Aardvark

Interesting reading. I thought most of the alternatives to cigarettes sounded kinda goofy. I wouldn't have switched to any of those methods described.

Then again, a product where dried leaves are rolled up in a paper tube, burnt and the customer breaths in the smoke sounds kinda goofy to me too.

But it sure is discouraging seeing the ridiculous resistance being put forth by anti-smoking whine bags.

It makes me wonder about those peoples mindsets. A health campaigner was on the news the other day denouncing a new type of low fat icecream, as 'it might encourage people to think theey can eat all they want and not have a balanced diet'

I think they basically hate to see people have fun and be happy:-(

Its a lose lose for the U.S. then' date=' if the democratically elected government of Iraq decides not to use Iran's help because of the U.S. then it will be obvious who really controls the country, and if they do decide to accept their help then Iran gains more control in the region.[/quote']

 

How is that lose lose? If Iraq refuses because of the USA, in what way does that mean the USA loses anything?

 

It is clear that Iran is not trustworthy in this matter and Iraq, and the USA, will gain by politely thanking Iran for its kind interest but not allowing it to interfere in Iraqs internal affairs.

Re: China, as long as you keep your head down and do not mettle with politics it ain't that bad. Especially if you got a specialist function as a foreigner (e.g. being scientist) you will be granted certain privileges.

A friend of mine is moving to China this month. As a foreign 'expert' he's treated with respect and is privileged. Life is ok there as a foreigner if you are prepared to give up ever expressing any political opinions and have a useful skill to offer.

Personally i don't think i'd want to live there, but as an apolitical foreign 'expert' it would be liveable.

Why must my countrymen make glorious asses of themselves?

If it's any consolation, it's not just your countrymen.(although that might also be a depressing thought:eek: )

This is also one aspect of capitalism I've never liked. The tendency of business to comply rather than spend the money to fight the good fight.

Agreed, businesses so often behave in a totally spineless fashion, simply making a cost benefit analysis and then going with the cheapest option, regardless of any principle, dignity or regard to common sense or even basic morality.

I'm going to have to read about this. I'm guessing the "smokeless" cigarette was part of this initiative. I was about 16 when that was on the market.

Yes, here's a link you might find interesting as a very basic intro http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/cigarette/

Interesting. How safe could cigarettes actually be after getting rid of the carcinogens as much as possible?

Very safe. Products have been mad without any radioactivity or tar or carbon monoxide.

The fact that manufacturers haven't taken any of these steps in their competition with the market place kind of blows a hole in my theory about legalized drugs.

The manufacters have taken those steps. They were bitterly criticised by anti smoking campaigners and forced to withdraw the safer cigarettes from the market.

The fact cigarette manufacturers haven't even tried this is disappointing. I would have thought with all of this negative momentum towards cigarette companies and smoking in general, that someone would have tried to become the "good guy" of the tobacco market.

The cigarette manufacturers were told that making a 'safer' cigarette was wrong and that they must immediately stop or be liable for serious legal action against them.

All kidding and friendly jousting aside' date=' Aardvark, I do appreciate the reply. [/quote']

 

Glad you took it in good heart, i meant it more in terms of elaboration to the theme rather than criticism.

 

Very briefly: sometimes compromises simply can't be worked out, people have such different opinions that there is no common ground. Rather than imposing a false conformity a robust democratic system allows a decision to be made which a group will disagree with but, as they have a stake in the system, are prepared to accept.

 

That is the strength of a functioning democracy, people can openly and bitterly disagree on matters of principle but be prepared to accept decisions that go against them. That aspect of the US constitution is its strength, that someone can bitterly oppose a decision, but accept it as being made by a fair, open and legitimate process.

 

It is a symptom of a totalitarian mind set when 'unity' and consensus come to be seen as good in their own right. The very fact that the US system can contain many people who disagree and will not compromise their ideas and yet still accept decisions they hate as legitimate is an indicator or its strength.

 

Ultimately because the US constitution is seen as legitimate it allows people with opposing views to live together peacefully without compromise. That's the beautiful paradox of democracy, disagreement and instability are what keep it stable.

 

(It's when i hear of 'bipartisan' resolve, and 'cross party' cooperation, that i start to feel the voters being squeezed out, choices being cut off and cosy deals being done, that's when i think people start getting alienated from the democratic process:-( )

 

If i was you i probably wouldn't put any of that in your essay, it'll just confuse things;)

 

By the way, what on earth is 'constitution day'?

It was back in the 80s, and I have no idea if they used lead paint or not.

I think he was making a joke;)

Seriously though, what will NASA use to get into space when the shuttles are decommisioned? I presume the manned space programme isn't being shut down? That would seem a very retrograde step.

From your essay and from my general observations, it appears that Americans put quite a high value on 'Non Partisanship' and finding consensus and have a dislike of confrontational politics.

Would that be a fair observation?

Personally, i think a problem with this cultural attitude is that it tends to impose conformity and stifle dissent, which, ironically, strengths extremism as various strands of opinion are not accomodated in the political settlement. This can lead to disaffection and alienation, whereas a more confrontational approach would allow disperate opinions to be engaged and so make society more rather than less stable.

A desire to impose compromise and moderation could result in greater division and divide. A healthy democracy thrives on disagreement, argument and confrontation. The dynamic instability of politics is what keeps society stable, not imposed, soggy consensus and compromise.

And thinking of compromise. How would you feel about the idea of your 'Founding Fathers' having made a compromise with King George, rather than fanatically standing by their extremist principles as they did?

.

I'd also like to offer up Iceland as a choice.

Interesting choice.

.They get much of their power from clean geothermal energy. They've got hot springs' date=' volcanoes, glaciers, and the midnight sun. And the women are totally hot.[/quote']

 

Perhaps i'll need to rethink. The idea of living on an active volcano in the middle of the ocean on the Arctic circle suddenly seems quite attractive.

 

I wonder how hard Danish is to learn?

Is it this easy to fool the masses in the UK?

He who builds on the people, builds on sand.

. But my question is this, isn't the polar ice caps just a giant block of ice that sits on top of the ocean?

Not quite. There is a giant block of ice floating over the North Pole. However over the South Pole the ice is on land.

So even if it melts its shouldn’t cause the sea level to rise a lot.

Unfortunately not. If the ice melts in the South Polar region then the water will run off the land into the sea so raising sea levels

So am i right???

In the idea that floating ice won't significantly change sea levels if it melts, yes. Unfortunately, most polar ice is not floating on the ocean, it is on land. So rising sea levels are a concern.

I'm curious what is the traditional Labour position on immigration vs the other major parties? In broad strokes?

Broadly speaking, the Labour parties traditional attitude to immigration is that any attempts to restrict it are automatically racist. Anyone with concerns about immigration is therefore racist or 'pandering' to racism.

Just for the sake of clarification, do I understand correctly that there's no term limit on a PM's time in office? And, am I correct in believing that his term is based on (a) his party's majority hold on government, and (b) his party's desire to see him run things?

Quite correct. As long as the PM maintains a majority in the House of Commons then he remains. The moment he loses that then he is gone. That day.

Regarding the Blair Prime Ministry (is that the correct term?) in general, *setting aside the issue of Iraq*, do you all generally feel that it has been a success or a failure?

Personally, i consider the last 9 years to have consisted of a slow chipping away of the achievements put in place by Margaret Thatcher (a wildly unfashionable point of view).

As for achievements, dramatically increasing government spending and achieving some, limited improvements in government services. A general increase in regulations, i feel safer and better cared for everyday:rolleyes: . Some major constitutional reforms forced through in a hurried fashion, still to early to say how they will pan out, except that they have brought about lots and lots of new politicians and bureaucrats.

Other than that, not sure.

Can I ask what's so great about New Zealand?

It's about the size of Britain but contains climatic zones stretching from glaciers to rainforest. The most venous creature is the wasp. The beaches, mountains, forests and rolling countryside are beautiful. There are natural hot springs on some beaches so you can dig your own hot pool in the sand.

The cost of living is about as low as possible for it to be in a first world country. Most of the electricity comes from geothermal and hydro.

You can walk around the back streets and along the docks in Auckland at 2AM and feel perfectly safe. If you look puzzled or lost random strangers will come up to you and offer you directions.

All land claims and disputes between the Maori and the European settlers have been settled.

Everyone there loves rugby and the fishing is absolutely great.

It's probably about as far away from the Middle East as you can get.

Other than that, not much.

What's the space shuttle being replaced with?

Haha, are there really debates about fox hunting? You crazy limies...

People get in a great fuss about it, whilst happily eating their burgers.

Apparently cruelty to animals is only wrong if you wear a red coat and shout 'Tally Ho'. Otherwise keep right on with the factory farmed animals, after all, perception is reality, right?

I'm very happy without a psuedo-penis thank you very much.

That would be the ultimate case of penis envy:eek: Freud would love it!

See? Ardy gets me.

Sometimes it just all makes sense:-)

Aren't you going to give him any sort of warnings?

 

That kind of advice gets people blinded

I think that might be the idea;)

The ultimate example is the hyena.

Is that a hint of admiration for the Hyena i sense there?

Suddenly it all makes sense:-p

How DARE you Sir.

 

I' date=' er, read it in a magazine.[/quote']

 

Please excuse my quite unaccoutable lapse, naturally the idea that you could behave as a cad is quite unthinkable, i know the, er, magazine well...

 

Wait until you are over there, then you can blame it on the seventeen caipirinahs you had when you landed, and the bewildering and massively unfair level of shaggableness among the Brazilians.

 

Mixture of trepidation and tremendous excitment. excuse me while i, ahem, adjust my trousers.

 

That is the paradox of Brazil. I am missing it, but life is less bleak because I know it is there. One day I shall return. Soon I hope!

 

I know, sometimes, sitting here i think of the outback sunsets or the blissful calm the New Zealand forests. I'm desperately sad not to be there, but happy that i have been and plan one day to return.

 

Such sweet sadness:-)

Yes they are lovely,

Hurrah!

even the ones who aren't really ladies.

My word, and how would you know such a salacious thing? You haven't been, dare i say it?, a cad, have you?

Strangely though they don't seem to go in for waitressing' date=' and most staff in the eateries are male.

 

Go figure. Or go gay. Either will do.[/quote']

 

Considering options carefully. Hummm.......

 

 

That's the best bit. British Citizens are exempt[/b'] from standard visit visas.

 

Suddenly life looks a little less bleak.

It seems like smug disdain rather than good old-fashioned dislike.

Perhaps, but a lot of the enthusiasium for such things as utterly half baked constitutional 'reform', an apparently blind desire to hand over all self governing powers to Brussels and even the peculiar fixation on fox hunting (whilst ignoring any other, more serious animal welfare concerns) seem to originate from a general feeling that anything British or English that is older than 5 years is somehow 'bad' and must be smashed.

I definitely get the impression that there is a lot of self hatred for there own country amongst our beloved political masters.

Best. Restaurants. EVER.

Does that judgement include the waitresses? I have heard rumours about the lovely Brazilian ladies...........

No, they are allowed guns on the understanding that they live in the favellas and only shoot each other.

Aah, splendid, an excellent gentlemans agreement. Truly Brazil must be a civilised place for such a happy understanding to be reached.

Tell me, how does one go about getting a visa?

I'm an extremely patriotic person' date=' which is why I get so worked up about UK politics. But I'm patriotic towards what I like to call the 'old' England - without the politically correct rubbish, and when people actually behaved in a civilized fashion. [/quote']

 

Absolutely. Which is why i love New Zealand. It has kept the feeling of the best bits of 'old' England much better than England has itself.

 

This country is going down the tube extremely quickly, and I'm fairly certain Labour are at least partially responsible for this.

 

Am i alone in sometimes thinking that Labour actively dislike their own country? Some of their rhetoric and actions seem to be only explicable from a standpoint of wanting to vandalise the countries culture and identity. It almost feels like England is dying.

I don't know where to begin.

With Madness?

It's... just... completely upside-down. The madness. The MADNESS!

Ah yes, excellent.

Winter gets as chillingly cold as the height of July in England. The moon is at 90 degrees.

Drat, there go my plans for setting up an insulation and double glazing company. Ah well, theres always room for another ice cream shop, i'm sure.

All-you-can-eat restaurants charge about £8 a head.

Egads! But i bet it tastes awful.

Pizza comes without the tomato layer (much nicer)

Blast, proved wrong.

and may involve smarties or strawberries.

Aaaaaaaaah, he rubs it in. Alright, alright, i was wrong, i accept it.

The beach has its own laws.

The law of the beach? That certainly sounds a lot nicer than the law of the jungle. (or European Union diktats for that matter..........)

Poor people are better armed than the police.

Eeep. I take it that poor people form quite an effective lobby, get peoples attention and all that? Empowered you might say?