finally(!), I had time to post 2 comments to 'Cancer on the Run'

Here's my comment, responding to the editorial, Michael McFadden's comment, and So, this paper wrote this horribly dumb editorial, AFTER it endlessly wrote editorial after editorial in 2007 favoring the Illinois state smoking ban proposal, wrote repeated pompous editorials saying 'the ban was gonna save lives'(when it has NOT saved even 1 life in its 21/2 years its been in effect), and it's hurt so many businesses enough to the point that they have to ignore the law just to keep their doors open, and not lose their clientele for good? This editorial is just ridiculous, and like Michael McFadden very well said, it completely ignores the fact that MANY cases of cancer(I'll recon probably most cases don't develop from smoking) do NOT develop from a long-held smoking habit.

As for your comments Ill-INI08, your comments are laughable. How come there are many successful smokers who annually train for endurance races like marathons or bike races, and even usually outrace non-smokers? If you hate exposure to cigarette or cigar smoke, you always have had the freedom to not patronize smoking establishments, and patronize smoke-free businesses. In fact, a law allowing private establishments to permit smoking as long as they posted exterior signage stating their smoking policy is what Illinois should've passed, over the major failure of a law the Smoke-Free Illinois Act has been in the 21/2 years it's been effective.

Second comment, since I forgot a point I wanted to say on my first comment: Why does our country have a rising rate of cancer cases while America's smoking rate has more than halved downward from its peak, and Japan enjoys a lower nationwide cancer rate, DESPITE having a higher smoking rate? It's great to see an editorial that kisses up to the American Cancer Society's horribly misguided agenda. *sarcasm*

one of the more creepy interviews I've read this year

And people believe quacks like Dr. Jonathan Winickoff? It sadly is true, this is after all, the same doc who coined the now infamous stupid term 'third-hand smoke.'

Enjoy reading how crazy this guy is(from this point on, I'm gonna call him Wacko Jonno, a la a certain infamous nickname for a celeb who you can easily guess who I'm referring to, and died in June of last year), at your own risk. I don't think I can stand rereading this interview, who's commentary was also published in a recent New England Journal of Medicine issue:
http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2010/07/12/doctor_smoking_ban_in_public_housing_would_protect_the_most_vulnerable/

Naaa Naaa Naaa Naaa, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye(to at least one Smoking Ban)

Just as my favorite AL baseball team(Chicago White Sox) always plays whenever an opposing starting pitcher is removed from the game, I figured the catchy title for this post is appropriate after I just caught this news slightly late. Boone County has finally pulled out of the talks for a regional smoking ban proposal in Northern Kentucky, joining Grant County(which includes both Dry Ridge and Williamstown, off of I-75 as you go south of both Boone and Kenton County towards Lexington) in saying no to any misguided regional smoking ban proposals. Looks like Campbell County Judge-Executive Steve Pendery, and soon-to-retire Kenton County Judge-Executive Ralph Drees will lose after all in their pathetic attempts to pass smoking bans for just their own county, even if not the whole NKY region.

Three cheers, and many more, to common sense getting at least one win over anti-smoking zealotry! Hopefully the city councils of Indianapolis(ahem, City-County Council of Indianapolis-Marion County) and San Antonio(both cities are where antis have been doing renewed pushes for citywide bans) will wake up and say no to bans, along with the several places I can think of where smoking ban referendums are already on the November 2010 ballot(San Angelo, TX, Jefferson City, MO, and the state of South Dakota).

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100730/NEWS0103/307300081/Boone-pulls-out-of-smoking-ban-talks

poll over cruise ship eliminating a cigar bar, plus interesting comment

Been busy a few days, but have some time once again to post. I just caught this poll(thanks to a post jsidney made on the Smokers Club International board), and found the comments section interesting. A cruise ship wants to totally eliminate a cigar bar on a ship, just because of complaints from anal anti-smokers, and because it appears from a commenter or 2 on the comments section(maybe my initial suspicions of what's really causing the ship to strongly consider eliminating the cigar bar is off?!?) that it's supposedly underused.

You'd think that commenter had a great idea going there, by switching the location of the internet cafe(if that gets much more use than the cigar bar), and moving the cigar bar to that smaller room. Sheesh, what do I know though. Despite that I'm not a cigar smoker(but down the road, do want to try cigar smoking!), I think this ship would be absolutely crazy to get rid of their cigar lounge. Just my $0.02.

Poll and comment section, for anyone interested:
http://polldaddy.com/poll/3482093/

unbelievable, from jred's blog: I didn't wake up happy at my hotel

This was an anti-smoking zealot that got unnecessarily upset, just because a person put in a reservation at an Extended Stay America hotel in Rhode Island, and they were sold out of non-smoking rooms. Just may I ask(like Michael McFadden's brilliant comment on the MSNBC article), how did these anti-smoking zealots live decades ago when NO hotels or motels at all designated any amount of rooms as non-smoking? And of course, if it was so important to have a no-smoking room, the person could've canceled the reservation right there, and asked for a refund right there, save whatever cancellation fees the person putting the reservation would've had to pay then. (disclaimer: I haven't had to make too many motel reservations in my life by myself(other than once), so I'm not 100% sure how getting a refund would work, if you go to the hotel and then suddenly decide you not want to stay there. maybe a blog visitor can better explain how canceling a hotel/motel reservation and getting a refund works)

I almost forgot to repost this story here, but here's the article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38114761/

horribly stupid Chicago Tribune editorial, 'Cancer on the Run'

I just want to know, why in the darn hell do they believe the garbage of the American Cancer Society, and COMPLETELY omit the fact that cancers NOT caused by smoking, or exposure to cigarette smoke is what's truly on the rise and needs to be fought? Yeah right, let's further demonize a minority that is beaten up enough, and regardless of how many cliffs we jump to further a failed movement to demonize smokers. Can't help every day but wish I could trade places with someone over the Indiana border and live in Northwest Indiana, since everyone from regular to social/infrequent cigarette or cigar smokers still has some level of freedom of choice there. (even if Crown Point and Valparaiso foolishly passed local bans that stopped short of a total ban, and Lowell may or may not decide to go through with a foolish proposal for a total ban).

It is absolutely inevitable that I will jump in on the comments section when I have more time, and make a few choice comments, mainly to the misguided anti poster Ill-INI08, besides talking about how foolish of an editorial this one is. It isn't lost on me that this was the same stupid paper that once editorialized against a student group at a suburban community college that wanted its administration to build smoking shelters, and of course did very ridiculous repeated editorials in 2007 asking state lawmakers to vote for the shameful Illinois state smoking ban. Almost forgot to finally say this COMPLETELY ignores all the Illinois businesses(often mom-and-pop bars, but it isn't always just that type of bar that does this to keep their doors open) that have to look the other way at our state smoking ban just to stay in business, stupidly congratulates Wisconsin for starting their state ban this month, but doesn't admit JUST 2 of 5 surrounding states were foolish enough to pass any sort of a state ban at all. (not to mention regular non-tribal casinos were exempted in Iowa, but not Illinois, where statewide casino revenue decreased over 20% between 2008 and 2009)

Finally, did I forget to mention this is why I refuse to purchase ANY copies of the Chicago Tribune, since they've arrogantly time and time again bullied those who freely choose to smoke cigarettes and other tobacco products? And for crying out loud, hookah smokers? (who of course usually smoke FAR less frequently than other types of tobacco users, like cigarettes, RYO, etc.) And I didn't even mention Japan has a higher smoking rate, AND a lower national rate of cancer throughout that country. Give me a break, Chicago Tribune!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-cancer-20100723,0,1099262.story

some in Brentwood crazy enough screw over the few bars exempt under Saint Louis County, MO 2011 ban

It's amazing that some in Brentwood, Missouri would be crazy enough to screw over those businesses that DO NOT allow children inside whatsoever, and freely choose on their own to be a smoking establishment catering to adults, and of course would fall under the 25% or less food sales exemption in the county ban going into effect in January 2011. Got the heads-up on this story, from Keep Saint Louis Free:
http://keepstlouisfree.blogspot.com/2010/07/brentwood-smoking-ban.html

interesting comment I found on a San Antonio smoking ban article

And this is one interestingly I didn't catch, when I read the article earlier. Anyway, it speaks volumes to what occurs when an entrepreneur can no longer legally cater to accomodating smoking customers inside, and this is one who has businesses(but unfortunately didn't specify the type of one he/she owns) in many communities throughout Texas, not just San Antonio:

"Unless you own a business that is to be affected by the proposed smoking ban, I would urge you to keep your opinion about economic impact to yourself. I do own a business, 19 of them, all over the State. I have been through smoking bans and have experienced the negative financial impact first hand. I have fired employees because of lost revenues. I order less product and therfore spend less with my vendors, vendors who rely on businesses such as mine. The existing impact studies are fatally flawed. They don't separate restaurants from bars, they don't even pulled the MB permits from new businesses. If you don't do that, of course they will show a positive trend. Again, I have lost one business in Houston and am poised to lose another, all because of smoking bans. If you don't believe we are in a recession, then pull your head out and look around. Small business can't take anymore. The loss of one job, is one to many. If you don't like smoke, stay out of the places that allow it. 97% of restaurants in San Antonio are already smoke free. You have plenty of choices. And, being over 18, you still have the right to make that choice."

By the way, this comment is from the very bottom of page 1(after clicking view all comments) of the article "Smoking ban protested" published July 6th on mySA:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/New_alliance_opposes_strengthening_smoking_ban_97827994.html

CRA's call to fight back against Healthy Savannah's SELFISH proposal for an Athens, GA-style ban in all places

What's even more disgusting is that Savannah's mayor(Otis Johnson) is backing this idiotic proposal to ban smoking in all places, DESPITE that many businesses had no close but to close down in other places under comprehensive smoking bans. Kudos to Cigar Rights of America for trying to rally opposition against this comprehensive ban proposal, and I will try to find some brief time to write all councilmen and the mayor to urge them to oppose this ban, tweaking and editing a comment I wrote to a San Antonio smoking ban article(and the same article comment I shared here in either the 2nd or 3rd post here). I'm gonna try my best to write a letter in opposition to this proposed ban, if I can.

http://www.cigarrights.org/newsletter/CRA_News_Alert_Template_072310.htm

And finally I see the typical self-centered and whiny ban supporter making the comment "awwww, the state/hometown I came from had a ban, why can't choice be taken away from businesses in the new place I now live in as well, despite that deep down, I won't start patronizing all those additional non-smoking businesses that didn't want a total ban?" Here's the quote:

"Bartender Sarah Sorenson would welcome the change. She enjoys her work, but not the smoke-filled environment she often works in, something she never encountered growing up in Southern California. She also blames the smoke for the asthma her boyfriend, a night manager at the same bar, has developed in recent years.

"It would be great," she said. "I'm in a position now where I have no control over it."

Selfish biatch, you could've always chosen a non-smoking establishment to work in to begin with, or even turned down the job in a smoking establishment for one in a completely non-smoking establishment, or even took a job at a business that would agree to letting you work in non-smoking areas at all times, and/or during non-smoking hours and shifts. Is free will and personal responsibility such a lost concept to a big enough minority in today's society? Sadly, I say yes.

Harrison County, West Virginia video poker revenue decerases, causing funding cuts local fests!

Again, what do anti-smokers expect when bans affecting places catering to smokers take effect? Monthly video poker revenue decreased from $1.9 million in April(pre-ban), to $1.3 million in June(post-ban). Where's that surge of non-smokers that antis always say will suddenly show up, when bans pass? Not to mention, it said several local fests are now getting LESS money from the county, versus what they used to get.

I don't blame former Harrison County smoking patrons one bit for taking their business elsewhere, such as to Lewis and Barbour County!

http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=82942

California community considers banning smoking in all apartments, w/ONLY 14 month grace period

Yay, I love the health zealots going after people who aren't bothering others smoking in their residence. NOT! And as if Sebastopol, CA copying off Belmont, CA's apartment smoking ban is gonna do crap for that community.....

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100718/ARTICLES/7181050/0/BUSINESS01

smoking ban debate strikes Northwest Indiana, specifically Lowell

It's funny to think deep down myself years ago, I thought other communities in Northwest Indiana would debate a smoking ban LONG before Lowell, Indiana, such as Munster or Chesterton. Some communities from this region actually have wisely chosen to pass on pursuing a local ban in the past, such as Hobart and Michigan City. I believe someone on Munster's city council once wanted to debate a local ban there, but it was never officially debated, as their city website once said the smoking ban issue would be brought up in a future city council agenda, but never was. There was a story in the Northwest Indiana Times paper right after the latest 2010 proposal from Indiana State Senator Charlie Brown for a statewide smoking ban died, that Gary City Council member was gonna introduce a citywide smoking ban proposal. Unfortunately, I'm having a lot of trouble finding the article as of right now, even doing a search on the Northwest Indiana Times website. If I do find the article on the Gary smoking ban, I'll post it later.

Anyway, here are some articles on Lowell's current proposal, and as much as I prefer Lowell not pass a local ban, it is ONLY fair that any adopted local ban should mirror Crown Point's ban which gave private businesses(including what 1 restaurant, and 1 bowling alley within Crown Point opted to do) the option to enclose a small area of their business with separate ventilation for smoking, and for adult-only establishments to choose to be smoking throughout if they want. Starting with this blog post, I will introduce labels/tags for all posts here on out, and I will soon do it with my past blog posts.

Latest articles on Lowell's proposed ban:
(from smug anti-smoking writer favoring it) http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/mark-kiesling/article_e20c5e6c-f6e8-53dc-a5bb-42f2f9967fca.html
(1st reading of ban approved, and a commenter mentioned a Crown Point bowling alley chose to enclose their bar and make it an indoor smoking area, and the bowling lanes non-smoking. seems very fair to me) http://www.post-trib.com/news/2492192,locouncil0713.article
(article mentions a Crown Point restaurant owner got permission to enclose a room for smoking, written when CP's ban took effect in 2008): http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/article_7a90d450-ea32-5e6e-b8a9-15a1a56f3973.html

(edit) Luckily, I finally realized I posted the Gary article on the Smokers Club forum, since the original website(turns out it wasn't Northwest Indiana Times, but the Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana) has deleted the article:
http://www.smokersclubinternational.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=9918

a newspaper editorial calls for NKY Action and ban supporters to release the NKY ban draft proposal

The first article was written yesterday by blogger Paul McKibben, and the 2nd article was an editorial written today from the North Kentucky Enquirer calling for the latest draft of the 3-county NKY ban proposal to be made public immediately. I 100% support the call for it to be made public, not to mention hiding the proposal(except for ban proponents seeing the proposal) is a total violation of both Kentucky's open meetings law, and also their public records law. The editorial also makes a great mention of the fact when 2 competing proposals were put on the ballot in summer 2006 for the November 2006 Ohio statewide election, both state smoking ban proposals were made public before being put on the ballot.

Paul McKibben's blog entry mentioning the appalling secrecy of the draft proposal:
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=blog25&plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&U=c7553bdc-919b-42b9-9011-baf9c96f7123&plckPostId=Blog%3ac7553bdc-919b-42b9-9011-baf9c96f7123Post%3a2407caee-2261-4960-a699-8e79644447b4&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

North Kentucky Enquirer's editorial calling for the draft to be publicly released:
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100719/EDIT01/7200358/Ky-smoking-ban-ordinance-clouded-in-secrecy

very lively comment thread on a NKY ban article

The original article, which included a poll for or against a regional 3 county Northern Kentucky(commonly abbreviated NKY, and includes Kenton, Campbell, and Boone County, for those who don't know) ban proposal:
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100716/NEWS0103/307160046/Poll-Ready-for-NKY-smoking-ban-

First one I'll highlight, from HDGREG:
======================
I would like to point out the economics of this issue. Ohio has spent tens of millions of tax payers dollars to attract entertainment dollars to their shores. They have two professional teams, minor league hockey, Kings Island, and soon a casino. They have subsidized upscale department stores to stay in the downtown area; and they have finally got the Banks going. Still NKY gets a lot of Ohio customers because they can't smoke over there and be comfortable. Furthermore, Indiana has three casinos and smoking to boot. What is NKY's niche? We're close to the action in Cincinnati and you can buy cheap booze and cigarettes; plus smoke in the comfort of heating and ac. If we end the indoor smoking, what does NKY have......Nothin! All this that we lifelong NKYers have built to make it so attractive to live and play here will be gone. Then the reason all these folks left the high taxes and crime to live here will be gone. They will have created the same armpit they moved away from. Think!
=====================
So true, the same thing essentially happened in North Carolina over time in regards to a state smoking ban there. People from other parts of the country who didn't share property rights concerns with natives who've lived there for much longer and/or their whole life have increasingly moved into that state, changing the political culture enough that a smoking ban was no longer impossible. And IIRC, the first bill proposing a state smoking ban in North Carolina was debated in like 2003 or 2005, and it had a much more limited scope(restaurants), versus the bill that passed in 2009 and took effect this past January(covered restaurants and bars, + only exempted certain workplaces and private clubs/country clubs from the ban). I'll end my response by mentioning this great smokers rights site for North and South Carolina that mentions much more about what's occurring there, if you're interested: http://www.smokerpower.info/Home.html

Second one was Ken Moellman(who leads NKY Choice, the main group leading the fight against the anti-smoking groups that want the fiscal courts in Kenton County, Campbell County, and Boone County, Kentucky to each approve a strict smoking ban) responding to an anti:
======================
So are you planning to ban everything that may pose a danger to your health?

You're not forced to enter a smoking establishment; no one is. Smoking establishments are the overwhelming minority. The only category where there are still more venues which are smoking (vs. non-smoking) is bars, and we've seen that trend begin in the past couple of years.

The free market is already resolving this, at no cost to the taxpayers.

And make no mistake - enforcement will cost the taxpayers dearly. Ohio has lost $2M in the past 3 years, enforcing their ban. A "workplace" ban requires that every single employer in NKY be monitored by the government; and that agency be available at 2AM. That's not done today by anyone, so it'll require a new bureaucracy to do this.
=====================
Well said! In so many states with strict smoking bans(Ken should've mentioned this), they all have 800 number snitch lines(for people who want to rat out businesses looking the other way and allowing smoking) that must be very costly to maintain, on top of having health department employees do checks on bars to make sure they comply with these unnecessarily forced indoor smoking bans. Health departments should just stick to the kitchen and make sure food sanitation and safety codes are enforced, and NOT worry whether someone wants to smoke say(theoretical example) inside in an out-of-the way roadhouse bar that serves food, and doesn't attract many patrons beyond a smoking clientele. But of course, if that same out-of-the-way roadhouse bar wanted to go completely non-smoking, or institute limited smoke-free hours(i.e. lunchtime), shouldn't that be up to the business owner to make that choice? Last time I checked, secondhand smoke hasn't killed a single person. And as much as I sympathize with those who are sensitive to smoke, that person should be WISE ENOUGH to patronize and/or apply for a job instead at businesses that choose a voluntary 100% smoke-free policy, and their preferences shouldn't rule over entrepreneurs and/or patrons that want to gather in indoor private businesses(not only bars, clubs, and casinos) catering to smokers! (as is the case unfortunately in all places under a strict smoking ban, including Illinois)

I'll end this with one last comment that sums up my thoughts very well(jennsw9c, her response to a stupid anti-smoker who said that government should impose a smoking ban on all businesses, even those in the minority catering to smokers):
=====================
Please tell me WHY you would WANT to patronize or work for any of the evil business owners that allow smoking in their establishments? It seems very simple to me that if you find second hand smoke offensive, you avoid places that allow smoking. It's just not that tough these days to find even non-chain restaurants and some bars that are voluntarily smoke free. Instead of pushing for an all-out ban, why not get out there and support the business owners who have CHOSEN to be smoke free? Sounds like a win-win solution to me.
====================
Beautiful! You'd think anti-smokers would want to patronize all the businesses in Ohio that've been hurt by their 3-year-old smoking ban, instead of pretending to claim that they will show up once smoking is banned. When those same people in actuality don't show up, of course you can guess what'll happen which is documented here(businesses must look the other way on the smoking ban, just to keep their smoking clientele from leaving to competing businesses on the free side of the river, Kentucky, or they'll completely stay home):
http://www.smokechoke.com

Alrighty, time for me to create an account on cincinnati.com, and join in the fun on that comment thread. Not to mention, go out for the day and enjoy the weather.

Huntington/Cabell County, WV ban killing bar and video lottery parlor business

The Cabell County Board of Health(due to the fact Boards of Health have authority in West Virginia to enact smoking bans, unlike in most states where it's up to local city/town councils to debate smoking bans within a community, or county boards/fiscal courts/etc. for unincorporated county areas, excluding states that pre-empt local communities and counties from debating bans) begun enforcement of a smoking ban expansion for bars and video lottery parlors as of March of this year. It's sad that it seems like from what I've read about how West Virginia Boards of Health operate, their members are essentially appointed by politicians and not by voters, and there is little way to hold such health boards accountable when they pass extremely stupid laws like this. Their old county ban only banned smoking in workplaces and restaurants(places where kids went to, but respected adult businesses by allowing them to have whatever smoking policies they wanted to have, even if it was totally non-smoking), what was so wrong with leaving that ban alone? And if there are any West Virginia posters, please let me know if my understanding of how West Virginia Boards of Health operate in each county is correct, or incorrect.

Special thanks to Dave Hitt's site documenting the negative impact of smoking bans for giving me the heads-up on the first article. Original articles are posted below, the 2nd one on WSAZ has a heck of a comments section I need to do a read of myself, and found after a Google search:

http://www.marshallparthenon.com/news/residents-protest-smoking-ban-bars-left-empty-1.2186636
http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/86733487.html

comment I recently posted to a San Antonio smoking ban article

I totally refuted the lies of this anti-smoking poster, RBearSAT, on the San Antonio blog Off the Kuff. Original article is here:

http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=29459&cpage=1

My comment:
Ha, I always love how smoking ban supporters always dismiss claims of truth about bans hurting privately-owned businesses catering to smokers in any way, when all the honest evidence our side brings up about ban losses is completely true. Smoking ban supporters should be extremely ashamed how they distort the truth about bans hurting businesses, when the data is out there all over the internet showing how past smoking bans have hurt businesses to this day. Many businesses and bars under bans ignore them to stay in business, and do I need to mention how many times your side has made tired and deceptive claims about bans causing fewer heart attacks? I won’t even begin to discuss the latter, due to the fact ALL of these fraudulent ’studies’ have been debunked.

What do anti-smoking supporters not understand about how smoking bans take away the rights of entrepreneurs to freely cater to smokers if they wish, smokers to assemble indoors if the owner wishes to permit smoking, and the right of employees(yes, there are many workers who don’t prefer smoke-free environments) to work in a smoking environment? There is no more right for one to smoke, nor is there one to breathe smoke-free air. People should vote with their wallets, and not patronize smoking or smoke-free establishments if their indoor policy bothers them.

Here are numerous examples:
Metropolis, IL casino laid off 30 people, and has a 23% drop in revenue after the Illinois smoking ban took effect:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/29455559.html

Illinois gaming board said statewide gaming revenue down 21% in 2008, and 9% in first 10 months of 2009:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/article_1fba2616-a58e-5af2-
b81e-674639f8964e.html

multiple antidotes about rural Iowa bar business down, and NOT having the means to attract any new non-smoking customers, unlike chain restaurants:
http://www.dailyyonder.com/without-smoke-rural-bar-missing-characters/2009/03/01/1960

Saint Louis County, MO bar chooses to close, instead of taking the risk of an upcoming county smoking ban putting it out of business:
http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Local-bar-to-close-due-to-impending-smoking-ban-95383524.html

former owner of country music bar Hoot-n-Anny’s clearly says the Columbia, MO ban put it out of business:
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/feb/13/the-kings-pickle-l-restaurant-and-bar/

Michigan bars doing lottery boycotts to protest state smoking ban:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100619/METRO/6190356/1409/metro

Minnesota bars did “theater nights” to briefly defy the smoking ban, and bars got 2x to 4x as many crowds as they did right after the effective date of Minnesota’s ban:
http://www.startribune.com/local/15859722.html

Ohio smoking ban defiance to this day, including many mom-and-pop bars:
http://www.smokechoke.com/

from myself(Allan), welcome visitors to my blog!

To kick off this blog, I'm posting a link to this clip of the South Park episode 'Butt Out', inspired by the fact that I've always been very passionate about smokers rights issues, but have never been more than a very infrequent smoker, except when socializing and/or drinking. For anyone who's never seen this episode of South Park, this was an episode where the boys greatly resent an anti-smoking campaign they see at South Park Elementary, and you probably know what happens from there on. :)

I badly need to create a fun sign off for each post, Anchorman-style(if anybody's ever seen that movie! always has been my absolute favorite Will Ferrell movie, and prob always will be). Maybe not Anchorman-style, but that's a debate for another time. But anyway, and thanks to my inspiration to post this great clip from Keep Saint Louis Free, enjoy this episode commentary: