Cigarette plain packaging, has it worked on illicit drugs?

Today Big Prohibition is celebrating its High Court victory over ‘Big Tobacco’ on the issue of plain packaging of cigarettes.  Tobacco companies had challenged the legislation to have all cigarettes sold in drab green packs without logos or company identification on the basis of denial of intellectual and other property rights.

In retrospect, this may have been a mistake as property rights are not a widely respected concept in Australia.  Rural landholders have largely borne the brunt of the assault on private property until now with a myriad of laws restricting their rights to carry out activities, from building right through to weed control.  A quick check with them would have let Phillip Morris know, it was flogging a dead horse on the issue.

Government protects citizens from cake

Trust the government. They know what is good for you.

I am bemused and depressed by the amount of faith people have in the goodness of government. People see a problem, think up a good intention, and then hand more power and money to the government expecting the “government-god” to guide them to truth, justice and a wheelbarrow full of candy.

And of course, the government abuses it’s power. The promoters of government find excuses, object that they would have done it better, insist that the government needs more money, complain that government failure was beyond prediction, and justify themselves by pointing to their good intentions.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But people can’t eat good intentions. And now, thanks to more EU bureaucracy, people in Europe can’t eat cakes if they are made for a cake show.

TRADITIONAL bakery exhibitions are at risk of being consigned to history thanks to a new European directive.

New EU regulations have banned the consumption of cakes and confectionary entered at country fairs and agricultural shows immediately after baking competitions.

The chairman of Mayo County Council, Cllr Joe Mellett, said the new rules were the “death knell” for the Irish agricultural show.

“When you see things like this it’s no wonder the people voted No to the Lisbon Treaty. This will be the end of the traditional baking competition at local shows across the country, therefore impacting on local revenue. It’s just ridiculous.”

Under the rules adjudicators of bakery sections in local shows are only permitted to taste the traditional favourites such as apple tarts or cheese cakes. Once the judging is over, the produce must be immediately destroyed. As a result, only bite-sized versions of the cakes will be entered in shows.

The directive has already been made law in Scotland.

Mr Mellett, one of the founding members of his own local agricultural show in Swinford, said he “could not believe” the latest EU directive.

“Honestly, when I saw this first I thought it was something to do with April Fools’ Day. I just couldn’t imagine someone sitting down and coming up with this rule.

“It is a real deterrent to those entering shows. If you thought your prize produce was going to be destroyed immediately after a tiny taste was taken from it, then you would not want to enter a competition.”

He added: “Local people are doing their best to continue on traditions, particularly in places like the west of Ireland, and this is what they are met with.”

But the statists won’t lose faith. That’s what it means to have faith. This is just one silly policy… but surely if we just keeping giving more power to politicians and bureaucrats (with the best of intentions of course) then we can make the world a better place. Sigh.

Society must be protected!

After reading this fine article by Jack Marx on temperance, I stumbled across this nonsense (courtesy of Slashdot) suggesting that “addictive technology” – such as Blackberries – come with health warnings!

Let’s hope the Fun Sheriff doesn’t catch on.