Saturday
Aug092008
It's a mad, mad world
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Times reports that "Ships travelling British waters face a complete smoking ban next year. The Department of Transport is considering banning smoking inside vessels within 12 miles of the British coast. The move would mean that smokers could light up for only 17 of the 29 miles between Dover and Calais."
William Gibbons, director of the Passenger Shipping Association, said that announcements would be made to let passengers know when smoking was permitted. "The rules will apply to all ships, whatever the flag."
Have you ever heard of anything so ridiculous? One moment, 12.1 miles out from Dover, it will be OK to smoke. Seconds later, having entered British waters, it will be illegal. What does that say about the UK and the people who run this country?
Words (almost) fail me. Story HERE.
Reader Comments (24)
P & O banned smoking on board their ferries a couple of years ago. They allowed smoking on deck, but painted a line across the deck. On one side of the line smoking was permitted, but not on the other side. They eventually erased that line, obviously realising how stupid it was.
How far does cigarette smoke travel horizontially?
This decision is unlawful as the territorial limit is three miles.
When drawing up legislation, I think the government of the day should apply some simple tests -
1. Is this legislation absolutely necessary to achieve the required result?
2. Is the legislation enforceable (without incurring horrendous costs)?
3. Is the legislation a proportionate response to the perceived problem?
It is clear that this proposed law receives a resounding three No's on all accounts. New Labour pursue their hatred of smokers to the point of declaring open warfare on them and seem to be on some God-induced crusade against the evil weed.
I cannot tell you in words that are publishable what I think of New Labour, but three decades in the wilderness after the next General Election will not be long enough. Their cretinous actions, on a daily basis, are beyond words.
I note with interest some of the comments from the shipping lines, such as: "two-thirds of our passengers prefer smokefree anyway."
Again, the tyranny of the minority by the majority and the usual glaring floor in democracy raises its ugly head yet again. "Oh, but well, if it's democratic to do this, it's okay isn't it?"
However, if one third of the potential customer base for boat travel reduce the amount they use such vessels or use them not at all, then those companies loose significant monies or go bust. This has already been a problem with some lines who had to revise their smoking bans. So let's hope that cruises start to become unpopular with smokers. Puck 'em!
Of course this ban applies also to operators under non-british flags. But does it also apply to cargos?
Blad I think you may be wrong about the territorial waters 3 mile limit. I live on the coast and I seem to remember that either Labour or the EU changed it to 12 miles and it was something to do with EU fishing and cod quotas but feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Also, unfortunately, once you have gone through passport control at ports and airports you are supposed to be in no mans land but it did not stop the airlines banning it entirely. So, alas they make the rules up as they go along.
Blad,
This Government doesn't know how to spell Democracy let alone be able to find out what it means in a dictionary.Remember what Brown said after Bhutto was assassinated in Pakistan? He said, 'Some people just don't want Democracy.'
Perhaps they don't, but why can't we have it in this country????
Alun
We are supposed to have democracy in this country but look where so called democracy has got us! I think democracy has to go as you have the so-called majority bullying the minority. For example if 51% of people are for a particular piece of legislation and 49% are against it that is a hell of a lot of people it will affect adversely (i.e. 49%) by giving the 51% the say. There must be something better to replace it.
Blad, Sylvia, Alun C, et al -
The problem is that in a 'democracy' (there has only ever been one TRUE one), people - especially legislators - are apt to confuse 'Rights' with 'Right'...........
The former can be made and un-made at the whim of the politician or the Mob, whereas the latter..........
Bill -
Too true ! We SHOULD - in a Grown-Up Society - operate on the ASSUMPTION that any new laws are UNNECESSARY and UNDESIRABLE - unless it can be proved beyond doubt that the reverse is true.
But this, of course, only serves to underline the sad decline of English Common Law (the product of over 700 years' worth of history and human experience) - especially with its oft-repeated emphasis on Reasonableness - a decline hastened by this MANIA to Legislate on Everything........
Judges have at least to justify their decisions with reference to precedent and by cogent and intelligent reasoning.
Legislators merely have to say (in effect) 'Because I SAY so'..................
Or, if you're (perhaps) the Chairman of the Conservative Party:
'Because, Jeremy/David/Jonathan, I'm CONVINCED that (the Ban) will make a Major Contribution to Public Health in this country, and save the lives of MILLIONS - especially CHILDREN'
(Applause, stand, all stand).
Only the difference in PHRASING masks the similarity in SENTIMENT.
It is - to quote Victoria's succinct and well-chosen bon mot - BOLLOCKS !!
If this new proposed smoking ban in english waters came from the EU I could understand it, but it seems to me that the labour govt is outdoing them hands down with this one. The sooner the electorate get rid of this disasterous govt the better.
Of all the crazy smoking bans to date, this one tops the lot.
Sylvia said, "So, alas they make the rules up as they go along"
I was watching the Saddam, TV series last week, where the main character (Saddam) came up with a gem of a saying, which just about sums up this Labour Government and the EU perfectly, he said, "The law is, whatever I write on a scrap of paper"
Peter
You think our lot are even that good that they get as far as writing it on a piece of paper?
It seems to me that in order to be on politics these days a pre-requisite is to have your brain removed! For those who need a little light relief, I was sent this joke the other day and I think it is very apt:-
"Five surgeons are discussing the types of people they like to operate on.
The first surgeon says: 'I like to see accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered.'
The second responds: 'Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is colour coded.'
The third surgeon says: 'No, I really think librarians are the best; everything inside them is in alphabetical order.'
The fourth surgeon chimes in: 'You know, I like construction workers...those guys always understand when you have a few parts left over.'
But the fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed:
'You're all wrong.. Labour Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There are no guts, no heart, no balls, no brains and no spine.
Plus, the head and the arse are interchangeable."
Now if that does not sum up most politicians, I don't know what does!
Thank you Lyn, that is one I will definitely be sending on.
Yes, Lyn -
Absolutely brilliant !
I've just e-mailed a copy to my Labour MP...................bless his little pointed head.
I sent the following to the Times the day the story came out and haven't heard back from them, so I guess it's fair game to put it here as well.
===
Dear Editor, Rule Britannia!
Your August 9th story, "Smoking Ban in British Waters," notes that "Ships travelling in British waters face a complete smoking ban next year." and quotes the director of the Passenger Shipping Association as saying, "The rules will apply to all ships, whatever the flag.”
As an American who might travel in those waters, I am curious. Will the Royal Navy first fire a shot over the bow as a warning or will they simply sink the smoking offenders on sight?
I am afraid that the psychotic fringe that has taken over the British antismoking movements has finally dragged the government as a whole to join them in their smoke-free dance in the daisy fields of insanity. They have forgotten one of the primary rules of psychotherapy: you do NOT join in the dance... it only makes the psychopaths more dangerous. The near destruction of the British pub has been only an appetizer. Your homes (and, as you can see, even your floating homes) are the next target.
Michael J. McFadden
Author of Dissecting Antismokers' Brains
http://pasan.TheTruthIsALie.com
Hi Michael,
No legions of Enforcement Officers will board and go from cabin to cabin sniffing for cigarette smoke, lining people up and frisking them for packets and handing out fines.
I did hear from a good source that a pub that the punters smoke up north was invaded by 2 Enforcement Officers and 6 police officers. The EOs demanded that the landlord and landlady ask the customers to put out their fags. They said we have, but they refused, "you ask them". The EOs sheepishly left and the police were laughing their socks off.
Seems that the gaps are appearing.
Dave Atherton wrote, " The EOs demanded that the landlord and landlady ask the customers to put out their fags. They said we have, but they refused, "you ask them". The EOs sheepishly left and the police were laughing their socks off."
Same thing on this side of the pond Dave. Here's part of a letter to the editor I wrote to the Columbus Dispatch six months ago:
"So the smoking ban "health investigators" found smokers at the Oakland Bar on Thursday night eh? (Feb. 3rd, "Bars slow to snuff smoking" by Matthew Marx) But did those "health investigators", duly empowered by a steel fisted government to slam hapless bar owners, actually DO anything about the smoking? Nope. Of course not. As Marx noted, they simply said, "We can't make them stop. We're not police." That simple statement shows the idiocy of owner-enforced smoking ban laws everywhere."
The Dispatch didn't publish it of course...
Michael J. McFadden
Author of Dissecting Antismokers' Brains
http://pasan.TheTruthIsALie.com
Peter and Martin, glad you enjoyed the little joke. Thought I'd send you this too, although I don't think it is quite as good! I'll let you judge for yourselves.
A man died and went to heaven.
As he stood in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him.
He asked, 'What are all those clocks?'
St. Peter answered, 'Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on Earth has a Lie-Clock. Every time you lie the hands on your clock move.'
Oh,' said the man, 'whose clock is that?'
'That's Mother Teresa's. The hands have never moved, indicating that she never told a lie.'
'Incredible,' said the man. 'And whose clock is that one?'
St. Peter responded, 'That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have moved twice, telling us that Abe told only two lies in his entire life.'
'Where's Gordon Brown's clock?' asked the man.
'Brown's clock is in God's office. He's using it as a ceiling fan.'
Still pretty apt I think.
Cheers
Thanks, Lyn -
Not bad !
I can't resist the impious thought that God has only Himself to blame. If Jesus had been a pipe-smoker, I'm sure we'd ALL be much happier now...................
Still, nobody's perfect, I suppose................
PS: No -Im NOT an Atheist !
Michael -
Excellent !
And - by the oddest coincidence - I've just ordered your book from the States: it SHOULD really be more readily available HERE though, in Un-Cool Britannia.............
How do you fancy becoming Prime Minister ?
There's a vacancy coming up soon, and there are NO suitable candidates in sight.
Martin
I can think of one quite popular candidate for No 10, although I am aware that not everyone agrees - Jeremy Clarkson. Now I do not agree with everything he says, but I do like the way he says it as he sees it and doesn't try to dress things up to make them something they are not. In other words he calls a spade a spade, not a bl***y shovel!
Personally, I believe we need someone like him with some good, honest common sense as well as a great sense of humour.
Lyn -
Apologies !
I meant APART from Jeremy C (naturally).......
So Martin, did the book arrive? :)
I honestly don't know why Amazon.co.uk doesn't carry it new. They've gotten enough orders for it that they should stock it. Odd.
In any event, don't be shy: tell me whatcha think!
:>
Michael
Michael -
Hello !
Yes, thanks - it arrived yesterday.
I've only had a chance to skim through it, but it looks absolutely BRILLIANT (and I'm not usually given to the use of hyperbole) !
Once I've consumed its contents PROPERLY, I SHALL let you know.
In the meantime, perhaps I'll just drop a line to Amazon (UK), and ask them why they're not stocking it.
It's rather pleasant being part of a Small, Articulate, Intelligent, and Humane Minority - don't you think ?
BTW, it might be nice if you could drop the occasional blog about ANY good news happening on this front Stateside - even if it's just, say, Maryland.
Well, Virginia, anyway..................
Never weaken !