The NY State Senate has scheduled a hearing with the State Liquor Authority for September regarding recent NYC bar and club incidents that resulted in patron deaths. They originally called the hearing upon learning that new SLA Chairman, Dan Boyle, had been appointed, but in the wake of several brutal bar-related crimes this year, the matter has taken on greater importance. Just last week a New Jersey teen, Jennifer Moore, was allegedly drinking illegally in the city when she was raped and murdered. Boyle, the state Restaurant and Tavern Association, the NYPD and anti-DWI activists will join representatives from the Bloomberg administration to testify at the hearing. Makes sense, what’s “quality of life” if you can’t get a drink without being attacked? Another issue on the table is whether or not the state should push up the time to stop serving alcohol from 4 a.m. to 3 a.m. That hour difference would probably make the streets a lot safer because most homicidal maniacs have to get home to make curfew. Governor Pataki agrees that hooch is the root of all evil. On August 2, he signed legislation banning devices used to inhale alcoholic vapors. To put it simply, these little babies would get you trashed faster than you can ask, “Your place or mine?” But maybe regulating alcohol isn’t the answer. Like, when you remind a buddy he hooked up with some regrettable barmaid while partying last night, and he blames it on the beer. You laugh, right? Because it’s not the booze’s fault, it’s his for getting so drunk he let out the beast—or slept with one.