I have a few things to say. This is, frankly, appalling! Justice should never have been asked to do "body shots", and her boss should have been charged with a criminal offense.
The second thing I'd like to say is an anecdote from some time ago when I went to VMWare's vSohere conference in Sydney. I drink alcohol, but only ever in moderation ad I never get drunk. The reason for this is that in my teenage years I got drunk once - once! - and soe terrible things happened. I swore never to get drunk again.
So at the end of the first conference night, when the Hoodoo Gurus were playing, I was discussing business and shooting he breeze with clients and VMware partners, with a lass of champagne in one hand. Silly me, but I didn't pay much attention to th servers, who kept topping up my champagne glass.
I went home drunk, without even being aware of it. I had a hang over the next day. I don't feel it was my fault in the case. VMware has a responsibilty to ensure that conference attendees don't get drunk on the conference floor.
Frankly, conferences and alcohol don't mix. It should be stopped fully if conference organisers can't serve alcohol responsibly.
I don't feel I'm being aggressive - can you clarify where you feel the aggression is, and I'll modify my language?
I'm concerned for you, and think that taking legal action against VMWare and the venue would send out a powerful message that glasses should not be topped up. Or, if it's not a civil matter, did you consider reporting it to the police?
OK, I think we have very different definitions for what aggression is, and also a different understand of what reading means.
Probably best to leave it there, although I would encourage you to consider taking legal action, it really might stop this kind of thing from happening again.
woosh back at ya buddy. He says he's genuinely concerned for my welfare, but he's concerned about me being trafficked or had my organs harvested?
Either he's unbelievably insincere, and a bit of a prick; or he's deadly seriously and a bit of a fool. He hasn't really given himself much middle ground there.
Each to their own. I saw it as insulting and aggressive; worse - it added little to the discussion. All I could think when I read the comment was that the poster was a bit of a pratt.
I suppose humour applied through ridicule of another is always funniest when you aren't the recipient.
I think his point might be that once you reach adulthood, you're responsible for your actions, such as how much you drink. Hotels and conferences expect you to control how much you drink. You're really blaming the conference for making you drink too much?? Who held you down and poured the champagne down your throat?
"In 2007, the majority of Australians (60.8%) over 14 years of age drank alcohol at levels that involved a low risk of harm."
There are laws regarding the responsible service of alcohol. That's why every bartender has done the RSA. The problem you describe effects a minority of the population.
The fact that the person that served you couldn't discern that you were intoxicated isn't only their fault. You have a personal responsibility to limit your own consumption. Just as a person that's drunk and decides to drive home is responsible for the decision to take that action.
No one is forcing you to do anything. Bartenders do due diligence as is required by law for them to do.
I wasn't their employee. Under Responsible Serving legislation in NSW, the conference venue must not allow patrons to get intoxicated [1] in licensed premises. [2]
It must have been clear that I was intoxicated, but the staff kept topping up my glass. I realise now what happened, and if I hadn't been distracted with all my interactions with those around me I would have refused the topups. But the law in NSW, Australia is very clear - this is strictly not allowed.
Before you go down some odd Libertarian path to say that we have a nanny state (or some such bullshit), the Australian Government realised some time ago that Australians drink far too heavily. We are world champions in abusive drinking. It it said that the Australian contingent of Oktoberfest is specifically kept away from all the other countries festivities because we are far too wild, and we get abusive and spoil everyone else's fun. Sad, but unfortunately true.
The Australian Medical Association agrees. In a 2009 information paper, they state that,
Many Australians drink alcohol at harmful levels. There are short-term risks of harm (associated with high levels of drinking on a single occasion) and long-term risks (associated with consistent high level consumption over a lengthy period of time.) In 2007, the majority of Australians (60.8%) over 14 years of age drank alcohol at levels that involved a low risk of harm. However, almost one in ten Australians over 14 years of age in 2007 drank at levels considered risky or high risk to health (ie, 7 or more standard drinks on any one day for males and 5 or more standard drinks on any one day for females). [3]
It's a serious issue in Australia, and the amount of societal harm alcohol causes us far outweighs just about every other social issue in the country. Hence the laws about responsible service of alcohol.
The second thing I'd like to say is an anecdote from some time ago when I went to VMWare's vSohere conference in Sydney. I drink alcohol, but only ever in moderation ad I never get drunk. The reason for this is that in my teenage years I got drunk once - once! - and soe terrible things happened. I swore never to get drunk again.
So at the end of the first conference night, when the Hoodoo Gurus were playing, I was discussing business and shooting he breeze with clients and VMware partners, with a lass of champagne in one hand. Silly me, but I didn't pay much attention to th servers, who kept topping up my champagne glass.
I went home drunk, without even being aware of it. I had a hang over the next day. I don't feel it was my fault in the case. VMware has a responsibilty to ensure that conference attendees don't get drunk on the conference floor.
Frankly, conferences and alcohol don't mix. It should be stopped fully if conference organisers can't serve alcohol responsibly.