more pics here:

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?sid=142800&nid=221

Jumpin Jeezus. Just when you think you have seen everything. I have to drive drunk people around while sober myself, for 12 hours at a stretch, to come up with the rent money.

The entire time I am doing this, I think to myself:

"Golly, these people look like they are having fun, or at least feeling no pain. I sure would like a beer. But no, gotta come up with the rent. Oh well, maybe I'll have some beers after another 6 or so hours of work."

I would venture a guess that many readers of this blog endure tedious jobs while sober, thinking similar thoughts about how nice a cold beer would be, but no, gotta work.

Sign me up for this program. Seriously. Where can I sign up ? I'm so sick of working all the time. I'd much rather sit around on my ass, drunk, and let the stupid taxpayers foot the bill.

Sign me up for this program. Seriously. Where can I sign up ? I'm so sick of working all the time. I'd much rather sit around on my ass, drunk, and let the stupid taxpayers foot the bill.

then you'd better hope you never fall and need the help of your fellow taxpayers to get back up, Cabbie.

"I'd much rather sit around on my ass, drunk, and let the stupid taxpayers foot the bill."

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you. How could anyone that grew up during Johnson’s "Great Society", think this way.

Wow. Busch, Keystone(!), Rainer, and High Life. Well, at least we know they're not spending more than the bare minimum....

I guess if you just give these dudes a free apartment, they will be back on the streets pestering people for spare change to buy beer, so this gets them off the street altogether.

Has anyone actually asked the management of the program if they are actually buying beer for the residents? I doubt they are. If they are they should of course stop. I am glad that I am not an alcholic or homeless. With or without free beer it would suck!

Did anyone bother to notice that the program seems to produce a long-term benefit in reduced demand for city services?

Human nature and reliably produces a small fraction of problem drinkers or worse. We've tried Temperance and other follies. Harm reduction strategies work better, at lower cost, and lead to reduced suffering, both for the alcoholics and the general populace, as alcoholics exact a huge toll on everyone else.

Further, given the sad prevalence of military vets among the homeless self-treating mentally ill populations, I'd argue that we have a duty to make a more effective response than we have for the past 100 years. The programs like the one in the original post should be judged on their results: do they help the alcoholics and reduce costs for everyone else?

If you squint just right, doesn't Dori Monson look a little like Lars Larson?

Nice report on the project from a local up there:

http://is.gd/qzgf