“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” - John F. Kennedy

That telltale chill in the air is first harbinger of the changing seasons. You know how it is: you wake up one morning and head out the door to work, and you go a few steps before realizing that it might be a good idea to go back inside for a jacket or sweater. Soon, you notice the leaves littering your sidewalk in a multicolored carpet. Next thing you know, the shorts are packed up, the turtlenecks are back to the front of the closet, and your recreational thoughts have shifted from surfboards to snowboards.

Fall is all about changes, as you can see throughout this issue’s features. A sport that seems to be undergoing constant change is NFL football, which, as our correspondent Jay Greenberg notes, is slowly joining the ranks of the other professional sports in reaching out to audiences - and players - outside the U.S. The result just may be America’s favorite Sunday pastime rivaling that other "football" - a.k.a. soccer - in international appeal. Greenberg’s report on "The Global Gridiron" begins on page 38.

One of our favorite cigar nations, Nicaragua, has gone through many painful changes of its own. In his in-depth report (starting on page 58) on the cigar makers of Esteli and the Jalapa Valley, tobacco reporter Ted Hoyt discovered a group of people with a singular determination. Emerging from the strife of the Sandinista wars and the natural fury of Hurricane Mitch, they have forged a reputation for the Central American country as one of the fastest-growing producers of quality, full-bodied cigars… and a prime example of the old adage "Roll with the Changes."

There’s another old saying which posits that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Our cover subject, ageless actor David Carradine, is living proof, revisiting his ‘70s glory days from the TV action series "Kung Fu" by portraying a martial arts master assassin in the new hit movie Kill Bill, directed by Quentin Tarantino. Interviewing the versatile, durable star was an inspirational experience for writer Michael J. Levine, who was wowed by Carradine’s sheer love of life, which obviously includes a taste for fine cigars. We get "Bill" to "spill" starting on page 44.

More awaits you in this jam-packed issue, including SMOKE’s guide to the best new and returning TV shows, a spooky visit with real-life ghostbusters, and our latest Cigar Review. As the weather gets colder and the days shorter, a pleasant hour with a great cigar offers a unique warmth of its own - and that’s something that will never change.

Alyson Boxman Levine Editorial Director

Mark Bernardo Editor

SMOKE - Fall, 2003