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Monday 25 July 2011

I’ve been driven to strong drink

alcohol-bottles-chris

Why you ask? Because I’m a smoker. (I expect hell fire and brimstone to fall on me from the likes of ASH and CRUK).

In days of yore, I was one of the many smokers who enjoyed sitting in a country pub, drinking good beer, whilst quietly and steadily puffing away on a ciggy.

Not any more.

The smoking ban put paid to that, as you all know. In those days I enjoyed a good hand pumped ale, wafted down with a lung full of the glorious weed smoke. It was a dual enjoyment. I used to visit a pub twice a week at least. Now, probably once a quarter. I no longer find the pub environment a pleasurable experience.

What I find sad is that the country I live in is becoming more oppressive as the years go by.

When fifty per cent of the population smoked, even non smoking households had crystal ash trays on the tables. Smokers were welcome and valued for their contributions to conversation.

The younger generation were taught respect for those older. Not anymore. How many times have you been forced off the pavement into the road by a group of secondary school kids getting off the school bus?

A job was something you aspired to and held onto with pride. In today’s climate you’re a mug.

Women were treated with respect for raising their families without working. (Don’t read that wrongly. Raising a family was hard work for her in doors).

Politicians were approachable and the majority were in politics to benefit their constituents. Mine seems to be on the gravy train to retirement.

The bobby on the beat was a man you stopped and chatted with. Nowadays I avoid the shaven headed, stormtroopers in case they arrest me for some trivial offence I’ve not heard of.

My schoolteachers were Gods. They told me to sit down. I did. Now they are so called, “Classroom Managers”. Managers in anarchy I suspect.

Health and safety was an individual responsibility. When it changed to a corporate responsibility after the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster it  became a “cover my ass” system, where people don’t bother to look what they’re doing, in the mistaken belief that they are safe because the rules say so.

The Dole was there to provide those unfortunates who had no job with the basics to feed and clothe those unfortunates and their families. How is it that a 46” colour HD TV these days, is classed as a basic need? (Scratches head).

Oh and of course everyone  is treated as  a potential terrorist when they just try and get out of this benighted land, with the intrusive  scans and metal detectors. Then again, maybe they are trying to stop too many high tax payers from leaving?

Sour grapes you may say.

My favourite pub is desperately trying to keep it’s head above water by offering any discount they can, but still having to adjust their prices upwards. Soon I fear it will fail like many others have done. Where are the Non smokers that promised that they’d be visiting pubs in their droves once the evil smokers had stopped contaminating their clothes with the foul, nay, child killing , second hand smoke?

They failed to materialise.

Now as a pensioner, whilst trying to post this under the candlelight caused by reliance on wind powered electricity, I’m forced to drink a large several large whiskies.

ASH. Sod you. And MPs. And………………………….

As a foot note. Could we expect an event such as happened in Norway coming to a place near us?  Most certainly if someone doesn’t take a lead and govern FOR the people.

9 comments:

  1. A good posting (again) FE.

    The only statement I challenge is:-

    " ....Politicians .... the majority were in politics to benefit their constituents."

    I strongly suspect that the last batch of Troughers were no different to their predecessors. It's just that modern technology helped catch the thieves out.

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  2. Politicians in the old days if caught for wrongdoing used to fall on their sword and resign. Such as Profumo.

    At one time there were politicians, made up of the landed gentry who had no need for money who actually entered politics to try and better the condition of the ordinary man.

    sadly those days have gone.

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  3. It takes me days to write a sincere post. I must be getting o...........l............d

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  4. I feel exactly the same, FE, but now, fortunately, my usual watering hole has finally got the planning permission, (after three and a half years), to take the roof off their old restaurant area and install a split ceiling/roof to allow the "appropriate" ventilation - should be sitting inside in the heat again enjoying a leisurely fag and a pint in about three weeks.

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  5. The one good thing about getting old is that you can no longer remember the good old days!

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  6. Tell you what guys, -the buck stops here. I push the nippers off the pavement, I have five girlfriends on the go and, I am gaining a Kilo per day. Now put that in yer pipe and you know what whith it ;-)

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  7. Captain Haddock26 July 2011 at 08:40

    "Where are the Non smokers that promised that they’d be visiting pubs in their droves once the evil smokers had stopped contaminating their clothes with the foul, nay, child killing , second hand smoke" ?

    Busily, furtively, secretly planning their next series of pogroms on those who consume alcohol, salt or are a little overweight .. for their own good, of course ..

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  8. I strongly suggest you to change from smoker to drinker only, I had to do it because in my country, Colombia, we have the same restriction and we had no other option ... just drink more and smoke in the park! Now, we have been notified that we now are not allowed to buy liquors between 11 pm and 11 am. So we will have to start buying drinks at 6 pm ... as many bottles and cans as possible. And get totally drunk earlier!!!

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  9. Francy.
    I thought we had illiberable drinking and smoking laws in the UK.

    You are truly being forced into a living hell. Hope it doesn't happen in the UK.

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