Yes the government shouldn't be able to tell you how to run your business! They should fix those pot holes and stop paying health inspectors and requiring people to have licenses to sell liquor and build their businesses within certain zones! Not to mention taxes, forcing businesses to pay taxes is immoral, you should just be able to reap the benefits of running a business the way you see fit without having to fork over anything. The difference between drinking and smoking is that its possible to have safe levels of alcohol but there is no evidence that its possible to have any safe levels of smoking. Smoking will kill you (and others around you) where as drinking can actually have healthy side affects when used in moderation. I'd rather choke on a hamper of dirty gym socks than attend your "Last Gasp" party. ~justin On 3/23/06, *Al Boyce* &lt;aboyce(a)mn.rr.com <mailto:aboyce@mn.rr.com>> wrote: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *From:* Mark van Wie [mailto:mark@muddypig.com <mailto:mark@muddypig.com>] *Sent:* Wednesday, March 22, 2006 4:37 PM *To:* mark(a)muddypig.com <mailto:mark@muddypig.com> *Subject:* Muddy Pig - Happy Gnome Beer Lovers, These are the best of times, these are the worst of times. As you probably know, smoking will be banned in all bars and restaurants in Saint Paul at 12:01 a.m. March 31. I know many of you are excited that The Pig and The Gnome will be smoke free and I'm fine with that. What I don't like is the city council telling me how to run my business. Fix the stupid potholes and leave me alone. So there. Ok, I'm off my soapbox for now. To mark the end of several hundred years of our personal freedoms, The Happy Gnome will be hosting a cigar smoker, The Last Gasp, on Thursday, March 30 in the upstairs banquet room from 7:00 p.m. to midnight. Join us for one last smoke, great conversation, food and beverage. Our wine and spirits distributor will be providing a nice red and white wine as well as Reyka vodka, Hendricks Gin, Milagro tequila, Balvenie 12 yr, Glenfiddich 15 yr, and Sailor Jerry rum. Your $20 cover charge gets you 3 drink tickets each good for one of these products. We will also have a nice appetizer buffet and cigars will be available for sale. Hope to see you there. Bell's Oberon will make its 2006 debut next Monday, March 27 at 8:00 p.m. at The Happy Gnome. Pints of Bell's beers will be just $3 each from 8-11 and the Bell's rep will be on hand with goodies like t-shirts, caps, key chains and stuff. Nothing says spring like a pint of Oberon. Friday, April 7 marks the 72nd anniversary of the end of prohibition in the United States. To celebrate, our friends at Summit are planning an informal pub crawl from The Muddy Pig to The Happy Gnome and the public is free to join in. It's not a long crawl but with 44 draft lines who needs to go any further? More details to follow. Repeal of prohibition. Smoking ban. Hmmm…… Cheers, Mark