11-10-11 Minn. burns future tobacco cash for budget fix now. CLICK HERE
Redrant: I am not an accountant but I have been following the securitization concept for more than a dozen years. Last year Minnesota recieved $170 million. Even with an expected
decline in smoking and revenues you are looking at under five years of straight dollar payback. For bond buyers a future shortfall would apparently be covered by extending the future
payback time on the bonds that are supposed to be paid into perpetuity.
What could go wrong? The first, a long shot admittedly is that the settlement could be voided by the USA Supreme Court. Specifically, the requirement that new tobacco sellers join the settlement or put a higher amount in escrow. The legal "logic" behind the case is based on failure to disclose alledged health risks, not the health risk/cost itself. The escrow plus payment would seem to be premised on the idea that the new cig sellers might decieve the public into thinking smoking is not dangerous.. Hmm!!!!!
The second danger is the downgrading of bond ratings of Minnesota and a trickle down to local governments due to the state of Minnesota "selling the family jewels". When Minnesota 's bond rating was downgraded after the shutdown on factor cited was the tobacco securitzation. Downgrades mean higher interst rates on money borrowedso this could negate much of the "cash now" money from the tobacco bond sales. Greg Lang
10-25-11 New Herman Cain ad: The smoking man. click here
09-21-11 Here's What Would Happen To The Economy If We All Quit Smoking click here
07-19-11 MPR: $700 million cig securitization cost $500M=$1.2Billion total payback. click here
07-19-11#1 Nabi says anti-smoking shot NicVAX did not work betterthan placebo. click here
07-17-11 Gallup:For the 1st time, majority supports banning smoking in public places. click here
02-27-11 NYTIMES.COM: Grow your own tobacco. click here
01-18-11 Smoking 'causes damage in minutes', US experts claim. click here
01-18-11#1 Advocacy groups fail to report Big Pharma grants. click here
12-27-10 Vaping: Public Health Case for Electronic Cigarettes. click here
12-07-10 An Aspirin A Day Reduces Lung Cancer Death Risk By 30% click here
11-29-10 NY sales of taxed cigs have dropped 27% click here
11-19-10 Supreme Court Is Asked to Strike Down Tobacco Settlement. click here
11-19-10#1 17% Think Government Should Outlaw Smoking. click here
11-19-10#2 That’s down slightly from 22% in December 2008. click here
11-09-10 Holland ALLOWS lighting up in 2000 bars and pubs. click here
10-11-10 Obama quit cigarettes? White House blows smoke. click here
10-01-10 Minnesota "Freedom to Breathe Act" act third anniversary. click here
09-08-10 A 70 year old UK woman is facing a £5,000 (the equivalent of about $8500 US) fine because she stubbed her cigarette out and pocketed the butt while waiting for a bus. click here
09-08-10 Declines in U.S. Smoking Rates Remain Stalled at 20% click here
08-29-10 Adult Smoking Ranges From 1% to 31% Across U.S. States. click here
05-08-10 Candy from home land ISD third-grader in detention for a week click here
05-02-10 Utah Clubs busted for selling liquor without scanning licenses click here
03-18-10 Drinkers Against Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. click here
03-14-10 The Left Squashes Life’s Little Pleasures. click here
03-21-10 Joe Soucheray: safe future, ruled by (s)mothering government. click her
03-01-10 Free Blackberry : New stimulus program for quit smoking. click here
02-23-10 School-Issued Laptops: Prying Eye InYour Child’s Bedroom? click here
Mini redrant: Scarey even before the peophelia potential. For starters only more affluent scholl districts can afford the laptops for all students. Poor districts don't have the money. Rural poor districts have sketchy internet. In the urban poor districts theft and abuse of the laptops would be a real problem.
In the affluent districts probably 99+% of the households already have PC's with USB ports. The school laptops are Apple/Macintosh, around 5% of the general market. Thus the logic is that students need to be given "Macs" so they have laptops compatable with the schools computers.
This is open to debate but a post Windows 95 PC can do virually anything that a "Mac" can do. With a very high-end laptop the integrated design of a Mac means that the laptop can run "faster" with the same CPU versus a PC. CPU's use a lot of power so in theory a MAC laptop can have longer battery time. The other Mac "app" very high end professional graphic arts. This is mostly because many in this field use Macs.
02-12-10 Is MN DWI enforcement focused on the wrong roads? click here
Mini redrant: Very good KSTP story points out: "Minnesota received $3.7 million from the federal government to crackdown on drunk drivers--more than ever before." In terms of raw number Hennepin County had the most alchohol related injuries and deaths. That said, Hennepin County contains almost one quarter of the MN population. When we calculate "risk" by factoring in miles driven Hennepin ranked ranked 72 out of 87!
The raw number list is rather like saying that in 2008 the Metrodome sold more alcholic beverages than any other liquor licence holder in MN. In 2008 the Metrodome hosted the Vikings, Twins, Gophers and other events. Nevermind that the Metrodome only sells 3.2 beer.
The focus on a raw list, ignoring the most basic data rules seems to be that this DUI enforcement is focuswed on the densly populated urban centers. Here there is more wealth and more money to support the "DUI Industry". Greg Lang
01-17-10 Star Tribune MADD propaganda piece. click here
Mini redrant: My comment #16 on page two. See if it gets deleted: "The accompanying graphic play a number of tricks.
For starters, the county states seem to use raw numbers. Hennepin County contains around 20% of the MN population. Per capita shows real individual risk. (Minnpost.com pointed this out before) What are the stats per million miles driven? What are the year to year stats? What is the BAC level stats for DUI arrests and accidents? (IE: Is lowering the BAC to .08 relevant?) .....Basically, this is a MADD propaganda piece cherry picking anecdotal evidence." Greg Lang
NEW! 01-01-10: Happy "Unemployment Decade(.com)"
01-02-10 Britcare:New Year drunks should pay for hospital care?click here
01-01-10 U of MN $timulus – $230K stop smoking by homeless: click here
12-30-09 Being poor could be the greatest health burden. click here
12-14-09 Boy, 12, suspended for 'crisp dealing' in school that banned junk food. click here
11-12-09 New Gopher stadium: Where have student fans gone? click here
Mini redrant: In comments to this story I posted: "Gopher Football: Losing coach Brewser and no "brew" at the games.". Check the companion blog "FreedomToAct" at blogspot. for a longer analysis/redrant on this.
11-05-09 Obesity becomes a workers’ comp complication. click here
Decisions like those are causing employment law attorneys and human resource consultants to send an alert:
Be careful about hiring obese people; they could cost you a lot more in workers’ comp or insurance.
10-04-09 MN gov candidate Tarryl Clark voted for smoking ban. click here
09-29-09 The Electronic Cigarette: The Better Way to Smoke? click here
09-25-09 Myth of the smoking ban health miracle. click here
09-21-09 Ban the Ban Wisconsin, If you need a "fix". click here
Redrant: The "smoke theater fight isn't over. I can't detail now: Greg Lang
09-17-09#1 MSNBC poll 75% oppose military ban. click here
09-16-09 Disappearing boundaries of cig prohibition click here
09-10-09 Victory! Patio seating sewer fees chopped. click here
09-08-09 NY Times Op/Ed:Big Tobacco Strikes Back click here
09-02-09 Wisconsin Cig Tax Forces Smokers Across State Lines click here
09-02-09#1 Smoking in the military: An old habit dies hard. click here
08-04-09 Raise a glass to the science of beer! click here
08-04-09#1 White House organic garden polluted with sludge. click here
Mini-redrant: My http://searshouse.com is located near an EPA "superfund" clean up district with elevated arsenic. I have been repeatedly assured by the EPA that while the arsenic levels in my yard are elevated they are "safe". Admittedly I am not losing sleep over this but I do try to mow my lawn after a sprinkle or when there is a lot of wind. The point dramatised by the "symbolic" White House garden is that they are now "spinning" that there are so-called "safe" levels of contaminants as established by the EPA. That is what the EPA officially tells me about my yard in relation to arsenic. I tend to beleive them (but take cheap, simple precautions) but when it comes to cigarette smoke there is a declaration that there is "no safe dose". This directly contradicts the EPA information given me about my property. The White House garden is a media high profile example of this contradiction. Greg Lang
07-31-09 Hot Air Blog: MN cig settlement started war against fat click here
07-30-09 Organic food is no healthier, study finds. click here
07-21-09 Is it Art? The courts say no, but who makes up these rules? click here
07-21-09#1 Cigs only Vice Punishable Under Senate Health Care Bill click here
07-14-09MN CourtofAppeals rules against Theater Night;Appeal to followclick here
07-11-09 Gov anti-cig efforts not as effective as first thought. click here
06-24-09 South Datoka smoking-ban foes play game of delay. click here
06-06-09 Louisiana Overwhelmingly Defeats Smoking Ban click here
06-03-09 FDA close to gaining oversight of tobacco. click here
06-03-09#1NYTime.com Electronic cigs:NoSmoke,or Regulation.click here
06-01-09 MPR: U of MN study finds smoking bans cost few jobs. click here
Redrant: No mention of who paid for this study. Results of the smoking ban are heavily "class based" with pulltabs most likely to be in bars with a large percentage of smokers.
05-27-09 Cig bandit wore a beer carton as disguise. click here
05-22-09 Smoking Ban Violates Rights of Smokers and Owners. click here
05-20-09 WI Tavern League response to the passage of cig ban. click here
05-20-09#1 San Francisco proposes "butt tax" (on cigs)click here
05-18-09 British bar opens 'smoking research' area. click here
05-13-09 Wisconsin Smoking Ban Vote Wednesday click here
05-13-09#1 Wausaudailyherald.com Column: Smoking ban is mob rule. click here
05-08-09 Star Tribune+Redrant: More Apts 2% snuffing out cigs click here
05-02-09Healthy Menus Cause Some To Pick Less Healthy Items click here
05-01-09 Nevada Consider Easing the State’s Ban on Smoking. click here
04-28-09 The state's smoking ban is back at the Legislature. click here
04-24-09 Smoking linked to breast cancer? 1st comment mine. click here
04-22-09 Cancer risk of nicotine gum and lozenges higher than thought. click here
04-21-09 Via email: "The court hearing went well and the judges asked some very good questions. The prosecuting attorney did not look very well prepared. People from the AG's office and possibly even the MDH (not sure though) were there furiously taking notes."
04-18-09 Mark Benjamin press release on appeals hearing. click here
04-17-09 Appeals Court Hears Theater Nights Smoking Case. click here
04-15-09 Lawyer Mark Benjamin: Reminder. Court on Thursday. click here
04-06-09 Cig settlement $$ Teenagers turn candy into nanny state law. click here
04-05-09 Joe Soucheray: Candy cigarettes: problem that doesn't exist. click here
03-27-09 Minnpost.com Framington Heart study, few women? click here
03-20-09 Lawyer Mark Benjamin press release: 04-16 hearing. click here
03-17-09 MI smoking help line shut down until September click here
03-16-09 Minnpost.com: "First Smoker:President Barak's cigs. click here
03-11-09 Quitplan Survey: MNs want higher cig tax. click here
03-09-09 New Theater Night Update: Shiela Kromer.click here
03-04-09 Former U.S. Surgeon General Accused of Scandal click here
02-29-09 Rasmussen Poll:51% Oppose Outdoor Smoking Ban click here
02-27-09MN Pols want to allow peds to prey on kids online.click here
My comment is #29 Apparently when certain elected DFL's say "for the children" it apparently means saving "the children" for the convicted sexual predators! I worked in the IT field for 30 years. I could write a plan for for handling convicted sex offender Internet access on a bar napkin. I haven't checked yet but I suspect many of the "usual characters" against smoking are behind this pedophile protection effort.
02-25-09 Bill to ban smoking in cars with kids moves ahead. click here
02-25-09#1 Cigs in New Film Stir Anger at Studio click here
02-22-09 Buying some wine? Spy cameras will be watching. click here
02-20-09 Mpls lawmaker wants to legalize some teen drinking. click here
02-15-09 Efforts to ban smoking stoke man's willpower click here
02-14-09Anoka Union letter:Ill advised smoking ban click here
02-12-09Cigarette prices rise ahead of looming taxesclick here
02-10-09 KSTP: New cigarette tax has some fuming. click here
02-09-09 Many bar owners still oppose state-wide smoking ban click here
02-06-09 Barnacles Resort,Saturday 02-07click here
02-04-09 MN tobacco securitisation off to slow start click here
02-03-09 States' tobacco exemptions vary. click here
02-03-09#1The New Poor Tax: latest fed cig tax idea.click here
02-02-09 2 children should be limit,says green guru click here
02-01-09 Strib: No smoke from 'e-cigs,' but there's plenty of ire. click here
01-31-09 Shiela: Update on car cig ban with legislator emails. click here
01-30-09 Smoking ban in Cars with Kids-Theater Night Update click here
01-30-09#1 Sheila: Second Theater Night Update. click here
01-29-09 Sheila: Theater Night Update 1-28-09. click here
01-29-09#1 New study:Too much thinking could make you fat. click here
01-29-09#2 Redrant: Studies Find Mercury In U.S. Corn Syrup click here
01-29-09 Only 22% say smoking should be illegal. click here
01-27-09 Report from WDIO TV on new legislation. click here
01-27-09#1 Sheila: Theater Night Update 1-27-09 Exemptions click here
01-26-09 Charitable gambling falls in Minnesota. click here
01-23-09HF257 authors Howes, Emmer, Hackbarth, Solberg and Rukavin click here
01-22-09 Smoking Ban Exemptions introduced at legislature- click here
01-21-09 Sheila: Theater Night Update 1-21-09 click here
01-20-09 SCHIP: FEDS GETS IN LINE TO TREAT SMOKERS AS NON-PERSONS click here
01-15-09 Sheila: Theater night update #2 click here
01-14-09 Sheila: Theater Night Update 1-14-09 click here
01-12-09 Bar owners feel burned by Eau Claire smoking ban click here
01-12-09#1 3rd hand smoke: Another throe in the slow death of science. click here
01-09-09 Secret cigarette blamed for $1 million Farmington fire. click here
01-09-09#1 ‘Tobacco Control’ Founder Dead of cancer at 52 click here
01-09-09#2 Google search '"Ron Davis" "tobacco control"' click here
01-06-09 Third hand smoke danger? New "redrant" and story. click here
12-30-08 U ethics panel doctor,Leo Furcht, was disciplined.click here
12-27-08 Spiked.com (UK) A year of myths about smoking and obesity click here
12-22-08 (Outside of MN) Casinos get burned by smoking ban. click here
12-22-08#1 Connpost.com: Obama's smoking a burning issue. click here
12-17-08 Shawn of Ban the Ban reponds to attack on Sheila. click here
12-15-08 Shiela Kromer on the "cover" of the Star Tribune. click here
12-15-08#1 My "redrant" on the article and intrusion. click here
12-12-08 Lawyer Mark W. Benjamin's new website. click here
12-08-08 Obama pledges not to smoke in White House. click here
12-05-08 MN Institute of Public Health confuses "profit" with "revenue". click here
12-01-08 New Smokeless Tobacco Worries Experts click here
11-29-08 Pennsylvania allowing bar exeptions. click here
11-28-08 Judge says perfume lawsuit can proceed. click here
11-24-08 Try to read my "redrant" on tobacco deal click here
11-23-08 Decade later, tobacco deal up in smoke. click here
11-22-08 Iowa’s First Lady caught violating cig ban. click here
11-22-08#1 Many Iowa state vehicles break cig Ban. click here
11-20-08 NY Daily News:"Smoke out 33 years today. click here
11-20-08#1 New idea for smokers: Cigarette drinks. click here
11-17-08 Cig ban has cleared the air, but businesses suffer. click here
11-17-08#1 Smoking ban lifted at Atlantic City Casinos.click here
11-17-08#2 Ohio's Smoking Ban Revisited, might change. click here
11-12-08 Smoking’s latest battleground: the college campus click here
11-11-08 Economy increases cig use, switch to cheaper smokes. click here
11-8-08 S. C. Times Writers Group: Ban has impacted charities. click here
11-07-08 Article 10-07: 3rd of MN liquor licences closed since cig bans. click here
11-03-08 Before voting Tuesday check Legislative scorecard. click here
All MN House seats are up for election. Half? of MN Senate
11-01-08 KTCI 9 PM Today. Tobacco vs. Minnesota. click here
10-27-08 Sheila Kromer:Theater Night Update 10-27 click here
10-26-08 WI Taverns hotbed of grass-roots politics. click here
10-24-08 Candidate Dean Barkley former big cig lobbyist. click here
10-19-08 Letter: should antis be held accountable? click here
10-17-08 $1 pack smokes in MN. Little cigars. click here
10-14-08 Can you encourage more smokers to quit? click here
10-13-08 Feeling the burn over back-yard fires. click here
10-11-08 Ban the Ban Minnesota October 2008 Newsletter click here
10-09-08#1 Second Theater Night Update 10-9-08 click here
10-09-08#2 Fired-up Obama still smokes cigs. click here
10-08-08Study shows how fatty foods curb hunger click here
10-07-08Sheila Kromer:Theater Nite Update10-7-08 click here
10-06-08 Thank you note from Sandy. (Junkfood Science) click here
Support Junkfood Science. What we want you to do is show Sandy how much you appreciate her dedicated efforts, undertaken at her own expense (Junkfood Science has no sponsor and never has had). Please donate whatever you can to help Sandy continue the wonderful work she does.
10-05-08 PM and Walgreens sue Frisco over cig sale ban. click here
10-04-08 VCR Alert: KSTP TV Sunday 10 AM cig ban debate. click here
10-03-08 P-B Opinion: Should state smoking ban continue? click here
10-03-08#1 Illinois Judge snuffs out state smoking ban cases click here
10-01-08 British cig packs to carry graphic picture warnings. click here
09-30-08 One year since the Mn cig ban. What's changed? click here
09-27-08 10,000 hits for freedomtoact.com click here
09-23-08 Fat Police on Patrol:Theater Night Update click here
09-22-08 Wellness programs get sickly response. click here
09-20-08 Mark Benjamin on Sue Jeffers KTLK Radio Show click here
09-19-08 fixed: Shiela:Theater night update: 09-19 click here
09-18-08 Sheila: Theater Night Update: 09-18 click here
09-16-08 Sheila Kromer: Theater Night Lives! click here
09-14-08 Tom Neuville, Why voted against bar ban.click here
09-13-08 Appeal filed on Bar Smoking conviction click here
09-10-08 Star Tribune: MN smoking survey + "redrant" click here
09-09-08#1 I just recieved my $50 campaign refund click here
09-06-08Five Reasons To Oppose High Cig Taxes click here
09-03-08 Sheila Kromer: Theater Night Update.click here
09-01-08 Fat people and smokers cheaper to treat, study says. click here
Redrant: Feb 2008 story but good #'s + stats. Note no cancer difference except cig lung cancer. Greg Lang
08-30-08 Democrats find 'green' political convention tough to enforce click here
08-29-08 Tequila sunset: The ethanol boom click here
My redrant on this. I think that the US should reward/tax flexfuel vehicles, I propose $150 per new flexfuel vehicle "reward" vehicle but not require "flex fuels" to be produced. Basically, the exstra cost per vehicle at the factory is $100 for most vehicles. For difficult conversions the $150 is cheaper. If a workable flexfuel comes along we would have a ready fleet. Flexfuel vehicles work fine on unleaded gas. Greg Lang
08-28-08 Obese state workers in Alabama told to get fit or pay insurance fees click here
08-26-08 NEW YORK DELEGATES WARNED NOT TO DRINK AT DNC click here
08-25-08 Robotic Perfection-Free people are imperfect click here
08-24-08 Drinking-Age Revolt Gains Converts. click here
It includes a lenthy "redrant" but suffice it to say the 21 year old drinking legislation was enacted in the Orwelian year 1984. This might have "legs".
08-21-08 The drinking age / Can't we even debate it? click here
08-20-08#1 Art falls foul of the smoking banclick here
08-18-08#1 WA schools full of "junk" food 'junkies'. click here
08-18-08#2 Jim Tiseth Cheater Slick Memorial Benefit click here
08-17-08 A bit of humor: Britsh anti-smoking cartoon. click here
08-15-08 British recycling leaflets show wrong Birmingham. click here
08-15-08#1 LETTER: Smoking bans a sign of a lazy politician click here
08-15-08#2 Proposed cig ban a sticky issue for gay bars.click here
08-14-08 Obesity Not Always Linked To Higher Cardiovascular Risk click here
08-12-08 Cigarette Tax Burnout August 11, 2008 click here
08-12-08#1 Tavern League of Minnesota Update. click here
08-11-08 Update on my $50 refundable campaign donation. click here
08-09-08 Abeler and Huizenga - Bad Blood click here
08-09-08#1 Smoking Out Unreasonable Certainty click here
08-07-08#3 Sabah, Turkey,Cafes violate smoking ban click here
08-06-08 Sheila: Theater Night Update 08-05-08
08-05-08 Anti-cig Scruggs in Ky. prison click here
08-05-08#1 Montgomery, anti-cig lawyer dies in MN. click here
08-02-08 British fat police going to dogs. click here
07-31-08 Sheila: Theater Night Update 7-30 click here
07-31-08#1 SF-passes-cig-ban-in-pharms. click here
07-30-08 Sheila: theater-night-update-7-29 click here
07-28-08 Cigs and celluloid: a dubious link. click here
07-27-08 Olmsted fair cig rules outlined. click here
07-27-08#1 Reader feedback: Is fair fair? click here
07-26-08Sheila:Theater Night Update7-26-08click here
Opponents of Ohio Bans say "Just follow the money."
07-22-08#1 Australian Smoke ban linked to violence. click here
07-22-08#2 Eau Claire, WI Mind your own business. click here
07-22-08#3 India: Can smoke law ban hookah bars? click here
07-21-08 Judge strikes down TN city's bingo cig ban. click here
07-21-08#1 Tough new SC smoke ban creates ripples. click here
07-20-08 Dutch get tough on smokers "church". click here
More than 500 comments if you need a "fix".
07-15-08#1 WI Tavern League a force to be reckoned with click here
Try reading comments on funding for WI anti-smoking efforts. With limited funding "pro" forces have to rely on invluencing voters.
07-09-08 Chicago Ban Forces Rewrite of Jersey Boys play. click here
07-08-08 Maryland Offers hardship waivers after cig ban click here
This may be a model for a potential Minnesota resolution.
07-08-08#1 POT SMOKERS GET HIGH ON DUTCH TOBACCO BAN click here
Shiela: "I just had to send this..how much more riduculous can it get!".
07-07-08British smoking ban claim panned click here
07-04-08 Lawyer Mark:A few YouTube vids. click here
07-02-08 For Iowa smokers, it's lights out. click here
07-02-08#1 Redrant + Starbucks faces retrenchment. click here
06-29-08Update from Shiela:Smokers breath harmful? click here
06-27-08 Lawyer Mark Benjamin: latest on appeal click here
06-27-08#1 Anti-tobacco attorney Scruggs faces jail. click here
06-26-08 "Smokers of all countries, unite!" click here
06-25-08 Olmsted County fair smoke-free click here
06-25-08#1 Satire? Health focused job interviews. click here
06-23-08 Smoking ban fight to go national click here
06-20-08#1 Millions gone after smoke ban in AU click here
06-20-08#2 Movie Drive Ins make small comback. click here
Smoking is permitted since it is outdoors.
06-13-08#1 Help out Ohio with their smoking ban click here
06-13-08#2 Perm MN reps voting for ban above. click here
Last name alphabetical listing. Look above this blue area
06-12-08 Theater night update from Shiela. click here
06-11-08West Fargo votes‘yes’ to full smoking ban.click here
06-09-08 Fargo to vote on bar cig ban Tuesday. click here
06-09-08#1 Cellphones "worse than smoking?" click here
06-09-08#2 HIV/AIDS not "everyones disease". click here
Seems like a lot of politicised "junk science" now.
06-06-08 Court rules against ‘smoking plays’ click here
06-06-08#1 Stormy start to Iowa smoking ban? click here
06-05-08 Good comments I recieved via email. click here
06-04-08 Shiela: Theater night update 06-04-08 click here
06-04-08#1 Mike Ceresi may reenter US Senate race. click here
06-03-08 Lawyer Mark: Dictionary.com jurisprudence. click here
05-31-08Star Tribune: Pulltab income way down.click here
05-30-08Updated: Judge rules against Tanks click here
05-28-08 Sheila: Theater Night Update 5-27-08 click here
05-27-08 Mesabi Daily News: Is it art or a violation?. click here
05-27-08#1 Babbitt bar in court Friday: smoking plays click here
05-27-08#2 State's 1st Smoking Ban Trial on the Range click here
05-26-08 MN DOH tickets "Birds Nest" bar, Garrison. click here
05-24-08 Lawyer Mark: Tanks Theater Night Court Test.click here
05-23-08Judge to decide: Are smoking "plays" theater?click here
05-21-08 Sheila:Theater Night Update 5-21-08
05-21-08#1 MN Forced ID'd DNA collection bill vetoed. click here
05-20-08 Florida County: Smokers need not apply. click here
05-18-08 Slow weekend. My 2004 website. click here
05-18-08#1Secondhand Facts Drive Smoke Bansclick here
05-16-08 MPR: Judge rules against Elko Bar click here
05-16-08#1 Shiela on the ruling + new "red rant"click here
05-15-08Judge Adams rules against Elko bar. click here
A setback but this is an injunction against bar theater smoking at Elko until the case is determined in court. Not unusual where a law is challenged. This case was always destined for appeal by a higher court.
My prime arguement is that the MN legislature, in session for more that three months since the first "smoking theater" news story appeared. They had ample time to change the law and it is not "manifestly obvious" what "Theater" is (IE: It's "manifestly obvious" that "water" is the same as "dihydrogen oxide" of H2O) Greg Lang
05-15-08 Sheila:Update beforeJudge's ruling. click here
05-15-08#1Sean Penn leads Cannes cig revolt click here
05-14-08 CityPages.com MN tax $ cig theater click here
05-14-08#1Charity gambling drop after cig banclickhere
05-14-08#2 Do bar cig bans ad drunk driving? click here
05-13-08 Theater Night Update Sheila Kromer click her 05-12-08MN Smoke Ban Theater Media Packetclick here
05-12-08#1 Ramsey Co. vote on park cig ban click here
05-11-08 A look to the past. "Federal Theater Project". click here
05-10-08 Lisa Nistler: Letter to legislators. click here
05-09-08 Sheila Kromer Theater Night Update click here
05-09-08#1 05-03 Rally article and follow ups. click here
05-09-08 Tuesday followup article on court. click here
05-08-08 Yesterday's Court Case Write Up click here
05-07-08 Links to stories on the court hearing click here
05-07-08#1 Atlantic City casinos sue smoking ban click here
05-06-08 Theater Night Update 5-6-08 Court Case click here
05-06-08 "Smoke Shack" out of budget bill. click here
05-05-08 Shiela Kromer:Theater Night Update click here
- Speech written by Mark Benjamin.
00-05-08#2 Today in History 1818: Karl Marx was born .
05-04-08#1 Smoking and Marxism+my"redrant". click here
05-03-08More on Saturdays Fundraiser at Bulls-Eye click here
A press-release from lawyer Mark Benjamin affirming.
05-02-08#1 Saturday fundraiser at Bulls-Eye click here
05-02-08#2 Mario and Luigi help celebrate 6000 hits click here
Enjoy this Twisted Sister classic. Thank You loyal readers
04-30-08 NEW COURT DATE: 05-23-08 1:00 P.M.: click here
Press Release from lawyer Mark Benjamin.
04-30-08#1 Twincities.com Arms and the majority click here
04-30-08#2Anti-tobacco on a Slippery Slope. click here
04-29-08Europe to crack down on‘passive drinking’ click here
04-28-08#1 MNPost.com Bars fight MN smoke ban click here
More comments tomorrow: This from lawyer Mark Benjamin: "Unfortunately, the reporter doesn't think much for our chances in the courts. Ha! She forgets that the MDH didn't do ANYTHING for 3 weeks until March 5th (press release) and nothing LEGAL until 2 weeks ago. Why would that be? Enjoy!-- Mark Benjamin"
04-25-08 Lawyer Mark Benjamin. Court date postponed. click here
04-25-08 NY Times. MN Bingo hurt by ban click here
04-24-08#1 5500 hits. Thank you loyal readers!
04-23-08 Lobbyist(s) ($123K)For ClearWay MN/ MPAAT) click here
04-23-08#1Whirlpool Suspends 39 for Tobacco Use.click her
04-22-08 America needs to impose a ban on bans. click here
04-22-08#1 John Brignell: March of the zealots. click here
04-22-08#2 'Smoking ban fuels domestic violence' click here
A few days ago I was looking at some Minneapolis crimes stats. There seemed to be a 15% to 20% (35%?) increase in roberies and assaults after the Minneapolis ban. The return of "Murderapolis, City of Wakes".
04-21-08 Letter from Archie, who donated $100. click here
04-20-08 MN Private cigars clubs and"smokeasies" click here
04-19-08 Rob"Meathead" Reiner "anti": South Park click here
04-18-08 Sheila Kromer: Theater Night Update click here
04-17-08 Loo of theater: stage is N.Y.restrooms click here
04-16-08 Can We Post: To Those Who Lurk Here click here
04-16-08#1 Ban Impact on Charitable Gambling. click here
04-14-08 Minn Post on Star Tribune editorials+++ click here
04-14-08#1 Mesabi Daily News Babitt bar court 04-28 click here
04-13-08 KSTP-TV: MHD takes bar to court text video
04-13-08#1 Putting the Nanny State Under Surveillance. click here
04-13-08#2 Forces.orgWeekend Updates on MN click here
04-10-08#1New Smoking Ban Theater Night Press Release click here
04-10-08#2 Shiela Kromer of Barnacles get flowers.click here
04-10-08#3No reply from Tinglestad 03-14-08 letter.click here
04-10-08#5 Powerlineblog take up Dave Thune "puke" click here
Drudgereport by tomorrow for anti-smoke zealot and jerk Thune?
04-10-08#6 Done for now: satire: I seized Med Pot site GrayLib.com
04-01-08 March 31, 2008 - Minnesota Gambling Control Board: Smoking ban study released - A brief review of the fiscal impact of a
statewide smoking ban on lawful gambling. click here
04-01-08#1 KSTP-TV news:vid + text of MN GCB study. click here
03-31-08 NY Times:Watering Down Smoking Bans. click here
03-31-08#1 Lawyer Mark Benjamin's Press Release on DOH doc + Open letter to John Stine click here
03-28-08 Lawyer Mark's response: Post ASAP: Warning Alert! - Theater Night.
03-28-08#1 "Health Department" pushes "No Theater Night promise" doc. click here
03-27-08#1 Sheila's Letter to House Rep Carol McFarlane click here
03-27-08#2 Shiela: Smoking in the Theater of the absurd. click here
03-27-08#3 Form Letter to send to State Sanators. click here
03-27-08#4 Form letter to send to State Representatives. click here
03-27-08#5 Star Tribune Letter to the editor. click here
03-27-08#6 Letter: Bird's Nest on smoke theater. click here
03-27-08#7 Message from Sabin's Bar in Chisholm, MN click here
03-19-08#1 List on MN lawmakers and how they voted on 2007 ban click here
03-19-08#2 "Keystone cop" raid on Smittys Bar. click here
03-17-08 . Collected updates from Shiela of Barnacles. click here
03-14-08 Lawyer Mark PRESS RELEASE; Ticket issued in Babbitt MN for "Theater Night" violation smoking ban click here
03-14-08#2 Mark's response to the Jungle Theater article. Sheila --
You would be interested to know that Cynthia and I attended a performance at the Jungle Theater last November and there was smoking on stage. At the end, I went out into the lobby to look for a poster that would notify the patrons that there would be smoking. None. I checked my playbill. Nada.-- Mark Benjamin
Greg - can you post this as soon as possible before I get too many phone calls. I will also send out immediately to my e-mail list. Thanks Sheila
To: SheilaKromer
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:49 PM
Subject: Here's what we say
Many of you have heard that The Rock in Maplewood will no longer be hosting Theater Night because of a reported threat that their liquor license would be reviewed. Hopefully this kind of heavy-handed intimidation is the exception and not the norm in our great State of Minnesota. Even so, we are asking everyone to report directly to us if they have heard of this kind of abuse happening elsewhere. We will follow up and report back to you. Thanks for your support.
\|/-SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE=\|/
