The vinyl illusion ?

[Joe]

Speaking to parents about this, it seems the main cause is paranoia over kiddy fiddlers and Madeleine Mcann style abductions. I know people who won't even let their children play in their own back garden unsupervised. Now these are not stupid people and they know how small the chance of it happening is. But if they took a chance and it happened they would never be able to forgive themselves. So they won't take any chances.

Another factor is of course the huge increase in road traffic since I were a lad. We could 'play out' in the street all day, with only a handful of cars stopping play. Even crossing main roads was no big deal, as there were often long gaps in the traffic allowing you to nip across. It's definitely the case that paranoia has increased though, and I wasn't immune as a parent.

[Marco]

Shyness or lack thereof is partly down to genetics, and partly down to upbringing. Some children were shy when I was young, so it's hardly a new phenomenon (indeed, way back in the eighteenth century Jane Austen commented to her sister that children were much less shy than when they were young). People often comment on how 'mouthy' children are these days, compared to the good old days when children didn't speak unless they were spoken to, would never dream of 'answering back' to their parents etc etc. It all illustrates the danger of sticking big labels on people, ignoring the fact that we're all different, that such differences have been there throughout history, and probably always will be there.

Yes, I agree, but it's not about sticking big labels on people; it's about commenting on the world around you, and observing what you largely see in everyday life, which is all I'm doing.

I agree that some kids are "mouthy", but "mouthy", in the context I'm taking from what you've written, is a rather different thing from confident and outgoing!

Marco.

[Joe]

Yes, I agree, but it's not about sticking big labels on people; it's about commenting on the world around you, and observing what you largely see in everyday life, which is all I'm doing.

I agree that some kids are "mouthy", but "mouthy", in the context I'm taking from what you've written, is a rather different thing from confident and outgoing!

Marco.

Nah, 'confident and outgoing kids' = mouthy brats. Give 'em a clip around the earhole.

[Marco]

Lol, yes, very good!

Marco.

[Macca]

I have no objection whatsoever to anyone doing what they want (legally), including smoking, providing I'm not indirectly forced to partake in their activity. So smoke away, as long as I don't have to inhale it or have my clothes stinking of fags, after a night out in a pub, where I all want to do is enjoy a drink (and possibly eat some food).

.

You see that is where you are going wrong. The pubs I am talking about would never serve food, you'd be lucky if they even had crisps or nuts. Everyone who went into those pubs smoked, so did the landlord/landlady and the barstaff. No-one had a problem with it and if some preppy type wandered in by accident he soon wandered out again. So it harmed no-one.

I've smoked in some of those pubs since the smoking ban, because there was no-one in there who would grass the landlord up. But they have since all closed down.

[paulf-2007]

They should ban non smokers from pubs. it's done harm to the great British pub and most regular drinkers are smokers anyway. I would always blow smoke on any twat who had the temerity to complain of my smoking even though I was outside!

You'd get a smack in the face if you blew smoke in mine

[Arkless Electronics]

Jez, you know I like you [I do], but sometimes you write stuff that makes you come across as a selfish, inconsiderate arrogant twat, and I'm sorry, but the above is a case in point!

I have no objection whatsoever to anyone doing what they want (legally), including smoking, providing I'm not indirectly forced to partake in their activity. So smoke away, as long as I don't have to inhale it or have my clothes stinking of fags, after a night out in a pub, where I all want to do is enjoy a drink (and possibly eat some food).

Thankfully the smoking ban has eradicated the above, and now other non-smokers and I can exercise our right to breathe fresh air, and not go home smelling like an ashtray!!

Of course, the proper way to have dealt with the situation, rather than imposing an outright ban, would've been for the government to have given grants to pubs, which allowed them to build proper segregated areas between smokers and non-smokers, so that both sets of needs were catered for.

However, that's bloody self-serving governments for you, who'd rather spend money on creating financial perks for the rich or on arms to further pointless wars, than making the lives of ordinary people that bit nicer!

Marco.

I mean every word of it. People who have a problem with me smoking EVEN THOUGH I'M OUTSIDE can shove it where the sun don't shine and fuck of while they're doing it.

[Arkless Electronics]

You'd get a smack in the face if you blew smoke in mine

If you complained to me about my smoking when I'm outside then fight on pal.

[paulf-2007]

I mean every word of it. People who have a problem with me smoking EVEN THOUGH I'M OUTSIDE can shove it where the sun don't shine and fuck of while they're doing it.

what a lovely bloke, here's hoping I never meet you.

[Marco]

I mean every word of it. People who have a problem with me smoking EVEN THOUGH I'M OUTSIDE can shove it where the sun don't shine and fuck of while they're doing it.

Then like Paul said, you'd get the smack in the mouth you richly deserved. I think you should quit now and leave it there, Jez, as selfish, arrogant louts aren't welcome on AoS, so I wouldn't like to think that you were one!

Whether you were outside or not, matters not a jot *if*, for any reason I still have to inhale your smoke, as sometimes happens depending on how the wind is blowing or the set-up outside a particular pub. I also shouldn't be forced to walk past (or on top of) filthy fag ends chucked on the ground, simply because some smokers are too lazy to use the provided ashtrays!!

Marco.