BS: Banning water from festivals

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: dianavan
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 02:58 AM

Just had an interesting chat with a friend who used to live in Arizona. She said, "What do you expect, my dear? Arizona's a f#@kin police state! Thats not unusual down there."

This banning of water seems to be a sparodic occurence depending on the venue. Boycott these venues. Or better yet, protest loudly to draw attention to the matter.

My last question is this - Do musicians have any control over a policy such as this? Can they insist on free and available drinking water for their audience?

d

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Raptor
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 09:14 AM

I don't think the performers do have a say in what happens in the venue!

Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Rapparee
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 09:41 AM

If you would want to hurt someone at a concert by throwing a bottle of water or by any other means, then there's a bigger problem to be addressed, and banning bottles of water or selling them without a cap is putting a band-aid on a cancer.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 09:49 AM

Throwing a full bottle of water one thing, throwing water is something else. One is vicious, the other is mischievous, and wouldn't indicate any serious problem.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Big Mick
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 09:57 AM

Saying it is a safety issue is a simple effort to shift the premise, one that folkies fall into all the damn time. This is a simple matter of greed. And when it comes to something that is as basic as water, there is no excuse for allowing it. No problem with selling bottled water as long as safe drinking fountains are around. Next they will be charging to use the damn outhouse. Ridiculous and folks should raise their voices on this one.

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Little Hawk
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 10:23 AM

Ah, yes. Well, be assured that if private industry could somehow control the allocation of air and sunlight they would charge you for those too. Every day. If you couldn't afford to pay then you wouldn't get any.

The unremitting, witless, fanatical pursuit of the dollar is what is ruining life on this planet...and not just for humans.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 09:00 PM

well I for one would like to know whether waterintensive industries
have to pay for their water.
last year when vancouver (and we live on the raincoast) had a drought, because it was so dry later in the summer, there was a total ban on lawn sprinkling, car washing, (vegetable gardens were ok) but
golf courses, and other water users like the breweries had no such restriction. (ok I can understand the breweries, but is it really that critical for golf courses?)
by the end of the summer all the provincial parks were closed due to the forest fire risks. something that Ive never seen in 25 years here.

btw the whole water shortage problem could have been alleviated if people only flushed when it was really necessary. (yellow let it mellow)

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: dianavan
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 02:13 AM

and please stop watering your lawns. Better yet, get rid of the lawn and grow native plants. Low maintenance and environmentally friendly.

d

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Amergin
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 02:19 AM

In the Sydney area you can get a huge fine for washing your car with a hose...but if you go to a car wash it is ok....I guess the water gets reused....

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: dianavan
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 02:55 AM

Presently, Vancouver does not have water meters. Do you think municipal water meters actually encourage people to limit their water consumption? Would specific bans work better?

No car washing, no lawn watering, no power washing, etc.
and don't forget - turn the water off while you're brushing your teeth and shower instead of bathing. All of this helps. Make sure the dishwasher is full.

Please co-operate this summer. Last summer was a nightmare for B.C.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 01:48 PM

my wife and I shower together, uses a lot less water and is a lot more fun.
low flush toilets are another good idea.
regarding water meters, whenever they are introduced people will on average consume less (cbc radio).
But I have friends in the Czech Republic whose water is billed and monitored two ways, water coming in and water going out the sewer as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 03:00 PM

Stop! Stop! You're making me thirsty!

I sometimes think people should demand that their ticket and their travel expenses be refunded in these situations. Even trying to claim that extra $1.25 for gasoline would raise their overall administrative costs and decrease their profits. The trick is, don't get angry; other people usually sympathize with calm (or hurt) people over angry people.

As to American commercialism creeping into Canada, yes, it happens. An even worse thing I know of that Canada, and perhaps Australia, exported was the idea of huge newspaper chains. Almost all of Canada's newspapers are now controled by only two chains. Incredible. I'm so happy to see Conrad Black in trouble.

And as to whether performers have control over their venues, there was an interesting article on that subject in Harpers. I'm going to re-read it and post a thread about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: RangerSteve
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 04:02 PM

Just a guess, but since it was a rock concert, maybe they were worried about "Date rape" drugs. The commonly used ones are odorless, tasteless and colorless. You slip some into a bottle of water and then offer it to a girl who didn't bring any, and then help her out to your car with the excuse that the heat must have gotten to her, then drive to your place and do what you want. A bar in Trenton had a problem with guys paying unscrupulous bartenders to slip the stuff into drinks when certain women ordered them. My Chief's secretary was one, but got rescued by her friends before the wrong guy could take advantage of her.

Anyway, not allowing anyone to bring their own water in is a band-aid approach, since you could easily conceal a tablet or two in y9ur clothes and add it to the water being sold at the concert.

It would have been better to warn people to bring their own water and not dring any offered to them by strangers.

And, to close, if someone at a concert offers you a bottle of water, give the bottle a good shake. The drugs will cause it to foam like detergent.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: dianavan
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 01:13 AM

I'm happy Conrad Black is in trouble, too, but he's still in power. I doubt if he's even concerned. Journalistic monopoly is very scary. I read the local, community paper. Its much more informative and not nearly as scary.

Mudcat does a pretty good job, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Genie
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 01:39 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: MMario - PM
Date: 27 Mar 04 - 04:59 PM

Many venues will not allow people to bring in food, or any kind of beverage. For some this is due to a wish to increase the profit margins - for others it is a desire to prevent being sued. For example - under NY state law - if you have a license to dispense food or beverage - then under the current health code you are liable for ANY food or beverage consumed on the premises - regardless of whether you served it/prepared it, etc.

Yeah, but WATER??

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 05:14 AM

You do seem to have some remarkably silly laws...

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 09:11 AM

McGrath - I thought that the water was actually coming from the water mains at Sidcup (2 miles from our place at Mottingham), and that it was Coca-Cola (not Pepsi) who were selling it.

Over here no-one would give a sh*t if water was banned from folk festivals. If you tried to ban beer though, there'd be a riot. :-))

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 10:09 AM

That's OK, but if I were you, I'd give up doing it when you find you need glasses !

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Cluin
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 10:25 AM

Water conserving toilets don't work. They don't clear the shit away and often plug up. They usually necessitate flushing more than once for "number 2" and so defeat their own purpose. The hotel/motel industry is going back to the bigger bogs.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: GUEST,Larry K
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 10:34 AM

I think banning water from festivals is a poor idea.   However, I do beiieve the promoter or people who run the festival have the right to make the rules for their event.    As the customer, you have the right to decide whether you want to purchase their product.

If they ban water and that is an important issue to you- stop going to the festival.    If enough people feel the same way the promoter will either change the rules or go out of business.

Some festivals allow tape recorders and VCR's.   Other ban them.   It is their perogative to set those kind of rules- no matter how stupid they seem to other people.   If you don't like it start your own event.

PS:   On the subject of water rationing- the funniest remark I heard was about 5 years ago during a draught.   Our city went to a odd/even lawn watering system.   They interviewed an inner city woman who insisted that there was no odd/even system.    She stated that she lived in an even numbered house, but every time she turned on the hose on odd numbered days, the water continued to come out.    It is hard to aruge with stupidity like that.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Big Mick
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 01:09 PM

I never cease to be amazed at these types of attitudes. Folks that look for a way to justify their actions, and folks that seek to create the premise that anything a business does is OK, "cause you should just stop going". Water, clean water, is a hallmark of a progressive society, and one that is civilized. I have no problem with a vendor selling bottled water, but clean water from a fountain ought to be required of any venue where the public gathers. What you are really saying is that if one cannot afford water, then they can jolly well have the sunstroke and tough shit, Matilda. I don't buy that for one minute. I will not attend a venue where a drink of water cannot be had because someone wants to sell me water, and I can't bring any with me.

Quit alibi'ing this shit, people. Laissez Faire Capitalism has been tried before and been found wanting. Progressive peoples need to take a stand on issues like this. Period.

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: Midchuck
Date: 03 Apr 04 - 09:10 AM

Laissez Faire Capitalism has been tried before and been found wanting.

Yes. So has State Socialism.

Maybe nothing works.

Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: GUEST,Obie
Date: 03 Apr 04 - 09:19 PM

Socialism is limited by the fact that the capitalists control the dollars. Too often people in the USA seem to equate socialism with communism, and regard capitalism as some demi-god. Canada tends to follow that thinking as well, but at least has socialized mecicine and to a lesser degree, education.
To be more truthful capitalism is totally greed motivated and can only succeed by some being able to take more than their fair share. What I find confounding is that often those who are first to defend that system are often it's victims.
If we were to equate the economy of the world to a pie, we would find some getting fat eating their own portion plus the share of those who are starving. That is capitalism at it's finest and is not something to be proud of.
I know that I digress but a capitalist goal of today is to control the world's supply of water and if they were to gain that, we would be paying through the nose at more than rock concerts!
       Obie

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: dianavan
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 03:26 AM

Obie -

Thats why I demanded my money back at the outdoor concert in Tempe.

I feel real concern when I see so much blind acceptance from the public. When will they wake up? Probably not until its too late.

d

Subject: RE: BS: Banning water from festivals
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 10:37 PM