Cake or Death: Murrieta City Council votes in smoking ban

Al Gore says global warming is YOUR fault!
"He betrayed this country! He played on our fears!"
You don't say...

September 18th, 2007

Fed Cuts Benchmark Rate Half Point, Seeking to Forestall Recession in U.S. - "The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by a half point to 4.75 percent, the first cut in four years, to protect the U.S. from sinking into a recession sparked by fallout from the housing-market collapse. 'Today's action is intended to help forestall some of the adverse effects on the broader economy that might otherwise arise from the disruptions in financial markets,' the Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement after meeting today in Washington. The central bank will 'act as needed to foster price stability and sustainable economic growth.' Stocks surged, two-year Treasury notes rose and the dollar fell to a record low against the euro. The larger-than-forecast reduction suggests Chairman Ben S. Bernanke is prepared to leave himself open to criticism that he's rescuing investors from bad decisions for the sake of saving the six-year expansion."
U.S. Producer Prices Drop More Than Forecast; Foreclosures on Homes Double - "The 1.4 percent decrease, the biggest since October, followed a 0.6 percent increase in July, the Labor Department said today in Washington. So-called core prices, which exclude fuel and food costs, rose 0.2 percent after a 0.1 percent gain the month before. Slower inflation gave policy makers room to cut their benchmark rate today in an effort to sustain the expansion in the face of a housing recession. A drop in fuel expenses pushed prices down in August and cooling economic growth will continue to restrain raw-material costs, economists said."

September 14th, 2007

U.S. Retail Sales, Output Rise Less Than Forecast, Adding to Rate-Cut Case - "The 0.3 percent increase in sales during August followed a revised 0.5 percent gain in July, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. Purchases excluding automobiles unexpectedly fell 0.4 percent. Production gained 0.2 percent, with factory output declining for the first time since February. While a report from the University of Michigan and Reuters Group Plc showed consumer confidence increased, their sentiment index remained near the lowest level in a year. Treasury notes rallied after the retail sales and production reports, before losing the gains."

September 13th, 2007

Greenspan Says He Didn't Foresee Credit Rout, Endorses Bernanke, CBS Says - "Current Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke 'is doing an excellent job,' Greenspan said in an interview on the 60 Minutes program, according to excerpts e-mailed by CBS today. The show is scheduled to air on Sept. 16, a day before the publication of Greenspan's book, 'The Age of Turbulence.' The remarks come amid criticism among some investors that Bernanke has failed to be as forceful as his predecessor in responding to financial turmoil. Greenspan in 1998 cut interest rates three times after a Russian debt default rippled through global markets. Bernanke's Fed has refrained from lowering its benchmark so far, relying on other tools to provide liquidity."
Commercial-Paper Market Decline in U.S. Slows as Concerns Over Credit Ease - "U.S. stocks rose and Treasuries fell after the Federal Reserve reported short-term debt dropped by $8.2 billion, compared with a decline of $31.3 billion a week earlier. That coincided with Countrywide Financial Corp. obtaining new financing and banks finding buyers for loans to fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.'s buyout of Alliance Boots. Issuers with the biggest chance of default had stopped trying to sell commercial paper, rekindling appetite for short- term debt, said Tony Crescenzi, chief bond market strategist at Miller Tabak & Co. in New York. 'Investors have already pushed out the weakest issuers,' Crescenzi said in an e-mail. 'The commercial paper that remains is a relatively more respected crop.'"

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Friday, September 22, 2006

Murrieta City Council votes in smoking ban

This is just one of those stupid things that somehow seem to get voted by City Council peons who're just trying to make themselves feel important.

MURRIETA -- Lighting up in Murrieta just got a little tougher.

Aiming to limit the effects of secondhand smoke in public places around town, the City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a new ordinance that bans smoking in restaurants' outdoor dining areas, children's play areas and schools.

The ordinance also bans smoking within 15 feet of the "main entrance" of a wide range of businesses.

So now restaurants who've been grasping at straws trying to salvage their smoking clientele can't have open air patios were patrons can smoke, you can't smoke at school (you couldn't smoke at schools to begin with, it's already illegal, so what's the point of this one), and now the infamous smoke break has undoubtedly been ruined since you can't smoke outside a business entrance.

Just for the record, I don't smoke. An occasional cigar is nice, but I don't smoke cigarettes. I think it a disgusting habit. But what's worse is the government telling businesses how they should operate. Why can't a bar open that wants to cater to the smoking crowd? Can't we have a cigar lounge where people can light up? Shouldn't a restaurant decide whether or not it wants to allow smoking? For legal reasons all these places would probably have their workers sign releases saying that they're aware that by working here they will be exposed to smoke, etc. And besides it'd be the business that's taking the chance. Maybe a bar that allows smoking won't catch on and will fold after a couple months. That's how a free market economy works.

To The Californian's credit they published this editorial as well that hammers the city for being redundant, not having the means to enforce these new laws, and just being generally ass-backwards.

Link to me! Posted by jwookie : 3:46 PM

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