From Jeremy Clarkson:
…
I was watching Forever Young on BBC iplayer, which was about how many Sixties’ bands and artists were still going strong, and staging comeback tours, even though a lot of them are now aged over 70, when it occurred to me that the simple explanation might be that the period around the 1960s was the very last time that any good music ever got made, and there won’t be any new music at all in the smoke-free, alcohol-free, music-free, vegan, killjoy future. People will carry on secretly listening to ever-more-lo-fi reproductions of the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac, or at least those which the music police will have not yet confiscated and destroyed as ‘unhealthy anti-state influences’. What’s left of the music will become like a bit like the Dead Sea Scrolls, with precious new bits of broken vinyl or CDs occasionally emerging from archaeological digs to reveal fragments from hitherto unknown artists like Martha and the Vandellas, Perry Como, and Spinal Tap. It will become increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic original music and subsequent inferior forgeries, and it will be the subject of considerable controversy. The canonical list of authentic artists will eventually include the Beatles, Bjorn Again, and Johnny Music, but rigorously exclude Freddie and the Dreamers, the Kinks, and Kate Bush. The last extant example of any 1960s music still in existence – a vinyl 45 of Jim Reeves’ Distant Drums – will be lost in a Djibouti museum fire in 2377.
…
And trending on Pointman, ‘It’s probably not a good idea to invest your hard-earned pennies in any company with “solar” in its name.’
The business case for the whole industry was supported by numerous studies by scientists, academia, so-called industry experts and advocates of renewable energy, all of whom said it was the clean and profitable future of energy production. Obviously, all those studies were seriously wrong and ended up costing governments billions. Has anyone got back to these “experts” and asked why the studies and their financial models were all so bad? Given how shoddy their expert advice has proven to be, is anyone asking for the money back, which we paid for this supposed expertise? In the light of how bad expert advice in this area has been, is anyone reviewing advice for similar green sectors, such as wind power? Anyone? Anywhere?
Never in the history of the world, has such an amount of money been wasted, without any trace of financial oversight or accountability. Not only has the money been squandered, but at a time of high unemployment, the fashionable rush to create illusory green jobs, has actually destroyed jobs in the real economy. A study in Spain concluded that for every green job created by their massive renewables investment, the real economy lost 2.2 real jobs and only one in ten of those green jobs created, will be permanent. The much touted transfer of jobs from the real economy to the green economy simply never occurred either. Similar studies in Britain, Canada and Scotland have come back with equally appalling numbers. Spain was one of the early ones to dive head first into the green clean energy dream and now has an unemployment rate of 21%.
Is anyone reviewing advice on Public Health, such as by Tobacco Control? Anyone? Anywhere?
Frank Davis 
That’s called in racketeering RICO LAW CIRCLES AS PROTECTION MONEY
The 70s 80s and 90s have all seen their fair share of very good music, and even the 00s have some gems, its the music “industry” that has changed and become a corporate sterile, totally commercially orientated business, so that people that don’t look real hard, or have much interest in real music, only hear the commercialised crap. These people are the ones that think the soul destroying reality TV shows, are where the next big thing in music comes from.
You have to go a considerable distance away from the commercial crap to find the good stuff.
I also think we need to stop polluting our planet, this is nothing to do with global warming or climate change, its solely to do with not shitting in your own nest, and not giving up precious resources, finite resources, so that some obscenely rich bastards can get richer.
I was always taught to be thrifty, and not waste what I have, and to spend whatever I had wisely, but this is not what is happening to our global resources, what is happening is like throwing a big party on the credit card, destroying your home for a night of fun, and then wondering why you’ve become homeless.
Its so politicised now that it is impossible to have a rational conversation about pollution without be tarred as either a raving greenie, or some sort of communist.
I’m just glad I wont be around to see what’s left when the party’s over.
Yes, I too was going to defend some 70s-80s music. But what they really have to fear is the return of cool jazz. Impossible to listen to Billie holiday or Carmen McRae or even Mel Torme and Jackie and Roy without wanting to light up. Jazz could do for smoking what Mad Men did.
Oh yeah, some sultry Sarah Vaughn or Julie London. Or my favourite Aussie Jazz muso, Vince Jones, who has a voice like puppies ears :)
Its so politicised now that it is impossible to have a rational conversation about pollution without be tarred as either a raving greenie, or some sort of communist.
Jude you can blame that on leftist political agenda led nut cases who INVENTED whatever they needed. then in 2009 the emails were released blowing the lid off it.
Its the same sham with tobacco control claiming small unmeasurable amounts of a chemical will kill you…………
Eventually sanity returns and once that’s here and people use FACTS PROVABLE FACTS instead accepting BS as so called proof we can all have a real conversation without being labelled whatever. Point is it must be reigned in and junk science tossed out and real end point proof made the debate. Theories without anyway to prove them but then sold as proof positive is all BS.
How did they get BS junk science made law……………roflmao
precautionary principle invented at the same time thetobacco control movement took off.
The precautionary principle itself is a catch 22 argument. It entails giving no proof the same standing as actually having positive proof. In essence it makes a negative a positive which we all know you can never prove a negative. By using this principle we might as well all just kill ourselves as chance living with possible threats that might harm us. Its actually created to let the nazis claim whatever they want and get away with it! Its use must be destroyed as its led to total destruction of the scientific process trying to create proof where none exists to begin with,hense the mountain of evidence we hear the nazis preach all over the place without actually being held to any proof at all!
The principle itself cannot stand, it means an end to all we hold dear TRUTH.
Without truth we have no meaning,we have no future,we have no life,no culture. We have only created hazzards that never existed,a culture defeated by fanaticism and led by radical nut cases passing laws based upon NOTHING! It gives basis to outlawing anything based upon nothing,it lowers the standard of proof in court to that of hearsay evidence to now convict!
How did it happen,quite simply ENVIROMENTALISM!
Precaution as Customary Law
The question whether the precautionary principle is a principle of customary international
law has received a great deal of attention, particularly since the principle’s inclusion
in the Rio Declaration.
http://www.ejil.org/
pdfs/17/2/82.pdf
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
http://www.unep.org/
Documents.Multilingu
al/Default.asp?docum
entid=78&articleid=1
163
Having met at Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992,
Yes indeed the precautionary principle is an intregal part of GLOBAL GOVERNANCE and well taking over the world!
Frank Utopian societies never exist they are dreamworlds with no reality involved.
LETTERS: Our readers discuss secondhand smoke, gun rights and Supreme Court jollies
Melodramatic?
In Jack Crane’s recent letter “Smoking Gun,” he states: “I defy anyone to find a post-mortem report that shows death has occurred due to inhaling secondhand smoke.” I suggest that he look up secondhand smoke on the American Cancer Society’s website. In addition to statistics showing that secondhand smoke does indeed cause deaths, it states that the smoke from the lighted end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar has a higher concentration of cancer-causing agents than the smoke exhaled by the smoker. In addition, there is detailed information regarding the effect of smoking and secondhand smoke on the unborn child and young children.
As to post-mortem reports, I don’t know that anyone has ever reported that a death was because of any exposure to smoke. I’m pretty sure it would state death from lung cancer, emphysema, COPD or one of the many other cancers related to smoking. Also, I fail to understand why a non-smoker’s desire to avoid the odor and negative effects of smoke should be considered “melodramatic.”
Alice Svoboda, Woodway
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-our-readers-discuss-secondhand-smoke-gun-rights-and-supreme/article_a20cae1f-5c05-54a4-b97d-46f3c45c35b0.html
HAS COMMENTS TO
Have at it in the comments. So far only Iro and I are on record and it seems to post instantly
I woulda walt but facebook banned my commenting widget ability……….
But I did send a nice letter to the editor doubt it gets printed but oh well
Rolling Stones rocker Keith Richards kicks off his day by smoking a joint
Daily Mail
And while Keith Richards leads a far quieter existence these days, the 71-year-old guitarist says he is still partial to beginning his day by smoking a …
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3175516/Rolling-Stones-rocker-Keith-Richards-kicks-day-smoking-joint.html
Rose
I just went back and read yesterday’s comment thread with all your prison stories. Is there no way you can get those stories to the editors or the individual reporters who report Arnott’s rot? It wouldn’t be a standard letter to the editor, too lomg, too much, but they ought to at least be confronted with the solid counter evidence.
Following your suggestion and knowing nothing about newspaper editors, I have severely edited it and sent it to Simon Clark .
Meanwhile, here’s another one I’d forgotten about entirely, but fortunately, my computer hadn’t.
Tasmania
Violent reaction feared at Tasmania’s Risdon Prison over new smoking ban
25 Jan 2015
“Fears have been raised that inmates at Hobart’s Risdon Prison will react violently when a smoking ban comes into force later this week.
The Tasmanian Government is banning smoking to improve the health of inmates and prison guards, but former correctional officer Tony Burley said there was some nervousness surrounding the introduction of the new rules on Friday.
“Some officers are concerned that the prison will erupt,” he said.
Attacks on prison guards in Queensland doubled in the months after a smoking ban was introduced in the state last year.”
http: //www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-26/violent-reaction-feared-as-smoking-banned-in-tasmanian-prisons/6046046
Risdon prisoners mixing nicotine patches with tea leaves to beat smoking ban, former inmate says
15 Apr 2015
“A former inmate at Risdon Prison has revealed prisoners are smoking nicotine patches mixed with tea leaves, as a substitute to cigarettes.
Risdon Prison became smoke-free at the end of January, to improve the health of inmates and prison guards.
But former inmate Chris Burrell said the ban was far from effective, and prisoners were going to great lengths to smoke any substance they could get their hands on.
“I was boiling up nicotine patches and mixing them with tea leaves and smoking those,” he said.
“We put them in the microwave for like 30 seconds so the nicotine comes out of the patches, and then we have our tea leaves, like four or five tea bags … and squeeze all the tea out, wait until that dries, and put the two together.”
The prison is funding the nicotine replacement program in an effort to assist inmates to quit.”
Prison guard claims microwaves have blown up
“With matches and lighters now contraband at Risdon Prison Mr Burrell, said inmates were also using microwaves to make a spark.
“”We just get those little complimentary hotel jams, we have those in there as part of our rations, so we just peel the back one of those and get the little bit of foil and fold it half,” he said.
They then wrap it in toilet paper to make a wick, and turn on the oven.
A prison guard who did not want to be identified claimed medium security had been through about 20 microwaves since January.
Mr Burrell said it was a fair estimation.
“Yeah a few of them have given way, due to over-usage.”
Authorities claim prison cigarette ban working
“The Tasmanian Prison Service said a level of non-compliance with the smoke-free prison policy was expected, but the vast majority of prisoners had taken advantage of the supports available to them and had adjusted well.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-15/prison-inmates-mix-nicotine-patches-tea-leaves-beat-smoking-ban/6395130
Today
Prison boss’s explanation of violence after Risdon smoking ban called into question by official records
“An explanation for an episode of violent destruction following a smoking ban at Risdon Prison given by the prison’s director has been called into question by documents obtained under right to information.
The violence in two medium-security units involved attempts to incite other prisoners, threats towards prison staff and destruction that led to 16 beds being out of action for three weeks.
Tasmania’s prison boss, Brian Edwards, gave a rare media briefing after the episode to say explicitly it had nothing to do with the smoking ban.
“Our intelligence clearly shows this was not connected to anyway to smoking cessation but did involve a connection with illicit drugs and the current difficulties we face with various factions,” he said in April.
But documents obtained under right to information raise serious doubts about that claim.
In a briefing note, Chief Superintendant Jo Maxfield linked the smoking ban directly to the violence, saying there had been heightened tensions in the Derwent units after cigarettes were withdrawn.”
“Prison boss ‘needs to come clean’: Union
Former Risdon guard Tony Burley said staff still working at the facility told him the smoking ban was to blame for the violence.
“Prisoners got wind of similar action in Queensland, mistakenly believing that that action was the way to go to have the smoking bans overturned and they tried the same here in Tasmania,” he said.
He said he believed Mr Edwards should provide the public with another explanation.
“He needs to come clean, yes, about what’s actually been happening inside Tasmanian prisons in relation to the smoking ban,” he said.”
“Mr Edwards was unavailable for interview but released a brief statement in response.
“The implementation of the smoking ban was always going to be challenging but overall it has been well accepted and has not caused any major incidents outside of attempts by some inmates to circumvent the ban,” he said.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-27/explanation-for-risdon-prison-violence-called-into-question/6651672?section=tas
So Deborah Arnott in her recent statements appears to be following the official line and developing selective amnesia.
Interesting timing of these stories. Coincidence?
Hillary Clinton Pledges to Install 500 Million Solar Panels if Voted President
Problem there is obamas ten 11 billion dollar solar panel factory shut down before it was even built and all those already hired were fired that was 3 years ago…………
TEN= TENNESSEE
Off topic but now they,re talking about smoking bans outside pubs in Brighton. Consultation available.
Interesting. Seems they’ve outed a troll on their comments. “Georgina” – who posted at 3.20 and 3.24 doesn’t even live in Brighton.
Seems the pratt lives in Seaford.
And there’s the Labour Party whingeing about their leadership election being “infiltrated”.
https://www.politicshome.com/party-politics/articles/story/labour-concern-over-infiltration-leadership-contest
Now if they want to know what it’s like to be blitzed, just upset one. Just one. Of this lot.
http://www.itcproject.org/
It’s not that no good ‘pop’ music has been made in the last 40 years, it’s that the definitive sounds had been virtually been covered by the mid 70s.
Bit like classical music, which in the 20th century never really matched the early stuff. I never fails to amaze me how the greatest, most beautiful and complex music in history was achieved with so many constraints. For example, multi instrument compositions created by one person who largely relied only on musical knowledge and (typically) a keyboard. After all, the great composers were hardly able to listen to their favourite composers other than by live concerts (or by reproducing music in their minds by reading sheet music).
Think Beethoven, who was stone deaf for most of his composing career.
I am awe-struck by the sheer overpowering genius of such people.
Prog and GaryK30 – you’ve been an inspiration. Many thanks, guys <3
:)
Just on another aspect of the smoking debate.i was in court last week for non payment of a parking fine.it had built up to £270.as i wanted to pay over a period.i then had to fill in a form.requesting income and expenditure.lo and behold tenth down the list was how much do you then spend on smoking.i conservatively stated £25.once I got into court the clerk of the court with hair down to his shoulders said to me the court feels that smoking is a luxury and I should give up.i responded by saying that apart from a roof over my head and food everything should be regarded as a luxury.i then went on to say that he should get out into the real world and see how stressed people are.smoking I stated destresses people.the funny thing is he never responded to me.
A luxury eh? I must remember that…
86% of total price, but over 600 % of tax-free price (as pointed out by Tony in comments on an earlier article) . Even more in some countries .
Cheers!
http://s44.photobucket.com/user/Roobeedoo2/media/Sterling%20600%20percent%20tax%20warning_zps0kf1b2vr.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
Love the photo!
86% additional tax paid over 40 years by smokers = first class treatment for e.g. sports/work injuries for smokers?
Perhaps I need to raise the issue….. My knee still is swollen….
Good news
Farmer will not be fined for smoking in tractor
27 July 2015
“A local farmer who was facing a possible fine of up to £1,000 for smoking in his tractor will not face prosecution, Antrim and Newtownabbey Council has confirmed.”
“Today the council confirmed that following further investigations, the farmer will not be fined for his actions.
“Under The Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, it is against the law to smoke in work vehicles used by more than one person, even if those persons use the vehicle at different times, or only work intermittently. A tractor may be classed as such a vehicle.
“Regarding the case in question the completed Article 12 notice has been returned by the registered owner, and as the vehicle is only used by one person the smoking legislation does not apply. Therefore no fixed penalty will be issued,” a council spokesperson said.”
http://www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk/news/local-news/farmer-will-not-be-fined-for-smoking-in-tractor-1-6871498
The anti-smoking hearts bleed…. :)
Head and neck cancers linked to oral sex on rise in men | Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner
Head and neck cancers linked to oral sex are on the rise, primarily among men, mostly in their 30s, while those linked to smoking and drinking have …
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/head-and-neck-cancers-linked-to-oral-sex-on-rise-in-men-344711.html
Don’t laugh to hard COPD an smoking lol
Due to the fact that cigarette smoking is the main risk factor for COPD, the best method for preventing this disease is to never smoke or to quit smoking now. However, researchers continue to investigate why only about 20 percent of smokers end up developing COPD.
“Although smoking causes 90 percent of cases of COPD, it’s true that only approximately 20 percent of smokers develop COPD,” Szot said. “The thought is that there are both genetic and environmental factors that influence the risk of developing COPD. These factors are being researched; however, at this time, they are unknown, with the exception of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a known genetic disorder that causes COPD.”
http://www.rgj.com/story/life/wellness/2015/07/27/smokers-at-risk-for-copd/30690829/
Adenoviruses Cause COPD
Meanwhile, the central investigator in many studies of adenoviruses and COPD, James C. Hogg, MD, of St. Paul’s Hospital and professor of pathology at the …
http://www.smokershistory.com/adencopd.htm – Cached – SimilarAcute and latent adenovirus in COPD – Elsevierby TE McManus – 2007 – Cited by 2 – Related articles
Nucleic acid extraction was performed on sputum specimens from patients with COPD. Copy numbers for GAPDH, and adenovirus 5 E1A DNA and mRNA were determined …
linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0954611107002272* Latent Adenovirus Infection in COPDby S Hayashi – 2002 – Cited by 24 – Related articles
Key words: adenovirus; COPD; latent infection; viral DNA. Abbreviations: …. from patients with COPD carries more group C adenoviral …
chestjournal.chestpubs.org/content/121/5_suppl/183S.full.pdf
…
researchers continue to investigate why only about 20 percent of smokers end up developing COPD.
Indeed! And how many of these smokers are alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient?
Adenoviruses Cause COPD
Indeed! So we have instantly 2 (+?) causes for the same illness. Which does happen all the time.
This does remind me: According to the BBC a Manchester hospital closed it’s A&E department today after two patients walked in with suspected MERS. (Of the 4 people who contracted this corona virus in the last ?2 years 3 died)
That does remind me of something else: Ebola death toll = >11 000. Perhaps we all should donate some Crimea champagne and red caviar to the WHO?
China Has Biggest One-Day Stock Crash Since 2007
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-27/chinese-stock-index-futures-drop-before-industrial-profits
Greece rocked by reports of secret plan to raid banks for drachma return
Opposition demands answers after covert proposals attributed to Yanis Varoufakis and fellow ex-minister highlight deep split in Syriza party
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/26/greece-yanis-varoufakis-secret-plan-raid-banks-drachma-return
Jeff Beck recently turned 71 and doesn’t look a day over 40. Like Ronald Reagan before him, only his hairdresser knows for sure.
For short time in 1966 the Yardbirds featured Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page at the same time. This incredibly out-of-the-box tune was one of the few recordings of this dynamic duo.
Jimi Hendrix was intrigued by the weird chordage of the song. So much so that he used a variation of it in at least a dozen of his compositions.
At the time I was the lead guitarist of a Yardbirds/Stones garage cover band and the incredible solo to this song (and everything else they did) twisted my taut teenage fingers (and mind) in knots.
David Atherton
If you are at a loose end I was on BBC Ulster’s Talkback for 60 minutes talking about the impending smoking ban on Brighton Beach. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b062mkny#play
The Brighton ban likely to go beyond beaches…
Brighton considers banning smoking outside restaurants and pubs
By Sophie Witts, 27-Jul-2015
Smoking outside restaurants, cafes and pubs in Brighton and Hove could be banned under plans being considered by the council.
http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Brighton-considers-banning-smoking-outside-restaurants-and-pubs
Ghost Town
Brighton Clean Air Quality Law.
It is hereby ordered that all things that generate chemical releases simular in nature to tobacco smoke are hereby OUTLAWED.
1. Automobiles and gas or diesel engines or any other contivance that emits chemcial releases. This savings equals to the public not being forced to inhale 100s of billions of cigarettes each day.
2. All plants are outlawed as they releases tons daily of the Carcinogen ISOPRENE. Equal in volumes of Millions of cigarettes each day.
3. Restaraunts will be outlawed from preparing any cooked foods as these release 100s of millions of equal cigarettes each day.
4. In home cooking is also outlawed as it produces upwards of 10s of thousands of equal cigarettes inside and outside the home.
5. Outdoor cookouts and fireworks are outlawed as they releases 100s of millions of equivalent cigarettes a day or on weekends in the yards and parks of our city.
6. Humans are hereby outlawed from existence insode the city limits as their own human breath contains hundreds of the same chemicals as found in tobacco smoke!
7. Nature itself is outlawed as it generates Billions of chemcial releases naturally into the atmosphere a day hense posing a threat to human life.
8. This Clean air law becomes effective Immediately.
9. Your preference of suicide is a personal choise,Police will write tickets and lock up any survivors after this law becomes effective. A grace period of 30 days will be in place to educate the public on its existence.
Signed into law by the GHOSTOWN ADMINISTRATION
The Ghost Town Administration has just learned that all these chemicals found in tobacco smoke are natural to the earth and that mankind also evolved within this filth ridden air!
Therefore all Tobacco Control Measures are here by OUTLAWED as for being contrived JUNK SCIENCE!
Britain’s tourist beach – smokers no longer welcome.
Fine by me. For now I spend my holidays in Austria. I find myself welcome virtually everywhere with an ashtray on the table.
Unfortunately this is set to change in 2018. I only encountered ONE anti-smoker-friendly place last year there – and I discouraged everyone from ordering a meal there: ‘Let’s wait until we are in the valley again and let’s go to the nice Greek place’ – which we did.
Who needs Brighton? Pebble beach? In Greece you get a turquoise coloured sea, sandy beach, a restaurant by the beach and an ashtray!!!
Family avoid lethal poisoning because of dad’s drive to stop smoking
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/family-avoid-lethal-poisoning-because-9722297
A indian father walks out of teepee to find name for new papoose upon seeing 2 deers running he tells his sone the childs name. The son asks howd did you pisk the name father,the indian responds why its easy Indians always name their children after the first thing they sight outside of teepee why you ask WALKING EAGLE TO FULL OFSHIT TO FLY………..
Pingback: When the Music’s Over? Good Vibrations… | Library of Libraries
Great post, Frank!
When the music’s over…..
I often do wonder what kind of mood ‘music’ nowadays caters for. It seems lost itself!
To me, classical music caters for my quiet moods; I don’t want to think I just want to listen. When in such a mood, I put on my headphones and forget the world around me.
[This does remind me of something which wound me up about 1 year ago: My old amp gave in and I decided to buy a ‘state-of-the-art’ sound system. Once set up I put my headphones on and on went Dvořák – to my dismay I found myself encountering state-controlled headphone volume for the first time in my life. IT’S AWFUL!!!! Another investment was in order and now listening to music is back to normal!]
Then, for being more ‘social’ (it’s pretty difficult these days when you invite friends and one of them moans about you smoking) I get out all the old ‘Magna Carta’; Pink Floyd; Yardbirds; Deep Purple etc.etc.etc.
Up to the mid 70s music was good – in the 80s it became to conform and with that hellishly boring or too experimental; neither of which I like.
In the 90s there was the odd band worth listening to; 3 years ago one of them played in town, so we got a ticket and went. There were very few people there, most of which spent a lot of time OUTSIDE the venue, smoking.
The anti-smokers have killed REAL social interaction. And, 2007 was the year life music died.
PS: Jeremy Clarkson is right
https://cfrankdavis.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/shegetstheblokes.jpg?w=640&h=960