Thursday 1 July 2010

The Puddlecote Vote Goes To ...

Considering that, for the entire length of time most of us will have had access to the internet (hands up who were online prior to 1997) 'public consultations' have routinely been buried deep within some government departmental bore-fest, the new Your Freedom site is a breath of fresh air.

There he is, our Nick, moving and talking to us on the front page and calling for a flashmob crowd-source. It's even dead easy to register. Just a 30 second process and you're in and engaging directly with your elected representatives.

It's the best thing since ... well, the last best thing since sliced bread, isn't it?

We're all going to suggest laws to repeal or amend and they're all going to listen intently. Fantastic!

So, I shall represent my thoughts pictorially.


Yes, this is what we were promised. The Great Repeal Bill. The Big Daddy of listening to the public. So let's play the game.

Here are a few worthy recommendations from your friendly neighbourhood Dick.

Of course, this being post-Labour Britain with its accompanying entourage of state-encouraged selfish pricks, there are tons of the more, shall we say 'limited'(?), in society who have taken the invitation to repeal unwanted laws as an opportunity to call for more stamping on the faces of those with which they don't agree.

If proof was ever required that we live in a 'Broken Britain', the anti-social me-me-me fucktards who have scuttled to spit bile all over the site offer that in spades. Aesop wrote about the dog in a manger over 2,500 years ago but some, it would seem, are still struggling to understand such a simple concept.

Aww, bless their feeble minds.

Still, it's infinitely more promising than any faux consultation we have seen before, so definitely worth the gamble, I'd say.

Of course, Westminster - or, probably more accurately, the civil service - are very adept at marginalising the public (I describe some methods here) and enforcing a tyranny of the majority, while still terming it 'democratic process', so hopes are not stellar. Think the Number 10 petitions site, for example.

Will the coalition surprise us? We'll have to wait and see, but an amendment to the smoking ban really is a nil cost measure no matter what anti-smoking lunatics like to pay bent scientists and opinion pollsters to say.

Choice for all is, unsurprisingly, quite a popular concept in a 'free' country.

You want truth? You can't handle the truth! OK, maybe you can, so I give you two excellent articles on the third anniversary of the ban.

A quite exquisite piece by Pete Robinson in trade publication, The Publican, and a customarily eloquent rundown of the damage caused by the smoking ban from Raedwald.

Isn't it time, in the 21st century, that we matured away from legislation to ban odours for the sake of people who think of nothing, and no-one, but themselves?


14 comments:

Angry Exile said...

Okay. [Cracks knuckles and types]
http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/ [hits return]

"Failed to open page."

In a strange way that actually seems appropriate.

Smoking Hot said...

Got to love the Bulgarians ... smoking ban lasted 3 days!

http://www.tobacco-facts.net/2010/06/world-most-short-lived-smoking-ban

h/t Frank Davis

subrosa said...

Gosh Dick I'm a founder of the internet in Scotland. I was first online in 1992 with a 28 modem. The only person I knew who had email was my brother in Canada and I pestered him every day for some years. Poor devil.

That's back in the days when a web page took 5 minutes to load but there will so few around it was a novelty.

Sam Duncan said...

AE: It's crashed under the strain, apparently. It seems that rather a lot of people want stupid laws repealed. Who knew?

Barking Spider said...

It's extremely difficult to get through to comment and vote, DP, I've been trying for much of the day and so far I've only managed to leave two votes/comments.

Anonymous said...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10478753.stm

Might want to take a quick look at this, and then weep as you realise that the majority UK's pubs will die a painful death.

Angry Exile said...

@Sam Duncan, yeah, thought that's what it would be. Actually I got the home page about ten minutes after I posted that, and then failed to get anything else. I imagine there's a million idiots wanting to repeal the law that allows their neighbours cat to shit in the flowerbeds ;-) ... /facepalm

JuliaM said...

"Still, it's infinitely more promising than any faux consultation we have seen before..."

Damning with VERY faint praise! :)

Anonymous said...

"people who think of nothing, and no-one, but themselves?"

That would be people who like to fill confined spaces with stinking smoke which other people then have to breathe in and take home on their hair and clothes, then?

Anonymous said...

To anon at 10.52
Chuddering on about smelly smoke

Do you frequent ALL pubs in the Uk
If you have a stinking car may I suggest you kindly buzz off and
whinge elsewhere , childish little silly billy. Pretty obvious you
have never worked in a REAL smoke filled job such as a foundry which
produce items you gladly purchase

Just another total narrow minded
hypocretin.

Retired industrial choker

Anonymous said...

Smoking Hot...Bulgaria

In Bulgaria the vast majority of the male population are REAL MEN
In Britain the vast majority of the male population are OLD WOMEN.

If England had depended on the current crop of 20-50 year olds we
would be having croissants for breakfast,schnitzels for lunch and
Tapas for tea.


Wakey Wakey

Dick Puddlecote said...

Anon @ 10:56: Since an amendment which creates separate rooms, or smoking and non-smoking pubs, would result in none of what you describe unless voluntarily - not really, no.

So, using powers of deduction, that just leaves people who complain about allowing smoking in a room they would never be in, as those who think of nothing, and no-one, but themselves.

Would it be easier for you to understand if I draw a picture next time?

tomsmith said...

We need to coordinate on this. The place is overwhelmed with public service and fake charity personnel protecting their incomes.

Anonymous said...

"So...that just leaves people who complain about allowing smoking in a room they would never be in..."

LOL Such people are surely certifiable? They would be if, as paid up members of alcoholics anonymous, they complained about people drinking in pubs.

When it comes to smoking, though, these people never see how absurd they are. Leggy's probably right and their brains have seized up from indoctrination unquestioningly accepted.

Jay