Free T-Shirt Giveaway for Smoking Lobby Spirit

Well, it's just about the end of the month, and as I promised, I want to give away some free t-shirts to those who displayed the most "Smoking Lobby Spirit" during the month of May.

Ideally, this would be people who went and spread the word about smokinglobby.com and brought new people to the site to join in the debate. But all you really have to do is show the Smoking Lobby spirit by participating in the forum discussions! (this does NOT mean posting the most number of posts)

First of all, I would like to thank everyone on the site this month for coming back after the 2 major site hacks, and for putting up with lots of problems while I brought the site back online.

This month, those people whom I think showed the most spirit are linkup, Darkseid, and Lynda F.

linkup - for posting lots of newsworthy articles about smoking and smoker's rights issues.

Darkseid - for putting up with several site revisions which simply would not work on his antiquated 800x600 resolution screen! (and numerous cookie/login problems) Thanks for hangin' in there!

Lynda F - quite the Smoking Lobby Cheerleader, showed lots of spirit (and also had to put up with lots of login problems).

Your prize? You get to design your own t-shirt from the Smoking Lobby store. Just tell me what slogan you want on there, and whatever graphics you can dream up, and I will design the shirt for you and send it out. These shirts will also remain available in the storefront in case other people want to order them.

Thanks again for hanging at SmokingLobby.com!

- Bill Williams

Many Bars Ignore Smoking Ban to Fight for Our Rights

Finally!!! It took four years, but people are finally realizing the New York City smoking ban was a stupid, ineffective idea. But wait - it worked so well with prohibition, didn't it??!

Bar owners are even willing to face being shut down, because they all feel fundamentally the same way; Our freedom to operate our businesses as we see fit in a free market society can not be censored by the government!

From NY1 News:

"More and more bar and clubs across the five boroughs are reportedly allowing patrons to smoke – violating the city's four-year-old ban.

According to the New York Post, smokers have been lighting up freely in many expensive clubs and local pubs.

Smoking in city bars and restaurants has been a violation since 2003. Venues that do not comply can be hit with fines or even shut down after repeat offenses.

But some club workers told the paper they would rather pay fines than deal with neighbors who complain about smokers on the sidewalk.

The Department of Health says it has handed out about twice as many violations in the past year as the year before, and shut down nine businesses that didn't comply with the ban. "

Have a good Memorial Day Weekend

The holiday to celebrate the memory of those members of the Armed Forces of America who gave their lives defending our freedom.

I wonder how many of them who died in WWII fighting Nazis and Fascism would be proud of what has become of America today? I wonder if they ever thought our government would one day pass such things as fat food laws (which tell us what we can eat), seatbelt laws (which tell us what to wear), censor our free speech, enforce political correctness, and pass laws which banned smoking - a legal activity engaged in by free Americans.

I honor those great men and women who gave their lives in the defense of our country, as I hope we all will, by ignoring any of these laws and taking back our once free country.

Have a good Memorial Day Weekend, and I hope you all celebrate and enjoy it,

Bill.

Smoking Ban Kills Bingo Business

Smoking Ban Will Push 63% Of Offline Bingo Players Online

While it may seem laughable, bingo is big business for churches, hospitals, and charitable organizations. And according to a new survey, the smoking ban is going to hurt that business by 63% - effectivle taking a lot of money away from kids and patients who need it badly.

"A new survey, carried out by online gaming company St Minver, asked 3,000 bingo players their thoughts on how July’s new smoking ban will affect their bingo playing habits. Up to two-thirds of all regular bingo players being smokers, the results do not bode well for land-based operators with 63% of the smokers surveyed revealed they would spend more time playing online bingo once the ban is introduced."
Source

Discuss at Smoking Lobby

Private clubs not exempt from Ohio smoking ban

Get this. Now Ohio is saying they can tell you what legal activities you can or can't engage in in your own PRIVATE club. It was ridiculous when a smoking ban was passed in the first place; property owners should have the right to decide what activities are allowed in their public establishment. But now they are targetting PRIVATE clubs, specifically, VFW halls.

Our veterans, who fought hard to be excluded from the smoking ban, are being lumped in with the plight of the average business owner.

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Private clubs can't allow smoking despite language in Ohio's statewide smoking ban that seems to allow it, a judge ruled yesterday.

From the Toledo Blade

Governor urges lawmakers to take up smoking ban

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle is trying to get a smoking ban passed. The opposition simply wants an exemption for bars, and this guy wants a total and complete ban. Sounds like Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle is a megolomaniacal totalitarian fascist to me.

The Governor is calling for swift action on a statewide smoking ban. Governor Jim Doyle says states surrounding Wisconsin are already banning smoking in the workplace. Doyle pointed to a recently passed ban in Illinois and the signing of legislation in Minnesota this week as proof that Wisconsin is already behind in the effort.

Read the Full Article