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Invisible Freedoms... “Freedom is baffling / Men have it often / know not they have it / till it is gone and / they no longer have it.” - Carl Sandburg
Following in the footsteps of California and Delaware, Mayor Michael Bloomberg plans to ban smoking in all restaurants and bars, affecting roughly 13,000 establishments not covered by the current anti-smoking law, which permits smoking in bars and restaurants with fewer than 35 seats. Under Bloomberg’s plan, smokers who break the law may be fined $10 to $100 … or be jailed up to 30 days.
Jailed for smoking in a bar? To many New Yorkers and visitors to the city, this concept borders on the absurd, and they are voicing their opinions in the local press and on television news programs. We urge you to stand up for your beliefs, as well. Otherwise, familiar bars could soon be reduced to sanitized establishments devoid of smoke and alcohol all together, where everyone “bellies up to the bar” for a cola.
For the time being, savor the freedoms you have before it’s too late. Our NFL feature, page 54, is ideal to get your motor running. Join sports guru Brian Doolittle as he explores the brave new NFL. From quarterbacks on the hot seat to big names on the move, this lively feature is a must-read for all NFL junkies hungry for intense insider information.
Not-to-be missed articles in this autumn issue include an African safari adventure, a tour of bourbon country, a trip to gladiator school in Rome, and an investigative look at the famous, and often controversial, men behind the legendary Cuban cigar brands. And be sure to catch our cover personality Joe Pantoliano (yep, The Sopranos’ own bad-boy Ralph Cifaretto), as he expounds on the explosive new season, his love affair with cigars, and his new autobiography that hits bookstores at the end of September.
Sadly, we recently lost two of our talented cartoonists - Phil Interlandi and John Dempsey - both of whom were with SMOKE since its launch in 1995. Interlandi, a veteran freelance magazine cartoonist whose work appeared in publications ranging from Better Homes and Gardens to Playboy, died of liver disease at age 78. Dempsey, also a freelance magazine cartoonist whose full-page, color cartoons were a staple of Playboy magazine for decades, died of complications of a stroke at 83. We will greatly miss these two amazingly talented men and the countless smiles they brought to people’s faces.
SMOKE - Fall, 2002 |
As the weather outside becomes less sympathetic toward outdoor activities, it’s time to head to the local watering hole for your favorite NFL team’s exploits and a nice, relaxing smoke. Here in New York City, however, this enjoyable pastime may soon be history.