jayseven

in 30 years the number of smokers has effectively halved (and the amount of hatred towards smokers has increased tenfold), so it's believable. But on a personal level, people don't have to be so darn mean to me about it. *points to car fumes for a bit*

To the only person probably more emo than me on the forums! *raises glass* *breaks it on floor and cuts self with it* I WANT MY THRONE BACK

You're right with the inch/mile philosophy, which is why I think generally nowadays people will turn a blind eye to a smoker at the end of a platform, miles away from anyone else. When teh ban came into place the staff were ridiculous about it, hiking up the platform to cough in my face, tell me that if I want to kill them I'll have to pay £50 to try. I don't really see how mixes like sheffield make a difference. Essentially, you should be allowed to smoke in a workplace if you are outdoors and away from the Nonnies. Then report them!!!!!1212!£qr As wes points out, I guess most people ignore that aspect of the ban now! Yeah walking through the clouds to get in/out of some pubs and clubs isn't ideal, and many places with bouncers ask you to walk along the road a bit. It's a shame, but truly a minor annoyance compared to before (and in my experience rarely as bad as you make out). We will eventually be herded into public smoking areas, or assigned buildings where we're allowed to go in and smoke (like the old smoking areas at airports - possibly the scummiest, most depressing rooms in existence), but for now we smokers merely ask to be treated with a little reality - our smoke vs cars, etc. I think you'll find smokers have done it outdoors :P It's been a couple of years now since the ban, which means I've bared these 'harsh conditions' and... well it's not been that bad :P It's nice to take five minutes from the hustle, and get some quiet time and - seriously - a few drags on the fresh air around does wonders. Yes, it's balanced with grey cancer smoke, but still. True. If someone wasn't happy with my smoking, especially a friend, I'd want them to say something to me. I'm sure none of my friends remember when I ask them "is it alright if I smoke?" On the fliiipsiiiide- When I'm sitting outside my own house, or in the middle of a park reading a book, I don't deserve to have passers by berating me for being a murderous wretch. I'm forced away from the indoors and I don't get much in the way of thanks for it :P (tl;dr - smoking ban is a great idea, but we need more common sense and communication!)

"On 19 January 2010, Cadbury finally approved a revised offer from Kraft, valuing the confectionery business at £11.5 billion ($17.9 billion)." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8467007.stm Kraft borrowed something like £7b to fund the deal, so job cuts are likely! Well I'm doing my bit for the americans and am going to Cadbury's World in feb, dressed as an Umpa Lumpa. Not kidding.

Nope, 19 5 is what he is. Goal instincts, quicker than most... and moody It was the only 19 5 to come up on my deadline search, and I put in 3m as my top bid not thinking it'd get as high as it did! Not going to be a good season, this... I never have any luck buying or selling players. Eddage got a similarly rated player for a quarter of the price so I just suck at the transfer market! In my xpert team I have 10m to play with, which is a bit nicer. Got some great youth with good skill that I'll build up and sell in a few years, but may invest in a 24 9 player for around 6m...

DAMN STRAIGHT. Being a veteran at GH shouldn't mean "yeah I got used to the shitly designed controllers and learned to use my pecs while I strummed in order to keep the pieces of plastic closer together..." The equipment shouldn't be an issue. *gangs up*

R_A do you shifties want a clean start with this, or a simple merge/rename? I suppose a clean start gives people new boundaries to compare themselves with, or something. I'm happy with getting fatter as I get older, so I suppose I'll pissoffnow.

Actually arab, there are a lot more things that are more disgusting, like your grandmother attempting to fellate a donkey whilst massaging feces and puke into a baby's eyeballs. I'm a fan of E-Prime. ANYWAYONTOPIC! I am a smoker, but also a fan of the smoking ban -- to some extent. There are many positives to the ban; not smelling of the stuff -- even as a smoker, there's a noticable difference between smelling of my own tobacco and smelling of 150 people's smoke. I smoke less now that I have to forcibly get up and leave the room. When I do go to the smoking area there are people there that I immediately have something in common with, that I can have a conversation with -- the social aspect of smoking prevails. I don't get burnt by wailing cigarettes during gigs. But there are negative aspects to the ban! *dun dun dunnn* Some ridiculous places where there isn't really a reason to not smoke - train stations and bus stops. While it it a common sense or courtesy call to not blow smoke in the faces of nearby people, that an open-air train station doesn't cater at all for smokers is backwards. Many other countries do -- even if it's not a paper-based law, let the smokers go to the ends of the platform and smoke! I've had a couple of instances around the time the ban came into place where I had a conductor/train station employee traipse all the way up teh platform to see me at the VERY END of the station smoking to tell me to put it out because I am harming others, when I am so very clearly not. Work vans, where it is illegal to smoke in a work vehicle with another employee in there, even if they are smokers, is ridiculous. You aren't allowed to have 'smokers only' pubs/clubs. If a pub has a separate room (ventilationseparatetoo), then why aren't they allowed to instigate smoker's policies? The thing about 'laws' is that they never regress, only plod on. Situations for smokers are only going to get worse rather than fairer. People assume that smoking is worse than car pollution, which is silly. Since the smoking ban I've had more instances of members of the public accusing me of giving them cancer - either while i walk down the street, while I stand against a wall or -- what's worst! -- when sitting on a park bench miles away from them, where they walk all the way up to me ONLY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE CANCER I HAVE APPARANTLY GIVEN THEM FOR WALKING UP TO ME... But, after all this, I have to say if you wanted to make a thread/smoking thread you could've at least waited for something decent to arise in the news, as this is old news with nothing additional to any of the previous threads we've had. I'm just drunk.

It's a retro thing. You'll grow to love it.

No, me having posts repeating themselves. I've been considerably dumber recently.

Moogle; that's been happening a lot recently. I really have no idea why.

20 max, but if you dip to 18 (I think!) you can't sack any more people. *cue a correction reply*

I just find it utterly mental that so many americans seem to think it's evil. I dread to think how they even view our little ol' NHS, or even if they give a crap about how similar healthplans have worked around the world. "Grab a Mop" - isn't that what Obama said?

I've been playing to my own acceptable standards for a few years now, villan. I have no desire to become obsessive/pro :P

Why not just make a Glee thread? There's clearly enough interest!

I did one ripping on Brave New world (rather than the 1984 boot-stamping above) but it's not funny. "Community, Identity, Stability. For the Good of Society" ... was mine.

That kitten looks like it's had too much medical attention. I mean drugs. Anyway! Work was work. Forgot my shoes, wore trainers, nobody gave a crap. Workmate lent me a tenner so BOOOZE tonight! That's it.

Always had a problem w/ guitar hero guitars. On my current one the blue/orange will only work if you squeeze the neck of the guitar into to body (if that makes sense). The tild is really undersensitive with the Rockband guitar, but similarly sometimes it'll go off as soon as I have enough starpower/beatlemania/whatever because of the angle I'm holding it. The whole tilt idea is stupid anyway. I always ALWAYS lose my note streak when I try to activate it. A nicely placed thumb-button or something would be nice.

^ I think I glimpsed a bit of that and just thought "Oh, it's Two Pints, but with kids in". So obviously following the same pattern. Big Love s04e01 Almost an OTT use of a dead body, forgot how much I hate nikki (but think this season will see her playing the "why won't anyone trust me anymore, I'm innocent I swear!" returning-to-good role), and how hot margerie is. MMMmmmmmargerie! And the daughter who's dating the dude from Breaking Bad. Don't really have any observations of the actual plot. Will watch the 2nd episode tonight.

Ok, I'm officially Not Going To Do Well next season. I am going to fully focus on my youth, essentially 'start again'. Got an 18 4 from youth which I'm happy enough with. He's tough and has an unpronouncable first name!

EEVILMURRAY: you forget how to use google/the internet, or something?

I've opted for Fallout 3 so I've yet to even really know what AITD plays like... Had a save file for my level 7 nutterevilbitch, Katrina (waves of mutilation/hurricane of violence references). I've seen that there are 'easy' ways to get all the karma achievements by abusing the save system. Currently I'm happy to get this bitch up to level 20 while re-playing the game, as I've forgotten most of it. Really I'm aiming to get the speech challenge sorted - got 10 complete, need 40 more! also started to use the melee weapons more... and my god it's awesome! Knifing someone's face off, or using the powerfist to see their mind explode... and saving ammo! Genuis.

Nah, I'm just poking my stick at the bear. You are my anti!

Time for a classic. What's black, white and red all over?