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elfsHow could I not know about this? In a front page article in the Seattle Times I read that The Hardwood Cabin was a swinger's club in Des Moines (the suburb just to the south of my house) and has been shut down and cited for "running a business without a license." There seems to be a grey line there; as the couple who ran the place asked for donations, but didn't directly charge for visits. They seemed to have been pretty heavy partiers, with some events happening between once and three times a week.
Reading through the article is a bit of a hoot; the club was mostly for the "big beautiful" crowd, with some S&M kinksters thrown in. I'm amused that the Seattle Times felt they had to define BDSM to the readers. What's not amusing is that while the Seattle Times ran a cute photo of the couple (and they are a rather attractive couple, no matter what the fatphobes a Above the Law are saying), KOMO choose to go with a photo of a St. Andrew's Crosss and other bondage gear.
Do Republicans not swing? Whatever happened to my fellow P.J. O'Rourke types? I mean, really: "The couple hosted a naked rally for presidential candidate Barack Obama." Now that's politics! The jokes nearly write themselves: rally for Obama, get fucked.
Reading through the comments section of the Seattle Times is somewhat heartening; most of the writers seem to prefer that the city prove its case before it shuts down the club. There's some introductory handwringing and a few prudes (including one "those people are destroying our great nation!") but most of it is remarkably even-handed.
Reading through the article is a bit of a hoot; the club was mostly for the "big beautiful" crowd, with some S&M kinksters thrown in. I'm amused that the Seattle Times felt they had to define BDSM to the readers. What's not amusing is that while the Seattle Times ran a cute photo of the couple (and they are a rather attractive couple, no matter what the fatphobes a Above the Law are saying), KOMO choose to go with a photo of a St. Andrew's Crosss and other bondage gear.
Do Republicans not swing? Whatever happened to my fellow P.J. O'Rourke types? I mean, really: "The couple hosted a naked rally for presidential candidate Barack Obama." Now that's politics! The jokes nearly write themselves: rally for Obama, get fucked.
Reading through the comments section of the Seattle Times is somewhat heartening; most of the writers seem to prefer that the city prove its case before it shuts down the club. There's some introductory handwringing and a few prudes (including one "those people are destroying our great nation!") but most of it is remarkably even-handed.
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Date: 2008-08-15 10:40 pm (UTC)They're not the only ones...
Date: 2008-08-18 05:05 pm (UTC)Some of the big differences with the Cherry Pit are that NO cars are parked on the street. The city put up "No Parking" signs in front of this house only. The rest of the street can park out in front of their own homes, just not THIS owner. The owner can fit 37 cars on his property. Next there is NO noise outside of the home during a party. I've been out there and all you hear are crickets. Finally, this place is VERY secluded on about 3 acres of land. You can't even see the house from the street unless you peek through the bushes.
The Cherry Pit has been operating for at least 10 years in the same location. The past 4 years under the current owner. Because the 84 year old next door neighbor complained about the "Den of Sin", the city had the police visit on numerous occasions. They even went in and looked around during a party and they found nothing illegal going on period. Then the city decided that if its not illegal, we'll just have to make it illegal! They drafted a city ordinance that will never stand up to judicial review, but got it passed by the city council anyway. Then they started writing citations against the ordinance to the tune of $1200 each. They would come out during a party (Friday & Saturday only) and get the owner out in the yard and make him sign the citation. When that didn't stop the parties, they stepped their game up a bit....
About 4 weeks ago, during a party, the city had the Duncanville SWAT team break into the house with guns drawn and proceeded to execute a very vague search warrant on the owner of the home! They rounded up all the 80 naked folks and search them all. Then they took photos and finally they took peoples cell phones and credit cards! Not just the owners, but everyones! Finally they had everyone leave and they tore the house apart. What did they find? No drugs, no sign of criminal activity. Oh they did find 3 old long rifles and a licensed handgun behind 2 locked doors. Did I mention this is Texas? The owner told the officers where to find them. They were properly secured and the officers even thanked him for taking his firearm responsibility seriously. No one was arrested. No citations were issued. The police managed to body block one person into a door frame and she needed a ambulance ride to the hospital. They also withheld a rescue inhaler from a lady having a stress induced asthma attack until she almost passed out. Great way to protect and serve!
Two days later they broke in again. Of course they broke a different door cause what would be the fun of opening the one they blew off the hinges the first time... This time the took all the of the liqueur that guests leave there. The TABC claims they were running an illegal bar. Of course EVERY bottle is labeled with the owners name, but lets not confuse things with facts or logic.
So it's come down to worrying that the police may break into our bedrooms and break up our fun and take all our toys. And it's happening all over this country. Very Very sad indeed....