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January 02, 2005
Finally, I'm on the winning side
Head of Femur chokes through their New Year's Eve set
I edited most of the cigarette haze out of this pic I took on New Year's Eve through the magic of brightness and contrast. Trust me, it' there, but it won't be anymore. Effective at 12:01 am, Jan. 1, 2005, smoking is no longer allowed in any businesses in the city of Lincoln.
Originally the city council wanted to pass a less restrictive law but someone on the council, just to be a prick, suggested a total ban and was shocked when it passed. Smokers and associated businesses succeeded in getting a repeal initiative on the November ballot, but Lincoln voters approved the total smoking ban by a 40% margin so it doesn't sound like it's going to change anytime soon. It's nice to be on the winning side of direct democracy for once.
There are already lawsuits and shenanigans underway. The Foxy Lady, a downtown establishment with a somewhat misleading name since none of the Ladies are particularly foxy, is putting up a 10 foot wall around their beer garden so they can have outdoor dancing when weather permits. There's also a small loophole in the statute defining an "enclosed structure" which would allow the bar to almost completely close up the outdoor area when it's not so nice out and still allow smoking. I didn't realize one needed to smoke to enjoy that particular entertainment, but to each his own, I guess. I sense a change in the Lincoln City Code coming.
There's also a bar on the state fair grounds, just north of downtown, which has been advertising like mad that smokers are welcome since their bar sits on state propery, not city property. The state fair people said they're going to keep an eye on the situation since the bar operates on state property at their pleasure.
It will also be interesting to see how many people need to smoke while drinking so bad they'll drive to one of the keno parlors in the little bedroom communities surrounding Lincoln. Will there be an increase in DUI's?
Posted by Half-Cocked at January 2, 2005 12:46 AM
Comments
No smoking in Lincoln, Nebraska businesses? I thought that was just a California thing that the rest of the country laughed at. And still, if it were to spread, I would never have guessed it would make it to Lincoln.
Posted by: Ex Mea Sentnentia at January 3, 2005 01:59 PM
Yeah, it's kind of odd, but then again, Lincoln is the San Francisco of the Plains.
I think Omaha's kind of jealous, judging from what I've read in the papers since the law passed.
Posted by: Steve at January 3, 2005 02:30 PM
i thought lincoln was the SLC of the plains????? that sanfran thing is just a UNL, excuse me, NU-Lincoln recruting technique.
Posted by: julee at January 3, 2005 03:33 PM
It's definitely not a Nü-metal technique. Those Nü-metal guys are all about smoking.
Posted by: Kevin at January 4, 2005 03:03 PM
Lincoln hasn't been the SLC of the Plains since Bob relocated to the promised land. What makes Lincoln the SFO of the Plains is its high gayness quotient.
Posted by: Steve at January 4, 2005 10:58 PM
the gay mafia told me that lincoln's high gayness quotient is a lie. they had not taken the capitol building into account tho.
Posted by: julee at January 5, 2005 11:58 AM