this is not the hamster you're looking for (flightstothesea) wrote in

otf_wank,
@ 2008-02-19 14:07:00

smoking bans are just like fascism!
Some of you may be familiar with a man by the name of Charlie Brooker, who writes for the Guardian's "Comment is Free" section (he also has a TV review column called "Screen Burn"). He's acerbic and misanthropic and generally reasonably funny, though if the comments on his articles are anything to go by, he was funnier at some undetermined point in the past.

This week's article is about the proposed £10 fee for a smoker's permit, the form for which is deliberately complex. This has a lot of people up in arms.

Comments for the article start out well enough, until anonymousdibs claims that There really is nothing in this world nicer than the sound of a smoker whining.

And just like that, we go from zero to Godwin's in 10 comments:

First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Take heed, non-smokers.

Unfortunately, you can't link to individual comments, so you'll have to scroll to get to the choicer bits of stupid and funny.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

	fevered_ego 2008-02-20 03:31 am UTC (link)
	So like, the other day I had to (go outside in the wind / wait til the plane landed / find a different bar) just to get my nic fix. Later on at work Abe Goldman started telling me about the Jews, and I was like "Concentration camps? Preaching to the choir, my man--I'm a smoker!" (Reply to this)(Thread)

	icedark_elf 2008-02-20 05:40 am UTC (link)
	I just had the mental image of George Carlin saying this. I don't know why, but it was fun to hear it in his voice. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fevered_ego 2008-02-20 05:52 am UTC (link)
	Haha, you're right. Looks like old George beat Bill Hicks out for control of my fingers this week. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	icedark_elf 2008-02-20 06:17 am UTC (link)
	That, and I also had a flash of Bill Ingvull's(spelling?) bit over Smoker Aquariums. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	serai 2008-02-23 05:16 am UTC (link)
	Icon love. Must make me a button of that. I live within walking distance of the L.A. Scientology Headquarters, so I am YAY for anything that will piss them off/drive them crazy. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

fevered_ego
2008-02-23 05:51 am UTC (link)

Thanks! This one is going to be one of the 1-inch buttons I bring to my next con. Probably gonna wear it to the Ides of March/St. Paddy's Day/L. Ron Hubbard birthday protest, too.

The cult has been in complete chaos to the point of interrogating even high-ranking members since we showed up on 2/10. There are leaks of a story going around that Anonymous are agents of the Marcabian invasion fleet, in cahoots with German psychiatrists. People are blowing their ranks in record numbers and Miscavige just plain doesn't know what the fuck.

Another protest will pretty much guarantee lulz for a good cause, with potential for green beer afterwards. You should totally come and add to the mirth.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	serai 2008-02-24 05:13 am UTC (link)
	I would LOVE to join in, but I can't find any info on what/when in L.A. Got any links you can point me to? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	napalmnacey 2008-02-24 05:32 am UTC (link)
	enturbulation.org winks (Reply to this)(Parent)

	fevered_ego 2008-02-24 08:29 am UTC (link)
	http://harbl.wetfish.net/cosplay/ is a clickymap where you can find events and sign on. http://www.enturbulation.org is the semi-official forum at the moment. Each protest has its own thread where you can plan for the event and sort out meetup times, snacks, stuff like that. I wish we were in LA! That one was huge on the tenth. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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