It’s like the holocaust. No, it’s like Soviet labour camps. It’s like all the baddest things that ever happened all rolled into one evil Blairite slippery end of the wedge of straw on the camel’s back. Bring me my blunderbuss, Elaine, and put another sandbag in the conservatory! I’ll shoot the last bally one of those Eurocrats before they put me on their multicultural political correctness register and force me to learn Arabic and wear a genetically-modified cotton burqa if I want to light up a Brussels-approved cigar in my own damned lounge. Soon you won’t be able to buy a G&T without showin’ ’em yer blummin’ retinas.
15Feb06 — 10
R-i-i-i-i-i-ght.
Look, I don’t smoke, and I find it annoying. I’m happy if there isn’t smoke in a pub, but legislating it is just another example of the nanny state in action.
As for the ID card fuss – I certainly don’t think it’s going to cause holocausts, but it’s also a huge waste of money.
I don’t smoke (do I even need to say that, I’m such a nerd anyway). I would be pretty pissed off if I was forced to work in a smoke filled pub, I say forced because my friend Dr. Mark Brown, PhD in chemistry was forced to work in Tesco stacking shelves after scouring the country for jobs, his time on job seeker’s allowance was up! This point aside, it’s my choice whether or not to go into a smoky pub or not. Much worse than this was my daily walk to Norwich City College along Ipswich Road. The pavement is really narrow and every morning there would be a parade of smokers puffing away, walking at every conceivable speed, wafting smoke everywhere. It was either walk within them or not go to college. I considered this far worse than a smoky pub*yuck*
Smoking in pubs: Ask the staff. Have a vote on it in the workplace. I’ve worked in pubs and the vast majority of those I’ve worked with all smoked. If the majority don’t smoke and want a ban in their workplace then so be it.
Smoking in general: I smoke (loads) and I like it. Death is normality (in the long run) and I like taking chances (that’s why I’m not an entrepreneur – risk avoiders).
ID cards: Could not care less. Come the revolution they’ll make good bonfires.
i’ve never onderstood how a band can write great songs like “End of the world” and “Stand” only to go on and write something as eye-wateringly awful as “Everybody Hurts”. My only guess is that somewhere along the way mad old Stipey lost his sense of humour. When exactly did he go vegan?
I can see a Friday competition coming on: Is the greatest fall in popular music history the one from Superstition to I Just Called To Say I Love You, or perhaps that from I Never Loved A Man to Who’s Zoomin’ Who??
I think that the main is to remember …
Don’t smoke in bed…
> I’ve worked in pubs and the vast majority of those I’ve worked with all smoked.
The reason most bar staff smoke is that non-smokers avoid working in bars. As long as you can have your benefits docked for refusing to take a job, that sort of thing is the Government’s business. Unfortunately.
I’m against the ban, but the but-bar-staff-all-smoke-anyway argument is counterproductive bollocks. It doesn’t refute the Government’s argument; it is a part of it.
” If the majority don’t smoke and want a ban in their workplace then so be it.”
And what happens to the minority. Oh yes, they imbibe smoke against their will, or they get another job. Ah yes, that’s capitalism for you, the highest achievement (sadly behind subscription wall) of human civilization. Sorry, I forgot.
Perhaps the fall from the Hey Jude to the Frog Chorus is greater?
Or from Hunky Dory to that ‘drum and bass’ nonsense that Bowie did?
On a vaguely related note, I saw Mr Wonder play live at Abbey Road for Radio 2 recently. The band all exchanged amused glances several times when they played ‘I Just Called…’ they’d better knock it on the head if he gets his sight back, is all I can say.
Perhaps the fall from the Hey Jude to the Frog Chorus is greater?
Or from Hunky Dory to that ‘drum and bass’ nonsense that Bowie did?
On a vaguely related note, I saw Mr Wonder play live at Abbey Road for Radio 2 recently. The band all exchanged amused glances several times when they played ‘I Just Called…’ they’d better knock it on the head if he gets his sight back, is all I can say.