Spain’s smoking ban that came into effect on January 2, is not going over too well. The argument is between the people and the government. It is a fight between bureaucratic regulation of social life and those who are for tolerance and liberty. Liberty should win, free people should have free choice, without free choice a democratic government becomes a dictatorship.<br />
France has decided to stop airbrushing famous figures who smoked.<i> "The falsification of history, the censorship of works of the mind, the denial of reality must remain the heinous marks of totalitarian regimes,</i>" read the bill before parliament Wednesday. We agree. History should not be rewritten.<br type="_moz" />
A drunk passenger, who was flying from France to the United States, was reportedly smoking in the lavatory. It took three Air Marshall’s to subdue him. No tobacco was reported, but they did find a bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream liquor in his carry-on bag that was almost empty. The author of the article said "The account reads like something out of a movie to scare air travelers". Really? What could be scarier than drunken passengers and TSA strip searches?<br />
Violence against smokers is not news, people have been shot for lighting up. The Anti’s say they don’t hate people who smoke but they have managed over the past 18 years to install unsubstantiated fear into the hearts of the American population. Fear equates to violence.<br type="_moz" />
Dr. John Lilly does not believe that second hand smoke is a health issue but a political movement. Anti’s have immediately discredited Dr. Lilly’s article. This is the standard procedure for any doctor or scientist that disagrees with them, they will do everything in their power to silence him, pick a reason because they will use all of them. Dr. Lilly’s original article has already been removed and so it begins.<br type="_moz" />
The smoking ban in Michigan is costing bar owners money due to a decrease in business. Guess all the nonsmokers are not running to get a drink at their local bar, as the anti’s claim. We already knew that was a lie, too bad the Michigan Legislators bought the "lie" from the <b>usual suspects</b>.<br />
<br />
State fiscal analysts said Friday the smoking ban is expected to cost the state about $33 million in lost revenue this fiscal year.
<script id="gtbTranslateElementCode" type="text/javascript">var gtbTranslateOnElementLoaded;(function(){var lib = null;var checkReadyCount = 0;function sendMessage(message, attrs) { var data = document.getElementById("gtbTranslateElementCode"); for (var p in attrs) { data.removeAttribute(p); } for (var p in attrs) { if ("undefined" != typeof attrs[p]) { data.setAttribute(p, attrs[p]); } } var evt = document.createEvent("Events"); evt.initEvent(message, true, false); document.dispatchEvent(evt);}function checkLibReady (){ var ready = lib.isAvailable(); if (ready) { sendMessage("gtbTranslateLibReady", {"gtbTranslateError" : false}); return; } if (checkReadyCount++ > 5) { sendMessage("gtbTranslateLibReady", {"gtbTranslateError" : true}); return; } setTimeout(checkLibReady, 100);}gtbTranslateOnElementLoaded = function () { lib = google.translate.TranslateService({}); sendMessage("{EVT_LOADED}", {}, []); var data = document.getElementById("gtbTranslateElementCode"); data.addEventListener("gtbTranslate", onTranslateRequest, true); data.addEventListener("gtbTranslateCheckReady", onCheckReady, true); data.addEventListener("gtbTranslateRevert", onRevert, true); checkLibReady();};function onCheckReady() { var ready = lib.isAvailable(); sendMessage("gtbTranslateLibReady", {"gtbTranslateError" : !ready});}function onTranslateRequest() { var data = document.getElementById("gtbTranslateElementCode"); var orig = data.getAttribute("gtbOriginalLang"); var target = data.getAttribute("gtbTargetLang"); lib.translatePage(orig, target, onProgress);}function onProgress(progress, opt_finished, opt_error) { sendMessage("gtbTranslateOnProgress", {"gtbTranslateProgress" : progress, "gtbTranslateFinished" : opt_finished, "gtbTranslateError" : opt_error});}function onRevert() { lib.restore();}})(); (function(){var d=window,e=document;function f(b){var a=e.getElementsByTagName("head")[0];a||(a=e.body.parentNode.appendChild(e.createElement("head")));a.appendChild(b)}function _loadJs(b){var a=e.createElement("script");a.type="text/javascript";a.charset="UTF-8";a.src=b;f(a)}function _loadCss(b){var a=e.createElement("link");a.type="text/css";a.rel="stylesheet";a.charset="UTF-8";a.href=b;f(a)}function _isNS(b){b=b.split(".");for(var a=d,c=0;c<b.length;++c)if(!(a=a[b[c]]))return false;return true}
function _setupNS(b){b=b.split(".");for(var a=d,c=0;c<b.length;++c)a=a[b[c]]||(a[b[c]]={});return a}d.addEventListener&&typeof e.readyState=="undefined"&&d.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){e.readyState="complete"},false);
if (_isNS(‘google.translate.Element’)){return}var c=_setupNS(‘google.translate._const’);c._cl=’en’;c._cuc=’gtbTranslateOnElementLoaded’;c._cac=”;c._cam=’lib’;var h=’translate.googleapis.com’;var b=(window.location.protocol==’https:’?’https://’:’http://’)+h;c._pah=h;c._pbi=b+’/translate_static/img/te_bk.gif’;c._pci=b+’/translate_static/img/te_ctrl3.gif’;c._phf=h+’/translate_static/js/element/hrs.swf’;c._pli=b+’/translate_static/img/loading.gif’;c._plla=h+’/translate_a/l’;c._pmi=b+’/translate_static/img/mini_google.png’;c._ps=b+’/translate_static/css/translateelement.css’;c._puh=’translate.google.com’;_loadCss(c._ps);_loadJs(b+’/translate_static/js/element/main.js’);})();</script>
<div>If the people don’t want a smoking ban they will rebel against it. A little more rebelling would be helpful in the USA but here we seem to roll over and accept anything that is doled out by the Government, why is that? Are we brainless twits or just too busy to get involved?<br />
<br />
Europeans have a healthier view of life and how to live it. They know how to balance work and living, so adjustment to smoking bans are not unusual nor is totally ignoring them. Tomorrow Greece’s Health Minister is expected to announce changes to ban in enclosed spaces. <br />
<br />
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The current tax of 64 cents on a pack of cigarettes would jump to $1.99. The American Cancer Society took a poll that said 73 percent of Nebraskan’s voters would support the increase. Of course, they would but would they agree to have beer, wine and alcohol taxed as well? I think not. It is always easy to tax the other guy, not yourself.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span>
Had the measure passed some areas of Chicago suburbs would have been paying $10.00 a pack. Everyone is on the tobacco gravy train, just what exactly would replace these taxes? New taxes on liquor and fat foods. You might not smoke but there is something you do like to eat or drink that will be taxed heavily. The legislators don’t have the nerve to do a fair tax they would rather select certain commodities to balance their budgets. This indeed is a sad state of affairs.<br type="_moz" />
The Virginia General Assembly began its 2011 session on January 12. Bill HB 1815 proposes a tax increase of $1.15 per pack! If you live in Virginia write your legislator today!<br type="_moz" />