That was the week that was
Saturday, January 23, 2010 This week's papers reported that New code on alcohol sales to include ban on drinking games (Guardian).
As ever, politicians seem to be over-reacting. I've been going into pubs for 35 years and I have never, ever seen the so-called Dentist's Chair. Does a yard of ale count as a drinking game? I suppose it does, although I've rarely seen anyone try it.
The only drinking "game" I've taken part in (that I can remember!) is the time-honoured tradition of "It's your round". I guess we should ban that too.
Stories that (almost) passed unnoticed include:
1. Macedonia bars close to protest smoking ban (AFP)
2. LA extends smoking ban to outdoor cafes (LA Times)
3. Kebab shops face late night alcohol ban (BBC News)
4. The return of ricketts: the nanny state has failed (Economic Voice)
Reader Comments (11)
Doh.........................
Are they trying to BORE us all into submission ?
Time for some from decisive action from Andrew ('Mad Dog') Lansley.
Over to you, Andrew...................
I absolutely love Jeremy Clarkson's page in the Sun each (well most) Saturday's! Almost each publication has something to say on the Nanny/Bully State and he says it so well.
If nothing else, it is one of the few things left that gives me a good laugh!
I liked very much the fact that the Macedonian bars, etc, closed for 24 hours in protest at the smoking ban and hope that this might go a long way to encouraging their government to relax the laws a little in their favour.
Pity we no longer have that kind of kindred spirit in this country! Perhaps WWII saw the last of the people of with true grit, pride and spirit! Shame we have to let them down so badly now.
Link for #4 is broken, Simon. The only one I had missed, ain't it always the way?
If Granada News takes a camera crew into the centre of Manchester on a Friday or Saturday night, it is almost certainly true that the camera crew will find a person who is 'drunk and incapable'. However, it is totally wrong to extrapolate from this discovery of one person who is 'drunk and incapable' that there are others who are so afflicted. It may well be true that there are others, but it is not necessarily so. The probability is that , given that there may be 100,000 people in the centre of Manchester on a given Friday night, 99,900 make their way home perfectly safely. 100, however, may finish up in hospital for various reasons.
To make an assumption that if the cost of alcohol is increased a bit then the 99,900 who make their way home safely will be increased to 99,910 and that the number of hospital admissions will be reduced to 90 does not rationally follow. There is no definite co-relation.
What is really, really depressing is that our politicians believe that there is some co-relation.
What is really, really sad is that our politicians do not seem able to be rational. For example, the leader of the Conservative Party seems to think that it is rational to use income from 'green' taxes to fund tax relief for married people. I am all for tax relief for married people, but the connection between that and 'green'taxes is tenuous to say the least.
Is it only me, or is it possible that sooner or later, people will see how tenuous the connection between second hand smoking and health is? It seems to me that only people who are really ill in any case could possibly affected by SHS, in which case they should be in hospital.
But here is another story, which did not pass unnoticed (not by me anyway):
Just to let everyone know that this Wednesday, 27th January 2010 is National Cigar Smoking Day.
I just received an email from the Tomtom Cigar shop, details of which are as follows:
Address: 63 Elizabeth Street, London, SW1W 9PP
Email:
Phone: 020 7730 1790
Web: www.tomtom.co.uk
This is what their emails says:
You may smoke in Tomtom Cigar shop!
27 January 2010, 10am - 6pm
27th January National Cigar Smoking Day!
You are warmly invited to relax with our single origin coffee, chocolates and a 5% discounted cigar on that day!
Our shop is open from 10am to 6pm - Please come in when you feel like smoking!
Peter, I vaguely remember that cigar shops were granted exemption from the ban when offering customers the chance to sample cigars (is that right?).
So, why are dedicated tobacconists not allowed to have indoor cigarette 'tasting' events which offer coffee to accompany the cigarette?
The reason we lost that courage shown with sparkling kindred spirit of true grit pride and spirit by the people of WWII era, is because we have been watered down by diversity through Labours open borders policy.
The old divide and conquer melting pot worked very well indeed.
Joyce
Even better!...how about the cigar shop applying for a licence to sell alcohol...then we can go in and have a drink with our smoke - eh?
Good point Ann!
Simon,
It's often forgotten that the Defence of the Realm Act, passed in October 1915, not only introduced restricted licensing hours but also included a No Treating Order that forbade anyone to buy an alcoholic drink for another person. This was withdrawn in 1919, as it had always been unpopular; particularly as Hansard records cases of police agents provocateurs in plain clothes tempting people to buy them drinks.
Licensing hours took rather longer to amend, although they are admittedly more lenient now than they were even before 1915.
Let's not give the new prohibitionists an inch...
"Ministers have no desire to penalise "responsible drinkers" in a general election year."
Yeah,just wait till we are voted back or in, and then we'll do what the hell we want to you...