JackTales

Speaking of depressing, I’m starting to give this a little consideration. Okay, mostly out of curiosity at this point.

Smoke Power electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are the current ‘in’ thing now amidst many smokers around the world. They have now added E-Pipes to their high quality product line.

Electronic Pipe Model #DSE601 at SmokePower.com

Online PR News – 29-January-2010 – Smoke Power Inc a leading online retailer of electronic cigarettes has added great new product to their product line of electronic cigarettes. The Electronic Pipe Model #DSE601. A excellent edition to the already popular electronic cigarettes,e-liquids and accessories.Here is more on electronic cigarettes and why this could be a healthier alternative to traditional tobacco.

Electronic cigarettes, e-pipes or e-cigarettes are the current ‘in’ thing now amidst the smokers around the world. The e-cigarettes deserves all the attention and applause that it is receiving, as it combines all the good things about smoking, and eliminates all the bad effects of smoking. If you are a smoker and are unaware of the benefits of switching over to Smoke Power e-cigarettes, read on further and make the decision of quitting normal cigarettes and switching over to smoking e-cigarettes fast.

The e-cigarettes depict a thorough understanding why smokers are so attached to the activity of smoking and cigarettes. Smoking is often an addictive habit. Have you wondered why you feel like smoking, and what is behind the urge to smoke a cigarette? Several think that people smoke because of the stress relief that occurs due to it. While this is true, this is not all. Smoking fulfills several emotional, physical, and psychological urges for a human.

Several smokers crave for the calming effect that a cigarette provides through the nicotine content of the tobacco rolled inside. While some smoke for the pleasure of showing off power, status and prestige, others do it to break barriers among strangers and making friends with ease. Some believe that new ideas strike them as they stare on to the glowing tip of a cigarette while smoking. In many instances, cigarettes are used to break in the tension and uncertainty by allowing the hands something to hold on to.

All this understanding is nicely put into the e-cigarettes. While e-cigarettes are essentially battery backed, they release a blend of nicotine vapor when inhaled, which gives the same stress buster effect as is sought by smokers from a normal cigarette. Thus the e-cigarettes avoid the usage of tobacco as in normal cigarettes, as tobacco has been proven to be carcinogenic. There is enough scientific research conducted on tobacco, and tobacco has been directly linked to causing mouth, throat and lung cancer etc.

Thus e-cigarettes nicely incorporate only the harmless aspect of a conventional cigarette – the nicotine, and eliminate the harmful tobacco. No tobacco means no smoke that pollutes the surroundings and thus the non-smokers can now be sure about their well being. The nicotine vapor from e-cigarettes disappears after some time as exhaled and thus there is no infiltration or pollution into the surroundings and the air around the smokers is harmless.

Penn Mason CEO of Smoke Power Inc says: “Smoke Power E-cigarettes come in a variety of flavors, makes and blends so as to provide the e-smoker a lot of choices and keep everyone happy and content.” Another advantage with Smoke Power e-cigarettes is that they can be smoked even publicly as they do not contain any harmful substance. Also, e-cigarettes are relatively cheap. The reusable e-cigarettes have a slightly expensive initial investment, but the nicotine refill packs for the subsequent use are quite economically priced. E-cigarettes last longer and burn for more time than normal cigarettes and thus provide more value for money. Also, e-cigarettes are very handy and compact so can carried anywhere.

SmokePower.com is a leading online retailer of Electronic Cigarettes with amazing quality and value. Free Shipping in the USA. We also carry Electronic Cigarette E-Liquids to. Our customers rate our products and services with 5 STAR REVIEWS!We welcome all 18 and over. http://www.smokepower.com

To break up the gloom and doom pipe tax issues lately, I’ll just throw in another pretty pipe smoker…

Pipe ID by ~Quiet-Sam on deviantART

Yesterday, my wife and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. Considering the events that brought us together, I’ve come to recommend marrying strangers. That seemed to work for us. 🙂 Best 10 years of my life!

So to celebrate, and oddly reflecting our marriage ceremony, my wife was sick, and my legs hurt so much I could barely walk, even with the cane.

Ah well…tonight we’re going to 13 Coins. If you’re ever in Seattle, you have got to try this place, and you’ve got to sit at the counter to watch them cook.

Okay, on to my usual nonsense.

Voters Prefer Delivering on Campaign Promises
Salt Lake City, Utah 1/29/2010 02:27 PM GMT (TransWorldNews)

As Utah legislators contemplate raising taxes on tobacco products, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is reminding them that voters across the board are against new taxes and in favor of delivering on campaign promises.

Some Utah state representatives and senators are talking about new tobacco taxes even as Governor Gary Herbert has proclaimed that there shall be no new taxes of any kind.  The IPCPR, a non-profit association of some 2,000 retail tobacconists and manufacturers and distributors of premium cigars, pipes, tobaccos and related accessories, called this the kind of “disconnect” that is leading to voter revolts across America.

“Utah voters are among the most savvy in the country,” said Chris McCalla, legislative director of the IPCPR.  “They know when they are being led down a primrose path intentionally or otherwise by their legislators who say one thing and do another.  And, when legislators do what the voters don’t want done, new, more responsive legislators are elected by those voters.”

McCalla said it was important for Utah legislators to realize that the reasons they have been given by anti-tobacco groups to call for across the board tax increases on all tobacco products reflect the misguided conclusions of poorly informed special interest groups.

“First, the governor said ‘no new taxes of any kind’.  Increased tobacco taxes would bring a burden of higher costs and broken promises to nearly 10 percent of the Utah adult population that smokes, most of whom will simply buy their tobacco online or out of state to avoid paying these new taxes.

“Second, not all tobacco products are the same.  Premium cigars and pipes are different from, say, cigarettes in that they are discretionary products enjoyed only occasionally like a fine wine or single-malt scotch.  As a result, they should be taxed differently.”

McCalla suggested that the current 35 percent excise tax on tobacco products other than cigarettes could be replaced by a 50 cent tax cap per hand-made cigar. He said such a tax  is generating positive results in five other states, including Oregon, Washington, Rhode Island, Iowa and Wisconsin.

“Third, human behavior can’t be legislated.  Some lawmakers say increased tobacco taxes will prevent youths from smoking. That would be throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Our IPCPR retail members are adamantly diligent about selling their products only to age-appropriate adult customers.  For other retailers, there are plenty of laws on the books that, enforced properly, will accomplish that same objective. Besides, those neo-prohibitionists who make unsubstantiated claims of youth smoking are basing their estimates on overly vivid imaginations.”

McCalla urged Utah legislators to drop their consideration of “job-killing higher tobacco taxes that will actually result in lower tax revenues because people will find ways to avoid paying those new taxes.”

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tony@tortoricipr.com
www.ipcpr.org

Pepperdine students want to open store by next year

Adam Wall envisions a place where people can escape the stresses of work with a fine cigar and a good cup of coffee.

Wall and his business partner, Nathan Welch, are working to make that dream a reality. They hope to open a cigar shop in Camarillo this year.

The two entrepreneurs, seniors at Pepperdine University, attended the Jan. 13 Camarillo City Council meeting to see if their proposed business would be compatible with city guidelines.

Before the meeting they met with City Manager Jerry Bankston, who provided them with information on Camarillo’s smoking ordinance.

The ordinance covers indoor smoking prohibitions and is being expanded to address smoking outdoors as well. Camarillo’s proposed changes would require individuals to smoke at least 25 feet away from a place of business, which is 5 feet farther away than the state’s requirement concerning smoking outside public buildings.

Councilmember Mike Morgan is willing to work with the pair to allow them to operate the cigar lounge within city guidelines.

“I think if they have a ventilation system and purifier (it could work),” Morgan said, adding, “They have their rights as long as it doesn’t impact anyone else.”

The proposal for the store came up during the study session at the council meeting.

City Councilmember Charlotte Craven focused on ventilation and whether the business would share adjoining walls with other businesses or be a stand-alone structure. The possibility of an enclosed smoking room inside the lounge with its own ventilation was also brought up.

Mayor Kevin Kildee reserved comment, and Morgan declined to go into too much detail until more discussion on the proposed changes to the city’s smoking ordinance takes place at the next council meeting.

“As a general rule, the city supports business owners and tries to be flexible with the many constraints we deal with, such as balancing business with the issue of secondhand smoke,” Assistant City Manager Bruce Feng said.

Other cities have made allowances for businesses that sell tobacco products. Moorpark revised its smoking ordinance in July, exempting tobacco distributors, retail tobacco stores and similar types of businesses from strict smoking bans.

Wall sees Camarillo, specifically the Old Town section, as an ideal location for the cigar lounge. It would allow people to go shopping, eat out and stop by the lounge at the end of the evening, he said.

The Newbury Park native envisions the lounge as a “classy place where people can gather and have good social interaction.”

He said Camarillo has the right demographics for a successful business. Wall described a potential patron as “somebody who is looking to get away from the work world and relax for a little while.”

He also indicated there could be interest from students at California State University Channel Islands.

Wall hopes to open in the fall, if everything goes smoothly. He and Welch have their business plan in place and are starting to look for investors.

“If all goes well, we’re hoping to open by September,” Wall said. “That would be nice, before the next holiday season.”

The two friends wrote a letter to the Camarillo City Council addressing their thoughts concerning the smoking ordinance.

In part, the letter made a distinction between cigarette smokers and cigar and pipe smokers, saying, “Cigar and pipe smokers are not compelled by addiction to smoke around those who are not smokers.”

And it maintained that less litter results from people who smoke pipes and cigars relative to cigarette smokers.

The memorandum also referenced two local cigar companies, Old Oaks Cigar Company and The Cigar Zone, both in Thousand Oaks.

Wall said he believes lounge customers would abide by the proposed ordinance change and only smoke inside the lounge and not right outside the store.

“I think the people (of Camarillo) have a high enough stature that they would respect that,” Wall said.