Insight - OUT Comcast - IN

Move up or step down ??

WFFC - 2008 ??

Kirlin started looking for a new convention site after Quincy police in 2001 beefed up their presence at the Quincy airport in response to complaints about public disturbances, nudity and underage drinking at the 2000 convention. Police arrested 18 people during the 2001 event.

Wild Fire Weekend !

It's about that time again.

Like to do this about once a month.

Let us know what burns your ass. Ameren, Gas prices, Animal rights, ......

Whatever you want.




Thanks for stopping by.......

Cubs Fans Rejoice !

Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa was arrested for DUI

Guess Spring Training includes more than just Baseball........

Splitting the Blog

I have had several comments that they are tired of the smoking issues I raise on this site...SO I have decided to add another Blog called Quincy Smokehouse. City Council has delayed any voting on this issue so it looks like a long drawn out battle for the public. Here you will find a Blog about smoking, the current smoking ban debate, and unique and insightful commentary.

I have also moved the smoking poll over to this site.

I feel like I have caved in to the public demand and moved the smokers to another location. Kinda like the current Smoking ban debate........

My Turn

What Burns My Ass:

• Notice that the speakers so far for a smoking ban are women?

• What is the big secret of the coalition not releasing what they distribute to the city council?

• If the mayor and city council members want some feedback, why don't they add a page on the city's web site for this?

• Week 4: City Councils speakers -6 / Public Hearings - 0. Hiding something? Why?
  

• If the coalition states, on their web site, that "community members may attend but only those who have an interest in making Quincy smoke-free will be allowed to participate in the discussion." How are they going to conduct a "public hearing"?

• Written request to speak under suspended rules by Jeff Bergman, 1413 College Ave., Assistant Manager of Panera, on the business side of the smoke-free issue, both before and after. How about something more than a year of data?

Your thoughts?

City Council Smoking Pt 3

Another week. Another city council meeting. Another speaker praising the joys of a smoke free city. When will it end? Is this going to be a speaker-of-the week thing?

Bluhm is quoted in the QHW: "You are in very good company, many communities in Illinois have been or are grappling with this issue."


Further goes on: Bluhm said a growing number of communities across Illinois have adopted smoking bans, including Chicago, Springfield, Champaign and Bloomington.

It's less the 10% of the percentage of communities .

Then the real kicker. She noted how the American Public Health Association declared it would not convene its annual meeting in any city that's not smoke-free. The convention typically attracts 12,000 to 15,000 delegates.

Like the city's gonna lose out on hosting this event if we don't impose a smoking ban? Get real. The smoker ban crowd will stop at nothing here.

16 states have adopted laws banning smoking in all public places and workplaces. Duh, lets see, that makes 34 that have not? Majority doesn't count here I guess.

Another thing I dug up this afternoon. Here is a copy of the state smoking ban that is now trying
to be passed by the state. Seems that the "local" do gooders are wanting to enforce a ban stricter than the state.

(please pardon the fonts here, I don't know what happened and I don't have time to fix it)

(410 ILCS 80/3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 8203)

(c) "Public Place" means any enclosed indoor area used by the public or serving as a place of work including, but not limited to, hospitals, restaurants, retail stores, offices, commercial establishments, elevators, indoor theaters, libraries, art museums, concert halls, public conveyances, educational facilities, nursing homes, auditoriums, arenas, and meeting rooms, but excluding bowling establishments and excluding places whose primary business is the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises and excluding rooms rented for the purpose of living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations from a hotel, as defined in the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act, and private, enclosed offices occupied exclusively by smokers, even though such offices may be visited by nonsmokers.

Smoking Poll

Here's the new poll.
All security features turned on.
No stuffing ballot.
No Fancy Stats.
No hidden questions.
Not open to "registered voters" only.
Not just open to voters with land lines either.
Tell your friends to vote.
E-mail your friends to vote.
Smokers and Non-smokers both welcome to vote.
Only 2 questions.
Poll is PUBLIC.
Results are PUBLIC.
Click for results.

City Council Smoking Pt II

Round Two starts off with:

Maureen Kahn, president and CEO of Blessing Hospital.

I'm guessing that the speak will be on the hazards of smoking and second hand smoke. NO possible way this person will know the economic impact that will be imposed on local businesses. Their employees still run across the street to smoke.

Next:

The council also is slated to hear from Amy Shirey of Quincy on the results of a survey conducted in February 2006 for the Coalition for a Smoke Free Quincy.


A year old survey. Not all the details about the "survey" are being released to the public. Questions may have been asked in a way to skew the outcome to favor to coalition.
My survey didn't lean towards that big of a spread. ALL the questions are listed. ALL the answers are here.

Monopoly

Monopoly

Control of the production and distribution of a product or service by one firm or a group of firms acting in concert. In its pure form, monopoly, which is characterized by an absence of competition, leads to high prices and a general lack of responsiveness to the needs and desires of consumers. Although the most flagrant monopolistic practices in the United States were outlawed by Antitrust Laws enacted in the late 19th century and early 20th century, monopolies persist in some degree as the result of such factors as patents, scarce essential materials, and high startup and production costs that discourage competition in certain industries. Public monopolies-those operated by the government, such as the post office, or closely regulated by the government, such as utilities-ensure the delivery of essential products and services at acceptable prices and generally avoid the disadvantages produced by private monopolies.

. See also Ameren

Rate Rape

The Southern.com had a good article on the true profits Ameren is making.




Whats your guess on the outcome of todays hearings?

Wild Fire Weekend !

What's burning your ass this weekend?

Blog Upgrade in Progress, Please Stand by....

7:00: Update Complete. Not too bad.

Cheating In NASCAR ?

What is the world coming to ??

Waltrip using a fuel additive.

Gordon's car too low.








On another note, Wal-Mart will be empty Sunday from 1pm until 5pm for the Daytona 500.

Smoke and Mirrors

Interesting Letter in the QHW Wed night.

A pro-smoking ban reader writes in and expresses his opinion on smoking bans. Several "false" and hypothetical facts are stated and lead the readers to believe that his opinion is the correct one. Let me help "clear the air".

First, If there is evidence of businesses NOT suffering from a smoking ban, PLEASE post it here. I have posted several links here and will do the same if opposing sites are found.

Second, Give the "it's for the children" a break. Last time I was in a tavern, the drinking age was still 21. This argument is getting a little old and fails to support of whats good for the tavern owners.

Third. It's stated that "smokers will still go to taverns even with the smoking ordinance". How do you know? What great vision you must have to lead the small business owners in this city to trust a statement like that. How about putting your money in what your article states? How about you personally guaranteeing each and every tavern and restaurant owner to cover their losses during a smoking ban based on your theory? Checkbook handy?

Forth. Non smokers will be tempted to patronize non-smoking places? I doubt it. I can almost guarantee it. What you fail to see (or experience) is that a lot of neighborhood taverns have daily repeating customers. Your semi-annual trip to the tavern to visit will not make up a fraction of the business they will lose. If you think Quincy will support a non-smoking tavern, please feel free to open one yourself. Seems like you can pretty much forecast the future for everyone based on your article. There's a vacent building just north of the railroad tracks on North 24th thats just the right location for you.

Best wishes and I look for your Grand Opening !!

( I try to cover the "choice" issue later)

Outside Air Not So Clean Either

Is this the list of the 4 billion chemicals that are in second hand smoke?

No. It's the 2005 Illinois EPA Air Quality Report.

Report Card

Smoking Ban Grades

WGEM - Pro-smoking Ban coverage
Grade: D

KHQA - Pro-smoking Ban coverage
Grade: D

QHW - Pro-smokin Ban Article
Grade: C-

Glenn Bemis – Explained the chambers stance on the issue. Let the business owners decide which direction the business will take it. 50 businesses in Adams Co. that are smoke free.

Grade: A

Dr. Kathryn Arrambide, MD– Most of the information well known and can easily be found on the web. Stats. Stats. More Stats. Just guess coming from a Dr. makes it sound better. Read prepared stats from sheets. You can find equal contradicting information on web also. Did differ with Smoke free Coalition on taverns !! Hospitals and children locations need banned.

Grade: C+

Iris Nelson – Could only hear about 1 out of 25 words she said. Quincy making choices for Quincy?? She presented council with what to appeared as a life-sized Hallmark card full of signatures with about a total of 30 names in 2” font.

Grade: Incomplete

Mary Kallner – Touching stories about family members who have died from smoking. Seems like she’s on a personal vengeance rather than seeing the big picture of economic damage it will do. Says “it’s for the children”. (no children in bars) Said would like to see restaurants ban smoking, but does not go out for drinks so that would not bother her. Restruants, children's places, but no good reason for taverns. Would like to see smoking banned altogether, but will take “anything they can get”

Grade: D

Interruption: City Councils microphone support breaks.

Grade: F

Kathy Drea – Hired Gun brought in from Springfield. Read from script. No one has lost their job due to the smoking ban? Bar closing for other reason than smoking ban? Junk science? NO economic impact ?? Bars actually gain business? Read this. Only 5 communities outside of Chicago. Threat of suing the city? The taven owner? WTF? Let me just shorten this: aside from her name and address, I don’t think any thing she said can be backed up with an ounce of fact. If so, please post it. She was not a big hit with the crowd.

Grade: F

Steve Riedl- No Show. Jim Perry presented council a stack of petitions opposing the smoking ban.

Grade: Incomplete

Don Heck – Shot from the hip. Only person who stood up for the bar business. He knows what a smoking ban will do to the bar and tavern owners from their side of the business. Most alderman were sitting up in their chairs and listening when he spoke. He also covered both sides of the issue.

Grade: A+

Superbowl Monday Blues...

Unless your a die-hard Colts fan, last nights game had to suck. After the KO return for a touchdown and the INT off of Manning, I thought the BEARS were in for an easy game. Boy was I wrong or what. Although the beer tasted pretty good and the ads were too, I observed many things last night:

- No matter how hard you yell at the TV, Rex still sucks.

-After every, and I do mean every, turnover Grossman walks to the sidelines and has this "deer-in-the-headlights" look in his eyes like "what happened"

- If Phil Simms didn't preform oral sex on Peyton Manning after the game, he should have. He was warming up the WHOLE game.

- Love them or hate them, pretty much everyone has one article of clothing that has BEARS on it.

-Die hard Cowboys fans will still wear their teams colors out during the Superbowl even if the team went 1-15 during the regular season.

-The Coke ads sucked.

-My beer consumption increases in direct opposite ratio of the Bears offense production.

-Big screen TV's are great for watching the game, unless your team sucks. Then they just suck bigger.

Smack Down Monday

Request to Speak

Written request to speak under suspended rules by Glenn Bemis, Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, 300 Civic Center Plaza; Dr. Kathryn Arrambide, MD, 11^th & Broadway; Iris Nelson, President, League of Women Voters, 1011 S. 21^st; Mary Kallner, 1520 S. 28^th; Kathy Drea, Public Policy, American Lung Association of Illinois, 3000 Kelly Lane, Springfield, IL,; Steve Riedl, Executive Director of Illinois Licensed Beverage Assoc., Springfield, IL; and Don Heck, Attorney, 300 N. 6^th, regarding the potential city wide smoking ban ordinance.

Business Owners Unite !!

Since the QHW will not interview the flip side of this issue, several local business owners have started a petition of signatures of local customers who oppose the local smoking ban.

Please take time before Monday to stop in to your neighbor business owner and let our city alderman know that they know what is best for their business.

One thought that come to my mind is why did CFSFQ wait till this weekend to ramrod the smoking ban to the city council ? Most business owners are occupied with Superbowl weekend that that no opposition would occur. ???