"The science is clear: Prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke - whether you're indoors or out - hurts your health. Today, we're doing something about it."And with this astoundingly ill-informed statement did Mayor Bloomberg shame his city in announcing a ban on smoking in places like Central Park - an unenclosed space 70 times larger than Wembley Stadium.
One wonders if Bloomberg has ever looked out across New York harbour and spotted the verdigris-coated reminder of his country's statement (now empty) to the rest of the world concerning the principle of liberty.
In rebutting, renowned US libertarian, John Stossel, points out what all but the most ridiculous in society - and Bloomberg falls squarely into that category - know already.
But the science isn’t clear. Studies have shown that secondhand smoke may be dangerous for people who are stuck with chain smokers for years in claustrophobic situations like homes and cars. Even then, the evidence was thin. Some studies found no effect. Being on the same sidewalk as someone puffing away may be unpleasant, but isn’t going to hurt pedestrians.I presume he used so many words because simply stating "Bloomberg is a cunt who talks bollocks" is frowned upon these days.
But then, Bloomberg seems to have an inconsistent understanding of all kinds of freedoms and rights, as Cato explains here.
A front-page story in today’s New York Times begins:Yep, Bloomberg is a defender of property rights ... unless he doesn't feel property rights are important anymore. And he is proud to be Mayor of the home of Lady Liberty ... except when he doesn't think liberty should be allowed on the back of scientific evidence which doesn't exist.Michael R. Bloomberg is a former Wall Street mogul with a passion for the rights of a private property owner.The story is about the not-really-at-Ground-Zero mosque, of course.
Bloomberg has a passion for property rights — except when the property owner wants to allow smoking on his own property or just wants to keep the property he owns even if a richer person wants it.
By comparison, Boris doesn't come across as quite that bonkers anymore, does he?
ADDENDUM: I nearly forgot, there is a classic of its genre in the comments to Stossel's article.
Logan9773Into the catalogue it goes.
Smokers are idiots. They know that smoking will kill them and they are a drag on our health care system. We should do them a favor and give them a quick clean bullet through the head.
September 16, 2010 at 3:26 pm
6 comments:
I especially enjoyed this cogent analysis of the nature of smoking:
"Smoking should become like all those other nasty private things we do and enjoy in our own space on our own time. Much as you wouldn't masturbate, or even fart without some embarrassment (if you're at all civil) in a place where someone would see or smell you, you should treat smoking as any other disgusting excretional activity... in Private. We don't want to see you picking your nose... keep it out of public We don't want to smell your irritable bowl syndrome... hold it until the crapper, or far away from us We don't want to see the food in your mouth as you chew your food... keep your mouth closed. We don't want to smell your nasty cigarettes... save it for your car, your house, or somewhere far away from everyone else. You'd think with the foul stench of cig smoke, these people would be embarrassed they stink so bad. Everything from breath to clothes, to even the sweat and body odor has a distinctive taint to it."
So...masturbation and picking one's nose are, obviously, smelly. Huh? Doing it wrong, perchance?
There was an election a few years ago in NYC in which something like 75% of the voters voted yes to term limits - and Mayor Bloomberg had no right to run in the election for a third term. However Bloomberg and some council members, also up for re-election and cut short by the term limits, decided to sh*t in the face of NY voters and overturned the term limits by way of city council and the mayor. Then, he ran for his next term and won, citing the financial situation as NY's "need" for him as mayor. Shortly thereafter he began all his banning - concerned about private property rights and liberties - what a joke with that man. He's the biggest crookedest hypocrite since Tammany Hall days. And NYers, I thought they were supposed to be tough! Tough - why the new generation of NYers must be as bad as their west coast counterparts snivveling and cowering while smoking, drinking, salt and everything else gets taken from them. Such an evil man. People in NY should have voted him out - well they did, when they voted in the term limits - only that never stopped a millionaire from getting his way and playing at Louie XIV, depriving the man in the street of even the small pleasure of a damned cigarette. Bloomberg's another one who can line up for hell, then burn when he gets there, in flames.
" And NYers, I thought they were supposed to be tough! Tough - why the new generation of NYers must be as bad as their west coast counterparts..."
We're clearly not in Kansas any more, Toto...
Surely people know they're being had? How odd.
Anon @ 05:44: Not a fan, then?
Logan9773 sounds like he'd enjoy the same kind of work as his namesake. Bagsy I get first go at nailing the lifeclock on to his hand.
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