Sweeping things under the plywood
I had to go into town today.
I was wandering around getting damp, as one does, when I saw I was about to pass a newsagent.
I have been in the shop before. It’s a nice colourful place lined with magazines and sweets and things.
This time though there was a great big fuck-off sheet of plywood behind the counter that looked awful.
‘Aha!’ says I to myself. ‘They have broken a window.’
But I immediately realised that there was no window there. What had been there was the cigarette display. And then I remembered.
The fucking Nanny State is at it again.
As and from today it is illegal to display cigarettes in shops. Yes – it is against the law for anyone to see them!
A lot of people read this site. Most come looking for a bit of pornography, or to find ways to remove a wasps nest, but that is beside the point. The point is that with the number of visitors I get, I must have a fairly broad range of philosophies and ideologies.
At least one of you has to be a Neo-Nazi rabid anti-smoking fascist bastard, and I am appealing to you.
Yes, you [you miserable scum from the bottom of the cess pool].
Could you please tell me what the point of this latest law is? I beg of you. I really want to know.
Am I supposed to walk into a tobacconists and see an ugly sheet of plywood and say to myself ‘Oh shit! They don’t sell tobacco any more!’ and walk out avowing never to smoke again?
Do you seriously think that children walk into shops and are so overawed by the display of cigarettes that they have to buy them?
Please tell me, Arsehole. I really want to know.
And while you are at it, can you tell me why they aren’t bricking up the pubs so that children aren’t tempted by them?
Why aren’t cars sold with their doors welded shut so that boy racers can’t kill us?
What really riles me is the utter pettiness of this latest move. It is a snide little dig that is going to do absolutely fuck all good except annoy people, and cost hard strapped shopkeepers more money that they can ill afford.
God give me strength!
I’m behind you there Grandad. It’s a laughable contradictory law which shows no respect to consumers or retailers. What puzzled me also [and still does] was the move to sell ciggies in boxes of 20 only. Was that the brainchild of the same gombeen minister?? At least when cash was a bit scarce a smoker could pick up 10 and space them out a bit and had an excuse not to offer them around to all and sundry outside the pub. Now, both habitual and occasional smokers have to buy big, under-the-counter-style and pay a whopping great tax on them for the shame of it. What’s next?
SHoop – As far as I know, it’s the love of my life – Two Ton herself who brought in that one [and the 20 packet crap]. I sincerely believe they all live on a completely different planet.
It seems they’ve set themselves a quota of One New Smoking Law each month, and here’s July’s. Like they uh, have nothing better to do…
I’m with you.They’re hitting me in just about everyplace,now they are talking about my pain meds as well.I guess I better hope they don’t start on the booze,cause I’ll have to turn to it to self medicate.Damn, I forgot that when I used to drink I couldn’t do it without smoking even more than I already do(a lot!)Why the hell don’t they just shoot me with their precious guns that they protect and put me out of my (Their) misery.I’m getting so riled by all this bull I’ll probably die of conniption(sp)Give ’em hell Grandad,I’m just not up to it.
To be fair, the cigarette companies clearly expect that splashing their brand around the place helps them sell more. They wouldn’t waste their money doing it if they didn’t.
@ Spaghetti Hoop – Well, they could do what the FDA here in the States is considering which is pulling all prescription medications that contain acetaminophen. That will put a lot of (real) chronic pain sufferers on the blocks. Of course they’re not going to pull the off the shelf stuff along with it now are they? A bit on the contradictory side?
@Grandad – Seems like old Ireland is getting a bit Orwellian in nature these days don’t you think? We have certain towns, cities and states over here that are like that but thank the powers that be there’s relatively only a few. The feds mostly stay out of it with the occasional exception of my above remark to Spaghetti Hoop. As far as I’m concerned though my belief is that every person is his/her own master and totally responsible for their own lives, actions and choices and no government, be it town, city state, province, county, country, whatever has the right to micro-manage their citizens.
.-= >> Kirk M´s latest brainfart .. Lacking posts but accomplishing more? =-.
It amazes me that they think smokers are stupid. . well maybe for starting in the first place but I’m sure they realise that behind the plyboard is a cigarette display . . .our Government has a different tac, just price smokers out of the market and tax the bejeezus on tobacco.
.-= >> Baino´s latest brainfart .. Bus Brat =-.
Susan – There is a strong rumour that Brussels are seriously considering banning smoking outside. They can go fuck themselves.
Sandra – As it happens, our pharmacists are in dispute with the government and are threatening to withdraw services at the end of the month. Most people will not be able to get their prescribed medicines. There will be fun on the streets!!
Andrew – I don’t think you can seriously consider the site of the ends of a stack of packets to be advertising? Maybe the sight of cigarettes give the NeoNazis instant cancer?
Kirk M – This country is rappidly going to hell in a handcart. There is a rumour that they are going to try to make illness and death illegal too.
Baino – They do that here as well!
Oh right! Now let’s see…Sickness = illegal! Death = illegal! Capitol punishment for both?
.-= >> Kirk M´s latest brainfart .. Lacking posts but accomplishing more? =-.
God, no. A hefty fine. They need our MONEY!!
And who will they sue if one dies illegally? The next of kin I suppose? Yup, that sounds about right.
I’m sorry but your husband died and that’s illegal as you know. Therefor you owe us your entire salary plus your left leg for the next 3 years.
.-= >> Kirk M´s latest brainfart .. Lacking posts but accomplishing more? =-.
WTF. GD oh well on MJ go to youtube bad company shootinstar goodday.
Next time I’m in a mini-market / small store, I ‘ll buy a box of Lil-Lets, a box of extra-long Durex and 20 Marlboro…and ask for the fags to be wrapped in a brown paper bag.
@Kirk M – you hit the spot indeed with the phrase “micro-manage”. Well said.
I’m going for a smoke… cant think of anything to post here..
Its a stupid law, but it keeps them busy, and gives an excuse that they havent time to be making useful laws…
They could have just left it at banning the posters and all..
.-= >> SAm Crea´s latest brainfart .. Its just meant to be fun you know… =-.
– There is a strong rumour that Brussels are seriously considering banning smoking outside. They can go fuck themselves.
Grandad, do you have a source for this, becuase it’s the first I’ve heard of it, and it’s unbelievale.
The EU passes laws,but it is always up to the individual country to implement it. And for some reason Ireland the UK implement the laws in the most unintelligible manner. The same laws are implemented around the rest of Europe in sensible ways.
But as always, it’s easy to bash Europe and the EU.
AM – I agree that it is supposed to be up to the individual countries, but when you are under the rule of a crowd who will do anything to try to placate Brussels……
As for my source? I got it here. It may be wildly inaccurate, but you know what they say about smoke and fire? [I can’t repeat it fully, or I would be accused of smoking in public 😉 ]
The News of the World? I’d hardly call that a credible source of information. Howandever… I did a little checking of my own. I can’t find any European Commission documents which mention this, and I also checked the European Parliament site for the questions and answers of the parliamentary sessions.
The only thing I could find was that the Commission would like a European-wide ban on smoking in public places. As it stands, each country has implemented its own laws, and the EU would like to standardise them (as they like to standardise almost everything). What is being debated in the EP is to not allow smoking right outside buildings where smoking is prohibited, but to move the smoking areas a few metres away from the doors, so that people coming in and out aren’t subjected to walking through a cloud of smoke (and EU Institution buildings are terrible for that).
Tthey do the same here in Canada-plus you can’t smoke in 99% of public places. Nanny state eat your heart out. It must be working because smokers seem to be as rare as hen’s teeth in Vancouver.
.-= >> Green Of Eye´s latest brainfart .. An Cathach Turns 1 Today =-.