I can't watch videos at work, but here's hoping that the barbecue disasters are as entertaining as the deep-fried turkey disaster videos that I watched last Thanksgiving. Nothing says "holiday" like setting your deck on fire.

We have a natural gas barbecue. I lit it up the other night, then when to the kitchen to go get the meat. I was only gone a minute, but when I came back, the grease pan had caught fire! Luckily, I kept my wits about me, and remember the grease fire movies from elementary school, and everything was fine.

In retrospect, we could really use a new deck. But years of hotel work (where you are annually forced to watch a horrifically realistic movie called "Hotel Fire!" ) have trained me to respond in a timely manner.

I don't even drink anymore, but it always irked me to be told what I can buy and when I can buy it - not to mention the where. Why are people so wedded to insipid, provincial liquor laws (remnants of Prohibition, really)? Why is Washington State - which is so open-minded about some things - so tight-assed about booze?

Yeah, I know. Taxes, blah, blah, and state employee unions, blah, blah, but hey! Whose government is it anyway?

@1 They weren't as disasterous as I had feared/hoped.
A couple were really stupid people doing stupid things but nobody burned down the city or anything. I think they were drunk. And oh do I wish I had a BBQ!

Damned if I know, Bauhaus. Some people seem to think there is no middle ground between the state liquor stores and inebriated toddlers roaming the streets in hordes. Apparently, selling liquor in regular retail outlets is New And Must Therefore Be Rejected, despite the fact that 32 other states manage to do it without being overrun by the drunken masses.

Here's a list of the liquor stores in Denver that will be open on Monday:

EVERY ONE OF THEM.

Bauhaus, Washington state adopted prohibition before most other states.. in one Bill Spiedel's restaurant review/lifestyle books about Seattle in the '50's, he goes on a lengthy sermon about how the WSLCB protects the working man from himself. It's deeply ingrained here.

Nothing in Fremont?

LENIN NEEDS DRINKS TOO!

But what if the likkuh stoor is closed between 12 am and 8 am how will I git my booooooooooooooooooze???!!1!

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhkkkkkk!

by having the Ballard store closed; it's pretty darn clear that there is a "War on (guys named) Lars" happening in this city.