You might want to read these to know what I'm about to rant about:
http://newsok.com/article/3112638/1188314407
http://www.ocolly.com/2007/08/28/osu-stillwater-moves-up-deadline-for-campus-going-tobacco-free/
I need a few minutes on the soapbox. Hope you don't mind. Feel free to argue. Or agree. Or just laugh at the angry white whale screaming in the street. I just need to vent and you made the list of folks that get suffer through it. Sorry for that. That said, here we go...
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What the HELL is up with my alma mater?!?!?!?!?!?
Okay, it was bad enough that they threatened (I haven't heard if they actually went through with it, cause I'm stuck in Texas) to use eminent domain to seize private property for that danged athletic village (which the AV idea is cool, but to use ED for THAT, calling that Village a PUBLIC USE???) and now this nanny state smoking ban in the great outdoors of our beloved campus (except of course for outside the Foreign Student dorms, which opens a whole different can of worms, seriously, OSU will work to save the Okie's and even the Jersey kids, but screw the foreigners???) that I'm just now reading about... (I'm in Texas so news travels SLOOOOOOOWLY)...
Berkley I can see doing that. NYU. Sure. Even the danged ole U of Texas in Austin. BUT Oklahoma Friggin' State!?!?!?!
I love my Cowboy's. Always will. I have Cowboy pride in winning years and ramp it up twice as much in losing years. But today I am struggling not to be ashamed.
I understand the logic on the smoking ban. And as a smoker that wishes he'd never started, I can see the glory in a smoke-free campus. I even understand the temptation to use ED for that property for the Village. But both should be SO quickly trumped by the basic guiding principles of freedom, personal responsibility and personal property...These options should NEVER have been seriously considered by our hallowed institution. This is NOT the behavior that they taught me.
And its NOT 'cause I'm a smoker. This could just as easily been banning caffeine or Oreo's or cats from campus cause some people are allergic to cat dander. Its friggin' ridiculous regardless of WHAT is being banned.
What REALLY blew my mind was reading that they would offer free patches and gum to students. It annoys me that its not for faculty too, but that could just be bad reporting. Regardless, its a BAD idea. Nicotine replacement can be dangerous. Throw on three patches at once and you are darn likely to have yourself a heart attack. Hopefully, won't happen. But if it does. Instant, MASSIVE lawsuit. And a lawsuit OSU should lose. And students aren't always smart. I sure wasn't. I knew great brilliant folks at OSU. None of them is even bordering on being a dumbass, but every damned one of them had their dumbass moments. We ALL know I did. The likelihood of a kid facing medical complications from OSU-supplied nicotine replacement products is HIGH.
And worse still, kid comes in and says, "Okay, I'm a smoker. Pack a day. Gimmie patches." They can't verify that the kid does smoke. So who would want them otherwise? ANY kid facing finals or mid-terms. Any Greek during Homecoming week that's class all day and pomp all night. Any of the dateless freshmen that want to stay up for three straight days playing on-line roll playing games. I knew folks that did all that and would have jumped at the chance for a free, effective stimulant.
Lets be clear, nicotine is a stimulant. And it is a dangerous drug if used improperly. And the first idiot that gets the idea that it'll help him through finals, granted maybe should be expelled from the gene pool anyhow, BUT ... Just a BAD idea. Bad. Bad. Bad. Actionably bad idea.
I love my Cowboys. But damn they are making it hard.
Okay, done venting now. I feel a little better. Thank you for this opportunity. I'm gonna go outside and have a smoke to cool off. After all, at least Texas A&M is still, occasionally, somewhat, kinda-sorta free...except for the parking, but that's another rant.
I hope everyone is having a great week. Don't forget the OSU-Georgia game is on ESPN2 Saturday.
Go Pokes, I guess...
Austin
http://newsok.com/article/3112638/1188314407
http://www.ocolly.com/2007/08/28/osu-stillwater-moves-up-deadline-for-campus-going-tobacco-free/
I need a few minutes on the soapbox. Hope you don't mind. Feel free to argue. Or agree. Or just laugh at the angry white whale screaming in the street. I just need to vent and you made the list of folks that get suffer through it. Sorry for that. That said, here we go...
---
What the HELL is up with my alma mater?!?!?!?!?!?
Okay, it was bad enough that they threatened (I haven't heard if they actually went through with it, cause I'm stuck in Texas) to use eminent domain to seize private property for that danged athletic village (which the AV idea is cool, but to use ED for THAT, calling that Village a PUBLIC USE???) and now this nanny state smoking ban in the great outdoors of our beloved campus (except of course for outside the Foreign Student dorms, which opens a whole different can of worms, seriously, OSU will work to save the Okie's and even the Jersey kids, but screw the foreigners???) that I'm just now reading about... (I'm in Texas so news travels SLOOOOOOOWLY)...
Berkley I can see doing that. NYU. Sure. Even the danged ole U of Texas in Austin. BUT Oklahoma Friggin' State!?!?!?!
I love my Cowboy's. Always will. I have Cowboy pride in winning years and ramp it up twice as much in losing years. But today I am struggling not to be ashamed.
I understand the logic on the smoking ban. And as a smoker that wishes he'd never started, I can see the glory in a smoke-free campus. I even understand the temptation to use ED for that property for the Village. But both should be SO quickly trumped by the basic guiding principles of freedom, personal responsibility and personal property...These options should NEVER have been seriously considered by our hallowed institution. This is NOT the behavior that they taught me.
And its NOT 'cause I'm a smoker. This could just as easily been banning caffeine or Oreo's or cats from campus cause some people are allergic to cat dander. Its friggin' ridiculous regardless of WHAT is being banned.
What REALLY blew my mind was reading that they would offer free patches and gum to students. It annoys me that its not for faculty too, but that could just be bad reporting. Regardless, its a BAD idea. Nicotine replacement can be dangerous. Throw on three patches at once and you are darn likely to have yourself a heart attack. Hopefully, won't happen. But if it does. Instant, MASSIVE lawsuit. And a lawsuit OSU should lose. And students aren't always smart. I sure wasn't. I knew great brilliant folks at OSU. None of them is even bordering on being a dumbass, but every damned one of them had their dumbass moments. We ALL know I did. The likelihood of a kid facing medical complications from OSU-supplied nicotine replacement products is HIGH.
And worse still, kid comes in and says, "Okay, I'm a smoker. Pack a day. Gimmie patches." They can't verify that the kid does smoke. So who would want them otherwise? ANY kid facing finals or mid-terms. Any Greek during Homecoming week that's class all day and pomp all night. Any of the dateless freshmen that want to stay up for three straight days playing on-line roll playing games. I knew folks that did all that and would have jumped at the chance for a free, effective stimulant.
Lets be clear, nicotine is a stimulant. And it is a dangerous drug if used improperly. And the first idiot that gets the idea that it'll help him through finals, granted maybe should be expelled from the gene pool anyhow, BUT ... Just a BAD idea. Bad. Bad. Bad. Actionably bad idea.
I love my Cowboys. But damn they are making it hard.
Okay, done venting now. I feel a little better. Thank you for this opportunity. I'm gonna go outside and have a smoke to cool off. After all, at least Texas A&M is still, occasionally, somewhat, kinda-sorta free...except for the parking, but that's another rant.
I hope everyone is having a great week. Don't forget the OSU-Georgia game is on ESPN2 Saturday.
Go Pokes, I guess...
Austin
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