Ruben and Duncan

New efforts are being made by Senator Ida Ruben and others to enact a statewide smoking ban in Maryland. I think its high time to make all restaurants and bars accessible to those of us who don't feel like sitting in smoke, smelling disgusting and risking cancer. Whether this helps Sen. Ruben in her 2006 reelection is irrelevant as she is secure in her seat and has a huge campaign treasury.

And today's Post local section suggests that Doug Duncan might benefit from the blowup over alleged improprieties by former top cop of Maryland and Baltimore Norris.

And in national news, the big scoop of the day is that CBS News reports that the head of the 9/11 commission, Republican former (NJ) Governor Thomas Kean, is saying that the 9/11 tragedies were preventable.