30 October 2005

Young smokers and they're ALL girls

| Philby
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My partner and I attempted to enjoy a late lunch at Gus’s yesterday, it was warm and reasonably sunny so we sat in the outside area hoping to enjoy the fresh air. WHAT FRESH AIR?!?! We were enveloped in a cloud of passive smoke. Around our small table for two were 9 separate people smoking, 8 of them women between about 16-22. It was ridiculous we went inside where there was no ventilation and no airconditioning and asked whether any ofthe outside areas were designated non-smoking. The waiter told us “We’ve tried but because it’s an outside area it doesn’t matter what we do they just light up.” Isn’t the government supposed to be banning smoking in outside eating areas or have they already? If so where do I lodge a complaint? If a business is serious about stopping people lighting up it’s not that hard, DON’T SERVE THEM!

As for the issue of those smokers being almost exclusively young girls, well that problem is already well recognised and attempts are being made to address it but such a concentration really highlighted the point. I don’t know whether the most effective influencers of young women are young men or (more likely) other young women but we need to stop these girls young and dump the cigarettes in third world countries where they belong.

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Philby, do stop being a tired old wanker….you posted an unfocussed whinge at the top of this strand, you offsided a good many people with your crass attempt at “irony”, you continue to lambaste everyone else as “sanctimonious”, “masturbatory”, and now bitch on about the lack of intelligence and perception of your audience. How grand. You reek of self pity and the best cure for a tosser like you is a good kick in the balls – if you ever had any in the first place. Now piss off.

“softhead” maybe but I can take pills for that. As for not being effective with my irony, well it wasn’t effective because it wasn’t understood but perhaps what my teachers failed to get across to me was not too overestimate the intelligence and perception of my audience, which I may well have done here and for which I apologise.

I do believe in free choice but not when it robs others of the same right, therefore I do not believe in the free choice of hoons to scream through residential streets at whatever speed they choose, I do not believe in the free choice of somebody to park in a disabled spot because “they’ll only be a minute and surely no disabled people will need it that soon” and I do not believe in the free choice of people to smoke in an area where their CHOICE is going to impinge on the comfort, enjoyment and maybe even health of others. With free choice comes responsibility or the collapse of society.

Free choice died with Hemmingway, Ghandi.

Ever since his time there’s been rules and regulations that you have to follow, chicks stopped putting out for a gent in a suit, and they came up with licenses to shoot and drive things. Heck they even made it illegal to drink before 10 for a while.

Free choice for you is going down to your local supermarket and buying the items off the shelf that have been targetted at you not because of their avaliability, but because they know you will buy them.

Stick free choice up your ass. Next time you want to eat venison, deer or even beef, try rustling up a rifle and an animal laden forest, and then even with those objectives met, try it without your license.

Free fucking choice… You’re a battery hen and you didn’t even know it.

you also dont believe in free choice.

softhead.

The downside is, Philby, that your teachers failed to get across to you how to post ‘ironic’ remarks. The fact that so many readers thought you were being serious in your Third World comment suggests that you didn’t QUITE phrase it effectively enough…
So instead of labelling everyone else as sanctimonious and masturbatory, you might care to consider your own sloppy journalism.

I’ll have a go at your ‘type’;

You’re a 25-35yo male (at a guess I’d say 32) of a pretty good education (you had good teachers). You’re law abiding, and believe that rules should be followed, because that’s what they are there for. If a rule is wrong, it should be changed, but abided until it is.

You’re reasonably adept at using a computer, and have toyed around with HTML and webpages.

You’re travelled, and have experienced the ‘other’ side of travelling, not just in hotels – backpacking/aid mission ?

How’s that for ‘type’ – close ?

Well I was going to leave this alone but since no-one else seems to have anything better to do either…

Kandy A, thank you for the useful response

Midnitecalla “…[my} type” what exactly might my type be based on the, no doubt, profound insight into my personality that you’ve gained from a brief post that was meant tongue in cheek but sadly not taken that way (probably because I was the only one who found it funny – but then I was writing for my amusement no one else’s as I understood to be the purpose of this site from so many other self-indulgent musings).

I’ve already said the comment was meant to be ‘ironic’ (… the expression of one’s meaning by the by language of opposite or different tendency, simulated adoption of another’s point of view for the purpose of ridicule.. you know, like if I said, “I enjoyed reading your thoughtful and provocative comment!”?)

Oddly enough I’m not paid a fortune by some tobacco company to push their products so like almost the entire REST OF THE WORLD, I actually disagree with dumping cigarettes in countries that don’t have the time, the expertise, the communications ability or whatever other resources are needed to fight the addiction of their population. You talk about overseas travel, have you been to a third world country and seen the numbers of people smoking? I’ve lived in a couple as it happens and in one I had to light a cigarette for a leprous patient in hospital who barely had a lower jaw, because as Johnboy rightly states “Countries with no public health system tend to get governments that don’t give a damn” … or worse. Most barely have enough for essential services without spending money on education programs when the money has often been siphoned off by officials.

If you’d ever been to a third world country, you’d appreciate how lucky you really are and know that Australia is a very, very long way off being anything like one… or was that comment meant to be ‘ironic’?

I’m sure I’ve said something above that will prompt another flurry of sanctimonious masturbatory posts in reply, I look forward to reading them.

Yours truly etc.

so I feel honoured

…..WTF!?!

JB, don’t forget the SERIOUS manner in which the baccy companies are targeting the third world countries – a relative is in the advertising dept of one of the biggest, and it’s like a turkey shoot.

There’s 640 registered users Thumper.

I never know why many of them join and then say nothing but it’s always nice when they do.

Anyway I think Philby’s been unfairly demonised for a throw away line with some validity.

Countries with no public health system tend to get governments that don’t give a damn with a result that many un-coerced people choose to smoke.

That tends to be third world countries so draw your own conclusions.

Whoa! bonfire agreed with me on another strand this arvo (Goodwin Trees of Ainslie), so I feel honoured…talking of new recruits, the Aislie/Goodwin strands have thrown up plenty – including an oldsoldier. As they say, they never die…

dunno, but I think it’s healthy. Welcome aboard all, exits can be found at the top of the page and feel free to get stuck into bonfire about whatever the hell you want – he’ll just disagree with you anyway.

In fact, I suspect he enjoys the attention.

midnitecalla4:48 pm 02 Nov 05

Third world countries as dumping grounds? i to was with you up until then. its your type that makes me cringe when travelling overseas , ( the new american boor) tobacco is anoxious weed that does kill indiscriminatly as you pointed out, but what makes you think citizens of a “third” world country are more impervious to cancer as your self? australia has and always will be a hair from becoming a thirdworld country as it is.

Philby,

all your answers: on the ACT Government’s ‘website’
http://www.health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=da&did=10022821&pid=1089247951

Oh dear, I’ve always understood Spanish cigarettes contain a certain amount of – let’s put it politely – camel residue (North Africa relationship etc etc). However, thanks bonfire, will take a look in there sometime.

have you tried the butts and brew place at the kaleen shops (where teh supabarn is).

you would be sad to know that gauloises are no longer made in france, they are all made in spain.

i looked at internet discount smokes places, but they all seem to point to the US and not the eu.

having said that, i do like nat shermans black and gold. 13 lovely mg’s.

apparently they will do harm to me if im pregnant,

…and I still don’t know where to buy Gauloises and Gitanes.

Absent Diane11:25 am 01 Nov 05

Agreed R-Git…. if you are talking freely, to me that is free speech and people responding to freedom of speech that is also freedom of speech

Now Im going to press the Say It! button

Free speech? My left nut! Free exchange of ideas? Add the right one!

Until the ‘Say It’ button is denied you, I’m afraid you are dead wrong.

Why is it people can’t really understand the concept of free speech anymore?

For christs sake Bonfire…havent you got cancer yet?

Actually MC, you STFU.

SMOKE-FREE AREAS (ENCLOSED PUBLIC PLACES) ACT 1994 – SECT 5 (2) Schedule 1 (2) States that smoking in the common area of Gus’s is only permitted if a similar area of comparable standard in which smoking is not permitted is provided.

Michael Cheese9:32 am 01 Nov 05

hey philby why dont you grow a pair and STFU? your poor little offended sensibilities, oh we weep for your loss of fresh air. youre OUTSIDE. IN CANBERRA!!! this is not mexico city, this is not kalkuta. ffs, why do you think you have some kind of special right to command whatever you want? “I want to sit outside” “I want fresh air” “I want smokers to act how I want” “I want people to do something about it and take care of me” how about you a) deal with it, b) STFU, c) be happy that you don’t have a burning cigarette butt in your FRIGGIN EYESOCKET. get off your highhorse, realise there are other people on this earth who may not share whatever ideals you have stored up in that little brain of yours, and for god’s sake realise NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU THINK.

philby nest time your poor nostrils are inflamed, why dont you stand up in the middle of teh cafe and loudly proclaim your desire that all smokers cease and desist, or you’ll be forced to leave.

demand to speak to someone in authority.

demand your right to make an even bigger dickhead of yourself.

then pedal away on your recumbent bicycle.

Move on Bulldog surely I have suffered enough for that post? No wthat I know just how easy it is to get a rise out of you all I’m sure I’ll give you plenty of opportunity to refer to me as other parts of the human anatomy or more of god’s creatures as not knowing your ethnic or cultural background I’m not exactly sure which of these you meant… you arse!

You’re an ass philby. Not only did you make an ass of yourself with your posting; but you have then followed it up with a really poorly written “I’m right and the rest of you suck” response.

You raised a (nearly) valid point, but it comes off whiney and self righteous. Followed by your bewilderingly stupid 3rd world comment, you have lost any integrity you may have had.

I suggest taking a deep breath and starting from the beginning. But then again, I’m only one person and I’ll not speak for anyone else, just as I will not generalise and tell a group of people I don’t know that they are a bunch of swollen dog’s bollocks.

ass.

Hey Philby, don’t be afraid of the barking dogs and dancing bears, my experience here is that the people with the least defensible positions tend to be the most aggressive.

It ain’t pretty but it is still free speech – just remember, opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one (and 90% of them are full of shit 🙂

Welcome to the snakepit.

Obviously my lack of commentary was missed, sorry Philby.

If Gus’s has/had a designated non-smoking outdoor area, then of course they should enforce smokers going to their designated area.

If they can’t be assed enforcing it due to other workload committments, you’ve got three options;

1. Live with it,
2. Leave, or
3. Remind them of their obligations and have them enforce their rules.

Relax, Philby,
Go have a cigarette. Papastratos (Greek) fags go down very well with a cup of coffee (preferably Turkish). Re public smoking/licensing laws: could be you just went to the wrong website. Try the ACT Govt. one, or ring Canberra Connect. They can also tell you about dog licenses, since you clearly have a predeliction for dog’s balls.

Phew let me draw breath, though not at Gus’s of course! My God, and I’d best apologise right now to agnostics, atheists, believers non-believers, christians, hindus, moslems, jews and anyone else such a term might offend or suffer another torrent of abuse (and yes I appreciate the tautology but I’m going for effect!) Ah irony is obviously wasted on the young, congratulations Colsim who was the only one to recognise the “dump it on the third world where it belongs” comment for what it was, you win the cigar, take it to Gus’s and light up with abandon. You’re all so passionate about your bigoted little opinions woe betind anyone who disagres with you, interstingly though I not ethat you couldn’t (A) agree on a single viewpoint or (B) answer my question about what the public smoking/licensing laws might be in Canberra. Can anyone help me with that last one? meanwhile I shall go out and flagellate as is so obviously required of anyone you bunch of swollen dog’s bollocks disagree with. Free speech? My left nut! Free exchange of ideas? Add the right one! Ps please forgive any poor spelling… I have a cold.

Speaking of trolls, I noticed something interesting in the recent Drum Media. A band/act/”artist” going by the name of “Patrick Carr” was performing as a support act in Sydney.

I wonder if it’s spoken word…

Anyone know if online cigarette stores are legal in Australia? I know the ones in the states sell Marlboros by the carton for about US$12.

Ditto with Gauloises and Gitanes – haven’t choked on them for years. Merde et Desespoir!

at last some logic – thank you xman

also, how come google ads always shows ‘how to quit’ and not ‘where to buy discount laramie’ ads ?

and if anyone knows where i can buy F6’s locally, let me know.

Usually we flame people here – but it looks like this Philby just got smoked.

I’m not a smoker, but I’m anti-smoker either. I vote with my feet. If a place has insufficient areas/air extractors to cater for all types then I don’t go back. If someone asks what I think, I’ll tell them.

The whine and dine crowd annoys me. We’ve become a nanny nation where everything must be legislated against. Use your power as a consumer!

If we’re not carefully govt will legislate to disallow congregations of more than 3 people in public next…wasn’t that posed by Bejelke Petersen in QLD?

It would certainly solve one problem – excessive moaning about who has a greater right to plant their behind at a cafe…

yet another anti smoker whine.

imagine that, people drinking coffee and having a smoke outside.

the horror.

everyone else will not conform to your ideal.

quick! make the govt do something.

fucking wowser.

Absent Diane9:54 am 31 Oct 05

I will stop smoking in public if people stop eating eggs in public… that is f**king feral… and far more offensive to me than any ciggarette smoke… and I hate even my smoke being blown into my face….

whinging bitch. Sorry, but I am sick of this smoking malarchy. Get over it. I would be more concerned about 120+kg people wearing lycra and sweating in cafe next to you, rather than the fact that a bunch of girls have taking up smoking as it is an appetite supressant, and in order to hang out with the rest of the latte swilling ignoramous’ out there they have had to contend with societies unhelathy need for all chicks to look dangerously thin. Shove your head bacl up your arse, and start eating breakfast at macdonalds where you cant smoke. Dickhead.

Not sure if the focus of this posting is on women smoking, discomfort at Gus’s or commentary on tobacco companies targeting the 3rd World. However, on the topic of women smoking, let them get on with it – but they shouldn’t complain about not being able to find enough men in this town…any semi-intelligent guy will run a mile when conronted with a seriously fag-ridden maiden on the make.

I’ll just add my WTF to the 3rd World comment – I’m just going to assume that you were being ironic or something Philby

Having a smoking and non smoking outside bit at Gus’ seems the easiest thing in the world to do, what with there being two separate self contained outside bits. (From a business perspective, you’d guess Gus’ would put the smokers over next to the Essen/Milk’n crowd 🙂

Of course this doesn’t allow for the “It’s all about me” mentality that seems so popular of late. (Or maybe it’s always been like that and I’m just getting old and crotchety but doesn’t it seem like this cult of the individual is just part of an overarching divide and conquer policy by the big boys)

Spot the wog8:26 am 31 Oct 05

how about we fix up our poor and homeless before we start on the third world, it would make alot of sense and we won’t sound too hypocritical of the countries that really need the cigaretts.

Spot the wog8:26 am 31 Oct 05

how about we fix up our poor and homeless before we start on the third world, it would make alot of sense and we won’t sound too hypocritical of the countries that really need the cigaretts.

Get over it.

dump the cigarettes in third world countries where they belong.
Wanker.

Ah the good old days where you could sit at your desk at work and light up, or enjoy a cancer stick during the movies…

Don’t deny ssmokers their last waning moments of freedom here in our wonderful city. They’ve already lost so much already.

Gus’s have never discouraged smokers – that’s why their outdoor area is there. It’s the last bastion of the Long-black-and-a-cigarette.

right on joeyjo, let smokers smoke inside behind closed doors hidden from view like the depraved disgusting people they are so “normal people” can have fresh air outside without having to see this disgusting habit. Better yet lets send the smokers to the third world with the cigarettes solves 2 problems at once.

I hate it how the smokers monopolize the outdoor areas and the normal people are forced indoors. Stop airing your dirty habits in public and do it in private you scumbag smokers!

yeah that last comment made you sound like a complete dweeb. dweeb boy.

I was with you until that last sentence. wtf?

Dump the cigarettes in third world countries where they belong??

What and get all the third world people hooked on cigarettes instead of our young people?

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