Posts filed under 'Opinion'
The last refuge for cigar smokers who desire a place to take their stogies and puff away is in jeopardy; waiting for the Thursday vote by the Boston Public Health Commission on the future of cigar bars in Boston.
In the cozy confines of a former speakeasy in Boston’s North End, men and women gather nightly to sip cognac and savor a cigar.
But these days, Stanza dei Sigari, the cigar lovers’ respite on Hanover Street, isn’t so relaxed.
On Thursday, the Boston Public Health Commission will vote on a tough smoking ban that could put this cigar bar, and others like it, out of business.
“I think it’s kind of unconstitutional, telling people not to smoke in a controlled environment,” said Linda Riccio, one of the owners of the dark-paneled saloon.
“Where will it end?” she asked. “Are they going to tell people they can’t smoke on the streets?”
The city’s health officials may expand Boston’s ban on workplace smoking by prohibiting smoking in cigar and hookah bars, on restaurant patios and loading docks.
The proposed rules seek to ban tobacco sales on college campuses and in drug stores, too.
Where does it end? Seriously, where will this end? I’m no fan of smoking, but these smoking bans are getting a little ridiculous.
While critics say the move goes too far, Roger Swartz, director of the health commission’s community initiatives bureau, said the new rules are intended to protect people from the ills of tobacco, in all its forms.
The proposal has sparked an outcry among cigar aficionados.
Since September, when the health commission gave preliminary approval to the new regulations, the commission has received hundreds of complaints.
Most are protesting the proposed smoking ban in cigar bars, health commission spokeswoman Ann Scales said.
To Riccio and other supporters, this ban would unnecessarily limit a beloved adult activity.
Riccio’s clients include businessmen, doctors and guys from the neighborhood.
“They come here to smoke, and they know what they are doing,” she said.
People who smoke, be it cigars or cigarettes, are aware of the risks involved. Cigar bars and lounges in Boston are, by definition, places to go smoke. If you don’t smoke, you don’t go there. This isn’t hard. They made the choice to light up their cigars, and if there is a market for cigar bars in Boston, why destroy it?
With the shaky economy, why close successful businesses and put people out of work?
Tags: Boston Public Health Commission, smoking, Stanza dei Sigari
December 9th, 2008
Massachusetts is written off by presidential candidates. It’s a sure thing.
But there are a series of state elections that your vote does matter…and can have a huge impact on state politics.
Here is my take on the three questions:
Question 1, to eliminate the income tax. Truthfully, how you vote on this is really about sending a message to Beacon Hill. If the citizens do vote to end the income tax, and I believe they will, the Democratic Legislature will just ignore the will of the people, as they have done many times in the recent past.
Question 2, decriminalizing pot possession of 1 oz. or less. Anyone caught with said amount will have to “give up pot” and pay a $100 civil fine. Does anyone think telling someone they have to give up pot is going to work? It’s already an illegal substance. $100 fine is beans. This question sucks. A vote yes sends the wrong message, and it paves the way for the complete decriminalization of marijuana. I predict it will be close, but will pass, even though it shouldn’t.
Question 3, seeks to ban dog racing and betting. The pro-Question 3 effort is spearheaded by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. I have not been able to pay attention to the ad campaign to see who make the most compelling argument. That said, I don’t lose any sleep at night if a greyhound gets hurt on a racetrack. Racetrack owners who are leading the opposition argue the animals are well cared for, and that 1,000 jobs would be lost if this question wins. Sorry, but people are more important than animals. Vote no.
Where your votes can make the most difference is Beacon Hill.
Beacon Hill is nearly 90% democrats. This is absurd. The reason why your vote on Question 1 is meaningless is because of the state legislature has shown time and time again your vote is bupkis–totally meaningless. The “party of choice” takes that choice away from you. You vote for change, and they take it away. Party of the people? Not quite. It’s only natural that we disapprove of the whole government body, but like our particular elected official…but people, please, look at the record of your elected officials. If they are not on your side, don’t give them the privilege of your vote. The only way to reign them in is to bring something resembling balance to Beacon Hill, and yes, that means electing some Republicans. Here is a list of candidates running for election and reelection:
State Senate
Jon Rockwood – Bristol and Norfolk
Brion Cangiamila - Fourth Middlesex
Keith McCormic – Hampshire and Franklin
Sandra “Sandi” Martinez – Third Middlesex
Richard Tisei – Middlesex and Essex
Steve Levy – Middlesex and Worcester
Scott Brown – Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth
Robert Hedlund – Plymouth and Norfolk
John Lebeaux – 2nd Worcester
Bruce Tarr – 1st Essex and Middlesex
Mike Knapik – 2nd Hampden and Hampshire
State Representative
Don Howell - Barnstable 4
Jeff Perry - Barnstable 5
Fred Barrows - Bristol 1
George Ross - Bristol 2
C.J. Ferry - Bristol 7
Elizabeth Poirier - Bristol 14
Brad Hill - Essex 4
John Blaisdell - Essex 8
Lawrence Brennan - Essex 18
Robert Parks - Franklin 2
William Scibelli - Hampden 2
George Vazquez - Hampden 10
Paul Avella - Middlesex 2
Sonny Parente - Middlesex 3
Arthur Vigeant - Middlesex 4
Dan Haley - Middlesex 8
Susan Pope - Middlesex 13
Brad Jones - Middlesex 20
Anthony Lucacio - Middlesex 22
Jeffrey Bilezikian - Middlesex 29
Brian O’Connor - Middlesex 31
Kurt Hayes - Middlesex 37
Bob Thomas - Norfolk 4
Richard Ross - Norfolk 9
Vinny DeMacedo - Plymouth 1
Susan Gifford - Plymouth 2
Dan Webster - Plymouth 6
Lewis Evangelidis - Worcester 1
Stephen Comtois - Worcester 5
Ronald Chernisky - Worcester 6
Paul Frost - Worcester 7
Kevin Kuros - Worcester 8
George Peterson - Worcester 9
Karyn Polito - Worcester 11
Capitol Hill suffers from a similar problem… but our delegation is 100% Democrats.
US Senate
Jeff Beatty
US Congress
Nathan Bech – 1st District
Earl Sholley – 4th District
Richard Baker – 6th District
John Cunningham – 7th District
Bottom line, electing mostly or all Democrats is failing this state. If you want change, the answer is clear: send the Democrats packing. If you choose to accept the current state of Massachusetts politics as it is, don’t be surprise if at the next national election we’ll have end up sending a few less congressional representatives to sit in the Capitol.
November 3rd, 2008
Coming to a Starbucks near you (about 30 in the Boston area) are new high-tech machines that will brew “customized cups of coffee.”
Starbucks Corp.’s luck could change with the help of a clover, but not the four-leaf kind. Instead, the Seattle coffee giant is seeking a boost from the Clover brewing system, a sophisticated machine that turns out customized cups of coffee at a premium price.
The system is being tested in Boston and Seattle, but the company is expected to say today that it is rolling out more Clovers in the two cities and will introduce them in San Francisco.
About 30 Starbucks shops in the Boston area will get the machines, compared with 10 in Seattle and an undisclosed number in San Francisco. They will debut Sept. 9 in Boston and today in Seattle. The San Francisco date has not been finalized.
The Boston market is of special importance because it allows Starbucks to test Clover against its major competitor, Canton-based Dunkin’ Donuts, said Darren Tristano, executive vice president at Technomic Inc., a Chicago consulting firm. Starbucks has about 200 stores in Massachusetts, while Dunkin’ Donuts has about 1,100.
Dunkin’ Donuts declined to comment.
How does a cup of coffee from Clover machine compare in cost to the regular Starbucks brew?
The price can vary from store to store, but the Starbucks at 1 Charles St. - one of the Boston pilot stores - charges $1.65 for a regular “tall” coffee and $2.25 for a Clover brew of the same size. In general, Clover coffee ranges in price from $2 to $4, the company said.
I’m intrigued…but in time where consumers get excited that gas is getting down to $3.55/gallon from the over $4/gallon we were used to earlier this summer, will others be willing test this special brew at such a premium?
“We are making bold moves toward transforming our business for the long term and at the same time making the tough decisions to ride out this extremely challenging economic environment,” said Joe Dallacqua, Starbucks’ vice president of regional operations. “The Clover delivers a one-of-a-kind brewed coffee experience that fits with Starbucks’ long history of coffee expertise.”
Clover customers will be able to choose from a new collection of small-batch coffees, some of which may be rare and available for a limited time. It takes about a minute to brew a cup, depending on the type of coffee and customer preferences.
Perhaps it’s all the brewing method that will make the taste of the coffee speak for itself.
With a Clover machine, brewers can set the time and temperature of the selected coffee to accommodate the characteristics of the bean selected. Vacuum-press technology pulls the coffee through a 70-micron filter in which “every hole is like a hair’s breadth,” said David Latourell, formerly of Coffee Equipment Co. and now a Starbucks employee. The Clover “really brings coffee back into focus” for Starbucks, Latourell said.
The Clover’s “unique sort of extraction” allows flavors to come out of the coffee, said Anthony Carroll, who selects coffees for Starbucks.
“The flavor is already there. Clover really helps just accentuate them,” Carroll said. “You’re going to discover a whole bunch of different flavors in their coffees that you didn’t know would or should be there.”
As an everyday Starbucks customer, I’m ready to try it. If it is as good as people are suggesting it is, I will be more than happy to pay the premium for a customized cup of coffee.
Tags: Starbucks
August 26th, 2008
Continue Reading September 23rd, 2007
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Continue Reading April 16th, 2007
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