Butt Wait

This unusual ashtray on Thompson in front of a barber shop has me thinking about smoking. The ban on smoking in bars and restaurants has me torn. It's helped an awful lot of people stop smoking. And it helps make sure we all smell better. But, it does seem too invasive of an area of the government, telling businesses how they can be run. But OSHA protects people against unhealthy working conditions all over. Also, the taxes are extraordinarily high, but, again, helping people quit. Anyway, since I can't seem to make up my mind about the government's role in people's private life, I decided to turn to the facts.
* Last May New York City reached its lowest rate of smoking on record (15.8%), with less than 1 million adult smokers here.
* Cigarettes still kill more than 7,000 New Yorkers every year.
* The NYC Quits Smoking Facebook page has 5,039 fans.
* A cigar bar it must have opened prior to December 31, 2001, 10% of revenue must come from the sale of tobacco products, and 60% of revenue alcohol sales.
* New York City's bars and restaurants with tax receipts went up 12% between March 2003 (when the law was enacted) and May 2005.

Street Furniture

Ah, trash day. The one day of the week that we all shove our refuse to the curb, hoping to disguise the events of our lives that caused us to throw things away. This dresser was likely replaced by a younger, prettier, new model that wasn't showing its misuse over the years. The former owners, which no doubt live on Thompson Street where I found this, tried to disguise the otherwise plain looking furniture by covering each drawer with wallpaper. But the handles falling off must have been the last straw, causing its current fate. It looks so sad sitting on the curb. I considered taking it home, but where would it go? There's simply no room. I guess my heart just goes out to strays.