Assorted thoughts on assorted subjects:

          No smoking? A proposal in York would ban smoking in city parks.

No doubt, the idea is well-intended.

Tobacco is smelly and unhealthful, and smoking in the parks is a bad example for children. Plus, smokers tend to litter -- tossing their butts on the ground.

We agree in principle that people shouldn't smoke in the parks.

But the question is, how enforceable would such a law be?

Certainly, as many have pointed out, city police have bigger things to worry about -- people who smoke illicit drugs, and steal, shoot and kill each other in the process, for instance.

So, is this really the city's highest priority right now? Police have said they'd enforce such a law if it were convenient -- if, say, an officer saw someone smoking in the park and didn't have something more pressing to do.

Lots of nuisance laws are enforced in such a manner, so it's not as if this would be unprecedented.

But it just seems there are more important things to occupy city officials' attention right now.

Lot too small: Speaking of bigger things for city officials to focus on: The proposed York Museum of Art is targeted for the parking lot on Philadelphia Street diagonal from Central Market.

We've said it before, but it bears repeating.

We love the idea of a museum and artist incubator -- especially if the city can get state funding and

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private financial support from some successful York County artists or patrons of the arts.

But we're not in love with the proposed location.

It's a tiny lot -- 200 feet by about 60 feet. That means it would be built up -- perhaps nine stories high, with apartments on the upper floors.

Yes, that might help create a critical mass of artists in the building. But it just seems too jammed into the space.

Wouldn't it be better to incorporate the museum into the Northwest Triangle project being developed just down the street? Or, isn't there some existing building that could be rehabilitated as part of the process?

Neighbors: Paul Keller of York Township lives next to a group home for people with physical handicaps and mental retardation.

He said when the group home opened, he was willing to give his new neighbors a chance. Now he's concerned -- and understandably so. Police recently charged a resident of the home with criminal mischief on suspicion of damaging the 82-year-old's fence with a concrete block.

Mr. Keller said it's the third incident with neighbors of the home. Rocks were thrown in his yard. Then he said a resident bashed a hole in his vinyl fence. Now, the concrete block incident.

Officials who manage the home say there's nothing to be concerned about. None of the residents of the house are dangerous -- and they have a right to live in the community. Officials also say the home is well-supervised.

Well, it can't be that well-supervised if such incidents keep occurring.

The home is managed in a partnership with Bell Socialization Service and York-Adams Mental Health/Mental Retardation. They obviously need to do a better job of making sure Mr. Keller's home is not damaged by residents.