A rare occurrence: a restaurant professional having a Saturday off. What to do? What to do?

Visit a distillery, of course! At that — the only (and self-touted oldest) whiskey distillery in NYC! (It opened in April 2010)
Whilst scouring the internet and checking up on statuses of my ever-growing list of bookmarks, I happened on the “Weekend Fare” blog post by Bao Ong on the NYT Diner’s Journal Blog. Normally I’ll take a peek at what’s being offered this weekend for “normal” people with “normal” hours who luxuriate in two days off in a row on a weekly basis and enviously drool over “free-this” and “$3-that” while I am parting my hair just so and preparing for a shift full of pouring wine, organizing silverware and dealing with egos of varying sizes and intensities all the while maintaining composure in front of my tables…end rant.
This Saturday, suffice it to say, was different. I was able to hobnob with the 9-5ers and take Mr. Ong up on his suggestion of visiting the Kings County Distillery for their free tour and $3 tastings of whiskey.
Hey All,
The Forkcast has ‘leaked’ a new track from ‘The Way Out’. http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/14244-beautiful-people/
Hope you like it! As always, every track on the record sounds pretty different, so don’t read too much into it as the direction for the whole album. It’s one of many, we…
http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/bio-diversity/
I have two pipe bombs in the bag.
Pass all the cash quickly.
No dye packs.
—

male, 49, Apple Bank, Flushing NC $1085
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(via banknotes)
Mexican Drug Violence EXPLODES, Literal Heads Roll -
I really fail to comprehend the logic of the War on Drugs.
The people who win are the cartels. They are in the distribution business. Those at the top have all the money because they can find the markets willing to pay exorbitant prices for crops that grow like weeds.
In the meantime, it’s easier for little Johhny and little Susie to buy pot than buy beer because at least the guy at the gas station will check their IDs. Furthermore, that money gets funneled back into third-world countries to fund guerilla warfare rather than being taxed and funneled back into a legitimate economy that actually add value to society.
Illegality creates a black-market and black-markets have to police themselves. Tolerance, on the other hand, creates a more open society capable of helping those suffering from drug problems, not alienating them or throwing them into jails where they will clog up the justice system, drain more tax dollars, fail to realize their full societal potential and likely, upon release, end up back in jail because they now carry a scarlet letter where they lack access to federal funds for higher education, a diminshed capacity for getting a high-paying job, nor do they have feasible access to the required capital to become an entrepreneur.
The War on Drugs is entirely too costly, illogical and needs to be completely rethought.
Best 5 minutes I've spent all week -
Thanks, Brett.
A real email I received from my college:


Reply
To: Faculty, Staff, Students
From: Robert D. Palinkas, M.D.
Director, McKinley Health Center
Subject: Handshaking at Commencement
Because of ongoing concerns about the possibility of spreading the flu
virus, students receiving degrees and their families should not shake
hands at Commencement if they have symptoms of an upper respiratory
infection such as fever and cough.
McKinley Health Center will provide hand sanitizer on the platform at the
Assembly Hall ceremonies so that graduates can, if they wish, use it
before and/or after receiving their degrees. Members of the official
platform party also are encouraged to use the hand sanitizer provided.
Everyone is encouraged to observe the other guidelines to reduce the risk
of infection, such as covering coughs and sneezes; avoiding touching eyes,
mouth and nose; and washing hands frequently.
Robert D. Palinkas, M.D.
This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Chancellor
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