An Article of interest in today's Globe and Mail:

Hurl, Britannia

With a rash of brawls, vomiting and urination in city streets, binge drinking among young English people, especially women, is becoming what Tony Blair called 'the new British disease.' To reduce the outdoor mayhem at closing time, his government is extending pub hours - but as Elizabeth Renetti reports from London, the problem in U.K. culture may run much deeper.

By ELIZABETH RENZETTI

Saturday, January 29, 2005, Page F4

It's almost last call on Friday night at The Pitcher & Piano -- desperation hour: Get lucky or get lost.

Two boys, who look to be in their early 20s, sit on a leather sofa, clutching pint glasses, their faces crumpled. Security guards with earpieces dot the crowd, wearing the professionally impassive faces of security guards everywhere...

Unfortunately for the entire article you have to pay, but for those interested, the link is http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v4/sub/MarketingPage?user_URL=http://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2FArticleNews%2FTPStory%2FLAC%2F20050129%2FCENTRE29%2FTPFocus%2F&ord=3001040&brand=theglobeandmail&redirect_reason=2&denial_reasons=none&force_login=false