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Privacy, Politics and Projects
Jul. 14th, 2005 08:57 amWhoa, whoa, whoa, wait just a goddamn minute. So there are terrorist bombings, and now the governments of the European Union want to force companies to keep phone and internet records. And then there's Mr Blair turning around and trying to make it easier to deport people who are "inciting hatred", and make the immigration laws stricter generally. Oh, great. Lovely.
The worst part is Mr Clarke saying how "civil liberties ought to be treated proportionally". Proportional to what? Yes, people should have the right to go to work in the morning without being bombed. People should also have the right to go about their lives without worrying about said lives turning into a fucking George Orwell novel. Does that strike any Transmet fans reading this as sounding a little bit like the Smiler trying to "protect the people from the outdated language of the Constitution"?
And they're claiming that a public smoking ban would decrease smoking in the home. As a smoker, I can honestly say that's bollocks -- when I come out of my non-smoking office building, I'll usually be found huffing nicotine about five steps from the door, and will chain-smoke two or three cigarettes before I get out of "die, bastards, die" mode. I don't mind the idea of a public smoking ban so much (unless they try it on pavements, in which case they're completely dim; how do you enforce something like that?), but for pity's sake, suggest it for the right reasons. No, some people don't want to be exposed to second-hand smoke; I respect that, and even the separate sections for non-smokers in restaurants aren't always effective. However, doing it because they believe that it will force me to quit smoking? Huh? Surely that's my choice. If they want to stop me smoking altogether, they can make tobacco illegal, but they're not going to use my home life as a justification for anti-smoking legislation. That, technically, is another invasion of my privacy.
British law has abortion as an option up to 24 weeks? That's six months! I'm not surprised they want to cut it down some. Whether those who choose to do it so late are being irresponsible or not, surely if you're so torn up about it that you agonise for four or five months, you should be taking one of the other options.
As far as personal stuff goes, too much to do... Must get that Signature Weapon: Blunt stuff out of the way, I wanted to finish Wormwood and Chamomile and get the other![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
non_plot stuff done, there are still a few more faces I wanted to Sim up to act as a basis for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
weaselbitch's artistic endeavours on the Affils project. (And if she doubts that I like them if I *squee*, *poing* and generally show great enthusiasm again, I'm going to chase her 'round the house with Psyduck.)
Oh, and panicking. My paycheque should have stabilised by now, meaning I should have been paid today. I have checked my bank account. I have not been paid. I smell trouble.
The worst part is Mr Clarke saying how "civil liberties ought to be treated proportionally". Proportional to what? Yes, people should have the right to go to work in the morning without being bombed. People should also have the right to go about their lives without worrying about said lives turning into a fucking George Orwell novel. Does that strike any Transmet fans reading this as sounding a little bit like the Smiler trying to "protect the people from the outdated language of the Constitution"?
And they're claiming that a public smoking ban would decrease smoking in the home. As a smoker, I can honestly say that's bollocks -- when I come out of my non-smoking office building, I'll usually be found huffing nicotine about five steps from the door, and will chain-smoke two or three cigarettes before I get out of "die, bastards, die" mode. I don't mind the idea of a public smoking ban so much (unless they try it on pavements, in which case they're completely dim; how do you enforce something like that?), but for pity's sake, suggest it for the right reasons. No, some people don't want to be exposed to second-hand smoke; I respect that, and even the separate sections for non-smokers in restaurants aren't always effective. However, doing it because they believe that it will force me to quit smoking? Huh? Surely that's my choice. If they want to stop me smoking altogether, they can make tobacco illegal, but they're not going to use my home life as a justification for anti-smoking legislation. That, technically, is another invasion of my privacy.
British law has abortion as an option up to 24 weeks? That's six months! I'm not surprised they want to cut it down some. Whether those who choose to do it so late are being irresponsible or not, surely if you're so torn up about it that you agonise for four or five months, you should be taking one of the other options.
As far as personal stuff goes, too much to do... Must get that Signature Weapon: Blunt stuff out of the way, I wanted to finish Wormwood and Chamomile and get the other
non_plot stuff done, there are still a few more faces I wanted to Sim up to act as a basis for weaselbitch's artistic endeavours on the Affils project. (And if she doubts that I like them if I *squee*, *poing* and generally show great enthusiasm again, I'm going to chase her 'round the house with Psyduck.)Oh, and panicking. My paycheque should have stabilised by now, meaning I should have been paid today. I have checked my bank account. I have not been paid. I smell trouble.
