"There should be ice cream trucks but with cigarettes."
~Jenny on Integrity vs Despair

In this feature, we have some of the best bars and restaurants where you can smoke inside, we have some fun for when you next bum a smoke, we have a whole page of featured art, we have the latest craziness from lawmakers, but first...

The Leaders of the Pack: Welcoming two new artists to our Leaders of the Pack--the sensual Lia Josslen, who you'll recognize behind the camera and behind the camera, in both black and white; and the expressive and unique Emanuele Apuzzo (aka, "Michaelangelo82"). You've seen and loved their art, and both have been helping on voting for quality control. Here are just a couple of my personal favorites from both of them. WELCOME!

Lia Josslen


Emanuele Apuzzo


Memetic Level Art: When the entire Internet is spreading your art and doing the job for you, that's memetic level art. The first smoking piece of art to go memetic online was the infamous Judge Me meme [Tumblr]. Since that time, smoking shots have become insanely popular online. Every week--on Facebook, or Twitter, or Tumblr--I see art from right here on The Art of Smoking galleries. It makes me smile every single time... and so we are going to feature these pieces of memetic level art found right here on deviantART. Enjoy!

The Art of Smoking on Facebook: And speaking of viral networks, The Art of Smoking on Facebook passed 400 likes yesterday. Share your own smoking art or your favorites on the wall. I've added links to the Facebook page as well as Burn as One on Tumblr to the top of the journal. The infection spreads!

Sink or Swim? The Stem Test: Here is some fun to have the next time you bum a smoke. If you don't bum smokes, now's the time to start. You do not want to waste one of your own smokes, so bum one and test out this little factoid. Most cigarettes are a blend of both stems and leaves. The way to find out how much of a smoke is stems is to empty the tobacco into a glass of water. The leaves will float, the stems will sink. It should be no surprise that the cheaper smokes will have a lot of stems sinking to the bottom. Just brace yourself if you consider testing your own brand. Other than American Spirits, most companies mix in more stems than you'd think. So the only question is: "Does it sink or swim?"

Beyond the Bans: Connecticut--one of the many American states that doubles as a suburb for New York--recently banned smoking inside of your own car under certain conditions. In response, an article [Here on the Daily Beast] popped up, listing some of the most famous smoking bars and restaurants around the world where you can still smoke inside: Hudson Bar & Books in NYC, Cagachos in Chicago, The Hotel Louvre Sainte Anne in Paris, Denver International Airport in the center of America, and more. Don't miss the full article. Mad thanks to LiLiVia and Danny Coles for the tip.

Medicinal Tobacco: This is not a joke. This is how far gone the lawmakers in the state of Oregon really are. Oregon Representative Mitch Greenlick (yes, his name is actually "Greenlick") is attempting to pass a state law that would make tobacco illegal unless you have a prescription from a doctor. Can you even imagine that conversation? "Yeah, Doc, I have an acute case of realism and a passion for life that is intimately connected to a love of death. Is there anything you can do to help me?" And magic! A prescription for fifty cartons of smokes. On the upside, maybe they would be covered by insurance. On the downside, it's completely disconnected from reality. Most of us are actually hoping it would pass so that it would make for some real prohibition era entertainment inside of Oregon state lines... as long as it doesn't spread any farther. Read the full article [Here on RT].

Next time around, we'll have the follow-up entry to "How to Promote Your Art, Part 1 . Until then, burn bright... and stay lit!

Cheers y'all! ~Tiki