Posted on 04/02/2006 12:28:18 PM PDT by SittinYonder
The good news is, governments everywhere can overextend their authority, force private property owners to bend to the government's will - all in the name of "IT'S GOOD FOR YOU" - and the people will accept it.
This is a follow-up to a story I posted a few days ago.
Scotland has adopted a national smoking ban in "public places" which, as one of my Republican state legislators pointed out to me now means "publicly accessible places." I remember the good ol' days when public places used to mean government-owned property.
Governments everywhere now view all property as their own.
Remember, in Scotland, if you have a government worker coming to your private home you cannot smoke for an hour before they arrive.
Follow up to a thread you were all on a week or so ago.
No.
That sort of language is uncalled for, and if your children hear it you can blame the government ;-)
Or: "I'm going outside for a puff." LOL
"So Scotland on Sunday decided to test adherence to the new law by dispatching reporters to more than 100 bars in every corner of the nation. And the result? A few, minor transgressions amid remarkably high levels of compliance."
What? The government can dispatch reporters....
LOL ... precisely
That struck me as odd, too. I assume when they say Scotland dispatched reporters they mean there were lots of reporters from differnet news agencies at the bars. I don't think the government told them to send reporters, but I don't know.
A cigarette is placed in one's mouth... so why did such slang emerge? I'm glad I stick to cigars....
Here's more:
Glasgow,Scotland,UK
Smoking ban hotline gets 28 callers
29 March, 2006
A HOTLINE for the public to report smokers who light up in enclosed public places has received almost 30 complaints.
There were 87 calls to the Scottish Executive's national smoking ban hotline up until midnight on Monday.
And it was revealed today 28 of these calls were complaints of individuals allegedly ignoring the ban.
As the Evening Times reported last night, Scotland's first two smoking ban offenders have been identified as a pub and a bookies.
The premises - both in Renfrewshire - will be given warning letters for flouting the law on smoking which started on Sunday.
However, the introduction of the legislation has proved much smoother than expected in Scotland.
But yesterday's public sector strike meant council enforcement officers were not out patrolling pubs.
Meanwhile, it was reported that a woman was removed from a jury at Glasgow High Court after she was allegedly overheard saying she would take a harsher view of the accused, if there was nowhere in the court for her to smoke.
The court's smoke room has been closed. The woman could now be charged with contempt of court.
Publication date 29/03/06 A HOTLINE for the public to report smokers who light up in enclosed public places has received almost 30 complaints.
There were 87 calls to the Scottish Executive's national smoking ban hotline up until midnight on Monday.
And it was revealed today 28 of these calls were complaints of individuals allegedly ignoring the ban.
As the Evening Times reported last night, Scotland's first two smoking ban offenders have been identified as a pub and a bookies.
The premises - both in Renfrewshire - will be given warning letters for flouting the law on smoking which started on Sunday.
However, the introduction of the legislation has proved much smoother than expected in Scotland.
But yesterday's public sector strike meant council enforcement officers were not out patrolling pubs.
Meanwhile, it was reported that a woman was removed from a jury at Glasgow High Court after she was allegedly overheard saying she would take a harsher view of the accused, if there was nowhere in the court for her to smoke.
The court's smoke room has been closed. The woman could could now be contempt of court.
Read
These laws force lewd drunks out onto public sidewalks for children to see and hear. Some areas in New York state have a real problem with this. You have to steer your children around smelly, cursing, groping drunks just to walk down the sidewalk.
Contempt of court for telling the truth? Figures.
I hadn't realized the Scots had become so devoid of spirit.
FREEEEEEEDOMMM!!!!!!
FMCDH(BITS)
That ban on smoking the hour before a government worker comes is the funniest thing I have ever heard.
How on earth can you enforce something like this? It's a classic "He said,she said" situation.
I love Scotland but will never visit it again. I'm too old to be standing around outside smoking cigarettes.
My fellow statesman have accepted our smoking ban like a bunch of sheep, too. Personal liberty and private property are dissolving throughout the western world.
I agree. Sad, isn't it!
At the Saracen Bar in the city's Possil area, the ban was already taking its toll. A man in a wheelchair complained he wanted a cigarette, but it was difficult for him to smoke outside and get shelter. Eventually a kind member of staff wheeled him out and held an umbrella over his head while he enjoyed his cigarette.
What remarkably sheep-like acceptance.
I hadn't realized the Scots had become so devoid of spirit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.