Smoked Out
After watching bars implode like Buffy the Vampire Slayer M.A.S.H. spinoffs, they're starting to rethink their smoking ban, the most Stalinistic of the metro area's bans:
The county has been under pressure to scale back the ban, and more than 100 smoking-ban opponents held signs and applauded Tuesday as commissioners voted overwhelmingly to undertake a study of the ban's economic impact.
It appeared to signal the first significant backlash to the wave of smoking bans adopted last year by metro area governments, including Minneapolis, Ramsey County and Bloomington.
Afterward, Commissioner Gail Dorfman -- who coauthored the ban last fall -- acknowledged that there may be enough votes on the board to exempt traditional bars from the ordinance.
"There seems to be some shifting going on, on the board," she said. "Hopefully, we can hold firm here. But we're under some pressure."
Very true. I hate smoke as much as the next guy. I used to work in bars, and had the usual fatigue with having myclothes, hair and skin smell like smoke week in, week out. But I've found myself smoking a cigar every couple of weeks (rather than my usual twice a year) just to "stick it to the man".
Yes, I said Stalinist; the law was passed, damn the unintended consequences:
County officials -- and bar owners -- said that the voting pointed to the fact that the bans had created an uneven playing field, forcing bars on the edge of Hennepin County to lose money and lay off employees while customers scooted to bars in Anoka County, where there is no smoking ban, or to Ramsey County, where the ban exempts bars.
"I'm worried about making my house payment," said Cheryl Irving, a bar manager at Rostamo's, a bar in Crystal. "My personal income is down 40, 50 percent. I now have to work six shifts, where I used to work four."
Irving was among the onlookers who crowded together to watch as the county's commissioners debated the topic -- and left disappointed that the commissioners did not simply scale back the ordinance.
"I think it's shameful," Irving said before leaving the meeting.
Welcome to city government. Watching sausage get made is prettier.
John Alexander, who owns Johnny A's, a sports bar in Minneapolis, agreed. "I can't pay my taxes," said Alexander, who said he has dismissed his private security staff at the bar. "My business has gone down by 35 percent.
"It's a slow death," he added.
And I'm sure it's not over. But there's hope.
I'd rather bitch about smoke (or find less-smoky places to hang out) than have to drive to Anoka to find a place to go out in Minneapolis.
Posted by Mitch at
July 27, 2005 07:42 AM
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I’m afraid I don’t get the meaning of your Buffy reference. There was only one spin-off from BtVS, Angel, and it lasted five years.
Posted by: Thorley Winston at July 27, 2005 10:05 AMI think it had to do with FireFly, perhaps, or the promotion of any number of things "starring X from Buffy" that didn't make it.
Posted by: htom at July 27, 2005 10:09 AMNot that it has anything to do with the topic, but Eliza Dushku turned down a spin off series based on her Faith character to get her own series Tru Calling which didn't last more than one season.
Back on topic. Maybe just maybe this smoking ban fiasco will show the lunacy of the Minneapolis & Hennepin county governments. Wasn't Ryback a big supporter of the ban as well?
Posted by: Kip at July 27, 2005 10:16 AMI think a smoking ban in establishments that make most of their money from alcohol is crazy. They are not 'family oriented' establishments, so we can assume that the adults therein can decide if the second-hand smoke is acceptable to them.
Posted by: Michael Lomker at July 27, 2005 11:31 AM"Angel," the only "Buffy" spin-off ever, not only lasted 5 seasons but was at least as highly regarded critically. And the series finale is safe among my top 5 best hours of TV ever.
In my ever-changing "best series ever" list, it quite frequently beats "Buffy."
"Firefly" could very well make a comeback if "Serenity," the movie from the series, does well. There's every reason to expect that it would be in the same league as "Buffy" and "Angel." The series DVD is well worth watching, and holds out the hope that the movie could lead to a renewal of the series.
And smoking bans are stooopid.
Posted by: Brian Jones at July 27, 2005 12:22 PMPlus if they ban smoking people will quit and our schools won't receive their new funding.
Posted by: John Gall at July 27, 2005 12:25 PMEnh. Shows what I get for trying to comment on TV stuff.
Posted by: mitch at July 27, 2005 01:04 PMForgetsssss you all. Showtime's "Dead Like Me" is one of the greatest teleivision series EVER. It's a travesty that it only had a two season run.
Although "The Gentelemen" episode of Buffy still rates a 10 on my "Creep-me-out" meter.
Posted by: Ryan at July 27, 2005 02:03 PMSpeaking of Firefly, the Sci-Fi channel just started playing the series again, showing at 6 central on Friday nights. (Just before SG-1, SG Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica.)
We just watched the first episode last week. (I haven't seen the series before.)
Oh, and Yeah possible end to smoking ban! I DO make a point of driving to St. Paul or Anoka, or Keegan's back patio.
Posted by: Sandy at July 27, 2005 04:27 PMYou deserve it, Mitch! Okay, AfterMASH sucked, and a Radar spin-off was only one episode, but Angel was far better than Buffy while Buffy was still on....except for Cordy being possessed for a season then killed off...BIG mistake. Still, it was better than Willow trying to destroy the world and shacking up with that twerp Kennedy.
Posted by: Jerry Leigh at July 27, 2005 05:20 PMOh, and government forced smoking bans in bars are great -- for me to poop on!
Posted by: Jerry Leigh at July 27, 2005 05:22 PMThis may be a first for me...I agree wholeheartedly with Mitch and Brian.
Well, 2 things with Brian. I've only seen a handful of Angel episodes in my life, but the series finale was incredible. And Firefly is teh shiat.
But smoking bans piss me off. For starters, I'm a smoker. But more to the point, I've got dozens of friends who work in bars in one capacity or another - mostly entertainers - who are seeing their business slide into the dumper because people won't go out if they can't smoke.
Yet, these SAME LAWMAKERS said that these bans would be GOOD if smoking was banned, because more people would go out. News flash, idiots...it hasn't happened. It's not GOING to happen. The bars are empty. All the people who said they'd go out more are just staying home, chuckling and feeling morally superior to all us idiot smokers.
Repeal it everywhere...it's good for business. Period. Either that, or get these anti-smoking nazis to put their money where their friggin mouths are for a change.
/rant
nc
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