Another Smoke Screen for California

You cannot smoke in a car. You cannot smoke in a bar. You cannot smoke on a plane. You cannot smoke on a train. You cannot smoke with a kid around. You cannot smoke anywhere in town. The only place that you can smoke is sitting in a garbage pail. And even then you can’t exhale!

Why don’t they just make smoking cigarettes illegal? I just recently quit (for the 100th time), so I would actually welcome it at this point. California has passed so many laws that limit where people can smoke, that it just seems like they’re dodging the inevitable. If smoking is so bad for us and the state keeps limiting where we can smoke – then why is it still legal?

First, they said no smoking in bars or restaurants. That one I agree with…partially. Anyone who would smoke in a restaurant is rude and an inconsiderate idiot any way, in my opinion. Bars I have a little different feeling about. I think bar owners should be able to designate a certain area within their establishment for smoking if they want to. California already screws with bar and nightclub owners enough as it is – a smoking ban is just another way to exert further control over them in an already over-regulated business environment.

Now California is passing a law that prohibits people from smoking in a vehicle where kids are present. I have mixed feelings about that one as well. A courteous smoker can roll down the window and blow the smoke out into the already smoggy atmosphere and easily spare his or her child the second hand smoke. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t think children should EVER be exposed to cigarette smoke. But, it just seems like the government is taking away our rights one by one.

Where does it end? Besides, on some days in places like LA and NY (and even here in SF) the air we breathe is just about as harmful as second hand cigarette smoke.
Some cities in California have even outlawed smoking outside. In Burbank, for instance, it is illegal to smoke within the city limits. Now, how invasive is that? You can’t even smoke outside?
The entire situation has reached comical proportions. Cigarette companies pay millions of dollars per year to warn people about the dangers of smoking. They are essentially paying for most of the anti-smoking campaigns in this country. How ridiculous! That would be like the beef producers doing ads that say “Don’t Eat Red Meat” or condom manufacturers promoting celibacy.

Either let people smoke wherever they want or outlaw it altogether. That’s my opinion. If we live in a free country, let’s act like it and stop trying to play Big Brother in every aspect of people’s lives.

This appeared on http://www.aol.com/ today:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California motorists will risk fines of up to $100 next year if they are caught smoking in cars with minors, making their state the third to protect children in vehicles from secondhand smoke.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed a bill that will make it an infraction to smoke in a vehicle if someone under age 18 is present. But the traffic stop would have to be made for another offense, such as speeding or an illegal turn, before the driver could be cited for smoking.
The ban, which takes effect Jan. 1, joins a string of smoking prohibitions adopted in California, including a ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces and within 25 feet of a playground.

A Harvard School of Public Health report issued last year said secondhand smoke in cars can be up to 10 times more of a health risk than secondhand smoke in a home.
"Protecting the health of our children is among government's highest responsibilities," said the bill's author, state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a Democrat. "It is clear that increasing public awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke is the right thing to do."

At least 20 states and a number of municipalities have considered limiting smoking in cars where minors are present. Arkansas now bans smoking in cars with children age 6 and younger, while Louisiana has limited it when children 13 and younger are in the vehicle. Maine lawmakers will take up the issue in January.

Is it End-of-Story for Joe Torre?

Will George Steinbrenner fire Joe Torre after losing in the AL Division Series to the Cleveland Indians? Georgie Porgie said that Torre was gone if the Yankees didn’t come back and win the series, which they lost in four games, but was it an idle threat or just a lame attempt to rally the troops?

George and Joe are very different people, in my opinion. The fact that they’ve been working together for so long is amazing, I believe.

The two men possess very disparate qualities -- Torre is a class act and a wonderful human being. Steinbrenner is a slime ball.

Torre has established throughout the years that he is a compassionate, respectful and thoughtful human being. Steinbrenner has a reputation for being a conniving, loudmouthed bully who uses his money and power to get whatever he wants.

Joe should just walk away from the Yankees. He’s won world championships and will probably end up in the Hall of Fame for what he’s achieved as a manager. What more does he have to prove?

This appeared in the New York Times earlier this week:

In his news conference late Monday night, Joe Torre tried to dissect another Yankees playoff loss and explain what it meant for his future. Watching on a television in the manager’s office as Torre choked up, the coaches struggled with what they were seeing.
“Joe treats everybody with respect, whether you’re a batboy, a coach or a trainer,” said Larry Bowa, the third-base coach. “He does everything the right way. What he has to go through, after all that he’s done, it doesn’t seem right. But we’ve all been in baseball for a long time. That’s the process.”
The painful process of parting with a manager was enough to make Bowa and the others teary on Monday. A day later, as the coaches and some players packed up their lockers at Yankee Stadium, Torre was a no-show and George Steinbrenner, the principal owner, was silent.
His only statement came through his publicist, Howard Rubenstein, who said Steinbrenner was flying home to Tampa, Fla., and had nothing to say for now. Steinbrenner will seek opinions on whether to offer Torre a new contract, but his public decree before Game 3 of the division series — that Torre would lose his job if the Yankees lost the series to Cleveland — resonates.
If Steinbrenner lets Torre go, as expected, most people around the team believe the front-runner to succeed him is the bench coach, Don Mattingly. Others believe Joe Girardi has a chance, and Tony La Russa — like Lou Piniella last year — is the biggest name on the managerial free-agent market.
Mattingly yesterday would not directly address whether he would want Torre’s job, but he said he had always made it clear that he would like a chance to manage. Yet he knows that replacing Torre, his close friend who won four World Series, would be an extraordinary challenge.
“I would think it’s like following John Wooden or somebody,” Mattingly said yesterday. “The guy’s won championship after championship, and he’s in the playoffs every year. It’s pretty much a no-win situation for someone to come in here and be able to experience what he’s done. It’s not going to happen. So as far as coming in here and taking on that job, it’s not necessarily a great situation.”
Girardi was Torre’s bench coach in 2005 before taking over the Florida Marlins and winning the National League Manager of the Year award. He clashed with management and was fired, but he is still widely respected, especially by General Manager Brian Cashman.
When Steinbrenner wanted to fire Torre last fall, Cashman interceded and saved Torre’s job. Torre had a year remaining on his contract then, but the deal is up now, and Cashman would not say if he would still recommend Torre.
“I’m not going to comment, in fairness to the process, until I have a chance to sit down with ownership,” Cashman said yesterday, adding later of Steinbrenner: “He’s always picked the manager here. Obviously, I had a great deal of input in last year’s process, so we’ll see. You can’t get ahead of the process.”
The Yankees are planning their annual organizational meetings, and before he left for Tampa, Steinbrenner’s son Hank, a senior vice president, told The Associated Press that no decisions had been made.
“I really do like Joe a lot,” he said. “I have a lot of admiration for him.”
Torre stayed at his home in Westchester County yesterday, speaking by phone with Cashman, Mattingly and others. Torre contacted the Yankees’ media relations director, Jason Zillo, because photographers were camped on his lawn, even though he had pleaded for privacy in his news conference.
The idea of La Russa replacing Torre would seem to appeal more to the vintage Steinbrenner, who craved the biggest name, than the Steinbrenner of today. La Russa’s contract with the St. Louis Cardinals is also expiring, and the Cardinals are without a general manager.
“You know how rumors are; anyone can start one,” said outfielder Shelley Duncan, whose father, Dave, is La Russa’s pitching coach. “Even my dad would tell you there is nothing substantial until action starts to take place. None of that has happened. Joe is our manager.”
Steinbrenner, 77, has a warm spot for ex-Yankees and has always held Mattingly, a former Yankees captain, in high regard. Four years ago, he called Mattingly at his farm in Evansville, Ind., making a personal appeal for him to coach the Yankees’ hitters after eight years of retirement.
When Mattingly was given the bench coach job last October, after Lee Mazzilli was dismissed, he was seen as the clear heir to Torre. Players believe Mattingly would have a similar style.
“He’s got a great baseball mind,” first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz said. “He and Joe were both great players. Sometimes you lose how hard this game really is, but Joe and Donnie didn’t lose that. Usually, the longer it is since you played, the better player you were and the easier the game was to you. But with those guys, they never make you feel like they’re talking down to you.”
Mientkiewicz and the other players who showed up yesterday expressed support for Torre, praising him for steering the Yankees to the postseason after a 21-29 start. Mientkiewicz revealed that Torre “let us have it” during a team meeting in Toronto in May, just before the turnaround began, and another first baseman, Andy Phillips, said he could not contemplate the Yankees without Torre.
“I refuse to think that way right now,” Phillips said. “I won’t let that thought enter into my mind.”
Most important, of course, is how seriously that thought is bouncing around the brain of Steinbrenner, who must decide — officially — whether to part with the most popular and successful manager he has had.
“His reign so far here has been terrific,” Cashman said of Torre. “You’d sign up for it right now, if you could find that. It’s been magical and it’s been incredible through ’07. What goes on going forward, in ’08 and beyond, is the discussion topic on the tabl

Cerebral Palsy

What exactly is cerebral palsy? Cerebral Palsy is a broad term used to describe a group of chronic movement or posture disorders. “Cerebral” refers to the brain, while “Palsy” refers to a physical disorder, such as a lack of muscle control. Cerebral Palsy is not caused by problems with the muscles or nerves, but rather with the brain’s ability to adequately control the body. Cerebral Palsy can be caused by injury during birth, although sometimes it is the result of later damage to the brain. Symptoms usually appear in the first few years of life and once they appear, they generally do not worsen over time. Disorders are classified into four categories

Marion Jones Stops Running From the Truth

Marion Jones has finally come clean, but it’s too little too late, in my opinion. After years of angry denials, Marion Jones is ready to admit she doped.
The three-time Olympic gold medalist is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in White Plains, N.Y., on Friday to plead guilty to charges in connection with steroid use, a federal law enforcement source told The Associated Press.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, and would not provide specific details about the plea.
Jones also sent family and close friends a letter in which she said she used steroids before the Sydney Games, The Washington Post reported Thursday. The Post was the first to report that Jones would come clean on doping.
Jones has at long last admitted steroid use, because she knew she was caught. If the evidence wasn’t there, she would have never made the admission, I believe. Jones would still be denying, denying, and denying some more, each denial more vehement that the last one, if she wasn’t about to be nailed.
The fact that Jones confessed at this late date is weak, as far as I’m concerned. She’s not being honest because she feels guilty. She’s doing it because the truth would eventually have come out in court. Her lawyers told her that the only way to save face now is to act contrite and step up.
But, after lying for so long, it just makes her look even worse. It’s like when Pete Rose FINALLY admitted betting on baseball after years and years of swearing he didn’t. It’s pathetic and contrived – and I don’t believe the public will buy into it for a minute. Jones would have been better off if she had just stuck to her original story. Now there’s no doubt that she’s not just a liar, but a cheater as well.
"I want to apologize for all of this," the Post reported Jones saying in her letter, quoting a person who received a copy and read it to the paper. "I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways."
Jones said in her letter that she faced up to six months in jail and would be sentenced in three months, according to the newspaper.
The admission also could cost Jones the five medals she won in Sydney, where she was the most celebrated female athlete of the games. She didn't win the five golds she wanted, but she came away with three and two bronzes, and her bright smile and charming personality made her a star.
In December 2004, the International Olympic Committee opened an investigation into doping allegations against Jones.
"Progress to date has been slow due the difficulty of gathering findings," IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said. "The information that Marion Jones might provide later on today may prove to be key in moving this case forward."
Under statute of limitations rules, the IOC and other sports bodies can go back eight years to strip medals and nullify results. In Jones' case, that would include the 2000 Olympics, where she won gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 1,600-meter relay and bronze in the long jump and 400-meter relay.
In addition to any jail term, Jones could face a long competition ban from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
The International Association of Athletics Federations said it was waiting for official notification from USADA setting out the details of Jones' reported admission.
If she admits to having been on drugs during a specific period, the IAAF could strip Jones of all her medals and results from the world championships and other events from that time. She won three gold medals, a silver and a bronze at the 1999 and 2001 worlds.
"Our rules are clear if she confesses," IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said.
No one answered the door at Jones' home in Austin, Texas, Thursday evening, and a message left by the AP for a phone number registered to her husband, Obadele Thompson, was not immediately returned.
The triple gold medalist in Sydney said she took "the clear" for two years, beginning in 1999, and that she got it from former coach Trevor Graham, who told her it was flaxseed oil, the newspaper reported.
"The clear" is a performance-enhancing drug linked to BALCO, the lab at the center of the steroids scandal in professional sports. Home run king Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi and Detroit Tigers outfielder Gary Sheffield all have been linked to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative and were among more than two dozen athletes who testified before a federal grand jury in 2003.
Bonds denied ever knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs, saying he believed a clear substance and a cream, given to him by his trainer, were flaxseed oil and an arthritis balm.
Until now, Jones had denied doping, even suing BALCO founder Victor Conte in 2004 for $25 million. Conte repeatedly accused Jones of using performance-enhancing drugs and said he watched her inject herself.
"It cost me a lot of money to defend myself," Conte said Thursday. "But I told the truth then, and I'm telling it now."
In her letter, Jones said she didn't realize she'd used performance-enhancing drugs until she stopped training with Graham at the end of 2002. She said she lied when federal agents questioned her in 2003, panicking when they presented her with a sample of "the clear," which she recognized as the substance Graham had given her.
"It's funky, because you wanted to believe she was clean," said Jon Drummond, a gold medalist in the 400 relay in Sydney. "It's like that old saying, 'Cheaters never win.' So no matter how glorious or glamorous things look, you'll get caught and pay a price for it.
"It caught me by total surprise," he added. "It's a shock. I thought it was a closed case. It doesn't help track and field at all, except maybe by letting the world know, people always get to the bottom of things. We shouldn't be afraid of the truth, but it's sad it came to this."
Jones' career has been tarnished the last several years by doping allegations against her. In August 2006, a urine sample tested positive for EPO, but Jones was cleared when a backup sample tested negative.
She also was among the athletes who testified before a BALCO grand jury in 2003. Her former boyfriend, Tim Montgomery, also testified, and was given a two-year ban for doping in late 2005. Michelle Collins and Justin Gatlin, who also trained with Graham, were banned for doping violations, too.
Graham has a Nov. 26 trial date after being indicted in the BALCO case last November on three counts of lying to federal agents. Graham, who has pleaded not guilty, helped launch the government's steroid probe in 2003 when he mailed a vial of "the clear" — previously undetectable — to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
A woman who answered the phone at Graham's home in Raleigh, N.C., declined to identify herself, but said Graham was not home before refusing to answer any other questions. There was no answer at the door of Graham's north Raleigh home.
USA Track & Field was not aware of Jones' letter nor any pending legal action, CEO Craig Masback said.
"Anything that exposes the truth about drug use in sport is good for ensuring the integrity of sport," Masback said. "Any use of performance-enhancing substances is a tragedy for the athlete, their teammates, friends, family and the sport."
Darryl Seibel, spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, declined comment on whether Jones would lose her medals until legal proceedings are completed.
"If these reports are true," Seibel said, "it is an admission of responsibility from an athlete who owed her sport and the Olympic movement much better."
Seibel added that "our position on doping is unequivocal. Doping is cheating, and under no circumstance will it be tolerated. If an athlete cheats, they deserve to pay the price for their action."
The Washington Post also reported that, in her letter, Jones said she lied about a $25,000 check given to her by Montgomery, who pleaded guilty in New York in April as part of a criminal scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged checks. He has yet to be sentenced.
Wells, Jones' longtime agent, and Olympian Steve Riddick, another of Jones' former coaches, also were convicted in the scam.
Bank records indicated Jones had received a $25,000 check from one of the alleged conspirators — Nathaniel Alexander who shared office space with Riddick and also was convicted. The check never cleared, according to records, and Jones was never charged.
"Once again, I panicked," the Post reported, quoting Jones' letter. "I did not want my name associated with this mess. I wanted to stay as far away as possible."

Cartier Watches Just Say "Class!"

I love Cartier watches. Lots of people think Rolex is IT, but for me nothing even comes close to Cartier! Cartier is the name synonymous with tradition, prestige, innovation and unparalleled quality. Cartier wristwatches and timepieces are both storied and historic in their quality and technical accomplishment. Creator of one of the world's first men's wristwatch on a leather strap, Cartier continues to lead the field in design, execution and meticulous attention to detail. Cartier, a leading figure in the world of luxury, continues to perpetuate and enhance its reputation with an unstinting commitment to excellence.

Chiaroscuro & Rex Cafe

We recently tried a couple of SF restaurants that I reviewed for http://www.chowbaby.com/.

Last night, we visited a hot new Italian restaurant in the financial district in SF called Chiaroscuro. The Executive Chef there is Allessandro Campitelli, and he has created a menu that is innovative and features some wonderful regional dishes. This guy really knows what he's doing, and everything he does is made with care and attention to detail. The meat, the poultry, the pasta dishes -- the focus is traditional Roman cuisine based on his family recipes. I heartily recommend the Triloga, which is a tasting of three of the restaurant's signature pastas -- magnifico!
Chiaroscuro is located at 550 Washington Street in San Francisco. Check out their web site at: http://www.chiarosurosf.com/.

At Polk and Green, there's a place called Rex Cafe (pictured above) that we just adore! It used to be called Casablanca, but it's been called the Rex Cafe for about 12 years now. They have awesome Bloody Mary's, four different types of Eggs Benedict, and a wide array of great specials that change periodically. Executive Chef John Pauley creates fun dishes that are always fresh, contemporary and loaded with interesting flavors. The selections are categorized from heavier entrees, al the way to lighter, fresher things. They also have smaller plates, like a beet carpaccio and an Asian-inspired tuna tartare, and really unusual stuff like a catfish corndog and a Southern-fried poussin with waffles. They have a great outdoor area where you can dine outside when the weather permits. Rex Cafe is a prefect place to enjoy good food, relax and people watch.
Rex Cafe is ay 2323 Polk Street (at Green) in San Francisco.

The Osbournes Don't Want Love in Their Lives

As reported by AOL, two of music's most outspoken women just keep on throwing punches at each other. Courtney Love vehemently denies Sharon Osbourne's claims that she introduced Osbourne's son, Jack, to OxyContin. "I never did that. I would never give drugs to a teenager. F--- you, Sharon -- as if I would ever give drugs to a teenager," Love said last week in London.

Today, Osbourne fired back, telling the New York Daily News, "I'm glad she doesn't like me. I only pity her. She's a virus. I don't want her anywhere near people I love. The cold, hard fact is she's a has-been."

I agree with Sharon. I don't want Courtney near anyone I love, either. I wouldn't want her around anybody I don't even like, for that matter.

Love, in my opinion, is a talentless hack who latched on to Kurt Cobain and rode his coat tails for way too long. I never liked her band Hole and she’s a terrible actress as well. The only movie that she was even halfway decent in was the one about Larry Flynt – in which she played a drugg addicted, falling down drunk. In other words, she played herself.

Every time I see Love on TV or in a photo, she looks like she’s been up for weeks partying. All the plastic surgery in the world can’t hide her haggard look and vacant stare.

I would not be at all surprised if Love gave Jack Osbourne OxyContin. Why would Sharon make up something like that? And what is Jack’s motivation for lying? When The Osbournes' reality show was the hottest thing on TV, one of the things I couldn’t believe was how the Osbourne kids could get into LA clubs and drink without IDs. It just proves that if you’re a celebrity, you can do pretty much whatever you want to, especially in Los Angeles.

Thank God Jack has cleaned up his act and embraced sobriety. The kid was well on his way to being another drug casualty, but he got a clue and turned his life around – no thanks to Love, no doubt.

In September, Osbourne told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper, "I will never have time for Courtney Love. She was the first person to give my son Jack the prescription drug OxyContin. There's not a shadow of doubt in my mind about that."

"My dislike towards her is very personal," Osbourne continued. "I'm not saying Jack wouldn't have taken it if she hadn't given it to him, but I'm appalled that an adult mother would give that to a 15-year-old boy. How could she do that to someone else's child?"

Love asserts she had never heard of OxyContin until she met Jack. She added, "It was the first time I was ever introduced to the pills." Jack's use of the painkillers landed him in rehab in 2003. He's been clean since, and he recently wrote an autobiography called '21 Years Gone.'

San Francisco Comedy Day, Part Two

Top: Jake Johannsen

Photo #2: Women Who Kick Comedy Butt

Photo #3: Paula Poundstone

Photo: #4: Johnny Steele

Photo #5: Michael Pritchard

San Francisco Comedy Day

Top: The Meehan Brothers were funny as usual.

Photo #2: Rick and Ruby, SF comedy legends

Photo #3: Political humorist and incredibly funny satndup Will Durst

Photo #4: Left: Frank Kidderm who founded the SF Comedy Competition & Comic/SF Politician Tom Ammiano

Photo: Blind comic Mike Lee rocked Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park

So Long to Solo

Outspoken U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo will not be with the team for Sunday's third-place game against Norway in the Women's World Cup.

Coach Greg Ryan announced the decision 24 hours before the game and just two days after Solo went public and criticized him for benching her for the semifinal with Brazil. Ryan went with 36-year-old veteran Briana Scurry, but it didn't matter. Brazil overwhelmed the top-ranked Americans 4-0, superior in every phase of the game."We have moved forward with 20 players who have stood by each other, who have battled for each other," Ryan said on Saturday. "And when the hard times came - and the Brazil game was a hard time - they stood strong. Now it's the 20 who have stuck together who will be ready to go out and compete against Norway."

I think Ryan is the one who looks bad here. Why didn’t he stick with Solo? She was a on a perfect roll, having not given up one goal during the entire World Cup. Scurry was coming off an injury and is definitely not the same player she was several years ago.

The four goals that Brazil scored against Scurry all looked like they could have been blocked. Scurry looked lost out there, and although I admit that it wasn’t completely her fault, I don’t know how anyone can say she played a good game. Solo most certainly could have blocked at least a couple of those shots, which would have at least given her team a chance.

Ryan is trying to blame Solo for not being a team player, but in the end, the coach made a decision and it didn’t work out. If Scurry had played well, none of this would even be an issue.

Taking Solo out just because Scurry had never lost to the Brazilians was a bone headed move. Why mess with perfection? This is a prime example of a coach getting in the way of his team’s success. Dance with the one who brought ya, Ryan. It’s the oldest rule in the book. Let your best players play and don’t mess with a team’s chemistry, especially if they’re winning.

If the U.S. team loses to Norway with Scurry in goal, Ryan will look even worse. He had better pray for a consolation win, not that anyone cares at this point. No one remembers anyone except the championship team.

Defending champion Germany will face Brazil in Sunday's championship game. The Brazil loss marked the second straight time the United States has fallen in the semifinals of a Women's World Cup, failing to repeat titles of 1991 and '99.Solo, 25, in a widely seen interview, said Ryan had made the "wrong decision" by benching her. She also said she would have made the saves, an open criticism of Scurry who led the United States to the '99 title and gold in the 2004 Olympics.Scurry will start against Norway.Captain Kristine Lilly and star striker Abby Wambach said Solo apologized at a team meeting. And on her myspace page, Solo said she did not mean to criticize Scurry. However, she maintained Ryan's decision was wrong.