"Back in the day," it was impossible to walk the streets of downtown Manhattan without hearing the constant call of the drug dealer. Now, the whispered entreaties of "Smoke, smoke?" have given way to, "Pssst, wanna buy a Dutch bike?"

The New Lurid

Cinema's Rape Disavowal Fantasy

"They rapin" everybody out here." — Antoine Dodson

Have I been wrong about Cera's box office clout, presuming that merely because he's been in 800 films in the last six months that he's some kind of superstar? Is he on his way down and out now that PIGLGRIM's tanked? Am I nothing but a hipster Uncle Tom?

So yeah, I perhaps squirm when I see Michael Cera (and Jesse Eisenberg) the way I used to squirm watching my little brother doing... well, almost anything. And as Justin pointed out in his comments to my comments below, it's very easy to attack hipsters and sensitive gamers.

heh, nice line ... latfh

The rules of the system have been continually negotiated by the community since the practice began in the early 1970s: Don't speak unless spoken to. Don't eat or drink without the driver's permission. Don't talk on the phone. Most important, under no circumstances are you permitted to snore if you fall asleep.

But now passengers and drivers have to settle payment of the toll, igniting passions, dividing the community and causing some to even question the value of the casual carpool in the first place.

SIPPED: more imbibing idiots?
Coca-Cola has been sued over the health claims of vitaminwater. Its defense: “no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitaminwater was a healthy beverage.” In and of itself, it’s not wine related, but it does remind me of Fred Franzia’s defense in the case of Napa Ridge (not sourced from Napa fruit) that nobody expects Hawaiian Punch to come from Hawaii.

Common Themes

One thing these stories all have in common is public unions and high public union costs. There did not need to be police layoffs in Colorado Springs, nor does there need to be teacher furloughs in Hawaii.

To save jobs and services, all the unions had to do is agree to lower salaries and benefits. But the unions won't do it. In response, cities like Colorado Springs should outsource their police departments to the local sheriffs' association. They should also outsource every other city service as well, all to the low cost bidder.

The city's reaction was to stop collecting trash in its parks. Such actions are tantamount to blackmail, hoping to get voters to approve tax hikes.

The highest California rebate of $5,000 goes only to zero-emission vehicles, those cars with no tailpipes. The all-electric Nissan Leaf qualifies, but the Volt--whose range-extending gasoline engine switches on to provide electricity when the battery is depleted--does not.

Suck it, Volt

Jay Porter, the owner of The Linkery in San Diego, says that his front of house staff and kitchen workers’ performance improved once his restaurant stopped accepting tips. The small neighborhood restaurant began its “no tipping” system in 2004 when they instituted a flat 18 percent “table service fee” on the final check for diners who eat at the restaurant.

“No other profession has the customer adjusting your pay scale according to performance,” says Porter. “That’s just not a circumstance when people do their best work.” Porter says this unique payment model brings his restaurant in line with other American industries. “It’s good for our staff to be seen as professionals, just like every other profession in America. No other profession other than the restaurant industry has people evaluating your work and basing payment on that.”

Porter is careful to point out that unlike other restaurants that add a fixed gratuity to all of their diners’ checks–places like Thomas Keller’s French Laundry, Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse, or even Venice Beach’s Sauce on Hampton–The Linkery is the only restaurant in America that doesn’t accept any payment beyond a service charge. “We don’t work for tips. We charge for what we do.” Any additional money diners might leave behind for the wait staff is donated to charity.

Since Bay Area bridges implemented new tolls three weeks ago, 30 percent fewer people are using the carpool lane and the commute is faster than it was this time last year.

There's a photo and more video below, but a head's up: All of the video contains profanity.

Also, young man: Your pants are ripped and your cap is askew. Signed, old man.