Smoking - the Croydon connection
Apparently Croydon council workers are about to be banned from nipping out for a sly one. This is a Tory run council, by the way. I wonder if workers will be banned from leaving the building during working hours full stop, or this is just an attack on a rather unpopular minority? If this was all about doing a full day's work, fair enough, but the Deputy Leader justified it thus: "I know the ban will cause some discomfort to smokers, but the point is to put everyone's health first". Ok, if the smokers are outside, then colleagues indoors are not exactly going to be suffering from passive smoking, are they? Or does he mean that the council is right to make health decisions for its employees? What's next? Diet monitoring? Compulsory 'Strength Through Joy' jaunts to a gym?
Still, it could be worse. Over in Omaha, Nebraska there is a green light to call the Federales if you see a smoker (admittedly in a bar, not on the street).
Meanwhile, time for a brace of anecdotes:
Way back lost in the mists of time, the BBC used to have smoking rooms, after inhaling at one's desk was banned. As many of the big cheeses were smokers, this gave rise to awesome networking opportunities for resourceful smokers at the lower end of the food chain. The follow up was a demand by non-smokers to be allowed in to the smoking rooms so they could bend the ears of management too. I'm not making this up.
More recently I read a tale somewhere or other about a foreign visitor shocked by the proliferation of tarts in the City of London. "They are so many, standing outside all the offices". Turns out he thought that al fresco smokers were trying to turn tricks.
Still, it could be worse. Over in Omaha, Nebraska there is a green light to call the Federales if you see a smoker (admittedly in a bar, not on the street).
Meanwhile, time for a brace of anecdotes:
Way back lost in the mists of time, the BBC used to have smoking rooms, after inhaling at one's desk was banned. As many of the big cheeses were smokers, this gave rise to awesome networking opportunities for resourceful smokers at the lower end of the food chain. The follow up was a demand by non-smokers to be allowed in to the smoking rooms so they could bend the ears of management too. I'm not making this up.
More recently I read a tale somewhere or other about a foreign visitor shocked by the proliferation of tarts in the City of London. "They are so many, standing outside all the offices". Turns out he thought that al fresco smokers were trying to turn tricks.
Labels: Croydon
This entry was posted
on Monday, October 23, 2006 at 12:38 pm.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
Im all in favour of this, even as a libertarian.
Smoking is no different from spitting or farting in public, the latter sometimes cant be helped the first two can.I would also like to see those who ignore the ban forced to scrub the streets clean with a toothbrush(same for spitters)
fascist!!
and I don't meant it as a compliment Peter
I'm assuming PH is going to be man enough to take that.
I meant it.
There is no difference between smoking in public or urinating, vomiting or spitting in public.
Why should I or others have our lungs hair and clothes polluted just so that a smoker can enjoy their filthy vice?
If you want to do it, do it at home.
As to me being a fascist I prefer to be called a Nazi , the uniforms were better , the Weapons were far nicer and they almost won.
Also had some good policies.
Don't be so mealy mouthed Peter.
William
the great man Gore Vidal will be appearing on "alex jones" within the next 30-60 mins
www.infowars.com
www.prisonplanet.com
Looks like I've missed it. Shame.
its on now so you havent
just the ads
click listen on prisonplanet
and gore will be on in a minute
Mr Hitchens,
You seem to be upset with His Grace. You have referred to him in your last post at cranmer's place as "a pompous self obsessed twat" and "a poisonous old closet queen". I'm none the wiser.
There is a bit of a spat going on. Anyway, it is best left for PH and AC to sort out, I think.
More recently I read a tale somewhere or other about a foreign visitor shocked by the proliferation of tarts in the City of London. "They are so many, standing outside all the offices". Turns out he thought that al fresco smokers were trying to turn tricks.
Actually, I recall this was in the Sunday Times Diary: A Japanese businessman reported being very impressed with the "services" in London. There are high-class call girls outside every office building.
» Post a Comment