Bars, clubs included in Austin smoke ban - ordinance allows tobacco in billiard halls, bingo parlors

Austin American-Statesman ^ | June 6, 2003 | By Stephen Scheibal

[VRWC_minion]

I love the smell of a wood fire. Maybe you guys could get the tobacco companies to change the stench or is the stench a required part of the smoking ambience ?

[headsonpikes]

"I love the smell of a wood fire."

That's fine for you, but if you have children, they should be removed from your abusive care.

The smoke from burning wood is substantially the same as that of burning tobacco.

Of course, you know all this.

You have a great deal of fun on these smoking threads mocking the apparent futility of efforts by smokers to be treated as other than dysfunctional social lepers.

You present the fait accompli of the many successful smoking bans as a sufficient counter-argument to all the carefully thought out defences of property rights, personal liberty, and etc.

IMO, it is the very process of seeing reason scorned and evidence distorted that leads people to realize that there is little overlap between, one the one hand, the interests of the Government and its minions, and on the other, the interests of the people.

Creating exhaustive controls over public smoking is merely one facet of the overweaning perfectionist ambitions of the proto-totalitarians who staff the 'public services'. The triumphalism of these social engineers merely speeds the day of reckoning. ;^)

Without the stumbling-blocks, there would be no material for stepping-stones.

[VRWC_minion]

Don't worry, we have electric heat.

[headsonpikes]

"Don't worry, we have electric heat."

That's quite the response to my post.

[jpsb]

One must go to a mall in Houston if one wants to do any real shopping. It is a no choice situation.

I own a bar in the Houston area, I hope Houston follows Auston. My business will increase greatly as Houston bar hopper flee the city. Watch the increase in business in bars just outside Austons' city limits.

[Proud_texan]

"The champions of the Smoke Ban in Austin are band members and waitstaff."

Hardly conclusive but all the interviews I've seen of workers said they'd rather not see the ban, they're much more concerned about patrons that "refund" on them after popping a dozen dollar jello shots.

Of course it is Austin, the only city (as far as I know) that provides city funded, no questions asked, on the spot abortions. Of course is you exist outside of the womb you're to be protected. Don't ride a bike without a helmet in Austin.

Lesee now. If you're not born yet the city will pay to suck your brains out but if you're born and ride a bike they don't want you to bump your head. Yep, makes perfect sense to me.

And of course, if smoking is really that dangerous they should just make it illegal. I assume that it's illegal to go into a restaurant and spray DDT on workers. If smoke is all that toxic make it illegal and stop restricting what legal activities people can perform on private property.

Of course it's not toxic, some nanny state types don't approve, it's just, well, you know, so common and underclass, so, well, *redneck* and not at all compatible with crystals and Birkenstocks. Pit hair, piercings and tatoos good. Smoking and the Broken Spoke, bad.

Anybody doubts that's what this is really about, well, ya don't know Austin and the mush heads, uh, students at UT get elected every year.

[Hodar]

Anybody doubts that's what this is really about, well, ya don't know Austin and the mush heads, uh, students at UT get elected every year.

Considering one can vote at every HEB, Albertson's and Randalls in town, the malls, AND the normal voting precints; and less than 12% of the population has managed to do so .... we get exactly what we deserve. Actually, we deserve even worse. There's no excuse that <6% of the voting population DETERMINES who wins the election.

[sam_paine]

First Dallas, now Austin.

Austin imported strip malls, then Californians, now smoking bans. Austin has just succeeded in becoming just another Dallas or Houston. Bye bye "weird Austin" forever.

[Destructor]

This was Mayor Gus Garcia's legacy to Austin. Mayor Garcia plans to retire from politics, and move to Mexico!No, I'm not joking. He's said as much himself.

[Hodar]

You can't smoke in theater's, sporting events, concerts, plays, operas, or any other indoor (and some outdoor) public performance, because a majority of the people don't want to breathe SHS. Why would a bar be any different?

You can still smoke; just not there. You can still carry a firearm; just not there. Your rights are not being violated, you are just being prevented from pushing your right to smoke above the majority's right to breathe clean air.

[sam_paine]

I don't smoke, and I hate SHS.

I don't support a smoking ban in bars.

I have yet to find a smoking ban proponent that is not befuddled as to how I could possibly hold those two positions simultaneously.

It doesn't matter what the "majority" wants, Will Wynn and the recent council runoff election has decided that this will be overturned before it goes into effect.

Nice try.

[unixfox]

Just think if electricity had been discovered today. It would be deemed too dangerous, an environmental risk and an outright public hazard.

[unixfox]

I hope your right, this end run around is nothing short of trying to instill THEIR ideology on a public that simply does not want it.

EFFING BASTARDS !!!

[MeekOneGOP]

Uh, haz anybahdy
seed hillary ??

More bump images HERE !

[MeekOneGOP]

Probably so.

[sam_paine]

Yep. Brewster McCracken's Place was the swing vote on the issue, and he just won the runoff.

But next time.......