OpinionJanuary 3, 2011
Speak Out 1/3/11
THE side effects of secondhand smoke are not exaggerated. My parents never smoked, my siblings never smoked, my husband never smoked, my children never smoked, I never smoked. Yet when I hiccup, belch or cough, I taste smoke in my mouth and lungs. I have worked in restaurants for 50 years. ...
No exaggeration
THE side effects of secondhand smoke are not exaggerated. My parents never smoked, my siblings never smoked, my husband never smoked, my children never smoked, I never smoked. Yet when I hiccup, belch or cough, I taste smoke in my mouth and lungs. I have worked in restaurants for 50 years. I started tasting the smoke more than 40 years ago. I reeked of smoke in my hair, in my clothes, in my person when I came home from work. So I had to shower and wash my hair every night and throw my smelly clothes out on the carport until wash day. I have not worked in a restaurant for four years yet I still taste the smoke when I burp or cough. Smokers have no right to pollute the air. They have no idea how bad they stink. How would they like it if I rub dog poo on me and sat next to them in a restaurant? There's no law that says I can't do that. It's just common sense not to be offensive to other people and their space.
Ban needed
Many adults say they wish they had never started smoking. With COPD, cancer and other smoke related problems, how can we not pass a smoking ban? But if the city does turn a blind eye to this problem, at least do something to better guide the youths of our area. Ban smoking in all business that allow those younger than 21 to enter their doors.
The place for secrets
IF the government is so worried about Wikileaks publishing secrets maybe they should keep them in the same place they hide Obama's birth certificate and college transcripts.
30 percent drop
I lived in Phoenix when their smoking ban was enacted. After a few months I spoke with the proprietor of my local watering hole about how his business was doing since the ban. He said he had suffered a 30 percent drop in business. I'm pretty sure in these tough financial times many of our fine downtown establishments could not take that kind of loss. Think about this before you vote, locals.
Health bill is legal
THE Republicans claim the health bill is illegal. However, everyone has to pay Social Security. So, that proves that the health bill is legal. The past 10 years, health insurance has kept going up. Something has to be done. If the health bill is stopped, health insurance will still keep going up. Most of them are millionaires and higher cost doesn't bother them. Especially since they have the best plan anyway. I don't believe that is want the people really wasn't them to do.
Regulations
WHAT do people mean when they say government can't regulate health conditions in restaurants? Would you prefer that restaurants serve food without regular health inspections? Think about it. Smoking is a health issue, which impacts non-smokers (including wait staff). It's not like the government is telling the business what kind of sign it can have. Oh yeah, it already does that. Businesses live under regulations all the time. Smoking should be one of them.
Informed viewers
NO surprise here. A non-partisan University of Maryland study found that those who watch Fox News are the most uninformed or misinformed. Guess which channel had the most accurately informed viewers? MSNBC!
Picking up the tab
I am almost an absolutist when it comes liberty. I believe a healthy person who can afford health insurance but refuses to do so should have that right and that if he gets a debilitating, expensive illness he can't afford, the rest of us should pick up the tab.
A comeback kid?
I agree with thoughtful conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer. He recently wrote that future historians may well look at President Obama's recent string of legislative victories as the beginning of a comeback comparable to if not surpassing that of comeback kid Bill Clinton.
Like drinking, driving
TO smoke or not to smoke in public places, that is the question. The public's health and safety overrules the right of smokers to smoke in public areas. This is the same as no drinking while driving and other public health and safety issues.
Smoking and the VFW
I am a veteran and a member of the local VFW. I realize that this is a private club that we built with our own money as well as donations. However, just because some of the veterans here smoke, doesn't mean all of them smoke! I am a non-smoker and even though I enjoy the camaraderie of my buddies here, I despise the smoke. I also know that many people don't visit this great establishment due to the smoke. In tough economic times like today we need all the patrons we can get and I think the smoking ban would actually be beneficial to this club.
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Separate systems
IF restaurants want to avoid a smoking ban then they should remodel and have separate rooms and air systems for smokers. Also places like the bowling alley should not allow smoking on weekends and school holidays. Make the air child-friendly instead of clothing and hair smelling like ashtrays.
Got what he wanted
THIS is about the article where the parent might be jailed because a child missed school. I'm not a rocket scientist, but that's just what the child wanted. He didn't want to go to school and since he's going to be suspended rest of the semester, the school board played right in his hands. He doesn't have to go to school now because they won't let him to school. They've got to come up with a different solution than that.
Limit unemployment
I'M for the unemployment but six months there, if you don't get out and try to find yourself a job, there's something wrong because you can pick up a paper and there's jobs in there. They've got the unemployment, that was a temporary thing when you don't have a job. But they've got it up now where people don't want to work, they'd like to keep banker's hours. They don't get out there and do some hard labor like everybody used to have to do to make a living. When they can draw that $325 or $350 a week, plus get food stamps and doctor benefits and free meals for the children and stuff, that's like making $400 or $500 a week clear money. They're not going to look for a job and it's never going to change until they lower that unemployment.
Cell phone rudeness
I was just shopping at Macy's and lady was paying bill on her card and she gave the girl $200 and the girl said to her, "Do you want to apply this entire amount to your card?" and she shook her head yes because she was really busily talking on her cell phone, and then when the girl gave her receipt, she said, "Where is my change?" The clerk said, "There is no change, I applied it to your card." And then she said, "I'll have to call you back," and she was very indignant and very upset that this girl was such an idiot that she applied the entire amount to her card. She couldn't get off her phone for two minutes to take care of a financial transaction. I'll tell you what, these people and their cell phones have gone just a little too far.
Gas comparisons
I wish someone could explain to me how the same gas station on one side of the interstate is $2.89 and on the other side of the interstate, it's $2.75. The same station, go figure.
Following the money
Naysayers argue that casino patrons spend their money and it leaves town. What about church mission work? When I drop money into the offering plate and it goes to a project in Haiti or Zimbabwe, isn't that the same as a casino's supposed effect?
No designation
ONE solution to the smoking issue is that restaurants and bars should be allowed to designate themselves a smoking restaurant or a non-smoking restaurant. No in-between should be allowed.
Let's get along
TO all the smokers and non-smokers out there squabbling about government ordinances: Can't we all just get along?
Thanks, mayor
I'M thinking about things I'm thankful about at the end of this year, and, I want to say thanks to the Mayor of Cape. You and previous mayors have received a lot of grief. But you're doing a good job or you'd be hearing a lot more grief. Thanks for what you do. Don't let the few voices discourage you from your public service. It is appreciated by most of us.
Inaccurate census
THE reason we are losing a representative in Missouri is more than likely because the census was/is inaccurate. Counties that do not have 9-1-1 addresses received misaddressed mail from the census. By the rules, if it is misaddressed, then it goes back to the sender. Many rural post offices returned most of the mailings because they were in no way close to the correct addresses. One person mentioned to me she never got counted because she could not get through on their phone lines. Also, some of the census counters sent out to the very rural areas did not want to travel on gravel roads, so they didn't. This is true.
Smoking ban
ALL Cape voters need to remember is which one of our council members was in favor of this encroachment on the rights of private business owners.
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