I don't know who as ban from AR however if they were foul then I can understand its maintaining a professional image for realtors.

http://www.lynn911.com Dallas homes for sale, Dallas home foreclosures for sale

I am assuming this person you are talking about must have said some really awful stuff. I hope they did because I am not a fan of censorship. I have to deal with people all the time with differing views and opinions but I believe it is their right under the First amendment to express those views and opinions. That is what makes this country so great.

Jennifer, I didn't know smoke in bars made people stink? :-)  We have a smoking ban here in FL which is a joke.  If the establishment serves 10% or less of their revenue in food, then you can smoke.  I thought the whole thing was for the health and safety of the workers.  Guess not if they work in bars.

I'm personally dreading the day the ban hits WI. My POV is if you don't like it there are other places you can go that are smoke free. I guess i take the same stance here. If someone is just plain nasty and writes things I don't want to see, I simply don't give that person the time of day.

There will always be people, especially on the internet  that just get a kick out of pushing peoples buttons and being immature.

these days it is very important for us all to stay positive, and we have to avoid negative, mean and down trodden people, and not allow them to influence us on any level.

on a side note, I'm surprised they kicked someone off of here.

Like Forest Gump's mother said "Stupid is as stupid does".  If AR warned the person and they did it again, oh well.

He did.. nothing I haven't heard before, unfortunately. I don't know what he did to break the Camel's back, but whatever it was I am SURE that AR was reasonable. There has to be a line somewhere.

Terry- it'w warm in FL! Smokers should be outside... at least you guys don't have to deal with 12 degree weather and ice storms! :)

It makes me think of LA too though, and how people who smoke are given LOOKS OF DEATH by passersby... like 'why are you smoking out here? cough cough... You're making me ill'... meanwhile, the air in LA County is so thick you could cut it with a knife... Priorities, people! Have the buses switch over to biofuel or something! Like cigarette smoke is the culprit of THAT stench? I think not.

Jennifer, too true.  Smokers are relegated to the outer fringes of an establishment in designated smoking areas.  When non smokers walk past them, the look of disgust cant be disguised.  And you're right, there are much more serious issues regarding "lung health" than smoking.  Unfortunately, people only understand what they can see, not what is really killing them.  Andrew is right, if you don't like cigarette smoke, go elsewhere.  BTW our city has switched all city vehicles to bio-diesel.  Isn't that awesome?  And they voted a while back to not buy chinese products.  BUT they still don't recycle )-:

Jennifer,

I'm walking on eggshellS!!!  I think smoking should be banned in all public areas.  That's just my little ole opinion!

Thanks for posting!

YIKES!  Must have been pretty nasty in order to be banned from the Rain.
RE: Smoke free...   My last puff was at 6:05 pm on July 14th, 1993!

Yvette- I would be all for that when we switch over to biofuels... Ever sit behind a diesel bus at a stop light? Nauseating... In fact, more nauseating than being around my pesky smoker friends! :)

Nancy- CONGRATS!!! That's about when I started smoking... I was one of those 'unruly teens' who hung out with the wrong crowd :) hehehe...

Terry- when I run for governor (haha), one of my goals would be to have the entire state run on biofuels AND solar power. There's no reason that taxpayers can't 'subsidize' a changeover- we pay HUGE bills for oil and electric NOW. In fact, an average heating bill for electric heat is about $700/month- and that's for a 1200 sq. ft house! and oil is comparable now, sadly. If everyone chipped in with $400/month, we could get some really spectacular infrastructure projects rolling- solar and wind farms, biodiesel plants (we already have 2 or 3- pretty cool!). Expensive to get going, but worth it! Hmmm... maybe we could just let another casino open up???

CT actually subsidizes residential and commercial solar units- I think 50% of installation costs??? Something like that... but go big! That's what I say :) Entire towns could make their own power! How cool would that be?

Jennifer, did you know that Greenberg Kansas, which was wiped off the map last year by a tornado, has completely rebuilt itself green.  Totally self sustaining, totally green building.  If they can do it we can do it with what we currently have.  Jimmy Carter tried to move us in that direction 30 years ago.  He warned us that someday there would be an oil crisis.  He also installed solar panels on the White House roof, which were promptly removed by Reagan.  When Reagan did that he moved us one step further back on our way to the stone age.

As for subsidies from states and energy companies, I'm not sure it works like they say it will.  We just had a very expensive metal roof put on our house, for two reasons, hurricanes and light reflection to keep the house cooler.  The state and the electric company both offer rebates for doing so, but only IF you install a white or offwhite roof.  Ours is galvanized steel and reflects the sunlight like a mirror, better than the whites, but thats not on their list.  Go figure.  Also the electric company keeps solicitiing us to pay them 10 bucks a month so they can research alternative fuel.  Paleeeeze!  They made record profits last year, they can take some of those and research.  What a crock!

we're too off topic... doesn't anyone notice that the stinky AR air is finally clearing up? As much as I am not a fan of censorship, it already feels better around here.

:-)

Jennifer - that last comment is outrageous and I ask you to remove it immediately and post an apology while you're at it..

Simon, you rascal!

I wasn't joking Jennifer

which comment then? I'm confused... the smiley face???

YOUR last comment Jennifer - before I asked you to remove it.

About the stinky air???? Simon- speak up! What did you want me to remove and apologize for!?!?

I figured out who it was by searching for his profile.  POOF!  Just like that!

Who wants to be next?

Simon, I think you will actually agree with me after a few days of NOT being told you are going to burn in hell. But hey, if you're a masochist... :)

So touchy.

Yes Jennifer, that one - a truly disgraceful comment.

Simon- you have lost me. I was ALMOST a Simon Conway fan, but your sickening double standards are just too much for me. It offends you that I refer to Bill's rantings and ravings as 'stinky air'??? Talk about thin skin. You are not who you claim to be.

When you click on the "Founder" link of the "Silent Majority" group homepage, you get "no such username".

Who's going to take over running that group?

I am exactly who I claim to be - I have never hurled an insult or called a name. There is a truly disgusting double standard going on here.

hahaha... Bill... or Simon.. whoever you are... please, get a grip. All you do is complain... you never say anything anymore... it is getting tiresome... please, either bring the opinions and the facts to back it up, or just stop.

Eric- my guess would be Hugh, but I'm not sure how they decide that.

This may explain things.  Take a look at the early comments to this post:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/498219/Would-you-vote-a

Labeling an entire race "lemmings", especially on a real estate-related website, is asking for trouble.

Hi guys - I don't know what to say!  I don't believe in banning smoking, but I do believe in banning bigotry and racism.  So... there you go! 

Also - for the record, I am not a Christian hater and had nothing to do with him getting kicked off.  I'm sure you knew that already.  : )

Good show Chris. :)

Eric:  I am sure someone will come forth to head that group.  I am sure that their "previous leader" was so over the edge that no matter who takes over the group, the level of hate will surely lessen.  Sometimes things work out for the best... even when people don't think so at first.

Also... I believe that when someone is no longer on Active Rain... that all the posts and comments made by that person are also deleted.

Now... play nice, boys and girls.

Karen Anne -- If you think the boys and girls are going to "play nice", take a look at this:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/519780/-A-DARK-DAY

and this

http://activerain.com/blogsview/521340/A-Wake-up-Call

There's more, of course.  BTW, it appears Hugh Krone has taken command of the group.

We just moved closer to being able to talk about only real estate. Boring.

We also have a smoking ban in Austin bars and cafes, while it may have slowed down some drinking patrons those that remain can breathe clean air. Yippie! As for bad apples, you have to pull them our or they ruin the whole barrel. Kudos to AR for being proactive!

Betina