In the News

First gas, now this? If you pay for your electricity, get ready to see an increase on your bill to the tune of $2-$3.50. The increase is the first in two years, The Statesman reports. This isn't Katrina's fault, according to James Williams, an economist in London. He says the price of fuel has more than doubled.

Perry's political agenda It looks like Govenor Perry is helping others by helping himself, according to KVUE. Perry is promoting three relief organizations for hurricane victims. One of these organizations, OneStar Foundation, is his brain child. Is this one of those "look the other way" things because the organization (faith-based, operating on federal grant money, btw) is doing some good, or is he just tacky? Let us know in the comments.

Smokeless in the City Also, we've been meaning to ask, how has the smoking ban, if at all, affected you? It'd be nice to hear from some non-smokers, smokers, bartenders/bar workers, etc.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Rodosta in News on September 8, 2005 7:28 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

mando

perry's tacky, no matter what he does. the smoking ban hasn't been too bad so far. besides having to drunkenly stumble out to the sidewalk at beerland so i can smoke during karaoke, it hasn't been too bad. i enjoyed the new patio at barflys last night. although it is a pain to keep having to go inside for more drinks. it's just sad to go to barflys and have to go outside to smoke when i spent most of the past 8 months there, several times a week, drinking like a fish and smoking like a chimney (pardon the lameness of the imagery).

hc

I love live music. I also have terrible allergies which are exacerbated by smoke. I'm happy that I can go enjoy a band now without feeling like shit all evening and the next day.

Another bonus of no-smoking: if I go out on a weeknight, I can skip washing my hair the next morning and sleep in just a little longer before I have to go to work.

eva

i was torn about the ban... so i, like many, didn't vote (i am not saying that is why other didn't vote). I am a non-smoker and i love live music and going out to clubs, bars and whatever venue is sporting good drinks or better sounds. I felt like it was just 'part of life' that i would come home stinking like an asshtray after i rocked out. but i did remember my days of service industry work and how glad I was often to be on the foodside of things, where austin had already decided there was no smoking. my bartender cohorts didn't have the same choice. I know they picked that job, but c'mon we all know they were picking the highest dollar job they could get for their scheduling needs/experience/background and i didn't think that wanting to make a little more than just getting by was cause to work in that day and night.

i digress - i went out friday night, i was feeling a little under the weather, but i still made it out to a late show and i was so glad when i got there to realize it was no smoking... it made all the difference in my enjoyment of the night, my eyes and throat didn't burn and it didn't further upset my sinuses. it did seem weird to look around and see it that way but it was nice. thats all.

Harper Leigh Harris

The End of an Era.

I am a smoker. I understand that bigger cities have been moving in this direction for some time and knew it was inevitable here at home. But if you smoke cigarettes you understand that there is something eternally sad about the fact that never again in the city of Austin can one continue to enjoy their drink and conversation, and exert the minimal amount of energy to add a smoke to the mix. From now on you will have to gather your things (drink, smoke, lighter, etc.), get up, and walk out(lazy? I'm not lazy). Yes, you may still enjoy the cigarette, but not quite as much.

As a native Austinite, my life will forever be divided by "back when you could smoke in bars" and now. But I'm doing alright, I guess, still heavy-hearted.

Love,

Sentimental in the City