You lack education, understanding, spelling skills, life skills, and alot of other things, this is why people do not respond to you, it is like talking to a kindergarten student... Reply...

Glad to hear that information..Its about time! Reply...

I think I am going to apply for a federal grant. A grant that gives me money to take in displaced smokers. As they are being pushed out of their habitiat, I will care for them and find them all new homes! Reply...

Downtown Minot does have its problems. People have been behind the curve in copying what other cities all over America started in the 90s: realize that your downtown historical district has strong merits, it's what distinguishes your town from another. Nowadays in many cities the younger crowd looks for the hip places downtown, and the malls are more boring, as they're the same everywhere. They want coffee houses, music, art galleries, theaters, restaurants, etc. They expect it to be in historical buildings.

In cities across the country that you've been in, on TV, etc., where is the cool area to hang out? To take a date? Is it in a suburb? The mall outside of town? No, it's amongst the downtown. Cities are spending hundreds of millions on revitalizing blighted districts that used to be old factories and warehouses.

Keep in mind what Minot Downtown has going for it now:
Five or six restaurants (family dining, deli, Asian, Fine Dining)
Live theater
Two nightclubs
Treats (cookies), Gifts
Various gift, jewelry, and clothing stores.
Three museums or galleries
Several bars
Pottery making and classes, art glass store and classes
Other Service and Retail businesses

What's Coming...
* 1,100 more air force base personnel (and their spouses and kids)
* ~300 more Hess employees (many of them above middle income)
* ArtSpace project which spurs development

Until zoning laws are changed, Chicago Club and SIN aren't doing anything wrong.

But what's really needed is some planned investment in downtown to establish more anchor businesses. You can try to be laissez-faire about it for only so long, but eventually a city needs to take charge of its future and help it grow in ways that enhances life, attracts visitors, attracts residents, and invites more businesses to come invest and employ people.

Many times companies have been reluctant to move here or establish a branch here. Not because we didn't have enough big box stores or olive gardens, but because the Downtown didn't have enough to offer. Reply...

I agree with others regarding about offering consistent treatment of Chicago Club and SIN.

It's not facism, communism, or any other "ism" to have city planning. There's a reason for zones and tax incentives and regulations. Citizens and city government often decides that the historical district will be preserved, or keep signage consistent with a theme, etc.

So, if there's no "Main Street Zone" that is zoned differently from the commercial zone that Chicago Club is in, then I don't see a problem with the business there, no matter what people feel about it personally.

If the citizens are suddenly jolted into awareness that Main Street should be treated as a separate zone, then that needs to be spelled out in the code.


Reply...

Excellent - phase 1 nearly complete, now we need to get rid of all the business' that sell alcohol, no one needs alcohol and it is not good for you. Then in phase 3 when we to the restaurant you will be asked to step on a scale and will be given a menu appropriate for your weight. Reply...

Smoking is a mental addiction, only.
After a short term bout, of going without nicotine, the smoking habit can be beaten.

The problem is that smoking is more than that, many people do enjoy smoking a lot.
Some people do not get the same pleasure or rush from smoking.
Everyone's brain chemistry is different.

When the anti-smoking liars falsely claim that nicotine is far more addictive than heroin, they are full of sh@t.
People die of herion withdrawl and alocohol withdrawl.
Chroin herion addicts and alcoholics.
No one, however dies from nicotine withdrawl.

A smoker can quit, providing that's what they really want to do.
Smoking bans help very few smokers to give up their smoking habits.
Smokers simply modify where and when they smoke.
Outdoor smoking bans are impotent and destined to fail.
In order to impose a valid regulation, those who make the rules must be able to enforce the rules.
A shopping mall does not have the legal ability to do so.
They can try and they shall fail miserably in their efforts.
This is a very, bad idea.

I am an addiction counselor by trade.
I do smoke on an infrequent-casual basis.
I don't litter, either.
The mall will lose my business, I shall shop elsewhere.

Reply...

I for one plan to do alot more shopping on the internet. That will avoid all the hassle and name calling. Pigs? Oh, grow up. I think all us 'pigs' should buy our cigarettes out of state and listen for the sqealing when the 'non-pigs' taxes go up. Reply...

I love the ones who throw lit cigarette butts out their car windows. Like it's not LITTER and no big deal. I had one land ON my car once. Reply...

I am a smoker...but I do not smoke around other non smokers. I do not smoke in my house. I do not smoke in my car. I have children and they did not ask to smell it or smell like it. I have no problem NOT smoking outside the mall. I don't understand what the big deal is! If you are that in need to smoke, go to your car or go home! Other non smokers don't want to smell it or smell like it. Because if they did, don't you think that they would be a smoker?! Yes, I know that it is bad for me and I have tried to quit many times and I have quit many times, mainly when I was pregnant with my children. One day I will be among the non-smokers but I will not call the smokers names or belittle them. Smoking is a addiction-just like drugs and alcohol. It may be hard for some to quit and easy for some. There is no reason to belittle us smokers. NOT ALL OF US ARE PIGS!!!!! Reply...

I read many comments that say smokers are whining all the time but what about nonsmokers they whine worse! For example you wanted us to go outside and smoke we did without a complaint or a fight! You are calling all smokers pigs and insulting us for years because you think that gives you the right to do! I know that there are pigs in all of us for example what about the person who throws a dirty diaper in the parking lot, the person who spits on the street?? Are these people pigs too or is it just the smokers?? We are trying to fight for our rights now and you nonsmokers do not like it one bit because we are actually starting to stand up for ourselves! We have given you leeway and understanding and have gone to great lengths on doing so but where is our understanding?? Where is our leeway?? Where is our freedom of choice to smoke?? There needs to be a line drawn so that you can have your freedom and we can have ours? When will you be happy and content with yourselves?? I know a lot of you nonsmokers will say when there is no smoking allowed anywhere! But then that is no realistic as you would not have anything to complain about anymore! I am a smoker but i do not throw butts on the street unless i can not find an ashtray so i stamp my cigarette out and pick up the butt and i find a garbage, i do not throw it out the window as i know what can happen! So i am still a pig?? Evidently as i still whats the word oh yeah stink! Oh that is right lets worry about someone who stinks of cigarette odor instead of the nasty body order that i have smelled on a few people that doesnt want to take a shower and clean up! I am sorry but i would rather smell tobacco smoke than a person body order! You nonsmokers do have rights too like not going to a place where us smokers are at but you forget that or choose to go insake of an argument! Reply...

I don't smoke, but my elderly parents do smoke.
What the mall is essentially saying here is we value the business of non-smokers more than we value the business of smokers.
Though smokers are of the mahority.
Many smokers have smoking family members and friends.
If smoking while visiting-shopping at the mall is such an important issue to potential customers, they will simply shop elsewhere.
The mall will not just lose smoking customers.
It's a domino effect.
It's not a very, good business plan.
But then again, some people won't care either way and others will simply ignore the mall's absurd outdoor smoking ban. Reply...

No one can tell me not to smoke in the privacy of my own car.
No one.
Let the mall try.
Reply...

Jack,

I smoked for over 20 years, and during that time, I would have put my house, car, yard and anything else up against any takers for cleanliness. Still will for that matter. I have pride in my things and respect for the property of my neighbors and family. I have several family members and friends who still smoke and they don't put their cigarettes out in my yard and leave them there. They pick them up and either thow them in the garbage or in the ashtrays of their own cars. If your family and neighbors are "PIGS" I suggest you take it up with them or move. Don't categorize an entire group of people just because you've had bad experiences some. Every weekend there are beer cans on the ground all over my town, but I don't think that all beer drinkers are pigs.

It is not your place to tell other grown adults what they can do on their propery or in their cars, but you can pick up the butts that blow in your yard and feel free to throw them back in the neighbors yard from wence they came. Let them pick them up if they feel the need to toss them. That's what I do when my neighbors leave their garbage out for the garbage man and it blows all over the street. Same thing applies as far as I'm concerned.

Point being, not all smokers are pigs, and I found that to be a childish comment. Name calling is best left on the playground, and not in an adult forum. Reply...

I can remember the time out at the AF Base when we would have spring clean up day and some Captain would say I want everyone to go out and pick up all the trash to include cigarette butts, and I said no I don't think I'm going to pick up someone else's dirty filthy rotten cigarette butt.cigarette Reply...

I can remember the time out at the AF Base when we would have spring clean up day and some Captain would say I want everyone to go out and pick up all the trash to include cigarette butts, and I said no I don't think I'm going to pick up someone else's dirty filthy rotten cigarette butt. Reply...

us smokes are not Pigs. We do not roll around in the dirt like pigs. we don't eat sloop like pigs. We are normal human beings just like you are. At least the majority of us look out for others well being and stand far enough from the door. Not all of us stand right by the door only a few do. I always put my butts out in a can. We are normal human beings just like you. Please do not put us down because we do one thing diferent then you. I even have seizures and the nicotine controls my seizures. So again please dont call us PIGS!! As a matter of fact you may be calling yourself that because it may be bothering you that you can not be like us or you use to smoke. No just kidding please just be nice about it when i read this article it sounded like you were being very rude to those of us that do choose to smoke. Reply...

I'm a bartender from Canada.
I work in a non-smoking pub, here, in Vancouver, B.C.
Our bar has been smoke-free for close to 3 years now.
We do have a smoking patio, which will become illegal within the next month's time.

Some smokers are filthy pigs, I must admit that.
But it's highly unfair to stereo-type anyone like that.
I'm an ex-smoker and and most smokers that I know clean up after themselves. There are some extreme exceptions to the rule.

Our business has suffered greatly due to the smoking regulations that were forced upon us by the city government.
Outdoor area smoking bans are extreme overkill and given the choice virtually every bar and club in this city would return to allowing smoking indoors and outdoors on patios if we were given the choice to do so.

Our patio smoking ban is going to be very, bad for business in this city.
Most sane individuals aren't worried about second-hand tobacco smoke exposure. Concentrations never reach even minimal danher levels indoors, much less outside a building.

The mall is crazy and so are all of the anti-smoking zealots that are screaming for indoor and outdoor smoking bans.

Reply...