A constitutional amendment telling me that I'm not wanted? OH HELL YEAH!
Smokers, of course, will adapt. Non-smokers can enjoy their boring selves in even more square footage. But who is thinking of the girls from Clerical that only smoke (and put out) when they drink?
FLEA
Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high...
Do you smoke while you eat, Flea? I mean, do you have a lit cigarette in one hand and your fork in the other?
Of course not ... you finish your meal then light up. But why should the people sitting at the table next to you enjoy your cigarette while they are still eating? Common courtesy would say take it outside. But if people actually had common courtesy, half our cities' bylaws would be unneccessary.
Banning smoking in restaurants is a great idea. And the article does say that bars and patios still allow it, so those cute Floridians(?) can still smoke, drink, and put out.
(My city has got it ass backwards ... they have banned smoking on outdoor patios, so smokers have to go inside to the designated smoking sections. So people sitting six feet away from an idling truck won't be bothered by second hand smoke. Dumb.)
Any man who hates small dogs and children can't be all bad.
Originally posted by GavintzuBanning smoking in restaurants is a great idea.
Yeah! Because freedom sucks!
[end sarcasm]
I have no sympathy for people who feel offended by second-hand smoke when they put themselves in situations to be exposed to it. You're going to a bar for christ's sake, not a convent.
""I haven't seen a starting nine like that since the '62 Mets"br>- Dennis Miller on the Democratic Presidential Candidates
You're going to a bar for christ's sake, not a convent.
Grimis ... are you drunk this early in the day? Did you even read my post before quoting from it?
Smoking is still allowed in bars. People go to bars to smoke, drink, and rub bodies with other people. No problems here. Who's talking about bars?
I said banning smoking in restaurants is a good idea. Not bars. People go to restaurants to eat. Eating while inhaling smoke is unpleasant -- smokers themselves don't do it. If many smokers had the common courtesy to go to the lounge or outside before lighting up, then by-laws wouldn't be necessary. But they don't so they are.
Any man who hates small dogs and children can't be all bad.
Howard County, MD is the most aggressive around here with a policy similar to this. Smoking is allowed only in bar areas of restaurants, which must be completely enlcosed by glass and what not.
At a few night clubs, I think you can smoke in the restrooms, but that's it (as the bar is not separat from the dance floor/mingling area).
Makes your dining experience much nicer, but your drinking experience more smoke-filled than ever.
I always thought this should be a private property issue, if I own a restaurant, I should be able to set my own guidelines on smoking. As a owner, I own the air inside, and it's up to me to make decisions about the air quality, and to assume the risk of lost customers due to that air quality. Customers have the right to choose whether or not to patronize my restaurant on the basis of any number of qualifications, including air quality. What I envisioned happening, because it already was (and is in places without laws), is that market forces would dictate that many restaurants would be smoke-free, while others would be for smokers. Hey, as long as you know upfront that there will be smoking inside, you can simply choose to leave and go to a non-smoking restaurant. (Or, if they ask, "Smoking or Non-smoking", well just say neither and leave. Or never go back on the off-chance that the smoking catches you by surprise.) Let the market dictate such things.
Everything that is wrong in this world can be blamed on Freddie Prinze Jr.
Originally posted by GavintzuIf many smokers had the common courtesy to go to the lounge or outside before lighting up, then by-laws wouldn't be necessary. But they don't so they are.
OK...isnt that what smoking sections are for?!?
""I haven't seen a starting nine like that since the '62 Mets"br>- Dennis Miller on the Democratic Presidential Candidates
True story. I took my grandfather to a Chinese restaurant years ago, and the waiter asked "smoking or non-smoking?" We said non. So he sits us down at a table with a "warning, smoking is allowed in this section" sign on it. He flips around the sign ... there was a "this is a non-smoking section" sign on the back! He picks up the ashtray, and proceeds to take our order. We laughed about that for years.
If a restaurant just has a section of tables designated as a smoking section, it is useless. Smoke travels.
My local watering hole has a restaurant section, which is completely non-smoking, and a smoking lounge area, which is accessed through a completely separate door. After work we sit and drink in the lounge, and I come out smelling like smoke. Fine ... I made that choice. It's also nice that there is a completely smoke-free area where I can sit if I choose.
Freedom ... ain't it wonderful?
Any man who hates small dogs and children can't be all bad.
Originally posted by GavintzuAfter work we sit and drink in the lounge, and I come out smelling like smoke. Fine ... I made that choice.
OK...you admit the choice, yet you prefer bans on smoking for everybody else. I don't smoke. I sure as hell don't want to smell like smoke. But that's why I go to smoke free restaurants and generally avoid situations where I don't want to smell like smoke when I'm done.
""I haven't seen a starting nine like that since the '62 Mets"br>- Dennis Miller on the Democratic Presidential Candidates
Gavintzu: I said banning smoking in restaurants is a good idea. Not bars. People go to restaurants to eat. Eating while inhaling smoke is unpleasant -- smokers themselves don't do it. If many smokers had the common courtesy to go to the lounge or outside before lighting up, then by-laws wouldn't be necessary. But they don't so they are.
See, that's the problem. In Florida, most places are restaurants that serve booze, the "bar" is a totally subjective term based on the amount of food sold. A certain percentage MUST NOT be food (anywhere between 10-35%, no one *really* knows yet - regardless of what you read) in order for the rest to be smoking. I.e - Happy Hour places are pretty much screwed.
What is going to be a killer (morseso than CA, DE and NY) is that a majority of these establishments survive on the French, British and Oriental tourists...all of whom smoke religiously. They can either serve chicken wings and allow smoking, or serve a full dinner and tell them (the paying customer) to get lost. Florida is (once again) one or two bad summers from sinking into the ocean, due to the tourist drop off after 9-11. This ain't helping.
I have never been disrespectful to the Nosmo King crowd - that's why places have segregated smoking vs. non smoking areas. I'm just taking this all in stride and laughing, because the voters in this state have really gone out of their way to step on their dicks. Case in point - they had this amendment vote on an off election year, just to guarantee that the only people who came to the polls were going to vote YES. I had an easier time going along (and defending) Election 2000.
FLEA
(edited by RYDER FAKIN on 30.6.03 1540) Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high...
"Smoking is also allowed in private social clubs like the Moose and the Elks and in stand-alone bars where food accounts for less than 10 percent of total sales."
If the cheaper drinks and gambling were not reason enough to join the Moose or Elks, this should bring in more memberships. This could really be a great marketing tool for private clubs.
Gallo has put the heebie-jeebie on my colon and prostate- Roger Ebert
Originally posted by Scooter Trash"Smoking is also allowed in private social clubs like the Moose and the Elks and in stand-alone bars where food accounts for less than 10 percent of total sales."
If the cheaper drinks and gambling were not reason enough to join the Moose or Elks, this should bring in more memberships. This could really be a great marketing tool for private clubs.
The problem with this is of course you would then be going to hang out with the Moose or Elk brothers.
Personally I think this is a load of crap. I hate smoking and I think it's awful. There are places where I have no problem with it not being allowed, basically places where I have no choice about being there (gov't buildings, mass transit, etc.) and with offices being required to segregate or ban smoking.
However, if I go out to a bar, I know I have a couple of choices, I can go to a non-smoking place, or I can deal with the fact people smoke at bars, and nightclubs. I won't go to a restaurant that doesn't strongly segregate, close off, or ban smoking altogether. But if somewhere doesn't want to do that, they shouldn't have to.
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Additionally, I don't understand how the flat tax will eliminate the need for payroll tax. Payroll tax is currently at 15%. Every flat tax proposal I've seen has had 10% as the magic number. That just doesn't add up right there already.