You really know that Latvia and the other Baltic States have become members of the world community when they are actually considering bans on public cigarette smoking.

Smoking kills, should be banned in public: Latvian health minister

Fri Mar 17, 11:47 AM ET

Smoking is a major killer in Latvia and must be stubbed out, Health Minister Gundars Berzins said as he proposed a ban on smoking in public places. "I believe we have to introduce a total smoking ban in public places as of next year," Berzins told AFP. "This is an urgent matter: heart disease and lung cancer are widespread in Latvia, and it's mainly because of smoking," he said Friday. "Since 2004, we have specially designated smoking areas in cafes, but I believe this does not protect non-smokers and staff from smoke.

"Everybody knows that smoke harms children and pregnant women, even if they're in a non-smoking area. And I'm also totally against smoking at any sports events," Berzins said. Around 47 percent of men and 18 percent of women in Latvia smoke, according the National Health agency. Recent polls have shown a ban on smoking in public would be supported by some 70 percent of the population.

Berzins' ministry planned to submit amendments to the law governing smoking to the government in one or two months, the health minister said. "Personally, I think smoking should only be allowed in basements," Berzins concluded.

The Democrats are so going to lose the upcoming mid-term elections. The Democratic party has gone schizoid...they consistently lose their bowels over everything, are anti-Israel, and have totally forgot about the 3000 people who perished in the World Trade Center attack. As a political fence sitter, when I see has-been Hollywood actors like Jane Fonda, Alec Baldwin, Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss spout out their venom, all it does is want me to stay with the political status quo.

War is hell. In the words of Senator McCain, I would rather wars be fought across the Atlantic, not here a home.

What is the Iraq war about?

It IS about oil so both the Republican and Democrat lawmakers can continue to fill their pockets and so you can have 18-year Britney Spears wannabees with naval rings and too much makeup running around in their wasteful Hummers.

It IS about keeping the price of gasoline low so it doesn't go up to $8 a gallon and bankrupt the working class of this country.

It IS about going after a Islamo-fascist Hitler-like despot tyrant who has killed thousands and thousands of people who disagreed with dared to disagree with him. What benefit was it for the United States to liberate the Nazi death camps in World War II?