The Smoking Ban

The latest trend in Britain seems to be to make smokers out to be inconsiderate killers. The forthcoming legislation to ban smoking from pubs in England due to come in to force 2007 is an absolute joke! Many people in this country enjoy a smoke with a pint and have done since Christopher Columbus brought tobacco back from the new world. To tell a grown adult they MUST comply with this new law is just another prophesy of George Orwell's book 1984 coming to fruition.

Many smokers are considerate people, for instance if I'm in a restaurant, in somebody's car or house, I wouldn't dream of lighting up a cigarette with out asking if it's ok first; I see this as giving that person a choice, are we smokers not due the same consideration and choice which we give to others? I guess it's just one of those stigmas very cleverly put in place by the government and anti-smoking lobbyists.

On the matter of the ban negative propaganda has been circulated in the media stressing the dangers of smoking and actively making smokers out to be weak and inconsiderate people who don't give a shit if they are harming people with second-hand smoke. I have to say as a grown adult with half-a-brain I am fully aware of the dangers of smoking and I consider those risks when choosing to smoke, I don't think that just because I decide to take the risk that this makes me a weak person. Jumping out of an aeroplane when skydiving can also kill but I don't see any billboards or TV adverts telling me not to do it, why is this?

As far as second-hand smoke affecting other people I don't argue with that fact although measures can be taken to minimise any possible risks to non-smokers without having to take such extreme action as a smoking ban. In most cases adequate ventilation would surely improve things for the non-smoker. People working in pubs behind the bar have been identified as 'at risk' but this does present the question; if you're worried about second-hand smoke why the hell would you take that job in the first place? These people also have a choice. I guess next we'll have to ban cars from garages because car mechanics breathe in the same stuff while testing your cars exhaust emissions during an MOT test.Message to the Anti-Smoking brigade: I smoke, GET OVER IT!!!

Since my last post I have, after much personal struggle become a non-smoker although I would like to make it perfectly clear that my views on the rights and civil liberties of the smoker have not changed; if anything I am able to make my point from the other side of the fence with even more credibility! If you still smoke don't worry about smoking in front of me, I respect your right to smoke and will continue to defend it. My decision was personal to me and so is yours.

Binge Drinking

Tony Blair's Labour government seems to have a knack for coming up with new and diverse buzz-words designed to instil fear and concern providing them with a fictitious mission to solve for good of the people of Britain. Binge drinking is just another one of those buzz-words, before they called it binge drinking we used to call it going out for a drink and having fun.

Did you know to be classed as a binge drinker you only have to consume in one session, 10 units for men and 7 units for women? For men that's about 5 pints of beer, and for women about 3/4 glasses of wine. I guess this means that I've been a binge drinker for nearly all my life; I haven't suffered any ill health through binge drinking and I don't have a criminal record... you figure it out! Could it be that this is just another example of mass-paranoia brought on by Blair's Nanny State?

Asylum Seekers

The influx of Asylum seekers into Britain has now grown to an almost inconceivable extent with travel between Britain and Europe becoming so much easier than ever before. Many asylum seekers see Britain as an easy target as we're known throughout the world as being as soft-touch. Should British tax payer's money be used to clothe, feed and house people who are another countries problem, I don't think so!

If we carry on the way we're going there won't be many English speaking people left in Britain; of course I'm exadurating slightly there, but let's face it... that's what it feels like. Lately I've noticed that everywhere I go whether it be shopping, having a drink in the pub, or even just walking through town I come into contact with non-English speaking individuals who seem to look at you like you're a piece of shit. These people seem to be so far removed from our culture and language that it makes it almost impossible for them to contribute in our society so this begs the question; why the hell should we be paying for them to live here?

Racism: I want to make it clear I DO NOT think of myself as a racist, my wife and I travel abroad at least twice a year and enjoy the broad range of cultures and people we come into contact with but I am a firm believer in two things, firstly... When in Rome do as the Romans do... and secondly... You don't get something for nothing.

Boy Bands

East 17, Boyzone, Westlife, TakeThat... all names synonymous with young schoolgirls and people with absolutely no music taste. Since the formation of Stock, Aitkin and Waterman in the early eighties the music industry has been taking a steady nose-dive in favour of mostly untalented pretty faces in an attempt to rob kids of their pocket money... they haven't been doing a bad job of it either!

I know it's one of those things that you're not supposed to like the music choices of younger generations but there is a limit! ...while the likes of Will Young and Gareth Gates are heading up the industry I'm afraid genuine talent will not be discovered. The number one question record producers seem to be asking is can we sell this image while paying little or no regard to if they genuinely have any talent.

If you wanna here decent music go down your local and watch a live band... don't even bother with the charts!