Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Gee, I Guess We'll Have To Rub Sticks Together

Alabama Representative Arthur Payne (R- Jefferson) wants to ban novelty lighters in Alabama. That's right....BAN them...making it unlawful to manufacture, distribute, import, retail sale, or give away lighters as prizes or promotions to sell or give away an operable novelty lighter in this state.

Novelty lighter is defined as follows:

For the purposes of this act, novelty lighter means a mechanical or electrical device typically used for lighting cigarettes, cigars, or pipes that has entertaining audio or visual effects, or that resembles in physical form or function articles commonly recognized as toys appealing to or intended for use by children. This includes, but is not limited to, lighters that resemble cartoon characters, toys, guns, watches, musical instruments, vehicles, toy animals, food or beverages, or that play musical notes or have flashing lights or other entertaining features. A novelty lighter may operate on any type of fuel, including butane or liquid fuel.


That this bill has been placed on a committee calendar is just beyond me. Aren't there other, more pressing issues in Alabama right now than...novelty lighters? Has there suddenly been a rash of fires started by children playing with novelty lighters? Oh, I know, I know, 'it's for the safety of the children.' But, a kid, or anyone else for that matter can start a fire with a book of matches, a non-novelty lighter and even a magnifying glass if they are creative enough.

I REFUSE to give up my flashing lighter that features SpongeBob SquarePants singing "Burning Down The House". NEVER! From my crispy fried fingers!

(Filed under 'I couldn't make this shit up')




8 comments:

admin said...

This is a ridiculous bill. I mean, there are always bills that cause divergence of opinion because of different values or priorities, but this is simply ludicrous. This is equivalent to banning knives to prevent murder. It just makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

I didn't even have to look to know this level of genius came from a Republican.

I'm sure this joker would defend cigarettes and guns until his dying day but not gun-shaped cigarette lighters. Hilarious!

sixstring said...

"has entertaining audio or visual effects"?

I find the plain colored Bic's to have an entertaining visual effect. Will these be outlawed?

CrazyCatLady804 said...

So hard to believe the crap these morons come up with! Do you think this was as hilarious as the hops bill? Or sad rather..haha
So ridiculous!

Loretta Nall said...

Laura....they are both pretty sad and hilarious. I would like to be in the chamber when this one is debated. With any luck it will never make it out of committee.

Loretta Nall said...

sixstring....The flame of any lighter has always fascinated me....it's like Beavis and Butthead 'Fire Fire Fire'!

Anonymous said...

Not quite as amusing as the bill that wishes to outlaw sports bras and camisoles for teenage girls. (Read the definition on the "saggy pants" legislation.)

Vape_1:29 said...

Loretta Nall said...

sixstring....The flame of any lighter has always fascinated me....it's like Beavis and Butthead 'Fire Fire Fire'!

-- - -
Loretta,
You PYRO!

Beavis and Butthead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJI7GziR4qI

Talking Heads music-video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNnAvTTaJjM

By the way,
I've always been more fascinated w/ focusing sunlight using concave mirrors and convex lenses.