Bar hopping

Being a member, albeit inactive, of two bars allows me to compare their various services. California is definitely the superior at member service, probably due to its having ten times as many members as Washington, and therefore, presumably, ten times as much money. To wit:

• Both bars' annual fees are due on or about February 1. However, California doesn't start charging you for being late until March 15, while Washington cracks down on anyone postmarked February 2.
• California only charges $50 for inactive status--and you can reduce that $10 more in optional deductions. Washington charges $117, and you can only reduce it by $1.13. (This may also suggest that the California Bar spends a lot more time on things entirely unrelated to law, such as promoting the legality of topless beaches. The Washington Bar doesn't do this because their beaches are too cold. Actually I suspect it's just that the Washington Bar, emboldened by the example of the WEA, is less honest about its lobbying activities.)
• California's fees statements are much better organized and more attractively laid out.

I discovered today that it is not too late to elect inactive status for DOB and thus drastically reduce his dues and spare us the trouble of him having to spend the entire day tomorrow doing CLE. So, hurrah!