Smoking ban (Part 2763)

I see the latest wheeze by the bansturbators in parliament is to ban “smoking in cars with children”.

They just can’t help themselves can they? However I fail to see how they can enforce a ban with so many loopholes in it. Here’s a couple.

What if the car has tinted windows like mine. How will they know if there are children in the car? Will they set up roadblocks?

How will they know if someone has actually smoked while the kiddies were in the car? The smell could have lingered from a previous journey?

Why is there a need for this anyway as:

‘Smoking in cars with children has been in decline for years. Today very few people do it because the overwhelming majority of smokers accept that it’s inconsiderate.’ (Simon Clarke from Forest).

I suspect that is the slippery slope to banning smoking elsewhere. If they can start banning it in your own private car, why stop there?

Ban it in peoples own homes will be next. Don’t believe me. just wait.

C*nts

I’m copying the entire post from Dioclese’s blog.

In an episode that would not be out of place in Orwell's 1984, Bexley Council have persued a prosecution of blogger Ollie Cromwell for calling one of their councillors a c*nt on Twitter.
The so-called 'c*ntgate affair' came about as a result of Ollie tweeting that he thought one of their councillors was a c*nt. Now if you honestly hold an opinion and believe it to be true, then you can't prosecuted successfully for libel or slander, but apparently if you express an opinion on Twitter then you can be found guilty under section 127 of the Communications Act of 2003 for using an offensive word - which is what has happened to Ollie.

More worryingly, the judiciary failed to kick this trumped up piece of crap into touch thus signalling what has been suggested in some circles as 'the herald of the death of free speech'.

Clearly, Bexley councillors are a touchy lot. I refer readers to a tweet posted under #freethebexleyone where @cjmillsnun says 'I am an elected councillor. As long as I'm not being harassed, residents can call me names if they want'. Well said, they man!!
There's an old saying that if you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen. Perhaps councillors at Bexley should take this to heart. You are, after all, elected to serve the wishes of the people. Now admittedly, people can be right c*nts but you knew that when you took the job on.

What you are not there for is to offer yourself up for self-aggrandisement and to set the thought police on your electorate.
Bexley Council are asking the judge to impose a 180 day custodial sentence on Ollie. By my reckoning this is therefore deemed to be more serious than causing death by dangerous driving where you can get off with less than this.

And while we're on the subject, guess where this prosecution was brought? Yep, Bexley - so clearly no chance whatsoever of any undue influence or bias in the proceedings at all, is there?
Surely, only a c*nt would suggest otherwise..

More HERE and HERE and HERE. And now HERE

I’m going to get a letter.

Energy giants have been ordered to write to millions of customers to tell them how to cut their bills.

As the cost of gas and electricity soars, energy minister Greg Barker is demanding that utility chiefs send the letters, emails or texts before winter explaining how customers could move to a cheaper tariff.

He said: "Energy companies should be in no doubt as to our determination to see this through and get a better deal for millions of ripped off customers.

Well Greg me old mate, here’s how it is. I’m already on the lowest Tariff and it’s fucking huge. And here’s who caused it to be in part, so big. One of your cabinet colleagues no less. Huhne the Green Buffoon.

Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has said that some families shop around more for a "£25 toaster" than they do for energy bills of more than £1,000. Experts say many households could cut their bills by about £200.

I think that quite a bit of my increase this year is due to the Government’s green obsession with wind turbines Bird Mincers and solar panels. You honestly don’t think that the energy companies are not going to pass on their green costs to the consumer, do you? If so you are a bigger fool than I thought you were. Remember those feed in Tariffs?

I seriously wonder about the sanity of our ministers. How can making our energy so expensive be good for our economy?. If I have to spend more on energy I’ve less money to spend  on goods and therefore deny businesses of my cash.

Oh and don’t even think of trying to coerce me into having a so called “Smart Meter”. I’m smart enough to read my own meters, thank you very much.

Buffhuhnes

Gggrrrrrh

Even my council is trying to scare me with climate change.

SEA levels in Sheerness are rising, according to a report by environmental bodies, leading a conservation group to warn of an increasing flood risk.

A report entitled London's Environment Revealed, said the sea level at the mouth of the Thames Estuary in Sheerness is rising at a rate of 1.5mm a year.

Further on they report.

The report said: "Climate change is likely to increase mean sea levels, increase peak surge tide levels and increase wave heights. Rising sea level has the potential to increase flood risk."

If they’re that concerned why do they use the word “Likely” (My embolden)? If they’re that sure then why not use the word “will”?

Then of course it is some of the usual suspects.

The study – commissioned by the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Forestry Commission and the Mayor of London's office.

But then of course they miss the bloody obvious.

Much of Sheerness as well as Sheppey is below sea-level and so is prone to flooding. You can find references to this as far back as Samuel Pepys, when he was responsible for dockyards and was choosing sites to defend the Thames. Parts of the current sea wall around Sheerness was built following the 1978 floods.

1377-99
King Richard II ordered coastal defences to be built on the Island.

1953
Flooding did great damage to Sheppey, seawall has to be rebuilt at Cheyne Rock and heightened along its 2 mile length.

1978
Island cut off from mainland by snow and floods. And again in 1979 with floods.

However they end up ruining their own argument

The spokesman said: "This is showing us that the defences are still providing a standard of protection to a 0.5 per cent chance of flooding in any given year in the Sheerness area.

We’re all doomed I say.

*Then again, I live on the opposite side of the county*

Am I Irish?

I see that the Irish need another €24 billion from the EU. Of course I’m expecting our idiot Chancellor to jump in with another bail out with what he thinks is his money. Sorry George, it’s not your money, it’s my fucking money you’re going to throw away.

I begrudge paying the high rate of tax already. If you count Income Tax, NI contributions, VAT, insurance tax, and all the other myriad stealth taxes, I think you’ll find that the average man in the street is being ripped off to the tune of nearly 40% of their pay.

What I want to see is real cuts in this country. Not just a slowdown in expenditure. I want to see the 300,000 civil servants culled as promised, and funding of the so called charities such as ASH immediately stopped. I want a flame thrower directed at the quangos and the other teat sucking drains on the public’s money.

I want you, Osbourne, and those idiots Cameron and Clegg, to give us that Referendum on withdrawal from the EU that you promised, but have since reneged on. Why are we throwing money at this edifice that is enslaving us with it’s laws that our leaders cannot object too, let alone defeat?

And I should of course finish with that prat Huhne, who wants to switch the lights off by 2015 by adhering to his slavish devotion to useless bird mincers and PV arrays. You know, the things that don’t generate power when the wind doesn’t blow, and when it gets dark.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this government, is as left wing as the last one.

My final comment is: Get out of my life and give me my money back. You C***s.

* I actually like the Irish*

Am I being to harsh? No I’m fucking not.

Aaaaaaargh (Again and again)

Any of you that are regular readers of this Blog will have noticed that I have had trouble with the Utility Companies,  serving my deceased Uncle's property.

Just when I thought it was all cut and dried I find lying on his doormat, this:

I really despair. This time it was TalkTalk. Just getting through to them was bad enough. The customer services number on their web site has four options. Guess what? Option 4, which I needed, didn't work.

The next number I found produced a very unhelpful lady from abroad who tried to make out it was all my fault in someway. I hadn't followed out their procedure. I tried to explain in simple words that as I wasn't their customer, how could I possibly know their mores and customs? (Oh and needless to say, her Supervisor was conveniently out.)

Found another number The Cones cancellation hotline, and after eventually fighting my way remorselessly up the queue, and being told every step of the way "that my custom was important to them", I finally reached someone who could actually do something.

Even then after explaining to the young Scottish Lassie that it really was their ineptitude that had caused all this in the first place, she had the cheek to suggest that I do all the leg work in setting it straight. I "politely"* declined.

The worst thing about it is they never apologise.

* Only slightly sweary language used. No "C"words were harmed in the making.

Another reason to not vote conservative.

I was appalled to read this at Conservative Home. And I thought they might, just might be on the side of the little people. No. just like their Statist friends in the Labour Party.

They're going to raise the tax on Cigarettes by 5%. As they put it:

So following earlier Policy Exchange research that indicates that tobacco taxes are the most popular way to raise additional revenue, we suggest that tobacco taxation should be increased by 5% in the next Budget.  This would see the price of a typical pack of cigarettes rise by 23 pence from £6.13 to £6.36 per packet and generate over £400 million for HM Treasury.

Not withstanding that they want a minimum price for Alcohol, what other pleasures in life are they going to tax to the hilt?

Cunts.

H/T to

Friends of Forest

ASH sets the Budget

 

It's really all about the money isn't it. This little snippet from the ASH site.

We also believe that the Government should, in addition, increase tobacco prices this year by 5% above the projected rate of inflation through taxation. The attached report for ASH models the impact both in terms of the impact on public finances and economic benefit from such a tax increase and finds that government revenues will increase by over £500 million a year, amounting to £2.6 billion over five years. These benefits arise from the following revenue streams set out in the table below:

Increased revenue from tobacco taxation;

Reductions in healthcare costs;

Increased tax receipts from additional years of working life;

Increased tax receipts from reduced absenteeism;

Reduced spending on benefits relating on benefits related to sickness and disability; taking into account

Increased spending on state benefits for retired people.

Here is the link. Don't go there if you have high blood pressure.

Insufferable prigs

CUNTS

And they came for the drinkers

Here we go again.

Minimum prices for alcoholic drinks would be set by the Government under radical plans being drawn up to cut Britain’s growing binge-drinking problem.

They're even admitting to intend to use the same tactics as they did on smokers:

He compared the emerging alcohol policy to that involving tobacco – which led to a sharp increase in cigarette prices and a ban on smoking in public places.

I will not vote for any party that contemplates more of this bullying. And yes, that includes your party Dave.

Source

Lab Rats at the Altar of Climate Change

I've just been looking through the documents hacked from the CRU at the University of East Anglia and would like to draw your attention to this PDF. It's a policy document setting out how to change our behaviour in respect to the climate change debate. Here are some snippets from it.

The Rules of the Game

Climate change must be ‘front of mind’ before persuasion works
Currently, telling the public to take notice of climate change is
as successful as selling tampons to men. People don’t realise
(or remember) that climate change relates to them.

Use both peripheral and central processing
Attracting direct attention to an issue can change attitudes, but
peripheral messages can be just as effective: a tabloid snapshot
of Gwyneth Paltrow at a bus stop can help change attitudes to
public transport.

Link climate change mitigation to positive
desires/aspirations
Traditional marketing associates products with the aspirations of
their target audience. Linking climate change mitigation to home
improvement, self-improvement, green spaces or national pride are
all worth investigating.

Use transmitters and social learning
People learn through social interaction, and some people are
better teachers and trendsetters than others. Targeting these
people will ensure that messages seem more trustworthy and are
transmitted more effectively.

And now they seek to enlist the help of Doctors

We need trusted organisations and individuals that the media can
call upon to explain the implications of climate change to the
UK public.

Now we scare the little girl to death with a bedtime story involving drowning bunnies.

Another classic marketing rule: changing behaviour by
disseminating information doesn’t always work, but emotions
and visuals usually do.

Let's have some "smart" meters thrown in, so we can wallow in our shame at destroying the Planet.

Make climate change a ‘home’ not ‘away’ issue
Climate change is a global issue, but we will feel its impact at home –
and we can act on it at home.

And finally, just keep repeating the lies over, and over, and over, and .................

Everyone must use a clear and consistent
explanation of climate change
The public knows that climate change is important, but is less clear
on exactly what it is and how it works.

You can find the article on this site. Fuckterra

It's down at the bottom and called New Rules, New Game

And if you want a complete breakdown of Climategate the fairy tale. Do read this, it's fascinating reading

Dead against Skyprotect

Aaaagh.

Dear Wankers at Skyprotect,

I have just received a letter from yourselves, thanking me for purchasing Skyprotect.

I have done no such thing. The only time I have contacted you was to inform you of the DEATH of my uncle, Mr xxxxxx . That's it, DEAD, DECEASED, SHRUGGED OFF HIS MORTAL COIL, Etc. Need I go on? Is no-one taught to actually read letters these days. There was also another slight clue in the envelope which you failed to spot. Why would I enclose a death certificate?. It's not a mandatory document required for a purchase as yet.

Yours, in disgust,

Mr Filthy Engineer

Soon to ditch Sky and turn to Virgin cable.

Hope I wasn't too hard on them for their minor mistake

'NOT GUILTY' MOTORISTS FACE COURT COSTS

Drivers acquitted of motoring charges will pay costs under new government scheme

They're really out to screw us any way they can.

Could you afford to fight an unfair ticket?

New regulations set to come into force later this month will see motorists forced to cough up court costs - even if they're found not guilty or acquitted of motoring offences.

The government-inspired change to the current set-up - where drivers get costs refunded if they're innocent - is being implemented to save cash, in spite of fierce opposition from legal and motoring groups who were nominally 'consulted' before the new policy was drawn up.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the age old principle of 'the loser pays' has been costing the government too much money. As a result the new rules make it clear that in future drivers will have to foot the bill for clearing their name. According to The Taxpayers Alliance, that equates to 400,000 people, or one in four of those who challenge a ticket.

Now the Conservative party has joined the last ditch effort to derail the changes, and campaigners are looking for more signatories to a petition on the Number 10 website. We're off to go and sign the petition ourselves, and you can find out more by reading the press release below, that was issued by the Association of Motor Offence Lawyers today.

YOU CAN SIGN THE PETITION HERE

H/T to Pistonheads