I Just don't get....

[TANGODANCER]

I don't think you quite got what Jimbo was saying Tango...You should be applauding him. I think it cannot be denied that smoking does shorten one's life - although the ones you lose are of course the worst

Oh, I did Monty. I read his post, but felt duty bound to fly the flag. Got to keep up standards and all that.

Erm, I've got a feeling you didn't quite get me either............... The point I was making was whether smokers do in fact cost the country more than non-smokers, that's it! Never mind, though I am a little confused.

Edit

I'm actually pretty convinced you didn't get me. I was making a case for smokers with what I said and arguing against the common belief that smokers are evil because they use up all the goody-two-shoes tax payer's money and so should be made to pay excessive amounts of a heavily regressive tax on something that they enjoy. Most people will need extensive health care before they die be it for a smoking related disease or not. The argument that most people use is floored. That was my point!

You will not deny me my right to have a good rant, you will not sir.

I saw the key words "But do they"? but good journalism is founded on the ability to tweak the story your way a little. I did.

[Dujon]

I do not hate, detest, despise or am otherwise biassed against smokers, drinkers, weed users and their ilk.

I do hate, detest, despise and am otherwise biassed against the self righteous, "I'm better than you so you'd best do what I do and say (in public)" 'do gooders'.

I do laugh at the lunch time athletes who run around this fair city during their mandatory work break all togged out in the latest fashion in sports gear, take an extra half-hour to get themselves cleaned up before they return the their duties and, no doubt, go home when the whistle sounds with a smug smile and a feeling of euphoria which will hold them in good stead for the drive home. These are the people who are in the vanguard (not the Standard but of their standard) of those who choose to try to control us. I doubt that in their musings and pondering (private or otherwise) that they even consider the detrimental effects that accrue from jogging around the traffic packed city centre, never mind their contribution to the city's pollution. I cannot prove it, but from experience I'd guess/estimate/claim that banging around for 45 minutes each and every working day whilst gulping in untold litres of foul air will probably cause more damage to a person's health than a smoker having a sly puff.

I live in an area which is hilly and has innumerable canyons and cliffs. Bush walkers and daredevils love the place. That's wonderful as it's nice to see people getting out and about, keeping themselves fit and even challenging themselves. Fine so far. It all comes at a cost. The hours spent rescuing people (if you can find them), recovering bodies (why bother?) and the ensuing medical regimes is enormous. I haven't even touched on the monetary cost of all this.

To summarise: Do what you will, expect a bit of help if you need it (but don't bank on it) and accept the consequences.

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

When it comes to the smoking debate, I hate the following people:

1) Non-smokers, and all their self-righteous bollocks about what a disgusting habit smoking is.
2) Ex-smokers, and their self-satisfying bollocks about how disgusting a habit smoking is, and how they feel so much better for stopping. Why did you take it up in the first place, then?
3) Smokers, for having such a disgusting habit, and their self-defending bollocks about how they're putting loads of money into the health service through tax and stuff, despite cancelling it out when emphysemia develops.
4) Tobogganists, for selling these things to the unsuspecting mugs for a tidy profit.
5) Governments, for making tabs legal and making shitloads of tax on it, then knowing that adding more tax to an incredibly addictive legal drug will do nothing more than create the win-win situation of either earning more money, or saying they added te tax in order to help the health of the nation.
6) Tobacco manufacturers, for continuing to make them.
7) Formula one cars, for continuing to market them.

Round them all up like pigs and shoot them all like dogs. Every last one of them.

[Prufrock]

When it comes to the smoking debate, I hate the following people:

1) Non-smokers, and all their self-righteous bollocks about what a disgusting habit smoking is.
2) Ex-smokers, and their self-satisfying bollocks about how disgusting a habit smoking is, and how they feel so much better for stopping. Why did you take it up in the first place, then?
3) Smokers, for having such a disgusting habit, and their self-defending bollocks about how they're putting loads of money into the health service through tax and stuff, despite cancelling it out when emphysemia develops.
4) Tobogganists, for selling these things to the unsuspecting mugs for a tidy profit.
5) Governments, for making tabs legal and making shitloads of tax on it, then knowing that adding more tax to an incredibly addictive legal drug will do nothing more than create the win-win situation of either earning more money, or saying they added te tax in order to help the health of the nation.
6) Tobacco manufacturers, for continuing to make them.
7) Formula one cars, for continuing to market them.

Round them all up like pigs and shoot them all like dogs. Every last one of them.

You've come up with a similar world plan to my own, admittedly with different criteria, which leads to everyone but me fecking off and dying so i can live in peace ta very much. I hate people.

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

When it comes to the smoking debate, I hate the following people:

1) Non-smokers, and all their self-righteous bollocks about what a disgusting habit smoking is.
2) Ex-smokers, and their self-satisfying bollocks about how disgusting a habit smoking is, and how they feel so much better for stopping. Why did you take it up in the first place, then?
3) Smokers, for having such a disgusting habit, and their self-defending bollocks about how they're putting loads of money into the health service through tax and stuff, despite cancelling it out when emphysemia develops.
4) Tobogganists, for selling these things to the unsuspecting mugs for a tidy profit.
5) Governments, for making tabs legal and making shitloads of tax on it, then knowing that adding more tax to an incredibly addictive legal drug will do nothing more than create the win-win situation of either earning more money, or saying they added te tax in order to help the health of the nation.
6) Tobacco manufacturers, for continuing to make them.
7) Formula one cars, for continuing to market them.

Round them all up like pigs and shoot them all like dogs. Every last one of them.

You've come up with a similar world plan to my own, admittedly with different criteria, which leads to everyone but me fecking off and dying so i can live in peace ta very much. I hate people.

I'm not that bad. As I've said before - everyone, apart from me and my mates, is a c*nt.

[TANGODANCER]

I'm not that bad. As I've said before - everyone, apart from me and my mates, is a c*nt.

Thank fxxk that's sorted. I can go to bed now. Night all.

[Prufrock]

When it comes to the smoking debate, I hate the following people:

1) Non-smokers, and all their self-righteous bollocks about what a disgusting habit smoking is.
2) Ex-smokers, and their self-satisfying bollocks about how disgusting a habit smoking is, and how they feel so much better for stopping. Why did you take it up in the first place, then?
3) Smokers, for having such a disgusting habit, and their self-defending bollocks about how they're putting loads of money into the health service through tax and stuff, despite cancelling it out when emphysemia develops.
4) Tobogganists, for selling these things to the unsuspecting mugs for a tidy profit.
5) Governments, for making tabs legal and making shitloads of tax on it, then knowing that adding more tax to an incredibly addictive legal drug will do nothing more than create the win-win situation of either earning more money, or saying they added te tax in order to help the health of the nation.
6) Tobacco manufacturers, for continuing to make them.
7) Formula one cars, for continuing to market them.

Round them all up like pigs and shoot them all like dogs. Every last one of them.

You've come up with a similar world plan to my own, admittedly with different criteria, which leads to everyone but me fecking off and dying so i can live in peace ta very much. I hate people.

I'm not that bad. As I've said before - everyone, apart from me and my mates, is a c*nt.

Meh spose mates are allright, im not THAT fond of any of them though. Me and the really hot girl who goes to my uni would do ta. Surely then she couldn't say no ?

[Montreal Wanderer]

When it comes to the smoking debate, I hate the following people:

1-3 Half the world
4) Tobogganists, for selling these things to the unsuspecting mugs for a tidy profit.
5 etc - the other half

I think Keeeeeebaaaaab is a little hard on tobogganists - all they do is have a little outdoor fun on snowy hills and don't really harm anyone. Certainly toboggans can be expensive and the retailers make a tidy profit, but still.....

[Puskas]

When it comes to the smoking debate, I hate the following people:

1-3 Half the world
4) Tobogganists, for selling these things to the unsuspecting mugs for a tidy profit.
5 etc - the other half

I think Keeeeeebaaaaab is a little hard on tobogganists - all they do is have a little outdoor fun on snowy hills and don't really harm anyone. Certainly toboggans can be expensive and the retailers make a tidy profit, but still.....

I take it you haven't heard the joke, then? The two chaps, one of whom, it is revealed through some dialogue that I can't remember, turns out to be a bit deaf. The other says something like, "I'm a tobogganist", to which person A responds, "Oh - in that case I'll have 20 Bensons and a box of matches". Or something.

Hilarity ensues.

These things are never as good when you have to explain them.

[jimbo]

When it comes to the smoking debate, I hate the following people:

1-3 Half the world
4) Tobogganists, for selling these things to the unsuspecting mugs for a tidy profit.
5 etc - the other half

I think Keeeeeebaaaaab is a little hard on tobogganists - all they do is have a little outdoor fun on snowy hills and don't really harm anyone. Certainly toboggans can be expensive and the retailers make a tidy profit, but still.....

I take it you haven't heard the joke, then? The two chaps, one of whom, it is revealed through some dialogue that I can't remember, turns out to be a bit deaf. The other says something like, "I'm a tobogganist", to which person A responds, "Oh - in that case I'll have 20 Bensons and a box of matches". Or something.

Hilarity ensues.

Is that the same chap who when the doctor asked him about his symptoms he responded with 'Well, there's Homer................'?

These things are never as good when you have to explain them.

[Bruce Rioja]

People that wait for ages in queues of cars on petrol forecourts just so that their car's fuel filling hole is on the side closest to the pumps. Don't get me wrong, these idiots make it all the easier for those of us that are prepared to walk round the backs of our cars and fill up from the other side. But hey, don't give us dirty looks as we're getting back into our cars having filled up and paid up whilst you're still third in line from the pumps.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

Nostalgia.
In particular nostalgia for stuff that wasn't that good first time round- like ABBA

[TANGODANCER]

Nostalgia.
In particular nostalgia for stuff that wasn't that good first time round- like ABBA

Nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia. Nothing wrong with Agnetha either.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Nostalgia.
In particular nostalgia for stuff that wasn't that good first time round- like ABBA

Nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia. Nothing wrong with Agnetha either.

C'mon, Tango - nostalgia is not what it used to be.

[Lord Kangana]

People that wait for ages in queues of cars on petrol forecourts just so that their car's fuel filling hole is on the side closest to the pumps. Don't get me wrong, these idiots make it all the easier for those of us that are prepared to walk round the backs of our cars and fill up from the other side. But hey, don't give us dirty looks as we're getting back into our cars having filled up and paid up whilst you're still third in line from the pumps.

I hope the nozzle doesn't reach and you get comically pulled back to the pump.

[Bruce Rioja]

Nostalgia.
In particular nostalgia for stuff that wasn't that good first time round- like ABBA

So, nostalgia then? Yet more specifically, those certain items thereof that don't quite tally with your own exact approval?

Burn the c*nts!

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

People that wait for ages in queues of cars on petrol forecourts just so that their car's fuel filling hole is on the side closest to the pumps. Don't get me wrong, these idiots make it all the easier for those of us that are prepared to walk round the backs of our cars and fill up from the other side. But hey, don't give us dirty looks as we're getting back into our cars having filled up and paid up whilst you're still third in line from the pumps.

(what no smiley!!!)
Alternatively ,smug shites who fill up their Mondeo/Vectra from the "wrong" side and drive away having saved about 3.5 minutes of their oh so valuable sales rep time.

[Bruce Rioja]

People that wait for ages in queues of cars on petrol forecourts just so that their car's fuel filling hole is on the side closest to the pumps. Don't get me wrong, these idiots make it all the easier for those of us that are prepared to walk round the backs of our cars and fill up from the other side. But hey, don't give us dirty looks as we're getting back into our cars having filled up and paid up whilst you're still third in line from the pumps.

(what no smiley!!!)
Alternatively ,smug shites who fill up their Mondeo/Vectra from the "wrong" side and drive away having saved about 3.5 minutes of their oh so valuable sales rep time.

I tend to find them to be on the other side as well actually. You're clearly one of the embittered, sad-eyed saps though. Why is that? And why so angry? Tut, tut!

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

People that wait for ages in queues of cars on petrol forecourts just so that their car's fuel filling hole is on the side closest to the pumps. Don't get me wrong, these idiots make it all the easier for those of us that are prepared to walk round the backs of our cars and fill up from the other side. But hey, don't give us dirty looks as we're getting back into our cars having filled up and paid up whilst you're still third in line from the pumps.

(what no smiley!!!)
Alternatively ,smug shites who fill up their Mondeo/Vectra from the "wrong" side and drive away having saved about 3.5 minutes of their oh so valuable sales rep time.

I tend to find them to be on the other side as well actually. You're clearly one of the embittered, sad-eyed saps though. Why is that? And why so angry? Tut, tut!

Nice edit. Good comeback and so many questions. Here's one for you; why the urgent need to respond to my postings? Surely you recognise that i'm beyond redemption

[William the White]

People that wait for ages in queues of cars on petrol forecourts just so that their car's fuel filling hole is on the side closest to the pumps. Don't get me wrong, these idiots make it all the easier for those of us that are prepared to walk round the backs of our cars and fill up from the other side. But hey, don't give us dirty looks as we're getting back into our cars having filled up and paid up whilst you're still third in line from the pumps.

I hope the nozzle doesn't reach and you get comically pulled back to the pump.[/quote]

Wasn't there a brill you tube of that? A woman driver? but, hey, maybe Bruce is a woman pissed off with 'dirty looks'?