Also, according to an old press release at AreaCode-info.com, we can start using the 585 area code today. The recent local news confirms this (which, in my humble opinion, doesn't amount to much.) With 5's being JKL and 8's being TUV, I guess we're KUL, or LUL or something. Oh, and we now have a derogatory number for those people to the west of us too--look out 315ers, 716ers are gonna start taking away your fire [you know: self-maintaining rapid oxidation--maybe you've seen it.] Then again, maybe not.

Anyway, in Jayce's world ...

I went out with Anne throughout the weekend. We went to the show at the Bug Jar on Saturday and I was surprised she liked it. We saw The Realistics who were a decent punk-rock band, The Sluts--Rochester's own happy-punk band, and one of the best pop-punk/rock bands in the area, Eddie Nebula and the Plague . I think Anne really liked The Sluts ... she cut open one of the glow sticks during the song Glowstick and threw the glow stuff across the stage. I think the exact words of the bass player were, "everything was going alright until the Toxic Avenger jizzed all over me." Definitely a fun show.

On Thursday night I went to see Suran Song in Stag at the Bug Jar and had a bit of fun. They're from New Jersey and do a rock-based show with a bass guitar, drummer, and singer all while a slide show projects onto themselves. It's quite the multimedia experience. The people in the band are pretty cool too. On Friday Anne and I went to University of Rochester to find parking and partially get lost. Oh, and to see some bands in The Commons. I don't know who was whom, but both bands were barely alright and certainly not worth hanging around for, so it was off to the Krown to shoot some pool.

What else ... this coming Tuesday, there won't be a comedy show at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) because they'll be out for Thanksgiving.

Oh yeah ... I saw this come across the news too. First, let me say that as most of you know I'm dysfunctionally literate--I don't generally read squat as far as novels go. Nonetheless I wanted to mention that Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) will be doing another of their "If All of Rochester Read the Same Book" events for the 2002 year. In 2001, they suggested that everyone read A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines. This coming year, they're recommending The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks which was featured in Seattle's 1998 program of the same theme. The Seattle Public Library has an educational toolkit about the author at the website for their program (they also have a boastful cover story from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer which makes for an amusing read.) Rochester's program (like many others around the country) includes a nifty button idea where you can wear a pin that says "I'm Reading Russell Banks" which may get you beat up in some circles, but in others may spark literary conversation--possibly both.

Ok, this is really bugging me and I'm gonna have to get on my soapbox about it. There was a recent blip in the news about the Leslie Welch and Lou and JoAnn Kingsbury appearing on The Ananada Lewis Show. The story itself is a couple years old at this point. Basically, Joe Kingsbury went to a Leslie's daughter's graduation party at the Welch house on July 10, 1999. He proceeded to drink himself to death there (I believe he drank two pint glasses of hard liquor) and his BAC was reported at 0.44% at the coroner's office. He was found the following morning and could not be roused.

The story is tragic, but my real problem with the whole thing is that Leslie Welch is now spending 5 years in jail because Joe was a minor--he was 20. In fact, he was only two months and 10 days away from his 21st birthday. So just how can a parent teach their kids to drink responsibly if they risk prison for it? I realize this particular tragedy has significant differences from one where it was a parent and their child but I'm sure the outcome would be similar.

Consider a young adult--perhaps Joe's age--who intends to drink alcohol. It would be best for him to throw a party in the presence of adults who can then ensure everyone drinks in moderation. If someone drinks too much, an ambulance would be minutes away, saving the lives of someone in Joe's situation.

However, that's illegal. If you're an adult, your only option is to prevent minors from drinking. If you threw such a party, you would undoubtedly go to jail.

So, this young adult who is intent on drinking alcohol at a party goes elsewhere. Somewhere away from authority figures who would catch them. Incedentally, away from authority figures who know how to handle alcohol responsibly and away from authority figures who can provide emergency assistance.

I guess the law assumes that by sticking your head in the sand and denying that underage drinking happens is the best approach. This leads me inevitably to think "how fucking stupid." I am horrified by how backwards our system for dealing with drinking is. We produce citizens who have no idea of the effects of alcohol and of the amount of alcohol it takes to be too drunk to drive.

So, if poor Joe were 2 months and 10 days older, would he be any less dead? What would those two months have taught him about alcohol? Did it help any to instill in him the notion that alcohol is a special treat for adults only? If it was okay for an adult to be present to keep track of what underage drinkers are doing at a party, would he be alive today?

• The Simian Line - A fortune teller throws a group of four couples into disarray when she makes some foreboding predictions.
• The Wash - Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre star in this flick about a couple of guys trying to pay the rent working at the carwash. Comedy ensues.
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Harry Potter, like the 800,000 abused children in the U.S., escapes his dreary existence by joining a special school to become a wizard.