|
I'm not a smoker, but I think that anti-smoking laws have gone too far. Given the other environmental hazards present in our lives (car and other air pollution, water pollution, etc.), I would say that bans on outdoor smoking fail the "public interest" test.
I agree with those who say that tobacco smoke is foul-smelling, but if we ban all foul smells, perhaps we should start with those suffering from exccessive body odour, the over-users of perfume, etc. I find them much more annoying than tobacco smoke.
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel Pfeffer wrote: the over-users of perfume,
Gawd, yes!
My neighbours kid has just turned 13 and discovered "instead-of-shave" 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eddy Vluggen wrote: honesty of politicians
Can these words exist in the same sentence without the 'dis' prefix?
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
|
|
|
|
|
Eddy Vluggen wrote: Public interest is determined by marketing-money, advertising budget, and the dishonesty of politicians.
FTFY 
Seriously, in a rational world we would have much higher priorities than eliminating secondhand smoke outdoors.
<insert your own list here>
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel Pfeffer wrote: Seriously, in a rational world we would have much higher priorities than eliminating secondhand smoke outdoors.
I have always found the argument that small problems may/should be ignored in order to devote more time to big problems unconvincing (well, asinine, to be honest). It is certainly the last thing one would expect a programmer to be advocating!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
In an ideal world. we would have sufficient resources to fix all problems. In our non-ideal world, we must prioritise. I believe that the eradication of secondhand smoke is given much too high a priority.
If you want to stop people smoking, social (rather than legal) pressure is much more effective. For an example, see the popularity of spitoons in the 19th century U.S. vs. their popularity today.
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel Pfeffer wrote: I believe that the eradication of secondhand smoke is given much too high a priority.
You're suggesting that something more important is not being done because we spent time passing a law to ban public smoking. So, what did not get done because of that law?
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
|
|
|
|
|
RyanDev wrote: So, what did not get done because of that law?
All laws have a hidden cost. Given that legislative time is finite, some law was not passed or amended. Given that law-enforcement resources are finite, some other law was de-prioritised.
The question is not whether a law is beneficial, but whether the benefits of the law are greater than the costs. I believe that in this case - the costs "win".
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
|
|
|
|
|
Nope it didn't, instead it is a great thing that you are worried about what smoking can do. Perhaps, such laws are made to ease the almost-dead. But perhaps, there is no reason of allowing an activity that legally, that has been claimed to be illegal in a few places.
Smokers are found everywhere, the university that I used to sit with my friends was filled with smokers, ethical smokers I would say. They would not smoke when there is a stranger around, but they would smoke the entire pack once they feel easy, sometimes they felt easy throughout the day. I remember, they did argue to leave it, they tried to bet it, but... Once a smoker, always a smoker.
I am not a smoker, but I do know how they feel. They feel trapped, they do want to leave, but they can't. I have a cousin (first), he is very close to me. Perhaps, even if he would try to leave it for his daughters, he won't in fact he can't. So it is probably as hard for him (or any other smoker) to quit it. If someone does, he is lucky. That is what I feel for them... Sometimes I feel sad, as they cannot enjoy the real happiness and emotion. They are bound to the emotion cigarette can give... Only!
Sorry for being a little bit emotional here. 
The sh*t I complain about
It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem
~! Firewall !~
|
|
|
|
|
Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan wrote: Sometimes I feel sad, as they cannot enjoy the real happiness and emotion.
On Error Resume Next is something that makes me emotional.
Since when does smoking block emotions? Did I miss something? 
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
|
|
|
|
|
It doesn't block it, but gives an artificial emotion of happiness, perhaps?
The sh*t I complain about
It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem
~! Firewall !~
|
|
|
|
|
Think about that; how is the enjoyment from a smoke different 'artificial' from, say, enjoyment of a piece of chocolate, a sip of coffee or pay-day?
It makes me as happy as painkillers do. That's a lot of artificial happy
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
|
|
|
|
|
It is not just smoking; we are moving more and more to prescribing how people should live.
What they should and should not eat. How often to excercise. How many calories is "normal" or "healthy". Which side of the road to drive on.. Aight, the last one might actually be a good idea. Still, there is a tendency to expect 'everyone' to strive to the 'ideal'. We're continously told what to do in commercials and ads*, so no surprise there. Political correctness ensures that the traits deemed "good" are encouraged - although the idea of what is good will vary over decades.
I'm a smoker; lots of people with Crohn's disease are. Yes, I am aware of the consequences.
*) Refer to the documentary "Killing us softly".
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
|
|
|
|
|
I'm a bit late to the party but I agree that regulating how we live has gone to the extreme. Not necessarily through the government but it starts at home.
I noticed that lately since any time my girlfriend and I go to a family gathering/birthday celebration whatever there is, there is bound to be someone not asking politely but enthusing about us getting married and having kids.
It's like everyone is just ecstatic about it happening and they always go: "Well isn't it your turn now?"
And people seem insulted when we say it's too early for us now. They are even worse if we say that we aren't planning on getting married at all. Maybe if we feel like it someday. It's not the same as having a law about it, I know that, but the pressure from everyone is just exhausting sometimes - well smoking helps 
|
|
|
|
|
So..
..when you gonna pop the big question?
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
|
|
|
|
|
Why are you encouraging my smoking? 
|
|
|
|
|
A doctor on his morning walk, noticed the very old lady sitting on her front step smoking a cigar, so he walked up to her and said
"I couldn't help but notice how happy you look! What is your secret?"
"I smoke ten cigars a day" she said. "Before I go to bed, I smoke a nice big joint. Apart from that, I drink a whole bottle of Jack Daniels every week, and eat only junk food. On weekends, I pop pills, have sex, and I don't exercise at all."
"That is absolutely amazing! How old are you?"
"Forty" she replied.
|
|
|
|
|
Just some more senseless gun violence in Chicago. Wait, what[^]?
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill
America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde
Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
|
|
|
|
|
How did you get "Gun Violence" from an video of a Roman Candle fight?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
|
|
|
|
|
You evidently haven't seen any of the news out of Chicago in the last 3-4 years... Or you missed the joke... 
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill
America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde
Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
modified 4-Jun-15 15:20pm.
|
|
|
|
|
Of course I have.. the article has nothing to do with that
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
|
|
|
|
|
I guess I need to explain my whole statement then. The title of the thread and first statement leads the reader (you) to believe that the article is just another story of gun violence in Chicago. The next bit ("Wait, what?") implies that the aforementioned assumption is indeed wrong, and the article is in fact not about gun violence.
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill
America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde
Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
|
|
|
|
|
|
I can't believe they didn't manage to slip in a question about air-speed velocity and swallows. 
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
