Clearing The Air

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Worldwide economic meltdown and Nicoderm: Name two things which seemingly have nothing in common

Pundits and Monday morning quarterbacks around the globe opine that it was subprime mortgages and loose qualification standards that caused the mortgage foreclosure crisis and subsequently the world financial crisis. But according to Wikipedia the first subprime was initiated in 1993, so subprime loans were nothing new in 2007. From 1993 to 2006 borrowers for the most part paid their subprime loans and kept their homes.

So what was the catalyst that caused homeowners en masse to default on their subprime mortgages and eventually lose their homes to foreclosure? It doesn't take much research to realize that a job loss is the major reason behind a borrower's inability to make payment obligations on automobiles, homes, etc.

According to Wikipedia beginning in late 2006, the U.S. subprime mortgage industry entered what many observers have begun to refer to as a meltdown. A steep rise in the rate of subprime mortgage defaults and foreclosures has caused more than 100 subprime mortgage lenders to fail or file for bankruptcy

In 2006 the economy was relatively strong, unemployment was low, yet by the end of 2006 foreclosures were becoming an epidemic. Where were the job losses occurring? How did they go unreported? Why did these massive job losses go unreported?

There was something quietly happening in the background which went largely unnoticed. In city council chambers, county commission offices and state capitols one by one a political movement quickly, yet silently swept throughout the land. It was a movement many mused as largely insignificant if not outright politically correct, a movement "whose time had come". In fact the only time this sweeping political agenda* made news was when newspapers, television media, universities, and "charitable" organizations were editorializing in favor of enactment of these anti-choice initiatives. So when these nationwide and worldwide government mandates started having a negative financial impact on the businesses they were meant to legislate behavior in, the media was not about to report the failings & disasterous effects of the same legislation they earlier advocated.

As it happened, predictably to some, the enactment of the aforementioned behavioral control legislation (smoking bans) decreased revenues in most, once profitable, hospitality businesses. The eventual closure of these businesses led to significant job losses and ultimately the avalanche of foreclosures which thrust the world economy into its current crisis.  

3,382 UK pubs closed after nationwide smoking ban  

South Dakota's smoking ban, just one month old, has already cost the state, charities, and local hospitality businesses millions of dollars in lost revenue  

1,000-2,000 US bars & restaurants closed after various smoking bans were enacted
 
Nearly 300 Mpls / St. Paul bars & restaurants closed after smoking bans were enacted  

Casino revenue losses in Colorado & Las Vegas after smoking bans

Washington State gambling revenues fall sharply due to ban

Trump & Atlantic City casinos lose significant revenue after smoking ban
 
Illionois smoking ban eliminates revenues in casinos

900 Pennsylvania bars and taverns have been reported closed since their smoking ban passed

NYC, which has a smoking ban, has a lengthy list of closed bars closed

-economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis have released analysis that says Illinois lost over $200 million in state and local revenue by placing the smoking ban on state-licensed casinos.

http://research.stlouisfed.org/wp/2009/2009-027.pdf

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/01/economy-sheds-76000-jobs-on-blue.html

The links above provide further information to backup the business closings mentioned, but for every establishment reported closed there are no doubt many others unreported. And for every establishment reported closed there are 20 - 30 jobs eliminated. In Minneapolis / St. Paul area alone nearly 10,000+ jobs were eliminated due to smoking bans (not including indirect jobs affected such as vendors, suppliers etc.), multiply that 10,000+ by the number of major metropolitan areas which enacted bans between 2002 - 2006 and you can understand the reason for the steep rise in the rate of subprime mortgage defaults and foreclosures in late 2006. As a matter of record, this author's home was foreclosed upon in 2005 and was eventually forced out in late 2006, due to job loss from smoking ban, just as Wikipedia data suggests.

Gordon Gecko reminds us that even hospitality workers bought houses before the foreclosure crisis

But he forgets to mention what later happened when those workers lost their jobs due to revenue drops after smoking bans were enacted.....massive numbers of home foreclosures, consumer spending drops, the ripple effect multiplies....etc....etc.

Meanwhile, the special interests who funded and lobbied lawmakers into enacting the economy ravaging legislation have some very dubious financial ties to, you guessed it.........Nicdoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, Nicorette, Commit, etc.

So the next time some pundit tells you the economic meltdown was caused simply from subprime loans, asked them why the meltdown didn't occur in 1993 when the first subprime loans came into being. Then asked them what caused the job losses between 2002 - 2006 which prevented subprime mortgage holders from paying their mortgage? If they're being honest, they can point to only one industry sector which was under seige by special interests and liberal nanny-state lawmakers......the hospitality industry........and the weapon of mass job destruction?.......Smoking Bans.

Update: Economists dispel flawed "studies" that claim smoking bans do not harm business.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/04/economic-impact-bars-restaurants-opinions-contributors-smoking-ban.html
So, even if legislators are reluctant to listen to arguments about individual freedom or those based on preserving the welfare of tobacco manufacturers, there are other, very real economic trade-offs they should consider when voting on a smoking ban.
Dr. Jonathan T. Tomlin is an economist and principal at LECG, an international economic research and consulting firm.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/8426223/Pakko

Those (hospitality businesses) that serve food and alcohol, or alcohol only, show (statistically) significant losses with estimates in the range of 6.5 - 11%....

Additional reading: RWJF (Nicoderm maker Johnson & Johnson's partner) has provided over 2,400 grants totalling more than $446 million to promote behavioral control legislation that has decimated the worldwide economy.

See which lawmakers voted to eliminate choice and jobs (vote link) here in Minnesota.

Here's a spoiler alert for you.....liberal lawmakers, called DFL here in MN, voted approximately 85-95% in favor of unnecessary, government imposed, smoking bans....Republicans voted approximately 85-95% in favor of PRIVATE hospitality owners making their own business decisions....see vote link above.

Additional reading:(Ventilation equipment is allowed in the industrial workplace to remove welding smoke, why not in the hospitality workplace to remove tobacco smoke? The fact that Nicoderm, Nicorette, Nicotrol, money via RWJF is used to finance smoking ban lobbyists is the likely reason......it's all about making money not concern for health)

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2010/03/smoking-ban-lessons-learned-typical.html


Additional coverage on the subject:

http://cfrankdavis.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/the-multiplier/

http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/how-very-civilised.html#comment-610603005

posted by marcus aurelius @ 7:39 AM

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Smoking ban lobbyists "Big Pharma" upset by new competition.....the E-cigarette

Local news story here:



To understand Pat McKone of the American Lung Association of MN’s outrage regarding E-cigarettes, you have to understand the background of the smoking ban movement and how they came about.

The American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Medical Association, etc were instrumental in lobbying lawmakers for smoking bans around the country. But what politicians and the public were not told, is that these non-profit heath organizations were paid nearly $446+ million for their role in “educating” lawmakers about the need for smoking bans by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/02/smoking-bans-good-public-policy-or.html

Who is RWJF? 

RWJF is the political wing of the Johnson & Johnson Company.

Why would J & J fund smoking ban lobbyists to get cigarettes banned?

Johnson & Johnson manufactures or owns Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, Nicorette, and Commit alternative nicotine delivery products. As such, their sole purpose in funding the non-profits to lobby in favor of smoking bans is purely profit motivated. Eliminating the public use of tobacco by way of coerced government legislation (smoking bans), is primarily meant to increase demand for the products J & J sells.

And it's working, here in Minnesota BCBS hailed the bans for tripling demand of the smoking cessation products they distribute....Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, Nicorette, and Commit, all sold or manufactured by J & J; which helps explain how J & J profits increased 40% in 2008.

Update 2013: Obama is now using OUR tax dollars (stimulus bill) to fund the giveaway of these Quitplan alternative nicotine delivery drugs to smokers Nicoderm, Nicotrol, Commit, etc. ....making our 'friends' at RWJF and J & J company even more prosperous and vociferous against e-cigs.

So when Pat Mckone feigns outrage over smokers’ substituting one addictive drug delivery system (cigarettes) in favor of an alternative nicotine delivery system (E-cigarettes) her real complaint is that the substitute nicotine system was not the one they were paid to push, (Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, Nicorette, and Commit).

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2008/06/nicoderm-manufacturer-alza-is.html
GSK distributes Nicoderm, but it is manufactured by a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary......ALZA. As explained by GSK rep here:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/11/it-has-been-alleged-by-mayo-doctor.html

Very important foot note, smoking bans have closed thousands of bars and restaurants eliminating hundreds of thousands of jobs, more information at this hyperlink:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

E-Cigarette maker responds to ASH:

http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=4838

Dr. Siegel covers the E-cigarette issue on his website here:
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/03/senator-and-anti-smoking-groups-want-to.html

posted by marcus aurelius @ 12:30 PM

Sunday, March 15, 2009

New federal tobacco tax to fund healthcare begs.......keep smoking America it's for the children



Minnesota implemented a similar tax in 2005 for the very same purpose. Thousands of flyers above were handed out to Minnesotans as a public service announcement.

News of the federal tobacco tax, which will burden primarily lower and middle class Americans can be found in depth here:

In signing the Children’s Health Insurance Recovery Act into law Feb. 4, President Obama expanded SCHIP — already covering 7 million children — to provide coverage for another 4 million children who have working parents and don’t qualify for Medicaid but can’t make enough for private health insurance.

However, to pay for this nearly $33 billion expansion of coverage, the tax on a pack of cigarettes will increase 62 cents, single cigars go up 40 cents and — for those of you saving money by rolling your own Joes — loose tobacco receives a $23.53 a pound hike.....

http://www.lsureveille.com/opinion/freeman_of_speech_new_tax_creates_catch-22_triangle_of_death-1.1615747

Smokers pay more than their fair share of taxes already:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2005/12/do-smokers-cost-state-money.html

posted by marcus aurelius @ 8:43 PM

New kindler, gentler.....WEAKER, White House declares Guantanamo detainees are no longer "enemy combatants".......they're "extended stay visitors"

The legal structure for holding the Guantanamo prisoners will now be based on laws passed by Congress and, by extension, international law including the Geneva conventions, the Justice Department said.

In addition, it said only those who provided "substantial" support to al Qaeda, the Taliban or similar groups -- or who were "part" of those groups -- would be considered candidates for detention.

It cited Obama's project to review the entire detention policy, as part of a plan to close the Guantanamo prison, and said further refinements of the standards were possible.

The Obama administration has said some of the Guantanamo detainees, now numbering about 240, will be freed....

Rest of the story is found here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE52C59220090314

Elsewhere in the western hemisphere, Russia considers using bases in Venezuela and Cuba for its strategic bombers on the doorstep of the United States.

More here:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.9776268a25e75ad5b44b4d87e8a32a02.4a1&show_article=1

The Obama administration issued the following statement while cowering beneath the Oval Office desk......I told you "....change we can believe in. .."

posted by marcus aurelius @ 1:26 PM

Thursday, March 12, 2009

In memoriam Gian Turci -freedom fighter

http://cagecanada.blogspot.com/2009/03/gian-turci-champion-and-hero.html

posted by marcus aurelius @ 6:43 AM

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Scorched earth smoking ban amendment will ensure that Nicoderm funded activists will stop harassing lawmakers and halt RWJF rent seeking legislation

After thinking about it for awhile I’ve determined there may be a way to get language inserted into a final smoking ban bill that is sure to drive the special interest funded lobbyists apoplectic.

After some research we've discovered that the secondhand effects from alternative nicotine products, such as the patch, gum, and lozenges; whose demand may increase after smoking bans are enacted, have been found to cause a significant number of nicotine poisoning cases in children; therefore in order for the state to further reduce its potential liability, alternative nicotine products like Nicoderm, Nicorette, Nicotrol, Commit, etc. must not be sanctioned as a safe alternative product by state or local health departments, quitlines, or other non-governmental agencies such as the American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AMA, etc.

The medical website highlighting the nicotine poisoning information can be found here:

http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/nicotine?utm_source=smoking&utm_ad=smoking&utm_medium=google&utm_campaign=adam&utm_term=test%20for%20nicotine

'Nicotine poisoning results from too much nicotine. Acute nicotine poisoning usually occurs in young children who accidentally chew on nicotine gum or patches'.

See also:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/02/nicotine-poisoningone-more-reason-to.html

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=18612&name=NICORETTE&page=1

CTA would love to be in chambers to see the faces of the RWJF (Nicoderm) funded smoking ban lobbyists (ALA, ACS, CTFK, AMA, etc.) when the amendment above is proposed, and / or inserted into smoking ban legislation.

Please remember to send the proposed language above to lawmakers when or if the cause looks lost and anti-property rights legislation seems imminent.

".....it's for the children afterall...."

"......if it saves just one life, it's worth it......"

posted by marcus aurelius @ 1:08 PM

Saturday, March 07, 2009

New smoke-free prison rule forces inmates outside to smoke....

.....outside the prison gates....that is:

Jail Inmate Escapes for Cigarettes, Tries to Sneak Back In

Saturday, March 07, 2009

WOODBINE, Ga. — A Camden County inmate has been arrested trying to sneak back into jail.

Sheriff Tommy Gregory said Saturday that 25-year-old Harry Jackson of St. Marys had broken out of the jail, strolled to a nearby convenience store where he broke in and stole about 14 packs of cigarettes.

Gregory said authorities at first thought they had separate incidents — a jailbreak and a burglary. The jailbreak was discovered when a door that had been secure earlier was found unlocked.

The jail is supposed to be a smoke-free environment.

The way smoking ban activists treat smokers these days, you'd think they would agree that prison is the one place smokers, and their habit, belong.

posted by marcus aurelius @ 3:45 PM

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Obama nominee to the Office of Health Reform sits on RWJF board, RWJF is responsible for massive business closings and worldwide economic crisis

...president also said that Nancy-Ann DeParle, the former chief of Medicare and Medicaid during the Clinton administration, will lead a new Office of Health Reform in the White House and work with Sebelius in shepherding the administration’s health- care initiatives through Congress....She sits on the board of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...

Full story here:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aWPXR80ZNoV4&refer=home

Regular readers know that it was Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's influence over lawmakers via non-profit funded surrogates who were instrumental in getting smoking bans implemented around the globe. Those same bans caused tens of thousands of business closings, eliminating hundreds of thousands of jobs, thrusting the world economy into its current state.

Nominating tax dodging officials, and individuals who are responsible for contributing to our current economic meltdown into prominent positions certainly is change......but at what cost?

posted by marcus aurelius @ 7:17 AM

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