coComments related to arclightzero

Hi,I was curious what it would

2009-08-29T21:39:40.584+02:00

Hi,I was curious what it would take to get a text link on your blog saying something like “Tungsten Wedding Bands” or “Tungsten Wedding Rings” with a hyperlink to our site (www.tungstenringsonline.com). We are a relatively new company and we are currently trying to improve our page ranking on Google. We operate on a small budget, and we would be more than willing to give you a tungsten ring from our site in exchange for a link. Let me know if this would be something that you would be interested in. Thanks for any help you can give us.Thank You Nick Tungsten Rings Online

Drop me an email. Love you wi

2009-08-29T21:39:32.584+02:00

Drop me an email. Love you wiki work.

I enjoy you’re blog. Your’s an

2009-08-29T21:39:24.584+02:00

I enjoy you’re blog. Your’s and Ann Coulter’s are at the top of my list for insight and humor. I’ve just begun my own (above).Thanks for what you do here.–Stick

Apparently spelling is a form

2009-08-29T21:39:16.584+02:00

Apparently spelling is a form of collectivism. Who knew?

Myklamia Firebanisher, for the

2009-07-26T14:29:33.487+02:00

Myklamia Firebanisher, for the record I am a non-smoker. Admittedly, nobody is claiming – nor have I ever heard anybody claim that smoking is in any way healthy or good for you. But I will tell you the same thing I told McKenzie, and that is the simple fact that the pinnacle of freedom is the ability to make decisions that others may not agree with without fear of retaliation. Sadly, smoking bans are a sick form of retaliation being levied upon smokers and business owners by people who think that they are making the wrong decisions. As always, I will lay down the argument that not one person is ever involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke. It is a conscious and informed decision that somebody makes to go someplace where people may be smoking, and we all have the knowledge and wherewithal to make an informed decision as to whether or not we will choose to expose ourselves or not.One other point is that you make some claims regarding the number of people who supposedly die from secondhand smoke exposure. It’s an agitating figure that you cite since there is no real substance to it. It is simply an estimate based on assumptions made by the anti-tobacco lobby. You are correct that secondhand smoke contains a number of chemicals, a number of which can be carcinogenic… But there is no legitimate evidence to support that it does in average exposure rates or has caused a single death. Don’t believe everything you’re told. Do your own research and come up with your own conclusions. Here’s the research I did on the topic – and remember, this is coming from a non-smoker who generally doesn’t patronize anyplace that allows smoking because I don’t care for the smell. I have no ulterior motives other than making sure the objective truth is known. http://arclightzero.web.officelive.com/Documents/health%20implications%20v5.pdf

Ryan:I would like to inform yo

2009-07-18T10:18:54.979+02:00

Ryan:I would like to inform you of a sad little fact. Someone who makes the poor decisions to take up smoking and complain about not being able to drink and smoke at the same time should not be calling me childish or degrading me as you have done. Frankly, I’m sad to see that this country is in such a shithole that the fact I am only sixteen becomes a reason for my arguments to be laughable. To inform you of the current culture, the elders who could have been respectable all are dead or can’t remember the way to the bathroom, the middle aged men are all addicts, suicidals, or child molesters, the young adults are all sex crazed, bent on living life like a never ending party, or have absolutely no brains to speak of, the teenagers are also sex crazed and dumb as sticks, the children are all addicted to television and video games and don’t know the definition of exercise, and the toddlers are being overindulged with sweets and television.It’s funny that you say the rights of one prevail over the rights of all, because that indicates you are a narcissistic person. You know, you ought to look and see what I have done. For a dumb teenager, I’ve probably done a hell of a lot more to help the people in this country than you have. http://www.websterkirkwoodtimes.com/1editorialbody.lasso?-token.folder=2006-07-07&-token.story=64803.113117&-token.subpub=That’s what I started when I was freaking eleven. Now? My grandmother and I are opening a museum for children. I’m going to have an article written about me, the jewelry, and the museum, and apparently there is talk about putting me on television. I’m curious what you do to help people. Have you donated money to charity? Have you given speeches on donating blood platelets? Did you get decent grades in school even? You come here telling me to return to my narrow thinking and ignorant ways. Haha. I’ve done more than many people THREE TIMES MY AGE would ever do for another person. And guess what? My life freaking sucks too.My parents are divorced, my mom hates me because I am like my dad, I am forced to get straight A’s in all honors courses and then told that I need to go have fun and not work so hard, but that I also need to get a job. Women are given a standard by men to be cleaner, and are expected to be less intelligent, while men supposedly know everything and run around with eight feet of hair growing on their faces, chests, armpits, and legs. I am trying to write a novel before I graduate from high school, please my mother, own a museum, prepare for college, have a social life, and do ten thousand other things. You know what? I want you to email me. I want to tell you exactly how much my life sucks and I STILL strive to help other people. Email me: sistercather@gmail.comI don’t ignore emails from people. I will be waiting eagerly for your email. If your life sucks more than mine, I would LOVE to hear about it. Even though you probably think I’m some stupid teenager, I do try to help people, so if your life really sucks more than mine, I would love to hear about it so I have another set of bad scenarios to use. And by the way, what on earth were you talkign about about property rights? I didn’t say anything about property rights there…

I feel your pain. I’ve been bl

2009-07-04T06:34:50.567+02:00

I feel your pain. I’ve been blogging for two months and I don’t know if I can keep going. I’ve started blogs several times in the last eight years but this is the longest I’ve been able to keep going. I keep asking myself why bother? I’ve got nothing new to say. I’ll just be ignored like everyone else. Our competition is subsidized about a trillion dollars a year. How do you compete? I was an anti-environmentalist activist in the 80’s and 90’s. I got no support from anyone. I spent a lot of my own money. I was on a first-name basis with most of the Minnesota House and Senate. To them, I was a Kook. Everyone was (and is) afraid to jeopardize their own position and/or subsidy. I got a lot of words of agreement (just don’t tell anyone) but no support. Supposed allies would use data I provided to further their own self-serving agenda. Anymore, the conversation is not whether government should control and direct, just how it will do it. I’m now off the grid. I’m broke and live in a cave (almost). Have no income and little hope of getting one. I refuse to support the machine any longer. If it kills me, or gets me jailed, so be it. If you’ve got nothing worth dying for, then what are you living for. If you really want to win this war, you too will have to do the John Galt. There is no other way. Defund them and they’ll tear themselves apart like starving rats in a cage.Phil

Yes, it’s true that you are ad

2009-07-02T05:16:41.677+02:00

Yes, it’s true that you are adults and can decide what is good for your own health, but that doesn’t mean you make a decision that is correct. Obviously if you think increasing your risk of lung cancer is healthy, you should not be allowed to decide what is healthy for you. It is also obvious that no one is going to agree on why the smoking ban is good/bad. The smell issue is not an issue at all. If something smells so bad it gives you health problems, something should be done about it. I personally HATE the smell of Axe, but that does not mean I am going to propose it become illegal. If, however, I were to discover that inhaling Axe from a distance was equivocal to abusing aerosols as inhalants, I would be pushing for them to be outlawed.As for nose picking, farting, and spitting? They are disgusting habits, but I would not fight for them to be outlawed in public unless, again, I discovered that Joe picking his nose in the corner is causing me harm that is DIRECTLY linked to his picking his nose. I am also working on a research paper, and I am not a smoker. I think smoking should never have been legal in the first place. The 21st amendment should not have been created either. Pornography and strip clubs also should be removed. There are a lot of things that are destroying the morals of humans.No, I am not an extremist in a religion. Quite the opposite, I am a flexible atheist. I accept that people have different views, but seriously? I grew up with three smoking relatives that have all quit now. I received a 98% in my Health class and was exempt from the final exam. I KNOW what smoking does. I went out with a guy who abused his dogs. He was fifteen and already drank beer regularly. Alcohol, illegal drugs, cigarettes… I have high standards because I find these all wholly unacceptable.When you actually look at the arguments, the people against the smoking bans all are arguing based on that they feel they are being cheated out of their rights. The people arguing for it are pointing out that 440,000 people die from smoking every year and 58,000 of them were nonsmokers, that generally about 60% of the people are for smoking bans, and that about 20% of the people against it feel that others have the right to having safe and healthy work environments. For those of you who smoke, I’m sure your wallets are tight, as everyones are. Do you actually know how much money you spend on cigarettes? Nearly 2,000 dollars a year. Of course, then you have to add in the cost of lighters and when you get older the medical costs for the health problems smoking causes. And then there is the fact that smoking makes people smell horrible and look twenty years older than they are. Smokers have bad breath and yellowed teeth, their voices become raspy and they develop a nasty cough. Even if you whiten your teeth and chew gum and pop mints, the smell of smoke sticks to your clothes. By the way, smoking also removes value from your house and car.Smoking has a LOT of detrimental effects physically, financially, even socially. For me, smoking is a major turn OFF. I would never date someone who smoked, no matter how nice they are. I really don’t want to kiss him and have that smell in my mouth or cuddle up and have it all over my clothing. It’s disgusting…Those of you who smoke and say “Hey, it’s my choice.”: Good for you. You made the choice to repulse people, make yourself stink and look ancient, and drive yourself into the poor house. More power to you. You know in New England there are people who give homeless people one way tickets to Paris? Just a warning, you won’t be able to get back if you have no money. Just do the people who decided NOT to smoke a favor. Don’t keep driveling on about how much smoking bans suck. We are trying to keep ourselves clean and healthy.Do heroin addicts complain about how they can’t get high or stoned or whatever in restaurants? I’m pretty sure they don’t. Yeah, heroin is illegal, but a LOT less people die because of heroin than smoking. You know, I’m pretty sure the same goes with marijuana. And marijuana is probably healthier for you than cigarettes, too. Cigarettes have over 4,000 chemicals in them… nearly 50 are known cancer causing chemicals. Marijuana only has about 400 chemicals in it. Huh, I know what I’ll be choosing if I’m forced to pick something to smoke.I hope what I’ve said influences some of you to change your minds about smoking, or accept why the smoking ban is in place. But honestly, I doubt it will. You’re all addicted. You say you can quit whenever, but you can’t. You say it isn’t an addiction, just a vice, a daily feel good. It’s an addiction. Stop thinking in terms of “But I like smoking, I have a right to smoke and the government wants to take away everyone’s rights.” Do some research. There are REASONS why smoking is said to be bad for you you know. They don’t stare at walls trying to come up with some twisted rumor to spread around and go, “Oh! I have one! How about we start telling people that smoking is bad for you? You know, we can say it causes cancer and even that the people around them can get cancer from it too! It’s like turning cancer into a virus!” As funny as that would be to do, it’s not what is done.I have been typing this for freaking hours, off and on with doing research for my stupid Advanced US History Essay Writing Seminar. I started this thing at like 4 PM and now it’s almost 9 PM. I need to take out my whitening strips, brush my teeth, get in bed, find 6 more arguments against smoking bans so I can print out my paper, and settle down to watch Princess Mononoke with the guy I love so I can review it for my dad’s website (Horror-web.com) and go to sleep so I can go to class tomorrow morning. As you can tell, I’m not some weirdo who is constantly looking to argue with someone. I’m just a normal girl, trying to finish my class work so I can watch a movie and go to bed before I have to get up and go to school.

Wow,It’s great to come back to

2009-06-20T20:05:38.410+02:00

Wow,It’s great to come back to this site after being gone and see that you are still providing stimulating subject matter…ain’t America grand?!

much about this bill in the ma

2009-06-19T09:53:56.343+02:00

much about this bill in the mainstream media. The only place I have even seen it mentioned was in this post at Pro

Wow, McKenzie, I would laugh a

2009-05-31T05:24:48.113+02:00

Wow, McKenzie, I would laugh at your interesting little attempt to sound even moderately intelligent here; however I’m far too depressed that people like you represent the future of this country.That aisde, being lectured by you on how not to sound like a “tween punk” is rather funny. You come in here spouting jargon like “textspeak” which does nothing but tell me me exactly where you are in your intellectual development. You’re foundering at the bottom and trying to up your status by using pop culture urban slang and interestingly I would bet that you think that it makes people view you in a sense of awe. After all, what sort of 16 year old genious would use such terms and deride at the other people who have commented here – most, if not all of which are more than likely twice your age.You have been brainwashed by the anti-smoking culture and your inane ramblings here exemplify the fact that you haven’t the slightest fucking clue what you’re talking about. You have a woeful understanding of property rights, and and even more pahetic understanding of rights. This, my little friend, is why I am so damned depressed that people like you will be coming of age and joining real society soon. You know so very little but you talk as if you’re the say-all-end-all on everything. You are willing to throw everything away because a) you think it’s the right thing to do, and b) you don’t know any better but won’t ever admit it. You think you have an understanding of rights and freedom? Don’t make me laugh! If you did you would understand that taking rights away from even one person in the name of the whole invalidates the rights of all. We do not exist – nor should we exist – for the greater good. Thats called mobocracy. Or democracy. I’ll let you decide which term you find more appropriate.So, if you have anything useful to say in your defense, I welcome it whole-heartedly. Otherwise go back to your happy, ignorant little life and leave the thinking to those who are willing to see beyond their own narrow perspective.

So, in other words, you suppor

2009-04-25T14:23:27.671+02:00

So, in other words, you support the tyranny of the majority? Not very nice of you. Perhaps you won’t be so willing to jump up and cheer for “democracy” triumphing when the majority decides that they don’t like something that you do.But whatever, unti that point you can gloat and feel good about yourself for stuffing the rights of other people and others’ property so that you can have the freedom to do whatever you damn well please with blatant disregard for others.You are an obtuse, pretentious jerkoff. I wish I didn’t have to share the same air as you. Maybe I can convince the majority that we need to snuff you out so that I can enjoy my air without having to worry about you offending me.

day when in the comment sectio

2009-04-10T06:57:38.976+02:00

day when in the comment section he was called a fascist because he held laissez-faire beliefs. You are a raging psychopath. And the way you describe yourself is clearly a republican. You believe the biggest kid on the playground should be able to kick the crap out of anyone they

As many of you are probably no

2009-03-29T22:53:29.808+02:00

As many of you are probably now aware Wisconsin has FINALLY (and thankfully!) passed this ban. The science, government, and MAJORITY support it.It will be implemented.I, for one, cannot wait!

“Bar and restaurant owners hav

2009-03-29T21:02:21.663+02:00

“Bar and restaurant owners have to follow a ton of other regulations in order to keep their licenses so adding one more doesn’t seem out of the ordinary or against their rights.” The Dept. of Public Health is in place to protect the public from unseen dangers. Last time I looked, I could see smoke from a cigarette. I wouldn’t know if there were rats in the basement and expect the DPH to make sure. I do not want them to “protect” me from something I can clearly see for myself and act accordingly!

I find it difficult to believe

2009-03-28T08:46:08.109+01:00

I find it difficult to believe that health is not an issue to you all. I assume most of you who are against smoking bans are smokers? Smoking and second-hand smoke have been proven time and time again to have extremely detrimental health effects. My grandfather has to go to a check up once a year to make sure that smoking hasn’t caused cancer or deterioration internally, in addition to his regular check ups.The government would actually lose quite a bit of money from the smoking ban. The sale of tobacco products reels in quite a bit of money for them and banning indoor smoking would, obviously, detriment that income. Yes, these bans limit the right of businesses to choose whether they allow smoking or not, but by allowing smoking, the rights of every non-smoking employee and customer is taken away. I can’t believe you all would think that your kids and pets and spouses and friends are not harmed by smoke inhalation and that you would WANT places to continue allowing the people you care about be harmed.And for future reference, the fire behind your arguments REALLY is diminished by textspeak. No serious, educated person would ever take your argument seriously using textspeak, and if that’s how you are speaking when you are out of highschool or college, get a life. I’m sixteen and at least I can spell “you” and “people” and I don’t use double negatives. Honestly? If you want to argue something and be taken seriously, write so you don’t sound like a tween punk.

Hi You really do write right f

2009-03-25T20:43:36.923+01:00

Hi You really do write right from your heart. If people like you, who really care give up – who is going to see that things go in the right direction? You will probably never be happy with our politicians, and Yes, this is probably the best we can do – because sadly – the really best don’t go into politics. Keep on speaking up. Its how you can fight the fight.

Adults should be provided the

2009-03-17T15:24:14.279+01:00

Adults should be provided the area/venue/room to do whatever they want to as long as they aren’t offending someone else. This does not validate carte-blanche wholesale prohibitions of actions that some find offensive. If the majority of people wish to prohibit smoking everywhere, or owners of business wish to prohibit smoking in their establishments, it is their right. BY THE SAME TOKEN, if the owner of an establishment wishes to allow smoking on their premises they should be allowed to. They should be allowed to do so AS LONG AS the smoke doesn’t spill over to the public areas and be offensive to the non-smokers. THE MARKET PLACE HAS BANNED SMOKING IN MOST WORK PLACES AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS. The market does it a lot better than heavy handed politicians. There should be some places left to smoke. A CIGAR STORE/BAR is a fine example, if the smell of cigars offends someone, they shouldn’t go in. If I have a establishment , or private place, where smokers mingle and it is clearly marked smoking allowed, non smokers should not be able to impose their prejudices against those that do smoke. The tyranny of the majority must not be allowed to run unfettered over the rights of the individual.

Jesse Well I said it and you

2009-03-05T11:23:39.259+01:00

Jesse Well I said it and you did not disappoint me, You did indeed sleep through both science and civics. Were you awake for any of your lessons. You told me on my blog about the indisputable evidence backing a smoking ban and now your here spouting this bullshit. As I pointed out before Laissez-faire The term is often used to refer to various economic philosophies and political philosophies which seek to minimize or eliminate government intervention in most or all aspects of society. Being a hard core Libertarian that is the doctrine that I subscribe to. How you can equate that to control from the top down is beyond me. It is minimum control not total control. When I started working every job had health care, I started out as a car hop at a drive in restaurant and I had medical insurance. Then came along Johnson’s great society creating the welfare system. Of course they did not want to pay full retail so they set limits that they were willing to pay for each procedure. Well guess what that got passed on to the paying customers and the insurance companies and now we have a health crisis. I am not a big fan of Bush but you knee jerk liberals want to blame everything on him. He warned of this financial crisis his first year in office and he wanted government intervention then. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fveritasvincitprolibertate.wordpress.com%2Fpage%2F2%2F&feature=player_embedded So you see more often then not the government is the problem not the cure. So again put down that crack pipe. Go back and take civics and science again only this time Stay awake!!!!!!!!

mpls bob – I am from Illinois,

2009-03-03T06:23:31.945+01:00

mpls bob – I am from Illinois, the biggest nanny state in the US. I too now drive to Wisconsin to go to a bar and smoke. My husband and I have found a very friendly little bar/restaurant we enjoy. The people are friendly and the food is great. In fact I remember when it was like that in Illinois. Since January I have not visited a bar in Illinois. I will not. It is not just the smokes, it is the friendly owners, lively talk, fun crowd, that makes a place enjoyable. When I go out to spend my money I want to go to a place like this. Not a place where for part of my enjoyment I have to go stand by the dumpster. By the way, there are usually quite a few people standing around smoking outside, surely enough to keep a smoker friendly bar going. But no, as adults we can’t even choose to congregate together inside a comfortable building to enjoy a night out. The nannies in Illinois won’t let us. Go Wisconsin. Fight this deplorable statewide smoking ban. I hope you win because I’ll be up there again this summer for my two week vacation.

Youre spot on..and not it is N

2009-02-24T16:56:37.960+01:00

Youre spot on..and not it is NOT a road we want to be coerced to go down!:)

Why is it that all the researc

2009-02-04T14:53:34.082+01:00

Why is it that all the research on tobacco is about how bad it is? Where is the research showing benefits of smoking? You think there aren’t any? We all know nicotine is a poison and smoking delivers just a small amount at a time. A smoker’s blood contains this poison and therefore will be antagonistic to some bacteria or viruses. Smile. I just lit another cigarette and I haven’t had any kind of bacterial or viral infection for over 30 years! Hasn’t anyone thought to check on the good things about smoking?

Your sad atteempt to draw rela

2009-01-28T16:49:39.542+01:00

Your sad atteempt to draw relations between fascism and laissez faire economics is interesting, but comical at best. I’m not entirely sure how it is that you have come to the bizzarre conclusion that free market economics is top down control. In a truly free market (near anarcho-capitalist) there is no control from the top because the people (consumers) ensure that no entity becomes too powerful or controlling. As far as I can tell, this is quite the opposite of what you’re claiming. So, while your meaningless opinion is ammusing, you haven’t yet actually presented anything of any substantial value to back up your statement.And how in the hell did we end up talking about taxes? Damn your obtuse. Not one person here (including me) advocates for no taxes. I’m not sure how you got that idea jammed into your skull, but you best dump it. Funny thing is that you list off a few of the things that we actually do believe are legitimate government functions. As such, these are some of the few things that tax dollars should be used for. My (our) gripe is that about 99% of our taxes get thrown away on things that are not legitimate government functions. In fact, if we weren’t flushing billions away on bailouts, sick social programs etc, then we actually would have the resources to have a phenomenal water program, great roads and bridges etc. As it is right now, the way our tax dollars are spent is absolutely asinine and pure evidence of a government out of control. If you seem to think that this is perfectly acceptable and continue to think that my idea of limiting government expenditures (and thereby taxes) to its legitimate functions is somehow a bad thing, then you have far greater problems than I intially thought.Regarding your pithy little reference to my claim of not owing anybody a thing, you are clearly mixed up in your thinking. I don’t owe anybody a goddamn thing. I will gladly pay taxes for the necessary services needed to keep this country operating and safe, however it ends there. But the fact that even one red cent of my tax dollars goes into the pocket of somebody else who is somehow more deserving of it than I am does nothing but piss me off – hence, I don’t owe them a thing. But hey, I guess if we listen to bleeding heart fuck-o’s out there, those of us who aren’t up to our eyes in shit owe something to the people who are. But ya know what? Screw that. It’s not the job of the government or any other person to tell me I am somehow less deserving of the fruits of my labor than another. If I choose to be charitable, then I will do so out of the goodness of my heart.

Here’s why I dislike the ban.I

2009-01-24T16:35:10.507+01:00

Here’s why I dislike the ban.I myself have been hoping to open up a hookah bar for a long time. This is a bar dedicated to smoking, and I don’t know if I will be able to find some way to still do this. I might be able to get away with making it a private club or running it myself without any employees.

This is an unintelligent argum

2009-01-10T12:53:52.550+01:00

This is an unintelligent argument. Alcohol to Tobacco is not apples to apples. Alcohol is only consumed in DESIGNATED spaces within society (bars, clubs, private homes, etc) which limits to exposure to only those who wish to partake. Smoking, however, is currently performed in a much more public setting which exposes numerous unwilling bystandards. An even field would be to LIMIT the places smoking can be performed just as consuming alcohol is LIMITED to certain areas. Thank you for not drinking (or smoking) in my face.

I appluad your fight for liber

2009-01-08T23:23:36.219+01:00

I appluad your fight for liberty. Anti-smoking laws are an affront to property rights and personal responsibility. It is incumbent for you to rally the Wisconsin troops. The anti-smoking lobby destroys freedoms and has yet to lose a legislative battle. Make your stand in Wisconsin!

The philosophy behind any fasc

2008-12-23T22:15:39.825+01:00

The philosophy behind any fascist government is one of complete top down control, with no outside intervention. This of course can be applied to governments through out history, or the philosophy can be applied to other non democratic institutions, such as corporations that exist with in a laizzes faire economic system. Facism is a totalitarian form of government, but the philosophy behind it roots it self in the origins of laizzes faire economics. In between hits of my crack pipe, I have opened many history books and taken many courses on this subject matter, something the two of you clearly haven’t. My previous comment was on the blog owners “about me” section. Taxes are the price you pay for living in a civilized society. This is overused I agree, however the sentiment is accurate. If you want to live in a society that has all the things we enjoy than you must pay to live in it. Taxes aren’t “owing anybody” anything. That’s not what paying taxes is. If you would prefer to live some where were all that taxes for are those few things, than by all means there are many countries in the global south where you could do just that. You probably won’t live past 50, due to the water and air being toxic and people living in such poverty due to a lack of government support that they will shoot you for your shoes, but go nuts.

i am a smoker. in my english c

2008-12-22T15:18:08.103+01:00

i am a smoker. in my english class we have write a arguementative research paper about something that pertains to our lives. so i choose weather or not the smoking ban should be appealled. interesting fact here is the people who support and push for this bill “Smoking bans in the U.S. have been funded by those who directly profit from the sales of Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRT),” said Debi Kistner with Opponents of Ohio Bans. Robert Wood Johnson, the late CEO of Johnson & Johnson, established the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) tax exempt non-profit 501(c)(3) in the early 1970s. According to their November 2005 publication, “Taking on tobacco: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Assault on Smoking”, from 1991 to 2005 the foundation paid $446,398,054 in tobacco-control grants. Grantees that did not move from tobacco education to tobacco control became ineligible for further grants (see also Opponents of Ohio Bans). As of March 31, 2008 the foundation owns 35,435,189 shares of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) common stock (valued at nearly 2.3 billion dollars) and is one of the company’s largest institutional holders. As a tax exempt foundation RWJF pays 1 percent tax on realized capital gains and dividends from its investments, while other investors pay 15 percent. Johnson & Johnson profits from the sales of Nicoderm CQ and Nicorette products. The foundation therefore directly profits from cigarette tax and smoking ban laws they’ve provided grants to create. In January 2008, 1,000,000 boxes of the company’s nicotine replacement products were reportedly sold and Nicoderm CQ is touted as the “best selling smoking cessation patch in history”. April 15, 2008, Forbes reported that Johnson & Johnson profit jumped 40% during the first quarter of 2008. “Why is it legal for a non-profit foundation to directly profit from stock that is driven by the sales of products coerced by a law that their grants create? Where are those, such as state attorneys general, who are supposed to protect consumers’ interests? Why should a pharmaceutical company and their private foundation be profiting while Ohio’s businesses fold? We believe these questions raise important issues that must be addressed by Ohio legislators,” said Pam Parker with Opponents of Ohio Bans.OPPONENTS OF OHIO BANS;Who Really Profits From Smoking Bans? DRUG WEEK-SECTION: EXPANDED REPORTING; Pg. 1939- August 8 ,2008 this just goes to show the ppl who own businesses like guy in MN and the guy in OH are losing their money to big business… so now if u wanna make money from smokes u better close ur bar and start making cessation products… i think this is absolute bull. i cant drink yet but hell i would love to able to go into a bar with my friends have a good time and smoke a pack of cigs. i agree that smoke might be a pain in the ass but hell theres no smokin at lots of places that have bars so why dont you get back on the feet that walked you in and walk your ass back out the door. we smoke, we kill ourselves, we dont give a shit, please leave our rights to go to a shitty country bar get a lil tipsy and smoke like a freight train. then we’ll call our DD go home and pass out after makin love to our women… or just start smokin and it won’t bother you no moreWe are all getting screwed over here the companies who say they’re just trying to help us are paying to push through laws that will pad their pockets and buy their lambos

A lot of us understand how you

2008-12-15T11:52:23.279+01:00

A lot of us understand how you feel Ryan. With that said, I believe we have to fight until the fat lady not only stops singing but is off the stage! You have been an inspiration to so many on this blog..As a new blogger just a few months ago, I thought wow, this guy is really making a difference! So know that you have even when it seems it is all for naught..because it really is not. We can lose the battle but the war ain’t over.It is hard and darn depressing! Put on your boxing gloves and hit em hard friend! Btw, Like the look of your site.

hmmmmm…notice how spawn tries

2008-12-13T07:53:38.356+01:00

hmmmmm…notice how spawn tries to hit me here where I don’t check as often as I should.Truth be told, I did say I would quit drinking and smoking if my wife did because of the pregnancy. I told her that anything she was going to give up it was only fair that I did the same. Sadly, she is no longer pregnant. While she was pregnant, I has quit drinking completely and reduced my smoking to a cigar a week (outside even….that was weird) and about 5 cigs a day. We are still trying to have a baby, and when she gets pregnant again, I will quit smoking. And for all of you who read too much into that, the reason I am going to do that is because the smell of smoke while she is pregnant makes her nauseous. For that reason and that reason alone, I am also not going to have any fires in the fireplace or light any candles. I may even have to reduce my bbqing. I spoke with her doctor the other day and asked him if we should quit or not. He said…and you will love this….seeing as how he knew that I would research whatever he said and call him on the carpet on it he would be totally honest with me and not just tell me WHAT THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION SAYS HE HAS TO TELL ME. He said that the only think smoking does is rob the body of vitamin C and folic acid. As long as my wife took these supplements, she should be ok.So I guess I should say…put that in your pipe and smoke it )

I think u have a good point bu

2008-12-03T17:46:06.735+01:00

I think u have a good point but u are missing but the comment about people rights and the buisness rights was just a little out there ya u can smoke but not in the places that don’t allow it its government law u got to follow it. By being annoying and the “in your face” thing that will only give them a reason to push the issue.

JesseYou really should put dow

2008-11-18T03:41:40.108+01:00

JesseYou really should put down that crack pipe.“Laizzes faire economics is most closely related politically to facism.”?If you are going to talk politics you really should get your terminology correct. Try cracking open a history book the NAZI’s were Statists. Hell their name says it all. National Socialist German Workers’ Party. Laissez-faire The term is often used to refer to various economic philosophies and political philosophies which seek to minimize or eliminate government intervention in most or all aspects of society. Fascism is a totalitarian form of government where the government controls everything. This is not my blog but you morons that can’t even get your terminology correct really piss me off. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statism

Wouldnt it be something if thi

2008-11-16T17:27:21.116+01:00

Wouldnt it be something if this wealth started getting redistributed to Somalia or the Sudan. Or Kenya where his brother and cousin are kicking up Islamic extremism?

So, I have to agree with you o

2008-11-16T16:23:40.493+01:00

So, I have to agree with you on the hate part ledotter. It’s everywhere these days, what with the greenies, “global warming”, health freaks, etc… I do want to clarify one thing, I do hate the smoke…not the smokers. There are a lot of vocal haters out there but what I’m really concerned about are the quiet ones. The ones that are quietly, behind the scenes, controlling government and/or public opinion. Speculators and economists running uncontrolled in the commodities markets (oil prices anyone?). Things are happening at a frightening pace these days. The World is smaller than it’s ever been and those quiet ones are taking advantage of the media capabilities. The pace of change is overtaking common sense and rationality, all under the guise of the betterment of mankind.I drew my line at smoking inside public buildings and I tried very hard to make that crystal clear. We talked about the fallout from that and I somewhat downplayed that scenario. I’m seeing the effect of that now, not necessarily in the smoking arena but in the price of oil, or the green movement or…well you name it, if it’s got the stamp of “better for mankind” then it’s being driven faster than people can really decide if it’s actually better or not. But, I guarantee you one thing, someone is making money from it somewhere.Smoking seems like such a small thing and I am still strongly against it in public spaces but I’d like to hear what everyone thinks about why oil prices are going unchecked. This problem is hurting absolutely everything. Ryan, start that thread. I know you’ve touched on it but let’s hear it directly.

As a small restaurant owner in

2008-11-04T18:34:08.100+01:00

As a small restaurant owner in a small town in Ohio, I can attest to the impact that the Ban has most certainly had on my business. It’s down 30% since before the Ban was implemented, and specifically since May 3rd 2007 when enforcement officially began. The Anti-Smoking proponents routinely claims that small business owners like myself lie about such losses to benefit our “addiction”, …this is simply more misdirection by the same groups that have no reasonable explanation for implementing the ban to begin with. If Smoking Bans were good for business. I wouldn’t be posting here today.The debate is not rightfully about where smoking should be allowed to occur …but why. The reason why it should be allowed is the only legitimate argument, and like smokers themselves, has been marginalized by Anti-smoking zealots that fear the validity of that argument actually making sense to the public. Misdirection is something that Anti-smoking / Anti-liberty forces have come to excel in and unlike those of us that receive no funding to defend our liberty, they have the necessary funding to ensure the cause they claim to support is never ever confused with the true rent seeking agenda they pursue. Tobacco is still a legal in the state of Ohio, and in 2006, more than a billion dollars was generated specifically from the sale of tobacco products throughout the state. Despite the faux paternalistic concern of self appointed guardians of individual health, and the manufactured “science” promoted specifically to support the campaign of “denormalization” against smokers, the alleged deleterious health consequences of smoking is a secondary concern, and even then only to those who make the choice. Now under the existing law, and as a reward from the State for not smoking, the individual liberty of Non-smokers has been greatly expanded at the direct expense of the same liberties being rescinded from individual smokers as punitive coercion to quit, and from business and property owners that specifically support and cater to that preference.“It’s not a Rights issue, it’s a Heath issue” This argument has no merit whatsoever. Just as it true that “the dose makes the poison”, it is equally true that Choice makes the difference in a Smoking Ban being either a Health or a Rights issue. Personal preference does not trump Private Property Rights, and Private property rights do not trump personal choice. These things are mutually exclusive unless you happen to be the owner of the property. Private property owners, specifically the hospitality based business owners that are clearly the primary target of Smoking Bans nationwide, decide on the environment they wish to make available in order to entice a specific market segment of consumers into choosing their specific environment. The public’s only input into this decision is whether or not they choose to accept an offer of employment, or enter that environment as potential patrons or employees. They are free to decline in both instances because if the environment doesn’t suit their personal preference, it is ultimately their personal responsibility to do so. There is no obligation to be there ever. It would be a Health issue for those concerned only if there were no other choice of venue available to patronize. With more than 27,000 hospitality based businesses in Ohio to choose from, this IS a Rights issue. The rights of the business owner to provide an environment specifically designed to entice citizens that smoke into their business has been rescinded in favor of no choice at all, and that’s what makes it a rights issue. Choice negates the risk for those concerned with making one.The “right to breathe clean air”. To put it simply, there is No Such Right, and to pretend that there is ignores the ubiquitous nature of a much more prevalent, and far more dangerous Class A carcinogen that accounts for fully 50% of the contaminants in the air quality of every major city in the US.,..diesel exhaust. The indoor air quality of hospitality based businesses is no less subject to the owners personal preference than the air quality of the open street just outside their entrances. They care about both, but have direct influence over only one. The potential employee or patron that would seek out and enter a venue where smoking is allowed, does so of their own volition knowing a difference between “outside” air, and “inside” air is likely, and unquestionable if it is promoted accordingly. Nonsmoking patrons and employees enter a private establishment as a privilege extended by the owner, not as a constitutional right. Any obligation to enter is the result of a personal choice made by each, and any expectation of indoor air quality being something other than promoted is ludicrous. There is no “right” to breathe “clean air”. There can only be a reasonable expectation that the air we breathe is relatively safe, and appropriate signage to announce the tobacco usage policy of the business should be more than sufficient warning to the Non-Smoking public. The private business owner’s right to allow his patrons and/or employees to engage in a legal activity supersedes the intolerance of that activity by those who would patronize, or accept employment in the establishment by their own free will. Smoking Bans are not about the health of Non-smokers, and they are most assuredly not in the best interest of independent business when the prescribed method of protection is based on coercion through punitive measures enforced against the business owner for having the audacity to provide an environment that is specifically sought by patrons as one that will accommodate their personal preferences. Smoking Bans are a ham-fisted attempt at social engineering through legalized discrimination against an all inclusive group of citizens that share at least one critical trait among themselves. These Citizens would prefer to make their own decisions rather than surrender their autonomy. “For their own good” is a gross misnomer, and government intrusion into their personal choices is completely unwarranted. Smoking Bans diminish consumer choice, and dramatically reduce the economic vitality of all small independent businesses.Smoking Bans in “Public Places” are designed to coerce those that have made the choice to smoke, and specifically the Private Property Owners that would allow it into surrendering their right to make those choices. Eliminating the choice by property owners of providing accommodation to smokers is a clear and prejudicial violation of the property owners right to quiet enjoyment, exclusive use, and all other benefits of ownership. It has nothing to do with the health of Non-smokers since the Non-smokers choice to be there remains, as it always has been, a choice. Lastly, …for now, … The Anti-Smoking claim of “a 90% voluntary compliance rate” is at the very least, misleading. There are more than 280,000 business entities registered with the Ohio Secretary of State. Of the 280,000 registered businesses, approximately 10% of those registered entities (more than 27,000) are hospitality and leisure based businesses. Nearly 40,000 complaints have been filed with the ODH in the two years since inception of the ordinance, and 99% of those complaints have been made specifically against private clubs, restaurants and bars. DO THE MATH The source of “Non-compliance” are those industries that were specifically targeted by the ordinance in the first place. Any negative impact to any other industry is simply collateral damage required to afford an appearance of the law being “fairly” applied to all “places of employment”. (More statistical slight of hand)It’s always easy to rescind the rights of others, especially if you don’t approve of their choices. Don’t hold your breath though, because you are not immune to the coming assault on your liberty as well.

an aside, if you’re interested

2008-10-21T11:26:12.036+02:00

an aside, if you’re interested, this blogger had a post up on smoking bans. Summary: he doesn’t like

Your right alaskanspawn – this

2008-10-21T01:53:42.630+02:00

Your right alaskanspawn – this should get published somewhere. It was a great discussion and most of all it was CIVIL. I’m getting SOOOO tired of the name calling and hate language from the anti’s! – it’s as if all the good I’ve done in my 64 years is canceled out because I’ve smoked for 51 of them. I just got attacked with a rolled up newspaper (again) while smoking in a designated OUTDOOR smoking area. The law of unintended (?) consequences applies to the official smoking bans – give the unstable/self-hating freaks of this world permission to hate and they will – with a vengeance! There is one good aspect – I used to be a white liberal who thought I understood the trials of minorities – boy was I naive! I now know from first hand experience how daily doses of hate, venom and injustice can wear away your soul!

Wow, some real wisdom from the

2008-10-13T10:07:40.391+02:00

Wow, some real wisdom from the peanut gallery…First off, explain how I sound like a Republican. I would love to know what you think a Republican is and why you think I sound like one.Second, the kid on the playground will never learn to stand on his own if there is always somebody there to coddle him and protect him from the big, bad world. I assume you are comfortable in your sheltered little world, but it has made you a feeble moron.Third, what the hell school of economics did you go to? Laizzes Faire economics is the polar opposite of fascism considering it is a rejection of government control while fascism is total government control from behiond the scenes (socialism is overt government control). You are, I assume, making the claim that allowing free markets to govern the market is a greater fascist threat than allowing idiot government bureaucrats who know nothing about economics to control the economy to fullfill their own sick needs.I find it amusing that you come here and call me names and accuse me of being a fascist (something you clearly know nothing about), but you present nothing of any substatial interest. Where’s your argument? Where’s your theory? Where’s you’re arsenal of evidence to support your name calling and accusations? You, Jesse, are a fucking moron who has either suffered at the hands of a piss-poor public education system or somebody who thinks that they are far smarter than they really are and has no qualms about making themselves look foolish so long as they get their opinion out. Either way, you can just crawl back to your happy playground and hide under the nanny’s skirt.

my sister just turned 18 and h

2008-10-12T19:57:02.963+02:00

my sister just turned 18 and has been smoking since she ewas 16 and is now legal to smoke i dont beleive that the leal smoking age should be 18 it should be moved up to 21 justl ike drinking i mean what is the difference between them? And i do beleive i am right and not wrong!!!!

Ryan Evans, had a great post o

2008-10-06T14:54:30.509+02:00

Ryan Evans, had a great post on his blog today that I totally relate to. The title is "Why it’s Hard", and I feel his

I don’t think of it as butting

2008-09-27T18:42:42.694+02:00

I don’t think of it as butting heads fray. In the very least, Ryan has brought the bill to my attention, so I have to thank him for that. But this idea that there will be a global tax or that the bill makes us subservient to the UN is a leap that I don’t feel is supported by the text of the bill itself. I could be wrong though.

So it’s been a few months sinc

2008-09-24T10:23:44.767+02:00

So it’s been a few months since I’ve visited this thread. After re-reading everyone’s posts I have one thing to say…we should publish this somewhere. This is probably the most definitive discussion on the topic that I’ve seen and everyone’s arguments were well thought out. Was kind of fun re-reading this.So I’ll be back in AK for a bit next month and will be curious to see if Alaskancamel has quit smoking during his wife’s pregnancy like he said he would . I believe the deal was that if she couldn’t drink or smoke then he couldn’t either and I have my wife to back me up on that statement. Somehow I doubt it ended up that way but we’ll see .

I’ve been asking you to go the

2008-09-23T19:08:11.972+02:00

I’ve been asking you to go there for a while now but all you keep talking about is politics and smoking I do have a belief that someday we will go there just for the fun of it. All it will take is some news article or youtube clip.I’ll be around and waiting…

Ethanol is a bunch of crap. I

2008-09-21T04:57:40.952+02:00

Ethanol is a bunch of crap. It would take a farm the size of Texas to meet our nation’s ethanol goal. When I stop at the pump, the ethanol gas doesn’t cost any less that regular gas. How’s it going to help? It took the US less than ten years to put a man on the moon, but its going on 60 years to find a better means of transportation. Where’s the leadership and the common outrage?Green energy is good when developed properly and reasonably. Most of the time though, it gets an idea and then goes overboard. Don’t worry about the coal jobs, just like spoke makers and buggy whip makers, they’ll move to another arena. We just have to make sure the arena is ready.

Smoking is an addiction. It i

2008-09-17T22:50:08.097+02:00

Smoking is an addiction. It is a very UNHEALTHY addiction. So is drinking. There are many more people who can drink without becoming addicted than to smoking, however. Addicts think and speak from their addictions, not reason. They become paranoid when they feel their “addiction” or their “choice”, as they blindly see it, is being attacked. It becomes personal because they ARE their addiction. NO ONE IS SAYING SMOKERS HAVE TO QUIT. The bottom line is that the rest of us don’t want to breathe the smoke or be exposed to second hand smoke, whether it is dangerous or just a mild annoyance. The problem here is that the SMOKERS are causing the ruination of the small bars, not the bans! I have been posting on an anti-smoking board for months and I will tell you that they have deliberately BOYCOTTED their local establishments and proudly admitted doing so. Then they have the nerve to complain and whine and blame the bans, “non-smokers” or “antis” as they call them, on the problem. Anyone who uses the words, Nazi, nannys, or antis to describe those of us who are concerned about our health and welfare, are, in fact, addicted to smoking.I personally believe it is a temporary problem at best. The smokers who enjoyed drinking or who are addicted to alcohol as well, as many are, they will eventually give in and go back to the bars “patios” or if they can’t stay away from their addiction for an hour or two, stay at home. Bars prey on addicts. Just like the porn industry. Maybe the fewer bars there are, the fewer drunks on the highway! A good thing! They don’t really care about their patrons, other than their “codependendency” on feeding and encouraging their addiction to their own benefit, monetary gains, that is. That’s just my opinion. Addicts are addicts and the only complaints are coming from those establisment that cater to addictions such as alcoholism, smoking, sex, and gambling. In my area, two “strip joints” have felt the affects of the bans, one is foundering and the other closed down and I say GOOD RIDANCE! Another positive affect of the bans.Non-addicted patrons will not spend the money on alcohol or gambling or whatever like the addict will. Addiction is a disease, not a right of passage and certainly not something that the rest of us have to adjust our lives around. Personally, I’m getting sick and tired of hearing all the whining.

Ok, real quick. The MN statut

2008-09-13T21:39:58.702+02:00

Ok, real quick. The MN statute does allow you to smoke in your place of business if you are the only employee/owner and you do not open your doors to the public (really generalized but you can read the entire thing here http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/mciaa/ftb/mciaa.pdf).If there are 2 or more employees you’re out of luck.

Spawn needs to move back to Al

2008-09-10T22:12:21.780+02:00

Spawn needs to move back to Alaska so he can warm up. Minn is damn cold!

You are a raging psychopath.

2008-09-07T15:33:40.674+02:00

You are a raging psychopath. And the way you describe yourself is clearly a republican. You believe the biggest kid on the playground should be able to kick the crap out of anyone they want with no interference from the teacher. Laizzes faire economics is most closely related politically to facism. Which by definition means pure top down control, which is how corporations operate. You are a facist.

Boy, do I know how you feel!!!

2008-09-01T15:55:34.127+02:00

Boy, do I know how you feel!!! Maybe that’s why I’m so pissed off all the time! That would explain it wouldn’t it?

I think that captainwoof smoke

2008-08-28T18:53:46.904+02:00

I think that captainwoof smokes more than just cigs.