From: liberty@once.net   
      
   BETHEL WOODS, INC.  - MUSIC AND ABUSE   
      
   When spending good money for concert tickets, and paying OUTRAGEOUS prices   
   for food and refreshments - like FOUR DOLLARS for a small bottle of water -   
   WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT.  We are fools to tolerate   
   anything less!   
      
   On line to enter the Woodstock 40th anniversary concert at Bethel Woods, I   
   had a carrying bag in which, among other things, was a tambourine.  One   
   poorly trained or just plain stupid guy working security at the entrance   
   asked to see what was in my bag, so I opened it and showed it to him.  He   
   said I could not bring it in.  When asked why, he said because the   
   tambourine was a "hard object." When I objected, he told me I should bring   
   it back to my car - about a HALF MILE away!  I objected further, so he told   
   me I could check it at a nearby customer service tent and get a receipt for   
   it.   
      
   At customer service, I was told that they DO NOT check things and that I   
   COULD bring it in, but I should go through the gate at a different location   
   to avoid the person that told me I could not do so.   
      
   I did that, but there another moronic bag-checker had the AUDACITY to STICK   
   HIS HAND INTO MY BAG to go through what was in it!  He is very lucky I am a   
   peaceful man!  Even a POLICE OFFICER has no legal right to do that without   
   probable cause.  Did that idiot think that if I had anything prohibited or   
   illegal, I would be so stupid as to have it in a bag that was to be   
   examined?   
      
   I also witnessed a glass water bottle being stolen ("confiscated") from a   
   friend, but I did not object at the time - after all, glass can be   
   dangerous. However, I then saw beer BEING SOLD IN GLASS BOTTLES inside the   
   venue!   
      
   Did you know that many concert venues carelessly inflict permanent hearing   
   loss on their patrons?  Seated close to one of those huge speaker stacks,   
   you are likely to be subject to dangerous levels of sound long enough to   
   cause permanent inner ear damage if you don't wear good protection.   
      
   Actually, Bethel Woods is not nearly as bad as some other places I've been   
   to.  I now NEVER go to some, like Madison Square Garden, that charge you a   
   fortune then treat you like shit.  Such places are staffed by bullying goons   
   that will STEAL anything they can from you.  They know you can't complain to   
   a cop that your pot was stolen, and that you are likely to tolerate their   
   crap rather than risk being thrown out.  They only get away with this abuse   
   because We the Sheeple have allowed them to.  Well, as Dylan wrote, "The   
   Times, They Are a-Changin'!"   
      
   Management is FULLY RESPONSIBLE for the conduct of employees and their   
   treatment of patrons. If we stop patronizing the abusive concert profiteers,   
   and tell them why, they will start treating us with respect!   
      
   ALTERNATIVES TO ABUSIVE CONCERT VENUES   
      
   Do you have a home theater system?  This combination of wide-screen TV,   
   DVD/videotape player, and stereo sound system can give you entertainment   
   experiences comparable to being at a live show.  You can buy one with the   
   money saved by not going to a few commercial concerts.  For the cost of   
   another concert, you can get enough CDs and DVDs to enjoy your favorite   
   bands for months - and without the obnoxious commercials that you get   
   onscreen at live shows nowadays. Yes, despite all you spend there, they   
   subject you to advertising!   
      
   The home theater system or a high-quality stereo system allows the enjoyment   
   of your favorite bands in the privacy and comfort of your own home.  No   
   hours of travel to and from the concert venue.  No parking problems.  No   
   paying large sums for tickets, related expenses, and transportation, and no   
   outrageous prices for refreshments.  No idiots violating your rights and   
   privacy by searching you and your property, and "confiscating" whatever they   
   want to.  No bad seats from which the view or the sound is not good.  No   
   being surrounded by drunks and noisy rowdies.  No nasty security goons to   
   push you around or even rob you.  Want to light up a doobie?  - go ahead;   
   you are at home partying and can do whatever you please.  You have total   
   control.  Take a break whenever you want - just push the pause button first   
   and you won't miss a thing.  And you can even choose what you see and hear,   
   skipping over what you don't care to.  And once paid for, your home theater   
   or sound system will last for many years with no further cost.   
      
   TELL ALL THE GREEDY, DISRESPECTFUL CORPSERATE CONCERT VENUES WHAT THEY CAN   
   DO WITH THEIR MUSIC AND ABUSE!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)