Wednesday, March 20, 2013

NYC Faces More Bans from Mayor Mike's List of Dislikes - Yahoo!

NYC Faces More Bans from Mayor Mike's List of Dislikes - Yahoo!:
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NYC Faces More Bans from Mayor Mike's List of Dislikes

By COLLEEN CURRY | Good Morning America – 13 hours ago

This week in New York City, Mayor Mike doesn't like cigarettes.

New York City's health-conscious mayor, Michael Bloomberg, announced plans this week to ban cigarette cartons from being displayed in retail stores. Instead, he wants to see them kept behind counters, curtains, or inside of cabinets, he said Monday.

Cigarettes are the latest vice to come under fire from Bloomberg, who recently lost his battle to ban large sodas. He has previously banned or tried to ban trans-fats, smoking in public places, salty food, and traffic in the city.

Check out the full list of things Mayor Mike just doesn't like:

Cigarettes and Their Colorful Cartons

Bloomberg proposed legislation on Monday that that would require stores to keep cigarettes out of sight, hidden behind counters or in bins or closets so that children and former smokers would not be tempted to buy them.

"Such displays suggest that smoking is a normal activity, and they invite young people to experiment with tobacco," Bloomberg said.

Big Gulps

Mayor Bloomberg's soda ban, which would have outlawed the sale of sodas larger than 16 ounces, was struck down by the New York Supreme Court last week. The court ruled that the ban was "arbitrary and capricious," but Bloomberg vowed to continue the fight.

Bloomberg touted his health policies after the law was struck down, saying they "helped New Yorkers live longer, healthier lives."

"Life expectancy in our city is now three years longer than it was in 2001 and more than two years longer than the national average," he said.

Cannoli and Cheesecake (Made With Trans-Fats)

Cannoli are a bedrock of New York food culture, but they're flaky crusts came under scrutiny in 2008, when the city's health-conscious mayor banned trans-fats from any foods prepared and sold in the city. Famous bakeries including Ferrara's and Junior's adjusted their recipes, along with fast food giants like McDonald's and Burger King.

New York City Traffic

Mayor Bloomberg has long touted New York's subway system as the best way to get around the city. He even rides the subway to work at City Hall. In 2007, the mayor proposed a "congestion charge" in which drivers would have to pay $8 to drive their cars into Manhattan. The plan was nixed was by state legislators.

Hot Cars and Hot Weather

When Bloomberg opts for wheels instead of the subway, he is chauffeured around the city in his trademark black SUV, and prefers that the vehicle be kept cool. Rather than run the car's air conditioning system, which would require the engine to be on, Bloomberg aides turn the car off and attach a home air conditioner the car's front window.

"This is an experiment to be used on extremely hot days like the types we saw last week," spokesman Stu Loeser told the New York Post, which first spotted the strange cooling method. "Even with the vehicles parked in the shade, the temperatures inside can quickly rise to more than 100 degrees."

Salty Snacks

Rather than banning his beloved salty snacks from New York City (the Mayor is an admitted Cheeze-its fan), Bloomberg's administration introduced a voluntary salt-reduction plan in 2010 to encourage food producers to cut down on sodium. Campbell's, Heinz, Starbucks, and dozens of other companies have voluntarily complied with the guidelines.

Styrofoam Cups and Containers

During his 2013 State of the City address in February, Mayor Bloomberg said that the next item he would like banned from the city is Styrofoam, used in take-out containers and to-go cups in businesses throughout the city.

It is "something that we know is environmentally destructive," and "is something we can do without," he said during the speech. "We will work to adopt a law banning Styrofoam food packaging from our stores and restaurants."

Calories

New Yorkers can no longer ignorantly indulge in the city's fast food offerings. In 2008, Mayor Bloomberg helped usher in a new law requiring all chain restaurants to post calorie counts showing just how many calories are in Big Macs, Subway sandwiches, and Dunkin Donuts' Munchkins.