World-improvers,
   Half this list is already on our stair-climbing team, but for the rest 
of you:  We have a 31-person team -- Ann Arbor Ascension -- that is 
competing for the 3rd year in the Hustle up the Hancock in Chicago, a 
94-story race, attracting 3000 competitors, that raises money for the 
American Lung Association.  The ALA funds cancer and asthma research and 
supports environmental and anti-smoking efforts (see anti-smoking section 
below).  I think it's a highly worthy charity and if you want to 
contribute to our fundraising, go here
  http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves/stairs/
  or google ann arbor ascension
and click on one of our names on the donation page, or "general team 
donation".

Thanks everyone!

Danny

PS, even more exciting, we suddenly have 2 free spots if you want to join 
the team!  You don't have to be in shape for it -- it's a fun weekend in 
Chicago regardless.  Let me know if you're intrigued and I'll send you 
more info.


ANTI-SMOKING *********************************************************

Italy (joining Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, and most of 
the coolest places in the US and Canada) is now smoke-free, including all 
bars and restaurants.  I have a whiteboard that I try to keep updated with 
progress of this inexorably spreading phenomenon:
  http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves/whiteboard/smoke/printable.htm...

Note that these are "smokefree workplace laws".  The rationale being that
you can't hire people to work in an environment that has a chance of
killing them (which a smoky bar does). A more rational approach would be
to mandate higher compensation for the risk the employees are assuming.
(thanks to Cam for keeping me thinking this way!)

This is similar to the idea we've floated before (before there was an
actual improvetheworld list perhaps) about requiring smoking licenses so
that restaurants and bars could choose to allow smoking but it would be
costly enough that we get a desirable mix of options.  Pure free market
has achieved that in Ann Arbor for restaurants but bars and dance clubs
are mostly all smoke-filled.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
   In the U.S., seven entire states-- CA, DE, NY, CT, ME, MA, and RI-- have
enacted smokefree workplace legislation for ALL workers, including
restaurant and bar workers.  The following states are likely to join them
in 2005-- Minnesota, Maryland, Utah, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, New
Jersey, Vermont, and possibly Pennsylvania.  [and Georgia likely; not to 
mention all the individual cities like New York, Minneapolis, Boulder, 
etc that are already smoke-free with more and more coming]

Government officials are quickly realizing that smokefree laws are about
workers (who sometimes spend 8-10 hours a day breathing smoke).  Pregnant
workers and asthmatic workers are particularly penalized as the danger of
breathing smoke often prevents them from applying for many jobs or
continuing in jobs they currently hold.

"Smokefree workplace legislation is a matter of respect and dignity for
workers," says Joe Cherner, founder of BREATHE (Bar and Restaurant
Employees Advocating Together for a Healthy Environment).  "No one should
have to risk getting cancer to hold a job."

To win smokefree air where YOU live, go to
http://www.smokefree.net/alerts.php

Joseph W. Cherner

---

-- 
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves  - -  google://"Daniel Reeves"

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves/stairs/
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves/wb/smoke
google://"ann arbor ascension"