...I want to offer some quick thoughts because I've got a blog and can. I promise no more Preakness blogging after this.

To clarify: I don't think that banning BYOB was/is a necessarily bad idea. Nor do I think that it is necessarily the correct idea. I agree that the infield was getting beyond dangerous to a level that I've never seen anything like it before or after, and most attendees will repeat the same sentiments. That being said, there were other options to consider; like an increased security presence, selling fewer tickets, creating a separate area in the infield without the BYOB'ers, etc. Any combination of these might have been worth a try for a year before taking the drastic step they ended up doing.

Add in the curious marketing and communication blunders and you have one poorly executed event, which if it wasn't one of the biggest sporting events of the year, and on the verge of leaving the state of Maryland, wouldn't be a big deal. A couple of examples. They announced the BYOB change within 6 months of the event and handled the media roll out of the news as though they had no idea that the reaction would be overwhelmingly negative. Why not keep it BYOB for this year and one week after the race announce the change? Why do it so close to race? Makes no sense.

They also had no idea how to market the infield "party". They claim they are banning outside booze to increase the experience for infield attendees while classing up the event. Then they make it a concert, add a bikini bash and run TV spots and print ads that clearly are supposed to appeal to the college age market. Scantily clad women and reminders that there will be no limit of alcohol purchases. $1 drafts in the first 3 hours! Cheap beer for the rest of the day! If you want that crowd and their $60 dollars then don't ban the BYOB. If you want a older more sedate crowd that might gamble more and buy your alcohol then fine, appeal to them. But someone figure out what the goal is.

I think that the banning outside beer was merely a revenue play, and until the numbers come out we will have to see if they failed or succeeded with their bottom line. I read/heard reports from beer vendors that beer sales were actually slower than in previous years. Previous years when people where bringing their own beer in. To repeat -- They were doing less volume in beer sales even though they had zero competition. Not good. On a positive note, betting was reportedly up, so time will tell how the exact revenue numbers shape up. I wouldn't be optimistic if I was the Maryland Jockey Club or Pimlico.