Will California's bar smoking ban go up in smoke?

Selena

In this article, California smokers don't care about the law banning smoking, even though the bar owner might be able to get a temporary exemption, because those officials indicate that it is not easy to enforce the law. Moreover, other officials also point out that the law is too ambiguous. They think that only posting the "No smoking" signs to inform customers that smoking is prohibited is not really enforcing the law. By the way, there is an assemblyman who also attempted to repeal the smoking ban and claims that drinking and smoking freely without suffering criminal penalties will be ok by his maesure. Since California smokers neglected the law so that the measure will become "a bitter fight." In many areas such as small bar, health and tobacco lobbies. California was the first state in the nation to establish a smoking ban in bars; however it is history now because the California State Assembly has already passed a bill to challege the ban.

My survey about Nonsmoking- The American female student says that the reason she agrees with the smoking ban is that she won't stink when she goes home from the bar. And it is better to ban smoking in the bars because it can protect people who work in the bars for health reasons. She also says that she prefers to go to the smoking-banned bars to work there because she thinks that health is more important than money sometimes. Moreover, she indicats that staying in a bar where it is ok to let people smoke is no good because it is too smoky.

50-state rundown on gay marriage laws

Luke

The article I read is about gay marriage in the United States. Almost all 50 states are going to ban gay marriage. Even though nearly 3,000 same-sex couples got married last spring in Oregon, the state is leading the drive to nullify same-sex marriage.

I interviewed two persons for the following questions:
1. Do you accept gay marriage?
2. Do you think homosexuality is innate or acquired?
3. If your children want to get married to same sex, do you agree?
4. What do you think about homosexuals adopting kids? (When the children grow up, will they meet some problems?)

The first person's answers were:
1. I don’t know.
2. Innate.
3. I agree. Children can do whatever they want to do.
4. No, the child won't have problems.

The second person's answers were:
1. I accept, because it’s not my business.
2. Both, but acquired probably might be more. If the society accepted gays and teachers teach us we need to respect them, when a man or woman always gets hurt in emotion with opposite gender, maybe he or she will try to get self-confident with same gender. If this situation really works, one day probably he or she will become a gay or lesbian. So what kind of surroundings he or she stays in might probably affect him or her to be a homosexual or not.
3. I agree. If the child is happy, why not! But I might have a hard time in a couple of months or years.
4. I don’t think that is a good idea, because the society won’t accept gays, and it’s hard for him or her to tell people my parents are gays. And another problem is the child might not figure out what is different between mom and dad at his or her childhood and why his or her parents are different from other children’s parents.

Rally opposing same-sex marriage stops in Carbondale

The title of my article is Rally opposing same-sex marriage stops in Carbondale

-Young

An anti-gay marriage tour stopped in Carbondale last October to support traditional marriage and to force Illinois to pass the laws against gay marriage. They promote this tour because they think gay marriage will hurt future generation’s perception of what marriage is. And they think traditional marriage is productive.

Campus & town traffic safety

News Talk 046
Final Project
TZU-WEI KUO

Campus & town traffic safety

In this article, “Tragedy stresses the importance of safety,” from the Daily Egyptian, Monique Garcia said that one girl was killed on the campus. And then a student established an organization, Advocates for Crosswalk and Traffic Safety. However, this case pressured administrators to reduce the speed limit on campus from 25 mph to 20 mph. Despite this campaign, dozens of bicyclists, motorists, and pedestrians are still not paying attention while they go through crosswalks. According to Liti, “Sometimes it’s scary. In the mornings, you get the people flying through crosswalks because they are late for class or work. I have to stop and make sure I look both ways. But no matter what, I think it is the responsibility of the driver to slow down. I know that when I drive, I am really paranoid about bikers. I am scared that I won’t see them.”

First of all, according to a campus policeman I interviewed, he believes the 20 mph speed limit is appropriate and does not believe it needs to change. Moreover, currently, there is not a law forbidding the use of cell phones while driving; however, he believes this is an issue that merits continued monitoring and possible consideration for a law if there continues to be accidents associated with cell phone use while driving. According to his experience, he believes a combination of speed and lack of attention to driving are two of the biggest factors overall. He believes alcohol is a prime factor for accidents involving certain age groups.

Second, let’s see. Suggestions for campus traffic safety. I think come cars may need to go more slowly because drivers do not pay attention to what’s happening on the sidewalk, and they only focus on the street. They might just be driving along checking out the scenery, too. However, in the U.S. pedestrians have the right of way and it is the responsibility and the obligation of the driver to watch out for pedestrians. Nevertheless, of course, pedestrians should pay attention. They need to look both ways before crossing—stop, look and listen—and like I said, try to make sure eye contact has been established before proceeding, i.e., before crossing at the crosswalk.

Finally, according to laws and customs here, the pedestrian always has the right of way, no matter what. If they cross in a place that is not a crosswalk and cause a car to have to slow down, that is called ‘jay-walking’ and police can give pedestrians a ticket or a fine for that.