gogranny59 (anonymous) says...

"Where have all our freedoms gone?----long time passing"

May 6, 2009 at 2:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Duey (anonymous) says...

SHUT UP ! STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS! I am against the ban just as much as anybody but it looks to me as the people against this didn't do a good enough job getting thier friends out to vote.

The people have spoken. I recommend that everyone starts looking at the next potential restriction on our freedoms and begin making a plan to defend it.

By the way, thank a Veteran that we even have the right to vote!

May 6, 2009 at 3:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Weltha (anonymous) says...

I...I...I aggreee witthhh ccracckkk oon thiss w..w..one. (stuttering) lol First time for everything huh?!

May 6, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jcwhit232 (anonymous) says...

Haven't we heard enough about all of this already? I am sure there are alot more important things the Gazette can find to write about now that this issue has been settled. Lets move on people.

May 6, 2009 at 3:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

crackinsack...
....."what group will be next. Probably none since there isn't nother group that

can harm others with a legal activity."

Please refer to my last two post on the news forum board "Outdoor Smoking" for my reply. They are lenghty and I don't feel like retyping them.....and I don't know how to link them. Forgive my ignorance. They were posted just moments ago.

May 6, 2009 at 6:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

Observation.....

Thank
you!

May 6, 2009 at 7:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

WILLIAM_A (anonymous) says...

Well I am not one of those 2000 people you speak of, because I was not allowed to vote.But I did just spent $300 today in Topeka on groceries alone and several hundred more on summer clothes for the family and pool supplies. And Friday night the kiddo has a slumber party to go to, so I think we will go to Olpe or Americus for some adult time. I for one, will not spend my money in the city of Emporia anymore unless I absolutly have to. And that has yet to happen since the vote.

Just another upset COUNTY RESIDENT

May 6, 2009 at 8:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

Did the restuarant at Flying J close tonight? Rumor has it their business was down 40% since the smoking ban and since they were in bankruptcy they had to get rid of under-performing properties. Any one heard anything?

May 6, 2009 at 8:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

jcwhit232;

The vote IS OVER! The repercussions are just now starting. Why stop talking about it?

May 6, 2009 at 8:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

zeepmonk (anonymous) says...

Flying J isnt in the city.

May 6, 2009 at 9:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

zeepmonk, Befor you post your statements on here, make sure they ARE Factual.
Flying J IS IN THE CITY LIMITS.

May 6, 2009 at 9:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

I'll bet you a sixpack and a carton of smokes.

May 6, 2009 at 9:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

WILLIAM_A (anonymous) says...

I may be wrong but I think RBow is right.. Even though flying j isnt directly in the city limits, it iis anexed in the city so they must follow the city laws

May 6, 2009 at 9:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

homewrecker (anonymous) says...

Good job William A for going shopping out of town. I have been doing the same. To bad more emporia folks were acting on this. I too have had my fill of Emporia and the b-S- that happens here. Olpe chicken house has great food and I have heard that the taverns have cold beer and the people are glad to see new faces.

May 6, 2009 at 10:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

brendalea42 (anonymous) says...

I too, and family members have all chosen to spend our money outside of Emporia. Olpe is a great town for going out to eat and the bars are always happy to see us. We do ALL our shopping in topeka now, every saturday we go to topeka and spend a wonderful day shopping and eating. Emporia was already hurting bad enough because of the Tyson deal, now to add more salt to the wound was really a bad choice. Emporia is slowly but surely losing thousands of residents to both of these causes. Drive down almost any street in this town and tou can count 1-2 houses per block that are empty. Yes Flying J is in the city limits and I too have heard that the business was hurting, partially thanks to the ban.

My concern is this, how long will it be before someone starts crying about all the cigarette butts tossed all over the sidewalks and streets in front of the bars and other buisinesses???? At one local bar, on a sunday morning, I counted more than 500 cigarette butts in the street in front, lol, surely there will be fines being given out for littering next lmao.Myself and many family members have not frequented the bar since this ban has taken place, we may as well buy our liquor in olpe and have get togethers at eachothers homes, why go somewhere and spend our hard earned money wheret we are not wanted. Pointless!! The owner of the bar we frequented 3-4 times a week has told me their sales are down by 40%....thats not a good sign...and their are many other businesses such as this one that will be hurting. As far as myself and many family members and friends are concerned, Emporia no longer has much to offer people and will be so happy to move from here soon as our home(s) sells.

May 7, 2009 at 9:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

crackinsack....I would very much like to hear your take on the real dangers posed by drinking in bars and restaurants as outlined on news forums--outdoor smoking.

May 7, 2009 at 12:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

josiesbar (anonymous) says...

crack,

I swept up the parking lot adjacent to Town Royal on Sunday, and probably swept up 2 cartons worth of cigarette butts (I should have taken a picture). There is no feasible way you can hand out littering fines to that many people unless you station a cop full-time outside every bar door. I don't know how many times I told you people this is exactly what would happen. But, like you said, the majority wins, as it should be.

Matt

PS--I bet the girl running down the street yesterday loved running through my cigarette smoke. I didn't see her coming until she was right there. Ohh well, at least I wasn't smoking in a bar.

May 7, 2009 at 1:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...

Who sits in a restaurant and dines for an hour? I bet the restaurant owners hate that. Their all like,"Hey why don't you leave so someone else can have that table and I can make some more money and what not."

May 7, 2009 at 2:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...

ut the grilled chicken salads are soooo good and fast!
Speaking of large groups, what about that quickly growing group of people against burglary? I hear good things.

May 7, 2009 at 2:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...

Would you look at that! Someone burgled the B off the front on my sentence!

May 7, 2009 at 2:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Weltha (anonymous) says...

I about had coffee coming out of my nose on that one, seriously.

May 7, 2009 at 2:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

methusla (anonymous) says...

crack,
Its not that noone dislikes you personally ! I believe it is your attititude and lack of tolerance for others that is not liked.
Have you ever really read your posts and really thought about what your posts read like to anyone elses way of thinking and believing ?
Those of us who have some semblance of compassion and tolerance for the freedoms, beliefs, chosen way of living, liberties of others, knew exactly the hit in the pocketbook of certain businesses, as well as individuals and the loss of tax revenue the City would incure, that this sort of ban would cause and you must admit that we were somewhat right !
And if you believe the City will not make up for the lost revenue by other means such as a hike in taxes, etc., you are also sadly mistaken ! So you see this sort of ban can and may have drastic effects that may be many fold and you and others are not immune from the repercussions !
And if you blame people for feeling that the City, certain individuals, group of individuals, etc., in a not so subtle way, told the people of Emporia and the surrounding area in no uncertain words, you will change your way of living to suit us, you would be dead wrong in blaming them for feeling as they do and taking their money and business elsewhere, because essentially the City and certain citizens said, we don't want you here, if you do not want to abide by the rules we are going to force you to live by !

May 7, 2009 at 5:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

crackinsack

.....I understand, and agree with your argument that ample laws are already inplace to punish those that misuse alcohol. I also undestand that alcohol and its harmful effects are not passed directly from user to non-user in the way smoking ban proponents claim SHS is passed on. And though I dispute much of the data used to support that claim....I will again conceede the point for now.

......But crack, with all due respect, I believe you are still missing the point.

....Smoking ban backers repeatedly claimed they were not seeking to punish smokers....but were only protecting the public health with a pro-active law to keep the harm from ever occurring in the first place. Well my friend...punishing the driver after he has already wiped out the car full of kids coming home from the sunday school picnic is hardly my idea of protecting the public health (the stated reason for the smoking ban). So all of your already in place laws do little to keep the damage ffrom happening in the first place...they only punish the damager after the harm is done.

...But a law like the one I described would go much further towards accomplishing the smoking ban's professed goal of protecting public health. And that is the angle the lawyers would argue it from.

Don't get me wrong.....I hope none of this slippery slope stuff ever happens....but it is the pro-active nature of the smoking ban where the danger lies. THE PASSING OF LAWS TO KEEP SOMETHING FROM HAPPENING opens up a pandora's box.

May 7, 2009 at 7:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

lets_get_reasonable (anonymous) says...

Crack is right when he said everyone needs to "get with the times". Things change, and they change for the better. That's just the way it is.

All of you who say you do absolutely no shopping in Emporia anymore, shame on you! Let me ask you this: Why do you stay in Emporia? Is it because you have a house.... a job.... a life here in this town? If you don't like Emporia, move. DECENT and true Emporians would support our town and our businesses no matter what. They wouldn't try to run the city in the ground just because a law tells them they have to step outside to puff on something that harms them and those around them. Seriously, I see no logic in that at all.

The point is, get over it. It passed because the citizens of Emporia wanted it to. I personally love the fact that I can go into Bruffs or S&S for a 2 a.m. breakfast without reeking of smoke afterward.

On a more personal level... Every wednesday night I would go to the same bar with a group of friends. Every single one of my friends smoked.. but not me. They'd have a great time and stay till close, but I would only be able to stay for a half hour, an hour max. My eyes would start to burn so bad that it blurred my vision and had me rubbing them constantly. The bar had the fans that are suppose to suck up the smoke, but it seemed as if they weren't doing a thing. After I'd leave the bar, my eyes were usually so screwed up that I had trouble driving. (not at all exaggerating, it was truly that bad) I eventually had to stop going, but it didn't feel fair. It didn't feel fair that I was missing out on seeing my friends for our once a week tradition just because the harmful smoke was in the air and left my eyes feeling as though they were on fire.

The one thing I was really excited about when the ban passed, was that I could enjoy my Wednesday nights now. They don't seem at all bothered by the fact that they now have to step out for a minute to enjoy their cigarette. All is well, my group and I are happy, and the bar receives my business for 4 to 5 hours on Wednesday nights rather than just one.

May 7, 2009 at 7:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

lets_get_reasonable......

Times do change.......and weather we like it or not we change along with it or we get left setting by the side of the road.

I have no idea how old you or crackinsack are....but based on what he/she says and how its said i assume her to be a young adult (25-35). I also assume crack is a she but I'm not sure why I think that. If I'm correct about the age she would be too young to remember this....but it wasn't all that long ago that things looked very different.

When I was a young adult smoking was looked at much differently than now. It was considered cool....modern....hip (to use an old phrase) and was accepted virtually everywhere. I was living on the east coast at that tine and you could even smoke in the movie theaters. Cigarette advertising dominated the sponsorship of sports most all of the cultural icons of the day were seen with a smoke dangling from their lips on TV ads, billboards, magazines, and newspapers.

Those of us that were around back then would have never dreamed of a time when things would be like they are now. And that was the prevelant culture at the time many of the people now so upset about the ban started to smoke. So yeas...things have changed and we need to move on....but for many this is a lot bigger deal than how badly our eyes burned after spending an hour in a bar....this is the death of a way of life.

I don't expect you twenty-somethings to understand this now...but you will. Times will change and they will change for you too. And the time will come when you too will be left by the side of the road. And you won't like it any better than these folks do now. I only hope the twenty-somethings of that era will be a little more understanding.....but I doubt it.

May 7, 2009 at 8:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

methusla (anonymous) says...

lets_get_reasonable
Do your friends truely still have a great time on Wednesday nights, even though they have been forced outside to have a smoke and do you think it is fair that they have to be left out of the fun being had inside by you and everyone else ?
And yes times do change, but not always for the better !
When freedoms are threatened or lost, the change is not for the better !
And there is an old adage that goes, " What goes around, comes around " !
It is your and others intolerance of what other people do that you don't agree with and the selfish attitude of, if you don't like living by my rules " git out of Town " !
These are the very attitudes that are and will drive people to spend their money else where and the very idea that these people should give up living in their hometown, their home, job, etc., is the highest and worst kind of intolerance and disrespect !

May 7, 2009 at 9:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...

lets_get_reasonable
"Seriously, I see no logic in that at all."
You don't see a point in being against burglary?
Now I don't think you're being reasonable.

May 7, 2009 at 9:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

josiesbar (anonymous) says...

Crack, how many UIPs do you think the cops hand out in one night, and people still do it all the time. There are still going to be butts all over the place, I promise you. Pretty much like I promised you there would be butts all over the place if the ban passed. If you ever go to Mass St. in Lawrence, look at the ground outside a bar some night. It is VERY comparable to the way the ground looked outside Town Royal/Beer 30. Just like I said it would.

I do feel bad for the girl that was running down Commercial, and had to run through all that SHS, because the smokers were made to be outside. You know, the girl who took some personal responsibility to try to improve her health, rather than having the government do it for her. She was involuntarily exposed to SHS, but the people got what they wanted.

Matt

May 7, 2009 at 11:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

If it's really all about pro-active public health....then there are still some changes to be made crackinsack....why don"t we get started.

And since you have been such a vocal advocate of pro-active protection of the public's health.....I'm sure you will want to join with me in my efforts......(sarcasim intended).

May 8, 2009 at 5:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

crack.....

...I meant that as tongue-in -cheek sarcasm.....not mean sarcasm.

......I try very hard to always be civil.....sometimes I fail....but it's not for lack of trying.

May 8, 2009 at 6:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

Be careful Matt!
You are making a case for Walter's next agenda. A outdoor smoking ban.
Steve

May 8, 2009 at 6:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

Flying J, (which is in the city), did NOT close. They did however adjust the hours of the restuarant during the week. I think they are closing the eat-in restuarant from midnight until 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. so they are eliminating the third shift 5 days a week. While some hours may have been cut, at least they are still open. Thank goodness!

May 8, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

gemini (anonymous) says...

biscuitboy....Based on your above post and assuming your age...that was also when everyone was told smoking will not harm a fetus. You are right, the times have changed!

Regarding litter...the City of Emporia needs to provide ashtrays or trashcans near every former smoking establishment. That should have been a part of the ban. And then if butts continue to accumulate, that only proves that smokers are also litterbugs.

Lastly, I go to bars quite often. I'm friends with college students...college students who spend A LOT of money on alcohol, goods and the services of this town. And I have yet to speak to one that is unhappy with the ban. There are two sides to every story.
For those that are now running to Topeka or elsewhere for goods, I hope your pocketbooks can handle the again increasing gas prices. Sure doesn't seem like a well thought-out plan. And for crying out loud, please be careful driving to Olpe or other places for drinks. We don't need an increase in drunk driving incidents.

May 8, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

gemini...I don't think I ever implied...and I certainly did not mean to imply.... that the changing attitudes about smoking were not based on valid new information. Smoking itself is harmful to the person that smokes....and to unborn fetuses. You get no argument from me there.

And I agree wholeheartedly that the change has indeed occured. The point I am trying to make is .....change is on-going....and just because you are in the drivers seat now doesn't mean you will always be there. In time, the youthful thinkers of tomorrow will come up with new ideas and they will push your old ideas aside....just as the old ideas of many of the people who fought so hard against the ban have seen their ideas put out to pasture.

As much as you want to believe now that this will never happen to you.....I will promise you that it will if you live long enough. Each brave new world leaves its old behind to rot....I am not complaining...I accept it....and someday you will see your world crumble and you will have no choice but to accept it too

All I was seeking was a little understanding. I hope that is not too much to ask.

May 8, 2009 at 4:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

methusla (anonymous) says...

biscuitboy,
A more profound truth has not been posted on these forums for sometime and I agree completely! I believe that you and I are old enough dogs, and been around long enought to have seen several changes take place and ideas and people of the time left behind and it will most certainly happen again !
And some of the new ideas and way of thinking may be thought of as " for the best " or " progressive in nature ", but that is not always the case !

May 8, 2009 at 5:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

gemini (anonymous) says...

I agree with you, biscuitboy...change is inevitable and wisdom does come with age. And trust me, I (or those like me) am not in the drivers seat...if I was, our current President would be someone else. I know about disappointment with government and expect more of it in the future.

May 8, 2009 at 5:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

Bump

....just hoping to push this thread into a forum

May 8, 2009 at 6:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...

If you hear a BUMP in the night it might be a burglar.

May 8, 2009 at 9:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

What's happened to crackinsack on this thread.....she started it out and was quite vocal.....now she has fallen uncharacterlistically silent.

Has she.......
......sudenly become bored with one of her favorite topics?
......become uncomfortable with the direction it's moving in?
......or, heaven forbid, conceeded defeat?

I recognize that the direction I have attempted to move this thread in may be uncomfortable to not only her, but to bar and restaurant owners, and to all who enjoy having a drink with friends. And I am certainly not advocating this position.

But the level of the discomfort, in my opinion, stands as proof positive that the slippery slope is real.....and the danger is clear and present.

As far as most college students having no problem with the ban....of course not. Most college students don't smoke...and the few that do have lived with smokings negative image all of their lives.

May 9, 2009 at 6:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )