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NEWS 528 - 15 Comments
From: Jackzilla Entered on: May 12, 2008 4:07 PM
Just another law to take away more personal freedom.  And I'm not a smoker!  And I love these guys that want to second-guess the actual bar and restaurant owners on how it will effect business.
From: Bunky Entered on: May 12, 2008 6:03 PM
Smoking in restaurants and bars has been banned for sometime out here. When we go to Vegas, it is weird to see people smoking inside now. Some cities have gone over the top and banned smoking outside in public places as well. I am not a smoker, but there is no reason they can't leave this up to each individual establishment. Prior to California passing a similar law, most places had designated smoking areas set up already. Years back, they had legislation on the ballot to increase taxes on cigarettes. This made the cost of cigarrettes increase $5.00/pack and was written to increase funds for some BS related to healthcare funding and lung disease. I voted no on this (which passed anyway) because I felt the same way. If we allow government to start with cigarettes, what is next.
From: The Bone Entered on: May 13, 2008 12:17 AM
Well if you don't like that, you really aren't going to like the fact that Hawaii is toying with the idea of banning smoking inside your home.
From: BigFatty Entered on: May 13, 2008 4:10 AM
I hate smokers... but now-a-days, places are set up so non-smokers are not affected too much.  So I agree, the government should not stick their nose into this matter.  Bars are awful to me.  I rarely go to them because of all the smoke.  If there is a non-smoking bar, and this is becoming more popular, I would certainly go.  Let the market decide!  Non-smokers are certainly gaining more power.  If some people want to drink and smoke - let them.  Just keep them separete from me. Smoking outside is another issue.  Smokers need to be more aware of non-smokers rights.  If I am sitting there and could be affected by your smoke, please ask, or move somewhere else.  Non-smokers should not have to adjust so much as the smokers.  Granted, if I see someone smoking, I should not go near them.  In crowds outside - no-smoking should be standard.  Plus, another thing that pisses me off is all the cigarette butts that are discarded everywhere.  Throw that shit away properly!  Take responsibility you a-holes! BTW - Here, it seems most people smoke.  Cigarettes are CHEAP!  Smokers certainly dominate the culture.  But, EU membership means that Hungary is moving towards Baning Smoking too.
From: Ross Entered on: May 13, 2008 9:03 AM
This is very interesting, and very applicable to a recent situation in my building.  I live in a 4 unit condo, and I'm on the 2nd floor.  The people who own the 3rd floor unit had been renting their unit out to a guy who smokes, and luckily he just moved out.  However, his smoke would occasionally find its way into the hallways/stairwells, and actually at one point I had a hole cut in the drywall of my bathroom ceiling due to a plumbing issue, and his smoke came on through there like we were one unit! Anyway, looks like the owners are going to put the place on the market, and all us owners were chatting over email yesterday about having a condo meeting once someone buys the unit to get introduced and whatnot.  Then the owner of the 4th floor unit says something like "let them know the condo rules, such as no smoking inside the building," and I kind of thought that was funny, but that he meant no smoking in the common areas, but you can't prohibit someone - renter or owner - from smoking in their own residence!  But according to that article, you can (assuming that holds for all states, not just crazy Hawaii).  I assumed you can't discriminate against smokers when selecting tenants, but it appears you can.  What really gets me though, is that you can amend your condo bylaws to prohibit smoking, too!  Now, I hate smoking as much as the next guy, but I don't think I'm on board with this.  I would maybe go so far as to amend the bylaws to say that you can't smoke if the other people can smell it in their own domiciles, but it seems like it's going too bar to outright ban it in your home.  Hopefully I don't have to be a bad guy if it ever comes to a vote to have an amendment.
From: Ross Entered on: May 13, 2008 9:10 AM
Oh, and by the way, Chicago already has the very similar laws that California does.  I have to say, it is nice to go into bars and not worry about coming out stinking of smoke.  But at the same time, it seems to be trampling on liberty a bit.
From: BigFatty Entered on: May 13, 2008 10:23 AM
Man... I hate living in my building because of all the smokers.  There stank is always wafting into my place.  A lot of these Mofos don't smoke in their place, but head out to the balcony or the open-air corridor.  Then their smoke heads right into my place.  Even with the window closed, I get that scent.  In the summer, the window will be open, and I might as be smoking too. We are looking for a house to move to because of this. Ross - I disagree with you some.  As a landlord, I think you should be able to discriminate based on smoking.  It cetainly damages / wears down your property faster (ie it getes dirty, requires painting faster, and makes it more undisireable afterwards because it might smell).  You own your property, so you should be able to protect it.  People have a right to own pets too, but they can be prevented in residences for similar reasoning.  Pets need to be controlled, but smoke is allowed to jump up into my house?  F that! With a condo - you are all co-owners.  You can always make this decision as a group.  Everything is fine.. unless someone decides to start smoking while living there.  Then, I think things get complicated.  For a renter, you will need a contract stipulating the termination of the contract and evicition at the owners discretion.  But, I am not sure how this could/would be handled in court.
From: Ross Entered on: May 13, 2008 12:33 PM
BigFatty said: Ross - I disagree with you some. As a landlord, I think you should be able to discriminate based on smoking. It cetainly damages / wears down your property faster (ie it getes dirty, requires painting faster, and makes it more undisireable afterwards because it might smell). You own your property, so you should be able to protect it. People have a right to own pets too, but they can be prevented in residences for similar reasoning. Pets need to be controlled, but smoke is allowed to jump up into my house? F that! Don't misunderstand - I didn't say you shouldn't be able to screen smokers as renters, just that I didn't think you could.  But if it is indeed legal (and it appears to be), then I probably would, if I was renting my place out. As for the condo, it's different because you own the interior of the unit.  Telling them what to do inside their own walls - as long as it doesn't affect anyone else much - is too meddlesome.  Obviously there is a grey line, because everything you do inside your house (especially with respect to noise) has the potential to effect your neighbors, but I think smoking can be contained enough that an outright ban should not be necessary.
From: RobotSpider Entered on: May 27, 2008 7:43 AM
What I don't understand is how it's the Democrats that are fighting for the rights of the casinos to allow smoking to 'compete with Native American's casinos'.  First, if you are going to decide to drive 6 hours to go to a casino that allows you to smoke over going to a casino 20 minutes away that doesn't, you're not going there to gamble.  You're going there to smoke.  Second, Democrats fighting for smokers?  WTF?  Third, Republicans fighting against smokers? NRWTF (no, really, what the fuck?).  I forget when bizarro day is now, is it the first Friday in june?  I think it may already have happened.   On an unrelated note, I'm still not seeing the "New Topic" button on the side of the page.  I'm assuming it's a permissions issue on the site?  Ross?  Or am I just blind? So, here's my off-topic post: I hear from my friends a lot about how their kids are better than them at video games. I don't plan on letting that happen.  Like the rest of my generation, I plan to explain that to the world via t-shirt.  I designed it.  I'm thinking seriously about getting it printed up. Funny? Or in poor taste?
From: Jackzilla Entered on: May 27, 2008 8:00 AM
Funny stuff, Spider, but... I question it's accuracy.  Once the kid hits double digits he'll be sweeping the floor with ol' dad on a regular basis.  That's just how it works. Is there a site you're using to make these up?
From: RobotSpider Entered on: May 27, 2008 8:15 AM
Who said anything about double-digits?  My son is only 3!  That gives me 7 good years of t-shirt-wearing trash-talk, don't take that away from me!  But your point is valid, so I need to get my shots in while I still can :) There are a lot of custom t-shirt shops online.  I haven't used any of them yet, but I've got a dozen ideas floating around, so it's going to happen sooner than later.  The site I used for this one was http://www.customink.com/p/landing_lab.html?loc=singles  They will let you do individual orders and small batches.  For 6 XL and 6 XXL (12 shirts total), it worked out to around 22.00 per shirt.  The design is 1 color on front, and 4 colors on back, which is fairly complex.  Simple designs would probably be much cheaper.
From: Bunky Entered on: May 27, 2008 9:32 AM
Ross, Spider needs an avatar! Spider, funny shirt! I like the font choice! JZ would need one that says something about asking 10 year old boys if he can milk their mother.....
From: RobotSpider Entered on: May 27, 2008 11:12 AM
Bunky said: Ross, Spider needs an avatar! Spider, funny shirt! I like the font choice! JZ would need one that says something about asking 10 year old boys if he can milk their mother..... Yeah, not a bad idea.  I would think this would be an extremely low-volume order :)   Of all the pictures I have posted online, none are of me. I'll find one at home tonight.
From: Bunky Entered on: May 27, 2008 10:34 AM
Spider, I imagine there is not much demand for "Can I milk your Mom?" shirts. However, if he were to wear one with a Rookies logo on it, it may reduce the number of wandering Chitlins in the store during summer break... As for your avatar, JA protocol dictates you must have a photo.
From: Ross Entered on: June 23, 2008 11:22 AM
I think this has to be my next t-shirt purchase: