Southern smokers, beware: another town has banned the tobacco habit from many of their buildings.

Charleston.net reports that the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina town council approved an ordinance to ban smoking in indoor workplaces, bars and restaurants. The 7-2 vote was made Tuesday night and will be enacted on September 1.

The two dissenting votes, councilmen Billy Swails and Kruger Smith, wanted to wait for Charleston and Sullivan's Island to settle their lawsuits centered around smoking ordinances before Mount Pleasant enacted one. “We had an agreement, and now we're changing the whole thing,” commented Swails. Smith felt that private clubs should be exempt.

Charleston and Sullivan's Island have a maximum $500 fine and 30 days of jail for those who violate the smoking policy. Mount Pleasant's was originally the same but they dropped it down to $100 and no jail time before the vote. Another town in South Carolina, Hilton Head Island, recently fined a bartender $750 for multiple violations of their newly-created smoking ordinance. Hilton Head is one of 9 municipalities in South Carolina that have ordinances, although another city, Greenville, recently had their smoking ordinance overturned by a circuit court judge.

There are some exemptions to the ordinances. Smoking is allowed on stage as part of a theatrical production in Mount Pleasant and Charleston. Private residences are exempt for all three cities. Charleston and Sullivan's Island permit smoking in retail tobacco stores and cigar bars.

Strangely, no businesses were present during the Mount Pleasant council's vote to speak against the ordinance even though some felt that they would be significantly affected by it. Lawson Roberts, owner of popular night club Tonik, felt that businesses like his would be in “some serious trouble. People like to have a cigarette with a cocktail.”

Councilman Paul Gawrych was in favor of the ordinance despite local business concerns. He was more worried about the population as a whole and their exposure to cigarette smoke. “People's lives are in danger,” Gawrych said.

South Carolina has a law in place that already limits areas where people are permitted to smoke. The Clean Indoor Air Act bans smoking in schools, health care buildings, public transportation, government buildings, and performing arts centers as well as theatres.

The state Supreme Court will decide if Sullivan's Island bar owner Tim Runyon has a legitimate lawsuit against the town for fining his establishment for violating the smoking ordinance. He has complained that 80% of his business is now outside of his bar where he often features live bands to attract customers. Bands no longer want to play there. “It's been a struggle”, Runyon said, referring to his inability to book bands.

Source:

Prentiss Findlay, ” Mount Pleasant Bans Smoking”, Charleston Post and Courier.

URL: http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/jun/13/mount_pleasant_bans_smoking/

I freely admit that when I first came across Confessions of a Cartographer (http://www.mappyb.com/), I didn’t know what a cartographer was. So before reading the blog, I grabbed my trusty ol’ dictionary off the book shelf and looked it up. A map maker, a cartographer is a map maker. I very nearly moved on. But then my eyes happened upon one of the posts: “Things I learned while jogging.” The author’s casual elegance and conversational tone immediately reeled me in. A little lower on the page I found a dozen or so captivating photographs that told a story of a recent hike along the Potomac Heritage Trail. Having just moved from one of the country’s most aesthetically pleasing states (Hawaii) to one of the nation’s least (New Jersey), that dose of natural beauty was just what I needed. So, I decided to explore Confessions of a Cartographer even further, delving deep into the archives, wondering “What else does this map maker have to offer?” The answer: Plenty.

From celebrity gossip to blogger interviews, Confessions of a Cartographer delivers lots of news and information in perfect-sized portions. The reader reaps the benefits of the author’s travels, career, and energetic lifestyle. That lifestyle is fast-paced and fun, yet she still leaves ample time to stop and smell the roses (and photograph the flowers in Norfolk, Virgina).

So, who is this witty cartographer, this mischievous map maker? Well, she calls herself Mappy B. and her bio must be discovered by reading through the lines of her fascinating blog, Confessions of a Cartographer. And she may be the single most well-rounded blogger you will come across in the blogosphere. Mappy B is clearly both athletic and intellectual. Her interests range from cheese to kayaking. Clearly an ambitious hard-working soul by day, she is a socializing, fun, Philly cheesesteak lover by night.

Mappy B graciously granted me an interview, and here is what our favorite cartographer had to say:

Jack: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me, Mappy B. Let me start by asking: What sets your blog apart from other blogs? 

Mappy B: The fact that my blog, Confessions of a Cartographer, can beat up your A-List blog. I am a very witty person, and people flock to my blog to cure depression, cheer up children with skinned knees, clear up acne, and help the symptoms of monkeypox. 

Jack: When did you start your blog and why?

Mappy B: I decided to nerd myself out a year ago as a way to keep in touch with friends. Since then, I have become addicted and have found that blogging is a great way to meet new people and network. I have some great new friends due to blogging! Blogging is the new prostitution, and TypePad is my pimp. 

Jack: What do you do when you are not blogging?

Mappy B: When I am not making the masses laugh, I am a Map Maker by day, and Wine Drinker, Cheese Eater, Sephora Shopper, Kayak Paddler, Walk Jogger, Lush Bather, Recipe Creator, Trivial Pursuiter, Gossip Reader, Rummy Winner, Plan Maker, Procrastinator, Google Lover, Bocce Baller, and Socializer by Night. 

Jack: What are your favorite and/or least favorite things about blogging?

Mappy B: My favorite thing in the world is to make people laugh, and that is why I try and keep my site full of sarcastic and dry humor. I crack myself up daily, and I hope other people can crack up at my expense too! 

My least favorite thing about blogging is reading the sites where people get all catty and dramatic on each other. I love drama, that's why I read celebrity gossip mags, but just being blatantly snotty and condescending towards others online is a big turnoff to me. Blog wars are for losers. 

Jack: What do you feel is the key to a successful blog? 

Mappy B: It depends on how you define success. Some people are happy just having a place to update their family and friends. I started out that way and have since turned greedy. I want more. I would love to do freelance writing for an online outlet. I love blogging, and look forward to expanding the MappyB empire. Haha. By expanding, I mean, maybe having 10 comments a day? Maybe 20? Sigh, I can dream. You can never take away the dreams of a Map Maker. Never.

Jack: Thanks again for your time, and all the best for you and the continued success of Confessions of a Cartographer.

Be sure to visit Mappy B.’s blog, Confessions of a Cartographer at http://www.mappyb.com/.

To hold you over until you get there, here is Mappy B.’s advice of what not to do while drunk on Puerto Rican rum: 

“I'm Messed Up on Puerto Rican Rum”(excerpted from mappyb.com)

There are so many good things to do while drunk**, that I thought I would make a good list of things to NOT do while drunk. (May or may not have been done by yours truly)
- Never Nair your girlfriend (your bikini area).
- Do not have financial discussions with your significant other.
- Do not have discussions about your future with your significant other.
- Do not have discussions about your future city of living with your sig-o.
- Do not paint your toenails.
- Do not try and check your pores with a zoom mirror (or while contacts are out, and you are somehow able to see up close SO MUCH MORE CLEARLY. WHY is that?!?!)
- Do not agree to paddle your man's canoe in the Potomac while he is going to practice his new kayak rolling skills alongside you..
- Do not attempt to learn anything about Chuck Norris while drunk (or sober).
- Do not play Scrabble. 

Music: Greezy Joe (may or may not give clue to future city of living discussion) 

**Like have a barstool reserved for you to dance on to 'Come on Ride the Train' every Tuesday night on 80's night at The Union at University of Iowa for their 2 for 1 Alabama Slammer Specials in 1996, or re-hinge a sliding glass porch door, or fix a microwave, or clean, or biff while carrying a GIGANTIC margarita glass on your 21st birthday requiring a special chip to be surgically placed in your wrist (mappyb's sister), or get your stomach pumped, or eat gyros in Greektown on Chicago at 4:00am on the way back from the bar, or smoke cigs while it snows on you in front of The Underground Wonder Bar in Chicago, or drink a delicious lager in Syracuse in 200 inches of snow at the Blue Tusk, or chill at the place in Mequon, WI where 'The Maestro' from Seinfeld owns a bar called Libby Montana's, or dance with some hot Greek men at The Hot House in the south Loop in Chicago, or talk Arabic with a cab driver in DC, or have some coat man at a bar tell you that 'you isolate your body parts really well' while dancing, or order 2 bottles of $100 dollar champagne on your birthday to get in the VIP room for the night, or hand feeding racoons on Tybee Island, or dye your hair, and the list goes on and on and on and on…..

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2010
San Francisco

The Billboard Liberation Front (BLF) is honored to announce a new marketing partnership with Philip Morris (PM) that finally brings together the rugged sense of American independence with your most important choice as a consumer: your death. The message of “My Life. My Death. My Choice.” informs and empowers the consumer to choose, as their god given right, how they want to die. Philip Morris brings this message to the consumer to remind them that some rights are inalienable in life as they are in death.

“We’ve always said that the only two things in life that are unavoidable are death and taxes,” commented Michael E. Szymanczyk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris. “This campaign drives home that message where, if you are gonna die, might as well do it on your terms. Just like our Marlboro Men did.” According to Patrick B. Smelt, Chief of Marketing, “This bold message of independence and demanding life and death on your terms fits with the current zeitgeist of anti-establishmentarianism and post-post-modern rage at the repressive state demanding a healthier you and your environment.”

The BLF was honored to accept this exciting challenge. “We have no comment on President Obama’s health care reform, but many consumer of Philip Morris’s products do. We felt that this campaign picks up on a widespread rage that some nameless, faceless bureaucrat might give them cheaper health care, preventative treatment, and maybe deny them the sweet release we are all seeking,” said Rico T. Spoons, BLF Director of Offense as he idly drew a razorblade across his wrists. “This oppressive political climate and fascist approach towards health raises the comforting question of ‘how will you end it all?’ I like to think that we are just giving some poor folks a reminder that Philip Morris will always be there to help kill you.”

All former Marlboro Men, Wayne McLaren, David McLean and Dick Hammer, were unavailable for comment due to their rugged, manly choice of death by lung cancer.

The improvement can be viewed on Howard at Van Ness in San Francisco.

Major League Manager Dies

James Gammon—the manager from Major League and a lot of other stuff—died over the weekend after a long battle with cancer. Everybody smoke a pack of Marlboro Reds and talk like him in his honor.

Thank you for your continued support of Deadspin. See you tomorrow morning.

Send an email to David Matthews, the author of this post, at david@deadspin.com.

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Are you looking for to create your own business cards but with as minimal cost as possible? And do you have your own great looking photos? Then here is a great solution for you to design you own business cards at much cheaper rates possible. You can use your photos to your advantage by including them in your business cards as a promotional strategy.

And how you can effectively achieve this? To know this read the following tips:

1) To begin with you will need the different types of digital photos; preferably most suited to marketing and advertising field. You will also need your computer and any picture editing software like Google Picasa or Adobe Photoshop or Corel Draw. Along with this you will require photo quality paper and color ink jet printer.

2) First thing is to decide the most suited photo for showcasing on your business card. Select the photo which has more professional look, represents your company image and suitable for your advertising campaign.

3) After selecting the best photo, just copy it to your computer with the help of memory card and then stat editing it with the help of picture editing software. You can crop, brighten, resize or edit colors of the picture to make it suitable for your business card.

4) When you finish finalization of the photo processing then you will have to decide the layout of your business card. Being creative will help you in designing great looking business cards. The layout should contain the suitable advertising message, your company profile and the photo image. The processed photo can be displayed in the front or as a background image depending on your decision.

5) In the end, after completing the layout, just log on to the online business card designing websites like http://www.avery.com or http://www.broderbund.com. These websites offer simple and easy to set up business card designs with great editing features. If you want to further edit your layout then you are welcome to do it. Here you can further easily add or resize images, import another graphics images. Designing business cards becomes easier task because of the auto fill features offered by these websites. They also offer easy to use print instructions. After finalizing the layout take printouts with your color ink jet printer and quality photo paper.

With the help of above simple to do instructions you should be able to design your own business cards with the help of your own digital photos. And all this process will save you significant amount of time and money.

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They certainly couldn't push such a viewer silently through a required Windows Update — and alter our file associations so that PDF files opened with this new tool. Good lord, can you imagine the outcry if Microsoft was found to be messing with our preferences without our say so?! We'd never hear the end of it.

Make it an optional update, and you're leaving it up to users to make the switch. Based on what I've seen from the users I've supported over the past 16 years, good luck getting someone to switch applications when they already have one that works. We can shout security and common sense all day long, but at the end of the day, it likely wouldn't matter. Average users are much more numerous than power users like you and me, and they've been OK with Reader all along — even when you and I complained about sluggish start times and bloat. They simply aren't concerned.

On top of that, the problem isn't really Reader or PDF files in the first place.

The real problem is unwary users who don't know when they're being phished or misled. PDF currently provides a convenient attack vector but you can bet that the bad guys would simply find another way to ensnare users if Microsoft added a less-exploitable PDF viewer.

Yes, Reader exploits have been steadily rising. No, there isn't really a compelling reason for Reader to be able to launch external executables from a PDF. Yes, Adobe needs to overhaul the program's security features. Ultimately, though, computer users need to take more responsibility for their own security.

Pay attention to who's sending you email. Ask yourself, “is there any reason this person would need to send me a document?” Don't click Yes, OK, or Next without first understanding what's going on.

The best defense against malicious software, exploits, and scammers, isn't software — it's an alert, educated user who understands risks and takes the appropriate steps to mitigate them.

I recently got some feedback that the accessibility checker I posted for Designer would fail for some forms.

I have updated the script to handle the condition that was causing it to fail.  The new version is in the updated Accessibility.zip download.   This time I also included the mxml source used to create the SWF dialog — just in case you want to customize it for your own use.

Meanwhile, I also added a check for a new error condition:
"Invalid next node reference: <ref>"

This error will appear in the case where the markup generated for node traversal contains an invalid SOM reference.

If you're using this checker and have any ideas for improvement, please let me know.  It's a high priority for us to enable customers to create accessible content.

Usage notes

A couple more notes about the checker, and macros in general:

• When a macro issues a message, the message appears in the log tab of Designer. If the macro script fails for some reason, this is also where the failure message will appear
• With the very latest Acrobat update, you might find that the report PDF gets launched with a yellow bar warning.  The only way to get past this right now is to turn off enhanced security In Reader/Acrobat.  Obviously we'll have to figure out a better solution if/when this capability makes its way to a supported product feature.

Today my wife and took our grandson to Bladensburg Waterfront Park in Bladensburg Maryland. There I read a placard describing Dr. William Beanes and his role in the creation of our national anthem. When I returned home I did a little research at a web site dedicated to the flag of the United States.

In general everyone knows the story of the creation of our national anthem. Francis Scott Key watched the bombardment of Ft. McHenry in Baltimore harbor. Most people think that he was on a British warship but he was on the deck of a sloop behind the British fleet. He was so inspired by seeing the stars and stripes flying proudly through the attack that he wrote what would become our national anthem.

Did you ever wonder what Francis Scott Key was doing behind the British fleet during the battle? He was a loyal American and he wasn't captured. I am proud to tell this story because it starts with a handful of men from my town of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, but let me start with a little background.

The United States and Great Britain were engaged in a war that started over shipping rights. It seems that Great Britain was in a conflict with France and they wanted to control any shipping heading in that direction. The United States would have none of it. This sounds pretty obvious to us in this day and age but you have to remember what the United States was like early in the nineteenth century. It had been a little over thirty years since the end of the Revolutionary War. We did not soundly defeat the British then; it was more of a political victory. Like most revolutions we outlasted them. Now here we were hardly recognized as a country and with a military feared by no one in the world and we were once again getting in the face of a perennial power. This time the power had a score to settle. You have to admire the nerve of our forefathers; they refused to be pushed around no matter what the risk.

When the British came, they came with a vengeance. The British entered the Chesapeake Bay on August 19, 1814, and in less then a week they had captured Washington, DC. There they exacted their revenge. They sacked and burned the city. The flames rose so high that they could be seen forty miles away.

On August 26, 1814, the British army marched through Upper Marlboro and continued moving while frustrated citizens watched them go by. Later in the day a few British stragglers wandered into town. An older man named Dr. William Beanes and a few friends decided to act. They captured the stragglers and held them as prisoners. This infuriated British General Ross so much that he immediately sent troops back to free his soldiers and to capture Dr. Beanes and his friends. The general agreed to let go all of the Americans but Dr. Beanes. They took the doctor with them and they boarded their ships and headed for Baltimore.

The people of Upper Marlboro were very upset. Dr. Beanes was their town physician and a man that had endeared himself to his community. From the tone of the British command, they feared that their good doctor would be hanged. They called upon a young but well respected lawyer from Georgetown to intercede in their behalf. The lawyer's name was Francis Scott Key. Key went to American authorities who pointed him to Colonel Skinner. Colonel Skinner was an American agent for prisoner exchange and Key asked him to be his escort to the British.

On September 7, 1814, Key and Skinner boarded the Tonnant and had their first conference with General Ross. Initially General Ross refused to listen to any pleas from the Americans. Then Skinner and Key produced letter after letter describing the good and humane treatment given to wounded British troops by American doctors; one of them being Dr. William Beanes. This changed the general's mind, but he would not let the Americans leave. He claimed that they had seen too much of his battle plan and that they would be released after the battle. The Americans were placed on a sloop behind the British fleet and that is where Francis Scott Key penned the Star Spangled Banner.

There is one more part of the story. General Armistead commanding the American forces in Ft. McHenry specifically ordered the biggest American flag in existence to fly during the battle. It was this flag, and the spirit that kept it flying, that inspired Francis Scott Key.

Back for another year of reviewing American Idol. Since this is Simon's last it's probably mine too. Maybe next year I'll focus on House Husbands of Hollywood 2.

Season 9 of Idol began with an acknowledgment of all the changes. Paula left the series to pursue obscurity. We were told nine guest judges would appear on the audition rounds vying for Paula's spot and they must've all done fantastic since Ellen DeGeneres got the job.

First up guest-judge wise was the painfully thin Victoria Beckham. My droll daughter Annie, who watched with me, shouted out, “Give her a sandwich! You'd think David Beckham could provide!“

Victoria's musical credentials are impeccable. She was Posh in the Spice Girls. And now Ryan refers to her as a “Fashion Icon”. Oh really? I don't think those doily-laced headbands are going to catch on other than for tying your garbage bags. Here's an example of her expert assessment of a singer's performance: “I love the jeans, the shirt.“

Posh offered nothing in the way of insight or personality, which still made her better than Kara. How the hell is she back for another year? Kara Dioguardi and Jeff Zucker - the two people who can't get fired. I'm reminded of that great line — “Who do you have to fuck to get off this picture?”

Randy Jackson is also back - wearing more make-up than Kara, Victoria, and even Ryan. And what was with the Playskool watch? Did “Fashion Icon” Posh suggest that? Randy unveiled some exciting new meaningless catch-phrases for the season. “Doin' it big!” and my personal favorite, “You're a cool guy. Great hang!“

The show started out in Boston. 9000 delusional guttersnipes getting drenched in a pouring rain. And not one of them I'm sure could appreciate the metaphor.

They started right off with a classic nut. Some whacko girl who kept auditioning to the American Idol video game. And when the animated Simon said she was good enough she entered the real competition. She was horrendous. Annie said they should recall the game if it put her through. Her idea of rehearsing, by the way, was to practice jumping.

There was the obligatory parade of idiots — girls who dressed like Diablo Cody if Diablo Cody was blind and guys decked out like Michael Jackson, the Marlboro Man, and the Burger King. This year's atrocious William Hung Asian kid massacred Eric Carman's “All By Myself”. And we had two or three lunatics who mistook grand mal seizures for dance steps. One cretin actually still thought Paula was there.

All of the losers broke down crying. “Simon's wrong!” “I'm a great singer, I know I am.” “I just took the steroids to heal faster.”

There were heart-tugging stories galore — cancer and down syndrome and dying grandmothers with dementia. All of these contestants got through to Hollywood of course. You're never going to hear, “Well, you have only one year to live and you can't sing.“

Ryan said one contestant got a “One-way ticket to Hollywood.” Uh, does that mean he has to pay his own way home? I guess the economic crunch has even caught up to American Idol.

My favorite aspirants: the drummer who broke both wrists after falling out of a tree, some Clark Kent-looking guy who was pissed he had to wait all day (this really irked Kara who intimated that if you're going to make it in the music industry you better have a talent for waiting), and finally - a blond stoner with horrible skin (I love my HD) who said he was going to try to sound like his idol, Chris Brown. Why Chris Brown? Because “he touches young kids all over the world.” Yeah, he sure touched young Rihanna. He beat the crap out of her. Stoner Boy was rejected but he was satisfied with his performance. As he said, “I did what I had to do. I hit really loud notes.“

More auditions tonight but I'm skipping those because, well, it's the same show as this one. Only the sob stories and costumes will change. Oh, and the guest judge. Not sure but I think it's Captain Beefheart.

Check out my blog!

Kate Moss’ Smoking Demands

Kate Moss has infuriated an upmarket department store with her demands for a designer smoking area.

The 36-year-old supermodel is launching her range of bags for Longchamp at Selfridges in London later this month and has reportedly astonished event organizers with her request as they fear she is more likely to use her promotional time socializing with her friends than trying to boost sales.

A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper, “It’s Kate Moss – she can ask for what she likes and they’ll probably bend over and give it to her.

“Longchamp are spending a fortune on the sponsorship deal to boost the label. But it’ll look more of a promotion for brand Moss.

“The outside area is a bit of a problem. Her people want couches, cushions, tables, heaters and candles to make it comfy for her to have a cigarette.

“But she’s only due to be there for an hour. They don’t want to pay out lots for her to mingle with selected guests, only for her to hide in her VIP room drinking champagne with her pals.”

Kate, who is dating The Kills rocker Jamie Hince, is famed for her love of smoking and it has previously been claimed that she makes her personal assistant leave a packet of her favorite Marlboro Lights on every table in her home before she goes to bed.

A source said, “Kate has five coffee tables spread between her living room, kitchen, office and bedroom so that’s a lot of cigarettes.

“She also has a special tennis ball with holes for cigarettes to stick out from so visitors can relax with a smoke.”

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