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posted by Bob at Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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Conscience is the light of the Soul that burns within the chambers of our psychological heart. It is as real as life is. It raises the voice in protest whenever anything is thought of or done contrary to the righteousness. Conscience is a form of truth that has been transferred through our genetic stock in the form of the knowledge of our own acts and feelings as right or wrong. A virtuous and courageous person can alone use the instrument of conscience. He or she can alone hear the inner voice of the soul clearly. In a wicked person this faculty is absent. The sensitive nature of his / her conscience has been destroyed by sin or corruption. Hence he or she is unable to discriminate right from wrong. Those who are leading organizations, business enterprises, institutions and governments should develop this virtue of the ability to use their own conscience. This wisdom of using the clean conscience will enable them to enjoy the freedom.
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7 Comments:
The St. Paul City Council is considering a change to its longstanding ordinance prohibiting gyms to operate without employee supervision.
By CHRIS HAVENS, Star Tribune
Last update: September 15, 2008 - 11:37 PM
Ben Cowan is watching the actions of the St. Paul City Council closely these days. He hopes the council will change an ordinance that would allow him to open the three Snap Fitness franchises for which he paid thousands of dollars in 2006.
Snap Fitness and rival Anytime Fitness are part of a fast-growing breed of no-frills, 24-hour gyms that offer weights and cardio equipment but no saunas or racquetball.
They operate much of the time without employees on the premises, which owners say is critical to keeping costs down and making a profit. Members let themselves in with electronic devices.
St. Paul has long outlawed unsupervised exercise clubs, even though it is surrounded by cities -- Roseville, Mendota Heights, Maplewood and Minneapolis -- that allow self-run fitness centers.
That might change as proposed ordinance amendments, favored by most members, make their way through the City Council. A public hearing is expected soon.
An administrative law judge sided with the city of St. Paul last spring in fining two owners of Anytime franchises.
Since then, the city's Department of Safety and Inspections has been working with gym owners, Mayor Chris Coleman's office and City Council members to reach a compromise.
The proposed changes are sponsored by Council Member Dave Thune, who had opposed allowing unsupervised gyms lest unscrupulous business owners use them as fronts for prostitution.
"We had a lot of whorehouses hiding as saunas and massage parlors," Thune said. "We don't want to go through that again."
The proposed ordinance has several new conditions. Gyms must be on the ground level of commercial buildings, have surveillance systems and provide at least one automatic electronic defibrillator (AED). Thune's main concern is addressed by a clause that says a gym's license to operate could be revoked if there is a bust for prostitution activity on the premises.
"Once we have the license, we have clout," said Bob Kessler, director of the city's safety and inspections department. He said changing the ordinance is a good response to changing business needs.
Not many cities regulate sports and health clubs. St. Paul did so decades ago to fight storefront prostitution posing as massage parlors or health clubs, but city officials say that public health is the main concern. The code was amended in 1992 to include CPR certification.
If someone has a heart attack on a treadmill, urgency for treatment is critical, and the city asks how help would be summoned. Gym owners have said they take safety precautions -- from cameras to panic buttons -- and the proposed ordinance changes lay out specific safety and security requirements.
"A lot of it was just taking what we're doing and putting into the ordinance," Cowan said.
Mark Daly, national media director for Anytime's corporate operation, said his company is pleased with the proposed changes.
"I think everybody's goal is to come up with a solution which would allow people in St. Paul to work out safely, 24 hours a day, in reputable and affordable health clubs, the same way they do all over the rest of country," he said.
Said Cowan: "I'm keeping my fingers crossed."
Chris Havens • 651-298-1542
Wise move.
Just think what St.Paul would be like if the mayors office would work with landlords.
Hard to imagine isn't it ?
Jeff Matiatos
It will pass 7-0 the council and mayor have been working on the language for months.
Those of us who have lived in Saint Paul for years remember "health clubs" like the cosmopolitan where gentleman could get a shower and a rub down by a young woman in total privacy.
Those health clubs were often busted for prostitution, but couldn't be closed down because the young ladies were not employees. To control those "health clubs" the city required that health clubs had to have an employee on site at all times.
When "Snap" and others showed up they said we are legit so throw away the law that has protected you for 20 years and let us in.
Thune and 3 other members resisted that and pushed the administration to go back to the table.
The new ordinance will allow no employees until the first arrest occurs on a site and then you will have to have employees. This will allow the legit places to opperate with out any problems and still protect neighbors from fronts for prostitution.
It was worth the wait to get it right.
To bad that the landlords won't work with the City.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
And, did you notice this part... "The proposed changes are sponsored by Council Member Dave Thune, who had opposed allowing unsupervised gyms lest unscrupulous business owners use them as fronts for prostitution."
That would be the same Dave Thune that fought them coming in supporting the compromise.
Just like he was for arresting crooks and letting good citizens protest.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Bend over 12:30
Hi All,
Recently, I and the "Invisible Man" have been deleting a lot of non productive 4 letter word profanities from the blog.
I have nothing against anyone coming here and using any vulgarity that may come to their mind. One thing though, I need to verify your identity and you need to sign your name to the comment.
To the poster or posters who had their profane comments deleted, "you are welcome here"!
Try and find a topic of interest and post a productive comment. Maybe someone here will benefit from something you say. Help when you can, don't hate, love your neighbor.
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