Smoking Saves Lives...
Yesterday I had fun on XM’s Ron and Fez show, telling of my cigar excursion to the DR and Honduras. They loved the part that Lew told me to “Shut the f@#k” up on the plane and said that’s what people tell me wherever I go. The show’s producer Earl Douglas worked on the planning of my XM radio pilot show which has been a long time in the making. Afterwards, Ron, Fez, Earl and I strolled thru central park and made our way to Club Macanudo for some fine cuisine and the fruits I brought back from my trip.
When we got to the front door the assistant manager noticed that Fez was wearing sneakers and said he wasn’t allowed in with their dress code. I was surprised because he was dressed nice and no one was in the place yet at 5pm. I felt bad because when you bring a good friend to a place you don’t want that to happen and I should have known. I tried to use my “I’m a known cigar person” status but to no avail. (I’m a fat Polish delegate didn’t cut it either.) We may have had a shot at getting in but the sneaks were like running shoes adorned with nuclear gold stripes so cars can see you easily – and space stations. Ah, no big deal as we embarked on a great little French joint, the type you find in nice sections of Manhattan. Ron, Fez and Earl were incredibly helpful with advise on my upcoming stint for XM.
Well, after dinner, I really wanted to smoke one of the El Rey Del Mundo Robusto Largas I was given in Confradia, Honduras so I made the trek alone to Club Macanudo and watched my New York Rangers stay alive in the NHL playoffs with a 3 – 0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Club Mac really is an awesome place, and general manager James told me that business has been picking up quite a bit over the past year. I think a lot of people have the misconception that it’s a private club for the hoity toity power broker crowd and that’s not true. It’s open to the public and people of all types come to hang out and enjoy, although it is a place where many professionals gather. It is an upscale atmosphere, kind of an old Miami / Cuban décor with a magnificent bar as their centerpiece.
With the smoking laws from hell in cities like New York, it’s awesome to have a place like Club Mac where you can enjoy a wonderful dinner, a tremendous selection of libations, and of course very fine, hand rolled cigars. It is a lively place, not stuffy like some seemed to think, and they even have live music a few nights a week and it really adds to the atmosphere. If you visit the Big Apple, Club Macanudo is a must stop – with shoes of course.
Now speaking of draconian smoking laws, my buddy & Zman blog fan, Eric Ridgley sent me this gem, yesterday. An article that broke in USA Today says…
Study links smoking bans, DUI deaths
The growing number of cities, towns and states banning smoking in bars might be encouraging some patrons to drink and drive, according to a study in the June edition of the Journal of Public Economics. The study found that communities that passed smoking bans from 2000 to 2005 had, on average, a 13% increase in drunken-driving fatalities the following year.
"You have individuals making the choice to find the bar where they can still combine smoking and drinking and it ends up increasing the risk of causing a drunk-driving accident," said Scott Adams, an economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who wrote the report with economist Chad Cotti.
The study was based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and included 85% of the USA's counties.
Ken Boll, manager of Paul's Club tavern in Madison, Wis., finds the results plausible: "Some people … will drive an extra 3 miles" to smoke.
Bring back smoking in bars and save a life. Man oh man, who’d a think this one?
Have the Swellest of Weekends my Buds,
Tommy Z.
JR Cigar Blog With the Zman
When we got to the front door the assistant manager noticed that Fez was wearing sneakers and said he wasn’t allowed in with their dress code. I was surprised because he was dressed nice and no one was in the place yet at 5pm. I felt bad because when you bring a good friend to a place you don’t want that to happen and I should have known. I tried to use my “I’m a known cigar person” status but to no avail. (I’m a fat Polish delegate didn’t cut it either.) We may have had a shot at getting in but the sneaks were like running shoes adorned with nuclear gold stripes so cars can see you easily – and space stations. Ah, no big deal as we embarked on a great little French joint, the type you find in nice sections of Manhattan. Ron, Fez and Earl were incredibly helpful with advise on my upcoming stint for XM.
Well, after dinner, I really wanted to smoke one of the El Rey Del Mundo Robusto Largas I was given in Confradia, Honduras so I made the trek alone to Club Macanudo and watched my New York Rangers stay alive in the NHL playoffs with a 3 – 0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Club Mac really is an awesome place, and general manager James told me that business has been picking up quite a bit over the past year. I think a lot of people have the misconception that it’s a private club for the hoity toity power broker crowd and that’s not true. It’s open to the public and people of all types come to hang out and enjoy, although it is a place where many professionals gather. It is an upscale atmosphere, kind of an old Miami / Cuban décor with a magnificent bar as their centerpiece.
With the smoking laws from hell in cities like New York, it’s awesome to have a place like Club Mac where you can enjoy a wonderful dinner, a tremendous selection of libations, and of course very fine, hand rolled cigars. It is a lively place, not stuffy like some seemed to think, and they even have live music a few nights a week and it really adds to the atmosphere. If you visit the Big Apple, Club Macanudo is a must stop – with shoes of course.
Now speaking of draconian smoking laws, my buddy & Zman blog fan, Eric Ridgley sent me this gem, yesterday. An article that broke in USA Today says…
Study links smoking bans, DUI deaths
The growing number of cities, towns and states banning smoking in bars might be encouraging some patrons to drink and drive, according to a study in the June edition of the Journal of Public Economics. The study found that communities that passed smoking bans from 2000 to 2005 had, on average, a 13% increase in drunken-driving fatalities the following year.
"You have individuals making the choice to find the bar where they can still combine smoking and drinking and it ends up increasing the risk of causing a drunk-driving accident," said Scott Adams, an economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who wrote the report with economist Chad Cotti.
The study was based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and included 85% of the USA's counties.
Ken Boll, manager of Paul's Club tavern in Madison, Wis., finds the results plausible: "Some people … will drive an extra 3 miles" to smoke.
Bring back smoking in bars and save a life. Man oh man, who’d a think this one?
Have the Swellest of Weekends my Buds,
Tommy Z.
JR Cigar Blog With the Zman
Posted by zman at 11:59 AM | Link | 19 comments
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Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Holy freakin' cow! That article makes sense to me. I think that there should me huge government funding to investigate it further.
I don't know about Club Mac though. A dress code? Do they have a clipping charge if I bring my own smoke? Sounds way too hoidy toidy for the likes of an abrasive twat like me.
I don't know about Club Mac though. A dress code? Do they have a clipping charge if I bring my own smoke? Sounds way too hoidy toidy for the likes of an abrasive twat like me.
Posted by robert on May 2, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Ah, crap. That rationale doesn't help me out here, unless some people are driving from Hawaii to California.
Posted by hawaiian brian on May 2, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Zman, how much did CLUB MACANUDO pay you to shill CLUB MACANUDO? I know that you went to CLUB MACANUDO and seemed to enjoy CLUB MACANUDO. And everyone should go to CLUB MACANUDO. Just asking.
Posted by Garfiend on May 2, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Hey...just what are you suggesting here?
Posted by zman on May 2, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
That you can be easily and probably cheaply bought.
Posted by Garfiend on May 2, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Good point fiend, notice he didn't answer the question about clip charges.
Posted by dodger_fan on May 2, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Hey Zman,
Shut the f#@k up!
Had to do that. It just seemed right somehow.
BTW, you didn't tell us how the El Rey del Mundo was. Did they even allow you to smoke that at Club MACANUDO?
Shut the f#@k up!
Had to do that. It just seemed right somehow.
BTW, you didn't tell us how the El Rey del Mundo was. Did they even allow you to smoke that at Club MACANUDO?
Posted by roadlizard7 on May 2, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Since General Cigar makes the El Rey Del Mundo for JR, and General Cigar (Swedish Match) owns the club, the answer to your question is YES.
Posted by zman on May 2, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Man I wish I could sell out.....problem is, no one wants to buy!
Posted by hawaiian brian on May 2, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Go RANGERS...... I smoked a LVH Early Years and a Lot 23 watching the game.
Posted by Zig2k143 on May 2, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Maybe the "I'm a known cigar person" didn't work because you look more like a fat polish delegate and so, who cares? This all happened at CLUB MACANUDO if anyone is wondering. I forget were the place is......
Posted by dodger_fan on May 2, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
I don't see any problem in zman shilling for the companies that butter his bread. Garfiend needs to STFU. LOL
Posted by robert on May 2, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
At least he's past putting up zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Posted by zman on May 2, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Draconian laws were so severe, they were written in blood. Our state and local leaders are far too whimpy for that.
Maybe watercolors?
Mike Ditka's Restaurant in Chicago has an awesome smoking room with good cigars for sale, very popular with locals and tourists. He is fighting with the city to keep this open and will pay huge fees for this right. He'll pay far more than any revenue this room will bring in just to maintain his right to smoke.
Maybe watercolors?
Mike Ditka's Restaurant in Chicago has an awesome smoking room with good cigars for sale, very popular with locals and tourists. He is fighting with the city to keep this open and will pay huge fees for this right. He'll pay far more than any revenue this room will bring in just to maintain his right to smoke.
Posted by pjandma on May 3, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
If that's what needs to be done, then so be it. Good for Iron Mike.
Posted by zman on May 4, 2008 at 12:54 AM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
""Zman, how much did CLUB MACANUDO pay you to shill CLUB MACANUDO? I know that you went to CLUB MACANUDO and seemed to enjoy CLUB MACANUDO. And everyone should go to CLUB MACANUDO. Just asking.""
What is he suggesting? He's suggesting that you put him in for a piece of the action. He's probably sitting around in a muumuu with a Phillies right now, wondering how much he's going to get for his five mentions, and if there will be a bonus for all caps.
Try to not look too deeply for meaning in anything that he says, I figure. He ain't Buddha.
What is he suggesting? He's suggesting that you put him in for a piece of the action. He's probably sitting around in a muumuu with a Phillies right now, wondering how much he's going to get for his five mentions, and if there will be a bonus for all caps.
Try to not look too deeply for meaning in anything that he says, I figure. He ain't Buddha.
Posted by briandg on May 5, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
"At least he's past putting up zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."
Tommy, after days of watching that, I realized that what it really was was good old fiend chanting like a cheerleader, counting down the minutes until your return.
The mental image of him shaking his pom poms and jumping up and down like a nut while he plays Kylie Minogue music, hollering "Gimme a Z!" is just too damned much, and I'm finished thinking about it.
Of course, being lazy as hell, he just summed that three hours of cheering and exertion into "Zzzzzz...."
You see, don't look to deeply, The true story is right on the surface, summed up quite succinctly into the most important components.
Tommy, after days of watching that, I realized that what it really was was good old fiend chanting like a cheerleader, counting down the minutes until your return.
The mental image of him shaking his pom poms and jumping up and down like a nut while he plays Kylie Minogue music, hollering "Gimme a Z!" is just too damned much, and I'm finished thinking about it.
Of course, being lazy as hell, he just summed that three hours of cheering and exertion into "Zzzzzz...."
You see, don't look to deeply, The true story is right on the surface, summed up quite succinctly into the most important components.
Posted by briandg on May 5, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
If you'll forgive me a third comment, this whole thing is just redolent of unintended consequences. That cigar bar, whoever it was, just offended the crap out of me, by refusing entry to one of the more influential public figures of the cigar industry. I will not set foot in the place, since they will also refuse me entry, in my non-designer denims. I'll sit on the sidewalk, and smoke a pack of backwoods, with a tin cup. You can still beg on the streets, can't you?
As far as the dui study, it just goes to prove once again, that no matter what you do, there will be far reaching effects. The wise ones have made sure that we will not die of cancer because of another person's second hand smoke. Now, innocent bystanders are dieing of second hand Jack Daniel's.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, and with a side dish of dumb. We're talking about a true and genuine Darwin moment. When the people who sought to save the lives of that non-specific group of people who were put at risk by voluntarily putting themselves into a smoky environment were saved, the focus of the bullet that they dodged became the people who voluntarily put themselves on the roads that are being used by the recently evicted drunk drivers. This group isn't just the patrons of the bar, they've sacrificed everyone, even themselves and their own (GASP!) CHILDREN!!!! Ironically, most of the second hand smokers are still being exposed to second hand smoke, in the more confined spaces of their own cars. So, we've just increased the risk, and dragged another group of victims into it.
Somebody send this post to a lawyer who needs a buck.
As far as the dui study, it just goes to prove once again, that no matter what you do, there will be far reaching effects. The wise ones have made sure that we will not die of cancer because of another person's second hand smoke. Now, innocent bystanders are dieing of second hand Jack Daniel's.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, and with a side dish of dumb. We're talking about a true and genuine Darwin moment. When the people who sought to save the lives of that non-specific group of people who were put at risk by voluntarily putting themselves into a smoky environment were saved, the focus of the bullet that they dodged became the people who voluntarily put themselves on the roads that are being used by the recently evicted drunk drivers. This group isn't just the patrons of the bar, they've sacrificed everyone, even themselves and their own (GASP!) CHILDREN!!!! Ironically, most of the second hand smokers are still being exposed to second hand smoke, in the more confined spaces of their own cars. So, we've just increased the risk, and dragged another group of victims into it.
Somebody send this post to a lawyer who needs a buck.
Posted by briandg on May 5, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Re: Smoking Saves Lives...
Braindg is a deep man, people.
Heed his words or Garfiend's inane prattle may continue to rifle through your cerebellum.
Heed his words or Garfiend's inane prattle may continue to rifle through your cerebellum.
Posted by zman on May 5, 2008 at 1:12 PM
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