Your and Missy T's apartment - it's a short walk across the street to my place.

Second choice: The Brig. Cheap, glorious drinks, karaoke and mullet-having bartenders. What more could one ask for?

...well, if the town got drunk enough, I suppose it would 'rock,' (it would also weave, stumble, fall over, vomit, and finally pass out, too. I think we got it covered.)

You can't comment about the (comparitave,) alch. consumption of the area without folks saying how 'untrue it is.'

I think one of the definitive moments was one evening when I was at the check-out stand at a my grocery market, and the cashier (college aged, I guess,)
was talking to a person about the same age, who was buying a bottle of vodka or something, and the conversation was:
'...you ever had that before,'
'nah, I've had (list of like 15 names repeated,) not this.'
'...it's pretty good, I like it, and IT SURE DOES THE JOB, that's for sure...'
(Does the job??? we talking 'coctail' sauce here or engine degreaser?)

Then it dawned on me, I've heard that conversation in town so many times. It seems like people can't wait to get done doing what they're doing, so they can go get wasted. (And these are otherwise healthy people who have a lot of talent and years of live to go out and experience.)

Now, I'm used to hard core factory workers who feel like they're strapped to a machine with no hope, backwoods hillbillies, wasted out beach bums, (people with some serious issues,) saying stuff like this(all while admitting feeling like they were at a dead end,)

(OR: highschoolers, college freshman and sophomores (etc.) all raving about 'how loaded they got.')

And you hear: 'I'm not an alchoholic, I'm a drunk, alchoholics go to meetings.'

Honestly?
I think it's a barometer of how much people value their lives, how much they're really enjoying them, what they're doing, who they are, if they feel very inhibited, how much of a future they think there is,

-what they're trying to escape.

I see a lot of talent, health, life, -just waisted.
And what's the one thing you always hear when folks are drunk?
How much something sucks, how much they don't want to be here,
-and/or how much they love the people and just can't leave for whatever reason.

(Followed by wandering off in search of some form of porcelin utility to relieve themselves in, and/or a willing partner to take care of some physical needs.)

It's sad.

I would have to say that there are 2 watering holes in Fresno that I love to go to for the cheap prices that used to surround Fresno and that is "The Other Bar" and "Reps". Never a steep cover charge like the outlandish one that people stand in line for at ROE. I just like to belly (no I am not FAT, if I was then so what) up to the bar, enjoy my drink, chat with a few people.

I should have read all of "Wet Towels" comment prior to posting... Wet Towel, this one is for you. You say that there is a ton of talent ins Fresno and I agree with that half of your statement. It's the "just waisted" part that I do not agree with, and I don't even see the pun in it.
Here is the one that I would have to say that I have something against - "(Followed by wandering off in search of some form of porcelain utility to relieve themselves in, and/or a willing partner to take care of some physical needs.)"
- Not everyone has to work some BS job to be entitled to let off some steam with a few pints eh! Nor does that lad need to feel that he has to have some BS relationship to take care of some physical needs. Look around you, how many of your friends have been married over 5 years. Of those friends that are still together are they just together for the kids. I personally think that if mature adults meet at the bar have a few drinks and get a little nasty with each other then who are we to judge. Would those two have hooked up without the booze, probably not. Thank god for the end of prohibition or we'd have "hillbillies" making shine and taking the women to the hills. Self control is the main issue at hand. The largest part of Fresno's population is 17-20 meaning that there's going to be a HUGE surplus of drinkers hitting the streets soon and with an attitude like yours how can we show them the way to do it responsibly.
I think that you just got snapped with your "wet towel" right in the buttox...

getting snapped in the buttock...
soverign, you have an intersting fantasy life there... (wasn't expecting to play a major or minor role in it this afternoon... geesh, I'm blushing.)

Not sure of 'the pun,' but I did misspell wasted as 'waisted,' accidently, (no, I am not grinding on people who are overweight, (from drinking or otherwise,) simply a new keyboard and tiredness, I suppose.

What I meant from that comment (the 'talent wasted' part,)
Barring any understanding of the arts in history,
-and how alch-subst. abuse takes so many down?

-I know of several people in these parts who, were it not for their excessive drinking?, would be 'huge,' and incredibly successful (I'm not speaking in terms of 'rich,' I just mean, they'd be able to look back on their years and experiences with this sense of having accomplished something without all the wreckage.

--and you can see how the (years, in some cases,)
of excessive drinking has really impacted them,
-almost to the point that they're addled and unable to function without alch. (Others point this out to me too)
-That's heartbreaking to me, I genuinely happen to care both for these folks, -and for their talent.

The 'wandering off to go to go find a bathroom / go find a suitable partner.'
There is this T Shirt I saw once:
'...Beer!, helping ugly people get laid for centuries...'
(I got the joke of it, but I also got the point of it too.)

-Seriously?
Yeah, I think a marriage that 'just stays together for the kids,' is worse than one where people who have tried, but just couldn't make it work, honestly leave each other and then seperately raise their kids happy and healthy,
(rather than keep alive some dead husk...
kids can tell regarding this, and a lot of them do take it personally, like it's their fault that things stayed so bad, in the end.)

I think these scenarios have a lot to do with honesty, guts, and responsibly handling onesself and ones situations, (vs) lying, or hiding behind something else,(in this case, a bottle.)

Having (personally,) done so many things 'because I was drunk,)
-with varying degrees of success?,
-vs (instead,) to do those things because I really wanted to?, (not needing 'liquid courage,')
I can't say that there is any comparrison as far as how cool it was,
(I'm not saying everybody is going to agree, but for me?, obvious choice.)

(I won't waste your time recounting the times where being 'drunk at the time,' led to a lot of 'geez am I sorry I did that...' situations later on.)

I'm (personally,) not into 'hooking up,'
(but to each their own,)
but I've never met anyone who said
'...yeah, I feel better about somebody who was crazy about me (and was drunk at the time,) so they could tell/show me.

over

'...was crazy about me and finally got the courage to say something, but I was what intoxicated and empowered, them (not) anything else.'

If you 'need,' to do something (under the influence,) to do it at all, do it better?
There is something really wrong.

I'm not a prohibitionist, (it didn't work, though it gave us some great tunnels, huh?) And completely agree with you, personal responsibility and self control?
Totally the way to go.

(not to stray off topic,) -but getting drunk is just not a goal, it's a waste.
If Fresno has issues with this, it has to deal with it, if it doesn't?,
okay, then it's no big deal.
(But for something that is 'not a problem,' a lot of people here demonstrate and say it is,
-and it looks like some folks outside of here concur.

I don't know these people Romeo Void Wet Towel hangs with but man...depressing. People I know HAVE FUN when they are drinking and NOT drinking.

Yes, booze seems to bring out whatever mood the person is in, luckily my friends are good folks and we just have responsible fun. We live life, sometimes by having a few beers. It is not depressing.

I guess being a alter boy and not drinking because you cannot trust yourself after having a drink is one way to go though. Have fun with that.

But I digress to Mike's question:
Any Tower place is a good place for cold ones (Sequoia, Landmark, Livingstones, Starline, Starline Grill (not great service though), Thaiphoon, Veni's, Babylon...)
Silver Dollar, BJ's, Elbow Room, Fahrenheit, and my patio (Pavillion Bar) are all sweet places too.

Well put Wet Towel.
I've been doing some research on the root article that has started this topic and it has raised a few questions in my mind which I have been trying to find answers to.
If all of the reports are based on DUI's arrest, etc. Then take this into account of location vs state issued drivers license. Take LA, The Bay, or Las Vegas which many "Fresnans" partake in and let me know if those numbers are counted towards Fresno or the county in which the violation occurred.
I don't ever require being under the influence to do something better, however when it comes to Beer Pong. That game requires a few just to drink the beer that dirty ball landed in.
Your not off topic, getting drunk is never the goal. I know my limits, although I find myself playing on the edge of that limit from time to time.

i only drink $12 martinis at snooty snootertons.

just kidding, my fav place is landmark.

There are a lot of places to go in Fresno to have a good time with friends.Especially noted in Mike's post a flyer Fridays. Nobody can say there isn't any thing to do any more. Those people who do, never took the time to look and most likely have no friends.I have my places I like to go."Sometimes you gotta go where everybody knows your name".Friends meeting friends having a couple drinks,dance a little,sing a little or just hanging out enjoying whatever that place has to offer. I tend to stay away from places that charge a cover charge or an inconvenience fee to step through the door.These places charge enough for drinks already!Here are my favorite places to go:
For live bands and no cover charge..Fibber Mcgees
For Karaoke, Sierra Lanes Lounge and "The Bar"
For after work cocktails, any place with friends.
From the movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High there is a quote that says "Wherever you are, act as if thats the place to be" and if you are out at some place, look around, you just might find friends that will last a lifetime.Those are the friends who won't let you drive drunk or will sit next to you in jail because you did...

"I wood lyke too tipe sumting butt Im tu dronk"

..oh mikey mikey mikey.

Altar Boy? Sure... I'm a lifer in that department.
'Not trusting myself to one drink, (or drink responsibly,)'
-When I was young and stupid? I partied my share, but it got old. These days? not really a 'big drinker,'
maybe will have a beer at a show or a glass of wine with dinner, (but not on an empty stomach or when tired, -and not if I'm driving or cycling anywhere.) Usually it's an N.A. (ST. Pauli Girl makes a nice N.A.)

I'm glad you have such fun friends,
When I get a chance to actually hang with them, I got fun friends too, it's just that everybody has their flaws, and sometimes things get the best of them, (hopefully that'll change.)
Most of the time I don't drink because it's like
'Fresburg, even slightly impared? -oh no, I need all wits possible to negotiate this hoozie...'

(Scott)
Being from 'Jersey? We go with:
'A good friend will help you move,
A GREAT friend will help you move,
-a body.'

why does it just seem right that you posted a pic of Pabst's Blue Ribbon?? Hahahaha...

Ok I'm a tower drinker... love it down there!

RED WAVE INN!!!!! 34 taps - frozen (huge) mugs - and the best Mexican food EVER!! My favorite, the torta and the chicken burrito. If you remember it from "back in the day" they closed for about a year to expand and remodel. Great place to hit before a concert at Savemart Center.