Editing and Smoking.

[snooper]

If I edit someone else's writing, that is classed as work in the UK, albeit voluntary work.

As of 2nd April, 2007 in Wales, and 1st July, 2007 in England every place of work must be non-smoking, by law.

So if I edit at home, I am working at home, and my home becomes my place of work, and all workplaces have to be festooned with "No Smoking" signs.

A ‘No Smoking’ signs in premises must:
• Be flat and rectangular and at least 160mm by 230mm in size.
• Display the international ‘No Smoking’ symbol in red, at least 85mm
in diameter.
• Contain the following bilingual statement: ‘Mae ysmygu yn y fangre
hon yn erbyn y gyfraith/It is against the law to smoke in these premises.’

Enforcing the new smoke-free law
Authorised officers within each local authority will enforce the new law
across Wales. They will work closely with businesses to build compliance
through advice and support.
...
The intention is that enforcement action will be considered only when
the seriousness of the situation warrants it and that it will be fair,
proportional and consistent. Enforcement inspections will be based on
risk and, where possible, combined with other regulatory inspections to
reduce burdens on businesses.
A compliance line will operate after the new law is introduced. This will
allow the public to report alleged breaches of the smoke-free
legislation.
English: 0845 300 2525 Welsh: 0845 300 2526

What penalties are imposed for those who break the law?
* Individuals may be fined a fixed penalty of £50 for smoking in no-smoking premises. For a summary conviction, the maximum fine will be up to £200.
* The manager or person in control of any no-smoking premises could be fined a fixed penalty of £200 for failing to display warning notices in no-smoking premises. For a summary conviction, the maximum fine will be up to £1,000.
* The manager or person in control of any no-smoking premises could be fined up to £2,500 for allowing others to smoke in no smoking premises.
* The offence of obstruction of an officer authorised by the local authority to enforce the legislation carries a maximum fine of £1,000.

See www.smokingbanwales.co.uk for more details.

So now you know why some editors may give up editing, rather than turn their homes into legally enforced work places.

 

[WhiteWave48]

Play, don't work

*****

 

[OrcishBarbarian]

Sounds like you need the same thing on your side of the big pond that we need here in the U.S.: a ban on socialism.

Under the ban, every meeting-hall for any leglislative or executive office would have to have a sign, no smaller than 50 centimeters tall and a meter and one half wide that reads "I AM NEITHER MY CONSTITUENT'S MOTHER NOR FATHER, NOR NANNY, NOR HEADMASTER, NOR GOVERNESS."

 

[midwestscribe]

George Orwell must be rolling over in his grave.

With the accuracy of a Nostradamus, I predict that by the turn of the next century, a bloke won't be able to beat his meat without the government placing him in irons.

I am soooo sick of politicians butting into our personal lives.

 

[snooper]

... a sign ... that reads "I AM NEITHER MY CONSTITUENT'S MOTHER NOR FATHER, NOR NANNY, NOR HEADMASTER, NOR GOVERNESS."

In the UK you would be liable to prosecution for sexual discrimination if you displayed such a sign. "HEADMASTER" should read "HEADTEACHER" and "GOVERNESS" is totally taboo.

.Sounds like you need the same thing on your side of the big pond that we need here in the U.S.: a ban on socialism.

No we don't. I, too, detest socialism as the first step to totalitarianism, but I will defend your right to be a socialist in a free country. Remember McCarthy almost turned your country into a Fascist state for a while.

 

[snooper]

George Orwell must be rolling over in his grave. ...

Is it not an odd coincidence that Eric Blair (writing as George Orwell) predicted much of what has been imposed by Tony Blair?

We now have CCTV cameras which are monitored and which allow the monitoring official to broadcast admonitions to anyone doing anything of which (s)he disapproves. See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/04/ncctv104.xml for details.

 

[CopyCarver]

. I, too, detest socialism as the first step to totalitarianism, but I will defend your right to be a socialist in a free country. Remember McCarthy almost turned your country into a Fascist state for a while.

Nixon also made one helluva run at fascism under the guise of "law 'n' order" and "anti-Communism," and Dumbya got away with using the Bill of Rights as his own personal toilet paper for six years by chanting "war on terrorism." History clearly demonstrates that totalitarianism in the U.S. is far more likely to come from the right than from the Communists or the Socialists.

 

[midwestscribe]

Nixon also made one helluva run at fascism under the guise of "law 'n' order" and "anti-Communism," and Dumbya got away with using the Bill of Rights as his own personal toilet paper for six years by chanting "war on terrorism." History clearly demonstrates that totalitarianism in the U.S. is far more likely to come from the right than from the Communists or the Socialists.

You've got be to be joking, Carver. Either that, or you've got a rather short memory.

J. Edgar Hoover was appointed by FDR. Hoover's FBI was rather accomplished when it came to "shredding" the Constitution. And, FDR was, in fact a Socialist.

Janet Reno was equally adept at ignoring the Constitution. Under her "leadership" the DEA and ATF grew exponentially. And, while Reno had them scurrying around the countryside looking for White males who believed the Second Amendment applies to all Americans, Al Qaida was very busy establishing their network throughout the land. You might remember Reno was appointed by another Socialist, Bill Clinton.

So, disparage President Bush if you want. But, please be honest when it comes to the dangers of totalitarianism. It's not Republicans who want to eradicated individualism and strip Americans of our liberties. Just look around and you'll see Democrats have led the efforts to ban smoking, outlaw guns, tell us where we can live and the like. Soon they'll try to tell us all what sorts of vehicles we can drive and where we can send our kids to school. Big Brother is alive and well. He's living at DNC headquarters.

 

[CopyCarver]

You've got be to be joking, Carver. Either that, or you've got a rather short memory.

J. Edgar Hoover was appointed by FDR. Hoover's FBI was rather accomplished when it came to "shredding" the Constitution. And, FDR was, in fact a Socialist.

Janet Reno was equally adept at ignoring the Constitution. Under her "leadership" the DEA and ATF grew exponentially. And, while Reno had them scurrying around the countryside looking for White males who believed the Second Amendment applies to all Americans, Al Qaida was very busy establishing their network throughout the land. You might remember Reno was appointed by another Socialist, Bill Clinton.

So, disparage President Bush if you want. But, please be honest when it comes to the dangers of totalitarianism. It's not Republicans who want to eradicated individualism and strip Americans of our liberties. Just look around and you'll see Democrats have led the efforts to ban smoking, outlaw guns, tell us where we can live and the like. Soon they'll try to tell us all what sorts of vehicles we can drive and where we can send our kids to school. Big Brother is alive and well. He's living at DNC headquarters.

Good put-on, but today’s date is April 7. April Fool’s Day is over for this year.

In the remote chance that you’re actually serious about the load of horse shit you’re peddling, or merely hoping that anyone around here is gullible enough to swallow the combination of distortion, generalization, and platitudes you’re spewing, I'll be more than happy to provide you with a lengthy list of RIGHT WING attempts to destroy individual rights, usually under the guise of "anti-communism," "war on terror," "war against drugs," or any other boogeyman that can frighten people into surrendering all traces of individual freedom that don't personally benefit the self-interest of the demagogues.

You may get tired moving your lips while you read any such litany of abuses because, unlike you, I rely on documented facts instead of mindlessly parroting bumper-sticker bullshit.

In point of fact, I couldn’t care less whether someone is Democrat or Republican, I never used either party's name, and I don't regard either as enemies of human rights. YOU are the one who chooses to label Republicans as right-wingers and to call everyone who disagrees with you a socialist (based on no more evidence than your own hot air). I'm tempted to suggest that you offer an apology to the millions of Republicans who are neither fascists nor morons, but I doubt you have that much integrity.

BTW, at the risk of completely blowing your little mind, I smoke three packs of Camels a day, and I own a matched set of Browning Citori skeet guns. Another simple-minded assumption shot to hell?

 

[LadyCibelle]

Good put-on, but today’s date is April 7. April Fool’s Day is over for this year.

In the remote chance that you’re actually serious about the load of horse shit you’re peddling, or merely hoping that anyone around here is gullible enough to swallow the combination of distortion, generalization, and platitudes you’re spewing, I'll be more than happy to provide you with a lengthy list of RIGHT WING attempts to destroy individual rights, usually under the guise of "anti-communism," "war on terror," "war against drugs," or any other boogeyman that can frighten people into surrendering all traces of individual freedom that don't personally benefit the self-interest of the demagogues.

You may get tired moving your lips while you read any such litany of abuses because, unlike you, I rely on documented facts instead of mindlessly parroting bumper-sticker bullshit.

In point of fact, I couldn’t care less whether someone is Democrat or Republican, I never used either party's name, and I don't regard either as enemies of human rights. YOU are the one who chooses to label Republicans as right-wingers and to call everyone who disagrees with you a socialist (based on no more evidence than your own hot air). I'm tempted to suggest that you offer an apology to the millions of Republicans who are neither fascists nor morons, but I doubt you have that much integrity.

BTW, at the risk of completely blowing your little mind, I smoke three packs of Camels a day, and I own a matched set of Browning Citori skeet guns. Another simple-minded assumption shot to hell?

[Threadjack]

Oooh you're so sexy when you get all pissed off, CC.

Keep going you're making me all hot. [/Threadjack]

 

[rgraham666]

You've got be to be joking, Carver. Either that, or you've got a rather short memory.

J. Edgar Hoover was appointed by FDR. Hoover's FBI was rather accomplished when it came to "shredding" the Constitution. And, FDR was, in fact a Socialist.

Janet Reno was equally adept at ignoring the Constitution. Under her "leadership" the DEA and ATF grew exponentially. And, while Reno had them scurrying around the countryside looking for White males who believed the Second Amendment applies to all Americans, Al Qaida was very busy establishing their network throughout the land. You might remember Reno was appointed by another Socialist, Bill Clinton.

So, disparage President Bush if you want. But, please be honest when it comes to the dangers of totalitarianism. It's not Republicans who want to eradicated individualism and strip Americans of our liberties. Just look around and you'll see Democrats have led the efforts to ban smoking, outlaw guns, tell us where we can live and the like. Soon they'll try to tell us all what sorts of vehicles we can drive and where we can send our kids to school. Big Brother is alive and well. He's living at DNC headquarters.

As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating. But completely illogical."

 

[CopyCarver]

[Threadjack]

Oooh you're so sexy when you get all pissed off, CC.

Keep going you're making me all hot. [/Threadjack]

I discovered when I was just a tiny churl that it's better to get pissed off than to be pissed on.

What's really sexy is "elucubration ." Oh, baby, you give great noun.

 

[LadyCibelle]

As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating. But completely illogical."

Any reference to logic and Mr Spock is sure to get me all hot, too.

 

[CopyCarver]

As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating. But completely illogical."

Somehow, I was thinking of Ionescu, but the man with the pointy ears was right on the mark

 

[snooper]

Reading, and believing, all the political stuff posted in the last 24 hours, makes me wonder whether this is the "democracy" that the USA wishes to impose on the rest of the world by force of arms?

When will you learn that democracy can only work if you have two or more political parties who are not inextricably connected to their members by accident of birth.

If I take a random American I cannot tell by his/her place of birth or her/his religion or his/her ethnicity which party she/he will support in the next election. If I take a Northern Irelander I CAN tell you that he/she will support the nationalists if she/he is a Roman Catholic, or comes from a Roman Catholic area, while a Protestant will support the unionists. That is why we cannot have democracy in Northern Ireland because the Protestants have an in-built demographic majority. Instead we have formalised power-sharing with the parties who cannot get themselves elected as a majority of Stormont being allocated a number of government departments to run.

The same applies in Iraq where under free and fair elections, the Shiites will vote for the Shiite parties, the Sunni will vote for the Sunni parties and the Kurds in the north will vote for any party promising Kurdish independence, which are, of course, all organised by Kurds. Thus you have one guaranteed set of politicians in charge, however perfect a democracy with one-citizen-one-vote you set up.

 

[Kev H]

How very "AH" of you guys. Personally, I always like to look at all sides and reinforce my opinion that we're f'ed, any way you slice it. May as well smile while we have the choice.

...I smoke three packs of Camels a day...

Gah! My friend, I hope this was an exaggeration; I'd like you to stick around far longer than those will let you. Of course, I must add--lest I be considered communist/socialist/bad guy--that this habit is perfectly within your individual freedoms.

 

[LadyCibelle]

What's really sexy is "elucubration ." Oh, baby, you give great noun.

Thank you, thank you, kind sir. The 'mutual admiration' society is working overtime these days.